Tag: health

We are all beautifully, stubbornly, wonderfully unique—and so are our mindsets.

Sure, we may share similar dreams, goals, or even motivational triggers. But underneath it all, your mindset is your personal operating system. It’s got its own quirks, updates, and sometimes—like mine—a few stubborn bugs. 😅

Yes, there are templates out there. Motivational books, inspiring speeches, self-help videos—they’re like the pre-made layouts in a website builder. But just like those templates, you still have to customize them to fit you. You’re not here to copy-paste someone else’s life. You’re here to build your own.

Let’s talk motivation. On the surface, lots of us might say we’re motivated by money. But if we peel back the layers, we find different stories:

• Some chase money to pay the bills.
• Some dream of luxury cars and penthouses.
• Others want to give to a cause bigger than themselves.
• Some need it for medical care.
• And some just love watching their bank balance grow—it’s like a high score in the game of life.

Same goal, different fuel.

Now let’s flip it: happiness. Everyone wants it. But ask 10 people what makes them happy, and you’ll get 10 very different answers:

• Traveling the world.
• Spending time with family.
• Dancing till 2 AM at a party.
• Finally having time for a beloved hobby.
• Sleeping in without an alarm and eating their favorite food in bed.

We all want to be happy. But what happiness looks like? That’s a fingerprint too.

Here’s the thing: most of us are taking the scenic route to happiness—work hard, make money, buy time, then enjoy life. But isn’t the shortest distance between two points a straight line?

So why not just… be happy now?

Of course, if it were that easy, we’d all be zen monks sipping mango smoothies under a palm tree. But the point remains: your motivation, your mindset, your happiness—they all come from inside you.

You won’t find the perfect mindset on a podcast. Or in a blog post. (Even this one. Sorry! 😄)

But what you will find are tools. Templates. Clues.

The real work? That’s yours. You’ve got to do the soul searching. Set aside time—even just a few minutes—to slow down and listen inward. Whether you pray, meditate, walk in silence, or just sit with your thoughts, find a way to hear your own voice again.

Me? I do both prayer and meditation. It helps me clear out the noise and find those ideas, that clarity—that spark.

Because if someone hands you a mindset and says, “Here, wear this,” chances are it won’t fit right. It might feel awkward, clunky, or just plain wrong. That’s because it wasn’t designed for your DNA.

So take inspiration from others, but build your own blueprint. Fill in your own boxes. Name your mindset. Make it yours.

Once you own it, you’ll find it’s not just powerful—it’s unstoppable.

Our inner voice is powerful. Almost too powerful. You know the one I’m talking about—it sounds oddly familiar… kind of like a certain animal?

If you’ve been following my blog series on The Chimp Paradox, you know exactly what I mean.

When I look back at my life, I see countless moments where that voice nearly stopped me before I even started. Like dating—before I could even ask someone out, that voice would step in with all kinds of excuses:

“She’s out of your league.”
“You can’t even drive.”
“You don’t have money—how would you take her out?”
“You’d just be a burden.”

Ouch. Romantic, right?

That same voice popped up when I thought about finding a job or starting a business.

“You can’t do that.”
“You can’t even see your computer screen.”
“How will you read client documents?”
“Who’s going to trust you to run a business?”

Super inspiring. Not.

And then there’s independent living.

“You can’t cook.”
“You can’t grocery shop.”
“What if there’s an emergency?”
“How would you get your kid to school?”

Now add in something as simple as having fun.

“You can’t play sports.”
“You can’t drive to meet friends.”
“Even if you get there, how will you get around?”

At this point, the voice wasn’t just a critic—it was a full-time dream killer. And honestly? It worked. For years, that inner dialogue kept me frozen. Not because what it said was always wrong—but because I never questioned it. I accepted it as truth before giving myself a chance to try.

And that… is a heavy way to live.

Eventually, I realized that this voice, while convincing, wasn’t necessarily right. It was worried, not wise. It was trying to protect me, not push me. Its concerns weren’t facts—they were just “what ifs” with no follow-through.

