You are losing integrity with yourself.
Here is what most women I know are doing …
You tell yourself you are going to do something for yourself.
And then you don’t do it.
You say you are going to put yourself first.
And then you put someone else’s need before yours.
You say you are going to lose weight.
And then you eat the pie because your neighbor made it specially for you.
You say you are going to start saving 10% of your income to invest in your retirement.
And then the surprise dental bill comes up and you don’t put anything in savings.
Sure, sometimes you have to make a tough call and not follow through.
But there are hidden consequences.
When you don’t follow through on a promise you make to yourself, you lose integrity with yourself.
You won’t fully believe yourself the next time you tell yourself you are going to do something.
Then that spirals.
You make more promises to yourself, and you are not fully committed because you know you might not have your own back.
There’s only one antidote.
Make a commitment to take action.
Then take the action.
Especially with yourself.
You won’t have to work to believe you can achieve something if you know you will take action. That’s rock solid confidence.
Believe in your integrity to keep promises to yourself
and believe that you are worth it.
That is what propels you forward.
Stressed out?
I am writing you a prescription for forest bathing.
Japanese studies show that the health benefits of forest bathing can last as long as 30 days.
It’s pretty much like the name says.
You choose a nice patch of forest or woods or in a pinch a city park.
Once you are among the trees, sit or walk or do some tai chi.
Find a spot that speaks to you.
No phone.
Of course.
Then engage your senses.
Smell. Inhale the phytocides.
Ask yourself, “What all do I smell?”
Listen for the sounds.
Listen for the sounds beyond the sounds.
Notice the colors.
Take it all in.
Touch the leaves and plants. Are the leaves wet with dew? Are they soft or rigid or prickly?
Like water in a bath, let the forest enfold you.
It can lower your body’s stress hormones.
Extra credit points for bare feet.
How long? Start with any amount of time… 30 seconds all you can do? No problem.
Then gradually work your way up to 2 hours.
If you want.
No pressure.
If your monkey brain chatter keeps interrupting you, taking you out of the moment, let those thoughts pass through you like a cloud, and direct your attention back to your five senses.
Forest bathing… too simple for us busy folks to do.
But it’s like breathing… simple, but has great benefits,
and we are meant to do it.
I offer abundance (money) coaching.
I offer life coaching.
And now, after a decade hiatus, I am offering photography.
i never quit photography totally, but 11 years after I closed the door on Ellen Yale Photography (my commercial/retail business) I am offering a limited selection of my services.
It finally feels good again.
I have dipped my toe back into the business from time to time, but my gut always gave me a hard no when it came to offering photography to the public.
Until now.
The three services on my menu:
- I am offering natural light portraiture for women.
I want to show women their beauty inside and out. - Branding photography… this is a particularly apropos blend of my skills: coaching, photography and marketing.
- And fine art photography collaborations… Portrait Stories.
See my webpage here… https://www.ellenyale.com/?page_id=6473
I have a summer special going on right now for natural light portraits!
My old clients have been finding me and asking me about working with them for years, and the demand seems to be getting stronger rather than diminishing. So here we go.
I’m getting back to my roots while at the same time growing, expanding and fine tuning.
It’s all coming together.