“It’s not just about managing your mindset. It’s not just about positive thinking your way through it. That’s not how it all works. It’s a piece of it. But it’s not the entirety of the pie. It’s about being able to understand the context, what you’ve been through trauma-wise, and how your brain affects all of that going forward.“

Episode summary:

In this episode, Nick talks about how trauma affects our mindset as well as how managing our mindset is ONLY a piece of the equation. If we only try to manage our mindset and don’t take into account our past traumas then we’re really only masking the situation and trying to bypass what’s actually happening and why we’re reacting the way we are.

What to listen for:

How trauma affects our brain, body, and overall mindset

What Nick has experienced that has shown hoow managing our mindset is really only a piece of the puzzle

Learn what areas of the brain are affected by trauma and how that shows up in stressful or heightened situations

“I’ve heard people say that, where it’s, if you can just manage your mindset if you can just maintain the mindset, then everything else will be alright. That’s not really true, your mindset is only a piece of it.” 

We tend to lock onto ideas and allow them to sink in but sometimes they actually do us harm because they bypass our feelings and true experience

Your body keeps the score and your trauma plays a major role in how you handle situations

A story about the trauma that stems all the way back to infancy

“It’s not just about managing our mindset through everything. It’s about understanding the context of what we’ve been through and the situation that we have in front of us.”

We must understand context is crucial… in mostly every situation but especially in your pursuit of self-mastery

We never know when and how someone can be triggered

Small things can actually be very very big things to people

Trauma shows up later in life and our bodies feel like we’re back in that moment

“Something I’ve learned is how the brain is affected by trauma. I’ve really been interested in how my organic being handles my subconscious and how the two of them work either hand in hand or in fisticuffs in a sense, and being able to fight against each other, I don’t ever want that. So I want to be able to work through that and understand how things work.”

Three areas of the brain that are affected by trauma and how that affects your body

How there are actions in motion that you’re consciously unaware of even when you’re trying to “think positive” or “manage your mindset” in a stressful situation

How childhood is a traumatic experience for all of us and how that affects us later in life

How our body is absolutely incredible and does what it needs to keep us alive

About Nick McGowan

Nick is all about mental health and self-mastery. He works daily to manage his mindset and emotions and helps others do the same. His journey is one of resilience—he’s owned multiple companies, overcome addiction, and bounced back stronger after life’s toughest challenges. With over 20 years of experience in sales and marketing, Nick has helped purpose-driven businesses grow and make a real impact. He’s got a creative spark, a ton of tenacity, and a passion for helping others navigate both personal and professional growth.

www.linkedin.com/in/thenickmcgowan

Resources:

Check out these other episodes about trauma:

Episode #30: Mixing Trauma with Autism, Then Adding Brilliance And A Decade Of Coaching Men

Episode #44: Sonny, a Redemption Story: Evolving Through Trauma, Prison, and Everything In Between

Episode #55: How To Break The Chains of Co-Dependency And Move Forward After Traumatic Experiences

Episode #68: Breaking The Trauma Cycle Through Health and Wellness

Episode #78: Feeling The Trauma That Lives In Our Cells

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