When Life Feels Like a Rollercoaster: Here’s the One Mindset Shift That Will Change Everything

I’ve got to admit, the last few weeks have tested me. Like properly tested me. And the ride is not yet over. 

There’s been stuff going on in my personal life that is emotional, draining and yes, exhausting.

There have been moments I’ve cried, moments I’ve questioned everything and moments where I’ve felt like I’ve had to show up for everyone else when all I wanted to do was hide under the duvet.

You know that feeling?

Honestly, life has felt like a full-on rollercoaster, and I know that might sound dramatic or cliché, but I’m guessing you know exactly what I mean.

Because if you’re anything like the women I coach, and I have a feeling you are, you’re smart, driven and successful in so many ways.

You get stuff done.

You’ve built a life others might admire and yet, you’re often the last person on your own list.

You care deeply. You do all the things. And when life throws a curveball, instead of stopping you keep going.

And still, it feels hard. And lonely. And overwhelming.

So I’d like to share the mindset shift I’ve been coming back to so I can face the challenges in front of me.

Every situation is neutral until you give it meaning. 

 That tough conversation at work. Your partner snapping at you. The email you haven’t replied to. The spinning plates. The thing your friend said that made your stomach drop. 

None of it has meaning, until you give it some. 

And you get to choose what that meaning is.

It’s the meaning, the words you use in your mind or you speak out loud, that stirs the emotion. That’s what sets off the stress response. That’s what makes you feel like you’re failing, or not enough, or that you’re messing things up.

And here’s why it’s so powerful: the meaning you attach to something determines how you feel about it, which drives how you act and, ultimately, how you experience life. 

Let that land.

This isn’t about toxic positivity. It’s not about pretending everything is fine. It’s about pausing, noticing the story you’re telling yourself and rewriting it if it’s hurting you.

That inner dialogue you carry around? It shapes your confidence. Your self-esteem. Your energy. And those three things affect everything else from your career to your relationships to how you feel when you look in the mirror.

When I’m coaching my clients, we go deep into this. We untangle old beliefs, outdated labels and the stories that have been keeping them stuck. And the breakthrough always starts here: with how you interpret what’s happening.

Don’t take anything personally, even when it feels personal.

Here’s the second tool I’ve been holding close: the reminder not to take things personally.

Whether it’s criticism or a compliment — it’s not actually about you.

It’s about the person giving it. Their mood. Their beliefs. Their insecurities. Their lived experience.