In today’s episode, we cover what it means to work on yourself with Dr. Nicole LePera. She is the creator of the popular Instagram account @the.holistic.psychologist, was educated in clinical psychology at Cornell University and The New School of Social Research, and is the author of the best-selling How to Do the Work: Recognize Your Patterns, Heal from Your Past, and Create Your Self. Introduction It takes a lot of work to go from insight to effecting real long-lasting change, so how do you bridge the gap, why does focusing on the flaws of others hurt your own development, and how does your lack of emotional expressiveness take away from your life satisfaction? Introduction - 4:00 What does it mean to “do the work” when embarking on a path of self-development or healing after trauma? Why is it important to bridge the gap between insight and action and why do so many people fail to, leaving them unable to make progress? How do you overcome your own resistance to change? Detangling trauma from an idealized past - 13:32 What can you do to identify trauma in your life that is causing you to self-sabotage without even realizing it? What are the most common self-sabotaging behaviors people do without realizing it? What are trauma bonds and how does it show up in your relationships in destructive ways you might not even realize? Your unknown expectations can destroy your relationships - 28:28 What role do expectations play in trauma bonds influencing our current relationships? What do you do when you are ready to make a change but your friends or family aren’t supportive or ready to make changes themselves? How should we think about emotions - 37:46 What steps can you take to start valuing your emotions instead of dismissing them or allowing other people to dismiss them? Why is self-compassion important when it comes to “doing the work” and growing into the person you want to be? What can you do if you’re an overachiever and feel like you need achievement to feel complete? How do you overcome the fear of being who you want to be so you can get out of your own way? Have you ever felt a fear so strong that it nearly paralyzed you or left you trembling? Maybe the event was a real-life trauma, like being mugged. Or maybe it was something more subtle but equally as debilitating - like walking into an interview for your dream job and feeling all those eyes on you, sizing up who they can't wait to reject. All of these events can have long lasting effects on who you are and who you want to become. But you have to be willing to identify them, work through the effects they’ve had, and get out of your own way to be comfortable expressing who you really are. A Word From Our Sponsors Share your vulnerabilities, victories, and questions in our 13,000-member private Facebook group at theartofcharm.com/challenge. This is a unique opportunity where everyone — both men and women — celebrate your accountability on the way to becoming the best version of yourself. Register today here! Resources from this Episode The Holistic Psychologist Instagram account How to Do the Work: Recognize Your Patterns, Heal from Your Past, and Create Your Self by Dr. Nicole LaPera Dr. Nicole LaPera’s website Check in with AJ and Johnny! AJ on Instagram Johnny on Instagram The Art of Charm on Instagram The Art of Charm on YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices