Carefree #FeelingsMatter

In this episode of #FeelingsMatter, hosts Michelle Stinson Ross, Tina Schweiger, and Heather Hampton explore the emotion of feeling carefree - that state of having no cares or worries where things feel easy. The conversation examines how responsibilities and life stages affect our ability to experience carefreeness, whether this feeling can be intentionally cultivated, and how creative flow states might provide unexpected moments of being carefree. The hosts discuss practical ways to reverse-engineer carefree moments in adult life despite accumulated responsibilities. Episode Highlights: Tina reflects on not feeling truly carefree since her late teens/early twenties during a brief period after finishing college before starting work, describing carefree as "having no responsibilities, nothing to worry about, nowhere to be, nothing to do" and wondering if it's possible to craft such experiences now Michelle suggests that the stage of parenting significantly impacts carefreeness, noting how she couldn't feel carefree when vacationing with young children but now experiences it when traveling alone as an adult with grown children The hosts explore "reverse engineering" carefree moments through mindfulness techniques like 20-minute meditation, mind-mapping to dive into problems without worry, or giving yourself permission to let your mind wander freely Michelle observes that Tina likely experiences carefree moments during creative flow states when deeply engrossed in art or singing, even if she doesn't consciously recognize them as carefree in the moment because she's so absorbed in the creative process The conversation concludes with the insight that cultivating carefree might be more accessible than chasing joy directly, offering a pathway to joy's "slightly different flavor" that feels more achievable given adult responsibilities - noting that "you have to work harder to find your happy feelings when you're older, but you can still find them" Podcast theme music by Dubush Miaw from Pixabay This episode of the #FeelingsMatter Podcast was recorded and produced at MSR Studios in Saint Paul, MN. No reproduction, excerpting, or other use without written permission. This episode is sponsored by FeelWise - bridging the gap between reflection and resilience, offering practical tools to help people overcome obstacles, embrace change, and grow stronger emotionally. https://www.feel-wise.com/ Don’t miss a moment of the conversation, subscribe to the show on your favorite podcasting platform