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Ever notice how easy it is to flip your lid when life gets overwhelming? In this powerful conversation, Mike Cole welcomes back retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Tina Parker to explore the transformative shift from reactivity to creativity.

Tina vulnerably shares her journey through unimaginable challenges—losing her first child to stillbirth, facing cancer after her daughter's birth, and navigating divorce—and how these experiences taught her to choose creativity even in life's darkest moments. Rather than asking "why me?" she demonstrates how shifting the questions we ask ourselves can completely transform our experience.

The discussion reveals a simple yet profound framework anyone can use: Pause, Notice, Choose. Your breath becomes the bridge between reactivity and creativity, creating space for intentional responses rather than automatic reactions. This isn't about never experiencing difficult emotions—it's about recognizing we always have a choice in how we respond to them.

Perhaps most compelling is the understanding that our reactions send ripple effects—or as Mike puts it, "tidal waves"—affecting not just ourselves but everyone around us. When we react negatively to our children, partners, or colleagues, that energy spreads; when we respond consciously, that positive energy spreads instead.

For women in leadership particularly, this shift offers a powerful alternative to pushing against existing structures. Instead of exhausting ourselves fighting systems not designed with us in mind, we can create something new through a pull towards possibility rather than a push against resistance.

Ready to break free from reactivity and become the conscious creator of your life experience? This conversation offers practical wisdom for anyone seeking more balance, fulfillment, and authentic power in their daily life. Visit empowerperformancestrategies.com to continue your journey!

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Are your thoughts empowering or draining you? In this eye-opening conversation with Robert and Cathy Casteel, we explore the powerful State Trilogy that shapes your energy levels and determines your quality of life.

The Casteel's, drawing from their military backgrounds and coaching expertise, break down how focus, physiology, and language work together like a three-legged stool to create your mental and emotional state. When one element weakens, your entire foundation becomes unstable. Through practical examples and personal stories, they demonstrate how consciously managing these three elements can transform your energy from poor to rich, dramatically changing how you show up in the world.

We dive into the fascinating Hawaiian Ho'oponopono prayer—a simple yet profound healing practice that can repair relationships even when the other person isn't physically present. Robert and Cathy vulnerably demonstrate this prayer during our conversation, showing how four simple phrases—"I'm sorry, please forgive me, thank you, I love you"—can create powerful energy shifts in yourself and others.

For veterans especially, who often struggle with the transition from military to civilian life, these tools provide a practical framework for managing challenging emotions and creating a new empowered reality. The Casteel's share their technique called "BOP" (Breathe, Open, Pause) to interrupt negative thought patterns, plus their advice to create a personal list of activities that "fill your tank" when energy runs low.

Whether you're battling negative self-talk, feeling disconnected from others, or simply wanting more energy and joy in your life, this episode offers concrete strategies to transform your thoughts and, ultimately, your reality. Listen now, then visit empowerperformancestrategies.com for more resources to support your journey.

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Anxiety isn't just "all in your head" — it's a complex neurological process that can be understood, managed, and even rewired. Brain coach Dominika joins Michael Cole to explain exactly how anxiety works in your brain and provide practical tools that actually work to interrupt anxious patterns.

Dominika breaks down the science simply: anxiety occurs when your amygdala overreacts "like a Christmas tree," triggering your limbic system and taking your prefrontal cortex (the logical part of your brain) offline. The result? You're ruled by emotions, feeling paralyzed, struggling to breathe, and unable to think clearly. But understanding this process gives you power to change it.

Rather than generic advice to "just meditate" when you're anxious (which Dominika explains is nearly impossible in that state), she offers specific, science-backed techniques like mental rehearsal, pattern interrupts, and the counterintuitive but crucial practice of staying in anxiety-provoking situations rather than fleeing. This last point is particularly powerful — when you leave, you reinforce your brain's belief that there was real danger.

What makes this conversation uniquely valuable is how Dominika connects psychology with biology. She explains why checking specific nutrient levels (ferritin, iron, magnesium, and D3) is essential for managing anxiety, why hormone fluctuations during perimenopause can trigger anxiety symptoms, and why taking random supplements without testing first can actually harm rather than help.

Most importantly, Dominika reminds us of neuroplasticity — your brain's lifelong ability to change and adapt. No matter your age or how long you've struggled with anxiety, you can create new neural pathways and responses. With her three powerful tips for veterans and their families, she leaves listeners with both practical tools and renewed hope: who you've been until now has nothing to do with who you can become.

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