<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<rss version="2.0" xmlns:podcast="https://podcastindex.org/namespace/1.0"
    xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/"
    xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom"
    xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/" xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/"
    xmlns:itunes="http://www.itunes.com/dtds/podcast-1.0.dtd" xmlns:spotify="http://www.spotify.com/ns/rss">
    <channel>
        <title>Your Life Lived Well</title>
        <generator>Castos</generator>
        <atom:link href="https://feeds.castos.com/d41q" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
        <link>https://www.yourlifelivedwell.co</link>
        <description>&quot;Don&#039;t let your chronic illness get you down.&quot;

Hosted by Dr. Kevin J. Payne, the Your Life Lived Well Podcast brings both decades of practical experience living with a chronic illness (multiple sclerosis) and decades of professional experience as a social and behavioral scientist focused on answering the question: how can we live well with an awful health condition we can&#039;t get away from?

YLLW shows those diagnosed, loved ones, caregivers, and medical, health and wellness professionals that there is a science to crafting our better lives together.</description>
        <lastBuildDate>Thu, 20 Mar 2025 12:00:00 +0000</lastBuildDate>
        <language>en-us</language>
        <copyright>© 2025 Your Life Lived Well, LLC</copyright>
        
        <spotify:limit recentCount="25" />
        
        <spotify:countryOfOrigin>
            US  
        </spotify:countryOfOrigin>
                    <image>
                <url>https://episodes.castos.com/chroniclifepodcast/images/YLLW-podcast-title1.jpg</url>
                <title>Your Life Lived Well</title>
                <link>https://www.yourlifelivedwell.co</link>
            </image>
                <itunes:subtitle>&quot;Don&#039;t let your chronic illness get you down.&quot;

Hosted by Dr. Kevin J. Payne, the Your Life Lived Well Podcast brings both decades of practical experience living with a chronic illness (multiple sclerosis) and decades of professional experience as a social and behavioral scientist focused on answering the question: how can we live well with an awful health condition we can&#039;t get away from?

YLLW shows those diagnosed, loved ones, caregivers, and medical, health and wellness professionals that there is a science to crafting our better lives together.</itunes:subtitle>
        <itunes:author>Dr. Kevin J. Payne</itunes:author>
        <itunes:type>episodic</itunes:type>
        <itunes:summary>&quot;Don&#039;t let your chronic illness get you down.&quot;

Hosted by Dr. Kevin J. Payne, the Your Life Lived Well Podcast brings both decades of practical experience living with a chronic illness (multiple sclerosis) and decades of professional experience as a social and behavioral scientist focused on answering the question: how can we live well with an awful health condition we can&#039;t get away from?

YLLW shows those diagnosed, loved ones, caregivers, and medical, health and wellness professionals that there is a science to crafting our better lives together.</itunes:summary>
        <itunes:owner>
            <itunes:name>Dr. Kevin J. Payne</itunes:name>
            <itunes:email>drpayne@kjpayne.com</itunes:email>
        </itunes:owner>
        <itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit>
                    <itunes:image href="https://episodes.castos.com/chroniclifepodcast/images/YLLW-podcast-title1.jpg"></itunes:image>
        
                                    <itunes:category text="Health &amp; Fitness" />
                                                <itunes:category text="Education" />
                                                <itunes:category text="Science">
                                            <itunes:category text="Social Sciences" />
                                    </itunes:category>
                    
                    <itunes:new-feed-url>https://feeds.castos.com/d41q</itunes:new-feed-url>
                
        
        <podcast:locked>yes</podcast:locked>
                                    <item>
                <title>
                    <![CDATA[Rest & Relaxation]]>
                </title>
                <pubDate>Thu, 20 Mar 2025 12:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
                <dc:creator>Dr. Kevin J. Payne</dc:creator>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">
                    https://permalink.castos.com/podcast/1317/episode/1996291</guid>
                                    <link>https://chronic-life-podcast.castos.com/episodes/rest-relaxation</link>
                                <description>
                                            <![CDATA[<p>Why You’re Bad at Rest and How to Fix It</p>
<p>Most of us are terrible at rest. We say we’re “relaxing” when we’re really just distracting ourselves — scrolling, binge-watching, dysfunctionally numbing, and zoning out. But real rest? The kind that actually recharges your brain and body? That’s something completely different.</p>
<p>And here’s the kicker: you can’t force relaxation. You can’t grind your way into it like a to-do list task. It’s not about doing nothing — it’s about doing the right kind of nothing. That invites our body’s natural restorative systems to get to work.</p>
<p>In this episode, we’re breaking it all down:</p>
<ul>
<li>Why your nervous system makes rest harder than it should be</li>
<li>The difference between relaxation and distraction (and why it matters)</li>
<li> What actually activates your body’s recovery mode</li>
<li>Why stress, illness, and modern life keep you stuck in “high alert” mode </li>
<li>How to finally give your body the kind of rest it actually needs</li>
</ul>
<p>Because rest isn’t a luxury — it’s fuel. It’s valuable for its own sake, but it’s also how you restore your capacity to do everything else. It’s even more crucial for those of who live with a chronic diagnosis and have far less margin. So if you feel like you’re running on fumes, this episode is for you.</p>
<p> Listen now. Your body will thank you.</p>
<p>Links at https://links.ylls.us/</p>]]>
                                    </description>
                <itunes:subtitle>
                    <![CDATA[Why You’re Bad at Rest and How to Fix It
Most of us are terrible at rest. We say we’re “relaxing” when we’re really just distracting ourselves — scrolling, binge-watching, dysfunctionally numbing, and zoning out. But real rest? The kind that actually recharges your brain and body? That’s something completely different.
And here’s the kicker: you can’t force relaxation. You can’t grind your way into it like a to-do list task. It’s not about doing nothing — it’s about doing the right kind of nothing. That invites our body’s natural restorative systems to get to work.
In this episode, we’re breaking it all down:

Why your nervous system makes rest harder than it should be
The difference between relaxation and distraction (and why it matters)
 What actually activates your body’s recovery mode
Why stress, illness, and modern life keep you stuck in “high alert” mode 
How to finally give your body the kind of rest it actually needs

Because rest isn’t a luxury — it’s fuel. It’s valuable for its own sake, but it’s also how you restore your capacity to do everything else. It’s even more crucial for those of who live with a chronic diagnosis and have far less margin. So if you feel like you’re running on fumes, this episode is for you.
 Listen now. Your body will thank you.
Links at https://links.ylls.us/]]>
                </itunes:subtitle>
                                    <itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType>
                                <itunes:title>
                    <![CDATA[Rest & Relaxation]]>
                </itunes:title>
                                    <itunes:episode>309</itunes:episode>
                                                    <itunes:season>3</itunes:season>
                                <itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit>
                <content:encoded>
                    <![CDATA[<p>Why You’re Bad at Rest and How to Fix It</p>
<p>Most of us are terrible at rest. We say we’re “relaxing” when we’re really just distracting ourselves — scrolling, binge-watching, dysfunctionally numbing, and zoning out. But real rest? The kind that actually recharges your brain and body? That’s something completely different.</p>
<p>And here’s the kicker: you can’t force relaxation. You can’t grind your way into it like a to-do list task. It’s not about doing nothing — it’s about doing the right kind of nothing. That invites our body’s natural restorative systems to get to work.</p>
<p>In this episode, we’re breaking it all down:</p>
<ul>
<li>Why your nervous system makes rest harder than it should be</li>
<li>The difference between relaxation and distraction (and why it matters)</li>
<li> What actually activates your body’s recovery mode</li>
<li>Why stress, illness, and modern life keep you stuck in “high alert” mode </li>
<li>How to finally give your body the kind of rest it actually needs</li>
</ul>
<p>Because rest isn’t a luxury — it’s fuel. It’s valuable for its own sake, but it’s also how you restore your capacity to do everything else. It’s even more crucial for those of who live with a chronic diagnosis and have far less margin. So if you feel like you’re running on fumes, this episode is for you.</p>
<p> Listen now. Your body will thank you.</p>
<p>Links at https://links.ylls.us/</p>]]>
                </content:encoded>
                                    <enclosure url="https://episodes.castos.com/chroniclifepodcast/1996291/c1e-mxp1fqw5votop3kr-34n6p8r1a5x1-yp0nig.mp3" length="55444988"
                        type="audio/mpeg">
                    </enclosure>
                                <itunes:summary>
                    <![CDATA[Why You’re Bad at Rest and How to Fix It
Most of us are terrible at rest. We say we’re “relaxing” when we’re really just distracting ourselves — scrolling, binge-watching, dysfunctionally numbing, and zoning out. But real rest? The kind that actually recharges your brain and body? That’s something completely different.
And here’s the kicker: you can’t force relaxation. You can’t grind your way into it like a to-do list task. It’s not about doing nothing — it’s about doing the right kind of nothing. That invites our body’s natural restorative systems to get to work.
In this episode, we’re breaking it all down:

Why your nervous system makes rest harder than it should be
The difference between relaxation and distraction (and why it matters)
 What actually activates your body’s recovery mode
Why stress, illness, and modern life keep you stuck in “high alert” mode 
How to finally give your body the kind of rest it actually needs

