Podcasts about Belonging

In this episode of the Celebrate Kids Podcast, Dr. Kathy Koch and Wayne Stender explore the surprising power of asking others for help. Drawing on modern research and Jesus' conversation with the Samaritan woman, they explain how freely choosing to help someone can strengthen affection and build a sense of belonging. Parents will discover practical ways to invite children to contribute, serve their siblings, and recognize that they are wanted and valuable members of their family and community.

Home.  Family.  Belonging.  Love.  What does it mean to have a healthy marriage, a healthy family?  Gerry Crete and Theresa Robinson join us to explore that question: “What does a thriving marriage and flourishing in family life look like?  We bring in Internal Family Systems, attachment theory, perfectionism, the importance of family members delighting in each other, parents' vows and scripts, how loving children involves more than the will, and the importance of “being with” each other.   Check out Theresa Robinson's practice, Greenhouse Counselling, here: https://www.greenhousecounselling.com/ And Dr. Gerry Crete's practice, Transfiguration, is here: https://www.transfiguration.co/ Episode 85 is all about perfectionism:  https://youtu.be/bw-zUp2h_TA Check out our Resilient Catholics Community – the RCC offers structured programming to help orthodox Catholic flourish in life by working on our human formation: https://members.soulsandhearts.com/rcc If you are a Catholic therapist, coach, spiritual director, priest, or in another role where you accompany others in their human formation, consider the Formation for Formators Community (FFF).  The FFF is all about the personal, human formation of the formator, so that you can better receive and give love in how you accompany others.  More here:  https://members.soulsandhearts.com/fff And our daily sister podcast, Scripture for Your Inner Outcasts is all about helping our listeners integrate inside, heal from emotional burdens, and grow to flourish in accepting being loved and loving yourself in an ordered way.  https://www.youtube.com/@ScriptureForYourInnerOutcasts Key moments: 0:00  The home and family as a human treasure and source of joy4:30  The core question for this podcast series11:10 What does it mean to have a healthy marriage and family?13:30 The importance of the family, the “domestic church”21:00 Parts' expectations for family life – flourishing does not equal perfection25:00  Dr. Peter was a great parent right out of the gate, but then things got much more real.  25:56  Perfectionism in family life – how “the best is the enemy of the good.”  Attachment needs and integrity needs in family life.  Dr. Gerry wanted to provide his children everything so that they would be happy.  29:41 Eudaimonia is about a life well-lived, not perfection, a place where children can rest in the security of love33:30  Unconditional love in the family vs. a focus on “achievement”36:20  What is flourishing in marriages and family life? 40:42 The importance of joy and delighting in children45:45 How mothers and fathers can parents from a position of self-protection; the importance of pausing49:15  Parents' vows and scripts are often reactions to their experience of their own parents50:53  Parents often take too much responsibility for their children's behavior57:25  Balancing wanting the best for our kids with the need to “let go”1:00:10 Even heroic acts of the will are not enough in loving children10:01:30  How understanding parts make family relationships much easier1:04:20 Self-led parenting1:05:19  Parts language and family life1:09:00 How parts work helps with forgiveness in family life1:18:40  Some reassurances about parenting:  how earthy parents are not the primary parents of their children,  God's providence is active1:19:20  “Being with children” is more important than solving their problems1:22:30 Reversal with children and identification/counter-identification with parents1:26:00  Earthly parents are secondary parents, redux. God has a plan for every miscue, every mistake. He's willing to rewrite the family symphony, to take on the bad notes and turn them into good notes in His Providence1:28:25 Flourishing in a family is about creating an ecology or environment of worth and delight1:30:20  For each mom to remember that she is a beloved little daughter of God.

Host Dr Russell Thackeray welcomes Andrea Carter, a Canada-based organisational scientist known for validating a way to measure belonging and leading studies across 3,500 people in 13 companies, later extended across eight industries and 150,000 employees. This is a genuinely fascinating episode and worth a full listen..!Andrea argues resilience is often treated as a solo sport—“exile with a deadline”—and that the real breaking point is facing hardship alone. She defines belonging as a measurable performance metric co-created by individuals and systems, distinct from “fitting in,” and explains five neurological indicators: comfort (clarity/predictability), connection (trust beyond transaction), contribution (evidence you matter), psychological safety, and wellbeing/recovery, noting “resilience without recovery is delayed collapse.” The discussion covers measuring belonging at organisational, team, and individual levels, focusing on shrinking belonging “gap scores,” and cites a plant intervention improving gap and discretionary effort, plus faster safety reporting. They also touch on DEI measurement issues, cultural differences, schools' rising anxiety, and social media's negative effects.00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro01:00 Andrea Background and Research04:34 Resilience Is Not Solo07:04 Fitting In vs Belonging10:35 Measuring Belonging Science11:44 Five Indicators Explained20:59 Teams Leaders and Culture26:36 Belonging Drives Performance30:39 Friction That Grows39:32 Schools Youth and Social Media44:05 Wrap Up and Contact InfoYou can contact us at info@qedod.comResources can be found online or link to our website https://resilienceunravelled.com

Today, we are talking about addiction and why the ADHD or ASD brain seems to be more prone to addictive behaviors, or substance or porn addiction, with addiction specialist Ed Khouri. Links below will share some articles that support the discussion. Ed Khouri is a co-author of Joy Starts Here and author of the Face of Grace. Today, we talk about how joy and peace are needed in the brain, how ADHD and ASD brains lack or have compromised dopamine receptors, and how this sets someone up for BEEPS seeking pseudo joy or pseudo peace and can take any special interest and turn it into a BEEPS. About Ed Khourihttps://www.equippinghearts.com/our-team For more than 40 years, Ed Khouri has worked with substance abusers and their families in diverse settings. Serving as a pastoral counselor, trainer, and writer, Ed's work has encompassed outpatient counseling, jails, and transitional housing for homeless addicts in all phases of residential treatment. He even provided daily supervision for all therapeutic services and staff in a 96-bed state-licensed substance abuse treatment program. Today, as an experienced trainer, Ed leads workshops in churches and ministries worldwide, equipping workers to serve hurting men and women in their own communities. He regularly trains and collaborates with ministries, including Thrive Today, The International Substance Abuse and Addiction Coalition (ISAAC), and Youth With A Mission's Addictive Behavior Counseling School. Ed has a B.A. in Behavioral and Social Sciences and began his Master's Program at the University of Florida. Ordained in 1988, he is the president of Equipping Hearts. Ed has written several books, including The Restarting Workbook and Facilitator's Guide. Together with Dr. E. James Wilder, Ed co-authored several books and training materials: The Connexus Program, Belonging, and Joy Starts Here: The Transformation Zone.  Dopamine articlesWhat's the Deal With Dopamine and ADHD? | Psychology Today Frontiers | Dopamine in Autism Spectrum Disorders—Focus on D2/D3 Partial Agonists and Their Possible Use in Treatment

What do you do when life doesn't turn out the way you expected?You thought you'd be further along by now.You thought the relationship would last.You thought the diagnosis wouldn't come.You thought the job was secure.And then the storm hit.In Acts 27–28, the apostle Paul is on his way to Rome—confident in a promise God had already spoken over his life. But before he reaches his destination, he faces a violent storm that tears apart the ship, disrupts the journey, and threatens every life on board.Yet what looked like disaster became a platform for God's purpose.In Shipwrecked, we'll discover that storms are often unexpected—but never outside of God's control. What feels like a delay may actually be divine positioning. What looks like a detour may be preparation for something greater.Because the storm may change your plans—but it does not change God's purpose.At Discover Church, we exist to see our city changed by Jesus, one life at a time, by helping people discover LIFE in Christ, BELONGING in Community & PURPOSE in God's Calling on their life so that they can MAKE A DIFFERENCE.-You can join us live on Sunday mornings at 9:00 or 11:00 am, either in person or online! Visit www.discoverchurchkc.com for more information!

What does it mean to search for your identity after growing up away from your birth culture? Australian filmmaker Joel de Carteret, who was adopted from the Philippines as a child and raised in Australia shares his journey of discovering his Filipino heritage. - Ano ang ibig sabihin ng pagiging Pilipino kung lumaki ka sa ibang pamilya at kultura? Ibinahagi ni Filipino adoptee at filmmaker Joel de Carteret ang kanyang paglalakbay sa paghahanap ng sariling pagkakakilanlan matapos lumaki sa Australia sa piling ng isang Australian family.

