WEBVTT - Do THIS to Stop Spiraling (7 Steps to Instantly Break the Cycle of Negative Thoughts) 0:00:01.880 --> 0:00:04.960 Hey everyone, It's Jay Shaddy and I'm thrilled to announce 0:00:05.000 --> 0:00:07.840 my podcast tour. For the first time ever, you can 0:00:07.880 --> 0:00:12.160 experience on Purpose in person. Join me in a city 0:00:12.200 --> 0:00:17.200 near you for meaningful, insightful conversations with surprise guests. It 0:00:17.239 --> 0:00:20.439 could be a celebrity, top wellness expert, or a CEO 0:00:20.720 --> 0:00:25.040 or business leader. We'll dive into experiences designed to experience growth, 0:00:25.360 --> 0:00:29.159 spark learning, and build real connections. I can't wait to 0:00:29.200 --> 0:00:32.400 meet you. There are a limited number of VIP experiences 0:00:32.600 --> 0:00:36.000 for a private Q and a intimate meditation and a 0:00:36.080 --> 0:00:39.320 meet and greet with photos. Tickets are on sale now. 0:00:39.720 --> 0:00:43.520 Head to Jsheddy, dop me Forward Slash Tour and get 0:00:43.560 --> 0:00:49.360 yours today. Your thoughts are not always true, Challenge them. 0:00:49.800 --> 0:00:54.200 Your thoughts are not always reality. Don't accept them at 0:00:54.240 --> 0:01:02.440 face value. When doubts appear, don't assume. Investigate when fear whispers, 0:01:03.360 --> 0:01:09.960 don't bow down. Look closer. When negativity rises, don't believe 0:01:10.640 --> 0:01:18.400 demand proof. Negativity thrives on blind acceptance. Negativity grows when 0:01:18.440 --> 0:01:22.640 you don't fight back. The number one health and wellness podcast, 0:01:22.959 --> 0:01:30.480 Jay Sety, Jay sheety Lyty. Hey everyone, Welcome back to 0:01:30.640 --> 0:01:34.360 On Purpose I'm so glad you joined me, And if 0:01:34.400 --> 0:01:38.080 you've not yet subscribed, click that button so that you 0:01:38.280 --> 0:01:42.440 never miss an episode. It's astounding to me the community 0:01:42.480 --> 0:01:45.920 that we're building together. And when you subscribe here, you're 0:01:45.920 --> 0:01:50.560 not only supporting this show, you're actually starting to support yourself. 0:01:50.920 --> 0:01:53.480 You're saying, this is a priority, this is important to me. 0:01:53.520 --> 0:01:58.840 I want to invest in my growth. Today's episode is 0:01:58.960 --> 0:02:03.360 all about what to do with those negative thoughts. If 0:02:03.400 --> 0:02:09.799 you're someone that experiences intrusive, negative, difficult thoughts, this episode 0:02:09.840 --> 0:02:12.280 is for you. If you're someone who walks out at 0:02:12.280 --> 0:02:16.360 a meeting and can't stop thinking about something negative that happened, 0:02:16.840 --> 0:02:19.120 or you were out with friends last week and you 0:02:19.160 --> 0:02:22.440 can't stop thinking about a moment or an experience that 0:02:22.480 --> 0:02:27.400 felt awkward or uncomfortable, this episode is for you. And 0:02:27.480 --> 0:02:30.120 if you're someone that finds yourself just caught in a 0:02:30.200 --> 0:02:35.959 negative spiral, this episode is for you. I'm going to 0:02:36.040 --> 0:02:40.400 give you a seven step method to actually master your 0:02:40.440 --> 0:02:46.040 thoughts and negativity. I want you to become unbeatable, undefeatable 0:02:46.360 --> 0:02:50.359 when it comes to negative thoughts. Because here's the reality. 0:02:50.600 --> 0:02:55.359 Negative thoughts will always arise, they'll always appear no one 0:02:55.400 --> 0:03:00.120 in this world can never have a negative thought. But 0:03:00.840 --> 0:03:05.880 you can make sure that a negative thought never controls you. 0:03:05.880 --> 0:03:08.720 You can win the battle and win the fight, and 0:03:08.840 --> 0:03:12.639 that's what we're doing today. Step one is you have 0:03:12.720 --> 0:03:17.520 to learn to recognize and acknowledge your thoughts. All of 0:03:17.600 --> 0:03:20.239 us have so many thoughts every single day, but we're 0:03:20.240 --> 0:03:24.240 not always sure about the systems. We're not always sure 0:03:24.320 --> 0:03:27.440 about the patterns. And I want to share a spiritual 0:03:27.480 --> 0:03:32.120 truth with you that is so important. You are not 0:03:32.680 --> 0:03:38.720 your thoughts. They're just visitors passing through your mind. You 0:03:39.080 --> 0:03:43.920 are not your thoughts. They're just noise, not the truth. 