Anxiety Makes Me Poop

In this episode, Meredith talks about how our brains love efficiency, so much so that they’ll pick one person and blame them for absolutely everything. We unpack why rumination feels productive but actually wrecks our nervous system, how these thought loops can ruin days (or weeks), and what it really takes to stop giving one person that much power over our bodies and moods.

All the links: https://linktr.ee/anxietymakesmepoop

We are so grateful you’re here. THANK YOU for your monthly support. Your $2 a month helps us cover editing tools, hosting fees, equipment costs, and the behind-the-scenes work that allows us to keep creating meaningful episodes for listeners like you. Your support truly helps us continue important conversations around mental health, anxiety, and the real, unfiltered parts of life: Support us here! https://anxietymakesmepoop.captivate.fm/support

Building Resilience in the Workplace course online! https://www.udemy.com/course/buildingresilienceatwork_in30days/?referralCode=BD92C36502C5E19AA273

Meredith's author page on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0CSF3812J/allbooks

This episode contains content that some may find emotionally challenging. This is not a substitute for professional therapy or mental health support. If you are struggling with persistent or severe mental health challenges, it's essential to reach out to a qualified mental health professional for guidance and assistance. Therapy provides a structured and supportive environment for individuals to explore their thoughts and feelings, develop coping strategies, and work towards lasting positive changes. Seeking professional help is a proactive step toward overall mental well-being.

All original content, unless otherwise stated, and music written and performed by Anxiety Makes Me Poop.

In tonight’s episode, Meredith talks about a gas station that had her fully convinced it was the funniest place on earth... until she actually stepped inside. She unpacks how our brains build expectations, how disappointment lives in the body (not just our feelings), and why sometimes the nervous system decides, “Cool, we’re never doing that again.”

It’s an episode about projection, prediction, and learning to laugh at the signs without letting one awkward interaction ruin the whole vibe.

All the links: https://linktr.ee/anxietymakesmepoop

We are so grateful you’re here. THANK YOU for your monthly support. Your $2 a month helps us cover editing tools, hosting fees, equipment costs, and the behind-the-scenes work that allows us to keep creating meaningful episodes for listeners like you. Your support truly helps us continue important conversations around mental health, anxiety, and the real, unfiltered parts of life: Support us here! https://anxietymakesmepoop.captivate.fm/support

Building Resilience in the Workplace course online! https://www.udemy.com/course/buildingresilienceatwork_in30days/?referralCode=BD92C36502C5E19AA273

Meredith's author page on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0CSF3812J/allbooks

This episode contains content that some may find emotionally challenging. This is not a substitute for professional therapy or mental health support. If you are struggling with persistent or severe mental health challenges, it's essential to reach out to a qualified mental health professional for guidance and assistance. Therapy provides a structured and supportive environment for individuals to explore their thoughts and feelings, develop coping strategies, and work towards lasting positive changes. Seeking professional help is a proactive step toward overall mental well-being.

All original content, unless otherwise stated, and music written and performed by Anxiety Makes Me Poop.

Sometimes your growth outpaces the room you’re in - and that doesn’t make you the problem. In this episode, we talk about the frustration of being underutilized at work, why it isn’t a reflection of your worth, and how to keep trusting your expertise even when it isn’t fully recognized.

All the links: https://linktr.ee/anxietymakesmepoop

We are so grateful you’re here. THANK YOU for your monthly support. Your $2 a month helps us cover editing tools, hosting fees, equipment costs, and the behind-the-scenes work that allows us to keep creating meaningful episodes for listeners like you. Your support truly helps us continue important conversations around mental health, anxiety, and the real, unfiltered parts of life: Support us here! https://anxietymakesmepoop.captivate.fm/support

Building Resilience in the Workplace course online! https://www.udemy.com/course/buildingresilienceatwork_in30days/?referralCode=BD92C36502C5E19AA273

Meredith's author page on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0CSF3812J/allbooks

This episode contains content that some may find emotionally challenging. This is not a substitute for professional therapy or mental health support. If you are struggling with persistent or severe mental health challenges, it's essential to reach out to a qualified mental health professional for guidance and assistance. Therapy provides a structured and supportive environment for individuals to explore their thoughts and feelings, develop coping strategies, and work towards lasting positive changes. Seeking professional help is a proactive step toward overall mental well-being.

All original content, unless otherwise stated, and music written and performed by Anxiety Makes Me Poop.

What We Talk About:

1. Why do we feel sad after amazing experiences—big nights, games, or vacations?
2. The science behind it: dopamine crash, adrenaline comedown, and anxious thoughts sneaking in.
3. Post-vacation blues are just a supercharged version of post-fun sadness.
4. Practical AMMP-approved tips to enjoy your day even after the fun is over.

Tips to Bounce Back:

1. Savor a mini reward – coffee, chocolate, or a funny clip.
2. Relive the fun – photos, videos, or messages for a mental encore.
3. Move your body – walk, stretch, or do mini workouts to reset.
4. Plan a micro-adventure – small experiences to give your brain anticipation.
5. Journal gratitude – one line about a highlight keeps the momentum going.
6. Laugh at yourself – humor is a superpower for anxiety.
7. Micro-nap/rest – give your nervous system a gentle reboot.

Fun AMMP Moments:

1. “Two years ago, anxiety made us poop. Two years later, it made a community laugh.”
2. Post-fun or post-vacation jet lag is normal—and hilarious when you survive it.

Takeaway:

Feeling blue after fun doesn’t mean it wasn’t great. Your brain just doesn’t know how to exit the party gracefully. Snack, nap, laugh, repeat.

All the links: https://linktr.ee/anxietymakesmepoop

We are so grateful you’re here. THANK YOU for your monthly support. Your $2 a month helps us cover editing tools, hosting fees, equipment costs, and the behind-the-scenes work that allows us to keep creating meaningful episodes for listeners like you. Your support truly helps us continue important conversations around mental health, anxiety, and the real, unfiltered parts of life. Support us here! https://anxietymakesmepoop.captivate.fm/support

Building Resilience in the Workplace course online! https://www.udemy.com/course/buildingresilienceatwork_in30days/?referralCode=BD92C36502C5E19AA273

Meredith's author page on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0CSF3812J/allbooks

This episode contains content that some may find emotionally challenging. This is not a substitute for professional therapy or mental health support. If you are struggling with persistent or severe mental health challenges, it's essential to reach out to a qualified mental health professional for guidance and assistance. Therapy provides a structured and supportive environment for individuals to explore their thoughts and feelings, develop coping strategies, and work towards lasting positive changes. Seeking professional help is a proactive step toward overall mental well-being.

All original content, unless otherwise stated, and music written and performed by Anxiety Makes Me Poop.

By ‘Adult Time Out Chair’ I mean a quiet place where no one needs anything from me and I’m allowed to stare at a wall until my nervous system recalibrates.

All the links: https://linktr.ee/anxietymakesmepoop

We are so grateful you’re here. THANK YOU for your monthly support. Your $2 a month helps us cover editing tools, hosting fees, equipment costs, and the behind-the-scenes work that allows us to keep creating meaningful episodes for listeners like you. Your support truly helps us continue important conversations around mental health, anxiety, and the real, unfiltered parts of life: Support us here! https://anxietymakesmepoop.captivate.fm/support

Building Resilience in the Workplace course online! https://www.udemy.com/course/buildingresilienceatwork_in30days/?referralCode=BD92C36502C5E19AA273

Meredith's author page on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0CSF3812J/allbooks

This episode contains content that some may find emotionally challenging. This is not a substitute for professional therapy or mental health support. If you are struggling with persistent or severe mental health challenges, it's essential to reach out to a qualified mental health professional for guidance and assistance. Therapy provides a structured and supportive environment for individuals to explore their thoughts and feelings, develop coping strategies, and work towards lasting positive changes. Seeking professional help is a proactive step toward overall mental well-being.

All original content, unless otherwise stated, and music written and performed by Anxiety Makes Me Poop.

All episodes are based on true experiences, so please be kind.

“You should just relax.”

“You should stop overthinking.”

“You should look on the bright side.”

Most of the time, the people saying these things mean well. They’re trying to help, fix, or improve the situation. But intention isn’t everything — timing and delivery matter.

In this episode, we talk about the full circle of “shoulds”: the experience of being on the receiving end and what’s happening for the person giving the advice. We explore why these phrases land the way they do and how understanding both sides can change the conversation.

All the links: https://linktr.ee/anxietymakesmepoop

We are so grateful you’re here. THANK YOU for your monthly support. Your $2 a month helps us cover editing tools, hosting fees, equipment costs, and the behind-the-scenes work that allows us to keep creating meaningful episodes for listeners like you. Your support truly helps us continue important conversations around mental health, anxiety, and the real, unfiltered parts of life: Support us here! https://anxietymakesmepoop.captivate.fm/support

Building Resilience in the Workplace course online! https://www.udemy.com/course/buildingresilienceatwork_in30days/?referralCode=BD92C36502C5E19AA273

Meredith's author page on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0CSF3812J/allbooks

This episode contains content that some may find emotionally challenging. This is not a substitute for professional therapy or mental health support. If you are struggling with persistent or severe mental health challenges, it's essential to reach out to a qualified mental health professional for guidance and assistance. Therapy provides a structured and supportive environment for individuals to explore their thoughts and feelings, develop coping strategies, and work towards lasting positive changes. Seeking professional help is a proactive step toward overall mental well-being.

