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What happens when the warning signals from our bodies become so normalized that we fail to recognize them as distress calls? After experiencing a sudden atrial fibrillation episode that landed me in the emergency room, doctors asked the question that haunted me: "Why did you wait so long to seek help?" The answer was both simple and profound – I had been ignoring my body's desperate attempts to complete stress cycles that had accumulated over the years.

This deeply personal episode explores the science behind stress cycles and explains why completing them is essential for our overall well-being. Drawing on Emily and Amelia Nagoski's groundbreaking work, I explain that stress isn't just a feeling, but a physiological cycle with distinct phases that must reach a state of completion. When we continuously interrupt this natural process, moving from one stressor to the next without allowing our bodies to process and release, we remain in a state of hypervigilance that takes a devastating toll on our physical and mental health.

Whether you're feeling the early warning signs of burnout or want to develop healthier rhythms, this episode offers seven practical strategies to complete stress cycles and return to a state of flourishing.

Revisit these podcast episodes mentioned in today's episode:

E337. The Art of Slowing Down with A.C. Seiple

E314. Radical Relaxation with Tracie Braylock

E272. Forest Bathing in the Hallerbos

E274. Everything is Reconciled in a Garden

Read Dr. Brene Brown's interview with the Nagoski Sisters

Read the Stanford U article on "Cyclic Sighing"

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Begin Your Heartlifter's Journey:

1. Visit and subscribe to Heartlift Central on Substack. This is our new online coaching center and meeting place for Heartlifters worldwide.
2. Download the "Overcoming Hurtful Words" Study Guide PDF: BECOMING EMOTIONALLY HEALTHY
3. Meet me on Instagram: @janellrardon
4. Leave a review and rate the podcast: WRITE A REVIEW
5. Learn more about my books and work: Janell Rardon
6. Make a tax-deductible donation through Heartlift International

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What happens when life throws you not just a curveball, but an ongoing series of challenges with no end in sight? Katie Schnack, author of "Everything Is Not Fine," opens up about her journey through her son Shepherd's diagnosis with a rare medical condition called VACTERL.

Rather than offering trite solutions, Katie shares how she's learned to hold both joy and sorrow simultaneously. She describes beautiful moments of divine reassurance, like when her three-year-old daughter spontaneously sang "Jesus Loves Me" exactly when Katie had been praying for a sign of God's love. These "everyday epiphanies" became anchors in the storm.

The discussion challenges conventional notions of what it means to be "inspirational" during hardship. As Katie's friend wisely told her, "Courage doesn't mean you're not scared; it means you're scared and do it anyway." This reframing allows space for honest emotional processing while still moving forward in faith.

For anyone navigating ongoing challenges—whether medical issues, grief, relationship difficulties, or other circumstances without clear resolution—this conversation offers both companionship and practical wisdom. Katie shares how community support, intentional grief processing, and "closing the stress cycle" through physical activity have helped her develop resilience.

Visit Katie's website: KATIE

Order Katie's book: Everything Is (Not) Fine

Listen to Janell's Meditative Exercise: The Waiting Room

Support the show

Begin Your Heartlifter's Journey:

1. Visit and subscribe to Heartlift Central on Substack. This is our new online coaching center and meeting place for Heartlifters worldwide.
2. Download the "Overcoming Hurtful Words" Study Guide PDF: BECOMING EMOTIONALLY HEALTHY
3. Meet me on Instagram: @janellrardon
4. Leave a review and rate the podcast: WRITE A REVIEW
5. Learn more about my books and work: Janell Rardon
6. Make a tax-deductible donation through Heartlift International

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*Visiting the archives today in commemoration of 9/11. k

Welcome, New York Times Bestseller Michael Hingson, survivor of the 9/11 World Trade Center attacks, and his guide dog Roselle, as they share profound wisdom about bravery, overcoming adversity, and moving forward with faith as we celebrate our 300th episode.

The conversation takes us through the powerful lessons Michael has learned from each of his guide dogs, from Squire to Alamo. These 11 principles form a roadmap for anyone facing challenges: awareness builds confidence, preparation prevents panic, flexibility and faith move you forward.

Support the show

Begin Your Heartlifter's Journey:

1. Visit and subscribe to Heartlift Central on Substack. This is our new online coaching center and meeting place for Heartlifters worldwide.
2. Download the "Overcoming Hurtful Words" Study Guide PDF: BECOMING EMOTIONALLY HEALTHY
3. Meet me on Instagram: @janellrardon
4. Leave a review and rate the podcast: WRITE A REVIEW
5. Learn more about my books and work: Janell Rardon
6. Make a tax-deductible donation through Heartlift International