Getting Over Life's Hurdles with Molly Carroll
For a second, you think you have everything planned out. The next, life suddenly plays a cruel joke and throws a hurdle your way. It may be a loss of a loved one, a missed opportunity, a breakup, or bouts of anxiety. It affects everything that follows positively or negatively, depending on how you react to this unexpected situation.
All of us deal with life's challenges differently.
Some people characterize drawbacks as this "invisible giant hand" that steals control from their lives. They feel powerless and succumb to the situation. While some acknowledge the things they can't control, focus on what they can control and convert negativities into strengths or driving forces.
Molly Carroll calls these situations the "cracking open" moments.
I recently had the honor of speaking with Molly Carroll—a licensed therapist with more than 25 years of experience, an author, a coach, a speaker, a caring mom to two kids, and overall, an amazing human being.
We featured her TEDx talk at our Connect + Grow TED Ripples session two years ago. I was initially hooked by her topic, "The need for human connections and how it starts with ourselves," but I was completely stunned as I listened to her talk. It's a great opportunity to finally have her as a guest speaker at The Ripple Effect Podcast!
Listen to her amazing talk here:
Molly shares her ways of "getting unstuck" and breaking free from problems, stressors, and obstacles in life. She hits us with the reality that life comes with different forms of baggage. Your judgments can get clouded when you get overwhelmed by it all, but you can combat this by getting to know yourself deeper.
Take the time to reflect on your decisions and ensure they are good for you.
She teaches us to practice mindfulness and relaxation through her methods called PAC (Presence, Awareness, and Compassion) and the 4-7-9 Technique. These are helpful starting grounds if you feel overwhelmed and crushed by life's pressures.
If you're curious about these methods, hear them from Molly and watch the full podcast episode below:
Aside from starting healing from ourselves, Molly also leaves us with a reminder:
"You are not alone."
All the baggage that comes with life will only get heavier if you don't share it with anyone. Don't carry it alone! Some issues are solved with a simple human connection.
We are wired to connect.