Thoughts are powerful - but they're not always the truth.

In this episode, Lora and Jeff wade into the murky waters of our thinking minds, exploring how thoughts shape our emotions, actions, and sense of self. We unpack the difference between active and passive thoughts, where our thoughts come from, and why missing information can cause us to fill in gaps with fear or negativity. Together, we explore tools for holding thoughts more lightly, building awareness, and finding more clarity and compassion in the noise.

We explore:

• The difference between active and passive thoughts

• How environment and experience shape the way we think

• Why missing data points often create false assumptions

• The impact of negativity bias on our daily lives

• Practical strategies for managing thought patterns

• How meditation, mindfulness, and even humming can help soothe the mind

Our adventurer rows into a heavy fog, the path ahead completely hidden. In the thick silence, every small splash, every creak of the boat feels bigger, scarier, more urgent. It would be easy to panic—to imagine monsters in the mist. But instead, he hums softly to himself, steadies his breathing, and remembers: not every sound is a threat, and not every thought needs chasing.

Connect with So What Who Cares

Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠mail.sowhatwhocares@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@sowhatwhocarespodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@sowhatwhocarespodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠So What Who Cares Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠@sowhatwhocarespodcast⁠⁠⁠

Find Lora McCarville at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.loramccarville.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠

Chapters
00:00 Navigating the Fog of Thoughts
02:57 Understanding the Nature of Thoughts
05:59 The Source of Our Thoughts
09:04 The Impact of Missing Data Points
11:49 The Influence of Negativity Bias
15:10 Balancing Positive and Negative Thinking
17:51 The Role of Meditation and Mindfulness
20:56 Tools for Managing Thoughts

#SoWhatWhoCares #SoWhatWhoCaresPodcast #LoraMcCarville #JeffKalasky #MindfulnessMatters #EmotionalIntelligence #MentalClarity #SelfCompassion #ThoughtAwareness #CognitivePatterns #ManagingAnxiety #InnerStrength #HealingJourney #NavigatingTheMind #PersonalGrowth #FogOfThoughts

In this meditation, Lora invites listeners to cultivate compassion by recognizing our shared human experiences. By setting aside notions of difference, shame, and fear, this practice encourages a felt sense of common humanity - that all individuals wish for happiness and freedom from suffering.

What you'll experience:

- Mindful Awareness: Techniques to center your attention and become present.

- Visualization: Guided imagery to foster empathy toward others

- Compassionate Reflection: Phrases and thoughts to deepen understanding of shared human desires and struggles

Ideal for:

- Individuals seeking to enhance empathy and understanding in their relationships

- Those looking to expand their circle of compassion

- Anyone interested in mindfulness practices that promote emotional well-being

Connect with So What Who Cares

Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠mail.sowhatwhocares@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@sowhatwhocarespodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@sowhatwhocarespodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠So What Who Cares Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠@sowhatwhocarespodcast⁠⁠⁠

Find Lora McCarville at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.loramccarville.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠

#meditation #guidedmeditation #mindfulmoments #meditationpractice #compassion #selfcompassion #lovingkindness #empathy #innerpeace #mentalwellness #emotionalhealth #healingjourney #selfcare #justlikeme #sowhatwhocares #sowhatwhocarespodcast #loramccarville

Compassion, both outward and inward, is a skill. One that can transform how we relate to ourselves, others, and the hardest moments of being human.

In this episode, Lora and Jeff explore the practice of compassion - what it is, what is isn't, and how it helps stay present with hard things without spiraling into shame. From noticing the stories we tell ourselves, to staying curious in conflict, to recognizing when we need to offer compassion inward before reaching outward.

We explore:

• What compassion really means (and how it’s different from being “nice”)

• Why compassion is a powerful tool for regulation

• How self-compassion helps us stay in relationship with others

• Noticing the gap between what we feel and what we intend

• The role of curiosity in staying open during conflict

• What gets in the way of giving ourselves grace—and how to move through it

  
  

Our adventurer is jolted from calm to chaos - losing grip on a very important tool on his journey. He begins to slip into a spiral of shame and guilt, until he remembers the words of his teacher - reminding him to be compassionate to himself.

