A Congruent Life

Derek “Deek” Diedricksen is a builder of tiny homes, a musician, an artist – and exemplifies not putting people into boxes. He is a host of HGTV’s “Tiny House Builders” and the author of Microshelters: 59 Creative Cabins, Tiny Houses, Tree Houses, and Other Small Structures. In this episode of A Congruent Life, Deek shares […] The post ACL 066: Derek Diedricksen appeared first on A Congruent Life.

Tara Byrne is a serial entrepreneur who had some unique “unschooling” educational experiences, and is the founder of Under 30 Changemakers, a support network for young entrepreneurs. In this episode of A Congruent Life, Tara shares about: how breaking into a church led to an unexpected change of plans for her life; how unschooling taught […] The post ACL 065: Tara Byrne appeared first on A Congruent Life.

Jacob Sokol had all the trappings of a successful life in New York City but longed for passion and purpose. So he set off to find it, and deliberately and consciously designed the kind of life he was enthusiastic about. He ended up creating Sensophy, a blog that chronicled his journey and evolved into a […] The post ACL 064: Jacob Sokol appeared first on A Congruent Life.

Katrin Macmillan is the founder of a human rights organization called Projects for All. An innovative project called “Project Hello World” is helping to connect and bring education to millions of children without traditional resources. In this episode of A Congruent Life, Katrin shares about: the goals of Projects for All, and specifically what her […] The post ACL 063: Katrin Macmillan appeared first on A Congruent Life.

Jason Zook personifies reinvention and unconventional thinking: he has worn T-shirts for a living, sold his last name twice, and is now literally selling his future. The author of Creativity for Sale, Jason helps people see beyond boundaries, chart their own life paths, and turn unique talents into opportunities. In this episode of A Congruent […] The post ACL 062: Jason Zook appeared first on A Congruent Life.

Belden Lane is a teacher, author, storyteller, and theologian who explores the deep connection between nature and spirituality, and in particular the threads between those topics and men’s spirituality work. In this episode of A Congruent Life, Belden shares about: discovering his love of nature as a young child, the yearning for wilderness in the […] The post ACL 061: Belden Lane appeared first on A Congruent Life.

Andy Hayes Andy went from a lucrative career in enterprise software development and consulting to found a company called Plum Deluxe, whose philosophy is helping you create moments that matter. In this episode of A Congruent Life, Andy shares about: working in a toxic work environment, and realizing that “the biggest risk was staying where […] The post ACL 060: Andy Hayes appeared first on A Congruent Life.

Dianne Bischoff James found herself challenged by a “midlife reboot” in confronting the truth that she had built a life that she wasn’t truly proud of. She chronicles her journey of reinvention and distills the practical lessons she learned in a book titled The Real Brass Ring: Change Your Life Course Now. In this episode […] The post ACL 059: Dianne Bischoff James appeared first on A Congruent Life.

Stephanie Trager draws on a wide array of life experiences ranging from activism, law, martial arts, 9/11, and a serious injury and parlays that into entrepreneurship and transformation coaching. In this episode of A Congruent Life, Stephanie shares: being drawn to activism as a young adult, and how that has influenced her perspective on life, […] The post ACL 058: Stephanie Trager appeared first on A Congruent Life.

Wondering what he could do to help disaster-impacted people in Haiti, Andrew Newman started asking others on the street for poems to share. Little did he know at the time that “poemcatching” would take him around the world and result in several anthologies of collected poems. In this episode of A Congruent Life, Andrew shares […] The post ACL 057: Andrew Newman appeared first on A Congruent Life.

After encountering an unexpected “plot twist” in her life, Stephanie St.Claire reinvented herself to support others experiencing heartbreak and loss. In this episode of A Congruent Life, Stephanie shares insights gleaned from her reinvented life, including: how crises of health or money often help us uncover personal authenticity, why living an interesting life is itself […] The post ACL 056: Stephanie St.Claire appeared first on A Congruent Life.

Gary Hirsch is an artist and co-founder of On Your Feet, which improves organizational dynamics and teaches business skills through principles of improv. He is also the driving force behind Botjoy, a project to spread joy and courage throughout the world with an army of hand-painted robots. In this episode of A Congruent Life, Gary […] The post ACL 055: Gary Hirsch appeared first on A Congruent Life.

Victor Saad decided to take his education into his own hands and handcraft a unique personal educational experience called the “Leap Year Project.” He is now crystallizing his vision for reinventing education by building a new school called the Experience Institute. In this episode of A Congruent Life, Victor discusses his thoughts about customized experiential […] The post ACL 054: Victor Saad appeared first on A Congruent Life.

After unexpectedly losing his job as an advertising executive, Erik Proulx embraced documentary film-making, and made a compelling film called Lemonade about several people who - in Erik's words - lost their jobs and discovered their callings. The post ACL 053: Erik Proulx appeared first on A Congruent Life.

Diane Allen has been a professional violinist for decades, and is now drawing on her experience in the music world to empower women to become more confident communicators. In this episode of A Congruent Life, Diane shares stories about how her music career has intertwined with her personal journey, including: the perseverance and hard work […] The post ACL 052: Diane Allen appeared first on A Congruent Life.

Jared Seide facilitates increased cooperation, empathy, and understanding within groups through his work at Center for Council, spanning circles as diverse as schools, businesses, service organizations, participants in social conflicts, and prisons. In this episode of A Congruent Life, Jared shares stories from his personal journey with Council work, including: how his background in dramatic […] The post ACL 051: Jared Seide appeared first on A Congruent Life.

Heather Thorkelson calls herself an Architect of Freedom, working with others to carve their own path, conquer “comparisonitis,” and create successful, meaningful businesses that support their lives. In this episode of A Congruent Life, Heather shares stories about: developing resilience from living abroad at an early age, the danger of comparing ourselves to others, and […] The post ACL 050: Heather Thorkelson appeared first on A Congruent Life.

Emilie Cortes discovered that outdoor physical challenge provided an unexpected boost in her own self-confidence, and a balance to the stress of her high-powered career in the Bay Area. She ended up leaving her finance job to empower other women by leading them on outdoor adventure trips. In this episode of A Congruent Life, Emilie […] The post ACL 049: Emilie Cortes appeared first on A Congruent Life.

Danea Horn has had significant health challenges since birth, and has let illness become her teacher in profound ways. She wrote a book called Chronic Resilience to support others in being more self-compassionate during the stress of illness, and in a stunning act of love, recently received a kidney transplant from her husband on their […] The post ACL 048: Danea Horn appeared first on A Congruent Life.

John Bardos and his wife sold or gave away all their possessions in order to live a nomadic travelling lifestyle focused on contribution and connection. In this episode of A Congruent Life, John shares about: gradually questioning common lifestyle beliefs in his own life, how a “short trip” to Japan ended up lasting 13 years, […] The post ACL 047: John Bardos appeared first on A Congruent Life.

Lydia Smith walked the Camino de Santiago at a pivotal time in her life, and felt called to create a documentary film called Walking the Camino in order to inspire people to follow their own path of discovery and transformation. In this episode of A Congruent Life, Lydia shares about: deciding to walk the Camino […] The post ACL 046: Lydia Smith appeared first on A Congruent Life.

Justin Cooke reinvented his own life in a way that basically amounted to convincing his boss to fire him, and then moving both his personal and professional life halfway around the world to the Philippines. He now is a partner in a successful business called Empire Flippers. In this episode of A Congruent Life, Justin […] The post ACL 045: Justin Cooke appeared first on A Congruent Life.

Depressed and unfulfilled by her job as a sales executive, Berni Xiong was asked a simple question that changed her world: “So what do you want to do when you grow up?” Berni decided to start living life on her own terms, and became “The Shin Kicking Life Spark.” In this episode of A Congruent […] The post ACL 044: Berni Xiong appeared first on A Congruent Life.

The tragic deaths of his 10-week-old son and his brother-in-law shook Richie Norton and his family to their core, but their conscious response enabled them to turn tragedy into triumph. Richie wrote a compelling book, The Power of Starting Something Stupid, and helps people lean into their fears, make a difference, and live without regret. […] The post ACL 043: Richie Norton appeared first on A Congruent Life.

Tyson Adams left a well-paid sales job in Seattle, bought a one-way ticket to Asia, and had a “crazy” dream about importing coffee to finance community efforts in Laos. He has now built a successful social business called Jhai Coffeehouse that not only supports local coffee farmers, but also finances essential wells for clean water […] The post ACL 042: Tyson Adams appeared first on A Congruent Life.

Farnoosh Brock had a very successful technical career with everything that she thought that she wanted, but yet she came to understand that it really wasn’t fulfilling in the way that she wanted, and she had the wherewithal to make changes that really did work better for her. She now works with her husband in […] The post ACL 041: Farnoosh Brock appeared first on A Congruent Life.

Ben Robinson and a couple of his friends decided to go surfing in each of the Seven Seas over two years, while helping to reduce teen suicide in their native Australia. They later made an inspiring and humorous documentary of their journey called 3 Mates 7 Seas. In this episode of A Congruent Life, Ben […] The post ACL 040: Ben Robinson appeared first on A Congruent Life.

Heather Strang discovered that surgery didn’t solve her health issues; instead she found herself on an amazing journey of healing, self-discovery, and new directions. She shares some great insights she gained the hard way about poverty, abundance, and self-worth. In this episode of A Congruent Life, Heather shares about: the wake-up call that came from […] The post ACL 039: Heather Strang appeared first on A Congruent Life.

Wesley Chapman tried to commit suicide when he was four, was abandoned by his mother when he was six, and doctors said that his life was a hopeless cause when he was seven. A shining example of love and support changed the course of his life for some amazing successes in the world of business […] The post ACL 038: Wesley Chapman appeared first on A Congruent Life.

Dino Dogan grew up in the middle of the Bosnia War and fled with a backpack, expecting to be away from home only a few days. Twenty years later he lives in the United States and is an entrepreneur, blogger, and podcaster. In this episode of A Congruent Life, Dino shares about: his life as […] The post ACL 037: Dino Dogan appeared first on A Congruent Life.

Owen Marcus is the author of a new book called Grow Up: A Man’s Guide to Masculine Emotional Intelligence. Owen shares about learning from dyslexia and Asperger’s Syndrome, and the very real ways that working with men’s groups has impacted him personally. In this episode of A Congruent Life, Owen shares his personal journey and […] The post ACL 036: Owen Marcus appeared first on A Congruent Life.

Mike Hrostoski had his world rocked when his mother died unexpectedly. He left his traditional corporate career and took a year off to focus on doing things that brought him joy: spending time with his brother and travelling around the United States doing volunteer work. He now spends his energy coaching high-performing men. In this […] The post ACL 035: Mike Hrostoski appeared first on A Congruent Life.

Greg Berg is the host of Radio Enso, an interview podcast sharing “Tools and Inspiration for Conscious Living.” In this episode of A Congruent Life, Greg draws on his varied life experiences and lessons learned from his show and his guests, including: pulling the best aspects from his various work experiences into a “mashup” of […] The post ACL 034: Greg Berg appeared first on A Congruent Life.

Amy Clover found herself mired in clinical depression, hit a breaking point, and reinvented her life from the inside out. She now helps others to move their own lives forward by harnessing fitness and positive action through Strong Inside Out. In this episode of A Congruent Life, Amy shares stories about: “accidentally” embracing fitness as […] The post ACL 033: Amy Clover appeared first on A Congruent Life.

Illana Burk‘s dream of being a professional dancer was derailed by an accident on the eve of her big debut, forcing her to find a new passion and direction for her life. In this episode of A Congruent Life, Illana shares beautifully about embracing vulnerability and ultimately making it a core of her success, including: […] The post ACL 032: Illana Burk appeared first on A Congruent Life.

Sylvester Neal is a past president of Kiwanis International who spent his career in public service as a firefighter, airport security chief, and state fire marshal. In this episode of A Congruent Life, Sylvester shares interesting stories from his well-lived life, including: attending an integrated high school in the 1950s, and how he never got […] The post ACL 031: Sylvester Neal appeared first on A Congruent Life.

Julie Harris is a former athlete and executive who found herself confronted with a chilling diagnosis from which she was not expected to live long. Telling her doctor, “I really don’t accept this,” Julie set out on an inspiring journey of self-discovery and healing to move beyond cancer, and now invests her energy helping others […] The post ACL 030: Julie Harris appeared first on A Congruent Life.

Srinivas Rao is the host of the popular BlogcastFM podcast and the author of the recent book, The Art of Being Unmistakable: A Collection of Essays about Making a Dent in the Universe. In this episode of A Congruent Life, Srini shares insights from his personal journey as a podcaster, entrepreneur, and writer, as well […] The post ACL 029: Srini Rao appeared first on A Congruent Life.

Ken Streater is an entrepreneur, adventure guide, and writer who recently wrote a book called The Gift of Courage, sharing inspiring stories of courage and passion. In this episode of A Congruent Life, Ken shares interesting stories and great insights, including: coming to learn that his love of the outdoors could actually be an expression […] The post ACL 028: Ken Streater appeared first on A Congruent Life.

