Mastery of Health and Happiness
  • Home
  • Who am I
  • What is Mastery?
  • Pearls of Wisdom
  • Media
  • Store
  • Newsletter
  • Contact
Jan
12
2015

A Journey of Self-Growth – How Divorce Helped Me Find Myself

by Kate

summer sunrise over treesTwo years ago I left my husband. Well, to be precise, I told him it wasn’t going to work and that he needed to move out. There are a lot of reasons for this decision. Funnily enough, when I told him he quickly agreed with me. I guess we were both feeling unhappy for a long time, it just took me to finally act on it for things to change.

You see, I had come to a place where I knew that I had gotten married for all the wrong reasons. I married him for the life that I thought I wanted. You know the one – house, car, kids, dog – in other words, I was trying to live the “dream”. The problem was that I was trying to fit myself and my husband into this so called “dream life”, that in reality wasn’t really what either of us wanted. We felt smothered, and spent more time arguing then we ever did getting along. So I did the only thing that made sense to me; I left him.

Since then, you could say I’ve been on quite a journey of self-growth. At first, I went through every emotion imaginable – from grieving to anger to loneliness to heartbreak. Those first few months are a blur. I just focused on trying to keep it together for my kids, and making it through the day.

But gradually I was able to start to reflect on my life, and the choices I’ve made. I realized that I was the one who had created a life that wasn’t making me happy, so by that logic I could also create a new life – one where I could be happy and at peace with myself – emotionally and spiritually.

I started to meditate and practice yoga. I read books about inspiring people, and listened to audios like Bev’s Mastery of Health and Happiness. I began to see really positive aspects to my life. I realized that despite some bad choices, I had also made a lot of good ones.

Mostly, I started feeling gratitude – for the amazing people I know, for the good things going on in my life, and for all those little things that matter the most – like a hug from my 6 year old, and the way the sun looks coming up over the treetops in the morning. All of this has helped me to find myself again. I had lost that girl during my marriage, and I must admit that I was relieved to find her. I have a long way to go (really does personal growth ever stop?), but for now I’m content with feeling whole again, and that’s enough for me.

Tags: acceptance, change, choice, divorce, feelings, gratitude, happiness, healing, heart, journey, life, love, self-growth
Posted in Self Growth, transitions | No Comments »

Oct
14
2014

My Brother Died

Ocean Waves“They lived and laughed and loved and left.” – James Joyce

Such sadness. My younger brother has passed away.

Feeling deep loss is a tough one for all of us.

There are layers and layers to grief. I’m experiencing them as I go through this. Grief also comes in waves. You’re good, and then a wave comes in and you are hit by it. Layers and waves…I’m experiencing all of them.

I’m consciously letting myself feel all the emotions. Part of me wants to just hold the bigger picture…the cyclical nature of every aspect of our life. But holding perspective doesn’t mean that there are not times when we feel raw, vulnerable, exposed and despairing.

So, as I go through these layers, I allow whatever is there to come to the surface so I can see what it is. Then I “be” with it.

Grief can’t go through us if we don’t feel it, acknowledge it, and allow it to be present. I know I am consciously breathing deeply as I invite it to go through me, rather than getting stuck.

And then there is the feeling that “nothing is the same”. It is strange, because life goes on around us as if nothing has changed.

However, everything has changed. There is a remembering of the way it was, a raw missing of the past, lots of emotions around change, and the attachment to the way it was. We go through them all.

I am also aware that grief signals a new beginning. A new book is beginning, so to speak. And that is the essence of life.

I’m remembering the importance of being gentle with ourselves when we are grieving. To grant ourselves the space to take care of our needs. And to listen to what we need.

Grief teaches us so much. Our loved ones move on, and this gives us the opportunity to look at life in so many new and different ways.

I’m remembering that life is about cycles – night and day – seasons, a minute, an hour…everything is a cycle. And so are we. Each cycle is completed.

My words of wisdom at this moment are this:

Everyone’s death is a big lesson for those of us left behind.

Stay growing!!

 

Tags: awareness, Beverley Pugh, change, emotions, feelings, grief, growing, healing, sadness
Posted in healing, managing emotions | 32 Comments »

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. NEXT

Beverley Pugh

Beverley Pugh

Beverley Pugh has international experience in Individual, Marital and Family Therapist services. Areas of practice include counselling in: individual, couples, family, anxiety, addictions, grief, depression, pain management, multicultural, workplace and others.

Join Our Mailing List

Mastery Practice Tool

A Day to Remember

Know that I do every practice exercise I share with you. As you are playing with them, I am as well. I personally need the reminders and practices to stay on the course of what is important for me. I find practices help me build the consistency of ‘inner muscle’ I want in life. I stay committed to my self-growth so I notice, I practice, and I self correct. So here is this month’s Practice Exercise which I first did in Japan while working...

