A sense of well-being is aided by knowing and understanding yourself. This includes understanding your psychological needs, how they might fluctuate over time and how they map to your values and behaviours. It is a big subject but I believe understanding why you feel as you do is a good tool for managing yourself. So her goes….
Hope is the thing with feathers
Hope is the thing with feathers That perches in the soul, And sings the tune without the words, And never stops at all, And sweetest in the gale is heard; And sore must be the storm That could abash the little bird That kept so many warm. I’ve heard it in the chillest land, And on the strangest sea; Yet, never, in extremity, It asked a crumb of me.
Emily Dickinson, 1830 – 1886
Examples of Student Soul Maps
Need a soul map?
For Alison Wem, that realisation came in the early hours as, newly widowed with children and a demanding job, she confronted her anguish – and found a space of calmness and route to strength, love and guidance.
Follow 7 easy-to-do steps to create your soul map, a route to your ‘inner you’– your sub-conscious mind, higher self or soul, depending on your beliefs. Gain insight into who you are and where your life is going. Identify who is on this journey with you and how you are helping each other with learning life lessons.
“‘Falling in love’ is an interesting term. We could say ‘strolling into love’ or ‘mentally preparing for love’ but we use the term ‘falling.’ It’s almost like it’s we’re throwing ourselves off a cliff and falling without any hope of parachute or sense that we may get wounded along the way. It’s simply opening ourselves up to the experience and hoping the other person is also falling beside us.”
— Lodro Rinzler, author of the new book “Love Hurts” and co-founder of MNDFL meditation studio.
e is for our emotions which connect us all
Can someone else read your emotions?
Think what it’s like to be in a room with a person who is angry or disapproving of you. You can feel their anger without them even saying a word.
What do you gain from life’s challenges? My life seems so tough at times.
Life’s challenges develop you as a person. They ask you to go beyond what you think is possible. President Kennedy gave his fellow Americans a challenge on the 12th September 1962.
What is this mindfulness stuff? a mental state achieved by focusing awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations. Calmness and an inner peace arrives with this state.
How do you focus on the present moment? There are many techniques. Meditation is popular but a walk in the park, painting or colouring are good too. I recommend painting a soul map as your brain responds to the symmetrical pattern.
You were once so different; perhaps your life values were different for example; career driven at all costs, you valued big houses and expensive cars, or perhaps you were too shy to do what you wanted to do with your life. You felt happiness in some way eluded you. You did not have a sense of satisfaction with your life.