Embrace Your Weird

Um. Hi.

The world is really hard to handle right now.

In this episode, I come to you from my closet again to talk about some ways we can manage our mental wellness in this time of COVID-19. I'll also talk about my recent decision to stop drinking alcohol, and how that feels since this is a reality in which I REALLY want to numb out and escape.

I recently did a talk about mental health and mindfulness at a big financial firm. (And I signed an NDA so I can't tell you the name of it.) Corporations are not known for being really safe and open spaces for discussing things like this. But I want to change that.

In this episode, I talk about what happened when I went to a place that's not comfortable with this topic, and I talked about the awkward things.

And then I made them meditate.

If you've made any health-related new year's resolutions - this is the episode for you. Feeling overwhelmed by wanting to change but not knowing where to start? Are your resolutions totally forgotten by mid-January? I talk to holistic wellness coach Cecily Armstrong about intuitive eating, self-compassion, and why sometimes it's totally fine to have a food-product covered in spray cheese.

Susan McCulley writes, moves, creates, and shines. She is an artist and all-around sparkly person.

In this episode, we discuss the obsession with busyness and how we can find more joy in our lives, even within the chaos of modern life. We talk about how to ditch the endless search for worthiness and external approval. How do we learn to live from our true priorities? Can we free ourselves from the constant striving and to-do list addiction? (Spoiler alert: we can.)

Susan's new book Octabusy: Letting Go in a Sea of Doing is available now. Learn more at susanmcculley.com

In this episode, I interview Bre Gregg of the band Red Bird. She is a singer/songwriter, mother, and anxious person.

Bre performs her own music on stage, and I share my life in talks and workshops, yet we both identify as people with anxiety, who get really nervous about being on stage. We talk about why introverts and highly sensitive people put ourselves in this scary public position. We discuss the connection between being an artist and being a person with BIG feelings. And we share our personal practices for getting through events that make us nervous.

If you've ever been anxious about giving a speech, presentation, or even just speaking up in a meeting - this one is for you.

Hear more from Bre Gregg and Red Bird at RedBirdSoul.com

I work with an organization called Expedition Balance, and we offer retreats for Veterans with post-traumatic stress. I teach a therapeutic writing workshop and therapeutic yoga classes. 

In this episode, I interview one of the participants, Aryeh, about his 23 years in the military, why he does yoga, how these retreats help support Vets coming home, what the VA could be doing better, and his relationship with his service dog, Bandit. 

He also hypothesizes on why I love old houses, does a terrible Canadian accent, and openly mocks me.

There is a ton of adult language in this episode, and discussion of difficult and potentially triggering topics such as military sexual trauma, rape, and suicide. 

For more info on Expedition Balance, and to make a donation to keep these retreats going, check out expeditionbalance.org

I have a special guest! Joining me and my dog in the closet is my husband, Jeremy.

He has very little anxiety.

I have a lot of anxiety.

So we talk about how that works in a relationship.

We discuss introversion, the best ways to support an anxious person, and why a fire needs air.

The theme song is called "Beautiful" by the band Red Bird. Check them out live in Portland, Oregon, or online at RedBirdBand.com

I spent a long time never talking about my old life as an actor, because it made me feel weird. My life has been pretty different than most other people's lives and sometimes that feels like of awkward. It can change how people see me, and how people treat me. But since Embrace Your Weird is my thing now, I'm answering all your questions about my old acting life - from how schooling works for kid actors, to my favorite scenes to film to what happened when I ruined one of the funniest moments in Mrs. Doubtfire. Here are some of the other things I talk about in this one:

The letter that Robin Williams wrote to my high school

Mrs. Doubtfire

Independence Day

Matinee

Beautician and the Beast

The theme song is called "Beautiful" from the band Red Bird. Check them out live in Portland, Oregon, or online at RedBirdBand.com

People tell me all the time that they could never meditate because their brains are too busy. Yeah. Welcome to having a human brain. I really hate to tell you this, but your brain is not special. Let's dispel some other meditation myths.

By the way, we do a guided meditation in this episode from minute 30 to minute 36. So, in case you are in a car or another place where it's not going to work for you to meditate - just skip ahead and come back to that part.

Jon Kabat-Zinn

Sharon Salzberg

Thich Nhat Hanh

Pema Chodron

Insight Timer - download this free app and search for my name for guided meditations

My book - Not Just Me: Anxiety, depression, and learning to embrace your weird

The theme song is called "Beautiful" from the band Red Bird. Check them out live in Portland, Oregon, or online at RedBirdBand.com

This is the topic that so many people have been asking me for. In this episode, I talk about my experience with anxiety and a panic disorder, and I also cover some of the most helpful tools that I have for managing anxiety and depression.

Here are some of the links:

Insight Timer - download this free app and search for my name for guided meditations

My workshops on anxiety management

Doctor's letter for starting the conversation about anxiety/depression

Sun Salutation A - description of a simple practice you can do anytime.

My YouTube yoga class

The theme song is called "Beautiful" from the band Red Bird. Check them out live in Portland, Oregon, or online at RedBirdBand.com