Episodes
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Thanks for checking out the Self-Control podcast!
Are you feeling down these days or feeling like you're in a rut?
Do you find yourself thinking about the bad things in life?
The most empowering part of this podcast is that I will share with you behaviours and tips that you can begin today to feel better sooner than later.
So when it comes to "not feeling 100%" or if you're looking to change your life for the better, let me drop some wisdom on ya.
In this episode, I will share with you EXACTLY what I had to do last month when I was feeling down and not at my best.
I'll give you one word to REMOVE from your vocabulary AND the #1 way we MAKE THINGS WORSE for our self that we can STOP RIGHT NOW.
The second half of this episode might not be for everyone, but I think it's time I started sharing a little bit of my spiritual journey in the hopes that it might inspire you.
So, if you're ready to feel better this month, and you want a plan of action, look no further. Take 15 minutes and get ready to FEEL BETTER this month!
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On today's Mindfulness Minute, we'll continue talking about natural remedies for anxiety, as well as understanding self-doubt and frustration.
Ultimately, these are a problem of being distracted.
But distraction doesn't happen here or there, it happens ALL OVER our life. It is a way of life.
You want improved productivity? You want to feel happy? Proud?
Focus!
Easier said than done, but practice makes perfect. Let's talk about it. In less than 10 minutes, I will leave you with something you can start this week to level up your mindfulness practice. Let's go!
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ant to improve your mental health?
https://www.youtube.com/@BuildaBetterLife
Get in touch with Patrick today!
https://www.facebook.com/patrick.strevens
https://www.instagram.com/selfcontrolpodcast/
Listen on Spotify
Listen on Apple Podcasts
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Missing episodes?
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If self-discipline happens in our mind, what are the actual, physical tasks we can do to strengthen it?
One of these behaviours is EXPRESSION.
But how do you express? What are you supposed to say?
How does it help?
All of this will be answered in less than 10 minutes. In this episode, I will explain how expression frees us from a life of "not thinking for our self" and tell you exactly what I had to express (and how to do it) in order to quit numerous bad habits.
So if you're looking for some advice on quitting a bad habit or starting some real work on your own life, start here!
(00:57) What to expect in this episode
(2:46) Recap last episode - Awareness, Acceptance, Expression
(4:34) Why don't you express yourself?
(5:52) How to know if you aren't thinking for yourself
(7:14) WHAT exactly are you supposed to express?
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Want to improve your mental health?
https://www.youtube.com/@BuildaBetterLife
Get in touch with Patrick today!
https://www.facebook.com/patrick.strevens
https://www.instagram.com/selfcontrolpodcast/
Listen on Spotify
Listen on Apple Podcasts
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I want to let you know that YES, there are natural ways to increase focus and concentration.
The fact that you are reading this means you have already started. So let's keep going!
If you are aware that you struggle to stay focussed...
Or if anxiety is getting worse because you can't achieve your goals...
Now is the time to bring mindfulness into your life. These improvements won't come over night, but it's time to start the process of repetition.
Through watching our self and our thoughts over and over, magic happens!
Today, I'll tell you what I learned from my many nights of stress eating, and share with you how a little bit of awareness led to a whole lot of focus.
Plus I will suggest a behaviour you can start RIGHT NOW to improve your focus!
In 15 minutes you can gain from my years of trial and error. What do you have to lose? Listen now and improve your focus this month!
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Want to improve your mental health?
https://www.youtube.com/@BuildaBetterLife
Get in touch with Patrick today!
https://www.facebook.com/patrick.strevens
https://www.instagram.com/selfcontrolpodcast/
Listen on Spotify
Listen on Apple Podcasts
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For years, I was in the grip of both a pornography and marijuana addiction. Many, many days of my youth wasted.
Toxic habits like these lower our energy, put us in a bad mood, ruin our self-confidence, and WORST OF ALL, they blind us to who we truly are! They rob us of our potential.
Looking back on how I quit these 10 and 15-year-long addictions, I have developed a clear process that I want to share with you. You can apply this process to nearly any toxic habit or vice.
And you have already begun the first step. So let's keep going.
