RealPositiveGirl - Weekly Encouragement & Mental Health

Show Notes:

Do you find yourself taking action on things you say you’re going to do? Or are you more likely to say you’ll do something but actually will cower in fear or hide out from it until you’re forced to deal with it or the possibility disappears entirely?

I ask this question because oftentimes we think it’s enough to just think about doing something, even when there are plans involved, and believe it’s going to happen. Somehow. 

But it won’t. It’s because you didn’t put any action into your plan.

James 2:17, “So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.”

Even when we rely on God to lead us in our lives, we still need to do our due diligence in moving forward with actions and know that God will guide our course. 

If you get nothing else from this episode, I hope you at least walk away knowing that one of the best ways to overcome the paralysis of not taking action is to have faith. Have faith that God is ALWAYS there for you and have faith that whatever you are putting off isn’t going to be world-ending. The outcome might really suck and lead to setbacks & struggle, but there is ALWAYS something to learn from those experiences. 

Today I want to share with you some ways to start taking action if you feel like you’re stuck hiding. 

1. Define Your Intentions
   1. Get clarity in what you want to do & understanding of what it will take to get there.
   2. Make sure what you want to do aligns with who you are & what you want in the future.
2. Address Your Fears
   1. Be honest about what is actually going on.
   2. Ask yourself what it would mean to experience all those fears & deal with the worst-case scenario.
   3. Joshua 1:9, “This is my command-be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
3. Manage What’s Getting in the Way
   1. Identify what else is in the way (people, job, money, ability, understanding, availability, approval)
   2. Dive deeper into problem-solving the obstacle & ask for help.
   3. Philippians 4:13, “For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.”
4. Evaluate & Manage the Expectations
   1. If there are expectations from others, make sure everything is explicit and align with your capabilities (skill set, time, money).
   2. If you have expectations for yourself, make sure what you want to do is for the RIGHT reasons & not too heavily influenced by someone else. 
5. Create a Plan with Accountability
   1. Know the general path of where you’re going before you jump in. Create milestones to celebrate along the way.  Make sure your plan aligns with a reasonable timeline & available resources.
   2. Find someone you can depend on to check in on you & make sure you’re still moving forward. 
   3. Proverbs 16:3, “Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed.”

Support the show

Watch the Video Version of RPG: https://www.youtube.com/@realpositivegirl/podcasts
Buy the Planner on AMAZON!: https://amzn.to/3WwthT2
Visit me on Instagram or TikTok: @sabrinajoyperozzo
Email Me: [email protected]

Show Notes:
Do you have the right perspective? The reason I ask you this question is to challenge you to really think about the answer. Do you believe the perspective you own for each experience & situation that comes up is the right one?

Of course, everyone will probably believe they have the right perspective because it’s THEIR perspective. Most of the time we are all very biased toward what we know, what we’ve experienced, and what we believe to be true. 

Have you ever thought about how you may be hesitant to see a situation or a person from an alternative perspective because it means the reason or outcome of the situation no longer falls in your favor? You don’t want to admit you’re wrong. You don’t want to put the effort in to see how your actions might have affected someone else in a way you didn’t consider prior to taking action. You don’t want to be uncomfortable and seeing it from another view usually causes us to step outside of our comfort zones.

And why is it important to determine if your perspective is right or not? That’s what we are going to get into today.

I’m also going to share the importance of aligning your perspective with God’s truth and will.

1. The Right Perspective for Problem Solving
   1. Proverbs 3:5-6, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.”
   2. When we broaden our perspective, we are able to see other options & possibilities for how to solve our problems.
2. The Right Perspective for Resilience
   1. Philippians 4:8, “And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.”
   2. Having the ability to bounce back from setbacks and struggles is a top skill. And we can adopt this mindset & skill a lot easier when we allow ourselves to be in the right perspective.
3. The Right Perspective for Being More Flexible & Adaptable
   1. Proverbs 16:3, “Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed.”
   2. Often times we need to go with the flow, but we struggle with this because we are so set in our ways.
4. The Right Perspective for Improving Gratitude
   1. When this perspective is on point, we encourage gratitude in ourselves. We don’t allow all the hard things to blind us from all the fantastic things that often outweigh the hard things.
5. The Right Perspective for Personal Growth & Self-Improvement
   1. Romans 12:2, “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”
   2. The right perspective will allow you to see where you’re flourishing and where you need to put the work in. Shifting your perspective will give you more truth about what’s truly going on in your life, thereby identifying what needs to change.

