0
SPEAKER_03
This is the story of how a group of people brought music back to Afghanistan by creating their own version of American Idol.
0
SPEAKER_03
The joy they brought to the nation.
0
SPEAKER_02
You re free completely.
0
SPEAKER_03
No one is there to destroy you.
0
SPEAKER_03
The danger they endured.
0
SPEAKER_02
They said my head should be cut off.
0
SPEAKER_03
I m John Legend.
0
SPEAKER_03
Listen to Afghan Star on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
0
SPEAKER_02
A new season of Bridgerton is here.
0
SPEAKER_02
And with it, a new season of Bridgerton, the official podcast.
0
SPEAKER_02
I m your host, Gabby Collins.
0
SPEAKER_02
And this season, we are bringing fans even deeper into the ton.
0
SPEAKER_02
Watch season three of the Shondaland series on Netflix.
0
SPEAKER_02
Then fall in love all over again by listening to Bridgerton, the official podcast on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
0
SPEAKER_02
Subscribe to catch a new episode every Thursday.
0
SPEAKER_01
Hey everyone, this is Molly and Matt, and we re the hosts of Grown Up Stuff How to Adult, a podcast from Ruby Studio and iHeart Podcasts.
0
SPEAKER_04
It s a show dedicated to helping you figure out the trickiest parts of adulting.
0
SPEAKER_01
Like how to start planning for retirement, creating a healthy skincare routine, understanding when and how much to tip someone, and so much more.
0
SPEAKER_04
Let s learn about all of it and then some.
0
SPEAKER_04
Listen to Grown Up Stuff How to Adult on America s number one podcast network, iHeart.
0
SPEAKER_04
Open your free iHeart app and search Grown Up Stuff.
0
SPEAKER_00
Hey everyone, I m so excited because we re going to be adding a really special offering onto the back of my solo episodes on Fridays.
0
SPEAKER_00
The Daily J is a daily series on Calm and it s meant to inspire you while outlining tools and techniques to live a more mindful, stress-free life.
0
SPEAKER_00
We dive into a range of topics and the best part is, each episode is only 7 minutes long, so you can incorporate it into your schedule no matter how busy you are.
0
SPEAKER_00
As a dedicated part of the On Purpose community, I wanted to do something special for you this year.
0
SPEAKER_00
So I ll be playing a handpicked Daily J during each of my Friday podcasts.
0
SPEAKER_00
This week we re talking about your habits and how to develop better daily routines.
0
SPEAKER_00
Of course, if you want to listen to the Daily J every day, you can subscribe to Calm.
0
SPEAKER_00
So go to calm.com forward slash J for 40% off your membership today.
0
SPEAKER_00
Hey, everyone, welcome back to On Purpose, the number one health podcast in the world, thanks to each and every one of you that come back every week to listen, learn, and grow.
0
SPEAKER_00
Now, today s episode is all about something that I know has been at the forefront of so many of your minds.
0
SPEAKER_00
I ve been reading comment sections, I ve been talking to so many people as well, and I found that a lot of us will say that the two most common thoughts we have
0
SPEAKER_00
are either anxious thoughts or worry-filled thoughts.
0
SPEAKER_00
And I think a lot of us can relate to that, right?
0
SPEAKER_00
I m guessing that when you wake up, there may be an anxious thought.
0
SPEAKER_00
When you are preparing for something, there may be a worry thought.
0
SPEAKER_00
Maybe you re anxious about your own health and wellness.
0
SPEAKER_00
Maybe you re anxious about your work.
0
SPEAKER_00
Maybe you re worried about your family.
0
SPEAKER_00
Maybe you re worried about something that s happening in your area or maybe in the world.
0
SPEAKER_00
And I find that these thoughts are so common and so normal, yet we don t always have a game plan in order to work through them.
0
SPEAKER_00
And I think that s what s so important.
0
SPEAKER_00
I think we want to get to a point where we never have an anxious thought or never have a worry-filled thought.
0
SPEAKER_00
And the truth is, that s just not possible.
0
SPEAKER_00
But what is possible is having a plan of action, having a game plan, having strategies and methods to actually overcome, transition, transform, and break through from those thoughts and feelings, and that s what this episode is about.
0
SPEAKER_00
So if you re waking up with anxiety, if you re struggling to sleep because of worry, if you re someone who can see that when you re around a group of people, your anxiety and your nerves go through the roof,
0
SPEAKER_00
Maybe you re someone who worries all the time and gets pessimistic.
0
SPEAKER_00
This episode is for you.
0
SPEAKER_00
And maybe you have a friend who s dealing with this.
0
SPEAKER_00
Maybe you ve had an episode recently where anxiety and worry came up in your life.
0
SPEAKER_00
I ve had that where I think I m completely anxiety free and then all of a sudden something happens and that s my number one priority is being able to manage it.
0
SPEAKER_00
I can t wait for you to listen to this episode.
0
SPEAKER_00
Thanks for choosing On Purpose as always.
0
SPEAKER_00
I was reading this brilliant article on psychcentral.com about anxiety, and here were some of the stats that they shared.
