Category: Mindset

Healthy Habits, Mindfulness, Mindset

How to Forgive and Let Go for Emotional Healing

Corie Muldoon

With the Scorpio New Moon here (deep, intense, and super transformative), I challenged myself to sit down and think deeper.

What am I holding to? What am I not forgiving myself or others for? Do negative thoughts keeping popping up around certain situations? I may need to add it to my list of Forgive and Let Go.

After sitting down for a few minutes, I wrote out 10 situations involving multiple people that still bother me. I was blown away at how much I’ve been holding onto, not fully letting go of. They came quick to mind once I let it all come up without judging right or wrong.

How am I gonna juggle all these situations emotionally moving forward? I know this pain is real, there’s no denying – but in order to heal, I know I have to truly FORGIVE AND LET GO. BUT HOW?! Here are my notes below:

3 Steps to Forgive and Let Go

1. Acknowledge the hurt and emotions 

  • Recognize the pain: Acknowledge the emotional pain caused by the offense and how it has affected you.
  • Name your feelings: Recognize and allow yourself to feel emotions like anger, sadness, betrayal, or resentment without judgment. Suppressing them won’t make them disappear.
  • Process your feelings: Share your feelings by journaling, talking to a trusted friend or counselor, or taking a similar action, like writing a letter you don’t send. 

2. Understand and gain perspective

  • Consider the context: Reflect on the surrounding circumstances to better understand what happened.
  • Humanize the other person: Try to understand the other person’s motives or circumstances without excusing their behavior. Empathy for their frailties as a human being can make it easier to show compassion.
  • Let go of unrealistic expectations: Release the belief that things should have been different. Expect reality to be as it is, which can reduce resentment. 

3. Make a conscious choice to forgive

  • Decide to forgive: Make a deliberate choice to forgive, understanding that it is for your own emotional and mental health.
  • Release resentment: Practice letting go of negative feelings and thoughts and replace them with healthier coping mechanisms.
  • Commit to it: Forgiveness is an ongoing process. Recommit to letting go on days when feelings resurface. Focus on today and the future instead of dwelling on the past.

Personal growth is all about getting a little bit better, stronger, healthier, more open-minded each day. Bringing awareness to the things that have been pulling me down is liberating. I’ll be working on them on-goingly and will report back here about how my overall well-being and peace of mind have been affected.

Forgive and let go my friends!

“Don’t sweat the small stuff, and it’s all small stuff.” – Richard Carlson

Remember: techniques like journaling, talking to a trusted friend or counselor, or setting boundaries can help majorly with forgiving and letting go.

I also found that genuine prayer helps me heal. I pray for myself and those around me. The more I pray, the more I forgive, let go, and ultimately heal. I can feel the transformation within, and can feel the energy around me and those I pray for shift. Deep calmness. Almost like an emotional and spiritual reset.

It’s my responsibility to tend my garden, to pull weeds and water flowers. Using this blog as a tool to work on emotional pain and forgiveness.

Progress over perfection.

x Cor

> see free mental health resources here <

Books, Meditation, Mindset, The Alchemist

How to Transform Fear Into Love Today (like an Alchemist)

Corie Muldoon

When the world feels heavy and your heart aches, remember this… you have the power of spiritual alchemy within you

Just as ancient alchemists transformed lead into gold… you can transform fear into love, trauma into wisdom, and pain into compassion.

Love is always stronger than fear, and we’re all connected in this cosmic journey together.

As Paulo Coelho reminds us in The Alchemist, “when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it”—and what we truly want is healing and connection

Turning Fear into Love

The Circle of Light Practice harnesses the universe’s healing energy to transform pain into compassion. This ancient wisdom reminds us that every challenge is an opportunity to spread more love into the world.

Be gentle with yourself in this process.

The Circle of Light Practice:

1. Ground yourself in Mother Earth’s energy: touch grass or hold a stone

2. Send loving-kindness to yourself: “may I be peaceful, may I be safe”

3. Extend that love to those hurting: visualize light surrounding them

4. Connect with real people: call a friend, hug someone, send love via text

This works because trauma separates us (judging mode) while love reconnects us (healing mode)

When we choose love over fear, we become channels of healing for the whole world. Every act of compassion creates a positive ripple that touches countless souls.

Start small today:

Practice the loving-kindness meditation (“may I be peaceful, may I be safe”) for one minute or call someone you love to check-in

You are not alone, sweet soul. We’re all walking each other home

Share your thoughts below!

Getting Started, Lifestyle, Mindset

The Power of Positive Mantras for Mental Wellness

Corie Muldoon

What’s a mantra? A mantra is a statement or motivating chant repeated often.

This statement or chant is positive in nature and helps us build a more positive mindset. We are intentionally thinking specific thoughts to influence our actions in a positive way.

To change who we are, we have to change what we do. To change what we do, we have to change what we think about. Every action starts in the form of a thought.

When we repeat a thought over again with emotion (positive & negative), our subconscious mind eventually picks it up. When the subconscious mind picks a thought up, it starts to manifest it in real life.

What we think about constantly with strong emotion, expands. That’s why it’s important to become aware of what we’re thinking about on a daily basis.

The 5-word mantra meditation is a five minute meditation. The five words that are used are release, peace, tranquility, love, and joy.

Comment your favorite mantra below!

