Another Great Mistake

Good morning, good evening!

Starting from the story of Niko the Legend, we're going into the topic of correct measures, time scales and milestones when planning any bigger changes in your life. When planning to lose weight, we often get so fixated on the digits displayed on a scale that we do not notice healthier joints and skin or better sleep and mood. We see the quick results on TikTok, we read about the miracle changes of people in the self-development books, and we expect the same from our bodies and minds. When it comes to reality, nothing lasting happens fast, and when we face the idea of going to the gym for three years or going to therapy for a decade, we get discouraged.

There's not enough conversation about the speed and stages of the journey of healing and recovery when dealing with poor mental health, trauma or addiction. This is a slow, often very painful process, and it can't be done any other way. And that's what the second part of the podcast is about. Niko is being asked one big question: "What would you like to hear at the beginning of your healing journey?". Listen for the answer.

As always, we love you!

Niko & Klaudia

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If you're struggling with your mental health, please get in touch with your loved ones, GP or mental health professionals.

Call 116 123 to talk to Samaritans, or email: [email protected]

You can call the National Suicide Prevention Helpline UK on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠0800 689 5652⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

If you would prefer not to speak but want some mental health support, you could text SHOUT to 85258

Good morning, afternoon or evening! Whichever suits your time zone best!

Today, we present three topics, but all are linked and very much subject to your opinion, personal situation and individual traits.

So here we go! The first is about consuming information and knowledge from outside your closest area of interest. That means leaving your bubble. When learning from others, we risk being exposed to only one side of the story. It doesn't matter if the source is reliable; Klaudia is bothered by not knowing what's happening "on the other side of the fence". However, Niko has a different stance; for him, the necessary stuff is the limit. Anything above the limit is a risk of harm to his mental health. And that's ok too!

The second part is about risk management and assessment. We're looking closer at the model created by Paul Salkovskis to assess the severity of anxiety in patients dealing with hypochondria. This model (link at the bottom) can also be used when evaluating the possible risks of the action we would like to perform. So we're looking at the severity of the outcome, the likelihood of this outcome, your perceived ability to deal with this situation (coping strategies, past and similar experiences) and the rescue factors (support network, community, prepared solutions).

Sounds complicated? We know, but it's much easier to understand after listening to some examples we give during the podcast!

Finally, we get to Eastern philosophy, the process of creating beauty, happiness, and fulfilment in our lives. When Western culture looks at success, we think of getting more and being more. Meanwhile, Eastern culture envisions it as chipping away what's unnecessary- all the dirt, all the trauma, all the things you don't like and you don't need.

So, our lovely listeners, whatever you think about yourself and your life, the beauty, happiness, and fulfilment are already there. It's just a matter of trying a dozen other things, leaving a dozen more things behind you, and you'll start noticing the shining of the true gem you are.

As always, we love you!

Niko&Klaudia

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Mentioned in the episode:

Visualisation of the Paul Salkovskis model

Cognitive Behavioral Model of Health Anxiety - Paul Salkovskis

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If you're struggling with your mental health, please get in touch with your loved ones, GP or mental health professionals.

Call 116 123 to talk to Samaritans, or email: [email protected]

You can call the National Suicide Prevention Helpline UK on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠0800 689 5652⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

If you would prefer not to speak but want some mental health support, you could text SHOUT to 85258

Good morning! Good evening!

Today's episode is pretty much a summary of recent events in our lives and our thoughts on them. We go on about Klaudia's visit to Greece and the importance of the historic places like Akropolis, Dyonasis theatre and temple to our culture and how opening up and being kind can get you an extended family across the world.

We're returning to the topic of healthy communication in relationships and the technicalities and tools (such as the rule of nonjudgmental chat once a quarter) to make it work wonders for the two of you. We delve into consequential decisions and how crucial it is to base them on the right factors. And we talk about the significance of staying still and giving yourself time to think uninterrupted once in a while, which can clarify what those factors are.

All these topics lead us to the main theme of this episode - the past. We draw from Marcus Aurelius's quote, which says that we are the sum of what happened to us, our creators, and their creators. We keep it alive and changing through our actions and what we create. So, is there a past and a future if all there is is a mix of decisions made throughout the history of humankind? We discuss people who live only in the past or future, missing the critical stage of the present moment. We also note that despite agreeing on the idea of the past and future being irrelevant in some ways, we have different reasons to believe in it.

