We know it’s been a while since the release of a new episode. You’re probably wondering why there has been so much radio silence over the past several months. With a sad and heavy heart, your host Annemarie had to say goodbye to her mother in May of this year. After spending time caring for her mother and enjoying precious moments with her family, she’s excited to be back and looks forward to all the episodes we have in the pipeline! 

Jumping into today’s episode, which we’ve titled Fear the Frenemy, we define the term “frenemy” and look at two keywords in the definition of fear: anticipation and awareness. We then dive into a discussion on the different flavors of fear and how our bodies respond to each of these “fear-cream cones.” Our conversation steers toward how to actively manage your fear and quiet your mind, and we share five steps to move your thoughts from the negative zone to the neutral zone. This is a jam-packed episode, filled with incredible insights into how fear functions and great tips on how to manage the fear in your life. If fear reigns supreme in your life, be sure to tune in to learn how to regain control, lengthen your lifespan, and improve your health and well-being on many levels!

Key Points From This Episode:

• Why Annemarie took a break from podcasting (and a message to caregivers).
• Why she refers to fear as her frenemy and what exactly a frenemy is. 
• Two keywords in the definition of fear: anticipation versus awareness.
• A discussion on the different flavors of fear and how our bodies respond.
• Reasons we cannot eliminate fear from our lives completely. 
• The importance of learning to actively manage our fear.
• Ways that you can gain control back from fear by quieting your mind.
• Tips for how you can quiet your mind.
• A quick recap on the acronym, D-O-S-E.
• The importance of writing down your thoughts.
• Five steps to move your thoughts from the negative zone to the neutral zone.
• The importance of articulating and writing down the fear. 
• Why you should rationalize and “talk to” your fear.
• A few final thoughts on sifting through your thoughts. 

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Episode 2: What’s Happening Inside of Our Bodies When We Are Stressing Out?

Episode 9: Nature is the Ultimate Mind Spa

Annemarie Bell on Instagram

Annemarie Bell Email

Disclaimer

This podcast represents the opinions and views of Annemarie Bell and her guests. The content herein should not be taken or construed as medical advice or therapeutic services. Additionally, views and opinions expressed in the podcast are those of Annemarie Bell and/or her guests and do not represent those of her employer.

We all have bad days. We don’t always manage them in the most controlled ways, and that’s okay! It comes with the territory of being an imperfect human. However, there are some stress management techniques that you can practice to redirect a bad day and, in this episode, you’ll hear about a few of them. It’s one thing to have to endure a bad day yourself. It’s another when it starts to impact those around you. By practicing the four strategies provided, you can not only decrease the reach of your bad day but even stop it dead in its tracks. Tune in to learn how to activate your inner director, use your breath to restore parasympathetic mode, rely on music and your network to bring you back to yourself, and more. Sometimes, a bad day can get the better of the best of us, so listen out for some extra tips on what to do to unwind and create some emotional distance from the disasters of the day!

Key Points From This Episode:

• Examples of typically bad days.
• Varying reactions to mishaps.
• The repercussions of inflicting our bad day on others.
• How learning stress management techniques can minimize the impact of a bad day.
• Useful stress management techniques for redirecting your bad day.
• The benefits of activating your inner director.
• How to use your breath to transition back into parasympathetic mode.
• The importance of relying on your network when you’re struggling.
• The role of music in stress management.
• What to do if a bad day gets the better of you.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Episode 02: What’s Happening Inside Our Bodies When We Are Stressing Out?

“Psychological and Physiological Signatures of Music Listening in Different Listening Environments—An Exploratory Study”

Annemarie Bell on Instagram

Annemarie Bell Email

Disclaimer

This podcast represents the opinions and views of Annemarie Bell and her guests. The content herein should not be taken or construed as medical advice or therapeutic services. Additionally, views and opinions expressed in the podcast are those of Annemarie Bell and/or her guests and do not represent those of her employer.

Our relationship with ourselves is sacred and is the foundation of the relationships we have with everything else around us. In this episode, we tackle ways to manage our relationship with stress, or our “stresslationship”, by managing our relationship with ourselves. We look at all of the elements that characterize our stresslationship, from self-awareness, self-esteem, and self-care, to self-reflection and self-fulfillment. You’ll learn tools for self-reflection and ways to set boundaries, nurture healthy self-esteem, and shift your focus towards joy in your life. You don’t have to navigate the entire staircase in one go, you just need to take one step at a time. Tune in to discover how to set realistic stress management goals and become the CEO of your mind.

