September 26, 2023 • 22 mins
Join me in this episode as we dive into the power of optimism, the incredible outcomes it brings, and some real-life success stories. These nuggets have transformed how I approach success, goals, and life itself. Tune in!
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:02):
Hello, Hello, Hello, Welcome back to season two, Episode two
of the Gold Medal Mindset Podcast. I am so thrilled
to be here with you today. Oh my goodness, guys,
this is my third time trying to record this episode.
I just cannot get the sound right. So fingers crossed,
third chimes, the charm, and we got this today. Please.
(00:23):
So you may hear some airplanes, I'm going to try
and pause for them, but oh my goodness, they have
like I've had so many today, I don't know what's
going on. So anyway, without further ado, let's get into
it today. I am going to be sharing a topic
that is just so near and dear to my heart.
It has had a profound impact on my life journey
so far, and I have reaped these benefits from my
(00:46):
battle with cancer to achieving athletic success on snow, navigating
all the parts of motherhood, and speaking on these large stages.
And this topic has become the cornerstone of my daily
focus because without it, I know I would be successful,
and I would also be so deeply unhappy, regardless of
life's ups and downs. I've discovered that nurturing this mindset
(01:08):
has not only brought me happiness in the present, but
also paved a way for the future success. So what
is this magical element I'm talking about? And it's simply
cultivating a positive mindset. People often ask me how I
became successful, how I want my metals and achieved my goals,
and the answer is simple. I leaned into the success
(01:29):
mindset with optimism as the cornerstone. It's a mental state
that revolves around reaching our fullest potential with positivity in
our life where we are right now, while maintaining a
clear vision of our goals, consistently taking action towards them
in the present moment, and ultimately releasing the outcome. It
(01:50):
is so important to acknowledge that our feelings and our
beliefs about our goals directly impact our ability to achieve them.
I am all about helping you achieve yours. I mean
it's literally called gold metal mindset because I had goals
around gold medals and I reached them. And there is
really so much more that these tools to achievement and
(02:10):
these mindsets can help you accomplish that are not related
to your goals at all. One point I share in
my keynote speech is that it doesn't matter where you
end up in relation to your goals. What matters is
who you became in the process. I have had so
many goals in snowboarding where I wanted to win a
particular race because I had a belief it would dictate
(02:31):
my future success at the Paralympics. And when I didn't
win that particular race, I would have my eyes open
to the fact that one what I thought I had
control over in my life and my goals was completely misguided.
And two, in those moments of failure, I was able
to learn more about myself than when everything was going
to plan. And three I could see how easy it
(02:52):
was for me to be knocked out of my positive
mindset because I was only practicing it when times were good,
not during the times that it truly mattered when I
didn't reach the top of the podium in my goals.
See fostering your positive mindset, working on it daily is
only going to transform your personal development. It's going to
boost your confidence, your self worth, and your self esteem.
(03:13):
It not only allows us to celebrate our successes, but
it also helps us recognize them and even challenging times.
Many moments I fell short of my podium goals, I
was able to find areas to be proud of because
of this positive mindset. Maybe during that race I learned
a valuable lesson on sportsmanship or asking for help, or heck,
how to get better. It's no burning. Without being able
(03:34):
to see my bad days through the lens of positive
success mindset, I would have lost sight on the learning
experiences that propelled me forward. Not to mention, I was
able to still feel whole, happy, and enough in those
moments of letdown. I've noticed when I'm out of alignment
in my positivity and I'm caught in a negative spiral,
it becomes difficult to acknowledge and appreciate the good moments
(03:58):
that happened in my everyday life. We have more than
enough conditions to be happy, we just have to allow
ourselves to see it. So when I am in alignment
with my positive outlook, I can see and celebrate these
everyday moments, fostering my sense of gratitude, happiness, and pride.
Embracing a positive success mindset enables us to slow down
(04:20):
and appreciate where we are today while being excited about
our future endeavors. However, something to be mindful of is
like confidence. There's a potential dark side to this mindset,
which is arrogance. If we aren't careful about how we're
cultivating this mindset, we can fall into this arrogance trap.
See Arrogance stems from a lack of internal belief in
(04:41):
our worthiness, and it overcompensates by elevating ourselves above others. Similarly,
when we find ourselves proclaiming positivity and success without genuine alignment,
we risk projecting an image of self importance and missing
out on true happiness. That is why it's crucial to
(05:01):
strike a balance and avoid getting too caught up and
achieving goals at the expense of our well being, our relationships,
and our personal growth. Cultivating a success mindset should not
be a self centered pursuit, but rather an opportunity to
foster compassion, empathy, and happiness in all areas of our life.
During your development of this positive mindset, it's so important
(05:23):
to check in with yourself. Be mindful of how you're
feeling on the inside. Are you calm in your body
when you bring up these positive feelings? Is there a disconnect?
