SuperPower Curiosity

Are there ways we can better prepare ourselves to live with peace of mind in a world that contains divisiveness?  In this episode, Richard speaks briefly of three useful habits that strengthen and protect our higher values. 

When we think divisively, we usually experience some degree of anger, outrage, worry, fear, or upset. None of these feel great. This episode shows how we can change our state by turning our focus from us/them thinking, with its associated unpleasant emotions, to the elevated and happier feelings of open heartedness. These elevated feelings —  curiosity, wonder, compassion, calmness, warmth, contentment, inspiration, gratitude, care, love, kindness, and respect — are available to every one of us.  And there is a single key to all of them!  The episode is excerpted from Dr. Richard Gillett's #1 bestselling book:  It's a Freakin' Mess:  How to Thrive in Divisive Times. ItsAFreakinMess.com

Do we choose our thoughts and feelings, or do they seem to arise spontaneously, beyond our control?  How much do we actively determine what we focus our minds on, or how much do we passively allow our focus to be selected for us by the haphazardly accrued habits of our mind, by the polarizations of the media, and by the words and actions of others? This episode shows how we can gain greater command of both our thoughts and our feelings — and, therefore, how we can dwell in more creative thoughts and more pleasant feelings!  The episode is excerpted from Dr. Richard Gillett's #1 bestselling book:  It's a Freakin' Mess:  How to Thrive in Divisive Times. ItsAFreakinMess.com

What is the relationship between meditation and polarized partisanship? None.  And that's the point.  Meditation bypasses the us-vs-them pathways of anger and fear. In this episode, Richard interviews Professor Marjorie Woollacott, author of the multiple award winning book, Infinite Awareness, and author of over 180 peer-reviewed research articles.  Marjorie has been a neuroscience professor for more than three decades and she has been a meditator for almost four decades. In this fascinating conversation, Richard and Marjorie explore the powerful effects of meditation — how meditation affects our minds, bodies, feelings and spirit. How it even changes the structure of our brains!

Many things happen which we have no choice over. If a change we want involves anyone else at all, we have no definitive control over whether that change will ever occur, since other people also have choices! And yet, what we do have control over determines our happiness. This episode shows the richness of the choices we have — the powers we have over what we think, feel, say, and do — and how, when we align these four arenas of power with our full-hearted intention, we increase our potential for both happiness and effectiveness. The episode is excerpted from Dr. Richard Gillett's #1 bestselling book:  It's a Freakin' Mess:  How to Thrive in Divisive Times. ItsAFreakinMess.com

How can you mend broken bridges between yourself and others after you've argued heatedly — or distanced yourself coldly — over differing political affiliations? So many family relationships and friendships have been fractured by the political divisiveness that has been sold to us by politicians and the media. This episode is a practical guide on how to navigate strong differences of opinion at work, with neighbors, with friends and family, and after an argument with anyone! For more about Richard's book, see ItsAFreakinMess.com. 

Prejudice creates unhappiness not only in those we are prejudiced against, but also in ourselves. We are never at peace when we carry enmity! So, if prejudice makes both sides unhappier, why on earth do human beings do it? This episode shows why prejudice occurs, and how different prejudices proceed through the same basic five steps. The good news about this is that overcoming prejudice can be easily done simply by transmuting the first of these five steps.  How to do this is detailed in a powerful exercise which not only transcends prejudice but makes us feel more at peace and more content!  For more about Richard's book, see ItsAFreakinMess.com. 

How do we get ourselves out of a hyper-partisan mess that polarizes our country? In this episode, Richard interviews Mark Gerzon, experienced mediator between Republican and Democratic Members of Congress, the President of Mediators Foundation — which is dedicated to bridging social and political divides — and the author of the renowned book, THE REUNITED STATES OF AMERICA. In this fascinating and moving conversation, Richard and Mark explore the value of curiosity in transcending political hyper-partisanship and in fostering respect, kindness, and truth. If you're interested in Richard's book, see ItsAFreakinMess.com. 

