People Pleasers Are Liars?!

I recently heard that people pleasers are liars, and at first, I was like, “What?! No!”

But after consideration, I can see how it’s true.

Let’s say your desired result is to lose weight.

Your sister visits and brings you a box of baked goods from a fantastic bakery near her.

She’s excited to share these treats with you, but you know these treats are not on your dietary plan and may hinder your progress in losing weight.

But you also don’t want to tell her no because, after all, she went through the trouble of buying and bringing them to you; she wants to make you happy, and you don’t want to make her upset.

What are your options?

If you say yes to her, you are saying no to yourself, to your goals & dreams.

And you are lying because your genuine desire is to lose weight, not to eat the treats. (I mean, let’s be real, you probably want to eat the treats AND lose weight, but that’s not how weight loss actually works.)

So, what to do?

First, decide how you want to show up to this.

Maybe you want to be kind and gracious.

Consider– what would someone loving, kind & gracious do?

They might say, “Thank you so much for this generous gift. I love you so much, and I’m touched that you thought of me. I’m sorry I didn’t share this previously, but I’m working towards losing weight. Treats like these are not on my food protocol. Would you like me to keep them for you or share them with our neighbor?”

You can be loving, kind & gracious, AND responsible for yourself, staying true to your weight loss goal.

And your sister can be responsible for herself– for her thoughts, feelings & actions, too.

This is how we create and live a life we love.

P.S. As a reminder, as part of the benefits offered at Logan Health Whitefish, employees get free coaching sessions. You can book an in-person coaching session here or a remote/Zoom coaching session here

P.P.S. You can get in early and register for the next free monthly Christine Seager Coaching Masterclass on How to Create More Fun by registering here.

distraction

Are you someone who is easily distracted? If so, this one is for you. 

Being easily distracted can lead to frustration, feeling overwhelmed, anxiousness, or stress. 

If you even catch yourself being distracted in the first place, you might think: 

“What is wrong with me? Why can’t I stay focused?”

“I can’t ever get anything done.” 

“Why can’t I focus on just one thing like everyone else?” 

Or 

“It takes me forever & I’ll never catch up when I can’t get things completed.” 

You know staying focused will help you be more productive, save time, and achieve your goals, but how can you do that? 

Well, a few ways. 

First, mindset: 

“I can learn how to do this.” 

“I am in control of my attention.” 

“I can try a few different things until I find something that works.”

Or

“I am improving my productivity.” 

The strategy: 

  1. Notice what you’re doing that has you distracted. I.E., is your phone in your hand when you’re supposed to be getting ready for work? Or you’re talking to your family when you should have been out the door already? See if you can determine your thoughts just before you picked up your phone. 
  2. Repeat in your head what you are doing, what task you are completing. I.E., I’m getting dressed. Or I’m gathering my lunch. Or, I’m writing an article. One part of your brain can focus on the task & the other part is reminding your brain of what you’re focusing on. 
  3. You can set a timer. A metronome may help, too– the ticking sound can be a constant reminder to stay on task until the task is complete. 

It’s helpful to realize that being easily distracted is not a problem; it’s something you can figure out how to work with so you can stay better focused & achieve your goals. 

rock star

When I went to my husband’s work Christmas party in December, 

I felt like a rock star & I can’t even tell you how fabulous that was.

I didn’t even really realize how much less stress & anxiety I was feeling until I was in the shower, getting ready. 

(Isn’t all of our best thinking done in the shower?)

I compared my feelings for this Christmas party to one I attended just a year ago.

I was a complete hot mess.

I felt inadequate, insecure, anxious, exposed, & had dread.

I had all the negative self-talk, 

100% of which was untrue, 

but I 100% believed it.

I didn’t have anything “good” to wear, my hair was a mess, & I felt fat. 

I tried to force myself to feel better while feeling like a complete sh*t-show on the inside. 

It didn’t work & instead, I had a meltdown.

After being fully dressed & 80% ready to go, I took off all my clothes to regroup & start over.

I even took another shower– sweaty & wanting to wash the tear stains from my face.

I was more than an hour late to that party.

This year, I Marco Polo’d with some girlfriends to get their input on my outfit.

I felt like I looked amazing. 

I got showered, dressed, & ready with zero drama.

I felt comfortable and confident.

I openly approached & initiated conversations with people.

I felt so good & grateful; words are inadequate to describe it accurately,

but I can feel it in my heart– like my heart aches with goodness & gratitude

for myself,

for my work on me,

for my coaches, 

& for the coaching I do with my clients, too.

So, what changed?

I got coached and learned 

• how to build self-trust

• how to manage my mind

• how to manage my negative emotions & create better feelings 

• how to have fun & so much less anxiety

And you can, too.

If you want to feel like a rock star,

If you want to be able to get ready for an event without a hot mess meltdown,

If you want friends who will give you Marco Polo outfit advice,

I can help you. 

You can join me for a free monthly webinar about How to Build Self-Trust on 1/31/24 at 11 AM MT. Register here

Or, you can book a consultation here

Reminder: as part of the benefits offered at Logan Health Whitefish employees get free coaching sessions. You can book an in-person coaching session here or a remote/Zoom coaching session here

what if

You think you can’t, but WHAT IF you could?

You might think, but I don’t know how.

You might think you don’t have the money.

Or the time,

Or you couldn’t possibly do that right now,

It’s too busy, and

There are other things you “should” do.

It feels impossible,

Or selfish,

Or too hard.

And you feel stuck,

Maybe lack,

Definitely frustrated.

You stay right there.

You don’t see how it could be possible.

You remain miserable in your own life.

Instead, consider:

What DO you know?

This is how you get started.

You see possibility.

If you see someone else do it,

Then, know it’s available for you to do, too.

How COULD you create more money?

How COULD you find the time?

How COULD you possibly do that right now?

How COULD you do that now, even when it’s busy?

Who says there are other things you “should” do & do you want to listen to them?

How could it be possible?

How is it selfish NOT to?

How could it be EASY to do?

How could you get UNstuck?

How could there be plenty?

What DO you know?

Start there, 

See possibility, 

Then, decide how you want to move forward, 

In creating and LIVING a life you love.

If you want to be EMPOWERED to create amazing results in your life, 

If you want to learn how to create a clear, specific, actionable & repeatable plan, 

If you want to learn how to implement (even when it’s uncomfortable), 

Book a complimentary, no-obligation consultation where you can tell me what results you would love to create, and I will tell you how I can help.

I don’t know; I’m not sure

How often do you find yourself thinking or saying, “I don’t know,” or “I’m not sure”?

Beware! It’s just a ploy from your brain to keep you in inaction, preventing you from moving toward your goal. 

For example, regarding your career, you might think: 

• I don’t know if this is what I want to do. 

• I don’t know what I would do differently. 

• I don’t know what else I even could do. 

We could substitute “I’m not sure” for any of those examples, but I’ll give you a few more. 

• I’m not sure this is for me. 

• I’m not sure this is the right thing. 

• I’m not sure how I wound up here. 

• I’m not sure if I want to make a change. 

• I’m not even sure where to start. 

You feel confused or stuck, so there you sit in your continued confusion, continued stuckness.

Wash, rinse, repeat this negative cycle, or maybe you even make a few moves, some small changes, but then you get stuck &/or confused again & you’re back in the negative cycle. 

Instead of believing that you don’t know, try answering these questions for yourself,

• “But what if I did know?”

• “What do I think my answer would be?” 

• “What could my answer be?” 

• “What do I think my answer is?” 

Take the pressure off, landing on the “exact right answer right now,”

Just explore & see what comes up for you. 

When I was leaving my nursing supervisor position, every day, I walked past my friend’s office & told her about a new job idea, something different every day. (I was still figuring out what I wanted to do next, and staying in “I don’t know/ I’m not sure” would never lead to a new career.) 

• teaching paddle boarding

• driving people over Going to the Sun Road

• opening a flower shop

• opening a bookstore

• managing AirBnBs

• concierge (medical or personal) 

• leading all women’s tour groups 

It was so much fun.

It made me more creative. 

I brainstormed and paid attention to see how these ideas felt to determine if any truly interested me. 

Usually, we laughed at the ridiculousness, but a few actually stuck. 

Don’t believe the hype!!

Be onto your brain & the BS it’s offering you. 

Don’t believe that you don’t know.

You DO know. 

You just need to look around a bit, don’t judge yourself, create safety, and be willing to get creative (and ridiculous, if that’s what it takes) to see what comes up for you. 

If you’d like help to get unstuck to break the cycle of unknowing, I can help; I’ve truly done this work myself. Believe me– I have been there and can help you, too. 

Do I have all of the answers at all times? For sure, no. 

But I have created a safe & nonjudgemental environment within myself. 

And I do know how to get unstuck. 

I know how to conjure up the courage to try new things. 

I know where to focus my brain,

how to find evidence of beliefs to support me, 

and how to move past my self-limiting beliefs.

If you’d like help, have a little courage, too, to reach out & message me or just go ahead and book a consult. I know the first step isn’t always easy, but if this resonates with you, I assure you that you are in the right place, and I can help you. I’ll teach you some things, we’ll coach & we will get there together.

And this is exactly how you create & live a life you love.

a study of one

You can do a study of one. 

Just you. 

And you can apply the scientific process to yourself. 

What is the goal? 

Gather information. 

Form a hypothesis.

Test with an experiment.

What are the results? 

Analyze the results- what worked, what didn’t, and what would you like to do differently?

State your conclusion. 

For example, 

Goal: get the most out of the rest of summer. 

Cool! 

How might you like to do that? What is your hypothesis? 

Hypothesis: try different beach activities– swimming, reading, picnicking, beach games, fishing. 

Experiment: schedule your beach activities & try them one at a time. 

Data: Take notes on the activity you participated in, the level of joy you/ your family experienced, and how you felt. 

Analyze: Which activities netted the best results? What worked, what didn’t work, and what do you want to do differently? 

Adjust based on your analysis. If necessary, create a new hypothesis to explore and repeat the process. 

Other examples: 

Discover new local restaurants to enjoy during the summer.

Develop your photography skills and capture the essence of summer.

Embrace the spirit of adventure and push your boundaries with outdoor activities.

You can apply this to literally anything, and it’s so easy to do when it’s an experiment of one- just you. 

If you’d like to learn more about How to Get the Most Out of the Rest of Summer (& other applications for the scientific process in your life), join me on Wednesday, July 26, 2023, at 11 AM MT for my next free Masterclass. Registration is required; you can do so here.

the cure for overwhelm

Vagueness leads to overwhelm.

And the cure for overwhelm is specificity.

What exactly is it that has you feeling overwhelmed?

Be specific.

Then check in- is it true?

(Often, that alone will be sufficient when you see it’s not true.)

Try this:
I don’t have enough time.

Take a step back & take a look at it; get specific & objective.
What does not enough time mean?
How much time do you need?
What, specifically, do you need time for?
How much time do you think that will take?
How much time do you actually have?
Are you using that time to the best of your ability?
Is there somewhere you “wring out” more time?
Can you batch things?
Is everything on your list a priority?
Is there someone you can delegate to?
How might you be able to create more time?

When you’re able to get more specific & objective,
you can more clearly see what you’re working with

And from there, you have more brain space to develop more creative solutions.

Be specific & break it down.

If you feel overwhelmed and struggle with time management, I can help; book a consultation now!

Logan Health Whitefish Employees, book an in-person coaching session here; or a remote coaching session (via phone or Zoom) here.

self-doubt

Do you feel inadequate and full of self-doubt? 

You feel frustrated & resent your boss; you think she’s power-tripping. 

You want a better work-life balance. Lots less work/ lots more life, of- course. 

You constantly try to figure out how you can work fewer hours AND get the bills paid. 

You know you do a good job, but your brain is more likely to remind you of where you’re lacking than of your good work. 

