STRESSPROOF Podcast

If you're struggling with automatic reactions, especially when you knew there was a better way to respond, then this episode is for you. We discuss the importance of observation and how you can try two simple exercises to help develop that sweet, slow moment where you can show up as you really want to be. Let's go.

If you're constantly trying to control someone or something out there to feel at ease, then you're missing one very important principle that could change everything. It's the fact that your brain simply has thoughts. Doesn't matter if it's a good thought or a bad thought. If you BELIEVE you are the thought, then there are far fewer options to execute from, because the thought operates from a very limited perspective. Listen to this episode as we dive deeper into this subject so that you can tap into more of your true personal power.

If you've ever wondered how you could “toughen up” so that you don't ever have to feel “bad” again, well, this episode is for you. There's a nuance we must catch between an emotional reaction vs. an emotional response. An emotional reaction is when we react more to the story in our mind than the fact of what just happened. An emotional response is when we have a natural biological response to what just happened. However, more often than not, most people think that feeling “bad” is a weakness. But, what if feeling upset is absolutely valid? Wouldn't it be worse if we were apathetic, shut down, or unresponsive? There's no need to add suffering to pain. Listen now.

If you've ever wanted to see Personalization at work, then this is your episode. We're breaking down how one circumstance remains the same, and yet how multiple people can have different experiences. And when we're not careful, when we are not conscious of what is happening, we can easily get lost in other people's emotional reaction and lose sight of what really matters to you. Listen now.  

No, this isn't about how you dress, etiquette, or even how you speak in the workplace. This is about your internal hygiene that then speaks volumes for itself. If you struggle with feeling too sensitive, being too empathic toward other people's needs, and this is getting in the way of your own well-being… Then you don't want to miss this episode of the Stressproof Podcast. Today we're diving into concepts around knowing your space, delineating between what you feel vs what other people feel, and understanding who's movie you're in. Let's go.  

Most Empathic Executives reach a point where they realize it's no longer about ‘fast action' aka all of the emails, meetings, conversations, and things you can do to get the job done. We consider looking for a new role, perhaps early retirement, or even worse, downgrading our position. But wait, when you look around you're also noticing that you have the exact same skills (if not more!) than that one person who happens to sail seamlessly through one project after another. What gives? This is where we talk about Leadership Pull or Push. You're either contracting or expanding. And people feel that. Listen to this episode as we dive deeper. Let's go.  

You can be the smartest, quickest, and even kindest person in the world, but if you're practicing fear, worry or control… Well, those wonderful traits won't be the first thing someone else notices. Most people believe that something is wrong with them because of the result that they see in their lives. But what most don't realize is that the result has nothing to do with YOU, per se, rather it has everything to do with what you practice on a daily, even minute by minute basis. I dive into this and more, and you don't want to miss this one. Let's go.  

It's impossible to have the same energy and the same type of goals year after year. Let's face it, we're going to be in a different season of our lives, and the new year isn't the time to feel bad about not having “that kind of goal”. In this episode, we discuss seasons, the different energies to match those seasons, and what it means to focus on virtues instead of quantitative goals (because we're pros on that one). Let's start the year evaluating what means the most to you, and that starts on the inside first. Listen now.  

Did you know that you're the main character of your life? Most people would say yes, but if we were to play a movie of your life guess who'd be on the main screen 90% of the time? That's right. A side character. Somehow the side characters have made it to the spotlight and we weren't even aware of it. Listen to this podcast as we delve into what it means to be the main character vs a side character and why it's so important to focus on YOU, so that you can continue shining your light, your purpose, and your desires. Let's go.  

The #1 mistake most Stressed Out Successes make in trying to be more confident is that they focus on being perfect. Perfect in choosing the right words, how they appear, and especially getting specific project driven results. But have you ever met someone this perfect, and they were definitely NOT magnetic? Well, then it's time to dissect what is truly necessary in order to grow your magnetic energy. Listen now as I discuss the Top 3 traits every magnetic person has, and how you can cultivate more of your own magnetic energy. Let's go.  

Most people get caught up in the DOING in order to feel un-stressed. Doing, which we call Fast Action, might look like firing off that email, scheduling that meeting (right away), or worse, doing the work yourself in order to fix the problem so that we can get rid of feeling stressed. Unfortunately these leads to a vicious cycle where we get stuck in reactionary mode each time a problem arises. In this episode of the Stressproof podcast we're breaking down why it's not about the doing, but rather why we need to THINK differently under stress in order to BE the type of person that doesn't react toward similar situations and or people. Listen now!  

It's easy to make a quick decision because of how we're feeling; in other words, let's take action so we can feel better. But what if we're contemplating a huge life change? A change in career or even industry? In this episode we're breaking down 3 ways to navigate decision making so that we get to a clearer answer. You don't want to miss this one!  

Most Stressed Out Successes remain stuck in the problem, and more specifically the feeling of the problem, because they are continuing to behave as the old version of themselves that is thinking the same Personalization, thoughts, feelings, and therefore actions that keep them in this loop. If you find yourself relating to this, then you must realize that practicing this way of being is only keeping the problem alive. Listen to this episode as we talk about becoming the master inside of you. A new version of you that is beyond the problem.  

Just because you feel stress doesn't mean you have to BE stressed, or even believe the problem must be solved in order for you to feel relief. Using control to remove problems only leads to further exhaustion (as problems never end!). Listen as we discuss how to separate from stress and what it takes to preserve your energy for greater good.  

Most people I have the great pleasure of working with have no problem with integrity. They strive to be a virtuous leader, empathic, and respectful throughout the day. This part comes easy for them. The type of integrity I want to discuss with you today is about Self Integrity. Being virtuous to yourself. Catching every thought and word you speak to yourself, knowing you're the most important person in your own life. We discuss this and more in today's episode. It's so important and I'm excited to share it with you. Listen now.  

The biggest cause for the lack of Leadership Presence is because most Stressed Successes are focusing all of their attention and energy on the problem out there. And what does our diligent brain love to do? Obey our command. So if we're focusing on a past event or a probable future (usually negative), then that gives us very little energy to focus on what actually matters which is - ourselves. And the ironic question we have to ask is, “Where can we affect the most change and who can do it?” The answer is, “Here and me”. And yet, most people continue to harp on the past and worry about the future and act from THAT place, which is not the present moment nor is that state of being the most effective. In this episode of the Stressproof Podcast we're going to break down the mechanism of the brain (and what to do about it) and how to start feeling into a different state so that YOU can begin to effect change here and now.  

If you've been yearning for a change in your life then the truth of the matter is you have to become someone new. Someone who thinks and behaves differently when they wake up in the morning, speaks to their team, and most certainly the energy they emanate. In this episode of the Stressproof Podcast we're going to be talking about what it takes to become someone new and why you can't miss this important step. Listen now.

What if you could access peace even amidst a high tension meeting, hundreds of emails, or even traffic? Do you really need an Empty Mind to access presence and deep spaciousness? The short answer is no. Absolutely not. And we're breaking it all down in today's podcast. YOU ARE the awareness, the deep spaciousness that is presence. Let's talk about it. Listen now.

Most people think we have a deep relationship with ourselves but mostly, we have a relationship to the THOUGHTS we have about our life, job, relationships, and even ourselves! Which is why how we feel about any one of those things can be up or down depending on what we think about it at any given moment. But… What about you? What if how you felt about YOU stayed constant, connected, and deeply rooted because it wasn't based on what went right or wrong, but simply because you have a deeply, powerful relationship to the deeper awareness that IS you? One way to access that part of you is something called Empty Mind and we dive into this topic in this week's podcast. Listen as I share how one random experiment with quitting social media for 30 days led me to my Empty Mind moment and how we can continue to practice Empty Mind in our daily lives.

If you've ever achieved that dream job, role, house, trip, you name it and STILL felt that all too familiar eerie feeling of, “Is this it?”, then you might be missing out on Joy Deposits. Joy Deposits are the investment we make along the way so that we practice and therefore BECOME the person that can meet that achievement with full RECEIVERSHIP. We can't practice the same Personalization of stress and worry and expect something external to us to suddenly change the software INSIDE of who we have been practicing being. Joy Deposits can help change that over time but it will require practice. Learn more about it here and why this can be the key to feeling more joy, harmony, and peace in your life. Listen now.

In last week's Weekend Wellness we discussed the 3 TYPES of Thinking, and this week on the podcast we're now discussing the 3 LEVELS of Thinking. Most people are living in Level 1 where they believe everything they are thinking to be true and even a fact in their life. The risk we take when we remain in Level 1 is that we automate our day and how we show up without even questioning, “Is this the kind of result I want today?” or the even deeper question, “What am I creating that is allowing for this experience?”. Once you realize this isn't about rearranging your environment or your outer world so that you can be at peace, but rather, this is about a deeper freedom within you already… That's when the game really begins to change. Tune in to learn more about each level so that we can create our life from a much deeper purpose. YOU are the answer. Listen now.

By popular request I am sharing a simple yet highly effective concept that will help you shift your perception so that you can get through tough times and get what you truly desire. This episode has helped people through busy times at work, get that well deserved promotion, and even make it to CEO.  Just because something feels hard doesn't mean it's not meant for you. In fact, this just might be what is required so that you can finally become who you truly want to be. You got this. Listen now.  

In this special podcast I give a mini update, plus read the last month's worth of Weekend Wellness, a juicy newsletter of short stories and wisdom that gets sent out to subscribers! From worthiness, being a vessel for the BEST case scenarios, people pleasing and so much more! Listen as I ask you insightful questions that can help you move past your current blocker. You got this.

If you've ever asked yourself the questions such as: “Why did I do that?” “How could I have been so stupid?” “What's wrong with me?” “How could I have missed something like that?” THINKING that these questions are somewhat logical or useful to repeatedly ask yourself… Well, this is a form of talking negatively towards yourself because the question (and answer) is rooted in lack. This is why (surprise surprise) we never feel good about ourselves when we ask such questions. In this week's episode we break down negative speech towards ourselves and how we can break this pattern so that we can start thinking in a solution oriented way that gets us closer to who we want to be and our precious goals. Listen now.

Why do we suddenly feel like an imposter and lose our confidence when something shifts at work? Maybe it's a new project, new boss, new JOB that makes us wonder, “Do I really have what it takes to do this?”. What's funny is that up until this point you (and others) considered yourself a bad a*$ that can handle anything that came your way. And yet, where did that energy go? After all, you have the same brain and technical skills… so, what happened? In this episode I'll be discussing this and how it all comes down to your Personalization and why we need to shift this BACK to your personal power, your inner authority, instead of constantly relying on an external source to validate our next step. If you've been struggling with a shift in your job that is having you question your life, then you don't want to miss this episode. Listen now.

We think we're being logical when we are thinking about a problem inside our mind but is that really true? Is hashing out a worst case scenario and a thousand mitigation plans (over and over again) really solving anything… now? Believe it not, we can listen to the voice inside our head and get lost with too many options and very little action. This is when the External Voice comes into play. And by that, I mean being your own mediator OUT LOUD. Listen as I share this simple yet highly effective tool for being able to bring yourself back into THIS moment, where YOU are, so that you can take real action that makes an impact. You got this.

Many people thought they'd find relief from not seeing ‘that' stakeholder in meetings, especially when the pandemic hit. And yes, relief ensued! That is, until people got over the novelty of virtual meetings. Surprisingly, many people came to discover that despite the physical distance between themselves and the people they were meeting… The stress and anxiousness also returned. In this episode, we're breaking down why physical distance doesn't matter and more importantly, what to do in virtual meetings so that you have more peace and more confidence. Listen now.

When we're navigating NEW territory, sometimes it can be hard to know exactly what we should be thinking or what we should be doing because hey, we've never done this before right? And when we're not careful, we can lean towards shame, guilt, or imposter syndrome because of this internal state of confusion as we search for the truth. In this episode of the Stressproof Podcast, we're diving into understanding exactly what IS the truth. By the end of this episode you'll have a deeper appreciation for your process, AND you will better navigate situations when multiple people are sharing a variety of opinions. You got this. Listen now.

