There's a lot of sad stuff that happens in this world. Some serious trauma you and I have experienced though doesn't quite get described by "sad stuff". You and I suffer sometimes at a lot more severe levels than we really want to, this episode is for helping those who know that life has the capacity of being amazing yet it hasn't made sense in a while.

As I sit looking over New York, a city shutdown by the corona virus, I miss it. Even though this city brings me tremendous pain both emotionally and mentally. Why? Because where we feel immense amount pain we often find the most source of happiness. Also with that though, you and I feel more than most people. We're full of empathy because we are such sensitive beings. We feel the most out of anybody around us, that's for the good and the bad. When we allow ourselves to feel that tremendous peace though, the pains we feel will not disappear but will be masked by the small moments

Do you know how unlikely this podcast was from happening...I am surprised it got past 20 episodes. I am NOT a public speaker, if you relate to that then you can understand what that means. How I got here though was because of a conversation I had with a good friend who shares my pain and understanding of mental health. They helped me understand that I have an opportunity, like all of us do, to not only get through our anxiety but to THRIVE through it all. How?? By helping others along the way and most importantly by answering one question, "What's waiting for me on the other side of this anxiety attack??" I can guarantee that there is always more than you even think or can understand waiting for you on the other side of it. That's what this podcast is about after all, helping people live through their anxieties and live life on their own terms.

Watching Netflix, going to the spa, hanging out with friends...these are all great things that can still ruin your day. Just because you're doing things that relax doesn't mean that you will feel relaxed at the end of it all if you're constantly worrying throughout your "relaxing". Instead of thinking what you need to do to rest then, make sure you are also taking care of what is stressing you. There's a lot in this world, especially during this Corona Virus that can make us immensely stress us out. Just like there's a lot in this world, even in this highly stressful time we're in, that can make us smile. We just need to optimize our lives to enjoy what will bring that joy into our lives

Being with someone who is constantly anxious is draining, even anxiety inducing sometimes. What do you do then when someone you love is prone to anxiety just like you then? In the perfect world you would simply tell this person to stop or even cut them out of your life for being "toxic". However that's not "perfect" at all. Instead of cutting people who give you anxiety from what they go through out of your lives (like loved ones and family members) we need to help them. Why? Together we rise.

Ayelet is in the city where anxiety thrives, New York. It's the city that never sleeps and now it's being forced to sit still as it gets quarantined and shut down. You will be forced to sit still though sometimes...and that's never easy for the people like you and Ayelet. We are relaxed by releasing emotion through motion and when that's taken away from us we are going to panic, it's almost a no-brainer.

"How are you moving on like this when your personal life is in so much turmoil?" This was a question that Marley was asked after her and her husband had divorced and she had to be open and vulnerable about it to speed up her grieving process. She had deadlines to meet and grieving didn't have a place in her schedule. Yet, she still knew she needed to grieve if she was going to fulfill the dream she knew she could fulfill. So she took the time she needed by herself to fully grieve and also relied on close friends and family as well. She has helped so many people embrace their own vulnerabilities on her journey solely because she has allowed herself to become comfortable with her scars before she shared them to the world.

While having a conversation with a psychiatrist Ayelet asked how she can get rid of her feeling of being a phony but also balance the vulnerability she feels is essential to helping people unleash themselves. There's going to be a lot of not only pain but also anxiety that comes from being vulnerable and you should never enter into vulnerability without being grounded first. How is it then that you can dare to be vulnerable but also be consistent in the amazing help you provide to others?

We all want to have a better life, that doesn't come from faking positivity. We need to always make sure that when it comes to our time of feeling anxiety and depression that we own it. Our goals will always require us to be at a higher mindset, but to truly become our BEST self it requires us to not only identify our pains but also feel our way through it. It will always be good to smile but sometimes it is best to allow ourselves to take a moment and feel our own pains.

Your willpower will not be enough to get you through the hard times. There will often be times when your effort will have to surpass what you simply have on the inside, that means something that motivates you from the future. Your desire to not have anxiety attacks will push you out from it for sure. However, to have something that will pull you through harder times you will need to have something extra. For Ayelet it's to help you get through your own anxiety attacks and modes of depression. Do you have yours?