Sometimes life doesn’t go to plan, it fails to live up to our expectations and the result can really suck. And yet we continue to will it to be different which keeps us stuck in the frustration and upset. So what can we do?

In this episode we look at:

• How life not living up to our expectations ramps up overthinking and stress levels
• How our response and reaction play a key role
• What we do and don’t have control over in these situations
• The four steps we can take to deal with life letting us down

Resources

• Be Here Now, a practical guide to living mindfully, is open to join now, with an early bird discount. Find out all about the course and take your place here.
• Episode 18: How to deal with difficult emotions
• Join the Worry Less and Enjoy Life More with Gabrielle Treanor Facebook Group

It’s an odd topic for a podcast for overthinkers but there’s good reason why I focus on helping you to worry less, not stop worrying

In this episode we look at:

• The damaging message behind a well intended ‘just stop worrying’
• Why denying worry or pushing it away does more damage than good
• How facing up to your worry lessens its power over you
• What you can do with worry that will help you to focus on the joy in life

Resources

• Episode 18: How to deal with difficult emotions
• Join the Worry Less and Enjoy Life More with Gabrielle Treanor private Facebook group

Most of us have a first aid kit for when we have a cut or bump but what about when we’re feeling mentally bashed and bruised? A mental health first aid kit is what’s need to provide comfort, support and relief when we feel emotionally beaten down.

In this episode we look at:

• Why we need a mental health first aid kit
• What digital and physical elements to include in your kit
• Making it personal and specific to you
• How to use your mental health first aid kit when you’re struggling

 Resources:

• Epiosde 6: How to disrupt the overthinking cycle
• Episode 10: What to do when you feel overwhelmed
• Episode 11: How overthinkers can take care of themselves

As overthinkers we spend a lot of time fast forwarding into the future and as soon as we’ve reached a goal or made it through a difficulty we’re straight onto thinking about what’s next. Constantly striving forward means that we’re missing out on the joy and contentment in our lives right now.

In this episode we look at:

• How we move the goalposts so we’re always looking to what’s going to happen next
• What is destination addiction and hedonic adaptation
• What we can do to combat striving and feel more joy in the everyday
• How mindfulness, gratitude and savouring play a role

Resources:

• Episode 3: The life-changing power of feeling grateful
• Episode 4: How to take micro mindful moments in your day
• Episode 7: How noticing the little things creates calm and joy
• Episode 9: The truth about controlling worry

We each have something in our lives that supports our mental or physical health and gives us the chance to be the best version of ourselves so we’re better able to take care of those around us too. You may not think of this habit or action as an act of self-care but you know that it would really impact you if it vanished from your daily life.

• In this episode we look at:
• What a non-negotiable is
• How it supports your wellbeing
• Why having non-negotiables isn’t selfish
• Examples of how you could already have non-negotiables in your life 

Resources:

• Episode 11: How overthinkers can take care of themselves
• Episode 3: The life-changing power of feeling grateful
• Join my e-course, A Thankful Heart, to learn how to appreciate all aspects of your life, create your own gratitude habit, reduce your stress, build your resilience and enjoy life more

Saying ‘sorry’ can become a go-to word we use whenever we want to get someone’s attention or ask a question, when we have nothing to apologise for. Using sorry is about more than using one word instead of another, it’s about apologising for taking up space in the world.

In this episode we look at:

• The different ways we use sorry when we’ve nothing to apologise for
• Why it matters that we say sorry when it’s unnecessary
• How you’re misrepresenting yourself by using sorry even when you know you’re not apologising
• What words to use instead of sorry in situations where no apology is needed

When someone is having a tough time and struggling with difficult emotions, we give them compassion. Yet we find it so hard to do the same for ourselves. By practising self-compassion we drop shame and criticism and give ourselves a break.

In this episode we look at:

• What self-compassion is and its three key components
• Why it’s essential to give ourselves compassion and how it benefits us
• How to recognise when we need self-compassion and what to do

Resources:

• Episode 11: How overthinkers can take care of themselves
• Kristin Neff’s book Self Compassion and her website selfcompassion.org
• Episode 17: How to get back to sleep when you wake up worrying
• With Exhale, a beginners’ guide to meditation for overthinkers, you’ll learn how to recognise when your thoughts are causing you to feel difficult emotions and unstick yourself from them so you can soothe your mind and nerves

Waking up in the early hours with worrisome thoughts racing around your mind is frustrating, scary and feels very lonely. Knowing you have to be up soon only adds to your stress. But you’re not alone in how you feel and there are ways you can help yourself back to sleep.

In this episode we look at:

• Why getting frustrated with yourself and trying to empty your mind doesn’t help
• How being kind to yourself with self-compassionate phrases is a more effective calming technique
• Why it’s more helpful to acknowledge rather than ignore your thoughts
• An exercise you can do that will relax you to drift off back to sleep

Resources:

• Episode 16: How to quiet your mind to fall asleep more quickly
• With Exhale, a beginners’ guide to meditation for overthinkers, you’ll learn how to calm your mind and soothe your nerves with a daily practice, and it includes a sleep meditation.

It’s frustrating when you’re worn out from a busy day but when you collapse into bed your mind won’t stop whirring long enough for you to go to sleep. The more you will yourself to sleep the more elusive it becomes, and the more stressed you get.

In this episode we look at:

• Why sleep is a priority not a luxury
• What we can learn from children’s bedtime routines
• 6 ways to calm your overthinking mind before you get into bed

Resources:

• The session I gave at The Mindful Living Show on the power of appreciating your own life is now available as a recording here.
• With Exhale, a beginners’ guide to meditation for overthinkers, you’ll learn how to calm your mind and soothe your nerves with a daily practice, and it includes a sleep meditation.

Whether you’re a morning person or not (I’m not) you can often feel frazzled and rushed from the start, which then sets the tone for the rest of the day. Without getting up any earlier or finding more time in your morning, you can begin your day on a more positive, nourishing and calm note.

In this episode we look at:

• How to create positive feelings for yourself and others before you even get out of bed
• Incorporating supportive actions into everyday activities like getting washed and dressed
• Setting intentions, using affirmations and mantras to keep in mind how you want to feel during the day

Resources

• Episode 4: How to take micro mindful moments in your day
• Episode 10: What to do when you feel overwhelmed
• Episode 11: How overthinkers can take care of themselves