I have a problem…I am a #podcastjunkie!
The good news is for every 100 podcasts I listen to, one or two stand out to me more than others and I find I must write about those episodes. Such is the case with the Lewis Howes, School of Greatness episode, Gabby Bernstein, Healing Trauma and Spiritual Freedom.
I listened to this podcast a few days ago and it struck a chord with me then. I knew I would probably come back to write a blog on it, but was not 100% committed. I did share with a young lady I am mentoring as I felt this was a strong message for her.
This morning, I participated in an Out of the Darkness Community Walk. This is a walk hosted by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention to raise awareness of the growing rate of suicide and to let those who are considering ending their own lives, know there is hope. While walking, I remembered this podcast, which had been churning in the back of my mind.
Although suicide was not at all the main topic of this podcast, I found this portion to be especially riveting. Gabby Bernstein has written 15 self-help books over the last ten or so years and is a motivational speaker today. Yet in this episode, she shares with great vulnerability her recent bout with post-partum depression and how close she came to taking her own life. Had it not been for an intervention by someone who cared for her, the world may have missed out on her future inspiration.
What I loved about this conversation was her genuine, unashamed, retelling of her turmoil. She recognized the biochemical reaction she was having to giving birth and also that she needed medicinal intervention to survive. Yet, her outlook ongoing through this is a positive message to us all. She said in her darkest hour, none of the tools she has provided in all of her books were enough to help her. She wants to scream it from the rooftop that it is okay to accept additional help (medicine) when needed and not to accept any stigma others may attach.
She recently published her latest book, Super Attractor: Methods for Manifesting a Life Beyond Your Wildest Dreams. In this book, she reveals her first step to becoming a Super Attractor, which is “Decide to stop feeling bad!” This seems so simple, but if you really think about it, most of our problems could be solved if we would focus on the positives in our lives instead of the negative.
I have a friend who no matter what happens can turn the situation into a negative experience. It wears me out! Mostly, I do not even want to have conversations with this person because I know it will always be about how someone has done them wrong and how they just can’t catch a break and have no money, etc., etc. In this episode, Gabby says, “Appreciate, and appreciate more.”
She also refers to those subtle moments of trauma, which can cause us to detour into fear. When we detour into fear, “we descend from magnitude to littleness.” This creates a form of ego, which generates a world of fear-based perceptions. We must undo patterns of fear to become unstoppable.
The next to last nugget from this podcast I want to share is regarding judgment. (She also wrote a book called Judgment Detox.) She says, “When we judge other people we are judging ourselves. We are reflecting our judgment of ourselves on someone else.” I started thinking about this after hearing her words and sat in amazement at the realization of how true this statement was. Going back to my negative friend, I realized I judged her statements and there were some truths I needed to learn about me. For example: She told me, “I worked until 9 p.m. last night.” Judgment: “Yeah, but you didn’t come to work Monday or Tuesday.” In her defense, she gets more done in a week than the other three people in her department put together. But I was reflecting on feeling bad because I leave around 5 p.m. every day. What I recognized was we all have different productive periods. While mine are more routine, hers are more extended over a few days. It does not mean we do not get the same amount accomplished. It just means we have different times in which we accomplish those goals.
Okay, the really last nugget I want to share is the first step is willingness. According to Gabby, “it is the catalyst for change.” When you are willing, you invite the right next action.
Please go listen to this podcast to hear in Gabby Bernstein’s own words and read her book. I know it is next on my list. Also, I found out if you order through her website, there is bonus material available!
