Be Encouraged

Your breath can agitate or calm. Of course you breathe naturally, but with just a bit of effort you can develop a tool to help you find calm in your storms. Send us Fan MailSupport the showBe Encouraged podcast is practical, in the moment, thoughtful encouragement. 

From the news to your own life, things can get to be too much to handle. Lately that seems more likely than ever. Wars, crises, personal problems all add up to go beyond our ability to cope. Here are some ideas to help.  Send us Fan MailSupport the showBe Encouraged podcast is practical, in the moment, thoughtful encouragement. 

Deferring maintenance is a sure way to breakdown. And not just with our cars, houses, or machinery but with you! Go too long and the cost of repair is much higher. Listen up for maintaining your unique self. Send us Fan MailSupport the showBe Encouraged podcast is practical, in the moment, thoughtful encouragement. 

If you find it easy to relax, you don't need this podcast. But if you drive yourself so hard that you never let down, then you need to learn to relax. If you struggle with the anxiety so common to so many now, then you need to learn to relax. Our personal lives plus the wars and weather crises in the news fuel fear and worry. But you can learn to do something about it. Listen for a different way. Send us Fan MailSupport the showBe Encouraged podcast is practical, in the moment, thoughtful encouragement. 

Wonder is all around and in us. It's good for you! I challenge you to find ways you might invite more wonder into your life. Why?  Because it deepens your insight, expands your experience of your world, and might make you a better person!Send us Fan MailSupport the showBe Encouraged podcast is practical, in the moment, thoughtful encouragement. 

Are you staying busy and keeping up with your social media? Are you keeping everybody else happy? If so, you are probably out of touch, living life on autopilot, unaware of yourself and your impact on others. Are you out of touch? This episode helps you see if you are, and tells you what to do about it. Send us Fan MailSupport the showBe Encouraged podcast is practical, in the moment, thoughtful encouragement. 

Everyone loves the holidays and everyone gets stressed. Take some time to settle down. Use some skills that are built into your system to grab a few moments away from the tension. Listen to this brief podcast and give yourself a break!Send us Fan MailSupport the showBe Encouraged podcast is practical, in the moment, thoughtful encouragement. 

When you see the sky it can reveal lots of things. it can be blue sky happy weather, dark sky ominous precipitation coming, or the smoke of a tragedy nearby. What do you see in your life? Are you looking? Once you see it, how do you understand and respond to it? This episode explores all this with some encouraging answers!Send us Fan MailSupport the showBe Encouraged podcast is practical, in the moment, thoughtful encouragement. 

It is our expectations of life that get us in trouble! If you didn't go into situations expecting things to go your way you wouldn't get so upset when they often don't. Expectations are a disease that we all have to varying degrees. Controlling dictator types are the worst, but you have it too, even in small things. We want family to behave certain ways, our work to go our way, even the weather to please us. It's all a set up for frustration and resentment. But we can do something about it. Send us Fan MailSupport the showBe Encouraged podcast is practical, in the moment, thoughtful encouragement. 

When you watch someone die on your phone it is traumatic. When we learn shocking news almost continually we get overwhelmed. It shouldn't be this way, but it is. How to manage? How to not lose your mind or your emotional balance when the world is so crazy?When we are wounded we need healing. We can't go on collecting wounds and ignore the urgent care we need. There's no cure for this, but there is help. Send us Fan MailSupport the showBe Encouraged podcast is practical, in the moment, thoughtful encouragement. 

We are often so hurried or preoccupied that we miss the sacred when it is right in front of us. What if we noticed more? You might see more if you slow down just a bit, looked and saw. And then you could also let yourself be seen! Listen to this episode for some inspiration for seeing the sacred in the everyday. Send us Fan MailSupport the showBe Encouraged podcast is practical, in the moment, thoughtful encouragement. 

Wouldn't you like your view to be clear? Who wants obstructions in the way when they are trying to see? It is the same in life as in windows, we want to see what we are looking for, not clutter. But what can you do when there are obstructions? Fight reality or complain? Maybe there is another choice. Send us Fan MailSupport the showBe Encouraged podcast is practical, in the moment, thoughtful encouragement. 

Your life will be ruined if you choose wrong, right? It all hangs on each choice. Is decision making easy or hard for you? Do you fear making the wrong decisions? You might be surprised that there is some comfort in accepting your imperfection, your inability to know that each decision is the right one. Send us Fan MailSupport the showBe Encouraged podcast is practical, in the moment, thoughtful encouragement. 

