The Real Work with Maggie Sterling

I used to have one anxious thought hijack my entire day. Now it passes in about 7 seconds. In this episode, I'm sharing the shift that made this possible—and it's not a breathing technique or a hack. It's understanding the difference between being "anxiety free" and being "free from anxiety." One keeps you stuck. The other is where the suffering actually drops. I'll tell you about a moment I had recently while sick—a scary thought popped up about post-viral symptoms—and what I did differently this time that let it pass in seconds instead of spiraling for hours. If you've been doing all the things and still feel trapped by anxious thoughts, this one's for you. Soft Regulation System Waitlist  

For years, I was doing everything therapy told me to do… and somehow, I was still getting worse. More panic. More symptoms. More fear. More confusion. It didn't make sense. Until it finally did. In this episode, I'm sharing the part of healing that talk therapy never explained — the piece I didn't even know I was missing. If you've been in therapy, doing the work, trying your best… but nothing is changing, this conversation is going to make something click. Soft Regulation System Waitlist  

Feeling lazy, exhausted, and overstimulated? You're not lazy—your nervous system is maxed out. Learn why you're tired all the time even when you "haven't done anything" and how to rebuild capacity. If you've been calling yourself lazy because you can't seem to make yourself do anything, this episode is for you. What looks like laziness is often a nervous system that's been running at 12 out of 10 for years—maybe decades. Your body is burning massive energy internally through hypervigilance, worry loops, and constant stimulation... even when you're not "doing" anything visible. In this episode, I talk about: Why laziness is almost never the real problem The difference between functional freeze and full freeze How overstimulation drains you without you realizing it Why your exhaustion isn't about today—it's cumulative What's actually happening when you "know what to do but can't do it" This isn't a productivity problem. It's not a willpower problem. It's an overload problem. Soft Regulation System Waitlist  

Do you dread nighttime? Does your heart race the moment the sun goes down because you're terrified you won't sleep again? In this episode, I'm sharing my personal journey with insomnia — a battle that started when I was 15 years old and consumed my life for over two decades. I'll walk you through the exact moment everything shifted, the Reddit post that changed my perspective, and the mindset shift that finally broke the cycle. If you've tried every sleep hack, supplement, and strategy with no results, this one's for you. This is the insomnia conversation I wish someone had with me years ago. Work with me  

If you're constantly moving like your house is on fire, bracing for impact, or collapsing exhausted every evening - your nervous system is running on overdrive. This episode breaks down why childhood conditioning, unresolved trauma, and urgency addiction keep you in chronic stress mode, plus practical tools to interrupt the pattern. What you'll learn: - Why you unconsciously clench your jaw and raise your shoulders - How childhood hypervigilance became your baseline - The difference between productive and compulsive rushing - Why slowing down initially feels MORE stressful (and what to do about it) - How to signal safety to your body through micro-moments - The "two modes" trap: full throttle or complete collapse Work with me