0:03:45.080 --> 0:03:51.600 You are not your thoughts. They're temporary, not permanent. Notice them, 0:03:52.200 --> 0:03:56.040 but don't let them define you. Name them, but don't 0:03:56.080 --> 0:04:00.480 give them your power. Watch them, but don't give them 0:04:00.520 --> 0:04:06.400 your identity. The moment you recognize them, they lose their grip. 0:04:06.640 --> 0:04:10.800 The moment you name them, they start to dissolve. The 0:04:10.880 --> 0:04:16.520 moment you see them clearly, you set yourself free. Negative 0:04:16.560 --> 0:04:22.640 thoughts are not facts. Awareness is your power. Negative thoughts 0:04:22.640 --> 0:04:28.920 are not your reality. Awareness is your protection. Negative thoughts 0:04:28.960 --> 0:04:33.200 are not who you are. Awareness is your path to 0:04:33.360 --> 0:04:39.719 emotional freedom. It starts with being aware of our thoughts, 0:04:40.480 --> 0:04:45.000 aware of which ones appear often, which ones don't appear enough, 0:04:45.600 --> 0:04:47.960 Aware of what we say when we first look in 0:04:47.960 --> 0:04:51.000 the mirror, Aware of what we say when things are 0:04:51.000 --> 0:04:54.159 not going well. How many of you are the quickest 0:04:54.320 --> 0:04:58.120 to judge yourself and critique yourself, but the first to 0:04:58.200 --> 0:05:02.039 congratulate someone else? Are you that person who when you 0:05:02.120 --> 0:05:05.560 make a mistake, you'll be really harsh and beat yourself up, 0:05:06.160 --> 0:05:09.479 but when someone else does, you're there to be empathetic 0:05:09.560 --> 0:05:13.840 and kind and compassionate. We're so quick to judge ourselves 0:05:14.279 --> 0:05:18.040 and so quick to celebrate others. It's so important we 0:05:18.160 --> 0:05:22.320 become aware of these patterns that we all experience so 0:05:22.480 --> 0:05:26.080 that we can begin this breakthrough. So I wanted to 0:05:26.200 --> 0:05:28.760 keep repeating that, and I want you to say it 0:05:28.760 --> 0:05:32.440 out loud. I am not my thoughts. You are not 0:05:32.560 --> 0:05:36.520 your thoughts. They're just temporary clouds floating across the sky 0:05:36.640 --> 0:05:42.520 of your mind. And neuroscience proves it simply labeling emotions. 0:05:43.360 --> 0:05:48.839 Naming them activates the prefrontal cortex and calms the amygdala, 0:05:49.480 --> 0:05:57.400 reducing emotional overwhelm. Think of negative thoughts like popa, bads, annoying, distracting, 0:05:57.960 --> 0:06:01.240 but not permanent or meaningful. You can just hover over 0:06:01.279 --> 0:06:05.040 them and press the cross and they're gone. The problem 0:06:05.200 --> 0:06:09.440 isn't that they appear, it's that we believe them. Now, 0:06:09.480 --> 0:06:12.360 imagine you're on your desktop or your laptop and all 0:06:12.440 --> 0:06:16.359 these screens of pop ups just start turning up. You 0:06:16.480 --> 0:06:19.599 only get lost in them when you start filling out 0:06:19.600 --> 0:06:22.720 the form, when you get tricked into clicking on one. 0:06:23.160 --> 0:06:26.320 We don't want to double click on a negative thought. 0:06:27.240 --> 0:06:29.840 We want to allow it to pass through, like a 0:06:29.880 --> 0:06:34.080 pop up or a cloud. There's a beautiful zen story 0:06:34.600 --> 0:06:39.040 which talks about two monks watching the sky. Dark clouds 0:06:39.120 --> 0:06:43.279 rolled in, and one monk cried, it's a bad omen. 0:06:44.440 --> 0:06:48.960 The other simply said, clouds come and go. The clouds 0:06:49.000 --> 0:06:55.000 didn't change, only their reaction did. Your thoughts are clouds? 