The Verywell Mind Podcast

Jared Watson (aka Dirty J) is the co-founder and lead vocalist of the band Dirty Heads — a band from Huntington Beach, California, known for its mix of reggae, hip-hop, and rock. As the band rose to fame, so did Jared's use of alcohol and pills. But he paved his own way to sobriety, and now he's sharing how he discovered the formula for keeping his mind and body in optimal condition. Some of the things Jared talks about are how he began treating himself like a science experiment, how he uncovered the best diet, exercise, and self-help strategies for himself, and how he's staying motivated to keep up his healthy habits. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Maybe you find yourself doubting whether you are actually good enough for someone you’re dating. Or maybe you second guess whether you’re able to fulfill your role at work. Self-doubt can creep in at any time about all sorts of things.And most of us aren’t sure how to deal with those nagging thoughts. Sometimes we run those thoughts by a friend or family member in hopes they’ll give us some reassurance. At other times, we believe our doubt and don’t give ourselves a fair chance.But self-doubt is something everyone deals with. Even people who look completely confident on the outside often question themselves on the inside.Fortunately, though, you don’t have to let self-doubt get in your way. And you don’t need to wait until you eliminate it to do your best.You can embrace it and manage it in a way that turns self-doubt into an advantage. On today’s Friday Fix, I share the strategies you can use to deal with self-doubt. So whether you’re doubting you are attractive enough or you’re doubting your ability to be good at your job, here are some surefire strategies that can help.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Heather Monahan is a business expert and the founder of Boss in Heels. Her first book, Confidence Creator, was a best-seller. She’s also the host of the popular podcast Creating Confidence.Her newest book, Overcome Your Villains, outlines strategies for overcoming adversity. In it, she reveals how getting fired from her job in corporate America led her to become a successful entrepreneur. Some of the things she shares today are her three-step process for overcoming adversity, how to become 90% more likely to reach your goals, and how to spread positive energy into the world (as well as what happens when you try). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As your emotions go up, your ability to think clearly goes down. That’s why you might say or do things you later regret when you feel angry. And it’s also why you might reach for an unhealthy coping skill to get immediate relief when your anxiety skyrockets.Uncomfortable emotions like anxiety, embarrassment, sadness, and anger can be tough to tolerate. And if we’re not careful, these emotions can lead to poor decisions if we don’t manage them well.From drawing to running, there are many healthy ways you can manage your emotions. The goal isn’t to make uncomfortable emotions go away altogether though. The goal is to reduce them enough that you can think clearly. Then, you can make healthier decisions for yourself.On today’s Friday Fix, I explain how to identify your current coping skills, and I outline healthy coping strategies you can start experimenting with. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Amishi Jha, Ph.D., is a professor of psychology at the University of Miami, and she’s written a new book called Peak Mind. In it, she shares how we can improve our attention spans and become better focused in just 12 minutes a day.Some of the things you'll hear her discuss are why it seems like our attention spans have gotten worse, the strategies that will help you get more focused, and how improving your attention can improve your life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Your emotions affect how you think and how you behave. Yet, most of us spend very little time thinking about how we’re feeling. And we often don’t even recognize how our emotional state impacts our performance.The good news is, we have some control over how we feel. That means we have the power to put ourselves in an emotional state that can work toward our advantage at any given moment. We also may be in danger of allowing ourselves to get into an emotional state that hinders our performance or makes it harder to enjoy the moment.So on today’s Friday Fix, I explain how getting yourself in the best emotional state can help you get the most out of life. Whether you’re about to give a big presentation or you’re about to read your kids a goodnight story, getting in the right emotional state for each circumstance can help you think, feel, and do your best. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Bryan Abrams is a Multi-Platinum Award-winning singer who is best known for his role in the R&B group Color Me Badd. The group rose to the top of the charts in the 90s with songs like, “I Wanna Sex You Up,” "I Adore Mi Amor," and “All 4 Love.” As the group rose to fame and sold millions of records, Bryan dealt with some serious private battles—including depression, an eating disorder, and drinking too much. After several attempts to get better, Bryan found a rehab center that helped him address his mental health and substance abuse issues. Now he’s speaking out about his experiences with the mental health system.Some of the things Bryan shares are how to find treatment that actually works, how to find the strength to get help, and what he's doing to improve his mental health now that he's sober. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Could repeating a phrase to yourself over and over again actually improve your mental health? As simple as it sounds, there’s a good chance that developing a personal mantra can make a positive difference in your life.A simple mantra could help you stay on track with your goals, drown out negative thoughts, help you resist temptations, or even help you perform better.Most people confuse a mantra with a positive affirmation. They’re not exactly the same thing.So in this Friday Fix, I explain the difference. I share some examples of how people use them—from clients in my therapy office to professional athletes. And I also share how you can develop your own personal mantra. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Iskra Lawrence is a British model who has been included in campaigns for major brands without her photos being retouched (something that is quite rare in the modeling industry). She was included in BBC’s 100 Women, and she is a brand ambassador for the National Eating Disorders Association. She’s also a frequent guest author to many publications including SELF Magazine and TIME.Some of the things Iskra talks about in this episode are strategies for feeling better about your appearance, tips for being less focused on how you look, and her advice for anyone who is dealing with body image issues. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Shame is a painful feeling we all experience at one time or another. It often involves a deep-rooted fear that someone is going to find out about a mistake we made or a character flaw we have.When we feel shame, we want to hide from everyone. And it can lead to isolation and suffering.It’s a frequent topic of conversation in therapy. Sometimes shame stems from past trauma. At other times, it is triggered by feelings of not being good enough.Fortunately, there are steps you can take to address your shame. And when you do, you can begin to thrive.In this episode, I share the most helpful thing you can do to start addressing your shame. I also talk about the difference between shame and guilt, how our upbringing affects our shame, and why parents shouldn’t shame their kids.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices