Category: Uncategorized

Spotlight on Mindfulness

Leave a comment

Those of you who know me know that I use mindfulness in my personal and professional life.  It is something that I very much believe in, and practice as much as possible. I think it is a valuable tool that keeps me going. It really has changed my life.

I used to be a person that either lived so much in the past or became easily consumed with the future at any given moment. I would get stuck in bad memories, focusing on what could have been or what I could have done differently about it. What my life would have, could have, should have been if… (fill in the blank). Those pesky ‘what ifs’ get us trapped in worry about the future as well. It can paralyze us and prevent us from following through on a decision. Keeping yourself so consumed with the future is not productive either.

We can learn from the past, and we can prepare for our future, but what we have is right now. This present moment. We have right now to live for.

Mindfulness doesn’t mean that you can’t look back on fond memories, or look forward to something in your future. We can learn from our past, and we can prepare for something upcoming that might be difficult. Be careful however that you don’t become so consumed by it that you are missing out on today.

I’d also like to add a word on being non-judgmental and on gratitude. Part of mindfulness, about being in the present moment, is to be as non-judgmental as possible. Try to be an observer to your current experience – inside and outside of yourself. Try to limit placing value or meaning to it. Especially when this can lead to negativity. Its easy to be hard on ourselves – many of you can relate to this! Instead of calling ourselves “stupid”, “worthless”, or so many other things we put onto ourselves, try staying neutral. Things do not have to be good or bad. It doesn’t have to be black and white – there are many shades of gray.

Remind yourself of what you are grateful for. What do you appreciate at this moment? Currently in your life? Sometimes that can being us back into the present. Maybe you are grateful for your friendships, your health, your home, or your pets. With so much anxiety and stress we can lose sight of the things in our lives that enrich them. Try not to lose sight or take anything or anyone for granted.

Journal prompt: What do you have to be grateful for today? In this present moment? What is going on in your present awareness that you can learn from?

See ‘Coping 101’ for links for more info and tips on mindfulness!

pjlupinetti (dot) com

Leave a comment

I am super excited to announce some new changes on my website!

It now has a much easier web address (as long as you can remember how to spell my name!) – pjlupinetti (dot) com. Here’s a trick, it means little wolf in Italian (lupin = wolf, etti= little).

If you haven’t already had a chance to see, I have created a page “Let’s Get Started”. Now named “Coping 101”, it has some great links to information on mindfulness and journaling – two of my go-to’s when I start working with most clients. I’m hoping to add much more to that page, so check back soon!

Please feel free to reach out with any questions.

Thanks for following my blog!

Tranquil Inspiration

Leave a comment

20130915-123756.jpg

In the past month, I have been fortunate enough to receive inspiration, positive energy, and education from Kimberly Wilson of Tranquility du Jour! Last month, it was a four day retreat in West Virginia. Yesterday, her first stop on the Tranquility Tour in my hometown neighbor of Philadelphia. Kimberly is a yoga instructor, artist, social worker, philanthropist, author, & much more. There are many things that have resonated with me since getting to know her – online and in person. Overall, what’s been so important is the inspiration that comes from her.

I’ve always been into the idea of creating something important – personally and professionally. Thankfully for me, in my profession and with my experiences, that gets to over-lap quite a bit! I’ve learned so much more than I could ever express about human behavior, cultures, diversity, sexuality, feelings & emotions, interpersonal effectiveness, communication, tolerance, acceptance, and self-care. This is not only in my structured learning environments of school, internships, and on-the-job training. It is so much more so in my daily interactions with people. I’ve learned so much about people, life, and of myself in working with the diversity of clients I have had. I am very grateful for this knowledge.

So what is the next step? How can I continue to evolve and reach others – not just face to face but on a larger scale? For now, it is going to be here on this blog. With inspiration from others and a sparked creativity and passion inside of me, it is falling into place what I need to do. I will continue to write on this blog & create a resource sharing center on this website. In thinking about dreams and goals – one day there will be workshops, speakings at conferences, and retreats.

Dream big! Write it down! Tell a loved one! Create some accountability in your execution of your dreams – don’t keep it a secret anymore.

Journal prompt: What kind of life do you want? How can you create that in the future? How can you create that today?

 

 

Welcome

1 Comment

Welcome to the professional blog of Paula Lupinetti, LCSW. My intention in making and maintaining this blog is to have a central location for my clients and potential clients to access helpful information and resources. Please check back frequently as the site begins to build and take shape. Be sure to follow the blog by signing up for email updates on the left column of the page.

Thanks for visiting!