The Pool at Nowhere

Salesforce podcast host Josh Birk gave a moving presentation last fall about anxiety and burn out:

It’s December 7th, 2021, and I am floating in the middle of a pool that’s in the middle of a barn, that’s a middle of Nowhere, Illinois. And around me is playing Spanish classical music. The barn has been converted into kind of a party house for frat kids and college people. And pretty certain we are the first person to put Spanish classical guitar up on those concert speakers. And I’m floating in the middle of a pool in the middle of a barn in the middle of Nowhere, Illinois. And I’m leaning my head back just a little bit so that my ears are below the surface of the water. ‘Cause I’m floating in the middle of a pool, in the middle of a barn in the middle of Nowhere, Illinois, listening to Spanish classical music above me, and below me, I can hear the sound of my breathing reverberating underneath the water. And I’m floating in the middle of a pool, in the middle of a barn in the middle of Nowhere, Illinois. And I’m trying to control my breathing, and I’m trying to slow my breathing down, because what I’m trying to do is reduce my anxiety so that I can try to get to a good night’s sleep, get through good night’s sleep without using copious amounts of drugs.

Because I am floating in the middle of a pool, in the middle of a barn in the middle of Nowhere, Illinois, not because I’m on some proper vacation, but because a little over a month earlier, I was having a meeting with my manager, completely normal meeting, possibly almost boring by most standards. And yet, at the end of it, I said, “You need to know I’m not okay.” Because I realized at the end of the meeting that I had been pretty much panicking the whole time. And then I realized that wasn’t anything really new, and that I wasn’t able to control that panic.

YouTube Audio Transcription

In response to missing the signs that led to his breakdown, Josh has crafted a clear and concise presentation that illustrates how anxiety can take over your life, and what you can do about it. Funny and moving, this is a helpful presentation for anyone who is struggling these days.

And let’s face it, it seems like everyone is struggling these days.