The Mindful Kind

Hello and welcome to episode 303 of The Mindful Kind.

In this episode, you'll learn about my personal "emergency" self-care plan for times when I'm struggling with anxiety.

Please keep in mind that this plan is based on my own research and experiences and I highly recommend that you seek out good-quality support from a mental health professional to create your own plan.

Below are some of the key elements of my self-care plan for anxiety.

1: Minimise stress triggers as much as possible (keep in mind, this is only a short-term solution I use when I'm dealing with high anxiety)

2: Talk about my feelings with someone I trust or write them down somewhere private

3: Be aware of my unhelpful coping mechanisms and try not to engage in them. I try to make choices that might improve my mental wellbeing, not potentially cause further harm or pain

4: Create things to look forward to, like a catch up with a friend or a book arriving in the mail

5: Be prepared to ride the waves of anxiety, knowing that feelings ebb and flow

If you'd like to learn more about my experiences with mental health and being an over thinker, check out my free online workshop, 3 Secrets You Need to Know to Level Up With Mindfulness. You'll find the link at www.rachaelkable.com/podcast/303

Thanks so much for listening and I hope you have a wonderful week, Mindful Kind.

Hello and welcome to episode 302 of The Mindful Kind podcast.

In this episode, you'll discover the simple things I've been doing in my own life to help manage stress during a busy season of my life.

1: Meditation. I've particularly been enjoying sitting outside in the sunshine for a few minutes and practicing mindfulness.

2: Slow yoga classes at night-time (with most of the lights off for added coziness).

3: Listening to podcasts, including The Aubrey Marcus Podcast. You'll hear rich and authentic conversations between Aubrey Marcus and his brilliant variety of guests, including Layla Martin, Simon Sinek, and many more! Click here to check it out. Thank you to The Aubrey Marcus Podcast for sponsoring this episode of The Mindful Kind!

4: Asking for hugs and using self-soothing touch to help manage stress.

5: Mindful walking!

So, those are five things that have been helping me find calmness during an emotional and stressful time in my life. I hope you enjoy trying them out for yourself!

Thank you so much for listening and I hope you have a wonderful week, Mindful Kind.

Hello and welcome to episode 301 of The Mindful Kind podcast.

In this episode, I've shared some of the signs I tend to look for when I'm trying to decide if I'm able to trust someone. Please keep in mind that these signs are not fool-proof, nor are they always accurate!

These signs can simply be helpful guidelines when choosing how much to trust someone.

Sign 1: Trustworthy people often help others feel at ease - you won't be worried about them hurting you, shocking you, or being overly unpredictable.

Sign 2: A trustworthy person will tend to respect your boundaries and won't make you feel like you're not good enough. They'll show compassion, acceptance, and empathy.

Sign 3: Another sign that someone is trustworthy is that they won't be afraid to be vulnerable with you. However, they'll also take the time to build a strong relationship with you before they show you their vulnerabilities.

Sign 4: Someone who doesn't regularly break other people's trust is more likely to be trustworthy. While this might seem obvious, it can be important to keep this in mind!

Thank you so much for listening and I hope you have a wonderful week, Mindful Kind.

Hello and welcome to episode 300 of The Mindful Kind podcast!

To celebrate 300 episodes, I'll be sharing five of the best tips I've discovered over the last 6 years of podcasting to help you boost your wellbeing and enhance your life.

Below, you'll learn about these tips and find some additional resources you can explore! And head over to www.rachaelkable.com/podcast/300 to sign up for my free online workshop, 3 Secrets You Need to Know to Level Up With Mindfulness!

Tips for a meaningful life:

Tip 1. Be kind to yourself and develop your self-esteem. Here are some resources to help you get started:

- Self-compassionate activities for a difficult day

- Self-compassion meditation album

- Self-compassion exercises by Dr Kristin Neff

Tip 2. Manage stress in ways that feel effective for you! Check out:

- 15 micro-improvements to help you manage stress

- A daily stress management plan

- Book: "The Stress-Proof Brain" by Melanie Greenberg

Tip 3. Nurture the positive relationships in your life. Learn about your attachment style, how to improve your communication, how to be an empathic friend... There are so many ways to nurture your relationships!

