The Transforming Anxiety Podcast

Happy New Year! We made it to 2025...and so far most of what we've accomplished in Kansas City is a massive snowstorm. ❄️ Kinda fun, even if we're all climbing the walls at this point. Late last year I did an episode about "mental load" and as soon as I recorded that one, I knew I wanted to do a related episode on the sister burden that we all carry every day: ​emotional load​. Mental load is all of the logistics: the figuring and sorting and scheduling and planning and carpooling and spreadsheeting. ​Emotional load​ is the way it all FEELS, the emotional toll that accompanies the going and the doing. Plus the emotional cost that comes with reading the news of the day, hearing the latest from friends and family, and just getting through the hours, days, and weeks. We aren't robots. We have feelings about ALL of it. And those feelings add up. It's what we're talking about on this week's episode of ​The Transforming Anxiety Podcast: emotional load​. Full show notes are located at: www.kellyhanlinmccormick.

I'm baaaack. Again.

Ohhhh, do I have a treat for you today. There are a few books that I recommend to clients, students, friends, family, people in line at the grocery store, you name it...and THIS guy has done it again. Oliver Burkeman is the author of the NYT Bestseller Four Thousand Weeks (that's the one I've been known to push into the hands of anyone who will listen) and he's back at it with the just-released ​Meditations for Mortals​. And this week's episode of ​The Transforming Anxiety Podcast​ is an interview with Mr. Burkeman. A few nuggets from new book: "The whole point of facing the truth about finitude is that it gets easier to spend more of your time on worthwhile and life-enriching activities once you’re no longer trying to do all of them, or do them perfectly, or do them with the secret agenda of achieving a feeling of security or control." And this is another great quote... "...the life-enhancing route is to think of decisions not as things that come along, but as things to go hunting for. In other words: to ope

The idea for this week's episode of ​The Transforming Anxiety Podcast​ is something I've personally been practicing with for a while...noticing those little moments or places during the day where things aren't flowing smoothly. When there are hiccups that totally derail my focus. Times when I struggle with something that seems like it should be much easier than it is. ​Friction points​. That's what we're talking about today. Sometimes this is something like: I'm carrying too many things and can't open the car door. Or I keep the lighter in a drawer too far away from where I light candles and I finally notice: hey, I should move this thing over there. Sometimes it's something far bigger. An unwillingness to look at a credit card statement, which creates a friction point between you and your financial health. A hesitation to apply for a new job, which creates a friction point between you and your professional goals. We all have these little hangups in our days and we're going to look at it together this wee

I recently got turned on to the idea of ​mental load​...and I HAD to bring this one to ​The Transforming Anxiety Podcast​and talk about it with you. Have you heard of this concept? Basically, this is all of the behind-the-scenes, "invisible" work that goes on to get the show on the road. The grocery store runs and laundry and organization and calendar finagling that has to happen to get everyone where they need to go, with everything they need to have, in a somewhat timely and sane manner. It's the thankless, energy-filled effort that goes into supporting the family system, the work department, or the group / community / organization so that the people can do what they want and need to do. And it weighs a lot, the mental load. ​Come join me for this week's episode and let's talk about it more​. Hit "reply" and let me know what your experience of *mental load* is like. I'm finding this concept SO useful and hope this one helps you, too... Full show notes are located at: www.kellyhanlinmccormick.com/podc

It's been a while since we've had a guest on ​The Transforming Anxiety Podcast​, but I have some GOOD ones lined up for you in the coming months. And we're starting back in with interviews by talking with THE ​Karla McLaren​. I have been reading, leaning on, referencing, and using Karla's books since I first started down the path of this work. The Language of Emotions is one I don't even bother "putting away;" it just has its own spot on the edge of the bookshelf where I can easily grab it throughout the week when I'm teaching and talking with students. Because I DO. Heavy rotation, with that one. And she got to thinking, a few years after she published The Language of Emotions that *anxiety* kinda got left out. So she wrote another book: Embracing Anxiety. And I'll warn you, our conversation is a little bit long but, I hope, worth your time. She brings such clarity, levity, and stability to ALL of our emotions and the inner experience. ​Join me for this conversation on Embracing Anxiety with Karla McLar

Let's go waaaay back to the basics today. I want to pause for a moment and consider what ​anxiety in your body​ looks like and feels like...and how you can approach it. We are taught to fight against, avoid, and try to route around most of our emotions. There's the relentless pursuit of happiness...and anything less is to be dodged at all costs... ...and it does cost us. For this conversation today, ​I invite you to lean towards anxiety a bit​ and consider how this emotion works FOR you and how you can work WITH it...instead of telling such scary stories about it and trying to "fix" it. Let's talk about anxiety on this week's episode of ​The Transforming Anxiety Podcast​. And how anxiety looks in your body... Be Mindful, Not Anxious is open for enrollment! If you want to feel less anxious this fall, JOIN US! Click here to find out more and get signed up - we start Monday, September 16th! www.kellyhanlinmccormick.com/bemindfulnotanxious  Full show notes are located at: www.kellyhanlinmccormick.com/podca

Sometimes, we get a little lost in the rabbit holes of our minds and we wind up in the junk food aisle of thought. Y'know, stuff like: Gossip Complaining Quick fixes Self-doubt Things you've thought before... We're going to explore ​junk food self-talk​ on ​The Transforming Anxiety Podcast today​. This is something I'm pretty sure, oh, 100% of us do.

  Full show notes are located at: www.kellyhanlinmccormick.com/podcast/269  Be sure to join my email list so you don't miss announcements, new classes, and podcast updates by visiting www.kellyhanlinmccormick.com  Text PODCAST to +1 (816)354-1279 and I'll send mindfulness reminders, anxiety hacks, and little love notes your way from time to time...

Back to school, time for fall, changes are coming...so let's talk about what sometimes happens which is: we get ​overwhelmed​.

Sooo, I'm thinking we all want to ​cope better​ with, well, all the things: work, kids, our own thoughts + feelings, how wild the world feels...y'know, LIFE. And in this week's episode of The Transforming Anxiety Podcast I'm going to break all of it down into: Stress Stressors Maladaptive coping strategies Adapative coping strategies so that we have a practical way to figure out where we are and ​how to cope better​. If you've felt a bit lost with how to get through a tricky situation or just completely zoned out, for hours at a time, and then come to and wondered where you went, this 20-minute episode will help. Join me and let's talk about ​how to cope better​... Full show notes are located at: www.kellyhanlinmccormick.com/podcast/268  Be sure to join my email list so you don't miss announcements, new classes, and podcast updates by visiting www.kellyhanlinmccormick.com  Text PODCAST to +1 (816)354-1279 and I'll send mindfulness reminders, anxiety hacks, and little love notes your way from time to

Well, I've tried to do this episode a couple of times and I guess this one is tricky to pinpoint and talk directly about...but we're gonna try it anyway this week. We're talking about ​your magic​ on this episode of ​The Transforming Anxiety Podcast​. What do I mean by "your magic?" I mean: the things that make you YOU. The daily stuff that brings you closer to yourself. The vibe you have when you walk into a room. The little (and big) things that you do, say, create, think up, and offer simply by being here. I think this stuff is *important*. Life-giving, in fact. Because, well, the alternative can be positively life-draining...and I want to safeguard us against losing our magic and, therefore, ourselves. Join me for this conversation. Let's talk about ​your MAGIC​. Full show notes are located at: www.kellyhanlinmccormick.com/podcast/267  Be sure to join my email list so you don't miss announcements, new classes, and podcast updates by visiting www.kellyhanlinmccormick.com  Text PODCAST to +1 (816)35

So, it's time for another feelings episode on ​The Transforming Anxiety Podcast ​BUT! This week we're going to explore how we can feel things without having those feelings ooze into our words and actions... Have you ever totally lost your mind with your kid because you were feeling impatient? Or slammed a door out of frustration at work because your boss is so demanding? Yeah... Turns out: we can FEEL things and not get quite so reactive to those feelings. We can allow our emotions to be there, we can feel them, aaaand we can ask ourselves: who do I want to be in this situation? How do I want to respond? And we can turn up the volume on equanimity (more on that fancy word in this episode) and take action from a place of steadiness. I know, I know. And yes, this is kinda mind-ninja stuff. It's possible, though. Promise. Wanna practice together? Let's talk about it. ​Feeling it without being it​. Join me... Full show notes are located at: www.kellyhanlinmccormick.com/podcast/266  Be sure to join my emai

Welp, we've reached mid-summer and I thought it was time to take a pause...breathe...and ground ourselves with a few go-to, tried-and-true ideas. I wanted to share ​a few thoughts to live by​ that have supported me through good times and really tough times. These are quotes, poems, and lessons I have been practicing with for *years*. These are all straight from my own personal work; reminders and teachings that I continue to lean on, contemplate, and keep close. No matter what's going on in my life, these are the ones that I come back to over and over again. So I thought hey, let's go easy this week and do something simple, but helpful. Bookmark this one; it'll be a great episode to return to down the road. ​Join me for this episode. I'm looking forward to sharing these with you...​ Full show notes are located at: www.kellyhanlinmccormick.com/podcast/265  Be sure to join my email list so you don't miss announcements, new classes, and podcast updates by visiting www.kellyhanlinmccormick.com  Submit your

I just got back from a week hiking in Colorado and I got to thinking (while I was out of breath on the side of a 14,000+ foot mountain): ​why do we do these silly hard things​? Over and over again, humans seek ease, comfort, simplicity, and relaxation in life. We'll adjust the thermostat by *one* degree to get more comfortable. We fall back on old habits and patterns (good and bad) because the exertion required to change things can seem insurmountable. We are drawn to familiarity and what's well-known to us on the regular. And... ...humans also have a wild capacity to seek out challenging situations, overcome difficulties, and push themselves way beyond their limits. It's cool to THINK about doing silly hard things...because then we have a better idea of HOW to go out there and DO the silly hard things we want to do. Yeah? Join me. ​Let's go do some silly hard things together​... Full show notes are located at: www.kellyhanlinmccormick.com/podcast/264  Be sure to join my email list so you don't miss an

Oh goody, we have a fun one today on ​The Transforming Anxiety Podcast​...we're talking about ​resentment​. Yes. I know. But this is an important conversation for us to have. Let's be honest: we're already feeling resentful about SOMETHING with SOMEONE. We all do. It's part of the underbelly of relationships. Resentment isn't one of those things a relationship can withstand much of. There's really no such thing as "a little bit of resentment is ok" in a relationship. So, we might as well talk about it. It's just one of those things... Join me for this episode and let's explore it together. ​I'll see you there​. Full show notes are located at: www.kellyhanlinmccormick.com/podcast/263  Be sure to join my email list so you don't miss announcements, new classes, and podcast updates by visiting www.kellyhanlinmccormick.com  Submit your questions to me by CLICKING THIS LINK. You can write me a message OR you can leave me a voicemail. I can reply directly to you and may use your question or comment on a futu

Hi again...I've missed you. And I have a GOOD one for you today on ​The Transforming Anxiety Podcast​. Y'know when you have those days where everything just clicks? Things are going your way and you feel like some luck or magic or your benevolent angels must have a hand in ushering good things to you. Aaaand then there's the days where it feels almost comically stupid how awful things are going. You look around wondering if you're being punked because: how? How on earth can it all go so horribly wrong all at once? Yeah...that's what we're going to discuss today. The "​broaden and build​" theory (which is an official term from psychologist Barbara Fredrickson) vs. the "diminish and demolish" idea (which is a very unofficial term from my own personal experience and the observations of oh so many clients by now). And I have a few ideas on what to do if you find yourself stuck in the downward spiral of "diminish and demolish"...and it's not as tricky as you might think. Join me and let's talk about it. Give

Something we haven't talked about for a while, but need to return to every so often, is ​self-compassion​. On this week's episode of ​The Transforming Anxiety Podcast​, I'm sharing a talk from a mindfulness class I taught a while back. The foundation for growth, change, and transformation HAS TO BE self-compassion. Otherwise, it'll never stick. And as we gear up for the summer (here in the northern hemisphere) and those longer, brighter, hotter days with all the different kinds of busy and running around, it's time for a reminder about HOW we need to go about things. No matter what those things are, self-compassion needs to come along for the ride. Also: I'm going to be teaching some mindfulness classes and I wanted to give you a small taste of what you can expect if you'd like to join us. ​Listen in to this week's episode for more on self-compassion​... ...and stay tuned for more info on mindfulness classes coming SOON. Full show notes are located at: www.kellyhanlinmccormick.com/podcast/261  Be sur

Something *super* simple (but of course these things are never all that easy) for you this week on ​The Transforming Anxiety Podcast​...3 little words that can change relationships AND anxiety. In a good way. I. Believe. You. When we are willing to say this, I believe you, it creates space for understanding and compassion. When we offer this, I believe you, it has the potential to connect, instead of separating us from the people in our lives. When we can pause and get out of the way, I believe you, it allows us to really hear what's happening...not through our own lens, but through someone else's. This brings people closer together. This regulates our nervous system. This is love. Join me for this week's episode and let's talk about it. ​I believe you​... Full show notes are located at: www.kellyhanlinmccormick.com/podcast/260  Be sure to join my email list so you don't miss announcements, new classes, and podcast updates by visiting www.kellyhanlinmccormick.com  Submit your questions to me by C

Happy Wednesday.