The Anxious Achiever

Latest Episodes:

"For 20 years I just pretended like there was nothing wrong with me." How this CFO Stopped Hiding His Anxiety and Depression with Adam Nemer Sep 23, 2025

Show notes

What if the key to better leadership wasn’t just strategy, but self-awareness? In this episode, I am joined by Adam Nemer, Founder of Simple Mental Health. We talk about why self-awareness is the ultimate leadership tool, how daily practices shift anxiety into focus, and why normalizing conversations about mental health makes teams more engaged and more productive. Adam shares how years of hidden depression and anxiety nearly broke him, what changed when you finally get a diagnosis, and how embracing self-care makes you a stronger executive. Tune in to learn about tools that help you rise stronger, lead better, and live with more purpose every single day.

In this Episode, You Will Learn

00:00 Adam’s daily self-care list.

05:45 Advice when work doesn’t feel joyful or fulfilling.

12:00 How do depression and anxiety show up in your leadership?

19:00 What therapy really looks like when healing deep loss and trauma.

23:00 Techniques for meetings and high-stress moments.

31:00 The training every company should adopt so employees can respond to panic attacks.

Resources + Links

Get a copy of my book - The Anxious Achiever

Watch the podcast on YouTube

Find more resources on our website morraam.com

Follow

Follow me: on LinkedIn @morraaronsmele + Instagram @morraam

Follow Adam: on LinkedIn @adam-nemer

Why You Should Stop Labeling Emotions Good or Bad with Dr. Susan David Sep 18, 2025

Show notes

We’re often taught to push away grief, sadness, anxiety, or anger, but what if those emotions aren’t the enemy, but the key to resilience? In this episode, Harvard psychologist and bestselling author Dr. Susan David explains why emotions aren’t good or bad, positive or negative. She breaks down the groundbreaking concept of emotional agility, the skill set that allows us to face our thoughts and feelings with curiosity, compassion, and courage, and then move forward guided by our values. We also talk about why toxic positivity is so damaging, how difficult emotions signpost what matters most, and why learning to “hold anxiety in one hand and courage in the other” changes the way we work, lead, and live. Tune in to learn how to stop letting your emotions dictate your actions and start using them as valuable data.

In this Episode, You Will Learn

00:00 Why emotions are not good or bad.

05:00 How toxic positivity and “forced optimism” hurt leaders and organizations.

09:45 Why suppressing emotions leads to burnout, conflict, and emotional leakage.

13:00 How emotional agility differs from rigidity.

17:00 How anxiety and fear can actually point you to your values.

19:45 Why connecting to your values protects against burnout.

23:00 The cost of sidelining emotions in schools, workplaces, and culture.

27:00 How uncertainty and discomfort are the price of admission to a meaningful life.

31:00 Why grief is “love looking for its home” and how to honor it.

34:00 Listener story about grief, caregiving, and professional identity after loss.

42:00 What organizations can do to support employees navigating caregiving and grief.

Resources + Links

Learn more about Dr. Susan David’s work HERE!

Grab your copy of Dr. Susan David “Emotional Agility” HERE!

Get a copy of my book - The Anxious Achiever

Watch the podcast on YouTube

Find more resources on our website morraam.com

Follow

Follow me: on LinkedIn @morraaronsmele + Instagram @morraam

Follow Dr. Susan David: on LinkedIn @susanadavidphd

The Gifts of Neurodivergent Leadership with Dr. Michael Freeman Sep 16, 2025

Show notes

What if the traits that trip you up at work are the same ones that make you exceptional? In this episode, psychiatrist, researcher, and entrepreneur Dr. Michael Freeman is back to share the strengths and risks of neurodivergent leaders. We talk about his latest research on founder mental health, why ADHD, bipolar spectrum, and dyslexia show up so often in high performers, and how to design work so your superpowers lead and your vulnerabilities don’t derail you. Tune in to learn how to spot when a strength becomes “too much” and why AI may give divergent thinkers an unexpected edge.

In this Episode, You Will Learn

00:00 Why entrepreneurs are more likely to be neurodiverse.

06:00 Are you a craftsperson or a scaler entrepreneur?

10:00 The ADHD subtype most tied to entrepreneurial success.

14:15 When do strengths become liabilities?

18:00 The personality traits that shape both your strengths and vulnerabilities.

22:45 Why conditions like dyslexia & ADHD carry less stigma than others.

26:30 How Dr. Freeman discovered his own dyslexia later in life.

30:00 Why AI could favor divergent thinkers.

