Calm it Down
163 episodes - English - Latest episode: 15 days ago - ★★★★★ - 443 ratingsHelping you calm the mind in a world full of noise.
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Episodes
Confrontation Station
March 08, 2022 09:00 - 14 minutesSticks and stones may break my bones but.....can you do it in-love? Today, we talk about a different kind of love. No, not tiger-mom, helicopter-parent love but Confrontational Love. Love when it doesn't necessarily 'feel' like love but it is. Would you rather someone cushion the words and not be honest or would you rather know the person you give yourself emotionally to is a bit 'too honest' but at least honest nonetheless. Listen in as we break down the two conversations of how love is sp...
Where Does Your Happiness Come From?
March 01, 2022 09:00 - 14 minutesA question we rarely stop to think about. We wake up, brush our teeth, maybe have breakfast and before we know it we're on the treadmill of the day until we turn out the light at night. Do we ever stop to think about "where" does our happiness, our joy, those little perks in the day come from? Take a moment to listen in and pause. It's well worth taking the interest in as we find out where the well of happiness is hidden in our emotional valley.
The Struggle is Real
February 22, 2022 09:00 - 18 minutesIf you can't explain it to a child, then how can you explain it even to yourself? Today, we embrace the reality of 'struggle' through the eyes and wisdom of The Velveteen Rabbit. Along with a sincere nod to Thich Nhat Hanh, let's understand how when you are truly present in every moment of life, you're truly in the midst of that; life.
The Show Goes On
February 15, 2022 09:00 - 15 minutesSinger/songwriter Taylor Swift had a hit a few years ago called Shake it Off. In full transparency all I can remember of the song is the tag-line "shake it off" so I honestly have no idea WHAT the song is about BUT I reckon it to this episode about how, regardless we feel about it, life goes on. The show doesn't stop mid act and wait for us to recover/lick our wounds or even reflect. As you'll see in one of my most embarrassing moments in my professional career, The Show literally Goes On. ...
In Times of Struggle
February 08, 2022 09:00 - 15 minutesI can't help but to hear McCartney's voice with the opening lyrics of Let it Be but hearing anything from the Beatles is never a bad thing. But life, obviously, has its storms and while McCartney's voice is top-shelf, sometimes we need a little more to carry us through life's ups and downs. Today, we find out w-h-a-t that thing or things may be to help us In Times of Struggle. Listen in.
Calm the Mind - Meditation 101
February 01, 2022 09:00 - 14 minutesIt’s a world of noise, of ups and downs, of shiny things in one direction and something flashy in another. How in the world are you supposed to ‘calm the mind’ with everything around you set to 11!? You’ve heard the word meditation, you’ve heard there’s this secret way of de-stressing and finding a state of peace but you haven’t a clue where to begin. Well, here is your chance. Today, we crack open the Meditation 101 book and dive in. It’s easier than you think to exist in a state of le...
Comfortably Numb - The Wall We Build
January 25, 2022 09:00 - 15 minutesWho would've thought we would learn so much from Pink Floyd's 1979 album, The Wall. As life happens, we get the various bumps, setbacks and punches below the belt. All of these and more lead to us "protecting ourselves" but what if it's that 'protection' that's hindering us from being our full potential? This wall, this shield we build around ourselves may not be what we think it is. Listen in as we break down the ideas behind 'The Wall' in our hopes to no longer be Comfortably Numb.
Embracing Where You Are
January 18, 2022 09:00 - 12 minutesI had SUCH an overwhelming response to the first episode of 2022 "Resolve to Love Yourself". Thank you. So, we pick up from our 'ditching New Years Resolutions' as I check in to see how you're doing AND I offer a few thoughts in continuing the conversation of Loving Ourselves; which even that can be a bit stressful in the process. Listen in as we continue this journey of looking deeper into ourselves.
Annoyed (A Lesson in Empathy)
January 11, 2022 09:00 - 17 minutesThis episode comes from a listeners request and I LOVE the honesty in their asking. "What do you do when you HAVE to be around someone you just don't want to be around?" Great question. Let's face it, sometimes it's just difficult to get along with everyone! BUT, there are some things we can consider and possibly help in this "everyone be friends" landscape. Listen in as we learn a perspective we often let slide.
You Annoy Me (A Lesson in Empathy)
January 11, 2022 09:00 - 17 minutes - 16.2 MBThis episode comes from a listeners request and I LOVE the honesty in their asking. "What do you do when you HAVE to be around someone you just don't want to be around?" Great question. Let's face it, sometimes it's just difficult to get along with everyone! BUT, there are some things we can consider and possibly help in this "everyone be friends" landscape. Listen in as we learn a perspective we often let slide.
