WEBVTT 00:00:15.710 --> 00:00:18.730 Hey everyone, my name is Austin and welcome back 00:00:18.730 --> 00:00:20.809 to another episode of Unfiltered Thoughts with 00:00:20.809 --> 00:00:23.370 Austin. If you are just tuning in for the first 00:00:23.370 --> 00:00:25.710 time, I would encourage you to click off of this 00:00:25.710 --> 00:00:28.949 episode and go and listen to the first episode 00:00:28.949 --> 00:00:32.109 titled, The Art in Finding Happiness in the Unlikely, 00:00:32.250 --> 00:00:34.750 Part 1. Please tune into this episode once you're 00:00:34.750 --> 00:00:40.179 finished with the previous one. Today I am thrilled 00:00:40.179 --> 00:00:42.579 to continue our journey together and exploring 00:00:42.579 --> 00:00:45.640 those little and big moments that bring light 00:00:45.640 --> 00:00:48.340 into our lives, especially during tough times. 00:00:48.619 --> 00:00:50.960 This is part two of a two -part episode where 00:00:50.960 --> 00:00:54.179 we dive deep into the personal anecdotes shared 00:00:54.179 --> 00:00:57.340 by you guys. Stories filled with resilience and 00:00:57.340 --> 00:01:00.399 transformation and most importantly, joy. Let's 00:01:00.399 --> 00:01:03.299 start with a little reminder of the psychological 00:01:03.299 --> 00:01:05.599 benefits of focusing on the positives in our 00:01:05.599 --> 00:01:09.739 lives. Research shows that When we actively seek 00:01:09.739 --> 00:01:13.019 out the silver lining in our experiences, we 00:01:13.019 --> 00:01:15.219 can significantly boost our mental well -being. 00:01:15.280 --> 00:01:18.459 It's a skill we can all develop. The act of shifting 00:01:18.459 --> 00:01:20.760 our perspectives from what's wrong to what's 00:01:20.760 --> 00:01:24.620 right, from what we've lost to what remains, 00:01:25.000 --> 00:01:28.859 is a practice that not only uplifts us, but also 00:01:28.859 --> 00:01:32.480 inspires those around us. Today, we're not just 00:01:32.480 --> 00:01:34.920 recounting stories of struggle. We're celebrating 00:01:34.920 --> 00:01:37.560 the triumphs that arise from them. And speaking 00:01:37.560 --> 00:01:40.480 of triumphs, let's dive into the first story, 00:01:40.620 --> 00:01:42.719 a powerful testament to resilience and hope. 00:01:42.799 --> 00:01:45.400 Life can throw us curveballs that leave us feeling 00:01:45.400 --> 00:01:47.980 lost and overwhelmed. But as we'll discover together, 00:01:48.260 --> 00:01:50.700 those very challenges can lead to unexpected 00:01:50.700 --> 00:01:53.760 opportunities and even silver linings that we 00:01:53.760 --> 00:01:56.719 never saw coming. I'd love to share a listener's 00:01:56.719 --> 00:01:58.780 story that beautifully illustrates this point. 00:01:59.239 --> 00:02:02.459 Lindsay wrote to me about when her mom was diagnosed 00:02:02.459 --> 00:02:05.480 with breast cancer. Initially, it felt like the 00:02:05.480 --> 00:02:08.500 end of the world. Seer in uncertainty clouded 00:02:08.500 --> 00:02:11.500 her thoughts. She didn't know what would have 00:02:11.500 --> 00:02:15.419 happened if she lost her mom. She trusted God 00:02:15.419 --> 00:02:19.340 that he would heal her. But over time, she started 00:02:19.340 --> 00:02:22.060 creating these scenarios in her head about the 00:02:22.060 --> 00:02:24.819 situation that ultimately dug her into a deep 00:02:24.819 --> 00:02:27.680 depressive hole. But as time went on, she decided 00:02:27.680 --> 00:02:30.280 that enough was enough. She said she leaned on 00:02:30.280 --> 00:02:32.139 the support of her friends and family around 00:02:32.139 --> 00:02:35.139 her and asked them, all to pray that God would 00:02:35.139 --> 00:02:38.219 heal her mom. God eventually healed her mom and 00:02:38.219 --> 00:02:41.699 and now she says she's cancer free. Well, got 00:02:41.699 --> 00:02:45.139 Lindsay through this tough experience was the 00:02:45.139 --> 00:02:47.699 fact that she had countless people to lean on. 00:02:47.840 --> 00:02:50.280 She had daily devotionals and went on the occasional 00:02:50.280 --> 00:02:53.379 prayer walk. She said she found gratitude in 00:02:53.379 --> 00:02:55.979 being comfortable about asking people for help 00:02:55.979 --> 00:02:58.560 and receiving help as well as knowing that God 00:02:58.560 --> 00:03:01.550 was always going to be there for her. and all 00:03:01.550 --> 00:03:03.930 she had to do was spend time with people that 00:03:03.930 --> 00:03:06.349 God brought into her life as well as God himself. 00:03:06.650 --> 00:03:08.830 She expressed how this experience taught her 00:03:08.830 --> 00:03:11.069 the importance of leaning on family, friends, 00:03:11.210 --> 00:03:13.789 and God. An incredibly uplifting reminder that 00:03:13.789 --> 00:03:16.569 sometimes when life gives us challenges, we can 00:03:16.569 --> 00:03:19.169 always lean on friends, family, and God for more 00:03:19.169 --> 00:03:21.770 support. Before we dive into some practical tips, 00:03:22.009 --> 00:03:25.110 let me ask you this. Have you ever found joy 00:03:25.110 --> 00:03:28.169 in an unexpected place? Think about it. When 00:03:28.169 --> 00:03:31.110 we let go of the need to control every aspect 00:03:31.110 --> 00:03:34.330 of our lives, we open ourselves up to new experiences 00:03:34.330 --> 00:03:37.349 that can lead to happiness. Here are some practical 00:03:37.349 --> 00:03:40.129 tips for embracing uncertainty with open arms. 00:03:40.629 --> 00:03:43.250 First of all, we need to practice mindfulness. 00:03:43.550 --> 00:03:46.889 Engage in mindfulness practices like meditation 00:03:46.889 --> 00:03:49.909 or deep breathing techniques. This can help ground 00:03:49.909 --> 00:03:52.509 you in the present moment and reduce anxiety 00:03:52.509 --> 00:03:55.770 about the future. And secondly, let's create 00:03:56.579 --> 00:04:00.740 flexibility mindset. Instead of rigid plans, 00:04:01.419 --> 00:04:04.139 try to cultivate a mindset that welcomes flexibility, 00:04:04.360 --> 00:04:07.280 allowing yourself to pivot and adapt. This can 00:04:07.280 --> 00:04:10.680 lead to creativity and innovation in your thinking. 00:04:12.439 --> 00:04:17.360 And then let's celebrate small wins. Focus on 00:04:17.360 --> 00:04:19.279 the little victories in your day -to -day life, 00:04:19.319 --> 00:04:21.779 whether it's finishing a book or discovering 00:04:21.779 --> 00:04:24.620 a new favorite recipe. These moments matter. 00:04:24.949 --> 00:04:28.970 Let's cultivate gratitude. Keep a gratitude journal 00:04:28.970 --> 00:04:32.209 by regularly writing down what you're thankful 00:04:32.209 --> 00:04:39.069 for. You'll start to shift your focus away from 00:04:39.069 --> 00:04:41.389 what's uncertain, what's abundant in your life. 00:04:41.750 --> 00:04:45.389 And then lastly, connect with others. Share your 00:04:45.389 --> 00:04:47.709 feelings and experiences with friends or family. 00:04:48.250 --> 00:04:50.829 You'll often find that you're not alone in your 00:04:50.829 --> 00:04:54.069 uncertainties. And there's comfort in community. 00:04:54.430 --> 00:04:57.230 Speaking of community, gratitude plays a huge 00:04:57.230 --> 00:04:59.870 role in strengthening our bonds with others. 00:05:00.790 --> 00:05:03.230 I want to highlight some incredible stories we've 00:05:03.230 --> 00:05:05.769 received about people coming together during 00:05:05.769 --> 00:05:08.949 hardships. It's truly inspiring how adversity 00:05:08.949 --> 00:05:12.129 often brings out the best in humanity. Another 00:05:12.129 --> 00:05:16.470 touching story comes from Colt. For Cole's entire 00:05:16.470 --> 00:05:19.209 life, he lived a very healthy and athletic lifestyle. 