Women@Work Blog

I often have clients express one of the goals for our work together to be an improvement in their self-confidence. That goal can be complex however, a good place to begin is an exploration of how connected the person is to their authentic self.

Understanding the ways in which self-confidence is built and maintained and how readily it can be undermined by experiences and relationships is another criterion. What we do and who we choose to be with, typically has a significant impact on our self-confidence.

Humans have psychological needs which when left unmet can lead to extreme distress. Some of the most important are: a sense of safety and control, being connected to others and a feeling of knowing or certainty.

People react differently to uncertainty. Some have a much higher tolerance than others and those with a low tolerance are typically less resilient. They can more easily and more quickly feel down. This in turn may lead to high levels of anxiety or trigger other mental health issues.

I was raised in a large farm family in Saskatchewan. My mother loved Christmas and always made it a very special family time. One of my fondest memories as a child is each of us getting dressed in our best outfit, then lining up oldest to youngest and walking down the stairs to the dining room where a beautiful Christmas tree stood with its’ treasures beneath it. It was both a solemn and joyful occasion.

This article is about coming to terms with our limits as we face the circumstances of a V.U.C.A. world. V.U.C.A. is an acronym first developed by the U.S. military for describing a situation that is Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous. I suggest those four words make good descriptors for the circumstances of our daily life and work.

As we celebrate Mother's Day it's a good time to consider our femininity. The history of celebrating mothers goes back to the ancient Greeks and Romans who held festivals to honour their mother goddesses. The modern precedent is the early Christian festival known as "Mothering Sunday."

This article invites you to reflect on mothers and mothering and as part of that reflection explore the feminine within each of us, regardless of gender.

“Underneath our fears and worries, unaffected by the many layers of our conditioning and actions, is a peaceful core…. Healing is the rediscovery of who we are and who we have always been.” ….. Joan Borysenko

“A woman in harmony with her spirit is like a river flowing. She goes where she will without pretense and arrives at her destination prepared to be herself and only herself.”  ….. Maya Anjelo

We hear a lot about the importance of good self-care as an aid for mitigating stress and enhancing well-being. While we may yearn to improve our self-care, realistically we know that just as it's hard to give up a habit, it's also hard to develop new ones.

Smart Self Care requires consistent, intentional practice to become habitual and it's totally worth it!

Take a look at these six Life Dimensions enriched through the Smart Self-Care practices suggested below.

1.  Relational

There are a myriad of obstacles that can block our path to feeling truly satisfied with our lives. Occupational choices that no longer fit, untenable relationships, painful work-life contexts, to name a few. Tolerating those impediments, coupled with not being true to ourselves, is a path to distress and unhappiness. 

The concept of mentoring has been relevant for thousands of years. A mentor is usually someone older and more experienced than the mentee, willing to share knowledge and experience, provide advice and wisdom based on specific expertise. A mentor is someone who may help you with your career, specific work projects, or provide general career-life advice. A mentor rarely provides guidance for personal gain.

Most mentors exhibit the following qualities and skills:

Bullying is a form of physical, psychological or verbal abuse. It involves one person or a group of persons picking on another individual or group of individuals. The bully is perceived as having more power over the person or group being bullied. 

Physical bullying can include hitting, shoving, tripping, even sexual assault. Psychological bullying may include controlling the other through intimidation, ganging up, exclusion, gossiping or undermining a person's position or competencies.