The Overwhelmed Brain

Latest Episodes:

Failing the Challenge - Silent Abuse in Relationships - Depressed and Unmotivated - Appreciating What Works Mar 26, 2017

Show notes

What do you do when you face a challenge you believe you're prepared for, but you fail instead? The feelings of failure can be debilitating, especially when you've spent a lot of time and energy working on self-improvement. It can feel like you've taken 10 steps backwards. "Learning" comes with the challenge of applying what you've learned, so expect challenges to be just more than you think you're prepared for. When you have the tools, the challenge will come. I believed I knew how to honor my boundaries until I was tested with the right person. Always move forward and learn about yourself and work on yourself so that you will be as prepared as you can be. In segment two, I address the people's pleaser's role in becoming emotionally abused. People pleasers often have a big heart, compassion, generosity and are often kind and caring, which opens them up to abusive people unfortunately. If you're kind and compassionate but made to feel guilty by your partner often, then you're probably in an emotionally abusive relationship. There are many signs of emotional abuse including trusting yourself less and less. If your partner is emotionally detached, or you feel like you're going crazy, this segment is for you. Especially if you can't pinpoint why you feel the way you do. Manipulators are crafty and adept. They don't want to feel pain, guilt or responsible, so they push all of it on to you. If you want to learn if you are in an emotionally abusive relationship, check out the Emotional Abuse worksheet at theoverwhelmedbrain.com/mean. In segment three, I read a letter from a young man who is depressed and has no motivation to do anything. His emotions are out of control and he is in a constant struggle. On top of all of that, he's afraid to get help! He's never talked about my feelings to anyone, ever. All the solutions he's looked for online talk about getting a goal and using his willpower which he found completely useless. The first step to getting past what you can't let go of is to express yourself any way possible, whether it's with a friend or loved one, or even to yourself through writing or visualization (imagining the person you want to express yourself to is standing in front of you). Once you get repressed negative emotions off your chest, it can free you a bit to start the healing process. In the closing, I talk about what you can do to appreciate your body and what it does for you. Sometimes it takes pain to appreciate what works! Today's episode is brought to you by getoutofthemess.com. Quality legal insurance - get your legal questions answered by one of many attorneys that specialize in what you're asking about for about $20 a month! Great deal.

Committing to a Decision - Chronic Pain and Suffering - Trouble Receiving - Expanding Beyond You Mar 19, 2017

Show notes

Can you commit to a decision? How do you know if you're making the right decision? Follow your heart is great advice… if you even know what's in your heart. Segment 1 of this episode is all about making the decisions that work in your life without going down too many paths of failure. You have to make decisions to learn how to make good decisions, but sometimes that first decision is the hardest to make. Life is all about choice, so let's talk about what makes a good choice. I'll give you a hint, it has to do with knowing your ideals for any given situation. In segment 2, what do you do when you are always dealt a bad hand in life? Is there a psychological time bomb ticking away that is going to cause you to break down because you just can't get a break? How about chronic pain and suffering? There's a path out of suffering even when the pain is still there. You still seek treatment for the pain, but it's time to heal the emotional wounding that has taken place. In segment 3, I read a message from someone asking how they can receive without feeling like there is pain or shame involved. Growing up having been abused by receiving things with strings attached changed this person's world. I want you to be completely comfortable receiving so that you will feel worthy, loved and significant. You are all those things already, but if you are having trouble receiving, you may not believe you are. During the closing of the show, I talk about what you can do to expand "you" so that you think beyond the confines of your body and mind. Not only will this take you out of all the challenges of being you, but it will increase your compassion and understanding of others so that you can communicate more effectively. Today's episode was brought to you by Casper. Get an awesome mattress at a great price at casper.com/brain. If you want $50 off, use the code "brain" during checkout and you'll be a happier person.

Surviving the Crisis - Self-Perpetuating Abuse - Building Resilience Through Criticism Mar 12, 2017

Show notes

In crisis, is there anything you can do to bring you into a calmer, more peaceful place? Actually, not usually. In fact, you may have to experience the full impact of the crisis before any calm or comfort can be had. However, you may be able to prepare for crisis so it doesn't completely debilitate you. It involves creating a belief system or philosophy that serves you during this most crucial time so that you aren't so blindsided and devastated. Then, when you lose your job, get dumped, betrayed, or even if someone you love passes on, you have some tools to work with to get you through it. In this first segment, I share 10 beliefs and principles you can adopt to get you through crisis mode. In segment 2, I address a letter from a man who was kicked out of his home at 17 years old for being gay. He grew up, got married, and now his husband is looking at other guy's profiles online threatening the stability home and relationship. The letter writer doesn't want to be alone but he doesn't want his husband looking at other guys either so he's not sure what to do. With a family that has disowned him and a husband that appears to want to seek other relationships, he feels stuck and scared. Is it unhealthy to put all the pressure of your happiness on one other person? If you have no family and no support structure, is it even fair to expect your partner / spouse to pull through as your primary source of peace in the world? I offer my insights and opinions to help him through this situation. I also make a few comments on the decision of a family to kick their child out of the house because he is homosexual. In the final segment, I talk about building resilience through criticism. Taking things personally can slow you down and even stop you in your tracks. If you learn that criticism is an opportunity to grow, regardless if the critic is right or wrong, you'll find life a lot easier to live. Today's episode is brought to you by getoutofthemess.com - high quality attorneys and legal insurance for about $20! Sounds too good to be true, but I use it myself. I love it.

