Positive Psychology & Stress Resilience
Emotions are neither good or bad.
Only labeling makes it so.
Instead, lean in and ask:
Related Post: Encouraging someone through life’s challenges.
◊ In this video clip from my “Pitch with Passion” seminar with student and community entrepreneurs, I discuss the importance of being authentic and true to oneself. ◊
Not everyone is going to like who you are.
What matters most is that you stay true to you.
In business and in life!
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When I was a kid my mom set the egg timer for almost everything we did; whether it was how long we spent doing our homework, weeding the garden, watching television, or complaining about life’s challenges.
It helped us to understand that nothing lasts forever – good or bad.
This was especially important when we felt helpless over things we did not have control over, including chores we did not want to do.
Setting time limits also taught us to respect how our words and actions impact ourselves and others.
Full disclosure: My mom is a psychologist too.
To this day I set a timer on the stove.
A simple, yet effective way to motivate myself through tedious tasks and become more mindful of time itself.
The timer principle can also be applied to how often we are negative vs. positive throughout the course of a day.
Negativity is the easy (automatic) route. So we need to be conscious of where our mind flows.
Venting feels good in the moment, but when it goes on too long, the costs outweigh the benefits.
Too often we complain about stressors for hours beyond the momentary challenge has passed. Leaving little time in the day for appreciation, wonder, and gratitude.
Then one day we wake up and realize that life is too short to be all negative, all the time. Even (especially) when life gets tough.
Negativity is to be expected. It’s part of the human experience.
The question is – how long will you stay there.
Share your challenges. Share your obstacles. Share your difficulties.
But also leave room for what’s good in your life.
FEAR MAKES BAD DECISIONS was the “hot topic” during coffee talk this weekend.
Hot enough to film a new psychology video and write today’s blog post.
Blog discussions are the next best thing to sharing a cup of coffee after all.
I hope this message speaks directly to your heart.
And reminds you that the still small voice within you always knows what to do.
The key is to get quiet enough to listen.
When it comes to decision-making we might not be able to change the PRESSURE from the OUTSIDE.
But we can always change it from the INSIDE.
Take your time.
Do not be pressured. Do not be rushed.
Take your own sweet time. Literally.
Each decision, each choice, is yours to make.
Big and small equally.
Take a breath.
Take a 48 hour pause.
Decisions made from fear often falter.
Decisions made from love prosper.
Trust that no matter what happens.
Today. Tomorrow. Two years from now.
Believe that what is meant to be will be.
How do you stay brave under pressure?
In this video clip of my keynote speech at the “You Can Do College Event” I share the biological origins of stress and anxiety with 300 high school students from Ontario, Canada.
In this segment, I also demonstrate simple strategies for dealing with high stress situations. Including deep breathing exercises, mindful awareness, and personal responsibility.
To learn more about the role of positive psychology in stress management & resilience, check out my TEDx Talk “Thriving Under Pressure” on the TED TALKS site.
I have one intention in mind when I walk into a classroom:
In this short video I share the thoughts that go through my mind as I walk into a classroom and meet my psychology students for the first time. I also discuss the specifics of how I connect with and encourage students each new day.
Visit my YouTube Channel for more fun and uplifting videos.
Recently, I was invited to do a Leadership Training and Development Workshop at a local kickboxing club.
This is where I go to cool my jets and find my joy. So, I was more than excited to take the leadership team’s mental fitness up to the next level!
During the mental fitness training session, I discussed how the 3 C’s of Thriving Under Pressure from my TEDx Talk could enhance the performance and well-being of the Kersey Kickbox Team.
Using personality assessment, team mapping, and real-life examples, I harnessed the team’s many strengths to benefit both the club’s membership and the trainers themselves.
But don’t take my word for it… Watch the video and see for yourself!
Come join my YouTube Channel by clicking here.
For there is no doubt that they (and you and I) have been wanting to transform an aspect of our lives for a very long time.
But the intrinsic motivation just isn’t quite there. The kind of motivation that is essential for lasting change.
Unfortunately too many people wait for something bad to happen in their lives before making positive changes.
This is a universal truth.
We take two steps back before moving one step forward.
We pause. We slow down. We notice.
We open our eyes to all the possibilities.
We write our dreams down.
We take photos of what inspires us to bloom.
We ask for honest feedback from people we trust.
We acknowledge what gets in the way of our potential. Big and small.
We compile all the reasons why our best lives shouldn’t wait another day.
And we have fun doing it! Positivity has power too. 🦋
Watch My CBC-TV Interview: 5 Ways to Embrace Change
If you’re anything like me, my first instinct is to fix the problem.
To try and save loved ones from adversity.
Instead of rushing in, we take a step back.
Ask them what they need.
In doing so, we validate the person and their experience.
Helping them stay true to who they are.
What comes – also goes.
Welcome it all.
The idea we have for our life rarely, if ever, matches up with the life we end up with.
Yet something we seldom realize in the thick of difficulty.
Success is not a straight line.
This is the exact time when we need others to hold the light for us. To be an encourager. To show us the way.
Dreams ↔ Failure ↔ Destiny
1. Encourage people by sharing your own stories of difficulty and overcoming.
This helps others understand that no one begins their success journey at the top of the mountain. And that each failure is an opportunity to rise up. Again and again.
2. Hold a safe space for loved ones to ‘not be ok’ when overwhelmed.
Rushing anyone through difficult emotions will prolong feelings of fear, threat, and danger.
Instead, we can flip the switch by leaning into “the overwhelm” and asking: “What are you trying to teach me?”
3. The ultimate encouragement strategy is to believe in someone, especially when they don’t.
This helps shift their mindset from not enough to overflowing. Creating a new heightened vision for life’s unexpected bumps and detours.
