The Mindful Kind

Hello and welcome to episode 243 of The Mindful Kind podcast.  In this episode, you'll learn why exciting changes and experiences don't necessarily lead to long-term happiness thanks to a theory called the "hedonic treadmill."  However, I've also found some strategies that can enhance long-term happiness, including:  Knowing that material things don't always create real happiness Engaging in regular self-care Trying to accept that all emotions are temporary Practicing mindfulness and gratitude And, you'll hear some exciting news about two courses I've created, including a free online self-care mini-course and an amazing mindfulness online course! My newsletter subscribers will be the first to hear when the courses launch, so make sure you're signed up at rachaelkable.com/subscribe.  Thank you so much for listening and I hope you have a wonderful week, Mindful Kind!

Hello and welcome to episode 242 of The Mindful Kind podcast.  In this episode, I've shared 5 important choices I've made over the years to help myself heal from painful experiences and grow in meaningful ways.  Those choices include: Taking responsibility for my actions Not setting unrealistic goals Learning from books, online courses, and podcasts Setting and enforcing boundaries that protect my energy Re-framing limiting thoughts To read the written version of this episode, click here to find it on Medium.  Be sure to check out my website at rachaelkable.com to discover more mindfulness, self-care, and stress management resources! Thank you so much for listening and I hope you have a wonderful week, Mindful Kind. 

Hello and welcome to episode 241 of The Mindful Kind podcast.  In this episode, you'll discover what rumination is, why you might engage in rumination, and five strategies to help you deal with rumination, including: Identifying meaningful and productive steps you could take to move forward Practicing mindfulness Cultivating your confidence Talking about your thoughts (be sure to check out BetterHelp at trybetterhelp.com/themindfulkind for professional online counselling) Find constructive distractions You can also read the written version of this article on Medium here.  Thank you so much for listening and I hope you have a wonderful week, Mindful Kind. 

Hello and welcome to episode 240 of The Mindful Kind podcast.  In this episode, you'll discover why anger isn't a "bad" thing and the differences between anger and aggression. You'll also hear three ways to help you process anger, including: Identifying and validating your emotions Taking an "anger rain check" Tapping into empathy If you'd like to read the article version of this episode, click here.  You can also get your copy of my Relaxation Meditation Album here.  Thank you so much for listening and I hope you have a great week, Mindful Kind. 

Hello and welcome to episode 239 of The Mindful Kind podcast. In this episode, you'll learn about some common cognitive errors your mind can make. These errors include: 1: Remembering things incorrectly 2: Taking shortcuts that don't result in accurate opinions or good decisions 3: Conforming unnecessarily  I hope you enjoy learning more about these mistakes your mind can make, but remember your mind is still incredibly powerful! Thank you so much for listening and I hope you have a wonderful week, Mindful Kind.   

Hello and welcome to episode 238 of The Mindful Kind podcast. In this episode, you'll hear about minor frustrations that can appear in everyday life, and how to reduce their impact.  Strategies to reduce daily minor frustrations include: 1: Be proactive and eliminate frustrations early 2: Communicate well with others to compromise and solve frustrations 3: Use mindfulness so frustrations don't sap additional time and energy (don't forget to head to www.rachaelkable.com to find out more about mindfulness!) 4: Give yourself meaningful rewards when dealing with frustrations Thank you so much for listening and I hope you have a wonderful week, Mindful Kind.   

Hello and welcome to episode 237 of The Mindful Kind podcast.  In this episode, you'll discover four ways to start the morning with positive energy, including: Go outside and enjoy the sunshine or fresh air Set a purposeful intention for the day ahead by asking "What is one thing I'd really love to achieve today?" Engage in self-care first thing in the morning Practice the "Don't Know Mind" meditation Here are the resources mentioned in the episode: The Mindful Kind book on The Book Depository Medium article: Stop Checking Your Phone First Thing in The Morning - Try This Meditation, Instead Good Morning Meditation Album Thank you so much for listening and I hope you have a wonderful week, Mindful Kind. 

Hello and welcome to episode 236 of The Mindful Kind podcast.  In this episode, you'll hear about three ways to cope when loved ones trigger strong emotions, like anger and frustration.  If you'd like more support when dealing with challenging relationships, be sure to check out trybetterhelp.com/themindfulkind Here are the three strategies mentioned in the episode: - Observe what you can learn from your loved one about yourself (based on the quote by Teal Swan: "The people who trigger us to feel negative emotion are messengers. They are messengers for the unhealed parts of our being.") - Practice the loving-kindness meditation - Engage in self-care You can also tune in to episode 87 for more ideas! Thank you for listening and take care, Mindful Kind.     

Hello and welcome to episode 235 of The Mindful Kind podcast. In this episode, I've shared The Best-Case Scenario Method, which is all about cultivating more hope and positivity.  Here are the steps for implementing The Best-Case Scenario yourself:  Notice when a challenge or problem arises in your life Observe non-judgementally if your mind starts to focus on negative thoughts Ask yourself, "What is the best-case scenario?" and spend some time imagining it Ask yourself, "What is one thing I can start doing today to move closer to the best-case scenario?" (And then do it!) The resources mentioned in this episode include: - The VIA Character Strengths Test: https://www.viacharacter.org/ - 2020 study about hope - My Medium article about catastrophizing  - Episode 203 of The Mindful Kind: Self-Fulfilling Prophecies - My website: www.rachaelkable.com  Thank you so much for listening and I hope you have a wonderful week, Mindful Kind.       

Hello and welcome to episode 234 of The Mindful Kind podcast.  In this episode, you'll discover some positive things that have happened for the people in my community during COVID-19.  This episode isn't about pretending that devastating things haven't happened, but more about highlighting the potential for good things to occur (even when times are tough).  You'll hear a variety of different stories that fall under these main categories: More time for self-care Reconnecting with loved ones Negative things that turned out to be for the best More gratitude for little things in life I also mentioned a podcast episode called Learned Hopefulness by Cory Muscara on his podcast, Practicing Human. Here is the link.  Be sure to find me on Instagram @rachaelkable to stay up to date:)  Thank you so much for listening and take care, Mindful Kind. 

Hello and welcome to episode 233 of The Mindful Kind podcast.  In this episode, I've shared five self-care activities I've been using lately to feel supported and process challenging emotions. These self-care activities include: Reading a non-fiction book for 30 minutes and taking notes Learning sign language Personal thinking time Being self-compassionate and focusing on personal growth Finding healthy ways to process (and express) emotions Thank you so much for listening and I hope you have a wonderful week, Mindful Kind. 

Hello and welcome to episode 232 of The Mindful Kind podcast.  In this episode, you'll learn five micro-improvements that can help you manage stress. A micro-improvement is a small change you can implement into your life. The idea is to become "just 1% better than yesterday." Here are the micro-improvements in the episode: 1: Start each day with a mindfulness technique, like placing a hand on your chest and feeling your breath moving in and out of your body 2: Do  a regular social media detox 3: Get a dose of natural light 4: Take "personal thinking time" each day to give yourself space to observe and process thoughts and feelings 5: Write down one positive memory from each day Head over to my blog to read the full article about 15 micro-improvements to help you manage stress: https://www.rachaelkable.com/blog/micro-imporovements-to-manage-stress Thank you so much for listening and I hope you have a wonderful week, Mindful Kind. 

Hello and welcome to episode 231 of The Mindful Kind podcast.  In this episode, you'll discover 5 powerful ways to improve your relationships, including: Believe the best of the people you love Give sincere compliments Solve problems together Honour someone's love language (listen to episode 197 of The Mindful Kind to learn more about love languages) Turn positive interactions into habits Head over to www.rachaelkable.com/podcast/231 to grab my free Mindful Communication Guide. I hope you enjoy it! Thank you for listening and take care, Mindful Kind. 

Hello and welcome to episode 230 of The Mindful Kind podcast.  In this episode, you'll discover 6 signs that you might be self-sabotaging your mental health. You can also hear more about self-sabotage on the following episodes:  85: Goals and overcoming self-sabotage 196: Self-care versus self-sabotage Below are some of the signs that you might be self-sabotaging your mental health: You seek perfection and criticise yourself for anything less You deny yourself time to relax and engage in self-care You give up on your goals, rather than modifying them You don't prioritise your mental health You engage in unhelpful coping mechanisms, even when you know they aren't good for you You avoid asking for support If you'd like to work with a counsellor to further strengthen your mental health, you might like to try BetterHelp. Through BetterHelp, you'll be matched with a counsellor and you can chat with them via message, calls, or video. To receive 10% off your first month, head to trybetterhelp.com/themindfulkind Pl

Hello and welcome to episode 229 of The Mindful Kind podcast.  In this episode, you'll learn what compassion fatigue is, what the early warning signs can be, and potential ways to deal with compassion fatigue.  Here are some strategies to help you deal with compassion fatigue: Seek good support Look after your mental and physical wellbeing Set clear boundaries around news, social media, and other people Engage in self-compassionate (and meaningful) activities. I've written more about comforting self-care activities here: https://www.rachaelkable.com/blog/self-care-for-uncertain-times Be sure to check out my book, The Mindful Kind, for more tips about mindful social media, self-care, and mindfulness! I hope you have a wonderful week, Mindful Kind. 

