New Underwear to Ease Anxiety? How Small Changes Garner Big Results

What if improving your mental health isn’t about making big life changes, but about making small changes that add up to a big difference? What if something as simple as organizing your junk drawer, or keeping an extra phone charger nearby could make your days a little better? It sounds ridiculous, but there is some science behind the notion that “doing the little things” can have a meaningful impact on our emotional well-being. On this episode, host Gabe Howard welcomes back Jodi Wellman, MAPP, author of “You Only Die Once: How to Make It to the End with No Regrets,” for a conversation about the surprisingly powerful impact of small changes. They explore why we overlook simple opportunities to feel better, and how small, everyday shifts in perspective and behavior can help reduce anxiety and depression. Jodi explains how positive psychology research connects practices like gratitude and savoring positive experiences with improved well-being. Gabe brings his own lived experience with depression and anxiety into the conversation, sharing how reframing everyday frustrations help him appreciate what's good without pretending the bad doesn't exist. Listeners Will Learn: · How daily frustrations can add to anxiety and depression · What positive psychology research tells us about gratitude · How to reframe negative experiences without denying them · Which inexpensive changes might make life easier Tune in for the facts, the laughs, and some surprisingly practical ideas you can put into action today. Because sometimes, improving your life doesn’t require a major overhaul. It starts with noticing the little things you’ve been missing. Pull Quote: “If the accumulation of nagging can be a detriment, then the accumulation of the good little bits can make for a good hour, or afternoon, or day.” ~Jodi Wellman, Author of You Only Die Once: How to Make It to the End with No Regrets Our guest, Jodi Wellman, MAPP, is the founder of Four Thousand Mondays, a speaker, author, and assistant instructor in the Master of Applied Positive Psychology program at the University of Pennsylvania. Her book, "You Only Die Once: How to Make It to the End with No Regrets," made Adam Grant’s Summer Reading List and was a “Top 3 Psychology Book of 2024” by the Next Big Idea Club (curated by Malcolm Gladwell, Susan Cain, Adam Grant, and Dan Pink). Jodi has been featured in The New York Times, Oprah Daily, Fast Company, CNBC, Forbes, Psychology Today, The Los Angeles Times, and more. Jodi’s TEDx talk is called How Death Can Bring You Back to Life; with over 1.3 million views, it is the 14th most-watched TEDx talk released in 2022, out of 15,900! Our host, Gabe Howard, is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, "Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations," available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from the author. Gabe is also the host of the "Inside Bipolar" podcast with Dr. Nicole Washington. Gabe makes his home in the suburbs of Columbus, Ohio. He lives with his supportive wife, Kendall, and a Miniature Schnauzer dog that he never wanted, but now can’t imagine life without. To book Gabe for your next event or learn more about him, please visit gabehoward.com!