Facing Your Giants (3) By Michael Brooks

Facing Your Giants (3) By Dr. Michael Brooks

This week we will continue facing your giants; look at what causes some of the giants you face. So my question for you today: what are the Giants you’re facing and want help and confront today? You may have one or several Giants that control you.

There is the fear of divorce and separation. Less than half the marriages in the US will not survive and end up in divorce. Moving on with your life when considering a divorce can be devastating. I suggest you sit down and look at your next steps in getting your life back from a bad marriage. I can tell you that it’s a difficult time during the process, but you will survive. You can contact Dr. Mike if you need help figuring out your next steps.

Anxiety is normal and can be a healthy emotion. But when a person regularly feels different levels of anxiety, this may be a medical disorder that needs to be addressed. Anxiety disorders need a mental health diagnosis, concerns that often lead to excessive nervousness, fear, apprehension, and worry. Although we all experience anxiety when asking our boss for a raise or asking our significant other to get married, I believe those are healthy stress levels. So, what are the ways I can deal with my symptoms of anxiety? First, ask yourself why I am so anxious? Look at what is causing the feeling of being anxious. Take a deep breath and try to relax; start your positive self-talk to yourself, and think about positive locations where you feel safe, beaches, forests, lakes, and why you feel safe there. My big question to ask yourself is, are you in control of your brain, or is your brain in control of you?

I remember how anxious I was when taking a big Physiology of exercise exam in college. I studied for days and nights; this exam was the big test to get me into the next level of my degree program. I was not sleeping; I joined study groups, I had Q-cards I used when eating meals and at work. I was working myself into “I will not pass this test,” no matter how hard I worked at passing this major exam.” The finally arrived, and a million thoughts raced through my head; as I sat at my desk and waited for the test to be placed in my hands, a still, small voice started talking to me. You’ve got this; you have worked so hard and spent countless hours preparing for this exam. I agreed with what my mind was telling me. A calmness took over, and I looked at the test, and started taking it. Midway through this exam, my self-talk reminded me, “See, you’re worrying over nothing; there is no reason to get anxious.” I talked myself into using facts about how much time I put into studying and all my hard work. Believe me, that helped. I looked at the facts, my efforts in reading and analyzing data. I overcame my anxiety. That was one of my biggest giants! Next week we will continue the article facing your giants, see if any of the giants you face are ones others face as well.

Do you need help in overcoming the giants of your past? Do you struggle with memories of broken relationships, illness, self-worth, confidence? What are the giants you currently face and need help defeating? Giants can be debilitating and keep you from enjoying life and successful life. Call Dr. Mike, and he can help you through the process of taking your giants head on and help you to move forward with your life. Why live in a defeated and hurtful past when you can enjoy a stress-free present and future?

Dr. Michael Brooks is the founder of Applicable Counseling and life coaching Services. It is affordable, accessible, anonymous, and available by appointment from the privacy of your home. To avoid travel time and the comfort of home, many clients prefer to meet with Dr. Mike over the phone or via Zoom (if you want to Zoom with Dr. Mike, send him an email at mbrooks3353@gmail.com to set up an appointment). The convenience of this type of Counseling/Coaching is the most effective means of counseling/Life Coaching for those who live outside of Colorado. Give Dr. Mike a call! You’ll be glad you did!

Facing Your Giants (1) By Dr. Michael Brooks

Facing Your Giants (1) By Dr. Michael Brooks

As I was walking out of the grocery store to put my grocery cart away, I turned and suddenly stood face to-face with the old town gossip just two feet away. I and many others have been talked about by this woman in our small community. My mind raced as I looked at her and as she stared at me. I froze, I wanted to tell her off, yet my mind prevented me from exposing the town gossip. I would have enjoyed doing this, but I couldn’t bring myself to be like this woman. Why? I had every reason to let loose on her, right? I mean, she had attacked me and lied and gossiped.

