Take Your Power Back by Doing ‘The Work’

by Lisa OberbichlerConfidence, Goals, Habits, MindsetPosted on No Comments

LISTEN TO PODCAST EPISODE HERE -> https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/BJJ16epPvwb

In today’s episode of the Inspiration2Grow podcast we are going to get down to business and do the ‘work’. 

You might be asking what work are you talking about.  The ‘work’ I am referring to today is actually one of the most empowering, personal and revelatory experiences you can commit to doing.

By simply doing ‘the work’ for a few minutes each day, you’ll become a more powerful human being than you could have ever imagined.  Have I piqued your interest yet?  I sure hope so.

Do this and you’ll start to operate on a higher level, playing a much bigger game in life.

You’re just 7 steps away from achieving this.  If you take action on what I’m about to share, you’ll feel a monumental shift inside yourself.
So, in no particular order, I strongly encourage you to…

1.        Write a list of all the most important things you have been procrastinating and do them, ONE BY ONE. Break through your fears.
2.       Write a lit of all the things you have not been saying that you want to say.  Go say them.  Reclaim your power.
3.       Turn off the TV, phone and all other distractions, sit in silence and listen to the wisdom within every single day for at least 10 – 15 minutes (music is optional). Tune into your higher self.
4.       Write a list of all the people, things and circumstances you have been blaming, resenting or resisting, and let it all go.  If you need to be in communication about any of these to anyone, go and do that.  Discover who you really are.
5.       Write a list of all the things, people and circumstances you have been tolerating and speak your truth instead to yourself and to any others as is appropriate.  Wake yourself up.
6.       Write a list of all your attachments and begin a process of letting them go.  ALL OF THEM.  Trust your intuition.
7.       Contemplate the idea that you are exactly where you need to be; everything is perfect and unfolding exactly as it is meant to for your growth and evolution.
  The universe is conspiring in your favour whether you realize it or not.

These steps are not for everyone.  Nor are they a “one-and-done” exercise.

Think of it more like a checklist for a lifetime of evolution.

The more you refer back to it, the greater your results will be.

Committing to ‘the work’ takes immense courage, eternal patience, an open heart and trust.

Your reward, as I said before, is unlocking your full power, both internally and externally.

The magic is truly in doing ‘the work’.

But, regardless if you do these things or not…

Whether you’re ready or not, willing or not…

See yourself as capable or not…

Just know this:  Simply by reading/listening to this podcast, your world has already begun to shift.

I truly hope to have inspired you to grow.

Til next time,

Lisa
xoxo

Never Quit on Yourself Again

by Lisa OberbichlerConfidence, Goals, Habits, MindsetPosted on No Comments

LISTEN TO PODCAST EPISODE HERE-> https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/TV4UsH0Ovwb

In today’s episode of the Inspiration2Grow podcast I am going to change your mind about quitting.

People who quit too soon are abundant.  They quit before even giving themselves the chance to be great.

Greatness does not come to quitters.  It’s high time to change your mindset so you can learn how to stop being a quitter!

Why do people quit?  There is a myriad of reasons, but let me boil it down to 5 basic reasons:

They experience a lack of desire, they have a results vs. process-based mindset, they set unrealistic deadlines or unattainable goals, or they listen and place too much value on other people’s opinions.

Quitting leads to temporary satisfaction (i.e. giving up on your diet plan) in exchange for long term pain.

So, the why is clear and now we’re going to do something to help you see your goals and intentions through without quitting on yourself again.

1.     Have a strong desire for your goal
 
Desire for the task will make or break you.  A person without desire will constantly need motivation and encouragement.

But a person driven by desire…
Desire serves as the bridge between your idea & manifestation.  So, you need to spark desire.

How?  You find your WHY.

You’ve heard me talk about this in previous episodes.  Never jump into the ‘what’ of you goal without defining your ‘why’.

If you don’t narrow down why you are doing it, the ‘it’ will feel too much like work.  As humans, we don’t respond well to things that we perceive as work, unfortunately.

Finding your ‘why’ allows you to view ‘work’ as ‘play’.  This hack allows you to think of the big picture and engage your emotions in the process.

So, from the very beginning, sharpen your ‘why’ and be able to express it in one sentence.  You can always revisit it and tweak and refine it later on.  But do your best to narrow it down.
 
2.    Focus on the process, not results
 
We were and are (still) brought up to focus on the results over the process thanks to our school system.  We were only rewarded for the marks we got, as opposed to the studying and effort we put into an exam.

We really need to change our mindset in this regard.

Focusing on the end result causes you to rush toward the finish line and not relish the in-between (moments of small wins and joy).  Keep results in the back of your mind.

Instead, focus on the NOW, be present and place your focus on improving.  Your journey will be that much more fulfilling.
 
3.    Break your goals down
 
A brick wall is made by adding one brick at a time. 

In life, we have big goals and micro goals along the way. If you focus on the big goal (the wall in my analogy), then you’ll feel terribly overwhelmed.

But…if you focus on the micro goals (the bricks), then you’ll feel confident.

I encourage you to learn how to break your goals down into micro goals and aim to accomplish the larger task one brick at a time. 
 
4.    Track your results

What gets tracked, gets improved.

It’s interesting that people just skip over this step and then wonder why they aren’t improving.  It’s difficult to learn how to stop being a quitter and end that cycle once and for all, when you lack any tangible metrics.

Execution is awesome and that’ what we want to see.  However, tracking allows you to work with purpose every time you begin working toward a goal.

And the more you track, the more your subconscious mind makes adjustments to bring you the results that you desire.

So, be sure to set up a tracking system.  It needn’t be complicated or elaborate, something simple will suffice.

5.    Set deadlines

Deadlines bring a sense of urgency into your world. 

And keep this in mind, ALWAYS have a scarcity mindset towards time.  One second lost is one second that will never be returned to you again.  This is the reason why it’s imperative for you to start taking your time much more seriously.

Setting deadlines allows you to value your time and make the most out of every second.  In addition, you feel more accountable in the process.

6.    Learn to rest, not quit

This is a skill you have to learn on it own and a major key in the entire process because a lot of people quit due to feeling burnt out from working non-stop, relentlessly toward their goal.

They view resting as something ludicrous, ridiculous and not what they need…until their body refuses to comply with their demands.

This is why resting is absolutely crucial.

Earn your rest by putting in the necessary work (on your goal), then unwind and do so without regret.

7.    Become tone deaf to other people’s opinions

There will be people along the way that try to hold you back from chasing your goals and dreams.

People, perhaps relatives or close friends, might try to distract you from focusing on your goals.  They might say you’re crazy to dedicate so much time to the thing you’re going after.
 
Stick to your guns.  Follow your desired path.  Revisit your why when you feel tempted.  Whatever you do, stay focused on your goal.

Other people may not approve of your level-up journey, but who cares?  You certainly don’t live your life to please them.

This may be hard, but, if necessary, cut ties with the people who don’t support your efforts and goals.  And this brings me right into the next point…

8.     Surround yourself with winners

When you surround yourself with goal-getters like yourself, winners and people who are hungry to chase down their dreams, quitting is not even a thought.  Their moves and behaviours will undoubtedly rub off on you.  You will be much more focused and determined, almost through osmosis.

These people you choose to be around will have a huge influence on your future.
 
“You are the sum of the 5 people you spend time with.”

So, avoid spending time with those who are staying stagnant in their life, the ones with no goals or ambitions and find winners to spend more time with.

                Life changes when you stop quitting

Every success both personally and professionally that I have experienced in my life was due to me working hard on my goals.

Luck finds people who are moving forward, working with purpose and showing up for themselves, putting in the necessary work EVERY.DAMN.DAY.

If you apply these tips 1 – 8, then quitting will become a joke to you. 

You will finally understand that goal chasing is one of the most fulfilling acts out there and available to you right now.

Shift and fix your mindset regarding quitting and levelling up becomes much easier and accessible for you. Remember this… your goals is waiting to be reached once you have mastered how to stop being a quitter.
 
I hope to have inspired you to grow.

Til next time,

Lisa
xoxo

Closing the Gap & Taking Massive Action

by Lisa OberbichlerConfidence, Goals, Habits, MindsetPosted on No Comments

LISTEN TO PODCAST EPISODE HERE -> https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/seQeMdCOvwb

Close the Gap From Where You Are to Where You Want to Be

Today I’d like to provide you with 4 major action steps to create a kind of ‘Success Code’ to help you reach your next level and bust through some limiting beliefs which are holding you back from achieving great things.

