One of Mohandas Gandhi's famous pieces of sage advice is, "Be the change you wish to see in the world." This week, the Pieces to Wellness crew is applying this saying to ourselves. We're putting our money where our mouth is, and asking each other questions like, "If there's a problem in your life, what are you doing about it?" and, "How can we start to make the world a better place, and truly be the change we want to see?"

Small things matter. Starting small is the way to go. Be kind instead of insulting yourself or others. Offer to help someone who is struggling. Especially when that person is you. Start with yourself, and focus on the things you can actually change, which is only ever yourself. Many people talk about the changes they'd like to see in the world, and look to others to make those changes. We cannot control the behavior of others, but we can control our own responses to the world around us. Taking back the power we have over our responses is one surefire way to combat the chaos around us. Doing things differently, changing, is not easy. Neither is going against the grain. It is normal to feel some resistance toward creating change in our own lives. In fact, there is much to be learned from the resistance when lean into it and unpack it.

Tim invites us all to act with integrity - to do the right thing, even when nobody is watching. This too is sage advice. Remain committed to your wellness, to treating yourself and others with compassion and kindness. Kindness is contagious. So start spreading it inside and out and before you know it, you will be the change!

We are very grateful to all our listeners.
We'd love to hear your feedback or ideas for future episode topics.
Reach out on IG @piecestowellness or shoot us an email at neverunderestimatetpp@gmail.com.

Reminder - The road to a better you is paved with pieces to wellness…
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Get a copy of Tim's book, Never Underestimate the Power of You
by clicking the link below:

https://a.co/d/h7AQf91

This week we are excited to welcome a new guest to the podcast: David Grosh. David describes himself as a soul on a healing journey. About 5 years ago, David experienced a cascade of events resulting in numerous symptoms of trauma, including chronic anxiety and extreme insomnia being held in his body. He found that he did not have the skills to alleviate his symptoms, and mainstream practices like talk therapy were not successful for him. So he forged his own self-guided path which included studying Eastern spirituality and somatic psychology. One of the key components to David's healing has been cold exposure therapy.

David describes his experiences with cold exposure therapy, and some of the science behind how it paradoxically can reduce our experience of suffering. He says that our brain's goal is to reduce or avoid discomfort, yet avoiding discomfort altogether actually causes more suffering because we don't learn how to process and move through discomfort effectively. We must learn to surrender, relax, and get out of the body's way, creating space for the body to process the emotions we so often characterize as negative or shameful - fear, anxiety, anger. He says that with practices like cold exposure we can actually release trauma that has been stored in the body.

We are so inspired by David's story, and admire his resilient spirit. David describes many tools besides cold exposure, like breathwork and meditation, many of which can be practiced by anyone, anywhere, anytime. Take the plunge with us into the depths of David's journey and hear about what makes him a mental health warrior.

Follow David on IG @healing_the_dgrosh

We are very grateful to all our listeners.
We'd love to hear your feedback or ideas for future episode topics.
Reach out on IG @piecestowellness or shoot us an email at neverunderestimatetpp@gmail.com.

Reminder - The road to a better you is paved with pieces to wellness…
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Get a copy of Tim's book, Never Underestimate the Power of You
by clicking the link below:

https://a.co/d/h7AQf91

Welcome back to the garage for another tune up episode. Each month, these shorter tune up episodes provide a brief overview of some of the practical tools in our toolboxes that we use to keep ourselves on the wellness side of the mental health spectrum.

Trigger warning! This month's tune up episode is all about glimmers. What's a glimmer, you ask? Glimmers are the opposite of triggers. They are things that bring you joy or light you up. They can feed the joy you already have, and make for lasting happy memories. We talk about our personal glimmers (spoiler alert - Karen loves looking for lilies!), and share tricks to train the mind to spot the glimmers. Glimmers can be a hike through the woods, the feeling of sun on your face, or a laugh with a close friend. Glimmers can come from everywhere and anywhere, and once you start looking for them, the more glimmers you'll find.

We are very grateful to all our listeners.
We'd love to hear your feedback or ideas for future episode topics.
Reach out on IG @piecestowellness or shoot us an email at neverunderestimatetpp@gmail.com.

Reminder - The road to a better you is paved with pieces to wellness…
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Get a copy of Tim's book, Never Underestimate the Power of You
by clicking the link below:

https://a.co/d/h7AQf91

This week's conversation covers all the bases. Most importantly, what does it mean to return to baseline? An often overlooked, but exceptionally important component of mental wellness is familiarizing yourself with your own personal baseline. We like to think of baseline as ground zero, the point at which you are regulated, at homeostasis. When life throws multiple stressors at us, and we are challenged by time and/or lack of access to our wellness tools, we may quickly find ourselves above or below baseline.

A small inconvenience can bump us up to a 3. A major catastrophe can push us all the way up to a +10, or plummet us down to a -10. The important part of familiarizing yourself with your baseline is to recognize when you are at the point where you need to slow down and use the tools that serve you best in your time of need. Tools like time alone, or the comfort of a family pet may help you go from a +8 to a +4, or from a -8 to a -4.

We discuss ways to identify and release emotions that may feel overwhelming. Naming the emotion we're experiencing empowers us by acknowledging the feeling itself. Engaging in physical activity like a brisk walk or deep purposeful breathing may also help restore you to a more manageable level. Jordan says that restoration is a continual process. The goal is to use the tools we've learned from our experience to slow the escalation or descent away from baseline to help restore us to a more stable, manageable emotional state. At times, this may feel like a tall order, which is why we acknowledge that this is a non-linear, lifelong process. By practicing awareness, mindfulness, and patience, we will be well-equipped to make the journey, always remembering that there is no such thing as perfection, only progress.

We are very grateful to all our listeners.
We'd love to hear your feedback or ideas for future episode topics.
Reach out on IG @piecestowellness or shoot us an email at neverunderestimatetpp@gmail.com.

Reminder - The road to a better you is paved with pieces to wellness…
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Get a copy of Tim's book, Never Underestimate the Power of You
by clicking the link below:

https://a.co/d/h7AQf91

This week on Pieces to Wellness podcast, we journey inside the fortress walls. A fortress can be a well-fortified structure that offers safety to those within while defending itself from anyone or anything on the outside. One true privilege that a fortress offers is the ability to extend protection to a chosen few. Something Jordan refers to as "selective vulnerability".

But... What if our safe haven becomes our prison? What if the safe place we've built for ourselves in times of need no longer offers protection, but instead confines us within a lonely relic of past traumas? As life unfolds, our needs change, and what has served us in the past may no longer be of use. The armor we wear may become cumbersome in an environment where it's not needed.

The good news is that we have the power to adapt to our environments, and sometimes to change the environment we're in altogether. This is what this conversation is all about. It's about obtaining sovereignty despite our pain, learning to trust others while preserving safe and respectful boundaries. And discerning when and how to remove our armor and be our full, vulnerable, authentic selves.

We are very grateful to all our listeners.
We'd love to hear your feedback or ideas for future episode topics.
Reach out on IG @piecestowellness or shoot us an email at neverunderestimatetpp@gmail.com.

Reminder - The road to a better you is paved with pieces to wellness…
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Get a copy of Tim's book, Never Underestimate the Power of You
by clicking the link below:

https://a.co/d/h7AQf91

This week it is our great pleasure to welcome a guest who is a true mental health warrior. Katie is a licensed mental health counselor as well as a certified clinical anxiety treatment professional. Currently Katie is the Clinic Director of Ellie Mental Health in Latham. She has offered her services in and around New York's Capital Region since 2002.

We always wish we had more time with our guests because of the depth of their knowledge and expertise - and Katie is no exception! Katie's experience working specifically with younger clients speaks volumes about the urgent need for more mental health professionals with the training and support to meet the needs of clients of all ages. Through this interview, Katie provides clear insight into what it takes to foster the mental wellness of a whole new generation of young people coming up in an almost entirely digital world. Whether you're a parent or working on your own inner child's unmet needs, you will find this conversation immensely informative and useful. Katie shares lots of strategies that can be applied to responding to the stressors of day to day life with a focus on openness, vulnerability, and authenticity. Enjoy!