Resources + Links

Learn more about Dr. Michael Freeman HERE

Get a copy of my book - The Anxious Achiever

Watch the podcast on YouTube

Find more resources on our website morraam.com

Follow

Follow me: on LinkedIn @morraaronsmele + Instagram @morraam

Why Anxiety Can Be Your Superpower with Shopify’s Harley Finkelstein Sep 11, 2025

Show notes

Behind every bold move is often a quiet fear. In this episode, I sit down with Shopify President Harley Finkelstein to talk about how anxiety has shaped his path from navigating family financial loss as a teenager to leading one of the world’s most influential platforms for entrepreneurs. Harley explains how to view anxiety not as a flaw, but as a tool that sharpens foresight, fuels ambition, and prepares you for what others can’t see. He also shares how to build your team that balances your energy and why vulnerability in leadership is your strength. Get ready to turn anxiety into your advantage!

In this Episode, You Will Learn

00:00 Meet Harley Finkelstein, President of Shopify.

05:45 How Harley turned survival-driven anxiety at 17 into his first business.

11:45 Tools Harley uses to manage anxiety.

16:15 How to use anxiety as a checklist for risk and anticipation.

21:00 How do you handle anxiety when it affects your leadership?

24:30 Why extroverts and introverts recharge differently.

27:00 The #1 skill every anxious achiever needs.

Resources + Links

Get a copy of my book - The Anxious Achiever

Watch the podcast on YouTube

Find more resources on our website morraam.com

Follow

Follow me: on LinkedIn @morraaronsmele + Instagram @morraam

Follow Harley: on LinkedIn @harleyf + Instagram @harley

How Childhood Adverse Experiences (ACES) Impact Your Working Life with Dr. Melissa Merrick Sep 09, 2025

Show notes

Did you know your childhood story can shape your health, work, and relationships? In this episode, Dr. Melissa Merrick, President and CEO of Prevent Child Abuse America, shares the science behind ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences) and why nearly two-thirds of adults carry them. We talk about how trauma shows up in adulthood, why high achievers often live with hypervigilance, and the protective factors that can tip the scales toward healing. Tune in to learn why your past doesn’t define you and how to build a stronger, healthier future starting today.

In this Episode, You Will Learn

00:00 Meet Dr. Melissa Merrick, President and CEO of Prevent Child Abuse America.

01:45 What are ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences) and why do they matter?

05:45 How childhood adversity increases risk for physical and mental health issues.

07:00 The #1 protective factor proven to fuel adult healing and growth.

09:45 The link between ACEs, hypervigilance, and high-achieving adults.

13:15 Why a high ACE score can shorten life expectancy by nearly 20 years.

15:00 The weight of carrying family trauma across generations.

19:30 Examples of leaders creating safer and more supportive work environments.

23:45 Daily habits that retrain your biology to handle stress better.

25:45 Dr. Merrick’s go-to resources for stress and pressure relief.

Resources + Links

Learn more about ACEs HERE

Learn more about Prevent Child Abuse America HERE

Get a copy of my book - The Anxious Achiever

Watch the podcast on YouTube

Find more resources on our website morraam.com

Follow

Follow me: on LinkedIn @morraaronsmele + Instagram @morraam

Follow Dr. Merrick on LinkedIn

Turning Anxiety Into Your Growth Edge with Whitney Johnson Sep 04, 2025

Show notes

Anxiety doesn’t have to be the thing that holds you back, it can actually be the spark that pushes you forward. In this episode, I sit down with Whitney Johnson, one of the world’s leading experts on personal disruption, to talk about what it really means to disrupt yourself and why growth often comes with discomfort, fear, and uncertainty. Whitney opens up about her leap from Wall Street, building a new identity, the lessons she’s learned as a mother and entrepreneur, and the daily practices that help her stay grounded. She also shares the question to ask yourself when anxiety kicks in, why you sometimes quit or avoid opportunities out of fear, and the exact strategies she uses to handle anxiety instead of running from it. Get ready to grow, no matter where you’re starting from.

Highlights

00:00 Meet Whitney Johnson, CEO of Disruption Advisors.

03:30 The privilege of dreaming and why so many people hold back.

05:00 Leaving Wall Street, parenting, and finding a new work-life fit.

07:45 What is disrupting yourself?

12:45 Is anxiety fueling your work ethic or running your life?

17:30 Whitney’s way of breaking the avoidance loop.

19:30 How anxiety shows up in your career and inbox.

23:30 How do you handle the anxiety of leaving a steady job to go out on your own?

27:30 Ways to find strength when anxiety holds you back.

31:00 Why growth is your default setting (and proof change is always possible).

32:45 Whitney’s hack for stopping the anxious cycle.