When Dallin Zimmerman was four years old, he memorized every Article of Faith. As a teenager, he studied Portuguese and Spanish, and had long been the family's peacemaker — a bright, fun-loving light that people gravitate toward. Today he's serving a full-time mission in South America. And at thirteen, years before any of that, he sat down with his parents and asked a question that would shape everything ahead: "What if I'm gay?"Today we're talking with Dave and Kirty, Dallin's parents, married 22 years, raising four kids, longtime Utah County residents. For more than three years, they kept Dallin's story private, scared of what they might lose, and of what it would cost Dallin if their community found out. Many of their questions remained unresolved. But eventually, the secret became too heavy to carry alone. So together, they helped Dallin share his story with trusted leaders in their ward, in a gathering of Young Men and Young Women leaders who had known him for years, he bore his testimony, and shared that he is gay. One by one, these leaders stood up, embraced him and assured him that he was so loved—and that he belonged. That moment marked the beginning of a new way forward, where isolation gave way to the healing that comes from being known and loved.In this conversation, Dave and Kirty are remarkably candid about the fear they felt at first, the questions that still remain, and the unexpected ways this journey has transformed them—a journey that, as Kirty says, has become "the biggest blessing of their lives."Dave and Kirty would be the first to tell you their story isn't a prescription for any other family's journey. But if you're a parent near the beginning of this path, or a leader wondering how to better love and support the youth in your ward, we hope you'll be inspired by their courage, their humility, and creativity.You can find even more resources around this topic on our website, faithmatters.org.Tickets for Restore 2026 are now available, and we have a new format we think you're going to love. Get details here!

Elder Scott N. Taylor is a professor of Organizational Behavior holding the Arthur M. Blank Endowed Chair for Values-Based Leadership at Babson College, having previously taught at Boston University and the University of New Mexico. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Spanish from Brigham Young University as well as an MBA and a Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior from Case Western Reserve University. An award-winning educator and researcher whose work centers on leader assessment, executive coaching, and emotional competence, Scott has authored numerous scholarly publications and consulted internationally with dozens of major companies and government entities. Elder Taylor has served as an Area Seventy since 2022. His Church service includes callings as a missionary in the Spain Bilbao Mission, young single adult branch president, bishop, high councilor, stake presidency counselor, and stake president. Scott married Ashley Anne Boyter and they are the parents of four children and reside in Franklin, Massachusetts. Watch the video and share your thoughts in the Zion Lab community Transcript available with the video in the Zion Lab community Highlights Scott discusses the intersection of organizational behavior and church leadership. He shares insights on effective leadership qualities, the importance of creating a positive environment, and the balance between achieving goals and fostering relationships within church communities. Key Insights Outward Focus: Effective leaders prioritize the needs and well-being of others, creating a connection that fosters trust and engagement. Positive Environment: Leaders should cultivate a supportive and uplifting atmosphere, which enhances motivation and collaboration among members. Relational Leadership: Leadership is fundamentally relational; outstanding leaders are not necessarily the most technically skilled but excel in building relationships and fostering a sense of belonging. Cognitive Dynamics: The brain’s analytical and empathetic networks are antagonistic; leaders must be aware of emotional climates to encourage creativity and openness rather than stress and defensiveness. Charisma vs. Competence: Charismatic leaders can inspire hope, but relying solely on charisma can lead to overlooking effective leadership qualities that are not immediately visible. Leadership Applications Storytelling: Latter-day Saint leaders can use personal stories to illustrate the impact of ministering, helping members connect emotionally and understand the importance of their roles in the community. Cultural Focus: By emphasizing a culture of belonging and support, leaders can motivate members to engage in ministering efforts naturally, rather than through pressure or performance metrics. Awareness of Bias: Leaders should recognize their biases when selecting individuals for leadership roles, ensuring that they look beyond charisma and traditional expectations to identify those who truly embody the principles of effective leadership. The award-winning Leading Saints Podcast is one of the top independent Latter-day Saints podcasts as part of nonprofit Leading Saints’ mission to help Latter-day Saints be better prepared to lead. Find Leadership Tools, Courses, and Community for Latter-day Saint leaders in the Zion Lab community. Learn more and listen to any of the past episodes for free at LeadingSaints.org. Past guests include Emily Belle Freeman, David Butler, Hank Smith, John Bytheway, Reyna and Elena Aburto, Liz Wiseman, Stephen M. R. Covey, Benjamin Hardy, Elder Alvin F. Meredith III, Julie Beck, Brad Wilcox, Jody Moore, Tony Overbay, John H. Groberg, Elaine Dalton, Tad R. Callister, Lynn G. Robbins, J. Devn Cornish, Bonnie Oscarson, Dennis B. Neuenschwander, Kirby Heyborne, Taysom Hill, Coaches Jennifer Rockwood and Brandon Doman, Anthony Sweat, John Hilton III, Barbara Morgan Gardner, Blair Hodges, Whitney Johnson, Ryan Gottfredson, Greg McKeown, Ganel-Lyn Condie, Michael Goodman, Wendy Ulrich, Richard Ostler, and many more in over 800 episodes. Discover podcasts, articles, virtual conferences, and live events related to callings such as the bishopric, Relief Society, elders quorum, Primary, youth leadership, stake leadership, ward mission, ward council, young adults, ministering, and teaching.

What Happens When the Story You're Reporting Is the Story You're Not Allowed to Tell?  Gabriel Harrison was 30, working as a journalist in Tunisia, and had been handed the story that would end his career. It described a specific mechanism operating across North Africa in the years after Gaddafi's fall, one whose implications did not align with the version of that region most Western audiences had been given. His editor said the story was "not relevant to Libya."  He understood immediately what that meant. Three months later he quit.  Two years of a dark night of the soul followed. Then he moved to South America to join what he was told was an autonomous community, which turned out to be a sophisticated scam whose leaders are now being searched for by Interpol. Gabriel is known online as Orpheus. He crossed 65,000 Instagram followers in four weeks by saying, publicly, the things he had spent years being told he could not. He is the founder of Aquari, a bioresonance jewelry brand backed by peer-reviewed cell research.  He is a student of Rupert Sheldrake's work on morphic resonance and formative causation. He thinks seriously about what he calls the fork between transhumanism and ultrahumanism, and whether the next chapter of human civilization merges us with machine systems or takes us in the opposite direction entirely.Topics include:  What two years after Gaddafi actually looked like from the ground The story his editor would not let him publish Belonging to yourself at 33 The autonomous community in Paraguay and the four-year legal battle it produced Transhumanism vs ultrahumanism Morphic resonance and the hundredth monkey Why attention is currency, and most people are spending it without knowing.CONNECT WITH GABRIEL HARRISON  Instagram: @disco_orpheus  Bioresonance jewelry: aquari.storeWORK WITH DOV Website: https://dovbaron.com Email: dov@dovbaron.com    Please rate, review, and subscribe wherever you listen. It helps the show reach the leaders it was built for. Connect with Dov Baron:https://DovBaron.comdov@dovbaron.comRate, review, and send this episode to the most thoughtful builder you know. That is how the algorithm finds the people who still ask why. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week we're sharing a conversation with Clare Follman, a writer, activist and gardener with a masters in environmental science about her 2026 AK Press book, Scapegoat: What the Invasive Species Story Gets Wrong. The conversation covers questions of ecological balance, belonging, linguistic clarity and the stories we tell about our relationship to the rest of nature. . … . .. Featured Track: TFSR by The Willows Whisper

Written Off: Navigating Rejection and Faith in the Search for Love, Family, and Belonging (The Approved in Christ Series) by Lisa Phillips https://www.amazon.com/Written-Off-Navigating-Rejection-Belonging/dp/B0G2RHDXX7 Authorlisaphillips.net What if the pain that broke you became the doorway to your healing? Lisa Phillips grew up longing for her mother's love—yet faced rejection, emotional distance, and a parental wound that shaped her identity for decades. As a woman of faith, she later discovered that the hurt she carried was not the end of her story, but the beginning of God's restoration. Written Off is Lisa's powerful true story of navigating rejection, rediscovering her identity in Christ, and breaking free from the generational patterns that silenced her family for three generations. In this faith-filled memoir, you'll discover: How rejection shapes identity—and how God restores what was lost The spiritual roots of emotional pain and how truth brings freedom Faith-based tools to overcome shame, guilt, and family strongholds A compassionate path toward forgiveness, renewal, and inner peace Through raw honesty and biblical insight, Lisa reveals how God transformed emotional wounds into spiritual wholeness—and how you can begin that same journey, especially if you have faced rejection, abandonment, or painful parent–child relationships. Those who seek faith-based healing for emotional or generational trauma, or yearn to rebuild identity, belonging, and trust in God's redemptive love will find comfort and hope. Written Off is more than a memoir—it's an invitation to see your own story through the lens of grace. No matter who has written you off, God is already writing you back into His plan with purpose, freedom, and hope. Part of the Written Off series — a three-book journey from rejection to restoration. About the author Lisa N. Phillips is a faith-driven author, certified children's mindset and confidence coach, and advocate for emotional and spiritual healing. With a background in early childhood education and years of experience guiding young minds, she is passionate about helping both children and adults develop resilience, identity, and lasting confidence rooted in truth and faith. As a certified coach through the Adventures in Wisdom™ program, Lisa equips children with practical mindset tools to overcome fear, build self-worth, and navigate life with clarity and purpose. Her work is grounded in the belief that every person is created with value, potential, and a God-given identity.

