Inside Voice Podcast

Summer is a season in which many people work to slim down their physique. But what if the weight you need to get rid of has nothing to do with your physical appearance?

Today we're working to get rid of a mental weight that is holding us back.

Anxiety.

Living each day in panic mode or a state of worst case scenarios can really hinder your growth. And the worst part is that eventually anxiety begins to feel normal.

In this episode we'll talk about why this behavior is unhealthy and identify the ways that anxiety is holding us back. We'll also devise a fitness plan to help us shed this weight once and for all.

So, ready to drop this weight? Hit play!

Summertime is upon us and while many are focusing on slimming down physically, we're focusing on dropping a different kind of weight that is holding us back.

Jealousy.

Comparing yourself to others is getting a little old and quite frankly it is a weight you no longer need to carry.

In this episode we'll talk about why this weight is unhealthy and identify the ways that jealousy is holding us back. We'll also devise a fitness plan to help us shed this wretched behavior once and for all.

So, ready to drop this weight? Hit play!

This last week, we were reminded of just how precious life is.

We watched as NASCAR racer Kyle Busch was hospitalized and then pronounced dead just hours later. What makes the whole thing so harrowing is what he said in his post-race interview just days before.

"You never know when the last one is," he said after winning yet another championship.

See, we all know that life is short and tomorrow is promised to no one. Kyle's death and a day like today - Memorial Day - are reminders of that.

But are we really living like that's the case?

Many of us are watching our lives pass us by. We scroll. We binge. We bail on plans. We get comfortable sitting on the sidelines because trying takes effort and risk and time... And we just don't have the bandwidth for that.

Hey, I get it. Life is busy and overwhelming and stressful.

But it's also just that -- Your life. And if you don't live it, no one else is gonna do it for you.

And as Christians, we should be living the most abundant lives the world has ever seen, because that's literally what Christ came to give us - abundant life. And when you're walking with the creator of the universe, how could you not live that way?

Oh, we're going there on this one. Ready?

When is the last time you took time away from work? If you can't remember, it's time to punch in for some PTO.

See, your personal time off is there for a reason. No one should work through the entire year without taking a few breaks. You know it and your boss knows it.

And yet, so many vacation days go unused. In fact, there are some companies that offer unlimited PTO as an incentive knowing deep down that the majority of people won't take advantage of them. It's kind of sad, really.

You know the phrase, "almost everything works better if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you"? We all nod our head in agreement, but forget to put it into practice.

In this episode, we'll talk about the important of taking time away from work and the stress of everyday life. And while an extended period of rest is necessary, there are two other types of personal time we should be taking on a regular basis.

So, if you're ready to check out for a bit, hit that play button.

Ah, social media. A place where you can be... you. Right?

Wrong.

Oh sure, there may be plenty of people showing up authentically as themselves, but it's hard not to start comparing yourself when all you see are everyone else's wins. And even if it's someone's biggest failure you're seeng, well, they've got over a million likes on that failure so you still compare yourself.

It's an endless cycle and a never-ending battle. And, quite frankly, it's costing you the most precious things in the world, yourself.

In this episode we'll identify three key areas that are being ripped out from underneath you thanks to an app that was meant to give you a platform and make you feel more seen, more connected. These are the biggest things that social media is stealing from you and you don't even realize it.

And, you guessed it, they start with the letters J, O, and Y and without them, well, there's not much to be joyuful about.

Is social media making us dumber? Now, before you come at me with all of your hacks, facts and know-how that you've learned from social media... hear me out.

Sure, we can all learn a thing or two on these platforms. They can serve as a great source of knowledge and inspiration. I, myself, have had many "today I learned" moments scrolling my feed.

But how often would you say those moments happen? In most cases, are you leaving the platform prepared to make better decisions? I'm willing to bet the answer is not possitive.

See, while we have the opportunity to learn more using these apps, the truth is, most of the time we close them feeling anxious, stressed and depressed. And even if we did learn something from a quick video, we had already scolled past 63 others before we closed out and re-entered the real world, which means we forgot what we learned about 17 seconds after we saw it.

If we're seeking to learn, social media isn't the best teacher. In this episode we'll look at how social media is stealing wisdom from us and how to change our approach to these apps in a way that will benefit us.

Ready to go? Hit that play button.

Can I ask you something? Do you think social media is making you more social? More specifically, do you feel like Facebook, Instagram or TikTok is creating more connection and community for you?

Sure, social media is adding to your scope of what's happening around the world. It may be enriching your habits of health, wellness, shopping or skincare routines. Those platforms may have even contributed to a new friendship or relationship in your life.

But do you feel like you're actually connected to more people because of those apps?

And I mean really connected. Like you feel like you are part of a community that truly cares about you and the people you interact with would drop everything to be by your side in a time of need.

Chances are, you don't feel that way. And the data supports that.

See, with the rise of social media - technology as a whole - there's been a rise in feelings of loneliness. The very mediums that are meant to make us feel more seen are actually contributing to our isolation.

In this episode we'll talk about the dangers of scrolling for companionship and why in-person relationships are still the very thing our inner beings crave. We'll also talk about strategies to combat these feelings of loneliness and how to set healthy boundaries with our apps.

Ready to dive in? Hit play!

What's the number one reason why we don't accomplish the things we set out to do? Time.

We don't have time to launch the business, plan the dream vacation, learn the new skill, kickstart the home project... Nothing.

So, instead we throw up out hands in frustration and pull out our phones to scroll social meda. We're so busy trying to decompress and zone out using our screens, we fail to recognize the device in our hands is the very eason we don't have time to do what we want.

Let me put is this way... social media is stealing all of your time. And you don't even know it.

In this episode, we'll take a look at how much of our lives we are wasting with the endless scroll. We'll also talk about why time in and of itself feels so distorted. And, most importantly, we'll identify a few easy ways to fix our scrolling time suck.

Let's dive in!

These days, there are numerous things that are pulling at you and vying for your attention. Work, family, social media, carpool, deadlines, health... It's overwhelming!

Your body is craving rest; physically, mentally and emotionally.

But rather than intentionally putting together a time to exhale, our default setting is to "zone out" with a show or a scroll. Y'all, that's not helping either.

We have to get serious about how we're recharging our batteries otherwise we will fall apart. Just like the saying goes about technology, "almost everything works better if you simply unplug it for a bit." The same is true with us!

So how do we get intentional with our personal unplug?

Thankfully, Jesus gives us rest. In fact, He commands it. Remember the Sabbath? Yep, it's a day of rest that He has told us to remember, but keep holy.

I've been attempting to do my own Sabbath for the last four weeks. In this episode, I'll share some of the things I've learned about incoporating a day of rest - both the pros and cons. Ready to take a breather with me? Hit that play button.

The last few weeks, we've looked at our lives like a beautiful garden. As any gardener knows, in order for things to grow and flourish, you have to tend to it consistently.

The same is true for your life.

If you're not consistently showing up for the people, goals or habits that are important to you, chances are they're going to die. This begs the question, how do I become consistent with what really matters to me?

The short answer is by building a system that works for you. No longer can we rely on inspiration or motivation to get us to care for our gardens, a.k.a our lives.

In order to build a successful system, we need three things: engagement, education and efficiency. We'll explore each of those in this episode.

Ready for it? Hit play!