Mindset & Motivation Monday; A Fresh Start! Choose Optimism in the New Year!

Welcome to the very first episode of Mindset and Motivation Mondays on the No Problem Parenting Podcast. I'm Jackie Finneman, your host, and I am thrilled to kick off the new year with you. And how fantastic is it that the new year aligns perfectly with the launch of our new daily format for this podcast. Today, I'm going to invite you to join me in choosing optimism and gearing up with a mindset primed for success.

Here we go. Hey there, parents. Thanks for listening to the No Problem Parenting Podcast. Are you ready to become the confident leader your kids crave you to be?

Are you losing your crap on your kids, yelling, giving in, and exhausted at the end of every day? You are already a good parent, and I'm sure you've sought advice from friends or family. You've read books on your child's specific behavior problem. Maybe you've even signed them up to see the school counselor or an outpatient therapist.

But despite your efforts to find the right person or thing that will help, your family is still struggling. You're tired of pretending everything's okay. Well, if your confidence is shot and you feel like you're failing your kids, but you also don't have a ton of time or money, register to become a no problem parent for just $50. It comes with an app so you can listen to the tips and tools just like you're listening to this podcast.

You can start building confidence in your parenting immediately, whether your child is a toddler or all grown up and still living in your house. Don't make this parenting gig harder than it needs to be. Become a no problem parent today. Happy New Year.

All right, parents. Here's a thought provoking question for you. Question number one of our 352 questions that we're going to be asking throughout this new year. Does the new year truly offer a blank canvas? Is it genuinely a magical chance to redefine our goals and strengthen our mindset and set the tone for the months ahead for ourselves and our families? Well, I firmly believe it can be, especially when we embrace optimism in the face of challenges or as we call them problems here at No Problem Parenting. Let's start with a definition of optimism. What is optimism? Well, it's hopefulness and confidence about the future and it's hopefulness and confidence about the successful outcome of something. So if you've followed the No Problem Parenting podcast, if you are one of our Becoming a No Problem Parent parents, you've learned in our three-step approach that a problem is a matter or situation that is unwelcome or harmful and needing to be dealt with and overcome. When we seek first to understand,

prepare for the worst, and change the conversations in our home, we can effectively deal with and overcome any problem. And you know, it's true that hope is great and it often can get us through tough times along with faith. But I believe that confidence in our abilities as leaders for our children is key. So how do we gain confidence when realistically we're struggling or we're barely treading water? Well, let's begin by honoring where you are right now today, January 1st, 2024.

On a scale of 0 to 5, 0 being, oh my gosh, Jackie, my life is at a point of ease. I couldn't be happier. Things are just going so smoothly and I'm grateful. To a 5 of being, Jackie, I am barely hanging on. Where are you right now on that scale?

I'd like to start by asking you to reflect on the past year and I want you to do so with an optimistic lens not a Pollyanna lens not a white picket fence lens but an optimistic lens. Take a moment to reflect on the lessons you've learned in 2023 and acknowledge the growth that you or your child has achieved. What were the highlights? What were the challenges? How have they shaped you as parents, as partners, and as individuals? Think about the moments that brought joy to you and your family, the obstacles that made you stronger, and the achievements that made you proud or as I like to say, happy. Reflecting on the past allows us to appreciate the journey and to set meaningful intentions for the future, all with an optimistic outlook. You know, as I reflect on the past year, let me share one of my standout moments, which was actually a challenge that I didn't even know I was struggling with until I got hit kind of over the head with a padded two by four. I discovered that despite the great accomplishments that I've achieved in my personal and professional life in the last year, and actually in the last couple of years,

I have been very hard on myself and negative to myself. A dear friend pointed this out to me. And then not long after another perfect stranger noticed it and with permission, gave me some feedback. And it taught me that doing all the things and being successful was only as good as how I felt about myself. You know, this reinforced the importance to me of daily affirmations and self-acceptance. I didn't even realize how negative I was talking to myself. My closest friends, I would say my closest friends and family, they recognized it and yet didn't actually come right out with that two by four and say, hey, what the heck? Why are you so negative? And or if they did, I wasn't open to the feedback at the time or I wasn't recognizing it because I was too caught up in all the things. So what about you? Take a moment,

jot down your reflections. When you really think about this, what are the challenges? What are the celebrations? What are the things maybe you're not paying attention to or not recognizing because you're just caught up in the hustle and the busy and the to-do list and the tasks? Take a moment, jot these reflections down and celebrate the growth that you have experienced. I guarantee if you take just a few minutes and reflect, you will find that you have grown more than you have stayed idle or that you have failed. So I've set optimistic intentions for the year ahead for myself, for my family, for my mission, for my dreams. So as you think about what positive changes you would like to see in your family dynamics, in your personal growth, in your work life, or in your relationships, consider setting intentions that are not only outcome oriented,

Also intentions that focus on the process and the optimistic mindset you bring to each day. How can you intentionally promote a positive atmosphere in your own home? How can you encourage a growth mindset in your kids? I'd like to invite you to start a family gratitude journal.

Now, if you're not a journaler, like I'm not a consistent journal kind of person, you might think oh man I already I'm tuning out stay tuned for a quick second hear me out on this I want you to try each day when you hear each day right away some of us are like there's no way it's going to happen you might do it each week you might do it each month whatever works for you you do you just take a moment to share and write down something you're grateful for have each member of your family do this you can even appoint just one person in the family to be the note taker or the gratitude collector. This simple practice can shift your family's focus towards positivity, optimism, and a sense of appreciation within the family. Regardless of who is crabby that day,

regardless of who has been in trouble, or who's on the hot seat, or whatever it is, this is something intentionally you can do. Slowly creating this expectation, this intentional conversation in your home, even if the buckiest, crabbiest, saddest, angriest kid in your home or parent doesn't want to contribute on one particular day, many of you will, right? So do it anyway. If you have one person that's sort of in charge, or maybe you rotate that out in your family with one child that's in charge of collecting the gratitudes and writing them down, I suggest posting it on your entryway or on the family bathroom mirror somewhere where everyone is going to see it. What does a fresh start with optimism mean to you in this new year? What positive changes are you looking forward to? Thank you for joining me for this special first episode of Mindset and Motivation Mondays. Here's to a year filled with growth, joy, and positive,

intentional transformation. Until next Monday, keep embracing the journey. Enjoy the journey. And remember, you've got this.

All right, that's it for today's episode of the No Problem Parenting Podcast. Hey, thanks guys for tuning in. If you found value in today's episode, click the subscribe button and share it with other parents who might need a little boost. Stay connected on our socials by following at No Problem Parents for more parenting tips and get your free download of the 60 ways to respond to your kids without losing your cool.

Go to noproblemparents.com. Until next time, remember, your confidence comes from embracing both successes and setbacks. So take a deep breath, embrace the chaos, and remember, you got this.