A Conscious Way Forward: Recent Episodes
David K Richards
This is a podcast for the healers, leaders, learners, seekers, changemakers and dreamers. Your host David K Richards is on a mission to help individuals rise in consciousness and envision a new paradigm for healing, leading and learning. David gets to the heart of the matter with healing, reimagining leadership, and reinventing schools. He shares his conscious journey and transformation as a Founder & CEO, education reformer, life coach, and dad-preneur. You will see the big picture with him while also getting practical and easy-to-understand tips and strategies to change your life. David tells engaging and entertaining stories about life, leadership, his journey to reform education, parenting ups and downs, and how he healed from his traumatic childhood to achieve success. He also engages in deep conversations with others that have walked the intuitive path like him. If you are interested in coming home to your soul’s purpose, reimagining leadership, reinventing schools, and healing forward together this is the podcast for you.
In this podcast episode, David enjoys his second podcast conversation with Helen Hamilton. Helen is a spiritual teacher based in the UK, who's life goal is to demystify spiritual awakening and make it accessible for everyone, which she does through her weekly satsangs and teachings on how to dissolve the ego and step into our Real and Infinite selves. Helen and David discuss how to define and find inner peace by accepting ourselves in each NOW moment. They explore the role of the mind and how to stop labeling emotions as good or bad, so that we don't get stuck in its limitations and labels. They also lay out how a regular meditation practice helps us to observe our thoughts objectively, without attachment and how this practice helps us see both the futile nature of resistance while also giving us the ability to differentiate between the higher and lower mind (also known as the Ego vs the Higher Self or God). This knowing eventually leads us to weed out the illusion of separateness and replace it with the truth of our boundless essence within the oneness we all share. They go over how resistance creates suffering while radical acceptance creates space for infinite possibilities. And finally, David and Helen discuss the joy of discovering–through direct experience–how simple mindfulness can evolve an awakening into a fully embodied knowingness of our individual intuition and essence.
To learn more about Helen’s work, visit www.helenhamilton.org.
In this special episode, David and Staci chat with members of their mastermind coaching program, The Inner Sangha, to discuss what makes the program so unique and impactful in their daily lives, and how they have transformed.
The six-month Inner Sangha Mastermind, co-facilitated by David and Staci Mehas-Lewanski, brings curious, introspective people like you together in an intimate community that’s all about getting real, raw and vulnerable. With daily interaction that includes discussion, reflection and accountability practices designed to help you go DEEP within, the Inner Sangha teaches you to embody the practices of conscious living amidst the real ups and downs of daily life. If you yearn for a deeper experience in community with others who can help you take your gifts to the next level of service, the Inner Sangha is definitely for you. Participating in this immersive experience will connect to your innate wisdom, help you break out of old patterns that no longer serve you, give you the freedom to discover your unique gifts, and foster greater clarity and ease.
If you are interested in learning more about the group, and how to join, please visit David's website at https://www.davidkrichards.com
In Part Two of a Three-Part holiday short series, David invites listeners to lean into both the light and the dark during the darkest, most receptive time of year in the Northern Hemisphere. He discusses the irony of nature asking us to slow down during these cold winter months even as we are culturally conditioned to be active and on-the-go in preparation for yet another busy holiday season. Ultimately, shares David, bringing the light into the dark, small though the crack of light may be, can cultivate ease in the midst of the hustle and bustle of this year.
This is Part One of a Three-Part holiday short series on navigating the holidays with grace and ease. In this episode, David offers insights on staying out of resistance, accepting the "as is" and finding inner stillness as we move into what for many is a complicated and exhausting time of year.
In this open-hearted episode, David and his wife Julie co-host an interview with wisdom teacher Suzi Lula. Suzi reminds listeners that there are no ceilings, walls or floors to stop us from reaching our highest potential when we find the courage to step into the realm of infinite possibility.
Suzi’s ease in the “beingness” of who she is, together with more than two decades spent deepening her coaching and spiritual psychology practice, make for a magical conversation. So if you are ready to turn away from the external to tune into your soul’s inner calling, this episode with Suzi is the one for you.
You can find Suzi Lula at www.suzilula.com.
In this step-back solo episode, David reflects on the A Conscious Way Forward podcast at the one-year anniversary of its launch. He urges listeners to forget the age-old question, "What are we doing with our lives?" and instead ask, "What are we BEING with our lives?" This short episode is a call for honesty, authenticity, sovereignty, and community in the midst of the reality that there will always be another pandemic to distract us from our True North.
