So often we tell ourselves that we need more time, but what we really need is more discipline. We will spend hours every day scrolling or giving ourselves thousands of excuses for not being ready when you're anxious, stuck, or trying to break old patterns to build new ones. Having a plan can be vital. It will be your fallback guide. When your emotions feel overwhelming, it will give you direction. When your mind is spiraling, it takes the decision making out of the moment and saves you from yourself, or at least the version of you that you are today. But let's work on seeing the version of you that is strong, confident, and ready to take on challenges. They are in there and they just need you to be willing. The first step can sometimes be the hardest. So let's talk about it. Hi, and welcome to Block Out the Noise, a space for teens and young adults who are ready to quiet the noise of anxiety, self-doubt, and overthinking, and start building a life built with confidence, courage, and purpose. I'm Jessica Davis, a licensed therapist and mindset coach, and the creator of the Courage Method. I specialize in helping teens and young adults with anxiety, overthinking, and low self-esteem. If you want practical tools to help you in this fight, I've created a free anxiety survival toolkit. You can download it right now. You'll find the link in the show notes. Also, before we dive in, remember, this podcast is here to support and guide you, but it is not a replacement for talking to someone in real life if you're struggling with your mental health. Please reach out to a therapist, and if you're in crisis contact, emergency services, or a local helpline. You don't have to go through it alone. All right, let's cut through the noise and get started. I originally planned to break down the entire 90 day Courage Challenge week by week, but something shifted in me this week. I heard a podcast that inspired me. It was actually by Jay Shetty's wife on how to build discipline that lasts. I also had a conversation with a client that completely confirmed what I needed to say today. So instead of giving you the logistics, I wanna talk about something more fundamental. The importance of not waiting, the power of discipline, and why this matters right now. I know you're probably thinking you have time, you have the rest of the semester, the rest of the year, potentially your whole life ahead, right? Here's what I've learned and what I see with my clients every single day. Waiting is a thief of progress. Someone who watched the same video that I did, actually, they were the ones who sent me the video, said that Jay Shetty's wife doesn't understand and she isn't going through what she's going through, and made me think that others may have the same thought about the 90 day current challenge. It's true. I'm not going through exactly what you're going through, but I really don't believe you have to go through the same pain to get to the other side. The goal isn't for me to climb into the same box you're in. The goal is that you see that you can get yourself out of the box. The goal is for you to believe that you can create whatever lifestyle you want for yourself. I want you to see that you can break free. I no longer want you to say that. I'll wait till Monday, or I'll be ready next month or even next year. It's right around the corner, right? We're only a couple months away. I want you to say, I'm tired of this, and I'm starting today. I want you to stop dealing with the constant disappointment of making promises to yourself that you don't keep your words matter more than anyone else's. They have so much value. We think that other people's words set us back, but we somehow negate the words that we say to ourselves like they don't have an impact. This isn't designed to make you feel guilty. This is to help you acknowledge your own power. And I've seen what happens when you do. This week I had a session with a client that completely reinforced why I'm doing the 90 day Courage Challenge. She shared with me that this semester has been a complete 180 from the last semester. Literally night and day difference. Last semester. She was struggling. Anxiety was winning. Honestly, she wasn't facing the world. She was staying in bed. She wasn't caring for herself. She spent most days in sweatpants and avoided almost everything. But this semester, she is thriving, and as we talked about her progress, it came down to two things, mindset and discipline. She made a conscious decision. She said, I'm not going to make decisions based on what others think anymore, and I'm going to take care of myself. And then this is the crucial part. She actually followed through with the discipline. She started making her bed in the morning. She started being intentional about what she wore. Instead of picking sweatpants, she started showing up as the person she wanted to become. Even when she didn't feel like it, she started attending classes even when they were boring. But the best part of the story is that this could be anyone's story. It could be anyone's journey of getting to a place where they are proud of. She is making so much progress in such a short period of time. That's the magic of discipline, paired with mindset. I think we