The Courageous Life: Recent Episodes
Joshua Steinfeldt
Founded by coach and teacher Joshua Steinfeldt, The Courageous Life is a global conversation with thought leaders and everyday heroes about overcoming fear and growing courage to pursue what matters most in life, work, and love.
Violence is often regarded as an unavoidable fact of life.
The truth however is far more hopeful: violence is a disease that can be cured.
Using a bold new approach,
Epidemiologist and violence prevention specialist Dr. Gary Slutkin is reclassifying violence as a a disease:
One that enters the brain and infects people, communities, and countries via the same process as other epidemics.
Gary makes a compelling research-backed case that when:
- Shootings occur in a school or community,
- A political figure is assassinated,
- Or an authoritarian leader directs violence in his nation’s own cities,
These are not just tragedies,
but disease outbreaks that can (and must) be interrupted and contained.
As a leading epidemiologist, Dr. Slutkin led teams to end epidemics of cholera and tuberculosis, then HIV/ AIDS in Africa and Asia with the World Health Organization.
Upon returning to the US, he began to discover the invisible science of violence—and how to contain it using the very same epidemic control methods.
Today, we will dive deep into the insights he’s gained over the years,
a time-tested roadmap for recovery,
And the playbook that has been used to dramatically reduce or eliminate violence in many of the most dangerous neighborhoods throughout the US and Latin America.
It’s a playbook that has also been successfully adapted to curtail political violence, election violence, and gender-based violence in countries around the world.
Whether it’s domestic violence, mass shootings, state tyranny, or war
Gary argues that these are all syndromes of the exact same disease,
And that they all require the same interventions.
More importantly, he reminds us that we already have the tools to protect ourselves,
heal our communities,
and end violence in our lifetime.
It is now up to us to use them.
For more on Dr. Slutkin, his powerful new book: The End of Violence: Eliminating the World’s Most Dangerous Epidemic, as well as other resources and offerings. Please visit: garyslutkin.com
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Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:
- On Choosing Love (No Matter What) | Deeyah Khan
- On Science, Hope, and Humanity | Matt Kaplan
- On How to Speak Up When It Matters | Dr. Sunita Sah
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Every one of us will experience pain,
be it back pain,
the pain of childbirth,
or living in an aging body.
Not a single one of us will escape.
But what if everything you thought you knew about pain was ... wrong?
Many of us have been told that pain is purely physical,
something to do just with bones and body parts.
In her revolutionary new book: Tell Me Where it Hurts: The New Science of Pain and How to Heal
Leading global pain psychologist, pain scientist, and Assistant Clinical Professor at the UCSF School of Medicine,
Dr. Rachel Zoffness is completely upending the myths we've been sold about pain.
Through cutting edge neuroscience and the incredible work she’s done with her patients,
Dr. Zoffness is shedding light on the fact is that chronic pain is treatable.
And that the foundation for effective treatment happens when we focus on the whole person--not just a body part.
It happens when we begin to reconnect physical and emotional pain,
And it happens when we begin to uncover the often under-discussed truth:
Pain is constructed by the brain--influenced not just by injuries, but also by emotions, expectations, and environment.
In Rachel’s words: Pain is always biopsychosocial.
And because of this,
We have infinitely more control over pain than we might have ever imagined.
This insight, and the pioneering work Dr. Zoffness is doing,
Are offering what so many of us need in the face of pain:
- Greater agency,
- Hope,
- Possibility,
And perhaps most importantly,
A roadmap for healing.
For more on Dr. Zoffness, her books, events, resources, and other offerings please visit zoffness.com
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Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:
- On Why We Suffer and How We Heal | Dr. Suzan Song
- On Flourishing Despite Life's Challenges | Richard Davidson & Cortland Dahl
- On Presence, Community, and Flourishing | Daniel Coyle
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Two time Emmy and Peabody Award winning Documentary Filmmaker
Deeyah Khan has dedicated over a decade of her life to making empathetic and unflinching films which deal with some of the most important and polarizing issues confronting our world today;
extremism, violence against women, inequality, racism and social exclusion.
Deeyah has filmed with:
battle-hardened jihadis,
members of armed militia groups,
American domestic terrorists and white supremacists,
And through these encounters she’s had illuminating and often surprising results.
After spending a number of months filming with members of the United States’ largest neo-Nazi organization,
three high-ranking figures, including the leader, left the movement and rejected its white supremacist ideology.
All of them crediting their encounters with Deeyah as the catalyst for them to leave.
Today we’ll engage in a deep and moving discussion about what Deeyah has learned from her unique and extraordinary experiences.
Learnings that in essence come back to the power and potential of:
- Radical curiosity,
- Deep listening,
- Choosing Love,
- And having a fierce and unwavering commitment to center the inherent dignity of all human beings.
This is the final conversation in our mini series on Love.
A four letter word that is perhaps one of the most complicated in our culture,
and yet simultaneously may be the most important practice for our time.
This series, which has been years in the making ultimately brought together some of the world’s leading:
- Peace and reconciliation workers,
- Conflict transformation experts,
- Scholars on compassion, altruism, and generosity,
- Storytellers,
- Writers,
- Filmmakers
- And spiritual teachers
To unpack how Love,
as Deeyah so beautifully puts it,
"Is, and has always been, the great interrupter."
Love is what can help to break cycles of violence, hatred, and polarization.
Love is what connects us.
Love is what liberates.
Love is what heals.
Love is what brings us back to each other.
And Choosing Love is exactly what these times are calling for.
For more on Deeyah, her films, music, and other offerings please visit deeyah.com
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations from our mini-series on Love:
- On the Possibility of Meeting Hate with Love | Dr. Barbara Tint
- On Love and the Illusion of Separateness | Elias Amidon
- On Awakening, Belonging, and Love | Henry Shukman
- On Love, Storytelling, and Radical Curiosity | Baktash Ahadi
- On the Power of Love | Stephen G. Post
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For decades globally renowned spiritual teacher Elias Amidon has been keenly interested in the possibility of awakening to our most enlightened nature.
This fascination has led him to live a deeply engaged life.
Serving as Spiritual Director (Pir) of the Sufi Way,
Working for many years in peace and environmental activism,
Helping to cofound several schools including the Boulder Institute for Nature and the Human Spirit, and the graduate program in Environmental Leadership at Naropa University.
And authoring a wide array of books that often invite reflection and inquiry into the very nature of reality.
Today we will continue our deep exploration of Love, in this penultimate episode of a mini-series that has featured some of the world's leading thinkers, researchers, teachers, storytellers, activists, and artists.
In this conversation, we'll explore some of Elias's greatest insights into what it is that connects us all.
A subject which he reflects on often,
Writing the following in his book, Love’s Drum: Sufi Views, Practices, and Stories:
"Whatever we call it, this-that-does-not-perish is what connects us with everything
- each other, the trees, the mountains, the sky, the stars,
and all beings who have ever appeared.
We remain the unique beings we are,
but we recognize we're not alone in our beingness, we are with the entirety.
I think of this withness as love.”
Elias’s work invites us all to open to the possibility of awakening and experiencing the beauty all around us,
As we make our way home, to Love.
A journey of return that he calls
our birthright.
To learn more about Elias, his retreats, courses, books, and other offerings please visit sufiway.org.
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations from our mini-series on Love:
- On the Possibility of Meeting Hate with Love | Dr. Barbara Tint
- On Awakening, Belonging, and Love | Henry Shukman
- On Love, Storytelling, and Radical Curiosity | Baktash Ahadi
- On the Power of Love | Stephen G. Post
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How can we find the courage to come back to love in perilous times?
To meet hate with curiosity?
And to see, with greater clarity, what connects us, rather divides us?
These are the deep and challenging questions we’re continuing to explore in
A mini-series on the podcast that has brought together leaders across
disciplines to discuss the possibility of embracing impermanence,
leaning into mystery & wonder,
And is now turning the final conversations in the series
toward love.
Dr. Barbara Tint holds her PhD in International Conflict Resolution,
Is a Professor of Conflict Transformation,
Has been doing peace and reconciliation work around the world for decades,
And is also an award winning story teller who has shared stories through The Moth and other renowned venues.
Today we’ll dive deep into the possibility,
and the courage it can take,
to choose love in challenging times,
Barb will share stories from her experiences facilitating constructive dialogue,
Building bridges across differences as a peace psychologist,
And what she’s learned about the power of improvisation, and curiosity, through her work.
Barb offers us all a beautiful reminder.
If we can find a way to suspend our judgments and assumptions,
If we can find a way to get curious,
To listen deeply, and in ways that lead to understanding each other,
Then there’s hope that we might find our way through this,
together.
For more on Dr. Tint, her books, events, and other offerings, please visit barbaratint.com
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations from our mini-series on Love:
- On Awakening, Belonging, and Love | Henry Shukman
- On Love, Storytelling, and Radical Curiosity | Baktash Ahadi
- On the Power of Love | Stephen G. Post
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In his revelatory book Original Love,
Zen meditation master, award winning author, poet, and renowned spiritual teacher Henry Shukman,
offers a tantalizing proposition.
At any moment there is a powerful possibility available to us.
One that involves piercing the illusion of separateness,
And experiencing a deeper and more expansive sense of connection.
In these moments which are deemed by some as ‘awakening'
it can seem as if a spell has been broken.
It can feel as though are waking up from a sort of dream
as we see, feel, and know that there is in fact no separation.
There are no borders.
There is no “other.”
At some level, everything and everyone are connected.
Henry argues that these experiences can be the single most healing, positively life-transforming events that can happen to us.
Well documented for centuries, across different wisdom traditions, and now explored through scientific research,
Experiences of 'waking up' to our interconnected nature often lead to large positive shifts in our priorities.
These moments often marked by a move from self-protection and self-promotion
toward a natural flow of compassion and concern for others and the world.
This boundless experience is what Henry calls Original Love.
Today we decided to re-release this episode as part of our mini series on love.
In this conversation, (originally published at the beginning of 2025),
Henry and I will explore the possibility of Original Love.
An experience that Henry beautifully reminds us becomes more likely
When we begin to:
- Allow whatever is arising in the moment to simply be as it is,
- Meet our lived experience with greater curiosity, presence, and love,
- And when we begin to loosen the grip of control as we learn to increasingly relax into uncertainty.
For more on Henry, his books, teachings and live events, please visit henryshukman.com or check out The Way, his popular meditation app - which you can find at thewayapp.com
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations from our mini-series on Love:
- On Love, Storytelling, and Radical Curiosity | Baktash Ahadi
- On the Power of Love | Stephen G. Post
Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!
Thanks for listening!
Support the show
What does it mean to choose love in the times we're in?
What will help us to open our hearts again after they close?
And see with greater clarity, what connects us, rather divides us?
These are the deep and challenging questions we’re exploring in the final chapter of this trilogy.
A mini series on the podcast that has brought together leaders across disciplines to discuss the possibilities of:
Embracing impermanence,
Leaning into mystery & wonder,
And is now turning the conversation toward love.
Emmy and Peabody Award Winning Filmmaker, Baktash Ahadi writes:
“Growing up across cultures, languages, and histories shaped by conflict, I learned early that facts alone rarely move people.
Stories do.
They shape belonging, fear, loyalty, and identity.
Long before I became a filmmaker, I was already paying attention to how narratives functioned beneath the surface of everyday life.”
I wrote to Baktash and asked him:
Could storytelling be part of the answer to these questions?
Could storytelling be what helps us find our way back to each other?
Today’s conversation will traverse this territory.
Including the insights Baktash has gained through documentary work across conflict zones, classrooms, institutions, and intimate human spaces.
The patterns he’s uncovered.
The ways in which Narratives have structure, how they carry emotional momentum,
And how ultimately they shape how people interpret themselves, each other, and the world.
Baktash offers a powerful reminder:
When mishandled, Narratives flatten complexity and deepen division.
But when handled with care, they create space for dignity, curiosity, and connection.
And ultimately the profoundly human practice of sharing,
and listening to each others stories,
may be what helps us
to love again.
For more on Baktash, his films, podcast, events, and other work please visit baktashahadi.org. For more on his recent documentary Champions of the Golden Valley, please visit: https://www.championsofthegoldenvalley.com/
Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!
Other conversations in the trilogy:
Part One: Impermanence:
- Impermanence, Letting Go, and Finding Freedom | Sharon Salzberg & Sunita Puri
- On Work, Friendship, and Embracing Impermanence | Parker Palmer & Jerry Colonna
- On Love, Death, and Embracing Our Humanity | Roshi Joan Halifax & Frank Ostaseski
Part Two: Mystery & Wonder
- On the Power of Wonder | Monica Parker
- On Ordinary Mysticism, Wonder, and Love | MIrabai Starr
- On Living a Life That Brings us Truly Alive | Lee Johnson
Part Three: Love
- On the Power of Love | Stephen G. Post
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Professor Stephen G. Post, one of the world’s leading scholars on altruism,
love, compassion, and the science of giving, has a beautiful new book out:
Pure Unlimited Love: Science and the 7 Paths to Inner Peace.
In it, he writes:
When the happiness, security, and well-being of another feels as meaningful and real to us as our own, or perhaps more so, we love that person.
This love, which Stephen has made a central focus through his life’s work across 4 decades,
As a researcher, a writer, a professor of preventive medicine
and founder of the Institute for Research on Pure Unlimited Love.
Is the type of love that includes, but extends beyond, our nearest and dearest
to all humanity.
It’s love that is based on our shared dignity and interdependence with one another
and with nature.
In this conversation, which we are re releasing today we’ll dive deep into the topic of love as we kick off the third installment in this trilogy over the coming weeks.
This trilogy began with a focus on embracing impermanence,
Then in part two explored the power of mystery and wonder,
and is now ending with (in Stephen’s words):
A scientific and spiritual exploration of how the healing power of love can
transform mind, body, and spirit in individuals and communities,
even in times of chaos.
This conversation serving as a hopeful reminder -
When we choose love, it isn’t just a path to inner peace,
It opens up the possibility of creating a better world.
For more on Stephen, his books, research, and other resources please visit stephengpost.com and for more on the Institute for Research on Pure Unlimited Love check out: unlimitedloveinstitute.org
Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!
Other conversations in the trilogy:
- Impermanence, Letting Go, and Finding Freedom | Sharon Salzberg & Sunita Puri
- On Work, Friendship, and Embracing Impermanence | Parker Palmer & Jerry Colonna
- On Love, Death, and Embracing Our Humanity | Roshi Joan Halifax & Frank Ostaseski
- On the Power of Wonder | Monica Parker
- On Ordinary Mysticism, Wonder, and Love | MIrabai Starr
- On Living a Life That Brings us Truly Alive | Lee Johnson
Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!
Thanks for listening!
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For two decades, Matt Kaplan has covered science for The Economist.
He’s seen breakthroughs often occur in spite of, rather than because of, the behavior of the research community,
and how support can be withheld for those who don’t conform or have the right connections.
In his latest book, I Told You So! Scientists Who Were Ridiculed, Exiled and Imprisoned… For Being Right,
Matt shines a light on some of these cases, both past and present.
From Galileo being threatened with torture
To Nobel laureate Katalin Karikó being fired when on the brink of discovering how to wield mRNA–a finding that proved pivotal for the creation of the Covid-19 vaccine.
In today’s conversation we’ll explore some of these stories,
Why scientists have had to fight for their revolutionary ideas to be accepted,
And reflections on how we can, and need to, do better.
Matt’s work offers a poignant reminder:
If we are going to solve the grand challenges we’re facing,
From natural disasters to global pandemics,
We need science.
And, we need each other.
The creativity, innovation, and scientific discovery
That will help us find our way forward
Will come from more humble ways of working together,
Recognizing our shared humanity,
And ultimately redesigning the systems scientists work in -
to prioritize collaboration over cutthroat competition.
For more on Matt, his books, writing, and other offerings please visit: somuchsciencesolittletime.com
Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:
- On the Remedy for a World on Fire | Dr. Joanna Cheek
- On How to Flourish After Leaving Religion | Dr. Daryl Van Tongeren
- On Unlocking Our Primal Intelligence | Angus Fletcher
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Why is it so hard to speak up even when you know something's wrong?
This is the question that physician, award-winning organizational psychologist, and tenured Professor at Cornell University,
Dr. Sunita Sah has been obsessed with for decades.
In her illuminating book: Defy: The Power of No in a World That Demands Yes
She asks us:
"How many times have you wanted to object, disagree, or opt out of something—but ended up swallowing your words, shaking your head, and just going along?"
And then she invites us:
To imagine the life we want to lead, not the one we’re willing to accept.
In today's conversation we’ll dive deep into the topic of defiance,
Why the pressure to comply and ‘go along to get along’ is a corrosive and often invisible force in our society,
And, through an exploration of her revelatory research,
How we can radically reframe defiance from a misunderstood negative trait into a crucial, positive force for personal and societal change.
Sunita’s pioneering work couldn’t be more timely.
In many ways it serves as a lantern for our times -
Shining a much needed light on the path we can all take
To stop people pleasing,
To start living our truth,
and to speak up when it matters most.
For more on Dr. Sah, her book, speaking, and other offerings, please visit sunitasah.com
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:
- On the Science of Mastering Your Intuition | Laura Huang
- On Saving Ourselves and the World | john a. powell
- On Honoring the Soul (Pt. 1) | Parker J. Palmer
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In their powerful new book, Born to Flourish,
Renowned neuroscientists and contemplative teachers
Dr. Richard J. Davidson and Dr. Cortland Dahl offer a radical and hopeful idea:
All of us come into the world with an innate capacity for kindness, compassion, and human flourishing.
Through a powerful blend of storytelling, pioneering research, and ancient Buddhist wisdom,
they reveal how reconnecting with our true nature can transform not only ourselves but also our divided world.
In today’s conversation we’ll explore the landscape of human potential,
and the possibility of flourishing in the face of life’s challenges.
In many ways this exploration is rooted in one of the most important and hopeful scientific findings of our time.
The fact that our brains are far more malleable than most of us assume,
And that when we engage in practices which Richie and Cort have discovered take only minutes a day,
we can profoundly reshape how we respond to stress,
connect with others,
understand ourselves,
and ultimately infuse our lives with greater meaning and purpose.
Named one of the most influential people in the world by Time,
Richie has been a pioneer in contemplative science, and the domain of human flourishing for decades.
Much of his work coming out of The Center for Healthy Minds.
A center that he founded and where he serves as Director.
It was at the Center where Richie and Cort first met - A chance encounter that in many ways felt more like it was destined to be.
Since then they have collaborated closely together, and become good friends in the process.
Today they’ll share more about this beautiful collaboration, and what’s come from it, including the four key skills of flourishing that they’ve identified through their research.
What is so refreshing about their work is that it is (in many ways) a departure from the popular paradigms of quick fixes, and self improvement projects.
Instead they argue that flourishing is about rediscovering something we already have.
It’s about returning to our innate capacities for kindness, compassion, and basic goodness.
And perhaps most importantly
They remind us that these capacities can be strengthened by anyone —
regardless of background, experience, or circumstance.
For more on Richie and Cort, their new book Born to Flourish, the award winning Healthy Minds App which Richie and Cort created together, as well as other offerings including their podcast, and substack, Dharmlab please visit humin.org, or check out centerhealthyminds.org
Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:
- On Unwinding Anxiety and Finding Inner Peace | Dr. Jud Brewer
- Meditation, Awakening, and Original Love | Henry Shukman
- On the Transformative Power of Equanimity | Margaret Cullen
Thanks for listening!
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Over the course of his more than 40 year career,
Renowned psychotherapist Francis Weller developed a unique style of practice.
What he calls soul-centered psychotherapy.
Francis writes:
“When we listen to soul, to what is latent in the symptoms of depression, anxiety or addiction, we hear a more subtle voice calling out for attention.
Only then do we come to understand the wisdom hidden in the suffering.
Only then do we see what our soul has been asking of us all along.
Once granted, the symptoms often abate, leaving us deepened by the encounter with soul.”
In his moving and timely new book:
In the Absence of the Ordinary Soul Work for Times of Uncertainty
Francis generously offers many of the powerful insights gained from a lifetime spent navigating the territory of the soul.
In doing so, he invites us back into alignment with the wider world of belonging.
In today’s conversation we’ll dive deep into Francis’s beautiful approach.
Together we'll explore:
- The possibility of approaching our experiences with reverence,
- Working skillfully with grief,
- Practicing self-compassion,
- And learning to slow down and move at the speed of the soul.
Throughout our time together Francis will also offer a crucial reminder.
We cannot engage this work alone.
It is together that we can carry the anxieties,
navigate the difficulties,
and honor the sacred transitions of 21st-century life.
Community is our way through.
Like thousands of people around the world,
I have found Francis to be a lantern in challenging times.
His work, a shining source of guidance, clarity and wisdom.
And perhaps you’ll leave this conversation feeling as I did,
and as so many do after being in Francis’s company,
More connected,
present,
And changed for the better.
For more on Francis, his books including The Wild Edge of Sorrow, events, and other offerings please visit Francisweller.net
Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:
- On Listening and Attending to the Soul | James Hollis
- On Achieving the Transformation We Truly Seek | Ross Ellenhorn
- On Ordinary Mysticism, Wonder, and Love | Mirabai Starr
Thanks for listening!
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In his book Letters to a Young Poet
Celebrated author and poet Rainer Maria Rilke wrote:
“Be patient towards all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves as if they were locked rooms or books written in a very foreign language.
Don’t search for the answers, which could not be given to you now because you would not be able to live them. And the point is to live everything.
Live the questions now. Perhaps then, someday far in the future, you will gradually, without even noticing it, live your way into the answer.”
In 2025, with the publication of her beautiful book:
How to Fall in Love with Questions: A New Way to Thrive in Times of Uncertainty
Journalist and applied behavioral scientist,
Elizabeth Weingarten carries Rilke’s work forward.
Through contemporary research, powerful storytelling, and her beautifully written prose,
Elizabeth charts a new path for personal growth—
a way to embrace the questions of our lives instead of seeking fast, easy answers.
She writes:
“What do you do when faced with a big, important question that keeps you up at night?
Many people, understandably, seize answers dispensed by "experts," influencers, gurus, and more.
But these fast, easy, one-size-fits-all solutions often fail to satisfy, and can even cause more pain.
What if our questions—the ones we ask about relationships, work, meaning, identity, and purpose—are not our tormentors, but our teachers?”
In today’s conversation we’ll explore the fascinating possibility of living the questions.
Elizabeth will share stories from her journey of discovering a fresh, evidence-based approach for navigating uncertainty.
One inspired by Rilke’s 150-year-old advice, and the moving stories of many others, whose lives have transformed through a different, and better, relationship with uncertainty.
Elizabeth’s work offers a powerful reminder:
When we find the courage to love the questions of our lives
It opens the door the kind of self-discovery that’s only possible when we feel most alive -
That is, in the moments where don’t know what will happen next.
For more on Elizabeth, her book, and other offerings please visit elizabethweingarten.com
Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:
- On the Science of Mastering Your Intuition | Laura Huang
- On the Power of Wonder | Monica Parker
- On Work, Friendship, and Embracing Impermanence | Parker Palmer & Jerry Colonna
Thanks for listening!
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Dr. David Treleaven is a a writer, educator, and trauma professional whose work lies at the intersection of mindfulness and trauma.
At the heart of David’s work is the notion that mindfulness is more powerful when combined with an understanding of trauma.
Part of what’s behind this is the growing realization over the years that mindfulness meditation isn’t all good. There are a number of potential pitfalls that have been increasingly documented over time. One of which is that mindfulness can exacerbate symptoms of traumatic stress.
As a result David has focused on offering mindfulness providers the knowledge and tools they require to meet the needs of those struggling with trauma.
In this conversation (which was originally recorded during COVID and we are re releasing again) David and I will explore a few big questions:
- What is the relationship between increasing our capacity to be with discomfort and a meaningful and fulfilling life?
- How can we increase our capacity to tolerate distress and discomfort while staying regulated, and responsive in the process?
- When we are working at the edge of our comfort zone, or are working with the more difficult aspects of our experience how do we know when to keep going, and when to back off?
This is one of my favorite conversations on the show over the years and Partly because David is such a skilled teacher, and partly because the framework we'll discuss together (called the window of tolerance) is one of the most practical I have come across for answering these big and nuanced questions about how to meet life from a more responsive and regulated place.
For more on David, his book, courses and events please visit: davidtreleaven.com
Note on re-releasing this episode:
Every so often we will choose to re release an episode from earlier years. These conversations are often some of the best we've had on the show and you'll see [Best of] in the title. This conversation was originally recorded in 2021 during COVID, yet the themes, and what David offers feel just as timely and useful today as they did years ago. I hope you enjoy!
Interested in taking David's flagship Trauma Sensitive Mindfulness Course? **As a listener of The Courageous Life you can get $400 off.
To receive the discount:**
-
Head to: https://davidtreleaven.com/trauma-sensitive-mindfulness-complete/
-
Upon checkout enter the coupon code: courage400
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are more conversations we think you'll love:
- On Why We Suffer and How We Heal | Dr. Suzan Song
- On the Transformative Power of Equanimity | Margaret Cullen
- On the Power of Wonder | Monica Parker
Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!
Thanks for listening!
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We all know the feeling:
That gut-wrenching post-conversation replay, cringing at how much we just revealed.
Many of us live in fear of saying too much, so we keep our mouths shut,
guard our emotions, and lock away our most personal thoughts.
But what if we’ve been worrying about the wrong thing?
A growing body of research shows we vastly underestimate the value of sharing more than we think we should, with our spouses, friends, colleagues, and even strangers.
In her new book, Revealing: The Underrated Power of Oversharing,
Behavioral Scientist and Harvard Business School Professor, Leslie John
Draws on over a decade of research and real-life stories, as she explores:
- why we hesitate to open up,
- when sharing really does backfire,
- and how to strike a balance between too much and too little.
In today’s conversation we’ll dive into this practice of wise disclosure,
And how when we pair vulnerability and openness
with the practice of skillful discernment,
We can unlock some of life’s richest rewards.
For more on Leslie, her book and other offerings please visit proflesliejohn.com
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Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:
- On Becoming the Best Version of Yourself | Marc Brackett
- On the Science, and Magic, of Great Conversations | Alison Wood Brooks
- A Cardiologist's Journey to Healing, Health, and Happiness | Dr. Jonathan Fisher
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In times of great division, disruption, and uncertainty, how can we find the ability to stay grounded?
While each of us may find we have different answers,
Here are a few that have been emerging for me recently:
The first - remembering, in the words of one of today’s guests:
you don’t have to do it alone.
Remembering the power (and necessity) of seeking out supportive community, and friends.
The second -turning to history.
Gaining perspective and insight by revisiting times in the past where humans have collectively endured, and persevered in the face of tremendous adversity.
The third - turning to the wisdom of elders.
Seeking out the wise and caring teachers, mentors, and leaders in our communities who are further along the path and can offer guidance from where they stand.
Two of these modern elders in many ways are Mark Nepo and Elizabeth Lesser.
Chosen as one of OWN's SuperSoul 100,
a group of inspired leaders using their gifts and voices to elevate humanity,
Mark Nepo is one of the great poets and spiritual guides of our time.
And
bestselling author, and Co-Founder of Omega Institute, one of the world’s leading conference and retreat centers,
Elizabeth Lesser has had the opportunity to learn from, and collaborate with many of the greatest spiritual teachers and leaders around the world.
Something she’s done since Omega was first founded in 1977.
I asked Elizabeth and Mark if they’d be willing to come together to engage in a rich conversation - sharing some of their own insights, practices, and ultimately what they’ve learned from some of their teachers about navigating troubling times.
In this conversation (originally released in March 2025) we'll explore:
The possibility of meeting whatever is here,
including the grand challenges we are facing,
with greater wisdom, balance, and love.
For more on Mark please visit marknepo.com
For more on Elizabeth check out elizabethlesser.org, and for more on Omega Institute please visit: eomega.org
I was reminded in this conversation that perhaps the most potent way we might find our way through these times,
And back to each other,
Is by remembering that at some level we are all made of the same stuff.
Each one of us, a human being - part of a larger whole.
A reminder which in Mark’s words took this form:
“When we come back into direct connection with life,
There’s a reverence for life.
And when we have a reverence for life we can’t do harm.”
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:
- On the Transformative Power of Equanimity | Margaret Cullen
- On Saving the World and Ourselves | john a. powell
- Rediscovering the Art of Constructive Dialogue | Dr. Mylien Duong
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You may know people who are seemingly unflappable.
Steadfast.
As if they’ve somehow been inoculated with antibodies to render them able to survive, strive, and even thrive through major life stressors and transitions.
What’s different about these people?
Are they born with resilient genes, or does culture play a role?
Do they have certain outlooks or behaviors that make them able to manage life with grace and confidence?
If so, are these skills that everyone can learn?
Today’s guest, Stanford and Harvard trained psychiatrist, medical anthropologist, and humanitarian adviser, Dr. Suzan Song,
has been exploring these questions for decades.
Working with people facing everything from everyday instability to profound human rights violations,
She’s witnessed first-hand the limits of routine Western approaches to adversity.
And now, in her highly anticipated debut book,
Why We Suffer and How We Heal,
Suzan shows us that resilience isn’t inherited or taught in isolation—
it emerges from the stories we tell, the rituals we keep, and the connections we depend on.
In today’s conversation we’ll unpack some of Dr. Song’s hard-earned wisdom,
Her insights about what helps most to weather life’s storms,
And the groundbreaking path she’s uncovered that can lead to deep healing,
thriving in spite of challenges,
and feeling fully alive again.
Perhaps most importantly though, she reminds us that this path
Is open to us all.
For more on Dr. Song’s extraordinary work, speaking, and her new book (which if you enjoy this conversation I can’t recommend highly enough) please visit Suzansong.com
Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:
- On Curiosity, Presence, and Love | Dr. Jacob Ham
- On Choosing Love | Mark Nepo
- On Unlocking Our Primal Intelligence | Angus Fletcher
Thanks for listening!
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What if the mental health symptoms we face aren’t the actual problem?
What if they’re signals that can help us see and solve the real problem?
Psychiatrist, award winning professor of medicine, journalist, and leading mental health expert,
Dr. Joanna Cheek invites us to lean into these questions
Arguing In her timely new book:
It’s Not You, It’s the World, A Mental Health Survival Guide for Us All,
that we’re not broken or doing it wrong when we’re stressed or struggling.
She writes:
“As our world clashes and collapses around us, it’s no surprise that one in two of us will be diagnosed with a mental health condition by the age of forty.
It’s hard to view all our mental health symptoms as disordered if so many of us are experiencing them.
Perhaps it’s not that something’s gone wrong in our bodies and minds, but that something’s gone right:
These symptoms are brilliant alarms and adaptations to help us survive in a disordered world.
Having sensitive protective functions that sound alarms or short-circuit when we’re threatened isn’t a design flaw.
It’s a design success.”
Her words, and the deeply compassionate, expansive set of insights, tools, and practices she offers in her book, and through the powerful work she does in the world,
Invite us into a space of empowerment, connection, and hope.
It’s the type of action-oriented hope that stems from grounded possibility.
The possibility that when we care for both ourselves and our collectives,
And learn to understand and befriend our alarms
we can come together to solve the shared problems they’re signaling,
we can heal the systems that are making us all sick,
And we can build a healthier future together.
For more on Joanna, her new book, events, and other work please visit joannacheek.ca
Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts.
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:
- On the Transformative Power of Equanimity | Margaret Cullen
- On Saving Ourselves and the World | john a. powell
- On Wisdom and Love in Troubling Times | Mark Nepo and Elizabeth Lesser
Thanks for listening!
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In his new book Flourish, bestselling author, scientific journalist, and leading culture expert Daniel Coyle trains his eye on the groups and people who demonstrate exceptional connectivity, presence, and dynamism.
His focus driven by a deep curiosity to better understand some of life’s biggest questions:
What is a meaningful life, and how do we make one?
And
How do certain communities foster closeness, fulfillment, happiness, and energy?
To uncover the answers, Daniel spent 5 years visiting with,
and studying these diverse groups who he writes:
"Have, accidentally or on purpose, demonstrated an extraordinary ability to cultivate joyful, meaningful growth."
Some of them include:
- An unlikely brotherhood of thirty-three men who were trapped in a Chilean mine,
- A tiny Michigan deli that blossomed into a $90 million ecosystem of businesses, while still keeping its soul.
- A children’s television show host whose quiet presence captured the hearts of parents and kids across generations.
- And a nonprofit in an impoverished Nairobi settlement that has improved quality of life for thousands of people.
Through his trademark original reporting,
Daniel found that these flourishing groups do two things:
- They make meaning
- They build community
But how this unfolds is where things get really interesting:
Daniel shares:
“The curious thing was, The source of aliveness seemed to be located in moments in which the group did absolutely nothing. That is, they often stopped their activities and came together in ritual-like stillness, and in those quiet moments meaningful connections would arise.
These moments were mostly defined by what they lacked. There was no deciding, no information sharing, no reaching for outcomes. Instead the were about deliberately stopping, zooming out to take in the bigger picture, noticing and savoring connection."
His beautiful new book, and today’s conversation, offer a powerful reminder -
To slow down,
To practice presence,
And through the process,
To connect more deeply with ourselves, each other, and the world around us.
If we do, it may just be the doorway to the meaning, joy, and fulfillment
so many of us yearn for.
For more on Daniel, his books, and other work please visit danielcoyle.com
Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:
- On the Science of Mastering Your Intuition | Laura Huang
- On the Power of Wonder | Monica Parker
- On Unlocking Our Primal Intelligence | Angus Fletcher
Thanks for listening!
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There is an internal strength of mind and heart that is characterized by
non-reactivity and clear seeing.
It is a strength that holds the power to help us navigate the biggest challenges in our lives —
not by ignoring them,
not by reacting to them in destructive ways,
But rather by being present with, and open to, all the very real struggles of being human
without being hijacked by them.
In her new book, Quiet Strength: Find Peace, Feel Alive, and Love Boundlessly Through the Power of Equanimity,
Revered meditation teacher and licensed psychotherapist Margaret Cullen,
Speaks to how how we can grow our capacity for equanimity.
For 3 years Margaret took a deep dive into Equanimity.
Meeting with leading neuroscientists,
psychologists,
faith leaders,
meditation teachers,
and even a politician,
All to explore equanimity’s promise.
Which she writes:
"Is expansiveness. An ability to love life in all it’s poignancy;
To fearlessly let go of self-limiting definitions;
and to see in sadness, fear and anger some of the same signs of being
ferociously alive we feel in delight connection and awe.
Equanimity is our capacity to be
tender-hearted without sentimentality,
vulnerable without weakness,
wise without detachment,
humble without diffidence,
and to surrender without passivity."
Today we’ll explore this promise.
The very real possibility of meeting life’s challenges from a place of grounded wisdom,
And growing the quiet strength needed to create a better world.
For more on Margaret, her books, teaching, live events, and other offerings please visit margaretcullen.com
And to preorder your copy of Quiet Strength (coming in March 2026) please visit:
https://margaretcullen.com/publications/book/quiet-strength
Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:
- On Ordinary Mysticism, Wonder, and Love | Mirabai Starr
- On Choosing Love | Mark Nepo
- On Work, Friendship, and Embracing Impermanence | Parker Palmer & Jerry Colonna
Thanks for listening!
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There is a primal drive that in our species alone has been transformed into
one of our most persistent and universal motivations:
The longing to matter.
In her revelatory new book:
The Mattering Instinct: How Our Deepest Longing Drives Us and Divides Us,
MacArthur Fellow, National Humanities Medalist, and bestselling author,
Rebecca Newberger Goldstein,
Weaves powerful insights from biology, psychology, and philosophy,
To persuasively argue that our need to matter―
and the various “mattering projects” it inspires,
from parenting,
to scientific discovery,
to transcendence,
art,
creative work,
or the pursuit of mastery―
is simultaneously the source of our greatest progress and our deepest conflicts:
the very crux of the human experience.
Leveraging her gifts as a storyteller,
Rebecca elevates the stories of people pursuing their unique mattering projects:
- From the pioneering psychologist William James, who rose above the depression of his young adulthood to become perhaps the first great theorist of mattering;
- To an impoverished Chinese woman who rescued abandoned newborns from the trash;
- To a neo-Nazi skinhead who as a young man dealt racial violence to feel he mattered but ultimately renounced that hateful past after realizing that mattering isn’t a zero-sum game.
In offering these portraits Rebecca illuminates how our shared instinct for significance shapes identity, relationships, culture, and conflict -
But, perhaps most importantly,
They point the way to a future where we all might see that there is, fundamentally, enough mattering to go around.
Through her work, and today’s conversation, Rebecca invites us to consider
how our universal longing to matter -
The primal instinct that so often drives us apart -
may actually be the key to finally understanding each other.
For more on Rebecca, the Mattering Instinct, her other books and writing, please visit rebeccagoldstein.com
Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:
- On the Healing Power of Love | Stephen G. Post
- On How the Arts Transform Us | Susan Magsamen & Ivy Ross
- On Wisdom and Love in Troubling Times | Mark Nepo & Elizabeth Lesser
Thanks for listening!
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Joseph Campbell, the visionary author behind The Hero's Journey, once wrote:
"People say that what we’re all seeking is a meaning for life.
I don’t think that’s what we’re really seeking.
I think that what we’re seeking is an experience of being alive."
Today’s guest, leadership coach, organizational consultant, and wellbeing expert,
Vivien Tai in many ways has picked up where Joseph Campbell left off.
Her pioneering research for her Master’s Thesis in Positive Psychology
Explored a provocative question:
What if the real measure of a good life — or a great workplace —
isn’t how much we achieve, but how 𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞 we feel?
Today, we’ll dive deep into the the topic of Aliveness as Vivien shares:
- More about her journey into this work which she describes largely was fueled by the pain of not feeling alive.
- Insights she’s gained about what helps us come more fully alive in life, work, and relationships
- Her reflections on the future of work, the importance of human-centered leadership, and the potential for organizational thriving when people come more fully alive.
Vivien writes:
"I have experienced what it’s like to grind in my career and achieve material success on paper, only to feel empty and hollow inside.
I have experienced what it’s like to live life on autopilot, following the expectations of society and others, and end up disconnecting from my authentic truth.
I have experienced what it’s like to be disconnected from others, putting on masks in order to be accepted, but yearning to be accepted and loved for who I really am.
I believe we yearn for a fuller sense of aliveness in the way we live, work, and relate with one another.
One that honors the fullness of our human experience and nurtures connection to self, others and life."
Her work offers us all a beautiful possibility to consider.
That the answer to the one of the timeless existential questions:
What makes life worth living?
May just be,
Aliveness.
More about Vivien:
Vivien’s work is about helping people and organizations come more fully alive — whether through coaching mid-career professionals navigating career transitions, building communities of purpose-driven leaders, or partnering with organizations to cultivate cultures that support both performance and flourishing.
She integrates insights from positive psychology, humanistic psychology, and Eastern spiritual wisdom in her work. Vivien holds a Masters in Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP) from UPenn, and has trained in mindfulness and self-compassion practices.
Before moving into coaching and consulting, Vivien spent over a decade in the Singapore Government, where she led organizational culture and well-being strategies for 150,000 public officers.
Links:
- Coaching
- Substack
- Medium
Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:
- On Living a Life That Brings Us Truly Alive | Lee Johnson
- The Missing Ingredient to 'The Good Life' | Elaine Besser
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We all have something we want to change about ourselves.
But whether it's quitting smoking, losing weight, or breaking some common bad habit, we feel a sense of failure when we don’t succeed.
This can often set off a cascade of negative feelings and discouragement,
making it even harder to change.
The voice in our head telling us: Why bother?
In his profound book, How We Change: And Ten Reasons Why We Don’t
Sociologist, pioneering psychotherapist, and author Dr. Ross Ellenhorn
Takes a deep dive into this all too familiar experience as he unpacks
the psychology and science of changing our lives for the better.
Which he argues depends far more on understanding why we don’t change.
His research sheds an important light on how we are wired to double down on the familiar.
A phenomenon he calls - 'The Fear of Hope' -
That very human and compassionate act of protecting ourselves from further disappointment.
In today’s conversation we’ll dive deep into the topic of change as we,
Challenge the popular paradigm(s) of quick fixes, and 5 and 7 step lists.
And examine what actually works.
Some of which includes:
- The power of a caring relationship,
- Contemplation,
- And learning to become a better friend to ourselves.
Ross’s pioneering work offers us all an invitation to consider a fundamentally different approach.
One that may forever alter our perspective—
and finally help us achieve the transformation we truly seek
For more on Ross, his events, books, and research please visit ellenhorn.com
Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:
- On Listening and Attending to the Soul | James Hollis
- On Curiosity, Presence, and Love | Dr. Jacob Ham
- On Learning to Be a Better Friend to Ourselves | Megan Prager
Join Joshua on a NEW 6-month journey in uncovering how we can open our hearts and minds to live a more expansive life.
A life that brings us alive.
A life that is driven primarily by curiosity, wonder, and love (vs. certainty, control, and fear).
Learn more about and register for "From Fear to Love: A 6 Month Journey" here.
Thanks for listening!
Support the show
10 years ago Chelsea Pottenger found herself in a psychiatric hospital.
Deep in the throes of severe PostNatal Depression following the birth of her daughter,
Chelsea in many ways was fighting for her life and at the beginning of a long road
toward healing, and ultimately post traumatic growth.
Along the way she found herself in a monastery learning and practicing meditation,
Arriving at new insights about how she wanted to live,
And eventually choosing to leave a very successful corporate career to found EQ Minds - a company on a mission to reset the corporate agenda.
Chelsea and her team work with some of the world’s most iconic businesses to
prioritize the mental health and wellbeing of their employees first.
In addition to founding and directing EQ Minds, Chelsea is now a highly sought-after keynote speaker,
author of the Mindful High Performer,
and was just nominated for Australian of the Year.
Today she will share some of this journey.
Her heart wrenching, and inspiring story of transforming pain into purpose.
A story that in many ways offers us a beautiful reminder:
There is a deeper and richer experience of life available to us.
An experience that often begins with coming home
to who we truly are.
For more on Chelsea, her book, speaking and the incredible work they are doing at EQ Minds, please visit: https://www.eqminds.com
Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:
- On Listening and Attending to the Soul | James Hollis
- On Heartbreak, Healing, and Transformation | Sara Avant Stover
- On Learning to Be a Better Friend to Ourselves | Megan Prager
Join Joshua on a NEW 6-month journey in uncovering how we can open our hearts and minds to live a more expansive life.
A life that brings us alive.
A life that is driven primarily by curiosity, wonder, and love (vs. certainty, control, and fear).
Learn more about and register for "From Fear to Love: A 6 Month Journey" here.
Thanks for listening!
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What sets the most successful people apart?
You may think that the answer is hard work (and it’s certainly part of it),
but in her interviews of the most accomplished individuals—
from entrepreneurs and investors to Olympic athletes and Pulitzer Prize winners—
Distinguished Professor of Management, Dr. Laura Huang discovered
that what they called their gut feel, the product of their intuition,
played the most important role.
Laura, who has held faculty positions at Harvard Business School
and the Wharton School has in many ways dedicated her research career
to quantifying the ‘unquantifiable’.
Her work shows that we all have intuition -
a combination of our brain's intelligent synthesis of external data
and the entirety of our personal experiences.
Our intuition draws from what we already know and what we didn’t even realize we knew.
This process culminates in a gut feel which can manifest as:
- A eureka moment,
- A Spidey sense,
- Or a jolt that changes how we see things and compels us to act.
If you’re like most people, these flashes of clarity arise passively.
Random occurrences that come out of the blue.
And yet in her powerful new book:
You Already Know: The Science of Mastering Your Intuition,
Laura shares: "What makes our gut feel a superpower is our ability to go from the passive to the active.”
That move, from passive to active, lies at the center of our conversation today.
Together we’ll explore:
How we can strengthen our ability to hear the quiet whisper of our intuition,
And be truer to ourselves and those moments of clarity
when our head and our heart converge.
Laura’s words offer us all a timely reminder:
"As the external world gets ever noisier, often, the smartest thing we can do is
listen to our gut to guide us in the right direction.
Trust Yourself.
You already know."
For more on Laura, her books, speaking, events, and research please visit proflaurahuang.com
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:
- On Unlocking Our Primal Intelligence | Angus Fletcher
- On Honoring the Soul (Part 1) | Parker J. Palmer
- On the Power of Wonder | Monica Parker
Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!
Join Joshua on a NEW 6-month journey in uncovering how we can open our hearts and minds to live a more expansive life.
A life that brings us alive.
A life that is driven primarily by curiosity, wonder, and love (vs. certainty, control, and fear).
Learn more about and register for "From Fear to Love: A 6 Month Journey" here.
Thanks for listening!
Support the show
Professor Stephen G. Post, one of the world’s leading scholars on altruism,
love, compassion, and the science of giving, has a beautiful new book out:
Pure Unlimited Love: Science and the 7 Paths to Inner Peace.
In it, he writes:
When the happiness, security, and well-being of another feels as meaningful and real to us as our own, or perhaps more so, we love that person.
This love, which Stephen has made a central focus across in his life’s work across 4 decades
As a researcher, a writer, a professor of preventive medicine
and founder of the Institute for Research on Pure Unlimited Love.
Is the type of love that includes, but extends beyond, our nearest and dearest
to all humanity.
It’s love that is based on our shared dignity and interdependence with one another
and with nature.
Today we’ll dive deep into the topic of love as we kick off the third installment in this trilogy.
A trilogy that began with a focus on embracing impermanence,
Then in part two explored the power of mystery and wonder,
and is now ending with (in Stephen’s words):
A scientific and spiritual exploration of how the healing power of love can
transform mind, body, and spirit in individuals and communities,
even in times of chaos.
This conversation serving as a hopeful reminder -
When we choose love, it isn’t just a path to inner peace,
It opens up the possibility of creating a better world.
For more on Stephen, his books, research, and other resources please visit stephengpost.com and for more on the Institute for Research on Pure Unlimited Love check out: unlimitedloveinstitute.org
Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!
Other conversations in the trilogy:
- Impermanence, Letting Go, and Finding Freedom | Sharon Salzberg & Sunita Puri
- On Work, Friendship, and Embracing Impermanence | Parker Palmer & Jerry Colonna
- On Love, Death, and Embracing Our Humanity | Roshi Joan Halifax & Frank Ostaseski
- On the Power of Wonder | Monica Parker
- On Ordinary Mysticism, Wonder, and Love | MIrabai Starr
- On Living a Life That Brings us Truly Alive | Lee Johnson
Join Joshua on a NEW 6-month journey in uncovering how we can open our hearts and minds to live a more expansive life.
A life that brings us alive.
A life that is driven primarily by curiosity, wonder, and love (vs. certainty, control, and fear).
Learn more about and register for "From Fear to Love: A 6 Month Journey" here.
Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!
Thanks for listening!
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Between the relentless uncertainty—political, environmental, societal—in the world
and our own personal challenges,
We are living through one of the most anxious periods any of us can remember.
Many of us are feeling overwhelmed, and out of control.
As a result we may find ourselves falling into unhealthy patterns that we struggle to change—
worrying,
stress-eating,
constantly scrolling on social media,
procrastinating,
and more.
The good news is that there’s a way out.
In today’s episode,
which we originally released in 2023, but chose to re release now given it feels more timely than ever,
Addiction psychiatrist, neuroscientist, and NYT Bestselling Author Dr. Jud Brewer is back on the show.
And together we’ll explore the possibility of changing our relationship to anxiety for good.
Leveraging the power of mindfulness, curiosity,
and a 3-step process for habit change developed in his neuroscience lab,
Jud and his team have shown it’s not only possible to unwind anxiety, rediscover peace and calm (in our constantly changing world),
But that the simple brain-based practices for doing so
are accessible to us all.
For more on Jud, his NYT Bestselling Unwinding Anxiety, the Unwinding Anxiety workbook, and app, please visit drjud.com
Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:
- On Unlocking our Primal Intelligence | Angus Fletcher
- On Wholeness, Service, and Enduring Happiness | Stephanie Harrison
- On Unwinding Toxic Productivity | Israa Nasir
Join Joshua on a NEW 6-month journey in uncovering how we can open our hearts and minds to live a more expansive life.
A life that brings us alive.
A life that is driven primarily by curiosity, wonder, and love (vs. certainty, control, and fear).
Learn more about and register for "From Fear to Love: A 6 Month Journey" here.
Thanks for listening!
Support the show
Dr. Jud Brewer is an addiction psychiatrist, neuroscientist, and Director of Research and Innovation at Brown University’s Mindfulness Center.
Jud is passionate about understanding how our brains work,
and how to use that knowledge to help people make deep, permanent change in their lives —
With the goal of reducing suffering in the world at large.
This conversation, which we originally recorded and released during the Pandemic in 2021,
Looked at the deepening division in our society, the patterns of 'othering', judgment, and blame,
Through the lens of habit formation.
The hypothesis that Jud and I explored
Which was informed by his novel approaches to using mindfulness for habit change, was:
If othering, us and them thinking, and judgment are in fact habits
Than it's not only possible to break them,
It’s also possible to develop habits that counteract division and nurture connection and community.
The key question though, which just happens to be at the heart of Jud’s work,
Is How?
In this episode we’ll explore some ideas for answering that question including:
- Insights about how our brains learn
- And Practices developed in Jud’s lab that leverage mindfulness and the power of curiosity
Practices that offer hope, and a potential path for both individual and collective healing.
We chose to re-release this episode now,
not only because it’s a unique lens to look at these challenges,
But because recognizing our common humanity, and nurturing connection with each other is needed perhaps now more than ever.
For more on Jud, his NYT bestselling books, trainings, and groundbreaking work using novel mindfulness programs for habit change, please visit: drjud.com
Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:
- On Awe, Wonder, and Everyday Miracles | Jonah Paquette
- On Wisdom and Love in Troubling Times | Mark Nepo & Elizabeth Lesser
Join Joshua on a NEW 6-month journey in uncovering how we can open our hearts and minds to live a more expansive life.
A life that brings us alive.
A life that is driven primarily by curiosity, wonder, and love (vs. certainty, control, and fear).
Learn more about and register for "From Fear to Love: A 6 Month Journey" here.
Thanks for listening!
Support the show
Americans today are leaving religion in record numbers.
For many, the faith, practices, and institutions that once provided comfort and guidance no longer fit their beliefs and values.
Today’s guest, Dr. Daryl Van Tongeren, a psychologist scientist who engages big existential questions to promote human flourishing,
And author of the powerful book: Done: How to Flourish After Leaving Religion
calls this departure ‘The Great Disillusionment.’
His research and writing brings attention to several important, but often difficult questions that arise when people are no longer served by traditional religion:
- How do they find new meaning and purpose?
- How do they process the grief that often accompanies religious or spiritual change?
- And how can they navigate challenging relationships with people who do not support or understand?
Today we’ll explore this complex terrain as we discuss:
- The changing landscape of religion in the US and beyond,
- Why leaving religion can be so hard, which Darryl will reflect on through the lens of his research, but also through sharing the tragic story of losing his brother. A loss that left him questioning, and wrestling with his own relationship to the religion he was brought up in and had built his life around for many years.
And finally, the possibility that Daryl writes about so beautifully.
In his words:
If you are rethinking your religious beliefs, have experienced religious loss or struggle,
or have undergone a significant religious change,
you are not alone.
By understanding how people before us have left or transformed their religion,
And using their wisdom as a guide,
we can discover new ways of finding peace, engaging with the transcendent,
And ultimately crafting a flourishing and meaningful life.
For more on Daryl, his books, research, and other offerings please visit darylvantongeren.com
Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:
- On Awe, Wonder, and Everyday Miracles | Jonah Paquette
- On Listening and Attending to the Soul | James Hollis
- The Transformative Power of Humility | Dr. Daryl Van Tongeren
Join Joshua on a NEW 6-month journey in uncovering how we can open our hearts and minds to live a more expansive life.
A life that brings us alive.
A life that is driven primarily by curiosity, wonder, and love (vs. certainty, control, and fear).