I know others have been hurt by her gossip; why not just expose her, and humiliate her at the only grocery store in town? The giant that I faced in this situation was (revenge) what would have happened if I had done such a thing? I would have stooped to her level and probably paid the price for it. I decided to keep the peace and not say a thing. When we face our giants, we must look at them logically and proceed. In this next series of articles, we will look at some of the giants we all face and how to deal with them.

What are the Giants you currently face, and which ones hold you back from enjoying everyday life? We all have those giants staring us in the face every day, and we most likely avoid dealing with them and wish they’d just go away. Many we’ve kept hidden for years only to find that they have robbed us of enjoying life and being happy.

Many of these Giants have been in our heads as far back as we can remember, for many of us, since we were children and some as adults. Think about this for a minute, what are these Giants that you are holding on to and want to let go of today? What are the names of these Giants that grip you and cause you to hide in your emotional closet? There are many Giants we have hidden and tucked away in our minds until we are forced to deal with them. Either we recoil and run away from them or face them and cower in silence and look the other way. Next week we will continue the article facing your giants and see if any of the giants you face are ones others face as well.

Do you need help in overcoming the giants of your past? Do you struggle with memories of broken relationships, illness, self-worth, and confidence? What are the giants that you currently face and need help defeating them? Giants can be debilitating and keep you from enjoying life and successful life. Call Dr. Mike, and he can help you through the process of taking your giants head-on and help you to move forward with your life. Why live in a defeated and hurtful past when you can enjoy a stress-free present and future?

Dr. Michael Brooks is the founder of Applicable Counseling and life coaching Services. It is affordable, accessible, anonymous, and available by appointment from the privacy of your home. To avoid travel time and the comfort of home, many clients prefer to meet with Dr. Mike over the phone or via Zoom (if you want to Zoom with Dr. Mike, send him an email at mbrooks3353@gmail.com to set up an appointment). The convenience of this type of Counseling/Coaching is the most effective means of Life Coaching for those who live outside of Colorado. Give Dr. Mike a call! You’ll be glad you did!

Avoid The Wrong Kind of People (5) By Dr. Michael Brooks

Avoid the Wrong Kind of People (5) By Dr. Michael Brooks

Growing up while in high school, I had a friend who always had the best clothes, watches, and pens. He had a lot of nice stuff. One day he asked me if I wanted a new watch. I said sure. He brought it the next day and handed it to me. I looked at the watch still inside the box with a price tag of $49.00. I asked him where did he get it, and he responded with “a five-finger discount.” I looked at him and said, “you stole it?” Yep, he responded. I handed it back to him and said, no thanks! I made my mind up, right then and there, he wasn’t going to be a friend of mine. My gut feeling told me to avoid this wrong kind of person. That’s the small little voice you often hear warning you about these kinds of people. Avoid, avoid, avoid! That should be what you hear when someone is wrong for you.

How about bad relationships that people get themselves into and know are wrong. This is a big problem for both men and women. I have a friend who is in a very unhealthy relationship. The woman he is dating will not commit to their relationship. When my friend asked her what concerns she had, she expressed all kinds. Her job was demanding, not have enough time for herself, she liked to party alone, and the big one she brought up was his old girlfriends. He never talked about his old girlfriends with her. This was just out of the blue and took him by surprise. There wasn’t any commitment on her part, and he should have said to himself, time to move along and stop being with the wrong person. He still hangs on to see if they can have that relationship he wants with her. I think he will never get that relationship he wants with her.

You can see the pattern of a very unhealthy person and one that you should avoid. Relationships in themselves are great if you have a healthy person in your life. The relationships that are based on alcohol, drugs, and sex are doomed to fail and lead you down the road to destruction. If you’re in a relationship that is full of drama either by you or the person you’re in a relationship with, it’s time to end it. Be done with it, move on and plan ahead. Time and energy should be used to have a great relationship and not one that’s causing you to lose sleepover. Here are the things you need in a healthy committed relationship.