Key Points From This Episode:

• Requirements for setting a realistic stress management goal.
• Why it’s important to set only one goal, without a specific time limit.
• The complexity of setting stress management goals.
• Making time versus finding time.
• AMB defines “stress intersections” and breaks them down into categories.
• What impacts our relationship with ourselves, and what it impacts in turn.
• The agency we have over our own lives and minds!
• The importance of engaging with people who prioritize your well-being.
• How to be the CEO of your mind.
• Elements that characterize our relationship with ourselves.
• How to practice self-awareness. 
• Signs of low self-esteem and how to nurture healthy self-esteem.
• How to set boundaries and prioritize self-care.
• Tools for self-reflection and the role of self-reflection in stress management.
• The importance of striving for self-fulfillment.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Episode 08: Time to Level Up the Self Talk 

Boundary Boss by Terri Cole

Annemarie Bell on Instagram

Annemarie Bell Email

Disclaimer

This podcast represents the opinions and views of Annemarie Bell and her guests. The content herein should not be taken or construed as medical advice or therapeutic services. Additionally, views and opinions expressed in the podcast are those of Annemarie Bell and/or her guests and do not represent those of her employer.

The festive season can be extremely stressful as you commit to unrealistic expectations in an effort to please everyone around you. But what about your personal well-being? Is it possible to live in peace and tranquility for the duration of the holidays? Yes, it is! And today, we will be discussing how to slay holiday stress like a boss! We examine why the holidays can be such a stressful period, how to identify and acknowledge your stress triggers, and how to make the most of your holiday to-do list. All of us carry emotional wounds, and it’s important to set out an emotional-grime regulation plan for you to survive the holidays. You’ll learn how to anticipate your emotional grime and how to overcome it, why it’s vital to gift yourself little moments of joy, why mindfulness matters, and how to set realistic expectations for yourself this festive season. To find out how to conquer commercialization, how to give and accept empathy, and how to navigate uncomfortable conversations with problematic family members, tune in now!    

Key Points From This Episode:

• Today, we’re taking a look at how we can defeat holiday stress, like a boss!
• Our host explains why she took a short break from this podcast. 
• How it’s okay to drop some items on your to-do list to protect your well-being.
• Why we get stressed during the holidays. 
• The importance of identifying and acknowledging our stress triggers. 
• A detailed look at a low-stress method of navigating your to-do list during the festive season.  
• The emotional-grime regulation plan. 
• Anticipating what sets off your emotional grime and how to push through it. 
• Ways that you can gift yourself little moments of joy; taking a joy break. 
• Why mindfulness matters. 
• How we should avoid using substances as coping mechanisms.
• Setting realistic expectations for the holidays.
• How to prevent commercialization from infiltrating your holiday spirit and values. 
• Being empathetic and accepting empathy in return. 
• How to engage with problematic family and friends over the holidays.  

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Annemarie Bell on Instagram

Annemarie Bell Email

Disclaimer

This podcast represents the opinions and views of Annemarie Bell and her guests. The content herein should not be taken or construed as medical advice or therapeutic services. Additionally, views and opinions expressed in the podcast are those of Annemarie Bell and/or her guests and do not represent those of her employer.

One of the reasons you may find yourself so effing stressed is that you are not drinking enough water. It’s an Essential, with a capital E, component in our stress management toolbox! Its impact on both mental and physical health is fundamental. Water is also the most important nutrient you can consume, as our bodies are made up of anywhere from 40-70% water! In this episode of Why Am I So Effing Stressed? We hear all about water. What it is, how our bodies regulate and manage fluid levels, and what happens when we go into different states of dehydration. Annemarie ties together how dehydration affects our levels of stress, and how it’s crucial to stay hydrated in order to live life at optimal levels in both mental and physical aspects. Not drinking enough water? Don’t stress about it, go grab a glass of H-2-O, and tune in now!

Key Points From This Episode:

• What is water?
• The role water plays in our bodies as humans.
• Annemarie goes over data points from a research article published in 1945.
• Two types of thirst generated by our bodies when we don’t maintain appropriate hydration.
• What happens when our body loses [too much] fluids and becomes dehydrated.
• Annemarie discusses mild, moderate, and severe dehydration symptoms.
• What happens to your body when it is dehydrated and how it’s related to stress.
• A look at two published articles on the relationship between water consumption and stress.
• How dehydration affects the release of cortisol, the stress hormone.
• The importance of staying adequately hydrated to maintain optimal bodily function.
• Areas [of life] affected when we are not able to function at optimal levels. 
• How living in a state of chronic stress affects your dehydration. 
• Annemarie goes through 15 benefits of drinking water and how it ties to stress management.
• How to enjoy water, it is not boring! Experiment with it.
• Make drinking water a habit; if you can remember to wait in line for your favorite coffee drink, you can remember to drink water! 
• How much water is enough? 
• Why you should NOT over-hydrate!

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

'The Chemical Composition of the Adult Human Body and it’s Bearing on the Biochemistry of Growth' 

Water Benefits Health

'Drinking plain water is associated with decreased risk of depression and anxiety in adults: Results from a large cross-sectional study'
'Basal Mild Dehydration Increase Salivary Cortisol After a Friendly Match in Young Elite Soccer Players'
15 Benefits of Drinking Water
Annemarie Bell on Instagram
Annemarie Bell Email

Disclaimer

This podcast represents the opinions and views of Annemarie Bell and her guests. The content herein should not be taken or construed as medical advice or therapeutic services. Additionally, views and opinions expressed in the podcast are those of Annemarie Bell and/or her guests and do not represent those of her employer.

Welcome back to “Why am I so Effing Stressed?” for another nurturing episode. And today, nurture can be found in nature as we explore why nature is the ultimate mind spa! We talk about feeling overwhelmed in both our bodies and minds, and how relaxing in front of your phone or laptop may calm your body but not your mind. You’ll learn why too much screen time at night is a bad idea, how to unplug from the ‘meta stuff’ and into nature instead, what biophilia is and why it’s so powerful, and why disconnecting from nature can have devastating consequences on your wellbeing. We then take a look at real medical studies that prove just how healing nature can be. We come to understand that nature can reduce stress, prevent mental strain and disease, and improve cognitive functioning. Even a small amount of time spent in nature can be wondrous for your body and mind. We end our chat by hearing a few suggestions on how you can best spend your outings in nature. If you are looking to find your calm while receiving stress-relieving information, be sure to tune in!  

Key Points From This Episode:

• Today, we will be discussing why nature is the ultimate mind spa. 
• Feeling too stressed, anxious, and/or overwhelmed in both your body and mind.
• How retreating to our phones and laptops may calm our bodies but not our minds. 
• Why too much screen time at night is unhealthy, especially when you’re stressed.
• Unplugging from the ‘meta stuff’ and plugging into nature instead. 
• The power of biophilia. 
• Why disconnecting from nature can have negative effects on our well-being. 
• A study that forced people to be in nature and away from their phones. 
• The remarkable results of forest bathing. 
• How nature nurtures.
• Discovering how a walk in nature can prevent mental strain and even disease.
• How nature can improve cognitive functioning.
• Nature and the Attention Network Test. 
• The importance of getting daily doses of sunlight. 
• Different ways to spend time in nature but first: leave your phone alone. 

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

“The cognitive benefits of interacting with nature”

“Not Just Scenery: Viewing nature pictures improves executive attention in older adults”

“Nature contact and mood benefits”

“Urban nature experiences reduce stress in the context of daily life based on salivary biomarkers”

“The physiological effects of Shinrin-yoku” 

“How nature nurtures”

Episode 02: What’s Happening Inside Our Bodies When We Are Stressing Out?

Annemarie Bell on Instagram

Annemarie Bell Email

Disclaimer

This podcast represents the opinions and views of Annemarie Bell and her guests. The content herein should not be taken or construed as medical advice or therapeutic services. Additionally, views and opinions expressed in the podcast are those of Annemarie Bell and/or her guests and do not represent those of her employer.

