Podcasts about Comparison

Most men don't realize how much of their anxiety, distraction, and frustration is tied to what they own—and what owns them. We live in a culture that constantly tells us to want more, buy more, and accumulate more, yet peace, clarity, and contentment feel further away than ever. Today's conversation is about pushing back against that noise and asking a harder, more honest question: When is enough, enough? My guest is Joshua Becker, author of Uncluttered Faith: Own Less, Love More, and Make an Impact in Your World. Joshua challenges the idea that minimalism is lifeless or empty and reframes it as an intentional act of stewardship, generosity, and purpose. We talk about consumerism, greed, anxiety, and the hidden cost of everything we own—and how living with less can actually free us to love people more deeply, live with greater clarity, and invest in what truly matters. This is a conversation about discipline, contentment, and creating a life that serves your mission—not your possessions. SHOW HIGHLIGHTS 00:00 - Why Consumerism Fuels Misery 02:15 - The Inner Motivations Behind Overconsumption 04:49 - Selling With Integrity vs Manufacturing Need 07:10 - How Algorithms Shape Desire 11:44 - Purpose as the Filter for Consumption 14:42 - When Possessions Become a Burden 18:16 - Experimenting With Owning Less 21:13 - Reducing Phone Dependency 24:13 - The "Any Benefit" Mentality 28:01 - Wealth, Anxiety, and Possessions 32:20 - Wanting Less vs Earning More 34:06 - Money as a Magnifier 38:51 - What You Own Ends Up Owning You 44:17 - When Is Enough, Enough? 47:44 - Discovering You Have Enough Through Giving 51:59 - Generosity and Abundance 55:20 - Stewardship as the Antidote to Comparison 58:10 - Uncluttered Faith and the Hope Effect Battle Planners: Pick yours up today! Order Ryan's new book, The Masculinity Manifesto. For more information on the Iron Council brotherhood. Want maximum health, wealth, relationships, and abundance in your life? Sign up for our free course, 30 Days to Battle Ready  

President Trump reveals the details of his call with Tim Walz and Jacob Frey. Greg Bovino was removed from his role as Border Patrol “Commander at Large” as state police are arresting violent protesters. The cross-dressing Antifa general of Minneapolis, Kyle Wagner, who called for guns to be used against ICE, is now on the run from law enforcement and is begging for donations. VCU Nurse Malinda Cook posted a series of videos encouraging people to inject ICE agents with succinylcholine, a temporary paralysis drug and spray poison on them. The left continues to use the Kyle Rittenhouse commentary comparison to go after the guns. CNN suggests Alex Pretti has a history of impeding law enforcement operations. Dana breaks down Minnesota's political history of ignoring removal orders for illegal immigrants. Minnesota has experienced a STAGGERING increase in the amount of Medicaid without Social Security Numbers. 2 Million Gazans will request asylum in Spain. New polls show the majority of Americans are in support of ICE's mission.Thank you for supporting our sponsors that make The Dana Show possible…Bank on Yourselfhttps://BankOnYourself.com/Dana Bank on Yourself offers tax-free retirement income, guaranteed growth, and full control of your money. Receive your free report.Relief Factorhttps://ReliefFactor.com OR CALL 1-800-4-RELIEFTry Relief Factor's 3-week Quickstart for just $19.95—tell them Dana sent you and see if you can be next to control your pain!Patriot Mobilehttps://PatriotMobile.com/DANA or call 972-PATRIOTSwitch to Patriot Mobile in minutes—keep your number and phone or upgrade, then take a stand today with promo code DANA for a free month of service!Humannhttps://HumanN.comKick off the New Year with simple, delicious wellness support—pick up Humann's Turmeric Chews at Sam's Club next time you're there and see why they're such a fan favorite!Byrnahttps://Byrna.com/DanaMake 2026 the year you protect your family with solid options—Get the Byrna today.WebRootTake your cybersecurity seriously! Get 60% off Webroot Total Protection at https://Webroot.com/Dana  Noble Goldhttps://NobleGoldInvestments.com/DanaThis is the year to create a more stable financial future.  Open a qualified account with Noble Gold and receive a 3 oz Silver Virtue coin free. Subscribe today and stay in the loop on all things news with The Dana Show. Follow us here for more daily clips, updates, and commentary:YoutubeFacebookInstagramXMore InfoWebsite

Comparison is the quiet engine behind condemnation.In this episode, we explore why sizing ourselves up against others feels so natural and why it so often turns us anxious, resentful, and judgmental. Drawing on insights from René Girard, social psychology, and Jesus' parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector, we uncover how comparative desire fuels rivalry, outrage, and “us vs. them” thinking.From the Ten Commandments to social media envy, from Cain and Abel to modern prestige rankings, we discover why wanting what our neighbor has never ends well and what Jesus offers as a radically different way to live.Today's Resources:René Girard, I See Satan Fall Like LightningJonathan Haidt, The Anxious Generation

In this incredibly raw and hope-filled episode, actress Jen Lilley (Hallmark Channel, Great American Family, Days of Our Lives, The Artist) sits down with host Heather Creekmore to share the full story behind her 15-year battle with bulimia—and how faith, grace, and the power of honesty led her toward freedom. You may know Jen Lilley from her cheerful Christmas movies and bubbly TV roles, but behind the scenes, she silently struggled for years with an eating disorder. In this conversation, she doesn't hold anything back. Jen bravely walks us through her childhood, the devastating origins of her eating disorder, and the shame-filled secrecy that followed her well into adulthood—even after launching a successful career in Hollywood. But this is not just a story about struggle—it's about healing and truth. Jen opens up about the flawed advice and myths she encountered about eating disorders, the power of spiritual conviction over mere willpower, and the crucial turning point when she allowed herself to trust God fully with her recovery. She shares the deeply personal moment she finally brought her struggle into the light with her husband—and how that act of vulnerability ushered in a new season of hope and healing. Listeners struggling with their own cycles of shame, secrecy, or body-image battles will find comfort, challenge, and encouragement in Jen's passionate, faith-filled story. This episode also explores practical wisdom for those walking through recovery, the essential difference between conviction and shame, and how to trust God even when it feels impossible. If you’re ready for a conversation packed with honesty, grace, and actionable hope—listen in as Jen and Heather go deep, get real, and remind us that freedom is possible, no matter how long you’ve struggled. Jen Lilley's story of her 15-year battle with bulimia will encourage your faith and help you find your own healing and recovery through Jesus. **Why Listen?** - Hear the *real story* behind Jen’s journey through bulimia—far beyond Hollywood glitz- Find hope and faith-based encouragement for overcoming shame and secret struggles- Learn about the difference between conviction and shame—and why it matters for true healing- Be inspired by Jen’s hard-won lessons: how vulnerability and trust can unlock your path to freedom Don’t miss this episode—it could be the reminder you or a loved one needs that hope and healing *are possible*. **Resources Mentioned**- Jen’s new devotional: Wake Up Your Faith (amazon affiliate link -tiny portion of your purchase supports this ministry)- 40-Day Journey at improvebodyimage.com Tune in now and share this powerful conversation with someone who needs it! Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Host Jason Blitman is joined by acclaimed author George Saunders who talks about his new novel, Vigil. Conversation highlights include:

Summary  In this episode of the Prosperity Podcast, Kim and Spencer explore the future of technology with an intriguing discussion on robo-taxis and the implications of a tech-driven world. Kim shares her firsthand experience with Waymo taxis, highlighting the cost efficiency and potential of this innovation. They discuss the balance of embracing technology while living a simpler life, and Kim offers insights on maintaining positivity and adaptability in a rapidly evolving landscape. Perfect for those curious about the future and seeking ways to thrive in an abundant world. Tune in to expand your perspective!.   Episode Highlights 00:00:10 - Robo-taxis as future abundance. 00:00:54 - Comparison of cost per mile: Robo-taxi vs Uber. 00:01:35 - Waymo problem during power outage. 00:02:00 - Rarity of issues with driverless cars. 00:02:17 - Embracing, not fearing, technological change. 00:03:25 - Excitement for a gardening robot. 00:04:21 - Future envisioning with robots and AI. 00:05:08 - Adapting to innovation: Personal anecdotes. 00:07:09 - Encouragement to find good in technology. 00:08:51 - Choice in technology: Picking what's beneficial. 00:11:09 - Balancing high-tech and low-tech lifestyle. 00:13:42 - Importance of positive perspectives. 00:15:19 - "Busting the Scarcity Mindset" book recommendation. 00:16:07 - Children's book series on prosperity principles. 00:16:33 - Visit prosperitythinkers.com for financial control.   Episode Resources For resources and additional information of this episode go to https://prosperitythinkers.com/podcasts/ http://prosperityparents.com/  https://storage.googleapis.com/msgsndr/yBEuMuj6fSwGh7YB8K87/media/68e557c906b06d836d9effad.pdf  https://www.youtube.com/@KimDHButler Keywords Prosperity podcast   Prosperity thinkers   future abundance   robo-taxis   Waymo taxis   cost per mile   Uber   driverless technology   San Francisco   Peter Diamandis   robots in the home   gardening robot   innovation   AI   NVIDIA   Sam Altman   China   2026   positive perspective   compute   solar arrangement   oil industry   rural living   scarcity mindset   abundance   Busting the Scarcity Mindset   multigenerational families   seven principles of prosperity   Adventures at Prosperity Patch   Prosperity Patch series   Prosperity thinkers.com  

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz tries to compare ICE raids to Anne Frank, the Jewish girl hiding from Nazis during WWII. Meanwhile, Minneapolis creates their own version of Portland's CHAZ/CHOP. Thank you for supporting our sponsors that make The Dana Show possible…Bank on Yourselfhttps://BankOnYourself.com/Dana Bank on Yourself offers tax-free retirement income, guaranteed growth, and full control of your money. Receive your free report.Relief Factorhttps://ReliefFactor.com OR CALL 1-800-4-RELIEFTry Relief Factor's 3-week Quickstart for just $19.95—tell them Dana sent you and see if you can be next to control your pain!Patriot Mobilehttps://PatriotMobile.com/DANA or call 972-PATRIOTSwitch to Patriot Mobile in minutes—keep your number and phone or upgrade, then take a stand today with promo code DANA for a free month of service!Humannhttps://HumanN.comKick off the New Year with simple, delicious wellness support—pick up Humann's Turmeric Chews at Sam's Club next time you're there and see why they're such a fan favorite!Byrnahttps://Byrna.com/DanaMake 2026 the year you protect your family with solid options—Get the Byrna today.WebRootTake your cybersecurity seriously! Get 60% off Webroot Total Protection at https://Webroot.com/Dana  Noble Goldhttps://NobleGoldInvestments.com/DanaThis is the year to create a more stable financial future.  Open a qualified account with Noble Gold and receive a 3 oz Silver Virtue coin free. Subscribe today and stay in the loop on all things news with The Dana Show. Follow us here for more daily clips, updates, and commentary:YoutubeFacebookInstagramXMore InfoWebsite

The Minnesota Gophers men's basketball team continued their biggest slide so far of the 2025/2026 season as losers of now five games in a row after falling to Nebraska on Saturday. The Gophers do continue to play hard and competitive, so that's a good thing. How does year one of Niko Medved rank in comparison to year one of Ben Johnson with the Gophers. Finally, what are some of our favorite Minnesota Gophers upset wins in recent memory…See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A hard truth about marriage: it's not always sunshine and butterflies. If you're longing for things to change, the best option can seem like walking away. But lasting love comes from committing to choosing them, not comparing them to something "better."

The Minnesota Gophers men's basketball team continued their biggest slide so far of the 2025/2026 season as losers of now five games in a row after falling to Nebraska on Saturday. The Gophers do continue to play hard and competitive, so that's a good thing. How does year one of Niko Medved rank in comparison to year one of Ben Johnson with the Gophers. Finally, what are some of our favorite Minnesota Gophers upset wins in recent memory…See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A hard truth about marriage: it's not always sunshine and butterflies. If you're longing for things to change, the best option can seem like walking away. But lasting love comes from committing to choosing them, not comparing them to something "better."

In this installment, Rod Thomas explores the Jewish concepts of the Messiah, focusing on the three-messiah framework: Mashiyach Nagid, Mashiyach ben Yosef, and Mashiyach ben David. The discussion delves into Daniel's prophecy, Jewish tradition, and the identity of Yeshua (Jesus) as understood in Messianic faith. The episode also examines why mainstream Judaism rejects Yeshua as Messiah and how these messianic expectations shape both Jewish and Messianic perspectives. Key Topics Covered 1. Introduction and Context Greetings and setting: Recorded on the 3rd Day of the 11th biblical month, 6025 (Friday, January 16, 2026). Reflection on persecution, faith, and the hope found in Yeshua's teachings (Matthew 5:10-12; Ephesians 6:18; Matthew 5:44; Luke 6:28). 2. Why Judaism Rejects Yeshua as Messiah Historical grievances and theological differences. The role of Rabbinic expectations and interpretations in shaping Jewish messianic beliefs (Hebrews 2:3; Romans 3:2; Romans 11:25-26; Zechariah 12:10). 3. The Three Messiahs in Jewish Thought Mashiyach Nagid (Messiah the Prince) Mashiyach ben Yosef (Messiah, son of Joseph) Mashiyach ben David (Messiah, son of David) The episode focuses on Mashiyach Nagid, with future installments to cover the other two. 4. What is Mashiyach Nagid? Linguistic breakdown: "Mashiyach" means "Anointed One"; "Nagid" means "Prince" or "Leader." Scriptural foundation: Daniel 9:25-26 and its interpretations. The prophecy's implications for Jewish and Christian eschatology (1 Corinthians 13:12; Matthew 24:15-16). 5. The Meaning and Role of "Nagid" "Nagid" as prince, ruler, leader, commander, or official. Biblical examples: Saul, David, Solomon, Hezekiah, Abner, Azariah, and others (1 Samuel 9:16; 10:1; 13:14; 25:30; 2 Samuel 5:2; 6:21; 7:8; 1 Kings 1:35; 2 Kings 18:1; 2 Chronicles 31:13). 6. Mashiyach Nagid in Prophecy and Tradition The "transitional" leader concept: Anointed but not yet king. Comparison with "Melech" (King) and the Davidic Covenant (2 Samuel 7:8-16; Psalm 2:8-12; 2 Chronicles 13:5). 7. Messianic Traits and the Melchizedekian Order Psalm 110 as a foundational text for the dual role of king and priest. The Melchizedekian priesthood and its fulfillment in Yeshua (1 Peter 2:9; Daniel 2:44; Matthew 21:44; 1 Corinthians 15:24; Revelation 11:15). 8. Jewish Perspectives on Mashiyach Nagid Views of Rashi, Ibn Ezra, and Rambam (Maimonides) on the identity and role of Mashiyach Nagid. The Essenes and Qumran writings: Priestly and royal messiahs, "Prince of the Congregation" (Damascus Document, Rule of the Congregation, 11QMelchizedek). Apocryphal and Talmudic references: Suffering and kingly messiahs (1 Enoch, Jubilees, Talmud). 9. Christian and Messianic Interpretations Yeshua as the fulfillment of Daniel's prophecy and the persona of Mashiyach Nagid. The dual or double-fulfillment view of prophecy. Jewish objections to identifying Yeshua as all three messianic figures. 10. Application and Call to Discipleship The call for believers to imitate Yeshua's character traits: suffering, triumph, priesthood, kingship, exaltation, royal lineage, and spiritual warfare (Isaiah 53; Colossians 2:15; Psalm 110; Matthew 1:1; Zechariah 14:3; 1 Peter 2:9; Revelation 20:6; 2 Corinthians 10:4-6; Ephesians 6:12-14). Invitation to covenant relationship and Torah-honoring lifestyle (2 Corinthians 6:2; Isaiah 55:6-9). References & Further Reading https://www.sefaria.org/topics/mashiach?sort=Relevance&tab=notable-sources https://jewishlink.news/the-origin-of-the-word-nagid-leader/ https://www.researchgate.net/publication/318725539_A_Contemporary_Defense_of_the_Authenticity_of_Daniel https://www.gotquestions.org/prophecy-double-dual-fulfillment.html https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/101747/jewish/Mashiach-ben-Yossef.htm https://library.biblicalarchaeology.org/sidebar/the-messiah-text-4q521-and-a-line-by-line-analysis/ https://jamestabor.com/a-cosmic-messiah-who-makes-live-the-dead-in-among-the-dead-sea-scrolls-4q521/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_War_of_the_Messiah https://scielo.org.za/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1010-99192014000300016 https://www.sefaria.org/rashi_on_daniel.9.25 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesus_in_the_Talmud https://www.themessianictorahobserver.org/2025/06/20/messianic-reflections-in-the-life-of-yosef-ben-yisrael-thoughts-reflections-on-torah-reading-34/ Contact & Community For questions or further discussion, email: perceptionwp@gmail.com Leave a voice message via SpeakPipe on https://www.themessianictorahobserver.org/ Closing Blessing May you be most blessed, fellow saints in training. Walk in faith, truth, and the hope of Messiah's return.  

An interesting immigration statistical comparison between Trump in 2025 and Obama in 2012.Citing the limited resources available for immigration enforcement and the impossibility of deporting 11 million undocumented people, the Obama administration sought to prioritize the use of the agency's enforcement personnel, detention space, and removal assets. Noting that ICE could only remove an estimated 400,000 undocumented immigrants a year at most, representing less than 4% of the undocumented population in the U.S. during that time, the administration sought to channel limited resources towards more urgent threats. In a set of 2010 and 2011 memoranda from then-U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director John Morton, the Obama administration created three categories of undocumented immigrants that would be prioritized for arrest and deportation. The first priority consisted of undocumented immigrants who posed a threat to national security or public safety, including those engaged in or suspected of terrorism or espionage, those convicted of a crime or possessing outstanding criminal warrants, or those who participated in organized criminal gang activity. Within this priority category, ICE would draw distinctions based on the severity of convictions: level 1 offenders were convicted of aggravated felonies, level 2 offenders were convicted of any felony, and level 3 offenders were convicted of a misdemeanor.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Comparison can quietly turn into self-obsession, leaving us stuck inside our own stories. Rosie explores this “secret enemy,” why it shrinks our world, and how compassion helps us remember that we're not alone. We're part of something bigger. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What happens when your coffee grinder is jammed… and so is your life?This episode starts with a broken coffee grinder and accidentally turns into one of the deepest, most honest conversations we've ever had on the Photographic Collective Podcast.Today we sit down with Jon Taylor Sweet — one of the most influential visual artists of the last decade whose work spans weddings, music, commercial, editorial, and culture — to talk about:Why he walked away from shooting 30 weddings a yearWhat burnout actually does to your nervous systemHow he built a career by niching up instead of niching downWhy relationships matter more than ratesWhy your creative voice is more important than your brandAnd how to build a life that doesn't require a breakdown every NovemberJon shares the real story behind his rise from shooting on an iPhone in Washington to working with artists like NF, David Kushner, Laney Wilson, and major brands like Jameson and Alaska Airlines — and why he still refuses to put himself in a box.This is a conversation about:Creativity without cagesBusiness without burnoutArt without arroganceAnd success without selling your soulIf you've ever felt tired, boxed in, creatively stuck, or like you're running a business you don't actually want to live inside of… this one will hit home.Also yes, we do talk about coffee. A lot. ☕️John Taylor Sweet joins us for a wildly honest conversation about burnout, creativity, niching up, and building a life you actually want to live. From shooting on an iPhone to working with world-class artists and brands, this episode is a masterclass in sustainable creativity.Why John cut his wedding workload from 30+ to 12 per yearWhat burnout actually feels like in your bodyHow to recognize when your nervous system is friedWhy saying no creates better yesesThe danger of building a business you hate living insideWhy niching up beats niching downHow relationships built his entire commercial and music careerThe truth about editing, style, and creative freedomWhy your composition and light matter more than your presetsHow to get commercial work without chasing brandsWhy comparison is killing your creativityThe real story of how his career started on an iPhoneWhy you don't need permission to create meaningful work00:00 – The Grinder Is Jammed05:00 – Onyx Coffee, Arkansas, and Chaos08:00 – Why John Cut His Workload in Half12:00 – Burnout, Anxiety, and the Nervous System18:00 – Rhythms, Faith, and Life Structure24:00 – Creativity, Movement, and Making Things30:00 – Art vs Industry vs Ego38:00 – The Commercial Work Philosophy45:00 – From iPhone to Global Brands55:00 – Failure, Learning, and Showing Up1:02:00 – The Problem With “There's Only One Way”1:08:00 – The Artist vs The Algorithm1:15:00 – Final Creative Mic DropA few KEY quotes from our chat.“If you don't build space into your life, your body will build it for you.”“Niching up lets creativity feed the thing that pays your bills.”“Relationships last longer than campaigns.”“Your composition and how you see light is your real signature.”“If you're not moving and you're not creating, something's off.”“You don't need permission to make meaningful work.”“Comparison is the fastest way to lose your voice.”John Taylor SweetWebsite: ⁠https://jontaylorsweet.com⁠Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/jontaylorsweet⁠Referenced / RelatedNF (music artist)David KushnerLaney WilsonAlaska AirlinesJameson WhiskeyMiles & JaredMiles: ⁠https://www.mileswittboyer.com⁠Jared: ⁠https://www.jaredfincher.com⁠PHOTOCO: ⁠www.mileswittboyer.com/photo⁠

Today on the Logan Blackman Show we recap the Bills most recent Playoff loss, as they fell 33-30 to the Broncos in overtime. We go over everything that took place throughout the game, from turnovers to some questionable decisions which both help decide the game. We then react to the news of head coach Sean McDermott being fired, going over if it was the right time and what that means for the Bills future while also discussing whether or not general manager Brandon Beane should have been fired too (rather than promoted) and who could fill each head coaching vacancy this offseason. We then recap the rest of the divisional round games while also revealing our officially un-official Super Bowl prediction. Speaking of championship games we recap Indiana's 27-21 win against Miami (FL), finishing the season 16-0 while securing the schools first national championship. With that we see compare this year's quarterback class to next year's while also revealing our un-official top five quarterbacks for both classes as well. Enjoy!

Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies are once again at the center of investor debate—but for very different reasons than past cycles. Lance Roberts and special guest, DeFi Development Corp's COO, Parker White, examine what's been happening beneath the surface of the crypto market, including the growing divide between older and younger Bitcoin cohorts and the increasing fractionalization of crypto ownership. Is Bitcoin's volatility evolving in a way that allows it to function as a portfolio diversifier, especially when compared to traditional hedges, like gold? What is its potential role in an all-weather portfolio? With 2026 shaping up as a potential "catch-up trade" year, we also address why altcoins continue to lag—and whether they still have a place in diversified portfolios. The discussion then turns to regulation and transparency. Would clearer rules improve market stability and adoption? We break down recent U.S. legislative efforts focused on stablecoins, crypto market structure, and blockchain innovation—while offering a critical assessment of their strengths and limitations. We also examine real-world blockchain use cases, including foreign remittances, stablecoin payments, and the tension between volatility and utility in global adoption. Lance and Parker address the practical side: how investors think about accessing and storing digital assets—and why protecting software developers and open-source innovation remains a foundational issue for the future of blockchain technology. This episode is designed to move beyond hype and headlines and focus on where cryptocurrency may—or may not—fit within a disciplined investment framework. 0:00 - INTRO 0:50 - Meet Parker White 2:06 - What's been going on lately with Bitcoin? 4:50 - Older & Younger Bitcoin Cohorts 6:37 - Is the cryptocurrency market becoming fractionalized; how does this affect volatility? 12:12 - Can Crypto become a diversifier in volatility? 13:13 - Why investors shy away from Bitcoin/Cryptocurrency 14:01 - Comparisons with Gold 15:34 - Bitcoin in All-Weather Portfolio 17:04 - 2026: The Year of the Catch-up Trade 19:53 - The relative poor performance of altcoins: What's their place in a portfolio? 22:12 - Would the Cryptocurrency market do better with more regulation? Better transparency 25:46 - How to buy & store cryptocurrencies 29:40 - The Viability of the Blockchain - volatility vs utility & global adoption 31:30 - Blockchains & Foreign Remittances 33:11 - Paying bills w Stablecoin 40:59 - The Genius Act & Stablecoin - Dollars still the dominant trading asset 43:42 - The Clarity Act - provides regulatory guidelines for the crypto industry Critiquing the Acts 44:51 - The One Thing - making sure software developers have 1st Amendment protection Hosted by RIA Advisors Chief Investment Strategist, Lance Roberts, CIO, w Parker White, COO/CIO, DeFi Development Corp Produced by Brent Clanton, Executive Producer ------- Watch Today's Full Video on our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4roSFzE3Ww&list=PLVT8LcWPeAugpcGzM8hHyEP11lE87RYPe&index=1 ------- Watch our previous show, "The Hardest Part of Legacy Planning - Starting the Conversation" here: https://www.youtube.com/live/Loe7qu06Ack -------- The latest installment of our new feature, Before the Bell, "Markets Stall at Resistance - Volatility Ahead?" is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EviI_k5gb8&list=PLwNgo56zE4RAbkqxgdj-8GOvjZTp9_Zlz&index=1 ------- Get more info & commentary: https://realinvestm entadvice.com/newsletter/ -------- SUBSCRIBE to The Real Investment Show here: http://www.youtube.com/c/TheRealInvestmentShow -------- Visit our Site: https://www.realinvestmentadvice.com Contact Us: 1-855-RIA-PLAN -------- Subscribe to SimpleVisor: https://www.simplevisor.com/register-new -------- Connect with us on social: https://twitter.com/RealInvAdvice https://twitter.com/LanceRoberts https://www.facebook.com/RealInvestmentAdvice/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/realinvestmentadvice/ #Bitcoin #Cryptocurrency #CryptoRegulation #PortfolioDiversification #DigitalAssets #ParkerWhite

