* Drop me a line if you'd like to come on my show: hugmeiminsane@gmail.com * In this episode I discuss some of my less than sane thinking and how I deal with it. It's easy to call myself crazy when these thoughts come up, but that's exactly part of the problem. All music © Perry Johnson

Most of us become adults while still bearing childhood wounds. Often, we hang onto these hurts without realizing how much we rob ourselves of forward momentum; by staying entreanched in stories of being 'wronged,' we can stop growing. In this episode I discuss my own experience with the Blame Game and how I let go of past hurts.

Ever asked yourself that age-old question: why am I here? I certainly have! It’s certainly common to feel lost and expendable in a society that seems to value what you own rather than who you are. In this episode I discuss my own search for meaning, and how I arrived at the answer to the world’s oldest and biggest question.

Throughout our lives we are faced with things which may challenge the heck out of us: people, situations, experiences, circumstances, etc. But what happens when we use those things as reasons why we’re not moving forward in our lives? In this episode I discuss the very common trait of externalizing our problems, how it entraps us, and the reasons why we do it.

When we talk about the grieving process, much emphasis is placed on how we should experience grief - healthy ways to grieve, how long, etc. But what about those people in our lives who suddenly stop talking to us? This can leave us feeling angry and abandoned. However, we sometimes forget how everyone in our life is also exposed to our grief. For them, the experience can be frightening in ways that scares them into silence.

At some point in your life, you may have said to yourself: “I just want to be happy…” But what does that mean? There are as many definitions of happiness out there as there are people. So how do we truly find happiness? And can we be sure that when we get there, we’ll actually BE happy? In this episode I discuss some of the definitions of happiness floating around, and define the things that have - and have not - brought happiness to my own life. Check out my updated site: perryjohnson.ca

We often hear people proclaim how they like things done a certain way because “…I’m a perfectionist.” But what does that mean? And is that a good thing? After all, weren’t most of us taught to “do it right, or not at all?” In this episode I talk about the root cause of my own perfectionism, and the associated links to anxiety, depression, procrastination, OCD and self-esteem.

When we’re feeling anxious, sometimes it seems like relief is impossible. In truth, there are many causes and manifestations of anxiety. In this episode, I talk about the one place where anxiety ALWAYS exists - the future.

Life can sometimes feel like a never-ending parade of bad luck, bad situations and bad people. When this happens, it’s hard not to conclude that I must have been born a sh*t magnet. That’s actually half-true: the problem is indeed us, or more specifically, our thinking. But we weren’t born that way. In this episode I explore the roots of negative thoughts, how they shape our lives, and how they can be transformed.

In Pt2 of this episode, Michelle talks about her journey from being an active member of her local Christian community to coming out queer. We also discuss dealing with fear and uncertainty as a result of a worldwide pandemic, and how this might affect our mental health.

In Pt1 of 2, Michelle and I discuss resistance, learning to re-parent ourselves, and why we both would make terrible workaholics.

Ever had friends or loved ones accuse you of codependent behaviour? What in the heck is codependency anyway? Many people learn from an early age to put themselves last, which can result in unhappy, imbalanced relationships. In this episode I talk about 14 signs of codependency in order to shed some light on this all-too-common syndrome.

How many times have you failed to follow through on a project because your head talked you out of it? Suddenly we are overcome with feelings of crippling inadequacy or we "just lose interest" in ideas which initially excited us. Here are 5 ways to silence your Inner Critic and see your ideas come to life.

Everyone wants to be happy. But can we truly find happiness without first understanding its opposites? In this episode I discuss how acceptance - rather than rejection - of negative emotions has brought me closer to finding true happiness. These are my 4 truths.

Abstinence can be described as self-enforced restraint from indulgences. And certainly, there are many benefits to abstaining, particularly when our brand of indulgence negatively affects our health, or threatens to kill us. But is abstinence synonymous with recovery?

It's awesome when we finally break free from our addiction. Freedom at last! But what could possibly go wrong? Actually, quite a few things...

As we begin yet another detox, it's easy to tell ourselves this time will be different. But will it? Substance and/or behavioural addiction is not the problem - it's the SYMPTOM of the problem. Detoxing without support usually leads us back to where we started - the rollercoaster from hell.

Life has a tendency to deliver us beat downs. Is this inevitable? Follow along as I explore the relationship between pain and suffering, and the lessons hidden in having my ass handed to me over and over...

Even without the pandemic, some of us have a tendency to isolate. Feelings of overwhelm, mental health afflictions, addiction, trauma.... there are many reasons why we continue to choose this familiar - yet dysfunctional - coping mechanism. But there are healthier, more productive ways to keep our heads above water.

'Hate' vs intention: what kind of life do I want? If language is one form of action available to me, then it makes sense that I should be leveraging positive expressions of this action. As a result, I'll attract more positivity.