Resolve to Love Yourself
January 04, 2022 09:00 - 18 minutesWe’re tired. We’re all exhausted. With everything we’ve been handed the last 2 years and the ‘who knows what’s around the corner’, personally, I’m spent. As you probably are as well. Emotionally, physically, spiritually, just tired. So the idea of adding another thing to our plate this year is one that I'm going to pass on this year. Instead, I'm slowing the role and doing this one thing and this one thing only. Listen in as to why.
Understanding Someone Else - Currency Part 2
December 28, 2021 09:00 - 13 minutesWe pick up from last week's episode Understanding You - Currency, Part 1 as we turn our focus now to someone else; Understanding Someone Else - Currency Part 2. After hearing this episode, I hope you are inspired with a new perspective in being able to connect with someone besides yourself. Be it your spouse, your sibling, even a stranger. Listen in as I share a few key secrets in building relationships that will forever stay with you.
Understanding You - Currency Part 1
December 21, 2021 09:00 - 13 minutesI'm reminded, oddly, of the scene in The Notebook where Noah keeps asking "what do you want!?" to Allie as she keeps replying "it's not that simple!" But how many times have you stopped and asked YOURSELF the same question. What do you want? What do you need just for yourself? How can you expect others to understand you if you have yet to learn it out yourself? Listen in as we explore some incredibly simple ideas in how to know what you need just a little bit more of.
Your Own Unique Self
December 14, 2021 09:00 - 14 minutesI can say with a pretty good amount of certainty that the person you are today has a lot to do with the people around you. From toddler to teenager we absorb our surroundings, those we've followed since knee high, our influences. Some good, some could be better but in the end, your own uniqueness is that of your own pursuance of personal identity. Dive in as I share some thoughts on being uniquely the person you were always meant to be; you.
The Puzzle of Grief
December 07, 2021 09:00 - 18 minutesGrief. Even the word bears a heaviness like no other. We've all had a loss in some way or form. But perhaps there's a different way of looking at the word 'grief'. Because in order to grieve, you actually need something first. And that something may not be what you thought it would be.
Your Favorite Picture
November 30, 2021 09:00 - 13 minutesWhat is your favorite picture? The one at your desk or hanging on a wall that always seems turn any day of rain into sun. While that picture is your emotional go to, what if I told you there's more pictures waiting to be made. But sometimes it's easier to live in yesteryear than in the moment at hand. Listen in to this episode of Calm it Down podcast where I share some thoughts about what really makes the perfect picture.
Take a Break, Part 2 - Take a Nap
September 28, 2021 09:00 - 10 minutesImagine one day you’re going through your grandmother’s attic. Shifting through the boxes passed down for generations, you come upon a hand written letter by Albert Einstein. “My dear”, it states, “had I only known earlier the secret to thinking with such clarity and vigor, I would have seen e+mc2 much sooner!” Your heart races as you read further and further “where is it!?”, you ask yourself. “Where is the secret!?” If you knew the step Einstein developed for such intelligibility would you...
Take a Break, Part 1 - Take a Walk
September 21, 2021 09:00 - 11 minutesWanna be creative? Want to be the smartest person in the room? Want to know how so many people have the best ideas? Well, I'm going to share one of the most effective tools used by some of the most creative minds to have ever walked this earth. And, it only takes 10 minutes. Stepping away from the screen and moving outside not only circulates your blood flow but is like an open fountain for your brain as it then whispers secrets to your subconscious. “Where did that idea come from?!”, you s...
Life Lessons (Tips for De-Stressing
September 14, 2021 09:00 - 14 minutesEveryone should know the warning signs when our bodies are telling us we're under too much stress but what to do about it is rarely taught. Which means it’s usually swept under the rug and never mentioned. Why is that? We know how to cook 3-4 meals, make 2-3 cocktails even but when it comes to stress or anxiety we panic, completely shut down and just hope it never comes back....but it always does. Today, you're going to learn 2 very important life-lessons to pull out when the stress is p...
Color Me Sad
September 07, 2021 09:00 - 13 minutesGreat. Everything is….great, supposedly. The pressure to look great, to feel great, to post something great but what if I just don't feel great. What if at my core I’m just sad. A study from 2017 stated an estimated 17.3 million adults in the United States had at least one major depressive episode. That was 2017. WAY before we pulled out the KN95s. This episode I’m going to share three reasons why feeling sad perhaps isn’t so bad after all; for a season.
