The Overwhelmed Brain

Do you trust your instincts? If not, why not? Let's get practical and talk about where they come from and why we have them. Instincts are here to protect us, but sometimes we don't listen. It's time to start trusting a part of us that knows more than we "think". Sponsor: www.fulldisclosurefitness.com

Amy Morin, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, wrote the book 13 Things Mentally Strong People Do. After a few devastating events in her life, she made the list in hopes to help herself heal. After publishing it as a blog article, it went viral. And soon, millions learned the 13 things that they might be doing to prevent them from becoming mentally stronger.

Your job can be a career you love, or one that you can't wait to change. Either way, Scott Barlow, Career Coach and Job Transition Expert talks to us about some of the steps you can take to start moving in another direction with your career. Visit Scott at happentoyourcareer.com/brain and sign up for the 8 day free course that helps you discover what you want in a career.

If the voices in your head are saying anything but positive messages to you, then this is the show for you. Negative inner dialogue can prevent you from almost everything you want to do in life. So many opportunities will be missed, all because you listened to a voice that is likely misleading you to believing you are something less than you are. It's time to switch around those inner voices so that they support you, and maybe even make you laugh. Sponsor: Clear The Path To Happiness

When you have negative thoughts and emotions floating around in your head more times than not, the choices you make going forward in life are going to be influenced. After all, whatever is swimming around in your head at the time of a decision is what typically affects your decision. If you are carrying around old baggage, it's time to drop those emotional bags off so that you can create your future without fears or worry.

Practicing mindfulness has a lot of advantages that will help you become more alert, more focused, and more likely to finish what you started. I focus a lot on "focus" in this particular episode because we are simply an oversaturated, overstimulated society, and might need a refresher on what it takes to be truly mindful. The more mindful you are, the more successful you'll be with almost anything you start - mainly because you'll finish! Brought to you by Clear the Path To Happiness ebook

Part 2 of a two-part episode where we talk about the 10 life lessons that, if implemented, lead to peace and fulfillment. So many of us simply live day to day, trying to make the next day as good as the last, or better. The day to day can be fulfilling, or it can be grueling. If it's the latter, it's possible that there is a primal need at your deepest level not getting fulfilled. If that's the case, it will be harder to attain the peace and balance you may be looking for. This episode covers the second 5 of the lessons, and helps you understand what you may need to focus on to create a happier life for yourself.

Part 1 of a two-part episode where we talk about the 10 life lessons that, if implemented, lead to peace and fulfillment. So many of us simply live day to day, trying to make the next day as good as the last, or better. The day to day can be fulfilling, or it can be grueling. If it's the latter, it's possible that there is a primal need at your deepest level not getting fulfilled. If that's the case, it will be harder to attain the peace and balance you may be looking for. This episode covers the first 5 of the lessons, and helps you understand what you may need to focus on to create a happier life for yourself. http://theoverwhelmedbrain.com/books/

There's a program running in the background of your mind that drives almost all of your behavior, and that's called your "philosophy". Your philosophy is made up of all the beliefs and assumptions that you have about the world. Many of these beliefs and assumptions are never questioned, just followed - sometimes blindly. We dive into the philosophy that drives our decisions and actions in this episode. It might require your thinking cap, but it could be the door you were looking for to help you create and accept the changes you want to make in your life. theoverwhelmedbrain.com/books

Judgment can be one of the most damaging weapons in a relationship, as it tells the other person that it's not okay to be themselves. This builds resentment in them, and will eventually crumble even the most intimate relationships. If it doesn't crumble, then it suffers. Today's episode is how our triggers form our judgments, and how our judgments can ruin our life if we don't learn what to do with them.Get Clear The Path To Happiness on Amazon now! Free with Amazon Prime

Have you ever known something to be true, only to find out you were completely wrong? I've had arguments with people where half-way through I figured out I was wrong, but I still held my ground because of my commitment to winning. It's time to learn how to create and keep an open mind so that you are flexible in all of life's challenges. "Knowing" something limits what more you can know, but admitting that you don't know everything opens the the door to endless possibilities. Sounds like a great topic for discussion!

