Cheers and challenges
Steve From Blues Clues and Jeanette Bronée Looking for Clues
- Photo Heaven McArthur
Do you listen to the small clues inside? Do you set your intention with curiosity?
What's in the beginning is in the end—our prep, planning, mindset, and intention. While we cannot control what happens, we can navigate what comes our way. The intention we set out with might not work out as planned, but it will help guide us through.
Whether your last week felt overwhelming, exciting, or a mix of both, you might be looking ahead to the next one uncertainly, wondering if your plans will unfold as hoped. You might be searching for ways to feel more in control or vulnerable in the face of unpredictability.
Last week started strong, with my book launching in paperback and an excellent closing session for a Pause for Change program that I have been working on with Siemens. Yet that same day brought challenges, too. It was a week rich in cheers and challenges.
Emotions are not labels —they are clues.
We must embrace the cheers and challenges, hopes and disappointments, strategies, and failures to harness their lessons.
Looking back, we stand in a doorway between our past and future—between what we have done and what we will do, between choices that shape tomorrow. It's the messy middle between what we know and don't know, what we have learned and will learn. Each day, as we make decisions, we can choose how to stand in this doorway: either in regret and fear or in presence, peace, and purpose.
We learn from experience when we pause and reflect so the lessons can become insight. As we learn from life, we also learn to be more confident when we pause to listen to the clues inside ourselves. Doing so takes curiosity and courage because we live in a society where we are taught that someone else has the answer, the better life, and the solution to our problems. Learning to trust ourselves is a process of listening and daring to believe that our needs matter.
The challenge is that we have been conditioned to look outside ourselves for answers. As children, we search for clues while learning about life. We develop awareness of our surroundings and harness our curiosity, constantly asking questions and seeking answers. Our relationship with ourselves forms through our environment and the people in it. Society becomes our teacher, while friends and family become our judges and coaches. Along this journey, we form beliefs about who we are based on experiences that shape our story of what's possible—and what isn't. These experiences can leave us feeling either powerful or powerless.
Reclaim agency and celebrate the wins.
Steve from Blue's Clues pioneered children's educational television by revolutionizing interactive learning through the screen. With his warm, engaging presence, he spoke directly to children at home, pausing to let them respond—making them feel like active participants in solving each episode's mystery.
In every episode, Steve would follow Blue's paw prints alongside his young viewers, encouraging them to be observant and think critically. He validated children's contributions by responding as if he could hear their answers, building their confidence and making them feel valued partners in problem-solving.
By breaking down complex problems into manageable steps, celebrating small discoveries, and maintaining an enthusiastic, patient demeanor, Steve helped children develop problem-solving skills while feeling empowered to figure things out independently.
Listen to the clues inside.
Steve is a dear friend, and we often have conversations about the power of pausing to listen to the small clues within ourselves—signals that remind us to care for our mental health. In a world that's moving fast, where change feels overwhelming and scary because we cannot predict the future, cultivating a strong relationship with ourselves is more important than ever. This connection helps us feel empowered in our choices, even when they don't work out. We grow and learn through reflection; these insights help us make better choices. Just as Steve helped kids break down complex problems, take manageable steps, and celebrate small discoveries, we can become that inner coach for ourselves.
Learning to trust yourself.
In today's world of information overload, it's easy to get lost in endless advice and opinions. But here's the thing - your inner wisdom often holds the key you're looking for.
Think of Power-Pausing as your check-in tool. It helps you tune into what's happening inside and around you - from your gut feelings and emotions to how your environment and relationships affect you. These brief moments of awareness help you spot patterns and understand what you truly need.
It's like being a skilled navigator using their inner compass and the stars above. By balancing your internal wisdom with what's happening in your world, you can make authentic choices while adapting to life's changes.
The Self-Care Mindset is your toolbox for navigating life.
I wrote The Self-Care Mindset to guide this journey of rethinking how we change and grow. We can cultivate these essential skills through its tools, building ourselves up—one pause, one clue, one choice at a time.
This past week, the book was relaunched in a sunshine-yellow paperback edition featuring an endorsement from Steve of Blue's Clues on the cover. To discover the benefits of Power-Pausing, get your copy and download the digital companion Pause Book—your guide for exploring the transformative practice of pausing for self-inquiry and discovery.
As weeks begin and end, let's engage with curiosity and transform challenges into cheers—not because of their outcomes, but because we journey through each week, one day at a time.
