Not Quite Zen
Tony Hardman
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Hey everyone, I’m Tony Hardman your host for “Not Quite Zen” a podcast about struggling with mental health and finding ways to make life better. I’ve struggled with mental health all my life, and through lots of therapy and hard work I’ve learned how to be calmer, happier and more grounded. Hopefully, this show can do the same for you.
Available episodes
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Oldest first
Mar 14, 2023
How To Add Mental Health Into Your Routine
Whether you’re just getting started, or you’re someone who has gotten better, it’s important to create a daily routine for mental health to stay on track. When I started building mental health activities into my day, it was an important aspect of my success in overcoming anxiety and depression.
I started small by practicing mindfulness without meditation, then I added in gratitude exercises, and worked my way up to daily meditation. Over time, these mental health exercises became a habit and an important component of my sustained mental well-being. However, the unfortunate truth is that it’s easy to slip up. You may miss a meditation here and there, stop journaling, skip therapy, and then eventually notice that you’re more irritable, anxious, and depressed.
The good news is that whether you’re just starting, or you need to get back on track, having a daily routine for mental health will go a long way in keeping you happy and healthy. So, if you’re like me and you struggle with mental health, then here are some tips on how to create a daily routine for mental health.
Subscribe to my newsletter - The Weekly Dispatch - get one email per week with uplifting mental health content.
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Feb 28, 2023
What To Do When You Feel Sick And Depressed
I’ve had mental health problems for most of my life, but a few years ago I finally learned how to overcome my anxiety and live in the moment. My mental health improved so much that I started this podcast in hopes that it would help others get better, faster. But, when I was hit with a heart scare, broken ankle, two bouts of COVID-19, the flu, and a sinus infection over the course of a few months my mental resiliency was tested. I felt sick and depressed, and I worried that it would take me back to a dark place.
Despite the work I did to improve my mental health, the onslaught of medical issues one after another threatened to unravel my progress. In fact, these illnesses would have broken the old me. Luckily, I was able to hold on to my mental health with a positive outlook. Though there were several days that I felt quite down.
The difference is that I felt sick and depressed for short periods of time, rather than going into a downward spiral. I was able to do this because I learned psychological flexibility — the ability to adapt to any given challenge that arises in life.
It’s normal to feel depressed when you get sick. The truth is that life will always ebb and flow. No matter how much self-improvement work you do, the universe is always going to test you.
So, what can you do when you feel sick and depressed? Well, I’m going to share with you several strategies I use to maintain a positive mindset. Listen to this episode to learn how you can develop your own psychological flexibility so that the next time you feel sick and depressed it doesn’t derail your life.
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Feb 14, 2023
Whole Life Fitness - Featuring Dai Manuel
In this episode, I’m joined by Dai Manuel, author of the book “Whole Life Fitness Manifesto.” Dai has an upbeat contagious personality and offers great wisdom in what it takes to incrementally improve your life little by little, physically, mentally, and spiritually.
He is also an award-winning digital thought leader, Distinguished Toastmaster, keynote speaker, and former partner and Chief Operating Officer of a multi-million dollar retail company. However, like all of us, Dai has known struggle, and he will share his relatable story with us.
Get Dai's book: Whole Fitness Manifesto
Click here to subscribe to my newsletter, The Weekly Dispatch. You’ll get life-changing mental health content every Tuesday.
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Jan 31, 2023
How To Find A More Fulfilling Life – Featuring JJ DiGeronimo
Today’s episode is about how to dive into a world of self-discovery to find a more fulfilling life and work. With so many of us searching for meaning and purpose, it can be challenging to find the right path. That's why I'm thrilled to be joined by JJ DiGeronimo, an author and former woman in tech who shares how letting go of your ego, mindfulness, and finding your fuel stations – the activities that fill you up, can lead you to a better life.
Learn more about JJ at https://jjdigeronimo.com/.
Click here to subscribe to my newsletter, The Weekly Dispatch. You’ll get life-changing mental health content every Tuesday.
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Jan 17, 2023
How To Break & Untangle From Your Trauma - Featuring Chad Peevy
In this episode, I speak to Chad Peevy, author of “Break & Untangle: Discover the Freedom To Be You Despite The Inherited Mindsets Holding You Back.”
