Mindset

Mindset

Think you're too old? Think again!

Working with the elderly, I find there isn't a day that goes by without someone saying, "Getting old is terrible. There is so much you cannot do." I disagree. I've decided instead to let the folks below be my motivation. What do these people have in common? They did not let anything, including their age, limit what they wanted to do. They just decided they wanted to do something, then took one step after another. 

AT AGE 91, Sister Madonna 

had completed 45 Ironman competitions since the age of 50! 

AT AGE 92, Chico Scimone raced up the Empire State Building finishing in just over 43 minutes!

AT AGE 104, old Ruth Frith broke the world record in shot put in her age group(65y and above)!

AT AGE 78, Anna Mary Robertson Moses, or Grandma Moses, began painting and was a prominent American Folk Artist!

AT AGE 98, George Dawson, learned to read and wrote a book called "Life Is So Good" at the age of 101!

AT AGE 70, Joan MacDobald decided to take charge of her health and began to eat healthily, exercise more and start strength training. Six years later, she not only turned her health around (losing weight, building incredible muscle and resolving many health issues) but now has over 1M Instagram followers, a new app and has started a new business! 

So instead of thinking, "I can't because (fill in the blank)," think, "what if I could?" Then take the first step!

Who will motivate you to take the next step?

#motivation #mindset #possibilites #nevertooold

---

“If we want to do it, we can. The only failure is not to try because putting forth the effort is success in itself.”

— —Sister Madonna

---

Wondering how coaching can help you? Email info@salimashamji.com to schedule a discovery call.

Cultivate Happiness

Happiness

I recently learned of an excellent framework for looking at happiness, called the SPIRE, from Tal Ben-Shahar, author and educator. This model shows that happiness comes from many areas in our life. 

S- for spiritual, which can be purpose and meaning in life to religious connection. 

P- is related to our physical well-being, eating, sleeping, moving and the mind-body connection. 

I -refers to intellectual happiness, which comes from being curious and deep learning. 

R- is for relationship happiness and cultivating deep, meaningful relationships with others. For example, this is cultivated by connecting with loved ones or contributing meaningfully to a community. 

E- comes from emotional happiness, which involves being able to process negative emotions and cultivate positive ones, such as gratitude and kindness. 

This novel framework shows that happiness is a systems approach. We may not be great in all areas of the SPIRE model, but pretty good at some. However, if we want to increase our happiness overall, growing our happiness in one area will positively affect all others. For example, suppose we become better able to manage our emotions. In that case, we will also be more creative, open to learning new things and participate more positively in relationships. Yet, if we neglect any of these areas, it will negatively impact all the other aspects. So, for example, if we neglect our physical well-being, we are less likely to feel emotionally happy and want to participate in activities involving deep learning and curiosity. (This is something I see firsthand as a physician! 🤔)

Where are you thriving? Which areas do you need to cultivate?

How does this affect business and the workplace? 

Well, research has shown that happy people are more productive, creative and more likely to contribute, which ultimately impacts the bottom line! 🤔

---

“Happiness is the joy you feel moving toward your potential”

— —Shawn Achor

---

Wondering how coaching can help you? Email info@salimashamji.com to schedule a discovery call.

Take a Self-compassion Break!

Quiet That Inner Critic!

Recently, in my interactions with others, I’ve noticed that we can be really hard on ourselves when things don’t go how we expected or, more common these days, there are too many holes to fix all by ourselves. One strategy I like to use when something doesn’t go as well as I  had liked is the Self-compassion Break created by professor and researcher Kirstin Neff. It involves some mindfulness (paying attention to how you feel now), connecting with common humanity (knowing you’re not the only one in the world feeling this way), and offering yourself compassion as you would to a good friend. 

---

Practicing Self-Compassion:

Here’s how it goes:

Think of a current challenging situation that didn’t go well. Then imagine you talking to yourself like you would say to a good friend. 

Cross your arms or place a hand on your heart (strengthens the mind-body connection)

Then say to yourself something like:

1. This is hard (or this really hurts... is stressful - whatever you feel). Use your own words.

Then say to yourself:

2. Everyone goes through challenges. It is a part of life. (Think of all the people who are struggling just like you.)

 Then  say to yourself something you might say to a good friend like:

3. May I be ....kind to myself or … be patient or may I accept myself as I am.... whatever you feel you need at the moment. Any comforting thing you might say to a friend in a similar situation is just right!

---

The Benefits of Being Kind to Yourself:

Practicing self-compassion: improves our well-being, increases the chances of trying new things, reduces fear of failure, helps combat perfectionism and rumination, improves cortisol levels and increase heart rate variability, helps us cope better with chronic pain, reduces the tendency towards anxiety and depression! 😅

Like all the tools for resilience, it’s one to practice regularly and keep on hand in your back pocket! 

Try it out, and let me know how it goes!

---

Wondering how coaching can help you? Email info@salimashamji.com to schedule a discovery call.