How to Build a Positive Mindset and Ditch the Toxic Positivity

by Julie Reising, LMFT

It’s common knowledge that a positive mindset helps us manage stress more effectively and can impact our physical health. Unfortunately, that bit of knowledge often gets weaponized as toxic positivity. Psychology Today defines toxic positivity as “the act of avoiding, suppressing, or rejecting negative emotions or experiences”.

We hear it from friends and family “just look on the bright side” or “it’s not that bad”. However, a truly positive mindset isn’t about pretendingeverything is rosy all the time. In fact, adapting a positive mindset is more about accepting what is than pretending it’s all good.

As with most things that are good for us, adapting a positive mindset takes intentional effort. Because of an evolutionary thing called “negative bias”, our brains are hardwired to pay more attention to negative events than positive, according to the School of Positive Transformation.

This means that to achieve a positive mindset, we must be intentional about balancing out this biological tendency.

Strategies for shifting your mindset:

● Acknowledge the bad stuff: we can recognize that things are rough in this world and bad things happen to good people, but the trick is to not stop there.

●Avoid blanket thoughts/statements: instead of “people suck” or “life is crap”, be specific about what’s not going well. Labeling it accurately and specifically helps us integrate it emotionally.

● Recognize the good stuff: sometimes this means looking for the small moments (these are called glimmers) that lift your spirits and allow you to feel a bit of peace, joy, or even awe (sunrises are my go-to for awe-inspiration).

● Adapt the both/and: this is the critical element…rather than an either/or thought like life is awesome/life is crap, create a both/and thought: life is both joyful and sad. Holding the complexity of the both/and can be a challenge because of our brain’s negative bias and desire to categorize things as only one thing or another. We tend to resist the balance of both/and.

Essential to practicing a positive mindset is finding a believable thought to think (and statement to make). Our brain has a well-refined BS detector, which is why toxic positivity doesn’t work. If our belief has been “life is crap”, our brain won’t buy “life is so awesome all the time”. BUT, it will believe the both/and of life is sometimes hard and sometimes good, which is both more accurate and encourages a more resilient mindset.

A positive mindset isn’t about forcing happiness; it’s about cultivating honesty, compassion, and flexibility in how we relate to our experiences. When we allow space for both struggle and goodness to coexist, we create resilience instead of pressure. Over time, this balancedapproach builds a mindset that feels steady, believable, and deeply supportive to the full complexity of being human.

To learn more about Julie Reising, Mindset & Empowerment Coach visit www.juliereising.com

The Best Leadership Tips from Broadway

by Megan Castles-Peery

What’s your favorite way to grow as a leader? Maybe it’s reading John Maxwell, listening to the Craig Groeschel Leadership Podcast, or participating in local networking groups. But have you ever thought about Broadway musicals? Before I started my career at State Farm, my true passion was performing. As I’ve built my career and business, I’ve realized Broadway is packed with leadership lessons.

Here are some of the most powerful (and fun!) leadership tips straight from Broadway musicals:

You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown – My New Philosophy: Set a clear, consistent, concise vision.

Setting a vision can feel overwhelming. First, you must fully understand your own vision. That means having a focused, clear point of view. Then, when you share your vision with others, they need that same clarity and consistency. If you’re a big-picture dreamer, don’t worry! Your vision can be built upon, one piece and plan at a time.

Hamilton – Aaron Burr, Sir: Know when to speak up and when to listen.

Leadership can be loud, bright, and glamorous but it’s equally quiet, still, strategic. Learning when to speak and when to listen adds depth to your leadership style. It helps you grow, develop and creates a calm atmosphere. 

Hello, Dolly! – I Put My Hand In: Focus on what you can do for others, not what others can do for you.

Your motives and mindset are the foundation of who you are as a leader. A woman who leads with the focus of connecting, serving, and supporting others is a woman who succeeds AND who helps those around her succeed.

Legally Blonde – So Much Better: Resilience is nonnegotiable.

Leadership, like life, is messy and imperfect. The strength of resilience is what helps you push through tough times. That earned grit? It’s one of the most beautiful parts of being a leader.

Wicked – Defying Gravity: Be brave even when things are going well.