Learn more about and register for "From Fear to Love: A 6 Month Journey" here.
Thanks for listening!
Support the show
Lee Johnson likes to say that he’s as ordinary as dirt but as complex as soil.
A former Course Director for the Colorado Outward Bound School and Certified Holistic Management Teacher,
Lee has also managed ranches in Nebraska, Tennessee, and New Mexico.
I first met him on a retreat at the Modern Elder Academy in Santa Fe.
The Academy, which has been called "The World’s First Midlife Wisdom School"
Sits on the beautiful Rising Circle Ranch where Lee serves as steward, and facilitates various experiences for guests.
Much of his work is to translate nature’s teachings into insights that encourage us
to tune into our inner landscapes as much as the outer landscape.
And while I was deeply moved by Lee’s presence, wisdom, and artful storytelling,
What struck me most was that he was someone who has spent most of his life
following his heart.
Today, we’ll talk in depth about his journey,
The courage to walk the unconventional path,
And what he describes as the quiet inner knowing that can arise when we learn to listen deeply to our lives.
Lee will also share more about what may support us to act on that knowing.
Particularly in the face of fear, and the often strong pull of other’s expectations for our lives.
This was one of the most beautiful conversations I’ve ever had
And feels like an appropriate close to this 4 part mini series on the power of mystery and wonder.
Lee’s holistic approach to life and spirituality serving as an invitation
to step into a deeper relationship with ourselves, nature, and each other.
An invitation to embrace the mystery of being human,
And to discover the wonder of living a life that brings us truly alive.
For more on Lee please check out MEAwisdom.com
Did you enjoy this episode? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:
- On Ordinary Mysticism, Wonder, and Love | Mirabai Starr
- On Work, Friendship, and Embracing Impermanence | Parker Palmer and Jerry Colonna
Join Joshua on a NEW 6-month journey in uncovering how we can open our hearts and minds to live a more expansive life.
A life that brings us alive.
A life that is driven primarily by curiosity, wonder, and love (vs. certainty, control, and fear).
Learn more about and register for "From Fear to Love: A 6 Month Journey" here.
Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!
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What do you feel when you gaze up at the Milky Way,
take in a beautiful sunset,
stand at the base of a mountain that seems impossibly high,
or witness an extraordinary act of courage, kindness, or love?
Often, it's a profound sense of awe -
the overwhelming feeling we experience when we encounter something
vast that transcends our understanding.
In his book Awestruck, clinician, researcher, and multi-time author,
Dr. Jonah Paquette, reminds us that awe-inspiring moments are all around us.
Ranging from the grand to the commonplace, its these moments that hold part of the key to living a deeply fulfilling life.
In today’s conversation, which we are re releasing as part of our current mini series
On the power of mystery and wonder
Jonah and I will explore the life-changing potential of awe.
How this powerful emotion can help alleviate some of the struggles in our daily lives, from stress, to social isolation.
Why awe can be a catalyst for empathy, curiosity, and compassion,
And that as we reclaim space for moments of reverence for the ordinary,
everyday miracles,
We open up the possibility a deeper and more profound experience of life.
A life marked by greater joy and fulfillment.
For more on Jonah please, his books, podcast, and live events, please visit jonahpaquette.com
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:
- On the Power of Wonder | Monica Parker
- On Ordinary Mysticism, Wonder, and Love | Mirabai Starr
Join Joshua on a NEW 6-month journey in uncovering how we can open our hearts and minds to live a more expansive life.
A life that brings us alive.
A life that is driven primarily by curiosity, wonder, and love (vs. certainty, control, and fear).
Learn more about and register for "From Fear to Love: A 6 Month Journey" here.
Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!
Thanks for listening!
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In her beautiful book: Ordinary Mysticism: Your Life as Sacred Ground,
Bestselling author, translator, and celebrated spiritual teacher, Mirabai Starr
Invites us to let go of the limiting belief that spiritual life exists only in traditional places of worship.
She shares:
You can visit an ashram in the Himalayas,
Or kneel in a church pew to connect to the spirit or examine life’s big questions—
but these aren’t the only opportunities to discover the sacred.
Life itself, is holy ground.
When we choose to embrace Ordinary Mysticism
We begin to find magic in the mundane -
from weeding in our humble gardens,
to a slow evening walk with a friend,
to a full kitchen table surrounded by family.
Our everyday lives become an encounter with the sacred.
In this second conversation in our mini series on the power of mystery and wonder,
Mirabai, who has been honored as one of the 100 most spiritually influential living people,
Will share much more about Ordinary Mysticism.
Including:
- More of her story,
- Favorite practices,
- and powerful insights she’s gained from decades of spiritual practice, teaching, and writing.
And because it’s foundational in creating the conditions for mystical experiences to unfold,
We’ll explore the power of presence.
Mirabai reminding us that when we slow down,
When we pay closer attention to our lives,
And when we open our hearts and minds to what is -
The ordinary starts to show up as miraculous,
the boring becomes fascinating,
our own shortcomings can turn out to be our greatest gifts.
And, we ultimately discover the possibility of being more alive
as we awaken to the interconnectedness between all things.
For more on Mirabai, Ordinary Mysticism, her books, other writing, teaching and live events, please visit mirabaistarr.com
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:
- On the Power of Wonder | Monica Parker
- Meditation, Awakening, and Original Love | Henry Shukman
Join Joshua on a NEW 6-month journey in uncovering how we can open our hearts and minds to live a more expansive life.
A life that brings us alive.
A life that is driven primarily by curiosity, wonder, and love (vs. certainty, control, and fear).
Learn more about and register for "From Fear to Love: A 6 Month Journey" here.
Looking for part one in the trilogy? You can find the impermanence series here:
- Impermanence, Letting Go, and Finding Freedom | Sharon Salzberg and Sunita Puri
- On Work, Friendship, and Embracing Impermanence | Parker Palmer & Jerry Colonna
- On Love, Death, And Embracing Our Humanity | Roshi Joan Halifax & Frank Ostaseski
Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!
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In her beautiful book, The Power of Wonder, Monica Parker, writes:
“Wonder purls its way through our lives from first cry to last gasp -
Moments that engage us, surprise us, take our breath away,
And give us the gift of viewing the world, and our place in it,
In an entirely different way.
But something happens as we move from the wonder-filled days of childhood to obligation laden days of adulthood.
We become increasingly jaded.
Like the sun that continues to shine on a cloudy day, wonder is still there,
But we just can’t seem to see it anymore.
And then one day we stop looking.”
A world renowned speaker, author, and leading authority on the future of work,
Monica has spent decades helping people discover how to lead and live wonderfully.
Much of her work, which lies at the intersection of research and practice,
Explores how, and why, wonder holds the potential to transform:
- the way we learn,
- develop new ideas,
- drive social change,
- and ultimately become better humans.
Today’s conversation is a beautiful beginning.
A doorway into a mini series on the power of mystery and wonder.
Themes that will make up the second part in a trilogy, which began with conversations focused on impermanence,
and that will end with an exploration of love.
Monica is here to kick things off.
Inviting us to step into possibility.
The possibility of looking again - Opening our eyes like we did as children
and reconnecting with a reverence for the world,
and all the magic in it.
For More on Monica, her book: The Power of Wonder, her speaking, and her fascinating career which has included roles as diverse as being an opera singer, founder of a global human analytics and change consultancy, and a homicide investigator defending death row inmates please visit Monica-Parker.com
Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!
Join Joshua on a NEW 6-month journey in uncovering how we can open our hearts and minds to live a more expansive life.
A life that brings us alive.
A life that is driven primarily by curiosity, wonder, and love (vs. certainty, control, and fear).
Learn more about and register for "From Fear to Love: A 6 Month Journey" here.
You can find part one of the trilogy below. These 3 conversations dive deep into the topic of impermanence and how we can relate to the changing nature of our lives in ways that lead to living well.
- Impermanence, Letting Go, and Finding Freedom | Sharon Salzberg & Sunita Puri
- On Work, Friendship, and Embracing Impermanence | Parker J. Palmer & Jerry Colonna
- On Love, Death, and Embracing Our Humanity | Roshi Joan Halifax & Frank Ostaseski
Thanks for listening!
Support the show
Success in virtually every aspect of life―
career, friendship, love, and family―
is determined mainly by one thing: how we deal with emotions.
In your most challenging moments, how did you respond?
Did you fly off the handle?
Were you paralyzed by indecision?
Did you engage in behaviors that undermined your best intentions?
Or did you exhibit grace under pressure and flourish?
How you responded likely shaped what happened next.
The good news?
We all have the power to decide how we will respond to what life throws at us.
Marc Brackett, Founding Director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence and author of the new book Dealing With Feeling: Use Your Emotions to Create the Life You Want is back on the show today.
Together we’ll explore how can begin to harness this power.
The first step being the practice of acceptance.
A message that in many ways is at the heart of Marc’s work.
It's a move that recognizes there are no bad emotions―
only emotions we don’t understand or know how to direct in positive, intentional ways.
And secondly,
That we must go beyond acceptance.
Dealing with our feelings involves a set of skills and strategies that must be
learned, practiced, and refined over a lifetime.
When we do,
We open the door to becoming the best version of ourselves
and lifting others up around us.
For more on Marc, his books, research, live events, and other work please visit marcbrackett.com
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:
- To Feel is to Be Human | Marc Brackett
- On the Science, and Magic, of Great Conversations | Alison Wood Brooks
Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!
Thanks for listening!
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When Sean Brosnan arrived at Newbury Park High School in 2016,
their cross country team hadn’t so much as qualified for a California state
championship in twenty-five years.
Brosnan himself had never coached high schoolers,
though he was no stranger to the sport.
A collegiate All-American, he had spent years trying to chase his ambitions of
becoming a professional runner,
along the way learning from some of the most successful coaches in the country.
From day one at Newbury Park, Sean made a promise:
"Give me your total commitment and I’ll give you a state championship in four years."
Brosnan’s runners ended up:
- Taking an unprecedented three consecutive national championships,
- smashing records,
- winning Division I scholarships,
- and ultimately representing their country in the Olympics.
Today Sean is on the show to share more of his incredible story,
And some of the key insights he’s gained about unlocking human potential,
None of which may be more important than his steadfast belief that:
The only limits that matter are the ones you set for yourself.
For more on Sean you can follow him on IG and X @realseanbrosnan
and for the full story of his high school cross country team that went from
obscurity to becoming the fastest squad the country, and perhaps the world, has
ever seen check out his inspiring new book:
Beyond Fast: How a Renegade Coach and His Unlikely High School Team Revolutionized Distance Running.
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:
- On Finding Peace and Confidence Under Pressure | Jim Murphy
- Limitless Mind: Learn, Live, & Lead Without Barriers | Jo Boaler
Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!
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How do you define “growing up”?
Does it mean achieving certain cultural benchmarks—a steady income, paying taxes, marriage, and children?
Or does it mean leaving behind the expectations of others and growing into the person you were meant to be?
When we find ourselves in a career,
place,
relationship,
or crisis we never foresaw,
or that seems at odds with our beliefs about who we are,
it often means our soul is calling on us to reexamine our path.
Today, with Jungian Psychoanalyst, therapist, and bestselling author James Hollis
We’ll explore the practice of listening to that call.
The call that invites us to step into a more purposeful life.
As we navigate what James calls the collision between our “False Self,”
created from the expectations of others,
and our instinctive “True Self.”
During our conversation James draw upon his life’s work, his 20+ books,
and his experiences with hundreds of clients,
as he offers up:
A map for traversing the frontier we call our inner life,
The steps (as he sees them) that we must take on our road to true maturity, meaning, and fulfillment,
And how we ultimately can find the courage to step into the depth, dignity, and dangers of this journey.
For more on James Hollis, his books, and other work please visit jameshollis.net
Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:
- On Honoring the Soul (pt. 1) | Parker J. Palmer
- On Choosing Love | Mark Nepo
Thanks for listening!
Support the show
How are some people so much smarter than the rest of us?
Where do visionary creatives and savvy decision-makers like
Vincent Van Gogh, Marie Curie, Albert Einstein, Maya Angelou, Warren Buffet, and William Shakespeare,
get their extraordinary mental abilities?
In 2021, researchers at Ohio State’s Project Narrative,
the world’s leading academic think-tank for the study of how stories work,
and a place renowned for collaborations with NASA, Hollywood, and Silicon Valley,
announced they had the answer.
They named it Primal Intelligence.
And they published scientific proof that Primal Intelligence was impossible for computers—but could be strengthened in humans.
Intrigued, U.S. Army Special Operations developed Primal training for its most classified units.
The training succeeded.
The Operators saw the future faster.
They healed quicker from trauma.
In life-and-death situations, they chose wiser.
From there the Army authorized training for civilian entrepreneurs, doctors, engineers, managers, coaches, teachers, investors, and NFL players.
Their leadership and innovation improved significantly.
They coped better with change and uncertainty.
They experienced less anger and anxiety.
And when they offered the training to college and K-12 classrooms it produced substantial effects in students as young as eight.
In today’s conversation with Angus Fletcher who serves as Professor of story science at Project Narrative,
holds dual degrees in neuroscience and literature, a PhD in Shakespeare,
and is author of the powerful new book: Primal Intelligence: You Are Smarter than You know.
We’ll take a deep dive into the groundbreaking research and training they’ve been developing at Project Narrative over the past 4 years.
And Angus will share his often surprising and unexpected journey into this work.
Including some of the most potent insights and practices he gained from collaborating with U.S. Special Operations along the way.
To learn more about Primal Intelligence, including the inspiring new book, Angus’s work, and Primal trainings please visit operationhuman.com
Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:
- On How the Arts Transform Us | Susan Magsamen & Ivy Ross
- Unwinding Anxiety | Dr. Jud Brewer
Thanks for listening!
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Many of us think of the arts as entertainment or a luxury of some kind.
But In their New York Times Bestselling Book: Your Brain on Art,
authors Susan Magsamen and Ivy Ross invite us to open our minds and
consider a breathtaking expansion of this limited view of what the arts are,
and the power they hold to transform our lives both individually and collectively.
Ivy, who serves as Chief Design Officer for Consumer Devices at Google,
and has previously held executive positions spanning from head of product design and development to CMO and presidencies with several of the world’s leading companies, including Calvin Klein, Swatch, Coach, Mattel, and Gap.
And Susan who is the founder and director of the International Arts + Mind Lab at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine where she also serves as a faculty member,
Originally came together through a cold outreach email on LinkedIn.
That email turned into a 3 hour conversation,
Which ultimately led to a 4 year journey of discovery, writing and research.
In today’s conversation they will share the fruits of this unlikely and extraordinary collaboration -
As they offer insights, research, and practices that shed light on the new science of neuroaesthetics.
And the possibility we find ourselves standing in front of:
A cultural shift in which the arts can deliver potent, accessible, and proven solutions for the well-being of everyone.
Susan and Ivy argue that this new understanding about how the arts and aesthetics can help us
Holds the potential to transform traditional medicine, build healthier communities,
and mend an aching planet.
And that unlocking this potential is not about seeking something outside of us,
But rather,
is about returning to the creative and artistic expression we freely experienced as children.
Embracing art not as a luxury,
or an escape,
But as our evolutionary birthright.
For more on Ivy, Susan, their beautiful book Your Brain on Art, please visit yourbrainonart.com.
You can also check out a beautiful newly launched resource center for the Neuroarts that Susan is spearheading at neruoartsresourcecenter.com
Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:
- On the Science, and Magic, of Great Conversations | Alison Wood Brooks
- A Cardiologist's Journey to Healing, Health, and Happiness | Dr. Jonathan Fisher
Thanks for listening!
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Drawing from the science of cognitive bias,
Author, and digital product designer for some of the world’s leading tech companies,
Vicki Tan, has written a beautiful new book intended to help us find wisdom and confidence in the face of life’s biggest questions.
In today’s conversation we’ll dive deeper into her work around the art and science of decision making,
Which in Vicki’s words:
Is less about unlocking secrets,
And more about understanding the quiet ways we navigate uncertainty.
During our time together Vicki will offer insight into how our cognitive biases -
Those default (and often unconscious) lenses through which we view the world -
Influence all aspects of our daily lives.
From the way we perceive time,
to how the people around us influence us,
to our tendency to remember the bizarre over the familiar.
And,
That as we begin to deepen our understanding of how our minds work,
And choose to view questions we’re stuck on in a different light,
We just might be surprised by how clear our answers become.
For more on Vicki, her design work, and her new book, titled: Ask This Book a Question: An Interactive Journey to Find Wisdom for Life’s Big and Little Decisions please visit vickitan.com
Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts.
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:
- On Learning to Be a Better Friend to Ourselves | Megan Prager
- The Missing Ingredient to 'The Good Life' | Dr. Lorraine Besser
Thanks for listening!
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In his book Stoicism and the Art of Happiness, author, therapist, and stoic philosopher, Donald Robertson, writes:
"The Sage conquers his passions by becoming stronger than them not by
eliminating all traces of emotions from his life.
The Stoic ideal is therefore not to be ‘passionless’ in the sense of being ‘apathetic’,
‘hard-hearted’, ‘insensitive’ or ‘like a statue’ of stone or iron.
Rather, it is to experience natural affection for ourselves, our loved ones, and other
human beings.
And to value our lives in accord with nature."
In today’s conversation Donald will dive deeper into what Stoicism is, and
what it's not.
He'll shed light on how Stoicism in popular culture is often misinterpreted -
Inappropriately distilled into messages that tout self-discipline and personal
responsibility, yet at the same time leave out what the stoics may have valued most:
Wisdom,
justice,
and love for humankind.
We’ll also explore the possibility, and practices that might support us in living into
Marcus Aurelius’s conception of the Ideal Stoic:
Meeting our lives, our work, and our relationships increasingly from a place that is
free of passions,
and full of love.
For more on Donald Robertson, his books, podcasts, and other work please visit Donaldrobertson.name
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:
- On Imperfectionism and the Art of Living Well | Oliver Burkeman
- On Wholeness, Service, and Enduring Happiness | Stephanie Harrison
Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts.
Thanks for listening!
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As a professional baseball player, Jim Murphy’s sense of worth revolved around results.
He was focused on achievement but also afraid of failure.
When he started coaching professional and Olympic athletes, he often encountered the same mindset.
So he became obsessed with learning how the best in the world performed with peace and confidence under pressure.
After years of research, two revelatory insights emerged:
First,
In the moments that matter most
It’s our heart (not our mind) that unlocks extraordinary performance.
Second,
The path to experiencing peace and confidence under pressure
And
The path toward a deeply fulfilling life
Are one and the same.
These realizations changed his life.
Today we’ll unpack what he learned and the powerful approach to living and performing he developed as a result.
It’s an approach that centers around centuries-old principles of love, wisdom, and courage - What he calls Inner Excellence.
Jim will also offer some of the most potent practices he uses with his clients for training the heart,
And his insight into how we can unlock our performance potential, while experiencing more love, joy, and purpose through the process.
For more on Jim, his books (including NYT bestseller Inner Excellence), his trainings and performance coaching, please visit innerexcellence.com
Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:
- On Mastering Our Emotional Life | Ethan Kross
- On Unwinding Toxic Productivity | Israa Nasir
Thanks for listening!
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'What is this moment calling for?'
At the heart of Dr. Jacob Ham’s approach lies this profound question.
The simplicity of it can be disarming.
Yet to answer it skillfully requires the capacity to be present -
To notice what is arising moment by moment.
Not only in you,
But in those around you,
As well as what is arising in the space between.
That sacred ground we like to call connection or relationship.
To answer the question also necessitates an ability to meet whatever is here with curiosity, and the wisdom of an open heart.
Over the course of his career Dr. Ham has sat with countless clients,
Exploring the landscape of trauma, healing, and growth.
Honing his craft through the act of asking and answering this question.
Moment by moment.
In many ways Dr. Ham might be thought of as a master craftsman,
A brilliant therapist,
Who has cultivated a deeply loving, authentic, and wise presence over a lifetime of practice.
It’s a way of showing up,
A way of being,
A way of meeting people exactly where they are,
which can’t really be described in words.
Like a good conversation, it’s something that must be experienced.
Today, you’ll have that opportunity.
We originally recorded over a year ago, but chose to re release it, as it is one of the most moving and unique conversations I ’ve ever had on the show.
For more on Dr. Ham, his work both as a therapist, and as Director of the Center for Child Trauma and Resilience at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, as well as his writings and events please visit drjacobham.com
Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts.
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:
- On Inner Healing and Embracing Our True Selves | Dick Schwartz
- On Heartbreak, Healing, and Transformation | Sara Avant Stover
Thanks for listening!
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Is there just one “you”?
This evocative question lies at the heart of Dr. Richard Schwartz’s groundbreaking work as both a therapist, and a researcher.
Over 40 years he’s pushed back against convention
Challenging what so many of us have been taught to believe -
That we have a single identity.
And to feel fear or shame when we can’t control the inner voices that don’t match the ideal of who we think we should be.
Rather than accept this well adopted theory of the “mono-mind.”
Dr. Schwartz developed the Internal Family Systems model (IFS) in response to clients’ descriptions of various parts within themselves,
which has been transforming psychology for decades and is outlined in his profound bestselling book, No Bad Parts
He says:
“All of us are born with many sub-minds - or parts,”
“These parts are not imaginary or symbolic. They are individuals who exist as an internal family within us - and the key to health and happiness is to honor, understand, and love every part.”
Today, we will take an experiential dive into IFS -
As Dick shares more of his story,
how he came to this approach,
the role of curiosity and love in healing,
and ultimately will offer a glimpse of what’s possible when we engage in parts work as he generously agreed to conduct an IFS therapy session with me in real time.
What unfolded turned out to be an extraordinary experience.
One that left me changed.
The session itself increased my belief in Dick’s hopeful and inspiring sentiment:
“When we learn to love all our parts,
we can learn to love all people - and that will contribute to healing the world.”
For more on Dick Schwartz, his books, IFS, and a directory of IFS trained therapists please visit ifs-institute.com
Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!
Did you find this conversation inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:
- On Honoring the Soul (pt. 1) | Parker J. Palmer
- On Heartbreak, Healing, and Transformation | Sara Avant Stover
Thanks for listening!
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Since 2018 The Courageous Life Podcast has invited many of the world’s leading thinkers, researchers, creators, writers, poets, athletes, healers, and teachers to explore how we can find the courage to live an authentic life, to derive purpose and meaning, and to meet ourselves, others, and the world around us with an open heart - as we navigate the complexity and the beauty of what it means to be human.
Like the show itself, this “trailer” is intended to be akin to good poetry.
It’s an invitation to slow down, to deeply exhale, and to feel the stir of the soul.
Press play to get a feel for what we are creating on The Courageous Life.
Featuring originally composed music by Matthew Patrick Donner (Executive Producer)
And clips from Courageous Life episodes featuring:
- Mark Nepo
- Amy Dong
- Jerry Colonna
- Stephanie Harrison
- Frank Ostaseski
- And an excerpt from Parker Palmer’s original poem: 'Everything Falls Away' (read live by Parker on the show).
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How do we engage with one another at work in ways that foster more authentic professional relationships?
And that ultimately lead to more equitable workplaces?
Today’s guest is Dr. Rosalind Chow -
A leading organizational expert, professor at the Tepper School of Business, and author of the new book: The Doors You Can Open.
Rosalind argues that sponsorship is an important part of the answer to these complex questions.
Choosing to sponsor others is a choice that’s all about lifting other people up.
It’s the act of opening doors (that may have otherwise been closed) by changing how other people see a protégé, team member, or co-worker.
And Dr. Chow’s research shows that making this choice can yield a tremendous amount of upside. When people engage in sponsorship:
- Not only can the organizational tide shift in the direction of social equality and inclusion.
- It can also lead to mutually beneficial lifelong connections (rather than merely transactional interactions).
In our conversation Rosalind and I will dive deeper into:
- Sponsorship,
- The art and science of building trusting relationships,
- The bold case she makes for completely changing the way we network - focusing less on what we can get, and more on what we have to give
- And why we all have more agency and deeper networks to act as sponsors than we might think.
For more on Rosalind, and her important new book: The Doors You Can Open please visit rosalindchow.com
Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:
- On the Science, and Magic, of Great Conversations | Alison Wood Brooks
- On Mastering Our Emotional Life | Ethan Kross
Thanks for listening!
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In 2018 I sat down with one of the great spiritual teachers, authors, and poets of our time.
During that conversation Mark Nepo asked a question that shook me:
"When my heart begins to close, how do I open it again?"
My life, my work, and the trajectory of the podcast shifted as a result.
The question was presented not as a simple one, with a static answer,
But rather as an inquiry to live into - Allowing life’s experiences to reveal the answers over time.
In 2023 Mark came back on the show to take a deeper and more expansive dive into this beautiful question and the broader terrain of heart work.
In this episode we cover 3 conversational chapters.
-
How do we open the heart in the face of a storm?
-
How do we follow our heart and engage in the practice of being real as we make the courageous journey toward wholeness?
-
How can we meet life’s adversities, and challenges from a place of love vs. fear?
What unfolded here was 5 years in the making, and remains one of the more popular episodes we’ve put out to date.
So today we thought we’d re release it as part of season 5. We hope you enjoy!
For more on Mark including his wonderful book Surviving Storms: Finding the Strength to Meet Adversity please visit marknepo.com.
Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:
- On Honoring the Soul (pt. 1) | Parker Palmer
- On Honoring the Soul (pt. 2 | Parker Palmer
- On Wisdom and Love in Troubling Times | Mark Nepo & Elizabeth Lesser
Thanks for listening!
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“Is the life I am living the same as the life that wants to live in me?”
This searching question is one that bestselling author, legendary teacher and activist Parker J. Palmer has been exploring for decades.
His practice of living this question,
resulting in the type of wisdom that can only come from the crucible of one’s direct experience.
And Parker being the celebrated teacher and leader that he is
Has generously offered what he’s learned over the years. Making it accessible through his writing, teaching, and speaking.
In Let Your Life Speak, now in it’s 25th anniversary edition.
Parker writes:
"We find a path that's right for us by embracing what gives us life and rejecting what diminishes us,
listening more closely to the voice of “true self” than to what others expect or demand of us.
As we live more deeply into our own identity and integrity, we find both personal fulfillment and our place in the community to which we belong."
In today’s episode (which we originally recorded in 2022)
Parker returns to the show for a beautiful part two conversation,
That builds on these themes, and that actually came 3 years after part one.
Together we’ll explore his reflections on living with an open heart,
And the practice of attuning to the wisdom of our inner teacher
As we honor the often quiet voice of our soul.
For more on Parker, his books, and the incredible work he’s done throughout his storied career please visit newcomerpalmer.com or check out the Center for Courage and Renewal at couragerenewal.org
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:
- On Honoring the Soul (pt. 1) | Parker J. Palmer
- On Work, Friendship, and Embracing Impermanence | Parker Palmer & Jerry Colonna
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What leads us to live divided lives that defy our own sense of identity and integrity?
When we do, what price do we and the world pay?
How can we recover the wholeness that is our birthright?
Today’s guest, legendary teacher, activist, and author Parker J. Palmer―
has helped people in every walk of life rise to the challenge of living “divided no more.”
In his book, A Hidden Wholeness, now in its 20th Anniversary Edition,
He examines the forces that deflect us from the soul's true north,
and ultimately offers up his trademark blend of heart, humor, and wisdom.
In addition, Parker generously shares practices that might help us embody integrity in a world where it often feels risky to be who we are.
In today’s conversation which was originally recorded in 2019 we’ll explore what it means to embrace wholeness,
The courage required to make the journey,
And how we might find sturdy footing along the way - both in solitude and community - as we seek to live with deeper integrity at every level of our lives.
For more on Parker, his books, and the incredible work he’s done throughout his storied career please visit newcomerpalmer.com or check out the Center for Courage and Renewal at couragerenewal.org.
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:
- On Wisdom and Love in Troubling Times | Mark Nepo & Elizabeth Lesser
- On Work, Friendship, and Embracing Impermanence | Parker Palmer & Jerry Colonna
Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts.
Thanks for listening!
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What if the time is never coming when you’re ‘on top of things’, or finally feel like you know what you’re doing?
For years, New York Times Bestselling author Oliver Burkeman has dared to ask provocative questions like these.
The sort of questions that invite us to examine popular cultural views about what it means to work and live well.
In his beautiful and brilliant books, his longtime column in the Guardian, and other writings,
Oliver has been a leading voice helping to unravel myths about the often celebrated idea that we can 'do it all'.
Rather than chasing perfectionism he invites us to embrace our imperfections,
To confront our mortality,
and to explore deeper questions about what matters, and what will bring us fully alive in the brief time we’re here.
Today we are re-releasing this inspiring conversation from 2024 - one of the most popular we've ever had on the show.
In it we’ll thoroughly explore how and why imperfectionism may actually be the path to experiencing a more meaningful, productive, absorbing and energizing life –
not later, but right here in the midst of the overwhelm, the distraction, and the anxiety-inducing news headlines.
For more on today's themes be sure to check out Oliver's profound new book, Meditations for Mortals, which you can pick up wherever books are sold.
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:
- On Wholeness, Service, and Enduring Happiness | Stephanie Harrison
- On Unwinding Toxic Productivity | Israa Nasir
Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts.
Thanks for listening!
More about Oliver:
Oliver Burkeman is a best-selling author and keynote speaker. His books include Meditations for Mortals: Four Weeks to Embrace Your Limitations and Make Time for What Counts, Four Thousand Weeks, as well as The Antidote: Happiness for People Who Can’t Stand Positive Thinking. For many years Oliver wrote a popular weekly column on psychology for the Guardian. His work has also appeared in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Psychologies and New Philosopher. For more please visit: Oliverburkeman.com
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To care, to love, and to be human,
Means we will inevitably experience heartbreak.
Whether its the loss of relationship,
The end of a job,
The death of a loved one,
A natural disaster, infertility, a financial crisis, or any shape that loss may take.
Heartbreak sends us reeling―
Leaving many of us feeling alone and adrift.
After her own experience of serial heartbreak over the span of five years,
Sara Avant Stover wrote her latest book: Handbook for the Heartbroken.
Feeling impacted by our culture’s dysfunctional relationship with loss Sara says:
“We’re encouraged at every turn to hurry up and get on with it, but by trying to power through these messier seasons of life, we’re denying ourselves the very answers to our healing and growth.”
In today’s conversation we are going to slow down and unpack some of Sara’s greatest insights about the landscape of heartbreak.
Including how we can find the courage, hope, strength, and resilience to move through it.
That the path forward is not alone, but together.
And how Sara’s insights, teachings, stories and practices serve as a powerful reminder -
That if we can find the courage to embrace change with an open heart,
including when things fall apart completely,
we might ultimately become a wiser, more mature, and integrated human being through the process.
For more on Sara, including her books, retreats, the work she does as an Internal Family Systems Practitioner, and Business Strategist to entrepreneurial women please visit saraavantstover.com
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you’ll love:
- Meditation, Awakening, and Original Love | Henry Shukman
- Strong Back, Soft Front: The Practice of a Lifetime | Elizabeth Lesser
- Finding the Strength to Meet Adversity | Mark Nepo
Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts.
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When our good friends encounter challenges,
A default response for many of us is often:
- To have their back
- To show up fully
- To be kind
- To put judgment aside,
- And to remind them that they are not alone.
When we turn this practice, of being for someone, toward ourselves, particularly in the face of:
- obstacles,
- hardships,
- adversity,
- and failure,
it's called self-compassion.
A practice that involves recognizing our own suffering, and meeting it with love,
As we learn to become a good friend to ourselves.
Over time learning to listen less to the harsh whispers of the inner critic,
And more to the encouraging words from that wiser part of us - Our inner ally.
When we practice in this way, the door to a more sustainable and expansive experience opens,
And we have the opportunity to walk through it and into the rest of our life with greater resilience, ease, wellbeing, and balance.
Today’s guest, Megan Prager, is Director of Compassion Programs at the University of California San Diego’s Center for Mindfulness.
Megan is one of the leading teachers of mindful self compassion in the US.
She hosts retreats, classes, and experiences that offer the opportunity to learn mindfulness, compassion, and a whole host of practices that foster an opportunity to learn to become better friends to ourselves.
Today we are going to take a deep dive into Megan’s journey to becoming the teacher and leader she is today.
A journey that was marked by her own experiences of adversity, suffering, and (particularly at the beginning) skepticism of the very practices she now teaches.
We’ll also get into the fiercer aspects of self-compassion that involve:
Boundary setting,
Fnding the courage to show up in integrity,
And how self-compassion can be helpful in the challenging and uncertain times we find ourselves in.
For more on Megan, her classes, retreats, teacher trainings, and various other offerings, please visit mindfullabs.com
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:
- On Wholeness, Service, and Enduring Happiness | Stephanie Harrison
- Embracing the Journey From 'Doing' to 'Being' with Amy Dong
Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts.
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Alison Wood Brooks is a celebrated Harvard Business School Professor who studies the hidden architecture of conversations.
Her groundbreaking work shows that while all of us can struggle with difficult conversations,
We’re often not very good at the easy ones either (even though we have them all the time).
Alison argues that part of the reason for this is because conversation is one of the
most complex,
demanding,
and delicate of all human tasks.
Every time we converse with one another, a wide range of possibilities for misinterpretation and misunderstanding arise.
It’s just part of it.
And yet, at the same time, conversations can also be a source of great joy.
Each one offering an opportunity to express who we are,
to learn who others are—
and to feel connected, loved, and alive.
In Alison’s words, there’s a "magic" that happens when we get conversation right.
Today we are going to have a deep and wide ranging conversation about how to have better conversations.
Alison and I will dive into themes from her wonderful new book:
TALK: The Science of Conversation and the Art of Being Ourselves
Throughout our time together Alison will offer powerful insights, moving stories, and practical tweaks to not only make our everyday conversations better,
but that also might just have a profound positive impact on our relationships at work and in life.
For more on Alison, her book, and the wonderful work she is doing please visit alisonwoodbrooks.com.
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:
- On Mastering Our Emotional Life | Ethan Kross
- Overcoming Self-doubt and Imposterism | Dr. Jill Stoddard
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Brain scientist Jill Bolte Taylor famously once said:
“Most of us think of ourselves as thinking creatures that feel,
but we are actually feeling creatures that think.”
Whether it’s anxiety about going to the doctor,
Boiling rage when we’re stuck in traffic,
Devastation after a painful break-up,
Joy from the birth of a child,
Or peace that arises from being in nature
Our emotional landscape is dynamic, complex, and often bittersweet -
containing both the painful and the pleasant.
And as today’s guest,
renowned emotion scientist, Dr. Ethan Kross writes:
"As difficult as our emotions can sometimes be, they are also a superpower."
In his new book: Shift: Managing Your Emotions So They Don’t Manage You,
Ethan Challenges us to move away from a binary lens that views emotions simply
as being “good” or “bad.”
Reminding us instead that emotions are information.
And that when activated in the right ways,
and at the right time,
they function like an immune system, alerting us to our surroundings,
telling us how to react to a situation,
and helping us make the right choices.
The big question then is:
How do we make our emotions work for us rather than against us?
How do we unlock this superpower?
Ethan has devoted his scientific career to answering this question.
Working closely with his team at the Emotion and Self Control Lab at the Ross School of Business,
He has been leading groundbreaking research on emotion regulation
and how the conversations people have with themselves impact their health, performance, decisions and relationships
In today's conversation:
We will explore a blend of insights, stories, and practices that will shed light on what Ethan has uncovered through this work
- the possibility of mastering our emotional lives in ways that allow us to live, lead, and love better.
Interested in more Ethan? To find his books, talks, and other illuminating work, please visit ethankross.com
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:
- To Feel is To Be Human | Dr. Marc Brackett
- The Missing Ingredient to 'The Good Life' | Lorraine Besser
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"It’s not your fault if you are unhappy.
You have been told three lies:
- You’re not good enough;
- You need to achieve fame, wealth, and power;
- You need to do it all on your own."
These are the words of Stephanie Harrison - author, past Director of Learning at Thrive Global, and expert in the science of happiness.
In her new book:
New Happy: Getting Happiness Right in a World That’s Got it Wrong
She calls these three lies that emerged in her research,
The Old Happy.
Old Happy is a definition of happiness, that our society has bought into.
Yet Stephanie argues it's making so many of us miserable.
Rather than continue to follow this narrative,
Clinging to the hope that it will make us happy someday,
Stephanie invites us to consider an alternative path that she uncovered through her research into what makes us happy.
It’s a path that researchers, theologians, contemplative traditions, and philosophers have all pointed to .
A path leading to a more enduring, sustainable form of happiness.
The first step on that path is to
Discover who you really are.
The second step?
Use it to help other people.
Today we’ll take a deep dive into these two invitations, what Stephanie calls "The New Happy."
In the first half this conversation Stephanie and I will unpack not only how we might approach answering the question:
Who are we really?
But we'll also look at how we might embrace the answers - Integrating all aspects of who we are (our whole self) as we cultivate a healthy sense of self worth in the process.
In the second half we’ll look at:
How we can approach our work from a place of greater authenticity and love -
Including the art of aligning our unique strengths, gifts, and what we care about most, with the ways in which we serve.
Stephanie offers a beautiful reminder
That when we come home to who we truly are
And then use our unique gifts to serve
An entirely different experience of life opens up.
And we just might find the happiness we’ve been looking for all along.
For more on Stephanie, her book, podcast, and other resources please visit thenewhappy.com
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:
- On Unwinding Toxic Productivity | Israa Nasir
- On Imperfectionism and the Art of Living Well | Oliver Burkeman
Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!
Thanks for listening!
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In a time where the threat of authoritarianism is on the rise,
how might we take the next step toward creating truly equitable and thriving societies?
This question, for many, may feel increasingly out of reach.
And yet for redemptive thinker, and visionary leader john a. powell,
it serves as one of the central lines of inquiry in his work.
johh a. powell is the Director of the Othering and Belonging Institute at the University of California, Berkeley,
A civil rights advocate,
And an author who has written books including:
Belonging Without Othering: How We Save Ourselves and the World.
Woven throughout his writings and teachings - he brings our attention again and again to the root of inequality.
A root born out of the process of 'othering'.
A process that primes us to see people as a threat,
which leads to fear, disconnection, and the fracturing of our society.
And while John addresses the root cause of so much suffering,
One of the things I greatly appreciate about his work is that he simultaneously invites us to consider an alternative path.
A way forward that calls upon the better angels of our nature.
In his words:
“We can overcome the illusion of separateness by honoring our differences,
transcending the notion that difference divides us,
and instead co-create a world where everyone belongs.”
Today we will explore some of John’s profound insights, stories, and practices for increasing belonging which include:
- Bridging, a practice which fosters acceptance both of those we might have othered, and aspects of ourselves
- Spirituality and remembering our interconnected nature
- Curiosity
- The power of presence
- And ultimately how we can meet others, including ourselves, from a place of love instead of fear
For more on john, his work, and his new book The Power Bridging, please visit johnapowell.org
And for more on the incredible work coming out of the othering and belonging institute check out belonging.berkeley.edu
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:
- On Wisdom and Love in Troubling Times | Mark Nepo & Elizabeth Lesser
- On Work, Friendship, and Embracing Impermanence | Parker Palmer & Jerry Colonna
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In times of great division, disruption, and uncertainty, how can we find the ability to stay grounded?
While each of us may find we have different answers,
Here are a few that have been emerging for me recently:
The first - remembering, in the words of one of today’s guests:
you don’t have to do it alone.
Remembering the power (and necessity) of seeking out supportive community, and friends.
The second -turning to history.
Gaining perspective and insight by revisiting times in the past where humans have collectively endured, and persevered in the face of tremendous adversity.
The third - turning to the wisdom of elders.
Seeking out the wise and caring teachers, mentors, and leaders in our communities who are further along the path and can offer guidance from where they stand.
Two of these modern elders in many ways are Mark Nepo and Elizabeth Lesser.
Chosen as one of OWN's SuperSoul 100,
a group of inspired leaders using their gifts and voices to elevate humanity,
Mark Nepo is one of the great poets and spiritual guides of our time.
And
bestselling author, and Co-Founder of Omega Institute, one of the world’s leading conference and retreat centers,
Elizabeth Lesser has had the opportunity to learn from, and collaborate with many of the greatest spiritual teachers and leaders around the world.
Something she’s done since Omega was first founded in 1977.
I asked Elizabeth and Mark if they’d be willing to come together to engage in a rich conversation - sharing some of their own insights, practices, and ultimately what they’ve learned from some of their teachers about navigating troubling times.
In today's conversation we'll explore:
The possibility of meeting whatever is here,
including the grand challenges we are facing,
with greater wisdom, balance, and love.
For more on Mark please visit marknepo.com
For more on Elizabeth check out elizabethlesser.org, and for more on Omega Institute please visit: eomega.org
I was reminded in this conversation that perhaps the most potent way we might find our way through these times,
And back to each other,
Is by remembering that at some level we are all made of the same stuff.
Each one of us, a human being - part of a larger whole.
A reminder which in Mark’s words took this form:
“When we come back into direct connection with life,
There’s a reverence for life.
And when we have a reverence for life we can’t do harm.”
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:
- Strong Back, Soft Front: The Practice of a Lifetime | Elizabeth Lesser
- Finding the Strength to Meet Adversity | Mark Nepo
Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts.
Thanks for listening!
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What is it that drives our focus on productivity?
That colors our experience of work, life, and relationships?
Is the motivation to 'do', to achieve, and to push ourselves driven by a subtle undercurrent of fear?
A craving to stay relevant,
A whisper in the back of our mind that says:
If we don’t optimize our lives, fill up our calendars, and stay busy, we will be missing out on something.
Unsure of exactly what, but sensing that that something is important.
Perhaps that if we don’t keep up we won’t be happy, or even worse, we won’t matter.
If left unchecked this fear can lead to a mindset
that today’s guest, talented therapist, founder of digital mental health brand Wellguide, and author, Israa Nasir
Calls 'Toxic Productivity'
This mindset that is marked by a number of distinct characteristics:
- Being singularly focused on outcomes
- Feeling good about yourself only if you get those outcomes
- Deprioritizing other parts of your life in pursuit of an outcome.
Israa shares from her depth of wisdom and expertise that one of the unintended consequences of this mindset is that we can stop thinking about our lives.
That curiosity is replaced by just adopting what other people are doing so that we are on par.
And so we feel good about ourselves.
In today's conversation we are going to dive into Israa’s work, and the Toxic Productivity Mindset in more depth.
Together we will explore the possibility of letting go of fear
and learning to meet life from a place of love.
Israa and I will unpack questions such as:
- How we might approach working, living, and loving in ways that bring us fully alive?
- That actually make us happy?
- And that are not contingent on outcomes, but rather are driven by curiosity, a love of the process, and of knowing and caring about ourselves more deeply?
For more on Israa’s beautiful book Toxic Productivity, and the incredible work she is doing please visit Israanasir.com
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:
- On Imperfectionism and the Art of Living Well | Oliver Burkeman
- A Revolutionary Remedy for Uncertainty - In Our 20's and Beyond | Dr. Meg Jay
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This past November I had the privilege of going to a leadership boot camp hosted by Jerry Colonna and the extraordinary team at CEO and Executive Coaching Firm, Reboot.
For 10 years Reboot has been hosting these gatherings.
Immersive experiences where a small group of leaders comes together without pretense.
Everyone there to explore the possibility of becoming a better human.
A truer version of oneself.
All of us there to take a courageous step toward living in greater alignment with what matters.
To rekindle the ability to lead, and relate, from a place of embodied presence in our lives, our work, and our relationships.
And then to carry that experience forward.
In today's episode
With Reboot Co-Founder, and Author of The Art of Being Human at Work, Ali Schultz
And
Reboot Coaching Supervisor, and renowned Rolfing Educator and Practitioner, Liz Stewart
We'll explore some of the profound insights that came out of bootcamp which center around themes of presence and embodiment.
Including lessons from what was perhaps the most unforgettable part of the experience -
An encounter with a herd of horses.
Ali and Liz will share stories, reflections, and engage with related questions:
- What holds us back from being present?
- What supports greater presence in our lives, our work, and our relationships?
- What can horses teach us about both?
- And, how can strengthening our capacity for presence ultimately help us find our way back home to our true selves?
Finally, because the three of us are coaches and because Ali and Liz have worked to create a beautiful and unique suite of new offerings for coaches through Reboot, which includes coaching supervision, and coach retreats, we are also going to spend some time exploring:
- The evolving landscape of their work.
- And how their way of working with coaches can be supportive in deepening embodied presence and showing up more powerfully for the clients they serve.
For more on Ali, Liz, and the incredible work they are doing please visit rebootsupervision.io
So many of us are looking to be more present in our lives.
Today we’ll get a glimpse of how we might live into that possibility.
Did you find today's episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:
- The Art of Being Human at Work | Ali Schultz
- On Work, Friendship, and Embracing Impermanence | Parker Palmer & Jerry Colonna
Enjoying the show?
Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!
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It’s here and then it’s gone.
In so many ways this is the through line of our experience.
From the sunny day,
To a common cold,
To time spent with loved ones,
Or the experience of our wedding day.
Joy, love, heartbreak, and ultimately
Life itself - All by nature impermanent.
To walk through this life
Is to walk hand-in-hand with change.
It is simply part of what it means to be human -
Part of what connects us all.
This season on the podcast we wanted to make these shared experiences a focal point of our larger conversation.
So for 3 episodes we have brought together some of the great teachers, physicians, writers, and leaders of our time.
To reflect on how we might embrace impermanence,
Relax into uncertainty,
Loosen our grip of control,
And open up the possibility of appreciating, and taking in, the preciousness and beauty of this one life which we are given.
Two weeks ago we kicked off this series
With world renowned meditation teacher Sharon Salzberg and palliative care physician and author, Dr. Sunita Puri.
Last week we continued unpacking these themes with CEO Coach Jerry Colonna and legendary teacher, activist, and author, Parker Palmer.
Today we close this epic 3 part mini series by inviting two pioneers in end-of-life care to engage two of the great mysteries of human life:
Love and Death.
Legendary Buddhist teacher, activist, author, and founder of Upaya Zen Center, Roshi Joan Halifax
And
Buddhist teacher, best-selling author, and founder of the Zen Hospice Project, Frank Ostaseski
Will explore themes related to:
How we might embrace the experiences of loving and dying in ways that lead to living as fully as we can.
And the possibility of meeting impermanence with greater wisdom, compassion, and courage.
During our time together they will offer reflections on:
- Mindfulness as a practice of intimacy
- Learning to let go
- Surrender
- The joy of discovery
- And how we might meet all that life gives us with loving awareness.
For more on Roshi please visit: joanhalifax.org or upaya.org
And for more on Frank please visit: frankostaseski.com
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:
- On Work, Friendship, and Embracing Impermanence | Parker Palmer & Jerry Colonna
- Impermanence, Letting Go, and Finding Freedom | Sharon Salzberg & Sunita Puri
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Things are changing all the time.
From the seasons,
To the weather, our emotions, and our relationships.
We are born, we grow old, and ultimately we die.
To walk through life means to walk hand-in-hand with impermanence.
It is simply part of what it means to be human.
And this season on the podcast we wanted to make these shared experiences of change and uncertainty a focal point of our larger conversation.
So for 3 episodes we are bringing together some of the great teachers, physicians, writers, and leaders of our time.
To reflect on how we might embrace impermanence rather than push it away.
From learning to relax into uncertainty,
To loosening the grip of control as we aspire toward what matters to us with less attachment to the outcome,
To opening up the possibility of appreciating the preciousness and beauty of being alive.
Last week we kicked off this series with world renowned meditation teacher Sharon Salzberg and palliative care physician and author, Dr. Sunita Puri.
Today, we are continuing with a deeply moving conversation between -
Legendary teacher, activist, and best selling author Parker Palmer
And
CEO Coach, and co-founder of leading executive coaching firm Reboot, Jerry Colonna.
Both Parker and Jerry have taught, written, and coached extensively on the topic of work - so today that’s where much of our conversation will go.
Some of the questions we'll explore include:
- How might we lean into the dynamic ebb and flow of our work experience with greater levity, wisdom, and compassion?
- What are the ways in which we can work in greater alignment with the imperatives of our soul?
- And for those on the unconventional path how can we find the courage to keep going in the face of doubt and fear?
For more on Jerry please check out reboot.io
And for more on Parker please visit: newcomerpalmer.com
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:
- Impermanence, Letting Go, and Finding Freedom | Sharon Salzberg & Sunita Puri
- The Courageous Journey Toward Wholeness | Parker Palmer Pt. 1
- Reflections on Living With an Open Heart | Parker Palmer Pt. 2
Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!
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There are certain threads inescapably woven into our experience of being alive.
Simple but profound truths which make up the tapestry of what it means to be human.
One of these is impermanence.
The fact that everything, by nature, changes.
From the seasons, to the weather,
our emotions, and our relationships.
We are born, we grow old, and ultimately we die.
The flow of life is inherently dynamic as things are coming together, and falling apart.
All the time.
And while at times impermanence can be viewed in a grim light (endings, and death),
Change also means new beginnings, rejuvenation, and possibility.
After Winter ends, the sun comes out, flowers bloom, and the natural landscape comes to life.
And if change is truly just a part of being alive,
Then the pragmatic question is:
How can we relate to this shared experience in ways that lead to living well?
Over the next 3 weeks we are going to explore this question (and versions of it) in depth,
With some of the great teachers, physicians, writers, and leaders of our time.
Together we'll discuss themes like:
- Learning to relax into uncertainty,
- Loosening our grip of control as we aspire toward long term goals with less attachment to outcomes,
- The possibility of appreciating the preciousness and taking in the beauty of being alive.
To kick things off today you’ll hear a beautiful and often moving conversation between:
World renowned meditation teacher, co founder of the Insight Meditation Society and NYT Bestselling author Sharon Salzberg,
And
Physician, author, and Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of California, Irvine School of Medicine where she is also the Director of Inpatient Palliative Care Services, Dr. Sunita Puri.
Both of whom have been the show before, but never in conversation together in this way - exploring how we might make the most of the short time we are here.
For more on Sharon check out sharonsalzberg.com
For more on Sunita, including her beautiful memoir: That Good night: Life and Medicine in the Eleventh Hour please visit https://sunitapuri.com/
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:
- Finding the Courage to Live Without Regrets | Dr. Sunita Puri
- The Power of Compassion (pt 1) | Sharon Salzberg & Barbara Fredrickson
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In his new book, Outraged: Why We Fight About Morality and Politics and How to Find Common Ground,
Neuroscientist and Moral psychologist Dr. Kurt Gray argues that for the majority of our evolutionary history, humans were more hunted than hunter.
Which might just be the game changing perspective we need for these times.
Kurt reminds us that in contrast to predators,
Prey animals are hard-wired to scan for threats, and to do everything in our power to protect ourselves from being harmed.
Fast forward to the present and it becomes a bit easier to understand what’s driving the division, and moral outrage we see each day.
Our shared collective DNA (as a prey species) offering a compelling reminder that we are more alike than we might think.
Rather than intending to destroy each other, most of us are actually just trying to protect ourselves, our families, and members of our communities.
Drawing on groundbreaking research, Dr. Gray doesn’t just offer us a captivating new explanation for our moral outrage,
He offers us hope.
As well as some incredibly insightful practices for increasing understanding, and ultimately for finding common ground.
Perhaps the most basic of these being:
If you want to understand the morals of the “other side,” you can begin by asking yourself a simple question—what harms do they see?
Today we’ll take a deep dive into these themes as we unpack some of Kurt’s greatest insights about:
What leads to moral outrage,
What can help diffuse it,
And how we can find our way back to eachother.
For more on Kurt, his incredible work at both the Center for the science of Moral Understanding and the Deepest Beliefs Lab, as well as his new book Outraged, check out kurtjgray.com
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:
Finding Solutions to Seemingly Intractable Problems | Rob Fersh and Mariah Levison
Rediscovering the Art of Constructive Dialogue | Dr. Mylien Duong
About Dr. Kurt Gray:
A social psychologist and an award-winning researcher and teacher, Kurt Gray uses interdisciplinary methods to study our deepest held beliefs and how to bridge moral divides.
