Inner Propaganda with Owen Fitzpatrick

Welcome to part 2 of a session that I did on Clubhouse on the psychology of overwhelm!

In this episode, I talk about the remaining Ts that overwhelm us—threats, targets, and thoughts—from a neurological standpoint. I share some mental frame games, highlighting the importance of mindfulness and focusing on what we can control. I also weigh in on what I call an “attention budget” and end the show with tips to help beat feelings of overwhelm.

When you start to feel overwhelmed by threats in your environment, you need to remind yourself (with conviction!) that...

1. Everything will be okay.
2. You’ve got this.

What if you want to achieve specific goals? How to avoid feeling overwhelmed? Create a vision of where you want to be. Breakdown large tasks into bite-sized chunks and track your progress. Here are some things you can do to bring more positivity into your life: 

• Accept the feeling of overwhelm.
• Ground yourself in your body.
• Embrace the present.
• Meditate or do some yoga.
• Give yourself a creative outlet.
• Eat healthy.
• Learn how to delegate and to say “no”.
• Take breaks regularly.
• And don’t forget to be grateful.

Links/Resources:

• The Psychology of Overwhelm Part One
• Breath by James Nestor

Subscribe to the Changing Minds Podcast!

Buckle up because I’m about to overwhelm you all with strategies... on handling overwhelm!

Today, I’m going to talk about the psychology of overwhelm—how it works, how it impacts the brain, and what we can do about it. I will also weigh in on the rise of technology and go over the difference between anxiety, stress, burnout, and overwhelm. This is the first installation of a 2-part excerpt from a presentation that I did on Clubhouse.

Overwhelm happens when we feel like we have to do more than what we can do. It’s a paradox because we end up trying to make it possible to do more!

Well, you need to stop.

Stop pushing yourself to try to do everything. Stop getting lost in the need to be perfect.

Here are the 6 Ts that overwhelm us:

• TOO MUCH to do
• Not enough TIME
• Problematic TRIGGERS
• THREATS of incoming consequences
• Setting TARGETS that are too high
• Stressful THOUGHTS

Identify what’s making you overwhelmed. Accept what you can’t change. Focus on what you can control.

How to deal with too many tasks? Write down everything. Sort them into different categories. Break them into manageable chunks. Analyze each task and then connect it to your overall goal. Finally, prioritize the ones that matter the most.

Recognize how arbitrary your deadlines are to you. Learn to be patient and realize that, even if you miss a deadline, you’re going to be okay.

Links/Resources:

• Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman
• Lisa Feldman Barrett’s website
• Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman

Subscribe to the Changing Minds Podcast!

In this episode, we explore the difference between a mood and an emotion. Have a pen and paper ready because I introduce a simple graph that you can use to map what you’re feeling and share some strategies to help change your moods.  Find a more empowering interpretation for the mood that you’re in and then identify your ideal mood.

Reappraisal is more about recategorizing the sensations you’re feeling and what those mean to you—reconceptualizing particular experiences and preparing yourself to act differently.

Give yourself a deadline to get out of a particular mood.

Try working on your body to change how you feel physically.

Get enough sleep, exercise, and healthy food.

Learning something new stimulates the release of dopamine.

Go for positive triggers.

Enjoy nature OR cultivate a sense of awe for everything around you.

Spend time around pets or people who make you feel good.

Bond with children and immerse yourself in imaginary worlds.

Learn to be more grateful.

Look for anything new.

Links/Resources:

• Dr. Richard Bandler’s website

Subscribe to the Changing Minds Podcast!

In this episode, we tackle what stops us from doing what we need to do or making the change we need to make… and how to make it!

You don’t know what you need to doYou don’t believe it needs to be done You don’t know how to do itYou don’t feel like doing it You don’t keep doing it

Awareness-Work backwards from results or emotions or goals Values-Pros and cons. Worst case scenario and best case scenario. How it fits in your life Skills-Model someone. Books. Practice. Feedback

Motivation-Goals, Progress. Little Steps Discipline-Environment, Ease, Structure, Routines

This episode is all about the dopamine balance, how we become addicted and how to motivate ourselves in a healthy way.

Dopamine, also known as chemical messenger, is a neurotransmitter produced by your body that your nervous system uses to deliver signals between nerve cells. Dopamine is necessary to maintain normal brain function. The main purpose of dopamine is to send signals within the brain, but it also acts outside the brain by sending signals to the body.

In this episode, I'll go over what Dopamine is and what it does in greater detail.

Dopamine balance: the two sides to motivation.Dopamine is:

• A neurotransmitter
• A neuromodulator
• Responsible for motivation and addiction

Dopamine is released into two different areas:

1. Dopamine desire circuits
2. Dopamine control circuit

What are the negative impacts of addiction in our lives?How do seemingly normal routines become addictive over time?What’s the thin line between motivation and addiction?How to recognize and balance our behaviors?What happens when we are motivated and de-motivated?What is a good addiction and a bad addiction?Why do we still want to get things even after becoming less motivated about them?What is the default amount of Dopamine?What happens when we fire certain amounts of Dopamine?Why is Dopamine responsible for addiction?

How to handle addiction:

• Dopamine fasting
• Push through 
• Embrace the struggle
• Do it for the sake of the process
• Make it a discipline and a routine
• Give yourself a regular rewards

Is this episode useful to you?

Get access to more ‘changing minds’ episodes on my website: https://owenfitzpatrick.com 

This episode is all about becoming a more strategic person through 3 core strategies.

Why we struggle with strategic thinking

Present BiasImmediate ResultsSafety in certaintyHate being wrong

How we can become more strategic

1. Think in two modes - Present and Future
2. Scenario Planning
3. Strategic Questioning

What does the future hold in terms of opportunity?What challenges will the future bring?What are the trends right now?When you solve these problems what new problems will there be?What black swans could happen?What advantage do you have now?What advantages do others have over you?Who do you want to become?What do you want to become known for?What is your plan for that?What resources do you need for that?What skills do you need for that?What habits do you need for that?

In this episode, I explore the challenges we face in trying to become more critical thinkers and how to overcome them.

What stops us from being critical thinkers?

Emotional factorsBiasesLack of timeLack of energyLack of awarenessOverthinkingLack of knowledgeThe curse of knowledge

What questions help you think more critically? What information do you have?What information do you need?How accurate is the information?What does it mean about what is going on now?What does it suggest about the future?How does it impact the big picture?What relationship or political factors impact things?

In this episode, I explore the wonderful world of Neuroscience and Happiness!

How the Brain Creates Emotions: Traditional: triune brainConstructivist: our brains predict

AFFECTInside body (interception)SensesBody budgetAffective realismPropaganda of emotion UNPLEASANT TO PLEASANTAGITATION TO CALM NeurochemistryDopamineCortisolAdrenalineSerotonin EndorphinsEndocannaboidsOxytocin How to trigger more SerotoninGratitude Sunlight NatureNLPMindfulnessMusicExercisePositive PsychologyPresent AwarenessDietReflection  How to trigger more DopamineGoal settingNew ExperiencesHopeLearningMotivating ourselvesMusicChallenging ourselvesCreativityControlSportsMeditationStories How to trigger more OxytocinHugsSexConversations with friends PetsTouchWatching movies or readingGroup activitiesKaraokeSports

In this episode, we discuss not believing in yourself and not feeling good enough. Hope it helps!

Here are some of the topics I dive into:

• The limitations of just visualizing or manifesting
• On choosing to recognize your own potential
• The comparison effect and how to turn those comparisons into challenges
• On accepting your personal and situational limitations and acting on what you can make an impact on—like your environment
• On being perfect versus being your best

Quotes:

• “You believe in yourself to the degree that you believe you exist.”
• “Choosing to believe in yourself is choosing to believe in the possibility that you can.”
• “But when you believe that you can do whatever it is... the comparison itself is rendered in such a way that it doesn’t impact you the same way.”

Link:

• S03E21: Listen to this if you’re struggling

Subscribe to the Changing Minds Podcast!

A few days ago, it was international mental health day. Because of this, I wanted to do something a little different. So, if you are struggling with your mental health, listen to this.

It’s okay to feel it You are not alone It’s not true. it’s just a story.

Solve for Happy: Mo Gawdat Events - Expectations

Expectations Interpretations Comparisons

Past Pain Present pain Future Pain

Change the stories Victim or Villain mentality

Tell someone. reach out to a professional

Set a Goal. Implement the Strategy.

Exercise Sleep Eat Healthy Spend time with a pet Get fresh air Spend time in nature Be around people who make you feel good Stop being around what makes you feel bad Give yourself a break Speak nicer to yourself Reach out and talk to a trained professional

Everything will be okay. You will get through this.