Finding Light In the Darkness: For Ourselves and For Our Kids

It's Thanksgiving in the United States, which means a time of reflection and gratitude (and yes, we know, a time to find some comfier pants.) It's also a time of transition for Dr. Andrea and for Baggage Check.... take a listen. And thank you!Here's more on Dr. Andrea Bonior and her book Detox Your Thoughts.Credits: Beautiful cover art by Danielle Merity, exquisitely lounge-y original music by Jordan Cooper

As we take a production breather (in the cold, dark world of the "fall back" clock shift) we wanted to revisit an episode from a year ago about tackling the Winter blues. Contrary to popular belief, it's not really about temperature, as even folks fortunate enough to be able to wear a tank top at Thanksgiving can still suffer from seasonal blues-- which is mainly due to diminished sunlight.So, do you suffer from some "blahs" as it starts to get dark earlier? Join us to brush up on how to combat it. Follow Baggage Check on Instagram @baggagecheckpodcast and get sneak peeks of upcoming episodes, give your take on guests and show topics, gawk at the very good boy Buster the Dog, and send us your questions!Here's more on Dr. Andrea Bonior and her book Detox Your Thoughts.Here's more on this podcast, which somehow you already found (thank you!)Credits: Beautiful cover art by Danielle Merity, exquisitely lounge-y original music by Jordan Cooper

Have you ever heard of the Sunday Scaries? They seem to be growing more and more common: the dread and unease that hits before the workweek begins.In today's show, we talk about what cultural shifts might be making these more prevalent-- and how to help prevent and manage them. Whether you have a traditional workweek, a bizarro-world workweek, or anything in between-- and whether you love or hate your job-- we'll give you some tools to keep your weekend from being encroached upon.Follow Baggage Check on Instagram @baggagecheckpodcast and get sneak peeks of upcoming episodes, give your take on guests and show topics, gawk at the very good boy Buster the Dog, and send us your questions!Here's more on Dr. Andrea Bonior and her book Detox Your Thoughts.Here's more on this podcast, which somehow you already found (thank you!)Credits: Beautiful cover art by Danielle Merity, exquisitely lounge-y original music by Jordan Cooper

With horrifying images circulating amid devastating world news, we wanted to talk today about something that comes up constantly in times of despair: how to find the light, and how to talk to our kids about things that are scary and seemingly unspeakable.What about when we feel like we have no answers ourselves?How can we keep moving forward, setting the boundaries we need to set while also not sticking our head in the sand?We cover all of it-- and hopefully give you some hope-- today in Baggage Check. Follow Baggage Check on Instagram @baggagecheckpodcast and get sneak peeks of upcoming episodes, give your take on guests and show topics, gawk at the very good boy Buster the Dog, and send us your questions!Here's more on Dr. Andrea Bonior and her book Detox Your Thoughts.Here's more on this podcast, which somehow you already found (thank you!)Credits: Beautiful cover art by Danielle Merity, exquisitely lounge-y original music by Jordan Cooper

Today we're talking about OCD-- and most specifically, how misunderstood it is. You may recall Episode 24, where we talked with author and journalist David Adam about his personal struggles with OCD (and if you haven't, give it a listen!) but today we tackle all the misconceptions we see most often out in the world about what it is-- and what it isn't.Follow Baggage Check on Instagram @baggagecheckpodcast and get sneak peeks of upcoming episodes, give your take on guests and show topics, gawk at the very good boy Buster the Dog, and send us your questions!Here's more on Dr. Andrea Bonior and her book Detox Your Thoughts.Here's more on this podcast, which somehow you already found (thank you!)Credits: Beautiful cover art by Danielle Merity, exquisitely lounge-y original music by Jordan Cooper