Because rest isn’t a luxury — it’s fuel. It’s valuable for its own sake, but it’s also how you restore your capacity to do everything else. It’s even more crucial for those of who live with a chronic diagnosis and have far less margin. So if you feel like you’re running on fumes, this episode is for you.
 Listen now. Your body will thank you.
Links at https://links.ylls.us/]]>
                </itunes:summary>
                                    <itunes:image href="https://episodes.castos.com/chroniclifepodcast/images/1996291/c1a-d4r5-1p46813ga3jk-bdwdm5.jpg"></itunes:image>
                                                                            <itunes:duration>00:38:29</itunes:duration>
                                                    <itunes:author>
                    <![CDATA[Dr. Kevin J. Payne]]>
                </itunes:author>
                            </item>
                    <item>
                <title>
                    <![CDATA[Bodies Need Movement]]>
                </title>
                <pubDate>Thu, 13 Mar 2025 12:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
                <dc:creator>Dr. Kevin J. Payne</dc:creator>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">
                    https://permalink.castos.com/podcast/1317/episode/1991134</guid>
                                    <link>https://chronic-life-podcast.castos.com/episodes/bodies-need-movement</link>
                                <description>
                                            <![CDATA[<p>Let’s get one thing straight: this episode isn’t about “exercise.” It’s about movement. Because your body isn’t built for fitness trends, step counts, or guilt-driven workouts. It’s built to move well enough, often enough, and intentionally enough to keep you showing up for a life you care about.</p>
<p>But in today’s world? Movement feels optional. We sit more, we move less, and before we know it, the body that was designed for action starts breaking down from inactivity. Not because we’re lazy, but because we’ve been trained to think about movement all wrong.</p>
<p>This episode is about flipping that script.</p>
<p>• Why movement (not exercise) keeps you functional, independent, and resilient<br />• How our brains were wired to resist movement unless it has an immediate purpose<br />• Why strength, endurance, flexibility, and balance all matter — and how to train them without a daunting, overcomplicated plan<br />• The overlooked importance of plyometrics and fall training (because staying upright is a skill none of us can afford to lose)<br />• How to integrate movement into daily life without guilt, burnout, or unrealistic goals</p>
<p>This isn’t about getting “fit.” It’s about building a body that supports the life you want to live — for as long as possible.</p>
<p>So let’s talk about how to make that happen.</p>
<p> Listen now.</p>
<p>Links at https://links.ylls.us/</p>]]>
                                    </description>
                <itunes:subtitle>
                    <![CDATA[Let’s get one thing straight: this episode isn’t about “exercise.” It’s about movement. Because your body isn’t built for fitness trends, step counts, or guilt-driven workouts. It’s built to move well enough, often enough, and intentionally enough to keep you showing up for a life you care about.
But in today’s world? Movement feels optional. We sit more, we move less, and before we know it, the body that was designed for action starts breaking down from inactivity. Not because we’re lazy, but because we’ve been trained to think about movement all wrong.
This episode is about flipping that script.
• Why movement (not exercise) keeps you functional, independent, and resilient• How our brains were wired to resist movement unless it has an immediate purpose• Why strength, endurance, flexibility, and balance all matter — and how to train them without a daunting, overcomplicated plan• The overlooked importance of plyometrics and fall training (because staying upright is a skill none of us can afford to lose)• How to integrate movement into daily life without guilt, burnout, or unrealistic goals
This isn’t about getting “fit.” It’s about building a body that supports the life you want to live — for as long as possible.
So let’s talk about how to make that happen.
 Listen now.
Links at https://links.ylls.us/]]>
                </itunes:subtitle>
                                    <itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType>
                                <itunes:title>
                    <![CDATA[Bodies Need Movement]]>
                </itunes:title>
                                    <itunes:episode>308</itunes:episode>
                                                    <itunes:season>3</itunes:season>
                                <itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit>
                <content:encoded>
                    <![CDATA[<p>Let’s get one thing straight: this episode isn’t about “exercise.” It’s about movement. Because your body isn’t built for fitness trends, step counts, or guilt-driven workouts. It’s built to move well enough, often enough, and intentionally enough to keep you showing up for a life you care about.</p>
<p>But in today’s world? Movement feels optional. We sit more, we move less, and before we know it, the body that was designed for action starts breaking down from inactivity. Not because we’re lazy, but because we’ve been trained to think about movement all wrong.</p>
<p>This episode is about flipping that script.</p>
<p>• Why movement (not exercise) keeps you functional, independent, and resilient<br />• How our brains were wired to resist movement unless it has an immediate purpose<br />• Why strength, endurance, flexibility, and balance all matter — and how to train them without a daunting, overcomplicated plan<br />• The overlooked importance of plyometrics and fall training (because staying upright is a skill none of us can afford to lose)<br />• How to integrate movement into daily life without guilt, burnout, or unrealistic goals</p>
<p>This isn’t about getting “fit.” It’s about building a body that supports the life you want to live — for as long as possible.</p>
<p>So let’s talk about how to make that happen.</p>
<p> Listen now.</p>
<p>Links at https://links.ylls.us/</p>]]>
                </content:encoded>
                                    <enclosure url="https://episodes.castos.com/chroniclifepodcast/1991134/c1e-d4r5hmww5ph0oox8-rkzx95kksxpd-gg6cn4.mp3" length="61783614"
                        type="audio/mpeg">
                    </enclosure>
                                <itunes:summary>
                    <![CDATA[Let’s get one thing straight: this episode isn’t about “exercise.” It’s about movement. Because your body isn’t built for fitness trends, step counts, or guilt-driven workouts. It’s built to move well enough, often enough, and intentionally enough to keep you showing up for a life you care about.
But in today’s world? Movement feels optional. We sit more, we move less, and before we know it, the body that was designed for action starts breaking down from inactivity. Not because we’re lazy, but because we’ve been trained to think about movement all wrong.
This episode is about flipping that script.
• Why movement (not exercise) keeps you functional, independent, and resilient• How our brains were wired to resist movement unless it has an immediate purpose• Why strength, endurance, flexibility, and balance all matter — and how to train them without a daunting, overcomplicated plan• The overlooked importance of plyometrics and fall training (because staying upright is a skill none of us can afford to lose)• How to integrate movement into daily life without guilt, burnout, or unrealistic goals
This isn’t about getting “fit.” It’s about building a body that supports the life you want to live — for as long as possible.
So let’s talk about how to make that happen.
 Listen now.
Links at https://links.ylls.us/]]>
                </itunes:summary>
                                    <itunes:image href="https://episodes.castos.com/chroniclifepodcast/images/1991134/c1a-d4r5-qdwk32d0twjv-6j1maz.jpg"></itunes:image>
                                                                            <itunes:duration>00:42:53</itunes:duration>
                                                    <itunes:author>
                    <![CDATA[Dr. Kevin J. Payne]]>
                </itunes:author>
                            </item>
                    <item>
                <title>
                    <![CDATA[Attention, part 2: The Art of Showing Up]]>
                </title>
                <pubDate>Thu, 06 Mar 2025 13:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
                <dc:creator>Dr. Kevin J. Payne</dc:creator>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">
                    https://permalink.castos.com/podcast/1317/episode/1982317</guid>
                                    <link>https://chronic-life-podcast.castos.com/episodes/attention-part-2-the-art-of-showing-up</link>
                                <description>
                                            <![CDATA[<p>What happens when you sit still and do nothing?</p>
<p><br />For most of us, the second we try, our minds go into overdrive — racing from one thought to the next, bouncing between worries, distractions, and random memories. And that’s exactly why meditation feels frustrating.</p>
<p><br />But here’s the truth: Meditation isn’t about stopping your thoughts. It’s about learning to work with them.<br />In this episode, we break down what meditation actually is, how it works, and why it’s one of the most powerful tools for training your attention.</p>
<p><br />• Why meditation is mental training, not just relaxation </p>
<p>• Different styles of meditation &amp; how to find the right fit </p>
<p>• Why wandering thoughts aren’t failure (they’re the practice)</p>
<p> • How even two minutes a day can change how you focus, think, and respond </p>
<p>• Practical ways to start — and stick with it</p>
<p><br />If mindfulness is about noticing where your attention goes, meditation is how you strengthen the skill of bringing it back.</p>
<p><br />It’s not about achieving some perfect state. It’s about learning to show up for your own life…again and again.</p>
<p><br /> Listen now.</p>
<p><br />Links at https://links.ylls.us/</p>]]>
                                    </description>
                <itunes:subtitle>
                    <![CDATA[What happens when you sit still and do nothing?
For most of us, the second we try, our minds go into overdrive — racing from one thought to the next, bouncing between worries, distractions, and random memories. And that’s exactly why meditation feels frustrating.
But here’s the truth: Meditation isn’t about stopping your thoughts. It’s about learning to work with them.In this episode, we break down what meditation actually is, how it works, and why it’s one of the most powerful tools for training your attention.
• Why meditation is mental training, not just relaxation 
• Different styles of meditation & how to find the right fit 
• Why wandering thoughts aren’t failure (they’re the practice)
 • How even two minutes a day can change how you focus, think, and respond 
• Practical ways to start — and stick with it
If mindfulness is about noticing where your attention goes, meditation is how you strengthen the skill of bringing it back.
It’s not about achieving some perfect state. It’s about learning to show up for your own life…again and again.
 Listen now.
Links at https://links.ylls.us/]]>
                </itunes:subtitle>
                                    <itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType>
                                <itunes:title>
                    <![CDATA[Attention, part 2: The Art of Showing Up]]>
                </itunes:title>
                                    <itunes:episode>307</itunes:episode>
                                                    <itunes:season>3</itunes:season>
                                <itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit>
                <content:encoded>
                    <![CDATA[<p>What happens when you sit still and do nothing?</p>
<p><br />For most of us, the second we try, our minds go into overdrive — racing from one thought to the next, bouncing between worries, distractions, and random memories. And that’s exactly why meditation feels frustrating.</p>
<p><br />But here’s the truth: Meditation isn’t about stopping your thoughts. It’s about learning to work with them.<br />In this episode, we break down what meditation actually is, how it works, and why it’s one of the most powerful tools for training your attention.</p>
<p><br />• Why meditation is mental training, not just relaxation </p>
<p>• Different styles of meditation &amp; how to find the right fit </p>
<p>• Why wandering thoughts aren’t failure (they’re the practice)</p>
<p> • How even two minutes a day can change how you focus, think, and respond </p>
<p>• Practical ways to start — and stick with it</p>
<p><br />If mindfulness is about noticing where your attention goes, meditation is how you strengthen the skill of bringing it back.</p>
<p><br />It’s not about achieving some perfect state. It’s about learning to show up for your own life…again and again.</p>
<p><br /> Listen now.</p>
<p><br />Links at https://links.ylls.us/</p>]]>
                </content:encoded>
                                    <enclosure url="https://episodes.castos.com/chroniclifepodcast/1982317/c1e-mxp1fnr586aop3k1-xxw6gd56c1ov-yvp7hv.mp3" length="75479427"
                        type="audio/mpeg">
                    </enclosure>
                                <itunes:summary>
                    <![CDATA[What happens when you sit still and do nothing?
For most of us, the second we try, our minds go into overdrive — racing from one thought to the next, bouncing between worries, distractions, and random memories. And that’s exactly why meditation feels frustrating.
But here’s the truth: Meditation isn’t about stopping your thoughts. It’s about learning to work with them.In this episode, we break down what meditation actually is, how it works, and why it’s one of the most powerful tools for training your attention.
• Why meditation is mental training, not just relaxation 
• Different styles of meditation & how to find the right fit 
• Why wandering thoughts aren’t failure (they’re the practice)
