Latest / Dr. Derek H. Suite MD - The SuiteSpot / Embracing the Threat 2/7: Don't Wait for The Right Moment, Act Now. #TakeActionTuesday

Transcript

Embracing the Threat 2/7: Don't Wait for The Right Moment, Act Now. #TakeActionTuesday · Dr. Derek H. Suite MD - The SuiteSpot

• 0:06
  Speaker 1: Greetings, greetings and welcome friends.
• 0:09
  Speaker 1: Welcome back to the Sweet Spot.
• 0:11
  Speaker 1: So glad you're back here with us on Tuesday, and not just any Tuesday.
• 0:16
  Speaker 1: Today is Take Action Tuesday here on the Sweet Spot and, as you know, we pull no punches on Tuesday because it's all about taking action.
• 0:26
  Speaker 1: Yesterday, on Making Moves Monday, we talked about the importance of making that first move as we embrace we embrace any level of threat we're facing.
• 0:40
  Speaker 1: So today, on Take Action Tuesday, we're talking about moving beyond hesitation and turning intention into action, because, you see, every step you take you and I take is a step towards the life we want to live.
• 1:01
  Speaker 1: I'm Dr Derek Sweet.
• 1:02
  Speaker 1: I'm your host here on the Sweet Spot.
• 1:04
  Speaker 1: As you know, I'm a board certified psychiatrist.
• 1:07
  Speaker 1: I work in sports psychiatry and performance psychiatry and I love helping individuals live the life that they love and be the level of performer they ultimately intend and want to be.
• 1:20
  Speaker 1: So let's dive right into this theme.
• 1:25
  Speaker 1: Our theme this week is embracing the threat.
• 1:28
  Speaker 1: Embracing the threat, embracing the challenge.
• 1:32
  Speaker 1: Not just facing it, but embracing it, taking action around it and transforming it and learning from it and growing through it, recognizing that it's here.
• 1:45
  Speaker 1: We can't do anything to stop it from being here, but we can embrace it and we can handle it our way.
• 1:55
  Speaker 1: And let's talk about the neuroscience.
• 1:59
  Speaker 1: What happens in your brain when you are stuck in an indecisive pattern, when you face a threat?
• 2:05
  Speaker 1: Sometimes what happens is we face a threat, we face a challenge and we, frankly, just don't know what to do.
• 2:09
  Speaker 1: It's overwhelming, it's too much, sometimes it's over the top.
• 2:15
  Speaker 1: It's just impossible to figure out.
• 2:19
  Speaker 1: How are we going to change this?
• 2:22
  Speaker 1: Maybe it's a work project with a really, really hard deadline, but you don't have everything you need to get it done.
• 2:32
  Speaker 1: Maybe it's a tough conversation you have to have with somebody, but this person is in a power dynamic that's bigger than you and they might be the boss.
• 2:41
  Speaker 1: Or it's somebody who is so sensitive you know they're going to come apart.
• 2:45
  Speaker 1: Or even if it's just dealing with illness, dealing with something that might be too much to bear, that might be difficult to handle, sometimes, that in and of itself can feel like there's no answer.
• 2:59
  Speaker 1: A, you could be just looking for work and nothing is working out.
• 3:04
  Speaker 1: It just feels impossible.
• 3:05
  Speaker 1: If that's you, you could be just looking for work and nothing is working out.
• 3:06
  Speaker 1: It just feels impossible.
• 3:06
  Speaker 1: If that's you, you're not alone.
• 3:08
  Speaker 1: Life has a way of throwing fastballs, curveballs, sliders, different kinds of looks.
• 3:15
  Speaker 1: It gives us to create the challenge that seems to be looking just for us.
• 3:22
  Speaker 1: But today, on Take Action Tuesday, we're going to talk about how to keep moving forward and taking action even when the progress is slow, even when it doesn't seem like there's any way out.
• 3:37
  Speaker 1: You know, I like neuroscience and in neuroscience small steps still matter.
• 3:46
  Speaker 1: Small steps matter to your brain.
• 3:49
  Speaker 1: Here's something cool about the brain when you're stuck in indecision, when you're feeling overwhelmed by things and you can't figure it out, your prefrontal cortex you know that one, the CEO of your brain, is so busy it's overly busy weighing out options.
