“I don’t want to get political, but how is your family doing?” “Maybe I shouldn’t buy this house; it might not be smart to put down roots – I need to be able to leave quickly.” “Are you willing to go to jail to stand up for what you believe?” “Thank God I just got my renewed passport returned; they’re now keeping people’s passports indefinitely.” “Phew – it was a different local health insurance that cancelled coverage; I need to keep checking mine.” “The radiation is making me so tired.” “If your financial state doesn’t improve, you should think about selling your house.” “I’m in the car driving the [refugee] family to another location.” “His heart rate and oxygen levels are low.” “I saw you on the news at the protest.”

These are just some of the conversation-starters I experienced over this past week. There is currently a lot going on in our global and most of our personal worlds and it can be an effort to not feel paralyzed in the face of the strong winds that blow us from side to side. We don’t know which way to face, whether to shield ourselves against the next gust, or figure out a way to brace ourselves as we try to resist it. Most of us find ourselves at the mercy of decisions that few of us have created. We are trying to put one foot in front of the other, not knowing what the terrain looks like two steps ahead. It’s hard not to fold under the weight of the uncertainty.

Knowing there would be a lot of political changes, and learning from experience that there are always personal surprises, I decided to proactively claim control of this year for myself. I am aware of what I can and can’t be in charge of and decided to focus on what is in my purview. On New Year’s Day I named 2025, “My Year of Personal Growth”, immersing myself daily in goals that fulfill and empower me. In the past 5 weeks I have gotten a Life Coach and welcomed more Life Coaching clients. I have been prepping and writing my book. I have planned my upcoming powerful Vision Board workshop (March 30!) I have attended motivational workshops, read inspirational books, and given reiki. I have gotten clarity on my “why” behind the steps I’m taking and I’ve enjoyed many mindset-shifting practices.

Setting intentions and following the path to reach those goals, one small step at a time, has kept me positively energized no matter what is going on around me. Waking up and physically evoking 3 past moments of joy has been transformational to how I greet each day. The more I practice this exercise, the quicker my body defaults to those feelings of appreciation and happiness. You cannot feel anger, fear, and gratitude at the same time. It’s such a small practice to put in place yet the ramifications to my well-being are enormous.

Am I ignoring the difficulties around me? Not at all. I’m just making sure to create space and time for my own dreams simultaneously. Should I feel guilty for focusing on self-development when so many people are suffering? No. If I am feeling fulfilled and emotionally stable, I can give of myself to others much more easily and effectively. As I use skills to calm my body and mind, I am able to analyze the world and family news, think clearly, and make logical decisions. As I tap into my creative self, I know how to create outside-of-the-box opportunities, if the need arises. I am empowered to choose my response to challenges instead of feeling powerless and reactive.

Life is not always smooth sailing but I have the tools to create a ship from which I can ride the waves, enjoy the view, and feel grateful for the adventure.

If you’d like to learn more about these tools so that you can also choose your mindset, no matter what is being thrown at you or going on around you, reach out to me or check out coachingbydiana.com and changingmymindset.com. If you’d like to take an easy, powerful step right now, sign up for an in-person Dare to Dream Coaching/Vision Board Workshop.