All original content, unless otherwise stated, and music written and performed by Anxiety Makes Me Poop.

Well shoot! Our audio was recorded through our laptop rather than the microphones, and we didn't encounter any issues during sound check - so this is an official rough, rough cut. Anyway, if you can put up with the sound, we talk about gift giving and receiving and why we may get a little anxiety during both.

All the links: https://linktr.ee/anxietymakesmepoop

We are so grateful you’re here. THANK YOU for your monthly support. Your $2 a month helps us cover editing tools, hosting fees, equipment costs, and the behind-the-scenes work that allows us to keep creating meaningful episodes for listeners like you. Your support truly helps us continue important conversations around mental health, anxiety, and the real, unfiltered parts of life: Support us here! https://anxietymakesmepoop.captivate.fm/support

Building Resilience in the Workplace course online! https://www.udemy.com/course/buildingresilienceatwork_in30days/?referralCode=BD92C36502C5E19AA273

Meredith's author page on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0CSF3812J/allbooks

This episode contains content that some may find emotionally challenging. This is not a substitute for professional therapy or mental health support. If you are struggling with persistent or severe mental health challenges, it's essential to reach out to a qualified mental health professional for guidance and assistance. Therapy provides a structured and supportive environment for individuals to explore their thoughts and feelings, develop coping strategies, and work towards lasting positive changes. Seeking professional help is a proactive step toward overall mental well-being.

All original content, unless otherwise stated, and music written and performed by Anxiety Makes Me Poop.

If you’re listening to this right now, I’m really glad you’re here.

This episode is for anyone whose anxiety shows up uninvited, sometimes emotionally or physically, and sometimes in ways that make you think, wow… my body and mind really chose chaos today.

If that’s you, welcome. You’re in good company.

Today isn’t about fixing yourself. It’s not about optimizing, hustling, or becoming a brand-new person by next Tuesday. It’s about doing your best and remembering that your best actually counts.

All the links: https://linktr.ee/anxietymakesmepoop

We are so grateful you’re here. THANK YOU for your monthly support. Your $2 a month helps us cover editing tools, hosting fees, equipment costs, and the behind-the-scenes work that allows us to keep creating meaningful episodes for listeners like you. Your support truly helps us continue important conversations around mental health, anxiety, and the real, unfiltered parts of life: Support us here! https://anxietymakesmepoop.captivate.fm/support

Building Resilience in the Workplace course online! https://www.udemy.com/course/buildingresilienceatwork_in30days/?referralCode=BD92C36502C5E19AA273

Meredith's author page on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0CSF3812J/allbooks

This episode contains content that some may find emotionally challenging. This is not a substitute for professional therapy or mental health support. If you are struggling with persistent or severe mental health challenges, it's essential to reach out to a qualified mental health professional for guidance and assistance. Therapy provides a structured and supportive environment for individuals to explore their thoughts and feelings, develop coping strategies, and work towards lasting positive changes. Seeking professional help is a proactive step toward overall mental well-being.

All original content, unless otherwise stated, and music written and performed by Anxiety Makes Me Poop.

We recorded this for our other podcast, The Clopen Effect, but thought this was an incredible interview that should be shared on both!

Judy and Holly are here from Home of the Sparrow! Here is their mission and some insights from their website:

"Home of the Sparrow’s mission is to provide Hope, Opportunity and Support that empowers women and children as they journey from homelessness to self-sufficiency. Home of the Sparrow opened its doors as a registered 501(c)3 non-profit homeless shelter in 1987. Today, Home of the Sparrow not only provides Transitional Shelter, but also Affordable Housing and Rapid Re-Housing combined with Supportive Services that address the core issues of homelessness. Home of the Sparrow serves single women, pregnant women and women with children. Approximately 70+ percent of the women we serve have experienced domestic violence at some point on their journey. Other reasons for homelessness include unforeseen housing or financial crisis, a death in the family, or a medical emergency. The economy and rising cost of living contribute to unstable housing situations. On average Home of the Sparrow receives over 1,700+ calls a year from women in crisis and helps an average of 400+ women each year. Tax ID 36-3494491"

Need assistance? Visit https://hosparrow.org/intake/

Origins & Why It Matters

1. The journey began in 1984, when McHenry County recognized that homelessness wasn’t just a city issue - neighbors right here were struggling. A church survey revealed a growing need, and the community began discussing real solutions rather than just sympathy.

