I used to be what the Dutch call a “stress chicken.” Always on edge, grinding my teeth over deadlines, trying to please everyone, and convinced that anything less than perfect was failure.

In high school, I’d wait till the last minute to study—then push myself so hard that I’d physically hurt. I carried that mindset into seminary, parish life, and media work. Even good things—like writing or podcasting—could become stressful if I felt I had to do them.

But here’s what changed everything: I started noticing the signs.

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  When I was in “yellow alert”—edgy, irritable, pushing through too much.

  
  


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  When I was in “red alert”—barely functioning, overwhelmed, shutting down.

  
  

That’s when I learned a simple rule from Star Trek: shields up.

Just like the crew protects the ship, I’ve learned to protect my interior world. To step away. To say no. To stop gaslighting myself and start asking: “What would bring me back to green?”

In this episode, I share how I’ve gone from panic-mode productivity to a gentler rhythm built around:

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  Daily journaling (seriously, it helps)

  
  


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  Ditching the to-do list

  
  


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  Defining three non-negotiables per day

  
  


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  Reclaiming my own “five-year mission”

  
  

And I ask a big question you might need too:
If this thing you're stressed about won’t matter in five years... why let it steal your peace today?

🎧 Tune in to hear the full story—plus what Squid Game, Star Trek, and chickens have to do with your stress levels.

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