What if mental toughness is not about pushing harder, but knowing when to stop. In this episode, Chris unpacks how the traditional grind-it-out definition of toughness quietly leads to burnout, injury, and mental exhaustion. Drawing from a moment during training for his first 70.3 Ironman, he explores the blurred line between discipline and self-destruction, the psychology behind overtraining and overworking, and why grit without mental health is a losing strategy.

We talk about rest as a skill, self-compassion as a performance tool, and how real toughness is built by listening, recovering, and choosing sustainability over ego. This episode is for anyone who has ever confused resilience with exhaustion and wondered why pushing harder stopped working.

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If you are looking for more information on mental health support, check out the Mental Health Resources page.

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This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please consult a licensed professional if you need support.

In a world where AI can juggle fifty tasks at once, our minds are struggling to keep up. This episode explores why mono-tasking is becoming a lost art and why reclaiming deep, focused attention might be the most human thing we can do. We look at the neuroscience behind task-switching, how technology is reshaping our pace of work, and practical steps to rebuild depth, presence, and meaning in a machine-accelerated world. If you’ve been feeling scattered, overstimulated, or pressured to “keep up” with your own tools, this episode offers a quieter, steadier way forward.

Want more? Read the blog post: The Power Of Mono-Tasking: Staying Human In A Machine World

👉 Order my new book, Still Human: Staying Sane, Productive, and Fully You in the Age of AI

If you are looking for more information on mental health support, check out the Mental Health Resources page.

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⚠️ Disclaimer:
This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please consult a licensed professional if you need support.

This Thanksgiving-inspired episode explores how gratitude can be more than a seasonal idea: it can be a grounding force during a year of change, growth, and vulnerability.

Chris reflects on the people who carried him, the small moments that mattered, and why support and kindness are essential to our mental wellbeing. You’ll learn how gratitude functions as a practical mental health tool, plus a simple challenge to help you slow down, reconnect, and stay human in a season that can feel both warm and overwhelming.

If the holidays feel heavy, this episode also includes resources and encouragement for getting the support you deserve. And if you’ve been considering therapy or looking for tools to support your mental wellbeing, I recently wrote a guide to five recommended online therapy platforms.
It breaks down how they work, what they offer, and how to choose the right fit.

Want more? Read the blog post: Embracing Gratitude: Easy Ways to Feel More Thankful This Thanksgiving

👉 Order my new book, Still Human: Staying Sane, Productive, and Fully You in the Age of AI

If you are looking for more information on mental health support, check out the Mental Health Resources page.

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⚠️ Disclaimer:
This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please consult a licensed professional if you need support.

This is the final episode in the Still Human series on Through the Mental Lens. In Part 3: Embracing Humanity in an AI World, Chris takes a direct look at artificial intelligence — its power, its pitfalls, and what it means for our creativity and identity.

You’ll hear:

• A personal story of how AI unlocked a long-stalled creative project and why that was both exciting and unsettling
• Why AI can be a powerful co-pilot but a terrible compass
• The hidden cost of skipping the creative struggle with AI “shortcuts”
• Three practical ways to protect your voice and keep the human at the center of your work
• A reflection exercise to help you identify the parts of your life and creativity that should remain fully human

AI can speed us up, but it can’t give us meaning. Holding on to our quirks, reflections, and struggles is what keeps us truly human.

You can also read the companion article, Finding Clarity in a Digital World: How to Stay Human and Sane in the Age of AI at The Mental Lens.

👉 Order my new book, Still Human: Staying Sane, Productive, and Fully You in the Age of AI

If you are looking for more information on mental health support, check out the Mental Health Resources page.

Follow and subscribe on Apple podcasts, Spotify, or whever you get your podcasts!

Dive deeper and subscribe to the newsletter at The Mental Lens.
Free tools | Simple insights | 15% off your first order at The Mental Lens Store |
Zero overwhelm

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⚠️ Disclaimer:
This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please consult a licensed professional if you need support.

This is Part 2 of the Still Human series on Through the Mental Lens. In this episode, Chris explores the hidden cost of chasing productivity and why checking every box doesn’t always lead to peace of mind.