I am obsessed with gaps -> getting from point A to point B, reducing the distance between my goals, enjoying the process and rejoicing in the progress along the way.  And I constantly look for these gaps in my life and I hope you do too.

For example, the gap between having to retire early and starting my new life coaching business which I absolutely love.  The gap between wanting to get my message out into the world and actually becoming a podcaster with listeners from around the world.  The gap between poor health due to years of neglect and losing 10 + kilos (that’s only the beginning of my weight loss journey), regaining my mobility and significantly reducing my pain and daily amount of medication.
The gaps look different for everybody.  But we all have them to some degree.

Today’s 4 Step Success Code will help you go from your current situation to where you want to be, but…

Implementation is the key.  If you are not going to make an effort to change your situation by implementing the steps I am providing you with, then shut off this podcast right now.  You will only be wasting your time.  My aim is to help people go from ‘just getting by’ to awesome and thriving and that’s only going to happen if you sincerely take the time, put in the effort and follow these actionable items.  So, what are we waiting for?  Let’s dive right in.

Action Step #1 – Gain Clarity

I can’t stress enough how important it is to have absolute clarity on what you want.  It doesn’t have to be perfect, and it can evolve over time. So, get clear on WHAT you really want and WHERE you really are.  We all have a gap we want to close, maybe in our personal lives or a professional goal you want to achieve. 

Clarity is power! The clearer you are about what you want, the more rapidly you can achieve things. Think of ONE thing you’d like to achieve either as a personal goal or a professional goal. Be very specific when jotting this down.  This should be something you are committed to doing but have pushed aside and made up excuses why the time wasn’t right.  Focus on what it is you want and why you want to achieve this goal.  Of course, it should be one that is achievable AND will totally excite you once accomplished.

Is there perhaps a goal in your emotional life you’d like to reach?  For example, it might be waking up early and priming yourself to crush the day.

To help you gain the clarity, here are some questions you will have to ponder and write about:

1.       What precisely are you going to achieve?
2.       Why would it excite you?
3.       What would it mean to you?
4.       Why are you going to achieve it?
5.       When are you going to achieve it?
6.       How would it change the quality of your life and others?

Pro tip from a Mindset and Life Coach:  You need to establish a very strong set of why’s.  This will be your north star and you will refer back to it constantly.  These why’s should get you up and hit the ground running in the morning and keep you up at night – that’s how intense your why’s need to be.
 
Action Step #2 – Destroy and Replace any Story of Limitation

It is going to take some work to identify where the belief came from and developing strategies to counteract this belief and replace it with another.  Identifying and destroying beliefs is high level personal development, and can catapult you lightyears ahead in your own confidence and feelings of self-worth.

Now, I would like you to write down the limiting beliefs that might hinder you in achieving your goals.
 
I am going to give you five questions to help you do just this.  Be as honest as you can. 

1.       What are some stories that got in the way of achieving your goals?
2.       What is the new story you are telling yourself now?
3.       What is the old belief that got in the way?
4.       What is the new belief you need to adopt? 
5.       What is the old lie that held you back?

Own your truth.  Repeat your new belief 4 times.  Celebrate it like you just achieved it. Remember, whatever you repeat with enough intensity, you will believe.
There is a philosophy of stretching which goes like this:  If you can’t, you must!  I believe this is a quote/concept from Jim Rohn, which means if you say you can’t do something, then you must do it and without hesitancy.  Train yourself when limiting beliefs arise to just do the hard things.  Become a no-limit person.

For reference, I talked about crushing limiting beliefs in previous podcasts:

Episode #5 – Shift Your Mindset for Growth
Episode #6 – 8 Questions to Crush Limiting Beliefs
Episode #15 – Taking Charge of Your Belief System

I strongly suggest listening to these because they offer more suggestions, tips and tactics of how to overcome your limitations.

Action Step #3 – Monitor and Shift Your Language of Self-Talk
 
Whether you are conscious of it or not, we all have a rather sneaky inner voice that constantly comments on what we are doing.  Psychologists refer to this as self-talk.  This inner dialogue directs us and tells us what to do in certain situations.  Some examples when your self-talk actually supports you are when it says, “Look both ways before crossing the street” or “Stand up for yourself”.  This type of self-talk helps us succeed and keeps us safe.

On the flip side, negative self-talk can be very destructive. You might not even be aware that much of this negative self-talk consists of beliefs which were programmed into us in our childhood.  We heard them repeatedly and now we believe them and tell them to ourselves each time the same situation or event arises.

The problem comes when we accept this negative self-talk as the truth about us and our life.

·         I never have enough time.
·         There’s no use.  I won’t be able to do it.
·         I know it won’t work.
·         I’m not good enough.

While this programming happened to you in your younger years, there’s still a chance for you to change your programming.  And, you may discover hidden strengths where you previously had problems/struggles.  The bottom line is that you are not doomed to live with this negative self-talk forever.

So, I have a few exercises I’d like you to try.  Grab a notebook and start consciously paying attention to your self-talk.  Write down some of the attitudes expressed during self-talk.  What situation do you find yourself in? This is merely for more self-awareness.

According to the National Science Foundation the average person has about 12,000 to 60,000 thoughts per day.  Of those, 80% are negative and 95% are exactly the same repetitive thoughts as the day before and about 80% negative.

Gentle reminder:  Observe your inner voice and take note of exactly what you are whispering to yourself.  Then turn around and ask yourself, “Is this something I would say to a friend?”  If the answer is no, then be kinder to yourself. 

We are so harsh on ourselves most of the time.  We really need to stop, turn on the ‘positivity and love program’ in our heads and start showing up for ourselves in an encouraging way, a supportive way, a loving way and most importantly, in a positive light.  Release all self-judgement and embrace more self love.

There’s a little trick I heard about, and I thought it was pretty cool.  You can go ahead and try it if you like.  Place an elastic band on your left wrist (not one that will cut off your circulation!!) and when your sneaky inner voice says something negative to you.  Switch the elastic band to the other wrist on your right arm, snap it and reframe the negative thought to a positive one.

For example, if I am in a situation where I think, “I am so bad at technology.  I just can’t figure this out.” I would transfer the band to my other wrist, snap it and reframe my thought by stating, “Okay, I don’t know how to do it at the moment, but I am going to figure it out. I’ve got what it takes.”

Essentially, we are overwriting the negative program or thought and replacing it with a new program – to use a computer analogy.  It may sound easy, but, believe me that it does take a lot of hard work and conscious effort.

Moving forward, I want you to remember that the words you attach to your experience, become your experience.

This leads me to the second exercise I’d like you to try to break the patterns of negative self-talk.

For this assignment, make a list of some of the words you use when you’re really angry, emotional, sad, depressed.  Now, come up with 2 – 3 other words that will be humorous or will help break the pattern.

Be open to humor and give yourself permission to smile, chuckle or laugh during trying times.  Look for humor in everyday happenings too.  The minute your facial mimic changes to a smile and you can laugh at life, stress is released from your body.

Practicing any of these 3 activities should help break your state or pattern of negative emotion or self-talk.  Our aim is to re-wire it, replace it and be able to crush it when the problem arises again.  So, you’ve got some simple tools in your toolkit.

Action Step #4 – Take Massive Action Immediately

Taking massive action is the cure all!  Taking massive action is the cure all!  Taking massive action is the cure all to achieving your goals, closing the gap between where you find yourself now and where you actually want to be.  People who have succeeded at the highest levels, have taken massive action.

Sitting on your couch, thinking and dreaming about the life you want will get you no closer to your goals.

Mindlessly scrolling social media and comparing your life to those influencers or highly success people will get you no closer to your goals.

Making up excuses why you can’t move forward will get you no closer.

Nor will dwelling on your limiting beliefs and negative self-talk. 

The ultimate cure for all of these ‘states’ you may find yourself stuck in, is taking action.  Getting off the couch, shutting down social media, ditching the excuses and looking for ways to tackle the next step and by flipping the script on your limiting beliefs and shutting down or reframing your sneaky inner voice.

So, if you’re serious about closing the gap, I want you to take action NOW, lock it in your schedule. 

Write down 2 action steps that will lead you to your goals.  What are they going to be?  Get excited, get jazzed about them, get hyped up and ready to move!

What are TWO ACTIONS you can take today to commit and follow through with to kick-start the progress cycle?

Hard truth:  unless you have that sense of urgency, you will never succeed.  Don’t lose the momentum by putting off taking action until “some day”. 
The time is now, it’s time to press “go”.

Remember, it isn’t confidence or motivation that come first or get you started; it’s taking action that actually cultivates momentum so you can reap the benefits of: self-confidence and motivation.
 
