Podcasts about Belonging

Over the last thirty years, Latin America has undergone an unprecedented wave of reparations targeting victims of political violence during military regimes, Indigenous and Afro-Latin groups affected by historical processes of dispossession, and citizens suffering from environmental harm. Reparations prompt us to face uncomfortable pasts and in so doing, create conditions for imagination of multiple futures. In representing the experiences and hopes of those affected by political violence in El Salvador and Argentina, environmental harm in Guatemala and Peru, and colonial dispossession in Chile and Bolivia, reparations are built upon conflictive forms of future imagination, translation of harm and new forms of belonging to and beyond the nation state, which reifies as much as challenges state authority over the promises of actual repair. In today's Latin American political debate, hopes for justice and democracy remain anchored to the question of the kinds of future that can be imagined through and after reparation. Piergiorgio Di Giminiani, Helene Risør, and Karine Vanthuyne discuss their edited volume, The Futures of Reparations in Latin America: Imagination, Translation, and Belonging (Rutgers UP, 2026) Piergiorgio Di Giminiani is an associate professor in anthropology at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. He is the aut0hor of Sentient Lands: Indigeneity, Property, and Political Imagination in Neoliberal Chile and co-editor of Theorizing Relations in Indigenous South America. Helene Risør is a teaching associate professor in anthropology and visiting research fellow at Copenhagen University. Professor Risør is also a senior researcher at the Millennium Institute for Research on Violence and Democracy based in Chile. Professor Karine Vanthuyne is professor in Anthropology at the University of Ottawa. Professor Vanthuyne is the author of La presence d'un passé de violences: mémoires et identités autochtones dans le Guatemala postgénocide, as well as co-editor of Power through Testimony: Residential schools in the age of reconciliation in Canada. Shodona Kettle is a PhD candidate at the Institute of the Americas, University College London. Her research explores demands for reparations in Latin America and the Caribbean. Website here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/latin-american-studies

Over the last thirty years, Latin America has undergone an unprecedented wave of reparations targeting victims of political violence during military regimes, Indigenous and Afro-Latin groups affected by historical processes of dispossession, and citizens suffering from environmental harm. Reparations prompt us to face uncomfortable pasts and in so doing, create conditions for imagination of multiple futures. In representing the experiences and hopes of those affected by political violence in El Salvador and Argentina, environmental harm in Guatemala and Peru, and colonial dispossession in Chile and Bolivia, reparations are built upon conflictive forms of future imagination, translation of harm and new forms of belonging to and beyond the nation state, which reifies as much as challenges state authority over the promises of actual repair. In today's Latin American political debate, hopes for justice and democracy remain anchored to the question of the kinds of future that can be imagined through and after reparation. Piergiorgio Di Giminiani, Helene Risør, and Karine Vanthuyne discuss their edited volume, The Futures of Reparations in Latin America: Imagination, Translation, and Belonging (Rutgers UP, 2026) Piergiorgio Di Giminiani is an associate professor in anthropology at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. He is the aut0hor of Sentient Lands: Indigeneity, Property, and Political Imagination in Neoliberal Chile and co-editor of Theorizing Relations in Indigenous South America. Helene Risør is a teaching associate professor in anthropology and visiting research fellow at Copenhagen University. Professor Risør is also a senior researcher at the Millennium Institute for Research on Violence and Democracy based in Chile. Professor Karine Vanthuyne is professor in Anthropology at the University of Ottawa. Professor Vanthuyne is the author of La presence d'un passé de violences: mémoires et identités autochtones dans le Guatemala postgénocide, as well as co-editor of Power through Testimony: Residential schools in the age of reconciliation in Canada. Shodona Kettle is a PhD candidate at the Institute of the Americas, University College London. Her research explores demands for reparations in Latin America and the Caribbean. Website here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/political-science

Over the last thirty years, Latin America has undergone an unprecedented wave of reparations targeting victims of political violence during military regimes, Indigenous and Afro-Latin groups affected by historical processes of dispossession, and citizens suffering from environmental harm. Reparations prompt us to face uncomfortable pasts and in so doing, create conditions for imagination of multiple futures. In representing the experiences and hopes of those affected by political violence in El Salvador and Argentina, environmental harm in Guatemala and Peru, and colonial dispossession in Chile and Bolivia, reparations are built upon conflictive forms of future imagination, translation of harm and new forms of belonging to and beyond the nation state, which reifies as much as challenges state authority over the promises of actual repair. In today's Latin American political debate, hopes for justice and democracy remain anchored to the question of the kinds of future that can be imagined through and after reparation. Piergiorgio Di Giminiani, Helene Risør, and Karine Vanthuyne discuss their edited volume, The Futures of Reparations in Latin America: Imagination, Translation, and Belonging (Rutgers UP, 2026) Piergiorgio Di Giminiani is an associate professor in anthropology at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. He is the aut0hor of Sentient Lands: Indigeneity, Property, and Political Imagination in Neoliberal Chile and co-editor of Theorizing Relations in Indigenous South America. Helene Risør is a teaching associate professor in anthropology and visiting research fellow at Copenhagen University. Professor Risør is also a senior researcher at the Millennium Institute for Research on Violence and Democracy based in Chile. Professor Karine Vanthuyne is professor in Anthropology at the University of Ottawa. Professor Vanthuyne is the author of La presence d'un passé de violences: mémoires et identités autochtones dans le Guatemala postgénocide, as well as co-editor of Power through Testimony: Residential schools in the age of reconciliation in Canada. Shodona Kettle is a PhD candidate at the Institute of the Americas, University College London. Her research explores demands for reparations in Latin America and the Caribbean. Website here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/critical-theory

Over the last thirty years, Latin America has undergone an unprecedented wave of reparations targeting victims of political violence during military regimes, Indigenous and Afro-Latin groups affected by historical processes of dispossession, and citizens suffering from environmental harm. Reparations prompt us to face uncomfortable pasts and in so doing, create conditions for imagination of multiple futures. In representing the experiences and hopes of those affected by political violence in El Salvador and Argentina, environmental harm in Guatemala and Peru, and colonial dispossession in Chile and Bolivia, reparations are built upon conflictive forms of future imagination, translation of harm and new forms of belonging to and beyond the nation state, which reifies as much as challenges state authority over the promises of actual repair. In today's Latin American political debate, hopes for justice and democracy remain anchored to the question of the kinds of future that can be imagined through and after reparation. Piergiorgio Di Giminiani, Helene Risør, and Karine Vanthuyne discuss their edited volume, The Futures of Reparations in Latin America: Imagination, Translation, and Belonging (Rutgers UP, 2026) Piergiorgio Di Giminiani is an associate professor in anthropology at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. He is the aut0hor of Sentient Lands: Indigeneity, Property, and Political Imagination in Neoliberal Chile and co-editor of Theorizing Relations in Indigenous South America. Helene Risør is a teaching associate professor in anthropology and visiting research fellow at Copenhagen University. Professor Risør is also a senior researcher at the Millennium Institute for Research on Violence and Democracy based in Chile. Professor Karine Vanthuyne is professor in Anthropology at the University of Ottawa. Professor Vanthuyne is the author of La presence d'un passé de violences: mémoires et identités autochtones dans le Guatemala postgénocide, as well as co-editor of Power through Testimony: Residential schools in the age of reconciliation in Canada. Shodona Kettle is a PhD candidate at the Institute of the Americas, University College London. Her research explores demands for reparations in Latin America and the Caribbean. Website here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/anthropology

Sebastian Junger is an award-winning journalist, a New York Times bestselling author, and an Academy Award–nominated filmmaker. Regular listeners are surely familiar with his work, as I've mentioned his books a ridiculous number of times on this podcast over the years—especially his book "Tribe," which has had a lasting influence on how I think about community, purpose, and the kinds of experiences that give people meaning. So for Episode 300, I was excited to sit down with Sebastian for a real, in-person conversation. Sebastian is the author of "The Perfect Storm," "War," "Tribe," "Freedom," and most recently "In My Time of Dying," and he's spent decades reporting from war zones and writing about how humans behave under extreme pressure. In this conversation, we start with his early experience with NOLS and use that as a jumping-off point to explore a theme that runs through much of his work: why small groups facing real adversity create such strong bonds, and why those experiences often feel more meaningful than anything in modern, comfortable life. From there, we get into boxing, jiu-jitsu, and the idea that environments with real consequences tend to strip away status and surface-level differences, leaving people to be judged on effort, character, and how they show up for others. We also spend a good amount of time on his recent powerful book, "In My Time of Dying"—including the near-death experience that led to it, how he processed it afterward, and what it changed about how he thinks about fear, mortality, and what actually matters in life. We talk about parenting, contentment versus happiness, and how different phases of life demand different kinds of attention and energy. And toward the end, we get into writing, his new Substack project (that I highly recommend), smartphones, and why he's chosen to opt out of many versions of modern technology, including social media. This one covers a lot of ground, but it all ties back to a few core questions: what makes a life feel meaningful, what we lose when things get too easy, and how to stay connected to the people around us. We recorded this in Aspen, the morning before Sebastian was scheduled to speak at the Aspen Institute, and I'm grateful he took the time to do it—especially on a such a busy day. As always, check out the episode notes for a full list of topics and links to everything we discuss. Thanks for listening, I hope you enjoy! --- Sebastian Junger In My Time of Dying Sebastian's new Substack Full episode notes and links: https://mountainandprairie.com/sebastian-junger --- THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS: Mountain & Prairie is listener supported via Patreon, and brought to you with support from the Central Grasslands Roadmap, The Nature Conservancy in Colorado, North Bridger Bison, and the Old Salt Co-op for their generous sponsorship. --- TOPICS DISCUSSED: 0:00 - Intro + thank you to our sponsors 6:54 - Introducing Sebastian Junger, another NOLS grad 11:33 - A sense of duty 14:22 - The melting pot of a boxing gym 17:29 - Developing toughness 20:29 - Happiness vs. contentment 26:46 - A nice, summer day on Cape Cod 33:08 - The loneliest moment of Sebastian's life 37:46 - Processing the whole experience 40:57 - No blessing without blood 43:46 - Can't hide from death 46:54 - Being in the moment (benefit of a flip phone) 53:15 - Sebastian on Substack 1:00:09 - Dealing with the angry internet 1:02:05 - A different type of book rec segment 1:04:21 - What's new and next for Sebastian --- ABOUT MOUNTAIN & PRAIRIE: Mountain & Prairie - All Episodes Mountain & Prairie Shop Mountain & Prairie on Instagram Upcoming Events About Ed Roberson Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts

We start with locker room jokes… and end with one of the most powerful conversations we've had. This week on The RE—CAP Show, Tobin and Christen sit down with Prisca Chilufya — Zambian international, Copper Queen, and rising star at Angel City FC. The conversation spans all topics, from calling out Christen's very quiet locker room presence to identity, inclusion, and what it actually feels like to navigate the women's game when the spotlight isn't always kind—and why the support inside this community matters more than anything outside it. Plus: Bob's athletic future, reading era confessions, and Tobin's strategy to beating Christen at board games. New episodes every week. Watch the video version of the show on YouTube. Sign up for our newsletter, The RE—SET:  https://re-website.com/pages/newsletter Follow RE: https://www.instagram.com/re__inc/ https://www.tiktok.com/@re__inc https://twitter.com/re__inc https://www.threads.net/@re__inc   Follow Tobin: https://www.instagram.com/tobinheath https://twitter.com/TobinHeath   Follow Christen: https://www.instagram.com/christenpress https://twitter.com/ChristenPress 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

In this podcast episode, Dr. Jonathan H. Westover talks with Alida Miranda-Wolff about leaders' role in promoting and supporting inclusion and belonging.Alida Miranda-Wolff is a diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) practitioner committed to teaching love and cultivating belonging. She is an Amazon-bestselling author of two books with HarperCollins Leadership, Cultures of Belonging: Building Inclusive Organizations That Last (February 2022) and The First-Time Manager: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (May 2024). She is principal at SR4 Partners, a full-service DEIB and employee advocacy firm, which serves hundreds of clients across the world. She hosts Care Work with Alida Miranda-Wolff, a podcast about what it means to offer care for a living. In 2021, Alida received The University of Chicago's Early Career Achievement Award. She is a graduate of The University of Chicago and holds certificates from the School of the Art Institute (graphic design) and Georgetown University (DEI). She lives in Chicago with her partner, toddler, rabbits, and cats. When she's not working, reading, writing, or parenting, Alida is wild gardening, interior designing, and falling down research rabbit holes.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“The Name on the Bottom of My Foot”     Do you feel like you belong? That's the question I want to start with today. Because if you're an amputee, or walking alongside someone who is, you've probably felt that quiet, unsettling shift… that moment where life no longer feels like it fits the way it used to. Welcome back to BAWarrior Podcast, a space for resilience, healing, and living life amplified exactly as you are. I'm your host, Angie Heuser, and I'm walking this journey right alongside you as an above-knee amputee. This past week, I did something playful… but it turned into something deeply meaningful. I was outside, barefoot in the Arizona warmth, and I had my prosthetic off because I was using my running blade. And for whatever reason, I grabbed a marker and wrote the name “Andy” on the bottom of my prosthetic foot. If you're a Toy Story fan, you already know the reference. Andy writes his name on the bottom of Woody's boot, and later Buzz's foot, as a symbol of belonging. It means those toys have a place. They matter. They are part of something bigger.     And as soon as I wrote it… it hit me. Isn't that exactly what we're all searching for after limb loss? Because here's the truth, amputation doesn't just change your body. It changes your identity. It changes how you see yourself, how you move through the world, and how the world sometimes responds to you. For me, seven years ago when I chose to amputate, it felt like I was on a train that suddenly switched tracks without warning. I wasn't going where I thought I would anymore. And the first real question became: Who am I now? Because I didn't feel like I belonged in my old life the same way. Yes, I was still a wife, a mom, an athlete, but I also stood out in ways I never had before. From wearing gym shoes everywhere because of my prosthetic limitations, to navigating how people perceived me, to questioning where I fit socially… it shook my confidence and my identity. And what I've learned through talking to so many amputees is this: The surgery isn't the hardest part. Learning to walk again isn't even the hardest part. The hardest part… is figuring out where you belong now. That's the piece no one really prepares you for. And that's where this idea of Andy's name became so powerful to me.     Because in Toy Story, those toys aren't afraid of being broken, they're afraid of being forgotten. Of not having a place. Of not belonging anymore. And isn't that what we feel sometimes too? But here's the shift. Here's where the warrior mindset comes in. Instead of asking, “Why did this happen to me?” I started asking, “What can I do with this?” That mindset changed everything. I began to see this journey not as an ending, but as a reinvention. I set goals. I pushed myself. I proved, to myself first, that I was still capable of living a full, meaningful life. And in that process, something bigger started to unfold. This podcast was born. Then the women's amputee chat group. Then stepping into research, working with incredible teams at MIT and Harvard, participating in studies, surgeries, and innovations to help move our community forward.   My Community, My friends who always have my back!   I found purpose. And I realized something important: Belonging doesn't come from going back to who you were. It comes from building who you are now. Our adversity creates our strength. Our identity evolves. Our scars tell our stories. And our community creates our belonging. That's why community matters so deeply. Because sometimes, you won't find belonging in the same places you used to. And that's okay. We outgrow spaces. People come and go. Life shifts. But there is a place for you. Your new “toy box,” if you will. A place where people understand you. Support you. See you, not in spite of your journey, but because of it. That's why I created the women's chats. Because I saw how many women were struggling with identity, friendships, relationships, confidence… all of it. And they needed a space where they could just be real. Because you don't have to do this alone.     So here's what I want you to do this week, your call to action. I want you to mark yourself. Not necessarily with a tattoo—but with something meaningful. A word. A symbol. Your name. A reminder. Put it somewhere you'll see it every day—your mirror, your prosthetic, your journal, your car. Something that tells you: I belong. I have purpose. I matter. For me, it was “Andy.” It made me smile. It brought me back to special, warm memories with my kids. It gave me a sense of lightness and meaning all at once. But yours can be whatever speaks to you. Because on the hard days, and they will come, you need something to ground you. Something to remind you that even though life looks different… You are still part of this story. You are not forgotten. You are not alone. You are not without purpose. You are evolving. You are growing. You are becoming. So find your new community. Find your purpose. And most importantly… Mark yourself in a way that reminds you—you still belong. You are warriors. You are strong. And I am so proud of how far you've come—and where you're going. Until next time… Be healthy, Be happy, Be YOU!!! Much Love,    

In this deeply moving conversation, Yolanda welcomes Michelle Madrid — author, speaker, and midlife coach for women — to Girl, Take the Lead!.As a former foster child in the UK and an international adoptee, Michelle has spent a lifetime opening pathways toward her truest sense of identity and purpose. Today, she supports women navigating what she calls midlife grief — the quiet, often hidden grief that appears as life shifts: children leaving home, changing bodies, evolving relationships, and the question many women ask in midlife:Who am I now?Michelle believes midlife grief isn't something to avoid or suppress. Instead, she describes it as:“Love colliding with change.”In this conversation, Yolanda and Michelle explore grief as a messenger — one that can guide us toward healing, identity, and reclaiming our voice.Michelle also shares the inspiration behind her powerful framework UNBOX, a process she created to help women unpack suppressed emotions and reconnect with their aliveness as they step into the next version of who they're here to be.This episode is both deeply personal and universally relatable — touching on adoptee identity, people-pleasing, trauma responses, and the courage it takes to live from our authentic voice.And it leaves us with a beautiful reminder:“The light around us is great… but the light within us is greater.”Timestamps00:00 – Welcome & Michelle's work supporting midlife women through hidden grief02:24 – Yolanda reflects on grief and joy as her daughter prepares to marry05:27 – Michelle's definition of midlife grief: when love collides with change09:18 – The hidden grief many adoptees carry and why emotions were often suppressed20:19 – Limiting beliefs and the moment Michelle realized the baggage of others was never hers to carry31:17 – From ache to action: the small steps that begin healing36:04 – A powerful affirmation: “The light around us is great, but the light within us is greater.”More About MichelleMichelle Madrid is an author, speaker, and midlife coach for women. She also hosts the new podcast: Most MyselfHer work focuses on helping women navigate midlife grief — the quiet grief that accompanies life transitions such as empty nesting, changing bodies, shifting relationships, and identity changes.Through her UNBOX framework, Michelle guides women in uncovering the emotions they've suppressed and reconnecting with their truth, voice, and next chapter.She is the author of:Let Us Be Greater — a book for any woman in midlife navigating identity, grief, and the adoptee experience.Michelle also hosts the podcast:Unboxed, Unburdened, UnstoppableComing in 2026!Michelle recently launched a free monthly online group gathering called Midlife, Together. She has also launched a 4-week 1:1 coaching experience guiding women through her proven Ache to Action formula. Look for more ways to connect and work with Michelle, coming in 2026. Visit her website to stay informed. Websitethemichellemadrid.comFree tools available on her website.Other ways to Connect with Michelle:Instagram@themichellemadridConnect with GTTL:Websitehttps://girltaketheleadpod.comJoin the Girl, Take the Lead! Facebook Group for deeper conversations and insights.Visit the Heartfelt Cards & Gifts Shophttps://girltaketheleadpod.com/shop

Lindsay Harper is the Manager of Belonging at the Marriott School of Business. She shares her journey from studying dance at BYU and starting a family to returning to BYU to get an MPA and work in the Marriott School of Business to promote belonging among students and faculty. She also shares her story of how God has led her through an unexpected but very fulfilling life journey. 

