When Would You Want to Know

What is your ideal physique, career, relationships - if you could dream up your perfect life, what would it look like? We all have hidden skills and capacities that can be cultivated through practice but with societal pressures and constructs, it’s hard to look past our personal hates and focus on our personal loves. On today’s episode of When Would You Want To Know, I invite Titus Kahoutek, coach and co-founder of Anxiety Experts and Heroics Training Systems, to enlighten us on activating and empowering human potential through reintegrating the bodymind. When would you want to know how to access your full potential? An Integrated Whole. [Titus 0:44] Everybody has a disintegrated view of their body. Biceps, triceps, quads, lungs, nervous system, spirit; but when thought as an integrated whole, the bodymind does beautiful work. Body. [Titus 2:40]  I think mobility is kind of one of the fountains of youth. I mean, that is the holy grail is to maintain your mobility through your life. Mobility is full strength through the entire range of motion. [Titus 5:00] Since people don’t think about breathing on a regular basis, mostly people have dysfunctional breathing patterns. “Whereas if we focus on how most people breathe, it’s an inverse breathing pattern, meaning they’re breathing with their neck and shoulders more than they are with their abdomen and ribcage. And so with that inverse breathing pattern, we start to see negative impact tension patterns throughout the body.” Related Episode: EP.18: Yoga is a Lifestyle to Enlightenment Mind. [Titus 33:30] The words you think matter, you know, and really how people build a relationship with how they see themselves will be the biggest either deterrent or accelerant of their life. To work with Titus directly visit HeroicTrainingSystems.com or anxietyexperts.com.      

The basis of our emotions are nothing more than vibrating particles of energy. In fact, the Latin derivative for the word emotion, "emovere", literally means “to move”. When we feel an emotional vibration, the brain’s function is to assign meaning or create stories around this movement of energy. Your ability to understand the associated narrative and effectively move that emotional energy is vital to your happiness. This is particularly true when you understand that emotional information is recorded first into memory and secondly into thoughts. On today’s episode of When Would You Want to Know, I’ve invited Lily Finch with AlchemEnergy to help us understand, feel and release challenging emotions. When would you want to know who you truly are? In moments of emotional pain, Lily has outlined step by step, how to transform challenging emotions. Step 1- Quick release method: Completely own the emotion, quickly releasing it and in the process of this, neutralize [Finch 13:35] “We've been taught that we need to think positive, we need to choose to think positive and loving but when it comes to energy, you cannot deny, suppress or repress or destroy. You have to first acknowledge. The first step that I use for people is, is to completely own the emotion that they're having right now. Then use alchemy energy, a quick release technique based on Chinese acupressure to release and neutralize suffering.” Step 2- Cellular cleansing with magnets: An energy release with magnets, releasing it from the cells of the body [Finch 17:21] “Even if you transform suffering-based thoughts and fear-based thoughts on the emotional body, or the mental body, you still have it in the physical body, deposited in the cells.” Step 3 -Shadow work: Understanding our inter-relationships with others through shadow work [Finch 18:35] “What it is we hate in other people, we repeat in ourselves. They may be married to us in an unhealthy way but until we own it in a healthy way, we can't move forward. We remain in a very hypocritical state where we can even discern whether somebody is doing it from the motive of love or the motive of fear.” Step 4- Reprogramming neurotransmitters: Reprograming memories [Finch 20:45] “They've healed from a trauma when they can say, “I am so grateful that happened to me, I would not be who I am without it.” In order for you to be truly free, you have to be able to say, “that was the best thing that ever happened to me because I would never have broken, I would never have cracked open and I would never have received this light had that not happened.”” Step 5- Discerning the truth: How to quickly distinguish truth for yourself [Finch 22:04] “We're at a time, in the history of the world, that we better know how to discern truth for ourselves and so the first thing that I have always told students is to disbelieve me, that they need to know for sure, for themselves. They have all the power to discount me or anybody else if it's not true for them.” Related Episode: EP.23: Holding Space for Other Opinions Brings Connection If you find that you're suffering and the trauma is too deep, Lily is available to assist you in walking through these steps. Visit alchemenergy.com or contact her through Facebook.

People shouldn’t have to subscribe to my own belief system or faith to listen to my podcast. In fact, disagreement can be good, at least when we truly listen and understand the multiple perspectives and the people behind them. At the heart of it, I want people to know why they believe what they believe and to challenge their beliefs so that they can have a better understanding of how beliefs shape their whole life. I'm just offering one point of view, which is why for this episode, I've invited my daughter Mary, to come on the show and challenge me on a lot of the topics I’ve spoke about. When Would You Want to Know that Pierre is full of it? Connect Across Differences Even more, as a parent, if you get the opportunity to have thoughtful conversations with your children, learn from your mistakes and even look back on some things and admit, “I wished I had done this differently.” It’s a chance to reshape some of our thinking, improve how we are parenting and grow. Opportunity to Do Better I personally have found that all of my experiences and emotions have been about lessons. What things am I supposed to master? I'm not there, I'm not wise, I'm not really connected to people in the way I really want. There's huge opportunities to do every one of those things better. To be a more loving, compassionate person, friend, partner and father. Defining, Facing, Overcoming Fear [1:26, 5:50] Grieving Loved Ones [4:00] Purpose of Pain, Pain is in Your Head [16:30, 37:24] Validating Emotions [26:00, 33:58] Anger [28:26, 49:24] The Key to Happiness [41:53]

When you understanding anger is a choice and you find strength through connection to choose differently, you experience a life of compassion and love. When would you want to know that the most fundamental human need is not food, clothing and shelter? Most people in our society think a parent’s job is to provide food, clothing, shelter and a good education. But something is missing from that equation. Something that children want more and need more than any of those things? Love. The basic human need is to feel understood, loved and significant in the eyes of somebody. Children need to be held. They need to be feel like no matter what mistake they make, no matter what happens, they're psychologically safe. What does that look like in an argument? The trick is to just simply ask, “Did I hear you correctly? Is this what you intended to say? Did I understand you?” If you want to resolve an argument or a disagreement quickly, the key is to go super slow. Ask the other person multiple questions until they say, “Yes, I feel heard. I feel like you understood me.” Live with more compassion and love The most compassionate and loving thing I can do for another human being is to look for the spirit within their eyes, listen to them intently and fill them with positive energy. I must care 100% about what they are saying and what they're feeling with no need or desire to share what I'm feeling or thinking. It’s amazing what happens, not just to people but to plants and trees, animals too. Empathy is equal to feeling understood divided by active listening. But compassion adds the art of alleviating pain from the other person. Often times being a compassionate listener takes away a lot of the pain because you can provide that person with their fundamental human needs, understanding and love. When you actually care about this other being and they know you care about them because you're listening, purely present, focused on them. It changes everything.

When we understand anger is a choice, how do we find the strength to choose differently? When would you want to know that what you thought was weakness is actually the greatest strength. The Greatest Strength When I was a young boy and I'd cry, my dad would call me a sissy or worse. Society expects boys to be tough and not to show emotion. So, when my anger feels justified and my ego is telling me the other person's wrong in any given situation, the real strength is being open to the possibility that I’m wrong. To open my own heart to the possibility that the story is different. Be Curious, Not Furious Strength is then to have a conversation with the other person. Actually listen to them curiously, not just doing it to appease them in any way but to actually say, tell me your side of how you saw things happen. What were you thinking? What are you feeling? What is it you think I did or said that caused you to be so upset. And then really listen and repeat it back to them to make sure that they feel understood on their terms. It's hard to do but it’s a technique that’s successful. Choosing Connection The most strong, powerful thing a human being can do is say, “I feel sad that we're apart and I would really like to figure out and make amends” Whether I’m wrong or not doesn't matter. I’d rather be connected, share experiences and be joyful than to be alone, isolated and angry. If for no other reason than survival, being angry is harmful to our health. So, if I actually want to survive in a healthy way, I should biologically want to resolve and be at peace. The Catalyst of Resolution It's taking two to dance, but it only takes one person to initiate the catalyst of resolution. Now if the other person doesn't want to forgive, that's their choice. But they'll be ill, because holding onto that anger is very detrimental to health. Let go of all the acid, acidity in your system and all the negativity. Forgive yourself, forgive the other person and then seek to understand before being understood. You can only control your own thoughts and your own actions. You are not and can never be responsible to control the words, actions, thoughts of another person. Control is an illusion, we do not have the capacity to puppet master anyone else. So, if you and I were fighting and I forgive you, I have taken the steps to free myself of my problem. By being vulnerable and authentic, I become liberated, empowered, and very strong.