• 4:09
  Speaker 1: And then the threat detection center, the security guard of your brain, the amygdala, the brain's security guard, it can keep pointing out where there is a problem, where there's an alarm bell that's going off, making you feel even more anxious.
• 4:24
  Speaker 1: So you have, on one hand, your prefrontal cortex is like giving you a million and one options, and then the amygdala is telling you where everything is going wrong and it's like the perfect storm.
• 4:34
  Speaker 1: You know what stops your brain from being so overactive and so going bananas about everything, just going buck wild.
• 4:42
  Speaker 1: You know what stops it.
• 4:43
  Speaker 1: What day is today?
• 4:45
  Speaker 1: That's right, it's Take Action Tuesday.
• 4:48
  Speaker 1: Action, it turns out, is like flipping a switch.
• 4:51
  Speaker 1: That's the good news.
• 4:53
  Speaker 1: Even the tiniest step, like jotting down your to-do list or sending a quick text or making the appointment to see the doctor or going to the gym and just maybe even standing there Just anything you do is going to release dopamine in your brain.
• 5:15
  Speaker 1: That's the feel-good chemical.
• 5:17
  Speaker 1: You know that from all of the previous sweet spots.
• 5:19
  Speaker 1: Dopamine is the feel-good reward kind of neurotransmitter and you got to think of it like a little high five for your brain saying, hey, nice job, let's do more of that.
• 5:33
  Speaker 1: Every tiny step, every tiny action you take in your brain literally rewires your brain to favor taking action again and again.
• 5:45
  Speaker 1: So, like for me, I hate going to the gym.
• 5:47
  Speaker 1: When I go to the gym and I say, okay, I'm just going to do one push-up and I'm out of here, you know why it's important to do that?
• 5:53
  Speaker 1: Because you never do one, the brain senses that you're doing one push-up and then you say, ah, I can do another one, I can do more, and you never just do one.
• 6:04
  Speaker 1: So that's why it's important to take a small step.
• 6:08
  Speaker 1: It helps the brain.
• 6:10
  Speaker 1: Action is the antidote for overthinking.
• 6:13
  Speaker 1: Action is the antidote for feeling overwhelmed.
• 6:16
  Speaker 1: Action is the antidote for feeling paralyzed by things.
• 6:20
  Speaker 1: Action is the antidote, it's the answer.
• 6:25
  Speaker 1: And so one of the things my wife taught me was this phrase when I was in medical school and I kept freaking out because I'm a perfectionist and I like things to be absolutely perfect and ready.
• 6:38
  Speaker 1: She kept telling me done is better than perfect.
• 6:43
  Speaker 1: Get it done, and I love it.
• 6:45
  Speaker 1: I love it.
• 6:46
  Speaker 1: It just made so much sense.
• 6:48
  Speaker 1: You might think you need the perfect plan before you start.
• 6:51
  Speaker 1: But as the quote says and it's very important to understand this quote the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
• 7:03
  Speaker 1: What does that mean?
• 7:05
  Speaker 1: It means that progress is not about perfection.
• 7:09
  Speaker 1: Progress is about momentum, taking a step, getting it done, one little action at a time.
• 7:17
  Speaker 1: Every step we take forward builds confidence and it gives the brain clarity and it allows the brain's threat detection center to say okay, he is not totally afraid here.
• 7:33
  Speaker 1: It gives the prefrontal cortex, the brain's CEO, a chance to say all right, we can do this.
• 7:39
  Speaker 1: Action, taking a step forward, is what you have to do.
• 7:42
  Speaker 1: Don't wait for it to be perfect.
• 7:44
  Speaker 1: And if you're facing a chronic illness or a situation that feels impossible.
• 7:49
  Speaker 1: Remember, action isn't always about changing your circumstances.
• 7:54
  Speaker 1: Sometimes it's about changing your relationship with the circumstances.
• 7:59
  Speaker 1: So sometimes we have to change how we view things and how we see things.
• 8:05
  Speaker 1: You know, it's the classic making lemonade out of the lemons kind of approach.
• 8:10
  Speaker 1: It seems sort of pat, it seems very ordinary and cliche, but it really works.
