The Self Awareness Journey Podcast

Awareness about social media's impact on mental health is at an all time high. From the news we consume to the various social media platforms, we are constantly being overwhelmed with images and stories that form and hold our opinions. How does this effect our flexibility and connection with ourselves and others? Join JJ and Melissa for this podcast which happens to air during Mental Health A...

Did you know there is a bilateral connection between food and mood? Special guest Megan Baumler joins JJ and Melissa to talk about how your food choices affect your mood, and your mood affects your food choices. Megan is Director of Nutrition and Dietetics for St. Catherine University, is a registered dietician, and holds a PhD in nutrition Sciences. Loaded with interesting facts, Megan offers som...

With long-term relationships comes both grace as well as investment in one another. While there are many different forms of long-term relationships (family, friends, coworkers, significant others), all long-term relationships require trust and loyalty from both ends to maintain mutual growth. How have your long-term relationships shaped who you are today? Join JJ and Melissa as they discuss some o...

We often gauge our spring cleaning success based on how many boxes get donated, or how many closets we’ve cleaned. But what about mental and emotional spring cleaning. Is that even a thing? Hop in for some great ideas to explore for your own wellbeing!

Nobody likes feeling controlled by someone else. Often, we will move in the opposite direction just to prove we don’t like the feeling. But what if YOU are the one making yourself miserable by trying to be overly controlling of your own thoughts and feelings?

Work life has been weird lately, right? Nobody knows how to jump back in – and we all have certainly felt more pressure, anxiety and stress as we search for a new normal (a phrase we are tired of already). Join Karen DeCesare Doll, Psy. D., L.P. our special guest as we celebrate our 100th episode talking about Mental Wellness at Work. She’s a wealth of information and a great guest! If you want to...

The epidemic of cancel culture is growing like wildfire today. But Where did cancel culture originate? Did it serve as a helpful tool in the beginning? Join Melissa and JJ to decide for yourself.

Humor is the great equalizer. We can use humor to lighten a situation, or we can disarm people to help them through something difficult. Sarcastic humor can be used as a weapon or a mechanism to look good in front of others. How does self-awareness play into being funny?

Why do we often feel afraid to tell our loved ones that we love them? Is this belief rooted in male-female perspective? Is it because of introversion or extroversion? Is it cultural? Regionally based? Join in on the conversation now!

When we begin to emotionally tire or we need an energetic break, why do we have such a hard time honoring ourselves? Why do we avoid taking care of ourselves? What judgemental narrative are we using to avoid self care? Join Melissa and JJfor an interesting conversation about our personal needs and the funny ways we comfort them.

JJ and Melissa dug in to an idea that we all have different ways of pacifying, calming or settling ourselves down after we’ve had an emotional upset. But how many of us use others as our crutch, expecting they can make us feel better? And are our own techniques even healthy for us? Check out today’s pod to learn more.

The media today is swarming around the topic of employee’s leaving their jobs in record numbers. From hourlies to executives many are departing without a backup plan or another job. Why is this happening? Are you considering making a move, and wondering if this is a good idea? Join JJ and Melissa, along with guest Kurt Rakos, an owner of Skywater Search Partners as he shares some great stories and...

There are key reasons why humans are generally not very self aware… but some of them may surprise you! Are you one of the 10%? Or are you – like most of us – traveling around under a false premise? And how would you go about changing? JJ and Melissa had a little fun after finding this statistic – join in to hear more about it.

Diversity and inclusion is a hot topic in our world. Often associated with guilt and shame, or certainly a polarized perspective, it sometimes feels hard to adjust our opinions and actions. How can we change our narratives and feelings of this topic to become bridge builders; moving forward with love? Join JJ and Melissa, with guest Tyrone Morrison for an open dialog about blacks, whites, cultures...

Mental wellness for many is at an all time low after experiencing this world during the past two years. As we begin to become more comfortable with talking openly about mental wellness, we found this great article that highlights five terms to help you think about your mental health, and those around you.

Often we find ourselves between projects, people or habit. Creating the momentum to go on to the next thing often feels cumbersome or even impossible. Why is that? JJ and Melissa discuss personal relationships and work examples to offer suggestions on how to begin again as often as you need to feel good. 

Nobody gets out of this life without dying, yet death is one of the least talked about topics in the western hemisphere. Why is that? Grief is a natural and healthy response to death, but we often shy away from this too. If you or someone you know is experiencing the loss of a loved one and seeking a support group; https://lnkd.in/d9UW-e75 is one option. If you prefer reading, we suggest It’s OK t...

We are all familiar with stress and the myriad of ways that it can affect us. But do we understand our internal relationship with stress and how we use it to accomplish things? Can we accurately assess what kinds of stress we house in ourselves, and how those manifest in our systems differently? Hop in for this great discussion based on the recent Harvard Business Review article about stress.

Why do we feel embarrassment? Is it because we are desperate to act like someone or something else and ultimately feel like we messed up? Why does it often feel really hard to recover? And how much does self judgement come into the equation?

Often our emotional reactions to things can be a bit misleading. Our knee jerk feelings are not necessarily truthful - but rather only a part of our truth within a triggered state. How quickly can you discern your own responses of truth or delusion?

Did you know that you make judgements about yourself and others based on your core values? And did you know most people are unaware of what those values actually are? Join JJ and Melissa as they have some fun talking about their own.

During a more difficult time in our past, it can be easy to rewrite what actually happened, how we felt, or what the circumstances were. Why is that? How can being more aware help us keep the narrative intact?

JJ and Melissa dedicate this podcast to their loved and respected mentor Don Kielley. When we are younger, mentorship comes in many forms. Often we are consciously being mentored but often we are unaware of the support until much later. As we mature and grow, we become resourced to give back and mentor others. What's been your experience with mentorship?

What if while deployed, your brigade lost several soldiers in combat? And what if, upon their return home, your brigade tripled it's loss due to soldiers taking their own lives once back to the states? Join us for one man's journey through PTSD. If you or someone you know is suffering from PTSD, the support options listed in this podcast are:EMDRtherapy, Stellate Ganglion Block Procedure...