Raise your hand if stress has ever steamrolled your day. (Yeah—ours too.)

In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, Brian Walsh—motivational speaker, author of Habit Craft 101, and Director of IT Operations—dives deep into how stress isn’t your villain…it’s just trying (poorly) to help you.

In this episode of Bad Day Excellence, Brian explores:

• Why stress exists and how it evolved to protect us

• The hidden costs of constant cortisol and decision fatigue

• The 3 science-backed tools to help you transform stress into clarity and action, including:

  • The 5-4-3-2-1 grounding method

  • Stress Rescripting (rewire your brain’s reaction)

  • Environment Design that sets you up for peace, not panic

💡 Plus, hear a powerful story from Brian’s past about stress, burnout, and Code Red Mountain Dew—and how Bad Day Excellence became his secret weapon.

Whether you’re dealing with career pressure, ADHD overwhelm, or parenting chaos, this episode will leave you feeling empowered, prepared, and ready to turn stress into progress.

Links & Resources:

• ✍️ Stress Audit Worksheet and Coloring Page

• 📘 Get your copy of Habit Craft 101 (now available!)

• 🧠 Join the Bad Day Excellence newsletter for weekly tools

• 📩 Submit your “bad day” moment for a future episode

• 🎧 Follow the show and leave a review if this helped you

If you feel like you're doing everything right but still aren’t earning the trust or loyalty of your team, you're not alone. Leadership isn’t about working harder—it’s about showing up differently.

In this episode of Bad Day Excellence, Brian Walsh unpacks five game-changing mindset and behavior shifts that will help you stand out as a leader your team actually wants to follow. With insights tailored for middle managers, you'll learn:

✅ How to reframe failure into fuel

✅ What makes assertive communication build trust faster than strategy

✅ Why active listening is your secret influence weapon

✅ How daily gratitude transforms team morale

✅ The one mindset shift that separates stagnant teams from thriving ones

🎯 Plus, don’t miss this week’s leadership challenge: Send 3 thank-you notes to boost team connection.

Whether you're managing up, leading down, or just trying to survive the middle, this episode will help you turn tough days into opportunities for growth.

Previously on Bad Day Excellence, we declared war on passivity and started our shift from consumer to creator. Today, we double down.

In this episode, Brian unpacks one powerful truth: the highest return on investment you can ever make is in yourself. Forget chasing market trends or waiting for someone else to win big—this is about building something that grows you.

Tune in to learn:

• Why comfort is the enemy of growth (and how to break out of it)

• The mindset shift that transforms distractions into momentum

• Real-world examples of small bets that created massive opportunities

• How to compound consistency to create lasting confidence and capability

This isn't hype. It’s your wake-up call.

🎯 Challenge of the Week: Block one hour to create—content, systems, skills. Guard it like your future depends on it. Because it does.

🎧 Haven’t listened to Part 1? Go back and check out “From Consumer to Creator” to catch the full transformation.

➡️ For more tools and resources, visit baddayexcellence.com
💬 Leave a review, share with a friend, and keep showing up. This is how we build.

You’re not going to build a life you love by watching the stock market and hoping for a miracle. In this episode of Bad Day Excellence, Brian Walsh shares how he went from blank Google Doc to published author—and how you can do the same by becoming a creator instead of a consumer. Learn how to protect your energy, avoid dopamine traps like news and social media, and lean into your unique voice. This episode is packed with inspiration, habit-building wisdom, and one simple mindset shift (TRY) that could change your life.

🎯 Whether you’re stuck in distraction or scared to start, this one’s for you.

👊 Take the challenge: What’s one thing you could talk about for hours? Learn it. Share it. Let it change your world.

💬 Email Brian at brian@baddayexcellence.com or message him @walshmegrow with your breakthrough!

🔗 Don’t forget to subscribe to not miss episode, rate, and check out baddayexcellence.com for more tools to craft the habits that shape your future.

Are you tired of being tired? You’re not alone—and no, the solution isn’t more coffee or another productivity hack. In this episode, Brian breaks down why sleep is the most underrated habit in your self-improvement journey, and how mastering it can instantly improve your focus, motivation, mood, and momentum.

You’ll learn:

• Why your bedtime might be sabotaging your goals

• The truth about circadian rhythms (and how to reset yours)

• Simple wind-down routines that actually work

• How to build sleep habits that boost willpower and resilience

Whether you’re a night owl, an early riser, or someone who’s just barely functioning, this episode will give you the tools to stop surviving and start thriving—with rest as your secret weapon.

🛌 Tiny habit of the week: A 45-minute wind-down reminder that changes everything.

🎯 Ready to build better habits that stick? Let’s start with the one you do with your eyes closed.

👉 Want more guidance and tools to level up your life through tiny, consistent changes?
Reserve your copy of my upcoming book Habit Craft 101 and stay in the loop on its release here:
🌐 baddayexcellence.com/habitcraft101

Ever feel like you're not good enough to start something new? You’re not alone. But what if the secret isn’t to think your way out of self-doubt—but to act your way through it?

In this episode of Bad Day Excellence, we’re tackling self-doubt, imposter syndrome, and the habits keeping you stuck. I’ll walk you through the signs of imposter syndrome, the science-backed ways to rewire your brain for confidence, and the habit-based strategies (thoughts, words, and actions) that will help you push through doubt and finally take action.

If self-doubt has ever stopped you from taking a risk, chasing a goal, or believing in yourself, this episode is for you. Let’s crush that inner critic and build habits that make confidence your default.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
✅ The real impact of self-doubt on decision-making, success, and happiness
✅ Signs you’re dealing with imposter syndrome (and how to break free)
✅ The Four Stages of Competence Model—why learning always feels hard before it gets easy
✅ How small mindset shifts can silence your inner critic
✅ Why acting confident beats feeling confident every time
✅ The power pose technique—boost confidence in just 2 minutes
✅ Actionable strategies to train your thoughts, words, and actions for lasting self-belief

Resources & Next Steps:
📌 Watch Amy Cuddy’s TED Talk on Power Poses
📌 The Four Stages of Competence Model Explained
📌 Read More on Self-Doubt & Confidence at BadDayExcellence.com

Whenever self-doubt creeps in, write down three past wins—big or small. Share one with me on Instagram @walshmegrow or email me at brian@baddayexcellence.com. Let’s celebrate progress together!

🔥 Enjoyed this episode? Leave a 5-star review and help more people crush self-doubt and build unstoppable habits! 🔥

Challenge for This Week:

Over 60% of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck—even those earning six figures. I’ve been there, making more but somehow still feeling broke. In this episode of Bad Day Excellence, I share my personal journey of financial wake-up calls, hard-learned lessons, and the small mindset shifts that changed everything. If you’re ready to stop spinning your wheels and start building real wealth, this episode is for you. Let’s take control—together.

Struggling to focus, stay motivated, or finish what you start? Whether you have ADHD or just feel constantly distracted, this episode of Bad Day Excellence is packed with actionable strategies to help you create sustainable habits, manage time blindness, and harness hyperfocus. Learn about body doubling, the power of dopamine-friendly productivity, and how to gamify your tasks for success. Plus, I’ll share my own personal ADHD hacks that help me juggle life as a parent, IT director, and content creator. Tune in and take control of your focus today!