Uplevel Together with Jasna Burza

What living in a refugee camp taught me about joy

Recent events in Europe and conversation about refugees have inspired me to share my story with you and what living in a refugee camp taught me about joy.

What does it mean to be perfect?

If I only got a dollar every time I heard the words: "well, I am just not perfect"……It makes me cringe every time I hear it because I think we are doing ourselves harm by repeating this as something harmless and a way to "fit in" or say it because everyone else is saying it as well.

Stuck because of too many choices? Simple tip to help you now

Have you ever found yourself completely overwhelmed with too many choices? I mean, no matter what you need - you can find at least 10 different options. Unfortunately, this leaves many of us paralyzed and we end up doing nothing because of fear of making a mistake or indecision drama. As a result, we don't move forward and the pattern repeats itself over and over again? Sounds familiar? I get it.

Your actions create your emotions

It is easy for all of us to fall into states of inertia, being stuck and irritated and often, we stay there longer than we should. Research is conclusive that our emotional states are dependent on our thoughts and actions and today, I offer a few tips on how you may get our of a state that is not serving you. I talk about the things I do that always help me create a different state of being and why they might work for you as well.

Are you a unicorn: creative but misunderstood?

If you feel alone in creative pursuits and misunderstood by others, you just might be a unicorn! Unicorns are wonderful, they march to a different beat and create amazing things in this world but very often, they are lonely……very lonely. See, we are all naturally born to be unicorns but because of conditioning, fear and other lies we tell ourselves, we don't let that side of us show up. Others who are brave enough to do so are often misunderstood and it creates stress and pressure to abandon our pursuits. I talk about those unicorns, their beauty and the importance of perseverance despite all obstacles.

How to boost your confidence with this one tip

Do you often find yourself discouraged after having tried something and it didn't give you the result you wanted? I have a simple tip that will help you boost your own confidence and make you try again.

Here’s what to do when nothing is going right

Every day is a fairy tale, right? While we may fantasize that that may be the case, most of us experience days and periods when nothing seems to be going right. It is only natural folks and we will all have a day like that…..guaranteed and it doesn't matter how positive you may be. Even when we are most positive and optimistic, sometimes - life will simply happen and there will be things outside of our control that will shake our beliefs and will make us frustrated. What I see happen most often is this: we complain about it, get anxiety over it and because of our emotional state - we create more of it, which is the last thing we want. So, today - I share a technique that works for me very single time I am having an "off" day. You have to find a way to press the reset button before things get out of control and I offer a few tips on just how to make that happen.

How I created a story about being unlovable

We all have beliefs and stories that impact our lives negatively. Here's an example of how small Jasna made up a story that really created problems and worse - it's not true.

Theory behind change and how it can help you follow through

One of the most fascinating things I notice when working with people is this: no matter what it is we are dealing with, when we are explained the process or have some kind of a framework to follow - things seem to make more sense and we seem to find more peace with it. I am a geek when it comes to understanding human nature through research and science - I love to learn to apply the tools I learn and see what shows up. Today I talk about a theory that explains how we process change, how long it takes and how you cannot force the process. Thanks to this framework, I can look at something and understand where I am at and where I am headed. It's really kind of interesting when you start to observe your own process.

One thing that may be making you feel stupid and killing your confidence

I really believe that there is something that we are all good at (yes, that includes you!)…….one thing that you can do and feel good and know that you are doing a good job - bonus if it makes you feel like you can fly. But, most of us follow the conventional path of doing what's right and end up in jobs that have the potential of killing us inside. Let me be clear - I don't think everyone needs to do their own thing. I do believe that some people like 9-5 lifestyle and security so they can focus on other things. The problem arises when you find yourself in a job that is not a fit and where you feel like you are always interviewing for the job you already have. Over time, this predicament can seriously erode your confidence and make you feel stupid. You think I am kidding? I see smart people daily who think they are stupid because they find themselves in a job that is not their zone of genius. This is scary! Today, I talk about this problem and offer few nuggets of how to navigate these waters.