The Year of the Snake is coming to a close. This is the perfect time to shed that outgrown skin. We must let go of the old, heavy energy holding us back if we're going to meet the fast-moving energy that the Year of the Horse is bound to bring. One of the greatest drains on our energy comes from comparing ourselves to others. Every time we measure our worth against someone else, we snuff out our own light. It's time to stop worrying about what they're doing and start taking an interest in your own life. When this happens, the temptation to compare becomes a lot less enticing. Let the shedding begin! What am I reading?The Witch's Daughter by Paula Brackston https://bookshop.org/a/111301/9781250004086Be More Owl: Life Lessons from our Feathered Friends by Alison Davieshttps://bookshop.org/a/111301/9781837834068https://bookshop.org/shop/witchywomanwalkingWhat's playing on repeat?Violet by Hole What's for dinner? Fiber Fueled Sweet Potato Ingredients:Baked sweet potatoProtein of choice - plant based “meat”, grind chicken/beef, shredded rotisserie chicken, fried egg, beans Cheese of choiceGreen Veggie of choice: broccoli, kale, spinach, Swiss chard etc.Red/orange/yellow veggie: bell peppers, tomatoes, cornToppings: guacamole, salsa, hummus, crunchy chili oil, Greek yogurt, sour cream Fermented add-on: kimchi, pickles, sauerkraut, pickled beets/carrots/onions Fresh herbs of choice Instructions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Bake sweet potato until fork tender. Load potato up with all the ingredients you love. Dig in! Go-to Coffee Cake Ingredients:1 cup butter2/3 cup sugar 1 cup buttermilk4 eggs2 teaspoons vanilla3 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder1/4 tsp baking soda1 teaspoon salt Topping:4 tablespoons brown sugar2 tsp cinnamon Instructions: Preheat oven to 350 f. Grease a 9x13 baking dish. Beat softened butter for several minutes with hand mixer or stand mixer. Add sugar, beat for a couple more minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mix until incorporated. Add vanilla, mix. Stir dry ingredients together in separate bowl. Add flour and buttermilk in stages to the butter mixture, switching between the two until incorporated. Do not over mix. Pour into prepared baking dish. Sprinkle top with brown sugar and cinnamon. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Enjoy! Support the show

Stay informed on current events, visit www.NaturalNews.com - Preparing for the Storm (0:00) - Using Noco Genius Products (2:13) - Diesel Generator Maintenance (6:17) - Advancements in Dioxin Testing (8:34) - Lab Testing and Food Science (12:17) - Brightelearn.ai and AI Technology (14:50) - AI and Writing Style (22:28) - DeepSea Model 4 and AI Advancements (39:12) - Decentralized AI and Privacy (58:51) - Supporting AI Development (1:10:22) - Brighteon AI Platform Overview and Accessibility (1:12:51) - Introduction to Peptide Therapy and Personal Transformation (1:25:50) - Benefits and Risks of Peptide Use (1:42:48) - Comparison of Different Peptides (1:43:08) - Challenges and Solutions in Peptide Therapy (1:46:55) - Root Cause Reset Course Overview (1:47:09) - Environmental Toxins and Their Impact on Health (1:54:12) - Legal and Ethical Considerations in Peptide Use (1:54:47) - Conclusion and Call to Action (1:55:16) - Glyphosate and Heavy Metals in Food (1:55:49) - Lab Testing and Health Ranger Store (2:31:01) - Doctor's Lack of Toxicology Knowledge (2:32:16) - Urine Testing and Toxicology Course (2:33:27) - Personal Transformation and Health Advocacy (2:34:26) - Final Thoughts and Contact Information (2:37:23) Watch more independent videos at http://www.brighteon.com/channel/hrreport  ▶️ Support our mission by shopping at the Health Ranger Store - https://www.healthrangerstore.com ▶️ Check out exclusive deals and special offers at https://rangerdeals.com ▶️ Sign up for our newsletter to stay informed: https://www.naturalnews.com/Readerregistration.html Watch more exclusive videos here:

Comparison can steal joy and distort progress.  This episode focuses on releasing the habit of measuring yourself against others and learning to honor your own pace, path, and growth - exactly as it is.Books by Joseph Wadas here: AUTHOR PAGE

An interesting immigration statistical comparison between Trump in 2025 and Obama in 2012.Citing the limited resources available for immigration enforcement and the impossibility of deporting 11 million undocumented people, the Obama administration sought to prioritize the use of the agency's enforcement personnel, detention space, and removal assets. Noting that ICE could only remove an estimated 400,000 undocumented immigrants a year at most, representing less than 4% of the undocumented population in the U.S. during that time, the administration sought to channel limited resources towards more urgent threats. In a set of 2010 and 2011 memoranda from then-U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director John Morton, the Obama administration created three categories of undocumented immigrants that would be prioritized for arrest and deportation. The first priority consisted of undocumented immigrants who posed a threat to national security or public safety, including those engaged in or suspected of terrorism or espionage, those convicted of a crime or possessing outstanding criminal warrants, or those who participated in organized criminal gang activity. Within this priority category, ICE would draw distinctions based on the severity of convictions: level 1 offenders were convicted of aggravated felonies, level 2 offenders were convicted of any felony, and level 3 offenders were convicted of a misdemeanor.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Happy New Year 2026!  The boys are back in town, with a new game: Regional Quirkisms.  After discussing Minnesota quirkisms, the guys answer a listener question from Ireland: "What's the most number of corresponding minutiae that you have seen from two impressions from different sources?".  This leads to a deep dive on close non-matches.  The guys share their tips, tricks, and red flag warnings for dealing with close non-matches.  They discuss a few examples and talk about the relevant research on this topic.

October 7th was the largest attempt at genocide against the Jewish people since the Holocaust. What does this moment reveal about modern antisemitism and the importance of Holocaust studies today? Joining Samantha Vinokor-Meinrath this week is Alyssa Weinstein-Sears, a longtime educator and Holocaust and genocide scholar. Ahead of International Holocaust Remembrance Day, Alyssa emphasizes the goals of Holocaust education at a time when most students have a narrow view of what it was, unpacking how inflammatory language to talk about Israel can obscure historical truth, and what gives her hope. Learn more about The Jewish Education Project at jewishedproject.orgThis episode was produced by Miranda Lapides and Rina Cohen Schwarz. The show's executive producers are David Bryfman, Karen Cummins, and Nessa Liben. This episode was engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media. If you enjoyed the show, please leave us a 5-star rating and review, or even better, share it with a friend. Be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and be the first to know when new episodes are released. To learn more about The Jewish Education Project visit jewishedproject.org where you can find links to our Jewish Educator Portal and learn more about our mission, history, and staff. We are a proud partner of UJA-Federation of New York. 

Am I the problem? Is it me and the way that I am showing up? If your business strategy isn't working, your marketing feels stuck, or you keep starting things without finishing them, the issue might not be your strategy. It might be that you don't trust yourself to execute it.You can have the perfect funnel, the perfect offer, the perfect sales process, and still self-sabotage everything if you lack self-trust. I work with scaling entrepreneurs every day who think they need a new strategy when what they actually need is to stop abandoning themselves mid-execution. Your business will never be stable if you as the founder are not stable. I'm breaking down what self-trust actually is in business (spoiler: it's not confidence), the signs you don't trust yourself (asking everyone for opinions before deciding, losing momentum after starting strong, procrastinating on high ROI tasks, overcomplicating simple things, avoiding feedback), how lack of self-trust shows up in your execution and launches, why you keep changing strategies instead of seeing them through, and how to build evidence-based self-trust starting today. This includes the surfboard analogy that will completely reframe how you see your role in business growth.Every day you blame the strategy is a day you ignore that you might be the common denominator. This isn't about blame, it's about opportunity to finally break the pattern.02:41 Defining Self-Trust07:47 Decision Making and Self-Trust11:13 Execution and Momentum14:27 Avoiding Hard Work and Conversations18:02 Leadership and Delegation21:21 Comparison and Self-Trust24:36 The Role of Strategy and Self-Trust30:20 Surfing the Waves of Business Challenges33:07 Self-Sabotage and Personal Accountability33:57 Trusting Yourself in Business and Personal Life35:30 Identifying and Overcoming Self-Sabotage37:14 Building Self-Trust Through Consistency44:18 Navigating Fear and Decision Making46:04 Understanding the Roots of Self-Doubt56:09 The Importance of Self-Trust in Scaling Your BusinessTo join the Ambitious Network for free, click HERE. To connect with Kate on Instagram, click ⁠HERE⁠. To apply for ITI, click ⁠HERE⁠.To submit a question to be answered on the podcast, click HERE.

Our hearts are always looking for something to satisfy them. In a world built on instant gratification, it’s easy to assume that the next experience, achievement, relationship, or possession will finally make us feel full. But this devotional gently challenges that pursuit by asking a deeper question: have you truly found satisfaction in Jesus—and do you believe He is enough? The devotional points out that many things promise to satisfy, yet so often they leave us empty. Even good things can become substitutes when we expect them to fill a God-sized longing. Only Jesus can meet the deepest needs of the soul. The author highlights the Samaritan woman as an example of someone searching in all the wrong places until she encountered Christ. Once Jesus met her need, she was changed—so changed that she ran to share Him with everyone else. True satisfaction doesn’t just quiet our craving; it transforms our lives and reorders what we desire. Satisfaction also involves perspective. Comparison can quietly poison contentment, making us resent what others have and overlook what God is already doing in our lives. The devotional reminds us that God provides daily bread, sustains us, protects us, and gives new mercies each morning. When we remember the cost of the cross and the gift of salvation, gratitude grows—and that gratitude becomes a pathway to contentment. This prayer is an invitation to return your focus to Jesus, especially if you’ve been feeling empty, restless, or distracted by what the world offers. Even when prayers remain unanswered and life feels incomplete, you can trust that God is still good, still present, and still satisfying. Jesus doesn’t merely add something to your life—He becomes the One who fills it. Main Takeaways The world offers many substitutes for satisfaction, but only Jesus can truly fill the heart. Contentment begins with believing Jesus is enough, even when life feels lacking. Comparison steals joy; gratitude restores perspective and peace. God faithfully provides, sustains, and shows mercy day by day. Satisfaction in Jesus can remain steady even while you’re still waiting on unanswered prayers. Today’s Bible Verse: For he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things. - Psalm 107:9 Your Daily Prayer Here is a brief excerpt from today’s prayer: “Help me to keep my gaze and focus fixed on you always… Help me to be completely satisfied in you, no matter what prayers remain unanswered in my life.” You can listen to the full prayer here or read the devotional at the links below. Want More? Relevant Links & Resources Looking for more daily encouragement and faith-filled content? LifeAudio – Discover daily devotionals, Christian podcasts, and biblical encouragement at LifeAudio.com Crosswalk – Explore faith, prayer, and Christian living resources at Crosswalk.com This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management. “Whether we’re helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments, Trinity has the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps!" If your debt has you down, we should talk. Call us at 1-800-793-8548 | https://trinitycredit.org/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Connect with me here! Send me a text message! Have you ever opened social media feeling fine and walked away feeling discouraged, behind, or insecure? In this episode of the Free From Comparison mini-series, we talk about why social media so easily fuels comparison and how God calls us to guard our hearts with wisdom and intention. Through Scripture and practical encouragement, you'll learn how what you consume shapes how you think — and how to protect your peace without guilt or pressure.This episode offers simple, biblical tools to help you set healthy boundaries, replace comparison with truth, and stay rooted in God's presence even in a digital world.Be encouraged, challenged and blessed today!!CHECK OUT DWELL Christian Apparel here> https://dwellapparel.com/?ref=mhdrqrpvBE SURE TO US CODE- ANGELA for 15% off! Grab your downloadable scripture cards here>> https://stan.store/mrsangelapitnikoff/p/30-scripture-cards✨Come hang with me on IG- https://www.instagram.com/mrsangelapitnikoff/✨Join our FB sisterhood!- https://www.facebook.com/groups/kingdomdaughterssisterhood✨Want some fun free resources? Click here- www.thekingdomdaughters.com✨ Connect with me! thekingdomdaughterspodcast@gmail.com Support the show

Are some people truly above the law?

