Did you see the bear?
Did you see the bear?
Did you see the bear?
Do you remember the video of players passing a basketball to each other, asking you to count the number of passes?
If not, watch this before you keep reading:
Did you see the moonwalking bear?
If not, you’re in good company. Unless you knew what you were looking for, almost half of the people who watched that video didn’t see it.
When you know there is a moonwalking bear, it’s impossible not to see it. Psychologists refer to this as “inattentional blindness”, missing obvious things right in front of us if we’re not looking for them.
On the flip side, when you look for something specific, you see it all of the time. Time to buy a new car? When you decide on the make and model you want, you’ll start to see that car everywhere.
Between our brain’s negativity bias, our propensity to magnify the negative and minimize the positive, and inattentional blindness, we are missing a huge percentage of the positive moments and experiences in our lives. Throw in 24 hour news coverage and social media, and you have a recipe for cynicism, frustration, and anxiety.
Fortunately, you have a superpower that can change the way you see the world. Experience-dependent neuroplasticity is your brain’s ability to change based on your experiences. Our brain is continually growing and changing well into our nineties.
Getting better at looking for, savoring, and sharing good experiences inclines your mind in that direction. Research has found that keeping a gratitude journal or thinking of 3 good things that happened each day forces you to scan for the positives.Those that did this repeatedly for a week were happier, more grateful, and had higher levels of optimism than those that didn’t, even after they stopped the exercise.
This doesn’t mean you wear rose colored glasses and pretend like the negatives aren’t out there, but you can wear gratitude glasses and find the good within it.
Just like you probably have a “to-do” list, make a list of the good things about your job, your relationships, and your life. I have a sign on my bathroom mirror that says, “What will you look for today?” as a reminder to look for the good things in life.
When you make it your intention to find kindness, compassion, humor, and goodness, you are way more likely to find it.
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We just got back from Idaho where we went to visit Evan for his 21st birthday! More photos coming soon. 📸
I can’t believe my little boy is all grown up. Evan lives in Idaho in a group home with two great roommates and the best staff and team we could ever ask for that provide him care 24/7.
While we would love for him to be closer to home, unfortunately, there are no services in Texas for Evan (we have been on a list to receive similar services for 19 years, and we are still close to 30,000 on the list).
We are in the midst of a mental health crisis. Living with mental illness feels scary, lonely, sad, shameful, and a whole host of other emotions.
May is #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth, and one of the greatest ways to reduce the stigma of mental illness is to break the silence.
1️⃣ Normalize the conversation. Talking about mental health requires vulnerability and courage. By sharing your own experiences and struggles, you make it safe for others to do the same.
2️⃣ Provide support. You don’t have to face mental health challenges alone. Reach out to trusted friends, family members, or mental health professionals for support. Joining support groups or online communities like @namicommunicate can also provide a sense of belonging and understanding.
3️⃣ Build mental health habits. Mental health is more than the absence of mental illness, and there are proven habits to improve mental and physical health, like: social connection, exercise, practicing mindfulness, and self-care.
We just got back from Idaho where we went to visit Evan for his 21st birthday! More photos coming soon. 📸
I can’t believe my little boy is all grown up. Evan lives in Idaho in a group home with two great roommates and the best staff and team we could ever ask for that provide him care 24/7.
While we would love for him to be closer to home, unfortunately, there are no services in Texas for Evan (we have been on a list to receive similar services for 19 years, and we are still close to 30,000 on the list).
We are in the midst of a mental health crisis. Living with mental illness feels scary, lonely, sad, shameful, and a whole host of other emotions.
May is #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth, and one of the greatest ways to reduce the stigma of mental illness is to break the silence.
1️⃣ Normalize the conversation. Talking about mental health requires vulnerability and courage. By sharing your own experiences and struggles, you make it safe for others to do the same.
2️⃣ Provide support. You don’t have to face mental health challenges alone. Reach out to trusted friends, family members, or mental health professionals for support. Joining support groups or online communities like @namicommunicate can also provide a sense of belonging and understanding.
3️⃣ Build mental health habits. Mental health is more than the absence of mental illness, and there are proven habits to improve mental and physical health, like: social connection, exercise, practicing mindfulness, and self-care.
Stop comparing yourself to others.
I know some of you are out there thinking, “I shouldn’t feel this way. My problems are nothing compared to (insert name here).” This is called comparative suffering and it is a recipe for failure.
Our problems are all relative. Whatever you are feeling and the intensity with which you feel it is real for you. #mindfulmonday
Stop comparing yourself to others.
I know some of you are out there thinking, “I shouldn’t feel this way. My problems are nothing compared to (insert name here).” This is called comparative suffering and it is a recipe for failure.
Our problems are all relative. Whatever you are feeling and the intensity with which you feel it is real for you. #mindfulmonday
YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE THE HERO. Period. 🦸🏻♀️
YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE THE HERO. Period. 🦸🏻♀️
Strong mental health is more than just the absence of mental illness; it is our mental well-being.
We live in a culture that isn’t comfortable talking about mental illness, nor do we see it as the health crisis that it is. While we are gaining traction, there is still a long road ahead to reduce the stigma that is attached to it.
I first got involved with @namicentraltx in 2007. My son Evan, now 21, was just four years old at the time and already on his first antipsychotic medication (I share our story in my @tedx_official Talk). I was a single mother, and I had no idea what to do or where to go, so I enrolled in a free class. The education, advocacy, and support I received changed the trajectory of my life and my purpose.
While more and more, people are speaking up about mental health, there is still a long road ahead to reduce the stigma that is attached to it. If you are suffering, know that you are not alone. I know it may feel like it, but you are surrounded by a community of people that love and support you.
Don’t forget to put yourself on your priority list. While it may seem overwhelming, it’s about one decision at a time. #mentalhealthawarenessmonth
Strong mental health is more than just the absence of mental illness; it is our mental well-being.
We live in a culture that isn’t comfortable talking about mental illness, nor do we see it as the health crisis that it is. While we are gaining traction, there is still a long road ahead to reduce the stigma that is attached to it.
I first got involved with @namicentraltx in 2007. My son Evan, now 21, was just four years old at the time and already on his first antipsychotic medication (I share our story in my @tedx_official Talk). I was a single mother, and I had no idea what to do or where to go, so I enrolled in a free class. The education, advocacy, and support I received changed the trajectory of my life and my purpose.
While more and more, people are speaking up about mental health, there is still a long road ahead to reduce the stigma that is attached to it. If you are suffering, know that you are not alone. I know it may feel like it, but you are surrounded by a community of people that love and support you.
Don’t forget to put yourself on your priority list. While it may seem overwhelming, it’s about one decision at a time. #mentalhealthawarenessmonth
What is your mental health fitness routine? 🧠
We tend to prioritize physical health (going to the gym, eating right, getting enough sleep), but mental health is just as – if not more – important.
May is #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth. Here are a few mental health habits to get you started:
1️⃣ Find joy and cultivate positive emotions. This puts your brain in a state of safety.
2️⃣ Let yourself experience every emotion you feel, even the crappy ones. Sometimes you have to sit in the suck.
3️⃣ Adjust your expectations. We are all doing the very best we can. Give yourself and others grace and the benefit of the doubt.
Don’t forget to put your mental health on your priority list. Just like any other routine, these small shifts will become habits the more often you practice them.
What is your mental health fitness routine? 🧠
We tend to prioritize physical health (going to the gym, eating right, getting enough sleep), but mental health is just as – if not more – important.
May is #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth. Here are a few mental health habits to get you started:
1️⃣ Find joy and cultivate positive emotions. This puts your brain in a state of safety.
2️⃣ Let yourself experience every emotion you feel, even the crappy ones. Sometimes you have to sit in the suck.
3️⃣ Adjust your expectations. We are all doing the very best we can. Give yourself and others grace and the benefit of the doubt.
Don’t forget to put your mental health on your priority list. Just like any other routine, these small shifts will become habits the more often you practice them.
Life has enough bumps and potholes. The last thing we need is to surround ourselves with negativity. 🚫
Life has enough bumps and potholes. The last thing we need is to surround ourselves with negativity. 🚫
Anne Grady is a Speaker, Author, and #TruthBomb Dropper.
Anne shares practical strategies that can be applied both personally and professionally to improve relationships, navigate change, and triumph over adversity. And she’ll make you laugh while she does it. Anne is a two time TEDx speaker, and her work has been featured in numerous media outlets, including Harvard Business Review, Entrepreneur, Forbes, Fast Company and Inc. magazines, CNN, ESPN, and FOX Business. She is the best selling author of 52 Strategies for Life, Love & Work and Strong Enough: Choosing Courage, Resilience and Triumph.