Dr. Gray is a Professor in Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he directs the Deepest Beliefs Lab and the Center for the Science of Moral Understanding. He is also an Adjunct Professor in Organizational Behavior at the Kenan-Flagler Business School at UNC, where he teaches about organizational ethics and team processes. Dr. Gray received his PhD from Harvard University.
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In his new book, Original Love, Zen meditation master, award winning author and poet, and renowned spiritual teacher Henry Shukman offers a tantalizing proposition.
At any moment there is a powerful possibility available to us.
A possibility of piercing the illusion of separateness,
And experiencing a profound sense of connection.
In these moments which are deemed by some as ‘awakening',
it can seem almost as if a spell is broken.
That we are waking up from a sort of dream.
As we see, feel, and know (in our bones) that there is in fact no separation.
That at some level everything and everyone are connected.
Henry argues that these experiences can be the single most healing, positively life-transforming events that can happen to us.
Well documented for centuries, across different wisdom traditions, and now explored through scientific inquiry,
Experiences of waking up to our interconnected nature often lead to large positive shifts in our priorities.
We tend to move from self-protection and self-promotion toward a natural flow of compassion and concern for others and the world.
This boundless interconnected experience is what Henry calls Original Love.
In today's conversation Henry and I will explore this possibility in depth,
As we unpack what might lead us back to Original Love.
Including practices we can bring into our lives, our work, and our relationships.
Practices like :
- Letting go
- Allowing what’s here to be here as it is
- Loosening the grip of control and learning to relax into uncertainty.
And Henry will share some of his hard earned insight about meditation as a path toward greater wellbeing, connection, and awakening.
For more on Henry, including his new book Original Love, please visit henryshukman.com or check out The Way, his popular meditation app - which you can find at thewayapp.com
Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts.
Did you find this conversation inspiring? Here are other episodes we think you'll love:
On Imperfectionism and the Art of Living Well with Oliver Burkeman
Strong Back, Soft Front: The Practice of a Lifetime with Elizabeth Lesser
About Henry Shukman:
Henry Shukman (IG: @henryshukman) is an authorized Zen Master in the Sanbo Zen lineage, and is spiritual director emeritus of Mountain Cloud Zen Center in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
He is the co-founder and lead meditation teacher for The Way, a meditation app that provides a modern update to the ancient path of meditation training. He also leads meditation courses and retreats.
Henry is an award-winning poet and author, whose memoir One Blade of Grass recounts his own journey through meditation practice. His new book Original Love: The Four Inns on the Path of Awakening is a manual and map describing the four key zones of meditation practice.
Thanks for listening!
For Joshua's live events, coaching, and offerings please visit: practicingcourage.com
For more about Executive Producer Matthew Donner visit: matthewpatrickdonner.com
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Today is our final Heroes and Helpers episode for Season 4 on The Courageous Life.
This series launched earlier in 2024 and throughout the year we’ve shined a light on stories of everyday heroes,
Ordinary people who are navigating life’s challenges and adversities with hope, courage, resilience, and love.
These are the remarkable stories of:
- Our neighbors,
- Our friends,
- Our colleagues,
- And members of our communities.
And because no one does it alone -
We’ve also focused on elevating the work of the mentors, the coaches, and the guides.
Those we call the helpers .They are the ones who walk beside the heroes on their journey.
Helping the hero to strengthen themselves, and transform in ways that allow them to meet their life from a wiser, more skillful, and often more responsive place.
Today’s episode invites you into another one of these uplifting conversations with Lizi Oceransky.
Lizi holds an MA in Counseling and is a Master Certified Coach.
She’s a gifted helper who creates space for those she works with to:
connect with their true selves,
feel accepted for who they really are,
and explore new possibilities for growth and fulfillment.
During our conversation Lizi will share more about:
- Her journey to discovering belonging and self-acceptance,
- A deep knowing from the time she was young about what the work she was here to do.
- A helper who challenged her to step fully into that work.
- And more about her passion for offering spaces where people feel a deep sense of belonging as they pursue what matters to them.
To learn more about Lizi please visit lizi4u.com
Did you find this conversation inspiring? Here are other episodes we think you'll love:
- Embracing the journey from 'doing' to 'being' with Amy Dong
- The power of presence with Vicky Furlan
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As we get ready to close out the 4th season of The Courageous Life
we are revisiting inspiring stories of everyday heroes and the helpers who walk beside them.
These Conversations, which launched this year, shine a light on ordinary people,
Our neighbors, friends, colleagues, and members of our communities,
who rise up to meet challenges,
And navigate their journey through the messy middle parts of life with hope, courage, compassion, love, and resilience.
And because no one does it alone (not even heroes) this series also features conversations with helpers:
The mentors,
The coaches,
The sages
and the guides.
The people who help heroes to strengthen themselves and ultimately transform in ways that allow them to meet their lives from a wiser, more skillful, and often more responsive (vs. reactive) place.
Today, we are highlighting Vicky Furlan.
Vicky is an HR leader, a psychologist, and a coach who believes that leaders are grown not born.
For the past 8 years, Vicky been helping people in software organizations make the leap from being high-performing individual contributors to becoming high-performing managers.
She helps those she coaches, and works with, to grow and create more fulfilling careers and lives.
To learn more about Vicky, and the wonderful work she is doing please visit vickyfurlan.com
During our conversation Vicky will share more about her own journey, how she walks beside people, and her steadfast belief in the importance of giving people the permission to be human at work.
Did you find this conversation inspiring? Here are other episodes we think you'll love:
- Acceptance and unconditional positive regard with Liliana Öğün
- Embracing the journey from 'doing' to 'being' with Amy Dong
Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts.
Thanks for listening!
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What does it mean to live a 'good life'?
For centuries philosophers, theologians, and psychologists have explored this question.
Arguing primarily that there are two distinct paths to living well.
The first might be casually thought of as sex, drugs, and rock and roll.
Choosing pleasure as our primary pursuit - building our life around a simple equation:
The more pleasant experiences we have, the better life is.
The second path is the pursuit of a meaningful life. Choosing to craft our lives, and our work in ways that lead to a greater sense of purpose, and fulfillment.
The reality is, there are strong arguments behind the benefits of taking either path,
And when you combine the two it may be an even more potent recipe for a life well lived.
But what if these answers are incomplete?
If all we need is more happiness or meaning, why aren’t more of us achieving that truly “good” life?
Today's guest, Philosopher and popular Middlebury professor Dr. Lorraine Besser is shedding light on the missing third piece in our search for the Good Life—
what researchers refer to as psychological richness.
And what Lorraine calls The Interesting.
In today’s conversation we will take a deep dive into Lorraine’s work and her beautiful new book - The Art of the Interesting: What We Miss in Our Pursuit of the Good Life and How to Cultivate It,
We’ll explore how interesting experiences captivate our minds, engage our thoughts and emotions, and often change our perspective.
And how ultimately when we choose to take the path of interesting experiences we live a fuller and more satisfying life.
For more on Lorraine, and The Art of the Interesting, please visit Lorrainebesser.com
Did you find today's episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:
- Neuroscience, Spirituality, and the Quest for an Inspired Life | Dr. Lisa Miller
- Pride: Is the Deadliest Sin the Secret to Success? | Dr. Jessica Tracy
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What if the time is never coming when you’re ‘on top of things’, or finally feel like you know what you’re doing?
For years, New York Times Bestselling author Oliver Burkeman has dared to ask provocative questions like these.
The sort of questions that invite us to examine popular cultural views about what it means to work and live well.
In his beautiful and brilliant books, his longtime column in the Guardian, and other writings,
Oliver has been a leading voice helping to unravel myths about the often celebrated idea that we can 'do it all'.
Rather than chasing perfectionism he invites us to embrace our imperfections,
To confront our mortality,
and to explore deeper questions about what matters, and what will bring us fully alive in the brief time we’re here.
In today's conversation we’ll thoroughly explore how and why imperfectionism may actually be the path to experiencing a more meaningful, productive, absorbing and energizing life –
not later, but right here in the midst of the overwhelm, the distraction, and the anxiety-inducing news headlines.
For more on today's themes be sure to check out Oliver's profound new book, Meditations for Mortals, which you can pick up wherever books are sold.
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:
- The Life-Changing Power of Saying No | Dr. Vanessa Patrick
- Letting Go of Perfectionism and Finding Happiness | Tal Ben-Shahar
More about Oliver:
Oliver Burkeman is a best-selling author and keynote speaker. His books include Meditations for Mortals: Four Weeks to Embrace Your Limitations and Make Time for What Counts, Four Thousand Weeks, as well as The Antidote: Happiness for People Who Can’t Stand Positive Thinking. For many years Oliver wrote a popular weekly column on psychology for the Guardian. His work has also appeared in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Psychologies and New Philosopher. For more please visit: Oliverburkeman.com
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Dr. Jonathan Fisher, is a Harvard educated cardiologist, a mindfulness teacher, and an outspoken leader passionate about helping to end the epidemic of clinician burnout in healthcare.
In sharing his own story he writes:
*"I took care of 20,000 hearts before taking care of my own.
For years, I hid my anxiety, depression, and burnout behind the facade of being a “perfect” doctor.
That effort took a toll.
So, I began a journey to understand true healing, health, and happiness.
Along the way, I realized others were also seeking the same timeless practices that helped me thrive."
Today, Jonathan is on the show, and will generously share some of that journey through:*
- His expertise as a heart doctor,
- His depth of insight gained both as a student and teacher of ancient wisdom practices like mindfulness and self-compassion,
- And his experiences of working through the process of burnout recovery and healing his own heart.
This conversation sheds a light not only on the transformative power of opening the heart (on our health, our relationships, our work, and our lives broadly)
But also on the courage it takes to do so.
Particularly when the world we find ourselves in can feel cold, and scary.
Jonathan is one of those courageous leaders who engages in the practice of opening the heart and invites us to do the same,
But, importantly, to do with skillful discernment.
Offering a reminder that courage and wisdom are two virtues that are often best paired together.
I hope you enjoy the time with Jonathan as much as I did.
Did you find this conversation inspiring? Here are other episodes we think you'll love:
- The Art of Being Human at Work | Ali Schultz
- Strong Back, Soft Front - The Practice of a Lifetime | Elizabeth Lesser
Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!
About Jonathan:
Dr. Jonathan Fisher is a cardiologist who focuses on healing the heart in the broadest sense, encompassing both the physical and emotional aspects of cardiac care. Educated at Harvard and Mt. Sinai, he is a mindfulness meditation teacher and organizational well-being leader. Dr. Fisher has designed programs for an organization with 38,000 team members, reducing stress and enhancing well-being. He is the author of Just One Heart: A Cardiologist's Guide to Healing, Health, and Happiness. He has delivered keynotes, workshops, and retreats for organizations globally across various industries. His efforts in addressing burnout in healthcare, including co-hosting the Ending Clinician Burnout Global Summit, have garnered international attention. For more, please visit: drjonathanfisher.com
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Today's practice features guest teacher Amy Dong.
Amy is a talented therapist, and a breath work facilitator, who specializes in helping both individuals and couples to find steady footing through life’s inevitable twists & turns.
She’s also the author of a beautiful sub stack called The Softening.
Which she describes as a walk through our internal landscape, a journey with mental health and well-being in long form.In our most recent Courageous Life episode, Amy joined me in conversation as we dove headfirst into the topic of uncertainty and the possibility of opening and softening as we learn to let go, surrender, and trust ourselves.
Today's practice builds on that conversation as Amy will invite you to explore a powerful blend of progressive muscle relaxation and breathwork.
The intention is to notice where we’re holding tension, physically and metaphorically, and pausing to release.
Please note: if you’re pregnant, it’s not advised to do the breath holds.If you want to dive deeper into this topic I would encourage you to check out the interview with Amy (if you haven't already):
- Everything You Want is on the Other Side of Fear | Amy Dong
Thank you for your practice.
I look forward to continuing together next Thursday!
-Joshua
**Looking for more practice opportunities?
Check out:**
- Free Meditation Events - 60 minute gatherings with Joshua held 2x a month over zoom
- The Practice Pass - An annual membership that gives you on-demand access to robust practice experiences including the 28-Day Practicing Courage Challenge, The 5-Day Transforming Stress Challenge and the brand NEW Creativity Challenge.
- The FREE Practice Library
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Our 20’s are a unique season in our lives.
While often romanticized as a decade that should be a high point
It’s a time often fraught with major life transitions
From leaving the familiar rhythms of school
Which so many of us have known since early childhood
To (for many of us) entering the work force full time, for the first time
To shifts in meaningful relationships, and our sense of community as we say goodbye to good friends, move to pursue jobs, and travel down different paths.
The variety of these transitions is connected by our shared underlying experience of uncertainty as we navigate uncharted territory.
This familiar experience brings up important questions:
- What does it mean to live well in our 20’s?
- And how might we do so practically?
Which are at the heart of our exploration in a new 3-episode mini series that shines a light on our 20’s and the possibility of making the most of this decade.
Each episode will invite you into an intimate and thought-provoking conversation with amazing guests who will offer up:
- Powerful insights
- Tool sand practices
- Research
- And some of their own stories about navigating uncertainty and answering some of the prickly existential questions that begin to surface in early adulthood.
Last week we kicked things off with Dr. Meg Jay.
Meg is a therapist and bestselling author who a recent New York Times profile called “the patron saint of striving youth”
Her TED talk “Why 30 Is Not the New 20” is among the most watched ever.
If you haven’t already I would encourage you to go back and tune in to that conversation as it complements this episode beautifully. You can find it here:
Today, Amy Dong is back on the show.
Amy is a talented therapist, and a breath work facilitator, who specializes in helping both individuals and couples to find steady footing through life’s inevitable twists & turns.
She’s also the author of a beautiful sub stack called The Softening.
Which she describes as a walk through our internal landscape, a journey with mental health and well-being in long form.Amy's work is informed by her own depth of practice, and courageous experiments in living fully, as she embraces all aspects of what it means to be human.
And she’s in her 20’s and works with many clients in their 20’s so the perspective she brings is quite unique, and I think you’ll find it both interesting and valuable as she shares her own stories, as well as tools and practices that have helped the people and communities she serves.
In today's episode:
Amy and I will dive headfirst into the topic of uncertainty and the possibility of opening and softening as we learn to let go, surrender, and trust ourselves.
- We’ll talk about the power of embracing curiosity,
- The subtle and difficult art of slowing down,
- and why everything we want may be on the other side of fear.
This was a powerful conversation, and I hope you enjoy the time with Amy as much as I did.
Did you find this conversation inspiring? Here are other episodes we think you'll love:
- A Revolutionary Remedy for Uncertainty - In Our 20's and Beyond | Dr. Meg Jay
Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!
Thanks for listening!
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This past week clinical psychologist and bestselling author Dr. Meg Jay was back on the show.
One of the big themes we explored together was uncertainty,
And how we can experience more ease in the face of it.
Meg offered a useful reminder that when we experience uncertainty
research shows that our amygdala becomes more active.
The amygdala being the part of the brain that is often casually referred to as the "alarm bell."
Simply put, when things are uncertain we don't tend to like it very much.
- We want a plan.
- We want to feel like we are in control.
- We want to know.
- We want answers.
Part of the reason for this is that sitting in uncertainty can feel vulnerable,
And by definition when we are vulnerable we are more susceptible to harm,
and more open to attacks.
As a result our body and mind have evolved to respond to uncertainty accordingly.
Our perspective can narrow.
The mind can race.
Our heart rate can increase, and we can become more contracted as we enter into a 'threat state'.
Knowing this can be helpful in that it gives us greater awareness.
But what’s even more helpful (at least in my view) is using that awareness to explore ways we can strengthen our ability to **relax into uncertainty.
To explore ways we can find ease in not knowing as we learn to make friends with uncertainty.**
This is like a superpower for our time.
Today’s practice will offer up a couple of ideas for how to practically grow this capacity in ourselves.
If you want to dive deeper into this topic I would encourage you to check out the interview with Meg Jay (if you haven't already):
- A Revolutionary Remedy for Uncertainty -In Our 20's and Beyond - Dr. Meg Jay
Or pick up a copy of her book: The Twentysomething Treatment: A Revolutionary Remedy for an Uncertain AgeThank you for your practice.
I look forward to continuing together next Thursday!
-Joshua
**Looking for more practice opportunities?
Check out:**
- LIVE 6 Week Training in Positive Neuroplasticity with Joshua (begins October 5th, 2024)
- Free Meditation Events - 60 minute gatherings with Joshua held 2x a month over zoom
- The Practice Pass - An annual membership that gives you on-demand access to robust practice experiences including the 28-Day Practicing Courage Challenge, The 5-Day Transforming Stress Challenge and the brand NEW Creativity Challenge.
- The FREE Practice Library
Support the show
Our 20’s are a unique season in our lives.
While often romanticized as a decade that should be a high point,
they are an age marked by uncertainty and major life transitions.
From leaving the familiar rhythms of school,
To (for many) entering the work force full time, for the first time.
To experiencing changes in meaningful relationships, friendships, and our community.
And as part of this there’s the big questions that begin to arise:
- What do you want to do with your life?
- Who do you want to be?
- Are you dating? Are you in love? Will you get married?
- Are you happy?
And sometimes it can feel like not only do we need to have the answers, but we need to have them quickly.
This episode is the first in a new mini-series that will shine a light on this unique decade of life, ideas for how to approach the big questions, the possibility of relaxing into uncertainty, and even thriving in the process.
Over the next 3 Wednesdays you’ll be exposed to powerful insights, practices, tools, and stories that hone in on:
- Navigating uncertainty
- Making major life transitions
- And answering some of the prickly existential questions that begin to surface in early adulthood.
Today, we are thrilled to kick these conversations off with one of the world's leading experts in this space, Dr. Meg Jay.
Meg is a therapist and bestselling author who a recent New York Times profile called “the patron saint of striving youth.”
Her TED talk “Why 30 Is Not the New 20” is among the most watched to-date.
And her books have changed the way millions of twentysomethings think about their twenties—and themselves.
During our time together Meg and I will explore:
- Some of the greatest lessons and insights she's gained from her work with thousands of clients and students
- Fascinating highlights from the latest science of the twentysomething years, including what we get wrong about the twenties, and the unique opportunities and challenges during this time.
- Powerful stories of behind-closed-doors therapy sessions with her twentysomething clients.
- The possibility of relaxing into uncertainty, and getting excited about positive possibilities.
- The importance of building skills and gaining experiences that give us "identity capital"
- The power of acceptance and curiosity in the face of change and transition
- Letting go of the need to find answers, and the practice of "living the questions"
- Tools and practices intended to help us make the most of our 20's - “The Defining Decade” of our lives.
I hope you enjoy the time with Meg as much as I did.
And if you know someone who might benefit from this conversation, please share!
More about Meg:Meg Jay is a developmental clinical psychologist who specializes in twentysomethings. She is the author of The Twentysomething Treatment: A Revolutionary Remedy for an Uncertain Age, the cult classic The Defining Decade: Why Your Twenties Matter and How to Make the Most of Them Now and Supernormal: The Secret World of the Family Hero. Her books have been translated into more than a dozen languages and her work has appeared in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Harvard Business Review and on NPR, BBC and—maybe most important for her audience—TikTok. For more, check out megjay.com
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To fail is human.
It’s built into our experience from childhood.
We begin to walk and we fall.
We begin a project, we work toward a goal, or we start a business and we may fail.
We experience these moments -
- When we are engaged in learning,
- When we are moving toward something we care about
And we come up short.And in these moments there is an opportunity for practice -Learning to relate to these moments from a place curiosity, care, and compassion (vs. criticism, blame, and judgment).
In my recent conversation with Amy Edmondson we dove into the topic of failure and explored this opportunity under the backdrop of larger questions:
*How do we stay open to learning in the face of failure?
How do we stay open in the moments where we come up short?Today’s practice (which is being re-released)* offers some options for opening that build upon the conversation with Amy and the insights that came out of it, including:
An invitation to slow down
To breathe deeply
And to make an intentional shift to curiosity, awareness, and compassion.
When you do, it may just open up more opportunities for learning, growth, and getting better next time.
If you want to dive deeper into this topic I would encourage you to check out the interview with Amy Edmondson (if you haven't already):
- Meeting Failure with Curiosity and Compassion | Dr. Amy Edmondson
Or pick up a copy of her book: Right Kind of Wrong: The Science of Failing WellThank you for your practice.
I look forward to continuing together next Thursday!
-Joshua
**Looking for more practice opportunities?
Check out:**
- LIVE 6 Week Training in Positive Neuroplasticity with Joshua (begins October 5th, 2024)
- Free Meditation Events - 60 minute gatherings with Joshua held 2x a month over zoom
- The Practice Pass - An annual membership that gives you on-demand access to robust practice experiences including the 28-Day Practicing Courage Challenge, The 5-Day Transforming Stress Challenge and the brand NEW Creativity Challenge.
- The FREE Practice Library
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*“One can choose to go back toward safety or forward toward growth. Growth must be chosen again and again; fear must be overcome again and again.”
-*Abraham Maslow
*What is it that empowers people to make this choice?
To be bold enough to step forward into fear as they move toward purpose, and transcendence?*
These questions are at the heart of today’s conversation with Dr. Jordyn Feingold.
Jordyn is a child, adolescent, and adult psychiatrist, a researcher, and a positive psychology practitioner who focuses on bringing the work of self-actualization to patients and clinicians around the world.
Jordyn's work is in part inspired by Abraham Maslow and other prominent psychologists who were at the forefront of the human potential movement in the 1950’s, 60's, and beyond.
Today Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman, (Jordyn's mentor, co-author, and collaborator), is in many ways carrying this work forward.
Following in Maslow's footsteps Scott is pushing the science of self-actualization into new frontiers as author of the bestselling book Transcend and founder of the Center for Human Potential where he and Jordyn have worked closely together. Jordyn is part of the Center's Senior Leadership team, and is also a member of the founding faculty.
In this episode Jordyn and I will dive deep into the topic of growth and themes related to human potential which she and Scott explore throughout their beautiful book: Choose Growth: A Workbook for Transcending Trauma, Fear, and Self-Doubt.
I hope you enjoy the time with Jordyn as much as I did!
Did you find this conversation inspiring? Here are other episodes we think you'll love:
- The New Science of Self-Actualization | Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman
- Finding the Strength to Meet Adversity | Mark Nepo
About Jordyn:
Jordyn H. Feingold graduated from adult psychiatry residency in 2024, and is now a Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellow. She's also well-being researcher, and positive psychology practitioner. She graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with her BA and Master of Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP) and received her MD from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. She is also a founder of the emerging field of Positive Medicine. Learn more about Jordyn at centerforhumanpotential.com
Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts.
Thanks for listening!
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One of the highlights of this season on the Courageous Life has been expanding the show with a new series that features inspiring stories of everyday heroes and the helpers who walk beside them.
One of these helpers conversations featured Amy Dong.
Amy is a talented therapist and a breathwork facilitator.
During our conversation she offered a window into her work and how she walks beside people on their journey in therapy,
where one of her core areas of focus is helping people learn fundamental practices that can help regulate their nervous system in ways that lead to:
- Greater wellbeing
- An increased sense of agency
- And the possibility of experiencing inner peace amidst the everyday hustle.
For today's Practicing Courage episode I asked Amy if she would be willing to record a brief practice along these lines that we could share here.
She agreed.
And here we are.
I hope you enjoy this brief time with Amy and find that what she offers creates a restful pause in the midst of your day.
More from Amy:
- Heroes and Helpers #4 - Embracing the journey from 'doing' to 'being' with Amy Dong
Thank you for your practice today.
I look forward to continuing together next Thursday!
-Joshua
**Looking for more practice opportunities?
Check out:**
- LIVE 6 Week Training in Positive Neuroplasticity with Joshua (begins October 5th, 2024)
- Free Meditation Events - 60 minute gatherings with Joshua held 2x a month over zoom
- The Practice Pass - An annual membership that gives you on-demand access to robust practice experiences including the 28-Day Practicing Courage Challenge, The 5-Day Transforming Stress Challenge and the brand NEW Creativity Challenge.
- The FREE Practice Library
Support the show
“If we don’t work on our stuff, our stuff will work on us. It will run our lives - and show up in our offices and relationships - until we take the reins of responsibility for our own well-being.”
These words were written by today’s guest, Allison Schultz (who goes by Ali).
Along with Jerry Colonna and Dan Putt, Ali co-founded Reboot, the widely acclaimed leadership development and CEO coaching firm.
At Reboot they believe:
That in work is the possibility of the full realization of human potential.
*Work does not have to destroy us.
Work can be the way we achieve our fullest self.*
Today we are going to take a deep dive into Ali’s work:
- From her early experiences co-facilitating the first ever CEO bootcamp at Reboot
- To her deep appreciation for horses and how they can help people seeking personal growth,
- To the qualities she has witnessed in her coaching work which can lead to the realization of our unique potential as human beings.
We’ll also spend some time highlighting and discussing themes and practices from her beautiful new book:
The Art of Being Human at Work: Meditations for the Work of Your Life
Which is a profound collection of essays that explores the core philosophy of Reboot’s unique approach, and teaches us that if we are to work and lead well—with authenticity, courage, integrity, and compassion—we must first do the necessary inner work of becoming a better human.
Throughout our time together Ali will share more about what it takes to do that inner work,
What becomes possible when we find the courage to do so,
and how life-changing this journey toward wholeness can be.
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:
- The Future of Work: Love, Safety, and Belonging | Dr. Leah Weiss and Jerry Colonna
- Leadership and the Art of Growing Up | Jerry Colonna
Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!
More about Ali:
In 2014, after years of work in a variety of startups and a lifetime of soul-based explorations, Allison Schultz co-founded Reboot with Jerry Colonna and Dan Putt. As a coach, Ali weaves her business acumen with the innate wisdom of the body, the philosophies of the world's wisdom traditions, and "the way of the horse" to help clients seeking personal growth and committed to deep inner work find their voice in service of finding themselves. For more, visit: reboot.io
Thanks for listening!
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In today’s practice you’ll hear a clip from a past conversation with kindness researcher Dr. Kelli Harding.
She’ll offer a beautiful reminder about just how easy it can be to make someone else’s day.
How little it takes to lift others up.
And that when we do,
when we offer these little acts of kindness, they generate positive ripples outward.
One small act of kindness creating a win-win-win proposition:
- For the giver,
- The receiver
- And for anyone who witnesses the kind act.
Curious to explore this topic further? Check out the full conversation with Dr. Kelli Harding:
- In a World Where You Can Be Anything, Be Kind | Dr. Kelli Harding
Thank you for your practice today.
I look forward to continuing together next Thursday!
-Joshua
**Looking for more practice opportunities?
Check out:**
- LIVE 6 Week Training in Positive Neuroplasticity with Joshua (begins October 5th, 2024)
- Free Meditation Events - 60 minute gatherings with Joshua held 2x a month over zoom
- The Practice Pass - An annual membership that gives you on-demand access to robust practice experiences including the 28-Day Practicing Courage Challenge, The 5-Day Transforming Stress Challenge and the brand NEW Creativity Challenge.
- The FREE Practice Library
Support the show
How might we learn to better negotiate and navigate seemingly intractable issues?
*And what if it was possible to not only navigate these issues, but to meet all people’s needs in the process?
What if it was possible to truly find win-win solutions?*
In today’s conversation with Rob Fersh and Mariah Levison, two leaders in the field of bridge building and conflict resolution we’ll address these complex, challenging, and timely questions head on.
Questions that have been at the heart of their work for many years, and are explored in depth in their profound new book: From Conflict to Convergence Coming Together to Solve Tough Problems.
Today, they will offer up their hard-earned wisdom about how we can all get better at navigating difficult conversations, resolving challenging conflicts, and building meaningful connection in the process.
Much of what they will share comes from their work at Convergence a leading non profit organization of which Rob is the Founder and Mariah is the CEO.
For more than a dozen years, convergence has pioneered a distinctive approach to collaborative problem-solving across divides.
Bringing people together across ideological, political, and identity lines to help solve seemingly intractable challenges at the intersection of national politics and policy.
Convergence’s success offers a beacon of hope for the majority of Americans frustrated by divisiveness and toxic polarization. Their work demonstrates that change is possible under the right conditions, and that we can affect lasting, consistent changes that improve people’s lives when we come together to recognize our common humanity.
For more about Convergence, Rob, Mariah, and their book please visit convergencepolicy.org
This episode is the final conversation in our mini series that brought together leaders at the forefront of researching, facilitating, and writing about how we can:
- Engage in more constructive dialogue
- Find collaborative solutions to seemingly intractable problems
- And build bridges across difference
For more, check out these other conversations in the series:
- Rediscovering the Art of Constructive Dialogue | Dr. Mylien Duong
- Building Bridges Back to Each Other | Juliana Tafur
**More about Rob Fersh and Mariah Levison
Rob** founded Convergence in 2009 and served as its first CEO until 2020. He has spent over 45 years bridging policy differences and moving important public policy solutions forward in Washington DC, working for Congress, in the Executive Branch, and in leading non-profit organizations. Head here to learn more about Rob.
Mariah serves as CEO and President of Convergence. With decades of experience, Mariah is a seasoned consensus-builder who excels in bringing diverse groups together to address critical state and national issues. Her expertise extends to speaking and training on a national and international level, engaging with a wide range of audiences including local communities, law schools, foreign governments, and TED. Head here to learn more about Mariah.Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!
Thanks for listening!
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Yesterday we re-released a moving Courageous Life conversation with Juliana Tafur.
Juliana is a journalist, award winning documentary filmmaker, and bridge builder.
She serves as the Program Director for the Greater Good Science Center’s Bridging Differences Program.
During our time together she shared shared some of her story, and insights from her incredible work as we explored the art and science of listening in ways that lead to:
- Meaningful connection
- Deeper relationships
- And ultimately that build bridges across difference.
Today I’d like build on that conversation by re-releasing a practice that can support finding ways to connect.
Particularly when it’s difficult.Given that we’re human, imperfect, and not always at our best (at least speaking for myself) this idea of finding ways to connect when it’s difficult, when we are in conversations that are charged, or there’s reactivity etc…
Can be quite a useful inquiry to explore.
Today's practice will infuse a blend of storytelling, research-backed insights from leading organizational scholars, and simple ways to deepen self-awareness and tap into more empathy, understanding, and compassion.
For more ways to have constructive conversations, including insights and practices for connecting across difference, check out these conversations (if you haven't already):
- Building Bridges Back to Each Other | Juliana Tafur
- Rediscovering the Art of Constructive Dialogue | Dr. Mylien Duong
- Practicing Courage #40: Let go of assumptions and embrace curiosity
Thank you for your practice.
I look forward to continuing together next Thursday!
-Joshua
**Looking for more practice opportunities?
Check out:**
- LIVE 6 Week Training in Positive Neuroplasticity with Joshua (begins October 5th, 2024)
- Free Meditation Events - 60 minute gatherings with Joshua held 2x a month over zoom
- The Practice Pass - An annual membership that gives you on-demand access to robust practice experiences including the 28-Day Practicing Courage Challenge, The 5-Day Transforming Stress Challenge and Unlocking Creativity a brand NEW 5-day challenge for realizing your unique creative potential.
- The FREE Practice Library
Support the show
How can we more effectively navigate conversations with people who have different values, and beliefs than we do?
Neighbors, community members, co-workers, and family members who care deeply about the same issues, but who have widely different views about them.
What are the conditions that would be needed in order to have productive conversations?
What are the intentions, skills and mindsets we need to cultivate?
In this new 3-episode mini series we will explore these complex yet practical questions with Courageous Life guests new and old.
You'll be exposed to leaders at the forefront of researching, facilitating, and sharing their hard earned wisdom, about how to have constructive dialogues, find win-win solutions to our hardest problems, and build bridges across difference.
As we move into election season here in the US, these conversations are particularly timely,
But the skills and insights contained within each conversation are also timeless.
Today we’ll continue this series with our second conversation - a past episode with Juliana Tafur who is the Program Director for the Greater Good Science Center's Bridging Differences Program.Together we explored the art and science of listening in ways that lead to meaningful connection, deeper relationships, empathy, and can build bridges across difference.
Highlights include:
- A framework for compassionate listening
- The importance of giving ourselves and others grace while engaging in constructive dialogue
- Why opening the heart across difference begins with tuning into self
- Discerning when to engage in constructive dialogue and when it’s safer, and wiser, not to.
- The power of asking questions from a place of genuine curiosity
- Letting go of winning as a fundamental practice of effective listening
- Why listening is an act of courage
- The importance of appreciating complexity in other people’s stories, and lived experiences
- Ways to quiet the ego in tough conversations
Interested in diving deeper into this topic? Check out the Bridging Differences Program for free resources including the Bridging Differences Playbook.
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:
- Rediscovering the art of constructive dialogue | Dr. Mylien Duong
- Is curiosity a superpower? | Dr. Jud Brewer
More about Juliana:Juliana Tafur is the Program Director for GGSC’s Bridging Differences Program, applying her experience as social entrepreneur and founder of Listen Courageously, and as Emmy-nominated senior television producer and award-winning documentary filmmaker. Juliana creates resources rooted in science to bridge political and cultural divides. She also forges strategic partnerships across sectors—government, education, philanthropy, and public service—and oversees communities of practice, to ensure bridge-building skills and resources reach people and strengthen social cohesion across the US. As a Colombian-American devoted to listening to bridge what divides us (as seen on her TEDx talk), fostering a broader culture of belonging—through dialogue, connections, and understanding—is her life’s mission.
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When I was first learning to be a coach we had a saying before stepping into a coaching conversation:
Leave your assumptions at the door and embrace curiosity.In reality we often know SO little about someone’s experience, and about their story.
And when we recognize that, what seems to make the most sense is to get curious.
To ask questions,
And to listen deeply.
In a recent episode with Dr. Jonah Paquette we took a dive into the depths of awe and wonder he offered a beautiful reminder of the power of curiosity.
And that reminder is the inspiration for today’s practice which centers around finding ways to let go of your assumptions
**And to choose learning over knowing.
This practice is being re-released** as a powerful complement to our new mini-series which highlights Courageous Life guests new and old.
Each episode in the series featuring leaders who are at the forefront of researching, facilitating, and sharing their hard-earned wisdom related to how to have constructive dialogues, how to find win-win solutions to some of our hardest problems, and ultimately how to build bridges across difference.
Want to dive deeper into these topics? Check out these past Courageous Life episodes:
- Rediscovering the Art of Constructive Dialogue | Dr. Mylien Duong
- Awe, Wonder, and Everyday Miracles | Dr. Jonah Paquette
- Is Curiosity a Superpower? | Dr. Jud Brewer
Thank you for your practice.
I look forward to continuing together next Thursday!
-Joshua
**Looking for more practice opportunities?
Check out:**
- LIVE 6 Week Training in Positive Neuroplasticity with Joshua (begins October 5th, 2024)
- Free Meditation Events - 60 minute gatherings with Joshua held 2x a month over zoom
- The Practice Pass - An annual membership that gives you on-demand access to robust practice experiences including the 28-Day Practicing Courage Challenge, The 5-Day Transforming Stress Challenge and the brand NEW Creativity Challenge.
- The FREE Practice Library
Support the Show.
How can we more effectively navigate conversations with people who have different values, and beliefs than we do?
Neighbors, community members, co-workers, and family members who care deeply about the same issues, but who have widely different views about them.
What are the conditions that would be needed in order to have productive conversations?
What are the intentions, skills and mindsets we need to cultivate?
Over the next few weeks these are the complex yet practical questions we will explore with Courageous Life guests new and old.
You'll be exposed to leaders at the forefront of researching, facilitating, and sharing their hard earned wisdom,
About how to have constructive dialogues, find win-win solutions to our hardest problems, and ultimately build bridges across difference.
As we move into election season here in the US, these conversations are particularly timely,
But the skills and insights contained within each conversation are also timeless.
Today we’ll begin this powerful mini-series by re-releasing a past episode with Dr. Mylien Duong.
Mylien is Senior Director of Research at The Constructive Dialogue Institute, where they define Constructive dialogue as a form of conversation in which people who have different values, beliefs, and perspectives seek to build new ways to understand and interact with each other, even as they sustain commitments to their own principles and perspectives.
Mylien helps to build out evidence-based content for having constructive dialogues, and oversees measuring the efficacy and effectiveness of the programming. So far programming offered by the Institute:
- Has impacted over 50K learners
- Is being leveraged by 900+ Institutions
- Shows that 86% of learners improved communication across difference
- And, 95% of educators recommend their programming
Their work has been featured in Time Magazine, Forbes, The New York Times, Harvard Business Review, Oprah Magazine, Psychology Today and more
In today's conversation:
- Mylien’s story about how she came to this work
- The 5 principles of Constructive Dialogue that the Institute has established
- The power of curiosity and storytelling in constructive dialogue
- The importance of humility, self-worth, and feeling that you matter
- The power of emotional intelligence and nervous system regulation in navigating hard conversations more effectively
More about Mylien:Dr. Mylien Duong has deep expertise in developing scalable behavioral interventions. Trained as a clinical psychologist, she was previously a senior research scientist at the Committee for Children, where she led the research to develop a social-emotional learning program for teachers in K-12 schools. Prior to that, she was faculty at the University of Washington, where they conducted federally funded research studies to develop and test behavioral interventions for youth in school and juvenile justice settings. She has received over $17 million in grant funding and published over 40 scientific articles and book chapters. For more: https://constructivedialogue.org/
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are more conversations we think you'll love:
- Dr. Marc Brackett - Permission to Feel: The Power of Emotional Intelligence
- Parker Palmer - Reflections on Living with an Open Heart
Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen!
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Always do your best.When I was growing up I heard that a lot.
"*Just do your best."
"Leave it all on the field."*Or some similar version of that message.
It seemed like a generally positive and empowering message.
An invitation to show up fully and give it my all.
I was on board.
But what I didn’t realize was that this message was incomplete.
It was missing an important piece.
Today we'll explore what was missing.
The piece, that when leveraged, makes this a much more potent practice.
Thank you for your practice today.
I look forward to continuing together next Thursday!
-Joshua
**Looking for more practice opportunities?
Check out:**
- LIVE 6 Week Training in Positive Neuroplasticity with Joshua (begins October 5th, 2024)
- Free Meditation Events - 60 minute gatherings with Joshua held 2x a month over zoom
- The Practice Pass - An annual membership that gives you on-demand access to robust practice experiences including the 28-Day Practicing Courage Challenge, The 5-Day Transforming Stress Challenge and the brand NEW Creativity Challenge.
- The FREE Practice Library
Support the Show.
One of the most extraordinary manifestations of human potential is:
Our ability to grow and strengthen ourselves in the face of pain, trauma, and those moments where life falls apart.Today’s guest, Dr. Amrita Sen Mukherjee, has not only studied what contributes to this deeply human capacity for post-traumatic growth but has experienced it first-hand.
Today, we’ll dive deep into her story and what she’s learned about what fosters positive psychological change in response to trauma and adversity.
The conditions that support us in finding the courage to rise again after we fall,
To come back stronger. In today’s episode Amrita will share:
- Parts of her own story including facing illness after childbirth, and the many layers of adversity she experienced as both a mother, and a physician with invisible disability.
- Insights into Post-Traumatic Growth and her original research that explored the lived experiences of doctors with invisible disability.
- The conditions that contribute to other people being courageous in the face of significant obstacles.
- Practical skills for creating psychological safety, compassion, and empathy.
- The importance of mattering, and feeling at home in our own skin, and at home on the earth.
- Practices that support showing ourselves and each other we are valued and that we matter.
- Reflections on the healing power of silence.
- Why humility, curiosity, and the willingness to not know can lead to people feeling seen.
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:
The Courageous Journey Toward Wholeness | Parker Palmer
Gentle Power - Shifting the Way We Define True Strength | Dr. Elisabet Lahti
Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!
A quick note about the conversation today. There were some occasional minor sounds you’ll hear in the background as it wasn’t a perfectly quiet spot during recording which comes with the territory from time to time. We feel it didn’t detract much from the conversation though and are still very excited to share it with you.More about Amrita:
Dr. Amrita Sen Mukherjee, Co-Chair of the Disabled Doctors Network, challenges the frameworks and biases that society imposes. She invites us to consider the potential for change when we unmask the strengths and abilities of the marginalised and to discover how adversity can enable growth, strength and compassion. She is a dedicated Wellbeing Expert, Positive Psychology Coach, and accomplished Portfolio GP. Specialising in Posttraumatic Growth and guiding high performing professionals through life transitions, Amrita fosters environments of psychological safety and individual curiosity for personal and team growth. Amrita, conducted groundbreaking research on Posttraumatic Growth in Doctors with Invisible Disability, which was published in the British Journal of Health Psychology. As Co-Chair of the Disabled Doctors Network and EDI Lead at The Joyful Doctor, she actively promotes equality and is a Disability Advocate. She also serves as a Trustee for the Thomas Wall Trust and is the ambassador for Doctors in Distress. A sought-after TEDx speaker, Amrita has shared her expertise on wellbeing and equality across platforms like BBC News, podcasts, webinars, and International Conferences. For more please visit: yourwellbeing.doctor
Thanks for listening!
Support the Show.
In yesterday’s Courageous Life episode with psychologist and author, Dr. Jill Stoddard, we took a deep dive into overcoming self doubt and imposterism.
Part of which reminded me of a powerful practice for transforming stress.
A practice I first learned from Dr. Alia Crum and her team at Stanford’s Mind and Body Lab.
I originally created this practice for the 5-day Transforming Stress Challenge, which features 5 days of guided practices, insights from leading experts, and different tools that can help you change your relationship to stress in a whole host of beneficial ways.
Today we are re-releasing a modified version of this practice.
In it you'll be exposed to Dr. Alia Crum and her growing body of research on the power our mindsets hold to transform our lives, our health, and our performance.
You’ll learn three powerful steps for shifting your mindset on stress.
Rather than push it away, you will be invited to acknowledge, welcome, and utilize your stress in ways that can lead to positive ripple effects in life, on health, and that lead to better performance.
Simply put, this practice can help you to stress better.
Curious to explore this topic further? Check out the full conversation with Dr. Jill Stoddard or the 5-Day Transforming Stress Challenge:
- Overcoming Self-Doubt and Imposterism | Dr. Jill Stoddard
- Transforming Stress Challenge
Thank you for your practice today.
I look forward to continuing together next Thursday!
-Joshua
**Looking for more practice opportunities?
Check out:**
- LIVE 6 Week Training in Positive Neuroplasticity with Joshua (begins October 5th, 2024)
- Free Meditation Events - 60 minute gatherings with Joshua held 2x a month over zoom
- The Practice Pass - An annual membership that gives you on-demand access to robust practice experiences including the 28-Day Practicing Courage Challenge, The 5-Day Transforming Stress Challenge and the brand NEW Creativity Challenge.
- The FREE Practice Library
Support the Show.
Today’s guest identifies as a recovered imposter.
For years, she was convinced that the only reason she was accepted into a competitive grad school program was because her father knew the program director.
One thing research shows is that Dr. Jill Stoddard, psychologist, and author of Imposter No More, isn't alone in this.
Deep down, a majority of successful people feel a sense of self doubt and question their professional legitimacy a good amount of the time.
In today’s conversation we’ll dive into Jill’s fascinating and important work around this often relatable experience of Imposterism, including:
- Understanding what it is, why we do it, and how it works
- Why the notion of imposter syndrome is actually a misnomer.
- We’ll explore some of Jill’s personal stories and experiences of working through her own imposter thoughts and feelings of self-doubt
- What she's learned from personal experiences as well as through her work as a psychologist running an anxiety clinic.
- How to work with imposterism - Specifically how strengthening psychological flexibility can ultimately be a way to free ourselves from the experience of being constrained by fear, doubt, and uncertainty.
Today’s episode is one that I think will be deeply relatable for so many. After listening If you know someone who may benefit from it, I would encourage you to share with friends.
If you want to dive deeper into Jill’s work please visit jillstoddard.com or pick up a copy of Imposter No more: Overcome Self-doubt and Imposterism to Cultivate a Successful Career, wherever books are sold.
Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:
- Letting go of Perfectionism and Finding Happiness | Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar
- Meeting Failure with Curiosity and Compassion | Dr. Amy Edmondson
More about Jill:
Jill Stoddard is passionate about sharing science-backed ideas from psychology to help people thrive. She is a psychologist, writer, TEDx speaker, award-winning teacher, and co-host of the popular Psychologists Off the Clock podcast. She has authored three books: The Big Book of ACT Metaphors: A Practitioner’s Guide to Experiential Exercises and Metaphors in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy; Be Mighty: A Woman’s Guide to Liberation from Anxiety, Worry, and Stress Using Mindfulness and Acceptance; and Imposter No More: Overcome Self-doubt and Imposterism to Cultivate a Successful Career. Her writing has also appeared in Psychology Today, Scary Mommy, Thrive Global, The Good Men Project, and Mindful Return. She regularly appears on podcasts and as an expert source for various media outlets.
Thanks for listening!
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In the hero's journey, the hero or heroine is called to adventure.
Often in the form of a quest, a challenge, or an adversity.
And often in unexpected ways.
One of the things that’s interesting about the heroes journey is that shortly after the call a helper enters the picture.
A mentor, sage, guide, or a coach who helps the hero to navigate the adventure,
as they strengthen themselves and ultimately transform in ways that allow them to meet their life from a wiser, more skillful, and often more responsive place.
Today, we’re bringing you the next episode in this new adventure on the Courageous Life - inspiring stories from everyday heroes and the helpers who walk beside them.I am thrilled to share another beautiful helpers conversation, with Liliana Öğün.
Liliana is an Executive & Career Coach with more than 20 years of experience in leadership coaching, career coaching, and communication consulting.
She holds a Master Certified Coach credential from the International Coach Federation.
And since 2010 has been helping leaders across the globe enhance their productivity while maintaining work-life balance.
Through coaching, she empowers her clients to raise their awareness and take personal accountability, leading to transformative changes in their careers and lives. For more on Liliana please visit surfingchange.com
Today, we’ll explore some of Liliana’s journey:
- Including a personal story of her parents loss of one of their children, and how she and her sister navigated the experience together. What she learned, and how the adversity shaped how she approaches her work today.
- Liliana will share more about how she “walks beside” her clients. Including meeting them with curiosity, unconditional positive regard, and challenging them to realize their potential.
- She’ll offer tools and practices that have helped her clients to deepen awareness, and transform their relationship to themselves, and others.
This conversation was beautiful. Liliana showed again and again how she embodies the qualities she speaks of, and if you’re looking for practical takeaways, you’ll find she offers those as well.
I hope you enjoy the time with her as much as I did.
Did you find this conversation inspiring? Here are other episodes we think you'll love:
- Building a future starts with feeling seen with Hayley Philander
- Embracing the journey from 'doing' to 'being' with Amy Dong
Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts.
Thanks for listening!
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"It’s very important work to be calm in a storm. To be a center for the people in your life." -Elizabeth Lesser (Courageous Life Episode 112)
So often when storms arise in our life they unleash a variety of feelings:
- Uncertainty
- Fear
- Groundlessness
When these experiences arise the mind will often will enter into a cycle of trying to find ground, often by running through future based scenarios, and planning thinking.
And while planning can be helpful up to a point, if we spend too much time focusing on what ifWe can get lost in cycles of worry.
In these moments a helpful practice to find calm, and return to center is to remember that:
The only moment we have is this one. That, there is no "there".There's only here.
And to return to the present.
Finding calm again even in the midst of a storm.
Today's practice will offer a clip from yesterday's Courageous Life conversation with Elizabeth Lesser, and a story of my time with Mark Nepo in 2018 where he offered a reminder of this beautiful practice.
Curious to explore this topic further? Check out the full conversations Elizabeth Lesser and Mark Nepo:
- Strong Back, Soft Front: The Practice of a Lifetime | Elizabeth Lesser
- Finding Inner Courage Where it Lives | Mark Nepo
Thank you for your practice today.
I look forward to continuing together next Thursday!
-Joshua
**Looking for more practice opportunities?
Check out:**
- LIVE 6 Week Training in Positive Neuroplasticity with Joshua (begins October 5th, 2024)
- Free Meditation Events - 60 minute gatherings with Joshua held 2x a month over zoom
- The Practice Pass - An annual membership that gives you on-demand access to robust practice experiences including the 28-Day Practicing Courage Challenge, The 5-Day Transforming Stress Challenge and the brand NEW Creativity Challenge.
- The FREE Practice Library
Support the Show.
In the more than twenty-five years since she co-founded Omega Institute—now the world’s largest center for spiritual retreat and personal growth—Elizabeth Lesser has been an intimate witness to the ways in which people weather change and transition.
In our conversation I shared the question we have been exploring on the show for years.
A question that can serve as a natural companion to the experience of change, and transition we so often face in the many facets of our lives:
When my heart begins to close, how do I open it again?
Her response was that this question, may be the one that she’s explored more than any other in her life.
Today we’ll explore the practice of opening the heart and mind again when it begins to close.
The conversation is broken into 3 parts:
In part one:
Elizabeth will offer share some of her own insights she’s gained over the years about opening the heart and finding the courage to blossom into who we were meant to be.
In part two:
She'll offer some of her hard-earned wisdom about staying open, curious, and engaged in tough conversations. Whether it be across the political divide or elsewhere.
She'll also share some of her personal story about an experience with her sister that centered around uncovering the depth of their love through the life-and-death experience of a bone marrow transplant.
Particularly how this experience opened the door for them to engage in a practice of being radically honest with eachother. A practice that ultimately transformed them both.
In part three:
We’ll discuss perhaps the most challenging form of opening.
Relaxing into uncertainty. Cultivating the ability to let go and relax into the vulnerability of being human.
And as we wrap up Elizabeth will leave us with a closing thought around why a spiritual practice is so important for the challenging times we are facing now.
Today's conversation is just scratching the surface on these themes. For more, I would highly encourage you to pick up a copy of her beautiful book, Broken Open.
Did you find today's episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:
Finding the Strength to Meet Adversity | Mark Nepo
Neuroscience, Spirituality, and the Quest for an Inspired Life | Dr. Lisa Miller
More about Elizabeth:
ELIZABETH LESSER is the author of several books, including New York Times Bestseller Broken Open: How Difficult Times Can Help Us Grow and Marrow: Love, Loss & What Matters Most. She is the cofounder of Omega Institute, recognized internationally for its workshops and conferences in wellness, spirituality, creativity, and social change. In 2011, she gave a popular TED talk called “Take The Other to Lunch,” a call for civility and understanding as we negotiate our differences as human beings. She gave her second TED talk in 2016, about the power of truth-telling. She is also one of Oprah’s Super Soul 100, a collection of a hundred leaders who are using their voices and talent to elevate humanity. Fore more about Elizabeth please visit: Elizabethlesser.org. and for more about the programming and wide variety of offerings at Omega Institute please visit https://www.eomega.org/
Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts.
Thanks for listening!
Support the Show.
In the hero's journey, the hero or heroine is called to adventure.
Often in the form of a quest, a challenge, or an adversity,
And often in unexpected ways.
One of the things that’s interesting about the hero's journey is that shortly after the call a helper enters the picture.
A mentor, sage, guide, or a coach of some sort.
They help the hero:
- Navigate the adventure
- Strengthen themselves
- And ultimately transform in ways that allow them to meet their life from a wiser, more skillful, and more responsive place.
As we looked at starting a new series featuring everyday heroes, the role of the helper was striking.
And we couldn’t help but think this new series would be incomplete if we didn’t include episodes featuring helpers.
So here we are.
Launching our next episode in this new adventure.
Conversations featuring inspiring stories from everyday heroes and the helpers who walk beside them.
Today I am honored and excited to share another beautiful helpers conversation, with Hayley Philander.
Hayley is a Lawyer who co-founded an organization called IseeU.
