The Verywell Mind Podcast

We all put things off sometimes — even when we know there will be negative consequences for doing it. Whether we avoid doing household chores, making appointments, or paying our bills, procrastination can become a real problem. And while some people seem to think it’s a time management issue, procrastination is more likely to stem from an emotional regulation issue. We put off things that will cause us to feel uncomfortable emotions like boredom, anxiety, or frustration. Unfortunately, our attempts to avoid feeling uncomfortable don’t actually work. In fact, it can backfire and cause us to experience even more long-term distress as we face the consequences of our procrastination. Fortunately, there are some science-backed strategies that can help you break the procrastination habit. When you start checking those tasks off your to-do list, you’ll experience a sense of relief and accomplishment — which can motivate you to keep going and get even more things done. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I released this episode in 2021. But the strategies are still effective (and perhaps even more relevant now). So we decided to re-release it so you can make 2023 your best year yet! Most resolutions don’t work. In fact, most are abandoned by mid-January. Yet most people continue to establish resolutions year after year hoping that, somehow, this will be the year that they actually create change. That's not to say you shouldn't create a goal for next year. You should. But it's important to do so in a healthy way. Today, I’m sharing an encore performance of a new year's resolution episode from a couple of years ago. These strategies to build mental strength in the new year might be even more relevant now than they were back then. Some of the things I talk about in today’s episode: What a new survey reveals about how the pandemic has affected the types of resolutions people were making in 2021 The biggest reasons most resolutions fail The 3 things your resolution needs if you want it to stick 5 resolutions that will help you build mental strength Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s been a great year hosting The Verywell Mind Podcast. We’ve talked to so many mentally strong people who have been brave enough and kind enough to share their strategies for staying mentally strong and their struggles along the way. I’ve also had a lot of fun creating the Friday Fix episodes to share some of my favorite strategies straight from the therapy office. I use them in my everyday life and I hope you find them helpful too. One of the best parts of being the host of a podcast is hearing from the audience. I’ve heard from a lot of listeners who have shared the steps they’re taking to build mental strength too. Here are the most popular episodes and the lessons we've learned from them in 2022. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Michael Baldwin says EMDR saved his life. Deborah Korn, PsyD uses EMDR to help people overcome trauma. Together, they wrote a book called Every Memory Deserves Respect. Some of the things they talk about are how EMDR works, why it is so effective in addressing PTSD, what to expect from an EMDR session, and the symptoms that tend to improve with treatment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A decade ago, the idea of meeting with a therapist online seemed a bit too far-fetched for many people. There were concerns about everything from privacy to credibility. But online therapy has become mainstream over the past few years. In fact, the abundance of online therapy sites and additional services being offered over the past few years has left many people feeling overwhelmed by all the choices. And it’s no wonder why. Some online therapy sites take insurance. Others offer subscription services. Some sites allow you to message a therapist throughout the day while others offer video appointments only. Fortunately, there are many reputable providers who can treat a variety of mental health issues effectively online. Depression, anxiety, substance use disorders, and even relationship problems can be addressed with online treatment now. It’s tough to sort through all the options, however, (especially when you’re stressed out, battling depression, or feeling extremely anxious). It can also be difficult to know whether online therapy is a good fit for you. So here's everything you need to know about online therapy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tracy McCubbin has always loved to create clutter-free spaces. So she turned her organizational skills into a full-time business called dClutterfly where she helps people organize their homes. She’s also the author of two books. Her first book, Making Space, Clutter Free, teaches readers how to get rid of the clutter once and for all. Her newest book, Make Space for Happiness, describes the link between clutter and emotional wellness. Some of the things she talks about today are how clutter affects our well-being, how to decide when we have too much stuff, and a step-by-step guide to decluttering your home one space at a time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s called “the most wonderful time of the year,” but for many people, the holidays aren’t joy-filled. In fact, this time of year can be extra tough in many ways. The holidays can amplify existing issues, like loneliness. They create a lot of stress, including financial strain, for many people. Sprinkle in some family tension, grief, and end of the year deadlines, and it’s a recipe for higher rates of distress. Fortunately, there are several things you can do to stay mentally strong throughout the holidays. Here are 10 things you can do this year to manage your mental health and reduce your stress. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Andrea Bonior is a psychologist who spent fifteen years turning what she’d learned in the therapy office into a mental health column for The Washington Post called “Baggage Check.” She’s also the author of three books, including Detox Your Thoughts. She writes for Psychology Today and is the host of a new podcast called Baggage Check. Some of the things Andrea shares are how to deal with people who cancel plans at the last minute, what to do when someone always points out the negative, and how to respond to unsolicited advice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Whether you want an extra hand moving furniture or you need professional help for depression, asking for help can be tough. It can feel scary too. We don’t want people to reject us, judge us, or feel more powerful than us. But the sooner we ask for help and make our needs known, the sooner we can get some relief. Fortunately, there are some things you can do to make asking for help feel a little less uncomfortable. With each successful request, you might build the courage to ask for help again. And with a little help from those around you, life often becomes much more manageable and enjoyable. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Since 1993, Maurice Benard has been playing Sonny Corinthos on the ABC soap opera General Hospital. Maurice has made his battle with bipolar disorder public. The writers at General Hospital have even made his on-screen character bipolar so that he can depict what it’s like to live with bipolar disorder. Maurice’s book, Nothing General About It, reveals how he’s learned to live with bipolar and how he’s managing his symptoms. He also started a YouTube show called State of Mind, where he shares information on mental health. Some of the things he talks about today are what it was like to have a 'nervous breakdown,' how to recognize when you need medication for a mental health issue, and how to start recognizing the things that trigger mental health problems in your life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kevin Hart is a world famous comedian whose stand-up comedy tours sell out stages around the world. Time Magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2015. He’s also a New York Times bestselling author of several books. His latest book, an Audible Original called Monsters and How to Tame Them, discusses strategies for managing your inner critic. Some of the things he talks about today are why everyone struggles with the same inner monsters, how to use your inner critic to your advantage, and the one monster he struggles to tame. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sometimes, practicing gratitude can feel a little bit like a chore. Writing thank you notes or telling your family what you’re thankful for over the dinner table might not conjure up true gratitude after a while. But, there are gratitude practices that can help you feel thankful every day. And that can have huge benefits for your health, your relationships, and your happiness level. One of the best ways to practice gratitude involves being thankful for the people in your life, rather than the things that you have. Here are five ways you can experience and express true gratitude in your life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Andy Grammer is a singer, songwriter and record producer. He’s best known for his song, “Honey, I’m Good,” which peaked at number 9 on the Billboard Hot 100. His music is uplifting but he felt depressed during the pandemic. Now, he’s talking about how he went to therapy, what he learned, and why anyone can develop depression. Some of the things you'll hear on the show are how Andy recognized he was depressed, what he's learning in therapy, and how he's practicing self-acceptance. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There’s a lot of information out there about setting healthy boundaries. But sometimes it’s difficult to get to the first step–saying no. If you’re a people-pleaser or you have a fear of missing out, saying no is difficult. Whether your friends invite you to do something or your boss offers you a new opportunity, it can be hard to find the right words to turn something down. It’s especially uncomfortable to say no to help. But if a colleague offers to help you with something and you’re afraid they’ll slow you down, you might just need to say no to that too. Every time you say yes to something that isn’t in line with your goals or isn’t something you want to do, you ultimately say no to something else. But how do you say, “No thank you,” and then stick to that answer when people try to pressure you to change your mind? Here are 10 phrases that will help you say no and some strategies that can help you stick to your answer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