Anger - It’s in the news, on the roads, it can often seem unescapable. Many perceive anger as a basic human instinct, a protection mechanism instilled in our reptilian brain. When the majority of the time, anger derives from simple misunderstandings or perceived slights. When would you want to know that anger is a choice? What is it that the first thing we do when we feel angry? We have to have a reason for being angry, and we have to justify our anger. Then we have to keep finding more supporting evidence for that anger and that is a story. Immediately we are going to find a way of keeping ourselves angry. Because there's something inside of us that we want to feel like the other person harmed us or intended to harm us. Can anybody actually control your emotions? Someone could do things that potentially could make you respond with anger but I might equally respond without anger. It’s a choice. I get to choose whether I'm angry or I'm not. It's always a choice and when we choose to be angry we find reasons to justify why our story to ourselves is true. When in almost all cases, it's not true at all. It's a made up lie, it's a deception that we trick ourselves into. It has to do with ego, has to do with animal ego of survival. We go back to the amygdala, the reptilian brain where it's fight, flight, or freeze. A protection mechanism, to make sure that we're not going to be hurt again but that hurt is just a story. Almost all cases I've seen, it's a different story. Somebody intended something totally different but we were either tired or something was triggered from a past experience. You see road rage all the time, “They cut me off, they took my place. They just went through, behind all these cars. Who do they think they are?” But that's also saying, who do we think we are? I've found that the cure for anger is forgiveness. And it starts with forgiving ourselves for the story we told. And then we forgive other people. There are several studies out there that show that holding anger, that negative emotion is really bad for our health. The stress affects our thyroid or adrenal gland, body temperature, all kinds of things. And it manifests into disease. It creates even more acid in our body and our blood needs to be alkaline. So why, if it's bad for us, do people cling so hard to anger? Put simply, the ego needs to be right. Success is a comparison of me versus somebody else. I won the race, I am earning more money, on and on. Success in my definition is a comparison of I'm better than that. That's ego, that's animal, that's scarcity. Fulfilment is happiness. Fulfilment, I think is really about connection to other people and about growth. Learning lessons, improving ourselves, increasing our knowledge, our capacity to connect other people. Those connecting and loving, that's when I think we're all happiest. The act of being angry, is the act of standing apart and saying we're different and we’re opposed. Anger is a comparative isolation. Versus our spirit part of us, which is about community, connection and learning. If we deal with anger as soon as possible rather than letting it manifest itself, things can resolve more quickly. But how do we admit we’re wrong? Where do we find the strength to choose differently? Stay tuned for Part 2 of this 3-part discussion.

From gum disease to colon cancer, When Would You Want to Know that problems in your mouth affect your overall health? The Queen of Dental Hygiene, Barbara Tritz, joins today’s episode to go deeper than just brush, floss, drill and fill. Protect yourself by learning more about the connection between your oral health and the rest of your body. Generally, what is it that people believe about oral health that you know to be wrong? Barbara [4:16]: "If you're going to use a manual toothbrush, you need to brush much longer. It takes about 15 minutes to get all the plaque off with a manual toothbrush. So, that's where the electric toothbrush comes in because it keeps you on task, but even the electric toothbrush takes two to four minutes to get all the plaque off." "80% of the population has gum disease in the United States. So those two cleanings a year are not sufficient to reduce the plaque biofilm and the bacteria that's in your system. And so we've got to brush longer, we've got to brush more thoroughly and with better tools." "Flossing, again, most people floss incorrectly. They don't floss deeply enough and they're using a Teflon coated floss that glides right over the plaque. And then, the bacteria that's in there, number one it’s contagious, so we pass it through the whole family." Where does plaque come from?   Barbara [6:25]: "Plaque is, in 20 minutes after you leave there, it starts to build up again. It's a mixture of the minerals and the nutrients in your mouth, the bacteria and the food debris. So plaque is natural. We want plaque, but we want healthy plaque." "When you have the bad bacteria, then it changes the biofilm and the bacteria then are, it's in an anaerobic environment so no oxygen and it's more acidic. And so those bacteria are now pooping acid in your mouth and that then lowers, again, the pH of the mouth and that's where disease starts." What's the oral health end-point? Barbara [9:39]: "The end-point is pink, healthy, tight tissue, no bleeding, stippled texture, like an orange peel and a nice letter U shape; no swelling, no bleeding, no pus, no smell. Those are my end-points. We can do it. It’s not just about brushing and flossing." Why should people care more about their gums? Barbara [10:35]: "When the gums are bleeding, I call them leaky gums, then that means your arteries are leaky and that's inflammation in your arteries. And then the bacteria from gum disease can also go into your brain and they have research that directly connects periodontal disease, gum disease, to dementia. So, everything in the mouth is connected to the rest of the body." "Gut health, we reseed the gut with our oral microbiome and then that contributes to leaky gut, which then causes a whole series of chronic inflammation, chronic diseases, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and the list is endless. Oral health is the crux of everything…it all starts with the mouth." What is a biological dentist? Barbara [15:11]: "We're going deeper than just brush, floss, drill and fill. We are looking in a biological world; we're looking at the root cause. Why are you getting tooth decay? Where is this coming from?" Barbara [19:52]: "The I.A.O.M.T (International Association of Oral Medicine and Toxicology) has a website and you can find a biological dentist in your area by looking on that website. Washington State has two; some states have a whole lot more, but there not a lot of biological dentists." To work with Barbara directly visit Green City Dental or connect with her on queenofdentalhygiene.net. This episode is chock full of When Would You Want to Knows, listen to the full episode on iTunes or jump to… Fluoride Poisoning [13:10] Mercury Fillings [21:17] Breathing Issues [22:45] Sleep Apnea [23:58] Jaw Pain, TMJ [28:23] Grinding [30:23]    

In life, adversity often forces us to face an ultimatum: find some way to overcome and becoming a better, stronger, and more capable individual or accept defeat and become swallowed whole. On today’s episode, Jason Hunter and John Bergen join When Would You Want to Know, to share how they have coped and persevered through unimaginable obstacles. Jason's Story In October of 2001, Jason was shot six times at point blank range. For the rest of his life he would be confined to a wheelchair but instead of becoming isolated and detached from the outside world, as so many would expect from such a tragic experience, Jason developed and evolved into one of the most extraordinary humans I've ever met. John's Story As an elite athlete competing in iron mans, ultra marathons and now The Race Across America, John is no stranger to pain.  He has spent years challenging and pushing himself past his threshold only to sacrifice, adapted and overcome. To hear Jason and John's complete sorry and how they are both, in their own ways, the epitome of finding purpose in pain, listen to the full episode above or on iTunes here.

Pain is, for the most part, unavoidable but when would you want to know that we get to choose how we respond to it. When we conceptualize our pain, we mold how well we tolerate it. The more you’re able to navigate painful experiences, the more you live beyond your boundaries. By moving beyond your pain threshold, we uncover greater possibility. Where does pain come from? Pain is an electrical signal in our bodies telling us that something's going wrong. Once you think of it that way, then you can decide, am I really doing harm to my body or am I not? What is this thing, pain? And it is, of course, really all just in our head and we get to choose how we respond to it, what we focus on. Whatever Fires Together Wires Together If a person focuses on the pain, then our brain, through neuro plasticity, starts forming these neuro networks. That pain will stay in your mind even after the physical ailment has gone. It’s been proven in multiple studies, that if a person felt the pain for enough time and focused on it then even after their entire pain is cured they continue to feel it. That is the phantom limb, the brain had wired it together, felt the pain and continues to make it real. Why Not Me? I have a couple of little sayings that get me through just about everything. One of them is that if I know somebody else can do it, anything, then why not me? Essentially, we are all born equal, we have equal abilities. So, if I know someone's got extreme pain, but they manage it or they get through it, then I can too. The Animal And The Spirit Then there is this theory I have, that human beings are made up of essentially two parts. One part of us is the animal, mammals. Inside of that animal and mammal, we compete for scarce resources on earth. We are competing for a mate, we want to have sex, we want food and there is this element of scarcity going back hundreds of thousands of years. “I have to move quickly and get it because somebody else might and then I might go days without food, or I might even starve.” So, we have this animalistic part of us that is competitive. Then we have the spirit part of us, something that makes humans a little bit different than other animals. We can take ourselves outside of our body and see ourselves objectively. We can imagine that anything we're going through is for a higher purpose and that we are here for some reason. There's this continual growth that is cognitive but not just brain cognitive, it's part of the heart and the soul. Pain is all in your head The animal part of ourselves, our body, feels pain but the spirit part of ourselves can say, “it's here to teach me a lesson.” I can turn the signals on or off. For example, certain Hindu Yogi's, can put themselves into an unbelievable meditative trance and withstand lots of pain. They can get themselves close to death with their control over their animal part of their body by getting control of their brain. If they can do it and they learn the techniques, then why can't any of us? On the next #WWYWTK episode We feature two brothers that talk about this exact thing - Pain management and how they withstood extreme pain in totally different ways. Subscribe here to get notifications and don't miss a thing.