0:06:55.960 --> 0:07:01.680 Notice them, Name them, but don't become them. Here's an 0:07:01.720 --> 0:07:04.160 experiment I want you to try, a habit, a practical 0:07:04.200 --> 0:07:06.760 tip that I want you to give a go today. 0:07:06.839 --> 0:07:11.920 When you notice a negative thought, pause and internally say 0:07:12.920 --> 0:07:18.560 I'm having a negative thought about Just naming it can 0:07:18.640 --> 0:07:24.240 weaken its hold. Stop saying you're a negative person, Stop 0:07:24.320 --> 0:07:29.160 saying that you have negative energy. Switch that to I 0:07:29.240 --> 0:07:34.680 am having a negative thought about naming it can weaken 0:07:34.800 --> 0:07:40.440 its hold. Naming it can loosen its grip, and naming 0:07:40.480 --> 0:07:44.080 it gives you back the power because you're now aware. 0:07:45.280 --> 0:07:49.240 Here's a habit. I want you to set three thought 0:07:49.360 --> 0:07:54.600 alert reminders morning, midday, evening, and when it goes off, 0:07:54.960 --> 0:07:58.600 pause for thirty seconds to scan your mind and jot 0:07:58.680 --> 0:08:03.160 down any negative patterns that you see. When you start 0:08:03.200 --> 0:08:06.880 to understand the patterns, you have the power. Remember that 0:08:07.240 --> 0:08:11.640 when you understand the patterns, you have the power because 0:08:11.680 --> 0:08:15.680 now when that pattern emerges, you can do step two. 0:08:16.680 --> 0:08:20.840 Step two is challenge your negative thoughts now that you 0:08:20.960 --> 0:08:23.520 know that there's a pattern. Let's say you always feel 0:08:23.600 --> 0:08:26.560 negative when you first wake up in the morning. Let's 0:08:26.600 --> 0:08:29.320 say you always feel negative just before going to bed. 0:08:29.960 --> 0:08:33.640 Maybe you feel negative just before you walk through the 0:08:33.640 --> 0:08:36.640 door of the office. Right we have certain times in 0:08:36.679 --> 0:08:40.840 our day when negativity is really loud. Now that we're 0:08:40.880 --> 0:08:44.520 aware of them, we have to learn to challenge them. 0:08:44.880 --> 0:08:47.199 Not in the moment, because that time we need to 0:08:47.240 --> 0:08:50.560 focus on work, focus on sleep, focus on waking up. 0:08:51.120 --> 0:08:53.800 We need to challenge them when we become aware of 0:08:53.840 --> 0:08:57.199 the pattern in our spare time. Right now, that's what 0:08:57.200 --> 0:09:01.320 you're doing. I want you to remember this. Your thoughts 0:09:01.760 --> 0:09:07.480 are not always accurate. Question them. Your thoughts are not 0:09:07.520 --> 0:09:13.080 always true, Challenge them. Your thoughts are not always reality. 0:09:14.000 --> 0:09:19.320 Don't accept them at face value. When doubts appear, don't assume. 0:09:20.080 --> 0:09:27.760 Investigate When fear whispers, don't bow down. Look closer. When 0:09:27.800 --> 0:09:37.000 negativity rises, don't believe demand proof. Negativity thrives on blind acceptance. 0:09:37.679 --> 0:09:43.360 Negativity grows when you don't fight back. Negativity wins when 0:09:43.400 --> 0:09:50.160 you don't question it. Dig deeper. Beneath fear you'll find clarity. 0:09:50.880 --> 0:09:57.040 Beneath doubt, you'll find truth. Beneath noise, you'll find your power. 0:09:57.840 --> 0:10:03.400 One thought challenged is one chain broken. One thought challenged 0:10:03.760 --> 0:10:08.959 is one burden lifted. One thought challenged is one step 0:10:09.240 --> 0:10:15.200 toward freedom. Not every thought you have is true. In fact, 0:10:15.480 --> 0:10:21.280 negativity loves to wear the mask of reality. Cognitive behavioral therapy, 0:10:21.600 --> 0:10:27.560 or CBT, has long shown that challenging irrational thoughts reduces 0:10:27.600 --> 0:10:34.559 anxiety and builds emotional strengths. Ask yourself, is this thought 0:10:34.600 --> 0:10:39.640 a fact or just a fear? It's really important to know. 0:10:39.800 --> 0:10:43.320 Is this thought a fact or is it just a fear? 0:10:43.760 --> 0:10:47.880 