Journaling Techniques, Values Based Finance, Everyday PTSD, Why We Seek Closure, Bike Commuting, Confidence Boosters

Journaling Techniques (0:00:00) At some point in our life someone, be-it a friend, parent, or teacher, has advised us to keep a journal. We’ve been told to do it for our posterity. Or maybe so that we’ll be able to recall the important moments of our lives. But what about journaling for the purpose of improving our mental health? Research has shown that journaling can significantly improve the state of our mental health. So, we invited Dr. Stephanie Sarkis, counselor and anxiety disorder expert, here to discuss the benefits of journaling and how we can use different techniques to really maximize on its mental health benefits. A Values Based Approach to Finance (0:18:03) Now a days its feels like our lives are built around how many zeros are in our bank account. I’m not saying that having wealth is a bad thing... in fact, we all want to be financially stable. But we also need to make sure that we don’t base our financial success solely on how much money we have stashed away. It needs to be built on something more. To help us create a values-based approach to financial success is Martin Hurlburt, a financial expert whose written several books, including “Yes, Money Can Make You Happy”. Everyday PTSD (0:36:49) Almost 8 million Americans suffer from Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, with women being more susceptible than men. Because the numbers for PTSD are so high, we thought it would be beneficial to learn more about it. A whole host of factors can contribute to PTSD, and cases can range from moderate and rarely manifesting themselves to severe and life-ruling. Are there any permanent ways to move past PTSD? To answer this question, we’ve invited Bob Stahn onto our show. Bob is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor and Master Addictions Counselor. Why We Seek Closure (0:50:40) We often refer to different periods in our lives as chapters. Eras that open and close, replete with different characters—all with their own individual story arcs. But as we all know, all good (and bad) things must come to an end. Sometimes, however, things don’t end the way we want them to. We’re left unsatisfied with the way the event transpired and with how it ended. So, we seek closure. What makes us seek closure? Is it just part of our DNA? Dr. Iskra Fileva, assistant professor of philosophy at the University Colorado, Boulder, is here to discuss closure, why we as humans crave it, and how to obtain it. Bike Commuting (1:08:43) Do you ever find yourself caught in rush hour traffic, wishing there was some way to just zoom around it all? Depending on your commute, it may very well be possible! Some reports show that, on average, bicycles are 50% faster than cars during rush hour. Not only that, but adding a bicycle commute to your daily routine is a simple and fun way to get more exercise, save a little money on gas, and reduce your C O 2 emissions. Biking to work is more nuanced than going for a leisurely bike ride, but that doesn’t mean it has to be hard. Here to help us learn the ropes is Doctor Rich Conroy, a League Cycling Coach for the League of American Bicyclists. He is also Director of Education at Bike New York. Confidence Boosters (1:27:44) A recent survey of hundreds of people across different nationalities showed that Americans are the most confident breed of people in the world. But is that really the truth? How many of us get excited about presenting at a staff meeting, or really relish meeting new people, or look in the mirror every morning and really appreciate what we see? I’m not sure our entire nation could say yes to all of those. So, what is confidence really, and how can we build ours? Joining us again on the show to teach us more is Kimberly Seltzer, a therapist and certified confidence and dating coach.