The Michelle Chalfant Show — Life from the Adult Chair

What do we do when we feel like we just can't put one more thing on our plates? When the people we love and care about are expecting so much from us, it feels like we're suffocating? When our career obligations increasing anxiety beyond our ability to cope? I know the feeling, and I know you know the feeling, and today on the show, I'm going to share a recent experience that had me turning to MY Adult Chair. I hope you find taking a seat in your own Adult Chair can help you soften the blows of stress and anxiety, too! Sponsor: This week's show is brought to you by Audible! Get a free audiobook to spice up your commute and learn and love through reading. Sign up for your free book at AudibleTrial.com/theadultchair. From there, search for our recommended book for the week: Peace Is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life by Thich Nhat Hanh!

The rush of anxiety and overwhelm can quickly take over our experience of the world. Being equipped with the tools to ease that experience is central to living in the Adult Chair. Let us journey.

The only way you're going to heal is to own your life. That's the overriding message of the show today and it comes thanks to the story of a fabulous client we'll call "Carolyn." She's graciously offered her story for this week's show as a demonstration of owning your own stuff, and making great strides in breaking the damaging patterns and programs that play over and over in our lives. Thanks to her work with the Chairs, she's found grounding and hope in moving forward through relationship addiction and more! Sponsor: This week's show is brought to you by Audible! Get a free audiobook to spice up your commute and learn and love through reading. Sign up for your free book at AudibleTrial.com/theadultchair. From there, search for my recommended book for the week: Personal Development Simplified: An Easy to Follow Guide to Personal Development for Beginners, Identify and Break Negative Patterns, Become a Better Version of Yourself, Guaranteed by Coach KP!

We do everything we can to keep ourselves safe and loved in the world. To do this, we look to the past and gather up stories and then based on those stories we project into the future based on assumptions. Living like this creates stress and keeps us out of the present moment and stuck in the Adolescent Chair! When we learn to become "story busters" and live from a place of fact and truth, we find ourselves seated squarely in the moment and in the Adult Chair. In this episode, I share with you how easily and quickly we fall into stories and assumptions, and how quickly we can change our lives when we step into the moment and find our new truth from the Adult Chair. Sponsor: This week's show is brought to you by Audible! Get a free audiobook to spice up your commute and learn and love through reading. Sign up for your free book at AudibleTrial.com/theadultchair. From there, search for my recommended book for the week: You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life by Jen Sincero!

As children, we unknowingly inherit dysfunctional or unhealthy beliefs. This meditation takes you on a journey to find your true self and along the way, remove the inherited unhealthy and dysfunctional beliefs. Find yourself at the end feeling more worthy, strong, empowered, confident, brave and lovable with a beautiful boundary keeping others dysfunctional opinions or beliefs out. Enjoy the journey.

Ted is back! This time we're kicking it off with a big question about men and emotions, but I guarantee you there are some surprises in store from there! Ted shares his personal journey to understanding, learning to feel and experience his emotions. Along the way, he teaches us some important lessons on men and women and how we experience our emotions in different — but powerful — ways! Join us! Sponsor: This week's show is brought to you by Audible! Get a free audiobook to spice up your commute and learn and love through reading. Sign up for your free book at AudibleTrial.com/theadultchair. From there, search for our recommended book for the week: Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman, Ph.D.! Links & Notes Dr. Ted Klontz Ted's Courses at Creighton for Financial Services Professionals

I get this question all the time: "how to do I get (fill in the blank loved-one here) to get into their Adult Chair?!" I get it. You're doing all this fantastic work on yourself, you're sitting in your emotions and learning to move with them, not in spite of them. You're doing all the great things that you need to do to live authentically yourself … now why won't other people get on this train with you? Great question. And I'm going to take on exactly that this week on the show — I hope you join me! Sponsor: This week's show is brought to you by Audible! Get a free audiobook to spice up your commute and learn and love through reading. Sign up for your free book at AudibleTrial.com/theadultchair. From there, search for our recommended book for the week: Conversations with God (Book 1) by by Neale Donald Walsh of Enlightened Relationships by Eckhard Tolle! Links & Notes Register now for The Adult Chair Level 1 — Nashville, April 28-29, 2018

