Weekly Happiness Note October 17, 2024
How to Reset Your Mindset and Thrive
“When we anticipate that overall life is good, our overall experience of life will feel good.”
Happy Thursday! 🌞
Do you ever get caught in a mindset rut? The kind of mindset rut that has you in a negative thought loop, whether that’s about yourself or others or the overall state of the world? If so, you’re not alone. Sometimes, all we need is some glimmers of hope to point us in a new direction to reset, get unstuck, and feel good again.
If you could use new ideas to reset when you get stuck, check out this Thursday’s happiness note, “How to Reset Your Mindset and Thrive.”
You can access this week's topic below (available for free subscribers) and consider becoming a paid subscriber to receive the weekly planning prompt and framework to set you up for October 21st - October 27th. ❤ Emily
Here is a short 90-second video that highlights this week’s topic, and for the rest, read below:
This Week’s Featured Topic:
How to Reset Your Mindset and Thrive
How often do you feel stuck in a mindset rut? Do you sometimes get lost in overwhelm and negative thought patterns?
With so much in life that can feel uncertain, it’s not unusual to feel lost and disheartened. Our triggers and reactions can unravel quickly, leaving us feeling constricted and void of hope.
In challenging times, we may not realize we are veering off our path toward the abyss of mindset madness. It can be difficult to reset our mindset and thrive again in our daily lives.
Here are the five practices I use to shift my mindset from stuck and surviving to open and thriving.
Create the Pause
We must slow down to make room for a mindset reset. When we create the pause, we carve out space that feels suspended in time.
When I was learning the art and science of coaching through Erickson International, my teacher used the term mind the gap as a metaphor and reminder to hold space for our coaching clients. The practice we were learning was to purposefully hold space for presence.
When we mind the gap, we hone in on quieting internal and external noise. Less noise results in feeling less overwhelmed and more present. Holding space is really about quieting the urge to judge and react to whatever is before you. It’s a challenging practice, but we can incorporate its essence to help slow our minds down.
One way to create a pause is to take regular breaks from technology. These breaks can help reduce stress and sensory overload. Making space for presence doesn’t have to be complicated. We can divert our attention to quiet space through playful activities that bring us joy. We can create a pause at any time by directing our focus and attention toward slowing down.
Be Accountable and Observant
The greatest gift we can give ourselves and teach our children is to appoint ourselves in charge of our own happiness. When we are accountable, we are more likely to tune in to our inner resources to reset when we get stuck. Through our accountability, we empower ourselves to make a shift.
Feelings are one of our best resources for knowing when it’s time to shift. Our emotions can be felt physically. These physical cues help take the mystery out of knowing what is right for us. If we feel good, we are headed in the right direction. If we don’t feel good, that’s our indication to tune in and get clear on what we most need.
When we decide to observe our feelings and our lives, we begin to notice that life isn’t just happening to us. We have a say in how we receive everything before us.
We get to know ourselves very well when we are accountable and self-aware. We can use this knowledge to help ourselves get unstuck.
Up the Ante
Life can feel stagnant and grim when we get stuck in a mindset rut. If we want to feel more energized and excited, we can up the ante by getting uncomfortable.
Pushing out of our comfort zone is one of the best ways to shift out of a rut.
If we want different results, we must change how we show up. When we feel stuck in a mindset rut, we need to entertain different thoughts and approach life with a fresh perspective. We must shake things up.
We can up the ante and push ourselves out of our comfort zone, little by little, or in one giant leap—that’s a personal choice and preference based on the circumstance before us. The point is to get more comfortable with the idea of getting uncomfortable. By creating new action and movement in our lives, we help change our energy and overall vibe.
Anticipate More
Our expectations pack a powerful punch. When we stop expecting others to make us happy, we are in for an exciting ride. When we expect life to be an amazing adventure, it will be.
When we anticipate that overall life is good, our overall experience of life will feel good. When we choose to see the best in others and ourselves, that will also become part of our experience.
When we feel like life is hard and awful, and we won’t ever catch a break, that will also become our experience.
Anticipating more requires a leap of faith and belief in the magic of life. When we expect more, we react to life differently, and our experiences shift. It’s part faith and part choice. It’s up to us to decide.
Daily Deliberate Reset
The health of our mindset is so important. Our mindset affects our overall experience and quality of life. It dictates how we show up in the world and how we treat others around us.
When we practice mindset resets when we aren’t stuck, it becomes easier to tune in and reset when we get stuck.
A mindset reset is all about creating a pause to start fresh. I’ve found it’s easiest to start fresh in the morning when my mind is naturally quiet. Each morning, before I get out of bed, I spend a few moments appreciating the gift of another day. Then, I shift my attention to creating an intention for the day. I decide how I want to be in the day before me; that’s part of my starting fresh.
My intention doesn’t create the day, but it powerfully starts me off on my best foot. It helps me anticipate more from my day. If I get stuck throughout the day, I am more likely to draw on my intention to help me shift and react proactively to what’s before me.
A daily mindset ritual is a chance to turn the page and start fresh. There isn’t a right or wrong way to create your reset ritual. Do it in a way that feels right for you.
What does your life feel like when you are thriving?
This Week’s Quote:
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Planning for Next Week📝:
Use the framework below to plan your upcoming week: October 21st - October 27th. Some people like to map out their forthcoming week on Friday to ease into the weekend, knowing they are ready to hit the road running on Monday. Others (like myself) have a Sunday planning ritual. Do what works best for you. Over the years, in supporting many people in their planning and goal-setting, it seems to work best to pick a day of the week that’s easy to stick to so that your weekly planning becomes a habit and ritual.
What are your wins? Before you organize the upcoming week, ‘October 21st - October 27th’, reflect on the week you are wrapping up. What are your wins (big or small)? What is something you are grateful for? What have you learned about yourself this week? Record your reflections in your journal or the Notes section of the Planner Printout. Feel free to comment below (others in this community will also be able to see your comment) or hit reply to this note and share directly with me.
Planner PDF printout: This printout is from the ‘Fall in Love with Your Life, Seasonal Planner’ and will give you the framework and planning system to help you organize your upcoming week: October 21st - October 27th. Click here to access. You will need to enter a password to open the PDF. It’s in all caps: FILWYL
Accountability: If you’d like an accountability check-in to support you in making the weekly planning ritual a regular habit, just hit reply to this email after you’ve organized your week and let me know you’re organized and complete. Feel free to share your weekly intention/power word. I’m always happy to be the check-in support and would love to celebrate your wins.
Instructional Video: Get free access to this mini 20-minute video course. It will show you how to efficiently use the ‘Fall in Love With Your Life, Seasonal Planner’ method of organizing your week. Go here to access the free video course.
Priorities: What are your top three priorities for the upcoming week? What are some of the daily ways you will prioritize yourself? Remember to balance your energy output with energy input. Think: What has been energizing me lately? What has been draining my energy?
Connect with Nature: Today is a full moon! I captured this shot last night. Full moons can be a great time to let go of anything that no longer serves you. It’s also a time to gather with loved ones and count your blessings for all that does feel good in your life.
Journal reflection point prompted by nature: What are you ready to let go of? Do you have any unhealthy habits or mindsets that get in the way of living in fulfillment? What would shift if you let go of what doesn’t feel good to make room for what does?
Share your intention for the week of October 21st - October 27th. What are you calling in? What is your power word/phrase?
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Disclaimer: This newsletter's advice and strategies are for informational purposes only and do not constitute professional advice. While we strive to provide accurate and helpful information, we cannot guarantee outcomes or be held liable for any consequences of using or misusing the information provided. We encourage you to seek professional advice or consult with qualified experts for guidance related to your particular needs.