Claire HayekFounder, Mind. Soul. Purpose (MSP) Teambuilding · Pressure-Proof Leadership | Neuroscience-based leadership

BEHIND MY SMILE: MY SOMETIMES NOT-SO-PERFECT LIFE

16 May 2024 · 3 min

Watch on YouTube

2:43

In this personal monologue, the speaker—identifying as a leader—opens up about the hidden difficulty of having bad days despite an outwardly positive, ambitious demeanor. She emphasizes the importance of acknowledging vulnerability, especially during Mental Health Awareness month, and shares a step‑by‑step coping routine she uses when feeling out of control. First, she finds an "anchor" in nature (e.g., looking at trees and birds) to calm herself and focus on breathing. Next, she reflects on her thoughts and reconnects with her purpose or goals. She then repeats a hopeful mantra—"Today is going to be an amazing day"—to restore optimism. Finally, she lists concrete things she looks forward to, reinforcing a forward‑looking mindset. The speaker urges viewers not to isolate, to feel their pain, and to use these practices to shift from a negative state to a more hopeful one, concluding with a wish for an amazing day for everyone.

Chapters

I just wanted to talk about certain things that a lot of us leaders don't necessarily share, and that's that we do have a hard time. We do have days that are not going well. Even though we're all smiles and positive, driving and focused and ambitious, well, there's days where We don't feel that at all. We feel that we failed, that things are not going our way, that we're losing control. I think it's important to get on camera and talk about these difficult days. I've had a horrible couple of days. Things are just not working very well. So I can just completely lose it right now and just go the heck with this. But I chose differently. I chose to be hopeful. Connecting with nature, look at some trees, focus on the birds, that's my anchor. And in difficult times like this, the best advice I can give you is to find your own anchor, what really gets you centered. This is very important to talk about now because May is the month of mental health and well-being. Don't isolate. Don't hold it in. We're not bulletproof, okay? It's okay just to feel that way, and that's part of the healing, allowing ourselves to feel vulnerable. So here's what I do to get out of this negative place, right? I find my anchor, calm down and breathe, and then after that, I just pay attention to my thoughts and I come back to my purpose. What's my purpose? What am I aiming for? That's the second thing. The third thing that I do, I sing my mantra. Today it's gonna be an amazing day. Today it's gonna be an amazing day. And as I sing it, it really just brings back the hope and the positive. The last thing that you do is You just use the words, I look forward to, and add the things that you look forward to. I look forward to feeling better. And it does miracles. So don't drown in your sorrow. Don't drown in your pain. Feel the pain. Acknowledge it. Find your anchor. Get out of it. Refocus. Use the mantra, today is going to be an amazing day. And then look forward to the things. Well, I just applied all this and I feel much better. Have an amazing day, everyone.