So you’ve got a problem, maybe a relationship issue at work or difficulties managing your workload. You’ve talked it with friends, but the solution won’t present itself. Often the problem isn't that we lack solutions, but rather that we haven't fully understood what the problem is in the first place.

In this quick dip episode, Rachel shares her three-step model to help you identify and address the real problem you’re facing. It involves recognising we have choices, embracing our human needs and limitations, and thinking differently.

If we keep doing what we've always done, we'll continue getting the same results. But changing our mindset can give us confidence and the ability to approach situations from a fresh perspective.

• Discover how to identify and solve the underlying problems that are driving you mad and hindering your progress
• Learn why focusing on resilience alone might not address the real issues causing stress and underperformance
• Explore a practical model that will help you make the right choices, embrace your human needs, and think differently to achieve better outcomes

• [00:01:15] What's the real problem?
• [00:03:21] Making the right choices
• [00:04:28] Be human
• [00:05:01] Think differently
• [00:05:22] Putting the three Cs into practice
• [00:09:31] What language are you using?
• [00:11:21] The Shapes Toolkit

• Watch the video
• THRIVE Weekly Planner
• More episodes of You Are Not a Frog:
• How to Be REALLY Productive… Without Losing the Plot – Episode 190 with Graham Allcott
• How to Know if You’re Being “Resilience Victim Blamed” – Episode 145
• How to Say No and Deal with Pushback – Episode 1252 with Annie Hanekom
• Download the episode’s workbook and CPD form. You can use them for reflection and to submit for your appraisal.

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Faced with a difficult situation, we often ask the question “should I stay or should I go?” It could be about work, a relationship, or something more personal. We all face this question at various times in our life, and it can be overwhelming to make a choice when we’re scared of the unknown.

This week, we’re revisiting a discussion with Corrina Gordon-Barnes, about how to tackle the decision-making process. Instead of relying on traditional methods like pros and cons lists or seeking advice from others, Corrina suggests a different approach, which involves noticing the difference between facts and thoughts, and recognising when we have the power to leave rather than simply tough it out.

When we keep ourselves trapped in the limbo of indecision, when we’re neither fully committed nor able to make a decisive choice, this can leave us frustrated and angry. Those frustrations can boil over into our home and work lives, or make an uncomfortable situation even worse.

But by taking a moment to reflect on our current situation, we can start the process of questioning and gaining clarity, therefore revealing the choices we do have.

• Learn how to make difficult decisions when facing a dilemma of staying or leaving a situation, whether it's work, relationships, or friendships
• Understand the importance of questioning your thoughts and beliefs that may be causing stress and hindering decision-making
• Discover a fresh perspective on decision-making and a simple technique to gain clarity and make informed choices

• [00:04:13] The importance of belonging
• [00:06:42] Making a difficult decision
• [00:13:31] Separating fact from thought
• [00:16:26] Counteracting the "That's just the way it is" story
• [00:21:57] Questioning your stories
• [00:28:58] Acceptance
• [00:33:05] Shoulds
• [00:35:36] You have a choice
• [00:44:33] What are the consequences of not doing what we "ought"?
• [00:49:03] Corrina's top 3 tips

Dr Corrina Gordon-Barnes, CPCC, coaches new managers in time management and giving effective feedback. She’s passionate about seeing workplaces where colleagues speak honestly, give and receive feedback gracefully, and act with integrity. She believes these environments make it much easier to be innovative and effective, hit deadlines, and create the most powerful impact.

LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | Website

• THRIVE Weekly Planner
• Download the Zone of Power handout
• More episodes of You Are Not a Frog:
• How to take control of your thoughts – Episode 32, with Corrina Gordon-Barnes
• Download the episode’s workbook and CPD form. You can use them for reflection and to submit for your appraisal.
• The Work of Byron Katie

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• LinkedIn: @Dr-Rachel-Morris
• Twitter: @DrRachelMorris
• Email: [email protected]

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If you have a high-stakes job like medicine, shame can show up in unexpected and unwelcome places. Doctors have incredibly high societal expectations, with constant pressure to be invulnerable. It’s time to challenge these unrealistic expectations and foster an environment that supports doctors in their vulnerability.

This week, we’re featuring one of our most popular and impactful episodes from 2023 to help you identify and combat shame. In this episode, Dr Sandy Miles discusses the impact of shame on doctors and how we can address it by changing the toxic stories we tell ourselves.

We all make mistakes, but shame keeps us from being objective and fair, leading us feeling like we’re inherently bad or wrong. Finding ways to be kinder and more supportive to ourselves will help not only our wellbeing, but will brighten the lives of those closest to us.

• Discover the powerful impact shame has on us, and how our wellbeing and professional identity can be affected
• Explore the different ways we respond to shame
• Learn how to create a healthier and more supportive environment

• [00:04:37] What is shame?
• [00:11:56] How identities are tied to shame
• [00:15:16] How people respond to shame
• [00:17:40] How to respond to shame
• [00:26:43] Shame and perfectionism in healthcare
• [00:31:31] How to overcome maladaptive perfectionism
• [00:34:22] Fostering a growth mindset
• [00:36:44] How to combat shame
• [00:47:01] Where to find help
• [00:48:40] Sandy's top tips for deadling with shame

Sandy Miles is a practising GP and a medical educator. She is also the co-founder of Acacia Retreat, holding bi-annual retreats for doctors feeling overwhelmed. Passionate to help fellow medical professionals, Sandy has written several research articles about shame and maladaptive behaviours in the medical industry — such as perfectionism in healthcare workers.

Sandy gained her Bachelor of Medicine from the University of London and then earned her Master of Science in Medical Humanities from King’s College London.

Twitter | Facebook

• THRIVE Weekly Planner
• More episodes of You Are Not a Frog:
• How to Avoid Becoming the Second Victim – Episode 92, with Dr Caraline Wright & Dr Lizzie Sweeting
• This is Going to Hurt: Secret Diaries of a Junior Doctor, by Adam Kay
• Books and videos from Brene Brown
• Shame and Medicine
• Shame in Medicine: The Lost Forest, a 10-part documentary podcast produced by the Nocturnists
• Shame and Medicine
• Mindset: Changing the Way You Think to Fulfil Your Potential, by Carol Dweck
• Download the episode’s workbook and CPD form. You can use them for reflection and to submit for your appraisal.

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• LinkedIn: @Dr-Rachel-Morris
• Twitter: @DrRachelMorris
• Email: [email protected]

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Download Your Free Overwhelm SOS Guide

The Christmas season can be a time of stress and disappointment, especially when our expectations don't match up with reality. We can find ourselves dealing with difficult family members, feeling overwhelmed with work and family obligations, or experiencing a general sense of dissatisfaction.But there’s plenty we can do to make the festive period more enjoyable and less overwhelming.

This week, we’re revisiting a previous conversation on the podcast, with Corrina Gordon-Barnes. In her chat with Rachel, you’ll learn how to turn expected disappointments into a game of bingo, set realistic expectations, and exercise some self-compassion.

By taking proactive steps, we can create a more positive and fulfilling Christmas experience.

• Learn strategies to cope with the expectations and negative experiences that come with the holiday season
• Discover the concept of playing "Christmas Bingo" to approach disappointments with humour and acceptance
• Gain insights on how to navigate triggering situations and avoid falling into familiar patterns of conflict

• [00:03:59] Christmas disappointments
• [00:09:02] Christmas Bingo
• [00:13:30] What you can do to avoid disappointent
• [00:16:19] Playing out the old dances
• [00:21:33] Your zone of power
• [00:27:15] Lowering your expectations
• [00:39:20] Self-compassion in the face of disappointment
• [00:43:39] Hunt the Pony
• [00:44:51] Handling regret
• [00:49:22] Corrina's top 3 tips

Dr Corrina Gordon-Barnes, CPCC, coaches new managers in time management and giving effective feedback. She’s passionate about seeing workplaces where colleagues speak honestly, give and receive feedback gracefully, and act with integrity. She believes these environments make it much easier to be innovative and effective, hit deadlines, and create the most powerful impact.

LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | Website

• THRIVE Weekly Planner
• Should I Stay or Should I Go? – Episode 89 with Corrina Gordon-Barnes
• How to Ditch the Saviour Complex and Feel More Alive – Episode 88 with Rob Bell
• Download the episode’s workbook and CPD form. You can use them for reflection and to submit for your appraisal.

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• LinkedIn: @Dr-Rachel-Morris
• Twitter: @DrRachelMorris
• Email: [email protected]

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Mentioned in this episode:

Download Your Free Overwhelm SOS Guide

If you're like most people, you'll have experienced moments when your confidence wavers, leaving you unsure of yourself and holding back from reaching your full potential. But what if there was a way to increase your confidence and make a greater impact in your personal and professional life?

This week, Dr Claire Kaye joins Rachel to explore the power of confidence and how it influences our lives. They dive into the common challenges we face when it comes to confidence, whether it's feeling underconfident, lacking self-belief, or dealing with the negative self-talk that holds us back.

But this episode isn't just about identifying the problem – it's about finding practical solutions. Claire and Rachel discuss strategies to boost your confidence in a genuine and authentic way, helping you navigate through life's uncertainties and excel in various areas. They emphasise the importance of knowing yourself, understanding your values, and embracing vulnerability as a pathway to personal growth and success.

If you're tired of letting self-doubt hold you back, this episode offers valuable insights and actionable tips to help you increase your confidence, impact, and overall fulfilment.

• Learn practical strategies to boost your confidence and make a greater impact in your personal and professional life.
• Explore common challenges related to confidence, like feeling underconfident, lacking self-belief, and dealing with negative self-talk.
• Discover how to be more confident in an authentic and genuine way, without resorting to acting or disingenuous behaviour.

• [00:03:16] Confidence and positive outcomes
• [00:07:28] What a severe lack of confidence can do
• [00:10:12] What is confidence?
• [00:15:55] What makes people lose their confidence
• [00:21:39] Building your confidence
• [00:24:44] Fear of failure
• [00:30:33] How environment affects confidence
• [00:34:01] Comparison
• [00:40:14] Tackling your inner critic
• [00:49:43] Claire's 10 top tips for building confidence
• [00:52:03] Where to find Claire

Dr Claire Kaye, an executive career coach who specialises in career development and perimenopause and menopause in the workplace. She works with women who are experiencing symptoms of the menopause and helps them find ways to thrive while maintaining their careers and personal lives.

LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | Website

• Download your copy of the Stress Curve graph
• THRIVE Weekly Planner
• More episodes of You Are Not a Frog:
• How to Deal With Your Inner Critic – Episode 197
• The Surprising Power of Self Coaching (and How to Do it Well) – Episode 117, with Dr Claire Kaye
• How to Ditch the Saviour Complex and Feel More Alive – Episode 88, with Rob Bell
• VIA Character Strengths Survey
• Download the episode’s workbook and CPD form. You can use them for reflection and to submit for your appraisal.

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Have any questions? Contact Rachel through these platforms:

• LinkedIn: @Dr-Rachel-Morris
• Twitter: @DrRachelMorris
• Email: [email protected]

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Mentioned in this episode:

Download Your Free Overwhelm SOS Guide

We can learn how to say no to other people, but often don’t say no to ourselves or to our inner critic who’s always telling us we can do more or be better. We become our own worst enemy when it comes to setting boundaries and prioritising our own needs. This is why we need self-compassion, and to overcome the toxic self-talk that often fuels our negative self-talk.

In this quick dip, Rachel will help you name the critical voice and acknowledge its presence, explore the underlying triggers and needs that contribute to self-criticism, and treat yourself with kindness and understanding, just as you would a close friend.

When we pay too much attention to our inner critic, we risk feeling more stressed, putting strain on our relationships, and overall negatively impacting our wellbeing. So it’s time to challenge that negative self-talk and replace it with compassionate. No only will it benefit you, but it’ll benefit those close to you, too.

• Discover the impact of toxic self-talk and how it affects our relationships and self-perception.
• Explore the importance of self-compassion and its role in enhancing relationships and personal growth.
• Gain practical tips and techniques for dealing with your inner critic and cultivating self-kindness.

• [00:01:52] Toxic self-talk
• [00:04:11] Self-compassion
• [00:04:57] Shame
• [00:05:57] Boss bitch
• [00:09:12] When our amygdala goes too far
• [00:10:04] Motivating with the stick, not the carrot

• THRIVE Weekly Planner
• More episodes of You Are Not a Frog:
• What to Do When You Can Never Do Enough as a Working Mum – Episode 174, with With Corrina Gordon-Barnes
• How to Escape the Tyranny of the ‘Shoulds’ – Episode 196 with Charlotte Housden
• The Surprising Power of Self Coaching (and How to Do it Well) – Episode 117, with Dr Claire Kaye
• Download the episode’s workbook and CPD form. You can use them for reflection and to submit for your appraisal.

Write a review and share this with your friends.

Have any questions? Contact Rachel through these platforms:

• LinkedIn: @Dr-Rachel-Morris
• Twitter: @DrRachelMorris
• Email: [email protected]

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Do you find yourself trapped by the expectations and pressures of what you think you “should” be doing? Is there a voice in your head, berating you for not living up to their standards? If so, you might be experiencing the tyranny of the shoulds.

