Have you ever noticed how a single thought can change your entire mood? One moment you’re feeling okay, and the next you’re weighed down, anxious, or frustrated—just because of the story running in your mind. The good news is: you don’t have to stay stuck!

Here’s a simple, effective practice I like to use, and share with my clients:

The Energy Pivot

Step One: Catch Yourself

You can’t change anything until you are aware of it. When you notice yourself feeling a little off—maybe worried, irritated, or just heavy—pause for a moment. Take a nice deep breath, and exhale slowly.

Step Two: Curiosity

Instead of pushing the heavy feeling away, get curious, and ask yourself, “What thought was I just thinking?”

Often, you’ll discover there’s a thought looping in the background that isn’t serving you. Maybe it’s an old fear, a self-doubt, or just a habit of focusing on what’s wrong instead of what’s right.

Once you identify the thought, tag it to the heavy feeling. Examples: When I think that thought, I feel a twist in my stomach. When that thought pops up, I feel anxious.

Step Three: Choose How You Want to Feel

Once you’ve identified the way the thought makes you feel, gently ask yourself, “How do I want to feel instead?”

This is where the shift begins. Do you want to feel calm instead of anxious? Hopeful instead of discouraged? Joyful instead of heavy? 

Naming the feeling you want is like pointing your compass in a new direction.

Step Four: Pivot Your Thought

Finally, ask yourself, “What thought would help me feel the way I want to feel?”

For example, if you want to feel more peaceful, you might try on the thought: “I don’t have to solve everything right now.” If you want to feel more confident, maybe it’s, “I’ve handled challenges before, and I can handle this one too.”

This doesn’t mean forcing fake positivity. It’s about finding the next gentle thought that feels better. Even a tiny shift like moving from “I can’t do this” to “I’m learning as I go” can completely change your emotional state.

Don’t try to make it a big leap. Just choose a thought that feels a little lighter, a little truer, a little closer to the energy you want to embody.

Practicing the Pivot

Like any practice, the more often you use The Energy Pivot, the easier it becomes. You’ll start to notice your thoughts sooner, and the gap between “feeling bad” and “shifting up” gets shorter. Over time, you’ll realize you really do have the power to change how you feel. Before long, it becomes second nature—like flipping a light switch back on.

The Ripple Effect

And here’s the beautiful part: Every time you pivot your energy, you’re not just helping yourself. You’re also uplifting the people around you. Energy is contagious, and your choice to pivot uplifts others at the same time.

The Energy Pivot is a small but mighty process. It reminds you that you always have a choice, and that even one new thought can turn your whole day around. So when you catch yourself in a thought spiral, pause. Breathe. Ask. Choose. Pivot.

Grow On!

Writing reinforces remembering!
Try writing down the thoughts that feel heavy to you, then write a few substitute thoughts that feel better next to each one. Play with finding better and better feeling ones.

How can you practice the new thoughts more often?