Resources + Links

Get a copy of my book - The Anxious Achiever

Learn more about Whitney Johnson and Disruption Advisors HERE

Find more resources on our website morraam.com

Follow me: on LinkedIn @morraaronsmele + Instagram @morraam

Follow Whitney: @johnsonwhitney

Understanding Bipolar Disorder With The Scientists Driving Innovation Aug 13, 2025

Show notes

Over 40 million Americans have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, and many more go undiagnosed. This episode takes a deep dive into what we know (and don’t know) about bipolar I and II, why science has lagged behind, and what a groundbreaking new initiative—BD²: Breakthrough Discoveries for Thriving with Bipolar Disorder—is doing to change that.

Host Morra Aarons-Mele speaks with Dr. Mark Frye, psychiatrist and professor of psychiatry at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, Dr. Kate Burdick, Distinguished Chair in Psychiatry and the Vice Chair for Research in Psychiatry at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, MA, and neuroscientist and BD² initiative lead Dr. Cara Altimus about the genetics, biology, and lived experience of bipolar disorder, and what it means to truly thrive with a complex mental illness. We discuss promising research directions, including GLP-1s, cognitive trajectories, and precision psychiatry.

Key Quote: "

It’s not enough to reduce the bad. We’re aiming to increase the good—to help people with bipolar disorder live the full lives they want to live." — Dr. Cara Altimus

Breakthrough Discoveries for Thriving with Bipolar Disorder (BD²) is a collaborative initiative building the scientific foundation for better treatments and better lives for people with bipolar disorder. Learn more and get involved at https://www.bipolardiscoveries.org/.

Listeners who live with bipolar disorder can learn more about BD2' and their ongoing study described in this episode by visiting bipolardiscoveries.org or sending an email to info@bipolardiscoveries.org.

The study is taking place in partnership with 11 medical institutions across 44 locations in the U.S. and Canada. The medical institutions are:

Mass General Brigham (Massachusetts)
McLean Hospital (Massachusetts)
Johns Hopkins University (Maryland)
Mayo Clinic (Minnesota and Arizona)
University of California Los Angeles (California)
University of California San Diego (California)
University of Michigan (Michigan)
The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (Texas)
The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research (New York)
The University of Texas at Austin (Texas)
University of Cincinnati/Lindner Center of HOPE (Ohio)
Ottawa Hospital Research Institute (Canada)

Listeners can also sign up for the BD2’ newsletter, Thrive Updates, at bipolardiscoveries.org and learn more by following on LinkedIn, BlueSky, and X at BD2Discoveries.

Timestamps:

05:31 Understanding Bipolar Disorder: Definitions and Types 14:48 The Role of Genetics in Bipolar Disorder 20:57 Research Funding and Its Impact on Bipolar Disorder 26:51 Stigma Surrounding Bipolar Disorder and Its Effects 32:07 Breaking the Stigma of Mental Illness 36:51 Thriving with Bipolar Disorder 42:12 The Integrated Network: A New Approach to Bipolar Research 47:39 Shifting Perspective From Symptom Reduction to Thriving 53:46 Understanding the Complexities of Bipolar Disorder

“Energy Is All There Is”: Understand Your Energy Body, Feel Better Jul 30, 2025

Show notes

Managing your energy is key to regulating anxiety, stress, and overwhelm. In this episode, Morra sits down with energy healing practitioner Ellen Donaldson to explore how energy dysregulation shows up in high-achieving, anxious professionals, and what you can do about it. Ellen breaks down key concepts in mind-body energy medicine, including the chakra system, and offers practical tools to help you feel more grounded, present, and powerful.

Morra shares her own experience learning from Ellen, including how a simple shift in energetic awareness helped her cope with caregiving demands and daily overwhelm. You’ll also hear a short guided meditation to help you regulate your energy, even on the busiest days.

Takeaways from the episode:

Your energy body (composed of chakras and an aura) affects your emotional and physical well-being.
Dysregulated energy (like overly open or closed chakras) can manifest as anxiety, emotional flooding, or exhaustion.
The second chakra is particularly relevant to people-pleasers and caregivers. Learning to “close” it slightly can reduce overwhelm.
Grounding through the first chakra helps regulate the nervous system and bring you back to the present moment.
Simple practices—like visualizing veggie steamers as chakra regulators!—can be done in seconds, tied to everyday routines.

Ellen guides listeners through a quick grounding and chakra-regulation meditation you can repeat anytime—before a tough meeting, while caregiving, or simply when you're feeling frazzled.

