Mindset

Young children awaken joy in me—their adorableness, funny comments, and unbridled enthusiasm are contagious. In my professional life, I champion the needs of the young child so I have both knowledge and experience in human development. After more than three decades, I still marvel when I witness the growth and learning that happens in the early years. It is truly a wonder! When we welcomed two grandsons into our family within two years, I knew both the delights and challenges awaiting me. And I knew the importance of cultivating joy because young children learn through imitation. If we want children to know happiness, we need to embody it. Joy is the embodiment of the outward expression of happiness and it is a choice. Cultivating joy is a learned skill that requires a level of brain development beyond the capacity of the young child. Children cannot self-regulate because they do not yet have the neural pathways to process feelings and make choices about them. They do, however, pick up on the adults’ internal experience which behooves us to bring joy to our encounters with children. Mastering your thoughts But how do we cultivate joy in a world full of challenges? When my children were young, I made a decision to learn to master my thoughts. This involves awareness and recognition that events are neither inherently good or bad. Yet they can be uncomfortable, difficult, trigger past experiences, and conjure up fears of the worst possible outcomes. In those moments, our bodies secrete adrenaline preparing us for fight, flight, or freeze but instead, we need to pause. Pausing creates space to witness and name thoughts rather than reacting to them. It is a practice, one that has taken me years to learn. Leaning on the skill of objective observation I developed in early childhood education was helpful. It is applicable in moments when I am triggered—to notice the physical and emotional experience but not identify with it. And to help my body release the adrenaline, the tools I use include vigorous house cleaning, going for a walk, or shaking my limbs which may feel so funny that it makes me chuckle. Being aware of my triggers and ways to release adrenaline helps me circumvent blocks that thwart joy. Creating a joyous atmosphere In the early childhood center I founded, there were some difficult moments when unexpected things happened, adults were out of sorts, and children imitated them. It is normal to have days when we are not happy. That’s when we rely on practices to cultivate joy from the inside out. Learning how to create a joyous atmosphere is a part of the training for parents and early childhood educators. I find them useful for life in general. Having rhythms of the day and week is one of the practices. Habits for my morning routine, meals, work, chores, and afternoon walk energize and support me. They give form to my days and weeks which provides a feeling of security and reduces the stress of decision-making. There is joy in knowing that there is time and space to do everything I need to do including rest and relaxation. I lean into my rhythms to cultivate joy. While sitting at the desk in my second floor office, I often look out the picture window and notice the trees. Now they are full of colored leaves but before long, they will be bare. The cycles of nature bring me joy so I take time to notice the expression of the seasons outdoors. While taking a car trip with the grandchildren, we often sing just like we did with our children. When we sing, we breathe and smile together while filling the air with music. It uplifts our spirits and opens our hearts to joy! Just thinking of our grandchildren brings me joy as I recall the glimmers—moments of joy, safety, and connection that we share. And how happy we are together. Judith Frizlen is a writer, teacher, mother, grandmother, and founder of the Rose Garden Early Childhood Center. Her newest literary treasure, Where Wisdom Meets Wonder: 40 Stories of Grandma Love, celebrates the unique bond between Grandparents and Grandchildren and embraces aging. Her other books include Unpacking Guilt: A Mother’s Journey to Freedom, Words for Parents in Small Doses, and Words for Teachers and Caregivers in Small Doses. For more, judithfrizlen.com.

In today’s fast-paced world, stress has become an all-too-common companion, leading to dire and significant consequences that impact our physical and mental well-being. If unchecked and unaddressed, prolonged stress can lead to many physical ailments such as a weakened immune system, cardiovascular conditions, diabetes, digestive problems, insomnia, and fatigue. It can also significantly compromise our mental emotional health, contributing to anxiety, irritability, mood swings, depression, overwhelm, difficulty concentrating, and an inability to make sound decisions. Unfortunately, in our modern world of hustle, it’s all too easy to fall into a lifestyle punctuated by chronic or constant stress. Now, more than ever before, it’s vital to find effective ways to relieve stress and cultivate a positive mindset in order to live a fulfilling and happy lifestyle. About a decade and a half ago, living in a chronically stressed state pushed me into obesity, depression, infertility, and burnout. It was the lowest point in my life, and quite frankly, I wasn’t sure if I’d survive it. The five mindset tools I want to share with you today helped me pull myself out of burnout, rebuild my life and create Power of Positivity by creating relief from the stress that I was putting on myself and begin thriving. If you’re feeling like you’re being buried under the burdens of your stress, give these simple strategies a try. 1. Deep Breathing Exercises: The Power of Breath Deep breathing exercises have been used for centuries to promote relaxation and reduce stress. When you’re stressed, your breathing becomes shallow and rapid. This signals your body to enter a stress state often referred to as “fight, flight, or flee.” In my book, The Comfort Zone: Create a Life You Really Love With Less Stress and More Flow, I talk in depth about how pushing yourself out of your comfort zone into your survival zone can push you into a stress response, where your physical and mental health become compromised and you become more susceptible to illness and burnout. By consciously practicing deep breathing, you activate the parasympathetic nervous system, thereby guiding yourself back into your comfort zone where you feel more safe. This counteracts the stress response, normalizes your heart rate, and returns clarity to your thinking. Scientifically, oxygenating your body with deep breaths has shown to reduce anxiety, promote calmness, and alleviate overthinking. Next time you’re in a stressful event, are about to enter a meeting, or even before bed, take a few deep breaths. Actually, do it now! Close your eyes and take three deep, deliberate breaths, filling up your lungs with as much air as you can, and then releasing slowly, making sure that your exhale is longer than your inhale. If you do this several times every day, you’ll start to rewire your brain, organs, and neural system for more calm, clarity, and health. 2. Auto Suggestions and Affirmations: Harnessing the Power of the Mind Your thoughts and beliefs have a profound impact on your emotions and behaviors. One of the easiest and most effective ways to rewire your mind for positivity is by incorporating positive auto suggestions and affirmations into your daily routine. Using these science-backed techniques completely transformed my life and I still use them to become the next level version of myself. You can do this by journaling your favorite affirmations in the morning. I do this every morning in my 3 Minute Happiness Journal. The key is to use the same affirmations and harness the power of repetition until you full embody them. You can write your affirmations or you can use them as auto suggestions by listening to the recordings of affirmations during the day or before bed and reading your affirmations throughout the day. One way that I’ll incorporate affirmations into my daily life is by recording myself reading my personal affirmations and then listening to this recording on my morning walks. I’ll also set reminder timers on my phone that will pop up throughout the day with my affirmations. Whenever this happens, I’ll take a moment to close my eyes and repeat the affirmation to myself a few times and feel the feeling of it’s truth. One powerful tool available to you is the Power of Positivity App affirmation texts by going here. 3. Go Outside: Nature’s Healing Touch It’s easy to underestimate the healing power of nature. Stepping outside, immersing yourself in sunshine, and breathing in the fresh air can have a transformative effect on your well-being. Not only does being in nature provide a break from the hustle and bustle of daily life, but it also allows you to ground yourself and find pockets of inner peace. One of my favorite things to do when I feel stressed is walk barefoot in the grass. I’m always amazed by how quickly the stress and negativity of the day drains out of me when I establish a direct connection with the earth. I also feel more energized. Physical activities outside of the house or out in nature are also very powerful. Next time you feel stressed, take a few moments and go out for a power walk or a bike ride. If possible, feel the earth under your bare feet and the sun or wind on your face. Allow the healing, grounding power of nature to reset, recharge, and boost your energy. 4. Supplements: Nurturing Your Body and Mind The right supplements can play a supportive role in managing stress and promoting health and happiness. However, it’s essential to consult with your healthcare professional such as a doctor or nutritionist before incorporating any new supplements into your routine. For me, supplements like magnesium, B vitamins, and those targeted at supporting adrenal and cortisol health have helped reduce stress level. Your specific supplemental needs may be different from mine. By nourishing your body with the right supplements, you can complement your stress relief efforts and support your body’s natural functions. 