Meet Carolyn Barnes

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Carolyn Barnes. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Carolyn below.

Carolyn, sincerely appreciate your selflessness in agreeing to discuss your mental health journey and how you overcame and persisted despite the challenges. Please share with our readers how you overcame. For readers, please note this is not medical advice, we are not doctors, you should always consult professionals for advice and that this is merely one person sharing their story and experience.
A decade ago, my life took an unexpected turn amid the glamour of being a health coach on ABC television. Despite the facade of having it all together, I battled chronic stress, anxiety, and imposter syndrome. The turning point came when my blood pressure skyrocketed to a critical level on set, triggering a realization that my well-being was on the line.

After numerous hospital visits, my life underwent a major pivot, propelling me into the realm of clinical hypnotherapy and the profound exploration of the mind-body connection. This transformative journey led to a crucial insight – emotions are simply the body’s response to stimuli, absolving me of guilt and shame.

Practicing the acknowledgment of my emotions became a game-changer. Shifting from overthinking to embracing my feelings first, I reverse-engineered my response patterns. This evolution birthed the STOP IT framework, incorporating principles from neuro-linguistic programming, mindfulness, and other proven modalities.

Implementing STOP IT became a regular practice, enabling me to overcome severe hypertension, acute anxiety, and premature heart disease. Today, as I guide my clients through this transformative approach, the results are truly remarkable. The essence lies in understanding that our thoughts aren’t real, and by prioritizing the needs of our emotions, clarity and calmness of mind are achieved more easily !

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
Many overlook the fact that each of us operates the most sophisticated piece of technology on the planet – the human body. Sadly, many are unaware of where the keyboard is, and instead, they take a metaphorical hammer and beat themselves up. In my capacity as a clinical hypnotherapist, my primary objective is to assist individuals in regulating their stress response, enabling them to silence overthinking and regain control. My role involves guiding people to unlock their inner wisdom and gain mastery over their stress response. The joy for me lies in witnessing individuals shed their inherent defense mechanisms, paving the way for heightened clarity, improved concentration, and a fresh perspective. It’s truly amazing to watch people quickly overcome self-limiting beliefs, accessing tremendous energy and clarity that propels them towards their desired goals.

I am thrilled to announce the launch of my new book, audio book, “STOP IT: Your Roadmap to Emotional Freedom in Six Simple Steps.” Within its pages, readers will discover how to overcome anxiety, conquer overthinking, release stress, and swiftly achieve clarity through a straightforward, six-step approach.
Additionally, I’ve included bonus FREE hypnotherapy audios to train your brain;
Stop It- Stop Overthinking Let Go of Stress Achieve Clarity.
Taming the Inner Critic: Silencing Self-Sabotage and Embracing Self-Compassion
Control Hanger and Kick Cravings to the Curb: Conquering Hanger with Mindful Eating for Control and Balance
Master Your Sleep: Prioritizing Rest for Mental Clarity and Resilience
Excuse-Free Motivation Exercise: Igniting the Drive to Embrace a Healthier, Active Lifestyle
Self-Love: Nurturing a Positive Relationship with Yourself

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Looking back on my journey, I’d say there were three game-changers that really turned things around:

Firstly, I fell on my face a LOT! I had to shake off the idea that failure was the end of the world. Instead, I learned to treat it as useful feedback, like a GPS telling me where to adjust my course. My advice to people just starting off? Don’t listen to negative people or fear failure; use it as a roadmap for improvement.

Then there’s the self-discipline thing. It’s not some magical trait;, we’re not born with this, and let me tell you something really struggled with this one, a lot, but if I can learn this skill you can too., it’s a skill you can train. So, I started small, setting achievable goals and slowly building up my discipline muscles. My tip for beginners: take it one step at a time, and you’ll surprise yourself with how disciplined you can become.

Focus was a big challenge too. I used to have a million thoughts buzzing around, influenced by everyone’s opinions. Enter meditation. Yeah, it’s tough at first, but it’s about creating snippets of focus and bringing your mind back. For starters, keep it short, redirect when needed, and watch your focus grow. (Like 1 minute at a time, lol)

Last but not least, turning empathy into compassion. Being a natural empath, I used to soak up everyone’s problems. Now, I’ve learned to understand without carrying the weight. If you’re starting out, practice empathy with healthy boundaries – let others feel without it weighing you down.

So, long story short, we all have these capabilities within us. It’s just a matter of deciding to flex those discipline, focus, and empathy muscles. You learned to tie your shoes, right? Well, personal growth is the same – decide you’re worth the effort, and you’ll surprise yourself.

What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?
Oh, overwhelm hits me like a tidal wave, especially when I look at my never-ending to-do list. I mean, who doesn’t have a mile-long list, right? It’s so easy to drown in never ending tasks.

So, here’s the deal – I had to rewire my brain. I used to be the multitasking champion, trying to do it all at once. Not a good idea, by the way. Now, I’m on a mission to undo that mess.

Instead, I’ve embraced the “one thing at a time” motto…Trust me, it’s a struggle at first, especially for someone who’s used to juggling a million things. But slowing down my brain, slowing down my breathing, toning down the mental chatter, that’s the key.
Creating a mental stillness lets me zoom in on what really matters in the chaos. It’s like digging yourself out of a pile of laundry and figuring out, “Do I have clean undies for the week, or is it laundry day?” It’s a game-changer, helping me navigate through the madness and keep my sanity intact.

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Image Credits
Wendy Shapiro

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