  • Trustworthy
  • Integrity
  • Good listener
  • Good communicator
  • Understanding
  • Slow to anger
  • Spends time with you
  • Affirms you
  • Does things for you

If you’re dealing with an unhealthy relationship, then get some help in making a wise decision to either work on it or move on with your life. You can make any relationship work if both parties are willing to sit down and talk. If the other person isn’t willing to talk with you, then I think you know what you have to do. It’s not difficult my friends. It just takes the guts to make it happen.

Are you afraid to confront the wrong kind of people in your life? Are you involved in the wrong kind of relationship and need help getting out of it? Do you have friends who are involved with drugs, and alcohol and want you to join them, and you can’t say NO? Would you like a plan that can help you eliminate the wrong kind of people in your life? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then contact Dr. Mike for personal help and plan your next steps at 303.880.9878.

Dr. Michael Brooks is the founder of Applicable Life Coaching and Counseling Services. It is affordable, accessible, anonymous, and available by appointment from the privacy of your home. To avoid travel time and the comfort of home, many clients prefer to meet with Dr. Mike over the phone or via Skype. The convenience of this type of Counseling/Coaching is the most effective means of Life Coaching for those who live outside of the Denver metro area. Give Dr. Mike a call! You’ll be glad you did!

Dr. Michael Brooks
Applicable Counseling & Coaching Services
Web: www.applicablecoaching.com
Blog: http://applicablecoaching.com/blog.php
Web: http://idontwantthisdivorce.com/
Blog:http://idontwantthisdivorce.com/blog/
E-mail: mike@applicablecoaching.com
Office: 303.456.0555
Cell: 303.880.9878

Start Your Impossibility Journey (4)

Start Your Impossibility Journey (4)

By Dr. Michael Brooks

Hopefully, this has been a good series on how to make your impossibilities a reality, and it takes hard work to succeed. People who face impossibilities face it with either I will make this happen and give it all they have, or some people will just give up!

I was finding obstacles in places that I didn’t expect; the county building inspectors needed all kinds of building permits. The local and state licenses that were required for my business. I would have to build showers in the men’s and women’s locker rooms. All this was overwhelming to me and, frankly, was very discouraging. I thought maybe those naysayers were right after all. I did have a plan B in place, I would ask an investor friend of mine who had the money to make this happen. I set up a meeting with him and shared all the details, business plans, membership goals, profit, and loss potential; it was a good meeting, so I thought. When we were done, he said that he liked my idea and it looked good to him. We met the following Friday and sat down and talked. He said that he wasn’t interested, honestly, that shot me down pretty hard. I was ready to quit pursuing my impossible dream. I decided to put my entire dream on the back burner.

Four years later I was contacted by a group of men that wanted me to be a partner in the new fitness center they were building from the ground up. I met with these men and shared my ideas. Once I signed on, my impossible dream came to life and became a reality. I say God works in mysterious ways, and this one certainly was of His doing!

The purpose of sharing my story was to let you know that impossible dreams and visions do come true. With a lot of hard work and being honest with yourself, take the necessary steps and work out a plan. Seek help from those who can help you with planning and your next steps. If you need to get an education or find a professional that can help organize your thoughts and ideas, then do it.

If people are telling you, your idea can’t be done because it’s impossible, stop sharing your ideas with negative people and show them after the fact. I know from experience from my aunt dashing my dreams and discouraging me didn’t work against me, it only made me work harder.

Here are some of the negative things people will tell you about your impossible dreams.

  • You have no experience
  • You don’t have the money
  • You’re too young or too old
  • You’re a woman
  • You don’t have an education
  • It’ll never work
  • That’s the dumbest idea I’ve ever heard
  • Someone else has done this already

These are just a few of the things you may hear from those who don’t believe in you. I avoid sharing my ideas with negative people, they have nothing to offer you; find people who will support you and encourage you along your journey. Find people who will get you in to see the right people and ask questions. I looked for people who knew the ropes and how to maneuver around the right people. There are a lot of people who would love to help you on your impossible journey.

I’d love to hear what some of those obstacles are and what your plans are to make them happen, or if some of you have been victorious and made that impossibility a reality, please email me, always looking for successes in your life.

