Pressing Pause

A fear of failure can take on different disguises including perfectionism and procrastination, it can stop us from doing what we want and realising our full potential, and knowing how to deal with it can be incredibly tricky. In this episode we look at: Why being scared of failure feeling different to when we fail How it can show up for each of us My own fear of failure (this makes me feel pretty vulnerable!) The process we can work through to help ourselves Resources: Feel confident, calm and capable, and live the life you want by working with me one-to-one, find out more here

My overthinking coaching clients often talk about their lack of confidence. It’s a big topic to cover so in this episode I focus on how our body language can help us to feel more confident. In this episode we look at: How our posture affects how we feel Social psychologist Amy Cuddy’s research on the effects of dominance and stress hormones What you can try in two minutes to boost your confidence How finding your own musical anthem can bump up your confidence levels Resources: Amy Cuddy’s TED Talk Feel confident, calm and capable and live the life you want by working with me one-to-one, find out more here

It can feel like you’re being bombarded with suggestions on how to make this your best year yet so what you can do to deal with the pressure of January-itis? In this episode we look at: What you’re telling yourself about these new year new you messages The role of that pesky ‘should’ word The idea behind choosing a word for the year How to make it helpful and supportive, not a pressure or source of guilt Resources: Goodbye 2018, Hello 2019 journal by Project Love Susannah Conway’s Find Your Word  Ali Edwards’ One Little Word  My review of 2018 and word for 2019 blog post  Ease into the new year with less pressure and stress and more calm and kindness for yourself with The Warm Embrace 7-day email series 

The festive season can be fun and joyous and it can also be messy and stressful. In this episode I suggest seven ideas for creating a calmer Christmas and New Year. In this episode we look at: How your expectations impact your enjoyment of Christmas What small, practical actions you can take to ease the stress What to do if you don’t feel full of Christmas spirit How to make the most of the good stuff Resources Ease into the new year with less pressure and stress and more calm and kindness for yourself with The Warm Embrace 7-day email series  Episode 14: The damaging word every overthinker uses Episode 18: How to deal with difficult emotions

Being away from home, however lovely a place you’re staying in or however lovely the people are, it can bring up feelings of vulnerability, stress and worry. Creating a sense of home from home can help you to feel more relaxed and comfortable. In this episode we look at: Why we can struggle when we’re away from home Why this is not about where you’re staying or with whom The practical action we can take, whatever the circumstances, to help ourselves feel more calm, secure and present I share how I create my own sense of home away from home  Resources Download your free Do you want a life of Less Worry & More Joy workbook here 

As Christmas is only a couple of weeks away, and it’s a time when we can be spending money more than usual, I look at the relationship between money and happiness. In this episode we look at: How much money is enough to make you happy How we can spend it to increase the joy we feel Who and what we spend our money on will have a longer lasting impact on our happiness Resources Download your free Do you want a life of Less Worry & More Joy workbook here  Episode 21: Why overthinkers are so good at striving (and why that’s not such a good thing) Watch Michael Norton’s TEDx talk How to Buy Happiness

The mindset with which we approach challenges or difficulties in life can make us feel stuck or like a failure, or it can open us up to possibilities. While some of us may begin life with a predominantly fixed mindset there is one little word that can help us move to a growth mindset. In this episode we look at: What fixed and growth mindsets are from the leading authority on them How focusing on our ability or effort affects our mindset The one little word that can make all the difference and how to make use of it Resources Mindset: Changing the way you think to fulfil your potentialby Carol Dweck Episode 34: How to cultivate optimism and boost your productivity in seven steps Discover how to be free of your overthinking and address your specific challenges by working with me one-to-one. The special introductory offer on my coaching services ends before Christmas, find out more here

How you feel about the expectations you have of life, yourself, other people, challenges, affects how positive or negative your reality is. Even if you feel you’re naturally pessimistic there are actions you can take to cultivate optimism and improve the reality of your day to day life. In this episode we look at: A study that shows how your expectations impact how you feel and behave How your optimistic or pessimistic attitude changes how you see the world but not reality itself Seven actions you can take to cultivate optimism Resources Episode 21: Why overthinkers are so good at striving (and why that’s not such a good thing) Episode 22: How to make your own mental health first aid kit Episode 14: The damaging word every overthinker uses The special introductory offer on my coaching services ends before Christmas, find out more here 

There’s one particular time of year when it feels like we’re not allowed to feel what we’re feeling, to take care of our own needs as well as everyone else’s, and to suggest that things could be done differently and break with tradition. In this episode we look at: The lack of permission we can feel at Christmas How others could be feeling as we do but also think they’re not allowed to speak up Why your feelings, needs and opinions matter as much as anyone else’s How to start voicing your opinion and factoring in your own needs Resources Join Coping with Christmas and navigate the festive season with less stress and more joy You can now work with me one-to-one on your overthinking, check out my coaching services here 

When you’re the overthinking, worrying kind the dark and cold months stretching ahead of us can feel challenging to our wellbeing. It’s harder to feel hopeful and positive and the world can feel a more unkind and scarier place. In this episode we look at: Where we can find inspiration from those who deal well with the cold and dark How dropping ‘should’ will help The simple actions we can take to help ourselves embrace rather than fight the season Resources Join Coping with Christmas and navigate the festive season with less stress and more joy  Find me on Instagram as @gabrielletreanor