How does culture influence a person’s perspective on life? Simply put, everything we do and believe is culturally constructed. So, what does that mean for a high school student with roots in two entirely different countries? Indian-American, Paavnee Chauhan, joins When Would You Want to Know to share how a fusion of cultures affects her answers to life’s deepest philosophical questions. What's it like being second generation American? [Paavnee 3:09] For me, I notice a lot of differences between Indian and American culture. But I know my parents, they consider me only American really because their definition of Indian is really different from mine. It was just really beneficial for me having two cultures and visiting India every year to really get the best of both countries.  But I do remember a few experiences where I tried to hide my Indian culture…I would never want to bring Indian food to school because I thought it would make me different. Now I feel like having a really good Indian community and being in a more diverse area, especially in Seattle. It’s really helped me embraced that and be more proud of it rather than when I was younger. What activities do you enjoy? [Paavnee 7:47] I'm Vice President for the Indian Association of Western Washington Youth Board and I've been part of the program since freshman year. We basically organize a camp in the summer for hundreds of Indian Americans. That's one important activity for me, especially because it helps me really connect to my roots and connect with other Indian Americans like me. And then I also volunteer for the Indian American Education Foundation, which also connects me to my roots and also allows me to travel back to India and kind of have a purpose when I'm there. Tell us a little bit about that purpose. What do you typically do when you return to India? [Paavnee 8:44] When I go there [to India], it's really different from my experience in America, because in America I'm a minority where I kind of feel this need to fit in. But there, I’m definitely really privileged and I'm in the majority. So, I feel that being part of that foundation…really helps me use my privilege in India to make a difference. What does giving back mean to you? [Paavnee 9:37] I think that really means us, acknowledging our privilege that we have and by giving back we want to provide opportunities for people who don't have that privilege. That privilege was given to us because of our parents and their education and the education we have. So, having those years where we felt so empowered by our community of girls has helped us specify where we want to give back. In what areas do you think most girls, in India specifically, need help in? [Paavnee 10:33] Education because that can lead to just so many opportunities for them. So, that would be access to a really good school that's not necessarily government run because there can be a lot of politics involved with government schools in India. So, having an opportunity to go to private schools where they feel empowered and like their education, can lead to a better life for them in their family. How do you live up to your parents expectations? [Paavnee 11:12] I think that's something that I've always struggled with, expectations from my family. I think it's less with the pressure that they put on me, but more that I put on myself because of all these amazing, strong, powerful women in my life.  They have sacrificed so much, especially my parents coming to America and taking the risk of giving up their family in India to provide for their kids. So, I think giving back would be really the best way I can express my love and gratitude for them.  You've grown up in a strong Hindu background and you've been exposed to Christian and Catholic doctrines and theology. This is a tough question for anybody at any age, but why are we put on Earth?  [Paavnee 15:50] I think I can split that into two different kind of areas.

When we are in a fearful moment, when we've been hit with something we were not expecting, how do we overcome fear? In the final episode of this 3-part series on fear, I dive into several different philosophies from Tony Robbins to Jeanne Segal and my own understanding of overcoming fear.  When would you want to know? Overcoming fear starts with calling out the fear and recognizing it. Working on faith and understanding what am I fearful of? What's the worst that can happen? If I'm in the hands of God and if I'm energy then what do I have to fear?  The fear is only real if you make it real. If you're having fear or any other what I call negative emotions, such as anger, you've got a choice. Those emotions seem real to us but they're all just chemicals. So, we can change them through motion, such as getting up and exercising. Connect from the Heart, not the Brain The fundamental reason that humans are on this earth, is to be happy and the way we get happy is by connecting. The only way to truly connect with other people is through the heart. What would keep us from connecting with people from the heart is when we're too much in the brain.  I had spent a lot of my life in my brain, trying to solve problems, being a strategist and avoiding some of the pain. All of that grief was compounding but I was stuffing it under. I had been in my head to avoid dealing with compounding levels of emotions.  Eliminate Stress Then there is stress. We feel like we've got to be in the rat race, we've got to make more money. There is all this stress in our lives that's self-induced and it is the way we look at it. The events aren't actually stressful in and of themselves, it's purely our interpretation of it, how we're telling ourselves a story.  So, we feel stress or we're sitting inside of our head. Either one of those or both will preclude or eliminate the possibility of being in the heart. The way to get out of those two things is through meditation and yoga. One way to Overcome fear Through yoga and meditative practices, you get present, and when we do that we can get into our heart. That exact same technique can get us out of fear. If we feel fear, we stop, we recognize it, we call it out and then we just meditate. In the meditation, we find our connection back to the divine source that's within us and you find the faith. Faith is the antidote to fear. Fear is the single biggest emotion that holds us back from living virtuously and therefore, one of the hardest emotions to control. In this 3-part series, I’ll take you through defining, managing and ultimately overcoming fear. Listen to part 3 above or on iTunes, PART 2: Facing Fear and PART 1: Defining Fear.

We may believe that fear is protecting us but when would you want to know, by not facing our fears we are not being our authentic selves? It is through facing our fears that we learn who we truly are at our core.  In Part 2 of this 3-part series on fear, I walk through the process of managing fear and becoming our most authentic selves. Come clean First of all come clean. Write a diary and lay out every lie, mistruth, omission..then own them.  Make things right Hold yourself accountable and making things right. Not for other people's sake but for your own relationship with God. When you authentically apologize, when you are authentically vulnerable, when you're just yourself in your most human nature, you take back the power that fear stole. We all have that power. All of us can do it. Leave the ego at the door I am of the belief that we can only connect with God when we are at our base level of humility. When we strip away all of our ego and our pride and our projection of who we think we should be for other people. When we let all that go, only then can we have a relationship with God. That's truth. Connect to the Divine A person cannot have a relationship with God in any form, in any world, on any plane, without there being a fundamental truth. So we have to get so pure in our truth if we want to have a relationship with the divine, and to be able to then connect to the divinity within other people. Related Post: How to Connect to the Divine. Turn Outward, with no expectations Everybody wants to be happier but they're looking for it in the wrong places because they're going to their animal instincts. Real happiness and joy come from going the opposite direction.  I can't have a really great relationship with people to form a truly joyful life unless it's based in truth. It has to be based on vulnerability and faith that when I expose my true self and talk openly about my failings, I will be accepted. In order to start loving other people we have to put ourselves out there with nothing, no expectation in return. Referenced: The Seven Elements of Trust by Brené Brown We are all seeking joy and we're all seeking connection to some higher cause, that's what virtue is. Everybody has the answers within them and we can all find our own answer, we just have to be open to it and face our fears. Trust yourselves enough to find that answer. Fear is the single biggest emotion that holds us back from living virtuously and therefore, one of the hardest emotions to control. In this 3-part series, I’ll take you through defining, managing and ultimately overcoming fear. Listen to part 2 above or on iTunes, and part 1 here.

When would you want to know that there is no benefit to fear? Thousands of years ago the homo sapiens and the Neanderthals and all the homo erectus species of evolution were pure mammals, animals. At some point, humans got infused with something called spirituality; there's a soul, a consciousness of the benefit of virtue. Whereas animals don't have that, they are going to prominently look to procreate and they're going to live with their own version of fight, flight or freeze. So, in any given moment, we as people have the complete choice of being our animal self or being our higher of all, spiritual self. Fear is the animal instinct Fear is the animal instinct. Fear leads to frustration, anger and as Yoda said in Star Wars to the dark side. There are two core fears in every human. The first is that we're not good enough. The second is that we won't be loved when people find out we're not good enough, will be excommunicated from the tribe. Everyone wants to belong, to connect, to feel like they're lovable and good but deep down each of us has this [debilitating] fear.  Faith is the antidote to fear When we go the opposite way and we find our spirituality, we find the divinity within us. When you walk in 100%  faith that we are all energy and our energy is going to continue on, you don't fear death. When you have faith that you’re being looked after and get comfortable with the notion that nothing can really hurt you, there is little fear. It takes practice and an extraordinary level of confidence.  Finding the divinity within us Myself, at my core, is divinity. We all have it within us. It's kindness, it's compassion, it’s connectedness, it's forgiveness, it's all the good virtues that are all there within us. Ego is the enemy. Whenever we get greedy, whenever we think we need more, whenever we do anything that's a vice, it's because our ego wants to believe that it needs to be better than its baseline divinity. And out of that we end up running into all kinds of problems in our life. Letting go The pain one has to go through to let all that stuff go and get back to baseline humility, living without ego is extraordinarily excruciating. It is the most painful thing I personally have ever experienced in my life and yet it was through that trial by fire, my own living hell, that I ended up having a dialogue with the divine part of myself and understand why I am here. Fear is the single biggest emotion that holds us back from living virtuously and therefore, one of the hardest emotions to control. In this 3-part series, I’ll take you through defining, managing and ultimately overcoming fear. Listen to part 1 above or on iTunes.