Join me now, and in less than 15 minutes, I will tell you about the SHIFT in my thinking that helped me finally quit those shameful, stinky behaviours and feel proud of who I was. This is a shift you can begin TODAY.
Listen now!
And make sure to subscribe, because our next few episodes are going to go deep on the third step of this process.
You won't want to miss out on this chance to EXPLODE your self-development and surprise your friends and family this summer.
(0:00) Intro and what to expect - why am I qualified to help you?
(02:06) Step 1 - What was really preventing me from quitting?
(06:24) Step 2 - How can you master your time and focus on the present?
(09:00) Step 3 - The ACTION we must take to end toxic habits for good
(10:38) Recap
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Want to improve your mental health?
https://www.youtube.com/@BuildaBetterLife
Get in touch with Patrick today!
https://www.facebook.com/patrick.strevens
https://www.instagram.com/selfcontrolpodcast/
Listen on Spotify
Listen on Apple Podcasts
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There are too many ways to be distracted these days.
So why add to that by distracting yourself?
If you find that you're not getting enough done, not staying on task, and struggling to concentrate, you may be asking yourself "how can I focus better?"
Then the anxiety starts to creep in...
Not getting enough done, falling behind, doubting yourself.
This has been a major problem for me, but through mindfulness I have begun to find ways to both manage my anxiety and improve my focus and attention.
In this episode, I will give you my 3 pillars of Mindfulness and walk you through a real-life example of how I was distracting myself and causing my own anxiety.
Using these 3 steps repeatedly, I believe anyone can find relief from anxiety and improve their ability to focus on what needs to be done.
So join me for another Mindfulness Minute and you'll be on your way to less anxiety and more productivity in just 10 minutes. Let's get started!
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Want to improve your mental health?
https://www.youtube.com/@BuildaBetterLife
Get in touch with Patrick today!
https://www.facebook.com/patrick.strevens
https://www.instagram.com/selfcontrolpodcast/
Listen on Spotify
Listen on Apple Podcasts
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I have spent years trying to understand why I fell into toxic habits like pornography, marijuana, and overeating.
I tried and failed to quit those habits more times than I can count.
Today, I consider myself free and clear of both porn and weed. Now I am working on healthy eating. (I've lost 30lbs, but the battle continues!)
It wasn't until I regularly did these 3 things that I began to understand why I self-sabotaged with harmful behaviours. Then and only then, was I able to quit.
In this episode, I will share these 3 steps: Acceptance, Awareness and Expression, and I will walk you through exactly what that means with real-life examples.
I truly believe that when it comes to non-life-threatening addictions and bad habits, we can all be empowered TODAY if we are willing to look deeper. There's nowhere else to go or anything you have to buy.
But how do you start? What questions do you ask? Where do you look? What do you actually do?
All of that is laid out here in just 20 minutes. Join me as I continue to understand my own self-sabotage and toxic habits and work to leave them behind. Let's go!
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(0:00) Intro and what we've been talking about lately
(2:35) Today's topic - desire, numbness and bad habits
(5:14) The big breakthrough I had thanks to journalling
(8:00) What can binge eating and pornography abuse teach us about our self?
(10:20) Step 1 - Acceptance
(13:34) Step 2 - Awareness
(14:56) Step 3 - Expression
(16:23) How can this process help us find more direction and purpose?
(18:00) One more question to ask yourself
(20:55) Wrap-up
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Want to improve your mental health?
https://www.youtube.com/@BuildaBetterLife
Get in touch with Patrick today!
https://www.facebook.com/patrick.strevens
https://www.instagram.com/selfcontrolpodcast/
Listen on Spotify
Listen on Apple Podcasts
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We humans are gifted with many great powers.
In this episode I will remind you of two of them: the ability to see the past, present and future, and the ability to talk to our self.
But as the late Uncle Ben said, "with great power comes great responsibility."
Are you worried about your future? Guilty about your past?
Do you talk to yourself like an enemy or a friend?
Do you see and express the life you want? The life you could build?
Or do you crap all over yourself and others for mistakes made and unfair outcomes?
Why? And for how much longer?
If you are sick and tired of your own limiting beliefs dragging you down...
You're done with feeling guilty about the past...
If there's stupid, toxic habits holding you back...
