The Verywell Mind Podcast

Jared Watson (aka Dirty J) is the co-founder and lead vocalist of the band Dirty Heads — a band from Huntington Beach, California, known for its mix of reggae, hip-hop, and rock. As the band rose to fame, so did Jared's use of alcohol and pills. But he paved his own way to sobriety, and now he's sharing how he discovered the formula for keeping his mind and body in optimal condition. Some of the things Jared talks about are how he began treating himself like a science experiment, how he uncovered the best diet, exercise, and self-help strategies for himself, and how he's staying motivated to keep up his healthy habits. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Maybe you find yourself doubting whether you are actually good enough for someone you’re dating. Or maybe you second guess whether you’re able to fulfill your role at work. Self-doubt can creep in at any time about all sorts of things. And most of us aren’t sure how to deal with those nagging thoughts. Sometimes we run those thoughts by a friend or family member in hopes they’ll give us some reassurance. At other times, we believe our doubt and don’t give ourselves a fair chance. But self-doubt is something everyone deals with. Even people who look completely confident on the outside often question themselves on the inside. Fortunately, though, you don’t have to let self-doubt get in your way. And you don’t need to wait until you eliminate it to do your best. You can embrace it and manage it in a way that turns self-doubt into an advantage. On today’s Friday Fix, I share the strategies you can use to deal with self-doubt. So whether you’re doubting you are attractive enough or you’re doubting your ability to be good at your job, here are some surefire strategies that can help. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Heather Monahan is a business expert and the founder of Boss in Heels. Her first book, Confidence Creator, was a best-seller. She’s also the host of the popular podcast Creating Confidence. Her newest book, Overcome Your Villains, outlines strategies for overcoming adversity. In it, she reveals how getting fired from her job in corporate America led her to become a successful entrepreneur. Some of the things she shares today are her three-step process for overcoming adversity, how to become 90% more likely to reach your goals, and how to spread positive energy into the world (as well as what happens when you try). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As your emotions go up, your ability to think clearly goes down. That’s why you might say or do things you later regret when you feel angry. And it’s also why you might reach for an unhealthy coping skill to get immediate relief when your anxiety skyrockets. Uncomfortable emotions like anxiety, embarrassment, sadness, and anger can be tough to tolerate. And if we’re not careful, these emotions can lead to poor decisions if we don’t manage them well. From drawing to running, there are many healthy ways you can manage your emotions. The goal isn’t to make uncomfortable emotions go away altogether though. The goal is to reduce them enough that you can think clearly. Then, you can make healthier decisions for yourself. On today’s Friday Fix, I explain how to identify your current coping skills, and I outline healthy coping strategies you can start experimenting with. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Amishi Jha, Ph.D., is a professor of psychology at the University of Miami, and she’s written a new book called Peak Mind. In it, she shares how we can improve our attention spans and become better focused in just 12 minutes a day. Some of the things you'll hear her discuss are why it seems like our attention spans have gotten worse, the strategies that will help you get more focused, and how improving your attention can improve your life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Your emotions affect how you think and how you behave. Yet, most of us spend very little time thinking about how we’re feeling. And we often don’t even recognize how our emotional state impacts our performance. The good news is, we have some control over how we feel. That means we have the power to put ourselves in an emotional state that can work toward our advantage at any given moment. We also may be in danger of allowing ourselves to get into an emotional state that hinders our performance or makes it harder to enjoy the moment. So on today’s Friday Fix, I explain how getting yourself in the best emotional state can help you get the most out of life. Whether you’re about to give a big presentation or you’re about to read your kids a goodnight story, getting in the right emotional state for each circumstance can help you think, feel, and do your best. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Bryan Abrams is a Multi-Platinum Award-winning singer who is best known for his role in the R&B group Color Me Badd. The group rose to the top of the charts in the 90s with songs like, “I Wanna Sex You Up,” "I Adore Mi Amor," and “All 4 Love.” As the group rose to fame and sold millions of records, Bryan dealt with some serious private battles—including depression, an eating disorder, and drinking too much. After several attempts to get better, Bryan found a rehab center that helped him address his mental health and substance abuse issues. Now he’s speaking out about his experiences with the mental health system. Some of the things Bryan shares are how to find treatment that actually works, how to find the strength to get help, and what he's doing to improve his mental health now that he's sober. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Could repeating a phrase to yourself over and over again actually improve your mental health? As simple as it sounds, there’s a good chance that developing a personal mantra can make a positive difference in your life. A simple mantra could help you stay on track with your goals, drown out negative thoughts, help you resist temptations, or even help you perform better. Most people confuse a mantra with a positive affirmation. They’re not exactly the same thing. So in this Friday Fix, I explain the difference. I share some examples of how people use them—from clients in my therapy office to professional athletes. And I also share how you can develop your own personal mantra. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Iskra Lawrence is a British model who has been included in campaigns for major brands without her photos being retouched (something that is quite rare in the modeling industry). She was included in BBC’s 100 Women, and she is a brand ambassador for the National Eating Disorders Association. She’s also a frequent guest author to many publications including SELF Magazine and TIME. Some of the things Iskra talks about in this episode are strategies for feeling better about your appearance, tips for being less focused on how you look, and her advice for anyone who is dealing with body image issues. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Shame is a painful feeling we all experience at one time or another. It often involves a deep-rooted fear that someone is going to find out about a mistake we made or a character flaw we have. When we feel shame, we want to hide from everyone. And it can lead to isolation and suffering. It’s a frequent topic of conversation in therapy. Sometimes shame stems from past trauma. At other times, it is triggered by feelings of not being good enough. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to address your shame. And when you do, you can begin to thrive. In this episode, I share the most helpful thing you can do to start addressing your shame. I also talk about the difference between shame and guilt, how our upbringing affects our shame, and why parents shouldn’t shame their kids. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kyle Guy is an NBA player who has battled anxiety both on and off the court. He's learned a lot about anxiety in the past few years, and now he's sharing how he is managing his symptoms. Some of the things he shares are the coping strategies that work when he feels anxious, how he stays focused on the things he can control, and the treatment he has found to be most helpful. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We all make mistakes. Some mistakes are thinking errors—like assuming the reason your friend didn’t respond to a text message is that they’re mad at you. Other mistakes are emotional—like allowing yourself to stay stuck in a really angry mood. But most of the mistakes we talk about are behavioral—like saying hurtful things or drinking too much. No matter which type of mistake you make, each misstep is an opportunity to learn a valuable life lesson. But before you can learn a life lesson, you have to be willing to face your mistake head-on in a self-compassionate way. In today’s episode of The Verywell Mind Podcast, I share how you can turn a mistake into a valuable life lesson. I discuss the three questions you should ask yourself when you make a mistake and the strategies that will ensure a mistake becomes an opportunity for growth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You likely know Nikki Sixx from the legendary rock band Mötley Crüe. He's the bassist and the primary songwriter. He’s also a member of the successful band Sixx:A.M. It's no secret that Nikki experienced years of addiction. But now he's sober, and he's talking about the adversity he faced as a child. In his new book, The First 21, he chronicles how he ultimately overcame his rough past. Some of the things he talks about in this episode are how he uses meditation, how therapy has helped him, and how journaling helps him understand himself better. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When you repeat a mistake, you might be tempted to draw inaccurate conclusions about yourself. You might think you lack willpower, or you might start to believe you’re incapable of change. Ultimately, your mistakes may cause you to stop trying to reach your goals. But sometimes a few simple changes to the way you respond to a mistake make a huge difference. Whether you keep eating more than you intend or you blow your budget every month, in this Friday Fix I share six strategies that can help you stop making the same mistakes over and over again. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kati Morton is a licensed marriage and family therapist who runs a private practice in Santa Monica, California. She’s well known for her YouTube channel which has attracted more than 1 million subscribers who tune in to hear her mental health tips. In this episode, we talk about her new book, Traumatized: Identify, Understand, and Cope with PTSD and Emotional Stress. Some of the things she shares are the different reactions people have toward traumatic circumstances, how childhood trauma can impact us, and the steps we can take to manage our symptoms if we’ve been traumatized. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When we’re faced with tough situations or unfair circumstances, our tendency is to fight against them. We think about all the reasons those things shouldn’t be happening, rather than accept them for what they are. Unfortunately, refusing to accept a situation creates a lot of unnecessary suffering. This is something I often see as a therapist. This is where radical acceptance comes into play. Research shows it's a great way to begin addressing a situation (and the emotions) head-on so you can move forward. In this Friday Fix, I share how radical acceptance works, what researchers have found about the benefits, and how to start practicing it in your own life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Helen Russell is a journalist, author, and happiness researcher. She's written several books on happiness and why some people are happier than others. Her latest book, however, is called How to Be Sad. Through her research, she discovered that allowing ourselves to be sad could be the key to becoming happier. Some of the things she talks about in this episode are the benefits of happiness, the strategies we should stop using when we feel sad, and the coping skills that can help us embrace the sadness so we can ultimately grow happier. She also shares a simple strategy that could reduce your risk of depression by 30%. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

