Blogging with a Beginner's Mind : The Journey Begins

Hi folks,

As this is my very first blog posting I thought I would give a quick review of my company and myself before jumping into the topic. I retired from a very demanding full time job in 2022, and founded my LLC company, Healing Solutions. For those who do not know my work, please feel free to explore my website and social media channels. You can access free content on my Facebook page Healing Solutions LLC and Instagram @healingsolutionsllc_ma. I post a Daily Dose on both platforms, see the example below.

The Dose is designed to offer supportive and thought provoking quotes to accompany you on your journey towards wellness. I have two video series on FB which will also be archived on my site soon and available on my upcoming Youtube channel . I see adult clients weekly, both virtually and in my office in Concord Massachusetts. I'm also a consultant for parents with young children through a program called Project ABC. I offer expressive therapy focused music and movement groups for young children through Project ABC, as well as facilitating a monthly parent education series. I am working on a children's book that focuses on understanding and accepting "difference".

I have been working in Human Services and Mental Health organizations for more than thirty years ... but here's the thing ... I am still learning and growing and I do not plan to stop until my life on this beautiful blue planet is over! There it is, my manifesto for being alive - keep learning and growing - period. Sounds easy, but there are many blockades on the path to growth, mostly ones that we actually put up ourselves, often without realizing it. For example, for many years I struggled with "Imposter syndrome". Despite accolades from colleagues and clients, privately I often engaged in lots of negative self talk like "What gives me the right to be paid as an expert in my field?" " Who am I to say what's right for others?" " What if people find out I don't really know what I am doing ?" " I feel like a fraud". I thought I was supposed to have all the answers. I felt afraid of stepping into my own power, until I realized that POWER had no place in my internal dialogue., because I have no more POWER than anyone else.

Once I understood that POWER was not in the equation, and that no one has all the answers, I could share what I know and listen to others do the same. It is my belief that in a space of mutual listening and respect, deep healing is possible. If you ask me a question and I don't know the answer, I will let you know that. I will go looking for the answer and you can do that too. Then we can bring the questions back to the table so we can continue to grow and expand our understanding of ourselves and the world, together.

I came into a practice of mindfulness meditation over many years. About six years ago I discovered the CALM app. (It is a great resource if you have not explored it! ). In her 10 minute daily mindfulness meditations the founder, Tara Levitt, constantly repeats and reinforces the idea that the practice is not about achieving an empty mind, or some elevated state. A mindfulness meditation practice is about accepting yourself exactly as you are in this moment , accepting what is there, but not getting attached to it, allowing all thoughts feelings and other activities of the mind to be acknowledged and then released - letting go of any attachments to the stories, thoughts and feelings that are the constant activities of the human mind. Levitt has a simple explanation which I return to often - the practice is about teaching the muscle of your mind to return again and again to the breath, with patience, compassion and without judgement..

That is the practice.

This is where Beginners' Mind comes in. The term originated from Buddhism and the Japanese word for it is Shoshin. But you don't have to buddhist to embrace this idea. You just need to be open. If you have a lot of preconceived notions and expectations of the "right" way to meditate, you will be mired in doubt, self-judgement and frustration. Truly, if you come to anything thinking you know everything there is to know about it, you will miss so many, many opportunities to be amazed, to deepen your knowledge, to witness beauty, and to experience the wonder of new and exciting possibilities! Just like anything else, you have to practice it to get good at it!

I am currently trying to have a Beginners Mind about AI. THere are certainly some scary and concerning aspects to Artificial Intelligence, but there are also some interesting possibilities for it's use. For example, just now I was looking for a concrete simple explanation of the fundamental principles of Beginner's Mind. I am not great at thinking in bullets and I can tend to carried away with words, so I was excited to find this AI explanation - simple and easy to understand.. So I will share it with you!

Beginner's Mind (AI generated)

How it works

You're willing to admit that you don't know everything.
You're curious and eager to learn.
You're open to new ideas and possibilities.
You're able to explore without being weighed down by past successes or failures.

Benefits

It can lead to more creative thinking.
It can help you adapt to new situations and absorb information faster.
It can help you develop a deeper appreciation for each moment.

How to cultivate a beginner's mindset

Clear your mind of preconceptions before starting a new project.
Let go of your ego.
Embrace mistakes.
Question everything.
Try to see things from a different perspective.
Consider a lateral approach.
Ask for help.
Start small.
Remove self-imposed pressure.

Not bad right??

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Okay back to my non-AI generated content.....

"In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert's mind there are few... The mind of the beginner is free of the habits of the expert, ready to accept, to doubt, and open to all the possibilities." ~Shunryu Suzuki

Blogs are so much better when they are interactive. So please connect with me here and let's talk about anything on your mind.. Here are a few questions to get you thinking....

Have you ever had imposter syndrome? What were the circumstances? How did it resolve? Or did it resolve?

What do you think about this idea of a Beginner's Mind? Does it resonate for you? Why or why not?

What does the word POWER conjure up for you?

How do you feel about failure? Truth please....

It is my intention to come to this blogging thing with a Beginners Mind and I invite you to call me out with compassion if I miss the boat at times.

I am still learning. '

'Til next time ~ Sally

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