Sometimes we listen to the news and feel really upset, overwhelmed perhaps with a helpless “oh no!” Maybe we're angry or disappointed that the outcome we wished for did not happen. This podcast episode is about re-focusing on the bigger picture — how it helps our state of mind to widen our lenses and observe a broader perspective. How will the setback that I perceive today pan out in 20 years?  Or 50 years?  To achieve this perspective, this episode contains a remarkable new exercise called “Time Travel”.  It's a way of looking back from a future dream we aspire to — and it creates a greater chance of that dream manifesting. The episode is excerpted from Dr. Richard Gillett's #1 bestselling book:  It's a Freakin' Mess:  How to Thrive in Divisive Times. ItsAFreakinMess.com

Great leaps forward in human understanding—from medicine to motor vehicles, from molecular structure to the motion of planets—have occurred as the result of people's curiosity. We all have this SuperPower of Curiosity, Dr. Gillett says — it is an innate feature of being human: the drive to discover; the quest to question why until we reach a satisfying answer or a deeper question; a key to learning with joy. But sometimes we lose touch with this natural ability. This episode shows us how to shine the light of our curiosity on our own patterns of thinking, liberating us from limiting mental boundaries, in order to gain an expanded, and more joyous, sense of understanding.  The episode is excerpted from Dr. Richard Gillett's #1 bestselling book:  It's a Freakin' Mess:  How to Thrive in Divisive Times. ItsAFreakinMess.com

We all get caught — sometimes stuck — in emotions that are not so pleasant to experience. Being in charge of one's own emotional state, and therefore one's own happiness, is perhaps the greatest therapeutic gift. Yet techniques for changing one's emotional state are only taught by a minority of psychologists and psychotherapists. In this episode, Dr. Randy Cale and Dr. Richard Gillett discuss cutting-edge techniques for changing an emotional state that you don't want, into one that you do! Randy is an author and clinical psychologist who is unafraid to travel new ground or challenge old paradigms. He trained with Richard Bandler, co-originator of Neuro-Linguistic Programming.  He's a family systems therapist, a cognitive behavioral therapist, a breathing technique specialist, and he gives optimal performance training through the new science of neurofeedback. In this episode, Randy speaks of the crucial ability that we can all develop: greater  mastery over the state of feeling we would like to live in. 

When you feel weighed down by a difficult situation over which you have no control, what can you do to lighten your load?  How can you handle upsetting news without feeling burdened? This short episode of SuperPowerCuriosity delves into the steps you can take to clarify exactly what is within your power to change, and what is outside your sphere of control. Making this distinction gives tremendous relief from the burden of carrying national situations on our shoulders, and provides the freedom to focus on the changes that we can realistically accomplish.  This episode is excerpted from Dr. Richard Gillett's #1 bestselling book:  It's a Freakin' Mess:  How to Thrive in Divisive Times. ItsAFreakinMess.com

What do you do when someone is overtly or covertly angry with you?  How do you avoid fueling the battle by getting angry back or silently resentful? This episode of SuperPower Curiosity provides practical steps on what to do, and what not to do, to avoid escalation and to find both empathy and effectiveness — even when someone is yelling at you!  It is excerpted from Dr. Richard Gillett's #1 bestselling book:  It's a Freakin' Mess:  How to Thrive in Divisive Times. ItsAFreakinMess.com

When is anger a useful messenger for change, and when does it begin to hurt your health and diminish your ability to communicate? This episode of SuperPower Curiosity shows how anger that is a burden to you can be transcended without either violent expression or deadening repression.  It shows how it is possible to transform anger against others into passion for the result you want — and how this transformation makes you more effective in getting those results. It is excerpted from Dr. Richard Gillett's #1 bestselling book:  It's a Freakin' Mess:  How to Thrive in Divisive Times. ItsAFreakinMess.com

How can we maintain our good feeling in an us-them world of fighting factions?  To learn more about practical ways to experience peace of mind in hot situations, listen to this fascinating conversation between Patti Holland and Dr. Richard Gillett in the CuriosiTea Room. Patti is Assistant Professor in the Mindfulness Center at Brown University School of Public Health. She is an expert and a teachers' teacher on the practice of mindfulness and finding contentment no matter what the circumstances. In this episode, Patti details specific, doable methods for transforming your worry or outrage about external situations into peace of mind which, in turn, increases your ability to handle those external situations.  

