Mental Health, Anxiety, Self-Harm and More
Straight Talk for a Curvy World®
A single act doesn’t define us, nor does a moment in time. When we feel weak or powerless, we search internally for the one version of ourselves that we think will best cope with the situation we are faced with. If our history includes anxiety, anger, or apprehension, we are basically like a box of chocolates – you never know what you’ll get. Often, we systematically compare our pain to that of our peers to self-judge our normality. Still, in doing so, we risk gathering all the pain within ourselves, primarily if we identify with it. Ultimately, we project our anxiety and anger inwards...
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Aging Women Learn About Physical and Emotional Limits
Straight Talk for a Curvy World®
*Consider who may be listening with you. This episode contains fun stuff that only adults should hear. A Special Passage for Monica From - Sometimes, it comes as a soft-bellied whisper. Sometimes it holds an edge of urgency, but it always says, “Wake up, my love. You are walking asleep; there’s no safety in that.” Now, Where Did I Put That? Aging can be fun if we consider it a never-ending game of hide-and-seek. The physical aspects of getting older are more accessible for us to deal with than the mental and emotional changes occurring within our bodies. We may understand that a tire...
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Accepting Ourselves Without Judgement
Straight Talk for a Curvy World®
In this Best of Straight Talk for a Curvy World® episode, I talk about my book. became a #1 Best-selling book upon release and continues to show up in the top ten even today. It also won SIX national and international book awards and was selected for review by Publisher's Weekly. And even though I write about #Me-Too, my book was released long before the world ever heard that phrase! I hope you'll check it out and leave a review. Click on the title above, or request the book from your favorite bookseller. Emotional Pain in the Physical Form During Christine’s uncertainty about...
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Grief, Anxiety and Moving Through Time
Straight Talk for a Curvy World®
Lucky is how Mo Hannah describes herself. And when you consider the profound impacts she has withstood, you can agree that Mo Hannah is indeed lucky. Mo was destined to have found the Battered Mothers Custody Conference. Her personal life gave her reason, and her humanity gave her purpose. Ann and Mo talk about how being in the present can alleviate anxiety and how taking your time to feel out a problem gives your inner voice a chance to speak. The physical pain caused by grief is not a structured ailment. There is no amount of time when it ceases to be, but it does change form over time....
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The Journey of Caregiving Our Aging Parents
Straight Talk for a Curvy World®
Caring for our parents can be one of the greatest gifts in life and one of our greatest hardships. You can never quite prepare yourself for the physical and emotional changes on the way. It is a challenging time that requires us to be many things to many people. We are the lucky ones spending as much time as possible with the people who gave us life. We are not alone on this journey. Mentions:
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Learning to FLY - (First Love Yourself)
Straight Talk for a Curvy World®
*This is an adult conversation, so please be aware of who may be listening with you. A Special Passage for Lisa “I am worthy. You were born worthy. You don’t have to do anything to make yourself worthy. You are a superhero born into this world, and being you is all you need to do. Express yourself, and don’t believe the hype that says you need to be anything more than your amazing self. I used to believe I wasn’t deserving of great things, but when I began declaring my worth, my life changed for the better.” - from the soon-to-be best-seller, I AM...: A Girl’s Guide to...
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A Conversation About Mental Illness
Straight Talk for a Curvy World®
Most of us believe medicines will heal our illnesses. We do not expect a drug to exacerbate our problems, so when one does, it’s difficult to know it is at the root of the problem. Karen shares with us how Prozac caused a mania that led her down the dark hallways of depression, suicidal thoughts, and the disintegration of her marriage to a good man. She has since recovered and sings jazz twice weekly and serves as a spiritual advisor in the unity church. Mentions: - Neale Donald Walsch - Emily Cady
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Jordan Harbinger Talks About How Men Deal With Grief
Straight Talk for a Curvy World®
Detaching yourself from grief shortly after a loss is a reliable way to ensure you prolong its influence. Frequently, additional losses compound the suffering and may cause other behaviors which eventually take their toll on your well-being. And even though most of us have difficulty handling grief, it seems men are more likely to bottle it up and not let it out. Jordan shares with us his recent reaction to the news about the loss of a peer and how he became aware of the value of living a more fulfilling life. We all must deal with this topic at some point in our lives. Jordan is one of the...
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Anxiety & Starting Over in Your 40s
Straight Talk for a Curvy World®
We don’t always plan on being pushed in the right direction, and more often than not, it takes us by surprise, especially when we are in our 40s. It usually happens when we take a deep breath and martyr our lives for those we care about. In Ellen’s case, her push came right after she bought her coveted little red corvette. She suddenly found herself needing a new way to support her family. And instead of wallowing in anxiety, she channeled her father’s wisdom and chose to do something that would make her happy for the rest of her life. Mentions: Daring Greatly
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Building a Better Relationship with Yourself
Straight Talk for a Curvy World®
Many of us are just finding ourselves again in our 40s. Our relationships up until this point have been with people with which we share similar emotional attributes. We may try to recreate our family of origin because it is a familiar place. When we learn to stop living through other people, we start to have better relationships with ourselves. We can then build upon our losses and take risks that catapult us into clarity. Through meditation, we can tune into our inner wisdom, which will guide us in our journey. If you have benefited from this podcast and think it could benefit someone else,...
info_outline*This is an adult conversation so please be aware of who may be listening with you.
My guest Barbara, who will soon be turning 50, is a mother with five kids at home and is currently going through her second divorce. She and her ex-husband have just finished the paperwork after going through the mediation process. She says that anyone who wants to create continuity for the children during this emotional undertaking should consider mediation as a way to save money, time and tears.
This powerful conversation with Barbara addresses a subject which is very rarely discussed. That is when sexual relations occur between children in the same family. Barbara exhibits great courage in sharing her story with us today and says that if just one person is helped or one misconception is clarified, then it is worth it for her to share.
“In the darkest moments, in the darkest of days, when it seems there is no hope when everything is going against you, HOLD ON. The light will come, the light will come, don’t give up. And when it comes it brings peace, love and compassion.” - Barbara G.
Putting Yourself First
Barbara realized that through much of her life she had the martyr mentality. She always put spending time with her kids and husband in front of doing things she wanted to do. She realized if she wanted to be the best mother and wife she could possibly be, she needed to take some time for herself. She started by taking 15 minutes to read a book she wanted to read and then little by little she took more time to practice self-care.
When the Darkness Came
While Barbara was pregnant with her sixth child, she and her husband were given the news that the baby had the rare, genetic disorder of Trisomy 13. Her child, who was born 9 weeks early, died after only 2 weeks of life. This trauma affected the entire family, and much more than Barbara realized at the time. Shortly after moving to Minnesota and in a fit of tears, Barbara’s 10-year-old daughter told her mother she was having sex with her 13-year-old brother. Barbara was devastated and her whole world went black. She felt like she fell down a black hole into hell. She immediately told her husband. She says it was a miracle that her son was away at camp because she truly believes her husband may have killed him.
Family Services advised that they seek out a counselor and the counselor recommended a trip to the police station. The police wanted to charge the 13-year-old with felony abuse, which would have marked him as a sexual predator for the rest of his life.
The Poison of Pornography
In addition to the family trauma surrounding the death of the baby, pornography was introduced into the household by neighborhood kids. Barbara believes pornography is the objectification of the human body, which causes a distortion of normal behavior and normal exploration. Her research led her to the understanding that chemical stabilization in the brains of children doesn’t set into its normal state until age 25. She adds that when children view pornography they are stimulated in ways their developing brains shouldn’t be exposed to. She says her son will struggle with not falling back into predatory behaviors for the rest of his life.
A State of Adjudication
Her son was not convicted of felony abuse because he was in the range of being rehabilitatable. The judge considered the psychological evaluations, the family’s input, and the intense counseling when he decided to not give Barbara’s son with permanent label. Three different psychologists told the courts that even if the same events happened again it would not trigger him.
The recent divorce is cause for concern as it may bring up emotional challenges for both Barbara’s daughter and son. Barbara monitors her son’s behavior for possible red flags and triggers and says “We have more fear of him turning to self-abuse rather than becoming a sexual predator. He is not a predator, he was a little boy looking for comfort after a traumatic situation.”
Barbara’s Healthy Living Business
Barbara is a dealer of the SaladMaster products, a 70-year-old company which offers free dinner presentations for those interested in preparing more nutritious and flavorful food for their families. She can be found online at Midwest Healthy Living and she recently opened her own store in her community of Maple Grove, Minnesota. She believes that how people prepare their food is just as important as what they are cooking. The cookware you use can enhance the flavor and nutrition of your food or destroy and detract from it. 99% of the world cooks in cookware that is old and inferior.
You are Not the Only One and You Are Not Crazy Either
If you found value in this podcast please share it with one other person. You never know who may need to hear it. If you need someone to talk safely and privately with email me at [email protected]. This email is confidential so you can feel secure in knowing that your truth is safe with me. The more support we all have and can give, the better our community will be. If you just want to connect socially you can join the private Curvyworld Facebook group or on social media @iamannpeck.
Reminder - We are planning a big event for September! The new Straight Talk for a Curvy World Live - An Affair with Joy. We will be working on self-love and loving our business from the inside out. There will be a private VIP dinner to celebrate my 50th birthday and the release of my new book. Everybody who attends will go home with a copy. Special early bird pricing is available, so sign up now!