Tag: question

LIVE Psychology Coaching & Education Session with Team F45

On By Dr. Andrea DinardoIn community, Coping Strategies, Health Psychology, Optimism, Personal Growth, Resilience, technology, Thriving, Training and Development, Video24 Comments

Hello Everyone!

I wanted to share how I have been keeping hope alive in my heart and soul during COVID-19. Specifically, by expanding my reach with new virtual experiences. 

lets try something new

A New Experience

  • GOAL: Stay Connected to each other in new and novel ways.
  • HOW: Interactive LIVE “Q & A” conversations on the internet.
  • MEDIUM: ZOOM, INSTAGRAM, FACEBOOK, YOUTUBE.

Inaugural Moment To Share

This Spring I experienced my first “live” recorded internet conversation.

brain and heart interactions concept best teamwork

A fun adventure where I share both my home (I literally take you on a video tour) and the routines that keep me smiling – despite the universal crisis we are all experiencing simultaneously.

Watch → F45 LIVE Interview

with Dr. Andrea Dinardo & Samantha Piercell

In the past, online interactions were “an extra” to everyday conversation.

Now they are a necessity for both business and our way of life. An important and crucial way to stay connected to each other and to our hopes and dreams for the future.

Hope and Change

“Adapt or Die” may sound harsh.

But adaptation is truly what’s being asked of us in every area of our lives right now.

transformation

So I figure I might as well jump right in!

Because I would rather ride the wave, than have the wave ride me. 🌊

Resilience Tip

Try Something New Today!

change-adapting-quote2

Watch F45 LIVE Interview 
→ Click Here

Windsor Updates Spotlight

On By Dr. Andrea DinardoIn community, Gratitude, Reflection Question, Resilience, Strengths Assessment, Stress Hardiness, Thriving, Video

C1E58D8D-E67B-4586-9ABC-6EB57715240E

Community Spotlight 

Today I would like to shine a light on a local entrepreneur named Alex Binaei, the creative mind behind Windsor Updates and the video highlighted in this post.

Adversity → Creativity

Alex’s video for Windsor Updates is one of the best examples of how crisis and adversity create innovation and ingenuity. In both our community and in ourselves.

♥  Pass It On ♥

Windsor Updates

This video is a compilation of news, announcements, and local community members discussing the Covid-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic taking place in Windsor-Essex Ontario and around the world. Including offers of support, advice, and information.

“Alone we can do so little. Together we can do so much.”

39903D97-4C1E-412F-92DB-B1AC58BC047B

Research on Social Support & Psychological Health

Being surrounded by people who are supportive helps individuals see themselves as capable of handling stress and adversity. Research has also shown that having strong social support in times of crisis can help reduce the consequences of trauma-induced disorders including PTSD.

Original Source: Click Here

Thank you Windsor Updates for including me in this vital project. Your ingenuity and generosity gives me strength and hope! ♥

What has COVID-19 awakened in you?

On By Dr. Andrea DinardoIn community, Gratitude, Reflection Question, Resilience, Strengths Assessment, Stress Hardiness, Thriving, Video70 Comments

How is everyone doing?

How are you coping with our shared worldwide experience?

How has your perception of yourself and the world evolved?

How has COVID-19 transformed you?

42764908-316D-4C7F-AC7E-97AEF6B38A5C

I Am Waking Up

After socially distancing for several days, and working full-time from home as a psychology professor (now online), I had never felt more appreciative and grateful for all the simple joys in my life.

Walking on campus. Smiling in the hallways. Laughing with students. Chatting in the parking lot. Coffee at Starbucks. High Fives At The Gym. Wandering Freely Through Bookstores. Movies at Silver City. Buttery popcorn. Ice cold pop. A Gathering in The Park.

Love List

So much goodness that I often took for granted in the course of an ordinary day.

Every adversity, every heartache carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit.

What is the higher lesson in all of this?

In the video above created for a community resilience project — I share all the ways my husband John and I are thriving (instead of merely surviving) the COVID-19 crisis. Including counting our blessings like never before.

Community Resilience Dr. Andrea Dinardo.

Community Resilience

Now is the opportunity to come together as a resilient community. From the basement of our fears to the penthouse of our faith. Rising in unison. Together in strength and love.

Your Thoughts

What has COVID-19 crisis awakened in you?

How has your inner and outer life evolved?

How have you thrived and grown?

Stay Well My Friends! 🌍 🦋 

“Like the butterfly, I have the hope, the strength, and the faith to believe that in time, we will emerge from our cocoon transformed.

Video of Post ⇒ Click Here 

Is it possible to see failure in a positive light?

