How to Reset Yourself to Your Best Self

During our coaching session, I immediately noticed the difference. "Gina" was smiling and full of positive energy. Something had happened. I listened with great interest as she described what she’d been doing since our last call. She’d been talking about her work and aspirations with leaders she respected and trusted. Their feedback was encouraging and energizing. But that was the effect, not the cause, of the transformation in her demeanor and energy.

As I continued to listen, I learned more. Her circumstances hadn’t changed. Gina was still working long hours. So why was she so upbeat now when she’d been stressed out and exhausted before? It turns out that she’d reset herself. She realized that she’d been listening to her fears and focusing on what she couldn’t control. With that realization, Gina made a decision to focus on her aspirations and what she could control. Her new mindset made all the difference.

Our focus creates our feelings. - Tony Robbins

We’re either the master, or a slave, of our emotions. When Gina was focused on what she couldn’t control, she was fearful and stressed out. When she began to focus on her aspirations and what she could control, things began to shift. She took positive action which had a reinforcing effect on her positivity. Her new mindset carried over into her work. Newly-assigned tasks that she had dreaded were seen in a new light. She saw new opportunities to learn new skills. The new tasks became interesting and she was energized to do them.

You and I have a best self – times when we’re centered, upbeat and confident. And then there’s our frustrated self, worried self, confused self, insecure self, distracted self, critical self, etc. When you catch yourself feeling, and behaving, in a ways that don’t reflect your best self, what can you about it? Would you like to be able to reset yourself to your best self whenever you needed to? Here’s the secret I discovered in 2013: talk to yourself instead of listening to your fears. Shift your focus and your mindset as I describe here.

Gina told me that something else contributed to the transformation I saw in her – prayer. She’d starting praying more consistently. Daily prayer and affirmations helped Gina regulate her emotions and move from stressed out and exhausted to positive and energized. I invite you to consider how they can also help you to operate at your best.