Getting Old Quickly

In Episode 180, Billy Donnelly decides that this is the end of the Getting Old Quickly podcast. After 3 ½ years of doing this show, he shares his reasoning for bringing things to a close and explains how and when he knew he was making the right decision. He offers his thanks to so many who helped make this podcast last as long as he did and talks about what an important role this personal outlet has played in his life.

In Episode 179, Billy Donnelly wants to talk about the male loneliness epidemic he's heard getting more attention lately. As a subject that's been discussed on Getting Old Quickly before, he aims to address some of the contributing factors that cause such difficulty in making and maintaining adult friendships -- but also why it can be a bit harder for men, in general. He also talks about some of the mockery of the problem he's heard, sharing why it's not helpful and just further keeps the vicious cycle of male loneliness rolling forward. Additionally, he shares his belief that the more we talk about such a problem and continue to acknowledge it's happening, the easier it becomes for people to find others looking for similar connection.

In Episode 178, Billy Donnelly shares that he's been plagued by negative thoughts as of late -- regardless of how much he works to fight against them on the regular. He speaks with reminders that these things are never fully gone and, even though we know how to combat them, sometimes it's easier said than done. However, he wants others to know just what a pain in the ass they can be from time to time and that we all struggle with it when it does re-occur.

In Episode 177, Billy Donnelly reveals that he has joined a bocce league. And, in doing so, he once again reiterates the need for us to find a way to get to yes and do the things that interest us. Much like he found with painting earlier in the year, he was able to talk himself into doing something that looked fun, instead of finding an excuse not to -- and may have found another hobby to keep him busy and get him out of the house.

In Episode 176, Billy Donnelly reminds you (and himself) that we are not flawless individuals. We screw up, and we make mistakes. However, all we can do is take things one day at a time and continue trying to learn and be better from those failings. All we can do is just keep swimming.

In Episode 175, Billy Donnelly shares the details of his recent vacation to the Mediterranean, talking about what he liked and didn't like during his cruise voyage through parts of Greece, Italy, and Malta. He also provides an update on his health and how his anxieties held up during the trip. Additionally, he speaks a few words about the tragic loss of wrestler Windham Rotunda/Bray Wyatt.

In Episode 174, Billy Donnelly pops in with an explanation as to why there's not much of a show this week. As a result of whatever germs he picked up while on his Mediterranean cruise, he spells out why pushing through with details of his trip while struggling with his voice and having difficulty hearing isn't the best idea.

In Episode 173, Billy Donnelly is not here. Instead, he's traveling through parts of Europe on a cruise. But he still manages to share some of his excitement but also natural anxieties about the vacation while gone.

In Episode 172, Billy Donnelly offers up a reminder that we never eliminate our issues. While it's a wonderful idea to believe we slay our dragons, he shares his disbelief that such is ever truly the case -- because it's a constant battle to keep them at bay. As a result, he counters that it's more about continuing to create more and more distance from our struggles in order to make them less powerful when they inevitably resurface.

In Episode 171, Billy Donnelly has rediscovered his passion for going to the movies. And while that might not usually seem like a big deal, it signals that he's been able to move forward and let go of the hurt he still felt from his experience working at the Alamo Drafthouse (as shared in Episode 17: Forget The Alamo). He shares his pride in being able to make progress with those emotions while once again finding joy in something he loved dearly, especially after convincing himself he didn't need it in his life.

In Episode 170, Billy Donnelly introduces you to Lennnie. Who is Lennnie you might ask, if you don't already know? Lennnie is an animated blob that does its best to inject positivity and hope into your world as you navigate everything life throws at you. This week, he shares how he came across Lennnie as one of the good things social media has put forth recently and talks about how Lennnie's perspective often hits at the right moment when he needs it most.

In Episode 169, Billy Donnelly talks about how most people now view and use social media. After coming across this article by Kate Lindsay, something struck a chord, prompting this discussion about the various social media platforms now being employed for performance rather than connection.

In Episode 168, Billy Donnelly feels incredibly well prepared as his therapist goes on maternity leave. He discusses feeling no anxiety about her absence and actually feels really confident that he'll be able to handle anything that comes his way in the coming months with the tools that have been put in place over the years. He also shares a story about presenting his therapist with a gift for her family to celebrate the new baby and how personally it felt for him to be able to do that.

In Episode 167, Billy Donnelly discusses some recent bouts he had with an overwhelming amount of anxiety. He talks about what they felt like, in addition to what he believes triggered them. And he also shares that no matter how much work we put into moving forward from certain events in our lives, they still have the capacity to show up and affect us at the most random times.

In Episode 166, Billy Donnelly admits to feeling pretty good as of late. In addition to some new medication, which is likely contributing, he also talks about some of the tools he's been wielding in order to push back on his negative thoughts (as discussed in Episode 147: Challenge Them Negative Thoughts). He explains how learning the source and function of such thoughts has made it easier for him to recognize them for what they are when they surface and treat them with a grain of salt accordingly. In addition, he also shares a few positive moments that happened to him recently that he's found he is now better able to be present with, creating opportunities to turn them into positive memories that can then be used to challenge negative thoughts that might have told him otherwise. Furthermore, he celebrates his progress and champions the work he's been putting in rather than undercutting or downplaying it, as he might have in the past.

In Episode 165, Billy Donnelly mourns the loss of a member of the Drewpies family named Wendy. He shares his regret of never having had the pleasure to meet her and wishes she could have been able to attend one of the group's gatherings after having all been there during COVID for one another. He recalls some of her specific memorable quirks from the group and reflects on how her love and support -- especially for her local music scene -- touched so many lives. He also expresses a lot of anger at how she died and how it was likely preventable. However, the American healthcare system failed her. If inclined, please make a donation to the Greater Des Moines Music Coalition in her name and honor.

In Episode 164, Billy Donnelly finds himself in a holding pattern. After beginning a new program intended to boost his self-esteem, he intended to come to the show with some of the new things he had learned as he got started. However, he could not get as deep into it as he would have liked to bring a decent understanding of it to this week's show. Therefore, everything is status quo as he introduces exactly what he's doing and how it was brought to his attention but with a wait-and-see approach for things to come.

In Episode 163, Billy Donnelly comes to terms with the fact that the idea of constantly being happy is impossible, and yet it is still an unattainable pursuit that human beings embark on constantly. He discusses the chemical reactions in our brains that result from moments of happiness and how they then become like a drug that we want more of. However, that sets us up with a hunger that can't be satisfied, no matter what thing we get that we're told will make us feel happy. He shares that he used to feel as if there was something wrong with him for not being able to be happy all the time, especially as others presented themselves as happy non-stop. But he has learned over time that people show you only what they want to see, and while he may have been feeling bad about himself assuming they were living awesome lives, that wasn't the case; they were just hiding their unhappiness better.

In Episode 162, Billy Donnelly shares his experience with taking his daughter to her first-ever concert: Paramore. He talks about the ability to tap into a small corner of his daughter's life as she becomes her own person by sharing such a memory with her and what it was like to take in a show once again -- but through the eyes of someone whose never done it before.

In Episode 161, Billy Donnelly reveals that his high school recently held its 25-year reunion for his graduating class. In the process, he explains all the reasons why he didn't go to this one nor to any of the previous reunions held for the Class of 1998. He once again revisits his dislike for his high school experience, and even though he holds some fantastical ideas about what possibly attending would accomplish or prove, he realizes just how much more harm circling back to those memories could create.