Few people would argue with you when you say that there’s an obvious link between emotions and stress. But the impact of self-talk on our emotional lives is a less common topic of conversation. When we regularly speak to ourselves in disparaging and cruel ways, we are creating stress within our bodies. During today’s conversation, we talk about how science backs this idea, and how we can implement simple tools to transition into a more self-supportive inner dialogue. Annemarie unpacks the value of starting with a commitment to yourself, tells us how to identify our triggers, and reveals what can happen as a result of negative self-talk. Hear why finding a trusted therapist is such a powerful solution to emotional pain, and be introduced to some ideas to supplement therapy as you address your self-talk patterns. We talk about finding perspective, embracing neutrality, and appointing a future version of yourself to advise you as you face tricky situations. You are a unique, beautiful soul, despite the emotional grime in your life. Join us today to hear how you can learn to speak to yourself accordingly and reap the benefits.

Key Points From This Episode:

• The obvious link between emotions and stress.
• What happens within the body when we regularly speak to ourselves in disparaging ways.
• A reminder that we are here to make progress, not to be perfect.
• What we can learn from Emoto Masaru’s book, The Hidden Messages in Water.
• A surprising fact about gene mutations, disease, and disorders.
• The scientific link between negative self-talk, insomnia, and fatigue.
• Why shame is such a destructive emotion.
• How you can take the first step of making a commitment to changing your self-talk.
• Identifying your triggers.
• What can happen as a result of negative self-talk.
• Why a trusted therapist is such a powerful solution to emotional pain.
• Ideas to supplement therapy as you address your self-talk patterns.
• The importance of finding what works best for you. 
• Keeping a tab of your negative thoughts and self-talk.
• Untangling emotional grime in your mind. 
• Finding distance from a problem and assessing it from an outsider’s perspective.
• Understanding that ideas go through iterations contributed to by many.
• Reducing negative dialogue by embracing neutrality through practice.
• Appointing a future version of yourself to advise you in sticky moments.
• Understanding that the way your body changes doesn’t determine your worth. 
• Playing the counter-game of identifying your strengths in moments of self-criticism.
• Examples of loving ways to speak to yourself.
• Owning your mistakes and using them as fuel to grow. 
• A reminder that your mind and body are intricately connected.
• The powerful combination of therapy and self-work.
• Being prepared for your mind to push back.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

The Hidden Messages in Water

Annemarie Bell on Instagram

Annemarie Bell Email

Disclaimer

This podcast represents the opinions and views of Annemarie Bell and her guests. The content herein should not be taken or construed as medical advice or therapeutic services. Additionally, views and opinions expressed in the podcast are those of Annemarie Bell and/or her guests and do not represent those of her employer.

If you are able to maintain balance, being an overachiever (OA) can be a positive trait. There is, however, a dark side to it, and many OAs find themselves being hindered by their mindset, effectively putting their health at risk. Today’s episode is all about the overachiever’s balancing act. As a recovering overachiever herself, Annemarie is intimately aware of the common traits of the out-of-balance OA versus the in-balance OA. In this episode, she sheds light on how to identify which side of the spectrum you’re leaning towards and how to make healthy adjustments. Tune in to learn the difference between productive and unproductive paranoia, the dangers of overworking, and the steps you can take to protect your health and relationships.

Key Points From This Episode:

• Why Annemarie refers to herself as a recovering overachiever (OA). 
• The importance of finding balance as an OA.
• Various definitions of OAs.
• The dangers of an imbalanced OA mindset.
• How to gauge whether your OA mindset has moved from the ‘help’ zone to the ‘hinder’ zone. 
• Productive versus unproductive paranoia.
• The joy in presence, rather than perfection.
• The disadvantages of spreading yourself too thinly.
• Identifying the source of a hindering OA mindset.
• The value therapy can provide for excessive OA behavior.
• The common traits of in-balance versus out-of-balance OAs.
• Definition of a workaholic.
• The result of working excessively long hours.
• Helpful tips for out-of-balance OAs in terms of where to place their focus.
• How the unhealthy habits of out-of-balance OAs affect their relationships.
• Why it’s important not to postpone joy.
• Adjustments out-of-balance OAs can make to protect their health.
• How managers can help OA employees manage their time and priorities better.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Annemarie Bell on Instagram

Annemarie Bell Email

Disclaimer

This podcast represents the opinions and views of Annemarie Bell and her guests. The content herein should not be taken or construed as medical advice or therapeutic services. Additionally, views and opinions expressed in the podcast are those of Annemarie Bell and/or her guests and do not represent those of her employer.