I truly hope to have inspired you to grow.

Til next time,

Lisa
xoxo
 
 

Overcoming Your Limiting Beliefs

by Lisa OberbichlerConfidence, Goals, Habits, MindsetPosted on No Comments

LISTEN TO PODCAST EPISODE HERE -> https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/8Rnx0ShOvwb

In today’s episode of the Inspiration2Grow podcast we are exploring ways that you can implement to help you overcome those nagging, negative limiting beliefs that are holding you back.  They are getting in your way of moving forward and creating wins or success in your life.  These sneaky beliefs show up in our personal as well as in our professional lives and I’m sure you’d be surprised to what extent they actually influence your actions on a day-to-day basis.

“It’s not what you say out of your mouth that determines your life, it’s what you whisper to yourself that has the most power!” ~Robert T. Kiyosaki   And, with that food for thought, let’s dive straight into conquering our limiting beliefs…

No matter what type of person you are, whether you think of yourself as confident or insecure – most of us have self-limiting beliefs stemming likely from your childhood.  If you want to achieve your maximum potential, you will have to overcome your limiting beliefs, which have been embedded in your mind for a very long time. 

There is good news and some less good news regarding these beliefs:

The less than great news is that for some people it can be very difficult to override and shift these beliefs.

The silver lining is with some effort, guidance and awareness of these beliefs, there are steps you can start taking today to conquer your self-limiting beliefs when they arise from the depths of your mind.

I just want to preface today’s talk by briefly looking at what a limiting belief is or could look like for you:
A limiting belief is…

-> A judgement you have about yourself that restricts you in some way. For instance, you might think you’re no good at writing, so you never try to put pen to paper and write that novel you’ve dreamed of getting out into the world.  Or, you might think of yourself as unattractive, so you never try to find love.  Thinking of yourself as untalented and not at all artistic, will hold you back from attending art class. Believing you are too old to start a business or change careers is keeping you in a job you’re not 100% excited about. These are some common self-limiting beliefs.
-> A state of mind or belief about yourself that restricts you in some way. These beliefs are often incorrect accusations you make about yourself and can cause a number of negative results. For example, if you feel you are bad at public speaking, you will likely decline any chance offered to you to take the stage and share your knowledge and brilliance.  Or, if you do take the stage, you think that you are likely going to be a huge flop.  You have preconceived notions about your ability to do this and this belief limits your potential.
-> Keeps you in a negative state of mind holding you back from new experiences and opportunities.  It plays havoc with your mental health and that’s why it is so important to work on shifting these limiting beliefs.  Your self-awareness and self-esteem will drastically improve through the process.

So, in today’s episode we are going to look 4 important first steps to crushing your limiting beliefs, then we’ll look at the self talk or the language you’ve using and we will ‘flip the script’ on some of those.

Step One is to identify what your limiting beliefs are.  Remember, self awareness is a crucial part of this process. What is it that you want to work on and overcome?

Some common examples I often hear are:

·         I am not good enough.
·         I can never make money from my passion.
·         I can’t write a book.
·         I am not at all good at math.
·         I am too old to start lifting weights and working out.
·         I am not attractive enough to do …

Granted, it can be very difficult to challenge these beliefs.  However, if you’re reading this on my blog or listening to this on my podcast, it indicates that you do realize some of your beliefs might be holding you back in life and you’d like to work through them.

I salute you.  Congratulations!  You’re already making progress.

Step Two is about identifying the root cause(s) of those beliefs.

Once you know what your limiting beliefs are, it’s high time we uncover HOW these were formed initially.  WHO or WHAT planted the seed within you to think like this?
·         Let’s take the first common limiting belief – I am not good enough – as our example here.  If you find yourself feeling this way despite the fact that no one is telling you this, can you identify who said this to you as a child?  Who made you feel like you weren’t good enough?  Was it someone at home or at school?  What about now?
 
Allow me to share a story that dates back to my days at high school.  My dream was to become an architect, even from a very young age.  I would invite 2 or 3 friends over to ‘play’ but what really happened was that we occupied the upstairs bedrooms in our home.  My friends would have to be my secretaries (that’s what they were called at the time) and their offices were one of the four bedrooms.  I would set them up at desks, so it looked quite official.  My role was the designer who drew up elaborate floor plans mostly copied from any Architectural Digest that I could get my hands on.  Their job was to send our quotes and the plans to clients.  What a hoot when I think about it now.  There was definitely entrepreneurial blood running through my veins at the age of about 10.  Side note: these two friends who were hired to be my secretaries are still my best friends to this day.
 
But my dreams of becoming an architect came to an abrupt halt in Grade 12 when my physics teacher told me I was terrible at physics and I would never achieve the marks necessary to be accepted into a university program for architecture.  I was devasted, purely and utterly devasted.  Had I known then what I know now about mindset and becoming a no-limit person, I would have found ways of improving my marks, turning my situation around and getting into the course of my dreams. 
 
If someone were to ask me today, where or from whom I got the notion that I was terrible at physics, I would be able to tell them.
 
·         Let’s say you think you can’t make money from your passion OR you are too old to start a business.  In this case, start making friends with people who have successfully turned their passion into a profitable, revenue-generating business.  There are tons of them out there.  Learn from them; take on their good energy; ask and observe how things are done.  Surround yourself with people whose beliefs challenge your old beliefs in the best way possible.  This will slowly alter your belief
 
Step 3 is to challenge this belief.
 
So, now that you have identified your beliefs as well as the cause of them, we have to challenge those beliefs by finding the other side of the argument.  Quite often we surround ourselves with people who have the same beliefs as we do.  Thus, our limiting beliefs are reaffirmed and reassured.  This makes us feel right in having these beliefs and that it is essentially the only way to view the world.  But, this is absolutely not true.
 
We have to change the environment in order to alter our beliefs.  It is interesting to note that, we are a product of our environment, and our brain subconsciously mirrors the people and things we are in closest relation to.
 
·         If your belief is that you are too old to get in shape and work out with weights.  You will have to challenge this belief by seeking out an environment where people of your age are active.  This may be a local gym or fitness group.  Be sure to inform yourself at the gym about which classes are available and where you would best fit in to get started.  I don’t want you walking into the gym and be shocked to see the typical gym rats who are pumping iron and admiring their sculpted bodies in the huge mirrors.  I want you to find a class like yoga flow, easy spinning, etc. 

When I joined our local gym, it took me a few attempts to find my tribe in the classes I felt were good fits for me. 

Come to think of it, I had a limiting belief around spin classes.  I thought they weren’t for me because my level of cycling just wasn’t good enough. Funny story, I was quite intrigued by the concept of spinning and had never done it before. I thought spin classes were for hardcore cyclists and triathlon athletes who wanted a really strenuous workout.   

So, one day at the gym, I strolled down the hall toward the spinning room.  On my way there, I met Bill, who was very kind and understanding when I told him I just wanted to have a peek.  He was extremely welcoming and before I knew what had happened, I was sitting on a spin bike adjusted to my height and size and BAM, the class started.

Within minutes, I had fallen in love with spinning.  You might think this is a bit over the top, but it gives you such a great workout and gets your heart rate going more than other workouts do.  Needless to say, I was hooked.  But, had it not been for Bill’s persistence that I give it a shot, I would likely still be wondering whether spinning was something I could ever do.
 
Step 4 of this process is to record your thoughts & beliefs

We all know that changing habits is difficult, but changing our beliefs is even harder.  However, changing our belief will automatically change our habit.  The reason being…our beliefs are the foundation for our thoughts which in turn drive our emotions and our actions.

At first, it feels like you are forcing yourself to believe in something you do not stand behind or believe in the least.  Try to push that old belief out of your mind.  Instead, remind yourself of all the good reasons why the new belief is more believable.  Episode 14 of my podcast was all about ‘Taking Charge of Your Belief System’ and I offered some questions to ask yourself when a limiting belief arose. One of those being:  What else is true?  This allows you to list out the truths about the situation and inject positive energy.

Journalling about the thoughts that come up is a great way to keep track of when and where and how often the voices of self-doubt are trying to surface.  Pay close attention to your inner voice.  Observe and note all the little things in life that could help you reinforce the new belief (remember the question: what else is true).  Try to flip the script on your negative inner voice in the following ways:

Instead of saying:                                                            Try saying this:
I’m too old.                                                                  It’s never too late. I’ve got this!
I’m no good at it.                                                         I can get better. Just watch me!
I’m worried that I’ll fail.                                                I’m curious about what will happen.
It’s too hard.                                                                 It’s a challenge and I’m absolutely here for it!
I don’t know.                                                                 I will find out.
I’m not ready.                                                               There’s no better time than now. Let’s go!
 
Be reinforcing positive self-talk and flipping the script, which you hear me say quite often, you WILL adopt the new belief and you will feel like a brand-new person.  Your old beliefs will be long forgotten, you will feel liberated and you will soar to new heights.

Don’t forget that it all starts in our minds.  You have the power over your mind.  You just have to keep stretching its limits.
Food for thought:  “A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions.”  ~ Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.
 
Identifying which beliefs are getting in your way, then identifying the root cause can feel empowering in a sense.  You are becoming aware of yourself and your beliefs.  That’s a monumental step.  Next we have to challenge this limiting belief head on.  Sure, so I have this belief, but what else is true about this particular situation?  Steps 3 & 4 kind of go together because we want to face these beliefs head on AND we want to shift them and the energy surrounding them.

  Ultimately, going from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset with a positive spin, can-do mentality, don’t mess with me, I’m a badass attitude.

It’s time to crush and conquer your limiting beliefs.  I know you can do it. 

In case you haven’t heard it yet today, let me be the first to tell you…
You are an amazing individual with unlimited potential.  I believe fully in you.  Now, go out there and show the world what you are truly made of.

I hope to have inspired you to grow.

Til next time,

Lisa
xoxo
 
 
 
 

Choose & Conquer Your Own Mount Everest

by Lisa OberbichlerConfidence, Goals, Habits, MindsetPosted on No Comments

LISTEN TO PODCAST EPISODE HERE -> https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/sgmElhSNvwb

In today’s episode of the Inspiration2Grow podcast, I am going to challenge you to choose your ‘Mount Everest’ and conquer it. 

I make my husband laugh all the time with my quirky ideas and plans.  All the things I have wanted to do during our almost 30 years together would fill several pages.

The problem will my huge, audacious plans was not only the scope but also the fact that I rarely ever followed through with them.  So, he would humour me by saying, “Sure, that’s great.  Good luck with that.”  Well meaning, of course, but knowing I would not likely last more than a few weeks if that.

Having been married so long now, it is not easy to surprise each other with our behaviour.  However, I did manage to truly shock him last summer when I told him out of the blue one day that I was going to train for a “Mount Everest Challenge”. 

As usual, I was on the couch scrolling Facebook when I stumbled across a post from a local chiropractor.  He had helped me recover from a bout of sciatica early that year and I knew from the friendly chats we had during his treatments and the photos lining the walls of his office that he took part in triathlons.  I proudly divulged that my husband was an accomplished Ironman, so we had a common topic to discuss at each adjustment.

It was summer of 2021 when Covid was still having a widespread effect on events of any size.  So, unfortunately, my chiropractor’s high hopes and plans to participate in his first ever Iron competition were crushed.  This led him to organize an event which was open to anyone who felt the need to take on a challenge.
The timing was perfect for me.  I needed something to get me moving, a real challenge.  The beauty of this rather informal event was that YOU had to devise your own “Mount Everest Challenge”.  You had to push yourself to do something – big or small – it didn’t matter.  The only criteria was that you felt you had accomplished …

My dream had always been to take part in a triathlon but certain physical injuries were causing aches and pains keeping me sidelined and frustrated with my own body for giving out on me when I wanted to be far more active than I felt I could be.  As soon as I saw the post about the “Mount Everest Challenge”, I knew this was my chance to prove to myself – no one else –  that I could do it.

So, the training began.  I only had two weeks to get myself in shape for the mini triathlon I set my sights on.  All the necessary equipment got dusted off even the swim cap my husband had worn in his Ironman race back in 2014.  Yes, I keep everything and my hubby thinks I’m a bit of a hoarder. 

Very nervous that my body wouldn’t cooperate, I modified my training to suit my physical limitations.  On the big day, I planned on starting with a 6.5 km fast hike, followed by a 20 km bike ride and ending with a 1 km swim.  Admittedly, I am a rebel and like to do things ‘my way’ but reversing the order just seemed more suitable for my body and in the height of summer, who doesn’t want to finish in the water?

My husband immediately took on the role of my trainer and was stoked to accompany me on this journey.  He also acted as my official photographer as I needed to send documented proof of my challenge in order to receive a coveted medal of completion.  Was it all about the medal for me?  Maybe, a little.  But the sheer fact that I could keep up with the daily training and follow through with the plan were the real awards for me personally.
 
So, the big day arrived.  The conditions were spectacular for my mini triathlon.  The crew – hubby and Charlotte, our Jack Russel Terrier – were ready to support me.  And off we went.  Hiking, biking and swimming.  What an amazing feeling to have: committed to the challenge, training every day, following through with each aspect I had planned to do and completing it.  It was only ME vs. ME. 

I was so thrilled with myself to have kept my promise.  I proudly posted about it, not to brag about my accomplishment but to encourage and hopefully motivate others to ‘climb their Mount Everest’.  The response was amazing and I could tell my people’s comments that deep inside they would like to challenge themselves as well.

This brings me to the actual point of this article.  It only took me 700 words to get here 😊

Everyone needs their own personal Mount Everest to climb.  We all need big, scary goals to keep our lives interesting.  We need to get outside of our far too comfy comfort zone and draw on our immense potential that we all possess. 

Too many of us are complacent when it comes to our dreams. 

Have you ever said, “One day I will …” 

Well, I can assure you that ‘one day’ is not going to be on any calendar.  ‘One day’ will never come unless you make it happen.

There’s a quote I stumbled upon the other day that went like this, “Our biggest regrets are not for the things we have done but for the things we haven’t,” by Chad Michael Murray

Many people regret not going after their dreams when they had the chance.  We will not be able to turn back the clock.  Therefore, we have to create our own opportunities before it’s too late.

So, I encourage you to find your “Mount Everest” and begin to climb it.  And let me be clear… it doesn’t have to be physical exertion.
It could be:

·         That book you have always wanted to write,
·         That language you have wanted to learn,
·         That hobby you’ve wanted to take up,
·         The new business you’ve dreamed of starting.
 
My next Mount Everest Challenge is biking the Tour de France at home in our basement on my stationary bike!  Crazy, right? To date, I have put 391 miles out of the entire length of 2200 miles behind me.  Every day, I aim to bike a certain distance and I keep track of my progress.  Little by little I inch my way along the imagined route.  For me, just like it is for the well-trained ultra-athletes each summer who participate in their gruelling race, it is a mental as well as a physical challenge.

The challenge you choose for yourself can be smaller or larger in scope.  It should take you outside your comfort zone and challenge you to the extent you choose to be challenged.

Sometimes, the true challenge is addressing/recognizing your limiting beliefs around something you’ve wanted to do but haven’t yet because your mind told you it was impossible.

Brian Tracy stated it so well in a nutshell, “You begin to fly when you let go of self-limiting beliefs and allow your mind and aspirations to rise to greater heights.”
So, are you going to rise?

Limiting beliefs will hold us back from achieving greatness.
Limiting beliefs will keep us small and comfortable in our predictable life.
Limiting beliefs will become the truths we tell ourselves.
Limiting beliefs will not help us reach our fullest potential.
Limiting beliefs will not allow us to rise above the rest.

These beliefs stand in our way and become our truths.  Overcoming these self-limiting beliefs and self-imposed limitations is one of the hardest things we, as humans, need to do in order to discover our full potential.

It’s time to confront them head on.  It’s time to squash/crush them proving to yourself that you can, indeed, overcome them.  It’s your time to rise above what you think you can/can’t do and re-write your story.  Your only competition is your mind.  It comes down to YOU vs. YOU.

Are you ready to face your fiercest competitor?  Namely, your mind.

So, when will your Mount Everest Challenge take place?

In case you haven’t heard it yet today, let me be the first to tell you…
You are the most amazing human and you are capable of achieving great things.  I believe in you.  Now, go out there and show the world what you are truly made of.
I hope to have inspired you to grow with today’s episode.
Til next time,
Lisa
xoxo
 
 
 

Put Your New Habits to the Test

by Lisa OberbichlerConfidence, Goals, Habits, MindsetPosted on No Comments

LISTEN TO PODCAST EPISODE HERE -> https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/wtc3zlnNvwb

In today’s episode of the Inspiration2Grow podcast we are going to take a test, an easy yet impactful test that will help you define and solidify any new habit you want to implement.

We are quickly approaching the end of the year and many of us will start reflecting on what we have accomplished throughout 2022 and start looking ahead to the new year full of possibilities.  Setting new goals and intentions is normal, however most people aren’t realistic or make these small promises to themselves on a whim without much thought.  I’d like to help you make lasting change by introducing new habits, but ones that will be ‘stickier’ than before. So, stay with me and let’s put our new habits to the test.