Do you feel like you’ve had people tell you that your dreams are impossible to achieve? Are you overcome by how big the impossibilities are that you face? Do you need help in making your impossibilities a reality? Do you want to know to overcome the fear of facing your impossibilities? Do you want help in managing your goals to make the impossibilities happen? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you need to contact Dr. Mike and set up an appointment. Please call Dr. Mike at 303.880.9878.

Dr. Michael Brooks is the founder of Applicable Counseling and life coaching Services. It is affordable, accessible, anonymous, and available by appointment from the privacy of your home. To avoid travel time and the comfort of home, many clients prefer to meet with Dr. Mike over the phone or via Zoom (if you want to have a Zoom meeting with Dr. Mike, send him an email at mike@applicablecoaching.com to set up an appointment). The convenience of this type of Counseling/Coaching is the most effective means of Life Coaching and counseling for those who live outside of Colorado. Give Dr. Mike a call! You’ll be glad you did!

Start Your Impossibility Journey (3)

Start Your Impossibility Journey (3)

By Dr. Michael Brooks

This week, we will continue with making your impossibilities a reality with hard work and planning!

My friends if people are telling you, your dreams and goals are impossible, show them by making them happen. I am talking about realistic goals. The impossible dreams can the mental goals, like getting an education, starting a business, these are the visions, the dreams many of us have. Then you have the physical goals, like getting healthy, kicking bad habits, exercising your way into shape. Looking back, I wasn’t cut out to play basketball, I didn’t have much desire to play basketball, but the weight lifting and football, yes, that I enjoyed, and the baseball career could have been a realistic dream, but, I wanted to play football instead of baseball.

Now, what are your impossible dreams, goals, and visions? Have you been told there is no way you can achieve them? They are impossible? If so, did you just give up and forget about them? Are the impossibilities still wandering around in that brain of yours? They just won’t go away; they linger on and keep you thinking about them? I suggest that your impossibilities need to be brought back to life and given a second look.

Many of you have been told that you’re too slow to go to college or a trade school. If that’s the case, then maybe you should start looking into fulfilling that dream by checking into schools near you or online schools. We set the limitations on how far we can go in life, others shouldn’t dictate that for you. If you had bad grades, then start by getting some help and making things happen. Remember, you have to aggressively go after your dreams, goals, and visions. They will not always fall into your lap. You have to decide what’s impossible to do. For example, you can’t add inches to your height to make you a better basketball player, right? You can develop skills on the court that will make up for the lack of size. You may never have millions in the bank, but you can research and invest wisely to live comfortably and provide for yourself and your family.

How many of you want to start a business? You may have ambitions of using your passions to make a living, as many of us have and enjoyed a successful career. What is holding you back? Lack of research, funds, education, or is it lack of motivation? Whatever is holding you back, you need to sit down and make a list of those things and work on eliminating them from your list.

I wanted to own a fitness center since I was in college; I was still going to the University of Wisconsin, taking classes and trying to figure out how I could make this happen. I was looking down the road of 5 to 10 years to make this a reality. First, I had to finish my degree and then get a job and save money for this dream of mine. While going to the U of Wisconsin, I got a part-time job at UPS working the pre-sort (unloading 40-foot trailers) in the early morning (3:30 AM). I was getting my education paid for and saving money by this part-time job. Meanwhile, I was doing my due diligence in how to start and own a fitness center. When I finished my degree, I worked part-time at UPS and part-time at a clinic in a small town where I lived. I began to check out places to open a fitness center in the area I lived. I checked out vacant buildings, storefronts, and pole barns. I started to check into the kind of gym equipment I would need to have when I opened my center. All this was exciting as I researched to make my impossible dream come true. I had the naysayers; oh, you can’t make a gym work in this town, it’s too small. I had many people tell me it’s impossible and don’t waste my time.

Next week, we will continue how to make your impossibilities become real with hard work and determination.