Summer, Shades & Emotional Sunscreen
July 13, 2021 09:00 - 10 minutesAaahhhh, Summer. The sun, the surf, the sandcastles. It’s finally here. Blanket? Check. Shades? Check. Sunscreen? Don’t forget the sunscreen! Can’t forget the sunscreen. A day of bliss can turn into a week of burns! Before running for the waves take a sec to ready yourself; both physically and emotionally. Just as you take the time to apply the SPF 9 million this summer, remind yourself the importance of your emotional sunscreen as well. Giving yourself space, ‘coverage’ if you will. Volleyb...
We've Been Through a Lot (Last Episode of Season One)
May 25, 2021 09:00 - 11 minutesToday's episode is bitter sweet. Bitter in the sense that it's the final episode of Season One but sweet in looking back to see all that we've come through. And don't worry, Season Two will return in September. But before you apply the SPF6700 to your nose and snorkle up, I have one tiny favor to ask before you embark the golden days of Summer. Listen in as you and I make a pact agreement with each other before we come back in September.
Easing Back into Life (Post-Covid)
May 18, 2021 09:00 - 13 minutesWhat next? Restrictions lifted almost daily as guidances continue to lend a hand towards the world reopening. It’s the hour we’ve all been waiting for. “Getting back to normal” we’ve been saying since March of last year. But suddenly we’re asking ourselves…am I ready? I just settled in. What if I don’t want to go outside, be social, shake hands or even just hug…… As we were a year ago, we find ourselves in the same position today; new waters. And just because everyone is ready to jump in t...
Mental Health Pt. 2 - Anxiety
May 11, 2021 09:00 - 15 minutesContinuing the month of May as Mental Health Awareness Month, we break down the two types of anxiety and how to work through them. Join me as we bring this conversation to the greater public, acknowledging the importance of sharing our stories as we each come to know "we're not alone".
Mental Health Pt. 1 - Depression
May 04, 2021 09:00 - 14 minutes"Sssshhhh!!! Don't talk about it. Nobody wants to hear it.", they say. "But, who's they? And why can't I talk about it?", you ask. May is Mental Health Awareness Month in the United States so over the next 4 weeks Calm it Down Podcast will be bringing the conversations from the hushed hallways to the dinner tables. It's time we talk about Mental Health as the illness that it is AND how it can be helped.
Camp Forgiveness
April 27, 2021 09:00 - 12 minutesI can probably sum up one of your worst experiences in 2 words; summer camp. There's no skirting the teenage years without at least one encounter of sweat, blistering heat and obstacle courses. And while the memories will forever live in my head, it wasn't until recently I learned a lesson from one and it came from the most unsuspected place. Listen in as we learn a different approach to what forgiveness is really all about.
You Are Not a Fish - The Importance of Self Worth
April 20, 2021 09:00 - 11 minutes"I'm worthless.", said the fish. "I can't even climb a tree. The squirrel can. Look at him." We're each uniquely, and beautifully, different. And while we each have traits/talents that are ours, what happens when we strip those 'things' away. Who are we at our core? Listen in as we learn the importance of Self Worth.
ARGH! Anger Management 101
April 13, 2021 09:00 - 11 minutesA reckless driver cuts you off without a ‘sorry wave’, you’re finally next in line and they just sold out, my kids won’t let me even finish a sentence. AARRGGHH!!! What gives with why I’m so angry!? But, honest question. Is it really anger that’s kicking up all the dust? I’m gonna suggest a different angle in how we look at anger.
Digging Out the Root of Stress
April 06, 2021 09:00 - 13 minutesStress. Big stress, little stress, it's all the same. Anxiety, fret, worry, we can wrap it in numerous boxes but in the end, stress is .....well, stress. But WHERE does it come from?! Why do we stress? Who or what says 'you know, you really need a good dose of stress right about now."? No one! At least no one you know, I hope. Listen in as we uproot this most troublesome tree we nurture without any justified reason.
Mirror, Mirror on the Wall
March 30, 2021 09:00 - 11 minutesHow often have you looked in a mirror and said “is that really me?” Not often, I would imagine. Usually we recognize ourselves, at least I hope. But, mirrors are a reflection of what’s outside, not inside; our emotions, our thoughts, our feelings can shift in varying degrees but taking the time to ask yourself “how do I look...inside?”, is a question we rarely ask ourselves. Listen in as we ask the question ever since Disney's Queen found out about a young girl named Snow White.