Kim McIntyre is a Joyful Living Teacher who shows people how to laugh more and stress less, so they can enjoy life NOW. For 20 years, she has shared her mission of joy and laughter, and today runs a Joyful Being® Academy. In this conversation with David, Kim shares how to generate authentic joy from the inside out.
Learn more about Kim's work at: https://joyfulbeing.com/.
Hold onto your hats! In this episode, David sits down for a mind-blowing conversation with an Australian born teacher and guide of Non-Duality.
Non-Duality is based on the belief that beneath the diverse experiences of every human, there is a single, infinite and indivisible reality, the nature of which is pure consciousness. According to the Non-Dual teachings, all human actions result from a false belief that they are operating independently from this single reality, this single consciousness. Special guest Terrence Stephens sees his life as a radical fact-finding mission to discover what IS and explores this in-depth with David.
If you are interested in inquiring more deeply into your relationship to the mind and the illusion of separation the mind overlays onto every aspect of our lives, this is the episode for you.
Learn more about Terrence at: https://www.terrencestephens.com.au/
In this episode, wisdom teacher Helen Hamilton shares her insights about the mind and the suffering we create for ourselves as a result of the illusion of separation--separation of self, separation from others, separation between spiritual and daily life. Helen is grounded and thoughtful, intuitive and calm. She shares candidly about how her spiritual teachings are informed by her own past struggles with navigating daily life. Helen is a masterful teacher, breaking her wisdom down into simple, bite-sized pieces that feel accessible and practical in daily life. And she reminds us that THE work is to stay with the process, learning to accept ALL parts of the experience that surface along the way.
To learn more about Helen’s work, visit www.helenhamilton.org.
Staci Mehas-Lewanski is a model for intuitive living. In this episode, she shares some of the key experiences that have propelled her forward on this journey. With clarity and conviction, Staci shares about the importance of shedding the layers of conditioning, throwing all formulas out the window, getting out of the mind, trusting yourself, and discerning when to act on intuitive guidance. Staci is also David’s partner in running the Inner Sangha, the intensive group experience for internal alignment that brings the practice of intuitive living to life with a community of like-minded spiritual beings. Check out the Inner Sangha link at www.davidkrichards.com to learn about the next cohort that launches in August 2021.
You can find Staci online at:
www.staciwithaneye.net
https://www.instagram.com/staciwitheye/
https://www.facebook.com/smehaslewanski
In this episode, David talks with Judy Julin, an educational trendsetter and youth and parent coach. They discuss moving beyond the industrial model for education, teaching children to trust themselves as the new common core, and how we can all drop into a world that values the affairs of the heart and going within.
You can find Judy’s work at: www.wowlearninglab.com.
Divorce attorney turned Certified Conscious Parenting Coach Rachel Duffy joins David for a conversation about:
- a life threatening disease that served as the ultimate wake-up call to her own potential
- the prisons we create that fuel our suffering
- the power of subconscious communication
- screen time during the pandemic
- generational and paradigm shifts that are moving us toward greater awareness as parents
- and so much more
Rachel brings her passion for working with families and her own life experience to her business, Sagacity Lab. You will walk away feeling refreshed and inspired to take a closer look at the areas of your life beneath the surface in need of your attention that are pointing you toward greater awareness and opportunities for transformation.
Find Rachel at:
@rachelduffyhere (Instagram)
Sagacitylab.com
To register for a no cost training series on parenting without punishment - sagacitylab.com/mcwaitlist
To learn more about the Inner Sangha launching this fall, visit www.davidkrichards.com.
