Episode 40 - Unapologetically Authentic: Prioritizing Yourself & Living by Your Own Expectations with Anna Przy
By Jessica Garrison
Episode trigger warning: eating disorder
Our next guest is the empathetic, magical, and delusional Anna Przy. As we’re winding down season 8, I would say that this is one of my favorite episodes from the whole season. I had listened to it originally a few months back, but now I’m excited that it’s time to share it with the world.
Anna says that she is currently in a good space, sharing with us how she is not afraid to ask for help. The most important step is recognizing and admitting that you need help, so it’s refreshing to hear people say that they’ve overcome this hurdle. I would also argue that seeking help out can be so intimidating that we try to bury whatever feelings we may have on our own. Not everyone can afford a therapist or psychiatrist, but we also have to understand that it isn’t selfish to prioritize your wellness. It doesn’t hurt to reach out and discover options for mental health wellness if that’s what you need, and just trying is a step in the right direction.
This didn’t come easily to Anna at first. She had to go through daily deconstruction and reconstruction of how she was living her life, especially after reaching a point where she was questioning if she even liked her life. Now she is better at everything, just because she had been ignoring herself for so long and was finally pouring back into herself. If this seems too scary at first, maybe try one area of your life you’d like to see improvement on, and go from there. Even the smallest improvement would be progress.
Anna also talks about how she experienced burnout, and it wasn’t from the day before or even the week before, but it has been from a lifetime of ignoring her own needs. She emphasizes the necessity of covering the basics, like implementing self care tactics so you aren’t reaching the breaking point before reeling yourself back in. Anna also says that she’s begun to check in with herself when she starts to feel angry and tries to get to the root cause of what’s upsetting her; it usually isn’t the surface level issue that makes you break, but rather something that has been building up over time.
Our programming runs deep, and on pen and paper, taking care of your mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual health is easy. However, it takes time and practice to apply it, and that dedication of time can seem daunting for a lot of people. Anna says even taking five minutes to walk away and reset can be beneficial in your health journey. Those five minutes can be utilized for a breathing exercise or a quick meditation to get you back in the mindset that you need.
When listening to this episode, Anna’s positive attitude and enthusiasm are so infectious that you can’t help but match her energy. I’m looking forward to everyone hearing her episode and joining in on these essential conversations. Anna truly is magical.
Ways to Engage: Make a list of what you do for yourself vs. what you do for others. Which is bigger? Which do you fulfill most of the time? Make sure you’re doing as much (if not more) for yourself as you do for others. .