Podcasts about Acceptance

Happiness is the subject of thousands of articles, podcasts, and scientific studies. Yet all this focus on happiness doesn't seem to be making people any happier. In fact, the more they try to be happy, especially by fighting to get rid of bad feelings and cling to good ones, the more unhappy people often become.My guest would say that the first step in escaping this negative cycle is redefining what happiness even means — thinking of it not as a state of feeling good but of doing good.His name is Russ Harris and he's a therapist and the author of The Happiness Trap.Today on the show, Russ explains how struggling against difficult feelings and thoughts just makes them stronger — amplifying instead of diminishing stress, anxiety, depression, and self-consciousness — and how simply obeying your emotions doesn't work out any better. He then unpacks the alternative approach to happiness espoused by Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. With ACT, you allow both hard and pleasant feelings to coexist, and unhook from the latter so that they no longer jerk you around. This allows you to focus on taking action on your values to create a meaningful, flourishing life, or in other words, real happiness.Resources Related to the EpisodeAoM Podcast #614: Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life With the Founder of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Steven HayesAoM Article: From Overwhelmed to Empowered — How Labeling Your Emotions Can Help You Take ControlConnect With Russ HarrisRuss' WebsiteSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

2025 Christmas Special Part, IWelcome back! On today's episode, we're slicing into the snow with a look at one of holiday horror's weirdest cult franchises—Silent Night, Deadly Night.I'm joined by the Grindhouse Girls and longtime Cinedicate guest Ali, as we all break down the latest reboot of the original film.So whether you're a diehard slasher fan, seeking yuletide carnage, or just wondering how Santa wound up fighting Nazis on Christmas Eve—pull up a seat. Join us as we unwrap all the chilling, bloody, surprisingly heartfelt moments of Silent Night, Deadly Night, right here on The Cinedicate.What to expect from the episode:Spirited discussion on the legacy, themes, and unexpected twists of the "Silent Night, Deadly Night" remake, including its approach to holiday horror and the integration of social issues like Nazis and vigilantism.Comparative deep-dive into the remake versus the original franchise's notorious exploitation elements, including changes in violence, characterization, and the avoidance of gratuitous content.Anecdotal exploration of viewing experiences, horror movie traditions, and recommendations for both horror aficionados and newcomers seeking alternative holiday films.Episode Chapters00:00:00 - Introductions, Franchise History & "Garbage Day"00:04:24 - Our theater Experiences00:07:40 - Indie Horror, Gore Effects, Mean-Spiritedness & Changes in Slashers00:09:19 - Billy as Anti-Hero00:11:19 - Casting Trivia, Actor Lineages, Genre Lore & Pop-Culture Tangents00:13:05 - Why this film is relevant today.00:18:16 - Wolfenstein, Inglourious Basterds, and Meta References00:29:17 - Sequel Setup00:36:08 - Victim Justification, Kill Montage & Thematic Shifts00:41:40 - Romance Influences, Acceptance, Audience Expectations & Film Longevity00:52:10 - Oscar/Nominations and Netflix Buying WB, Fandom Tangents00:57:30 - Remake Comparisons: Criteria, Good/Bad Examples, Holiday Horror Lists01:00:56 - Personal Traditions, Hallmark Movies, Dickens Ghost Stories, Film Choices01:19:19 - Franchise Fatigue, Problematic Actors & Cancel Culture01:23:04 - Podcast Mishaps, Recommendations, Horror Fandom & Cosplay01:36:07 - Body Horror, Practical Effects, Gore01:37:35 - Biopic Potential, Playing Villains, Video Game Nazi-Killing (Wolfenstein)01:42:18 - Reflections, Plugs, Creative Projects, Farewells & Holiday Wishes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Power of Now - A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment with Gilda and BarbaraIn this episode, we cover "A New Earth - Chapter 10, Section 08 A New Earth - Acceptance" by Eckhart Tolle. Gilda Simonet and Barbara Wainwright have been studying Eckhart Tolle's work for ages. For the podcast purposes, we plan to go through the book from start to finish, reading only one section at a time. There are 122 sections of the book! Join our Facebook Group "The Power of Now - A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment with Gilda and Barbara" https://www.facebook.com/groups/thepowerofnowaguidetospiritualenlightmentwithgandb/Contribute to our show here: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/barbara-wainwright/supportLearn more about Barbara Wainwright and our Coaching Courses here: http://www.LifeCoachTrainingOnline.com 800-711-4346

In this bonus episode, The Minimalists host Sunday Symposium in Orange County. Discussed in this episode: Overplanning produces chaos. (08:00) No one on their deathbed says they regret not accumulating more stuff. (17:57) Hold on if it confers more benefits than letting go. (26:18) Anything can be clutter if it gets in the way. (29:54) Acceptance is nice, but needing acceptance is a prison. (32:39) How do you define success for yourself? (39:00) Have a question for the show? Call 406-219-7839 or email a voice memo to podcast@themins.com. Listen to the full Maximal episode on Patreon: patreon.com/theminimalists Detailed show notes: minimalists.com/podcast Recorded at Earthing Studios.

If you're listening to this during the Christmas holiday week and feeling a little on edge, this episode is for you! In today's episode of Boss Bitch Radio, I'm sharing a real coaching call conversation about control - the sneaky kind that looks like being responsible on the outside but feels like anxiety on the inside. Yep, that kind. We talk about why so many women struggle to let go, how trying to control people and situations steals our peace, damages relationships, and keeps us from being present in our own lives. I share personal stories (including my days as a reformed control freak), signs you might be holding onto control without realizing it, and simple mindset shifts to help you release what's not yours to carry! This is a gentle reminder that you don't have to manage everything, fix everyone, or hold it all together to be worthy or safe. Sign up for the Main Character Energy Activation Masterclass on January 13, 2026 - this is where the real shift begins → https://www.bossbitchradio.com/masterclass Join the newsletter for more behind-the-scenes tips, cheat sheets, and practical tools → https://www.bossbitchradio.com/newsletter #mentalstrength #overthinking #anxietyrelief #mindsetforwomen Key Takeaways: 00:24 Holiday Stress + Why We Try to Control Everything 00:55 A Real Coaching Call Conversation 01:59 Quick Reminder: Main Character Energy Masterclass 02:57 Mentally Strong People Don't Obsess Over Control 04:46 Real-Life Control Freak Stories (Yep, Me Too) 06:51 Doing a Control Check-In (Be Honest) 09:45 Why Asking for Help Is Actually Powerful 13:25 How to "Bless and Release" in Real Life 17:41 Locus of Control Explained in Plain English 25:44 How to Influence Without Controlling 27:36 Acceptance, Letting Go, and Finding Peace 30:52 Choosing Calm Over Chaos 34:47 Final Thoughts + Masterclass Invite Links Mentioned:  Join me for the Main Character Energy Activation Masterclass on January 13, 2026 - this is where the real shift begins → https://www.bossbitchradio.com/masterclass Join the Iconic Coaching Academy! Limited 1:1 spots available - https://www.bossbitchradio.com/iconic-coaching  I'm loving this Cathy Heller's program is packed with gems. Check it out here! https://cathyheller.samcart.com/referral/thisabundantlifebycathyheller/kLZu9Gj7RIEtBF2Q Hey! Have you heard of ClassPass? They're giving an exclusive free trial (with 20 bonus credits!) only available to friends of mine. https://classpass.com/refer/U37R31GQ30  

Diana Hill, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist, international trainer, and sought-out speaker on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and compassion. Diana is the host of the podcast Wise Effort and author of The Self-Compassion Daily Journal, The ACT Daily Journal, I Know I Should Exercise But…, and her newest book Wise Effort. Diana works with organizations and individuals to develop psychological flexibility so that they can grow fulfilling and impactful lives. Some of the topics we explore in this episode include:Struggles with change and concept of experiential attachmentThe intersection of ACT and Buddhism in Diana's bookHow our environment impacts our energyThe our genius can be under or over-utilized The importance of feedback and honesty—————————————————————————Diana's website: https://drdianahill.com/Wise Effort: https://a.co/d/81mws9E—————————————————————————Thank you all for checking out the episode! Here are some ways to help support Mentally Flexible:You can help cover some of the costs of running the podcast by donating a cup of coffee! www.buymeacoffee.com/mentallyflexiblePlease subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. It only takes 30 seconds and plays an important role in being able to get new guests.https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mentally-flexible/id1539933988Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentallyflexible/Check out my song “Glimpse at Truth” that you hear in the intro/outro of every episode: https://tomparkes.bandcamp.com/track/glimpse-at-truthCheck out my new album, Holding Space! https://open.spotify.com/album/0iOcjZQhmAhYtjjq3CTpwQ?si=nemiLnELTsGGExjfy8B6iw

When the world feels loud and demanding, your inner truth doesn't shout — it waits for you to slow down and listen.In this episode, Nimesh Radia and Stacey Brown explore how to hear your inner truth when everything around you feels noisy, uncertain, and overwhelming. Many people are feeling mentally overloaded, emotionally stretched, and pressured to have answers right now. This conversation offers a gentler invitation — to pause, soften the noise, and reconnect with the quieter wisdom within.Nimesh and Stacey reflect on patience, presence, and acceptance as spiritual practices, especially during this completion phase where clarity can feel just out of reach. They speak about the importance of listening instead of forcing, allowing instead of pushing, and trusting that growth continues even when nothing appears to be moving on the surface. Through reflections on mindfulness, meditation, journaling, and community support, this episode reassures listeners that not knowing is part of the process.This conversation is for anyone standing between endings and beginnings — craving clarity, yet sensing that the next step will arrive through stillness rather than action.Key Themes✨ Hearing inner truth when everything feels loud ✨ Patience and presence during uncertainty ✨ Completion as a phase of integration ✨ Acceptance and self-compassionTakeaways✨ You do not need all the answers right now ✨ Inner truth speaks quietly, not urgently ✨ Presence is a powerful spiritual practice ✨ Acceptance creates space for claritySound Bites✨ It's okay not to have answers right now ✨ Be gentle with yourself and others ✨ One moment, one breathAlso available to watch on YouTube. If this episode resonates, please like, comment, and follow the podcast.Connect with Nimesh

One of the aspects of food recovery I wished that I had greater guidance around (and had to learn for myself) was discovering how to listen to my body.  Even within different food recovery approaches, there are still all of these rules about what to eat to "prove" recovery or what to do to ensure recovery. I've seen more confusion over the years about what will or will not lead toward a decrease in food coping mechanisms because there is still this idea that there is a right way and a wrong way to recover. When embodiment increases, food behaviors can decrease. When you can hear, understand, and interpret your body's feedback, food impulses don't have to feel so scary to experience anymore because you get what your body is trying to relay. It was the practice of yoga that taught me how to get into my body. In this week's episode, I chat with Jeanie Manchester, founder of Anjaneya Yoga Shala, Master Yoga and Meditation Instructor, about: The impact of doubt on self perceptionBeing guided by your inner voiceHow we are shaped by our life experiencesListening to body wisdomThe connection between lineage and personal identityEmbracing ourselvesAnd so much more! You can also read the transcript to this week's episode ​here​: https://www.stephaniemara.com/blog/the-power-of-finding-and-trusting-your-inner-voiceWishing you a restful, easy holiday week and see you all next week! With Compassion and Empathy, Stephanie Mara FoxKeep in touch with Jeanie: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jeanie.manchester/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yoginijeanie/Website: https://www.jeaniemanchester.com/Support the showKeep in touch with Stephanie Mara:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_stephaniemara/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stephaniemarafoxWebsite: https://www.stephaniemara.com/https://www.somaticeating.com/Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephmara/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@stephaniemarafoxContact: support@stephaniemara.comSupport the show:Become a supporter: https://www.buzzsprout.com/809987/supportAll affiliate links: https://www.stephaniemara.com/resourcesReceive 15% off my fave protein powder with code STEPHANIEMARA at checkout here: https://www.equipfoods.com/STEPHANIEMARAUse my Amazon Affiliate link when shopping on Amazon: https://amzn.to/448IyPl Special thanks to Bendsound for the music in this episode. www.benso...

This episode explores the vital importance of creating intentional ceremonies around sleep and waking. Key practices include avoiding screens, news, and stimulating content for one hour before bed and one hour after waking - the blue light suppresses melatonin.  The stimulating content keeps the brain active when it needs to wind down or gently wake up. This is particularly important for brain health as we age.The episode emphasizes keeping electronics out of the bedroom entirely to avoid electromagnetic interference with the body's natural rhythms. A core teaching is "accept everything, then work out what you can do from this moment on" - if you can't take practical action now, write it down or set it aside rather than worrying, which blocks connection to your source.The practice of gratitude bookends the day: expressing appreciation before sleep and upon waking creates a comforting container for rest. When sleep is elusive, focus on thankfulness and really feel that connection. These simple ceremonies of digital boundaries, acceptance, and gratitude can transform sleep from mere rest into sacred restoration. 

A commentary and discussion on the Just for Today: Daily Meditations for Recovering Addicts. Contact Information: 919-675-1058 or facebook.com/groups/theanonpodcast

Join The CommunityPhuong Truong, "just another lesbian in town", is the owner of Twist coffee bar in Thao Dien, a fun place for everyone and a safe space for the LGBTQ+ community.We discuss the LQBTQ+ community in Vietnam in the context of religion, region and generational acceptance.We also talk about sex education in Vietnam in light of a recent story in VNExpress with the headline, It's not working: sex education makes teachers and students squirm and another story about a parent finding her 12 year old child had been watching pornography.Phuong herself started watching pornography at only 8 years old.Follow Seven Million Bikes on Facebook or Instagram.Buy us a coffee.-------------------Theme music composed by Lewis Wright.Main Cover Art designed by Niall Mackay.Episode art designed by Niall Mackay, with pictures supplied by guests and used with permission.Audio Engineer Luke Digweed.These are the programs we use to create A Vietnam Podcast.These are affiliate links so they will give us a small commission, only if you sign up , and at no extra cost to you! You'll be directly supporting Seven Million Bikes too.Editing - Descript https://bit.ly/3FM3IFBHost - Buzzsprout https://bit.ly/3cFbQvkDesign - Canva https://bit.ly/3oW2S2nSupport - Fiverr https://bit.ly/3FI7EXZWebsite - 10 Web https://bit.ly/3HNTOoU"Send me a message!"Support the show

Undefended Joy Choosing Willingness, Acceptance, and Faith This Holiday Season The holiday season can be joyful — and it can also be triggering. Family dynamics, social gatherings, unmet expectations, and old habits often leave us feeling tense, reactive, and searching for relief. In this episode, Lynette explores a powerful and compassionate practice she calls Undefended Joy — a way of meeting life without armour, self-protection, or resistance. Drawing on teachings from Dr. Julia DiGangi and real-life experiences, Lynette shares how willingness, acceptance, and faith can gently replace the need to escape with alcohol or other numbing behaviours. This episode is not about forcing happiness or “getting it right.” It's about softening, staying present, and discovering that joy becomes available when we stop fighting reality. In this episode, you'll explore: Why so many of us drink or overdo things in search of relief The difference between being undefended and being defenseless How willingness creates emotional resilience and mental fitness Why the opposite of certainty is faith How accepting difference (in ourselves and others) reduces conflict A simple question to ask when you feel triggered Why joy is not something to chase — but something that emerges when fear loosens its grip Lynette also shares a gentle invitation to support yourself through the festive season with Tribe Sober's Festive Open House, offering free access to community support, inspiration, and live sessions. A question to reflect on: What would it look like to meet this moment — just as it is — undefended and willing?  

Today's meditation supports you in meeting uncertainty with openness instead of fear.Through gentle breathwork and calming imagery, this session helps you soften the instinct to rush for answers and create space for clarity to arrive naturally. You'll explore how uncertainty can be a pause rather than a problem — a moment where deeper alignment and insight are quietly forming.A grounding, reassuring meditation for anyone feeling anxious, unsettled, or unsure about what comes next.

Start Healing Your Attachment Style With Personalized Courses Taught by Thais Gibson. Free for 7 Days (Enough Time to Complete a Full Course). Limited-Time Offer https://attachment.personaldevelopmentschool.com/dream-life?utm_source=podcast&utm_campaign=7-day-trial&utm_medium=organic&utm_term=aIKk1oX3_YE&utm_content=yt-12-19-25&el=podcast Dismissive Avoidants don't commit because they're pressured, convinced, or chased. In fact, those approaches usually push them further away. Commitment happens when specific emotional conditions are met, conditions rooted in their childhood conditioning, core fears, and unmet needs. In this episode, Thais Gibson explains the real reasons Dismissive Avoidants propose, marry, and invest long-term and why these patterns often surprise people who are dating or loving them. In this video, Thais breaks down the four core drivers behind long-term commitment for Dismissive Avoidants, drawing from attachment theory, conditioning, and years of clinical experience. You'll learn: Why Dismissive Avoidants are often trying to avoid breakups more than commitment itself How pressure triggers autonomy wounds and emotional shutdown How childhood conditioning shapes their beliefs about relationships and marriage Why many Dismissive Avoidants secretly fear they “can't do” relationships The deep shame wound that makes them fear being truly seen The emotional needs that help dismissive avoidants feel safe enough to commit This episode also explains what actually helps move the relationship forward, without suppressing your own needs or walking on eggshells. ✨ Key Takeaways ✔ Dismissive avoidants often fear commitment because they associate closeness with pain ✔ Pressure triggers rebellion, not security ✔ Relationship beliefs are shaped by childhood environments — not objective reality ✔ Many dismissive avoidants fear they are defective or incapable of relationships ✔ Acceptance, direct communication, and emotional stability increase safety ✔ Commitment grows when relationships feel predictable, non-shaming, and emotionally safe ⏱️ Timestamps 00:00 – What Makes Dismissive Avoidants Commit Long-Term? 00:24 – Dismissive Avoidants Avoid Breakups 02:43 – Dismissive Avoidant Don't Like Being Pressured 03:56 – Our Perception is Conditioned by the Environment We Grew Up in 06:16 – 7-Day Free Trial Promo 07:07 – Dismissive Avoidant Fear They Can't “Do” Relationships 09:09 – Dismissive Avoidant Fear Being “Found Out” as Shameful or Defective 10:05 – Needs of the Dismissive Avoidant 13:01 – Comment and Subscribe Meet the Host Thais Gibson is the founder of The Personal Development School and a world leader in attachment theory. With a Ph.D. and over a dozen certifications, she's helped more than 70,000 people reprogram their subconscious and build thriving relationships. Helpful Resources:

7 micro habits to escape the freeze response, climb the polyvagal ladder, boost energy, heal burnout, and get unstuck from dorsal vagal shutdown and depression. Learn the skills to Regulate your Emotions, join the membership: https://courses.therapyinanutshell.com/membership If you feel sluggish, numb, depressed, or burnt out, your nervous system might be stuck in the freeze response. In this video, I'll teach you 7 tiny habits that activate energy, restore safety, and help your body move up the polyvagal ladder. These simple, science-backed steps help you feel more alive, more motivated, and more like yourself again. Looking for affordable online counseling? My sponsor, BetterHelp, connects you to a licensed professional from the comfort of your own home. Try it now for 10% off your first month: https://betterhelp.com/therapyinanutshell Learn more in one of my in-depth mental health courses: https://courses.therapyinanutshell.com Support my mission on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/therapyinanutshell Sign up for my newsletter: https://www.therapyinanutshell.com Check out my favorite self-help books: https://kit.co/TherapyinaNutshell/best-self-help-books  Therapy in a Nutshell and the information provided by Emma McAdam are solely intended for informational and entertainment purposes and are not a substitute for advice, diagnosis, or treatment regarding medical or mental health conditions. Although Emma McAdam is a licensed marriage and family therapist, the views expressed on this site or any related content should not be taken for medical or psychiatric advice. Always consult your physician before making any decisions related to your physical or mental health. In therapy I use a combination of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Systems Theory, positive psychology, and a bio-psycho-social approach to treating mental illness and other challenges we all face in life. The ideas from my videos are frequently adapted from multiple sources. Many of them come from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, especially the work of Steven Hayes, Jason Luoma, and Russ Harris. The sections on stress and the mind-body connection derive from the work of Stephen Porges (the Polyvagal theory), Peter Levine (Somatic Experiencing) Francine Shapiro (EMDR), and Bessel Van Der Kolk. I also rely heavily on the work of the Arbinger Institute for my overall understanding of our ability to choose our life's direction. And deeper than all of that, the Gospel of Jesus Christ orients my personal worldview and sense of security, peace, hope, and love https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/comeuntochrist/believe If you are in crisis, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org or 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or your local emergency services. Copyright Therapy in a Nutshell, LLC

Shapeshifting for Love? Are you changing who you are to earn someone's approval? Social pressure, dating dynamics, and everyday interactions can quietly pull you away from your true identity. Learn how to stop morphing for THEM and return to the powerful center point of who you really are.  The seduction of a new relationship can urge you to become someone you're not, for THEIR approval. Here's how to integrate the many aspects of your personality, rather than assimilate completely to be what you think “they“ want you to be. Noticing How You Morph (Alter) for THEM Integration, not Assimilation Solidifying Your Centerpoint (Your True Self) Reference to YouTube Live Show: Why People Pleasing Pushes Love Away- LIVE Q&A https://www.youtube.com/live/mE84gY2FfY8 Website: https://www.schoolofattraction.com Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/schoolofattraction Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/6SX9WKgEWynkxyulGhDihC?si=62449e8d26ac4ba2 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theschoolofattraction/ Work with Me: Consultation: Books: Breakup Triage; The Cure for Heartache Audible Allowing Magnificence; Living the Expanded Version of Your Life - Book and Audiobook: Connect with Me! Website: susanwinter.net YouTube: YouTube Channel Instagram: Instagram Profile Twitter: Twitter Profile Facebook: Facebook Page LinkedIn: LinkedIn Profile TikTok: TikTok Profile

Anders Sorensen is a Danish clinical psychologist with a PhD in psychiatry.  He's one of the world's leading authorities on psychiatric drug dependence and the complex science of safely discontinuing these medications. His  book "Crossing Zero: The Art and Science of Coming Off-and Staying off- Psychiatric drugs" is a seminal book on how to help people break psychiatric drug dependence and restore their inner compass and relationship to emotions. This conversation discusses emotion regulation in great depth and the lost art of how to respond to our inner world of thoughts, memories and emotions. Anders also discusses the future of mental health, his recent experience with psilocybin and how to restore sanity living in a culture in decline. Substack: https://crossingzero.substack.com/X: https://x.com/_AndersSorensenPurchase Crossing Zero on Amazon Visit Center for Integrated Behavioral HealthDr. Roger McFillin / Radically Genuine WebsiteYouTube @RadicallyGenuineDr. Roger McFillin (@DrMcFillin) / XSubstack | Radically Genuine | Dr. Roger McFillinInstagram @radicallygenuineContact Radically GenuineConscious Clinician CollectivePLEASE SUPPORT OUR PARTNERS15% Off Pure Spectrum CBD (Code: RadicallyGenuine)10% off Lovetuner click here

✨15-minute lesson preview. To listen to the full lesson and get access to hundreds of other listen-while-you-ride audio lessons with Kyle and other great coaches, just head to Ride-iQ.com to start your 2-week free trial. We'd love to have you!✨If your horse feels a bit dull to the aids or disconnected after time off, this ride will help sharpen responsiveness and reestablish clarity in your communication. Your coach, Kyle Carter, focuses on leg-yields and stride-length adjustments in both trot and canter to encourage acceptance of the aids, straightness, and balance. You'll work through thoughtful, repeatable exercises that keep the horse in front of the leg while staying soft in the connection. By the end of the ride, your horse should feel more adjustable, aligned, and tuned in to your aids.✅ This lesson is great for…

Based on the best-selling children's novel of the same name, the show follows 7th-grader Auggie, who has a craniofacial difference. The two actors portraying the character relate to the part, and each other. "It feels really nice to have someone who has similar experiences and struggles as me."

Fluent Fiction - Spanish: Finding Family: Mateo's Journey of Art and Acceptance Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/es/episode/2025-12-18-23-34-02-es Story Transcript:Es: En una calurosa tarde de diciembre, los murales brillantes del orfanato en Buenos Aires resplandecían bajo el sol.En: On a hot December afternoon, the bright murals of the orphanage in Buenos Aires shimmered under the sun.Es: Niños corrían por el patio, sus risas mezclándose con el canto de las cigarras.En: Children ran through the yard, their laughter mixing with the song of the cicadas.Es: El orfanato estaba decorado con guirnaldas y luces navideñas, y el aire olía a pino y turrón.En: The orphanage was decorated with garlands and Christmas lights, and the air smelled of pine and turrón.Es: Mateo, un chico de catorce años con ojos soñadores y manos siempre manchadas de pintura, observaba desde una ventana.En: Mateo, a fourteen-year-old boy with dreamy eyes and hands always stained with paint, watched from a window.Es: Mateo pasaba sus días dibujando.En: Mateo spent his days drawing.Es: Sus cuadernos estaban llenos de paisajes, retratos y escenas llenas de vida.En: His notebooks were full of landscapes, portraits, and scenes full of life.Es: Pero en su corazón, había un deseo más profundo que el arte: encontrar una familia que lo quisiera.En: But in his heart, there was a desire deeper than art: to find a family that would love him.Es: Sin embargo, ese verano trajo más que los intensos rayos del sol.En: However, that summer brought more than the intense rays of the sun.Es: Trajo también una noticia inesperada.En: It also brought unexpected news.Es: Lucía, la enfermera que trabajaba en el orfanato, buscó a Mateo con una expresión preocupada.En: Lucía, the nurse who worked at the orphanage, looked for Mateo with a concerned expression.Es: "Mateo, tengo que hablar contigo," dijo con voz suave.En: "Mateo, I need to talk to you," she said softly.Es: "Encontramos algo en tus exámenes."En: "We found something in your exams."Es: Las palabras que siguieron fueron: "tienes una condición crónica."En: The words that followed were: "you have a chronic condition."Es: Mateo sintió que el mundo se detenía por un momento.En: Mateo felt the world stop for a moment.Es: Se preocupó.En: He worried.Es: ¿Qué familia querría adoptar a un niño enfermo?En: What family would want to adopt a sick child?Es: Decidió no contarle a nadie, especialmente no a posibles padres adoptivos que visitarían el orfanato por Navidad.En: He decided not to tell anyone, especially not potential adoptive parents who would visit the orphanage for Christmas.Es: Los días pasaron rápido.En: The days passed quickly.Es: Lucía notó que Mateo estaba más callado y distraído.En: Lucía noticed that Mateo was quieter and more distracted.Es: Durante una de sus visitas, lo encontró sentado solo, sus pinturas olvidadas en el suelo.En: During one of her visits, she found him sitting alone, his paintings forgotten on the floor.Es: "Mateo, ¿quieres hablar?En: "Mateo, do you want to talk?"Es: ", preguntó Lucía con ternura.En: Lucía asked tenderly.Es: Pero Mateo solo negó con la cabeza.En: But Mateo just shook his head.Es: Finalmente, llegó la víspera de Navidad.En: Finally, Christmas Eve arrived.Es: El orfanato estaba lleno de alegría.En: The orphanage was full of joy.Es: Familias potenciales llegaron para conocer a los niños.En: Potential families came to meet the children.Es: Mateo trató de sonreír y participar, pero su preocupación aumentaba.En: Mateo tried to smile and participate, but his worry grew.Es: En medio de la fiesta, Mateo se sintió débil.En: In the middle of the party, Mateo felt weak.Es: Se cayó en el patio y todos se reunieron alrededor de él.En: He fell in the yard and everyone gathered around him.Es: Lucía corrió a su lado.En: Lucía ran to his side.Es: "Mateo, tienes que ser honesto sobre tu diagnóstico," le susurró.En: "Mateo, you have to be honest about your diagnosis," she whispered.Es: Pero antes de que Mateo pudiera responder, ya había murmullos entre los presentes.En: But before Mateo could respond, there were already murmurs among those present.Es: Algunos padres se retiraron, pero una pareja se acercó a Lucía.En: Some parents withdrew, but a couple approached Lucía.Es: "Ese niño es especial," dijo la mujer, sus ojos brillando con admiración.En: "That boy is special," said the woman, her eyes shining with admiration.Es: "Queremos adoptarlo."En: "We want to adopt him."Es: Mateo, escuchando, se sintió descubierto y vulnerable, pero también aliviado.En: Mateo, listening, felt exposed and vulnerable, but also relieved.Es: Lucía lo miró con cariño y le dijo: "Mateo, tu salud no define quién eres.En: Lucía looked at him with affection and said, "Mateo, your health doesn't define who you are.Es: Eres talentoso y fuerte."En: You are talented and strong."Es: El chico, con lágrimas en los ojos, entendió que no tenía que esconderse.En: The boy, with tears in his eyes, understood that he didn't have to hide.Es: La pareja que había visto su talento y su fuerza, estaba dispuesta a darle un hogar.En: The couple who had seen his talent and strength were willing to give him a home.Es: Así, en esa noche calurosa de Navidad, Mateo comprendió que su diagnóstico era solo una parte de él.En: Thus, on that hot Christmas night, Mateo understood that his diagnosis was just a part of him.Es: Y que con amor y aceptación, su sueño de pertenecer finalmente podría hacerse realidad.En: And that with love and acceptance, his dream of belonging could finally come true.Es: Lucía sonrió, sabiendo que había ayudado a Mateo a encontrar su camino.En: Lucía smiled, knowing she had helped Mateo find his way. Vocabulary Words:the afternoon: la tardethe mural: el muralthe orphanage: el orfanatothe laughter: la risathe nurse: la enfermerathe yard: el patiothe garland: la guirnaldathe pine: el pinothe desire: el deseothe exam: el examenthe condition: la condiciónthe diagnosis: el diagnósticothe floor: el suelothe garden: el jardínthe news: la noticiathe health: la saludthe talent: el talentothe strength: la fuerzathe Christmas Eve: la víspera de Navidadthe admiration: la admiraciónthe intuition: la intuiciónthe tenderness: la ternurathe affection: el cariñothe belonging: la pertenenciathe acceptance: la aceptaciónthe path: el caminothe ray: el rayothe joy: la alegríathe couple: la parejathe scene: la escena

"What we feel, God can heal. If you do not let yourself feel it, you will not heal. Your healing is too important to care what anybody thinks." - Michelle Bader EbersoleSHOW NOTESEPISODE HIGHLIGHTS Supernatural Identity in Crisis: The unedited revelation in times of deep loss is recognizing your core identity as a "Daughter of the King," a truth that supersedes the temporary identity of a wife. The Tangible Bubble of Peace: God provides a "supernatural peace that passes all understanding," which can feel like a tangible, protective bubble during the most devastating moments. Grief is Not Linear: The grief process is not a rigid set of stages but rather comes in waves. The focus should be on what you do with the time, not how much time has passed. Feeling Leads to Healing: The core truth is: "What we feel, God can heal." Suppression only prolongs the grief; true healing requires allowing yourself to feel the pain, regardless of the setting. Eternal Perspective and Healing: Releasing the need to know the "why" of the loss, accepting that "If God allowed it, I can accept it," and focusing on the hope of eternity are crucial for drawing closer to God. Holidays and New Traditions: Navigating holidays requires making a conscious plan, saying "no" to obligations, and blending old traditions with new ones to create memories that honor the lost loved one without painful comparison. Don't miss this episode! Widow and Certified Grief Specialist Michelle Bader Ebersole reveals the supernatural peace and divine purpose found in loss. Learn to live Spiritually BRAVE, embrace your identity as a Daughter of the King, and unlock the healing truth: "What we feel, God can heal."

SUMMARY: Guest: Lara Silverman — comedic actress, jazz singer, violinist, author, Stanford Law grad; formerly a federal prosecutor. -Faith roots: Grew up in a large Romanian Christian family (with Syrian Christian heritage); accepted Christ at 7; faith deepened after her aunt's death from cancer. -Calling to law: Loved advocacy and public speaking; passed the bar after intense study; landed her dream role as a federal prosecutor in San Francisco. -Health crisis: Fell acutely ill in week two on the job with a rare, under-researched neurological vertigo disorder; tried ~30–150 therapies and ~38 medications (often worsened symptoms); bedridden for three years on a bedpan; ultimately resigned her post. -Ongoing illness: Continues to experience constant spinning sensations; multiple tentative diagnoses, no definitive cure; learned to walk again despite worsening symptoms when upright. -Spiritual wrestle: Initial confusion turned to seasons of bitterness and anger (more than depression); felt misunderstood by some believers when she sensed God calling her to accept ongoing suffering. -Acceptance and surrender: Believes God spoke that she would not be fully healed on this side of eternity; fasting exposed idols of health, marriage, and career; moved toward surrender and trust. -Meeting Matt: Church acquaintance (youth leader) who reached out during her bedridden years; he had suffered childhood cancer and was later diagnosed with terminal cancer; they formed a deep bond through shared suffering. -Marriage and loss: Married despite her illness and his terminal diagnosis; experienced “joy in grief” through ministry and creativity; Matt died a year later; Lara testifies to God's peace and preparation through the loss. -Joy amid grief: Practiced finding “sprinkles of joy” (comedy clips, music, niece's smile, devotionals); launched The Silverman Show (YouTube: comedy, music, theology); organized jazz fundraisers, including $13K raised for Haiti. -Theology of suffering: *Critiques “prosperity gospel light” in American church; calls for preparing believers to suffer well. *Emphasizes biblical themes: joy in suffering; God's intentional purposes; eternal rewards (e.g., “crown of life”); 2 Corinthians 4:17's “eternal weight of glory.” *Points to Isaiah 61 (double portion/redemption), 1 Peter 1:7 (tested faith), Job-like redemption ultimately fulfilled in eternity. *Cites Helen Roseveare's testimony about trusting God in suffering. -Identity transformation: Early identity tied to achievement and “gold stars”; illness stripped these; learned identity in Christ, not performance; challenged by Matt's loving rebukes about pride and usefulness. -Honest struggles: Jealousy when others receive “basic blessings” (marriage, children, health); wrestled with God's statement “I know what's best for you”; learning to believe God's wisdom without having micro-level reasons. -Church's role: Encourage sound theology of suffering, eternal perspective, and the call to “joy in grief”; avoid equating God's love solely with earthly blessings. -Memoir: Wrote her memoir from bed over eight months, capturing God's “receipts” (journaled answers, provisions, and lessons); aims to comfort sufferers with biblical reasons for suffering and stories of God's nearness. -Hope redefined: Realistic hope is anchored in eternity (John 11:25); freedom from fear of death empowers purposeful living now. -Key scriptures referenced: 2 Corinthians 4:17 (eternal glory) 1 Peter 1:7 (tested genuineness of faith) Isaiah 61 (redemption, double portion) Isaiah 43:19–20 (streams in the wilderness) Romans 8:29 (conformed to Christ) John 11:25 (life beyond death) -Core takeaway: God provides “streams in the desert.” Open your heart to receive and choose joy in the midst of grief; joy and sorrow can coexist, and God will redeem suffering—fully in eternity, and often with foretastes now.   PODCAST INTRO: What happens when the life you planned—brilliant career, healthy body, tidy faith, marriage and children—collides with relentless suffering? For comedian, jazz singer, author, violinist, and Stanford-trained attorney Lara Silverman, that colission became a calling. Lara spent years pursuing her dream of becoming a federal prosecutor—years of academic discipline, devoted goal setting, and passionate pursuit. After graduating from Stanford, she enters the grueling vetting and elimination process of 1000 hopeful lawyers with the goal of making it to the top 3. When she learns that she made it in the top 3 her dream becomes a reality…she is standing at the pinnacle of a major goal in her life. She was accepted as a federal prosecutor and begin the task of fully stepping into that role. Until in her second week on the job, she fell violently ill with what would later be discovered as a rare, unresolved neurological condition that keeps her in a constant state of the world spinning around her. She endures that condition to this day…8 years now, 3 of which left her bedridden, on a bedpan, being cared for and nursed by her parents. Thirty-eight medications failed. Careers, plans, family timelines—all stripped away. In her personal dark valley of multi layered deaths, her testimony is that not only does God meet her there, He has never left her. True to being a trained lawyer, in her effort to make sense of her spinning, crumbling world she uses the Word/Bible to question God's goodness and His fairness demanding that He explain Himself. She's met with firm, steady, unwavering love that consistently engages her pain inviting her from striving to surrender. Through Lara's fasting, God exposed hidden idols—health, marriage, career—not to shame her, but to set her free. Because I think we all know that if we build our lives on things that will fade, change, transition, not to mention the fact that we have no guarantees on anything we risk losing ourselves into despair and ruin. Then came an unlikely gift. As Lara lay in bed, a church acquaintance—Matt Silverman, a brilliant, joy-filled believer battling terminal cancer—began calling to pray and wrestle through theology with her. Friendship became love. They married, held jazz benefit concerts for Haiti, launched a small YouTube channel, and practiced “joy in grief” as a spiritual discipline. Exactly one year later, Matt went home to Jesus. Lara's testimony is not tidy. She speaks frankly about anger, bitterness, jealousy, and the ache of unanswered prayers. Yet she clings to promises many avoid: that suffering refines faith (1 Peter 1), forges intimacy with Christ, prepares us for eternity (2 Corinthians 4), and—even here—can be met with streams in the desert (Isaiah 43). She believes God will redeem every loss, whether in the here and now or in eternity—and that the doctrine of reward, often neglected, gives sturdy hope when the nights are long. Her invitation is simple but not without surrender and therefor difficult: Look for “sprinkles of joy” each day. Refuse to waste your pain—serve others through it. Live now with eternity in view. If you're not afraid to die, you can truly live. Sorrowful, yet always rejoicing. That's Lara's way through the wilderness—and a lifeline for anyone walking it today. In her memoir, Singing Through the Fire, she chronicles all of that's happened, how God shows up, the challenges she's put before Him and vice versa. What does it look like to struggle with God ? Lara provides examples, proof that He doesn't leave even when our faith is weak and ungodly. He holds us up when our faith falters and He sustains us through the most devastating emotional, mental, physical, battles. Let's listen in and find a reason to hope again, to find joy and to be comforted in what can feel like the wilderness. Live Loved and Thrive! Sherrie Pilk   CONNECT WITH LARA: Main Hub: https://linktr.ee/Larap3 Amazon link for her book: https://a.co/d/ayQyB52 Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/lara.palanjian.silverman Instagram handle: @larapalanjian Youtube: https://youtu.be/TDcUeQrbVZk Watch the deeply moving BOOK trailer here:  https://youtu.be/TDcUeQrbVZk Watch the second BOOK trailer here: https://youtube.com/shorts/bO34s0tLYyY?si=uTMALdhOPB6TOCnt RESOURCES PER LARA: Helen Roseveare's testimony: https://youtu.be/VJCCx-qiZ24?si=ANuKzA-A-F6kwEkt Podcast: Keep an eye/ear out for her new podcast: Singing Through Fire w/Lara Silverman BIO: Lara Silverman is a Christian author, lawyer, jazz singer, comedic actress, violinist, and songwriter. She holds a J.D. from Stanford Law School and a B.A. in both Economics and Political Science from UC Berkeley. Before falling seriously ill in 2018, Lara worked for two federal judges and practiced high stakes litigation for three years at Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP, where she specialized in intellectual property, antitrust, and contract cases of all kinds.   In 2023, Lara co-founded The Silverman Show—a multifaceted comedy, music, and theology show—and released her debut jazz/pop album as her own music producer in February 2024. In September 2024, she debuted as Mrs. Serious in her solo Armenian comedy show online, amassing upwards of 300,000 views on individual videos on Instagram. Lara's writing has been featured in various respected Christian blogs, where her reflections on faith, suffering, and grace have encouraged readers across diverse audiences. Even as she remains mostly bedridden today, she anchors her unwavering hope in God.    