0
SPEAKER_00
They said that more than 31% of the US people will experience an anxiety disorder at some point in their lifetimes.
0
SPEAKER_00
Social anxiety disorder is one of the most common anxiety disorders affecting around 12% of US adults at some point in their lives.
0
SPEAKER_00
and it went on to clarify that women are nearly twice as likely to develop an anxiety disorder compared with men and that there are lots of different ways that anxiety makes us feel.
0
SPEAKER_00
For some of us it can be excessive and consistent worrying, for some of us it s restlessness, irritability, muscle tension,
0
SPEAKER_00
difficulty concentrating, sleep problems, fatigue, heart palpitations, sweating, and an upset stomach or nausea.
0
SPEAKER_00
So it s really interesting because I think we often think of anxiety as like, okay, it s all in my head.
0
SPEAKER_00
But as you can tell from this list that I found on Psych Central,
0
SPEAKER_00
you actually see it manifesting very differently throughout the body.
0
SPEAKER_00
We ve talked about everything from muscle tension through to an upset stomach or gut.
0
SPEAKER_00
We re talking about heart palpitations.
0
SPEAKER_00
So you re seeing that anxiety find its way throughout the body and finding a place to live.
0
SPEAKER_00
And so even if you re one of those people, I used to be someone who used to say, oh, I never get stressed.
0
SPEAKER_00
I don t have any of that.
0
SPEAKER_00
And then I started to realize that my body was storing it.
0
SPEAKER_00
in a way that I wasn t even conscious and aware of because I wasn t present enough in my body.
0
SPEAKER_00
If I m not present enough in my body, I m not sure what I feel, where it came from, how long I ve been feeling it, or how it developed.
0
SPEAKER_00
And so it s really interesting to remember that even if you re someone who s like, oh, Jay, I don t feel anxiety.
0
SPEAKER_00
That s not a challenge for me.
0
SPEAKER_00
It may be finding a home in your body in a different way.
0
SPEAKER_00
So it s a great thing to be aware of.
0
SPEAKER_00
The other fascinating thing, I was reading an article on psychology today, and it talked about this study that they did at Penn State University, where researchers had participants write down their specific worries for 10 days whenever they noticed it.
0
SPEAKER_00
And they were even sent a text message around 4 times a day to write down any worries from the past 2 hours to make sure they could capture as many as possible.
0
SPEAKER_00
Now the study participants then reviewed their lists of worries every evening over the next 30 days to see if they came true.
0
SPEAKER_00
And the worries were only worries that could be tested in the 30 days.
0
SPEAKER_00
For example, they used, I ll fail my math exam tomorrow would be testable, whereas I ll develop cancer at some point would not be considered testable.
0
SPEAKER_00
The average person reported three to four testable worries per day.
0
SPEAKER_00
The result, the research showed, a whopping 91% of worries were false alarms.
0
SPEAKER_00
And of the remaining 9% of worries that did come true, the outcome was better than expected about a third of the time.
0
SPEAKER_00
For about one in four participants, exactly zero of their worries materialized.
0
SPEAKER_00
This was a great article reviewed by Devin Fry, if you want to check it out, on Psychology Today, written by Seth J. Gillian.
0
SPEAKER_00
So what I just want to establish is that worry and anxiety are something that a lot of us are feeling.
0
SPEAKER_00
There are very different ways in which how it shows up in our life.
0
SPEAKER_00
So the language and the experience of it may be different.
0
SPEAKER_00
And on top of that, a lot of what we worry about doesn t always turn out to be true.
0
SPEAKER_00
Having said that, I want to give you some strategies and a game plan for dealing with your worries and anxieties because I want to help you transform those thoughts and overcome them.
0
SPEAKER_00
I had a really interesting experience of anxiety lately.
0
SPEAKER_00
I remember before going on my world tour I was so close to cancelling it so many times because I found it overwhelming that I d be doing all this travel back to back off the back of a press tour.
0
SPEAKER_00
I was genuinely quite anxious about it if I m completely honest with you all and I thought about cancelling it and I thought about
0
SPEAKER_00
whether I d be able to stay healthy the whole time.
0
SPEAKER_00
I was worried about being away from Radhi.
0
SPEAKER_00
I was worried about being away from my team and my work and my office.
0
SPEAKER_00
I was concerned that maybe I wouldn t be able to do it because I hadn t done it before.
0
SPEAKER_00
And so there were all these anxieties that I was feeling.
0
SPEAKER_00
And what s really interesting is that after rehearsing and after practicing, I felt great.
0
SPEAKER_00
But even the week, let me just walk you
1
SPEAKER_00
through my schedule.
1
SPEAKER_00
So my book came out or was announced on 31st of January.
1
SPEAKER_00
I went on a three week press tour across New York, London, Mumbai and LA.
1
SPEAKER_00
And then I had to go straight into rehearsals and then go on the US leg of the tour.
1
SPEAKER_00
And I was so close to falling ill while I was rehearsing.
1
SPEAKER_00
My team, Jordan, saved my life, literally, with the amount of vitamins and supplements.