overcomplicate things Sometimes we think that the reason we're stuck is because we have been dealt this bad hand, and yes, sometimes life has, some of you listening here have experienced trauma loss situations that absolutely weren't fair, and I'm not dismissing that. I think it's important to acknowledge the pain, but I also think it's important to not let the pain win if we sit. And it's so long, we will believe that this is all we have and all we know. The people who break through who transformed their lives aren't the ones without difficulties. They're the ones who decided that their discipline matters more than their feelings in the moment, they still have self-doubt. They still have fears and worries and days where they don't wanna get out of bed, but they're so locked in on their discipline and their mindset that even with all the noise. They're certain about one thing, they're going to move forward. It doesn't matter if your goal is emotional growth, better grades, healthier relationships, managing your anxiety or building confidence, working on applying to new jobs. What matters is that you're working towards something. And you're disciplined about it. Here's something powerful I learned. When you're disciplined with your mental health practices, you find emotional freedom. When you're disciplined with your morning routine, your entire day flows differently. When you're disciplined about your spending, you have more financial stability. The person who can pause, who can stick to the hard thing, even when it's uncomfortable, that's where the power lies. Because let's be honest, it is easy to give in, especially in the day and age that we live in, where distraction is kink. It is easy to scroll for hours, to skip a workout, to avoid a difficult conversation, to stay in your comfort zone. But the person who can do the hard thing, that's a whole new level of strength. So I'm asking you what would happen if for the next 90 days. You actually went all in. What would that look like for you? Close your eyes for a second and visualize it. What would your morning look like if you were that person? What would your afternoon look like? What would you be doing in the evening? How would you handle stress? How would you talk to yourself? How would it feel to get to the end of the day and know you showed up for yourself even when it was hard? The more you visualize yourself doing what you may feel is impossible, the more your brain will believe the impossible is possible. Here's something we need to talk about. Our generation has been conditioned to expect immediate results. We post something and get instant feedback. We watch videos at two x speed. We expect that if we put in a couple weeks of effort, we should see months or even years worth of progress. But it doesn't work like that. Real change, lasting transformation, the kind of growth that actually sticks, it takes consistent effort over time, and I think this is one of the biggest challenges we face. We start something we don't see results in a couple of weeks and we quit, then we feel even worse about ourselves. But what if you gave yourself three full months to see what discipline and consistency can actually do? Not just dabbling, not just trying when you feel like it, but showing up every single day, even on the days when you feel anxious. Overwhelmed, or like you're not making progress. Here's some hard truths that Jay Shetty's wife shared on her podcast. One, you don't need more time. You need more discipline. Check your screen time right now. Look at how many hours you spent last week. Scrolling. That's your answer to where your extra time is going. Two. Waiting until you feel ready means waiting forever. Action creates readiness, not the other way around. You will never feel a hundred percent ready to face your fears, to change your habits, or to become the new version of yourself. You just have to start three. Motivation without action is just daydreaming. This one hurts 'cause I love to watch a motivational video all day long. I love listening to podcasts and watching YouTube videos. And I am a huge goal setter, but it's true. If I don't actually put the work in, then I'm in the same place that I was before. Or you can have excuses or results, but you cannot have both. She was dropping truth bombs throughout this entire podcast episode, and it's so true. Every single excuse costs you a piece of the life that you say you want. Every time you choose comfort over growth, you're choosing to stay stuck. I think when people hear things like this, it really does hurt. It stings, but if you look at it on the other side, this means that you have way more control than you've been giving yourself. And oftentimes anxiety is about wanting control. So when you start to say, I'm going to be more accountable to fight those excuses and push through and do what I need to get done, the more you're going to reduce your anxiety and the better you will feel. And five, your comfort zone is keeping you anxious and unfulfilled. We have talked about this on previous episodes, but. It's true anxiety makes you want to stay safe, but safety is actually keeping you trapped. Real safety comes from building confidence through action, not from avoiding everything