Tag: Mindset

Healthy Habits, Mental Health, Snippets

What’s the best way to deal with negative thoughts?

Corie Muldoon

For every negative thought say 2 positive things. Accept that negative thoughts exist but they are not you. What we focus on expands. If I think about complaining, instead of actually complaining, I work to breathe through the sensation in the moment (usually only takes a few seconds but one minute is also typical) then say 2 positive things. Can be out loud or to yourself. Thoughts dictate emotions. Emotions dictate thoughts. Good thoughts and positive emotions = happiness. It takes work to be happy. It’s easy to complain and focus on negative thoughts, that takes no additional effort or training. But the more we work to plant those positive thoughts, the weeds will quite literally be weeded out and you’ll see them less and less.

Keep on stepping x

Mental Health, Mindfulness, Relationships

Mastering the Skill of Emotional Regulation

Corie Muldoon

Here’s something nobody tells you:

Emotional regulation is a skill. And most people were never taught how to do it.

That’s why the same arguments happen over and over. That’s why some people can’t have hard conversations without exploding or shutting down.

It’s not that they don’t care. It’s that they literally don’t have the tools.

What Emotional Dysregulation Looks Like

  • Reacting before thinking
  • Saying things you can’t take back
  • Avoiding conflict entirely (because it feels too big to handle)
  • Misinterpreting everything as an attack

Here’s the Problem

When two dysregulated people try to resolve conflict, proximity makes everything worse.

Every interaction becomes another chance to trigger each other. Every conversation or comment adds fuel to the fire.

You can’t solve problems when you’re both emotionally flooded.

What Actually Works

Time. Space. Distance.

Not as punishment. Not as avoidance.

But as the bridge that allows healing to happen.

When you’re not constantly reacting to each other, you finally get room to:

  • Process your own feelings
  • Recognize your patterns
  • Come back with more capacity

The Truth

You can’t have a healthy relationship with someone who can’t regulate their emotions while you’re in constant proximity.

Sometimes love looks like stepping back or creating physical distance so you both have room to grow.

Try this today!

If you’re stuck in a cycle with someone, ask yourself: Are we both calm enough to actually solve this? Or do we need space first?

Experiences, Getting Started, Goals

Transform Your Resolutions with New Experiences

Corie Muldoon

Tired of breaking New Year’s resolutions by February? Switch from “lose 20 pounds” to “try 6 new hiking trails.” This simple shift changes everything.

Traditional resolutions focus on what you want to change about yourself.

Experience-based goals focus on what you want to explore in life.

Why experience goals work better:

  • They’re memorable – You’ll remember the weekend you tried rock climbing, not the day you ate 1,500 calories
  • Built-in accountability – Experiences require planning and commitment, making them harder to skip
  • Naturally builds habits – Regular adventures create momentum for other healthy changes

Instead of “exercise more,” plan to bike or kayak once a month.

Instead of “eat healthier,” commit to trying a new farmers market recipe bi-weekly.

Instead of “be more adventurous,” plan a camping trip once a quarter.

The habits follow the experiences, not the other way around.

Try this today: Write down 6 experiences you want to have in 2026 instead of traditional resolutions. Make them specific, scheduled, and exciting

Share your thoughts below!

Learn more about the Kevin’s Rule approach here

Books, Mental Health, Mindfulness, The Power of Now

Release Emotional Pain: 3 Simple Ways to Heal Your Pain-Body

Corie Muldoon

Eckhart Tolle’s concept of the “pain-body” explains why past hurts keep surfacing.

The pain-body is our accumulated emotional pain, that feeds on negative thoughts and reactions.

The good news? You can start to heal your emotional pain-body today!

3 Ways to Heal Your Pain-Body

  • Practice presence when triggered – When emotional pain arises, don’t fight it or identify with it. Simply observe it without judgment. This awareness starves the pain-body of the reaction it craves
  • Breathe through the discomfort – Take 5 deep breaths when you feel old emotions surfacing. Your focused attention on breath interrupts the pain-body’s automatic patterns
  • Name what you’re feeling – Say to yourself: “I notice sadness” instead of “I am sad.” This creates distance between your true self and the pain-body. Check out the Feelings Wheel tool below:

Why this works: The pain-body loses power when exposed to conscious awareness. It can only survive in unconsciousness: in your automatic reactions and resistance

Try this today: Next time you feel upset, pause and ask yourself: “Is this my pain-body reacting to something from my past?” Just asking shifts you into presence so you can begin healing

Share your thoughts below!

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.