The Transforming Anxiety Podcast

Have you ever had the sensation of living life through a plate glass window, like there's a thick barrier between the full, rich, sensory experience of LIFE and, well, *you*? Or, have you ever caught yourself telling the SAME story about the SAME situation and realized nothing is changing, that you're stuck in a soundbite you just keep rewinding and playing over and over again? Yeah...me too. And I wanted to explore it a bit on today's episode of The Transforming Anxiety Podcast...let's talk about living through thoughts. Our minds can be a powerful cushion between our bodies and the world. And the world, let's be honest, can be a bit much. We seek to turn down the volume on all the life out there by telling story after story about it in our minds. And we wind up living more in our heads, spinning our stories, than we live in our bodies, experiencing our lives. Also - come join us in The Transforming Anxiety Facebook group! I go live and coach *you* there every Wednesday at 10am CST, plus we share resources

We're due for a chat about *mindset* on the podcast, so I thought it was time to talk about how our minds lie to us... Now, listen, I don't think our minds are out to get us. In fact, I believe our minds are the most powerful machines we possess. But like anything, it's important to understand the pitfalls of our minds so that we can manage them and help to optimize our headspace, using our minds to our best advantage. And we can't fix what we aren't seeing, y'know? There are 4 angles to consider when we think about our minds as liars: Our thoughts are real, but not necessarily true Our mental maps of the world can be very misleading The *trick* to what we want is usually completely counterintuitive We project onto the world and misinterpret what's happening around us Join me for this episode to see what's happening with your mind and how you can become aware of these potential pitfalls... And c'mon over to The Transforming Anxiety Podcast Facebook group and join our growing community!

This week on the podcast, I'm sharing something a bit more personal than usual...I'm going to tell you all about going 3 years with no alcohol. That's right. Giving up drinking has been one of the biggest, hardest, and (I know, I know, but seriously) life-changing things I've ever undertaken. Remember in The Wizard of Oz when Dorothy's house lands and she opens the door and all of a sudden the whole world is in color?! No more shades of grey, it's all vibrant and intense and rich? I mean, that's kinda what it feels like waking up every day sans booze. I know that some of you are taking a look at your own relationship with alcohol. And it's my personal hope that our society as a whole starts taking a hard look at the role alcohol plays in all of our lives. But whether you're questioning your drinking, have quit drinking altogether, or plan to keep drinking forever and ever, this episode will shed some light on what it looks like to create serious change in your life. Does the drinking message resonate with you

What, what?! Today marks 100 episodes of The Transforming Anxiety Podcast! I could say cliche things like, "I can't believe it," or, "I wasn't envisioning the 100th episode when I started the podcast" buuuuut I CAN believe it and I have totally been envisioning hundreds of episodes of the podcast. Because: transforming anxiety is not a quick endeavor. It's a lifestyle. We were never going to do a handful of shows and then call it quits. Which is why, to celebrate the 100th episode, I have some FUN things to share with you. Like: 3 membership levels for The Fierce Calm Project because I want to meet you where you're at and make this work accessible to *everyone* who wants to feel better (no one will be turned away for lack of funds!) A brand-new Patreon community where I'm going to offer worksheets for each podcast episode so that you can *apply* what you're learning when you listen Our Facebook group where I'm going LIVE every Wednesday and sharing other behind-the-scenes fun, resources, and connecting with

We'll get back to our regular programming next week, but for today...well, today I thought it was important to create some space. I know I need some space. Space to feel. To process. To try and make sense of all that's happened...and still happening. There's a LOT going on... ...and there's been a LOT going on for so, so long. Our hearts are tired. Our minds are weary. Our souls are wrung out. So, for the podcast this week, I'm modeling what I'm teaching. It's a short episode, straight from my exhausted heart to yours. ​It's ok to not be ok. And that is all I want to share this week.

Happy New Year! To kick off 2021, we're going to talk about one of my favorite things: feelings.

It's that tiiiiiiime. And, as a coach, I'd be remiss if I *didn't* do something around goal-setting at the end of the year. So, this week on The Transforming Anxiety Podcast, let's do it - this episode, we're going to focus on intentions and goals. Throughout the year, there are some natural reset points. Your birthday. The changing seasons. Special anniversaries. Back-to-school season. And the biggie...January 1st. I want to explore the difference between intentions and goals (because it's pretty important) and I want to help you take a look at 2021 and that shiny, new, fresh start in a way that feels supportive and nourishing...not chock-full of productivity, more to-do's, and a self-deprecating list of "things I haven't done yet but feel like I should have." Because: bleh. Join me for this week's episode and let's explore your approach to resolutions.