To be enlightened is to experience deep peace, presence and wholeness. According to the teachings of yoga, in a sense we are already enlightened and the goal of all meditation and yogic practices, whether physical, mental or spiritual, is to reveal what is already there. Today, Liz Doyle joins When Would You Want to Know to introduce the practice that can lead to a potentially happier, more fulfilling existence on earth. Your happiness, your contentment, your fulfillment comes from your true self. The Physical Practice Doyle [4:45]: “The Asana, the physical practice of Yoga, the exercises, it could be stretching, it could be stuff that really would, from the outside, look more like gymnastics or contortion to some people. Asana is really a very small part of the practice of yoga.” “The Asanas, the yoga exercises, those aren't really the focus. What we're doing in the practice room is a breathing practice and the physical exercises are really just things we do to up the ante in terms of challenging ourselves to maintain smooth, evenly metered breathing. So for me, breathing is not just centric to the practice. It is the practice. If you aren't breathing intentionally and with awareness, then you're not doing yoga... In my opinion.” The Mental Practice Doyle [10:34]: “In wellness, I think we talk a lot about a mind-body connection, but we don't really talk about, what is that and how does that happen? So the breathing is so critically important because it's the way you get that mind-body connection. And when your mind and body are connected, you feel, I think more unified in a way. So there's less either nervous energy on a physical level. There's also less mental/emotional activity that might be a distraction. When you can concentrate on one thing, on purpose, for an extended period of time, with fewer or no distractions, then the rest of your mind is much quieter and it's much more peaceful.” Related Article: How to Meditate - The Calming Influence of Breath The Emotional Practice  Doyle [17:46]: “There are basically three tenets, and one is that there is this sort of eternal, unchanging reality that underlies the world of change. The second tenet is that reality is at the heart of every human personality. And the third is that it is our job in this life to connect to that inner reality experientially. I would say that sort of sums up yoga in it in a nutshell, in a way.” “Yoga is so valuable and when I say yoga, I don't mean just the physical exercises. I mean taking on as some people would call it, “lifestyle.” There's this oscillation between happiness and unhappiness and the only way to get out of that is to start focusing on the inside. Get your happiness, your contentment, your fulfillment from that which is within you that never changes. Because the world of change, is never going to give you the happiness or peace of mind that you want. It has to come from the inside.” Start your practice Doyle [27:03]: “Yoga as a practice and a philosophy is wide and deep, and I think a good place to start is just knowing that the most important thing is not on the outside, it's on the inside. And probably the way you're going to get there is via your breath. So, if you can simply focus on your breathing, become aware of your breathing…then you will be able to connect with that thing inside you that is always the same even when everything around you is changing.” Liz Doyle Yoga: To read more about, Liz Doyle Yoga visit lizdoyleyoga.com or follow her on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter at @LizDoyleYoga

From beer drinker to business owner, Elysian Brewing Co-founder, Joe Bisacca, is back with the lessons he has learned from 24 years in the trenches of entrepreneurship. When would you want to know 8 tips for building a successful business. 1. Find your white space Bisacca [1:55]: "Make sure that there’s enough white space in whatever you want to do. Trying something different or try a different version of what’s already out there.  You have to do that assessment first. It’s not just what you’re personally passionate in, but it’s what actually can get some traction and make some sense." 2. Study the competition and find your critical mass Bisacca [2:45]: "Check out every competition that you may have out there and try to figure out how you can be better at that version of the thing. Are there customers in your area? Is this something economically viable? You have all these different layers, make sure that it’s profitable at the end of the day and you can actually make money at it. Nobody likes everything, you just have to have a critical mass." 3. Understand the online environment and changing buying habits  Bisacca [9:00]: "It’s that dissociative society that we’ve become where you interact with people on your phone, you interact with people on your computer, you’re not doing the face-to-face thing anymore.  You buy things online.  You don’t go to the stores.  Retail stores were an experience. People aren’t willing to pay for that experience as much.  They want the immediate gratification of buying it online.  They want to just press a button and have it show up to their house." 4. Position yourself accordingly Bisacca [13:15]: "I look at it as it’s kind of like playing the brand like an instrument.  It’s never the same thing twice.  It’s never the same set of answers. It is that piece of really watching your customers’ behaviors, observing how your thing is placed in relation to the competition out there. Then you process that and you organically make the decision about how you position your brand for the next step.  What I did in this last round is not what I’m going to do in the next round because the situation’s going to subtly change." Related Episode 11: Marketing is one epic house party with Joe Bisacca. How do you best engage your audience in 2019? 5. Define your brand Bisacca [13:57]: "Brand is not the product, brand is the personal relationship that my product has with my customer.  It’s the conduit that my customer interacts with my product. We’ve produced what’s called a brand book, which has the imagery, what the look and feel of the brand is, everything down to the fonts that we use and colors that we use, and that kind of stuff. It’s also what do we believe in, what do we stand for, how do we talk, what does the brand sound like. Define all those things so you have some ideal that everything is referential to." Related Episode 15: Building a brand that performs in a digital world with Ross Patrick. 6. Communicate with your staff Bisacca [16:00]: "You have to know [what your brand is] ahead of time, detailed, and then you have to communicate to your staff. Keep in mind, the biggest issue with communication is the expectation that it actually took place. I may think I communicated brilliantly.  Nobody knows what the hell I’m talking about. Make sure that everybody’s one the same page." 7. Keep your employees motivated Bisacca [16:46]: "You know, you’re talking about people.  You’re talking about trying to motivate people and keep them focused, and keep them happy.  That goes back to that social interaction thing. If you’re a leader, if you’re a true leader, you inspire people to follow you, you don’t kick them in the ass to do their job. Rule number one, don’t be a dick." 8. Take the first step Bisacca [19:00]: "There’s one more big thing. Don’t wait until something’s 100% polished and perfect before you take action on it. When it’s 80% start doing it,

Bryce James was forever changed when a paragliding accident left him paralyzed. Doctors told him he would be confined to a wheelchair the rest of his life but rather than accepting that fate, he turned to alternative healing methods. Bryce joins When Would You Want To Know as living proof that we have more control over our health and life than we believe. You did not accept that you were going to be paralyzed for the rest of your life, how did you do that? Bryce [4:28]: I didn’t want to do that. I think at one point afterwards, I started building these constructs of how I could change things. I was big into visualization for my sports, so I could picture things happening. I could imagine my neurotransmitters, my dendrites, my whole neural network reforming, reshaping and working. Then I sat there and just researched. I started to learn about sound waves and all of these alternative ways of healing that resonated with me. Pierre: Everything is a wave, so whether it’s light and what we see or a table that we think is solid, all energy, all things, are waves. Sound waves and frequencies, is that what healed you the most? Bryce [6:33]: I tried lots of different modalities and still do. But I came across this woman Donna Carey, who used tuning forks to retune the body. Every piece of my body has a difference frequency and you can actually work on those areas by finding that right frequency that matches. So, when I have a thought, awareness or an experience my electrons are shooting off these waves. And they collide or they basically entangle with other waves which create these nodes. My belief is, that they then signal my cells and receptors that pick that up and that creates that whole epigenetic shift where things start changing. This is the concept of the placebo effect, the concept of the law of attraction, the power of manifestation. All those are the same thing. Where, I think if I believe it enough times, I’ll shoot enough waves out there to effect this change through my body. Then you go through a series of protocols, spiritual, physical, emotional and replace that limiting belief, that belief that I’m paralyzed, that belief that I’m injured or that I’m sick. Who would I be without that thought, as Byron Katie says? I’ve seen what you would call miracles happen in that regard. What is a chakra? How does that affect the healing process? Bryce [11:55]: Whether it’s Hindu or Chinese, everybody believes in this idea that we have energy that flows through us, usually from the top of our head, crown chakra and down in the seven chakras. But If I have a blocked area, let’s say at my heart level, maybe I have a broken heart, it’s really hard to heal below that area because the energy’s not flowing through my body. There’s lots of ways to  clear that and open it up but you want to have the energy flowing. You want to get into a state of being receptive to healing and open to healing and not closed down to it.  You’ve got tuning forks, chakras and light energy. What is your go to healing tool? Bryce [12:52]: The quantum field, using this two-point technique, that’s my go to. I’ve seen crazy stuff. You can do family consolation, or you can do psychotherapy, you can do regression, you can do all these different types of modalities to try to get that limiting belief and then converting it to an empowering one. How long did it take before you started making improvements? Bryce [14:21]: I could walk before I could feel my legs and I was actually skiing before I could feel my legs. But the vulnerability side of it too, I still use a catheter to this day. I like to say that at times like this because I think you have to be vulnerable, you have to show it’s still not perfect, it’s still not an easy world.  It’s easy to fall down that well of grief of, why me. This is, I think, where spirit comes in. But I find people get totally lost in the spiritual peace and don’t take care of business.