Fostering Belonging and Leading with Authenticity - Insights from Gina CasazzaIn this episode, Gina Casazza shares powerful lessons on leadership, belonging, and embracing failure as a growth tool. Her story highlights how authentic leadership can transform teams and personal fulfillment. Whether you're in a corporate setting or on a personal growth journey, Gina's insights provide a blueprint for creating environments where everyone feels seen and valued.Main topics covered:The reframe of failure as a lesson, not a flawHow belonging is about authenticity, not fitting inPractical steps to lead from the front and foster true belongingManaging emotions to make rational decisions under pressureThe importance of self-awareness in leadership and lifeHow to turn setbacks into opportunities for growthThe role of purpose and passion in aligning work with personal fulfillmentIn this episode:Gina shares her unconventional journey from Navy SEAL training to children's author and nonprofit founderThe importance of living out loud and taking risks without attachment to specific outcomesThe concept that success isn't solely financial but includes meaningful life experiencesThe significance of leading by example to foster an environment of trust and opennessPractical tips for managing emotions during high-stakes situations, including legal challenges and business setbacksThe power of intentional self-reflection and awareness in leadership developmentHow embracing vulnerability encourages boldness and innovation in teamsKeywords:Leadership, Belonging, Failure, Success, Personal Growth, Authenticity, Inclusion, Motivation, Self-Development, Empowerment leadership, emotional intelligence, team building, failure, growth, belonging, risk-taking, self-awarenessWATCH ON YOUTUBE!Chapters00:00 - Introduction and Gina's background in leadership and storytelling02:04 - Reframing failure as lessons for growth04:37 - The importance of emotional freedom and letting go of end states07:08 - Success beyond money: creating a life worth remembering10:01 - The story of writing her children's book in Joshua Tree12:19 - Belonging isn't about fitting in: embracing authenticity13:46 - Leadership lessons from Navy SEAL training15:35 - The making of Cosmo the alien and its message for belonging18:09 - Practical ways to foster belonging in organizations19:17 - Leading by example: managing emotions and self-awareness23:13 - The necessity of risk-taking and failing forward26:29 - Learning from emotional reactions and handling legal challenges33:16 - Strategies for staying rational under pressure34:41 - Final thoughts on growth, leadership, and authenticityResources & Links:Gina Casazza  – Connect with GinaGina's children's book about belonging and self-acceptance

Andrea D. Carter, organizational scientist and founder of Andrea Carter Consulting, joins The Manufacturing Employer to share how measurable belonging can transform manufacturing culture. Andrea discusses her Belonging First methodology and its five key indicators that drive trust, performance and retention. She explores the real costs of culture gaps, how leaders often miss hidden pockets of disengagement and practical steps for frontline supervisors to build strong teams. This episode shows why belonging is not a perk, but essential infrastructure for operational success.

Jade grew up knowing she was half Chinese, but without the language, family connection, or cultural context to understand what that really meant. In this deeply personal episode, she shares what it was like growing up mixed race in a mostly white community, carrying questions of identity, belonging, and cultural disconnection from an early age.Jade shares why learning Chinese became much more than a language goal. What began as a quiet lifelong pull eventually turned into something healing, empowering, and transformative during the pandemic, when she finally committed to learning Mandarin seriously. She describes how Chinese gave her a way to reconnect with herself, reshape her story, and discover a new sense of confidence.Jade's journey took her to Taiwan, where studying Mandarin brought both joyful breakthroughs and very real culture shock. From challenging start to the unexpected feeling of being seen as someone who might belong, Jade reflects on how language learning, identity, and personal growth became inseparable.This is an honest and moving conversation about mixed identity, heritage learning, and the powerful role language can play in helping us become more fully ourselves.Links from the episode:LengLengCoolJade | InstagramMandarin Companion Graded Readers

What can a cheetah and a rescue dog teach us about trust, friendship, and belonging? In this episode, Tricia Friedman sits down with bestselling author Jasmine Warga to talk about her newest book and the powerful themes at its heart: vulnerability, unlikely friendships, and the courage it takes to let someone truly see you. Inspired by a real program in zoos where rescue dogs are paired with anxious cheetahs, Warga's story explores how connection can help both animals—and humans—feel less alone. Through the voices of a cheetah and a dog, the book opens up conversations about anxiety, trust, identity, and the universal desire to belong. Together, Tricia and Jasmine explore how storytelling helps young readers navigate big emotions, why animals can sometimes say things humans cannot, and how asking questions—rather than providing answers—is often the most powerful way to write for young people. They also go behind the scenes of Warga's writing process, from messy notebooks and long walks to the surprising freedom of writing a "zero draft." This conversation is a powerful reminder that the stories we share with young readers can help build empathy, connection, and community.

Barry has published his memoir Hey now, I am your host, Ric Gazarian. This is a special episode with Barry Hoffner. Barry is a former guest on Counting Countries and I encourage you to listen to this episode to hear his entire story. I followed Barry on IG and then connected with him over a call. Barry is an accomplished traveler but what I noted was his impressive philanthropic work in West Africa. In fact, I was so impressed I invited Barry to be a keynote speaker at the ETF in Bangkok in 2024. His story of giving back needed to be shared. Belonging To The World (affiliate) is his memoir which was published on March 3. This link will bring you to the Kindle version on Amazon. I have read this book, and I highly recommend it. The book traces Barry's life from work to travel to family. And he shared a horrific tragedy as he loses his wife in a shocking accident in Botswana. Barry turns to travel to deal with his immense grief. This is a fantastic book whether you are into extreme travel or to witness one man's resilience in the face of grief. Please remember the next Extraordinary Travel Festival will be on October 22-25 in 2026. You can join the event and use code BANGKOK. I am excited to share a new keynote speaker, Eunhee Park. She is an extraordinary traveler but not in the traditional sense of what we are familiar with in our community. Eunhee was born in North Korea, and she embarked on a dangerous journey as she escaped DPRK at the risk of losing everything as she made her way to freedom. She will share her journey with us at the ETF. Consider joining our Instagram and Facebook groups and signing up for the ETF newsletter. Any questions, please let me know. I was in Bangkok while Barry was in Hawaii for this recording. Please listen in and enjoy. Thank you to my Patrons - you rock!! … Bisa Myles, Ted Nims, Adam Hickman, Steph Rowe, Simen Flotvik Mathisen, Ed Hotchkiss, Barry Hoffner, Katelyn Jarvis, Philippe Izedian, Gin Liutkeviciute, Sunir Joshi, Carole Southam, Sonia Zimmermann, Justine, Per Flisberg, Jorge Serpa, Sam Williams, Scott Day, Dana Mahoutchian, Mihai Dascalu, Ryan Knott, Zipping Around The World Podcast, and Shawn McDonough. Be the first on your block to sport official Counting Countries apparel! And now you can listen to Counting Countries on Spotify! And Alexa! Subscribe on Apple Podcasts today! And write a review! More about Erik Futtrup Counting Countries: Instagram And check out Thor Pedersen: The Impossible Journey (Amazon US Kindle (affiliate)): https://amzn.to/46pRuDi Other book options: Thor Pedersen | Instagram, Facebook, TikTok | Linktree About Counting Countries Counting Countries is the only podcast to bring you the stories from the dedicated few who've spent their lives on the singular quest of traveling to every country in the world. Less people have traveled to every country in the world than have been to outer space. Theme music for this podcast is Demeter's Dance, written, performed, and provided by Mundi. About GlobalGaz Ric Gazarian is the host of Counting Countries. He is the author of three books: Hit The Road: India, 7000 KM To Go, and Photos From Chernobyl. He is the producer of two travel documentaries: Hit The Road: India and Hit The Road: Cambodia. Ric is also on his own quest to visit every country in the world. You can see where he has traveled so far and keep up with his journey at GlobalGaz.com How Many Countries Are There? Well… that depends on who you ask! The United Nations states that there are 193 member states. The British Foreign and Commonwealth office states that there are 226 countries and territories. The Traveler's Century Club states that there are 329 sovereign nations, territories, enclaves, and islands. The Nomad Mania divides the world into 1301 regions. The Most Traveled Person states that there are 1500 unique parts of the world. SISO says there are 3,978 places in the world. And the video that explains it all! Me? My goal is the 193 countries that are recognized by the UN, but I am sure I will visit some other places along the way. An analysis of these lists and who is the best traveled by Kolja Spori. Disclaimer: There are affiliates in this post. Erik Futtrup Counting Countries

 ROOTED is a seven-week vision series about financial freedom, spiritual maturity, and building lasting impact in our communities. Together, we're stepping into the next chapter of Discover Church.-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 10:45am, either in person or online! Visit www.discoverchurchkc.com for more information!

 ROOTED is a seven-week vision series about financial freedom, spiritual maturity, and building lasting impact in our communities. Together, we're stepping into the next chapter of Discover Church.-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 10:45am, either in person or online! Visit www.discoverchurchkc.com for more information!

Everyone is searching for something. Security. Peace. Love. Belonging.In a sense, we're all treasure hunters, digging somewhere hoping we'll finally find what makes life feel whole.But what if the treasure we're chasing isn't where we think it is?In this message we explore Jesus' powerful parables in Matthew 13 about a treasure hidden in a field and a pearl of great price—and why discovering the Kingdom of God changes everything. It's not about religious duty or what we should do. It's about the joy of finding the one treasure worth giving everything for: knowing Christ and being found in Him.If you've ever felt like there must be more to life than what you've found so far, this message is for you.

Send a textResistance Chronicles, Part 2: Belonging Mindset™ In this episode, I explore belonging as one of the most overlooked drivers of resistance in schools. Resistance does not always show up as pushback. It often appears as silence, surface-level agreement, avoidance, or polite compliance.These behaviors frequently signal uncertainty about relational safety. When educators are not sure they will still be respected, supported, or valued if they disagree or struggle, they protect themselves by staying quiet.This episode covers:• What resistance looks and sounds like when belonging feels uncertain • Why compliance should not be mistaken for connection or buy-in • How “nice” cultures can still suppress honesty and risk-taking • The leadership moments that either strengthen or weaken trust • Practical language leaders and coaches can use to lower threat and invite real dialogueThe core idea: resistance tied to belonging is rarely loud. It is quiet, protective, and easy to misread without a relational lens.Resources MentionedThe Resistance PlaybookThe Resistance Starter BundleBoth available at

The deepest hunger in the human heart is the desire to belong. Almost everyone has felt the moment of standing in a room and wondering where they fit, like a student walking into the cafeteria with a tray and asking the quiet question, “Where do I sit?” That longing is not weakness and it is not immaturity. God placed that desire in the human heart because people were created for life with Him. As the message explains, “The deepest hunger […] The post The Question of Belonging appeared first on Revival Life Church Boca Raton, FL.

Our 440th episode considers what it is for each of us to dare to bring our unique form of expression to the world. How we might take the ways we've learned to belong in our lives - which may have supported us and constrained us - and give enough space around them that we can be our own voice, rather than an echo; what ways of supporting one another are called for, so we can help one another do this; the kind of openness, curiosity, sensitivity, welcome and daring it can take to encourage others to be a voice of their own; and how welcoming in this way might be a way to learn and at the same time an act of deep service to life.This week's Turning Towards Life is hosted as always by Lizzie Winn and Justin Wise of Thirdspace.Episode Overview00:00 Introduction and Listener Engagement02:54 Exploring the Poem 'The Artist' by Bobby Morrow06:00 The Process of Letting Go and Transformation09:04 Art as a Reflection of Truth and Identity11:46 The Role of Belonging in Personal Growth14:42 Radical Amazement and Curiosity in Relationships17:47 Creating Safe Spaces for Expression20:57 The Necessity of Community and Connection23:37 Conclusion and Reflections on the JourneyThis is Turning Towards Life, a weekly live 30 minute conversation hosted by Thirdspace in which Justin Wise and Lizzie Winn dive deep into big questions of human living. Find us on FaceBook to join in the lively conversation on this episode. You can find videos of every episode, and more about the project on the Turning Towards Life website, and you can also watch and listen on Instagram, YouTube, and as a podcast in all the usual podcast places.Here's our source for this week:The ArtistBreathing life into the artist Is a deadly mission.It will cost you this version of yourself,perfect and all knowing.As you die, tell mewhat's it to cry with curiosity?To write with your frightening tears?To feel fully?This is what it is to breathe life into your words.Becoming the artist is a deadly mission.To roll the stone away and be alive in your truth takes an everydayness.We practice and build,We fall and find our feet,We create masterpieces,We wash them away.I know you worked so hardon this sense making,Those sensible makings have carried you.But still I ask.What is this world without your art?How do you love without your truth?Bobby MorrowPhoto by Simi Iluyomade on Unsplash---Join Us Live in 2026Professional Coaching Course, begins July 2-5 2026, OnlineOur year long programme, an opportunity to learn to support others in deep, life giving discovery and development.You can hear us talk about the programme here:www.turningtowards.life/coachingAnd you can read more about it here:www.wearethirdspace.org/professional-coaching-courseTurning Towards Life Live Season 3, from September 2026Our Turning Towards Life live programme of community, learning and reflection runs in six month seasons, in person on Zoom once a month. We're very excited about it. A chance to expand beyond the bounds of a podcast into forming a community of learning and practice.You can find out more and join us here: www.turningtowards.life/live----About Turning Towards LifeTurning Towards Life, a week-by-week conversation inviting us deeply into our lives, is a live 30 minute conversation hosted by Justin Wise and Lizzie Winn of Thirdspace.  Find us on FaceBook to join in the lively conversation on this episode. You can find videos of every episode, and more about the project on the Turning Towards Life website, and you can also watch and listen on Instagram, YouTube, and as a podcast on Apple, Amazon Music and Spotify.Join Our Weekly Mailing: www.turningtowards.life/subscribeSupport Us: www.buymeacoffee.com/turningtowardslife

What does it mean to truly belong? In the Gospel of John, we see Jesus encounter people who feel like outsiders—the religious seeker Nicodemus, the rejected woman at the well, and a man born blind who is cast out by his community. Yet each one finds a place with Jesus. This sermon explores how Christ opens our eyes, welcomes the outcast, and invites us all to belong to Him and walk as children of the light.

Have we forgotten how to truly participate in the natural world? What can the ancient practice of shepherding teach us about ecological healing? How does physical labor connect us to the land, memory and belonging?In this episode of the Speaking Out of Place podcast, Professor David Palumbo-Liu speaks with Helen Whybrow about her book, The Salt Stones: Seasons of a Shepherd's Life. Besides being a detailed account of the day to day, season by season life on her farm, where she and her family raise sheep, build a broad community, and maintain Knoll Farm, a center for activists, writers, artists and others to share ideas on how to promote healthier and more just ways of living together and in the environment, The Salt Stones is at base about the ways we are losing a sense of belonging, not only with others and with other forms of life on this planet, but also with the cycles of existence, of life and of death. Whybrow shows time and again that it is mostly a matter of developing ways of seeing and noticing what is all around us, and learning about and respecting the ways that generations of people and non-human animals have existed together in sustainable and mutually-dependent ways.Helen Whybrow is a writer, editor and organic farmer whose book about shepherding, land and belonging, The Salt Stones, was longlisted for the National Book Award and chosen as a New Yorker Best Book of 2025. Her other titles include Dead Reckoning (W. W. Norton, 2001) and A Man Apart (Chelsea Green, 2015). She has a master's in journalism and has taught writing at Middlebury College and the Breadloaf Environmental Writer's Conference. She and her family farm and steward a refuge for land justice at Knoll Farm in Fayston, Vermont.(0:00) The Salt Stones(2:50) A Lifelong Love of Land and Language(6:50) The Cord: A Story of Lambing and Life(13:40) Literary Influences and Jean Giono(18:15) The Erased Work of Nature(20:30) Radical Intimacy and Participation(23:45) Measuring Diminishment and Listening to Nature(25:15) Lita the Ewe and Complex Ecosystems(29:17) Kulning: The Lost Art of Herding Songs(32:15) Embodied Memory and Physical Labor(37:45) The True Meaning of Belonging(43:30) Radical Hospitality at Noel Farm(46:15) Closing Thoughts on Kinship Episode Websitewww.palumbo-liu.comhttps://speakingoutofplace.comBluesky @palumboliu.bsky.socialInstagram @speaking_out_of_place

China is a multicultural country home to fifty-five ethnic minority groups, yet due to linguistic and cultural barriers many of these groups remain understudied or unknown in the West. The Qiang, one of modern China's officially recognized ethnic minorities, is also China's longest-standing ethnoracial identity marker that has existed since the earliest recorded history of China. Creative Belonging: The Qiang and Multiethnic Imagination in Modern China (U Michigan Press, 2026) by Dr. Yanshuo Zhang investigates the formation and evolution of the Qiang as a people, a concept, and a cultural history in China. It further examines how the contemporary Qiang ethnic group interacts strategically with mainstream Chinese society, challenging the historically entrenched hierarchies between the sociocultural “centers” of China and its ethnic “peripheries.” This book is based on years of ethnographic and textual-archival research in the Himalayan regions of southwest China, where the contemporary Qiang group resides. Drawing on a diverse range of official and local political discourses and previously unstudied literary, historiographical, and cinematic works, Dr. Zhang illuminates how the Qiang have carved out spaces of “creative belonging” within the parameters of multiculturalism in contemporary China. Rooted in ethnographic and textual-archival research, the book presents original materials produced by Qiang indigenous writers, scholars, artists, grassroots village cultural activists, and entrepreneurs at both the local and the global levels. Creative Belonging invites readers to rethink ethnicity and national belonging in China by centering minority groups' efforts to expand the meanings and implications of “Chinese culture.” This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

China is a multicultural country home to fifty-five ethnic minority groups, yet due to linguistic and cultural barriers many of these groups remain understudied or unknown in the West. The Qiang, one of modern China's officially recognized ethnic minorities, is also China's longest-standing ethnoracial identity marker that has existed since the earliest recorded history of China. Creative Belonging: The Qiang and Multiethnic Imagination in Modern China (U Michigan Press, 2026) by Dr. Yanshuo Zhang investigates the formation and evolution of the Qiang as a people, a concept, and a cultural history in China. It further examines how the contemporary Qiang ethnic group interacts strategically with mainstream Chinese society, challenging the historically entrenched hierarchies between the sociocultural “centers” of China and its ethnic “peripheries.” This book is based on years of ethnographic and textual-archival research in the Himalayan regions of southwest China, where the contemporary Qiang group resides. Drawing on a diverse range of official and local political discourses and previously unstudied literary, historiographical, and cinematic works, Dr. Zhang illuminates how the Qiang have carved out spaces of “creative belonging” within the parameters of multiculturalism in contemporary China. Rooted in ethnographic and textual-archival research, the book presents original materials produced by Qiang indigenous writers, scholars, artists, grassroots village cultural activists, and entrepreneurs at both the local and the global levels. Creative Belonging invites readers to rethink ethnicity and national belonging in China by centering minority groups' efforts to expand the meanings and implications of “Chinese culture.” This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/native-american-studies

