Anxiety as an Alarm

Something I think we all *know* but don't spend much time understanding is that: change is hard. On this week's episode of ​The Transforming Anxiety Podcast​, I wanted to explore it with you on a deeper level. ​WHY is change so hard?​ There are a couple different kinds of change that happens in our lives. One way change occurs is that something big and major happens, and it affects everything. New job, new city, new baby, new relationship...the loss of a loved one, retirement, an empty nest, the end of a relationship. These kinds of changes strike quickly and affect everything and it's up to us to deal with the aftershocks as we adjust to the new normal. But there are other, slower, choice-based changes in our lives, too. Habits, routines, ways of speaking, feelings, belief systems, how we show up in the world. These things take constant choices, daily decisions, and real commitment...so that we can ultimately cross over a line and feel fundamentally transformed as a result. The latter is what I want to focus on today. Join me for this conversation re: change. And bringing some awareness and a 4-step process to make change a bit easier (if not outright pleasant). 😉 ​See you there​... Full show notes are located at: www.kellyhanlinmccormick.com/podcast/233  Be sure to join my email list so you don't miss announcements, new classes, and podcast updates by visiting www.kellyhanlinmccormick.com  Text PODCAST to +1 (816)354-1279 and I'll send mindfulness reminders, anxiety hacks, and little love notes your way from time to time...

Time for some real talk: this week on ​The Transforming Anxiety Podcast​, we're going ​underneath the conversation​... Y'know how when you're talking with someone, there are the words that are actually being said, the back-and-forth dialogue that is happening out loud...and then there's the inner conversation you're having ABOUT the conversation? We all do this. We say, "sure, I'll be there!" when we're really thinking, "ugh, I don't have time for this." Or we complain to our partner about the dirty clothes on the floor while we're really thinking, "why don't you see me and understand me as a PERSON?!" Yeah. ​Underneath the conversation​. If you're feeling chronically misunderstood, bitterly resentful, or completely out of sync with what's happening around you, you may be missing what's underneath the conversation. Remember: we all do this. We're just trying to make it through the day and get dinner on the table. But... ...being willing to get honest about what's underneath the conversation can change your talks, and relationships, forever. Join for this week's show. Let's talk...like underneath the conversation REAL talk. Full show notes are located at: www.kellyhanlinmccormick.com/podcast/232  Be sure to join my email list so you don't miss announcements, new classes, and podcast updates by visiting www.kellyhanlinmccormick.com  Text PODCAST to +1 (816)354-1279 and I'll send mindfulness reminders, anxiety hacks, and little love notes your way from time to time...

I'm SO excited to be back to our conversations with authors, psychologists, and all-around amazing people. This week on ​The Transforming Anxiety Podcast​ I have a brand-new book to share with you: ​Generation Anxiety: A Millennial and Generation Z Guide to Staying Afloat in an Uncertain World​ written by psychologist, keynote speaker, and consultant Dr. Lauren Cook. Dr. Lauren has a refreshing and accessible approach to anxiety and her thoughts are geared specifically towards millennials and Gen Z'ers, making the work timely and uniquely suited to young professionals, parents, and those coming of age with tech, media, and the flood of cultural conditioning that is baked into our world today. Join me for this conversation around anxiety, our shared phobia (it's weird and gross), and her insights for keeping your head above water in these trying times. If you'd like to catch the video version of our conversation just click here. This is a great episode not only for all of you millenials and gen Z'ers, but for those who have people in these age groups in their lives. To find out more about Dr. Lauren, visit www.drlaurencook.com and you can find her on Instagram and TikTok @dr.laurencook Full show notes are located at: www.kellyhanlinmccormick.com/podcast/231  Text PODCAST to +1 (816) 354-1279 and I'll send mindfulness reminders, anxiety hacks, and little love notes your way from time to time...

Super quick, simple, and powerful practice for you today on ​The Transforming Anxiety Podcast​: we're going to talk about ​naming the things​. Most of the time, we're lost in our thinking. We're telling stories about what's happening, we're fighting against how we're feeling or doing our damnedest to try to feel something *else*, and we're spinning out over the difference between our current situation vs. what we think should be happening. *sigh* Today we're going to explore the practice of naming the things. Simply recognizing and being aware of what is...and naming it. I feel anxious. I don't like this. I need a break. I'm tired. No editorializing, no fixing, no explaining. Just: right now, it's like this. Become aware. Observe. Name it. Simple...not always easy, sure, but worth practicing. Let's talk about it together on this week's episode of the podcast. ​Join me there​... Full show notes are located at: www.kellyhanlinmccormick.com/podcast/230  Be sure to join my email list so you don't miss announcements, new classes, and podcast updates by visiting www.kellyhanlinmccormick.com  Text PODCAST to +1 (816) 354-1279 and I'll send mindfulness reminders, anxiety hacks, and little love notes your way from time to time...

This week's ​Transforming Anxiety Podcast​ is all about giving you a handful of tools that you can use to take care of yourself when you're really *in it* with anxiety. We're going to talk about ​the boat, the volcano, the mountaintop, and the tide​. These are all mental images, drawn from nature, that illustrate the journey, the experience, or an ideal direction to point yourself in re: transforming anxiety. The boat: being safely carried above the water is a good thing, but we have to be willing to look underneath to see what's going on. The volcano: because we live this close to that eruption point and would rather create space so we can pause and respond mindfully vs. reacting impulsively. The mountaintop: our struggles, challenges, and pains aren't permanent; we aren't always going to be climbing up a mountain. We can remember to stop, grab a granola bar, and take in the view. The tide: it all ebbs and flows, crashes and recedes, over and over again. Join me for this discussion and these tools to support yourself on your path... Full show notes are located at: www.kellyhanlinmccormick.com/podcast/229  Text PODCAST to +1 (816) 354-1279 and I'll send mindfulness reminders, anxiety hacks, and little love notes your way from time to time...

I think we could all use a little break, a deep breath, ​a mid-year check-in​... And sure, we can touch base with those goals and resolutions from January. That's not a bad idea. But I'm more interested in a mid-year return to self. We live our days, our hours, and our minutes smack dab up close to whatever's happening: what we need to do, all the stuff we have to accomplish, where we need to go, things we need to check off the list. But this week on ​The Transforming Anxiety Podcast​ we're going to zoom out, get some perspective, and take the eagle view of life. The long game. The bigger picture. Sometimes we all need to hit pause and remind ourselves: we're human beings, not human doings. We need to live, breathe, and BE...not produce, go, and do. Let's talk about it together this week. Mid-year check-in, baby. Mid-year return to self... Full show notes are located at: www.kellyhanlinmccormick.com/podcast/228  Text PODCAST to +1 (816)354-1279 and I'll send mindfulness reminders, anxiety hacks, and little love notes your way from time to time...  

We've all had those experiences where something seemingly trivial happens and we *explode* in response. A spilled cup of coffee. A stubbed toe. A snarky comment from a tween. And we get apoplectic. Similarly (but opposite) we've completely utterly totally *shut down* when someone says the wrong thing at the wrong moment on the wrong day with the wrong stars aligned. What's up with that? We're going to explore this phenomenon in this week's episode of ​The Transforming Anxiety Podcast​. We're talking about ​the window of tolerance​. How / when / why do you get thrown outside of what feels handle-able? And how do you intentionally practice widening that window so it includes more and more of life's life-y-ness? Let's talk about it. ​Join me for this week's show​... Full show notes are located at: www.kellyhanlinmccormick.com/podcast/227  Text PODCAST to +1 (816) 354-1279 and I'll send mindfulness reminders, anxiety hacks, and little love notes your way from time to time...

This week on ​The Transforming Anxiety Podcast​, I want to offer a simple, but pretty profound way to practice acceptance. We're going to explore the teaching: ​right now, it's like this​. This one isn't full of practical, tactical steps that you can take. Or things you can go and DO. Nope. This is more of a quiet, meditative sort of thing. A sit-with-it-and-see-what-comes-up kind of practice. It's something I've been working with for the past couple years and I want to offer this teaching to *you* in the hope that it will serve and support you, too. It's one for when you're in it. For when things are difficult and challenging and you sometimes just want to take your skin off and get away from yourself. THAT is what this is for. I'm with you. Let's practice together, yeah? Right now, it's like this... Full show notes are located at: www.kellyhanlinmccormick.com/podcast/226  Text PODCAST to (816) 354-1279 and I'll send mindfulness reminders, anxiety hacks, and little love notes your way from time to time...

If you've been hanging out with me for a while, then you know I'm *super* stuffy and serious about things... ...hahaha, just kidding. And this week, I'm gonna embrace it. On ​The Transforming Anxiety Podcast​ we're exploring 5 high-brow mindfulness tips. You're probably already guessing these things are the exact opposite of "high-brow." Aaaand you'd be right. I've found that mindfulness and meditation seem to connote a certain formality. And it doesn't need to be that way. In fact, since most of us like fun things, we might as well make THIS fun, too. You with me? ​Come join me for this conversation​ and let's explore how we can use these ideas to make mindfulness not only a little lighter, but something you're actually going to DO... Full show notes are located at: www.kellyhanlinmccormick.com/podcast/225  Text PODCAST to (816) 354-1279 and I'll send mindfulness reminders, anxiety hacks, and little love notes your way from time to time...

This week's episode of ​The Transforming Anxiety Podcast​ starts out with a funny story about my brother's granny-in-law...and then segues into an exploration on how we can refuel, restore, and recharge our bodies in order to create a deeper well of resilience and, ultimately, less anxiety for ourselves. In my experience, we have to consistently and continuously refill our buckets. Throughout our days we're relying on a wellspring of patience, kindness, compassion, and goodness to show up how we WANT to show up. But what happens when that well runs dry? This episode is all about filling that well up. Cultivating a sense of strength, flexility, and resilience so that you can be the most YOU possible. ​Join me and let's talk about your charging stations​. I'll see you there... Full show notes are located at: www.kellyhanlinmccormick.com/podcast/224  Text PODCAST to (816)354-1279 and I'll send mindfulness reminders, anxiety hacks, and little love notes your way from time to time...