14.3K
Downloads
317
Episodes
Weekly topics covering life‘s challenges with a positive spin and a new perspective. It‘s time to connect, learn, and grow!
Episodes
Tuesday Feb 08, 2022
Tuesday Feb 08, 2022
SHOW NOTES:
On this show…we are looking up, up that ladder that is. As we say “Hail to the Chief” and evaluate ways of being our own boss. The controller of our destiny. The final say. The Big Cheese. The Top Dog. However you identify, it’s time to take charge that starts with understanding your power and position. It’s easy to let life happen to you instead of making it happen for you. You’ve been dealt a set of circumstances, it “is what it is”. But I say fooey on all that. Sure, on the surface, it seems that some are more privileged and blessed than others but no one knows the struggle you encounter, but you. With wealth comes sacrifice and with fame comes strife. Nothing is as easy as it seems no matter how you look at it. But, you do have opportunity and that can start today; with knowledge. Knowledge is power. So you want to feel and be more powerful, start discovering and learning more about yourself, about others, and the world around you.
There was a point in time when I loved being an Assistant Manager. You had authority but not the final say. This was perfect when tough decisions needed to be made or you had an angry customer who wanted answers. “oh, I’m sorry sir, I’m just the Assistant Manager. I’ll have to refer you to my Manager on this”. Done, wrapped up nice and neat.
I also saw evidence of this in my earlier years. My parents were the Managers and not only did I defer to them, I felt compelled to seek their advice and direction on all new matters. And then a little monumental thing called independence bloomed and I struck out on my own, getting bruised, burnt, and scarred along the way. Still going to them with the big things but tackling more of the day-to-day on my own. Then at some point, it was more of after-the-fact informative announcements vs seeking their counsel premeditatively.
I remember when it happened more closely, with my own children. “You’re going where?” “You bought what?” and then I realized - they don’t have to ask my permission and now I’m lucky if they share the details after the fact.
Whoa, the tides have really shifted. What do you put off in your life because you either don’t feel you have the power to execute or you don’t feel you have the permission?
How can you assert authority over your life? In your thoughts, your actions, and your control?
Flashpack.com shares HOW TO MAKE YOURSELF FEARLESS, IN 5 KEY STEPS
KEY HIGHLIGHTS:
- The goal is to stop letting fear run the show
- Raise your vibration, and remind yourself that you are worthy of the amazing life you visualize
- There’s no time for jealousy and sabotage in a boss world
- Don’t apologize when you don’t have to – find a way to thank someone instead
- People are on different journeys and everyone has a unique pace in their lives
- One of the most boss qualities is being able to shift unpleasant situations into golden opportunities
- How we think and act is determined by many factors including our belief system, personality, upbringing, and behavioral tendencies
- While comfort zones may feel safe, change never happens there
- You can’t drive a car with emergency brakes on
- When we lack ownership, we tend to fall into the passive trap of saying “I don’t have a choice.” In reality, we always have a choice — even when we don’t actively make a choice, we’re still making a choice by default
CHALLENGE: set your sights higher by pushing off what-ifs and the fear of the unknown. You have the power to charge forward in a new direction and to gather the information you need along the way. Being the boss of your life means taking risks and when needed, surrounding yourself with trusted advisors.
I Know YOU Can Do It!
Tuesday Feb 01, 2022
Tuesday Feb 01, 2022
SHOW NOTES:
On this show…we’re getting out the scrapbooks and sweeping out the dusty corners of our minds as we talk a walk down memory lane! There are loads of benefits from reminiscing in a positive way. Notice I said reminiscing and not ruminating, there is a difference. Conjuring up sweet memories by re-reading journal entries and organizing old photographs can help you remember the details and with those details, come the happy memories. The emotions you felt as you remember the sparkle in your eye, the fuzzy flitter in your heart, or the way your face hurt from smiling so much. BAM - you are transported by to your “happy place”! This is a real experience you store in your brain and are able to recall to overcome fear, lift your mood, or quiet anxiety. Let’s explore the benefits of a walk down memory lane and how you can journey there often.
