Ready is A LIE

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What's that thing you've been saying you're "almost ready" to do? The one you've researched to death, planned perfectly, talked about endlessly—but somehow never actually started?

That hesitation isn't what you think. You're not waiting to feel ready—you're waiting for permission. Permission to take up space, want what you want, and trust yourself in uncertainty.

In this episode, we explore:

• Why "readiness" is actually a nervous system safety mechanism keeping you stuck
• How we perform worthiness instead of embodying it through endless optimization
• The difference between authentic choice and performing for approval
• Using neuroplasticity to rewire your brain with specific vision work and daily prompts
• Why permission is something you give yourself, not something you earn

Through guided practice, you'll discover what you would choose if you already had permission—moving from "Can I?" to "How?"

The life you're longing for doesn't require becoming someone new. It's waiting for you to give yourself permission to be who you already are.

Ready to stop waiting and start living? Join the Emotional Sobriety Workshop where we practice giving ourselves permission in real time, with others who understand the journey.

Find everything at LiftOneSelf.com or search "Emotional Sobriety Workshop."

Remember: You don't need permission to come home to yourself. You never did. 💜

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
You know that thing.
You keep saying you're almostready to do the one.
You've researched to death,planned perfectly and told three
different people about thething that lights you up when
you think about it but somehownever makes it off the starting
line.
Yet you just don't feel ready.
This might shock you, maybeeven bring a tear.

(00:22):
What if ready is a lie?
Your nervous system tells youto keep you safe.
Welcome home to the Lift OneSelf podcast.
I'm Nat Nat, and if you're here, you're probably tired of
waiting for permission to livethe life that's calling you.

(00:42):
This is where we get real aboutwhat it means to choose
yourself.
Not tomorrow, not when you'reready, but right now, exactly as
you are, if this lands, shareit with someone who needs to
hear it.
These conversations changelives when they reach the right
ears at the right moment.

(01:04):
Here's what nobody talks about.
You're not waiting forreadiness.
You're waiting for permission.
Permission to take up space,permission to want what you want
, permission to trust yourself.
Most of all, you're looking forsafety in the unknown, the
abyss of emotions andexperiences.

(01:24):
But here's the thing no one'scoming to give it to you.
Permission isn't something youearn or deserve or get handed by
some cosmic authority.
It's something you giveyourself moment by moment,
choice by choice.
But first you have to stopperforming worthiness for an

(01:46):
audience that never was reallywatching.
You know what I'm talking aboutthe endless optimization, the
perfect morning routines youhate.
The saying yes when you mean no, the shrinking yourself to fit
into boxes that were never meantfor you.
And it starts with the mostradical act imaginable telling

(02:08):
yourself the truth.
The truth about what youactually want, not what you
think you should want.
The truth about what isn'tworking, not what looks good
from the outside.
The truth about who you'rebecoming, not who you used to be
.
I remember the day I gavemyself permission to stop

(02:30):
performing, to have it allfigured out, and I launched this
exact podcast.
Guess what?
I completely ruptured myAchilles three weeks in and had
to be in the chaos and mess oflearning a new skill, which was
a steep hill, whilerehabilitating my body to walk

(02:51):
again.
Talk about emotional sobriety.
See, the shift happened when Iasked myself what if I stopped
trying to be the version ofmyself that other people need
and started being the versionthat I need?
That's when everything changes.
That's where the remember to bekind to yourself evolved,

(03:13):
because here's what I've learnedyour nervous system knows the
difference between authenticchoice and performance.
It knows when you're livingyour life versus living for
approval, and it will keep youstuck in survival mode until you
choose truth over comfort.
And this is whereneuroplasticity becomes your

(03:36):
best friend.
Your brain can literally rewireitself, but it needs specifics,
not vague wishes.
Instead of I want to befulfilled, your brain needs I
wake up energized, my body feelslight and my days feel
purposeful.
Instead of I want to behealthier, try I move daily in

(04:00):
ways that bring me joy, or Ichoose food that fuels me and
keeps me vibrant.
Your brain needs specificsnapshots of what this life
actually looks like.
Then you pair this vision withnew daily prompts.
These work like mental steeringwheels.
With new daily prompts, thesework like mental steering wheels

(04:21):
.
In the morning, you can saywhat choice today will move me
toward feeling strong and alive.
During stress, you can say whatdoes my nervous system need
right now Pause, breath ormovement.
At night, you can say what didI do today that brought me
closer to the life I want?
But here's the key Prompts onlyrewire your brain if they're

(04:45):
paired with action.
When you ask how can I movetoday and then actually stretch,
walk or dance, your brainlearns oh, this is who I am now.
Brain learns oh, this is who Iam now.
And you repeat it until itfeels natural, it feels embodied
, because repetition is whatliterally lays down new neural

(05:08):
pathways.
The magic happens when you pairprompts with sensations.
Don't just think I am strong.
Feel your feet grounding,shoulders, opening breath,
steadying Feeling plus thoughts,equal long-term imprints.
So let's practice this togetherby taking a mindful moment,

(05:29):
wherever you are, let yourselfsettle.
If you can put one hand on yourchest and if it's safe, end put
one hand on your chest and ifit's safe, close your eyes.
Feel your body in this moment,your feet on the ground, your

(05:52):
breath moving naturally.
Now I want you to ask yourselfsomething.
Your head is going to want toanswer, but listen to your body,
take a deep breath in andgently exhale.
Now the question is what wouldI choose if I already had
permission?
Feel that question, land,notice what comes up.

(06:18):
Don't edit it, don't make itreasonable or responsible or
small.
Just receive what your soul hasbeen trying to tell you, that
whisper, that's your truth andit's the only permission slip
you've ever needed and it's theonly permission slip you've ever

(06:43):
needed.
Take a deep breath in andgently exhale.
Here's what changes when youstop waiting for permission.
You stop asking can I?
And start asking how.
You stop trying to earn yourplace and start taking it.
You stop performing worthinessand start embodying it.
The life you want isn't waitingfor you to become someone else.

(07:07):
It's waiting for you to giveyourself permission to be who
you already are.
And here's the beautiful partEvery time you choose yourself,
you make it easier for someoneelse to choose themselves.
Permission is contagious.
So here's your invitation.
What's one thing you've beenwaiting for permission to do?

(07:31):
I want you to text someoneabout it today.
Not plan it, not research itmore.
Just tell one person whatyou're actually going to start,
because here's what I know aboutyou.
You're not here by accident.
Something in you is ready tostop waiting, even if your

(07:51):
nervous system is still throwingup red flags.
And if you want to go deeperinto this work, if you're tired
of doing emotional healing alone, my Emotional Sobriety Workshop
is where we practice givingourselves permission in real
time, with real people who getit.
You'll find everything atliftoneselfcom, or do a Google

(08:14):
search Emotional SobrietyWorkshop, lift One Self.
You'll find me Until next timetime.
Remember you don't needpermission to come home to
yourself.
You never did.
The door was always open.
You just needed to remember.
You hold the key.
Lift oneself is about comingback home to you.