Building Psychological Strength

Life Design is a field that I am incredibly passionate about. The ability to envision a future we want to create and then take intentional steps to get there is so POWERFUL.

However, the path toward that future is a very individual one. Not everyone will face the same challenges, and we differ in the way we are motivated. Today, we're diving into a couple of frameworks that can help you understand yourself at a deeper level and make progress toward your biggest goals.

Dr Libby Kemkaran was A lifelong student of Behavioral Psychology and Neuroassociative Conditioning she took the opportunity while at Cambridge to undertake a degree in Biological and Biomedical Science, with a major in behavior, specifically the neural mechanisms of behavior. Libby is a TEDx Speaker and Circle Host and delivers her 'TAME Your Brain' program of strategy and Neurocoaching to the corporate world leading change in Management, Communications, and Mindset for Success.

Additional Resources:

1. Blog post: Judgy McJudgerson
2. Episode 0320: Brain Hacks to Improve Productivity
3. [email protected]
4. Visit Libby's website

The conversation around mental health and wellbeing is being elevated after the experience we've all had during the pandemic. However, an incredible amount of stigma still exists around seeking help for a mental health condition.

This week, we're diving deep into what it means to break that stigma, seek out the help you need, and support others in their mental health quest.

I interviewed Sara Schley for the recent Global Resilience Summit, and I instantly knew I had to have her on the show. Sara is the author of the acclaimed memoir, BrainStorm: From Broken to Blessed on the Bipolar Spectrum.

During our conversation, Sara recounts her personal journey on the bipolar spectrum from the days when she was misdiagnosed to getting a correct diagnosis 25 years later. After 40 years of living with this condition, Sara has broken her silence and is speaking out about her experience and the importance of caring for our own mental health. Sara also has a very practical, actionable 4-point plan for helping support others going through their own struggles.

We need to continue the conversation around mental health and wellbeing. People's lives are on the line. Thank you to Sara for her bravery and willingness to share her story for us all to learn from.

Additional Resources:

1. Episode 0086: You Are Here for a Reason https://www.peakmindpsychology.com/blog/0086
2. Episode 0060: Understanding OCD https://www.peakmindpsychology.com/blog/0060
3. Connect with Sara
4. Purchase Sara's book

Is it better to set a goal to achieve something or to avoid something? Exactly how detrimental is it to have people around you who don't support your goals? Are big, hairy, audacious goals (BHAG) better to set, or are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals better?

The content out there on goal-setting and motivation is conflicting. It can be hard to sift through what is important and what will actually work. Today, we're talking to a true expert - a pioneer - in the field of human motivation and achievement.

Today, we're speaking with Dr. Ayelet Fishbach. Dr. Fishbach is a Professor of Behavioral Science and Marketing at the University of Chicago, Booth School of Business and the author of "GET IT DONE: Surprising Lessons from the Science of Motivation." She is the past president of the Society for the Study of Motivation and the International Social Cognition Network and is an expert on motivation and decision making.

During our interview we dive into the nitty-gritty of setting and achieving goals. As a bonus, we talk about what all of this means for motivating teams and employees in our current, virtual / hybrid professional landscape.

Today we're featuring a true pioneer in a foundational area of research. I know you'll get so much out of hearing from Dr. Ayelet Fishbach!

Additional Resources:

1. Listen to a recent episode about how to have better habits in 2022
2. Words matter! Here are some ways to support your achievement using language.
3. Check out Dr. Fishbach's website, course, and book

If you're a parent and you've ever felt guilty for taking a break, raise your hand! (April raises her hand.)

Parental guilt is all too familiar for so many of us. Taking care of our little ones is challenging, and sometimes, you just need a break. But, the second you get one, the guilt creeps in. I find that situations like these are easier to handle when we understand WHY we're feeling that way. That's exactly what we're digging into in this episode.