Cover 2 with Blaine and Zach - Hour 2 - Comparison between Kingsbury & Daboll's Systems for Cam WardSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Play No Games is a space for real conversations and perspective.Each episode blends authenticity and insight—creating room for laughter, clarity, and growth as we unpack what's happening in culture and in ourselves._____________________________

Morgan Housel breaks down the exact framework he uses to build wealth, minimize financial stress, and buy freedom. While most financial advice focuses on how to get rich, Morgan explains why the skills needed to stay rich are completely different. You will learn why "boring" investing beats complex strategies, how to avoid the social traps that destroy wealth, and the specific equation for finding contentment. Morgan Housel is a partner at Collaborative Fund and the bestselling author of The Psychology of Money. Enjoy! ----- Approximate Timestamps: (00:00) Trailer/Introduction (00:58) What Drives You? (04:50) What Can Money Do For Us? (07:22) Happiness vs. Satisfaction (11:45) Becoming Financially Independent (14:40) Survival and Contrast (20:16) Ad Break (21:05) Investing: Can You Beat the Market? (22:32) When Is The Right Time To Buy a House? (26:45) Housing Affordability and Equity (28:39) Step by Step Investing (35:08) Eras of Life and Spending In Those Eras (43:50) Raising Kids With Money (48:46) Social Media: Expectations and Comparison (55:46) Lessons From the Vanderbilts (01:01:21) Learning From Others Spending Habits (01:07:51) Lessons From History: Depressions, Panics, Downturns (01:11:40) Net Worth in Cash (01:14:20) Passive Income and Financial Independence (01:25:58) Massive Success: Doing It All Again (01:32: 27) What Should You Optimize For? (01:38:24) What Do You Splurge On? (01:40:38) What Can History Teach Us About Inflation? (01:47:46) Index Funds Allocation (01:53:36) What Is Success For You? ----- This episode of the Knowledge Project is for informational purposes only. The views and opinions expressed by Shane Parrish or our guests are solely their own. Nothing in this conversation should be considered investment advice, financial guidance, or a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Always do your own due diligence or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. It's time to listen and learn. ----- Psychology of Money: https://geni.us/my3K ----- Upgrade: Get a hand edited transcripts and ad free experiences along with my thoughts and reflections at the end of every conversation. Learn more @ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fs.blog/membership⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ------ Newsletter: The Brain Food newsletter delivers actionable insights and thoughtful ideas every Sunday. It takes 5 minutes to read, and it's completely free. Learn more and sign up at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fs.blog/newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠------ Follow Shane Parrish: X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/shaneparrish⁠ Insta: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/farnamstreet/⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/shane-parrish-050a2183/⁠ ------ Thank you to the sponsors for this episode: Granola AI, The AI notepad for people in back-to-back meetings: https://www.granola.ai/shane Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we jump back 15 years to two back-to-back episodes of the PWTorch Livecast from Jan. 12 and 13, 2011.On the Jan. 12, 2011 episode, PWTorch editor Wade Keller and cohost Pat McNeill were first joined by MMATorch's Jamie Penick to talk about Brock Lesnar coaching The Ultimate Fighter and various aspects of that story. Then they took live calls on a variety of subjects including Smackdown roster changes, TNA's new "They" storyline, and more, plus in the previously VIP-exclusive Aftershow they take listener email questions.Then on the Jan. 13, 2011 episode, PWTorch assistant editor James Caldwell and PWTorch columnist Greg Parks discussed with live callers TNA Impact going on the road in February, the future of the X Division and a potential replacement if the X Division were scrapped, news & notes from the Impact tapings, possibility of Batista and Chris Jericho returning to WWE, future of Nexus, the Smackdown reset last Friday, lack of chemistry between Randy Orton and The Miz, and much more. In the previously VIP-exclusive Aftershow, they discuss the X Division and Impact on the road stories more, and break down the 2010 Year-End Awards to evaluate Torch reader picks.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/wade-keller-pro-wrestling-podcast--3076978/support.

Are AI images fooling you? They're everywhere. Perhaps you saw all those cute "candy cane" body suit photos and thought, "That looks fun." Or, maybe you posted one yourself! In this thought-provoking episode, Heather Creekmore unpacks the rise of AI-generated photos and their profound impact on how we see ourselves—and each other. What started years ago as a debate over Photoshop has now exploded into a world where anyone can create altered, “flawless” images of themselves in a matter of seconds. But the effects go far beyond just looking different in pictures. These doctored images are changing our brains, our body image, and even our spiritual health. Heather shares what happened when she created a bunch of AI photos of herself, including her hilarious results. What You’ll Hear The Evolution from Photoshop to AI:Heather Creekmore reminisces about early discussions on Photoshop and magazine covers—and how AI has made “perfect” images accessible to everyone, not just celebrities and models. Personal Experiment with AI Headshots:Hear about Heather’s own journey using an AI headshot generator, the surprising (and sometimes hilarious) results, and the unsettling emotional triggers that come with seeing an altered version of yourself. The Science Behind How Images Affect Us:Learn how the brain processes images, why filtered photos are so convincing (even when we know they're fake), and how repeated exposure to “perfect” bodies rewires our brains to set unrealistic standards. Real Dangers: Snapchat Dysmorphia and Beyond:Explore the rise in people seeking cosmetic procedures to look like their filtered selfies, and understand why AI-generated “ideal images” up the stakes for comparison, perfectionism, and dissatisfaction. Spiritual Implications:Heather dives deep into the spiritual cost of chasing AI perfection, discussing body image idolatry, why you were purposefully designed by a loving Creator, and the difference between being designed vs. manufactured. Practical Tips to Beat Comparison:Walk away with actionable advice, from mindful scrolling to curating your social media feed, setting screen time limits, and turning to prayer when you're tempted by those idealized images. Memorable Quotes “Now you can actually have an image of yourself to worship.” “Our brains know these images are fake, but our hearts still hurt as if they’re real.” “You’re not a red Solo cup. You’re not manufactured. You’re uniquely designed.” "Are you worshipping a perfect image, or are you worshipping a perfect God?" Helpful Links 40-Day Body Image Journey:Feeling stuck in comparison and body obsession? Join Heather Creekmore’s quarterly 40-day journey for Christian women at improvebodyimage.com (look for the “40 Day Journey” tab). Related Resources: See the photos! Find this episode on YouTube or visit the blog, here. Listen to more episodes on faith and body image Find the 40-Day Body Image Workbook * (Amazon affiliate link. Tiny portion of your purchase goes to support this ministry.) Final Thoughts If you’ve ever scrolled through Instagram and felt “less than,” or if you’re curious about how AI might be affecting your mental—and spiritual—health, this episode is for you. Heather Creekmore reminds us that our value isn’t found in a perfectly curated image, but in the unique design given to us by God. Be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode. If this conversation resonated with you, share it with a friend or leave a review. Thanks for listening! Remember: Stop comparing and start living. Follow Heather Creekmore on Instagram and YouTube for more encouragement on faith, body image, and comparison-free living. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

If you beat yourself up when it comes to comparison/jealousy, today we're using our own curiosity as a superpower!✉️ Sign up for my weekly Letters of Rebellion!

Nick and Jonathan talk about the Ravens coaching search, Robert Saleh's hire in Tennessee and more in Tuesday's edition of Quick Hits.

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day. Read more about Project23 and partner with us as we teach every verse of the Bible on video. Our text today is 1 Corinthians 1:10-17. The argument started small. They always do. A comparison here. A subtle jab there. Then suddenly the whole church in Corinth was splintering into camps — Paul's camp, Apollos' camp, Peter's camp, even a "we only follow Christ" camp said with a smug twist. Division never screams at first. It whispers. Then it fractures. I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. What I mean is that each one of you says, "I follow Paul," or "I follow Apollos," or "I follow Cephas," or "I follow Christ." Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, so that no one may say that you were baptized in my name. I did baptize also the household of Stephanas. Beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else. For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. — 1 Corinthians 1:10–17 Paul doesn't tiptoe around the problem. He hits the heart of the issue. Because when people start attaching their identity to personalities rather than to Christ, unity dies. And Paul slices through the noise with one sharp question: "Is Christ divided?" Of course not. But when Christ isn't at the center, people start choosing sides. Here's the truth Corinth needed — and we need: When Christ is at the center, we won't take sides. Pastors don't unite the church. Preferences don't unite the church. Personalities don't unite the church. Only Jesus does that. So why are the names of your pastor, your preferences, and your personalities so important to you? But when Christ becomes the main thing again. The sides disappear. Comparison fades. Pride quiets. Unity rises. So let this settle deep today: If Christ stays at the center, division loses its power. And said another way — because we need the reminder — When Christ is truly at the center, we refuse to take sides. DO THIS: Reach out to one believer today — someone outside your usual circle. Send encouragement. Build a bridge where a wall once stood. ASK THIS: Where have preferences quietly replaced Christ as the center? Who do you tend to "follow" more closely than Jesus? Is there a person you need to reconcile with for the sake of unity? PRAY THIS: Jesus, keep me centered on You alone. Quiet my pride, crush my comparisons, and make You the center of everything I follow and everything I love. Amen. PLAY THIS: "Make Room"

What if the slow start of your business is not a failure but divine preparation? In this episode, Dr. Chonta Haynes teaches how faith fuels business triumph by revealing why God allows Kingdom ideas to struggle early. Through biblical examples, practical strategy, and spiritual wisdom, this message equips Christian entrepreneurs to build businesses rooted in integrity, stewardship, and purpose. Key Takeaways:• Why God develops character before platforms• How to resist comparison and stay focused• The role of structure, planning, and diligence• How faith and strategy work together in business• Why the nursery season builds long-term success Detailed Timestamps:0:00 – When business ideas feel like they are dying2:47 – Comparison steals confidence and clarity4:09 – Joseph's prison as a training ground5:55 – David's wilderness and delayed promise7:51 – Nurturing God-given ideas with discernment10:30 – Building structure and strategy with faith13:03 – The power of community in business growth14:58 – Perseverance and spiritual discipline16:39 – Why slow growth is divine preparation18:10 – One faithful step to move forward Connect with Dr. Chonta Haynes:Website: https://chontahaynes.com Webinar: https://chontahaynes.com/mentor YouTube: Subscribe for faith-based business teaching https://youtube.com/@ChontaHaynes