Connect with So What Who Cares

Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠mail.sowhatwhocares@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠

YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@sowhatwhocarespodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@sowhatwhocarespodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠

Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠So What Who Cares Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠

TikTok: ⁠⁠@sowhatwhocarespodcast⁠⁠

Find Lora McCarville at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.loramccarville.com/⁠⁠⁠

Chapters

00:00 The Journey Begins: A Traveler's Reflection

04:05 Understanding Compassion: A Deep Dive

10:32 The Importance of Self-Compassion

15:52 Compassion vs. Niceness: Defining Boundaries

22:54 Compassion in Community: Collective Care

28:43 Navigating Political Divisions with Compassion

35:42 Practicing Compassion: Steps to Take

#SoWhatWhoCares #SoWhatWhoCaresPodcast #LoraMcCarville #JeffKalasky #SelfCompassion #CompassionPractice #EmotionalRegulation #MindfulnessMatters #CuriosityOverJudgment #HealingJourney #MentalHealthSupport #RelationalHealth #KindnessStartsWithin #EmotionalIntelligence #StayingPresent #PersonalGrowth #GraceNotPerfection

In today's episode, we dive into the transformative practice of Loving-Kindness, also known as Metta meditation. This meditation is designed to open your heart and cultivate compassion for yourself and others.

In this episode:

- A guided practice of loving kindness meditation. Whether you're new to meditation or looking to deepen your practice, this episode offers an approachable meditation to help you spread kindness and compassion.

Connect with So What Who Cares

Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠mail.sowhatwhocares@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@sowhatwhocarespodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@sowhatwhocarespodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠So What Who Cares Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠@sowhatwhocarespodcast⁠⁠⁠

Find Lora McCarville at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.loramccarville.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠

#sowhatwhocares #sowhatwhocarespodcast #loramccarville #meditation #meditationpodcast #mindfulnesspractice #lovingkindness #mettameditation #mindfulliving #compassion #wellnesspodcast #innerpeacejourney #mentalhealthmatters #practicalmindfulness

Part 2 of 2:

Anger is an emotion, not a behavior - and understanding that can change everything.

In the second part of this two-part episode, Lora and Jeff dig a little deeper into the world of emotional responses, exploring how anger can be a useful guide when handled with awareness. We look into the importance of setting boundaries, befriending difficult emotions, and developing self-compassion to help navigate life.

We explore:

- Recognizing the urge to fight in stressful situations

- Why setting boundaries is a form of self-advocacy

- How anger can be beneficial when managed properly

- The importance of befriending difficult emotions instead of avoiding them

- Practical strategies for engaging with sensations and thoughts

- How self-compassion make space for emotional growth

Connect with So What Who Cares

Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠mail.sowhatwhocares@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠

YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@sowhatwhocarespodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@sowhatwhocarespodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠

Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠So What Who Cares Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠

TikTok: ⁠⁠@sowhatwhocarespodcast⁠⁠

Find Lora McCarville at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.loramccarville.com/⁠⁠⁠

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Context

00:29 Confronting Emotional Responses

05:12 Setting Boundaries and Managing Anger

13:15 Befriending Difficult Emotions

20:48 Engaging with Sensations and Thoughts

#SoWhatWhoCares #SoWhatWhoCaresPodcast #LoraMcCarville #JeffKalasky #EmotionalResponses #AngerManagement #SettingBoundaries #SelfCompassion #MindfulnessMatters #EmotionalIntelligence #CopingStrategies #InnerStrength #PersonalGrowth #SelfAwareness #HealingJourney #BefriendingEmotions #MentalHealthSupport

PART 1 OF 2:

Our nervous system doesn't ask for permission - it takes over before we even know what's happening.

In this two-part episode, Lora and Jeff discuss the fight or flight response, and how our nervous system reacts to everyday threats as if they're life-or-death situations. We explore how cultural conditioning can shape our responses to anger, anxiety, and fear and why recognizing emotions as signals - rather than actions - is key to reclaiming agency over our emotions.

We explore:

- Why the fight or flight response kicks in before logic has a chance

- How our bodies react to modern-day stressors as if they're predators

- The role of felt sense and somatics in recognizing emotional cues

- How cultural conditioning rewards anxiety-driven behaviors

- Why anger is an emotion, not an action - and how to hold space for it

- Tools for metabolizing fear and anger in a healthy way

Our adventurer finds himself battling a threat that turns out to be no threat at all. Thrown into the water, his survival brain takes over. But when he finally surfaces, it's not a predator at all - just a curious whale passing by. The danger had never been real, but his body didn't wait to find out.

