This Habit Can Calm Your Entire Day

Have you ever started your day with a great plan, only to have one curveball send you spiraling emotionally? Welcome back to the Real Positive Change podcast.
I’m Cathy, and I am so grateful you’re here. Today’s episode is a personal one — because I’ve been walking through a season of emotional transformation, and it has changed the way I move through my day… the way I show up for my family… and honestly, the way I feel about my life. My husband said to me three separate times this week: “I love this change you’ve made. I don’t know what you’re doing, but keep doing it.” And that was confirmation that the emotional and spiritual work I’ve been doing with God is creating real, visible, and peaceful change. Today we’re talking about the STORY Model —
a simple but powerful way to understand what’s happening inside you emotionally…
and how to stay grounded, centered, and connected to God even when your day takes an unexpected turn. If you're someone who likes life to flow smoothly — no glitches, no last-minute changes — then today’s episode is especially for you. Let’s dive in. ⭐ THE STORY MODEL — Understanding Your Emotional Experience S — Stimulus or Situation This is what happens externally.
An unexpected schedule change.
A frustrating moment.
A conversation that catches you off guard.
A tone of voice.
A decision.
Even silence. Your day begins to shift before you even know it. T — Thought (The First Meaning) Your mind instantly assigns meaning.
This meaning is quick, automatic, and usually shaped by the world around you. It’s the first interpretation before you take a breath. Something like:
“This is frustrating.”
“I didn’t expect that.”
“I don’t like this.”
“I wasn’t ready for this.” Not wrong — just fast. O — Original Emotion This is the natural emotional response. Irritation.
Disappointment.
Sadness.
Surprise.
Concern. It is honest, human, and absolutely valid. But then… R — Reflection (The Second Meaning) This is the deeper emotional layer —
the one that turns the moment into a mirror. Reflection is the meaning you attach to the situation about yourself. It sounds like: “Maybe I’m not important.”
“Maybe I did something wrong.”
“I should’ve been better.”
“I’m being replaced.”
“I’m not valued.”
“This always happens to me.” This is where the second emotion forms —
the heavier one. Reflection is where insecurity, fear, shame, or old wounds quietly slip in. And THIS is what actually intensifies our emotions —
not the situation…
but the meaning we attach to ourselves. 🕊️ A SHORT, GENTLE WORD ABOUT GRIEF (one small section, just supportive — not the whole episode) Something God has been showing me is that many of our emotional reactions are actually connected to grief. Not only the grief of loss,
but the grief of: – Changed plans
– Disrupted routines
– Lost expectations
– A vision for your life not unfolding the way you imagined
– Something familiar ending
– Life moving differently than you hoped These moments carry small but real grief. And when that grief isn’t comforted, it can lead to: Emotional heaviness.
Irritability.
Discouragement.
Hopelessness.
Feeling unseen or unsupported. Recognizing this is not weakness.
It’s wisdom. Because naming the grief keeps it from becoming your whole identity. And that brings us to the part of the model where your power returns… ⭐ Y — YOUR CHOICE This is the split in the road — the moment where you decide the direction your story goes. You have two paths: Path 1 — The Automatic Direction You follow the painful reflection.
You gather evidence to prove the insecurity is true.
Your reactions start confirming the story your emotions wrote. Or… Path 2 — The Intentional Direction You pause.
You breathe.
You invite God into the moment.
And you choose a different meaning… a different direction… a different ending. This is where spiritual growth happens.
This is where emotional freedom grows.
This is where peace gets built — choice by choice. And this is where I want to give you the two creative practices that helped ME shift from emotional spiraling into emotional strength. 🎨 CREATIVE REMINDERS (for the Y moment) Your journal is not just a notebook —
it’s a tool to retrain your nervous system
and anchor your spirit in God’s truth. When you write an affirmation…
and you add color or paint behind the words…
your nervous system receives it as truth —
not just intellectually, but physically. Here are the two I want you to write: Creative Reminder #1 — Identity & Purpose Write this in your journal: “I choose to follow the example of God and be a light to others.
What I do matters.
I MATTER!” Add bold color behind the words —
yellow, gold, or whatever feels like light. Let your mind absorb the truth:
You matter.
Your presence matters.
Your peace matters. Creative Reminder #2 — Comfort for Grief For moments when sadness, loss, or disappointment rise up: “In my sorrow, I choose to lean on God’s everlasting love.
He sees my pain, and I trust that He will heal my heart over time.
I will rest in His promises, knowing He is with me in every moment of grief.” Then add soft, gentle color.
Blues, purples, or whatever feels calming. And speak this scripture over yourself: “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” — Psalm 147:3 Let the act of writing…
and the act of adding color…
be your way of choosing the intentional path —
the path toward peace. Friend, your emotions are not the problem.
Your story is simply asking to be understood. And as you begin to see your emotional process through the STORY Model,
you will start navigating your day with more grace,
more resilience,
and so much more peace. You are learning deeper trust.
You are learning to follow God’s will instead of forcing your own.
You are learning to see your story through His eyes. Thank you for spending this time with me today.
You are seen.
You are significant.
And God is walking with you every step of the way. Until next time,
this is Cathy —
reminding you that your story is still unfolding,
and God is not finished writing beauty into it.