Born to Thrive with Jamie Lee - Episode 51: How to Break The Habit of Being You
Release Date: January 4, 2019
Host: Jamie Lee
Podcast Description: Born to Thrive with Jamie Lee offers ideas, tips, and tools to help ambitious women become bolder, braver, and better paid. Jamie Lee specializes in coaching smart women in male-dominated industries, guiding them to achieve promotions and higher pay without engaging in office politics.
Introduction: Embracing a New Year with Insights
Jamie Lee opens Episode 51 by sharing her recent travels to Japan and Singapore, highlighting the rejuvenating experiences and delicious cuisines she enjoyed. This time away provided her with a mental break and an opportunity to delve into Breaking the Habit of Being You by Dr. Joe Dispenza, a book that profoundly influenced her approach to personal growth and overcoming habitual thought errors.
“I read the book called Breaking the Habit of Being You by Dr. Joe Dispenza, which gave me valuable insights on how to address my thought errors.” [00:01]
Identifying Thought Errors in Ambitious Individuals
Jamie discusses a common pattern among ambitious individuals: setting excessively high goals and expectations, leading to frequent feelings of failure. She acknowledges her own tendency to overflow her daily to-do list, resulting in unmet expectations and self-criticism.
“I often fall short of my high expectations. I fail a lot. I fail all the time.”—Jamie Lee [03:45]
She emphasizes that while failure is a stepping stone to success, the real challenge lies in managing the negative self-perception that accompanies unmet goals. Jamie experienced intense self-loathing during late 2018, exacerbated by the shorter, colder winter days, which intensified her negative thought patterns.
“In late November and December, I woke up very often feeling sad and heavy.”—Jamie Lee [05:20]
Overcoming Self-Loathing: A Turning Point
During her vacation, Jamie made a conscious decision to cease self-criticism. She chose to appreciate her accomplishments and practice self-gratitude, marking a significant shift in her mindset.
“The first thing that I did when we left on vacation was I stopped hating on myself. I said, enough.”—Jamie Lee [09:10]
“I just looked myself square in the eye in the mirror and I said, thank you.”—Jamie Lee [10:05]
This pivotal moment was inspired by Dr. Dispenza's teachings, which highlighted how deeply ingrained thought errors can become automated responses, perpetuating negative emotions and self-judgment.
Key Insights from Breaking the Habit of Being You
Jamie breaks down three fundamental truths from Dr. Dispenza’s book:
- Mind Creates Reality
- Mind Shapes the Body
- Change is Possible When We Think Greater Than How We Feel
1. Mind Creates Reality
Jamie challenges the conventional belief that external circumstances define our happiness and satisfaction. Instead, she posits that our internal thoughts and mindset are the true architects of our reality.
“Mind creates your reality. Number two, the mind shapes the body. And number three, change is possible when we think greater than how we feel.”—Jamie Lee [15:30]
She provides examples from her own life, where achieving new jobs or earning more money only led to temporary happiness, as underlying negative thoughts persisted.
“In my experience, new circumstances did not always change my internal reality.”—Jamie Lee [17:45]
Jamie argues that true contentment stems from managing one’s mindset rather than relying on external achievements.
2. Mind Shapes the Body
Jamie delves into the scientific aspect of how thoughts influence physical states. Drawing from Dr. Dispenza’s explanations, she describes the neurochemical relationship between the brain and the body.
“There is a neurochemical relationship between the brain and body. As you think certain thoughts, the brain produces chemicals... that cause you to feel exactly the way you're thinking.”—Jamie Lee [22:10]
She explains how specific thoughts trigger neurotransmitters and hormones, leading to physical sensations and emotional states that reinforce the original thought, creating a feedback loop.
3. Change is Possible When We Think Greater Than How We Feel
Jamie emphasizes that overcoming negative thought patterns requires intentional thinking that surpasses current emotional states. She references coaching experiences where clients struggle with fear of perception, illustrating the need to embrace discomfort to build confidence.
“Confidence comes from embracing the discomfort and taking action anyways.”—Jamie Lee [28:50]
This concept underscores the importance of self-awareness and deliberate cognitive shifts to foster personal growth and resilience.
Understanding the Brain's Three Levels
Jamie outlines Dr. Dispenza's model of the brain, detailing the functions of the prefrontal cortex, limbic brain, and cerebellum:
- Prefrontal Cortex: Responsible for conscious thinking.
- Limbic Brain: Manages emotions.
- Cerebellum: Controls the subconscious mind and automatic bodily functions.
“There are three levels of brain... prefrontal cortex, the thinking brain. The limbic brain... and then there is the cerebellum.”—Jamie Lee [31:15]
She shares her personal effort to engage her prefrontal cortex to foster new thought patterns, breaking free from deeply ingrained subconscious beliefs.
Authenticity and the Creation Column
Drawing from a diagram in Dr. Dispenza’s book, Jamie contrasts the Survival and Creation columns:
- Survival: Characterized by stress, fear, anger, and past-oriented thinking.
- Creation: Defined by love, joy, trust, and future-oriented creation.
“My definition of authenticity is based on the person that you will create.”—Jamie Lee [39:50]
She relates this to authenticity as the ongoing process of becoming one's future self, emphasizing intentional creation over habitual existence.
Conclusion: Embracing the New You
Jamie concludes by challenging listeners to reflect on how they will embrace their authentic selves in 2019. She encourages intentional creation of a better future by breaking old thought patterns and fostering a mindset that supports growth and success.
“How will you become the new you and break the habit of being the old you? It's a really delicious question to mull over.”—Jamie Lee [47:30]
Key Takeaways
- Mindset Over Circumstance: Your internal thoughts shape your reality more than external conditions.
- Neurochemical Influence: Thoughts directly influence your physical and emotional state through neurochemicals.
- Intentional Thinking: Deliberately cultivating positive and growth-oriented thoughts can break negative feedback loops.
- Authentic Creation: Embrace the process of becoming your future self by prioritizing creation over survival.
Recommended Resources
- Book Mentioned: Breaking the Habit of Being You by Dr. Joe Dispenza
- Website: www.jamieleecoach.com
Jamie Lee's Episode 51 serves as a compelling guide for ambitious women seeking to transform their thought patterns, overcome self-limiting beliefs, and embrace a more authentic and empowered version of themselves. By integrating insights from Dr. Dispenza's work, Jamie provides practical strategies for mental and emotional growth, aligning with her mission to help women thrive in their professional and personal lives.