Sometimes our inner voice jumps too far ahead or gets stuck in the past. It’s our job to pull it back into the present. Like I’ve said in previous blogs: when the Chimp starts swinging from the vines, it’s the Human’s job to calmly say, “Hey, I hear you—but let’s talk facts.”

We all have weaknesses, challenges, drama, and emotional baggage. That doesn’t mean we should retreat into our caves every time doubt shows up. It might be a warning sign—but it’s not a stop sign.

So next time you feel excited about a new idea, opportunity, or adventure—whether it’s a date, a business, or a trip—and that voice starts creeping in?

Just smile and say:

“Thanks for your concern, but I got this. We got this.”

Then do the thing. Go on that date. Launch that business. Play that sport. Travel. Laugh. Live.

Because from firsthand experience, I promise you—your inner voice will come around… and thank you for proving it wrong.

We’ve met the Chimp, heard it scream, watched it argue with the Human, exposed the Gremlins and Goblins feeding it junk thoughts, and even started training it.

So… now what?

Do we reach a point where the Chimp is fully tame, fully obedient, and we float through life like Zen monks sipping green tea on a mountaintop?

Honestly?
Nope.

But what we can reach is something even better:
Inner harmony.

🧠 Not Control—Leadership

Here’s the truth: You can’t control your Chimp. That’s not how the emotional brain works. But you can lead it.

You’re not here to bully it into silence or pretend it doesn’t exist.
You’re here to say:

“Hey Chimp, I know you’re scared. I’ve got us now.”

It’s not about perfection. It’s about partnership.

🧍‍♂️ From My Life to Yours

As someone who’s blind, I’ve had to face my Chimp more times than I can count. There were moments when I let fear make my decisions. I sat out. Stayed quiet. Hid.

But over time, I realized:

My Chimp wasn’t the enemy.
My fear wasn’t a flaw.
It was a signal—telling me I cared, that I was on the edge of growth.

Instead of shutting that part of me down, I started listening.
Leading.
Showing up anyway.

And you can too.

🛠 How to Create Inner Peace (Even When Life’s Messy)

1. Acknowledge Your Humanity

You have emotions. So does everyone else. You don’t have to be robotic to be strong.

2. Let the Chimp Ride—Just Not Drive

When fear shows up, let it sit in the backseat. Give it a snack if you want—but don’t hand it the wheel.

3. Lead with Compassion

Speak to yourself the way you’d speak to a loved one. Be firm, but kind. Encourage, don’t punish.

4. Keep Doing the Reps

Mental fitness is just like physical fitness. You don’t go to the gym once and call it done. Show up. Train your mind. Stay aware.

🌱 What Harmony Looks Like

It doesn’t mean you never feel afraid, anxious, or off-balance.
It means you know why, and you know how to respond.

Harmony is when your Chimp trusts your Human enough to stop panicking all the time.
It’s when your inner team starts rowing in the same direction—even if the waters get rough.

And maybe, just maybe, you even start appreciating the Chimp for what it is:
A loud, lovable, emotionally charged part of you that just wants to survive.

💬 Final Thoughts

You are not broken.
You’re a beautifully complex mix of emotion, logic, instinct, and growth.
Your Chimp doesn’t need to disappear.
It just needs to know you’ve got this.

Because you do.

You know that little voice in your head that whispers,

“You’re not good enough.”
“People like you don’t succeed.”
“Why even try?”

That voice? It’s not just your Chimp acting up.
It’s often powered by something sneakier:
Gremlins and Goblins.

No, we haven’t switched to a Harry Potter blog.
Gremlins and Goblins are real—just not the kind hiding under your bed.
They’re hiding in your mind.

🧠 What Are Gremlins and Goblins?

According to The Chimp Paradox, these are the beliefs and behaviors that live in your brain’s “Computer” system.

🦠 Gremlins

These are false beliefs you’ve picked up somewhere along the way—maybe from childhood, past trauma, or failure. They often sound like:

• “I’m not lovable.”
• “I’ll never be enough.”
• “People will always leave.”

They’re not true—but they feel true because they’ve been repeated in your mind so often, your Chimp treats them like gospel.

