The Anxious Achiever

Blog & Newsletter Archive

Editors, journalists, and podcasters: connect with Morra here.

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Why Does Our Brain Make Negative Self Talk? How Do We Calm it?

Believe it or not, your inner critic is your brain trying to help! My guest this week, Dr. Kristin Neff, explains that negative self-talk “comes from a simple desire to stay safe.” It taps into the body’s fight, flight, or freeze response.

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How To Stop Worrying About Money: Experts Share 12 Secrets To Instant Financial Peace

Though the topsy turvy economy has us all feeling uncertain about the future, one thing is for sure: Psychologists and financial experts say that easing your anxiety and growing more confident over money matters is easier than you may think. Here, Morra and other experts share 12 proven ways to boost your financial confidence and your bottom line.

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Are You Acting In?

As we build our careers, we learn that it's not ok to show "difficult" emotions at work. Anger, fear, shame, anxiety, and sadness. But those emotions arise often at work, and they have to go somewhere!

Often, we put them right back into our bodies. My guest Deepa Purushothaman calls this "acting in."

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Morra sits down with Nihar Chhaya and speaks about ways to reframe intergenerational conflict at the office

Older generations have heard the stereotypes, and maybe seen anecdotal evidence that supports these biases: Gen Z, newish to the workforce, is a bit too aware of their feelings and their mental health; but sometimes we just need them to do the work. In this LinkedIn Live session, Morra Aarons-Mele speaks with executive coach Nihar Chhaya

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You Can't Motivate People: True or False?

I'm stuck on a comment made by my wonderful podcast guest this week, Jeff Dewing. We were speaking about his employees and Jeff told me, “I couldn’t motivate them, because you can't motivate people; you can only motivate yourself. But I can inspire people and inspire them to be motivated to do things that are unbelievable.”

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The Anxious Achiever Is an Insider Headline Summer Pick

Are you headed to the beach for summertime reading? This might be a good year to break with the tradition of light-hearted magazines: If the sand is going to be egg-frying hot, your leisure books might as well have some substance to them.

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HBR Management Tip of the Week

How to Manage Anxiety as a High Achiever was the HBR Management Tip of the week: Quick, practical management advice to help you do your job better…

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Mental Illness Is Not A Superpower

Mental illness is not in itself a redemption story or a superpower. How we manage mental illness can become one. But there are a lot of bumps in the road and cruelties to navigate.

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Reclaim Your Power Through Healing At Work

Damaged isn't doomed- that's a favorite saying of my guest today, CHRO Susan J. Schmitt Winchester. Susan believes one of the best places to unlearn and recover from the harmful effects of difficult experiences from our past is the workplace.

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Drug Free Techniques To Manage Panic

Quick: What do your dog, a great lover and a newborn baby have in common?

They can all help you produce oxytocin, a hormone that creates powerful wellbeing and can calm anxieties that keep you stuck, like fear of flying.

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Do I Need To Rethink What Ambition Means To Me?

Is your definition of ambition driving burnout and anxiety? Let's redefine what ambition means! Rainesford Stauffer joins me to explore how our narrow definition of ambition keeps us stuck.

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Talks at Google with Morra

Talks at Google is a global, internal talks series hosted by Google. The program invites authors, scientists, actors, artists, filmmakers, and musicians to discuss their work.

Morra sits down with Newton Cheng to discuss her new book!

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Can I Become An Entrepreneur?

Readers, I’m considering getting a job. I’ve been working for myself since summer of 2006: exactly 17 years. I’ve built and sold a business. I restarted my entrepreneurial journey last year, and I currently have a healthy consulting practice, do paid public speaking, and host a prominent podcast for LinkedIn. By most accounts, I'm a successful entrepreneur.

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