If you've ever felt helpless while encountering a problem at work, then you want to learn about Problem Ownership. Oftentimes when we lack Problem Ownership, we give our agency over to the world or to other people, and on a subconscious level we're saying that how we get to feel, what we get to do with OUR OWN LIVES, is up to the other person and how THEY show up. Problem Ownership is about realizing your own options and owning up to your own inner authority so that you understand just how much more control YOU have. Listen now and share this with someone you love. You got this.  

If you've ever wondered, “But IS that really possible for ME?”, you need to keep listening to this podcast. Yes, you can be happy. Yes, you can be strong and confident. Yes, you can be who you know you CAN be. This isn't about giving up or continuing to doubt yourself, this is about asking yourself the question, “How do I want to show up now? Is this really how the story ends?”. I'm including stories and examples of possibility because…. Yes, YOU can! For a limited time only, for those that are truly serious → book a Strategy Session here (and look for the large orange button that says, “BOOK A STRATEGY SESSION”) Spots are extremely limited so book fast. You got this.  

We've heard of seasons but how about slumps?  Today I'm introducing an eastern perspective on how to manage slumps in our lives and how taking this fresh approach to these weird periods can actually help you make the most of this time. What if this IS the flow of life? What if this is natural? What if this was supposed to happen? How would that change the way you look at what is happening? All this and more. Listen now.

Consider this your pep talk if you've been feeling as if life is happening all at once! In this episode, I'm sharing my top 6 tips to get through a time crunch or when life feels a little chaotic. When we make these slight shifts it's amazing how much energy we can conserve (especially from the constant worrying), as well as how much better we can feel about a particular situation. If you're starting to wonder how you'll get through it all, listen to this episode first. And it's a feisty one! You got this.  

Ever feel nervous before an important meeting, starting a new role, or trying to meet an audacious goal? And if we really knew what we were doing shouldn't we feel confident instead? Wrong. In this week's podcast we explore the idea of that nervous feeling being 100% normal and how it might be our *thinking* that actually creates even more feelings of nervousness that then creates even bigger problems like answering the question, “What's wrong with me?”. Oh, and once you understand this concept you'll see that this applies to almost every other feeling such as anxiety, sadness, anger, etc. Listen now.  

This week I have the honor of speaking with Heather, who shares her Before & After experience after having gone through a 3 month coaching experience last summer! We discuss what Heather was experiencing prior to engaging with coaching, self management, confrontation, what it means to ‘have' your goal, breaking emotional patterns, glitches, and so much more. You don't want to miss this insightful conversation. And if you're ready for a VIP coaching experience, complete this form to get started! https://susanchoi.typeform.com/to/aBbXXm   

If you've ever spent a lot of time, money, and way too many emotions on something you have in your life, chances are it takes a lot to walk away and so what most people do is - we try to make it worth it. And yes, sometimes it is, and most of the time it isn't. So how can we discern between what our brain is likely saying, “C'mon you spent years to get to this place!” or “What if you need this in the future” or “But you X number of dollars!”. Vs. what that more quiet pulse, voice, that deeper knowing is also saying? We discuss this and more in today's podcast. Let's go!  

Listen to this all the way through! If you've ever struggled with feedback, what someone thinks about you, or constructive criticism (compliments even!) you may be stuck in the Approval and Validation cycle. Most people would say they could care less what people think about them, but if you've ever been hurt by invalidation (disapproval), then we might have unknowingly been participating in Approval and Validation. Learn the three components that exist in this cycle and how you can identify each one so that you stand more in YOUR TRUTH before believing (or being affected by) what anyone has to say about you. Let's go.

That's right. What if your automatic response of stress was just a habit? If you've ever said to yourself, “I know this doesn't have to stress me out” or “This situation doesn't require this level of control or worry”, then this week's podcast is for you. What further complicates and solidifies our response is when we make it **mean** something much more than what is actually happening. Suddenly, we start to view life through the lens of a stressed or worried person and now we're trying to solve a much bigger problem of “what's wrong with me?”. What if nothing was inherently wrong? What if your response was just a habit? What if all you had to do was break this habit so that you can see the truth of who you really are? Don't miss this one. This one's for you. Listen now.

