The Joyful Life

This is Episode 10 and part two of my Adversity podcast.

If you haven’t had a chance to listen to part 1 on adversity, I invite you to go back and listen.  

Today we are going to be talking about how adversity has the ability to benefit our lives.

I’m super excited about this episode because I know the concepts were a huge paradigm shift for me and helped me view the world differently and they helped me feel more joy and peace. These ideas also have helped me reduce anxiety when challenges come my way. 

We will be talking about how we can move from bitterness and anxiety because of adversity to a place of peace.

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2022/10/32craig?lang=eng

https://awesci.com/the-role-of-wind-in-a-trees-life/

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2024/04/46taylor?lang=eng

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/2001/10/developing-character?lang=eng

Today we are talking about Adversity.  This will be a two part podcast.  The first part we will be discussing the lie that the world tells us which is:

Life should be free from trials, challenges, and adversity.  We will talk about why this isn’t true and how this belief hurts us.

We will also discuss the power we bring into our lives when we can expect that challenges will be a part of our lives.

Today I am talking about Buffering.  Buffering is what leads to addictive behavior.

We are going to discuss exactly what Buffering is…

Why we buffer… why would want to stop buffering. 

And, how we stop buffering.

When I really began to understand buffering, my mind was blown.  You are going to love what I am teaching today.

It will change the way you look at addictive behavior and you are going to know the best and most powerful ways to change any behavior you do not want to have happening in your life.

Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve taught: “We should avoid any behavior that is addictive. Whatever is addictive compromises our will. Subjecting our will to the overbearing impulses imposed by any INTRODUCTION form of addiction serves Satan’s purposes and subverts our Heavenly Father’s. This applies to addictions to drugs (such as narcotics, alcohol, nicotine, or caffeine), addiction to practices such as gambling, and any other addictive behavior. We can avoid addictions by keeping the commandments of God” (“Free Agency and Freedom,” Brigham Young University 1987–88 Devotional and Fireside Speeches [1988], 45). 

Elder Boyd K. Packer of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught: “Addiction has the capacity to disconnect the human will and nullify moral agency. It can rob one of the power to decide” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1989, 16; or Ensign, Nov. 1989, 14)

There is great power in learning to process a feeling. This meditation will help you focus on what is happening inside your body when you are experiencing a feeling.

Today we are talking about feelings.  The feelings we like to feel and the ones we don’t like to feel. 

We will be discussing why we don’t want to ignore our feelings and why avoiding our feelings can cause anxiety and stress as well as physical problems. 

We will talk about what we can do to process our feelings in a healthy way. There is a bonus meditation podcast that walks you through feeling your feelings. 

We will also be talking about how feeling our feelings can increase our confidence.

It’s going to be a great episode!

“When you are under stress or anxious, the (autonomic nervous) system kicks into action, and physical symptoms can appear — headaches, nausea, shortness of breath, shakiness, or stomach pain. "Doctors see it all the time — patients with real pain or other symptoms, but nothing is physically wrong with them," says Dr. Arthur Barsky, professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School.”

https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/recognizing-and-easing-the-physical-symptoms-of-anxiety

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2023/04/47nelson?lang=eng

Joan Rosenberg "90 Seconds to a Life you Love"

Today we are talking about decision making.  When we master the ability to make decisions we can begin to shape our lives to be the very best they can possibly be. 

We will discuss practical strategies that can help us make choices that lead to greater success and fulfillment.  

We will talk about how our confidence can grow when we become better decision makers.

We will also talk about why we often move into confusion, paralysis and overwhelm when we are trying to make decisions and how to get out of that confusion, paralysis and overwhelm.

You are going to want to listen today!

“Wrong Roads and Revelation” July 2005 Matthew Holland

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/new-era/2005/07/wrong-roads-and-revelation?lang=eng

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/comeuntochrist/video/wrong-roads

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2024/04/13holland?lang=eng

“Motions of a Hidden Fire,” Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, General Conference, April 2024

Today we are discussing how to think joyfully.  This episode has the power to change your life, for the better, forever.  

I’m going to teach you how to stop ruminating and how to get the negative thinking that plagues you out of your head.  

You will learn how to take control of your thinking and gain power over your thoughts.

If you have ever felt plagued by intrusive thoughts, this episode is for you!

You will be happy you listened!
Links:
"Inspiring Music, Worthy Thoughts" Elder Boyd K. Packer, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/1973/10/inspiring-music-worthy-thoughts?lang=eng

"Pray Always" Elder David A. Bednar,
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2008/10/pray-always?lang=eng
Return From Tomorrow, George G. Ritchie with Elizabeth Sherril, pgs. 125-127

You are going to love today's episode!
Today we are talking about taking responsibility for our lives.

We will talk about HOW responsibility allows you to have power over the results you are getting in your life.  

We will discuss HOW to unleash your personal power over the way you feel, by being responsible.  

We also go into HOW taking responsibility for the results in our lives gives us the power to be the best versions of ourselves.

“Between stimulus and response there is a space.  In that space is our power to choose our response.  In our response lies our growth and our freedom.” Victor Frankl

“We cannot blame circumstances or others for a decision to act contrary to God’s commandments.” ("Be One With Christ," Quentin L. Cook,  April 2024 General Conference).

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2024/04/27cook?lang=eng
"Look unto Him in Every Thought," Joy D. Jones, BYU Speeches, August 21, 2018.
https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/joy-d-jones/look-unto-him-every-thought/

Today we will be talking about perfectionism.  
We will discuss what it means to be a perfectionist.  
How perfectionism can serve us and how it can hold us back in our lives.  
We will talk about how perfectionism stems from fear. We will discuss how perfectionism is a form of manipulation and control and how it is addictive.  
We will learn ways to manage perfectionism so that we can live to our full potential, accomplish great things and become the best versions of ourselves. 
It’s going to be a great episode!
"A Complete Look at Perfect," John S. Robertson, BYU Speeches, July 13, 1999.
https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/john-s-robertson/complete-look-perfect/
"On Failing and Finishing," Cassy Budd, BYU Speeches, February 14, 2017.
https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/cassy-budd/on-failing-and-finishing/
Perfect:
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/gs/perfect?lang=eng
“Perfectionism is a self destructive and addictive belief system that fuels this primary thought:  If I look perfect, live perfectly, work perfectly and do everything perfectly, I can avoid or minimize the painful feelings of shame, judgment and blame.”  Brené Brown,  "Atlas of the Heart," pg. 145.

The way we breathe can impact anxiety for better or for worse.

Have you ever been so tense that you notice your heart is racing, your muscles are tight, you have sweaty palms and you are shallowly breathing? 

When our brains sense a threat to our survival our bodies respond.  

Our brains like to warn us of any trouble that may be at hand.  This is good, we want our minds to protect our lives. 

Our bodies respond to our brains often before we realize the threat at hand.

Sometimes our brains perceive risks that are not real, but our bodies have already responded.  In today’s world there are a lot of people living in this “threatened and heightened state.” 

I will share tools that can help you know how to relax and be your best self.
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/22187-cortisol
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/22572-serotonin
President Russell M. Nelson "We Can Do Better and Be Better"
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2019/04/36nelson?lang=eng
"Unbeatable Mind" Mark Divine