Chad grew up gay in an emotionally and physically abusive family in rural Arkansas. He had to spend years learning how to overcome the trauma, depression, and anxiety that followed him into adulthood from that experience. Inspired by his own journey, Chad has created a system for supplanting damaging beliefs with healthy mindsets and now offers guidance and support to all who want to find the same freedom. We have a great conversation about struggling with family, accepting our trauma, and learning how to make space and move forward in life.
Click here to subscribe to my newsletter, The Weekly Dispatch. You’ll get life-changing mental health content every Tuesday.
Follow the link to get a free copy of Chad’s book and click here to take his mindset assessment.
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Jan 3, 2023
How To Transform Your Life at the Crossroads of Science, Spirituality, and Health — Featuring Megan Nolan
On today’s episode, I invited Megan Nolan to join us. Megan is a personal trainer, yoga instructor, and vitality coach with more than 17 years of experience. She is passionate about helping people prioritize their mental, physical and spiritual health so they can thrive at work and still have time and energy to enjoy their lives.
Megan is going to share tips on how to start making progress when you’re overwhelmed, insight into the intersection between science, spirituality, mental and physical health, how to overcome the aches and pains of sitting all day, and several other great tips to help you make small changes that will improve your life.
Click here to subscribe to the newsletter.
Learn more about Megan Nolan by downloading her "Energy Fix" blueprint here.
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Dec 20, 2022
How To Deal With Holiday Anxiety
Are you experiencing holiday anxiety? It’s not uncommon. According to a survey from BetterHelp, nearly half of Americans worry about their mental health during the holidays. But why is this the case when it’s supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year?
There are a variety of potential triggers for holiday anxiety. You may be stressed about an obligation to spend time with toxic family members. Perhaps you’re worried about finding the right gifts or having enough time to cross everything off your to-do list. Maybe you have social anxiety and the idea of attending parties in unfamiliar places with new people sends your heartbeat racing. Even if you love the holidays, it’s easy to feel anxious when there are so many pressures, expectations, and activities going on. It’s surprising to me that more people don’t experience holiday anxiety.
While anxiety may be common this time of year, it doesn’t have to ruin the season or your life. This episode will help you understand why the holidays give you anxiety and offer tips to deal with holiday anxiety so you can stay sane through New Year’s Eve.
Click here to subscribe to my newsletter.
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Dec 6, 2022
Not Quite Normal: Mental Health Success Story Featuring — Marc Paisant
Have you ever felt like you were not quite normal, a little bit out of place compared to everyone else? Well, today I have a great guest for you.
Marc Paisant is the creator and host of the Relatively Normal podcast. In his show, he shares his experiences with ADHD, anxiety, and depression. He shows that no one is alone and there is always someone willing to listen and assist when it comes to coping and managing all kinds of stress. He is an advocate for therapy and counseling and talks about the years of therapy that he has used to successfully manage his mental health.
As a former collegiate athlete, Marc also uses physical fitness to assist with his mental health. He has learned that both can be combined and used to help work through any life issue. His goal is to inspire others to ask for help and to end the stigma when it comes to mental health and awareness.
Marc has a great mental health success story and some nuggets of wisdom that I’m excited to share with you.
Listen to Marc's podcast: Relatively Normal
Subscribe to my newsletter: The Weekly Dispatch
Check out my blog: Not Quite Zen
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Nov 22, 2022
How To Overcome Anxiety In Relationships - Featuring Jackie Hardman
At the beginning of a romantic relationship, things can seem perfect. We often call this the honeymoon period. But as time goes on, challenges will surely show up. Every relationship will experience some form of stress and anxiety as time marches on. All relationships require a lot of time and effort to be successful. But what happens when one or both partners have an anxiety disorder or some form of mental illness?
Caring for someone with a mental health issue can sometimes be the kiss of death for a relationship, but it doesn’t have to be.
In this episode, I talk with my wife of nearly 16 years, Jackie Hardman about the challenges we faced in our relationship caused by my mental illness. How it changed over the years, what helped us move past it, and how we deal with it to this day. She offers the unique perspective of someone who has had to care for, and been hurt by someone with mental health problems – me.
If you’re in a relationship, whether you are the one with mental illness or not, this episode can help you answer the question should we keep going? And even if you’re not questioning the future, the advice given may inspire you to improve things.