You’ll hear:

• The personal story of “performing productivity” while quietly unraveling inside
• Why busyness culture and AI tools feed what Chris calls productivity theater
• How chronic stress shows up in your body — from elevated heart rate to burnout
• A simple tool: The Peace Filter — three questions to help you choose work that adds clarity, not chaos
• A reflection exercise to redefine productivity on your own terms

Productivity only matters if you still feel human at the end of the day.

You can also read the companion article, Finding Clarity in a Digital World: How to Stay Human and Sane in the Age of AI at The Mental Lens.

👉 Order my new book, Still Human: Staying Sane, Productive, and Fully You in the Age of AI

If you are looking for more information on mental health support, check out the Mental Health Resources page.

Follow and subscribe on Apple podcasts, Spotify, or whever you get your podcasts!

Dive deeper and subscribe to the newsletter at The Mental Lens.
Free tools | Simple insights | 15% off your first order at The Mental Lens Store |
Zero overwhelm

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⚠️ Disclaimer:
This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please consult a licensed professional if you need support.

This episode kicks off a special Still Human series on Through the Mental Lens. In Part 1: Always On — Why Our Brains Feel Fried, Chris shares a personal story of smart devices slowly taking over his home, and his attention. From there, we explore the evolutionary mismatch between our Stone Age brains and today’s nonstop digital demands.

You’ll learn:

• Why constant alerts trigger stress even when they seem harmless
• How “switching costs” drain our focus and energy
• Why feeling scattered isn’t a personal flaw—it’s overload
• A simple reflection exercise to sort real alerts from digital noise

If your brain feels fried, you’re not broken. You’re just carrying more than it was designed to. This episode helps you start reclaiming clarity in an always-on world.

Want more on this? Check out my blog post Finding Clarity In A Digital World: How To Stay Human And Sane In The Age Of AI.

👉 Order my new book, Still Human: Staying Sane, Productive, and Fully You in the Age of AI

If you are looking for more information on mental health support, check out the Mental Health Resources page.

Follow and subscribe on Apple podcasts, Spotify, or whever you get your podcasts!

Dive deeper and subscribe to the newsletter at The Mental Lens.
Free tools | Simple insights | 15% off your first order at The Mental Lens Store |
Zero overwhelm

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⚠️ Disclaimer:
This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please consult a licensed professional if you need support.

AI promised to save us time—but are notifications actually making us more anxious instead of more productive? In this episode of Through the Mental Lens, Chris unpacks the “ping parade” of AI-driven alerts and how they quietly shape our focus, emotions, and sense of control. From the promise of productivity to the hidden mental load of constant nudges, we’ll explore when AI helps—and when it doesn't.

👉 Order my new book, Still Human: Staying Sane, Productive, and Fully You in the Age of AI

If you are looking for more information on mental health support, check out the Mental Health Resources page.

Follow and subscribe on Apple podcasts, Spotify, or whever you get your podcasts!

Dive deeper and subscribe to the newsletter at The Mental Lens.
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Zero overwhelm

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⚠️ Disclaimer:
This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please consult a licensed professional if you need support.

In this episode of Through the Mental Lens, we explore one of the most overlooked pillars of mental health—our relationships. While self-care often focuses inward on journaling, meditation, or exercise, true wellbeing is also built in connection with others.

I share why supportive relationships are vital to mental health (backed by decades of research) and break it down into three key pillars: setting healthy boundaries, having deeper conversations, and cultivating community. You’ll hear practical strategies you can apply right away—whether it’s saying no without guilt, asking better questions, or starting small rituals that strengthen connection.

👉 Order my new book, Still Human: Staying Sane, Productive, and Fully You in the Age of AI

If you are looking for more information on mental health support, check out the Mental Health Resources page.

Follow and subscribe on Apple podcasts, Spotify, or whever you get your podcasts!

Dive deeper and subscribe to the newsletter at The Mental Lens.
Free tools | Simple insights | 15% off your first order at The Mental Lens Store |
Zero overwhelm

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⚠️ Disclaimer:
This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please consult a licensed professional if you need support.