What does it take to honor your boundaries and live from that authentic place inside you? Do you earn the respect your deserve? You might be surprised to find out that respect from others happens naturally when you honor yourself and your personal boundaries. Doing this shows the world who you really are, and what behavior is okay, and what is not. You are worthy and deserve respect. Honor and respect yourself, and you'll soon find that you are creating the life you want. If you'd like to support the show, just shop at Amazon using this link: http://theoverwhelmedbrain.com/amazon

There are true victims in the world, then there are chronic complainers who keep themselves in a victimized state, closing the door to progress, healing and growth. It could have started in childhood, or sprung up when they were older, but those who have a victim mentality know one thing for sure: Nothing ever works out for them. This belief system keeps them in a rut, and prevents them from seeing options that could be right in front of them. Are you a self-perpetuating victim? Listen in and find out!

Emotions rise up from our core self, where we are both most vulnerable and powerful. When we can live from this core place inside of us, we can be authentic. When that happens, we are empowered to be our true selves. Align your thoughts and feelings with your behavior, and you have a recipe for true success in your life. Step into your power in this episode.

Infidelity is one of the most painful experiences you can have next to losing a child, at least according to one therapist I talked to. The pain that is created from the betrayal is inevitable, and much healing will be needed in the aftermath. I discuss the one sign you need to pay attention to most when you suspect cheating in your relationship. I also talk about working through and healing in the aftermath.

Emotional triggers are the surprises that we get when someone we love, or a situation, causes us to have a reaction that we haven't processed yet. If you were yelled at as a child, and you attached fear to being yelled at, then you might get triggered as an adult when someone around you as yelling. Triggers are childhood beliefs that aren't necessarily true anymore, and need to be addressed to save your relationships. Once you release your old triggers, you can view the world from an entirely different place, instead of through the eyes of a fearful child.

The deepest recesses of our subconscious mind are where our repressed, negative thoughts and emotions linger, causing harm to both our daily thought processes and our body! Want to know why thinking positively doesn’t seem to work sometimes? It’s because we’re holding on to some deeper stuff that needs released. And what happens when you release this stuff? Positive thinking comes naturally. No affirmations needed for today’s episode. Feel free to support the show by shopping on Amazon through this link:http://theoverwhelmedbrain.com/amazon

Presence is that state where the past doesn't exist, and the future hasn't been written. It's what's in the now. Eckhart Tolle and many other spiritual teachers talk about it. It's that place where past hurts and future worries seem to dissolve, so that you can experience what's really happening instead of the picture your mind is painting of reality. It's clarity. And it's what we're here to talk about today. Episode sponsored by getoutofthemess.com. Quality attorneys ready to answer your questions

What is suffering? Is it the same as pain? Can they be separate, so that any suffering you experience can be diminished or eliminated altogether? Another deep episode where I share some practical steps you can take to stop suffering, and find your path to inner peace. I promise, I only mention meditation once. The rest of it, you may be surprised by. Support the show if you'd like, by shopping at Amazon! You pay no more, and the show gets a small percentage of everything you purchase: http://theoverwhelmedbrain.com/amazon

The first decision that pops in your mind is what Malcolm Gladwell calls your "blink" moment. It's that feeling or thought you get before you consciously think about the situation. Should you trust your blink moments? Are the true answers to life's challenges in those few milliseconds before conscious thought kicks in? And the real question, can you trust that blink moment, to the exclusion of rational thought? This is a deep episode, but if you've been wanting to learn how to make better and faster decisions, it's time to make the decision and listen! Thank you for shopping through our Amazon link: theoverwhelmedbrain.com/amazon. It's a way to say Thank You for the show.

It's okay to be pessimistic, especially if months or years of optimism don't work. In this episode, we go over the underlying strategies or "programs" you have deep down that motivate you to move toward things you want and away from things you don't want. Wait, did I say it's okay to be pessimistic? Yup. When what you're doing doesn't work, do something else. Better yet, be "realistic" to create the most change in your life. When you figure out what motivates you in life, you'll figure out how to create the life you want.

