Happiness isn't something that only arrives when everything is perfect. It's a skill—and emotional resilience is its foundation.
In a world that celebrates performance, productivity, and constant doing, it’s easy to forget the one inner skill that sustains it all: emotional resilience.
But here’s the deeper truth:
Breakdowns often lead to breakthroughs—if you have the right tools.
This is the core of Phase 2 in the 1% Happier Me Today workbook.
If Phase 1 helped you slow down and reflect, Phase 2 is where you start to reset—not by checking out of your life, but by checking in with yourself.
This isn’t about quitting or running away. It’s about learning how to stay—especially when things get hard.
Because when everything around you feels like it’s falling apart, you don’t need to fall with it.
You need to rise with resilience.
Why Emotional Resilience Matters (Especially Now)
High performers—whether in career, parenting, or creative work—often operate under constant internal pressure:
You carry multiple roles
You’re emotionally available to others
You rarely stop to check in with yourself
The result? You “function” on the outside while feeling fractured within.
An emotional reset doesn’t mean escaping responsibilities. It means learning how to respond instead of react. To return to yourself without abandoning your goals.
And it’s more essential than ever.
As Pope Francis once said:
“To be happy is to find strength in forgiveness, hope in battles, security in the stage of fear, love in discord. […] To be happy is not a fatality of destiny, but an achievement for those who can travel within themselves.”
Rest in peace to one of the greatest emotional leaders of our time, whose words continue to echo what it truly means to be resilient.
Let this be your invitation to do exactly that: to travel within, reflect, reset, and rise—1% at a time.
One of Our Foundational Resets: Portugal, €50, and a Turning Point in Building a Happier Life
Six years ago, Pawel and I left Romania to pursue a dream of building a life aligned with our values. We thought we’d found the opportunity to do that. But after crossing Europe in our van, we were suddenly left stranded near Ericeira with less than €50, no job, and no clear path forward.
We parked near a supermarket where we:
Washed at the gas station sink
Ate €1.50 soups in the café
Cooked couscous with vegetables at night
Applied for jobs and wrote CVs in the library
But what I remember most vividly is this:
Pawel reached for a fish in the supermarket. Then he paused.
“We better not. We don’t know when the next income will come.”
In that moment, reality hit me hard. A wave of guilt rushed in—these were my contacts. Did I bring us here?
But instead of spiralling, we reset. We:
Regulated our nervous systems with breathwork
Released emotional weight through journaling
Reframed guilt into decision: “We’ll never let food insecurity define us again.”
Practiced daily affirmations to stay grounded
Within days, we found a place to live. A new job. A new beginning.
That’s what an emotional reset really means: It’s not about escaping reality, but about meeting it with renewed clarity and ownership. It’s the choice to pause instead of panic, to breathe through the discomfort, and to ask yourself: What is under my influence right now? It’s how you shift from reaction to responsibility—one conscious breath, one intentional step at a time.
Phase 2 in Action: Tools for Emotional Reset
Phase 2 from 1% Happier Me Today Workbook: Emotional Resilience & Inner Confidence (Days 26–50)
Emotional resilience isn’t built through avoidance—it’s built through awareness, regulation, and repetition.
But what if we hadn’t known how to reset during that moment in Portugal? What if we’d spiralled, blamed, shut down, or waited for someone else to rescue us?
We might still be stuck in survival mode.
Instead, we created and practised the tools we now share—because emotional resilience is a skill, not a trait. And it can be built, 1% at a time.
In this phase, you’ll:
Let go of guilt and reclaim emotional energy
Identify and interrupt emotional triggers
Set boundaries that protect your bandwidth
Shift shame into self-acknowledgement
Regulate your nervous system before reaching burnout
By the end of these 25 days, you’ll have:
A personal reset ritual
Stronger boundaries (internal and external)
Greater emotional autonomy
✨ 3 Emotional Reset Rituals You Can Try Today
Here are three simple yet powerful tools from Phase 2 that you can begin using right now—micro-habits rooted in the 1% Daily Happiness Habit framework, designed to help you build emotional resilience and regain balance, one intentional moment at a time:
1. The Guilt Release Journal Prompt
“What emotion am I holding onto that doesn’t serve me? Where can I offer myself forgiveness today?”
2. The Breath & Affirm Reset
Inhale deeply for 4 counts
Exhale slowly for 6 counts
Repeat the phrase: “I am grounded. I am safe. I choose my next step.”
3. The Boundary Check-In
Ask yourself:
“What do I keep saying yes to that drains me? What do I need to lovingly say no to this week?”
A Workbook Designed for Real Life
You don’t need to retreat to a monastery or take a sabbatical to reset. You simply need space, the right tools, and the willingness to begin—right where you are.
I know—because I did disappear for a while, after a big setback.
It took time, reflection, and emotional healing to rise again.
But that’s also why I know what works—and why I created this for you.
Sometimes, a breakdown feels like the end.
But with the right tools, it’s a doorway to something more.
You need:
Tools you can use in 14 minutes
Emotional habits that work in real life
A system that grows with you
That’s exactly what the 1% Happier Me Today workbook is for.
In just 3 weeks, I’ll be sharing this live in London.
And I can’t wait to help others see:
You don’t need more time.
You need better tools.
And the reset starts with just 1% a day.
Final Thought
Whatever you’re navigating right now—burnout, decision fatigue, uncertainty—remember:
You’re not broken.
You’re simply being invited to reset.
As Pope Francis beautifully reminded us:
“To be happy is not a fatality of destiny, but an achievement for those who can travel within themselves.”
Happiness isn’t a reward for having everything figured out.
It’s a practice—and emotional resilience is the foundation.
That’s why we created this system.
Not for when life is perfect, but for when it’s hard.
For when you need to pause, reflect, and choose again.
The 1% Daily Happiness Habit is about exactly that:
Meeting yourself with presence.
Leading yourself with clarity.
And building a life that feels emotionally sustainable—one moment at a time.
If this resonates, share your reset moment or leave a comment.
Let’s make resilience—and happiness—a shared habit.
Not someday…
But 1% today.
