i minus i
Practical tools for navigating major life transitions—divorce, job loss, identity crises, and moments when everything falls apart.
This channel offers research-backed methods for finding stability when life feels chaotic. Not positive thinking. Not quick fixes. Real resilience that doesn't depend on circumstances staying the same.
You'll find:
→ Emotional stability practices for crisis states
→ The C.A.L.M. Method for navigating transitions
→ Identity reconstruction after loss
→ Distinguishing inherited patterns from authentic choice
I'm Mike Barden, a Wisconsin writer who developed these approaches through divorce, job loss, and community dissolution.
📖 "From Reactive to Resilient" releases January 13, 2026
📚 184 research endnotes | Lived experience + evidence-based methods
Pre-order available now
New videos weekly
ReactiveToResilient.com
i minus i
Quick question: Which C.A.L.M. step feels hardest for you right now?
Drop a comment and tell me why 👇
(New video on Move Forward just dropped - link in replies)
1 month ago | [YT] | 0
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i minus i
Who are you when everything you thought defined you disappears?
If you've ever felt like:
- "I don't know who I am anymore"
- "This should have worked out"
- "I'm too old to start over"
This video is for you.
I break down Step 3 of the C.A.L.M. Method: how to LET GO of the "shoulds" keeping you trapped in the past.
New video: Why 'This Should Have Worked Out' Keeps You Stuck
https://youtu.be/dYD3KORPIBE
What "should" are you stuck on right now? 👇
1 month ago | [YT] | 0
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i minus i
New short just dropped: "You're Fighting Reality"
Every time you think "this shouldn't be happening" or "why me," you're adding suffering to pain.
And fighting reality doesn't change reality. It just exhausts you.
60-second framework to stop:
youtube.com/shorts/93kbMBq-yN...
Full 5-minute breakdown: https://youtu.be/zBImKQLbqgE
What are you fighting right now? Drop it in the comments 👇
1 month ago | [YT] | 0
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i minus i
"This shouldn't be happening."
"Why me?"
"This wasn't supposed to be my life."
If these thoughts are on repeat in your head, you're not broken.
You're fighting reality.
And while your mind is busy arguing with what already happened, you're NOT dealing with what's happening NOW.
Just released → New video on how to stop.
"How to Stop Fighting Reality (C.A.L.M. Method Step 2: ALLOW)"
5 minutes. 3 steps. Actually practical.
This is for anyone navigating divorce, job loss, belief crisis, or any major life change that's got your mind spinning.
See you then 🎯
1 month ago | [YT] | 0
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i minus i
"Just posted a new short on the CONNECT grounding technique—first step of the C.A.L.M. Method 📺
When overthinking takes over during identity crisis, this practice helps you shift from mental chaos to present moment awareness.
Watch the 60-second version in my shorts, or get the full 15-minute breakdown: https://youtu.be/HLor4OqHtAc
What helps you most when your mind won't stop spinning?
1 month ago | [YT] | 0
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i minus i
New video just dropped 🎯
How to stop overthinking during identity crisis. I teach a CONNECT grounding technique—a practice that actually works when your mind won't stop spinning with anxious thoughts.
This is part 1 of the C.A.L.M. Method series. New videos every Sunday.
What's the #1 anxious thought you're struggling with right now?"
1 month ago | [YT] | 0
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