So the next time you catch yourself spiraling, ask yourself, 0:10:48.400 --> 0:10:51.920 what evidence do I have that this thought is true? 0:10:52.800 --> 0:10:56.400 What evidence do I have that, in fact, this thought 0:10:56.960 --> 0:11:01.199 is not true. You're almost becoming a lawyer in your 0:11:01.200 --> 0:11:05.160 own life, learning how to negotiate, learning how to persuade, 0:11:05.559 --> 0:11:08.959 learning how to build and stand up for an argument, because, 0:11:09.000 --> 0:11:12.040 guess what, the lawyer in your mind that critique is 0:11:12.160 --> 0:11:15.920 winning every case. But that's because we don't know how 0:11:15.960 --> 0:11:18.600 to challenge our thought. If you think that lawyer in 0:11:18.640 --> 0:11:21.560 your head is on your side, you lose every case, 0:11:21.600 --> 0:11:25.800 you lose every battle. But when you realize that you're 0:11:25.800 --> 0:11:29.079 not your thoughts, you're allowed to have a defense, You're 0:11:29.120 --> 0:11:33.280 allowed to have a case. That's when you recognize that 0:11:33.320 --> 0:11:36.960 you don't need to accept a thought that has no evidence, 0:11:37.520 --> 0:11:40.040 and what you want to do is present the counter 0:11:40.120 --> 0:11:45.200 evidence to your mind systematically. Here's a daily habit to 0:11:45.200 --> 0:11:50.199 make it easy. Create a daily thought challenge. Each evening, 0:11:50.480 --> 0:11:54.959 write one negative thought from your day, challenge it with evidence, 0:11:55.120 --> 0:12:00.080 and rewrite it into a more balanced, empowering statement. If 0:12:00.120 --> 0:12:02.600 you go to bed that way, you'll wake up with 0:12:02.640 --> 0:12:06.920 more energy and naturally feel disconnected from the weight of 0:12:06.960 --> 0:12:10.160 that thought. I couldn't be more excited to share something 0:12:10.200 --> 0:12:13.080 truly special with all you tea lovers out there. 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Juni has zero sugar and only five 0:13:10.640 --> 0:13:14.400 calories per can. We believe in nurturing and energizing your 0:13:14.400 --> 0:13:18.280 body while enjoying a truly delicious and refreshing drink. So 0:13:18.440 --> 0:13:23.319 visit Drinkjuni dot com today to elevate your wellness journey 0:13:23.559 --> 0:13:27.079 and use code on purpose to receive fifteen percent off 0:13:27.320 --> 0:13:32.400 your first order. That's drink Juni dot com and make 0:13:32.400 --> 0:13:36.200 sure you use the code on purpose. Step number three 0:13:37.040 --> 0:13:43.040 is reframe your thoughts. My favorite quote is from Wayne Dyer. 0:13:43.960 --> 0:13:46.320 He said, when we change the way we look at things, 0:13:46.880 --> 0:13:50.880 the things we look at change. Your thoughts are a story. 0:13:51.800 --> 0:13:55.200 But here's the best part. You can write the next 0:13:55.240 --> 0:13:59.280 line right now. Actually, you get to choose the title 0:13:59.280 --> 0:14:02.920 of the next chat right now. You get to write 0:14:02.920 --> 0:14:07.880 the next few pages right now. When you change the story, 0:14:08.480 --> 0:14:12.720 you change the feeling. When you change the perspective, you 0:14:12.880 --> 0:14:17.080 change the power. When you change the lens, you change 0:14:17.120 --> 0:14:24.360 your life. Negative stories exhaust you. Positive reframing energizes you. 0:14:25.360 --> 0:14:33.080 Negative thinking shrinks you. Positive reframing frees you. Small changes 0:14:33.120 --> 0:14:37.880 in your viewpoint can lead to big changes in your vision. 