Annie Waugh is an integrative therapist and dear friend and she's joining me on the show today to talk about an area of particular expertise: Essential Oils! I love oils and cherish everything Annie has taught me — and I can't wait for her to share some of these great lessons with you all today. We tackle depression and grief and hormone balance and so much more! So grab your diffuser and settle in for some terrific and practical instruction on integrating essential oils into your healing journey! Sponsor: This week's show is brought to you by Audible! Get a free audiobook to spice up your commute and learn and love through reading. Sign up for your free book at AudibleTrial.com/theadultchair. From there, search for our recommended book for the week: The Healing Power of Essential Oils: Soothe Inflammation, Boost Mood, Prevent Autoimmunity, and Feel Great in Every Way by Eric Zielinski, D.C.! Links & Notes Learn More about Annie Waugh Register now for The Adult Chair Level 1 — Nashville, April 28-29, 2018

Shannon Thomas sits down in the adult chair with me today to talk about narcissism, gaslighting, and other forms of abuse and emotional trauma that can plague our relationships. This is a wide-ranging interview thanks to YOU! So many of the questions Shannon takes on this week come from your responses in our Facebook private group — far more than we could cover in one sitting! So, consider this a start, and know that I'll have Shannon back soon to keep this conversation moving. Sponsor: This week's show is brought to you by Audible! Get a free audiobook to spice up your commute and learn and love through reading. Sign up for your free book at AudibleTrial.com/theadultchair. From there, search for my recommended book for the week: _Healing from Hidden Abuse: A Journey Through the Stages of Recovery from Psychological Abuse_by our very own Shannon Thomas! About Shannon Thomas, LCSW Shannon Thomas, LCSW, is a licensed clinical social work supervisor, the owner and lead therapist of an award-winning private practice counseling agency in North Texas and best-selling author of 'Healing From Hidden Abuse'. In 'Healing From Hidden Abuse', Shannon bridges the gap between pop culture and clinical advice and also outlines her 'Six Stages of Healing' model. Her passion is helping people overcome life challenges and seeing abuse survivors living to their fullest potential. Shannon approaches her work from the lens of a therapist and as a fellow survivor of psychological abuse. Links & Notes Find Shannon at Southlake Counseling ShannonThomas.com Shannon Thomas on Facebook Shannon Thomas on Instagram Shannon Thomas on Twitter

Go ahead and say it out loud right now: "It's all about me!" My clients have a lot of trouble saying it, as if it gets stuck in their throats. But being able to say that it's all about you isn't selfish, it's ownership! It's your charge that you are taking responsibility for your own emotions, feelings, desires. You're going to look after yourself first, and thus open the door to being able to be an even better, whole support for those closest to you! All that and more on this week's show! This week's show is brought to you by Audible! Get a free audiobook to spice up your commute and learn and love through reading. Sign up for your free book at AudibleTrial.com/theadultchair. From there, search for my recommended book for the week: Edgar Cayce on Mastering Your Spiritual Growth by Kevin J. Todeschi! Plus, listen all the way through to the end this week. Remember Pete Wright? Producer of this very show? Well, he has a new podcast and he's released a trailer that I've included at the end of the show this week. It's called "What's that Smell: A sometimes-funny podcast about humans and their anxieties." I know so many people that feel such shame about their own anxieties and Pete and his partner are doing a wonderful job sharing the things that cause them anxiety and modeling how we can all be better about laughing together as we own our own stuff! I've listened to the first few episodes and they range from off-the-wall to downright sensitive. Give it a shot! Find it in iTunes here, or their website at RashPixel.FM.