Feelings Matter

In this episode of #FeelingsMatter, hosts Michelle Stinson Ross, Tina Schweiger, and Heather Hampton explore the emotion of feeling adorable - that sensation of feeling cute and adored, or finding someone or something unbearably cute. The conversation examines the two-way nature of adoration, the concept of "cute aggression," and how we might cultivate more experiences of this light, positive emot...

In this episode of #FeelingsMatter, hosts Heather Hampton, Michelle Stinson Ross,  and Tina Schweiger explore the emotion of aggression - that feeling of wanting to attack or argue with someone. The conversation moves from personal experiences with aggression to the challenges of handling aggression in children, particularly neurodivergent children. The hosts discuss how aggression can be contagio...

In this episode of #FeelingsMatter, hosts Michelle Stinson Ross, Tina Schweiger, and Heather Hampton explore the emotion of being sorrowful - that feeling of being heavy-hearted and deeply unhappy, often due to a loss or disappointment. The conversation delves into the physical sensations of sorrow, its relationship to depression, and how different contexts can shape our experience of this profoun...

In this episode of #FeelingsMatter, hosts Tina Schweiger, Michelle Stinson Ross, and Heather Hampton explore the emotion of aversion - described simply as "feeling stuck in a state of dislike." The conversation examines how aversion serves as both a protective mechanism and a potential barrier to growth and connection. The hosts discuss their personal experiences with aversion, its relationship to...

In this episode of #FeelingsMatter, hosts Michelle Stinson Ross, Tina Schweiger, and Heather Hampton explore anxiety as both an emotion and a condition. The conversation delves into how anxiety manifests physically, the distinction between anxiety and related feelings like nervousness, and practical techniques for creating safety and disrupting anxiety patterns. The hosts share their personal expe...

In this episode of #FeelingsMatter, hosts Heather Hampton, Michelle Stinson Ross, and Tina Schweiger explore the emotion of smugness - that irritating feeling of being excessively pleased with oneself or offensively self-satisfied. The conversation delves into different perspectives on smugness, its relationship to contempt, and how this emotion can serve as an important signal in relationships. T...

In this episode of #FeelingsMatter, hosts Michelle Stinson Ross, Tina Schweiger, and Heather Hampton explore the emotion of feeling blissful - that state of being extremely happy or full of joy. The hosts discuss how bliss represents an intersection of joy and peace, emphasizing its qualities of contentment, presence, and serenity. They share personal experiences of bliss and offer insights on how...

In this episode of #FeelingsMatter, hosts Michelle Stinson Ross, Tina Schweiger, and Heather Hampton explore the emotion of embarrassment - that uncomfortable feeling of being improperly exposed or self-conscious. The hosts dive into the physical sensations of embarrassment, share personal stories of embarrassing moments, and discuss how this emotion relates to other feelings like imposter syndrom...

In this episode of #FeelingsMatter, hosts Heather Hampton, Michelle Stinson Ross, and Tina Schweiger explore the emotion of apathy - that feeling of not caring about things that usually matter. The hosts discuss how apathy differs from indifference, its connection to depression and emotional exhaustion, and how recognizing this emotion can serve as an important warning signal. They share personal...

In this episode of #FeelingsMatter, hosts Michelle Stinson Ross, Tina Schweiger, and Heather Hampton explore the emotion of being delighted - that feeling of being greatly pleased or experiencing a strong sense of joy. The hosts discuss the lightness and buoyancy of delight, how it typically occurs in response to something specific, and why capturing these fleeting moments is valuable for building...

In this episode of #FeelingsMatter, hosts Michelle Stinson Ross, Tina Schweiger, and Heather Hampton explore the emotion of craving - that strong feeling of desire and yearning. The hosts discuss how craving manifests as a physical sensation, its repetitive nature, and how this emotion often signals deeper unmet needs. Rather than viewing cravings as simple impulses to be immediately satisfied, th...

In this episode of #FeelingsMatter, hosts Michelle Stinson Ross, Tina Schweiger, and Heather Hampton explore the emotion of being thrilled - that feeling of extreme excitement and delight. They discuss how we often casually use powerful emotion words, the different ways people experience thrills, and the relationship between thrilled and other intense emotions like anxiety and elation. The convers...