 • How even two minutes a day can change how you focus, think, and respond 
• Practical ways to start — and stick with it
If mindfulness is about noticing where your attention goes, meditation is how you strengthen the skill of bringing it back.
It’s not about achieving some perfect state. It’s about learning to show up for your own life…again and again.
 Listen now.
Links at https://links.ylls.us/]]>
                </itunes:summary>
                                    <itunes:image href="https://episodes.castos.com/chroniclifepodcast/images/1982317/c1a-d4r5-v62qp75ohg6p-zvtpm1.jpg"></itunes:image>
                                                                            <itunes:duration>00:52:24</itunes:duration>
                                                    <itunes:author>
                    <![CDATA[Dr. Kevin J. Payne]]>
                </itunes:author>
                            </item>
                    <item>
                <title>
                    <![CDATA[Attention, part 1: Mindful Awareness]]>
                </title>
                <pubDate>Thu, 27 Feb 2025 13:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
                <dc:creator>Dr. Kevin J. Payne</dc:creator>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">
                    https://permalink.castos.com/podcast/1317/episode/1982314</guid>
                                    <link>https://chronic-life-podcast.castos.com/episodes/attention-part-1-mindful-awareness</link>
                                <description>
                                            <![CDATA[<p>Your attention is the lens through which you experience your entire life. But in today’s world, it’s constantly being hijacked — by stress, by technology, by the endless noise of modern life. We scroll, we multitask, we get lost in thought. And before we know it, we’re living on autopilot, disconnected from the present moment.</p>
<p><br />This episode is about taking your attention back.</p>
<p><br />We break down the science of attention and mindfulness, why our brains evolved to wander, and how mindfulness is the key to training focus, reducing stress, and showing up for your own life.</p>
<p><br />• Why your attention is your most valuable (and limited) resource</p>
<p> • The real reason your mind wanders — and why it’s not a flaw</p>
<p> • What mindfulness actually is (beyond the buzzword) </p>
<p>• How mindfulness helps you respond instead of react </p>
<p>• The first steps to reclaiming control over your focus</p>
<p>You don’t have to live at the mercy of distraction. Mindfulness isn’t about perfection. It’s about awareness. And once you start practicing, you’ll see just how much more of life you’ve been missing.</p>
<p><br /> Listen now.</p>
<p><br />Links at https://links.ylls.us/</p>]]>
                                    </description>
                <itunes:subtitle>
                    <![CDATA[Your attention is the lens through which you experience your entire life. But in today’s world, it’s constantly being hijacked — by stress, by technology, by the endless noise of modern life. We scroll, we multitask, we get lost in thought. And before we know it, we’re living on autopilot, disconnected from the present moment.
This episode is about taking your attention back.
We break down the science of attention and mindfulness, why our brains evolved to wander, and how mindfulness is the key to training focus, reducing stress, and showing up for your own life.
• Why your attention is your most valuable (and limited) resource
 • The real reason your mind wanders — and why it’s not a flaw
 • What mindfulness actually is (beyond the buzzword) 
• How mindfulness helps you respond instead of react 
• The first steps to reclaiming control over your focus
You don’t have to live at the mercy of distraction. Mindfulness isn’t about perfection. It’s about awareness. And once you start practicing, you’ll see just how much more of life you’ve been missing.
 Listen now.
Links at https://links.ylls.us/]]>
                </itunes:subtitle>
                                    <itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType>
                                <itunes:title>
                    <![CDATA[Attention, part 1: Mindful Awareness]]>
                </itunes:title>
                                    <itunes:episode>306</itunes:episode>
                                                    <itunes:season>3</itunes:season>
                                <itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit>
                <content:encoded>
                    <![CDATA[<p>Your attention is the lens through which you experience your entire life. But in today’s world, it’s constantly being hijacked — by stress, by technology, by the endless noise of modern life. We scroll, we multitask, we get lost in thought. And before we know it, we’re living on autopilot, disconnected from the present moment.</p>
<p><br />This episode is about taking your attention back.</p>
<p><br />We break down the science of attention and mindfulness, why our brains evolved to wander, and how mindfulness is the key to training focus, reducing stress, and showing up for your own life.</p>
<p><br />• Why your attention is your most valuable (and limited) resource</p>
<p> • The real reason your mind wanders — and why it’s not a flaw</p>
<p> • What mindfulness actually is (beyond the buzzword) </p>
<p>• How mindfulness helps you respond instead of react </p>
<p>• The first steps to reclaiming control over your focus</p>
<p>You don’t have to live at the mercy of distraction. Mindfulness isn’t about perfection. It’s about awareness. And once you start practicing, you’ll see just how much more of life you’ve been missing.</p>
<p><br /> Listen now.</p>
<p><br />Links at https://links.ylls.us/</p>]]>
                </content:encoded>
                                    <enclosure url="https://episodes.castos.com/chroniclifepodcast/1982314/c1e-rzqdaj89q2cn4dwv-47dwm2kkaj9q-mo3i5k.mp3" length="64733571"
                        type="audio/mpeg">
                    </enclosure>
                                <itunes:summary>
                    <![CDATA[Your attention is the lens through which you experience your entire life. But in today’s world, it’s constantly being hijacked — by stress, by technology, by the endless noise of modern life. We scroll, we multitask, we get lost in thought. And before we know it, we’re living on autopilot, disconnected from the present moment.
This episode is about taking your attention back.
We break down the science of attention and mindfulness, why our brains evolved to wander, and how mindfulness is the key to training focus, reducing stress, and showing up for your own life.
• Why your attention is your most valuable (and limited) resource
 • The real reason your mind wanders — and why it’s not a flaw
 • What mindfulness actually is (beyond the buzzword) 
• How mindfulness helps you respond instead of react 
• The first steps to reclaiming control over your focus
You don’t have to live at the mercy of distraction. Mindfulness isn’t about perfection. It’s about awareness. And once you start practicing, you’ll see just how much more of life you’ve been missing.
 Listen now.
Links at https://links.ylls.us/]]>
                </itunes:summary>
                                    <itunes:image href="https://episodes.castos.com/chroniclifepodcast/images/1982314/c1a-d4r5-5z1wdpxof3v7-pyae0a.jpg"></itunes:image>
                                                                            <itunes:duration>00:44:56</itunes:duration>
                                                    <itunes:author>
                    <![CDATA[Dr. Kevin J. Payne]]>
                </itunes:author>
                            </item>
                    <item>
                <title>
                    <![CDATA[The Truth about Fear]]>
                </title>
                <pubDate>Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
                <dc:creator>Dr. Kevin J. Payne</dc:creator>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">
                    https://permalink.castos.com/podcast/1317/episode/1978092</guid>
                                    <link>https://chronic-life-podcast.castos.com/episodes/the-truth-about-fear</link>
                                <description>
                                            <![CDATA[<p>Fear. We all know what it feels like. But do we really understand what it is?</p>
<p><br />In this episode, we break down the truth about fear: why it exists, how it really works, and why most of what we've been taught about it is wrong. Fear isn’t the enemy. It’s an ancient survival system doing its best to protect us. But it often misfires, treating everyday stress like life-or-death threats.</p>
<p><br />We’ll explore why fear hijacks our minds, how it fuels stress and avoidance, and, most importantly, how we can work with it instead of being controlled by it. Whether you're facing anxiety, chronic illness, or just the relentless uncertainty of life, learning to recognize, reframe, and redirect fear can change everything.</p>
<p>Fear doesn’t mean stop. Fear means pay attention.</p>
<p>• What fear really is (and what it isn’t) </p>
<p>• How the body misinterprets modern challenges as threats</p>
<p> • The "F-it Cascade" and why fear escalates into overwhelm </p>
<p>• Practical strategies for taking back control</p>
<p>If you’ve ever felt trapped by fear, this episode will shift your perspective — and give you the tools to move forward.</p>
<p><br /> Listen now.</p>
<p>Links at https://links.ylls.us/</p>]]>
                                    </description>
                <itunes:subtitle>
                    <![CDATA[Fear. We all know what it feels like. But do we really understand what it is?
In this episode, we break down the truth about fear: why it exists, how it really works, and why most of what we've been taught about it is wrong. Fear isn’t the enemy. It’s an ancient survival system doing its best to protect us. But it often misfires, treating everyday stress like life-or-death threats.
We’ll explore why fear hijacks our minds, how it fuels stress and avoidance, and, most importantly, how we can work with it instead of being controlled by it. Whether you're facing anxiety, chronic illness, or just the relentless uncertainty of life, learning to recognize, reframe, and redirect fear can change everything.
Fear doesn’t mean stop. Fear means pay attention.
• What fear really is (and what it isn’t) 
• How the body misinterprets modern challenges as threats
 • The "F-it Cascade" and why fear escalates into overwhelm 
• Practical strategies for taking back control
If you’ve ever felt trapped by fear, this episode will shift your perspective — and give you the tools to move forward.
 Listen now.
Links at https://links.ylls.us/]]>
                </itunes:subtitle>
                                    <itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType>
                                <itunes:title>
                    <![CDATA[The Truth about Fear]]>
                </itunes:title>
                                    <itunes:episode>305</itunes:episode>
                                                    <itunes:season>3</itunes:season>
                                <itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit>
                <content:encoded>
                    <![CDATA[<p>Fear. We all know what it feels like. But do we really understand what it is?</p>
<p><br />In this episode, we break down the truth about fear: why it exists, how it really works, and why most of what we've been taught about it is wrong. Fear isn’t the enemy. It’s an ancient survival system doing its best to protect us. But it often misfires, treating everyday stress like life-or-death threats.</p>
<p><br />We’ll explore why fear hijacks our minds, how it fuels stress and avoidance, and, most importantly, how we can work with it instead of being controlled by it. Whether you're facing anxiety, chronic illness, or just the relentless uncertainty of life, learning to recognize, reframe, and redirect fear can change everything.</p>
<p>Fear doesn’t mean stop. Fear means pay attention.</p>
<p>• What fear really is (and what it isn’t) </p>
<p>• How the body misinterprets modern challenges as threats</p>
<p> • The "F-it Cascade" and why fear escalates into overwhelm </p>
<p>• Practical strategies for taking back control</p>
<p>If you’ve ever felt trapped by fear, this episode will shift your perspective — and give you the tools to move forward.</p>
<p><br /> Listen now.</p>
<p>Links at https://links.ylls.us/</p>]]>
                </content:encoded>
                                    <enclosure url="https://episodes.castos.com/chroniclifepodcast/1978092/c1e-72oku4dq37b28zdp-1p4q9zzqcg97-ttkp9a.mp3" length="58446335"
                        type="audio/mpeg">
                    </enclosure>
                                <itunes:summary>
                    <![CDATA[Fear. We all know what it feels like. But do we really understand what it is?
In this episode, we break down the truth about fear: why it exists, how it really works, and why most of what we've been taught about it is wrong. Fear isn’t the enemy. It’s an ancient survival system doing its best to protect us. But it often misfires, treating everyday stress like life-or-death threats.
We’ll explore why fear hijacks our minds, how it fuels stress and avoidance, and, most importantly, how we can work with it instead of being controlled by it. Whether you're facing anxiety, chronic illness, or just the relentless uncertainty of life, learning to recognize, reframe, and redirect fear can change everything.
Fear doesn’t mean stop. Fear means pay attention.
• What fear really is (and what it isn’t) 
• How the body misinterprets modern challenges as threats
 • The "F-it Cascade" and why fear escalates into overwhelm 
• Practical strategies for taking back control
If you’ve ever felt trapped by fear, this episode will shift your perspective — and give you the tools to move forward.
 Listen now.
Links at https://links.ylls.us/]]>
                </itunes:summary>
                                    <itunes:image href="https://episodes.castos.com/chroniclifepodcast/images/1978092/c1a-d4r5-gpw0n03pt7p5-u1dqpl.jpg"></itunes:image>
                                                                            <itunes:duration>00:40:34</itunes:duration>
                                                    <itunes:author>
                    <![CDATA[Dr. Kevin J. Payne]]>
                </itunes:author>
                            </item>
                    <item>
                <title>
                    <![CDATA[Thriving with Stress]]>
                </title>
                <pubDate>Thu, 23 Jan 2025 18:53:10 +0000</pubDate>
                <dc:creator>Dr. Kevin J. Payne</dc:creator>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">
                    https://permalink.castos.com/podcast/1317/episode/1949017</guid>
                                    <link>https://chronic-life-podcast.castos.com/episodes/thriving-with-stress</link>
                                <description>
                                            <![CDATA[<p>There’s no doubt we have an unhealthy relation to stress. But it is an unavoidable part of living. And it is especially unavoidable if you live with a chronic health condition or work in healthcare. In this episode, we dive into what stress really is and discover some concrete tactics for how to improve that relationship and operate better in an environment full of stressors.</p>
<p>Links at https://link.yllw.us/</p>]]>
                                    </description>
                <itunes:subtitle>
                    <![CDATA[There’s no doubt we have an unhealthy relation to stress. But it is an unavoidable part of living. And it is especially unavoidable if you live with a chronic health condition or work in healthcare. In this episode, we dive into what stress really is and discover some concrete tactics for how to improve that relationship and operate better in an environment full of stressors.
Links at https://link.yllw.us/]]>
                </itunes:subtitle>
                                    <itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType>
                                <itunes:title>
                    <![CDATA[Thriving with Stress]]>
                </itunes:title>
                                    <itunes:episode>304</itunes:episode>
                                                    <itunes:season>3</itunes:season>
                                <itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit>
                <content:encoded>
                    <![CDATA[<p>There’s no doubt we have an unhealthy relation to stress. But it is an unavoidable part of living. And it is especially unavoidable if you live with a chronic health condition or work in healthcare. In this episode, we dive into what stress really is and discover some concrete tactics for how to improve that relationship and operate better in an environment full of stressors.</p>
<p>Links at https://link.yllw.us/</p>]]>
                </content:encoded>
                                    <enclosure url="https://episodes.castos.com/chroniclifepodcast/1949017/c1e-v2qzu9mw4ja3mox7-jp2nv8q5akwp-whmaxr.mp3" length="60704239"
                        type="audio/mpeg">
                    </enclosure>
                                <itunes:summary>
                    <![CDATA[There’s no doubt we have an unhealthy relation to stress. But it is an unavoidable part of living. And it is especially unavoidable if you live with a chronic health condition or work in healthcare. In this episode, we dive into what stress really is and discover some concrete tactics for how to improve that relationship and operate better in an environment full of stressors.
Links at https://link.yllw.us/]]>
                </itunes:summary>
                                    <itunes:image href="https://episodes.castos.com/chroniclifepodcast/images/1949017/c1a-d4r5-qdwv0315fzx-wr3ucg.jpg"></itunes:image>
                                                                            <itunes:duration>00:42:08</itunes:duration>
                                                    <itunes:author>
                    <![CDATA[Dr. Kevin J. Payne]]>
                </itunes:author>
                            </item>
                    <item>
                <title>
                    <![CDATA[Living with Pain]]>
                </title>
                <pubDate>Thu, 16 Jan 2025 13:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
                <dc:creator>Dr. Kevin J. Payne</dc:creator>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">
                    https://permalink.castos.com/podcast/1317/episode/1941267</guid>
                                    <link>https://chronic-life-podcast.castos.com/episodes/living-with-pain</link>
                                <description>
                                            <![CDATA[<p>Your pain is trying to send you a message, but we misinterpret what it’s trying to tell us. Our pain systems get confused and overwhelmed, especially as pain becomes chronic. Our healthcare system mishandles our treatment, and most professionals don’t actually have as much up-to-date training in pain management as they would like. In this episode, we’ll dive into the weird world of pain and discuss some research-backed strategies you can implement to improve your quality of life.</p>
<p>https://www.yourlivelivedwell.co/</p>
<p>Share this with someone who needs it. Like, Subscribe. And leave a glowing review.</p>
<p>#pain #chronicpain #health #wellness #chronic #chronicillness #education #psychology #podcast #episode #debut #new #today</p>]]>
                                    </description>
                <itunes:subtitle>
                    <![CDATA[Your pain is trying to send you a message, but we misinterpret what it’s trying to tell us. Our pain systems get confused and overwhelmed, especially as pain becomes chronic. Our healthcare system mishandles our treatment, and most professionals don’t actually have as much up-to-date training in pain management as they would like. In this episode, we’ll dive into the weird world of pain and discuss some research-backed strategies you can implement to improve your quality of life.
https://www.yourlivelivedwell.co/
Share this with someone who needs it. Like, Subscribe. And leave a glowing review.
#pain #chronicpain #health #wellness #chronic #chronicillness #education #psychology #podcast #episode #debut #new #today]]>
                </itunes:subtitle>
                                    <itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType>
                                <itunes:title>
                    <![CDATA[Living with Pain]]>
                </itunes:title>
                                    <itunes:episode>303</itunes:episode>
                                                    <itunes:season>3</itunes:season>
                                <itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit>
                <content:encoded>
                    <![CDATA[<p>Your pain is trying to send you a message, but we misinterpret what it’s trying to tell us. Our pain systems get confused and overwhelmed, especially as pain becomes chronic. Our healthcare system mishandles our treatment, and most professionals don’t actually have as much up-to-date training in pain management as they would like. In this episode, we’ll dive into the weird world of pain and discuss some research-backed strategies you can implement to improve your quality of life.</p>
<p>https://www.yourlivelivedwell.co/</p>
<p>Share this with someone who needs it. Like, Subscribe. And leave a glowing review.</p>
<p>#pain #chronicpain #health #wellness #chronic #chronicillness #education #psychology #podcast #episode #debut #new #today</p>]]>
                </content:encoded>
                                    <enclosure url="https://episodes.castos.com/chroniclifepodcast/1941267/c1e-gwmka3k0mwu06z9n-pkg4kgm1tz3m-nspjqg.mp3" length="64507776"
                        type="audio/mpeg">
                    </enclosure>
                                <itunes:summary>
                    <![CDATA[Your pain is trying to send you a message, but we misinterpret what it’s trying to tell us. Our pain systems get confused and overwhelmed, especially as pain becomes chronic. Our healthcare system mishandles our treatment, and most professionals don’t actually have as much up-to-date training in pain management as they would like. In this episode, we’ll dive into the weird world of pain and discuss some research-backed strategies you can implement to improve your quality of life.
https://www.yourlivelivedwell.co/
Share this with someone who needs it. Like, Subscribe. And leave a glowing review.
#pain #chronicpain #health #wellness #chronic #chronicillness #education #psychology #podcast #episode #debut #new #today]]>
                </itunes:summary>
                                    <itunes:image href="https://episodes.castos.com/chroniclifepodcast/images/1941267/c1a-d4r5-0v5kv51riw00-s6qe7e.jpg"></itunes:image>
                                                                            <itunes:duration>00:44:47</itunes:duration>
                                                    <itunes:author>
                    <![CDATA[Dr. Kevin J. Payne]]>
                </itunes:author>
                            </item>
                    <item>
                <title>
                    <![CDATA[Loss & Grief]]>
                </title>
                <pubDate>Thu, 09 Jan 2025 15:29:19 +0000</pubDate>
                <dc:creator>Dr. Kevin J. Payne</dc:creator>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">
                    https://permalink.castos.com/podcast/1317/episode/1937602</guid>
                                    <link>https://chronic-life-podcast.castos.com/episodes/grief-loss</link>
                                <description>
                                            <![CDATA[<p>Grief is complex, layered, nuanced, and — most of all — individual. Each time you grieve is unique because the loss is unique. Our grief doesn’t need to meet anyone’s expectations (even your own) and it doesn’t need to follow any prescribed pattern. This episode is about the many surprises and misconceptions of grief. If you’re currently processing a loss, share this with a friend.</p>
<p>https://www.yourlivelivedwell.co/</p>]]>
                                    </description>
                <itunes:subtitle>
                    <![CDATA[Grief is complex, layered, nuanced, and — most of all — individual. Each time you grieve is unique because the loss is unique. Our grief doesn’t need to meet anyone’s expectations (even your own) and it doesn’t need to follow any prescribed pattern. This episode is about the many surprises and misconceptions of grief. If you’re currently processing a loss, share this with a friend.
https://www.yourlivelivedwell.co/]]>
                </itunes:subtitle>
                                    <itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType>
                                <itunes:title>
                    <![CDATA[Loss & Grief]]>
                </itunes:title>
                                    <itunes:episode>302</itunes:episode>
                                                    <itunes:season>3</itunes:season>
                                <itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit>
                <content:encoded>
                    <![CDATA[<p>Grief is complex, layered, nuanced, and — most of all — individual. Each time you grieve is unique because the loss is unique. Our grief doesn’t need to meet anyone’s expectations (even your own) and it doesn’t need to follow any prescribed pattern. This episode is about the many surprises and misconceptions of grief. If you’re currently processing a loss, share this with a friend.</p>
<p>https://www.yourlivelivedwell.co/</p>]]>
                </content:encoded>
                                    <enclosure url="https://episodes.castos.com/chroniclifepodcast/1937602/c1e-qwq4a2gp0vtn3211-pkgj3njxfnkq-rdkwoi.mp3" length="64276569"
                        type="audio/mpeg">
                    </enclosure>
                                <itunes:summary>
                    <![CDATA[Grief is complex, layered, nuanced, and — most of all — individual. Each time you grieve is unique because the loss is unique. Our grief doesn’t need to meet anyone’s expectations (even your own) and it doesn’t need to follow any prescribed pattern. This episode is about the many surprises and misconceptions of grief. If you’re currently processing a loss, share this with a friend.
https://www.yourlivelivedwell.co/]]>
                </itunes:summary>
                                    <itunes:image href="https://episodes.castos.com/chroniclifepodcast/images/1937602/c1a-d4r5-gpwk8jk9fjzz-6be8ys.jpg"></itunes:image>
                                                                            <itunes:duration>00:44:37</itunes:duration>
                                                    <itunes:author>
                    <![CDATA[Dr. Kevin J. Payne]]>
                </itunes:author>
                            </item>
                    <item>
                <title>
                    <![CDATA[Behavior Change]]>
                </title>
                <pubDate>Thu, 02 Jan 2025 13:04:05 +0000</pubDate>
                <dc:creator>Dr. Kevin J. Payne</dc:creator>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">
                    https://permalink.castos.com/podcast/1317/episode/1932929</guid>
                                    <link>https://chronic-life-podcast.castos.com/episodes/behavior-change</link>
                                <description>
                                            <![CDATA[<p>Most of us want to change something about ourselves. And if you live with a chronic diagnosis, you may need to make some life changes to accommodate that health condition. That sort of change is hard!</p>
<p>If you need to change something about yourself and yet you keep failing, I guarantee you’ll have a better understanding of what works after listening to this episode. Share this with someone who needs it.</p>
<p>https://www.yourlivelivedwell.co/</p>]]>
                                    </description>
                <itunes:subtitle>
                    <![CDATA[Most of us want to change something about ourselves. And if you live with a chronic diagnosis, you may need to make some life changes to accommodate that health condition. That sort of change is hard!
If you need to change something about yourself and yet you keep failing, I guarantee you’ll have a better understanding of what works after listening to this episode. Share this with someone who needs it.
