Latest / PTT Music Podcast / Turn Stress Into Signal

Transcript

Turn Stress Into Signal · PTT Music Podcast

• 0:21
  Have you ever had one of those days where someone asks how you are doing,
• 0:25
  and all you can say is, I am just stressed?
• 0:29
  It feels like this giant, heavy blanket weighing down on your whole day,
• 0:34
  right?
• 0:35
  But recently I was learning about how our brains process feelings,
• 0:39
  and it turns out that simply calling everything stressed actually makes it so much
• 0:44
  harder to deal with.
• 0:45
  That makes a lot of sense, Ava.
• 0:47
  When we put a big, generic label on how we feel, it is like trying to fix a leak in
• 0:53
  your house without knowing which pipe is leaking.
• 0:55
  You just feel overwhelmed.
• 0:57
  Exactly!
• 0:58
  Psychologists call it emotional granularity, but in real life,
• 1:03
  it simply means getting honest and specific about what you are going through.
• 1:07
  Are you overwhelmed because you have too many emails?
• 1:10
  Are you feeling underappreciated by a friend?
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  Or are you just tired and hungry?
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  The second you give your feeling an exact, accurate name, your brain actually begins
• 1:20
  to calm down.
• 1:21
  It lowers your stress response because you have turned a scary,
• 1:25
  unknown cloud into something real you can actually handle.
• 1:29
  Yeah...
• 1:30
  It is like naming the so called monster under the bed.
• 1:34
  Once you shine a light on it, it shrinks down to not even being there.
• 1:39
  It really does!
• 1:40
  I had a moment just last week in the studio where I felt this massive wall of
• 1:45
  frustration while working on a vocal track.
• 1:47
  My shoulders were tight, and I was about to walk out.
• 1:51
  But instead of throwing in the towel, I paused and asked myself,
• 1:55
  what am I actually feeling right now?
• 1:58
  And I realized I was not mad at the song at all.
• 2:03
  I was just feeling anxious about a deadline and tired from traveling.
• 2:07
  The moment I named those two specific things, the tension in my shoulders literally
• 2:13
  melted away.
• 2:14
  That is such a powerful shift, Ava.
• 2:17
  It reminds me of what happens when we mix music in the studio.
• 2:21
  If you have a song where all the instruments are clashing together,
• 2:25
  it just sounds like harsh noise.
• 2:27
  But when we worked on our song "Dive," the producer went in and separated every
• 2:32
  instrument.
• 2:33
  They isolated the vocals, cleared up the bass, and gave every sound its own space.
• 2:39
  Once you separate the layers, the music becomes beautiful and clear.
• 2:44
  You can do the exact same thing with your thoughts.
• 2:47
  When you listen to a song like "Dive," it really reminds you to take a breath and
• 2:51
  sort out what you are feeling beneath the surface.
• 2:54
  I love that picture, Jordan.
• 2:56
  It is about untangling the knot instead of pulling on it harder.
• 3:00
  But what happens when people try to do the opposite?
• 3:04
  A lot of us were taught to just bottle things up, pretend everything is fine,
• 3:09
  and put on a happy face.
• 3:11
  And that usually backfires, right?
• 3:14
  Studies have shown that when we push our feelings down and pretend to be calm,
• 3:19
  our internal pressure actually skyrockets.
• 3:22
  Even worse, the people around us can feel that unspoken tension.
• 3:27
  You think you are keeping the peace by staying silent, but you end up creating an
• 3:32
  awkward, uncomfortable vibe in the whole room.
• 3:35
  We have all felt that in a room!
• 3:38
  You can walk in and immediately tell something is wrong, even if no one is saying a
• 3:43
  word.
• 3:44
  Absolutely.
• 3:46
  But researchers found a much better alternative called reframing.
• 3:50
  Instead of trying to suppress that nervous energy before a big moment,
• 3:54
  like a job interview or a presentation, try changing your narrative.
• 3:59
  That racing heart and sweaty palms are the exact same physical signals your body
• 4:04
  gives you when you are excited.
• 4:07
  If you tell yourself, I am not panicked, I am just energized and ready for this,
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  your whole mindset changes.
• 4:14
  You turn that nervous energy into fuel.
• 4:17
  That simple shift in perspective changes everything!
• 4:21
  You are taking control of the story you tell yourself.
• 4:25
  So how can our listeners put this into practice today?
• 4:29
  We have three simple, practical habits you can start right now.
• 4:34
  First, try the Three Word Rule.
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  The next time you feel overwhelmed, stop and pick three clear,
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  specific words to describe what is going on.
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  Instead of saying I am stressed, try saying I am rushed, tired,
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  and hesitant.
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  Getting specific immediately lightens the weight.
• 4:55
  Second, practice gentle honesty.
• 4:58
  Instead of bottling up your anxiety and letting it spill over into your day,
• 5:03
  share a simple, calm sentence with someone you trust.
• 5:06
  Saying something like, I am feeling a little overwhelmed with my schedule today,
• 5:12
  clears the air and builds real connection without spreading tension.
• 5:17
  And third, use music to change your energy.
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  When you feel anxious energy building up, do not force yourself to sit still and
• 5:26
  fight it.
• 5:27
  Put on a high energy, empowering song like "Snap Back" by PTT Music.
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  Let that driving beat match your energy, and use it to shift your focus from feeling
• 5:38
  stuck to feeling ready to bounce back and move forward.
• 5:41
  It is amazing how music can turn tension into momentum when you give yourself
• 5:46
  permission to feel it and channel it.
• 5:49
  So true, Ava.
• 5:50
  So true.
• 5:52
  Again, thanks for spending this time with us on the PTT Music Podcast.
• 5:57
  We hope today's conversation left you inspired, encouraged,
• 6:00
  and ready to carry that energy with you wherever life takes you.
• 6:04
  I'm Jordan Sterling...
• 6:06
  And I'm Ava Brooks.
• 6:07
  We'll see you next time for another conversation that celebrates creativity,
• 6:12
  purpose, and the power of music.
• 6:15
  If you enjoyed today's episode, we'd love for you to continue the journey with us.
• 6:20
  Visit PTTMusic.com to explore our latest music, official videos,
• 6:25
  exclusive merchandise, artist updates, and much more.
• 6:29
  You can also stream PTT Music on your favorite music platforms.
• 6:32
  And be sure to subscribe to our the podcast, leave a review,
• 6:36
  and share this episode with someone who could use a little inspiration today...
• 6:40
  Until next time, keep moving forward.
• 6:42
  And let the PTT Music continue to move you closer to who you truly are.