DANIEL (Daniel 1:3-5 NIV) Then the king ordered the chief to bring into the king’s service some of the Israelites from the royal family and the nobility— 4 young men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace. He was to teach them the language and literature of the Babylonians. 5 The king assigned them a daily amount of food and wine from the king’s table. They were to be trained for three years, and after that they were to enter the king’s service. Your greatest ministry may happen in a place you never wanted to be. There’s a difference between having a resolve to follow God and merely dabbling in faith. (Daniel 1:8 NIV) But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way. (Daniel 6:10 NIV) Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. He prayed “before” the crisis. That’s why he knew what to do during the crisis. When prayer is your habit, panic loses its power. (Philippians 4:6-7 NKJV) Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Daniel 1:7 NIV) The chief official gave them new names: to Daniel, the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego. Hananiah – Yahweh has been gracious. Mishael – Who is what God is. Azariah – Yahweh has helped. Shadrach – Inspired of Aku. Meshach – Belonging to Aku. Abendnego – Servant of Nego. (Matthew 16:18 HCSB) And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the forces of Hades will not overpower it. (2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV) Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! (2 Corinthians 4:8-9 NIV) We are hard-pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. (Isaiah 43:1 ESV) Fear not, for I have redeemed you, I have called you by name, you are mine.

Pastor Dave Russell preaching from Psalm 16 on August 2nd, 2026 at Oakhurst Baptist Church in Charlotte, NC.

What is racism, really?

Gugs Mhlungu speaks to Lulama Mali, writer, cultural worker, and music industry professional, about her memoir, HELD, a deeply personal story spanning three generations that explores family, identity, loss, belonging, and the lasting impact of apartheid. Gugs Mhlungu gets you ready for the weekend each Saturday and Sunday morning on 702. She is your weekend wake-up companion, with all you need to know for your weekend. The topics Gugs covers range from lifestyle, family, health, and fitness to books, motoring, cooking, culture, and what is happening on the weekend in 702land. Thank you for listening to a podcast from 702 Weekend Breakfast with Gugs Mhlungu. Listen live on Primedia+ on Saturdays and Sundays from 06:00 and 10:00 (SA Time) to Weekend Breakfast with Gugs Mhlungu broadcast on 702 https://buff.ly/gk3y0Kj For more from the show go to https://buff.ly/u3Sf7Zy or find all the catch-up podcasts here https://buff.ly/BIXS7AL Subscribe to the 702 daily and weekly newsletters https://buff.ly/v5mfetc Follow us on social media: 702 on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TalkRadio702 702 on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@talkradio702 702 on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talkradio702/ 702 on X: https://x.com/Radio702 702 on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@radio702 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ellie continues our series exploring City Church Worcester Values and introduces us to our next value: Building a Community of Belonging and Care.

Passage Mark 12:13-17 Speaker Paul G Series Summer series in Mark’s Gospel Play Audio Download MP3

Have you ever felt like everyone else has weight loss figured out...except you?In this episode, Dr. Lisa Oldson introduces the fascinating psychological concept of belonging uncertainty, the tendency to wonder if you truly belong when you're trying something new. Whether you've joined a gym, started a healthy eating plan, or are working to build better habits, these feelings can create unnecessary stress that makes weight loss and healthy behavior change even harder.You'll learn:What belonging uncertainty is and why almost everyone experiences itHow it can quietly increase stress and undermine healthy habitsWhy feeling like you don't belong is not evidence that you don't belongFour practical strategies to build confidence, reduce self-doubt, and stay consistent with your weight loss and health goalsIf you've ever felt like an imposter on your health journey, this episode will help you reframe those thoughts and keep moving forward with confidence.Thanks for listening! If you'd like more support during your SMART weight loss & health focused journey, sign up for our FREE newsletter, or check out our program at: www.SmartWeightLossCoaching.com. We would love to help you reach your happy weight, and transform the way you talk to yourself about your body and the number on the scale. Negative thoughts about yourself don't have to take up so much brain space, and we'd be honored to help you reframe those thoughts. Also, we'd be grateful if you'd follow us and share our podcast with your friends & family. We're here to help you live longer, healthier, and lose weight the SMART way! This episode was produced by The Podcast Teacher: www.ThePodcastTeacher.com.The Smart Weight Loss Coaching Podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult your physician or a qualified healthcare provider before starting, stopping, or changing any medication.

Tim Smale is joined by Jayne Lowe OBE, the DfE's Attendance and Behaviour Ambassador, for his final show of the year: Belonging or Boundaries? The Behaviour Debate. Connection, culture, discipline and exclusions, put to the person shaping national policy on all four. Live on Teachers Talk Radio.

Episode SummaryIn this episode of the Two Piers Podcast, Erica D'Eramo is joined by Andrea D. Carter, founder of Belonging First and a globally recognized expert in neuroscience-based belonging in the workplace.Andrea helps clarify what organizations often mean, and sometimes miss, when they talk about belonging. Rather than treating belonging as a vague culture concept or a checklist of initiatives, Andrea explains how it can be measured and strengthened through five indicators: comfort, connection, contribution, psychological safety, and well-being.Erica and Andrea discuss why belonging matters for trust, motivation, retention, performance, and sustainable ways of working. They also explore common organizational pitfalls, including checkbox belonging, over-reliance on individual resilience solutions, and change efforts that are done to employees rather than with them.In This EpisodeErica and Andrea discuss:What workplace belonging really meansWhy psychological safety is only one part of belongingThe five indicators of belonging: comfort, connection, contribution, psychological safety, and well-beingHow belonging connects to organizational performance and retentionWhy clarity is especially important during onboarding, team changes, and reorganizationsThe “100% responsibility trap” and why belonging requires shared accountabilityWhy resilience tools cannot fix systems that are burning people outHow checkbox belonging can leave daily behaviors unchangedAccessibility, disability, and designing work environments with people in mind from the startWhy AI implementation and other change efforts need co-creation, not just rolloutKey TakeawayBelonging is not something employees should have to earn by decoding the culture, fitting in, or navigating unwritten rules on their own.Organizations can build belonging more intentionally by looking at the systems, expectations, relationships, leadership behaviors, and workload norms that shape how people experience work every day.About Andrea D. CarterAndrea D. Carter is the founder of Belonging First and the creator of the Belonging First methodology. Her work helps organizations measure and improve belonging through research, consulting, leadership support, and organizational strategy.Andrea is a strategist, researcher, TEDx speaker, adjunct professor at Adler University, and Forbes Council member. Her work bridges belonging, culture, organizational performance, trust, retention, and sustainable ways of working.Connect with Andrea D. CarterLearn more about Belonging First: https://belongingfirst.com/Subscribe to Andrea's Substack, Belonging First: Rethink Culture: https://andreadcarter.substack.com/Connect with Andrea on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreadcarter/More from Two PiersLearn more about Two Piers Consulting: https://www.twopiersconsulting.comBrowse podcast episodes, summaries, and transcripts: https://www.twopiersconsulting.com/podcast

Dick’s guest, Prasanta Verma, the author of Beyond Ethnic Loneliness: The Pain of Marginalization and the Path to Belonging, discusses loneliness in America. In 2023, the Surgeon General declared loneliness a national epidemic and compared its health impact to the equivalent of smoking 15 cigarettes a day.