https://www.yourlivelivedwell.co/]]>
                </itunes:subtitle>
                                    <itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType>
                                <itunes:title>
                    <![CDATA[Behavior Change]]>
                </itunes:title>
                                    <itunes:episode>301</itunes:episode>
                                                    <itunes:season>3</itunes:season>
                                <itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit>
                <content:encoded>
                    <![CDATA[<p>Most of us want to change something about ourselves. And if you live with a chronic diagnosis, you may need to make some life changes to accommodate that health condition. That sort of change is hard!</p>
<p>If you need to change something about yourself and yet you keep failing, I guarantee you’ll have a better understanding of what works after listening to this episode. Share this with someone who needs it.</p>
<p>https://www.yourlivelivedwell.co/</p>]]>
                </content:encoded>
                                    <enclosure url="https://episodes.castos.com/chroniclifepodcast/1932929/c1e-zdq9bmkk6oingo2m-kpdmrx92trnn-em4eku.mp3" length="53516495"
                        type="audio/mpeg">
                    </enclosure>
                                <itunes:summary>
                    <![CDATA[Most of us want to change something about ourselves. And if you live with a chronic diagnosis, you may need to make some life changes to accommodate that health condition. That sort of change is hard!
If you need to change something about yourself and yet you keep failing, I guarantee you’ll have a better understanding of what works after listening to this episode. Share this with someone who needs it.
https://www.yourlivelivedwell.co/]]>
                </itunes:summary>
                                    <itunes:image href="https://episodes.castos.com/chroniclifepodcast/images/1932929/c1a-d4r5-gpk4xqzksg13-7unruo.jpg"></itunes:image>
                                                                            <itunes:duration>00:37:09</itunes:duration>
                                                    <itunes:author>
                    <![CDATA[Dr. Kevin J. Payne]]>
                </itunes:author>
                            </item>
                    <item>
                <title>
                    <![CDATA[Words have Power]]>
                </title>
                <pubDate>Thu, 02 Dec 2021 09:09:00 +0000</pubDate>
                <dc:creator>Dr. Kevin J. Payne</dc:creator>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">
                    https://chronic-life-podcast.castos.com/podcasts/1317/episodes/words-have-power</guid>
                                    <link>https://chronic-life-podcast.castos.com/episodes/words-have-power</link>
                                <description>
                                            <![CDATA[<p>This episode digs into the words surrounding health, illness, and disability. We look at how words shape our thoughts, the surprising meanings of some common medical words, and how words can both tear us down and lift us up. Your words matter and this is why.</p>]]>
                                    </description>
                <itunes:subtitle>
                    <![CDATA[This episode digs into the words surrounding health, illness, and disability. We look at how words shape our thoughts, the surprising meanings of some common medical words, and how words can both tear us down and lift us up. Your words matter and this is why.]]>
                </itunes:subtitle>
                                    <itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType>
                                <itunes:title>
                    <![CDATA[Words have Power]]>
                </itunes:title>
                                    <itunes:episode>224</itunes:episode>
                                                <itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit>
                <content:encoded>
                    <![CDATA[<p>This episode digs into the words surrounding health, illness, and disability. We look at how words shape our thoughts, the surprising meanings of some common medical words, and how words can both tear us down and lift us up. Your words matter and this is why.</p>]]>
                </content:encoded>
                                    <enclosure url="https://episodes.castos.com/chroniclifepodcast/1317/5f36efcb-43c7-485b-a43b-975fa81dd308/YLLW-Ep-224-words-have-power.mp3" length="70008697"
                        type="audio/mpeg">
                    </enclosure>
                                <itunes:summary>
                    <![CDATA[This episode digs into the words surrounding health, illness, and disability. We look at how words shape our thoughts, the surprising meanings of some common medical words, and how words can both tear us down and lift us up. Your words matter and this is why.]]>
                </itunes:summary>
                                    <itunes:image href="https://episodes.castos.com/chroniclifepodcast/images/YLLW-ep-224-words.jpg"></itunes:image>
                                                                            <itunes:duration>00:48:36</itunes:duration>
                                                    <itunes:author>
                    <![CDATA[Dr. Kevin J. Payne]]>
                </itunes:author>
                            </item>
                    <item>
                <title>
                    <![CDATA[Stigma, Acceptance & Mental Illness]]>
                </title>
                <pubDate>Wed, 21 Jul 2021 03:51:00 +0000</pubDate>
                <dc:creator>Dr. Kevin J. Payne</dc:creator>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">
                    https://chronic-life-podcast.castos.com/podcasts/1317/episodes/stigma-acceptance-mental-illness</guid>
                                    <link>https://chronic-life-podcast.castos.com/episodes/stigma-acceptance-mental-illness</link>
                                <description>
                                            <![CDATA[<p>Why do we have such a difficult time accepting the reality of mental illness? In this episode, we’ll talk about the reasons why many are uncomfortable with mental illness, and we’ll suggest some better ways to think about what mental illnesses are are. We’ll also introduce some steps we can all take to improve our support and acceptance of mental health conditions.</p>]]>
                                    </description>
                <itunes:subtitle>
                    <![CDATA[Why do we have such a difficult time accepting the reality of mental illness? In this episode, we’ll talk about the reasons why many are uncomfortable with mental illness, and we’ll suggest some better ways to think about what mental illnesses are are. We’ll also introduce some steps we can all take to improve our support and acceptance of mental health conditions.]]>
                </itunes:subtitle>
                                    <itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType>
                                <itunes:title>
                    <![CDATA[Stigma, Acceptance & Mental Illness]]>
                </itunes:title>
                                    <itunes:episode>223</itunes:episode>
                                                <itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit>
                <content:encoded>
                    <![CDATA[<p>Why do we have such a difficult time accepting the reality of mental illness? In this episode, we’ll talk about the reasons why many are uncomfortable with mental illness, and we’ll suggest some better ways to think about what mental illnesses are are. We’ll also introduce some steps we can all take to improve our support and acceptance of mental health conditions.</p>]]>
                </content:encoded>
                                    <enclosure url="https://episodes.castos.com/chroniclifepodcast/YLLW-Ep-223-mental-illness.mp3" length="66822918"
                        type="audio/mpeg">
                    </enclosure>
                                <itunes:summary>
                    <![CDATA[Why do we have such a difficult time accepting the reality of mental illness? In this episode, we’ll talk about the reasons why many are uncomfortable with mental illness, and we’ll suggest some better ways to think about what mental illnesses are are. We’ll also introduce some steps we can all take to improve our support and acceptance of mental health conditions.]]>
                </itunes:summary>
                                    <itunes:image href="https://episodes.castos.com/chroniclifepodcast/images/YLLW-ep-223-mental-illness.jpg"></itunes:image>
                                                                            <itunes:duration>00:46:23</itunes:duration>
                                                    <itunes:author>
                    <![CDATA[Dr. Kevin J. Payne]]>
                </itunes:author>
                            </item>
                    <item>
                <title>
                    <![CDATA[Relax!!!]]>
                </title>
                <pubDate>Wed, 14 Jul 2021 11:35:00 +0000</pubDate>
                <dc:creator>Dr. Kevin J. Payne</dc:creator>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">
                    https://chronic-life-podcast.castos.com/podcasts/1317/episodes/relax-2</guid>
                                    <link>https://chronic-life-podcast.castos.com/episodes/relax-2</link>
                                <description>
                                            <![CDATA[<p>Everyone thinks they should relax more, but we can’t <em><strong>make</strong></em> ourselves relax. It doesn’t work that way. Here’s why relaxation is important, what’s getting in our way, and how we can really get to it.</p>]]>
                                    </description>
                <itunes:subtitle>
                    <![CDATA[Everyone thinks they should relax more, but we can’t make ourselves relax. It doesn’t work that way. Here’s why relaxation is important, what’s getting in our way, and how we can really get to it.]]>
                </itunes:subtitle>
                                    <itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType>
                                <itunes:title>
                    <![CDATA[Relax!!!]]>
                </itunes:title>
                                    <itunes:episode>222</itunes:episode>
                                                <itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit>
                <content:encoded>
                    <![CDATA[<p>Everyone thinks they should relax more, but we can’t <em><strong>make</strong></em> ourselves relax. It doesn’t work that way. Here’s why relaxation is important, what’s getting in our way, and how we can really get to it.</p>]]>
                </content:encoded>
                                    <enclosure url="https://episodes.castos.com/chroniclifepodcast/YLLW-Ep-222-relax.mp3" length="64840064"
                        type="audio/mpeg">
                    </enclosure>
                                <itunes:summary>
                    <![CDATA[Everyone thinks they should relax more, but we can’t make ourselves relax. It doesn’t work that way. Here’s why relaxation is important, what’s getting in our way, and how we can really get to it.]]>
                </itunes:summary>
                                    <itunes:image href="https://episodes.castos.com/chroniclifepodcast/images/YLLW-ep-222.jpg"></itunes:image>
                                                                            <itunes:duration>00:45:01</itunes:duration>
                                                    <itunes:author>
                    <![CDATA[Dr. Kevin J. Payne]]>
                </itunes:author>
                            </item>
                    <item>
                <title>
                    <![CDATA["You Don't Look Sick"]]>
                </title>
                <pubDate>Wed, 07 Jul 2021 12:05:00 +0000</pubDate>
                <dc:creator>Dr. Kevin J. Payne</dc:creator>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">
                    https://chronic-life-podcast.castos.com/podcasts/1317/episodes/34you-don39t-look-sick34</guid>
                                    <link>https://chronic-life-podcast.castos.com/episodes/34you-don39t-look-sick34</link>
                                <description>
                                            <![CDATA[<p>96% of us with lasting health conditions are largely or completely “invisible.” We don’t have any external signals that remind others of the battles we are fighting inside. That’s confusing to others and they don’t understand. Here’s why we’re confusing, what’s really happening, and how we can help one another appreciate what invisible illness does to our lives. Listen to this one with someone in your life who needs to understand.</p>]]>
                                    </description>
                <itunes:subtitle>
                    <![CDATA[96% of us with lasting health conditions are largely or completely “invisible.” We don’t have any external signals that remind others of the battles we are fighting inside. That’s confusing to others and they don’t understand. Here’s why we’re confusing, what’s really happening, and how we can help one another appreciate what invisible illness does to our lives. Listen to this one with someone in your life who needs to understand.]]>
                </itunes:subtitle>
                                    <itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType>
                                <itunes:title>
                    <![CDATA["You Don't Look Sick"]]>
                </itunes:title>
                                    <itunes:episode>222</itunes:episode>
                                                <itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit>
                <content:encoded>
                    <![CDATA[<p>96% of us with lasting health conditions are largely or completely “invisible.” We don’t have any external signals that remind others of the battles we are fighting inside. That’s confusing to others and they don’t understand. Here’s why we’re confusing, what’s really happening, and how we can help one another appreciate what invisible illness does to our lives. Listen to this one with someone in your life who needs to understand.</p>]]>