What if the most transformative thing you can do for your writing craft and author business is to face what you fear? How can you can find gold in your Shadow in the year ahead? In this episode, I share chapters from Writing the Shadow: Turn Your Inner Darkness Into Words. In the intro, curated book boxes from Bridgerton's Julia Quinn; Google's agentic shopping, and powering Apple's Siri; ChatGPT Ads; and Claude CoWork. Balancing Certainty and Uncertainty [MoonShots with Tony Robbins]; and three trends for authors with me and Orna Ross [Self-Publishing with ALLi Podcast]; plus, Bones of the Deep, Business for Authors, and Indie Author Lab. This show is supported by my Patrons. Join my Community at Patreon.com/thecreativepenn  Joanna Penn writes non-fiction for authors and is an award-winning, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of thrillers, dark fantasy, and memoir as J.F. Penn. She's also an award-winning podcaster, creative entrepreneur, and international professional speaker. What is the Shadow? The ‘creative wound' and the Shadow in writing The Shadow in traditional publishing The Shadow in self-publishing or being an indie author The Shadow in work The Shadow in money You can find Writing the Shadow in all formats on all stores, as well as special edition, workbook and bundles at www.TheCreativePenn.com/shadowbook Writing the Shadow: Turn Your Inner Darkness Into Words The following chapters are excerpted from Writing the Shadow: Turn Your Inner Darkness Into Words by Joanna Penn. Introduction. What is the Shadow? “How can I be substantial if I do not cast a shadow? I must have a dark side also if I am to be whole.” —C.G. Jung, Modern Man in Search of a Soul We all have a Shadow side and it is the work of a lifetime to recognise what lies within and spin that base material into gold. Think of it as a seedling in a little pot that you're given when you're young. It's a bit misshapen and weird, not something you would display in your living room, so you place it in a dark corner of the basement. You don't look at it for years. You almost forget about it. Then one day you notice tendrils of something wild poking up through the floorboards. They're ugly and don't fit with your Scandi-minimalist interior design. You chop the tendrils away and pour weedkiller on what's left, trying to hide the fact that they were ever there. But the creeping stems keep coming. At some point, you know you have to go down there and face the wild thing your seedling has become. When you eventually pluck up enough courage to go down into the basement, you discover that the plant has wound its roots deep into the foundations of your home. Its vines weave in and out of the cracks in the walls, and it has beautiful flowers and strange fruit. It holds your world together. Perhaps you don't need to destroy the wild tendrils. Perhaps you can let them wind up into the light and allow their rich beauty to weave through your home. It will change the look you have so carefully cultivated, but maybe that's just what the place needs. The Shadow in psychology Carl Gustav Jung was a Swiss psychologist and the founder of analytical psychology. He described the Shadow as an unconscious aspect of the human personality, those parts of us that don't match up to what is expected of us by family and society, or to our own ideals. The Shadow is not necessarily evil or illegal or immoral, although of course it can be. It's also not necessarily caused by trauma, abuse, or any other severely damaging event, although again, it can be. It depends on the individual. What is in your Shadow is based on your life and your experiences, as well as your culture and society, so it will be different for everyone. Psychologist Connie Zweig, in The Inner Work of Age, explains, “The Shadow is that part of us that lies beneath or behind the light of awareness. It contains our rejected, unacceptable traits and feelings. It contains our hidden gifts and talents that have remained unexpressed or unlived. As Jung put it, the essence of the Shadow is pure gold.” To further illustrate the concept, Robert Bly, in A Little Book on the Human Shadow,uses the following metaphor: “When we are young, we carry behind us an invisible bag, into which we stuff any feelings, thoughts, or behaviours that bring disapproval or loss of love—anger, tears, neediness, laziness. By the time we go to school, our bags are already a mile long. In high school, our peer groups pressure us to stuff the bags with even more—individuality, sexuality, spontaneity, different opinions. We spend our life until we're twenty deciding which parts of ourselves to put into the bag and we spend the rest of our lives trying to get them out again.” As authors, we can use what's in the ‘bag' to enrich our writing — but only if we can access it. My intention with this book is to help you venture into your Shadow and bring some of what's hidden into the light and into your words. I'll reveal aspects of my Shadow in these pages but ultimately, this book is about you. Your Shadow is unique. There may be elements we share, but much will be different. Each chapter has questions for you to consider that may help you explore at least the edges of your Shadow, but it's not easy. As Jung said, “One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious. The latter procedure, however, is disagreeable and therefore not popular.” But take heart, Creative. You don't need courage when things are easy. You need it when you know what you face will be difficult, but you do it anyway. We are authors. We know how to do hard things. We turn ideas into books. We manifest thoughts into ink on paper. We change lives with our writing. First, our own, then other people's. It's worth the effort to delve into Shadow, so I hope you will join me on the journey. The creative wound and the Shadow in writing “Whatever pain you can't get rid of, make it your creative offering.” —Susan Cain, Bittersweet  The more we long for something, the more extreme our desire, the more likely it is to have a Shadow side. For those of us who love books, the author life may well be a long-held dream and thus, it is filled with Shadow. Books have long been objects of desire, power, and authority. They hold a mythic status in our lives. We escaped into stories as children; we studied books at school and college; we read them now for escape and entertainment, education and inspiration. We collect beautiful books to put on our shelves. We go to them for solace and answers to the deepest questions of life. Writers are similarly held in high esteem. They shape culture, win literary prizes, give important speeches, and are quoted in the mainstream media. Their books are on the shelves in libraries and bookstores. Writers are revered, held up as rare, talented creatures made separate from us by their brilliance and insight. For bibliophile children, books were everything and to write one was a cherished dream. To become an author? Well, that would mean we might be someone special, someone worthy. Perhaps when you were young, you thought the dream of being a writer was possible — then you told someone about it. That's probably when you heard the first criticism of such a ridiculous idea, the first laughter, the first dismissal. So you abandoned the dream, pushed the idea of being a writer into the Shadow, and got on with your life. Or if it wasn't then, it came later, when you actually put pen to paper and someone — a parent, teacher, partner, or friend, perhaps even a literary agent or publisher, someone whose opinion you valued — told you it was worthless. Here are some things you might have heard: Writing is a hobby. Get a real job. You're not good enough. You don't have any writing talent. You don't have enough education. You don't know what you're doing. Your writing is derivative / unoriginal / boring / useless / doesn't make sense. The genre you write in is dead / worthless / unacceptable / morally wrong / frivolous / useless.  Who do you think you are? No one would want to read what you write. You can't even use proper grammar, so how could you write a whole book? You're wasting your time. You'll never make it as a writer. You shouldn't write those things (or even think about those things). Why don't you write something nice? Insert other derogatory comment here! Mark Pierce describes the effect of this experience in his book The Creative Wound, which “occurs when an event, or someone's actions or words, pierce you, causing a kind of rift in your soul. A comment—even offhand and unintentional—is enough to cause one.” He goes on to say that such words can inflict “damage to the core of who we are as creators. It is an attack on our artistic identity, resulting in us believing that whatever we make is somehow tainted or invalid, because shame has convinced us there is something intrinsically tainted or invalid about ourselves.” As adults, we might brush off such wounds, belittling them as unimportant in the grand scheme of things. We might even find ourselves saying the same words to other people. After all, it's easier to criticise than to create. But if you picture your younger self, bright eyed as you lose yourself in your favourite book, perhaps you might catch a glimpse of what you longed for before your dreams were dashed on the rocks of other people's reality. As Mark Pierce goes on to say, “A Creative Wound has the power to delay our pursuits—sometimes for years—and it can even derail our lives completely… Anything that makes us feel ashamed of ourselves or our work can render us incapable of the self-expression we yearn for.” This is certainly what happened to me, and it took decades to unwind. Your creative wounds will differ to mine but perhaps my experience will help you explore your own. To be clear, your Shadow may not reside in elements of horror as mine do, but hopefully you can use my example to consider where your creative wounds might lie. “You shouldn't write things like that.” It happened at secondary school around 1986 or 1987, so I would have been around eleven or twelve years old. English was one of my favourite subjects and the room we had our lessons in looked out onto a vibrant garden. I loved going to that class because it was all about books, and they were always my favourite things. One day, we were asked to write a story. I can't remember the specifics of what the teacher asked us to write, but I fictionalised a recurring nightmare. I stood in a dark room. On one side, my mum and my brother, Rod, were tied up next to a cauldron of boiling oil, ready to be thrown in. On the other side, my dad and my little sister, Lucy, were threatened with decapitation by men with machetes. I had to choose who would die. I always woke up, my heart pounding, before I had to choose. Looking back now, it clearly represented an internal conflict about having to pick sides between the two halves of my family. Not an unexpected issue from a child of divorce. Perhaps these days, I might have been sent to the school counsellor, but it was the eighties and I don't think we even had such a thing. Even so, the meaning of the story isn't the point. It was the reaction to it that left scars. “You shouldn't write things like that,” my teacher said, and I still remember her look of disappointment, even disgust. Certainly judgment. She said my writing was too dark. It wasn't a proper story. It wasn't appropriate for the class. As if horrible things never happened in stories — or in life. As if literature could not include dark tales. As if the only acceptable writing was the kind she approved of. We were taught The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie that year, which says a lot about the type of writing considered appropriate. Or perhaps the issue stemmed from the school motto, “So hateth she derknesse,” from Chaucer's The Legend of Good Women: “For fear of night, so she hates the darkness.” I had won a scholarship to a private girls' school, and their mission was to turn us all into proper young ladies. Horror was never on the curriculum. Perhaps if my teacher had encouraged me to write my darkness back then, my nightmares would have dissolved on the page. Perhaps if we had studied Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, or H.P. Lovecraft stories, or Bram Stoker's Dracula, I could have embraced the darker side of literature earlier in my life. My need to push darker thoughts into my Shadow was compounded by my (wonderful) mum's best intentions. We were brought up on the principles of The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale and she tried to shield me and my brother from anything harmful or horrible. We weren't allowed to watch TV much, and even the British school drama Grange Hill was deemed inappropriate. So much of what I've achieved is because my mum instilled in me a “can do” attitude that anything is possible. I'm so grateful to her for that. (I love you, Mum!) But all that happy positivity, my desire to please her, to be a good girl, to make my teachers proud, and to be acceptable to society, meant that I pushed my darker thoughts into Shadow. They were inappropriate. They were taboo. They must be repressed, kept secret, and I must be outwardly happy and positive at all times. You cannot hold back the darkness “The night is dark and full of terrors.” —George R.R. Martin, A Storm of Swords It turned out that horror was on the curriculum, much of it in the form of educational films we watched during lessons. In English Literature, we watched Romeo drink poison and Juliet stab herself in Zeffirelli's Romeo and Juliet. In Religious Studies, we watched Jesus beaten, tortured, and crucified in The Greatest Story Ever Told, and learned of the variety of gruesome ways that Christian saints were martyred. In Classical Civilisation, we watched gladiators slaughter each other in Spartacus. In Sex Education at the peak of the AIDS crisis in the mid-'80s, we were told of the many ways we could get infected and die. In History, we studied the Holocaust with images of skeletal bodies thrown into mass graves, medical experiments on humans, and grainy videos of marching soldiers giving the Nazi salute. One of my first overseas school field trips was to the World War I battlegrounds of Flanders Fields in Belgium, where we studied the inhuman conditions of the trenches, walked through mass graves, and read war poetry by candlelight. As John McCrae wrote: We are the Dead. Short days agoWe lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,Loved and were loved, and now we lie, In Flanders fields. Did the teachers not realise how deeply a sensitive teenager might feel the darkness of that place? Or have I always been unusual in that places of blood echo deep inside me? And the horrors kept coming. We lived in Bristol, England back then and I learned at school how the city had been part of the slave trade, its wealth built on the backs of people stolen from their homes, sold, and worked to death in the colonies. I had been at school for a year in Malawi, Africa and imagined the Black people I knew drowning, being beaten, and dying on those ships. In my teenage years, the news was filled with ethnic cleansing, mass rape, and massacres during the Balkan wars, and images of bodies hacked apart during the Rwandan genocide. Evil committed by humans against other humans was not a historical aberration. I'm lucky and I certainly acknowledge my privilege. Nothing terrible or horrifying has happened to me — but bad things certainly happen to others. I wasn't bullied or abused. I wasn't raped or beaten or tortured. But you don't have to go through things to be afraid of them, and for your imagination to conjure the possibility of them. My mum doesn't read my fiction now as it gives her nightmares (Sorry, Mum!). I know she worries that somehow she's responsible for my darkness, but I've had a safe and (mostly) happy life, for which I'm truly grateful. But the world is not an entirely safe and happy place, and for a sensitive child with a vivid imagination, the world is dark and scary. It can be brutal and violent, and bad things happen, even to good people. No parent can shield their child from the reality of the world. They can only help them do their best to live in it, develop resilience, and find ways to deal with whatever comes. Story has always been a way that humans have used to learn how to live and deal with difficult times. The best authors, the ones that readers adore and can't get enough of, write their darkness into story to channel their experience, and help others who fear the same. In an interview on writing the Shadow on The Creative Penn Podcast, Michaelbrent Collings shared how he incorporated a personally devastating experience into his writing:  “My wife and I lost a child years back, and that became the root of one of my most terrifying books, Apparition. It's not terrifying because it's the greatest book of all time, but just the concept that there's this thing out there… like a demon, and it consumes the blood and fear of the children, and then it withdraws and consumes the madness of the parents… I wrote that in large measure as a way of working through what I was experiencing.” I've learned much from Michaelbrent. I've read many of his (excellent) books and he's been on my podcast multiple times talking about his depression and mental health issues, as well as difficulties in his author career. Writing darkness is not in Michaelbrent's Shadow and only he can say what lies there for him. But from his example, and from that of other authors, I too learned how to write my Shadow into my books. Twenty-three years after that English lesson, in November 2009, I did NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month, and wrote five thousand words of what eventually became Stone of Fire, my first novel. In the initial chapter, I burned a nun alive on the ghats of Varanasi on the banks of the Ganges River. I had watched the bodies burn by night on pyres from a boat bobbing in the current a few years before, and the image was still crystal clear in my mind. The only way to deal with how it made me feel about death was to write about it — and since then, I've never stopped writing. Returning to the nightmare from my school days, I've never had to choose between the two halves of my family, but the threat of losing them remains a theme in my fiction. In my ARKANE thriller series, Morgan Sierra will do anything to save her sister and her niece. Their safety drives her to continue to fight against evil. Our deepest fears emerge in our writing, and that's the safest place for them. I wish I'd been taught how to turn my nightmares into words back at school, but at least now I've learned to write my Shadow onto the page. I wish the same for you. The Shadow in traditional publishing If becoming an author is your dream, then publishing a book is deeply entwined with that. But as Mark Pierce says in The Creative Wound, “We feel pain the most where it matters the most… Desire highlights whatever we consider to be truly significant.” There is a lot of desire around publishing for those of us who love books! It can give you: Validation that your writing is good enough Status and credibility Acceptance by an industry held in esteem  The potential of financial reward and critical acclaim Support from a team of professionals who know how to make fantastic books A sense of belonging to an elite community Pride in achieving a long-held goal, resulting in a confidence boost and self-esteem Although not guaranteed, traditional publishing can give you all these things and more, but as with everything, there is a potential Shadow side. Denying it risks the potential of being disillusioned, disappointed, and even damaged. But remember, forewarned is forearmed, as the saying goes. Preparation can help you avoid potential issues and help you feel less alone if you encounter them. The myth of success… and the reality of experience There is a pervasive myth of success in the traditional publishing industry, perpetuated by media reporting on brand name and breakout authors, those few outliers whose experience is almost impossible to replicate. Because of such examples, many new traditionally published authors think that their first book will hit the top of the bestseller charts or win an award, as well as make them a million dollars — or at least a big chunk of cash. They will be able to leave their job, write in a beautiful house overlooking the ocean, and swan around the world attending conferences, while writing more bestselling books. It will be a charmed life. But that is not the reality. Perhaps it never was. Even so, the life of a traditionally published author represents a mythic career with the truth hidden behind a veil of obscurity. In April 2023, The Bookseller in the UK reported that “more than half of authors (54%) responding to a survey on their experiences of publishing their debut book have said the process negatively affected their mental health. Though views were mixed, just 22%… described a positive experience overall… Among the majority who said they had a negative experience of debut publication, anxiety, stress, depression and ‘lowered' self-esteem were cited, with lack of support, guidance or clear and professional communication from their publisher among the factors that contributed.” Many authors who have negative experiences around publishing will push them into the Shadow with denial or self-blame, preferring to keep the dream alive. They won't talk about things in public as this may negatively affect their careers, but private discussions are often held in the corners of writing conferences or social media groups online. Some of the issues are as follows: Repeated rejection by agents and publishers may lead to the author thinking they are not good enough as a writer, which can lead to feeling unworthy as a person. If an author gets a deal, the amount of advance and the name and status of the publisher compared to others create a hierarchy that impacts self-esteem. A deal for a book may be much lower than an author might have been expecting, with low or no advance, and the resulting experience with the publisher beneath expectations. The launch process may be disappointing, and the book may appear without fanfare, with few sales and no bestseller chart position. In The Bookseller report, one author described her launch day as “a total wasteland… You have expectations about what publication day will be like, but in reality, nothing really happens.” The book may receive negative reviews by critics or readers or more publicly on social media, which can make an author feel attacked. The book might not sell as well as expected, and the author may feel like it's their fault. Commercial success can sometimes feel tied to self-worth and an author can't help but compare their sales to others, with resulting embarrassment or shame. The communication from the publisher may be less than expected. One author in The Bookseller report said, “I was shocked by the lack of clarity and shared information and the cynicism that underlies the superficial charm of this industry.” There is often more of a focus on debut authors in publishing houses, so those who have been writing and publishing in the midlist for years can feel ignored and undervalued. In The Bookseller report, 48 percent of authors reported “their publisher supported them for less than a year,” with one saying, “I got no support and felt like a commodity, like the team had moved on completely to the next book.” If an author is not successful enough, the next deal may be lower than the last, less effort is made with marketing, and they may be let go. In The Bookseller report, “six authors—debut and otherwise—cited being dropped by their publisher, some with no explanation.” Even if everything goes well and an author is considered successful by others, they may experience imposter syndrome, feeling like a fraud when speaking at conferences or doing book signings. And the list goes on … All these things can lead to feelings of shame, inadequacy, and embarrassment; loss of status in the eyes of peers; and a sense of failure if a publishing career is not successful enough. The author feels like it's their fault, like they weren't good enough — although, of course, the reality is that the conditions were not right at the time. A failure of a book is not a failure of the person, but it can certainly feel like it! When you acknowledge the Shadow, it loses its power Despite all the potential negatives of traditional publishing, if you know what could happen, you can mitigate them. You can prepare yourself for various scenarios and protect yourself from potential fall-out. It's clear from The Bookseller report that too many authors have unrealistic expectations of the industry. But publishers are businesses, not charities. It's not their job to make you feel good as an author. It's their job to sell books and pay you. The best thing they can do is to continue to be a viable business so they can keep putting books on the shelves and keep paying authors, staff, and company shareholders. When you license your creative work to a publisher, you're giving up control of your intellectual property in exchange for money and status. Bring your fears and issues out of the Shadow, acknowledge them, and deal with them early, so they do not get pushed down and re-emerge later in blame and bitterness. Educate yourself on the business of publishing. Be clear on what you want to achieve with any deal. Empower yourself as an author, take responsibility for your career, and you will have a much better experience. The Shadow in self-publishing or being an indie author Self-publishing, or being an independent (indie) author, can be a fantastic, pro-active choice for getting your book into the world. Holding your first book in your hand and saying “I made this” is pretty exciting, and even after more than forty books, I still get excited about seeing ideas in my head turn into a physical product in the world. Self-publishing can give an author: Creative control over what to write, editorial and cover design choices, when and how often to publish, and how to market Empowerment over your author career and the ability to make choices that impact success without asking for permission Ownership and control of intellectual property assets, resulting in increased opportunity around licensing and new markets Independence and the potential for recurring income for the long term Autonomy and flexibility around timelines, publishing options, and the ability to easily pivot into new genres and business models Validation based on positive reader reviews and money earned Personal growth and learning through the acquisition of new skills, resulting in a boost in confidence and self-esteem A sense of belonging to an active and vibrant community of indie authors around the world Being an indie author can give you all this and more, but once again, there is a Shadow side and preparation can help you navigate potential issues. The myth of success… and the reality of experience As with traditional publishing, the indie author world has perpetuated a myth of success in the example of the breakout indie author like E.L. James with Fifty Shades of Grey, Hugh Howey with Wool, or Andy Weir with The Martian. The emphasis on financial success is also fuelled online by authors who share screenshots showing six-figure months or seven-figure years, without sharing marketing costs and other outgoings, or the amount of time spent on the business. Yes, these can inspire some, but it can also make others feel inadequate and potentially lead to bad choices about how to publish and market based on comparison. The indie author world is full of just as much ego and a desire for status and money as traditional publishing. This is not a surprise! Most authors, regardless of publishing choices, are a mix of massive ego and chronic self-doubt. We are human, so the same issues will re-occur. A different publishing method doesn't cure all ills. Some of the issues are as follows: You learn everything you need to know about writing and editing, only to find that you need to learn a whole new set of skills in order to self-publish and market your book. This can take a lot of time and effort you did not expect, and things change all the time so you have to keep learning. Being in control of every aspect of the publishing process, from writing to cover design to marketing, can be overwhelming, leading to indecision, perfectionism, stress, and even burnout as you try to do all the things. You try to find people to help, but building your team is a challenge, and working with others has its own difficulties. People say negative things about self-publishing that may arouse feelings of embarrassment or shame. These might be little niggles, but they needle you, nonetheless. You wonder whether you made the right choice. You struggle with self-doubt and if you go to an event with traditional published authors, you compare yourself to them and feel like an imposter. Are you good enough to be an author if a traditional publisher hasn't chosen you? Is it just vanity to self-publish? Are your books unworthy? Even though you worked with a professional editor, you still get one-star reviews and you hate criticism from readers. You wonder whether you're wasting your time. You might be ripped off by an author services company who promise the world, only to leave you with a pile of printed books in your garage and no way to sell them. When you finally publish your book, it languishes at the bottom of the charts while other authors hit the top of the list over and over, raking in the cash while you are left out of pocket. You don't admit to over-spending on marketing as it makes you ashamed. You resist book marketing and make critical comments about writers who embrace it. You believe that quality rises to the top and if a book is good enough, people will buy it anyway. This can lead to disappointment and disillusionment when you launch your book and it doesn't sell many copies because nobody knows about it. You try to do what everyone advises, but you still can't make decent money as an author. You're jealous of other authors' success and put it down to them ‘selling out' or writing things you can't or ‘using AI' or ‘using a ghostwriter' or having a specific business model you consider impossible to replicate. And the list goes on… When you acknowledge the Shadow, it loses its power Being in control of your books and your author career is a double-edged sword. Traditionally published authors can criticise their publishers or agents or the marketing team or the bookstores or the media, but indie authors have to take responsibility for it all. Sure, we can blame ‘the algorithms' or social media platforms, or criticise other authors for having more experience or more money to invest in marketing, or attribute their success to writing in a more popular genre — but we also know there are always people who do well regardless of the challenges. Once more, we're back to acknowledging and integrating the Shadow side of our choices. We are flawed humans. There will always be good times and bad, and difficulties to offset the high points. This too shall pass, as the old saying goes. I know that being an indie author has plenty of Shadow. I've been doing this since 2008 and despite the hard times, I'm still here. I'm still writing. I'm still publishing. This life is not for everyone, but it's my choice. You must make yours. The Shadow in work You work hard. You make a living. Nothing wrong with that attitude, right? It's what we're taught from an early age and, like so much of life, it's not a problem until it goes to extremes. Not achieving what you want to? Work harder. Can't get ahead? Work harder. Not making a good enough living? Work harder. People who don't work hard are lazy. They don't deserve handouts or benefits. People who don't work hard aren't useful, so they are not valued members of our culture and community. But what about the old or the sick, the mentally ill, or those with disabilities? What about children? What about the unemployed? The under-employed? What about those who are — or will be — displaced by technology, those called “the useless class” by historian Yuval Noah Harari in his book Homo Deus? What if we become one of these in the future? Who am I if I cannot work? The Shadow side of my attitude to work became clear when I caught COVID in the summer of 2021. I was the sickest I'd ever been. I spent two weeks in bed unable to even think properly, and six weeks after that, I was barely able to work more than an hour a day before lying in the dark and waiting for my energy to return. I was limited in what I could do for another six months after that. At times, I wondered if I would ever get better. Jonathan kept urging me to be patient and rest. But I don't know how to rest. I know how to work and how to sleep. I can do ‘active rest,' which usually involves walking a long way or traveling somewhere interesting, but those require a stronger mind and body than I had during those months. It struck me that even if I recovered from the virus, I had glimpsed my future self. One day, I will be weak in body and mind. If I'm lucky, that will be many years away and hopefully for a short time before I die — but it will happen. I am an animal. I will die. My body and mind will pass on and I will be no more. Before then I will be weak. Before then, I will be useless. Before then, I will be a burden. I will not be able to work… But who am I if I cannot work? What is the point of me? I can't answer these questions right now, because although I recognise them as part of my Shadow, I've not progressed far enough to have dealt with them entirely. My months of COVID gave me some much-needed empathy for those who cannot work, even if they want to. We need to reframe what work is as a society, and value humans for different things, especially as technology changes what work even means. That starts with each of us. “Illness, affliction of body and soul, can be life-altering. It has the potential to reveal the most fundamental conflict of the human condition: the tension between our infinite, glorious dreams and desires and our limited, vulnerable, decaying physicality.” —Connie Zweig, The Inner Work of Age: Shifting from Role to Soul The Shadow in money In the Greek myth, King Midas was a wealthy ruler who loved gold above all else. His palace was adorned with golden sculptures and furniture, and he took immense pleasure in his riches. Yet, despite his vast wealth, he yearned for more. After doing a favour for Dionysus, the god of wine and revelry, Midas was granted a single wish. Intoxicated by greed, he wished that everything he touched would turn to gold — and it was so. At first, it was a lot of fun. Midas turned everything else in his palace to gold, even the trees and stones of his estate. After a morning of turning things to gold, he fancied a spot of lunch. But when he tried to eat, the food and drink turned to gold in his mouth. He became thirsty and hungry — and increasingly desperate. As he sat in despair on his golden throne, his beloved young daughter ran to comfort him. For a moment, he forgot his wish — and as she wrapped her arms around him and kissed his cheek, she turned into a golden statue, frozen in precious metal. King Midas cried out to the gods to forgive him, to reverse the wish. He renounced his greed and gave away all his wealth, and his daughter was returned to life. The moral of the story: Wealth and greed are bad. In Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol, Ebenezer Scrooge is described as a “squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner.” He's wealthy but does not share, considering Christmas spending to be frivolous and giving to charity to be worthless. He's saved by a confrontation with his lonely future and becomes a generous man and benefactor of the poor. Wealth is good if you share it with others. The gospel of Matthew, chapter 25: 14-30, tells the parable of the bags of gold, in which a rich man goes on a journey and entrusts his servants with varying amounts of gold. On his return, the servants who multiplied the gold through their efforts and investments are rewarded, while the one who merely returned the gold with no interest is punished: “For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.” Making money is good, making more money is even better. If you can't make any money, you don't deserve to have any. Within the same gospel, in Matthew 19:24, Jesus encounters a wealthy man and tells him to sell all his possessions and give the money to the poor, which the man is unable to do. Jesus says, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” Wealth is bad. Give it all away and you'll go to heaven. With all these contradictory messages, no wonder we're so conflicted about money! How do you think and feel about money? While money is mostly tied to our work, it's far more than just a transactional object for most people. It's loaded with complex symbolism and judgment handed down by family, religion, and culture. You are likely to find elements of Shadow by examining your attitudes around money. Consider which of the following statements resonate with you or write your own. Money stresses me out. I don't want to talk about it or think about it. Some people hoard money, so there is inequality. Rich people are bad and we should take away their wealth and give it to the poor.  I can never make enough money to pay the bills, or to give my family what I want to provide. Money doesn't grow on trees.  It's wasteful to spend money as you might need it later, so I'm frugal and don't spend money unless absolutely necessary. It is better and more ethical to be poor than to be rich. I want more money. I read books and watch TV shows about rich people because I want to live like that. Sometimes I spend too much on things for a glimpse of what that might be like.  I buy lottery tickets and dream of winning all that money.  I'm jealous of people who have money. I want more of it and I resent those who have it. I'm no good with money. I don't like to look at my bank statement or credit card statement. I live off my overdraft and I'm in debt. I will never earn enough to get out of debt and start saving, so I don't think too much about it. I don't know enough about money. Talking about it makes me feel stupid, so I just ignore it. People like me aren't educated about money.  I need to make more money. If I can make lots of money, then people will look up to me. If I make lots of money, I will be secure, nothing can touch me, I will be safe.  I never want to be poor. I would be ashamed to be poor. I will never go on benefits. My net worth is my self worth. Money is good. We have the best standard of living in history because of the increase in wealth over time. Even the richest kings of the past didn't have what many middle-class people have today in terms of access to food, water, technology, healthcare, education, and more. The richest people give the most money to the poor through taxation and charity, as well as through building companies that employ people and invent new things. The very richest give away much of their fortunes. They provide far more benefit to the world than the poor.  I love money. Money loves me. Money comes easily and quickly to me. I attract money in multiple streams of income. It flows to me in so many ways. I spend money. I invest money. I give money. I'm happy and grateful for all that I receive. The Shadow around money for authors in particular Many writers and other creatives have issues around money and wealth. How often have you heard the following, and which do you agree with? You can't make money with your writing. You'll be a poor author in a garret, a starving artist.  You can't write ‘good quality' books and make money. If you make money writing, you're a hack, you're selling out. You are less worthy than someone who writes only for the Muse. Your books are commercial, not artistic. If you spend money on marketing, then your books are clearly not good enough to sell on their own. My agent / publisher / accountant / partner deals with the money side. I like to focus on the creative side of things. My money story Note: This is not financial or investment advice. Please talk to a professional about your situation. I've had money issues over the years — haven't we all! But I have been through a (long) process to bring money out of my Shadow and into the light. There will always be more to discover, but hopefully my money story will help you, or at least give you an opportunity to reflect. Like most people, I didn't grow up with a lot of money. My parents started out as teachers, but later my mum — who I lived with, along with my brother — became a change management consultant, moving to the USA and earning a lot more. I'm grateful that she moved into business because her example changed the way I saw money and provided some valuable lessons. (1) You can change your circumstances by learning more and then applying that to leverage opportunity into a new job or career Mum taught English at a school in Bristol when we moved back from Malawi, Africa, in the mid '80s but I remember how stressful it was for her, and how little money she made. She wanted a better future for us all, so she took a year out to do a master's degree in management. In the same way, when I wanted to change careers and leave consulting to become an author, I spent time and money learning about the writing craft and the business of publishing. I still invest a considerable chunk on continuous learning, as this industry changes all the time. (2) You might have to downsize in order to leap forward The year my mum did her degree, we lived in the attic of another family's house; we ate a lot of one-pot casserole and our treat was having a Yorkie bar on the walk back from the museum. We wore hand-me-down clothes, and I remember one day at school when another girl said I was wearing her dress. I denied it, of course, but there in back of the dress was her name tag. I still remember her name and I can still feel that flush of shame and embarrassment. I was determined to never feel like that again. But what I didn't realize at the time was that I was also learning the power of downsizing. Mum got her degree and then a new job in management in Bristol. She bought a house, and we settled for a few years. I had lots of different jobs as a teenager. My favourite was working in the delicatessen because we got a free lunch made from delicious produce. After I finished A-levels, I went to the University of Oxford, and my mum and brother moved to the USA for further opportunities. I've downsized multiple times over the years, taking a step back in order to take a step forward. The biggest was in 2010 when I decided to leave consulting. Jonathan and I sold our three-bedroom house and investments in Brisbane, Australia, and rented a one-bedroom flat in London, so we could be debt-free and live on less while I built up a new career. It was a decade before we bought another house. (3) Comparison can be deadly: there will always be people with more money than you Oxford was an education in many ways and relevant to this chapter is how much I didn't know about things people with money took for granted. I learned about formal hall and wine pairings, and how to make a perfect gin and tonic. I ate smoked salmon for the first time. I learned how to fit in with people who had a lot more money than I did, and I definitely wanted to have money of my own to play with. (4) Income is not wealth You can earn lots but have nothing to show for it after years of working. I learned this in my first few years of IT consulting after university. I earned a great salary and then went contracting, earning even more money at a daily rate. I had a wonderful time. I traveled, ate and drank and generally made merry, but I always had to go back to the day job when the money ran out. I couldn't work out how I could ever stop this cycle. Then I read Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki, a book I still recommend, especially if you're from a family that values academic over financial education. I learned how to escape the rat race by building and/or accumulating assets that pay even when you're not working. It was a revelation! The ‘poor dad' in the book is a university professor. He knows so much about so many things, but he ends up poor as he did not educate himself about money. The ‘rich dad' has little formal education, but he knows about money and wealth because he learned about it, as we can do at any stage in our lives. (5) Not all investments suit every person, so find the right one for you Once I discovered the world of investing, I read all the books and did courses and in-person events. I joined communities and I up-skilled big time. Of course, I made mistakes and learned lots along the way. I tried property investing and renovated a couple of houses for rental (with more practical partners and skilled contractors). But while I could see that property investing might work for some people, I did not care enough about the details to make it work for me, and it was certainly not passive income. I tried other things. My first husband was a boat skipper and scuba diving instructor, so we started a charter. With the variable costs of fuel, the vagaries of New Zealand weather — and our divorce — it didn't last long! From all these experiments, I learned I wanted to run a business, but it needed to be online and not based on a physical location, physical premises, or other people. That was 2006, around the time that blogging started taking off and it became possible to make a living online. I could see the potential and a year later, the iPhone and the Amazon Kindle launched, which became the basis of my business as an author. (6) Boring, automatic saving and investing works best Between 2007 and 2011, I contracted in Australia, where they have compulsory superannuation contributions, meaning you have to save and invest a percentage of your salary or self-employed income. I'd never done that before, because I didn't understand it. I'd ploughed all my excess income into property or the business instead. But in Australia I didn't notice the money going out because it was automatic. I chose a particular fund and it auto-invested every month. The pot grew pretty fast since I didn't touch it, and years later, it's still growing. I discovered the power of compound interest and time in the market, both of which are super boring. This type of investing is not a get rich quick scheme. It's a slow process of automatically putting money into boring investments and doing that month in, month out, year in, year out, automatically for decades while you get on with your life. I still do this. I earn money as an author entrepreneur and I put a percentage of that into boring investments automatically every month. I also have a small amount which is for fun and higher risk investments, but mostly I'm a conservative, risk-averse investor planning ahead for the future. This is not financial advice, so I'm not giving any specifics. I have a list of recommended money books at www.TheCreativePenn.com/moneybooks if you want to learn more. Learning from the Shadow When I look back, my Shadow side around money eventually drove me to learn more and resulted in a better outcome (so far!). I was ashamed of being poor when I had to wear hand-me-down clothes at school. That drove a fear of not having any money, which partially explains my workaholism. I was embarrassed at Oxford because I didn't know how to behave in certain settings, and I wanted to be like the rich people I saw there. I spent too much money in my early years as a consultant because I wanted to experience a “rich” life and didn't understand saving and investing would lead to better things in the future. I invested too much in the wrong things because I didn't know myself well enough and I was trying to get rich quick so I could leave my job and ‘be happy.' But eventually, I discovered that I could grow my net worth with boring, long-term investments while doing a job I loved as an author entrepreneur. My only regret is that I didn't discover this earlier and put a percentage of my income into investments as soon as I started work. It took several decades to get started, but at least I did (eventually) start. My money story isn't over yet, and I keep learning new things, but hopefully my experience will help you reflect on your own and avoid the issue if it's still in Shadow. These chapters are excerpted from Writing the Shadow: Turn Your Inner Darkness Into Words by Joanna Penn  The post Writing The Shadow: The Creative Wound, Publishing, And Money, With Joanna Penn first appeared on The Creative Penn.

My first bass was Peavey T-40 and my latest bass guitar is the Orange Creamsicle. The Mike Herrera Artist Series StingRay is instantly recognizable — a bass shaped by decades on the road with MxPx. Mike Herrera brings his signature style to the classic StingRay with passive electronics, simplified controls, a color-matched headstock, and a custom Pokinatcha pickguard. Available now! Switching from playing with my fingers to a flat pick revealed! MxPx shows coming up MXPX vs. Tumbledown Album Prep. - A Comparison. Did we make it? Was there a time where we knew I wouldn't have to work at day job? Never crossed my mind.  I knew I would never have a day job as soon as I started touring.  And it had nothing to do with money. I never thought about the future other than making and performing music. Is that naïve? Yes. But I think that's what it takes sometimes to just keep going no matter what. Photo by Cheyne Smith   Any questions or comments 1-360-830-6660 MXPX is coming! 2026 JAN with The Ataris -Friday January 23 - Santa Cruz, CA at the Catalyst -Saturday January 24 - San Francisco,CA at the Fillmore   MAR with The Ataris -Thursday March 26 - Washington DC at 9:30 Club -Friday March 27 - Norfolk, VA at The Norva -Saturday March 28 - Charlotte, NC at The Fillmore -Sunday March 29 - Charleston, SC at Charleston Music Hall   APRIL Saturday April 11 - Denver, CO at Mission Ballroom w/Goldfinger, Zebrahead and Home Grown   https://linktr.ee/Mikeherrerapodcast   Leave a voicemail- 360-830-6660 --------------------- Check out the new MxPx album 'Find A Way Home' at MxPx.com and streaming everywhere now! Sterling By Music Man Mike Herrera Signature StingRay Electric Bass Guitar - Orange Creamsicle MIKE HERRERA SIGNATURE SERIES BASS OG Listen or watch "Linoleum" here MXPX - Self Titled Deluxe Edition If you like the podcast- Subscribe, rate and review on Apple. Support what I do at MXPX.com and also add MXPX and Mike Herrera to your music libraries on whatever streaming platfrom you use. Producing and editing by Bob McKnight. @Producer_Bob

Rabbi Shloime Schwartzberg on Let's Get Real with Coach Menachem, Sunday, January 18, 2026 #257The World Was Created for You!Why comparison, self-doubt, and feeling replaceable are costing you your life

Comparison is truly the thief of joy. It keeps you from experiencing the fullness of everything God has for you! 

Everyone feels jealous sometimes — even the most grounded, self-aware people. But what if jealousy isn't a flaw to hide, but a signal to pay attention to?In this episode of Your Courageous Life, Kate breaks down the psychology of jealousy and how to use it as a map back to your own desires. You'll learn how to decode what your jealousy is really telling you, how to stop comparing your life to other people's, and how to transform envy into clarity and motivation.If you've been caught in the scroll of comparison or beating yourself up for not feeling “happy for others,” this conversation offers a compassionate, practical way out.Because jealousy isn't proof that you're behind — it's a reminder that something inside you still wants more.

Join Our Online Education Community "The School of Doza" Here: https://community.schoolofdoza.com/ In this podcast episode, Nurse Doza discusses the common complaint of fatigue and offers insights into its possible causes. He emphasizes the importance of addressing fatigue, as it should not be a daily occurrence. He also recommends getting blood tests, particularly one for DHEAS, to assess adrenal function and the body's response to stress. He mentions that chronic stress, lack of sleep, and unhealthy lifestyle habits can contribute to fatigue. Nurse Doza encourages listeners to prioritize self-care, including good sleep and stress management, to improve their energy levels and overall health.   TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 START 05:50 Adrenal issues can cause fatigue. 11:46 Inflammation and fatigue are connected. 16:34 Address underlying causes of fatigue. 22:08 Check homocysteine levels for fatigue. 27:43 Sugar and inflammation decrease ATP. 32:15 Adrenal support supplement is recommended.     Looking for a boost in energy and mood? Discover Zen, MSW's premium adrenal support supplement. Packed with natural ingredients, it aids in balancing your hormones and combating fatigue. Elevate your health and regain that lost zest for life.  Click here

Today's show is an in person podcast with Peter Claffey.    Peter is a former professional rugby player turned actor.    He is the co-lead in the new HBO show, The Knight of The Seven Kingdoms (available on HBO and Sky Atlantic now)    On top of being a long term friend of mine and an incredible human being, Peter has such an inspirational story about following a passion and your path of curiosity, even if it looks crazy from the outside.    We go longer than normal in this episode as we cover everything from Peter's upbringings, the ups and downs of professional sport and getting cast as the lead in Knight of the Seven Kingdoms to identity, psychedelics and mental health.    A great conversation that you can also watch on YouTube.     Watch the full video on YouTube:    https://www.youtube.com/c/briankeanefitness     Sponsored by the Circle https://briankeanefitness.com/online-mastermind   Time stamps from today's show 00:00 Introduction & Recording the Episode In-Person 01:05 Who Peter Claffey Is & HBO's A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms 02:30 Brian & Peter's Personal Relationship and Family Dynamic 05:10 From Connacht Rugby to Questioning Identity 08:00 Growing Up in Ireland & Status Through Sport 11:00 Trying to Impress Dad and Finding Belonging 14:00 Discovering Rugby and Making It an Identity 18:00 The Academy System & When Things Stop Clicking 22:30 Loneliness Inside a Team Environment 27:30 Early Creative Urges: Film, Music, and Performance 31:00 Social Media as a Creative Outlet 35:00 When Rugby Stops Feeling Aligned 39:30 Leaving the Academy & Identity Collapse 44:00 Making Decisions for Parental Approval 48:30 Breaking Old Identities to Build New Ones 52:00 The Initial Leap from Rugby to Acting 57:00 Fear, Confidence, and Zero-to-One Transitions 1:02:00 Film School, Auditions, and Early Risk-Taking 1:07:30 COVID Disrupting the Acting Industry 1:12:30 Showcases, Agents, and Missed Opportunities 1:18:00 Self-Doubt, Patience, and Long-Term Vision 1:22:30 Psychedelics, Ego Death, and Identity Reset 1:29:00 Anxiety, the Nervous System, and Human Wiring 1:33:00 Mimetic Desire, Comparison, and Living on Your Terms 1:37:00 Advice for Anyone Stuck Between Identities 1:39:00 Final Reflections & Episode Wrap-Up