Settling for a job because you can't find anything better Mar 07, 2017

Show notes

A career can take up over half your life, so why would you settle for one that makes you miserable? I've settled a lot over the years and I got so burnt out. I didn't realize there was a formula to finding something I'd like and that might even pay well, if not more than I've ever made. Scott Barlow with Happen To Your Career joins me to talk about what it takes to be happy in a career and even make more money doing so. You don't want to miss this one. Visit happentoyourcareer.com/brain to get your free Ultimate Strenths Guide so that you can learn just exactly where you excel and what careers you'd be best at.

Overcoming General Unease - When Nothing Works Out in Life - Questioning Trust in Relationships Mar 05, 2017

Show notes

Are you walking around with an undertone of fear, anxiety, panic, or nervousness? What do you feel when nothing in general is happening in your life? What's your balance point or "homeostatic state"? When an uncomfortable or sad cloud follows you around all the time, it's hard to enjoy life. Especially because all the decisions you make are based on a foundation of this uncomfortableness. Many of us make decisions based on how the toxic people in our life will respond. If we know they'll respond negatively, we'll make a decision so that behavior isn't triggered. However, this choice may not be the best one for us. We make it to avoid conflict or confrontation, and that is a recipe for an unhappy life. I talk about "taking the bullet" and making the hard decisions during critical moments that will either exacerbate and extend miserableness or stop it in its tracks. It's a matter of shifting what you focus on and protecting yourself, not enabling others. This might not be easy to do, but it's a life changer. In segment 2, I read a letter from someone who shares that nothing has ever worked out for her in life. Everything she does leads to more pain and more toxic people. Nothing is good, and the future is grim. What do you do when all appears lost, and you're just basically waiting for death so that you can get out of the chaos? Especially if your past is littered with abuse and neglect. Your past is important and has played a role, but it doesn't mean you can't change how your future turns out. Your behavior today will either allow your problems to continue or cause them to shift so that you actually start creating the life you want instead of the one you don't want. It's never too late. If your life has been terrible up to this point, why not start over? It's never too late. Why wouldn't you want the rest of your time on earth to be pleasant, or at least peaceful? During the close of the show, I ask if you can stay in a relationship that you can't trust. What kind of trusting relationships do you build? Do you have trouble trusting others because you aren't completely honest with those you can trust? What you bring into your relationship is the relationship you end up with. If you bring mistrust, you'll get mistrust and untrusting behavior. Of course, there's always the chance that you are right not to trust, but there's a path to follow when that happens, too. I want you to come to a conclusion so that you can come to closure. Don't be stuck! Commit to one path or another.

The Abused Mind and Mixed Signals in Relationships - Still Mourning - Overcoming Your Overwhelmed Brain Feb 26, 2017

Show notes

Sexual and physical abuse survivors develop an abused mindset which they take into relationships. This mindset sets them up to be strung along and tolerate bad behavior. Often, former abuse victims end up with abusers in intimate relationships. Abusers of all kinds can play serious head games, including giving off a lot of mixed signals. Abuse survivors and even many non-survivors can have high tolerance for abusive behavior. It's time to stop getting strung along and start realizing just what to watch out for

Breaking Through Obsessive Thoughts - Is Everyone Toxic? - The Real Issue in the Relationship Feb 19, 2017

Show notes

When obsessive and intrusive thoughts won't go away, what can you do? You might feel better knowing that won't mean a thing in a 100 years, but if resolving them isn't that easy for you, then let me take you through a series of steps that break them apart and repackage them in a way that might just help you deal with yours. In this segment, I'll ask you what's wrong with having obsessive thoughts, why are they a problem, and if there's anything you can do about what you're obsessing over. I'll also talk about your resistance to them and how it causes you to suffer. If you have been suffering over that negative internal dialogue, listen to this episode. In segment 2, a woman asks me what happens when you remove all the toxic people in your life and you end up with no friends or romantic partner? She wants to know if that's all she has to look forward to when she grows and heals herself. Is everyone toxic? The personal growth journey does involve filtering out toxic people, but it also involves focus on yourself. When you start focusing on what you need for you, the right people show up in your life. You recognize toxic people right away and are able to steer clear. But better than that, healthy people show up when you're healthy, so that is the focus on this segment. During the close of this episode, I read another letter from a listener whose wife cheated on him. He decided to forgive and take her back, but now she's giving him the silent treatment and making excuses about why the marriage won't work. Is there more going on here than meets the eye? I give a frank opinion on the subject. Today's episode is brought to you by getoutofthemess.com - Access to quality attorneys for $20+ per month. Stop paying hundreds per hour just to ask simple questions! This is a great service that I use myself. Check it out!

Bad Luck and Great Fortune - Stuck with No Way Out - Small Lies and Big Problems - Advice For Life Feb 12, 2017

Show notes

When is a bad thing a good thing? When is a good thing bad? How attached are you to outcomes? I tell a quick Zen Buddhist parable that might make you think twice about the stressors in the world today, especially with the heated political climate and growing fears of what might happen next. Not everything is as it appears. When you think there's no way out - life opens a door. The door is good fortune and luck. Then when everything is going well, life throws you into a pit. Does it ever end? I get into the ebb and flow of life itself in this segment. In segment two, I answer the question: "What do you do if there's no way out of a situation?" A young man wants to know what he can do living with a toxic family that he can't (or chooses not to) leave. Is it better to stay in a toxic situation because you don't want to abandon those you love? Or is there a better way than "no way out"? You might have to resort to tactics that are against your values just to get into alignment with your best outcome. It's a controversial subject I'm sure you'll find interesting. In segment three, he knows there's something wrong in the marriage, and she won't go to marriage counseling because she thinks it might as well be the end of the marriage. That's quite a jump to a conclusion that seems more made up and grounded in some sort of passive message that something else might be going on. What is your definition of marriage? Does it involve one person wanting to help the relationship and the other sitting around in denial of both their own happiness and their spouse's unhappiness? It might be time to ask the hard questions you don't want to know the answers to just so you'll have some idea of what's going on. Don't not communicate… be honest and clear. You may have to be firm in asking what the real problem is, otherwise it will continue to go downhill until one of you experiences a meltdown! At the end of this episode, I read a message from a very astute listener of TOB. She shares her four steps to a better life - even in the midst of dealing with her husband's infidelity. Cheating and betrayal didn't stop her from healing herself. She's on a good ride that has a lot of ups and downs but will be smarter and healthier in the end. It's an inspiring letter and a great way to end the show. Enjoy!

Judging Others - Moving from Guilt to Great - Guilt is a Path to Compassion Feb 05, 2017

Show notes

Judging others is a sign of something you're struggling with or haven't healed from internally. It is anger, sadness, or some other bad feeling that you haven't yet processed that is coming out and being directed at other people. You can say, "What they're doing is wrong!" but how is it wrong to you? Is it a belief or value you hold to be true, or is it something deeper like some other emotional wound that you haven't yet released? Also, how do you deal with judgmental people? If your significant other or a friend or family member is putting someone else down, what do you say or do? It's a great topic to talk about and I share a way you can work with it and maybe even reach a more peaceful place inside yourself. In segment 2, I talk about how to release your hold on guilt. I read a letter from a woman who feels terrible about how she treated her ex-husband. In fact, she feels so bad that her current marriage is suffering. I offer a perspective and a way out of guilt that may just allow you to let go of what you've been regretting for far too long now. Guilt can lead to a place of compassion and it's this one possibility that can lead you out of a dark place and into the light. It's time to release the guilt. It doesn't mean you suddenly feel good, but it's a great start. Today's episode is brought to you by getoutofthemess.com, legal insurance that you can use anytime you have a question or need advice.

When love isn't enough - Will marriage fix dysfunction? - Untying selfishness from personal boundaries - Tolerating abuse Jan 29, 2017

Show notes

Is love enough? Will it overcome anything that happens in your life? Financial struggles, family problems, arguments, abuse and more... will your faith in love be enough to get you through the tough times? I read a letter from a young man who wonders if love is enough to get through anything. To add a bit of challenge on top of that, what if that love is only one-sided? In the second segment, I read a letter from a woman who's partner has cheated on her multiple times.Her partner knows he has a problem but "can't help it." He believes that marriage will resolve the problem and cure him of this addiction. How long will you accept bad behavior, increasing your toleration for abuse? If there are problems in the relationship today, they will only get worse when you get married. You must create a solid, healthy, loving and supportive foundation before you get married. Marriage amplifies problems - it does not solve them. In segment 3, someone has a battle in their mind about the difference between honoring personal boundaries and being selfish. They are almost crippled in their behavior because they are afraid to honor themselves for fear that it might be selfish. I clear this up right away in today's episode. One thing I go over is that it's so important to define who you are in the world so that the world doesn't define you for you. When they do, you can't be yourself easily, and you will tend to let others violate your boundaries. During the closing of the show, I talk to those who are loving, kind, compassionate and generous. Often, people like this will let bad and abusive people in their life simply because they have a big heart. Not only that, they'll keep them in their life too. I highlight the wonderful aspects of this type of personality and also the dangers. Do you want a meal kit delivery service to make dinner easier? Visit hellofresh.com and make sure to use promo code "brain" when checking out so you can get $35 off your first week!

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