All Episodes

June 3, 2024 16 mins

Send us a text

Ever felt like your life was a jigsaw puzzle with missing pieces or that the path before you was not clear? Join me, Gregg Berman, as we unpack the complexities of self-discovery, self-acceptance, and resilience in a world that's anything but perfect. I'll share how navigating life's messiness, including my own blunders, has taught me invaluable lessons. Discover the reality of living with ADHD and how those nagging stories of inadequacy and avoidance can bog us down. Through heartfelt anecdotes, like my adventures in self discovery while working as a kayak guide in Alaska, and the continuing adventure of creating this podcast, we’ll explore the profound impact of celebrating even the smallest victories and the essential role self-compassion plays in overcoming life's hurdles.

Looking to fuel your personal growth? Let this episode be your guide. You'll hear how your feedback shapes our journey together, making this podcast a space tailored to serve your needs. Find out how engaging through likes, comments, subscriptions, and shares helps us grow and support you better. Additionally, explore a wealth of resources on my website, inconnectionwithnature.com, from insightful blogs to coaching and EFT services. Let’s embark on this exciting adventure, carving out your unique path and embracing your true self along the way.

Support the show

My Blog:
https://www.inconnectionwithnature.com/blog

My Website:
https://www.inconnectionwithnature.com/

EFT Tapping Meditation on Self Compassion:
https://youtu.be/R7XpdDl_Bdo?si=HlswKsV_TScAdJpf

My article on our self talk:
Tiny Buddha - How Our Self Talk Can Sabotage Or Support Us

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/inconnectionwithnature/


Mark as Played
Transcript

Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Ready to unlock your full potential, join me, greg
Berman.
Your guide to self-discovery,self-acceptance and joy.
This podcast blends lifecoaching, mindfulness and the
power of nature to help youmanage anxiety, cultivate
self-compassion and embrace yourtrue self.
You'll find solace, guidanceand inspiration as we develop

(00:26):
actionable strategies to breakfree from self-doubt and
limiting beliefs, to step intothe fullness of who you are
meant to be.
Along our journey, we'llembrace the imperfection,
fallibility and messiness ofwhat it means to be a human with
love, care and acceptance forall of who you are.

(00:46):
This is your sanctuary for amore mindful, authentic and
fulfilling life.
Let's embark on this journeytogether, as we give you
permission to be your full self.
Well, if you thought lastweek's episode was a shit show,
just wait for this one.

(01:06):
I'm sure it will all work outand, as you'll soon discover,
there have been all new issuesI've had the opportunity to work
through and I'm still workingthrough them as I record this,
because the system I'm using isbrand new to me, so I'm still
figuring it out is brand new tome, so I'm still figuring it out

(01:29):
.
At the same time, the truth is,I've been really touched and
thankful for all the folkswho've reached out to tell me
how the last week's episodeimpacted them, to let me know
something they took away fromwhat I shared, or how it
inspired them or created a senseof peace for them.
Thank you to everyone whoshared with me and to all those
who took the time to post areview.
It means a great deal to me.

(01:49):
I really appreciate yourefforts and it supports me as I
continue to learn the process ofcreating this show.
It seems one thing people reallyenjoyed was when I made a
mistake last week and how I wasable to move past it.
I'm really happy that resonatedfor people.
When I first last week and howI was able to move past it, I'm
really happy that resonated forpeople.
When I first got lost on what Iwas saying, my initial thought

(02:11):
was oh shit, I'm exhausted, Idon't want to have to record
this over.
And then immediately realizedwait, this is perfect for a show
entitled Permission to Be yourFull Self, so why try and hide
it?
In fact, I was glad it happened.
Of course, being a human being,I did have the thought oh man,

(02:33):
what if someone thinks Iscripted this into the show for
effect?
But that's okay, people arewelcome to think, whatever
they're going to think, and Ican accept my humanness and my
flaws, and even my insecuritiesabout those flaws, even as I
celebrate those very same flaws,while trying to minimize any
negative impacts they have on me.

