The Strong Within Affirmation Podcast

Help Support The Strong Within Affirmation Podcast By Going To: www.strongwithin.com/support (You can also get the transcripts there)

www.facebook.com/thechrisohearn www.instagram.com/thechrisohearn

The Reality I Act Upon Is Better Than Any Daydream Only Imagined

"You're not stuck. You're just committed to certain patterns of behavior because they helped you in the past. Now those behaviors have become more harmful than helpful. The reason why you can't move forward is because you keep applying an old formula to a new level in your life. Change the formula to get a different result."

~Emily Maroutian

The last 3 months I was hosting an online goal setting course that I called The Strong Within Summer Sprint, and this past weekend was the end of the challenge. And what I find is, that it's hard to end things, it's always hard to say goodbye, but even more so when you're unsure how to end things.

Maybe that's why I always had trouble ending relationships…at least that's what I told myself…they didn't break up with me, they just were allowing me to pursue new avenues.

But I digress, and what I meant before I got on to that silly comment is, do we celebrate the ending of the challenge because the hard work is over and we can rest now, or do we have some sort of sad reverent send off to respect the work and time that was put in, or do we exercise a little bit of both?

And so I recorded a celebration send-off video thanking everyone for allowing me to grow with them, and for allowing me to be a part of their transformation. For me, there's nothing more beautiful than seeing someone realize more in themselves as they step back and reassess what they originally thought they could do—and begin upping their game.

Thanks for listening. I'm sending great energy your way as we become Strong Within together, Holistic Performance and Personal Development Coach- Chris O'Hearn

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDw8Rwi7qhC-8BCktu3bRxg Contact info- email: [email protected] phone:865-219-3247 Music by: - Zest by basematic (c) copyright 2011 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. - I Have Often Told You Stories (guitar instrumental) by Ivan Chew (c) copyright 2013 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. Location: Knoxville, Tennessee USA but available worldwide

I'd love to see you and what you're doing when you listen to the podcast. Send me a picture of where you are listening to the podcast. Whether it be your gorgeous mug, what you are doing, or where you are and hashtag it #strongwithin

And tag me in it too:

FaceBook- @thechrisohearn Instagram- @thechrisohearn

Help Support The Strong Within Affirmation Podcast By Going To: www.strongwithin.com/support (You can also get the transcripts there)

I Treat People As I Hope To Be Treated

"Love is always bestowed as a gift - freely, willingly and without expectation. We don't love to be loved; we love to love."

~Leo Buscaglia

There's something called the Four Noble Truths in Buddhism:

1. Suffering, pain, and misery exist in life
2. Suffering arises from attachment to desires
3. Suffering ceases when attachment to desire ceases
4. Freedom from suffering is possible by practicing the Eightfold Path

Now, I'm not an expert in Buddhism or finding Nirvana, as Nirvana means freedom from all worries, and it is said that Nirvana is beyond understanding or inexplicable to those who have not realized it yet.

And in these Truths, it seems like expectation can be seen as an attachment, and attachments are seen as something that's bad…unless that is of course you love suffering.

There's a dichotomy between expectation and of living. For how can you do one without the other? How can you continue on without having an expectation or hope that there will be a tomorrow or a reason for you reaching towards tomorrow…and how can you work towards tomorrow if you weren't to live and be excited for life?

Because to stay in stagnation, to wait for things to happen, or to wait without purpose is not to live but to exist. And existing isn't a strategy towards living a real life. Even animals do more than exist.

*******Hear The Rest By Listening To The Podcast*******

Thanks for listening. I'm sending great energy your way as we become Strong Within together, Holistic Performance and Personal Development Coach- Chris O'Hearn

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDw8Rwi7qhC-8BCktu3bRxg Contact info- email: [email protected] phone:865-219-3247 Music by: - Zest by basematic (c) copyright 2011 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. - I Have Often Told You Stories (guitar instrumental) by Ivan Chew (c) copyright 2013 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. Location: Knoxville, Tennessee USA but available worldwide

Help Support The Strong Within Affirmation Podcast By Going To: www.strongwithin.com/support (You can also get the transcripts there)

What are you running from?

What are the excuses you are making right now that give you a reason to stop when things get too hard?

What are the reasons YOU have become the obstacle in the road? And yes you heard me right, I didn't say there was an obstacle, I said YOU HAVE become the obstacle.

Every thought you think, every word you utter, and every action you follow through with is rewiring your brain to re-enact what you are telling yourself. I have said this a million times, and I will tell you a million more because I need to hear it every day. I need to be reminded of it every day, and I think you do too.

I have to remind myself that a belief isn't a certainty—a belief is a habit. A belief is the thing I have told myself over and over again, it is the thing I have allowed others to tell me over and over again and not correct that thought in my mind and take it as gospel.

And while I know this truth…I still forget it because it's so much easier to tell myself why something will be too hard, why what I want isn't meant for me, or that it's not worth the suffering of failures to pursue what I want. I have told the story that the world is hard enough as it is, so why do I have to go and add onto that misery.

********To Hear The Rest Listen To The Podcast********

Thanks for listening. I'm sending great energy your way as we become Strong Within together, Holistic Performance and Personal Development Coach- Chris O'Hearn

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDw8Rwi7qhC-8BCktu3bRxg Contact info- email: [email protected] phone:865-219-3247 Music by: - Zest by basematic (c) copyright 2011 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. - I Have Often Told You Stories (guitar instrumental) by Ivan Chew (c) copyright 2013 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. Location: Knoxville, Tennessee USA but available worldwide

Jalon Bransford's IG account is:

www.instagram.com/coach_bransford

or just type in @coach_bransford if you are in Instagram.

Help Support The Strong Within Affirmation Podcast By Going To: www.strongwithin.com/support (You can also get the transcripts there)

I Am Curious Because Anger Closes Doors While Curiosity Opens Them

"I'm curious about other people. That's the essence of my acting. I'm interested in what it would be like to be you." ~Meryl Streep

I haven't been on social media all that much lately. I will pop in from time to time, but I have been overwhelmed with a feeling I had to post things every day. And the way that Facebook or Instagram's new logarithms work, if I post anything that could be seen as business-related such as promoting the new podcast…it seems like no one sees it.

I always laugh at how a post with a picture of food can get a hundred likes and then posting about a self-help podcast only gets 1 or 2 likes. And so instead of getting frustrated about that, I decided to step away for a bit, and not feel like I had to post something every day. Maybe it could be bad business to not utilize all my resources for promotion, but I think it is better to have my sanity at the moment and to feel calm instead of feeling frustrated.

The reason I bring up this seemingly pointless story really has nothing to do with marketing the podcast but more about coming on social media sporadically instead of being controlled by it. And so I came onto my Instagram account, and I saw I had a message, so I clicked on it, and it was from a story someone had posted and tagged me in it.

A Facebook or Instagram story is post that will appear only for 24 hours, and then it disappears. I wasn't sure why I was tagged in the story because I hadn't logged on within 24 hours of when it was posted, so in the message it just had this blank filler letting me know I was tagged with nothing else there.

I figured it had something to do with my podcast, unless it was another person I didn't know wanting to trash talk me, but I figured it was something positive rather than negative. I'm not famous enough to have random people telling me how much they hate me yet.

********Check out the podcast to hear the rest********

Thanks for listening. I'm sending great energy your way as we become Strong Within together, Holistic Performance and Personal Development Coach- Chris O'Hearn

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDw8Rwi7qhC-8BCktu3bRxg Contact info- email: [email protected] phone:865-219-3247 Music by: - Zest by basematic (c) copyright 2011 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. - I Have Often Told You Stories (guitar instrumental) by Ivan Chew (c) copyright 2013 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. Location: Knoxville, Tennessee USA but available worldwide

Help Support The Strong Within Affirmation Podcast By Going To: www.strongwithin.com/support (You can also get the transcripts there)

My Words Are My Compass

"A rusty nail placed near a faithful compass, will sway it from the truth, and wreck the vessel." ~Walter Scott

In the beginning of June I started an online group coaching course called the Strong Within Goals Summer Sprint. And in this course, I am working with people to help them think differently about themselves and how they go about achieving their goals. For most people, it was a brand new way of going about their goals because I'm having them work backward instead of chasing after goals how we normally do in our lives.

Usually we think we want something, and then we begin dreaming about what it would be like to have that thing. And that's where a lot of us stop because we come up with stories of how it would be too hard to achieve, that we aren't good enough, smart enough, rich enough, or whatever enough to pursue that goal. So either we never create a game plan and just dream away thinking about wouldn't it be nice, or we go about trying to achieve that goal blindfolded and feeling our way in the dark in hopes of gaining some traction.

Every week, I send out a survey to get feedback on what people are struggling with, where they are being successful, and any other information that I can get from their survey to help keep them on track with their game plan, and also anything that needs to be augmented in their thinking patterns. You see, the reason I see most of my clients, or even myself struggle, is due to the story we tell ourselves. We look at the outside factors that are keeping us from our goals, keeping us from our peace of mind, or keeping us from finding the balance we so desire.

