In this episode of Dad Talks, I talk about my journey of finding meaning after significant life changes, particularly my divorce. I discuss the importance of accepting life's changes, recognizing that the world continues to move on, and the necessity of taking ownership of one's healing process..
For me during this season I asked the question, “How do I begin to restore my life?” Or to put it another way, “How do I start again?
The process of restoration starts with admitting you are incapable of doing this yourself. It's having the self-awareness to understand that your actions aren't enough.
HDIGH #4
This is the point in the journey where you are exhausted.You are asking, “Will things ever change? Or get better? I feel like I have put all this work in and nothing.”
In this episode I want to encourage you to not give up with asimple truth that a friend shared with me.
HDIGH #3:
It’s a scene we have seen so many times in movies and TV shows. Characters facing a life or death situation and one character realizes the only way to survive is to let go.
In this episode, I talk about the key to finding peace in your life is by letting go of the past and embracing your current circumstances as if you had chosen them.
In this episode of Dad Talks, I talk about the complex emotions surrounding grief and divorce. I share my personal journey through the stages of grief, emphasizing the importance of acceptance and the painful process of facing reality.
Keywords
grief, divorce, healing, acceptance, emotional pain, personal growth, fatherhood, mental health, coping strategies, life changes
This is the first episode in a series I am calling, "How Did I Get Here?" The idea with this series is to share my story from when I first realized divorce was coming to the healing journey to where I am today.
In this episode of Dad Talks, I share my personal journey through divorce, exploring the feelings of being stuck and helpless. I reflect on past experiences, including a story from my high school years that illustrates the struggle of feeling trapped.
Dad Talks, divorce, personal journey, encouragement, faith, feeling stuck, life lessons, personal growth, hope, resilience
In this episode, I share two powerful tools that have helped me navigate my struggles, emphasizing the importance of personal responsibility and acceptance.
I look at the impact of past relationships on present behavior and the necessity of moving forward with purpose and clarity.
Takeaways
The importance of understanding personal responsibility in relationships.
Counseling can help uncover deeper issues behind surface problems.
The 'circle tool' helps individuals focus on their own actions and attitudes.
Acceptance of the past is crucial for moving forward.
Living with regret can hinder personal growth and happiness.
It's essential to let go of the 'what if' mindset.
Each person is responsible for their own actions and decisions.
Transformation requires a clear understanding of what you want for the future.
Journaling can be a powerful tool for processing emotions and experiences.
The journey of healing is ongoing and requires active participation.
After a divorce, many dads find themselves wrestling with a painful question:
Am I still a good dad?
Being a “good dad” after divorce doesn’t look the way you thought it would—but that doesn’t make it any less real. In fact, some of the most important parts of fatherhood happen in the moments no one else sees.
So let’s talk about what no one tells you about being a “good dad” after divorce—and why you might be doing better than you think.
I recently heard a guest on a podcast share the idea of "being a butler for your future self."
That got me to thinking, "What would that look like?"
In this episode, I talk about the impact of procrastination on your life and what to do instead to set yourself up for future success.
"In the gap between where we are and where we want to be, we find instability..." -David J. Lieberman, Ph.D.
Do you feel like you are stuck? Like you keep repeating the same stupid choices over and over? Do you struggle to connect with others? Are you not where you want to be?
Then you need to deal with your ego.
I have realized that my ego was holding me back in so many areas of my life.
It wasn't until I decided to kill my ego that I began to grow.
Could the blessings in Abraham's life actually be a curse?
If I could go back to my younger self and tell me that "Anger isn't the real issue, here's what is going on..." I would tell him this...
I have always struggled with anger. Let me be more specific, anger comes easy for me. The struggle is to not act out in a bad way because of it.
As I now see similiar tendencies in my own kids, I reflect back on my own childhood and ask what could I have done differently so that maybe things go better for them.
"How do I get over her? How do I move forward?"
These were questions I have asked and now have been asked.
Although these questions are unique to divorce, moving forward isn't.
We all face death, setbacks, and hurts, so how can we not only move forward but find meaning after loss?
Finding Meaning by David Kessler
I disagreed with the answer ChatGPT gave to the following question.
What was the question?
"What is the #1 belief keeping divorced dads stuck?"
The answer was, "I failed as a father."
I agree that divorced dads struggle with this belief but it wasn't the belief that kept me stuck.
It took me two years to call and tell a mentor of mine that I was divorced. I just felt so much shame and thought he would be disappointed in me.
I had allowed my divorce to define who I was.
Your failures don't have to define you. You have the power to make a new path forward.
I have talked about the importance of facing your pain but how do we do that? I came across some old sermon notes that gives the blueprint on how to do that.
That blueprint leads you to this truth: "Knowledge of God's truth gives us the ability to endure trials joyously."
"Faith is trusting advance what will only make sense in reverse." -Philip Yancey
There's a question that I often ask myself and it can have both negative and positive outcomes. What's the question...Listen to find out.
When you are faced with a painful situation, how do you respond?
Do you run away and avoid or do you face your pain head on and run through it?
This episode I talk about why we should face our pain and how it can lead to healing and restoration.
On this episode of DAD Talks, I talk with Cory Jenks.
We discuss how the skills needed for Improv Comedy can help you be a better parent and how yelling repeatedly at your kid during a game can make them play better...
Cory Jenks is a convention breaking pharmacist, comedian, author, speaker, and dad from Tucson Arizona. Since earning his Doctor of Pharmacy degree in 2011 from the University of South Carolina, he has been on a mission to help people get off medications through lifestyle. Since 2013, he has taught, coached and performed improv comedy for thousands of people. And since 2022 when his 1st book Permission to Care: Building a Healthcare Culture that Thrives in Chaos, came out, he has been making readers laugh out loud while reading. His newest book, I Guess I’m a Dad Now, provides practical and hilarious tips, tricks, and stories to help new dads earn that "#1 Dad” shirt they will inevitably be gifted on Father's Day. With the little spare time he has, Cory enjoys harvesting rainwater, raising chickens, and attempting to play various sports with variable success. He is currently earning his Master’s Degree in Dad Jokes with the help of his daughter and two sons.
Connect with Cory:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=12616017
Instagram @pharmacomedian
X: @coryjenkspharmd
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cory-jenks-3ba17314/
Website: www.coryjenks.com
Email: cory@coryjenks.com
Books:
I Guess I’m a Dad Now: https://rb.gy/zk1zgj
Permission to Care: https://rb.gy/4a8yoo
On this episode of DADtalks, Jeff Wickersham joins the show to share his heart behind starting the Warrior Dad Experience.
Jeff Wickersham is on a mission to impact, lead and guide 1,000,000 dads and elevate the lives of 2,000,000+ kids by January 1, 2053. He’s the founder and creator of The Warrior Dad Experience which guides dads to actualize their potential and crush life both personally and professionally in less than 1% of their day, changing their family tree forever. Jeff’s the dad to two amazing sons, Jackson and Carter. Jeff’s a #1 best-selling author, Tony Robbins award winner, podcast host, and speaker. He’s a practitioner, leads by example and his core values are energy, consistency and accountability. If you have that itch that you can be more, do more, want more, Jeff can help get you there!
LlNKS:
Website – www.thewarriordad.com
Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-warrior-dad/id1440206125
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-wickersham/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jeff_wickersham/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/jeffrey.wickershm
TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@jeffwickersham
YouTube – www.youtube.com/@jeff_wickersham