John Oates is a member of the best-selling duo of all time Hall & Oates. He’s also an accomplished solo artist who has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and The American Songwriters Hall of Fame. In 2017, his autobiography, Change of Seasons, became a bestseller. In it, he shares his journey with managing his mental health as a famous musician and the steps he took to stay grounded. Now, he's growing back his famous mustache for Movember to spread awareness for mental health. Some of the things he discusses are how he reinvented himself, what he learned in therapy, and how he's managing his mental health. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sometimes, we inadvertently increase the chances that our biggest fears might come true. That’s not to say it’s your fault if something bad happened to you. Bad things happen to us through no fault of our own much of the time. But there are times when our fear of something causes us to react in a way that actually increases the chances that our fear might come true. From dating the exact type of person you said you wanted to avoid to getting into the financial mess that you swore you’d never get into, there are plenty of other ways in which our efforts sometimes backfire. Here are the four reasons we sometimes accidentally make our biggest fears come true, how to recognize when you’re doing it, and what to do about it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Taye Diggs is an actor who has appeared on Broadway, in several TV shows, and in many movies. He’s best known for his roles in Rent, the TV series Private Practice, and the movies How Stella Got Her Groove Back, Brown Sugar, and Malibu’s Most Wanted. Currently, he stars in All American, and he's going to host a new reality dating show called Back in the Groove. Taye struggled with insomnia for 13 years. He tried to ignore it and told himself that what he was experiencing was normal. But a certain incident made him realize he needed to get help. Some of the things he talks about today are how to find the courage to get help for whatever problem you might have, how to overcome the stigma associated with taking medication, and how to overcome the discomfort of asking for help. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If you set an aggressive but realistic goal that you want to achieve and a tight deadline, there’s no time to procrastinate. And you might realize how much every single day counts as you have limited time to reach your goal. I have found 30-day challenges to be really helpful in my life. Sometimes, they motivate me to create change. At other times, they provide me with information. I treat them as a behavioral experiment that I test for 30 days. When they’re over, I can decide if I want to continue with the changes I made. Many of my therapy clients have enjoyed 30-day challenges as well. Whether they want to change their eating habits or they work on clearing clutter, most of them have said they accomplished more than they imagined possible in just one month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dr. Yeager is a licensed marriage and family therapist. Much of his work focuses on facilitating the advancement of meaningful dialogue surrounding the subject of race and racism. He also serves as the therapist for the Detroit Pistons professional NBA basketball team. He’s the author of a new book called How Am I Doing: 40 Conversations to Have With Yourself. In it, he describes questions we can all ask ourselves to increase self-awareness. Some of the things he discusses in today's episode are the specific questions we can ask ourselves to increase our self-awareness, the tools that can help us improve our mental health, and how we can begin to identify specific patterns in our lives. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There’s more than one way to tackle the same problem — especially when it comes to mental health problems. Some therapists focus on problems and all the things that contribute to emotional pain and suffering. Their goal is to help people gain insight into their problems so they can create positive changes. Solution-focused therapists focus on solutions only. These therapists don’t explore old childhood wounds, and they don’t talk about past mistakes. They keep the conversation about the 'here and now' and the steps someone can take when moving forward. That’s why a lot of them ask "the miracle question." It’s a question that helps people start imagining a more positive future. And when people imagine a positive future, they often start taking helpful action. Just talking about a positive future can remind people of their inner strength and the resources they can use to make their lives better. You don’t have to go see a solution-focused therapist to start thinking about a more positive future for yourself. You can answer "the miracle question" for yourself right now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ryan Holiday is a #1 New York Times Best-Selling author and media strategist. He’s written more than a dozen books, including Ego Is the Enemy, The Daily Stoic, The Obstacle Is the Way, and Stillness Is the Key. He’s also the host of a popular podcast called The Daily Stoic. His newest book, Discipline Is Destiny, is part of a series he’s written on The Stoic Virtues. Some of the things he talks about today are why a lack of discipline leads to unhappiness, the areas of your life where you can start developing more discipline, and the biggest misconceptions about living a