And maybe it might sound disrespectful to some when I say that the story they are telling is keeping them from the goal, not the outside obstacle. People may think that I am minimizing their struggle by saying they made up some story of why they can't have something. But I am not telling someone they are weak or that they are making things up, I'm actually telling them that they have more power than they realize.

********Listen To The Podcast To Hear The Rest********

Thanks for listening. I'm sending great energy your way as we become Strong Within together, Holistic Performance and Personal Development Coach- Chris O'Hearn

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDw8Rwi7qhC-8BCktu3bRxg Contact info- email: [email protected] phone:865-219-3247 Music by: - Zest by basematic (c) copyright 2011 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. - I Have Often Told You Stories (guitar instrumental) by Ivan Chew (c) copyright 2013 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. Location: Knoxville, Tennessee USA but available worldwide

Help Support The Strong Within Affirmation Podcast By Going To: www.strongwithin.com/support (You can also get the transcripts there)

The wise person does not fight, For they know they have no enemies, As our greatest adversary is not another, But the overcoming of our former self, Not in a waged all-out war, But uncovering our internal self slanders, Exposing the false shadows we've concealed.

Darkness has no authority within the light, Like the sun rising, Fusing with land, No longer two separate entities, As there is no beginning nor end, But of one complete unity.

The wise person does not fight, For they are not warriors but explorers, Devoted only to true understanding, In finding themselves. Chris O'Hearn 9-4-16

A pencil lays lifeless, Upon a pad, Waiting for a message, That isn't coming, A sword without a sheath, Laying barren, Lost without purpose, As there is no hand, To carry upon its mission, For the best-laid plans, Of mice and men, Often go awry.

Maybe because life, Is really a balancing act, A tipping of the scales, One side empty, The other with a ball of yarn, Not of finding constant success, But asking can you keep moving, Can you handle the impossible task, That may never be unraveled? Chris O'Hearn 8-30-16

Thanks for listening. I'm sending great energy your way as we become Strong Within together, Holistic Performance and Personal Development Coach- Chris O'Hearn

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDw8Rwi7qhC-8BCktu3bRxg Contact info- email: [email protected] phone:865-219-3247 Music by: - Zest by basematic (c) copyright 2011 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. - I Have Often Told You Stories (guitar instrumental) by Ivan Chew (c) copyright 2013 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. Location: Knoxville, Tennessee USA but available worldwide

Help Support The Strong Within Affirmation Podcast By Going To: www.strongwithin.com/support (You can also get the transcripts there)

I'd love to hear your feedback--Let me know what #podcast is your favorite and why

by either emailing me at: [email protected]

or tag me or contact me on social media at: Facebook- www.facebook.com/thechrisohearn Instagram- www.instagram.com/thechrisohearn

********EXCERPT FROM THE PODCAST********

Today's Affirmation-- The Thoughts I Consistently Focus On Are The Emotions I Live Within

We hope for the rewards too quickly, and when they don't happen we get disappointed and quit. We tell stories that we aren't good enough because we couldn't do it fast enough, or that it must be impossible because those people on TV lost 20 pounds in a week, or those commercials that promise weight loss from only taking a pill. Even though in small fine print they usually will say at the end of each commercial that this needs to be taken with a sensible diet and a workout regimen.

And so when the change doesn't happen as the commercials or TV shows promised, we feel like failures. We tell stories that it must be in our DNA why we are who we are, or that we aren't smart enough, talented enough, committed enough, or good enough to not be able to change.

But what if you were to step back from whatever you struggling with right now, and decided to be open to the possibility that change can happen if you look at it from another viewpoint. So clear your mind for a moment on the impossibility of the change that you want and haven't been able to overcome, and ask yourself what if the stories I have been telling weren't true?

*****Listen to the podcast to hear the rest*****

Thanks for listening. I'm sending great energy your way as we become Strong Within together, Holistic Performance and Personal Development Coach- Chris O'Hearn

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDw8Rwi7qhC-8BCktu3bRxg Contact info- email: [email protected] phone:865-219-3247 Music by: - Zest by basematic (c) copyright 2011 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. - I Have Often Told You Stories (guitar instrumental) by Ivan Chew (c) copyright 2013 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. Location: Knoxville, Tennessee USA but available worldwide

Help Support The Strong Within Affirmation Podcast By Going To: www.strongwithin.com/support (You can also get the transcripts there)

This friend was the first person who taught me the phrase, "this too shall pass." And in a way, I was telling him that it wasn't about waiting for something to pass, it was more in asking why are you there, what do you want to get out of this moment, and how do you become mindful of that so you can be fulfilled AND purposeful in that moment.

