Who do we allow to have power over us? You read that correctly - relationships are intentional. Knowing who we allow to have power over us is an invaluable skill for resilience and over all mental health. This episode explores the power of prioritizing relationships and putting some in their proper place so that we can be consistent not only in our personal lives but in our professional ones as well.

This particular anchor proves to be one of the most difficult for first responders or emergency workers. Our work feeds the narrative of what this anchor (that is completely human to have) looks like, how heavy it is, and how to shed it.

The tricky part - it is an anchor that put succinctly is "something that keeps us alive at work, but kills us at home". This is a rope that can't simply be cut - it is one in which much exist to stay safe at work - but can devastate relationships at home. Take a listen.

Two mindset anchors that will pull us to the bottom of the vortex and rip our mindsets to shreds. This episode is for the young first responder and the veteran first responder. No one is immune from these two creeping in. Learn what they are and how to cut them this episode of Dazed Traveler.

In this episode I introduce a theme that we will be staying in for a few months. It is famously said "we do not rise to an occasion, we fall to the highest level of training". Are you training your mindsets to prepare you for the times that are rough or are you being tossed to and fro by the storms?

In this episode I discuss "mind reading" and its profound impact on our relationships. How to recognize it and call it out so that we can train ourselves to not let this trap consume our energy and weaken our defenses.

So often we seek to use social media to reset after a hard day. However, what are the effects of doing so void of intention? This month I discuss social media usage as it specifically pertains to a resilient mindset.

"Powerful Currents"

Spoitfy

Apple Podcast

In first responder land - or really any high stress emergency responder - there is a myth that is perpetuated by a culture of "suck it up buttercup" or "rub some dirt on it". Crying is a perceived weakness, when in reality it is a normal human biological response to stress. How does this play out in our world? Take a listen to find out.

Links I promised:

"Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers" by: Robert M. Sapolsky

"The Neurobiology of Human Crying"

Prioritizing rest can be very difficult in a "yes" world. Though without boundaries we can lose ourselves to our jobs or to other things simply because we say "yes" often and "no" never. Take a listen to how boundaries can help build resilience in a chaotic world.

Hyper independence isn't the strength it pretends to be.

Today's culture pushes us to believe that vulnerability is a weakness; something to be avoided. Yet in moment by moment human interaction, vulnerability deepens and grows relationships and relationships are one of the foundational strengths of resilience.

Awareness is a cornerstone of resilience. If we are unaware of our baseline behaviors, how do we grow? How do we even know that we are deviating? In a career field that can change our personalities, it is all that much more important to know where we are starting from so as not to lose ourselves to the job.

As individuals who are in high octane high-stress jobs understanding the stress response and some of its effects are important to survival in our chosen fields. Both physically and emotionally. Episode 7 takes a glance at what it looks like when we have bottomed out and some tools that we can use to bring us back into balance.

Mentions and Resources:

International Crisis Incident Stress Foundation (ICISF)

"Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers" Robert Sapolsky