What is professionalism? Is it the words we use? How we say them? Etiquette? Expected behaviors in professional environments? Is it what we wear? Many of us are forcing ourselves into a box and parameter that we "think" is the way we should behave and speak. When we are constantly trying to be something we're not, the imposter syndrome comes up in us. Are we doing the right thing? Are people going to accept and appreciate us? What if we identified our own sense of what being professional means? Respect for self and others. Compassion. Honesty. Being real. Because we know we value those things. Authenticity is professional. Respect and being true to ourselves and our values is being professional. Not meeting some societal standard and "playing the game" so we "fit in". Subscribe to the True Calling Project podcast on iTunes and find it here: www.johnharrisoncounseling.com/category/truecallingproject/
Was talking with a good friend of mine last night about the state of the world, government, business, economy. It's not our boss, the government, the corporations, our neighbors, our lack of money, or anyone else's responsibility to live through our values and take action...except for us. We have this addiction of blaming our circumstances for our inability to create what we want and not being able to live through what's important to us. The blame game keeps us stuck and in resistance. And in resistance there is no creation of new. Just playing the same broken game. We're better than that and more than capable. Anything that says otherwise just keeps us stuck, subservient, and playing small. Be the change. No, literally. Be the change. Subscribe to the True Calling Project podcast on iTunes and find it here: www.johnharrisoncounseling.com/category/truecallingproject/
When we focus on gratitude in our lives it's NOT about ignoring problems or only seeing rainbows and gumdrop smiles. It's about seeing the WHOLE picture. Our brains are predisposed to be vigilant to identify what we can lose, or what we have lost. It's normal and natural to think negatively in many circumstances. BUT, since the mind is trying to keep us safe, it has a hard time being appreciative. So we have to be smarter than our monkey minds. GRATITUDE is about accepting the whole reality of life. It's healthy, balanced, and NOT bullshit. That's reserved for the part of our mind that only wants to see loss and catastrophe. Gratitude can make space for recognizing all the good stuff while also seeing that without some of the crap, we can't appreciate the good in life. Subscribe to the True Calling Project podcast on iTunes and find it here:www.johnharrisoncounseling.com/category/truecallingproject/
Dr Gary Brown is a licensed psychotherapist who has been in private practice for over 30 years. His primary focus is helping people connect to themselves and other people at a deeper level than what they might be used to, and his years of practicing have led to a number of interesting opportunities.
In recent years, Gary has experienced a unique level of continuity of care: he has second-generation patients. Couples he worked with 10 to 20 years ago are now referring their adolescent children to his practice.
Gary is able to see first hand how all sorts of traits travel through families. Not just mental health, but also physical, biological and emotional traits.
Gary also has years of experience working in crisis intervention (which is, unfortunately, constantly relevant). During his time working with the the survivors of terror attacks and disasters, Gary has learned strategies that anyone can employ to mitigate the impact of shared trauma.
We will all do well to remember that there is nothing disorderly about PTSD – it is simply Post Traumatic Stress, and it’s a very normal reaction to trauma.
“The most beautiful things, and the most important things in the world, are our abilities to express love to each other and our ability to receive love from each other.”
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Interested in learning more about how I can help you through coaching? Find out more at www.johnharrisoncounseling.com/individual-coaching/
Production & Development for True Calling Project by Podcast Masters
Talking with a friend recently about the nature of low mood and low energy, or depression, and how it can help us bring clarity to our current situation. But only if we suspend judgement of what we are experiencing. I really think the Buddhists had something when they taught about releasing judgement. Notice how much easier life is when you are not judging your current situation, your relationships, your mood, your surroundings (gasp...politics). If we value ourselves and what we can bring to others and the world, we first have to get out of our own way. And to do that, we have to leave the judgement behind. Let others be the judge, we just need to focus on allowing ourselves to put out there what we need to. Subscribe to the True Calling Project podcast on iTunes. And find it here:www.johnharrisoncounseling.com/category/truecallingproject/
Today’s guest, Kosta Stoyanoff, isn’t your typical positive speaker. He is the Founder of Uplifted Life, where he tries to remind people that there is more to life than what they have been conditioned to experience, and more to them than they could have ever imagined.
We discuss how we can find the part of ourselves that will be essential if we want the world to change, and why we need to look internally – not externally – if we want to create that change.
I was first introduced to Kosta through his video, “A Reminder To All Activists.” He discusses why activists need to come from a space of love, compassion, gentleness, and kindness. Who you are is more important than the fists in the air, the rallies, or the posters.
If you are angry, resentful, and full of toxicity and you are trying to change the world, you’re not part of the solution – you’re part of the problem.
Some will argue that we have to resist loudly and aggressively if we want change, and his own ideas about activism have received some resistance.
However, if we look at the negative things happening in the world, they are happening because of fear, exclusivity, and insecurity. It’s a symptom of me against you; competition.
We are always looking externally to solve the problems in the world, but we rarely consider that we might be part of the problem. It’s feels a lot easier to point a finger and blame something else than it is to look inside, take some ownership, and begin addressing your own level of consciousness and awareness.
The funny thing is… you can’t actually change anything externally. The solution to any problem comes from within. You have the most influence over your own personal state of being, which will then ripple out and affect the people and things in your life.
You may not be able to change the world by yourself, but you can still become the highest version of you; the most loving version of you. Then you can lift up the people around you. If we can understand that, then we might be able to create lasting positive change.
“Take ownership of who you are. You will receive and you will experience the way you choose to look at life – and the way you choose to look at life is either from a perspective of fear, insecurity, and separation or from a space of love, compassion, caring, connection, and courage.”
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Resources:
Interested in learning more about how I can help you through coaching? Find out more at www.johnharrisoncounseling.com/individual-coaching/
Production & Development for True Calling Project by Podcast Masters
Being afraid of pissing people off might be the #1 dream killer of all time. I was reflecting this week on how overly cautious we can tend to be (me included) when it comes to not wanting to possibly offending someone else. As if going through life solely to be polite can get us what we need...or be able to become what we were meant to become. Conflict is a part of life and relationships. We can't run from that or simply appease. When we are going after what we want our actions might hurt other people. But that doesn't mean it's always our problem, or our fault...or a bad thing. When we all show up as ourselves, we might piss each other off. But is that always a bad thing? Subscribe to the True Calling Project podcast on iTunes or find it here: www.johnharrisoncounseling.com/category/truecallingproject/
Today our guest, Michael Kuhn, shares a powerful story about transformation, presence, relationships, and the metaphysical aspects of life (and death).
Michael struggled with relationships and substance abuse for much of his early adulthood. After waking up in a jail cell, he decided he had to make a change. The need for knowledge became his new addiction.
After almost drowning, his perspective was changed further.
Michael believes that our goal as a species, and consciousness in general, is service to others. Intentionally living a life driven by your want and need to help others is the ultimate form of love.
Michael’s journey towards discovery and transformation was a long and tumultuous one, but he shares it with others so that we can be inspired and learn from his experience.
“Don’t live our life only for you. It’s pointless. When you wake up and you help others, you get so much more out of that than striving to buy or do something for yourself ... Striving to be a better person and help others as much as possible is the ultimate form of enlightenment.”
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Resources:
Interested in learning more about how I can help you through coaching? Find out more at www.johnharrisoncounseling.com/individual-coaching/
Production & Development for True Calling Project by Podcast Masters