First Responders

Criminal Justice

What are some of your favorite mental tips for when the challenge and darkness creeps in?

Overcoming Darkness: Mental Tips to Conquer Challenges

What are some of your favorite mental tips for when the challenge and darkness creeps in? Some of the things that I like to do is take a step back and do some self-reflection. If I'm thinking that I'm in a challenging position, or me myself, I'm being challenged by somebody because of something I did or didn't do, I'll take a step back and actually reflect on what the situation is at hand. And realize and look into, you know, did I do something wrong? Is there something that I could have done better? And use that as a learning tool to say, okay, moving forward, this is how I'm going to handle this situation. If there's ever where darkness creeps in, where I'm really self-doubting, self-loathing myself, or just feeling not myself, that's the time that you need to reach out to somebody that you can talk to, phone a friend, phone a therapist. Just sit and figure out what you can actually do to better yourself. And it's some time to actually do some good affirmations to say, hey, you're strong, you've been through this. You've been through situations like this before. And look how you've handled them and use those to make yourself get through that dark and tough times. You know, one of my tips that I always use is this mantra that right now it's like this. Whatever you're going through, it's happening right at this second. And time is always changing and in five seconds, it may not be happening. You're in a different mindset. You're in a different zone. So whatever you're thinking about or going through, I use the mantra right now, it's like this, because everything changes and evolves. But you've got this, you can get through what you're going through, but don't be afraid to phone a friend.

In times of darkness, take a step back and do some self-reflection. Ask yourself if there is something you could have done better, and use it as a learning tool for the future. If need be, reach out to someone to talk to, such as a friend or a therapist. Lastly, remind yourself that whatever you're going through, you can get through it and it may not be happening in five seconds.

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When the challenge and darkness creep in, I have a few favorite mental tips that I rely on. Firstly, I take a step back and engage in self-reflection. I assess the situation at hand and consider if there's anything I could have done better or if I made a mistake. I use this as a learning opportunity to handle similar situations more effectively in the future.

If I find myself in a dark place, filled with self-doubt or negativity, I reach out to someone I can talk to. It could be a friend or a therapist. Having someone to confide in and seek support from can make a significant difference. It's important to take the time to figure out how to improve oneself during these challenging moments.

I also find that practicing positive affirmations can be helpful. Reminding myself of my strength and resilience, and reflecting on past situations I've overcome, boosts my confidence and helps me navigate through tough times.

One mental tip I often use is a mantra: Right now, it's like this. It serves as a reminder that everything is temporary and constantly changing. In just a few seconds, my mindset and circumstances can shift. This mantra helps me stay grounded and hopeful, knowing that I can get through whatever I'm facing.

Remember, you have the strength to overcome challenges, but don't hesitate to reach out for support when needed.

What are three things you do to be productive?

To-do lists, priorities, and self-care: the keys to productivity

What are three things you do to be productive? Well, I'd say one of the first things I do is I make a to-do list. So at the end of the day, I mark down what I need to work on for tomorrow. And then when I get up in the morning and start working on that list, I make sure nothing is coming in overnight that I need to immediately work on. But I try to focus on those items that are on that to-do list that I can knock off relatively quick and get them off the list. Second thing I really try to do is stay focused on the priorities that I have. As other things come in, don't get sidetracked by, oh, this will only take ten minutes to do or this will only take an hour to do. Let me jump on that and knock it out of the way. Because that's going to sidetrack me from my initial tasks. And then this little one and then another little one is going to add in. And before you know it, your to-do list is done and you've screwed it all up. And then the third thing I like to do is take time for myself. Make sure that I step away and, you know, step away from the computer, go for a walk, go get a coffee, splash cold water on my face to make sure that you can re-center and get that restart if you need to in the middle of the day. And those are the things that I've come across and that I use to keep me on track and keep me most productive.

To stay productive, I make a to-do list and stick to it, stay focused on priorities and take time for myself by stepping away from the computer and doing something like going for a walk or getting a coffee.

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To be productive, I follow three key practices. Firstly, I create a to-do list at the end of each day, outlining the tasks I need to tackle the next day. In the morning, I prioritize these items and ensure there are no urgent tasks that came in overnight. I focus on completing the quick wins first to clear them off the list.

Secondly, I stay committed to my priorities. I avoid getting sidetracked by smaller tasks that may seem quick to complete but can derail my progress. By staying focused on my initial tasks, I prevent the accumulation of additional distractions that can disrupt my workflow.

