Chris and Jen in the Morning: Self-Care Conversations on Personal Growth, Happiness, and How Our Brains Work
Two friends with a podcast about gratitude, self-care, personal growth, and finding happiness - all with a side of levity and laughter.
Long-distance friends, we shorten the miles between DFW and NYC in our weekly podcast where we focus on self care, seeking happiness, and trying to live our best life. We add in a splash of neuroscience and talk about what happens in our brains, why we feel and react the way we do, and how to live better, more authentic, more fulfilling, happier lives.
In our middle-life years, we decided to share our conversations about adulting, chasing joy, being part of the LGBTQ+ community, parenting, personal growth, awkwardness, anxiety, mental health, and so much more to help others who can relate find kinship and a sense of community.
Ready to live your best life (and laugh along the way)? Subscribe and join us on our journey through life together.
#growth #wittywisdom #storytelling #podcast #friends #selfcare #motivation #inspiration #happiness
Chris and Jen in the Morning: Self-Care Conversations on Personal Growth, Happiness, and How Our Brains Work
Even Optimists Struggle: Letting Go of Toxic Positivity and Making Space for Real Feelings
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Optimism isn’t about pretending everything is fine. In this episode, Chris and Jen explore what optimism really looks like—especially when life is hard. They discuss the pressure optimists often feel to stay positive, the difference between toxic positivity and authentic optimism, and why even optimistic people need space to feel bad when things suck. Through personal stories and practical tools, they share how to honor difficult emotions without getting stuck, and how real optimism can coexist with honesty, self-care, and support.
Email - chrisjeninthemorning@gmail.com
Voicemail and Text available at 940-278-8129
Facebook - Chris and Jen in the Morning
Instagram - Chris and Jen ITM
Youtube - Chris and Jen ITM
Merch - https://chris-and-jen-itm.printify.me/
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Setting the Stage
00:27 The Importance of Gratitude
06:01 Defining Optimism and Its Dimensions
17:36 Navigating Optimism in Challenging Times
23:06 The Emotional Labor of Positivity
26:55 Navigating Positivity and Self-Care
32:56 Understanding Toxic vs. Authentic Positivity
36:44 Tools for Managing Emotions
40:12 Finding Joy Amidst Struggles
47:41 The Importance of Perspective and Connection
59:14 Outro
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