Your thinking controls your behaviors and your behaviors determine your results.    When you are faced with challenges, how do you react? Do you run away telling yourself you’ve failed or do you embrace challenges with open arms? What we tell ourselves has a direct impact on how we live our lives.   I know firsthand how having a growth mindset can impact your day when challenges arise. Today, I’m telling you how my most prized business could be gone forever, my reaction, and why having a growth mindset is key.   In this episode, I’m also diving into mindset and why it is important for success not only in business but in life. When you open yourself up for opportunities, you’re allowing yourself to explore and learn new things.   Can you identify any negative thoughts that are keeping you stuck?   In this episode, I discuss: A mindset shift I recently had to make and how I got unstuck The difference between a fixed mindset and a growth mindset The importance and value of having a growth mindset   Connect with Thea Charles To learn more about Thea, please visit www.thearenel.com Head over to www.pushorpivot.com to learn more about this podcast and dive into previously released episodes. Follow Push or Pivot on Facebook: @Pushorpivot Take a screenshot of your favorite episode, share it on your Instagram story, tag me @pushorpivot, and let me know your biggest takeaway!

Breathing is something that comes naturally to us. How do you know that you're breathing right now? What physical sensations in your body inform you of your breath? Breath flows without any will or effort on your part. From the air around you into your body and then back out.   Taking the time to understand how our breathing is affected by stress, our emotions, other people and even physical activity. When are you breathing rapidly? When are you in a relaxed state and your breathing is slow and steady?   What do you enjoy about breath? Take a moment to think about what it is you love about breath. Take time for yourself, time to feel how your breathing and time to let go.   In this episode, I will be taking you through a breathing meditation. This meditation will help you: Pause and focus on your breathing Connect with yourself and how your body is feeling Relieve stress to ground yourself and get you ready to take the next step   Feel free to add this recording to your favorites whenever you feel the need for compassion for yourself.    If you'd like to experience more of my meditations, I offer personalized one on one and small group meditations, virtually. If you'd like to learn more, visit my website, www.thearenel.com, to schedule your practice time with me.   Resources: The music used for the meditation segment of this podcast is by JuliusH from Pixabay   Connect with Thea Charles To learn more about Thea, please visit www.thearenel.com Head over to www.pushorpivot.com to learn more about this podcast and dive into previously released episodes. Follow Push or Pivot on Facebook: @Pushorpivot Take a screenshot of your favorite episode, share it on your Instagram story, tag me @pushorpivot, and let me know your biggest takeaway!

What is gaslighting? Do you internalize stories that we or other people create? When we do, it makes us second guess our intuition. Are these stories holding you this back from reaching your full potential? Are we limiting ourselves because of what other people say or do? Take a step back and look at the possibilities before limiting yourself.  A simple question to ask yourself may not stop your beliefs right away but questioning why you are holding yourself back is a continual practice. Being able to recognize your patterns and reminding yourself that the past does not define the future is the key to not gaslighting yourself and to start feeling limitless. In this episode, Thea talks about: What is gaslighting? What are your limiting beliefs? How your limiting beliefs are keeping you stuck? Ready to get out of your rut? Click here to download my FREE guide to getting out of your rut!   Resources: The gaslighting music clip was taken from musicians, The Chicks https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbVPcPL30xc   Connect with Thea Charles To learn more about Thea, please visit www.thearenel.com Head over to www.pushorpivot.com to learn more about this podcast and dive into previously released episodes. Follow Push or Pivot on Facebook: @Pushorpivot Take a screenshot of your favorite episode, share it on your Instagram story, tag me @pushorpivot, and let me know your biggest takeaway!

What happens when we feel stuck in the decision process? Are you over thinking the process because you think everything has to be perfect?   Analysis paralysis is when you get stuck in the decision making process. It can happen when we don't make our next step a small manageable one, or we fear that our idea is not right. We can even think that if we muddle over our problem a little longer, a better idea will come along.   In this episode, Thea talks about: What is analysis paralysis? How perfectionism can keep you stuck? Why the fear of making a mistake or missing a better solution stops us from doing anything. How to identify the fear and move past it to get unstuck.   Ready to get out of your rut? Click here to download my FREE guide to getting out of your rut!   Connect with Thea Charles To learn more about Thea, please visit www.thearenel.com Head over to www.pushorpivot.com to learn more about this podcast and dive into previously released episodes. Follow Push or Pivot on Facebook: @Pushorpivot Take a screenshot of your favorite episode, share it on your Instagram story, tag me @pushorpivot, and let me know your biggest takeaway!