I have a pretty good memory, remembering many details from my childhood. Not crazy early memories like some claim but a good amount of specific detail when telling stories from my past. With that said, your hard drive, or brain drive only has so much space. The further away from the memories I get, the weaker the details. That’s sad to me. At one point in my life, those events and subsequent memories were everything!
I’ve tried to be diligent about capturing memories. I took pictures when my kiddos were little and when we had a video camera, took some videos - which all have to be converted now. I started journal after journal with no real consistency. I have a few scrapbooks created when people still printed pics. And now I have timeline entries on Facebook,
I’ve moved around over my life so unfortunately, things are shoved here or there and I’m sure at one point, made it into a box in the infamous garage.
Let’s gain some newfound motivation here by finding out first, how do we benefit from replaying happy memories in our minds? Then, what can we do to make this a more conscious effort? I’m sure we will stumble upon even more ideas along the way.
One of the steps I’ve mentioned before but shouldn’t go without saying is preparation. It is very difficult to conjure up a happy memory when you are in the throes of anxiety or depression. By then, the clouds have moved over the sun, and finding your happy place can seem like a mirage. Never fear - prepare. Take some time while in a calm and even state to look for the path to memory lane. Get a piece of paper or record yourself talking about a specific memory. I would recommend looking for and documenting three memories.
Here is the key, be specific. Today reading, the day I went to the beach might help you actually remember but on a cloudy day of depression, those words will do little to shine the light on the happy memory.
Add detail and color. For example, It was late May when I was 22. After a crazy month of meetings, deadlines, disappointments, and a few wins, I put in for a long weekend. I loaded up the car, found a hotel room on the beach, and set out for Sea Side Beach in Florida. The closer I got the warmer the weather and I rolled down my windows to let the salt air carry me away. I practically ran to the beach the minute I pulled in kicking off my shoes and rolling up my jeans. The sand was soft, powdery white, and quickly went from warm to cool as I reached the water's edge. Swoosh….the ocean welcomed me to my weekend oasis.
Ahhhh you can see what I mean about detail and color. Instantly, you’ll be transported back to that time and place when cares were minimal.
Markham Heid shares: The Power of Positive Memories found at nytimes.com
Memory Help for Seniors: Proven Tips for Boosting Your Brain
CHALLENGE: before stress, anxiety, or depression bring you down, prepare for a guided walk down memory lane to easily transport yourself into a happier time and space. Consider journaling, adding details and emotions to cherish yourself before leaving your legacy to others.
I Know YOU Can Do It!
Tuesday Jan 25, 2022
Tuesday Jan 25, 2022
SHOW NOTES:
On this show…we are getting in a groove. Not their groove, or their groove, but Yours. It’s time to settle in and find your stride. Have you had enough of the high, highs, or the low, lows? Been on a rollercoaster of inspiration and productivity? Keep putting off what you want because you just aren’t sure how to get started or when? It’s time we recognize momentum and use it to find our stride. So many of us start the year with loads of great ideas and good intentions only to run out of steam before we ever really get started. Why should we be busting out of the starting gate on pace to hit the finish line with record speed? How about we adopt a healthy balance and a maintainable pace that will get us further down the track to success. No more shotgun starts only to find that you’ve come up short.
Oh, I’m just as guilty! If I had a $1 or rather if YOU had a $1 for every time I said I need to join a gym or start exercising, you’d be counting your millions about now. I’m a driven goal achiever but I can’t seem to find the momentum to make exercising a reality. Find something you like, make it part of your day, 28 days to make a habit…yeah yeah yeah - I’ve heard it all before. Applying it and making it stick is what I’m missing.
I remember every August before I started back to school I would say to my best friend, “I’m going to be more reserved this year”. You see, I never once got a positive mark for conduct. I tried, really I did, but I couldn’t seem to control my mouth. Not what I said but how ofter, the volume, the timing….never appropriate. My first-grade teacher said: She talks more than I do and I teach the class! So every year I would start off being quiet, rejecting the impulse to add in my two cents or offer a funny zinger. And every year, I would fail.
