Gracefully Uncharted Wellness-Holistic Aging, Mindset, Skincare & Waterless Beauty

Gracefully Uncharted Wellness "Embracing Change & Charting Your Course

• Monica Adams

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This episode explores how to navigate the uncertainty of life's changes with confidence and grace. By reframing our mindset, developing a personal North Star, and engaging in actionable strategies, we can turn discomfort into opportunities for growth.

• Change is constant and often uncomfortable 
• Mindset plays a crucial role in adapting to change 
• Reframing uncertainty as an adventure can shift perspectives 
• Establishing a personal North Star provides guidance during transitions 
• Clarifying questions help identify feelings of overwhelm 
• Habit stacking increases the success of new routines 
• Adjustment is a process that takes time and patience 
• Focusing on small, actionable steps reduces feelings of being overwhelmed 

If today's episode resonated with you, make sure to follow and share it with a fellow explorer who might need this message today. Please leave a five-star review, as this will help my message launch into the universe.

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Speaker 1:

Hey there and welcome to Gracefully Uncharted Wellness. I'm Monica Adams, a teacher, content creator and lifelong learner, curious about what it really means to live well from midlife into the golden years. This is a podcast where we explore how to navigate life's transitions with confidence, grace and a little bit of humor. If you've ever wondered is it too late to feel my best, or how can I make this chapter of life the best one, yet You're in the right place. Together, we'll dive into fresh perspectives on wellness, mindset shifts and embracing change, so you can ride life's waves instead of fighting them. Because here's the bottom line Life doesn't come with a map, but that's okay. This stage of life feels like adulting all over again, except now no one is carting us. I'm figuring it out as I go and I'm inviting you to come along for the ride. Let's navigate this journey together and make these years the most vibrant. Yet Think about what is troubling you right now. Is it something that stresses you out, making decisions more difficult? What if there was a way, a path, a strategy, a map to help you begin to get some peace about this situation? If I gave you some insights on how to do this, would you try? If so keep listening.

Speaker 1:

One of the hardest things in life is not knowing where you're headed or, even worse, what the outcome will be. It's unsettling. Worse, what the outcome will be. It's unsettling. Maybe you're feeling anxious, overwhelmed or just stuck in the fog. And yet, in these moments of uncertainty, decisions are required, decisions that push you forward, that create the change you seek To make it worse. You're probably asking yourself what if I do this or don't do that? Because deep down, you don't want to make the wrong move. It can feel paralyzing, and if you've got faith, which I do you still need some skills to go along with that faith, to make you move forward. Remember the quote from the Bible James 2, 14-26,. In the same way, faith by itself, if not accompanied by action, is dead.

Speaker 1:

Today, we're charting a course through the unknown. Now, I am not an expert on these matters. I am just a human woman, sharing what I've learned after living here for six decades, and that is what I know for certain. You don't need all the answers, just the courage to take the next step. So let's go Now that we're underway. Here is what everyone knows.

Speaker 1:

Change is constant, but how we respond to it makes all the difference. So let's break this down. Here's what we want to know and here's what you will learn. Number one why uncertainty feels overwhelming and how to break through the fear. Number two how to shift your mindset to see change as an opportunity rather than a threat. And three practical strategies to navigate through life's uncharted waters, the deep unknown, with confidence.

Speaker 1:

Let's get into it. Get into it. Okay, our anchors are down. We're sitting here in this beautiful boat and we're asking ourselves why is change so uncomfortable? Our brains are wired for familiarity. We love routines, predictability and control because they give us a sense of security. But just like the sea is never still, neither is life. And the more we resist the ties of change, the more we feel stuck.

Speaker 1:

Something I've observed over the years is that people who get stuck in their ways often seem the most unhappy. They grumble, they resist, and their energy is thick and heavy. And those who develop skills to adapt tend to be happier, more vibrant and more in tune with life's flow. Their energy is light and bright. You tend to be drawn to people who have this kind of energy. So what if, instead of fighting the waves, we learn to ride them? Energy. So what if, instead of fighting the waves, we learn to ride them.

Speaker 1:

This is where mindset comes into play. Picture this again we're back in the boat, the winds pick up and you start to panic. But instead of tightening the sails and forcing control, what if you adjusted your course and moved with the wind? The same applies to life. Instead of resisting change, we can pivot, adapt and navigate, and that's when the real transformation happens. The thought that we have options becomes unavailable to us when we're stressed, or the thought of having options may not be a thought to you at all because of your own looping thinking habits. Now, I know that this sounds easy, like we can fix this, but like most things, it requires some work. So let's get into the deep. Now that we understand why change feels so overwhelming, our brains are wired for familiarity. We love routines, predictability and control because they give us a sense of security. Let's take a deep dive into how we can move through it with confidence.

Speaker 1:

Here are some core strategies, backed by science and real-world experience, to help you navigate uncertainty. The first concept is reframing, second is developing and the third is adjusting. Three action verbs reframing, developing, adjusting. Or just remember RDA, or perhaps, if you prefer, dar or ARD, if you were a teacher, that would probably be easy. Or R-A-D, whatever mnemonic device that floats your boat. So reframing. Reframe the unknown as an adventure. Instead of viewing uncertainty as scary, see it as a new adventure, a chance to grow, evolve and discover something new. I have to thank my parents for this strategy. We moved a lot growing up. I used this tool as a kid and I'm still using it as an adult. And let's think about it Every great explorer, every legendary sailor had to venture into uncharted waters before they found something extraordinary. So there you go Seeing uncertainty as a new adventure takes the dread out of the equation and adds in the factor that there is hope and infinite possibilities. I don't know about you, but even saying this makes me feel lighter On to developing, develop and anchor your personal North Star when life gets unpredictable.

Speaker 1:

What's your guiding force, or who is your guiding force? Do you ask God for help? Do you pray, do you meditate, journal or just slap on your Nikes and beat the pavement? Years ago, I used to live in this beautiful neighborhood and every day I would see two sisters exercising. One was on a bike and one was running. One sister would run all over town while the other sister biked by her side like her spotter or guardian, all day long, every day, rain or shine. I didn't get the impression that she was in training for a race. I used to think she's running for her life. I don't know for sure, but maybe that's what she had to do to feel in control. Do what you gotta do.

Speaker 1:

A good habit to begin is to ask yourself clarifying questions when you feel overwhelmed or stuck. What gets you out of sorts? Can you name it? What gets you out of sorts? Can you name it? Identify it? What happens to your mindset, in other words, like the way that you think, the way that you're thinking? Can you name it? Can you identify it? Do your habits change when these things happen? Name it, identify it.

Speaker 1:

So, once you have answered these questions, you will need to add a strategy to implement when you find yourself in this place. Do you have a plan or strategy for what you will do when this happens? Again? Let's go through an example for what it looks like for me. Let's go through an example for what it looks like for me, and then later you go through the exercise and fill in your dilemma. Here's my example what gets me out of sorts Moving, I can identify that all of the change the new locations, the new neighbors, the roads change, the new locations, the new neighbors, the roads, the stores, the climate can all pile up and really unanchor me.

Speaker 1:

In fact, as I write this episode, I am in the middle of moving and, to put this move into context, I have moved three times in the past year and before that. Let's just say I may hold the record for moving in a lifetime. So what happens to my mindset? It really took me some time to figure this one out. I had to do a lot of self-reflection and I realized that I tend to go on autopilot and become almost unaware of my goals during stressful times. So I have learned to recognize and I call these red flags the habits and thoughts that take me off course when life is unpredictable.

Speaker 1:

Going deeper, now I need to know and believe that I need a strategy for support. So what is my why? You've heard this before. What is your why? What do I want to gain by having a strategy? Or another way to say this would be what don't I want to lose footing on during this upheaval? I don't want to lose sight of my health goals. I want to feel my best in spite of all the changes in my life, and some of these changes take a toll. So it's really important to me to be aware of my thinking. I can't afford to go on autopilot anymore. I need a strategy for when life is unpredictable, to remind me to stay focused on my habits and thoughts, my mindset.

Speaker 1:

Through many trials, I have learned to recognize again the red flags, the habits and thoughts that take me off course when life is unpredictable. This is where I have come up with a strategy, and you make this specific to you, but I'm going to give you an example of how simple and even fun this can be. Okay, here we go. Since I like jewelry, I decided to wear a specific piece of jewelry, like a ring I don't often wear as a symbol, or let's call it an anchor, to remind me of my standards and long-term vision. It may sound wild to you, but it works for me and if you know me, you would absolutely agree. When I see this on my hand, it reminds me of my why and it helps me to intentionally focus on aligning my healthy habits and open mindset when life is more unpredictable than usual. Besides looking at the symbol to keep myself in check.

Speaker 1:

I ask guiding questions like am I aware of the choices I am making today with regards to my nutrition, my sleep, my movement? If not, what is the first small thing I can do to get back on track? Is it drinking more water? Is it taking a break to refresh my spirit? Or maybe it's planning a day's worth of meals ahead of time?

Speaker 1:

And then there is habit stacking. What is that? It is taking one habit and pairing it with another to get more bang for your buck. This is how it can work for you more bang for your buck. This is how it can work for you. First, identify what the new habit is that you want to start and pair it with an existing one so that you will do it consistently. For example, I wanted to start drinking more water. I usually have coffee in the morning, so the deal is that I have to drink my water before I can have my coffee. Now I am pairing my coffee habit with my new water habit. It's an easy win, but I decided to take it one step further, and it's this During my water intake, I recite the names of everyone in my family in my mind and say a short prayer for each of them. Now I have double habits decked.

Speaker 2:

Hi, let me introduce myself. My name is Dolores, and Monica has asked me to present the strategy of adjusting, just to make things more interesting. Now to adjusting. Adjusting means accepting change as a process Instead of expecting to feel at home immediately. Someone might shift their mindset to recognize that adjustment takes time. They might remind themselves it took me time to feel settled in my last home, and it will happen here too. Focusing on the positives, I can reframe the move as an opportunity for growth, new experiences and fresh starts, rather than just a loss of familiarity. Adjusting isn't about forcing myself to love my new situation right away. It's about making small shifts that help me gradually feel more comfortable. It's about adapting my actions, mindset and environment to ease the transition rather than resisting change. Back to Monica.

Speaker 1:

And finally, instead of stressing over the big picture, focus on the next right step. Don't skip over this one. It's a really big deal. If you want to feel less overwhelmed, just focus on the next step. Maybe it's even the next breath. You've got this, and here we are at dockside reflections.

Speaker 1:

Before we dock for the day, let's reflect on what we've learned. Number one change is uncomfortable, but resisting it keeps us stuck. Number two uncertainty isn't the enemy, it's the birthplace of growth. And three you don't need all the answers to move forward, just the courage to take the next step. So a good teacher does not leave you without a challenge. So here's your challenge for today Write down one area of your life where change is happening and then write down one small action you can take today to navigate that change with more confidence.

Speaker 1:

Remember, even stormy seas lead to new horizons. The key is to stay steady at the helm and trust the process. If today's episode resonated with you, make sure to follow and share it with a fellow explorer who might need this message today. Please leave a five-star review, as this will help my message. Launch into the universe.

Speaker 1:

Captain's Log, and just like that, we're pulling it to port that. We're pulling into port, it's time to look over our captain's log a navigational journal, if you will, where we identify patterns from our exploration to improve efficiency for our next one, I would encourage you to keep a journal if you are serious about navigating a new way towards wellness. There is something magical about writing something down that helps your brain remember information. In teaching, we call this deeper cognitive processing. Handwriting activates multiple cognitive and motor processes that lead to deeper learning and better retention. Sorry, I had to throw in some teacher jargon. It just makes me feel like I'm doing a good job. Thanks for joining me today on this voyage through the uncharted waters of change. Until next time, stay the course, ride the swells and don't forget smooth seas never made a skilled sailor. See you on the next adventure.