Connect with So What Who Cares

Email: ⁠⁠⁠mail.sowhatwhocares@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠

YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠@sowhatwhocarespodcast⁠⁠⁠

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠@sowhatwhocarespodcast⁠⁠⁠

Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠So What Who Cares Podcast⁠⁠⁠

TikTok: ⁠@sowhatwhocarespodcast⁠

Find Lora McCarville at: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.loramccarville.com/⁠⁠

#SoWhatWhoCares #SoWhatWhoCaresPodcast #LoraMcCarville #JeffKalasky #FightOrFlight #EmotionalResponses #Somatics #SelfAwareness #SurvivalInstincts #MindfulnessMatters #EmotionalIntelligence #AngerManagement #CulturalInfluences #ManagingFear #MentalWellness #SelfRegulation #PersonalGrowth #InnerStrength #MindBodyConnection

Sometimes, the hardest battles aren't the ones we fight - they're the ones that leave us frozen. Stillness isn’t always peace. Sometimes, it’s being stuck. In this episode, Jeff and Lora explore what happens when our nervous system responds to stress—not with fight or flight, but with freeze, collapse, or fawning.In this episode, we explore:- The difference between freeze, collapse, and fawn responses- Why these survival instincts exist and how they serve (or hinder) us- The role of culture in rewarding certain nervous system responses- The impact of prolonged stress and how it can shape our identity- How to recognize when you’re stuck and ways to gently shift out of it- Practical exercises, from playful movement to the power of saying “no”Our adventurer is adrift in a sea that refuses to move. No wind, no waves - just an endless stretch of water keeping him in place. Lost in looping thoughts, he feels frozen. But a small piece of driftwood is all the reminder he needs to remember he is real, and that even the smallest shift is still movement. Connect with So What Who CaresEmail: ⁠mail.sowhatwhocares@gmail.com⁠

YouTube: ⁠@sowhatwhocarespodcast⁠

Instagram: ⁠@sowhatwhocarespodcast⁠

Facebook: ⁠So What Who Cares Podcast⁠Find Lora McCarville at: ⁠https://www.loramccarville.com/⁠Chapters00:00 Drifting in Stillness: A Metaphor for Life's Journey02:51 Understanding Stress Responses: The Nervous System Explained06:08 The Four F's: Fight, Flight, Freeze, and Fawn08:54 The Nuances of Freeze and Collapse Responses11:59 Personal Stories: Lessons from Life's Challenges14:55 Functional Freeze: Navigating Everyday Life17:55 Internal vs. External Triggers: The Complexity of Responses20:59 Cultural Influences on Stress Responses: The Role of Society23:50 Engaging with Threats: The Fawn Response in Action24:19 Understanding Fawning and Agency27:21 Recognizing and Managing Nervous System States29:43 Play and Somatics in Healing33:55 Titration and Pendulation in Nervous System Responses39:59 Personal Experiences with Freeze Responses42:13 Practical Strategies for Empowerment and Saying No#SoWhatWhoCares #Podcast #LoraMcCarville #JeffKalasky #FreezeResponse #NervousSystem #EmotionalRegulation #SurvivalInstincts #Mindfulness #HealingJourney #TraumaAwareness #PersonalGrowth #SelfAwareness #MentalWellness #Resilience #FindingYourVoice

Our journey is not meant to be walked alone - sometimes, the way forward is found in connection. In today's episode, Lora, Jeff, and the lovely Bird explore the power of regulation and co-regulation, and why support and empowerment are so important. We explore:- What regulation really means - and why it's not just about feeling calm- The difference between self-regulation, co-regulation, and codependency- Why being independent doesn't mean doing everything alone- How presence - not words - is often the most powerful way to support others- The role of self-compassion in holding space for someone else- Why "handling your own stuff" doesn't mean carrying it aloneOur adventurer finds himself on a calm sea after his brutal storm last episode, feeling alone and tired, still bracing for the next wave. But as he watches a dolphin and a bird move in perfect sync, he realizes he was never truly alone.

Connect with So What Who CaresEmail: ⁠⁠mail.sowhatwhocares@gmail.com⁠⁠

YouTube: ⁠⁠@sowhatwhocarespodcast⁠⁠

Instagram: ⁠⁠@sowhatwhocarespodcast⁠⁠

Facebook: ⁠⁠So What Who Cares Podcast⁠⁠

TikTok: @sowhatwhocarespodcastFind Lora McCarville at: ⁠⁠https://www.loramccarville.com/⁠

Chapters00:00 The Calm After the Storm02:51 Understanding Regulation in the Nervous System05:50 The Importance of Co-Regulation08:56 Navigating Emotional States and Agency12:02 Codependency vs. Healthy Dependence15:03 The Journey of Self-Regulation18:06 Communal Care and Connection20:58 The Role of Self-Compassion24:09 Practicing Loving Kindness27:09 Final Thoughts and Reflections#SoWhatWhoCares #Podcast #LoraMcCarville #JeffKalasky #CoRegulation #EmotionalSupport #SelfRegulation #Mindfulness #MentalWellness #Resilience #ConnectionMatters #HealingTogether #EmotionalIntelligence #InnerStrength #SelfAwareness #PersonalGrowth #HoldingSpace