Click to subscribe to my newsletter: The Weekly Dispatch
Check out my blog: Not Quite Zen
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Nov 8, 2022
WTF is Burnout? How To Understand It, Prevent It, And Recover — Dr. Hollie Strugon
Have you ever felt burnt out? Like you’re so overwhelmed that you can barely hang on?
Employee burnout is a global concern. According to a Deloitte survey, *77 percent of people say they have experienced burnout at their current job*. 91 percent say that unmanageable stress or frustration impacts the quality of their work, and 83 percent say burnout can negatively impact personal relationships.
What about outside of work? For most people work doesn’t end when you leave the office or log out of your computer. Dinner has to be made, the house has to be cleaned, bills have to be paid, and the list goes on and on.
Burnout is a popular term, but it often comes with a lot of questions like:
* What does burnout feel like?
* What’s the difference between burnout and being overwhelmed?
* How can you prevent burnout?
* How do you know if you’re headed for burnout?
* How can you recover
* And why is it impacting so many people?
So in this episode, my guest, and burnout expert, Dr. Hollie Strugon is going to answer all those questions.
Signup for my newsletter: The Weekly Dispatch
Connect with Dr. Hollie:
What's Making Your Vulnerable to Burnout Quiz
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Oct 25, 2022
How To Make Peace With Your Past — Dr. Margit Gabriele Muller
Today, I have with me, Dr. Margit Gabriele Muller — a veterinarian and certified mental health coach who specializes in helping women who have experienced childhood trauma overcome their mental illness.
At a young age, Dr. Mulller herself had to learn how to overcome the unique challenges of having a mother who was diagnosed with schizophrenia.
Fueled by the passion to help other women create a new, positive self, she has created an online mental health course with private coaching called "Making Peace With Your Past." This course helps women to understand their past better and create a new, empowered future.
Though her work primarily focuses on helping women, Dr. Muller offers a unique story and advice that can be applicable for anyone. So, if you want to learn more about making peace with your past give this episode a listen.
*Connect With Dr. Muller:*
https://www.coachformentalhealth.com/courses
Your Pet, Your Pill®: 101 Inspirational Stories About How Pets Lead You to a Ha…
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Oct 11, 2022
Strategies To Cope With Depression
For most of my life feeling depressed was my default. It felt normal to me, and any sliver of happiness I ever experienced seemed odd. I didn’t know how to cope with depression. Luckily, I was able to break free from depression and change my mental health for the better.
That’s not to say I don’t still get depressed, I do, it’s normal to feel down from time to time. However, when I get depressed now it typically only lasts a few hours or a couple of days. My mental health routine of consistently practicing mindfulness, meditating, connecting to present moments, and regularly checking in with my therapist keeps me even-keeled. So, recently, when I felt depressed for more than a couple of days, I found myself frustrated and searching for ways to break out of it.
Depression is a serious illness that can alter the way you think and feel about the world. Even though the disease can feel like an endless pit of despair, it’s important to maintain your mental health as much as poss…
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Sep 27, 2022
How to Ease Anxiety When You’re Overwhelmed
I want to talk again about one of my favorite subjects – anxiety.
Do you ever have those days when your mind is racing with negative self-talk and worry? Does the thought of going anywhere makes you want to throw something across the room, or make you start to panic? As your stress levels increase, does your anxiety also go up?
If you regularly suffer from anxiety or you have experienced it in the past, you know how difficult it can be to live with this condition. Most people, myself included, spend a good chunk of time trying to figure out ways to get rid of anxiety. But then, when you can’t get rid of it, the anxiety gets worse.
Here’s the hard truth, I have never met anyone who has been able to get rid of anxiety. But, if you think about it, that makes sense. Anxiety is left over from our primitive brains to keep us alive. We game out situations in our minds and prepare how to react. This worked great for preventing getting eaten by a wild animal but isn’t so awesome in m…
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Sep 13, 2022
What To Do When Therapy Isn't Helping
It's hard enough to raise your hand and say I need help, but what happens when you go to therapy and you're not getting the results you hoped for?
When you’re in therapy, you hope that it will be helpful. You hope that it will help you to deal with whatever issues you’re facing and get past them once and for all. But sometimes the reality of going through therapy doesn’t always match expectations. While therapy can be extremely helpful for many people, others still struggle. So, what can you do when therapy isn’t helping?
