SALT

STAY SALTY LOCAL GIVEAWAY!!! Hey CT/RI summer-lovin’ friends! Here’s your chance to win a few fun items as we dive into the last full month of the memorable summer of 2020! The giveaway includes a bottle of Bon Jovi’s Hampton Water Rosé ; a compact, portable, waterproof Bose speaker ; my favorite candle by Madewell ; and a copy of my next summer read, a story by Richard Russo, that takes place in Martha’s Vineyard. Let’s admit it, chances are … we could use a little more lightness in our lives right now! When we dive deep, it’s important to balance out life with some fun and joy! (Plus, you get to reap the benefits of giveaways helping to meet my personal need for contribution!)

To enter the STAY SALTY LOVAL GIVEAWAY please visit @salt.selfawarenessletstalk.

The giveaway starts today and closes on Saturday, August 15th at 11:59pm EST! The winner will be randomly selected and will receive a DM notification on Sunday, August 16th. You must be at least 21 years of age and live in Connecticut (where i live) or Rhode Island (where i work) to win. I cannot ship wine, therefore delivery / drop off will need to be arranged. this giveaway is in no way sponsored, endorsed, or administered by, or associated with, instagram or the products involved. Stay well, STAY SALTY!

I must admit, I am so fortunate to have a wonderful circle of supportive and inspiring women around me, and each woman adds something special to my life in their own way. In honor of the #womensupportingwomen campaign, I would like to honor and challenge one of the women who I am proud of and grateful for in my life, Donna Rustigian Mac!

Years ago when I was struggling with my worth, impacting my presentation abilities, this woman helped me find my voice. Fast forward years later, and I am now on her iVoice Communications Board of Advisors, along with a few other leading ladies. Donna is a fellow communication coach who too, has a heart-centered focus. Donna Rustigian Mac, Founder and Chief Talent and Development Officer, focuses on “healthy human connections” through high level effective communication. She has an extensive background in media and communications, and has authored a book, Guide to a Richer Life : Know Your Worth, Find Your Voice, Speak Your Truth. I was even fortunate enough to have my experience working with Donna included in the book.

Donna has something for everyone – including professional and interpersonal supports, and free mindfulness sessions online this summer! Please check her out at iVoice Communication or on ig : @donnamacvoice.

you can now learn more about SALT insights and practices by following the SALT well-being basin community instagram page, @wefeelweneed.

well-being (noun) : the state of being happy, healthy, or prosperous.

for SALT purposes, well-being is conscious, intentional, self-aware, regulated connection to self and others in all areas of life (this can include our physical, sexual, emotional, financial, psychological, spiritual, social, personal professional parts)

basin (noun) : an open usually circular vessel with sloping or curving sides used typically for holding water for washing.

for SALT purposes, a basin is a container for our feelings as we practice self-regulation ; a circle of like-minded salty folks ; and a space for becoming more self-aware. it’s here we can bring to the surface and cleanse ourselves of encounters, experiences, or relationships that do not meet our human needs, which will hopefully lead to improved well-being. it is also a space to appreciate and celebrate needs that are being met!

it is with hopes that this page can serve as a grounding space for all the curious and open-hearted. we are all similar here in that we all feel and we all have needs. may you find some comfort here …

in an effort to share some of SALT’s favorite treasures for improved well-being and to help spread more peace within ourselves, our homes, our communities, and the world, i am excited for SALT’s first giveaway! summer SALT essentials!

the giveaway includes the compassion book by thom bond, which has the potential to be life-changing, and inner active cards for parts work. these are so fun and informative! you will also receive a SALT journal to start your practice of feelings and needs identification, as well as a salt rock!

here’s how to enter :
1. on instagram follow both @wefeelweneed (SALT’s well-being basin  community page) and @salt.selfawarenessletstalk (courtney’s personal blog page) #bettertogether
2. tag 2 friends in the comments section of the giveaway post of the @salt.selfawarenessletstalk page who enjoy self-growth work or could benefit from some extra self-love #tlc (more entries equals more chances to win!)

the giveaway closes on july 18th at 11:59pm EST! the winner will receive a DM on july 19th. you must be at least 18 years of age and live in the US to win. this giveaway is in no way sponsored, endorsed, or administered by, or associated with, instagram or the products involved.

thanks for participating & following along! … you may just thank yourself later, too!

#divedeeplivewell#selfawarenessletstalk #salt#wellbeingbasin #selfawareness#wellbeing #compassion#communication #connection #peace#innerpeace #home #community#world #worldpeace #giveaway#summer #fun#nonviolentcommunication #nvc #book#awareness #inneractivecards#partswork #ifs #cards #parenting#reparenting

the intended result of SALT practices is greater self-awareness and quality of life. this is achieved through the repeated practice of identifying feelings and human needs – needs that are both met and unmet. from here we can sit compassionately with our unmet needs, explore the many ways in which these needs can be met on our own, or consider ways to solicit outside help. this practice teaches us to steer away from past patterns that have led us to repeatedly feel “unwell” due to our needs not being met. and, it allows us to open up to more ways to feel “well” by choosing with clarity what needs we have, and how to continue meeting them. appreciation and joy tend to grow from this place leading to greater well-being and fulfillment. when SALT practices are done with perseverance, patience and repetition, it can lead to transformation, resulting in more clarity, ease, connection, and joy.

search and save “self-awareness, let’s talk” on pinterest! 📌 i recently took an educational webinar on pinterest as i expand SALT’s offerings and exposure, and during the course i had an ah-ha moment! i had typically looked at pinterest more as an inspiration portal, but it is actually a search engine similar to that of google! do you think of pinterest as a search engine or a place to be inspired in a variety of life areas?

so many people, myself included, are continually looking for ways to feel “better.” and on the internet, truly, the world is our oyster when looking for whatever “better” may be for each of us.

for me, the practices of nonviolent communication have improved the quality of my life. i feel excited thinking about the masses of people, all those lives that can be exposed to practices of self-care through the means of intentional feelings and needs identification, through a platform like pinterest. curious people wade through pinterest to find solutions and enhancements to their life ; SALT complements a curious mind and helps provides desirable outcomes. please take a moment to check out the page, create a new SALT board, and click save!

for dads.

to first time dads. those who lost their dad. for those with painful dad relationships. for those who stand in as dads. for those with loving dads. for those with dads who are trying. for those with two dads. for those who needed a dad. for those with hero dads. for those learning to forgive dads. for those hoping to be forgiven by dads. for dads who have lost a child. – jess bird, @blessthemessy

… for anyone who wants more compassion in their life and in our world … – thom bond, creator and leader of the compassion book / course

the countdown is on! there are 5 days left to enroll in the next compassion course online! this is a yearlong study in the practices of nonviolent communication. i cannot recommend this course enough – it is truly life changing! the course follows the book, which is broken down into 52 short chapters, and serves as a guide through this shift towards greater compassion. i believe what the world needs now, more than ever, are the teachings and practices that stem from the compassion course. new horizons await – check it out by clicking here!

today i received the above notification from wordpress. wow! two years ago today i created this name – self-awareness, let’s talk, aka SALT, and in the wee hours of the morning started this blog. the first thought that comes to mind is that titanic meme going around, “it’s been 84 years…” ha! i’m a bit nostalgic this evening reviewing all that has happened over the last two years. it’s been a wild ride – lots of bumps and bruises in one hand, and some of my greatest laughs and lessons learned in the other. when i look at the current state of the world, all i keep thinking is – the world needs more SALT! sprinkle that $#!% everywhere!

with all of the stress experienced due to the impact of the pandemic, there are actually places to go – inward, let’s meet there! so much is out of our control, therefore focusing on what we do have control of is one way to move through the stress.

more recently, i am experiencing work / financial / living situation changes, all of which impact emotional well-being. the one thing that has been most helpful through this for me has been pausing and identifying how i’m feeling and recognizing what i’m needing, and often logging these on my instagram page for accountability and modeling. once i recognize these two things, i am able to ask myself if i can meet my own need or if i need to seek support. i also can choose where i turn next – what strategy can best help me meet my need? there are many strategies to help meet one need. one option may be to “mother” myself. what would i be saying to little courtney? what comfort can i bring her? this is highly powerful self-care and self-awareness. what are some other options to help meet needs? i can choose to journal, a tool that i have found to be helpful. i can choose to just be. to be curious, to be present, to be reflective, to be okay with not acting on or controlling anything, and see where the universe and my gut guides me. i am currently in this courageous place.

when we look outside of ourselves and at the world around us, it’s easy to get flooded with feelings. with the turbulent political climate and the disturbing treatment and deaths fueled by racism, there are places to go together – towards compassion, respect, and accountability. mindfulness and non-violent communication can help during these times. i keep trying to remain in a curious place asking what is the need that is trying to be met on every angle. again, for me it’s the only lens i’ve learned to look at life from in order to lift hardening of my heart.

for the heart-wrenching george floyd case it’s obvious that one basic and vital need was for air. it’s hard to want to consider what the needs were of the cops involved, in particular the officer kneeling on him and killing him, but from SALT’s perspective, their actions /strategies were trying to meet a need. i am certain, however, that there could have been other ways / strategies to meet his need(s) without doing what he inhumanly did. and now, for those of us who recognize this case as a major malfunction in morality and humanity, what do we need? for some, there is a need for self-expression (for example, one strategy :  protests) ; for many the need for equality (one strategy : calling for punishment and consequences for the involved police) ; for others the need for contribution (one strategy : donating to groups to help related causes) ; and for most all of us, the need for understanding of the harsh obvious reality that racism still exists (one strategy : learning more about racism) the list could go on and on. and, undeniably, there is a need for mourning (one strategy : crying) for all of the loss and grief we see and feel around us.

i feel blessed that SALT came into my life. i am excited about whatever the future holds – for this creative and supportive space, for me, for you, and the larger collective. i am humbled to be able to share parts of me with you in these short posts and small squares on the gram. vulnerability is never easy, but i believe it’s the only way to drive connection. shame is a constant battle, but it’s a teacher of the bully within and a leader in helping us to lean towards compassion – of self and others. thank you for the ways you embrace SALT as we work towards raised consciousness. in times like these, it’s a task that requires grit and consistency, and i am glad to be here alongside you. namaste – the light in me sees and honors the light in you. cheers to a new year of courage, curiosity, consciousness, and connection!