Today on the podcast:
Michael Anthony (Unbroken) is a bestselling author, speaker, and coach who helps trauma survivors get out of the vortex to become the hero of their own story.
Michael is an advocate for adult survivors of child abuse and has been called the “Tony Robbins of Trauma” and spends his time helping other survivors get out of The Vortex to become the hero of their own story and take their live back.
Michael hosts both The Michael Unbroken and Think Unbroken Podcasts and blogs weekly at www.ThinkUnbroken.com
This podcast needs to come with a warning.
Michael had a horrific childhood and there will be content in here that is difficult to listen to. I also share some of my darker life moments in this episode (things I’ve never previously discussed online) so this was a difficult episode to press publish on personally. However, these podcasts tend to be the ones that have life changing impact for those that need it, so I’ve felt the fear and pressed publish anyways (raw and unedited).
I hope it helps those who need it most.
Episode Outline
- 03:59 Michael’s horrific childhood
- 07:39 The power of words
- 10:10 The difference between being kind to yourself and taking it easy on yourself
- 13:51 How to release trauma from your body
- 20:11 How trauma is stored in the body
- 26:49 How to overcome dissociation
- 33:29 Does trauma ever go away?
- 38:45 What to do if you have toxic parents (or loved ones)
- 43:51 Removing your need for external validation
- 50:10 Why you should strive to be different every day
- 54:44 The one Instagram post that Michael would want everyone to see
Key Points
- What you think becomes what you speak. What you speak becomes your actions. Your actions become your reality. Regardless of whether or not we grew up in a traumatic environment, we spend most of our formative years being told who we should be, be it by family, friends, teachers, or other influential figures in our life. As a result, we adopt these things as our story, and the more we act out that story. What if, instead of berating ourselves, we become kind to ourselves? By being kind to ourselves, we hold ourselves accountable in doing the right thing.
- Health is not just mental, but physical as well. Why do people tend to turn to substances or, at the very least, unproductive distractions? We numb non-physical pain through physical means. With this understanding, one way to improve your mental health is through the right kinds of physical movement (ex. yoga, physical therapy, etc.), which “can become this beautiful precursor for creating massive transformation in your life.” Dissociation is when it feels as if your mind and your body are disconnected. Physical activity brings them back together.
- Trauma never goes away. But the impact of our trauma goes away with work. We’re the sum total of all our experiences. Everything that’s ever happened in our life leading up to this moment is part of who we are. It would be dismissive to pretend that those things don’t impact us. Through the right healing modalities, we can regain control and live life on our terms, be free, and have peace. Make no mistake, we will sometimes still be triggered. The critical thing to note, though, is that you will finally have the tools to manage and navigate your reaction.
Powerful Quotes by Michael
- I went into the bathroom and looked at the mirror and asked myself, “What are you willing to do to have the life that you want to have?” And from that, I said to myself, “No excuses, just results.”
- The greatest space of healing for me is in the moments of solitude, of silence, of quietude, because we have a lot to process and get through. I think physical movement can become this beautiful precursor for creating massive transformation in your life.
- Does trauma ever go away? I don’t think it does. But I think that the impact of it does.
- Though trauma may be our foundation, it’s not our future.
- You can only forgive somebody so many times. It’s like this: You walk into a house, and every single time you walk into that house, you get punched in the face. But you’re the one choosing to walk into the house. How many times are you going to walk in before you stop?
- Other people’s opinions of you have nothing to do with you.
- Healing trauma is like picking up trash from your front yard. It’s not your trash; but, it is your front yard.
Michael Anthony
Bestselling author, speaker, and coach who helps trauma survivors get out of the vortex to become the hero of their own story.