Videos & Podcasts

Having trouble making a change? Here's why...

We've all done it. We wake up one morning and announce that, starting now, we're going to get organized, lose weight, increase our savings, de-clutter our desk. We make an honest attempt to completely transform our lives. A few days later, we're back on the sofa in front of the TV, next to a pile of unfolded laundry eating a cheeseburger.

It's easy to make a big change initially, only to find ourselves right back where we started.

I want to introduce you to another idea to help make behavior change stick: micro-moments of mindfulness.

These moments add up and each time you practice, you're bringing your brain back to the present, which is expanding the gray matter density in your brain, helping you regulate emotions, focus, and hold your attention.

Baby steps still move us forward. Take time this week to practice micro-moments of mindfulness. It doesn't mean you have to sit in a full lotus and eat tofu (unless you're into that!). It simply means bringing yourself back to the present moment.

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What is your mental fitness routine?

The World Health Organization defines health as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”. This means we have to proactively enhance our subjective well-being.

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 Mental Health Awareness Month and my question for you is:

What is your mental fitness routine?

If you don't have one, here are a few tools to get you started:

1. Find joy and cultivate positive emotions.
2. Let yourself experience every emotion you feel, even the crappy ones.
3. Adjust your expectations.

If you’ve made consistent efforts to improve your mental and emotional health and are still having trouble functioning optimally at home, work, or in your relationships, it may be time to seek professional help. I first got involved with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) in 2007. My son Evan, now 18, was just four years old at the time and already on his first antipsychotic medication (I share our story in my TEDxTalk). 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.

There is NO shame in admitting you or a loved one is struggling. Please don’t wait until you or someone you love is in crisis before you ask for or offer help and support. No one can do this alone.

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.

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Subscribe to the Anne Grady Group for more resilience-building tools and strategies! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCU8s......

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Sign up for Anne's weekly Resilience Reset email list!
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More at https://www.annegradygroup.com​​​​
▶︎ Instagram: @AnneGradyGroup
▶︎ Twitter: @AnneGradyGroup
▶︎ Facebook: Anne Grady Group
▶︎ New Book + Companion Journal: https://www.annegradygroup.com/books/...

Lessons I’ve learned from raising a child with Autism

April is World Autism Month, or as The Autism Society is shifting to Autism Acceptance Month.

Raising a child with mental illness and Autism has been my resilience-building breeding ground. We began therapy when Evan was just 11-months old, and he has been in one form of therapy or another ever since. The lessons we have learned from countless therapists have been invaluable.

It’s hard to believe that Evan is turning 18 this month and graduating from high school in June! While I know our journey is in many ways just getting started, I am so hopeful for Evan’s future. I am also incredibly proud of the fact that he still asks me to share his story. He understands the shame and stigma attached to mental illness and Autism and wants to help change that. As a mom, this is my proudest accomplishment.

Just like you, I’ve learned how to build my resilience muscle out of necessity. On the days when I doubt my own strength, I look back on the lessons I’ve learned (and the ones I’m still learning):

1. Unconditional love
2. Acceptance
3. Empathy
4. Support
5. Self-care

Join me this month in helping build awareness and acceptance for people with Autism. And remember, when you see behaviors from others that may make you cringe, rather than pass judgment, offer a kind smile, a pat on the back, and provide reassurance. Remember, we are all doing the very best that we can.

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Subscribe to the Anne Grady Group for more resilience-building tools and strategies! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCU8s...​...

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More at https://www.annegradygroup.com​​​​​
▶︎ Instagram: @AnneGradyGroup
▶︎ Twitter: @AnneGradyGroup
▶︎ Facebook: Anne Grady Group
▶︎ New Book + Companion Journal: https://www.annegradygroup.com/books/...​

Your Resilience Toolbox

I want to share with you how to practice a resilience building strategy called resourcing.

Your resources allow you to navigate challenging times by providing comfort. What mental or physical resources help you when you are going through a tough time? It could be something physical like a worry stone or snuggling your pet, or it could be meditation, taking deep breaths, and tapping into your mental courage and grit.

A resource is anything that brings a sense of calm, peace, or strength into the body. Bringing yourself back to a calmer moment resets your nervous system and allows you to get out of reactivity and dysregulation. Once you identify and connect with your resource, the next step is to amplify it.

For example, if your resource is a memory of a vacation to the beach, focus on how the warmth of the sun felt on your body. Can you hear the waves crashing? Can you hear your kids playing? Amplifying your resource makes the present moment even more soothing.

Make a list of mental and physical resources that help bring you comfort and strength. Here are a few examples:

Take a walk in nature.
Snuggle a pet or loved one.
Drink a cup of your favorite tea or coffee.
Remind yourself of your mental strength.
Call a friend.
Read a passage from your favorite book.

Resources help us restore a sense of well-being and build resilience. Make a note of your resources this week, and when you start to feel stressed or agitated by what is happening at home, work, or anywhere else in your life, call one of your resources to calm your mind.

Remember, resourcing is not about avoiding the stress in our lives. It is a skill that allows you to come back to the present moment and into a state of balance and peace.

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Subscribe to the Anne Grady Group for more resilience-building tools and strategies! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCU8s​​​​...

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Sign up for Anne's weekly Resilience Reset email list!
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More at https://www.annegradygroup.com​​​​
▶︎ Instagram: @AnneGradyGroup
▶︎ Twitter: @AnneGradyGroup
▶︎ Facebook: Anne Grady Group
▶︎ New Book + Companion Journal: https://www.annegradygroup.com/books/...​

Put your oxygen mask on first

If you have ever flown on Southwest Airlines, you may have met my mom. At the age of 51, my mom ended her 30-year career as a court reporter and became a flight attendant. She is 71 years old and still doing it. She makes the best flight announcements ever, my favorite being the one for the oxygen mask.

In her calmest voice, she will say, “In case of a sudden loss of cabin pressure, please place your mask on first, and then assist your child. If you’re traveling with more than one child, please pick your favorite of the one with the most potential”. Gotta love my mama.

There’s a reason they tell you to put your mask on first. You can’t help someone else if you aren’t breathing. The oxygen mask is a great reminder that you can’t give what you don’t have, and in a time where more than 2/3 of working adults are experiencing burnout, there’s no time like the present to put yours on.

We tend to think of self-care as frivolous, or selfish, or unnecessary. But the truth is, not only is self-care not selfish, it is a requirement for resilience.
What can you do to put your oxygen mask on first? Here are 3 things you can do to build resilience by practicing self-care.

1. Strategic Stopping
2. Set boundaries
3. Self-care is a skill

Give yourself permission to put your oxygen mask on first.

And if you ever find yourself on a flight with my mom, tell her that her daughter loves her and thinks she’s awesome.

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Subscribe to the Anne Grady Group for more resilience-building tools and strategies! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCU8s​​​...

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Sign up for Anne's weekly Resilience Reset email list!
https://www.annegradygroup.com/strong/​​​

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More at https://www.annegradygroup.com​​​
▶︎ Instagram: @AnneGradyGroup
▶︎ Twitter: @AnneGradyGroup
▶︎ Facebook: Anne Grady Group
▶︎ New Book + Companion Journal: https://www.annegradygroup.com/books/mindovermoment/

Mindfulness and Resilience: My Interview with Productivity Expert Maura Thomas

Competing priorities, never-ending to do lists, and increased responsibilities have become the new normal. I’m often asked how to manage time, stress, and workload. I recently had the opportunity to talk with my friend and productivity expert, Maura Thomas, who suggests that rather than manage our time, the goal is to manage our attention.

There is no better way to manage attention than practicing mindfulness. If you are struggling to get it all done, yet often feel like you’re falling short, I hope you listen to our discussion to help improve your focus, productivity, and resilience.

We discuss topics like:

· How much of our lives are dictated by choice and how much by habit or distraction?
· Can you be a Type-A person and still practice mindfulness?
· How can we be more resilient and create more joy?

If you want more tools and strategies to shift your mindset, hone your skill set, and have the ability to reset, check out my new book, "Mind Over Moment: Harness The Power of Resilience". And be sure to check out the companion "Mind Over Moment Journal", which has some thought-provoking and helpful exercises to help you build your resilience muscle.

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Subscribe to the Anne Grady Group for more resilience-building tools and strategies! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCU8s​​...

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Sign up for Anne's weekly Resilience Reset email list!
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More at https://www.annegradygroup.com​​
▶︎ Instagram: @AnneGradyGroup
▶︎ Twitter: @AnneGradyGroup
▶︎ Facebook: Anne Grady Group
▶︎ New Book + Companion Journal: https://www.annegradygroup.com/books/mindovermoment/

What do you do when you're not ok?

In Texas last week, we experienced an incredible storm that left hundreds of thousands of people without power, without water, and some without food.

We had our own emergency with our son, Evan, in the midst of all of it. 

So what do you do when things are just not ok?

I have to be honest, I practiced all the strategies I talk about in my book "Mind Over Moment: Harness the Power of Resilience". I meditated, snuggled the dogs, watched funny movies...but none of it worked.

Sometimes the answer to getting over something is to go through it.

It's ok not to be ok, and it's not comfortable, but it is part of life. If you are healthy and safe, and you have electricity, and water, and food, I hope you are practicing sincere gratitude. It's not until you go without those things that you realize how important they are. It's been a really tough week for a lot of people.

If you would be willing to send out some prayers, some love, some light, for Evan, I would really appreciate it.

Stay brave and resilient.

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Subscribe to the Anne Grady Group for more resilience-building tools and strategies! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCU8s​...

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Sign up for Anne's weekly Resilience Reset email list!
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More at https://www.annegradygroup.com​
▶︎ Instagram: @AnneGradyGroup
▶︎ Twitter: @AnneGradyGroup
▶︎ Facebook: Anne Grady Group
▶︎ New Book + Companion Journal: https://www.annegradygroup.com/books/mindovermoment/

Reconnect With Nature to Build Resilience

When was the last time you spent some time in nature? It’s amazing how the simple act of being outdoors can replenish, refuel, and reset you.

In the last year, we have been oversaturated by screen time for work, school, and online social events. If you’re feeling a sense of disconnection from nature, it is not surprising.

The good news is that getting out in nature for just a few minutes can restore your well-being, build resilience, and even make you feel more connected to something greater than yourself.

3 Ways Connecting with Nature Builds Resilience:

#1 - Decreases Stress Levels

Uncertainty, anxiety, and stress have become the new normal with pervasive technology designed to constantly compete for our attention. Our brains are not designed to keep up with this amount of information, making it is easy for us to slip into mental fatigue, overwhelm, and burnout. Research shows that being out in nature has a profound effect on our brain and our behavior, helping us reduce anxiety, worry, and stress, while also helping increase our attention capacity to get back to a normal, healthy mental state.

#2 - Restores Mind and Body

There is a reason why the phrase "Happy Camper" exists! Grounding, also called earthing, is a therapeutic technique that involves doing activities that “ground” or electrically reconnect you to the earth. Recent scientific research has explored grounding for inflammation, cardiovascular disease, muscle damage, chronic pain, and mood. Take a few moments to stand barefoot in the grass. It is a great mindfulness exercise.

#3 - Increases Happiness

A good walk in nature can help us feel better about life in general, and it's not just because of the exercise benefits we get as a result. Just by being outdoors and using all our senses to explore nature, we can be more mindful of the present moment. Growing research shows that green space can boost your mood and improve your mental health. In fact, a recent study in Denmark found that childhood exposure to green space (parks, soccer fields, the woods) reduces the risk for developing an array of psychiatric disorders during adolescence and adulthood.

You don't need an exotic vacation or hikes through the mountains to gain the mental health benefits of being in nature - you simply have to step outside. Sometimes the answer is right in front of us. We just have to open the door.

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Subscribe to the Anne Grady Group for more resilience-building tools and strategies! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCU8s...

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Sign up for Anne's weekly Resilience Reset email list!
https://www.annegradygroup.com/strong/

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More at https://www.annegradygroup.com
▶︎ Instagram: @AnneGradyGroup
▶︎ Twitter: @AnneGradyGroup
▶︎ Facebook: Anne Grady Group
▶︎ New Book + Companion Journal: https://www.annegradygroup.com/books/...

The Game-Changing Habit of Acceptance

When something stressful happens, there are really 2 different things taking place.

There's the thing that is happening, and then there is the story that you tell yourself about the thing that's happening.

The story is where criticism, judgment, self-doubt, and shame come in.

In this video, I'm sharing an in-the-moment personal example of a situation I am experiencing in my life about my son Evan.

I've been finding myself telling the story about Evan's situation rather than accepting the situation for what it actually is.

Whatever you have going on in your life right now, take a step back and try to view it from a third person perspective...like a news reporter. Then, see if you can separate the facts from the story you tell yourself about it.

If we can start to separate the situation from the story, the story becomes much less scary because we realize it is one we're telling.

This makes it easier to accept where you are without judgment, self-doubt, and shame. What we practice grows stronger. Cultivate a habit of acceptance by practicing this technique. You won’t get it right every time. Celebrate the times you do and give yourself grace to try again when you don’t.

For more mindfulness practices, check out my new book "Mind Over Moment: Harness the Power of Resilience": http://mindovermoment.com