If you’ve been following this podcast, you’ll know I talk about habits a fair bit:  I did a whole episode on “micro habits” and 5 morning habits worth considering.  So, be sure to check them out after this one.

Why am I so obsessed with the topic of habits?

It’s simple.  Habits are the super glue holding our everyday life together. Consider of all the daily habits you perform without even thinking about it – brushing your teeth, washing your face, etc. Your life today is essentially the sum of your habits. Whether you are in shape, successful, happy – is the result of your own habits.

Therefore, habits determine the quality of our life.  By slowing things down and approaching our behaviour, we learn to develop an awareness of why we do the things we do.  As a result, our mindset shifts to support the development of new habits, which in turn brings about meaningful and lasting change.
With my clients, I focus on three levels of change in our coaching sessions:  behaviours, beliefs and identity.  We work on recognizing self-defeating behaviours as well as patterns and solidifying healthy habits that last.

I think we can all agree that implementing new habits and breaking old habits that are not serving us any longer isn’t always easy.

Just like myself, you may have heard different statistics on how long it actually takes to form a new habit.  I thought I would go right to the trusted source, James Clear, well-known author of “Atomic Habits” to get his take on this question.  He talks a lot about 21 days, however, he also writes about the data collected by Phillippa Lally, a health psychologist researcher at the University College of London.  She tried to figure out exactly how long it takes to form a new habit.
Her findings state, on average, it takes more than 2 months (the magic number sited is 66) for a new behaviour to become ‘automatic’.  Since the factors influencing the formation of new habit are wide ranging, such as a person’s behaviour, circumstances, and the individual herself, she concluded that it takes anywhere from 18 – 254 days for people to form a new habit.

Incredible, right?

Since this is Tangible Tuesday, I’d like to walk you through a test called ‘The New Habit Test’.  But before we do that, I’d like you to think of one new habit or change you’d like to undertake in your life.  Perhaps you’ve been thinking of learning a new skill, flexing your creativity muscles, getting in shape, writing your memoirs, decluttering the house, eating healthier, journalling or meditating, taking piano lessons.  The list is literally endless.  But no matter what it is, you’ll have to create a new habit around it and find time to dedicate to this new habit.

For this new habit to have sticking power, by that I mean, you will actually implement it, enjoy it and start to get better at it and eventually automate it … it will have to pass the test.

So, first off – Get Real With Yourself.  Be completely honest.

Choose one change or new habit you would like to introduce to your everyday life.  Just one and let’s use it as our example today.

Clearly define the change you’d like to achieve or define the new habit you’d like to incorporate in your life.
 
Here are just a few ideas from the most common categories:

Health
·         Start your day with a tall glass of water. …
·         Walk for 10 minutes at a time. …
·         Take a day off to take care of your mental health. …
·         Swap one takeout meal for a homecooked one. …
 
Wealth
·         Revisit your household budget. …
·         Tackle your debt. …
·         Consider investing in ways that matter to you…
·         Plan and start a side hustle in increase income
 
Relationships
·         Make more time for your partner in small ways. …
·         Make more attempts to show love in your everyday language through greetings and affectionate words …
·         Notice the positive in your partner and tell them. …
·         Be thoughtful in small ways for a big impact. …
 
Career
·         Schedule time for your own professional development. …
·         Make time each week to reflect and plan. …
·         Every day, identify your big three. …
·         Identify and limit distractions. …
·         Take regular breaks away from screens. …
 
Mindfulness
·         Take up meditation
·         Watch what you eat
·         Listen to people when they speak
·         Notice the world around you
·         Turn off your devices more
·         Practice gratitude

Giving back/helping others
·         Join a local charity group
·         Volunteer your time at a food bank
·         Set aside a certain amount for donating each week/month
·         Schedule a declutter of your home each season & donate the goods
·         Research ways of helping out within your community – aim to get involved in one activity
 
So, the time has come to run your new habit through the test.  This test is comprised of 10 questions.  First off, I’ll read the 10 questions and then I will repeat them adding in very brief explanations.  Trust me that taking action on your new habit right away is paramount for it to take hold and become sticky.  The other important ingredient for a successful habit is for it to be part of your day, which means you have to dedicate time for it. 
 
10 Questions to finally change your habits for good

1.        Is there a small action step I can take immediately?  No waiting, no hesitation, no putting off until “some day”.  Implementation right now is key for this action step.
2.       Am I willing to commit to this action step for an entire month?  New habits or life changes require time and commitment, so if you are not willing to see this task through for 30 days now, it likely isn’t important enough to you.
3.       If I do this every day, what change will I see and what will be the result? Remember that small action steps done consistently over time truly add up to larger results.
4.       Does this habit (and result) have major meaning in my life?  All new changes you implement must pass this test. This is often referred to as your WHY.  If you have a compelling ‘why’, your chances of succeeding are far greater.
5.       Does the pain or not doing it outweigh the fear of doing it? Quite frequently people don’t take action because they’re afraid of failing, not being good enough or possibly embarrassing themselves.
6.       Can I make this a small action step only requiring a few minutes to complete?  Unfortunately, many of us use the excuse of not having the time to complete tasks we want to.  However, breaking down the action/goal into tiny, doable chunks and seeing these small actions through on a daily basis will provide the necessary momentum.
7.       When will I carve out time? This is key to your success, and it must be on your daily schedule just like brushing your teeth.  Whether it is done straight away after waking up, or during midday break, or in the evening, it must be scheduled AND be done around the same time each day.
8.       How can I hold myself accountable? Having a person or means of staying accountable is pivotal during the month.  It could be a friend, family member, co-worker that you “report” to. Accountability cultivates the environment for your new habit to grow roots and succeed.
9.       Can I give myself early small successes?  There are many ways to reward yourself for sticking to your new daily action steps. I like to have a glass jar sitting in a noticeable place in my home, and each time I complete my action step, I drop a loonie or toonie (Canadian coins) in the jar.  Once the time period is over, I buy myself something new.  Depending on your tastes, fresh flowers or a new candle, day at the spa, or a relaxing day in nature could all be rewards – whatever makes you happy and excited to do is a perfect reward.
10.   How will I make sure not to forget?  Here too, there are multiple ways of reminding yourself:  send yourself a daily reminder text, sticky notes on the fridge, computer, bathroom mirror, etc., ask a person close to you for a reminder, alarms on your phone, and the list goes on.  Try, if possible and suitable, to do this new habit first thing in the morning so that the chances of your everyday life getting in the way of your success are significantly reduced.
 
Okay, did your new habit pass the test? If so, then your chances of being successful are good.  If not, then you might want to re-evaluate.

Good habits are a dynamic thing.  They facilitate change one step at a time, and they help you ensure that these changes become part of your life.

Forming new habits is important as they can play a crucial role in several aspects of your life, including mental as well as physical health, productivity, relationships and self-esteem. 

It’s always advantageous to revisit your habits and assess what is serving you and your health well and which ones aren’t.  Remember that both your mental health and your physical health depend on these habits.

One final note on habits…

Setting good habits is a powerful way to achieve your goals keeping us focused and organized.  Once a good habit is etched in your brain, you’ll be much closer to reaching your goals without even thinking about it.
 
Today, I challenge you to commit to a new habit for 30 days, carving out the necessary time, making it a non-negotiable item on your everyday to-do list. Get the momentum going now and don’t wait until January 1 to implement it.  There will never be an optimal day to begin.  The time is now, go after it!

That’s it for today, goal getters.

In case you haven’t heard it from anyone yet today, let me be the first to tell you…

You are an amazing human with so much potential and greatness.  I believe in you. Now, go out and show the world what you are truly made of.

Thanks for tuning in and I hope to have inspired you to grow.

Til next time,
Lisa
xoxo
 
 

The Fear of Change

by Lisa OberbichlerConfidence, Goals, Habits, MindsetPosted on No Comments

LISTEN TO PODCAST EPISODE HERE-> https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/BC9KZ2KMvwb

In today’s episode of the Inspiration2Grow podcast I want to challenge your fears, in particular your fear of implementing change in your life. 

Are you adverse to change?  Do you like things to stay the same, be predictable without any surprises?  Does risk scare the heck out of you?  Do you come up with all kinds of excuses why you can’t make a change in your life?

By the end of today’s episode, I hope to inspire you to adopt a new attitude towards change.

Change makes us versatile.  Change allows us to move forward in life and experience both new and exciting things.  Learning new skills or working on your inner self can bring about changes you never knew were possible.

