How to be Okay (so that everything else doesn't have to be): Recent Episodes
Laura Hudson
As humans, we just want to be okay. But most of us have forgotten how. Or rather, we have forgotten how to find this feeling within ourselves so we look to the outside world to provide it for us. And this works great - so long as you do the right thing, say the right thing and look the right way 100% of the time to everyone you ever meet and their dog. Hi! I’m Laura Hudson. A seasoned “okayness outsourcer”, I’ve decided it is time to bring things in-house because well…it’s exhausting needing everyone else to be okay with us and I have a sneaking suspicion life could be a whole lot more enjoyable if we figure out how to provide this for ourselves.Whether you struggle with perfectionism, depression, anxiety, addiction, disordered eating or you just feel like your mind seems to make life unnecessarily hard, this podcast is for you. Because spoiler alert: all of these seemingly different "problems" are just our mind’s well-intentioned (but misguided) solutions for ONE problem - we all just want to be okay but we've forgotten how to do that for ourselves. So join me as we talk to guests from all walks of life about how this phenomenon manifests in their life and how they are figuring out how to be okay (so that everything else doesn’t have to be)
016 - New Zealand-based Confidence & Clarity Coach Tash Pieterse (@tashtasticnz) opens up to us about her experience growing up in the Mormon church, her difficult decision to leave it and how she rebuilt her life after hitting rock bottom at 26 years old. We bond over our experiences living inauthentically (and how the Universe ultimately made some decisions for us), building trust with ourselves, and when she knew she found her person. Be sure to check out her website here.
Music: Adventures by A Himitsu https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgFwu-j5-xNJml2FtTrrB3A Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Music released by Argofox https://youtu.be/8BXNwnxaVQE Music provided by Audio Library https://youtu.be/MkNeIUgNPQ8
015 - Kirsty Baines is a Trauma-Informed Yoga teacher and training to become a Children and Young Person’s Well-being Practitioner. From alcohol to exercise bulimia, Kirsty sought okayness outside herself from many avenues after experiencing trauma at a young age. Today she shares with us her journey to find a sense of okayness within herself and how she is rejecting toxic positivity!
Check out Kirsty's instagram: here
Music: Adventures by A Himitsu https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgFwu-j5-xNJml2FtTrrB3A Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Music released by Argofox https://youtu.be/8BXNwnxaVQE Music provided by Audio Library https://youtu.be/MkNeIUgNPQ8
014 - Today I sit down with host of the Stomp the Stigma Podcast, Alana Cooper. Alana lives with Borderline Personality Disorder, a mental health disorder that impacts the way you think and feel about yourself and others and can lead to intense mood swings, self-image issues and suicide ideation. Alana and I bond over our shared dysfunction with food and talk about our shared passion for authentic human connection!
Check out the Stomp the Stigma Podcast on Instagram, here
Music: Adventures by A Himitsu https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgFwu-j5-xNJml2FtTrrB3A Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Music released by Argofox https://youtu.be/8BXNwnxaVQE Music provided by Audio Library https://youtu.be/MkNeIUgNPQ8
013 - Today, my friend and fellow socially-minded business nerd, April Hoffort, and I are asking the hard questions found at the intersection of business, the environment and mental health: how do we as individuals navigate climate grief? How do we balance capitalism's innate need for profit with sustainability: both environmental sustainability and sustainable happiness? And WHY in fact, do we keep buying sh*t? We don't have all the answers but we aren't afraid to ask the hard questions.
- Check out April's Rocky Mountain Rising instagram page, here
Music: Adventures by A Himitsu https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgFwu-j5-xNJml2FtTrrB3A Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Music released by Argofox https://youtu.be/8BXNwnxaVQE Music provided by Audio Library https://youtu.be/MkNeIUgNPQ8
012 - In her early 20's, Sophie Jones was a victim of human trafficking. Now a successful entrepreneur, business coach and breathwork healer, Sophie shares with us her journey returning to the "burning building" of her past and the unexpectedness of what she found inside.
- Check out Sophie on instagram here
- Check out Sophie's website, Sacred Healing, here
Music: Adventures by A Himitsu https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgFwu-j5-xNJml2FtTrrB3A Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Music released by Argofox https://youtu.be/8BXNwnxaVQE Music provided by Audio Library https://youtu.be/MkNeIUgNPQ8
011 - With talk therapy and medications at the core of my mental health recovery for the last decade, my approach to mental health has always been largely...well, mental. In today's episode Dahlya Brown Shook helps me see why the body has a much larger role to play in mental wellness than I realized. Dahlya is a Brain Mastery Specialist whose approach to mental health spans well beyond the brain. From neuroplasticity to neuroprotective nutrition (think gut-brain connection); from movement therapy to sleep hygiene, Dahlya is working tirelessly to help people be okay from the inside-out, literally.
- Check out Dahlya on instagram here
- Check out Dahyla's website, Holistic Medical Healing, here
Music: Adventures by A Himitsu https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgFwu-j5-xNJml2FtTrrB3A Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Music released by Argofox https://youtu.be/8BXNwnxaVQE Music provided by Audio Library https://youtu.be/MkNeIUgNPQ8
010 - From estranged siblings to best friends and roomies through a global pandemic (the ultimate test of any relationship), this week's episode is the tale of two sisters and a classic case of over-functioning and under-functioning; of over-powering and under-communicating. From the unintended message we send when we try to fix our loved one's problems to that dreaded F-word (f-f-f-feedback), my sister, Sarah, and I share the biggest lessons we learned in the fight to save our relationship and show up as our most okay selves.
Resources Mentioned:
- Untamed by Glennon Doyle
- All things Brenee Brown
Music: Adventures by A Himitsu https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgFwu-j5-xNJml2FtTrrB3A Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Music released by Argofox https://youtu.be/8BXNwnxaVQE Music provided by Audio Library https://youtu.be/MkNeIUgNPQ8
009 - Today we sit down with BFRB Dogs Founder, Haley Sciola to discuss one of the most poorly understood, under-diagnosed and untreated disorders there is: body-focused repetitive behaviours, or BFRBs. An umbrella-term for hair pulling disorder, skin picking disorder and other compulsive self-grooming behaviours, BFRBs affect 1 in 20 people! But because they are often dismissed as bad habits, most suffer alone. Haley also talks to us about coming to the realization that she was in a codependent relationship, as well as living with PTSD, depression and suicidal thinking which ultimately led to her hospitalization.
Resources mentioned:
- The TLC Foundation for BFRBs website can be found here
- Check out Haley's blog for the Canadian BFRB Support Network here
- Co-dependents Anonymous (CoDA) website can be found here
- Follow BFRB Dogs on instagram here
Music: Adventures by A Himitsu https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgFwu-j5-xNJml2FtTrrB3A Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Music released by Argofox https://youtu.be/8BXNwnxaVQE Music provided by Audio Library https://youtu.be/MkNeIUgNPQ8
008: What if I told you that the part of yourself you've been trying to control/get rid of for years has all the answers you've ever looked for? In Episode 008 we take another deep dive - this time into how we got here (relying heavily on sources outside ourselves to be okay) from a nurture perspective. From how authentic we were allowed to be as children, to trauma and bullying, we all have parts of ourself that subconsciously (or consciously) don't make the cut into the curated version of ourselves we present to the world. This becomes increasingly uncomfortable so we look to numb the pain with our favourite vices. From drug and alcohol addiction to serial dating to eating disorders, our compulsions know us best.
Resources Mentioned:
- Gabor Mate - Authenticity vs. Attachment
- The Power of Self to Heal Our Parts | Richard Schwartz
- The Gift of our Compulsions by Mary O'Malley
Music: Adventures by A Himitsu https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgFwu-j5-xNJml2FtTrrB3A Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Music released by Argofox https://youtu.be/8BXNwnxaVQE Music provided by Audio Library https://youtu.be/MkNeIUgNPQ8
007 - In a space often dominated by women, Cam Chomyn brings a refreshingly male perspective to the world of vulnerability and mental health. From self-love and body image struggles to dating and his shitty roommate "depression", Cam offers us a hilarious and vulnerable look into the role that comedy has played in his life. English teacher by day, comedian and playwright by night and full-time "Nick Miller wannabe", you won't want to miss this honest conversation about the role of laughter in Cam's mental health journey.
Music: Adventures by A Himitsu https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgFwu-j5-xNJml2FtTrrB3A Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Music released by Argofox https://youtu.be/8BXNwnxaVQE Music provided by Audio Library https://youtu.be/MkNeIUgNPQ8
006 - What does being okay look like when your body is literally not okay? Fabienne Clough lives with endometriosis - a chronic health condition that affects an estimated 1 in 10 women during their reproductive years (1). From dating and intimacy to fitness and virtual comfort blankets, Fabs sheds some much-needed light on the correlation between physical health and mental health in the life of someone living with chronic pain.
Check out Fabs' instagram: here
Source: (1) Endometriosis.org | check out the page here
Music: Adventures by A Himitsu https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgFwu-j5-xNJml2FtTrrB3A Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Music released by Argofox https://youtu.be/8BXNwnxaVQE Music provided by Audio Library https://youtu.be/MkNeIUgNPQ8
005 - Today we are joined by Registered Provisional Psychologist, Brittney Giacchetta. Brittney specializes in trauma, addiction and mood disorders and gets candid about her own experiences with mental health (primarily health anxiety and panic disorder). From the role of medications to the painful irony of healthy habits, we take a deep dive into the world of a therapist on her own mental health journey. Be sure to check out Brittney's mental health page, Silver Lining Therapy on instagram here. More information about her practice can be found here.
Resources Mentioned:
Atomic Habits by James Clear - purchase here
Music: Adventures by A Himitsu https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgFwu-j5-xNJml2FtTrrB3A Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Music released by Argofox https://youtu.be/8BXNwnxaVQE Music provided by Audio Library https://youtu.be/MkNeIUgNPQ8
004 - In part one of the 'how did we get here?' series we take a deep (like 70,000-years-deep) dive into the history of our species to figure out why we tend to look outside ourselves to feel okay. The bad news? Our brains are wired for negativity because once upon a time its job was to keep us from getting eaten by (non-metaphorical) lions. The good news? We are not our brains. We are the observers of them; which means we can choose not to believe all the made up stories our brains feed us. Tune into Episode 004 to hear how! Show notes found at howtobeokay.ca
Music: Adventures by A Himitsu https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgFwu-j5-xNJml2FtTrrB3A Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Music released by Argofox https://youtu.be/8BXNwnxaVQE Music provided by Audio Library https://youtu.be/MkNeIUgNPQ8
003 - CEO, blogger, and health coach Michelle Okere joins us as our first guest on the How to be Okay Podcast to talk all things eating disorder (ED) recovery. We discuss how it is far from a linear journey and how there is not a "one size fits all" approach. Michelle shares how her ED helped her achieve the external affirmation she was searching for but at a cost that became too big.
Music: Adventures by A Himitsu https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgFwu-j5-xNJml2FtTrrB3A Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Music released by Argofox https://youtu.be/8BXNwnxaVQE Music provided by Audio Library https://youtu.be/MkNeIUgNPQ8
002 - 'Okay' has to be one of the most overused words in the English language. So why did I choose it for the title of this podcast? In Episode 002 we begin to unpack this illusive feeling we are all searching for. In a world obsessed with changing our external, we are calling on some of the greatest thinkers throughout history to help us explore how we can feel Okay all the time without having to change a thing (on the outside).
Music: Adventures by A Himitsu https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgFwu-j5-xNJml2FtTrrB3A Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Music released by Argofox https://youtu.be/8BXNwnxaVQE Music provided by Audio Library https://youtu.be/MkNeIUgNPQ8
001 - Have you ever felt like your brain makes like more difficult than it needs to be? Do you find yourself needing other people to be okay with you constantly and leaning heavily on your vices (hello Ben & Jerry's Half Baked) to fill some unexplainable void we all seem to have? Well then, you are in the right place!
Welcome to the 'How to be Okay (so that everything else doesn't have to be)' podcast. In Episode #001 meet your host, Laura Hudson, and learn about the fundamental theory underlying this podcast (hint: there's an easier way to human).
Music: Adventures by A Himitsu https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgFwu-j5-xNJml2FtTrrB3A Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Music released by Argofox https://youtu.be/8BXNwnxaVQE Music provided by Audio Library https://youtu.be/MkNeIUgNPQ8