Prioritize listening to your inner self, breathing deeply, and focusing on what you truly want to do and how you want to feel, rather than solely relying on external advice.
Regularly create solitude in your life, such as through a morning routine, to reflect on your life, understand what you want, and identify your core values.
Instead of focusing solely on external goals, identify how you want to feel (e.g., confident, vibrant, happy) and let these desired feelings guide your choices of activities, jobs, and relationships.
Develop a strong sense of self and identity outside of your professional achievements, nurturing relationships and practices like yoga, breathwork, and journaling to define who you are as a person.
Actively tell yourself ‘I can trust myself’ multiple times a day, placing a hand on your chest, to build inner confidence and rely on your instincts during challenging times.
Adopt a mindset that views difficult or negative situations as lessons or challenges from which to learn, actively seeking ways to turn them into something positive.
For difficult decisions, write each option on a separate piece of paper, place them on the floor, and physically step on each one, fully embracing and feeling the emotions associated with that choice to gain clarity.
Develop the skill to trust your instinct and allow yourself to turn around or pull out of commitments, even if made in advance, if a situation doesn’t feel right, and understand the reasons why.
Identify and commit to morning routines, such as yoga, that help you feel grounded and prepared to be fully present and effective when needed throughout the day.
Establish a morning routine where you delay turning on your phone until after completing personal practices like yoga, breathwork, journaling, and breakfast, to prioritize inward reflection and prevent external influences from dictating your day’s start.
During busy periods, intentionally use ‘in-between’ moments (e.g., in a car, elevator, or walking) to tap in and be present, rather than filling them with phone use or other distractions that can lead to burnout.
Learn to strategically manage your nervous system by using tools to calm down during periods of waiting or delay, and then having specific techniques (like a different playlist or breathwork) to ’turn on’ when it’s time to perform.
Prioritize mental training to build self-trust and belief in your abilities, especially in critical moments, allowing your instincts to guide you when quick decisions are needed.
Regularly expose yourself to situations that evoke fear or nervousness and practice dealing with these feelings, associating them with excitement and presence to improve performance.
When facing a daunting task, break it down into smaller parts, focusing on the sections where you feel confident and then strategizing how to make the scary 5% feel easier or less intimidating.
Develop strategies and tools to recognize when you feel out of balance, nervous, or scared, then identify what specifically is causing the fear and work to make it less intimidating.
Instead of focusing on the dangers or negative aspects of a challenging situation, try to reframe nervousness as excitement about performing well to improve your performance.
Practice slow, conscious breathing, feeling the breath down to your chest and stomach and exhaling through your nose, to calm yourself and connect with your body.
When waiting in high-pressure situations, use happy, story-filled music to block out distractions and evoke gratitude, combined with slow breathing, to stay calm and happy.
Engage in yoga practice, especially if you struggle to sit still, as it can provide mental relief, calmness, and equip you with breathing techniques to make better decisions in stressful situations.
Intentionally force yourself to do one thing at a time, such as putting away your phone while working, to cultivate presence and access a ‘flow zone’ in various aspects of life.
Actively decide to give yourself space in your daily schedule to allow your mind to wander and foster creativity, as a packed schedule can hinder this.
When evaluating your performance or experiences, focus on ‘what was good and what can be better’ and ‘what did I learn from this,’ rather than dwelling on what was bad or feeling shame.
Engage in regular physical exercise to raise your heart rate and practice the body’s stress response, developing self-awareness to differentiate between physical exertion and anxiety.
When facing many unknowns or stressful environments, actively create routines and bring familiar items (e.g., specific foods, yoga mat, journal) to establish a sense of home and balance, helping to manage stress.
Adjust your diet according to the seasons, eating lighter foods like salads in summer and warming foods like soups and stews in winter, to stay in harmony with nature and maintain balance.
Understand and respect your personal safety limits, prioritizing safety and fun over extreme performance, especially in dangerous environments, even if others have different needs.
After a scary or challenging experience, re-engage with the activity as soon as safely possible to prevent fear from setting in and becoming a larger mental barrier.
In high-risk or challenging situations, ensure you are surrounded by people you trust, who have experience and knowledge, and who can actively support and help you.
Actively make decisions and take steps that align with your long-term vision, such as attending industry events to meet people and put your name out there, even if it means sacrificing immediate comfort.
If you find yourself in a situation where you are unhappy, have the courage to take a hard look and actively choose a different path, recognizing that it’s often possible to make different decisions.
Actively choose to reframe every moment and action in your life to find meaning and purpose, rather than waiting to discover one grand overarching purpose.
Embrace activities that allow you to live to your fullest potential and feel in balance, even if they involve risk, as this can deepen appreciation for life and honor those who have passed.
Leverage your personal story, accomplishments, and struggles to inspire others to pursue their own dreams and find their purpose.
If you feel drained, unmotivated, or unhappy in your current pursuit, allow yourself to take a break, even if it means temporarily letting go of a long-held dream, to regain passion and energy.
If your passion becomes a source of stress, take time to engage with it in ways that bring back the original joy and adventure, reminding you why you started in the first place.
If feeling too nervous, take a moment to stop, get back into your zone, and feel your confidence before proceeding with a task, as excessive nerves can negatively impact performance.
Dedicate five minutes each morning to write down what you’re grateful for and excited about, and repeat affirmations that embody how you want to feel, to cultivate a positive mindset.
Understand your deepest motivations and the core feelings (e.g., presence, excitement, flow) that drive you, as this internal compass helps guide your decisions and actions.
Actively make decisions to give yourself space and freedom in your schedule to allow for creative expression and to pursue activities that enable you to move freely and explore.