Hi Reader, Here is something that does not get talked about enough: Too many decisions can wear you out. From the moment you wake up, your brain is making choices. What to eat. What to wear. What to respond to. What to do next. It adds up fast. This is called decision fatigue. And when it builds, your brain starts to look for shortcuts. That is when we feel overwhelmed, avoid things, or fall back into old habits. The solution is not to try harder. It is to make fewer decisions. Keep some...
7 days ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, This week on The Addicted Mind, I sat down with Noel Rihm and Bill Brady for a really powerful conversation. Both of them spent years struggling with addiction while also succeeding on the outside. They were told they were not responding to treatment. But what they discovered changed everything. It was not about willpower. It was about unhealed trauma. We talk about why some approaches to recovery miss the deeper cause and what can happen when you finally address what is underneath...
9 days ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, I recently sat down with Mitchell over at The Dad Nation Podcast for a conversation I think about often — the one that quietly begins with a man asking, "I cheated. Now what?" It's not an easy question. And most of the answers men hear land in one of two ditches: too soft ("just apologize and move on") or too shaming ("you're a terrible person"). Neither one helps anyone actually heal. So we went deeper. 🎧 Listen on Spotify to the Episode Now We talked about what to do in the first...
9 days ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, Here is something that can quietly get in the way of recovery and mental health: Perfectionism. It sounds helpful at first. Do it right. Get it just right. Wait until you feel ready. But perfection often leads to delay, pressure, and burnout. Instead of moving forward, we get stuck trying to make everything just right. Here is the shift. Done is better than perfect. Taking action, even if it is messy or incomplete, builds momentum. It teaches your brain that progress is possible....
13 days ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, This week on The Addicted Mind, I had a great conversation with Teresa McClellan about the work of Virginia Satir. If you have never heard of her, Satir was a pioneer who focused on growth and connection, not just our struggles. And what is amazing is how much her work still lines up with what we know today. We talk about how real change happens when we do more than just think about our problems. It happens when we actually feel and experience what is going on inside us. Teresa...
15 days ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, Here is a simple reminder: You can start again at any point in the day. A lot of us fall into all-or-nothing thinking. If the morning goes sideways, we tell ourselves the whole day is off track. But that is just a story your brain tells. Every moment is a new opportunity to reset. Not in a big dramatic way. Just a small shift. Maybe it looks like taking a few steady breaths, choosing your next task with intention, reaching out instead of staying stuck, or making one better choice...
21 days ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, This week on The Addicted Mind, I had a really eye-opening conversation with Dr. Judy Rosenberg about smoking and addiction. We go beyond the habit itself and look at what is really driving it. Dr. Rosenberg talks about what she calls the hole in the soul, those early wounds that can lead us to reach for something outside ourselves to feel better. She also shares a simple but powerful idea. There is a difference between filling and fulfilling. One is temporary. The other leads to...
23 days ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, Here is a simple truth about recovery and mental health: We tend to do what feels easiest. That is not laziness. It is how the brain works. When something feels hard or complicated, we are less likely to follow through. When it is simple, we are more likely to repeat it. So instead of trying to push harder, try this. Make the healthy choice easier to do. A few examples:• Keep supportive numbers easy to access • Leave your journal on your bed after you make it • Set your walking...
27 days ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, Have you ever felt stuck in recovery, like you are doing your best but keep falling into the same patterns? In this week’s episode of The Addicted Mind +, Eric and I talk about something that can really change the game in your mindset. Recovery is not just about willpower. It is about how you see yourself, your struggles, and your future. When that starts to shift, everything else can start to shift too. We walk through five simple mindset changes that can help you move forward....
about 1 month ago • 1 min read