00:05:19.329 --> 00:05:21.089 He said he was in the best shape of his life 00:05:21.089 --> 00:05:24.089 when he was about 24 years old. Well, one day 00:05:24.089 --> 00:05:26.589 he said he was squatting at the gym and a disc 00:05:26.589 --> 00:05:30.269 in his back pinched the sciatic nerve. He said 00:05:30.269 --> 00:05:32.889 that due to the injury, he endured daily pain. 00:05:33.709 --> 00:05:36.629 He could barely put his socks and shoes on. Some 00:05:36.629 --> 00:05:38.730 time had passed and he thought he was healed 00:05:38.730 --> 00:05:41.790 from his injury. So he went to play some basketball 00:05:41.790 --> 00:05:44.939 and when he jumped up to make a basket, He said 00:05:44.939 --> 00:05:47.399 he felt something really bad, and when he landed, 00:05:47.579 --> 00:05:49.939 he felt something even worse. He said the next 00:05:49.939 --> 00:05:52.579 morning he couldn't even walk. The pain from 00:05:52.579 --> 00:05:55.600 his sciatic nerve went from his lower back to 00:05:55.600 --> 00:05:59.079 his hip, to his hamstring, and his calf. And 00:05:59.079 --> 00:06:01.720 at some time, he said the pain would reach his 00:06:01.720 --> 00:06:05.339 foot. He said he was bed -dressed for an entire 00:06:05.339 --> 00:06:08.480 summer. From hitting a super active lifestyle 00:06:08.480 --> 00:06:11.439 to being bed -dressed, it was a shock. It was 00:06:11.439 --> 00:06:13.480 horrible. It was a horrible experience for him. 00:06:13.579 --> 00:06:15.439 He said he couldn't even go to the bathroom and 00:06:15.439 --> 00:06:17.839 shower without pain. After a while with physical 00:06:17.839 --> 00:06:21.540 therapy, he felt better physically, but emotionally, 00:06:21.819 --> 00:06:24.480 he said he was crushed because that summer he 00:06:24.480 --> 00:06:27.899 had signed up to be a leader at a church summer 00:06:27.899 --> 00:06:30.579 camp. He said he was still able to go, but he 00:06:30.579 --> 00:06:33.139 had to drive everywhere and couldn't participate 00:06:33.139 --> 00:06:36.519 in much or anything at all. He said that during 00:06:36.519 --> 00:06:39.060 worship, He couldn't even stand to praise God, 00:06:39.379 --> 00:06:43.779 and that was devastating for him. He felt like 00:06:43.779 --> 00:06:47.060 he was letting God down at the moment, but the 00:06:47.060 --> 00:06:48.699 one thing that got him through it was a good 00:06:48.699 --> 00:06:51.300 set of friends. He said that they rallied beside 00:06:51.300 --> 00:06:53.500 him. One of them told Cole that he didn't have 00:06:53.500 --> 00:06:56.519 to stand up to worship God. You can worship God 00:06:56.519 --> 00:06:58.779 right where you are, and he will receive just 00:06:58.779 --> 00:07:01.680 as much. In that moment, Cole recounts just sitting 00:07:01.680 --> 00:07:07.800 down and lifting his hands during a song. story 00:07:07.800 --> 00:07:11.360 comes from Nicole and similarly to Cole it highlights 00:07:11.360 --> 00:07:14.500 navigating pain and loss only this time it's 00:07:14.500 --> 00:07:16.779 an emotional struggle rather than a physical 00:07:16.779 --> 00:07:20.180 one. Back in 2018 she lost her grandmother to 00:07:20.180 --> 00:07:22.899 dementia and Alzheimer's. At first she said she 00:07:22.899 --> 00:07:25.740 didn't know how to feel because she was feeling 00:07:25.740 --> 00:07:28.600 so many emotions and they were conflicting with 00:07:28.600 --> 00:07:31.800 each other. She and her grandma weren't particularly 00:07:31.800 --> 00:07:35.680 close but at the same time She often felt like 00:07:35.680 --> 00:07:38.120 she lost someone that she could have had a whole 00:07:38.120 --> 00:07:40.199 life with. Nicole had a lot of things in common 00:07:40.199 --> 00:07:42.779 with her grandma, like art and music. She says 00:07:42.779 --> 00:07:45.459 she even felt lost on how to mourn her, and felt 00:07:45.459 --> 00:07:48.040 even worse with the advice she was given. Didn't 00:07:48.040 --> 00:07:50.160 hear a thing, but often hear things like, stay 00:07:50.160 --> 00:07:53.000 busy and try not to dwell in any sad feelings 00:07:53.000 --> 00:07:55.439 so you don't fall into depression and waste time. 00:07:55.720 --> 00:07:58.079 Or, she's no longer with us so she's no longer 00:07:58.079 --> 00:08:02.139 suffering. So, don't be sad anymore. And it's 00:08:02.139 --> 00:08:04.310 in the past now. She said she