In this episode, David talks with Sarah Hawley. In her recently published book, Conscious Leadership: A Journey from Ego to Heart, Sarah shares how she has ditched mainstream expectations for leadership and done deep inner work to connect with her unique way of leading. In the interview, Sarah also shares candidly about her struggles with anxiety and depression, hitting rock bottom, and learning to climb back up to a life of renewed purpose. A serial entrepreneur and investor, Sarah is in the early stages of developing Growmotely, a company that uses culture to match skilled professionals with growing companies offering long-term remote jobs. This interview is authentic and full of insights.
www.sarahhawley.life
www.growmotely.com
Conscious Leadership: A Journey from Ego to Heart
In this episode, Janet Philbin,L(CSW-R, ACSW) breaks down the concept of the inner child and its role in her hypnotherapy practice. She also shares about the spiral of healing, a key concept in her new book, Show Up For Yourself: A Guide to Inner Awareness and Growth. Her honest dialogue with David helps breaks down the fears many people have around hypnotherapy as a path to healing.
www.janetphilbin.com
Today’s guest is Dwight Taylor, Sr., a TEDX Speaker, #1 Amazon bestselling author and international professional communicator endorsed by the legend of motivation Les Brown. An educational consultant and certified transformational coach, improving the culture and climate of groups, organizations and companies is a high priority in Dwight's work. Dwight is also passionate about education, currently serving on the Board of Directors at Growth Public School, the tuition-free charter school David founded.
You can find Dwight online at: http://dwighttaylorsr.com/
Ashley Avinashi is powerful and wise, a clear voice in favor of the well-being of families amidst the chaotic modern Western world we live in. She is the founder of Raising Humanity, a platform for helping families reconnect with their true nature in community with others. Ashley describes the value of shifting toward a new approach to parenting that embraces the healthy feminine with gentleness and ease, and the quest to integrate the individualistic paradigm of the West and the collective paradigms of the East in favor of a more balanced ecosystem of support for families.
www.raisinghumanity.com
In this episode I get to reconnect with my passion for working with youth! Brandon Shintani is a high school student in New Jersey and he took the initiative to reach out and ask if I would interview him on my podcast! Of course I said yes! Brandon is the founder and leader of Mind Design Sports, an online platform designed by teens, for teens and kids. He is passionate about spreading the word that the mental game in sports is equally as important as the physical game. Brandon's energy, focus and fearlessness are contagious and any adult could learn from his courage to pursue his dreams.
This episode is for those of you who, like me, are ready for new educational models to emerge from the eye-opening experiences of COVID 19 and virtual schooling. Today’s guest, Sukhi Bal, has recognized the current education system needs a paradigm shift for the sake of our children and future. This is why Sukhi and her husband co-founded an education framework, Xploration Centre, to bring conscious, love-based, nature-inspired and innovative education to the world.
www.xplorationcentre.com
In this episode, David interviews Mary Welty-Dapkus, CEO of Fresh Intuition. Mary and David discuss the new wave in leadership that values EQ (emotional intelligence) over IQ, the power of the pause, integrating masculine and feminine energy, intuition, and more. In addition to being a certified Martha Beck life coach and Six Seconds Emotional Intelligence Assessor, Mary is the founder of the Fresh Intuition Women’s Circle. You can learn more about Mary’s work at https://freshintuition.com/.
Mary and David reference the following resources in this episode:
- Emotional Intelligence (by Daniel Goleman)
- Steering by Starlight: The Science and Magic of Finding Your Destiny (by Martha Beck)
- Permission to Feel: Unlocking the Power of Emotions to Help Our Kids, Ourselves, and Our Society Thrive (by Mark Brackett)
- 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership: A New Paradigm for Sustainable Success (by Jim Dettner, Diana Chapman and Kaley Klemp)
- Unlocking Us with Brene Brown (podcast)
To join the Heart of the Matter Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/heartofthematterio
Transformational speaker, healer, creator and coach Nafsheen Luhar was born and raised in Kenya and moved to California at age 18. Nafsheen has overcome molestation, obesity, body shaming and cancer and views all of these experiences as powerful gifts that have helped her see light through her pain. Nafsheen aspires to travel the world to collect stories of people who have overcome adversity and to spread her message of embracing our pain as our greatest power, finding freedom within and embracing our inner light so we can illuminate the path for others.
Learn more about Nafsheen’s work at www.luharqreative.com.
In this solo episode, I share the story of how a flat tire on the highway with my young children on a 100+ degree summer day taught me to lean into the discomfort of building new belief systems and reminded me that sometimes our worst fears are an opportunity to discover infinite possibilities. I also remind my listeners that there really is no such thing as good and bad.