Take a day and choose to commit to notice and find delight in all the small things. Take nothing for granted. Exaggerate your noticing and enjoyment. Really be present. You may have a picture of yourself really vibrating with aliveness. Take a good look, and recreate that feeling inside you. Wake yourself up. For example: While drinking water think “wow this feels good...I love it!!”. Really open yourself to being appreciative of all the little things around you in your life.

If you forget, just correct without judgement, and go back to noticing and smiling with appreciation. Behind this is a very powerful part of you that can determine the ‘colours’ you experience inside.

Testimonial

Our ability, as parents, to support our children to thrive in stressful situations is becoming more and more important. Children need very specific tools in their self regulation 'tool kits' that they can draw upon to support their success, and trusted adults to coach them in their use. But what are these tools and how to we teach them effectively to our kids?

Thankfully, there is Beverley Pugh! Bev takes a curious and calm approach to supporting children and parents with this journey. She is passionately invested in teaching parents and children ways to reduce anxiety and approach life positively and confidently. Bev is a master of her craft - she draws on years of her own experience as a parent and counsellor to work effectively and respectfully with children and their parents. I have thoroughly enjoyed Bev's recent workshops for parents and children and recommend them to anyone willing to explore specific strategies to help their children thrive at home, at school and in their community.

Lani M. - Parent and Elementary School Principal

Archives

  • May 2018 (1)
  • March 2018 (1)
  • January 2018 (1)
  • December 2017 (1)
  • November 2017 (1)
  • October 2017 (1)
  • September 2017 (1)
  • August 2017 (1)
  • July 2017 (1)
  • June 2017 (1)
  • May 2017 (1)
  • April 2017 (1)
  • March 2017 (1)
  • February 2017 (1)
  • January 2017 (1)
  • December 2016 (1)
  • November 2016 (1)
  • October 2016 (1)
  • September 2016 (1)
  • August 2016 (1)
  • July 2016 (1)
  • June 2016 (2)
  • May 2016 (2)
  • April 2016 (2)
  • March 2016 (2)
  • February 2016 (2)
  • January 2016 (2)
  • December 2015 (2)
  • November 2015 (2)
  • October 2015 (2)
  • September 2015 (2)
  • August 2015 (2)
  • July 2015 (2)
  • June 2015 (2)
  • May 2015 (2)
  • April 2015 (2)
  • March 2015 (2)
  • January 2015 (4)
  • December 2014 (2)
  • November 2014 (2)
  • October 2014 (2)
  • September 2014 (2)
  • August 2014 (2)
  • July 2014 (2)
  • June 2014 (2)
  • May 2014 (2)
  • April 2014 (2)
  • March 2014 (2)
  • February 2014 (2)
  • January 2014 (2)
  • December 2013 (2)
  • November 2013 (2)
  • October 2013 (2)
  • September 2013 (3)
  • August 2013 (1)
  • July 2013 (2)
  • June 2013 (2)
  • May 2013 (1)
  • April 2013 (2)
  • March 2013 (2)
  • February 2013 (2)
  • January 2013 (2)
  • December 2012 (2)
  • November 2012 (2)
  • October 2012 (2)
  • September 2012 (4)
  • August 2012 (3)
  • July 2012 (3)
  • June 2012 (3)
  • May 2012 (3)
  • April 2012 (4)
  • March 2012 (3)
  • February 2012 (3)
  • January 2012 (2)

Categories

  • awareness (30)
  • Balance (8)
  • change (16)
  • Choice (28)
  • Feeling Gratitude (14)
  • forgiveness (8)
  • Gentleness (10)
  • healing (17)
  • Health and Happiness (35)
  • Health and Wellness (18)
  • holding power (9)
  • Inspirational (32)
  • Learning to Adapt (18)
  • Love (30)
  • managing emotions (20)
  • Meditation and Relaxation (15)
  • Parenting (6)
  • Pearls of Wisdom (21)
    • Breathing (3)
    • Creating What You Want (4)
    • Gratitude (6)
    • Happiness (7)
    • Heart Space (2)
    • Meditation (2)
  • Relationships (4)
  • Self Growth (57)
  • Stress (3)
  • transitions (6)
  • Uncategorized (3)

About Beverley

Beverley Pugh has international experience in Individual, Marital and Family Therapist services. Areas of practice include counselling in: individual, couples, family, anxiety, addictions, grief, depression, pain management, multicultural, workplace and others.

Contact

Telephone:
604-925-1513
Email:
bev@beverleypugh.com
Location:
120-1451 Marine Drive
West Vancouver, BC
V7T 1B8
Canada

Disclaimer: The information presented on this site about various psychological conditions, is of a general nature and is not a substitute for an assessment by a competent therapist and/or medical professional. If you believe that you or an important person in your life is in need of an intervention please seek qualified help as soon as possible.

(c) 2023. Beverley Pugh Counselling Services. All Rights Reserved. Site Designed by Pureze Web Media.