So here, here to the diversity of humankind!

As always, we love you!

Niko&Klaudia

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Books mentioned in the episode:

"Immortality Key, The: The Secret History of the Religion with No Name" - Brian Muraresku, C. 

Quotes mentioned in the episode:

"All of humanity's problems, stem from man's inability to sit quietly in a room alone.” - Blaise Pascal

"All that I consist of, is either form or matter. No corruption can reduce either of these unto nothing: for neither did I of nothing become a subsistent creature. Every part of mine then. will by mutation be disposed into a certain part of the whole world, and that in time into another part; and so in infinitum; by which kind of mutation, I also became what I am, and so did they that begot me, and they before them, and so upwards in infinitum. For so we may be allowed to speak, though the age and government of the world, be to some certain periods of time limited, and confined." - Marcus Aurelius, Meditations.

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If you're struggling with your mental health, please get in touch with your loved ones, GP or mental health professionals.

Call 116 123 to talk to Samaritans, or email: [email protected]

You can call the National Suicide Prevention Helpline UK on ⁠⁠⁠⁠0800 689 5652⁠⁠⁠⁠

If you would prefer not to speak but want some mental health support, you could text SHOUT to 85258

In this week's episode of Another Great Mistake, we delve into the nuanced relationship between written words, experiences, and the impact of stress on our mental health.

We start today's conversation with a chat about the written word and how its meaning is changing together with our external and internal states, experiences and knowledge.

This week is Stress Awareness Week, so we explore the complexity of how stress affects our mental and physical health. During our discussion, we explore how personal traits and life experiences affect our resilience and response to stress. The experience of anxiety is unique to each person, so creating environments that are not based on a "one-size-fits-all" approach is increasingly important. Since the experience of stress is unique to each individual, it's vital to create environments that are not based on a "one-size-fits-all" approach. Encouraging curiosity and honesty can transform workplaces and make them more supportive of each person, no matter what they may be going through. Allowing your employees, team members, or work colleagues to exist in the constant flight, fight or freeze modes will not bring you the results you're looking for, so why do it?

As usual, we love you!

Niko & Klaudia

Mentioned in the episode:

Andrew Huberman and Lisa Feldman Barrett - How to Understand Emotions.

Lisa Feldman Barrett - "How emotions are made."

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If you're struggling with your mental health, please get in touch with your loved ones, GP or mental health professionals.

Call 116 123 to talk to Samaritans, or email: [email protected]

You can call the National Suicide Prevention Helpline UK on ⁠⁠⁠0800 689 5652⁠⁠⁠

If you would prefer not to speak but want some mental health support, you could text SHOUT to 85258

Good morning! Good evening!

Welcome back after a short holiday break. We had a well-deserved family break full of chill and fun - feeding horses, reading books beside the fireplace and sleeping as much as we wanted.

Returning to you with another episode, this time about positive and negative emotions, our definitions of self-love and secrets.

It's easy to get caught up in negativity, complaining, and anger, but it's much harder to focus on gratitude and the good things in life. It takes time to program our brains to notice positivity and react with gratitude. Like with any other habit, it takes time to form. Is it worth it? We would say yes. It's easier to live with love, care, and respect than with the heavy burden of anger, disappointment, and frustration.

Speaking of love, we discuss our definitions of self-love. Listen to the first part to learn more about what it means to us. What's your definition of self-love?

And then we move to secrets! Juicy part! Joking! Neither of us is revealing any secrets, but we discuss why we have them and why they are so difficult to eliminate. On average, people have 13 secrets in their lives!

Let us know what you think about this episode and share your thoughts on self-love, anger, gratitude, and secrets.

To finish off, as always, we love you!

Klaudia & Niko

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Mentioned in the episode:

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If you're struggling with your mental health, please get in touch with your loved ones, GP or mental health professionals.

Call 116 123 to talk to Samaritans, or email: [email protected]

You can call the National Suicide Prevention Helpline UK on ⁠⁠0800 689 5652⁠⁠

If you would prefer not to speak but want some mental health support, you could text SHOUT to 85258

We recorded this episode on the eve of World Mental Health Day, so there's no doubt that mental health is the main theme. This year's World Mental Health Day theme is "Mental Health is a Universal Human Right".

Let's start by correcting that theme. We all have mental health. Better, worse, neglected and well cared for. So, our theme is : "Good mental health support is a universal human right".