Attaining happiness seems to be the pursuit of so many people. Those who look outside of themselves seem to find temporary means, but those who go inside reveal happiness, where it was all along. I talk about that in this deep episode of clearing the obstacles to revealing the happiness inside. Support this show by shopping at Amazon: http://theoverwhelmedbrain.com/amazon

Irrational behavior is one of the most difficult behaviors to deal with. When someone is being irrational, they don't listen to reason, logic, or even common sense. They are laser focused to fulfill a need. And, until that need is fulfilled, or they snap out of it, they are unpredictable and sometimes even dangerous. In this episode, we talk about some of the ways to communicate, and even "reel in" irrational people, to bring them back to a calmer, more rational state of being. If you value the show, and would like to show your support, shop on Amazon through my link at theoverwhelmedbrain.com/amazon. Same prices, and a great way to say Thank You for the show.

How is the masculine or feminine aspect of you running, or even ruining, your life? There's a purpose to having either and both especially when it comes to relating to other people, whether in friendships or intimate relationships.

Building self-worth is something that happens in childhood, and relies on people and events outside of you, whereas building self-esteem is a culmination of all the years of self-worth, and is something that relies on how you feel about yourself. Then ego comes in and tries to spoil the road to high self-esteem, but there are ways to build and nurture all three so that you can tackle life a lot easier when the challenges present themselves.

Fear of embarrassment and going through humiliation set the stage for today's episode. There are steps you can take to avoid humiliating situations, and steps you can take to squash bad feelings after an embarrassing situation occurs. Even the embarrassing events of years past can pop up over and over again, especially when people you know keep rehashing it. If you want to stop reliving the past, or get over the shame, or even what you might consider the unforgivable stuff you may have done, this is the episode you don't want to miss.

We talk about letting go of the deeper, emotional attachments we have in our life in part 2 of a 2-part episode. From sentimental attachments, to people. The main focus in this episode is about the romantic relationships we can have trouble letting go of. This is a deep and complex episode, and there are so many ways to approach this sensitive topic. But if you can get beyond the attachments that are holding you back and keeping you down, you will have a deeply fulfilling and happy life.

Attachments can be the distractions that keep us from working through the pain and emotional hurt that we carry through life. The more attachments you have, the more likely you are not looking inward to heal yourself of old negative emotions. There's so much to talk about with this topic, so I broke it into two parts. Part 1 is about attachment to material objects. Next week, part 2 will be about deeper, emotional attachments to be material objects and everything else. Feel like you're in a rut? Want the most powerful self-help advice you've ever heard? This is the episode you need.

This week’s episode covers the very powerful topic of forgiveness. How powerful is it? Well, some people live with the pain of not forgiving someone their entire life. The thought of letting someone get away with something, or admitting that they are over something, or whatever, can override ones desire to move on and be happy with life. We’re going to talk about forgiveness today. What is it, really? Is it telling someone else, “You were right, and I was wrong”? Is it showing another person that what they did was forgivable? Is it something else entirely? Let's find out what it is and if it possible.

I talk about 9 common defense mechanisms we employ in our lives. Most are used as a substitute for full expression of our thoughts and feelings, however some are actually useful. You may do 1 or 2, or all 9! Regardless, by the time the episode is over, you will understand what they are and what you can do if you find yourself or others doing them.

You have the strength and resources you need to create the balance that you deserve in your life. But there is a way to achieving balance that many people aren't aware of. Well, 6 ways in this episode to be exact. Balance creates more consistent states of happiness, and also allows you to make decisions and take action from a place of power, not fear. In this episode, we dive into some deeper-level stuff that you may not necessarily have associated with balance. But by the end, you might discover something about yourself that helps you resolve some of the challenges in your life.

Can you accept the behaviors of those you love? If not, are you still in the relationship? You have a choice to walk away from the behaviors you can't accept in life, or stay and accept them. In the end, what you really want is closure. Knowing the direction you need to take is a much more powerful place than waiting for something to happen. Lingering is no fun. By the time this episode is over, you’ll know if you’ve reached full acceptance of the people in your life, and if you are choosing to suffer or not. Yes, suffering can be a choice. When it comes to accepting what is, or not accepting, one choice leads to suffering, the other does not.