This is the second of a two-parter where I share with you five powerful questions that you can ask yourself when your brain is spiralling off into overthinking and you want to calm the thought whirlwind. In this episode we look at: How asking yourself powerful questions can help you to challenge your overthinking How a question can spark an idea to help yourself Why sometimes looking ahead can give you perspective right now What to ask yourself to pull yourself out of a panicky overthinking spiral Resources Episode 22: How to make your own mental health first aid kit You can now work with me one-to-one on your overthinking, check out my coaching services here Join the Worry Less and Enjoy Life More Facebook Group

This is the first of a two-parter where I share with you five powerful questions that you can ask yourself when your brain is spiralling off into overthinking and you want to calm the thought whirlwind. In this episode we look at: How you can challenge your overthinking through asking yourself powerful questions How the stories you tell yourself keeps you stuck in overthinking My favourite question to give yourself a different perspective  Resources Join the 5 Days of Christmas Clarity free challenge here, we begin on Monday 29 October You can now work with me one-to-one on your overthinking, check out my coaching services here  Join the Worry Less and Enjoy Life More Facebook Group

Overthinkers can spend a lot of time lost in their own thoughts. Giving your attention to how you can support someone else who’s having a difficult time helps you too because it brings you out of your head and gives you a different point of focus. In this episode we look at: Sharing your experience without giving out a list of shoulds What to say when you don’t know what to say The frustration felt when you want to fix someone’s life The most valuable thing you can do to help someone who’s struggling Resources You can now work with me one-to-one on your overthinking, check out my coaching services here Join the Worry Less and Enjoy Life More Facebook Group

How can a group of people who we may never meet because they’re famous, been dead hundreds of years or are fictional characters be a source of inspiration and support? By creating your own imaginary advisory board. In this episode we look at: What is an imaginary inspirational advisory board How it can help when you’re feeling stuck, challenged or low How to choose who belongs on your board Who’s on my own cheerleading team Resources Episode 14: The damaging word every overthinker uses Join the Worry Less and Enjoy Life More Facebook Group 

You’d think happiness is a straight forward topic to talk about but the word itself can mean very different things to different people. In this episode we look at: Two different kinds of happiness How much influence we have over how happy we are How it relates to negative emotions The fear we feel about being happy Resources Episode 3: The life-changing power of feeling grateful Episode 7: How noticing ghte little things creates calm and joy Episode 21: Why overthinkers are so good at striving (and why that’s not such a good thing) Join the Worry Less and Enjoy Life More with Gabrielle Treanor Facebook Group

Mindfulness is everywhere, isn’t it? Is it just a fad or is it something that can really make a difference to overthinkers and worriers? In this episode we look at: How mindfulness is backed up by research and the NHS How mindfulness reduces rumination, what if-ing and stress How it strengthens your resilience, benefits those around you as well as yourself and allows you to experience more joy The reality of what it’s like to practice mindfulness Resources Be Here Now, my practical guide to living mindfully course, starts on Friday 28 September. Find out all about the course and take your place here.

Looking for approval and permission from our families, friends, workmates and even strangers on social media, to do what we want, to feel however we feel or to be who we want to be, can get us tangled up in overthinking and stuck in our lives. So what we can do about it? In this episode we look at: How we look outside of ourselves for permission Why we seek approval from other people The key areas in life where it’s holding us back How we can start to give ourselves permission  Resources Be Here Now, a practical guide to living mindfully, is open to join now, with an early bird discount. Find out all about the course and take your place here. Episode 14: The damaging word every ovethinker uses Episode 18: How to deal with difficult emotions Join the Worry Less and Enjoy Life More with Gabrielle Treanor Facebook Group

Sometimes life doesn’t go to plan, it fails to live up to our expectations and the result can really suck. And yet we continue to will it to be different which keeps us stuck in the frustration and upset. So what can we do? In this episode we look at: How life not living up to our expectations ramps up overthinking and stress levels How our response and reaction play a key role What we do and don’t have control over in these situations The four steps we can take to deal with life letting us down Resources Be Here Now, a practical guide to living mindfully, is open to join now, with an early bird discount. Find out all about the course and take your place here. Episode 18: How to deal with difficult emotions Join the Worry Less and Enjoy Life More with Gabrielle Treanor Facebook Group

It’s an odd topic for a podcast for overthinkers but there’s good reason why I focus on helping you to worry less, not stop worrying In this episode we look at: The damaging message behind a well intended ‘just stop worrying’ Why denying worry or pushing it away does more damage than good How facing up to your worry lessens its power over you What you can do with worry that will help you to focus on the joy in life Resources Episode 18: How to deal with difficult emotions Join the Worry Less and Enjoy Life More with Gabrielle Treanor private Facebook group

Most of us have a first aid kit for when we have a cut or bump but what about when we’re feeling mentally bashed and bruised? A mental health first aid kit is what’s need to provide comfort, support and relief when we feel emotionally beaten down. In this episode we look at: Why we need a mental health first aid kit What digital and physical elements to include in your kit Making it personal and specific to you How to use your mental health first aid kit when you’re struggling  Resources: Epiosde 6: How to disrupt the overthinking cycle Episode 10: What to do when you feel overwhelmed Episode 11: How overthinkers can take care of themselves