Consider the joy of a box that holds useful things. We are like boxes ourselves, containers holding things. Sometimes we hold little, sometimes just right, often we hold too much. Look around you and see the boxes. They are there. And they are most useful when they hold just the right amount, not too much, not too little. For a lot of reasons, we lean toward holding too much. We should hold faith, commitment, love, and whatever style we are created to be. And we must let go of what we don’t need. Send us Fan MailSupport the showBe Encouraged podcast is practical, in the moment, thoughtful encouragement. 

The bucket of your life that is always pouring out. Lately it is not getting enough to refill it. Self-care isn’t keeping up with your sacrifice of time and attention on others. It seems impossible to keep up with the bad news as the stresses of our world have gotten worse. Listen in for some understanding and tips for carrying on in tough times!Send us Fan MailSupport the showBe Encouraged podcast is practical, in the moment, thoughtful encouragement. 

Have you noticed that your thoughts come and go all day? Each of us has our own  internal running monolgue. Sometimes thoughts seem to chase and torment us. Other thoughts delight us. Either way, we can spend too much time on some of them. We may even "entertain them." Do you want to spend energy "entertaining" your thoughts? Or maybe it would be better to choose which thoughts you want to give time and energy!Send us Fan MailSupport the showBe Encouraged podcast is practical, in the moment, thoughtful encouragement. 

If you don't have the skill of interrupting you need it! Your life and contentment depends on it. Consider why and how to interrupt in your inner life so you can "take your thoughts captive" and not be captive to your thoughts!Send us Fan MailSupport the showBe Encouraged podcast is practical, in the moment, thoughtful encouragement. 

Good sleep requires preparation, and some mental discipline at times. First, put away all screens 30 minutes or more before lying down. Do exercise earlier as well. See your doctor if your lack of sleep is causing physical symptoms.  This episode gives a method that has worked for Jay. And it relates to being more in the moment. It might just do the trick for you!Send us Fan MailSupport the showBe Encouraged podcast is practical, in the moment, thoughtful encouragement. 

Just for fun, here is an episode on spiders! Experiences with them and lessons from them. Don't underestimate small things, especially in nature. See what you think!Send us Fan MailSupport the showBe Encouraged podcast is practical, in the moment, thoughtful encouragement. 

When the world around you seems to be going crazy, what can you do, where do you go to come back to center? Your want to feel safe and grounded. Your nervous system is seeking balance. And we will do almost anything to get balance, often unconsciously.  But how we get there includes some unique techniques. First you must: 1. Identify that you are upset and what upset you, 2. Consider whether its in your control to change, 3. Change it or learn to live with it.    Send us Fan MailSupport the showBe Encouraged podcast is practical, in the moment, thoughtful encouragement. 

You’re riding along and someone says, “brace yourself.” What do you do? You tense up. Tensing up is common these days for all kinds of reasons. But it's helpful to notice when you do it, and learn ways to manage it. The reflex actions like tensing that we do often leads to more harm than good. Consider what else you can do in this episode. Send us Fan MailSupport the showBe Encouraged podcast is practical, in the moment, thoughtful encouragement. 

Here's a great summary of how we often live life: wishing it could be different. We often miss the reality of life because while actual events are happening we are full of thoughts of how it ought to be instead. Like a childish tantrum we say, "I don't like this! I want something else!" This causes us to miss out on real time experience, the imperfect relationship, the less than perfect day, the imperfect you. We’re not present because we reject what is really happening. What if you accepted some of the bad? You might experience the great along the way. Send us Fan MailSupport the showBe Encouraged podcast is practical, in the moment, thoughtful encouragement. 

When life is on automatic pilot, lots of blind spots keep you from seeing, even seeing yourself clearly. Look! Notice what is there, in yourself, and around you. Send us Fan MailSupport the showBe Encouraged podcast is practical, in the moment, thoughtful encouragement. 

We live in an unsettled time. Many different things, from personal to global can make us wary, tense or upset. We go on living but with an unsettled background running all the time. What can you do? Can't control nature or politicians. But we can do some things ourselves to move away from a constant state of vigilance. Send us Fan MailSupport the showBe Encouraged podcast is practical, in the moment, thoughtful encouragement. 

The very word "distraction" indicates being taken away from something and led into something less important. When life distracts us, we lose focus on what we thought we wanted to be doing. We are captured by some seductive idea or passtime that sucks up time and attention. That's normal, but not a good thing. This episode explores distraction and what you should do about it!Send us Fan MailSupport the showBe Encouraged podcast is practical, in the moment, thoughtful encouragement. 

