Dr. UnStuck Podcast — Get Out of Your Head. Get Into Your Life.

So often, unkind or inaccurate things are said to us and we take these straight to heart without ever questioning the source or the facts. We also rarely take into consideration that we are all the main actors on our own stage, and the majority of what anyone says is an outward reflection of them and not about us at all. Many of us also do not realize that taking things personally is the ultimate expression of self-importance, as we are making the assumption that whatever was said is indeed about us. We often confirm and internalize this venom and allow it to affect our day and even our self-worth. Learning to step out of the current gossip, drama, and assumption-making, is a fast ticket to emotional and spiritual freedom.

It is so easy when we are thrown one of life's curveballs to bring this along into the next, brand new day. We wake up and our minds search for that something that the feeling in our stomach reminds us of right out of the gate. We lay there for a moment reliving the scenes as if we are catching up on a binge-watch. For the larger curveballs this can certainly be tougher, though we can still make a conscious choice to commit to this day being a fresh-start. We can choose to carve out time for simple pleasures and moments of peace, even when surrounded by chaos. For lesser curveballs, we can choose to dismiss these altogether and make a choice to not allow our days to blend and become one. This day is a new, fresh start, a clean slate to do with whatever we'd like. Embrace the gift.

We make decisions all day every day, some active and some passive. Happiness is deeply rooted in these small choices. Just like exercise, happiness is cumulative. It takes commitment and follow through. Happiness takes practice. Happiness has a daily routine. Happiness is a lifestyle.   It is that simple.  

No Need to Fix Me: I'm Not Broken | Kimberly Quinn | TEDxUStreetWomen 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kbgtv... 

The double-edged sword: ADHD and impulsivity | Kimberly Quinn | TEDxAmoskeagMillyard 21,154 views Jun 1, 2020 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34rni... 

#happiness #positivity #happinessisachoice #happinesslifestyle #cultivatehappiness #psychology #education #resilience #learnedoptimism #growthmindset #optimism

Let's face it . . . this feels a little weird. Actually, it feels a lot weird, and now the Delta variant is lurking out there ready to bite at any given time. More uncertainty. The masks are back on. For the last year and a half we have been living in the "Twilight Zone" with "Twilight Zone rules," like zombies masquerading as people with lives that were once familiar and predictable. We are now being asked to leave the "Sweat Pants Era" and to wear our grown-up clothes to re-enter the professional world once again. Structure feels foreign and inconvenient. Socializing is making some of us anxious, as we have been conditioned to dial it down and keep it simple. We got used to "surviving." What seems like a very "heavy lift" can be so much easier when the seemingly overwhelming is broken down into more manageable parts. One day at a time.

For so many of us, sex got a bad wrap right out of the gate of middle school sex ed class. We learned to "not touch" each other or things could fall off from various diseases and/or we could become pregnant. Though true, very little(if anything) was explained about the benefits of healthy sex, intimacy, or what a healthy relationship looks like. The word "orgasm" was a definite no-no. It was completely taboo to talk about having one's way with one's self, even though this is both a normal and healthy part of the human condition. Basically, we learned what not to do, and if we did take part in this shameful act(s), to be extremely careful and keep it a secret. How unfortunate this was, as the benefits of healthy sex are many, including anxiety reduction, emotional intimacy, cardiovascular benefits, and overall happiness, just to name a few. Not only that, sex gives us beautiful skin . . . who needs moisturizer when you can have great sex?

#sex #positivesex #healthysex #relationships #orgasm #stressreducer #anxietyreducer #psychology #education #sexualfreedom

So often, we have unwanted and intrusive thoughts sneak into our minds, subtly seducing us away from the present moment. There are 9 types of ANTs (automatic negative thoughts) to be aware of, and becoming aware is the first step towards extinguishing these thieves of our valuable life-minutes.

#obsessivecompulsive #negativethinking negativity #anxiety #stress #learnedoptimism #positivity #resilience #growthmindset #psychology #education #reduceanxiety

The ADHD mind has an executive functioning system that is wired differently.  Because this system is at the helm of all things deemed cognitively important such as judgment, reasoning, decision-making, problem-solving, organization, and impulse control, it is imperative that we approach teaching those in the "Fast Mind Club" from a different angle. What is of utmost importance, it that the student feels good about themselves, their wonderfully different mind and interest-based nervous system, as well as their learning environment. It is also essential to educate the ADHDer from the ground up about how they learn. The content can then follow.

#ADHD #ADHDbrain #ADHDkids #psychology #education #teachingADHD #executivefunctioning #ADHDcoaching #ADHDorganization

The last two years have been loaded with turbulence, uncertainty, as well as lots of pain and loss. We have become conditioned to be fearful, and to remain in a ready position like a short-stop, pivoting as balls are hit at us one after the other.  In order to get unstuck from fear-mode, we need to make a conscious effort to seek out the pleasant moments in our day, and to find delight in the smallest things. It's all about mindset and how we choose to perceive the information we take in all day. Smiling is a good start, as this can trick the brain into momentarily thinking it's happy. The next step is good, old-fashioned laughter, as this causes a dopamine release that is the brain's very natural feel-good response. By actively making small changes each day, we can rewire the brain to become a much, much happier.    

How we think dictates how we feel, which is why mindset is everything. Those with a "fixed mindset" tend to believe they have been given only so much intelligence, athletic or artistic ability, and that's it. Those with a "growth mindset" value good, old-fashioned grit, as they believe that if they put in the effort that they can become smarter, more athletic, more artistic, etc.  The "growth mindset" folks are not afraid to fail, as they look at this as an opportunity to challenge themselves to learn and grow. The mindset we adopt also affects our relationships and how we manage our mental health, such as anxiety and depression.

#Growthmindset #CarolDweck #learnedoptimism #optimism #positivity #psychology #education

People often get confused between self-image and authenticity. Self-image is how we see ourselves and often how we would like others to see us. This is not a bad thing, though there is some degree of ego involvement due to the desire for external approval. The authentic self has no need for external approval as it is free of the ego. The authentic self doesn't need fixing. To be our true selves does not take any effort, as we are who we are. That's it. We are enough as is.

#authenticity #worthiness #trueself #worthiness #psychology #education #beyourself