On the organization's website they share:
*Every morning young women from the Cape Flats face an overwhelming challenge – they wake to a community with some of the highest rates of gangsterism and drug addiction in South Africa. They also face an epidemic of gender based violence alongside a failing education system. It is from this environment that our young women begin to formulate their identity, their sense of potential and their dreams for the future.
IseeU was launched eight years ago and offers a three-year mentorship programme supporting young female students from Grade 10 to 12, who are from the Cape Flats.
The name IseeU was inspired by one of the young women participating in the programme – who shared that she felt seen, for the first time in her life*.
Building a future starts with feeling seen.Today, we’ll explore some of Hayley’s journey in co-founding IseeU, including:
- Growing up in Apartheid South Africa and the story of a mentor who saw her potential, believed in her, and helped her to feel deeply seen.
- More about the mission of IseeU and the incredible work they are doing
- Tools and practices that have helped young women in their program move from reactivity, to responsiveness, dream about their future and find hope in the face of immense challenges.
For more on Hayley and ways to get involved and support IseeU please visit iseeu.org.za
Did you find this conversation inspiring? Here are other Heroes and Helpers episodes we think you'll love:
- Becoming your own inner ally with Alfreda McCray
- Embracing the journey from 'doing' to 'being' with Amy Dong
Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts.
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After work one evening I met a friend who has been navigating big questions about their career and what’s next.
We sat outside and they shared some of their story.
A close friend of theirs, whom they care about and deeply respect
Had called them up
And offered advice about what to do.
While well intended it completely missed the mark.
My friend left feeling much worse than they had before.
Wishing that the advice had never been given.
Wishing that their friend had been aware that the advice they were giving, while well intended, was really more about their own discomfort with the situation, then truly about helping.
Have you had this experience?
Either being on the receiving end?
Or the giving end of well intended advice that completely misses?
It’s such a common experience as humans.
When we care,
when people matter to us,
there can be a whole host of emotions and desires that arise in these types of moments.
- A desire to fix
- To solve
- To save
- To advise
- To please
Sometimes these are born out of fear
Sometimes they are born from our lived experience (well this is how I did it so it should work for them).
Or (well this happened to me, so I want to make sure it doesn’t happen to them).
These are various Expressions of the ego.
Expressions that we can only see when we pay attention closely, when we bring mindful awareness to our inner life in these moments.
Without awareness it’s all too easy to fall into a trap of offering unwanted advice.
Today’s episode will offer ways to not fall into the trap nearly as often
As you are invited into the practice of being real
A practice that can help deepen relationships and foster more meaningful connection in our lives.
Today's episode was in part inspired by a recent Courageous Life conversation with renowned therapist Dr. Jacob Ham.
Curious to explore this topic further? Check out the full conversation with Dr. Ham:
- The Art of Meeting Life with Curiosity, Presence, and Love | Dr. Jacob Ham
Thank you for your practice today.
I look forward to continuing together next Thursday!
-Joshua
Want these practices delivered via text?If you are located in the U.S. text the word COURAGE to 805-430-6801 to join Joshua's text community and you'll get a text once/week with a link directly to the practice.
**Looking for more practice opportunities?
Check out:**
- Free Meditation Events - 60 minute gatherings with Joshua held 2x a month over zoom
- The Practice Pass - An annual membership that gives you on-demand access to robust practice experiences including the 28-Day Practicing Courage Challenge, The 5-Day Transforming Stress Challenge and the brand NEW Creativity Challenge.
- Past Practicing Courage episodes in the podcast feed
- The FREE Practice Library
Support the Show.
When veteran executive coach, professor, and ultra-endurance champion Urs Koenig signed up to be a NATO peacekeeping commander and United Nations peacekeeper in his fifties, he thought he knew a thing or two about leadership.
In his new book Radical Humility he openly shares that what he discovered as he embarked on this journey was a new leadership paradigm.
One that replaces the top-down, “heroic” leadership of the past,
With a more human-centered approach that views humility as a strength and key to achieving goals in today’s complex world.
Today we will take a deep dive into the topic of humility as we explore:
- Urs stories of facing various challenges, including struggling with academics and getting kicked out of school, and how these moments helped shape his professional trajectory.
- Why humility is a strength, but not a replacement for competence
- An athletic dream of completinga race across America. How it unraveled, and what Urs learned from failure that helped him find the resilience to come back stronger.
- How to stay open and receptive to learning when it’s hard. Including when we:
- Receive tough feedback,
- When we fail,
- And when we experience difficult emotions.
- Reflections on the intersection of backbone and heart in leadership and how leaders can get better at being tough on results but tender on people.
- The importance of building thriving relationships and practices that support doing so at work and in our lives.
If you find this conversation intriguing I would encourage you to check out Radical Humility: Be a Badass Leader and a Good Human, which you can find wherever books are sold.
More about Urs:
Urs Koenig is a former United Nations military peacekeeper and NATO military peacekeeping commander, a highly accomplished ultraendurance champion, a widely published professor, bestselling author of Radical Humility, and a seasoned executive coach and keynote speaker with more than three decades of experience helping hundreds of leaders and dozens of executive teams unlock new levels of achievement across four continents.
He is the founder of the Radical Humility Leadership Institute and speaks frequently on the topic of leadership to corporations and associations across the globe. His message of Radical Humility in leadership has inspired teams from across the spectrum, including Amazon, Starbucks, the Society of Human Resource Management, Vistage, the University of Melbourne, and Microsoft.
He holds a PhD in geography and a Master of Science from the University of Zürich, Switzerland, and an MBA from the Australian Graduate School of Management. For more, please visit urskoenig.com
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you’ll love
- Meeting Failure with Curiosity and Compassion | Amy Edmondson
- The Transformative Power of Humility | Dr. Daryl Van Tongeren
- Meeting Challenges with Backbone and Heart | Roshi Joan Halifax and Rhonda Magee
Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts.
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The blank canvas.
The blank page.
The big questions:
- What’s next in my life?
- What do I want to do for work?
- How do I want to live?
These are familiar moments and seasons of life marked by the unknown.
Often filled with feelings of uncertainty, what’s beautiful about these moments, and these seasons is that
They are an invitation into creativity.
But there’s a catch.
To accept the invitation we often need to be able to practice opening.
Finding ways to relax into uncertainty. What I see as a great superpower for our time.
When we do, we find possibility.
Today's recording comes from Day 3 of Unlocking Creativity, our most recent 5-day guided meditation challenge for living well and realizing your unique creative potential.
In this practice you will be exposed to two eye opening insights from Courageous Life conversations with Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman, and yesterday's guest: leading meditation teacher Kaira Jewel Lingo. Together they will offer inspiration, and ideas for facing the unknown with greater joy, passion, and possibility.
Interested in Unlocking Creativity?
Learn more and sign up here
When you do you will also gain access to our two other guided meditation challenges:
- The 5-Day Transforming Stress Challenge
- The 28-Day Practicing Courage Challenge
Curious to explore this topic further? Check out the full conversation with Kaira Jewel Lingo:
- Lessons for Moving Through Change, Loss, and Disruption | Kaira Jewel Lingo
Thank you for your practice today.
I look forward to continuing together next Thursday!
-Joshua
Want these practices delivered via text?If you are located in the U.S. text the word COURAGE to 805-430-6801 to join Joshua's text community and you'll get a text once/week with a link directly to the practice.
**Looking for more practice opportunities?
Check out:**
- Free Meditation Events - 60 minute gatherings with Joshua held 2x a month over zoom
- The Practice Pass - An annual membership that gives you on-demand access to robust practice experiences including the 28-Day Practicing Courage Challenge, The 5-Day Transforming Stress Challenge and the brand NEW Creativity Challenge.
- Past Practicing Courage episodes in the podcast feed
- The FREE Practice Library
Support the Show.
Kaira Jewel Lingo is a mindfulness and meditation teacher with a lifelong interest in blending spirituality and meditation with social justice.
She spent her formative years growing up in an ecumenical Christian community where families practiced a new kind of monasticism and worked with the poor.
When she turned 25 she entered a Buddhist monastery and spent fifteen years living as a nun under the guidance of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh.
Today she sees her work teaching Buddhist meditation, mindfulness, and compassion, as a continuation of the Engaged Buddhism she learned from Thich Nhat Hanh,
As well as the work of her parents, inspired by their stories and her dad’s work with Martin Luther King Jr. on desegregating the South.
In our conversation we will take a deep dive into Kaira Jewel’s story of entering the monastery
And the reasons for leaving 25 years later.
The moments she’ll describe are deeply human.
They are examples of those times we find ourselves at a crossroads, uncertain about which path to take.
Kaira Jewel will generously share some of the practices and insights that were most helpful for her as she navigated these moments:
- From finding the strength to be in a place of not knowing
- To sitting in the questions and discerning whether she was making these decisions driven by fear, or pulled by love.
- To engaging in the practice of finding stillness and listening to her life.
As we explore these themes through Kaira Jewels story we’ll also talk about:
- What she’s learned about transforming the fear that often accompanies uncertainty into hopeful possibility
- Finding the balance between letting go and taking wise action
- What she learned from her father and Thich Nhat Hanh about opening the heart in the face of some of the most pressing challenges of our time
- The possibility of fighting for what we care about from a place of love.
This raw and moving conversation was inspired by themes from her beautiful book:
We Were Made for These Times: Ten Lessons for Moving Through Change Loss and Disruption, which you can find wherever books are sold.
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:
- Meeting a World in Crisis with Courage, Integrity, and Love | Oren Jay Sofer
- Neuroscience, Spirituality, and the Quest for an Inspired Life | Dr. Lisa Miller
More about Kaira Jewel:
Kaira Jewel Lingo is a mindfulness and meditation teacher with a lifelong interest in blending spirituality and meditation with social justice. She began practicing mindfulness in 1997 and at the age of twenty-five she entered a Buddhist monastery and spent fifteen years living as a nun under the guidance of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh. She is also a teacher in the Vipassana Insight lineage through Spirit Rock Meditation Center. In addition to writing We Were Made for These Times: Ten Lessons for Moving through Change, Loss and Disruption, and co-authoring Healing Our Way Home: Black Buddhist Teachings on Ancestors, Joy and Liberation, she is also the editor of Thich Nhat Hanh’s Planting Seeds: Practicing Mindfulness with Children. She teaches and leads retreats internationally, provides spiritual mentoring, and interweaves art, play, nature, racial and earth justice, and embodied mindfulness practice in her teaching. Visit kairajewel.com to learn more.
Thanks for listening!
Support the Show.
There is a beautiful teaching metaphor that comes out of buddhist psychology about 2 darts.
As we move through life we inevitably experience pain.
From minor bumps and scrapes,
To major injury, loss, heartbreak, and catastrophe.
This is the 1st dart.
What’s interesting about pain though is that it can often be accompanied by
thoughts about the pain:
- “This shouldn’t be happening.”
- “What if this doesn’t end?”
- “There’s something wrong with you." Etc.
These are add ons.
They’re the extras that in moments where we are in pain, can pile on.
Adding to the weight and intensity of the experience.
Turning what is already painful into experiences marked by additional suffering.
These add ons are the 2nd dart.
Within this metaphor though there is a possibility for less suffering.
When we learn to put the second darts down,
to not throw them as much,
or not throw them at all,
we suffer less and we experience more freedom.
Today, we'll look at a simple practice for turning this possibility into a reality which in part was inspired by yesterday's Courageous Life conversation with renowned therapist Dr. Jacob Ham.
Curious to explore this topic further? Check out the full conversation with Dr. Ham:
- The Art of Meeting Life with Curiosity, Presence, and Love | Dr. Jacob Ham
Thank you for your practice today.
I look forward to continuing together next Thursday!
-Joshua
Want these practices delivered via text?If you are located in the U.S. text the word COURAGE to 805-430-6801 to join Joshua's text community and you'll get a text once/week with a link directly to the practice.
**Looking for more practice opportunities?
Check out:**
- The Practice Pass - An annual membership that gives you on-demand access to robust practice experiences including the 28-Day Practicing Courage Challenge, The 5-Day Transforming Stress Challenge and the brand NEW Creativity Challenge.
- Past Practicing Courage episodes in the podcast feed
- The FREE Practice Library
Support the Show.
When I first started coaching I was introduced to the idea of:
Meeting the client where they are.This idea being both a cornerstone of coaching,
And a practice that involves attuning to the person in front of you in such a way that opens up a possibility of working with them wherever they are in their development or growth journey.
While it may sound simple enough, there is a profound depth and precision to meeting someone in this way.
In part this is because whether it’s a client, a friend, a colleague, a partner, a child, a parent, etc
There are a myriad of factors that can influence where they are on their path:
- The conversation you've been engaged in with them to that point
- What is arising in them in the moment (thoughts, feelings, sensations)
- What is arising in you
- What is arising in the relationship
- Their past experiences
- Your perceptions, beliefs, biases
The list goes on...
And this practice of attunement is one of the things that today's guest, renowned therapist Dr. Jacob Ham does exceptionally well which you'll hear in, and throughout, our conversation as we dive into a deep exploration of growth, curiosity, love, and the art of living in the present moment.
Dr. Ham is the Director of the Center for Child Trauma and Resilience and Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
Equal part therapist, speaker, trainer, program developer, Dr. Ham applies an open-hearted, empathic approach to all aspects of his work, ensuring that the needs of patients, audiences, and trainees are prioritized and met in the most meaningful ways. He specializes in using authentic relationships to self and others as paths to healing in trauma and other forms of mental suffering including the self-harm of fear, doubt, loathing and despair. To learn more please visit drjacobham.com
In today’s conversation:
- Dr. Ham's story about how he came to work in the way he does - including his general disillusionment with a lot of traditional approaches and paradigms in therapeutic treatment.
- What is this moment calling for? The role of this question in his work. And how an expertise in trauma and a deep contemplative practice inform his ability to skillfully offer what is needed.
- The wisdom that can be found in contraction, closing off, and shutting down.
- Practices for significantly improving communication in relationships.
- How to work with anger in more skillful ways when it arises
- Asking for what you need in relationship and why he thinks this isn’t always such a beneficial practice
- The possibility of responding to hate with love
- Learning to not be so afraid of the pain that comes with growth
- The practice of surrender and embracing the growth process
- And the role loving awareness plays in growth, healing, and his work as a therapist
Of all the interviews we've released on the show I found this to be one of the most moving and profound. It is such an honor to be able to shine a light on the incredible work Dr. Ham is doing in the world. I hope you enjoy the time with him as much as I did.
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:
- Finding the Strength to Meet Adversity | Mark Nepo
- Finding the Courage to Live Without Regrets | Dr. Sunita Puri
Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts.
Thanks for listening!
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In the hero's journey, the hero or heroine is called to adventure.
Often in the form of a quest, a challenge, or an adversity,
And often in unexpected ways.
One of the things that’s interesting about the hero's journey is that shortly after the call a helper enters the picture.
A mentor, sage, guide, or a coach of some sort.
They help the hero:
- Navigate the adventure
- Strengthen themselves
- And ultimately transform in ways that allow them to meet their life from a wiser, more skillful, and more responsive place.
As we looked at starting a new series featuring everyday heroes, the role of the helper was striking.
And we couldn’t help but think this new series would be incomplete if we didn’t include episodes featuring helpers.
So here we are.
Launching our fourth episode in this new adventure on the larger Courageous Life podcast.
Conversations featuring inspiring stories from everyday heroes and the helpers who walk beside them.
Last week we released a helper interview with Executive and Leadership Coach Alfreda McCray where we explored the practice of becoming your own inner ally.
Today, I am honored and excited to share another beautiful helpers conversation, with Amy Dong.
Amy is a therapist who specializes in working with individuals and couples, navigating anxiety, supporting relational health, healing from burnout, reprocessing trauma, and finding steady footing through life’s inevitable twists & turns.
Amy is also a gifted writer.
You can find her beautiful and inspiring work on her substack:
The Softening
Which she describes as a walk through our internal landscape, a journey with mental health and well-being in long form.
Personally I subscribe to Amy’s blog and look forward to receiving each new piece as I find her writing a breath of fresh air.
It offers an invitation to slow down in the midst of the hustle of everyday life, to reflect on what’s truly important, and often leaves me feeling hopeful and energized. I would encourage you to check it out.
Today, we’ll explore:
- The story of a helper who during a particularly challenging point left a deep positive impression on Amy - not in what she did, but rather through her way of being.
- How she approaches her work, and the ways in which she walks beside her clients.
- Some of her favorite tools for regulating the nervous system, and finding greater ease as we navigate the 'messy middle' parts of our lives.
- Reflections about the practice of becoming a better friend to yourself.
This conversation was deep, heartfelt, and also offered a number of practical takeaways.
I hope you enjoy the time with Amy as much as I did.
Did you find this conversation inspiring? Here are other episodes we think you'll love:
- Becoming your own inner ally with Alfreda McCray
- Curiosity, trust, and inner wisdom with Shandra Lamotte
Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts.
Thanks for listening!
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Why can it be so difficult to receive?
Whether it’s something small like a compliment,
Or something bigger, like receiving help when we are in some form of pain or distress.
While the response can vary of course,
For many of us the instinct can often be:
- To brush off the compliment
- To minimize the recognition
- To turn down the help
Essentially to close off in one form or another.
And there are a whole host of reasons why this might happen.
From the way we’re raised,
To:
- Expectations or cultural norms that have to do with identity, the workplace, etc
- Fears of being perceived as weak, of not being liked, or not fitting in.
The list goes on.
This past week as I was engaged in a discussion around receiving (and the difficulty with it) with my long time collaborator Matt Donner.
And in the process was reminded of a past Courageous Life conversation with Dr. Kelly McGonigal where we explored self-compassion.
In particular, challenging the popular forms of self-compassion practice that so often focus on
Going off by yourself and doing your self compassion practice,
Alone.
Don't get me wrong, individual practices like self-compassion meditation or journaling can certainly be helpful, but they are also somewhat limiting and incomplete.
The limits of these practices can be seen when we start to consider important practice questions like:
What about self-compassion that looks like opening to and receiving help when you’re in pain?
What about allowing others to carry some of the weight that you’ve been shouldering on your own?
What about self-compassion that is found in relationship and community?
And that involves taking the risk to be vulnerable,
And to receive?
Becoming a better friend to ourselves isn't always done in isolation.
It can include engaging in the powerful practice of opening to
And receiving help,
Rather than closing off to it.
So today this is what we will explore and you will have the opportunity to hear directly from Kelly McGonigal in a moving clip from our conversation, about how this not only benefits us, but how it can be a gift to those offering their help.
Curious to explore this topic further? Here are some conversations on the podcast we think you'll love:
- Courage, Hope, and Human Transformation | Dr. Kelly McGonigal
Thank you for your practice today.
I look forward to continuing together next Thursday!
-Joshua
Want these practices delivered via text?If you are located in the U.S. text the word COURAGE to 805-430-6801 to join Joshua's text community and you'll get a text once/week with a link directly to the practice.
**Looking for more practice opportunities?
Check out:**
- The Practice Pass - An annual membership that gives you on-demand access to robust practice experiences including the 28-Day Practicing Courage Challenge, The 5-Day Transforming Stress Challenge and the brand NEW Creativity Challenge.
- Past Practicing Courage episodes in the podcast feed
- The FREE Practice Library
Support the Show.
Support the Show.
When you hear the word provoke what do you think of?
What about the word provocative?
For many (including myself)
This idea, of provocation, often holds a negative connotation.
Look it up in the dictionary and you’ll even see one definition that reads:
Purposefully stirring up a fight.But as you can imagine there’s a very different form of provocation.
One that when harnessed can:
- stimulate curiosity,
- open us to new perspectives and outside-the-box ideas,
- and one that ultimately invites us to see our work, relationships, and the world we live in with fresh eyes.
It’s a thrill to have Dr. Robert Biswas-Deiner on the show today as we explore this alternative form of provocation and fresh thought-provoking ideas inspired by his latest book: Positive Provocation: 25 Questions to Elevate Your Coaching Practice.
In today’s episode:
- Robert’s story about how he came to be doing the work he is engaged in today as a coach, trainer, researcher, and author. Including making a very tough decision to drop out of graduate school.
- The details surrounding an invitation Robert received to be The Provocateur for an international coaching conference.
- How he defines Positive Provocation and what key elements support doing it well, both at work and in life.
- What he calls the 90 degree view - a sweet spot for inviting people into curiosity, and rethinking conventional ideas.
- Intriguing stories from coaching sessions, that offer insight into what he’s learned about the art of challenging people effectively.
- How to stay open to being positively provoked, including the importance of cultivating intellectual humility.
- How research on the psychology of hospitality ties into being a positive provocateur.
If you found today’s conversation interesting, I would encourage you to check out Robert’s new book, Positive Provocation where you can learn more about this approach, and see how he puts it into practice.
Did you find today’s conversation inspiring? Here are other episodes we think you’ll love:
- Practicing the Art of Principled Rebellion | Dr. Todd Kashdan
- Gentle Power: Shifting the Way We Define True Strength | Dr. Elisabet Lahti
More about Robert:
Dr. Robert Biswas-Diener is widely known as the “Indiana Jones of Positive Psychology” because his research has taken him to such far-flung places as Greenland, India, Kenya, and Israel. He is a leading authority on strengths, culture, courage, and happiness and known for his pioneering work in the application of positive psychology to coaching. Robert has authored more than 60 peer-reviewed academic articles and chapters, two of which are “citation classics” (cited more than 1,000 times each). Dr. Biswas-Diener has authored eight books, including the New York Times Best Seller, The Upside of Your Dark Side. For more about Robert please visit robertdiener.com, and if you’re a coach looking for more details on Robert’s coach trainings and classes check out positiveacorn.com
Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!
Thanks for listening!
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Dr. Jessica Tracy is the Director of the Emotion and Self Lab at the University of British Columbia, and someone I have been looking forward to interviewing for a long time.
Back in 2016 she published a book titled: Take Pride: Why the Deadliest Sin Holds the Secret to Human Success.
The title grabbed my attention.
Largely because the form of pride that I have seen more often discussed is hubris.
Which shows its face in different ways:
- An overinflated ego
- Peacocking
- Flaunting success
- Dominance and instilling fear as a leader, etc.
This hubristic side is well known, but what Jessica’s work shows is that pride has another face.
One that is essential for helping us become our best, brightest selves.
In the right doses and the right contexts, pride has been proven to boost creativity, motivate altruism, and confer power and prestige on those who display it. Today we’ll dive deep into this, covering hubristic pride, but also really exploring this less often discussed form of pride.
What she calls authentic pride.
Which when harnessed may just hold the secret to success.
In today’s episode:
- How to cultivate authentic pride, including practices of getting quiet, listening to your life, and asking big questions about who you want to be and become
- Key differences between hubristic and authentic pride
- Intriguing findings that Jessica and her team have discovered about pride, both it’s drawbacks, and surprising benefits in life, at work, and in relationships
- Dominance and prestige - two leadership styles that manifest from hubristic and authentic pride and the impact each style has on teams, and organizations
- Why authentic pride can be a catalyst for creativity, innovation, and thriving organizational cultures
- The connection between pride and grit - how experiencing authentic pride can be the fuel for perseverance toward very long term goals
- How cultivating authentic pride can be a path to living well
I hope you enjoy the conversation with Jessica as much as I did!
Did you find this conversation inspiring? Here are other episodes we think you'll love:
- The Transformative Power of Humility | Dr. Daryl Van Tongeren
- Neuroscience, Spirituality, and the Quest for an Inspired Life | Dr. Lisa Miller
More about Jessica:
Dr. Jessica Tracy is a professor of psychology at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada, where she also directs the Emotion and Self Lab. Her research focuses on emotions and emotion expression, and especially on the self-conscious emotions of pride and shame. She has published over 80 journal articles, and her groundbreaking work on pride has been covered by hundreds of media outlets, including ABC’s Good Morning America, NPR’s All Things Considered, the New York Times, the Economist, and Scientific American.
Enjoying the show? Please share with friends, and rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts.
Thanks for listening!
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At the end of each day we do a mental scan, reviewing our experiences from that day.
When people do this, they often find:
- The moments where they moved outside of their comfort zone
- The moments where they pushed themselves
- And the moments where they were courageous
Are often the moments that they end up being most proud of.Additionally, leading courage researcher, Dr. Jim Detert asserts that when looking back on life its acts of courage that are often associated with greater fulfillment, meaning, and positive legacy.
Today I am going to offer a practice that will invite you to explore a simple process for intentionally increasing the capacity to be with discomfort, and how practicing this in low stakes moments can help strengthen your mind, body, and skillset to help unlock courage in moments that matter.
All practices can be found for free in The Practice Library.
Access the library here: https://www.practicingcourage.com/join-library
Interested in taking a deeper dive into practices that support greater calm, clarity, courage, and meaningful connection?
In an effort to create a delightful and seamless on-demand practice experience we created The Practice Pass, an annual membership that gives you access to all of this dynamic original content including both live and on-demand learning experiences.
If you sign up up for the Practice Pass you’ll receive:
Existing on-demand meditation challenges:
- Unlocking Creativity: A 5-Day Challenge
- The Practicing Courage Challenge
- The 5-Day Transforming Stress Challenge
- 3 live challenges each year.
Future topics for 2024 include: Navigating Transitions, and Finding Purpose.
Learn more and register for the pass here: https://www.practicingcourage.com/signup-practice-pass
Curious to explore this topic further? Here are some conversations on the podcast we think you'll love:
- Courage is Developed Through Practice | Dr. Jim Detert
- Lessons in Hope, Courage, and Human Transformation | Dr. Kelly McGonigal
- Finding Fulfillment in a World Obsessed with Happiness | Emily Esfahani Smith
Till next time,
-Joshua
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Today we are re-releasing one of our most popular episodes ever on the show, a powerful conversation with Dr. Marc Brackett.
In this episode, we'll explore themes from his book Permission to Feel as well as his broader work as a leader in the field of emotional intelligence.
Marc, is on a mission to educate the world about the value of emotions and the skills associated with using them wisely. “I want everyone to become an emotion scientist. We need to be curious explorers of our own and others’ emotions so they can help us achieve our goals and improve our lives.”
In today's episode:
- How events in Marc's childhood, including surviving abuse, led to his dedication to the work he does today
- Why people so often suppress emotions and what happens in our brains and bodies when we do
- Why it’s important to ask people “how are you feeling?” and to genuinely listen to the answer
- The story of his Uncle Marvin, and what he learned from him about the power of creating safe spaces
- Highlights from the biggest study he has ever conducted and the case for empathy, compassion, non-judgment, and good listening as life changing qualities for leaders, parents, and individuals.
- An introduction to the RULER skills (Recognizing, Understanding, Labeling, Expressing, and Regulating emotions)
- How he uses the RULER skills in his own life to navigate daily challenges, enhance wellbeing, and stay on track with goals that are important to him
- The link between emotions and performance - why and how emotions matter when it comes to thriving teams and organizations
- Why giving people the permission to feel may be one of the most important things we can do to help people thrive at work and in life.
More about Marc:
Marc Brackett, Ph.D., is founding director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence and professor in the Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine. As a researcher for over 20 years, Marc has focused on the role of emotions and emotional intelligence in learning, decision making, creativity, relationships, health, and performance. His book, Permission To Feel, has been translated into 22 languages. Most recently, with Pinterest co-founder Ben Silbermann, Marc and his team co-created the Apple award-winning app, HowWeFeel, that was designed to teach emotion skills and enhance well-being.
Marc is the lead developer of RULER, a systemic, evidence-based approach to social and emotional learning that has been adopted by over 5,000 schools across the United States and has reached over 4 million children. Marc regularly consults with large companies such as Google, Amazon, and Microsoft on best practices for integrating the principles of emotional intelligence into training and product design. For more please visit: https://www.marcbrackett.com
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are more episodes we think you’ll love!
Dr. Jud Brewer - Is Curiosity is a Superpower?
Kelly McGonigal - Finding the Hope, Connection, and Courage to Transform
Thanks for listening!
Support the Show.
In the hero's journey, the hero or heroine is called to adventure.
Often in the form of a quest, a challenge, or an adversity.
And often that adventure arrives unexpectedly.
One of the things that’s interesting about the hero's journey is that shortly after the call a helper enters the picture.
A mentor, a sage, a guide, or a coach of some sort.
They help the hero to navigate the adventure, as they strengthen themselves and ultimately transform in ways that allow them to meet their life from a wiser, more skillful, and often more responsive place.
As we looked at starting a new series featuring everyday heroes, the role of the helper was striking.
And we couldn’t help but think this new series would be incomplete if we didn’t include episodes featuring helpers.
So here we are. Launching our third episode in this new adventure on the larger Courageous Life podcast.
Conversations featuring inspiring stories from everyday heroes and the helpers who walk beside them.
Last week we released our first helper interview with Stanford compassion teacher, and family systems coach Shandra Lamotte as we curiosity, trust, and uncovering our inner wisdom.
Today, I am thrilled to share another beautiful helpers conversation, with Alfreda McCray.
Alfreda is a board-certified Executive Coach, a writer, social justice advocate, and doctoral student examining the intersections of identity, leadership, and authenticity. She is a life-long learner with a passion for optimizing wellbeing, reducing harm, and increasing compassion in the workplace and beyond. Her background includes over 20 years of experience in professional services and consulting. To learn more about Alfreda you can follow her on LinkedIn.
In this episode we’ll explore:
- Alfreda’s inspiring journey and the story of a helper, who in her words, saved her life.
- How she approaches her work, and the ways in which she walks beside her clients.
- Some of her favorite tools and practices for slowing down, and meeting life from a more responsive place.
This conversation was both moving and practical, and I hope you enjoy the time with Alfreda as much as I did.
Did you find this conversation inspiring? Here are other episodes we think you'll love:
- Faith, Hope, and Love with Eddie Garcia
- Curiosity, trust, and inner wisdom with Shandra Lamotte
Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts.
Thanks for listening!
Support the Show.
As part of a 4-part series on the Power of Compassion which we are re-releasing on The Courageous Life, yesterday we released a beautiful conversation with Roshi Joan Halifax and Rhonda Magee.
Together they explored a variety of themes related to meeting the most pressing challenges of our time with backbone and heart.
To complement the conversations in this series I have be sharing some of the most potent practices I’ve come across for opening the heart, and accessing more courage and compassion.
Today's practice is a re-release of the first Practicing Courage episode we ever produced and relates to one of the themes that Joan and Rhonda explored. How we can respond vs. react in moments where we feel triggered. An idea that is beautifully highlighted by holocaust survivor, Viktor Frankl who famously said:
"Between stimulus and response there's a space. In that space is our ability to choose. In that choice lies our growth and our freedom."
Today's episode will explore how we might find this space more often in our lives, our work, and our relationships.
Throughout episode you'll be exposed to:
- Highlights from the science of courage
- An inspiring clip from a conversation with Dr. Amy Edmondson
- And a simple 3-part practice for finding more courage in the midst of our busy day-to-day experiences as well as tips for how to make the most of it.
Thank you for your practice today!
I look forward to continuing together next Thursday!
-Joshua
8 Week Compassion Cultivation Training with Joshua begins July 12th!
If you are interested in a deeper more experiential dive into these insights and practices I would encourage you to join me on July 12th, as I will be teaching an 8 week course on compassion originally created at Stanford University. Learn more by heading to practicingcourage.com/cct
Want these practices delivered via text?If you are located in the U.S. text the word COURAGE to 805-430-6801 to join Joshua's text community and you'll get a text once/week with a link directly to the practice.
**Looking for more practice opportunities?
Check out:**
- The Practice Pass - An annual membership that gives you on-demand access to robust practice experiences including the 28-Day Practicing Courage Challenge, The 5-Day Transforming Stress Challenge and the brand NEW Creativity Challenge.
- Past Practicing Courage episodes in the podcast feed
- The FREE Practice Library
Support the Show.
This is the finale in our 4-part series on the power of compassion, which has featured leading researchers and practitioners in illuminating conversations about how to live with a more kind, and open hearted stance toward the world.
Today's conversation could not be a more fitting end as Roshi Joan Halifax and Rhonda V. Magee, two extraordinary pioneers working at the intersection of mindfulness, social change, law, and end-of-life care will engage in a deep and inspiring discussion about accessing compassion in the face of our most pressing challenges.
Together they'll explore:
- How we might engage with ourselves, our communities, perceived adversaries, and the broader world with an open heart.
- Training qualities of compassion, kindness, and love when fighting for causes we care about
- Their experiences, including challenges they've faced, in cultivating compassion
- The GRACE model for training compassion
- Overcoming fear
- Practices for responding (vs. reacting) in the heat of the moment or when one is triggered
- Working more effectively with failure and disappointment
As you'll hear this conversation will infuse the metaphor of an open hearted warrior as Joan and Rhonda discuss the possibility of meeting life's challenges with a blend of backbone and heart.
Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!
More Power of Compassion Series episodes:
Part 3: The Future of Work - Love, Safety, and Belonging | Leah Weiss & Jerry Colonna
Part 2: Moving From Fear to Love | James Doty & Jacinta Jiménez
Part 1: The Key to Resilience and Possibility | Barbara Fredrickson & Sharon Salzberg
About Rhonda Magee:
Rhonda V. Magee is a Professor of Law at the University of San Francisco and a leading mindfulness teacher with a focus on applying mindfulness to the hardest challenges of our times. She is an internationally-recognized teacher, guide and mentor, focused on integrating mindfulness into higher education, law and social change work. For more than 20+ years, Professor Magee has studied mindfulness, its underlying origins in Buddhism, and its potential benefits and applications in the world. A prolific author, she draws on law and legal history to weave storytelling, poetry, analysis and practices into inspiration for changing how we think, act and live better together in the face of the multiple interlocking challenges of our times. For more please visit rhondavmagee.com
About Roshi Joan Halifax
Roshi Joan Halifax, Ph.D.is Founder and Head Teacher of Upaya Zen Center in Santa Fe, New Mexico, a social activist, author, and in her early years was an anthropologist at Columbia University and University of Miami School of Medicine . She is a pioneer in the field of end-of-life care and has lectured on the subject of death and dying at many academic institutions and medical centers around the world. She has also received numerous awards and honors from institutions for her work as a social and environmental activist and in the end-of-life care field. She has served as a Distinguished Visiting Scholar at the Library of Congress where she developed a heuristic map of compassion and created the GRACE model for training compassion. She is Director of the Project on Being with Dying, and Founder of the Upaya Prison Project that develops programs on meditation for prisoners.For more please visit: www.joanhalifax.org
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In the hero's journey, the hero or heroine is called to adventure.
Often in the form of a quest, a challenge, or adversity.
And often that adventure arrives unexpectedly.
One of the things that’s interesting about the hero's journey is that shortly after the call a helper enters the picture.
A mentor, a sage, a guide, or a coach of some sort.
They help the hero to navigate the adventure, as they strengthen themselves and ultimately transform in ways that allow them to meet their life from a wiser, more skillful, and often more responsive place.
As we looked at starting a new series featuring everyday heroes, the role of the helper was striking.
And we couldn’t help but think this new series would be incomplete if we didn’t include episodes featuring helpers.
So here we are. Launching our second episode ever in this new adventure on the larger Courageous Life podcast.
Conversations featuring inspiring stories from everyday heroes and the helpers who walk beside them.
Last week we released our first hero interview with heart attack and heart transplant survivor Eddie Garcia as we explored faith, hope, and love.
And today, I am thrilled to share our first helper conversation, with Shandra Lamotte.
Shandra is a coach, facilitator, and teacher who believes that every person she works with has an inner knowing that is far superior to her ideas or advice on what to do.
Her work centers around inquiry and processes to support people in connecting to themselves, their own wisdom, and their wholeness so they can navigate the inevitable ups and downs of life with trust, grounding, and heart.
Shandra is certified as a Compassion Cultivation Training instructor through CCARE at Stanford University where she teaches courses in compassion. She’s a family systems coach, and is a lead facilitator of rites of passage workshops through COR. For more on Shandra, and the wonderful work she is doing you can visit shandralamotte.com
In today's conversation:
- We’ll explore some of Shandra’s own journey including the story of a helper who met her along her path, and helped her to grow and transform.
- Shandra will share more about how she walks beside her clients including tools, and practices she uses.
- How she approaches her work from a place of curiosity, compassion, and a steadfast belief in people’s potential.
This is a beautiful and practical conversation and I hope you enjoy the time with Shandra as much as I did.
Did you find this conversation inspiring? Here are other episodes we think you'll love:
- Faith, Hope, and Love with Eddie Garcia
Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts.
Thanks for listening!
Support the Show.
As part of a 4-part series on the Power of Compassion yesterday we released a moving conversation with Jerry Colonna and Leah Weiss.
Together they explored the future of work: Love, Safety, and Belonging.
To complement these conversations on compassion I am sharing some of the most potent practices I’ve come across for opening the heart, and accessing more courage and compassion.
Today's we'll explore the question:
“How can we create conditions for other people to be courageous?”
A question I have been exploring for years, on The Courageous Life Podcast, and beyond.
The interest in this question stems from the common and celebrated narrative (particularly in the US) of the lone hero.
That romanticized myth of pulling oneself up by their bootstraps and doing it all on their own.While it might be an inspirational tale, it can put a lot of pressure on an individual to be courageous, which is pressure that isn't always be necessary.
As you can imagine, exploring this question over the years has yielded many answers.
A few include:
- Let someone know you have their back
- Provide training, resources, tools, insights etc that help them pursue what they care about
- Create forms of safety that foster healthy risk taking
One of my favorite answers to this question though, came from best-selling author, and teacher Parker Palmer
During our first conversation, Parker and I discussed finding the courage to embrace our whole selves and finding the courage to pursue our true vocation.
In today's practice:
- You'll hear a small snippet of what he had to say
- And I will offer up a multi-step process for creating the conditions for others to be courageous that involves deep listening, open questions, and letting go of habits of fixing, advising, correcting, or solving.
Curious to explore this topic further? Here are some conversations on the podcast we think you'll love:
- The Courageous Journey Toward Wholeness | Parker Palmer
- The Power of Compassion Pt. 3 | Jerry Colonna and Leah Weiss
Thank you for your practice today!
I look forward to continuing together next Thursday!
-Joshua
8 Week Compassion Cultivation Training with Joshua begins July 12th!
If you are interested in a deeper more experiential dive into these insights and practices I would encourage you to join me on July 12th, as I will be teaching an 8 week course on compassion originally created at Stanford University. Learn more by heading to practicingcourage.com/cct
Want these practices delivered via text?If you are located in the U.S. text the word COURAGE to 805-430-6801 to join Joshua's text community and you'll get a text once/week with a link directly to the practice.
**Looking for more practice opportunities?
Check out:**
- The Practice Pass - An annual membership that gives you on-demand access to robust practice experiences including the 28-Day Practicing Courage Challenge, The 5-Day Transforming Stress Challenge and the brand NEW Creativity Challenge.
- Past Practicing Courage episodes in the podcast feed
- The FREE Practice Library
Support the Show.
There is a metaphor that comes out of ancient wisdom traditions of a bird. One wing of the bird represents wisdom and the other represents compassion.
In order to fly the bird needs both wings.
Like the bird, as people and leaders, cultivating wisdom and compassion in our lives, and in our organizations may help us to realize our potential.
This metaphor serves as the centerpiece of our conversation today as Dr. Leah Weiss and Jerry Colonna dive deep into the power of compassion at work.
This episode is the third installment of a 4-part series (originally released last season) that features leading researchers and practitioners exploring themes related to compassion, courage, and living with a more open, and loving stance toward the world.
The first two parts featured conversations with:
Sharon Salzberg and Barbara Fredrickson
And James Doty and Jacinta Jiménez
In this moving conversation Leah and Jerry share:
- Why they have infused compassion and mindfulness so centrally in their work with leaders and organizations
- Why empathy, safety, love, and belonging may be the most important qualities for leaders to focus on
- The role of suffering and a broken heart in compassionate leadership
- Using work as a crucible for realizing our potential
- The power of asking open questions, slowing down, and listening deeply
- How to navigate anger at work
- Reflections on opening the heart in difficult conversations
- The importance of kinship and recognizing our shared common humanity
Please note: In this conversation Jerry and Leah share past experiences related to acute mental health issues and suicide. There is a possibility that some may find parts of this episode triggering. Please listen at your own discretion and in a caring and supportive way for you. Additionally, if you or someone you know is experiencing mental health issues, including those related to suicide please reach out for help. The International Association for Suicide Prevention is one organization that offers lots of free support, helplines, and resources globally. You can find them at https://www.iasp.info/
More about Jerry:Jerry Colonna is the CEO, and co-founder, of Reboot.io, an executive coaching and leadership development firm whose coaches and facilitators are committed to the notion that better humans make better leaders. For nearly 20 years, he has used the knowledge gained as an investor, an executive, and a board member for more than 100 organizations to help entrepreneurs and others to lead with humanity, resilience, and equanimity. Previous to his career as a coach he was a partner with JPMorgan Partners (JPMP), the private equity arm of JP Morgan Chase. He joined JPMP from Flatiron Partners. For more on Jerry please visit reboot.io
More about Leah:Dr. Leah Weiss is a researcher, lecturer, consultant, and author. She teaches Compassionate Leadership at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. She is a founding faculty member of Stanford’s Compassion Cultivation Program. In 2019, she co-founded Skylyte, a company that specializes in using the latest neuroscience and behavior change to empower high-performing leaders and managers to prevent burnout for themselves and their teams. Leah has taught and spoken in over 75 organizations across sectors. Her work has been covered by news outlets around the world, including BBC, the New York Times, TED, the Financial Times, HBR, and others. For more about Leah visit: https://leahweissphd.com/
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Welcome to the inaugural episode of Everyday Heroes and Helpers.
A new series on the Courageous Life Podcast that has been a dream since we first launched back in 2018.
Part of the mission of the show has always been to share inspiring stories of everyday heroes.
Ordinary people like our neighbors, friends, colleagues, and members of our communities who find the courage to rise up and meet challenges, and adversity.
Ordinary people who are navigating the messy middle parts of life with hope, love, and resilience.
Ordinary people who are doing extraordinary and yet innately human things.
Today and going forward this series will be showcasing these powerfully moving stories in a dedicated way.
And I couldn’t be more excited.
In crafting this series my longtime collaborator, friend, and executive producer Matthew Donner and I took a lot of inspiration from the work of Joseph Campbell and the Hero's Journey.
In the hero's journey, the hero or heroine is called to adventure, often in the form of a quest, a challenge, or an adversity.
What's interesting is that shortly after the call, a helper enters the picture.
This may be a mentor, sage, or guide who helps the hero to navigate the adventure, as they strengthen themselves and ultimately transform in ways that allow them to meet their life from a wiser, more skillful, and often more responsive (vs. reactive) place.
As we looked at this arc of the hero's journey I couldn’t help but think the series would be incomplete if we didn’t include episodes featuring helpers.
So today we are embarking on a new adventure as we will be sharing conversations featuring inspiring stories from everyday heroes and the helpers who walk beside them.
We’re kicking things off with our first everyday hero, Eddie Garcia.
Eddie is a heart attack and heart transplant survivor.
In 2010, a massive blockage in an artery referred to as the “widow maker” led to a decade of living with congestive heart failure.
A successful heart transplant in 2020 inspired him to tell his story in his beautiful memoir:Summer in the Waiting Room: Faith, Hope, and Love.
During our conversation Eddie will share more about his own journey, and how he navigated the immense challenges that arose with faith, hope, love, and community,
He’ll also talk about personal transformation, growth, and how he is meeting his life now.
If you want to find out more about Eddie pick up a copy of his book wherever books are sold, and check out his blog ESEReport.com, where he writes about his experiences as a working-class kid, public servant, corporate executive, and heart attack survivor.
If you are enjoying the podcast please let us know by taking minute to rate the show wherever you tune in!
Thanks for listening!
Support the Show.
As part of a 4-part series on the Power of Compassion which we are re-releasing on The Courageous Life, yesterday we released a beautiful conversation with Dr. James Doty and Dr. Jacinta Jiménez.
Together they explored a variety of themes related to cultivating greater compassion and empathy, including the possibility of fostering cultures of care within organizations.
To complement these conversations over the coming weeks I will be sharing some of the most potent practices I’ve come across for opening the heart, and accessing more courage and compassion.
Today's practice is is the second of these and is all about building great relationships.
Years ago I had the chance to meet a couple who was truly happy and deeply in love after 35 years.
Sitting together I asked them what their biggest piece of advice would be for a successful, happy marriage (or relationship)?
I will never forget what they shared that day. It was both simple and profound.
Today's you'll hear what the couple shared with me, and how it can be applied to create thriving relationships in all domains of life, including at work.
Curious to explore this topic further? Here are some conversations on the podcast we think you'll love:
- The Power of Compassion Pt. 1 | Barbara Fredrickson and Sharon Salzberg
- The Power of Compassion Pt. 2 | James Doty and Jacinta Jiménez
Thank you for your practice today!
I look forward to continuing together next Thursday!
-Joshua
8 Week Compassion Cultivation Training with Joshua begins July 12th!
If you are interested in a deeper more experiential dive into these insights and practices I would encourage you to join me on July 12th, as I will be teaching an 8 week course on compassion originally created at Stanford University. Learn more by heading to practicingcourage.com/cct
Want these practices delivered via text?If you are located in the U.S. text the word COURAGE to 805-430-6801 to join Joshua's text community and you'll get a text once/week with a link directly to the practice.
**Looking for more practice opportunities?
Check out:**
- The Practice Pass - An annual membership that gives you on-demand access to robust practice experiences including the 28-Day Practicing Courage Challenge, The 5-Day Transforming Stress Challenge and the brand NEW Creativity Challenge.
- Past Practicing Courage episodes in the podcast feed
- The FREE Practice Library
Support the Show.
Today we're continuing our four-part series on the power of compassion with a deep, insightful, and moving conversation between Dr. Jacinta Jiménez and Dr. James Doty.
Each episode in this series showcases a powerful duo made up of a leading researcher and practitioner who will explore themes related to compassion, courage, and living with a more open, kind, and loving stance toward the world.
If you happened to miss part one with Dr. Barbara Fredrickson and Sharon Salzberg you can go back and listen to it anytime. It's become one of the most popular conversations in the show's history and we hope you enjoy part two just as much!
In today’s episode:
- How moving from fear to love can be a powerful catalyst for wellbeing, performance, and flourishing in life and work
- A personal story from Jacinta about the power of having someone who sees you, and creates spaces for belonging
- The research backed benefits of belonging, compassion, and kindness
- The argument for compassion and kindness at work and how these qualities can both fit into, and enhance, performance cultures
- How qualities like compassion, empathy, and altruism can be learned
- Tools for practicing compassion in daily life
- Leadership practices for creating environments of care
- And more!
Compassion Cultivation Training with Joshua begins July 12, 2024Intrigued at the idea of strengthening compassion, courage, and resilience? I am teaching an 8-week training originally developed at Stanford and includes evidence-based meditation techniques, interactive discussions, and lectures.
For more: practicingcourage.com/cct
Did you find this episode inspiring? We think you'll love these conversations too:
- The Power of Compassion Pt 1 | Sharon Salzberg and Barbara Fredrickson
- Using Neuroscience to Manifest a Kinder, Better World | James Doty
- Into the Magic Shop | James Doty
More about Dr. Doty:James R. Doty, M.D. is an Adjunct Professor and the Founder & Director of the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education (CCARE) at Stanford University. As the Director of CCARE, he has spearheaded research projects on compassion and altruism, and their relationship to the brain. He is also an inventor, entrepreneur and philanthropist. He is the NYT bestselling author of Into the Magic Shop: A Neurosurgeon’s Quest to Discovery the Mysteries of the Brain and the Secrets of the Heart.
More about Dr. Jiménez:
Jacinta Jiménez, (also known as “Dr. J”) is an award-winning Stanford-trained Psychologist and Board-Certified Leadership Coach with a 20+ year career dedicated to the betterment of individuals, leaders, and top organizations in Silicon Valley and throughout the world. Sought-after for her expertise bridging the fields of psychology and leadership she regularly contributes to international news and TV outlets, including CNN/HLN, Business Insider, Forbes, Harvard Business Review, and Fast Company. Her book, The Burnout Fix debuted as #1 New Release on Amazon, has been recognized by Business Insider as a top book to read about burnout, and was the winner in getAbstract’s prestigious 2021 International Book of the Year Reader's Choice Award. More about Dr. J: drjacintajimenez.com
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Over the next four weeks on the Courageous Life podcast we will be re releasing a 4-part series on the Power of Compassion.
Yesterday we began with Part One, a powerful and moving conversation with Positive Psychology Pioneer Dr. Barbara Fredrickson and world renowned meditation teacher Sharon Salzberg.
To complement these conversations over the coming weeks I will be sharing some of the most potent practices I’ve come across for opening the heart, and accessing more courage and compassion.
And if you are interested in a deeper more experiential dive into these insights and practices I would encourage you to join me on July 12th, as I will be teaching an 8 week course on cultivating compassion. Learn more by heading to practicingcourage.com/cct
Today's practice is is the first of these and is all about finding common ground when it's hard.
This may include times where we are engaged in heated conversations over divisive issues, or simply find ourselves in conversations where vastly different and conflicting views are present.
The big questions are:
*When these moments arise, how can we practice with them?
How might we get better at recognizing the patterns of thoughts and sensations that may be leading to separation, isolation, and othering?
And when we do, how might we find common ground again as we increase our capacity to connect with others when it’s difficult?*
These are questions with no easy answers.
And yet with intentionality, and a willingness to practice there is a possibility of opening to greater empathy, civility, and compassion as we return to our shared common humanity.
Today's practice will offer one way to realize this possibility in our lives, our work, and our relationships.
Curious to explore this topic further? Here are some conversations on the podcast we think you'll love:
- Building Bridges Back to Each Other | Juliana Tafur
- Finding Our Way Home to Belonging | Jerry Colonna
- Rediscovering the Art of Constructive Dialogue | Dr. Mylien Duong
Thank you for your practice today!
I look forward to continuing together next Thursday!
-Joshua
Want these practices delivered via text?If you are located in the U.S. text the word COURAGE to 805-430-6801 to join Joshua's text community and you'll get a text once/week with a link directly to the practice.
**Looking for more practice opportunities?
Check out:**
- The Practice Pass - An annual membership that gives you on-demand access to robust practice experiences including the 28-Day Practicing Courage Challenge, The 5-Day Transforming Stress Challenge and the brand NEW Creativity Challenge.
- Past Practicing Courage episodes in the podcast feed
- The FREE Practice Library
Support the Show.
Today we’re relaunching a 4-part series on the power of compassion.
We originally released this series of conversations last season as we brought together some of the world's leading researchers and practitioners to take a deep dive into compassion, courage, and living with a more open and loving stance toward the world.
Throughout this series you'll be exposed to some of the most intriguing findings coming out of compassion science, emotion science, psychology, and research on leadership and in organizations.
Additionally, these conversations will explore the fierce and courageous forms of compassion that are often less elevated in mainstream discussions of this ancient virtue.
Forms of courage and compassion that can show up when we begin addressing challenging questions like:
- How we might open ourselves up and stay curious in heated conversations?
- How we might fight for what we care about from a place of love?
- What does it look like to work wisely with anger, and engage constructively across difference?
- How can we keep our heart open in the face of suffering and come from a place of responsiveness vs. reactivity.
- And how we might leverage these qualities to find balance, resilience, and courage in the face of uncertainty?
In today's part one conversation you’ll be exposed to the incredible work of emotion scientist Dr. Barbara Fredrickson and world renowned meditation teacher Sharon Salzberg.
Highlights from the episode include:
- How Barb and Sharon began their work together
- How Sharon’s deep expertise on lovingkindness and contemplative practices have influenced Barb’s conception of love
- A new definition of love that focuses on micro-moments of connection
- Why love is the state where the most learning, growth, and expansion occur
- Practical strategies for opening the heart
- Details on groundbreaking research that Barb and her team are working on
- Sharon will offer an overview of Lovingkindness and some of her latest thinking on this ancient practice
- Why compassion is so important now
If you are intrigued at the idea of strengthening compassion, courage, and resilience I am teaching an 8-week training which begins Friday July 12th 2024. It includes evidence-based meditation techniques, interactive discussions, and lectures as well as real-world exercises to put learning into practice.