The Rule That Broke For a decade, SEO had one simple goal: rank higher than everyone else. That rule just died. Patients are not typing “orthodontist near me” and clicking through five websites anymore. They are asking ChatGPT. They are reading Google AI Overviews. They are using conversational tools that skip the ten blue links entirely. Here’s what most practices have not realized yet. AI search engines do not rank practices. They select them. If you are not selected, you are invisible. Your beautiful website does not matter. Your years of “doing SEO” do not matter. This shift changes everything. Get your Free SEO Audit: https://hip.agency/contact/ Grab your copy of Orthodontic Practice SEO: Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GGBWLBLR Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/orthodontic-practice-seo/id6757766846 From Rankings To Recommendations Traditional search worked like a phone book. You searched. You clicked. You compared. You decided. AI search collapses that entire process into one conversation. Instead of forcing patients to research five options, AI tools recommend providers directly. Often just one or two practices. That’s it. This is not a ranking system. It’s a trust system. Google’s AI Overviews answer questions directly at the top of results. ChatGPT does not pretend to be a search engine. It acts like a knowledgeable assistant guiding decisions in real time. When a parent asks, “Who’s the best orthodontist for Invisalign for my teen near me?” the AI does not say: “Here are ten websites. Good luck.” It says: “Based on your needs, I recommend these providers.” If you are not in that answer, you do not get a second chance. Free Growth Session Why Your Old SEO Playbook Just Stopped Working Classic SEO rewarded keywords, backlinks, page optimization, and technical performance. All of that still matters, but it’s no longer enough. AI engines work differently. They summarize instead of list. They cite instead of rank. They select sources instead of pages. Instead of ordering websites by relevance, AI evaluates who appears trustworthy, who demonstrates real expertise, and who can be safely recommended without risk. This explains why some practices with fewer backlinks or lower traditional rankings suddenly appear in AI answers while others with “strong SEO” vanish completely. AI is not asking, “Who optimized best?” It’s asking, “Who do I trust enough to recommend?” The Real Ranking System — Trust Over Traffic Every AI search engine relies on the same decision framework. ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, Gemini, Perplexity. All of them. They look for three core signals. 1. Topical Authority Do you own the topic, or are you just scratching the surface? One Invisalign page optimized for keywords no longer signals expertise. AI looks for topic ownership. A full ecosystem of content proving you understand the subject from every angle. Cost and financing. Treatment timelines. Comparisons versus alternatives. Maintenance and care. Suitability for teens versus adults. Risks, outcomes, and expectations. If your site answers only one of these, AI assumes you are not the expert. 2. Verifiable Credibility AI does not trust claims. It trusts proof. It actively scans for board certification, recognized provider tiers, awards and “best of” recognition, years in practice, case volume, and external validation. These signals matter more now because AI must justify its recommendations. It cannot guess. 3. External Trust Signals AI does not rely solely on your website. It cross-checks reviews across multiple platforms. Not just Google. Authoritative directories. Press mentions. Industry listings. Community validation. The more independent sources confirm your legitimacy, the more comfortable AI becomes recommending you. Free Growth Session Why One Page Will Never Be Enough Again For years, SEO rewarded focus. Pick a keyword. Optimize a page. Build links. Win. AI rewards depth. When someone asks about Invisalign, AI does not want a sales page. It wants confidence that you are the authority. That’s why topical clusters matter now. One core Invisalign page. Supporting pages on cost, care, timelines, and alternatives. FAQs written in clear, extractable language. Structured formatting AI can easily parse. This is not about writing more content for the sake of content. It’s about removing doubt. AI selects practices that leave no unanswered questions. The Trust Signals That Actually Trigger Recommendations Here’s where most practices fall short. They have credibility. They just do not surface it clearly enough for AI to verify. AI strongly favors practices that explicitly showcase board certification with outbound verification links, awards tied to authoritative publications, review volume across multiple platforms, mentions from high-authority websites, and transparent doctor bios with credentials and education. This is why press placements and authoritative citations now punch far above their weight. A single mention on a trusted outlet can matter more than dozens of generic backlinks. AI recognizes the source. Free Growth Session Being Selected Beats Being Ranked Traditional SEO is competitive. AI visibility is compounding. Once AI begins recommending a practice, it appears repeatedly in similar conversations. Each mention reinforces authority. The practice becomes a default choice. This mirrors early Google SEO, but with fewer spots and higher stakes. In classic search, being number five still meant traffic. In AI search, being number five often means nothing. Only the selected practices win. How To Become The Practice AI Chooses This is not theory. It’s execution. Here’s what actually moves the needle. Shift from pages to topic ecosystems. Own entire treatment categories, not just keywords. Surface credibility aggressively and clearly. Credentials, awards, and experience should be impossible to miss. Expand reviews beyond Google. AI pulls from multiple platforms. Diversification matters. Secure authoritative citations, not random links. Focus on sources AI already trusts. Structure content for AI extraction. Clear headers, FAQs, concise answers, and schema markup. Actively monitor AI recommendations. Search manually. Track visibility. Learn from who’s being selected and why. Free Growth Session Trust Is The New Ranking Factor SEO did not disappear. It evolved. The practices that will win over the next decade are not the ones chasing algorithms. They are the ones building undeniable credibility. AI does not reward clever tricks. It rewards certainty. In a world where patients increasingly let AI guide their decisions, the question is no longer “How do I rank higher?” It’s “Why should AI trust me enough to recommend me at all?” Answer that convincingly, and rankings stop mattering. Free Growth Session The post Your Old SEO Methods Don’t Work Anymore | Here’s Why appeared first on HIP Creative.

Show NotesSummaryIn this episode, Ms. G delves into the concept of joy stealers that can hinder our spiritual journey. She emphasizes that while we often think of external factors, many joy stealers are internal, manifesting as negative thoughts and comparisons. Ms. G outlines five key joy stealers: comparison, unchecked negative thinking, living in the past, spiritual burnout, and misunderstanding the journey. Each of these factors can drain our joy and impede our spiritual growth, and she encourages listeners to recognize and address them with awareness and faith.Ms. G shares personal anecdotes and biblical references to illustrate her points, reminding us that joy is a fruit of the spirit and should be protected rather than chased. She concludes by urging listeners to invite God into their struggles, as His presence can restore joy. This episode serves as a powerful reminder to be mindful of what drains our joy and to focus on our unique spiritual journeys without comparison.TakeawaysJoy is a fruit of the spirit.Comparison is one of the fastest ways to lose joy.Not every thought deserves your agreement.Living in the past can drain your joy.Rest is not weakness, it's obedience.Recognizing Joy Stealers on Your Spiritual JourneyHow to Protect Your Joy in Faith"Joy is a fruit of the spirit.""Your journey is custom designed by God.""Joy isn't the absence of struggle, it's the presence of God."Keywords: joy stealers, spiritual journey, faith, personal growth, negative thinking, comparison, spiritual burnout, joy, mindfulnessChapters00:00 Introduction to Joy Stealers01:00 Understanding Joy and Its Importance02:24 Joy Stealer #1: Comparison04:48Joy Stealer #2: Unchecked Negative Thinking06:16 Joy Stealer #3: Living in the Past07:37 Joy Stiller #4: Spiritual Burnout09:24 Joy Stiller #5: Misunderstanding the Journey10:20 Conclusion and Call to Action

In this episode of For Soul's Sake, we explore social media, comparison, and the bhakti path in today's hyper-digital world. From doom scrolling and cheap validation to envy, ego, and authenticity, we reflect on how online life impacts our consciousness and spiritual growth.Drawing insights from the Bhagavad Gita and personal experience, we discuss navigating visibility as a spiritual practitioner, trusting your own timeline, and the tension between wanting Krishna at the center of life while still learning how to surrender. This honest conversation offers reflections for both content creators and consumers on using social media with intention, sincerity, and heart - without losing yourself in the noise.(02:02) – Social Media, Comparison & the Bhakti Path(07:33) – Real Life vs. Social Media Perfection(11:02) – Authenticity, Motivation & Content Creation(16:00) – Curating Your Feed & Conscious Consumption(20:16) – Digital Detoxes & Practical Spiritual Tools(24:45) – Passive Consumption, Desire & Inner AvoidanceWant to connect further?Instagram: www.instagram.com/radhika_dasa/Facebook: www.facebook.com/radhikadasmusicYouTube: www.youtube.com/c/RadhikaDasWebsite: www.radhikadas.comPatreon: www.patreon.com/radhikadasLinktree: linktr.ee/radhika_dasa

Overcoming Excuses 1 Peter 2:2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may GROW UP in your salvation, (NIV) Matthew 25:24–29 “Then the servant with the one bag of silver came and said, ‘Master, I knew you were a harsh man, harvesting crops you didn’t plant and gathering crops you didn’t cultivate. 25 I was afraid I would lose your money, so I HID it in the earth. Look, here is your money back.’ 26 “But the master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy servant! If you knew I harvested crops I didn’t plant and gathered crops I didn’t cultivate, 27 why didn’t you deposit my money in the bank? At least I could have gotten some interest on it.’ 28 “Then he ordered, ‘Take the money from this servant, and give it to the one with the ten bags of silver. 29 To those WHO USE WELL WHAT THEY ARE GIVEN, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who DO NOTHING, even what little they have will be taken away. (NLT) 4 EXCUSES YOU NEED TO BURY 1. BURY THE BLAME GAME 2. BURY THE VICTIM MENTALITY 1 Corinthians 15:57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (ESV) 3. BURY THE COMPARISON TRAP 4. BURY THE FEAR OF FAILURE 2 Timothy 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. (NKJV) 5 DIGGING PRINCIPLES TO FULFILL YOUR POTENTIAL 1. DIG UP TAKING OWNERSHIP OF YOUR LIFE Galatians 6:5 For each will have to bear his own load. (ESV) 2. DIG UP IDENTIFYING THE EXCUSES THAT ARE HOLDING YOU BACK Psalm 139:23-24 “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.” 24 Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life. (NLT) 3. DIG UP CLARIFYING YOUR WHY Habakkuk 2:2 Then the Lord answered me and said: “Write the vision And make it plain on tablets, That he may run who reads it. (NKJV) 4. DIG UP THE RIGHT RELATIONSHIPS Hebrews 10:24–25 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (NIV) 5. DIG UP TAKING STEPS TOWARD YOUR VISION James 1:22 Do not merely listen to the word and so deceive yourselves. DO what it says. (NIV) James 2:17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by ACTION, IS DEAD. (NIV) Ecclesiastes 11:4 Farmers who wait for perfect weather never plant. If they watch every cloud, they never harvest. (NLT) Psalm 37:23 The STEPS of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in his way; (ESV) Proverbs 16:3 COMMIT to the Lord whatever you DO, and he will establish your plans. (NIV)

Our world is set up to compare ourselves to others and to get to the “middle” where all the power and influence and resources are. vThe problem is that when we play this comparison game it robs us of our hope and our true identity. It actually keeps us from being ourselves and from seeing others. And, while this comparison game (for most of us) STARTS in middle school, it carries on into our adult lives. Jesus, however, shows and models and invites us to a different way, a way of hope - a way that keeps us in the margins. Do we REALLY have to play the comparison game?

1. Current Situation in Iran Over one million Iranians are protesting against the regime in major cities. The Iranian leadership has shut down the internet, phones, and media to suppress information and maintain control. Protesters are risking their lives; acts of defiance include burning hijabs and removing religious coverings in public. 2. Historical Context References to the 1979 Islamic Revolution and the U.S. hostage crisis (444 days). Comparison of Jimmy Carter’s weak foreign policy to Barack Obama and Joe Biden, arguing that weakness emboldens adversaries. Contrast with Ronald Reagan’s strong stance, which led to the release of hostages and eventual Soviet collapse. 3. Iran’s Role in Global Terrorism Iran funds over 90% of Hamas and Hezbollah budgets. Responsible for IED attacks and the deaths of 593+ American service members in Iraq and Afghanistan. Iran manufactures drones used by Russia in Ukraine. Allegations that Iran plotted to assassinate Donald Trump. 4. U.S. Foreign Policy and Leadership Strong emphasis on “Peace through Strength” as advocated by Reagan and Trump. Trump’s recent actions (e.g., military strikes, bunker-buster bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities) portrayed as decisive. Trump’s public message: “Iran is looking at freedom… USA stands ready to help.” 5. Why Regime Change Matters The fall of Iran’s regime would be transformational for Middle East stability and U.S. security. Advocates for regime change without boots on the ground, using diplomatic, economic, and informational support. Compares potential Iranian revolution to the fall of the Berlin Wall and collapse of the Soviet Union. 6. Role of Media and Messaging Iranian state TV is allegedly broadcasting Tucker Carlson interviews in Persian as propaganda. Criticism of voices opposing U.S. involvement or promoting isolationism. Emphasis on using platforms like podcasts and Starlink internet access to reach Iranians and encourage freedom. Please Hit Subscribe to this podcast Right Now. Also Please Subscribe to the 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson and The Ben Ferguson Show Podcast Wherever You get You're Podcasts. And don't forget to follow the show on Social Media so you never miss a moment! Thanks for Listening YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@VerdictwithTedCruz/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/verdictwithtedcruz X: https://x.com/tedcruz X: https://x.com/benfergusonshowYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@VerdictwithTedCruzSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.