Is there anything worse than blending into the woodwork, not being noticed, not being understood?  It's painful when it happens to you, right? But we can do that same disservice to others. What if we didn't go through our days on autopilot, too busy, or too preoccupied to see the real people all around us? Send us Fan MailSupport the showBe Encouraged podcast is practical, in the moment, thoughtful encouragement. 

How much power do you want? Does life leave you feeling powerless? Do you want to have power to control things? How much do you already have?  Maybe there is another way to look at power.Send us Fan MailSupport the showBe Encouraged podcast is practical, in the moment, thoughtful encouragement. 

Under the surface of every living person is a set of Agendas. They are powerful, and if you don't know they are there, they can be dangerous. Do you want to know what is driving you and hurting others around you? You can be more aware, and possibly let go of unrealistic expectations that make life harder. Send us Fan MailSupport the showBe Encouraged podcast is practical, in the moment, thoughtful encouragement. 

When life gets complicated, we wish it was simple. And it's complicated a lot! Listen in for some ideas to manage life's complexity, and struggles. Maybe the answer is kind of simple. Send us Fan MailSupport the showBe Encouraged podcast is practical, in the moment, thoughtful encouragement. 

Be present in your own life instead of in the stories about other people's lives. From your own life and in your own body you can have live wide awake, not distracted and mindless. I challenge you to fight back against all the noise of marketing, intriguing stories, and problems that are not yours. Send us Fan MailSupport the showBe Encouraged podcast is practical, in the moment, thoughtful encouragement. 

Do you trust easily or do you find it hard to trust people? Either way, trust is important in your life; it's important in everyone's life!It's like a superpower when you've got it, it's like kryptonite when it is missing. If you just don't want to trust, you are setting yourself up for hard times. But of course trust has to be handled carefully. Send us Fan MailSupport the showBe Encouraged podcast is practical, in the moment, thoughtful encouragement. 

It seems there are a lot of voices saying, “be afraid, be very afraid.” There are scary things happening in the world and in our lives. What is the way to respond to fear? We can give in to fear, then it seems to grow larger. We can ignore fear and maybe get ourselves hurt. Check out this episode for tips on managing what you find scary!Send us Fan MailSupport the showBe Encouraged podcast is practical, in the moment, thoughtful encouragement. 

All of life is holding on to some things and letting go of others. What do you hold onto that  makes too much demand on you? What should be experienced and then let go?Consider the philosophy of a cat. They own everything, and nothing. And it works out pretty well for them. Send us Fan MailSupport the showBe Encouraged podcast is practical, in the moment, thoughtful encouragement. 

It is so easy to criticize others. It seems some people just ask for it by doing stupid things! And yet, if we spend enough time criticizing it kind of wears on you. All that negativity thrown on other people splashes back on us. It's a common problem. Listen in to this episode on moving to a different attitude. Send us Fan MailSupport the showBe Encouraged podcast is practical, in the moment, thoughtful encouragement. 

Can you get to a  calm place when things are swirling around you? Or when life gets tough, are you tossed about like the wind into despair?  Your brain can react to the slightest thing, or it can be trained to react appropriately to real threats. Here's how to set yourself up for success when you need resilience. You can't make life's problems go away but you can ride the waves.Send us Fan MailSupport the showBe Encouraged podcast is practical, in the moment, thoughtful encouragement. 

Are you involved with someone who can't seem to manage without you? Do you use a lot of energy to solve other's problems?  Consider what you can do. You can love another person but let them manage themself. You can let go of telling   yourself that you know better (even if you do sometimes).This is setting a boundary; a strong place that is both separate and connected to others. This kind of connection is between individuals who know (as best they can) who they are and who they believe the other to be.  Check out this episode to rethink rescuing or carrying another person. Send us Fan MailSupport the showBe Encouraged podcast is practical, in the moment, thoughtful encouragement. 

Rested. The opposite of tired. Remember rested? Do you know anyone who says, “I’m just so well rested all the time!” Probably not! You’re tired, I’m tired. We are tired a lot of the time. Joint and muscle aches signal fatigue.  Explore together ways toward a rhythm that includes rest!Send us Fan MailSupport the showBe Encouraged podcast is practical, in the moment, thoughtful encouragement. 

Life takes a lot out of us. So like at a bank, there must be deposits we have earlier put in so we can withdraw them when we need to. I'm talking about the ability to stay calm when things are irritating or taxing. The "calm bank" can be built up so withdrawals don't leave you bankrupt, or stressed out or chewing somebody else out! Send us Fan MailSupport the showBe Encouraged podcast is practical, in the moment, thoughtful encouragement. 

This meditation is to get in touch with the part of yourself that struggles to find joy when bad things have happened. Send us Fan MailSupport the showBe Encouraged podcast is practical, in the moment, thoughtful encouragement. 