For more check out practicingcourage.com/cct
**More about Barb and Sharon:
Dr. Barbara Fredrickson** is Kenan Distinguished Professor of Psychology and Award-winning Director of the Positive Emotions and Psychophysiology Lab at the University of North Carolina. Her research reveals how micro-moments of love and other forms of positivity nourish your health, wisdom, and longevity. One of the most highly-cited contributors to psychological science, her contributions have influenced scholars and practitioners worldwide. Her work has been featured in the New York Times, The Economist, CNN, NPR, PBS, and Oprah Magazine.
Sharon Salzberg is a meditation pioneer, world-renowned teacher, and New York Times bestselling author. She is one of the first to bring mindfulness and lovingkindness meditation to mainstream American culture over 45 years ago, inspiring generations of meditation teachers and wellness influencers. Sharon is the author of twelve books, including the NYT bestseller, Real Happiness. The book we explore themes from in today’s conversation is: Real Life: The Journey from Isolation to Openness and Freedom. For more on Sharon visit www.sharonsalzberg.comThanks for listening!
Support the Show.
Whether it’s presenting, facilitating, sharing in a large meeting, hosting, or some other form of being in the spotlight,
Speaking in public is one of people's greatest fears which may show up in various forms:
- Doubt
- Feeling anxious or nervous
- Over-focusing on oneself
The list goes on.
So today, we are re-releasing one of the most popular practices we've ever done, which addresses working with these fears by making a mindset shift from performance to curiosity.
If you have a moment where you will be speaking, interviewing, facilitating, coaching, hosting, or just generally interacting…and you find yourself getting nervous.
Give this a try, and see if it helps.
Curious to explore this topic further? Here are some conversations on the podcast we think you'll love:
- The Six Word Novel - I Died and Now I'm Back | Kevin Cashman
- Leadership From the Inside Out | Kevin Cashman
- Unlocking the Mindset of a Champion | Shane O'Sullivan
Thank you for your practice today!
I look forward to continuing together next Thursday!
-Joshua
Want these practices delivered via text?If you are located in the U.S. text the word COURAGE to 805-430-6801 to join Joshua's text community and you'll get a text once/week with a link directly to the practice.
**Looking for more practice opportunities?
Check out:**
- The Practice Pass - An annual membership that gives you on-demand access to robust practice experiences including the 28-Day Practicing Courage Challenge and The 5-Day Transforming Stress Challenge.
- Past Practicing Courage episodes in the podcast feed
- The FREE Practice Library
Support the Show.
How do we find the courage to create?
The courage to listen to, and follow our heart?
Particularly when that means living a life that may not follow the beaten path.
How might we expand our capacity to hold more than one emotion at a time, accepting and embracing the messy experience of being human, and the ups and downs of the creative process?
Today we will dive into these questions as we explore how art, and learning to express ourselves creatively may offer a path for living into the answers as we move through our lives.
We'll also discuss the practice of returning to that unabashed childlike boldness for bringing our artistic potential into the world, expressing ourselves creatively, and in ways that lead to feeling more alive, and that might just help us live a little better.Today’s guest is the incredibly talented artist, designer, and educator, Rukmini Poddar. Our conversation is deep but playful, moving at times, and practical as Rukmini shares a variety of helpful insights from her extensive experiences creating and teaching art, and facilitating workshops that foster greater emotional intelligence, wisdom, and compassion.
Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:
Giving Everyone Permission to Feel | Dr. Marc Brackett
Reclaiming Our Freedom, Energy, and Power | Dr. Emma Seppälä
More about Rukmini:Rukmini Poddar is the author of Draw Your Feelings: A Creative Journal to Help Connect with Your Emotions through Art, forthcoming from Penguin Random House.
She has found her creative voice in participating in the #100DayProject for over 9 consecutive years and has grown her instagram community to over 100,000 followers. She is best known for her drawings that give life to her emotions. She teaches people how to draw their emotions and leads workshops with corporate teams, schools, and large gatherings of over 400+ people.
For more on Rukimini please follow her instagram @rockinruksi, or check out her website at dearruksi.comYou can pick up a copy of her book, Draw Your Feelings wherever books are sold.
Thanks for listening!
Support the Show.
Yesterday we released a Courageous Life conversation with Dr. James Doty.
Together we explored themes from his new book: Mind Magic The Neuroscience of Manifestation and How it Changes Everything.
In both the book and our conversation Dr. Doty challenges the popular narrative around manifestation,
A narrative that has narrowly emphasized outward success, materialism, and individual benefit.
As an alternative James calls upon his work as a neurosurgeon, neuroscientist, and leader in the field of compassion science,
As he invites us into a deep exploration of how our brains work,
And what happens when we pair their full power with the intention for a kinder, better world.
What I appreciate so much about this new book, and the work Dr. Doty has done over his career is, that he continues to offer evidence-based practices that can change the structure of our brain.
These Practices harness the power of attention, meditation, visualization, and compassion.
He argues that over time and with dedication they can support us in moving through the world in ways that help us see clearly—reclaiming our agency, realizing our dreams, and reaching out to help others along the path.
Toward the end of our time together I asked James if he would offer a guided practice that could be used as a starting point for anyone who is looking to begin manifesting more of what they want in their lives.
What he offered is truly a place to begin, and serves as the practice for today.
For more on the manifestation process, including a 6 week program that Dr. Doty created with more practices like this, you can pick up a copy of Mind Magic wherever books are sold. And be sure to check out the conversation with James (if you haven't already):
- Using Neuroscience to Manifest a Kinder, Better World | Dr. James Doty
Thank you for your practice.
I look forward to continuing together next Thursday!
-Joshua
Want these practices delivered via text?If you are located in the U.S. text the word COURAGE to 805-430-6801 to join Joshua's text community and you'll get a text once/week with a link directly to the practice.
**Looking for more practice opportunities?
Check out:**
- The Practice Pass - An annual membership that gives you on-demand access to robust practice experiences including the 28-Day Practicing Courage Challenge and The 5-Day Transforming Stress Challenge.
- Past Practicing Courage episodes in the podcast feed
- The FREE Practice Library
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For decades the practice of manifestation has been widely dismissed as self-involved, materialistic pseudoscience.
Today, neuroscientist and founder of the Center for Compassion at Stanford, Dr. James Doty is back on the podcast for the 3rd time.
This time to discuss what he calls an antithesis to this popular narrative around manifestation, which narrowly emphasizes outward success and invidiual benefit.
During our conversation, and in his new book: Mind Magic The Neuroscience of Manifestation and How it Changes Everything, he will invite us into a deep conversation about how our brains work, and what happens when we pair their full power with the intention for a kinder, better world.
What I appreciated so much about this book, and the work Dr. Doty has done over his career is that he continues to offer evidence-based practices that can change the structure of our brains by harnessing the power of attention, meditation, visualization, and compassion.
He argues that over time and with dedication they can support us in moving through the world in ways that help us see clearly—reclaiming our agency, realizing our dreams, and reaching out to help others along the path.
In today's episode James will share:
- Why it’s important to reflect on what you have been manifesting in your life already (as a starting point).
- Ways to shift what you’re manifesting if you’re not finding the fulfillment and meaning you've been yearning for.
- Some of his story of learning to manifest, including how and why his initial way of practicing, which yielded a lot of material success, ultimately left him feeling empty and unfulfilled.
- Insight into manifesting with an open heart and practices that support doing so.
- Highlights from the neuroscience of manifestation including why cultivating calm and setting a compassionate intention lead to our brain networks working at their full potential.
- Insight about ways to work with mental barriers that can arise in the manifestation process such as fear, shame, and doubt.
- How childhood experiences can influence our ability to practice manifestation
- Why manifestation isn’t a quick fix, and why it’s important to start small
- A brief guided practice for manifestation.
Enjoying the show? Please share with friends, and rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts.
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:
- Moving from Fear to Love | Dr. James Doty and Dr. Jacinta Jiménez
- Reclaiming Our Freedom, Energy, and Power | Dr. Emma Seppälä
- Into the Magic Shop | Dr. James Doty
More about James:
James R. Doty, MD, is a neurosurgeon, neuroscientist, adjunct professor at Stanford University, and the director of the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education (CCARE). He serves on the board of a number of nonprofits and is the former chairman of the Dalai Lama Foundation. He is the host of the Into the Magic Shop podcast, which is also the title of his beloved and bestselling first book. His new book titled Mind Magic: The Neuroscience of Manifestation and How It Changes Everything is out now. You can find it wherever books are sold. For more, please visit jamesrdotymd.com.
Thanks for listening!
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Yesterday we released a moving Courageous Life conversation with Juliana Tafur.
Juliana is a journalist, award winning documentary filmmaker, and bridge builder.
She serves as the Program Director for the Greater Good Science Center’s Bridging Differences initiative.
During our time together she shared shared some of her story, and insights from her incredible work as we explored the art and science of listening in ways that lead to:
- Meaningful connection
- Deeper relationships
- And ultimately that build bridges across difference.
Today I’d like build on that conversation and dig further into how we can find ways to connect.
Particularly when it’s difficult.
Given that we’re human, imperfect, and not always at our best (at least speaking for myself) this idea of finding ways to connect when it’s difficult, when we are in conversations that are charged, or there’s reactivity etc…
Can be quite a useful inquiry to explore.
Today's practice will infuse a blend of storytelling, research backed insights from leading organizational scholars, and simple ways to deepen self-awareness and tap into more empathy, understanding, and compassion
When it's hard.
For more ways to have constructive conversations, strengthen empathy and compassion, and to connect across difference check out the conversation with Juliana Tafur (if you haven't already):
- Building Bridges Back to Each Other | Juliana Tafur
Learn more about Juliana's award winning documentary Listen at listencourageously.com
Thank you for your practice.
I look forward to continuing together next Thursday!
-Joshua
Want these practices delivered via text?If you are located in the U.S. text the word COURAGE to 805-430-6801 to join Joshua's text community and you'll get a text once/week with a link directly to the practice.
**Looking for more practice opportunities?
Check out:**
- The Practice Pass - An annual membership that gives you on-demand access to robust practice experiences including the 28-Day Practicing Courage Challenge and The 5-Day Transforming Stress Challenge.
- Past Practicing Courage episodes in the podcast feed
- The FREE Practice Library
Support the Show.
How does it feel to be seen?
What is it like to be listened to in a way that you feel deeply understood?
How often have you listened to others in this way? And, how often have you been listened to like this?
In his book, Caring Enough to Confront, David Augsberger writes:
"Being heard is so close to being loved that for the average person they are almost indistinguishable."During our time together Juliana Tafur shared this beautiful quote with me as we explored the art and science of listening in ways that lead to meaningful connection, deeper relationships, understanding, empathy, and compassion.
And ultimately how we can build bridges across difference.
In this beautiful and practical conversation Juliana will share some of her story, insights from her work as a journalist, documentary filmmaker, and Program Director for the Greater Good Science Center’s Bridging Differences Initiative.
Highlights include:
- A framework for compassionate listening
- The importance of giving ourselves and others grace while engaging in the imperfect and messy process of constructive dialogue
- Why opening the heart across difference begins with tuning into self
- Discerning when to engage in constructive dialogue and when it’s safer, and wiser, not to.
- The power of asking questions from a place of genuine curiosity
- Letting go of winning as a fundamental practice of effective listening
- Why listening is an act of courage
- The importance of recognizing and appreciating complexity in other people’s stories, and lived experiences
- Ways to quiet the ego in tough conversations including recognizing our common humanity
If you find today’s conversation intriguing check out the Bridging Differences Initiative at the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley as they offer a a lot of free resources including the Bridging Differences Playbook.
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:
- Rediscovering the art of constructive dialogue | Dr. Mylien Duong
- Practicing the art of principled rebellion | Dr. Todd Kashdan
- Is curiosity a superpower? | Dr. Jud Brewer
More about Juliana:Juliana Tafur program director for GGSC’s Bridging Differences initiative, applying her experience as social entrepreneur and founder of Listen Courageously, and as Emmy-nominated senior television producer and award-winning documentary filmmaker. Juliana creates resources rooted in science to bridge political and cultural divides. She also forges strategic partnerships across sectors—government, education, philanthropy, and public service—and oversees communities of practice, to ensure bridge-building skills and resources reach people and strengthen social cohesion across the United States. As a Colombian-American devoted to listening to bridge what divides us (as seen on her TEDx talk), fostering a broader culture of belonging—through dialogue, connections, and understanding—is her life’s mission.
Thanks for listening!
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In yesterday’s Courageous Life episode with Dr. Todd Kashdan, the author ofThe Art of Insubordination, we unpacked the recipe for what he calls, principled rebellion:
A courageous practice of going against the stream,
Challenging conformity and questioning conventional ideas.
But doing so from a place of heart.
Rebelling in ways that are generative as opposed to destructive.
Along these lines, Todd offered practical research-backed insights into how we can dissent in ways that lead to:
Being heard,
Making change,
And effectively defying an unhealthy status quo.
As part of our conversation we explored the courage it takes to be a principled rebel, including how these moments, when we push back against conformity, often bring with them a good deal of discomfort.
Today’s practice will hone in on a simple way we can get better at skillfully working with discomfort.
And how doing so can be part of our preparation to speak up and push back with courage, wisdom, and heart,
When it matters.For more ways to dissent and defy effectively check out the conversation with Todd Kashdan (if you haven't already):
- Practicing the Art of Principled Rebellion | Dr. Todd Kashdan
Or pick up a copy of his book: The Art of Insubordination: How to Dissent and Defy Effectively
Thank you for your practice.
I look forward to continuing together next Thursday!
-Joshua
Want these practices delivered via text?If you are located in the U.S. text the word courage to 805-430-6801 to join Joshua's text community and you'll get a text once/week with a link directly to the practice.
**Looking for more practice opportunities?
Check out:**
- The Practice Pass - An annual membership that gives you on-demand access to robust practice experiences including the 28-Day Practicing Courage Challenge and The 5-Day Transforming Stress Challenge.
- Past Practicing Courage episodes in the podcast feed
- The FREE Practice Library
Support the Show.
For ideas to evolve and societies to progress, Dr. Todd Kashdan argues it's vital to cultivate principled rebels.Those who who are willing to go against the stream, to challenge conformity and question conventional ideas,
But to do so from a place of heart - to practice rebellion in ways that are generative (vs. destructive).
This type of authentic insubordination is fueled by a motivation to contribute to the greater good.
Today Toddand I willdive deep into themes from his book, The Art of Insubordination, as we explore the recipe for principled rebellion.
Highlights from our conversation include:
- The importance of growing a wide range of psychological resources
- The ingredients of principled rebellion: deviance, authenticity, contribution, and social pressure
- Strategies for influencing the majority (when in the minority) including inviting curiosity vs. inciting fear
- Why being open about experiencing discomfort reduces defensiveness, increases compassion, and helps rebellious ideas to be heard.
- Ways to skillfully work with feelings that arise when trying to rebel
- Creating the conditions for dissent, critical thinking, and productive conversations
- Why dissent is the ultimate protection against conformity mistakes
- The importance of creating mechanisms for gathering diverse voices
- Lessons from Nelson Mandela on winning graciously
**Please note: In this conversation Todd shares a personal story of experiencing suicidal thoughts, and how he moved through this experience to the other side. There is a possibility that some listeners may find parts of this episode triggering. Please listen at your own discretion and in a caring and supportive way for you. If you or someone you know is experiencing mental health issues, including those related to suicide please reach out for help. The International Association for Suicide Prevention is one organization that offers lots of free support, helplines, and resources globally. More at: https://www.iasp.info/
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:Rediscovering the Art of Constructive Dialogue | Dr. Mylien Duong
Moving from Fear to Love | James Doty and Jacinta Jiménez
More about Todd:Todd Kashdan is among the world’s top experts on the psychology of well-being, psychological strengths, mental agility, and social relationships. His research has been featured in hundreds of media outlets, including multiple articles in Harvard Business Review, The New York Times, Fast Company, Forbes, and an interview on the #1 science podcast: Hidden Brain. Over 5 million readers enjoy his Psychology Today blog and Provoked Newsletter.Todd is the author of five books including The Art of Insubordination. Todd founded the Well-Being Lab at George Mason University which has produced over 225 peer-reviewed journal articles. He is among the top 1% most cited scientists in the world. For more please visit toddkashdan.com
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When I was first learning to be a coach we had a saying before stepping into a coaching conversation:
Leave your assumptions at the door and embrace curiosity.In reality we often know SO little about someone’s experience, and about their story.
And when we recognize that, what seems to make the most sense is to get curious.
To ask questions,
And to listen deeply.
In yesterday's episode with Dr. Jonah Paquette which took a dive into the depths of awe and wonder he offered a beautiful reminder of the power of curiosity.
And that reminder is the inspiration for today’s practice which centers around finding ways to let go of your assumptions
And to choose learning over knowing.If you want to dive deeper into this topic I would encourage you to check out the interview with Jonah Paquette (if you haven't already):
- Awe, Wonder, and Everyday Miracles | Dr. Jonah Paquette
Or pick up a copy of his book: Awestruck: How Embracing Wonder Can Make You Happier, Healthier, and More Connected.
Thank you for your practice.
I look forward to continuing together next Thursday!
-Joshua
Want these practices delivered via text?If you are located in the U.S. text the word courage to 805-430-6801 to join Joshua's text community and you'll get a text once/week with a link directly to the practice.
**Looking for more practice opportunities?
Check out:**
- The Practice Pass - An annual membership that gives you on-demand access to robust practice experiences including the 28-Day Practicing Courage Challenge and The 5-Day Transforming Stress Challenge.
- Past Practicing Courage episodes in the podcast feed
- The FREE Practice Library
Support the Show.
What do you feel when you gaze up at the Milky Way, take in a beautiful sunset, stand before a mountain that seems impossibly high, or witness an extraordinary act of courage, kindness, or love?
Often, it's a profound sense of awe - the overwhelming feeling we experience when we encounter something vast that transcends our understanding.
In his book Awestruck, clinician, researcher, and multi-time author, Dr. Jonah Paquette, reminds us that awe-inspiring moments are all around us.
Ranging from the grand to the commonplace, its these moments that hold part of the key to living a deeply fulfilling life.
Today, Jonah and I will dive into a wide ranging conversation about the life-changing potential of awe.
Together we'll explore:
- How this powerful emotion can help alleviate some of the struggles in our daily lives, including stress, and social isolation.
- How awe can help us more effectively navigate polarization and division as we find the curiosity and compassion to build bridges across difference.
- The groundbreaking science behind awe including how it impacts our brain and nervous system.
- Powerful insights into the effects of awe and how it can transform life in flashbulb moments.
- Moving stories of people who inspire awe.
- Simple practices aimed at bringing more wonder, curiosity, empathy, and courage into our lives.
If you want to dive deeper into the topic of Awe I would highly encourage you to check out Jonah’s book Awestruck: How Embracing Wonder Can Make You Happier, Healthier, and More Connected.
Did you find today's episode inspiring? Please share with friends!
Here are other conversations we think you'll love:
- The Transformative Power of Humility | Dr. Daryl Van Tongeren
- The Key to Resilience, Growth, and Possibility | Sharon Salzberg and Dr. Barbara Fredrickson.
More about Jonah:
Jonah Paquette is a clinical psychologist, author, and keynote speaker specializing in the science of well-being and the promotion of emotional fitness for individuals, teams, and organizations. Jonah conducts keynote presentations with top organizations throughout the world, and teaches skills for well-being so that individuals and organizations can flourish. He is the author of four books. Prior to his career as a speaker and trainer, Jonah spent over a decade working in healthcare leadership at Kaiser Permanente. For more, please visit jonahpaquette.com
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On the heels of a powerful conversation with Dr. Emma Seppala we are re-releasing this Practicing Courage episode (originally #4) as it aligns intimately with the themes Emma and I explored together.
Perhaps none more important than Sovereignty, which is the topic of Emma's beautiful new book: Sovereign.
She defines Sovereignty as: Our innate human capacity for being resilient regardless of the chaos that life brings and for staying true to oneself and intentional regardless of outside influences.Part of staying true to oneself involves the practice of intentionally letting go of what no longer serves us.
Today's practice will explore how to let go as you are introduced you to the work of Dr. Jud Brewer.
You'll learn more about how we can leverage knowledge of how our brains work, the latest science of habit change, and a blend of curiosity and kindness, to ultimately let go of ways of thinking and behaving that no are no longer helpful or beneficial in the pursuit of what we care about most.
Thank you for your practice!
Did you find today's practice valuable? Remember, courage is contagious. If you know someone who would benefit from today’s practice please share.
All practices can be found for free in our Practice Library. Access the library here: https://www.practicingcourage.com/join-library
Interested in taking a deeper dive into practices that support greater calm, clarity, courage, and meaningful connection?We created The Practice Pass, an annual membership that gives you access to all of this dynamic original content including both live and on-demand learning experiences.
If you sign up up for the Practice Pass you’ll receive:Existing on-demand meditation challenges:
- The Practicing Courage Challenge
- The 5-Day Transforming Stress Challenge
- 3 NEW live challenges each year.
Learn more and register for the pass here: https://www.practicingcourage.com/signup-practice-pass
Curious to explore this topic further? Here are some conversations on the podcast we think you'll love:
- Dr. Emma Seppälä - Reclaiming Our Freedom, Energy, and Power
- Dr. Jud Brewer - Is Curiosity a Superpower?
- Dr. Jud Brewer - Harnessing Neuroscience to Change Habits and Find Happiness
Til next Thursday,
-Joshua
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There is an internal freedom and a relationship with yourself so profoundly life-supportive and energizing that you access your fullest potential.
This is sovereignty. Our innate human capacity for being resilient regardless of the chaos that life brings and for staying true to oneself and intentional regardless of outside influences.
In her beautiful, and empowering new book: Sovereign: Reclaim Your Freedom, Energy, and Power in a Time of Distraction, Uncertainty, and Chaos.Dr. Emma Seppälä reminds us:
Sovereignty is our birthright and it's what we can all have if we know how.
Today we'll unpack how, as we take a deep dive into human potential and our capacity for Sovereignty.
In today's conversation Emma will share:
- Moving stories about people she’s come across who have found sovereignty in the face of immense challenges and adversities and what she’s learned from them about resilience, inner freedom, and personal power.
- Her own story about a brush with death and finding sovereignty as a result
- What keeps us from experiencing sovereignty - what Emma calls the bound state and different forms this can take
- Why finding sovereignty is really an act of reclaiming our innate strength and wisdom that is there from childhood
- Foundational qualities for sovereignty including having a caring relationship with oneself, cultivating awareness, and choosing courage.
- Practices that can support sovereignty including meditation, breathing, and reflecting on our relationship triggers,
- How leaders can foster cultures that support sovereignty at work and how doing so can drive innovation and creativity.
- What she's learned about the importance of intuition, listening to your gut, and having the courage to follow your heart.
If you want to dig in to this topic - I would highly encourage you to pre-order a copy of Sovereign or pick it up when it comes out on April 23rd, 2024. You can find everything about the book, and some wonderful resources Emma has generously put together at iamsov.com
**Did you find this episode inspiring? Please share with friends!
If you enjoyed this conversation, here are others we think you'll love:**
- Neuroscience, spirituality, and the quest for an inspired life | Dr. Lisa Miller
- Unlocking the mindset of a champion | Shane O'Sullivan
More about Emma:
Emma Seppälä, Ph.D., is a best-selling author, Yale lecturer, and international keynote speaker, Seppälä teaches executives at the Yale School of Management and is faculty director of the Yale School of Management’s Women’s Leadership Program. A psychologist and research scientist by training, her expertise is the science of happiness, emotional intelligence, and social connection. Her best-selling book The Happiness Track has been translated into dozens of languages. Seppälä is also the Science Director of Stanford University’s Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education. For more please visit: emmaseppala.com
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To fail is human.
It’s built into our experience from childhood.
We begin to walk and we fall.
We begin a project, we work toward a goal, or we start a business and we may fail.
We experience these moments -
- When we are engaged in learning,
- When we are moving toward something we care about
And we come up short.And in these moments there is an opportunity for practice -Learning to relate to these moments from a place curiosity, care, and compassion (vs. criticism, blame, and judgment).
In my recent conversation with Amy Edmondson we dove into the topic of failure and explored this opportunity under the backdrop of larger questions:
*How do we stay open to learning in the face of failure?
How do we stay open in the moments where we come up short?*Today’s practice offers some options for opening that build upon the conversation with Amy and the insights that came out of it, including:
An invitation to slow down
To breathe deeply
And to make an intentional shift to curiosity, awareness, and compassion.
When you do, it may just open up more opportunities for learning, growth, and getting better next time.
If you want to dive deeper into this topic I would encourage you to check out the interview with Amy Edmondson (if you haven't already):
- Meeting Failure with Curiosity and Compassion | Dr. Amy Edmondson
Or pick up a copy of her book: Right Kind of Wrong: The Science of Failing WellThank you for your practice.
I look forward to continuing together next Thursday!
-Joshua
Want these practices delivered via text?
If you are located in the U.S. text the word courage to 805-430-6801 to join Joshua's text community and you'll get a text once/week with a link directly to the practice.
**Looking for more practice opportunities?
Check out:**
- The Practice Pass - An annual membership that gives you on-demand access to robust practice experiences including the 28-Day Practicing Courage Challenge and The 5-Day Transforming Stress Challenge.
- Past Practicing Courage episodes in the podcast feed
- The FREE Practice Library
Support the show
Failure is an experience that is deeply embedded into our lives.
As we learn to walk we fall.
As we learn to ride a bike we (usually) fall again.
And yet even though it is so familiar, so intertwined with our journey through life, not all failure is created equal.
Which brings up important questions:
- How do we fail well?
- What are the crucial distinctions that might help us separate good failure from bad?
- How do we learn to identify when failure is our friend, and prevent most of it when it is not?
These bigger questions about failing wisely are at the core of the conversation today. Dr. Amy Edmondson is back on the show and together we’ll explore:
- How we can stay open to learning from failure at the individual and team level
- How leaders can create the conditions for learning in the face of failures.
- The importance of curiosity before blame - and a simple way to practice it
- The reasons why most failures are not blameworthy and yet that is often the knee jerk reaction in organizations
- The three types of failure and how diagnosing failure type can lead to learning and preventing further failure.
- Painful emotions that can arise in the face of failure, and the importance of compassion, vulnerability, and giving ourselves permission to be human.
- Why failure is not an equal opportunity proposition, and her vision for a world where everyone has equal license to fail intelligently.
- Some of Amy's reflections on the importance of play, having fun, experimenting, taking risks, trying new things, and why practicing in low stakes situations has tremendous upside when it comes to getting better at failing.
Interested in diving deeper into Amy’s work around failure? Check out her new book: Right Kind of Wrong: The Science of Failing Well
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:
- Giving Everyone Permission to Feel | Dr. Marc Brackett
- Creating Fearless Organizations | Dr. Amy Edmondson
More about Amy Edmondson:
Ranked #1 on the latest Thinkers50 ranking of the world’s most influential management thinkers Amy C. Edmondson is the Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management at the Harvard Business School, a chair established to support the study of human interactions that lead to the creation of successful enterprises that contribute to the betterment of society. She is the author of 7 books and over 60 scholarly papers. She is a sought-after keynote speaker with a worldwide following. For more visit amycedmondson.com
Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen! Thanks!
For more information about coaching, mentoring, and the latest events with Joshua please visit: joshuasteinfeldt.com
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In my most recent interview with Dr. Nate Klemp, who is author of the new book Open: Living With an Expansive Mind in a Distracted World, we got the opportunity to talk deeply about opening more to life.
Are you familiar with this feeling of openness?
Perhaps for you it’s a sense of curiosity?
Or a feeling of expansion in the mind, or in the body?
Maybe it's being interested, receptive to learning, being open to new ideas, or even experiencing a sense of spaciousness.
As part of this exploration with Nate we also talked about practices that support these qualities.
And how this practice, of opening the mind (and the heart) is becoming more timely, and more important as many of us find ourselves living in a world that seems to present an increasing number of opportunities to close down.
So today I will share a practice for opening.
Traditionally this practice has been called big sky meditatio, and it's aim is simple:
To open, to expand awareness, and to observe what’s here, allowing whatever it is to just be here as it is.
Holding the different aspects of your present moment experience in a spacious awareness. Letting them flow. Almost like clouds floating through a big blue sky.
If you want to dive deeper into this topic I would encourage you to check out the interview with Nate Klemp (if you haven't already):
- Living With an Expansive Mind in a Distracted World | Dr. Nate Klemp
Or pick up a copy of his book: OpenThank you for your practice.
I look forward to continuing together next Thursday!
-Joshua
Want these practices delivered via text?
If you are located in the U.S. text the word courage to 805-430-6801 to join Joshua's text community and you'll get a text once/week with a link directly to the practice.
**Looking for more practice opportunities?
Check out:**
- The Practice Pass - An annual membership that gives you on-demand access to robust practice experiences including the 28-Day Practicing Courage Challenge and The 5-Day Transforming Stress Challenge.
- Past Practicing Courage episodes in the podcast feed
- The FREE Practice Library
Support the show
With the avalanche of information we get every day, closing down our minds and hearts seems to be the only way to survive. We close to ourselves by compulsively checking our devices. We close to each other by getting caught in echo chambers of outrage. But what if there’s another way? In this climate of distraction and division, what if there’s a path back to a way of living that is expansive, creative, and filled with wonder.
These are the big questions that today's guest, Dr. Nate Klemp, addresses in his new book: Open: Living With an Expansive Mind in a Distracted World. They're also the questions at the heart of our conversation today.
In the first part of today’s episode Nate and I will explore why we close:
- Including his insights around two of the most pervasive forces driving closure in our society - our rampant addiction to technology and our devices, and growing political polarization
- We’ll also unpack how meditation practices can be used to work with technology addiction, and the incessant craving to check your phone
In the second half of the interview we’ll take a deep dive into insights, practices, and benefits around opening our minds and hearts to live a more expansive life.Along the way, Nate will share some engaging and profound stories about his personal experiments in opening, particularly when it’s difficult - some of which include:
- Attending a training with the National Rifle Association
- And undergoing gum surgery while awake
One part of this interview which was a lot of fun involves the time Nate and I spent trading meditation stories, particularly how we have taken meditation off the cushion - what he calls street opening - you’ll hear stories about:
- Meditating in Costco
- On trains
- In malls
- Raising kids etc.
We explore how these practices have been instrumental in opening to more of life.
Nate will also share a moving story of his grandma Hilda, and what she taught him about letting go, opening, and meeting life from a place of love
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:
- Finding the Strength to Meet Adversity | Mark Nepo
- Is Curiosity a Superpower? | Dr. Jud Brewer
More about Nate:
Nate Klemp, PhD, is a philosopher, writer, and mindfulness entrepreneur. He is the coauthor of the New York Times bestseller Start Here and the New York Times critics’ pick The 80/80 Marriage. His work has been featured in the LA Times, Psychology Today, the Times of London, and more, and his appearances include Good Morning America and Talks at Google. He’s a cofounder of LifeXT and founding partner at Mindful. For more, visit nateklemp.com or @Nate_Klemp on Instagram.
Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts and share with friends you feel might benefit from tuning in.
Thanks for listening!
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Yesterday I released a conversation with Dr. Vanessa Patrick.
Vanessa is a professor of marketing and the associate dean for research at the Bauer College of Business at the University of Houston.
Among other things, Vanessa researches what she calls the empowered refusal - A way of saying no that stems from your identity.
This empowered form of saying no becomes possible when you have clarity about who are, who you want to be, and what matters to you.
For me this was one of the more practical conversations I ’ve ever had on the show
Largely because saying no can be hard at times.
Some of the reasons why saying no can be challenging include:
- You might feel if you say no it could damage to your reputation
- You may have a fear that saying no will feel bad. More specifically that saying no will feel worse than saying yes (and at some level you may want to avoid the discomfort).
- You may be afraid saying no will upset someone or that saying no may create a rift in a relationship
Additionally within the context of organizations (which is an area of expertise for Vanessa) saying no can bring on additional layers of complexity.
- There are power dynamics at play
- There is added pressure to perform
- There may be a desire to move up, receive recognition,
- The list goes on…
So like I said it was quite valuable to talk with Vanessa. Not only because of her expertise on the topic, but also because her work truly lies at the intersection of art and science.
Her research has revealed the ingredients that lead to an effective no, but like most recipes…there is also an art involved, and Vanessa’s deep experience working with leaders has offered further insight into that art - offering really practical ways of communicating no effectively in the work environment.
For today’s practice I will offer a few practical takeaways from the conversation with Vanessa that you can take and experiment with in your own life.
I hope you find it useful and if you want to dive deep into this topic though I would encourage you to check out our interview (if you haven't already):
- The Life Changing Power of Saying No | Dr. Vanessa Patrick
Or pick up a copy of her book: The Power of Saying No: The New Science of How to Say No That Puts You In Charge of Your Life
Thank you for your practice.
I look forward to continuing together next Thursday!
-Joshua
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If you are located in the U.S. text the word courage to 805-430-6801 to join Joshua's text community and you'll get a text once/week with a link directly to the practice.
**Looking for more practice opportunities?
Check out:**
- Past Practicing Courage episodes in the podcast feed
- The FREE Practice Library
- The Practice Pass - An annual membership that gives you on-demand access to robust practice experiences including the 28-Day Practicing Courage Challenge and The 5-Day Transforming Stress Challenge.
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Have you ever said yes when you really wanted to say no?
Has saying no ever been a challenge for you?
These are such common experiences that today’s guest, Dr. Vanessa Patrick has written a powerful new book that addresses them head on: The Power of Saying No: The New Science of How to Say No that Puts You in Charge of Your Life. Dr. Patrick researches what she calls the empowered refusal, which is a way of saying no that stems from your identity, who you are, what you care about, and how you want to show up in the world.
Today we'll unpack the art and science of the empowered refusal. Or put more simply - how to say no effectively.
In this episode Vanessa will share:
- More insight from her research about why so many people say yes, when they really want to say no
- Common fears and obstacles that get in the way of saying no effectively
- How to get clarity about what really matters to you and leveraging to say no from an empowered place
- The importance of how you say no, including powerful insights about the importance of aligning body language, facial expression, and tone to communicate a more effective no.
- How the empowered refusal can actually strengthen your reputation.
- Vanessa will also share language that can be helpful for saying no, including her practice of creating what she calls personal policies.
- And we'll get into a conversation about good work, and why learning to say no effectively creates the opportunity for work that leads to greater meaning and fulfillment.
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:
- Gentle Power: Shifting the Way we Define True Strength | Dr. Elisabet Lahti
- Letting Go of Perfectionism and Finding Happiness | Tal Ben-Shahar
Enjoying the show? Please rate it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Thanks!
More about Vanessa:Dr. Vanessa Patrick is a Professor of Marketing and the Associate Dean for Research at the Bauer College of Business at the University of Houston. She has a PhD in Business from the University of Southern California and an MBA in marketing from Bombay University in India. Patrick has published dozens of research articles in top-tier academic journals in psychology, marketing, and management, and popular accounts of her work have appeared in the New York Times, TIME, The Wall Street Journal, NPR, LA Times, Business Week, Forbes and others. In her research, she investigates strategies to achieve personal mastery and inspire everyday excellence in oneself and others. You can learn more about Vanessa at vanessapatrick.net
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How can we meet the storms in our lives (both big and small) with greater balance, courage, wisdom, and love?
It’s a huge question, I know. And the list of practices and answers is long, varied, and personal.
I certainly don’t have "the answer" for you.
What I do have are some observations and practices I’ve found to be particularly useful.
Today I will offer 3 simple practices that can increase our innate capacity to meet storms in these ways.
As always, the invitation would be to try on whichever practices seem like they may be useful for you. To test them, exploring how they might work in your own life, and to leave behind whatever is not useful.
Thank you for your practice.
I look forward to continuing together next Thursday!
-Joshua
**Looking for more practice opportunities?
Check out:**
- Past Practicing Courage episodes in the podcast feed
- The FREE Practice Library
- The Practice Pass - An annual membership that gives you on-demand access to robust practice experiences including the 28-Day Practicing Courage Challenge and The 5-Day Transforming Stress Challenge.
And for more on meeting storms from a place of balance, calm, courage, and love, check out this conversation with Mark Nepo:
- Finding the Strength to Meet Adversity
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Today’s conversation has been 5 years in the making.
In 2018 I sat down with Mark Nepo, one of the great spiritual teachers, authors, and poets of our time. During our conversation he posed a question to walk with. Inviting me (and those tuning in) to live into the answers over time.
When my heart begins to close, how do I open it again?For 5 years I've been exploring this question with some of the world's leading thinkers, and doers.
And today Mark and I will dive deeper into this theme, as we discuss the practice of opening the heart, in the midst of some of the storms we are facing: political polarization, climate change, gun violence, etc.
*How do we open the heart in the face of a storm?
How do we follow our heart and engage in the practice of being real as we make the courageous journey toward wholeness?
And, how do we meet adversity, and challenge from a place of love vs. fear?*
These are the three chapters of our conversation, and the big questions we will engage together.
If this conversation sparks your curiosity and you’d like to explore these themes further, I would highly encourage you to pick up a copy of Mark’s book Surviving Storms: Finding the Strength to Meet Adversity.
About Mark Nepo:With over a million copies sold, Mark Nepo has moved and inspired readers and seekers all over the world with his #1 New York Times bestseller The Book of Awakening. Beloved as a poet, teacher, and storyteller, Mark has been called "one of the finest spiritual guides of our time," A bestselling author, he has published twenty-five books and recorded sixteen audio projects.
Mark was part of Oprah Winfrey's The Life You Want Tour in 2014, has appeared several times with Oprah on Super Soul Sunday and was also chosen as one of OWN's SuperSoul 100, a group of inspired leaders using their gifts and voices to elevate humanity. He has also been interviewed by Robin Roberts on Good Morning America and In 2017 Mark became a regular columnist for Spirituality & Health Magazine. Mark devotes his writing and teaching to the journey of inner transformation and the life of relationship. He continues to offer readings, lectures, and retreats. For more on Mark, please visit marknepo.com
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:
- Reflections on Living With an Open Heart | Parker Palmer
- Finding the Courage to Live Without Regrets | Dr. Sunita Puri
Introducing - The Practice PassInterested in practices that support the art of living well? Check out The Practice Pass. Joshua's annual membership that features robust on demand guided practice experiences. Learn more at joshuasteinfeldt.com
Enjoying the show? Please rate it on Apple or Spotify! Thanks!
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Dr. David Treleaven is a a writer, educator, and trauma professional whose work lies at the intersection of mindfulness and trauma.
At the heart of David’s work is the notion that mindfulness is more powerful when combined with an understanding of trauma.
Part of what’s behind this is the growing realization over the years that mindfulness meditation isn’t all good. There are a number of potential pitfalls that have been increasingly documented over time. One of which is that mindfulness can exacerbate symptoms of traumatic stress.
As a result David has focused on offering mindfulness providers the knowledge and tools they require to meet the needs of those struggling with trauma.
In today’s conversation David and I will explore a few big questions:
- What is the relationship between increasing our capacity to be with discomfort and a meaningful and fulfilling life?
- How can we increase our capacity to tolerate distress and discomfort while staying regulated, and responsive in the process?
- When we are working at the edge of our comfort zone, or are working with the more difficult aspects of our experience how do we know when to keep going, and when to back off?
This is one of my favorite conversations on the show over the years. Partly because David is such a skilled teacher, and partly because the framework we'll discuss together (called the window of tolerance) is one of the most practical I have come across for answering these big and nuanced questions about how to meet life from a more responsive and regulated place.
Quick note: This conversation is a “long lost episode” of sorts. David and I originally sat down and recorded in 2021 during COVID, but due to a number of challenges during that time, I didn’t get around to publishing it till this year, and I am so happy to be sharing it with you now.
Interested in taking David's flagship Trauma Sensitive Mindfulness Course? **As a listener of The Courageous Life you can get $400 off.
To receive the discount:**
-
Head to: https://davidtreleaven.com/trauma-sensitive-mindfulness-complete/
-
Upon checkout enter the coupon code: courage400
More about David Treleaven:David is the author of the acclaimed book Trauma-Sensitive Mindfulness and founder of the Trauma-Sensitive Mindfulness (TSM) Community—a group of practitioners committed to setting a standard of care through mindfulness-based practices, interventions, and programs. For more visit: davidtreleaven.com
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are more conversations we think you'll love:
- Meeting a World in Crisis with Courage, Integrity, and Love | Oren Jay Sofer
- Trauma-Sensitive Mindfulness | Dr. David Treleaven
Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!
Thanks for listening!
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In her new book, Seeing Others: How Recognition Works, and How it Can Heal a Divided World, author and acclaimed Harvard sociologist, Michèle Lamont, makes the case for reexamining what we value to prioritize recognition—the quest for respect and dignity—in an age that has been defined by growing inequality and the obsolescence of the American dream.
In today's conversation we'll explore themes from Michèle's new book, and powerful insights from her nearly 40 year career as a researcher, including:
- An overview of the landscape of recognition including how, and why, the American Dream has become out of reach for most people.
- How younger generations, including Gen Z, have begun to create a new dream that centers around a more inclusive society.
- Inspiring stories of change agents, young adults, and cultural icons who are creating new narratives that have helped contribute to a greater sense of dignity and inclusion for groups that have been historically stigmatized.
- Narratives: what they are, how they work, and the power they hold to shape our culture and societal views .
- Why working with implicit bias - a well-intentioned strategy that corporations often focus on to foster more inclusion, often fails.
- Why focusing on reducing stigma may be a more effective path (than focusing on implicit bias) to creating inclusive cultures at work, and beyond.
- The power of shifting our focus to what we have in common, while also actively working to recognize the diverse ways one can live a life, can be catalysts for healing a divided world.
More about Michèle:
Michèle Lamont is a Professor of Sociology and of African and African American Studies at Harvard University, where she is also the Robert I. Goldman Professor of European studies. She served as the 108th President of the American Sociological Association and her research has received numerous awards, including honorary doctorates from six countries. The author or coauthor of over a dozen books, she can be found on MicheleLamont.org.
Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts.
Did you find this conversation inspiring? Here are other episodes we think you'll love:
The Future of Work: Love, Safety, and Belonging | Leah Weiss and Jerry Colonna
Finding Our Way Home to Belonging | Jerry Colonna
Thanks for listening!
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We all want to belong.
But to do so, we must first face our own need for belonging and how that need is often thwarted.
In his new book Reunion, Leadership and the Longing to Belong, today's guest Jerry Colonna argues that only through radical self-inquiry can we come home to ourselves and others and, in doing so, create systemic belonging—homes—for everyone.
In today’s conversation Jerry and I will dive deep into themes from Reunion as we explore how reunification with the disowned parts of ourselves, the myths and truths of our ancestors, as well as a deeper connection with those most affected by systems of exclusion can foster greater belonging and inclusion for all.
Our conversation will include 3 chapters (or parts):
Chapter one is about LookingJerry and I will explore the ways in which he invites those he works with to look unflinchingly at the full picture of their current reality (individually and collectively), what we casually refer to during our time together as the “the full mess” of our experience as humans. The good, the bad, the ugly, all of it. And how this looking is a prerequisite for meaningful change and positive transformation at an individual and collective level.
Also as part of our exploration of Looking, we will talk about how Jerry leverages a process he calls radical self-inquiry - inviting challenging and important questions for us to grapple with.
Questions like:
- “How have I been complicit in creating the conditions I say I don’t want?”
And then broadening that question to:
- “How have I been complicit in, and benefited from, the conditions in the world I say I don’t want?”
And, more importantly:
- “What do I need to give up that I love in order to have the systems of belonging that I want?”
Jerry will share openly about how he has grappled with these questions for himself, and how in part that led to him writing Reunion.
Chapter two of the conversation is about RememberingJerry and I will explore the work of remembering our ancestors, both the myths and the truths of their experience (something he focuses on in Reunion). He will share more about what he’s learned about his own ancestors, and how this process of remembering can help transform our ancestors from ghosts that may haunt us, into wise elders - whom we can learn from.
Chapter three is about WholenessWe will discuss the topic of wholeness, the difference between wholeness and authenticity, and the importance of integrating all aspects of who we are so that we might become better people, and better leaders.
Did you find this conversation inspiring? Check out other conversations with Jerry:
- The Future of Work: Love, Safety, and Belonging
- Leadership and the Art of Growing Up
About Jerry:
Jerry Colonna is the CEO and co-founder of Reboot.io, an executive coaching and leadership development firm dedicated to the notion that better humans make better leaders. For nearly 20 years, he has used the knowledge gained as an investor, an executive, and a board member for more than 100 organizations to help entrepreneurs and others to lead with humanity, resilience, and equanimity. Prior to his career as a coach, he was a partner with JPMorgan Partners (JPMP), the private equity arm of JP Morgan Chase. To pick up a copy of Jerry's books or to learn more about his work visit reboot.io
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When the rain is falling, it’s dark out, and the storm seems unrelenting,
Above the clouds the sky is blue and the sun is shining.
All things are true.
Someone’s last breath is met across time and space with the sounds of an infant crying,
The signal of a new arrival.
All things are true.As divorce papers are approved and a marriage meets an end,
A preacher announces, "you may now kiss the bride."
It is this bittersweetness
This possibility of joy and sorrow coexisting
Of finding expansion within contraction
It is these 4 simple words
That line the very fabric of our human experience.
All things are true.
Recently I spent 4 days on retreat with spiritual teacher and renowned poet Mark Nepo.
And he kept reminding us of this.
The idea, that in his words, all things are true.From my perspective part of the practice of living well is increasing our capacity to hold them all.
To make space and strengthen our ability to be with both/and, (not either/or)
How might your life shift if you were able to recognize more often that all things are true?While exploring the possibility of holding them all (the both/and) with a greater degree of compassion, wisdom, and love?
Allowing whatever is here to simply be here as it is.
This is the final practice of 2023.
Thank you for practicing together this year.
I look forward to continuing together in 2024!
Till then take care,
-Joshua
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What if there is a possibility of tapping into a heightened awareness of the world around you and your place in it?
A possibility of moving from an achievement orientation, where so often the questions center around what do I want and how can I get it?
To a more expansive, open and receptive way of relating to our experience as human beings?
Today’s guest will is Dr. Lisa Miller. She’s a psychologist, a scientist, and a professor at Columbia University, and in her extraordinary book The Awakened Brain, she explores these questions and ideas in-depth.
What she will reveal in this conversation (and more thoroughly in her book) is that humans are universally equipped with a capacity for spirituality, and that our brains become more resilient and robust as a result of it.
Through her wonderful storytelling (which you will hear a lot of today) she will offer profounds insights into the surprising science of spirituality, and how to engage some of the lessons from her groundbreaking work practically in our lives.
Today's conversation is deep, wide-ranging, and may be the most personal I’ve had on the show yet.
In the first half of the episode:
- Lisa will share some of her story of trying to have a child. She will openly describe many of the struggles her and her husband faced with infertility, and a most unexpected, but beautiful turn of events that led to ultimately adopting their son.
- I will also share some of my own story of being adopted, as well as the challenges my wife and I faced with having a child of our own.
From a planned perspective this interview went off the rails as we shared our stories back and forth for the first 25 minutes or so, and you’ll hear us laugh about that later in the conversation, but as Lisa so aptly reminded me many times - so often plans can go awry and letting them do so, by loosening the grip of trying to control things, is actually a step toward awakening.
In the latter part of the interview you'll hear more about:
- The two modes of awareness (achieving and awakened awareness) that Lisa has mapped in our brains through her fascinating work in neuroscience
- How to tap into awakened awareness and be in dialogue with your life
- The many ways of knowing (logic, empiricism, mysticism, and intuition) and the validity of them all
- How adversity can often be the doorway to growth and transformation.
- The role of spirituality in medicine, clinical treatment, and healing
- A guided meditation she’s used with thousands of people. If you’d like you can participate yourself during the episode. Or if you’d prefer to do the practice later you can find it here: Practicing Courage #15: Being in dialogue with your life
- And more!
More about Lisa:
Lisa Miller, Ph.D., is the New York Times bestselling author of The Spiritual Child and a professor in the Clinical Psychology Program at Teachers College, Columbia University. She is the Founder and Director of the Spirituality Mind Body Institute, the first Ivy League graduate program and research institute in spirituality and psychology. Her innovative research has been published in more than one hundred peer-reviewed articles. Dr. Miller speaks and consults around The Awakened Brain and The Spiritual Child for the US Military, businesses, personal development, faith based organizations, schools and universities, and for mental health and wellness initiatives. For more, visit: lisamillerphd.com
Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to podcasts.
Thanks for listening!
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Is it possible to turn beneficial states like gratitude, joy, calm, courage, grit, and compassion into enduring traits?
And if it is, how do we go about doing it?
I remember hearing these questions many years ago when I first came across the work of Dr. Rick Hanson
At the time he was making a research-backed argument that said...yes, indeed we can and then provided a road map for practice.
Here's the gist of what he shared:
As we begin training our mind to cultivate these internal strengths (gratitude, resolve, patience, calm in the face of challenge etc),
Over time, and with practice, our brains can change.
And as our brains change it supports more frequent (and on-demand) experiences of these beneficial states.
Today I would like to offer the essence of this practice with you, a practice that I have learned from Rick over the years as I've studied with him.
He calls it "Taking in the Good."
In this episode you will hear a clip from a past conversation with Rick on the podcast where he will offer an introduction to his HEAL framework.
HEAL stands for:
- Have a beneficial experience
- Enrich it
- Absorb it
- Link it to 'negative material'
In essence this practice involves having a beneficial experience like calm in the face of challenge, and then really feeling into it and staying with it (enriching and absorbing the experience) which helps to install it in the brain. Over time this can lead to transformation.
The practice itself will center around these questions:
- Can we pursue our work, or our aspirations in life without attachment?
- Is it possible to approach our goals, priorities and tasks seriously while also holding them lightly?
The invitation as always would be to listen, test out the practice, and see how it works (or not) in your own experience.
Till next time,
-Joshua
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Humans are universally equipped with a capacity for spirituality and our brains become more resilient and robust as a result.
In Dr. Lisa Miller’s book The Awakened Brain she highlights groundbreaking research, including MRI studies genetics research, epidemiology, and more. All of which illuminate a surprising science of spirituality and how to engage it in our lives.
This week I will release our conversation together on the podcast and you will hear more from Dr. Lisa Miller including her introduction to the two modes of awareness which she mapped in the human brain through cutting edge studies she conducted in neuroscience.
The first mode is achieving awareness.
A simple way to think about this is:
What do I want and how do I get it?
Achieving awareness is the awareness we often engage as we pursue goals and accomplishments.
The second is awakened awareness, which involves being in dialogue with your life.
- It is the awareness that is more about asking questions like what is life revealing to me now
- The awareness associated with your inner wisdom
- The awareness that may come online as you get quiet and listen deeply
- And the awareness that illuminates the ways in which everything and everyone are connected.
To thrive we need the 2 types of awareness to be in harmony, or to be balanced. Over indexing on one or the other tends to have downsides.
Today's practice will explore the question:
How do we cultivate awakened awareness?Via a clip from the conversation with Lisa, she will introduce you, and guide you through a practice that has helped thousands of people she has worked with both as a clinician and as a leader in this field.
Thanks for practicing with us!
Till next time,
-Joshua
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From the climate crisis, to oppression, anxiety, and burnout - How do we meet the most pressing challenges of our time from a place of courage, integrity, and love?
Today’s guest is Oren Jay Sofer and this question is the centerpiece of exploration in his beautiful new book. Your Heart Was Made for This. In it Oren offers 26 different contemplative practices intended for meeting challenges and adversity from a place of greater wisdom and love.