In twenty eighteen, after I won my first Paralympics, I
remember trying to foster that positivity in my achievements. I
would smile and show my metals to anyone who asked,
(05:45):
but deep down I felt unworthy, undeserving, unfulfilled. I had
this belief that my metals were going to fix my
self worth. I had this belief that in being a
gold medalist Paralympian, more doors would open for me. If
I just won these gold medals, I could feel happy.
If I just made one hundred thousand dollars, I could
feel happy if I could just be home with my
(06:06):
girls more, I could feel happy. I reached every single milestone,
surpassing them beyond anything I ever imagined, and I was
still unhappy. The truth is, if you're struggling to feel
happy on the inside, even when your external conditions are
eluding success, in conditions for happiness, there is deeper work
to be done. Positive mindset is easiest to cultivate when
(06:30):
your self esteem isn't broken down. If you're in this
deep unhappiness, I say this with such a tender heart,
it's time to enlist help. Find a therapist, a counselor
a healer or books that promote healing. There are resources
available if finances are too much of a stretch. But
you won't know until you allow yourself to confront the
(06:52):
uncomfortable and these moments. Don't go at it alone, please,
but please do take time to heal, because without healing,
you won't be able to live in this mindset and
this happiness, in this positivity, in this enoughness of the
present moment, which is where your fullest potential lives. There's
(07:12):
just so much feelings there of just remembering where I
was in twenty eighteen, twenty nineteen, even twenty twenty before
I had this major turnaround. Now, for those three years,
I was still working on my healing. I was with
a therapist. I was confronting a lot of this. But
healing takes time, takes patients, takes practice, and it takes
(07:33):
knowing that you can recover. Now, a positive mindset is
worked on alone, but it is built together through community.
I had just moved to Montana eight months ago. Yeah,
we love to hear, and I knew one person and
she lives about twenty minutes away from where I live,
and I really wanted Montana to feel like home. And
(07:54):
I knew that a way to feel like home was
staff community. So I began searching for like minded people.
The typical social climate of where I live isn't fully
aligned with who I am and my belief so I
knew it was going to take some work to find
my people, and to be honest, I am still working
on it. I believe the research is out there that
it takes about three years to fully immerse yourself in
a new environment when you move, and I can only
(08:16):
imagine it's longer if you're like me and you work
from home and you're not fully out in the work
environment or the community in different ways. So give yourself
patience if you're new to a community or if you're
just now starting to branch out. I knew that this
was going to take time, but I want it to
be intentional with where I spent my free time in
with who I was spending it with, and doing this
(08:38):
has helped me feel hopeful and optimistic and positive about
the present moment and knowing that I can reach those
goals of community. I joined a whole fitness class to
meet more women interested in getting in touch with their
feminine energy and sexuality and not being afraid to try
new things. And I joined Sanga, which is where I
can practice my meditation and learn from people on the
(08:58):
same path as me that are further ahead in their
meditation journey. I found a therapist who I can verbally
process with and feel less alone, and that did take
some time. I had to find someone that aligned with
my beliefs, and you have to sift through a lot
of therapists to find your own and just be mindful
of that and be ready. I've then joined a twelve
step program for my codependency that developed my traumatic childhood,
(09:21):
and in doing this, I've been able to connect with
other people who have overcome similar struggles and been able
to learn from them and gain knowledge and wisdom from
people within my own community. I'm at parents from my
daughter's school and allowed myself to extend a hand in
a hello. And my point that I'm trying to make
is when you free yourself from the pain through your healing,
when you allow yourself the opportunity to be in a
(09:42):
positive mindset, when you allow yourself to try new things
to meet new people, you may find yourself achieving your
goals in a path you least expected. I have had
some amazing connections both personally and professionally because I had
the confidence to put myself out there and a positive
mindset grants you those same advantages. As a disabled woman,
I have learned firsthand the other barriers to success. I
(10:05):
have learned how nurturing a supportive community, promoting inclusion, and
acknowledging the systemic barriers that exist in our society can
directly affect our happiness in those around us. While pursuing
a success mindset, we must be mindful of creating a
culture of blame and shame. Instead of attributing failure solely
to our own responsibilities or others, we need to consider
the systemic barriers and inequalities that may have influenced our journey.
(10:29):
This acknowledgment is not an excuse or a way out.
It's just a realistic understanding that societal factors such as racism, ableism,
or other biases can limit our opportunities for success, and
by recognizing these obstacles, we can be more creative and
compassionate in our approach and taking care of ourselves while
striving for our goals. I have had to allow myself
(10:49):
more time for self care, more time for moments of pause,
more compassion when I'm not achieving what I wish I
could achieve In twenty twenty one, I started the gold
Metal mindset, and shortly after at your Beginning, and all
the way into twenty twenty two, I had to stop.
See I was battling at the time for my right
to compete, and since the severity of my disability was
barring me from competition in the twenty twenty two Beisian Games.