1
SPEAKER_00
And I was literally on everything I could possibly do to stay healthy.
1
SPEAKER_00
And those things really got me across the line.
1
SPEAKER_00
But I was nervous at that time, too.
1
SPEAKER_00
And then when I was about to go on stage at my first show in Philadelphia, I walked onto the rehearsals.
1
SPEAKER_00
And I felt so tight chested.
1
SPEAKER_00
I thought maybe I got COVID or maybe there s some condition I m struggling with.
1
SPEAKER_00
I remember feeling really uncomfortable.
1
SPEAKER_00
I then did the show that night in Philadelphia.
1
SPEAKER_00
It was a great first show.
1
SPEAKER_00
And then a day later when we got to Boston, I felt it again.
1
SPEAKER_00
I felt the same uncomfortable feeling tight chested i was wondering what it was and i remember speaking to my tour manager tom about it and i said to tom i said tom i think, you know i don t know what s going on i m just feeling a bit uncomfortable and he said well jay you know it s probably anxiety and nerves and i was like i don t feel anxiety and nerves i m you know i ve spoken on stages a million times.
1
SPEAKER_00
And it was really interesting to me because he was like, Jay, you have, but this is different.
1
SPEAKER_00
This is your show.
1
SPEAKER_00
This is your tour.
1
SPEAKER_00
It s different.
1
SPEAKER_00
And so I was practicing my breathwork exercises, and then I had to go get checked in New York because I was so worried.
1
SPEAKER_00
And I realized it was purely anxiety-based.
1
SPEAKER_00
It was purely stress-based.
1
SPEAKER_00
I was feeling so tight-chested, and it went away after knowing that it wasn t anything more.
1
SPEAKER_00
But it s so interesting how we discount
1
SPEAKER_00
our experiences of overwhelm or stress or worry, because we think of it as insignificant.
1
SPEAKER_00
We think that we should have had it figured out.
1
SPEAKER_00
The first thing I want to talk to you about is studies show that we have around 60,000 to 80,000 thoughts per day.
1
SPEAKER_00
Overwhelming already, I know.
1
SPEAKER_00
And that 80% of those are repetitive, and 80% of those are negative.
1
SPEAKER_00
We re often having the same thought throughout the day.
1
SPEAKER_00
A negative thought keeps on repeat on that cycle, and we have the same thought multiple times a day, adding up to a number of uncontrollable thoughts.
1
SPEAKER_00
And here s my strategy for you.
1
SPEAKER_00
You can t change 60,000 to 80,000 thoughts per day.
1
SPEAKER_00
It would be really tough to start thinking about how to be mindful about every thought.
1
SPEAKER_00
But here s something you can do.
1
SPEAKER_00
You can master your first and last thought of the day.
1
SPEAKER_00
Your first and last thought of the day can transform what happens in between.
1
SPEAKER_00
We eat at three set times per day, or you eat at two set times per day, because that keeps you going and energized in between.
1
SPEAKER_00
Similarly, if we master and conquer our first thought of the day and the last thought of the day, so much can change.
1
SPEAKER_00
So here s what I want you to try.
1
SPEAKER_00
The first thing is, don t look at your phone first thing in the morning and last thing at night, because your phone automatically inserts so many uncontrollable thoughts that you can t conquer.
1
SPEAKER_00
You wake up in the morning and you see a news alert about something that happened in the world and you go, gosh, that s already a negative start to the day.
1
SPEAKER_00
You wake up and you got a message from someone saying, hey, you haven t handed in that report yet, you re behind on work.
1
SPEAKER_00
Already you ve started a stream of negative thoughts.
1
SPEAKER_00
Now you re reactive for the rest of the day, trying to catch up, trying to make sure that you can solve all the other problems, not realizing that maybe if you gave yourself a head start,
1
SPEAKER_00
Maybe if you felt calm and peaceful at the beginning of the day, now when those things come at you, because of course they will, you ll be better prepared.
1
SPEAKER_00
So I find that mastering your first and last thought of the day can be huge.
1
SPEAKER_00
For me, the first thought of the day is usually a quote from my favorite book, a quote that I ve scribbled on a post-it note,
1
SPEAKER_00
It may be asking myself, what am I grateful for?
1
SPEAKER_00
It s finding the first thing.
1
SPEAKER_00
All I want you to do is go, what is the first thing I want to look at?
1
SPEAKER_00
What is the first thing I want to read?
1
SPEAKER_00
What is the first thing I want to think about that is going to transform the beginning of my day?
1
SPEAKER_00
It might even be a picture you want to see.
1
SPEAKER_00
The other thing I m going to ask you to do is change your alarm tone.
1
SPEAKER_00
Often your alarm tone is so alarming that your first thought is urgency.
1
SPEAKER_00
Emergency, alarm, alert, like all those words have so much fear attached to them, like you have a fire alarm.
1
SPEAKER_00
It s scary.
1
SPEAKER_00
Why would you wake up to an alarm?
1
SPEAKER_00
Why would you wake up to an alert?
1
SPEAKER_00
All of these things make us have to be so on edge, they shift us into fight or flight mode.
1
SPEAKER_00
But actually when you wake up, you want to wake up as if your eyes are just gently opening, right?
1
SPEAKER_00
Think about it.
1
SPEAKER_00
Do you like it when you wake up and your eyes are almost like shocked open or when you get a moment?
1
SPEAKER_00
to just gently, calmly open your eyes and let yourself become acquainted again with the light that s in the room.
1
SPEAKER_00
And it s so important to start that circadian rhythm by getting some natural sunlight.
1
SPEAKER_00
So one of the best ways, best strategies I know to deal with anxious thoughts and an anxious mindset is master the first and last thought of the day.
1
SPEAKER_00
My last thought of the day is often what am I most grateful for.
1
SPEAKER_00
My last thought of the day is what is an achievement, what is some progress I ve made today, to give myself some encouragement and acknowledgement.
1
SPEAKER_00
for what I ve done.
1
SPEAKER_00
The second thing, this is something that I ve used for years and it has really really helped me and I found it helping me with a cold plunge, I found it helping with hikes, I found it helping with going on stage.
1
SPEAKER_00
It s breath work.
1
SPEAKER_00
I don t think we use our breath enough to define our life.
1
SPEAKER_00
Listen to this carefully.
1
SPEAKER_00
When you change the pace of your breath, you change the pace of your life.
1
SPEAKER_00
We don t realize how the pace of our breath is so interconnected to the pace of our life.
1
SPEAKER_00
If you find yourself rushing around, if you find yourself trying to do too many things, what happens?
1
SPEAKER_00
The pace of your breath is fast, restless, and rushing as well.
1
SPEAKER_00
Whereas if you think about the best decisions you make in a calm, controlled environment, you ll find that your breath is deeper, slower, and your heart rate is slower as well.
1
SPEAKER_00
I think we ve all experienced what panic feels like, what nerves feel like.
1
SPEAKER_00
You think about shallow breathing, you think about a fast heart rate, you think about being out of breath.
1
SPEAKER_00
Change the pace of your life by changing the pace of your breath.
1
SPEAKER_00
Anytime you feel out of breath, anytime you feel behind, anytime you feel like you re rushing, it s because your heart rate and your breath rate are too high.
1
SPEAKER_00
You want to slow them down and get back in control.
1
SPEAKER_02
Hey everyone, this is Molly and Matt and we re the hosts of Grown Up Stuff How to Adult, a podcast from Ruby Studio and iHeart Podcasts.
1
SPEAKER_03
It s a show dedicated to helping you figure out the trickiest parts of adulting.
1
SPEAKER_02
Like how to start planning for retirement, creating a healthy skincare routine, understanding when and how much to tip someone, and so much more.
1
SPEAKER_03
We re back with season two of the podcast, which means more opportunities to glow up and become a more responsible and better adult, one life lesson at a time.
1
SPEAKER_02
And let me just tell you, this show is just as much for us as it is for you.
1
SPEAKER_02
So let s figure this stuff out together.
1
SPEAKER_02
This season, we re going to talk about whether or not we re financially and emotionally ready for dog ownership.
1
SPEAKER_03
We re going to figure out the benefits of a high yield savings account.
1
SPEAKER_02
And what exactly are the duties of being a member of the wedding party?
1
SPEAKER_03
All that plus so much more.
1
SPEAKER_02
Let s learn about all of it and then some.
1
SPEAKER_02
Listen to Grown Up Stuff How to Adult on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
1
SPEAKER_01
A new season of Bridgerton is here.
1
SPEAKER_01
And with it, a new season of Bridgerton, the official podcast.
1
SPEAKER_01
I m your host, Gabrielle Collins.
1
SPEAKER_01
And this season, we are bringing fans even deeper into the ton.
1
SPEAKER_01
Colin Bridgerton has returned from his travels abroad.
1
SPEAKER_01
Is Betrothal written in the stars for the eligible bachelor?
1
SPEAKER_01
Meanwhile, the ton is reverberating with speculation of who holds Lady Whistledown s pen.
1
SPEAKER_01
We re discussing it all.
1
SPEAKER_01
I sit down with Nicola Coughlin, Luke Newton, Shonda Rhimes, and more to offer an exclusive peek behind the scenes of each episode of the new season.
1
SPEAKER_01
Watch season three of the Shondaland series on Netflix.
1
SPEAKER_01
Then, fall in love all over again by listening to Bridgerton, the official podcast on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
1
SPEAKER_01
Subscribe to catch a new episode every Thursday.
1
SPEAKER_01
when the Taliban banned music in Afghanistan.
2
SPEAKER_01
Millions were plunged into silence.
2
SPEAKER_01
Radios were smashed.
2
SPEAKER_01
Cassettes burned.
2
SPEAKER_01
You could be beaten or jailed or killed for breaking the rules.
2
SPEAKER_01
And yet, Afghans did it anyway.
2
SPEAKER_01
This is the story of how a group of people brought music back to Afghanistan by creating their own version of American Idol.
2
SPEAKER_01
The danger they endured.
2
SPEAKER_00
They said my head should be cut off.
2
SPEAKER_01
The joy they brought to the nation.
2
SPEAKER_00
You re free completely.
2
SPEAKER_00
No one is there to destroy you.
2
SPEAKER_01
I m John Legend.
2
SPEAKER_01
Listen to Afghan Star on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
2
SPEAKER_00
I looked at a study on medical news today and it said that deliberately copying a relaxed breathing pattern seems to calm the nervous system that controls the body s involuntary functions.
2
SPEAKER_00
Controlled breathing can cause physiological changes that include lowered blood pressure and heart rate, reduced levels of stress hormones in the blood.
2
SPEAKER_00
So what you want to do is one of my favorite things is ocean breathing.
2
SPEAKER_00
And what I mean by that is you can find online or wherever it is, watching the ocean flow in and out and trying to deliberately copy that pace of breathing.
2
SPEAKER_00
Now, if you re not a visual person and you need to close your eyes, it s great to do this with a count.
2
SPEAKER_00
I often breathe in for four and out for more than four.
2
SPEAKER_00
When you exhale for longer than you inhale, you relax your body and you slow your heart rate down.
2
SPEAKER_00
A few years ago, I put this to the test where I actually sat right next to the bass drum of a heavy metal band.
2
SPEAKER_00
Naturally, listening to that music and the fast pace, my heart rate rocketed,
2
SPEAKER_00
my breathing was shallow and quick, and in that I tried to control my breathing.
2
SPEAKER_00
And I had a heart rate monitor as well, and I was able to slow it down so that even in that high stress environment, I was able to reach a place of equanimity and calm.
2
SPEAKER_00
And so what I want to encourage you all to do is don t go sit next to a bass drum, right?
2
SPEAKER_00
But I want you to take an opportunity to say, how much can you deliberately copy a relaxed breathing pattern?
2
SPEAKER_00
Where is there a pattern you can see?
2
SPEAKER_00
You may even breathe in and out from watching a flower move in your garden, a leaf moving from side to side.
2
SPEAKER_00
You may breathe, as I said, for a count of four in and then exhale for more than four.
2
SPEAKER_00
Creating a pattern for your breath to follow will lower your heart rate, lower your breath rate, and actually give you an opportunity to cope with the feeling that you re going through.
2
SPEAKER_00
The study went on to say that breathing is closely linked to the nervous system.
2
SPEAKER_00
Breathing exercises, especially those that emphasize extended controlled exhalation, activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which causes equal and opposite changes to the stress response, says Dr. Kennedy.
2
SPEAKER_00
Deep controlled breathing with extended exhalation stimulates the vagus nerve, causing a fall in the heart rate and blood pressure, and when practiced regularly, feelings of calm and relaxation.
2
SPEAKER_00
I can t stress this to you enough about how important it is to regulate our breathing, how important it is to find a pace that works for you in that moment.
2
SPEAKER_00
The third strategy that has had a big impact on my life is the power of scent.
2
SPEAKER_00
And I think that it s such an underutilized part of managing our stress.
2
SPEAKER_00
There s a reason why spas, why sacred places,
2
SPEAKER_00
relax us, there s a reason why we have candles, because scent, and again using that breathwork to actually presently breathe in that scent, can transform how you feel.
2
SPEAKER_00
Studies show that scents send signals to our limbic system, which is the sector of the brain that controls memory and emotion.
2
SPEAKER_00
According to a 2011 study,
2
SPEAKER_00
Positive emotions, which can be elicited by certain fragrances, have been proven to lower stress levels and improve overall mental outlook.
2
SPEAKER_00
I don t know if you ve ever been for a massage and they offer you a series of scents and they ask you, which one do you gravitate towards?
2
SPEAKER_00
And it s so easy in that moment to say, well, which one s good for me, as opposed to you just breathing them in and thinking, well, this one makes me feel good.
2
SPEAKER_00
And I realized this was something that Radhi did in our home that honestly I just recommend, is that Radhi will have a different diffuser and essential oil for different spaces in our home.
2
SPEAKER_00
So whether we were in our tiny apartment in New York or whether we re in our home right now, different spaces have different scents.
2
SPEAKER_00
So the kitchen has a scent, the living room has a scent, our bedroom has a scent, and it s simply a diffuser with a couple of drops of essential oils
2
SPEAKER_00
that transform the environment.
2
SPEAKER_00
So as soon as you walk in, you get the benefit of how you want to feel in that space.
2
SPEAKER_00
Do not underestimate scent as a way of calming you down.
2
SPEAKER_00
Maybe even carry one with you.
2
SPEAKER_00
Sometimes I ll carry around peppermint oil with me.
2
SPEAKER_00
Sometimes I ll carry around a lavender scent, which I find really calming, or a sandalwood scent that I find calming.
2
SPEAKER_00
Simply
2
SPEAKER_00
to inhale and exhale to aid that breath work by giving you another tool to help calm you down.
2
SPEAKER_00
Find the scent that helps calm you.
2
SPEAKER_00
Find the scent that helps energize you.