Several years ago, NatNatBe was given a non-specific yet potentially life threatening diagnosis for a condition that had left her feeling exhausted, confused, and unable to work. After spending more than 40 days in the hospital undergoing countless tests with three sons at home to care for, NatNat was ready to take responsibility for her own health and well-being. In this interview, NatNat shares how she used this journey back to health to develop a present moment awareness practice, learn to work with the nervous system, and turn her lens inward. Through this process, she has discovered that filling her own cup first allows her to be more present in her own life and support others unconditionally on their conscious journey. This interview--full of beautiful analogies grounded in timeless wisdom teachings--will help you use your witnessing superpowers to effectively navigate the nervous system’s natural response to triggers so you can move through them to restore a sense of calm and balance.
In this solo episode, I welcome the new year by taking my listeners through a guided exercise to help you 1) tune into the frequency of your soul and 2) build regular practices to minimize the distance between your intuitive guidance and concrete action steps. I also share three key guiding principles that have come out of my own discernment process for the new year and how they continue to point me toward my highest light.
To learn more about Heart of the Matter’s newest mastermind, “master heart” group, the Inner Sangha (next cohort starting February 11, 2021): https://fb.watch/310vmTcAKr/
To register for Heart of the Matter Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/heartofthematterio
Michael Bernard Beckwith website: https://michaelbeckwith.com/ (the inspiration behind the guided exercise in the podcast)
My friend, Dinuka Ranasinghe is a wonderful example of transformation and authenticity. She left her job as a lawyer to open a preschool and become a conscious parenting coach. David and Dinuka share their journeys from leaving the corporate world to finding their way back to their essence and the beauty in living with authenticity and clarity.
Highlights:
- When you are in alignment with yourself, everything that is in alignment with you falls into place. People who come into your life are then in your alignment.
- Surrender, let it go. And it will come.
- Not having an expectation also means not having a fear of getting it wrong.
- Watch your different selves: the conditioned, past and future.
- Self work is painful but you come out with such clarity.
Show Notes:
- Transform your Parenting Course with Dinuka
- The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari
- Find Your Own North Star
As a certified life coach and mindful living conscious parenting educator with a PhD in Psychology Dr. Arajey Norouzi bridges reasoning and science to intuition and spirit. She shares her research around mindfulness and the 3 one-minute mindful micro-breaks she created. Throughout our busy days, we all deserve to pause, return to breath and become present. Dr. Norouzi also shares how we can become conscious parents and move towards creating meaningful connections with our children.
Highlights:
- Create two choices for your child so they have some autonomy.
- Our minds are constantly wandering. We are consumed by thousands of thoughts that are mostly fear based and we don’t truly see. We just pass by.
- Practice mindfulness. Even if it is for one minute three times a day. Focus your attention and always come back to breath.
- Our souls decided to have experiences. We chose those experiences to create a scenario. We can find our past wounds and heal them so we can learn and grow.
- Pain is inevitable. But suffering is optional. Suffering is how we interpret events.
Show Notes
www.drarayeh.com
@drarayeh
Live on Wednesdays 5pm on FB
When your words and actions show the universe that you’re in alignment, the universe starts to provide. Even in 2020. Val Alino’s 10 day business trip to Peru transformed into an unexpected eight month stay as the world went into a pandemic lockdown. David let his intuition guide him to his calling of helping others find their light. David and Val connect by sharing how they surrendered to the moment and trusted their intuitive guidance system. This abundant conversation centers around authenticity, rebirth, and the beautify of service, children, education and remaining heart centered.
Highlights:
- We are not here to be beings of suffering. Everything we go through is to make us stronger, evolve, transform and pass the light.
- You cannot keep your wisdom. That is a disservice to the world. Always pass your light.
- When your words and actions show the universe that you’re in alignment, the universe starts to provide.
- Trust your Inner Guidance System: Your heart can never go wrong. Stay grounded. Surround yourself in nature. Watch who you have around. Observe our best teachers, children. Take the time to live. Slow down and have fun.
Show Notes:
- Contact Info: Valalino.com
- FB and IG : @valalinocoach
As Maurice shares, sometimes we need to get out of the way as men and allow the feminine energy, the yin energy, to take the lead. It doesn’t mean the feminine yin energy must come in the form of a female, because men have access to that as well. But we need to become grounded enough to experience and then express the feminine energy. It is really hard for men to find our nurturing sides when we have been conditioned for generations to show no weakness and gain all the power. So, my close friend Maurice and I host a men’s group where men can come and be vulnerable. We embrace the feminine energy and together learn to undo the layers and reflect within.