0:14:38.560 --> 0:14:40.440 Let me give you an example. You're running late to 0:14:40.480 --> 0:14:42.880 work because someone cut you off in traffic. You get 0:14:42.920 --> 0:14:45.240 to work, and now you're telling everyone that story of 0:14:45.240 --> 0:14:47.480 that person who cut you off in traffic. What you 0:14:47.520 --> 0:14:49.880 forgot to mention was the person who smiled at you. 0:14:50.320 --> 0:14:52.080 What you forgot to mention was the fact that you 0:14:52.160 --> 0:14:54.480 still got to work on time. What you forgot to 0:14:54.560 --> 0:14:58.640 mention is that you survived. Nothing bad happened. The other 0:14:58.720 --> 0:15:02.480 side of the story was makes you feel rushed, makes 0:15:02.480 --> 0:15:07.480 you feel overwhelmed, makes you feel stressed. Just reframing, it's 0:15:07.480 --> 0:15:12.520 not that it didn't happen, it's that you're still here right. 0:15:12.640 --> 0:15:17.320 Positivity doesn't mean I ignore things that happened. It means 0:15:17.360 --> 0:15:21.120 I see everything about what happened, the fact that I'm alive, 0:15:21.240 --> 0:15:23.640 the fact that I'm here, the fact that I'm on time, 0:15:23.720 --> 0:15:27.360 the fact that I'm smiling at someone someone smiling at me, 0:15:27.520 --> 0:15:33.120 that simple connection. How you frame an experience changes everything 0:15:33.280 --> 0:15:35.840 about how you feel it. Let me say that again. 0:15:36.160 --> 0:15:41.280 How you frame an experience changes everything about how you 0:15:41.400 --> 0:15:46.520 feel it. If you frame and experience as negative, you 0:15:46.640 --> 0:15:53.800 feel bad. If you frame an experience as useful, insightful, powerful, fulfilling, 0:15:54.680 --> 0:15:59.880 it transforms you. Research shows that reframing negative experiences in 0:16:00.120 --> 0:16:06.560 prove resilience and overall wellbeing. It's not denial, its conscious 0:16:06.760 --> 0:16:12.560 perspective shifting. Two people can face the same storm one 0:16:12.600 --> 0:16:18.520 sees destruction, the other sees renewal. I really love this 0:16:18.720 --> 0:16:23.000 idea that two people can experience the same thing but 0:16:23.160 --> 0:16:26.760 react to it differently. It is up to you to 0:16:26.960 --> 0:16:30.880 choose to reframe a narrative, reframe and experience, and it's 0:16:30.880 --> 0:16:33.120 all about practice. The first time you try and do 0:16:33.160 --> 0:16:35.520 this is going to be really hard. By day five, 0:16:35.600 --> 0:16:38.400 it's going to be easier. By month five, you're going 0:16:38.440 --> 0:16:43.000 to be flying and flowing. You will be unbeatable. A 0:16:43.040 --> 0:16:45.440 negative experience or a negative thought won't be able to 0:16:45.440 --> 0:16:50.880 control you because you've practiced reframing an experience. That person 0:16:51.160 --> 0:16:55.360 who you feel doesn't care about you, they just lost 0:16:55.680 --> 0:17:00.160 a great friend. That person you feel doesn't that tell 0:17:00.160 --> 0:17:05.560 you they just disconnected from a gift in their life. 0:17:05.680 --> 0:17:10.199 We have to reframe and understand differently the experiences we 0:17:10.240 --> 0:17:15.360 go through. Here's an experiment today, when a small inconvenience happens, 0:17:15.840 --> 0:17:21.320 pause and reframe. How could this actually be working for me? 0:17:22.160 --> 0:17:27.040 And here's a daily habit. Start a reframing jar. Each night, 0:17:27.160 --> 0:17:31.480 write down one negative event and intentionally reframe it in 0:17:31.560 --> 0:17:35.280 a neutral or positive light before placing it in the jar. 0:17:36.080 --> 0:17:40.320 What's your mindset shift over weeks, you'll literally feel yourself 0:17:40.400 --> 0:17:45.359 rewiring your brain to notice different things. Our day feels 0:17:45.400 --> 0:17:48.560 bad because we notice the bad more than the good. 0:17:49.359 --> 0:17:53.560 Our day feels hard because we notice the difficult more 0:17:53.600 --> 0:17:58.400 than our determination. Our day feels long because we notice 0:17:58.560 --> 0:18:02.560 the hardship more more than we do the beautiful relationships. 0:18:03.400 --> 0:18:09.200 Shift your perspective. Step four is practicing mindfulness and meditation. 