"I stopped following, bypassing my inner critic, knowing full well the future of my total physical and mental health was not dependent on Ms. Bendy Six Pack Von Instagram."
—Andrea Owen, How to Stop Feeling Like Sh*t
Although it seems like the holidays should be nothing but rosy and bright, filled with gratitude and good cheer, sometimes being back in our home of origin (with family, longtime friends, and/or in-laws) can send us into a personal growth regression machine. In past years I’ve caught myself reverting to my worst habits—whether it’s using the tone of voice of a high-schooler, layering on guilt for not being my best self, or not taking care of myself in the ways I know that I need in order to recharge and stay sane amidst the extraversion and people-immersion this time of year.
So I purposefully scheduled this awesome episode with my good friend Andrea Owen for this exact week. A time when, despite your best intentions, you might find yourself falling into the familiar traps of perfectionism, people-pleasing, controlling, and about 10+ others that get in our way and make us feel like sh*t. I hope you enjoy this conversation and find as much relief in it as I did!
View full show notes at PivotMethod.com/podcast/andrea-owen
More About Andrea Owen
Andrea Owen is an author, mentor, and certified life coach who helps high-achieving women let go of perfectionism, control, and isolation and choosing courage and confidence instead. She has helped thousands of women manage their inner-critic to create loving connections and live their most kick-ass life. She is the proud author of 52 Ways to Live a Kick-Ass Life: BS Free Wisdom to Ignite Your Inner Badass and Live the
Life You Deserve. Her second book: How To Stop Feeling Like Shit: 14 Habits That Are Holding You Back From Happiness is the topic of today’s episode. When she’s not juggling her full coaching practice or hosting retreats, Andrea is busy competing in triathlons, chasing her 10-year-old son and 8-year-old daughter or making out with her husband, Jason. She is also a retired roller derby player having skated under the name “Veronica Vain."
Topics We Cover
Andrea's rock bottom journey and how it has informed her work since
The importance of being honest and taking responsibility, while still not falling into self-blame
Building shame resilience
Why ignoring blind spots holds us back
Andrea's favorite mantras: "Well that just happened" and "Well that's interesting"
Why she chose to go on an unfollow frenzy on Instagram
How to overcome compare and despair
The win: knowing your triggers and noticing when you're triggered, not simply eliminating the trigger
Why boundaries are so hard to set, and how you to get better at establishing them
Don't reject your feelings; just keep showing up
How to be an empathetic listener without diminishing what the other is saying
Resources Mentioned
Rising Strong by Brené Brown
Previous Pivot Podcasts:
Andrea's Books:
Check out other episodes of the Pivot Podcast here. Be sure to subscribe wherever you listen, and if you enjoy the show I would be very grateful for a rating and/or review! Sign-up for my weekly(ish) #PivotList newsletter to receive curated round-ups of what I’m reading, watching, listening to, and new tools I’m geeking out on.
Want to support the show and become a founding member of the Pivot Podcast community? Join us on Patreon here.