Can you really know anything in this age of "fake news?" Can you know yourself or anyone else? An ancient verse says we can know when we get still. Listen in to learn more...An archive podcast from the first season of Encouraging Being. Send us Fan MailSupport the showBe Encouraged podcast is practical, in the moment, thoughtful encouragement. 

You want things that are wrong fixed. Everybody does, to some extent or another. Let's talk about it. What do we do with our natural desire for problems to get solved when so often they don't get fixed, or they take longer than we want them to take.Here are 5 reasons why, and a meditation to experience.Send us Fan MailSupport the showBe Encouraged podcast is practical, in the moment, thoughtful encouragement. 

You can notice the small and the large,; you can focus on whatever you choose. It may seem that your mind takes you away or the world decides what you will pay attention to at any given moment. But exercise your ability to choose. It will settle your mind, create some calm. Just notice. Don't worry about doing it perfectly because you won't. But you can see, you can know what is right here now in your experience. And it will be good to see it!This is a revisit to an earlier episode.Send us Fan MailSupport the showBe Encouraged podcast is practical, in the moment, thoughtful encouragement. 

What about keeping things, or letting them go? Which should we do? Everybody needs to hold on sometimes, but other times let go. Letting go might need a bigger place in life, and this episode explores why and how. Send us Fan MailSupport the showBe Encouraged podcast is practical, in the moment, thoughtful encouragement. 

Catch yourself when you get distracted! Notice when you "are all over the place." Everybody seems to do it but there is a better way. Getting this right can reduce anxiety, lower anger, and build up a sense of peaceful confidence. Humans are marvelously complex. But we can only handle so much. Learn a simple means to be a better person, and get some relief from the tide that seems to want to wash you away. This episode from the archives is a powerful summary of key concepts in being more focused and balanced in life.Send us Fan MailSupport the showBe Encouraged podcast is practical, in the moment, thoughtful encouragement. 

How do you know? How do you know anything? We take in information through our eyes, ears and other senses. We accept it or not. Or we might get a "gut feeling" and "know" something that way. This episode explores knowing and challenges you to know deeply. From the archives, this episode originally aired in 2022.Send us Fan MailSupport the showBe Encouraged podcast is practical, in the moment, thoughtful encouragement. 

Sometimes the world looks beautiful to us, sometimes it seems horribly broken. The same friend who loves you hurts you. The same dog who consoles you bites. We can complain but it doesn't change anything. And having feelings is real and honest. But the negative feelings or facts don't have to take over. They can be just part of the story. Listen to this episode for a way to see the beauty when the ugly has shown up. Find the sacred in the ordinary. This archive episode is from 2022. Send us Fan MailSupport the showBe Encouraged podcast is practical, in the moment, thoughtful encouragement. 

From the ArchivesHow can you Be okay, when so many bad things are happening?  This episode encourages you to live in the moment even when the present moment kind of stinks!The news has been horrible, with loss and grief, painful violent situations that keep hurting people, like shootings and covered up sexual abuse, and war. These stories run in our minds as we work, sleep, eat, and interact with family. Hopefully where you are right now is safe and pleasant enough. Being more aware of yourself now can be calming, and help you sort out what is most important for you. At any moment terrible things are happening: So, this is the sad state of the world, but…At any moment on the earth, good is happening. How do we live with the good and the bad?Send us Fan MailSupport the showBe Encouraged podcast is practical, in the moment, thoughtful encouragement. 

From the Archives, enjoy this episode on Being Still as an emotional and a spiritual exercise. Listen in for practical tips on living life as something other than "busy person." Go deeper and practice being still for a short time. Meditate a few moments on the scripture that tells us to "be still..."Being still, if only for a short time, makes you calmer. And if you are calmer, you will handle the world differently!Originally published 2/1/22Send us Fan MailSupport the showBe Encouraged podcast is practical, in the moment, thoughtful encouragement. 

If you are struggling you need refuge. It may be from fear, confusion, or feeling alone. In times like that we may look for sanctuary. This episode has tips for finding and getting access to sanctuary in your life. Send us Fan MailSupport the showBe Encouraged podcast is practical, in the moment, thoughtful encouragement. 

If you see things different than me you are wrong of course. And you probably think the same about me. If I work with you, go to school with you, am married to you, I just need to get away from you because your different worldview is harming me. Sounds extreme doesn't it? But this is how many people operate. Maybe there is another way, through humility and grace. Send us Fan MailSupport the showBe Encouraged podcast is practical, in the moment, thoughtful encouragement.