Lastly, I make sure to take breaks and carve out time for myself. Stepping away from the computer, going for a walk, grabbing a coffee, or even splashing cold water on my face helps me re-center and recharge. These moments of pause allow me to reset and maintain productivity throughout the day.

By implementing these practices, I have found that I can stay on track and maximize my productivity.

What do you think is the mindset needed to constantly learn and grow throughout your career?

Never stop learning to constantly grow and prosper in your career.

What do you think is the mindset needed to constantly learn and grow throughout your career? I think the mindset that you need to have is you never need to stop learning. I go by the mindset of you stop learning, when you stop living, you always need to build up the brain exercise. The brain, you can always learn something new from a new hire to a someone who's been on the job for 30 years. There's always a good old tidbits and morsels that you can pick up. So you want to be that sponge and absorb as much as you can and I love the analogy about a sponge because it absorbs, it picks everything up but it's only going to hold on to so much of that. If you squeeze it a little bit, someone that's going to drain away, some of the stuff you may learn. You may be like, that's interesting but you know, I may not find that useful right now and you're going to let it go, but a lot of it you can also maintain and keep in that. And help use it for your career. So you always you never want to stop learning. You want to read as much as you can be at the internet or books or online wherever just never, stop learning and keep your mind set and active and you're going to always continue to grow and prosper.

The mindset needed to constantly learn and grow throughout your career is to always be open to new ideas and knowledge. You want to be a sponge, absorbing as much information as possible, while also being able to let go of the things that aren't immediately useful. Reading and using the internet are great ways to stay informed and continue developing yourself.

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The mindset needed to constantly learn and grow throughout your career is one of never-ending curiosity and a commitment to lifelong learning. You should always strive to build up your brain exercise and believe that learning should never cease. Whether it's from a new hire or someone with decades of experience, there are always valuable insights and knowledge to be gained.

Think of yourself as a sponge, absorbing as much information as possible. However, like a sponge, you can only hold onto so much. Some things may not be immediately useful or relevant, and that's okay. Let go of what doesn't serve you at the moment, but retain and apply the knowledge that can benefit your career.

Embrace various sources of learning, whether it's through reading, the internet, books, or online platforms. The key is to never stop seeking knowledge and keeping your mind active. By maintaining this mindset, you will continue to grow and thrive throughout your career.

What is the word that best sums up your intention for 2023?

Persevere: The Key to Success in 2023

What is the word that best sums up your intention for 2023? I would say it's persevere, because no matter what you have going on, you need to push through that. And for me, it's dealing with issues at work, being trying to talk to more law enforcement agencies or dealing with the naysayers or just working within our own teams on trying to figure out the best way to address issues that we have. On the personal side, it's always everybody has little issues that they're dealing with, and I'm not going to succumb to them. It's all about pushing through, persevering, becoming better after it, because I've learned from what I've gone through. That's the same way at work. Everything that we have, it's going to be to persevere. Every day I'm learning about something I did good or something I could have done better, and I'm putting that back into my toolbox so I know if that comes up again, I know how to address it. But my word is going to be persevere, because I always want to be ready and I always want to know no matter what comes across to me, what's happened, I know I'm going to be able to push through that, be a better person, both personally and work-related.

My word for 2023 is persevere, because no matter what happens I need to push through and learn from it in order to become a better person.

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The word that best sums up my intention for 2023 is persevere. It reflects my determination to push through any challenges and obstacles I may encounter. Whether it's dealing with work issues, engaging with law enforcement agencies, addressing skeptics, or collaborating within my own teams, perseverance is key. On a personal level, I refuse to succumb to the little issues that arise. Instead, I strive to push through them, learn from the experiences, and become better as a result. Every day is an opportunity to learn and grow, incorporating both the successes and areas for improvement into my toolbox. Persevere embodies my readiness to face whatever comes my way and emerge as a stronger individual in both personal and professional domains.

What is your definition of success and how do you measure it?

Defining Success: Happiness and Personal Fulfillment are Key

What is your definition of success and how do you measure it? Very good question. I think a lot of people would have different variables about what means success for them. For me, success is happiness. You know, success is not making money, making a large amount of money because there are a lot of people who make a lot of money and they're not happy. Success may not always be having the biggest job because that entails a lot more stress. But for me, success is the happiness that I get with my job, with the work that I do in helping communities solve gun crime and make areas safer for officers and kids and families and helping reduce overall crime. Success and happiness is about my personal happiness. Am I happy with what I'm doing in my personal life? I love to run and to me that just takes me into my happy place and I love doing that type of work. And I think also being happy with your friends and family, that is successful because there are people that are just not happy with what they're doing and how they're feeling and their place in life, but for me being successful is that happiness that you have from family and friends and work and the hobbies that you do and getting out and enjoying life. That is success to me. It's not materialistic things. It's not monetary things. It's happiness in here, happiness in here and happiness all around me.