In this episode of The LoCo Experience Podcast, I sat down with Dustin Peyser, the Founder and President of the Timnath Chamber of Commerce. Dustin shares how he co-founded the chamber alongside the early adopters and supporters, driven by his passion for local business and community building. We discuss the chamber's rapid growth to 55 members and his innovative initiatives like the 'Click Local' business listing platform. Dustin was inspired and supported throughout by his wife Crystal, a likely future guest on the show.  For Dustin, creating a Timnath Chamber is a bit of a legacy project, and a way to truly be a part of the community he loves.  After jumping into the time machine, Dustin recounts his move from upstate New York to California and eventually to Timnath, Colorado, overcoming insecurities and challenges along the journey, and ends with a truly LoCo Experience - an emotional story of his near-arrest upon returning from a cruise - over a paperwork mixup with the military that had him labeled as AWOL from a decade prior.  He's a fun guy, and a fellow communitarian, and I know you'll enjoy my conversation with Dustin Peyser.  The LoCo Experience Podcast is sponsored by: Purpose Driven Wealth Thrivent: Learn more

China is a multicultural country home to fifty-five ethnic minority groups, yet due to linguistic and cultural barriers many of these groups remain understudied or unknown in the West. The Qiang, one of modern China's officially recognized ethnic minorities, is also China's longest-standing ethnoracial identity marker that has existed since the earliest recorded history of China. Creative Belonging: The Qiang and Multiethnic Imagination in Modern China (U Michigan Press, 2026) by Dr. Yanshuo Zhang investigates the formation and evolution of the Qiang as a people, a concept, and a cultural history in China. It further examines how the contemporary Qiang ethnic group interacts strategically with mainstream Chinese society, challenging the historically entrenched hierarchies between the sociocultural “centers” of China and its ethnic “peripheries.” This book is based on years of ethnographic and textual-archival research in the Himalayan regions of southwest China, where the contemporary Qiang group resides. Drawing on a diverse range of official and local political discourses and previously unstudied literary, historiographical, and cinematic works, Dr. Zhang illuminates how the Qiang have carved out spaces of “creative belonging” within the parameters of multiculturalism in contemporary China. Rooted in ethnographic and textual-archival research, the book presents original materials produced by Qiang indigenous writers, scholars, artists, grassroots village cultural activists, and entrepreneurs at both the local and the global levels. Creative Belonging invites readers to rethink ethnicity and national belonging in China by centering minority groups' efforts to expand the meanings and implications of “Chinese culture.” This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/gender-studies

China is a multicultural country home to fifty-five ethnic minority groups, yet due to linguistic and cultural barriers many of these groups remain understudied or unknown in the West. The Qiang, one of modern China's officially recognized ethnic minorities, is also China's longest-standing ethnoracial identity marker that has existed since the earliest recorded history of China. Creative Belonging: The Qiang and Multiethnic Imagination in Modern China (U Michigan Press, 2026) by Dr. Yanshuo Zhang investigates the formation and evolution of the Qiang as a people, a concept, and a cultural history in China. It further examines how the contemporary Qiang ethnic group interacts strategically with mainstream Chinese society, challenging the historically entrenched hierarchies between the sociocultural “centers” of China and its ethnic “peripheries.” This book is based on years of ethnographic and textual-archival research in the Himalayan regions of southwest China, where the contemporary Qiang group resides. Drawing on a diverse range of official and local political discourses and previously unstudied literary, historiographical, and cinematic works, Dr. Zhang illuminates how the Qiang have carved out spaces of “creative belonging” within the parameters of multiculturalism in contemporary China. Rooted in ethnographic and textual-archival research, the book presents original materials produced by Qiang indigenous writers, scholars, artists, grassroots village cultural activists, and entrepreneurs at both the local and the global levels. Creative Belonging invites readers to rethink ethnicity and national belonging in China by centering minority groups' efforts to expand the meanings and implications of “Chinese culture.” This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/film

China is a multicultural country home to fifty-five ethnic minority groups, yet due to linguistic and cultural barriers many of these groups remain understudied or unknown in the West. The Qiang, one of modern China's officially recognized ethnic minorities, is also China's longest-standing ethnoracial identity marker that has existed since the earliest recorded history of China. Creative Belonging: The Qiang and Multiethnic Imagination in Modern China (U Michigan Press, 2026) by Dr. Yanshuo Zhang investigates the formation and evolution of the Qiang as a people, a concept, and a cultural history in China. It further examines how the contemporary Qiang ethnic group interacts strategically with mainstream Chinese society, challenging the historically entrenched hierarchies between the sociocultural “centers” of China and its ethnic “peripheries.” This book is based on years of ethnographic and textual-archival research in the Himalayan regions of southwest China, where the contemporary Qiang group resides. Drawing on a diverse range of official and local political discourses and previously unstudied literary, historiographical, and cinematic works, Dr. Zhang illuminates how the Qiang have carved out spaces of “creative belonging” within the parameters of multiculturalism in contemporary China. Rooted in ethnographic and textual-archival research, the book presents original materials produced by Qiang indigenous writers, scholars, artists, grassroots village cultural activists, and entrepreneurs at both the local and the global levels. Creative Belonging invites readers to rethink ethnicity and national belonging in China by centering minority groups' efforts to expand the meanings and implications of “Chinese culture.” This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/critical-theory

In this episode of How to Get Ahead by Millennial Life Coaches, host Lorna Taylor welcomes Dr. Aikyna Finch — Vice President of DEIB at the International Coaching Federation (ICF), TEDx speaker, educator, and Professional Certified Coach (PCC).Together they explore the evolving coaching landscape and share powerful insights for millennial coaches and young professionals navigating their careers.Dr. Finch shares her remarkable journey from earning her doctorate at 31 to becoming a university dean at 32 and eventually rising to Vice President at the International Coaching Federation.The conversation dives into:• How young professionals can create opportunity early in their careers• The role of DEIB (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging) in coaching• Why video content is one of the most powerful tools for coaches• How AI can help coaches grow their businesses while keeping the human connection at the center• The value of volunteering within the ICF community• Strategies for visibility, collaboration, and leadership in coachingThis conversation also highlights the growing collaboration between Millennial Life Coaches (MLC) and the International Coaching Federation (ICF), strengthening connections between global coaching communities and empowering the next generation of coaches.✅Connect with Dr. Finch ✅ Learn More About ICF DEIB

China is a multicultural country home to fifty-five ethnic minority groups, yet due to linguistic and cultural barriers many of these groups remain understudied or unknown in the West. The Qiang, one of modern China's officially recognized ethnic minorities, is also China's longest-standing ethnoracial identity marker that has existed since the earliest recorded history of China. Creative Belonging: The Qiang and Multiethnic Imagination in Modern China (U Michigan Press, 2026) by Dr. Yanshuo Zhang investigates the formation and evolution of the Qiang as a people, a concept, and a cultural history in China. It further examines how the contemporary Qiang ethnic group interacts strategically with mainstream Chinese society, challenging the historically entrenched hierarchies between the sociocultural “centers” of China and its ethnic “peripheries.” This book is based on years of ethnographic and textual-archival research in the Himalayan regions of southwest China, where the contemporary Qiang group resides. Drawing on a diverse range of official and local political discourses and previously unstudied literary, historiographical, and cinematic works, Dr. Zhang illuminates how the Qiang have carved out spaces of “creative belonging” within the parameters of multiculturalism in contemporary China. Rooted in ethnographic and textual-archival research, the book presents original materials produced by Qiang indigenous writers, scholars, artists, grassroots village cultural activists, and entrepreneurs at both the local and the global levels. Creative Belonging invites readers to rethink ethnicity and national belonging in China by centering minority groups' efforts to expand the meanings and implications of “Chinese culture.” This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/anthropology

China is a multicultural country home to fifty-five ethnic minority groups, yet due to linguistic and cultural barriers many of these groups remain understudied or unknown in the West. The Qiang, one of modern China's officially recognized ethnic minorities, is also China's longest-standing ethnoracial identity marker that has existed since the earliest recorded history of China. Creative Belonging: The Qiang and Multiethnic Imagination in Modern China (U Michigan Press, 2026) by Dr. Yanshuo Zhang investigates the formation and evolution of the Qiang as a people, a concept, and a cultural history in China. It further examines how the contemporary Qiang ethnic group interacts strategically with mainstream Chinese society, challenging the historically entrenched hierarchies between the sociocultural “centers” of China and its ethnic “peripheries.” This book is based on years of ethnographic and textual-archival research in the Himalayan regions of southwest China, where the contemporary Qiang group resides. Drawing on a diverse range of official and local political discourses and previously unstudied literary, historiographical, and cinematic works, Dr. Zhang illuminates how the Qiang have carved out spaces of “creative belonging” within the parameters of multiculturalism in contemporary China. Rooted in ethnographic and textual-archival research, the book presents original materials produced by Qiang indigenous writers, scholars, artists, grassroots village cultural activists, and entrepreneurs at both the local and the global levels. Creative Belonging invites readers to rethink ethnicity and national belonging in China by centering minority groups' efforts to expand the meanings and implications of “Chinese culture.” This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/chinese-studies

What does it really mean to be a Black single mother in America? Why are the stories we hear and tell about that experience so often incomplete? Margaret talks with cultural critic, writer, and editor Jamilah Lemieux, author of Black. Single. Mother: Real-Life Tales of Longing and Belonging. Jamilah discusses the fears she initially had about writing openly about single motherhood—and how the process ultimately became one of healing, honesty, and connection. Together, they explore the realities behind the stereotypes surrounding Black single mothers and the complicated mix of love, resilience, struggle, and community that shapes these experiences. Here's where you can find Jamilah Lemieux: https://www.jamilahlemieux.com/ @jamilahlemieux on IG/Threads/X facebook.com/jamilahlemieux Buy BLACK. SINGLE. MOTHER: https://bookshop.org/a/12099/9780593447543 See the locations and dates for Jamilah's book tour here! What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Amy Wilson and Margaret Ables. We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.whatfreshhellpodcast.com/p/promo-codes/ What Fresh Hell podcast, mom friends, funny moms, parenting advice, parenting experts, parenting tips, mothers, families, parenting skills, parenting strategies, parenting styles, busy moms, self-help for moms, manage kid's behavior, teenager, tween, child development, family activities, family fun, parent child relationship, decluttering, kid-friendly, invisible workload, default parent, Black single motherhood, Jamilah Lemieux interview, Black motherhood, single mother stereotypes, parenting and race, Black parenting stories, motherhood essays, cultural critic parenting, parenting and identity, race and motherhood, parenting interview, motherhood narratives Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Seattle’s police chief is turning cops into federal obstruction tools. Iran withdrawing from the World Cup this summer has thrown a wrench into Seattle’s plans. Seattle’s $410M library levy also bankrolls Office of Inclusion and Belonging office. // LongForm: GUEST: Independent journalist Brandi Kruse on her ongoing legal battle against the Washington State Legislature for denying her media credentials. // Quick Hit: An actress claps back at criticism for attending a dog rescue event at Mar-a-Lago. A country artist has canceled his tour as he struggles with mental health.

In this episode of the Celebrate Kids podcast, host Dr. Kathy addresses the challenges parents face when their children struggle with friendships or are influenced by negative peers. Drawing on the importance of self-awareness and shared experiences, Dr. Kathy emphasizes the need for parents to communicate their hopes and strengths for their children while teaching them discernment in choosing friends. The segment, titled "Facing the Dark," provides valuable insights to help guide kids toward positive friendships and community involvement. Additionally, Dr. Kathy touches on a recent event where Melania Trump advocated for a bill aimed at protecting individuals from the non-consensual posting of intimate imagery online, highlighting the relevance of consent in the digital age.

In this episode of Positive Philter, I'm joined by my fraternity brother and friend, Dr. Okey Enyia, to discuss his book The John Henry Health Equity Playbook, a roadmap for advancing health equity for Black men through health, economic stability, and civic engagement. We talk about the importance of fatherhood, the role of belonging in well-being, and how policies directly impact our lives and our communities. This is a powerful conversation about awareness, responsibility, and building a healthier future. Shout Outs and Plugs Dr. Okey Enyia's Books: https://enyiastrategies.com/books Dr. Okey Enyia's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/okeyenyia/ If you have a question for the podcast call 571-336-6560 or leave a question via this Google Form. Five Minute Journal by Intelligent Change Affiliate Code: https://www.intelligentchange.com/?rfsn=4621464.017186 Tappy Card "Electronic Business Card" Affiliate Code:  https://tappycard.com?ref:philip-wilkerson Please leave a rating/review of the Podcast https://lovethepodcast.com/positivephilter Intro music provided by DJ BIGyoks. Check out his Instagram and Soundcloud channel can be found here:  https://www.instagram.com/beats.byyoks/ https://soundcloud.com/dj-bigyoks Outro music provided by Ryan Rosemond. Check out his Soundcloud channel here: https://soundcloud.com/brothersrosemond/albums  Purchase "Forty Years of Advice" by Philip Wilkerson: https://a.co/d/2qYMlqu Leave Your Feedback by filling out this audience survey: https://forms.gle/ncoNvWxMq2A6Zw2q8 Sign up for Positive Philter Weekly Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/g-LOqL Please follow Positive Philter: Positive Philter Facebook Page Positive Philter Twitter Positive Philter Instagram  If you would like to support the podcast, please consider donating to the Positive Philter Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/positivephilter Positive Philter was selected by FeedSpot as Top 20 Positive Thinking Podcasts on the web. https://blog.feedspot.com/positive_thinking_podcasts/ Jeff's Anti-Hunger Fund The Positive Philter Podcast is dedicated to Jeff Kirsch. A long-time supporter of the show and a major influence on this show's growth. Please support the careers of future advocates by donating to the Jeff Kirsch Fund for Anti-Hunger Advocacy. This fund was named after Jeff Kirsch for his decades of service in fighting hunger and inequality. Link to fund: https://frac.org/kirschfund Pats for Patriots  If you are a member of the #MasonNation, please consider sending a Pats for Patriots. Pats for Patriots are a free and easy way to thank, recognize, show appreciation for a Mason colleague or student who has taken the time to do something kind, generous or thoughtful towards others. For more information, visit: https://forms.office.com/r/HRZGvhdJEA We have received more than 3,000 nominations from the Mason community so far. Keep those nominations coming in!

Why do so many gay men spend their lives trying to belong, and still feel unsafe being themselves? This episode explores the deeper layers of belonging, authenticity, and self-trust through the lens of body-based wisdom. Devin Scott, a licensed social worker and body wisdom coach, shares his journey beyond traditional therapy into somatic practices, mindfulness, and Eastern philosophy. The conversation unpacks how high-performing gay men often learn to abandon themselves in order to fit in, and how true belonging begins with feeling safe inside one's own body. With honesty and vulnerability, Devin also reflects on a recent breakup and what it revealed about self-worth, safety, and pleasure. This is an invitation to stop performing belonging and start living it. Key takeaways: Belonging without self-trust creates exhaustion, not connection.The body often knows the truth long before the mind is ready to admit it.Safety with yourself is the foundation for authentic relationships and pleasure. About Devin Devin Scott, NBC-HWC, LMSW, helps people reconnect with their inner wisdom and move through life with greater authenticity. As the founder of Find Your Meaning, he blends body-based coaching, mindfulness, and psychological insight to support clients who feel disillusioned by traditional systems of healing. His work often draws people who have carried the weight of trauma or grown tired of “playing the game” of societal expectations, and who are now searching for something deeper, more sustainable, and more whole. With training in social work, nutrition, somatic practices, and energy healing, Devin's approach reflects both rigor and breadth. He combines elements of psychotherapy, bodywork, and fitness with the grounding philosophies of Buddhism and yoga—without requiring clients to adopt a fixed belief system. His sessions emphasize integration: mind and body, science and spirituality, personal history and present possibility. A particular passion is his study of Leela, a thousand-year-old Indian board game that encodes spiritual teachings about human life. Devin is co-authoring a modern translation of its Sanskrit guide, bridging ancient wisdom with modern psychology and anatomy so Western audiences can explore life's challenges as opportunities for growth. This work mirrors his philosophy with clients: emotions and struggles are not pathologies to erase but messages with purpose, pointing toward new directions of meaning. Connect With Devin Website Facebook Instagram LinkedIn Hey Guys, Don't Forget! Join the 40 Plus: Gay Men Gay Talk, monthly chats. - Learn More! Also, join our Facebook Community - 40 Plus: Gay Men, Gay Talk Community

What does it take to build a city where every person truly belongs? In this episode of The UpWords Podcast, we walk the streets of Madison, Wisconsin — metaphorically and literally — with two people who have spent their careers shaping it.Host Rebecca Cooks welcomes Jason Ilstrup, president of Downtown Madison Inc., and Peter Tang, architect and Chief Design Officer Emeritus of Strang Inc., to discuss placemaking, the shifting character of downtown, the challenges of growth, and what it actually means to build a flourishing city for everyone.From the magic of Memorial Union Terrace to the bold vision of the Envision Madison plan, this conversation is for anyone who loves their city and wants to understand how to make it better.In This EpisodeWhy Jason and Peter both call Madison's Union Terrace the city's "living room"The transformation of the East Washington corridor over 30 yearsWhat the Envision Madison plan is — and how you can have your say in shaping itThe honest truth about gentrification: what it is, why it happens, and how good design can helpWhy development should always be seen as an opportunity, not a threatThe "triple bottom line" for flourishing cities: people, planet, and profitMadison's approach to affordable housing — and why the most sustainable building is the one that already existsGUEST BIOSJason Ilstrup — President, Downtown Madison Inc.Jason has been a Madisonian since 2007 and has spent his career championing the city's downtown. As a former general manager of Hotel Red and now president of Downtown Madison Inc. (DMI), Jason brings hospitality, energy, and a deep love for people to the work of urban strategy and placemaking. He is currently leading the private-sector component of the landmark Envision Madison planning initiative.Peter Tang — Architect & Chief Design Officer Emeritus, Strang Inc.Peter moved to Madison in 1991 and has spent over three decades shaping the city's built environment. As an architect, he believes deeply that good design belongs to everyone — not just those with means. He has been involved in landmark projects across Madison.Resources & LinksEnvision Madison: downtownmadison.orgCity of Madison planning resources: cityofmadison.comCONNECT WITH USSubscribe to The UpWords Podcast wherever you listen and visit slbf.org/studio to learn more about our work at the intersection of faith, the academy, and the marketplace.

About Daniela Daniela Draugelis didn't just study cultural intelligence, she lived it before she even had a name for it. Born in Argentina to a Lithuanian immigrant family (her father fled Europe as a war refugee), she grew up speaking Lithuanian at home, celebrating cultural traditions on weekends, and navigating between worlds long before anyone called it "code-switching." Twenty-plus years of globally mobile life across China, Indonesia, the US, and now Pakistan, she's a certified Cultural Intelligence facilitator who helps executives, diplomats, and globally mobile individuals not just survive the crossing — but genuinely thrive. Find her at culturalpathways.comWhat You'll Walk Away With This is one of those conversations that gives you language for things you've always felt but couldn't quite name. Daniela walks us through the four pillars of Cultural Intelligence, including Drive, Knowledge, Strategy, and Action - and explains why having just one or two isn't enough. You can read every guidebook about your new country and still find yourself eating lunch alone in your car, wondering why nothing is clicking. We also get into the fascinating difference between tight and loose cultures, and what it costs us, both emotionally and practically, when we find ourselves leaping between them. And in true nomadic spirit, Daniela shares the moment she asked her Pakistani hostess for the "restroom" and was shown to a bedroom. Even after 20 years, culture has a way of keeping us beautifully humble!Be Curious, Not Judgmental Daniela's parting wisdom comes straight from Ted Lasso , and it might be the most portable cultural intelligence tool you'll ever carry. Do you know someone navigating a new culture right now? This episode is for them. Share it, and let's keep the conversation going.Support the showHome is Where Your Story Crosses Borders!

How should non-Indigenous Christians engage in Truth and Reconciliation? What does it really mean to “love your neighbour” on Turtle Island?In this special live panel episode of Undercurrents, recorded at Westside Church in Burlington in partnership with Mennonite Central Committee (MCC), we explore what it means for non-Indigenous Christians to become neighbours worth knowing.Featuring reflections from Karen Ward, Dr. Samuel Sarpiya and Doug McLachlin, three people with different starting points and paths on this life-long journey, this conversation moves beyond good intentions to honest reflection.MCC Ontario is committed to TRC Call to Action 60 which calls on churches and church organizations to respect Indigenous spiritualities in their own right. Download the transcription here.Download the discussion guide here.Listen and subscribe at ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠, ⁠Spotify⁠, ⁠Youtube ⁠or wherever you listen to podcasts!Continue your learning:Pow Wows 101, an introductory event from MCC's Indigenous Neighbours team“Becoming Kin” by Patty Krawec https://www.broadleafbooks.com/store/product/9781506478258/Becoming-Kin“Native: Identity, Belonging, and Rediscovering God” by Kaitlin Curticehttps://www.indigo.ca/en-ca/native-identity-belonging-and-rediscovering-god/9781587434310.html?searchType=products&searchTerm=native%20rediscovering%20god“21 Things you may not know about the Indian Act” by Bob Joseph https://21things.ca/Undercurrents Ep 9: Merle's story: the journey of a former residential school worker https://mcc.org/our-stories/undercurrents-merles-storyCredits:Undercurrents is sponsored in part by Kindred Credit UnionProduction assistance from Christen KongTheme music by Brian MacMillanArtwork by Jesse BergenExecutive produced by Sandra Reimer

Mike sits down with Julie Wyman, director of The Tallest Dwarf — a documentary that is as personal as it is political. When filmmaker and UC Davis professor Julie Forrest Wyman set out to make The Tallest Dwarf, she discovered she has hypochondroplasia dwarfism herself — and that hers is the last of a body type she has inherited. The film charts her quest to find her place within the little people community at a moment when dwarf identity is poised to radically change, exploring everything from the legacy of exploitation to the thorny ethics of pharmaceutical interventions promising to make little people taller.Visually striking, humorous, and touching, The Tallest Dwarf invites audiences to rethink identity, disability, and what it means to belong in a world that wants to change who you are.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-projection-booth-podcast--5513239/support.Become a supporter of The Projection Booth at http://www.patreon.com/projectionbooth 

Mike sits down with Julie Wyman, director of The Tallest Dwarf — a documentary that is as personal as it is political. When filmmaker and UC Davis professor Julie Forrest Wyman set out to make The Tallest Dwarf, she discovered she has hypochondroplasia dwarfism herself — and that hers is the last of a body type she has inherited. The film charts her quest to find her place within the little people community at a moment when dwarf identity is poised to radically change, exploring everything from the legacy of exploitation to the thorny ethics of pharmaceutical interventions promising to make little people taller.Visually striking, humorous, and touching, The Tallest Dwarf invites audiences to rethink identity, disability, and what it means to belong in a world that wants to change who you are.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-projection-booth-podcast--5513239/support.Become a supporter of The Projection Booth at http://www.patreon.com/projectionbooth 

Eric Pennington takes us on a deeply personal journey through the themes of empathy and belonging.Reflecting on his recent emotional intelligence assessment and the transformative experience of navigating his son's life-threatening auto accident, Eric Pennington explores how self-empathy and growth in emotional awareness have impacted his relationships and perspective on the world.He also breaks down the Spirit of EQ development model, illustrating how strengthening domains like awareness and belonging can ripple out positively into our broader lives.Listen for candid insights, practical wisdom, and encouragement to foster emotional growth—both within yourself and those around you.00:00 Life-Changing Impact of Trauma04:05 "Embracing Change and Growth"07:39 "Empathy, Awareness, and Belonging"11:09 Self-Care Reminder5 Keys You'll Learn in This Episode:Empathy is a Two-Way Street: Discover what it means to not only show empathy to others, but also to yourself.Dealing with the Inner Critic: Eric talks about learning to quiet the inner critic and how self-empathy can be dramatically increased.Healing and Growth After Trauma: You'll hear a moving story on how a personal crisis—like a family emergency—can spark transformative change.The SEQ Model in Action: Learn about the three domains—awareness, belonging, and insight—and how strengthening these muscle groups improves not just our personal lives but ripples out into the world.Letting Go of Control: Get practical wisdom on focusing on what you're actually responsible for—and letting the rest go.In each episode, Jeff and Eric will talk about what emotional intelligence, or understanding your emotions, can do for you in your daily and work life. For more information, contact Eric or Jeff at info@spiritofeq.com, or go to their website, Spirit of EQ.You can follow The Spirit of EQ Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Android, or on your favorite podcast player.New episodes are available on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays every month!Please review our podcast on iTunes. Click on the link for an easy, step-by-step tutorial.Music from Uppbeathttps://uppbeat.io/t/roo-walker/deeperLicense code: PEYKDJHQNGSZXDUESpirit of EQhttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/We hope you enjoy the podcast. Hopefully, you're tuning in on a regular basis. We'd love it if you would give us a great review on whatever platform you're listening to the podcast. It's so appreciative and helps us as we try to get more exposure for the work we do and the episodes that we publish. We're grateful to you as a listener. Secondly, our content is for educational purposes only. It's not intended by any stretch to diagnose or treat anything that may be occurring in your life or anyone else's life that you may be connected to through the podcast. And as always, we look forward to the next time that we're together. Take care.Mentioned in this episode:Thanks for listening to Spirit of EQThis podcast was created to be a tool to primarily help you to discover and grow your EQ. Science and our own lived experiences confirm that the better we are at managing our emotions, the better we're going to be at making decisions. Which leads to a better life. And that's something we all want. We're glad that you've taken the time today to listen. We hope that something you hear will lead to a breakthrough. We'd really appreciate a review on your podcast platform. Please leave some comments about what you heard today, as well as follow and subscribe to the podcast. That way, you won't miss a single episode as we continue this journey.

Episode119-Sherita Flake, "Create Belonging in STEM Through Cultural Identity"

We would love to pray for you! Please send us your requests here. --------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.

Third Reflection Lenten Retreat 2026 When God Begins to Take Everything On the Delusion of Belonging to God While Still Belonging to Oneself “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” Matthew 27:46 There comes a point in the spiritual life when the man can no longer recognize himself. Until this point, he has struggled with visible things. With sins. With distractions. With passions that moved through his body and mind. He struggled to restrain them. He struggled to purify himself. He struggled to become faithful. This struggle had structure. It had direction. It had meaning. He could see what he was fighting. He could measure progress. He could recognize failure and repentance. He lived with the sense that he was moving toward God. Even when he failed, he knew where he stood. Even when he fell, he knew he could rise. His existence had continuity. His identity had stability. He was a man seeking God. He knew himself as such. Then something begins to happen that he cannot understand. God removes not sin, but support. Not temptation, but stability. Not rebellion, but ground. 1 Prayer continues, but something within it has disappeared. The words remain. The effort remains. The intention remains. But life has receded. He speaks to God, but he does not experience being heard. He calls, but nothing answers. He remembers when prayer gave him warmth, when the name of Christ carried sweetness, when he felt himself held in a presence greater than himself. Now that presence cannot be found. He does not know whether it has left or whether he has. St. Isaac the Syrian writes that there is a stage in which God withdraws the perceptible operation of grace so that the soul may be taught that it does not possess Him. This withdrawal is not punishment. It is revelation. Until this point, the man believed he depended on God. Now he sees that he depended on his experience of God. He depended on the stability that experience gave him. He depended on the sense that he knew where he stood. This sense has now been taken. He no longer knows where he stands. He no longer knows what he is. He no longer knows how to locate himself before God. Evagrios says that when grace withdraws, the soul is handed over to knowledge of its own powerlessness. 2 Not intellectual knowledge. Existential knowledge. The man discovers that he cannot produce even the smallest movement toward God by his own strength. He cannot restore what has been taken. He cannot recover the life he once knew. He cannot make himself alive again. This knowledge terrifies him. Because until now, he has lived with the assumption that he existed. That he endured. That he remained himself across time. That his relationship with God was something he inhabited. Now even this has dissolved. He experiences groundlessness. Not emotional instability. Ontological groundlessness. He cannot find the place within himself from which he once lived. St. Macarius the Great says that until the soul passes through abandonment, it cannot be freed from the illusion that it possesses life. This illusion is so subtle that even humility cannot destroy it. The man may believe he is nothing. He may confess his weakness. He may acknowledge his dependence. And still exist as the center of his own life. 3 God removes this center. Not suddenly. But completely. The man cannot stop this process. He cannot preserve himself. He cannot secure himself. Everything he relied on to know himself has been taken. This produces the deepest temptation. Not the temptation to sin. The temptation to restore himself. To rebuild identity. To recover stability. To become again the one he was. Many do this unconsciously. They reconstruct their religious self. They recover certainty. They regain structure. They resume existing as before. And they lose something they do not understand. They lose the possibility of union. Because union requires the disappearance of the one who lives apart from God. St. Paul writes with terrifying clarity, “For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” Colossians 3:3 4 Hidden. Not strengthened. Not improved. Hidden. The man can no longer find himself. Because he no longer exists where he once lived. Christ entered this darkness fully. “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” He entered the experience of abandonment. Not because He had lost the Father. But because He had surrendered every human ground. He stood where man stands when nothing remains. So that man could stand there and live. St. Silouan says, “Keep thy mind in hell and despair not.” Hell is the place where every support has been removed. Where the self cannot preserve itself. Where existence depends entirely on God. The ego cannot survive here. This is its death. The man who remains here without turning back passes beyond himself. But he does not yet know this. He knows only loss. 5 Only absence. Only the disappearance of the one he believed himself to be. This is the threshold of resurrection. But resurrection cannot yet be seen. Only death can be seen. And the man must remain. ⸻ This is the most terrible mercy God gives to those He draws near. Because as long as the man can still find himself, he still lives from himself. As long as he can still locate stability within his own experience, he has not yet been born of God. Christ said, “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” John 12:24 Remains alone. Even if it is righteous. Even if it is faithful. Even if it believes itself to belong to God. As long as it remains intact, it remains alone. St. Sophrony writes that God allows the soul to descend into this darkness so that it may learn to exist from Him alone and not from any created support, including its own experience of grace. This descent feels like death because it is death. The death of psychological continuity. The death of spiritual self recognition. The death of the one who could say, I am the one who prays. 6 Now prayer continues. But the one who prayed cannot be found. The Jesus Prayer may still be spoken. The lips may still move. The mind may still form the words. But the center from which it once came has been shattered. The man stands before God without himself. This is why the psalmist cries, “I am forgotten like one dead, out of mind; I am like a broken vessel.” Psalm 30:12 LXX Forgotten. Broken. Without place. Without continuity. Without self possession. St. Isaac says that when the soul enters this stage, it feels itself suspended between existence and non existence. It cannot return to what it was. It cannot yet see what it will become. It cannot move forward. It cannot move back. It can only remain. This remaining is crucifixion. Christ did not descend from the Cross. 7 He remained. He did not preserve Himself. He entrusted Himself. “Father, into Your hands I commend My spirit.” Luke 23:46 This is the final act of abandonment. Not abandonment by God. Abandonment of oneself into God. Archimandrite Zacharias writes that at this stage, man learns true obedience. Not obedience of action, but obedience of being. He no longer acts from himself. He no longer preserves himself. He exists in radical dependence. This dependence feels like non existence. Because the ego cannot live this way. The ego requires ground. Continuity. Self possession. Identity. God removes all of it. Not to destroy the person. But to reveal the person. Because the person does not exist in himself. The person exists in God. St. Paul writes, “For in Him we live and move and have our being.” Acts 17:28 Not alongside Him. Not with assistance from Him. 8 In Him. When this is seen, the man understands that his previous life, even his spiritual life, was sustained by illusion. He believed he lived. He believed he endured. He believed he remained. Now he sees that he does not possess existence. Existence is given. Moment by moment. Breath by breath. “God withdraws His breath, and they perish and return to their dust.” Psalm 103:29 LXX The man feels this. Not as theology. As reality. He feels that if God does not sustain him, he will cease. Not morally. Ontologically. This is why fear arises. Not fear of punishment. Fear of non being. But if the man remains, something begins to happen that he cannot yet perceive. A new center begins to emerge. 9 Not located within himself. Located in God. Christ begins to live where the ego once lived. This is why St. Paul says, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” Galatians 2:20 Not metaphor. Ontological fact. The old center has died. A new center has been given. St. Silouan writes that when man descends into this hell and remains with faith, the Lord Himself becomes his life. Not as comfort. As existence. The man no longer lives toward God. He lives from God. But before this becomes clear, there is only darkness. Only abandonment. Only the terrible silence of God. St. Sophrony says that this silence is not absence, but the deepest form of presence. God is acting beyond perception, dismantling the final illusion that man possesses himself. The man feels forsaken. But he is being carried. He feels abandoned. 10 But he is being born. This is the third dismantling. Not the destruction of sin. Not the destruction of righteousness. The destruction of the illusion that one belongs to God while still belonging to oneself. God takes everything. Even the man's experience of belonging to Him. So that the man may finally belong to Him completely. And the man must remain. Without returning. Without rebuilding. Without preserving anything. He must remain in the darkness where Christ Himself stood. “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” And wait for the life that only God can give. 11

Send a textThis week on Leave Your Mark, I'm joined by Andrea Carter, Canada's go-to Belonging Expert and an Organizational Scientist helping leaders turn culture into a true competitive advantage.For nearly two decades, Andrea has worked at the intersection of neuroscience, organizational psychology, and leadership. She is the founder of Andrea Carter Consulting and creator of the Belonging First Methodology™, a data-driven framework designed to repair disconnection, reduce toxicity, rebuild trust, and create environments where both people and performance thrive.In this powerful conversation, we explore:• Why belonging is not just a feeling but measurable and buildable • The three critical indicators of organizational success: comfort, connection, and contribution • Why psychological safety is about intelligent risk, not softness • The nervous system's role in performance regulation • The rise of “The Great Detachment” and hidden disengagement in today's workplaces • How leaders can create clarity, predictability, and shared accountability • Why resilience is not a solo sportAndrea shares insights from her groundbreaking research, including large-scale industry studies, her work as an Adjunct Professor at Adler University, and the personal experiences that shaped her passion for understanding real belonging, not just fitting in.If you care about performance, culture, leadership, or building teams that truly thrive, this episode will challenge and elevate your thinking.Listen now and leave your mark.If you liked this EP, please take the time to rate and comment, share with a friend, and connect with us on social channels IG @Kingopain, TW @BuiltbyScott, LI+FB Scott Livingston. You can find all things LYM at www.LYMLab.com, download your free Life Lab Starter Kit today and get busy living https://lymlab.com/free-lym-lab-starter/Please take the time to visit and connect with our sponsors, they are an essential part of our success:www.ReconditioningHQ.comwww.FreePainGuide.com

In this episode of Healthy Mind, Healthy Life, hosted by Yusuf, we explore what personal growth really looks like when life feels unfamiliar and unstable—especially during big transitions like moving to a new country. This conversation is for anyone feeling ungrounded while still trying to build a future. Lior shares why growth isn't just “positive thinking”—it's learning to sit with discomfort, name the stories in your mind, and take small actions that compound into real change. About the Guest : Lior Klisman moved to the U.S. with $2,000 and a deep desire to build a better life. He shares lessons from his journey—centered on belonging, identity, mindfulness, and staying committed through uncertainty. Episode Chapters: 00:05:04 — Personal growth isn't becoming “new,” it's staying steady in uncertainty 00:06:28 — Arriving in the U.S. with $2,000: dreams, pressure, and fear 00:07:02 — The hidden struggle: belonging before success 00:09:10 — Real growth lives inside discomfort and vulnerability 00:12:00 — “Live your future self now”: identity as a daily practice 00:13:51 — Learn, unlearn, relearn: changing patterns with breath, journaling, meditation 00:19:19 — Practice makes progress: why growth is a marathon (plus “KMF”) Key Takeaways: Prioritize belonging early in any transition—community stabilizes the mind. Treat growth like training: small shifts compound when repeated. Name your inner stories (“This is a story, not the whole of me”) before they run your choices. Use simple regulation tools: pause + breath before reacting to stimulus. Move from motivation to commitment: results follow consistency. Compare yourself to your past self, not other people. How to Connect With the Guest: You can find him on LinkedIn or Instagram (search his first and last name), and via his website (his first and last name combined + “.com”).   Want to be a guest on Healthy Mind, Healthy Life? DM on PM - Send me a message on PodMatch DM Me Here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/avik Disclaimer: This video is for educational and informational purposes only. The views expressed are the personal opinions of the guest and do not reflect the views of the host or Healthy Mind By Avik™️. We do not intend to harm, defame, or discredit any person, organization, brand, product, country, or profession mentioned. All third-party media used remain the property of their respective owners and are used under fair use for informational purposes. By watching, you acknowledge and accept this disclaimer. Healthy Mind By Avik™️ is a global platform redefining mental health as a necessity, not a luxury. Born during the pandemic, it's become a sanctuary for healing, growth, and mindful living. Hosted by Avik Chakraborty, storyteller, survivor, and wellness advocate. With over 6000+ episodes and 200K+ global listeners, we unite voices, break stigma, and build a world where every story matters.

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 3319: Ryan Frederick explores why belonging may matter more than climate, amenities, or cost of living when choosing where to call home. Drawing on social psychology, national research, and cultural insights, he reveals how connection fuels happiness, resilience, and even physical health. This perspective may reshape how you evaluate your next move, and what truly makes a place worth staying. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://www.here.life/blog/on-belonging Quotes to ponder: "Brené Brown defines belonging “as being accepted for you; fitting in is being accepted for being like everyone else.”" "Scholars deem belonging to be as important as our need for love and as necessary for survival as food and water." "Belonging is complex, but critical to life satisfaction and healthy longevity." Episode references: Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community: https://www.amazon.com/Bowling-Alone-Collapse-American-Community/dp/0743203046 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Burnout Is Contagious: The Hidden Psychology Destroying High Performers | Dr. Guy Winch Why "Work-Life Balance" Is a Lie, How Stress Infects Your Relationships, and The Psychological Shift That Stops the Grind Is your ambition fueling your life — or quietly infecting everyone around you? What If Your Burnout Isn't From Overwork… . But From the Way Your Mind Is Wired Around Work? . Burnout isn't just exhaustion. . It's a psychological contagion. It's identity fusion. It's unconscious rumination. And for high performers, it's often self-inflicted. In this episode of The Dov Baron Show, Dov sits down with psychologist and bestselling author Guy Winch, author of "Mind Over Grind," to expose the hidden psychology behind leadership burnout, work stress, and the myth of work-life balance. If you are ambitious, driven, competitive, and relentless…This conversation will hit close to home.