We all know “big risk, big reward,” but bravery is just as important when things are going smoothly. Courage helps you elevate, take things from good to great, inspire your team, and reinvent yourself and your organization.

Leadership is influence in everything you do from home, friendships, and career to volunteer work, hobbies, community, and everything in between. It’s an ever-evolving practice, and leadership skills can be found in all parts of life. In the theater, we say “break a leg” for good luck. So… “break a leg” using these tips to shine as a leader!

To connect with Megan for your insurance needs or just because she’s a smart badass, reach out to her at:

Megan Castles-Peery | Megan@InsuranceTaylorMade.com 

Work phone: 918-829-0067

Instagram: @MeganCastlesHyphenPeery

How I Learned That Exercise Wasn’t Everything

by Heather Ehlers, Sage Soul Wellness & The Body Barre

If I’m being totally honest, my relationship with exercise hasn’t always been what it looks like now.

For a long time, I believed exercise was the answer to everything. If I wanted to change my body, feel better, have more energy, or even quiet my mind, I thought I just needed to work out harder or more often. And I did. I showed up, I sweat, I pushed myself… and sometimes I still felt frustrated when my body didn’t respond the way I expected it to.

Over the years, through my own journey and through the community at The Body Barre, I started noticing a pattern. So many strong, committed women were doing the workouts, showing up consistently, and still feeling stuck. That’s when it really clicked for me, movement definitely matters, but it can’t do the job alone.

Exercise builds strength, confidence, and resilience. It helps us feel connected to our bodies. But when it comes to changing body composition, nutrition has to be part of the conversation too.

This realization became a big part of why I created Sage Soul Wellness. I wanted a space to go deeper than just the workout. A place to talk about how we fuel our bodies, how we manage stress, and how our mindset plays into all of it. Because I’ve learned that eating well isn’t about restriction or perfection about support and longevity. 

When I started paying attention to both how I moved and how I ate, everything shifted. My body felt stronger and My energy became more consistent. Mentalky I stopped feeling like I was constantly battling myself.

Exercise became something I did to feel grounded and capable, not something I used to “fix” my body.

That’s what I see now, both in the studio and in my coaching work. Body composition isn’t about extremes or punishment. It’s about balance. Movement challenges the body. Nutrition supports it. Mindset keeps it sustainable.

If you’re someone who’s working out consistently but not seeing the changes you hoped for, you’re not doing anything wrong. You might just need to zoom out and look at the whole picture. Small, intentional shift add up in powerful change and overall health over time.

That’s the heart of my work at The Body Barre and Sage Soul Wellness: helping women feel strong, nourished, and at home in their bodies again.

Learn more about Heather’s work at The Body Barre and Sage Soul Wellness and check out her Sunday Soul Series she hosts in-person at The Body Barre.

If you’re a woman in a leadership role in a business, non-profit or entrepreneurship, this and you are craving community, connection and collaboration, we invite you to learn more about Chicks in Charge membership here.

Free Fall Issue of Bold Moves Magazine on Mama’s Mental Health, Wild Women, and Finishing Strong

Dearest Chicks,

I hope you know how powerful you are. Our club just read WOMEN WHO RUN WITH THE WOLVES and I was reminded how easily it is to let our intuition get drowned out by the voices OUTSIDE of us.

I hope this Fall issue reminds you of all of the best parts of being a WILD WOMAN. That we can be all of the things that matter most: independent and connected, courageous and vulnerable, creative and productive, free and grounded, loving and loved.

In this issue, you’ll be reminded to take care of your mental health from therapist Katana and get inspired by our boss Chicks hitting their work, wealth and wellness goals in Goal GettHers. You’ll get to know our new Associate Editor Kari Ernest, who came to the position because my intuition told me she would be a great fit and she said yes. You’ll meet Shylah and five other boss Chicks in our spotlight.  Shylah is our surprise cover model because my intuition told me she was meant to be on the cover. (Look how gorgeous it is – as is Shylah!) My a-ha moments are pivotal to my success because I have learned to trust them and they rarely lead me astray. That’s my wild woman archetype in full force. I hope you’ll let your intution howl for you, too. Read it here online or download it as a PDF.

I hope to connect with you soon. Join us in Hochatown if we have a spot and you have the time so you can unwind in the pines and plan for 2026 with some amazing women. We’re here for you.

A huge thank you to our Fall sponsors Ala Therapy Collective, who provided this FREE 30 day journal download, Sunny Girl Sundries with their special corporate gifting offer for our readers; Kelly’s Travel Agency, and Yay on Broadway co-work & event space.

I’d love to hear back from you on what you loved and learned from this issue!

xo gather & grow,

Malena Putnam, Publisher,  Bold Moves

CEO, Chicks in Charge & Yay Dude Media & Marketing

SHE Shines Nashville Round Up

“Boots, Boss Chicks and The Bold Life” was our theme for this year’s SHE Shines conference where we take our SHE Leads conference on the road to explore a new city, create greater bonds between our members and meet and learn from other boss Chicks.

Meredith Sense-Cruz
Katie Anderson
Dr. Lori McKinnon
Rebecca Marmolejo
Stacy Bozarth
Malena Putnam
Some of our speakers and attendees on the beautiful Travellers Rest property in Nashville.

We’re especially grateful to Liberty Federal Credit Union, our VIP sponsor, for being a part of our leadership day and the Spark talk by Rebecca Marmolejo, Business Development Officer, for sharing her insights on authenticity in your journey and how that evolves over time. She told us to not cheat others or ourselves by not showing up fully and being who we are. We miss out and deny others when we aren’t being authentic.

Bold Talks That Sparked Change

Every Spark Talk at SHE Shines was a lightning bolt of insight, authenticity, and encouragement. These women showed us what The Bold Life truly looks like:

  • Stacy Bozarth, Connection Advocate and Exec. Director at the John Maxwell Team shared High Road Leadership for Women, reminding us that connection is where high road leadership begins. How can we improve connection and close the gap on what divides us?
  • Lori McKinnon, School of Media & Strategic Communication, Oklahoma State University, informed us about the power of authenticity in branding and how trust, values and brand clarity lead to brand amplification. How is your brand building trust with your customer base?
  • Katie Anderson, founder of Let’s Get Social based in Florida, encouraged us to “Take the Leap” before we are ready and to believe in our ideas even when others don’t. What’s holding you back from taking the leap?
  • Malena Putnam, CEO, Yay Dude Media & Marketing & Chicks in Charge shared the Goal GettHers FROG framework: Focus Reaches Our Goals, which includes prioritizing and writing down our goals in the areas of work, wealth and wellness and make actionable steps and deadlines for achieving them. She also shared her “5-Minute Trailblazer Plan”, which includes the three primary steps for marketing your business – Disco, Lasso, and Rodeo. Visibility & awareness, attraction & conversion, and experience. What are you focusing on in 2025? How can you grow your brand using the Disco, Lasso, Rodeo steps?
  • Meredith Sense-Cruz, Certified Women’s Sexual Health Educator & Intimacy Consultant, expressed how important it is for women to give themselves permission to make pleasure and playtime a priority in all areas of our lives so we can be in touch with who we are and what brings us joy. What feels good in your life right now?

You can view the full list of speakers and their Spark Talk topics here.

A Walk Through Herstory: Travellers Rest Tour

A standout moment was our exclusive tour of Travellers Rest Historic House Museum, where we explored the life and legacy of Mary Overton, the matron of the home and wife to Judge John Overton (founder of Memphis and campaign manager and good friend to our 5th president, Andrew Jackson). Known as a healer, herbalist, and a resilient leader for her family and the property, Mary’s story echoed our own conversations on bold wellness and feminine leadership. She was a six-foot-tall woman who through her knowledge of medicine and wellness, was able to keep all of our nine children alive until adulthood, which was rare in the 1800s.

As we moved through the home’s storied rooms, we felt connected not just to history—but to a lineage of women who nurtured, led, and healed in their own right. It was the perfect close to a day rooted in sisterhood and strength.

💫 What’s Next?

Connect with our speakers here. If SHE Shines or this blog post left you feeling fired up, stay connected with us! Join our OKC or Cloud membership, attend a Goal GettHers session, or watch for details on the next SHE Leads event coming in 2027! Bold living isn’t just a moment—it’s a movement.

CHICKS IN CHARGE

Community. Connection. Collaboration.

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