Ep. 118 The Phlegmatic: The Steady Stone | Living Stones Series (Part 4)

[00:00:01] Are you the one that avoids conflict, the ever-present peacemaker, and the person who just kind of goes with the flow? But you sometimes wonder why you feel stuck or hesitant to take action. Like you bring peace, steadiness, and calm, but then struggle to step forward when it really matters. What if your desire for peace is actually a gift?

[00:00:24] What if it's not a weakness, but a clue to how God designed you and also the very thing that God is inviting you to grow through? This is what we're talking about, the Phlegmatic temperament, as we wrap up our Living Stones series here on the podcast. So I hope you'll join me today. Welcome to the Nourished to Bloom podcast, where your faith meets your health. I'm your host, Kara Trochta, a registered dietitian and certified Catholic coach,

[00:00:51] and I'm here to help you cultivate a deeper connection with your body, your spirit, and the nourishment that sustains them both. In a world filled with noise and confusion about food, health, and body image, this podcast offers truth and healing from a Christ-centered perspective. Together, we'll untangle the deep roots of diet culture and discover what it means to truly care for ourselves through joyful nourishment of mind, body, and soul.

[00:01:18] We're here to dive into the transformative power of intuitive eating, coupled with the rich teachings of our Christian faith. With every episode, I'll be cheering you on, offering insights, inspiration, and practical tools to help you heal your relationship with food and embrace the beauty of your body as a temple of the Holy Spirit, with confidence and courage that can only be found in Christ.

[00:01:42] Join me as we journey together towards a more holistic approach to wellness, one that honors the wisdom of your body as God's creation, the teachings of our faith, and the unique purpose you're called to fulfill. You were made to bloom, to come into full beauty and health in order to bear good fruit for the Lord with your life. So if you're ready to nourish your body, feed your soul, and bloom into the best version of yourself, then you're in the right place, and I'm so happy you're here.

[00:02:12] Welcome to Nourish to Bloom, where every day is a sacred invitation to thrive. Hey there, welcome back to the Nourish to Bloom podcast. So happy to be spending some time here with you, and just so thankful and grateful for those who tune in every week to this place where we really focus on your faith, meeting your health, and your identity, and your everyday life. I'm so appreciative.

[00:02:40] Today we are going to wrap up our Living Stones series all about the different temperaments, and I really have to admit it's probably been one of my favorite series that we've done here on the podcast. It was just a really unique perspective when it came to the temperaments, and I've just really enjoyed kind of digging into it with you, and maybe giving you a different perspective on the temperaments than what you have found somewhere else. Because the reality of what we're doing here, it's not just about really understanding yourself,

[00:03:08] but it's really seeing how intentionally God created each one of us, and how He uses all of us to build this beautiful kingdom. And so just to recap, we've talked about the choleric, the sanguine, and the melancholic temperaments. The choleric is that foundation stone, the one who leads and builds. The sanguine are our fun-loving, light-filled stones, the ones who bring joy and connection. And then last week we talked about the melancholic.

[00:03:37] They're our keystone, the one who brings depth and meaning. And today we're going to talk about the stone that may be the one that is overlooked, but like all of them, it is essential. So if you picture this building, right, that we've talked about over the course of the week, there are those stones that you immediately notice, that strong foundation, the beautiful windows, the detailed arches. But there are also stones that maybe are quiet, steady, hidden.

[00:04:07] They don't draw a lot of attention. But ultimately, there's a reason why the structure doesn't fall apart. These are our steady stones. And this is 100% our phlegmatic temperament. And if this resonates with you, you may be somebody who has a primary temperament as a phlegmatic. So when we talk about the phlegmatics, they are the peacemakers, the stabilizers. They're that steady presence. Maybe you're the one who keeps things calm.

[00:04:37] Maybe you are able to bring peace into the chaos. Maybe you're the one who stays when others leave. You find that you don't need to be the center of attention, but that your presence and your calmness has the ability to change the situation. And so let me say this clearly. This is a really, really needed gift amongst the chaos that we experience in our everyday lives, within our own homes, within our workspaces, within our communities, and definitely within the world.