Support the show

Watch the Video Version of RPG: https://www.youtube.com/@realpositivegirl/podcasts
Buy the Planner on AMAZON!: https://amzn.to/3WwthT2
Visit me on Instagram or TikTok: @sabrinajoyperozzo
Email Me: [email protected]

Show Notes:
We often will consider our own excuses to be reasons because we don’t want to admit that we aren’t doing what we should be or that a mistake has been made. 

But honestly, it doesn’t matter what you decided to tell yourself to mask the truth, it’s still an excuse you are trying to pass off as a reason to avoid something you need to just find the courage to face. 

In the book of Joshua, God is raising up Joshua to take the lead, now that Moses has died. And God is telling him several times to not be afraid, to believe that God has led him to this point & has his back. God also reminds him to follow in the ways Moses taught him because these are instructions God gave to Moses. Basically, do what God tells you to do & everything will turn out as it should.

If you stay still too long, you might lack the experience & abilities needed to move onto that next season, the next level in life you’re supposed to ascend to. God is going to be there to help you with everything, but you STILL have to do the work.

Desire to have something will only get you as far as your mind can take you. But that’s not enough to make it happen. You have to take action.

Here are your top 5 reasons that are actually excuses for why you’re not seeking any personal growth:

1. Blaming External Circumstances
   1. It’s common to blame the environment you grew up in or the environment you’re currently in for why you’re not pursuing personal growth.
   2. We also can blame other people in our life that we claim are getting in our way of seeking personal growth.
2. Lack of Motivation
   1. Instead of developing discipline we often lean on motivation to always be there to pick us up & keep us going.
3. Past Failures
   1. It’s reliving the pain that happened in the past & allowing those experiences to prevent us from trying again, whether it’s the same thing or something new.
4. Fear of Judgement
   1. It’s fear of judgment, other people’s opinions, and being rejected that prevent people from working on themselves because they are so wrapped up in worry & anxiety of the worst-case scenario happening.
   2. Proverbs 29:25, “Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but trusting the Lord means safety.”
   3. Galatians 1:10, “Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant.”
5. Lack of Awareness
   1. Some people really aren’t aware that they should be working on themselves to become their best selves.
   2. Or they aren’t sure WHAT to work on.
   3. We should try to be working on something we know will benefit us. Just because there isn’t anything that is broken doesn’t mean there isn’t anything that couldn’t use a tune-up.

Support the show

Watch the Video Version of RPG: https://www.youtube.com/@realpositivegirl/podcasts
Buy the Planner on AMAZON!: https://amzn.to/3WwthT2
Visit me on Instagram or TikTok: @sabrinajoyperozzo
Email Me: [email protected]

Show Notes:
Gratitude is helpful on several levels. It can help strengthen relationships, help reduce stress, healthier physical body because you might end up lowering your blood pressure, fostering stronger resilience, and having a more positive mindset. But the thing I love the most about gratitude is how it magnifies our Lord and Savior in everything He does for us.

Also, the opportunity to thank God for anything & everything is always there. So if it’s easier to show gratitude by thanking someone, thank Him. 

And when we show gratefulness, we need not forget all the hard stuff, and the lessons we learned, too. 

When we give God all the glory, we stir up our own hearts to have stronger, deeper trust, belief & faith in Him, as well as honor Him in how He takes care of us & how He can take care of others, if they give their heart to Him.