If you don’t actively work on evolving yourself, life becomes stagnant.
  
So, let me ask you this question…

What do you think of when I ask you to imagine change?  What comes to mind?

Most of us think of the small changes in our everyday life, such as New Year’s resolutions, those little promises we often make to ourselves that help make our lives just a little bit better.  Get healthier, fitter, smarter, practice more self-care, spend more time with loved ones, read more, get more fresh air.  Some people imagine travelling more, cooking at home more and trying new recipes, working out more.

But, then we take a look at the other end of the spectrum of change…the huge changes that have impacted the world.

Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison, Mark Zuckerberg, Marie Curie, Leonardo Da Vinci, Mahatma Ghandi, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, to name a few. These great names (and many more) have made changes which influenced all of our lives as we know it in some way.

So, if you could see me now, image my arms stretched out to each side or imagine my wingspan.  On one end you have the small changes and at the other end you have the huge, massive changes people such as the ones I just mentioned have made.

The Range of Change =>=>

                II———————————————-THE MIDDLE——————————————————-II
                                                                            

But what about the area in the middle of this spectrum?  This is where few of us dare to go.  This is where the scariest changes happen and the ones that affect our lives the most.  No matter how many small promises you make to yourself or no matter how many people join Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta-verse…it is these middle changes that have the most impact on our lives.

I’m referring to changes that affect you for the rest of your life; changes that set you on a completely different path; changes that are nearly impossible to un-do.
These mid-range changes are often dismissed by the following statements:

-> Oh, I could never do it.  It’s too risky.
-> I just don’t have the time for it.
-> Yeah, maybe another day.
-> Oh, I’m comfortable where I am.
-> I don’t need to do this.

Here’s the raw truth -> change is NEVER going to happen with this attitude.  Change means moving from point A to point B, but it’s the transition that really scares people.

What if we didn’t fear change at all?  What if we decided to go against the norm, get out of our comfort zone, and leave the safety net behind us?  IMAGINE CHANGE

Our lives are pre-determined for us in a way.  We are expected to attend school, then go on to college or university, only to secure a job, buy a house and start a family.  The hope most parents have for their children, at least that was the case for me.

I would like to tell you about my personal story, one not many people actually know in detail.
 
I like to think I was your average teenager.  At school, I excelled in some subjects and had to work harder in others.  In my spare time, I held down a part-time job to earn and save for post secondary education, however I enjoyed spending my hard-earned money on clothes and jewellery – much to my mother’s dismay. 

During the final two years of high school, it was time to get serious about career choices and university applications.  This meant doubling down on school to achieve the necessary marks for the programs I wanted to apply for.  The only two things that were clear for me was that I loved teaching and helping other people and I loved sports.  During this time, the pressure to do well, get the marks I needed, make all the choices that would define my future, please my parents, ended up being too much for me and I landed in the hospital.  After all the tests were done, a tumor was ruled out as were a few other scary options. 
Lying in the hospital bed, I made a decision that would alter my life significantly.  I didn’t tell anyone about my decision.  I kept it to myself returning to school going through the motions like all my soon-to-graduate peers were doing. While the excitement about moving from home to start the next chapter of their education was taking shape, my mind was filled with anxiety.

Finally, the time came to choose which university would see me on their campus proudly sporting their sweatshirt.  My parents were quite happy to know that I had received 3 acceptances from 3 well-regarded universities.  My future seemed pretty rosy from their perspective. So, the three of us, my mom, dad and I agreed to set around the table to discuss the options and financial aspects of my next four plus years at university.

Little did they know, that I had much different plans for my life.  I had decided to do a complete 180 degree shift and chart a new path.  That was undoubtedly the hardest thing I have had to do – tell them their dreams of me attending university would not come true, at least not yet.

I can’t even tell you how much courage it took to look them in the eyes and say, “I am not going to university.  I am going to get out and see some of the world first.”  There was complete silence and disappointment on their part.  How could I give up the chances that were laid out for me?  How could I throw away my life like this?  How was I going to support myself was one huge concern of theirs? What does that even mean, see some of the world first?

If telling my parents wasn’t hard enough, explaining my decision to my closest friends and relatives was just as difficult. To say they were appalled at my decision was an understatement.  And then came the questions or assumptions… If you quit your schooling now, you’ll never go back.  You’re giving up an amazing opportunity by not attending university.  Travel the world, why can’t you do that later, after you’ve completed your education?
 
There certainly was pressure to re-think my decision and ‘get back on track’ with my choices.  But, with every opposing opinion and flippant comment about how I was not thinking straight, my resolve to push forward became even stronger.

Fast forward to today…

I don’t regret a thing. 

Before my fellow high school students had graduated their post secondary education, I had seen many European countries, learned a new language, came in contact with so many different cultures – all of which I learned so much from.  It opened my mind and educated my in more ways than traditional schooling can. 
After living in Austria for three years, I actually did attend university and got my degree in Innsbruck. From there, I opened my own learning institution and became a household name in the area I lived and worked.

So, no, I did not follow the path expected by society and my family when I was 18.  I was not complacent and didn’t follow the norms of the time, which dictated getting a post secondary education right out of high school was the way to go.  I challenged these unwritten rules or standards or expectations if you will, I challenged what my parents wanted me to do; I challenged what my best friends thought I should do.
 
My choice not to attend university but rather give myself time and see the world is one of those middle range changes I referred to earlier. 

It was risky, brave, unprecedented (at least in family and circle of friends), very difficult at times, but worth every second. 
It impacted my life significantly.
It increased my self confidence 10-fold.
It showed me how to take risks.
It allowed me to rely solely on myself.
It granted me open-mindedness and understanding toward other cultures.
It paved the way to a very successful and fulfilling career.
It helped me grow and soar to new heights.
It shaped my future in the most amazing way.

I wouldn’t be the person I am today if it wasn’t for the decision I made to go against what society thought my path and destiny should be.

So, I want to challenge YOU to imagine change.  Don’t allow yourself to become complacent with your life as it is currently.

I wish more people would fear complacency rather than being afraid of change.  There are numerous definitions of the term complacency, but I feel this sums it up best:

You are complacent when you have a feeling of calm satisfaction with your own abilities or situation that prevents you from trying harder.  You feel safe, secure without the need to get out of your comfort zone.

Food for thought:  complacency breeds mediocrity and steals potential.  And you know, I am all about helping others achieve greatness.  I am not interested in average, I aim for the stars and I want you to do this too.  Staying within your cosy comfort zone will not allow you to reach your full potential either.  Don’t you want to discover what you are truly capable of?
 
Remember… life begins at the end of your comfort zone.

So, I want you to try new things, set out of your comfort zone and I mean way outside not just baby steps, take risks, do things in ways you’ve never done them before, and become obsessed with the fact that you have but ONE go-round on this planet as the you that is you, and just realize how precious and important it is NOT to squander that.  (modified from original Jen Sincero quote)

I realize the middle changes are the scariest, and they are also by far the most difficult to carry out.

It also takes a lot of courage to imagine change when there’s so much judgement both online and offline.  We have to brush this off, become tone deaf toward this judgement. 

It’s your life and you make the decisions. 

In fact, this is the exact sentence I used as a come-back when friends and family told me I was crazy to turn down the chance of a good university degree.  I boldly and calmly explained, “This is MY life and what I choose to make of it is totally up to me. If I choose to go back to university, then I will but not before I am ready.” 

So, if any of you have gone through one of those middle changes in your life, I salute you from the bottom of my heart.  You have my deepest respect.
You are some of the very few that made the leap before you could even see the safety net.

For those of you who are contemplating a major life change, use my story as motivation and encouragement.  You will grow in so many ways, trust me on this.

The first step is to imagine change, the next step is to take action and pursue it.

So, what do you intend to do with this one precious life you have?

That’s all for today, and thanks for taking time out of your day to tune in.

I will leave you as I always do…
In case you haven’t heard it yet from anyone today, let me be the first to say it…

You are so amazing and capable.  The sky’s the limit and I believe in you wholeheartedly.  Now, go out there and show the world what you are truly made of.

I hope to have inspired you to grow.

Til next time,
Lisa
xoxo
 
 

Taking Charge of Your Belief System

by Lisa OberbichlerConfidence, Goals, Habits, MindsetPosted on No Comments

LISTEN TO PODCAST EPISODE HERE -> https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/312Std57twb

In today’s episode of the Inspiration2Grow podcast, we are talking about how we can take charge of our belief system and our minds based on a question I received on social media. 

The question goes like this:

How do you keep your confidence high and know you’re on the right track when you’re not getting the results you want yet?

