Understanding Your Emotions & Finding Peace | Natolie Warren | Balance to Excellence Show S3E4

In this enlightening episode of the Balance to Excellence Show, Dr. Judy Wright welcomes psychotherapist and mental health expert Natolie Warren for a deep dive into emotional wellness, stress management, and authentic self-care. Discover how understanding your emotions can transform your mental wellbeing, learn practical techniques to combat overwhelm, and experience a guided breathwork session that brings instant calm. Perfect for busy professionals looking to cultivate genuine balance!

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⏱️ TIMESTAMPS (click to jump to section): 

00:00 Introduction to Mental Health and Self-Care

02:16 Natolie's Journey to Psychotherapy

06:32 The Importance of Collective Mental Health

08:44 Understanding Stress and Overwhelm

10:53 Navigating Emotional Shutdown

12:59 The Impact of Change on Mental Health

14:33 Ignoring Pain: A Common Mistake

16:31 Emotions as Messengers

19:56 The Role of Boredom in Emotional Health

22:51 The Necessity of Self-Care

25:43 Challenging the Guilt of Self-Care

27:51 Assessing Stress and Self-Care Levels

30:28 Awareness and the Journey Forward

30:31 Understanding Emotions and the Feeling Wheel

34:06 Setting Boundaries for Well-Being

37:05 The Challenge of Boundary Setting

44:13 Creating a Culture of Well-Being in the Workplace

49:41 Personal Reflections and Breathwork Exercise

💡 Episode Highlights

Understanding the Language of Emotions #EmotionalIntelligence #MentalWellness

• We experience about 400 emotional experiences every day
• Each emotion carries a specific message that we need to decode
• Boredom is an emotion that simply signals you want to do something
• Anger signals that someone has crossed a boundary
• Emotions intensify when we ignore their messages
• Without awareness, boredom can progress to restlessness, then sadness

The Self-Care Revolution #SelfCare #WellnessJourney

• "Self-care is not a mani-pedi" - it must go deeper than surface-level pampering
• Your self-care must exceed your current stress level to be effective
• Rest is the foundation that makes all other self-care meaningful
• Many avoid self-care due to guilt and the belief they're "not doing enough"
• The "not doing enough" belief often translates to "I am not enough"
• Breaking the cycle requires recognizing your inherent worthiness

Breaking Through Boundary Barriers #BoundarySetting #PersonalGrowth

• Many professionals struggle with setting and maintaining boundaries
• Fear of not being liked or loved often prevents boundary setting
• People-pleasing is actually a form of manipulation - trying to control how others feel
• Unmaintained boundaries eventually disappear completely
• Setting boundaries protects your goals and values
• The absence of boundaries doesn't make people like you more - often the opposite

Workplace Wellness That Works #WorkplaceWellness #CorporateWellbeing

• Many corporate wellness programs remain at the surface level
• True culture change requires education about emotional wellness
• Understanding how our minds work: 65,000 thoughts daily, 75% negative, 90% recycled
• Mental health is universal - "it's not a they thing, it's a we thing"
• Brief moments of mindfulness can shift workplace culture
• High turnover rates may indicate ineffective wellness programs

The Power of the Pause #MindfulPause #StressManagement

• The first step when overwhelmed is simply to pause
• A pause creates space for clarity and better decision-making
• Even a 1-2 minute break can reset your nervous system
• If you don't choose to pause, your body will eventually force you to
• Regular pauses throughout the day prevent buildup of stress
• Breath awareness is a simple but powerful pause technique

🔥 Quotable Moments for Social Sharing

"Our emotions have messages for us. We miss it. No one taught us. No one went to the class of Emotion 101 to learn about emotions and their messages." #EmotionalIntelligence #SelfAwareness

"The feeling of loneliness is only trying to communicate to you that you want connection. That's it." #EmotionalWisdom #MentalHealthAwareness

"If you're not rested, you can pamper all year and still struggle." #TrueSelfCare #RestIsEssential

"Your self-care has to exceed the level of stress that you're dealing with." #WellnessMath #SelfCareFormula

"Did you realize being a people pleaser is actually a manipulator? Because what you're trying to ultimately do is manipulate how someone else will feel or how they'll respond." #BoundaryWork #AuthenticLiving

📚 Resources Mentioned

• Feeling Wheel: Tool to help identify specific emotions beyond basic categories
• Book: "Self-Care is Not a Mani-Pedi" co-authored by Dr. Judy Wright
• Statistics: We have 65,000 thoughts daily, 75% negative, 90% recycled from previous days

🛠️ Practical Tools

Breathwork Exercise (56:00-57:30)

1. Begin by simply noticing your breath without changing it
2. Locate where you feel your breath in your body
3. Notice if your breath is shallow or deep, fast or slow
4. Pay attention to the sensation of air entering through your nostrils
5. Trace the path of breath throughout your body
6. Connect with your breath as a reminder of life and stability
7. Close with an intentional breath in through the nose, out through the mouth

Creating a Personal Pause Practice

1. Start with brief 1-2 minute pauses throughout your day
2. Set a reminder on your phone if needed
3. Use transitions between tasks as natural pause points
4. Notice your body's stress signals (tight shoulders, racing heart)
5. Practice the guided breathwork exercise from this episode

📱 Connect With Natalie Warren

• Website: www.natoliewarren.com
• Social Media: @NatolieWarren on all platforms

📱 Connect With Dr. Judy Wright

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/judywrightmd/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/judywrightmd
• Website:https://wellnesswithdrjudy.com/
• Book: "Girl, Get Your Life Off The Fault Line" https://wellnesswithdrjudy.com/faultline

👉 TAKE ACTION

If you're feeling overwhelmed right now, try Natalie's breathwork exercise from this episode (56:00-57:30). It takes less than two minutes but can completely reset your nervous system and bring you back to a state of calm clarity. Then, identify one boundary you need to establish this week to protect your wellbeing.

TAGS: emotional intelligence, stress management, self-care, mental wellness, boundary setting, breathwork techniques, workplace wellness, burnout prevention, people pleasing, meditation, psychotherapy, emotional awareness, Balance to Excellence, Dr. Judy Wright, Natalie Warren

CATEGORY: Health & Wellness

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