In our conversation today we'll explore this deep and provocative question together as we dive into themes from the book including:
- The role of patience in the face of pressing issues
- Why joy is an essential ingredient in the pursuit of meaningful change
- Oren will also offer personal stories including how he arrived at the insight that sometimes we need to go slow, to go fast
- How the public discourse on mindfulness has often focused on the individual benefits and impacts of the practice, and why this focus alone is too limited
- Equanimity and balance and how these qualities can foster resilience in the pursuit of what we care about.
- The wisdom of gentleness and some of the nuances of a trauma-informed approach to contemplative practice.
If you want to hear more from Oren I would encourage you to check out Practicing Courage episode #14 which features a guided practice from Oren on finding more joy.
You can also listen to our first interview which focused on his first book: Say What you Mean.
You can now order Your Heart Was Made for This here.
More about Oren:Oren Jay Sofer teaches meditation and communication retreats and workshops nationally. A member of the Spirit Rock Teachers Council, he is a Certified Trainer of Nonviolent Communication, a Course Trainer at Mindful Schools, and a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner for the healing of trauma. Oren also holds a degree in Comparative Religion from Columbia University. He is the author of several books, including Say What You Mean: A Mindful Approach to Nonviolent Communication. He’s created mindfulness programs for organizations, companies, and apps including Apple, Kaiser Permanente, Lumosity, Calm, 10% Happier, Simple Habit and others with his teachings reaching thousands of people around the world. Find him online at www.orenjaysofer.com and on social media @orenjaysofer
Join my FREE meditation community:Starting in December I am going to begin offering free online meditation events twice a month. These will include guided practices, a talk, and dedicated time for discussion. If you’ve never meditated before, you’ve been meditating for years, or your experience falls somewhere in between - everyone is welcome. To learn more, see the upcoming schedule, and register head to joshuasteinfeldt.com/meditation
Did you enjoy this episode? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:
- The Mindful Art of Communicating Effectively | Oren Jay Sofer
- Leading With Love Can Change the World | Shelly Tygielski
Enjoying the show? Please rate it on Apple Podcasts and Spotify!
Thanks for listening!
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Today marks the launch of Oren Jay Sofer’s new book: Your Heart was Made for This: Contemplative Practices for Meeting a World in Crisis with Courage Integrity and Love.
Oren has been on the Courageous Life before and has been a significant teacher in my life, and the lives of so many around the world.
So today, to honor the release of his book we have a bit of a special episode of Practicing Courage for you.
Oren will be a guest teacher (of sorts) and he will guide you through a meditation intended to cultivate more joy.
In his new book, and our longer conversation coming out tomorrow, Oren highlights the role of joy:
- In the face of crises
- When fighting for what we care about
- Advocating for social change
- And pursuing challenging long term goals and projects with them.
He makes a compelling case for this in different ways including sharing stories of people finding ways to experience joy even in the face of immense challenges, including civil rights activists in the 1960’s singing together in chorus as they continued to fight for meaningful change.
Whether it’s little moments or deeper and more profound experiences - joy can keep us going, when the going gets tough.
And in a broader sense is part of what makes our experience of life beautiful
I hope you enjoy this special practice on joy with Oren Jay Sofer.
Be sure to check out my new conversation with Oren, which drops tomorrow and if you'd like to pick up a copy of his new book you can do so here.
More about Oren here: orenjaysofer.com
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Do you ever have times where the mind won’t stop thinking about what’s next?
Things you need to do, actions to take etc?
This is such a common experience, and while quite useful at times,
At other times this cycle isn't helpful (for a variety of reasons):
- Maybe you can’t take action at the moment
- Or you have double-checked or thought through the plan many times already
- Or maybe you need a bit more time or space to really think through what is needed
The list goes on...
What’s been interesting (in my own experience) is that I find the mind will often continue to plan, and to identify actions even in moments where it’s not so helpful (particularly when worry is present).
And what I have been really curious about recently is:
- How can we break this cycle when it’s not helpful?
- How can we get better at both discerning, and then taking wise action?
Over the past month I have been exploring these questions (and others) in a new stress and anxiety series on the Courageous Life where we are bringing together experts in these arenas to engage in conversations that are both inspiring and practical - offering up insights, tools, and resources for navigating stress and anxiety more effectively in our lives.
In today's episode:I will share a really helpful practice from the second episode in that series - a conversation with Oxford professor Mark Williams and Dr. Danny Penman two of the world’s leading experts on mindfulness and stress.
There are 5-words that surprisingly can help foster more wise action in your life by breaking the cycle of worry and unnecessary planning in moments when it's no longer useful.
Curious to explore today's topic further? Here are some conversations from the podcast we think you'll love:
- Rediscovering Calm in a Chaotic World | Dr. Mark Williams and Dr. Danny Penman
- Unwinding Anxiety | Dr. Jud Brewer
5 Days to Transforming Stress Challenge
As a complement to the Stress and Anxiety Series on The Courageous Life Podcast we’ve created a 5 day experiential challenge to help you transform your stress and find greater calm, balance, and wellbeing.
In an effort to create a delightful and seamless on-demand practice experience we created The Practice Pass, an annual membership that gives you access to all of this dynamic original content including both live and on-demand learning experiences.
If you sign up up for the Practice Pass you’ll receive:
- The Practicing Courage Challenge
- The 5-Day Transforming Stress Challenge
3 NEW live challenges each year. Future topics may include: finding purpose, building new habits, courageous conversations, authentic living, navigating transitions, letting go, and finding ease in challenging times. Learn more and register for the pass here: https://www.practicingcourage.com/signup-practice-pass
Til next Tuesday,
-Joshua
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There are moments in life that decide your fate. They ripple into the future and dictate how you experience the world in the moments that follow; either positive and uplifting, dark and chaotic, or flat and dull.
What if you could recognize these moments before they seized control of your life?
What if you could use them to set sail for a better future?
What if all moments, big and small, could be harnessed this way?
These are the questions that Oxford Professor Mark Williams and Dr. Danny Penman address in their wonderful new book, Deeper Mindfulness: A New Way to Rediscover Calm in a Chaotic World.
These questions are also at the heart of our conversation today which is the second episode in ourstress and anxiety series here on the podcast.
Each episode in this series invites some of the world’s leading experts to share inspiring insights, practical tools, and helpful resources for navigating stress and anxiety more effectively in our lives.
Miss the first episode in the series? You can find it here:
- Unwinding Anxiety | Dr. Jud Brewer
In today's episode Mark and Danny will share:
- How they have used mindfulness to overcome personal and professional challenges including a hangliding accident that led to Danny’s hospitalization and the incredible story of his recovery.
- Why mindfulness is so effective for healing, and for working with stress and anxiety
- Why they have made mindfulness the central focus of their work in mental health
- An introduction to the concept of 'feeling tones' - an automatic and often subconscious categorization of our experience as pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral.
- How to increase awareness of feeling tones in the moment they happen
- Practices for working with feeling tones that lead to calm, clarity, and wellbeing.
- Neuroscience findings that shed light on how our brains construct our reality and how we can leverage this knowledge to take back control of our lives.
About Danny and Mark:
Dr Danny Penman is a qualified meditation teacher and award-winning writer and journalist. He currently writes features for the UK Daily Mail, having previously worked for the BBC, New Scientist and the Independent newspaper. He is co-author of the international bestseller Mindfulness: A Practical Guide to Finding Peace in a Frantic World. In 2014, he won the British Medical Association’s Best Book Award for Mindfulness for Health: A Practical Guide to Relieving Pain, Reducing Stress and Restoring Wellbeing (co- written with Vidyamala Burch). His books have been translated into more than 25 languages.
Professor Mark Williams is Professor of Clinical Psychology and Wellcome Trust Principal Research Fellow at the University of Oxford. He co-developed MBCT, is Director of the Oxford Mindfulness Centre, and is co-author of the international best-seller The Mindful Way Through Depression. He is one of the premier researchers in the field of mindfulness worldwide, and has been a pioneer in its development and dissemination.
Visit Franticworld.com for more on Mark and Danny
The 5-day Transforming Stress Challenge begins November 13th. Register now!
- Head to practicingcourage.com/stress to sign up.
Thanks for listening!
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“How can we create conditions for other people to be courageous?”
This is a question I have been exploring for years. On The Courageous Life Podcast, and beyond.
Part of the reason for such a deep interest in this question stems from the common and celebrated narrative (particularly in the US) of the lone hero.
That romanticized myth of pulling oneself up by their bootstraps and doing it all on their own.While that might be an inspirational tale, it also puts a lot of pressure on an individual to be courageous, which is pressure that may not always be necessary.
As you can imagine, exploring this question over the years has yielded many answers.
A few include:
- Let someone know you have their back
- Provide training, resources, tools, insights etc that may help them pursue what they care about most
- Create psychological (and other forms) of safety that foster healthy risk taking
One of my favorite answers to this question though, came from past Courageous Life Podcast guest, best-selling author, and teacher Parker Palmer
During our first conversation, Parker and I discussed finding the courage to embrace our whole selves and finding the courage to pursue our true vocation.
In today's practice:
- You'll hear a small snippet of what he had to say
- And I will offer up a multi-step process for creating the conditions for others to be courageous that involves deep listening, open questions, and letting go of habits of fixing, advising, correcting, or solving.
Curious to explore this topic further? Here are some conversations on the podcast we think you'll love:
- The Transformative Power of Humility | Dr. Dayl Van Tongeren
- The Courageous Journey Toward Wholeness | Parker Palmer
- The Importance of Having a Dream | Dr. Melvin L. Smith
Thanks for practicing with us!
Til next Tuesday,
-Joshua
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"If we are looking for light in the darkness, sometimes it doesn't appear until we create it." - Samantha Novick
In moments of great tragedy, pain, uncertainty, loss, and suffering I often look for perspective, and for practices, that help me to find some light in the darkness.
Often these practices (for me) are found in community, with friends, and through conversations on the podcast.
This past week with the war beginning in Israel it is again one of these times as some of the worst parts of humanity have been fully on display, and the enormity of the challenges and the suffering that is unfolding is immense.
And in the midst of things, I was reminded of a conversation I had in 2020 with Samantha Novick.
I first met Samantha, who goes by Sam, in Parkland Florida.
At the time I had flown to Parkland to sit down for a podcast conversation with students and community organizers after the mass shooting that took place at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.
Sam was one of the community organizers who helped support students in the aftermath and helped coordinate the March for Our Lives event there.
During that conversation I listened as they shared how they were:
- Finding hope
- Transforming pain into purpose
- Getting through such a tragedy
- And ultimately why they chose to spread messages of kindness and love in response to such hatred.
It was extraordinary to hear their responses, and to witness what is possible for human beings in the face of such dark times.
Fast forward to 2020 and I found myself sitting with Sam again.
And again we explored how she finds light, hope, and joy in the face of immense challenges. Including being in the throes of the pandemic, an election year in the US, civil rights protests...the list went on.
And while the context, the events, and the time is different than it was then, there are emotional undertones that are similar.
My hope is that if you are sitting with the immensity of recent events, that messages that Sam shared by way of her own story and experiences might be helpful to hear today, including:
- The role of self-compassion and giving oneself permission to feel
- Getting out in nature
- Remembering challenging events throughout history to gain perspective
- And doing kind acts for others
As a close to today's practice I will invite questions to explore what might help to find, and create light, in the coming days and weeks.
Hear the full conversation with Sam Novick from 2020 here:
- Choosing to Look for the Good
Thanks for practicing with us.
Til next time,
-Joshua
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Today's episode is the first in a new stress and anxiety series we're doing on the podcast.
Over the coming weeks we'll share deep, informative, and practical conversations with some of the leading experts in these arenas.
Each episode will offer insight into how to work with these very common (and often challenging) aspects of our lives more effectively and in ways that lead to greater calm, balance, and wellbeing.
And today I am thrilled, because Dr. Jud Brewer is back on the show to kick things off.
Jud is an addiction psychiatrist and a leader in fields of habit change, mindfulness, and anxiety.
In today's powerful three-part conversation we’ll dive into Jud's work and highlights from his groundbreaking book: Unwinding Anxiety.In part one, Jud will paint a picture of the landscape of anxiety in our culture and will tease out what it is, and what it’s not.
In part two we’ll discuss why some of the common approaches to alleviating anxiety may not be so effective - specifically when it comes to lasting change.
And in part three, Jud will share illuminating insights from his work in neuroscience that shed light on what works for unwinding anxiety in lasting ways.
Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!
Find this episode inspiring? Here are past conversations with Jud we think you’ll love:
- Is Curiosity a Superpower? | Dr. Jud Brewer
- Harnessing Neuroscience to Change Habits and Find Happiness | Dr. Jud Brewer
More about Jud:
Dr. Jud Brewer is a NYT best-selling author and thought leader in the field of habit change, who blends over 20 years of experience with mindfulness training and a career in scientific research. He is passionate about understanding how our brains work, and how to use that knowledge to help people make deep, permanent change in their lives — with the goal of reducing suffering in the world at large. He is the director of research and innovation at Brown University’s Mindfulness Center. Additionally, he is the executive medical director of behavioral health at Sharecare. Dr. Jud has developed and tested novel mindfulness programs for habit change for anxiety, emotional eating, and smoking (Unwinding Anxiety, Eat Right Now and Craving to Quit). For more, visit: drjud.com
Announcing the 5-Day Transforming Stress Challenge!
In addition to the Stress and Anxiety Series on the podcast I am launching a new 5-day challenge in November: Transforming Stress for greater calm, balance, and wellbeing.From November 13th-17th I will share bite-sized recorded practices that include some of the most effective teachings, mindset tools, and meditations I’ve come across for working with stress and anxiety over my career.
And to conclude the challenge I will host a Stress Masterclass where we will have the opportunity to practice together live.
Sign up now: practicingcourage.com/stress
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Years ago I sat down for a conversation with Dr. Kelly McGonigal, who is arguably one of the world’s leading experts on behavior change.
During our time together I asked her to name a few of her greatest insights about what contributes to being able to successfully change behavior (which can be incredibly difficult).
Learning skills that increase the capacity to tolerate distress was right at the top of her list.
Today you’ll have a chance to hear a snippet from Kelly, and you’ll learn one of the simplest and most effective practices I’ve come across for tolerating the distress that arises from craving - a very common experience on the path to change, growth, and realizing our potential.
It’s called RAIN
And it stands for:
- Recognize
- Allow
- Investigate
- and Not identify with
RAIN is a powerful tool for learning to “surf the urge” and for riding out cravings using mindfulness and curiosity.
Ultimately this practice can make some of the hard parts of change more workable, and in the process can support the ability to live in greater alignment with what you care about most.
Ready to begin?
Did you find today's practice valuable? Remember, courage is contagious. If you know someone who would benefit from today’s practice please share.
All practices can be found for free in our Practice Library. Access the library here: https://www.practicingcourage.com/join-library
Interested in taking a deeper dive into practices that support greater calm, clarity, courage, and meaningful connection?
In an effort to create a delightful and seamless on-demand practice experience we created The Practice Pass, an annual membership that gives you access to all of this dynamic original content including both live and on-demand learning experiences.
If you sign up up for the Practice Pass you’ll receive:
Existing on-demand meditation challenges:
The Practicing Courage Challenge
The 5-Day Transforming Stress Challenge
3 NEW live challenges each year. Future topics may include: finding purpose, building new habits, courageous conversations, authentic living, navigating transitions, letting go, and finding ease in challenging times.
Any LIVE challenge during a year will be made available on-demand afterward which you will have access to as a Practice Pass member.Learn more and register for the pass here: https://www.practicingcourage.com/signup-practice-pass
Curious to explore this topic further? Here are some conversations on the podcast we think you'll love:
- Lessons in Hope, Courage, and Human Transformation | Dr. Kelly McGonigal
- Is Curiosity a Superpower? | Dr. Jud Brewer
- Harnessing Neuroscience to Change Habits and Find Happiness | Dr. Jud Brewer
Support the show
At the end of each day we do a mental scan, reviewing our experiences from that day.
When people do this, they often find:
- The moments where they moved outside of their comfort zone
- The moments where they pushed themselves
- And the moments where they were courageous
Are often the moments that they end up being most proud of.Additionally, leading courage researcher, Dr. Jim Detert asserts that when looking back on life its acts of courage that are often associated with greater fulfillment, meaning, and positive legacy.
Today I am going to offer a practice that will invite you to explore a simple process for intentionally increasing the capacity to be with discomfort, and how practicing this in low stakes moments can help strengthen your mind, body, and skillset to help unlock courage in moments that matter.
Ready to get started?
Did you find today's practice valuable? Remember, courage is contagious. If you know someone who would benefit from today’s practice please share.
All practices can be found for free in our Practice Library. Access the library here: https://www.practicingcourage.com/join-library
Interested in taking a deeper dive into practices that support greater calm, clarity, courage, and meaningful connection?
In an effort to create a delightful and seamless on-demand practice experience we created The Practice Pass, an annual membership that gives you access to all of this dynamic original content including both live and on-demand learning experiences.
If you sign up up for the Practice Pass you’ll receive:
Existing on-demand meditation challenges:
The Practicing Courage Challenge
The 5-Day Transforming Stress Challenge
3 NEW live challenges each year. Future topics may include: finding purpose, building new habits, courageous conversations, authentic living, navigating transitions, letting go, and finding ease in challenging times.
Any LIVE challenge during a year will be made available on-demand afterward which you will have access to as a Practice Pass member.Learn more and register for the pass here: https://www.practicingcourage.com/signup-practice-pass
Curious to explore this topic further? Here are some conversations on the podcast we think you'll love:
- Courage is Developed Through Practice | Dr. Jim Detert
- Lessons in Hope, Courage, and Human Transformation | Dr. Kelly McGonigal
- Finding Fulfillment in a World Obsessed with Happiness | Emily Esfahani Smith
Till next time,
-Joshua
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Speaking in public is one of people's greatest fears.
Today's practice focuses on a brief process for overcoming this fear.
Its a mindset shift from performance to curiosity that begins with 4 simple words.
If you have a moment where you will be speaking, interviewing, facilitating, coaching, hosting, or just generally interacting…and you find yourself getting nervous
Give this a try, and see if it helps.
Did you find today's practice valuable? Remember, courage is contagious. If you know someone who would benefit from today’s practice please share.
All practices can be found for free in our Practice Library. Access the library here: https://www.practicingcourage.com/join-library
Interested in taking a deeper dive into practices that support greater calm, clarity, courage, and meaningful connection?
In an effort to create a delightful and seamless on-demand practice experience we created The Practice Pass, an annual membership that gives you access to all of this dynamic original content including both live and on-demand learning experiences.
If you sign up up for the Practice Pass you’ll receive:
Existing on-demand meditation challenges:
The Practicing Courage Challenge
The 5-Day Transforming Stress Challenge
3 NEW live challenges each year. Future topics may include: finding purpose, building new habits, courageous conversations, authentic living, navigating transitions, letting go, and finding ease in challenging times.
Any LIVE challenge during a year will be made available on-demand afterward which you will have access to as a Practice Pass member.Learn more and register for the pass here: https://www.practicingcourage.com/signup-practice-pass
Curious to explore this topic further? Here are some conversations on the podcast we think you'll love:
- Leadership From the Inside Out | Kevin Cashman
- Is Curiosity a Superpower? | Dr. Jud Brewer
- Unlocking the Mindset of a Champion | Shane O'Sullivan
Till next time,
-Joshua
Support the show
Are you familiar with the story of the lone hero?
It’s a long celebrated cultural narrative (in the U.S.) of pulling yourself up by your bootstraps, doing it all on your own, and being gritty, resilient, and fiercely independent.
In essence - it’s about being courageous.
While there may be some upsides to this story, one of the things I find so interesting is how it places a lot of pressure on an individual to be courageous.
Pressure that perhaps isn’t always necessary.
So today I will flip the script.
Through a blend of research and storytelling I will invite you to engage in a practice that looks at how we might lessen undue pressure on an individual, and simultaneously create conditions that help to unlock:
More courage.
Meaningful positive connections with others.
And people’s potential to become their best self.
Ready to begin?
Did you find today's practice valuable? Remember, courage is contagious. If you know someone who would benefit from today’s practice please share.
All practices can be found for free in our Practice Library. Access the library here: https://www.practicingcourage.com/join-library
Interested in taking a deeper dive into practices that support greater calm, clarity, courage, and meaningful connection?
In an effort to create a delightful and seamless on-demand practice experience we created The Practice Pass, an annual membership that gives you access to all of this dynamic original content including both live and on-demand learning experiences.
If you sign up up for the Practice Pass you’ll receive:
Existing on-demand meditation challenges:
The Practicing Courage Challenge
The 5-Day Transforming Stress Challenge
3 NEW live challenges each year. Future topics may include: finding purpose, building new habits, courageous conversations, authentic living, navigating transitions, letting go, and finding ease in challenging times.
Any LIVE challenge during a year will be made available on-demand afterward which you will have access to as a Practice Pass member.Learn more and register for the pass here: https://www.practicingcourage.com/signup-practice-pass
Curious to explore this topic further? Here are some conversations on the podcast we think you'll love:
- The Courage to Become Your Best Self | Steph Labbé
- Creating Fearless Cultures at Work | Dr. Amy Edmondson
- Giving Everyone Permission to Feel | Dr. Marc Brackett
Till next time,
-Joshua
Support the show
This is the finale in our 4-part series on the power of compassion, which has featured leading researchers and practitioners in illuminating conversations about how to live with a more kind, and open hearted stance toward the world.
Today's episode features Roshi Joan Halifax and Rhonda Magee - two pioneers working at the intersection of mindfulness, social change, law, and end-of-life care. Together they will engage in a deep and profound discussion about accessing compassion in the face of some of our most pressing challenges.
Some of the topics they'll explore include:
- How we might engage with ourselves, our communities, our perceived adversaries, and the broader world with an open heart.
- Training qualities of compassion, kindness, and love when fighting for causes one cares about
- Their experiences, including challenges they've faced, in cultivating compassion
- The GRACE model for training compassion
- Overcoming fear
- Practices for responding (vs. reacting) in the heat of the moment or when one is triggered
- Working more effectively with failure and disappointment
As you'll hear this conversation will infuse the metaphor of an open hearted warrior as Joan and Rhonda discuss the possibility of meeting life's challenges with a blend of both backbone and heart.
Enjoying the show? Please rate it on iTunes!
More Power of Compassion Series episodes:
3: The Future of Work - Love, Safety, and Belonging | Leah Weiss & Jerry Colonna
2: Moving From Fear to Love | James Doty & Jacinta Jiménez
1: The Key to Resilience, Growth, and Possibility | Barbara Fredrickson & Sharon Salzberg
About Rhonda Magee:
Rhonda V. Magee is a Professor of Law at the University of San Francisco and a leading mindfulness teacher with a focus on applying mindfulness to the hardest challenges of our times. She is an internationally-recognized teacher, guide and mentor, focused on integrating mindfulness into higher education, law and social change work. For more than 20+ years, Professor Magee has studied mindfulness, its underlying origins in Buddhism, and its potential benefits and applications in the world. A prolific author, she draws on law and legal history to weave storytelling, poetry, analysis and practices into inspiration for changing how we think, act and live better together in the face of the multiple interlocking challenges of our times. For more please visit rhondavmagee.com
About Roshi Joan Halifax
Roshi Joan Halifax, Ph.D.is Founder and Head Teacher of Upaya Zen Center in Santa Fe, New Mexico, a social activist, author, and in her early years was an anthropologist at Columbia University and University of Miami School of Medicine . She is a pioneer in the field of end-of-life care and has lectured on the subject of death and dying at many academic institutions and medical centers around the world. She has also received numerous awards and honors from institutions for her work as a social and environmental activist and in the end-of-life care field. She has served as a Distinguished Visiting Scholar at the Library of Congress where she developed a heuristic map of compassion and created the GRACE model for training compassion. She is Director of the Project on Being with Dying, and Founder of the Upaya Prison Project that develops programs on meditation for prisoners.For more please visit: www.joanhalifax.org.
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Do you ever get caught up in what I will casually call “the race”?The experience of moving from one thing to the next
Swept up in the to-do list
Feeling an internal push to keep accomplishing, achieving, and making things happen
Constantly in a mode of “doing.”
Is this relatable?
While neither good or bad I would invite you to consider the following:
At what points is this beneficial (in your experience)?
When might it become detrimental?
Today’s practice will invite you to consider these questions, to step out of the race, and to let go of “doing” as you are guided through a simple process for finding a few moments of rest in the midst of a busy day.
Did you find today's practice valuable? Remember, courage is contagious. If you know someone who would benefit from today’s practice or this free community please share. They can join here: https://www.practicingcourage.com/join-community
Interested in taking a deep dive into practices that support greater calm, clarity, courage, and meaningful connection?
Join me for the upcoming 28-Day Practicing Courage Challenge which begins October 2nd and includes:
- 45 micro recordings (28 practices and 17 brief talks)
- 2 live events
- Daily text or email reminders for each practice
- Lifetime access to all challenge content
Learn more and register here: practicingcourage.com. The cost is $50 but if you register before September 17th you will receive 20% off.Curious to explore this topic further? Here are some conversations on the podcast we think you'll love:
- How Mindfulness Rewires Your Brain For Calm, Clarity and Joy - Dr. Shauna Shapiro
- Letting Go of Perfectionism and Finding Happiness - Tal Ben-Shahar
- Learning Self-Acceptance and Finding Real Happiness - Alison Canavan
Til next Tuesday,
-Joshua
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What happens when you begin to shift your attention outwardly to the ways in which we are connected and support one another?
This in itself can be a question to explore and experiment with over time.
Today’s practice will invite you to use your imagination to foster a mindset of connection and interdependence.
For many, a shift to focusing on connection can bring with it numerous benefits.
Here’s a couple of points that highlight this:
- When we over-focus on ourselves it narrows our possibilities, our perspective, and can often lead to isolation, pain, and suffering
- When we feel connected it expands possibilities, our perspective, and we often experience wellbeing. And this sense of connection, and interconnection is something that we can access through practice.
Did you find today's practice valuable? Remember, courage is contagious. If you know someone who would benefit from today’s practice or this free community please share. They can join here: https://www.practicingcourage.com/join-community Thanks for practicing with us!
Interested in joining the 28-Day Practicing Courage Challenge? It begins October 2nd, 2023 and includes:
- 45 micro recordings (28 practices and 17 brief talks)
- 2 live events
- Daily text or email reminders for each practice
- Lifetime access to all challenge content
Learn more and register here: practicingcourage.com. If you register before September 17th you will receive 20% off.
Curious to explore this topic further? Here are some conversations on the podcast we think you'll love:
- Sharon Salzberg and Barbara Fredrickson - The Key to Resilience, Growth, and Possibility
- Dr. Jeffrey Hull - The Art & Science of Leadership in a Changing World
- Rick Hanson - Solving Conflicts, Building Connections, and Fostering Love
Til next Tuesday,
-Joshua
Support the show
What happens when you begin to shift your attention outwardly to the ways in which we are connected and support one another?
This in itself can be a question to explore and experiment with over time.
Today’s practice will invite you to use your imagination to foster a mindset of connection and interdependence.
For many, a shift to focusing on connection can bring with it numerous benefits.
Here’s a couple of points that highlight this:
- When we over-focus on ourselves it narrows our possibilities, our perspective, and can often lead to isolation, pain, and suffering
- When we feel connected it expands possibilities, our perspective, and we often experience wellbeing. And this sense of connection, and interconnection is something that we can access through practice.
Did you find today's practice valuable? Remember, courage is contagious. If you know someone who would benefit from today’s practice or this free community please share. They can join here: https://www.practicingcourage.com/join-community Thanks for practicing with us!
Interested in joining the 28-Day Practicing Courage Challenge? It begins October 2nd, 2023 and includes:
- 45 micro recordings (28 practices and 17 brief talks)
- 2 live events
- Daily text or email reminders for each practice
- Lifetime access to all challenge content
Learn more and register here: practicingcourage.com. If you register before September 17th you will receive 20% off.
Curious to explore this topic further? Here are some conversations on the podcast we think you'll love:
- Sharon Salzberg and Barbara Fredrickson - The Key to Resilience, Growth, and Possibility
- Dr. Jeffrey Hull - The Art & Science of Leadership in a Changing World
- Rick Hanson - Solving Conflicts, Building Connections, and Fostering Love
Til next Tuesday,
-Joshua
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Today’s guest is Dr. Mylien Duong, Senior Director of Research at The Constructive Dialogue Institute, where they define Constructive dialogue as a form of conversation in which people who have different values, beliefs, and perspectives seek to build new ways to understand and interact with each other, even as they sustain commitments to their own principles and perspectives. The format is ideal for discussing important, complicated issues that can divide people.
Mylien helps to build out evidence-based content for having constructive dialogues, and oversees measuring the efficacy and effectiveness of the programming and learning content that the Institute puts out. So far programming offered by the Institute:
- Has impacted over 50K learnersIs
- Is being leveraged by 900+ Institutions
- Shows that 86% of learners improved communication across difference
- And 95% of educators recommend their programming
Their work has been featured in Time Magazine, Forbes, The NYT, Harvard Business Review, Oprah Magazine, Psychology Today and more
In today's conversation we are going to dive deep into the topic of how to have constructive dialogues including:
- Part of Myelin’s story about how she came to this work
- The 5 principles of Constructive Dialogue that the Institute has established
- The role of curiosity
- The power of storytelling, and witnessing people’s stories
- The importance of humility, self-worth, and feeling that you matter
- What role emotion intelligence and nervous system regulation plays
- And more!
More about Mylien:
Dr. Mylien Duong has deep expertise in developing scalable behavioral interventions. Trained as a clinical psychologist, she was previously a senior research scientist at the Committee for Children, where she led the research to develop a social-emotional learning program for teachers in K-12 schools. Prior to that, she was faculty at the University of Washington, where conducted federally funded research studies to develop and test behavioral interventions for children and youth in school and juvenile justice settings. A researcher through and through, she has received over $17 million in grant funding and published over 40 scientific articles and book chapters. For more on the Constructive Dialogue Institute please check out https://constructivedialogue.org/
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are more conversations we think you'll love:
Dr. Marc Brackett - Permission to Feel: The Power of Emotional Intelligence
Dr. Daryl Van Tongeren - The Transformative Power of Humility
Dr. Kelly McGonigal - Finding the Hope, Connection, and Courage to Transform
Enjoying the show? Please rate it on Apple Podcasts!
Have you heard about The Practicing Courage Community with Joshua? Learn more and sign up for FREE here.
Thanks for listening!
Support the show
Are there habitual ways of thinking or behaving that if you were to let go of, would bring more ease, wellbeing, and fulfillment?
Today's practice will introduce you to the work of Dr. Jud Brewer and explore how we can leverage knowledge of how our brains work, the latest science of habit change, as well as a powerful blend of curiosity and kindness, to ultimately let go of ways of thinking and behaving that no are no longer helpful or beneficial in the pursuit of what we care about most.
Thanks for practicing with us!
And remember, courage is contagious. If you know someone who would benefit from today’s practice or this community please share. They can join here: https://www.practicingcourage.com/join-community
Curious to explore this topic further? Here are some conversations on the podcast we think you'll love:
- Dr. Jud Brewer - Is Curiosity a Superpower?
- Dr. Jud Brewer - Harnessing Neuroscience to Change Habits and Find Happiness
- Dr. Leah Weiss and Jerry Colonna - The Future of Work: Love, Safety, and Belonging
Til next Tuesday,
-Joshua
Support the show
Shane O'Sullivan – is an Executive, Leadership and Performance Coach at Inspiring Excellence, a company that focuses on empowering organizations and their people to achieve sustainable high performance. In addition to his work as a performance coach he competed at the highest level of Ireland's national sport of Hurling for 20 years. Throughout his storied career he won numerous national honors and competed in Ireland’s most iconic sporting events, the All-Ireland Hurling Finals.
Today we’ll dive into some of the things he’s learned about performance, excellence, and success both on and off the field.
In this wide ranging and heartfelt conversation Shane will share:
- Key insights for performing at a high level
- Some of his favorite coaching techniques for unlocking the potential of his clients
- The types of mindsets and beliefs that can foster success and fulfillment
- What he learned from his dad during the time he was alive, and in his death, about living well and what really matters
- The role of compassion and kindness in high performance environments
- Keys to resilience in the face of challenges and adversity
- Finding the courage to live an authentic life, true to one's self
- And more!
More about Shane O'Sullivan
Shane’s work as a coach focuses on the principles of high performance and mindset training with Inspiring Excellence, the organization he leads. Inspiring Excellence has conducted work across 5 continents, in over 30 of the worlds major cities and with some of the worlds leading organisations. Shane has worked with some of the best in the world, training the mindset skills essential to revealing one’s potential. Some of Shane’s clients include Fortune 50 Leaders, Multinational Corporations, CEO’s and Professional Athletes. You can learn more about Shane’s work at inspiringexcellence.ie or you can connect by following him on LinkedIn.
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are more conversations we think you'll love:
Steph Labbé - The Courage to Become Your Best Self
Dr. E. Elisbaet Lahti - Shifting the Way We Define True Strength
Enjoying the show! Please rate it on Apple Podcasts!
Interested in joining the Practicing Courage Community? You can learn more and join for free here!
Thanks for listening!
Support the show
When your heart begins to close, how can you find ways to open it again?
First offered by Mark Nepo in our conversation from 2018, this has become a central question I've been exploring on the Courageous Life for years. Today's practice will invite you to pause, reflect, and explore this question as you move forward through your week and beyond.
As you listen you'll be invited to engage in a brief guided practice, and you'll be exposed to intriguing findings from neuroscientists and leading emotion researchers. Additionally, you'll gain insights that I've distilled from the podcast for opening the heart and mind, and ultimately moving from contracted states to more expansive ones. Some of which include:
- Opening to learning, possibility, and growth (vs. closing off or shutting down)
- Responding from a place of choice (vs. reactivity)
- And moving from fear to love
Thanks for practicing with us!
And remember, courage is contagious. If you know someone who would benefit from today’s practice or this community please share.
They can join here: https://www.practicingcourage.com/join-community
Support the show
Welcome back to the Practicing Courage Community - a space where we are dedicated to exploring what it means to live well, and engaging in practices that support finding the courage to do so.
To support your own exploration of these deep and personal questions, once-a-week I will be offering you a brief practice that will infuse storytelling, research, and tips for making the most of whatever tool or practice may be offered.
Today's practice: The Keys to Resilience
Part of the journey of living well is gaining clarity about what really matters to you, and then pursuing a life that is in greater alignment with whatever that may look like.
In that pursuit there will inevitably be times where one stumbles, falls, or fails.
Today’s practice is about these moments, and how we can meet them in ways that give rise to resilience, and the courage to keep going.
You'll be be invited to explore a multi-step process of bringing awareness, curiosity, reframing, and compassion to moments where you may fall short, stumble, or fail.
When meeting moments in these ways, you may notice more energy to push forward, more courage to get up and try again, and greater satisfaction when you succeed.
Ready to dive in?
Let's begin.
Thanks for practicing with us!
And remember, courage is contagious. If you know someone who would benefit from today’s practice or this community please share. They can learn more and join here: https://www.practicingcourage.com/join-community
-Joshua
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Today’s guest is Kelli Harding - a medical and public health doctor based in New York City whosegoal is to make the world a kinder and healthier place for everybody. She wrote a critically acclaimed book about social connection and health, The Rabbit Effect: Live Longer, Happier, and Healthier with the Groundbreaking Science of Kindness. As a medical doctor Kelli believes everybody deserves to be treated with dignity, compassion, and kindness while receiving the best evidence-based medical care.
She is Board-certified in Psychiatry and Psychosomatic Medicine, and trained in psychiatry and research at Columbia University, where she continues to teach. She also has a degree in public health from Columbia University. Kelli's work has been featured across media outlets including on Today, Good Morning America, NPR, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Medscape, BBC World, Oprah.com, The World Economic Forum, LA Times, Parents Magazine, and Prevention. She’s also the co-founder of Our Kind of Club, a global, inclusive, action-oriented kindness movement—you can learn more and sign up at kellihardingmd.com
Kelli shares: "All my years of education and research have taught me that the best care comes down to treating every person with kindness."
In today’s episode we explore:
- Kelli’s journey in medicine, how she found kindness, and why it’s become a central focus in her work, and everything she does
- The health implications of kindness
- Practices for incorporating kindness into the busyness of everyday life
- Kelli’s incredible story of meeting a Nobel Peace Prize winner and what she learned from her about kindness and compassion
- Kelli’s thoughts about kindness as a form of courage, including responding to harsh circumstances and adversity with an open heart
- Kelli’s views on whether kindness has a role in high performance cultures in healthcare and beyond
- The role of kindness in a life well lived and why kindness may be what matters most at the end of life
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you’ll love:
Kelly McGonigal: Finding the Hope, Courage, and Connection to Transform
Shauna Shapiro: How Mindfulness Rewires Your Brain for Calm, Clarity, and Joy
The Practicing Courage Community launched last week. This is a free space where we are dedicated to exploring what it means to live well, and engaging in practices that support finding the courage to do so. In less than a week hundreds of people around the world have already joined the community. If you’re a part of it, thank you for joining. If you haven’t joined yet, but are curious about it you can find all the details and sign up for free at practicing courage.com/join-community
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Welcome to Practicing Courage - a space where we are dedicated to exploring what it means to live well, and engaging in practices that support finding the courage to do so.
To support your own exploration of these deep and personal questions, once-a-week I will be offering you a brief practice that will infuse storytelling, research, and tips for making the most of whatever tool or practice may be offered.
You’ll be able to find all of these recordings here on the Courageous Life podcast feed under the mini episodes that have “Practicing Courage” in the title, or at practicingcouage.com/community, which is a free space where we are housing all of the practices over time. The hope being that are able to choose to access them in whatever way is easiest and most preferable for you.
The micro-practices will vary widely in content coming from my own experiences of exploring these questions over my career - including conversations on The Courageous Life, teaching positive psychology and mindfulness, and my work as a coach.
Today, we are kicking things off with:
- An introduction to this community
- The intention of offering a space like this
- Highlights from the science of courage
- An inspiring clip from a conversation with Amy Edmondson
- And a simple 3 part practice for finding more courage in the midst of our busy day-to-day experiences as well as tips for how to make the most it.
Thanks for practicing with us!
Find out more at practicingcourage.com/community
And remember, courage is contagious. If you know someone who would benefit from today’s practice or this community please share!
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There is a metaphor that comes out of ancient wisdom traditions of a bird. One wing of the bird represents wisdom and the other represents compassion.
In order to fly the bird needs both wings.
Like the bird, as people and leaders, cultivating wisdom and compassion in our lives, and in our organizations may help us to realize our potential. This metaphor serves as the centerpiece of our conversation today as Dr. Leah Weiss and Jerry Colonna dive deep into the power of compassion at work.
This episode is the third installment of a 4-part series showcasing leading researchers and practitioners who are exploring themes related to compassion, courage, and living with a more open, kind, and loving stance toward the world. The first two episodes featured Sharon Salzberg and Barbara Fredrickson, as well as James Doty and Jacinta Jiménez.
In this deep and inspiring conversation Leah and Jerry share:
- Why they have infused compassion and mindfulness so centrally in their work with leaders and organizations
- Why empathy, safety, love, and belonging may be the most important qualities for leaders to focus on
- The role of suffering and a broken heart in compassionate leadership
- Using work as a crucible for realizing our potential
- The power of asking open questions, slowing down, and listening deeply
- How to navigate anger in organizations
- Reflections and insights on opening the heart in difficult conversations
- The importance of kinship and recognizing our shared common humanity
Please note: In this conversation Jerry and Leah share past experiences related to acute mental health issues and suicide. There is a possibility that some may find parts of this episode triggering. Please listen at your own discretion and in a caring and supportive way for you. Additionally, if you or someone you know is experiencing mental health issues, including those related to suicide please reach out for help. The International Association for Suicide Prevention is one organization that offers lots of free support, helplines, and resources globally. You can find them at https://www.iasp.info/
More about Jerry:Jerry Colonna is the CEO, and co-founder, of Reboot.io, an executive coaching and leadership development firm whose coaches and facilitators are committed to the notion that better humans make better leaders. For nearly 20 years, he has used the knowledge gained as an investor, an executive, and a board member for more than 100 organizations to help entrepreneurs and others to lead with humanity, resilience, and equanimity. Previous to his career as a coach he was a partner with JPMorgan Partners (JPMP), the private equity arm of JP Morgan Chase. He joined JPMP from Flatiron Partners. For more on Jerry please visit reboot.io
More about Leah:Dr. Leah Weiss is a researcher, lecturer, consultant, and author. She teaches Compassionate Leadership at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. She is a founding faculty member of Stanford’s Compassion Cultivation Program. In 2019, she co-founded Skylyte, a company that specializes in using the latest neuroscience and behavior change to empower high-performing leaders and managers to prevent burnout for themselves and their teams. Leah has taught and spoken in over 75 organizations across sectors. Her work has been covered by news outlets around the world, including BBC, the New York Times, TED, the Financial Times, Harvard Business Review, and countless others. For more about Leah please visit: https://leahweissphd.com/
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For some time The Courageous Life has featured conversations with people who are leading the way when it comes to researching, practicing, and teaching about ancient virtues like courage, kindness, empathy, compassion, humility, and love. Together we have explored the intersection between ancient wisdom traditions and modern science; discussing insights, tools, and practices that can be used to help people live well in the reality of our busy everyday experience.
Today’s guest, Dr. Stephen G. Post, is a trailblazer in this space. He has helped to push so much of this work forward through his leadership in the fields of medicine, positive psychology, and spirituality. As part of his groundbreaking work, Stephen founded the Institute for Research on Unlimited Love, which researches and distributes knowledge on kindness, giving, and spirituality. We'll dive into this and much more in today's episode!
In this deep and wide-ranging conversation we explore a variety of highlights from Stephen's pioneering career including:
- A number of stories that offer a glimpse into key moments that helped to shape the work he is doing today, including the somewhat amazing origin story of how with the help of Sir John Templeton, he founded the Institute for Research on Unlimited Love.
- Why when we are in busy environments we lose access to compassion and empathy and a simple 3 step process for counteracting this that he uses with healthcare workers and medical students.
- Practices to develop our ability to listen more fully and deeply
- Highlights from his work on giving - including why How much you give isn’t as important as how much kindness you put into your giving
- Some of the most intriguing research findings on giving, kindness, and love
- The backstory on how the field of positive psychology was founded, and how an evidence-based book of character strengths and virtues came to be.
- Insights from his work on forgiveness and compassionate caregiving
More about Stephen:
Stephen G. Post, PhD is an international speaker, and best selling author of Why Good Things Happen to Good People. He is also a frequent contributor to major magazines and newspapers including The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, and Time Magazine. He has also been interviewed on major broadcasts, including ABC 20/20, Nightline, The Daily Show, John Stossel, “Talk of the Nation,” and The Mehmet Oz Show. He is the founder and director of the Stony Brook Center for Medical Humanities, Compassionate Care and Bioethics. A leader in medicine, research and religion. Visit him online at StephenGPost.com and UnlimitedLoveInstitute.org.
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love!
Dr. James Doty - Into the Magic Shop
Dr. Daryl Van Tongeren - The Transformative Power of Humility
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Marc Lesser is a speaker, workshop leader, and executive coach. He is the CEO of ZBA Associates, an executive development and leadership consulting company and has led mindfulness and emotional intelligence programs at many of the world’s leading businesses and organizations including Google, SAP, Genentech, and Kaiser Permanente. Marc helped develop the world-renowned Search Inside Yourself (SIY) program within Google - a mindfulness-based emotional intelligence training for leaders. He was also the founder and CEO of the Search Inside Yourself Leadership Institute (SIYLI). He has authored 5 books. His most recent is: Finding Clarity (which we explore in depth in this conversation).
Prior to his successful business and coaching career, he was a resident of the San Francisco Zen Center for 10 years, and director of Tassajara, Zen Mountain Center, the first Zen monastery in the Western world. For more on Marc please visit marclesser.net
In this episode:
- Marc’s inspiring story about his somewhat non-traditional career path, and how he found the clarity and courage to pursue it
- The importance of finding time to get quiet, and the practice of listening to our inner voice that may offer insight into what will contribute to deeper meaning
- The role of compassion and an open heart when it comes to performance and accountability
- How to receive feedback more skillfully
- Insights from helping to build the world renowned Search Inside Yourself mindfulness and emotional intelligence at Google
- Marc’s answer to the age old question, what’s the least amount of meditation I can do to get the most benefit?
- How to turn breakdowns, failures, and missteps into breakthroughs
- Moving from reactivity to responsiveness and how this can contribute to vibrant relationships
- Some of Marc’s favorite practices for cultivating an open heart and greater compassion in life and leadership
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Did you enjoy this episode? Here are two others we think you will find inspiring:
Parker Palmer Part Two: Reflections on the Power of Living With an Open Heart
Tal Ben-Shahar: Letting go of Perfection and Finding Happiness
Thanks for listening!
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Today we're continuing our four-part series on the power of compassion with a deep, insightful, and moving conversation between Dr. Jacinta Jiménez and Dr. James Doty. Each episode in the series will showcase a powerful duo made up of a leading researcher and practitioner who will explore themes related to compassion, courage, and living with a more open, kind, and loving stance toward the world.
If you happened to miss the first installment in the series with Barbara Fredrickson and Sharon Salzberg you can go back and listen to it now. It's become one of the most popular conversations in the show's history and we hope you enjoy this part two conversation just as much!
In today’s episode Jacinta and James will explore:
- How moving from fear to love can be a powerful catalyst for wellbeing, performance, and flourishing in life and work
- A personal story from Jacinta about the power of having someone who sees you, and creates spaces for belonging
- The research backed benefits of belonging, compassion, and kindness
- The argument for compassion and kindness at work and how these qualities can both fit into, and enhance, performance cultures
- How qualities like compassion, empathy, and altruism can be learned
- Tools for practicing compassion in daily life
- Leadership practices for creating environments of care
- And more!
More about Dr. Doty:James R. Doty, M.D. is an Adjunct Professor and the Founder & Director of the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education (CCARE) at Stanford University School of Medicine. As the Director of CCARE, he has spearheaded research projects on compassion and altruism, and their relationship to the brain. He is also an inventor, entrepreneur and philanthropist. He is the New York Times bestselling author of Into the Magic Shop: A Neurosurgeon’s Quest to Discovery the Mysteries of the Brain and the Secrets of the Heart. Dr. Doty is also the senior editor of the Oxford Handbook of Compassion Science.
More about Dr. Jiménez:
Jacinta Jiménez, (also known as “Dr. J”) is an award-winning Stanford-trained Psychologist and Board-Certified Leadership Coach with a 20+ year career dedicated to the betterment of individuals, leaders, and top organizations in Silicon Valley and throughout the world. Sought-after for her expertise bridging the fields of psychology and leadership she regularly contributes to international news and TV outlets, including CNN/HLN, Business Insider, Forbes, Harvard Business Review, and Fast Company. Her book, The Burnout Fix debuted as #1 New Release on Amazon, has been recognized by Business Insider as a top book to read about burnout, and was the winner in getAbstract’s prestigious 2021 International Book of the Year Reader's Choice Award. More about Dr. J: drjacintajimenez.com
Learn more about the 28-Day Practicing Courage Challenge HERE
Did you find this episode inspiring? We think you'll love these conversations too:
The Power of Compassion Series Part 1 (of 4) with Sharon Salzberg and Barbara Fredrickson
Dr. James Doty: Into the Magic Shop
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Today's guest, Dr. Marc Brackett, is on a mission to educate the world about the value of emotions and the skills associated with using them wisely. “I want everyone to become an emotion scientist”, he says. “We need to be curious explorers of our own and others’ emotions so they can help us achieve our goals and improve our lives.”
In this deep dive conversation, Marc and I explore themes from his book Permission to Feel as well as his broader work as a leader in the field of emotional intelligence, including:
- Some of his story and how events in his childhood including surviving abuse led to his dedication to the work he does today
- Why people so often suppress emotions and what happens in our brains and bodies when we do
- Why it’s so important to ask people “how are you feeling?” and to genuinely listen to the answer
- The story of his Uncle Marvin, and what he learned from him about the power of creating safe spaces
- Highlights from the biggest study he has ever conducted and the case for empathy, compassion, non-judgment, and good listening as life changing qualities for leaders, parents, and individuals.
- An introduction to the RULER skills (Recognizing, Understanding, Labeling, Expressing, and Regulating emotions)
- How he uses the RULER skills in his own life to navigate daily challenges, enhance wellbeing, and stay on track with goals that are important to him
- The link between emotions and performance - why and how emotions matter when it comes to thriving teams and organizations
- Why giving people the permission to feel may be one of the most important things we can do to help people thrive at work and in life.
More about Marc:
Marc Brackett, Ph.D., is founding director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence and professor in the Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine. As a researcher for over 20 years, Marc has focused on the role of emotions and emotional intelligence in learning, decision making, creativity, relationships, health, and performance. His book, Permission To Feel, has been translated into 22 languages. Most recently, with Pinterest co-founder Ben Silbermann, Marc and his team co-created the Apple award-winning app, HowWeFeel, that was designed to teach emotion skills and enhance well-being.
Marc is the lead developer of RULER, a systemic, evidence-based approach to social and emotional learning that has been adopted by over 5,000 schools across the United States and has reached over 4 million children. Marc regularly consults with large companies such as Google, Amazon, and Microsoft on best practices for integrating the principles of emotional intelligence into training and product design. For more please visit: https://www.marcbrackett.com
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are more episodes we think you’ll love!
Dr. Jud Brewer - Is Curiosity is a Superpower?
Kelly McGonigal - Finding the Hope, Connection, and Courage to Transform
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Today we are kicking off a four-part series on the power of compassion which will feature conversations between a leading scientist or researcher as well as a teacher or practitioner. Each episode will showcase conversations and topics related to compassion, courage, and living with a more open, kind, and loving stance toward the world. We hope you enjoy this first installment, a conversation with Dr. Barbara Fredrickson and Sharon Salzberg.
In today's episode we will explore themes from Sharon’s new book Real Life: The Journey from Isolation to Openness and Freedom as well as:
- How Barb and Sharon began their work together
- How Sharon’s deep expertise on lovingkindness and contemplative practices have influenced Barb’s conception of love as a co created positive state
- A new definition of love that focuses on micomoments of connection
- Why love is the state where the most learning, growth, and expansion occur and the hard research data to back that up
- Some of Barb’s and Sharon’s practical and research informed strategies for opening the heart
- Lovingkindness - Sharon offers an overview and some of her latest thinking on this ancient contemplative practice
- Why compassion and love are so important now
- And more!
Interested in Sharon's new book? Order it here: sharonsalzberg.com/reallife/
More about Barb:
Dr. Barbara Fredrickson is Kenan Distinguished Professor of Psychology and Award-winning Director of the Positive Emotions and Psychophysiology Lab at the University of North Carolina. Her research reveals how micro-moments of love and other forms of positivity nourish your health, wisdom, and longevity. One of the most highly-cited contributors to psychological science, Barb is best known for her broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions. Barb’s scientific contributions have influenced scholars and practitioners worldwide, in disciplines ranging from business to healthcare and beyond. Her work has been featured in the New York Times, The Economist, CNN, NPR, PBS, U.S. News & World Report, USA Today, Oprah Magazine, and elsewhere. She has twice been invited to brief His Holiness the Dalai Lama on her research.
**More about Sharon:
Sharon Salzberg is a meditation pioneer, world-renowned teacher, and New York Times bestselling author. She is one of the first to bring mindfulness and lovingkindness meditation to mainstream American culture over 45 years ago, inspiring generations of meditation teachers and wellness influencers. Sharon is co-founder of The Insight Meditation Society in Barre, MA, and the author of twelve books, including the New York Times bestseller, Real Happiness, now in its second edition, and her seminal work, Lovingkindness. Her forthcoming release, Real Life: The Journey from Isolation to Openness and Freedom, is set for release in April of 2023 from Flatiron Books. Her podcast, The Metta Hour, has amassed six million downloads and features interviews with thought leaders from the mindfulness movement and beyond. For more on Sharon visit www.sharonsalzberg.com
Did you find this episode inspiring? We think you'll love these conversations too:
Sharon Salzberg - Mindfulness to Heal Ourselves and the World
Dr. Jud Brewer - Is Curiosity a Superpower?