On By Dr. Andrea DinardoIn courage, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Resilience, Self Reflection, Strengths, Stress Hardiness, Student Motivation, Student Success, The Drive Magazine, Thriving, Video91 Comments

“Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit.“

With time, I have come to realize that failure has always been my greatest teacher. Each failure pointed me in a better direction and helped me to develop strength and authenticity, ultimately unveiling who I was and what I was destined to become

F. A. I. L. = First Attempt In Learning

• The failing grade I received on my first exam in graduate school taught me how to ask for support when I needed it most, no matter how shameful I felt or embarrassed I was.

• The end of a long-term relationship taught me how to value my time alone and make tough decisions for myself, no matter how weak I felt or lonesome I was.

• The layoff from a job I loved taught me how to let go, look forward, and trust in something so much bigger than myself, no matter how scared I was or irrelevant I felt.

“When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us.”

7de807b1-cb97-4b41-8666-1e3e52afde43

Is it possible to see failure in a positive light?

Under the right conditions, failure strengthens us, adds to our self-knowledge, and enhances the quality of our lives

• If it weren’t for failure, I would not have met my husband John.

• If it weren’t for failure, I would not be a psychology professor.

• If it weren’t for failure, I would not have written three textbooks.

• If it weren’t for failure, I would not be the person I am today.

“Failure is the opportunity to begin again.”

blog-articles-drive-failure-as-feedback

Source: https://thedrivemagazine.com/posts/failure-as-feedback

 Your Turn:

What life lessons has failure taught you?

FOMO ANXIETY Simple Tips for Feeling Better

On By Dr. Andrea DinardoIn Emotional Awareness, Gratitude, Happiness, Mental Health, Mindfulness, Peace, Reflection Question, Video27 Comments

This post is for anyone experiencing FOMO. Particularly on a long weekend holiday!

Psychology Insight:

Holidays heighten social anxiety of every kind.

FOMO especially.

Consider these questions as you explore what’s going on below the surface.

1. Do you remember the first time you experienced FOMO?

2. How did you cope with the anxiety of missing out?

3. What if anything would you be willing to give up in your life in exchange for the fantasy of someone else’s life or experience?

4. What about your life do you cherish above all else?

Please share in the comments below, including your own strategies for handling FOMO. I’d love to know!

Savour this moment.

3E95F229-B2C1-4E78-9137-D02C69B56015

Free Yourself 🦋

On By Dr. Andrea DinardoIn courage, Emotional Freedom, empowerment, Happiness, health, Inspiration, Mental Health, Mindfulness, Peace, Reflection Question, Stress Relief and Release, Video60 Comments

3968B6C2-E3D6-4CA0-A86C-93804DD85BDF

EMOTIONAL FREEDOM TECHNIQUE

1. What would you stop doing if you only had one year to live?

2. What would you start doing if you only had one year to live?

3. What do you need to let go of to feel a sense of happiness, well-being, and peace? 

4. What and who do you no longer want to be obligated to?

5. What joy do you wish you had more time for?

27CAB6D7-2D72-410B-BC1A-85F46E779FC0

CONTEMPLATION TIME

Take a long deep breath and meditate on your answers. You’ll be surprised at what your soul has to say.

YOU GET ONE LIFE.

Make it yours. 

Dear Readers:

This video is equally a note to you + me reminding us to live with discernment and wisdom. For not everyone in our life appreciates the limits of our time and energy. And that’s ok. For we are the magic wand. We have the power to make choices. We have the ability to overcome social conditioning. We have the authority to change what and who we want in our lives. What and who we give our energy to unnecessarily, repeatedly, unconsciously.

WE HAVE THE POWER TO CHOOSE.

This ^ is freedom.

Happiness: What deters it? What contributes to it?

On By Dr. Andrea DinardoIn Happiness, Mindfulness, Personal Growth, Psychology Class, Purpose and Meaning, Reflection Question, Video26 Comments

The Happiness Class

4115936F-330B-4596-95BF-54D9A7676FEF

One of my favourite things to do as a professor is to stay after class and talk to students. They look at the world in a very unique way. Motivating me to think about psychology at a whole different level.

  • Especially when it comes to FOMO and happiness:

FOMO is an acronym for fear of missing out, which is a feeling of anxiety that manifests itself in various ways, from a brief pang of envy to more intense feelings of self-doubt or inadequacy. Source: Macmillan Dictionary

Student Insights

In the video below I share the insightful questions my psychology students asked about social comparison and happiness today. Each question underscoring the famous quote:  

“Comparison is the thief of joy.”

Happiness, FOMO, and Social Comparison

FOMO and “measuring happiness” against each other’s’s lowlight reel (difficult times) and highlight reel (celebratory times) was also an active discussion on social media

7C88F151-CA70-4C6E-8C09-C80DFAA82EEC

I would love your insights too!

How would you answer the questions posed by my students:

  1. What are 2 deterrents to happiness?
  2. What are 2 contributors to happiness?
  3. How is your happiness influenced by other people’s highlights and lowlights?
    • Social comparison and happiness was the crux of today’s class discussion and accompanying video.
  4. What simple changes can you make today to enhance your happiness?