Physical infrastructure can be seen. Relational infrastructure can only be felt—and it might be the difference between a park and a place worth belonging to.Jorge Garza is director of Networks for Change at the Tamarack Institute. Drawing on communities like BC's Tri-Cities, he shows how relational infrastructure—the connections and collective intelligence beneath a place—is turns static spaces into ones that generate real belonging.This special episode of The Conversation Piece features content from The Walrus Talks at Home: Place and Belonging, supported by The Belonging Forum.Garza spoke at The Walrus Talks at Home: Place and Belonging on November 4, 2025. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"Big Eva" may be fading, but a new generation of online Christian influencers is taking its place. Phil, Skye, and Kaitlyn discuss the rise of "Gig Eva," how digital platforms are reshaping Christian authority, and why accountability to real churches and communities still matters. Then, the number of words people speak each day is dropping as more of everyday life moves online. The crew considers what we lose when convenience replaces even the smallest human interactions. Then, Skye talks with behavioral scientist Nicholas Epley about why conversations with strangers usually go better than we expect. They discuss how small choices to connect with others can make us happier, healthier, and less divided. Also this week, a new explosive ocean discovery.   Holy Post Plus: Ad-Free Version of this Episode: https://holypost.substack.com/p/731-why-you-should-talk-to-strangers?r=35kf51&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&triedRedirect=true   0:00 - Show Starts   0:44 - Theme Song   1:06 - Sponsor - Access Forge - Go to https://www.accessible.faith/ to unlock the first two Belonging by Design lessons and use promo code HOLYPOST to get $200 off the full program   2:10 - Sponsor - Feeding America - Your support puts healthy food within reach, fueling the future for kids and their families. Give now at https://FeedingAmerica.org/SummerHunger   2:52 - Orcas Exploding Sunfish!   9:40 - Big Eva is now Gig Eva   29:43 - Sponsor - World Relief - Update with Matthew Sorens! Help today at http://worldrelief.org/holypostadvocates   34:08 - Humans are talking less!   45:46 - Interview   52:07 - The "Quiet Car" on the Train   59:17 - The Power of Reciprocity   1:08:51 - Testing for Yourself   1:17:07 - Technology's Role in This   1:31:52 - End Credits   Links Mentioned in News Segment: Orcas Raming Into Sunfish: https://www.npr.org/2026/07/24/nx-s1-5905327/orcas-ram-sunfish-hard-explodes   From Big Eva to Gig Eva: https://firstthings.com/goodbye-big-eva-hello-gig-eva/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email   Humans Speaking Fewer Words: https://www.theatlantic.com/family/2026/07/talking-less-reasons/688074/   Other Resources: A Little More Social: How Small Choices Create Unexpected Happiness, Health, and Connection: https://amzn.to/3RIeF6K   Holy Post website: https://www.holypost.com/   Holy Post Plus: www.holypost.com/plus   Holy Post Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/holypost   Holy Post Merch Store: https://www.holypost.com/shop   The Holy Post is supported by our listeners. We may earn affiliate commissions through links listed here. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.  

Send us a Question!PATREON MOVIE DISCUSSION: This movie was selected by our Patreon Supporters over at the Cinematic Doctrine Patreon. Support as little as $3 a month and have your voice heard! Kathryn joins Melvin to discuss Sunset Boulevard, a timeless, tragic, Hollywood fairytale. The two meditate on what its like to be transported back in time, the importance of resiliency, finding a place of belonging, and "the medium is the message" as it relates to photography and film. Topics:(PATREON EXCLUSIVE) 30-minutes talking about the Avengers: Doomsday trailer, the roster of heroes confirmed, the ones missing, and why there's more excitement behind Spider-Man: Brand New Day (PATREON EXCLUSIVE)Kathryn, "Like seeing the source code for filmmaking."The opening act tone setting is really strong.Sunset Boulevard is grounded, but it has a touch of the fantastical.On belonging, resiliency, stagnation, and empowerment.Kathryn notices the mention, or visual use, of animals kept popping up in Sunset Boulevard.Talking about, as Kathryn calls it, "the car, the other car, and the nose".Melvin talks about how photography and film, as mediums of communication, can uniquely impact the world and people, and proposes it as a read for understanding Norma's neurosis.Talking about the haunting, tragic ending.Recommendations:To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (1960) (Novel)Ed Wood (1994) (Movie) Support the showSupport on Patreon for Unique Perks! Early access to uncut episodes Vote on a movie/show we review One-time reward of two Cinematic Doctrine Stickers & PinsSocial Links: ThreadsWebsiteInstagramLetterboxdFacebook Group 

Coming to you from Whidbey Island, Washington this is Stories From Women Who Walk with Wednesdays on Whidbey & your host, Diane Wyzga. I'm often asked: “What brought you to Whidbey Island?” It's a standard ice breaker question here. My cheeky response is: A ferry brought me; ferries being a mode of transportation among the Washington islands. Many folks come here, vacation, fall in love, and return to claim their spot. Not me. It wasn't love at first sight. In truth, I washed up on the shores of Whidbey Island. My relationship with this place is more like an arranged marriage than falling-head-over-heels in love. An arranged marriage flips the traditional hook-up, dating, live together, get married sequence. Matchmakers introduce the partners, a wedding occurs, and love and intimacy are expected to develop afterward during marriage. While Hollywood movies often frame relationships around immediate romance, arranged marriages rely on a partnership built on shared foundations where emotional bonds grow over time. It's a pragmatic mindset requiring work and compromise that helps offset early disillusionment when one person's habits rub up against the other's expectations.     Unlike the traditional scenario where attraction might peak during a “honeymoon phase” the gradual growth of friendship, love, and meeting milestones together sets up a long-term companionship supported by those strong ties.   Just like our marriages, traditional or arranged, the place we live shapes our identities, behaviors, and well-being. Places we live—like the tides— direct our attention, movement, social interactions, personal growth and development. The community molds our sense of culture, belonging, what is normal, expected, possible and accepted. In ways large and small place fundamentally influences our daily routines, opportunities, and personality. After almost a decade in this semi-rural place, with all the highs and lows that come with starting anew in unfamiliar surroundings how have I come to love thee, Whidbey? Let me count the ways.   There's the cool Pacific Northwest climate, the landscape of old growth forests, farms and farmer's markets, abundant wildlife (sometimes too abundant in the garden), a slower pace because of narrow, winding 2-lane roads and reduced speed limits, the November to May Rain Festival that turns our attention and activities quietly inward. Ours is a deliberate lifestyle. We don't have malls or the hustle and bustle of city streets, or easy access to stuff one can get over in AmeriKa. Of course, that means we rely on ourselves and each other, especially when the power goes out and the hum of generators fills the night sky. Ours is a deceivingly robust community of varied social fabrics, politics, spirituality, intellects and economics. We support writers, artists, hikers, fisherfolk, entrepreneurs, farmers, poets, seniors, educators, and volunteers. Every meeting and gathering comes with a potluck. Yes, it can take time to find your people in a tight-knit rural place, but it's also a matter of stepping out the door, inviting people to share your front porch, building connections, building trust, learning tolerance for others. By and large people on Whidbey are friendly, welcoming, smart, clever, willing to shed big city ways to make room for patience. Maybe even understanding because we do not see all things the same way.   Ours hosts a plethora of outdoor spaces, free public transport, and the most wonderful library system that is the hub of our social connectedness. Sure the prices are higher than most, we do struggle to make ends meet, healthcare service could be better, and ferry schedule might be sketchy at times; but I knew I belonged when people greeted me by name in the grocery store or ACE Hardware or I was invited to begin teaching story courses for adults. Don't get me wrong. Whidbey Island is not unlike your community. It's not all rainbows and rhubarb pie here. We have our share of folks who behave like dumbshits. But for every person who behaves like a dumbshit there's a dozen who are truly kind and decent. That's the bit to remember because despite the ups and downs a time must come when you agree with yourself to set aside feelings of uncertainty, venture out, expand your horizons, engage with your new found community. As an introvert's introvert the idea of making a coffee date was not in my toolkit; but once I did step out it became easier and I learned that others were just waiting to be invited. This place called Whidbey Island is the place I live; even more important are the people I'm still coming to know who are shaping who I am. “But now that I am in love with a place that doesn't care how I look and if I am happy, happy is how I look and that's all.” *** Question: What is it about the place you live that has charmed and shaped you? *** Weathering ~  by Fleur Adcock "My face catches the wind from the snow line and flushes with a flush that will never wholly settle. Well, that was a metropolitan vanity, wanting to look young forever, to pass. I was never a pre-Raphaelite beauty and only pretty enough to be seen with a man who wanted to be seen with a passable woman. But now that I am in love with a place that doesn't care how I look and if I am happy, happy is how I look and that's all. My hair will grow grey in any case, my nails chip and flake, my waist thicken, and the years work all their usual changes. If my face is to be weather beaten as well, it's little enough lost for a year among the lakes and vales where simply to look out my window at the high pass makes me indifferent to mirrors and to what my soul may wear over its new complexion." You're invited: “Come for the stories - stay for the magic!” Speaking of magic, subscribe & spread this episode  with a generous 5-star review & comment—it helps us all—& join us next time! AND!  Stop by my Quarter Moon Story Arts website during reconstruction, email me [info@quartermoonstoryarts.net] to arrange a no-obligation Discovery Call, and stay current with me as Quarter Moon Story Arts on Substack. Stories From Women Who Walk Production Team Podcaster: Diane F Wyzga & Quarter Moon Story Arts Music: Mer's Waltz from Crossing the Waters by Steve Schuch & Night Heron Music ALL content and image © 2019 to Present Quarter Moon Story Arts. All rights reserved. Enjoy my work? Share & attribute it to Diane Wyzga of Stories From Women Who Walk podcast with a link back to the original source.