Dr. Mike has Zoom classes on “Boundaries in Dating,” By Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend, on Mondays starting on January 10th, 2022. “If you’re interested in attending this class, it’s on Monday from 6:00 to 7:00 PM (MDT). You’ll need to send Mike your email address to get a link for the Zoom class. Send your email address to mike@applicablecoaching.com. You can sit in and listen or be a participant. These classes are free.

If you are interested in any of these classes or have questions, send an email to mike@applicablecoaching.com or call 303.880.9878.

Do you feel like you’ve had people tell you that your dreams are impossible to achieve? Are you overcome by how big the impossibilities are that you face? Do you need help in making your impossibilities a reality? Do you want to know to overcome the fear of facing your impossibilities? Do you want help in managing your goals to make the impossibilities happen? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you need to contact Dr. Mike and set up an appointment. Please call Dr. Mike at 303.880.9878.

Dr. Michael Brooks is the founder of Applicable Counseling and life coaching Services. It is affordable, accessible, anonymous, and available by appointment from the privacy of your home. To avoid travel time and the comfort of home, many clients prefer to meet with Dr. Mike over the phone or via Zoom (if you want to have a Zoom meeting with Dr. Mike, send him an email at mike@applicablecoaching.com to set up an appointment). The convenience of this type of Counseling/Coaching is the most effective means of Life Coaching and counseling for those who live outside of Colorado. Give Dr. Mike a call! You’ll be glad you did!

Start Your Impossibility Journey (1)

By Dr. Michael Brooks

I look back at my life and have seen many great opportunities I have missed because I was overcome with the term “it’s impossible.” The word impossible was a roadblock for me; it kept me from becoming an explorer in my own life. I missed several opportunities growing up. I can remember very well several people telling me you can’t do this or do that! My first experience being told that I was too small to play basketball was when I was six years old. The army base that we lived on was in Schweinfurt, Germany. The AYA was the (American Youth Association) sports program for military kids. They had football, baseball, and basketball leagues for all age groups. I remember my dad encouraging me to try basketball, so I went to the base gym with my older brother Bob.

I tried dribbling, and I wasn’t very good at it, I was afraid to shoot at the backboard because the backboard was made out of a clear plastic that looked like a window, and I was afraid that I would break it. Let’s just say, I wasn’t basketball material. Our first game was on a Saturday, and I had two practices under my belt. My mom made me a lunch to take on the bus, I showed up, and as I was getting on the bus, the coach said I was going, I was too small to play against the big boys. I was crushed. I walked home and was greeted by my mom when I walked through the door. She must have gotten a phone call from the coach that I wasn’t going to the game. I remember her saying that some things we want to do just don’t work out, and that’s OK!

The following spring, I was now seven years old; my dad said that I should try out for baseball. That was a fiasco, even for a kid who never played before. I got my uniform, went to a few practices, and then we had our first game. My mom and dad attended my first baseball game ever and were very supportive. Keep in mind my dad played football and baseball at the University of Minnesota. I stepped up to the plate and took a few practice swings, then the coach pitched the ball (we didn’t have Tee-ball back then), and I swung hard and sent that ball deep into the outfield over the head of the outfielder. I didn’t know which base to run to; I started to run to third base instead of first base; the umpire at home plate ran over and directed me to first base, the first base coach ran with me to second base, and told me to stay there. I heard parents laughing on the sidelines, and I wondered why? When my parents told me on the way home, I laughed too.

I’ve learned many life lessons from my time in sports as a kid and as an adult. What I was told was impossible; I made it possible with hard work and my faith in God.

Growing up on the south side of Chicago in the suburbs was a blessing in disguise. There were all kinds of trouble a kid could get into. Because of the sports I was involved in, I focused on playing sports with my friends that lived on my block. We played street football, went to the park to play baseball. Pick-up games were the norm back then. We played for hours on end and wouldn’t get home until after dark. I realized that finding good friends wasn’t impossible as long as you had the right ones in your life.

Next week, we will continue how to make your impossibilities become real with hard work and determination.