that scares you. This is why I can't stress enough. Planning is everything. The more you plan, the easier it is to do what you need to do. Not having a plan is usually the reason why we have no movement, discipline with action. With no plan actually leads to frustration. Let me say that again. Discipline with action, but without a plan will lead to frustration, and this is the only thing you get from this episode. It's make a plan. The client I was referring to earlier, she probably isn't fully aware of it, but she made a plan. She decided that she would have non-negotiables about how she starts her day. She would have non-negotiables about going to class. That's a plan. She also had a plan about how she would navigate doing things outside of her comfort zone. She saw improvement in every aspect by having a plan. I share this because even if you don't sign up for the 90 Day Courage Challenge, you can create your own plan. I have even built you a little cheat sheet on doing this yourself. You can get it for free. You can find the link in the show notes because I want everyone to win, but if you want more help and support, this is where the 90 Day Courage Challenge comes in. It's not just about having goals. It's about having a structured plan, daily guidance and support so you don't feel alone in this process. The nine Day Courage Challenge starts October 3rd. It is right around the corner, and if you're one of the first 10 people to join, you'll get a free 30 minute Jumpstart coaching call. We'll break down the biggest blocks holding me back and what you wanna get from this experience. I want you to see that. Discipline plus action plus plan, plus support equals transformation. Your plan becomes your structure. When your emotions are messy, it gives you direction when your mind is spiraling. Don't wait until the morning to decide what you're going to do. Plan week to week, because when you wake up anxious or unmotivated, you won't have the energy to negotiate with yourself. I don't know if you've ever done it in the mornings. I know I have, and it's not a fun time. When you follow a plan, you will unlock something you didn't even know you were capable of. You will start building evidence as Rodia says. I hope I pronounced her name correctly. Sorry if I didn't. That's why I've been calling her Jay, she's wife, but at least you'll know how to find her. You create this bank of proof that you are capable of showing up even when you don't feel like it. And that's how confidence is built. Sometimes I think it's crazy to think how much can change so quickly. We think change takes long, but it's habits that takes long to formulate. Change can happen rapidly at first. Knowing that can be scary. I used to say as a teen, I hate change, but I really loved it. I didn't want to stay in the same classroom. That was for sure. I definitely didn't wanna stay with the same kids forever. That would not have been fun. I didn't wanna stay in the same job. I surely didn't want to sit in the same insecurities of Maori. What I didn't like was the unknown, but really the unknown. If we embrace it, it's possibilities. We think that unknown is negative and scary, but it can be beautiful and exciting too. There are unknowns when it comes to the 90 day courage challenge. I have never done this before, and yet I wholeheartedly believe that the people who join will have an unforgettable experience and transformation. I know this because I visualize it, I plan for it, and I commit to making that happen. This challenge isn't about just. Achieving goals. It's about learning that you can trust yourself. It's about building discipline in a supportive environment where you're not alone. The clients I work with who are making changes, they're not super human. They don't have perfect lives. They have anxiety, fears, self-doubt, difficult circumstances, but they have the right mindset and the discipline to follow through. They have support. They're not trying to figure it out alone. That's why I created this challenge, because I was tired of hearing and watching young people struggle knowing that everything they need is already inside of them, but they're missing the structure and support to actually make it happen. I'm not gonna lie to you. This won't be easy. Consistency and commitment. Feel uncomfortable. I. You might feel pressure, you might feel anxious about sticking to a schedule. You might worry about failing. You might be feeling all these things right now as you listen to me wanting to take a leap, but afraid to do it, and I get it. But here's what I want you to know. I know that you can do it. I know that regardless of if you join or not. If you download the cheat sheet and put forth effort, you can and will see change. For those who join, I am so excited for us to track where you are today to where you will be months from now. October 3rd is approaching fast. Don't let later steal this chance. Click the link, grab your spot, and if you're one of the first 10 people, I am looking forward to our jumpstart call. Stop waiting. Start moving. This is your moment. Seize it. Thank you so much for listening. Until next time, keep moving forward. Trust yourself and never forget you have what it takes to block out the noise.