For seven years, Tom Rosshirt lived in fear. He was afraid that chemicals in the air were making him sick and depressed, that mold spores in his walls were making him forgetful and panicky. He cut out different foods that he loved, hoping that might help him feel better. Lights and sounds overwhelmed him and he isolated himself. “My life became smaller and smaller,” he said. “And I was getting worse and worse.”

After countless visits with doctors and specialists, Tom finally realized what was at the root of his illness: his anxiety and fear were causing these physical symptoms. And by continuing to cut more and more out of his life, he was feeding those anxieties, which in turn, made him more sick. While working with a support group which taught him practices based in neuroplasticity, he was able to finally take control of his life again. That experience is the focus of his new book, “Chasing Peace.” As Tom shares with Tim in their conversation,  “...Reducing fear is one of the great ways to ease suffering and one of the great ways to bring peace. [And we] reduce fear by facing it and feeling it.”

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Tom Rosshirt is an author, a co-creator of the Dignity Index, and a former White House speech writer. His new book “Chasing Peace: a story of breakdowns, breakthroughs, and the spiritual power of neuroscience” is out now. You can learn more by following him @tomrosshirt on Instagram or at tomrosshirt.com.

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Our theme music was written by Andy Ogden and produced by Tim Lauer, Andy Ogden and Julian Raymond. All other music that you hear in this episode is courtesy of Epidemic Sound. 

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