You have a vague sense of dissatisfaction & constantly feel like something is missing. 

You aren’t happy, you aren’t even content & you lack motivation for everything you want to do (not just work, but at home, too). 

You’re constantly exhausted & frankly, just over it. 

I challenge you to seek out your unique strengths & talents and recognize what makes you you. 

When you identify what is holding you back,

And you see where you are holding yourself back,

And you decide to step into who you truly are at your core,

And share that with the world–

You will have a greater sense of fulfillment. 

You will build a stronger & more connected relationship with yourself & those whom you choose to share yourself with. 

You will have more motivation & be energized. 

You will have the capacity to find a better work-life balance. 

You will create & live a life you love for you by you (and this does not mean at the exclusion of others). 

How? 

~ take proactive steps to improve your self-confidence & overcome your self-limiting beliefs
~ actively pursue opportunities to create a more fulfilling work environment or explore part-time options
~ engage in activities that bring you joy & fulfillment
~ have the courage to seek something different 
~ be willing to take action, even when it’s uncomfortable 

If you struggle with this or don’t know what to do or how to do it– I would be honored to support you. I have done this work myself & this is exactly what I help my clients with. Reach out. Let’s talk. Click here to take the first step & book your complimentary, no-obligation consultation.

As a reminder, for LHW employees, coaching is free! Click here to book your in-person coaching session or here for a remote coaching session.

co-sign

Are you someone who needs others to co-sign on your ideas?

You’re afraid of being judged, criticized, or doing it “wrong.”

This might look like:

You want to write a book but struggle to start writing or sharing this dream with others.

You constantly seek validation from fellow writers & online writing communities.

You do all the research to ensure your idea is worth pursuing and that you know exactly how to do it.

You don’t trust your own creativity & you rely on external validation before taking any concrete steps toward writing. 

Perhaps you want to switch careers and pursue your desire to become a wedding planner.

You constantly seek validation from your friends & family that this is a good idea. 

You don’t attend workshops or start marketing your business until everyone else is onboard, too.

You struggle to trust your own talent & abilities without constant reassurance from others.

You spend time talking to everyone else rather than 

Believing in your ideas, 

Being proactive in your decision-making, 

Taking empowered action, 

(Even if others are skeptical), 

And developing the self-confidence 

To make decisions based on your desires and values, 

Trusting your own judgment,

Embracing your individuality, 

And creating & living a life you love. 

You don’t need others to opt in, co-sign, or agree with what you are doing. 

You only need to believe in yourself, 

Recognizing your own enoughness, 

Just as you are. 

If you’d like help to recognize your own enoughness, I can help.

Click here to take the first step & book your complimentary, no-obligation consultation.

As a reminder, for LHW employees, coaching is free! Click here to book your in-person coaching session or here for a remote coaching session.

me to my brain

“Good afternoon, thank you so much for coming. We have a couple of things to cover today so I’m going to try and move really quickly. To start off– WHY?! OK? Secondly is how come, how come. Uh-huh. And finally how dare you?”

Me, to my brain, every time she thinks she’s in charge. 

Don’t forget you are in charge, not your brain. 

True, it’s your brain’s job to keep you safe, but it’s YOUR job to see if the thoughts it offers serve you or not. 

Are you afraid of running alone in a dark park late at night? 

Does that fear serve you? 

Yes, it keeps you safe. #NotRecommended

Do you feel afraid of public speaking? 

Does that fear serve you? 

Probably not; #YouWontAcutallyDie from public speaking. 

Remind yourself why you want to do it and do it. 

Are you procrastinating working out? 

Does that serve you? 

You might say yes, but only for the short term. 

Let’s try another way: how do you feel when you don’t work out? 

Guilty. 

How do you feel when you DO work out? 

Maybe it hurts a little at first, but then you feel amazing. 

Which reason (for doing or not doing it) do you like better? 

Obviously, the workout, suck it up for a bit, feel amazing later. 

How about this? 

Which one will create a life you love? 

See how easy that is? 

Don’t let your brain get away with BS. 

Ask it: Why? How come? And how dare you!