This five-step recipe can help you achieve an optimal ‘winning’ mindset while aiming to also maintain a healthy mental well-being.

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TO SUCCEED AND truly be happy, my winning “happy” formula has included certain principles and beliefs that support the reasons why we all want to win. Being a successful leader, entrepreneur or business owner requires a special type of mindset. It’s that demanding relentless dedication, resilience and the strong belief in yourself and in those whom you lead or work with that creates that type of mentality. This success-orientated mind state or “winning” mindset drives our inner selves to where we desire. However, while aiming for that “win” or success, it’s often that we find ourselves navigating a tightrope, which is managing that winning mindset while concurrently trying to maintain optimal mental well-being. Neglecting our mental well-being can be counterproductive and lead to burnout, increased stresss, and a compromised ability to make the best decisions that keep you winning.

Launching and growing The Happy Clinic at the Center of Inner Transformations, being called “The Happy Therapist”  and leading in the everchanging alternative mental health, cannabis and psychedelic industry has been a challenging journey. Some of it was by talent, some of it by opportunity and the rest due to my mentality. The driving force behind success and achievement is managing a positive and resilient state of mind that supports effective decision-making, growth, innovation and inspiration. I’ve come to understand that we all have an innate desire to win and succeed, rooted in our innate drive for personal growth, accomplishment and the pursuit of excellence. The path to achieving success can be demanding and challenging but when you truly are in it to win it (succeed and grow), having the right balance is essential. I’ve created The “Happy” Formula, which is a five-step recipe to achieve an optimal ‘winning’ mindset while aiming to also maintain a healthy mental well-being.

The “Happy” Formula

1. Embrace Self-Compassion

Who is your hardest critic? Don’t be surprised if it’s yourself. What sets apart the ‘healthy’ from the ‘unhealthy’? True love for themselves at all times, throughout all stages. Entrepreneurs, business owners and people in leadership often have high standards, set overzealous goals and push themselves to the limit. With that also come setbacks, disappointments and failures too. Being kind to yourself and developing an understanding of yourself when challenges arise is what self-compassion is all about. Having self-compassion helps you maintain a positive mentality, while acknowledging limitations, accepting what it is and learning from mistakes. This type of mentality is step one in The “Happy” Formula to foster resilience and bounce back stronger from setbacks.

2. Don’t Slack on Self-Care — Take Care of You

Slack on your self-care and you’re slacking on you! Entrepreneurs and people in leadership often juggle many roles and tasks, often neglecting parts of themselves to get their jobs done. When I take good care of myself and my wellness, I feel focused, less stressed, more positive, I have more energy and I have that “winning” mentality. Slacking on my self-care means I am hindering my long-term success and effectiveness in the moment. I can’t perform optimally unless I treat myself as such. This means setting boundaries to prioritize your own needs and taking care of yourself physically, emotionally and mentally, in all aspects. Step two in The “Happy” Formula is making your self-care a priority, thus expecting to feel more of that “winning” mentality.

3. Visualize Your Success 

When you shoot for the moon, you’ll at least land yourself amongst the stars. This means what you aim for, you work towards. Visualization techniques help me get to each step of my journey. I literally imagine what I will feel like, be like, look like and experience when I get to that stage. I envision what I want. If I can see it, I can achieve it. I visualize the steps I would need to take to get there and then the feelings of achieving that. Step three in The “Happy” Formula utilizes visualization practices to help you reinforce positive beliefs in your abilities and also keep you motivated.

4. Be Realistic, Strategically Plan and Have Discipline

If it’s not real it’s fake, and leading down a grey path is shaky and unstable. Make sure your goals are achievable and attainable and that you have enough self-control and self-discipline to establish routines, set clear boundaries and focus on the ‘win.’ If you can’t do these, expect less than success. I’ve failed over and over. Actually, success in many cases is never giving up. However, you can avoid a lot of unhealthy feelings like regret, frustration and disappointment by being as clear and as realistic as possible. This helps in avoiding certain failures too. Step four in The “Happy” Formula is establishing self-disciplined, realistic and achievable goals, leading to actionable steps that help achieve more wins.

5. Think Positive While Re-Framing and Challenging Negative Thoughts

Balancing a success-orientated mentality while balancing a winning mindset takes strategy. Positivity is a powerful force that encompasses optimism and self-awareness, while fueling you with resilience, confidence and a reinforced belief in your abilities. But to achieve growth and success from being positive, you have to acknowledge and address your negative thoughts, dismantle your beliefs and oftentimes challenge any negativity that surfaces.

Every once in a while, negative influences can also have an effect on my thinking. By maintaining a positive environment and a positive perspective or a ‘the glass is half full’ mentality while re-framing negative narrative, I’m dismantling self-limiting beliefs and finding new perspectives that promote personal development and emotional well-being. Step five in The “Happy” Formula encompasses the harmonious integration of positive thinking and the exploration of negative thoughts that empower you to maintain an authentic and balanced ‘winning’ mindset while supporting your mental health with long-term fulfillment. The driving force behind success and achievement is managing a positive and resilient state of mind that supports effective decision-making, growth, innovation and inspiration. I’ve developed this five-step formula to support me on my own journey to success and share it here to inspire others who are walking their own path to achievement.