260 SelfWork: A Dozen Things To Do When You Hit A Mental Wall

11/26/21 • 27 min

2 Listeners

It’s confession time here at SelfWork. People ask me all the time, “How do you have time for writing?” Or, “How do you come up with ideas?” Well, yesterday I was hitting a blank wall for this episode today. I’d start writing and then figure out I’d already written on the topic. Or I’d start something and talk myself out of it. But then, I decided to do something I did when I was writing the book and hit just as big a wall, if not bigger. And I’ll offer a dozen things for you to do when you hit your own brick wall.

What are a few of those? Acceptance, not catastrophizing or panicking, looking for reasons or a context as to why this particular task or mental problem has so much power, giving yourself emotional space when you're anxious or irritable. You'll have to listen to find out more!

I’m always grateful to hear from any of you who write or leave a voicemail. But this voicemail came in last week – and the listener was talking about an interview that I did with Lewis Howes a couple of years ago where he saw another side of me. I know just the interview he’s talking about and will have a clip of that for you in the show notes and the link as well. I was very grateful for his feedback!

So in this episode, sponsored by Athletic Greens, let’s talk about hitting the proverbial wall – what does it mean when your mind goes blank, when you “run out of ideas”, you can’t seem to find your focus or even the meaning in what you’re doing.

Important Links:

Click Here for the fabulous offer from Athletic Greens - now AG1 - with bonus pr oduct with your subscription!

My interview with Lewis Howes on The School of Greatness

Huffpost article on mental obstacles of runners

And here's the clip if you'd like to see!

[video width="1000" height="1000" mp4="https://drmargaretrutherford.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/DrMargaretIGPromo_V1.mp4"][/video]

My new book entitled Perfectly Hidden Depression is going strong and you can order here! Its message is specifically for those with a struggle with strong perfectionism which acts to mask underlying emotional pain. But the many self-help techniques described can be used by everyone who chooses to begin to address emotions long hidden away that are clouding and sabotaging your current life.

And there’s a new way to send me a message! You can record by clicking below and ask your question or make a comment. You’ll have 90 seconds to do so and that time goes quickly. By recording, you’re giving SelfWork (and me) permission to use your voice on the podcast. I’ll look forward to hearing from you!

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Happy Mammoth and use my code SELFWORK for a great deal: https://happymammoth.com
* Check out Midi Health: https://trymidi.com/selfwork
Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Important Links:

Click Here for the fabulous offer from Athletic Greens - now AG1 - with bonus pr oduct with your subscription!

My interview with Lewis Howes on The School of Greatness

Huffpost article on mental obstacles of runners

And here's the clip if you'd like to see!

[video width="1000" height="1000" mp4="https://drmargaretrutherford.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/DrMargaretIGPromo_V1.mp4"][/video]

Previous Episode

SelfWork YGTG: A Special Request from Dr. Margaret

I have a request to make – and I fully realize how difficult it might be for some of you to consider this. So my request is made very respectfully..

I am writing a second book about the potential dangers of destructive perfectionism, of suppressed emotional pain, of hidden depression – and at its worst and most cruel, how those secrets and despair can lead someone to take their life - leaving others behind to wonder what was so intolerable. And how they didn’t have a clue that anything was wrong. I’m reaching out to you who may have loved someone who died by suicide – and their life looked not only perfectly normal, but even highly successful.

.What I’m asking, for any of you who feel able and ready, is to email me with the stories of your loved ones who died by suicide. Most suicides are shocking of course, although some may occur in the midst of chronic and deepening depression, an illness that feels intolerable or a huge loss of some kind. Those are important stories, but aren’t the ones I would like to feature in the book. The stories that will help this book come alive are the stories of your son or your daughter, your friend or your spouse, your mom or your dad – who killed themselves in the midst of what looked like a very successful and happy life.

If you’re interested or can see your way through to do this, my email is [email protected]. Please put “book” in the subject line so I’ll be alerted immediately what it’s about.

I thank you ahead of time. And again, am asking with all due respect, knowing that a conversation with me might bring up pain for you. But hopefully, it might also bring a sense of meaning. Maybe your story and your loved ones’ story could help someone else.

Next Episode

261 SelfWork: Keeping On Keeping On:: A Conversation with Author and Widow Leslie Streeter

As a therapist, I’ve been honored by many to try to help them work through their grief. And it can be raw, cutting off someone’s ability to breathe deeply or feel like they’re even breathing at all. Or want to. But when I met met Leslie Streeter, I knew I had to have her on SelfWork. Her story, told with candor, humor and grit, is about her husband Scott's death when suddenly she was thrust into being a single mom while trying to cope with life and grief.

Leslie Gray Streeter is an author, veteran journalist and speaker. whose memoir “Black Widow,” was published in March 2020 by Little, Brown and Company. Until recently, she was the longtime entertainment and lifestyle columnist and writer for the Palm Beach Post. A native of Baltimore, Md and a University of Maryland graduate, she and her work have been featured in The Washington Post, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Seattle Times, The Atlantic, The Today show, SiriusXM, O, The Oprah Magazine and more. She lives with her son Brooks and her mother Tina in her hometown of Baltimore, which she moved back to last summer. She’s a slow runner, an amateur vegan cook and a true crime and “Law and Order” enthusiast.

You can see her light and spirit in her Today Show interview. This certainly wasn't the life that she could've possibly imagined. And yet, she's made it work. And she's written a book that makes her husband come alive.

Why am I offering this conversation now? Because in entering the holiday season, not only am I aware of millions of people around the world, and almost 800,000 people here in the US who have died from Covid. So each one of those people had families and friends, coworkers and neighbors who are grieving their absence. I wanted to offer to them the story of someone who got through – who has moved forward with her grief.

So in this episode of SelfWork, sponsored by BetterHelp, it's my honor to introduce you to Leslie Streeter.

Important Links:

Here's the link once again to my new interactive podcast on Fireside Chat! Click here!

BetterHelp, the #1 online therapy provider, has a special offer for you now!

Get Black Widow on Amazon...

You can hear more about this and many other topics by listening to my podcast, SelfWork with Dr. Margaret Rutherford. Subscribe to my websiteand receive my weekly newsletter including a blog post and podcast! If you’d like to join my FaceBook closed group, then click hereand answer the membership questions! Welcome!

My book entitled Perfectly Hidden Depression has been published and you can order here! Its message is specifically for those with a struggle with strong perfectionism which acts to mask underlying emotional pain. But the many self-help techniques described can be used by everyone who chooses to begin to address emotions long hidden away that are clouding and sabotaging your current life. And it’s available in paperback, eBook or as an audiobook!

Now there’s another way to send me a message! You can record by clicking below and ask your question or make a comment. You’ll have 90 seconds to do so and that time goes quickly. By recording, you’re giving SelfWork (and me) permission to use your voice on the podcast. I’ll look forward to hearing from you!