When we practice gratitude, we remind ourselves that NOT everything in life is bad.  
Here are the 5 tips I would use when needing to know How to Become More Grateful for Everything:

1. Become More Mindful with Awe & Wonder
   1. Practice mindfulness by being present as much as possible.
   2. Experience the awe & wonder of everything around you. 
2. Practice Forgiveness & Acceptance
   1. Stop holding onto painful feelings & experiences for the sake of holding it against someone. 
   2. Become more accepting of unexpected situations. 
3. Give Back to Others
   1. Spend some time giving back to others, which will help you reflect on how blessed your own life is.
4. Comfort Negative Thoughts with Gratitude
   1. It’s healthy to express how you feel. Express how you feel & couple it with something positive that you’re grateful for. 
5. Keep a Log of Your Gratitude
   1. It could be a journal or the notes app on your phone but have a place you can write down what you are grateful for.

Support the show

Watch the Video Version of RPG: https://www.youtube.com/@realpositivegirl/podcasts
Buy the Planner on AMAZON!: https://amzn.to/3WwthT2
Visit me on Instagram or TikTok: @sabrinajoyperozzo
Email Me: [email protected]

Show Notes:
“To magnify something is NOT to make it bigger. Magnification doesn’t change the size of the object. Magnification is the process whereby you get your perspective of what was there all along.” -Steven Furtick

Pastor Steven Furtick of Elevation Church goes on to say that we aren’t trying to make God bigger when we magnify Him, we are trying to become more focused on Him.

I see it as digging deeper, going below the surface level, and getting up close & personal with God.

What are we putting all our focus on in our lives? 

Psalm 34:3, “Come, let us tell of the Lord’s greatness, let us exalt his name together.” (NLT)

I believe the Bible teaches us that if we put our primary focus on God, He WILL lead us in the way we need to go. He will help us focus on what's most important.

I want you to think about what your primary focus is in life right now.

Really think about it & when you come up with your answers, dig a little deeper to determine if that’s what you WANT your focus to be or if you want/need it to be something else.

The importance of knowing what you focus on most, what you are magnifying in your life is to examine what’s top priority & whether or not it should be. Will whatever is number 1 get you to where you need to go? Is it actually worth your time?

Here is the list of 5 questions I would ask myself when determining if I am focusing on the right things in life right now:

1. What Are My Goals Right Now? Have I Made Any Recent Progress?
   1. Do your actions or lack of actions are align with your values?
   2. Matthew 6:33, “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.”
   3. Are you making progress toward things that matter most to you?
2. What Am I Doing Every Day & How Important Are These Things?
   1. Determine if anything you’re spending time on is actually important to you.
   2. Colossians 3:23, “Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.”
3. When Was the Last Time I Reflected On How My Life is Going?
   1. Have you spent time reflecting with God? Tell Him about everything and ask what He thinks.
   2. Romans 12:2, “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”
4. Who Am I Spending Most of My Time With? Are These People That Provide Support & Inspiration?
   1. Do you need to find a better group of people to spend time with?
   2. Are you lacking people that support & inspire you in your life?
5. Have I Been Taking Care of My Mind, My Body & My Emotions?
   1. I encourage you to make time for prayer & studying the Bible. 
      1. Knowing the Word allows you to be ready with scripture when the devil tries to be tricky.
   2. Are you taking on too much?
   3. How is your physical health right now? 
   4. Do you find yourself reacting more than responding to situations?

Support the show

Watch the Video Version of RPG: https://www.youtube.com/@realpositivegirl/podcasts
Buy the Planner on AMAZON!: https://amzn.to/3WwthT2
Visit me on Instagram or TikTok: @sabrinajoyperozzo
Email Me: [email protected]

Show Notes:
Making the decision to accept & tolerate someone you don’t care for is really a grown-up decision to make. It’s real maturity to just put aside your feelings and any past experiences you’ve had with them and ALLOW the relationship to be better. Because it CAN get better. If we allow people to change and be different than they have in the past, then the relationship can get better and everyone can have a better experience.

I believe one of the biggest issues we have when dealing with people we don’t like is holding past offenses against them without any end in sight. We continuously remind ourselves of how they hurt us in the past and how those things have betrayed our trust and led to us feeling some type of way.