(02:53):
I want to notice them, givelove to those places and laugh
with those places.
As I wrote in my blog last week,I'm really proud of the ways
I've been showing up for myselfin the creation of this podcast
and all the not enough stories.
I've moved through all theinsecurities, especially when

(03:15):
some difficult piece of techcame up, and while I don't
intend to regale you each weekwith what I moved through or am
moving through in the creationof this podcast, yell you each
week with what I moved throughor am moving through in the
creation of this podcast,because it's such a new process
for me.
I want to celebrate my process,both because it feels good to
recognize the ways I've not letdifficult moments stop me and

(03:39):
because I hope there are someinsights here for you.
For example, I mentioned myADHD brain last week and the
trouble with doing hard things.
Of course, you don't need tohave ADHD or any other
neurodiversity to havedifficulty doing hard things,
but I remember as a child,reading the Mensa exams in

(04:00):
Discover magazine, I knew I wasmentally capable of doing them,
but the thought of focusingenough in order to do them felt
excruciating and, in general, Ichose not to engage in that
mental battle.
Yet a part of me wondered whyit felt so noxious to do

(04:24):
something I knew I was capableof.
It would be many decades till Igot the answer to that with my
ADHD diagnosis, and whilecertainly I've done many hard
things in my life, includinglong before the diagnosis, there
is a way I've avoided them aswell.
There is a way I've told myselfthe story that I just should

(04:44):
avoid doing hard things, whetherthat was trying to make friends
, especially in my shyest days,or learn a new skill, or work on
a project, or even go groceryshopping.
There is a way my not enoughstories gotten away.
Or the whiny parts of me thatthink, or the whiny parts of me
that think, oh, this is going tobe too hard.

(05:05):
Or that have an internal tempertantrum of stamping my feet and
shouting like a child I don'twant to, I don't want to.
Those parts that mean I don'twant to work so hard.
Why can't this be easy?
Why can't someone come andrescue me.

(05:26):
And yes, you heard me correctlysay even grocery shopping.
About 20 years ago, I lived inAlaska guiding multi-day kayak
tours.
I had to do many, many hardthings in order to build the
skills that qualified me forthat job, which involved me meal
planning for all my guests fora week route, finding through
the wilderness, cooking andkeeping people safe as we

(05:47):
explored some beautiful but alsopotentially deadly places.
And yet I still remember, morethan 20 years later, my
amazement watching the process.
The other guides went throughto make a meal.
This was as we were living inour guide shack.
This was as we were living inour guide shack.
They thought about what theywanted, planned the menu, wrote

(06:09):
out the ingredients list andthen simply walked a few blocks
to the store to pick it up, camehome and cooked it.
Can you believe that?
How amazing.
Well, at least I remember howamazing that seemed for me.
After all, that was not apattern I learned growing up.
The model I had was first, youcomplain about what you don't

(06:31):
have and how hard it's going tobe to get it, and all the
reasons why it might not even bepossible, you fret and you fume
, and when things get reallycritical or hunger motivates you
enough, then you figuresomething out.
But to just make a decision andthen go with no wanting, no
victim mentality, no frustration, I was truly in awe, and I was

(06:54):
even in awe of how in awe I wasat such a seemingly simple thing
and how, out of the body of myexperience that was, I didn't
even know doing things thateasefully was an option.
Of course, we can all feelvictim-y in certain moments and
we can all find even simplethings difficult at times, and

(07:16):
it's okay to be compassionatewith ourselves in those moments,
to check in on what we areneeding, to see what resources
we need to avail ourselves ofand to comfort the little child
inside of us that is calling out.
Of course, another option is toyell at ourselves, call
ourselves stupid or weak orincompetent, to use any

(07:40):
fallibility as proof that we arenot enough, that we are not
worthy of love and we don'tdeserve good things because
there is something wrong with us.
Of course, that's not the bestway to do things and our
language might not be thatobvious.

(08:04):
There are often more subtle andmore insidious ways that we
speak to ourselves.
In fact, I wrote an articleabout the ways we speak to
ourselves several years ago.
You can find it on the websiteTiny Buddha.
I'll add a link to it in theshow notes as well.
So back to present day.

(08:24):
Figuring out tech for me is notfun, and this week the tech has
been a nightmare.
Each time I go to figuresomething out, it just seems a
rabbit hole that never ends,because there are 50 ways to do
something and each step hasnumerous smaller steps filled
with tech lingo that meansnothing to me.
In the past I might have justgotten super frustrated and

(08:47):
given up.
Now I notice the voices when Isit down that say this is going
to be hard, and I'm able to doseveral things.
When I hear those voices, I'mable to speak lovingly and
reassuringly to those parts thatassume it's going to be hard
and let them know.
A you don't know it's going tobe hard, greg.