disciplined life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We all make poor decisions sometimes. But we often blame those bad decisions on not having enough information. And while that may be a factor, there’s another factor that often comes into play–we aren’t balancing our emotions with logic. Emotions should play a role in our decisions. But, if they play too big of a role, we’ll make poor choices. Logic should also play a role in decision making. But if we base our choices on logic alone, we’ll also make mistakes. We make our best decisions when we balance logic with emotion. That can be tough to do though. Fortunately, this is a skill that everyone can learn. And as we sharpen our skills, we get better at making wise decisions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kelsey Crowe, Ph.D. heads Empathy Bootcamp, a company that trains people to be more empathetic. She's also the author of There Is No Good Card for This. She's an expert in helping people find the best words to say to someone going through a tough time. Some of the things she talks about today are why it's so difficult for us to know what to say to someone who is in pain, the one phrase you can use in almost any situation, and the things you can do for someone who is going through a hard time. Whether someone you know has lost a loved one or they've been diagnosed with a serious illness, Kelsey will help you find the best words to say to them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We all imagine catastrophic things happening sometimes. Maybe whenever a loved one doesn’t reply to a text message, right you automatically think something terrible has happened to them. Or perhaps every time your boss asks you to meet, you assume that you’re about to get fired. Not only do catastrophic thoughts overestimate how bad things are going to be, they also underestimate our ability to cope if something bad does happen. You might tell yourself that you’d be completely destroyed if you got laid off or that you’d never recover if your love interest broke up with you. Catastrophic thoughts cause us to feel awful. And they can keep us from taking productive action if you let them. While you can’t stop them from happening, you can choose how you respond to them. It’s a common issue we address in the therapy office — skills for managing catastrophic thoughts. Here's my favorite strategy for dealing with them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nick Viall is best known for his role on The Bachelor TV series. He starred in The Bachelorette for two seasons before starring as "The Bachelor." He also appeared on Bachelor in Paradise. He has since started a podcast called The Viall Files where he talks about relationships, and he wrote a book called Don’t Text Your Ex Happy Birthday: and Other Advice on Love, Sex, and Dating. Some of the things he talks about today are the difference between expectations and boundaries, how your ego can interfere with your ability to have healthy relationships, and why it's our natural tendency to choose pain over boredom. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We all act tough sometimes. There are times when acting tough can serve a purpose. There will be times when you need to set your feelings aside and push through something difficult. It’s OK to acknowledge that you feel uncomfortable, to ask for help, and to be vulnerable with other people. In fact, it often takes more strength to acknowledge your feelings or to admit to your mistakes. It can be helpful to stop and ask yourself, “Is what I’m doing right now an example of being strong, or am I just acting tough?” Once you recognize the difference, you can choose to start doing the things that help you grow mentally stronger. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dr. Mark Goulston is a psychiatrist, best-selling author, and executive coach. He spent many years of his career working with patients who were experiencing thoughts of suicide. He learned that one of the best things he could do for people who were in pain was to sit and listen to them. Some of the things he talks about today are the truth about why people experience suicidal thoughts (it's not always depression), how to talk to a loved one if you're concerned about them, and what you can do if you are experiencing thoughts of suicide. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We're celebrating our 200th episode by sharing the top mental strength lessons we've learned so far on the podcast. I discuss some of my favorite lessons I've learned from guests like Matthew McConaughey, Nikki Sixx, and Chrissy Metz. I also share the mental strength exercises that our listeners talk about the most from the Friday Fix episodes! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ethan Suplee is an actor who is known for his roles on TV shows like Boy Meets World and My Name Is Earl as well as movies like American History X, Blow, The Wolf of Wallstreet, John Q, and Remember the Titans. In many of his acting roles, Ethan was morbidly obese. But food wasn’t his only addiction. He struggled with addiction to drugs and alcohol as well. After being told that he was going to die due to the severity of his health issues stemming from his weight and addiction, Ethan decided to try and get healthier. He went to rehab, lost hundreds of pounds, and took control of his health. Some of the things he talks about are how he stopped engaging in self-destructive behavior, how he continues to combat self-hatred, and the steps he's taking to improve his life one step at a time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There are many ways to treat depression — medication, individual therapy, group therapy, and transcranial magnetic stimulation to name a few. But there are also lifestyle changes that can sometimes provide effective relief from symptoms. Something as simple as growing a garden can sometimes be an effective way to improve mood and reduce stress. In fact, horticulture therapy has become an entire field of treatment for individuals who want to improve their well-being. From working in community gardens to growing plants at home — being in nature, getting physical activity, and working toward a goal are good for mental health. But there's something about caring for a plant, even if it's an indoor plant that provides extra benefits to our emotional well-being. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Cobie Smulders is an actress who is known for her role as Robin Scherbatsky in the sitcom How I Met Your Mother. She’s also starred in many movies, including her role as agent Maria Hill in Marvel movies. She also knows a thing or two about resilience. She was diagnosed with ovarian cancer at age 25. She underwent multiple surgeries while starring in How I Met Your Mother and did not make her diagnosis public until several years later. Now, she's teamed up with Colgate because she wants kids to learn skills that can help them be resilient. She's concerned about the mental health health of young people following the pandemic, and she's launched a campaign to ensure young people are learning the skills they need to thrive during uncertain times. Some of the things she talks about today are why hope is such an important part of resilience, how nature improves her mental health, and why she apologizes to her kids (even though her parents never apologized to her). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Maybe you’re having dinner with a friend and all you can think about is your to-do list. Or perhaps it takes 30 minutes to send an email because you keep questioning how to word each sentence. There are several reasons why our brains feel cluttered sometimes. Depression can cause us to ruminate on the past. Anxiety can cause you to worry about the future. Traumatic experiences can cause you to always be on the lookout for danger. But a diagnosable mental health condition isn’t always the culprit. Having a stressful life or a busy day can also lead to repetitive and unhelpful thoughts. Regardless of the reason, it’s tough to feel mentally strong when your brain is filled with thoughts that aren’t helpful. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Lauren Swanson is a board-certified physician assistant who prescribes Ketamine through a telehealth company. She says she has seen it make huge differences in the lives of people who are battling anxiety, depression, PTSD, and substance use disorders. Some of the things she talks about today are the science behind how Ketamine works, the benefits Ketamine can offer, and what someone can expect when they begin Ketamine treatment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

One person’s hallmark of mental strength might involve taking a little more time off to relax. Another person’s evidence of bigger mental muscles might involve pushing themselves to do more even though they don’t feel like it. Our behavior doesn’t always reveal the battle we’re fighting inside our own minds. So it’s important to remember that your actions are only part of the process. Mental strength also involves the way you think and the way you feel. Fortunately, there is a strategy that can help you discover whether you’re growing mentally stronger, even if your behavior doesn’t change right away. This one question can help you measure your mental strength every day. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ricky Byrd is a rock and roll guitar player, singer, songwriter, and music producer. For more than a decade, he was a member of Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, where he contributed background vocals and music to many albums, including two platinum albums and one gold album. His most famous song might be “I Love Rock 'n Roll,” which was released in 1981. For many years, Ricky lived what might be the “typical” musician lifestyle. He drank, used drugs, and partied hard as he toured around the world alongside other famous musicians like Paul McCartney, Alice Cooper, Bruce Springsteen, and Stevie Wonder. But Ricky made a decision to get sober over 30 years ago. Since then, he’s created a lot of new music that focuses on recovery and hope. He often performs at benefit shows to raise money for drug and alcohol treatment facilities. He’s become a certified recovery coach and drug and alcohol counselor. He frequently leads recovery music groups at treatment facilities around the United States. Some of the things he talks about are how his denial and desire to punish himself kept his substance abuse going, the one thing that inspired him to get help, and how he now helps other people who are struggling with addiction. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You may find yourself thinking you need more mental strength so you can go to the gym. But what if the opposite were true? You need to go to the gym to build mental strength. Most people focus on the physical muscle they build from exercise. But physical activity is also a great way to build mental muscle. Fortunately, you don’t necessarily need a gym membership to bolster your mental strength. There are plenty of physical activities you can do from home or outside to build mental strength. You also don’t need to do torturous workouts that prove you can stand pain (a common myth about mental strength training). Sometimes, a few simple physical activities might be enough to help you feel better, think clearer, and gain motivation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ronald Siegel, PsyD, is Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychology at Harvard Medical School where he’s taught since the early 1980s. He’s a longtime student of mindfulness meditation, and he has taught internationally about the importance of mindfulness and mind-body treatment. He maintains a private psychotherapy practice in Lincoln, MA. Some of the things he talks about in this episode are why we equate happiness with achievement (even though success doesn't make us happy), the exercise that will help you discover what really matters to you in life, and how to conquer the fear of not being good enough. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

While you can’t control how other people behave, you can control how you respond to them. If you’ve allowed someone to treat you poorly and you didn’t address their behavior, it’s important to consider why. It may have to do with the other person–like you fear what would happen if you spoke up. Or, it may have more to do with you–like you fear what would happen to you if the other person stopped being in your life. Once you understand why you allow mistreatment to happen, you can take helpful action. In this episode of The Verywell Mind Podcast, I explain the top seven reasons why you might allow someone to mistreat you. I also share how you can take steps to move forward in a healthy way if someone treats you poorly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Boundaries involve setting rules that make it clear how you want to be treated. Sometimes, this means saying something like, “No, I won’t loan you my car.” Other boundaries involve telling someone what you expect like, “I expect you to call before showing up at my house.” It’s important to announce your boundaries to other people. You might say, “Please don’t ask about my health issues in front of other people.” At times, however, it’s best to show what your boundaries are with your behavior. If you’re at a dinner party where people start drinking heavily and you’re uncomfortable, you might find it’s best to leave without offering an explanation about why. Setting boundaries can feel uncomfortable at first if you aren’t used to setting them. But establishing clear boundaries shows you have respect for yourself, and it can be the key to establishing healthy relationships with other people. There are a lot of misconceptions about boundaries. These misconceptions often spread quickly on social media and cause many people to misunderstand how to set boundaries in a healthy way. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Lori Gottlieb is a psychotherapist and a New York Times Best Selling author. Her books, including Maybe You Should Talk to Someone, have been translated into 20 languages. She’s also a contributor to The Atlantic where she writes a regular column called “Dear Therapist.” She co-hosts a podcast with Guy Winch, called Dear Therapists, where they respond to listeners’ problems and walk them through therapy sessions with actionable advice. In her book, Lori talked about a mysterious illness she has. She struggled to get a diagnosis and treatment. So now she's talking about chronic illness and the impact it can have on well-being. She shares some actionable strategies for managing an illness and supporting someone else who has one. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A lot of people enter my therapy office, not because they’re looking to change themselves, but because they want to change someone else. I commonly get questions like, “Can you talk to my partner about their drinking for me?” or “Can you meet with my daughter to tell her that she needs to stop dating men with so many problems? It’s not good for her kids to see that.” While you can’t force someone else to change their behavior, you can influence them. In fact, the closer your relationship is to someone else, the more likely you are to have an influence on the choices they make. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jazmyn Simon is an actress who is best known for her roles in Ballers, Raising Dion, and Locked Down. She’s also an author. She wrote a children’s book called Most Perfect You, a letter to children struggling to accept themselves. It was inspired by a conversation Jazmyn had with her daughter when she was young. Some of the things she talks about today are why we should talk to kids about their appearance, how to help kids feel better about themselves, and how to get kids to open up and tell you what's really going on. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When life has thrown you some serious curveballs or your mental health is declining, it’s tough to see the positive things going on around you. But noticing the bad, however, is easy. You might find your brain automatically focuses on the worst thing that happened or it might constantly predict negative outcomes. These kinds of thoughts affect how you feel and how you behave. If you aren’t careful, your thoughts can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to look for the good in life by practicing toxic positivity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nathan Kress is an actor who is best known for playing Freddie Benson on the Nickelodeon sitcom iCarly, which aired between 2007 and 2012. In 2021, he reprised his role in the iCarly revival. He’s also the co-host of a podcast called RadioActive Dads. He and his co-host, fellow actor Brett Davern, talk about their experiences raising kids. Nathan is also a caregiver. His wife has endometriosis, and at times, her symptoms are debilitating. Some of the things he talks about in today's episode are how he and his wife dealt with grief following five miscarriages, how he takes care of himself, and his mental health tips for other caregivers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Have you ever been so emotionally exhausted that you felt like you have nothing else to give? If so, you’re not alone. There are a lot of people feeling emotionally exhausted right now, and there are a lot of reasons why — the pandemic, rising gas prices, economic uncertainty, and ongoing media reports about bad things happening in the world. When you feel emotionally exhausted, the typical self-care tips aren’t likely to work. Taking a bubble bath or getting some exercise might take the edge off for a minute, but these self-care tips won’t relieve your exhaustion long-term. Fortunately, there are some more effective things that you can do to charge your batteries and relieve your emotional exhaustion. In this episode of The Verywell Mind Podcast, I share the symptoms of emotional exhaustion and the best thing you can do to address it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Grace Gaustad is a singer and songwriter who rose to fame at the age of 15 when her performance of “Take Me to Church” went viral. She released her debut album, BLKBX, in 2021. In it, she addresses her experiences growing up as part of the LGBTQ+ community and the bullying she endured in school. She released several singles in 2022. Grace was bullied throughout her childhood, and she often felt alone in her struggles. Now, she's using her platform to help other people who feel alone. As someone who has battled depression and anxiety, she's sharing how she's staying mentally strong. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When we’re faced with a crisis, our bodies and our minds gear up to tackle the challenge. Then, when the crisis is resolved, we go back into our normal state of being. Our bodies weren’t meant to stay in a heightened state of alert over a long period of time. So when a crisis doesn’t end fast enough, we grow weary and get what’s known as crisis fatigue. If you’ve developed crisis fatigue, you’re not alone. It’s important to note that crisis fatigue doesn’t mean you’re insensitive, you lack mental strength, or you’ve done anything wrong. It just means your body and your mind are having trouble coping with a prolonged state of distress — which is normal. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Steve Magness is a world-renowned expert on human performance. He’s been a consultant on mental skills development for professional sports teams, including some of the top NBA teams. He co-authored Peak Performance and The Passion Paradox with our former guest Brad Stulberg. He also wrote The Science of Running, and now he has a new book called Do Hard Things. He shares today why our brains work so hard to keep us inside our comfort zones, how to change our inner dialogue, and what happens when we push ourselves to do hard things. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If you are stressed at work, you might think the solution is to build more mental strength so you can handle workplace issues better. If you’re struggling with anxiety, you might assume you need to meditate more often. But sometimes, the solution to our problems isn’t about working on our inner strength. Instead, the best way to tackle some problems involves making a few changes to the environment. There are some simple changes you can make to the environment to help you build mental strength and to preserve what strength you already have. You only have so much mental energy. The last thing you want to do is put yourself in a position where all your energy is wasted combating an unhealthy environment. Here's how to create an environment that will help you be the strongest and best version of yourself. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dr. Myron Rolle is a former NFL player turned neurosurgeon. He’s also the author of a new book called The 2% Way. In it, he describes how striving to become two percent better each day helped him achieve his goals on the athletic field, in college, and in life. Some of the things he talks about today are how to stay motivated when you're tackling a tough challenge, how to break a big goal into smaller action steps, and how the 2% way can help you reach your greatest potential. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices