S2E4: Let's Talk About Fishburgh and the Kid Who Left Different

S2E5: Don't be a Jagoff and Don’t Let One Run Your Life

Emotional Regulation: Working With Your Emotions, Not Against Them Somebody blows up, shuts down, or flips the story so fast you end up apologizing and wondering what just happened. We start there, but we don’t stay there, because the real leverage point is what we do with our own emotions first. We talk about emotional regulation as a learnable skill, why emotions are signals not threats, and how a small pause can keep a hard moment from becoming collateral damage. Anger gets a special spotlight. We break down how anger can show up as lashing out, simmering bitterness, or something surprisingly useful: purposeful information. When you ask, “What is this actually telling me?” you often find a boundary that got crossed, a value that matters, or a change you’ve been avoiding. From there we get practical about communication, including why “you always” shuts people down and how “I need…” can lower the temperature without making you smaller. Then we switch gears to the people who make it harder: emotionally immature coworkers, family members, partners, or friends who offload discomfort onto everyone around them. We share ways to stop feeding the fire, table conversations when the moment is not the moment, and set boundaries you can actually hold. We also zoom out to leadership and workplace culture, where mental health is increasingly treated as part of safety, performance, and retention, not a nice-to-have perk. If any of this hits close to home, check the resources in the show notes, share this with someone and subscribe so you don’t miss what's next.  Tools to Strengthen Emotional Regulation * Headspace — Guided meditation, breathing exercises, and stress management https://www.headspace.com [https://www.headspace.com] * Calm — Meditation, sleep, and daily mindfulness https://www.calm.com [https://www.calm.com] * Insight Timer — Free meditations and mindfulness tools https://insighttimer.com [https://insighttimer.com] * How We Feel — Free emotion tracking and journaling app built with psychologists     https://howwefeel.org [https://howwefeel.org] Finding a Therapist * Psychology Today Therapist Finder — Pittsburgh — Search by insurance, specialty, and location * https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/pa/pittsburgh [https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/pa/pittsburgh] Local Pittsburgh Support * NAMI Keystone Pennsylvania — Free peer support groups, education programs, and mental health resources for individuals and families across the Pittsburgh region   https://www.namikeystonepa.org [https://www.namikeystonepa.org] * Allegheny County Behavioral Health Resources — County-level support and referral directory  https://www.alleghenycounty.us/human-services/programs-services/behavioral-health [https://www.alleghenycounty.us/human-services/programs-services/behavioral-health] A NOTE TO CARRY WITH YOU Start where you are. Do what you can. Notice the difference it makes. Every small choice compounds. You don't have to fix everything today — you just have to take the next small step.We're right here with you, learning, reflecting, and growing. This is it.       thrivingyinzers.com  |  Fill your life tackle box. Let us know how we are doing. [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2452136/fan_mail/new] Support the show [https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/Y6HZFYZEDK958] Tackle your to-do list and organize your space with TY Services or shop our TY Toolkit for practical tools, books, and organizing essentials to help you manage life with more ease and intention. Books referenced on the podcast are available in the TY Toolkit, but here are our top 3 picks. Find everything at thrivingyinzers.com. 👉 Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl [https://amzn.to/4nwiGGw] (paid link) 👉Atomic Habits [https://amzn.to/3RBlfIT] by James Clear (paid link) 👉Mindset: The New Psychology of Success [https://amzn.to/3XYSrxA] by Carol Dweck (paid link) Rate, Review, and Share the podcast with your friends and family. Shop our TY Toolkit at thrivingyinzers.com or through Amazon Associates links listed above for books & resources mentioned on the podcast to keep you inspired. We receive a small commission for your purchase which helps support the podcast.  Sign up for email updates and special offers at thrivingyinzers.com/podcast [http:/thrivingyinzers.com/podcast]. Follow “This is It! The Podcast by Thriving Yinzers [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61574248263191]” on Facebook or Instagram @typghpod [https://www.instagram.com/typghpod] * 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline — Call or text 988 * https://988lifeline.org [https://988lifeline.org/]

S2E4: Let's Talk About Fishburgh and the Kid Who Left Different

A kid catches a fish and suddenly stands a little taller. That moment is why we wanted Phil Papa on the show. Phil is the founder of Fishburgh Outdoors, a Pittsburgh youth fishing program built to help families get outside, get off screens, and feel that rare mix of calm and lit up that happens near the water. What starts as a bluegill at a city pond becomes something bigger: confidence, patience, and a new story about who you can be.  We get into the practical side of urban fishing for beginners, including why “catching” matters more than “waiting,” how small hooks and simple bait set kids up for success, and how Phil’s bamboo catching sticks solve the two things that ruin most first trips: tangles and boredom. Phil also shares the unforgettable “crappie kid” story, where one shy child lands a rare fish and leaves different than he arrived, then comes back ready to teach the next kid.  We also zoom out to Pittsburgh’s waterways and conservation. Phil pushes back on the myth that the rivers are hopeless, talks about proper fish handling and catch and release, and explains why anglers are often the ones funding clean water through the Dingell-Johnson Act and fishing license dollars. Then we tackle the messy part: litter, public trust, and how stewardship gets passed forward one garbage bag at a time. If you feel pulled to help, Fishburgh needs people behind the scenes as much as it needs anglers.  If this conversation hits home, subscribe so you do not miss what’s next, share it with someone who needs a healthy hobby, and leave a review to help more listeners find the show. What is the thing you reach for when life gets heavy? Connect with Phillip Papa & Fishburgh Outdoors Fishburgh hosts free fishing events the last Saturday of every month. No experience needed. →  Website & Event Sign-Up: fishburgh.com →  Follow on Social Media: @FishburghOutdoors [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575466243818] Check Fishburgh's social media for the latest events, locations, and everything happening on the water in Pittsburgh. The Conservation Connection In this episode Phil mentioned that part of every fishing equipment sale goes directly to conservation — he knew it was real but couldn't place the name. We found it. •  The Dingell-Johnson Act (1950) — also known as the Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act — collects excise taxes on fishing equipment and funnels 100% of those funds into fisheries conservation and restoration. It has been running for 75 years. •  On top of that, 100% of every fishing license sold in this country goes to conservation. By law. Not some of it — all of it. Every cast is a contribution. →  Learn More — Dingell-Johnson Act: https://www.fws.gov/service/sport-fish-restoration Let us know how we are doing. [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2452136/fan_mail/new] Support the show [https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/Y6HZFYZEDK958] Tackle your to-do list and organize your space with TY Services or shop our TY Toolkit for practical tools, books, and organizing essentials to help you manage life with more ease and intention. Books referenced on the podcast are available in the TY Toolkit, but here are our top 3 picks. Find everything at thrivingyinzers.com. 👉 Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl [https://amzn.to/4nwiGGw] (paid link) 👉Atomic Habits [https://amzn.to/3RBlfIT] by James Clear (paid link) 👉Mindset: The New Psychology of Success [https://amzn.to/3XYSrxA] by Carol Dweck (paid link) Rate, Review, and Share the podcast with your friends and family. Shop our TY Toolkit at thrivingyinzers.com or through Amazon Associates links listed above for books & resources mentioned on the podcast to keep you inspired. We receive a small commission for your purchase which helps support the podcast.  Sign up for email updates and special offers at thrivingyinzers.com/podcast [http:/thrivingyinzers.com/podcast]. Follow “This is It! The Podcast by Thriving Yinzers [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61574248263191]” on Facebook or Instagram @typghpod [https://www.instagram.com/typghpod] * 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline — Call or text 988 * https://988lifeline.org [https://988lifeline.org/]