Highlights:
- Maurice and I created a space for men where we allow ourselves to become grounded with ourselves and connected to each other.
- The ability to connect to within is always there, but it's whether we are going to listen to our inner dimension and to be able to say yes to the energy moving through us.
- When you have the desire to do something, PAUSE. Go within and then figure out if it is within the flow or coming from divine guidance.
Show Notes
- To join the Men's Group email David: david@davidkrichards.com
- Authors Byron Katie, Ekhart Tolle
Follow your intuition. That is how I connected with Uchenna and how I invited him onto the podcast. Uchenna has always had the gifts of intuition. His gifts help him feel the intuitive energy and listen. Uchenna’s intuition flows through words. He has a natural gift of writing and uses the power of writing and language to share his wisdom on self love and self realization. Through Uchenna’s journey of self-discovery from very high to very low points, he realized he was running away from his spiritual calling. Uchenna let his intuition guide him back to himself and his full abundance.
Highlights:
- If it feels true to you, there is an indescribable feeling that you have. Speaking your truth gives you freedom. It makes you happy and brings healing.
- Uchenna’s intuition flows through words. He starts with the heart and uses the power of language to write about truths. He recently published The Art of True Love: Echoes of the Soul. He uses his moments of suffering and stands on the failures and mistakes. They are now a source of energy.
- You can learn from the light, but you wake up from the dark. Uchenna shares how his journey of self-discovery has gone from very high to very low points and how he let his intuition guide him back to his full abundance.
Show Notes:
- Soul Genetics on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/soulgenetics
- The Art of True Love: Echoes of the Soul by Uchenna Ilo
If you’re not in the now here, you’re nowhere. Faiza shared that during our conversation and she learned it from her first mindfulness course. My next guest is Faiza Liban. She is a Mindfulness Facilitator who is passionate about creating communication that is conscious and mindful, and I can tell you our conversation was just that. Faiza shares how her experience being raised in Kenya, immigrating to England and settling down in Miami has inspired her to help parents and children develop their skills to be conscious and mindful. She has a beautiful vision for a global generation that is focused on oneness, not sameness where we include all types of people and appreciate our uniqueness. As Faiza says, lets include. We have so much to offer.
Highlights:
- There are three elements to mindful dialogue that will change the way we see, look and connect with each other. 1, Presence. 2, Awareness. 3, Respond. With these three elements we can actively listen, hear, and respond.
- Faiza’s WHY. Her global experience has inspired her to create a future generation of oneness, not sameness. Faiza grew up in Kenya in a strict Somali and Muslim home. She immigrated to England at 19. Her journey took her to Miami where she now resides with her Jewish husband and two children. Oneness includes diverse people from different cultures, abilities, genders, spiritualities. The future will be about all different types of people coming together.
- Faiza shares, “If this little girl who grew up in a little village in Africa can transform her life in ways she never thought possible, and can come to a place of so much love having been brought up in a space that was loving, but full of judgement and restriction and not acceptance, boy can we transcend together.”
Show Notes: The Awakened Family by Dr. Shefali
Babies Documentary Faiza's Facebook groups: Global Minded Parents and Parents Mindfulling and Stumbling During a Pandemic
This is a really special unedited conversation with David about taking the quantum leap to surrender to something bigger. For a long time, due to life challenges and a feeling of unworthiness, David lived life through his false self. He shares his experiences leading up to finding his authentic self and “jumping off the cliff” to find his calling and create a school. David shares his experience to help inspire others to pursue your passion. “If you’re willing to do the work, your life will never be the same.”
Highlights:
- David’s experiences highlight his journey from living through his false sense to gaining clarity and learning to live authentically.
- The universe will present signs that you are operating in your false self. When you feel self doubt, go within and tell yourself that nobody holds the key to your worthiness. It’s all within you.
- “When you get yourself on your authentic path, the universe delivers.”
Mrs. Johnson shared her stories about Atlanta, teaching in California and raising two sons in the last episode. She joins us again to share her wisdom on intuitive leadership. The transition from being a teacher to a principal, and from being colleagues and peers to the boss was as challenging as it was rewarding. Audria has created a heart-centered, intuitive and supportive space at Growth Public Schools. This conversation is rich, critical and vulnerable.
Highlights:
- Audria’s leadership is relationship based and people focused. “People need to know that you care about them.”
- Audria shares her experience as a Black leader in a white dominant world. She had to call on her courage to trust her gut and advocate for herself.
- We are all leaders. Sometimes you just need support and you need to believe in yourself.
- Love all the parts of yourself because there will be all this outside noise and the collective other. But at some point, you’ll realize all these things are strengths.
David welcomes A Conscious Way Forward’s first guest, the wonderful intuitive warrior, Mrs. Audria Johnson. Born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, Mrs. Johnson describes herself as a “chill, humble, Southern girl!” While she had thoughts of becoming a pediatrician, she found her calling in education, earned a BA in Early Childhood Education, and never looked back. She taught in a district school in Atlanta for a few years until she and her husband’s family made the move to California. Mrs. Johnson landed a job with St. Hope at the PS7 Elementary School. She was an instructional coach, taught first grade, and then became the principal. In 2017, Mrs. Johnson joined Growth Public Schools (GPS), a K-8 charter school in Sacramento, California, founded by David K. Richards. She has been the principal since 2017 and currently wears the hat as GPS’ Intuitive Leader/Executive Director/Principal. Mrs. Johnson shares her journey in education as an African American female teacher, which ultimately led her to GPS. David and she discuss systemic issues within current education and their vision for heart-centered, emotional education.
Highlights:
- Mrs. Johnson always had a desire to be part of something bigger and she realized what better way to make an impact than to work with kids in their process of learning.
- Mrs. Johnson followed her intuitive tug to take a chance.
- When we discuss “changing the education system,” we need to talk about how the system was designed and who it was meant to elevate and hold back. Originally, the education system was built in a two-track mode for the “haves” and the “have nots.”
- The world is changing and beyond learning how to solve math equations and read, which are important, we want our kids to be able to express how they feel and handle conflict.
- GPS is beautiful because emotions and vulnerability are accepted and embraced. “I get to show up at work, 100% truly my authentic self. And I don’t get to do that everywhere” – Mrs. Audria Johnson
The person you have been waiting for is you. What a simple concept. And yet it becomes so complicated because we have been taught that the answers are on the outside. How many times have we been told to go find a leader to follow or to listen to what the teacher says? I am here to reassure you that there is no right or wrong way. Life just happens. But the person you have been waiting for is you. I am taking the motivational leader rhetoric much deeper. Your truth, deepest truth and source is within you. When you tap into that, it is very hard to listen to what people on the outside are telling you. It takes courage and time to trust yourself. However, act on some of the messages you are receiving. Take the risk; be the warrior. Let’s see what happens.
Highlights:
- The person you have been waiting for is you. I am taking the motivational leader rhetoric much deeper. Your truth, deepest truth and source is within you.
- You can listen authentically, consciously, but until you check within for your own guidance, you are not following a path that is going to get you to your truth.
- The next time an idea presents, check within yourself, and then be the warrior and find the courage to act.
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- What happens when you wait for the moments when you know it’s time?
- Take care of yourself so that you can serve others.
- At some point when you are scrolling, take a deep breath and count to five. Check within and ask yourself why you are doing this right now. If you feel that you’re in flow, then keep going. But if you are doing this to distract, numb, or avoid, try to recenter and listen to your truth.
For more information, including show notes, check out our website at www.heartofthematter.io.
I have been in the education field for over 20 years wearing the hat as a teacher, principal, executive director, assistant superintendent in private, public, traditional and charter schools, but today I want to talk about the future of education as a Dad. At this time, when schools across the country and globe are closed, my children, my daughter (6) and my son (9), have helped me see what the future of education could look like. When everything shifted, my children wanted to follow the schedule -- put in place by their teachers at the school I created-- but soon a new routine began to unfold. My daughter got into baking with my wife which sparked conversations about math and science. And now, our school days include a self-created schedule --within boundaries that have been set-- where the kids get to do what is interesting to them. Let me tell you, they are fully alive! We built a system that we don’t need anymore. Our kids are creative, curious, full of love, intuitive and we need an education system that is project-based and autonomous, where kids have the ability to trust their inner guidance. To you parents, approach learning as every second of everyday, and think of how learning can be a part of every conversation. Let’s co-create this beautiful future.
Highlights:
- I have over 20 years of experience in the education field, but today I am talking mainly as a Dad. I have two kids, a daughter (6) and a son (9), and as we have shifted to this combination of online-at home learning, they have shown me what we need in the future of education.
