Berge’s Better Tomorrow

Have you ever set your mind to something but you can’t get started? Has being a perfectionist ever made you feel stuck? Maybe you set this amazing goal that you’re super excited to accomplish, but you second-guess yourself so much you never take the first step. Me too, let’s talk about it. This week's activity is to not second guess yourself! Try something you set your mind to. 
This was a trial episode testing my new camera, a new editing app, and my first time recording in a public space. That said I do get distracted a few times, oops. 

Welcome back! I don't want anyone to feel stuck in their 'bad' home or scared to live on their own so for this episode I have gone into detail about some preventative measures in different areas of your life. Depending on whether a house or an apartment is better for you, I have different suggestions for you to try out. This week's activity is a little cheesy. . . but do it anyways! 
Follow on Instagram and watch it develop as I figure out what I want it to look like @bt.bettertomorrow

You view the world through your lens and that lens changes your mood, reactions, and how you go about your day.  How did you get the lens you have now? How has it changed? How can you change it to be however you want? What is the importance of knowing we all have different lenses? All that is covered in this week's episode! For this week's activity, take a pause when you have a reaction to something. Think about what that reaction was, and why you had it. It might not come to you right away but practice being aware that you can change your lens and then your reactions. 
 
I also started a video podcast. Check it out on YouTube! @merissaberge

In order to express gratitude you first must be aware of what you already have and then appreciate it. Practicing gratitude doesn't have to look the same for all of us! However, if you express appreciation you won't be able to take anything for granted. Do you know how to be grateful for the hard times too? Not just for the wins in life? If not that's ok because in this episode I share a couple of things to try and ways to view those harder times. This week's activity is to write down things you're grateful for, for at least 7 days. The list could be 3 things or 300 things whatever you want! 

I am joined by Dylan G who shares his story of losing his childhood best friends in a tragic accident. He opens up about what was going through his head, what worked best for him to cope, and what didn't work. If you are someone in need of some guidance after losing a loved one, this is a great episode with some personal advice from Dylan. This week's activity is to think about what you would want your family/friends to do if you were to unexpectedly pass then talk about it with them and get to know what they would want. 

Whether it's a close friend, a stranger, or even yourself, we all need to have a safe home. Not everyone is fortunate enough to be given one though or maybe haven't learned how to provide that for themselves yet. In this episode, I tell you ways you can provide a "home," whether that be mentally, emotionally, or physically, for others. A little bit of kindness can go a long way. I also talk about how to create a home in and for yourself which is the most important one. This week's activity is to be extra kind to a stranger. Try to make their day because you don't know what they have to go home to. 

Where do you go when you want to cry, scream, punch or break something? Without anyone judging you. Without someone like a parent or roommate walking in and seeing you let out this emotion. Without fearing that expressing your emotion will make others worry about you. In this episode, I talk about where to go to let out emotions safely, which you can do alone. It is so important for us to let out our emotions but it can be hard for us to feel comfortable letting them out. That's why I have some suggestions for you to try. Keeping in emotions and not letting them out but expecting them to simmer down and go away is like putting the lid on a hot coffee in a hydro flask and expecting it to cool off by the next time you open it. The coffee will still be hot next time you open it and your emotions will still be there next time you get triggered.

Not always are we given good role models in our life, we have to go find them. Understanding that you need a good role model is a great first step. You can't stop following the bad role model if you are blind to the fact they aren't a good role model, and you need one. Just like you won't stop to tie your shoe if you don't notice it's untied, right? In this episode, I talk about what to look for in a role model for each area of your life, where to look, and how to learn from their good and bad. We can learn something from everyone in our lives it's just up to us what we decide to take away. I also talk about what to do when a role model walks out or does something that makes you have to remove them from your life, which can be really hard. This week's activity is to write down who you want to be when you grow up or grow up more if you're already an adult. This can help you see the habits of this person and know where they spend their time, so you can find them to follow or look up to. 

For this week's episode, I am joined by Harris who shares his story of growing up with a biological father who was in and out of his life. He shares what it was like trying to understand the wrong and unhealthy things happening in his family at a young age when he wanted to be able to look up to his father. From learning how to set boundaries for someone trying to manipulate him to be able to overcome low self-esteem and self-doubt, Harris tells us what worked for him to heal and not let this past narrative dictate his life forever. 
There are important life lessons for everyone to learn from this episode!

Trigger warning we talk about abuse in this episode. 

Today I talk about why change is so uncomfortable and scary sometimes. There are different stages we go through when we are scared of change and I explain why we feel these ways. We all have different reasons for fearing change and understanding them is how we can begin to overcome those fears instead of falling into them. We resent changing because our bodies like comfort and stepping into something new is out of our comfort. But imagine if nature didn’t change. If the leaves didn’t change in different seasons, if the tide didn’t change with the moon, or if caterpillars didn’t change into butterflies. Nothing would be where it is today! It's important to see change as something beautiful, especially in our own lives. Not saying you have to change everything in your life because stability is important too. However, when you desire a change in your life I hope you can now begging to trust yourself and take the leap of faith knowing you deserve the change you want.