18. An Easy Homerun: How Anxiety Can’t Stop You From Knocking It Out Of The Park with Charlie McConnell

Welcome back to Warriors Unmasked, as you know courage, perseverance, and mental health are pillars in all we talk about and are pivotal to starting your own journey to healing. But another huge thing that is needed is vulnerability, taking off the mask that everything is alright and stepping out to ask for help. 

Our guest today is an amazing example of how reaching out and asking for help can not only make your mental illness more manageable but can actually give you a home run into success. 

Charlie McConnell grew up with a passion for baseball and with patience, determination, and perseverance he was able to make his dream come true of getting drafted into the MLB Seattle Mariners. Listen in as Charlie talks about his journey from little league to the major League and how he handled his anxiety all throughout. You’ll hear about Charlie’s first encounter with anxiety when he was only 10 years old, how he pushed past that and was able to successfully pursue baseball until his sophomore year in college. 

Mental illness can creep up at any time and it wasn’t any different for Charlie, he talks about how he dealt with crippling anxiety as a sophomore in college and how it almost ended his career. Hear how Charlie leaned on support from his family and persevered despite all his anxietys telling him he was going to fail, plus the moment he knew he needed to reach out for professional help, and how he combats his anxiety today. 

You’ll learn how Charlie has transitioned from playing professional baseball to now working in an investment strategy firm and how exchanging one stress for another is manageable if you’re only willing to reach out and ask for help. Charlie’s story is full of hope and inspiration that even with mental illness you have the potential to become wildly successful. 

To learn more or to connect with Charlie check out the links below! 

Always in your corner, 

Chuck and Clint

More of What We Talk About:

• Charlie’s first instance of anxiety 
• Understanding what triggers your anxiety 
• How perceptions of other people hindered Charlie from reaching out
• The biggest support in Charlie’s life
• Knowing when its time to reach out for help
• The change that is coming with mental health and sports
• Charlie’s tips on making transitions in life with anxiety
• Why turning negatives into positives can help with overthinking
• The importance of staying consistent
• The reward of opening up to someone
• And much more!

 

LINKS:

GUEST LINKS:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlie-mcconnell-2b142713a/
• Insta: https://www.instagram.com/financewithcharlie/
• Website: http://www.beckbode.com/

 

LINKS:

• malarchuk.com/book 
• malarchuk.com 
• www.thecompassionateconnection.com 
• www.warriorsunmasked.com 
• Follow us on Instagram
• Like us on Facebook

Episode Minute By Minute:

• 0:02 What to expect today
• 1:23 Episode begins 
• 1:40 Welcome Charlie McConnell
• 3:25 How Charlie grew up in baseball
• 4:37 When Charlie first experienced severe anxiety
• 6:23 Starting to cope with anxiety
• 8:29 The start of Charlies professional career 
• 15:23 Anxiety in the major leagues
• 18:43 Mothers know best
• 21:08 The support system that helped Charlie
• 27:01 The moment that Charlie felt comfortable reaching out
• 29:50 Hidden mental struggles in baseball
• 33:48 How reading and journaling helped Charlie through anxiety
• 38:47 Keep chasing your dreams
• 41:16 Meditation and relaxation
• 46:30 You are not alone