5 Tiny Habits Guide Mentioned: https://mailchi.mp/ceciliahendrix/5-tiny-habits

I am back and keeping the name Unleashing Happiness. In this heartfelt reset, I shares why I am doubling down on the show's original promise: helping you reconnect with joy, spark, and an authentic identity (without 2-hour morning routines or ice baths).

From catching negative self-talk to practicing real self-forgiveness, I explains how small, doable shifts change the way you feel, act, and show up. I breaks down how your brain starts looking for what you repeatedly tell it to look for, and how compassion—not perfection—creates sustainable momentum in work, parenting, caregiving, and life.

• Keep the mission, skip the performative routines. You don't need elaborate rituals to feel better—small, consistent changes move the needle.

• Start with awareness. You can't change what you're not aware of; notice how you think and talk to yourself.

• Use the "someone I love" test. If you wouldn't say it to your favorite person (or your dog 🐾), don't say it to yourself—rewrite the line.

• Thoughts aren't facts. You assign the meaning; decide which thoughts get airtime and which pass by.

• Your brain is your bouncer. What you rehearse, you reinforce; your mind will filter for what you cue it to find (opportunities or obstacles).

• Compassion lowers stress. Skipping self-care increases stress and drains focus; compassion is productive, not selfish.

• Reframe regrets as lessons. Use past missteps as direction, not identity.

• Identity shifts follow tiny actions. Small wins → new self-talk → identity upgrade → more energy and patience.

• 00:00 – Welcome back & why I'm sticking with Unleashing Happiness 02:24 – When "expert routines" don't fit real life (kids, work, caretaking) 04:33 – Compassion as a stress reducer and performance booster 05:55 – The first step: awareness of my self-talk (+ the loved-one test) 07:36 – Thoughts vs. facts: I assign the meaning 11:29 – Training my brain's filter (reticular activating system / "brain bouncer") 15:00 – A personal story: turning a regret into a learning moment 19:29 – Five-minute habits to reconnect with my spark (+ free guide) 20:19 – Closing: permission to rewrite my story

Q1: I'm overwhelmed and on autopilot. Where do I start? Begin with awareness. For the next few days, notice your self-talk and run the loved-one test. Rewrite one harsh line per day.

Q2: Isn't self-compassion just letting myself off the hook? No—compassion reduces stress, improves focus, and makes sustainable change possible. It's accountability with kindness.

Q3: What if I don't have time for routines? Use micro-habits (2–5 minutes): one breath check-in, one kind reframe, one tiny action toward your future self.

Q4: How do I stop spiraling after a mistake? Ask: "What's the lesson?" Treat it like feedback, not a verdict. Then take one small corrective action.

Q5: How does the brain "look for" what I focus on? Repeated focus trains your filter (often called the reticular activating system) to notice matching signals—good or bad. (Editor's note: commonly abbreviated RAS.)