The Circles of Life: Understanding It All Comes Back Around Again

Hello All!  What a refreshing long weekend and much needed.  This week I want to talk about the circles of life. There are continual instances where we find ourselves in these triptychs. A set of 3,  can be grounded between two ends or a triangle.  I speak a lot about this as I talk about the cycles we get into.     This week we are focusing on the power of threes.  We should look at the cycles we build, maintain balance in these cycles, set emotional boundaries, and build our circle of trust.  As always you can watch or listen on YouTube all of the topics this week.

The Power of 3’s

🌟 The Power of 3: Unlocking Success Through Cycles 🌟

Success in life often follows the rhythm of cycles—a concept beautifully captured in the "power of 3." This idea echoes through nature, art, and even our personal and professional lives, shaping the way we grow and achieve.

Think of it as the Triptych of Life:

1. Beginning (Initiation)
2. Middle (Growth)
3. End (Resolution)

These three phases create a cycle that propels us forward, encouraging continuous learning and adaptation. Whether you're launching a project, developing a skill, or pursuing personal growth, embracing this natural cycle can enhance your journey toward success.

Relating to Ellis’s ABC Model:

Albert Ellis’s ABC model in cognitive-behavioral therapy also reflects the power of 3:

• A: Activating Event
• B: Beliefs
• C: Consequences

Just like in the triptych, we face an Activating Event (Beginning), form Beliefs about it (Middle), and experience Consequences (End). Recognizing this cycle empowers us to shift our beliefs and transform our outcomes, leading to greater success.

By embracing the power of 3, we can harness the natural cycles in our lives, align our actions with our goals, and unlock the door to continuous growth and achievement. 🚀

Maintaining Balance

In pursuing success, it's easy to focus solely on achievements, deadlines, and goals. But true success isn't just about what we accomplish—it's about how we maintain balance along the way.

Why Balance Matters:

• Sustainable Growth: Balance ensures that our progress is steady and sustainable, preventing burnout and fostering long-term success.
• Enhanced Creativity: A well-rounded life fuels creativity. When we nurture our personal lives, we bring fresh perspectives to our work.
• Improved Well-being: Balance between work and life promotes mental and physical health, which is the foundation for enduring success.

Tips for Maintaining Balance:

1. Set Boundaries: Clearly define work hours and personal time. Respecting these boundaries is key to staying balanced.
2. Prioritize Self-Care: Success is sweeter when we're healthy and happy. Make time for activities that rejuvenate your body and mind.
3. Reflect Regularly: Take time to assess your priorities and adjust your focus as needed. Balance is a dynamic state, not a fixed point.

Success isn't a sprint; it's a marathon. By maintaining balance, we ensure that we're not just reaching our goals, but also enjoying the journey along the way. My wellness groups are the perfect way to add balance into your life. In one hour each week you will find noticeable changes in every aspect of the way you interact with others and yourself.

In 1 week change the way you think and view your life. In 6 weeks feel better and have healthy habits that lead towards success. In 20 weeks Live towards a happier and healthier life, have clear routines and positive perceptions that create happiness and wellness.

Emotional Boundary Setting: Protecting Your Well-Being

The circle continues as we look at the people we bring into our lives and how we interact with them. Using a circle that encompasses ourselves, goals, and values helps us to understand what is something we are invested in and what does not serve us. Setting emotional boundaries is crucial for maintaining your mental and emotional health. It’s about recognizing what serves you and what doesn’t, allowing you to protect your energy, focus, and peace. Two powerful exercises can help you identify and establish these boundaries: the Circle Activity and the Planting Garden Exercise.

The Circle Activity

Imagine drawing a large circle on a piece of paper. Inside this circle, write down everything that serves you—positive relationships, fulfilling activities, supportive environments, and anything that brings you joy, growth, and peace. Outside the circle, write down what doesn’t serve you—negative influences, toxic relationships, draining activities, and anything that detracts from your well-being.

How It Works:

• Identify: This exercise helps you visually separate what’s beneficial from what’s harmful in your life.
• Clarify Boundaries: By clearly seeing what belongs inside and outside your circle, you can begin to set boundaries around the things that matter most.
• Empowerment: It empowers you to say “yes” to what serves you and “no” to what doesn’t, helping you protect your emotional health.

The Planting Garden Exercise

Think of your emotional well-being as a garden. The plants in this garden represent your values, needs, and the positive aspects of your life that you want to nurture. To protect your garden, you need boundaries, just like a fence protects your plants from weeds and pests.