                </content:encoded>
                                    <enclosure url="https://episodes.castos.com/chroniclifepodcast/YLLW-Ep-221.mp3" length="73415840"
                        type="audio/mpeg">
                    </enclosure>
                                <itunes:summary>
                    <![CDATA[96% of us with lasting health conditions are largely or completely “invisible.” We don’t have any external signals that remind others of the battles we are fighting inside. That’s confusing to others and they don’t understand. Here’s why we’re confusing, what’s really happening, and how we can help one another appreciate what invisible illness does to our lives. Listen to this one with someone in your life who needs to understand.]]>
                </itunes:summary>
                                    <itunes:image href="https://episodes.castos.com/chroniclifepodcast/images/YLLW-ep-221.jpg"></itunes:image>
                                                                            <itunes:duration>00:50:58</itunes:duration>
                                                    <itunes:author>
                    <![CDATA[Dr. Kevin J. Payne]]>
                </itunes:author>
                            </item>
                    <item>
                <title>
                    <![CDATA[Pain isn't What You Think]]>
                </title>
                <pubDate>Thu, 17 Jun 2021 13:25:00 +0000</pubDate>
                <dc:creator>Dr. Kevin J. Payne</dc:creator>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">
                    https://chronic-life-podcast.castos.com/podcasts/1317/episodes/pain-isn39t-what-you-think</guid>
                                    <link>https://chronic-life-podcast.castos.com/episodes/pain-isn39t-what-you-think</link>
                                <description>
                                            <![CDATA[<p>Pain is sending you a message, but we tend to misinterpret what it’s trying to tell us. Our pain systems also get confused and overwrought. Chronic pain also easily becomes “noise,” and not a meaningful signal. In this episode, we’ll dive into the weird world of chronic pain and discuss some research-backed strategies you can implement to improve your life.</p>]]>
                                    </description>
                <itunes:subtitle>
                    <![CDATA[Pain is sending you a message, but we tend to misinterpret what it’s trying to tell us. Our pain systems also get confused and overwrought. Chronic pain also easily becomes “noise,” and not a meaningful signal. In this episode, we’ll dive into the weird world of chronic pain and discuss some research-backed strategies you can implement to improve your life.]]>
                </itunes:subtitle>
                                    <itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType>
                                <itunes:title>
                    <![CDATA[Pain isn't What You Think]]>
                </itunes:title>
                                    <itunes:episode>220</itunes:episode>
                                                <itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit>
                <content:encoded>
                    <![CDATA[<p>Pain is sending you a message, but we tend to misinterpret what it’s trying to tell us. Our pain systems also get confused and overwrought. Chronic pain also easily becomes “noise,” and not a meaningful signal. In this episode, we’ll dive into the weird world of chronic pain and discuss some research-backed strategies you can implement to improve your life.</p>]]>
                </content:encoded>
                                    <enclosure url="https://episodes.castos.com/chroniclifepodcast/YLLW-Ep220-Pain.mp3" length="78358182"
                        type="audio/mpeg">
                    </enclosure>
                                <itunes:summary>
                    <![CDATA[Pain is sending you a message, but we tend to misinterpret what it’s trying to tell us. Our pain systems also get confused and overwrought. Chronic pain also easily becomes “noise,” and not a meaningful signal. In this episode, we’ll dive into the weird world of chronic pain and discuss some research-backed strategies you can implement to improve your life.]]>
                </itunes:summary>
                                    <itunes:image href="https://episodes.castos.com/chroniclifepodcast/images/YLLW-ep-220-pain.jpg"></itunes:image>
                                                                            <itunes:duration>00:54:24</itunes:duration>
                                                    <itunes:author>
                    <![CDATA[Dr. Kevin J. Payne]]>
                </itunes:author>
                            </item>
                    <item>
                <title>
                    <![CDATA[Stress isn't What You Think]]>
                </title>
                <pubDate>Wed, 02 Jun 2021 17:31:00 +0000</pubDate>
                <dc:creator>Dr. Kevin J. Payne</dc:creator>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">
                    https://chronic-life-podcast.castos.com/podcasts/1317/episodes/stress-isn39t-what-you-think</guid>
                                    <link>https://chronic-life-podcast.castos.com/episodes/stress-isn39t-what-you-think</link>
                                <description>
                                            <![CDATA[<p>Stress is a part of life. Sometimes, it’s even a good part of life. It’s always there, so we must learn better strategies to cope. In this episode, we’ll discover what stress really is, distinguish between its helpful and harmful forms, and learn so better ways for dealing with it.</p>]]>
                                    </description>
                <itunes:subtitle>
                    <![CDATA[Stress is a part of life. Sometimes, it’s even a good part of life. It’s always there, so we must learn better strategies to cope. In this episode, we’ll discover what stress really is, distinguish between its helpful and harmful forms, and learn so better ways for dealing with it.]]>
                </itunes:subtitle>
                                    <itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType>
                                <itunes:title>
                    <![CDATA[Stress isn't What You Think]]>
                </itunes:title>
                                    <itunes:episode>219</itunes:episode>
                                                <itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit>
                <content:encoded>
                    <![CDATA[<p>Stress is a part of life. Sometimes, it’s even a good part of life. It’s always there, so we must learn better strategies to cope. In this episode, we’ll discover what stress really is, distinguish between its helpful and harmful forms, and learn so better ways for dealing with it.</p>]]>
                </content:encoded>
                                    <enclosure url="https://episodes.castos.com/chroniclifepodcast/YLLW-Stress-It-s-Not-What-You-Think.mp3" length="74829686"
                        type="audio/mpeg">
                    </enclosure>
                                <itunes:summary>
                    <![CDATA[Stress is a part of life. Sometimes, it’s even a good part of life. It’s always there, so we must learn better strategies to cope. In this episode, we’ll discover what stress really is, distinguish between its helpful and harmful forms, and learn so better ways for dealing with it.]]>
                </itunes:summary>
                                    <itunes:image href="https://episodes.castos.com/chroniclifepodcast/images/YLLW-ep-219.jpg"></itunes:image>
                                                                            <itunes:duration>00:51:57</itunes:duration>
                                                    <itunes:author>
                    <![CDATA[Dr. Kevin J. Payne]]>
                </itunes:author>
                            </item>
                    <item>
                <title>
                    <![CDATA[Fear isn't What You Think]]>
                </title>
                <pubDate>Thu, 27 May 2021 01:10:00 +0000</pubDate>
                <dc:creator>Dr. Kevin J. Payne</dc:creator>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">
                    https://chronic-life-podcast.castos.com/podcasts/1317/episodes/fear-isn39t-what-you-think</guid>
                                    <link>https://chronic-life-podcast.castos.com/episodes/fear-isn39t-what-you-think</link>
                                <description>
                                            <![CDATA[<p>Fear is part of being human. We’ve all experienced it — whether we admit it or not. But for such a common experience, we misunderstand it far more than we realize. This episode is a deep dive into what fear really is and what it’s doing for us. It’s also about how to make fear your friend.</p>]]>
                                    </description>
                <itunes:subtitle>
                    <![CDATA[Fear is part of being human. We’ve all experienced it — whether we admit it or not. But for such a common experience, we misunderstand it far more than we realize. This episode is a deep dive into what fear really is and what it’s doing for us. It’s also about how to make fear your friend.]]>
                </itunes:subtitle>
                                    <itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType>
                                <itunes:title>
                    <![CDATA[Fear isn't What You Think]]>
                </itunes:title>
                                    <itunes:episode>218</itunes:episode>
                                                <itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit>
                <content:encoded>
                    <![CDATA[<p>Fear is part of being human. We’ve all experienced it — whether we admit it or not. But for such a common experience, we misunderstand it far more than we realize. This episode is a deep dive into what fear really is and what it’s doing for us. It’s also about how to make fear your friend.</p>]]>
                </content:encoded>
                                    <enclosure url="https://episodes.castos.com/chroniclifepodcast/YLLW-Fear-isnt-What-You-Think.mp3" length="72195587"
                        type="audio/mpeg">
                    </enclosure>
                                <itunes:summary>
                    <![CDATA[Fear is part of being human. We’ve all experienced it — whether we admit it or not. But for such a common experience, we misunderstand it far more than we realize. This episode is a deep dive into what fear really is and what it’s doing for us. It’s also about how to make fear your friend.]]>
                </itunes:summary>
                                    <itunes:image href="https://episodes.castos.com/chroniclifepodcast/images/YLLW2-ep-218.jpg"></itunes:image>
                                                                            <itunes:duration>00:50:07</itunes:duration>
                                                    <itunes:author>
                    <![CDATA[Dr. Kevin J. Payne]]>
                </itunes:author>
                            </item>
                    <item>
                <title>
                    <![CDATA[Burnout & Compassion Fatigue]]>
                </title>
                <pubDate>Wed, 19 May 2021 18:25:00 +0000</pubDate>
                <dc:creator>Dr. Kevin J. Payne</dc:creator>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">
                    https://chronic-life-podcast.castos.com/podcasts/1317/episodes/burnout-compassion-fatigue</guid>
                                    <link>https://chronic-life-podcast.castos.com/episodes/burnout-compassion-fatigue</link>
                                <description>
                                            <![CDATA[<p>“Burnout” is rampant in the healthcare and caregiving professions. “Compassion fatigue” strikes even the most devoted loved ones and caregivers. These can leave us feeling angry, guilty, confused…or just empty. But they are natural, understandable reactions to the lasting and repeated trauma of supporting others through the worst moments of their lives. Here’s how to recognize their effects early and some things to do when they strike.</p>]]>
                                    </description>
                <itunes:subtitle>
                    <![CDATA[“Burnout” is rampant in the healthcare and caregiving professions. “Compassion fatigue” strikes even the most devoted loved ones and caregivers. These can leave us feeling angry, guilty, confused…or just empty. But they are natural, understandable reactions to the lasting and repeated trauma of supporting others through the worst moments of their lives. Here’s how to recognize their effects early and some things to do when they strike.]]>
                </itunes:subtitle>
                                    <itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType>
                                <itunes:title>
                    <![CDATA[Burnout & Compassion Fatigue]]>
                </itunes:title>
                                    <itunes:episode>217</itunes:episode>
                                                <itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit>
                <content:encoded>
                    <![CDATA[<p>“Burnout” is rampant in the healthcare and caregiving professions. “Compassion fatigue” strikes even the most devoted loved ones and caregivers. These can leave us feeling angry, guilty, confused…or just empty. But they are natural, understandable reactions to the lasting and repeated trauma of supporting others through the worst moments of their lives. Here’s how to recognize their effects early and some things to do when they strike.</p>]]>
                </content:encoded>
                                    <enclosure url="https://episodes.castos.com/chroniclifepodcast/Burnout.mp3" length="66576075"
                        type="audio/mpeg">
                    </enclosure>
                                <itunes:summary>