Today, we're going to do a little science + coaching. You ready? First, the science: we live in a universe that is constantly expanding. Ever since the Big Bang, the galaxies in the universe have been moving away from each other. The universe is SO vast that it may as well be infinite...meaning the universe is on a never-ending path of expansion. Why are we talking about this on The Transforming Anxiety Podcast? Good question. Now, the coaching: I love this as a metaphor for us teeny tiny human beings. That we, too, are constantly expanding. That we are so vast as to be infinite...meaning that we, too, are on a never-ending path of expansion. There's a lot of talk, as the new year approaches + promising vaccine news hits the headlines, about "going back" to the way things were. A pre-pandemic world. Our old normal. I want to offer another idea: that there is no going back. ​We are ever-expanding. We are growing, changing, and opening...constantly. Individually and collectively. Our default is to hold on, to h

We've all just lived through a *highly* uncomfortable time. Still are, in fact. 2020 proved to be quite the crash course in discomfort... And since we don't know what we don't know about 2021, I thought now would be a good time to talk about discomfort and growth. What do we DO with all of this discomfort? Are there different kinds of discomfort? And how can we support ourselves by experimenting in the safe playgrounds of our lives, so that when things get intense, we're ready? Join me this week on podcast to learn about discomfort and growth...and how to take care of yourself in the face of it all.

Nearing the end of the year that we've gone through has me returning to the basics in a lot of ways: simple meals, lots of walking and no-frills yoga, and re-watching classic holiday movies for the hundredth time. And I wanted to do something similar here on the podcast this week and get back to the basics by considering: where does this whole anxiety experience come from, anyway? What's the impulse for anxiety?​ This is maybe (likely?) a new way to consider anxiety. And it's helpful to consider your personal experience of anxiety (or stress or overwhelm or fill-in-the-blank-with-your-emotion-of-choice) by getting curious about the impulse. It could be: The anxiety is showing up as a cover for another emotion The anxiety is a reaction to something external The anxiety is a habitual pattern that comes up...often Join me for this episode and be ready to get curious about your own impulse for anxiety. This is a great one to apply to your life and see what comes up for you...and what could change because of thi

As much as we've all had on our minds and hearts throughout 2020, we are turning towards the new year and wondering: what's in store for us in 2021? So I thought today on the podcast we'd explore the idea of Negative Anticipation. Most of us recognize our complete and utter inability to control the future. And yet...it's so tempting to time-travel in our minds into what lies ahead so that we can, well, what exactly? Prepare? Understand? Get ready? We'll take this one in 3 parts: What to do when the negativity bias gets super loud How to stop dragging our past experience and knowledge around Recognize when we're trying to avoid future pain by creating pain now (this one is super cute, ugh) Join me for this week's show to bring awareness to your own negative anticipation and use these tips to practice a new approach to your own future.

Ah, the holidays. Ready or not, they're here. 2020-style, no less... So I thought this week on the podcast we'd take a look at one of the (ideally) most fundamental aspects of the holiday season: gratitude. Aaaaand, I don't know about you but for me, there's something kinda sappy about a "gratitude practice." It feels more than a little hokey to sit down with a journal and make a list of the things I'm grateful for. So I want to introduce you to a couple ways that I do practice gratitude. Ways that feel meaningful and definitely don't make me roll my eyes with cheesiness. Join me for this episode to learn more...

Are you feeling worn out? For so many reasons, some obvious and some less so, many people are experiencing complete exhaustion right now. A lot of my clients are wanting coaching on feeling wiped out and what to do about it. And so I thought it was time we talked about this weariness on The Transforming Anxiety Podcast. Specifically, I want to focus on emotional fatigue with you today. Collectively, we have been stuck in a high gear most of this year. And that is a LONG TIME to be in any one gear, let alone the most intense... So, what do we do? How do we handle emotional fatigue? And, more importantly, how do we come OUT of it? Join me for this episode and let's talk about it...