🧠 Goblins

These are even deeper, more ingrained beliefs—usually formed early in life or through repeated emotional experiences. They’re harder to spot but have major influence.

Think of them like operating systems running in the background. You don’t always see them, but they control the way you respond to life.

🧍‍♂️ My Personal Gremlins

I’ll be honest—being blind, I’ve wrestled with more than a few Gremlins.

Things like:

“I’m a burden.”
“People only help me because they feel sorry for me.”
“Success is for people who can see the path.”

These beliefs weren’t facts—they were fears, born out of moments where my Chimp felt unsafe or rejected. And the more I fed them, the louder they became.

But here’s what I’ve learned:
Just because you’ve believed something for years doesn’t make it true.
It makes it familiar. And familiarity isn’t the same as truth.

🔍 How to Unmask Your Gremlins

1. Name Them

Write down those painful inner thoughts. If it feels heavy or sharp, chances are—it’s a Gremlin.

2. Question Them

Ask: “Where did I learn this?”
“Is this absolutely true?”
“Would I say this to someone I love?”

3. Replace Them

Once you identify a toxic belief, rewrite it.
Instead of: “I’m not enough,” try: “I’m learning and growing, and that’s more than enough.”

4. Repeat the Truth

Repetition is how your Computer got programmed in the first place. Repeating healthy, true beliefs creates new pathways that your Chimp will eventually trust.

🧘🏽 Reprogramming Takes Time

Here’s the thing: your Gremlins didn’t show up overnight, and they won’t leave overnight either. But with awareness, consistency, and compassion—you can shift your mental programming.

And when you do, your Chimp has less reason to panic.
Because now your Computer is feeding it strength—not fear.

By now, we’ve met your Chimp, seen it panic, and watched it argue with your rational self (aka the Human). But here’s the big question:

What do you actually do with the Chimp?

You can’t ignore it.
You can’t cage it.
And trust me—you can’t out-logic it into silence.

Because the Chimp is fast. Emotional. Protective. And it’s not going anywhere.

But here’s the good news:
You don’t have to fight it.
You just need to learn how to train it—and start building a better inner team.

🧠 Why You Need Your Chimp

Let’s clear this up: the Chimp isn’t your enemy.

It’s the part of your brain that gives you passion, energy, and instinct. It’s the spark that gets you fired up, keeps you safe, and sometimes—even helps you win.

The problem is, an untrained Chimp is like an untrained toddler with a drum set: loud, unpredictable, and slightly destructive.

But a trained Chimp? That’s where the magic happens. It becomes your ally, not your saboteur.

🧍‍♂️ Real Talk from My Journey

As someone who’s blind and navigating a world not built for people like me, my Chimp used to react a lot. It would get defensive, angry, anxious—sometimes all at once.

Whenever I walked into a room, shared my story, or took a risk, my Chimp would yell:

“You’re going to fail.”
“They’re judging you.”
“Stay small. Play it safe.”

But I’ve learned something powerful:
I don’t have to believe everything my Chimp says.
I just have to listen, understand, and then choose how I respond.

And that’s what building a better inner team is all about.

🛠 How to Work With Your Chimp, Not Against It

1. Acknowledge the Chimp Without Judgment

When the Chimp acts up, don’t suppress it. Say,

“Hey, I see you. I know you’re trying to help.”

This shifts your mindset from shame to understanding.

2. Create a Pause Between Trigger and Reaction

When something triggers you, take a breath. Literally. One slow, deep breath creates space for your Human to step in.

3. Give the Chimp a Role

Instead of shutting it down, redirect its energy. Let it fire you up for a speech. Let it fuel your passion—but under your leadership.

4. Feed the Computer Wisely

Your brain’s “Computer” (memory + habits) stores everything. The more often you practice calm, confident responses, the more the Chimp learns new behaviors.

🧘🏽 Your Inner Team in Harmony

This is the art:

• Your Chimp brings emotion.
• Your Human brings reason.
• Your Computer brings structure.

When all three work together, you’re unstoppable.
You stop reacting—and start responding. You stop doubting—and start leading.