First Steps into Action

1. In 1985, community members (yes, regular people like you and me) met over pancakes, recognized the problem was real, and decided to take action. Initially, folks weren’t sure how to help, but that spark launched a movement.

Shelter Opens

1. December 15, 1986: The first shelter opened — not fancy, but real, offering refuge to those most in need. It became clear very quickly that the majority of people they were helping were women and children—people often left out of the conversation, but never left behind at HOS.

Becoming an Organization

1. 1987: Home of the Sparrow officially incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, cementing its role as a key community resource.

This isn’t a static charity — it’s a community ecosystem that has grown, adapted, and expanded its reach:

1990s

1. They bought their current McHenry shelter site (1991) and launched the first Sparrow’s Nest Thrift Store* in 1992, both milestones in sustainability and community engagement.

Expansion of Services

1. Over the next decade, they opened more thrift locations, expanded shelter capacity, and started affordable housing programs — turning temporary shelter into pathways to lasting stability.

2000s–2010s

1. Around 2012–2014, Home of the Sparrow began acquiring scattered affordable housing units and launched outreach & prevention programs — tackling homelessness before people lost housing.

Recent Years

1. The organization embraced technology and community support innovations:
2. 2016: Moved headquarters, won “Nonprofit of the Year,” and expanded services.
3. 2019: Merged in Community Threads store and launched online thrift and loyalty programs.
4. 2021 & beyond: Virtual fundraising, new housing units, and a new Headquarters purchased in Woodstock(2023).

This isn’t just a timeline — it’s a community coming together to address a problem that has been too long ignored. The work at Home of the Sparrow evolved from answering a phone call to building systems that create stability and opportunity for women, children, families, and individuals facing homelessness.

It’s a reminder: helping one person uplifts all of us. 💫

All the links: https://linktr.ee/anxietymakesmepoop

We are so grateful you’re here. THANK YOU for your monthly support. Your $2 a month helps us cover editing tools, hosting fees, equipment costs, and the behind-the-scenes work that allows us to keep creating meaningful episodes for listeners like you. Your support truly helps us continue important conversations around mental health, anxiety, and the real, unfiltered parts of life: Support us here! https://anxietymakesmepoop.captivate.fm/support

Building Resilience in the Workplace course online! https://www.udemy.com/course/buildingresilienceatwork_in30days/?referralCode=BD92C36502C5E19AA273

Meredith's author page on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0CSF3812J/allbooks

This episode contains content that some may find emotionally challenging. This is not a substitute for professional therapy or mental health support. If you are struggling with persistent or severe mental health challenges, it's essential to reach out to a qualified mental health professional for guidance and assistance. Therapy provides a structured and supportive environment for individuals to explore their thoughts and feelings, develop coping strategies, and work towards lasting positive changes. Seeking professional help is a proactive step toward overall mental well-being.

All original content, unless otherwise stated, and music written and performed by Anxiety Makes Me Poop.

Just because something felt loud doesn’t mean it mattered. Let's talk about it!

✓ Your real friendships didn’t disappear

✓ Your job didn’t vanish

✓ Your safety didn’t change

✓ Your income didn’t change

✓ Your reputation didn’t collapse

✓ Your access to joy is still intact

✓ You’re still allowed to take up space

✓ You didn’t lose anything that was meant for you

All the links: https://linktr.ee/anxietymakesmepoop

We are so grateful you’re here. THANK YOU for your monthly support. Your $2 a month helps us cover editing tools, hosting fees, equipment costs, and the behind-the-scenes work that allows us to keep creating meaningful episodes for listeners like you. Your support truly helps us continue important conversations around mental health, anxiety, and the real, unfiltered parts of life. Support us here! https://anxietymakesmepoop.captivate.fm/support

Building Resilience in the Workplace course online! https://www.udemy.com/course/buildingresilienceatwork_in30days/?referralCode=BD92C36502C5E19AA273

Meredith's author page on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0CSF3812J/allbooks

This episode contains content that some may find emotionally challenging. This is not a substitute for professional therapy or mental health support. If you are struggling with persistent or severe mental health challenges, it's essential to reach out to a qualified mental health professional for guidance and assistance. Therapy provides a structured and supportive environment for individuals to explore their thoughts and feelings, develop coping strategies, and work towards lasting positive changes. Seeking professional help is a proactive step toward overall mental well-being.

All original content, unless otherwise stated, and music written and performed by Anxiety Makes Me Poop.