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Every so often a researcher comes along and changes the game. Named a Rising Star by the Association for Psychological Science, Dr. Daryl Van Tongeren is doing just that. A leading mind on the science of humility - his work and his new book Humble, have helped debunk many of the myths around this ancient virtue, explaining why humility is a powerful strength at home, at work, in leadership, and how it can lead to thriving relationships.
In this wide ranging and deep conversation Daryl will share more about:
- The link between humility and authenticity (or feeling at home in our own skin)
- The myths and misperceptions about humility including that humility is a weakness.
- The relationship between experiences of awe, big nature, and humility
- Humility as a skill - how you can learn to be more humble with dedication, practice, and feedback
- Why humility is best cultivated in community
- How to handle tough feedback
- How to use humility to stay open to learning, to empathy, and to compassion
- The case for more humble leaders, why organizations need them, and why employees and teams value humility.
- And more!
More about Dr. Daryl Van Tongeren:
Daryl R. Van Tongeren, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Psychology at Hope College. As a social psychologist, his research focuses on meaning in life, religion, and virtues. He loves asking deep and enduring questions about what it means to be human (darylvantongeren.com). His research has been covered by the New York Times, Chicago Tribune, and NPR. In 2016, he received a Rising Star designation from the Association for Psychological Science. In his free time, he enjoys running marathons and surviving triathlons. You can learn more about Daryl's work at darylvantongeren.com.
Did you find this conversation elevating? Here are more episodes we think you'll love:
Tal Ben Shahar - Letting go of Perfection and Finding Happiness
Dr. Jud Brewer - Is Curiosity a Superpower?
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For more on the podcast, and upcoming events and courses with Joshua please visit and sign up for the latest updates: joshuasteinfeldt.com
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Dr. Rick Hanson is a multi-time past guest on the Courageous Life and is back to discuss themes from his new book, Making Great Relationships: Simple Practices for Solving Conflict, Building Connections, and Fostering Love.In today’s wide ranging conversation with Rick we discuss:
- How to find a sense of calm strength, groundedness, and choice that can help reduce reactivity and improve our relationships
- 6 guidelines for speaking wisely and in ways that foster more effective communication, feedback, and that improve our connection with others
- How to work with anger more effectively
- Rick’s thoughts on how to keep the heart open and come from a place of love more often
- Rick’s insights from his experiences as a teacher and author on how to connect with your your audience
- Some of Rick’s favorite tips and practices for great relationships from his new book
- And more
More about Rick:
Rick Hanson, Ph.D., is a psychologist, Senior Fellow at UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center, and New York Times best-selling author. His seven books have been published in 31 languages and have sold over a million copies in English alone. He’s the founder of the Global Compassion Coalition and the Wellspring Institute for Neuroscience and Contemplative Wisdom, as well as the co-host of the Being Well podcast – which has been downloaded over 9 million times. He’s lectured at NASA, Google, Oxford, and Harvard. An expert on positive neuroplasticity, his work has been featured on CBS, NPR, the BBC, and other major media. To pick up Rick’s new book, find out more about him and his work please check out rickhanson.net
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are more episodes you may love:
Dr. Jud Brewer - Is Curiosity a Superpower?
Rick Hanson - The Heights of Human Potential
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For Joshua's classes and events please visit joshuasteinfeldt.com
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After spending nearly 20 years in Corporate America, holding executive positions leading public and privately held companies, Shelly Tygielski decided to stop following the expected path and start following her lifelong passion – mindfulness and meditation – and began to fuse this passion with her purpose – community organization and ensuring equity, social justice and access to wellbeing for all.
Her journey began by teaching free meditation classes Sunday morning on the sands of Hollywood Beach, Florida. What started as a group of 12 friends blossomed into a community of more than 15,000 in a matter of two years.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Shelly rose to the occasion. On March 14th, 2020, at the dawn of the crisis, she posted two simple Google forms online. One read “Get Help” the other “Give Help”. The next morning, she was shocked to find hundreds of requests from both sides of the equation. She began directly matching those in need with patrons willing to help them meet their needs and the Pandemic of Love movement was born. Those few hundred requests grew to over 600,000 people matched within six months. Today, Pandemic of Love boasts nearly 4000 volunteers worldwide, has directly exchanged nearly $100 million in donations and has connected over 4.5 million people. It has been featured on over 100 media outlets, including CNN's Heroes, BBC and The Kelly Clarkson Show.
In today’s conversation:
- Shelly and I dive deeper into themes from our part one conversation including how the Pandemic of Love has grown and evolved since that time.
- Shelly shares more of the backstory on leaving her work as a successful executive in corporate America to become a full time meditation teacher, the courage it took to take the leap, and what led to her decision
- Ideas and strategies for how to gain courage and clarity when faced with difficult and potentially life changing decisions
- How deep meditative states can lead to courageous action and other themes from her book Sit Down to Rise Up.
- Insights into how to lead and live from a place of love (particularly when it’s difficult)
- Why proximity is a catalyst for greater empathy, compassion, and building connection across division
- Details on Shelly's new TV show with Debra Messing based on her work with Pandemic of Love
If you’d like to learn more about Shelly and the incredible work she is doing please check out shellytygielski.com and be sure to pick up a copy of Sit Down to Rise Up: How Radical Self-Care Can Change the World wherever books are sold.
Did you find this episode inspiring? You might love these past conversations:
Shelly Tygielski Pt. 1 - Pandemic of Love
Dr. Emilia Elisabet Lahti Pt. 2 - Gentle Power: Shifting the Way We Define True Strength
For my upcoming classes and events, and all episodes of the Courageous Life please visit: joshuasteinfeldt.com
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At the time we recorded this conversation Shelly Tygielski was ten days into the creation of what has now become a global movement called the Pandemic of Love. During the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic Shelly found a way using simple google forms to connect people in need of groceries, diapers, money to keep the heat on etc, to those who could help them directly. What started out as just an idea sitting around Shelly’s kitchen table boasts nearly 4000 volunteers worldwide and has directly exchanged nearly $100 million in donations and has connected over 3 million people. The Pandemic of Love and Shelly were also featured on CNN’s Heroes. An annual show that features profiles of modern day heroes making an extraordinary impact for the collective good.
Next week, in part two we will take a deeper dive into some of the theme’s from this episode as well as dive into themes from Shelly’s new book Sit Down To Rise Up: Find Yourself, Build Community and Change the World.
In this episode Shelly shares:
- Her inspiring story of how and why she got into the work she is doing today as a community organizer, activist, and meditation teacher
- How meditation has helped her to rise up in the face of adversity and challenges in her life
- What her meditation practice involves today
- Coping strategies for dealing with fear and uncertainty related to COVID-19
- The incredible story behind the Pandemic of Love, why she started it, and how to get involved
Shelly has also offered a brief meditation for dealing with uncertainty that you will find included as a BONUS mini episode of the Courageous Life.
About Shelly:
Shelly Tygielski has been hailed by individuals ranging from President Joe Biden to Arianna Huffington and Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn to Maria Shriver. She is the founder of the global, grassroots mutual aid organization, Pandemic of Love. Her work has been featured in over 100 media outlets including on CNN Heroes, The Kelly Clarkson Show, CBS This Morning, the New York Times and Washington Post. She is a trauma-informed mindfulness teacher and a Garrison Institute Fellow who has been called one of the “12 Powerful Women of the Mindfulness Movement” by Mindful Magazine. Shelly has taught formalized self-care and resilience at organizations around the world and is widely considered to be a self-care activist. She is happily married to her husband, Jason, and is the mother of a son she adores, Liam. In her free time, Shelly enjoys skateboarding, playing guitar and making craft cocktails. She and her husband are currently living a nomadic existence, moving to a new location every few months.
Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are some other conversations you may love:
Ian Hockley: Empathy: An Antidote For Our Time
Ali Smith - Transforming Communities With Mindfulness (and Love)
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Often times gentleness and power can be seen as opposites, ideas or ways of being that may not go together. Today’s guest, Dr. Emilia Elisabet Lahti invites us to rethink this. Sharing a number of insights from her new book Gentle Power: A Revolution in How We Think, Lead and Succeed Using the Finnish Art of Sisu she argues that the intersection of these two qualities can be a catalyst for unlocking some of our greatest potential as people, and as leaders.
In this episode:
- We dive into more of Elisabet’s journey including reflections from Sisu Not Silence, a 2400km run across the country of New Zealand which she did to help end the silence around domestic and interpersonal violence. Check out part one with Dr. Lahti (episode 69) for more much more of the backstory on this.
- She will share key discoveries she gained during the run as well as her martial arts training over the years, and how these insights and revelations were a key part of her research on Gentle Power as an elevated expression of SISU.
- We will also take a deep dive into gentleness (what it is, what it’s not, and why it matters)
- Being nice vs. being kind and why being kind is a training ground for gentle power
- How gentleness can transform into strength when it meets difficulty
- Elisabet’s in the moment practices for cultivating gentle power in difficult conversations
- Questions to help cultivate self-awareness that may be the first step toward unlocking true power
- The importance of humility and how it relates to true power
- And more!
Pick up your copy of Gentle Power now and learn more about Dr. Lahti at sisulab.com
About Dr. Emilia Elisabet Lahti:Emilia Elisabet Lahti, who goes by her second name Elisabet, is an awarded educator, applied psychology researcher, published author, and international presenter on topics of inner strength in times of adversity and transformation through self-leadership. Elisabet studied applied positive psychology at the University of Pennsylvania under the guidance of Dr. Martin Seligman and completed a PhD at Aalto University in Finland in which she pioneered the research on the Finnish construct of sisu (a psychological strength potential referring to extraordinary determination, courage and resoluteness in the face of extreme adversity). She is passionate about the study of human flourishing and cultivation of virtues, and to determine how these can be leveraged on a systemic level to promote worldwide change. Founder of Sisu Lab which builds communities and organizational cultures based on everyday leadership as expression of courage and compassion. Her work has been featured in The New Yorker, Business Insider, BBC, and Forbes. Originally from Finland, she’s taught internationally and given talks at Fortune 500 companies.
You can find more more information and resources at www.sisulab.com.
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For more episodes, podcast updates, and Joshua's event schedule visit: joshuasteinfeldt.com
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As we continue our kickoff of season 3 we are re-releasing our first ever conversation on the Courageous Life, with Dr. Emilia Elisabet Lahti. In celebration of her new book, Gentle Power, coming out next week we will launch an all NEW episode with her that takes a deep dive into themes from the book including why the intersection of gentleness and power may be the future of leadership. We hope you enjoy this before and after (or part one and part two) conversation with Emilia Elisabet!
In this episode we explore:
- Sisu - what it is, what it's not, and Dr. Lahti's original research on this innate human capacity
- Sisu Not Silence - a 1500-mile / 50-day running journey across the length of New Zealand for nonviolence and peace
- How Elisabet works with fear
- Strategies and approaches for accomplishing massive goals
- Self-compassion - how it can be an unexpected and powerful force for training
- How to effectively work with doubt and the inner critic
- How to create safe spaces and why safety can help to unlock courage
- And more!
About Emilia Elisabet Lahti:
Emilia Elisabet Lahti is an awarded educator, applied psychology researcher, and founder of Sisu Lab and Gentle Power Academy, which build communities and organizational cultures based on everyday leadership as expression of courage and compassion. Her work has been featured by The New Yorker, Business Insider, BBC, and Forbes. Originally from Finland, she’s taught internationally and given talks at Fortune 500 companies, TEDx, Stanford University, and UC Berkeley. For more, see sisulab.com.
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Welcome to Season 3 of the Courageous Life! We are kicking things off with the return of one of our most popular guests of all time, Parker J. Palmer.
In today’s episode we explore Parker's reflections on:
- Living with an open heart - the benefits, the drawbacks, and why this can be a lifelong practice
- How to have effective conversations across difference and why letting go ego is a big part of this
- The power of cultivating more humility and curiosity in one’s life and in relationships (particularly when that might not be the easiest thing to do)
- Why honesty can be a prerequisite for compassion
- Stories and practices related to how he has strengthened his ability to be open hearted over time
- Themes from his new book, On the Brink of Everything: Grace, Gravity and Getting Old
- The beneficial effects of awe and "big nature"
Parker J. Palmer is a writer, speaker and activist who focuses on issues in education, community, leadership, spirituality and social change. He is founder of the Center for Courage & Renewal, holds a Ph.D. in sociology from the University of California at Berkeley, as well as thirteen honorary doctorates.
Parker is the author of ten books— which have sold nearly two million copies and been translated into ten languages. Some of his most popular include Let Your Life Speak, A Hidden Wholeness, The Courage to Teach, and Healing the Heart of Democracy. Parker’s work has touched the lives of millions of people around the world seeking to live more courageously and authentically while serving the human possibility. To learn more about Parker you can simply google his name, or you can check out couragerenewal.org or newcomerpalmer.com.
Did you find this episode inspiring? If so, you might love these past episodes:
Jerry Colonna - Leadership and the Art of Growing Up
Mark Nepo - Finding Inner Courage Where it Lives
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Know someone who might enjoy hearing the insights in this episode? Please do share with friends.
Thanks for listening!
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Parker J. Palmer is a writer, teacher, and activist. Founder and Senior Partner Emeritus of the Center for Courage & Renewal, he has written ten books, including the bestselling Let Your Life Speak, The Courage to Teach, A Hidden Wholeness, Healing the Heart of Democracy, and On the Brink of Everything: Grace, Gravity and Getting Old. He holds a Ph.D. in sociology from the University of California, Berkeley, and thirteen honorary doctorates. In 1998, The Leadership Project, a national survey of ten thousand educators, named Palmer as one of the thirty “most influential senior leaders” in higher education and one of the ten key “agenda-setters” of the past decade. Since 2002, the Accrediting Commission for Graduate Medical Education has given annual Parker J. Palmer “Courage to Teach” and “Courage to Lead” Awards to directors of exemplary medical residency programs around the U.S. In 2010, Palmer received the William Rainey Harper Award, whose previous recipients include Margaret Mead, Elie Wiesel, and Paolo Freire. In 2011, the Utne Reader named him one of 25 Visionaries on its annual list of “People Who are Changing the World.” To learn more about Parker and his latest project, The Growing Edge, please visit newcomerpalmer.com
In this part one episode we explore:
- Some of Parker's personal story including challenges and adversities he has faced and how these have shaped his life
- What wholeness is and the courage it takes live an undivided life
- Parker's insights about writing, speaking, and connecting with an audience
- Lessons Parker has learned about finding courage and working with fear
- The power of reframing situations and circumstances one faces
- How to listen deeply
- Finding one's vocation in life
- How to create conditions that foster courage in others
- And more!
For Joshua's upcoming events and classes please visit joshuasteinfeldt.com
Please rate the show on iTunes and let us know what you think!
\For show notes and more visit www.joshuasteinfeldt.com/podcast
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In today's episode Kevin Cashman shares his incredible story of dying, coming back, and what life and work for him are like on the other side of this experience.
Kevin and I have a deep and wide ranging conversation that covers:
- What Kevin experienced when he died
- Kevin's road back to health and what key factors helped him most on this journey
- How Kevin's experience has shifted his perspective and deepened a sense of meaning and purpose in his work with leaders
- His view on the importance of expressing appreciation and gratitude
- His take on the central question we have been exploring in the Courageous Life: "how do I keep my heart open when it begins to close?"
- Exciting new research on the importance of openness in leadership
- The 3 B's: A framework for keeping the heart and mind open to learning, connection, and growth
- And much more!
Please note that due to the nature and topic of this conversation it is possible that some listeners may find parts of the conversation to be upsetting or triggering. Please listen at your own discretion. Thank you.
About Kevin Cashman:
Kevin Cashman is a best-selling author, CEO Advisor, and pioneer of the ‘grow the whole person to grow the whole leader’ approach to transformative leadership. He is the founder of LeaderSource Ltd, and the Chief Executive Institute® recognized as one of the top three leadership development programs globally. In 2006, LeaderSource was acquired by Korn Ferry, where Kevin is now Global Leader of CEO and Executive Development across 130 offices that touch the lives of 100,000+ leaders monthly.
Kevin has advised thousands of CEOs, senior executives and senior teams in more than 80 countries worldwide. He has written six books including Awakening the Leader Within and Leadership from the Inside Out, named the #1 best-selling business book of 2000 by CEO-READ and is now used at over 150 universities globally.
For more on Kevin please follow him on LinkedIn or visit cashmanleadership.com
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Michael Jordan credits George Mumford, a.k.a The Mindfulness Performance Whisperer, with transforming his on-court leadership, helping the Bulls to six NBA championships. As Phil Jackson’s ‘Secret Weapon’ George has also served as Mindfulness Coach to Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O'neal, and countless other NBA players. George’s passion is teaching mindfulness to high profile sports, business and academic teams alike; from the Los Angeles Lakers, Chicago Bulls and New York Knicks, to senior global executives and systems. He is the author of The Mindful Athlete: Secrets to Pure Performance. George also has The Mindful Athlete Course, which can be found at GeorgeMumford.com.
In this episode George shares:
- More about his personal journey and how he came to work with Phil Jackson, Michael Jordan, and Kobe Bryant
- His perspective on what separates the worlds greatest performers from the rest of the pack
- How mindfulness and meditation can boost performance
- Insights on Flow and finding 'the zone'
- A simple and practical mindfulness framework George calls the 4A's for enhancing wellbeing and performance
- His thoughts about the importance of being a better friend to one's self
- Why "trying" to make things happen can actually be a barrier to success
- Practical tips for growing courage and taking compassionate action
- And more!
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Jim Detert is the John L. Colley Professor of Business Administration at the University of Virginia's Darden School of Business, and perhaps the world's foremost expert on courage at work. His research focuses on workplace courage, why people speak up or stay silent at work, ethical decision-making and behavior, and other leadership-related topics. His research, teaching and curriculum development and teaching have won multiple awards at UVA and Cornell. His work is regularly featured in various media outlets. If you are interested in taking a deeper dive into his work, check out his new book. Choosing Courage: The Everyday Guide to Being Brave at Work. For more on Jim please check out jimdetert.com
In this episode Jim and I take a deep dive into the topic of courage and explore:
- What courage is and what it isn't
- How courage can result in living with less regrets
- The tie between courage and becoming a better and more respected leader
- Why courage is not a character trait, and how it can be developed through practice
- Working with impostor syndrome
- The contrast between aspirational and core values
- A behind the scenes look at an experiential lab where Jim and his team train people to be more courageous
- And more!
Enjoying the show? Please take a moment and rate it on iTunes.
Know someone who could benefit from the insights in this, or other conversations on the Courageous Life? Please share the show with them.
For show notes and more please visit joshuasteinfeldt.com/podcast
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Andrew Reiner is a professor at Towson University, where he offers the seminar “The Changing Face of Masculinity.” He has written on masculinity and men’s issues for the New York Times,Italy’s La Republica and the Washington Post Magazine, and his work has been featured on NPR and the Canadian Broadcasting Company, and in The Guardian, Men’s Health magazine, and Forbes. He speaks about masculinity regularly at schools and conferences nationally and internationally.
In this episode Andrew shares themes from his new book, Better Boys, Better Menincluding:
- His story and the reasons behind his passion and interest in his work
- Reflections on traditional messaging around masculinity and why much of this thinking is outdated and no longer serving many of today's boys and men.
- How he is thinking about healthy masculinity today
- Why vulnerability and asking for help are forms of strength, and how these qualities can promote greater courage and emotional resiliency
- Why living authentically is courageous and is at the core of his work
- Updated research findings in neuroscience and child development supporting the need for a new vision of healthy masculinity
- And more!
Enjoying the show? Let us know by rating it or leaving a review on iTunes!
For show notes and more please visit joshuasteinfeldt.com/podcast
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Dr. Sunita Puri is the Medical Director of the Palliative Medicine Service at Keck Hospital and Norris Cancer Center of the University of Southern California, where she also serves as Chair of the Ethics Committee. Sunita is the author of That Good Night: Life and Medicine in the Eleventh Hour, an acclaimed literary memoir examining her journey to the practice of palliative medicine, and her quest to help patients and families redefine what it means to live and die well in the face of serious illness. Her work has been featured on PBS' Amanpour Show, the Guardian, NPR, the Atlantic, Forbes, and People Magazine, which named her book the Book of the Week. She has also written for the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, Slate, and the Journal of the American Medical Association. For more, please visit sunitapuri.com
In this episode we explore:
- Sunita’s personal journey toward greater self-acceptance
- Why honesty is a form of kindness
- How curiosity can be a key factor in keeping the heart open in the face of difficulty
- Strategies for having courageous conversations about what really matters in life
- What death can teach us about living well
- Empathy - why it’s about asking the questions that need to be listened to
- A few of Sunita’s learnings about when to keep fighting, and when to let go
- The role of courage in living a life without regret
- And more!
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Melvin L. Smith, Ph.D., is a Professor of Organizational Behavior and Faculty Director of Executive Education at Case Western Reserve University's Weatherhead School of Management. Melvin's teaching and research focus on leadership, leadership development, executive coaching and the development and use of human and social capital in organizations. He is coauthor of the book Helping People Change: Coaching for Lifelong Learning and Growth. Prior to his academic career, Melvin spent nearly 15 years in a series of Sales, Marketing and Organization Development roles at a number of Fortune 500 companies including IBM, Pepsi and H.J. Heinz.
In this conversation Melvin and I explore:
- What renewal is and why it's fundamental to thriving
- How we can navigate stress in uncertain times using practices of renewal
- Every day practices for finding renewal, including meditation, deep breathing, and more
- How community and compassionate relationships support renewal and thriving
- Why negative emotions help us survive, and positive emotions + renewal help us thrive
- Why questions are so powerful when it comes to pursuing your dreams
- The importance of having a dream, and pursuing it with intentionality
- How Melvin works with coaching clients to realize their dreams
- The 4 foundations of a courageous life
- And more!
Enjoying the show? Please take a moment and rate it on iTunes.
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Jeffrey Hull, Ph.D. is an author, educator and consultant with over twenty years experience partnering with C-suite executives on issues of high performance leadership, change management, organizational strategy, structure and culture. Dr. Hull is a highly sought-after facilitator, keynote speaker and executive coach to both non-profit and for-profit global organizations. Dr. Hull is Director of Education & Business Development at the Institute of Coaching, McLean Hospital, a Harvard Medical School Affiliate. He is also a clinical instructor in psychology at Harvard Medical School and an adjunct professor of leadership at New York University. For more about Jeff, and his new book Flex: The Art and Science of Leadership in a Changing World, please visit jeffreyhull.com
In this episode Jeff and I explore:
- The current landscape of leadership and who is rising to the top
- Why agility and being able to flex your communication style is key to succeeding as a leader
- Practical strategies that will help you to flex
- Stories of inspirational leaders Jeff has worked with
- Vulnerability as a form of courage
- How to tap into creativity including practices that are supportive of innovation
- Jeff's latest thinking on the future of leadership and why compassion is at the core
- And more!
Enjoying the show? Please take a moment and rate the Courageous Life on iTunes
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Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman is a humanistic psychologist exploring the depths of human potential. He has taught courses on intelligence, creativity, and well-being at Columbia University, NYU, and the University of Pennsylvania. He is interested in using his research to help all kinds of minds live a creative, fulfilling, and self-actualized life. Scott's writing has appeared in The Atlantic, Scientific American, Psychology Today, and Harvard Business Review. In his latest book Transcend: The New Science of Self-Actualization, he presents a new hierarchy of human needs for the 21st century, one that allows for the fulfillment of individual potential as well as the actualization of transcendent purpose and peak experiences. Scott also hosts the #1 psychology podcast in the world, The Psychology Podcast. To learn more, please visit scottbarrykaufman.com
In this episode Scott and I discuss themes from his new book Transcend, including:
- His deep interest in the Abraham Maslow's work and motivation for writing Transcend
- The psychology of everyday saints
- The link between a "quiet ego" and self-actualization
- Acceptance as a form of courage
- Practical strategies for living a more authentic and fulfilling life
- Finding meaning and joy in everyday experiences
- How setting personal boundaries can unlock a deeper capacity for compassion
- And more!
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Have you ever thought about us and them thinking, judgment, tribalism, or blame as habits? If they are habits, can they be broken using the latest science of habit change? Dr. Jud and I dive deep into this question in this episode. We also explore:
- A 3 step process for habit change developed by Jud and his team
- Why Jud believes curiosity is a superpower
- How to rewire your brain for greater kindness, curiosity, and connection
- The key to adopting a growth mindset
- What Jud's team found when they analyzed Anderson Cooper's brain during meditation
- How findings from Jud's neuroscience lab can be used to build bridges, counter tribalism, and foster community
- Practical ways to keep your heart open when it begins to close
- How mindfulness can be helpful in dealing with difficult emotions
About Dr. Jud:
Dr. Jud Brewer is passionate about understanding how our brains work, and how to use that knowledge to help people make deep, permanent change in their lives — with the goal of reducing suffering in the world at large. He is the Director of Research and Innovation at the Mindfulness Center and associate professor in psychiatry at the School of Medicine at Brown University. As an addiction psychiatrist and internationally known expert in mindfulness training for treating addictions, Dr. Jud has developed and tested novel mindfulness programs for habit change, including both in-person and app-based treatments for smoking, emotional eating, and anxiety. He has also studied the underlying neural mechanisms of mindfulness. He has trained US Olympic athletes and coaches, foreign government ministers and corporate leaders. His work has been featured on 60 Minutes, TED, Time magazine, Forbes, CNN, BBC, NPR, The Washington Post, Businessweek and others. You can find out more at drjud.com
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Show notes and more can be found at joshuasteinfeldt.com/podcast
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Samantha Novick is passionate about amplifying the voices of people with disabilities, creating connections and sharing kindness with others. She pursues these passions as a speech-language pathologist, owner of her private practice Bridge Therapy, and President of The Friendship Journey, a charitable organization that cultivates equitable friendships and experiences amongst people of all abilities. Samantha grew up in Parkland, Florida. After a violent mass shooting devastated her community, her passion for activism, social justice and philanthropy grew. Samantha is committed to honoring those who lost their lives to hatred through acts of love and meaningful action in their memories. This summer, The Friendship Journey partnered with Dylan’s Wings of Change of the Sandy Hook community to create a free virtual summer camp for teens and adults with disabilities through the Covid-19 crisis. Their camp motto this summer was “look for the good.” For more about Samantha please visit thefriendshipjourney.org
In this episode Sam shares:
- Strategies for finding joy when times are hard
- How she has developed a quality called equanimity, the ability to "hold it all", and how this has helped her during the pandemic
- The power of self-care and why she was resistant to it at first
- Highlights from Camp Wings of Friendship, a free virtual summer camp for teens and adults with disabilities she co-created this summer
- Why acts of kindness may be a key to resilience and thriving
- Why "looking for the good" can be a life-changing mindset
- And more!
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Fred Guttenberg began his public life after the murder of his beautiful 14-year-old daughter Jaime in the Parkland school shooting on Feb 14, 2018. The day after the murder, Fred decided to attend a public vigil in Parkland. While there, the Mayor asked him to speak. His words shook a nation and he has not stopped since. Only four months prior to the murder of his daughter, Fred's brother Michael passed away in October 2017 from cancer related to his service in 9/11. He was one of the original first responders at the World Trade Center with a team of doctors who got trapped in the building as it collapsed. Amazingly, the room that they hid out in did not collapse and Michael and his team of physicians spent 16 days at ground zero taking care of others. Following his involvement in these two distinct American Tragedies, Fred has traveled the country talking about both events but also talking about perspective, perseverance, and resilience. He discusses pivotal moments in life and how we respond to those moments. Fred uses his speech to inspire others. Learn more about Fred's work at orangeribbonsforjaime.org and pick up his book, Find the Helpers: What 9/11 and Parkland Taught Me About Recovery, Purpose, and Hopenow.
In this episode Fred and I discuss themes from his new book Find the Helpers including:
- Who his helpers are and how they have helped him to deal with grief, transform pain into purpose, and find hope after Parkland and 9/11
- What Joe Biden taught him about grief
- How he has been able to respond to acts of hate from a place of compassion, and love
- The importance of community when it comes to being resilient
- Practical strategies for overcoming 'us and them' thinking
- More about his mission of reducing gun violence, and some of the incredible progress that has been made in terms of new laws and bills, including Jaime's Law that honors his daughter's death by continuing to save lives in her name
- Why it's not what happens to you, but your response that matters most
- And more!
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Find show notes and more at joshuasteinfeldt.com/podcast
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Sharon Salzberg is a central figure in the field of meditation, a world-renowned teacher and NY Times bestselling author. She has played a crucial role in bringing meditation and mindfulness practices to the West and into mainstream culture since 1974, when she first began teaching. She is the co-founder of the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, MA and the author of over ten books including NY Times bestseller, Real Happiness, her seminal work, Lovingkindness, Real Love, and her latest release Real Change: Mindfulness to Heal Ourselves and the World. Acclaimed for her humorous, down-to-earth teaching style, Sharon offers a secular, modern approach to Buddhist teachings, making them instantly accessible. She is a regular columnist for On Being, a contributor to Huffington Post, and the host of her own podcast: The Metta Hour. For more, visit www.SharonSalzberg.com.
In this episode Sharon and I discuss themes related to her new book Real Change including:
- How to deal with strong emotions using mindfulness
- Working with anger in a skillful way, harnessing it's benefits for action while not getting overwhelmed by it
- Finding joy today, in the face of these tumultuous times
- Why joy is a strategy for resilience
- Equanimity and how to find a sense of balance even in the face of tremendous challenges like the pandemic, election stress, or other adversity
- Moving away from us and them thinking by embracing common humanity
- Finding compassion for people we may disagree with or not like
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Find show notes and more at joshuasteinfeldt.com/podcast
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Tal Ben-Shahar is an author and lecturer. He taught two of the largest classes in Harvard University’s history, Positive Psychology and The Psychology of Leadership. Today, Tal consults and lectures around the world to executives in multi-national corporations, the general public, and at-risk populations. The topics he lectures on include leadership, happiness, education, innovation, ethics, self-esteem, resilience, goal setting, and mindfulness. His books have been translated into more than twenty-five languages, and have appeared on best-sellers lists around the world. Tal is a serial entrepreneur, and is the co-founder and chief learning officer of Happiness Studies Academy, Potentialife, Maytiv, and Happier.TV. An avid sportsman, Tal won the U.S. Intercollegiate and Israeli National squash championships. Find out more about Tal at talbenshahar.com
In this episode we discuss:
- Perfectionism - what it is, how it works, and how to work with this tendency more skillfully in one's life
- How Tal works with perfectionism in his own life
- The power of acceptance and why this is such a powerful approach to working with perfectionism and finding happiness
- Details on Tal's approach to teaching and speaking. How he prepares, and thinks about connecting with his audience
- Why reminders are so critical to a happier and more optimal way of living and working
- Strategies and approaches for increasing gratitude, and for working with difficult emotions
- And more!
Please rate the show on iTunes!
For show notes and more visit joshuasteinfeldt.com/podcast
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Chris Germer, PhD is a clinical psychologist and lecturer on psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. In 2007, Chris began collaborating with Kristin Neff, psychology professor at the University of Texas, Austin, and pioneering researcher on self-compassion. In 2009, he wrote the book, The Mindful Path to Self-Compassion, and, in 2010, Chris and Kristin co-developed Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC), an empirically-supported, 8-week training program for the general public. The Center for Mindful Self-Compassion was established in 2012 and since then tens of thousands of people have learned MSC. Additionally, they have co-authored two books on MSC, The Mindful Self-Compassion Workbook and Teaching the Mindful Self-Compassion Program. Chris spends most of his time lecturing and leading workshops around the world on mindfulness and self-compassion, supporting MSC teachers and students, and maintaining a modest psychotherapy practice. To learn more about Chris, check out chrisgermer.com
In this episode Chris and I explore:
- How compassion meditation helped him overcome a long battle with public speaking anxiety
- How acceptance can be a powerful way to reduce suffering and stress
- Fierce compassion, and why compassion can be a form of courage
- What self-compassion is and what it's not
- The myths and misconceptions about self-compassion
- Why self-compassion helps build resilience, enhance motivation, and improve relationships
- The health benefits of self-compassion
- How self-compassion can be an antidote to shame
- Practical strategies for building mindfulness and compassion in one's life
- And more!
Please rate the show on iTunes!
For show notes and more visit joshuasteinfeldt.com
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Goalkeeper Stephanie Labbé has been part of the Canadian Women’s Soccer program since 2002. She made her Olympic debut at Rio 2016 where she started five of six games, allowing just four goals, as Team Canada won the bronze medal. Labbé was on the Canadian roster for the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2011, 2015, and 2019 (starting all 4 games in 2019). Labbé played collegiate soccer for the University of Connecticut. In her senior year she was named the 2008 Big East Goalkeeper of the Year. Labbé is the current starting goalkeeper for the professional team the North Carolina Courage. Learn more about Steph at stephlabbe.com or on instagram @stephlabbe1
In this episode Steph shares:
- Her inspiring story of walking away from the Canadian National Team to work on herself, and how she came back stronger, happier, and better than ever.
- Tips and strategies for performing under pressure and boosting resilience
- How to learn from failure
- Mindset practices for dealing with uncertainty, particularly during COVID
- The importance of surrounding yourself with people who believe in you and allow you to be who you are
- Key learnings from her ongoing journey toward living a more authentic life
- The importance of humor for getting through challenging times
- Tips for anyone looking to pursue really big dreams and goals
- And more!
If you enjoy this conversation, please rate the show on iTunes!
You can find show notes at www.joshuasteinfeldt.com/podcast
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When the Hockley family relocated from England to Connecticut in the winter of 2011 it was the realization of a family dream. Ian had visited the United States regularly since childhood, Nicole was from Rhode Island and Jake was born on the 4th of July; in many ways it was coming home.They moved to the idyllic town of Sandy Hook which Ian selected after touring the beautiful neighborhoods and meeting the staff at the elementary school, knowing Dylan especially would get a fantastic start as they made their new life. This bright beginning ran full force into the American nightmare on December 14th, 2012 when Dylan was shot and killed in his first-grade classroom alongside 19 of his fellow students and six educators in one of the worst mass shootings in recent U.S. history.
Ian and Nicole created Dylan’s Wings of Change, dedicated to his memory with a mission to inspire empathy, courage & hope. everywhere. Working with experts the foundation created Wingman, a program of experiential learning activities that foster deeper conversations, stronger teams and more connected communities. Wingman is effective for humans of all ages and works especially well as a peer-led social and emotional learning program both in and out of schools.Ian now works full time for the foundation, serving as Executive Director, and is dedicated to spreading the message of acceptance and inclusion for all. He warmly shares Dylan’s story with the world, the 6-year old boy who had his own way of communicating, who radiated pure love and described himself as “a beautiful butterfly” to his mother. Ian addresses the epidemic of social isolation and exclusion today and the need for social and emotional programming everywhere.
In this episode we explore:
- More about Ian's story and the events that occurred on December 14, 2012
- His road to healing
- His motivation for spreading messages of love, kindness, and empathy after experiencing acts of hate and violence
- Details about the Wingman Program and Dylans Wings of Change
- How the Wingman Program promotes social and emotional learning, and positive leadership in schools
- Why Ian views empathy as an antidote for our time
- Why it is so important to focus on the things we have, as opposed to things we don't, in the face of adversity
- And much more!
For more about Ian please visit Dylanswingsofchange.org
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Show notes can be found at joshuasteinfeldt.com/podcast
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Scholars, consultants, teachers, and researchers Monica Worline and Jane Dutton are co-authors of the book Awakening Compassion at Work. Monica and Jane are co-founders of the CompassionLab, the world’s leading collaboratory for research on compassion and work organizations. Working together for more than fifteen years, Monica and Jane offer key insights regarding the value of compassion for addressing pain people bring into the workplace and pain that is created in the conduct of daily work. Monica and Jane teach and consult with leaders, managers, students, and change agents in a variety of organizations who are striving to awaken compassion in their work lives. For more on Monica and Jane, including their background and the important work they are doing please check out https://awakeningcompassionatwork.com
In this episode we explore:
- The stories behind how Monica and Jane got interested in studying, researching, and teaching compassion.
- The 4 parts of compassion
- Training compassion - looking at compassion as a skill that can be developed
- The importance of noticing suffering and how to do so in organizations
- How, and why, the stories we tell ourselves about other people amplify (or hinder) our ability to be compassionate
- The business case for compassion
- Ways to build compassion into processes, roles, and routines within organizations
- And more!
Enjoying the show? Please take a moment and rate the Courageous Life on iTunes.
Looking for more resources or references from the show? Check out the show notes for this episode at www.joshuasteinfeldt.com
More about Monica Worline:
Monica C. Worline, Ph.D., is founder and CEO of EnlivenWork, an innovation organization that teaches businesses and others how to tap into courageous thinking, compassionate leadership, and the curiosity to bring their best work to life. She is a research scientist at Stanford University’s Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education and Executive Director of CompassionLab, the world’s leading research collaboratory focused on compassion at work. Monica holds a lectureship at the Ross School of Business, University of Michigan, and is affiliate faculty at the Center for Positive Organizations.
More about Jane Dutton:
Jane E. Dutton, Ph.D., is the Robert L. Kahn Distinguished University Professor of Business Administration and Psychology at the Ross School of Business. She is a co-founder of the Center for Positive Organizations, and passionate about cultivating human flourishing at work. Her research focuses on compassion, job crafting, high quality connections, and meaning making at work. She has written over 100 articles and published 13 books, including How to be a Positive Leader: Small Actions, Big Impact.
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Please enjoy this free BONUS guided meditation from Rick Hanson. This brief practice is the first of 7 practices outlined in Rick’s new book, Neurodharma: New Science, Ancient Wisdom, and Seven Practices of the Highest Happiness. This meditation focuses on steadying the mind.
For more on Rick please listen to our most recent conversation (episode 49), or our first conversation on the topic of resilience in episode 12 of the Courageous Life. You can also check out rickhanson.net.
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Please enjoy this free BONUS guided meditation from Rick Hanson. This brief practice is the second of 7 practices outlined in Rick’s new book, Neurodharma: New Science, Ancient Wisdom, and Seven Practices of the Highest Happiness. This meditation focuses on warming the heart.
For more on Rick please listen to our most recent conversation (episode 49), or our first conversation on the topic of resilience in episode 12 of the Courageous Life. You can also check out rickhanson.net.
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Rick Hanson, Ph.D., is a psychologist, Senior Fellow of the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley, and New York Times best-selling author. His books have been published in 29 languages and include Neurodharma, Resilient, Hardwiring Happiness, Buddha’s Brain, Just One Thing, and Mother Nurture. He’s lectured at NASA, Google, Oxford, and Harvard, and taught in meditation centers worldwide. An expert on positive neuroplasticity, his work has been featured on the BBC, CBS, NPR, and other major media. He began meditating in 1974 and is the founder of the Wellspring Institute for Neuroscience and Contemplative Wisdom. For more about Rick, his teachings, books, and events please visit rickhanson.net.
Rick is back for round 2! In this episode we explore:
- How he thinks about the heights of human potential
- What he has learned from exemplars, neuroscience, and decades of meditation experience about realizing one’s potential
- 7 practices for achieving the highest happiness
- HEAL - a practice for turning positive states into lasting traits
- How Rick thinks about being driven, and achieve-oriented while simultaneously having a sense of ease
- What Rick learned from the Dalai Lama’s body guard about being tough and loving
- Some of my experiences with Rick as a participant on two of his 10-day meditation retreats
- And more!
- Please also check out the BONUS meditations that Rick has generously shared which focus on the first two (of 7) practices from his new book, Neurodharma. You can find these listed as bonus episodes of the Courageous Life.
Interested in learning more from Rick? Check out episode 12 of the Courageous Life where we explored the topic of resilience.
Enjoying the show? Please let us know by rating the Courageous Life on iTunes!
Show notes can be found at www.joshuasteinfeldt.com/podcast
Thanks for listening!
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Dr. Jo Boaler is a professor of education and equity at Stanford University and the faculty director of youcubed—an education resource that has reached over 230 million students. She is the author of the first MOOC on mathematics teaching and learning, as well as nine mathematics books and numerous research articles. Her work has been published in the New York Times, TIME magazine, The Telegraph, The Atlantic, The Wall Street Journal, and many other news outlets. She was named by the BBC as one of eight educators “changing the face of education.” Her latest book is: Limitless Mind: Learn, Lead & Live without Barriers, published by Harper Collins.
In this episode Jo shares:
- Her incredible story of overcoming academic bullying and what it taught her about resilience and connection
- What neuroplasticity is, why it's a game changing finding in neuroscience, and how understanding the way our brains work can transform the ways we learn, lead & live
- The neuroscience behind why mistakes are actually a good thing
- How she teaches students to embrace mistakes, and learn from failure
- The neurobiology of fear, and how curiosity may be an antidote to the fear response
- How adopting a growth mindset can be a key to living without limits
- The importance of believing in oneself and why anyone can learn anything
- And much more!
If you found this episode as inspiring as I did, please share it with friends and take a moment to let us know what you thought by rating the show on iTunes.
Show notes and more can be found at joshuasteinfeldt.com/podcast
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Tania de Jong (pronounced Yong) AM is a trail-blazing Australian soprano, global speaker, award-winning social entrepreneur, creative innovation catalyst and spiritual journeywoman. Tania is one of Australia’s most successful female entrepreneurs and innovators, developing 5 businesses and 3 charities over the past 3 decades including, but not limited to Creative Universe, Creativity Australia and the With One Voice program, Creative Innovation Global, and Mind Medicine Australia. She was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia and named one of the 100 Women of Influence and the one of the 100 Australian Most Influential Entrepreneurs. Tania has released eleven Albums and her TEDx TalkHow Singing Together Changes The Brainhas sparked international interest. To learn more about Tania, and the work she is doing please visit taniadejong.com
In this episode Tania shares:
- Her incredible story of being told by her best friend at 14 years old not to bother having singing lessons, and how this drove her to a successful career as a singer and entrepreneur
- Powerful lessons in unlocking creativity and innovation she first learned from the inventor of the foldable umbrella, who just happened to be her grandmother
- The backstory on the With One Voice choir program, a non-profit focused on empowering individuals to find their voice through community
- How she deals with fear and uncertainty
- How to turn failure into opportunities for learning and growth
- Her thoughts on the importance of diversity, inclusion, and community for creativity
- And more!
Please rate the show on iTunes!
Find show notes and more at www.joshuasteinfeldt.com/podcast
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Please enjoy this free BONUS guided meditation from Shelly Tygielski. This brief practice is intended to promote a sense of ease, and help one deal with uncertainty surrounding COVID-19.
For more on Shelly please listen to episode 46 of the Courageous Life and check out pandemicoflove.com
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This is one of the most important and timely conversations I have had on the Courageous Life. Shelly Tygielski, a friend and return guest to the show, has started a movement called The Pandemic of Love. In response to the challenges surrounding COVID-19 including job loss, furloughs, illness, etc - the Pandemic of Love has connected over 10,000 families (to-date) in need of basic essentials like food and medicine with 10,000+ patrons who are offering support (financial or otherwise). Launched on March 14th, 2020 this movement is already going viral, with over 280 volunteers working behind-the-scenes, and more and more people connecting to help each other, and to spread love each and every day. Shelly and I will get into all the details and backstory on the Pandemic of Love about 30 minutes into the episode. If you want to get involved now, please go to pandemicoflove.com
In this episode Shelly shares:
- Her inspiring story of how and why she got into the work she is doing today as a community organizer, activist, and meditation teacher
- How meditation has helped her to rise up in the face of adversity and challenges in her life
- What her meditation practice involves today
- Coping strategies for dealing with fear and uncertainty related to COVID-19
- The incredible story behind the Pandemic of Love, why she started it, and how to get involved
Shelly has also offered a brief meditation for dealing with uncertainty that you will find included as a BONUS mini episode of the Courageous Life.
About Shelly:
Shelly Tygielski is a “modern-life mindfulness” teacher and “self-care activist” who focuses much of her time on communities that are underserved, with social justice and community organizations, non-profits and schools. Shelly was made to create movements and regularly runs into the flames to help people in need. She is deeply involved in offering trauma-informed healing practices to communities affected by gun violence and mass shootings and has led retreats for survivors and victims’ families representing Parkland, Pittsburgh, Las Vegas, Aurora, Columbine and more.
She also started the “Sand Tribe”community in Hollywood Beach, Fl that grew from 12 friends meditating together to over 15,000 individuals that practice together on a regular basis. She was featured on the cover of Mindful Magazine® in June 2019 for her work in this space and was recently referred to as one of the most “Powerful Women in Mindfulness” by mindful.org. Her work and classes have been featured on mindful.org, Tricycle, The New York Times and dozens of national and international television and online platforms.
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Jerry Colonna is the CEO, and co-founder, of Reboot.io, an executive coaching and leadership development firm whose coaches and facilitators are committed to the notion that better humans make better leaders. For nearly 20 years, he has used the knowledge gained as an investor, an executive, and a board member for more than 100 organizations to help entrepreneurs and others to lead with humanity, resilience, and equanimity. He believes not only that work does not have to destroy us, but that work can be the way to achieve our fullest selves. Jerry is the author of Reboot: Leadership and the Art of Growing Up. Previous to his career as a coach he was a partner with JPMorgan Partners (JPMP), the private equity arm of JP Morgan Chase. He joined JPMP from Flatiron Partners, which he launched 1996 with partner, Fred Wilson. Flatiron became one of the most successful, early-stage investment programs in the New York City area. You can learn more about Jerry at www.reboot.io
In this episode Jerry and I discuss:
- The process of moving from reaction to choice in our lives
- How slowing down and engaging in deep questions about what matters can be a radical act
- How he defines "radical self-inquiry" and why this is so foundational to his work with leaders
- How to let go of old patterns of behavior and ways of being that are no longer serving us
- Stories from his 1x1 work with some of his coaching clients
- Why resilience and equanimity are the larger aims of the work he does
- Overcoming fear through courage and curiosity
- The importance of a compassionate approach when we reboot our lives, and the way we lead
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Show notes can be found at www.joshuasteinfeldt.com/podcast
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Shauna Shapiro, PhD is a best-selling author, clinical psychologist and internationally recognized expert in mindfulness and self-compassion. She is a professor at Santa Clara University and has published over 150 papers and three critically acclaimed books, translated into 16 languages. Her latest book, Good Morning I Love You: Mindfulness and Self-Compassion Practices to Rewire Your Brain for Calm, Clarity + Joy was released in January of 2020. Shauna has presented her research to the King of Thailand, the Danish Government, Bhutan’s Gross National Happiness Summit, and the World Council for Psychotherapy, as well as to Fortune 100 Companies including Google, Cisco Systems and LinkedIn. Her work has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Mashable, Wired, USA Today, Dr. Oz, the Huffington Post, and the American Psychologist. Shauna is a Fellow of the Mind and Life Institute, co-founded by the Dalai Lama. Her TEDx Talk, The Power of Mindfulness, has been viewed over 1.5 million times. For more on Shauna visit www.drshaunashapiro.com
In this episode Shauna shares:
- How meditation helped her during one of the darkest times in her life
- Insights into her own personal mindfulness practice, including benefits she has experienced from meditating
- Tips for getting started with a daily mindfulness practice
- The IAA (Intention, Attention, Attitude) framework for practicing mindfulness
- A simple equation for reducing suffering in our lives
- How, and why, she let go of perfectionism and embraced self-compassion in her own life
- How mindfulness and self-compassion practices can change your brain for greater calm, clarity, and joy
- Why shame and self-criticism are poor strategies when it comes to achievement
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Robin Dreeke is a best-selling author, professional speaker, trainer, facilitator, and retired FBI Special Agent and Chief of the Counterintelligence Behavioral Analysis Program, which has been depicted in TV and movies, including the acclaimed show Mind Hunter on Netflix. Robin has taken his life's work of recruiting spies and broken down the art of leadership, communication, and relationship building into Five Steps to TRUST and Six Signs of who you can TRUST. Since 2010, Robin has been working with large corporations as well as small companies in every aspect of their business. Whether it is newly promoted leaders, executives, sales teams, or customer relations, Robin has crafted his People Formula for quick results and maximum success. He is the author of multiple books, including Sizing People Up, and The Code of Trust. Learn more about Robin at www.peopleformula.com
In this episode Robin shares:
- His background working in counterintelligence for the FBI
- What he learned about building trust from recruiting spies.
- Why building healthy professional relationships is one of the keys to living a fulfilling and meaningful life
- Strategies for regulating emotions and staying rational and calm under pressure
- Why curiosity may be an antidote to fear
- How to build trust in the face of division and tribalism
- And more!
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Show notes can be found at www.joshuasteinfeldt.com/podcast
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Kelly McGonigal is a health psychologist and lecturer at Stanford University who specializes in understanding the mind-body connection. As a pioneer in the field of "science-help," her mission is to translate insights from psychology and neuroscience into practical strategies that support personal well-being and strengthen communities. She is the best-selling author of The Willpower Instinct and The Upside of Stress. Through the Stanford Center for Compassion and Altruism, she helped create Stanford Compassion Cultivation Training, a program now taught around the world that helps individuals strengthen their empathy, compassion, and self-compassion. You might know her from her TED talk, "How to Make Stress Your Friend," which is one of the most viewed TED talks of all time, with over 20 million views. Her new book, The Joy of Movement, explores why physical exercise is a powerful antidote to the modern epidemics of depression, anxiety, and loneliness. Learn more about Kelly at kellymcgongial.com
In this episode Kelly shares:
- Why reflecting on your values and clarifying what matters most to you can be one of the most powerful practices for changing habits and behavior
- Practical skills for being able to better tolerate distress and discomfort
- Strategies for dealing with fear and cultivating courage including one of Kelly's favorite practices
- More skillful ways to navigate stress
- Why asking for help, and receiving support from others can be a strength, and a form of self-compassion
- How exercise and movement can create hope, courage, connection, and happiness in our lives (and some of the science as to why)
- Her process for creating powerful public talks, writing books, and connecting with audiences
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Cory Muscara is an international speaker and teacher on the topics of presence and wellbeing. He has taught mindfulness-based leadership at Columbia University, and currently serves as an instructor of positive psychology at the University of Pennsylvania, where he completed his graduate work. In 2012, Cory spent six months in silence living as a monk in Burma, meditating 14-20 hours each day under the instruction of the late Sayadaw U Pandita. A frequent guest on the Dr. Oz show, he now aims to bring these teachings to people in a practical and relatable way, presenting to schools, organizations, and healthcare systems, as well as through workshops and retreats for the general public. Cory’s meditations have been heard more than 10 million times in over 50 countries. He looks forward to connecting with you through his first book, Stop Missing Your Life: How to Be Deeply Present in an Un-Present World. For more on Cory visit www.corymuscara.com.
