25/09/2024
I’ve been watching this season of Israel’s Amazing Race - המירוץ למיליון.
Other than being entertaining, there’s so much to learn from it.
When watching I’m involved in so much more than the surface story. I love seeing the deeper process - what goes on behind the struggles and successes. What makes someone overcome enormous difficulty and how exactly do they do that?
And this is what I’ve noticed:
All the contestants struggled at points. It was physically grueling and emotionally taxing.
(Sounds like life sometimes, no?)
They fully experienced their frustration to the point of anger or tears.
There were moments of huge triumph and moments of desperate hopelessness.
So what made them get through the tough times?
It came down to 3 things:
* Feeling what they were feeling.
* Encouraging themselves - remembering who they are and what they are capable of.
* Their teammate believing in them and lifting them up.
So let’s break this down a bit.
When they were in the thick of it and struggling - they were experiencing so many different emotions. Frustration, anger and hopelessness, to name a few. Sometimes it got so hard that they froze, lashed out, gave up or cried.
And then something incredible happened.
They changed the way they were speaking.
From: I can’t, I’m not strong enough, This is too hard for me,
they changed their words which changed everything.
They started to encourage themselves and remind themselves of their capabilities and capacity.
They said things like:
I can do this. I am capable of conquering this.
I am strong.
I am determined.
Now is the time! Right now I’m going to finish this.
When their language changed so did everything else. They were more energized. They were more confident and determined. And they succeeded.
There were times that they were struggling so much that there was no way they could pull themselves up. But someone else did - usually their teammate, sometimes even someone from another team. At that moment they needed someone else to believe in them, to see them, know them more than for who they were in this excruciating moment. Remind them of what they can accomplish. Remind them of their capacity and capabilities.
The season is nearly over and the lessons are lasting ones.
* Feel what it is you’re feeling. There’s no value in pushing it under the carpet.
* Listen to the words you’re telling yourself. Are your thoughts dragging you down even further?
* Change your language - not in a false, cheerleader, woohoo way - but in truth, what else do you know to be true about yourself?
* When you’re not able to lift yourself up - look for a helper, reach out to someone who sees the whole of you, who knows who you are beyond this current pain. Let them remind you of who you are.
The thoughts you think create the way you feel, which determines the actions you take or don’t take, which creates your results.
Tune in and notice what you’re thinking.
Change begins in the way you think and talk to yourself.
Be kind, remember your capabilities, and know who you really are!
Shana Tova: May it be a year of safety, return and healing.
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P.S. This is the work that I do with my clients. I give them space and time to feel what they’re feeling and speak out the words they’re thinking.
And then we work on changing their instinctive, often unkind internal thinking. We change the inner talk to be supportive, real, accurate and encouraging.
And that changes everything!
My clients experience relief and hope. They become energized and feel so much more alive.
They feel grounded, heard, valued and confident. They become present in their lives. They remember who they are and become the next, proud version of themselves.
If you're interested in hearing more, message me to set up a time to talk about how we can work together.