                    <![CDATA[“Burnout” is rampant in the healthcare and caregiving professions. “Compassion fatigue” strikes even the most devoted loved ones and caregivers. These can leave us feeling angry, guilty, confused…or just empty. But they are natural, understandable reactions to the lasting and repeated trauma of supporting others through the worst moments of their lives. Here’s how to recognize their effects early and some things to do when they strike.]]>
                </itunes:summary>
                                    <itunes:image href="https://episodes.castos.com/chroniclifepodcast/images/YLLW2-ep-217.jpg"></itunes:image>
                                                                            <itunes:duration>00:46:13</itunes:duration>
                                                    <itunes:author>
                    <![CDATA[Dr. Kevin J. Payne]]>
                </itunes:author>
                            </item>
                    <item>
                <title>
                    <![CDATA[Finding Hope when Hopeless]]>
                </title>
                <pubDate>Wed, 12 May 2021 16:08:00 +0000</pubDate>
                <dc:creator>Dr. Kevin J. Payne</dc:creator>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">
                    https://chronic-life-podcast.castos.com/podcasts/1317/episodes/finding-hope-when-hopeless</guid>
                                    <link>https://chronic-life-podcast.castos.com/episodes/finding-hope-when-hopeless</link>
                                <description>
                                            <![CDATA[<p>Staying hopeful is a real challenge with chronic illness — for those diagnosed and for their closest loved ones. In this episode, I invite you into a raw conversation about becoming hopeless and finding hope again in your own life. Hope is a precious resource for life with a chronic illness. It can become stretched too thin by our challenges, but we can renew and restore it with patience and support. Hope is a skill that can be learned and must be practiced.</p>]]>
                                    </description>
                <itunes:subtitle>
                    <![CDATA[Staying hopeful is a real challenge with chronic illness — for those diagnosed and for their closest loved ones. In this episode, I invite you into a raw conversation about becoming hopeless and finding hope again in your own life. Hope is a precious resource for life with a chronic illness. It can become stretched too thin by our challenges, but we can renew and restore it with patience and support. Hope is a skill that can be learned and must be practiced.]]>
                </itunes:subtitle>
                                    <itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType>
                                <itunes:title>
                    <![CDATA[Finding Hope when Hopeless]]>
                </itunes:title>
                                    <itunes:episode>216</itunes:episode>
                                                <itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit>
                <content:encoded>
                    <![CDATA[<p>Staying hopeful is a real challenge with chronic illness — for those diagnosed and for their closest loved ones. In this episode, I invite you into a raw conversation about becoming hopeless and finding hope again in your own life. Hope is a precious resource for life with a chronic illness. It can become stretched too thin by our challenges, but we can renew and restore it with patience and support. Hope is a skill that can be learned and must be practiced.</p>]]>
                </content:encoded>
                                    <enclosure url="https://episodes.castos.com/chroniclifepodcast/YLLW-Hope.mp3" length="72573391"
                        type="audio/mpeg">
                    </enclosure>
                                <itunes:summary>
                    <![CDATA[Staying hopeful is a real challenge with chronic illness — for those diagnosed and for their closest loved ones. In this episode, I invite you into a raw conversation about becoming hopeless and finding hope again in your own life. Hope is a precious resource for life with a chronic illness. It can become stretched too thin by our challenges, but we can renew and restore it with patience and support. Hope is a skill that can be learned and must be practiced.]]>
                </itunes:summary>
                                    <itunes:image href="https://episodes.castos.com/chroniclifepodcast/images/YLLW2-ep-216.jpg"></itunes:image>
                                                                            <itunes:duration>00:50:23</itunes:duration>
                                                    <itunes:author>
                    <![CDATA[Dr. Kevin J. Payne]]>
                </itunes:author>
                            </item>
                    <item>
                <title>
                    <![CDATA[Be Kinder to Yourself]]>
                </title>
                <pubDate>Wed, 05 May 2021 18:15:00 +0000</pubDate>
                <dc:creator>Dr. Kevin J. Payne</dc:creator>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">
                    https://chronic-life-podcast.castos.com/podcasts/1317/episodes/be-kinder-to-yourself</guid>
                                    <link>https://chronic-life-podcast.castos.com/episodes/be-kinder-to-yourself</link>
                                <description>
                                            <![CDATA[<p>Most of us aren’t very kind to ourselves, but we need to be. This episode dives into what it really means to be kind to yourself, as opposed to just occasionally “nice.” Along the way, we understand what self-esteem and self-compassion are doing in your life, how they can become challenged by the ongoing distress of life with chronic illness, and what we can do to improve self-esteem and (more important) bolster self-compassion.</p>]]>
                                    </description>
                <itunes:subtitle>
                    <![CDATA[Most of us aren’t very kind to ourselves, but we need to be. This episode dives into what it really means to be kind to yourself, as opposed to just occasionally “nice.” Along the way, we understand what self-esteem and self-compassion are doing in your life, how they can become challenged by the ongoing distress of life with chronic illness, and what we can do to improve self-esteem and (more important) bolster self-compassion.]]>
                </itunes:subtitle>
                                    <itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType>
                                <itunes:title>
                    <![CDATA[Be Kinder to Yourself]]>
                </itunes:title>
                                    <itunes:episode>215</itunes:episode>
                                                <itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit>
                <content:encoded>
                    <![CDATA[<p>Most of us aren’t very kind to ourselves, but we need to be. This episode dives into what it really means to be kind to yourself, as opposed to just occasionally “nice.” Along the way, we understand what self-esteem and self-compassion are doing in your life, how they can become challenged by the ongoing distress of life with chronic illness, and what we can do to improve self-esteem and (more important) bolster self-compassion.</p>]]>
                </content:encoded>
                                    <enclosure url="https://episodes.castos.com/chroniclifepodcast/YLLW-ep0215-be-kinder.mp3" length="79450088"
                        type="audio/mpeg">
                    </enclosure>
                                <itunes:summary>
                    <![CDATA[Most of us aren’t very kind to ourselves, but we need to be. This episode dives into what it really means to be kind to yourself, as opposed to just occasionally “nice.” Along the way, we understand what self-esteem and self-compassion are doing in your life, how they can become challenged by the ongoing distress of life with chronic illness, and what we can do to improve self-esteem and (more important) bolster self-compassion.]]>
                </itunes:summary>
                                    <itunes:image href="https://episodes.castos.com/chroniclifepodcast/images/YLLW2-ep-215.jpg"></itunes:image>
                                                                            <itunes:duration>00:55:10</itunes:duration>
                                                    <itunes:author>
                    <![CDATA[Dr. Kevin J. Payne]]>
                </itunes:author>
                            </item>
                    <item>
                <title>
                    <![CDATA[A Good Night's Sleep]]>
                </title>
                <pubDate>Thu, 29 Apr 2021 16:12:00 +0000</pubDate>
                <dc:creator>Dr. Kevin J. Payne</dc:creator>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">
                    https://chronic-life-podcast.castos.com/podcasts/1317/episodes/a-good-night39s-sleep</guid>
                                    <link>https://chronic-life-podcast.castos.com/episodes/a-good-night39s-sleep</link>
                                <description>
                                            <![CDATA[<p>We all need better sleep. Better sleep is a necessary key to a better life. But good sleep seems to be in short supply. In this episode we talk about why so many of us sleep so poorly, and we suggest the most important things research says we can do to insure the good night’s sleep we all crave.</p>]]>
                                    </description>
                <itunes:subtitle>
                    <![CDATA[We all need better sleep. Better sleep is a necessary key to a better life. But good sleep seems to be in short supply. In this episode we talk about why so many of us sleep so poorly, and we suggest the most important things research says we can do to insure the good night’s sleep we all crave.]]>
                </itunes:subtitle>
                                    <itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType>
                                <itunes:title>
                    <![CDATA[A Good Night's Sleep]]>
                </itunes:title>
                                    <itunes:episode>214</itunes:episode>
                                                <itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit>
                <content:encoded>
                    <![CDATA[<p>We all need better sleep. Better sleep is a necessary key to a better life. But good sleep seems to be in short supply. In this episode we talk about why so many of us sleep so poorly, and we suggest the most important things research says we can do to insure the good night’s sleep we all crave.</p>]]>
                </content:encoded>
                                    <enclosure url="https://episodes.castos.com/chroniclifepodcast/YLLW-A-Good-Nights-Sleep.mp3" length="84876771"
                        type="audio/mpeg">
                    </enclosure>
                                <itunes:summary>
                    <![CDATA[We all need better sleep. Better sleep is a necessary key to a better life. But good sleep seems to be in short supply. In this episode we talk about why so many of us sleep so poorly, and we suggest the most important things research says we can do to insure the good night’s sleep we all crave.]]>
                </itunes:summary>
                                    <itunes:image href="https://episodes.castos.com/chroniclifepodcast/images/YLLW2-ep-214.jpg"></itunes:image>
                                                                            <itunes:duration>00:58:56</itunes:duration>
                                                    <itunes:author>
                    <![CDATA[Dr. Kevin J. Payne]]>
                </itunes:author>
                            </item>
                    <item>
                <title>
                    <![CDATA[Move It!]]>
                </title>
                <pubDate>Wed, 21 Apr 2021 15:42:00 +0000</pubDate>
                <dc:creator>Dr. Kevin J. Payne</dc:creator>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">
                    https://chronic-life-podcast.castos.com/podcasts/1317/episodes/move-it</guid>
                                    <link>https://chronic-life-podcast.castos.com/episodes/move-it</link>
                                <description>
                                            <![CDATA[<p>We know we’re supposed to exercise. So why is it so hard? What should we do? Why should I care, especially when I already have a chronic health condition? How can we get started and keep going? We’ll answer these questions and more as we talk about how to get moving.</p>]]>
                                    </description>
                <itunes:subtitle>
                    <![CDATA[We know we’re supposed to exercise. So why is it so hard? What should we do? Why should I care, especially when I already have a chronic health condition? How can we get started and keep going? We’ll answer these questions and more as we talk about how to get moving.]]>
                </itunes:subtitle>
                                    <itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType>
                                <itunes:title>
                    <![CDATA[Move It!]]>
                </itunes:title>
                                    <itunes:episode>213</itunes:episode>
                                                <itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit>
                <content:encoded>
                    <![CDATA[<p>We know we’re supposed to exercise. So why is it so hard? What should we do? Why should I care, especially when I already have a chronic health condition? How can we get started and keep going? We’ll answer these questions and more as we talk about how to get moving.</p>]]>
                </content:encoded>
                                    <enclosure url="https://episodes.castos.com/chroniclifepodcast/Move-it-Mixdown-1.mp3" length="76267851"
                        type="audio/mpeg">
                    </enclosure>
                                <itunes:summary>
                    <![CDATA[We know we’re supposed to exercise. So why is it so hard? What should we do? Why should I care, especially when I already have a chronic health condition? How can we get started and keep going? We’ll answer these questions and more as we talk about how to get moving.]]>
