A New Approach to Relieving Stress & Anxiety (and Improving "Emotional" Health) | with Nick Wignall

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Nick Wignall is a board-certified clinical psychologist specializing in cognitive and behavioral psychology. Nick also writes a weekly newsletter called The Friendly Mind, which offers simple. practical advice for emotional health and wellbeing.

With the endless supply of challenges this year has delivered to us, including recession, the rise of AI, and the Hollywood strikes (to name just a few), anxiety has been on the rise and we’ve never been more desperate for solutions. Nick offers us an abundance of solutions to this evergreen topic, addressing anxiety in all aspects of life including the workplace.

In our conversation, Nick and I dissect what anxiety really is and peel each of its layers to help you identify how to deal with it. Nick gives us some great tips on how to work with your anxiety so you can still live your life and even make important decisions despite feeling anxious. Lastly, Nick reveals the benefits of training our minds to worry at specific times of the day and more importantly, how to do it.

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Here's What You'll Learn:

• How Nick helps those who aren't clinically anxious but need more than self help books.
• The difference between mental health and emotional health
• How trying to help people with anxiety led to Nick having anxiety himself
• Why it's not a good idea to hold off decision making until you're less anxious and what you should do instead
• What anxiety really is and why it's perfectly normal
• Why 'negative' emotions aren't really bad
• Why understanding your emotions is vital to addressing your anxiety
• The different types of fear and how knowing which type you're experiencing can help in your decision making
• How to make a decision (especially big ones) amid a difficult emotion
• The different layers of anxiety and how understanding them can help you identify your next action step to address your anxiety
• Why values, even though they're generally good, aren't always helpful
• Why is it important to know which of your values are operating but aren't being helpful to you
• How values come in conflict with each other and what can you do when it happens
• Why it's important to constantly update your values and how to do it
• What is 'scheduled worry,' why it works in addressing anxiety and how to do it

Useful Resources Mentioned:

Inside Out (2015) - IMDb

Ramit Sethi Podcast Interview on Forging Your Own Rich Life: Episode 105

The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts: Chapman, Gary

Scheduled Worry – Discover the magic of worrying on purpose

The Friendly Mind newsletter

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Guest Bio:

Nick Wignall

Nick Wignall is a board-certified clinical psychologist specializing in cognitive and behavioral psychology. After years treating anxiety and insomnia clients, Nick left his clinical practice to help found a company that works with organizations to improve their culture and employee well-being. In addition to his day job, he writes a weekly newsletter, The Friendly Mind, which offers simple, practical advice for emotional health and wellbeing. Nick is married with four young kids and lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Show Credits:

This episode was edited by Curtis Fritsch, and the show notes were prepared by Debby Germino and published by Glen McNiel.

The original music in the opening and closing of the show is courtesy of Joe Trapanese (who is quite possibly one of the most talented composers on the face of the planet).