0:18:10.480 --> 0:18:14.320 Take a moment to pause and breathe deeply right now. 0:18:15.440 --> 0:18:21.280 Mindfulness means simply noticing your present experience, let thoughts pass 0:18:21.440 --> 0:18:25.560 without holding onto them. Pay attention to your breath. It's 0:18:25.560 --> 0:18:32.879 your anchor. Meditation doesn't require perfection, just consistency. Practice letting 0:18:32.960 --> 0:18:38.040 go of anything you're holding onto. Quieting your mind, even 0:18:38.119 --> 0:18:43.159 briefly can reset your entire day. It's the oldest wisdom 0:18:43.160 --> 0:18:47.120 in the book. But taking a few breaths can reset 0:18:47.160 --> 0:18:49.840 you when you're nervous, when you're anxious, when you're stressed, 0:18:49.840 --> 0:18:54.200 when you have negative thoughts. Your breath is faster, shallower. 0:18:54.880 --> 0:18:58.680 As soon as you breathe, you make it deeper slower, 0:18:58.960 --> 0:19:02.680 and you regain your power when you're moving fast. Think 0:19:02.680 --> 0:19:05.080 about it. If you're driving a car really fast and 0:19:05.160 --> 0:19:08.440 something comes out in front of you. It's really hard 0:19:08.440 --> 0:19:12.000 to maneuver around it. Right, So when a negative thought 0:19:12.040 --> 0:19:15.280 comes at you, if you're already moving really fast, chances 0:19:15.320 --> 0:19:18.040 are you're going to collide. And that's what we experience 0:19:18.080 --> 0:19:21.959 every day, collisions with our negative thoughts. But imagine if 0:19:21.960 --> 0:19:25.159 you are driving a little bit slower, you could slow 0:19:25.240 --> 0:19:32.040 down just ahead of that disruption and swerve comfortably, coolly, calmly. 0:19:33.000 --> 0:19:38.280 That's what regular mindfulness practice allows you to do. Mindfulness 0:19:38.480 --> 0:19:42.199 is about being where you are, not racing ahead, not 0:19:42.320 --> 0:19:46.879 clinging to the past. Research from cabots In shows that 0:19:47.080 --> 0:19:53.960 even short, consistent mindfulness practices can reduce anxiety and depression significantly. 0:19:54.800 --> 0:19:59.320 Mindfulness is like clearing a cluttered desk. You create space 0:19:59.400 --> 0:20:02.480 for clarity. So here's the experiment I want you to do. 0:20:03.320 --> 0:20:07.840 Set a five minute timer today, Focus only on your 0:20:07.880 --> 0:20:13.240 breathing when thoughts wonder gently, return attention to your breath 0:20:13.680 --> 0:20:19.119 without judgment, And for every one hour, stop and breathe 0:20:19.119 --> 0:20:23.760 deeply for one minute and watch how you start getting 0:20:23.840 --> 0:20:28.960 the pace to actually maneuver and shift. Number five is 0:20:29.000 --> 0:20:33.680 something we don't do enough of engaging in joyful activities, 0:20:34.520 --> 0:20:39.680 you can't always avoid difficult emotions, but you can decide 0:20:39.800 --> 0:20:44.600 how long they stay. You can't choose every result, but 0:20:44.680 --> 0:20:47.800 you can choose what you learn from it. You can't 0:20:47.800 --> 0:20:53.280 always avoid setbacks, but you can decide how they shape you. 0:20:53.280 --> 0:20:58.160 You can't choose others' perceptions, but you can choose your 0:20:58.200 --> 0:21:03.520 own self worth. You can't erase past experiences, but you 0:21:03.560 --> 0:21:08.240 can choose how they influence your future. You can't control 0:21:08.320 --> 0:21:12.520 the world's chaos, but you can choose to create your 0:21:12.600 --> 0:21:18.280 own peace. Studies show that regular engagement in enjoyable activities 0:21:18.920 --> 0:21:24.160 lowers depression significantly. Doing what you love is an indulgence. 0:21:24.720 --> 0:21:29.399 It's essential maintenance for your mental health. So here's what 0:21:29.480 --> 0:21:33.240 I want you to do today. Spend at least fifteen 0:21:33.320 --> 0:21:39.960 minutes doing something you genuinely love, having your coffee, reading, gardening, dancing, painting, 0:21:40.240 --> 0:21:44.159 whatever it is, and notice your mood before and after. 0:21:45.160 --> 0:21:51.120 Schedule a daily joy episode. Block out twenty minutes each 0:21:51.240 --> 0:21:56.760 morning or evening just for an activity that nourishes you right. 