See I think going against your grain might be impossible. Instead of a leopard changing his spots what if he just chose a different background? I take back what I might have said in the past “Nothing is impossible?” In this context, that may not be true. It’s not that you can’t do it but do you have the desire and will to do it. I’m sure if I really put my all into it, I could become a runner. But I don’t possess the desire or will to make it happen.
Let’s explore these ideas as well as what it takes to harness your momentum and find your stride. It might be changing the way you look at these things altogether.
KEY HIGHLIGHTS:
- When you understand the difference between a wish and a desire, you will find success in your endeavors
- Real lessons are learned throughout the journey
- Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe it can achieve
- What started as a little movement gathered into momentum and transformed into motivation
- Intrinsic motivation is going to keep us more fulfilled long-term. It’s going to give us a sense of meaning to our lives, and that’s what we should lean on to keep fueling our motivation
- One of the greatest parts of a momentum strategy is that it builds off of one small action and allows you to coast down from there
- When you compare where you are right now with where you ultimately want to be, you typically wind up fixating on the distance between those two points
- It's hard to maintain momentum on your journey when you're losing hope of ever completing it
- To change your momentum, change your perspective
- Hitting those smaller goals gives you a boost in energy and confidence, and that, in turn, keeps your momentum going
CHALLENGE: before you head to the starting gate, take a moment and explore your motivation. Is this something YOU desire and if so, map out your steps to gain momentum. Finding a stride with a pace that suits your life is paramount in maintaining a healthy balance.
I Know YOU Can Do It!
Tuesday Jan 18, 2022
Tuesday Jan 18, 2022
SHOW NOTES:
On this show…we are checking our boundaries and checking in with ourselves ad we protect our bubble while staying mindful. Ever feel like putting your head in the sand, darkening the tint on your rose-colored glasses, or creating a protective bubble where everything is peaceful and calm? Well, I think we all do. It’s for our own protection, not because we don’t care what’s going on around us. It’s important to know your limits and accept that not everyone can consume a firehouse of information, power struggles, and tragic updates. At some point, you have to wave the white flag and retreat back to where you feel safe and protected. We should all be striving for a healthy balance
I for one, fiercely protect my bubble. The balance for me is, staying informed and aware without feeling overwhelmed and attacked. It’s not as simple as turning on the TV for the latest updates, perusing a newspaper, or scrolling through your feeds. Wouldn’t it be great if we could get a bullet point style, nonbiased update delivered to our inbox every morning? Good morning, Kendall - here are the top 10 things you should know for today, and that’s it. If I search for that, I feel pulled and prodded, coerced, and frankly, misled. Before long I realize I’m listening to opinions and not facts. I don’t know about you, but my mind retreats and shuts down.
How much tragedy and despair can one digest? When we think about balance, are you getting the same dose of positivity and joy? Check in with yourself because this is important. How tipped is your scale? Let’s do some digging to find out the answers to these questions AND other ideas on how to protect your bubble while being mindful.
At alwayswellwithin.com I found: How to Create a Self-Protective Bubble
KEY HIGHLIGHTS -
- Learning how to love yourself can be a first step to reclaiming a sense of personal space and defining your boundary.
- Like any new habit, creating and truly feeling the presence of a protective sphere takes time and diligence.
- Repeat these loving-kindness phrases: "May I be happy, May I be well, May I be safe.”
- “Bad emotions, bad parents, and bad feedback have more impact than good ones… The self is more motivated to avoid bad self-definitions than to pursue good ones.”
- When we focus on negative things, we actually reshape our perception into seeing negative things
- Two-thirds of your motivation regulator is designed to focus on negativity
- Regularly being thankful and noting the good things in your life can improve sleep, reduce stress, and provide a boost for your relationships
- Looking after our energy is so important, and it’s not just about your physical energy, but the energy you’re containing and managing across your four bodies; the parts that make up your mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual self.
- Keep in mind that your intention is everything
- “Heartfelt harmony” is a sense of worth, empowerment, balance, and alignment. It’s where you know what you need to do in order to cleanse what’s not working for you, and you know how to deeply care for yourself
If you want to share Encouragementology with a friend who needs to know they are not alone in this journey of self-discovery, you can visit encouragementology.com or anywhere you stream your content to receive this episode and all others. Follow us on Facebook for additional encouragement throughout the week!