• 8:16
  Speaker 1: When we change the way we look at things, the things we look at change.
• 8:23
  Speaker 1: Yeah.
• 8:27
  Speaker 1: So maybe it's like making a call to a friend that you need to, maybe it's keeping a gratitude journal or simply getting out of bed and taking a deep breath in the mornings.
• 8:36
  Speaker 1: You know how many people don't take a deep breath all day long?
• 8:39
  Speaker 1: I'm one of them.
• 8:41
  Speaker 1: Yesterday I had to do it.
• 8:42
  Speaker 1: Actually, this morning I did it.
• 8:43
  Speaker 1: I literally just decided to take five or six deep breaths just to remind myself that I can breathe, that my lungs are here.
• 8:52
  Speaker 1: It's the beginning of everything.
• 8:54
  Speaker 1: Taking that breath in oxygenating those blood cells and letting oxygen, which is a kind of fuel for the body, infuse itself into my hemoglobin and all through my system.
• 9:07
  Speaker 1: That's power available to you and me.
• 9:09
  Speaker 1: Why not take a deep breath right now, if you're listening, and see how that feels.
• 9:16
  Speaker 1: Your brain will thank you for it, I guarantee you, and that's a victory too.
• 9:21
  Speaker 1: Sometimes we need to reset ourselves just with our breathing.
• 9:24
  Speaker 1: In sports we do 4-4-4 breathing, 5-7-8 breathing, we have all these breathing techniques and we will do that in another podcast.
• 9:33
  Speaker 1: But just take control of your breath sometimes, in the moment, as you take your step forward, as you take one action at a time.
• 9:42
  Speaker 1: Let's anchor this in some ancient wisdom.
• 9:46
  Speaker 1: You know I always like to throw in some ancient wisdom, not just neuroscience.
• 9:50
  Speaker 1: I'm not just a science guy, I'm not just a medicine guy, I'm the ancient wisdom guy too.
• 9:56
  Speaker 1: So in Proverbs it has this line.
• 9:58
  Speaker 1: It says commit your ways.
• 10:00
  Speaker 1: What does it say?
• 10:01
  Speaker 1: Something like commit to the Lord whatever you do, commit to God whatever you do, give it to God, and then your steps and your plans will be established.
• 10:12
  Speaker 1: Wow, so what does that mean?
• 10:15
  Speaker 1: The way I interpret it is that when we take action especially when we're unsure and we're struggling but we take one action, like we just take our medication for the day, or we go out for a walk, or we speak our mind, or we show up for practice with a good attitude, we're trusting any step we take.
• 10:40
  Speaker 1: That's the step, the way that ancient wisdom sort of speaks to me.
• 10:45
  Speaker 1: It tells me that if I commit it to the divine, to the most high, and take the step, the divine God will establish my plans.
• 10:58
  Speaker 1: So, however small my steps are, they're guided, they're accompanied, and, even if the outcome isn't what I hoped for, yet, I have a friend, I have the Holy Spirit, I have an accompanier who is going to help me as I take the steps, and I don't have to understand the outcome.
• 11:21
  Speaker 1: I don't have to see the end goal.
• 11:22
  Speaker 1: What I have to do is just take the steps, and I don't have to understand the outcome.
• 11:23
  Speaker 1: I don't have to see the end goal.
• 11:24
  Speaker 1: What I have to do is just take the step.
• 11:26
  Speaker 1: That's my faith today.
• 11:28
  Speaker 1: That's my faith action today.
• 11:30
  Speaker 1: So let's make this real.
• 11:33
  Speaker 1: Here's your challenge on Take Action Tuesday.
• 11:35
  Speaker 1: My friend, pick one thing that you've been putting off, one thing that you can do today, no matter how small.
• 11:42
  Speaker 1: If you're facing something big or it's something that's been ongoing, your action might be as simple as taking care of yourself, realizing how has this thing been stopping me from going to the gym, stopping me from eating right, giving me a poor or bad attitude, taking me away from the things I love.
• 12:04
  Speaker 1: Maybe I'm not the same person I used to be because of allowing this monstrous challenge, this threat to overwhelm my life, to take over my life.
