Isheaga Counseling and Consulting Services
Isheaga Counseling and Consulting Services
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    • Tools to navigate change
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  • Blog Reflections
  • More
    • Home
    • About Donicka
    • Therapy
      • Individual therapy
      • Chronic Pain
      • Clinical Supervision
      • Investment
    • Coaching Services
      • Self Leadership Coaching
      • Leading by Design Model
    • Contact Me
    • Resources
      • Tools to navigate change
      • Books
      • Crisis Services
    • Blog Reflections
  • Home
  • About Donicka
  • Therapy
    • Individual therapy
    • Chronic Pain
    • Clinical Supervision
    • Investment
  • Coaching Services
    • Self Leadership Coaching
    • Leading by Design Model
  • Contact Me
  • Resources
    • Tools to navigate change
    • Books
    • Crisis Services
  • Blog Reflections

Tools to navigate change

Reflective Writing

A versatile tool for self-discovery exploration and personal growth.

Writing for Clarity and Insight
Writing helps clear mental clutter, process emotions, and make sense of your experiences. Putting pen to paper brings clarity and can be a powerful tool for self-discovery, especially when guided by reflective prompts. These prompts expand your thinking and offer deeper insight into your emotions, needs, and desires.


Not into writing?
Engage in self-reflection through quiet dialogue with yourself. The insight comes from the process, not the page.

The Power of Self-Reflection and Setting Intentions

Benefits of self reflection

Benefits of self reflection

Benefits of self reflection

Self-reflection is the practice of being curious.  It involves exploring your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Self-reflection helps you to:


  • Develop self-awareness
  • Improve insight into key issues 
  • Generate new perspectives
  • Get unstuck from overthinking
  • Process emotions 
  • Identify lessons from experiences
  • Make different decisions
  • Take values based action 


You will discover more about who you are, and you will grow as a person. Self-reflection can help you to become a catalyst for change in your life.

Setting intentions

Benefits of self reflection

Benefits of self reflection

Setting intentions is about choosing how you want to feel and live each day.  They guide your thoughts and actions that reflect what matters most to you.

Intentions help you:


  • Stay connected to your values
  • Be more mindful and present
  • Guide your choices with purpose
  • Strengthen self-awareness and introspection 
  • Create emotional and mental clarity
  • Foster self-accountability in daily life
     

Intentions are process-oriented. Regular practice can build self-confidence and help you navigate challenges more effectively.  

Reflective Prompts

Setting intentions for the day

Setting intentions for the day

Reflective prompts are a set of questions that guide your thinking. They inspire curiosity about what is possible. Regardless of when you engage with self-reflection, the key is to be intentional and consistent.  Let these reflective prompts guide your thinking. 

Start of the day:

  • What do I wish to experience today?
  • How do I want to show up in my life right now? 
  • How can I integrate the lessons from yesterday into today?

End of day:

  • What did I value most about my day?
  • How did I prioritize my own needs today? 
  • Wwat did I learn from today?
  • What can I do differently next time?

In the moment:  

  • What am  I feeling? Name it
  • What is this moment meant to teach me? 
  • What values am I honouring with this decision?
  • How does this serve my authentic self?

Setting intentions for the day

Setting intentions for the day

Setting intentions for the day

Intentions are guided by questions that help focus your mindset for the day. They invite you to pause, reflect, and direct your energy with purpose.

Follow your intentions with small, purposeful steps that align with the intention. 


  • Prompt: What do I want to experience today?
  • Intention: I want to feel more grounded and calm.
  • Steps: Take 3 focused breaths before starting work 
  • Limit phone use during breaks 
  • Pause to stretch or check in with emotions midday


The following are examples of intentions. Select which ones resonate with you.  

  • I will show myself compassion and care today
  • I will protect my time and energy by setting healthy boundaries.
  • I will approach challenges with curiosity
  • I will be honest with myself about what I need

What steps are necessary to bring this intention to life today? 

Practice Self Care with Boundaries

Discomfort as a boundary cue

Setting healthy boundaries is essential for your mental health and well-being. Boundaries are the lines you create between yourself and others to define what is and isn't acceptable behavior in relationships. They protect your emotional well-being and help you build healthier, more respectful connections.


Learning to recognize when you need boundaries starts with your body. The need for a boundary often shows up first as a physical reaction—tightness in your chest, tension in your shoulders, or discomfort in your stomach. These body signals are your early warning system telling you something doesn't feel right.

Boundary setting begins with self-awareness. 


Think about who or what regularly leaves you feeling stressed, emotionally drained, or uneasy. Pay attention to these physical cues in your body—this is your invitation to shift out of your thinking mind and tune into your intuition.   When you notice these sensations, ask yourself these important questions:

  • Who or what is triggering this stress response?
  • What's happening in that specific moment?
  • Are my personal needs being dismissed, ignored, or violated?

 

Just observe. Your body’s responses are valid. Honouring that discomfort—without dismissing it—is key to building self-trust and recognizing when a boundary is needed.

Boundaries Build Self-Trust

Create emotional safety

Communicate with confidence

Create emotional safety

Speak your truth without fear of reprisals. You have the right to say no, express discomfort, and call out others who cross your boundaries.


Practice emotional safety by speaking your truth out loud. 


For every “yes” in the previous column, reply with:  

  • “That makes me uncomfortable.”  
  • “I don't appreciate that.”  
  • “I don’t like when you do that.”hat.”
     

The more you practice speaking your needs out loud, the more familiar and natural it becomes to advocate for yourself in real time. 



Honor your needs

Communicate with confidence

Create emotional safety

Identify and recognize what is important to you. Make informed choices that support your well-being—without guilt or apology.  It's not about being selfish. It's about staying true to your values.


Establish boundaries that reflect what you expect and deserve in your relationships.


Make a list of what you value and what you need from others to feel respected. What are your non-negotiables?


Say them aloud to yourself—your voice matters.

Remember: boundaries aren’t about changing others. They’re about taking charge of your own wellbeing.

Communicate with confidence

Communicate with confidence

Communicate with confidence

Communicating boundaries means stating clearly what is acceptable and what is not. Your needs are valid—you don’t need to apologize for them.


Start by writing down what you want to say.

Name the behavior, how it makes you feel, and how you want others to treat you.


If the behavior continues, state your limits. Will you disengage, walk away, reduce contact, or take space from the relationship? This also allows others to respond differently to you.


The choice is yours, and an important part of protecting your emotional wellbeing.

When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.


Viktor Frankl

  • Contact Me

Isheaga Counseling Services

South Etobicoke, Ontario

416.407.2518

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