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 flo

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

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

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 attac

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!

Hello and welcome to episode 293 of The Mindful Kind podcast.  In this episode, you'll learn about one of the key personality traits called agreeableness.  Not only will you learn about the benefits of agreeableness (including increased happiness), but you'll also discover how too much agreeableness might be holding you back. Below are the resources mentioned in this episode. Book: Be Who You Want by Christian Jarrett Book: The Mindful Kind by Rachael Kable Thank you so much for listening and I hope you have a wonderful week, Mindful Kind.

Hello and welcome to episode 292 of The Mindful Kind podcast.  In this episode, you'll discover the best goal-setting strategy I've come across this year; If-Then Plans! In the 1990s, psychologist Peter Gollwitzer found that people were more likely to achieve their goals when they created if-then plans (and further studies have confirmed this!). So, in this episode, I'll guide you to create your own if-then plans (including alternative if-then plans). Head over to www.rachaelkable.com/podcast/292 for more goal-setting resources I've created to help you reach your greatest dreams:)  Thank you so much for listening and I hope you have a wonderful week, Mindful Kind. 

Hello and welcome to episode 291 of The Mindful Kind podcast.  In this episode, you'll learn about The Illusion of Transparency - the tendency to greatly overestimate how much other people know your mental state.  Understanding The Illusion of Transparency can help you feel more confident, improve your communication skills, and strengthen your relationships.  Don't forget to head over to www.rachaelkable.com to sign up for my newsletter list! Thank you for listening and I hope you have a wonderful week, Mindful Kind.

Hello and welcome to episode 290 of The Mindful Kind podcast.  Last week, a friend of mine asked me to send her some kind words and reassurance and it got me thinking - maybe, you could use some, too! Tune into this episode if you've had a rough day or if you're feeling vulnerable and I'll tell you a few things that might be helpful.  Don't forget to head over to www.rachaelkable.com/podcast/290 to enrol in my mini-course, Self-Care For Busy People, for free! Thank you so much for listening and I hope you have a wonderful week, Mindful Kind. 

Hello and welcome to episode 289 of The Mindful Kind podcast.  One of my listeners recently asked me a great question - am I analysing myself too much? In this episode, you'll discover some of the signs that you might be analysing yourself (and others) too much. Plus, you'll hear four strategies to help you stop over-analysing, including: - How to take "The Gentle Approach" when it comes to personal development  - Using stress as a signal to slow down - Focusing on yourself more than you focus on other people - Prioritising fun! Don't forget to tune in to these episodes of The Mindful Kind: 281 (Stop fixing other people's problems so much) and 288 (A surprising stress management technique). Head over to www.rachaelkable.com/podcast/289 to grab your copy of A 5-Step Guide To A Happier, More Mindful Life.  Thank you so much for listening and I hope you have a wonderful week, Mindful Kind. 

Hello and welcome to episode 288 of The Mindful Kind podcast. In this episode, you'll learn about a helpful stress management technique called "Personal Thinking Time." Not only do I enjoy using this technique myself, but I often recommend it to my clients, as well.  Here are some tips for implementing Personal Thinking Time: Minimise distractions  Be open-minded. Some sessions might feel effortless and productive, while some might feel challenging or confronting Save your "over-active" thoughts for Personal Thinking Time Remember you can end your session whenever you want To find out more about working with me one-on-one via Skype, head over to www.rachaelkable.com/podcast/288  Thank you so much for listening and I hope you have a wonderful week, Mindful Kind.

Hello and welcome to episode 287 of The Mindful Kind podcast.  In this episode, you'll learn about The Ostrich Effect and how it can create stress in your life.  You'll also discover a challenge to start overcoming The Ostrich Effect! To complete the challenge, try to do the following: Identify a problem in your life you've been avoiding (it can be big or small) Write down all the potential actions you could take to deal with the problem Choose one action (or develop a plan of actions) and start implementing it Thank you so much for listening and I hope you have a wonderful week, Mindful Kind. 

Hello and welcome to episode 286 of The Mindful Kind podcast.  In this episode, you'll learn about discomfort and how it can increase gratitude, happiness, and life satisfaction. Here are the key take-aways: People who experience adversity are more likely to appreciate small pleasures (as long as their adversities are in the past) Too much of a good thing can become unpleasant Discomfort can lead to an increase in mindfulness and a decrease in stress The strategy I share for embracing more discomfort is to go outside your comfort zone and try new things, then allow yourself to process challenging emotions that might arise along the way. Head over to www.rachaelkable.com/podcast/286 to grab a free chapter of The Mindful Kind book, called "Exploring Outside Your Comfort Zone." Thank you so much for listening and I hope you have a wonderful week, Mindful Kind.

Hello and welcome to episode 285 of The Mindful Kind podcast. In this episode, you'll learn about some interesting research about enjoyable activities and how they can contribute to happiness. Here are some of the resources mentioned in the episode: Book: "Be Who You Want" by Christian Jarrett Study about enjoyable activities  Head over to www.rachaelkable.com/podcast/285 to grab your copy of "A Powerful 5-Step Guide to a Happier, More Mindful Life When it comes to engaging in enjoyable activities, don't forget that quality can be more important than quantity, be as mindful as you can (and avoid thinking about work), and try engaging in a variety of enjoyable activities, such as listening to music, reading books, catching up with relatives, and attending sports events. Thank you for listening and I hope you have a wonderful week, Mindful Kind.

Hello and welcome to episode 284 of The Mindful Kind podcast.  In this episode, you'll learn about The Spotlight Effect and how it can amplify feelings of self-consciousness. You'll also discover three strategies to help reduce the impact of The Spotlight Effect, including: Remind yourself about the real impacts of The Spotlight Effect Change your perspective by asking yourself, "Will this matter in 5 years?"  Take a look around and acknowledge that the majority of the people will be experiencing The Spotlight Effect, too, which means they're much more preoccupied with their own mistakes and flaws than paying attention to yours. Thank you to BetterHelp for sponsoring this episode of The Mindful Kind podcast. Head over to betterhelp.com/themindfulkind to receive 10% off your first month.  Thank you for listening and I hope you have a wonderful week, Mindful Kind.