- Routines may be a thing of the past. The current system we use is over 100 years old and worked back then. But our kids are creative, curious, intuitive, and full of love, and they need project-based learning where they have some autonomy.
- To the parents, being a parent is tough. It is riding the line between joy and pain. Take a moment for yourself. Release the fear your child will get “behind” during this time. Start observing your child and approach learning as every second of everyday. I want you to think of how learning can be a part of every conversation: while you’re making dinner, exploring the backyard, out on a walk.
- We are in a different space. My deepest passion and hope is to reinvent the school system, one school, program and person at a time.
For more information, including show notes, check out our website at www.heartofthematter.io.
We are at a monumental shift. The world has slowed down; we’re in a human rights movement and it is time to let go of the old hierarchical, linear way to lead. The world needs conscious leadership now. It is time to get to the heart of the matter, heart, not the mind of the matter. We can do this with adaptability and surrendered action. Let’s take this moment to connect, trust and act. I understand the fear, trust me, but there is no time to wait. Life takes off on the other side of fear. The world needs conscious leadership now and this is our moment. I am pumped for the people I’m attracting into my space right now and let’s act together to show up and be our best selves.
Highlights:
- Conscious leadership includes adaptability, trust and creativity.
- We need surrendered action.
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- Take this moment to connect with yourself, your children, your community, your essence.
- Stay out of resistance. Acknowledge your fear and trust yourself. How can you show up?
- Put together a vision, manifest it, and let things fall into place.
- Your airplane may feel like it’s going down, but it is doing nose dives and spins. It is having fun and telling you to wake up! Take this time to slow down, connect and think of the opportunities presented to you.
- The world needs conscious leadership now. This is our moment.
Resources:
- Facebook Group: Heart of the Matter
For more information, including show notes, check out our website at www.heartofthematter.io.
As the world comes to a pause, I keep hearing the phrase, “I can’t wait to get back to normal.” Before we wish to return to the days of outsourcing our kids for 8 hours a day, rushing from place to place, and feeling disconnected and exhausted, let’s think about how we can create a new normal moving forward. I recognize that this is a time of fear and distress but let’s transmute our fear into love and begin to serve. What are you going to create and how are you going to serve in this new world we now inhabit? I am creating Heart of the Matter, Leading a Conscious Way Forward to reform the archaic education system and to help bring forward a new wave of conscious leaders. I am grateful I have the opportunity to be me and to serve; let’s create visions out of abundance and opportunity and leave our fear behind.
Highlights:
- We may find ourselves wishing for life to return to “normal” right now. But David reminds us that normal used to be filled with:
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- Exhaustion, rushing, disconnection, lack of family time and anxiety
- As our world is paused, let us take this opportunity to define the new normal.
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- What can you create and how will you serve?
- What will entrepreneurs create?
- What is happening is real and people are in pain. Pain is the portal to growth. Let’s reconnect with our world and figure out how to support each other.
- David is serving by creating Heart of the Matter, Leading a Conscious Way Forward to reform the archaic education system. He is bringing forward a new wave of conscious leaders.
- Join the Heart of the Matter Facebook group to begin solving how you are going to create and serve in this new way forward.
For more information, including show notes, check out our website at www.heartofthematter.io.
We are all born with a strong intuition. But at around 7 years old, we begin to lose this and start becoming conditioned to the outside world telling us what is right or wrong, good or bad. Today, I discuss the basics of following your intuition as a leader. Launching this podcast brings me right back to being 8 years old and knowing I wanted to be some sort of host. At that time, I wanted to be a gameshow host, but as people around me said to choose something realistic, my dreams faded. I dug into my intuition and I am back, not as a gameshow host, but as a podcast host, to help leaders find their intuition. Listening to your intuition is like growing a muscle, all it takes is practice and determination. This week I ask you to think about a time you had an intuitive feeling and deconstruct what happened. Did you follow it? Why or why not? You already have intuition within you and if you slow things down, you can find the answers and the way to be.
Highlights:
- We are all born with strong intuition. Your intuition may have faded as you got older, but we can relearn how to follow our intuition. Think about a time when you had an intuitive feeling. Did you act on it? Why or why not? Deconstruct what happened.
- To intentionally act and follow our intuition, we need to slow down. Life is busy. Begin by taking 1 minute of silence for yourself each day. Begin thinking about the messages you are missing by rushing from A to B.