With constant technological developments and changing customer expectations, many companies struggle to stay relevant. Today, I talked with DDW's executive creative director, Ross Patrick, about brand building in the ever-changing digital world. What is a Brand? Ross [6:15]: We’ve seen this whole 360-degree marketing come around now where it is your name, your brand, your logo, your website, your Instagram and all your touch points, but if they are not connected by a really strong, strategic DNA, then none of it matters. We are getting further along now in this digital world where brand is becoming the envelop or umbrella over everything. What you say, what you do, and even the look and feel of how you put out a message, those are all your brand. What was the old agency model and what’s changed? Ross [10:23]: Millennials, who are a different animal than the past generation, are perfectly comfortable being freelancers. I don't have to be committed to having a 200 or 400 person office. We flex and we move and about half of that population is freelance and they come and they go, and that way I can pick and choose the right tool for the right job. The agency world as it was built, is sort of like that big huge mega mansion with 10 bedrooms and 12 bathrooms and parking for 10 cars. It's not necessary anymore. I'd rather live in Airbnbs all around the world than commit myself to that giant mega mansion. That’s the new world we live in. I can click the button right now on Amazon and I can have something delivered to my house tonight or tomorrow. We’ve just got to change our thinking. I have to admit I thought there was some division between a branding agency and an ad agency and a digital agency. And now that I've worked at all those places, it's taken some time for me and my team here to homogenize that and understand that we're all of that. It's just ideas manifesting themselves into different ways. Why hire DDW: Brand Story + Brand Design? Ross [16:25]: Let’s say you're a start-up brand or a legacy brand but you don't feel like you're relevant anymore. That's the phone call that we get a lot. It's not that they don't have a good quality product or service offering. It's just that they've lost their flow. I think the When Would You Want to Know could be happening to a lot of people who might have a small business or a medium business and realize that their story is faded. Their brand is faded, their logo is outdated and nobody really gives a crap about them. People need to take a good hard look in the mirror and say, "is my brand relevant?" We [DDW] love the long-term relationship where we can be embedded and collaborative. Even if you have an in-house designer or an in-house marketing team, we love to have that relationship where we work with you over all of your touch points. The money that you invest is relative to who you are but it's also relative to your survival.  Staying Relevant with the Whole Package Ross [17:15]: The truth is, people will care but you have got to give them reasons to believe, and that's not just a logo and that's not just a cool looking van or a catchy commercial on the radio or TV. You've got to have the whole package and you've got to live and breathe it. When Would You Want to Know how to perform in this new 21st century digital economy that we're living in right now? For more on building a relevant brand listen to the full episode above or on iTunes. If you are a brand, big or small, and want to work with DDW visit DDW.com or connect with Ross personally on LinkedIn.

It took a traumatic event for Nicole Tsong to realize she wasn’t fulfilled in her corporate career. Ultimately leading her to search for what she truly wanted out of life and business. Since leaving the ladder of journalism to create her own business, Maple Path, the power of the pivot has become a life practice. And today, she joins when would you want to know to discuss how you can make your life what you truly want it to be. Set Intentional and Specific Goals Nicole [7:50]: “Goals are orders to the universe. If you're going to the new Shake Shack, you're specific. I want bacon, I don’t want cheese, I want a lettuce wrap. And that’s what you're going to get. The specificity actually pulls in what it is you're looking for and you don’t even know.” Determine What You Want. Not What Others Want Nicole [8:36 | 10:01]: “I draw a circle and put everything inside I want and everything I don’t want outside. You can do it for your life. You can also do it specific. I'm really clear that it's what I want. It's not what my mom wants or what my dad wants or what my friends want or what the culture wants from me. It's really clear that Nicole is the one guiding those choices. And my circle, I often do it and I put it aside. Then I find it a couple months later, whatever I've put in there has happened, because that's the magic of it.” Go All-In Nicole [11:03]: “I update my goals every three to six months. Every time, it just kept pointing me down that way, ‘it's time for you to start this as a business, it’s time for you to go all-in,’ which by the way, is terrifying because I had to let go of yoga as my main income. Let go of the idea of yoga, taking all of my energy and time and put it fully into this business where I had no idea where it would go. I knew nothing about entrepreneurship. I just started listening to podcasts and I found my business coach, and I've been really challenging myself to the next step. This is the time.”  Take a Pause and Feel Your Way Through Problems Nicole [17:32]: “For me, that practice of yoga gave me that connection to, what do I really want? What's my connection to my body? How do I understand my intuition and my gut and follow that? Versus thinking my way through problems. Because a lot of times, when I think my way through my problems, I get totally overwhelmed. It's too many things. My list is too long. I have too many things to resolve. But if I actually take a pause and I listen for what my gut is telling me, then the answers are always super clear." Put Your Oxygen Mask on First Nicole [20:12]: “It starts with you, it has to start with you taking care of yourself. I think women have a real tendency to try to over-give to others. Keep doing those things that are going to give you that energy and that source for yourself, so that you can fully be out there in the way you want to be for others. Put your oxygen mask on first.” Acknowledge Your Accomplishments, However Small Nicole [22:48]: If you're on your own and it's your first business and you don’t have a team, you've got to be the one who’s inspiring yourself every day. I have to tell myself all the time, ‘good job. You did it, Nicole. Good job.’ You have to be really good at acknowledging yourself for everything that's challenging and everything you overcome and doing that on a regular basis. For more insights into living the life you want listen to the full episode above or on iTunes. To work with Nicole Tsong personally visit maple-path.com or connect with her on Instagram.

Passive cash flow is a huge component to wealth management and one of the best ways to generate ongoing income is through real estate investments. However, in this ever-changing world of information, estate decisions can be confusing and stressful.  As a seasoned broker, Nate Short is not only one of my go-to confidants but a trusted advisor. Whether you’re looking to buy a home, become a real estate agent, or even offer real estate related employee benefits, Nate is here to help on this episode of When Would You Want to Know. For the Home Owners: Nate: Right now there is an incredible opportunity, because the interest rates just went down. For sure, your primary residence is going to be an amazing investment, but it’s also dependent upon how long you’re going to hold it. If you’re going to own for more than six or seven years, you need to buy regardless of where the market is. That’s true with any kind of investment that you have, you have to be able to last through those cycles, you just don’t want to have to sell at that bottom. There’s also a lot to know on the financing side. There are brokers, there’s direct banks that will lend you money, there’s hard money lenders and depending on what type of property you’re buying, you may need to pull in a different type of lender. So, the real estate agent needs to know about all those different instances.  Pierre: A lot of people think that because the information is on the internet, it’s just about price. But as Nate identified, it’s a lot more. Why should I pay a real estate agent 3% on each side of the transaction? Why is that fair? Because there’s a lot of value that’s provided, it’s insurance. It gives you comfort to sleep at night. To speak to Nate about buying or selling your home visit NateShort.com For the Real Estate Agents: Nate: Run Your Business Like a Business, RYBLAB, was really inspired out of the great recession. Seeing a lot of my friends file bankruptcy, lose their homes, and real estate agents having that problem. It was only just my sheer will and my grinding attitude, that figured out ways to pull myself out of it. So, I wanted to take those experiences and help other people.  I have about 1,200 real estate agents that have taken my course. They go on my website, RYBLAB.com and it’s all video based. I really enjoy teaching and for me to be able to see these new technologies deliver information and to see them making progress financially, it’s an amazing thing. For the Businesses Offering Employee Benefits: Nate: Pierre actually gave me a great book called Blue Ocean Strategy. It’s a book that talks about creating totally new businesses, where you don’t have competition. So, whenever I look at new businesses, I think to myself, are they creating a blue ocean or are they all operating in the same space. I don’t want to go out and be another brokerage or another online lead generation company.  I formed a new company that is called Home Benefit Advisors and what we do is help small and medium sized businesses expand their employee benefit packages into providing a series of real estate related services, including: Reasons to invest in real estate and how to enhance their current 401Ks or IRAs to incorporate real estate investments A concierge level service for homeowners and employees of these companies, so they don’t have call all around to find a handyman A really strong network of agents, who are all highly skilled and have the experience in the transactional volume to really provide value What’s important when you’re looking at a purchase and sale agreement, including the little nuisances that even your broker won’t tell you, such as an expiration date on a contract Listen to the full episode above or on iTunes here. And for more of Nate’s tips and tricks subscribe to his youtube channel here.

