8. {Interview} Entrepreneurship and Mental Health with Dr. Sherry Walling

8. {Interview} Entrepreneurship and Mental Health with Dr. Sherry Walling

Author: Margaret Reffell July 26, 2019 Duration: 48:55

Today we dive deep into mental health, especially when it comes to entrepreneurs.


** Trigger Warning **

This episode contains talk about death, depression, mental health, and suicide. If this isn't a good time in your life to listen, skip it for now, we'll be here when you need us.


Today we dive DEEP with Dr Sherry Walling of Zen Founder.

https://www.sherrywalling.com/

https://zenfounder.com/


About Dr. Sherry


Dr. Sherry Walling helps smart people do hard things. She works with leaders and entrepreneurs to tackle the common and uncommon challenges that go along with the pursuit of an extraordinary life. As a clinical psychologist, speaker, yoga teacher, podcaster, entrepreneur, and best-selling author, she draws from her professional expertise as well as her personal experience. Her best-selling book, The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Keeping Your Shit Together, combines the insight and warmth of a therapist with the truth-telling mirth of someone who has been there.



When she’s not in the consulting room or hopping stages around the world; Sherry can be found on her paddleboard, swinging from the rafters pretending to be a circus performer, or ushering her three kiddos through an art museum in some fabulous city. 


Let's jump in...


4:30 -- Current rates and stats of mental health concerns within the entrepreneurs, with Dr. Michael Freeman and where those rates originate from. Is it correlation, or causation?


10:30 -- The "all or nothing" stress, hustle culture, burnout and the toll extreme highs and lows take on your mental and physical health.


12:45 -- Maintaining boundaries of downtime, shifting from work to downtime, and the Mr. Rogers Phenomenon.


16:40 -- Introversion, Extroversion and Isolation. The power of tribe, and community and how it's beneficial to mental health.


20:35 -- Suicide. Coping with feelings, and supporting a normalized conversation to help people open up about it. How to support friends, and yourself. Also, will telling a professional about your feelings get you into trouble? Have you committed? Find out here. (Spoiler: the answer is no. You should definitely talk to someone).


29:54 -- Loss, grief and life. How to prepare for your death, how to prepare your family, and dealing with grief as an entrepreneur.


35:00 -- Combatting the "what if..." monsters. Taking control over the things you have control over, and letting the uncontrollables go. We also talk about the benefits of journalling and what do do with the text you've journaled.


39:15 -- Does work/life balance exist? The answer is it all comes down to how you feel. Don't let someone else dictate what works for you. Listen to your emotions, listen to your body. Get good at asking yourself "How am I doing?...", "How does this feel to me?"


43:00 -- How to celebrate your successes, and avoid burnout.



Resources


Dr Sherry Walling:

https://www.sherrywalling.com

https://twitter.com/zenfounder

Book: https://www.amazon.com/Entrepreneurs-Guide-Keeping-Your-Together-ebook/dp/B079SNX6NB

Video on Burnout: https://businessofsoftware.org/2018/08/stay-top-game-dr-sherry-walling-zenfounder-bos-usa-2017/


Zen Founder Podcast:

https://zenfounder.com/


Canada Suicide Prevention:

https://thelifelinecanada.ca/help/crisis-centres/canadian-crisis-centres/


Crisis Centres Canada:

http://www.crisisservicescanada.ca/


Toronto Crisis Prevention:

https://www.torontodistresscentre.com


USA Suicide Prevention:

https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


Margaret Reffell hosts Freelance Freedom, a weekly conversation that strips away the glossy Instagram filters from the world of self-employment. This isn't about a mythical "laptop lifestyle" but the tangible, often messy reality of building a solo business from the ground up. Each episode feels like a candid coffee chat with a friend who's been there, covering everything from exhilarating client wins and strategic marketing moves to the genuine horrors of late payments and creative burnout. Margaret digs into the raw mechanics of the gig economy, offering practical tips and actionable resources drawn directly from her own journey. You'll hear honest reflections on management, client relationships, and the continuous education required to stay afloat and thrive. The whole point of this podcast is to share the hard-earned lessons from the trenches-the setbacks and the triumphs-so your own path can be a little smoother. Tune in for a dose of real talk that balances business savvy with the personal resilience needed to find your own version of freelance freedom.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 12

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