The Healthy Sensitive's Podcast

What Denmark Has to Teach Us

Denmark is, apparently, one of the happiest countries in the world. What are they getting right that we could learn from? What are some of the criticisms that come up as a rebuttal? And regardless of where you live or your policy preferences or lifestyle preferences...what do YOU think a meaningful looks like? Is it more important to strive for happiness? or Meaning?

Burnout

Everyone I know is saying basically the same thing: I'm tired. Not just that...but everyone I know is telling me that everyone they know is running on fumes. From loneliness. From not enough time alone. From too much stimulation. From boredom. We are all losing it (and all secretly wondering what it is, exactly, that we lost). In this episode, I'll talk about what burnout is, both its definition as well as the biophysical elements at play. I'll also talk about practical actions we can all take to navigate it and assuage the impact of burnout. 

What Are You FOR?

We are living in really contentious times right now. There is a pandemic, an election, ecological disruptions, and civil unrest. It's tempting to spend the bulk of our time to talking about what we are against. But in this episode, I want to move away from that. I talk about why only speaking to what we are against isn't effective, and I talk about what it might look like to, instead, center our conversations on what we stand FOR.

Having Hope

Hope is the sense that we are moving toward something better. It is the belief or expectation that things will get better if only we can hang on....

But when the world feels like it's falling apart...it can be challenging to stay hopeful. It might even feel like a superfluous luxury for children. 

In this podcast, I talk about the importance of having hope. I talk about the tangible benefits of hope and how believing in a better future can even improve our present. And for those who are struggling to amass hope, I talk about strategies you can use to refuel it and stay afloat when the world seems to want to engulf you.  

Personal Response Ability

We often talk about the idea of responsibility. We need to take "personal responsibility" for our lives and improve them on our own. The thing is, though...that sort of assumes we have free will. Research on how our systems work indicates we might not actually have free will. If that is the case...can we really be held responsible for our actions? In this podcast, rather than talk about "personal responsibility" in the sense that we have "control" over our actions, I go into a bit more nuance and talk about "personal response ability" ...as in...our ability to respond to situations. And instead of talking about free will and control, I talk about ways in which we may at least influence our lives in positive ways.

Non-Negotiable

Highly sensitive people have a tendency to be adaptable. Copacetic. Harmonious. Why? Because we hate conflict. Duh. But sometimes, in life, we really need to be able to stand firm and be clear about what our needs are. This podcast is about identifying what our non-negotiable are and finding ways to articulate them effectively. 

Friction

Highly sensitive people and introverts tend to like harmony. Calm. Pleasant and low-stimulus environments. Friction and conflict? No thanks. But might there be value in being willing to stand firm and endure the discomfort of friction? Is it possible that friction is a necessary ingredient for a meaningful life? For meaningful relationships? In this episode I'll talk about how friction benefits our environment, our political landscapes, our relationships...and even can lead to personal growth within ourselves. 

The Power of Honesty

Honesty is the best policy. That's what we are told. Except...is it? People who are honest appear to have better relationships and better health outcomes. But are there occasions when honesty is not the best policy? Should we all just be saying what we think at all times? Unfiltered? In this episode, we'll cover the benefits of being honest...with ourselves and with others. We'll also talk about the key ingredients you need to be both honest and effective. 

Why Anger is Helpful for HSP

Many highly sensitive people I have met have said they are extremely uncomfortable with angry (uncomfortable when others express it and even more uncomfortable expressing it themselves). I find that intriguing. So when I recently experienced an episode of anger, I thought it a perfect opportunity to explore it. Anger, it turns out, is extremely useful and healthy...so long as it is expressed appropriately. In this episode, I'll discuss what an emotion is...and discuss how anger is defined more specifically. I'll talk about the benefits of anger and how to go about integrating it in our lives optimally. 

What is the Right Amount of News?

With a world trying to acclimate to a new normal with Covid, economic concerns, and in the case of the United States...an election...it's tempting to keep hitting the "refresh" button on our news feed. But to what degree is that helpful? Is it better to just avoid the news altogether? Or is there a sweet spot we can reach where we are informed enough to do what we need to do...but not so inundated with information that we feel paralyzed by it?