Videos & Podcasts

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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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!
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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​...

----------------

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/

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...

----------------

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

----------------

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

This simple technique will change your life

The reason mindfulness is so effective lies in the connection between body and mind.

The vagus nerve has been called the "body's communication superhighway." It carries sensory information between the brain and internal organs, providing primary control of the parasympathetic nervous system that controls rest and digestion.

The Scottsdale Institute for Health and Medicine explains the role of the vagus nerve in reducing stress when you practice mindfulness: "When the vagus nerve receives the signals from these meditation effects, it sends a message to the brain that all is well, there is no danger and there is no need to be in fight or flight. The brain then sends the message to the autonomic nervous system which stimulates the parasympathetic branch to come out of fight or flight and regulate the systems into balance."

Let me break it down for you in this video about Body Scan Meditation and how I use it every single night to fall asleep.

For more tips on how to implement a mindfulness practice, check out my new book "Mind Over Moment: Harness the Power of Resilience"!!
https://www.annegradygroup.com/books/mindovermoment/

Put Your Brain in Time Out

Today I want to share a technique I discovered while watching the new Netflix series "Headspace Guide to Meditation". Definitely check it out if you haven't already!

It is called 'Noting'. Noting is a way to stay in the present moment by observing and simply taking note of sensations, thoughts, and emotions.

Remember, meditation is simply brain training. Each time you bring yourself back to the present moment, you take back control over stress, fear, and anxiety. Your mind is designed to wander. Noting helps you observe thoughts and emotions without getting carried away by them.

For example:

Take a 5-minute time out. Sit quietly, take 3 deep breaths, then breathe normally. Simply note where your mind goes. If you have a thought or emotion, just make a mental note of what’s happening. “I’m feeling anxious” or “That’s just a thought”. This technique teaches you to observe thoughts and emotions without getting carried away by them.

31-Day Mindfulness Challenge

You would think that after some time off and at the start of a new year, we’d all be raring and ready to go. I’m going to go out on a limb here, but I’m willing to bet that even after some time off the effects of 2020 are still weighing on you.

While a “new year new you” is not realistic (and shouldn’t be the goal), we’ve got to start somewhere.

If you think of exercise as strength and health for your body, mindfulness is strength and health for your mind. It trains your mind to focus on the moment instead of worrying about what occurred in the past or what might happen in the future. Mindfulness is literally nothing more than paying attention on purpose, allowing yourself to observe your thoughts and emotions without getting carried away by them.

Mindfulness can be as simple as catching yourself in hysterical laughter and soaking in the feeling, listening to the leaves move in the wind, or savoring the smell of bacon (my personal favorite).

I wanted to demystify mindfulness, making it easy to understand and implement. Using the tools and strategies from my new book "Mind Over Moment: Harness the Power of Resilience", I want to challenge you to dedicate time every single day to practicing mindfulness so that you can be in charge of your brain instead of letting your brain control you.

Thousands of studies document the physical and mental health benefits of mindfulness: Improved memory, mood, sleep, creativity, decision making, focus and attention, blood pressure and immune function. Reduced inflammation, mood instability, blood pressure, anxiety, depression, and chronic pain. Just to name a few. And you don’t have to sit in a full lotus, find your Zen, or eat Tofu to practice it.

Mindfulness is a practice, and what you practice grows stronger. A daily mindfulness practice will transform your brain, physical health, relationships and more. Give me 31 days, and I’ll prove it to you!

Join me each day @AnneGradyGroup on social (I'm on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn) to get your next challenge. Be sure to share your journey and your favorite mindfulness exercises with me @AnneGradyGroup. I love hearing from you!

Here's to a mindful 2021!
Learn more about my new book! https://www.annegradygroup.com/books/mindovermoment/