The pain of losing a loved one can feel insufferable and coping with that loss is one of life’s biggest challenges. Grief can disrupt every state of your well-being, from mental to emotional and even physical health. In the last year, my nephew, Michael McGuire, experienced an extraordinarily rare tragedy when he lost both his son and wife during child birth. Despite unbearable heartbreak, I had never seen someone respond so heroically. In today’s profound conversation, I ask him to share his story in hopes that people can find inspiration in his strength. I've never seen someone be so heroically strong for all the other people in their lives. How did you find that strength amongst tragedy? Michael: I remember calling out my family motto, justice and fortitude is invincible, and realizing that strength in the face of this is really what I needed to do for myself, for her family, and for her. It was a leap of faith. A lot of it came from love, a lot of it came from the strength that she had taught me throughout her life. She was an amazingly kind and giving person. I wanted to do her proud and I want to make sure that I lived in her memory. I want her actions to carry on through me. Travis: I’d never seen a tragedy like this and not really knowing how to react, you kind of follow Michael as an example. You see him giving people hugs, embracing the sadness and how much inspiration he gets from hearing stories from other people. All of a sudden, people are grieving in this really healthy way. You're still celebrating Mary Anne and it was completely different then what I thought tragedy would be like. It showed me that you can make a choice. Do you need to understand why this happened? Michael: Having a reason why is definitely a natural instinct, but for me it doesn't change anything. Mary Anne lived an incredible life, we lived an incredible life, however short. Now she's gone and finding out why and how, aside from a learning experience for medical professionals, isn't going to change anything for me. It doesn't change the fact that I now have to move on and start a new life and continue living the way I want to. Do you believe in God? Can you imagine some people would be angry at God? Michael: I do. Mary Anne and Oliver are with God right now. The priest at the Catholic funeral on the night of the prayers said a very powerful thing that I remember. He said sometimes the hardest prayer is thy will be done, the acceptance that this is outside of our control and to let God do His will. It’s an incredibly large burden to carry but that's a choice. It's a choice to make it feel like a burden or it's a choice to make it feel like a privilege to be able to honor her memory in every way, shape or form you can. What have you learned about grief? Michael: Everyone grieves differently. The other incredibly important thing to know is that grieving never ends. I will always grieve for Mary Anne for the rest of my life. That grief may change and it may become a different form but I will never stop grieving. Every time my thoughts go to Mary and there is sadness, there is always happiness with it as well. Can you only be as happy as you are sad? Michael: I definitely find myself smiling a lot more often these past couple months than I have before. To have that emotional balance, that extreme on one side, it comes out on the other side too. It’s a lot more little things that put a smile on my face here and there. I can find myself just grinning wildly looking at a forest on a drive or something like that that brings back a great memory the two of us had. I think that is a very true statement. What is a healthy way to grieve? Michael: I got a piece of paper from my grief counsellor and it showed two different sides of grief. It was a forward moving side and grief itself. Part of the conversation she had with me was that when you're leaning on the grief too much and you're not doing enough forward mo...

As technology evolves, we’re increasingly flooded with advertisements everywhere we turn and consequently, traditional marketing often misses the mark. How do you best engage your audience in 2019? Joe Bisacca, co-founder of Elysian Brewing Company, sat down with When Would You Want to Know to discuss the out-of-the-box branding tactics that helped his company earn Large Brewpub of the Year three times. Approach Marketing from a Psychological Point With a psychology and english background, Joe Bisacca naturally approached marketing from a customer perspective, “when you're creating a brand, you're creating something that has a 1-to-1 relationship with the customer. Wholesalers are not your customers, so when you're making a decision for a package, don't make it because the store wants it. That's disingenuous for the customers.” Understand Your Customer The goal is to engage a person at their point of interest, pull them in with a story or piece of information that just scratches the surface and make them want more. Joe uses the example of throwing a house party for some friends, “if you were having a party at your house and everybody had a great time, you're probably on to something… in throwing those parties, you're engaging with people, finding out what people like. You don't have to overthink it.” Be an All-Star at Failure “Brewing and marketing is like baseball” Joe describes, “if you suck 70% of the time, you're an all-star.” When brainstorming, start by throwing a bunch of things out there and then beat things up. Try to personify the brand. What do they look like? Are they a guy? Are they a girl? How old are they? Where do they like to hang out? What does their house party look like? The sky's the limit, “if you don't fail often enough, you're probably not pushing it far enough” Stop Talking, Observe, and Refine As Joe’s grandmother used to say, “God gave you two eyes, two ears and one mouth. You should use them in the proportion you’ve got them. Shut up, watch what's going on, listen to what's happening and then adjust from there.” Joe often loiters in the grocery stores aisles and observes customer interaction with his product. “Don't talk about it a lot. Just observe and observation is what led us to refine that brand and kind of get it to where it was. I think it's what we do with all of our stuff.” More From this Episode Joe answers some of the biggest questions about creating an authentic brand, testing your products, and working around human biases. Press play on the player above to hear the full episode and stop by one of their locations for a beer. 

When it comes to decision making, people don't understand the power of their subconscious, their beliefs. According to cognitive neuroscientists, most of our decisions and actions depends on the 95% of brain activity that goes beyond our conscious awareness. Decision making plays a major role in our lives. All the results you get stem from the decisions you make and virtually every decision you make stems from a belief you have. When would you want to know how to make better decisions that produce the best results? I’ve outlined 3 steps to improve your decision making process. Step 1: Reprogram your beliefs When we go to make decisions the first thing that happens is called confirmation bias, which is the tendency to interpret the situation in support of our existing beliefs. But what if what you believe to be true is false? Start by defining the outcome you want and the beliefs you have about this topic. If you've already seen yourselves in a certain way, nothing you do will change. No result will manifest itself until you first reprogram your beliefs. Step 2: Define your why The second step is to understand why you really want an outcome. Create a plan. If you know why you’re making this decision and you can clearly describe it, write it, and visualize it, you will find power to take the actions. Step 3: Know that you are deserving Know that you deserve to have the results that you want. Many people don't believe they deserve positive outcomes and success but it’s our own self talk that keeps us from achieving any goal. Know you're worthy, everybody's worthy.  Conclusion: In order to make better decisions, understand that our decisions come from our beliefs. Most of us believe that we're not good enough, we’re not deserving or worthy. However, if you have a clear picture of what you want, know why you want it, and believe you deserve it, the actions are easy. 

Many women believe it's not possible to have everything. To have a successful career, to be an entrepreneur, to have children and a significant other, and to have balance in their lives. Lisa Hufford, CEO of Simplicity Consulting, is an extraordinary woman in that she's done all of those things and believes you can too. When Would You Want to Know? What’s a common belief among women when they come to you for consulting? LH: Many women, I think, have that same self-talk that I had, which is, “I don't know why anyone would hire me.” We’re so hard on ourselves, we forget about what we've done really well, especially in our jobs. What I believe is everybody has their unique gift and there is a place for everybody, but each of us have to do that work within ourselves. I think it's a very empowering time but it can feel overwhelming for many people who aren't used to really talking about their strengths and their unique skills and their contributions. Why Now? Why is this talent shift occurring? LH: Two years ago, I published Navigating the Talent Shift. A playbook for managers on how to build on-demand teams. I talked to a lot of people and generally speaking, Millennials are choosing to work more in project-based ways and build their brands. They are the largest population in the workforce and growing into managerial positions. This is why the talent shift is happening. In the next 10 years, the whole landscape, especially large corporations, will completely change as to who's leading the company, how they see work, how they see family and it's how it’s all integrated. More than ever people, especially women, are empowered to make better choices and to have the career that they want and they can. On-Demand Consulting, is this the answer to job security? LH: The bottom line is there is no security, nothing's guaranteed in life. Even if you are doing great work [in a big corporation] you could still be part of a layoff. It happens all the time. I think consulting actually might be more secure than a corporate job because when you are project based, you are in control of the work you deliver. You can control what kind of opportunities you pursue, what kind of jobs you take. These are the things that define your brand and your security. How we [Simplicity Consulting] help people feel more secure is by helping them understand their value within themselves and how they can market it to the world. We're inundated with advertising that consistently tells us we're not good enough, how do we find the confidence to cultivate the life we want?  LH: Our mission [at Simplicity Consulting] has always been to help people find significance and success, whatever that means to them. Oftentimes, what I've seen in mostly women is that we overlook our natural strengths. Your strengths are those things that are usually effortless for you. Ask people that know you or look at your previous performance reviews over your career and you're probably going to see a trend. Then the question is, do you want to own that? I think we're waiting for someone to give us permission when there's no one, you just have to give yourself permission. I say this to women all the time - guess what? You now have permission. Beyond knowing what you're great at is also really believing in the company or if you're an entrepreneur, believing in what you're building. It's not just about making a lot of money, it's about making a difference and an impact.  You CAN have it all! LH: The pressure to juggle it all is real. It's a very empowering time but it can feel overwhelming for many people. What's really cool though is there's so many more options, now more than ever. There are so many choices that we all have, especially women, to put it together, to be empowered, to really stand on our own two feet and do it for ourselves. I think women can have it all, maybe not all at the same time, but they can have it all. Simplicity Consulting: To read more about,