What if creativity isn't reserved for painters, musicians, or writers? In this episode of ROOTED, I sit down with environmental artist and educator Elayna Toby Singer for a conversation about creativity, public art, nature, and the ways our surroundings shape how we experience the world. Elayna creates immersive installations and community-centered art that invite people to slow down, notice, and connect more deeply with the places they inhabit. Together, we explore how nature influences the creative process, why beauty and wonder matter, and how art can foster belonging, curiosity, and relationship. Whether you consider yourself creative or not, this conversation offers an invitation to see creativity less as a talent and more as a way of engaging with the world. In this episode, we discuss: • How nature informs Elayna's creative practice • Creativity as a way of paying attention • The role of public art in creating connection and belonging • Why slowing down helps us notice what has always been there • How curiosity can become a creative practice • What happens when we create experiences instead of simply creating things Connect with Elayna Toby Singer Website: https://elaynatobyart.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/2083126150/ Connect with Susan & ROOTED Website: www.rootedsoulliving.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susanmbailey/

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Emerald Legacy: Mei's Quest for Belonging Amidst the Peaks Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2026-07-29-22-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 在丽江的玉龙雪山，雪峰高耸入云，四周绿意盎然。En: In Lijiang, at the Yulong Snow Mountain, the snowy peaks tower into the clouds, surrounded by lush greenery.Zh: 薄雾缭绕，夏日的阳光透过白云，给大地洒下一片柔和的光辉。En: Thin mist shrouds the area, and sunlight filters through the white clouds, casting a gentle glow upon the earth.Zh: 梅是个年轻的姑娘，她对家族历史充满了好奇。En: Mei is a young woman, filled with curiosity about her family history.Zh: 虽然经常觉得与传统脱节，她暗自希望找到那份归属感。En: Although she often feels disconnected from tradition, she secretly hopes to find a sense of belonging.Zh: 有一天，梅和她的朋友李、郑一起出发去爬山。En: One day, Mei and her friends Li and Zheng set out to climb the mountain.Zh: 在一处古老的岩缝中，梅发现一个翠绿的玉坠。En: In an ancient rock crevice, Mei discovered an emerald-green jade pendant.Zh: 上面有一个古老的家族纹章，她的心顿时被好奇和激动填满。En: It bore an ancient family crest, and her heart was instantly filled with curiosity and excitement.Zh: 李是个迷信的人，她觉得这个玉坠可能带来厄运，提醒梅要小心。En: Li is a superstitious person, believing that this jade pendant might bring misfortune, and she warns Mei to be careful.Zh: 郑则不相信这些，他认为那不过是一块普通的玉石。En: Zheng, on the other hand, doesn't believe in such things and thinks it is just a common piece of jade.Zh: 梅不在意朋友的担心，她决定带着玉坠去找一位当地的历史学者。En: Mei doesn't mind her friends' concerns and decides to take the jade pendant to a local historian.Zh: 学者也许能揭示玉坠的秘密，帮助她更了解自己的家族。En: Perhaps the scholar can reveal the pendant's secrets and help her to better understand her family.Zh: 他们走在通往深山的小路上。En: They walked on a small path leading into the deep mountains.Zh: 突然，山脚传来一阵轰鸣，巨石崩落，形成了山体滑坡。En: Suddenly, a rumble came from the foot of the mountain, rocks crumbled, causing a landslide.Zh: 梅和朋友被困住，慌乱中，他们藏在了一块巨石后面。En: Mei and her friends were trapped, and in their panic, they took shelter behind a large boulder.Zh: 面对困境，梅努力镇定下来。En: Faced with adversity, Mei tried to calm herself.Zh: 她闭上眼睛，回忆起祖父曾讲述的，关于如何在山中保持冷静和智慧。En: She closed her eyes, recalling her grandfather's tales of how to stay calm and wise in the mountains.Zh: 梅握紧了玉坠，用它给自己力量。En: She held the jade pendant tightly, drawing strength from it.Zh: 终于，震动停息了，En: Finally, the tremors ceased.Zh: 李、郑用树枝和碎石拼出了一条路径，三人最终逃出生天。En: Li and Zheng used branches and debris to piece together a path, and the three of them eventually escaped to safety.Zh: 当他们找到哪位历史学者，梅满怀期待地把玉坠递上。En: When they found the historian, Mei handed over the jade pendant with anticipation.Zh: 学者仔细端详，微笑着确认，这正是梅家祖先世代相传的信物。En: The scholar examined it carefully and, smiling, confirmed it was indeed the heirloom passed down through generations of Mei's family.Zh: 梅得到了她一直渴求的答案，那一刻，她对自己的身份不再感到疑惑。En: Mei got the answers she had always sought, and in that moment, she no longer felt confused about her identity.Zh: 她感受到了来自祖先的温暖，朋友间的情谊也因为这次冒险而更为深厚。En: She felt the warmth of her ancestors, and the friendship with her companions was deepened through this adventure.Zh: 梅站在雪山下，望向远方的雪峰，心中生出无限的自信和骄傲。En: Standing at the foot of the snow-capped mountain, looking towards the distant peaks, Mei felt a surge of confidence and pride.Zh: 她找到了属于她的那份归属感，也找到了与朋友的新联结。En: She had found her sense of belonging and forged a new bond with her friends.Zh: 从那时起，梅再也不觉得孤单。En: From that moment on, she never felt alone again.Zh: 雪山见证了她的成长，翠绿的玉坠将她和过去紧紧相连。En: The snow mountain bore witness to her growth, and the emerald jade pendant tightly connected her to the past. Vocabulary Words:tower: 高耸lush: 盎然shrouds: 缭绕disconnected: 脱节secretly: 暗自crevice: 岩缝crest: 纹章superstitious: 迷信misfortune: 厄运heirloom: 信物adversity: 困境tremors: 震动debris: 碎石ancestors: 祖先confused: 疑惑surge: 生出witness: 见证excitement: 激动path: 路径boulder: 巨石identity: 身份confidence: 自信pride: 骄傲curiosity: 好奇tightly: 紧紧escape: 逃出生天anticipation: 期待discovery: 发现gently: 柔和wisdom: 智慧

Over the last twelve episodes, we've had conversations about growth, belonging, and healthy rhythms with leaders from a wide variety of creative backgrounds. While every guest brought a unique perspective, we kept hearing the same themes come up again and again. In this solo episode, join Jason Squires as he steps back to reflect on what we've learned together. We'll talk about why talent alone isn't enough, how healthy cultures are built, why belonging matters more than performance, and how the rhythms we choose today shape the leaders we become tomorrow. If you've missed a few episodes, this is a great place to catch up. We want to encourage you to go back and listen to episodes you've missed. If you've been listening all along, we hope this conversation helps connect the dots and encourages you to keep growing, create places where people belong, and build a life that's sustainable for the long haul.

What if your next dental conference made space for every voice regardless of what's in your cup or your tech know-how? This episode dives into the real stories and innovative ideas behind building meaningful community, whether you're leading from the front or finding your own lane as an “intrapreneur.” Anne Duffy sits down with Laura Nelson, VP of AI Training and Development at Mango Voice and founder of both Front Office Rocks and Sober Life Rocks. Together, they unpack why connection is a game-changer for dental professionals, what inspired the movement toward normalized sober choices at industry events, and how DeW is creating space for all women. Laura shares her path from grassroots leadership to creating practical, non-judgmental resources that help bridge the AI learning gap, plus her mission to ensure no one feels left out at conferences. You'll also hear practical mindset shifts for showing up, asking for help, and letting your network support you, no matter where you are in your career. What You'll Learn in This Episode: How DeW (Dental Entrepreneur Woman) cultivates opportunity through connection Why visible sober choices can transform professional events and relationships Steps you can take, as a leader or team member, to show up authentically How Sober Life Rocks is improving belonging and conversation in dentistry Fresh approaches to integrating AI into your dental practice The importance of practical, judgment-free AI training and where to begin Real-life stories of leading through uncertainty and embracing community support How to rethink networking so that everyone feels included Courageous lessons on asking for help and building your own support system Listen now for stories and advice that will help you lead, connect, and grow in dentistry and beyond. Learn More About Laura Nelson Here! Brush Up on AI Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/brushuponai Sober Life Rocks: https://soberliferocks.com/ Front Office Rocks: https://frontofficerocks.com/ Laura's Book "Brush Up On AI": https://a.co/d/01EWopqK Ready to be part of a movement of women shaping the future of dentistry? Join Dental Entrepreneur Woman for masterminds, education, exclusive events, and a supportive community designed to help you grow, lead, and leave your mark on the industry. Become a member at: https://dew.life/membership/ Mentions & Links: Events: The DeW Life Retreat Tools: Gallup CliftonStrengths (2.0) Organizations: Mango Voice People: Margie Schaller Brandi Marzolino Kristie Boltz Tarryn MacCarthy Victoria Peterson

John D. Rockefeller became the richest man the world had ever known by thinking differently about business, competition, and family.  This episode isn't just the story of Standard Oil. It's about the principles that built one of history's greatest business empires and what they can teach us today.  Along the way, you'll see the rise of Standard Oil, the public backlash that made Rockefeller America's most hated businessman, the breakup of his company, and the philanthropic legacy that continues to shape the world today. Enjoy! ------ Chapters: (00:00) The Making of John D. Rockefeller (04:56) The Search for Belonging (07:33) Business Lessons From his Mother (10:54) The Unlikely Lessons he Learned from His Father (15:09) When Rockefeller Decided to Get Rich (17:50) The Relentless Job Search (21:21) Learning How to Run a Business (29:49) The Power of a Good Reputation (34:57) The American Oil Boom (36:34) Rockefeller's Biggest Early Bet (43:28) Rockefeller and Henry Flagler (46:21) The One-Drop Difference (49:22) Building Standard Oil's Partnership (53:06) How Rockefeller Used Leverage (56:43) From Competition to Cooperation (01:00:43) Why America Turned on Rockefeller (01:08:54) The Cleveland Massacre (01:17:41) Rockefeller's Private Family Life (01:25:45) Rockefeller and the Panic of 1873 (01:29:39) A Private Life, A Public Empire (01:32:50) Standard Oil's Pipeline War (01:38:40) Creating the Standard Oil Trust (01:42:37) The Fortress on Broadway (01:48:07) The Backlash Against Standard Oil (01:54:33) Ida Tarbell Takes On Rockefeller (02:02:00) Rockefeller's Failed Media Strategy (02:14:31) How Standard Oil Stayed One Step Ahead (02:16:06) Breaking Up Standard Oil Made Him Richer (02:19:40) Why Rockefeller Gave It All Away (02:26:28) The Weight of the Rockefeller Name (02:28:52) Rockefeller's Hardest Goodbye (02:34:22) Why Rockefeller Gave Away Dimes (02:38:46) The Richest Man Couldn't Buy Time (02:41:41) John D. Rockefeller's Legacy ------ Newsletter: The Brain Food newsletter delivers actionable insights and thoughtful ideas every Sunday. It takes 5 minutes to read, and it's completely free. Learn more and sign up at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fs.blog/newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ------ Follow Shane Parrish: X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/shaneparrish⁠ Insta: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/farnamstreet/⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/shane-parrish-050a2183/⁠ ------ Thank you to the sponsors for this episode: +CoinShares: Delivering Reason to Digital Asset Investing. ⁠https://coinshares.com/⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

About this episode: Somewhere along the way, "Manifestors are lone wolves" became one of the most repeated statements in Human Design. But... is it actually true? After six years of experimenting with my own design as a Manifestor, I've found myself questioning some of the narratives we so casually accept as fact - especially when we are new in our Manifestor Journey and want to find out more about our type. While I absolutely recognise our need for freedom, space and solitude, I don't believe that automatically means we're meant to walk through life alone. In this episode, I'm sharing some of the quotes I found while researching this topic (props to my Line 1 being tickled), the questions and doubts they sparked in me, and why my own experience with isolation completely shifted how I think about Belonging as a Manifestor. This isn't an episode about proving anyone (or anyone's theory) wrong. It's rather n invitation to look beyond the labels, make room for nuance, and come back to our own experience. Because I don't want to ask whether I am a Lone Wolf. I want to ask: Where do I truly belong? Resources mentioned & places where you could find Community at TMC: Incubator Calls: https://www.themanifestorcommunity.com/incubatorcall Manifestor Telegram Lounges (Community + Support Department): https://www.themanifestorcommunity.com/shop Manifestor Network private Facebook Group: upon purchase of any product in the shop More about Caro: 1/3 emotional Manifestor. Virtual Assistant, Social Media Manager & Community Manager for The Manifestor Community Connect with Caro on IG: @carolin.rupp -- Start Here: If you're unsure where you are in your Manifestor journey, begin with our quiz: Where Are You in Your Manifestor Journey? Discover whether you're in a Discovering, Healing, or Leading phase — and the resources that support your current season as a Manifestor.

In this episode of JOY over Happiness, Dr. Jon Eckert talks with Regan Davis, middle school teacher at Langley Christian School, Baylor M.A. in School Leadership student, and one of the educators featured in The Happiness Crisis, about why belonging and healthy status are so important during the middle school years. Through Langley's four-day sailing trip, Regan shares how experiences outside the classroom can help students build confidence, strengthen friendships, and see themselves in new ways.This conversation explores practical ways schools can foster belonging without lowering expectations. Regan explains why students need more than comfort and convenience. They need opportunities to take risks, contribute to their community, and discover what they're capable of.Mentioned:The Happiness Crisis by Jon Eckert10 to 25: The Science of Motivating Young People by David YeagerThe Anxious Generation by Jonathan HaidtHow to Know a Person by David BrooksConnect with us:Center for School Leadership at Baylor UniversityLinkedInBaylor MA in School Leadership

What do you do when life doesn't turn out the way you expected?You thought you'd be further along by now.You thought the relationship would last.You thought the diagnosis wouldn't come.You thought the job was secure.And then the storm hit.In Acts 27–28, the apostle Paul is on his way to Rome—confident in a promise God had already spoken over his life. But before he reaches his destination, he faces a violent storm that tears apart the ship, disrupts the journey, and threatens every life on board.Yet what looked like disaster became a platform for God's purpose.In Shipwrecked, we'll discover that storms are often unexpected—but never outside of God's control. What feels like a delay may actually be divine positioning. What looks like a detour may be preparation for something greater.Because the storm may change your plans—but it does not change God's purpose.At Discover Church, we exist to see our city changed by Jesus, one life at a time, by helping people discover LIFE in Christ, BELONGING in Community & PURPOSE in God's Calling on their life so that they can MAKE A DIFFERENCE.-You can join us live on Sunday mornings at 9:00 or 11:00 am, either in person or online! Visit www.discoverchurchkc.com for more information!

What does it mean to belong to the body of Christ? Belonging to the body of Christ means that every believer is part of God's family and has a unique place in His church. Christians are not meant to live the Christian life alone. God wants us to grow through the teaching of His Word, encourage one another, and use our gifts to serve others with love, grace, and truth. As we look forward to Christ's return, we should live with eternal priorities, faithfully serving Him and pointing others to Him every day.

In Episode 525 of Fishing Without Bait, Jim Ellermeyer welcomes Vic Costik for Part 1 of a conversation about community, authenticity, connection, and finding the courage to become more fully yourself. Vic is a designer, community advocate, and the creator of New Rust, a podcast exploring Pittsburgh's transformation through the individual stories of people doing interesting things throughout the city. Growing up surrounded by the enormous crowds of New York City, Vic expected proximity to people to create connection. Instead, it was moving to Pittsburgh that showed him what community could truly feel like. Vic talks with Jim about discovering Pittsburgh's LGBTQ community, building a found family, participating in the city's creative and wonderfully unusual spaces, and realizing how helping others can create a support network in return. From jam nights and local zines to simply meeting people doing something they care about, Vic explains why Pittsburgh's smaller communities became so important to him. The conversation also explores judgment, curiosity, and what can happen when we approach unfamiliar experiences with a willingness to listen instead of immediately forming conclusions. Vic shares stories of talking with coworkers who had little or no previous experience with transgender people and choosing conversation as an opportunity to create understanding. Vic also reflects candidly on his own journey toward authenticity. He discusses growing up without the language to understand what he was experiencing, repressing parts of himself, getting married to his high school sweetheart, and eventually recognizing that the life he was living did not feel like his own. As Vic puts it, transitioning allowed him to “meet myself for the 1st time.” What followed was more than a change in identity. Vic discovered a version of himself who loves being around people, participating in his community, sharing ideas, and embracing the wonderfully weird interests that make each person unique. This is Part 1 of our conversation with Vic Costik. The conversation continues in the next episode of Fishing Without Bait. Learn more about Vic's New Rust podcast at NewRustPodcast.com. Continue Your Fishing Without Bait Journey Subscribe to Fishing Without Bait on your favorite podcast player so you never miss an episode. Support the show on Patreon and receive ad-free episodes: https://www.patreon.com/c/fishingwithoutbait Pick up “Learn to Fish Without Bait: A 365-Day Mindfulness Journal and Adult Coloring Book”: https://www.lulu.com/shop/james-ellermeyer-lpc-ma-ncc-lpc/learn-to-fish-without-bait/paperback/product-6n9rd8.html?page=1&pageSize=4

Have you ever made a decision that, on reflection, made no sense? Stayed in a job you hated, a relationship that was wrong, a group that did not value you? And wondered why you could not just leave? The answer is not weakness. The answer is biology. We are wired to belong. Not as a preference, not as a personality trait, but as a survival imperative. And when that wiring is running quietly in the background, it shapes far more of our lives than we realise. In this Moment of Awe, we explore what the science reveals about belonging, why the pull to fit in is so powerful, and three ways to begin cultivating the kind of belonging that fills you rather than depletes you. The Hunger You Did Not Choose For most of human history, being cast out of your group meant death. Your nervous system has not forgotten that. It still treats rejection and exclusion as a physical threat, and it responds accordingly. This is not poetic language. Neuroscientist Matthew Lieberman, in his research at UCLA, found that the brain processes social rejection in the same region it processes physical pain. Being left out hurts, literally, in the same way a broken bone does. Psychologist Roy Baumeister found something similar from a different angle: the need to belong is one of the most fundamental human motivations, operating across cultures, ages and contexts. When that need goes unmet, people will go to extraordinary lengths to satisfy it, often at significant cost to themselves. I call this belonging hunger. It is the background drive that makes you shrink yourself to fit in. It keeps you in rooms that diminish you, because being in the room feels safer than being outside it. It makes you agree when you disagree, perform when you are exhausted, and betray your own values to avoid the terror of exclusion. And most people have no idea it is happening. That is what makes it so powerful. Belonging hunger does not announce itself. It simply distorts everything quietly: your choices, your relationships, the way you see yourself. Counterfeit Belonging and the Real Thing Here is the distinction that changes everything. Counterfeit belonging requires you to hide parts of yourself in order to be accepted. It feels like belonging from the outside. It looks like belonging on paper. But there is always a cost, and you pay it in the quiet exhaustion of maintaining a version of yourself that is not quite true. Genuine belonging is what happens when you are accepted because of who you actually are, not in spite of it. Brené Brown puts it perfectly: fitting in is the opposite of belonging. Fitting in requires you to change yourself. Belonging requires you to be yourself. Three Ways to Cultivate Genuine Belonging This is not a single dramatic act. It happens in small, honest moments. Here is where to begin: Audit where you currently belong. Look at the groups, relationships and environments in your life and ask honestly: do I feel safe to be myself here? If the answer is no, that is not belonging. That is performance. And performance is exhausting. Risk being seen in one relationship. Genuine belonging begins with one moment of authentic self-disclosure. Not a dramatic revelation, simply a real opinion, a real feeling, a real admission. Then notice what happens. The people who respond with warmth to your authenticity are the ones worth investing in. Build your belonging from the inside out. The most durable sense of belonging comes not from finding the right group, but from belonging to yourself first. When you are deeply connected to your own values, your own truth, your own sense of who you are, you carry belonging with you. No one can grant it, and no one can take it away. The Distance You Have Been Feeling So here is the invitation. What if the loneliness you have been feeling is not about the people around you, but about the distance between who you are with them and who you actually are? What if genuine belonging, the kind that actually fills you rather than depletes you, is available to you right now? Not when you find the right people or the right place, but when you stop hiding the person you already are. You were not made to fit in. You were made to belong. And belonging begins the moment you stop asking permission to be yourself. Because the more human we are with each other, the more we all rise. You can watch the video of this episode on YouTube. Newsletter: Catherine Plano for transformation. Instagram: @catherineplano for inspiration.

Where did Shia communities in Britain actually come from, and why has their history remained largely unrecorded?In this episode of Thinking Islam, we explore the untold history of Shia Muslim settlement in Britain with Dr Jaffer Mirza. Focusing on the period 1950 to 1980, Jaffer explains why he moved away from the three dominant lenses used to study Shia Islam in Britain — sectarianism, diaspora, and institutional history — arguing that each can obscure more than it reveals. Instead, he turns to ritual as a grassroots, micro-level framework for understanding how communities were actually built.We discuss what ritual is and why it matters for migration studies, and push back on whether a micro-level approach risks ignoring the wider political and structural forces at play. The conversation moves through the idea of "translocal" Shia practice — a third space shaped by both transnational connections and local British context — and uncovers the largely unrecorded role women played in founding Shia communities across cities like Birmingham, Glasgow, and Newport, often invisible in institutional archives. We also examine how geopolitical events, from the Iranian Revolution to Saddam Hussein's Iraq, shaped Shia visibility and self-censorship in Britain, and the challenges of doing oral history with a community whose memory is contested and gendered. The episode closes on the contested idea of "British Shia Islam" and where the field needs to go next.Dr Jaffer Mirza is a researcher whose work explores the history of Shia settlement in Britain, ritual, migration, community formation, and freedom of religion or belief. Drawing on oral history and fieldwork across nine British cities, his research brings overlooked voices and everyday practices into the study of Islam in Britain.Audio Chapters:0:00 – Highlights2:16 – From Karachi to Recovering Britain's Shia History6:22 – Beyond Sectarianism, Diaspora and Institutional History13:30 – What Is a Ritual?17:35 – Why Ritual Matters in Migration21:06 – Can Micro-History Ignore Power and Politics?26:46 – From Transnational to 'Translocal' Shia Practice30:15 – Women Built Britain's Early Shia Communities37:24 – How Geopolitics Made Shia Islam Visible42:49 – Gender, Fieldwork and the Limits of Oral History57:38 – Is There a 'British Shia Islam'?1:07:49 – Building the Future of Shia Communities

1 John 2:3-6 (NKJV) Now BY THIS we know that we know Him, IF WE KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS. 4, He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5, But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. 6, He who says he ABIDES in Him ought himself also to walk JUST AS HE WALKED. Knowing about Jesus is in no way the same as knowing Him.

Dolly Lalvani, a CPA and FEI Central Pennsylvania Chapter Leader, joins the FEI Podcast to share how a promise to her father shaped her path to the CPA license, why she treats mentorship as a two-way commitment rather than a transaction, and what active involvement in FEI Chapters, state boards, and NASBA has taught her about belonging to a profession. The conversation closes with her perspective on staying grounded and building relationships as AI reshapes the way financial leaders work.Special Guest: Dolly Lalvani.

A sermon by Pastor Chris Webster. More about Grace Bible Church: http://begrace.org

Preached 7-26-26 Rev. Zack Owens 1 Peter 2:9-10

We Ain't Dying For This | S3 E1 — For the Love of Black Women What does it mean to dream as a Black woman? In the Season 3 premiere, Crystle Johnson sits down with Rachel Z. Harris, founder of Black Woman Sanctuary and Ixchel Balam, for a conversation about what it takes to build a life on your own terms, and the spaces that make that possible. Rachel left behind so many careers and multiple lives when she moved to México. What she found on the other side was something she'd been reaching for all along: the freedom to step outside the white gaze and rediscover what she actually wants. In this episode, she and Crystle get honest about hypervisibility and invisibility at the same time, about the kind of underbelonging that lives outside the workplace, and about why rest and real life change, not just stress management, is the work in front of us. This is a conversation between two women building parallel ecosystems in the same city. Kinory is a global social dining community and belonging ecosystem for Black women. Black Woman Sanctuary is a place designed for restoration. Both rooted in the same belief: that Black women deserve spaces built for who we actually are. If you've been sitting on a dream, waiting for permission or proof, this one is for you. Connect with the ecosystems:

Even the most accomplished people—from fighter pilots and bestselling authors to entrepreneurs and comedians—struggle with imposter syndrome. In this solo episode, Travis Chappell shares one of the biggest recurring themes he's uncovered after interviewing more than 1,000 high performers. Drawing insights from guests like Michelle "Mace" Curran, Donald Miller, Michael Hyatt, Tanner Chidester, and Nikki Howard, Travis explores why self-doubt is universal, how confidence is actually built, and the practical steps anyone can take to stop imposter syndrome from holding them back. On this episode we talk about: Why imposter syndrome affects nearly every high achiever—even those at the top of their field How confidence is built through evidence and repeated action, not affirmations alone The difference between healthy self-doubt and overconfidence without experience Why focusing on hope instead of worry changes how you approach challenges A simple exercise for creating your own "stack of undeniable proof" to overcome self-doubt Top 3 Takeaways Confidence comes from accumulating evidence through action. Every challenge you overcome becomes proof that you can figure out the next one. Imposter syndrome isn't a sign that you don't belong—it's often a sign that you're growing into something new. Keep an "evidence file" of your accomplishments, wins, and moments of resilience to revisit whenever self-doubt starts creeping in. Notable Quotes "You don't build confidence by speaking affirmations in the mirror—you build a stack of undeniable proof that says you are who you say you are." "Imposter syndrome is not a personal weakness. It is a shared human condition." "Belonging followed the accumulation of the proof, not the other way around." Connect with Travis Chappell: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/travischappell/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/travischappell/ Other: https://travischappell.com A Word from Our Sponsors: - Visit DrinkAG1.com/TMM to get a free AG1 Travel Case with 7 free AG1Travel Packs in your Welcome Kit with your first AG1 subscription order while supplies last.  - Go to Leesa.com for 25% OFF select mattresses (through July 26, 2026) PLUS get an extra $50 off with promo code TMM, exclusive for my listeners  - To learn more about Mode Mobile and its investor community, go to https://invest.modemobile.com/travismakesmoney Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Send us Fan MailEvery once in a while I read a book that stays with me long after I've turned the final page. That's exactly what happened when I discovered Theo of Golden by Allen Levi. In fact, I was so moved that I immediately read it a second time - something I almost never do. The novel inspired two essays for my Substack, and in this episode I bring those reflections together. More than a book review, this is an invitation to consider the quiet power of kindness, empathy, hospitality, and grace - and why those virtues may be exactly what our divided world needs today.Substack #1 - Theo of Golden: A Paradigm Shift in an Era of Culture WarSubstack #2 - The Gospel According to Theo: Allen Levi is my kind of ChristianSupport the showBecome a Patron - Click on the link to learn how you can become a Patron of the show. Thank you!Ken's Substack PageThe Podcast Official Site: TheBeachedWhiteMale.com

Ryton Safari: Victory Conference 2026 // Experience the messages from Victory Conference 2026. Be stirred to share the Gospel and embrace the vision to Reach. Teach. Send.