(09:11):
B you can do hard things.
In fact, you have lots of proofthat you can do hard things.
And C like working out.
Doing anything that requiresmore effort from us, that
requires testing ourselves innew ways, is actually an
opportunity to grow, and I canremind myself how good it feels

(09:34):
after I move through somethinghard, and I can know that
setbacks, discomforts andfrustrations are all a natural
and normal part of growth, and Idon't have to freak out just
because these things happen.
In fact, if I so choose, I canfeel excited because I'll know

(09:55):
I'll be stronger on the otherside, and so will you when you
move through your blocks.
I'm currently working on anarticle about overcoming a
freeze response, where I'llshare more on the topic.
So back to the podcast.
After spending months figuringout how to create it and the
system to record it, I got thefirst episode done and then,

(10:19):
before I even figured out how toget it out into the world, the
online studio I used told methey were closing as of
immediately.
No warning, just that's it.
See you and good luck.
Well, actually, they did notsay good luck.
They tried to spin it as a partof the way they were trying to
support their clients, buthonestly, I did not feel very

(10:43):
supported in that moment.
In fact, initially I wascrestfallen, frustrated and
demoralized.
How could they do this with nowarning?
I wondered, especially after Ihad been communicating with them
for months about the studioprocess.
But fairly quickly, I made amental shift.
You know what I'm choosing toknow.

(11:05):
This actually works in my favor, even though I initially had no
idea how it was going to workin my favor, and I did move
through it and found a bettersystem to help me get it out
into the world.
As it turned out, the companythat I chose to work with made
the process much easier, and ifI had not been so upset, I might

(11:30):
have just continued dealingwith a company that was not
serving my needs because Ididn't know any better, but I
allowed my frustration to befuel instead of a barrier, which
gave me the drive to figurethings out.
That has been the case multipletimes along this journey.
I've gotten the opportunity tostep up to a new level, an

(11:51):
opportunity to not simplymarinate in struggle but to grow
, because I've made theconscious choice to grow.
When things got hard and whilethe process of publishing the
podcast became easier, I was, infact, back at square one as to
how to record.
In fact, when I typed thisscript, I had just spent a

(12:14):
nine-hour marathon exploringdifferent options, which meant
there were several otherprojects that did not get done
today, and I still have notfound a new system with the
features of the last system Iused.
Maybe in the end, I'll discoverthat the systems I have access
to have better features, but atthe moment that's out of my

(12:37):
awareness, and the reality isI've probably been creating more
work for myself and trying tofind one that replicates the old
system, though I had no idea ofknowing that would be the case
when I started my search.
At this point, even though I'vedone a test, it is still a
mystery exactly how this willturn out.

(12:58):
In fact, as I record this rightnow, I hope that this recording
is going to be usable, but ifyou're hearing it, I suppose
that it was Either way.
I already have a sense ofgreater resourcefulness after

(13:20):
all that I went through to postlast week.
I have a sense of internaltrust that I will figure it out,
that I can do what needs to getdone and I can learn something
new in the process.
And you know what?
The worst case scenario I don'tget it out tonight and I end up

(13:41):
taking a few weeks off fromposting to regroup and to find
the resources to support me.
It won't be the end of theworld.
It would be a bummer for sure,but it does not mean I'm not
enough or less capable.
Whether the obstacle is aninternal one, such as tech and
logistics, or an internalobstacle or insecurity or poor

(14:05):
response to frustration, itsimply means there was a
struggle to overcome and I wasinvited to explore the ways I
get to show up to deal with thatobstacle.
It is, in fact, an opportunityto cultivate more inner
resources and more self-trust.
Is there something in your liferight now that is calling out

(14:27):
for you to gain new resources,to cultivate more trust in
yourself and to show up morecompassionately with yourself in
the struggle?
If so, reach out to me.
Let's have a conversation.
I'd be honored to support you.

(14:49):
In the meantime, I'm going tocontinue figuring out the
process of creating this showand making it the best it can
possibly be.
If you have any suggestions atall for things that would serve
you better, topics you'd like meto cover or any other
suggestions to enhance theexperience, please let me know.
You can reach me through mywebsite,

(15:11):
inconnectionwithnaturecom.
If any part of this episoderesonates with you, I'd love to
hear what you're taking awayfrom it, and it would mean the
world to me if you would put alike and a comment wherever you
get your podcast and, of course,subscribe and share far and
wide with anyone you think thismight speak to.

(15:33):
That will really help me togrow.
The more I grow, the moreresourced I can be for you and I
want to be there for you, andI'm excited to see where this
journey takes us.
And remember you can find yourown way and have permission to

(15:54):
be your full self.
If you need support around that, I'm here to help you.
I've developed a host ofresources to support you, which
you can find out more about byeither signing up for my blog or
viewing the coaching and EFTpages, all on my website again,
inconnectionwithnaturecom.
Well, that's all for this week.

(16:16):
I'll see you in the nextepisode.
May you have an empowering week.
Advertise With Us

Popular Podcasts

Crime Junkie

Crime Junkie

Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.

24/7 News: The Latest

24/7 News: The Latest

The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.

Stuff You Should Know

Stuff You Should Know

If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.

Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.