(11:11):
This battle was a year long endeavor, full of emotional breakdowns, helplessness,
and hopelessness. All of my energy was spent on advocating
for my rights and the rights of other women snowboarders
who were being excluded right now in the future. The
little energy I had was spent on trying to refuel, rebuilt,
and relove myself. Because a fight like this can easily
make you feel unheard, unseen, unappreciated, and not enough. I
(11:34):
allowed myself to process, to heal, and to pause. It
would be so easy for me to beat myself up
for all that wasted times towards my business goals, but
instead I recognized this battle as not my fault. It
is not a reflection of me, and my needing to
take a break to heal was the best thing I
could have done, because without it, I would never have
had the energy, the passion, the confidence to restart. A
(11:56):
positive mindset is always present once it's cultivated. It just
looks different on everyone and in different seasons of your life.
Don't beat yourself up when your path looks different from
others or from what you envisioned. Some of us have
barriers that are systemically unfair. But with a mindset of success,
you're in a position to succeed in the face of adversity. Now,
(12:20):
if I have not convinced you enough how impactful positive
mindsets are, let's dive deeper into a power of positive
thinking supported by evidence based research. And studies have shown
that positive thinking enhances areas of your brain responsible for attention, planning,
and decision making, and it also elevates your mood and
can reduce symptoms of depression. And as somebody with diagnosies
of mental health struggles, I have seen firsthand how much
(12:43):
a positive mindset can alleviate those symptoms. And I want
to pause and say they are not depending on what
type of mental illnesses you have, are not a replacement
for medication, for therapy, and for whatever other needs that
you have. It just elevates what you were doing now remember,
if you're feeling a strong disconnect between your body and
(13:05):
your mind when it comes to that positivity, it may
be time to enlist more resources and help. One other
really cool thing about a positive mindset as it relates
to our bodies is it can impact your physical health.
I have a really cool story that exemplifies the power
of positivity on our physical health. Actually have many more,
but this one is backed by my doctor, so you'll
have to stay tuned for the others in future episodes.
(13:25):
When I was undergoing chemotherapy for bone cancer, my oncologists
strongly believed in the importance of maintaining a positive mindset.
While it was standard for patients at most hospitals to
receive chemotherapy in the hospital, which starts from the day
of infusion, after your infusions are finished, and sometimes even
longer for like making sure everything was okay, that can
(13:49):
take weeks sometimes, and my doctor believed that being home
with your family while doing infusions can promote greater chances
of survival so long as being whole promoted positivity, and
so we made the choice to do chemotherapy at home.
I had a backpack strapped to my back and full
of chemo, and my mom was my nurse and I
did infusions while eating doritos and binge watching movies. I
(14:12):
was able to do check ins at the hospital, so
I did go in for just making sure everything was
going well. But then I could just go home and
chill out and puke in my own toilet. Now, my
doctor all the way back in twenty ten, realized that
being in a comfortable and familiar environment would contribute to
my well being mentally, and in turn would increase my
chances of survival. And the effects of positive thinking extend
(14:35):
beyond bone cancer treatment. Research had seen it in breast
cancer patients who practice positive thinking they have better physical
and emotional well being and in some cases, just like me,
longer survival rates. And these findings demonstrate the tangible benefits
of cultivating a positive mindset not only for our mental wealth,
but are also physical health and overall quality of life.
(14:55):
Now you know, this is not a replacement for chemotherapy
and radiation. It's just to elevate the treatment that you're
already undergoing. Now you know, I love to provide tools
and tricks so that you can actually use them yourself
to cultivate this mindset. So how can we develop and
nurture a success mindset in our own lives and starts
with small daily habits. This is the lifestyle change, and
(15:16):
it's nearly impossible to do every single thing at once.
We are literally rewiring our brain. We are pulling ourselves
out of the comforts of the negative thinking that has
probably kept us safe for a very long time, but
we no longer need to hold on to. We are
getting out of those comforts that may feel like are
protecting you, but they are ultimately limiting you. The first
exercise is practicing gratitude. Look, we've all heard it, and
(15:38):
I also feel like a broken record, but many of
us aren't habitual with this yet. This exercise is so
simple yet incredibly powerful. By consciously acknowledging the things in
our lives that bring us happiness, we shift our focus
from what we lack to the abundance already present around us.
It grounds us in the present moment, and it fosters
(16:00):
a new perspective. You can incorporate gratitude in your daily routine,
whether it's in the morning whenever a negative thought arises,
or as part of your bedtime routine. Experiment and find
what works best for you. In my own family, we've
made gratitude a regular practice at the dinner table, and
each day we take turns sharing three things we're thankful for.
It's such a simple ritual and it has sparked such
(16:23):
meaningful conversation and brought us closer together and cultivated a
positive mindset within our home. And initially there was some resistance,
but now everyone appreciates and looks forward to this time
of reflection and connection. It has sparked so many interesting
stories that I don't think I would have been able
to pull out of my children if I had never
started this gratitude practice. And it has really been so amazing,
(16:46):
And we've been doing it now for almost a year.