Yes, things happen in our lives and we get stressed, we complain about them, or wish for them not to be in our lives…but those events, or things, are not only what we need at the moment, but they are the things we specifically are asking for and then forget we asked for them in the first place.

We went about our lives wanting to be challenged and wanting to put our mark upon the world with our own specific and unique signature…but then when we are confronted and tested on that wish, we fall apart and complain about how life is so unfair, and if only we could just get a break—then life would be so much better.

*****Hear the rest by listening to the podcast*****

Thanks for listening. I'm sending great energy your way as we become Strong Within together, Holistic Performance and Personal Development Coach- Chris O'Hearn

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDw8Rwi7qhC-8BCktu3bRxg Contact info- email: [email protected] phone:865-219-3247 Music by: - Zest by basematic (c) copyright 2011 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. - I Have Often Told You Stories (guitar instrumental) by Ivan Chew (c) copyright 2013 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. Location: Knoxville, Tennessee USA but available worldwide

Support The Strong Within Affirmation Podcast By Going To: www.strongwithin.com/support (You can also get the transcripts there)

Here's the link to the article I discussed: https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2016/11/3/13486940/self-control-psychology-myth

When you focus on what you don't want to do, you ONLY take the discussion in your mind half-way. We still have to focus our brain on what we really want, and who we want to be. And that's why focusing on what we don't want isn't powerful enough, it only takes the discussion in our mind part of the way. And that's why the article talks about self-control or will power not being enough, we are coming for a stance of a weak foundation as our focus is upon a place of focusing on and fighting temptation instead of focusing on strength.

We become strong not from fighting but more from learning how to divert our focus away from the temptation and instead to focus on a place of stability in what we want to do and who we want to be.

And I know that sounds weird because we see the thing we don't want to do as the mortal enemy. We take our anger out on that poor defenseless chocolate cake that is there to ruin our lives, as if it this non-physical thing was alive and made a choice to purposefully ruin our goals, and our lives. The more you don't want to think about the cake, and the more you want to avoid it, then the more you feel tempted to think about it, and the more you focus on that image in your mind.

But the cake never was the enemy, even if it was called devil's food cake, it only was an obstacle because we deemed it as such. We thought we couldn't have it, we thought we would be failures by succumbing to the temptation of the opposite of our goals.

However, what if eating that cake wasn't really the problem, and instead it was realizing that our mindset about what the cake meant to us…was the issue.

******Hear the rest by listening to the podcast******

Thanks for listening. I'm sending great energy your way as we become Strong Within together, Holistic Performance and Personal Development Coach- Chris O'Hearn

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDw8Rwi7qhC-8BCktu3bRxg Contact info- email: [email protected] phone:865-219-3247 Music by: - Zest by basematic (c) copyright 2011 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. - I Have Often Told You Stories (guitar instrumental) by Ivan Chew (c) copyright 2013 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. Location: Knoxville, Tennessee USA but available worldwide

Help Support The Strong Within Affirmation Podcast By Going To: www.strongwithin.com/support (You can also get the transcripts there)

I Am Curious, & That Is Why I Am Slow To Anger and Quick To Focus On Understanding

"Learning lessons is a little like reaching maturity. You're not suddenly more happy, wealthy, or powerful, but you understand the world around you better, and you're at peace with yourself. Learning life's lessons is not about making your life perfect, but about seeing life as it was meant to be." ~Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

In my life coaching business, I ask people what the most important thing did they got out of the session, and a common answer was that they felt heard. We spend so much time trying to get our story across that we forget people are like us...they want to be heard.

ANd when we take the time to listen more purposefully, we allow better emotions to surface because we take our time to process things rather than flying off the handle.

Change happens not in forcing things, but in stepping back to process things. We are so close to our emotions that we need a little separation from taking things personally and learning to stop reacting and learn how to respond better. Take a listen to the podcast to be awakened to another way of communicating better.

Thanks for listening. I'm sending great energy your way as we become Strong Within together, Holistic Performance and Personal Development Coach- Chris O'Hearn

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDw8Rwi7qhC-8BCktu3bRxg Contact info- email: [email protected] phone:865-219-3247 Music by: - Zest by basematic (c) copyright 2011 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. - I Have Often Told You Stories (guitar instrumental) by Ivan Chew (c) copyright 2013 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. Location: Knoxville, Tennessee USA but available worldwide