1 00:00:01,040 --> 00:00:06,000 Speaker 1: There is no such thing as normal right now. I 2 00:00:06,000 --> 00:00:09,119 Speaker 1: think that's important to establish because a lot of us 3 00:00:09,240 --> 00:00:13,600 Speaker 1: are throwing around the phrase the new normal. Some days 4 00:00:13,800 --> 00:00:17,160 Speaker 1: might feel easy and some days might feel hard, and 5 00:00:17,200 --> 00:00:35,279 Speaker 1: that's okay. Hey, hurdlers, Emily a body here bringing you 6 00:00:35,360 --> 00:00:40,040 Speaker 1: another installment of Hurdle Moment from Hurdle, a wellness focused 7 00:00:40,040 --> 00:00:43,199 Speaker 1: podcast where I sit down with inspiring individuals to talk 8 00:00:43,240 --> 00:00:46,120 Speaker 1: about everything from their big wins how they've gotten through 9 00:00:46,120 --> 00:00:49,839 Speaker 1: some of life's toughest moments. On the show, you can 10 00:00:49,880 --> 00:00:54,960 Speaker 1: expect vulnerability, motivation, and candid discussions with everyone from top 11 00:00:55,000 --> 00:00:58,440 Speaker 1: athletes to aspiring entrepreneurs on what it really takes to 12 00:00:58,480 --> 00:01:02,680 Speaker 1: follow your passions. My mission is simple to inspire you 13 00:01:02,920 --> 00:01:06,920 Speaker 1: to be your best self, move with intention, and have 14 00:01:07,160 --> 00:01:12,360 Speaker 1: some fun along the way. Today I am chatting with 15 00:01:12,440 --> 00:01:16,120 Speaker 1: you about ways to reduce stress and make you feel 16 00:01:16,280 --> 00:01:21,000 Speaker 1: more positive. Let's face it, we could all use a 17 00:01:21,040 --> 00:01:25,000 Speaker 1: smile here and there right now. Some days everything feels 18 00:01:25,040 --> 00:01:28,360 Speaker 1: totally doable, and other days just getting out of bed 19 00:01:28,680 --> 00:01:32,679 Speaker 1: feels like everest. In the weeks after weeks that we 20 00:01:32,760 --> 00:01:36,880 Speaker 1: are working from home and staying inside, I think we 21 00:01:36,920 --> 00:01:40,400 Speaker 1: can all agree that it is important to find the 22 00:01:40,520 --> 00:01:44,399 Speaker 1: silver lining, and I can say that I've been doing 23 00:01:44,400 --> 00:01:47,480 Speaker 1: a fair share of that. I feel as though right 24 00:01:47,560 --> 00:01:52,559 Speaker 1: now we are taking a collective pause. We are being challenged, 25 00:01:52,600 --> 00:01:56,559 Speaker 1: and when we are challenged, that's when big things happen. 26 00:01:56,680 --> 00:01:59,360 Speaker 1: I know that some of my greatest ideas, some of 27 00:01:59,400 --> 00:02:02,440 Speaker 1: the most progress I have ever made in my life, 28 00:02:02,560 --> 00:02:06,040 Speaker 1: has occurred when I have had to show up to adversity. 29 00:02:06,200 --> 00:02:09,560 Speaker 1: I mean Hurdle for instance. I started this podcast after 30 00:02:09,639 --> 00:02:13,640 Speaker 1: going through a really difficult time in my personal life, 31 00:02:13,639 --> 00:02:16,640 Speaker 1: a really tough breakup, and I wanted to invest my 32 00:02:16,840 --> 00:02:20,200 Speaker 1: energy in something new. And here we are, over one 33 00:02:20,280 --> 00:02:24,920 Speaker 1: hundred episodes later, still doing this thing. So today I 34 00:02:24,960 --> 00:02:28,200 Speaker 1: am offering you strategies on how to cope, how to 35 00:02:28,280 --> 00:02:33,360 Speaker 1: feel more positive in your day today. As