If you are currently going through therapy and not seeing any improvement, don’t give up just yet. In this episode, I'm going to share several strategies to help you move forward when you're stuck in therapy that isn't quite hitting the mark.
Go to Not Quite Zen to sign-up for my newsletter. One email per week, with life-changing mental health content.
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Aug 30, 2022
How Meditation Can Improve Your Life - Neil McKinlay
Today, we’re gonna talk about mindfulness, meditation, and how it can improve your life.
I have with me, Neil McKinlay. Neil is a meditation teacher who has vast experience practicing and leading embodied meditation. He’s also the host of the Bringing Meditation to Life podcast. In this episode, Neil and I discuss:
* His own struggle with mental health
* What he did to get his life back on track
* How people can get started with meditation and why they should
* And how mindfulness and meditation can benefit your life.
Subscribe to Not Quite Zen Newsletter
Connect with Neil:
Bringing Meditation to Life Podcast
Neil's website
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Aug 16, 2022
It's Perfectly Ok To Not Always Be Ok - Erik DaRosa
If you’ve struggled with mental health, you’ve probably heard the phrase, “It’s ok to not be okay,” but have you ever wondered what that truly means?
I’m this episode, I’m joined by Erik DaRosa, known by friends and clients as “Yoda,” he is an inspirational speaker and the Founder and Co-host of the podcast From Survivor to Thriver.
Erik is a guy who has truly struggled with anxiety and knows that life is a journey that won’t always be smooth. Each week, he and his co-host Marc Fernandes tackle different mental health topics through honest and relatable "kitchen table" conversations with real people who are helping to shatter mental health stigmas and find their voices. He aims to normalize discussions around mental health topics and remind his audience they are not alone, there is strength in community, and "it's perfectly ok to not always be ok."
We dive deep into that topic, and also cover Erik’s story of growing without support. Struggling with intrusive th…
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Aug 2, 2022
The No B.S. Approach To Confront Trauma And Achieve Success – With Kevin Palmieri
Today, I’m excited to bring you a fantastic and motivating guest.
Kevin Palmieri grew up in a broken home without a lot of money. He didn’t meet his father until the age of 27. No doubt these were contributing factors to the anger he experienced in his everyday life. Something I’m sure many of us can relate to, myself included. Eventually, he got to a point where he didn’t think life was worth living.
When he shared this feeling with a loved one, he was encouraged to seek therapy, but as a self-described tough guy, he didn’t think he needed it. However, he was motivated by the perceived pain of losing this person, so he went to that first appointment with vulnerability. For Kevin, the experience was transformative, and he learned how to grow and move past his abandonment issues. Eventually, he felt empowered enough to overcome his fears and start a podcast. He’s now the CFO of Next Level University, a Global Top 100 Podcast and near seven-figure business, and he’s teach…
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Jul 19, 2022
How to Cope With Anger
Anger is a very difficult emotion to regulate because it’s a natural response to feeling threatened. Our primitive brains are wired to protect us from perceived danger, and when we feel threatened, it triggers our fight or flight response. It’s that all too familiar adrenaline rush that floods through your body, tenses up your muscles, and signals to your brain that it’s time to stand up and fight or run away.
In many cases, anger is a sign that you’re standing up for yourself and asserting your boundaries. Therefore, hot-button topics and disagreements may quickly send you into a rage. I can relate to this problem. Even though I have improved my mental health in many ways, calming down from anger is still a challenge for me. This is especially true when I’m triggered by something unexpectedly.
When anger catches you off guard, it can be overwhelming and lead to aggressive behavior. Some people are better than others at managing their anger, but if you’re prone to getting…
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Jul 5, 2022
Mental Health Success Story: Kaj Smit
In this episode, I bring you a remarkable mental health success story. Kai Smit, was a normal 19-year-old kid from the Netherlands, who was getting ready to head off to university and start his life when a sudden brain hemorrhage would change everything. His odds of survival were incredibly slim, but luckily he made it. Then came the hard part. Kai had to learn how to walk, talk, and gain control of his body all over again. At first, he thought the only solution was suicide, but after a chance visit from a friend, he was inspired to invest every possible effort into his recovery. Throughout this challenging process, he learned that it’s not about getting back to where he was before the accident. It’s about accepting who you are and making the best of it. Now he’s sharing his story in hopes that it will inspire others.
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Jun 21, 2022
The Individual Nature of Trauma and How to Heal – Mike Hynes
In this episode, we’re going to talk about trauma. I have with me former psychotherapist and current executive coach Mike Hynes. Mike is the author of “The Myth-Guided Mind: Unleash Your God-Given Genius at Work and at Home,” and he’s going to share about his personal struggle with PTSD, the start and stop nature of healing from trauma, the importance of persistence when building mental resiliency, and what it truly takes to get your head right and live a meaningful life. Check out the link to buy his book below. (I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase).
Whether or not you’ve experienced trauma yourself, I highly recommend you listen to this episode. Mike has a great story, and we cover a lot of other general topics that relate to any mental health struggle.
This episode will cover:
* Mike’s amazing story.
* The struggle of dealing with PTSD.
* The start and stop nature of the healing process.
* Why anger is such a common response to trauma.
* The…
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Jun 7, 2022
How to Overcome the Failure Loop and Lead Your Life With Confidence — Emily Sander
I’m really excited for today’s episode, I have with me, Emily Sander. Emily has vast business experience and is a C-Suite Executive. She’s also the founder of Next Level Coaching, so she knows a thing or two about how to achieve success and become a leader. But, why is that important for a mental health podcast you may be asking? Because being a leader isn’t something reserved for business. You can learn to be the leader of your own life. Emily is going to talk about how to overcome failure, imposter syndrome, and anxiety so that you can achieve your goals and live your passion.
Learn more about Emily: https://www.nextlevel.coach/
Check out her book: Hacking Executive Leadership on Amazon.
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May 24, 2022
How to Wake Up to Your Life With Consciousness — Bri Tartaglione Success Story
In this episode, I have with me Bri Tartaglione. She’s a Motivational Speaker, Certified Counselor, Emotional Wellness Coach, and podcaster in the field of personal development and mental well-being. She holds two master's degrees in School and Counseling Psychology from Columbia University and is working on completing her Advanced Certificate in Clinical Mental Health Counseling.
What’s most remarkable about Bri is the fact that in 2020, right when the world was shutting down so too was her body. It started with a tingling sensation in her feet and led to agonizing pain where she couldn’t feel much of anything at all. After weeks of isolation in the hospital, she had to learn how to do everything again.
After a long recovery, she now helps others learn how to heal, thrive, and discover how to live their best lives. You can find all of her information here in the show notes, and I’m really excited for you all to hear her story.
*You can find Bri's services and story at:*
ht…
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May 10, 2022
How to Keep Going When You Want to Give Up
I want to talk about giving up.
Pretty much everyone has a goal at some point in their life. They may want to lose weight, get fit, write a novel, start their own podcast, and improve sleep; the list goes on and on. Goals are great to have, but they are often really hard to achieve.
Motivation wanes, deadlines loom, life gets in the way and you’re not sure if you can keep going. When this happens it’s easy to think about quitting in pretty much any aspect of your life. If you feel like giving up on your goals, know that you’re not alone. Everyone gets discouraged from time to time.
It’s natural to feel like you can’t possibly continue with your goals when you hit a rough patch. If you want to consider the numbers, according to research from the University of Scranton, only eight percent of people end up achieving their goals.
Considering that statistic, you think it’s not even worth trying, but I can tell you from personal experience that giving up is not the answer. I…
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Apr 26, 2022
How to Overcome Anxiety With Brute Force
Today I want to talk about anxiety. There are thousands of books, millions of articles, and many podcasts about how to get rid of or deal with anxiety. I can’t tell you how to get rid of anxiety, I still have some and I know that I’m going to have some level of it for the rest of my life. But I’m cool with that because I’ve learned how to overcome the anxiety that was holding me back and make it my bitch.
So, in this episode, I’m going to teach you how to use brute force and ACT therapy so that you can do it too.
I'll cover:
* What it's like to have anxiety and why it sucks.
* The differences in how cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and acceptance and commitment (ACT) therapy treat anxiety.
* How I used ACT and brute force to overcome my anxiety.
* How you can set goals and committed action to do it tool.