Tip 4. Prioritise positive habits and look after your health. Some of my favourite positive habits include eating mindfully, drinking plenty of water, journaling, and getting enough sleep.

Tip 5. Develop a consistent mindfulness practice. Head over to www.rachaelkable.com/podcast/300 to sign up for my free online workshop, 3 Secrets You Need to Know to Level Up With Mindfulness!

Thank you so much for listening and I hope you have a wonderful week, Mindful Kind.

Hello and welcome to episode 299 of The Mindful Kind podcast.

In this episode, you'll discover some strategies for dealing with disappointment, including:

- acknowledging and tolerating your feelings of disappointment

- remembering that disappointment shows you care about something

- identifying cognitive distortions, like rosy retrospection and overgeneralisation

- talking about your disappointment

- manage your expectations

Thank you so much for listening and I hope you have a wonderful week, Mindful Kind.

Hello and welcome to episode 298 of The Mindful Kind podcast.

In this episode, you'll discover an interesting concept that involves assuming the best in some situations. Please keep in mind that assuming the best won't be appropriate for every situation, so please use your best judgement!

There are three great things that can happen when you try to assume the best:

1: You might feel more compassionate towards other people

2: You'll feel more hopeful about the future

3: You'll have more confidence in yourself when you're trying new things

Thank you so much for listening and I hope you have a wonderful week, Mindful Kind.

Hello and welcome to episode 297 of The Mindful Kind podcast.

In this episode, you'll learn about toxic positivity and how you can protect yourself from it. Please keep in mind that toxic positivity can be a complicated issue and there might not always be a "black and white" solution.

Here are some strategies for protecting yourself from toxic positivity:

• Don't blame yourself if someone says you're not "happy enough." You might like to remove yourself from the situation and take some time to process your feelings where you feel safe.
• Use a self-soothing strategy, like soothing touch or a self-compassionate affirmation.
• Honour your emotions and needs.

Don't forget to subscribe to The Mindful Kind podcast so you won't miss any future episodes!

Thank you so much for listening and I hope you have a wonderful week, Mindful Kind.

Hello and welcome to episode 296 of The Mindful Kind podcast.

In this episode, you'll learn about some practical strategies to help you be more optimistic during difficult times.

To understand optimism a little more, be sure to check out episode 114 of The Mindful Kind, "Outlooks on Life: Optimism."

Please keep in mind that you don't have to feel happy in order to be optimistic!

Below are three strategies to help you be more optimistic during difficult times:

1: Identify the loudest negative thought and gently challenge it (then focus your attention on a more optimistic thought)

2: Practice gratitude or observing your strengths during difficult times

3: Take empowered action. Choose one small thing you can do to help make the difficult situation a little better

Thank you so much for listening and I hope you have a wonderful week, Mindful Kind.

Hello and welcome to episode 295 of The Mindful Kind podcast.

In this episode, you'll learn about an "assertiveness hangover" - a concept inspired by a recent session with a wonderful client.

An assertiveness hangover can occur after you clearly implement your boundaries, but then feeling guilty or worried about them.

If you'd like to learn more about assertiveness, read chapter 15 of The Mindful Kind book and listen to episode 102 of The Mindful Kind podcast.

Here are 3 steps for dealing with an assertiveness hangover:

1: Reassure yourself and commend yourself for being assertive.

2: Feel your emotions (eg guilt or worry) without reacting to them.

3: Keep being assertive! Watch out for the benefits of it and keep building your skills.

To find out more about working with me via Skype, head over to www.rachaelkable.com/podcast/295.

Thank you so much for listening and I hope you have a wonderful week, Mindful Kind.

Hello and welcome to episode 294 of The Mindful Kind podcast!

In this episode, you'll learn more about kindness and how it can be beneficial for you and the people around you.

You'll also learn a specific way you can be more kind this week (or anytime, really!) - by using kind statements.

Here are the statements you could use to offer kindness to someone else:

1: I really admire the way you... (insert what you admire)

2: You brightened my day because... (insert why they brightened your day)

3: It's awesome spending time with you

4: I'm here for you if you need me

5: You're doing really well

Good luck trying these out:)

Thank you so much for listening and I hope you have a wonderful week, Mindful Kind!