Jamie O'Hara Coaching LLC

07/26/2023

The central premise of the Self-Determination Theory is that individuals have innate tendencies towards personal growth and vitality that are either satisfied or hindered by their immediate environment.

Motivation is a process that starts with a physiological or psychological need that activates a behavior or a drive that is aimed at a goal. ​It is also a predictor of performance, relational, and well-being outcomes. ​

The degrees to which basic psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness are supported OR NOT supported affect both the type and strength of motivation. ​

These 3 requirements for intrinsic motivation (autonomy, competence, and relatedness) are often overlooked and are not talked about nearly as much as the extrinsic motivators of punishments and reward.

Punishment and reward are not reliable motivators. They can be helpful in some situations, but they do not work with addiction. If they did, then scare tactics and the idea of "saving lots of money" would be enough to eradicate all addiction in human beings.

People who are trying to leave ni****ne behind need better options than the same old tired tricks that have been shoved down their throats for years.

We need to change the conversation from the pro's and con's to creating better options that satisfy autonomy, competence, and relatedness.

We need to teach people to listen to their body's and feelings so they can tell them what feels right for them and how to follow that thread to lasting motivation.

Visit my website at JamieOHaraCoaching.com if you would like to work with a coach who understands motivation.

References
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-determination_theory

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07/19/2023

Need to find a therapist? Start here https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists

Visit I AM MANTRA for a daily Mantra, a source of inspiration & insight, designed to support you https://www.iammantra.com/

Visit Yoga with Adriene on YouTube for countless yoga instructional videos for all types of yoga practices https://www.youtube.com/

Visit Calm for all types of meditative practices to find the one that suits you. This includes gratitude, loving-kindness, body-scans, sleep, grief, and so much more https://www.calm.com

Need a good laugh? Watch videos of people playing the "invisible danger" prank. It's almost always a guaranteed laugh.

Not sure how to breath into your belly? Start here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2wo2Impnfg&t=54s

Need help with reducing alcohol? Annie Grace has a great podcast and program based on her book about developing a better relationship with alcohol, called This Naked Mind. This is her website: https://thisnakedmind.com/

Want to learn more about Emotional Brain Training. Check here

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/rewired/201601/train-your-brain-release-stress

and here:

https://www.ebtconnect.net/

Need to find some nature trails to walk, check here https://www.alltrails.com/

Don't forget about the feelings wheel at feelingswheel.com

Google 'relaxation & stress relieving ideas'. Try whatever you feel most drawn to or that peaks your interest.

Remember, the goal is to minimize exposure to stress & learn ways to manage the stress you cannot eliminate.

If you are quitting smoking or va**ng & want to know how I can help, visit my website at JamieOHaraCoaching.com to schedule a free consultation call with me.

I am not sponsored by or receiving money from any of the resources mentioned above.

References
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18027121/
https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/

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07/11/2023

I am taking a break from putting out information so I can learn what information is actually needed.

Take a second and let me know if the comments. What do you want to know more about? Don't be shy. There is no wrong answer!

jamieoharacoaching.com

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07/04/2023

Freedom is nothing but a chance to be better.
– Albert Camus

No country is perfect, it’s never that black and white. Countries are comprised of and run by imperfect human beings. Independence Day is a reminder to be grateful for the freedoms we do have and to always continue to strive for better.

06/27/2023

Our brains are designed to be efficient. Once we have consciously done something enough times, it gets filed in the subconscious brain space. We don't have to think about it anymore, we just do it. This is thanks to a characteristic of the brain called neuroplasticity.

"Neuroplasticity is the brain's ability to change & adapt due to experience. It is an umbrella term referring to the brain's ability to change, reorganize, or grow neural networks. This can involve functional changes due to brain damage or structural changes due to learning".

Creating associations is a huge part of how the brain does this. Associations are created through our experiences and that is also how they are broken.

You cannot think your way out of a ni****ne addiction. You need new experiences→ shows the brain new possibilities→ it creates new neural pathways→ New neural pathways become stronger when reinforced.

Major factors in creating neural networks:
- SMALL SUSTAINABLE CHANGES. If it isn’t something you can do regularly you won’t. This will not allow for the reinforcement of the neural network.
- MOTIVATION. If you don’t feel motivated to do it regularly you won’t. This will not allow for the reinforcement of the neural network. Choose something that you are actually interested in doing, you are capable of doing/trying, and that you have the support of someone or something.
- EXPERIMENT. It is okay if something you tried wasn’t a good fit. Try something else. Consider it an experiment every time until you get the results.

Ideas:
- No smoking with my phone, coffee, or alcoholic beverage in hand
- No smoking in any cars or inside my house
- Do something with your hands while on the phone
- Journal or take a walk before I can smoke
- Trade NRT for 1 of my ci******es today

It’s not all about the ni****ne dependence. Now that you know, you can make choices that suit you better & work with your brain instead of against it.

If you are interested in working with a coach who understands these components & what it’s like to be a smoker, visit my website to schedule a free consult at jamieoharacoaching.com

https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-brain-plasticity-2794886

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06/20/2023

On average, it takes most people around 30 attempts to quit ni****ne.

If you have tried and not succeeded, the good news is that this is very normal.

Every time you try to quit, you learn things:
- What worked
- What didn't work
- What you needed and didn't have
- Who supported you and who didn't
- What you liked and didn't like about the method you tried
- What you think would work better next time
- What your triggers were
- How you dealt with cravings

When you go back to smoking after a recent attempt, it might feel very defeating. You might need some time to build your confidence back up to try again. Don't rush it, but don't give up on it completely. Give yourself the time you need. But in the meantime, be curious...

