Unwind Your Mind

Negative emotions at work can feel uncomfortable, inconvenient… and something we just want to get rid of as quickly as possible. Especially when you care about doing a good job.   In those moments, it's easy to fall into the pattern of overthinking, self-criticism, and trying to "snap out of it" by forcing yourself to be positive.   But if you've ever tried to jump straight from frustration or guilt to "it's fine, everything's fine"… you'll know it doesn't actually work.   In this episode of Unwind Your Mind, we unpack a more effective way to move through negative emotions at work, without bypassing them or getting stuck in them.   I share a real example of misaligned expectations at work and walk you through what it looks like to meet yourself where you're at, process what's coming up, and move forward with clarity and self-leadership.   If you've ever been hard on yourself after making a mistake, or felt the pressure to "stay positive" when you don't actually feel that way, this episode will help you approach those moments differently.   HERE ARE 3 KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE:   1️⃣ You don't need to jump from negative emotions to positivity, aim for neutral first. Trying to force positive thinking creates resistance. Moving towards a slightly better-feeling, more believable thought is what actually creates momentum.   2️⃣ Processing emotions requires allowing them, not avoiding them. When you pause, name what you're feeling and give it space, it begins to move. When you resist it, it tends to linger and show up elsewhere.   3️⃣ Clarity creates self-leadership. When you move from "I feel bad" to understanding what specifically is upsetting you, you can shift from self-judgement into learning, ownership, and intentional action.   MORE FROM ME:   📰 Get my Weekly Newsletter 🔗 Connect on LinkedIn 📸 Follow on Instagram or Facebook   SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW:   If you loved this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review. Your support helps us reach more people who need these insights.   Thanks for tuning in to Unwind Your Mind. See you next week! 🤍

Resilience Series (Part 2): The Real Meaning of Resilience with Carolyn Cranwell   Resilience is often spoken about as though it's a simple instruction, something you should just be able to switch on when life gets hard. But in reality, resilience is far more nuanced, and often far less polished, than the way it's commonly portrayed.   In Part 2 of this conversation with resilience expert Carolyn Cranwell, we move beyond the concept of resilience and into what it actually looks like in practice.   Carolyn walks us through the 7 Step Cranwell Resilience Ladder, breaking down each step and how it shows up in real life, especially during periods of uncertainty, pressure, and ongoing challenge.   Through stories from her own life, Carolyn brings a grounded and honest perspective to resilience. This isn't about having it all together. It's about navigating the messy, imperfect reality of adversity and finding a way forward.   IN THIS EPISODE, WE EXPLORE: What resilience actually looks like day-to-day, not just in theory. Why resilience isn't always neat, polished or comfortable. How perfectionism and over-responsibility undermines resilience. The pressure we place on ourselves, and why it can work against us. How to choose whose opinions to take on board during challenging moments. Practical ways to respond to unhelpful comments in real time. How to reconnect with your sense of identity and value during adversity. On the harder days, how to get back in the driver's seat of your life.   One of the most powerful reminders from Carolyn in this conversation: "You can't be all things to all people all the time"   CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION: This episode is Part 2 of the Resilience Series. If you haven't listened to Part 1 yet, make sure you go back to that episode. In Part 1, Carolyn unpacks the foundations of resilience and some of the most common misconceptions around what it really means.   EXPLORE CAROLYN'S WORK: 💻 www.globalpsychometricinstitute.com 📋 Fill out the contact form on the website to get in touch. 📕 Book: Hardcore Resilience – 7 Steps to Building Successful and Lasting Resilience in Your Business and Your Life 📝 Online Resilience Test (for individuals): The Cranwell-Cambridge Resilience Test 📝 Online Resilience Test (for employers): The Cranwell-Cambridge Resilience Test 💻 www.Navigating-Alzheimers.com   MORE FROM ME: 📰 Get my Weekly Newsletter 🔗 Connect on LinkedIn 📸 Follow on Instagram or Facebook   SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW: If you loved this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review! Your support helps us reach more people who need these insights.   Thanks for tuning in to Unwind Your Mind. See you next week! 🤍

Resilience is a word that gets thrown around a lot, in workplaces, communities and online spaces, often as though it's a simple instruction: just be resilient. But what does resilience actually mean in real life, especially when someone is already carrying a heavy load?   This two-part series began after a listener of Unwind Your Mind reached out to share her experience living and working on a farm in regional South Australia. Between managing family life, helping on the farm during years of drought, and building her own business, she told me the word resilience was coming up a lot.   "Just be resilient." As though that sentence alone could solve everything.   That conversation sparked an important question: what does resilience actually look like in real life, when life doesn't slow down and the pressure doesn't disappear? Rather than unpacking that question alone, I invited an expert onto the podcast.   In Part 1 of this Resilience Series, I'm joined by international author, speaker and resilience expert Carolyn Cranwell, founder of the Global Psychometric Institute and author of Hardcore Resilience – 7 Steps to Building Successful and Lasting Resilience in Your Business and Your Life.   Carolyn's work did not begin in academia. It began in her own life. For 18 years, Carolyn cared for her husband Richard who lived with younger onset Alzheimer's while raising a young family, managing a household and working full time. Through that experience, she began to recognise patterns in how people sustain themselves through prolonged uncertainty and hardship.   Those insights ultimately led to the development of the 7 Step Cranwell Resilience Ladder, a model designed to help individuals understand what resilience actually looks like and how it can be built over time.   Carolyn then collaborated with The Psychometrics Centre at the University of Cambridge to develop the Cranwell-Cambridge Resilience Test, a scientifically based resilience assessment designed to help individuals see which steps on the Resilience Ladder they already exhibit and where they can further build their skills.   In this first conversation, we explore Carolyn's personal journey into this work and unpack some of the biggest misconceptions people have about resilience.   HERE ARE 3 KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE: 1️⃣ Resilience is widely misunderstood. Many people think resilience means pushing through without support or suppressing difficulty. Carolyn explains why that interpretation misses the point entirely.   2️⃣ Asking for help is a core component of resilience. For many high achievers, internal stories beginning with "I should handle this myself" create unnecessary pressure. Carolyn shares why reaching out for support is actually a key anchor of sustainable resilience.   3️⃣ Resilience can be developed. Rather than being something you either have or lack, resilience can be understood through patterns of behaviour, decision-making and mindset that strengthens with intention over time.   CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION: This episode is Part 1 of the Resilience Series. In Part 2, released next week, Carolyn walks us through the 7 Steps of the Cranwell Resilience Ladder and shares practical guidance for navigating adversity, uncertainty and ongoing pressure in day-to-day life.   EXPLORE CAROLYN'S WORK: 💻 www.globalpsychometricinstitute.com 📋 Fill out the contact form on the website to get in touch. 📕 Book: Hardcore Resilience – 7 Steps to Building Successful and Lasting Resilience in Your Business and Your Life 📝 Online Resilience Test (for individuals): The Cranwell-Cambridge Resilience Test 📝 Online Resilience Test (for employers): The Cranwell-Cambridge Resilience Test 💻 www.Navigating-Alzheimers.com   MORE FROM ME: 📰 Get my Weekly Newsletter 🔗 Connect on LinkedIn 📸 Follow on Instagram or Facebook   SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW: If you loved this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review! Your support helps us reach more people who need these insights.   Thanks for tuning in to Unwind Your Mind. See you next week! 🤍