In this episode of #FeelingsMatter, hosts Michelle Stinson Ross and Tina Schweiger are joined by Heather Hampton to explore the emotion of being tired. The conversation distinguishes between physical tiredness and emotional fatigue, with all three hosts sharing their personal experiences with emotional exhaustion, particularly in relation to depression and mental health. They discuss coping strate...

In this episode of #FeelingsMatter, hosts Michelle Stinson Ross and Tina Schweiger are joined by Heather Hampton to explore the emotion of love. The conversation delves into the multifaceted nature of love, from romantic partnerships to passion for work, highlighting how love involves both feeling and choice. The hosts share personal reflections on what love means to them and how it manifests in t...

#FeelingsMatter - Emotional Literacy (Season 3 Premiere) In the Season 3 premiere of #FeelingsMatter, hosts Michelle Stinson Ross and Tina Schweiger explore emotional literacy and introduce Feel Wise, a tool featuring 156 emotions represented visually. This episode serves as a foundation for the new season format, where future episodes will offer short, "snackable" segments focusing on one emotion...

Join Tina Schweiger, Heather Hampton, and Michelle Stinson Ross as they dig deeper into a full vocabulary of emotional expression. This trailer is just a quick snack of what you can expect this season on #FeelingsMatter. Podcast theme music by Dubush Miaw from Pixabay This episode of the #FeelingsMatter Podcast was recorded and produced at MSR Studios in Saint Paul, MN. No reproduction, excerpting...

Now, more than ever, a supportive environment for mental health is essential. As we strive to create a workplace environment in which everyone can talk more openly and proactively about mental health, most people struggle with how best to respond when they are concerned about a colleague. Episode Highlights - Dealing with the power dynamic with leadership - "Psychological safety is not relaxing yo...

Now, more than ever, a supportive environment for mental health is essential. As we strive to create a workplace environment in which everyone can talk more openly and proactively about mental health, most people struggle with how best to respond when they are concerned about a colleague. Episode Highlights - Check-in with your colleagues - Ask open ended questions and pose them as “I” questions -...

A recent study confirmed that Americans are exercising less and sitting more during the pandemic. It may seem like no big deal, but the pandemic has impacted everyone's mental health as well. So, it's important to recognize the important and positive link between mental health and exercise. Studies have shown that exercise can be a great tool for improving common mental health issues. Episode High...

Moving into post-pandemic operations is still creating a wave of stress and anxiety in our homes and community. It's important for workplace teams to recognize how stress manifests itself and adopt strategies and practices that can help them navigate stress in the healthiest way possible. Episode Highlights - Watch out for the negative coping strategies - Good hydration, good sleep, exercise are i...

Moving into post-pandemic operations is still creating a wave of stress and anxiety in our homes and community. It's important for workplace teams to recognize how stress manifests itself and adopt strategies and practices that can help them navigate stress in the healthiest way possible. Episode Highlights -91 percent of respondents say having an unmanageable amount of stress or frustration negat...

In this episode we explore what it means to show empathy and how a few simple actions can help create stronger connections and build a culture of honesty and openness. These are important factors for nurturing a more productive and healthier workplace as we navigate the challenges of an uncertain time. Episode Highlights - 83% of employees would choose a workplace with a healthy culture over highe...

Whether your staff is in the office or working remotely, understanding other people's emotions is a key skill in the workplace. It can enable us to resolve conflicts, build more productive teams and improve our relationships with co-workers, clients and customers. Episode Highlights - Empathetic companies outperform competitors by 20% - Empathy creates the environment for a more engaged workforce...

What exactly is Emotional Intelligence? It’s not just empathy, it’s not just emotional awareness, and it’s more than the sum of all these components. Emotional Intelligence is a skill that one can actually improve upon through active practice. A good leader exemplifies strong emotional intelligence through openness and actively engaging employees, and even has an ethical responsibility to make sur...

What exactly is Emotional Intelligence? It’s not just empathy, it’s not just emotional awareness, and it’s more than the sum of all these components. Emotional Intelligence is a skill that one can actually improve upon through active practice. A good leader exemplifies strong emotional intelligence through openness and actively engaging employees, and even has an ethical responsibility to make sur...