Are you caught up in the day to day monotony, checking off the items on our way to our goals? Are you in constant motion with no time to rest? Have you thought about adding meditation to your daily, weekly, or monthly routine? Meditation is a natural state of rest while you're still awake and alert.  There are many different ways to meditate. Explore the possibilities and find one that works for you. In this meditation, you will be called to remember some of your favorite experiences. Those times when you naturally have taken a breath and felt the joy of being alive.  When doing meditation, make sure you are somewhere safe, not driving, or doing anything that could cause harm to yourself or others. This meditation is an invitation to remember our own spontaneous moments of meditation.   In this episode, Thea guides you through a memory meditation:  When did you feel grateful for being alive? What are some of your favorite ways to rest and recharge? What are some memories that warm your heart   Ready to get out of your rut? Click here to download my FREE guide to getting out of your rut! Resources and Links Music by Tim Moor from Pixabay   Connect with Thea Charles To learn more about Thea, please visit www.thearenel.com Head over to www.pushorpivot.com to learn more about this podcast and dive into previously released episodes. Follow Push or Pivot on Facebook: @Pushorpivot Take a screenshot of your favorite episode, share it on your Instagram story, tag me @pushorpivot, and let me know your biggest takeaway!

Do you take time to be with yourself? When you do take that time, what are you doing? Is there a certain activity? Is it a feeling or do you have to be in a special location?   The importance of taking time to self reflect, and learning to be comfortable with yourself is a huge part of the healing process. The pandemic shut down the world and gave everyone time to look within themselves and look at the world from a different perspective. Rediscovering yourself, your likes and dislikes, is the best form of self-care.   Today’s guest is Michael James Moise. Michael was born in Massachusetts. He was raised in Lowell, Massachusetts with his two older siblings but spent most of his adult years in New York.   He is known for being passionately involved with Organic Gentlemen’s Club providing men and women with personal sustainable branding for modern day professionals. With a strong focus in education to inspire and uplift the generation of today and tomorrow.   In this episode Thea and Michael discuss: Evaluating relationships that are no longer serving you Self reflection and healing from within Trauma in the black community and steps to heal Being real with yourself while navigating the pandemic   Ready to get out of your rut? Click here to download my FREE guide to getting out of your rut! Resources and Links To learn more about Michael James Moise and Hike & Meditate head over to Instagram and follow @ogmichaeljames   Connect with Thea Charles To learn more about Thea, please visit www.thearenel.com Head over to www.pushorpivot.com to learn more about this podcast and dive into previously released episodes. Follow Push or Pivot on Facebook: @Pushorpivot Take a screenshot of your favorite episode, share it on your Instagram story, tag me @pushorpivot, and let me know your biggest takeaway!

In honor of Black History Month, I am putting a spotlight on influential Black Americans that paved the way for others.   Our last Black History Month spotlight is Activist, Marsha P. Johnson. Marsha was born Michael Malcolm James Jr. in New Jersey on August 24 1945. She began wearing dresses at the age of five but stopped after being harassed by neighborhood boys. After graduating high school, Marsha moved to New York City and after meeting gay people in the city she realized it was possible to be gay and came out. As a black, poor, gay, non gender conforming person. Marsha certainly knew what it was like to be marginalized. Despite Marsha's own physical and mental health issues, she spent most of her life helping others. Marsha's drive to continually show up as her true self and fight for the rights of others is truly commendable.   In this episode Thea discusses: Who is Marsha P. Johnson? Her impact in the gay community and the gay liberation movement How she helped others feel comfortable about themselves and their sexual identity Why she did not back down when standing up for basic human rights   Ready to get out of your rut? Click here to download my FREE guide to getting out of your rut!   Interviews and voice clips were sourced from YouTube Frameline Voices - Pay it No Mind: The Life and Times of Marsha P. Johnson Marsha P Johnson interviewed by Betty Brown   Connect with Thea Charles To learn more about Thea, please visit www.thearenel.com Head over to www.pushorpivot.com to learn more about this podcast and dive into previously released episodes. Follow Push or Pivot on Facebook: @Pushorpivot Take a screenshot of your favorite episode, share it on your Instagram story, tag me @pushorpivot, and let me know your biggest takeaway!

In honor of Black History Month, I am putting a spotlight on influential Black Americans that paved the way for others.   Our next Black History Month spotlight is American Artist, Jean-Michel Basquiat.   Jean-Michel Basquiat was an American artist of Haitian and Puerto Rican descent. He was born in Brooklyn, New York on December 22, 1960. Early in his life, it was evident that Jean-Michel was gifted. He learned to read and write by the age of four, and by the age of 11, he was fluent in French, Spanish and English, and an avid reader in all three languages. Jean-Michel was also a lover of art. He visited museums with his mother in Manhattan, and she encouraged her young artists by enrolling him in an arts-oriented private school.    At first glance, Jean-Michel’s art could be described as primitive. But the images were complex and sophisticated. Through his art his worldview is evident and undeniably black. There are hints of Jackson Pollock, and influences from his Haitian and Puerto Rican ancestry. His most recognizable motif is the bowl crown that appears in most of his famous works. His art often had words written in the painting, echoing his graffiti roots, and the stream of consciousness that went into the creation of the work.    In this episode Thea discusses: Jean-Michel story and influence in the art industry How Jean-Michel lived by his own rules The collaboration between Jean-Michel and Andy Warhol   Ready to get out of your rut? Click here to download my FREE guide to getting out of your rut! Resources and Links The interview was sourced from YouTube State of the Art - Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat - 1986   Connect with Thea Charles To learn more about Thea, please visit www.thearenel.com Head over to www.pushorpivot.com to learn more about this podcast and dive into previously released episodes. Follow Push or Pivot on Facebook: @Pushorpivot Take a screenshot of your favorite episode, share it on your Instagram story, tag me @pushorpivot, and let me know your biggest takeaway!

