The Overwhelmed Brain | Stress | Anxiety | Relationship | Critical Thinking | Emotional Intelligence | Emotional Abuse

Do you spend a lot of time looking at other people and what they've accomplished and start regretting some of the decisions you made throughout the years? How about just feeling like other people are luckier than you?  There is more going on that you may realize and it's important you consider all the facts before you give in to defeat. 

You give and give and maybe you get back, maybe you don't, but you feel fulfilled by giving so much that you keep on doing it until, perhaps, there's nothing left of you to give. Sometimes we can get so caught up in who we think we're supposed to be that we forget who we really are.

How you cope with challenging situations determines how you feel in your day, your week, and maybe even for the rest of your life if you don't improve or even change your coping mechanisms. Coping is a skill, but it can be a detriment if you are relying on old ones that don't work anymore. 

Some people refuse to change. Something gets in the way. Maybe it's their pride. Maybe it's fear. Or maybe they really don't care how you feel and if you have a problem with them, it's your problem, not theirs. I talk about that and other challenges today. 

What does it take to feel love and connection? What does it take to show love and connection? Is vulnerability the path? What exactly does it mean? Can you have a strong, loving relationship without the need to be so exposed emotionally? I do my best to answer these questions in this episode. 

How do you feel about aging? Are you trying to avoid it at all costs? Are you doing everything you can to prevent it from happening? You may not be able to prevent it, but it's important you understand your emotions regarding what getting older really means to you. 

Don't let toxic people take your energy away from you. Often, those who deserve the most attentive and vibrant version of you won't see that until you've let go of the one person who keeps you feeling bad and drained.    Sometimes you have to let someone go so that you can save the best of yourself for those who matter most.

When the relationship isn't moving and is no longer enjoyable, what's the next step? Is it possible you're incompatible, even though you've been together for years? I talk about a couple of relationship issues in this episode, along with answering a question about if there are appropriate episodes for children and young adults. 

Some relationships are one-sided. Friends, family, and lovers can fall into the listing "relation-ship," where half the relationship is sinking while the other half is oblivious of the side that's slowly disappearing into the depths. A one-sided relation-ship is a sinking one. And it cannot sustain itself. 

A boring conversation can make you fall asleep. Some people seem not to be concerned if you care about what they're saying. They'll just talk and tell stories while you sit there, hoping that the fire alarm goes off to save you. Or, is it you I'm talking about?  

One path to happiness may involve being someone you may sometimes feel uncomfortable being: Yourself. Walking your talk, putting yourself into the world and speaking your mind has its consequences... and its massive rewards. 

If you can go through life without getting weighed down by negative memories, you're already ten steps ahead of many people. Some people still have repressed emotions that sneak up on them, keeping them from gaining any momentum. When that happens, every step forward can seem like two steps back. Uncovering old, buried emotions can liberate you so that you can emotionally evolve into a more peaceful, and maybe even happier, place. 

The path to vulnerability doesn't make sense if you believe being vulnerable means you're weak or you'll feel exposed to a cruel world. Yes, there are people you can't be vulnerable around. But there are also those you can and maybe should be if you want to develop closer bonds.   Vulnerability can be the scariest but most freeing thing to do. Don't waste your time trying to be someone you're not because you end up with a lingering drain that never goes away. 

Do you get upset if someone doesn't thank you for something nice you did? Common courtesy may not be as common as we think, so if we take apparent ungratefulness personally, we could set ourselves up for disappointment time and time again. Also in this episode, I read a message from someone who can't let go of trauma and abuse from their past. 

That one last fight you had with them changed the relationship forever. Some family does not forgive and move on. Some hold on to grudges and expect you to come groveling back. But if it's not your fault, should you? Do you want to reconnect but are waiting for them to apologize? If you have estranged friends or family, this episode may help you reconnect or accept that perhaps you may never be able to reconcile. 

We've all experienced the blahs. Maybe you've even been depressed (or are now). Sometimes it's difficult to get out of a space like that. When you've tried everything, what's left? There's more to healing than books, podcasts, therapy, and even friends or family. There's a deeper part of you that you may not have even met yet. Maybe it's time you do. 

The argument goes on and on... then you're arguing again about the same thing later. Why does it seem that some arguments never end? I explore the reasons why and other issues when it comes to relating to other people in this extended episode. 

Some of life's challenges seem impossible and we feel stuck. We can believe we have no choice when we probably do, but just don't like the one we have to make. There's a lot to be said about which choices we don't make that hold us back and which ones we do make that move us forward. And our method of making a hard choice can often be dependent on how much we let fear guide the way. 

What happens when you walk around in fear of being your true self? What kind of foundation of confidence do you have that can help you to show up as authentic? I take you through the risk of authenticity and how you can change your life if you're willing to accept those risks. 

Sometimes there is so much to do and so many people to please that we lose ourselves doing everything for everyone but ourselves. It's time to reconnect and get back to who we are. That can seem like an impossible task sometimes but if we ignore it, we may become our own demise.