In this episode of #FeelingsMatter, hosts Heather Hampton, Michelle Stinson Ross, and Tina Schweiger explore the emotion of apathy - that feeling of not caring about things that usually matter. The hosts discuss how apathy differs from indifference, its connection to depression and emotional exhaustion, and how recognizing this emotion can serve as an important warning signal. They share personal experiences with apathy and offer insights about how to respond when this emotional flatness appears.

Episode Highlights:

• Heather describes apathy as feeling like "going through the motions in life without really any purpose or direction," noting its connection to her experiences with chronic depression and ADHD
• The hosts distinguish apathy from indifference, with Heather explaining that apathy involves a lower energy level and resignation, while indifference might still contain positive engagement
• Michelle identifies a personal pattern where emotional tiredness can progress to apathy and then to full depression if not addressed early, using apathy as an important warning signal
• Tina points out that apathy often emerges when we feel powerless or lacking control, describing it as a way to conserve emotional energy when we feel our efforts won't matter
• The hosts discuss the clinical term "anhedonia" (inability to feel pleasure) as related to apathy and depression, emphasizing the importance of seeking help from both medical professionals and personal support networks when experiencing persistent apathy

Podcast theme music by Dubush Miaw from Pixabay

This episode of the #FeelingsMatter Podcast was recorded and produced at MSR Studios in Saint Paul, MN.Copyright 2025, all rights reserved. No reproduction, excerpting, or other use without written permission.

This episode is sponsored by 
FeelWise - bridging the gap between reflection and resilience, offering practical tools to help people overcome obstacles, embrace change, and grow stronger emotionally. https://www.feel-wise.com/

Don’t miss a moment of the conversation, subscribe to the show on your favorite podcasting platform

Podcast theme music by Dubush Miaw from Pixabay

This episode of the #FeelingsMatter Podcast was recorded and produced at MSR Studios in Saint Paul, MN. No reproduction, excerpting, or other use without written permission.

This episode is sponsored by 
FeelWise - bridging the gap between reflection and resilience, offering practical tools to help people overcome obstacles, embrace change, and grow stronger emotionally. https://www.feel-wise.com/

Don’t miss a moment of the conversation, subscribe to the show on your favorite podcasting platform

In this episode of #FeelingsMatter, hosts Michelle Stinson Ross, Tina Schweiger, and Heather Hampton explore the emotion of being delighted - that feeling of being greatly pleased or experiencing a strong sense of joy. The hosts discuss the lightness and buoyancy of delight, how it typically occurs in response to something specific, and why capturing these fleeting moments is valuable for building emotional resilience. They share personal examples of delight in their everyday lives and suggest ways to cultivate more of this uplifting emotion.

Episode Highlights:

• Michelle shares how she experienced delight while editing previous podcast episodes, finding herself giggling at the joy in her co-hosts' voices during their conversations
• Tina describes delight as having a lightness to it and being directed at something specific rather than general joy, sharing her moment of delight about adding "feed Sky's dragon" to her calendar
• Heather characterizes delight as "buoyant" and "effervescent" but notes it tends to be fleeting, using her recurring delight at seeing fireflies as an example
• The hosts discuss how noticing and documenting moments of delight can contribute to emotional resilience, suggesting these experiences belong in gratitude journals
• The conversation concludes with reflections on how art can help us both capture and share moments of delight, and how the real challenge isn't experiencing more happiness but paying closer attention to the delightful moments already present in our lives

Podcast theme music by Dubush Miaw from Pixabay

This episode of the #FeelingsMatter Podcast was recorded and produced at MSR Studios in Saint Paul, MN.Copyright 2025, all rights reserved. No reproduction, excerpting, or other use without written permission.

This episode is sponsored by 
FeelWise - bridging the gap between reflection and resilience, offering practical tools to help people overcome obstacles, embrace change, and grow stronger emotionally. https://www.feel-wise.com/

Don’t miss a moment of the conversation, subscribe to the show on your favorite podcasting platform

Podcast theme music by Dubush Miaw from Pixabay

This episode of the #FeelingsMatter Podcast was recorded and produced at MSR Studios in Saint Paul, MN. No reproduction, excerpting, or other use without written permission.

This episode is sponsored by 
FeelWise - bridging the gap between reflection and resilience, offering practical tools to help people overcome obstacles, embrace change, and grow stronger emotionally. https://www.feel-wise.com/

Don’t miss a moment of the conversation, subscribe to the show on your favorite podcasting platform

In this episode of #FeelingsMatter, hosts Michelle Stinson Ross, Tina Schweiger, and Heather Hampton explore the emotion of craving - that strong feeling of desire and yearning. The hosts discuss how craving manifests as a physical sensation, its repetitive nature, and how this emotion often signals deeper unmet needs. Rather than viewing cravings as simple impulses to be immediately satisfied, they suggest using cravings as valuable emotional data that can lead to greater self-awareness.

Episode Highlights:

• Tina describes the physical experience of craving as a tension in her body, emphasizing that while cravings are associated with unmet needs, they're neutral signals rather than directives we must follow
• The hosts explore how cravings for specific things (like chocolate or food) might actually be pointing to deeper emotional needs, such as connection or love
• Michelle shares that recurring thoughts are her primary signal of craving, noting how the emotion demands attention by repeating until acknowledged
• The conversation highlights how journaling is an effective way to process cravings, with Michelle sharing her personal example of craving creative writing beyond her professional work
• The hosts emphasize the importance of getting curious about what might be behind our cravings rather than immediately acting on them, creating space for deeper understanding of our emotional needs

Podcast theme music by Dubush Miaw from Pixabay

This episode of the #FeelingsMatter Podcast was recorded and produced at MSR Studios in Saint Paul, MN.Copyright 2025, all rights reserved. No reproduction, excerpting, or other use without written permission.

This episode is sponsored by 
FeelWise - bridging the gap between reflection and resilience, offering practical tools to help people overcome obstacles, embrace change, and grow stronger emotionally. https://www.feel-wise.com/

Don’t miss a moment of the conversation, subscribe to the show on your favorite podcasting platform

Podcast theme music by Dubush Miaw from Pixabay

This episode of the #FeelingsMatter Podcast was recorded and produced at MSR Studios in Saint Paul, MN. No reproduction, excerpting, or other use without written permission.

This episode is sponsored by 
FeelWise - bridging the gap between reflection and resilience, offering practical tools to help people overcome obstacles, embrace change, and grow stronger emotionally. https://www.feel-wise.com/

Don’t miss a moment of the conversation, subscribe to the show on your favorite podcasting platform

In this episode of #FeelingsMatter, hosts Michelle Stinson Ross, Tina Schweiger, and Heather Hampton explore the emotion of being thrilled - that feeling of extreme excitement and delight. They discuss how we often casually use powerful emotion words, the different ways people experience thrills, and the relationship between thrilled and other intense emotions like anxiety and elation. The conversation takes an interesting turn as they share personal experiences with thrill-seeking and emotional vulnerability.

Episode Highlights:

• The hosts contrast naturally experiencing thrills versus intentional "thrill-seeking" behaviors, noting that while thrilled is typically a positive emotion, thrill-seeking can sometimes lead to counterproductive outcomes
• Michelle shares that being together in person with her co-hosts is thrilling for her, highlighting how connection with loved ones can create this intense positive emotion
• Heather proposes that thrilled differs from elation by having "an element of danger averted," with nervous energy being enmeshed in the experience of being thrilled
• Tina vulnerably shares her experience having a panic attack at the Grand Canyon, illustrating how quickly thrilled can transform into anxiety in certain situations
• The conversation concludes with an important reminder for parents that sharing authentic emotional experiences with your children helps normalize emotions and teaches them it's okay to ask for help and support

Podcast theme music by Dubush Miaw from Pixabay

This episode of the #FeelingsMatter Podcast was recorded and produced at MSR Studios in Saint Paul, MN.Copyright 2025, all rights reserved. No reproduction, excerpting, or other use without written permission.

This episode is sponsored by 
FeelWise - bridging the gap between reflection and resilience, offering practical tools to help people overcome obstacles, embrace change, and grow stronger emotionally. https://www.feel-wise.com/

Don’t miss a moment of the conversation, subscribe to the show on your favorite podcasting platform

Podcast theme music by Dubush Miaw from Pixabay

This episode of the #FeelingsMatter Podcast was recorded and produced at MSR Studios in Saint Paul, MN. No reproduction, excerpting, or other use without written permission.

This episode is sponsored by 
FeelWise - bridging the gap between reflection and resilience, offering practical tools to help people overcome obstacles, embrace change, and grow stronger emotionally. https://www.feel-wise.com/

Don’t miss a moment of the conversation, subscribe to the show on your favorite podcasting platform

In this episode of #FeelingsMatter, hosts Michelle Stinson Ross and Tina Schweiger are joined by Heather Hampton to explore the emotion of being tired. The conversation distinguishes between physical tiredness and emotional fatigue, with all three hosts sharing their personal experiences with emotional exhaustion, particularly in relation to depression and mental health. They discuss coping strategies and the importance of support when experiencing this draining emotion.

Episode Highlights:

• Heather describes emotional tiredness as feeling "like slogging through waist deep mud in the dark," where everyday tasks require extra focus and energy despite maintaining outward appearances
• Michelle explains how being emotionally tired can be an early warning sign of depression for her, prompting her to be vigilant when tiredness persists even after physical rest
• Tina differentiates between situational tiredness (temporary irritations) and long-term tiredness connected to chronic health conditions, noting her experience with a decade of fatigue caused by medication side effects
• The hosts discuss the cultural stigma that equates rest with laziness, sharing how they sometimes need explicit permission from others to take necessary breaks
• Key takeaway: When someone makes a request, there are three valid responses - yes, no, or counter offer - and learning to accept "no" as a complete answer is crucial for supporting those experiencing emotional fatigue

Podcast theme music by Dubush Miaw from Pixabay

This episode of the #FeelingsMatter Podcast was recorded and produced at MSR Studios in Saint Paul, MN.Copyright 2025, all rights reserved. No reproduction, excerpting, or other use without written permission.

This episode is sponsored by 
FeelWise - bridging the gap between reflection and resilience, offering practical tools to help people overcome obstacles, embrace change, and grow stronger emotionally. https://www.feel-wise.com/

Don’t miss a moment of the conversation, subscribe to the show on your favorite podcasting platform

Podcast theme music by Dubush Miaw from Pixabay

This episode of the #FeelingsMatter Podcast was recorded and produced at MSR Studios in Saint Paul, MN. No reproduction, excerpting, or other use without written permission.

This episode is sponsored by 
FeelWise - bridging the gap between reflection and resilience, offering practical tools to help people overcome obstacles, embrace change, and grow stronger emotionally. https://www.feel-wise.com/

Don’t miss a moment of the conversation, subscribe to the show on your favorite podcasting platform

In this episode of #FeelingsMatter, hosts Michelle Stinson Ross and Tina Schweiger are joined by Heather Hampton to explore the emotion of love. The conversation delves into the multifaceted nature of love, from romantic partnerships to passion for work, highlighting how love involves both feeling and choice. The hosts share personal reflections on what love means to them and how it manifests in their lives.

Episode Highlights:

• Tina discusses her love for studying the complexity of the human experience, particularly emotions, describing herself as a "connoisseur" who wakes up excited every day because of this passion
• Michelle emphasizes that love is often a choice and requires intentional cultivation, especially in long-term relationships where the initial "buzzy, fuzzy romantic feels" may fade
• Heather shares wisdom from her experience as a wedding officiant, quoting "love is an act of will" and highlighting how participating in nurturing relationships keeps love alive
• The hosts explore the distinction between intellectually acknowledging love versus actually feeling it as a physical sensation of warmth in the body
• Discussion of different types of love (romantic, platonic, passion for work) and how sustainable love requires reflection and intentional attention

Podcast theme music by Dubush Miaw from Pixabay

This episode of the #FeelingsMatter Podcast was recorded and produced at MSR Studios in Saint Paul, MN.Copyright 2025, all rights reserved. No reproduction, excerpting, or other use without written permission.

This episode is sponsored by 
FeelWise - bridging the gap between reflection and resilience, offering practical tools to help people overcome obstacles, embrace change, and grow stronger emotionally. https://www.feel-wise.com/

Don’t miss a moment of the conversation, subscribe to the show on your favorite podcasting platform

Podcast theme music by Dubush Miaw from Pixabay

This episode of the #FeelingsMatter Podcast was recorded and produced at MSR Studios in Saint Paul, MN. No reproduction, excerpting, or other use without written permission.

This episode is sponsored by 
FeelWise - bridging the gap between reflection and resilience, offering practical tools to help people overcome obstacles, embrace change, and grow stronger emotionally. https://www.feel-wise.com/

Don’t miss a moment of the conversation, subscribe to the show on your favorite podcasting platform

#FeelingsMatter - Emotional Literacy (Season 3 Premiere)

In the Season 3 premiere of #FeelingsMatter, hosts Michelle Stinson Ross and Tina Schweiger explore emotional literacy and introduce Feel Wise, a tool featuring 156 emotions represented visually. This episode serves as a foundation for the new season format, where future episodes will offer short, "snackable" segments focusing on one emotion at a time to help listeners develop a comprehensive emotional vocabulary.

Episode Highlights:

• Introduction to Feel Wise, which goes beyond traditional emotion wheels by visually representing emotions and providing mindfulness techniques for processing feelings
• Distinction between academic emotional literacy (knowing feelings, empathy, regulation) and practical application (developing vocabulary to identify and express emotions)
• Discussion of how a limited emotional vocabulary (often just "mad, sad, glad") prevents us from fully experiencing and processing our complex emotional lives
• Exploration of emotions as "flavors" with nuance, and how having words for these nuances helps shift power from being driven by emotions to making conscious choices
• Importance of approaching emotions non-judgmentally, avoiding "good/bad" labels that lead to resistance and rumination

Podcast theme music by Dubush Miaw from Pixabay

This episode of the #FeelingsMatter Podcast was recorded and produced at MSR Studios in Saint Paul, MN.Copyright 2025, all rights reserved. No reproduction, excerpting, or other use without written permission.

This episode is sponsored by 
FeelWise - bridging the gap between reflection and resilience, offering practical tools to help people overcome obstacles, embrace change, and grow stronger emotionally. https://www.feel-wise.com/

Don’t miss a moment of the conversation, subscribe to the show on your favorite podcasting platform

Podcast theme music by Dubush Miaw from Pixabay

This episode of the #FeelingsMatter Podcast was recorded and produced at MSR Studios in Saint Paul, MN. No reproduction, excerpting, or other use without written permission.

This episode is sponsored by 
FeelWise - bridging the gap between reflection and resilience, offering practical tools to help people overcome obstacles, embrace change, and grow stronger emotionally. https://www.feel-wise.com/

Don’t miss a moment of the conversation, subscribe to the show on your favorite podcasting platform

Join Tina Schweiger, Heather Hampton, and Michelle Stinson Ross as they dig deeper into a full vocabulary of emotional expression. This trailer is just a quick snack of what you can expect this season on #FeelingsMatter.

Podcast theme music by Dubush Miaw from Pixabay

This episode of the #FeelingsMatter Podcast was recorded and produced at MSR Studios in Saint Paul, MN. No reproduction, excerpting, or other use without written permission.

This episode is sponsored by 
FeelWise - bridging the gap between reflection and resilience, offering practical tools to help people overcome obstacles, embrace change, and grow stronger emotionally. https://www.feel-wise.com/

Don’t miss a moment of the conversation, subscribe to the show on your favorite podcasting platform

Now, more than ever, a supportive environment for mental health is essential. As we strive to create a workplace environment in which everyone can talk more openly and proactively about mental health, most people struggle with how best to respond when they are concerned about a colleague.

Episode Highlights
- Dealing with the power dynamic with leadership
- "Psychological safety is not relaxing your standards, feeling comfortable, being nice and agreeable, or giving unconditional praise. Psychological safety is a culture of respect, trust, and openness where it's not risky to raise ideas and concerns" Amy Edmonson
- Listening and creating psychological safety
-- ask open questions
-- Summarize what they said and repeat it back to them.
-- Reflect: repeat a word or phrase back to them
-- Clarify: Tell me more about that...
-- Give words of encouragement: "Go on" or "I see"
-- Affirm and acknowledge and then share resources

Episode Resources
- How to support mental health at work - https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/publications/how-support-mental-health-work
- How to Support Your Coworker Who’s Dealing With Mental Health Issues - https://www.payscale.com/career-advice/how-to-support-your-coworker-whos-dealing-with-mental-health-issues/

Original podcast theme music by Lance Keltner. https://www.youtube.com/user/lancekeltner This episode of the #FeelingsMatter Podcast was recorded at MSR Studios in Saint Paul, MN and produced by Kel Skonberg of Mossy Stone Media. Copyright 2022, all rights reserved. No reproduction, excerpting, or other use without written permission.

This episode is sponsored by
Mindful Appy, the only software suite for the Net Emotional Index
https://mindfulappy.com/

Don’t miss a moment of the conversation, subscribe to the show on your favorite podcasting platform and sign-up for the #FeelingsMatter mindfulness tracking project - Text the emoji that best represents the way you feel to (972) 778-6835

Podcast theme music by Dubush Miaw from Pixabay

This episode of the #FeelingsMatter Podcast was recorded and produced at MSR Studios in Saint Paul, MN. No reproduction, excerpting, or other use without written permission.

This episode is sponsored by 
FeelWise - bridging the gap between reflection and resilience, offering practical tools to help people overcome obstacles, embrace change, and grow stronger emotionally. https://www.feel-wise.com/

Don’t miss a moment of the conversation, subscribe to the show on your favorite podcasting platform

Now, more than ever, a supportive environment for mental health is essential. As we strive to create a workplace environment in which everyone can talk more openly and proactively about mental health, most people struggle with how best to respond when they are concerned about a colleague.

Episode Highlights
- Check-in with your colleagues
- Ask open ended questions and pose them as “I” questions
-- I noticed that things aren’t okay lately
-- I care about you and I’d like to make time to chat
- Make time to create enough space for a difficult conversation
- Be prepared to be uncomfortable and be ready with empathy

Episode Resources
- How to support mental health at work - https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/publications/how-support-mental-health-work
- How to Support Your Coworker Who’s Dealing With Mental Health Issues - https://www.payscale.com/career-advice/how-to-support-your-coworker-whos-dealing-with-mental-health-issues/

Original podcast theme music by Lance Keltner. https://www.youtube.com/user/lancekeltner This episode of the #FeelingsMatter Podcast was recorded at MSR Studios in Saint Paul, MN and produced by Kel Skonberg of Mossy Stone Media. Copyright 2022, all rights reserved. No reproduction, excerpting, or other use without written permission.

This episode is sponsored by
Mindful Appy, the only software suite for the Net Emotional Index
https://mindfulappy.com/

Don’t miss a moment of the conversation, subscribe to the show on your favorite podcasting platform and sign-up for the #FeelingsMatter mindfulness tracking project - Text the emoji that best represents the way you feel to (972) 778-6835

Podcast theme music by Dubush Miaw from Pixabay

This episode of the #FeelingsMatter Podcast was recorded and produced at MSR Studios in Saint Paul, MN. No reproduction, excerpting, or other use without written permission.

This episode is sponsored by 
FeelWise - bridging the gap between reflection and resilience, offering practical tools to help people overcome obstacles, embrace change, and grow stronger emotionally. https://www.feel-wise.com/

Don’t miss a moment of the conversation, subscribe to the show on your favorite podcasting platform