- Create BE goals for yourself. What are you going to do that is a BE goal this week?
- Find the small ways to listen to your intuition. Try to listen to areas where you know the Truth and follow it. Trust yourself!
- Fear comes from the head, but intuition comes from the heart.
Resources:
- Finding Your Own North Star by Martha Beck
For more information, including show notes, check out our website at www.heartofthematter.io.
It is time to deconstruct the leadership systems that we have all been taught. We need to dismantle hierarchical leadership models and incorporate self-management into our new systems and structures. In this episode, I explain 3 old leadership beliefs – 1. Good leadership shows no weakness. 2 Leadership must be designed as a hierarchy. 3. Profits or results are more important than people. – and discuss how to deconstruct our own beliefs to become the leaders we need for the future.
Highlights:
- Perpetuated leadership myths:
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- Good leadership shows no weakness. This concept is directly tied to white dominant culture and white toxic masculinity. We need to dismantle this belief and move towards a system with personal leadership which is verbal, collaborative and includes more “feminine” tones.
- Leadership must be designed as a hierarchy. This is the belief in superiority, command and control. Once you climb the corporate ladder, you’re a leader. In reality, the best leaders have no leadership titles.
- Profits or results are more important than people. Data is important, but it does not tell the whole story. You need to also focus on your intuition. The new leadership requires a people-centered approach.
- This episode is accompanied by a worksheet that reviews leadership belief systems. It challenges you to dig deep into your own beliefs. Lean in, and get ready to debunk your thoughts about leadership belief systems. Questions include:
- Do you see that style in yourself? In leaders you have worked with?
- Why?
- What would you like to change?
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- Which leadership style resonates the most with you?
- Why does it resonate the most?
- Has something in your past conditioned you to believe a leadership myth?
Resources:
- Book: Reinventing Organizations by Frederic Laloux
- Facebook Group: Heart of the Matter
For more information, including show notes, check out our website at www.heartofthematter.io
Today we are throwing the old leader stereotypes - masculine, fierce, strong - out the window and shifting our mindset to the types of leaders our world needs now- teachers, coaches, empaths, you! Right now you are the natural leader our future needs. And yes, you are a leader. We all are leaders. I have prepared a worksheet for you to fill out as you listen along. You are going to focus on your superpower, silence your inner critic and hone in on how to leverage your skill so that it is effective in all aspects of your life.
Highlights:
- We have been fed misconceptions about what leaders look like. But we’re at a shift where we get to redefine what leaders look like and how to move forward.
- Worksheet questions:
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- What is your superpower? (This is one of your most powerful skills.)
- How do you use your superpower? For the next week, observe how you use this skill. How does this skill give you power?
- Can you leverage this skill to be effective in every part of your life?
- As you think about your superpower, think about the leadership characteristics you already have.
- Right now, we need people with high emotional intelligence. We need people leaning on empathy. Empaths, we need you! We need to heal so deeply.
- This moment requires us to be adaptable, creative, and collaborative. It is time to live in the world of infinite possibilities.
- As you find your superpower this week, watch your inner critic. Take a deep breath. Say “I don’t believe that” and watch yourself soar. Stay in your essence.
Resources:
- Blog: Davidkrichards.com
To join the movement or for more information, including show notes, check out the podcast website at www.heartofthematter.io
When I turned 40, I had an awakening. I quit my job and gave myself three months to pursue my dream of opening a school. Fast forward a few years to March 2020, when our world stopped and everything shifted, and I realized I had no choice but to be an ambassador of change and launch this podcast.
Throughout my life, I have always served people, and I am ready to reach as many people as I can. This podcast is going to get to the heart of the matter as I speak with excellent conscious leaders about how we reimagine how to educate, live, connect, help, and heal. It’s going to get fun, raw and real, and I hope you’ll join me in this journey.
Highlights
- The real dream life, not the one we’re fed, is about following your intuition, finding your flow and becoming the person you were meant to be.
- David’s personal awakening led him to follow his dream and open a school in Sacramento, California that redefines the way we educate.
- As our world shifts, there is no better time to launch the A Conscious Way Forward podcast which features intuitive, conscious leaders and discusses how we will lead the way forward.
- It’s time to put fears aside, show up, and be our best selves.
For more information, including show notes, check out our website at www.heartofthematter.io.