mindfulness

Start the Year with Hope

/ Susan Hendrich / Leave a comment

Hope: Human Being with Dr. Susan – Episode 8

Hope is an active, learned conviction in one’s ability to influence outcomes, sharing personal experiences and insights.

Hope is essential in leadership and impacts team performance. Hope is not just a personality trait, but a skill that can be developed through practice. There is scientific basis to hope. Neuroplasticity can be harnessed through various practices to cultivate resilience and courage in the face of adversity.

Cultivating Hope

Albert Bandura said that hope is an active, learned conviction in one’s ability to influence outcomes rather than passive wishing. Hopeful people don’t give up when faced with obstacles, but instead seek alternative routes.

Stirring Up Hope Through Leadership

Having hope, setting goals, and maintaining self-belief lead to success. Hope is an active verb, not a passive feeling. You can develop hope through learned habits and multiply it with leadership.

Hope as a Strategic Tool

Hope is a tool for leaders and individuals facing complexity. It’s not optimism or positive thinking, but the belief in one’s ability to shape a future and the creativity to find pathways to achieve goals. When hope is lost, people stop taking purposeful action and become less adaptable. You can learn to recognize and nurture hope as a fundamental force for navigating uncertainty.

Join us at 10 a.m. Eastern on sandcastleradio.org to explore how to stir up hope in your own life.

Listen to Human Being with Dr. Susan every Saturday at 10 am ET on Sandcastle Radio, America’s Hottest Online Variety and Music Station. Follow Susan at    / @susanhendrich  

Explore the Human Being with Dr. Susan podcast: 13 episodes

Susan Hendrich

Getting Unstuck: Install Your Mental Pause Button

/ Susan Hendrich / 3 Comments

When you feel stuck, it’s rarely because you lack options.
It’s because your nervous system is running the show.

That’s where the mental Pause Button comes in.

Think of the mental pause Button as a built-in pattern interrupter—a way to stop the stress loop, create space, and choose a better response. Not later. In the moment.

The Pause Button isn’t about calming down for calm’s sake.
It’s about regaining agency.

When you hit an internal wall and don’t know what to do next, the Button helps you shift energy, interrupt autopilot, and move forward differently.

The Pause Button Method (3 Simple Steps)

Step 1: Install the Button

Close your eyes for 10 seconds and imagine installing a physical pause button in your mind.

Make it yours:

  • Big or small
  • Blue, gold, red, sparkly
  • Subtle or bold

The design doesn’t matter.
The function does.

This button exists for one reason: to interrupt a stuck pattern.

Step 2: Assign It a Job

Your Button’s job is to stop emotional autopilot—fear, frustration, irritation, reactivity.

When you press it:

  • Emotions don’t disappear
  • They simply stop driving

You create a gap—and in that gap lives choice, perspective, and agility.

This is the moment you remember:

I’m not stuck. I can pivot.

Step 3: Pair It with New Language

Agility isn’t activated by force.
It’s activated by reframing.

Every time you press your Button, say this—out loud or silently:

“If this moment isn’t working, I’m allowed to change it.”

That one sentence gives you permission to pivot:

  • Mentally
  • Emotionally
  • Strategically

Now you’re back in the driver’s seat.

What Happens After You Pause

Once the stuck pattern is interrupted, ask better questions:

  • What else could be true?
  • What’s the next right move, not the perfect one?
  • Where is the opportunity inside this friction?
  • What version of me do I want leading right now?
  • If this were a chapter in my story, how do I want it to end?

You’re not rewriting the past.
You’re rewriting your response.

And that’s where leaders grow.

Stuckness wants you to believe there’s only one ending.
Agility reminds you: you’re the author, not the character.

So the next time you feel stuck—
Press the Button.
Pause the pattern.
Choose differently.

You are not stuck. not stuck.

Stepping Away to Step Up: Why Renewal is Your Secret Weapon

/ Susan Hendrich / 1 Comment

Recharge and Refresh to Enhance Your Impact.

Life can be a whirlwind sometimes. Work deadlines loom, errands pile up, and suddenly it feels like you haven’t taken a real breath in days, weeks, even months. It’s during these times that I find myself craving renewal. Take a deep breath while you think about that word…renewal.

Now, renewal might not sound like the most exciting thing on the to-do list, but hear me out. It’s not about sitting in a bubble bath for thirty minutes (although that has its merits). It’s about consciously choosing to step away from the hamster wheel, even if it’s just for a little while, to come back feeling refreshed and ready to tackle anything.

Think about it. Have you ever tried to write a creative piece when your brain feels like mush? Or tried to have a productive conversation when you’re running on fumes? It rarely ends well. We need time to recharge, refocus, and reconnect with ourselves in order to truly thrive.

Here’s the thing, renewal doesn’t have to be a grand gesture. It can be as simple as:

  • Taking a walk in nature: Immersing yourself in the sights and sounds of the outdoors can be incredibly calming and restorative.
  • Putting your phone down and reading a book: Escaping into a good story can help you de-stress and gain new perspectives.
  • Trying a new recipe: Engaging in a creative activity can spark joy and get your creative juices flowing again.
  • Spending time with loved ones: Connecting with those closest to you provides a sense of belonging and support.

Even small changes to your routine can have a big impact. Instead of scrolling through social media before bed, try some light stretching or reading. Replace your usual commute with a scenic bike ride.

The key is to find what works for you and make it a priority. Remember, renewal isn’t selfish, it’s essential. It’s the key to maintaining your energy, creativity, and overall well-being. So next time you’re feeling burnt out, don’t push yourself further. Step away, recharge, and come back stronger than ever.

I’m heading outside now to breathe in the crisp February air and renew my focus for the week ahead. How will you RENEW?

Susan

p.s. Looking for a book to guide your journey? Check out: Renewal: How Nature Awakens Our Creativity, Compassion, and Joy by Andrés R Edwards