CHALLENGE: don’t pop your bubble when you feel pressure to wake up and dial in. You have the power to choose, digest, reject, and share. Be wise with your choices. Taking care of yourself while being mindful creates a healthy balance where you can thrive.
I Know YOU Can Do It!
Tuesday Jan 11, 2022
Tuesday Jan 11, 2022
SHOW NOTES:
On this show…we are checking in and taking inventory, with ourselves. Conducting a self-evaluation and determining, what’s next. It’s time for a little focus, brainstorming, and maybe even a deep dive for inspiration before we get to the task of creating our plan of action. Change happens whether we invite it or not but when you initiate some control and create the change you want to see, you move from the backseat to the driver’s seat. From this perspective, it’s nothing but an open highway ready for your to chart your course. We are determined to bring focus to what might have been an aimless approach or fuel to what might have been a gasless incline. It’s all about making modifications not necessarily starting from scratch. You don’t have to wait for a new year to check in with yourself. You should develop a plan to make it a regular practice.
If you’re like me you might be thinking - Whoa, where did that year go? Time seems to be moving at lightning speed and if you don’t pump the breaks and insert some intentional pitstops, you’ll be further down the road than you ever imagined. A common goal-setting technique is to answer the question: Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Let’s take a minute and think about that. Have you ever answered that question? Or I should ask, how many times have you answered that question? How often has the answer changed?
I would bet that the first time you were asked that question vs now, many many things have changed. Your focus, your personal or professional position, your wants, and your desires. That’s why it’s so important to make self-evaluation a regular practice. Nothing wastes more time or creates more dissatisfaction than spinning your wheels and shooting for a goal you no longer care about.
My answers used to be all about work, success, financial reward. Those were the earlier days when you are trying to “get somewhere” and make something of yourself. Now my goals are more about awareness and mindfulness for what’s going on around me. How can I help, make a bigger impact, make a difference?
Maggie Wooll explains: How to write an achievable 5-year plan found at betterup.com
KEY HIGHLIGHTS:
- One of the best things about a 5-year plan is that it can significantly motivate you to create the life you want to live.
- HARD goals are defined as:
- Heartfelt
- Animated
- Required
- Difficult
- Spend time thinking about what types of activities interest you, what type of environment you enjoy, what type of impact you want to make day-to-day
- Plan for periodic review, reflection, and adjustment as part of life
- You need someone who will agree to listen, spend some time walking through your ideas, and share constructive feedback
- Self-evaluation is the ability to examine yourself to find out how much progress you have made.
- The appraisal process becomes much more of a two-way discussion when it revolves around regular self-evaluation
- Self-assessment and continual feedback contribute hugely to a culture of trust and engagement
- While self-reflection in everyday life seeks insight into behavior and values for personal growth, self-evaluation at work is used to study performance in order to improve it.
- “We do not learn from experience … we learn from reflecting on experience.”
If you want to share Encouragementology with a friend who needs to know they are not alone in this journey of self-discovery, you can visit encouragementology.com or anywhere you stream your content to receive this episode and all others. Follow us on Facebook for additional encouragement throughout the week!
CHALLENGE: Before you set goals for the year or modify the ones you have in place - take the time for self-reflection and evaluation. What’s changed? Whether it’s your professional or personnel situation or just your wants and needs, be open to striking out in a new direction with a new approach.
I Know YOU Can Do It!
Tuesday Dec 21, 2021
Tuesday Dec 21, 2021
SHOW NOTES:
On this show…we’re going to give ourselves a second look, check out a new angle, and be ready to dust off the lenses because we’re looking to remodel and restore and work with what we have. Don’t like where you are in life, what you’re doing, or what you’ve become? Before you trowel in the towel in an attempt to start over, let’s look at some positive changes you can make which will have a huge impact on your life and your livelihood. Time flies and before you know it you’ve made one too many questionable choices or have put off today what you intended to do tomorrow, or the next day, or the next day. And here you are thinking WOW I’m really here but the thought of getting back on track or there, anywhere seems unfathomable. So here we will sit and dream about something more. NO WAY. How could we possibly be satisfied with that?
I developed the name Phase II - well maybe not created it into the human language but I adopted it for my coaching practice. Phase II Reimagining Life. This is because I’m convinced there is another Phase, and then another. You get a chance to continue your life living differently. You don’t get a new life but that doesn’t mean once you get started in a certain direction, that you have to stay on the path. You don’t even have to hit a life-changing roadblock to want to change your mind and your direction. It’s your choice. Isn’t that amazing - you have choices! Now and all the way through your life. There is only one phase that is destined, the rest is up to you.
Some might look at that statement as if I’m wearing rose-colored glasses and am in no way affected by the real world. You’re half right - I do wear rose-colored glasses, not because I’m insensitive or unaware but because I chose to. It’s my choice. By looking for the good first - I see the good first.
I realize our environment, how we were raised, our family dynamics and a host of other things directly impact what comes easy to use or difficult for us. But it stops there. We have choices, on a large or small scale, we have choices that will dramatically shape our lives.
As a life coach, I find ways to navigate the future instead of being stuck by the limitations of our past. This could include visiting past traumas to release our guilt and shame so that we can move on but the concentration is in Phase II.
At SoulSalt I found 7 Actionable Strategies to Get Back on Track (Starting Today)
KEY HIGHLIGHTS - Remodel and Restore, Working with What You Have
- By looking for the good first - you see the good first
- Good moods enhance the literal size of the window through which we see the world. The upside of this is that we can see things from a more global, or integrative perspective.
- When life doesn’t go as planned, you can’t always choose your situation. But you can choose how you react.
- Making changes for the better often means taking a good, hard look in the mirror. And that takes a lot of honesty and courage to face those underlying issues.
- It’s so easy to believe in, linger on, eternally reflect on the negative even when it’s overwhelmingly outweighed by the positive.
- You can’t simultaneously believe you suck and believe someone else when they say that you don’t.
- Research showed that people who routinely dismissed positive comments actually had a harder time remembering the level of positivity of the feedback, more so than people who accepted them, to begin with.
- Self-acceptance is the act of accepting yourself and all your personality traits exactly as they are
- Reviewing your goals and your progress on them reminds you of your strengths.
- Learning to accept yourself helps you create a more positive, compassionate, and balanced view of yourself
CHALLENGE: take action today to get your life back on track and heading in a new direction. Phase II means reimagining life and you’re in charge of the process. Enlist a trusted friend to get you over the hump of self-doubt and down the path to self-acceptance.
I Know YOU Can Do It!
Tuesday Dec 14, 2021
Tuesday Dec 14, 2021
SHOW NOTES:
On this show…we are looking to the horizon and brainstorming without limits. All the while keeping consideration of the present and the immediately following because planning for the future DOES include tomorrow. We can daydream and visualize with the belief that the sky is the limit but to avoid a future of desert marriages, let’s add context, timelines, and a healthy dose of now and then. Don’t put off tomorrow what you could have today! Oh sure, a bit of fantasy is productive. I mean if you didn’t stretch yourself now and again where would you be - going in circles. Life is full of promise and no matter what you set as your next goal, with a little engineering and drive, you can get there. Where is there? Let’s put some color to that.
Planning for the future could take on a stodgy context of financial investments to help you when and if you retire someday. But let’s think of future planning as everything that happens, after today. It could include long-term goals, a solid financial foundation to take care of you when you are no longer pressing the gas pedal to the floor. It could be logical and logistical goals, normal for your life’s journey. Education, career, house, family. It could also be to bake in a bit of fun - vacations, vacation homes, travel, hobbies, additional business opportunities. It could be more personal and emotional in nature - more rest, better health, stronger friendships, volunteerism, giving back.
Just think about it. No really….that’s what it will require. You to think, challenge yourself, possibly step outside your comfort zone, and then push yourself to take action.
We could carry on with the mechanics of life just getting by with our health, wealth, spirituality, and personal relationships and more than likely be ok. But don’t you want more? More experiences, more love, more enlightenment, more purpose?
As you sit here today…what comes to mind? Maybe you’re the most organized and have lists upon lists of what to do today, this week, month, or year but maybe you are thinking….hmmmmm I don’t know where to start.
KEY HIGHLIGHTS: Planning for the Future Includes Tomorrow
- Future planning is everything that happens, after today
- Inspiration awakens us to new possibilities by allowing us to transcend our ordinary experiences and limitations
- Inspiration is best thought of as a surprising interaction between your current knowledge and the information you receive from the world
- Don’t be afraid to share your ideas and allow your team space and a little creative control to help you shape your vision
- Significant experiences are the events in your own personal history you remember because they made you feel good, satisfied, engaged, invigorated, inspired, in the flow
- Daydreaming can inspire happiness if you purposefully engage with meaningful topics, such as pleasant memories of loved ones or imagined scenes of triumph in the face of all odds
- Research has shown that imagining scenarios as visual scenes can provide a boost in mood to people suffering from major depression.
- Change begins with the hope of what’s possible in your life
- A short-term goal is the smallest step you need to reach a bigger goal centered around achieving something you passionately desire
- Genius is one percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration.
CHALLENGE: Let your mind wander with a good mix of fantasy and potential reality. When inspired, take action with short-term goals that will propel you forward. Involve your support group to add additional color, flare, and some much-needed encouragement.
I Know YOU Can Do It!
Tuesday Dec 07, 2021
Tuesday Dec 07, 2021
SHOW NOTES:
On this show...we are taking a big breath and counting to three, 1-2-3 - ahhhh as we identify and calm the frustration of anger avoidance. Are you tired of putting on a brave face while weathering the storm, all the while being poked, prodded, overshadowed, and coerced? Frustration is the emotional build-up when a person gets very irritated and disappointed from a certain situation over some time, and at some point, this frustration comes out as anger. Anger is the result of frustration; an emotional response that is shown verbally and physically. Cool your jets. Ok, not that easy but let’s get to the root of all the pent-up frustration and find out why you haven’t been able to effectively express yourself. Ready to smell a flower and blow out a candle?
I’m rarely angry or lose my temper. That’s not to say that I don’t get frustrated but being a problem-solver by nature, my first reaction is to figure out how to get out of any situation without the heightened emotions. As I delve into the times I’ve been frustrated as an attempt to uncover a common thread, I would have to say when I feel out of control or overwhelmed. Sometimes those feelings are synonymous with each other.
Not that I’m a control freak by any nature...ok maybe a little, but the feeling of not being able to change a hopeless situation is frustrating. When I have a day packed with deadlines and more to-do’s than humanly possible I get overwhelmed and as a result, can feel frustrated. The frustration is because I know I will power through instead of giving realistic timelines and expectations or just saying no - I don’t have the capacity to take on one more thing.
Identifying your feelings and triggers is so important. I saw a chart in a cozy corner of a Head Start daycare when I was visiting. The chart had a series of faces and labels depicting different moods and emotions. There was also a picture of a flower and a candle. I asked the teacher what this corner was all about and she said it was to help the children accurately identify their feelings in a safe space. Many of them come in feeling frustrated but through this exercise might actually identify with feeling sad or tired. They might say they are mad but in reality, might feel lonely or unheard. I was so impressed by this early identification that I immediately thought about my only children and what I did or didn’t teach them. I mean think about it, where does one learn this level of emotional identification at such a young age? Curious about the flower and candle, she showed me the exercise. When a child is frustrated, simply telling them to breathe may not be effective enough. But having them smell the picture of the flower and then blow on the picture of the candle is essentially breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth. GENIUS!!
KEY HIGHLIGHTS - The Frustration of Anger Avoidance
- Emotional labeling is the practice of cultivating emotional literacy
- Naming your emotions immediately releases their grip over you and reduces physiological distress
- Words matter. If you’re experiencing a strong emotion, take a moment to consider what to call it
- Feeling responsible leads to action but for many, it leads to hopelessness and overwhelm, burden, frustration, and despair.