found herself torn 00:08:04.310 --> 00:08:07.029 up by the thought of what it meant to have lost 00:08:07.029 --> 00:08:09.670 her grandma before really even getting too close 00:08:09.670 --> 00:08:11.889 to her. She said she was grateful for her close 00:08:11.889 --> 00:08:15.670 friend and his words of comfort and advice. The 00:08:15.670 --> 00:08:17.689 advice he gave her was that it's okay to sit 00:08:17.689 --> 00:08:20.230 with her feelings, allow herself to cry, and 00:08:20.230 --> 00:08:23.750 see God. She said that in her time of distress, 00:08:24.110 --> 00:08:26.889 she was thankful for his fate and found his understanding 00:08:26.889 --> 00:08:30.069 of her pain and sadness to help her find peace 00:08:30.069 --> 00:08:34.179 with her grandmother. her grandma's past. She 00:08:34.179 --> 00:08:36.899 said she's grateful for him and uses that same 00:08:36.899 --> 00:08:39.399 advice today and shares it with others. As we 00:08:39.399 --> 00:08:42.000 reflect on these stories, let's remember that 00:08:42.000 --> 00:08:45.340 tough times can lead to remarkable transformations, 00:08:45.940 --> 00:08:48.320 not just for ourselves, but for the communities 00:08:48.320 --> 00:08:51.360 we inhabit. It's during those difficult seasons 00:08:51.360 --> 00:08:53.659 that we often discover the greatest depths of 00:08:53.659 --> 00:08:55.799 our strengths and the warmth of human connection. 00:08:55.980 --> 00:08:58.559 To every one of you who is listening to this, 00:08:58.730 --> 00:09:01.090 Your experiences are invaluable. And by sharing 00:09:01.090 --> 00:09:04.210 them, we can inspire one another and build a 00:09:04.210 --> 00:09:07.070 tapestry of resilience that we can all draw from. 00:09:07.389 --> 00:09:09.830 As we wrap up today's episode, let's take a moment 00:09:09.830 --> 00:09:12.590 to celebrate those delightful moments of joy 00:09:12.590 --> 00:09:16.450 that come when we least expect them. Whether 00:09:16.450 --> 00:09:18.730 it's a kind word from a friend or a community 00:09:18.730 --> 00:09:21.269 of people rallying together beside each other 00:09:21.269 --> 00:09:23.830 and being there for a friend in need of some 00:09:23.830 --> 00:09:26.860 support or whatever it might be. Let's remember 00:09:26.860 --> 00:09:29.340 that happiness often lies just around the corner. 00:09:29.500 --> 00:09:31.139 Thank you for joining me on this journey today. 00:09:31.759 --> 00:09:34.440 I hope you feel inspired to look for the silver 00:09:34.440 --> 00:09:36.740 linings in your life to embrace the joys that 00:09:36.740 --> 00:09:40.039 come from uncertainty. Join me next week as I 00:09:40.039 --> 00:09:43.399 dive deep into the nuanced distinction between 00:09:43.399 --> 00:09:46.360 loneliness and solitude. As we navigate a world 00:09:46.360 --> 00:09:48.820 increasingly shaped by social media, feelings 00:09:48.820 --> 00:09:52.220 of isolation can easily creep in, often blurring 00:09:52.220 --> 00:09:54.279 lines between being alone and feeling lonely. 00:09:54.730 --> 00:09:57.570 Join me as we explore the psychological benefits 00:09:57.570 --> 00:10:00.610 of embracing solitude, stereopractical tips for 00:10:00.610 --> 00:10:03.129 carving out intentional quiet time, and discover 00:10:03.129 --> 00:10:06.230 how to transform new feelings of loneliness into 00:10:06.230 --> 00:10:08.250 opportunities for meaningful connections. Whether 00:10:08.250 --> 00:10:10.570 you're seeking peace and stillness, or looking 00:10:10.570 --> 00:10:12.870 to cultivate deeper relationships with others, 00:10:13.429 --> 00:10:16.389 this episode will equip you with the tools to 00:10:16.389 --> 00:10:19.250 foster a healthier mindset around your personal 00:10:19.250 --> 00:10:22.590 space and social interactions. Tune in for another 00:10:23.969 --> 00:10:28.090 unfiltered conversation that encourages reflection 00:10:28.090 --> 00:10:31.549 and growth. Until next time, stay authentic and 00:10:31.549 --> 00:10:44.730 keep seeking a fresh one.