Continuing on from our chat last week about reprogramming your mind and those mindset shifts… I thought I’d share a few things that have actually worked for me. There’s no shortage of mindset advice out there… we’ve all heard it before. But for me, it’s the stuff you actually use in real life that makes the difference. After years in the fitness and personal development space… and then living through something like MND… I’ve learned that mindset isn’t about big, motivational moments. It’s about small shifts that actually change how you think, feel, and respond in real life. Here are 3 that I come back to again and again: 1. Moving away from “This shouldn’t be happening” → “This is happening… now what?” Resistance is exhausting. When we fight reality, we burn energy on something we can’t change. Acceptance doesn’t mean you like it, it just means you stop arguing with it… and start moving forward. 2. From “I need to feel motivated” → “I just need to start” Motivation is unreliable. If you wait to feel ready, you’ll be waiting a long time - I'm sure most of us know how that feels. Action creates momentum. Even the smallest step can shift your state and get you moving again. 3. From “I’ve lost so much” → “Where are the opportunities for me?” This one is powerful. Your brain naturally scans for what’s missing. That’s how we’re wired. But when you deliberately look for what’s still there…your energy changes. Your options expand. Your mindset softens. And you start to see a way forward. None of this is about ignoring the hard stuff, but it is about working with your mind, instead of against it. In my experience, that’s what builds resilience. Not perfection. Not constant positivity. Just the willingness to notice your thoughts… and choose something more helpful. I'd love to know, which one of these shifts might help you right now?

I was reading something from Tony Robbins about reprogramming your mind… and it got me thinking. I agree with the idea that we can shift how we think. But I also think this only really matters when life gets hard. Because when things are going well, it’s easy to say, "I’ll just think differently". But when you’re in the middle of something you didn’t choose…that’s when mindset gets real. It’s not about being positive all the time, it's not about pretending everything’s okay. It’s about noticing where your mind goes… and gently choosing a different direction. When I was first diagnosed with MND, as you'd expect my mind went straight to worry mode... "why is this happening?” “what am I going to lose?” And honestly, that thinking just keeps you stuck. One thing that really stood out to me is this…it’s not always the situation that shapes how we feel… it’s the meaning we give it. And our minds are very good at running the same patterns on repeat if we don’t interrupt them. So over time, I had to learn how to catch those thoughts and shift them. Chipping away... just small moments of awareness and choice. I went from “Why is this happening to me?”, to “How do I want to live AWESOMELY with this?” Same situation. Very different energy. And that’s the part that matters. Mindset doesn’t remove the challenge…but it absolutely changes how you experience it and how you move through it. For me, resilience isn’t one big mindset shift. It’s the repetition of small choices: catching the thought, bringing it back to what I can control, and deciding how I want to show up. Again and again. So I’m curious… When something goes wrong, where does your mind go first? And have you ever been able to shift it… even just a little?

I came across this story the other day about someone living with MND who’s doing things that, not that long ago, just wouldn’t have been possible. You can take a read here. And honestly… it stopped me in my tracks. Not just because of what she's doing, but how she's doing it. With the help of technology that, if I’m honest, I never imagined I’d see in my lifetime. Things like eye gaze, communication tools, adaptive systems… completely new ways of connecting, creating, contributing. It really made me reflect on how much has changed, even in the relatively short time I’ve been living with MND - and how much is still evolving. Because when you live with something like this, you become very aware of what’s being taken away. Movement changes. Independence shifts. The way you communicate can change completely. But this story reminded me of something really important. While some doors close, others open. Just in different ways. I love seeing what technology is making possible now. It’s giving people a voice. A platform. A way to keep showing up and contributing, even when the body isn’t doing what it used to. And I know for me, without the technology I use now, I wouldn’t be here doing this. I wouldn’t be connecting with you, teaching, sharing… any of it. That’s not lost on me. But here’s something else... while technology can open the door, it’s still up to us to walk through it. It’s the mindset. The willingness to adapt. The choice to keep finding a way… even when it looks different to what you expected. And that’s not always easy. By choosing to keep showing up… just in a different way… that’s where resilience really lives. It also made me think how this isn’t just about MND. We all hit points in life where things don’t look how they uses to. In health. In fitness. In life.

I’ve been working on a new presentation for a client in local government. Like a lot of organisations right now, they’re going through a fair bit of change. Shifts in structure, roles evolving, uncertainty… all the things that can very quickly tip teams into stress or negativity if we’re not careful. I'm going to be speaking about resilience, adaptability, and how to not get pulled into that negative spiral when things feel unsettled, and I was reminded of something I had to learn myself… the hard way. When I was first diagnosed with MND, my initial response sat very much in the space of: 'this is happening to me'. I knew if I stayed with that mindset, I would be stuck there. It keeps you looking backwards. It keeps you focused on what’s being taken away. And it drains your energy very quickly. At some point, I had to shift that thinking into --> 'this is how I’m going to move forward with living'. Same situation… very different energy. This simple 3-step reset tool came in handy back then, and it’s something I still use all the time. 1. Catch it - Ask yourself: Am I reacting or responding right now? 2. Control it - What can I actually control here? (My attitude, my words, my energy, how I show up) 3. Choose it - How do I want to show up in this moment? It sounds simple… and it is. But it’s also powerful when you actually practise it. Change is always going to happen. In workplaces, in life, in our health, in our plans. But getting caught in negativity isn’t what moves us forward. Choice does. When things feel uncertain or out of your control, what helps you shift out of reaction mode and back into a place of choice? I love hearing how others navigate this - there's so much we can learn in this space.

Not my normal angle, but… What’s a goal you haven’t set yet? Not because you don’t want it… But because there's a part of you isn’t sure you’ll follow through this time. It’s interesting, isn’t it? We don’t just struggle with achieving goals. Sometimes we avoid even naming them. Because once it’s real… there’s a risk. - A risk of not doing it. - A risk of stopping halfway. - A risk of proving that little voice right. So instead, we often keep it vague... “I should get fitter.” “I want to feel better.” “I’ll start soon.” No pressure. No commitment. No chance of “failing”. But also… no real movement. I've noticed sometimes the biggest shift happens not by setting a bigger goal… It’s being honest about the one you’ve been quietly avoiding. And instead of asking "Can I stick to this perfectly?" Try asking “Am I willing to stay with this… even when it’s not perfect?” Because resilience in goal setting isn’t about getting it right every day. It’s about staying in it even when the wheels might be falling off. What’s one goal you’ve been holding back from fully committing to… and why? Sometimes just naming it is the first step forward.