We are very grateful to all our listeners.
We'd love to hear your feedback or ideas for future episode topics.
Reach out on IG @piecestowellness or shoot us an email at neverunderestimatetpp@gmail.com.

Reminder - The road to a better you is paved with pieces to wellness…
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Get a copy of Tim's book, Never Underestimate the Power of You by clicking the link below:

https://a.co/d/h7AQf91

This week on Pieces to Wellness we discuss the art of suffering. Suffering is defined differently by each individual who experiences it. Like stress, suffering to some extent is a natural part of life. There is a Buddhist saying, "Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional." Through this week's conversation, we've concluded that the acceptance of pain and suffering, and the meaning we assign to these experiences become the lynch pin that turns suffering into a teachable, meaningful experience.

What causes suffering? Many things. Unrealistic expectations, physical/emotional pain, loss or defeat, material fixations, financial hardships, and death/thoughts of death to name a few. At times, life can be cruel and unfulfilling. One of the ways many of us attempt to combat life's cruelty is to fill our time with sensory pleasures or superficial artifacts to occupy the space and time in our homes and lives. This provides immediate gratification. This short lived satisfaction subsides only to compel us to repeat the process again. Like an addict looking for a fix, we chase pleasure in order to avoid pain. What if the way out was through? Not around, or over/under, or avoiding, but facing the pain, the suffering with vulnerability.

The acceptance of hard times gives us the opportunity to become well-acquainted with pain, but not necessarily in an adversarial way. We have the opportunity to create a compassionate dynamic with our hardships, our suffering. Think of it this way: Running from suffering strengthens the thing you're running away from. Confronting suffering gives YOU the strength to overcome. There's an art to suffering with grace, and no one gets it right the first time. What matters most is turning hard moments into an opportunity to extract the value, the lesson, even the beauty that may be present.

We are very grateful to all our listeners.
We'd love to hear your feedback or ideas for future episode topics.
Reach out on IG @piecestowellness or shoot us an email at neverunderestimatetpp@gmail.com.

Reminder - The road to a better you is paved with pieces to wellness…
Like, Follow, Share 🧩

Get a copy of Tim's book, Never Underestimate the Power of You by clicking the link below:

https://a.co/d/h7AQf91

We're back in the garage with another tune up episode. Every month, these shorter tune up episodes offer a brief overview of some of the practical tools in our toolboxes that we use to keep ourselves on the wellness side of the mental health spectrum.

This week we're talking about the all important and often difficult subject of creating meaningful connections. Nothing happens in isolation - connections are vital to our sustained wellness. Meaningful connections can start with a simple hello, an email, or even a text to a new friend or old acquaintance. Each of these may open the door to building a strong bond. Tim shares a list of events or activities that may help us connect with like-minded people. These activities include things like going to a yoga class, a church, a gym, a disc golf league, or even on a hike. Each of these activities provides an opportunity to introduce yourself to someone you may meet there. Choosing the activities and connections that are right for you as an individual is an essential first step. Like anything in life, getting out there and especially trying something new requires effort and care. Most of us have remained in a friendship that wasn't beneficial to our wellbeing or have attempted to force a connection with the wrong person. It comes down to honesty and vulnerability, and for many of us, those things don't come easy. Karen says, "to really voice what you want can be uncomfortable," and goes on to say, "keep trying."

When it comes to building connections, persistence pays off, and bravery helps push you to take chances. Because being you is the bravest thing you can be. And it is only by being yourself that you will find the connections that support your wellbeing.

We are very grateful to all our listeners.
We'd love to hear your feedback or ideas for future episode topics.
Reach out on IG @piecestowellness or shoot us an email at neverunderestimatetpp@gmail.com.

Reminder - The road to a better you is paved with pieces to wellness…
Like, Follow, Share 🧩

Get a copy of Tim's book, Never Underestimate the Power of You by clicking the link below:

https://a.co/d/h7AQf91