How can we take part in our democracy and be as effective as we can, without suffering from the unpleasant emotions that arise from us-and-them thinking? Emotions like outrage about the terrible things the other side has done or fear of what they might catastrophically do?  This episode of SuperPower Curiosity spells out the 4 tricks that politicians play to get us fearful and angry.  Seeing through these political games gives us peace of mind and is likely to make whatever political involvement we choose more effective.  This episode is excerpted from Dr. Richard Gillett's #1 bestselling book:  It's a Freakin' Mess:  How to Thrive in Divisive Times. ItsAFreakinMess.com

How do we take in the news, and remain as informed as we would like to be, without taking on the emotions that the news media often elicit — emotions like outrage at the hurt someone has caused, or worry about what will happen to our society or country? This episode of SuperPower Curiosity delves into the three aspects of taking in news that we have complete control over, and which can offer us peace of mind even during highly divisive times.  It is excerpted from Dr. Richard Gillett's #1 bestselling book: It's a Freakin' Mess:  How to Thrive in Divisive Times. ItsAFreakinMess.com

How can you enjoy the natural gifts of self-esteem and self-respect, when family, friends, and/or society give you the clear and repeated message that you are less than? To find out more about the social and psychological parameters of feeling good about yourself, listen to this powerful  conversation between Lester Strong and Dr. Richard Gillett in the CuriosiTea Room.  Lester Strong is an award-winning TV journalist, Executive Director of the Peaceful Guardians Project dedicated to healing racism, and a man who passionately believes that everyone, whatever their background, should have the benefit of enjoying self-respect. In this episode, Lester speaks of the crippling effects of low self-esteem and how this can be changed in our society. 40% BOOK SALE December 1-5, 2021: ItsaFreakinMess.com

What is the difference between ego and self-esteem?  This episode of SuperPower Curiosity looks at this crucial differentiation.  How, on the one hand self-esteem is so helpful (to us and to those we connect with); and how, on the other hand, ego — our pride in being different or special — is directly linked to creating enemies and therefore to our experience of fear and anger.  It is excerpted from Dr. Richard Gillett's #1 bestselling book:  It's a Freakin' Mess:  How to Thrive in Divisive Times. ItsaFreakinMess.com

What happens when you focus on your abilities instead of your liabilities?  To find out about the journey from self-criticism to self-appreciation, listen to this exciting conversation between Professor David Haddad and Dr. Richard Gillett in the CuriosiTea Room.  David Haddad is a pioneer in Appreciative Inquiry — the understanding that we tend to do better when we focus on our qualities, rather than on our faults. In this episode David speaks of how to hone curiosity so that it is geared to what we want in our lives and to attaining the good feeling we all wish to have.

When are anger and fear helpful to us, and when are they liabilities that cause us suffering?  Knowing when these emotions are useful and when they are not gives us choices that protect our peace of mind and even our physical health.  It is excerpted from Dr. Richard Gillett's #1 bestselling book:  It's a Freakin' Mess:  How to Thrive in Divisive Times. ItsaFreakinMess.com

Politicians and the media often bombard us with invitations into emotion — especially anger (with them) and fear (of what they might do). This episode looks at why divisive emotions — like anger and fear — are so effective in getting people to buy and to vote. And how this exploitation for political or commercial ends costs us in terms of our everyday peace of mind.  It is excerpted from Dr. Richard Gillett's #1 bestselling book:  It's a Freakin' Mess:  How to Thrive in Divisive Times. ItsaFreakinMess.com

It's so easy to get caught in emotions that don't feel good.  This episode is about the shift we can all make, from emotions related to alarm (like anger, worry and fear) that are so unpleasant to feel, to the uplifting emotions of connection (like respect, love and joy).  In this episode, producer Mollie Ruth interviews Dr. Richard Gillett, author of IT'S A FREAKIN' MESS:  How to Thrive in Divisive Times.

Why do we human beings create divisiveness when it creates so much suffering — on both sides of the division?  This episode looks at why we get tempted to be divisive and how we have the power to make different choices.  It is excerpted from Dr. Richard Gillett's #1 bestselling book:  It's a Freakin' Mess:  How to Thrive in Divisive Times. ItsaFreakinMess.com

SuperPower Curiosity is a new podcast with Dr. Richard Gillett dedicated to turbocharging and enjoying our natural curiosity. Through both radically informative talks and fascinating conversations with out-of-the-box experts, join in to explore the secrets of why we think and feel and act as we do, and how we can develop more inspiring thoughts, more enjoyable feelings and more meaningful actions.