                </itunes:summary>
                                    <itunes:image href="https://episodes.castos.com/chroniclifepodcast/images/YLLW2-ep-213.jpg"></itunes:image>
                                                                            <itunes:duration>00:52:57</itunes:duration>
                                                    <itunes:author>
                    <![CDATA[Dr. Kevin J. Payne]]>
                </itunes:author>
                            </item>
                    <item>
                <title>
                    <![CDATA[Meditation…YES!]]>
                </title>
                <pubDate>Wed, 14 Apr 2021 20:47:00 +0000</pubDate>
                <dc:creator>Dr. Kevin J. Payne</dc:creator>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">
                    https://chronic-life-podcast.castos.com/podcasts/1317/episodes/meditationyes</guid>
                                    <link>https://chronic-life-podcast.castos.com/episodes/meditationyes</link>
                                <description>
                                            <![CDATA[<p>In this second episode on meditation, we discuss research supporting its benefits (and its limitations). Dr. Payne also introduces you to several kinds of meditation that can be useful for improving quality of life with chronic illness. And we discuss tools and communities that can help you with your journey.</p>]]>
                                    </description>
                <itunes:subtitle>
                    <![CDATA[In this second episode on meditation, we discuss research supporting its benefits (and its limitations). Dr. Payne also introduces you to several kinds of meditation that can be useful for improving quality of life with chronic illness. And we discuss tools and communities that can help you with your journey.]]>
                </itunes:subtitle>
                                    <itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType>
                                <itunes:title>
                    <![CDATA[Meditation…YES!]]>
                </itunes:title>
                                    <itunes:episode>212</itunes:episode>
                                                <itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit>
                <content:encoded>
                    <![CDATA[<p>In this second episode on meditation, we discuss research supporting its benefits (and its limitations). Dr. Payne also introduces you to several kinds of meditation that can be useful for improving quality of life with chronic illness. And we discuss tools and communities that can help you with your journey.</p>]]>
                </content:encoded>
                                    <enclosure url="https://episodes.castos.com/chroniclifepodcast/Meditation-Yes-.mp3" length="77820763"
                        type="audio/mpeg">
                    </enclosure>
                                <itunes:summary>
                    <![CDATA[In this second episode on meditation, we discuss research supporting its benefits (and its limitations). Dr. Payne also introduces you to several kinds of meditation that can be useful for improving quality of life with chronic illness. And we discuss tools and communities that can help you with your journey.]]>
                </itunes:summary>
                                    <itunes:image href="https://episodes.castos.com/chroniclifepodcast/images/YLLW2-ep-212.jpg"></itunes:image>
                                                                            <itunes:duration>00:54:02</itunes:duration>
                                                    <itunes:author>
                    <![CDATA[Dr. Kevin J. Payne]]>
                </itunes:author>
                            </item>
                    <item>
                <title>
                    <![CDATA[Look on the Bright Side!]]>
                </title>
                <pubDate>Wed, 07 Apr 2021 20:16:00 +0000</pubDate>
                <dc:creator>Dr. Kevin J. Payne</dc:creator>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">
                    https://chronic-life-podcast.castos.com/podcasts/1317/episodes/look-on-the-bright-side</guid>
                                    <link>https://chronic-life-podcast.castos.com/episodes/look-on-the-bright-side</link>
                                <description>
                                            <![CDATA[<p>There’s a lot about life with a chronic health condition that rightly gets us down. When we’re feeling bad, those around us often resort to advising that we need to “look on the bright side” — as if that were the actual problem. However, our mindset does have a huge impact on our quality of life. It’s not simply a matter of “choice,” but there are tactics that really can help us brighten our outlooks and improve our experiences, even under the most difficult circumstances.</p>]]>
                                    </description>
                <itunes:subtitle>
                    <![CDATA[There’s a lot about life with a chronic health condition that rightly gets us down. When we’re feeling bad, those around us often resort to advising that we need to “look on the bright side” — as if that were the actual problem. However, our mindset does have a huge impact on our quality of life. It’s not simply a matter of “choice,” but there are tactics that really can help us brighten our outlooks and improve our experiences, even under the most difficult circumstances.]]>
                </itunes:subtitle>
                                    <itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType>
                                <itunes:title>
                    <![CDATA[Look on the Bright Side!]]>
                </itunes:title>
                                    <itunes:episode>211</itunes:episode>
                                                <itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit>
                <content:encoded>
                    <![CDATA[<p>There’s a lot about life with a chronic health condition that rightly gets us down. When we’re feeling bad, those around us often resort to advising that we need to “look on the bright side” — as if that were the actual problem. However, our mindset does have a huge impact on our quality of life. It’s not simply a matter of “choice,” but there are tactics that really can help us brighten our outlooks and improve our experiences, even under the most difficult circumstances.</p>]]>
                </content:encoded>
                                    <enclosure url="https://episodes.castos.com/chroniclifepodcast/Look-on-the-Brightside.mp3" length="75128523"
                        type="audio/mpeg">
                    </enclosure>
                                <itunes:summary>
                    <![CDATA[There’s a lot about life with a chronic health condition that rightly gets us down. When we’re feeling bad, those around us often resort to advising that we need to “look on the bright side” — as if that were the actual problem. However, our mindset does have a huge impact on our quality of life. It’s not simply a matter of “choice,” but there are tactics that really can help us brighten our outlooks and improve our experiences, even under the most difficult circumstances.]]>
                </itunes:summary>
                                    <itunes:image href="https://episodes.castos.com/chroniclifepodcast/images/YLLW2-ep-211.jpg"></itunes:image>
                                                                            <itunes:duration>00:52:10</itunes:duration>
                                                    <itunes:author>
                    <![CDATA[Dr. Kevin J. Payne]]>
                </itunes:author>
                            </item>
                    <item>
                <title>
                    <![CDATA[Good Grief!]]>
                </title>
                <pubDate>Wed, 31 Mar 2021 18:48:00 +0000</pubDate>
                <dc:creator>Dr. Kevin J. Payne</dc:creator>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">
                    https://chronic-life-podcast.castos.com/podcasts/1317/episodes/good-grief</guid>
                                    <link>https://chronic-life-podcast.castos.com/episodes/good-grief</link>
                                <description>
                                            <![CDATA[<p>Grief is not what we expect. It’s messy. It doesn’t follow a neat path. And it’s not always neatly resolved. Yet loss is a necessary part of living — and it’s something that a life touched by chronic illness must navigate. Here’s a better way to think about grief and some strategies for accommodating the real demands of loss.</p>]]>
                                    </description>
                <itunes:subtitle>
                    <![CDATA[Grief is not what we expect. It’s messy. It doesn’t follow a neat path. And it’s not always neatly resolved. Yet loss is a necessary part of living — and it’s something that a life touched by chronic illness must navigate. Here’s a better way to think about grief and some strategies for accommodating the real demands of loss.]]>
                </itunes:subtitle>
                                    <itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType>
                                <itunes:title>
                    <![CDATA[Good Grief!]]>
                </itunes:title>
                                    <itunes:episode>210</itunes:episode>
                                                <itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit>
                <content:encoded>
                    <![CDATA[<p>Grief is not what we expect. It’s messy. It doesn’t follow a neat path. And it’s not always neatly resolved. Yet loss is a necessary part of living — and it’s something that a life touched by chronic illness must navigate. Here’s a better way to think about grief and some strategies for accommodating the real demands of loss.</p>]]>
                </content:encoded>
                                    <enclosure url="https://episodes.castos.com/chroniclifepodcast/YLLW-Grief.mp3" length="69077033"
                        type="audio/mpeg">
                    </enclosure>
                                <itunes:summary>
                    <![CDATA[Grief is not what we expect. It’s messy. It doesn’t follow a neat path. And it’s not always neatly resolved. Yet loss is a necessary part of living — and it’s something that a life touched by chronic illness must navigate. Here’s a better way to think about grief and some strategies for accommodating the real demands of loss.]]>
                </itunes:summary>
                                    <itunes:image href="https://episodes.castos.com/chroniclifepodcast/images/YLLW2-ep-210.jpg"></itunes:image>
                                                                            <itunes:duration>00:47:57</itunes:duration>
                                                    <itunes:author>
                    <![CDATA[Dr. Kevin J. Payne]]>
                </itunes:author>
                            </item>
                    <item>
                <title>
                    <![CDATA[Meditation…Really?]]>
                </title>
                <pubDate>Wed, 24 Mar 2021 17:33:00 +0000</pubDate>
                <dc:creator>Dr. Kevin J. Payne</dc:creator>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">
                    https://chronic-life-podcast.castos.com/podcasts/1317/episodes/meditationreally</guid>
                                    <link>https://chronic-life-podcast.castos.com/episodes/meditationreally</link>
                                <description>
                                            <![CDATA[<p>Meditation isn’t what you probably think it is. We dive in to meditation as exercise for the parts of our mind we want to be strong, a way to become more aware and forgiving of ourselves, and an indispensable tools for improving your quality of life when faced by the distress of life with a chronic health condition.</p>]]>
                                    </description>
                <itunes:subtitle>
                    <![CDATA[Meditation isn’t what you probably think it is. We dive in to meditation as exercise for the parts of our mind we want to be strong, a way to become more aware and forgiving of ourselves, and an indispensable tools for improving your quality of life when faced by the distress of life with a chronic health condition.]]>
                </itunes:subtitle>
                                    <itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType>
                                <itunes:title>
                    <![CDATA[Meditation…Really?]]>
                </itunes:title>
                                    <itunes:episode>209</itunes:episode>
                                                <itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit>
                <content:encoded>
                    <![CDATA[<p>Meditation isn’t what you probably think it is. We dive in to meditation as exercise for the parts of our mind we want to be strong, a way to become more aware and forgiving of ourselves, and an indispensable tools for improving your quality of life when faced by the distress of life with a chronic health condition.</p>]]>
                </content:encoded>
                                    <enclosure url="https://episodes.castos.com/chroniclifepodcast/YLLW-Meditation-2.mp3" length="76907684"
                        type="audio/mpeg">
                    </enclosure>
                                <itunes:summary>
                    <![CDATA[Meditation isn’t what you probably think it is. We dive in to meditation as exercise for the parts of our mind we want to be strong, a way to become more aware and forgiving of ourselves, and an indispensable tools for improving your quality of life when faced by the distress of life with a chronic health condition.]]>
                </itunes:summary>
                                    <itunes:image href="https://episodes.castos.com/chroniclifepodcast/images/YLLW2-ep-209.jpg"></itunes:image>
                                                                            <itunes:duration>00:53:24</itunes:duration>
                                                    <itunes:author>
                    <![CDATA[Dr. Kevin J. Payne]]>
                </itunes:author>
                            </item>
            </channel>
</rss>