In this episode we explore:
- Cory’s journey around writing his new book, Stop Missing Your Life
- Insights Cory gained in overcoming roadblocks in the creative process
- What presence is and why it is so important
- 4 pillars for becoming more present in your life and relationships
- Why curiosity is the opposite of fear and how it can help you to deepen presence
- How to let go of old habits that are no longer helpful
- Practical strategies for building, or deepening a meditation practice
- Benefits from practicing meditation more than you think you can
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Parker J. Palmer is a writer, teacher, and activist. Founder and Senior Partner Emeritus of the Center for Courage & Renewal, he has written ten books, including the bestselling Let Your Life Speak, The Courage to Teach, A Hidden Wholeness, Healing the Heart of Democracy, and On the Brink of Everything: Grace, Gravity and Getting Old. He holds a Ph.D. in sociology from the University of California, Berkeley, and thirteen honorary doctorates. In 1998, The Leadership Project, a national survey of ten thousand educators, named Palmer as one of the thirty “most influential senior leaders” in higher education and one of the ten key “agenda-setters” of the past decade. Since 2002, the Accrediting Commission for Graduate Medical Education has given annual Parker J. Palmer “Courage to Teach” and “Courage to Lead” Awards to directors of exemplary medical residency programs around the U.S. In 2010, Palmer received the William Rainey Harper Award, whose previous recipients include Margaret Mead, Elie Wiesel, and Paolo Freire. In 2011, the Utne Reader named him one of 25 Visionaries on its annual list of “People Who are Changing the World.” To learn more about Parker and his latest project, The Growing Edge, please visit newcomerpalmer.com
In the first episode of Season 2 we explore:
- Some of Parker's personal story including challenges and adversities he has faced and how these have shaped his life
- What wholeness is and the courage it takes live an undivided life
- Parker's insights about writing, speaking, and connecting with an audience
- Lessons Parker has learned about finding courage and working with fear
- The power of reframing situations and circumstances one faces
- How to listen deeply
- Finding one's vocation in life
- How to create conditions that foster courage in others
- And more!
Please rate the show on iTunes and let us know what you think!
For show notes and more visit www.joshuasteinfeldt.com/podcast
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Mark Coleman has studied mindfulness meditation practices for three decades, and has taught mindfulness workshops and meditation retreats in six continents for the past twenty years. He is a senior meditation teacher at Spirit Rock Meditation Center, a trainer for Search Inside Yourself Leadership Institute (developed at Google), and holds a MA in Clinical Psychology, drawing on his extensive experience in working with people as a therapist and coach. Mark leads Professional Mindfulness Teacher Trainings in the US and UK annually, and has brought mindfulness training programs to companies and the nonprofit sector across North America and Europe. He also leads wilderness meditation retreats from Alaska to Peru, taking people on inner and outdoor adventures through his organization Awake in the Wild. Mark is the author of several books including From Suffering to Peace: The True Promise of Mindfulness, Make Peace with Your Mind: How Mindfulness and Compassion Can Help Free You from the Inner Critic and Awake in the Wild: Mindfulness in Nature as a Path of Self-Discovery. For more, visit: www.markcoleman.org
In this episode:
- Evolutionary reasons behind why we have an "inner critic"
- How and why the inner critic can hold us back in our lives
- Mark's own journey with the inner critic, and how meditation has helped free him from it's negative impact
- The importance of humor when dealing with the critic
- Neuroplasticity, and how meditation and compassion practices can change our brains
- Mark's favorite practices for working with the inner critic
- And more!
For show notes and more visit www.joshuasteinfeldt.com/podcast
Enjoy the show and thanks for listening!
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Bill Burnett is the Executive Director of the Design Program at Stanford. He directs the undergraduate and graduate program in design at Stanford, both interdepartmental programs between the Mechanical Engineering department and the Art department. He got his BS and MS in Product Design at Stanford and has worked professionally on a wide variety of projects ranging from award-winning Apple PowerBooks to the original Hasbro Star Wars action figures. Bill co teaches Designing Your Life, one of the most popular elective courses at Stanford. Centered on the principles taught in the Product Design Program and the d.school at Stanford, called “design thinking”, it is a process and a way of thinking about tough-to-solve problems. For more on Bill, his book Designing Your Life, and upcoming events please visit www.designingyour.life
In this episode:
- We unpack what life design really is, and how design thinking can be used to build a meaningful and fulfilling life
- Learn why "finding your passion" is often bad advice
- Bill shares findings from neuroscience about how the brains of the most creative people in the world are different and what we can learn from them about overcoming fear
- 5 fundamentals of brainstorming that will help unlock innovative new possibilities
- What prototyping is and why it is important to designing your life
For show notes and more visit www.joshuasteinfeldt.com/podcast
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Ali Smith co-founded the Holistic Life Foundation in 2001, where he currently serves as Executive Director. He is a native of Baltimore, Maryland and graduate of the Friends School of Baltimore and the University of Maryland, College Park, receiving a BS in Environmental Science and Policy with a Biodiversity specialization. He has over 15 years of experience teaching yoga and mindfulness to diverse populations. Through his work at the Holistic Life Foundation he has helped develop and pilot yoga and mindfulness programs at public and private schools, drug treatment centers, juvenile detention centers, mental crisis facilities, and retreat centers, nationally and internationally. Ali has authored a series of children’s books, and co-authored several yoga and mindfulness based curriculum’s, as well as developed numerous workshops and training’s. His work with the Holistic Life Foundation has been featured on Making a Difference on the NBC Nightly News, CNN, and CBS, as well as O the Oprah Magazine, The Washington Post, Upworthy, Mindful Magazine, Yoga Journal, Shambala Sun, and many other publications.
In this episode:
- Ali’s story about growing up, learning meditation, and starting a movement of bringing meditation and yoga into schools in Baltimore
- How Ali thinks about influencing and connecting with people
- How meditation, and connecting with oneself can foster hope and inspire people to dream
- The origin story of the Holistic Life Foundation, from humble beginnings in the basement of one school to teaching contemplative practices to students around the world
- The transformative effects of meditation and yoga programs in schools including large scale reductions in fights, detentions, and suspensions
- Moving from reaction to choice through learning meditation and yoga practices
- And more!
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Show notes can be found at www.joshuasteinfeldt.com/podcast
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Oren Jay Sofer is the author of the acclaimed new book Say What You Mean: A Mindful Approach to Nonviolent Communication, a practical guidebook for having more effective, satisfying conversations. He is also co-author of two books on teaching mindfulness to teens and adolescents: The Mindful Schools Curriculum for Adolescents and Teaching Mindfulness to Empower Teens. Oren leads retreats and workshops on mindful communication and meditation at retreat centers and educational settings around the United States. A member of the Spirit Rock Teacher's Council, he holds a degree in Comparative Religion from Columbia University, teaches in the Insight Meditation community, and is a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner and a Certified Trainer of Nonviolent Communication. Oren creates mindfulness training programs for a number of organizations, including Mindful Schools, Kaiser Permanente, Calm, SImple Habit, and 10% Happier. He is also the founder of Next Step Dharma and Mindful Healthcare. For more information, visit www.OrenJaySofer.com.
In this episode:
- Oren shares his story of finding meditation and why he is so passionate about mindfulness and communication
- Oren discusses how mindfulness can be applied to communication to support more satisfying and effective conversations
- We discuss how to have difficult conversations including practical strategies for regulating your emotions, your body, and your mind when stressed, triggered, or upset
- We explore moving from reaction to choice
- We explore how to listen deeply
For show notes visit www.joshuasteinfeldt.com/podcast
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Douglas Stone is a Founder of Triad Consulting Group and a Lecturer on Law at Harvard Law School, where he teaches negotiation. Through Triad, he consults to a wide range of organizations, including Fidelity, Honda, HP, IBM, Merck, Microsoft, and Shell. Doug is co-author of the New York Times bestsellers Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most (Penguin 2000), and Thanks for the Feedback: The Science and Art of Receiving Feedback Well (Even When It’s Off-Base, Unfair, Poorly Delivered and Frankly, You’re Not in the Mood) (Viking/Penguin 2014). His articles on negotiation and conflict resolution have appeared in the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, and the Boston Globe. He has appeared on many TV and radio shows, including Oprah. For more on Doug please visit www.triadconsultinggroup.com
In this episode we cover a wide array of topics including:
-The three types of feedback (coaching, evaluation, and recognition), what they are, why they are important, and why we so often miss the mark with feedback
-What gets in the way of receiving feedback
-How to deliver feedback more effectively
-The importance of moving from judgment to curiosity (and compassion) to foster learning
-Why stories are so important in difficult conversations
-Strategies and insights for engaging in difficult conversations more skillfully
-And much more!
For show notes and more please visit www.joshuasteinfeldt.com/podcast
Take a moment and let us know what you think about the show by rating it on iTunes or writing a review.
Thanks for listening and enjoy the show!
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Amy C. Edmondson, PhD, is the Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management at the Harvard Business School, a chair established to support the study of human interactions that lead to the creation of successful enterprises that contribute to the betterment of society. Edmondson has been recognized by the biannual Thinkers50 global ranking of management thinkers in 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2017 and was honored with the Talent Award in 2017. If you are not familiar with Thinkers50 it has been described as “The Oscars of Management Thinking.” This year (2019) Amy Edmondson is nominated for the Breakthrough Idea award. Her work on psychological safety is considered to be thinking that has the potential to change the world.
Dr. Edmondson studies teaming, psychological safety, and leadership. Her new book,The Fearless Organization: Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace for Learning, Innovation and Growth (Wiley, 2018), offers a practical guide for organizations serious about success in the modern economy.
In this episode we explore:
-Amy's unexpected journey to discovering the importance of psychological safety
-Why fear is not an effective motivator for learning, teamwork, and innovation
-A closer look at organizations like Pixar and how they have built strong psychological safety within their teams
-How psychological safety is a catalyst for courage
-Practical strategies for creating psychological safety
-How leaders can make, or break, psychological safety within organizational cultures
-And more!
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For show notes and all other episodes visit www.joshuasteinfeldt.com/podcast
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Kevin Cashman is a best-selling author, global thought leader, CEO Advisor, keynote speaker, and pioneer of the ‘grow the whole person to grow the whole leader’ approach to transformative leadership. He is the founder of LeaderSource Ltd, and the Chief Executive Institute® recognized as one of the top three leadership development programs globally. In 2006, LeaderSource was acquired by Korn Ferry, where Kevin is now Global Leader of CEO and Executive Development across 130 offices that touch the lives of 100,000+ leaders monthly. Kevin has advised thousands of CEOs, senior executives and senior teams in more than 80 countries worldwide. He has written six books including Leadership from the Inside Out, named the #1 best-selling business book of 2000 by CEO-READ and is now used at over 150 universities globally. You can find out more about Kevin at www.cashmanleadership.com
In this episode we explore a wide range of topics related to leadership including:
- The importance of, and challenges with, bringing your whole self to work
- Why the art of asking questions is one of the most effective ways to influence
- The courage it takes to grow authentically as a leader
- The importance of storytelling to inspire
- Why courage may be the most important quality in leadership development
- And more!
For show notes and more visit www.joshuasteinfeldt.com/podcast
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Brianna Booth, Ph.D. is the Director of Positive Sexuality at Stanford University. Compelled by a deep belief that we as a society can do better on the challenges of sexuality, Brianna aims to transform the cultural conversation to more fundamentally level-up on both the challenges and possibilities of sexuality. She earned her PhD in Human Sexuality Studies, focusing her research on the lived experience of sexuality and the skills of navigating it well. Brianna is working with students to create a series of programs for undergraduates--Beyond Sex Ed--which take a whole-person, whole-culture approach, centering on student storytelling, the skills for growth and connection, and a recognition of sexuality as an integral part of what it is to be human.
In this episode we explore:
- Why listening is the first and most advanced skill of sexuality
- Brianna’s courageous story of starting a movement to expand how we conceive of, and discuss the topic of sexuality
- The importance of storytelling - how stories foster connection, intimacy, and courage
- Her groundbreaking approach to teaching sexuality at Stanford
- How to develop self-trust
- What positive sexuality is, and why Brianna is so passionate about it
Please take a moment and rate the show on iTunes.
For show notes and more visit https://www.joshuasteinfeldt.com/podcast
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In this episode I sat down with bestselling author, TED speaker, and acclaimed psychologist, Dr. Meg Jay. I had been looking forward to this conversation for years, and it did not disappoint. In this episode we explore Meg's wisdom and insights related to her recent book, Supernormal - The Untold Story of Adversity and Resilience, including:
- How we can build resilience
- How love can transform the effects of adversity and trauma (and the science behind it)
- The relationship between courage, empathy, and deep listening
- How to support friends, colleagues, and loved ones in the face of adversity
- How to challenge the stories we tell ourselves and how learning this skill leads to resilience
- Why the past does not define the future
- And much more!
Links to show notes, resources, and more can be found at www.joshuasteinfeldt.com/podcast
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Meg Jay's background:
Meg Jay is a clinical psychologist and a narrative nonfiction writer. In her books, she weaves the latest research with what she hears everyday: the behind-closed-doors stories of real people.
In Supernormal, Dr. Jay reveals the secret world of the family hero: those who soar to unexpected heights after childhood adversity. In The Defining Decade, Dr. Jay elevates what it means to be a twentysomething. She argues that, rather than a developmental downtime, the twenties are a developmental sweetspot: a time when the things we do—and the things we don’t do—will have an enormous impact across years and even generations to come. The Defining Decade has been published in more than a dozen countries. Her related TED talk — “Why 30 Is Not the New 20” — has been viewed more than 10 million times. Her work has appeared in numerous media outlets including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, USA Today, O Magazine, and on the BBC, NPR and TED. For more about Meg please visit www.megjay.com
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In this episode I sat down with acclaimed author, trauma expert, leadership coach, and renowned mindfulness teacher, Dr. David Treleaven. This wide-ranging conversation included a variety of topics related to his recent book Trauma-Sensitive Mindfulness including:
- David's experiences and challenges with meditation
- Why David is so passionate about looking at mindfulness from a trauma-informed perspective
- The dangers of viewing mindfulness as a panacea and why mindfulness is not always beneficial
- Ways to engage in meditation and mindfulness practice that maximize the benefits while minimizing potential downsides
- What trauma is, and why David believes that a greater understanding of trauma can make the benefits of mindfulness even more powerful
- Ways to stay engaged and present in difficult conversations
- How organizations and leaders can build more positive and inclusive cultures
- Practical strategies to stay grounded when triggered or overwhelmed
If you enjoyed this episode please take a moment and rate the show on iTunes. You can also find show notes and links to all episodes at www.joshuasteinfeldt.com/podcast
Thanks for listening!
David's Background:
David Treleaven, PhD, is an acclaimed author, educator, and trauma professional whose work focuses on the intersection of mindfulness and trauma. Utilizing contemporary research to inform best practices, David has offered workshops on trauma-sensitive mindfulness at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and the Center for Mindfulness at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, as well as keynote speeches at the Omega Institute in New York and the Institute for Mindfulness in South Africa in Johannesburg. Trained in counseling psychology at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada, he received his doctorate in psychology from the California Institute of Integral Studies and is currently a visiting scholar at Brown University. You can find out more about David, his teachings, and his book Trauma-Sensitive Mindfulness at www.davidtreleaven.com
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In this episode I had a deeply moving and powerful conversation with four members of the Parkland community who were impacted by the school shooting that took place at Marjory Stoneman Douglas Senior High School on February 14, 2018. In this conversation MSD students - Danielle Gilbert and Danny Tabares, Adult Chair of March for Our Lives Parkland - Samantha Novick, and community organizer and respected meditation teacher Shelly Tygielski courageously share their experiences of that day and their road to healing. This is one of the most hopeful and inspirational conversations that has taken place on this show (and that I have ever witnessed or been a part of). I hope you enjoy.
This show contains content that some may find to be upsetting, disturbing, or triggering. Please listen at your own discretion. Thank you.
In this episode we explore:
- Their experiences of Valentine’s Day 2018
- Insights about transforming pain into purpose
- Staying hopeful when times get tough
- How they have found the courage to be compassionate, and to love after experiencing hate
- The importance of listening, and healthy debate
- What they’ve learned about creating conditions that promote healing
- Why little acts of kindness are so important
- And much more.
Guest bios - please note these are partial bios. For full bios, show notes, and links to references and resources mentioned in the show please visit www.joshuasteinfeldt.com/episode-29
Please share this episode, rate the show, and subscribe by heading to iTunes. Thanks for listening!
Danielle Gilbert, Student
Danielle Gilbert is currently a senior at Marjory Stoneman Douglas Senior High School in Parkland, Florida. She has lived in Parkland for her entire life. She was located in one of the classrooms that was shot into on February 14, 2018. She will be attending University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida in the Fall of 2019.
Daniel ("Danny") Tabares, Student
Daniel Tabares is an 18-year old Sophomore at Marjory Stoneman Douglas Senior High School. Danny was a Freshman during the tragic events of February 14, 2018 and experienced, like many others, trauma but he managed to turn that pain into purpose. Originally from Honduras and also part Colombian, Danny has overcome many challenges in his life prior to shooting and has channeled that strength to focus on helping others. He spends a lot of his time volunteering in the organizations that were formed to commemorate and honor the 17 victims of the Parkland shooting.
Samantha Novick, Adult Chair of March for Our Lives Parkland, MSD Alumnus
Samantha Novick was the Adult Chairperson for March For Our Lives - Parkland which took place on March 24, 2018, a little over a month after the tragic shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas Senior High School, her alma mater. Sam's mother, Sharon Cutler, is a teacher at Stoneman Douglas and her father is the Vice Mayor of the City of Parkland, the city where she was raised. She is an ASHA certified speech-language pathologist and the owner of Bridge Therapy, located in Coral Springs, Florida. She is passionate about giving back to her community, ensuring that the memories of the lives lost are preserved and honored, and supports and leads initiatives that contribute to the eradication of hate.
Shelly Tygielski, Community Organizer and Mindfulness Teacher
After spending almost 20 years in Corporate America, Shelly Tygielski turned to teaching “modern-life mindfulness” full-time. For the past decade, Shelly has volunteered as a community organizer in politics, on campaigns, with social justice organizations and on behalf of underserved school districts as well as helping with logistics/organizin
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Thomas Crumis an acclaimed author, martial arts instructor, and presenter in the fields of conflict resolution, peak performance, and stress management. He is known throughout the world for The Thomas Crum Approach, designed to help people become more centered under conflict, more resourceful when facing challenges, and more effective under stress. For over 30 years, Tom has delivered dynamic presentations to management and employees at all levels in corporations, government and non-profit organizations. Some of his corporate clients include Amgen, Sony Pictures, Sony Entertainment, Intel, the Navy SEALS and the National Football League. You can find out more about Tom, his books, and his teachings at www.aikiworks.com
In this episode we explore:
- Tom’s unexpected journey to becoming John Denver’s personal body guard and coach
- What aikido taught Tom about working with conflict
- Strategies to stay centered and perform under pressure
- Tom’s insights about captivating audiences
- Overcoming fear
If you enjoyed this episode please rate the show on iTunes or write a review. You can find show notes and all other episodes at www.joshuasteinfeldt.com/podcast
Thanks for listening!
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Rhonda V. Magee, J.D. is a Professor of Law at the University of San Francisco, and an internationally recognized thought and practice leader focused on integrating mindfulness into Higher Education, Law and Social Justice. She also is a leading expert on how mindfulness can be an effective way to reduce implicit bias. You can find out much more about Rhonda's remarkable background in her bio below.
In this episode we had a deep, authentic, and wide-ranging conversation related to mindfulness, race, and social justice. Some key highlights included:
- Rhonda’s perspective on building organizational cultures that are diverse and inclusive
- Implicit bias - What it is, how it works, the research behind it, and how mindfulness can be an effective means for reducing it
- How, and why, Rhonda teaches mindfulness and compassion to law students
- Practices for engaging in meaningful and difficult conversations about race, politics, and other often challenging issues
- Rhonda’s story, and why she is passionate about mindfulness as a means for addressing race and social justice issues
- Themes from her upcoming book, The Inner Work of Racial Justice: Healing Ourselves and Our Communities Through Mindfulness, which arrives September of 2019
And more!
If you enjoyed this episode please take a moment to rate the show on iTunes.
Show notes for this episode can be found at www.joshuasteinfeldt.com/podcast
Thanks for listening!
Rhonda’s background:
Rhonda V. Magee, J.D. is Professor of Law at the University of San Francisco, and is an internationally recognized thought leader focused on integrating Mindfulness into Higher Education, Law and Social Justice. A student of a wide variety of Buddhist and other wisdom teachers, including Norman Fischer and Jon Kabat-Zinn, she trained as a mindfulness teacher through the Oasis Teacher Training Institute of the University of Massachusetts Center for Mindfulness. Professor Magee is a Fellow of the Mind and Life Institute, she recently completed a 2-year term on its Steering Council. She is a member of the Board of Advisors of the University of Massachusetts Center for Mindfulness and the Board of Directors for the Search Inside Yourself Leadership Institute.
A Professor of Law for twenty years, Rhonda’s teaching and writing support compassionate conflict engagement and management; holistic problem-solving to alleviate the suffering of the vulnerable and injured; presence-based leadership in a diverse world, and humanizing approaches to education. She sees mindfulness and the allied disciplines as keys to personal, interpersonal and collective transformation in the face of the challenges and opportunities that social change represents.
Rhonda is the author of numerous articles and book chapters on mindfulness in legal education, and on teaching about race using mindfulness. Her debut book titled, The Inner Work of Racial Justice: Healing Ourselves and Transforming Our Communities Through Mindfulnesscomes out September 2019.
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In this episode I sat down with Frank Ostaseski and had a wide ranging and deep conversation about courage, authenticity, and living life fully by embracing all aspects of one's experience. Frank Ostaseski is an internationally respected Buddhist teacher and visionary cofounder of the Zen Hospice Project (the first Buddhist Hospice in America). He has lectured at Harvard Medical School, the Mayo Clinic, Wisdom.2.0 and teaches at major spiritual centers around the globe. His groundbreaking work has been highlighted on The Oprah Winfrey Show, and honored by the Dalai Lama. He is the author of The Five Invitations: Discovering What Death Can Teach Us About Living Fully.
In this conversation we explore:
-Background on Frank’s pioneering work in end-of-life care
-Frank's remarkable stories, and the lessons he has learned, about living with greater meaning, purpose, and love from the thousands of people he has sat with as they went through the process of dying
-How to live authentically
-Practical ways of finding rest in the midst of the fast pace of modern life
-How mindfulness can be useful as a means for dealing with fear and finding courage
-And much more!
If you enjoyed this episode please rate the show on iTunes!
For more on Frank visit www.fiveinvitations.com or www.mettainstitute.org
For show notes, other episodes, and more visit www.joshuasteinfeldt.com/podcast
Thanks for listening and enjoy the show!
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Thupten Jinpa holds his Ph.D. from Cambridge University and has been the principal English translator to the Dalai Lama since 1985. He has translated and collaborated on numerous books by the Dalai Lama including the New York Times Bestsellers Ethics for the New Millennium and The Art of Happiness. He is also the author of A Fearless Heart: How the Courage to be Compassionate Can Transform Our Lives and is the main author of Compassion Cultivation Training (CCT) developed for Stanford University in 2009.
In this conversation, Jinpa and I sat down to explore a variety of topics related to compassion including:
-How compassion differs from empathy
-How compassion can be trained and the some of the neuroscience behind it
-What Jinpa has learned about compassion from the Dalai Lama
-How compassion training may be the next big wave (particularly in healthcare settings) after mindfulness
-How compassion may be able to help bring us together, overcome tribalism and decrease polarization
If you enjoyed this episode check out www.joshuasteinfeldt.com/podcast for all episodes, show notes, and more.
More background on Thupten Jinpa:
Thupten Jinpa, Ph.D. was trained as a monk at the Shartse College of Ganden Monastic University, South India, where he received the Geshe Lharam degree. Jinpa also holds a B.A. in philosophy and a Ph.D. in religious studies, both from Cambridge University.
Jinpa has been the principal English translator to H.H. the Dalai Lama since 1985, and has translated and collaborated on numerous books by the Dalai Lama including the New York Times Bestsellers Ethics for the New Millennium and The Art of Happiness, as well as Beyond Religion: Ethics for a Whole World. His own publications include A Fearless Heart: How the Courage to be Compassionate Can Transform Our Lives and translations of major Tibetan works featured in The Library of Tibetan Classics series. Jinpa is the main author of Compassion Cultivation Training (CCT) developed for Stanford University in 2009.
A frequent speaker at various international conferences on mindfulness, compassion, and contemplative practice, Jinpa serves as an adjunct professor at the Faculty of Religious Studies at McGill University, Montreal and is the founder and president of the Institute of Tibetan Classics. He has been a core member of the Mind and Life Institute and its Chairman of the Board since January 2012.
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Mark Nepo is a world renowned poet, story teller, teacher, New York Times best-selling author and past guest on Oprah Winfrey’s: Super Soul Sunday. In this episode we sat down to explore many topics from his teachings, his life, and his new book, More Together Than Alone, including:
- Loneliness and it’s antidote
- Building community, connection, and belonging
- Mark’s creative process and how he approaches writing
- Mark’s journey with cancer and how that has impacted his life and his work
- Courage and compassion
If you enjoyed this episode please visit www.joshuasteinfeldt.com/podcast for links to show notes, all other episodes, and more!
Mark's background:
Mark Nepo moved and inspired readers and seekers all over the world with his #1 New York Times bestseller The Book of Awakening. Beloved as a poet, teacher, and storyteller, Mark has been called "one of the finest spiritual guides of our time," "a consummate storyteller," and "an eloquent spiritual teacher." His work is widely accessible and used by many and his books have been translated into more than twenty languages. A bestselling author, he has published twenty books and recorded fourteen audio projects. In 2015, he was given a Life-Achievement Award by AgeNation. And in 2016, he was named by Watkins: Mind Body Spirit as one of the 100 Most Spiritually Influential Living People, and was also chosen as one of OWN's SuperSoul 100, a group of inspired leaders using their gifts and voices to elevate humanity.
Mark was part of Oprah Winfrey's The Life You Want Tour in 2014 and has appeared several times with Oprah on her Super Soul Sunday program on OWN TV. He has also been interviewed by Robin Roberts on Good Morning America. Mark continues to offer readings, lectures, and retreats. For more on Mark, visit www.marknepo.com
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In this episode - Author, renowned meditation teacher, and Senior Director of the NYU Global and Spiritual Life Center, Yael Shy, and I sat down to discuss:
- Mindfulness (what it is, and why many people practice)
- How mindfulness and meditation can support people as they navigate major life transitions (like going to college, starting a career, becoming a parent, etc)
- Why mindfulness can be considered a form of courage
- How meditation can help with challenges and difficulties including strong emotions, and feelings of anxiety
- More topics out of her outstanding new book: What Now? Meditation for Your Twenties and Beyond
If you enjoyed this episode you can find all episodes, show notes, and more at www.joshuasteinfeldt.com/podcast
Yael's background: Yael is the Senior Director of the NYU Global Spiritual Life Center and the NYU 'Of Many' Institute for Multifaith and Spiritual Leadership, as well as the Founder and Director of MindfulNYU, the largest campus-wide mindfulness initiative in the country. She teaches regularly at MNDFL in NYC and is a sought after speaker, teacher, and writer on meditation, interfaith engagement and spirituality. She is the author of the award-winning book, What Now? Meditation for Your Twenties and Beyond(Parallax, November 2017). If you are interested to learn more about Yael, please visit: https://www.yaelshy.com
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Drs. James and Janice Prochaska, and I, sat down to discuss a wide variety of topics related to their new book, Changing to Thrive. Some key highlights include:
- How we can successfully make changes in our lives, around our health, or in our work that we may have put off, or struggled with in the past
- Overcoming fear and other obstacles that hold us back from changing
- Overcoming self-doubt, and discouragement
- Finding the courage to change
- How to skillfully support people as they go through the process of change
- Evidence-based strategies for thriving
If you enjoyed this episode you visit www.joshuasteinfeldt.com/podcast for show notes and more!
Background (selected highlights from bio):
James O. Prochaska is Director of Cancer Prevention Research Center and Professor of Clinical and Health Psychology at the University of Rhode Island. He is the author of over 400 publications, including four books, Changing to Thrive, Changing for Good, Systems of Psychotherapy, and The Transtheoretical Approach. Additionally, Dr. Prochaska is internationally recognized for his work as a developer of the stage model of behavior change and is the founder of Pro-Change Behavior Systems. He has also recently been recognized as one of the top three most preeminent clinical psychologists. For more about James or Janice Prochaska please visit www.jprochaska.com
One of the most published authors in the field of social work, Dr. Janice M. Prochaska has led research and development teams for health behavior and organizational change programs as the CEO at Pro-Change Behavior Systems, Inc. from 1997 – 2015. Her collaborations include applying the Model to cutting edge issues like simultaneously reducing multiple risk behaviors and enhancing multiple domains of well-being, healthy weight management in children and adults, preventing bullying, keeping individuals out of trouble with the law, and advancing careers with populations like women scientists.
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In this episode I sat down with Professional Coach, Peace Corps Volunteer, Entrepreneur, and Storyteller, Lisa Daron. Lisa has set off on a mission she calls "The Connection Cure" to see if she can heal herself from chronic illness by traveling across the country and forming meaningful moments of connection with people she meets along the way.
Topics we explore in this conversation include:
-Lisa's journey with chronic illness and how she came up with the idea for the Connection Cure
-What micro moments of connection are and the science behind them
-Practical ways Lisa deals with fear and doubt
-Lessons she learned about forming connection and relationships from her time as a peace corp volunteer
-And much more!
If you enjoyed this episode, please visit www.joshuasteinfeldt.com/podcast for show notes and more!
Background on Lisa: Lisa Daron Grossman has been a practicing certified Professional Coach from the Coaches Training Institute and the International Coaches Federation since 2010. She is a practitioner of Positive Psychology, holds her MFA in Creative Nonfiction writing, BA in Anthropology, and a certificate in Mind-Body Medicine. As a returned Peace Corps Volunteer, Lisa draws on fifteen years of learning and experience working with non-profits and NGOs in the public health and arts sectors of Swaziland. Prior to working as a coach Lisa worked with storytelling as a documentary filmmaker, a copywriter for the Smithsonian channel, a New York City tour guide, and a professional team builder for over ten years. Lisa is currently living on the road full-time.
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At the tender age of 15 Alison Canavan was catapulted onto the international stage when she represented Ireland in the Supermodel of the World competition in Las Vegas. This spawned a near 22 year career in the fashion industry, which has taken her to the main fashion capitals of London, Paris, Milan and New York and as far around the world as South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and Asia. Having travelled the world as one of Ireland’s most successful international models for nearly two decades, in recent years she has devoted her time to her greatest passion: true health and wellbeing.
In this episode we explore:
-Alison's journey from world-renowned fashion model to health and wellness coach, motivational speaker, and award winning author of the book Minding Mum.
-The connection between self-acceptance, courage, and happiness
-What Alison has learned through recovery from addiction about lasting happiness and what she terms true health and wellbeing
-The relationship between mindfulness and peace and happiness
-The courage in vulnerability
-Strategies for being more courageous, and attaining meaningful personal or professional goals
If you enjoyed this episode please visit: www.joshuasteinfeldt.com/podcast for show notes and links to all other episodes.
More background on Alison: Helping people to join the dots with their health and wellbeing is Alison’s primary goal and passion. Her interest in nutrition began in 2009 when she started studying Fitness Nutrition Coaching under NESTA (National Exercise and Sports Trainers Association), in the United States. She graduated with distinction in Nutrition and Health Coaching from Irish Institute of Nutrition and Health (IINH). She holds an Advanced Diploma in Diet and Nutrition therapeutics. In addition to these studies Alison is currently continuing her studies in Mindfulness Facilitation at UCLA. She spoke at The Mindful Life Conference in Washington in April 2017. She has lectured in Trinity College on the module of Motherhood and Mental Health. She delivers talks on stress in the workplace to CEO’s and business leaders across the country. Alison has a weekly wellness column in The Sunday Independent in Ireland and has contributed to numerous publications through the years including You Magazine, VIP Magazine, The Daily Mail, and many more. She was also the featured cover story in the June 2018 edition of Mindful Magazine. For more on Alison please visit www.alisoncanavan.com
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In this episode venerable Buddhist teacher, distinguished visiting scholar at the Library of Congress, and celebrated author, Roshi Joan Halifax Ph.D. sat down to discuss topics including:
-Highlights from her studies at the Library of Congress on the science of compassion
-How mindfulness and meditation can help us navigate challenging situations in our lives
-Putting compassion into action through a process called GRACE
-Her pioneering work in end of life care
-What she's learned about compassion from her work with dying people and prisoners
-Her views on how to live life more courageously and overcome fears
If you enjoyed this episode visit www.joshuasteinfeldt.com/podcast for show notes, other episodes from the Courageous Life, and more.
Background: Roshi Joan Halifax, Ph.D., is a Buddhist teacher, Zen priest, anthropologist, and pioneer in the field of end-of-life care. She is Founder, Abbot, and Head Teacher of Upaya Institute and Zen Center in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She received her Ph.D. in medical anthropology in 1973 and has lectured on the subject of death and dying at many academic institutions and medical centers around the world. She received a National Science Foundation Fellowship in Visual Anthropology, was an Honorary Research Fellow in Medical Ethnobotany at Harvard University, and was a Distinguished Visiting Scholar at the Library of Congress. She is Director of the Project on Being with Dying, and Founder of the Upaya Prison Project that develops programs on meditation for prisoners. She is also founder of the Nomads Clinic in Nepal. She studied for a decade with Zen Teacher Seung Sahn and was a teacher in the Kwan Um Zen School. She received the Lamp Transmission from Thich Nhat Hanh, and was given Inka by Roshi Bernie Glassman. A Founding Teacher of the Zen Peacemaker Order and founder of Prajna Mountain Buddhist Order, her work and practice for more than four decades has focused on engaged Buddhism. She is the author of multiple books, with the most recent being: Standing at the Edge: Finding Freedom Where Fear and Courage Meet.
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In this long awaited conversation, renowned Stanford Neurosurgeon, New York Times bestselling author of Into the Magic Shop, and founder of the Center for Compassion at Stanford School of Medicine, Dr. James Doty discusses:
-His incredible story of wandering into a magic shop at the age of 12 and meeting a woman named Ruth who taught him powerful lessons (in meditation) that would change his life forever.
-The science of compassion and how cultivating compassion can impact our physical and mental health
-His journey to founding the Center for Compassion at Stanford
-What he's learned about compassion from the Dalai Lama
-And much more
For show notes, other episodes, and all things related to the Courageous Life check out www.joshuasteinfeldt.com/podcast
Background: James Doty, MD, is a clinical professor in the Department of Neurosurgery at Stanford University and the director of the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education at Stanford University School of Medicine. CCARE is a research center that examines the neuroscience of compassion and altruism collaborating with Stanford colleagues in neuroscience and psychology, as well as throughout the world. He trained in neurosurgery at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and completed fellowships in pediatric neurosurgery at Children’s Hospital in Philadelphia (CHOP). He also spent 9 years on active duty service in the U.S. Army Medical Corp. Dr. Doty is the author of the New York Times bestseller, Into the Magic Shop: A Neurosurgeon's Quest to Discover the Mysteries of the Brain and the Secrets of the Heart that has been translated to over 30 languages. He is also the senior editor of the Oxford Handbook of Compassion Science and Presently is developing collaborative research projects to assess the effect of compassion training on immune function and other physiologic determinates of health, the use of mentoring as a method of instilling compassion in students and the use of compassion training to decrease pain. His work has been quoted in a variety of publications including the New York Times, the Washington Post and the Wall Street Journal. He speaks frequently throughout the world on the science of compassion. For more on Dr. Doty visit www.intothemagicshop.com
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In this conversation acclaimed Stanford Business School Professor, and author, Leah Weiss and I sat down to discuss a variety of topics including:
-Why mindfulness and compassion are important in leadership and organizations
-What mindfulness and compassion are and are not
-How to respond and persevere in the face of failure or negative feedback
-What she's learned about communicating and presenting from teaching a wildly popular course on leading with mindfulness and compassion at the Stanford GSB
-The relationship between courage and compassion
-How experimentation supports behavior change
If you enjoyed this episode visit www.joshuasteinfeldt.com/podcast for show notes and more.
Background: Leah Weiss, Ph.D., MSW, is a teacher, researcher, and meditation expert at Stanford University specializing in the application of mindfulness and compassion in secular contexts. Her perennially waitlisted course at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business, Leading with Mindfulness and Compassion, is breaking new ground in an MBA program already famous for innovation. In 2015, she was given the role of Women in Management Facilitator at Stanford business school. As Principal Teacher and Trainer for Stanford’s Compassion Cultivation Training program, founded by the Dalai Lama, Leah developed the curriculum to train more teachers to meet a growing interest in compassion as it applies to people’s work, family, community, and selves. Her first book, How We Work, has recently been released. In addition to her wide range of speaking and consulting work for leading organizations and healthcare settings Leah also works with the Department of Veterans Affairs, where she teaches mindfulness and compassion to help veterans cope with post-traumatic stress, and to help VA staff around the Bay Area cope with the stress of their jobs helping veterans. For more on Leah visit www.leahweissphd.com
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In this episode acclaimed professor, author, speaker, and performance coach Dan Lerner and I explore:
-How to answer big questions like what I am going do when I grow up?
-The art of achieving success and fulfillment and other insights from his wildly popular science of happiness class at NYU.
-How passion isn’t something we often find, but something we develop over time
-The difference between harmonious passion and obsessive passion and how harmonious passion can lead to happiness and success
-How overnight success is often celebrated even though it’s mostly a myth
-The art of teaching and presenting and how to connect in meaningful ways with any audience
If you enjoyed this episode visit www.joshuasteinfeldt.com/podcast for show notes and more.
Background on Dan: Daniel Lerner is an in-demand speaker, author, strengths-based performance coach and instructor of the science of happiness, one of the most popular undergraduate courses at New York University. Employing cutting-edge research into positive psychology and peak performance, Dan works with students, established and high-potential performing artists, athletes and numerous Fortune 500 companies and executives around the world helping them manage stress and anxiety, achieve well-being, uncover their core strengths and define and realize their own brand of success. With a deep passion for helping the next generation of talent achieve their utmost potential, Dan, along with his co-author and teaching partner Dr. Alan Schlechter, penned U Thrive: How to Succeed in College (and Life). For more on Dan visit www.daniellerner.com
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In this conversation world renowned meditation teacher Sharon Salzberg and I discuss a wide array of topics related to meditation, mindfulness, courage, and her new book Real Love, including:
-How Sharon defines love
-How love can be an antidote to fear
-How Sharon overcame her own fear of public speaking
-How to connect with anyone (insights she's gleaned from over 40 years of teaching)
-How to be with suffering (our own, and that of others)
-How to cultivate mindfulness and compassion through meditation
-How compassion can help us to overcome burnout
If you enjoyed this episode please visit www.joshuasteinfeldt.com/podcast for show notes and more. Background on Sharon: Sharon Salzberg is a central figure in the field of meditation, a world-renowned teacher, and New York Times best-selling author. She has played a crucial role in bringing meditation and mindfulness practices to the West and into mainstream culture since 1974, when she first began teaching. She is the cofounder of the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts and the author of ten books including the New York Times best-seller, Real Happiness, her seminal work, Lovingkindness, and, Real Love, her latest release by Flatiron Books. Acclaimed for her humorous, down-to-earth teaching style, Sharon offers a secular, modern approach to Buddhist teachings, making them instantly accessible. She is a regular columnist for On Being, a contributor to Huffington Post, and the host of her own podcast: The Metta Hour. For more on Sharon please visit www.sharonsalzberg.com
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Today's episode features Mike Erwin - West Point Leadership Instructor, author of Lead Yourself First, and founder of The Positivity Project (a non-profit organization that brings character education to America's youth). In this wide-ranging conversation, Mike and I explored topics like:
-Handling pressure
-Emotional mastery in the heat of the moment
-Solitude and how spending time reflecting and turning inward can promote effective leadership, positive relationships, moral courage, meaning and fulfillment (all of which are themes in Mike’s book Lead Yourself First).
-Mike’s experiences in the military as an intelligence officer
-Promoting character education in schools through Mike's non-profit, the Positivity Project.
For show notes, links to more about Mike and his work, and more, visit www.joshuasteinfeldt.com/podcast
Mike Erwin's background: Mike Erwin is the CEO of The Character & Leadership Center and co-founder & president of the Positivity Project - a non-profit organization with the mission to empower America’s youth to build stronger relationships. He is the co-author of Lead Yourself First by Bloomsbury Press (2017). The book focuses on how solitude strengthens people’s character---and their ability to lead with clarity, balance and conviction. Mike is also a Lt. Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves, assigned to the United States Military Academy at West Point, where he serves as an Assistant Professor in Leadership & Psychology. Mike graduated from West Point in 2002 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics. He was commissioned as an Intelligence Officer, serving in three combat tours with the First Cavalry Division and 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne). Mike earned two Bronze Star Medals from these tours. Following his third deployment, Mike attended the University of Michigan from 2009- 2011, where he studied positive psychology and leadership under the tutelage of the co- founder of positive psychology, Dr. Chris Peterson. While in graduate school in 2010, Mike founded a non-profit organization named Team Red, White & Blue (Team RWB). Team RWB’s mission is to enrich the lives of America’s veterans by connecting them to their communities through physical and social activity. He volunteered as the Executive Director for 3 years and continues to serve on the Board of Directors. Team RWB has 138,000 members and 212 chapters across the world.
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In this conversation acclaimed writer and journalist Emily Esfahani Smith and I discuss a wide array of topics related to meaning in life including:
-The difference between meaning and happiness
-Why we should pursue meaning
-A bit about the science of meaning
-Leveraging meaning and purpose to overcome adversity and fear
-Practical ways to build meaning into our lives and ultimately craft a life that matters.
If you enjoyed this episode check out www.joshuasteinfeldt.com/podcast for show notes and more.
Background: Emily Esfahani Smith is a journalist and the author of The Power of Meaning: Finding Fulfillment in a World Obsessed With Happiness. Her articles and essays have appeared in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, The Atlantic, The New Criterion, and other publications. The former managing editor of The New Criterion, Smith is also an editor at the Stanford University's Hoover Institution, where she advises the Ben Franklin Circles project, a collaboration with the 92nd Street Y and Citizen University to build meaning in local communities. To find out more about Emily visit www.emilyesfahanismith.com
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In this conversation with Rick Hanson we dive into the topic of his new book, Resilient, and explore:
-Resilience as a skill
-How to grow inner strengths
-Keys to accelerating the process of learning harnessing insights from neuroscience
-Self-compassion
-And a bit about how to have difficult conversations
If you enjoyed this episode visit www.joshuasteinfeldt.com/podcast for show notes and more.
Background on Rick Hanson: Rick Hanson, Ph.D., is a psychologist, Senior Fellow of the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley, and New York Times best-selling author. His books are available in 26 languages and include Hardwiring Happiness, Buddha’s Brain, Just One Thing, and Mother Nurture. His latest book, Resilient, is due out in 2018. A summa cum laude graduate of UCLA and founder of the Wellspring Institute for Neuroscience and Contemplative Wisdom, he’s been an invited speaker at Oxford, Stanford, Harvard, and other major universities, and taught in meditation centers worldwide. His work has been featured on the BBC, CBS, NPR, and other major media. To find out more about Rick, his teachings, writings, as well as freely offered resources check out www.rickhanson.net
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In this conversation renowned leadership expert Johann Berlin and I discuss some of his wisdom and perspective about what makes a good leader, how to have difficult conversations, peak performance under pressure, and the importance of letting go, as well as, the role of courage in actually being able to do so.
Johann provides a number of practical strategies for putting these ideas into practice along the way.
If you enjoyed this episode please visit www.joshuasteinfeldt.com/podcast for show notes and more.
Background: Johann Berlin is the CEO of TLEX Institute North America. Working alongside some of the biggest influencers and top leaders in the U.S. and throughout the world Johann is committed to harnessing people's passions by strengthening the connection individuals, teams and organizations have to themselves, to each other, and toward greater shared purpose. He has delivered talks and led workshops at places like TEDx London, GE HealthCare, Stanford Center for Compassion, Microsoft, AMEX, Amazon and the Wharton School of Business (among others). You can also find his writing on leadership and other subjects in places like Harvard Business Review, Business Insider, Virgin Unite, Real Leaders, Thrive Global, and the Huffington Post
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In this powerful conversation with Dr. Fred Luskin we unpack forgiveness, talk about what it is, what it's not, the benefits of it, address forgiveness as a skill, and discuss some of our guests biggest insights after decades of work helping people all around the world learn to forgive.
If you enjoyed this episode visit www.joshuasteinfeldt.com/podcast for show notes and more.
Background: Dr. Fred Luskin is the author of multiple books, including the bestseller Forgive for Good. He is also the Director of the Stanford Forgiveness Projects, an ongoing series of workshops and research projects that investigate the effectiveness of his forgiveness methods on a variety of populations. The forgiveness project has successfully explored forgiveness therapy with people who suffered from the violence in Northern Ireland, Sierra Leone as well as the attacks on the World Trade Center on 9/11. In addition, his work has been successfully applied and researched in corporate, medical, legal and religious settings. He currently serves as a Senior Consultant in Health Promotion at Stanford University and offers lectures, workshops, seminars and trainings on the importance, health benefits and training of forgiveness, stress management and emotional competence throughout the United States. For more on Dr. Luskin visit: learningtoforgive.com
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In this passionate interview with Dr. Judson Brewer we explore how our brains learn, how habits are formed, and how people might use this knowledge to create lasting changes, and find happiness in their lives.
If you enjoyed this episode visit www.joshuasteinfeldt.com/podcast for show notes and more.
Background: Dr. Judson Brewer is a thought leader in the field of habit change and the "science of self-mastery", having combined over 20 years of experience with mindfulness training with his scientific research therein. He is the Chief of the Division of Mindfulness, Director of Research at the Center for Mindfulness and associate professor in medicine and psychiatry at UMass Medical School. He has published numerous peer-reviewed articles and book chapters, trained US Olympic coaches, and his work has been featured on 60 Minutes, TED (4th most viewed talk of 2016, with over 8 Million views), Time magazine (top 100 new health discoveries of 2013), Forbes, BBC, NPR), Businessweek and others. A psychiatrist and internationally known expert in mindfulness training for addictions, Brewer has developed and tested novel mindfulness programs for habit change, including both in-person and app-based treatments for smoking, emotional eating, and anxiety. He is the author of The Craving Mind: from cigarettes to smartphones to love, why we get hooked and how we can break bad habits. For more on Dr. Brewer visit: www.judsonbrewer.com
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Kevin is the Founder and CEO of Miracle Messages, an award-winning nonprofit that reunites the homeless with their loved ones. To date, MM has facilitated over 100 reunions, with 25% getting a person off-the-streets. Their vision is to reunite 1 million people by 2023. For his work, Kevin has been named a TED Resident, TED Speaker, MassChallenge winner, and "Emerging Innovator" by American Express / Ashoka. Miracle Messages has been featured widely, including in the New York Times, NPR, People, on a Shinola billboard in Times Square, and NowThis, whose video reached 26 million views. For more on Kevin check out kevinfadler.comIf you enjoyed this episode visit www.joshuasteinfeldt.com/podcast for show notes and more
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Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman, is an author, researcher, speaker, and public science communicator who is interested in using psychological science to help all kinds of minds live a creative, fulfilling, and meaningful life. He is a professor of positive psychology at the University of Pennsylvania, and author and/or editor of 7 books, including Ungifted: Intelligence Redefined and Wired to Create: Unraveling the Mysteries of the Creative Mind (with Carolyn Gregoire). His writing has appeared in The Atlantic, Scientific American, Psychology Today, and Harvard Business Review, and he writes a blog at Scientific American called Beautiful Minds. Kaufman is also host of The Psychology Podcast.If you enjoyed this episode visit www.joshuasteinfeldt.com/podcast for show notes and more
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Dr. Joyce Mikal-Flynn was a triathlete who passed out during a race, died, and then came back to life. Afterward she wrote a book detailing her journey to recovery, her research on posttraumatic growth, and her trademark rehabilitation process called metahabiliation. In this episode we explore her incredible story and more.Dr. Mikal Flynn received her BSN (Bachelors of Science in Nursing) from University of San Francisco, her FNP (Family Nurse Practitioner) from University of California, Davis, and her MSN (Master’s of Science in Nursing) from California State University, Sacramento. Her Doctor of Education was completed in 2007 at St. Mary’s College, Moraga. She is CEO of Metahab.com and an associate professor at Sacramento State University teaching courses in: Neuroscience and Traumatology. Her system of recovery and rehabilitation, MetaHabilitation©, guides survivors and families toward posttraumatic growth (PTG) and is currently utilized in veteran and oncology programs, individuals with chronic pain, addiction and dependency and in private practices. Her work is presented internationally and nationally. Multiple publications include her book, Turning Tragedy Into Triumph. Metahabilitation; A Contemporary Model of Rehabilitation. For more on Dr. Mikal-Flynn head to www.metahab.com. If you enjoyed this episode visit www.joshuasteinfeldt.com/podcast for show notes and more.
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Cory Muscara is on a life-long journey to understand the causes and conditions that lead to suffering and wellbeing. As founder of the Long Island Center for Mindfulness, Cory's work is primarily in the field of mindfulness meditation. In 2012, he spent 6 months in silence practicing Vipassana meditation as a Buddhist monk in Burma under the instruction of Sayadaw U Pandita. Cory currently serves as faculty at Columbia Teachers College where he teaches mindfulness to school leaders from across the country, and is also an assistant instructor for the Master of Applied Positive Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. He offers keynotes, mindfulness training and mindfulness-based leadership consulting to businesses, schools and healthcare systems, and is a regular guest on the Dr. Oz show in the topic of mindfulness meditation. You can learn more about Cory at www.corymuscara.comIf you enjoyed this episode visit www.joshuasteinfeldt.com/podcast for show notes and more.
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Background: Sunny Grosso is a happiness consultant, a Zappos culture specialist, and a thought leader in the culture movement. She helped found the Delivering Happiness consulting team where she co-built the model, developed the approach and led the coaching team. Passionate about creating positive work cultures, she travels the world speaking, coaching and consulting on sustainable culture building. If you enjoyed this episode visit www.joshuasteinfeldt.com/podcast for show notes, resources, and more.
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This episode offers an exploration of the science behind courage and overcoming fear, and focuses on how those findings might be used to live a more courageous life. The guest featured on this episode is Dr. Cindy Pury. Cindy sits on the faculty at Clemson University where she is a professor of psychology. Trained as both a clinical psychologist and a researcher, Cindy started out with an interest in studying cognition and fear, looking specifically at threat appraisals. In 2003 she shifted the focus of her work to better understand courage from an empirical standpoint. Cindy is now one of the world's leading thinkers on the science of courage.If you enjoyed this episode please follow the courageous life on soundcloud, or head to www.joshuasteinfeldt.com/podcast for show notes, resources, and more.
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Paddy Steinfort is the founder of Toughness.com and a performance coach to elite athletes. A former professional athlete himself, Paddy stayed in the world of elite performance after his playing days ended, serving as a physiotherapist, coach, and manager for a variety of professional football teams in Australia. Through these experiences he saw a huge need to help talented people on the human side of performance and decided to enroll in the Master of Applied Positive Psychology program at the University of Pennsylvania. Under the guidance of Dr. Angela Duckworth, he ran research on performers. Specifically looking at how to train and shape environments to help these individuals handle stress better. He has since provided performance improvement program design and coaching for teams in the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NCAA Division 1 Football. Paddy also authored the bestselling book Breakfast With Bails - What a Dying Coach Taught Me About Life, Learning, and Leadership. If you enjoyed this episode visit www.joshuasteinfeldt.com/podcast for more episodes, and show notes
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Emilia Lahti, MsC, MAPP, is a doctoral candidate at the Aalto University School of Science and Technology in Helsinki. She is passionate about action research, social justice, and unearthing new, innovative ways to apply scientific knowledge to solve humanity's grand challenges. She holds master's degrees in social psychology (University of Tampere, Finland) and applied positive psychology (MAPP, University of Pennsylvania) and is an alumna of the Singularity University Global Solutions Program located at NASA Ames Research Park in California. Under the guidance of Dr. Angela Duckworth, Emilia completed her master's thesis on the Finnish construct of 'sisu'. She is also the founder of the Finnish Positive Psychology Association. To find out more about Emilia, her mission, or how to support the SISU Not Silence campaign check out www.emilialahti.comIf you liked this episode visit www.joshuasteinfeldt.com/podcast for show notes and other resources.
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