What happens when your body, the very thing you've spent nearly two decades teaching others to harmonize with, begins to fail you in a way you never saw coming?

This week on the show, I'm sitting down with meditation teacher, and author Megan Monahan. Megan first appeared on Hurdle back in 2019, and today she returns to share a profoundly personal update. In late 2024, Megan faced a life-altering health hurdle: a diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis (MS).

Megan takes us inside the raw moments of her diagnosis—from the sudden loss of vision in her right eye to an eight-hour wait in an UCLA emergency room. We discuss the power of the "meditation muscles" she built over 16 years and how they allowed her to meet this challenge with resilience instead of a victim mindset.

In this episode, we discuss:


The sudden symptoms and 36-hour journey to an MS diagnosis.


How a decade of spiritual practice reframed a "devastating" diagnosis into a "resurgence of purpose".


The 4-7-8 breathwork framework and somatic shaking for navigating high-stress moments.


Unmasking personality traits that are actually trauma responses.


What it truly means to be authentic and "come home to yourself".


Lessons learned from spiritual giants like Deepak Chopra and Wayne Dyer.

QUOTABLE MOMENTS

"You get to choose how a life-changing moment changes you. We all have the ability to author our story in whatever way we want."

"There is a part of you that can't be diagnosed with MS, that can't be broken up with, that can't be broke, that can't be relocated. That is who you are."

"We mistake the need to enjoy the experience or the process with finding value in it."

"You are not your thoughts. You don't have to believe every thought you have."

SOCIAL
@megmonahan
@emilyabbate
@iheartwomenssports

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ASK ME A QUESTION: Email hello@hurdle.us to with your questions! Emily answers them every Friday on the show. 

Listen to Hurdle with Emily Abbate on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

<ul></ul>
What happens when your body, the very thing you've spent nearly two decades teaching others to harmonize with, begins to fail you in a way you never saw coming?
This week on the show, I'm sitting down with meditation teacher, and author Megan Monahan. Megan <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/97-megan-monahan-meditation-teacher-author/id1330434098?i=1000467195186">first appeared on Hurdle back in 2019</a>, and today she returns to share a profoundly personal update. In late 2024, Megan faced a life-altering health hurdle: a diagnosis of&nbsp;Multiple Sclerosis (MS).
Megan takes us inside the raw moments of her diagnosis&mdash;from the sudden loss of vision in her right eye to an eight-hour wait in an UCLA emergency room. We discuss the power of the "meditation muscles" she built over 16 years and how they allowed her to meet this challenge with resilience instead of a victim mindset.
In this episode, we discuss:
<ul data-path-to-node="7">
<li>
The sudden symptoms and 36-hour journey to an MS diagnosis.
</li>
<li>
How a decade of spiritual practice reframed a "devastating" diagnosis into a "resurgence of purpose".
</li>
<li>
The&nbsp;4-7-8 breathwork framework&nbsp;and&nbsp;somatic shaking&nbsp;for navigating high-stress moments.
</li>
<li>
Unmasking personality traits that are actually trauma responses.
</li>
<li>
What it truly means to be authentic and "come home to yourself".
</li>
<li>
Lessons learned from spiritual giants like&nbsp;Deepak Chopra&nbsp;and&nbsp;Wayne Dyer.
</li>
</ul>
QUOTABLE MOMENTS
"You get to choose how a life-changing moment changes you. We all have the ability to author our story in whatever way we want."
"There is a part of you that can't be diagnosed with MS, that can't be broken up with, that can't be broke, that can't be relocated. That is who you are."
"We mistake the need to enjoy the experience or the process with finding value in it."
"You are not your thoughts. You don't have to believe every thought you have."
SOCIAL <a href="https://www.instagram.com/megmonahan/">@megmonahan</a> <a href="http://instagram.com/emilyabbate">@emilyabbate</a> <a href="http://instagram.com/iheartwomenssports">@iheartwomenssports</a>
JOIN:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/channel/AbaSpMJZ0k0nuExh/">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Daily Hurdle IG Channel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a>
SIGN UP:&nbsp;⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠<a href="https://emilyabbate.substack.com/subscribe?">Weekly Hurdle Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a>
ASK ME A QUESTION: Email hello@hurdle.us to with your questions! Emily answers them every Friday on the show.&nbsp;
Listen to Hurdle with Emily Abbate on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Hurdle is where real stories meet next-level ambition. Host, veteran journalist and coach Emily Abbate, interviews the most inspiring women in sports and wellness, peeling back the curtain on their journeys through vulnerable, deep conversation. Learn the secrets to their success, including the grit, glory, and crucial mindset lessons that help her level-up. Each conversation, a powerful reminder that we get to overcome, and embrace each hurdle to live happier, healthier, more motivated lives. New episodes every Tuesday and Friday.

Hurdle is where real stories meet next-level ambition. Host, veteran journalist and coach Emily Abbate, interviews the most inspiring women in sports and wellness, peeling back the curtain on their journeys through vulnerable, deep conversation. Learn the secrets to their success, including the grit, glory, and crucial mindset lessons that help her level-up. Each conversation, a powerful reminder that we get to overcome, and embrace each hurdle to live happier, healthier, more motivated lives. New episodes every Tuesday and Friday.

Hurdle with Emily Abbate

Hurdle is where real stories meet next-level ambition. Host, veteran journalist and coach Emily Abbate, interviews the most inspiring women in sports and wellness, peeling back the curtain on their journeys through vulnerable, deep conversation. Learn the secrets to their success, including the grit, glory, and crucial mindset lessons that help her level-up. Each conversation, a powerful reminder that we get to overcome, and embrace each hurdle to live healthier, happier, more motivated lives. New episodes every Tuesday and Friday.

Hurdle is where real stories meet next-level ambition. Host, veteran journalist and coach Emily Abbate, interviews the most inspiring women in sports and wellness, peeling back the curtain on their journeys through vulnerable, deep conversation. Learn the secrets to their success, including the grit, glory, and crucial mindset lessons that help her level-up. Each conversation, a powerful reminder that we get to overcome, and embrace each hurdle to live healthier, happier, more motivated lives. New episodes every Tuesday and Friday.

Choosing The Narrative: Meditation Teacher Megan Monahan on Meeting Health Challenges With Grace, Breathwork for Stress & Unmasking Trauma Responses

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/e572cb47-10b6-426a-8baf-b3de01597170/transcript