0:21:56.800 --> 0:21:59.960 Think of it like a joy meeting or a joy episode. 0:22:00.640 --> 0:22:03.440 Being able to do that allows you to tap into 0:22:03.560 --> 0:22:07.479 joy and reduce stress. This is such an important part 0:22:07.880 --> 0:22:12.879 because ultimately negativity and positivity are both contagious. Have you 0:22:12.920 --> 0:22:15.080 ever met someone and you just feel positive. Have you 0:22:15.080 --> 0:22:17.640 ever done an activity and you just feel positive, Well, 0:22:17.680 --> 0:22:20.920 you can be that person. That person wasn't born that way. 0:22:21.119 --> 0:22:25.480 They're practicing, they're developing that skill, and you can as well. 0:22:26.080 --> 0:22:32.600 Step number six is looking after your temple your body. 0:22:32.760 --> 0:22:36.360 Your body isn't separate from your mind. It's the vehicle 0:22:36.720 --> 0:22:42.280 that carries your spirit. Regular exercise reduces depressive symptoms by 0:22:42.440 --> 0:22:48.440 up to thirty percent. Hydration boost brain function, sleep resets 0:22:48.480 --> 0:22:54.080 your emotional baseline. It's simple, but it's foundational. A Zen 0:22:54.200 --> 0:22:59.480 student once asked his master, how do I attain enlightenment? 0:23:00.760 --> 0:23:09.119 The master applied when hungry, eat, when tired, sleep, when sad, move. 0:23:10.320 --> 0:23:16.040 Caring for the body wasn't secondary, it was sacred. I 0:23:16.080 --> 0:23:18.919 also love this idea because when we're out of food, 0:23:19.520 --> 0:23:23.720 we eat. When you're out of growth, you choose to grow. 0:23:24.640 --> 0:23:28.400 So today's experiment is go for a twenty minute walk 0:23:28.440 --> 0:23:32.600 today for a gentle stretch, and pay attention to how 0:23:32.640 --> 0:23:37.120 your mind feels afterwards. If you want to boost your day, 0:23:37.359 --> 0:23:40.960 it's as simple as this. Seven hours of sleep, eight 0:23:41.000 --> 0:23:45.399 glasses of water, and fifteen minutes of movement, go on 0:23:45.480 --> 0:23:49.360 that walk, get outdoors and watch how your mood and 0:23:49.520 --> 0:23:54.760 mind change. And finally, number seven is limiting our exposure 0:23:54.800 --> 0:23:58.280 to negativity. I was recently on a podcast and I 0:23:58.320 --> 0:24:00.760 was talking to Tinks and we were talking about this 0:24:00.880 --> 0:24:06.520 idea of how the challenge today is our news finds us. 0:24:06.920 --> 0:24:10.000 We don't find our news. Before people would open up 0:24:10.040 --> 0:24:12.760 the newspaper to see what the news was. Today, you're 0:24:12.800 --> 0:24:14.680 on social media trying to figure out what your friends 0:24:14.680 --> 0:24:17.520 are doing, and you're reading about something happening halfway across 0:24:17.520 --> 0:24:19.959 the world. You're about to send a message to a 0:24:20.000 --> 0:24:23.720 family member and someone sends something in the group chat 0:24:23.800 --> 0:24:26.960 which is about a news update. We no longer find 0:24:27.000 --> 0:24:29.800 our news. Before you were primed, you were prepared. I'm 0:24:29.840 --> 0:24:31.719 going to look at the news to see what's happening 0:24:31.720 --> 0:24:34.520 in the world today. You're trying to connect, you're trying 0:24:34.560 --> 0:24:36.879 to show empathy, you're trying to love, you're trying to 0:24:36.920 --> 0:24:39.800 have fun, and you're finding the news at that time. 0:24:40.320 --> 0:24:43.560 It's extremely confusing and draining for your mind, which is 0:24:43.600 --> 0:24:48.680 looking for love and being overloaded by other information. No, 0:24:48.840 --> 0:24:51.000 I'm not saying the news is not important. I'm saying 0:24:51.040 --> 0:24:54.560 It's important to be informed, but our mind is better 0:24:55.080 --> 0:24:58.320 when we've chosen what we're doing. If your mind knows 0:24:58.359 --> 0:25:00.840 you're watching the news, you're about to pick