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Author: Theresa Birmingham

Mind KEY / Articles posted by Theresa Birmingham
15 plucky superhero songs

15 songs for the plucky superhero in us all

By Theresa Birmingham   We all need to feel like a superhero sometimes. Since the stress of life relegates us to the role of sidekick so often, here’s a Spotify playlist, 15 Plucky Superhero Songs, that inspires you to shed the fear and stop being the sidekick in your own life. We hope these songs help you live fearlessly and find your inner superhero.   Top 15 plucky superhero songs   Eye of the Tiger by Survivor The Climb by Miley Cyrus Dare You to Move by Switchfoot It’s My Life by Bon Jovi Not Afraid by Eminem The Mountain by Dierks Bentley Don’t Stop Believin’ by Journey Born to Fly by Sara Evans Brave by Sara Bareilles Heroes by David Bowie Unwritten by Natasha Bedingfield Move Along by The...

Don’t be an avoidant destination junkie. Be present.

Conquer your fear of the present: a personal story

By Theresa Birmingham Confession: My name is Theresa, and I’ve been an avoidant destination junkie. I’ve spent most of my life seeking adventure after adventure, focused solely on the future. Because of this, I’ve struggled with situations where I must be present. But I’m kind of converted now. . . I still love to travel, of course. I’m still looking forward to the Sam Hunt concert I’m hitting at the end of the month. But my conversion isn’t about feeling or not feeling anticipation for the future. This recovery has been about understanding that the future is not the only thing that can bring me pleasure and joy. I need to be present, something I’ve struggled with for thirty-three years (yes, that’s my whole life).   Why I’ve avoided...

Fearless friendships enrich everyday life and encourage us to embrace ourselves fully.

Built to last: The fearless life of a beautiful tribe

By Theresa Birmingham   Fearless friendships enrich everyday life and encourage us to embrace ourselves fully. In the very modified words of Jane Austen, “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that an individual in search of a tribe is inevitably seeking long-lasting relationships that enrich, excite, temper, and lift them up.” Fearless friendships are those we’ve cultivated from being ourselves, and not having to fear the judgments of others.   Overcoming relationship fears Where does our fear of relationships come from? Here are some common fears when it comes to relationships and furthering our tribe connections. The unknown  Sometimes, our fear is the result of newness. We don’t know where we stand with these new friendships we’re building. Instead, we tend to better understand who we are alone—our Netflix-loving, silent-hiking, solo-traveling,...

Genevieve Ryan talks success. Success is many things, and for this Massachusetts native, it's having her cake and eating it too.

Stories of Success: Author and Professor Genevieve Ryan keeps trailblazing

By Theresa Birmingham Professor, published mystery author, and Massachusetts native, Genevieve Ryan talks success in this month’s passion issue for Mind Key.   The Professor Genevieve Ryan, Gen, is not only a published author, she has a Masters in Forensic Psychology and Legal Studies, and she is currently in the process of writing her dissertation. Upon completion of this, she will obtain her Ph.D. in Forensic Psychology. Mind Key/Theresa: Tell us about what you are doing with your life. Genevieve Ryan/Gen: I am a full-time psychology professor at an all women’s college and a writer. I am legitimately finally in a spot in my life where I am living my dream! I am a mood writer, so I haven’t written in a while. [However] I am so blessed to...

Tribe friendships nurture generativity and further promote our foundation for passion and legacy.

Six ways your tribe supports your legacy

This is part two of the third article in a series of six on how to build your tribe and includes a discussion on how to find your guy or gal pals, and how to go deeper with yourself and become more vulnerable. Each article will focus on a different area of friendship and intimacy in order to not only build that tribe, but to create long-lasting bonds that transcend a game night. You can’t pick your family, but you can pick your friends and the best kind of friend is the one who becomes family. You can find part one here.   By Theresa Birmingham   Erikson, your tribe, and finding your passion Tribe friendships nurture generativity and help build our legacy, as we learned in part one of...

Your tribe, your legacy

This is part one of the third article in a series of six on how to build your tribe and includes a discussion on how to find your guy or gal pals, and how to go deeper with yourself and become more vulnerable. Each article will focus on a different area of friendship and intimacy in order to not only build that tribe but to create long-lasting bonds that transcend a game night. You can’t pick your family, but you can pick your friends and the best kind of friend is the one who becomes family. You can find part two here.   By Theresa Birmingham   Strong tribe friendships foster generativity and promote passion and purpose. Without our need for generativity, we would be aimless. The term, generativity,...

Uncovering passion in your own life can lead to following your soul’s purpose.

