The Recombobulated Life

Improve Your Performance with Mindset Restoration...and take Naps!

Burnout is all too real, especially when you are rebuilding from a mistake, coming back from a failure, or building a better life after mental illness. As we learned from Dr. Rachel, resilience is all about building up resources so we have them when we need them. A friend inadvertently reminded me of the value of restoration when we connected the other day. We were supposed to record a podcast, but she had a rough and trying week and needed to recharge. What an awesome bit of self-awareness! When I start hitting a wall, I have learned to embrace the power of the nap. I wish I could remember where, but I somehow got the idea that Thomas Edison got by with 15-minute "cat naps" during periods of mass inspiration. That story could be total BS. In fact, I might have picked it up from that Dan Aykroyd/Fran Drescher classic "Dr. Detroit." Not that you can't learn from just about anywhere. I digress. Mindset is dependent on many things, and one key ingredient is energy. We can only do and give so much. Which brings me to another movie lesson. In one of my top-3 favorite movies "Slap Shot," a Paul Newman/Strother Martin classic that I think we can all agree was robbed of a 1977 Oscar nod, Swoosie Kurtz's character says of her husband: "Johnny always says, you can just screw so much and drink so much." And therein resides the lesson. Reset yourself after periods of great effort. Take time to restore your mind after you have dealt with stress or trauma (or drama). Your resources might be far greater than you think, but they are also better when you give them time to build back up. Visit me on Instagram @themattmaclean or online at mattmaclean.com. There you can get your free Limiting Beliefs Assessment that helps you discover the beliefs that are holding you back from the life you want.

5 Ways to be a Good Mental Health Patient

I am not a doctor, psychologist, or therapist, but I am a mental health patient. I've been one since 2014 and, given the success of the treatment and management of my bipolar disorder, I am a pretty good one. But I wasn't always a good one. The first time I reached out for help with my mental health was in 2009, just as my steps down the bipolar rabbit hole became giant leaps down the bipolar rabbit hole. Just as I was starting down the road that turned my life upside down. Just before I ventured towards turning my life upside down and ending up in jail. Just before I caused my family, my friends, and everyone else in my life (not to mention the criminal justice system) a lot of trouble and pain. This episode is what I wish someone had told me back in 2009.  I recorded this in response to questions I heard after speaking to a Criminal Law class at Loyola University School of Law, in a class taught by my dear friend Dean Strang (you may know him from the Netflix show "Making a Murderer"). Actually, it's a response to a question I often get when I talk to groups about my mental illness (I kinda hate that term, because it sounds a little victim-ish). What would have helped you when you first started having problems?  I started having symptoms much, much earlier. Like, 1990s earlier (yes, I am that old...deal with it...Gen X proud). And it did cause issues through the years. But it wasn't until 2009 that those issues turned into real, tangible, ugly problems. I can only hope that this episode can help at least one person from going down that super freaking bumpy road. I'd love to hear what you think of the show. What did you like? What do you think could have been added? And, do you have any topics you want covered on future episodes? You care reach out here [https://www.mattmaclean.com/therecombobulatedlife_feedback] and let me know. Thank you so much for listening! The growth of The Recombobulated Life is as amazing as it is humbling. Matt

4 Concepts to Help with Family and Friends of Mental Illness

We just had World Bipolar Day, and next month is Mental Health Awareness month. Those are both about people with mental health struggles. They are about raising awareness and ending stigma. These things are hugely important, so keep going with the awareness/anti-stigma stuff! One group that often gets overlooked are family & friends. When someone is going through a mental health crisis, it can be like a bomb going off. Family and friends are in that blast zone. They get hit by shrapnel. In other words, they suffer too. So, this episode is for them...and for others facing mental health struggles. That said, family, friends, and even people you hardly know, can get in the way of your rebuilding and recovery process. When people LOVE reminding you of the damage you caused before getting your mental health in order, tell you that you are damaged, or are otherwise dicks, it is time to cut them loose.  I was fortunate to have a lot of supportive and loving people who stepped up for me. Some could only do that for a time before they started hurting my progress. And some people dropped away completely right when things got bad. And, still, others actually worked against my recovery and rebuilding process. As much as I want to pay tribute to the people who help those of us with mental health struggles, I also want to make sure the people facing those struggles know it is okay to cut people loose.  And if there are people who, for whatever reason, interfere with your recovery and rebuilding process, their opinions don't matter. You can't control them. You can only control you. For those of us dealing with things like bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, and other mental illnesses (don't love that term), we have to focus on controlling what we can.  Love the ones who help. Respect and honor the fact that it is hard on them. And disregard anyone who isn't on your team. If you want more tips and discussion about rebuilding and improving life, join the Facebook community for The Recombobulated Life [https://www.facebook.com/groups/recombobulated]. You can also check me out on Instagram at @_._themattmaclean. For the uninitiated, my Instagram account was hacked. If you see my picture from someone asking for help getting into their account or signing up for they crypto program, kindly disregard.  I'd love to hear your thoughts, suggestions, and ideas for what you want to hear on the show. You can give your feedback here [https://www.mattmaclean.com/therecombobulatedlife_feedback].  Thanks! Matt

7 Key Components of Being Resilient with Dr. Rachel (Part 2)

Dr. Rachel's already taught us that resilience is the ability to deal with high levels of challenge while:  minimizing negative outcomes  staying or getting back on track to achieve your goals  growing stronger Today, she takes the next step to show us we all have the foundations of resilience inside—a set of seven “resilience muscles” that we engage when we encounter difficult situations.  Take a listen as Dr. Rachel coaches me through my resilience muscles...and discover the muscles I need to build. If you want more tips and discussion about rebuilding and improving life, join the Facebook community for The Recombobulated Life: https://www.facebook.com/groups/recombobulated. If you liked what you heard, please leave a review and tell a friend about The Recombobulated Life podcast. Thanks! Matt

3 Keys to Being More Resilient with Dr. Rachel Gonzalez Levy (Part 1)

Resilience is a word that gets thrown around a lot, especially in the context of mistakes, failures, or mental illness. People talk about being tough, staying strong, and bouncing back. All that is well and good, but the concept of resilience remains elusive. We all know we need it, but we don't always know how to get it. In order to strengthen resilience, it's important to understand the concept itself. Our guest for the next two episodes is Dr. Rachel Gonzalez Levy, an occupational psychologist, coach, and friend. Dr. Rachel has a way of explaining resilience that makes the elusive concept make sense. Resilience is the ability to move forward by growing through every part of life’s process, and also how we prepare for time when we need resilience and how we respond after.  Whether it is being in line behind that person who takes far too long to order a cup of coffee or putting your life back together after mental illness, challenges are a natural part of living. What matters is how we react to those challenges. Dr. Rachel dispels the myth many have (including me at one point) that you were either born resilient, or not. Contrary to this belief, it's completely possible to strengthen your resilience on purpose. To take things a step further, she helps us with three key ways to build our resilience: 1. Self-awareness is essential. Know what fills your cup and what spills your cup. And know what times of day work best for you to deal with your most challenging tasks. 2. Understand the importance of resilience. It is having the energy or resources to perform in difficult situations, which are often the moments that impact our lives most. By understanding how important resilience is, we see why it is so crucial for us to do the work to increase our resilience. 3. Self-care. Taking the care of ourselves with things like sleep, water, exercise, and conscious relaxation is what makes the self-awareness and understanding work. In the next episode, we get to hear Dr. Rachel coach me through a resilience assessment. In the process, we get to dig deeper into ways we can increase our ability to deal with stressful situations so we can live The Recombobulated Life. If you want more tips and discussion about rebuilding and improving life, join the Facebook community for The Recombobulated Life: https://www.facebook.com/groups/recombobulated. If you liked what you heard, please leave a review and tell a friend about The Recombobulated Life podcast. Thanks! Matt