When it comes to business, Shawna Smits and Stephanie Roberts believe, "no doesn’t mean no," and that’s what has made them successful entrepreneurs. On today’s episode, the business partners share the evolution of their achievement in hopes that it encourages other entrepreneurs to pave their own path. When would you want to know, there’s always a way to succeed? Tip #1: No Means There is Another Way: You can't be courageous unless you're fearful. You can have fear, but it's deciding to do it anyway that defines courage. Stephanie credits Shawna’s entrepreneurial spirit as the propellant of their success. “No to me means there's just another way. No does not mean no,” explained Shawna. Tip #2: Set Bold Intentions: When Stephanie and Shawna wanted to get a small business loan for their first graphic design company, they had to create a formal business plan, with profit and loss projections and a list of potential clients. “We had no idea how we were going to do it, we pulled them out of thin air but we picked the big, major companies that a bank could recognize. If we picked fifteen, we did business with fourteen of those companies.” Little did they realize, starting with bold intentions set a precedent from the very beginning. Tip #3: Dress for Success Shawna believes that 90% of landing new clients is showing up and looking good. “Shawna made me buy a suit,” Stephanie admitted, “We would deliver boxes of printed t-shirts and I remember we'd be in the elevator with our boxes in our suits; it was awesome.” Tip #4: Trust Your Instincts:  Learning about what you're doing and being informed is great but Stephanie reminds aspiring entrepreneurs that sometimes you need to trust your instincts. “I think we didn't know what we were getting ourselves into [with Cosmopolitan Kids] which served us well because if we knew what it would take, we wouldn't have done it.” It’s important to be informed and make good decisions but also take chances, don’t overthink everything. Tip #5: Do Something You Love:  At the root of their companies, both Stephanie and Shawna played where they worked.  “I think you should also do something you love,” explained Shawna. One of their biggest strengths was the fact that they built their business from a parent standpoint. Thinking like a customer and loving their work helped them overcome all adversity. About Cosmopolitan Kids Children’s Academy Cosmopolitan Kids Children's Academy are Seattle based daycare centers committed to offering personalized nurturing childcare to infants, waddlers, toddlers, preschool and pre-k. Visit cosmopolitankids.com for locations and contact information.

If one person can cause so much damage completely unintentionally, what can the same person do to turn it around? When Stacy Flynn traveled to the textile manufacturing regions of China and experienced the severe pollution it was causing, she quickly found herself asking this question. Surely, the billions of yards of fabric she had created in her 20 year apparel career had contributed to these conditions. “I never knew how damaging the way we make textiles is to the environment or the people living in that environment until I saw it in 2010…it stopped me in my tracks. Some people call it a moment of awakening, but I think it was more of a breakdown for me.” The Problem Stacy returned to grad school in pursuit of a solution and through her studies discovered two major problems. The first was the amount of resources needed for fiber. Specifically, it takes over 700 gallons of water to make one T-shirt. Stacy recognizes that, "water is the defining issue of our century and over the next 10-15 years, water scarcity is going to be evident around the world." The second was the waste on the back end. Stacy explained that we are throwing away nearly 50 million tons of clothing a year worldwide. Eventually, all clothing ends up in landfills and incinerators, even if there is a delay with rewear because we have no mechanism to break it down - until now. The Solution These factors lead the development of Stacy's company, Evrnu. Evrnu is a technology company that breaks garment waste down to the molecular level and extrudes it into a new fiber that can create premium new garments. Not only does their technology use 98% less water but it is even dying more efficiently, reducing the time it takes to create. “The objective was to make the fiber and yarn look like cotton, feel like cotton, but out perform cotton in some way,” Stacy explained. Evrnu now has one new fiber and five solvent systems that are cleaner and greener than anything else that is commercially available. How can you help? Whether it is through apparel donation or conscious consumption, small actions can make a big difference. Evrnu works behind the scenes with donation charities and suggests that everyone donates everything they can. In addition, seek out consignment shops and buy only quality products that are going to last. To learn more about Evrnu’s intelligent design and technology listen to the complete episode above or visit their website at www.evrnu.com.

We’re in a crisis with mental health right now and more than ever people have a desire for mindfulness. Specifically, our children need effective tools to find stillness and self-regulate. Space Between brings research-based practices in yoga, breathing, and mindfulness to children, teens, educators, and families across WA State. I met with the women behind this mission, Kim Armstrong and Michel Eubank Spruance, to discuss some common misnomers about mental health and the impact they are making in our school systems. Mental Health is Misunderstood According to the women behind Space Between, a lot of people think mental health is something that you are born with - you are either mentally ill or not mentally ill. But they explained that it's a lot more nuanced and complex than that. It is both a tendency based on your temperament but also what's happening in your environment. The environment that we're in today, both as adults and children, is so fast paced and disconnected. Mindfulness and meditation is a way for everyone to know themselves more. In general, this work is what people need, especially our children. Introducing Mindfulness into Our Schools In a classroom, teachers are spending so much time managing children’s attention but what if there were mindful transitions or spaces of ease where kids were allowed to check in? Space for children's nervous systems to regulate between activities. Space Between, is giving kids and teachers the tools to navigate the ups and downs. By learning to recognize and accept whatever emotions may come, they can create more positive emotions by practicing compassion and gratitude. Through this work, teachers have reported that students are more focused. One young student said, “I don't want to do mindfulness because I just need to get my math done but I know that once I do mindfulness, I'm actually going to be able to do my math faster.” Mindful practices help kids and teachers feel grounded and present, improving their attention and overall well-being. Misnomers About Mindfulness Most believe that yoga, meditation and mindfulness is about quieting the mind but it’s more about learning to observe the mind. Learning to be with the joys and the discomforts of life. Learning to be kind and patient with ourselves and with the things that challenge us. There are other organizations doing phenomenal work in the field of mindfulness in education but a lot of it is online. Space Between is going against the tide by saying, “let’s be in community to do mindfulness. Let’s have real conversations with people so that in real time people can explore what they're feeling.” Kim and Michel work with the entire school community, both the teachers, the students and the parents, offering tactical practices that reach all learning styles. Listen to the complete conversation above which includes a simple grounding movement that changed my heart rate instantly. SpaceBetween.community believes each child, teen, educator and family deserves access to the skills that allow them to thrive - get involved.

What's the point of having a lot of financial success if you feel terrible? People only value their health when they don’t have it but it's always best to start thinking about maintaining health when you are feeling good. Today, the American Cancer Society reports that 1 in every 8 US women will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer over the course of her lifetime. 75% of which occur in women who have no family history of the disease. Furthermore, breast cancer death rates are higher than those for any other cancer, besides lung cancer. Early detection is key to survival so When Would You Want to Know? Suzy Grace Selin, Clinical Thermographic Technician and CEO of BodyLife Imaging, joined the podcast to educate listeners on the different ways to scan for breast cancer. “People think that Mammograms are the only screening tool and it's not,” Suzy explains, “Thermography, can’t only screen for breast cancer in a safe way but it’s also a great tool for monitoring our breast health.” The Life Saving Technology of Thermography Medical infrared imaging, or Thermography, has been FDA approved since 1982. It's a camera and software that reads the infrared heat patterns and vascularity naturally coming off of the body. That's important because cancer is abnormal cell growth fed by blood vessels and when cells multiply, they produce heat that has to leave the body. Thermography can read those abnormal heat patterns, it can see abnormal vascularity and find a potential problem sooner than a mammogram. In history, women who had concerning thermograms were immediately sent to get a mammogram, but the tests often came back negative. The medical community looked at thermography as a problem when actually it was just too early for a Mammogram to detect any structure. Ten years later, the same women were being diagnosed with invasive breast cancer. Mammograms use radiation and compression to look for structures but the structure has to be about the size of a green pea in order to be found. Thermal scans are looking at the physiology and can detect the earliest signs of breast cancer before a structure is formed. With the right equipment, Thermography is also helpful for the assessment and monitoring of other conditions in the body, such as pain syndromes like fibromyalgia, different vascularity disorders, stroke risk, pre-diabetes, dental implications. Early Detection is Key Suzy suggests that woman and men monitor their breast health as consistently as most monitor their dental health and gut health. “Every month we should do our self breast exam. Every year, get a clinical breast exam and thermography. Then when needed, get a mammogram and a biopsy…what we do for our breast health, we are actually doing for our entire body.” Suzy serves Western Washington with clinical spaces in Mill Creek and Kirkland with locations in Olympia and Bellingham coming soon. Visit bodylifeimaging.com for more information.

When would you want to know you're overpaying for insurance? On today's episode, Michael Ebert, with Fortiphi Insurance, is here to discuss the truth about making claims, insurance agents and the fine print. What are the biggest misconceptions about home and auto insurance? With all the commercials out there, there is this misconception that people can buy cheap rate insurance and everything is covered. People buy their personal insurance without knowing what they are truly covered for and from that, a lot of mistakes happen. Ask yourself these questions, does the person I’m buying from have my best interest in mind? Do they have enough resources to handle claims? Insurance brokers often come off a little bit like a car salesman but there are people, like Michael, in the insurance industry who truly care and will go to bat for you. As Michael suggested, “I think at the end of the day, you’re hiring the person and then the product will follow.” What are the different types of insurance carriers, are they all the same? There is captive versus independent. On the captive side stands State Farm, Farmers, Allstate, the big guys you see on TV. These carriers have one product to sell. On the independent side are companies like Safeco, Travelers, and Nationwide, who all have specialties. Fortiphi represents all of these independent carriers allowing people to pick and choose based on their needs and position. If you get tarnished for making a claim, why have insurance? Claims are there for catastrophic events. A lot of times, people will make a claim where it isn't prudent. For example, if you make a claim for $3,000 but your deductible is $2,500, you are really self-insured up to that point but yet, that claim is on your record. It comes down to advocacy. An independent broker like Fortiphi, or any good agent for that matter, should help you determine how to best proceed. The key is to not abuse it so that rates stay steady for when that bad day does come. How does an independent agency, like Fortiphi, find the best carrier and the best products? Right off the bat, Fortiphi will complete a market search based on your initial conversation. Then they will come back and procure three proposals. Three different options at three different price points that would be best and beneficial to you. The options include what is being covered and what is not, eliminating any confusion. With a captive, you will only get one proposal because nobody's competing for your business. Often leading to the wrong coverage for you at a high rate. What is a personal insurance umbrella? Umbrella insurance protects your assets, yourself, and any future earnings from any unforeseen, catastrophic events such as car accidents that led to injuries or fatalities. Michael explained that an umbrella is probably the least expensive and most powerful products you can buy in the marketplace. If you have any net worth at all or if you have a youthful driver, umbrella insurance is a no brainer. Looking for health insurance? Open enrollment for health insurance ends December 15, Fortiphi Insurance prides themselves in their customer experience and can help you find the best and most affordable option for your needs.

In most of the movies I watch with my kids, like the Lion King or reading the Harry Potter books, the hero in the story is about to give up when all of a sudden you hear this voice from their mother or father and it inspires them to get through. That’s life! We all have these heroic journeys in our own lives. We all have these obstacles. It would be great if I could leave messages that my kids could see years later so when they are feeling most challenged, they quickly find 30 seconds of love and support. GivingJoy is a way of creating a profound legacy. It is a library of your authentic thoughts, feelings and desires for someone you really care for. The authentic gratitude that you feel towards someone is one of the most priceless things in this universe. I think it is a consistent theme, people nearing the end of their lives wish they had expressed more love to those that are closest to them. Today we have a chance to make sure that twenty, thirty, forty years from now, we have a place to share that love and gratitude. GivingJoy is a platform where you can share your heart with more people. Go on our website, givingjoy.us and within a minute you can capture a gratitude video in the form of a Joygram. Listen to the full episode and last weeks episode to learn more about the power of gratitude and the gratitude sharing platform, GivingJoy. Looking to share gratitude and joy with your customers and employees? We offer the same technology service as GivingJoy but for your company. Check out Gratiphied, the advanced system helping businesses grow sales at a lower cost by increasing customer referrals. Visit Gratiphied for more information.

In this two-part episode of When Would You Want to Know, I interview giving expert, Digvijay Chauhan. Covering everything from America’s current giving habits, how we can give more, and the joy that comes from giving. Tell us a little bit about yourself and how you started your gratitude sharing platform, Giving Joy. Digvijay: First, I wish I could take the credit for coming up with it, but Giving Joy, our gratitude sharing platform, is a coming together of the happiness, joy, and experiences of all the people around me. I came to the US in 91, for my masters at Seattle University. Seattle U was a very caring, joyful environment. People used to come up to me when I was going to school and in an affectionate way say, “Hey what a nice accent, where are you from?” When they heard I was from India they would say, “I’ve heard of the poverty over there, how can we help?” The how can I help and how can I give something little to other, has been a constant theme in my life. Many wise souls, in many cultures, have told us that gratitude is the most important marker of happiness. Whether you believe in any particular religion or you are an atheist, it’s validated by science, if you want to be more happy and joyful, then gratitude is one of the key ingredients of that. Do you find people are more joyful when they give larger amounts? Digvijay: We are all human beings and when large amounts come in, they sometimes bring with them the paraphernalia of what we've gathered in a lifetime. The most selfless giving that I have seen is with small grassroots donations. When someone gives $5, $10, $15 dollars, all they want to do is share a little bit with someone else who they feel would benefit from those resources and they give it because they feel the joy of giving. What are some of the most impactful things you’ve learned about giving? Digvijay: The non-profit world is very different from the for profit environment I had previously been in. I was dealing with human psychology, why people give, why they don’t give and what makes giving more joyful? There were many lessons learned in that journey, I used to fall off my chair every few days. 40% of the world is under nourished kids are in India where I grew up. In America, approximately $250-$300+ billion is given every year, but most of it comes from individuals, not foundations and not corporations. Most of individuals that give make less than $150K a year. About 5-7% of people feel very joyful by bringing other people together to evangelize a cause that they believe in. So, these 5-7% people, actually drive most of the 85% + of the giving. With this information I began to ask myself, how do we get everyone engaged? When there is so much love in people’s hearts, when most people can afford to give $15-$20, why is it that we don’t have more giving? There is so much love in so many people around us. I feel that there is such great depth of emotion and love that sometimes we don’t know how to capture it and express it in a manner that does that depth justice. How Can We Give More? Digvijay: Through my studies, I arrived at the conclusion that here in the west, we have a very scarce resource called time. When you grow up in the East you feel you have multiple lifetimes and karma becomes more important. The west is much more an egalitarian place, cost of labour is much higher, we have to do everything ourselves. Our lives from morning to night are taken away, filled with things we do for our loved ones, or kids, our parents. That leaves us very little time, so my conclusion was we must give people a simple, easy way to express love and gratitude. Philanthropist, Scott Okie, Pierre and I pulled together an easy technology that we think does justice to that depth of emotion. You can go on the Giving Joy website and within a couple of minutes, send a friend, co-worker, or family member a gratitude gift card. It’s called the Giving Joy card,

On the first episode of When Would You Want to Know, I share the pivotal moment that lead me to question how I approached life and defined happiness. The tipping point: In early 2009, I had already achieved what most people would consider several lifetimes worth of wealth. I was lucky, I worked hard, and I got into the right sort of environment where I had quite a lot of success. I founded three companies, started building a home because the prices were right and I was listening to my financial advisor, who I thought I should trust. On the balance sheet, I had really good assets with little debt. But what I didn’t have was enough cash flow, because I was self-funding these startups and paying a construction loan. All of a sudden, I realized I had forgotten the number one thing I had advise every business client, cash is your blood flow. It’s the oxygen of a business. I came to the realization that I was giving all this advice to other companies and getting paid a lot to do it, but I was not following my own advice. On a personal basis, I had let myself into a situation where I had a liquidity crisis. The financial stress had overcome me and one day I saw a bridge overpass and thought, “I’ve got a lot of life insurance, my family would be so much better off if I just hit the pylon.” I pulled over to the side, cried, and realized that I had been so focused on building stuff, creating more wealth, and chasing after my dreams that I had not stopped to figure out what happiness really was - I realized I was quite unhappy. I later learned, as I studied health, that the stress was having a chemical impact on who and what I was and it made me rethink everything. Happiness became this focus and I just went deep dive. Where does happiness come from? How can we get it? Connecting with an outward mindset: For a year, I rebuilt my thinking. Most were working on how to be successful in business and I was working on how to be successful in life. Up until my tipping point, I had only been living with an inward mindset: How does this impact me? The unhappiest people I know are completely self-absorbed and malcontent about the things they don’t have. The happiest people I know are focused on the well-being of others and grateful for everything they have. I ask myself everyday, who am I going to be? I remind myself of this outward mindset through daily meditation about gratitude. Searching for happiness:  One of the greatest gift on my journey, was meeting Digvijay Chauhan. We have the privilege of having him on our next episode to talk more about his story but I recently took a trip to his home town in India. It was so insightful. What I noticed is that they are falling for the same trick we fall for, the Madison Avenue disease. People are moving away from their families and their family traditions. They are working long hours to get more money, to get a bigger house, to get a nicer car, and to go on a nicer vacation. We are getting onto the rat race of fear. Humans survived for millions of years through fear. It is a really powerful thing but when would want to know, your fear is being used against you to make you do things that really don’t make any sense? We are all looking for that sense of happiness and fulfillment but we are not necessarily chasing the right things to get there. Connection is the key: If you are in a hole, like I was, and you do not want to go deeper, stop digging. Get close to people, open yourself up, and make yourself vulnerable. When you start connecting to people, you will start to see the light. Because if you have an outward mindset and care about what people think, what they feel, what they want, what they fear, you start to get a deep insight into them and the chance to help them. What are we here for? To connect and seek more. On the next #WWYWTK episode:  Digvijay Chauhan will share insights on things we thought to be true about charities, big givers,

If something you believe to be true, turns out to be false…When Would You Want to Know? Entrepreneur and investor, Pierre Gallant, has seen time and again in his successful financial career, which spans three decades, that people hold deeply untrue beliefs about investments. This led him to question how he approached happiness, health, business, love, and life. Was it all, in thought and action, based on untrue assumptions and misleading advice? When would you want to know? Join Pierre and co-host, Tama Fulton, in an introspective and physical journey as they share new insights and wisdom. This podcast is meant to be a connective force for those looking for more joyful, fulfilled lives. Coming October 5th. Follow @pierretgallant for updates or subscribe to our mailing list below.