• 12:14
  Speaker 1: If you're facing something like that, maybe self-care is the first step.
• 12:19
  Speaker 1: Reaching out for support might be the second thing you do.
• 12:22
  Speaker 1: Care is the first step.
• 12:24
  Speaker 1: Reaching out for support might be the second thing you do, or just acknowledging yourself for recognizing that, hey, this thing is sort of taking me away.
• 12:29
  Speaker 1: I want you to break it down into the smallest possible step you could take, and if that step is taking a deep breath and then a little exhaling, you know what.
• 12:39
  Speaker 1: You're aware.
• 12:40
  Speaker 1: You're now aware that I control the oxygen that comes into this body.
• 12:44
  Speaker 1: I don't have to breathe shallow all the time.
• 12:47
  Speaker 1: I can bring more oxygen into me right now and give me power.
• 12:50
  Speaker 1: So break it down into the smallest possible step you can take, even if that's controlling your breath, and then, whatever you have to do, try to do it right now.
• 13:03
  Speaker 1: Don't wait.
• 13:03
  Speaker 1: Don't wait.
• 13:05
  Speaker 1: Don't wait for motivation, don't wait for inspiration, Don't wait for God to speak to you and be sitting down there for 10 months.
• 13:13
  Speaker 1: God is a God of action.
• 13:15
  Speaker 1: Faith without works is dead.
• 13:18
  Speaker 1: You've got to get up and do something, and if it doesn't work out, we try something else.
• 13:24
  Speaker 1: And that's how you know God was with you or not.
• 13:25
  Speaker 1: That's just my kind of approach.
• 13:27
  Speaker 1: Now, obviously, everybody has their own way.
• 13:30
  Speaker 1: I'm just saying from this perspective, it's about action.
• 13:33
  Speaker 1: Take action.
• 13:35
  Speaker 1: Don't wait for inspiration and motivation, because you could be waiting a long time.
• 13:39
  Speaker 1: Let the action create your motivation.
• 13:42
  Speaker 1: Let the action inspire you.
• 13:44
  Speaker 1: Let you reflect and say you know what.
• 13:47
  Speaker 1: I did go to the doctor.
• 13:48
  Speaker 1: I did go to the gym.
• 13:49
  Speaker 1: I did make that hard phone call.
• 13:52
  Speaker 1: I did take my medication.
• 13:55
  Speaker 1: Right, I did say no to this thing that I've been saying yes to, that I never wanted to say yes to.
• 14:01
  Speaker 1: I did get through a day of this horrible job.
• 14:05
  Speaker 1: That's what you're dealing with.
• 14:07
  Speaker 1: Right, I found a way I made the obstacle, the way I didn't let this thing kill my attitude and change me around.
• 14:17
  Speaker 1: That's progress.
• 14:18
  Speaker 1: That's taking action too.
• 14:20
  Speaker 1: And if you don't feel like doing it, pause, pause and breathe and notice how you're feeling, and then in your awareness you will find your true self.
• 14:35
  Speaker 1: In your awareness you will find who you are.
• 14:39
  Speaker 1: Trust me on that.
• 14:41
  Speaker 1: And if you're not seeing results yet, remind yourself progress is still happening, you're still moving forward, the earth is still rotating on its axis, you can still breathe, you have life.
• 14:54
  Speaker 1: So that's the message today.
• 14:57
  Speaker 1: I want to hear from you what's your action step today?
• 15:01
  Speaker 1: Tag me, email me, text me, let me know what action you've taken, what has happened for you, and I look forward to seeing you tomorrow on Win it All Wednesday.
• 15:13
  Speaker 1: We're going in here on Embrace the Threat, right here on the Sweet Spot.
• 15:17
  Speaker 1: You're not alone.
• 15:18
  Speaker 1: I am Dr Derek Sweet and I am walking with you as we embrace the threats we face together.
• 15:25
  Speaker 1: See you tomorrow and if you like this and if this is working for you, please subscribe.
• 15:30
  Speaker 1: Subscribe to this YouTube channel, but more than that, I want you to share it.
• 15:34
  Speaker 1: I want you to share it with somebody, somebody who needs to take action.
• 15:40
  Speaker 1: Be blessed.