You’re not alone in feeling overwhelmed or uncertain. But it turns out that hearing others' stories can help you realise that your struggles are common. Also, if you rely on others for feedback it’s important to know whom to ask and when, so you don’t end up with an over-eager cheerleader or someone who’ll burst your bubble before its time.

In this episode, Charlotte Housden discusses her research on successfully navigating change and how we can escape that nagging, finger-wagging presence we all have from time to time.

That voice of doubt and fear can trap us in a cycle of unhappiness and unfulfilment. It might mean we miss out on opportunities for growth, personal development, and finding true satisfaction in our lives and careers. But by remembering that you are not your thoughts, you can start to free yourself from the tyranny of the shoulds.

• Gain insights from interviews with 108 people in 27 countries on successfully navigating change in life.
• Understand the importance of hearing others' stories, and how it can make you feel less alone.
• Get the resources you nee to facilitate and sustain change.

• [00:06:50] The importance of knowing you're not alone
• [00:09:27] Stories and consequences of change
• [00:11:14] How to give feedback
• [00:17:15] Delaying gratification on a new project
• [00:18:59] What to do when you feel you need to change everything at once
• [00:23:46] Job crafting
• [00:25:51] The shift in the psychological contract
• [00:29:10] The tyranny of the shoulds
• [00:33:39] Midroll
• [00:36:12] The three musts
• [00:37:39] You are the sky. Everything else is just the weather
• [00:40:32] You are not your thoughts
• [00:43:42] What most medical students aren't taught about their own thoughts
• [00:47:51] What doctors need to make it to the top
• [00:50:11] The key to greater productivity
• [00:52:50] Charlotte's top tips

Charlotte is a chartered coaching psychologist helping individuals to navigate their organisations and careers. She has interviewed 108 people in 27 countries identifying how they successfully navigate change and is the author of Swim Jump Fly: A Guide to Changing Your Life.

LinkedIn | Website

• THRIVE Weekly Planner
• What Happens When We’re Really Listened to – Episode 180, with Tom Dillon
• How to Avoid Becoming the Second Victim – Episode 92, with Dr Caraline Wright & Dr Lizzie Sweeting
• Job Crafting for Happiness – Episode 144, with Kirsten Armit, Dr Colin Lindsay, and Dr Daljit Hothi
• Swim Jump Fly: A Guide to Changing Your Life – Charlotte’s book
• Charlotte’s Tyranny of the Shoulds podcast
• The Happiness Trap: Stop Struggling, Start Living, by Russ Harris
• Download the episode’s workbook and CPD form. You can use them for reflection and to submit for your appraisal.

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• LinkedIn: @Dr-Rachel-Morris
• Twitter: @DrRachelMorris
• Email: [email protected]

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If your job is demanding, jou've probably wondered at some point if you're burning out. The constant stress and pressure in health and social care especially can leave us feeling overwhelmed and exhausted. But ignoring the signs of burnout can have serious consequences, affecting not only our performance but our wellbeing and our relationships too.

In this quick dip episode, Rachel introduces the Stress Curve and how it can help you recognise if you're nearing burnout. She explains the different stages of the curve and provide practical steps you can take to prevent burnout and perform at your best. It's about finding what works for you and making small changes that add up a big impact.

• Recognise the signs of burnout and its consequences, so you can prioritise your wellbeing and relationships.
• Learn from real-life experiences and to prevent burnout, tailored to the unique challenges faced by people in healthcare.
• Discover the stress curve model as a tool to assess your current position and make small, impactful changes to improve your wellbeing and performance.

• [00:01:43] Check your battery level
• [00:02:43] Symptoms of burnout
• [00:03:47] The stress curve
• [00:05:59] Not enough pressure to perform
• [00:07:29] Dropping off peak performance
• [00:08:26] Early signs of burnout
• [00:09:18] Take a snapshop [MIDROLL]
• [00:10:26] Where are you on the stress curve?
• [00:13:01] What factors are contributing to how you feel?
• [00:13:32] What are your early warning signs?
• [00:15:38] What small steps can you take?
• [00:17:14] Stay in your zone of power

• Download a copy of the graph
• Watch the video to see the graph
• THRIVE Weekly Planner
• More episodes of You Are Not a Frog:
• Surprising Ways to Avoid Burnout – Episode 188 with Nick Petrie
• Embrace Your Capacity, Not Your Limits – Episode 176 with Dr Sarah Coope
• Is it ‘Normal’ Not to Cope? – Episode 143
• Download the episode’s workbook and CPD form. You can use them for reflection and to submit for your appraisal.
• Yerkes–Dodson law

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Managing your energy can be a challenge at the best of times. But if you’re a highly sensitive person, you might be more prone to burning out due to your unique traits and the demands of your work.