- Confrontation can be very anxiety-producing and painful, and many people mistakenly believe the best way to deal with these feelings is to put them out of your mind
- Angry energy can be highly productive or destructive. But you can use it productively to sharpen up your boundaries so that you don’t get mad about being used, manipulated or disrespected
- Change negative self-talk into positive self-talk. When we talk badly about ourselves, we start to believe what we are saying which perpetuates the bad feelings.
- We can find the good in negative emotions, once we accept the idea they are just part of the journey of life, and they will eventually lead to better times.
- Anger is the energy that helps you achieve a balance between giving and taking and helps you set healthy boundaries for yourself.
- We are all learning and growing and making the commitment to evolve with a new and better understanding.
CHALLENGE: Take time to understand the origin of your emotion and search your feelings for the right label. Proper identification is the start to unraveling the root. Create health boundaries that give you a safe space to react and appropriately express yourself.
I Know YOU Can Do It!
Tuesday Nov 30, 2021
Tuesday Nov 30, 2021
SHOW NOTES:
On this show...we’re aimed at having a real talk without judgment. Show disclaimer, no matter what your involvement is with drugs or alcohol, you can benefit from the awareness of casual consumption, substance abuse, and addiction. We have all been impacted on some level either directly or indirectly and the threat is not going away. Almost 21 million Americans have at least one addiction, yet only 10% of them receive treatment. We can’t take our eyes off this problem and sweep it under the rug hoping it goes away. Taking away access to drugs and alcohol only solves one issue but not the underlying reason for abusing in the first place. There is help and it starts with an awareness and an honest look at your life and those around you. Do you need help or can you help?
I am a woman in recovery. Eight and a half years ago I started my journey to self-discovery. It started with a hard look in the mirror to address my own issues and need for change vs unsuccessfully trying to change and control everyone around me. If I wanted different, I had to be different. The first thing that had to go was my reliance on alcohol. Some might have seen a casual drinker always ready to unwind and have a good time but I was far from casual. I was consistent. I consistently drank more than I should more often than reasonable. I had a problem.
The realization that a change needed to happen came before my revelation and subsequent call to action 8 years ago but like many, I started with negotiation. I will only drink on weekends, only have wine with dinner, only consume when there is a special occasion. Good intentions to limit myself yes, but not successful. One day I was in a doctor's office waiting room and saw a magazine article on abstinence vs moderation and how our brain is wired. Whoa! I had an ah-ha moment and sorry to say, ripped out the article. This made so much sense to me. See someone people can say, I will just cut down but I could never stop….eating bread for instance. Where others claim they have no self-control when it comes to eating bread so it’s better if they never start.
That’s me! I remembered all the time I tried to moderate and how mentally exhausting that was. Making bargains, paying close attention to the clock, rationalizing my next glass, and of course, ultimately being disappointed in myself. Abstaining or quitting meant, that’s it…..no games, no bargains, no disappointment. So eight and half years ago, I gave it a try and I succeeded.
I couldn’t find the exact article I read even though I’m sure it’s tucked into some journal I have but, here is a little more behind that idea. This might be a revelation for you and a way to get us started…
DEBBIE ROES - ARE YOU A MODERATOR OR AN ABSTAINER? Found at mywardrobemyself.com
At 12keysrehab.com I found: The Stages of Addiction: How Casual Use Evolves into Dependence
Let’s wrap it up with 13 BENEFITS OF LIVING A SOBER LIFE from silverlinings
KEY HIGHLIGHTS - Casual Consumption, Substance Abuse, and Addiction
- If you want different you have to BE different
- An Abstainer decides one time that something is off-limits and that’s it; the temptation is gone.
- Studies show that children and adolescents between ages 12-14 and 15-17 are at the highest risk for initiation of drug and alcohol use.
- When regular use of drugs or alcohol is occurring, individuals are likely using to the point where other areas of their lives begin to suffer.
- Once you have developed a dependence on drugs or alcohol, it is only a matter of time until you reach the final stage of addiction, which is a full-blown substance use disorder.
- Problem drinking does not mean that a person has a physical dependence or addiction to alcohol, but more so defines the risky or potentially unhealthy behaviors associated with their drinking.
- Problem drinking may occur frequently or infrequently, but typically results in negative experiences or problems in a person’s life
- If you struggle with substance abuse or addiction, living a sober life will improve your life immensely.
- Due to the toxicity level of alcohol and drugs, when you chronically abuse them, your immune system lowers
- With this newfound information, you can craft a new life for yourself that best fits your personal needs.
CHALLENGE: Seek to understand your role and responsibility in consumption and recovery. Freedom comes without hindrance or restraint and you have the power to own your life’s outcomes moving forward.
I Know YOU Can Do It!
Tuesday Nov 23, 2021
Tuesday Nov 23, 2021
SHOW NOTES:
On this show... we aren’t sitting back, enjoying the ride, and hoping to be entertained. We are seeking an “ah-ha” moment to awaken our minds as we educate and stimulate vs occupy. Now don’t get me wrong, zoning out is fun and has its place. Binge-watching tv or hosting a movie marathon for pure entertainment is fun. But with everything, we’re striving for a healthy balance. Spending too much time letting the world influence you instead of you making the impact might be short-sided. There are more resources now vs ever for you to make an intentional pursuit of knowledge. What do you want to know? Have you ever thought about what lights up the brain and when it might be more on autopilot? Well, just like the rest of your body, it needs healthy food and exercise to survive and thrive.
The topic of awakening your mind has been one I’ve kept in focus since my Father went to live at the VA nursing home. He has since passed but he struggled with Parkinson’s and dementia. Watching his mind slip away was one of the hardest things I’ve had to deal with in my life to date. My father was a professor, an artist, an analytical thinker, an emotional communicator, and a compelling speaker. He had no trouble commanding an auditorium or captivating a five-year-old with a theatrical story.
His voice was the first to go. He said it felt like he was being hushed from within and eventually it was hard to hear or understand most of what he said. Who would have known that shortly after my father retired from the university he would be diagnosed with Parkinson’s? No one. It made me step back and see that precious reality with new light. We will never know what type of cognitive capacity we will have as we age. Nothing is guaranteed.
If you truly believed that, would it make you look at today, differently? What would you want to see, do, hear, taste? Would you waste an hour or try to fill it with everything you find important in life? Would you search for a new adventure or seek the comfort of routine? Why wait for a diagnosis? You can live that way now. Intentionally seeking and pursuing knowledge and experience.
Maili from trackinghappiness.com helps us with: How To Live Life With Intention (4 Actionable Ways)
Living Your Purpose in Everyday Life
KEY HIGHLIGHTS - Awaken Your Mind, Educate & Stimulate vs Occupy
- Nothing is guaranteed. If you truly believed that, would it make you look at today, differently?
- Mind is awareness. Mind allows us to shine a light on body, emotion, and brain.
- When our health suffers, consciousness suffers. Fatigue, poor nutrition, overweight, low fitness, and distress destroy our capacity to awaken the mind.
- To be a good parent, leader, or friend recognizing the different ways life unfolds in a calm, respectful and empathic manner, enables creative responses.
- Living with a plan is all about making stuff happen instead of letting stuff happen to you, about staying on your path and not getting sidetracked by life’s distractions.
- Be the curator of your own life, take full advantage of this power, and make sure that everything in your life is there for a reason.
- You are here to enable the divine purpose of the universe to unfold
- The world needs your awakening. And as you awaken, those who are just about ready will recognize through you that they are ready.
- Both progress and setbacks are said to greatly influence our emotions. So the earlier in the day you can feel successful, the better—feelings of excitement help fuel behaviors that will set you up for success.
- Like other muscles in your body, if you don’t use the brain, you’ll eventually lose it. This means it’s crucial to exercise your brain and keep it stimulated
CHALLENGE: Balance time-wasting and mental preoccupation with a healthy pursuit of the “ah-ha”. Challenge yourself to learn, share, and grow. You are the personal trainer of this muscle, your brain. Create a regime that will stretch your limits but result in big payoffs.
I Know YOU Can Do It!