And there are some nice that like, I don't initiate it.
I totally forget, and little Sloan, who's three years old, children,
let's do thankfuls, and it's so cute. And then we
all do our thankfuls. And some days are a little
bit easier than others. Some days everybody has something really
powerful to share, and then other days it's a little
more lazy. But regardless, just being in the habit of
sharing gratitude is so profound The second thing you're going
(17:10):
to start doing is surround yourself with positive people and influences.
Seek out individual to inspire and uplift you, and engage
in activities, read books or listen to podcasts that promote
positivity and personal growth, and immerse yourself in a positive environment,
and you'll start cultivating a mindset that aligns with your
goals and aspirations. I've recently had a moment of deep
(17:32):
gratitude this winter for the people I surround myself with.
When I'm snowboarding at competitions, emotions are so freaking high,
and there may be athletes that aren't acting sportsmanlike, or
maybe they're not upholding the integrity of sport, and it's
so easy for me to find myself spiking into feelings
of unjust and this will make me feel helpless and
then angry, and then more negative, and then more angry
(17:53):
and so on. And when I get into this negativity spiral,
not only is it not good for myself my performance,
but it's also not good for the people around me.
One of my teammates, Keith Gable, who knows how much
I care about positivity, happiness, and fulfillment, looked at me,
and he said quickly, say three things you're grateful for.
And once I said those three things, I immediately felt
the weightlifted off of me. And I looked at my
other teammates and competitors who were feeling the same way
(18:16):
that I was just moments earlier, and had them do
the same thing, and immediately we all felt at ease.
And while obviously this did not fix the unjust issues
that were going on, it did allow us to not
be consumed by it. We were able to move forward
in a way that aligned with the people that we
wanted to be and the people that we were. And
now when I find myself spiraling, I always turned to gratitude.
(18:36):
As a community, we can uplift one another, we can
be at peace, and we can foster a community of
positivity that we want in our lives. Had I had
never opened up to Keith about where I wanted to
be in life as a person, an athlete and a professional,
he may not have given me the task of gratitude
in that moment. But because we're friends and because we're
in a community, he was able to pull me back
(18:57):
into the person I aspired to be. And we don't
always get it right as sure don't. But it's being
able to get back in the moment when you notice
the disconnect that matters. Now. The third thing we're going
to do is you're going to practice challenging those negative
thoughts and reframing them into a more positive, empowering perspective.
Whenever you catch yourself thinking negatively, consciously reframe those thoughts
(19:17):
and focus on a more constructive and optimistic interpretation. This
process takes practice, it's gonna take patience, it's gonna take time,
but over time, you will rewire your mindset to naturally
lean towards positivity. The first key to this is awareness,
So take time to journal your thoughts, your feelings, and
moments of your day, and you'll start to notice key
(19:38):
themes in your thinking. And then you can find books
to help you recognize these patterns, you can go deeper
into overcoming them, and just by being aware of your
internal dialogue and slowly beginning to change how you talk
to yourself, you will have profound impact on your own
positivity in your own life, but also in others. Talk
(19:59):
to yourself as you would your child or your best friend.
We are all connected to what we say about ourselves,
and we can easily influence how others see themselves to
the next thing you're going to start doing is prioritizing
self care. Prioritize activities that promote your well being and
your mental health. And this work, this overcoming this negativity,
this working on a positive mindset. It's mental, it's exhausting,
(20:23):
it's work. So take care of yourself. It's a marathon,
not a sprint. It's a lifestyle, not a fad. Engage
in activities that bring you joy, such as exercising or mindfulness,
or meditation, or hobbies, or spending time and nature with
people that bring you peace. Whatever you have to give
that day, give it. Sometimes I have to wake up
(20:44):
earlier than I like to because I know that my day,
at my evenings are not going to have the time
I need to care for myself. Self care is not selfish.
Self care gives you moments to care for yourself so
that you can feel more at peace for caring for others.
When you are living in positivity and peace and happiness,
other people feed off of that energy. Self care helps
you find yourself, helps you find your present moment, and
(21:07):
it helps you see how you wish to spend your time.
Self care is the key to positivity in yourself and
in your life. If you took anything from this episode,
let it be this. A positive mindset is the key
to success in all areas of your life. It brings
happiness and fulfillment while paving the way for future achievements. Remember,
(21:29):
success is not only about individual achievements, but also about
fostering a sense of community, lifting others up, and contributing
to the well being of society as a whole. So
let's embark on this journey together and create a world
where a positive success mindset becomes the norm. I believe
in each and every one of you. I know that
you have the power to make change in your lives
(21:51):
and your community and ultimately in the world. Together, let's
go out there and make a difference. Thank you for
joining in on this episode of the Gold Metal Mindset
Podcast with me. Don't forget to subscribe, leave some stars,
share your thoughts in the comments section, or share with
someone you think could benefit from this episode. Until next time,
keep nurturing your success mindset and remember that your fullest
(22:13):
potential is well within reach. In the right here and
then the right now, You've got this and I will
see you in the next episode. Bye.
Hello, Hello, Hello, Welcome back to season two, Episode two
of the Gold Medal Mindset Podcast. I am so thrilled
to be here with you today. Oh my goodness, guys,
this is my third time trying to record this episode.
I just cannot get the sound right. So fingers crossed,
third chimes, the charm, and we got this today. Please.
(00:23):
So you may hear some airplanes, I'm going to try
and pause for them, but oh my goodness, they have
like I've had so many today, I don't know what's
going on. So anyway, without further ado, let's get into
it today. I am going to be sharing a topic
that is just so near and dear to my heart.
It has had a profound impact on my life journey
so far, and I have reaped these benefits from my
(00:46):
battle with cancer to achieving athletic success on snow, navigating
all the parts of motherhood, and speaking on these large stages.
And this topic has become the cornerstone of my daily
focus because without it, I know I would be successful,
and I would also be so deeply unhappy, regardless of
life's ups and downs. I've discovered that nurturing this mindset
(01:08):
has not only brought me happiness in the present, but
also paved a way for the future success. So what
is this magical element I'm talking about? And it's simply
cultivating a positive mindset. People often ask me how I
became successful, how I want my metals and achieved my goals,
and the answer is simple. I leaned into the success
(01:29):
mindset with optimism as the cornerstone. It's a mental state
that revolves around reaching our fullest potential with positivity in
our life where we are right now, while maintaining a
clear vision of our goals, consistently taking action towards them
in the present moment, and ultimately releasing the outcome. It
(01:50):
is so important to acknowledge that our feelings and our
beliefs about our goals directly impact our ability to achieve them.
I am all about helping you achieve yours. I mean
it's literally called gold metal mindset because I had goals
around gold medals and I reached them. And there is
really so much more that these tools to achievement and
(02:10):
these mindsets can help you accomplish that are not related
to your goals at all. One point I share in
my keynote speech is that it doesn't matter where you
end up in relation to your goals. What matters is
who you became in the process. I have had so
many goals in snowboarding where I wanted to win a
particular race because I had a belief it would dictate
(02:31):
my future success at the Paralympics. And when I didn't
win that particular race, I would have my eyes open
to the fact that one what I thought I had
control over in my life and my goals was completely misguided.
And two, in those moments of failure, I was able
to learn more about myself than when everything was going
to plan. And three I could see how easy it
(02:52):
was for me to be knocked out of my positive
mindset because I was only practicing it when times were good,
not during the times that it truly mattered when I
didn't reach the top of the podium in my goals.
See fostering your positive mindset, working on it daily is
only going to transform your personal development. It's going to
boost your confidence, your self worth, and your self esteem.
(03:13):
It not only allows us to celebrate our successes, but
it also helps us recognize them and even challenging times.
Many moments I fell short of my podium goals, I
was able to find areas to be proud of because
of this positive mindset. Maybe during that race I learned
a valuable lesson on sportsmanship or asking for help, or heck,
how to get better. It's no burning. Without being able
(03:34):
to see my bad days through the lens of positive
success mindset, I would have lost sight on the learning
experiences that propelled me forward. Not to mention, I was
able to still feel whole, happy, and enough in those
moments of letdown. I've noticed when I'm out of alignment
in my positivity and I'm caught in a negative spiral,
it becomes difficult to acknowledge and appreciate the good moments
(03:58):
that happened in my everyday life. We have more than
enough conditions to be happy, we just have to allow
ourselves to see it. So when I am in alignment
with my positive outlook, I can see and celebrate these
everyday moments, fostering my sense of gratitude, happiness, and pride.
Embracing a positive success mindset enables us to slow down
(04:20):
and appreciate where we are today while being excited about
our future endeavors. However, something to be mindful of is
like confidence. There's a potential dark side to this mindset,
which is arrogance. If we aren't careful about how we're
cultivating this mindset, we can fall into this arrogance trap.
See Arrogance stems from a lack of internal belief in
(04:41):
our worthiness, and it overcompensates by elevating ourselves above others. Similarly,
when we find ourselves proclaiming positivity and success without genuine alignment,
we risk projecting an image of self importance and missing
out on true happiness. That is why it's crucial to
(05:01):
strike a balance and avoid getting too caught up and
achieving goals at the expense of our well being, our relationships,
and our personal growth. Cultivating a success mindset should not
be a self centered pursuit, but rather an opportunity to
foster compassion, empathy, and happiness in all areas of our life.
During your development of this positive mindset, it's so important
(05:23):
to check in with yourself. Be mindful of how you're
feeling on the inside. Are you calm in your body
when you bring up these positive feelings? Is there a disconnect?
In twenty eighteen, after I won my first Paralympics, I
remember trying to foster that positivity in my achievements. I
would smile and show my metals to anyone who asked,
(05:45):
but deep down I felt unworthy, undeserving, unfulfilled. I had
this belief that my metals were going to fix my
self worth. I had this belief that in being a
gold medalist Paralympian, more doors would open for me. If
I just won these gold medals, I could feel happy.
If I just made one hundred thousand dollars, I could
feel happy if I could just be home with my
(06:06):
girls more, I could feel happy. I reached every single milestone,
surpassing them beyond anything I ever imagined, and I was
still unhappy. The truth is, if you're struggling to feel
happy on the inside, even when your external conditions are
eluding success, in conditions for happiness, there is deeper work
to be done. Positive mindset is easiest to cultivate when
(06:30):
your self esteem isn't broken down. If you're in this
deep unhappiness, I say this with such a tender heart,
it's time to enlist help. Find a therapist, a counselor
a healer or books that promote healing. There are resources
available if finances are too much of a stretch. But
you won't know until you allow yourself to confront the
(06:52):
uncomfortable and these moments. Don't go at it alone, please,
but please do take time to heal, because without healing,
you won't be able to live in this mindset and
this happiness, in this positivity, in this enoughness of the
present moment, which is where your fullest potential lives. There's
(07:12):
just so much feelings there of just remembering where I
was in twenty eighteen, twenty nineteen, even twenty twenty before
I had this major turnaround. Now, for those three years,
I was still working on my healing. I was with
a therapist. I was confronting a lot of this. But
healing takes time, takes patients, takes practice, and it takes
(07:33):
knowing that you can recover. Now, a positive mindset is
worked on alone, but it is built together through community.
I had just moved to Montana eight months ago. Yeah,
we love to hear, and I knew one person and
she lives about twenty minutes away from where I live,
and I really wanted Montana to feel like home. And
(07:54):
I knew that a way to feel like home was
staff community. So I began searching for like minded people.
The typical social climate of where I live isn't fully
aligned with who I am and my belief so I
knew it was going to take some work to find
my people, and to be honest, I am still working
on it. I believe the research is out there that
it takes about three years to fully immerse yourself in
a new environment when you move, and I can only
(08:16):
imagine it's longer if you're like me and you work
from home and you're not fully out in the work
environment or the community in different ways. So give yourself
patience if you're new to a community or if you're
just now starting to branch out. I knew that this
was going to take time, but I want it to
be intentional with where I spent my free time in
with who I was spending it with, and doing this
(08:38):
has helped me feel hopeful and optimistic and positive about
the present moment and knowing that I can reach those
goals of community. I joined a whole fitness class to
meet more women interested in getting in touch with their
feminine energy and sexuality and not being afraid to try
new things. And I joined Sanga, which is where I
can practice my meditation and learn from people on the
(08:58):
same path as me that are further ahead in their
meditation journey. I found a therapist who I can verbally
process with and feel less alone, and that did take
some time. I had to find someone that aligned with
my beliefs, and you have to sift through a lot
of therapists to find your own and just be mindful
of that and be ready. I've then joined a twelve
step program for my codependency that developed my traumatic childhood,
(09:21):
and in doing this, I've been able to connect with
other people who have overcome similar struggles and been able
to learn from them and gain knowledge and wisdom from
people within my own community. I'm at parents from my
daughter's school and allowed myself to extend a hand in
a hello. And my point that I'm trying to make
is when you free yourself from the pain through your healing,
when you allow yourself the opportunity to be in a
(09:42):
positive mindset, when you allow yourself to try new things
to meet new people, you may find yourself achieving your
goals in a path you least expected. I have had
some amazing connections both personally and professionally because I had
the confidence to put myself out there and a positive
mindset grants you those same advantages. As a disabled woman,
I have learned firsthand the other barriers to success. I
(10:05):
have learned how nurturing a supportive community, promoting inclusion, and
acknowledging the systemic barriers that exist in our society can
directly affect our happiness in those around us. While pursuing
a success mindset, we must be mindful of creating a
culture of blame and shame. Instead of attributing failure solely
to our own responsibilities or others, we need to consider
the systemic barriers and inequalities that may have influenced our journey.
(10:29):
This acknowledgment is not an excuse or a way out.
It's just a realistic understanding that societal factors such as racism, ableism,
or other biases can limit our opportunities for success, and
by recognizing these obstacles, we can be more creative and
compassionate in our approach and taking care of ourselves while
striving for our goals. I have had to allow myself
(10:49):
more time for self care, more time for moments of pause,
more compassion when I'm not achieving what I wish I
could achieve In twenty twenty one, I started the gold
Metal mindset, and shortly after at your Beginning, and all
the way into twenty twenty two, I had to stop.
See I was battling at the time for my right
to compete, and since the severity of my disability was
barring me from competition in the twenty twenty two Beisian Games.
(11:11):
This battle was a year long endeavor, full of emotional breakdowns, helplessness,
and hopelessness. All of my energy was spent on advocating
for my rights and the rights of other women snowboarders
who were being excluded right now in the future. The
little energy I had was spent on trying to refuel, rebuilt,
and relove myself. Because a fight like this can easily
make you feel unheard, unseen, unappreciated, and not enough. I
(11:34):
allowed myself to process, to heal, and to pause. It
would be so easy for me to beat myself up
for all that wasted times towards my business goals, but
instead I recognized this battle as not my fault. It
is not a reflection of me, and my needing to
take a break to heal was the best thing I
could have done, because without it, I would never have
had the energy, the passion, the confidence to restart. A
(11:56):
positive mindset is always present once it's cultivated. It just
looks different on everyone and in different seasons of your life.
Don't beat yourself up when your path looks different from
others or from what you envisioned. Some of us have
barriers that are systemically unfair. But with a mindset of success,
you're in a position to succeed in the face of adversity. Now,
(12:20):
if I have not convinced you enough how impactful positive
mindsets are, let's dive deeper into a power of positive
thinking supported by evidence based research. And studies have shown
that positive thinking enhances areas of your brain responsible for attention, planning,
and decision making, and it also elevates your mood and
can reduce symptoms of depression. And as somebody with diagnosies
of mental health struggles, I have seen firsthand how much
(12:43):
a positive mindset can alleviate those symptoms. And I want
to pause and say they are not depending on what
type of mental illnesses you have, are not a replacement
for medication, for therapy, and for whatever other needs that
you have. It just elevates what you were doing now remember,
if you're feeling a strong disconnect between your body and
(13:05):
your mind when it comes to that positivity, it may
be time to enlist more resources and help. One other
really cool thing about a positive mindset as it relates
to our bodies is it can impact your physical health.
I have a really cool story that exemplifies the power
of positivity on our physical health. Actually have many more,
but this one is backed by my doctor, so you'll
have to stay tuned for the others in future episodes.
(13:25):
When I was undergoing chemotherapy for bone cancer, my oncologists
strongly believed in the importance of maintaining a positive mindset.
While it was standard for patients at most hospitals to
receive chemotherapy in the hospital, which starts from the day
of infusion, after your infusions are finished, and sometimes even
longer for like making sure everything was okay, that can
(13:49):
take weeks sometimes, and my doctor believed that being home
with your family while doing infusions can promote greater chances
of survival so long as being whole promoted positivity, and
so we made the choice to do chemotherapy at home.
I had a backpack strapped to my back and full
of chemo, and my mom was my nurse and I
did infusions while eating doritos and binge watching movies. I
(14:12):
was able to do check ins at the hospital, so
I did go in for just making sure everything was
going well. But then I could just go home and
chill out and puke in my own toilet. Now, my
doctor all the way back in twenty ten, realized that
being in a comfortable and familiar environment would contribute to
my well being mentally, and in turn would increase my
chances of survival. And the effects of positive thinking extend
(14:35):
beyond bone cancer treatment. Research had seen it in breast
cancer patients who practice positive thinking they have better physical
and emotional well being and in some cases, just like me,
longer survival rates. And these findings demonstrate the tangible benefits
of cultivating a positive mindset not only for our mental wealth,
but are also physical health and overall quality of life.
(14:55):
Now you know, this is not a replacement for chemotherapy
and radiation. It's just to elevate the treatment that you're
already undergoing. Now you know, I love to provide tools
and tricks so that you can actually use them yourself
to cultivate this mindset. So how can we develop and
nurture a success mindset in our own lives and starts
with small daily habits. This is the lifestyle change, and
(15:16):
it's nearly impossible to do every single thing at once.
We are literally rewiring our brain. We are pulling ourselves
out of the comforts of the negative thinking that has
probably kept us safe for a very long time, but
we no longer need to hold on to. We are
getting out of those comforts that may feel like are
protecting you, but they are ultimately limiting you. The first
exercise is practicing gratitude. Look, we've all heard it, and
(15:38):
I also feel like a broken record, but many of
us aren't habitual with this yet. This exercise is so
simple yet incredibly powerful. By consciously acknowledging the things in
our lives that bring us happiness, we shift our focus
from what we lack to the abundance already present around us.
It grounds us in the present moment, and it fosters
(16:00):
a new perspective. You can incorporate gratitude in your daily routine,
whether it's in the morning whenever a negative thought arises,
or as part of your bedtime routine. Experiment and find
what works best for you. In my own family, we've
made gratitude a regular practice at the dinner table, and
each day we take turns sharing three things we're thankful for.
It's such a simple ritual and it has sparked such
(16:23):
meaningful conversation and brought us closer together and cultivated a
positive mindset within our home. And initially there was some resistance,
but now everyone appreciates and looks forward to this time
of reflection and connection. It has sparked so many interesting
stories that I don't think I would have been able
to pull out of my children if I had never
started this gratitude practice. And it has really been so amazing,
(16:46):
And we've been doing it now for almost a year.
And there are some nice that like, I don't initiate it.
I totally forget, and little Sloan, who's three years old, children,
let's do thankfuls, and it's so cute. And then we
all do our thankfuls. And some days are a little
bit easier than others. Some days everybody has something really
powerful to share, and then other days it's a little
more lazy. But regardless, just being in the habit of
sharing gratitude is so profound The second thing you're going
(17:10):
to start doing is surround yourself with positive people and influences.
Seek out individual to inspire and uplift you, and engage
in activities, read books or listen to podcasts that promote
positivity and personal growth, and immerse yourself in a positive environment,
and you'll start cultivating a mindset that aligns with your
goals and aspirations. I've recently had a moment of deep
(17:32):
gratitude this winter for the people I surround myself with.
When I'm snowboarding at competitions, emotions are so freaking high,
and there may be athletes that aren't acting sportsmanlike, or
maybe they're not upholding the integrity of sport, and it's
so easy for me to find myself spiking into feelings
of unjust and this will make me feel helpless and
then angry, and then more negative, and then more angry
(17:53):
and so on. And when I get into this negativity spiral,
not only is it not good for myself my performance,
but it's also not good for the people around me.
One of my teammates, Keith Gable, who knows how much
I care about positivity, happiness, and fulfillment, looked at me,
and he said quickly, say three things you're grateful for.
And once I said those three things, I immediately felt
the weightlifted off of me. And I looked at my
other teammates and competitors who were feeling the same way
(18:16):
that I was just moments earlier, and had them do
the same thing, and immediately we all felt at ease.
And while obviously this did not fix the unjust issues
that were going on, it did allow us to not
be consumed by it. We were able to move forward
in a way that aligned with the people that we
wanted to be and the people that we were. And
now when I find myself spiraling, I always turned to gratitude.
(18:36):
As a community, we can uplift one another, we can
be at peace, and we can foster a community of
positivity that we want in our lives. Had I had
never opened up to Keith about where I wanted to
be in life as a person, an athlete and a professional,
he may not have given me the task of gratitude
in that moment. But because we're friends and because we're
in a community, he was able to pull me back
(18:57):
into the person I aspired to be. And we don't
always get it right as sure don't. But it's being
able to get back in the moment when you notice
the disconnect that matters. Now. The third thing we're going
to do is you're going to practice challenging those negative
thoughts and reframing them into a more positive, empowering perspective.
Whenever you catch yourself thinking negatively, consciously reframe those thoughts
(19:17):
and focus on a more constructive and optimistic interpretation. This
process takes practice, it's gonna take patience, it's gonna take time,
but over time, you will rewire your mindset to naturally
lean towards positivity. The first key to this is awareness,
So take time to journal your thoughts, your feelings, and
moments of your day, and you'll start to notice key
(19:38):
themes in your thinking. And then you can find books
to help you recognize these patterns, you can go deeper
into overcoming them, and just by being aware of your
internal dialogue and slowly beginning to change how you talk
to yourself, you will have profound impact on your own
positivity in your own life, but also in others. Talk
(19:59):
to yourself as you would your child or your best friend.
We are all connected to what we say about ourselves,
and we can easily influence how others see themselves to
the next thing you're going to start doing is prioritizing
self care. Prioritize activities that promote your well being and
your mental health. And this work, this overcoming this negativity,
this working on a positive mindset. It's mental, it's exhausting,
(20:23):
it's work. So take care of yourself. It's a marathon,
not a sprint. It's a lifestyle, not a fad. Engage
in activities that bring you joy, such as exercising or mindfulness,
or meditation, or hobbies, or spending time and nature with
people that bring you peace. Whatever you have to give
that day, give it. Sometimes I have to wake up
(20:44):
earlier than I like to because I know that my day,
at my evenings are not going to have the time
I need to care for myself. Self care is not selfish.
Self care gives you moments to care for yourself so
that you can feel more at peace for caring for others.
When you are living in positivity and peace and happiness,
other people feed off of that energy. Self care helps
you find yourself, helps you find your present moment, and
(21:07):
it helps you see how you wish to spend your time.
Self care is the key to positivity in yourself and
in your life. If you took anything from this episode,
let it be this. A positive mindset is the key
to success in all areas of your life. It brings
happiness and fulfillment while paving the way for future achievements. Remember,
(21:29):
success is not only about individual achievements, but also about
fostering a sense of community, lifting others up, and contributing
to the well being of society as a whole. So
let's embark on this journey together and create a world
where a positive success mindset becomes the norm. I believe
in each and every one of you. I know that
you have the power to make change in your lives
(21:51):
and your community and ultimately in the world. Together, let's
go out there and make a difference. Thank you for
joining in on this episode of the Gold Metal Mindset
Podcast with me. Don't forget to subscribe, leave some stars,
share your thoughts in the comments section, or share with
someone you think could benefit from this episode. Until next time,
keep nurturing your success mindset and remember that your fullest
(22:13):
potential is well within reach. In the right here and
then the right now, You've got this and I will
see you in the next episode. Bye.
Host
Brenna Huckaby
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