In this episode we discuss why the “happiness” movement has done us a disservice and sometimes makes things worse, how perfectionism creates an illusion of control and distorts your reality, how to become aware of the critical inner voice at the root of your pain and unhealthy habits, the incredible power of self compassion, and much more with Megan Bruneau.

 

 Megan Bruneau is a psychotherapist, wellness coach, writer, podcast host and creator of oneshrinksperspective.com After years of perfectionism-fueled depression, anxiety, and eating disorders, she discovered how to like herself, take risks, and find success without beating herself up to get there. Why Megan advocates a holistic approach to mental healthWhy the “happiness” movement has done us a disservice and sometimes makes things worseHow to become aware of the critical inner voice at the roof of your pain and unhealthy habitsWhat your “secondary emotions" are and why its so important to pay close attention to themHow you internalize self judgement from your childhood experiencesYou can have expectations about mood not just performance and that can create sufferingThe importance of giving yourself permission to feel feelings even when they are uncomfortableWhat your physiological symptoms look like when you experience a fight or flight responseHow to build tolerance and grow your “emotional muscle”The tools you can use (with a concrete example) to stop a downward spiral of anxietyThings you might do that actually make a negative emotional response worseThe importance of making space for difficult feelings ( through mindfulness )How to have deep self compassion and treat yourself with kindnessWhat exactly to say to yourself when you’re dealing with difficult emotionsWhy you should treat yourself like a dear friend who is sufferingHow the “self esteem” movement screwed you up and created many of your emotional challengesWhat happens when your self worth is dependent on being better than other peopleHow Megan defines perfectionism (and why you might be a perfectionist without even realizing it)The critical importance of self compassion and how you can practice itThe importance of understanding the concept of "common humanity"We define mindfulness and its core components, and discuss how to practice itWhy painful feelings don't make you broken, but are a natural part of the human experienceThe huge downsides of having your self worth tied to your achievementsWhy your fear of difficult and uncomfortable emotions is the roof of your sufferingThe exact internal dialogue you should use if you constantly put too much pressure on yourselfThe massive danger of “globalizing” negative experiencesWhy giving up high expectations actually enhances your performanceWhy you should change for your focus from being productive to focusing on what’s meaningfulHow you can “become friends” with difficult emotions

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