Be First Class

“You just keep a positive attitude no matter what comes in your way – challenges, roadblocks – don’t let it faze you and you can overcome anything.” Rose Namajunas.

Over the past few months, I’ve had a health challenge to navigate. In June, without any symptoms, my fitness tracker reported an irregular heart rhythm. After tests, I was diagnosed with Persistent Atrial Fibrillation and placed on medication to lower my heart rate and thin my blood to reduce the risk of clots.

Following further consultations, I underwent two procedures last month — a Pulsed Field Ablation and a Cardioversion. These were designed to correct faulty electrical signals and restore my heart to sinus rhythm. Thankfully, both went well and I’m now in the recovery phase.

It’s fair to say that I’ve learned a great deal about heart health since June. I’ve also had plenty of time to reflect. We all know the importance of exercise, vitamins and supplements to maintain good physical health. But during this period, I realised that we also need to take conscious steps to develop and sustain a positive mindset, especially when life throws us a curve ball.

Just as we nourish the body, we need to nourish the mind. Taking “mind vitamins” can help inspire, nurture and strengthen our mental wellbeing. This became particularly important for me as I navigated an unexpected, uncertain and anxious time.

Life will inevitably present challenges – health issues, distressing news, obstacles and adversity. When these moments arise, we are far better equipped to meet them with a positive mindset. While we can’t control external events, we do have complete control over how we respond. Our attitude shapes the outcome more than the situation itself.

With this in mind, it’s vital that we take responsibility for the mindset we choose to adopt and present to the world. One practical way to do this is to regularly take “vitamins for the mind.”

Here are a few to consider:

1. Live in the present; defer worrying. Stop living in the past or too far in the future.
2. Develop an attitude of gratitude. Appreciate all that you have.
3. Make good health a priority. Exercise, eat well, sleep well and focus on positive things.
4. Maintain your boundaries. Say no when you need to — without guilt.
5. Protect your energy. Avoid spreading yourself too thin and stop people‑pleasing.
6. Interact with positive people. Spend time with those who lift you up, not drain you.

 
We all have limits to our time and energy. While helping others is rewarding, we must also honour our own needs. Saying yes when we want to say no does nothing for our self‑esteem and can negatively affect our mood. Guard against over‑committing and having too many priorities to tackle.

This week, take a few moments to reflect. Consider which mind vitamins you need to support a positive and resilient mindset, especially during life’s more challenging periods.

To arrange a free no obligation consultation, please contact Stephen Pauley via the contact form or by e mail: Stephen@befirstclass.co.uk

“Mistakes and pressure are inevitable; the secret to getting past them is to stay calm.” Travis Bradberry.

Maintaining a calm mind helps us deal with life’s challenges. We all experience setbacks, disappointments and periods of uncertainty. A calm mind doesn’t remove these difficulties but it does help us cope with them more effectively.

However, there are many things in modern life that impact our ability to stay centred. Sudden or unexpected change can make it hard to remain calm and even planned change can feel bumpy as we move from A to B. Negative interactions, environments and news stories can disturb our equilibrium. The pressure of juggling multiple demands can leave us feeling stressed and stretched.

We’ve also been conditioned to expect instant gratification. Today’s fast‑paced society gives us access to information and resources at lightning speed, which can leave us feeling overwhelmed and anxious. Technology — smartphones, laptops, tablets — keeps us constantly “switched on and connected to the external world.” Add to that the rise of FOMO (fear of missing out), and many people feel compelled to stay glued to social media feeds to keep up with every update.

Rolling 24/7 news cycles bring wall‑to‑wall coverage of conflict, division and suffering. Negative news stories affect our mood and make it harder to stay calm. All of this means our minds struggle to get quality downtime. There’s little space to process information or let thoughts settle. Patience becomes limited, and we can feel pressured to force outcomes rather than letting life unfold naturally.

Thoughts on developing and maintaining a calm mind:

Reduce time spent on technology
Have a cut‑off point for checking your phone, emails and social media. Consider a weekly technology detox — even a single tech‑free day can make a noticeable difference.

Develop greater patience
Patience truly is a virtue. Allowing life to unfold naturally helps create balance and reduces anxiety. It stops us expecting instant results and supports a calmer mindset.

Practise acceptance
Accept things as they are rather than trying to rewrite history. Acceptance helps you stay present and frees up mental energy to consider options and solutions.

Externalise your thoughts
Get into the habit of doing a “mind dump” of worries or anxieties. Regularly record reflections, lessons, desires and insights in a journal or notebook.

Create quiet time — no distractions
Schedule a few minutes each day to be alone with your thoughts. Even 5–10 minutes of stillness can allow valuable insights and inner wisdom to rise to the surface.

Less is more
Focus on fewer things. Reduce clutter, simplify your goals and give your priorities room to take root rather than offering them superficial attention.

If you’re going through a tough time, remember:

• Things can and will change.
• You’ve overcome challenges before.
• Difficult periods often bring learning.
• Not getting what you want can sometimes be a blessing.
• You have many strengths to draw on when life isn’t easy.

 
This week, why not pause for a few moments and reflect. Consider one action you can take to develop and maintain a calm mind — something small, meaningful and kind to yourself.

To arrange a free no obligation consultation, please contact Stephen Pauley via the contact form or by e mail: Stephen@befirstclass.co.uk

“Good health is not something we can buy. However, it can be an extremely valuable savings account.” Anne Wilson Schaef.

Increasingly in today’s information rich, time poor world, I see many examples of people juggling many different priorities whilst seeking to sustain high levels of performance and lead balanced and happy lives.

As I mentioned in a blog a few weeks ago, good health is the real wealth in life.  If we aren’t fit and well, it’s not easy to experience and appreciate all that life has to offer.

Therefore, self-care has to be a priority for us all. It’s important that we set sufficient time aside to look after ourselves, stay in top condition and avoid burn-out. As Mother Teresa said “To keep a lamp burning we have to keep putting oil in it.”

I always think that when it comes to self-care, we can learn from the safety announcement they make on planes at the start of flights. In such circumstances, the flight attendants always tell us that in the event of an emergency to put our oxygen mask on first because without oxygen or energy we won’t be in a position to help anyone else. I believe this is a great metaphor for life.

Many high performers have high standards and expectations, push themselves very hard and towards burn-out. In such circumstances it’s important that they establish some new healthy habits and behaviours as a way to avoid burn-out. Life balance is so vital to stay healthy and to sustain high levels of performance.

As well as establishing habits focused on healthy living, we also need to establish strong boundaries, be comfortable saying no and asking for help when we need to.

Periodically, we have to apply our own oxygen mask and put ourselves first so that we can be the best we can be and have good energy levels in order to help others.  Many people put others needs in front of their own, as they feel it self-indulgent to put themselves first. They feel to do so is selfish and makes them feel guilty.

It’s important that we all put some time aside and adopt some habits to take care of ourselves. This is particularly important if you work in an office environment or spend lots of time in front of a computer.

A study I read in the past, which was published in The Lancet, said office workers must exercise for between 60 and 75 minutes a day to combat the deadly risk of modern working lifestyles. However, as many as three out of four people in the study failed to reach this level of daily activity.

Research by scientists at Cambridge University, on more than one million adults found that sitting for at least eight hours a day can increase the risk of premature death by up to 60 per cent. Scientists said sedentary lifestyles were now posing as great a threat to public health as smoking and were causing more deaths than obesity.

They urged anyone spending hours at their desk to change their daily routine to take a five-minute break every hour, as well as exercising at lunchtimes and in the evenings. They said that walking or cycling spread over a day for the required period of time is enough to combat the dangers of too much sitting.

Another important element of self-care is to seek to avoid negative people and environments that drag you down. As part of this strategy, ensure that you spend time with people who radiate energy and help increase your energy levels and not deplete them!

This week why not take some time and consider if you need to practice greater self-care or take some action to increase your energy levels.

To arrange a free no obligation consultation, please contact Stephen Pauley via the contact form or by e mail: Stephen@befirstclass.co.uk