An Interview With Shawna Robins
Link to original article on Authority Magazine
In today’s fast-paced world, stress has become an inevitable part of life. Developing better habits to manage and reduce stress is essential for maintaining overall well-being and productivity. What are the best practices and strategies to create lasting habits that help individuals cope with stress effectively? As part of this interview series, we had the pleasure to interview Angela Williams, LCSW.
Angela Williams is a licensed therapist, podcast host, and founder of Angela Marie Coaching, a lifestyle coaching business that empowers high-profile leaders and changemakers to reach their next level of success. Angela has helped thousands of individuals learn, grow and become inspired to reach their next level of transformation in her work as a therapist, coach, educator and speaker. Her mission is to empower high-achieving individuals to elevate their potential so they can achieve their dreams, enjoy their lives, and impact future generations for good.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to ‘get to know you’. Can you tell us a bit about your background and your backstory?
Thank you for having me! My name is Angela Williams. I am a mom, wife, beach lover, licensed clinical social worker, and mindset coach. I have always been interested in human behavior, reading, learning, and improving oneself to get the best out of life. I’ve held multiple roles in education, social work, and now as a CEO and entrepreneur.
Can you share a story with us about what brought you to your particular career path?
I knew I always wanted to help people overcome their challenges, sort through their problems, and learn and grow so they can tap into their potential. I’d had a rewarding career supporting clients with a lived experience of trauma, and felt honored to help people heal. One summer, I took a vacation with a friend and as we were sitting by the pool, we had a conversation about the next steps in her career. Within 10 minutes, I was able to ask her the right questions to shift her perspective and give her ideas on how to move forward in the future. We were both so excited about it. I thought to myself “I definitely want to do more of this”! This is how I came to add coaching as a main focus in my work.
Can you share with our readers a bit about why you are an authority in the stress and wellness fields? In your opinion, what is your unique contribution to the world of wellness?
I currently have more than 15 years of experience in the fields of psychology and social work, and the main focus of my roles have been to support individuals manage their stress, creatively problem solve, and help them process deep emotions and symptoms of clinical mental health diagnoses.
My approach to wellness is centered on holistic support and sustainable solutions, which means addressing the true root of whatever problem arises (not just a band aid or quick fix). I think that while it’s true that what’s personal is universal, everyone has their own unique set of life circumstances, environments, and perspectives, and they need to be met with individualized care.
Do you have a favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Do you have a story about how that was relevant in your life or your work?
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.” By Marianne Williamson. I first heard this recited in the movie Coach Carter and it stuck with me. I remind myself of this quote when facing my fears of showing up as the face of my brand and recite this to my clients to remind them of their power.
Ok, thank you for all that. Now let’s move to the main focus of our interview. Let’s start at the very beginning so that we are all on the same page. What is the definition of stress? How is it different than anxiety or overwhelm?
Stress is defined as a response to pressure or challenges from various life situations, ie. Illness, personal conflict, a tight deadline at work, or significant life changes. Stress can cause other complex emotions such as anxiety (which is more fear based) and overwhelm (which is not seeing a clear path or having too much on one’s plate), especially if it’s chronic or if someone experiences a lot of it at once.
What are some common misconceptions about stress and habits that people should be aware of?
A common misconception is that stress is all bad. There are two types of stress, eustress and distress. Eustress is just the right amount of pressure applied to make something happen. I can be also called positive stress and examples include starting a new job preparing for an athletic competition or hosting a fun event. Distress is a response that signals a person has difficulty adapting to or handling a situation and can lead to difficult emotions or unhelpful behaviors.
Can you share an example of a successful habit transformation that effectively reduced stress?
Changing your mindset is one of the most important ways to reduce stress. An example of this would be to reframe thoughts that may start out as unhelpful into something neutral or supportive. You might think “my schedule is so packed. Today is overwhelming and there’s no way I can get it all done”. A way to reframe this thought would be to say “I may have a busy day scheduled, but I’ve handled this before and I can prioritize effectively taking it one step at a time. I will do the best I can.”
What are some key daily habits that can significantly reduce stress levels?
Some key daily habits that can significantly reduce stress levels include getting enough sleep, regular exercise, reframing any automatic unhelpful thoughts, asking for help, and taking enough breaks to let your brain reset.
How can individuals identify and replace habits that contribute to their stress?
I encourage my clients to track their thoughts and emotions when they feel stress come up. Stress can start as an unpleasant emotion or a body sensation that signals disturbance. When individuals start to notice the stress, they can make connections to the origins of it, which allows them to make changes to their behavior.
How can someone stay consistent with new stress-reducing habits amidst a busy schedule?
Some people benefit from help in creating new habits. For example, a visual cue, such as writing notes on a whiteboard, an audio cue such as using alarms to remember to incorporate them, or you can habit stack which means to add it with another behavior already established in your routine.
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Can you please share “5 Ways to Create Better Habits Around Stress”? If you can, kindly share a story or example for each.
Regulating your nervous system is key to managing stress. Here are some ways to do this:
1. Mindfulness and Relaxation: The key is incorporating these techniques into your daily life, not just waiting for a vacation. Schedule more breaks in between your daily tasks to allow your brain to process what just happened and reset. An example of mindfulness is immersing yourself fully in an experience, such as peeling and eating an orange or walking barefoot in the grass. This helps you slow down and connect with your present surroundings and yourself, which can be easily missed if your attention is split in different directions.
2. Physical Activity: Activity gets us out of our head and into our bodies which can reduce stress and overwhelm. Walking or jogging is a good start to accomplish this and the earlier you can do this the better to make sure it gets done! Changing up the scenery and reconnecting yourself is helpful for your brain in order to disrupt the patterns of stress we can settle into with the same routine or environment.
3. Reframe your Thoughts: Reframe negative thoughts into neutral or positive ones. For example, “I’m never going to finish this project on time!” can be reframed into “I’ve handled challenging projects before, and I can do it again. I can break it down into smaller tasks and focus on completing one step at a time.” Bonus points for doing the deeper work of shifting your beliefs which drive your thoughts for example “I’m not good enough” into “I’m more than good enough”.
4. Widen your window of tolerance: Your window of tolerance is your capacity to deal with things life throws your way. Some ways to increase your capability include: boundary setting, learning and using more coping skills, deep breathing, positive self-talk, taking more breaks, and having healthy and consistent outlets to process stress.
5. Utilize Support: Using a coach, therapist or asking a friend, family member, or coworker for help can decrease your mental load and help you problem solve challenges. There is a strength to knowing you aren’t alone. As a therapist and coach, providing a listening ear goes a long way as many of my clients say they feel “relieved” or “much better” just being able to vent their frustrations or stress.
What role does mindfulness play in developing better stress management habits?
Mindfulness is about being present and aware in the moment. It’s tuning into what’s happening right now, without getting caught up in judging your thoughts or feelings. You can practice mindfulness through simple techniques like focusing on your breathing, meditating, or tuning into your senses as you focus on what’s around you.
For example, imagine you’re feeling stressed out at work. Instead of letting your mind spiral with worries, you take a few minutes to sit quietly and focus on your breath. You close your eyes, inhale deeply, feel the air fill your lungs, and then exhale slowly, noticing how your body feels with each breath. This little mindfulness break helps you calm down and reset, making it easier to tackle the rest of your day.
How can technology be leveraged to support the creation of stress-reducing habits?
Technology has come a long way in supporting stress reduction! I recommend downloading apps that contain guided meditations, breathing exercises, yoga and other physical activity routines, etc. You can also search for creative ideas to relax or coping skills to try. Technology gives us direct access to connect with our support individuals as well. I recommend using timers and calendars to build in direct time to take breaks and take care of yourself. You also want to be aware of how much technology is used throughout the day and for what purpose. If you like using Instagram to view exotic vacation destinations, but on the next scroll up compare your career to someone else’s success and feel badly about it, that can cause an unnecessary stress loop.
Wonderful. We are nearly done. Is there a person in the world, or in the US, with whom you would like to have a private breakfast or lunch, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. 🙂
I’d love to meet with Oprah! She has been an inspiration of mine for a long time, and I even dedicated a podcast episode to her journey. Watching her evolution has given me and thousands of other women hope and an example to follow to achieve your dreams.
How can our readers further follow your work online?
You can follow me on social media @theangelamariewilliams or read the blog at angelamarie.co and listen to the Bigger Braver Life Show Podcast where I talk about all how to elevate your potential, expand your impact, and enjoy your life!
The Bigger Braver Life Show Podcast
This was very meaningful, thank you so much. We wish you only continued success on your great work!
Thank you so much!
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