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 experiences with anxiety and offer insights on how to cultivate resilience against this challenging emotion.

Episode Highlights:

• Michelle describes her experience of anxiety as "being prepared for the truck to hit me," noting it often appears due to past trauma and manifests physically as tension and shaking, distinguishing it from nervousness which she experiences as "revving up" energy
• Tina observes that anxiety is unusual in being both a condition (which can appear without context) and an emotion (tied to specific situations), sharing that for her it's a physical feeling of tightness in the chest
• The hosts discuss practical techniques for managing anxiety, including box breathing (inhale 4 seconds, hold 4, exhale 4, hold 4), conscious assessment of threats, and the "parade of horribles" approach of realistically evaluating worst-case and best-case scenarios
• Michelle shares how self-talk and safety assessment can disrupt anxiety patterns by asking "Do I feel safe?" and either addressing specific threats or reassuring herself by listing safety factors ("I have enough food, bills are paid...")
• The conversation concludes by connecting these practices to building resilience, highlighting how an optimistic mindset can help counter anxiety's fear-driven nature over time

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.Copyright 2025, all rights reserved. No reproduction, excerpting, or other use without written permission.

This episode is sponsored by 
FeelWise - bridging the gap between reflection and resilience, offering practical tools to help people overcome obstacles, embrace change, and grow stronger emotionally. FeelWise | Turn Emotions into Your Superpower ✨💫

Don’t miss a moment of the conversation, subscribe to the show on your favorite podcasting platform

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, or other use without written permission.

This episode is sponsored by 
FeelWise - bridging the gap between reflection and resilience, offering practical tools to help people overcome obstacles, embrace change, and grow stronger emotionally. https://www.feel-wise.com/

Don’t miss a moment of the conversation, subscribe to the show on your favorite podcasting platform