5. Journaling: Expressing and Releasing Dormant Emotions One of the favorite and most powerful tools that I use for self-reflection and emotional release is journaling. In her book Atlas of the Heart, researcher Brene Brown talks about the healing power of identifying, understanding, and expressing the emotions that lie dormant within you. As you give voice to what you’re feeling, the negative emotions you’re experiencing begin to release and you’re able to feel more positive emotions like relief, hope, calmness, and gratitude. Both morning and evening journaling are powerful ways to counter stress, release negativity, and foster a happier mindset. In the morning, journaling allows you to set intentions for your day, express gratitude, and release lingering concerns. In the evening, it helps you process your experiences, let go of negative emotions, and cultivate a sense of closure. This is why I have created two journals to help my audience harness the power of positivity and happiness within their own life by developing a daily journaling habit. In addition to these five practical and simple tools, there are numerous other practices that can help you reduce your stress and access a happier life. Some of my favorites are expressing gratitude, engaging in acts of service, reading personal development books, using lavender oil for relaxation, and spending quality time with my family and loved ones. What are some ways you release stress? Let me know in the comments below. Kristen Butler is a bestselling author and the CEO of Power of Positivity, a community with over 50 MM followers globally. Kristen was awarded SUCCESS magazine's Emerging Entrepreneur in 2022. She is a leader, writer, and visionary in personal development with a huge heart and captivating authenticity. Her mission is to uplift the planet!

Louie Schwartzberg is accustomed to looking for the good. Best known for the stunning imagery he creates using time-lapse photography, the renowned cinematographer, director and producer has shown us the beauty of nature in films like Fantastic Fungi and the 3D IMAX film Mysteries of the Unseen World with National Geographic. With his new film, Gratitude Revealed, Louie once again shares his powerful, inspiring cinematography and reinforces it with a lasting lesson about the different ways gratitude presents itself in our lives. He also explores the role of gratitude and how it helps us through difficult time. Louie says this film came to him naturally because he has practiced gratitude his entire life: “Part of it, I think, has to do with growing up with parents who are Holocaust survivors,” he says, adding that it taught him to consciously appreciate all life’s many gifts — such as food on the table, a roof over your head, a steady job, or a family. “Those are all things that created like heaven on earth for [my parents]. So I've always been very conscious of just being grateful for the little things in life.” Awakened by Covid During the pandemic, as people became increasingly isolated and anxious, Louie knew he wanted to create something that would be purposeful, calming and could help create a sense of connections. “I was moved by how society was disconnected and the small things in life — whether meeting a friend for coffee or hugging a family member — were taken away from them. I felt compelled to show my gratitude for our world during such a complex and unpredictable time. So I decided to make Gratitude Revealed.” The film features interviews with a wide range of people who embrace and embody different attributes of gratitude. Like his previous films, Gratitude Revealed is an immersive experience that says as much with images as it does with words. Louie says that he had already filmed many of these interviews, and during the pandemic he saw the opportunity to thread them together with the theme of gratitude. He sorted through thousands of hours of footage to create a story that he manages to tell in less than 90 minutes. From respected thought leaders like Jack Kornfield, Michael Beckwith, and Deepak Chopra to entertainment industry names including Brian Grazer and Norman Lear, he covers a surprising range of practices and insights. But he also was intentional about telling the story of gratitude through the eyes of everyday people. “I didn't want it to be a bunch of like thought leaders strung together because you could certainly say, ‘Well, this is sort of an elitist movie, and people in Middle America wouldn’t maybe relate to it.’ I've got people in the Deep South. I got people in red states. I want us to be able to look at those folks and go, ‘What can we learn from them?’,” he says. As part of the gratitude journey, viewers will meet a blind ice climber, an Appalachian rug weaver, a Louisiana bluesman named Little Milton, a group of cliff dancers, and go inside a program that teaches comedy skills to women who were formerly incarcerated. With each interview, listeners hear a compelling story that offers another window into the power and practice of gratitude. “There are all these like remarkable people, as well as ordinary people, that are sharing their wisdom with you,” Louie says. He hopes that, in a time when political divides continue to widen and the evening news delivers dire reports that can leave people feeling hopeless, watching Gratitude Revealed can provide a bit of healing. “I think this can be the antidote to that,” he says. “It's not the total solution, but it's a baby step in the right direction.” To learn more about the film, which was released September 16, visit gratituderevealed.com.

With greater access to technologies and more individuals now declaring themselves informants or reporters, a wave of panic can be set off instantly with a simple opinion or post. How does anyone know what to believe? I may not know the answer to that, but I can offer some valuable advice on how to stay calm and not panic when you hear or read of alarming epidemics, such as the global sickness COVID-19. Here are a few things that you can do to maintain your control and stay harmonious: Don’t Punish Yourself With Guilt Being human means feeling.  Getting stuck on feelings is what can become a problem. Anxiety serves a purpose. In this case - fear of illness. Reframe this thought positively. For ex., desire to be healthy. Think of a word that is the opposite of sickness.  Use a thesaurus if you must.  Sometimes just focusing on this search can steady your breathing—even before you have found the word. Find a Positivity Partner Sometimes the anxiety is just too much to handle alone. It happens.  Choose someone who will help distract you, but who also can dive into positive space when needed. Set a code word with this person. I use a code word with my buddy, which means that all I need do is say “jellybeans”. My buddy knows immediately that I need her, and she knows her job is to get my mind off whatever is troubling me. We can discuss the actual problem later when I am in a calmer state. Sometimes we enter or return to the positivity zone by watching a silly movie or by going out for tapas and a glass of wine. Walks in the local park help when the weather is right. Choose a buddy and find what works for you. Limit Your Exposure to the Media This one is a no-brainer; however, it still needs emphasis. This is a great app/site to help accomplish this—Freedom.  The site allows you to block certain feeds/posts and to choose “no news” hours or even days. No news on the weekends is a great way to start. Another way to deal with the barrage of depressing news is every time you see something in the media (even though you are trying to avoid it) and it upsets you, choose a calm word that will deflect your thinking about it and take you on another thought path. Words that make you feel happy or conjure memories.  For ex., Disneyland. Better yet, plan that trip to Disneyland or Bora Bora in your mind. Even if you haven’t quite reached the budget needed for this getaway, visualize it and stockpile links to take you to your positive getaway spot(s). Get Grounded With Nature Find some grass, take your shoes off, and walk barefoot. If you can’t find grass, the concrete beneath your feet will do. Putting your bare feet on the earth helps you reconnect and realign with yourself and nature. Do Not Forget About Meditation or Journaling One of my favorite and quickest meditations is the ancient Ten Finger Meditation. With eyes opened or closed, you stand in one spot, take a deep breath and touch, press, or pull each finger. As you pass each finger take a deep breath and say one thing to yourself (or aloud) for which you are grateful. It takes 20-30 seconds. Focus on What You Have Control Over You have control of things like your breath, your thoughts, your self-talk, gratitude, body language, fitness, diet and sleep. Do a quick check-in on each area here. You can identify/implement tools to get healthy sleep patterns in place. Look at what you’re putting into your body too by doing a nutrition and chemical check. You can also do things like carry hand sanitizer and wet wipes and use them when you are out and about. Remember that although you cannot control everything—such as the media—you can control your reactions to everything. Calm intervention is a great opportunity to reevaluate your relationship with your health and your mind. I suggest that you do this once a week or month, regardless of your circumstances. It is an excellent way to maintain balance in your life.