Are you sacrificing your humanity in the pursuit of perfection? In this episode of How to Stay Human, Tori and Kyle explore the profound impact that our defense mechanisms—whether that’s extreme rigidity or complete avoidance—have on our relationships, our success, and our overall well-being. They dive deep into the differences between type A and type B personalities, how our nervous systems adapt to create safety, and why embracing the "mess" is essential for true intimacy and abundance.

From discussing the true cost of overworking to examining the role of AI in stripping away our humanity, Tori and Kyle challenge listeners to make the unconscious conscious. Discover how to build a life that accommodates life's inevitable uncertainties without losing your connection to yourself and those you love.

Key Topics & Timestamps

• [00:00 - 05:00] Welcome back: What we've been growing through and the desire for real, raw authenticity in a curated world.

• [05:00 - 11:30] The cost of success: Examining the toll of extreme productivity and the realization that perfectionism can be a trauma response.

• [11:30 - 18:00] Navigating different nervous systems: How Tori and Kyle's differing approaches to structure and messiness impact their relationship.

• [18:00 - 25:00] The illusion of certainty: Why we crave control in an inherently uncertain world and the power of remaining open to life's surprises.

• [25:00 - 32:00] AI and the loss of humanity: The danger of optimizing our lives to the point of losing genuine human connection.

• [32:00 - 40:00] Breaking the cycle: Practical steps for perfectionists to let go of rigid routines and for messy individuals to embrace helpful structure.

• [40:00 - 45:13] Making the unconscious conscious: How to stop letting your patterns control your life and start living intentionally.

Sponsor Spotlight: Anywhere Clinic

This episode is brought to you by Anywhere Clinic. In our journey to stay human, taking care of our mental health is paramount. Anywhere Clinic provides accessible, high-quality psychiatric care and therapy from the comfort of your own home. Whether you're navigating the pressures of perfectionism, dealing with anxiety, or simply looking for a supportive space to grow, their team of dedicated professionals is here to help you build a regulated and resilient nervous system.

Visit www.anywhereclinic.com/tori-gordon to learn more and take the first step towards a healthier, more balanced you.

Join the Community

Are you ready to do the deep work and build a solid foundation for your life and leadership? Join Tori inside GROUNDWORK. GROUNDWORK is a transformative space designed for high-performing leaders, founders, and creators who are ready to regulate their nervous systems, heal past patterns, and step into their most authentic power.

Join us today at: www.torigordon.com/groundwork

Connect with Tori

Stay connected and continue the conversation:

• Instagram: @thetorigordon / @howtostayhumanpod

• Website: www.torigordon.com

• Book: ALTAR by Tori Gordon

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode of How to Stay Human, Tori Gordon and Kyle Herron explore why so many people feel overwhelmed, anxious, and unsettled in today’s world—and what’s actually happening beneath the surface.

From constant information overload to global uncertainty, we’re living in a time where the pace of change is faster than our nervous systems can process. The result is chronic stress, emotional fatigue, and a deep sense that something isn’t quite right.

This conversation breaks down the real issue: not just what’s happening in the world, but how your body is responding to it.

Tori shares how nervous system dysregulation shows up in high performers, why awareness alone isn’t enough to create change, and what it actually takes to feel safe, grounded, and in control again.

Kyle offers a perspective on how to stay informed without becoming overwhelmed, and how to engage with the world in a way that creates impact instead of burnout.

If you’ve been feeling off, stuck, or constantly on edge, this episode will help you understand why—and what to do about it.

• Why everything feels more intense right now
• The link between anxiety, overwhelm, and the nervous system
• How constant information consumption impacts your body
• The difference between awareness and dysregulation
• Why high performers still feel stuck or exhausted
• How to build internal safety and resilience
• What it means to stay human in a rapidly changing world

Anywhere Clinic offers a modern, holistic approach to mental health, including psychiatry, therapy, ketamine treatment, TMS, and performance optimization. If you’re struggling with anxiety, depression, or burnout, their personalized care model is designed to support real, lasting change.

Visit www.anywhereclinic.com/tori-gordon to book a consultation.

If this episode resonated, this is your next step.

GROUNDWORK is Tori’s 6-week nervous system mastery program designed to help you:

• Feel safe in your body
• Break patterns of anxiety, burnout, and emotional overwhelm
• Build real internal stability and self-trust
• Expand your capacity for success, love, and leadership

👉 Join here:
www.torigordon.com/groundwork

Follow along for more:
Instagram: @howtostayhumanpod

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this very special edition of How to Stay Human, Tori Gordon sits down with co-host Kyle to discuss the release of her highly anticipated debut book, ALTAR: Modern Psalms for a New Earth. This episode explores the profound vulnerability of taking 34 years of private journaling, spiritual seeking, and internal processing, and placing it into the public sphere. Tori shares why she turned down a major book deal years ago, the necessity of honoring divine timing, and why the spiritual path is less about learning something new and more about unlearning what is false. They dive deep into the framework of the book—breaking down the ALTAR acronym (Abundance, Love, Truth, Awakening, and Remembrance)—and discuss how to navigate the thresholds of initiation required to drop our masks.

Tori also provides a live, grounded reading of Psalm 17, “For the One Who Seeks,” offering a powerful transmission for anyone who has outgrown traditional boxes but still hungers for something sacred. If you are a seeker carrying more questions than answers, this episode is your reminder that your restlessness is a sign of aliveness, your humanity is part of your divine design, and you are already on sacred ground.

Key Topics & Timestamps:

[00:00] Introduction & the story behind turning down a book deal to honor divine timing.

[05:00] Tori’s relationship with writing as the safest space for honest selfexpression.

[08:00] The vulnerability of sharing 34 years of private seeking with the world.

[11:00] Why the spiritual path is about unlearning falsehoods rather than acquiring new information.

[13:00] Breaking down the ALTAR acronym: Abundance, Love, Truth, Awakening, and Remembrance.

[16:00] Writing for those who have outgrown traditional dogma but still seek the sacred.

[19:00] How to engage with the book depending on where you are in your healing journey.

[25:00] A live, somatic reading of Psalm 17: “For the One Who Seeks.”

[30:00] How to access the ALTAR companion app for daily practices, AI reflections, and live sacred ceremonies.

[33:00] Closing thoughts: Why your humanity is not a block to your divinity, but the path to it.

Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by Anywhere Clinic. Take control of your mental and physical well-being today. Visit www.anywhereclinic.com/tori-gordon to learn more and get started.

Pre-order Tori’s new book, ALTAR: Modern Psalms for a New Earth, available NOW! Get your copy here: torigordon.com/book

Connect with Tori: Website: www.torigordon.com

Instagram: @thetorigordon

Podcast: How to Stay Human

Substack: How to Stay Human on Substack

The ALTAR App: altar.torigordon.com

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.