One of my favorite mantra is “one more step” – I use it a lot when I’m running, helps ground me in the moment & focus on what I can control

Mindset, Wild Life Awareness

Wild Mindset: How Nature’s Rhythms Can Reset Your Mental Health

Corie Muldoon

Estimated read time: 2 minutes

The next time you’re feeling overwhelmed, consider what a deer does when it senses danger. It doesn’t panic—it pauses, assesses, then makes a deliberate choice.

This “pause-assess-act” pattern (common throughout the animal kingdom) offers a powerful framework for managing human stress.

The Science Behind Animal Calm

Research shows that wild animals naturally regulate their nervous systems through specific behaviors, like:

• Rhythmic breathing (sleeping bears)

• Grounding contact with earth (elephant dust baths)

• Strategic rest periods (big cat 16-hour sleep cycles)

These are all natural survival mechanisms we can adapt to calm our nerves and settle our minds.

Your Wild Mindset Toolkit

Morning Deer Pause: Before checking your phone, spend 30 seconds in stillness. Notice three sounds around you, just as deer tune into their environment each dawn.

Elephant Grounding: When anxiety rises, plant your feet firmly and imagine roots growing from your soles into the earth. Elephants instinctively seek grounding when stressed.

Bear Breathing: Practice 4-7-8 breathing (inhale 4, hold 7, exhale 8) mimicking the slow, deep respiratory patterns of hibernating animals.

Owl Observation: Like owls scanning their territory, practice the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique. Name 5 things you see, 4 you can touch, 3 you hear, 2 you smell, 1 you taste.

The Wildlife Connection

Every time you practice these techniques, you’re not just improving your mental health… you’re developing deeper empathy for the animals who inspired them.

This connection often motivates people to make more wildlife-friendly choices in other life areas.

This Week’s Challenge

Choose one animal-inspired mindfulness technique and practice it daily.

Notice how this simple shift affects both your stress levels and your awareness of wildlife in your neighborhood.

Remember: Slowing down in life (like slowing down in wildlife areas) saves lives, including and especially your own.

Mental Health, Mindset

Cultivating a Growth Mindset: How Small Thought Shifts Lead to Mental Flourishing

Corie Muldoon

Have you ever noticed how some people seem to bounce back from setbacks while others struggle to move forward?

The difference often lies in their mindset—the lens through which they view challenges and opportunities.

Fixed Mindset vs Growth Mindset

A fixed mindset believes that fundamental abilities like intelligence and talent are innate and unchangeable.

A growth mindset believes that abilities can be developed through effort, learning, and persistence.

In other words, a fixed mindset sees failure as a reflection of permanent traits, whereas a growth mindset sees failure as an opportunity to learn. 

The Power of “Yet”

One tiny word can transform your mental landscape: “yet”

When you catch yourself thinking “I can’t do this” try adding “yet” to the end: “I can’t do this yet.”

This simple addition acknowledges where you are while planting a seed of possibility for growth.

Three Seeds to Plant Today

1. Replace “failures” with “lessons”

When something doesn’t go as planned, ask yourself: “What can I learn from this?” This simple reframing turns setbacks into stepping stones.

2. Challenge your inner critic

When you notice negative self-talk, pause and ask: “Would I speak this way to someone I love?” If not, rephrase your thoughts with the same compassion you’d offer a friend.

3. Celebrate small wins

Each night, write down three small victories from your day. These might be as simple as taking a deep breath during a stressful moment or choosing a nutritious lunch.

Acknowledging progress, however small, waters the seeds of positive change.

The Science Behind It

Research from Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck shows that people with a growth mindset experience less stress and depression while showing greater resilience when facing challenges. Check out her book Mindset, it’s a goodie!

Your Turn

This week, notice one recurring negative thought. How might you reframe it to reflect a growth mindset? Share your experience in the comments below.

Remember: Just as a garden doesn’t transform overnight, your mindset won’t change in a day…

But with consistent attention to how you’re thinking about your challenges…

You’re planting seeds that will eventually grow into greater resilience, creativity, and well-being.

Next week: Nourishing Your Mind How omega-3 rich foods, fermented foods, and dark leafy greens literally feed your mood.

Mindset, Seasonal - Spring

Spring Mindset Tips for Renewal

Corie Muldoon

As nature awakens from its winter slumber, spring offers us the perfect opportunity to refresh our own mindsets. Here are some practical tips to embrace renewal this season:

1. Let Go of What No Longer Serves You

Just as trees shed their old leaves to make way for new growth… consider what mental baggage you need to release. Old grudges, limiting beliefs, or outdated goals can weigh you down. Take a moment to find what’s no longer serving you and consciously let it go.

2. Plant Seeds of Positivity

Spring is planting season, making it the perfect time to intentionally plant positive thoughts in your mind. Start a gratitude practice, even if it’s just noting three things you’re thankful for each morning. Watch how this simple habit can transform your outlook over time.

3. Embrace Fresh Starts

Nature doesn’t hesitate to renew after winter, and neither should you. Whether it’s a stalled project, a habit you’ve wanted to build, or a relationship that needs tending… spring energy supports new beginnings. Remember that every day offers a fresh opportunity.

4. Practice Mental Decluttering

Just as you spring clean your home, take time to declutter your mind. Try meditation, journaling, or simply sitting quietly for a few minutes each day. These practices help clear mental cobwebs and create space for clarity and creativity.

5. Nourish Growth Mindset

Spring reminds us that growth is natural. Embrace challenges as opportunities to learn rather than threats to avoid. When you catch yourself thinking “I can’t do this,” try adding “yet” to the end of that thought.

✨ Like the first flowers pushing through the soil… your renewed mindset will need patience and gentle care. The transformation will be worth it ✨