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Joy Lab PodcastAuthor: Henry Emmons, MD and Aimee Prasek, PhD
Welcome to the Joy Lab Podcast! We're your hosts, Dr. Henry Emmons and Dr. Aimee Prasek, and we blend soulful insights with practical strategies to help you navigate mental health challenges like chronic stress, anxiety, and depression. In each episode, we dive deep into the art and science of joy, exploring how to build resilience and flourish, even in the face of life's overwhelming moments. You'll probably resonate and benefit most from joining us if any of the below resonate: * You feel caught in cycles of worry or anxiety. * You feel STRESSED and sick of the symptoms that go along with it (feeling tired, achy/tight in your body, tension headaches, and lots of irritation or nervousness). * You feel overwhelmed by the news of the world around you and it's impacting your mood and focus. * The grind of day-to-day life doesn't feel meaningful to you and you want something more. * Your mind feels ridiculously busy, full, and foggy. You may even be waking up in the middle of the night (3am, anyone?), with your mind racing over stuff you can't shake. * You feel depressed too often or even just stuck in a "meh" or "bleh" kind of state. You also really want to get out of that low mood rut, feel happy again, and live your life more fully. Did you sense a heaviness in your chest or belly that was like... "yeah, I'm feeling that." If so, then join us every Wednesday for a new episode. As hosts of this pod and fellow humans, we've had those thoughts and felt those feelings too. We know the struggle. We also know the relief and what it's like to go beyond just a baseline of feeling "not so bad" and into a more joyful and flourishing state. Maybe best of all, we know how to help others do that too. We've been in the mental health field and doing this work for a combined 50 years. You can also trust that what we talk about and explore are solid mental health tools and practices grounded by modalities like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), positive psychology, and the science Language: en Genres: Education, Health & Fitness, Mental Health, Self-Improvement Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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Perfectionism Is Stealing Your Balance — Here's How to Take It Back (encore) [260]
Episode 260
Wednesday, 15 April, 2026
We're in our new "month of renewal" format. We're essentially exploring this question throughout the month... what if growth required less effort? This is an encore episode that helps us answer this question. Reminder that we'll be back with new episodes May 1, 2026. In this episode of Joy Lab, Dr. Henry Emmons and Dr. Aimee Prasek dismantle the idea that balance is a fixed destination you arrive at someday — once the laundry is done, the inbox is empty, and the kids are listening. Spoiler: that day is not coming. Instead, Henry and Aimee reframe equanimity as an active, embodied practice — more like balancing on one foot than standing rigidly still. Drawing on the metaphor of the Equinox, the rhythm of the ocean, and the very real signals your nervous system sends when you've overloaded your plate, they offer two practical, evidence-informed strategies: releasing perfectionism and cultivating outer stillness through the radical act of doing less. Whether you're recovering from burnout, drowning in self-help listicles, or just tired of waiting to feel balanced before you start living, this episode is your permission slip to recalibrate — right now, imperfectly, and with grace. About: The Joy Lab Podcast is an Ambie-nominated podcast that blends science and soul to help you cope better with stress, ease anxiety, and uplift mood. Join Dr. Henry Emmons and Dr. Aimee Prasek for practical, mindfulness-based tools and positive psychology strategies to build resilience and create lasting joy. Take the next leap in your wellbeing journey with the Joy Lab Program. If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review us wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts! And... if you want to spread some joy and keep this podcast ad-free, then please join our mission by donating (Joy Lab is powered by the nonprofit Pathways North and your donations are tax-deductible). Like and follow Joy Lab on Socials: Instagram Linkedin Watch this episode on YouTube Sources and Notes: Joy Lab Program: Take the next leap in your wellbeing journey with step-by-step practices to help you build and maintain the elements of joy in your life. Full transcript here Key moments: [00:01:00] Defining equanimity — calm, serenity, inner peace, and balance Why "balance" is the most relatable word, even if it's overused and under-understood. [00:01:45] The biggest myth about balance: it's a fixed end state Unpacking the belief: "I just need to get my life in balance and then I can…" — and why it keeps failing us. [00:02:45] Balance as a boat on the ocean Waves, storms, narwhals, manatees — navigating it all is the practice. Balance is not the island. [00:03:45] Physical balance as a mirror for life balance Henry reflects on aging, illness, and how something we once took for granted can become a major effort — and what that teaches us. [00:05:30] When life knocks your reserves out — anxiety, depression, significant stress What once seemed doable can feel insurmountable. Normalizing the experience of losing your footing. [00:06:00] The Equinox metaphor for balance Twice a year, day and night are perfectly balanced — and it lasts a moment. Nature doesn't fight the shift. It flows. [00:07:30] Savoring moments of calm and preparing for inevitable shifts The Equinox teaches us to appreciate balance when we find it — and not to be blindsided when it moves on. [00:08:45] Balancing on one foot — balance is in the balancing Aimee reframes physical balance as wobbling, reassessing, and rebalancing — not rigidity. An invitation to ease up on yourself. [00:09:30] Honest check-in: Joy Lab's own season of imbalance Six months of heavy workload, three months of feeling out of balance — and the confidence that recalibration is possible. [00:11:00] Strategy 1: Let go of perfectionism Aimee breaks down how our vision of "balance" is often a vision of impossible perfection — and how that perfectionism causes us to delay our own self-care indefinitely. [00:12:30] How perfectionism anchors the balance myth We stop doing the things that help us recalibrate until we reach a state that never arrives. The invitation to check in and offer yourself grace. [00:13:45] Strategy 2: Cultivate outer stillness by doing less Henry's personal strategy — and why it runs counter to every "5 Things Highly Productive People Do" headline in your newsfeed. [00:15:30] What the pandemic unexpectedly taught about doing less When life was stripped back, Henry discovered his life could be rich without being packed full. [00:17:00] Why "do less" is the only wellness strategy with nothing to add to your list No gadgets. No hacks. No hooks for perfectionism. Just awareness and the willingness to say no. [00:17:30] Using your body as a navigation app for balance Tuning into the feeling of being rushed and pressured as a signal to change course — no wearable required. [00:19:00] Aimee's body check-in — stomach tension as a balance metric Instead of opening another listicle, go inward. Your nervous system is already telling you what you need. [00:20:00] We are balanced creatures when we allow ourselves to be Balance isn't about biohacking or concoctions. It's inner stillness and inner wisdom — skills we can all build. [00:21:00] Joy Lab Program and community support A reminder that the podcast is community-supported — and an invitation to go deeper in the Joy Lab Program. [00:21:45] Closing quote from Anna Quindlen Please remember that this content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice and is not a replacement for advice and treatment from a medical professional. Please consult your doctor or other qualified health professional before beginning any diet change, supplement, or lifestyle program. Please see our terms for more information. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call the NAMI HelpLine: 1-800-950-6264 available Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. – 10 p.m., ET. OR text "HelpLine" to 62640 or email NAMI at helpline@nami.org. Visit NAMI for more. You can also call or text SAMHSA at 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.
