Bring Your Whole Self To Work

With all of the stress and uncertainty that we’ve been through these past few years (and continue to experience today), it can be challenging to stay grounded.  I’ve noticed my own difficulty to stay calm in the midst of challenges has increased recently.  On this episode, I discuss five specific things we can do to stay grounded, even and especially when things are hard. Resources: We’re All in This Together (new paperback edition), by Mike Robbins Mike Robbins Website Mike Robbins Blog Mike Robbins Podcast Mike Robbins on Facebook Mike Robbins on Twitter Mike Robbins on Instagram Self-Compassion (podcast episode) This Too Shall Pass (blog post) Don’t Freak Out (podcast episode)

In a recent session with my counselor, Eleanor, the themes of acceptance, surrender, and embracing powerlessness came up once again.  These things are both very important and  incredibly challenging for me and so many of us.  On this episode, I talk about why each of these are essential, especially right now, and also why they can be difficult for us to embody.  I also share a specific technique for how we can more deeply and effectively make peace with anything and everything we’re facing these days. Resources: We’re All in This Together (new paperback edition), by Mike Robbins Mike Robbins Website Mike Robbins Blog Mike Robbins Podcast Mike Robbins on Facebook Mike Robbins on Twitter Mike Robbins on Instagram Embracing Powerlessness (blog post) The Importance of Surrender and Gratitude (podcast episode) Embracing Powerlessness (meditation audio)

I tested positive for Covid this past week.  Thankfully, my symptoms were pretty manageable, my family members have all tested negative, and I’m feeling better.  Getting the positive test results, being sick, and isolating myself in my office has been interesting and challenging, particularly mentally and emotionally.  On this episode, I share some of this experience and what I’ve been learning…and how it relates to both how we continue to navigate through this pandemic, and also how we can have more compassion for ourselves and others.  Resources: We’re All in This Together (new paperback edition), by Mike Robbins Mike Robbins Website Mike Robbins Blog Mike Robbins Podcast Mike Robbins on Facebook Mike Robbins on Twitter Mike Robbins on Instagram Special e-book promote for We’re All in This Together Let’s Get Real About the Vaccine (previous podcast episode)

Our 13 year old daughter Rosie said to me recently, “Dad, you don’t always have to suck it up.”  Her feedback stopped me in my tracks.  It had me reflect on how and why I do this, and also how much we’re encouraged in our culture to “suck it up” at work and in life.  On this episode, I talk about the paradox of sucking it up and how it can be both necessary and detrimental to our success and wellbeing. Resources: We’re All in This Together (new paperback edition), by Mike Robbins Mike Robbins Website Mike Robbins Blog Mike Robbins Podcast Mike Robbins on Facebook Mike Robbins on Twitter Mike Robbins on Instagram

Trusting our instincts is an important aspect of growth and success in life, leadership, work, and more.  And, even in the best of times, it can be challenging to do this effectively.  Over the past few months and years, I’ve found it more difficult than ever to trust my own instincts, given all of the stress, change, and uncertainty we’ve been facing.  On this episode, we talk about both the challenge and the importance of trusting our instincts these days, and some specific things we can do to enhance our capacity to do so. Resources: We’re All in This Together (new paperback edition), by Mike Robbins Mike Robbins Website Mike Robbins Blog Mike Robbins Podcast Mike Robbins on Facebook Mike Robbins on Twitter Mike Robbins on Instagram

I watched the Oscars live, like millions of people around the country and the world.  I was shocked and shaken by the incident that took place between Will Smith and Chris Rock, two entertainers whom I’ve had great respect and appreciation for over the years.  On this episode, I talk about what happened between them, my initial reactions, and, more broadly, how we can most effectively deal with the messy and paradoxical nature of our mixed emotions to not just this incident, but to the real things that happen in our work and in our lives. Resources: We’re All in This Together (new paperback edition), by Mike Robbins Mike Robbins Website Mike Robbins Blog Mike Robbins Podcast Mike Robbins on Facebook Mike Robbins on Twitter Mike Robbins on Instagram

The paperback edition of my latest book, We’re All in This Together, officially came out today!  So much has happened since I finished the manuscript for this book back in late 2019 and it first came out in the spring of 2020.  On this episode, I reflect on a few of the core themes of the book and my work, and talk about some of the most important things we’ve learned over the past two years.  I also talk about what we can do and think about as we move forward and continue to navigate through these uncertain times. Resources: We’re All in This Together (new paperback edition), by Mike Robbins Mike Robbins Website Mike Robbins Blog Mike Robbins Podcast Mike Robbins on Facebook Mike Robbins on Twitter Mike Robbins on Instagram Info About the Launch Event - March 26 at 4 PM Assets Page - Easy Ways to Share About the Paperback

