You're not starting a business

You're going on a journey 

And in this journey, there are times when it's exciting and energizing, and you don't want to go to sleep not to miss a second of it.

And other times, when you feel a dark cloud hovering over you, things are not working, and all you want to do is get under the blanket and not get out of bed until it is all resolved.

But as we know, if you hide under a blanket, nothing will get better cause you're the one who can make things better!

As an entrepreneur who's been on that journey for almost 20 years, I want to share with you today three quick exercises that you can use when your mental state is low, and everything looks grim, but you can't stay in bed and need to get back behind the steering wheel and get s**t done.

Each should take 3-5 minutes to complete, and you can do them as needed or make them a daily habit, like I do every morning.

1. Journaling - you want to put pen to paper and pour out anything that comes to mind into the paper. Put down all the thoughts, fears, and worries occupying the space between your ears that are making you feel trapped in a negative space. Don't hide anything, don't be shy or afraid, and be as brutally honest as possible. The trick here is to let it all flow out naturally, don't try to plan what you write, and don't think about correct grammar, spelling, or typo mistakes. The goal here is not to publish a best seller...but to dump out the crap that's in your head so you can make room for clear thinking and new energy.

2. Gratitude exercise - take a couple of minutes to write down (pen and paper) everything (small or big) you are grateful for. Tip: it can be hard to think of positive things when our mind is focusing on the negative, so if you find yourself struggling to come up with ideas, go back to basics, for example, the fact that you are alive, breathing, and healthy, that you a roof over your head, clothes to wear and food to eat, the people in your life, past situations when luck was on your side and so on. I promise you that once you start, you'll find many other things you are grateful for, and before you know it, you'll focus on the full half-glass.

3. Breathing - close your eyes, take a deep breath through the nose while counting to 4, and let it all out through your mouth slowly and steadily (make it as long as you can). Repeat that three times.

You can do these three exercises in a row or separately; either way, you will give yourself that extra space to let in a new thought and completely change your mindset.

Try it, and let me know how it works for you.