Episode 98: Unbroken from Trauma with Michael Anthony

Dec 8

Michael Anthony is an author, life coach, and survivor of childhood trauma. After reclaiming his own life through a massive journey of personal growth, he now helps others do the same. His conversation with Karolina speaks to the roots and phenomenon of trauma, a peek into his healing journey, and how to face your fears every single day. Be inspired to go after what you really want and to live a life free from regret, with today’s episode of Euphoric the Podcast. Enjoy!

Karolina’s new book Euphoric: Ditch Alcohol and Gain a Happier, More Confident You, made bestseller status on Amazon! Sign up today to be part of her Euphoric Book Launch Inner Circle. When you preorder the book and sign up for the team, you'll get an advanced reader copy to read as early as today. You'll also get some cool bonuses and a chance for an author Q&A! Expand your network and meet other incredible alcohol-free badasses. You also get a behind the scenes look at what goes into a book launch. All that’s asked in return is a review of the book and sharing it with your friends.

From trauma to transformation

“What are you willing to do to have the life you want to have?”

This life-changing question changed the trajectory of Michael Anthony’s life.

Growing up in a dysfunctional and abusive family environment, Michael spent his childhood in poverty and in and out of homelessness.

Struggling to cope and survive, Michael became involved with drugs, alcohol, and stealing at a young age. His inner spirit was determined to break the generational cycle of addiction and crime though, and he set a goal for himself to attain a six-figure income by the age of 21.

What he quickly realized, however, is that money does not heal trauma. Despite achieving his financial goals, Michael weighed over 350 pounds and was smoking 2 packs of cigarettes a day, drinking, and smoking weed. He was at rock bottom and something needed to change.

Throughout our lives we are told to conform, stay in line, ask permission to use the restroom, and to not speak out of turn. There are so many parameters put on what is acceptable and who we are expected to be, which can lead to a fear of embodying the truest, most authentic expression of yourself.

Maybe you’ve asked yourself, “Is it worth the potential pain to live my authentic life?”

Without movement, there is no growth. Self-discovery only happens when we make a choice. So what are you willing to do to have the life you want?

Releasing trauma in your mind and body

To fully recover from trauma, it is so important to take a holistic approach.

Our basic human drive is to survive, and our bodies are designed to keep us alive. When potential harm is perceived, our Sympathetic Nervous System activates, which increases our awareness and energy, allowing us to enter fight, flight, freeze, or fawn mode.

Once the threat has passed, we enter a recovery phase and our hormones return to normal. For humans living in constant trauma, their cortisol levels remain at a heightened level.

Trauma is not only stored in our memory, it is also stored in our nervous system. Studies show us that the more traumatic experiences you face as a child, the more likely you are to have serious health issues. These traumatic experiences are known as Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE’s).

People with ACE’s are also more likely to engage in harmful activities that cause a dissociation of the mind from the body, like smoking, drinking, drugs, suicide, self-harm, and more.

Therapy and personal growth work is vital to overcoming trauma, but healing your body is also key.

No regrets, facing your fears to live the life you want

To live the life you want, you need to set yourself up for success!

If I can tell you anything friend, it’s this: stepping into discomfort is like a magical doorway into a brand new life. No one wants to be on their deathbed with regret for the life they never fully lived. When fear of leaning into the uncomfortable takes over and you stop taking steps toward the life that you want, you’re giving up control of your life.

The power of leaning into the discomfort is getting clarity on what your fear is. As you start to understand what you’re avoiding or trying to numb out, you can then begin to create change.

One powerful way Michael keeps himself moving toward the life he wants is with a simple morning mantra: “Face Fear.” Life will always bring stress and difficulty, but leaning into what is scary will directly translate to living the life you say you want.

Setting yourself up for success means changing old habits and implementing supportive ones. Imagine what your day would look like if you began your morning with meditation and journaling, reading a book on personal growth, or going for a walk.

Having the life you desire is not an easy endeavor. People in your life will notice that you’re changing and some may be confused or judgemental. If you push into the unfamiliar and face your fears, you will become the person you want to be, living the life you want to live, surrounded by people who celebrate you and your journey.

“If you do one thing every single day differently than you do it now, in a year, you will have done 365 different things to move you towards the life you want to have. So if you can create a north star, if you can create a point of measurement for where you want to go as you climb that ladder… Well, you can get there… as long as you continue to build the momentum of facing the truth of what's in front of you every day.” Michael Anthony