Like most busy people, I crave more free time and find it challenging to create.  However, according to my friend Jenny Blake, for us to thrive in our work and our lives, creating free time is not just a nice to have, it’s essential.  On this episode, I talk to Jenny about why this can be so difficult, why it is so important, and how we can do it.  Jenny’s forthcoming book, Free Time: Lose the Busywork, Love Your Business, is filled with actionable ideas for how we can create more space for ourselves to do more good work. Resources: We’re All in This Together (book), by Mike Robbins Mike Robbins Website Mike Robbins Blog Mike Robbins Podcast Mike Robbins on Facebook Mike Robbins on Twitter Mike Robbins on Instagram Jenny Blake (website) Free Time (book), by Jenny Blake Magic Mind (use promo code Together20 for a discount)

Like most of us, I think of regret in a negative way, and that it’s something I try to avoid as much as possible.  However, I recently listened to a conversation that Brene Brown had on her podcast with Daniel Pink about his new book, The Power of Regret.  Listening to them underscored some things I think I’d known but didn’t specifically realize were so important about acknowledging our regrets.  On this episode, I talk about the tricky but healthy balance between denial and shame where we can embrace the essential lessons of our regrets…and allow them to change us in positive ways. Resources: We’re All in This Together (book), by Mike Robbins Bring Your Whole Self to Work (book), by Mike Robbins (now out in paperback) Mike Robbins Website Mike Robbins Blog Mike Robbins Podcast Mike Robbins on Facebook Mike Robbins on Twitter Mike Robbins on Instagram The Power of Regret (book), by Daniel Pink Dare to Lead Podcast with Brene Brown and Daniel Pink

Given the level of stress, weariness, and uncertainty that many of us are experiencing these days, it can be challenging to keep things in a healthy perspective.  In light of the terrifying invasion and violence happening right now in Ukraine, I’ve been thinking a lot about the millions of people impacted by this.  So much of what seems hard in my own daily life pales in comparison.  On this episode, I talk about the importance of perspective, how we can avoid the trap of unhealthy comparative suffering, and some specific things we can do to shift our mindset in positive and productive ways, even in the face of difficulty.   Resources: We’re All in This Together (book), by Mike Robbins Bring Your Whole Self to Work (book), by Mike Robbins (now out in paperback) Mike Robbins Website Mike Robbins Blog Mike Robbins Podcast Mike Robbins on Facebook Mike Robbins on Twitter Mike Robbins on Instagram

There’s a powerful and important difference between joy and happiness.  Happiness, like fun, is often dependent upon positive circumstances and situations.  Joyfulness, on the other hand, is an intentional choice we can make at any moment.  Inspired by Steph Curry’s incredible MVP performance in the NBA All-Star game and the way he plays basketball, I talk about how we all can tap into the power of joy on this week’s episode. Resources: We’re All in This Together (book), by Mike Robbins Bring Your Whole Self to Work (book), by Mike Robbins (now out in paperback) Mike Robbins Website Mike Robbins Blog Mike Robbins Podcast Mike Robbins on Facebook Mike Robbins on Twitter Mike Robbins on Instagram Steph Curry All-Star Game Highlights

Being comfortable with being uncomfortable is an essential aspect of growth, change, and success in just about every aspect of work and life.  However, there is a difference between healthy and unhealthy discomfort, although it can be challenging for many of us, myself included, to recognize this important distinction.  On this episode, I delve into this dynamic and talk about some specific ways we can embrace healthy discomfort, without needlessly creating unproductive pain and struggle for ourselves and those around us. Resources: We’re All in This Together (book), by Mike Robbins Bring Your Whole Self to Work (book), by Mike Robbins (now out in paperback) Mike Robbins Website Mike Robbins Blog Mike Robbins Podcast Mike Robbins on Facebook Mike Robbins on Twitter Mike Robbins on Instagram The High Five Habit, by Mel Robbins

Most of us appreciate when other people express appreciation for us.  Clearly some of us are more motivated by this than others, and it can be a bit uncomfortable to receive, but it’s very rare to meet someone who feels over-appreciated or doesn’t enjoy being acknowledged at some level.  However, the most important and most difficult aspect of appreciation is being able to do it for ourselves in a genuine way.  On this episode, I talk about why authentic self-appreciation can be so hard, and I offer a series of reminders and techniques for how to do it effectively. Resources: We’re All in This Together (book), by Mike Robbins Bring Your Whole Self to Work (book), by Mike Robbins (now out in paperback) Mike Robbins Website Mike Robbins Blog Mike Robbins Podcast Mike Robbins on Facebook Mike Robbins on Twitter Mike Robbins on Instagram The High Five Habit, by Mel Robbins

For a number of understandable reasons, especially these days, it can be challenging to slow down and savor our experiences.  The pace of life and work, the stressful and uncertain nature of things right now, and the tendency many of us have to plan and worry, among other things, all make savoring difficult.  However, when we pause and truly take things in, it brings us into the present moment and allows us to more fully appreciate our experience of being alive.  I talk about this important phenomenon on this week’s episode - pointing out some of the challenges we face in this regard, and sharing specific tips for how we can practice the art of savoring more effectively. Resources: We’re All in This Together (book), by Mike Robbins Bring Your Whole Self to Work (book), by Mike Robbins (now out in paperback) Mike Robbins Website Mike Robbins Blog Mike Robbins Podcast Mike Robbins on Facebook Mike Robbins on Twitter Mike Robbins on Instagram Radical Acceptance, by Tara Brach

Many of us, myself included, tend to focus a lot on outcomes and goals.  And while this makes sense for us in many areas of life and business, what often drives our performance (or lack thereof) is our habits.  On this episode, I talk about the importance of habits.  I also break down some simple things we can do to adopt new habits we want, let go of ones that don’t serve us, and stay consistent with the practices that lead to our success and wellbeing. Resources: We’re All in This Together (book), by Mike Robbins Bring Your Whole Self to Work (book), by Mike Robbins (now out in paperback) Mike Robbins Website Mike Robbins Blog Mike Robbins Podcast Mike Robbins on Facebook Mike Robbins on Twitter Mike Robbins on Instagram James Clear Website Atomic Habits, by James Clear

When things are hard, scary, uncertain, painful, changing, or frustrating, it’s easy for us to freak out.  However, when we react in a knee-jerk way to stress (i.e. we freak out), it almost never serves us, others, or the situation.  In many cases, we make an already challenging situation more difficult.  On this episode, I talk about this phenomenon, why it is so common (especially right now), and some specific things we can do to shift from freaking out to authentically responding, which is much more effective. Resources: We’re All in This Together (book), by Mike Robbins Bring Your Whole Self to Work (book), by Mike Robbins (now out in paperback) Mike Robbins Website Mike Robbins Blog Mike Robbins Podcast Mike Robbins on Facebook Mike Robbins on Twitter Mike Robbins on Instagram Mike Robbins on YouTube Brene Brown Website Atlas of the Heart, by Brene Brown

As we find ourselves back in the throes of a covid surge, the increased stress and uncertainty can lead us to understandable feelings of fear, sadness, anger, and more.  On this episode I talk about how we can give ourselves permission to experience all of this in a healthy way, and also about the importance of staying in the present moment, even and especially with things being so challenging and up-in-the-air right now. Resources: We’re All in This Together (book), by Mike Robbins Bring Your Whole Self to Work (book), by Mike Robbins (now out in paperback) Mike Robbins Website Mike Robbins Blog Mike Robbins Podcast Mike Robbins on Facebook Mike Robbins on Twitter Mike Robbins on Instagram Mike Robbins on YouTube Year End/New Year podcast episode

Inclusion, belonging, and allyship are essential in business and life.  These things can be challenging and complex.  My friend and colleague, Ray Arata, is an expert in inclusionary leadership and the founder of the Better Man Conference.  He joins me on the show today to talk about these important topics and about his powerful new book, Showing Up: How Men Can Become Allies in the Workplace. Resources: We’re All in This Together (book), by Mike Robbins Bring Your Whole Self to Work (book), by Mike Robbins (now out in paperback) Mike Robbins Website Mike Robbins Blog Mike Robbins Podcast Mike Robbins on Facebook Mike Robbins on Twitter Mike Robbins on Instagram Mike Robbins on YouTube Showing Up: How Men Can Become Effective Allies in the Workplace (Amazon) ShowingUpBook.com Ray Arata (website)

I love this week between Christmas and New Years…it’s usually a time to rest, reflect, and prepare.  On this episode, I talk about how we can consciously complete the year that is ending.  This past year has been challenging for me and so many of us.  And, if we’re intentional about it, we can bring real closure to this year, which can create the freedom and space to create something new in 2022.  I also talk about how we can set ourselves up for success in the new year with how we think about our intentions, goals, and habits. Resources: We’re All in This Together (book), by Mike Robbins Bring Your Whole Self to Work (book), by Mike Robbins (now out in paperback) Mike Robbins Website Mike Robbins Blog Mike Robbins Podcast Mike Robbins on Facebook Mike Robbins on Twitter Mike Robbins on Instagram Mike Robbins on YouTube

I threw out my back this past weekend and was in an enormous amount of pain.  This experience, coupled with the news of the omicron variant spreading rapidly, had me reflect on the humbling nature of life, especially these days.  Being able to embrace authentic humility is actually something that can give us a lot of freedom and power.  On this episode, I talk about being humbled by life and offer some specific ideas for how we can navigate this dynamic right now. Resources: We’re All in This Together (book), by Mike Robbins Bring Your Whole Self to Work (book), by Mike Robbins (now out in paperback) Mike Robbins Website Mike Robbins Blog Mike Robbins Podcast Mike Robbins on Facebook Mike Robbins on Twitter Mike Robbins on Instagram Mike Robbins on YouTube