Throughout any normal day, but especially during times of stress and anxious anticipation, your mind gets further and further away from being still and in the moment – it’s like your mind goes on autopilot and we aren’t even aware that we are not truly present.

This can often result in feelings of anxiety or fearful overthinking.

Using the practice of quieting the mind will help settle yourself back into a calm presence.

When you become focused and relaxed, you are more present and less anxious while becoming more productive and grounded in the moment (versus living in the future of “What if…”).

Quieting the mind begins with being aware that you are not in the moment and then stopping what you are doing in order to commit just a few minutes to being present.

As you slow down for these minutes, notice how this feels in your mind.

What would happen to your business, performance or life, if you could create a perspective that would lead to powerful and amazing results?

“Every picture tells a story, don’t it…” ~ Rod Stewart

I know an artist. Not just any artist. An amazing artist. Oh, and she happens to be my wife, Ramona. She has an eye for what works and what doesn’t.

I watch her in her studio as she takes a blank canvas and, over time, transforms it into something magical (VictorianNoel). After what seems to be a zillion hours of work, she shows me what I believe is the final piece. I tell her it’s time to put it out to the world so others can share in its magic.

Instead, I hear these words, “It’s not finished yet. I need to put it in a frame.” So, I offer to run to the art store to quickly grab a frame for her latest piece. “No,” she says,

“Picking the right frame makes all of the difference in the world.”

And she is right (as she usually is!). The frame she chooses can either make the picture look ‘okay’ or pop and come alive.

The frame matters.

It matters not only in art, it matters in every area of our life. How I choose to frame what I see or even believe makes all of the difference in the world.

A recent Harvard University 8-year study confirmed how critical it is how we frame things. In fact, they concluded that how we see a particular set of circumstances can be the difference between life and death.

The study included 30,000 people who reported having a lot of stress in their lives. This group had a 43% increased chance of dying prematurely.

But …

As you probably know, overthinking can significantly get in the way of a relaxed and joyful life. You do not have to live this way, however. Here are 10 tips to help you move from being an overthinker to someone with a more calm and balanced mindset:

1. Catch Yourself – Identify Triggers: When do you start overthinking the most? Recognize situations, topics, or times when you tend to overthink. Keeping a journal to track these patterns can be beneficial. Jot these moments down so you can be ready to fight back next time.

2. Practice Mindfulness (Stay in the present): Meditation, deep breaths, even just focusing on your body – anything to bring yourself back to now. These techniques focus attention on the present moment and help stop your mind from getting stuck in a thought loop, promoting non-judgmental awareness of your thoughts.

3. Schedule Your Worries: Feeling overwhelmed? Give yourself a short, specific time each day to worry. Then, move on and enjoy your day. You can worry later if you really need to.

4. Challenge Thought Patterns: When overthinking arises, question the validity and helpfulness of your worries. Is that tiny, critical voice in your head telling you the truth, or just being dramatic? Challenge your negative thoughts and see if they actually hold up.

Whether you’re presenting in front of a large audience or a small group, giving a keynote address, pitching a business idea, delivering a classroom lecture or speaking at your church, the ability to engage and captivate your audience is crucial.

For some, it’s an opportunity to shine, but for others, it’s an anxiety-producing experience.

In this video I share 10 speaking presentation tips to help you leave a lasting impression and communicate your message with confidence.

Whether you are a manager in your company, a leader in your church or, as an entrepreneur, lead a virtual team for your business, concerns about meeting targets, handling conflicts, and ensuring team cohesion can be overwhelming.

Although managing a team effectively is crucial for any leader, it often comes with its own set of fears. However, with the right strategies, you can manage your team with confidence and reduce stress and anxiety.

1. Understand Your Triggers

Understand what specifically triggers your stress. Is it the fear of dealing with difficult team members, not meeting deadlines or the pressure of making critical decisions that only you can make? Identifying these triggers can help you develop targeted strategies to address them.

2. Prioritize Clear Communication

Clear communication is essential in managing a team. Have you made it clear that each of your team members understand their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Do you schedule (and keep) regular check-ins and open lines of communication to help prevent misunderstandings and keep everyone aligned? When your team is well-informed, it reduces your anxiety about potential miscommunications and errors.

3. Set Realistic Goals

Setting achievable goals is crucial for both your peace of mind and your team’s productivity. Unrealistic expectations lead to stress and burnout for everyone involved (including you!). Although it may seem obvious, break down larger projects into smaller, manageable tasks and celebrate milestones along the way, helping maintain momentum and reducing the pressure on you and your team members.