Important Links:
* Weekly Dispatch Newsletter | Subscribe Page
* Book Recommendation | Anxious Man by Josh Roberts (note I may earn a small commission if y…
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Apr 12, 2022
How to Find Life's Purpose by Identifying Your Values
Often when you’re feeling down, or depressed, life can seem meaningless. You may feel this way occasionally, or it could be constant. This feeling may also lead to apathy. When you feel this way it’s nearly impossible to find joy and happiness.
If you take stock of your life, and you’re unhappy with how you’re living, what you’ve accomplished, and where you see the future going, then it’s time for you to identify your core values.
Why? Because when you know your values, you can make decisions in your everyday life that align with them. Values affect behavior by acting as an internal GPS. Holding them in your mind can guide you to live a more meaningful life.
In this episode I cover:
* What values are.
* How to identify values.
* How values and goals differ.
* How to live by your values.
Helpful Links:
* ACT Values Tool
* Subscribe to Not Quite Zen | Weekly Dispatch
* ACT Made Simple - book by Dr. Russ Harris
* The Happiness Trap - book by Dr. Russ Har…
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Mar 29, 2022
How to Enjoy Your Life
Do you find yourself thinking about the past or worrying about the future? If so, you’re not alone. Many of us feel this way at one time or another. For years my anxiety was so bad that’s pretty much all I could do. I would constantly worry or speculate about what could happen, or beat myself up over embarrassments from the past.
Even when I had something to look forward to like a vacation, I spent all my time focused on the upcoming trip. And when I got there, I spent way too much time having anxiety about it ending. I never, and I mean never spent time focusing on the present.
Everyone constantly thinks about the past and the future, and very few people live in the present moment.
So, how do you learn to start enjoying your life? The only thing you can do is make the most of the present moment. And the good news is that getting started isn’t hard. There are some simple things you can do to refocus your mind and pay attention to the present.
In this episode I cover:
* Th…
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Mar 15, 2022
Learn How to Chill the F Out
it can be hard to find a sense of peace in our hectic lives. We are constantly faced with challenges and stressful situations that can feel impossible to overcome. We’re bombarded with constant noise: phone notifications, emails, text messages, advertisements, every news story is “breaking news,” there are constant interruptions. Modern society is enough to make anyone’s head spin.
So, how do you chill the f out even among all that noise?
Well, there are a lot of different things you can do, and I will talk about them repeatedly on this podcast. But in this episode, I want to focus on the idea of equanimity.
In this episode I cover:
* What equanimity is
* Where the idea originated
* Examples of how to use equanimity in everyday life
* The difference between equanimity and apathy
* The benefits of equanimity
* How to start applying it to your life
Helpful Links:
* Book: The Subtle Art of Not Giving A F*uck
* Book: Atomic Habits
* Not Quite Zen Newsletter…
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Feb 28, 2022
How to Cope With Existential Dread
Welcome back everyone, and hello to my new listeners. Today’s episode is one I did not have planned, and frankly, it’s something I wish I didn’t have to talk about. I actually wanted to record and release this ahead of schedule, but I simply couldn’t because like many of you I am struggling right now. That’s where the “Not Quite” part of my show comes in. I want to be honest with you about my own mental health and where I stand because I’m not perfect and I hope you can find someone you can relate to in me.
In this episode, I’m going to talk about how to cope with existential dread, or in other words how not to lose your mind when the world’s going to complete shit.
I’m going to cover:
· My personal struggle with existential dread.
· How to confront your anxiety about the state of the world
· How to take action to ease your worry.
· How to cope with existential dread.
· How to find a little bit of peace when it feels like the walls are closing in.
Hel…
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Feb 15, 2022
Mental Health Success Story: Mike Martin
Hello everyone, if you’re a new listener welcome to the show, and if you’re an existing listener thanks for coming back. If you want to stay up-to-date with the latest content from Not Quite Zen I highly recommend you subscribe to our newsletter. You’ll get great mental health content once per week.
Today’s episode is going to be a little different than past episodes. When I started this podcast, I did it because I wanted to share my mental health success story with others, in hopes that it would inspire them. As I struggled with mental health through the years, I had a really difficult time finding other people like me who actually got better. I just thought I would be broken forever.
Luckily, that wasn’t the case and through acceptance and commitment therapy I learned how to overcome anxiety, deal with depression, and be calm.
