How to Handle Anything

Hosted by Mary Lemmer
  • 5.0 (4)
  • SELF-IMPROVEMENT
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

How to Handle Anything explores how to navigate uncertainty, change, and unexpected challenges with more ease, flexibility, and humor - through stories, conversations, and improv-inspired insights. lifeimprovised.substack.com

  1. How YOU Can Handle Stress

    5D AGO ·  BONUS

    How YOU Can Handle Stress

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit lifeimprovised.substack.com Bonus Elixir (Subscribers Only): How YOU Can Handle Stress In this Bonus Elixir, I share a simple but powerful improv-inspired technique inspired by the How to Handle Stress conversation. The Elixir: Where are You Clenching? We can carry stress, whether we realize it or not. In this Bonus Elixir I guide you through a technique to practice letting go of stress, and remind you of the power of your mind in handling stress.

    1 min
  2. How to Handle Stress

    MAY 4

    How to Handle Stress

    In this episode of How to Handle Anything, we talk stress. During this episode Marie shares how she’s learned to handle stress differently—both in her work and her life—because of her improvisational practice. From being highly organized and carrying stress in her body, to learning how to let go, adapt, and play the scene she’s in, she offers a refreshing and often humorous perspective on how to navigate everyday stress with more ease. We discuss… How stress shows up in the body (including the now-iconic “clenched butt”) and how to recognize it How improv builds skills like active listening, flexibility, and presence that translate offstage The connection between control, rigidity, and stress, and how to loosen your grip How to navigate unexpected disruptions with more ease by playing the scene you’re in Why making “weird choices” and stepping outside your comfort zone can reduce stress and open up new possibilities How improv muscles can help you show up as a better parent, friend, and collaborator A bit about Marie… Marie Ellis is a Sunday Times number 1 bestselling ghostwriter, freelance editor, and fiction writer. With over 15 years of experience, she has worked on books, led content strategies at top health publishers, and managed content teams to great success. She combines her journalism and acting background with her writing skills to help businesses and individuals tell their stories through the written word. With 30 years of acting experience, her improv credits include The Bish Bosh Bash at the Bristol Improv Theatre, Pressure Cooker, and, most recently, the improv pilot Nothing To Play For. Find her on her website and on Instagram. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lifeimprovised.substack.com/subscribe

    41 min
  3. How YOU Can Handle A Layoff

    APR 20 ·  BONUS

    How YOU Can Handle A Layoff

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit lifeimprovised.substack.com Bonus Elixir (Subscribers Only): How YOU Can Handle a Layoff In this Bonus Elixir, I share a simple but powerful improv-inspired mindset shift inspired by the How to Handle a Layoff conversation. The Elixir: This Happened for Me. If you were already someone who handled money well, how would you think? What choices would you make? How would you show up diff…

    2 min
  4. How to Handle a Layoff

    APR 6

    How to Handle a Layoff

    In this episode of How to Handle Anything, we talk layoffs. During this episode Sara shares what it really looks like to navigate a layoff—from the initial shock to the weeks and months that follow. Having been laid off four times herself, she offers both practical tools and mindset shifts to help you move through job loss in a way that keeps you grounded, supported, and moving forward. We discuss… How to handle the first 24 hours after a layoff, including practical steps to regain a sense of control The emotional impact of job loss and how to avoid spiraling into self-blame or shame How to structure your days during a job search to stay balanced and avoid burnout The importance of community, connection, and having an “ensemble” to support you Mindset tools like journaling, perspective-taking, and cognitive restructuring to shift negative thinking How to assess your financial situation, reduce anxiety, and make informed decisions about your next steps A bit about Sara… Sara Perelli-Minetti founded Hellos & Goodbyes to help people negotiate stronger job offers, raises, and severance packages. Her own experiences with severance and offers combined with years in Corporate HR make her incredibly passionate about helping people get what they're worth. Prior to starting Hellos & Goodbyes, Sara held a variety of roles at F100 companies like Capital One and Wayfair and was Head of People at a venture-backed startup. She's also trained as a Co-Active coach. Sara lives in Reston, VA with her family. If you enjoyed this episode, or found something inspiring or useful in it, share it with others, so they can enjoy it too! This conversation is part of How to Handle Anything my ongoing interview series with people about how they’ve handled uncertainty, change, and unexpected moments with more ease, flexibility, and humor. To receive bonus content, please consider becoming a paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lifeimprovised.substack.com/subscribe

    43 min
  5. How YOU Can Handle Money

    MAR 27 ·  BONUS

    How YOU Can Handle Money

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit lifeimprovised.substack.com Bonus Elixir (Subscribers Only): How YOU Can Handle Money In this Bonus Elixir, I share a simple but powerful improv-inspired mindset shift inspired by the How to Handle Money conversation. The Elixir: Act as if. If you were already someone who handled money well, how would you think? What choices would you make? How would you show up differently? This short, reflective episode invites you to step into that version of yourself now, not someday, and begin making decisions from that place. You’ll explore: - How beliefs shape your financial decisions - Why action often comes before confidence - Two simple prompts to help you shift your money mindset in real time This Bonus Elixir is designed to help you try the idea on in your own life, not just hear about it. 🔒 Bonus Elixirs are available to paid subscribers, and are released a couple weeks after each main episode as a space for deeper reflection and integration. If you’d like to receive these bonuses and support the show, please subscribe.

    2 min
  6. How to Handle MONEY

    MAR 10

    How to Handle MONEY

    In this How to Handle MONEY episode, Shang Saavedra shares her expertise on the connection between mindset and financial success, emphasizing how mental health impacts decision-making, especially under stress. She offers practical strategies for cultivating an abundance mindset, managing stress, and making smarter financial choices in uncertain times. Key Topics - The impact of mental health on financial decision-making - Strategies for managing stress and emotional reactions to money - The role of mindset and beliefs in wealth creation About the guest, Shung Saavedra Shang Saavedra is the founder and CEO of Save My Cents, a nationally recognized personal finance expert and a book author. Shang finished saving for her retirement by the age of 31, and is America's leading expert on saving a retirement with joy. Shang's insights have been published by Business Insider, CNBC, Forbes, Fox Business, USA Today, Time / NextAdvisor, Nasdaq, The New York Post, Kiplinger, and she has been named by Time / NextAdvisor as one of The 25 Most Influential New Voices of Money. Previously, Shang was a corporate strategist for several Fortune 500 companies. Shang received her bachelor's degree in economics from Harvard and her MBA from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Her book, Wealth Is a Mindset, published in January 2025 with Third State Books. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Money Mindset 03:07 The Connection Between Mental Health and Financial Decisions 06:08 Navigating Stress and Making Financial Decisions 09:06 Shifting Mindsets: From Scarcity to Abundance 11:59 Using Social Media for Financial Inspiration 15:01 The Role of Wealth in Personal Choices 18:00 Acting As If: Embracing a Wealthy Mindset 20:53 Embracing Discomfort for Growth 24:03 The Balance of Intuition and Data in Financial Decisions 28:12 Grounding Emotions with Financial Literacy 30:41 Reframing Our Money Mindset 35:52 Navigating Job Loss and Maintaining a Positive Mindset 38:58 Money as a Tool: Changing Our Perspective Keywords money mindset, personal finance, stress management, wealth building, mental health, financial decisions, abundance mindset, improv techniques, financial literacy, wealth psychology This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lifeimprovised.substack.com/subscribe

    41 min
  7. Introducing "How to Handle Anything"

    TRAILER

    Introducing "How to Handle Anything"

    What do you do when life doesn’t go according to plan? When the script falls apart.When something unexpected shows up.When control slips, even just a little. You improvise. How to Handle Anything is a conversation-driven podcast hosted by Mary Lemmer, writer, entrepreneur, longtime improviser, and author of the forthcoming book How to Handle Anything. Each episode features thoughtful, honest conversations with writers, leaders, creatives, and improvisers about the real moments they’ve had to navigate, such as layoffs, stress, injury, midlife pivots, contentious conversations, reinvention, and more. If you’re navigating change, uncertainty, or just the everyday curveballs of being human, you’re in the right place. Follow the show and join us. Because you don’t have to have it all figured out to handle whatever comes next. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lifeimprovised.substack.com/subscribe

    1 min
  8. Bart Sumner on Improvising Through Grief

    08/14/2023

    Bart Sumner on Improvising Through Grief

    This week's episode features Bart Sumner… In 2009 Bart Sumner’s life was shattered when his 10-year-old son, David, suffered a traumatic brain injury at football practice and died in his arms. Finding a way back to the road forward in a world where mourners are told “He’s in a better place” or to “Get over it” is a daunting and painful journey. He came to realize that the twenty-five plus years he spent as a performer and teacher of improvisational comedy was not only the key to his own survival, but also a powerful tool to help others mired in grief. Born and raised in New Jersey, Bart has been a professional Actor/SAG-AFTRA Member since 1990. He’s trained and performed with The Groundlings, Universal Studios, Hollywood, among other theatres. Though he initially was drawn to improv to try and be funny, he found it to be an incredibly powerful tool for processing grief. He is the author of Healing Improv: A Journey Through Grief to Laughter and teaches improv at the Comedy Fort in Fort Collins, Colorado. In this episode… Bart shares what inspired him to take his first improv class Hear about Bart’s experience limo driving in between training and performing in NYC and LA Bart shares how improv was his therapy after the tragic death of his 10 year old son Bart reveals the moment he saw there was more to improv than laughing  Find out a key way to get people out of bed after experiencing great loss Hear how improv can be a way to take us out of pain and still help us process it Bart shares techniques and games anyone grieving can use Bart shares about his book Healing Improv: A Journey Through Grief to Laughter  Learn how improv can be a powerful tool when communicating with someone with Alzheimer’s We demonstrate an exercise you can use to improve joy, connection, listening, and bring lightness during dark times From Bart, when asked how improv has improved his life offstage, “Helped me find a way forward after the death of my 10 year old son David” Connect with Bart on Facebook and check out his book Healing Improv: A Journey Through Grief to Laughter  If you liked what you heard, Subscribe, write a review, tell a friend. If you didn’t like what you heard, well, try again next time. Each episode is different and we’re always improving (see what I did there?!)  Visit www.chooseimprove.com for resources and ways to improve in your life and work.  Join us for at chooseimprove.substack.com for weekly improvisations and monthly virtual sessions to practice improvising in your life. Connect with us on Instagram @chooseimprove and linkedin.chooseimprove.com  This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lifeimprovised.substack.com/subscribe

    43 min
See All (14)

Trailer

5
out of 5
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About

How to Handle Anything explores how to navigate uncertainty, change, and unexpected challenges with more ease, flexibility, and humor - through stories, conversations, and improv-inspired insights. lifeimprovised.substack.com

Information

  • Creator
    Hosted by Mary Lemmer
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    14
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Mary Lemmer
  • Show Website
    How to Handle Anything

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