[00:05:06] As the phlegmatic, you bring that peace and stability, the consistency and compassion to all of your interactions. And you're often the one who holds relationships together. You are a really great listener who listens deeply. And you create this sense of safety for others. And so ultimately, you're that quiet strength in this structure. But like we've experienced and explored with every other temperament,

[00:05:34] there's tension or there's this weakness. Because when your gift is peace, it can also turn into avoidance. So when you're not living within the strength, when you're not living within your temperament, you might notice that you put things off. You avoid conflict. You struggle to take initiative. And you are 100% great with staying with what's comfortable. And underneath it, this is often led from the thought of

[00:06:02] it's easier just to keep things as they are. Nothing's really broken. So why am I going to change anything? So I want to pause here because this is where coaching becomes impactful. So what if that thought, you know, I'll just deal with this later, is actually what's keeping you stuck? What if your desire for peace and comfort is actually keeping you from growth?

[00:06:30] Because when we learn to live into this strength of a phlegmatic, it's a shift from comfort to courage, from avoidance to action, from passivity to purpose. And so when we can go back to that image of being a living stone, you're not meant to disappear into the background. You have been placed with intention. Yes, you bring peace, but true peace isn't avoiding discomfort.

[00:06:58] It's being able to step into situations of conflict or chaos with truth, with calm and courage. So if these things resonate with you, if these are some patterns that are showing up for you, here's what I want to challenge you to try this week. Take one small action you've been avoiding. Have one honest conversation you've been putting off.

[00:07:26] And this is a big one for phlegmatics. Set one boundary, even if it feels uncomfortable. As the phlegmatic, these small steps are what matter. You can't go within like the snap of the finger and immediately change from, you know, being kind of cautious and hesitant to take action to go into this full-blown action plan. With a phlegmatic, it's really important to build small, measurable steps

[00:07:55] to keep the momentum going, to just be able to start taking action. Because spiritually, you grow as a phlegmatic through courage, through taking initiative, and trusting in being able to step forward, even if it feels easier to stay where you are. So just a reminder, as that phlegmatic, your calm and peaceful nature is not a weakness. And that desire for peace is not something that you need to fix.

[00:08:24] It really is truly a gift and one that is much needed in our world. And when you activate this, when you live in this phlegmatic temperament, when it's fully alive and rooted in God, you become a study leader, a grounding presence, and a woman who brings peace and movement. A woman who can really initiate change and movement towards goodness and holiness.

[00:08:52] So I want to leave you with this. Think about it. Take a few moments to reflect if you are a phlegmatic temperament over this week. Where are you staying comfortable when God is inviting you to step forward? Where is he asking you to move gently? Not at a glacial pace, but not also running this sprint. But where is he asking you to move intentionally? The speed doesn't matter. It's really the intentionality.

[00:09:23] And so as we close out this series, I want you to remember this. Yes, we are each a different living stone that the Lord is using. Some of us are stones that carry weight. Some of us are stones that bring light. Some bring depth. And some hold everything together. But all of them matter. And the beauty of what God is building comes from how he places each one of us and our openness to letting him place us.

[00:09:53] So if this series has resonated with you, if you are starting to see yourself more clearly, understand your patterns, your strength, your struggles, y'all, this is just the beginning. Because knowing your temperament is powerful. It's a catalyst for change. It's a catalyst for growth. It's a catalyst for more joy and intentionality of how you are living. But learning how to live it, live from it with God. And that's where that transformation happens. Being able to fully embrace your temperament

[00:10:21] and discerning how the Lord is calling you to live as the woman he created you to be. And if you are unsure of what that looks like for you, this is exactly the work that we do in coaching. You can book a free session to get started using the link in the show notes. I would love to walk with you as you step into your identity and your purpose and really live that life that God is calling you to. And if this series has blessed you, please share it with a friend.

[00:10:50] Spread this message to someone who needs to hear you were made this way on purpose. I will say we are entering into our summer season here within our home. And I am discerning whether or not I am being called to take a pause or a break from the podcast over the summer and not release any episodes. Or if I will re-release some of my previous episodes throughout the summer just to go back and revisit some topics

[00:11:19] that we haven't talked about in a while. But just being able to serve and to share what the Lord is asking me to in a way that still allows me to be present and be mom and the daily chauffeur here in our household as we journey through this summer. So stay tuned with that. If I happen to take a break over the summer, you can know that I will be back here this fall. But just know if you are ready to start coaching,

[00:11:48] I am accepting new clients and would be happy to get started with you. Just simply book that free session using the link in the show description. I hope you have a beautiful and blessed week. Remember, beauty held is a seed, beauty shared is a flower. It is your time to bloom. Take care and we'll talk soon. Bye.