Stop Waiting For Someday
Stop Waiting For Someday
Stop Waiting For Someday
What have you told yourself you wanted to do someday?
In the midst of this global pandemic, my husband Jay and I have been able to reevaluate our priorities and strive to make daily decisions to move closer to our lighthouse. I talk about finding your lighthouse in my newest book Mind Over Moment: Harness the Power of Resilience.
A lighthouse is anything that keeps you headed in the right direction, guiding you, your decisions, and your daily behavior.
When we get bogged down in a fixed mindset, we lose sight of our lighthouse. We get swept away by the waves of stress, fear, and anxiety.
But, if we choose to use this difficult time to build the understanding that resilience comes from believing we will emerge stronger on the other side, saying, ‘This is certainly not ideal, but what can I take from it?’, we are proactively cultivating a growth mindset.
Here is some BIG news from the Grady’s, and how I am turning around my own fixed mindset!
Seeing challenges as opportunities allows you to use failure and fear as fuel to move forward. I tend to beat myself up about not being good at new things, but if you don’t try stuff, how will you ever know if you love it or if you’re good at it?
What have you always wanted to do “someday”? Here are a few ways to make today that day:
- Put a stake in the ground.
- Vocalize it – This helps you stay accountable and puts it out into the universe (don’t underestimate the power of this).
- Visualize it – When we visualize something, we experience 60-90% of the same neural activity as when we experience it. Daydreaming is actually good for your brain, so allow yourself to daydream and visualize what you want.
- Take action – A dream without action is just wishful thinking. What can you do to move the ball one step closer to the future you want.
Your mindset is your foundation for resilience. Constantly stretch yourself to learn new things, and when you inevitably fail, use it as an opportunity to work harder and smarter.
Life is all about pushing yourself, risk-taking, and growing.
Embrace someday today!
Stay brave and resilient,
Anne
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Anne breaks down the daily habits and skills needed to grow and cultivate RESILIENCE.
I played piano from the time I was four years old until the age of 15 and during that time, I had a lot of recitals. I remember being so nervous before each recital. What if I played the wrong note? What if I forgot the music? My dad would look at me, hold my hands, and say:
Whatever you do, DO NOT think of pink elephants!!
At the time, I had no idea why in the world he would say this. All I do know is that when I sat down to play, all I saw were pink elephants, and I was able to tackle my nerves.
Turns out my dad was helping me to practice the ironic process theory which explains that when we try to suppress our thoughts, we focus on them even more. Seventy to 80% of our thoughts are negative and repetitive. If not managed, intrusive thoughts can lead to anxiety, depression, and a whole host of mental health challenges.
If you tend to get stuck in rumination, or if your thoughts sometimes get the best of you, here are a few ways to take back control:
1️⃣ Recognize that your thoughts are not facts.
2️⃣ Use your brain. Do a math problem, practice a different language, or play a puzzle game. When you access the prefrontal cortex, the higher level thinking part of your brain, you get out of the emotional limbic system.
3️⃣ Distract yourself. Sometimes a simple distraction gives you enough distance to quiet your intrusive thoughts.
4️⃣ Practice mindfulness.
5️⃣ See a therapist. When negative, intrusive thoughts impact your ability to do your job, maintain relationships, or start clouding your judgment, it may be time to get help. As someone with plenty of intrusive thoughts, therapy has helped me tremendously.
Don’t forget, your thoughts and feelings are not facts. They are simply habits that need to be shifted. Be patient with yourself, and if all else fails, whatever you do, DO NOT THINK OF PINK ELEPHANTS!

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.