Paragon Life Coaching

"It’s so much more fun to cast a wide net where all can celebrate our traditions together..." (note: this article was published in 2013)

Do you pay as much attention to your strengths and virtues as you do your areas of improvement? Ask a couple of people you're close to what they like most about you, and then write them down. Add a couple of strengths that you come up with yourself! Keep your list somewhere where you'll see it regularly: inside a desk drawer, on your phone, in your car, etc.

Meet the world with curiosity. If you disagree with someone, be curious about their position, even though it’s natural and easier to defend our own. You might learn something or see something from a new perspective. Or you might find that you’re both actually saying the same thing but in different ways! Interesting tidbits: Dolphins are extremely intelligent and curious creatures! Research has shown that they understand the meaning conveyed in spoken language depending on sy...ntax and prepositions (example: get the ball before the fish/get the fish after the ball vs get the fish before the ball/get the ball after the fish)pretty impressive cognitive discrimination ability! Bottlenose dolphins rest one half of their brain at a time so they can still come to the surface for air and keep an eye out for predators. After approximately 2 hours, they switch which brain hemisphere is resting, which is actually called cat-napping. See more

Life is hard, awe-inspiring, and offers joy. Cope with the hard, appreciate the awe, and find/create joy. -Ashley Belsinger (me)

Not seeing your coworkers in-person? Here's some ways to stay connected and foster cohesion.

Today is about appreciating what we have. Do you have a Thanksgiving ritual? Since I was much younger, one of my favorite things to do at Thanksgiving dinner is for everyone to share a few things they are most thankful for.

Once time is gone, you never get it back. I’m always more aware of this in the spring and fall when the passage of time yields more obvious environmental changes. The beginning of this past week, there was about 1/3 of the red/orange radiant leaves as there are now. Each morning when I wake up, I spend a couple of moments looking at this tree and how it’s changing; it helps to remind me that I only get today once.

What do you like to do the most in the fall? If you plan things to do ahead of time, you’ll be more likely to do them. Here’s 15 fall faves: ... go apple picking build a scarecrow host a scavenger hunt go camping or rent a cabin bake pumpkin bread make caramel apples have a bonfire with smores get lost in a corn maze go canoeing attend a murder mystery dinner decorate for Halloween plant fall flowers visit a pumpkin patch and carve a jack-o-lantern make apple cider go horseback riding See more

Enjoy the changing colors of fall and get moving! Most of these walking trails are paved- perfect for running, riding your bike, or pushing a stroller. Remember to practice social distancing and follow other recommendations.

Here's a few tips how to sniff out a more family-friendly, flexible workplace. Also, if you haven't had an interview with your immediate supervisor by the time you're hired, make sure to talk with them and ask relevant questions before accepting the position.

Here's 5 tips on how to assert your boundaries during the pandemic.

A part of hope is knowing that there’s more than one way for there to be a positive outcome. Check out these other beliefs that characterize hope. Did you know you can learn to be more hopeful?

be in the here and now - #selfdeterminism #choose #intention #change #moveforward #grow #growing #growth #life #process #now #present #wisdom #lifehack #lifehacks #lancaster #lancasterpa

When interviewing for a new job, remember it's also an opportunity for you to size up the company to see if it would be a good fit. Even the process of their communication with you as a potential employee can be telling. Do a mock interview to practice, making sure to hit on common interview questions that are more tricky, such as "Tell me about yourself" or "Tell me about a weakness of yours?" Be honest with yourself about what are and aren't willing to do. It can be easy ...to get caught up in focusing on wanting to be hired at the expense of actually determining if the position is a good fit for you. If the hiring company wants someone who is available to work extra hours and you're absolutely not okay with that, don't tell them you are! If you're hired, it will likely create an ongoing issue. It's better to start off with both parties on the same page or find a different position that's a better fit. Do your research on the company and position prior to your interview, and identify questions you have. Write them down and take them with you. Lastly, if the interviewer doesn't let you know at the end of the interview what the next step in the process is, be sure to ask! Remember to send a thank you.

The most difficult aspect of changing isn't making the change, but maintaining changes once you've made them. Here's a few tips to help it last! It can be difficult to limit yourself to focusing on one small thing at a time, so get creative with ways to think about and engage with that one piece you're focusing on that doesn't minimize it and encourages you to stay vigilant with it--reminders, a phrase that reinforces how important it is and connects it to your "why", how you structure your environment or schedule, including someone else who will support you, an easy and convenient way to track, etc. Once your one, tiny change becomes second nature, you can build on it!

Here's a look at the value solitude can have, the difference between being alone and feeling alone, and how to make sure you get the space you need. There's an audio version too!

It's not just about time management, but energy management too! There's significantly more emphasis on time and productivity in our culture than managing (and protecting) our energy, but it's just as--or more--important!