My wish to you, your families and the communities within which you live and work, is for a year full of love, peace and joy.
“Is that realistic in view of the current backdrop of mental & physical illness, conflict, rising living costs, etc etc?” you may ask.
And I would respond with a resounding YES!
It is absolutely possible to experience hardship, challenges and negative experiences, and also thrive and enjoy life, and it is more simple than you might think.
I am not denying that unpleasant emotions will be triggered by the many difficult events, challenges and frustrations experienced in today’s fast paced, uncertain and complex world.
Yet I believe that with the right mindset, habits and emotional intelligence skills, it is possible to navigate the unpleasant emotions more effectively and put those emotions to good use, as a means to connect with more pleasant emotions.
Even in the hardest of environments it is possible to thrive and experience love, peace and joy when you know how.
And the first step...
Be open to possibility.
For example, if you are open, and believe that something can be done, even when you have no idea what that involves, then you are open to receive whatever solution, ideas or help that present themselves to you.
In contrast, a closed mind is much like a closed door – literally stopping things passing through.
And a great start point to become more open is to shift the language you use when you are faced with something difficult. For example:
- Instead of “I can’t do/say/be etc” shift to “How can I…”
- Instead of “I failed…” shift to “I haven’t passed yet, what do I need to work on to pass?”
- Instead of “This is a nightmare/disaster/awful” shift to “Whilst this isn’t ideal, I am where I am, what next step shall I take to move to a better position”
Indeed shifting any closed statement to an open question creates an open loop in your mind, that it will work on (often subconsciously) until it finds an answer.
Remember: YOUR mind follows YOUR instruction, so if you want an answer, ask yourself a question.
Have you ever been told to sleep on it when you don’t know what to do or you can’t solve something?
This strategy creates an open loop as well as creating a more optimal emotional state – when we are stressed, tired, hungry etc we don’t always perform at our best. However, when we rest and access a calm emotional state we are more able to be open, collaborative and creative.
Now you’ve taken the first step, you will start noticing changes in how you face life’s challenges. Celebrate this achievement and use the energy in your celebration to motivate you to take the next step in your personal transformation.
And before you know it, you will find that even when life throws all sorts of curve balls at you, you’ll be more resilient and able to enjoy a life full of love, peace and joy.
Is 2023 the year to work on mindset, habits and emotional intelligence skills?
If you have any questions or need support with any challenges please get in touch with me at [email protected].