Changeable Podcast

I hear some variation on this question a lot. If I’m feeling discomfort and I know an untrue thought is behind it, why lean into that discomfort? The discomfort reveals that something untrue is being identified with. So why lean into that discomfort if it’s rooted in a lie?When someone asks a version of this question my curiosity always goes to a question for them: Why not just feel? Turns out, there are many “reasons” we don’t want to feel. We’ll explore some of them in this episode.  The post EP256: Why ‘lean into what arises’ when the thoughts behind those feelings aren’t true? appeared first on Dr. Amy Johnson.

Aneta Mruz was diagnosed with OCD shortly after her son was born, about 6 years ago. As difficult and terrifying as it was at the time, she says OCD healed her and she’d go through it all over again for what it’s given her.  OCD forced Aneta to re-examine everything she thought she was and everything she believed. Little by little, her identities, beliefs and assumptions were stripped away, leaving a beautiful space of freedom and-what she calls-connection with the divine. Her experience with OCD allowed her to see that everything is energy. She can now discern energy in a way she couldn’t before. Aneta uses this ability to discern energy in her work as an intuitive coach and medium. I know you’ll hear so much in her story. To connect with Aneta, visit centerofsolace.com or follow her on Instagram at instagram.com/centerofsolaceTo learn more about the Change Coach Self-Study Course, visit dramyjohnson.com/changecoachselfstudy The post EP254: “OCD healed me” appeared first on Dr. Amy Johnson.

Maya wrote to me about the suffering she’s in over, what she calls, her “physical imperfections”. She’s seen so much about life beyond thought and it’s brought her a lot of peace, but this feels different. Maya’s skin discoloration is making her life very small. She doesn’t date, she stays physically covered up, and she hasn’t talked about this with any of the people closest to her.Listen in as I speak to Maya’s question.The post EP253: A listener question about physical imperfections  appeared first on Dr. Amy Johnson.

I was asked to share the story of how my binge eating/bulimia habit ended as a contribution to an upcoming book. The book will be a collection of stories of diagnosed mental health issues that came to an end as people explored the sorts of things we explore here. So, this episode is my telling of that story. I discuss how my habit was at its worst, the various things I did for support, how it ended and the insights I had along the way, and how life is now. Of course, I don’t know exactly what shifted or how change like this works. I don’t know how a shift in consciousness really happens–only that it happens and when it does, everything looks different (and oddly, also sort of the same).So, this is the story of my habit with an emphasis on story. I hope you hear something helpful in it! The post EP252: How my habit ended appeared first on Dr. Amy Johnson.

The idea that each of us has a specific life purpose that’s our job to figure out…and that we’ll be endlessly happy and fulfilled when we discover it, and empty and lacking until then…is an idea I’ve seen create more suffering than most. Matt Cooksey helps people see this in a fresh way. He frees people from this limited idea of a singular life’s purpose while, at the same time, looking at what truly is wanting to be created and move through them. Matt knows that we are here to create – that natural impulse can feel unnecessarily complicated when we’re clinging to beliefs about it that aren’t true.I absolutely loved this conversation with Matt. The depth with which he sees things, and his astuteness and compassion in helping people spot the hidden beliefs that are in their way, is incredible. I know you’ll really hear a lot in this conversation. You can learn more about Matt and the amazing work he does at: www.matthewcooksey.com www.instagram.com/thespiritualmidwife/www.linkedin.com/in/mattcooksey/If you have questions about “life purpose”, send them to Matt and he’ll reply on video! Submit your questions here www.matthewcooksey.com/amy by May 29th and Matt will respond. The post EP251: When you know you’re here for more: A bigger view of purpose and what’s in the way with Matt Cooksey appeared first on Dr. Amy Johnson.

Being “hard on yourself” is only possible when some very simple, near universal misunderstandings are in place. One, that you’re responsible for what you think, feel, and do. Two, that what you think, feel, and do means something about you. These are basically the same thing, both rooted in the illusion that there is a you that’s separate from the seamless flow of life with ultimate say in what happens. And three, that a thought, feeling, or behavior other than what happened, could have happened. In other words, that life could be other than it is.  All of these feel true only in the fabricated story thought tells. Outside of that story, there is no self to be hard on and no reason to hard on that false self if it were real! The post EP250: How to stop being so hard on yourself appeared first on Dr. Amy Johnson.

Giacomo is unsure what he wants to do for a career and where to place his attention. He has many passions but says he has a hard time choosing which to pursue. As we explore what his mind is telling him about all of these passions and what it means to choose one, he begins to see a lot of invisible thinking about what it means to pursue a career, what must be sacrificed, how it should feel, etc. He begins to wake up to just how much forward thinking his mind is doing. Minds love to forward-think (especially when you’re in your early 20s and “should” be settling in on some major life choices!). But what if none of that is helpful or necessary? What if dabbling in exactly what pulls on his attention is the way through?The post EP249: A coaching session on choosing which passions to pursue appeared first on Dr. Amy Johnson.

I’ve come to love a familiar feeling of dread that visits many mornings. How this feeling is experienced has changed quite a bit over the years.  Initially, I found a lot of benefit in curiously inquiring into the thought behind the feeling. Was there one? I’d explore who this feeling was about and who it was for, looking to see if I could find an owner or recipient of this feeling. (I never could).Then I looked forward to leaning into the sensations and thoughts that naturally arose. This was less inquiry and more exploration of only what was there in my experiencing of it.More recently, something new has been seen about this feeling. It’s not in “my” body, or any body, at all.It’s just experiencing. No container, no belonging to, no location. Just experiencing. Same with thought. Feelings aren’t in “your body” and thoughts aren’t actually in “your head”, right? Do you really experience them there?This container-free exploration is worth exploring! –the book mentioned in this episode is Refuting the External World by Goran Backlund https://www.amazon.com/Refuting-External-World-Goran-Backlund-ebook/dp/B00NOXW8QEThe post EP248: Feeling is not in your body appeared first on Dr. Amy Johnson.

Have you noticed this story? It’s a sometimes obvious, sometimes incredibly subtle storyline that is present anytime suffering is present. Often, the story is not noticeable but the physical and emotional resistance of “this shouldn’t be happening” is felt. That story has nothing at all to do with life. It has zero to do with truth or what’s happening or any of that. It’s a habitual background hum of resistance + dissatisfaction that has nothing to do with anything. There is nowhere else to go. Leaning into THIS, including that story and resistance when it is noticed, is the only place to go. The post EP246: Noticing the story that says everything would be better if this wasn’t happening appeared first on Dr. Amy Johnson.

Liz has been deeply impacted by the knowing that we all have exactly what we need in any moment.  We are health. We are life itself. Fresh ideas and wisdom are constantly moving us through life. From that grounding, she sees that listening is one of the most powerful ways we can be with someone. When we listen–rather than try to help them get somewhere or problem solve with them–we make space for them to recognize their own wisdom.During Covid lockdowns, Liz went into her local community to offer listening. The ideas she had during that time are now sprouting into all sorts of amazing forms of support, all centered around allowing people to be seen and heard, so that they can recognize their own wisdom.Liz is the author of a book I highly recommend called To Listen is to Love. Please check out the book here and see more about Liz’s Wellbeing Listener programs here:innercompassguide.com/innercompassguide.com/to-listen-is-to-love/The post EP245: The Power of True Listening with Liz Scott  appeared first on Dr. Amy Johnson.