If you've ever desired, achieved, or actively strive to maintain Problem Free Days, and yet still feel as if something is missing… this podcast is for you. While it's ok for Problem Free Days to be a goal, the biggest reason why this doesn't satisfy most smart, high achieving professionals as the main target, is because it's not THE goal that will ultimately fulfill a deep burning desire from within. Learn more about what it means to go beyond a problem free day and discover what real joy looks and feels like for you as we slowly step into a new calendar year. And besides, you are meant for so much MORE. Let's go.

(Warning: you may want to listen to this **at least** 2-3 times.) In this week's episode I'm reviewing a very important concept that can help eliminate up to 90% of everyday stress. Most people operate from the assumption that their thoughts are facts. But the truth is, these two are very important things and once you can delineate between the two BEFORE taking action… you can start seeing and experiencing life with neutrality instead of constantly feeling as if you are at the effect of what is happening around you. Take this episode slowly and repeat it if you need to. Let's go.  

It's not easy saying goodbye, whether it's a job you've worked the last decade, an old career, someone you love, a dear community you've been a part of… sometimes goodbyes are confusing and when we aren't careful- can be more painful and extended than we needed it to be. In this episode of the Stressproof Podcast, I'm reviewing the 3 ideas that have helped to gain a deeper understanding of goodbyes, so that we can experience the inevitable with less pain and much more grace. Goodbyes have been and will be a part of our life for as long we live. Let's learn how to embrace and experience them so that we can live more in the beauty of this experience.  

Aside from stress, sensitivity, and how to deal with deep empathy, another popular topic is all around the gut, more specifically, how to listen to intuition. While data and logic play a very important role in our lives today, after all we have appointments we need to be on time for and deadlines to keep that have a real impact in every area of our lives… Sometimes no matter how much data we have in front of us, we're left with this weird feeling that something isn't quite adding up. Cue your gut aka intuition aka your higher wisdom (insert any word here that you're used to using). How many times has something looked A+ on paper, and yet something, somewhere you just didn't feel it was right? In this week's podcast I've gathered the top 3 keys to rediscovering your intuition so that we can create a more equal balance between our brain AND our heart. Let's go.  

This week I'm introducing a simple, magical phrase that will help you to stop the chatter in your mind so that you can give yourself a powerful opportunity to RESET your system. With a reset you are allowing yourself a second chance to think from a place of neutrality so that you can think more clearly about your true next steps, what you want to say (and how to say it), and most importantly - how you want to show up. I'll be covering the two critical mistakes most people are making that only keeps them stuck and why this simple phrase will help diffuse stress on the spot!  Oh! And recently I added a brand new module to the online program - Energy Management. Listen in as I share all about it and if you aren't already inside, you can sign up today at www.stressproofpodcast.com/accessnow

Grab your coffee because today's podcast is SPICY! Believe it or not most people are operating from a movie in their mind when it comes to stressful situations. Which is probably why we say to ourselves, “Why did I say that?” or “I wish I hadn't sent that email!”. If you've ever looked back at a situation and thought, “Hmm, I guess it wasn't THAT bad….” and yet in the moment you couldn't help but operate in a way you wish you hadn't. Well, this podcast is for you. Listen to today's episode where I talk about how we SEE stress in our mind and how we can separate the movie in our mind so that we can start focusing on the facts of what is happening instead.

Over the past three weeks in a 3 part series, I have been sending out the 3 Keys to Happiness on Weekend Wellness - a short, juicy newsletter that gets sent out to people from all over the world every Friday morning. This time, I decided to narrate the 3 part series into a short podcast so that those who aren't on my newsletter can listen in and enjoy a few practical tips on what it means to be (and create) genuine happiness! In this podcast I discuss: why not being happy is actually OK and healthy, how thinking about it too much actually stunts our happiness, and why too many people wait for happiness to arrive and what to do about it. I hope you enjoy. Oh, and if you'd like to receive a short, juicy email every Friday to kick start your weekend with inspiring and practical tips to becoming Stressproof, simply sign up at www.stressproofpodcast.com/email today.  