2
SPEAKER_00
Find the scent that helps relax you and maybe even puts you to sleep.
2
SPEAKER_00
Don t underestimate the power of scent.
2
SPEAKER_00
Along with that is the power of sound.
2
SPEAKER_00
A 2016 study found that music preference was the most important factor in reducing stress levels.
2
SPEAKER_00
Listening to one of your favorite songs or music may be a great short-term way of dealing with stress.
2
SPEAKER_00
Often I find that music without lyrics
2
SPEAKER_00
Music, whether it s jazz, classical music, an instrumental of just a piano or just a violin can be so powerful for helping us realign again with the pace that we want to live at.
2
SPEAKER_00
So I want you to think about scent and sound really, really effectively.
2
SPEAKER_00
What song do you wake up to?
2
SPEAKER_00
What music do you drive to?
2
SPEAKER_00
What music do you walk and work out to?
2
SPEAKER_00
What music do you listen to when you are feeling stressed?
2
SPEAKER_00
Do you remember to switch something on?
2
SPEAKER_00
Maybe have
2
SPEAKER_00
A playlist that you ve made specifically for when you feel this way.
2
SPEAKER_00
Like, we have a playlist for a workout, right?
2
SPEAKER_00
You have a playlist that you listen to in the car.
2
SPEAKER_00
What s your playlist for when you re feeling anxious and stressed out?
2
SPEAKER_00
Design it when you re not anxious and stressed out, and it will help you massively when you are.
2
SPEAKER_00
And I really want to talk to you about sight.
2
SPEAKER_00
Visualization was a big technique I used when I lived as a monk.
2
SPEAKER_00
I, today, visualize myself going on stages before I walk on.
2
SPEAKER_00
I visualized myself skydiving before I did that.
2
SPEAKER_00
I visualize myself going through challenging moments in my life that are far deeper and more high stakes than both of those that I just talked about now.
2
SPEAKER_00
And I found that when you live something out in a visualization, it allows you
2
SPEAKER_00
to feel the emotions.
2
SPEAKER_00
I was talking to Radhi recently and she was saying that she wanted to share something really emotional and she was scared when she shares it when she s doing a talk, she may start crying.
2
SPEAKER_00
And I said to her, first of all, that s beautiful, but I understand you don t want to derail your whole presentation.
2
SPEAKER_00
And I said to her that,
2
SPEAKER_00
Practice and when you practice allow yourself to cry allow yourself to feel so that you felt those emotions deeply now when you share it you be able to not cry but it will still be a motive and powerful for you and so visualization and rehearsal visual rehearsal helps us deal with tough conversations challenging moments.
2
SPEAKER_00
Maybe an awkward, uncomfortable interaction that you need to have with someone.
2
SPEAKER_00
Feel free to visualize not how it s going to go perfectly, but how you re going to behave when it goes imperfectly.
2
SPEAKER_00
I think that s the mistake we make with visualization.
2
SPEAKER_00
We try and visualize, oh, it s going to work out.
2
SPEAKER_00
It s going to be amazing.
2
SPEAKER_00
I m not recommending that.
2
SPEAKER_00
I m recommending you visualize what you think is going to happen and how you re going to respond in that moment.
2
SPEAKER_00
That s what athletes do.
2
SPEAKER_00
They visualize driving around a racetrack.
2
SPEAKER_00
They visualize performing on the day with the stress and pressures that come with it.
2
SPEAKER_00
And medical news today showed that guided imagery, GI, is another type of meditation, which we called visualization.
2
SPEAKER_00
The study said that guided imagery involves mentally visualizing peaceful scenes to promote a state of relaxation.
2
SPEAKER_00
One 2015 study investigated the combined effects of GI and music on work-related anxiety.
2
SPEAKER_00
For this study, the researchers divided 20 participants into two groups.
2
SPEAKER_00
One group underwent a
3
SPEAKER_00
nine-week GIM program.
3
SPEAKER_00
The other group received no treatment.
3
SPEAKER_00
Compared with the no treatment group, the GIM group showed significant improvements in stress management and well-being.
3
SPEAKER_00
The results also showed a greater reduction in blood cortisol levels for the GIM group.
3
SPEAKER_00
So that s where you see the guided imagery mixing with the music so that now you re sparking that.
3
SPEAKER_00
So what s really interesting for me is
3
SPEAKER_00
If you came to my tour, you know that we crowdsourced your favorite love songs and we played them before the show, in the middle of the show, at the end of the show.
3
SPEAKER_00
And those songs have got so ingrained in my mind because I would visualize the start of the show in those songs, that now when I hear them, I m back in that place about to go on stage.
3
SPEAKER_00
I walked into a plane the other day and they were playing this song.
3
SPEAKER_00
that I used to go on before it was Whitney.
3
SPEAKER_00
And literally every time I hear that song now, I feel like I m going back on stage.
3
SPEAKER_00
My memory locks in.
3
SPEAKER_00
And so what you want to do is create that sound and that guided imagery around those moments in your life that you re most stressed, whether it s giving that presentation at work, whether it s that uncomfortable conversation.
3
SPEAKER_00
My next step is a common one that I think
3
SPEAKER_00
you re probably aware of, but I want you to be even more aware of it, is know what triggers you.
3
SPEAKER_00
Know the things that you keep inviting into your life.
3
SPEAKER_00
Become aware of the things that you openly invite into your life that cause you anxiety.
3
SPEAKER_00
Could be a conversation with a particular person.
3
SPEAKER_00
Could be a particular person at work that keeps reoccurring.
3
SPEAKER_00
Could be someone in your personal life, right?
3
SPEAKER_00
What is that trigger that you keep opening the door for that it s time to close the door for?
3
SPEAKER_00
And if you re scared of closing the door and looking bad and being mean, go back and listen to the people-pleasing episode that I did a couple of weeks ago, because that will help guide you through that.
3
SPEAKER_00
Because it s so important to be aware of what triggers you and limit those triggers, right?
3
SPEAKER_00
I know when I feel anxious, and so I ve created tools around anxiety I have to go through regularly.
3
SPEAKER_00
I.e., I always have to go on stage.
3
SPEAKER_00
That s not going to disappear, which means I need a routine before I go on the stage to deal with that.
3
SPEAKER_00
Otherwise, I ll never go on stage.
3
SPEAKER_00
But get aware of the subtle things that trigger you as well, because those are the ones that will trip you up if you don t figure it out.
3
SPEAKER_00
One of my next favorite strategies is to get it out of your head and onto a page.
3
SPEAKER_00
Write down what you re anxious about.
3
SPEAKER_00
Write down what you re worried about.
3
SPEAKER_00
Write down, doodle, scribble, whatever it means, rub words out, circle them, whatever it is.
3
SPEAKER_00
Research shows that much like other visually creative activities like coloring in or doing collages, doodling can help you unwind.
3
SPEAKER_00
It s taught to calm the amygdala, the part of the brain that controls the flight or fight response, which is linked to stress and anxiety.
3
SPEAKER_00
So doodling while you re on the phone call.
3
SPEAKER_00
Remember we used to do that?
3
SPEAKER_00
We re not on phone calls anymore, so we don t doodle.
3
SPEAKER_00
We text.
3
SPEAKER_00
So doodle away.
3
SPEAKER_00
Write down your thoughts.
3
SPEAKER_00
And one of my favorite techniques is an old one, but an amazing one.
3
SPEAKER_00
It s by Stephen Covey, who wrote the book, Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, one of my favorite ones.
3
SPEAKER_00
And one of the biggest ones he talks about is knowing what you can and can t control.
3
SPEAKER_00
I often like putting my anxieties and worries in those buckets of what can I control and what can t I control.
3
SPEAKER_00
And when I start to scribble them down, I realize, okay, well, I can t control this, but I can control this.
3
SPEAKER_00
Let me put more energy towards it.
3
SPEAKER_00
Let me put more focus towards it.
3
SPEAKER_00
Let me give it more attention because that will actually change my experience.
3
SPEAKER_00
And my seventh and last strategy is one that you re doing right now.
3
SPEAKER_00
Read and listen about the stuff you re scared about.
3
SPEAKER_00
When I m struggling with something, my number one thing is to find the best book on it, ask my friends about it, find the next best podcast, and then share it with others.
3
SPEAKER_00
If you share these strategies with others, I guarantee you re more likely to practice them.
3
SPEAKER_00
And all I want you to do is choose the one that resonates with you and put it into practice because that will make all the difference.
3
SPEAKER_00
Thank you for listening to On Purpose.
3
SPEAKER_00
Make sure you leave a review on Spotify and on Apple and on any platform you listen to.
3
SPEAKER_00
Make sure you go back and listen to any episodes that you ve missed recently.
3
SPEAKER_00
I have been loving our guest episodes and our solos and I hope this one served you.
3
SPEAKER_00
Thank you so much.
3
SPEAKER_00
Only a few cars in the world go from zero to 60 in under two seconds.
3
SPEAKER_00
Most vehicles just aren t built to accelerate that fast.
3
SPEAKER_00
And we humans aren t built for it either, mentally or physically.
3
SPEAKER_00
And yet, that s how many of us start our days.
3
SPEAKER_00
One moment, we re sound asleep, and the next, we re wide awake, rapidly processing tons of information.
3
SPEAKER_00
And it all has to do with these little devices we keep a little too close at hand.
3
SPEAKER_00
The next seven minutes are about your morning routine and what your brain needs to succeed.
3
SPEAKER_00
I m Jay Shetty, welcome to The Daily Jay.
3
SPEAKER_00
First, let s get centered with three deep breaths.
3
SPEAKER_00
Filling up your lungs,
3
SPEAKER_00
and easing back out.
3
SPEAKER_00
Inviting oxygen into your body and calming your nervous system.
3
SPEAKER_00
Gathering up your attention and bringing it to this moment.
3
SPEAKER_00
Now I d like you to imagine it s the first thing in the morning.
3
SPEAKER_00
You re still in bed.
3
SPEAKER_00
You just woke up.
3
SPEAKER_00
You reach over and hit a button on your nightstand.
3
SPEAKER_00
Suddenly, 100 people barge into your bedroom begging for your attention.
3
SPEAKER_00
One of them is explaining world events to you.
3
SPEAKER_00
One is asking if you re going to meet that important deadline at work.
3
SPEAKER_00
Yet another is shouting about how amazing you d look in some new jeans.
3
SPEAKER_00
It s exhausting, overwhelming, and unpleasant.
3
SPEAKER_00
Your heart rate spikes, your stress response is activated, your hope for focus today is dwindling to say the least.
3
SPEAKER_00
You d never hit that button, would you?
3
SPEAKER_00
Except that s exactly what you re doing when you begin your morning by opening up your phone.
3
SPEAKER_00
and it causes a measurable negative impact on your brain.
3
SPEAKER_00
So you can actually think of your mind like the engine of a car.
3
SPEAKER_00
When you re asleep, your engine is on, but not in gear.
3
SPEAKER_00
The brain is completely relaxed.
3
SPEAKER_00
As you wake up, your brain shifts into first gear.
3
SPEAKER_00
Slow, but starting up.
3
SPEAKER_00
It gradually shifts up, getting faster, more alert.
3
SPEAKER_00
And as your mind enters the highway that is your day, it kicks into high gear.
3
SPEAKER_00
Awake, aware, and focused.
3
SPEAKER_00
Humming along smoothly.
3
SPEAKER_00
But if you pick up your phone immediately, you hijack that process.
3
SPEAKER_00
Your brain jumps directly into high gear.
3
SPEAKER_00
The same way that s bad for the performance of your car, it s bad for your performance as well.
3
SPEAKER_00
And this isn t just theory.
3
SPEAKER_00
This is science.
3
SPEAKER_00
Your brain actually moves through different physical states as it wakes up.
3
SPEAKER_00
The earlier states are associated with creativity and mindfulness.
3
SPEAKER_00
When you skip over them, it s been shown to limit your attention and prime your negative stress response for the whole day.
3
SPEAKER_00
Yuck.
3
SPEAKER_00
I get it.
3
SPEAKER_00
There are a number of reasons we start our day with a morning scroll.
3
SPEAKER_00
We re excited for some news, we re lonely, we do it out of habit.
3
SPEAKER_00
And I m not saying you should stop checking your phone.
3
SPEAKER_00
But can t it wait a few minutes?
3
SPEAKER_00
I know sometimes we have duties that require us to be on call, and so keeping our phone away may not be possible.
3
SPEAKER_00
But if you can reclaim some time for your mind, it will do wonders for the rest of your day.
3
SPEAKER_00
Just like the fastest cars, your brain might be capable of going from zero to 60, but it s way better to ramp up slowly.
3
SPEAKER_00
Now let s downshift the gears in our mind as we close with a meditation.
3
SPEAKER_00
Begin by getting a little more comfortable wherever you are, gently slowing down your breath and giving your mind permission to chill out a bit.
3
SPEAKER_00
Today, as we breathe,
3
SPEAKER_00
We re going to consciously relax individual parts of the body.
3
SPEAKER_00
So you ll breathe in energy and then soften on the exhale.
4
SPEAKER_00
releasing tension.
4
SPEAKER_00
Let s start with your brow, inhaling deeply and exhaling, letting any tightness go.
4
SPEAKER_00
Now your eyelids, relaxing them as you breathe out.
4
SPEAKER_00
On this breath, seeing if you can loosen your jaw.
4
SPEAKER_00
Now dropping your shoulders, moving your attention to your hands.
4
SPEAKER_00
and allowing them to fully unclench and unwind.
4
SPEAKER_00
The next few moments are yours to release tension wherever you want.
4
SPEAKER_00
And now let s open it up.
4
SPEAKER_00
Reflect on your standard morning routine.
4
SPEAKER_00
What do you typically do as soon as you wake up?
4
SPEAKER_00
Are you going zero to 60 or are you slowly shifting gears?
4
SPEAKER_00
How could you change things to benefit your brain?
4
SPEAKER_00
I know it may take some time to alter your habits, but there s no pressure to overhaul things immediately.
4
SPEAKER_00
Just make sure you stay aware and stay on the right track.
4
SPEAKER_00
I ll see you again tomorrow.
4
SPEAKER_00
Thank you so much for joining.
4
SPEAKER_01
Guess what, Will?
4
SPEAKER_01
What s that, Mango?
4
SPEAKER_01
I ve been trying to write a promo for our podcast, Part-Time Genius, but even though we ve done over 250 episodes, we don t really talk about murders or cults.
4
SPEAKER_01
I mean, we did just cover the Illuminati of cheese, so I feel like that makes us pretty edgy.
4
SPEAKER_01
We also solve mysteries like how Chinese is your Chinese food and how do dollar stores make money?
4
SPEAKER_01
And then, of course, can you game a dog show?
4
SPEAKER_01
So what you re saying is everyone should be listening.
4
SPEAKER_01
Listen to Part-Time Genius on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts.