When I was a lower school division head, a dear colleague and I used to teach a class called “Stories and Songs” to the youngest grade levels. It was a highlight of my week. We would choose a theme connected to the social-emotional curriculum, visit the early childhood classrooms, and—you guessed it—read a story and sing a song with the children. The structure was simple, but the topics were significant. Love, loneliness, friendship, and anger; we explored all these complex human topics with our small friends through the richness of children’s literature and music.
One of the books I remember most fondly was Courage by Bernard Waber. It explored small and large acts of bravery and reminded us to appreciate ourselves for the progress that we make toward our goals.
Last Week’s Workshop
I thought of the cover of this book last week when I presented a workshop at Annie’s Blue Ribbon, a most wonderful gift store in Park Slope. The topic of the workshop was “Building Powerful Habits for a Positive Mind,” and it served as an introduction to mental fitness, which is our ability to respond to life challenges with a positive rather than a negative mindset.
It was really a lovely evening, spent in the company of participants who were willing to wade into what can feel like quite uncomfortable waters: looking at the nature of our typical stress responses so that we can recognize those patterns when they emerge (inevitably!) in our day-to-day lives.
By noticing how we react to stress and then intercepting these habits, we can help ourselves shift to a clearer-headed, more positive response.
However, doing this consistently is hard work and requires considerable courage to begin. In fact, that’s exactly what one of the participants said:
“This workshop is all about what I don’t want to do, but I know deeply it’s what I need to do.”
💭 When We Don’t Know How to Begin
That comment has stayed with me because it’s so genuine. Most of us know we need practices that reduce our stress and support our well-being. Yet putting them into practice consistently can feel overwhelming.
A recent Harvard Business Review article on self-care for leaders identifies some of the barriers:
- We’re socialized to prioritize others over ourselves
- Organizational cultures value “strength and heroism” over vulnerability
- We often cite a lack of time
- Sometimes we don’t know where to start
The article emphasizes that before we can change our behavior, we need to change our mindset. We need to give ourselves permission to meet ourselves where we are and to avoid all-or-nothing thinking. The key is making small and steady progress, rather than aiming for perfection.
Seven Weeks of Progress
If you’re feeling that familiar “I know I need this, but don’t know how to begin,” I invite you to learn more about the Positive Intelligence program I facilitate.
It’s a seven-week experience specifically designed to help you establish self-care practices that fit into your daily routine. It combines:
- Daily 15-minute practice
- Weekly one-hour videos
- 30-minute small-group coaching sessions
In all, it’s a small commitment that yields profound results. I’d be happy to chat if you’re wondering whether it might be a good fit for you.
☀️ Try This Today
In the meantime, here’s a simple practice: Notice your inner weather report. Throughout your day, observe your emotions and label them as:
- Positive (peace, gratitude, curiosity)
- Negative (stress, anxiety, frustration)
- Neutral (no emotional charge)
Just noticing—without judgment—allows you to discover how much mental energy you’re spending and strengthens your ability to choose your response.
It’s a small act of courage. And those add up.
