Mindful in 5 Podcast Title: Renew
Keywords
peace, mindset, life, mindful, hope, episode, resilience, despair, wailing, book, pivot, season, pivotal, stories, optimism, contentment, joseph, fall, finds, happy easter everyone
Transcript
0:00 Hello and welcome to Mindful in 5, helping you discover your peaceful path. I'm your host Spiwe Jefferson, author of the Mindful in 5 book series.
0:14 It's Easter as we record this episode, so Happy Easter everyone! (grand sound). Life can be a little bit crooked, where if someone asks you how things are going, you might say, fine, except for this one thing. Sometimes life can be a lot crooked, where that thing might be big enough to throw you into your dark season. A job loss, a difficult relationship at work, other significant problems at work or at home, or you might just fall into a bout of sadness or depression. The title of today's episode is “Renew”, a pivotal action that transforms despair into hope, turmoil into peace long before your external circumstances change.
01:20 Renewal allows us to pivot our mindset from despair to hope, from turmoil to peace. It fosters resilience and optimism. If you missed it, check out episodes 70 and 71 on optimism, which isn't just about being born happy fact, it's not about that at all, but empowers you to create a credible plan of action, among other things, in order to get to the point where you are able to shift your mindset into a better framework. Both episodes are linked in the notes for this podcast. So let's explore some examples.
02:05 Once upon a time, in ancient times, there was a poet named Habakkuk. He was deeply distressed as you witnessed his society crumble under the weight of invasion, depravity and moral decay. Sound familiar? He lamented and cried out in protest at the injustice and social degradation. But amid this chaos, he chose hope over despair, joy over sorrow by shifting his mindset and through his words, he found a serene peace.
02:41 Next, meet Paul imprisoned not for crimes but for his unshakable belief in justice. He's sitting in prison suffering from chronic pain, but rather than falling on the floor and wailing in his cell, he teaches his jailers about love and forgiveness. He finds contentment within himself, writing letters about joy that would inspire hope and resilience for generations to come.
03:09 Next, meet Joseph, a young visionary favored by his father and therefore hated by his brothers. He was sold into slavery by his jealous brothers. Despite wrongful imprisonment in Egypt after resisting advances from Potiphar’s wife, he maintained hope, leveraging his dream interpretation skills, Joseph ascended to a trusted advisor position for the Pharaoh himself, averting famine and saving the lives of many.
03:44 Finally, there was Job, a wealthy man who in the space of a short time lost everything, his wealth, his family, his help. At the outset, he wallowed in despair, wishing he was dead, and questioned his fate. I think this story shows us that it's okay to express our unhappiness and discomfort when we go through a dark season. Yet in the end, Job makes that pivot from despair to hope. He finds profound peace and is ultimately restored to prosperity beyond his previous state.
04:24 Some of you already know that all these stories come from the Bible. Their value isn't confined to religious study. They are at their heart a manual for living our best lives. They teach us that mindset is pivotal. Resilience, peace and personal growth aren't triggered by external events, but from within this power to shift your mindset is available to you, regardless of your faith or the season of your life or what's happening in the world out there.
05:00 Personally, I have had long and short dark seasons and I'm sure you have too. Years ago, I went through a divorce and that dark season lasted for years. I was like Job - started out with a wailing and gnashing of teeth. Why me? How did my life come to this? What's happening, all that. But ultimately, I found peace in my circumstance. And ironically, that was when restoration and joy came.
05:32 Reflect on your own journey and seek renewal. pivot towards finding peace and contentment, drawing from biblical principle of seeking to receive. I like to say you attract what you reflect. Concentrating on lack only magnifies discontent, obscuring your blessings. Instead, intentionally manage your mindset and thoughts. As one guest Miguel advised, make the decision that makes you well.
06:04 One significant step you can take is figure out if there’s something you can do about the thing that is troubling you in this moment. So if you’re worried about war, famine, starvation in the world, ask yourself, is there something I can do about this personally right now? Maybe you can donate money. Maybe you can pray. Maybe you can support somebody if you know of someone who's living in that region. Take the action you can and then let it go. Because there is a lot that you personally cannot control. So try not to worry about the things that you cannot control. Let the stories inspire you to embrace renewal, finding your path to peace. Thank you for listening. Until next week, this is Spiwe saying be mindful and be well.
James@DiscovertheVoice
07:08 Thank you for listening to Mindful in 5. If you enjoyed it, share it with a friend. Follow and rate it on your favorite podcast platform. Pick up your signed copy of the book in journal from SpiweJefferson.com or unsigned copies from Amazon, Barnes and Noble or wherever you get your books. Visit SpiweJefferson.com to download sample chapters of the book, watch videos and become a mindful ninja. Join us on the LinkedIn Mindful in 5 group and share your thoughts. Until next time, be mindful and be well.