Discover how to transform your lowest moments into a powerful journey of growth and resilience. I, Loren Johnson, share personal experiences and actionable strategies that helped me find purpose through pain. Imagine breaking down life's biggest challenges into manageable steps, celebrating every small victory, and surrounding yourself with a network that truly supports your journey. We'll explore practical tips for developing a positive mindset, setting realistic goals, and maintaining routines that keep you motivated even during the toughest times.
Listen as I guide you through acknowledging and expressing your emotions, seeking professional help when needed, and staying connected to what truly matters. My journey to becoming a certified Peer Specialist has taught me the profound impact of helping others while growing personally. Learn how self-care, mindfulness, and staying true to your core values can help you navigate through life’s obstacles. Whether you're facing a challenging period or looking to build resilience, this episode provides the tools and inspiration to keep moving forward with purpose and strength.
#MentalHealthMatters
2.#AddictionRecovery
3.#SelfImprovement
4.#Resilience
5.#SelfCare
6.#TraumaHealing
7.#MentalHealthAwareness
8.#OvercomingAddiction
9.#Mindfulness
10.#SelfDiscovery
11.#HealingJourney
12.#RecoveryIsPossible
13.#MentalWellness
14.#EmotionalIntelligence
15.#SelfLove
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"Thank you for joining 'War of The Mind,' your essential guide to exploring emotional intelligence, mental health, and personal growth. Remember, self-awareness is the beacon illuminating your unique path of transformation and resilience. Join us again on our next adventure through the realm of mindfulness and self-improvement! #WarOfTheMind #MentalWellbeing #EmotionalIntelligence #SelfAwareness #PersonalGrowth"
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Episode Transcript
Hello everyone and welcome to War of the Mind,
a podcast where we delve intothe internal battles we face and
explore how to overcome them.
I'm your host, loren Johnson,certified Peer Specialist,
motivational Speaker andAdvocate for Mental Health and
Substance Use.
Today, we're going to talkabout navigating the lowest
points in life and findingpurpose through pain.
(00:36):
Let's get started.
Building resilience and stayingmotivated through difficult
periods can be challenging, butit's crucial for overcoming
adversity and achieving personalgrowth.
Here are some practice tips forbuilding resilience Develop a
(00:56):
positive mindset.
Focus on the positives in yourlife, no matter how small.
Practice gratitude by keeping ajournal of things you are
thankful for.
Set realistic goals.
Break down big challenges inmanageable steps.
Celebrate small victories alongthe way to build confidence.
(01:16):
Cultivate a support network.
Surround yourself withsupportive and positive people.
Reach out to friends, family orsupport groups when you need
help.
Learn from experiences.
Reflect on past challenges andhow you overcame them.
Identify lessons learned andapply them to current situations
(01:41):
.
Stay flexible and adaptable.
Be open to change and willingto adapt your plans as needed.
View setbacks as opportunitiesfor growth and learning.
Staying motivated Maintain aroutine.
Establish a daily routine toprovide structure and sense of
(02:04):
normalcy.
Include activities that promotewell-being, such as exercise
and hobbies.
Two set clear and achievablegoals.
Define specific, measurable,achievable, relevant and
time-bound SMART goals.
Write down your goals and trackyour progress regularly.
(02:25):
Focus on your self-care.
Prioritize activities thatpromote physical, emotional and
mental well-being.
Ensure you get adequate sleep,eat healthy and practice
relaxation techniques.
Visualize success.
Imagine yourself achieving yourgoals and the positive impact
(02:45):
it will have on your life.
Use visualization techniques toboost your confidence and
motivation.
Seek inspiration Listen to amotivational podcast, read
inspiring books or watchuplifting videos.
Inspiring books or watchuplifting videos.
(03:09):
Surround yourself with positiveinfluences that encourage you
to keep going, combining bothstrategies.
Practice mindfulness andmeditation.
Use mindfulness techniques tostay present and manage stress.
Practice meditation to improvemental clarity and emotional
stability.
Develop problem-solving skills.
(03:31):
Approach challenges withproblem-solving mindset.
Break down problems intosmaller parts and brainstorm
possible solutions.
Keep a journal.
Write about your experiences,thoughts and feelings.
Use journaling as a tool toself-reflection and track your
(03:52):
progress.
Stay connected with yourpurpose.
Remind yourself of your corevalues and why you are pursuing
your goals.
Keep your purpose at theforefront to stay motivated and
resilient.
Practice your self compassion.
Be kind to yourself and,especially during tough times,
(04:12):
recognize that setbacks arenatural part of the journey and
treat yourself withunderstanding.
By integrating these tips intoyour daily life, you can build
resilience and maintainmotivation, even during the most
difficult, challenging periods.
And moving on to segment two oftoday's show is navigating the
(04:39):
lowest points in life can beincredibly challenging, but it's
during these times thatresilience, determination,
support become crucial.
Here's how you can manage thesetough periods and what might
keep you going Navigating thelowest points.
Acknowledge your feelings.
Allow yourself to feel andexpress your emotions.
(05:01):
Suppressing them can lead togreater distress.
Understand that it's okay tofeel down, anxious or
overwhelmed.
Seek professional help.
Reach out to a therapist,counselor or support group.
Professional guidance canprovide strategies and support
tailored to your needs.
Lean on your support networks.
(05:24):
Talk to a trusted friend orfamily members about what you're
going through.
Don't hesitate to ask for helpor simply listen in the ear.
Focus on self-care.
Engage in activities thatnurture your physical, emotional
and mental well-being.
(05:44):
Simple actions like taking awalk, reading a book or
practicing relaxation techniquescan make a significant
difference.
Break down challenges.
Divide overwhelming problemsinto smaller, manageable tasks.
Tackle one thing at a time andavoid feeling overwhelmed.
Stay connected to your routine.
(06:10):
Maintain a daily routine toprovide a sense of normalcy,
incorporate activities thatbring you joy and a sense of
accomplishment.
What kept me going?
Finding purpose and meaning.
(06:30):
Finding purpose and meaning Forme.
Becoming a certified peerspecialist and helping others
through their recovery journeygave me a profound sense of
purpose.
Drawing strength from personalexperience is another area of
(06:53):
what kept me going.
My journey through addiction,recovery and loss has taught me
valuable lessons and built myresilience.
Knowing that sharing my storycan inspire and help others
keeps me motivated.
Support from loved ones isanother area.
During my darkest times, mywife Chandra and other loved
ones provided unwavering supportand encouragement.
(07:14):
Their belief in my ability toovercome challenges kept me
grounded and hopeful.
Professional guidance, therapyand support groups played a
critical role in helping menavigate my mental health
struggles and addiction.
Learning from professionalsequipped me with the tools to
cope and thrive.
(07:35):
Commitment to advocacy andeducation my passion for raising
awareness about mental healthand addiction drives me to
continue my work.
Seeing the impact of myadvocacy on others' lives
reinforces my commitment andgives me strength.
(07:57):
Navigating in the lowest pointsin our life is never easy, but
each step taken towards healingand growth is a testament to
one's resilience and strength.
Reflecting on my own journey,I've found that accepting help,
(08:19):
focusing on self-care andstaying connected to my purpose
have been vital.
Sharing my story and knowingthat I might inspire or assist
someone else has been a powerfulmotivator when facing your own
challenges.
Remember that you're not aloneand seek support is a sign of
strength.
By taking things one day at atime and staying true to what
matters most to you, you canfind your way through even the
(08:52):
darkest times.
In the next segment, we'regoing to be talking about
transforming pain into purposeExploring how personal struggles
and painful experiences canlead to greater sense purpose.
(09:18):
Painful experiences and personalstruggles, while incredibly
challenging, can also betransformative.
They can teach resilience,empathy and deeper understanding
to oneself and others.
Here's how these experiencescan be turned into a powerful
sense of purpose.
You can find meaning in theadversity.
Reflect on the lessons learnedfrom difficult times.
(09:41):
These experiences often provideinsights that can guide future
actions and decisions.
Consider how overcomingadversity has shaped your
character and values, helpingyou understand what truly
matters to you.
Helping you understand whattruly matters to you.
Second one is helping others.
(10:01):
Use your experiences to supportand guide others who are going
through similar struggles.
Sharing your story can providehope and inspiration.
Becoming a mentor, advocate orvolunteer in related fields can
(10:21):
turn your pain into a positiveforce of change.
Next is personal growth anddevelopment.
Adversity often pushesindividuals to develop new
skills, coping mechanisms andstrengths.
Embrace the opportunity forpersonal growth that comes from
navigating and overcomingchallenges.
Growth that comes fromnavigating and overcoming
(10:41):
challenges, turning pain intoadvocacy and motivating
motivational speaking.
My journey has be, then you know, marked by significant
struggles, from battling opiateaddiction that began at the age
of 12 and facing the immensepain of losing my wife.
These experiences have beendeeply painful, but have also
been the catalyst for mytransformation into an advocate
(11:05):
and motivational speaker Facingaddiction and recovery.
My addiction began with aconcussion at a young age and
was fueled by prescriptions andpeer pressure throughout my life
.
The cycle of addictioncontinued after becoming a state
trooper and worsened followingmultiple surgeries and traumatic
(11:29):
brain injury from a caraccident.
Despite overdosing over 30times and experiencing a coma, I
found resilience throughcompleting treatment court and
becoming a certified peerspecialist.
Losing Chandler to thestruggles we both faced was
devastating.
The loss deepened my commitmentto raising awareness about
(11:51):
addiction and suicide.
I began sharing my storypublicly, using my experience to
educate others about therealities of mental health and
substance use to inspire thosefacing similar battles.
Speaking about my journey hasallowed me to connect with
others, offering them hope andpractical advice on overcoming
(12:13):
their own challenges.
My story serves as a testamentto the possibility of recovery
and the importance of seekinghelp and support.
By sharing these stories, we canhighlight the powerful ways in
which pain can be transformedinto purpose that not only heals
(12:36):
, but also inspires and supportsothers.
And as we wrap up the episodeon War of the Mind, I want to
leave you with a message of hopeno matter how intense the
battle within may feel, you havethe strength to overcome it.
Remember to acknowledge yourfeelings, seek support and find
(12:57):
purpose in your pain.
Thank you for joining me on Warof the Mind.
If you found the episodehelpful, please share it with
others who might benefit from it, and don't forget to subscribe
so you don't miss futureepisodes.
Check out the websiteljvoiceprojectcom and our social
media accounts underljvoiceproject.
(13:18):
The accounts are also in thenotes.
Until next time, stay strong,stay hopeful and keep fighting
the good fight.
No-transcript.
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