Episode 107: From Couch to Catalyst: Break Inertia With The W.A.R.M. Method

Feeling stuck is a condition often rooted in fear, “inertia,” and a lack of support. Host Dr. Lara Salyer explores the concept of inertia, its complexities, and how it can hinder progress in various aspects of life, especially in healthcare. Drawing from personal experiences, Dr. Lara will guide you on how to overcome inertia using a method she calls “W.A.R.M.”

The W.A.R.M. method—”Who Dis,” “Aim Low,” “Reason Why,” and “Messy Moves the Needle”—offers a new perspective on overcoming the inertia that often afflicts individuals.

Through sharing personal stories from her life and her mentoring sessions, Dr. Lara demonstrates the relatability and applicability of the W.A.R.M. method. She recounts a moment of self-doubt while preparing for a workshop and how applying the method helped her move past the hurdle, serving as a testament to the method’s effectiveness.

This episode of The Catalyst is a call to embrace self-reflection, set realistic goals, and accept that imperfect action is still progress. It encourages listeners to confront their fears, seek support, and concentrate on the underlying reasons for their aspirations.

About The Catalyst Host, Dr. Lara Salyer:

I worked as a family physician for 15 years until burnout changed the trajectory of my career. I realized I wanted to start a holistic functional medicine practice in my rural hometown and made it happen. In addition to practicing functional medicine, I now mentor practitioners who are looking to change their paths in healthcare by using what I refer to as the “Catalyst Roadmap”. I share each step of this framework with listeners so that they may apply it to their careers, relationships, personal goals, and projects.

In This Episode I'm Talking About:

The importance of positive self-talk and taking action
Why you should accept that imperfect action is still progress
How to overcome inertia using my W.A.R.M. method

Quotes:

“You need action to make motivation happen.” (08:32 | Dr. Lara Salyer)
“Negative self-talk, fear of judgment, and plain old procrastination. Those are the top three most likely self-sabotaging mechanisms that I see in my practice. And this is detrimental because the more we practice those thought loops of self-sabotage, it really breaks down our mental health. It also breaks down our well-being and our feeling of self-efficacy. We start to feel more trapped.” (11:59 | Dr. Lara Salyer)
“When you find yourself stuck, first of all, you have to recognize that, which can be hard. And that’s why a good mentor or a good practitioner that helps you with lifestyle changes, you need a third party to look at your life and assess.” (15:51 | Dr. Lara Salyer)
“Take imperfect action. Just move, just get off the couch, stumble to the kitchen, whatever it is, put your shoes on, left shoe on the right foot does not mean take imperfect action, recognize that your progress comes from just moving in a messy way. Nothing says that you have to be perfect right outside the gate or ever.” (19:54 | Dr. Lara Salyer)
“Next time you’re feeling inertia, remember, W.A.R.M. Warm yourself up. Take it off the couch. Ask, who’s this? Aim low. Reason why. And messy moves the needle. Challenge those thoughts. Remember that motivation doesn’t come from inaction. It’s so much more comfortable to blame or point fingers or sit on the couch and consume, get another certification, another degree, or consume TikTok or social media and just sort of dissociate from life. Jump back in it. Get warm. Remind yourself of the why.” (23:30 | Dr. Lara Salyer)