So, this is the first episode in a series that I will do periodically where I share mental health success stories.
Today, we’re joined by Mike…
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Feb 1, 2022
Burnout First Aid: How to Quickly Relieve the Stress
Disclosure: Not Quite Zen is reader supported. This post contains affiliate links, and we may earn a small commission when you make a purchase. We never recommend products we don’t believe in.
Curing burnout is going to take more than a day off or a weekend away, but there are some things you can do to release a little pressure without taking a vacation. You need burnout first aid!
Whether you want to learn about how burnout affects your health, or you need an actionable plan to take back control, this episode has you covered. As a former Army medic, and current mental health coach, I will teach you how to “stop the bleeding” so that you can start to recover.
Episode Contents:
* How Burnout Affects Physical and Mental Health
* Burnout First Aid:
* 1. Identify the source of burnout.
* 2. Pick a time and set boundaries.
* 3. Pick a location and disconnect.
* 4. Plan stress reducing activities.
* 5. Things to Avoid.
* 6. Start ASAP.
* Reassess and Think Beyond…
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Jan 18, 2022
How to Stop Negative Thought Patterns
In the first two episodes I talked about whether or not therapy works, shared my personal journey with mental health, and covered different types of therapy programs. Today I want to shift gears, and start covering different ways you can take action to improve your mental health. We’re going to start by talking about how to stop negative thoughts.
Getting sucked into negative thought patterns can really derail your mental health and make it extremely challenging to make any progress in your life. Luckily, acceptance and commitment (ACT) therapy offers a powerful way to stop negative thought patterns, and it’s called Cognitive Defusion.
In this episode I cover:
* What Cognitive Defusion is
* How to create distance from negative thoughts
* How to define and identify negative thoughts
* How to notice and label thoughts
* Hot to evaluate whether thoughts are factual and let them go
If you've sturggled with negative self talk then I promise this episode will help you.
To…
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Jan 4, 2022
How to Find the Right Therapy
In this episode I wanna talk about how to find the right therapy for you. This is a question that’s often overlooked. If you’re thinking about starting a therapy program, you’re most likely asking yourself, “where can I find a good therapist,” and that’s an important question, but you may first want to consider the different types of therapy that are available.
But worry not, I’m going to help you work through this question.
If you haven't already, please go to notquitezen.co and sign up for the newsletter. You will get an email once a week with helpful mental health content, including the latest from Not Quite Zen, and we’ll never send you spam.
Also, if you want to leave feedback about the episode you can join the Not Quite Zen Facebook group, or use the contact form on the website.
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Dec 21, 2021
Does Therapy Really Work?
If you've ever struggled with mental health, then you've probably questioned whether therapy really works at least once or twice. My name is Tony Hardman, and I’m a regular guy (not a therapist) who has dealt with depression, anxiety, anger, and a host of other issues throughout my life.
I've been in and out of therapy since I was a teenager, so by the time I was in my thirties, I really started to question whether or not I would ever get better. One day when I was feeling defeated, I asked my therapist, “does therapy actually work, or am I going to have problems forever?” Her response was basically, “yes, it works, and I know it works because it worked for me.”
At the time, I was satisfied with her answer, but I also took it with a grain of salt because I thought, "of course she believes it works, she's a therapist."
Look, therapists are amazing, but most therapists won't share a lot about themselves with you. Finding someone else to relate to can be really hard. So, befo…
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Dec 6, 2021
Welcome to Not Quite Zen
Welcome to Not Quite Zen, I'm your host, Tony Hardman. I just a regular guy who has struggled with mental health most of my life. Luckily, after years of therapy, mindfulness practice and meditation I’ve changed and grown into a calmer, happier more balanced person. As anyone who struggles with mental illness can tell you, there are good days and bad days, and that’s why I’ve created this podcast. If you’ve ever felt anxiety, depression, anger or struggled with the challenges of daily life then this podcast is for you.
Join me every other Tuesday where I’ll cover a wide range of topics like:
· Does therapy actually work?
· What is happiness and how can you find it?
· How to deal with anxiety in relationships
· What is mindfulness and how can it improve your life
· And so much more.
Subscribe today! And, click the link to join the Not Quite Zen Community on Facebook.
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