Boosting mental health skill building
A Tool for Overthinking, Avoidance, and the Freeze Response Fear doesn’t disappear when we grow up. It just becomes more socially acceptable to hide. Instead of saying “I’m scared,” adults say: But underneath those phrases is often the same nervous system response children experience — activation, overwhelm, and sometimes a freeze response. You’re Not Alone …
Continue reading “How to Manage Fear as an Adult: A Simple 5-Step Tool”
Entering a New Phase of phearnik!® If you’ve been following along on this journey, you know that phearnik!®, a mental health plush, hasn’t just appeared overnight. This little Courage Buddy™ has grown through intentional, thoughtful phases — each one stretching me as a creator and as a business owner. In my earlier post about theCourage …
Continue reading “Production Party for phearnik!®, a Mental Health Plush”
Building Mental Health Through Perseverance While reading Real Artists Don’t Starve, by Jeff Goins, I saw a connection between the work of artists and the work of building mental health through perseverance. Says Goins, He’s speaking to artists. Moreover, he could just as easily be speaking to anyone learning how to manage fear, regulate emotions, …
Continue reading “Failure Is Practice: What Artists Understand About Mental Health”
Overcoming Writer’s Block There’s an unmistakable moment for every writer: sitting before a blank page, feeling equal parts excitement and uncertainty, a need for overcoming writer’s block. You may have your favorite pen or keyboard ready and ideas swirling in your mind, but somehow, starting that first sentence feels overwhelming. It’s not the act of …
Continue reading “Overcoming Writer’s Block: A Way for Writers to Start with Confidence”
Overcome Blank Canvas Syndrome There’s an unmistakable moment for every artist: standing before a blank canvas, feeling equal parts excitement and uncertainty, a need to overcome blank canvas syndrome. You may have all the materials ready and creative ideas swirling in your mind, but somehow, taking that very first step feels overwhelming. It’s not the …
Why I Made phearnik! The Courage Buddy and Who It’s For Tired of Being Fearful Are your fears tiring you out? Does your anxiety run you ragged? Additionally, do you see others doing simple, everyday things that you feel you want to do but you’re unable to? Would you like to stop fears from getting …
Ready to Start Your Small Business but… Is the dream of running your own business finally becoming a reality? You have read a lot about what you need to get started. Maybe you are still working in another job. You want to be cautious about your start-up. So, you work on it on the side. …
Continue reading “Overcoming Barriers to Launching Your Small Business “
A Plush Toy for Managing Fear Discover how a plush toy for managing fear can be an ideal solution, offering comfort and support to help both children and adults take control of their anxieties. Mental Health Issues on the Rise Importantly, many children struggle to manage fear and anxiety, such as being afraid of the …
Why phearnik!®- the Fear Less Courage Buddy I created the phearnik!® (pronounced “fear nick,” meaning “Little Fear”) Courage Buddy plush to help me fear less and manage my anxiety. The character started out with a face of buttons and beads. Over the past four years, it has gone through four transformations—each one showing a new …
Continue reading “The 4 Phases of phearnik!®- The Fear Less Plush”
Dreading a New School Year? I don’t know about you but going back to school with new students used to get my tummy turning. Dread hung on my shoulders and motivation was nowhere to be found. How was I to keep control of new students, teens I didn’t know and who were different from me? …