Specifically, we're going to talk about 2 concepts that you've probably heard about if you've ever taken an introductory psychology course, but we're going to apply them to this common, real-world situation. We're going to cover each concept in-depth, we'll talk about the brain science behind them, and then we'll unpack how they contribute to the parental guilt that so many of us feel on a regular basis.

I'll be honest, I can't take the guilt away. However, I hope this episode arms you with a powerful set of tools that you can use to dilute it out the next time it happens. Remember, psychological strength is a set of skills - you have to practice to get the full effect.

Hang in there, parents, you're doing great!

Additional Resources:

1. Sign up for the FREE Self-Care Summit brought to you by our partnership with Heart Mind Institute: https://www.peakmindpsychology.com/selfcaresummit
2. Check out our most popular course: Self Care [by design]
3. 6 Steps for Dealing with Overwhelm

If you have ever felt like there must be something wrong with you because of how you handled a situation, this episode is for you.

We've all been there. We've experienced anxiety, anger, depression and other states of being, and it can be easy to look at ourselves as though there's something wrong with us. Even the field of psychology has taken this approach. We label things as "disorders" and we try to "treat" people. It all creates a ton of stigma that keeps people from making the changes they want to make in their lives.

Today, we're speaking with Dr. Joseph Shrand, author, triple board certified psychiatrist, neuroscientist, Chief Medical Officer and lecturer of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School

Additional Resources:

1. Learn more about Dr. Joe and Drug Story Theater
2. Listen to my interview with Sean Webb of "Mind Hacking Happiness"
3. Listen to my interview with Dr. Steven Hayes, founder of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
4. Check out this podcast episode to learn how to cultivate a better relationship with yourself

If the last 2 years have taught us one thing it is this: people's lives don't exist in silos. The experiences, stresses, and challenges people face in their personal lives bleed over into their professional lives, and vice versa. It has never been more apparent that we need to support people in a more holistic, human way than right now.

As we look to the future and anticipate yet another stage of change, I wanted to have a conversation about how we support our own wellbeing and the wellbeing of our teams and colleagues at work. To do this, I've enlisted the help of my friend, Ryan Wolf, Wellbeing Lead for Gallup.

During our conversation, Ryan and I dive into what wellbeing truly means. We talk about how it has changed in the last decade or so, and anticipate even more change in the coming few years. We talk about how critical it is for companies and employers to support their teams on a more holistic, human level, and we talk about how to go about it.

Finally, you won't want to miss our conversation about our predictions for the return-to-office transition.

Additional Resources:

1. Listen to a recent episode about how to design your WFH life: https://www.peakmindpsychology.com/blog/0331
2. Want to help your team navigate change? Here's en episode designed to hlep you do just that: https://www.peakmindpsychology.com/blog/0334
3. Check out an article Ryan recommended about the 7 different types of rest: https://ideas.ted.com/the-7-types-of-rest-that-every-person-needs/
4. Learn more about Gallup: https://www.gallup.com/home.aspx
5. Connect with Ryan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-wolf-57260835/

What does it mean for you to "perform well" or "win" today? Have you ever stopped to consider that? One more question, as a high-achieving person or a top-performing person, have you ever stopped to consider times when it might be ok for you to show up intentionally looking to achieve at a B+ level?

These questions sound like heresy when we put them in the context of our traditional, high-pressure professional world. However, as we've learned from the pandemic and from some very high-profile athletes more recently, no one, even high achievers, is infallible.

If you are a human being with a body and a mind, you have limits. You have needs. And, you simply can not perform at 150% all the time. And today, we're speaking with an expert who will help us sort through all of that.

Today's guest is Lauren Ammon. She is a certified coach who works with athletes of all levels. She helps people acknowledge and recognize their own humanity. She helps people create as much psychological and emotional support for themselves as they do for their physical wellbeing.

This episode is for you if you're the type of person who holds yourself to standards that are nearly unachievable. I know you'll get some valuable insight and action out of this powerful conversation.

Additional Resources:

1. Listen to my conversation with Gail Golden about Curating Your Life and Managing Your Energy: https://www.peakmindpsychology.com/blog/0242
2. Check out our blog post "Creating the Conditions to Thrive:" https://www.peakmindpsychology.com/blog/Creating-the-conditions-to-thrive
3. Connect with Lauren and grab a copy of her free resource: https://www.laurenammon.com/

One of the most common things we get asked is how to reduce anxiety. Talk about the ultimate question! Anxiety is SO incredibly common, yet the tools to reduce it can feel so elusive. In today's episode, we're leaning on cognitive-behavioral theory to help us use micro-behaviors to reduce anxiety (or induce any emotional state you're after).

During this episode, I give a quick overview of what cognitive-behavioral theory is and the interrelationship between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. I walk you through a great analogy developed by my incredible co-founder, Dr. Ashley Smith, to help you understand the true impact of this interrelationship in how you experience life. And finally, we turn to a practical way you can use small behavioral changes in your own life to influence your emotions in the direction you want them to go.

You're not going to want to miss this one!

Additional Resources:

1. Get the free guided experience I spoke about from Episode 338: https://www.peakmindpsychology.com/0338
2. Get 15 practical ways to boost happiness: https://www.peakmindpsychology.com/blog/happiness-cheat-sheet
3. Get another analogy to illustrate the powerful relationship between our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors: https://www.peakmindpsychology.com/blog/stop-feeding-the-dog-how-to-break-negative-self-fueling-cycles

The current state of the world has many of us feeling afraid, uncertain, and even disconnected. Given everything that is happening right now, it's natural to have the impulse to pull away. To disengage. To disconnect.

However, the field of positive psychology shows us that it's our interconnection to other people that drives much of our happiness and wellbeing. Beyond that, it's our interconnection with other people that has the power to heal the divisive wounds at the heart of so much of the turmoil we see in the world today.

Today we're speaking about interconnection with this week's guest, Juan Lee. Juan is an author and teacher on the powerful principle of love. For over 30 years, he has studied organized religion to find the elements that unite humanity and share the message with those who need it. Based outside of Washington DC, Juan is a decorated US Air Force veteran and author of Love Made Simple.

Tune in today to be reminded of the importance of your role in humanity. My hope is that you leave this episode feeling optimistic and reengaged.

Additional Resources:

1. Listen to a recent episode about uncovering what you truly desire in life: https://www.peakmindpsychology.com/0338
2. Check out our blog post "Social Connection: A Key to Happiness:" https://www.peakmindpsychology.com/blog/social-connection-a-key-to-happiness
3. Connect with Juan and grab a copy of his book: http://juanleetheauthor.com/about-the-book/

BURNOUT. It's a topic in the news almost daily. Given the stress we've all been under over the last 2 years, burnout is at an all-time high. But is it? Really?

I mean, I agree that we're burned out, but my instinct tells me that we've been that way much longer than we realize. The pressure of the pandemic has brought it to the surface more clearly, but the burnout itself is a tale as old as time.

Today we're talking about burnout with the perfect guest. Caroline Dooner is a writer, humorist, and ex-professional actress & singer. She started writing about our relationship with food 10 years ago on thef*ckitdiet.com, after radically healing her own relationship with food. All of that became "The F*ck It Diet" book, geared towards helping others heal. Her second book, "Tired as F*ck," is about her burnout & two years of rest, after years of running herself into the ground. 

This episode is part validation, part instruction manual, part permission slip, and part call-to-arms. It is time we start caring for ourselves as the human beings that we are. I hope this episode and Caroline's book help you do just that.

Additional Resources:

1. Listen to my interview with Dr. Margaret Rutherford about perfectly hidden depression: https://www.peakmindpsychology.com/blog/0161
2. Listen to this episode focused on role engulfment: https://www.peakmindpsychology.com/blog/0276
3. The link between self-compassion and self-care: https://www.peakmindpsychology.com/blog/0275
4. Connect with Caroline & her work: thefuckitdiet.com/tired