JoJo is a GRAMMY Award-Winning singer, songwriter, and actress. She chose to start talking about her mental health publicly a few years back. She revealed she has battled depression, and she shared that she attends therapy and takes antidepressants. While many people talk about their struggles with mental health once they feel better, JoJo makes it clear that managing her mental health is an ongoing process. Some of the things you'll hear on the show are how therapy has helped her, how she deals with self-doubt, how her view of mental strength has shifted over time, and why depression isn't a sign of weakness. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You’ve likely seen Matthew McConaughey in one of his movies, like Dazed and Confused, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, or A Time to Kill. He has a long list of accolades, including an Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in Dallas Buyers Club. He’s also the author of a hugely successful book called Greenlights. The book is a memoir that includes many of his old journal posts from years back. But it also includes information on how he manages setbacks and overcomes obstacles. In this episode, he talks about his book Greenlights. He also shares some of the stories from his life, the lessons he learned along the way, and the strategies he uses to fully embrace his life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There are many undisputed benefits of being a positive, optimistic person. And if you aren’t naturally a positive person, you can learn to become one. Part of being a positive person might involve looking for the silver lining even in hardship. Perhaps you can even recognize times in your life when you were able to see how something good came out of something really bad. Like maybe a breakup allowed you to meet someone better. Or maybe a job loss helped you discover inner strength that you never even knew existed. You’ve likely also encountered people who encourage you to look on the bright side. Maybe your mom reminds you that, “Something better will come along,” when you don’t get hired. Or maybe your friend says, “Well, at least he’s in a better place,” when your dog dies. Should you listen to these attempts to remind you about the silver lining? Should you go looking for a silver lining when the benefits aren’t obvious? These are some of the questions I address on today’s Friday Fix. I reveal what the research says about looking on the bright side and how doing so might affect your mental health and your physical health. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Katy Milkman is a professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and the host of Charles Schwab’s popular behavioral economics podcast Choiceology. She is the co-founder and co-director of the Behavior Change for Good Initiative, a research center whose mission is to advance the science of lasting behavioral change. Her new book, How to Change: The Science of Getting from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be, is a best-seller that describes the little things you can do to make a big difference in your life. Some of the things Katy shares are her favorite research studies about how to make good habits stick, the critical steps you should take to eliminate a bad habit, and how to set yourself up for success. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Many people view vulnerability as a sign of weakness. After all, when you’re vulnerable you put yourself in a position where you could be hurt. So in an effort to prevent others from hurting you, you put up protective armor to stay safe. And while that protective armor may spare you from some emotional injuries, it will also prevent you from enjoying a lot of good things in life. Our protective armor often comes in the form of rules we’ve established for ourselves. Quite often, though, we don’t even recognize our rules because we’ve grown so accustomed to living by them. Asking yourself a few key questions, however, can help you uncover those rules you’ve established in your life. I guarantee you have a few. In today’s Friday Fix, I share how to recognize your protective armor, why becoming more vulnerable is actually a strength, and steps you can take to practice being more vulnerable in a healthy way. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ally Love is the in-arena host of the Brooklyn Nets, and she’s a Peloton instructor. She’s also the founder and CEO of Love Squad, a fitness and lifestyle website that empowers women. Ally’s successful career path has taught her that it’s important to value progress over perfection. She acknowledges that she’s often put too much pressure on herself to be perfect and to be liked by other people. But she’s working on learning how to cut herself some slack. It’s a message she teaches the people she works with as well. You don’t have to be perfect, but you can still take a step in the right direction today. Some of the things she discusses in this episode are how to deal with criticism, how to cut yourself some slack, and how to rebound when you make a mistake. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On the surface, it seems like hearing nice things about yourself would help you feel good. After all, don’t you want to know if your colleague thinks you’re brilliant or the person you’re dating thinks you’re attractive? If hearing a compliment actually makes you feel uncomfortable, though, you’re not alone. Most people actually cringe when they hear a compliment about themselves. In an attempt to alleviate the awkwardness, we tend to deflect compliments. Consequently, we miss out on the benefits of hearing praise. Fortunately, you can grow more comfortable with hearing nice things about yourself. But first, you have to understand why you don’t want to hear compliments. So in this Friday Fix, I share the four main reasons compliments make us cringe, the three ways we try to deflect compliments, and the things you can do to get more comfortable hearing nice things about yourself. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s scary at first to acknowledge that you can’t control something. You can’t force your parents to stop drinking. And you can’t force your partner to love you. You can’t make your kids get good grades. You can, however, control how you respond to those things. You can influence people with praise and boundaries and by making your expectations clear. And you can work on managing your emotional response when things don’t turn out the way you want. When you put your effort into the things you can control, life gets better. So on today’s Friday Fix, I share how to tell if you’re focusing on things you can’t control and five strategies that will help you stop doing it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dave Hollis is a New York Times best-selling author. He’s also the host of the Rise Together podcast, a keynote speaker, and a life and business coach. He has a new book coming out in October of 2021 called Built for Courage where he shares how he is rebuilding his life again after divorce. Some of the things Dave talks about on the show include the lessons he's learned from going through his best but toughest year ever, why journaling is so good for you, and how to create the life of your dreams. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosting a podcast from a sailboat in the Florida Keys is fun, but it certainly poses a few challenges (like tropical storms). But we’ve met some incredible people. From authors and experts to celebrities and musicians, I’ve interviewed some amazing people who graciously shared their time, their stories, and their wisdom with our audience. To celebrate our first 100 shows, I countdown 10 of my favorite mental strength lessons from the show so far. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Brian Pilecki is a psychologist based in Portland, Oregon. He’s passionate about the potential for psychedelic substances to be used in a therapeutic environment — something that is likely to happen in Oregon soon. He has spent more than 20 years studying psychedelics such as psilocybin, MDMA, and ayahuasca and their potential role in mental health treatment. On today's show, he talks about the difference between recreational use of psychedelics versus therapeutic use, the types of conditions psychedelics might treat, and the best resources to learn more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The link between financial health and mental health goes both ways. Debt may increase your risk of mental health issues, but mental health issues may also increase your risk of getting into debt. When you’re experiencing both a mental health issue and some serious financial strain, it’s tough to know how to even get started addressing either issue. On today’s Friday Fix, I talk about the link between your money and your mental health and share five strategies for addressing both of them in your life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Celeste Headlee is a journalist, speaker, and co-host of Retro Report, a weekly series on PBS. She’s also the author of several books including We Need to Talk and Do Nothing. Her TED Talk, "10 ways to have a better conversation," is one of the most viewed talks of all time. She’s a well-respected expert in communication and how to hold uncomfortable conversations. Some of the things she talks about in this episode are how to hold difficult conversations with people, how to become better at making conversation, and how to deliver bad news effectively. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Whether you’ve gone through a bad breakup or you’re struggling with a financial situation, tough times make it tempting to feel sorry for yourself. But self-pity is self-destructive. It’s much different than sadness. Allowing yourself to feel sad can be part of the healing process. Feeling sorry for yourself, however, will keep you stuck in a place of pain. So on today’s Friday Fix, I share why it sometimes feels good when we feel sorry for ourselves. I also explain the top five reasons why you shouldn’t do it and the concrete strategies that can prevent self-pity. These strategies can also help you find your way out if you’re already feeling sorry for yourself. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Most of us feel pressure to keep going when things feel hard. In fact, we sometimes think that the harder something is to do, the longer we should stick with it. We’ve been told things like, “Quitters never win,” and “Never ever give up!” Certainly pushing yourself even when things get hard can build character. Grit, perseverance, and hardiness are all key components of mental strength. But does quitting a job you hate mean you weren’t strong enough to hack it? On today’s Friday Fix, I share how to know when you should quit and when you should keep going. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