always, you 36 00:02:33,360 --> 00:02:36,200 Speaker 1: can reach out to me to share your experience over 37 00:02:36,280 --> 00:02:39,000 Speaker 1: on social media. It's at Emily a Body at Hurdle 38 00:02:39,040 --> 00:02:41,680 Speaker 1: podcast And if you have a hurdle moment of your 39 00:02:41,680 --> 00:02:43,880 Speaker 1: own to share, you just want to say hi, I'm 40 00:02:43,960 --> 00:02:48,360 Speaker 1: always available in my inbox. It's Emily at Hurdle dot us. 41 00:02:48,919 --> 00:02:58,799 Speaker 1: And with that, let's get to hurdling. There is no 42 00:02:59,320 --> 00:03:03,600 Speaker 1: such thing as normal right now, I think that's important 43 00:03:03,639 --> 00:03:07,200 Speaker 1: to establish because a lot of us are throwing around 44 00:03:07,280 --> 00:03:11,680 Speaker 1: the phrase the new normal, and often that normal has 45 00:03:12,120 --> 00:03:16,200 Speaker 1: quotes around it. Here's the thing. Some days might feel 46 00:03:16,200 --> 00:03:20,800 Speaker 1: easy and some days might feel hard, and that's okay. 47 00:03:21,280 --> 00:03:23,840 Speaker 1: I can't tell you how many times I've seen this quote. 48 00:03:23,919 --> 00:03:26,040 Speaker 1: It's not that we're working from home. It's that we're 49 00:03:26,080 --> 00:03:29,800 Speaker 1: trying to work from home during a crisis or something 50 00:03:29,840 --> 00:03:33,919 Speaker 1: along those lines. And so right now, it is so 51 00:03:33,919 --> 00:03:38,560 Speaker 1: so important to have grace with yourself and understand that 52 00:03:38,760 --> 00:03:43,400 Speaker 1: every day might have some struggle, but all of this struggle, 53 00:03:43,640 --> 00:03:49,280 Speaker 1: all of these experiences, have the opportunity to turn into 54 00:03:49,320 --> 00:03:52,680 Speaker 1: something bigger. We might not feel like we have control 55 00:03:52,840 --> 00:03:56,360 Speaker 1: over every single day, but every single day we have 56 00:03:56,440 --> 00:04:00,800 Speaker 1: the opportunity to take back some control and find some peace. 57 00:04:01,120 --> 00:04:05,040 Speaker 1: So that's what today's episode is about. Taking charge of 58 00:04:05,040 --> 00:04:08,560 Speaker 1: the things that you can. My first strategy for reducing 59 00:04:08,680 --> 00:04:12,320 Speaker 1: stress and making you feel more positive is to organize. 60 00:04:12,360 --> 00:04:17,279 Speaker 1: And this could literally be anything. I feel as though, 61 00:04:17,320 --> 00:04:19,560 Speaker 1: like many of you, I have a never ending to 62 00:04:19,600 --> 00:04:21,440 Speaker 1: do list of the things that I want to put 63 00:04:21,520 --> 00:04:26,560 Speaker 1: together or organize around my home, whether that is on 64 00:04:26,720 --> 00:04:30,239 Speaker 1: my computer hard drive or the closet in my kitchen, 65 00:04:30,360 --> 00:04:34,599 Speaker 1: and every week, twice a week, I'm tackling one of 66 00:04:34,640 --> 00:04:37,640 Speaker 1: those projects. For instance, I have two closets in my apartment, 67 00:04:37,839 --> 00:04:39,880 Speaker 1: the one in the kitchen the one in my bedroom. 68 00:04:40,080 --> 00:04:43,760 Speaker 1: Last weekend's activity was organizing the one in the kitchen, 69 00:04:43,920 --> 00:04:47,960 Speaker 1: separating things into piles for donation and of course things 70 00:04:48,000 --> 00:04:51,080 Speaker 1: to trash. And then when I finish the kitchen closet, 71 00:04:51,200 --> 00:04:53,720 Speaker 1: I moved on to the butcher's cart in my kitchen, 72 00:04:53,960 --> 00:04:57,920 Speaker 1: going through those bins, my junk bins as I affectionately 73 00:04:57,960 --> 00:05:00,479 Speaker 1: call them, and throwing out the stuff that I jus 74 00:05:00,520 --> 00:05:05,320 Speaker 1: didn't need anymore. Now is the perfect time to trash 75 00:05:05,440 --> 00:05:09,800 Speaker 1: the stuff that's just sitting around, get rid of the excess, 76 00:05:09,839 --> 00:05:12,719 Speaker 1: and if you have the opportunity to do so, donate 77 00:05:12,760 --> 00:05:16,800 Speaker 1: it to someone who can use that stuff. The thing 78 00:05:16,880 --> 00:05:21,960 Speaker 1: about organizing and cleaning is that it helps reduce stimulus. 79 00:05:22,000 --> 00:05:25,480 Speaker 1: It helps keep you focused on one single task, one 80 00:05:25,720 --> 00:05:29,240 Speaker 1: goal that you would like to accomplish, and when you 81 00:05:29,279 --> 00:05:33,559 Speaker 1: accomplish that one task, that one goal, it feels so good. 82 00:05:33,720 --> 00:05:37,599 Speaker 1: Right When you get rid of unwanted clutter, it also 83 00:05:37,720 --> 00:05:42,840 Speaker 1: helps you completely scrap unwanted stress and anxiety. Both things 84 00:05:42,880 --> 00:05:47,599 Speaker 1: that many of us are experiencing right now. My second 85 00:05:47,640 --> 00:05:53,200 Speaker 1: strategy for reducing stress and feeling more positive is get honest. 86 00:05:53,960 --> 00:05:56,719 Speaker 1: Is there something that's weighing on your heart right now? 87 00:05:56,800 --> 00:05:59,520 Speaker 1: Is there something that you wanted to tell someone in 88 00:05:59,640 --> 00:06:02,920 Speaker 1: experienperience that made you feel some kind of way, maybe 89 00:06:03,000 --> 00:06:06,760 Speaker 1: an apology that you've wanted to offer. It's not always 90 00:06:06,800 --> 00:06:10,240 Speaker 1: easy to admit when you're wrong or to be upfront 91 00:06:10,320 --> 00:06:13,520 Speaker 1: about your feelings. But now, more than ever, we have 92 00:06:13,640 --> 00:06:18,240 Speaker 1: time to really think these things through. So if there 93 00:06:18,320 --> 00:06:20,840 Speaker 1: is someone that you feel as though you want to 94 00:06:21,200 --> 00:06:23,679 Speaker 1: have a conversation with, get something off of your chest 95 00:06:24,080 --> 00:06:26,800 Speaker 1: before you go in to do that. Maybe take the 96 00:06:26,880 --> 00:06:29,919 Speaker 1: time to write some things down. What is it that 97 00:06:30,080 --> 00:06:33,600 Speaker 1: happened that you feel like you need to address. How 98 00:06:33,640 --> 00:06:37,120 Speaker 1: can this conversation happen in a positive manner that has 99 00:06:37,160 --> 00:06:40,560 Speaker 1: you walking out on the other side feeling lighter instead 100 00:06:40,720 --> 00:06:45,600 Speaker 1: of burdened. Oftentimes we internalize things, We create a deeper narrative, 101 00:06:46,040 --> 00:06:49,159 Speaker 1: We tell ourselves a story that might not entirely be 102 00:06:49,279 --> 00:06:54,120 Speaker 1: based on truth or facts, especially when things go unaddressed 103 00:06:54,120 --> 00:06:57,039 Speaker 1: for a long time. So right now, like I said, 104 00:06:57,040 --> 00:06:59,640 Speaker 1: if there's something that is weighing on your heart, something 105 00:06:59,640 --> 00:07:01,720 Speaker 1: you need to get off of your chest. I would 106 00:07:01,760 --> 00:07:04,919 Speaker 1: suggest that it's a great time to have these important 107 00:07:04,920 --> 00:07:09,760 Speaker 1: conversations now. If you don't feel comfortable opening that can 108 00:07:09,800 --> 00:07:13,120 Speaker 1: of worms, that's okay. But what you can do in 109 00:07:13,160 --> 00:07:17,760 Speaker 1: the meantime to reduce your stress is write things down. 110 00:07:18,160 --> 00:07:21,800 Speaker 1: Journaling has been a huge outlet for me during this time. 111 00:07:21,920 --> 00:07:25,360 Speaker 1: I make at least five minutes a day to do it, 112 00:07:25,480 --> 00:07:28,120 Speaker 1: and if you don't even want to dedicate that much time, 113 00:07:28,400 --> 00:07:32,400 Speaker 1: that's okay. By simply writing down two things that you 114 00:07:32,480 --> 00:07:37,200 Speaker 1: appreciate every single day, two highlights of your day that 115 00:07:37,360 --> 00:07:42,880 Speaker 1: is scientifically proven, these positive affirmations to make you feel better. 116 00:07:43,120 --> 00:07:48,520 Speaker 1: Another strategy for reducing stress. Shut off the news. Now. 117 00:07:48,560 --> 00:07:52,360 Speaker 1: I think it is very important that we all stay informed, 118 00:07:52,480 --> 00:07:56,480 Speaker 1: But an experiment that I did personally over the weekend 119 00:07:56,520 --> 00:08:00,320 Speaker 1: that really helped me was leaning away from all all 120 00:08:00,440 --> 00:08:04,080 Speaker 1: news and all social media. I was on a run 121 00:08:04,120 --> 00:08:06,800 Speaker 1: on Saturday morning. It wasn't going that well, I didn't 122 00:08:06,840 --> 00:08:09,600 Speaker 1: feel stellar, and I was listening to a podcast that 123 00:08:09,720 --> 00:08:13,200 Speaker 1: was talking about just how long we might actually be 124 00:08:13,320 --> 00:08:15,600 Speaker 1: inside of our apartments. Now, I'm not going to shed 125 00:08:15,640 --> 00:08:17,480 Speaker 1: any light on that right now. But what I will 126 00:08:17,800 --> 00:08:21,400 Speaker 1: say is that I knew instantly I needed to unplug. 127 00:08:21,480 --> 00:08:25,240 Speaker 1: I needed to get away and just go within. And 128 00:08:25,320 --> 00:08:28,600 Speaker 1: so I called my dad and I said, I'm out. 129 00:08:28,880 --> 00:08:31,400 Speaker 1: I'm off the news for the weekend. I'm off social 130 00:08:31,440 --> 00:08:35,320 Speaker 1: media for the weekend. And I distinctly remember the moment 131 00:08:35,840 --> 00:08:38,720 Speaker 1: on Saturday, late afternoon when I was standing in my 132 00:08:38,800 --> 00:08:41,200 Speaker 1: living room and I took a deep breath, and for 133 00:08:41,240 --> 00:08:44,079 Speaker 1: the first time in what felt like weeks, I didn't 134 00:08:44,120 --> 00:08:46,920 Speaker 1: feel that tightness in my chest. I wasn't asking myself 135 00:08:47,120 --> 00:08:51,560 Speaker 1: if I had caught coronavirus. I instead felt like I 136 00:08:51,600 --> 00:08:55,320 Speaker 1: could breathe deeply, like I wasn't so stressed, I wasn't 137 00:08:55,360 --> 00:09:00,840 Speaker 1: so anxious, and man, that felt so valuable. Obviously, like 138 00:09:00,880 --> 00:09:03,800 Speaker 1: I said, it is important to be informed. So on 139 00:09:03,840 --> 00:09:07,640 Speaker 1: that note, perhaps just limiting your news consumption on a 140 00:09:07,760 --> 00:09:10,720 Speaker 1: day to day