You’re not alone if life feels uncertain or heavy right now—I’ve felt that weight too. In this episode, I’m sharing five powerful mental health habits that have helped me stay grounded when everything around me felt chaotic. These aren’t complicated hacks or rigid routines. They’re simple, science-backed practices that offer real support, especially when you’re feeling stuck, anxious, or overwhelmed.
I open up about my own experience navigating instability and what it taught me about emotional clarity, resilience, and self-worth. These habits have been my anchor, and they can be yours too. Because mental health isn’t just about surviving hard times—it’s about finding your center and reminding yourself that you do matter, even when everything feels uncertain.
Let’s walk through this together.
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“You can’t build a meaningful life on emotional fumes. You need more than goals. You need evidence that you’re showing up, that you’re building strength, that your life still has forward motion—even when it’s quiet.”
John R. Miles
Want to learn the 12 philosophies that the most successful people use to create a limitless life? Order John R. Miles’s new book, Passion Struck: Twelve Powerful Principles to Unlock Your Purpose and Ignite Your Most Intentional Life.
Finding Stability in Uncertainty: Five Anchors for Mental Health
In this episode of Passion Struck, I delve into the often-overlooked aspects of mental health, especially during chaotic times. I share my personal journey of navigating uncertainty, particularly when I faced the unexpected loss of my job as Chief Digital Officer at Catalina Marketing. This experience taught me that uncertainty can erode our sense of self and stability, leading to feelings of drift and disconnection. Instead of seeking control over external circumstances, I emphasize the importance of cultivating internal anchors that can help us remain grounded.
Throughout the episode, I introduce five science-backed habits that serve as emotional anchors during turbulent times. These habits are not about grand gestures or drastic changes; they are small, intentional actions that can help us reclaim our sense of agency and purpose. I also discuss the neuroscience behind these practices, illustrating how they can positively impact our mental health and overall well-being.
In this Episode about Mental Health Habits You’ll Learn:
- Internal Credibility: The importance of keeping small promises to yourself to rebuild self-trust and resilience.
- Belonging Rituals: How creating meaningful connections can stabilize your emotional state and enhance your sense of safety.
- Finding Your Why: The significance of identifying intrinsic values that guide your actions, especially when life feels directionless.
- Emotional Margin: The necessity of creating psychological space to process emotions and avoid burnout.
- Micro-Wins: The power of recognizing and celebrating small achievements to reinforce your sense of progress and motivation.
Why Is This Episode About Mental Health Habits a Must-Listen?
This episode is essential for anyone feeling overwhelmed by uncertainty or struggling to find their footing in challenging times. By focusing on practical, evidence-based habits, I provide listeners with actionable strategies to cultivate emotional clarity and resilience. The insights shared are not only relatable but also grounded in scientific research, making them applicable to everyday life. Whether you’re facing personal challenges or simply seeking to enhance your mental well-being, this episode offers valuable tools to help you navigate the chaos and emerge stronger.
Key Takeaways on Mental Health Habits
- Why emotional resilience is built, not born – and how your daily choices shape your long-term mental strength.
- How to use intentional solitude to reset your inner world and break out of reactive patterns.
- What role does presence play in reducing anxiety and increasing your capacity to respond with purpose?
- The power of doing hard things on purpose, and how discomfort can be a gateway to meaning.
- How to reset your brain with simple, repeatable actions that shift you out of survival mode.
- Why external validation won’t sustain you, and what actually helps you feel like you truly matter.
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Bridging Mental Health Habits and the Passion Struck Path
This episode draws from the same heartbeat that runs through Passion Struck: Twelve Powerful Principles to Unlock Your Purpose and Ignite Your Most Intentional Life—but approaches it from a new direction: how we care for our inner lives when the outside world feels unpredictable.
In the book, I emphasize that living a meaningful life isn’t about chasing constant motion. It’s about knowing what sustains you. That’s especially important when life feels uncertain, when the noise gets loud, and when your energy is running on empty.
During this episode, I offer five mental health habits that act as anchors—tools that can help you regain a sense of clarity, connection, and personal agency even in the middle of stress or overwhelm. These habits aren’t just about getting by. They’re about coming back to yourself.
We discuss how stillness can create space for answers you’re too busy to hear, how stepping away from validation-seeking rewires your self-worth, and why choosing hard things—even small ones—helps rebuild trust in yourself. Those ideas echo the book’s core message: that a fulfilling life starts with inner alignment, not external approval.
Where Passion Struck lays out the principles for creating an intentional, values-driven life, this episode shows what it looks like to protect that kind of life when the world around you feels shaky. It’s not theory—it’s lived practice.
And when we talk about mattering, one of the most vital concepts in the book, this episode brings it down to earth: showing how protecting your mental health is one of the most powerful ways to affirm that your life and well-being hold value. Not someday. Now.
What This Conversation Reveals
- How consistency in small personal habits fuels long-term emotional strength
- Why paying attention to your internal world is a leadership act, not a luxury
- What to do when burnout sneaks in silently, without drama, but with damage
- The deeper cost of ignoring your needs in a culture that glorifies busyness
- Why mental fitness isn’t just resilience—it’s your foundation for clarity, confidence, and calm
RESOURCES FROM THE SHOW “How 5 Mental Health Habits Can Help You in Uncertain Times”
Every family member should feel that they matter in order to truly thrive within their relationships.
Please note that some of the links on this page (books, movies, music, etc.) lead to affiliate programs for which The Passion Struck podcast receives compensation. It’s just one of the ways we keep the lights on around here. Thank you so much for being so supportive!
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- American Psychological Association (APA) – Resources on resilience and coping: apa.org
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Listen to my solo episode on Why Mattering at Work Is the New Metric Leaders Must Track
Catch My Episode with Dr. Samuel Wilkinson on Why Life Is a Test of Good and Evil
Watch my interview with Dr. Dave Vago on How to Live a More Meaningful Life
Can’t miss my episode with Kate Bowler on Why There is No Cure for Being Human
My solo episode on The Mirage of Success: Why More Is Never Enough
About John R. Miles
John R. Miles is a transformative leader, blending military precision with entrepreneurial flair to ignite purpose and intentional living in millions. A former U.S. Navy officer and Fortune 50 executive, John transitioned from the C-suite to become an international bestselling author and host of the globally acclaimed Passion Struck® podcast, which has ranked as the #1 alternative health podcast in over 25 countries.
John writes about the science of behavior change, personal mastery, and purpose-driven leadership, drawing from his extensive research in neuroscience and psychology, plus over 700 interviews with trailblazing experts. His book, Passion Struck: Twelve Powerful Principles to Unlock Your Purpose and Ignite Your Most Intentional Life, has earned accolades, including Best Business Book at the 2024 International Business Awards.
With a mission to inspire others to live with passion and intention, John’s quirky blend of deep insight and approachable wisdom makes him a sought-after voice in leadership and personal development.
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