Florida State football's offseason has seen a handful of staff moves to this point. The most recent moves included the departures of general manager Darrick Yray to UCLA and quarterbacks coach Tony Tokarz to Buffalo. This episode of On The Bench recaps the Seminoles' recent staff movements, how it affects the offseason, and how Mike Norvell could replace the departing staff members.  You can subscribe to On The Bench, X's and Noles, and Beyond The Bench on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Spotify. As always, five-star reviews and comments on Apple Podcasts are appreciated! Also, you can watch the show on YouTube now. We'll do live streams as well, and you can get notifications on when we're live by subscribing to our YouTube channel. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This book changed Seth's life and it will help you too! In todays ep of Anatomy of Change podcast, Seth hangs out with Hal Elrod, author of The Miracle Morning, discussing the transformative power of morning routines and personal growth. They explore the SAVERS method, the importance of affirmations, visualization techniques, and the necessity of acceptance in overcoming adversity. Hal shares personal stories of resilience, including his battle with cancer and the lessons learned from his experiences. The conversation emphasizes the potential for change within everyone and the tools available to facilitate that change. Takeaways The Miracle Morning is a six-part routine that sets the tone for the day. Acceptance is crucial for emotional freedom and overcoming adversity. Affirmations should be rooted in truth and clarity about one's commitments. Visualization is about mentally rehearsing the actions needed to achieve goals. Resistance to reality causes emotional pain; acceptance leads to peace. Everyone has the potential to change their life regardless of past beliefs. The SAVERS method includes silence, affirmations, visualization, exercise, reading, and scribing. Gratitude should be heartfelt, not just intellectual. Daily practices can lead to significant personal growth over time. Community and support are vital in the journey of change. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Family, queerness, religion, and the holidays—this episode goes deep. Alix and Kayla open up about navigating strained family relationships, missed weddings, religious rejection, reconciliation, and what it really takes to protect your peace as a queer couple during the holidays.From engagement fallout and parents not showing up, to rebuilding trust, setting boundaries, and creating chosen family traditions in Nicaragua—this is an honest, emotional, and deeply relatable conversation for anyone who's ever felt unseen by their family.00:00 – Intro: married, not related, definitely codependent02:30 – Highs, lows & weirds of the week05:20 – Dreaming up a queer camp & chosen family07:00 – Family estrangement, phone anxiety & emotional triggers11:15 – Holidays, big families & complicated dynamics13:30 – Engagement fallout & family refusing to attend the wedding18:30 – Feeling invisible as a queer couple23:00 – Acceptance vs. avoidance in family systems29:00 – Therapy, boundaries & rebuilding relationships32:45 – Healing moments, unexpected growth & hope38:30 – Redefining holidays & creating new traditions43:00 – Religion, queerness & family rupture51:00 – Confrontation, truth, grief & clarity01:02:30 – Choosing peace, boundaries & moving forward#QueerPodcast #LGBTQPodcast #ChosenFamily #QueerMarriage #HolidayBoundaries #ReligiousTrauma #FamilyEstrangement #LesbianPodcast #HealingJourneys #QueerStories #WivesNotSistersConnect with us on social media: IG: @wivesnotsisterspod | TikTok: @wivesnotsisterspod | Youtube: @wivesnotsisterspod Follow our hosts on Instagram: @kaylalanielsen @alix_tucker You can also watch our episodes on Youtube at youtube.com/@wivesnotsisterspod!

You know when PA schools ask you if you have any questions for them at your PA school interview? Well, there are questions you definitely should NOT ask. In fact, asking the wrong questions can absolutely land you in the "no" pile. Here's the questions to avoid asking during your interview. _______________________________

Okay pull up a chair to THE TABLE because it's time to talk about the question that has been floodinggg my DMs lately: I have done the work to accept my body, now what?

The Kingdom Has Come: The Grace, Acceptance, and Rejection of the Gospel | The Sunday Sermon | Luke 10: 14-21 | Rev. Craig Luekensvisit cpcnewhaven.org

Ever wondered how a “high-efficiency” motor can start wasting energy and damaging bearings before it's even been switched on?We did too. So we tested it.Using offline motor circuit analysis alongside online motor current signature analysis, we inspected brand-new IE4 motors still sitting in their crates. What we found changed the conversation completely. Critical impedance imbalance straight out of the box. One motor already showing early winding defects before it ever saw load.That's the moment labels stop mattering and evidence takes over.This episode walks through why pairing de-energised and energised testing matters.Offline MCA tells us what's happening in the windings – contamination, resistive imbalance, insulation condition. Online MCSA, sampled at 44 kHz with serious resolution, shows us what vibration often can't: rotor bar issues, air-gap problems, electrical harmonics, inverter-driven bearing currents.In difficult environments – noisy plants, submersible pumps, generators, limited access assets – current signature analysis often gives cleaner, more repeatable insight than vibration alone. We're seeing faults that used to hide in the noise.And this isn't theory. Across 750+ motors tested in the field, we see a clear link between impedance imbalance and winding health:• 15% – criticalThat gives teams something powerful: defensible alarm limits and a simple acceptance test that stops bad assets entering the plant.There's a practical win too. On one motor we reduced resistive imbalance from over 30% down to around 3.8% just by cleaning and correctly torquing the terminations. Test. Fix. Retest. Immediate improvement.The real gains come when sites take this seriously: Acceptance testing written into purchase orders. Evidence required from the factory. Faults confirmed using at least two technologies.That's how you reduce energy loss, prevent shaft currents from destroying bearings, and turn condition monitoring into real reliability improvements – not reports that sit on a shelf.If uptime matters. If energy efficiency matters. If you want better decisions with less noise and less drama.This episode shows the path: measure what matters, set your own standards, verify the fix, and keep learning.Enjoy the episode. If it helps you rethink your motor strategy, subscribe, share it with a teammate, and drop a quick review with your biggest testing win or surprise.Support the show

If sex is feeling stressful, book a free Unlock Your Passion call with Heather to find out about her Pathway to Passion coaching program. https://HeatherShannon.co.In this episode, Heather introduces Kristin Vyas, a sex and intimacy coach who has joined the Ask A Sex Therapist team. Kristen shares the top sex issues she sees with clients including erectile dysfunction, mismatched libidos and shame around kinks. Heather and Kristen discuss the impact of societal pressures on masculinity. They talk about the importance of open communication about kinks and desires, the role of anxiety in sexual performance, and the necessity of ongoing sex education. The conversation emphasizes the importance of viewing yourself and your partner as a whole person. Learn why curiosity and understanding in relationships can be your secret weapon to a great sex life and start redefining sexual experiences beyond traditional norms.Chapters00:00 Introduction of Kristin Vyas01:00 Understanding Erectile Dysfunction02:41 Redefining Pleasure and Connection05:47 The Role of Anxiety in Sexual Performance06:51 The Power of Thoughts in Sexual Experiences09:18 The Impact of Adult Content on Sexual Expectations11:56 The Importance of Ongoing Sex Education15:28 Exploring Kinks and Shame19:04 The Need for Acceptance in Kink20:38 Common Kinks and Societal Pressures23:02 The Pressure on Men in Sexual Relationships26:11 Exploring Sexuality Beyond Labels27:38 The Evolution of Sex Education29:47 The Importance of Communication in Relationships32:50 Understanding Boundaries and Safety35:56 Navigating Kinks and Preferences41:13 The Complexity of Desire45:53 Rediscovering Core Desires48:34 Curiosity and Empathy in RelationshipsKeywordserectile dysfunction, sex therapy, intimacy coaching, sexual health, kink, communication, consent, masculinity, sexual desire, sex educationThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp

(Bandar Utama Buddhist Society)

Dr. Mariza Snyder is an educator, best-selling author and wellness advocate.  She is passionate about helping women over 40 feel like themselves again. More than a decade ago, she was chronically sick, feeling wired and tired, and experiencing a sensation of constant overwhelm from the combination of both work and going to graduate school to become a practitioner. Like many women she knew, she was being held captive by crazy unbalanced hormones and overwhelmed with life.  She realized that she needed to change her lifestyle if she wanted to feel like her old self again. On that journey she reclaimed her life and her body and now she helps others to do the same using proven protocols to increase energy, lose weight and improve mood. She is also the host of the Energized podcast and her new book ' The Perimenopause revolution – reclaim your hormones, metabolism and energy is available now.   Timestamps (may vary by 2-4 minutes based on your podcast platform)  02:15 Introduction to Dr. Marisa Snyder and Her Journey 03:09 Understanding Blood Sugar and Hormonal Changes 08:15 Addressing Insulin Resistance in Perimenopause 15:26 Movement as a Key to Metabolic Health 17:12 Perimenopause: A Second Puberty 24:25 Neuroendocrine Transition and Its Impact 26:11 The Importance of Community and Connection 27:49 Navigating Mental Exhaustion and Acceptance 29:56 Understanding Inflammation and Its Impact 31:09 Personalized Nutrition and Inflammatory Triggers 35:48 The Challenge of Ultra-Processed Foods 37:46 The Importance of Hormone Replacement Therapy 39:43 Common Mistakes with Hormone Replacement Therapy 49:48 The Neuro-Endocrine Transition in Perimenopause   Perimenopause program https://briankeanefitness.com/phb-program (Website) https://drmariza.com/   (Instagram) www.instagram.com/drmariza/   (Facebook) www.facebook.com/drmarizasnyder   (Youtube) www.youtube.com/user/drmarizasnyder   (Book) The Perimenopause Revolution https://www.easons.com/the-perimenopause-revolution-mariza-snyder-9781401997403?srsltid=AfmBOopndGrXbRVPJqXkRm418wVSnY7VqolpDhcsBVCA5Top6JDAd07D  

(Bandar Utama Buddhist Society)

 When it just touches on these really profound themes and it's moving in a way that catches you off guard. Matt Nothelfer is a Committee Member of the Borrego Springs Film Festival and working documentary filmmaker.In this conversation, Matt talks:* Why small, community-driven festivals like Borrego Springs offer some of the best experiences for indie filmmakers.* How the festival creates a filmmaker-friendly environment: lounge, home-baked food, networking, and long Q&As.* The “secret weapon” of Borrego Springs: a local audience that fills a 180-seat theater from morning to night.* Why early-bird submissions matter—and when they don't.* How to spot scammy or low-value festivals on FilmFreeway through community presence, transparency, and online footprint.* Why filmmakers should focus more on storytelling and theme than technical perfection.* The blind-submission, five-category review process Borrego uses to evaluate films fairly.* Why small festivals often have the highest acceptance chances—300 submissions, 70–80 selections.* How writing a thoughtful, festival-specific cover letter can move a film from “maybe” to “yes.”* Advice to emerging filmmakers: avoid chasing 100 meaningless laurels and instead pursue festivals aligned with your goals.Thanks for reading The Creativity, Education, and Leadership Newsletter! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.Here is an AI-generated transcript of our conversation. Don't come for me.BEN: Hi everyone. This is Ben Guest and this is The Creativity Education and Leadership Podcast. Today my guest is Matt Telfer, who is a committee member for the Borrego Springs Film Festival. In this interview, we talk all things film festival, how to run a filmmaker friendly festival, and tips and tricks for submitting to film festivals.Enjoy.Matt, thanks so much for joining the podcast today.MATT: My pleasure. Happy to be here.BEN: So, I always like to start with a fun question, senior year of high school, what music were you listening toMATT: right off the bat with a curve ball? Alright, let's lay it out. I got the Talking Heads,BEN: the Cure,MATT: Like, let's see, what else?BEN: New Wave.MATT: Yeah, a little bit of the punk stuff. I mean, we got Pixies were, was I listening to the Pixies then? I can't remember. Yeah, so, uh, the Dead Milkman, stuff like that. The pubs, um, yeah, I had some of their records. You know, it's really frustrating ‘cause I had those records up until like five years ago and I left them at a colleague's house and they scattered to the wind.All that good stuff. Yeah. Anyway, I'm still a little bitter about that, but That's okay. My colleagues, my colleague was a friend and he, he deserved them.BEN: So you are a committee member at the Borrego Springs Film Festival. What? Yes, sir. And, and you've, you've held a variety of roles there and, and off air, you're saying sort of lately you've been focused on.You know, the pre-production of the festival, the website, getting the materials together. Correct? Correct. Reaching out to filmmakers, et cetera. Talk to me, talk to us about what are the fundamentals of running a good festival?MATT: Well, our context is that we're super small and modest. Uh, like we were saying before the interview, uh, officially started, we are literally a, a tiny little village in the middle of a giant state park.Actually the biggest state park in the lower 48 states desert community. We're actually just south of Palm Springs and, uh, there's like 3000 full-time residents here and, uh. So running a film festival in a place where there's literally. Not really a commercial market, it's a different type of animal.And um, so we kind of do everything on a very tight budget and we try to personalize stuff as much as we possibly can. We, since we can't really throw a lot of money at stuff, we just do everything we can in other dimensions.BEN: What's an example of that?MATT: Just trying to be considerate about stuff, uh, being friendly to filmmakers that are willing to submit and to get, and that also get accepted. So when they come here, it's a personalized experience. We work pretty hard on creating a filmmaker's lounge where folks can gather and network with each other throughout the entire uh.Five days of our film festival and while they're at the film festival and they're talking to each other, we also have food available for ‘em. One of our great committee members, her name's Pam, she literally will bake stuff in the evening and bring it in in the morning. So you have fresh pastries, cookies, coffee, like fruit vegetables, just everything laid out.And you know, there's really not a huge expense to do that, but you need like the right people to do that, so that's the thing that kind of makes our festival a little bit. Different, I guess in a way is like there's a personalized aspect to it and we spread that type of attitude across all our stuff.So we're gonna have like four parties during the entire festival, and all those parties have similar type of vibe.BEN: The reviews that I read online, um, on film freeway filmmakers were saying that it is, it's a film, it's a filmmaker friendly. Festival.MATT: Yeah. Because, you know, that's what we can do. Mm-hmm. Like, you're not gonna travel to a remote place in the desert and, you know, run into a bunch of industry folks.Usually there are exceptions to that. And, uh, as our. Film festival has gotten a little more solid, and we occasionally have some industry people coming in. Most of the time it's indie filmmakers. You know, we might have some elbow rubbing that this kind of neat. But for the most part, you know, these are just small independent filmmakers trying to do their thing and.Wanting to share their films with an appreciative audience. And aside from, being very personable, uh, with the committee and with the staff that run the film festival, one of the great things about our particular film festival is that the community is a huge part of what we do. The event they show up, we have 180 seat theater and it's full from 10:00 AM in the morning until eight o'clock at night.Oh wow. Every block and wow. It's been that way since the beginning, and it's not because of anything that we do on the committee, it's simply because the community wants to be a part of it. And so that's kind of our secret weapon, is like you show up as a filmmaker and like, oh man, I got, I got scheduled for the 10:00 AM block.They, and then they, they show up and like, what's going on here? This is look back. And then at the end of it, you know, there's an extended q and a. We don't. Push our blocks back to back really tight and there's plenty of time just to like relax and having interaction with folks and some q and as will go on for like a half an hour, if not more.And it's just, you know, so that's a unique thing that just kind of emerged without effort. And we take credit for it and we're excited that we can offer that. But you know, it wasn't any, it wasn't by design, it was just kind of like, cool. This is working.BEN: As far as festivals go, it sounds like filmmaker heaven.MATT: Well, you try to, we definitely try to be. And the dude that got this whole thing rolling, his name's Fred G and he has lived in this little community for a really long time, and he's a great guy and he's one of the reasons why a lot of people show up because, you know, he's just one of those kind of like community, uh, he's, he'll be really upset if I use this phrase, but he's like a town elder. Mm-hmm. You know what I mean? Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. So just having that type of guidance and having that type of person that can kind of unify the entire event, I. Is really great. And again, like I said before, it's kind of our secret weapon is that we have like this great community that's willing to be a part of a filmmaker's storytelling in so much as like they'll sit there, they'll react to it, they'll ask questions about it afterwards.So yeah, if you're. A filmmaker that wants your film to be seen by actual eyeballs and actual people that are engaged. Mm-hmm. Then film festivals like ours, which there are many around, around the world. You gotta search ‘em out. As a filmmaker, you've gotta. Start getting discriminating. You've gotta really pay attention to what films are film festivals are offering and try to be a part of those kinds of environments, if that's what you want.BEN: So this is great because you're, um, you are part of the Bgo Springs Film Festival, you're also a working filmmaker. What are some other festivals that you've attended or know about that have a similar sort of filmmaker friendly vibe?MATT: Full Bloom film festival in North Carolina for sure. The WYO Film Festival in Wyoming, we enjoyed that a lot.My wife and I who are documentary filmmakers, we've taken our film films there. And again, you know, it's the exact same recipe basically, you have a core group of citizens that are willing and able to show up and be a part of an event. So when you sh, when you arrive as a filmmaker and you sit in the audience, you're not alone with, or if you're in the audience and you're only with other filmmakers there to screen their movie, you know?Yeah. You know that, you know that feeling. We've been there, right? We've been, we've all been there and, and we don't. Film festival is like what we're talking about right now. They don't wanna offer that. They want it to be something, even if they sometimes fall short, which has happened with us, we've had blocks where, maybe there's only 50 people in the audience and, you know, half of the audience might be filmmakers.But that is such a rare thing anymore. You just wanna be offering something to filmmakers. Make them feel appreciated because we know how hard it is to make these things and even and to be willing to share that in front of other people and, ask and answer questions it's a special thing and we wanna nurture that as much as possible and sort of those other film festivals.Love it. Yeah.BEN: Yeah. So we, I, I first came across you on Reddit on the film festival subreddit, and you were offering good advice and thoughts on, for filmmakers applying to festivals, how to think through strategy. So I guess for all, yeah. I mean, did you hear Yeah, help us out.MATT: Yeah. Did you, when you were reading that stuff, I mean, what kind of hit you as like the most relevant?BEN: I think it's two things and since I, I just have a documentary. I finished and am submitted a film festivals. I've read a bunch of stuff. Seen a bunch of stuff, so I may conflate some of the things that you said versus something I saw elsewhere. But two things. That's all right. I'llMATT: take credit for it.BEN: One is know what your goal is ahead of time, right? Oh, yeah, absolutely. To, be it the, be it a filmmaker friendly festival with good parties and events and networking. Is your goal to get exposure? Is your goal to meet people in the industry? Is your goal mm-hmm. To get laurels? Those are all different worthy goals, but they all will change your strategy and your approach for film festivals.And the second is, you know, submit to, don't submit to 50 festivals. Submit to 5, 6, 7, see what the results are and then adjust from there.MATT: Oh, absolutely. Yeah. So yeah, when we're talking strategy, that's so important and, and we can speak about it from the perspective of the Borrego Springs Film Festival because, you know, knowing the context of the type of festival we are now, if you were a filmmaker that was searching out, let's say.A bunch of like publicity for, you know, some type of, media push. It's like, would you necessarily want to come to Bgo Springs? Maybe yes, maybe no. It depends on how you played it, but. The main reason you would be coming to Borrego Springs, we feel is because you want that personal interaction and you want feel special as a filmmaker and you want to share your stuff with us, and we want you to share your stuff with us, right?So you're absolutely right when you're initial initiating your kind of film festival search as a filmmaker, you really gotta narrow down what your expectations are. And figure that out. I can speak as a filmmaker as well. It's like if you're gonna go someplace and spend money to do so, I mean, at the very minimum you squeak by on a budget of 500 bucks, then that's kind of like dirt cheap to go someplace and then return home.You know? That's still a lot of money. Mm-hmm. And that's, that's probably like. The least amount that you would ever be able to spend and you would need help, like getting lodging, which we try to offer to our filmmakers. Um, you know, how are you gonna, what are you gonna do? What are you going to eat when you get there, which we try to offer to our filmmakers.And, you know, all those things become part of the calculus, right? Mm-hmm. Especially when you're independent, mm-hmm. I would ask you is like when you're trying to submit, what are you aiming for right now?BEN: So great question. So I'm aiming for trying to get multiple laurels and I'm in, in a little bit of a different situation, I think, than most filmmakers.So I, I have an academic background, I have a PhD, and ideally I'd like to I've worked at various universities. In the ideal world, I'd like to go back overseas and teach film at a university. And so in the world, in the world of academia, you know, there's this phrase, publish or perish, right? You have to publish academic journal articles, publish.Mm-hmm. In film, in the world of filmmaking, academia, a film festival run. A film festival. Acceptance is like a journal article, right? Um, maybe if you do a feature film that's like publishing a book, this is sort of, uh, roughly equivalent to getting a, a journal article published. So I want to sort of garner a number of laurels so that I can indicate, you know, this, this short plate at these 10 different film festivals.MATT: Okay, so the credentials matter, right? Correct. It's kind of like that kind of that'sBEN: exactly right. LittleMATT: trophy on the mantle, as it were. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. So, um, I'm gonna ask you another question if that's okay.BEN: Yes. I feel like I'm getting a All right. Free film festival, um, consulting.MATT: Perhaps, I don't know about that, but when you are pursuing the laurels and, you know, everything's kind of like filtering through film freeway these days. Mm-hmm. So what's your strategy as far as like finding those types of film festivals that you think are going to, allow you to get those laurels on your poster or whatever?BEN: Yeah. Another great question. So couple things. One is it's a doc. My latest is a documentary short, and it's, it takes place in the world of improv comedy. And the two subjects are two black women. So looking at festivals that either are geared towards comedy, towards documentary shorts or towards black themes and African American themes. One of those three or, or, um. Themes of uh, women in, in general. Sure. Well, if I couldMATT: interrupt real quick, please. Yeah. So it seems like you're trying to basically still maintain some integrity as far as that goes. It's like, yeah, I'm not relevantBEN: all like the fly by night, if you submit, we'll give you the, you know, the UP award.Yeah, exactly. Well, that, that's why I'mMATT: asking because. Okay. Because that's why I'm asking because, there are plenty of, you know, weird little festivals that are floating around the mill fly by night, that,BEN: thatMATT: come, that come and go. And if you want to get a hundred laurels on your poster, if that's, you know, what makes you feel good, then you could definitely do that.But at least what you're saying is like, okay, let's make sure that what's happening with my film has integrity, has, has a shape, and has, something that means something after, you get accepted.BEN: Yes. Oh, a hundred percent.MATT: And the reason I bring that up is because, you know, as a small film festival we struggle with getting we just struggle competing with what's out there on film Freeway, let's put it that way.BEN: You know, because Talk about that. Break itMATT: down. Yeah. You know, it's just, as anyone knows that's trying to do this thing, it's like you hit film freeway and they're a great platform. I'm not, complaining about them at all, but there's just a lot of stuff on there that is more or less as a filmmaker or relevant.I mean, would you agree with that?BEN: Oh, a hundred percent.MATT: Unless all you're wanting to do is just get one laurel to put on your, on your poster, so you know. Maybe they offer a little bit of something. But as a filmmaker, I've been to the ones that don't offer much anything aside from a screening and even, and it's like I'm lucky enough to even go to ones that have physical screenings.A lot these days are just like, oh, we'll slap it online and call it good. So, you know, uh, let's be honest, there's a lot that are just out there and they're just trying to churn. Make some money. So as a small film festival, we're competing with that stuff and we've seen our, uh, submission rate decline, not necessarily a bad thing for us.Mm-hmm. But for other film festivals, I imagine they might be getting frustrated with it. We are actually perfectly comfortable with where we've kind of landed and the groove we've been in since the pandemic. Even a little few years before then, and we haven't tried to kind of like change our recipe much.So we're just happy with the amount that we're getting. We're happy with the amount that we're accepting and we're pleased with how we're screening stuff and the opportunities we're giving people. But I do feel, from what I've seen, it's becoming. Uh, it's just, it's a bit, it's a bit difficult to navigate the slop.Let's just break it down like that. Yeah. And I don't know if you're feeling if you're experiencing the same thing or not. I'd be curious to, to see what you, what you say.BEN: For a hundred percent, so I, I made a few documentaries in the late 20, 2011, 2012, and that was right when Without a box, which was filmed free, right withoutMATT: a box.BEN: Started and it was great because instead of having to burn a bunch of DVDs and physically mail them, you could just upload your film and then submit it to a bunch of festivals. Research a bunch of festivals. Great. Coming back to it now in 2025, it's Scam Central and I think unfortunately one of the things you, you have to spend a bunch of time doing is trying to figure out which of these festivals.First of all, which of these festivals are just legit in that they're not trying to just mm-hmm. Get money from you. They're gonna do a virtual screening and that's it. And then once you even get that breakdown, kinda like you said, which are festivals that are legit, that, that have good people working hard, good intentions, you're proud to show your film there versus they're just churning through submissions and fees.And chart, have a bunch of deadlines and a bunch of different slots you can apply for. They're not the exact opposite of how you describe Borrego Springs.MATT: Yeah. And you have to, as a film festival, at least in our opinion over here, it's like you have to bring that value to the table or else why?Why are you really doing it? And if that answer is like, you're just some guy sitting in an apartment somewhere trying to make a lot of money or a living, I don't know if you can make a lot of money doing this.BEN: Mm-hmm.MATT: Um, but. If you're just doing a film festival that is literally fly by night because you want to cash in, it's like, that's really unfortunate.Now the other side of that coin is like we see a lot of very earnest filmmakers submitting and, uh, they might not be the most technically adept. And they're fresh out of the gate as far as like trying to be a filmmaker. So they're very eager and you know, they just want to tackle everything all at once, and they end up you know, they're not really exercising any discrimination about where their films are going and they end up, you know mm-hmm.Kind of wasting a lot of money in that regard. Submitting, the, submitting, submitting without much, kind of emotional reward from it. And I think,BEN: yeah.MATT: Having some type of like positive feedback about what you're doing is great, even if it's whatever.But. It really helps to have a place to land where you feel like super special and cared for and considered and not just like, oh, I showed up and, it cost me $10 to get into my own movie and it's costing me $20 to, buy a cocktail over here and, you know, those kinds of things.If you're even lucky enough to get that, honestly.BEN: Right. What's your advice on spotting scams when you're applying to festivals?MATT: How to be discriminating as far as like submitting?BEN: Yeah,MATT: I mean I can only approach that from our, my wife and i's own experience trying to get our films into festivals. And with the insight like working on a film festival, I think that helps.But trying to spot ‘em is really, you got to. Try to get a sense if there's any type of community involvement going on mm-hmm. With the festival. And you can usually track that online if you're, you know, if you're a bit sleuthy, and you can find out if it's being supported by the community in some sort of way.Mm-hmm. And it shouldn't take you too long to figure that out with a couple of decent, online searches and follow in a few threads of information. Another thing is, is like if they're kind of nurturing their online presence, you know, it doesn't have to be super sophisticated. You just have to get a vibe that they're trying.And if, if you get that kind of sense, then it's worth the effort. Typically the other thing is you gotta really know what type of film festival that you're submitting to, right? If you're making documentaries, you're not submitting to, you know, a feature film, festival Right. In every festival.So yeah. Core effects. So I, yeah. You know, it's just being, making those obvious decisions. But when you dig beneath that superficial stuff and you get past like the obvious. Really try to get a sense about what you want yourself as a filmmaker when you go to a film festival. And for us it's like getting appreciative eyeballs on the film and giving us fun feedback and having a good time and interacting and, and doing some networking, uh, basically having a party and celebrating your film.Mm-hmm. And I think that weBEN: think about, yeah, sorry, go ahead.MATT: I think that this, that's important for us, so I imagine, and I, I would think that it's important for other people that are making movies as well. Yeah. If we, about, especially independently.BEN: Yeah. Yeah. You know, there's you were alluding to very little money in it, but, um, there are, there are rewards.Yes. One of the biggest of which is seeing your film in a packed house with an engaged audience. What from a screener perspective, from a film festival perspective, what are some tips you would give up and coming filmmakers, young filmmakers on their short films in particular mistakes that you see et cetera, et cetera.MATT: I would say the biggest mistake, especially as a, a young filmmaker, is concentrating so much on the technicalities of the craft and ignoring the storytelling. Um, you know, we, you mentioned, and we mentioned before about like when we started, uh. Kind of submitting to film festivals. This was basically what, like 15 years ago for both of us now, right?2010s, 2012, whatever. Mm-hmm. The technical back then could elevate you above everything else back then. Like today. You know, look, anyone that has a, has a mobile telephone, essentially has the skillset it takes, or not the skillset, but the technical wherewithal.AnBEN: outstanding camera.MATT: Yeah. Yeah. And the point being is like you can go out and you can create something compelling without the gate of the technical getting in the way. Uh, you can capture it. And it doesn't have to look like a million bucks. It's nice if it looks like, you did a big budget thing on a small budget.I'm not knocking the craft of anything. I'm just saying don't be so intent. Or maybe even don't even worry if like, it falls short technically a little bit. ‘cause I will. Guarantee you that a film is gonna get into a film festival based on if it's a compelling story with a good theme or not. And theme is another thing that a lot of folks don't necessarily appreciate, I don't believe.Just to give you a little bit of insight, our film festival. Is the selection committee are not industry professionals. They are regular citizens. They're just watching movies to help out our film festival. Now, try to imagine what that means. It's like folks don't focus on the technical unless it's an absolute train wreck.They will literally sit down and say, is this something I'm interested in and am, am I engaged with the story? Full stop. So that's where, that's the thing you have to focus on. And if you're not doing that as a filmmaker, okay, maybe you're just, you know, maybe your thing is gonna be, you're just a cinematographer, you're just a sound guy.You know, you're more crafty than you are. You know, a storytellers you gotta find that. You gotta find that place. That would be the main thing, because I know we, we. This, I think this is a good thing about our particular film festival is that we have taken in some films that probably weren't like technically as good as they should have been, but because they are just so.Compelling. We don't ignore it like we do pay attention to the craft, but if a story elevates beyond the craft, we're more than happy to bring those folks in. And when those folks come in, they're like, oh my gosh. You know, it was like we're having a hard time getting accepted to film festivals and we're so grateful that you took our film and we can't believe the response that we're getting.Um, they tend to be the best. Most enthusiastic filmmakers and attendance of anybody. Mm-hmm. They're not cynical, you know, they're not burnt out, they're just like over the moon.BEN: They're happy to be there.MATT: Yeah. And it, and they should be. And they're gonna spread the word ‘cause they, they've created something.Yeah. Wonderful. Now, you know, maybe it's underexposed, maybe it's overexposed. Maybe the audio's not great here and maybe the audio's okay there, whatever. It's compelling. That's the main thing. And you and you as a filmmaker really need to start analyzing. My wife and I do this all the time. It's like, what the heck are we making here?Are we making something that is compelling to us personally? Mm-hmm. Are we making something that's compelling to other people? Mm-hmm. It's two different things.BEN: Mm-hmm.MATT: I mean, that's right. So storytelling is hard.BEN: Yeah. That's the craft. It's storytelling.MATT: Yeah.BEN: Yeah, yeah. What does your, so you've got screeners, not industry folks, people just who appreciate films and filmmaking.What does your judging sheet or criteria sheet look like with your screeners, and what's the process that a film goes through?MATT: Here's another thing about our particular film festival. We're completely blind. Submissions. You know, we do not solicit anything. It's like early days we were kind of like poking around and asking for some folks to kind of consider us, but we've kind of let that fall by the wayside.Maybe that's one of the reasons our submissions have declined a little bit over the years. One of the factors, but regardless completely blind submission. So. Stuff comes in. We have a bunch of people that are at the ready and they start watching it, and we basically have a five step process.It's like, consider this, consider this, consider this, consider this. And they do that. And they mark it from scale of one to 10. And, uh, from that we kind of start our, fundamentallyBEN: what are, what are the different, consider this. Like what are the categories?MATT: Let's see. I gotta look it up, but it, it basically breaks down to, okay.Are you sentimentally engaged with this? Meaning, is it, is it a subject matter? I love that questionBEN: that,MATT: yeah, it is a subject matter that you. Like just offhand, like, okay. It's a, it's a nature movie. See, I love nature movies. Oh, I see. Are you, you see what I'm saying?BEN: Predispose, I thought, I thought you meant was the film engagement.MATT: No, no. It, no, it's, it's, it becomes both. It becomes both, right? Yeah. Because your sentimental attraction to something is going to create an engagement. So we kind of wanna know if, uh, our regular folks are like just locking into something because they just love the subject matter.BEN: They make the topic.Yeah.MATT: Yeah. Um. Then from there we do actually talk about craft, even though I was saying before, like, uh, don't worry so much filmmakers about the craft anymore, but we wanna make sure that you can hear it. Okay. It's not a total disaster with the audio and you can see everything. Okay. So we ask them to rate it on that scale.And then, um, other, you know, just more nuancey things is like, okay, is the pacing cool? In other words. Did you find it like it was dragging a lot or it was, too fast? How's the editing style? Those kinds of metrics. And there's actually a few other ones in there as well. So all that is just kind of thrown into the pile.Mm-hmm. And then from there we start to weed that out as we come to after like all the submissions come in and from. Once all the submissions come in and our, our deadline has passed, then the committee jumps in and starts doing a more nuanced type of an analytical thing to the films that have been submitted.But I will say that regardless of how we kind of shuffle things, once the deadline is closed, the people that watch our films and the committee members are usually. Copacetic. There's hardly anything that that changes. And, um. The nice thing about our particular film festival too, is like if you're a filmmaker submitting, you know, I'll just, I'll give you the numbers.We essentially get like 300 submissions, so it's not a lot. Mm-hmm. Um, and out of that 300 we are running a sub, we're running a screening rate anywhere between like 70 to 80 movies a season. Mm-hmm. So that's a really good. That's a really good, uh, opportunity to get accepted at a film festival, and that's why small film festivals might be the best bet for a lot of independent filmmakers, I think.Mm-hmm. You know, because you have that opportunity to get noticed. So I think I might have tangent, I went off tangentially a little bit there, so if you wanna pull me back in.BEN: Yeah. You went off tangentially, but in a great way. I mean that I want to appreciate the transparency with the numbers. I interviewed, um, the director of the Wyoming International Film Festival, a guy named Rudy Womack, and he was the same.He was like, here's our numbers, we publish ‘em. He's like, most festivals don't, but it just demystifies the process. So it's very helpful.MATT: Yeah. And I'll give film pre credit because they allow film festivals like ours to put those numbers online. Mm-hmm. And, and we've done that. If you hit our page on film Freeway, you can start to figure out what we're about without too much trouble.BEN: What are the, what are the different blocks you run?MATT: As far as like thematically?BEN: Yeah. Yeah. Like at a festival. What are the different categories and blocks.MATT: Aha. See now you touched on something that's kind of unique to us. Okay. So, you know, you go to a film festival and it's like, oh, this is the, this is our dog block.Every movie's about dogs.BEN: Right, right.MATT: Or something like that. We don't do that. At all. So we kind of grab bag, the whole thing. It becomes a very eclectic mix of stuff. Mm-hmm. And one of the reasons we've ended up doing that is because our community has kind of demanded it. Whoa.Interestingly enough. Yeah, so they drove the decision to kind of like stop doing thematic blocks and they wanted a better mix of things because they, again, our folks here, they show up for every single block place is packed.BEN: I just, and sorry to interrupt before you finish, like everything you're saying, it just sounds like there's an iter iterative feedback loop.Between the community in the festival, the film? Absolutely in the festival. The volunteers in the festival. So I just wanna highlight that ‘cause I'm loving everything you're saying.MATT: Well, again, like I said, it's the secret sauce. It's our, it's our weapon that we have our secret weapon that allows us to kind of like elevate beyond our like humble budget.Right.BEN: The community is, but community is letting you know, we don't want thematic blocks.MATT: Yeah. The community came in and said, we, we want mix. So when we sit down and we're sitting through movies, it's like. If we're watching something that we're not in tune with thematically, then you know, you would have to sit there for like an hour and a half and just kind of tolerate it.Whereas now, if like a movie comes on about dogs and for some reason you're just a weirdo and you don't like dogs, that movie will come and go and now you're onto something else, right? Mm-hmm. So. Yeah like you just mentioned, it, it really becomes a cooperative effort between the community, the film festival itself and, and even the filmmakers.And we're kind of proud that it is a little bit ramshackle in that way ‘cause it creates a very organic vibe and weirdly enough. Like at the end of it all because it, it's a little bit random. It is like how folks get scheduled.BEN: Mm-hmm.MATT: Themes are emergent anyway.BEN: Mm-hmm. It's, peopleMATT: start creating patterns that didn't exist and then it sometimes that becomes really profound.It's like, didn't even think of that. It's brilliant. However oh, the other thing about programming too, that we do specifically for our film festival is that we. We ask our filmmakers, say like, Hey, are you planning on coming here? And if they, if they are planning on coming here, we try our, our level hardest to make sure that we program their films to match their schedule, right?So we don't lay out our program and say, okay, you were scheduled for, you know, Wednesday at 2:00 PM. It's like, well, I'm only free on the weekend. You know, and you wouldn't, you would never be able to attend. We ask first to say, do you think you're gonna be able to be here? And if they say yes, then we try to accommodate as best we can.So again, it's, it's collaboration across the board from filmmakers down to the, to the citizens of our small town.BEN: One of the things I read somewhere, or heard somewhere, is that it's much more advantageous to apply for the early bird deadline. What's your take on that?MATT: For our film festival, not so much, but I, I definitely adhere to that strategy as a filmmaker.If nothing else, it's budget conscious, you know? Yeah, yeah. It's cheaper usually under the initial deadlines you know, you have to take advantage of that. The other thing I guess is like, I will say from our experience, uh, with our particular film festival, if you get it in under the early bird deadline, at least it's there.And you know, you've basically got like four or five, six months for the submission. Crew for that particular film festival to kind of think about it. Whereas if it comes in a last minute, you're not really gonna get as much consideration. It's just gonna have to be more like, uh, an initial one-off type of decision.SoBEN: are there other, and I mean the, the most important advice right, is always make a good movie outside of the movie. Yeah. Are there other ancillary things that. Can move the needle at all. Cover letters, director statement, press kit, stuff like that, or it's not, uh, it's negligible.MATT: Hmm. It's neg negligible to an extent in so much, it depends on how you frame it as the filmmaker.Mm. And let me, I'll try to explain. So every year as a film festival, you just basically get cover letters. It's like, oh, take my film please. It's about this, it's about that. But it's a cover lever, co cover letter. It's, uh, copy and pasted. You can tell. You can just, you just know. It's like, okay, they're making an overture to us, but they're also making an overture to like a hundred other film festivals.It's like if you're gonna write to a film festival and say you want in, just make sure that you actually acknowledge who you are sending your film to. Don't just say, Hey, Borrego Springs, I wanna be in your film. I like Borrego Springs, mm-hmm. My parents went there once and I've always been com I've always been interested in the desert and how awesome would it be?See, that tells us that you're paying attention. Right?BEN: Mm-hmm.MATT: That you're trying. We're trying. We just want the filmmakers to try as well, as far as like trying to make any requests to get preferential treatment, and it's totally cool to ask for preferential treatment. By the way. You can say, I see that you're a small community.I just made a film that's, that takes place in a small community. We might be a really good fit. That kind of thing matters, right? An email overture works. Yes. An email overture doesn't work. No. It's both things at once, depending on, it really depends on how you write that letter. So if you wanna invest the time and effort to try to impress a film festival, just make sure that.You understand what that film festival is and really think about if what you're offering, the film festival is something that they might want. And if you can, if you see a, a common thread there, write about it in a letter. And even if it's just one sentence, it's like, then we know on our side that this person's paying attention and that that kind of matters.It does matter. So at the end of the day, when you're take, when you're kind of like really trying to figure out your cutoff, if your little film happens to be on the bubble, guess what? It might get into film festival, right? Mm-hmm. Because you said that you have a connection to this place, and I think that's fair.I mean, what, does that make sense?BEN: Yeah, for sure. So the festival is coming up in January, is that correct?MATT: Yeah, we're in the middle of gearing up for it right now, as a matter of fact. Nice. I gotta run out to the, to town here in like a, like 15 minutes actually to do some stuff for the film festival.So yeah, it's, it's, well, today we're shooting, um, a little promo, uh, thing that we're gonna run, run during. At the beginning of the blocks, and I'll be doing that with Fred G the chairman of the board. Yeah, that's nice, fun stuff. We try to have fun with things, so. Yeah.BEN: We do littleMATT: skits and whatnot during the award ceremony.It's, it's goofy. I love it. Cheesy as hell, but we like doing it, soBEN: I love it. Oh, that's actually something that I sort of, in, in, in my cover letters, which I try to. You know, write tailored to the festival. Especially the ones in California say, well, the film's about this improv duo and mm-hmm. We accepted, we'll come and we would love to do a little improv performance for the festival attendees.Um,MATT: I will say this too, because we're such what you just mentioned. I just want to piggyback on that for a second. So you said in my cover letter I'll say, we're willing to attend. It's like if you say that in a cover letter and you mean it, you, and you're willing to do that. Yeah. That's good. Especially for a festival like ours.We want filmmakers to come here. We wanna treat ‘em to a good time. We want them to be part of something that's. Big in the community and the community wants that as well. So if you're here and you're willing to be here, then that matters.BEN: I love it. Well, I mean, everything I'm hearing about Borrego, like literally I just reached out ‘cause I wanted to just talk film festival submissions, but now I'm like, Ooh, next year I'm definitely gonna submit to, uh, to Borrego.MATT: Yeah, I know this was supposed to be like a strategy session and here I am bragging about the film festival. That'sBEN: No, no. It's exactly what I, what I want. It's great. Last question. What's a, what's a. Documentary that blew you away recently?MATT: So, okay, so last year at our film festival, there was this really cool documentary called Dale. Have you seen it?BEN: No. Tell me about it.MATT: So Dale is like this older woman and she's the first basic Asian American that was in the, um, uh, Los Angeles orchestra, the Los Angeles Phil Harmonic. Okay. And essentially all it is is.I say all it is like, it's a very profound kind of retrospective of what she did to get to that point and you know, her views on things and it's just, and the music that was involved, just very beautiful, very poignant and simple. And. So when, when you have like movies like this and it's, it's not even a 10 minute long movie, it's under 10 minutes.Mm-hmm. When it just touches on these really profound themes and it's moving in a way that catches you off guard. Those are the things that you can't ignore, right? Mm-hmm. And this is actually, Dale's a good example because, you know, it's not always shot pristinely, it doesn't have to look, perfect. But the story reaches kind of a transcendent level that is really, really nice. So if I would throw in Dale and let me see, uh, the the director of that, his name was Justin Strike. So if anyone, I think it's still on the film festival circuit, so you have that opportunity. Go check it out.BEN: Love it. Love it. Love it. Matt, thank you so much for taking the time. For people who are interested in Borrego Springs Film Festival, either to attend, to submit, et cetera, what where should they go and where can they find you?MATT: Oh, online search, just, you know, Borrego Springs Film Festival. It'll lead you to all the places you need to be.And, uh, yeah, just track us down that way. Pretty straightforward. Take a peek at what we're offering. We keep mm-hmm uh, we keep an archive of the stuff we've done online so you can pull back the curtain and look and say, okay, is this kind of something I'd be interested in?Um, you can get a vibe for it that way. And, uh, that's, yeah, that's kind of it. That's kind of it. I think we've tried hard to make sure that what we offered is pretty transparent, and if you take a look at it and you think it's a good fit, and by all means, send us your stuff. Including you, by the way, so, you know.Yeah, no, you have to submit as well now would definitelyBEN: be submitting early bird deadline next year. Perfect. I wish I, if I was still in LA I'd come down, uh, next month and, and just go to this upcoming festival. It sounds wonderful.MATT: Well, I know. Why don't you just do it anyway?BEN: Yeah, I'll give you aMATT: VIP pass.I that,BEN: listen, I might take you up on it. I still all, well, if you do, it'sMATT: we'll be waiting for you.BEN: You, you know, we're, we're documentary filmmakers. We always have a couple irons in the fire. So I do have one kind of idea of, uh, another doc I'd like to shoot out on la maybe I'll combine it. I'll let you know.MATT: Perfect excuse.BEN: Hey, this was fantastic. Thank you so much for taking the time. I'm so glad um, we connected and uh, just listen. Our pleasure be fantastic.MATT: Yeah, we're, we're happy as a film festival to be asked to do this kind of thing, so thank you. And um, best of luck to your film too. I'm gonna check it out, so be sure to submit it straight away.BEN: I will. Thank you so much, Matt. Alright man. Thanks.BEN: That was my interview with Matt of the Borrego Springs Film Festival. Hope you enjoyed, please forward to at least one person. Have a great week. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit benbo.substack.com

TLDR: It was Claude :-)When I set out to compare ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, and ChatPRD for writing Product Requirement Documents, I figured they'd all be roughly equivalent. Maybe some subtle variations in tone or structure, but nothing earth-shattering. They're all built on similar transformer architectures, trained on massive datasets, and marketed as capable of handling complex business writing.What I discovered over 45 minutes of hands-on testing revealed not just which tools are better for PRD creation, but why they're better, and more importantly, how you should actually be using AI to accelerate your product work without sacrificing quality or strategic thinking.If you're an early or mid-career PM in Silicon Valley, this matters to you. Because here's the uncomfortable truth: your peers are already using AI to write PRDs, analyze features, and generate documentation. The question isn't whether to use these tools. The question is whether you're using the right ones most effectively.So let me walk you through exactly what I did, what I learned, and what you should do differently.The Setup: A Real-World Test CaseHere's how I structured the experiment. As I said at the beginning of my recording, “We are back in the Fireside PM podcast and I did that review of the ChatGPT browser and people seemed to like it and then I asked, uh, in a poll, I think it was a LinkedIn poll maybe, what should my next PM product review be? And, people asked for ChatPRD.”So I had my marching orders from the audience. But I wanted to make this more comprehensive than just testing ChatPRD in isolation. I opened up five tabs: ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, and ChatPRD.For the test case, I chose something realistic and relevant: an AI-powered tutor for high school students. Think KhanAmigo or similar edtech platforms. This gave me a concrete product scenario that's complex enough to stress-test these tools but straightforward enough that I could iterate quickly.But here's the critical part that too many PMs get wrong when they start using AI for product work: I didn't just throw a single sentence at these tools and expect magic.The “Back of the Napkin” Approach: Why You Still Need to Think“I presume everybody agrees that you should have some formulated thinking before you dump it into the chatbot for your PRD,” I noted early in my experiment. “I suppose in the future maybe you could just do, like, a one-sentence prompt and come out with the perfect PRD because it would just know everything about you and your company in the context, but for now we're gonna do this more, a little old-school AI approach where we're gonna do some original human thinking.”This is crucial. I see so many PMs, especially those newer to the field, treat AI like a magic oracle. They type in “Write me a PRD for a social feature” and then wonder why the output is generic, unfocused, and useless.Your job as a PM isn't to become obsolete. It's to become more effective. And that means doing the strategic thinking work that AI cannot do for you.So I started in Google Docs with what I call a “back of the napkin” PRD structure. Here's what I included:Why: The strategic rationale. In this case: “Want to complement our existing edtech business with a personalized AI tutor, uh, want to maintain position industry, and grow through innovation. on mission for learners.”Target User: Who are we building for? “High school students interested in improving their grades and fundamentals. Fundamental knowledge topics. Specifically science and math. Students who are not in the top ten percent, nor in the bottom ten percent.”This is key—I got specific. Not just “students,” but students in the middle 80%. Not just “any subject,” but science and math. This specificity is what separates useful AI output from garbage.Problem to Solve: What's broken? “Students want better grades. Students are impatient. Students currently use AI just for finding the answers and less to, uh, understand concepts and practice using them.”Key Elements: The feature set and approach.Success Metrics: How we'd measure success.Now, was this a perfectly polished PRD outline? Hell no. As you can see from my transcript, I was literally thinking out loud, making typos, restructuring on the fly. But that's exactly the point. I put in maybe 10-15 minutes of human strategic thinking. That's all it took to create a foundation that would dramatically improve what came out of the AI tools.Round One: Generating the Full PRDWith my back-of-the-napkin outline ready, I copied it into each tool with a simple prompt asking them to expand it into a more complete PRD.ChatGPT: The Reliable GeneralistChatGPT gave me something that was... fine. Competent. Professional. But also deeply uninspiring.The document it produced checked all the boxes. It had the sections you'd expect. The writing was clear. But when I read it, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was reading something that could have been written for literally any product in any company. It felt like “an average of everything out there,” as I noted in my evaluation.Here's what ChatGPT did well: It understood the basic structure of a PRD. It generated appropriate sections. The grammar and formatting were clean. If you needed to hand something in by EOD and had literally no time for refinement, ChatGPT would save you from complete embarrassment.But here's what it lacked: Depth. Nuance. Strategic thinking that felt connected to real product decisions. When it described the target user, it used phrases that could apply to any edtech product. When it outlined success metrics, they were the obvious ones (engagement, retention, test scores) without any interesting thinking about leading indicators or proxy metrics.The problem with generic output isn't that it's wrong, it's that it's invisible. When you're trying to get buy-in from leadership or alignment from engineering, you need your PRD to feel specific, considered, and connected to your company's actual strategy. ChatGPT's output felt like it was written by someone who'd read a lot of PRDs but never actually shipped a product.One specific example: When I asked for success metrics, ChatGPT gave me “Student engagement rate, Time spent on platform, Test score improvement.” These aren't wrong, but they're lazy. They don't show any thinking about what specifically matters for an AI tutor versus any other educational product. Compare that to Claude's output, which got more specific about things like “concept mastery rate” and “question-to-understanding ratio.”Actionable Insight: Use ChatGPT when you need fast, serviceable documentation that doesn't need to be exceptional. Think: internal updates, status reports, routine communications. Don't rely on it for strategic documents where differentiation matters. If you do use ChatGPT for important documents, treat its output as a starting point that needs significant human refinement to add strategic depth and company-specific context.Gemini: Better Than ExpectedGoogle's Gemini actually impressed me more than I anticipated. The structure was solid, and it had a nice balance of detail without being overwhelming.What Gemini got right: The writing had a nice flow to it. The document felt organized and logical. It did a better job than ChatGPT at providing specific examples and thinking through edge cases. For instance, when describing the target user, it went beyond demographics to consider behavioral characteristics and motivations.Gemini also showed some interesting strategic thinking. It considered competitive positioning more thoughtfully than ChatGPT and proposed some differentiation angles that weren't in my original outline. Good AI tools should add insight, not just regurgitate your input with better formatting.But here's where it fell short: the visual elements. When I asked for mockups, Gemini produced images that looked more like stock photos than actual product designs. They weren't terrible, but they weren't compelling either. They had that AI-generated sheen that makes it obvious they came from an image model rather than a designer's brain.For a PRD that you're going to use internally with a team that already understands the context, Gemini's output would work well. The text quality is strong enough, and if you're in the Google ecosystem (Docs, Sheets, Meet, etc.), the integration is seamless. You can paste Gemini's output directly into Google Docs and continue iterating there.But if you need to create something compelling enough to win over skeptics or secure budget, Gemini falls just short. It's good, but not great. It's the solid B+ student: reliably competent but rarely exceptional.Actionable Insight: Gemini is a strong choice if you're working in the Google ecosystem and need good integration with Docs, Sheets, and other Google Workspace tools. The quality is sufficient for most internal documentation needs. It's particularly good if you're working with cross-functional partners who are already in Google Workspace. You can share and collaborate on AI-generated drafts without friction. But don't expect visual mockups that will wow anyone, and plan to add your own strategic polish for high-stakes documents.Grok: Not Ready for Prime TimeLet's just say my expectations were low, and Grok still managed to underdeliver. The PRD felt thin, generic, and lacked the depth you need for real product work.“I don't have high expectations for grok, unfortunately,” I said before testing it. Spoiler alert: my low expectations were validated.Actionable Insight: Skip Grok for product documentation work right now. Maybe it'll improve, but as of my testing, it's simply not competitive with the other options. It felt like 1-2 years behind the others.ChatPRD: The Specialized ToolNow this was interesting. ChatPRD is purpose-built for PRDs, using foundational models underneath but with specific tuning and structure for product documentation.The result? The structure was logical, the depth was appropriate, and it included elements that showed understanding of what actually matters in a PRD. As I reflected: “Cause this one feels like, A human wrote this PRD.”The interface guides you through the process more deliberately than just dumping text into a general chat interface. It asks clarifying questions. It structures the output more thoughtfully.Actionable Insight: If you're a technical lead without a dedicated PM, or you're a PM who wants a more structured approach to using AI for PRDs, ChatPRD is worth the specialized focus. It's particularly good when you need something that feels authentic enough to share with stakeholders without heavy editing.Claude: The Clear WinnerBut the standout performer, and I'm ranking these, was Claude.“I think we know that for now, I'm gonna say Claude did the best job,” I concluded after all the testing. Claude produced the most comprehensive, thoughtful, and strategically sound PRD. But what really set it apart were the concept mocks.When I asked each tool to generate visual mockups of the product, Claude produced HTML prototypes that, while not fully functional, looked genuinely compelling. They had thoughtful UI design, clear information architecture, and felt like something that could actually guide development.“They were, like, closer to, like, what a Lovable would produce or something like that,” I noted, referring to the quality of low-fidelity prototypes that good designers create.The text quality was also superior: more nuanced, better structured, and with more strategic depth. It felt like Claude understood not just what a PRD should contain, but why it should contain those elements.Actionable Insight: For any PRD that matters, meaning anything you'll share with leadership, use to get buy-in, or guide actual product development, you might as well start with Claude. The quality difference is significant enough that it's worth using Claude even if you primarily use another tool for other tasks.Final Rankings: The Definitive HierarchyAfter testing all five tools on multiple dimensions: initial PRD generation, visual mockups, and even crafting a pitch paragraph for a skeptical VP of Engineering, here's my final ranking:* Claude - Best overall quality, most compelling mockups, strongest strategic thinking* ChatPRD - Best for structured PRD creation, feels most “human”* Gemini - Solid all-around performance, good Google integration* ChatGPT - Reliable but generic, lacks differentiation* Grok - Not competitive for this use case“I'd probably say Claude, then chat PRD, then Gemini, then chat GPT, and then Grock,” I concluded.The Deeper Lesson: Garbage In, Garbage Out (Still Applies)But here's what matters more than which tool wins: the realization that hit me partway through this experiment.“I think it really does come down to, like, you know, the quality of the prompt,” I observed. “So if our prompt were a little more detailed, all that were more thought-through, then I'm sure the output would have been better. But as you can see we didn't really put in brain trust prompting here. Just a little bit of, kind of hand-wavy prompting, but a little better than just one or two sentences.”And we still got pretty good results.This is the meta-insight that should change how you approach AI tools in your product work: The quality of your input determines the quality of your output, but the baseline quality of the tool determines the ceiling of what's possible.No amount of great prompting will make Grok produce Claude-level output. But even mediocre prompting with Claude will beat great prompting with lesser tools.So the dual strategy is:* Use the best tool available (currently Claude for PRDs)* Invest in improving your prompting skills ideally with as much original and insightful human, company aware, and context aware thinking as possible.Real-World Workflows: How to Actually Use This in Your Day-to-Day PM WorkTheory is great. Here's how to incorporate these insights into your actual product management workflows.The Weekly Sprint Planning WorkflowEvery PM I know spends hours each week preparing for sprint planning. You need to refine user stories, clarify acceptance criteria, anticipate engineering questions, and align with design and data science. AI can compress this work significantly.Here's an example workflow:Monday morning (30 minutes):* Review upcoming priorities and open your rough notes/outline in Google Docs* Open Claude and paste your outline with this prompt:“I'm preparing for sprint planning. Based on these priorities [paste notes], generate detailed user stories with acceptance criteria. Format each as: User story, Business context, Technical considerations, Acceptance criteria, Dependencies, Open questions.”Monday afternoon (20 minutes):* Review Claude's output critically* Identify gaps, unclear requirements, or missing context* Follow up with targeted prompts:“The user story about authentication is too vague. Break it down into separate stories for: social login, email/password, session management, and password reset. For each, specify security requirements and edge cases.”Tuesday morning (15 minutes):* Generate mockups for any UI-heavy stories:“Create an HTML mockup for the login flow showing: landing page, social login options, email/password form, error states, and success redirect.”* Even if the HTML doesn't work perfectly, it gives your designers a starting pointBefore sprint planning (10 minutes):* Ask Claude to anticipate engineering questions:“Review these user stories as if you're a senior engineer. What questions would you ask? What concerns would you raise about technical feasibility, dependencies, or edge cases?”* This preparation makes you look thoughtful and helps the meeting run smoothlyTotal time investment: ~75 minutes. Typical time saved: 3-4 hours compared to doing this manually.The Stakeholder Alignment WorkflowGetting alignment from multiple stakeholders (product leadership, engineering, design, data science, legal, marketing) is one of the hardest parts of PM work. AI can help you think through different stakeholder perspectives and craft compelling communications for each.Here's how:Step 1: Map your stakeholders (10 minutes)Create a quick table in a doc:Stakeholder | Primary Concern | Decision Criteria | Likely Objections VP Product | Strategic fit, ROI | Company OKRs, market opportunity | Resource allocation vs other priorities VP Eng | Technical risk, capacity | Engineering capacity, tech debt | Complexity, unclear requirements Design Lead | User experience | User research, design principles | Timeline doesn't allow proper design process Legal | Compliance, risk | Regulatory requirements | Data privacy, user consent flowsStep 2: Generate stakeholder-specific communications (20 minutes)For each key stakeholder, ask Claude:“I need to pitch this product idea to [Stakeholder]. Based on this PRD, create a 1-page brief addressing their primary concern of [concern from your table]. Open with the specific value for them, address their likely objection of [objection], and close with a clear ask. Tone should be [professional/technical/strategic] based on their role.”Then you'll have customized one-pagers for your pre-meetings with each stakeholder, dramatically increasing your alignment rate.Step 3: Synthesize feedback (15 minutes)After gathering stakeholder input, ask Claude to help you synthesize:“I got the following feedback from stakeholders: [paste feedback]. Identify: (1) Common themes, (2) Conflicting requirements, (3) Legitimate concerns vs organizational politics, (4) Recommended compromises that might satisfy multiple parties.”This pattern-matching across stakeholder feedback is something AI does really well and saves you hours of mental processing.The Quarterly Planning WorkflowQuarterly or annual planning is where product strategy gets real. You need to synthesize market trends, customer feedback, technical capabilities, and business objectives into a coherent roadmap. AI can accelerate this dramatically.Six weeks before planning:* Start collecting input (customer interviews, market research, competitive analysis, engineering feedback)* Don't wait until the last minuteFour weeks before planning:Dump everything into Claude with this structure:“I'm creating our Q2 roadmap. Context:* Business objectives: [paste from leadership]* Customer feedback themes: [paste synthesis]* Technical capabilities/constraints: [paste from engineering]* Competitive landscape: [paste analysis]* Current product gaps: [paste from your analysis]Generate 5 strategic themes that could anchor our Q2 roadmap. For each theme:* Strategic rationale (how it connects to business objectives)* Key initiatives (2-3 major features/projects)* Success metrics* Resource requirements (rough estimate)* Risks and mitigations* Customer segments addressed”This gives you a strategic framework to react to rather than starting from a blank page.Three weeks before planning:Iterate on the most promising themes:“Deep dive on Theme 3. Generate:* Detailed initiative breakdown* Dependencies on platform/infrastructure* Phasing options (MVP vs full build)* Go-to-market considerations* Data requirements* Open questions requiring research”Two weeks before planning:Pressure-test your thinking:“Play devil's advocate on this roadmap. What are the strongest arguments against each initiative? What am I likely missing? What failure modes should I plan for?”This adversarial prompting forces you to strengthen weak points before your leadership reviews it.One week before planning:Generate your presentation:“Create an executive presentation for this roadmap. Structure: (1) Market context and strategic imperative, (2) Q2 themes and initiatives, (3) Expected outcomes and metrics, (4) Resource requirements, (5) Key risks and mitigations, (6) Success criteria for decision. Make it compelling but data-driven. Tone: confident but not overselling.”Then add your company-specific context, visual brand, and personal voice.The Customer Research WorkflowAI can't replace talking to customers, but it can help you prepare better questions, analyze feedback more systematically, and identify patterns faster.Before customer interviews:“I'm interviewing customers about [topic]. Generate:* 10 open-ended questions that avoid leading the witness* 5 follow-up questions for each main question* Common cognitive biases I should watch for* A framework for categorizing responses”This prep work helps you conduct better interviews.After interviews:“I conducted 15 customer interviews. Here are the key quotes: [paste anonymized quotes]. Identify:* Recurring themes and patterns* Surprising insights that contradict our assumptions* Segments with different needs* Implied needs customers didn't articulate directly* Recommended next steps for validation”AI is excellent at pattern-matching across qualitative data at scale.The Crisis Management WorkflowSomething broke. The site is down. Data was lost. A feature shipped with a critical bug. You need to move fast.Immediate response (5 minutes):“Critical incident. Details: [brief description]. Generate:* Incident classification (Sev 1-4)* Immediate stakeholders to notify* Draft customer communication (honest, apologetic, specific about what happened and what we're doing)* Draft internal communication for leadership* Key questions to ask engineering during investigation”Having these drafted in 5 minutes lets you focus on coordination and decision-making rather than wordsmithing.Post-incident (30 minutes):“Write a post-mortem based on this incident timeline: [paste timeline]. Include:* What happened (technical details)* Root cause analysis* Impact quantification (users affected, revenue impact, time to resolution)* What went well in our response* What could have been better* Specific action items with owners and deadlines* Process changes to prevent recurrence Tone: Blameless, focused on learning and improvement.”This gives you a strong first draft to refine with your team.Common Pitfalls: What Not to Do with AI in Product ManagementNow let's talk about the mistakes I see PMs making with AI tools. Pitfall #1: Treating AI Output as FinalThe biggest mistake is copy-pasting AI output directly into your PRD, roadmap presentation, or stakeholder email without critical review.The result? Documents that are grammatically perfect but strategically shallow. Presentations that sound impressive but don't hold up under questioning. Emails that are professionally worded but miss the subtext of organizational politics.The fix: Always ask yourself:* Does this reflect my actual strategic thinking, or generic best practices?* Would my CEO/engineering lead/biggest customer find this compelling and specific?* Are there company-specific details, customer insights, or technical constraints that only I know?* Does this sound like me, or like a robot?Add those elements. That's where your value as a PM comes through.Pitfall #2: Using AI as a Crutch Instead of a ToolSome PMs use AI because they don't want to think deeply about the product. They're looking for AI to do the hard work of strategy, prioritization, and trade-off analysis.This never works. AI can help you think more systematically, but it can't replace thinking.If you find yourself using AI to avoid wrestling with hard questions (”Should we build X or Y?” “What's our actual competitive advantage?” “Why would customers switch from the incumbent?”), you're using it wrong.The fix: Use AI to explore options, not to make decisions. Generate three alternatives, pressure-test each one, then use your judgment to decide. The AI can help you think through implications, but you're still the one choosing.Pitfall #3: Not IteratingGetting mediocre AI output and just accepting it is a waste of the technology's potential.The PMs who get exceptional results from AI are the ones who iterate. They generate an initial response, identify what's weak or missing, and ask follow-up questions. They might go through 5-10 iterations on a key section of a PRD.Each iteration is quick (30 seconds to type a follow-up prompt, 30 seconds to read the response), but the cumulative effect is dramatically better output.The fix: Budget time for iteration. Don't try to generate a complete, polished PRD in one prompt. Instead, generate a rough draft, then spend 30 minutes iterating on specific sections that matter most.Pitfall #4: Ignoring the Political and Human ContextAI tools have no understanding of organizational politics, interpersonal relationships, or the specific humans you're working with.They don't know that your VP of Engineering is burned out and skeptical of any new initiatives. They don't know that your CEO has a personal obsession with a specific competitor. They don't know that your lead designer is sensitive about not being included early enough in the process.If you use AI-generated communications without layering in this human context, you'll create perfectly worded documents that land badly because they miss the subtext.The fix: After generating AI content, explicitly ask yourself: “What human context am I missing? What relationships do I need to consider? What political dynamics are in play?” Then modify the AI output accordingly.Pitfall #5: Over-Relying on a Single ToolDifferent AI tools have different strengths. Claude is great for strategic depth, ChatPRD is great for structure, Gemini integrates well with Google Workspace.If you only ever use one tool, you're missing opportunities to leverage different strengths for different tasks.The fix: Keep 2-3 tools in your toolkit. Use Claude for important PRDs and strategic documents. Use Gemini for quick internal documentation that needs to integrate with Google Docs. Use ChatPRD when you want more guided structure. Match the tool to the task.Pitfall #6: Not Fact-Checking AI OutputAI tools hallucinate. They make up statistics, misrepresent competitors, and confidently state things that aren't true. If you include those hallucinations in a PRD that goes to leadership, you look incompetent.The fix: Fact-check everything, especially:* Statistics and market data* Competitive feature claims* Technical capabilities and limitations* Regulatory and compliance requirementsIf the AI cites a number or makes a factual claim, verify it independently before including it in your document.The Meta-Skill: Prompt Engineering for PMsLet's zoom out and talk about the underlying skill that makes all of this work: prompt engineering.This is a real skill. The difference between a mediocre prompt and a great prompt can be 10x difference in output quality. And unlike coding or design, where there's a steep learning curve, prompt engineering is something you can get good at quickly.Principle 1: Provide Context Before InstructionsBad prompt:“Write a PRD for an AI tutor”Good prompt:“I'm a PM at an edtech company with 2M users, primarily high school students. We're exploring an AI tutor feature to complement our existing video content library and practice problems. Our main competitors are Khan Academy and Course Hero. Our differentiation is personalized learning paths based on student performance data.Write a PRD for an AI tutor feature targeting students in the middle 80% academically who struggle with science and math.”The second prompt gives Claude the context it needs to generate something specific and strategic rather than generic.Principle 2: Specify Format and ConstraintsBad prompt:“Generate success metrics”Good prompt:“Generate 5-7 success metrics for this feature. Include a mix of:* Leading indicators (early signals of success)* Lagging indicators (definitive success measures)* User behavior metrics* Business impact metricsFor each metric, specify: name, definition, target value, measurement method, and why it matters.”The structure you provide shapes the structure you get back.Principle 3: Ask for Multiple OptionsBad prompt:“What should our Q2 priorities be?”Good prompt:“Generate 3 different strategic approaches for Q2:* Option A: Focus on user acquisition* Option B: Focus on engagement and retention* Option C: Focus on monetizationFor each option, detail: key initiatives, expected outcomes, resource requirements, risks, and recommendation for or against.”Asking for multiple options forces the AI (and forces you) to think through trade-offs systematically.Principle 4: Specify Audience and ToneBad prompt:“Summarize this PRD”Good prompt:“Create a 1-paragraph summary of this PRD for our skeptical VP of Engineering. Tone: Technical, concise, addresses engineering concerns upfront. Focus on: technical architecture, resource requirements, risks, and expected engineering effort. Avoid marketing language.”The audience and tone specification ensures the output will actually work for your intended use.Principle 5: Use Iterative RefinementDon't try to get perfect output in one prompt. Instead:First prompt: Generate rough draft Second prompt: “This is too generic. Add specific examples from [our company context].” Third prompt: “The technical section is weak. Expand with architecture details and dependencies.” Fourth prompt: “Good. Now make it 30% more concise while keeping the key details.”Each iteration improves the output incrementally.Let me break down the prompting approach that worked in this experiment, because this is immediately actionable for your work tomorrow.Strategy 1: The Structured Outline ApproachDon't go from zero to full PRD in one prompt. Instead:* Start with strategic thinking - Spend 10-15 minutes outlining why you're building this, who it's for, and what problem it solves* Get specific - Don't say “users,” say “high school students in the middle 80% of academic performance”* Include constraints - Budget, timeline, technical limitations, competitive landscape* Dump your outline into the AI - Now ask it to expand into a full PRD* Iterate section by section - Don't try to perfect everything at onceThis is exactly what I did in my experiment, and even with my somewhat sloppy outline, the results were dramatically better than they would have been with a single-sentence prompt.Strategy 2: The Comparative Analysis PatternOne technique I used that worked particularly well: asking each tool to do the same specific task and comparing results.For example, I asked all five tools: “Please compose a one paragraph exact summary I can share over DM with a highly influential VP of engineering who is generally a skeptic but super smart.”This forced each tool to synthesize the entire PRD into a compelling pitch while accounting for a specific, challenging audience. The variation in quality was revealing—and it gave me multiple options to choose from or blend together.Actionable tip: When you need something critical (a pitch, an executive summary, a key decision framework), generate it with 2-3 different AI tools and take the best elements from each. This “ensemble approach” often produces better results than any single tool.Strategy 3: The Iterative Refinement LoopDon't treat the AI output as final. Use it as a first draft that you then refine through conversation with the AI.After getting the initial PRD, I could have asked follow-up questions like:* “What's missing from this PRD?”* “How would you strengthen the success metrics section?”* “Generate 3 alternative approaches to the core feature set”Each iteration improves the output and, more importantly, forces me to think more deeply about the product.What This Means for Your CareerIf you're an early or mid-career PM reading this, you might be thinking: “Great, so AI can write PRDs now. Am I becoming obsolete?”Absolutely not. But your role is evolving, and understanding that evolution is critical.The PMs who will thrive in the AI era are those who:* Excel at strategic thinking - AI can generate options, but you need to know which options align with company strategy, customer needs, and technical feasibility* Master the art of prompting - This is a genuine skill that separates mediocre AI users from exceptional ones* Know when to use AI and when not to - Some aspects of product work benefit enormously from AI. Others (user interviews, stakeholder negotiation, cross-functional relationship building) require human judgment and empathy* Can evaluate AI output critically - You need to spot the hallucinations, the generic fluff, and the strategic misalignments that AI inevitably producesThink of AI tools as incredibly capable interns. They can produce impressive work quickly, but they need direction, oversight, and strategic guidance. Your job is to provide that guidance while leveraging their speed and breadth.The Real-World Application: What to Do Monday MorningLet's get tactical. Here's exactly how to apply these insights to your actual product work:For Your Next PRD:* Block 30 minutes for strategic thinking - Write your back-of-the-napkin outline in Google Docs or your tool of choice* Open Claude (or ChatPRD if you want more structure)* Copy your outline with this prompt:“I'm a product manager at [company] working on [product area]. I need to create a comprehensive PRD based on this outline. Please expand this into a complete PRD with the following sections: [list your preferred sections]. Make it detailed enough for engineering to start breaking down into user stories, but concise enough for leadership to read in 15 minutes. [Paste your outline]”* Review the output critically - Look for generic statements, missing details, or strategic misalignments* Iterate on specific sections:“The success metrics section is too vague. Please provide 3-5 specific, measurable KPIs with target values and explanation of why these metrics matter.”* Generate supporting materials:“Create a visual mockup of the core user flow showing the key interaction points.”* Synthesize the best elements - Don't just copy-paste the AI output. Use it as raw material that you shape into your final documentFor Stakeholder Communication:When you need to pitch something to leadership or engineering:* Generate 3 versions of your pitch using different tools (Claude, ChatPRD, and one other)* Compare them for:* Clarity and conciseness* Strategic framing* Compelling value proposition* Addressing likely objections* Blend the best elements into your final version* Add your personal voice - This is crucial. AI output often lacks personality and specific company context. Add that yourself.For Feature Prioritization:AI tools can help you think through trade-offs more systematically:“I'm deciding between three features for our next release: [Feature A], [Feature B], and [Feature C]. For each feature, analyze: (1) Estimated engineering effort, (2) Expected user impact, (3) Strategic alignment with making our platform the go-to solution for [your market], (4) Risk factors. Then recommend a prioritization with rationale.”This doesn't replace your judgment, but it forces you to think through each dimension systematically and often surfaces considerations you hadn't thought of.The Uncomfortable Truth About AI and Product ManagementLet me be direct about something that makes many PMs uncomfortable: AI will make some PM skills less valuable while making others more valuable.Less valuable:* Writing boilerplate documentation* Creating standard frameworks and templates* Generating routine status updates* Synthesizing information from existing sourcesMore valuable:* Strategic product vision and roadmapping* Deep customer empathy and insight generation* Cross-functional leadership and influence* Critical evaluation of options and trade-offs* Creative problem-solving for novel situationsIf your PM role primarily involves the first category of tasks, you should be concerned. But if you're focused on the second category while leveraging AI for the first, you're going to be exponentially more effective than your peers who resist these tools.The PMs I see succeeding aren't those who can write the best PRD manually. They're those who can write the best PRD with AI assistance in one-tenth the time, then use the saved time to talk to more customers, think more deeply about strategy, and build stronger cross-functional relationships.Advanced Techniques: Beyond Basic PRD GenerationOnce you've mastered the basics, here are some advanced applications I've found valuable:Competitive Analysis at Scale“Research our top 5 competitors in [market]. For each one, analyze: their core value proposition, key features, pricing strategy, target customer, and likely product roadmap based on recent releases and job postings. Create a comparison matrix showing where we have advantages and gaps.”Then use web search tools in Claude or Perplexity to fact-check and expand the analysis.Scenario Planning“We're considering three strategic directions for our product: [Direction A], [Direction B], [Direction C]. For each direction, map out: likely customer adoption curve, required technical investments, competitive positioning in 12 months, and potential pivots if the hypothesis proves wrong. Then identify the highest-risk assumptions we should test first for each direction.”This kind of structured scenario thinking is exactly what AI excels at—generating multiple well-reasoned perspectives quickly.User Story GenerationAfter your PRD is solid:“Based on this PRD, generate a complete set of user stories following the format ‘As a [user type], I want to [action] so that [benefit].' Include acceptance criteria for each story. Organize them into epics by functional area.”This can save your engineering team hours of grooming meetings.The Tools Will Keep Evolving. Your Process Shouldn'tHere's something important to remember: by the time you read this, the specific rankings might have shifted. Maybe ChatGPT-5 has leapfrogged Claude. Maybe a new specialized tool has emerged.But the core principles won't change:* Do strategic thinking before touching AI* Use the best tool available for your specific task* Iterate and refine rather than accepting first outputs* Blend AI capabilities with human judgment* Focus your time on the uniquely human aspects of product managementThe specific tools matter less than your process for using them effectively.A Final Experiment: The Skeptical VP TestI want to share one more insight from my testing that I think is particularly relevant for early and mid-career PMs.Toward the end of my experiment, I gave each tool this prompt: “Please compose a one paragraph exact summary I can share over DM with a highly influential VP of engineering who is generally a skeptic but super smart.”This is such a realistic scenario. How many times have you needed to pitch an idea to a skeptical technical leader via Slack or email? Someone who's brilliant, who's seen a thousand product ideas fail, and who can spot b******t from a mile away?The quality variation in the responses was fascinating. ChatGPT gave me something that felt generic and safe. Gemini was better but still a bit too enthusiastic. Grok was... well, Grok.But Claude and ChatPRD both produced messages that felt authentic, technically credible, and appropriately confident without being overselling. They acknowledged the engineering challenges while framing the opportunity compellingly.The lesson: When the stakes are high and the audience is sophisticated, the quality of your AI tool matters even more. That skeptical VP can tell the difference between a carefully crafted message and AI-generated fluff. So can your CEO. So can your biggest customers.Use the best tools available, but more importantly, always add your own strategic thinking and authentic voice on top.Questions to Consider: A Framework for Your Own ExperimentsAs I wrapped up my Loom, I posed some questions to the audience that I'll pose to you:“Let me know in the comments, if you do your PRDs using AI differently, do you start with back of the envelope? Do you say, oh no, I just start with one sentence, and then I let the chatbot refine it with me? Or do you go way more detailed and then use the chatbot to kind of pressure test it?”These aren't rhetorical questions. Your answer reveals your approach to AI-augmented product work, and different approaches work for different people and contexts.For early-career PMs: I'd recommend starting with more detailed outlines. The discipline of thinking through your product strategy before touching AI will make you a stronger PM. You can always compress that process later as you get more experienced.For mid-career PMs: Experiment with different approaches for different types of documents. Maybe you do detailed outlines for major feature PRDs but use more iterative AI-assisted refinement for smaller features or updates. Find what optimizes your personal productivity while maintaining quality.For senior PMs and product leaders: Consider how AI changes what you should expect from your PM team. Should you be reviewing more AI-generated first drafts and spending more time on strategic guidance? Should you be training your team on effective AI usage? These are leadership questions worth grappling with.The Path Forward: Continuous ExperimentationMy experiment with these five AI tools took 45 minutes. But I'm not done experimenting.The field of AI-assisted product management is evolving rapidly. New tools launch monthly. Existing tools get smarter weekly. Prompting techniques that work today might be obsolete in three months.Your job, if you want to stay at the forefront of product management, is to continuously experiment. Try new tools. Share what works with your peers. Build a personal knowledge base of effective prompts and workflows. And be generous with what you learn. The PM community gets stronger when we share insights rather than hoarding them.That's why I created this Loom and why I'm writing this post. Not because I have all the answers, but because I'm figuring it out in real-time and want to share the journey.A Personal Note on Coaching and ConsultingIf this kind of practical advice resonates with you, I'm happy to work with you directly.Through my pm coaching practice, I offer 1:1 executive, career, and product coaching for PMs and product leaders. We can dig into your specific challenges: whether that's leveling up your AI workflows, navigating a career transition, or developing your strategic product thinking.I also work with companies (usually startups or incubation teams) on product strategy, helping teams figure out PMF for new explorations and improving their product management function.The format is flexible. Some clients want ongoing coaching, others prefer project-based consulting, and some just want a strategic sounding board for a specific decision. Whatever works for you.Reach out through tomleungcoaching.com if you're interested in working together.OK. Enough pontificating. Let's ship greatness. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit firesidepm.substack.com

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) are traumatic events that occur in childhood and affect your sense of safety. ACEs have been found to be higher in prevalence among those who struggle with food and body image. As the experience of safety diminishes, the likelihood of binge eating increases.This is why you can't shame yourself for your food behaviors. They are not your fault. You've been made to believe that your food choices are your decision and that if you can't “control” yourself with food, then that is your fault. Yet, this couldn't be further from the truth. Your food and body image behaviors are a response to how your body is digesting your life experiences, not something you're actively choosing or out of a lack of willpower, or self sabotage. In this week's episode, I chat with Rachel Hobbs, Clinical Dietitian, Personal Trainer and Certified Therapist about: A compassion centered focused approach to nutritionHow early childhood experiences affect your food interactionsThe role of shame in food behaviorsHow the nervous system and past trauma shapes food behaviorsSeeing nutrition through a more nuanced perspectiveYou can also read the transcript to this week's episode ​here​: https://www.stephaniemara.com/blog/the-impact-of-food-trauma-on-your-eating-behaviorsI hope that this episode reminds you to meet yourself with compassion these next couple of weeks as you navigate friends, food, and family this holiday season. With Compassion and Empathy, Stephanie Mara FoxKeep in touch with Rachel: Website: https://www.dietitianrachel.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dietitian.rachelhobbs/ Support the showKeep in touch with Stephanie Mara:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_stephaniemara/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stephaniemarafoxWebsite: https://www.stephaniemara.com/https://www.somaticeating.com/Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephmara/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@stephaniemarafoxContact: support@stephaniemara.comSupport the show:Become a supporter: https://www.buzzsprout.com/809987/supportMy favorite water filter: https://www.pureeffectfilters.com/#a_aid=somaticeatingReceive 15% off my fave protein powder with code STEPHANIEMARA at checkout here: https://www.equipfoods.com/STEPHANIEMARAUse my Amazon Affiliate link when shopping on Amazon: https://amzn.to/448IyPl Special thanks to Bendsound for the music in this episode. ...

Dave Hughes has a complicated relationship with his ego.

We can—and we should—leave loneliness behind. In this message, Living With Acceptance, we talk about accepting God's story for your life, even when it doesn't look like the life you planned. From the dreams we had growing up to the reality we live in today, unmet expectations can leave us feeling lonely, frustrated, and forgotten. Using the Christmas story of Mary and Joseph, along with powerful parallels from It's a Wonderful Life, this sermon shows how God often redirects our lives through moments of disappointment, delay, and sacrifice to bring meaning and purpose far greater than we imagined. When life feels out of control… When your plans fall apart… When there seems to be no room for you… God is still at work. This message will challenge you to stop fighting God's plan, stop living as a victim of your circumstances, and begin trusting Him—one godly decision at a time.

Use promo code: FREEMONTH to get the first month free until the end of 2025.⁠⁠https://taking-the-land.supercast.com/?coupon=FREEMONTHIn a world that equates love with tolerance and truth with hatred, this sermon boldly proclaims the biblical definition of sincere love—a love that values people but confronts sin head-on. Drawing on Scripture, cultural insight, and personal experience, Pastor Dragoon challenges believers to live with conviction, courage, and compassion.FULL SERMON STUDY GUIDE: https://vbph.org/sermons/2025/7/24/love-must-be-sincereWhether you're wrestling with how to love someone living in sin, facing pressure from the culture, or just want to grow deeper in your walk with God—this message will equip you with the truth and grace of the gospel.https://TakingTheLandPodcast.comSUBSCRIBE TO PREMIUM FOR MORE:• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe for only $3/month on Supercast⁠: https://taking-the-land.supercast.com/⁠• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe for only $3.99/month on Spotify⁠: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/taking-the-land/subscribe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠• ⁠Subscribe for only $4.99/month on Apple Podcasts⁠: https://apple.co/3vy1s5b⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[00:00] - Welcome[00:48] - Surprising Impact of Romans 12:9[03:16] - The Pivot from Doctrine to Practice[04:51] - Love Must Be Sincere in a Confused World[06:23] - Acceptance, Boundaries, and Parental Love[11:19] - Valuing People Without Affirming Sin[13:12] - Truth That Hurts and Sets Free[16:14] - Agape Love vs. Hypocrisy[18:38] - God's Judgment and the Reality of Sin[20:08] - The Necessity of Warning and Self-Denial[23:33] - Hating Evil: The Church's Responsibility[26:34] - Clinging to What is Good[28:12] - Discernment in Speech and Influence[31:17] - Jesus' Model: Mercy and Repentance[35:30] - The Power of the Cross to Cleanse[38:47] - Courage to Stand for Truth[44:22] - Counting the Cost and Pursuing Holiness[47:05] - The Call to Be Salt, Light, and Agents of Healing[50:11] - Closing PrayerShow NotesALL PROCEEDS GO TO WORLD EVANGELISMLocate a CFM Church near you: https://cfmmap.orgWe need five-star reviews! Tell the world what you think about this podcast at: • Apple Podcasts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://apple.co/3vy1s5b • Podchaser: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/taking-the-land-cfm-sermon-pod-43369

Guest Introduction:Jennifer Foltz is a practitioner of Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy, yoga, and compassion-centered coaching. She specializes in supporting people recovering from concussions, traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), and strokes, as well as those dealing with anxiety, depression, chronic pain, migraines, and TMJ. Having walked through her own TBI recovery after a plane crash in 2007, Jennifer deeply understands the importance of slowing down and listening to the body's wisdom. Summary:In this powerful episode, Jennifer Foltz shares her personal journey of recovering from a traumatic brain injury. She opens up about the initial denial and resistance to the diagnosis, the challenging symptoms like rage, emotional dysregulation, and loss of social filters, and how acceptance became a turning point in her healing—even five years post-injury.Bethany and Jennifer explore a wide range of holistic modalities that proved instrumental in Jennifer's recovery, including Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy, somatic trauma work (like Somatic Experiencing and EMDR), Feldenkrais, light therapy, and the pure joy of dance. Jennifer emphasizes the critical importance of community, highlighting the transformative impact of the Love Your Brain Foundation and her own local Brain Injury Gathering.The conversation delves into the often-overlooked emotional and existential crises that accompany brain injury, offering invaluable advice for both survivors and their loved ones. Jennifer explains the gentle, nervous-system-focused approach of Craniosacral Therapy and how it supports the body's innate healing intelligence. This episode is a beacon of hope, normalizing the long and non-linear recovery journey and underscoring that healing is always possible, connection is vital, and it's never too late to reclaim your life.Jennifer Foltz's Information:Website: jenniferfoltz.comEmail: hello@jenniferfoltz.comHealing Modalities & Therapies Discussed:Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy: A whole-body therapy that helps release tension patterns and regulate the nervous system by tuning into the body's inherent rhythmshttps://www.craniosacraltherapy.org/Somatic Trauma Therapies:Somatic Experiencing (SE): A body-centered approach to healing trauma and stress.EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing): A psychotherapy treatment for trauma.Feldenkrais Method: A movement-based practice that increases awareness and improves function.Light Therapy: Mentioned as part of her therapeutic journey.Support Organizations & Communities:Love Your Brain Foundation: https://www.loveyourbrain.com/ A non-profit offering free, evidence-based yoga, meditation, and community support programs for people affected by TBI and their caregivers.Retreats, Online Groups, & Facilitator Training: Jennifer highly recommends their heart-centered, compassion-focused community.The Brain Injury Gathering (BIG): Jennifer's local, in-person support group in Sebastopol, California, focused on discussion, grounding practices, and mutual support.Key Concepts & Advice:Healing Timeline: Challenging the myth that significant recovery is only possible within the first two years post-injury.Acceptance as a Journey: Emphasizing that acceptance is an ongoing process, not a one-time event.The Importance of Slowing Down: How brain injury forces a beneficial change in life pacing, allowing for deeper awareness.Advice for Caregivers: The critical need for self-care, patience, and maintaining one's own resources to be fully present.Normalizing Symptoms: Understanding that experiences like aphasia, emotional dysregulation, and cognitive changes are common symptoms, not personal failings.Bethany Lewis & The Concussion Coach:Free Guide: "5 Best Ways to Support Your Loved One Dealing with a Concussion" - Download at www.theconcussioncoach.comConcussion Coaching Program: For personalized mentorship in recovery. Sign up for a free consultation HERE Website: www.theconcussioncoach.com

Love means showing others—and yourself—the beauty God sees, even when it's hard to recognize it. -------- Thank you for listening! Your support of Joni and Friends helps make this show possible.     Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Become part of the global movement today at www.joniandfriends.org   Find more encouragement on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube.

Mapping your parts is a powerful exercise from Internal Family Systems IFS to heal from trauma Learn the skills to Regulate your Emotions, join the membership: https://courses.therapyinanutshell.com/membership Today we're going to do something a little different. We're going to do an exercise from Internal Family Systems called “Mapping your Parts”. In IFS we come to see our different feelings, inner voices, thoughts, urges or habits as “parts” that interact like an internal family. Because when we can see them clearly and learn to listen to them, our parts can start to work together for our good. This exercise can help you when you're internally conflicted, or have a difficult decision to make, or when you keep reacting to a situation in a way that you don't like or understand. IFS is a respected treatment modality for working through trauma or PTSD or Childhood Trauma. Your parts can give you a lot of insight into what's going on. Looking for affordable online counseling? My sponsor, BetterHelp, connects you to a licensed professional from the comfort of your own home. Try it now for 10% off your first month: https://betterhelp.com/therapyinanutshell Learn more in one of my in-depth mental health courses: https://courses.therapyinanutshell.com Support my mission on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/therapyinanutshell Sign up for my newsletter: https://www.therapyinanutshell.com Check out my favorite self-help books: https://kit.co/TherapyinaNutshell/best-self-help-books  Therapy in a Nutshell and the information provided by Emma McAdam are solely intended for informational and entertainment purposes and are not a substitute for advice, diagnosis, or treatment regarding medical or mental health conditions. Although Emma McAdam is a licensed marriage and family therapist, the views expressed on this site or any related content should not be taken for medical or psychiatric advice. Always consult your physician before making any decisions related to your physical or mental health. In therapy I use a combination of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Systems Theory, positive psychology, and a bio-psycho-social approach to treating mental illness and other challenges we all face in life. The ideas from my videos are frequently adapted from multiple sources. Many of them come from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, especially the work of Steven Hayes, Jason Luoma, and Russ Harris. The sections on stress and the mind-body connection derive from the work of Stephen Porges (the Polyvagal theory), Peter Levine (Somatic Experiencing) Francine Shapiro (EMDR), and Bessel Van Der Kolk. I also rely heavily on the work of the Arbinger Institute for my overall understanding of our ability to choose our life's direction. And deeper than all of that, the Gospel of Jesus Christ orients my personal worldview and sense of security, peace, hope, and love https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/comeuntochrist/believe If you are in crisis, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org or 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or your local emergency services. Copyright Therapy in a Nutshell, LLC

 What started as a walk to urgent care ended with the words, ‘you're having a heart attack,' and a truth I never saw coming. An angiogram gone silent, and five blocked arteries that shouldn't have let me stand. Then the doctor's words about my eventual fate - “that was going to be you” - became the line that split my life in two. That surgery didn't just save me. It became the compass I've followed ever since.In this episode, I talk about what changed after that day: eating with intention, moving with purpose, and communicating without yelling, gaslighting, or going to emotional war. That shift carried into fatherhood too. I stopped worrying about who my son might become and started appreciating the boy right in front of me.There's also the peace part and the ongoing lessons that continue to this day. The boundaries I drew, the twisted people I sent to the “cornfield,” and the stress I finally stopped confusing with responsibility. This is a conversation about survival, yes, but more than that, it's about design. How you design your days, your circle, and your energy when you realize you don't get unlimited minutes.It's Here! Get the book – “Hi World, I'm Dad: How Fathers Can Journey to Autism Awareness, Acceptance, and Appreciation” on audio, digital, or print.Follow Us On TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. Also, be sure to read the blog that started it all - Hi Blog! I'm Dad.

Reality is simply the unfolding of countless causes across time, and our problems arise when we resist what is, rather than accept it. Our minds become disturbed due to personalization, judgment, and the suppression of experiences we can’t handle, which results in inner energy blockages (samskaras). Spiritual liberation means learning to handle reality exactly as it is, letting go of suppression and control, and allowing the natural energy of life to flow through us without obstruction. This leaves us in a state of clarity from which we can make decisions that are in harmony with life, rather than fighting with it. © Sounds True Inc. Episodes: © 2025 Michael A. Singer. All Rights Reserved.

11th December 2025  Ajahn Santutthi hosted this week's meditation session at the Roleystone Family Centre. Roleystone Meditation Group's weekly classes are about an hour long and include a talk on meditation, meditating together, and questions & answers. The sessions are led by a Buddhist monk from Kusala Hermitage in Roleystone (Buddhist Society of WA). Support us on https://ko-fi.com/thebuddhistsocietyofwa BSWA teachings are available: BSWA Teachings BSWA Podcast Channel BSWA DeeperDhamma Podbean Channel BSWA YouTube   

In this episode of the Food Junkies Podcast, Clarissa and Molly sit down with psychologist Dr. Carrie Wilkens to unpack what it really means to help people change without shame, stigma, or power struggles. Drawing from decades of work in substance use, eating disorders, trauma, and family systems, Carrie invites us to rethink "denial," "relapse," "codependency," and even the disease model itself, while still honoring the seriousness of addiction and the depth of people's pain. Together, we explore how self-compassion, curiosity, and values-based behavior change can transform not only individual recovery but also how families, helpers, and communities show up for the people they love. In this episode, we explore: Lived experience & professional work How Carrie's own long-term healing around food and her body continues to shape the compassion and curiosity she brings to her work. The idea that our relationship with food and our bodies changes across the lifespan—and why "lifelong relationship management" matters more than perfection. Do you have to be "in recovery" to help? The pressures clinicians face when they're asked, "Are you in recovery?" and how that question can be loaded with judgment and assumptions. Why personal experience with a specific substance or behavior is not a prerequisite to being deeply effective as a helper. How Carrie talks with clients and families about her own history in a way that's honest, boundaried, and clinically useful. Rethinking 'denial' and harmful language Why words like "denial," "addict," "codependent," "chronic relapser," and "it's a slippery slope" can shut people down rather than open them up. A more curious approach: asking "What do you mean by that?" and unpacking the real story underneath labels. How language can either invite people into self-understanding—or reinforce shame, fear, and disconnection. Softening the disease model without minimizing the problem Nuanced ways to honor addiction as a serious, complex disorder without collapsing everything into a rigid disease frame. How fear (of overdose, loss, chaos, or death) drives a lot of rigid thinking in systems and professionals. Why behavior change is slow, non-linear, and rarely a straight line—and how accepting that can actually make care more effective. Relapse as an "old solution that once worked" Carrie's reframe of relapse as returning to an old behavior that, at one time, made sense and worked on some level. How naming the function of a behavior (soothing, numbing, regulating, connecting) opens the door to new, less harmful solutions. The difference between "You didn't want it enough" and "Your brain reached for an old strategy that once helped you survive." The Invitation to Change Approach (ITC) The core elements of ITC: Motivational interviewing–informed curiosity and ambivalence exploration. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and values-based living. A deep commitment to self-compassion as a foundation for behavior change. Why ITC was originally developed for family members and then adapted for people with substance use concerns themselves. How the "wheel" of ITC lets people step in wherever they are—self-awareness, values, behavior strategies, or compassion—and build over time. Families, shame, and staying engaged without "tough love" Inviting family members to ask: "How does my loved one's behavior make sense?" instead of "What's wrong with them?" How this shift helps parents and partners move from fear and control into strategy, support, and skillful engagement. Concrete examples of how families can respond to return to use with curiosity, concern, and clearer communication instead of lectures or ultimatums. Codependency and other overused labels Why Carrie has never formally diagnosed anyone with "codependency." What often lives underneath that label: trauma histories, cultural norms, attachment dynamics, fear of loss, and learned survival strategies. How flattening all of that into "codependent" erases nuance and blocks meaningful change. Neurodivergence, trauma, and substance use/eating behaviors The high rates of PTSD and ADHD among people seeking help for substance use—and why that matters for treatment design. Carrie's reflection on her own undiagnosed ADHD and how it likely drove much of her earlier eating disorder behavior. How binges, purging, and substance use can function as powerful nervous system regulators, especially for neurodivergent and trauma-impacted brains. Why we need more ground-up, neurodivergent- and trauma-informed approaches that focus on emotion regulation, executive functioning, and skill-building. Self-compassion as a behavior change superpower Carrie's journey from skepticism ("this sounds too woo") to seeing self-compassion as essential, research-backed behavior-change work. How self-compassion reduces shame, helps people tolerate slow progress, and makes it safer to look honestly at their own behavior. Using both "tender" and "fierce" self-compassion to choose boundaries, seek support, and keep moving through discomfort. Reimagining 'expert' roles and community care Why Carrie is skeptical of rigid expert hierarchies in addiction treatment. Inviting families, community leaders, and lay helpers into the work through accessible tools like ITC groups and trainings. The power of giving non-clinicians simple, evidence-based language and frameworks so they can respond with compassion instead of panic or shame. About Dr. Carrie Wilkens Carrie Wilkens, PhD, is a psychologist with more than 25 years of experience in the practice and dissemination of evidence-based treatments for substance use and post-traumatic stress. She is the Co-President and CEO of CMC: Foundation for Change, a nonprofit dedicated to bringing evidence-based ideas and strategies to families, communities, and professionals supporting people struggling with substances. Carrie is a co-developer of the Invitation to Change (ITC) Approach, an accessible, skills-based framework that helps families stay engaged, reduce shame, and effectively support a loved one's behavior change. ITC is now used across the U.S. and internationally in groups, trainings, and community programs. She is co-author of the award-winning book Beyond Addiction: How Science and Kindness Help People Change, which adapts the Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT) model for families, and co-author of The Beyond Addiction Workbook for Family and Friends, a practical, evidence-based guide for loved ones who want concrete tools to support change without sacrificing their own wellbeing. Carrie is also Co-Founder and Clinical Director of the Center for Motivation and Change (CMC), a group of clinicians providing evidence-based care in New York City, Long Island, Washington, DC, San Diego, and at CMC: Berkshires, a private residential program for adults. She has served as Project Director on a large SAMHSA-funded grant addressing college binge drinking and is frequently sought out by media outlets including CBS This Morning, the Katie Couric Show, NPR, and HBO's Risky Drinking to speak on substance use and behavior change. Resources Mentioned CMC: Foundation for Change – Family-focused trainings, groups, and resources: cmcffc.org The Invitation to Change Approach – Overview of the ITC model and its core topics. Beyond Addiction: How Science and Kindness Help People Change (Book) The Beyond Addiction Workbook for Family and Friends (Workbook) The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.  

Start Your Transformation Now  In this powerful continuation of the Shaman's Tips for an Amazing 2026 series, Jim reveals why suffering is never random—and never caused by the world outside of us. Drawing from shamanic teachings, personal stories, and decades of transformational coaching, he explains that suffering always comes from one place: non-acceptance of the present moment. When we resist “what is,” attach to old identities, or expect life to match our internal model of how it should be, we create our own pain.  Jim goes deeper into the role of attachment, identity, brain-based patterns, emotional habits, and inherited beliefs. He shows how these unconscious attachments keep people stuck in struggle—while believing the struggle is happening tothem. Through personal anecdotes, reflections on Don Javier's teachings, and real-life examples, Jim helps listeners see how suffering dissolves the moment they stop resisting what's here now.  If you're ready for a more peaceful, grounded, and empowered 2026, this episode will help you release the weight you've been carrying. When you understand how to accept your now—and consciously create from it—you step into true freedom.  What You'll Discover in This Episode:  Why suffering is a choice—even when it doesn't feel like one (02:52) Jim explains how all suffering comes from attachment and non-acceptance of the present, not from external circumstances.  How identity keeps you stuck in old patterns (09:14) You'll hear why your brain clings to familiar identities—even painful ones—and how this neurological wiring prevents change.  Why you keep reliving the stories you grew up with (09:50) Jim breaks down how childhood conditioning around money, struggle, and self-worth becomes an unconscious template you repeat for decades.  The real reason people resist change (12:13) Learn why the brain prioritizes predictability over happiness, and how this survival mechanism keeps you attached to what you say you don't want.  Why living in the past or future creates suffering (15:09) Jim shows how perceptions—not events—create emotional pain, especially when we compare the present to a different imagined reality.  The freedom of living fully in the now (18:04) Discover shamanic perspectives on presence, including why Don Javier never takes photos—and how presence dissolves suffering instantly.  Why “it is what it is” is a spiritual power tool (20:56) Jim explains how acceptance opens the door to creativity, peace, and personal freedom.  How to stop fighting life and start creating from the present moment (23:16) You'll learn how acceptance empowers you to change anything you don't like—without attachment or emotional resistance.  Listen, apply, and enjoy!  Transformational Takeaway  Suffering doesn't come from your job, your past, your circumstances, or the world—it comes from resisting the present moment. When you accept your life exactly as it is, without judgment or attachment, you reclaim your power. From that place, you can create anything. Acceptance is not resignation; it is the gateway to transformation. When you stop fighting “what is,” you stop suffering—and you open the door to a wiser, freer, and more authentic version of yourself.    Let's Connect:  Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | LinkedIn  LIKED THE EPISODE?  If you're the kind of person who likes to help others, then share this with your friends and family. If you have found value, they will too. Please leave a review on Apple Podcasts so we can reach more people.  Listening on Spotify? Please leave a comment below. We would love to hear from you!  With gratitude, Jim 

3 Choices When You're Thinking About Starting a Cash PT Clinic In this episode, Doc Danny Matta breaks down the real decision points for clinicians who are thinking about starting their own cash-based practice. He explains why staying stuck in "research mode" is dangerous, what it actually takes to make the leap, and the three clear paths you can choose—staying employed, going solo, or getting guided support. Quick Ask If this episode helps you get clarity on your next move, share it with another clinician who's on the fence about starting a practice—and tag @dannymattaPT so he can see what resonated with you. Episode Summary Claire math: If Claire saves a staff PT 6 hours/week, even using 3 of those for patient visits at $200/visit can add ~$30k/year in revenue per clinician. Why decisions feel awful: Danny compares making a big move (like starting a clinic) to knowing you're about to throw up—you dread it, but feel better once it's done. The real problem: Most people hide in endless "learning" (podcasts, books, courses) instead of making an actual decision. 3 choices you actually have: Stay in your current role and own that decision. Go the DIY route and figure business out alone. Get guided support from people who've already done it. Who shouldn't start a clinic: Highly risk-averse, conflict-avoidant, or extremely introverted clinicians may be better off in a great employed role. The trap of DIY: Going solo usually means slower progress, more expensive mistakes, more stress, and more risk for your family. The case for mentorship: Guided support is like residency/fellowship for business—it speeds up results and increases your odds of success. Why this is serious: Your business is how you pay rent, buy groceries, and take care of your family—treat it like it matters. Decision purgatory: Staying stuck in "maybe" is the worst place to live—nothing changes, and frustration grows. Lessons & Takeaways Indecision is a decision: Avoiding a choice is still choosing—the status quo wins by default. Acceptance can be powerful: If you stay employed, own it, and aim to be world-class—not secretly resentful. DIY has a cost: You'll likely spend more time, more money, and experience more stress figuring everything out on your own. Guided support = faster, safer: Proven systems and mentorship are like insurance for one of the biggest financial decisions of your life. Business is a skill set: Just like clinical skills, business skills can be learned with the right teachers and reps. Mindset & Motivation Stop chasing greener grass: Comparing yourself to other owners while doing nothing is a recipe for misery. Own your path: Whether you're an employed PT or a clinic owner, commit to excellence in the lane you choose. Respect the risk: When your business feeds your family, being "proudly stubborn" is not a strategy—it's a liability. Decisiveness is a superpower: Successful entrepreneurs make decisions, take action, and adjust as they go. Pro Tips for Clinicians on the Fence Be brutally honest: Do you truly want to be a business owner, or do you just want a better job? Know your wiring: If you hate uncertainty and change, ownership may not be the right move right now. Count the real cost: Time, money, stress, and impact on your family—not just the price of a program or course. Treat support like insurance: Mentorship isn't cheating; it's reducing the odds that you crash your business (and savings) in the first few years. Get out of research purgatory: Podcasts and books are great—but only if they eventually lead to action. How Claire Fits In Save clinician time: Claire is saving staff clinicians about six hours a week on documentation. Turn time into revenue: Even converting half that into extra patient visits can generate ~$30,000 per clinician per year. Protect your team: Use tech to increase volume without burning clinicians out. Try it free: Test Claire with a 7-day free trial at MeetClaire AI. Notable Quotes "If nothing changes, nothing changes." "For some of you, you have no business starting a clinic—and that's okay." "Guided support is basically residency and fellowship for your business." "Purgatory for your future is endlessly gathering information and never making a decision." Action Items Decide your lane: Are you going to stay employed, go DIY, or pursue guided support? Audit your reasons: Write down why you actually want a clinic—is it meaning, freedom, income, or all of the above? Count the risk: Look at your family, your bills, and your responsibilities. What level of risk are you really willing to take? Set a deadline: Give yourself a hard date to decide and take your first concrete step. Explore support options: If guided help makes sense, look into programs built specifically for cash PT clinic owners. Programs Mentioned PT Biz Part-Time to Full-Time 5-Day Challenge (Free): Get crystal clear on your numbers, your plan, and the steps to replace your income and go all-in on your practice. Join here. Resources & Links PT Biz Website Free 5-Day PT Biz Challenge MeetClaire AI — Free 7-day trial for PTs About the Host: Doc Danny Matta is a physical therapist, entrepreneur, and founder of PT Biz and Athlete's Potential. He's helped over 1,000 clinicians start, grow, and scale successful cash practices and is committed to helping PTs build businesses that support real time and financial freedom.

Are you wisely using your genius energy? In this episode, Michael reconnects with Diana Hill, a therapist and author who has recently explored the concept of focusing your genius energy on what matters most through her book Wise Effort.Their discussion spans from insights from ancient Buddhist wisdom to the application of commitment therapy to the practice of finding one's unique 'genius energy.' If you're interested in practical ways to maximize your strengths, handle emotional challenges, and cultivate a meaningful and balanced life, you'll want to join them to unearth actionable tips and exercises for making the most out of your efforts and ultimately enhancing your well-being.Listen and Learn: What is “Wise Effort” and how can this practice reshape your energy, choices, and well-being?Identifying and using your unique “genius energy” while also recognizing how overusing those strengths can become a stumbling block, and how cultivating awareness, curiosity, and context helps direct those strengths with wisdomPractical self-reflection questions to uncover your geniusA simple four-question “energy audit” for knowing when to dial your genius up or downWhere true wisdom really comes from, and what if rethinking how growth happensAdopting “Wise Effort” helps you understand your struggles in context, align your actions with your values, and transform both self-judgment and relationshipsBringing mindful intention to even mundane tasks to transform how you use your time, connect with yourself, and balance structure with flexibility in a meaningful lifeResources: Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most: https://bookshop.org/a/30734/9781649633361 Diana's Website: drdianahill.comConnect with Diana on Social Media: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdianahillhttps://www.facebook.com/drdianahill/https://www.youtube.com/drdianahillhttps://www.instagram.com/drdianahill/https://insighttimer.com/drdianahill FREE Energy Audit guide: https://drdianahill.com/energy Wise Effort: The Business Of Therapy Program: https://drdianahill.com/wise-effort-the-business-of-therapy Michael's Real Play Episode on The Wise Effort Podcast: https://wiseeffortshow.com/episode/living-life-on-your-own-terms-with-michael-herold-real-play About Diana HillDr. Diana Hill, PhD is a clinical psychologist, author, international trainer, and recognized expert in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), compassion-based interventions, and psychological flexibility. With a background that bridges neuroscience, mindfulness, and behavioral science, she is known for making complex psychological concepts both practical and inspiring.A summa cum laude graduate of the University of California, Santa Barbara, where she majored in Biopsychology, Dr. Hill earned her doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology from the University of Colorado at Boulder. She later collaborated with Dr. Debra Safer at Stanford University, researching Dialectical Behavior Therapy and Appetite Awareness Training (AAT) for bulimia nervosa. She completed her clinical internship at the University of California, Davis, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship at La Luna Intensive Outpatient Center, where she later served as Clinical Director and developed their ACT- and AAT-based treatment program.A leading voice in the evolution of ACT and Process-Based Therapy, Dr. Hill works closely with pioneers in the field. She co-leads ACT BootCamp Training for Therapists with ACT founder Dr. Steven Hayes and is actively involved in shaping the future of therapy—including applications of AI, advances in diagnostic systems, network modeling, and process-based approaches. She serves as a senior meditation teacher and curriculum developer for the University of California's Climate Resilience Initiative, integrating ACT and mindfulness into interdisciplinary environmental education.Dr. Hill has contributed to publications in the International Journal of Eating Disorders and co-authored a seminal article on Process-Based Therapy, advancing evidence-based clinical practice. She is a contributor to PsychFlex, a digital platform that helps clinicians incorporate ACT into their work and track client outcomes in real time through ecological measurements. She also speaks regularly at global conferences including the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science (ACBS) World Conference, Innovations in Psychotherapy, and the Evolution of Psychotherapy Conference.In addition to her clinical and academic work, Dr. Hill teaches at organizations and retreat centers such as InsightLA, Blue Spirit Costa Rica, PESI, and PraxisCET. She serves on the clinical advisory board of Lightfully Behavioral Health and is a board member of the Institute for Better Health.She is the author of Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most (Sounds True, 2025), The Self-Compassion Daily Journal, I Know I Should Exercise But…, and ACT Daily Journal. Her insights have been featured in NPR, The Wall Street Journal, Psychology Today, Mindful, Prevention, Real Simple, Woman's Day, and other leading media outlets. She is also the host of the Wise Effort podcast.With more than 20 years of study and practice in yoga and meditation—including training in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh—Dr. Hill integrates contemplative practice into her approach to healing and growth. She lives in California, where she raises two sons, cares for bees, and embodies the Wise Effort principles she teaches—living a life guided by presence, purpose, and compassion.Related Episodes:48. Practical Wisdom with Barry Schwartz349. The Hunger Habit with Judson Brewer188. Unwinding Anxiety with Judson Brewer122. Taking in the Good with Rick Hanson138. Exploring Existence and Purpose: Existentialism with Robyn Walser320. Anger and Forgiveness with Robyn Walser346. Self-compassion Daily Journal with Diana Hill301. Seven Daily ACT Practices for Living Fully with Diana Hill and Debbie SorensenSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, Liat sits down with transformation coach and author Keith Crossley, whose work on healing, relationships, and enlightenment has gone viral. Keith breaks down the science and psychology behind betrayal, why we cling to relationships that hurt us, and how to stop living in fear of your own emotions.If you've ever wondered why breakups feel like withdrawal, why your feelings seem so damn big, or how to start healing instead of spiraling, this episode is your guidebook to face betrayal and find freedom on the other side.Behavior Concepts Covered:Private verbal behavior Variable ratio schedule Replacement behaviors Matching Law StimulusConditioned reinforcement Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Negative reinforcementFunction of BxTacting ExtinctionConnect with Keith:KeithCrossley.comFind him on Facebook or LinkedIn!InstagramTikTokYoutubeGet the Book!Connect with Behavior BitchesInsta: @behaviorbitchespodcastFacebook: Behavior Bitches PodcastWebsite: BehaviorBitches.comPatreon: Patreon.com/BehaviorBitchesPodcastContact Us: For podcast inquiries, episode ideas, or just to say hi, email us at behaviorbitches@studynotesaba.com Leave us a 5-star review in the Apple Podcast App so we can read it to everyone during our episodes and make us super happy!Looking for BCBA Exam Prep or CEUs?• Whether you need help passing the BCBA exam or are looking to earn CEUs, Study Notes ABA has you covered. Check out our website for comprehensive exam prep materials, prep courses, and CEUs• Test Prep: StudyNotesABA.com• CEUs: CEU.StudyNotesABA.com• PairABA: PairABA.com