I think there are several possibilities for why we struggle with this.

• When you let something go, you might believe that there will be no justice for what happened, so you take it upon yourself to make sure there is by holding it against the person until you feel like it’s been enough (or everyone knows).
• You might not have taken to time to really unpack what happened. You haven’t evaluated why you felt the way you did, what the actual root cause was, and why you believe holding onto this is beneficial to you.
• Maybe you’re dealing with insecurity issues and don’t think you are being treated as fairly as this other person is and continue to hold a grudge and contempt for them until you feel how people view YOU has changed.

Regardless of what the reason is, we need to be making an effort to be more accepting of those people we don’t like or see as enemies and who have caused us pain.

The Bible tells us, in several different verses, to love your enemies & those that persecute you.

💖 Luke 6:27-28, “But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. Bless those that curse you. Pray for those who hurt you.”

Here are the steps I take when I am working on accepting someone I don’t really like or that has caused me pain in the past:

1. Acknowledge Your Feelings
   1. Be honest about how you feel. It’s healthy & normal to have feelings. It’s what you do next that can cause the trouble.
2. Practice Empathy
   1. Try to see it from the other person’s point of view.
3. Truly Forgive Them
   1. Don’t keep this pain. Forgiveness is meant for you. It allows you to move on from what happened & no longer allow it to cause you pain.
   2. Colossians 3:13, “bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.”
4. Stay in the Present With Them
   1. Don’t live life in the past with this person. Give them the chance to change.
5. Still Set & Enforce Boundaries Between You Both
   1. If you’re willing to continue having a relationship with this person or are forced to because of a common connection, like work or school or a community you’re involved in, you can still create boundaries to keep yourself safe.

Support the show

Watch the Video Version of RPG: https://www.youtube.com/@realpositivegirl/podcasts
Buy the Planner on AMAZON!: https://amzn.to/3WwthT2
Visit me on Instagram or TikTok: @sabrinajoyperozzo
Email Me: [email protected]

Show Notes:
"God may not always remove challenges, but He will ALWAYS provide a way THROUGH them.”

This is an Instagram quote I saw recently. And it was the inspiration for this episode.

No one WANTS to experience problems or go through struggles. And when we REALLY don’t want to experience them, we sometimes go to great lengths to avoid having to experience any pain at all. 

But the best way to the other side often isn’t over, but through. We have to persevere and get to the other side of the struggle. It’s the way we learn the most, grow the most, and change the most. And each season of life is different & brings on different challenges to learn from. It’s a blast in hindsight.

I recently shared a video on socials talking about how some people believe that when they become a Christian, they think their problems will instantly disappear or at least minimize dramatically. When, in reality, the number of problems & struggles often go up because we are being tested and because we were PROMISED to struggle.

John 16:33, “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”

But despite the struggle, God is still WITH us when we are going through the pain because He knows it won’t be easy for us, but that it IS important we go through and endure certain things. God also brings comfort & peace in times of trouble. 

💖 James 1:2-4, “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.”

Christian or not, though, we must endure hard times. 

Here are my 4 steps on How to Go Through the Problem & Not Around It:

1. Identify the Problem & the Root Cause
   1. Clearly define the problem. What is the CRUX of the issue?
   2. Go a little deeper to discover the ROOT CAUSE. 
   3. We are defining the WHAT & WHY of the problem in this first step.
2. Come Up With & Evaluate Possible Solutions
   1. Spend some time coming up with possible solutions to your problem.
   2. Evaluate what solution would fit you best based on what you can or can’t do, if there are risks involved, whether it solves some or all of the problem, and if this solves the problem within your timeline.
3. Create an Action Plan & Take the First Step
   1. Create your plan of attack with a timeline attached to it. 
   2. Take the First Step 
      1. Commit to taking the first step as soon as possible.
      2. Once you get yourself in the middle of the problem/struggle, you often can’t retreat and will have to keep going. 
4. Evaluate the Results
   1. Determine if the solution and action steps you chose are working well enough.
   2. If what you decided to do isn’t working out as you hoped, shift to something different. If it IS working out, consider if you have the capacity to do more of that thing or not. Don’t give up just because the first attempt didn’t work out.

Support the show

Watch the Video Version of RPG: https://www.youtube.com/@realpositivegirl/podcasts
Buy the Planner on AMAZON!: https://amzn.to/3WwthT2
Visit me on Instagram or TikTok: @sabrinajoyperozzo
Email Me: [email protected]

Show Notes:
You have more to give than you think. We all do.

I was recently sitting at my desk, thinking about how amazing it is that people are connecting with the way I am sharing about God & deepening my relationship with Him by really getting into studying the Bible. And I was in kind of a prayer/chatting to myself and to God, when I said something like, “I’m surprised that people are relating to me so well, even though I’m still new here, but You’re using me where I’m at right now [in life] and others may be at that same place and appreciate the way I go about it because of that.” Basically, I was coming to the conclusion that God IS using me to do His work right where I’m at in life. And immediately after having that thought, I went to look up scriptures that aligned with that thinking (I’m doing that a lot, lately, lol).

Here is the scripture that hit me most when thinking about being beneficial despite our weakness:

There were many people in the Bible that struggled with feeling like they were enough to do what God was asking them to do. Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt, Paul (our new role model for confidence) felt inadequate to preach the gospel before realizing God’s power was made perfect in his weakness, and Gideon needed signs from God to confirm he was actually being called to lead the battle against the Midianites.

Today I want to chat with you about how we have way more to give than we think we do. We are capable of so much, regardless of education, time, experience, or even how we feel about ourselves. We can do amazing things if we only believed in ourselves & no longer allowed the doubt to take over our minds. And to that note, today I am going to share with you 5 tips you can use to push through feelings of inadequacy & self-doubt.

1. Find the Source of Your Feelings
   1. What are your feelings based on? 
   2. Once you know where your feelings are based, you can combat those feelings with positive ones and ones that better reflect the truth.
2. Take Action & Risks
   1. Set a few small goals 
   2. Do an activity outside of your comfort zone 
   3. Bring attention to your idea/opinion 
3. Learn New Skills
   1. Take a class to better a skill or learn a new one
   2. Try something you never thought you would or that has nothing to do with anything you do now.
4. Lean On God
   1. Pray & seek God’s wisdom, guidance & strength to make it through moments of feeling less than & high self-doubt.
   2. Remember that God can use us despite our weaknesses or inexperience. 
5. Have a Balanced View of Your Strengths & Weaknesses
   1. We focus way too much on our weaknesses. 
   2. There needs to be a balance between reviewing what needs to be strengthened and what is already really strong.
   3. No one is good at everything.

Support the show

Watch the Video Version of RPG: https://www.youtube.com/@realpositivegirl/podcasts
Buy the Planner on AMAZON!: https://amzn.to/3WwthT2
Visit me on Instagram or TikTok: @sabrinajoyperozzo
Email Me: [email protected]

Show Notes:
I’m here to share with you not necessarily HOW to be confident, but what to EXPECT when you want to be confident. 

I looked up some verses from the Bible that speak on confidence and wanted to share those with you. I often feel like it’s nice to have something you can go back to that will help anchor the mindset you desire to have & something that will comfort you in times of wanting to give up.

Philippians 4:13, “For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.”

In context, this scripture is Paul expressing how he didn’t need anyone to worry about him because he had figured out how to live through anything, with whatever he had because he had so much faith & belief in God to help & take care of him.

 2 Timothy 1:7, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.”

In context, Paul was telling Timothy to not just sit on the gifts he was given, but to use them and not be ashamed to do so because God has not given him (and all of us) a spirit of fear. He also mentioned that Timothy shouldn’t be ashamed of telling people about the Lord, either.

When you’re confident, you HAVE to believe in yourself. 

• Believe you came up with a good idea or plan.
• Believe you can figure out how to get it accomplished.
• Believe you can get the help you need.
• Believe you can get through whatever setbacks happen.
• Believe you’re worthy of doing this thing.
• And believe that it’s a success, whether it turned out the way you wanted or not.