basis. For me, my strategy right now 141 00:09:11,160 --> 00:09:14,439 Speaker 1: is to turn on some sort of morning news program 142 00:09:14,480 --> 00:09:17,040 Speaker 1: for about an hour total in the morning, So that 143 00:09:17,400 --> 00:09:20,360 Speaker 1: for me is about an hour total between watching the 144 00:09:20,400 --> 00:09:23,840 Speaker 1: Today Show, listening to the Daily podcast from the New 145 00:09:23,920 --> 00:09:27,480 Speaker 1: York Times, and also up first. That makes me feel 146 00:09:27,559 --> 00:09:29,680 Speaker 1: like I've got all the news I need, and then 147 00:09:30,040 --> 00:09:32,440 Speaker 1: I can turn on some music, turn off the news, 148 00:09:32,520 --> 00:09:35,160 Speaker 1: and get into my workday as I sit down at 149 00:09:35,160 --> 00:09:38,280 Speaker 1: my desk with a glass of athletic greens. My next 150 00:09:38,440 --> 00:09:42,120 Speaker 1: tip for reducing stress and making you feel more positive 151 00:09:42,600 --> 00:09:45,880 Speaker 1: look at people face to face. I know many of 152 00:09:45,960 --> 00:09:50,480 Speaker 1: us are experiencing plenty of zoom meetings throughout the day, 153 00:09:50,640 --> 00:09:53,800 Speaker 1: plenty of work face times, and that can all feel 154 00:09:53,800 --> 00:09:56,840 Speaker 1: a little overwhelming. But I encourage you, at least once 155 00:09:56,960 --> 00:10:01,240 Speaker 1: a week schedule some sort of face to face interaction 156 00:10:01,400 --> 00:10:03,920 Speaker 1: with someone that you care about, someone that makes you 157 00:10:04,200 --> 00:10:08,120 Speaker 1: feel good, especially if you're tackling this on your own. 158 00:10:08,240 --> 00:10:10,679 Speaker 1: I am right there with you. I know it can 159 00:10:10,720 --> 00:10:14,560 Speaker 1: feel so isolating and a little bit lonely, so make 160 00:10:14,760 --> 00:10:19,480 Speaker 1: that critical time to see other people, to show up 161 00:10:19,679 --> 00:10:23,440 Speaker 1: and embrace the human connection in a really beautiful way. 162 00:10:23,800 --> 00:10:27,679 Speaker 1: Another tip for reducing stress and making you feel more positive. 163 00:10:28,320 --> 00:10:31,840 Speaker 1: Change out of your pajamas. I know I'm not saying 164 00:10:32,200 --> 00:10:35,240 Speaker 1: that you need to dress to the nines to stay 165 00:10:35,559 --> 00:10:38,800 Speaker 1: at home, but I cannot tell you how much of 166 00:10:38,840 --> 00:10:41,080 Speaker 1: a game changer it was for me. Last week, I 167 00:10:41,160 --> 00:10:44,680 Speaker 1: put on a jumpsuit because that's my most comfortable outfit. 168 00:10:44,720 --> 00:10:46,520 Speaker 1: It's what I lean into when I'm going to a 169 00:10:46,600 --> 00:10:50,560 Speaker 1: normal office day. I put on a jumpsuit, I showered, well, okay, 170 00:10:50,640 --> 00:10:52,560 Speaker 1: I showered. Then I put on the jumpsuit, and then 171 00:10:52,600 --> 00:10:54,400 Speaker 1: I did my hair, and I looked in the mirror 172 00:10:54,440 --> 00:10:56,560 Speaker 1: and I let out a big exhl and I was like, Oh, 173 00:10:56,640 --> 00:11:00,840 Speaker 1: it feels so good just to feel like me. I 174 00:11:00,880 --> 00:11:04,040 Speaker 1: think that's really important right now. What are the things 175 00:11:04,280 --> 00:11:07,839 Speaker 1: that are a part of your otherwise normal routine that 176 00:11:07,880 --> 00:11:12,360 Speaker 1: you can