Resources & Links

🌿 Download a free guided meditation from Ellen at: starleafwellness.com/morra-interview

🌿 Learn more about Ellen’s practice: starleafwellness.com

Timestamps:

03:40 Understanding Energy and Its Importance

06:21 Exploring Chakras and Their Functions

09:28 Grounding Techniques and Practices

12:22 Guided Meditation for Energy Regulation

17:25 Practical Applications of Energy Regulation

20:45 Resources

How Growing Up in Foster Care Shaped Chéla Gage’s Leadership Jul 23, 2025

Show notes

How does growing up in foster care shape you as a leader? Chéla Gage is the former Vice President Global Chief Inclusion & Diversity Officer, workforce mental health advocate, inclusion expert, and host of the 1 Million Fosters podcast. Gage joins Morra to share how her childhood in foster care shaped her strengths as a leader, her reflections on anxiety and hypervigilance as an asset, and how she’s transforming trauma into purpose.

Chéla’s journey from foster homes and group homes to senior leadership roles at Nissan, Raytheon, and Starbucks is a testament to the power of claiming your story. She shares how her upbringing honed her ability to read a room, anticipate challenges, and build belonging, skills that have made her invaluable in corporate spaces.

Learn more about Chéla Gage: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chelagage/

Key Themes:

✅ Hypervigilance as Leadership Strength: Growing up navigating new homes and caregivers taught Chéla to read the room quickly, identify influencers, and trust her intuition—skills she now uses to drive business impact.

✅ Reframing Trauma into Purpose: Chéla discusses how she once felt shame about her foster care past but now sees it as her superpower, providing her with empathy and perspective leaders need.

✅ Parenting as Reparenting: Motherhood allowed Chéla to give the love she didn’t receive as a child back to herself.

✅ The Role of Anxiety: Anxiety kept Chéla alert and prepared, but she learned to manage in therapy, to reduce constant threat scanning and burnout while embracing her “hypervigilance” as a leadership tool.

✅ Creating Belonging in Corporate Spaces: Through her career in recruiting and DEIB leadership, Chéla discovered the importance of recognizing and honoring people’s whole stories, not just their resumes, to create true inclusion.

Timestamps:

07:09 Hypervigilance as a Superpower

12:59 Transforming Pain into Purpose

18:40 The Role of Anxiety: A Double-Edged Sword

24:14 Inclusion and Belonging

29:51 The Impact of Personal Stories

34:50 Empowering the Foster Community

Using AI for ADHD With Lindsay Scola Jul 16, 2025

Show notes

What happens when a late ADHD diagnosis meets the powerful potential of AI? Writer, strategist, and sleep coach Lindsay Scola joins Morra to share how she uses AI as a personal productivity partner to manage ADHD challenges, perfectionism, and executive dysfunction—while preserving creativity and rest.

Diagnosed with ADHD at 41, Lindsay discovered that AI could act as an accountability buddy, thought partner, and creativity booster. From using AI to overcome the dread of the blank page to automating follow-up emails, Lindsay shares practical ways she leverages AI without losing her humanity.

Buy Lindsay’s book here: https://www.amazon.com/AI-ADHD-Practical-Starting-Finishing-ebook/dp/B0F5T9QKMH

Listen to our interview about the stimulant shortage, narcolepsy and ADHD: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-ritalin-and-adderall-shortage-and-how-it-impacts-work/id1480904163?i=1000611595946

Key Themes:

AI as an ADHD Copilot: Lindsay explains how AI helps her manage executive dysfunction, tackle writing tasks, and avoid the overwhelm of perfectionism while maintaining her unique voice.

Reducing Shame and Preserving Brain Space: Using AI for small but stressful tasks frees up cognitive space, letting her focus on big ideas and creative work without getting stuck in spirals of self-criticism.

Permission to Play: Lindsay urges people with ADHD to experiment with AI and other tools to find what actually works for their brains instead of following rigid systems that suppress creativity.

Scheduling for Neurodivergent Brains: From building “dopamine deadlines” to respecting personal circadian rhythms, Lindsay shares how she structures her week to maximize focus while honoring energy dips.

AI for Burnout and Loneliness: We discuss how AI can help solo workers feel less isolated and provide accountability without judgment, acting like a team member who says, “let’s keep going.”

Timestamps:

03:28 ADHD, Midlife, and AI Solutions

08:13 Balancing Perfection and Completion

11:07 Childhood Injustice and Self-Awareness

18:30 Optimize Productivity by Time Awareness

19:37 Embrace Napping for Productivity

25:40 AI-Assisted Writing for Quick Posts

29:06 Podcasting Inspiration for Writing Newsletter

32:32 Flexible Time Management Strategy

35:50 Improvised Charging Solution