Life Skills Archives - Page 3 of 4 - Kathleen Hassan

The Love You Need

I can still remember the year my mother forgot to buy my Valentine’s cards for the class. I stayed up late to make my own out of pink and red construction paper and then attempted to decorate a Kleenex box with paper doilies. I walked into school with a knot in my stomach and a lump in my throat knowing full well that my efforts at cutting and pasting would pale in comparison to everyone else’s store-bought heart-shaped cards with adorable sayings like “puppy love” and “hey cutie pie.” To this day I can remember those feelings of being less than and just wanting to be liked and noticed. Valentine’s Day, a day in February that is supposed to represent love, for many represents the exact opposite. It’s actually been dubbed “Singles Awareness Day” by those who have been made to feel less than because they don’t have “that special [...]

By Kathleen| 2013-02-11T11:06:19-05:00 February 11th, 2013|

Mindfulness: You have to pay attention to your own thoughts in order to change them

"If you always think what you’ve always thought... then you’ll always get what you’ve always got." ~ Kathleen Hassan We've all heard it said, "change your thoughts, change your life." But you cannot possibly change your thoughts if you're not even aware of what is going on beneath the surface. There is a HUGE difference between being mindful and having your mind full. In our culture of "bigger, better, faster, more" and striving to get ahead, most of us are not even aware of just how full our mind can be with hidden beliefs that govern our lives without our knowing or consent. Just this week alone, I had 3 coaching clients who were facing a particular challenge. Each of them were entirely different scenarios, yet all of them found resolution by the same methodology when I asked them this simple question "So what does that mean?" Every time they [...]

By Kathleen| 2017-03-07T13:56:45-05:00 October 12th, 2012|

Who the Hell Do You Think You Are? How to Reclaim Your Power

Even the most successful people in the world, if they are truly honest, will admit to moments of self-doubt and insecurity. Just the other night, during an interview on Oprah’s Next Chapter, Lady Gaga admitted that there have been times - even now amidst all her fame, fortune and 21 million Twitter followers, that she has felt totally worthless. So who the hell does she think she is? On occasion - nobody. Recently my friend and colleague, Dr. Robyn Silverman wrote an outstanding blog post detailing the obstacles that prevent many women from becoming powerful leaders. Nestled smack dab in the middle of her list of seven self-sabotaging stumbling blocks that keep women playing small, #4 jumped out at me, grabbed me by the throat in a choke-hold and it wouldn’t let go until I stopped, looked at it and then wrote about it. 4. The ‘who the heck do [...]

By Kathleen| 2012-03-20T16:49:55-05:00 March 20th, 2012|

Society… We Have a Problem Here

Has our world gone totally and utterly mad? There has been much reaction to the reemergence of Chris Brown from woman beater to grammy-winning star, but probably the most shocking and frightening have been the tweets and posts from young women. You can click on the link above to see all the responses, but here are a few: Call me crazy butttt I would let Chris Brown beat me up anyyyy day O.K. YOU'RE CRAZY! Everyone shut up about Chris Brown being a woman beater... Shiiiittt he can beat me up all night if he wants ARE YOU SHIIIITTTING ME? I don't know why Rhianna complained. Chris Brown could beat me anytime he wanted to. SERIOUSLY? YOU DON'T KNOW WHY SHE COMPLAINED? Attention Girls! Domestic violence is not hot... even if you think he is! Unfortunately these controversial and contrarian comments did exactly what these girls wanted them to do [...]

By Kathleen| 2012-02-16T11:24:05-05:00 February 16th, 2012|

Ain’t It Shocking What… Drugs Can Do

100+ people die every day from drug overdoses who aren’t Whitney Houston. Yes, I am saddened by the loss of such a beautiful and talented woman. Yes, I was moved to tears by the comments and tribute to her at the Grammy's this evening. And yes, her voice and songs inspired me and were such an integral part of the music of my generation. But no, I am not surprised at all and I can't help but feel like here we go again. Another public, over-the-top spectacle over one person who lost their life due to addiction, when so many ordinary nobody's lose their battle with drugs and alcohol every single day. According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, CDC, in 2007, nearly 100 persons per day died of drug overdoses in the United States. In 2008, drug overdoses in the United States caused 36,450 deaths. What's [...]