- What do I think I want to try next?
- When would be a good time to try again?
- Who will help me?
- What resources will I need?
- How will I plan for it?
- What triggers do I need to manage?

I challenge you to try 30 times. What do you have to lose?

Helpful tips:
-Working with a coach is shown to double your chances of success this time!
- Using Ni****ne Replacement Therapy is also shown to significantly increase your odds for success this time.
- Support from people you trust is always helpful in changing any behavior.

If you are interested in working with a coach, visit my website to schedule a free consultation call with me at jamieoharacoaching.com

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06/13/2023

The reality is, quitting smoking or va**ng means you will need to decrease your intake of ni****ne.

If you do this abruptly, it will be uncomfortable and likely not sustainable. The discomfort associated with withdrawal can be extreme and last for months.

When you smoke/vape, your brain grows new receptors to receive the ni****ne you are consuming. It takes 3 months for those receptors that demand the ni****ne they are so accustomed to having to quiet down.

If you do this slowly and gradually, you will significantly decrease this discomfort to the point that you may not even notice it.

There are many ways to personalize your use of NRT to quit smoking/va**ng.

It is recommended to combine long and short acting and to combine NRT with coaching for a successful quit plan.

Pre-Quit NRT is extremely helpful. Example: As you remove 1 cigarette, you add in 1 lozenge, until there are no more ci******es. Then slowly decrease your intake of lozenges.

There are other quit medications you can use in combination with NRT as well.

Always use FDA approved products. Always read and follow instructions carefully. Misuse of a product may cause harm or be ineffective.

For more 1:1 help with this, visit my website to schedule a free consultation call at jamieoharacoaching.com

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06/06/2023

Have you experienced any of these growing up?
If so, this article may interest you. Even if it never felt like a really big deal, it could be affecting your health. Understanding it gives you power.

1. Did you feel that you didn’t have enough to eat, had to wear dirty clothes, or had no one to protect or take care of you?

2. Did you lose a parent through divorce, abandonment, death, or other reason?

3. Did you live with anyone who was depressed, mentally ill, or attempted su***de?

4. Did you live with anyone who had a problem with drinking or using drugs, including prescription drugs?

5. Did your parents or adults in your home ever hit, punch, beat, or threaten to harm each other?

6. Did you live with anyone who went to jail or prison?

7. Did a parent or adult in your home ever swear at you, insult you, or put you down?

8. Did a parent or adult in your home ever hit, beat, kick, or physically hurt you in any way?

9. Did you feel that no one in your family loved you or thought you were special?

10. Did you experience unwanted sexual contact?

"The specific impact of childhood trauma is nuanced and complex, yet one common outcome is the dysregulation of the stress system".

To read and learn more, read this article from Psychology Today (5-minute read):
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/understanding-addiction/202109/why-trauma-can-lead-to-addiction

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06/05/2023

According to data retrieved from the NIH substance use patterns reported by sexual minority adults differ from those reported by heterosexual adults:

- 41.3% of LGBTQ adults reported past-year ma*****na use compared to 18.7% of the overall adult population.

- 6.7% of LGBTQ adults in 2020 misused opioids in the past year compared to 3.6% of the overall adult population.

- 21.8% of LGBTQ adults had an alcohol use disorder in the past year compared to 11.0% in the overall population.

- Elevated rates of smoking and e-cigarette use in LGBTQ compared to their heterosexual counterparts.

- Among LGB adults, bisexual women report greater use of ever trying e-ci******es compared to heterosexual women and greater dual use of to***co ci******es and e-ci******es compared to both le***an and heterosexual women.

- Bisexual men were more likely to report ever or current e-cigarette use, compared to heterosexual men.

- Sexual minorities with SUDs are more likely to have additional (comorbid or co-occurring) psychiatric disorders.

- Gay and bisexual men and le***an and bisexual women report greater odds of frequent mental distress and depression than their heterosexual counterparts.

- Transgender children and adolescents have higher levels of depression, suicidality, self-harm, and eating disorders than their non-transgender counterparts.

Resource: https://nida.nih.gov/research-topics/substance-use-suds-in-lgbtq-populations

Stigma, discrimination, harassment, and violence are harmful to all humans. It damages our vital sense of safety and connection to others. We all need to feel safe and connected to survive. If we do not, we experience the statistics above. These stats are not a sign of weakness, they are a sign of injury.

05/29/2023

05/22/2023

Looking to increase your sense of readiness (motivation) to quit?

High confidence and importance to make a change will equate to feeling ready and motivated to change.

Determining where you are getting stuck is the best place to start. Do you feel low on confidence, or is it just not feeling that important to change right now?

If you are interested in working with a coach to improve your motivation to quit, visit my website to book a free consultation and to learn more.
www.jamieoharacoaching.com

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05/08/2023

May 4th marked 5 years since my final quit date. The one that finally stuck.

I still can’t believe how easy it was that time. The MANY attempts before that were extremely difficult and unsustainable. I suffered greatly until I folded each time.

What worked for me may not be exactly what works for everyone else, but anyone who wants to quit deserves the least amount of suffering possible.

It doesn’t have to be brutal. It can be very very manageable. THAT OPTION EXISTS!

For me it was a combination of things. NRT, coaching, and my close circle of people were key.

I don’t miss it. I don’t feel deprived. I am not disgusted by people who do it. It is irrelevant to me now. It is a freedom that I always hoped for but never really let myself fully believe I would have.

If you want to explore your options, visit my website to schedule a FREE consultation call with me. I would love to help you find your magic combination and watch you break free for good.

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