Success is happiness in all aspects of life, from work, to hobbies, to family and friends. It is not about money or material possessions, but rather a feeling of contentment and fulfillment.

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My definition of success is centered around happiness. It's not about accumulating wealth or holding prestigious positions that come with added stress. Instead, it's about finding joy and fulfillment in my work. I measure success by the happiness I experience in my job, particularly in my efforts to help communities address gun crime and enhance safety for officers, children, and families. Personal happiness is also crucial to me. Engaging in activities like running brings me to a happy place, and finding contentment in my personal life is an important aspect of success. Building strong relationships with friends and family contributes to a sense of fulfillment. For me, success is not defined by material possessions or financial status. It resonates from within and encompasses the happiness I feel in various aspects of life – work, hobbies, and relationships – as well as the ability to embrace and enjoy life fully.

How do you prioritize self-care to maintain resilience on the job?

Maintain resilience on the job: prioritizing self-care.

How do you prioritize self-care to maintain resilience on the job? Several people may determine or classify what self-care is, but for me there are several areas that I want to focus in on. One, I think that's important, is healthy eating. You know, I like to look what I'm putting in into my body. I'd make sure it's clean, it's healthy, don't eat a lot of junk food. Yes, I may hit a McDonald's every now and again, but healthy eating because you got to have that good fuel built up in your system. Next thing, the way I take care of self-care is I exercise the body. I work out, I run, I bike, I do TRX. You know, that all helps keep my body in shape. The healthy eating leads to a healthy body and vice versa. Also, I exercise the mind. I like to read. I read a lot of different books. I read leadership books, I read self-care books, I read spy novels, just a little bit of everything. Anything you can do to exercise the mind, giving up to 55, memory isn't as much as it used to be, it's very important to keep that brain active because that's going to help me out 30, 40 years down the road. And then I need to be mentally self-aware, keeping the brain good but also keeping my mental self good. Meditate, I talk to a therapist because that helps. I talk to friends. You know, it's good to be able to have somebody there that you can rely on, that you have confidence in, that you can talk to. But all of these, the healthy eating, the exercising, the exercising the mind, keeping mentally self-aware, people that you can talk to to make sure you're stable and healthy, all is what would I use to maintain my resiliency.

To maintain resilience on the job, I prioritize self-care by focusing on healthy eating, exercising, reading, and meditating. I also talk to a therapist and rely on friends for support. These all help me stay mentally and physically strong, so that I can remain resilient on the job.

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To prioritize self-care and maintain resilience on the job, I focus on several key areas. Firstly, I prioritize healthy eating by being mindful of what I consume and opting for clean, nutritious foods. While the occasional treat is fine, I try to avoid excessive junk food. Fueling my body with good nutrition is essential for maintaining energy and resilience.

Secondly, I prioritize physical exercise to take care of my body. I engage in activities like running, biking, and TRX workouts to keep myself in shape. The connection between healthy eating and physical exercise is reciprocal, as they both contribute to overall well-being.

In addition to physical self-care, I also prioritize mental self-care. I exercise my mind by reading a variety of books, including leadership, self-care, and even fiction novels. Keeping my brain active is crucial, especially as I age. I also practice meditation and seek support from a therapist and trusted friends. Having someone to talk to and rely on is important for maintaining mental well-being.

By focusing on healthy eating, physical exercise, mental stimulation, and seeking support from others, I prioritize self-care to ensure resilience in my job.

Donald Soranno answers your First Responders questions. See all the advice Donald Soranno has and get answers to your own First Responders questions.

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Donald Soranno is a retired special agent with 30+ yrs of experience in criminal investigations and corporate security. He served in the ATF, beginning in 1990 and worked his way up the ranks to become a Special Agent in Charge (SAC). He graduated from the FBI National Academy in 2010 and was a Leadership Fellow with the FBI Leadership Institute in 2012. Don holds a bachelor's in Criminal Justice from Ferris State, an MBA from Lake Forest Graduate School of Management, and obtained his Certified Protection Professional (CPP) credentials from ASIS. Don is currently the Senior Product Manager/SME with Evidence IQ and with their Ballistics IQ solution helps law enforcement agencies solve gun crimes quicker. 