Angela Macklin is a dedicated special education teacher and inclusive systems leader who played a pivotal role in transforming Cottage Lake Elementary School into a hub of inclusivity. Angela's expertise in Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and inclusive practices has now extended to the district-wide level in the North Shore School District, Washington. Her innovative approach is centered on fostering environments where every student can thrive, focusing on systemic change from the ground up. Sue Wright is an experienced kindergarten teacher at Cottage Lake Elementary, where she has taught for 15 years. She possesses firsthand knowledge of how segregated and inclusive practices impact students and faculty. Over the years, Sue has become a vital ally in implementing inclusive models at the school, working closely with Angela Macklin to break down barriers between general and special education. In this enlightening episode of Think Inclusive, host Tim Villegas engages with Angela Macklin and Sue Wright to uncover what happens when a school stops waiting for the ideal inclusive blueprint and takes matters into its own hands. At the heart of Cottage Lake Elementary's transformation lies a commitment to fostering inclusive educational spaces where every student is valued and no classrooms are segregated. Through their account, Angela and Sue provide insider insights into creating schools where each child truly belongs, recounting their journey of trial, error, and ultimate success. Complete show notes and transcript: https://mcie.org/think-inclusive/building-inclusive-schools-a-journey-of-transformation-and-belonging-with-angela-macklin-and-sue-wright/

  Today on Tamarindo, we're joined by photographer Yulissa Mendoza to explore their journey as a visual storyteller and the inspiration behind their intimate, community-centered work. Yulissa shares how they found their voice behind the camera, what draws them to document everyday moments, and how photography can preserve memory, culture, identity, and belonging. Through our conversation, we explore the power of representation, the beauty of slowing down to truly see one another, and why the stories found in our families and communities are worth preserving. Yulissa's Instagram is: @yu.lis.sa You can also find more of their work and portfolio on their official website: yulissamendoza.com Tamarindo is a lighthearted show hosted by Brenda Gonzalez and Delsy Sandoval. talking about politics, culture, and self-development. We're here to uplift our community through powerful conversations with changemakers, creatives, and healers. Join us as we delve into discussions on race, gender, representation, and life! You can get in touch with us at www.tamarindopodcast.com. Brenda Gonzalez and Delsy Sandoval are executive producers of Tamarindo podcast with production support by Karina Riveroll of Sonoro Media. Jeff Ricards produced our theme song. If you want to support our work, please rate and review our show here. SUPPORT OUR SHOW Contribute to the show: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/tamarindopodcast1 Follow Tamarindo on instagram @tamarindopodcast and on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TamarindoPodcast   Tamarindo podcast is a Latina-hosted podcast that discuses Latine culture, politics, and personal-development. It is hosted by Brenda Gonzalez and Delsy Sandoval who are both based in Los Angeles. At the intersection of advocacy and self-care, we discuss culture from a progressive Latina lens including political issues, mental health and well-being, and personal development. Our guests are changemakers advancing justice, culture-makers breaking barriers, or healers including therapists and health practitioners promoting the wellbeing of Latinos.

Who can you encourage at church this week?In today's episode, we'll explore the deeper reasons behind why we gather as a community, moving beyond simply receiving to actively building each other up. The conversation focused on shifting from a consumer mindset to one of service, drawing inspiration from 1 Thessalonians 5:11 and the unique role each of us plays as part of the body of Christ.Let's step into this devotional together as we pray for open hearts and a spirit willing to encourage and strengthen those around us each Sunday.Tap HERE to send us a text! BECOME A FOUNDING "MY MORNING DEVOTIONAL" MEMBERIf you enjoy your 5 minute daily dose of heaven, we would appreciate your support, and we have a fun way for you to partner with the MMD community! We've launched our "Buy Me a Coffee" membership where you can buy us a latte, OR become a founding member and get monthly bonus video episodes! To donate, go to mymorningdevo.co/join! Support the showNEW VIDEO EPISODES! You can watch our new video episodes on YouTube! Watch Our Video DevotionalsNEW TO MY MORNING DEVOTIONAL? We're so glad you're here! We're the Alessis, a ministry family working together in a church in Miami, FL, and we're so blessed to partner with the My Morning Devotional community and continue the great work done by the show's creator and our friend, Alison Delamota.We pray our personal reflections and devotions will empower you to grow your faith in God, and that you'll join us every morning in prayer! JOIN THE MMD COMMUNITYSubscribe to the show on this appShare with a friendJoin our newsletter Follow Us on ⁠Instagram⁠ and ⁠Facebook⁠⁠Leave a reviewMORE PODCASTS YOU'LL ENJOYEnjoy more podcasts from Metro Life Studios, including:The Family Business with The AlessisMen's Morning DevotionalThe Mary and Martha Show Available on our Metro Life Studios app!Get The Metro Life Studios app 

Why was there almost no emphasis on "church growth" before the 1970s, and how does the fixation on it for the last 40 years correspond with the American economy? Skye talks with Andrew Root about his new book, "Baal and the Gods of More," about the link between the modern church growth movement and ancient pagan fertility gods. A new report by Ryan Burge says that for decades those who left the church were turned off by partisan politics and the religious right, but that trend might be changing. Also this week, Brazil blames its poor performance in the World Cup on evangelicals, European evangelicals issue a statement, and an old theory about early Christianity and psychedelic mushrooms is back.   Holy Post Plus: Ad-Free Version of this Episode: https://holypost.substack.com/p/730-the-idolatry-of-church-growth?r=35kf51&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&triedRedirect=true   Bonus Interview with Andrew Root: https://holypost.substack.com/p/why-churches-cant-stop-chasing-growth?r=35kf51&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&triedRedirect=true   0:00 - Show Starts   4:07 - Theme Song   4:30 - Sponsor - AG1 - Heavily researched, thoroughly purity-tested, and filled with stuff you need. Get the AG1 $76 Welcome Pack for free when you order from https://www.drinkag1.com/HOLYPOST   6:01 - Sponsor - BetterHelp - This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://www.betterhelp.com/HOLYPOST and get 10% off your first month!   7:03 - Was Jesus a Mushroom?   12:52 - Brazil Blames Evangelicals for Soccer Failure?   21:40 - Sponsor - Tyndale -  To celebrate the NLT's 30th anniversary, Use code CURIOUS30 to receive 30% off any NLT Bible! https://tyndale.com   22:44 - Sponsor - Access Forge - Go to https://www.accessible.faith/ to unlock the first two Belonging by Design lessons and use promo code HOLYPOST to get $200 off the full program   23:47 - Sponsor - Feeding America - Feeding America, led by neighbors! Give now to end hunger at https://www.feedingamerica.org   24:20 - European Evangelicals   49:38 - Interview   54:32- Fertility Gods   1:02:09 - Capitalism and False Gods   1:18:26 - The Rise and Fall of American Growth   1:31:52 - End Credits   Links Mentioned in News Segment: Popular Science Posits Jesus was a Psychedelic Mushroom: https://www.popularmechanics.com/culture/a69061008/god-sacred-mushroom-christianity-debate/   Did Evangelicals Ruin Brazil's Soccer Performance? https://religionnews.com/2026/07/17/some-world-cup-fans-are-blaming-brazils-loss-on-evangelicals/?utm_medium=social   European Evangelicals Differentiate from American Evangelicals: https://religionunplugged.com/news/european-evangelicals-draw-a-clear-distinction-from-their-american-counterparts?utm_source=flipboard&utm_content=topic/christianity   Other Resources: Baal and the Gods of More: Rescuing Church Growth from Idolatry (A Theological Critique of Modern Ministry Metrics and Success-Driven Strategies) by Andrew Root: https://a.co/d/0c0ijKLw   Holy Post website: https://www.holypost.com/   Holy Post Plus: www.holypost.com/plus   Holy Post Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/holypost   Holy Post Merch Store: https://www.holypost.com/shop   The Holy Post is supported by our listeners. We may earn affiliate commissions through links listed here. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.