I love this question for a number of reasons, and I feel a lot of us can relate to this situation.
 
So, let’s jump straight in to a mini-mindset lesson to answer this question.

When you’re not getting the result you want, you need to watch the meaning you create and the story you’re telling yourself about what’s happening.
What is the story you’re creating if you’re not getting the results yet?

For example,  I’m not getting the results, so…

-> This must mean it does not work.
-> This must mean it will NEVER work for me.
-> This must mean the strategy is outdated.
-> This must mean I am not as good at this as I thought I was.

The fact is, you’re telling yourself these very elaborate stories AND choosing really terrible meanings.

You tell yourself a story (oh, I must not be any good at this) and what you believe to be possible shrinks down and your inspiration or motivation to do what you want to do also decreases.  Then you don’t get the result.

Every action you take is influenced by this negative energy.  It also means your potential gets diminished.  You adopt an identity around not being successful due to the lack of results.

You tell yourself, “Oh, this validates what I thought in the first place; it affirms the belief I have.”

Ultimately, you are creating a negative, downward spiral in your mind with these stories. Each non-result or lack of result seemingly underlines what you thought from the beginning, i.e. it will never work for me.

So, what do you do in this situation?

You have to shift the meaning or the story you are telling yourself.

Flip the script with these 2 questions:  What else can you say to yourself about the situation?  What else is true?

With these two closely connected, powerful questions you can reframe how you view the situation and inject new energy into it.

So, what else it true?

* It’s only a matter of time.
* Every time I get better at it.
* It’s not a matter of if, but when.
* I’m going to keep trying until I make it.

AND, the moment you say this to yourself, all of a sudden you feel this surge of energy.  Why?

Because you feel like you are back at cause.  Because you feel like you are back in control.  You are in the driver’s seat instead of the emotions overruling you.  Now, you’re inspired to take action.

You, then, create a new meaning or story.

I want you to say the things that will actually motivate you.  Create the beliefs that are actually going to support you on this journey.

Let me take my beloved example of someone on a fitness journey as an analogy. 

She wants to lose weight, tone her body and gain new strength through her workout routine.  But, it’s hard finding the time each day, hard staying consistent, hard sticking to a calorie-reduced nutrition plan.  It’s just HARD. She starts and stays with it, but isn’t happy with her results or lack thereof.  She questions whether she’s on the right track and whether to throw in the towel.  The bit of confidence she had at the beginning stages of this new routine are waning very quickly.  Is it worth it?  She wants to quit on herself, yet again.

My response to her:

At the beginning of this journey, you were ALL in, fully committed to go on this journey.  You are going to see it through because every time you give up on yourself, you are chipping away at your confidence AND losing integrity momentum (I explained what this is in Episode 13, so check it out).  With every new attempt, you will have to gear yourself up again both emotionally and energetically. So, by all means, keep yourself in the game even if things aren’t progressing, you’re still on the right track.

And, I would ask her…

So, what else it true?

-> It’s only a matter of time.
-> Every time I get better at it.
-> It’s not a matter of if, but when.
-> I’m going to keep trying until I make it.

We humans are meaning-making machines.  We constantly create meaning and stories about what has happened to us and create beliefs that do not serve us.
Every time we have a new experience, we create a meaning/story that is either going to support and serve OR hurt us. 

This is where I say – YOU HAVE A CHOICE.

Flip the script, take control and shift your thoughts for the better! 

I want you to internalize this:

~ I am going to create empowering stories.

~ I am going to redefine the meanings that are actually going to serve me and send/move me in the direction I want to go.

This is what is really, truly going to make the difference.  It’s all about mindset and beliefs.

We must take charge of our belief system and our minds.

Hopefully, this mini-mindset lesson will be useful.  I urge you to listen to it whenever you feel the need, jot down the powerful question as well as the two phrases to remind you of the new, empowering stories you will create in the future.

I will end today’s episode as I always do..

In case you haven’t heard this yet today, let me be the first to tell you…

You are amazing, capable and extraordinary.  I believe in you.  Now, go out and show the world what you are made of.

I hope to have inspired you to grow.

Till next time,

Lisa
xoxo
 

Strengthening Your Integrity in just 5 Minutes a Day

by Lisa OberbichlerConfidence, Goals, Habits, MindsetPosted on No Comments

LISTEN TO PODCAST EPISODE HERE -> https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/1b0ld246twb

In my work as a life coach, I help people shift their limiting beliefs through strategic mindset work in order to create transformation in their lives – whatever that means to them.  Some clients desire transformation in the area of their health and fitness, others in their relationships, some in their work situation, while others need to break down their long-held limiting beliefs around money or their new business.  But, in all cases, it all boils down to shifting their beliefs in themselves and their abilities.

Side note:  Yesterday’s episode on Sara Blakely’s mindset shifts and development, that helped her make millions with her company Spanx, are great examples of how a growth mindset makes you unstoppable, tenacious, accepting of failure as a means to learn and grow.  If you haven’t listened to this episode, be sure to check it out.

So, let me just say…

Mindset is 100% of the equation.

Today, I’d like to show you how beginning a new habit for just 5 minutes a day will strengthen your integrity and restore your faith in yourself and your abilities.
As an example, I am going to take working out for just 5 minutes a day to demonstrate how such a short period of time and commitment will restore your integrity and dignity in yourself.

However, if you prefer a 5-minute practice of journalling, meditating, creative writing, even reading, that’s fine and this mini-mindset lesson will work perfectly for any habit you’d like to start and gain some momentum in to create change and transformation in your life.

So, find one small way to show up for yourself each and every day.  It’s something that must be doable, realistic, and attainable.  And remind yourself, if you are doing 1% better today over yesterday, then YOU ARE WINNING. 

Your expectations must be realistic because I’m all about creating REAL habits that create REAL results.

The transformation will happen in both your heart and your head.  We want to generate an internal change about how you feel and love yourself.  Our intentions and actions will impact our hearts, minds, and ultimately our souls.  This will become clearer as we dive deeper into the episode.

You see, creating change from the inside out is essential for any habits to take hold and become part of you. Far too many times, people fall into the traps of not creating internal change first before diving into a new habit on only a surface level.

5 minutes a day is everything.

As humans, we try and fail, try and fail, try and fail to the point where we feel we aren’t worthy or valuable.  We believe that we can’t accomplish anything and begin to hate ourselves.

You might be here right now.  You have quit on yourself far too often giving up after a short period of time labelling yourself as a quitter.  Self-sabotage has become your M.O.

In such cases, we are lacking the most important thing in our lives.  We are not yet aware of the sticky glue that will hold our lives, goals and commitments together.  We don’t yet know the key to success in any area of our lives.

What is the magical ingredient?  INTEGRITY

Integrity is doing what you say you’re going to do when you say you’re going to do it.

You might be one of the millions of people who are struggling with their own integrity.  We are all humans; we all struggle with this.

But the truth is until you figure this out, you will continue to struggle to reach your goals.

You can accomplish anything you put your mind to. You can set your mind to something and do it – even the big things, not just small things.

The problem is quite simple.  If you stopped and asked yourself why you’ve started and failed so many times, you could figure it out.

You’ve spent your life taking on way too much, so many commitments at once in order to create the change you want.

Going back to my example of working out and becoming fitter.  You may have spent hours at the gym, taking all the classes, running or walking, cycling or spinning. You’ve put yourself on a restrictive diet, depriving yourself of a lot.  

You literally want to take on any and all possible commitments so you can get to your goals faster, but that’s just not sustainable.
This is a recipe for disaster and self-sabotage. 

I promise if you continue to take on more than what it sustainable for you, you are bound to fail. 
There is a silver-lining though.  You can do something about it!

So, many clients ask me, “How is 5 minutes actually going to help me, Lisa?”

When you take a leap of faith, you trust me and start small, you’re actually going to start playing a big game.
Instead of committing to everything at once, which we know now is a recipe for disaster -> commit to 5 minutes a day.

What will happen?  You actually start doing what you said you were going to do.  You start having that thing called integrity show up in your life.  And when you have integrity, you build dignity, which is the love you have for yourself.

You actually start to LOVE yourself. How amazing would that be?

Then you start to realize you are good enough and you can accomplish anything.  Once you know this, you say to yourself, “If I can do this,…”  “If I can actually make and keep a promise to myself, what else can I do?”

Then the world becomes your oyster.

This is what I call “Integrity Momentum”.  You may have heard of the Law of Inertia in physics classes.  Well, it tells us that an object in motion, stays in motion.  Whether good or bad, whatever we have going on keeps going on.

So, now that we have integrity going on and dignity going on, we love ourselves and it can keep going.

When you cross something off your to-do list, how does that feel?  I know for me; it feels pretty good.

How does it feel when you complete something you said you were going to do?

These are all wins.  And after a handful of wins under your belt and days of keeping the commitment to yourself, this is a powerful feeling and has massive value for your mind and soul.

You won’t be able to ignore the thoughts running through your head.  We have to shift our thoughts to:
->  I am a promise-keeper.
->  I do what I say I’m going to do.
->  I am the most important person in my world, and I will value & treat myself as such.

This is INTEGRITY.

After you’ve proven to yourself that you’re a promise keeper, you will start setting your sights higher, deservedly because you CAN and SHOULD.
Before you know it, you’re going to be accomplishing things you never ever thought possible AND faster than before.  Much faster than the time when you thought you had to take on the whole world at once.

You see, what I am going to say may seem very counterintuitive but…

You have to slow down to go faster.
 You have to do less to accomplish more.

And it all starts with just 5 minutes.

Remember that it’s all about showing up and making commitments that are ridiculously simple, so ridiculously simple in fact, that you can keep them and show up no matter what the day throws your way.

The goal is to keep yourself winning, each and every day.

In case you haven’t heard it from anyone yet today, let me be the first to tell you…
You are an amazing human being, so full of potential.  I believe in you.  So, now go out and show the world what you are truly made of.

I hope to have inspired you to grow.  

And, til next time.

Lisa
xoxo
 

The Making of a Billion Dollar Mindset – feat. Sara Blakely

by Lisa OberbichlerConfidence, Goals, MindsetPosted on No Comments

LISTEN TO PODCAST EPISODE HERE -> https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/kGzl6BC5twb

In today’s episode of the Inspiration2Grow podcast, I am going to zero in on 3 major shifts in Sara Blakely’s mindset that helped her take her company, Spanx, to great heights and be listed on “Time 100” – a list of top 100 of the most influential people in the world.  She was also granted the title of the world’s youngest self-made billionaire by Forbes in 2012.  I think you’ll find this episode very enlightening.

Sara Blakely’s story is one of failure and grit.  Surprisingly, the founder of Spanx doesn’t attribute her phenomenal success to goal setting or self-discipline as many might assume, but to her mindset, which began to shift and develop at the young age of 16.  Things changed for her when she began listening to personal growth audio cassettes in her car for hours on end. 

The first and likely the most powerful mindset shift that Sara experienced was taught to her by her father.  As they were gathered around the table for dinner, he would post the question to her and her brother:

1.        What did you fail at this week?  Sara’s father would give them a high 5 when they told him about something they attempted but it didn’t go so well, or they may have been terrible at.  Instead of coaching or correcting them, her father celebrated their effort.
 
Sara claims this reframed her definition of failure stating, “Failure for me became NOT trying, versus the outcome.”

Don’t focus so much on the outcome because you are then afraid to fail.

This mindset shift helped a lot when it came to the 7 years of door-to-door selling that Sara found herself doing after college.  Many doors were slammed in her face along the way.

Develop the ability to:  get up, dust off and try again.

We have to learn to take full responsibility for our actions and realize every failure or less-than-stellar attempt at doing something provides us with a huge opportunity to grow and learn.  This is where mental resilience comes into play.  Sure, we get knocked down but can we get back up, dust ourselves off and take on the next attempt with re-newed vigor.

The acronym F.A.I.L. stands for ‘first attempt at learning’.  We should remind ourselves of this and embrace failing as a means to learn.  This ties into the growth mindset nicely, which is all about learning HOW to fail well, and knowing that learning from failure is what leads to eventual success.  This is summed up in the sentence I encourage everyone to adopt, children, teens and adults alike, “I can’t do that…. YET.”

The best success stories often begin with failure.

Failure paves the path to success, but as we all know, failure can be quite a lot to handle at times.  It can get you down and start a pity party or back you into a corner of despair, hopelessness and low self-esteem.  In short, failing at anything is daunting no matter how you look at it. But, if you’re ever feeling down about a failure, I want you to remember that the best success stories often begin with failure. And, great women such as the likes of: Oprah Winfrey, J.K. Rowling, Lucille Ball, Vera Wang, Arianna Huffington failed many times before they ultimately succeeded in their respective fields of brilliance.

Fear of failure makes you fail … because you won’t even attempt things you’d like to do.
 
I think society needs to start redefining failure as they did at the Blakely household.  There is a very negative stigma associated with the words:  fail and failure. The fear of failure often stems from a deep-rooted fear of experiencing shame or embarrassment.  Failing can trigger feelings of worthlessness, so avoiding trying to do the activity in the first place serves as a means to protect oneself from sadness, regret, disappointment.

So, let’s flip the script on failure and start asking the question of yourself and your family… What did you fail at this week?  Celebrate the efforts in trying new things. 

2.       The second mindset shift that helped Sara Blakely especially when she was starting her new company was, “Do not care what other people think”.  This was a huge piece of her mindset that she says, still to this day, is important and takes constant work.  However, she comments, adopting this attitude is extremely freeing because you no longer care what others think of you and what you are doing, and you take more risks with this mindset.
 
“Care about what other people think and you will always be their prisoner.” ~Lao Tzu
 
Unfortunately, we live in other people’s heads.  Let me give you a few examples of what I mean by this.
 
Ø  We carefully choose what we wear to the gym to look our best in the eyes of the other gym goers.
Ø  We beat ourselves up after a meeting at work going through everything we said, worried about what coworkers think of us.
Ø  We post the absolute best photo out of 35 plus selfies we took, adding a flattering filter to gain more likes and approval from others that we are attractive.
We live our lives worrying far too much what others think of us.  This makes us judge ourselves even more harshly.  It causes us to feel uncomfortable in our own bodies.  It causes us to feel apologetic and makes us live according to OUR perception of other people’s standards.  It results in feelings of: anxiety, lower self-esteem, being inauthentic, I’m not likable enough, I’m not intelligent enough, I’m not pretty enough.

The truth is, and I really want you to internalize this, other people’s opinions of us are none of our business. Their opinions have absolutely nothing to do with us and everything to do with them.

                At the end of the day, YOU have to be in love with yourself.

                You have to admire the way you do things and be the best possible version of who YOU can be.

I realize it’s not easy to ignore other’s opinions about you but here’s where a bit of mindset work comes into play.  Set up some boundaries for your thoughts.

-> Know your core values and see them as a bright, shining light that is guiding you through a forest.  The brighter the light, the clearer the path.
-> Know that you have complete control over your feelings so don’t allow others to get you down. Stay in charge of your mind and reactions to others. 
-> Know that you are doing your best and feel great about it.  No matter what response you may receive for your well-intended actions, remind yourself of this and don’t take it personally.
-> Know that everyone makes mistakes.  Even though we don’t talk about it enough, we all make them, big or small.  The world will not come to an end.
The bottom line is: stop caring what other people think and live life on your terms.  It will change your life.  Sara Blakely is a testament to this.
 
3.       Become a No-Limit Person – At the age of 16, Sara Blakely received a set of audio cassettes from her father.  She listened to the voice of Wayne Dyer, creator of “Becoming a No-Limit Person”, for hours on end until she had completely memorized his teachings.
In a nutshell, these cassettes were all about taking back your power.  We’re living in a society in which we attribute the things that happen to us to others. We also put limits on how much we can accomplish in life.  What if…you decided there was no limit to what you could achieve?  How much more would you be able to accomplish in life?
Three key principles Dyer talks about in depth:
 
* Recognize your capacity for growth
* Everyone can achieve high limits
* Why complain over things you have no control over
 
These endless hours of personal development were so impactful on her, she even presented the idea of teaching this to her school principal.  Sara commented, “In school they teach us WHAT to think, Dyer and his cassettes taught me HOW to think.”  She continues by adding, “Self-education is so important to your development as a person and it’s the very thing that will set you apart from everyone else.”
 
She strongly believes the more you experience in life, the more you have to offer others. 

So, invest in yourself…it’s the most important investment you’ll ever make. ~Jim Rohn

With that quote, I will wrap up today’s talk.  I hope you enjoyed the examples from Sara Blakely’s life that shifted her way of approaching things like:  failure, limiting beliefs and other’s opinions. 

And, I will leave you as I always do…
Just in case you haven’t heard it yet today, let me be the first to say it…

You are an amazing human being, full of potential.  I believe in you.  Now, go out and show the world what you are truly made of.

I hope to have inspired you to grow.

Til next time,

Lisa
xoxo