4022C27C-5A1B-471E-8D83-4484DC24A7C4

Optimism Bootcamp - Click Here

Set a time limit on negativity.

On By Dr. Andrea DinardoIn Emotional Awareness, empowerment, Mindfulness, Peace, Positive Psychology, positivity, Self Actualization, Strengths, Stress Management, Thriving54 Comments

Time is in such short supply. The sooner we appreciate its value, the better life becomes.

When I was a kid my mom set the egg timer for almost everything we did; whether it was how long we spent doing our homework, weeding the garden, watching television, or complaining about life’s challenges.

It helped us to understand that nothing lasts forever – good or bad.

This was especially important when we felt helpless over things we did not have control over, including chores we  did not want to do.

Setting time limits also taught us to respect how our words and actions impact ourselves and others.

Full disclosure: My mom is a psychologist too.

Your time. Your life.

To this day I set a timer on the stove.

A simple, yet effective way to motivate myself through tedious tasks and become more mindful of time itself.

33918485-1EA0-448A-8528-6F3CE421FDD4

The timer principle can also be applied to how often we are negative vs. positive throughout the course of a day.

Negativity is the easy (automatic) route. So we need to be conscious of where our mind flows.

Venting feels good in the moment, but when it goes on too long, the costs outweigh the benefits.

Joy needs room to breathe.

Too often we complain about stressors for hours beyond the momentary challenge has passed. Leaving little time in the day for appreciation, wonder, and gratitude.

86084FDA-3202-4707-99E5-87837D828966

Then one day we wake up and realize that life is too short to be all negative, all the time. Even (especially) when life gets tough.

Balance is key.

Negativity is to be expected. It’s part of the human experience.

The question is – how long will you stay there.

Share your challenges. Share your obstacles. Share your difficulties.

But also leave room for what’s good in your life.

image

Joy needs room to breathe.

And so do you. ♥

▪️Reblogged from October 2016▪️

WHY change NOW?

On By Dr. Andrea DinardoIn Change and Transformation, motivation, Personal Growth, psychology, Reflection Question63 Comments

The first question I ask clients wanting to make a change is “Why Now?”

For there is no doubt that they (and you and I) have been wanting to transform an aspect of our lives for a very long time.

But the intrinsic motivation just isn’t quite there. The kind of motivation that is essential for lasting change.

Unfortunately too many people wait for something bad to happen in their lives before making positive changes.

This is a universal truth.

91840835-206F-4436-95F8-5936B06A15EC

How do we “change” how we change?

We take two steps back before moving one step forward.

We pause. We slow down. We notice.

We open our eyes to all the possibilities.

We write our dreams down.

We take photos of what inspires us to bloom.

D2AD14F6-821D-4B45-8706-C19DE5CA92F6

We ask for honest feedback from people we trust.

We acknowledge what gets in the way of our potential. Big and small.

We compile all the reasons why our best lives shouldn’t wait another day.

And we have fun doing it! Positivity has power too. 🦋

Why change now?

359E7743-1501-4FEA-8BCD-97253BF4BCCA.jpeg

Watch My CBC-TV Interview:
5 Ways to Embrace Change

Reading People: Lesson #1 Self Awareness

On By Dr. Andrea DinardoIn Emotional Awareness, Emotional Intelligence, Mindfulness, motivation, Personal Growth, Reflection Question, Teaching, Video50 Comments

“The simple act of paying attention can take you a long, long way.”

F133652F-5AFA-44D4-9217-45222D54B14F

Intrapersonal Intelligence ⇔ Interpersonal Intelligence

The first lesson in reading people, using the principles of emotional intelligence, is to understand yourself more deeply.

What motivates you. What excites you. What angers you. What lifts you up!

As self-awareness is essential for both personal and relationship success.

If you can’t comprehend your own emotions and motivations, how will you ever understand the behaviour of others?

Understanding Yourself  ⇔ Understanding Others

7EAC2C83-D2D5-4E38-8F51-78A820E8B872

Self-awareness as a daily practice.

Notice how your emotions ebb and flow throughout the day.

One way of doing this is to schedule time at the end or beginning of your day for quiet contemplation and self-reflection.

Find your favourite place to relax and unwind. Perhaps in the garden or in a cozy chair by the window. Or on a walk by the trees. 

Alternatively, enjoy a 2 minute “Self Check In” at the top of each hour.

IMG_2369

Pause. Reflect. Breathe Deeply.

Journal. Meditate. Create. 

What you will find is the more consistently you pay attention to your own drives and desires, the better you will understand the emotions and motivations of others.

Simple self-awareness exercise.

In the video below, I share the simple exercise I use to enhance self-awareness in myself and others. Can you guess the EQ questions I ask students?

Your Turn:

How would you describe yourself in one word?

To hear my “one word” — check out the 1 min video above.  📌🎥

Coming Soon!

Reading People: Lesson #2 

Social Awareness