Don Samuels has lived a fascinating multi-faceted life as a toy designer, immigrant, executive, pop singer, public servant, pastor, activist, husband and father. He has deliberately chosen to live in the most challenged urban neighborhoods of the cities he has called home, and has focused on serving and steadily improving his local communities, including the […] The post ACL 027: Don Samuels appeared first on A Congruent Life.

Shai Plonski is a co-founder of the Still Light Centre in Toronto, and a skilled trainer of Thai Massage. In this episode of A Congruent Life, Shai discusses wanting to work with his hands, what he learned from working on a carnival boardwalk, his journey to discover Thai massage, the profound meaning of “meta” in […] The post ACL 026: Shai Plonski appeared first on A Congruent Life.

Meg Worden is a writer and health coach who focuses on enabling personal freedom through her organization called “Feed Me, Darling.” Meg has an amazing story, a part of which includes spending two years in prison for selling Ecstasy tablets during a particularly challenging part of her life, and draws on her insights from that […] The post ACL 025: Meg Worden appeared first on A Congruent Life.

Eric Plantenberg focuses on enriching the lives of others through his own multi-faceted life. Eric is the co-founder of Freedom Personal Development, has created a retreat called Abundant Living, and is now the “Core Values Ambassador” of Kombucha Mama. And — by the way — he’s also done significant humanitarian work around the world, summitted […] The post ACL 024: Eric Plantenberg appeared first on A Congruent Life.

In her youth, Julie Dragonfly turned to alcohol, drugs, and sex looking for courage to be herself in the world. Through some significant experiences, she rediscovered the power of music in her own life, and embraced that as another language for self-healing and being of service to others. Leaving her addictions behind and transforming her […] The post ACL 023: Julie Dragonfly appeared first on A Congruent Life.

Natalie Sisson is an entrepreneur and traveler who helps others seek freedom by building a location-independent business. She is the host of a website called The Suitcase Entrepreneur and recently published a book by the same name. In this episode of A Congruent Life, Natalie reflects on her own journey as a nomadic entrepreneur, including: […] The post ACL 022: Natalie Sisson appeared first on A Congruent Life.

Tess Vigeland is a familiar voice for fans of National Public Radio; she’s been on public radio for over twenty years, and for the last decade she was part of NPR’s popular national Marketplace program, including serving several years as the host of Marketplace Money. In this episode of A Congruent Life, Tess reflects on […] The post ACL 021: Tess Vigeland appeared first on A Congruent Life.

Marinus Koning is a retired brain surgeon who is now doing some amazing healing work with children in Ethiopia through the non-profit he founded called “Reach Another Foundation.” In this episode of A Congruent Life, Marinus shares some fascinating stories, including: the impact that his mother’s sacrifice for hungry children during World War II has […] The post ACL 020: Marinus Koning appeared first on A Congruent Life.

Pamela Slim is an inspiring writer and coach supporting personal change and entrepreneurship, and is the author of the bestselling book called Escape from Cubicle Nation. In this episode of A Congruent Life, Pam shares: how traveling the world, studying martial arts, and working in a nonprofit unexpectedly prepared her for entrepreneurship, the fulfillment of […] The post ACL 019: Pamela Slim appeared first on A Congruent Life.

Rudi Kennard is a well-being and resiliency consultant in the UK who is a facilitator for the “Three Principles.” In this episode of A Congruent Life, Rudi discusses: pursuing a long-term passion project even though he couldn’t see how it could possibly happen when he began, a surprising approach to reducing crime and working with […] The post ACL 018: Rudi Kennard appeared first on A Congruent Life.

Jonathan Goldman was an acupuncturist in Boston who unexpectedly found himself having a profound transformative experience in a remote Brazilian jungle, and ended up in a protracted legal struggle with the US Government over religious freedom — and won. He now practices “Transformational Energy Healing” in Oregon. In this episode of A Congruent Life, Jonathan […] The post ACL 017: Jonathan Goldman appeared first on A Congruent Life.

Charley Johnson was a successful executive and entrepreneur who was inspired to make a drastic career change and create the global “Pay It Forward” Experience after reading the book and watching the movie of the same name. In this episode of A Congruent Life, Charley talks about the warning signs he experienced when “living for […] The post ACL 016: Charley Johnson appeared first on A Congruent Life.