Wow. What a year last week was, huh? (Is that joke getting old yet?? Haha...) 2020 keeps piling on the intensity for sure. And I want to take a few minutes this week and talk with you about uncertainty, canceling, and change. Because it seems as if a lot of us are stuck in one gear of 2020-intensity and could benefit from hitting the *pause* button and coming up for air to remind ourselves what's what. I want to get clear on the "uncertainty" we all keep hearing so much about. "Uncertain" is the new "fine" and it's such a bland approach to all that we're facing. I want to talk about canceling each other out and judging, assuming, and "othering" the people around us. We are all in this together. We resist and fight and struggle against one another so, so much...but what's the upside? And I want to take a moment and consider change. Being with change, flowing with all that's happening, and asking ourselves, "now what?" instead of proclaiming, "no change for me, thankyouverymuch." This is an episode about realit

Well, this is interesting. You're reading this email after Election Day, but I'm writing it to you beforehand, so you know more about what's happening in THIS moment than I do. Which is why I thought I needed a topic that could bridge this strange time-knowledge gap. So, this week on The Transforming Anxiety Podcast we're talking about Lovingkindness. I know, I know...before you roll your eyes at that term, join me for the podcast and hear me out... Because no matter what this moment holds (results, confusion, relief, anger, elation, despair) we are all in this together. I heard a story that went something like this...pretend you're in a subway car and you lose power. You're stuck, stranded with a train full of people. Strangers. As time goes on, someone gets scared, so a few passengers soothe them. Another person gets hungry, so someone shares an extra granola bar they had in their bag. A baby cries and people shuffle around so that the baby can get walked back-and-forth. People rally. They come together. Fo

You've heard of "survival of the fittest," yeah? The idea that those most suited to the environment are the most likely to survive? And yeah, there's a lot to Darwin's theory of natural selection of course. We see this play out all around us: from the animals in nature to the boardrooms in corporate America. But something just as (or more?) compelling is the theory of Survival of the Nurtured. That we survive best when we connect, when we feel seen and understood, when we love and are loved in return. This week on The Transforming Anxiety Podcast, I want to invite you in for a little talk about nurturing. For those of us who are tired of having to FIT IN and GO and DO...an episode about interrelatedness, bonding, and nurturing... Also: my *free* 5 Days to Calm Your Anxiety Mini-Course is coming up! We start on November 9th, perfect timing to get your stress and anxiety calmed down for the holidays. Just go to www.kellyhanlinmccormick.com/calm to sign up and I'll see you there.

Do you remember when "self-care" meant things like bubble baths...and it worked?! I think back to, well, any time before 2020 when the self-care practices that I went through each day, things like yoga and meditation and hot tea, really nourished me and filled me up. They steered me away from feeling "meh" and tipped me towards feelings of deep contentment, joy, and peace. And then came 2020. The "self-care" that most of us have depended on for years doesn't begin to scratch the surface right now. It barely helps us keep our ducks in a row...and oh yeah, we're still trying to figure out SO DAMN MUCH that we don't have time for something like a bubble bath anyway. If your regular self-care practices are falling short (I'm looking at you manicures, massages, and girls' nights out) then join me for this episode and let's take a look at more meaningful, and longer-lasting, self-care practices. For 2020, sure, but far beyond this moment, too...

If you've wondered the basics about life coaching like... How does it compare to therapy? What do we DO in coaching? Why would I want a life coach? Who is coaching for? ...then this is a great episode for you. This is the audio taken from a new video that I recorded to answer some of the most common questions that I get about life coaching. You can watch the video here.  I hope this helps answers any questions that you may have about coaching and how it could fit into your life. Don't forget to rate and review and click "subscribe" so you never miss an episode (including BONUS episodes) of the show. And share this with a friend if you know someone who could benefit from less stress and anxiety in their lives.

Wherever you stand on things, you'd have to be a robot to not feel the tension, stress, and anger that's being flung all around right now. We are all deeply immersed in the energy of this election season...and it ain't good. So, I thought we should talk about it. (You know me: when things get tricky, I go ALL IN.) This week on the podcast is all about Election Anxiety. We're going to look at: Checking (and checking and checking) the news Leaning back vs. turning off Holding our beliefs lightly Finding our right place This episode will help you navigate the rest of this election cycle so that you can breathe, rest, and feel like yourself in the midst of all that's happening. And if you are ready for your own personal life coach to help you navigate the rest of 2020, c'mon over to www.kellyhanlinmccormick.com/apply to get started.

This week, we're going to talk about finding calm. Because: I think that's what most of us are looking for, it's how we want to feel, and it's a place we want to be able to return to anytime. Yeah? We're going to look at calm in a few ways: Finding calm through our thoughts Finding calm with our emotions Finding calm through mindfulness Aaaaand the Care Bear Stare Listen, we can all use a little sweet nostalgia right now and somehow the Care Bears seemed like the right place to go this week. I promise, it all goes together and (I think) makes sense. For show notes visit www.kellyhanlinmccormick.com/podcast/84 and to get enrolled in The Fierce Calm Project go to www.kellyhanlinmccormick.com/fiercecalmproject.