In honor of Black History Month, I am putting a spotlight on influential Black Americans that paved the way for others.   Our next Black History Month spotlight is American Composer, William Grant Still.   William Grant Hill was an American composer who composed more than 150 works, including five symphonies and eight operas. William was known as the Dean of African American classical composers, as well as one of America's foremost composers.    He was born on May 11 1895 in Woodville, Mississippi. His mother was a teacher, and his father was a bandleader. After his father's death, the family moved to Arkansas, where his mother remarried, Williams formal music education began with violin lessons, and his love of music grew due to a stepfather, taking him to operettas and buying classical music recordings.    As a young man, William went off to college to learn to become a doctor. However, he soon found himself conducting the university band, writing music, and teaching himself to play various instruments. He left his traditional college before graduating, so he could attend Oberlin Conservatory of Music.   William served in World War One, and after the war, he moved to Harlem where he worked for WC Handy's Band. During this time, he was involved in the Harlem Renaissance movement. And through the 1920s, he composed and arranged music for various musicals and band leaders. By the 1930s he was writing popular music for radio programs and movies. In 1931, his first major orchestral composition, Symphony number one Afro American, was performed by the Rochester Philharmonic.    It was the first time a complete score of work by an African American was performed by a major orchestra and by the end of World War Two, the piece had been performed in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles. Berlin, Paris and London. Until 1950 it was the most popular Symphony composed by an American. William also composed Song Of A City for the 1939 World's Fair in New York City. And in 1949, his opera troubled island was performed by the New York City Opera. It was the first opera by an American to be performed by that company, and the first by an African American to be performed by a major company.    In this episode Thea discusses: William’s inspiring story How William broke barriers in the music industry Thea’s love of music and why she enjoys listening to classical music   Ready to get out of your rut? Click here to download my FREE guide to getting out of your rut! Resources and Links   Music selections and interview were all sourced from YouTube Summerland (Three Visions) — William Grant Still Gamin Interview with the Afro-American Composer William Grant Still   Connect with Thea Charles To learn more about Thea, please visit www.thearenel.com Head over to www.pushorpivot.com to learn more about this podcast and dive into previously released episodes. Follow Push or Pivot on Facebook: @Pushorpivot Take a screenshot of your favorite episode, share it on your Instagram story, tag me @pushorpivot, and let me know your biggest takeaway!

Episode 68: Unbought and Unbossed - Shirley Chisholm   In honor of Black History Month, I am putting a spotlight on influential black Americans that paved the way for others.   Our first spotlight is the first African American candidate for a major party's nomination for president of the United States, Shirley Chisholm. Shirley was born on November 30, 1924. She was a politician, educator, author, and the first black woman elected to the United States Congress.   Shirley's family immigrated from Barbados, and from a young age she had strong ties to the island. She lived by the mantra of being unbought and unbossed, a slogan that she used throughout her career, and was demonstrated from an early age.   In college, she won prizes for her debate skills, not an easy fee as a woman. After graduation, she worked as a teacher's aide, and an early child care center. While she worked there, she continued her education to earn a master's in elementary education, which led her to move from aid to center director. She was not content simply letting injustices happen in front of her. She quickly became known for standing up for issues involving early education and child welfare. It didn't take long for Shirley to enter the world of politics. She started as a volunteer for Brooklyn's democratic clubs, and worked her way up from volunteer to the New York State Legislature.   Shirley Chisholm is not only an inspiration for all women but she was also a force to be reckoned with. This story shows the determination of a smart, educated, and thoughtful woman of color but also the sheer will and refusal to accept the status quo.    In this episode Thea discusses: Shirley Chisholm’s story Why she entered into politics How Shirley refused to accept that women could not have a seat at the table How she allowed herself to be seen and heard   Ready to get out of your rut? Click here to download my FREE guide to getting out of your rut! Resources and Links   Autobiography of Shirley Chisholm, Unboought and Unbossed   The sound bite of Shirley Chisholm was sourced from www.archives.gov and their Youtube channel https://www.youtube.com Source: Creator(s): U.S. Information Agency. 1982-10/1/1999  (Most Recent) Series: Moving Images Relating to U.S. Domestic and International Activities , 1982 - 1999 Record Group 306: Records of the U.S. Information Agency, 1900 - 2003 Production Date: 1974 National Archives Identifier: 54173 Local Identifier: 306.9028   Connect with Thea Charles To learn more about Thea, please visit www.thearenel.com Head over to www.pushorpivot.com to learn more about this podcast and dive into previously released episodes. Follow Push or Pivot on Facebook: @Pushorpivot Take a screenshot of your favorite episode, share it on your Instagram story, tag me @pushorpivot, and let me know your biggest takeaway!