Unaltered Voices

  According to Webster, they define overwhelm as overcome by superior force or numbers. Just reading that definition was triggering as I recalled the times, I was so overwhelmed with life I wanted nothing to do with it. When we go through things back-to-back, it feels like they bury us in them. It’s hard to resurface when we need help to figure out where to dig. The best advice I can offer is to dig. The more we dig, the more we see the sunshine; once a way of escape has been made, don’t stop there. We must evaluate the forces, determine how they sunk their teeth in us, and create a plan to navigate those circumstances. From personal experience,  assessing the damage helps us to grow. Every time we experience weather we are not used to here in Louisiana, there is always a plan in place, just in case we experience it again. It may catch us by surprise the first time, but we are ready to get through with ease the next time. The same way the city learns from the previous difficulties is

  In my upcoming book, The Coaches Connect Volume II , I talk about some of the different emotional setbacks (disappointments) we experience. We may not realize it, but this one sets us back when we have expectations of people, and they do not come through.   Initially, I had the mindset that friends and family are not your target audience, so don’t expect them to support you. After some deep reflection, I had a shift in my thinking concerning this. A journal entry helped me to realize that I made this excuse to avoid facing how I felt about not being supported. My feelings surrounding this topic had deep roots, and it took some time to surface the origin of this thought process.  I can stand in my truth today and say that the support I longed for from my family I never received, and it wounded me greatly. I put myself in a position to not attain my dreams to avoid anyone not showing up. After some time, I did things here and there, but I did not share too much with others. I felt

  I know what it is like to set a goal to have it crash and burn. I was a pro at throwing in the towel; it could have been my profession. I knew how to go through the motions and pretend I was accomplishing; I would have been a great actor. Every year until several years ago, I set goals at the beginning of the year and worked on them until something triggered me, and I spiraled emotionally. I could not get a grip on why things were not working out. At one point, I almost adopted the mindset that God had another door, avoiding taking a deeper look at myself. If you have been following me for any time, you have read my story of self-sabotage and how destructive my mindset was. So, I speak from experience when I tell you that shaking back is possible. If you try to make the changes, you can accomplish your goals. Reaching the mark may be delayed, but it's not denied unless you refuse to do the work, but not if you take steps to overcome what's hindering you. I remember I used to

  I rarely begin my post this way, but why not? Let's do an activity together. Think about your 2022 until this point. If each month represented a difficulty you faced, make a list of them. For example: ●       January-Lost, my job ●       February-Child support payments ceased ●       March-Someone hit my car ●       April-I got a minor break ●       June-Found, a new job, catching up on bills ●       July-Still trying to catch up ●       August-Almost there By now, you get the picture. In your journal, write each adversity and how you handled it. If you run from it, own that. Was your response healthy (mentally, emotionally, & physically), or did more mishaps occur because of your reactions?  For each month/challenge, write out your feelings. Pour your heart on paper, telling the who, what, when, where, why, and how it all made you feel. For each adversity you listed for each month, consider these questions: Have you grieved the loss of your job? Have you petitioned the