We all do it. Okay, maybe we shouldn't say we all do it-- because that's what we're up against today. We're talking about all-or-none thinking.We've mentioned this type of thinking before on Baggage Check, and how it is a common cognitive distortion that can easily make you more anxious, more depressed, and more irritable. But today we're tackling how to spot it-- and you may be surprised at some of the ways you use it. Join us! Follow Baggage Check on Instagram @baggagecheckpodcast and get sneak peeks of upcoming episodes, give your take on guests and show topics, gawk at the very good boy Buster the Dog, and send us your questions!Here's more on Dr. Andrea Bonior and her book Detox Your Thoughts.Here's more on this podcast, which somehow you already found (thank you!)Credits: Beautiful cover art by Danielle Merity, exquisitely lounge-y original music by Jordan Cooper

A lot of us struggle with resentment and bitterness. What happens when it hardens into something that feels almost impossible to shift?There's good news: it CAN be changed. Today we talk about nine mental habits that can lead very easily to bitterness, whether fleeting or more serious. Do you recognize yourself in any of these? We've got ways to combat them. Join us! Follow Baggage Check on Instagram @baggagecheckpodcast and get sneak peeks of upcoming episodes, give your take on guests and show topics, gawk at the very good boy Buster the Dog, and send us your questions!Here's more on Dr. Andrea Bonior and her book Detox Your Thoughts.Here's more on this podcast, which somehow you already found (thank you!)Credits: Beautiful cover art by Danielle Merity, exquisitely lounge-y original music by Jordan Cooper

Continuing with our theme of feeeeeeelings, we are devoting today to anxiety, and specifically the way that your body's physiology has been preparing for it for tens of thousands of years.Today we dive deep into the fear response, and why fight/flight/freeze doesn't have to be the enemy. We go through each of the most classic ways that your body physically processes threat-- how they benefit us and how they can be a hindrance, and finally (most importantly!) what we can do about it. Join us! Follow Baggage Check on Instagram @baggagecheckpodcast and get sneak peeks of upcoming episodes, give your take on guests and show topics, gawk at the very good boy Buster the Dog, and send us your questions!Here's more on Dr. Andrea Bonior and her book Detox Your Thoughts.Here's more on this podcast, which somehow you already found (thank you!)Credits: Beautiful cover art by Danielle Merity, exquisitely lounge-y original music by Jordan Cooper

Feeeeeeelings! We've talked about them quite a bit on Baggage Check. But what we haven't talked about yet is something crucial but often overlooked: the way that we feel our emotions, physically. It's virtually impossible to improve how you deal with negative emotions if you don't have a good foundation of understanding how they manifest in your body. And though it's specific to every person, we start with some nearly-universal trends in how people tend to feel certain classic negative emotions. Do you recognize yourself in these?If you want a crash course in how to think about the mind-body connection, or even if you are a practiced mindfulness guru who wants to spend a little time thinking about the different ways that feelings show up in your own personal body, you'll want to listen to today's Baggage Check. Follow Baggage Check on Instagram @baggagecheckpodcast and get sneak peeks of upcoming episodes, give your take on guests and show topics, gawk at the very good boy Buster the Dog, and send us your questions!Here's more on Dr. Andrea Bonior and her book Detox Your Thoughts.Here's more on this podcast, which somehow you already found (thank you!)Credits: Beautiful cover art by Danielle Merity, exquisitely lounge-y original music by Jordan Cooper

We talk a lot on Baggage Check about warning signs, problems, risky behaviors, and conflicts within relationships-- along with things that just make you feel a little bit off.But what about the pillars of a good relationship?Today we're celebrating, acknowledging, and learning about all the positive factors that can help build a healthy partnership. Whether you never really had a model of it growing up and you're sort of lost of how to begin, whether you've got a great relationship that you're wondering if you could make a little greater, or whether you're just curious to hear more positive aspects of a partnership rather than worrisome ones, you'll want to listen to today's Baggage check. Follow Baggage Check on Instagram @baggagecheckpodcast and get sneak peeks of upcoming episodes, give your take on guests and show topics, gawk at the very good boy Buster the Dog, and send us your questions!Here's more on Dr. Andrea Bonior and her book Detox Your Thoughts.Here's more on this podcast, which somehow you already found (thank you!)Credits: Beautiful cover art by Danielle Merity, exquisitely lounge-y original music by Jordan Cooper