Part 3 of Brutally Honest is written, but first I thought I would take a few and talk about the New Year-since we are only day 3 into 2023. And Lord willing, we have an entire year in front of us-362 days left. What, if you were granted all 362 days would you do with them? None of us, of course know that tomorrow will happen for us for certain. So-what do you want to accomplish? What changes do you want to make? What relationships would you mend? What changes would you like to see when you look back a year from now? What is possible?
I started working with a client a couple months ago who wanted to make a significant change in her life-really big. She was a died in the wool people pleaser who couldn’t say a loving but firm, ‘no’, to being taken advantage of and trampled upon by an emotionally abusive significant other…..as well as others in her life. (The former me could identify with her!!!) You see-we have patterns of behavior as a result of the patterns of our thinking. Where we have dysfunction in one part of our life, we often see the same root issue in other areas of our lives as well…keeping us caged and not living the life and doing all that we are meant to do and be. She has said a very significant and courageous, ‘No’, and I am so proud of her. She said she has new found strength because she was coaching with me which is so encouraging to hear. I replied, ‘You had those, ‘No’, muscles in there all along. You just needed to start strength training!” And that got me to thinking-that’s what I do. I teach strength training for your brain. Stats show an overwhelming percentage of New Year’s resolutions that people abandon within just 4 weeks-I think it was like 68%. So many people go out and purchase exercise equipment that becomes a clothes rack or a frame for cobwebs in a short period of time. I confess to having done that more than once….
Could it be that we need to begin by working on strength training for our brains? Our thinking is what happens below the radar that either sets us up to win or sets us up to fail…..again and again-in our relationships, in our pursuit of personal goals, in our professional lives. Thinking is what happens before we take action or inaction. It’s what happens before we fumble with our words and make a mess of our relationships and it’s what happens before we speak life to those around us. 95+% of our thinking is patterned and happens in our subconscious. Here’s the thing-we can change the narrative going on in the subconscious. So if your subconscious is sabotaging you-maybe you should consider strength training for your brain.
What changes did you vow to make last year that are still a thought bubble, still desires but haven’t come to fruition? Are you part way there still in pursuit or did you jump ship? Why?
I’m getting coached. Everyone can benefit from coaching-even coaches need coaching! In 2022 I started blogging and pursuing 3 continuing-ed courses relevant to my coaching practice-because I want to give my clients the best, most comprehensive, effective coaching I can. Target date for finishing those courses is the first half of 2023. Tools baby, lots and lots of tools. In 2022 I wrote and recorded a course for people who want help trouble-shooting their marriages, getting unstuck and want to dip their toes in at a self-pace as an alternate to live private coaching. I am writing and recording at least 2 more courses in 2023. And-in the middle of the holidays made significant changes to my diet and exercise so that my body and brain will function at peak level. Yes-in the middle of all the holiday temptations! I even hosted a party with all kinds of goodies and stuck to the plan….easy peasy. I decided not to wait for January 1st. Why wait to feel and function amazingly with a healthy immune system? And by the way-I already am feeling the effects of the changes made….more energy, sinuses clear and no longer constantly burning-muscles coming back to life.
So what’s holding you back? What stinkin’ thinkin’ do you need to clear? Maybe you need strength training for your brain?
Cheers to a New Year!
Ok…gotta jump on the treadmill.
Click here to check out my Christian Marriage Troubleshooting 6 Week Course (freshly-recorded with video!) for all kinds of tools to think differently and navigate the relationship challenges that come with marriage: Christian Marriage Trouble-Shooting 6 Week Course | Mustard Seed (teachable.com)