StephUp Podcast

A little sneak peak reading of my book "What Should Dragon Do?""Dragon, Racer and Scout are friends and roommates who get along most of the time. But living together can be hard too. Many times, Dragon gets very angry and doesn't always say or do the nicest things. Come join the adventures of Dragon, Racer and Scout as they learn to live with each other and find out the answers to what should Dragon do?"This is a book for ages 3-6 but not just limited to children. I know I need to remind myself of how to still be open and kind even when I'm angry or tired or annoyed."This is a great book for kids and adults alike. For anyone who has, is, or will be living with other people." - Sarah P. Book available for purchase through my website:www.stephanieannwebb.onlineAlso available on Kindle.

In this episode, I talk about my own experiences coming from a culture of fundamentalist evangelicalism. I wasn't super fundamentalist, more on the lighter side but it was nonetheless.I discuss the authoritarian teaching, the control and fear used in the culture and with the people I've known. This is my own experience and does not reflect everyone, however, there are a lot of people who can speak to the same experiences as I, so this is way more common that you might imagine. I'm still working through and healing from a lot of it and while it is still painful at times, I'm also grateful for my experiences and my past because this is me and I can understand it and empathize with those who are still in it and those who are breaking free.

Today is Thanksgiving here in Canada. We talk a lot about being thankful for what we have and how important that is but do we really know how? I know for many years, I would say I was grateful for something but then complain about it the next minute. I wasn't embodying thankfulness and I wasn't living with gratitude. It is more than saying it. When we start to attach feelings to what we are grateful for, it becomes so much more than the words. And living with gratitude can start to change our lives in better and healthier ways.

Are you aware when judgment pops up in your life? Whether it's directed at others for their actions or appearance, or turned inward as self-criticism, judgment can have a significant impact on us. I know judgment well. It was a big part of my environment growing up and it became ingrained in my mindset. I judged everyone around me but none more harshly than myself. This created a major roadblock in my life for many years. Understanding ourselves and knowing the triggers behind those thoughts and feelings is a huge step in moving away from being judgmental. Adopting compassion and letting go of perfectionism and comparison and focusing on our personal growth are essential steps in this transformative journey.

"If nothing changes, nothing changes" This is a true statement but we must also recognize that it can sometimes be used to pressure us into making decisions that do not align with who we are. Often, people suggest we push through discomfort by changing our mindset, but it’s crucial to discern whether this discomfort comes from fear or if its our intuition signaling that something isn’t right.Change is naturally uncomfortable, and our bodies resist it. However, when we pursue what truly aligns with us, it may feel scary but also undeniably right. The key is to trust our inner knowing and not force ourselves into paths that don’t feel aligned. Meaningful change comes from a place of authenticity, self-awareness, and courage. It’s about embracing change that feels both challenging and deeply right, rather than conforming to others' expectations.We can learn to trust our journey, embrace growth, and make decisions that resonate with our true selves. This may take time and it takes knowing yourself but do not give up hope. It is possible.

Last week, I was listening to a live talk on the Noom Vibe app by podcaster and Recovery Mentor, Martin Jon Garcia. He does the "Tao of the Day" and you can pick a number between 1 and 81 to get the Tao of the Day. I went up as a guest on his live and it was such an encouraging talk that challenged me. I picked the number 7 and this is what MartinJon read to me:#7 – The Wisdom of Not Having PreferenceTao is infinite.It doesn’t grow old or tired.Because it has no preference for itself. It can always persist.The master puts her self lastAnd always finds herself first. By being detached from preference.She can give herself to what isAnd find fulfillment there. I broke down crying because this spoke to me as I just want to “arrive” already. Some days I want to forgo the journey and be in a place of complete healing and be like those people who are so eloquent and who are in a much better place. But like they say “the joy is in the journey” and detach yourself from this idea of “arriving”. You can check out MartinJon at his website: www.martinjon.comDownload the Noom Vibe app:Apple:  https://apps.apple.com/us/app/noom-vibe-healthy-habits/id1576484544Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.socialaudio.wisdom&hl=en_US&pli=1

This little light of mine...I'm going to let it shine. In spite of what others think or say and especially in spite of ourselves. Sometimes we feel like we are being that best version of ourselves and other times we feel like the little kid who isn't allowed to sit at the adult table. Or maybe that's just me.I was given advice to not be selfish with what I have to offer. To shine my light, even when it seems I don't have any or when I have just a tiny little flame. You never know when what you have to offer could help someone else.

This is a live I did on the Noom Vibe app (check it out in your Apple Store or Google Play!)There are no limits to how far we can go and who we can be and what we want to be. There is really no ceiling above us that can stop how high we go even though there is a belief in society that you can only do so much. Once we overcome our limiting beliefs and we focus on finding our “why” instead of worrying about the “how”, things will start moving forward. And yet, it is important to know your limits. This might seem contradictory but there are limits to who we are because we are not meant to do everything. We are each uniquely who we are and all of us are here to do different things. We find what works for us by trying and failing. And understanding how to listen to our intuition and figure out what fully aligns with us and what doesn’t. You can listen anywhere you listen to podcasts. 🎙