I’ve been working on a new presentation for a client in local government. Like a lot of organisations right now, they’re going through a fair bit of change. Shifts in structure, roles evolving, uncertainty… all the things that can very quickly tip teams into stress or negativity if we’re not careful. I'm going to be speaking about resilience, adaptability, and how to not get pulled into that negative spiral when things feel unsettled, and I was reminded of something I had to learn myself… the hard way. When I was first diagnosed with MND, my initial response sat very much in the space of: 'this is happening to me'. I knew if I stayed with that mindset, I would be stuck there. It keeps you looking backwards. It keeps you focused on what’s being taken away. And it drains your energy very quickly. At some point, I had to shift that thinking into --> 'this is how I’m going to move forward with living'. Same situation… very different energy. This simple 3-step reset tool came in handy back then, and it’s something I still use all the time. 1. Catch it - Ask yourself: Am I reacting or responding right now? 2. Control it - What can I actually control here? (My attitude, my words, my energy, how I show up) 3. Choose it - How do I want to show up in this moment? It sounds simple… and it is. But it’s also powerful when you actually practise it. Change is always going to happen. In workplaces, in life, in our health, in our plans. But getting caught in negativity isn’t what moves us forward. Choice does. When things feel uncertain or out of your control, what helps you shift out of reaction mode and back into a place of choice? I love hearing how others navigate this - there's so much we can learn in this space.

Unfortunately our scheduled resilience chat is cancelled just for tomorrow. Back to normal next week.

I’m so grateful for my team to help me get up on the dance floor recently, which I miss so much. It made my night

Not every “healthy habit” actually feels good. Some of them just look good. You know the ones… - The intense workout you push through even though your body feels wrecked - The “clean eating” that leaves you constantly hungry or thinking about food 24/7 - The early mornings when you’re running on empty - The routines you stick to because you feel like you should… not because they’re working for you From the outside, it all looks disciplined. Consistent. Impressive even. But on the inside? You feel flat, tired, or slightly out of sync with yourself. I’ve learned over the years that real health isn’t about ticking boxes or following what everyone else is doing. It’s about paying attention to how things actually make you feel. More energised… or more drained? More calm… or more wired? More like yourself… or further away from it? Especially as our bodies change, what worked before doesn’t always work now. And forcing yourself to stick with something just because it’s labelled “healthy” can actually take you further away from what your body needs. For me, this has meant letting go of the idea that harder is always better… and getting more honest about what actually supports me. Tell me, what’s a health or fitness habit you’ve done in the past that looked good on paper… but didn’t feel good in your body? And what did you learn from it? I really want to shift our mindset away from “doing what we should” and start doing what actually works.

When people hear the word “mindset”, they sometimes think it just means thinking positively all the time. But as I've said before, resilience isn’t about pretending everything is fine or forcing yourself to be upbeat when life feels hard. Over the years, I’ve learned that mindset is actually a set of skills you practise. And like any skill, the more you practise it, the stronger it becomes. Here are a few mindset strategies that have helped me stay resilient, especially when life has thrown challenges my way: 1. Ask better questions. Instead of asking “Why is this happening to me?”, try asking “What can I learn from this?” or “What’s one small step I can take next?” The questions you ask shape the direction your mind goes. 2. Notice your inner voice. This is a big one for me! We all have that little voice in our head. Sometimes it’s encouraging, sometimes it’s not so kind. Learning to notice it, and gently challenge it when it’s being harsh, can make a huge difference to how you cope. 3. Focus on what you can control. There’s always a lot in life that’s outside our control. But there are also small things we can influence. Bringing your attention back to those things helps you feel less powerless. 4. Break challenges into smaller pieces. When everything feels overwhelming, your brain can go into shutdown mode. Taking things one small step at a time helps your mind settle and makes progress feel possible again. 5. Practise perspective. When something goes wrong, try asking yourself: Will this matter in a week? A month? A year? Often that little bit of perspective helps calm the emotional storm. These aren’t big dramatic shifts. They’re small mental habits that strengthen your resilience over time. I’d love to hear from you… tell me, what’s one mindset strategy that helps you stay steady when life feels challenging?