Being highly sensitive doesn’t mean being touchy, but having a high degree of empathy and a particular way of processing sensory input. That means it might take longer to recover from a tricky situation like a conflict with a colleague, or witnessing something traumatic at work.

The key to managing energy as a highly sensitive person is to understand and embrace your sensitivity, and put strategies in place to protect and replenish your energy.

This week, Rachel talks with Dr Becki Taylor-Smith, an anaesthetist and coach who specialises in helping highly sensitive individuals discover their superpowers.

Around 1 in 5 people has high sensitivity. With this higher degree of empathy often comes the need to help people, which is why there may be many more people in medicine who identify as highly sensitive.

People who identify as highly sensitive make great leaders, but can be reluctant to step forward. So without support or strategies in place to help them harness their abilities, teams can miss out on the unique abilities they have.

But by setting small boundaries and incorporating self-care activities into their daily lives, highly sensitive people can be supported and encouraged to thrive in their own careers, and lead others.

• Learn how to manage your energy effectively as a highly sensitive person in high-stress jobs.
• Discover strategies to prevent burnout and overwhelm while still making a unique difference.
• Understand the traits of highly sensitive people and how to embrace them as a superpower in leadership and teamwork.

• [00:04:22] Traits of highly sensitive people
• [00:09:10] How to tell if you're a highly sensitive person
• [00:11:07] When being highly sensitive can be a superpower
• [00:14:08] Highly sensitive people as leaders
• [00:20:58] The ABCs of managing your energy
• [00:27:38] How to protect yourself and your energy
• [00:32:12] Avoiding burnout due to sensory overload
• [00:35:37] How to support highly sensitive people
• [00:39:26] Becki's top tips

Dr Becki is an anaesthetist and coach supporting sensitive professionals caring for people and the planet to rediscover their joy and make their difference without burning out.

LinkedIn | Facebook | Website

• THRIVE Weekly Planner
• More episodes of You Are Not a Frog:
• How to Thrive in a High-Stress Job When You’re Neurodivergent – Episode 179 with Matthew Bellringer
• Are Your Tiny Traumas Building Up to Burnout? – Episode 182, with Dr Claire Plumbly
• Download the episode’s workbook and CPD form. You can use them for reflection and to submit for your appraisal.
• Download Becki’s free guide to using your sensitivity as a superpower
• The Highly Sensitive Person: How to Survive and Thrive When the World Overwhelms You, by Elaine Aron

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• LinkedIn: @Dr-Rachel-Morris
• Twitter: @DrRachelMorris
• Email: [email protected]

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Mentioned in this episode:

Download Your Free Overwhelm SOS Guide

Saying no and setting boundaries are core to avoiding burnout. But if saying no might put a patient at harm – or worse – what can you do?

In this quick dip episode, Rachel explains the concept of core and flex boundaries along with core and flex consequences. Core boundaries are non-negotiables that we always enforce, rather than preferences we’d like to enforce but can be flexible around.Key to this approach is also recognising the short- and long-term consequences of saying no.

By not setting boundaries or saying no when we need to, we risk damaging our relationships and neglecting our own needs. This can lead to regret, unfulfilled goals, and negative effects on other people who rely on us. But by setting rigid and flexible boundaries, we can get closer to a healthy work-life balance, and keep our priorities and commitments in tact.

• Discover how to set boundaries and say no in challenging situations, ie when someone's life might be at stake.
• Understand the concept of core and flex boundaries and how they can help in decision-making.
• Learn about the short-term and long-term consequences of setting boundaries and saying no, and the importance of considering them when making decisions.

• [00:03:43] Introducing core and flex boundaries
• [00:04:55] Core boundaries
• [00:06:21] Flex boundaries
• [00:09:26] What happens when core boundaries are in conflict
• [00:11:34] Short-term consequences
• [00:12:34] Long-term consequences
• [00:15:59] Core and flex consequences
• [00:17:59] Hierarchy of boundaries
• [00:19:40] Putting this into practice

• THRIVE Weekly Planner
• How to Avoid Amygdala Hijack Part 1 – Episode 169
• How to Avoid Amygdala Hijack Part 2 – Episode 171
• The Problem with Boundaries – Episode 161
• Download the episode’s workbook and CPD form. You can use them for reflection and to submit for your appraisal.

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Have any questions? Contact Rachel through these platforms:

• LinkedIn: @Dr-Rachel-Morris
• Twitter: @DrRachelMorris
• Email: [email protected]

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