Hello and welcome to episode 228 of The Mindful Kind podcast.  In this episode, you'll hear about four mindsets that can help you achieve success.  Here is my article on Medium called "7 Effective Questions to Help You Achieve Real Success".  Below are the four mindsets to help you achieve success: 1: "I'm willing to learn and try new things" 2: "Mistakes are NOT failures" 3: "I won't give up" 4: "I deserve success" If negative self-talk and low self-worth are obstacles on your path to success, I'd love to help you overcome them. I'm now taking a limited number of one-on-one clients for The Mindful Kind Coaching and you can find out more here: rachaelkable.com/podcast/228  Thank you so much for listening and I hope you have a wonderful week, Mindful Kind. 

Hello and welcome to episode 227 of The Mindful Kind podcast.  In this episode, you'll discover 3 mental health lessons I learned from my psychologist. You'll also hear about some of my personal experiences with mental health and and why working with a psychologist has been really helpful for me.  Mental health lessons I learned from my psychologist: 1: It's ok to grieve for things you lost or missed out on. 2: Avoiding anxiety often makes it seem scarier than it is.  3: You don't need to take responsibility for other people's actions and feelings.  If you'd like to find a supportive mental health professional yourself, I highly recommend BetterHelp. You can receive 10% off your first month of BetterHelp at: trybetterhelp.com/themindfulkind * *Please note this is an affiliate link and if you sign up via my link, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. I only promote things I truly believe in and I’ve been using BetterHelp myself for over a month and had great experiences with it! My counsellor is

Hello and welcome to episode 226 of The Mindful Kind podcast.  After running out of coffee recently, I decided to experiment with other strategies to help boost energy. After trying them all out during the day, I gave each strategy at rating out of 10 so you can easily see what worked the best.  I also started the day by listening to my Good Morning Meditation Album, which you can find here: https://www.rachaelkable.com/good-morning-album Below are the strategies I used to increase my energy: Strategy 1: Spend time outside in the sunshine and fresh air (rating: 8/10) Strategy 2: Snack on healthy foods, like almonds and oranges (rating: 7/10) Strategy 3: Moderate exercise (rating: 8/10) Strategy 4: Cold shower (rating: 5/10) Strategy 5: Do something fun when your energy dips (rating: 10/10) I hope you enjoy trying these strategies out for yourself! Thank you for listening and take care, Mindful Kind. 

Hello and welcome to episode 225 of The Mindful Kind podcast! In this episode, you'll find out 3 effective strategies to help you become more mentally strong.  Also, be sure to listen all the way to the end of the episode to find out 3 things you might not know about me! I've been hearing from many new listeners recently, so I thought it was a great time for a little introduction.  The 3 strategies to become more mentally strong include: Focus on things you can control Engage in meaningful or positive coping mechanisms Honour your emotional needs, but also honour logic Be sure to head over to www.rachaelkable.com/podcast/225 to grab a copy of my Self-Compassion Meditation Album and find the link to my full article: 7 Strategies to Help You Be Mentally Strong During Tough Times.  Here is the Myer Briggs Personality Test: https://www.16personalities.com/free-personality-test Thank you so much for listening and take care, Mindful Kind. 

Hello and welcome to episode 224 of The Mindful Kind podcast.  Since I've been working from home for the majority of the last 2 years, I thought I'd share some effective productivity tips to help you stay on track (and still have plenty of time to relax!).  Tip 1: Start working at the same time each day after finishing your morning routine Tip 2: Minimise distractions (like music and the tv)  Tip 3: When motivation disappears, take three deep breaths and persevere for 10 minutes. If this doesn't help, move on to Tip 4 Tip 4: Have a list of important things to do (other than work). When you get really stuck on work tasks, do something from the list and then return to your work  Tip 5: Complete at least three work tasks each day (even if they're just small tasks. I use Trello for time management and I learned some great strategies from Matt East's book, The Purposeful Planning Method  Tip 6: Take regular mindful breaks Tip 7: Be self-compassionate, give yourself time to adjust, and reward yourself for your eff