How should we handle unexpected situations when life throws us a curveball? Is our response controlled by fear and attempts to mitigate stressful situations from ever happening again? Or do we show up feeling everything and yet with a quiet internal calm, knowing full well this is part of what it means to be a human? In this episode we're going to discuss what happens when unexpected situations arise and what it means to respond to the situation with facts on hand vs the movie in our mind. Listen now.

So you're smart, kind, highly empathetic, and have a strong work and life ethic. I'm even willing to bet you've done a lot of work on yourself to develop all of those management skills that also include self-development and mindset. So then, why is it that when a problem comes our way that everything seems to fly out the window and we're still reacting the way that we are…. in stress? If you can relate, don't worry, nothing has gone wrong. All of that hard work hasn't gone to waste and we simply need to approach this new problem in a completely different way. Listen now as I talk about what it means to approach new problems in our lives as if we've graduated to a new, next level and why sometimes, this has nothing to do with work skills per se, but rather this is now about entering a new game of inner management. Let's go.

Are you the one everyone seems to come to for support and advice, whether it's at work or amongst your friends? Do you find yourself exhausted by the end of the day, unable to let go of what someone shared with you earlier, and perhaps even churning your brain for a solution to help? If so, you're not alone. Most Empathic Leaders I work with find themselves thinking and feeling about other people's problems well after the work day that follows them home and even throughout the week. Unfortunately, because there is little awareness of what is actually happening and what to do, what most often ensues is a physical, mental or emotional burden that leaves them feeling too exhausted to focus on their own personal lives. Maybe you can relate too? If so, you're in luck. Because in this week's podcast I'm reviewing the 3 guidelines every Empathic Leader must learn in order to stop taking on other people's problems. You will learn the automatic process that is happening inside the brain of every Empathic Leader and what you must start implementing today in order to still be supportive AND an effective leader (without feeling exhausted!). Listen now.  

It's natural for our brain to think in worst case scenarios. It's a protective mechanism that has helped us for thousands of years. Yet, when we go over the same negative thoughts over and over again it starts to wear on us mentally, emotionally, and even physically. We start to lose sleep, we can't make decisions easily, and we even start to lose our patience with the people around us. So then, what can we do to go from Problem Oriented Thinking to thinking more creatively and abundantly? We need to do two things. One, create awareness that our thoughts are not as logical as it appears (after all the future hasn't happened yet)! Two, create curiosity so that we can learn what this is REALLY about deep inside. Let's go. Listen now.  

Ever receive a response from someone, say a client or stakeholder, and it was the complete OPPOSITE of how you thought they'd respond? And this was after spending a week of being panicked and stressed about how you might've needed to deal with the situation? This is interesting because one person (you) believed this situation was stressful, whereas the other person (the stakeholder) had no idea and responded to the original email without giving it much thought. Who was right? What is the truth? Was this situation actually stressful? We're going to look at Personalization using an example I recently witnessed and then ask ourselves a very important question so that you can use this same tool when it comes to any situation you might consider stressful. Listen now.

If you feel more drained than energized, if you hate the fact that you are constantly stressed… then you might be missing a little love in your life. And no, I don't mean romantic love, I'm talking about the kind of love that goes far beyond romanticism. The kind of love that lives deep within your bones and every fiber of your being, that has remained stagnant and pushed aside in place of logical thinking. Listen to this episode to learn a simple yet eye opening technique to reveal where love might be missing and how to increase it for yourself so that you can share it with others.

The biggest reason why we feel stuck in a specific feeling for far too long is because of something called the Stuck Emotion Cycle. Most people unknowingly think that they are genuinely trying to understand a feeling by THINKING about it, analyzing it over and over again, inside their brain. But what we forget when we do this, is that feelings also live inside your body. And because we've forgotten this crucial piece of information, what happens next is that we start to wonder, “What's wrong with me? Why am I still feeling this way?”, which then induces **additional** feelings of frustration or confusion. And what do we do with those feelings? That's right…. We end up going straight to our brain to do more analysis which further contributes to this Stuck Emotion Cycle. In this episode I break this down from A-Z and by the end, you'll know exactly what you're missing so that you can finally break free. Listen now.