Life has a way of dealing us a hand we didn’t expect — sometimes, it's a bunch of crappy cards.
For me, one of the toughest hands came on Halloween, October 31, 2013, when I suffered a massive brain stroke. It left me speechless, except for two words: "Doooonnna" and "Crap!!"
As Halloween 2024 marks the 11th anniversary, I’m reflecting on the journey and the powerful mindset shift that accelerated my recovery.
The healthcare team predicted I would take 8-9 months to regain my speech. I was unwilling to accept that prognosis.
With my signature MindShift Exercise™, I could speak again in three days. It wasn’t magic or a miracle — it was the power of the mind.
We’re all born with a biological supercomputer, but it doesn’t come with an owner's manual.
MindShifting™ provides simple, adaptable tools that evolve to meet your needs. These tools help you shift your mindset in real-time instead of letting life’s setbacks define you.
The more we focus on any negative situation, the stronger it becomes. But when we take charge of our thoughts, we can redirect that energy toward positive change and growth.
This approach can help you tackle immediate challenges on-demand.
What You’ll Get From Reading This
You’ll learn a simple, on-the-spot technique to:
- Shift your mindset.
- Face immediate challenges with more ease.
- Interrupt negative thought patterns before they anchor and take root.
MindShifting™ is evidence-based, rooted in psychology, and proven to deliver fast results.
The seven simple steps work even faster when you experience them in a guided setting, like my upcoming MindShifting Deep Dive masterclass.
The Power of "Hmm... Isn't That Interesting?"
At first glance, the phrase might seem too simple to be effective. But it works because it can create a pause — a mental reboot.
When faced with an immediate challenge, the mind tends to race, and thoughts spiral out of control.
By saying, "Hmm... Isn't that interesting?" you momentarily detach from the stress and look at the situation with curiosity rather than judgment.
That curiosity is key.
It gives you the space to step back and view the challenge as a detached observer rather than being emotionally entangled in it.
This practice of detaching and witnessing draws from Eastern philosophy, empowering you to notice rather than react.
My Recovery Story: MindShifting™ in Action
When I had my stroke, the last thing I wanted to hear was that it would take nearly a year to speak clearly again.
In those initial moments after the stroke hit, fears and frustration could have taken over, but instead, I turned to my MindShifting™ technology.
I sat there, repeating the phrase, "Hmm... Isn't that interesting?" letting it interrupt my panic and ground me in the present.
In three days, I went from being unable to speak to forming coherent words.
I credit that rapid progress to the power of the human mind and the simplicity of interrupting my thoughts before they took me into a deep, dark hole.
This approach shaped my recovery and inspired my coaching, where I guide others to apply the same techniques to face their current challenges.
Shifting Mindsets On-Demand: More Than Just Recovery
The power of using a quick mindset shift is unlimited. It’s a valuable tool for overcoming health challenges and dealing with everyday setbacks — whether it’s a demanding boss, navigating a family conflict, or bouncing back from a loss at the poker table.
Yes, poker.
The game has taught me so much about life, especially the value of staying present and flexible in the face of uncertainty. When you’re at the poker table, just as in life, you can’t control the cards you’re dealt. What you can control is your response.
This MindShift Exercise™ works like a mental reset button, allowing you to quickly shake off a bad hand (or a bad day) and approach the next opportunity with a clear, calm mind.
It’s about letting go of what just happened and being fully present for what comes next.
Applying MindShifting™ to Your Daily Life
Waiting for a life-altering event to benefit from this exercise is wasteful, even silly. You can start small immediately.
The next time you catch yourself feeling overwhelmed or frustrated:
- Pause and acknowledge the emotion.
- Say, "Hmm... Isn't that interesting?" to shift your focus away from the stress.
- Breathe deeply to bring yourself back to the present moment.
In my upcoming LIVE masterclass, you'll get real-time
MindShifting™ tools you can use to overcome life's little hurdles or significant pitfalls.
The Seven Steps to MindShifting™
Before starting this process, bring a negative situation to mind. Then, rate your Before — how you feel on your Mindset Scale™ from 0 to 10, where 0 is neutral, and 10 represents the worst discomfort imaginable.
1. Forgive yourself: Start by forgiving yourself, releasing any guilt or self-blame before beginning the MindShift Exercise™.
2. Say, "Hmm... Isn't that interesting?": Use this phrase to interrupt negative thinking and create a mental reset, shifting from judgment to curiosity.
3. Breathe deeply: Take a deep breath to calm your mind and body, promoting relaxation and focus.
4. Look up and to the right: This slight physical movement helps shift your brain's focus and activates creativity.
5. Pivot your body to the right: A subtle body movement helps engage the body-mind connection further.
6. Ask, "Where would I rather be?": This question directs your subconscious toward a more positive state without needing a conscious answer.
7. Rate your After on the Mindset Scale™: After completing the steps, rate your emotional state to measure the shift's impact on the discomfort scale, where 0 is neutral, and 10 is the worst.
YOUR SHIFT: Take your before rating and subtract your after rating. The difference shows your emotional shift.
In rare instances, the number may remain the same or even increase, indicating that what is really bothering you lies beneath the initial issue you brought to mind.
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These seven steps of MindShifting™ provide a robust framework to reclaim control over your thoughts and emotions. By consistently applying these steps, you can turn any moment of stress into an opportunity for growth.
Whether you’re dealing with life's uncertainty or poker's unpredictability, adopting a mindset of curiosity and openness can help you face challenges head-on without being sidelined by stress or self-doubt.
It’s about reclaiming your power — one MindShift™ at a time.
Wrapping It Up
We’ve covered how a simple, quick mindset shift helped me accelerate my stroke recovery. This technique can be applied to your own life for immediate results.
Remember: The magic lies in simplicity and curiosity.
When life deals you a challenging hand, shift your mindset quickly and see what happens when you take a slow, deep breath and sigh, "Hmm... Isn't that interesting?"
About Donna Blevins
Known as "The Big Girl of Poker" at 6-foot 5-inches tall, Donna has more than four decades of experience helping people shift their mindset and perform at their highest level under pressure. From the C-Suite to frontlines to the cardroom, Donna’s MindShifting™ methods are time-tested and evidence-based even when life deals crappy cards.
Dr. Donna says, "Just call me Coach."