A life of Passion: Tackling your soul’s purpose

By Theresa Birmingham At Mind Key, we believe each individual has the potential to discover not only the infinite possibility that exists within them, but we also believe the individual should work on uncovering passion in their life. The difficulty arises in getting to that point. The process. The rigor and effort behind the passion. But here’s the kicker—if we are truly following our passion, our soul, our internal fire, there is no fear. And without fear, the rigor and effort become second to the actual purpose we are fulfilling. Mind Key editor Libby Reilly knew a girl in college who, instead of wasting time with small talk, would ask, “What are you passionate about?” Not, “What’s your major?” Not, “Where are you from?” These questions are...

Finding focus is essential to growth and becoming more self-aware.

Flow and self-discovery: Moving forward with new Focus

By Theresa Birmingham Finding focus and chasing after your best life In truth, finding focus is an effort, but it is an effort worth undertaking. Whether you’re tired of the same-old, addicted to social media, need a recharge with friends, or are struggling with financial focus, it’s important to understand that there are resources and help available. You want the best life you can have. For yourself. For your loved ones. Even for your clients and associates. But much of the business in today’s world is space-filler that we not only don’t need, but that inhibits our growth and ultimately, our ability in finding focus.   Self-awareness in finding focus Yes, greater focus does equal being more self-aware. This month, we discussed how practicing self-aware spending can help you focus...

Relationships give us power and help us discover new focus.

Building your tribe: How your crew can help you discover new focus

By Theresa Birmingham The need to discover new focus can be a difficult task to take on by yourself. But with good friends—whether time-tested or just starting out—you can successfully navigate the waters of life.   Discover new focus in your tribe It’s been a long week. So long. Too long. Sometimes exhausting. And when you’re exhausted, you might be the tearful exhausted. Or maybe you’re the angry exhausted. Or maybe you just detach from the world entirely. Because of that exhaustion, you just can’t seem to focus. That dream you have, or that task you need to complete, falls to the wayside. You can’t seem to get to where your heart and mind need to be to get stuff done. Enter your tribe and their inevitable shenanigans. Whether you’re...

Life a life of adventure no matter where you are

Ten Ways to Travel With Less Baggage

By Theresa Birmingham Many of us could do with a little less baggage. We’ve all got things we can’t help but bring with us, however, so how do we find that balance? This month, we’ve discussed ego in its many forms, but one thing that is clear is that in relationships, we bring everything we’ve got. Sometimes, what we bring is good, clean, and useful. But other things we bring can be harmful. Just as in relationships, our life and world travels, we need to be aware of how our baggage is healing or harming us. In my own life, I’ve broken a lot, mended a lot, lived a lot…and as a result, I’ve accumulated a lot. My own all-consuming drive for adventure has brought me many...

build your tribe and find your people

How to let go, be vulnerable, and build your tribe

By Theresa Birmingham This is the first in a series of six articles on how to build your tribe and includes a discussion on how to find your guy or gal pals, and how to go deeper with ourselves and become more vulnerable. Each article will focus on a different area of friendship and intimacy in order to not only build that tribe, but to create long-lasting bonds that transcend a game night. You can’t pick your family, but you can pick your friends and the best kind of friend is the one who becomes family.   One of the most difficult tasks in this inundated digital age seems to be the ability to build your tribe.   Why it’s hard to build your tribe Perhaps it’s hard to...

Gain perspective and refocus your lens

Gain Perspective through Healthy Patterns

by Theresa Birmingham One of the most difficult skills in life is the ability to gain perspective and to not only gain it, but to hold on to that hard-earned skill. Basically, just like anything else in life, perspective is not a once-in-a-life “Oh, I’ve got it” type experience. In order to truly gain perspective, one must understand that each day is a gamble, and we choose how we will react, how we will understand, and how we will move forward in a given situation.   Triggers We’ve learned that sometimes those flaws we see in others are actually flaws that are within ourselves. When we change our perspective, we can understand that everyone has a path. With this understanding, we often find that our judgments are many times...

Change your perspective and tackle the season

  by Theresa Birmingham The holidays are over. January is past. All your pesky resolutions are either in play or in the gutter. So, how has your perspective changed? Now that you have some perspective on the new year, is it shaping up to be different than previous years? Or have you found yourself in the rut of bad habits you struggle in shedding? This month we will discuss how when you change your perspective you can change your life. As we move into the short but cold month of February, The Daily Key will be examining how Perspective can open new pathways of healing, help us survive the winter, and better love yourself. We’ll also be looking at everything from SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) to reexamining our...

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