By Kathleen| 2017-03-07T14:01:40-05:00 February 13th, 2012|

Facebook & Self-Esteem: LMS for The Truth

"Using Facebook can be bad for people with low self-esteem," suggests a new study in the journal Psychological Science. Duh? Do we really need a research study to tell us that? Canadian researchers found people with low self-esteem deluge their Facebook friends with negative details about their lives, which makes them less likeable. According to study author Amanda Forest, a graduate student at the University of Waterloo, in Ontario, "If you're talking to somebody in person and you say something, you might get some indication that they don't like it, that they're sick of hearing your negativity," But when people have a negative reaction to a post on Facebook, they tend to keep it to themselves. Guilty. I have kept this one to myself for far too long. As a woman who has worked all her life to build her own self-esteem and has dedicated her work to inspiring and [...]

By Kathleen| 2012-02-12T11:11:03-05:00 February 12th, 2012|

Stay Where You Are – So I Can Feel Safe

There's a certain sense of security and camaraderie in the struggle of life. But what happens when someone decides to let go of the struggle and step into the joy and flow of life? Do people like you better when you play it safe and play the victim of circumstances? When someone decides to step out of the role they've been playing and makes a bold move towards change, you'd think that everyone would stand up and cheer! But more often then not, people try to put you back where they think you belong so they can feel safe. Misery loves company is an expression that, although few of us would admit, really does make us feel a little bit better about our own lives if someone else is struggling right along with us. The Mobile Effect Imagine everyone in your family and all of your closest friends are all [...]

By Kathleen| 2017-03-07T14:06:26-05:00 December 20th, 2011|

The Importance of a Daily Meditation Practice

Years ago, I read a business book on networking by Harvey Mackay entitled “Dig Your Well Before You’re Thirsty.” It was about making contacts and relationships before you need them so that when you’re actually in the process of building a business, creating a new product, launching a global cause-related initiative, you have the support and resources already in place. Recently, I experienced an entirely different understanding of “digging my well before I’m thirsty” as it relates to prayer and meditation and it came to me in the least likely place of being encased in the tunnel of an MRI machine. I’d been having chronic pain and limited mobility in my shoulder. Although not debilitating, it was prohibiting me from fully participating and enjoying simple things like downward facing dog pose in yoga. Part of me wanted to just “suck it up” and push through it, but the responsible part [...]

By Kathleen| 2017-03-07T14:09:17-05:00 July 24th, 2011|

What If You Knew You Couldn’t Fail?

Imagine if you knew in advance that you’d already won and that nothing you could do - or not do would change that. Imagine how different your approach to life would be. Your attitude and perspective would be so dramatically shifted from the way it is right now. You’d play more and worry less. You’d see challenges as opportunities to be creative. You would no longer be driven by the self-centered fear of not being good enough because you’d already know that you are enough. Well, guess what? You’ve already won! You already are enough! For you were created in the image and likeness of God. Within you lies the changeless and eternal truth that you are one with your Creator. Our only purpose here is to awaken to the truth of that and let go of the illusion that we are anything less than the love and light of [...]

By Kathleen| 2017-03-07T14:10:11-05:00 July 11th, 2011|

Confidence Tip: Practice Positive Self-Talk

Do you talk to yourself? If you’re sitting there wondering “Do I talk to myself?” Then the answer is, YES! You just did it! Pay attention to the messages you give to yourself and be your own BFF. Talk to yourself the way you wish others would speak to you. If you catch yourself saying something negative, consciously tell yourself to stop and then replace that thought with a more positive and empowering statement such as “I am enough - just the way I am” or “I matter,” “I am loved and lovable.” We teach people how to treat us by the way we treat ourselves. You want love? Start loving yourself. Affirmations are positive statements in the present tense spoken as if they are already achieved. When practiced and repeated over time, these positive statements become new beliefs which effect our behavior and attitude and we then begin to [...]

By Kathleen| 2017-03-07T14:26:34-05:00 September 14th, 2010|