You already hold the key. This the formula for ROCK HARD, unbreakable self-control.
Let's talk about putting your SUPER POWERS to work for you TODAY.
Listen now and make April 2024 your best month yet!
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Want to improve your mental health?
https://www.youtube.com/@BuildaBetterLife
Get in touch with Patrick today!
https://www.facebook.com/patrick.strevens
https://www.instagram.com/selfcontrolpodcast/
Listen on Spotify
Listen on Apple Podcasts
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Is there a so-called "bad habit" in your life that you're trying to quit?
How's that going?
Have you considered that maybe it has something to teach you before it leaves your life?
My biggest and longest addictions took years to break, but over that time I learned so much about myself.
So hopefully, using what I learned, you can get past those unhealthy habits much quicker and still get the benefits of living an authentic life.
Today's episode is a little longer but I think you'll find it jam-packed with value. Above all, I will give you 3 steps toward understanding and developing past your toxic, unhealthy habits.
I also want to share with you the story of the 5-year process of quitting my addiction to pornography. I used these exact steps so you can trust that they work.
If it's time to grow up and get over these things that are holding you back, let's take that determination and put it to work.
It may not happen overnight, but by starting the process you will immediately get stronger and more aware. Why wait any longer? Let's go!
0:00 - Intro and what to expect
2:34 - The first challenge you will encounter in this process
7:03 - Where do we start if it feels TOO HARD?
9:07 - Step #1 - Improving the limiting belief language we use to talk to our self
11:03 - The 5-year journey to quitting pornography addiction and Step #2
16:30 - Step #3 - Patience and pursuing your "Why"
21:53 - Recapping the 3 steps: How can you finally develop past your vices?
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Want to improve your mental health?
https://www.youtube.com/@BuildaBetterLife
Get in touch with Patrick today!
https://www.facebook.com/patrick.strevens
https://www.instagram.com/selfcontrolpodcast/
Listen on Spotify
Listen on Apple Podcasts
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Everywhere you look, someone is trying to sell you a miracle cure or a product that will change your life.
I'm no different.
However- I believe the cure and the product exist within you already. I'm just encouraging you to look and listen hard enough to find them.
So, if you're working on improving some unhealthy habits...
If you have mental health issues, and you're feeling:
-Guilt and shame about your past
-Fear or hopelessness about the future
-Like becoming someone else, someone different
Maybe you're self-sabotaging, and setting yourself up for failure, because it's all you know.
Whatever it is, you can empower yourself IMMEDIATELY and begin living the life you deserve TODAY.
This is the power of how we speak to our self and how we listen to our self.
In just 20 minutes, I want to share with you the massive shift I have made lately that has improved my mood and mental health and brought me closer to being myself.
The best part is, there was nothing I had to buy or anywhere I had to go. This form of self-care and self-development can be a part of your everyday life.
So if you're done with self-abusive thoughts, and talking to yourself like an enemy...
If it's time to get more from life and give more to life...
If you want more self-control and less shame...
Listen now. I promise you it's just a few thoughts away. Let's start today.
(0:00) Intro and what to expect
(2:45) Recapping Binary Entrapment
(3:45) How do we "choose to lose" and surrender self control through our thoughts?
(5:05) The first thing you can do TODAY!
(7:16) The second thing you can do TODAY!
(9:45) How do we trap ourselves with our thoughts?
(11:36) This is how I ended my limiting beliefs and stopped feeling ashamed
(13:55) How can we free ourselves from self-abuse and feeling worthless?
(17:45) Wrap-up and what's next
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Want to improve your mental health?
https://www.youtube.com/@BuildaBetterLife
Get in touch with Patrick today!
https://www.facebook.com/patrick.strevens
https://www.instagram.com/selfcontrolpodcast/
Listen on Spotify
Listen on Apple Podcasts
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In our last few episodes we've been talking about Binary Entrapment.
What the hell does that mean and how can it help you?
It is THE fundamental understanding I needed to quit my addictions and improve my mental health.
This is something you CAN control if you're looking to stop feeling guilty, be less distracted and quit self-abuse and end self-sabotage.
So in the interests of communicating it to you as easily as possible...
Here is a 10 minute recap I did on my phone. Consider it my personal voicemail message for you.
Let me know if this helps.
What will you do this week to break free of your binary entrapment?
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Want to improve your mental health?
https://www.youtube.com/@BuildaBetterLife
Get in touch with Patrick today!
https://www.facebook.com/patrick.strevens
https://www.instagram.com/selfcontrolpodcast/
Listen on Spotify
https://open.spotify.com/show/4FCejNvJL4DvsRTi5YT3iG?si=0e5a761d89a348d6
Listen on Apple Podcasts
https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/self-control/id1547190181
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This is part 2 of the previous episode. Start there if you haven't already.
Frankly, I lived in a very childish way for a long time. Now that I've begun to really grow up, I'm reflecting on how I grew out of my addictions and limiting beliefs.
It is childish, and small, and immature to sit there and hate the present moment.
It is stupid to wish things were different.
It doesn't do me any good to let the scars from my past push me into distraction and fear. Push me away from living!
We all do it, but the healing begins in the moment.
When we responsibly reflect on our past and stop throwing away the present for an imaginary future.
In today's episode I will quickly give you the 3 steps I use everyday to stop being a baby and take control of my life.
While we do not have control of the future or the past, the more we do these 3 things, the more we can understand our self and the more certain we can be of where we're going.
Listen now and let me know what you think! Make sure to subscribe and be notified of new episodes.
0:00 - Intro and what to expect
1:27 - Why is journalling so important and how can you start journalling
5:28 - What does it mean to self-reflect and can we control the future?
10:50 - How can you stop being ashamed?
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Want to improve your mental health?
https://www.youtube.com/@BuildaBetterLife
Get in touch with Patrick today!
https://www.facebook.com/patrick.strevens
https://www.instagram.com/selfcontrolpodcast/
Listen on Spotify
Listen on Apple Podcasts
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All of us, myself included, have said "I need to change!"
And then we say tomorrow, or next time, or next month.
But I have discovered that that very mindset--that way of thinking-- is TOXIC!
So whether it comes to quitting bad habits, or working on slowing down an addiction, we have all made the mistake of distracting ourself with the future.
Substance abuse, behavioural addictions like gambling and sex, and unproductive habits like procrastination and lack of self care...
All of these are a response to painful, misunderstood moments in our past!
We run from our past, and we abuse our self by saying I need to quit in the future. It becomes a hamster wheel of blindness.
Blindness to what, you ask?
Who we are in the moment.
If you are looking to further develop yourself beyond your unhelpful, harmful habits...
If you believe you are capable of more and deserve more...
If it's time to take control of your urges and drive your life where it needs to go...
Let this be the start! Take 15 minutes today to hear me out. Understand this concept and get ready for part 2 where I'll lay out actual solutions that anyone can begin THIS WEEK!
And don't forget to subscribe so you'll be notified of that next episode!
(0:00) - Opening and what to expect
(2:04) - What is Binary Entrapment and how does it make our addictions worse?
(5:42) - A recent example of addiction in my life and what I learned this week
(11:28) - What does it look like to grow past our self-abuse? How do we know?
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Want to improve your mental health?
https://www.youtube.com/@BuildaBetterLife
Get in touch with Patrick today!
https://www.facebook.com/patrick.strevens
https://www.instagram.com/selfcontrolpodcast/
Listen on Spotify
Listen on Apple Podcasts
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If we spend 2 hours a day eating, then in 70 years, that's over 50, 000 hours!
Doesn't that seem like something we should pay close attention to?
And yet, because it is so routine and habitual, eating becomes automatic.
We eat whatever, whenever, and do other things at the same time.
Now, it's not my place to judge how you live your life, but...
If you're like I was, and you are dissatisfied with how you look and feel in some way, then it may be time to examine HOW you eat.
For me, I essentially gained weight from the day I was born till I turned 34. (Which obviously makes sense up to a certain point.)
But when I started to feel a little too heavy, and started to wonder why, for all this working out and hiking, I didn't have a lean body and 6-pack abs...
I knew it was time to look deeper.
I devised a whole new system of eating for myself, which I have talked about*, but nothing changed until I stopped this ONE behaviour.
Gaining insight into distracted eating and mindless living has allowed me to better nourish myself and get the results I want. So I want to share this idea with you.
If you're working on burning stubborn fat, losing belly fat, or you're looking for weight loss tips, I believe that mindful eating is often overlooked. Let's dig into it right now and get you going on something that can start TODAY!
In less than 15 minutes I'll explain how distracted eating is a symptom of mindless living and share with you the shift I had to make to begin eating well and looking good ;)
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*For more on Improving Your Eating, check out Season 3 Episode 88 from October 16, 2023:
"Low Energy? Know You Can Look Better? Wasting Money on Junk Food? Take These 3 Steps to Heal Your Relationship to Food and Get More Out of Life!"
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Want to improve your mental health?
https://www.youtube.com/@BuildaBetterLife
Get in touch with Patrick today!
https://www.facebook.com/patrick.strevens
https://www.instagram.com/selfcontrolpodcast/
Listen on Spotify
Listen on Apple Podcasts
DISCLAIMER: This podcast is not medical advice. Consult a qualified medical practitioner before making any major lifestyle changes.
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Self-improvement is a scam.
Many, many people (myself included) try to gain recognition, or make money, selling YOU the idea that you need to improve.
No more. At least not for me. It's time for me to be more honest with you, the listener.
If you're crawling around the internet, looking at YouTube videos, and dreaming that you could be like those social media influencers...
If you're burning and bitter with the idea that you need to change and be better...
Just stop.
To be "like someone," to be "someone else," to be "better" is a trap we set for ourselves. It's a mindset we use which ultimately holds us back.
(Might be time for me to change the name of this podcast, huh?)
Is it any wonder that you keep making the same mistakes while wishing you could be someone else? You can't be someone else!
What's worse - when we're dealing with addictions or bad habits or procrastination...
When there ARE areas of our life that are un-developed...
This desire to quit, or change, or be different is a major distraction. It is self-sabotage!
So, today's episode is the beginning of a brand new journey. This is the process I used to quit porn, quit weed, and lose 40 lbs. I want to share with you exactly how I did it: by developing my self-understanding and stopping the self-abuse that I inflicted with my thoughts!
Anyone can begin this work because it is the invitation to create your own self-image. I am not giving you anything; I am just telling you a story of how I came to know myself.
And in that self-knowing came the freedom from pain and distraction, and a life I could only dream of.
If you want a fresh perspective to quitting addiction, quitting bad habits, stopping self-sabotage, dealing with anxiety or depression, this is the beginning of the best I have to offer. Listen now and shoot me a message this week.
-Patrick
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Want to improve your mental health?
https://www.youtube.com/@BuildaBetterLife
Get in touch with Patrick today!
https://www.facebook.com/patrick.strevens
https://www.instagram.com/selfcontrolpodcast/
Listen on Spotify
Listen on Apple Podcasts
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I've been away for awhile talking to the voices in my head.
Now, I'm not making fun of those with real mental illness, but ask yourself this:
Aren't there voices in your mind too?
Anxious thoughts, self-doubt, fear of failure?
What if we could use those voices for good? To actually get where we want in life?
There are two things you can start today that will do exactly that for you.
In this exclusive, audio-only episode I will walk you through how I:
Quiet down the anxious chatter in my mind AND deal with the self-sabotaging voice in my head that distracts me and tells me to "play small."
And best of all, these steps can actually increase your self-confidence; this work will boost your self-respect.
All of this has, over time, lead to me being more accepted by my peers.
As a bonus, I will include a natural remedy for anxiety that you can do every morning.
So if you're ready to grow your self-confidence and develop self-respect, take just 20 minutes and hear me out.
If it works (or if it doesn't) I want you to let me know. So listen now and get ready to find the acceptance that you so desperately want. The tools you need already exist within you.
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(0:00) Intro and what to expect
(03:53) Story time! Why did I punch myself in the gut?
(07:35) Step 1 - Controlling the voice we use to talk to our self
(09:23) Step 2 - Listening to the many voices in your head
(11:07) Do this every morning to calm your anxiety
(15:31) Wrap-up - So how do we increase self-respect again?
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Check out our most popular YouTube episode on the Dangers of Coffee!
Want to improve your mental health?
https://www.youtube.com/@BuildaBetterLife
Get in touch with Patrick today!
https://www.facebook.com/patrick.strevens
https://www.instagram.com/selfcontrolpodcast/
Listen on Spotify
Listen on Apple Podcasts
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"How can I develop unshakeable discipline like Cristiano Ronaldo?"
A good question, but it starts us off on the wrong foot.
In this episode I will share with you my process for developing discipline FOR our self and BY our self. The most empowering thing is that you can start RIGHT NOW and see changes immediately.
So if you're looking to feel better, get more out of life, and be more productive--it might not come overnight-- but there are steps we can take today. Let's get started!
-----
Want to improve your mental health?
https://www.youtube.com/@BuildaBetterLife
Get in touch with Patrick today!
https://www.facebook.com/patrick.strevens
https://www.instagram.com/selfcontrolpodcast/
Listen on Spotify
Listen on Apple Podcasts
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Recently a listener reached out to me and asked how I learned what I know.
This episode is my answer to that.
So much of my insight into mental health has been through my own struggles with addiction and bad habits. I was able to learn so much by understanding and overcoming pornography, marijuana, and overeating.
That is all I can offer you: the courage to observe and understand yourself is your key to freedom.
So if you're looking to improve your life in some way, try starting here.
Listen now and I'll get you started!
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For more information on Mindfulness please see our recent episodes from January 17, 2024 onward. Or watch them all on YouTube!
Want to improve your mental health?
https://www.youtube.com/@BuildaBetterLife
Get in touch with Patrick today!
https://www.facebook.com/patrick.strevens
https://www.instagram.com/selfcontrolpodcast/
Listen on Spotify
Listen on Apple Podcasts
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Some listeners have been curious about my personal story. So today I want to share a little bit of my journey.
This is the tale of how I went from anxious, introverted, and afraid to feeling strong and empowered. I believe that if you are willing to try mindfulness, and to reflect upon your past actions, you can begin this journey too.
The most empowering part of this process is that we can start right now and do it every day! It doesn't take money or any extra time. This is the story of self-control!
Listen now and I will share the dangers of poor posture, some signs that you may be self-medicating, and just what is at stake if we don't take control of our body.
So let's stand up straight together this month and start building a life we deserve.
(0:00) - Introduction
(01:58) - Just how bad was my posture? And what's the big deal?
(05:42) - How I began to improve my posture and quit some major addictions
(07:02) - The POWERFUL realization I had as I continued examining my posture
(11:39) - How mindfulness became my way forward to BECOMING ME!
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For more information on Mindfulness please see our recent episodes from January 17, 2024 onward. Or watch them all on YouTube!
Want to improve your mental health?
https://www.youtube.com/@BuildaBetterLife
Get in touch with Patrick today!
https://www.facebook.com/patrick.strevens
https://www.instagram.com/selfcontrolpodcast/
Listen on Spotify
Listen on Apple Podcasts
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Constant anxiety about the future, or guilt about the past, distracts us from living in the present. If this goes on long enough, we lose track of who we are and what we want. Or worse...
We never get to know who we are, and we don't live the life we deserve.
Taking ownership of our life begins in the mind.
If you want more out of life, and you want to stop this frantic, uncertain way of living, you must begin to take control of your thoughts.
This has been the great realization of my life. Of course I'm scared of the future when I don't trust myself to get there!
In this episode, I will discuss how mindfulness plus scheduling your time (and journalling about your past) are the immediate steps anyone can take today to start building the life they want to live.
This is not complicated and it's not hard. In less than 15 minutes, you can begin to develop greater self awareness and ease your anxiety. These are the stepping stones to a happier, more confident YOU! You have the keys but you must open the door. Let's get started!
Also, make sure to listen to the last episode on how to use journalling for self-awareness to get the most out of this process.
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Want to improve your mental health?
https://www.youtube.com/@BuildaBetterLife
Get in touch with Patrick today!
https://www.facebook.com/patrick.strevens
https://www.instagram.com/selfcontrolpodcast/
Listen on Spotify
Listen on Apple Podcasts
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