This week we're talking about the importance of emphasising that there is a difference between poor mental health and mental illness. People with lifelong conditions such as borderline personality disorder, bipolar disorder or schizophrenia may have slightly different lives and challenges to those experiencing poor mental health. To highlight, we do not say that poor mental health is better than mental illness or that some have a better life than others. It's different, and we lack highlighting this difference in media and our daily conversations.

We explain what psychosis is, what it can look like, what sensory disturbances are and why people fear serious mental illness.

We talk about the privilege of working with people who struggle daily with their illness to the end of their lives, trying to live their lives to the full despite the crappy hand they are dealt at the beginning. There's a bit about grief and losing the vision of the future with the people we love because of their diagnosis, and why mental health education should be introduced into schools and colleges without further delay.

As usual, we love you!

Niko & Klaudia

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Mentioned in the episode:

Polish podcast (sorry guys there's no english version of it) Gutral Gada - Myśli samobójcze. Czy jesteśmy w stanie o nich rozmawiać? Rozmowa z Halszką Witkowską

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If you're struggling with your mental health, please get in touch with your loved ones, GP or mental health professionals.

Call 116 123 to talk to Samaritans, or email: [email protected]

You can call the National Suicide Prevention Helpline UK on ⁠0800 689 5652⁠

If you would prefer not to speak but want some mental health support, you could text SHOUT to 85258

Good morning! Good evening!

We cannot live without relationships. You can't argue with that statement. They are a normal part of our personal, work and spiritual life. But navigating them, despite such popularity in our lives, is incredibly difficult, especially when trying to do it right. Our past experiences, examples we've observed, personality traits and life goals impact how we look at others, treat them, and most of all, treat ourselves in those relationships.

And the first part of this episode is about power, control, communication, avoidance, insecurity, sacrifice and fear - all about our romantic relationships.

The communication topic moves us swiftly into a super emotional (yes, there will be some tears during this part) conversation about caring for someone experiencing a depressive episode and mental illness. Not only caring for others but taking care of yourself if you were given the enormous task of living with mental health conditions.

We wanted to finish this episode with an appeal to all of the people who have been challenged over and over again by mental illness. We get it. We know how much it s***cks. We've been there, we're there, and we will be cause there's no such a thing as curing mental illness.

However, there's a way to live a better life, manage your condition, and manage your life with an unwanted guest in your life.

Lastly, we thank people like Andrew Huberman, Paul Contti, Tim Ferris, Rich Roll and Lex Fridman for sharing free knowledge. We don't think Niko could battle another depressive episode without the tools they make available to the public. Neither of us could speak about those experiences in the way we do if not for them.

As always, we love you!

Klaudia & Niko

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Mentioned in the episode:

Lex Fridman - James Sexton: Divorce Lawyer on Marriage, Relationships, Sex, Lies & Love

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If you're struggling with your mental health, please get in touch with your loved ones, GP or mental health professionals.

Call 116 123 to talk to Samaritans, or email: [email protected]

You can call the National Suicide Prevention Helpline UK on 0800 689 5652

If you would prefer not to speak but want some mental health support, you could text SHOUT to 85258

Hello everyone! Good morning! Good evening! 

As usual, episode content unexpectedly ventured into a topic which hasn't been planned, so excuse us for jumping between technically unrelated issues. 

Disclaimer: The episode contains content related to drugs and addiction, which might be triggering for some. 

We start with a raw recording of Niko admitting, quite frankly, painful acknowledging of a very personal thing - addiction. But it's not only that. There's an honest conversation about trauma, choices and one tiny decision which creates a difference between him and the people he supports in his professional life. 

From there, the topic drastically changes. We discuss body functions, natural posture, flexibility, mobility and balance. During the episode, you will have a chance to hear about the challenge Klaudia gave to Niko and dare you to try it as well! 

So here we go! We invite you to listen to this incredibly versatile but as always honest, raw and based on our own experiences episode.

As always, we love you!

Niko&Klaudia

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Mentioned in the episode:

Tim Ferris and Dr. Kelly Starrett — The Magic of Movement and Mobility, Training for Range of Motion, Breathing for Back Pain, Improving Your Balance, and More

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If you're struggling with your mental health, please get in touch with your loved ones, GP or mental health professionals.

Call 116 123 to talk to Samaritans, or email: [email protected]

You can call the National Suicide Prevention Helpline UK on 0800 689 5652

If you would prefer not to speak but want some mental health support, you could text SHOUT to 85258

Hello everyone, whether it's morning or evening where you are!

Today's topic is 'change', inspired by Brad Stulberg's latest book, "The Master of Change". Change is a constant process that never ends, whether we like it or not. The COVID pandemic has shown us that we cannot return to how things were before, and we must adapt to what is happening now and what is yet to come.

In this episode, we will discuss two important aspects: allostasis and the difference between "having" and "being".

Although allostasis is a physiological term, it can also be applied in a psychological context. It refers to the dynamic and predictive process of adapting to stress and changes. This process is valuable if it is balanced and actively supported, such as by working with a therapist. It's like having four rooms in your house and always ensuring that at least one is clean so you have space to rest, recharge, rethink, and process the change.

Now, let's talk about "having" and "being". When you say you have a particular job or car, you become dependent on those external factors. If you are not prepared for change, which is inevitable, you will feel its effects whether you like it or not. Your worth will be based on your possessions, and without them, who are you? However, if you shift your perspective to "being" - for example, "I am a marketing professional" or "I am a driver" - your value will depend solely on you, not on external factors.

This same principle can also be applied to mental health. You are not your fear, sadness, or pain. By dissociating yourself from these feelings and emotions and recognising them as something happening to you, you can empower yourself and overcome depression and anxiety.

Dear friend, you are a unique and valuable human being with a range of skills, talents, experiences, feelings, and emotions. Whatever happens to you does not define who you are or where you will be in the future because everything is constantly changing.

As always, we love you!

Klaudia & Niko

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Mentioned in the episode:

"Master of Change: How to Excel When Everything Is Changing – Including You" by Brad Stulberg

"The art & science of mastering change" - Rich Roll podcast with Brad Stulberg

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If you're struggling with your mental health, please get in touch with your loved ones, GP or mental health professionals.

Call 116 123 to talk to Samaritans, or email: [email protected]

You can call the National Suicide Prevention Helpline UK on 0800 689 5652

If you would prefer not to speak but want some mental health support, you could text SHOUT to 85258

Good morning! Good evening people! 

Happy Birthday, Niko! That's how we're gonna start! Niko is 42 years old and happy. That is why today's episode focuses on happiness and the long, full of obstacles, falls, trips, and climbs road to achieving it. 

We find happiness in doing different things, but certain elements create its foundation. Not without a reason, we wish entirely different things to different people's birthdays. We have standard, slightly old-school birthday/Christmas wishes in Polish "Zdrowia, szczescia, pomyslnosci". Which means "health, happiness and good fortune". 

So, what are the pillars of happiness based on books and research? 

During the episode, we ask each other what is important for our happiness. For Niko, it is time for everything he values most: family, music, writing, and what benefits his health and stability. For Klaudia, the strongest foundations are relationships and the goals aligned with the purpose. 

So, the relationships - cause a large part of this episode focuses on them. We all know that being with others who matter to you, respect and accept you is beneficial. Why is it? Research suggests that meaningful relationships and interactions with people we're bonded with increase levels of oxytocin, which increases the bonding! Oxytocin affects GABAergic transmission, and GABA is an inhibitor of melatonin synthesis. Melatonin is necessary for achieving a good sleep or even falling asleep in the first place. So, to say it simply, spending time with people you care about and interacting with your loved ones is helping you sleep well!!! 

Somewhere along the lines, we talk about the cold baths and how they change how we feel and react to stress in different situations. Again, there's a science behind it! Cold baths stimulate something called valgus nerve, and that stimulation can help relieve stress and help you better handle stressful conditions. 

To finish this nerdy description, we would love to wish all of you find sources of your happiness. And it might change a million times, but each time you feel the joy, you're healthier and a better version of yourself; it's something. Make a note of it. Practice it and be happy! 

As always, we love you! 

Niko & Klaudia 

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Research used for episode - there's more but who would read it ;)

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0265407514536294

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fncel.2019.00178/full

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5446506/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9953392/

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If you're struggling with your mental health, please get in touch with your loved ones, GP or mental health professionals.

Call 116 123 to talk to Samaritans, or email: [email protected]

You can call the National Suicide Prevention Helpline UK on 0800 689 5652

If you would prefer not to speak but want some mental health support, you could text SHOUT to 85258