S2E3: Taking the Wheel: Agency in Hard Times 'N at

We talk about agency as the small, real choices we can still make when life is unfair, overwhelming, or full of grief. We connect self-awareness to action, name the nervous system “freeze” response, and share practical ways to find one next step without shaming yourself.   • defining agency as influence inside what you cannot change   • why awareness without action turns into shutdown   • Jodi’s story of leaving an unhealthy marriage over time   • what personal responsibility sounds like without blame   • Sherry’s health crash and the grief underneath “staying busy”   • rebuilding with deliberate, small moments of joy   • reframing coping as joy versus avoidance  • understanding fight, flight, and freeze in crisis moments   • sorting “what’s mine” versus “what isn’t”   • choosing one next small move instead of a full plan   • acknowledging real constraints like money and power dynamics   • owning harm you caused with a clean apology and repair   Crisis Support * 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — call or text 988, available 24/7 * National Domestic Violence Hotline — call or text 1-800-799-SAFE (7233), available 24/7 — safety planning, local resources, online chat available if calling isn't safe If You're Still in It and Not Sure How to Start * NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) — nami.org — family support resources * Al-Anon Family Groups — al-anon.org — for those loving someone through addiction If You're Ready to Take the First Steps * HEARTH Pittsburgh — hearthpgh.org — transitional housing for moms and children rebuilding after homelessness and trauma, with wraparound services including workforce development, childcare, financial stability support, and therapy * 211 — call or text 211 — connects you to local housing, childcare, food, and financial assistance * PA Legal Aid Network — palegalaid.net — free legal help for low-income Pennsylvanians navigating divorce and custody   Let us know how we are doing. [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2452136/fan_mail/new] Support the show [https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/Y6HZFYZEDK958] Tackle your to-do list and organize your space with TY Services or shop our TY Toolkit for practical tools, books, and organizing essentials to help you manage life with more ease and intention. Books referenced on the podcast are available in the TY Toolkit, but here are our top 3 picks. Find everything at thrivingyinzers.com. 👉 Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl [https://amzn.to/4nwiGGw] (paid link) 👉Atomic Habits [https://amzn.to/3RBlfIT] by James Clear (paid link) 👉Mindset: The New Psychology of Success [https://amzn.to/3XYSrxA] by Carol Dweck (paid link) Rate, Review, and Share the podcast with your friends and family. Shop our TY Toolkit at thrivingyinzers.com or through Amazon Associates links listed above for books & resources mentioned on the podcast to keep you inspired. We receive a small commission for your purchase which helps support the podcast.  Sign up for email updates and special offers at thrivingyinzers.com/podcast [http:/thrivingyinzers.com/podcast]. Follow “This is It! The Podcast by Thriving Yinzers [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61574248263191]” on Facebook or Instagram @typghpod [https://www.instagram.com/typghpod] * 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline — Call or text 988 * https://988lifeline.org [https://988lifeline.org/]

S2E2: Ya Can't Change What Ya Can't See - Self-Awareness

You can’t fix what you refuse to notice and most of us are moving too fast to see ourselves clearly. Season two starts with a small, powerful skill that changes how we handle stress, conflict, and burnout: self-awareness. We’re not here to spiral with the headlines or pretend everything is fine. We’re here to get grounded, put our own oxygen masks on first, and take the next right step with more clarity. We talk about what life chaos does to real people: freezing, snapping, people pleasing, numbing out, blaming, or going silent and white-knuckling it alone. Jodi shares what it feels like to realize she’s spent a lifetime making choices for everyone else, and why the first chance to ask “What do I want?” can be strangely painful. Sherry opens up about the wake-up call that came when the wheels fell off, and how self-sabotage can hide inside “healthy” routines until we finally zoom out. We also break down the two sides of self-awareness: the internal lens (what I feel) and the external lens (how I impact others). That second lens matters in relationships and it matters with kids, who absorb our tone, our energy, and our reactions even when we think they don’t notice. Then we bring it into everyday life, from clenched jaws and tight fists to doomscrolling and rage bait, and we leave you with a simple practice: notice, don’t fix. If you want more emotional regulation, healthier boundaries, and steadier decisions, hit play. Subscribe, share this with a friend who’s feeling stretched thin, and leave a review so more people can find the show. Let us know how we are doing. [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2452136/fan_mail/new] Support the show [https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/Y6HZFYZEDK958] Tackle your to-do list and organize your space with TY Services or shop our TY Toolkit for practical tools, books, and organizing essentials to help you manage life with more ease and intention. Books referenced on the podcast are available in the TY Toolkit, but here are our top 3 picks. Find everything at thrivingyinzers.com. 👉 Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl [https://amzn.to/4nwiGGw] (paid link) 👉Atomic Habits [https://amzn.to/3RBlfIT] by James Clear (paid link) 👉Mindset: The New Psychology of Success [https://amzn.to/3XYSrxA] by Carol Dweck (paid link) Rate, Review, and Share the podcast with your friends and family. Shop our TY Toolkit at thrivingyinzers.com or through Amazon Associates links listed above for books & resources mentioned on the podcast to keep you inspired. We receive a small commission for your purchase which helps support the podcast.  Sign up for email updates and special offers at thrivingyinzers.com/podcast [http:/thrivingyinzers.com/podcast]. Follow “This is It! The Podcast by Thriving Yinzers [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61574248263191]” on Facebook or Instagram @typghpod [https://www.instagram.com/typghpod] * 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline — Call or text 988 * https://988lifeline.org [https://988lifeline.org/]

S2E1 Here We Go — Season 2

Three words can change how you survive the hardest seasons of your life: This is it. Sherry opens season two by sharing the message her dad wrote to their family while facing glioblastoma, and how those words kept her steady through compounding grief, sudden medical events, and the long, brutal reality of loving someone through addiction and serious mental health challenges. We don’t sanitize any of it, because real resilience starts with telling the truth.  Jodi brings her own story of loss, nonstop life changes, and the quiet ways friendships can become a lifeline when everything feels out of control. Together, we explain what the “Thriving Yinzer” identity means to us, shaped by Pittsburgh grit but open to anyone who wants to keep showing up.  This isn’t toxic positivity or bouncing back like nothing happened. It’s learning to carry what you’ve lived through and still build a life that feels good to live, even while the hard things keep happening. We sit with the layered truth that happiness can coexist with heartache, and we talk about meaning, purpose, boundaries, wellness, grief, and why asking for help is brave.We also kick off the first theme of the season: self-awareness.  If you’re running on autopilot with the mental list already spinning, we offer a simple practice you can do in ten minutes or even ten seconds. Notice one small moment. That’s the start. We share #4WINS4YINZ as a way to track small wins and keep moving forward, one grounded choice at a time.  If this conversation helps, subscribe so you don’t miss the next theme, share it with someone who's looking for steady ground, and leave a review so more people can find the show. SIGN UP for the TY Community at https://www.thrivingyinzers.com/podcast Let us know how we are doing. [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2452136/fan_mail/new] Support the show [https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/Y6HZFYZEDK958] Tackle your to-do list and organize your space with TY Services or shop our TY Toolkit for practical tools, books, and organizing essentials to help you manage life with more ease and intention. Books referenced on the podcast are available in the TY Toolkit, but here are our top 3 picks. Find everything at thrivingyinzers.com. 👉 Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl [https://amzn.to/4nwiGGw] (paid link) 👉Atomic Habits [https://amzn.to/3RBlfIT] by James Clear (paid link) 👉Mindset: The New Psychology of Success [https://amzn.to/3XYSrxA] by Carol Dweck (paid link) Rate, Review, and Share the podcast with your friends and family. Shop our TY Toolkit at thrivingyinzers.com or through Amazon Associates links listed above for books & resources mentioned on the podcast to keep you inspired. We receive a small commission for your purchase which helps support the podcast.  Sign up for email updates and special offers at thrivingyinzers.com/podcast [http:/thrivingyinzers.com/podcast]. Follow “This is It! The Podcast by Thriving Yinzers [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61574248263191]” on Facebook or Instagram @typghpod [https://www.instagram.com/typghpod] * 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline — Call or text 988 * https://988lifeline.org [https://988lifeline.org/]