LeAnn Rimes is one of the most successful recording artists of all time, selling over 37 million records worldwide to date. She also hosts a podcast called Wholly Human which is dedicated “to helping others overcome the fragmentation that keeps us from feeling more complete and connected in today’s world.” On today's show, LeAnn talks about how she takes care of herself and what it means to be 'wholly human.' Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Justin Baldoni is best known for his acting role on Jane the Virgin. He's also a filmmaker, author, and podcast host. His new book, Man Enough, talks about how we can redefine masculinity. In a world where "acting tough" is often confused with "being strong," Justin is paving the way to understanding what it really means to be a man. He’s open about his struggles and the ways in which he gains support. And he is clear that he continues to make mistakes but considers himself to be a work in progress. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Have you ever thought about how you deal with uncomfortable emotions? Do you start scrolling through your smartphone whenever you feel the slightest bit bored? Do you text an ex who isn’t good for you whenever you feel lonely? We usually don’t think much about these habits we’ve established in life. And we rarely reflect on how little habits affect us so much in the big picture. The way you respond to uncomfortable emotions establishes patterns in your life. You might not even recognize them even though you reach for the same go-to solutions every time. It’s quite possible that some of these solutions actually introduce new problems into your life or make your existing problems worse. This is just one reason we establish unhealthy patterns in our lives. In this Friday Fix, I share the other reasons why we get stuck relying on tempting shortcuts or avoiding the things we need to face. I also share how to break free from unhealthy patterns so we can create the kind of life we actually want to live. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today's guest is Dr. Mark Goulston, a psychiatrist who learned the value of listening to people. His wisdom has led him to become a consultant to many major organizations as well as a hostage negotiator trainer. He is also the author of several best-selling books, including Just Listen, Get Out of Your Own Way, and Talking to Crazy. On today's episode, Dr. Goulston explains the benefits you'll gain when you become a better listener, how your listening skills benefit others, and how to start sharpening your listening skills today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Whether you lost your cool when a telemarketer called you at an inconvenient time or you sent a scathing email you wish you could take back, it’s likely that all of us have had times when our anger caused us to act in an irrational manner. Anger is a normal, healthy emotion. But it needs to be managed. If it isn’t, it can lead to aggressive and destructive behaviors. Whether your anger is a big problem or it just leads to the occasional issue, there are likely things you can do to manage your anger better. In fact, we likely all have room for improvement. On this Friday Fix, I share how to get better at calming yourself down and managing those angry feelings in a healthy way. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jessica Lahey has spent more than 20 years as a teacher, including five years teaching in a drug and alcohol rehab center for adolescents. She is a New York Times Best-Selling author. She's also a self-described alcoholic who set out on a quest to learn how to prevent her kids from falling into a generational cycle of addiction. In this episode, she talks about her new book, The Addiction Inoculation: Raising Healthy Kids in a Culture of Dependence. She shares how to empower kids to refuse substances, how to talk about alcohol in an effective manner, and how to decrease the chances that a child will develop a drug or alcohol problem. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why would a med student party all night before a big test? And why would someone who has almost all their debt paid off go out and buy a car they can’t afford? Self-sabotage is a strange concept. We claim we want to reach a goal, and we complain about the obstacles that threaten our chances at success. Yet more often than not, the biggest hurdle to achievement is ourselves. We sabotage ourselves in some pretty clever ways. It’s a phenomenon I see quite often as a therapist. Yet some people don’t even realize they’re doing it. Why on earth would we blow our own chances of success? In this episode, I explain the psychology behind self-sabotage including the seven major reasons why we do it. Becoming more aware of these reasons can help you recognize self-sabotage when it’s happening. I also explain how to fix it so you can get out of your own way and start working toward your goals. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dr. Ramsey is a psychiatrist. But rather than focus solely on prescribing antidepressants or antianxiety medications, he helps people change their diet. He's a firm believer in the fact that most people can help themselves feel better by changing what they eat. In this episode, he talks about his new book, Eat to Beat Depression and Anxiety. Some of the things he talks about are the most important foods you should be eating right now, the nutrients most people aren't getting, and the strategies you can use to take charge of your brain chemistry. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mindfulness is about learning how to live in the present moment. That’s hard to do in today’s world, though. So often, we miss out on things because our minds are wandering. We don’t pay attention to someone who is talking to us because we’re thinking about all those things on our to-do list. Or we miss what’s going on in our kids’ basketball games because we’re so worried about whether we offended someone in a conversation we had yesterday. The list of distractions is endless. When we become mindful, however, we learn to focus on what is happening right now. And when we do, we become fully present in our lives. Not only might that help us feel better, but it may also have a great positive impact on our relationships. It takes practice to get there though. And in today’s Friday Fix, I share four simple strategies that can help you start practicing mindfulness right now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The conversations you have with yourself matter. If you beat yourself up, call yourself names, or tear yourself down, you'll struggle to feel good and perform well. That's why self-compassion is so important. But self-compassion isn't just about using nice words. Sometimes, it involves taking action. On this episode, Kristin Neff, a pioneer in self-compassion research, explains how to practice fierce self-compassion. Some of the things she talks about is why suppressing emotions doesn't work, the difference between tender self-compassion and fierce self-compassion, and how to start changing your inner dialogue. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s tough to know how you’re doing unless you have someone to compare yourself with. Do you earn a lot of money? Are you tall? Are you a good basketball player? It all depends on who you’re comparing yourself to. But comparisons can be harmful to your psychological well-being. Fortunately, there are some things you can do to help you stop comparing yourself to other people. In this Friday Fix episode, I share how to recognize when you’re comparing yourself to others, why it’s bad for your mental health, and the five things you can do to put an end to unhelpful comparisons. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Olympic gold medalist Laurie Hernandez opens up about how she found the courage to face depression. She discusses how she discovered she was depressed, the steps she took to get treatment, and the strategies she uses to stay mentally strong. Just five days prior to this interview, she injured her knee and learned that she would not be able to compete in the 2021 Olympics. But you'll see how her positive attitude shines through and helps her deal with the disappointment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When you’re feeling nervous about something at work or you’re feeling down for no reason at all, well-timed kind words from someone else can help you feel better. But, there won’t always be someone available with helpful words at just the right moment. And in those moments, it’s tough to remind yourself of the kind things you could say to yourself. That’s why writing yourself a kind letter can be so powerful. Then, you’ll always have some reassuring words at your fingertips. So in today’s Friday Fix, I explain how to write yourself a kind letter and I share an example from my own life as well as from my therapy office. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

John Burns is the CEO of TB12, the wellness company founded by Super Bowl champion Tom Brady. John shares what it takes to develop the mindset of a champion. Some of the things he talks about are realistic optimism, redefining your limits, and focusing on the things you can control. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Everyone experiences grief. Yet we rarely talk about our experiences. Grief is the process by which we heal. And staying strong through grief isn’t about not crying or not feeling sad. It’s about allowing yourself to work through uncomfortable emotions so you can heal. On today’s Friday Fix, I clear up some of the biggest misconceptions about grief. I also share how to stay mentally strong when you’re working through grief. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jillian Michaels is a fitness expert and renowned life coach. Her fitness videos and apps have helped hundreds of millions of people get in shape around the globe. She is best known for her role as a coach on the TV show, The Biggest Loser, where she helped people lose weight week after week. She’s also a New York Times bestselling author and the host of a popular podcast called, “Keeping It Real.” Some of the things she shares on today's show include how to motivate yourself when you don't feel like it, how to set other people up for success, and how to get back on track when you've messed up. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Whether you said something out of anger and hurt your partner’s feelings or you completely forgot about a deadline for work, your next move is critical. Saying, “I’m sorry,” doesn’t automatically make things better. Apologies often fall short—or even make things worse. But there is a way to make an apology effective. In fact, when an apology is delivered well, you might make things better than they were before you messed up. So on today’s Friday Fix, I share the exact things you should say to increase the chances that your apology will be accepted. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If you ever have unhelpful thoughts that run through your head, this episode is for you. I talk to bestselling author Jon Acuff about how to replace the the broken soundtracks in your head. Some of the things he shares are how to tell when you're overthinking, how to replace unhelpful soundtracks with healthier ones, how to shift your mindset, and much much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices