As we step back into the world after this pandemic having followed social-distancing these past couple of months, my hope is that we have had the opportunity to reflect on our lives and how we can change and improve ourselves to some capacity. We all have patterns that complicate things and do not serve us well. If you have had a chance to slow down a bit, often these patterns will be illuminated so that we can question and understand them better.

My tendency is to overdo and complicate my life with unnecessary tasks and engagements. These distract from my quality of life and more importantly, to be present and in-line with my deepest values and intentions. Think, when mama’s happy, everybody is happy. 😉

Why do I do this? How can I stay aware of this tendency and not fall back into the mental trap that doing more will fulfill this burden of responsibility? It is mostly all just filler bullsh*it anyway.

Future Self Journaling

I recently discovered Future-Self Journaling by The Holistic Psychologist, Dr. Nicole Lepara. A simple exercise that keeps the awareness of patterns you would like to change and transform them into future-self patterns that are positive and useful.

To watch a short video of The Future-Self Journal process, please click here.

The key to this journaling process is working on one pattern for about a month and reinforcing the future-self behaviors and qualities you want more of by creating new neurological patterns of thinking. Just like formulating new habits, in layman’s terms.

This is the format for Future Self Journaling:

Here is an example of one of my future-self journal entries:

Today I will focus on my pattern of...doing too much to feel worthy.

I am grateful for...my talents and gifts as there are today.

3 Traits of Future Self...1. Take more time before saying yes. 2. Engage in mostly quality things that give me joy. 3. Know that I am enough, no need to overanalyze and make it more complex than that.

I have used this journaling exercise with clients who were working to soften the self-critic and place more power in their motivation and potential. Focusing on developing the traits that improve success and releasing old ones that hold you back. It works nicely. Give it a try yourself, now is a perfect time!

Standout Strengths Assessment by Marcus Buckingham

I spent a year after graduating from undergrad at UW-Madison working for a Consulting Psychologist firm in Minneapolis, MN. Their specialty was psychological assessments of the mental, emotional, and compatibility of prospective employees for hire. One of our top clients was the NBA team, Timberwolves, who was looking at the fit of potential players. The assessment tools and consultations were extensive and the results were reliable resources for the hiring process.

To understand one’s operational style, fit for a team/company, and performance potential, assessment tools have been a valued part of integrating a larger picture as to the psychological framework of individual and group effectiveness.

Welcome to the modern world! The Standout Strengths Assessment from Mark Buckingham is simple and the results you receive are so accurate and accessible. It takes as little as 15 mins to answer hypothetical scenarios that will provide you with your top 2 of 9 primary roles that are the focal point of all your talents and skills. Because I am old school, and my memory of operational and psychological assessments taking hours to complete, this short test blew me away!

Your top 2 roles represent your instinctive way of how you make a difference in the world.

I received an 18-page report with easy to read explanations of my 2 top roles and how to apply them to be immediately impactful and take my performance to the next level. 

Start your assessment by linking here.

My results were uncannily accurate, here is the example of the cover page of my assessment. During the pandemic, this assessment is free so take advantage, have fun and learn something about yourself!