The Peace & Prosperity Podcast is a bi-weekly conversation with Jason Phillips, LCSW, licensed therapist and confidence expert in Raleigh, NC, discussing all things related to self-love and self-confidence, and how we can improve ourselves personally and professionally.
Tap into this episode as we wade through the complexities of high functioning anxiety, I'll offer not just solace, but actionable strategies to navigate these challenging emotions.
Remember, it's perfectly natural to feel anxious, and there's an arsenal of tools at your disposal to help manage it. Also, remember that your voice matters in shaping our show—when you participate with your likes, shares, and subscriptions, and by suggesting topics you're passionate about, you're helping to create the experience that you want!
To stay connected with Jason and learn about coaching, connect with Jason on social media:
The Peace & Prosperity Podcast is a bi-weekly conversation with Jason Phillips, LCSW, licensed therapist and confidence expert in Raleigh, NC, discussing all things related to self-love and self-confidence, and how we can improve ourselves personally and professionally.
Tap into this episode as we wade through the complexities of high functioning anxiety, I'll offer not just solace, but actionable strategies to navigate these challenging emotions.
Remember, it's perfectly natural to feel anxious, and there's an arsenal of tools at your disposal to help manage it. Also, remember that your voice matters in shaping our show—when you participate with your likes, shares, and subscriptions, and by suggesting topics you're passionate about, you're helping to create the experience that you want!
To stay connected with Jason and learn about coaching, connect with Jason on social media:
Do you need somebody calling you and saying, hey girl, hey bro, are you in the gym or are you studying? Are you putting in those hours at the job? Are you spending more time with the kids? Whatever you said that you wanted to do, are you doing it? And sometimes just having that person call you and ask you will be enough, because you don't want to be the person who's going to be honest and say, no man, I didn't do it, I'm still working on it.
Speaker 1:
Welcome back to another episode of the Peace and Prosperity podcast, and today we're having a very important conversation, especially as we approach the new year, on how to have a great new year. So we had this conversation last year, which was really dope. If you haven't checked that out, it's still really relevant. But I wanted to drop in a couple of other ways to make sure you have a great year in 2024. So we're going to dive into five different things that you can do and why you need to do these things in order to make the most out of this upcoming year. Are you a person before I jump in Are you a person who sets new year resolutions, intentions, goals? If you are that type of person, this is definitely the conversation that you want to listen to, because what'll happen is you'll get into the year. You'll be a quarter way through or halfway through and feel like, man, this year is not going how I wanted to go. So if you do these five things, you're going to be very specific and intentional about how you want this year to go, all right. So, number one you have to focus on yourself. Now, that doesn't mean that you don't cater to your family, your partner, your kids, your parents, your job, but it does mean that let's make this about you too. You may be someone who has terrible boundaries where you end up giving all of your energy to somebody else. You've been in over backwards for them, you're running here for them, you're making sure that all of their needs are met, but then your needs get put on the back burner. Now there are times when we do have to put somebody else first, but that should not be the theme for you.
Speaker 1:
Throughout the entire year, focus on you. You've been telling yourself hey, I want to level up myself, I want to do better with my health, I want to do better with my professional career. Now let's really sit down and do it, let's put it into work and yes, it is work. When you look at, when you see people do the transformations and they go from looking a certain way to now they lose 50 pounds or 100 pounds or they tone up. It's work. That goes into that, but it also starts with believing in yourself. So you have to believe that you can actually be dedicated to focusing on you and for some of us, we've never been that dedicated to us. So focusing on you, especially for the entire year, can feel overwhelming. It can feel like something that I don't know if I can do it. So I'm jumping ahead. But that leaves me right into number two.
Speaker 1:
Don't be afraid to ask for help. Having an accountability partner will help you. Having a great therapist to help you work through limiting beliefs or mindset shifts that you need. Having a great coach, being able to ask for help, because if you've been at this, for a minute, each year rolls around and you say I'm going to do this or I want to do that. You put out your vision board and the vision board looks nice. Y'all know what I'm talking about. You spend hours with yourself, with your partner, your family, friends, and you make this elaborate vision board and it's got everything laid out that you want, but you still find yourself coming up short. It's not necessarily what you're doing, but it may be who you don't have in your corner. Do you need somebody to push you just a little bit when you start to lose momentum throughout the year? Do you need somebody calling you and saying hey girl, hey bro, are you in the gym or are you studying? Are you putting in those hours at the job? Are you spending more time with the kids? Whatever you said that you wanted to do, are you doing it? And sometimes just having that person call you and ask you will be enough, because you don't want to be the person who's going to be honest and say, no man, I didn't do it, I'm still working on it.
Speaker 1:
Is stress and burnout taken a toll on your company's productivity and morale? Are you looking for ways to improve your employees' mental health and wellness? If so, it's time to invest in mental health support for your workplace. As a mental health expert and speaker, I provide solutions for creating a happier, healthier and more productive workplace. This includes a range of services to help your employees cope with stress, anxiety and other mental health challenges. I facilitate workshops and presentations designed specifically to help your employees develop resiliency, manage stress and reduce burnout. So why wait? Make mental health and wellness a priority in your workplace today and contact us so we can support you all.
Speaker 1:
All right, let's get back to the episode. Sometimes that's all it takes. I know what I'm working with people. A lot of times, just having the accountability will make them go ahead and knock out whatever their specific goal is, and I'm okay with that. I'm not judging you If you get it done the day before we meet, the hour before we meet, whatever time, but it gets done, it gets done. So done is done. But sometimes asking for help will help you get it done.
Speaker 1:
Now, how come some of us don't ask for help? One we think that we have to have it all figured out or we don't want people in our business. So, no, I'm not going to ask for help, because that last time I asked for help, you put my business out there or you brought it up where I felt some sort of way. The next time I saw you. If that's your way of thinking, I get it. I really do. There's been times where I had to ask for help and I was like, oh, if I put myself out there. Who else are they going to tell that I asked them for help? But once I was able to work through that and say, look, you know what me getting what I need is more important than whatever they do with that information. If they want to gossip about me, that's on them, because I know where I'm going, I know what I need to achieve. So I put my pride aside and I still would ask for help, especially if I know this is a genuine person.
Speaker 1:
So, number one focus on yourself. Number two don't be afraid to ask for help, and nine times out of 10, you probably need some extra help and it's OK. Number three assess what you need. So this is really important for those of us who may be a little scattered brain and we're not sure. Do I go left, do I go right? Do I go up down? Do I keep steady on this? You may feel like you're all over the place.
Speaker 1:
Ok, what do you like to do? What actually gives you energy when you think about doing it? Like, what do you? What will you just show up for? We've all heard the saying before do what you love. So it never feels like work.
Speaker 1:
I would like to say that that's mostly true. But if I'm, I'm gonna be honest. There are some things that just still feel like work. But when you know, ok, this is what I need to to get through that thing, or this is still in alignment with my purpose, you'll put in the hours for that work anyway. So don't let that oh, if you, if it doesn't feel like work, don't let that deter you from staying consistent and really doing something that does align with your spirit. Like, what do you get energized about when I think about, you know, these podcast episodes or even, on a bigger scale, the work that I do on a day-to-day basis, whether it's therapy, coaching, speaking, I'm enthused by it and I know that sometimes it may feel like it's a lot, but at the end of the day, I do love helping people and I know I'm in my purpose. So what is that for you? Assess what you need so that you can be in alignment with your purpose.
Speaker 1:
All right, the next one you have to really be OK with. Well, I won't even say be OK. The next one have fun, have fun. I don't know which therapist said this oh, I think it was dr Ebony but she said she's inviting play into her life more and I was like ain't that so true? I mean, I took that literally and I went out and got me a PS5 because I felt like I hadn't played a video game in so long maybe five years or so, but it was. It was overdue. Now, again, that's my version of play. But do something that you can have fun with.
Speaker 1:
Like life is not to not meant to be work, work, work, work, work and I know some of us have done that. You spent a whole year just working, working, working and you found yourself burnt out and stressed out. Let's not let 2024 be the same year. Let's not do that again. Carve out some time. I don't care if it's one hour a week that you do something where you are having fun. You got to be intentional about it. So this is the one that gets me. I'll ask people what do you do for fun? And sometimes they literally like I don't know. I guess so is silence because they haven't been able to have fun. They've been so focused on doing for others, doing what has to be done. Again, I get it, especially as adults, we do have to put in hours and take care of our families, but we also deserve to have fun in the process, all right.
Speaker 1:
Lastly, if you want to have a good year, number five give back. Yeah, I know I started out number one with focus on yourself, but number five is still giving back. Why is that so important? Research says that more people are big on what is it. More people are concerned. They're more fulfilled with giving than consuming. So you'd rather contribute to something than you would consume something.
Speaker 1:
Think about Christmas. A lot of times, yeah, we want some nice gifts, but we're happy when we see somebody else open up the gift. Right, you know, you see the means where they see the mom or the family's waiting to see you open that gift or eat that the food they made over the holidays. But that's true because we get pleasure by giving back to others. So, just as important as it is for us to focus on ourselves, assess what we need, be able to ask for help, is that much more important for us to give back to? Yeah, this year is about to be great.
Speaker 1:
I'm telling you, if you follow these steps, there's no doubt you're going to level up and really be able to look back and say, dang, I did that. And if there's one of these areas that you know you struggle with more. Lean into that one even more If you don't focus on yourself enough. Make it a priority. Put that on your vision board. Put that on your to-do list. Have it outside your nightstand somewhere where you can see. Okay, this I need to be Leaning into me. All right, I'm off my soapbox today, but I want you to share this because this year is here and we're gonna make sure it's a great one. All right, y'all be blessed peace.
Speaker 1:
Thank you all for listening to another episode of the peace and prosperity podcast. Again, if you are feeling like, hey, I'm experiencing high functioning anxiety, don't beat yourself up about it. It is okay. We all experience anxiety from time to time and I gave you a couple of things that you can do on your own, but don't hesitate to reach out to a professional to better manage what you're going through. Okay, and lastly, make sure, if you have not like, share, subscribe to the podcast and send this out to a friend, and if you want to hear a certain episodes or have certain conversations, let me know. You can shoot me a DM or just leave a review and I will definitely follow up. All right, y'all be blessed peace.