Dr. Mike has Zoom classes on “Boundaries in Dating,” By Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend, on Monday. “If you’re interested in attending this class, it’s on Monday from 6:00 to 7:00 PM. You’ll need to send Mike your email address to get a link for the Zoom class. Send your email address to mike@applicablecoaching.com. You can sit in and listen or be a participant. These classes are free.

If you are interested in any of these classes or have questions, send an email to mike@applicablecoaching.com or call 303.880.9878.

Do you feel like you’ve had people tell you that your dreams are impossible to achieve? Are you overcome by how big the impossibilities are that you face? Do you need help in making your impossibilities a reality? Do you want to know to overcome the fear of facing your impossibilities? Do you want help in managing your goals to make the impossibilities happen? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you need to contact Dr. Mike and set up an appointment. Please call Dr. Mike at 303.880.9878.

Dr. Michael Brooks is the founder of Applicable Counseling and life coaching Services. It is affordable, accessible, anonymous, and available by appointment from the privacy of your home. To avoid travel time and the comfort of home, many clients prefer to meet with Dr. Mike over the phone or via Zoom (if you want to have a Zoom meeting with Dr. Mike, send him an email at mike@applicablecoaching.com to set up an appointment). The convenience of this type of Counseling/Coaching is the most effective means of Life Coaching and counseling for those who live outside of Colorado. Give Dr. Mike a call! You’ll be glad you did!

Don’t Allow Fear to Control You! (3)

Don’t Allow Fear to Control You! (3)

By Dr. Michael Brooks

This week, we will continue on how to deal with your fears so you can understand how to manage them. Fears don’t always have to be hidden and cause embarrassment. Dealing with them will give you freedom.

So, let’s look into some of the reasons what cause our fears and how we deal with them. Most experts say that there isn’t one particular cause for our fears, I’d say there are several good reasons why we have Fear in our lives. Many people cannot pinpoint when their fears began. So, let’s look at some examples and causes of those fears in a nutshell.

Past incidents, fears, and traumas: For example, me jumping off a roof and the Fear of the actual height looking down at the ground when falling, it has had a lasting effect on how I feel about heights to this day. I have a friend whose two daughters were attacked by a neighbor’s dog when they were toddlers. When a dog comes near them and I mean any dog, they lose it, they scream, yell and cry, these kids are 8 and 9 years old. They will never forget the dog attack as long as they live. Maybe when they become adults, they will be able to deal with dogs, but for now, they have a real fear of dogs.

How do you react to fear or panic? You may have had a fear that controlled you growing up, or even as an adult from a situation or object you encountered. Think about how many of us growing up, were told by our parents not to talk to strangers or avoid strangers. Our parents would tell us stories about what could happen if we did. We could get kidnapped, or even worse than we’d never see our families again. Many adults to this day will avoid talking to people they don’t know. They still have that fear of strangers that their parents scared them with. There is nothing wrong with that mindset today, many kids are being abducted and need to know they need to run away from someone approaching them. Fear can be very healthy as long as it’s used to be a learning lesson.

Long-term fear can cause anxiety and cause you to have depression if not dealt with in a proper way. Fear can keep you from enjoying life to its fullest and cause you to avoid events and people. Family gatherings can be difficult to attend for those who fear closeness. I know I struggled with being at our family gatherings because I was extremely shy. I hated going and seeing family at these reunions. I know I was anxious for sure and begged my parents not to take me. I’ve overcome that fear over the years.

As I was researching this article, I found some very interesting tidbits of information, do you know what one of the longest words in the dictionary is? I was amazed by this: What is Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia?  I find it funny, the meaning of the word and, and in an ironic twist, is the name for a fear of long words. I never imagined that words cause people to fear.

So, how do I overcome my fears you may ask? There are many scientific ways of dealing with your fears. I want to make this easy for you and just give you my Readers Digest version.

Next week, we will continue with “Don’t Allow Fear to Control You.” Learn how to deal with these thoughts on Fear so they don’t control you.