How It Works:

• Plant: Imagine planting seeds that represent the values, relationships, and activities that are important to you.
• Protect: Consider the boundaries or “fences” you need to keep harmful influences out. This could mean setting limits on your time, saying no to demands that drain you, or distancing yourself from toxic people.
• Nurture: Regularly “water” your garden by practicing self-care, spending time with supportive people, and engaging in activities that uplift you.

Putting It into Practice

Both of these exercises help you visualize and understand your emotional boundaries. By identifying what’s inside your circle or garden, you gain clarity on what truly matters. By recognizing what needs to stay outside, you can start setting clear, firm boundaries to protect your well-being.

Remember, emotional boundaries are not about shutting people out; they’re about creating a space where you can thrive, grow, and be your best self.

Did you know we have a space just for accountability and support of each other and their goals for success? I have a subscription service that allows you to have continued connection and additional exclusive supports each month.

Wellness Across A Lifetime Subscription

In my 20+ years in the counseling field, I have found a consistent thread that:

• Life is unpredictable. Stress is certain.
• Stress creates a reactionary mind.
• We must stay present to combat stress and stay well.

Given these principles, I wanted to build an experience that allows people to stay connected, grounded, and accountable to their wellness and success over time, so I created the Wellness Across a Lifetime subscription

The Wellness Across a Lifetime subscription includes access to a private Facebook group, weekly newsletters, and relevant educational talks. 

As a subscriber, you can access a variety of ways to engage in building a present and mindful self.  The Wellness Across a Lifetime subscription includes:

• Monthly challenges to encourage connecting to intention setting
• Helpful tips and tricks for staying present and mindful
• Access to closed Facebook accountability group where you can
• Build your own community of wellness
• Create goals to share and support others in their goal progress
• Set proclamations of your growth and success
• Weekly newsletter that explores aspects of success in-depth and how to overcome barriers and find growth within ourselves.

Circle of Accountability

Understanding your Circle of Accountability is crucial for achieving your goals and maintaining a positive mindset. This powerful concept helps you visualize and structure your social connections, distinguishing between those who support your journey and those who might hinder it.  

Drawing Your Circle of Accountability

Step 1: Draw a large circle in the center of your page. This circle represents your personal space and goals.

Step 2: Think about the people in your life. Consider their attitudes, behaviors, and how they impact your journey towards success and happiness.

Step 3: Inside the circle, write the names of people who: Encourage and support your goals Offer constructive feedback Celebrate your successes Help you learn from failures Respect your boundaries Inspire you to be your best self

Step 4: Outside the circle, write the names of people who: Consistently criticize or belittle your efforts Drain your energy or motivation Disrespect your boundaries Discourage you from pursuing your goals Exhibit toxic or negative behaviors that impact your well-being

Step 5: Reflect on your circle. Ask yourself: Who are the key supporters inside your circle? Are there any surprising additions or omissions? How can you strengthen relationships within your circle? What boundaries can you set with those outside your circle? Did you put yourself inside the circle?

Step 6: Create an action plan: List ways to spend more time with those inside your circle

Develop strategies to limit the influence of those outside your circle Identify potential new connections to add to your circle Remember, the Circle of Accountability is not about cutting people out of your life entirely, but about setting healthy boundaries. It's about consciously choosing who has significant influence over your thoughts, decisions, and actions as you work towards your goals. By regularly reviewing and adjusting your Circle of Accountability, you create a supportive environment that nurtures your growth, reinforces your commitment to your goals, and ultimately contributes to your success and happiness.

You can build your circle of accountability in our natural retreats. Staying in some of the most serene spaces, live in the treetops as you ground with your center and build a happier and healthier life.

Conclusion

This has been a great week! It flew by so quickly.  I hope you were able to gain some insight into the circles of life.  It is important to know that no matter where you are and what your circumstances are,  it will always come back to a new beginning and opportunity for growth.  We just need to ground through it and wait for that moment.  I am excited to begin next week, where we will be kicking off our next 9-week section of the 27-week success group.  Our topics in the newsletter will follow this group to help provide more insight into our discussions.  Next week will be mindfulness and allow life to present itself to us.  Mindfulness is the foundation of wellness and will begin each section with new mindful lessons.  Looking forward to sharing more! As always, you can learn more about the group and all of my individualized support on my website at www.counselingwellnesssolutions.com.   My goal is to be able to provide some type of education and support to meet everyone where they are in their stage of change.  Take care and see you next week!

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Learn more at www.counselingwellnesssolutions.com Thank you for watching! 🎉 Let's work together towards a more successful and fulfilling life.