Dark Side of the Moon
March 23, 2021 09:00 - 10 minutesWhy are you here? What’s left in life? What’s your purpose? My word so much pressure in finding our p-u-r-p-o-s-e. So much so there’s even such a thing as Purpose Anxiety (no, seriously). Take a breather from the rollercoaster and listen in as we talk about a different approach to the life you ‘should be’ living.
Outracing a Cheetah
March 16, 2021 09:00 - 10 minutesChange. We change. Our activities, our elements, even our shoes change. I mean, if you’re still wearing your shoes from 5th grade, I hand it to you. But honestly, dealing with change is simpler than you my realize. In this episode, I show you 3 simple steps to putting the anxiety of the unknowns to rest. The first one may just surprise you.
Missing it While Waiting
March 09, 2021 10:00 - 11 minutesDrivers license, check. Graduation, check. College (if that’s your thing) check, career, pets, family, kids, grandkids you have an endless array of boxes to choose from if you so desire. Our attention is so often dialed in on the preconceived 'happened' that we miss the happening all together. But today I propose that maybe while we're waiting for those milestones in life to happen, we're missing what's really happening while we're waiting.
Drivers License
March 02, 2021 10:00 - 11 minutesThe biggest hit song of 2021, Drivers License, is the coming-of-age heart cry that’s been recorded like so many others long before the microphone was invented. Guy meets girl, girl falls in love, guy falls in love….with someone else; leaving said girl feeling of no worth when all said and done. And while Drivers License IS a great “I got dumped” breakup song, Olivia Rodrigo leaves a trail of breadcrumbs pointing back to something more important than a lover’s quarrel; insecurity. Hop in...
Spilt Coffee
February 23, 2021 10:00 - 13 minutesWhat’s the worst that could happen? And why is it that’s generally the first thing we think about; the worst possible scenario! Listen in as we learn how to stop thinking the worst, or in technical terms, catastrophizing.
Words of Life
February 16, 2021 10:00 - 15 minutesEvery now and then we need just a little push. Be it a first step or crossing the finish line, sometimes we just run out of steam. Today, in celebrating the 25th episode, we fill our minds and hearts with words of wisdom from some of the most revered individuals to have walked the same steps you’re probably taking today. Listen in as we reflect where we are from 25 weeks ago and take some words of encouragement as we look towards the next 25 weeks ahead.
Add a Little Flare - Depression Pt 3
February 09, 2021 10:00 - 12 minutesDepression has many currents and undertows throughout this ocean of life. And while it often feels like you’re surrounded by sharks and drowning, you don’t have to tread the waters alone. Listen in as we discover two vital steps in swimming safely to shore as we close out this three-part series on Depression. You’re not alone. You’re never alone.
Cherry Blossoms - Depression Part 2
February 02, 2021 10:00 - 13 minutesThis week, we hop over to Japan to learn of the beauty and significance of the Cherry Blossom within the Japanese culture. Sakuras, as they’re known, are stunning to gaze upon but their meaning takes a much deeper root in how we may view life individually. Listen in to part 2 of this series on Depression as we continue bringing this conversation to the coffee tables; casting awareness to the clouds we let linger far too long overhead.
You Can't Always Get What You Want - Depression, Pt 1
January 26, 2021 10:00 - 14 minutesSure, sure, you’ve heard the Rolling Stones’ “You Can't Always Get What You Want”?, since you were knee-high but do you KNOW the story behind it!? Who would have thought we would tackle the subject of depression with Mick Jagger as our inspiration?! Join me as we start a 3 part series breaking down what depression really is and what we can do about it. Listen in as you may “just get what you need.” (Sorry, couldn’t resist!)
What's Your Problem?
January 19, 2021 10:00 - 15 minutesWhat’s Your Problem!? No, seriously. What is your problem? And let's be honest. Is it really a problem? After years of my asking countless couples “what has kept you together after so many years?”, one couple celebrating their 50th anniversary dropped the most unexpected words of wisdom that I did NOT see coming. Listen in as we not only learn ‘what IS our problem, but what to do about it.’
Make Your Moments Matter
January 12, 2021 10:00 - 13 minutesThink about a day last week. Any day. What was your favorite day from last week? During the noise and the chaos of those seven days was there a moment that made you pause and smile? A bike ride or your favorite ice cream. Maybe something more significant like having a child or finally hitting that career achievement. Our days are so intense, so consuming we’re exhausted before we put our feet on the floor each morning. It’s understandable all we see before us every morning are obstacles an...
Breaking Bad - Cracking the Code of Habits
January 05, 2021 10:00 - 17 minutesHabits. Patterns. Behaviors we’ve put in place purposefully or not. At the start of the new year we kid ourselves with our bravado of new ambitions. But in reality, our zeal usually lasts no longer than a cup of coffee. Not because we’re insincere in our passionate pursuits, we just don’t know how to break the bad and make the good. Until today. Join me in today’s Episode, Breaking Bad - Breaking the Spell of Habits, as we reframe resolutions into forever rituals.
Auld Lang Syne - a Cup o’ Kindness Yet
December 29, 2020 10:00 - 20 minutesShould old acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind? Ah, the song that everyone sings until the third sentence as we fumble our way through the rest of the melody. While Auld Lang Syne is the traditional catalyst of reflection, goodwill, and remembering those from our past, today we sing this song with someone else in mind. Someone that knows you better than any other person. Your ups, your downs. Your trials, your triumphs. Today, a Cup o’ Kindness Yet as we toast none other tha...
Bah humbug - Ebenezer Scrooge, the Greatest Role Model of All.
December 22, 2020 10:00 - 14 minutesHeartless, egocentric, selfish; these are not the qualities we generally bestow upon role models. A role model is a leader, someone who avows empathy as supreme, who gives without hesitation, who turns the spotlight to others, a hero yet never declaring such a title. Judging not by the cover of his book, we turn the page to someone who has always been the villain. But, perhaps we’ve been looking at poor Ebenezer in the wrong light after all.
Wish - The Four Letter Word
December 15, 2020 10:00 - 15 minutesWish. Has there ever been a word so empowering yet so debilitating? It’s the bedrock of fairy tells just as much as the downfall of dreams. “I wish things were different.” “I wish I could.” “I wish my life were like theirs.” As soon as the word Wish comes out of our mouths it’s as if we’ve given up. In this episode of Calm it Down Podcast, we direct our attention to the man whose kingdom was built on the wishes of others; Walt Disney. Listen in as we hear how life is more than wishes and fa...
Oh the Lives You'll Change - You Matter
December 08, 2020 10:00 - 12 minutesYou. You've been 'there' since day one. You know your best days, your not-so-best days, your struggles, your success. And while some days you feel nothing good comes from anything, I want you to know that you are changing lives; realize it or not. You are the difference in someone else's life. The influence they need right now. The whisper of hope. You. You Matter.
Regrets Are So 15 Minutes Ago
December 01, 2020 10:00 - 11 minutesIn this episode of Calm it Down Podcast, we reframe the stumbling block of Regret. Believe it or not, Regret can be a Reward when we look at it the right way. It's life's way of correcting our perspective and encouraging us to even try again. Sounds absurd? How Regrets are so overplayed? Learn a lesson from your own past and lean into a path you may already be on but didn't realize.
Planes, Trains & Automobiles - The Walk in Someone Else's Shoes
November 24, 2020 10:00 - 13 minutesI just heard the first holiday song on the radio. It’s official. The holiday season is here. But, this year, everything is different. Listen to this week’s episode of Calm it Down podcast as we learn a few lessons from Steve Martin & John Candy in the cult classic Thanksgiving film, Planes, Trains & Automobiles as John Hughes so subtlety reminds us ‘this is not the year you get everything you want. This is the year you appreciate everything you have.’
Dear Insomnia, Go to Bed!
November 17, 2020 10:00 - 15 minutesInsomnia. It's the ‘not so sleeping giant in the room’. Exhausted, we climb into bed knowing we'll crash as our head hits the pillow until we don't. We just lay there. One thought racing after the other. How do we stop the cycle? We all know the norms like avoiding caffeine, exercise, etc, etc. But, I’m gonna share two major techniques that have recently come to light during some groundbreaking research in the field. Join me today and every Tuesday as we Calm it Down.
Do Absolutely Nothing, No Really
November 10, 2020 10:00 - 21 minutes"We can't even climb out of bed in the morning without grabbing our phone. What'd we miss? Emails, news, FB reminding me it's someone's birthday? Wait, it's not my A\anniversary is it?!?! The pandemic has only exacerbated the amount of work on our plates. Can't fly so let's add 15 zoom calls for Tuesday. What's easy to forget, particularly on a weekend, is our iPhone powers down just as easily as it powers on. But not without my prompting. This week on Calm it Down podcast, we recenter our...