Feeling overwhelmed? Discover how hitting the reset button can transform your mindset and help you thrive—even in the toughest times.

In this episode, we dive deep into the importance of self-care and resilience, especially for first responders, police officers, and anyone facing life's relentless challenges. Drawing insights from a powerful Outside Magazine article about a first responder's struggle with trauma, we explore why finding safe spaces to process pain is essential. You'll learn how adopting a “can-do” attitude, refusing victimhood, and embracing humor can empower you to move forward—no matter what stands in your way.

Key takeaways:
- Resetting isn’t weakness; it’s necessary for mental health.
- The obstacle is often the path to growth.
- Mindset shifts—like gratitude and humor—fuel lasting resilience.

Tune in now for practical strategies on overcoming adversity and living fully in the present moment!

#MindfulWarrior  
#ResetYourLife  
#FirstResponderSupport  
#MentalHealthMatters  
#OvercomingObstacles  
#CanDoAttitude  
#NoVictimMentality  
#PositiveMindsetShift  
#ResilienceInAction  
#FrontlineHeroesCare   
#PTSDRecoveryJourney   
#HealthyHumorHeals   
#EmbraceTheNow   
#ObstacleIsTheWay   

In each of our lives, there are times when we need to just stop and hit the reset button. I learned many years ago, especially working with computers, and I'm sure most of you had the same experience. Sometimes there's glitches, you don't know why something's not working. And 80 to 90% of the time the solution to get it working again is to turn it off. Just turn the thing off and reboot the machine and somehow it seems to just come back and seems to be working.

We need to do that and give ourselves space to do that as individuals in this world, this very stressful, competitive world. I'd especially like to focus this podcast on those who are in the helping professions, first responders, police. I for one am so grateful for the police that tries to enforce the laws because unfortunately there are so many people in our culture that would disregard the laws and just run amok over everything if there was no law enforcement. But anyway, very, very grateful for them. First responders, all those who are serving in the military, but they need help. They need a safe place to talk about some of the challenging things that they experience.

There is an amazing article that number of years ago, actually it was 2010, December 27, 2010 in the outside magazine. And the title of the article was The Man Who Saw Too Much. And it's a story about a first responder in Aspen, Colorado. And the story talks about how he just got to the point as being this stoic first responder, the person that you would look to in every crisis situation to come and take care of things, which he did for a number of years. And yet there was a time when he just had seen too much.

There's a statement in the article. Let me just read it: The culture, the first responder culture is slowly changing, agrees Skeet Glatterer, a Colorado based search and rescue specialist. Specialist and cardiothoracic surgeon who is chairman of the medical committee of the Mountain Rescue Association. We basically used to say buck up, shake it off. Now we are all painfully aware that seeing those kinds of sights does something to us.

I've also had clients who were highway patrol officers and they were first on the scene and they came into therapy trying to work through some the impact some of those experiences had on them when they had to witness really, really disturbing type things.

So another statement from the article: Yet without being fully aware of it, his profession was taking a toll. And this article is about a gentleman by the name of Michael Frank Ferrara, I believe is how you pronounce his name. But this is what happens if we're not very mindful and aware.

He began to withdraw from friends. He developed a blank stare. He went through several relationships. He started using Percocet, a narcotic painkiller, and became indifferent to former pleasures throughout the day. For reasons he couldn't explain he would cry for a few minutes, consumed by an overwhelming sadness referred to by some PTSD sufferers as flooding. There was no laughter anymore. He had a very difficult time interacting, and it just seemed like he wasn't there.

And so those—and this is so frustrating for me also—because I know the police culture, because I've had police officers that I've known as friends before and their wives; they have this stoic type persona that if they were to get in therapy or participate in a group or individual therapy, that it shows a sign of weakness. But I'm telling you, they're the ones that need it more than anything else.

Those who see these horrific things that our society does—of what people do to each other in relationships—they need a safe place to be able to come and talk and process and find support and love and encouragement and gratitude for being able to put themselves on the front line, to try to help our society but also to let them mourn and feel the pain and get it out of their system associated with the horrors of—for lack of a better term—war. Because there seems to be a conflict that's going on constantly.

And one of the things that I've learned—this is also what I'd like to leave with you today in this podcast—it seems like in our lives if we've overcome challenges we're trying to get to this point where we're overcoming something as if we're going to reach this state. But what I have found and am experiencing in life is that things will continue to come against you; there will be opposition.

No plan ever survives contact with the enemy is a common military phrase. You can just trust that whatever it is you're engaged in there is going to be opposition and it's not going to stop; as a matter of fact it's going to increase as time goes on.

There are going to be different challenges that come your way but you're not going to get to a point—I don't mean to be negative—I just want to prepare you for the realities of what I've seen: It's never over.

But be grateful for the opposition; let's change our mindset—our attitude towards it—the obstacle is the way as Marcus Aurelius aptly said through years of experience: What stands in the way becomes the way.

It's like we're constantly being refined and pushed in the furnace of affliction in our lives but with a positive attitude—with a can-do attitude—this goes back to when I even started these podcasts a couple of years ago.

The very first thing that I believe or one of the first things I outlined is my belief in the mindset of a powerful mindful warrior: Can-do attitude; what stands in the way becomes the way; whatever we're facing I can deal with it; I will find a way; I will find support; I will also open up to other people—not going to have to do it alone.

Okay: So can-do attitude; healthy sense of humor—must must find some laughter—cheerful spirit—being able to roll with things and just have a positive and cheerful humorous sense of humor from time-to-time.

And then 30 victim mentality: Don't buy into this victim mentality of blaming over and over and over again.

I'm working with a wonderful man right now; I've been married for 30 plus years and his wife left him; she had an affair and left him; she keeps going back to something that he did 27 years ago right? He had a little indiscretion; he totally confessed repented changed his life did all appropriate things; then she had said over-and-over-and-over again okay I've forgiven you we've moved on they've repaired that

And then 30 years later she comes back says: You have—you’re—the cause of me leaving—you destroyed my life—total victim mentality—absolutely ridiculous—she made decision choice cannot own what she has done—and so she's going into victim mode blaming him for something happened 27 years ago anyway

It's just so must get out victim—this above all refuse be victim—and then when negative things happen—we slip we fail—we hit reset button quickly don't stay down too long

Now there are times when you get very very depressed discouraged—and it's okay when those times come—to just maybe take weekend curl up bed grab blanket wrap around you sleep for 12 hours do whatever give yourself space reset

So it's like turning off computer when not working right can't everything stuck turn off let clear itself then will reset—we have do ourselves from time-to-time

It's okay—it’s okay call timeout okay can-do attitude healthy sense humor zero victim mentality when bad things happen us learn them do whatever need do reset give yourself space if need—but then don’t allow those experiences keep stuck frozen paralyzed state

Coming back truth right now right here most important time your life—as matter fact only thing ever exists now—it’s only thing ever perpetually moving forward perpetual now only thing ever have—and so grabbing hold concept realizing we do not need stuck hostage past—we’re free right now power minds confront confront change past fears keep trying intrude upon us as we keep trying iterate learn experiences day after day moment after moment choose move forward just one small step at time

So anyway want just leave you leave thoughts especially for those you—I’m not sure doesn’t apply all us—I mean first responders see horrible things front line but we all have secondary trauma every time plug news too many people are just so much power X online doom scrolling because most things on there all doom doom gloom we’re constantly throwing stuff into mind

So reframe it—you have power change anything right now whatever confronting right now obstacle way look square eyes move forward take one step at time realize you have power within side start changing something right now this moment this hour most significant hour your life

Keep learning keep growing trust good things coming your way best yet come

All right Have an amazing day Make it so