It’s the noise around us that prevents us from believing we can do it. We put too much stock into other people’s opinions, wanting to impress people that don’t really care that much about us, and allowing our past experiences & mistakes to limit us. We need to break free from all that mess and go all in on what we know deep down inside is enough.

And, if you need EVEN MORE convincing, God tells us we are his masterpiece (Ephesians 2:10) & have been renewed in Him to do great things. If we are so loved & valued by the God of the Universe, we are good enough to do whatever we are called to do.

So, let’s go over our dos & don’ts for being confident:

1. Confident people aren’t afraid to say NO.
2. Confident people respect themselves.
3. Confident people aren’t afraid to tell the truth.
4. Confident people embrace making mistakes & experiencing failures.
5. Confident people don’t need to overpower others to get their point across.
6. Confident people embrace and are flexible to change.
7. Confident people don’t need to prove themselves to anyone.
8. Confident people find no benefit in being envious or jealous of what other people are doing & accomplishing.

Support the show

Watch the Video Version of RPG: https://www.youtube.com/@realpositivegirl/podcasts
Buy the Planner on AMAZON!: https://amzn.to/3WwthT2
Visit me on Instagram or TikTok: @sabrinajoyperozzo
Email Me: [email protected]

Show Notes:
The words we say to ourselves and to others carry heavy things.

Those heavy things can be really good and encouraging and helpful, but it could also be attacking and hurtful and vicious. It just depends on what our motives are, where our heart is, and how much we are allowing our emotions to control our actions & responses.

We can have positive intentions when we use our words, when it’s for building people up, helping them solve a problem or offer advice/knowledge that is requested. But there are also negative intentions with our words, sometimes when we don’t even realize it. We can say harsh, evil things to others to hurt them on purpose, we can also spread false information for our own gain and say horrible things because we allow our emotions to be in control, which ends up allowing ourselves to react to whatever the situation is.

Again, it just depends on what our intent is. Regardless of the intent, there are consequences to our words. 

We aren’t perfect, so we WILL falter, sin & make mistakes. But we NEED to take responsibility for these things & do our best to change our ways.

Whether you’re a Christian or not, you can understand how important it is that we choose what we say carefully and know there will be consequences to our choices.
Let me share with you some ways we can know we are using our words for good & in life-giving purposes, rather than negative, harmful ways:

1. Speaking Words of Humility
   1. If we are talking about things that point to our own faults & struggles, then we are sharing about our own experiences & struggles. We could be sharing these things to be a cautionary tale for someone else, how we recovered & got through it or to demonstrate how we have grown in that specific area.
2. Speaking Words of Truth
   1. When we aren’t spreading false information, spreading knowledge that isn’t ours (gossip) or using our words to manipulate others, we are using our words in a positive way.
3. Speaking Words of Compassion
   1. Being kind & compassionate to others and ourselves is a good way to use our words. We end up comforting those that are hurting, including ourselves if we speak this way in our minds & out loud.
4. Speaking Words of Building Others Up
   1. When we are encouraging others or ourselves, we are using our words in a wonderfully positive & helpful way. We are doing the work of helping someone no longer sit in their pit of despair, but to pick themselves back up again.
   2. We do need to be careful we are not doing the work of encouragement for the sake of controlling what they do or manipulating them into something that is only beneficial for you. It needs to be free of selfish gain & of a true, giving heart.
5. Speaking Words of Wisdom & Correction
   1. When someone is in the wrong, we can be gentle, yet purposeful with our words in helping them figure out what they should be doing instead of what is currently happening. But this NEEDS to happen without tearing them down or trying to induce shame in them in the process.

Support the show

Watch the Video Version of RPG: https://www.youtube.com/@realpositivegirl/podcasts
Buy the Planner on AMAZON!: https://amzn.to/3WwthT2
Visit me on Instagram or TikTok: @sabrinajoyperozzo
Email Me: [email protected]