Hey, it's Rachel Cook, your modern mentor. I'm the founder of Lead Above Noise, a firm

specializing and helping teams and organizations create better working experiences that deliver better

results. During the height of the pandemic, this talk that I give, keeping burnout at bay,

became all the rage. Leaders were feeling the heat of their overwhelmed

teams, and this talk offered a lot of counsel around how to climb out of the danger zone.

Then, for a hot minute, the talk's popularity faded. But in recent months, it's been making a major

comeback, and it's easy to see why. Leaders have had to dial back resources

and budgets, often while dealing with layoffs and all of the uncertainty that they bring. And they

still feel the pressure to deliver top-tier results. It's no wonder they're seeing the struggle

return with a vengeance. There is indeed a lot we can do to keep burnout at bay, changes we can make to how we work, how we prioritize, how we collaborate and manage our time, and lots of other things.

And at the same time, we can also make small shifts to our mindsets to let in slivers of optimism and positivity where otherwise darkness and dread are kind of hanging out.

As a bit of a natural cynic myself, I know how hard this can be, but I've made some of these

changes myself, and I'm feeling just a few ounces lighter. So today, let's talk about some of the

gifts you might offer your brain, which in turn might help lift your spirit if you're in a bit of a tough season.

First, note your word choice. When we speak either to ourselves or out loud, our choice of words can influence our mindset.

According to the Association for Talent Development, we respond to words at a visceral autonomic level.

Understanding the impact of words on the brain can help us to become better managers,

parents, negotiators, almost any other role in which we as professionals may find ourselves.

If our words shape our experience, then choosing words that describe a more desirable experience can be a

helpful start. Like, I might say, this client is impossible to work with. They are demanding,

they don't listen, and their expectations are out of control. And this may all be true. But I might also

say, this client is challenging. They have high expectations and they keep me on my toes.

...