up a newspaper, 0:25:01.440 --> 0:25:04.160 or about to read a news site or a newsletter 0:25:04.240 --> 0:25:08.520 that you love, the mind is prepared and primed. You 0:25:08.560 --> 0:25:12.080 can't avoid negativity, but you can look for the good 0:25:12.119 --> 0:25:16.840 around you. You can't stop people from criticizing you, but 0:25:16.960 --> 0:25:22.439 you can decide which feedback matters. You can't erase stress completely, 0:25:23.280 --> 0:25:26.959 but you can find healthy ways to handle it. You 0:25:27.000 --> 0:25:31.359 can't avoid every bad day, but you can appreciate the 0:25:31.359 --> 0:25:35.760 good ones. You can't stop difficult moments, but you can 0:25:35.800 --> 0:25:40.360 decide what they teach you. You can't control others attitudes, 0:25:41.160 --> 0:25:45.320 but you can protect your own mood. You can't always 0:25:45.359 --> 0:25:49.800 avoid negativity, but you can choose how much you allow. 0:25:49.880 --> 0:25:54.359 In study show fifty six percent of adults report higher 0:25:54.400 --> 0:26:00.119 stress due to constant news and social media consumption. Remember 0:26:00.480 --> 0:26:04.359 you are what you consume. It's important to create a 0:26:04.480 --> 0:26:09.399 digital diet, a digital fast, and a digital detox, and 0:26:09.480 --> 0:26:13.200 a digital plan to support the mind that you want. 0:26:13.880 --> 0:26:16.480 One of my favorite zen stories is when a student 0:26:16.720 --> 0:26:21.760 asked their teacher, how do you remain at peace despite 0:26:21.800 --> 0:26:26.080 the chaos of the world. The Master smiled and said, 0:26:27.119 --> 0:26:32.119 I simply don't argue with reality. Most of our tension 0:26:32.200 --> 0:26:36.640 is created because we want things to be different, when 0:26:36.640 --> 0:26:40.879 in reality, when we accept what's happening and we work 0:26:40.960 --> 0:26:45.520 to make them different, we improve. When you want something 0:26:45.560 --> 0:26:48.080 to be different and when you work for something to 0:26:48.080 --> 0:26:51.800 be different, it's two different experiences. When you work to 0:26:51.880 --> 0:26:55.280 make something different, you feel closer to the solution, so 0:26:55.359 --> 0:26:58.679 the problem feels smaller, whereas when you want something to 0:26:58.720 --> 0:27:02.760 be different, standing away from the problem, and it feels 0:27:03.040 --> 0:27:09.000 bigger and uncontrollable. If you've been really overwhelmed recently, take 0:27:09.160 --> 0:27:14.600 a twenty four hour media detox today, no news, no 0:27:14.760 --> 0:27:20.160 social media, no negativity, and observe how your mind feels 0:27:20.880 --> 0:27:25.359 and build a positivity shield. Limit news to one short 0:27:25.600 --> 0:27:29.480 daily check that you define, look at the news at 0:27:29.520 --> 0:27:33.719 one time in the day. Mute negative accounts, and deliberately 0:27:33.760 --> 0:27:38.679 subscribe to uplifting podcasts or inspiring content, and unsubscribe from 0:27:38.760 --> 0:27:42.680 the others. I hope this seventh step ritual and method 0:27:43.160 --> 0:27:47.600 creates less negative thoughts and more importantly, control over the 0:27:47.600 --> 0:27:50.600 ones that do get through to you. Thank you so 0:27:50.680 --> 0:27:53.920 much for listening. Make sure you've subscribed, Send this episode 0:27:53.920 --> 0:27:56.080 to someone who'll appreciate it, and I'll see you on 0:27:56.119 --> 0:27:59.480 the next one. If you love this episode, you'll enjoy 0:27:59.560 --> 0:28:02.359 my inter you with doctor Daniel Aman on how to 0:28:02.480 --> 0:28:06.159 change your life by changing your brain. If we want 0:28:06.200 --> 0:28:10.920 a healthy mind, it actually starts with a healthy brain. 0:28:11.119 --> 0:28:14.320 You know, I've had the blessing or the curse to 0:28:14.480 --> 0:28:19.800 scan over a thousand convicted felons and over one hundred murderers, 0:28:19.840 --> 0:28:21.760 and their brains are very damaged.