“The Athena Principles” Self-Compassion – Principle 1 (Third in a Series)

The first of five Principles outlined in The Athena Principles, Simple Wellness Practices for Overworked Professionals is self-compassion defined as the care for one’s own well-being in the form of self-acceptance and nurturing support.

The benefits of self-compassion are broad. Research has shown it can improve self-worth, motivation, depression, body image and overall happiness. People who have self-compassion practices develop the ability to administer kindness to themselves as soon as they recognize they are hurting.

Midlife, Well-being, WellnessKathy RobinsonJuly 15, 2020self-compassion, women, wellness, well-being, midlife, journaling

“The Athena Principles” Methodology Overview (Second in a Series)

The Athena Principles combines wellness philosophy with a methodology that includes:

· Tools to assess your current state of wellness, provide clarity, track progress, and set new objectives;

· Principles, which provide a solid foundation and serve as a guide for current actions and future decisions; and

· Practices that, when performed regularly, aim to create good habits and increased well-being.

The methodology recognizes that wellness is a fluid process that thrives with a flexible approach. It regards wellness as a practice, honors and cultivates inner knowing, and provides accountability. It can provide you with a foundation for making change, a vantage point to help you see where you’re working against yourself, and a scalable process that can grow with you.

The Athena Principles: Book Overview (First in a Series)

The core message of the book The Athena Principles: Simple Wellness Practices for Overworked Professionals is: Reconnecting to our mind, body and spirit through the exploration of five Principles (self-compassion, intention, consistency, positive mindset and accountability) and related practices (writing, meditation and positive action) leads to wholehearted living and optimized well-being. Readers will learn what living wholeheartedly means for them along with ideas to create a customized self-care plan that nourishes their deepest desires.

Lessons Learned from My 98-year-old Father’s COVID-19 Recovery

My father was born in 1922. When my mother passed a few years back, he decided it was time to sell his home and move into an (un)assisted living facility. Aside from some industrial deafness and impaired sight from macular degeneration, he is remarkably spry in both mind and body and strong in spirit. And last month, he tested positive for the coronavirus.

Midlife, Well-being, Wellness, WomenKathy RobinsonJune 1, 2020Women, Wellness, Well-being, Pandemic, Coronavirus

In the Pandemic's Wake

I’ve been holding a question posed by life coach Martha Beck, who likened the pandemic’s ascendance to a tidal wave, wiping out the old ways of being. But, she offered, you could also think of it as a wave you could ride, like a surfer. What would it take to let go, have the courage to point your surfboard over the lip of the wave and let gravity glide you to the shore?

Midlife, Well-being, Wellness, WomenKathy RobinsonMay 15, 2020Pandemic, women, midlife, well-being, wellness

Learning Through the Pandemic

In the northeastern United States, we have experienced six full weeks of “Stay at Home” orders with at least two (and probably four) more weeks on the horizon. In my April 1st blog post, I wrote about the things I was doing to keep my well-being intact during this time. I’ve kept vigilant with my practices, utilizing the green, yellow, red coding I described so I could easily track my progress. Here’s how I’ve been doing:

Midlife, Well-being, Wellness, WomenKathy RobinsonMay 1, 2020women, midlife, wellness, well-being, pandemic

Being With Things As They Are

As we move beyond the one-month anniversary of the Stay-At-Home orders to maintain social distancing with no definitive end in sight, I have noticed a personal shift. While I’m attending to all of the professional and personal things that need to be done . . .

Midlife, Wellness, Women, Well-beingKathy RobinsonApril 15, 2020Women, Wellness, Wellbeing, Pandemic

How to Keep Well-being Intact During Challenging Times

Much has been written about the importance of keeping a daily schedule while learning to live with coronavirus restrictions. Almost overnight, we had to find ways of working remotely, schooling children, caring for elders and tending to family responsibilities while abiding by the guidance for keeping ourselves and our loved ones safe.

Midlife, Well-being, Wellness, WomenKathy RobinsonApril 1, 2020Women, Well-being, Wellness, coronavirus

How I’m Reinforcing My Immune System

It can be unnerving to watch the Coronavirus spread into a global pandemic. We can feel uneasy and powerless. The increased stress can impact the strength of our immune defenses. The immune system is defined as “the cells and tissues in the body that make it able to protect itself against infection,” according to the Cambridge dictionary.

Midlife, Well-being, Wellness, WomenKathy RobinsonMarch 15, 2020women, wellness, well-being, immune system, coronavirus

Gardens of Ease

It’s been said that nature heals. Studies and related findings point to the benefits of spending time in natural surroundings, including lowered anxiety and stress levels. Nature-oriented therapy is a growing field (pun intended) with the use of therapeutic gardens in institutional settings such as hospitals, recovery and correctional facilities on the rise.

Midlife, Wellness, Women, Well-beingKathy RobinsonMarch 1, 2020Therapeutic gardening, Well-being, Wellness, Women, Midlife

BLOG