incorporate into your routine right now? So maybe 177 00:11:12,400 --> 00:11:14,840 Speaker 1: it is getting dressed for the day. Maybe it's that 178 00:11:14,920 --> 00:11:17,160 Speaker 1: phone call with your mom before you sit down on 179 00:11:17,200 --> 00:11:18,920 Speaker 1: the couch or at your desk in the apartment that 180 00:11:18,960 --> 00:11:21,880 Speaker 1: you would usually take when you're walking to the subway 181 00:11:22,000 --> 00:11:24,960 Speaker 1: or getting in your car tohead to the office. If 182 00:11:25,000 --> 00:11:27,120 Speaker 1: you're a fan of podcasting, which I know that you 183 00:11:27,160 --> 00:11:29,680 Speaker 1: are because you are listening to this right now, find 184 00:11:29,760 --> 00:11:33,000 Speaker 1: a time to listen to your regular podcasts in this 185 00:11:33,160 --> 00:11:37,040 Speaker 1: new schedule. If you typically look forward to a certain 186 00:11:37,280 --> 00:11:41,079 Speaker 1: gathering of friends or a club activity, things that you 187 00:11:41,120 --> 00:11:45,080 Speaker 1: share with other people, find ways to bring that happiness, 188 00:11:45,120 --> 00:11:49,720 Speaker 1: that sense of belonging into your regular routine. Now, everyone 189 00:11:49,880 --> 00:11:52,559 Speaker 1: is just trying to learn how to navigate this the 190 00:11:52,559 --> 00:11:56,079 Speaker 1: best that they can, and you owe it to yourself 191 00:11:56,120 --> 00:12:00,719 Speaker 1: to find your happy at My last tip for you 192 00:12:00,920 --> 00:12:08,280 Speaker 1: to reduce stress and keep positive is acceptance, just radical acceptance. 193 00:12:08,720 --> 00:12:12,640 Speaker 1: When we cannot accept what is and we're focused on 194 00:12:12,720 --> 00:12:15,600 Speaker 1: what we want or what we don't have, that is 195 00:12:15,640 --> 00:12:19,040 Speaker 1: when we really get hung up. This is how it 196 00:12:19,120 --> 00:12:21,960 Speaker 1: is now. Sarah Levy, the founder of Y seven, said 197 00:12:22,000 --> 00:12:24,760 Speaker 1: it in one of the first episodes of Hurdle, and 198 00:12:24,800 --> 00:12:26,800 Speaker 1: it's a piece of advice that I've taken with me 199 00:12:27,000 --> 00:12:30,480 Speaker 1: ever since. All we can do is move forward with 200 00:12:30,600 --> 00:12:33,720 Speaker 1: what we have. Being angry about the things that we 201 00:12:33,720 --> 00:12:37,760 Speaker 1: cannot control, it doesn't get us anywhere. And trust me, 202 00:12:37,840 --> 00:12:41,440 Speaker 1: when you accept this that there can be a silver lining, 203 00:12:41,480 --> 00:12:44,880 Speaker 1: that there can be positives during this time. That's the 204 00:12:44,920 --> 00:12:50,720 Speaker 1: first step toward positive progress. Listen, I'm right there with you. 205 00:12:50,920 --> 00:12:55,240 Speaker 1: I know it's frustrating. I understand, but we have to 206 00:12:55,320 --> 00:12:59,679 Speaker 1: come together to believe that we can handle this, and 207 00:12:59,720 --> 00:13:03,320 Speaker 1: we will handle this as long as we are open 208 00:13:03,840 --> 00:13:07,200 Speaker 1: and vulnerable and willing. Remember, and I say it all 209 00:13:07,240 --> 00:13:10,600 Speaker 1: the time, you didn't come this far to only come 210 00:13:10,640 --> 00:13:16,880 Speaker 1: this far. At Emily Abadi at Hurdle Podcast, Another hurdle conquered. 211 00:13:17,360 --> 00:13:18,400 Speaker 1: Catch you guys next time.