Podcasts about Context

An episode that isn't about making art that's palatable—it's about making art that's true. In Episode 145 of The Autistic Culture Podcast, Dr Angela Kingdon continues our journey through the 10 Pillars of Autistic Culture as we move onto Pillar 7 — Boldly Creating with Nina Danon, Composer, Sound Artist, and Doctoral Researcher, whose work explores the rich intersections between autism, music, creativity, and sensory experience.Nina's work on Musical Neuroqueering will be published in 2026 in Neuroqueer Theory and Practice, edited by Dr Nick Walker, providing the first draft of her toolkit to empower anyone to expand their neurodivergence through music, and music through neurodivergence.Autistic creativity is deeply rooted in our sensory experiences, emotional intensity, and need for authentic self-expression.Boldly Creating is the autistic drive to express truth through movement, sound, pattern, and special interest, using creativity as connection, regulation, and radical self-expression. So much of boldly creating comes from stimming and sensory experiences that are core to music and the heart of your work.Here's what defines this core Autistic trait:* Boldly Creating isn't about making art that's palatable—it's about making art that's true. * We don't wait for permission to make art, to move, to stim, or to build new worlds. We create in ways that often defy convention—through rhythm, repetition, structure, texture, sound, and story. * Autistics' creative work is fueled by special interests, hyperfocus, and bottom-up processing. We invent new forms when existing ones don't fit, building from the ground up, not following someone else's form.* Whether it's knitting, composing, coding, dancing, designing, scripting, or sound-building, autistic people boldly create because that's how we process, regulate, connect, and express our deepest selves.* Autistic creativity is sensory-rooted, emotionally rich, and self-expressive, often expressed through movement (like stimming), sound, visuals, and texture.Key Concepts:* Stimming is performance. Fandom is creation. Knitting is structure, roller derby is choreography.* Bold creation resists perfection—it values expression over conformity.* Autism-centered creativity often dismantles genre boundaries.* It's embodied, synaesthetic, non-linear: world as your playground.

Linking generative AI models to the agents that are going to use them now has a standard for queries, the Model Context Protocol (MCP). Suddenly all sorts of things are vying to be your data source of choice. What could go wrong? Analysts Jean Atelsek, James Curtis and Henry Baltazar join host Eric Hanselman to provide an introduction to what MCP is, what all the fuss is about and where this is headed. Since Anthropic released the standard in November of 2024, there has been significant progress in expanding and clarifying it, but it is still very much a work in progress. Database providers and storage vendors have been the obvious participants and many others are joining in. The larger questions are around ensuring trust and transparency in this market. Basic authentication has been worked out, but more sophisticated authorization mechanisms need to be defined. The mad dash is already leading to M&A activity, with storage vendors looking to expand their opportunities and maintain their relevance. Microsoft has released its MCP definition and Google has created an agent-to-agent (A2A) protocol for direct agent interactions. There are many pieces that are coming together to enable fully agentic operations and there is still a lot of work to be done.   More S&P Global Content: The 2025 Generative AI Outlook For S&P Global subscribers: Technology Primer: Model Context Protocol explained Databases and analytic services get the agentic AI treatment at Google Cloud Next 2025 IT Insider 3: A roundup for IT decision-makers Credits: Host/Author: Eric Hanselman Guests: Jean Atelsek, James Curtis, Henry Baltazar Producer/Editor: Adam Kovalsky Published With Assistance From: Sophie Carr, Feranmi Adeoshun, Kyra Smith

In this episode, the host introduces Dan Scalco, an entrepreneur and the founder of Digitalux and It's Better With AI, to discuss the 'blank canvas problem' faced by AI users today.Dan explains how users, overwhelmed by AI's endless possibilities, can start using tools like ChatGPT's image generation feature to add real business value. Throughout the episode, Dan walks through his framework for creating impactful social media, email marketing, and advertisement visuals from simple prompts. He emphasizes the iterative process of refining AI-generated images and adds nuances like incorporating photos and adjusting prompts. The discussion showcases examples, live demos, and practical advice, ensuring listeners can efficiently apply AI in various business contexts.--Key Moments:Understanding the Blank Canvas ProblemThe Importance of Context in AIDiving into Image GenerationUsing AI for Business VisualsCreating Engaging Social Media ContentCreating a Facebook Ad with AIFine-Tuning AI-Generated ImagesThe Rapid Evolution of AIStep-by-Step AI Ad Creation TutorialGenerating Compelling PromptsIterating and Improving AI OutputsUsing AI for Various Creative ProjectsTips for Better AI Image Generation--Key Links:It's Better With AIDigitaluxConnect with Dan Scalco on LinkedInPresentation Deck

We and our guest YouTuber Living Deadman discuss Shonen Jump manga Bozebeats.   MAL Description:  Religious monks adapted to modern technology and weaponry to combat the threat of demons. Ryuudaiji, a monk who's on a journey to locate and purge a demon spirit that is terrorizing a forest which was notorious to be a place where people commit suicides, meets a wolf boy, Tamaki Madoka, and his wolf companion. Things start to develop between the two, after an encounter with a tree demon spirit as Tamaki decides to go to the outside world to learn more about his past.   Show Notes: • You can reach us at Twitter @shonenflopcast, Tumblr shonen-flop, or email shonenflop@gmail.com   • You can find our guest at youtube.com/@Living_Deadman   • Get Shonen Flop merch, including this episode's cover art, on a shirt, mug, print, or whatever else might catch your 1https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shonen-flop?ref_id=22733   • Become a member of our community by joining our Discord. You can hang out with us, submit your questions or six word summaries! Find it at https://discord.com/invite/4hC3SqRw8r   • Want to be a guest? You can ask to be on a future episode at bit.ly/shonen_flop_guest   Credits: • Manga by  Hirano, Ryouji   • Shonen Flop is hosted by David Weinberger and Jordan Forbes   • Additional editing assistance by Dylan Krider you can find his podcast, Anime Out of Context at animeoutofcontext.com   • Assistance with pronunciation, translation, and other miscellaneous research done by Tucker Whatley and MaxyBee   • Episode art by Merliel (IG: mer_liel)   • Cover art funded by our generous art benefactor Nigel Francis  

Angela reflects on student questions about who the ancient Ayurvedic texts were written for. Learn More About: The importance and impact of tribal culture in ancient communities Paradox: safety and security verus freedom and choice Regulated emotions for leaders Why this matters for modern women   Resources: 
The Simple Ayurveda health certification program walks you step-by-step through a year-long process of integrating Ayurveda into every aspect of your life so that you are confident in your authentic abilities to share Ayurveda with your community- whether that's your family or clients. Apply here. It is a small group with personalized instruction led directly by Angela. 
 Join the Simple Ayurveda newsletter Article: The Caste System  Book- When The Drummers Were Women: A Spiritual History of Rhythm Movie- Jeanne du Barry The Simple Ayurveda Podcast Episode 169 | Time from a Vedic Perspective: A Deep Dive into the Yugas with Robin Stamp

From the archives: 12-25-22Bryan Kohberger and his time at Washington State University has always been of interest and in this episode we are learning more about his time at WSU and more context about the interview he had with Pullman PD.(commercial at 7:26)to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comsource:Idaho murders update: Taxi driver who took victims home before stabbings says final ride ‘weighs on him' | The IndependentBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-moscow-murders-and-more--5852883/support.

What does Kung Fu Panda and dumplings have to do with maintaining your staff?Well in today's Concept Sandbox; we break down how sometimes a dumpling isn't just a dumpling; it's a legacy of dumpling making.In this episode of the Magical Learning Podcast, host Jez, CEO Grahame, Director of Learning Danette, and Facilitator Allen explore the intersection of business challenges and creativity through a fantastical lens. They discuss the importance of curiosity, unique perspectives, and the brain's role in motivation and productivity. The conversation weaves in personal anecdotes and fun facts, culminating in insights on how to foster a culture of creativity and engagement in the workplace.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Magical Learning Podcast00:48 Team Check-In and Personal Updates05:33 Setting the Stage for Business Discussions08:10 Exploring the Brain's Complexity10:56 Linking Brain Function to Business Motivation13:18 Curiosity and Employee Motivation16:04 Aligning Internal Motivators with Business Goals18:45 The Influence of Context on Perception19:07 Exploring the Universe and Its Wonders22:34 Creating Moments of Awe in the Workplace25:15 The Power of Personal Stories27:00 Innovative Thinking and Legacy30:50 Balancing Perspectives Across Generations33:52 Final Thoughts and ReflectionsAll Magical Learning podcasts are recorded on the beautiful lands of the Kulin, Ngunnawal and Wiradjuri nations, and we pay our respect to their elders past and present.As always, if you are having trouble, you can always send us a message.Listen to/watch this podcast here: ⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/128QgGO....To find out more about our free content, sign-up for future webinars as well as our other services, go to ⁠⁠https://magicallearning.com/⁠⁠ and sign up!You can also find us on our socials: Instagram: / magical_learning Facebook: / magicallearningteam Linkedin: / magicallearning Youtube: / @magicallearning Have a Magical week!

The Context of White Supremacy hosts the weekly Compensatory Call-In 06/28/25. We encourage non-white listeners to dial in with their codified concepts, new terms, observations, research findings, workplace problems or triumphs, and/or suggestions on how best to Replace White Supremacy With Justice ASAP. This weekly broadcast examines current events from across the globe to learn what's happening in all areas of people activity. We cultivate Counter-Racist Media Literacy by scrutinizing journalists' word choices and using logic to deconstruct what is reported as "news." We'll use these sessions to hone our use of terms as tools to reveal truth, neutralize Racists/White people. #ANTIBLACKNESS After a month praying to survive the hell that is Milwaukee, Gus T. returned to Seattle and our typical weekend duties with the Compensatory Call-In. Even though no longer in "Cream City," Gus has remained mindful of Wisconsin news. On Thursday, two Milwaukee Officers were shot, one critically, by an alleged black male gunman. They day before Gus departed #MKE, officers were at City Hall insisting that they need Facial Recognition Technology to curb this sort of violence. And this week before the shooting, officers insisted that drones are also a necessary tool on the war on crime. In Texas, 17-year-old Karmelo Anthony was formally indicted for murder in the killing of a White student at a spring school track meet. Gus suspects many Victims of Racism have forgotten about this case after the initial maelstrom. #BradfordBeach INVEST in The C.O.W.S. - https://cash.app/$TheCOWS #TheCOWS16Years CALL IN NUMBER: 605.313.5164 CODE: 564943#

Leviticus "Longing for Eden: Genesis, the narrative context" Part 1 Rob Webster 62925 by Evangelical Fellowship Church

Reference Source: NPR Code Switch: Dispatches from the living memory of trans people of colorIdentity, Stealth, and Staying Submarine When the Wolves Come OutI heard a line on Code Switch that stuck with me: “I'm staying in my lane. I can't speak for you.”This is my lane. I'm not your hero or blueprint. I'm just a man with a few stories — potatoes in a rock soup — about how identity can be sanctuary, then trap, then survival trick when the world turns mean.I first learned what I call the vampire door in Norwich, England, 1990. By day it was farmers and muddy boots. By night some of those same men slipped through the door of the town's lone gay disco. A pint in hand, glitter on the collar, nod to the bouncer. An orbit under Donna Summer. Then cloak back up before sunrise.It was a door you stepped through when you needed to be seen — and stepped back out when you needed to be safe. I carried that logic home with me: the door always swings both ways.But I'd felt that door long before England. At GW in 1988, I was living blocks from Dupont Circle — one of the loudest, bravest queer neighborhoods in America. Back then D.C. was neon and sweat: drag races on 17th, basement bars, whole blocks that felt like portals. My friends and I — queer, straight, shape-shifters — learned fast: the bar at seven is family, the bar at eleven is the pack. If you don't feel the shift, you don't make it home.Later I saw the same logic online. The WELL, The MetaNetwork — early “walled gardens” that needed a password, a vouch. Small. Sacred. Not because they hid treasure, but because meaning leaks when the wrong eyes peek in. That's why I still love my Freemason lodge. Anyone can see the charity dinner — but when the doors close, there's a man with a sword. Context is fragile. Leak the lodge, salt the garden.People hear stealth and think it's fear. Sometimes stealth is just strategy. Like a concealed-carry instructor once told me: “The best weapon is the one nobody knows you have.” Same for your identity. Don't print it on a flag when you know the street outside is still 1950. Sometimes staying submarine is how you get to YAWP again tomorrow.Walt Whitman's YAWP is America's big queer shout — but this country loves it embalmed. The living version it fears. The louder you glow, the more antibodies you summon. You become uranium: radiant, potent, and a perfect fuel for the machine that'll spin you up and point you back at yourself.That's how the pack does it now. Not clubs or chains, but money and legal twists. Look at Skrmetti: SCOTUS upholds Tennessee's ban on gender-affirming care for minors. Or Planned Parenthood: the Court says states can block Medicaid for everything — contraception, cancer checks, not just abortion. Sanctions turned inward. The message is simple: amputate the piece that makes us squirm, or starve.The bar at seven is your found family. The bar at eleven is the werewolves. And the pack is bigger than a club — it's donors, lawyers, ghost rules from 1950 still sitting in the court. You can't extrapolate the sweaty Pride float to the rest of the country. The vibe shift is real. The pack is always circling.So here's my lane. I was never the hero. I was the shape-shifter who knew when to slip back through the vampire door before the vibe turned. Pretty enough to drink your Absolut — smart enough to leave before you asked me to explain.I'm not telling you to hide forever. I'm telling you: visibility is power if you understand how the pack moves. Stealth is not shame — it's strategy. Context is a garden. Spill it for clout, and you salt the soil. Your YAWP is holy. So is your cloak.Stay submarine when you need to.Always gone before eleven.

  On Sunday, John-Mark wrapped up our series "The Mission Has A Church." Churches in North America (and the West more generally) have been in a period of decline for many years. The wider culture continues the project of secularism - the adoption of new ways of thinking, believing and being that are pointedly not Christian. How should Christians respond to these widespread cultural changes? Rather than reacting with fear (that leads to either fighting the culture or fleeing from it), another hopeful option is available: the recovery of the Mission of God as a way to understand the Trinity, the Bible, the Church, our relationship to culture and the nature of Christian justice and witness. Join us as we unpack the helpful ways a recovery of a missional perspective invites us into the work God is already doing in the world.   To visit our Teaching Notes: https://stclair.substack.com/

This week, Shaun follows through with his promise of a show that's sure to upset Remington as he sits us down for 5 episodes of the controversial Love Stage!! Meanwhile, Remington is going to upset some of the more toxic fujoshis. If you'd like to give us feedback, ask a question, or correct a mistake, send an email to AnimeOutOfContext@gmail.com. Visit our Patreon at patreon.com/AnimeoutofContext if you would like to contribute to the show and get bonus content ranging from clips from our pre-episode banter, bonus episodes (including the 12 days of April Fools), our prototype Episode 0, to even getting shout-outs in the show! Intro and Outro are trimmed from "Remiga Impulse" by Jens Kiilstofte, licensed by MachinimaSound to Anime Out of Context under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 which the licensor has modified for the licensee to allow reproduction and sharing of the Adapted Material for Commercial purposes

Our summer series, Origins: The Story of God, Humanity, and Creation, will be focused on the book of Genesis, the remarkable story of God and creation, and humanity's role in the creation narrative. We will begin the summer series with a sermon, "The Story of Us: Reading Genesis in Context". The sermon will be about locating ourselves as readers of the Genesis text and how to begin reading it appropriately for its genre and context. By equipping ourselves with the proper interpretive lens, we will be able to access ancient scriptural knowledge and meaning for our spiritual lives in the modern world.

Sometimes the answers we're chasing in business and life have already been written—centuries ago. In this solo episode, Darius Mirshahzadeh dives deep into four timeless quotes by the Stoic philosopher Epictetus, exploring how ancient wisdom still holds power in modern life. Recorded from an Airbnb in Barcelona, Darius shares personal insights and stories on choosing uplifting relationships, living in alignment with purpose, breaking negative patterns, and redefining what true wealth really means. Whether you're navigating business partnerships or personal transformation, this is a philosophical deep-dive that will leave you asking the right questions about your life. In this episode, Darius will discuss: (00:00) Introduction and Context of Stoicism (02:27) The Importance of Uplifting Relationships (05:40) Devoting Life to Progress (08:25) Learning from Books and Applying Knowledge (11:02) Understanding Wealth and Wants Sponsored by: Constant Contact: Try Constant Contact free for 30 days at constantcontact.com. Huel: Get Huel today with this exclusive offer for New Customers of 15% OFF with code GREATNESS at https://huel.com/GREATNESS (Minimum $75 purchase). IDEO U: Enroll today and get 15% off sitewide at ideou.com/greatness.  ExpressVPN: Secure your online data today with ExpressVPN. Go to expressvpn.com/darius. Indeed: Get a $75 sponsored job credit to boost your job's visibility at Indeed.com/DARIUS. Shopify: Sign up for a $1/month trial period at shopify.com/darius.  Connect with Darius: Website: https://therealdarius.com/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dariusmirshahzadeh/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imthedarius/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Thegreatnessmachine  Book: The Core Value Equation https://www.amazon.com/Core-Value-Equation-Framework-Limitless/dp/1544506708 Write a review for The Greatness Machine using this link: https://ratethispodcast.com/spreadinggreatness. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After a month off for the Seattle International Film Festival and the Sade C. Robinson murder trial in Wisconsin, The Context of White Supremacy returns with the weekly summit on Neutralizing Workplace Racism 06/26/25. Hopefully, non-white people who usually listen and/or share their workplace triumphs and/or challenges have been maintaining their journals and keeping an excellent record of what has been said and done in the workplace. We get back to our normal broadcast schedule just in time for the meat of the summer calendar. Be ready for workplace barbecues and 4th of July bashes on the company dime. No alcohol at the company picnic. #DrinkMoreWater INVEST in The C.O.W.S. - https://cash.app/$TheCOWS #TheCOWS16Years CALL IN NUMBER: 605.313.5164 CODE: 564943#

Top Episode Replay:Designing HIIT workouts isn't just about the session you put down on paper.You need to first know the important basics of WHY you are doing them, and this relates critically to the CONTEXT! The impact of TIME ⏱️, INTENSITY

Michael Kelley joins Amy Marxkors, they discuss moving; graduates that use AI for homework; Celebrate St Louis on the Arch Grounds; and 'Out of Context' clips from the show.

Matt quizzes Amy and Michael Kelley with clips from this week's show, can they figure out what the original context was?

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William Castle with two wolves inside him: One wants to shock and frighten his audience, and the other wants them to have a good time. In the case of MR. SARDONICUS (1961), he struggles to accomplish either one! Despite this, there are things your deadicated hosts find to praise and discuss! Enjoy our coverage of Castle's second entry in 1961, starring Ronald Lewis, Audrey Dalton and Guy Rolfe. Context setting 00:00; Synopsis 24:16; Discussion 39:16; Ranking 1:04:54

Today's interview is with Jochem van der Veer, the Co-Founder and CEO of TheyDo, a leading platform for journey management that helps organisations build seamless customer experiences by aligning teams around the customer journey. We discuss customer journeys, journey mapping, and data, highlighting how businesses risk exacerbating data overwhelm if they don't rethink their approach. Additionally, we explore the finding that 41% of business leaders rarely involve other departments in data-driven decisions. This interview follows on from my recent interview – Voice still reigns in customer service – Interview with Nikola Mrkšić of PolyAI – and is number 545 in the series of interviews with authors and business leaders who are doing great things, providing valuable insights, helping businesses innovate and delivering great service and experience to both their customers and their employees.

Build secure, compliant AI apps with code-based controls that dynamically respond to user context using Microsoft Purview for AI app developers. With built-in protections, prevent data leaks, block unsafe prompts, and avoid oversharing without rewriting your app. As a developer, focus on innovation while meeting evolving security and compliance requirements. And as a security admin, gain full visibility into AI data interactions, user activity, and policy enforcement across environments. Shilpa Ranganathan, Microsoft Purview Principal GPM, shares how new SDKs and Azure AI Foundry integrations bring enterprise-grade security to custom AI apps. ► QUICK LINKS:  00:00 - Microsoft Purview controls for developers 00:16 - AI app protected by Purview 02:23 - User context aware 03:08 - Prevent data oversharing 04:15 - Behind the app 05:17 - API interactions 06:50 - Data security admin AI app protection 07:26 - Monitor and Govern AI Interactions 08:30 - Wrap up ► Link References Check out https://aka.ms/MicrosoftPurviewSDK Microsoft Purview API Explorer at https://github.com/microsoft/purview-api-samples/ For the Microsoft Purview Chat App go to https://github.com/johnea-chva/purview-chat ► Unfamiliar with Microsoft Mechanics? As Microsoft's official video series for IT, you can watch and share valuable content and demos of current and upcoming tech from the people who build it at Microsoft. • Subscribe to our YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/MicrosoftMechanicsSeries • Talk with other IT Pros, join us on the Microsoft Tech Community: https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/microsoft-mechanics-blog/bg-p/MicrosoftMechanicsBlog • Watch or listen from anywhere, subscribe to our podcast: https://microsoftmechanics.libsyn.com/podcast ► Keep getting this insider knowledge, join us on social: • Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MSFTMechanics • Share knowledge on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/microsoft-mechanics/ • Enjoy us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/msftmechanics/ • Loosen up with us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@msftmechanics

What if reading the Bible felt less like a chore and more like a conversation with God? In today’s episode, I’m joined by Zach Windahl, author of The Bible Simplified. His passion for Scripture was shaped after he fell away from his faith while attending a Christian college. (Yes, you read that right.) Zach was influenced by the deconstruction movement, but when he hit bottom, he decided to study the Bible for himself like never before. His life was forever changed. Motivated by his desire to help others understand the Bible, Zack founded the brand Sunday, which became the #4 best-selling consumer product in the US!! Zach helps us see the Bible not as a rulebook, but as one beautiful, life-giving story. Together, we talk about how understanding the Bible’s context can deepen our relationship with Jesus. If you’ve ever wanted to make Bible reading feel approachable and meaningful, this conversation is just what you needed! And remember, I'd love to connect more on Instagram, where you'll find me at @donnaajones. Xo, Donna PS. - Don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss a single episode! And be sure to rate and review the podcast to be entered for your chance to win the $200 book bundle giveaway!! Listen in to learn more:(00:17) - Discovering Faith in Daily Chaos (13:00) - Understanding the Bible History and Context (25:53) - Exploring Faith Through Scripture Interpretation (30:49) - Empowered by Daily Scripture Study Donna’s Resources: Order a copy of my new book - Healthy Conflict, Peaceful Life: A Biblical Guide to Communicating Thoughts, Feelings, and Opinions with Grace, Truth, and Zero Regret. It is available anywhere books are sold– here is the link on Amazon. If you need a helpful resource for someone exploring faith and Christianity or simply want to strengthen your own knowledge, you’ll want a copy of my book, Seek: A Woman’s Guide to Meeting God. It’s a must for seekers, new believers, and those who want to be more confident in their faith! Connect with Zach Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DJ9H9agymON/?hl=en Website : The Bible Simplified Connect with Donna Instagram: @donnaajones Website: www.donnajones.org Donna’s speaking schedule: https://donnajones.org/events/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

IN THIS EPISODE: Why did Jesus heal people with disabilities and what does that mean for us today? In this episode, Tyler, Maron, and Barry unpack Matthew 9:27–34, where Jesus heals two blind men in a culture that saw disability as shameful. But the story raises deeper questions: Why do healing stories cause discomfort in the modern disability community? If healing is tied to faith, what does that imply for people today who aren't healed? Why does Jesus sometimes mention forgiving sins and sometimes not? Does physical healing imply something was broken before and how does that affect our theology of wholeness? We also explore the 3 R's of application from the sermon: Remember those the world has forgotten, Reject the values of our broken world, and Receive the mercy of our Savior. Watch as we dig into ancient shame culture, contractual theology, and how the church can faithfully preach healing without unintentionally reinforcing harmful assumptions. ⏰ TIMESTAMPS: 0:09 - What's New with the Gang 00:44 - Pacers NBA Finals Loss & Family Reactions 15:05 - Transition to Sermon Discussion 20:00 - Disability, Healing, and Ancient Context 27:27 - Faith, Healing, and Discomfort 32:22 - Theology of Healing & Faith 36:36 - Prophecy, Inclusion, and New Creation 42:59 - Jesus, Context, and Social Inclusion 46:21 - Healing, Wholeness, and Social Models 52:24 - Remembering the Forgotten & Mercy 56:36 - Rejecting Broken World Values 01:03:09 - Receiving Mercy & Contractual Theology 01:06:21 - Where Do We Go Next?

Rick Lee Banks Mill Campus Adult Ministry Director Cedar Creek Church Aiken, SC Like, comment & subscribe to stay updated with the latest content! FOLLOW Cedar Creek Church: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cedarcreek_church/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cedarcreekchurch1993/ Website: https://www.cedarcreekchurch.net

In light of recent tensions between Israel and Iran, as well as the involvement of global superpower the United States, academics have raised concerns about nuclear proliferation and its consequences in the Middle East as well as on a global stage.  As the need for nuclear deterrence is critical, the latest exchange of attacks between involved parties risks escalating conflict in the region and presents an urgent challenge for diplomatic relationships to diffuse the situation. Producer Sara spoke to University of Auckland International and Political Relations doctoral student Tom Wilkinson about this topic, including the risk of nuclear proliferation in the region. She began by asking him to explain the recent events between Israel and Iran in the broader context of global militarisation and history of nuclear armament.

Have you caught up on the drama between the academics and David Seymour? Can I just respectfully suggest that the academics need to harden up? They are upset because David Seymour has published a 'Victim of the Day' on social media, and he seems to be doing it reasonably regularly. It's featuring academics who are upset about the Regulatory Standards Bill - and then it's mocking them for that. Now, they're not happy. They're accusing him of breaching the Cabinet Manual. They say that his posts are unethical, unprofessional, potentially dangerous to those who are targeted, and that he's trying to silence them. Thereby proving his point that they really are victims, aren't they? Now, I'm surprised at how thin-skinned these academics are. Let's be honest about it, none of us like to be skewered. It can sting. But it kind of comes with the territory, doesn't it? If you are in public, and especially if you choose to put yourself in public - which these academics are doing by choosing to, for example, pen opinion pieces criticizing the bill - then they are inviting a response, and they cannot dictate what that response is. And actually, I could be wrong, but what I've seen doesn't seem that harsh. It just seems like a right of reply, but tongue in cheek. Context is important here as well, because this David versus academic spat has actually been going on a fair bit. David Seymour, in my personal opinion, has been given a bit of a rough time by some academics - one in particular who I think is the worst offender. She has, in the past, said that she hopes he doesn't have kids, and then called his Government a fascist white supremacist Government, which certainly makes his response look adult. Now, if academics - and I'm not saying it's the same academics here by any stretch - but collectively, if they want to hand it out, they have to also be prepared to suck it up. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

062325 2nd HR -More Pesta 13 min and Clips in History on Iran For Context A MUST LISTEN by Kate Dalley

Learn how the Polyvagal Theory helps explain healthy boundaries through a combination of safety and sympathetic activation.Episode Introduction and Context — 0:00Understanding Ventral Vagal Safety State — 0:34Balancing Safety and Sympathetic Activation — 1:16Proactive Practice for Boundary Setting — 3:29Compassionate Boundary Enforcement — 5:16Realistic Expectations and Self-Connection — 7:20Conclusion and Invitation to Unstucking Academy — 10:14Resources:⬇️ Download the Polyvagal One-Pagers - https://stucknauts.circle.so/c/public_resources/polyvagal-checklist-download-8a9597 Resources:

Have you ever wondered how you can have it all in your life and business? In this throwback episode of the Sunlight Tax Podcast, I'm talking about focus as an entrepreneur and how I use metrics in my business to decide what to focus on next.  Listen to this episode to learn how you can use metrics to have it all and why you need to be focusing on one thing to get your best work.  Also mentioned in today's episode:  Why you should focus on one thing at a time 8:30 Why batching is so important 13:58 Repetition and how it can help you in business 19:36 The decision metric I use when deciding to take on a new project 39:40    Takeaways You can have it all, but you can't have it all at once. Focus on your current capacity and what will increase it. Specializing in one area can lead to greater success. Batching tasks can help maintain focus and efficiency. Repetition is essential for mastering skills in business. Context switching can drain your cognitive resources. Editing your business can simplify operations and enhance focus. Metrics are crucial for tracking progress and improving processes. Your vision should guide your business decisions. Don't stress about everything; focus on one thing at a time.   If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review and share it!  Every review makes a difference by telling Apple or Spotify to show the Sunlight Tax podcast to new audiences. Links: Link to pre-order my book, Taxes for Humans: Simplify Your Taxes and Change the World When You're Self-Employed. Get your free visual guide to tax deductions Check out my program, Money Bootcamp    

As they adapt to shifting investor expectations and a changing deal flow, many private capital firms are returning to fundamentals, focusing on risk management and value creation. They are also prioritizing enhanced exit planning and geographical diversification, with Europe becoming a focal point for many PE firms. This is happening at a time when consolidation among various stakeholders is reshaping the industry and providing new avenues for risk management and investment opportunities. In this episode of Risk in Context, Marsh's Emily Almond, Oliver Wyman's John Romeo, and Mercer's Tamsin Coleman discuss some of the top risks that private equity firms should be aware of and share strategies for addressing them effectively. You can access a transcript of the episode here. For more insights and insurance and risk management solutions, follow Marsh on LinkedIn and X and visit marsh.com.

The different faces of identity: Navigating sexual orientation and gender expression   Welcome back to Blended!   Today, we're talking about sexual orientation, gender identity and expression.   Discussions around these issues have been hitting the headlines more and more in recent months. And it's fair to say that many recent rulings and debates have felt like a step backward for a lot of different communities – they just want the freedom to be themselves. But there's a fundamental lack of understanding. A lot of people just don't understand what it means to have a different identity or expression. And a lack of understanding, the unfamiliar or unknown, is what often sits behind fear.   So today we're going to be opening up a conversation to encourage understanding, so we can fight that fear and create spaces that are safe and welcoming for everyone.   IN THIS EPISODE:   [01.02] Introductions to our Blended panelists.   ·       Kai – Social Scientist, President of TransFocus and speaker ·       Ross – Vice President at GLAAD Media Institute, author and speaker  ·       Kiara-Kumail – Employee at White Ribbon and actor     [04.23] The group explore sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression and the many factors around these topics, from pronouns and labels, to authenticity and fear.   ·       Sex vs gender ·       Labels ·       Evolution of labels/identities ·       Words/identities mean different things to different people ·       ‘I am' vs ‘I identify as' ·       Asking open-ended questions ·       Creating safe spaces o   What are they? o   How do we create them? o   Language o   Infrastructure o   Support/listening ·       We're more than just our identities ·       Definitions becoming reductive ·       Problems with identity becoming politicized  ·       The growth of LGBTQIA+ ·       Pronouns ·       How we introduce ourselves    ·       The nuance of curiosity and asking questions ·       Respect ·       Fear of making a mistake ·       Being open to being corrected ·       Acknowledging, and apologizing for, mistakes ·       Making assumptions ·       Internal vs external ·       Control ·       Cultural rules ·       How gender expression relates to physical safety ·       Masculinity and femininity ·       Shifting gender expression to suit different environments ·       Belonging ·       Authenticity ·       How anti-trans sentiment also harms cisgender people     “Labels will never fully be able to capture everything, though they help people identify in certain ways. Ultimately, it's not about fully understanding everything, it's about respect and being a good human being. And labels expand and mean different things to different people. The community exists beyond a monolith, we all have different opinions – there's no one easy answer unfortunately.” Kiara-Kumail   “Sexual orientation and gender identity are not just LGBTQ things, they're something we all have. We all have a way in which we know and understand ourselves, and share it out with the world.” Ross   “There's no right or wrong… But the way we can be more expansive is to say: ‘Tell me about yourself.' It's an open-ended question, and then people can feel free to share whatever they want... Sometimes people are hesitant, because they don't know whether it's safe to share.” Kai   “If someone raises an issue, that's a big deal because it takes so much energy. Most people in the research we do, do not raise issues. About 75% have issues, but don't raise them.” Kai   “Introducing yourself is a good way to do it. Because, if you're asking, be honest: Are you asking the only visibly trans person in the room, or are you asking everybody that? Sometimes inclusion can actually be exclusionary. It's good practice not to single one person out.” Kiara-Kumail   “For trans and non-binary folks, people often misread them – we look at the exterior and jump to conclusions… They're misgendered about 70% of the time, it's on a daily basis, and that's a heavy burden to bear.” Kai     [40.44] The panel share an overview of where the US currently is with gender and sexuality issues, why many feel that we've taken a step backwards, and why it's so important to continue to talk about these issues openly and without judgement.   ·       Similarity to the persecution of gay men during the AIDs crisis in the 1980s ·       Modern radicalization of boys and men ·       Manosphere ·       Danger of discriminatory echo chambers ·       Dehumanization ·       Allyship ·       Honest, open dialogue ·       Separating fact from fiction  ·       Combined vision – weaving in women's and men's issues ·       Overlapping needs/intersectionality ·       Shared benefits ·       Trying to turn negatives into positives ·       Speed of change     “We'd previously been making quite a lot of progress, especially on trans issues and rights… Now it feels like a reversal. But I think it's a pause, to allow more people to catch up… I try to understand many different perspectives and I hear time and time again: it's too fast. So, OK – let's regroup, restart the conversation, go back, and go through the basics.” Kai   [49.40] The group discuss what organizations can do to support the LGBTQIA+ community in the current political environment.   ·       Increasing millennial and Gen Z affinity with LGBTQ community ·       Millennial and Gen Z groups are customers and employees – driving expectations ·       Support grounded in values ·       Difference between what organizations say and do (social media vs real policy) ·       Need for larger systemic change, changing norms ·       Appreciation of queer culture, not just people ·       Analysis of biases ·       Providing health insurance that covers gender affirming care ·       Organizations pulling out of Pride/removing certain stock from shelves/pulling DEI programs    ·       More inclusive parental packages, i.e. IVF and adoption ·       Support for name changes ·       Areas for active leaning, e.g. Role play   ·       Intent – the importance of trying ·       The importance of listening ·       Kai's experience of working with two-spirit first nation people ·       Trans folk are not new! o   They exist in every culture, throughout time o   Different names, e.g. ‘third gender' in India o   Trans history has been erased o   Colonialism set certain parameters for gender, expression, marriage, etc. ·       Calling in experts – and paying them! ·       Context ·       Consistency ·       Self-reflection   “In the US, despite everything we've talked about, peoples affinity with the LGBTQ community has only grown – it's tripled since 2012 when Gallop started measuring… And that growth is from Gen Z and Millennials… Which means, for companies and organizations, these are your customers, these are your employees and your future leaders.” Ross “It's going to be a smaller group, but a more effective one. Because those are the ones that want to do the deep work.” Kai “People feel neutral to positive about things like Pride merchandise… the same way they think about a sports team brand. What's the difference between wearing a rainbow t-shirt or a Vikings jersey – to a lot of people, they're the same thing.”  Ross “It's about showing up, it's about listening, and getting to know. Because when you have a depth of knowing, you can start to take more tangible action in a way that's connected with people. It's relational.” Kai   [1.14.18] The panel sum up their thoughts from today's discussion.    RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED: You can connect with Kiara-Kumail, Kai and Ross over on LinkedIn.  

If you still think AI is just a Google replacement, you're already falling behind. Because here's the truth: AI is no longer about answering questions. It's building full-blown agents that handle entire workflows for you—freeing up your time, reducing burnout, and allowing you to scale smarter than ever before. In this episode, we sat down with Mark B, Head of AI at Geronimo, to break down exactly how AI is reshaping businesses RIGHT NOW. Here's what we're covering: -Why AI isn't a Silicon Valley toy anymore—it's mainstream, and it's here to stay -The 4 levels of AI adoption every business owner needs to understand -How AI agents are replacing admin tasks, lead research, and repetitive workflows -The exact way Geronimo is using AI to scale coaching, ad copy, and internal operations -Why 'human in the loop' is the ultimate productivity superpower -How AI will change hiring forever (and why 20 years experience may no longer matter) -The biggest traps business owners fall into when overusing AI too early -The R.I.C.E. framework to train AI tools to think like you -The real-world tools you can start using TODAY to reduce burnout and free up your team -Why empathy, leadership and human nuance will always win—even in an AI-first world -How business owners can start building their personal AI operating system for $20/month -Where the risks are (privacy, hallucinations, and the future 'dark forest' of AI) … and a whole lot more Chapters: ⏳ [00:00] Welcome to the AI Deep Dive with Mark B ⏳ [02:00] What Every Business Owner Needs to Know About AI in 2025 ⏳ [06:00] Why AI Is Guessing—and How That Powers Creativity ⏳ [09:00] The Evolution: From Google Replacement to Business Co-Pilot ⏳ [12:00] Real-World Example: AI Agents Replacing Lead Research ⏳ [16:00] The Future: Hybrid Workforces of Humans & AI Agents ⏳ [19:00] Why 'Human in the Loop' Will Always Be Essential ⏳ [22:00] Levels of AI Adoption: Search, Memory, Agents & Org Structures ⏳ [27:00] Are Jobs Being Replaced? Where It's Already Happening ⏳ [30:00] Industries on the Edge: Law, Healthcare, and Customer Service ⏳ [35:00] How Hiring Is Shifting Away From Experience to AI Fluency ⏳ [42:00] The Problem of AI Hallucinations and How to Guard Against Them ⏳ [46:00] The Jagged Frontier: Where AI Struggles (Numbers, Reasoning, Context) ⏳ [50:00] How to Customise AI Using the R.I.C.E. Framework ⏳ [56:00] Prompting Like a Pro: The Secret to High-Quality AI Output ⏳ [58:00] Real Life Example: How Geronimo Uses Custom GPTs Across the Business ⏳ [63:00] Building Inspector Gadget: Sales & Coaching Call Scoring ⏳ [70:00] Why AI Is Helping Humans Focus On What Actually Moves The Needle ⏳ [73:00] Ending Burnout: The 3 Ways Business Owners Should Start Using AI ⏳ [80:00] Why Fitness Studios Are In The Perfect Industry To Augment AI ⏳ [87:00] Live Q&A: Bots, Sales, Websites & Predicting Member Behaviour ⏳ [98:00] The Non-Negotiables For Business Owners Moving Into An AI Future Hope you enjoy! Want free resources? DM over on IG @hey.doza with ‘books' for my personal recommendations or ‘non-negotiables'. https://www.youtube.com/@GeronimoUnfiltered WANT MORE: To say thank you for listening to the pod we'd like to gift you a FREE session to brainstorm a 3 Step Action Plan for your gym or fitness studio so you know EXACTLY what step you need to take to grow. Book in yours: https://link.wingmancrm.com/widget/bookings/geronimo-3-step-action-plan Connect with us: Geronimo: https://www.instagram.com/thegeronimoacademy Doza: https://www.instagram.com/hey.doza

In conversation with Takudzwa Mharadze   In this episode of Africa Right Talk, the conversation unfolds against the backdrop of the upcoming international conference themed “Advancing Justice through Reparations: Reparations, Restoration, and Renaissance,” that was held from 2–3 June 2025 in Pretoria, South Africa. This landmark event was co-organised by the University of Pretoria, the University of Goma, the University of The Bahamas, and the Bahamas National Reparations Committee, in collaboration with key African Union human rights bodies and CARICOM. The conference brought together academics, policymakers, activists, and experts to explore strategies for reparative justice, with papers to be published in the 2025 African Human Rights Yearbook. Central to this episode is a compelling discussion with Takudzwa Mharadze, who emphasises the need for unified Africa-Caribbean action to demand reparations, restore dignity, and challenge the lingering impacts of colonialism and slavery. Drawing on the African Union's recent designation of 2025 as the year of reparations, the speaker highlights the importance of learning from the Caribbean's efforts, particularly CARICOM's ten-point reparations plan. He critiques narrow, financial-only views of reparations and instead champions a broader, holistic agenda that includes debt cancellation, cultural restitution, education reform, and decolonization of knowledge. The episode underscores the necessity of building a robust, inclusive continental reparations framework, one that unites Africa and the diaspora through shared history and common purpose. The University of Pretoria and its partners are commended for their role in convening diverse voices and fostering a platform for sustained collaboration and policy influence through research, advocacy, and regional solidarity.   Takudzwa Mharadze is a PhD candidate in Development Studies at the University of Johannesburg, where he is undertaking research on Food and Nutrition Security, Adaptation and Resilience in the Context of Climate Variability in Zimbabwe: The Case of Gokwe-South District. His study critically explores the intersections of climate change, food systems, and rural livelihoods, with a focus on enhancing community resilience in vulnerable regions. Takudzwa brings over a decade of experience in development research, monitoring and evaluation, and academic and policy analysis. Throughout his career, he has engaged with diverse development themes including climate justice, disaster risk reduction, sustainable agriculture, and social protection. His practical experience spans both governmental and non-governmental sectors, where he has contributed to policy formulation, programme design, capacity building, and impact assessments. Currently serving as a part-time lecturer at the Zimbabwe Open University. T. Mharadze is an early career researcher with a strong interest in academic publishing. He is committed to contributing scholarly knowledge that bridges research, policy, and practice to address pressing socio-economic and environmental challenges in sub-Saharan Africa     This was recorded on 2 June 2025.             Youtube: https://youtu.be/MpQFogU6lns Music and news extracts: Inner Peace by Mike Chino https://soundcloud.com/mike-chinoCreative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported — CC BY-SA 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b...Music promoted by Audio Libraryhttps://youtu.be/0nI6qJeqFcc Limitless https://stock.adobe.com/za/search/audio?k=45259238  

Welcome back to 'Don't Cut Your Own Bangs!'    In this lively and heartfelt episode, Danielle Ireland chats with Ashlyn Thompson from the Parent Empowerment Network. Ashlyn shares her journey from growing her nonprofit organization to the emotional rollercoaster of her daughter's complex medical journey.    Get ready to explore how pain can be an unexpected teacher, the magic of community support, and why tapping into creativity can be your secret weapon against anxiety. Filled with laughs, valuable insights, and touching moments, this episode is a treasure trove of wisdom and joy. Tune in and enjoy the ride!   00:00 Introduction and Guest Overview 00:20 Ashlyn Thompson's Journey and Nonprofit Growth 01:10 The Importance of Community and Support 01:37 Embracing Big Feelings and Finding Joy 02:52 Welcoming Ashlyn Back and Discussing Growth 05:44 Navigating Pain and Empowerment 09:51 The Power of Perspective and Decision Making 14:27 Balancing Life and Nonprofit Work 21:21 The Role of Pain as a Teacher 30:48 Finding Comfort in Movement and Nature 33:09 Returning to Basics 33:35 Reflecting on Past Decisions 35:20 The Role of Pain and Fear 38:20 Parent Empowerment Network 44:25 Creativity as a Lifeline 49:21 Embracing Emotions 53:07 Don't Cut Your Own Bangs Moment 01:01:20 Conclusion and Resources   Ashlyn Thompson interview links Ashlyn Thompson, a passionate advocate and storyteller, is co-founder of the Parent Empowerment Network, a nonprofit providing emotional and mental health support to parents navigating pediatric medical complexities. She also co-hosts theEmpowered by Hope podcast, which equips parents with practical tools, resources, and a strong sense of community—delivered with a heavy dose of humor and hope to empower them as their child's best advocate. Ashlyn's fire for advocacy was ignited by her daughter Emery, who was born with bladder exstrophy. After Emery nearly died following a major surgery at just seven weeks old, Ashlyn became a fierce voice for patient safety. Unwilling to accept the limitations of domestic medical care, she discovered a surgical option in the U.K. that wasn't available in the U.S. at the time. In early 2023, Emery became the first American to undergo this procedure—and thanks to Ashlyn's relentless advocacy, that surgery is now available in America. When she's not advocating or recording podcasts, Ashlyn moonlights as a budding driveway chalk artist, chaos coordinator for her spirited family, and an avid nature lover. Chocolate is her daily vitamin, ADHD is her superpower, spiders and small talk are her sworn enemies, and she firmly believes laughter and boldness are two of a parent's greatest tools.   Parent Empowerment Network:  The Parent Empowerment Network exists to support, encourage, and educate parents of children with medical complexities—empowering them with community, knowledge, and confidence to be their child's fiercest advocate. www.ParentEmpowermentNetwork.org Empowered by Hope podcast on all major podcast streaming platforms: https://parentempowermentnetwork.org/podcast/   Social Media:  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Parent-Empowerment-Network/100083218456295/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parentempowermentnetwork/   She is Charlotte book by co-founder, Emily Whiting:https://parentempowermentnetwork.org/she-is-charlotte-book/ DANIELLE IRELAND, LCSW I greatly appreciate your support and engagement as part of the Don't Cut Your Own Bangs community. Feel free to reach out with questions, comments, or anything you'd like to share. You can connect with me at any of the links below.   Website: https://danielleireland.com/   The Treasured Journal: https://danielleireland.com/journal   Substack: https://danielleireland.substack.com/   Blog: https://danielleireland.com/blog/   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danielleireland_lcsw   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/danielleireland.LCSW   Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@danielleireland8218/featured “Don't Cut Your Own Bangs” is about creating a community around, and familiarity with, the messy middle—that uncertain and often chaotic and uncomfortable time in the middle of a process or journey. The messy middle is replete with ambiguity and challenges, but it's also where the hard and rewarding work happens.   Transcript [00:00:00] Danielle: Hello. Hello, this is Danielle Ireland and you are watching or listening to Don't Cut Your Own Bangs. I am so excited to be back in the interview seat. We've done some solo cast. It's been a blast. But Ashlyn Thompson is here with me today, and we just wrapped an incredible conversation. Ashlyn came on as a guest to talk about her work with Charlotte's Hope Foundation a couple of years ago. [00:00:26] She was about ready to embark right in the interview we were, she was. Days away from embarking on a trip to the UK for her daughter having a surgery with the only surgeon in the world who performed the specific type of surgery that her daughter needed. Her daughter's made a full recovery. It's a beautiful story we're gonna get into in this episode, but what I'm truly, if you could imagine even beyond that beautiful story, what I'm so excited to introduce to you and to that I was so grateful to witness and learn from. [00:00:53] Is that Ashlyn has grown her nonprofit organization, not no money in organization, but yes, a nonprofit organization that at the time, two years ago when we last checked in with her, was called Charlotte's Hope Foundation. It has grown. It's expanded, and it's evolved, and it's now the Parent Empowerment Network. [00:01:10] She and her co-founder also have a podcast for that same work, and what I love about the work that they do. They create community connection space and resources for parents and families raising children or any provider helping a child navigate medical complexities. And that sounds like such a hard and heavy and challenging topic. [00:01:33] And it is. But what Ashlyn embodies is. The work that I really wanted to bring to this season and this new phase of don't cut your own bangs, which I want big feelings to feel less scary. I want approaching them to feel possible. And then with that in mind, wherever possible, as much as possible, finding lightness, levity, and joy. [00:01:54] However we can do it. And I'm telling you, in this episode we did that. We accomplished that. We talk about important things, we talk about heavy things, and Ashland is vulnerable in a way that is inviting. But also something we can all learn from. And through the specificity of her life experience and what she's learned, there are universal nuggets that we can all find value in. [00:02:17] I know I did, and this was such a beautiful place to share, and we laughed. We had joy, we smiled . I hope that this topic invites you and encourages you to lean in and tune in because there are so many great nuggets of this. Thank you for being here, and I can't wait for you to sit back, relax, and enjoy. [00:02:38] Ashlyn Thompson [00:02:39] Hi. Yes, I know. Big jumps for both of us. I know. I feel like we're, it does feel like a lifetime ago. It I mean, in many ways it is. It's like we're, I mean, I'm still, me and all the key players are still playing. Right. But it does feel like a different life in a way. And I, with that in mind, I just wanna officially welcome you back. [00:02:55] Yes. Welcome. Ashlyn Thompson. Oh, thank. Don't cut your own bangs. I am so excited that you're here for many reasons, but the thing I'm most excited about is I think that. Building something or starting something creates a certain amount of effort and energy. Sustaining something, growing with it, breathing new life into it, that's a different part of a different element of a creative process. [00:03:17] And that's something I think specifically I'm really excited to talk to you about because you're parent Empowerment Network, which has it, it exists to support, encourage and educate parents and caregivers of children with medical complexities. And that was, it already was in existence when we, right, when we recorded the first time. [00:03:34] But it has grown. Grown. I went to a gala, people, she's throwing a gala fundraiser for her for her network. And so, I mean, I wanna hear about all the twists and all the developments of that, but more specifically the context I wanna provide for us and for this conversation. The thing that I'm really excited about, , and why I feel really passionate about bringing this to video. [00:03:57] Is that I want to help make big feelings feel less scary. Yeah. And I want to make, approaching them feel possible. And then with that in mind as much and as often as possible, laugh as much as possible. Amen. And so, right? So like, you are swimming in the trenches with people and even in your own life with people who are holding and making space for heavy things. [00:04:23] Yes. And yet there is a bright smile on your face. There's a twinkle in your eye. You laugh and you smile. And I wanna, and I don't know how to articulate what that is, but I want to, I wanna, that's something I wanna make space for in this conversation too. So it's important and it's big and it's emotional for sure, but also like, let's allow levity too. [00:04:42] Absolutely. I am so excited to be continuing our conversation, and I'm also really happy to know that. The person who's sitting here with you today is very much a different person from two years ago. And I feel like I have gone through multiple versions of myself just in the past two years. And that's one of the things that I truly celebrate about, not just the journey of parent empowerment network, but I think just growing and evolving as a human spirit, experiencing this life is recognizing that I say this phrase to only certain people, but I act, I feel compelled to share it now. [00:05:26] I feel like I have died a thousand times. And greeted so many versions of myself. But every time I rise into that extroversion and realize who I am, I like that person more and more. And. I feel like one of my greatest accomplishments just this past year has been truly settling into a, knowing a deep belief that life is meant to grow through, not go through. [00:05:58] And that change, that pivot of how I see the next big thing that comes up has been such a grounding force for me and has really helped me feel like I'm actually sitting in the driver's seat of my car. I don't know what I'm going to pass as I'm on this highway. In life. And sometimes life yanks me off on an exit I didn't plan. [00:06:23] And those exit ramps are typically the next lesson. But I'm grateful to be at a point where I can now see the next really hard thing emerging and not wanna hit reverse. Wow. Wow. Not that I like it all the time. No, God. But I can appreciate that this isn't out to crush me. This isn't here to take me down like I used to feel. [00:06:53] , Wow. There's a lot to unpack there for. Thank you so much for sharing that, but also not going in reverse. I wanna make a mental note, not going in reverse. The next version of me, I like better, and this is not here to crush me. Right. The, there's something, I got chills. I got full body chills when you, the la with the last thing that you said, because when I'm working with clients, there is this element and this is something. [00:07:18] I promise I'll come back to that original point there. There's an element of the work that I do where, and I'm sure you get this in your own way too, with like hearing stories from families who are holding really hard and heavy things. I think when I meet people for the first time, a common response is, wow, I don't know how you do what you do, or I don't know how you listen to that all day. [00:07:36] Or Oh man, and I think, yes, sure. There, there are certainly days and clients or moments where those stories are making space for people's big, heavy, painful experiences. Right. Is can be a lot at times. Far less anymore. But I think more than anything the va like, I feel so lucky to have the experience a hundred maybe even thousands of times over hurt people's pain. [00:08:03] And I know what pain sounds like. Yes. And there are different types and one thing that I absolutely believe to be true is that our pain is not personal. Our story is personal, right? But pain is not personal. And the events of our life, even things that happen to us, it's, there's it's almost shifting out of a, and I hope I can say this within the context that, that is heard with love. [00:08:27] But shifting out of a victim mentality right into it. Because being victimized or being stricken with grief or holding something hard like that is absolutely real. And also knowing that this is happening to me, but this is not gosh, what are the words I'm trying to find. It, what I'm hearing is you recognize how hard this is. [00:08:51] Whatever that insert blank. I recognize how hard this is, and I'm not going to make this pain so precious that I don't also see it as temporary. Yes, exactly. But there's something, so I think there's something really powerful and there's so much nuance to that because I certainly don't want to, people can be victimized, but the victim mentality is one of, in my professional experience it's one of the more challenging headspace to, for someone to walk out of. [00:09:21] Agree. It's really hard. Exactly. It shrinks your world. So, so much. That's well said. And we experience that very often. We really fo I mean we say all the time, you know, we are non diagnosis specific, non prognosis specific with the families that we work with, and we focus on the parents or the parent role, which could be performed by a sibling, a grandparent, a friend, an adopt, a lot of different people, but. [00:09:51] What we really found early in our journey and what helped us evolve into parent empowerment network was that recognition that, like you pointed out, pain is not it's not customized to your experience. The feeling, the emotional and physical experience relationship with pain is common through all of us, and it actually is a way that we can connect with each other when we recognize that. [00:10:18] When we stop comparing one another's pains. Now, don't get me wrong, if your kid got a bump on the head versus your kid needs a, you know, brain surgery. Right. Those are different. Yes. Very different. Yes. But most of the time we're not dealing with that. And what we have found is that when somebody is in that victim mentality, which is understandable, I think that's a, very important aspect to acknowledge when you're feeling like a victim, why is this happening to me? Or why is this happening to my child? Because I'll be the first to say, it's never okay when your child is hurting or sick or in harm's way or worse. I will never be okay with it. But when we say stuck in a victim mentality, our ability to problem solve goes from about here to here. [00:11:08] Yeah. And then your child is really the one who suffers. And I hate, it's a hard truth. But we have to face that truth because when we can help a parent start to find glimmers of hope, start to see that there's a way to build on quality of life rather than cure. Then you start to see this new version emerge where they are truly, you know, empowered advocates for their child. [00:11:45] There's something that I heard in what you said too, that a lot of times when I'm working with clients who are maybe knee deep in anxiety or depression, for example. I think why can be a powerful question, but I think a misplaced why is a really exactly damaging question. Like, why me? Why them? [00:12:02] Why this, why now? Because those are questions you can't answer that only lead to a defeating answer. Exactly. And usually another question or shame, but what I'm hearing a lot in when you. When you can kind of broaden your focus and sort of release that constriction from why you then can open yourself up to a different type of question. [00:12:23] How can I, exactly. How can I get through today? How can I get through this moment? What is needed most of me now? What do I need now? Right. And those types of the what and the how. Who do I need to show up for? Is it me? Right. Is it them? Who do I need to ask for help? Who has information that I need? [00:12:43] Those types of questions don't eliminate the pain, but it broadens the scope Yes. Of, of your field of vision. And I know that though, like, 'cause you are here in many ways. Oh, I hope it's okay to use this term. But I hope that you're here as an expert and you're also the executive Hope director of of the power impairment network. [00:13:05] And I think a lot of times. What we would imagine as the worst possible case scenario. Like the worst thing we could imagine would be something happening to our kids. This has been your lived experience. This has been your business partner's lived experience. And for, even though you have a podcast as well, where you really create a space and content and a community that helps people with that very specific set of circumstances, that Right. [00:13:33] I would imagine it's like. The best and worst club to be a part of. So we always say, we're so sorry you're in this club. Yes. But we're so glad you found us. Yes. Like it's the yes, we're really sorry, but at the same time, like, welcome home, welcome. And so I think a lot of the, a lot of the people who tune in to don't cut your own bang, I don't know how many would have this specific life experience. [00:13:57] Right. And if you do, oh my gosh, what a gorgeous resource you have in Ashlyn. Oh, thank you. And the Parent empowerment network and their podcast. But I do think that even in something like this, in within the specificity of everything you're saying, there is such a broad truth that I think we can all access and find value in. [00:14:16] And, yeah. So just thank you for all of that. And I want to, okay. I wanna shift a little bit to the growth of the parent Empowerment network. Right. Because, so when I originally started this podcast, what I was, what I really motivated me, one was I was terrified of becoming a therapist and having worked as a creative, and I just wanted to surround myself with other people who, who were building things, right? So that I could sort of sneak in my own needy questions. Like, how did you do it? How did you figure it out? What happened when you were scared? Like, what happened when your computer crashed? Oh my gosh. And you went from newly building something to, you have really grown. [00:14:53] Yes. You have really grown. And I wanna know having experienced the, you know, the gala that Right. That you that you threw that was so lovely. I wanna know . What led to the growth over the last two years? Because you're still momming, you're still life. Yeah. Your daughter is still being you. [00:15:08] I mean, like your life is still life and Yes. Life is still lifeing. How, in the midst of your lifeing, how have you also continued to grow this? And I really wanna know like what fueled your fire. And just tell me more about that story please. Yes, absolutely. So at the beginning of this, you know, when we started talking, you were very talking about how I'm sitting here smiling and I mean, I am fully, I am genuinely full of joy in this moment. [00:15:35] And I think I know actually that comes from being in something like we have with Parent Empowerment Network, which has been truly its own huge like business, right? We are called a nonprofit, but let me tell you, I mean, it is straight up business. [00:15:57] Is what it is in a lot of ways, and. That's the worst possible name for a tax category. It totally is. Because it's so confusing. Nonprofit doesn't mean no money. Right. Exactly. It's so confusing. We do not exist for free. Is great an idea as that sounds. I want that to be the slogan for every nonprofit. [00:16:16] I just, 'cause we don't exist for free. Right. You know the whole, you get what you pay for. It's, yeah. That's a whole other conversation. We're not gonna spend too much time there today. We should have a part two then. There we go. I'm okay with that. All right. So for that, what I think the biggest lesson that has. [00:16:33] Emerged from this journey just since we were, you know, you and I were talking a couple years ago when we were actually still called Charlotte's Hope Foundation. Yes. Which was our initial name. Yes. Because we had an idea for something that was this big at the beginning. And the name Charlotte's Hope Foundation fit that in theory. [00:16:52] But the thing I'm most proud of my, of Emily Whiting, who's my co-founder, fellow mom, fellow sister, fellow savior, at times the best thing we have done is allowed ourselves permission to grow and shrink as needed. And that's what we've done throughout this journey. It has not been a step process. [00:17:15] There have been countless times where we have grown two or three steps, been bigger, you know, working with international teams of surgeons, pulling together collaborations that have never been done, and then. There have been times where we have pulled back and we haven't released an episode for six weeks. [00:17:33] We have had maybe two or three social posts because our lives were on fire or just demanded all our attention, but it didn't mean we had to stop. I need to, oh my gosh. I don't know how many of you listening or watching can relate to that. I, there is a relationship I have with the expansion and contraction of output where if I'm not putting something out, producing something, making something that it really does a number on my sense of self worth. Right. And self esteem. And that is something that I'm still actively healing and repairing, because I definitely know the facts. I know. The really bumper stickery, self helpy sounding talk. [00:18:26] And I believe it. It's not that I, I don't hear it and think like, yeah. Right. It's just that there's a more practiced version of me, right. That has just had more at bats operating in a certain way. And then life in many ways rewards you for that. In theory. In theory. And I don't mean the like the laurels, like you get the the kudos pat on the back accolades but there is a cost, right? [00:18:47] There is a cost. And I think, in the I this past year I wrote a children's book called Wrestling a Walrus. And this the act of writing this book was something that I didn't realize that in the contraction, or even like in the I love the visual of the caterpillar becoming the butterfly. [00:19:09] 'Cause there's a two week process where the caterpillar is literally, we talk about the messy middle in this podcast and think, thank you Brene Brown, wherever you are for creating language and context for us for this very conversation. 'cause so much of this is inspired by that, but that gooey, mushy middle where it's not a butterfly, it's literally goo and it's Exactly, and it, and, but in that place, there is magic happening there. [00:19:33] Even if it, even though it looks like a pile of shit, right. Like, it's, there's magic happening there. I'll say the impetus or the inspiration, the. It was tough moments with my daughter, moments where I didn't feel like I was doing anything. Right. It like hitting the wrecking ball of, you know, being a parent of a toddler and a parent of an infant like that was, there's not enough grace in any space to help you go through that without serious, you know, support. [00:20:02] There were, I had some victim mentality at that point in time, even, and all things can be true at once. But all of that was what I experienced before I had the idea to write the book. And had I not had that experience, I wouldn't have been able to do that. Exactly. I don't think it would've been the same. [00:20:16] And [00:20:16] , and I promise this whole podcast isn't an ad for the book, but like, I really believe in this damn book and I love it so much. And I love that you talk about that expansion and contraction for yourself. And that you doesn't, it doesn't mean you have to stop. 'cause I think a big reason why I maybe avoided picking up the torch again and doing this podcast like I left it for so long, or I abandoned it for so long, or can I still do it right? [00:20:41] Like all of that stuff. And then yeah it. Yeah. Doubt doesn't mean you're done. No. And taking a pause doesn't mean you're stopping forever. But yeah. I mean, you can't just exhale forever. You can't just output like you eventually have to breathe in. Exactly. And that relationship is very necessary. [00:21:00] And so, I mean, everything you're saying is exactly what I need. Thank you. Thank you. You're welcome. You're welcome. And it, that lesson doesn't come easily. Nope. But I think another element of that, you know, building off of what you were just talking about, pain and discomfort and naturally shying away from it. [00:21:21] I challenge anybody in life to just take a moment to consider pain as a potential teacher, as a professor, rather than pain as an enemy, or pain as a destroyer. Right. If you ask yourself. Why does this feel painful? Because how many times do we all experience in our life something that really gets under our skin, but whether it's a spouse or it's a friend or a coworker and they seem totally unfazed by it, [00:21:56] and that used to be something that bothered me. I was kinda like what's, am I ever sensitive? Or like, what is my thing? And I grew up always hearing, not necessarily even from my parents, but I feel like. Teacher schools and saved by the bell commercials about find what you love in life and you'll never work a day in your life. [00:22:16] And that was great in theory, but I'm a very eclectic person. Yep. I love a lot. And all I was getting was a lot of burnout. That's also like saying like, love your kids and you'll never have a hard day with them in your life. You're like, no bs. No. I love my kids. But like, you know, oh my gosh, kids are the greatest, hardest thing of life. [00:22:33] Right. Right. But I think the same is true. Like , I never stopped loving this. Right. But I don't always have control over the life around. Right. But it's a, I think allowing things to be a part of you, not all of you, is really important. Yeah. And I think it's so easy to define ourselves by that output. [00:22:53] For me and Emily, the word is often it's impact. Are we actually making an impact? And the thing that helped us. Become okay with hitting the pause button when we needed to, and not officially throwing in the towel. Don't get me wrong, there were conversations about it, but we were always very honest with each other and we held each other accountable that if you are feeling like this is not jiving with your life, if it's not jiving with you personally, or it's not good for your family at this moment, let's hit the pause button and talk about it. [00:23:26] But realizing that if we only help each other while working on this, Emily and I, that's helping our kids, that's helping our families. And there's a domino effect from that goes from that. And if that's all we ever do, what's bad about that? You said something that I, it still stuck with me and it will probably be the title of this episode. [00:23:49] Pain is a Professor. Yes, it is. And I wanna go back to that because something that I talk about in my sessions a lot is that your emotions never lie to you. Now your thoughts are very different. Yes. Your thoughts can go a, now granted, we need to think critical thinking is important. [00:24:04] We probably need more critical thinking, but thoughts happen to us all day, every day, constantly. Right. I don't remember what the statistic is. I think we have roughly like eight thoughts a minute, something like that. I'm surprised it's not . Maybe that's just a DH adhd. And that could be too, like, yeah, there, maybe there's a spectrum. [00:24:18] Maybe it's eight to 80 thoughts a minute. Give or take. Give or take a hundred. But so thoughts happen to us now. We can certainly consciously choose what to focus on and what we think. But thinking happens, the emotions are in response to what we're thinking and believing. Exactly. And they never lie. [00:24:35] Right. And I But something you said like pain as a professor. And I like the thought that emotions are energy in motion. Yes. And they always have something for you to learn. There's something for every emotion. There is something it wants you to know. Right. And when you're not feeling good are we have more pain receptors in our body, unfortunately. [00:24:55] We have more pain receptors in our body than we do pleasure receptors. Like, and so when pain is activated, it just has a firmer grip. There's something that Martha Beck talks about that I love. It's called the, I think she calls it the Viper in the box of puppies. So if you were to imagine like, and enough said, right. [00:25:10] Done. You get it. But you hand, if I handed you a box full of like 15 adorable, gorgeous little puppies, I mean, it's, they're the most abundant, silly, loving, fuzzy source of love, safety, pleasure. I could really go for that right now. I mean, would it, that should be a, I'm hoping there's one hiding around somewhere. [00:25:28] We have a surprise for you, but if I were to then put a Viper in or a cobra in your box of puppies. All you're gonna see is the threat. Exactly. All you're gonna see is the threat. And I think in life, it's like we pop mo most of us more often than not, are probably living in lives with a lot of puppies. [00:25:48] But the viper, the threat is what consumes Oh yeah. So much energy and attention and shifting your focus from one to the other is easier said than done. And I wanna talk to you specifically about how you have found meaning or, and I, when I say success, I don't mean it in like a bullet point sense, but right. [00:26:12] Where you have found access to, you know, the viper, you know, or the cobra, you know, the box of puppies. Right. How you access that. I can certainly share how I have, but my emotions, I. I've learned in time. I don't always know exactly what they're telling me in the beginning, but I trust them enough to know that it's something. [00:26:36] And so the first place I try to access, if I'm not dissociating or avoiding, is to sit with it. Yeah. So usually it's like, I'm I'll just dissociate in my fantasy book or rewatching parks and recreation for the MPH teeth bajillion time. You know, it's just always a Sure bet. Yeah. It's just, it's hard for, life can only be so hard with Leslie Nope and little Sebastian, you know? [00:26:57] So anyway. But I wanna know where you find yourself in that shift. Yeah. Yeah. So you've got my head's like turning, I'm also still picturing puppies to be honest. That's okay. So I actually, I feel like I wanna give an example of something that I experienced last year, so two years ago. [00:27:11] It's crazy to think two years ago I went on this crazy journey to England. I went to London to take my daughter, who was not quite two years old yet to have a surgery over there for her ultra rare condition that was not available in the States. And I had talked to everybody in the States, of course, that had any knowledge about it and all they could tell me was, we don't really know anything about it. [00:27:35] We don't do it here. Kind of you're on your own, go for it. Or don't, we can't say that we would support you. All that matters is I went for it. And fortunately it did end up being the right decision, but I also knew that it could not be the right decision. And what I found on that experience was that I was originally desperate for picking the right way in life to move forward, that I could not make a decision. [00:28:06] I could not possibly move forward unless I was a hundred percent sure. But guess what? Life isn't real big on giving you a guarantee. Yeah. Guarantees with anything. And I think where I, that's where I started to learn that I don't have to have the answers to move forward. I can be looking at that box and I can see, oh my gosh, this could go terribly wrong. [00:28:34] But I think living with a hopeful mindset is something that allows me to keep my eye on that viper and then still interact with the puppies over here. My eye is still trained on it, but what I found is a peace in making my decision. And it was a, that feeling, that gut feeling. You know, it, I, it doesn't matter what you've gone through in life. [00:28:58] I can't believe that there's anybody out there who hasn't just had that. I call it just that knowing in your gut, it's a physical experience and that is something. That has helped me move forward in life. Because here's the thing, guys, nobody can ever stay truly still. And that's where a lot of our pain and discomfort comes from, is fighting moving forward without certainty. [00:29:23] Oh, let's pause right there. Oh my gosh. So there's something that Dr. Becky Kennedy who she has the good, she wrote the book Good Inside, and she's got her own beautiful podcast and work and content. She does. She really she focuses on kids, but she's really working on parents relationship with their inner child and by extension their parenting. [00:29:43] But she talks about something called, I've called it the Gap, but she calls it the learning space. So with kids, most of their frustration, tension and meltdowns happen between meeting a moment or. A moment arising and knowing how to meet the moment. And that learning space is usually the gap in knowing or understanding of this is what's arisen and I don't know how to meet this moment. [00:30:04] Right? And then if their context or their ability to meet it, if the moment exceeds their ability that's usually when there's a lot of pain or big feelings. Right. And I think with adults, that's usually where I see self-doubt, rumination anxiety, self-destructive tendencies. [00:30:23] Come in and you're right. You're, I love that you said we're never really still, I mean, one that's just true based on science and physics. We're never still that's actually one of the, like, there's like two necessary components, maybe three to being a living, being or a living entity. [00:30:36] I think, what is it? Movement, cell division, reproduction, and, I don't know, something else. Hey, anyone here pop off in the comments if you're a science boss, please gold star for you. Please. But but yeah, we're never truly still. And so even when you feel stagnant and stuck and even hearing you say that I'm actually processing in real time, one of the things that I have done that I, I discovered by accident, but probably because my body knew better than my mind did. [00:31:04] I would, it often does. I would take my feelings on walks. I would, I talked about that movement is essential if you are literally feeling stuck. I tell, that's what I tell everybody. Anytime they're spiraling. Which it's understandable. Go for a walk. Even if it is five minutes, walk up and down your stairs. [00:31:22] Or at the least one of my favorite things thank you Instagram reels for sucking up so much of my life at times in the hospital, but sometimes, but it's, sometimes it's, it is the perfect escape. It's okay to let the pressure off of ourselves. But there was this one that I saw it was this therapist who was like in her seventies and she was in Ireland and she's walking around in like this, you know, the quintessential Ireland landscape. [00:31:47] And she said, I tell all of my clients when you have a problem or a worry or something that's making you feel like you need to hurry, walk outside where you can see the sky and look up. Because the moment you remove a ceiling from your view, from your your line of sight, your mind opens with it. [00:32:08] And possibilities grow. And I have experienced that so often. And you think about it where you, when you're in a confined space. It only adds to those feelings of I'm stuck or I'm out of options, or I can't deal with this. But when you go outside and the world is just showing you how big it is and how small you are, there's actually a ton of comfort in that. [00:32:35] There's, I've also read and heard that there's something about the way that our eyes sort of gently move and follow and track side to side. Yeah. The movement around us that activates a similar calming sensation that our body experiences in REM sleep. Because if you're tracking a bird or tracking a squirrel, or just simply seeing like the trees and movement, track your kids. [00:32:55] Right. That'll keep you, your eyes all over the place. Girl. But like, 'cause right now we're facing a computer screen and we're in, we're under lights. Like, it's a very I mean, it's a lovely container, but it's a sterile container by comparison of being outside. And I Right. I do think that sometimes, like, like Lifeing. [00:33:11] It can be hard, and I never wanna oversimplify holding the challenges and moving through the challenges. Right. And yet I think sometimes when something feels overly, when something feels complex and impossible, it's almo. I, my instinct is to abandon the basics. And that is always the place to start. [00:33:32] That's always the place to start, is to go back to the basics. [00:33:35] Knowing what you know now what. Do you think the version of you, I wrote down three years ago, but I wanna go back to two years ago bef, like as you were navigating all the travel plans and the decision to go to the UK for your daughter's surgery, what do you think that version of Ashlyn needed to hear or needed to know? [00:33:55] And then the follow up question to that, after you answers, do you think she would've believed you? [00:33:59] It's really funny that you're asking this question because I actually had a conversation yesterday with a neighbor's daughter who is a film student, and this question has actually been going through my mind a lot lately about, I wonder where my life would be if I'd known this in my early thirties, if I'd known, or if I had known this in my twenties. [00:34:23] And I kept kind of going backwards like, I didn't know this then. Oh maybe if I'd known this. And I kept just, like I said, looking back and then what I realized is. It's so important that I didn't know those things because I had to experience them with the challenges. I had to climb the mountains for the first time to really understand the importance of gaining those skills for myself. So I actually think that Ashlyn, a couple years ago, I may have wanted to hear, I, what I wanted to hear was, you're making the right decision. I wanted to be validated by doctors, by people who I typically refer to as the ones who have the alphabet after their name. [00:35:06] Can somebody please just tell me, check, you know, you're making the right choice. Or this is what I would do if it were my child. And I wanted it so desperately that I, it did almost prevent me from going. But I am blessed that because of other experiences before that, right where pain had started to evolve into a guide for my life, a way of understanding what is most important to me. [00:35:37] It clarifies a lot. Exactly. Because often, you know, pain and fear are often about things we can't control, right? And what it showed me was that I don't need guaranteed outcomes to be able to sleep at night. I know that if I don't give it everything, including the kitchen sink, I won't be able to sleep at night. [00:36:03] I won't be able to look at Emery when she's an adult and tell her. We tried absolutely everything we could to give you the best quality of life, and that's what I needed to be able to give her. In order for me to feel good about the mom I am. And that's what was most important to me at that time. [00:36:23] So it sounds like maybe you trust in your ability to meet the moment enough that you don't think you would've gone back and told yourself anything? No, I think, and that's something that, like I said, I'd been thinking about a lot, like how many times if I'd only known this, if I if I'd only held my boundaries or if, or you know, these standards or, you know, all the things I could have done differently. [00:36:48] But as I said at the beginning of this, I feel like I have lived a thousand lives and become. A thousand new versions of myself, but you don't become your next self without going through something that carves away at you to reveal it. We don't grow through the easy no we stay stagnant. And besides small talk, my biggest fear in life is staying stagnant. [00:37:20] God, can we just let go of small talk? Oh my gosh. We all have a weather app and we all know the traffic patterns at this point. Like, do you know what's so funny about the weather app? I'm gonna use it every day. I treat my husband like the weather app, and we have an Alexa, like in, literally, like, I'll ask him what the temperature is and he'll be like. [00:37:41] Alexa. I just, oh my goodness. It's like those basic the basic like things of moving through life. I don't know why. It's like I've, I have this like faux that's of publicist. I'm like, I don't know what I'm, so what's the weather? I can't look out the window. I can't ask my own Alexa. [00:37:56] I always think, I think it's, I think it's more like, I think it's fair to acknowledge those as high. There's higher priorities that take up front of mind space. That's right. That's right. Things' so focused on the big things. Right? Yes. It's okay. We're not meant to like, you know, and I think that's another, that's one point I feel really compelled to bring up in this conversation based on all these things we've talked about, you know? [00:38:20] Yes. thank you for the chance to share what Parent Empowerment Network does, and the Empowered By Hope podcast is about addressing the real hard, the messy like, because as far as we're concerned, like once you get the news, your child is not okay. You're living in the messy middle from there on out. [00:38:36] And it can make you, or it can break you. And we're there to tell everybody, we promise this will make you. Even with worst case scenario, and that's a bold statement, but, you know, but it's one you've lived and I exactly. And I've seen countless others live, right? But I think it's so important that everybody, you know, I guess my dream would be if everybody could just realize we are not meant to carry pain and hardship and struggle by ourselves. [00:39:07] That's really what Parent Empowerment Network does. That's really what our podcast does, is it directly says to everybody who gets a chance to interact with us or who we have the honor to meet with. It just says, Hey, you are not expected to hold this alone. You know, put some of that on our plate. [00:39:24] Let's hold it together because it'll be better for everybody. It's not just you is like, again, that's what frees you from a victim mentality. You are not the only one who's ever experienced this. Right. You are not the only one who has suffered this way. And in by no means it's not to minimize. [00:39:40] Right. Exactly. It's not belittling it, it's not, it's definitely not dismissing it. But it's meant to serve as a lighthouse. Right. Our stories are unique. Yes, of course. And so that's, and I think that's what is endlessly, I will never be bored having an in-depth. Not small talk with the love of God, but like, I will never I will be endlessly fascinated by other people. [00:40:01] Because the stories are unique. Yeah. But there is a common thread that we can all see ourselves in or relate to. That, it's so enriching. Yeah. It's almost like, maybe because it's spring and, but I'm thinking it's like the pain is like the compost. Yeah. Something has to die in rotten decay in order to nurture something new. To grow. Yep. Exactly. And I, and that pain serves as fur. It's fertilizing the new, the next round of growth. Right. Yeah. It's not making anything vanish or destroying it, it's just, but it has to break down to build back up. I think that's why mosaics are my favorite type of art. [00:40:39] Yeah. I have such a strong connection to any piece that I see that's made up of a mosaic. And I remember that coming true for me when my dad had his massive stroke and. You know, he was completely debilitated, couldn't speak for himself, couldn't move his own body. He lived like that almost two years. But I remember getting really close to a couple key therapists in his life. [00:41:04] And I remember just after he passed, I got them both a small gift. It was these little mosaic art pieces for them. And I said, when I saw those, I knew that this was the right thing because you didn't see my dad as a destroyed person. You saw him as for the broken pieces. He was that to be put back, to be put together into something that was new and beautiful on its own. [00:41:33] And that's what I feel like pain has the ability to do for all of us. It's okay. And I to acknowledge that you are broken. But it's also just as important to acknowledge that you can be remade into something. You, the old you is gone. You know, when we go through something awful hard, unimaginable it's really easy to think that I will feel this way forever. There is a finality that we attach to painful experiences and it takes often somebody from the outside to gently help us realize that's not reality. I often, when I'm in that transition and I'm not aware or I'm just not ready to admit there are either, there's usually it's I there's usually things I wanna carry along with me. [00:42:28] Yep. It's like. Like an old dingy snugly blanket or like a stuffed animal that like has like holes worn in and like an eyes popped off. It's just but I when I've gone through those transitions, it's saying goodbye to maybe friendships that aren't serving me. [00:42:42] Yep. Or titles, roles levels of output expectations, stories, ways of being and the way, and to go back to pain as a professor, which is going to be the title. That it's only when I try to take the old way of being or the old relationship that is no longer serving into my new now reality. [00:43:04] When it feels anything other than good. Yeah. That's information exactly that it's showing me something and. That curiosity over constriction can also for me look like curiosity over criticism. And because that criticism is usually either dialed inward, what's wrong with me? Right. Or what's wrong with them? [00:43:25] Versus , what is happening Exactly. What's going on? What is this showing me? And I would say probably saying goodbye to relationships or friendships has probably been the hardest. Yeah. The hard, because there is this idea that I'm like if I like it, and it's like in a possessive way. [00:43:42] It's, if I like you forever. And I, and of course that is true. I mean, it, there's nobody who's been in my life that's added value that I don't appreciate. Right. But but I think that the shedding. Yeah. It's like I, I want the next thing, but I also don't wanna let the old thing go. [00:43:56] Right. And so it's, I think I've spent a lot of time and energy trying to like, pull that thing with me. Whatever it is and whatever that stage. But I think that there's when you can fully embrace, 'cause what I'm hearing from you is when you can fully embrace I am different now. [00:44:11] Yep. This is different. This mosaic. I'm not, I may not be able to carry water like I was as a vase. Right. But I'm gonna look really great as this. Yeah. And the other thing I wanna shift to before, before I get to your, don't cut your own bangs question. What I wanna ask you, you've mentioned art a couple of different times. [00:44:28] And this is to, to reference Dr. Martha Beck again. She has done a lot of incredible work in the last couple years where a way to. Step out of anxiety is not to try to access calm. 'cause we talked about going for a walk, right? So, because as much as I love these big conversations, it can be sometimes like, what is something tangible I can actually hold onto? [00:44:53] So walking with something we talked about community and connection with something else we talked about, but Art, I wanna talk about that for a moment because that is what my book was for me. Yeah. It was I created something that only that felt like it was to serve me. The process of interacting with that idea was so delightful and so delicious and so fun that I was like, I feel like I'm just the luckiest person that like this is, oh wow, I get to play with this thing. [00:45:21] Yeah. And it wants to play with me. And I don't feel that all the time. Like sometimes it's origami or doodling or coloring with my daughter. But to go back to Dr. Martha Beck's work that the opposite of anxiety is not calm, it's creativity. Oh, I love that. And you have by default really spoken through, like just healing through creating. [00:45:43] Oh, absolutely. And also there's something about, 'cause calm, there's something about calm that like, we must be still, and granted I love meditation, but like, I must be still, I must be calm. But when you are holding something that is buzzing and shaking or heavy or hot, like just some emotions are hot, like you, it's like you wanna move it through your hands or your words or your body and make something, right. [00:46:06] And you made me, she made me this bracelet before we started this episode. So like, it feels like you have a relationship with creativity too. A hundred percent. Creativity is a lifeline. And I feel like, and the most chaotic moments of my life have been the least I'm my least creative and I think it's a really. [00:46:29] Valuable, tangible thing for anybody to take from this conversation is if you are feeling out of control, lean into something as simple as I'm obsessed with those adult, you know, like the coloring books. Yes. You know, for adults to have like tons of different like lines all over the place that you have to be like really specific to keep the marker in there. [00:46:51] It can't, I do get a little bugged when it like bleeds over to the next section, but, , it's okay. I know I'm working through my, , my stressors at that moment. But yes, giving yourself a creative outlet, it's like taking a big drink of water after you've been exercising and you are so parched. [00:47:07] And I also agree that , calm sounds great in theory, but for me I feel like the more important, like the word that's become more important or I'm better able to. Absorb is the idea of am I grounded? Are my feet touching the ground? I can still have a lot going on, but when I'm like rising higher, you know, off the ground, 'cause like, I'm like a bird at this point, just flapping my arms so fast, right. [00:47:35] That I'm actually taking flight. I'm not in my best head space, but when I can just take a moment to literally just ground myself, make sure that my feet are, whether it's in the grass or sit down like this. And a conversation with a friend, somebody who really knows you is a great moment for that. [00:47:53] It's a great way to remind you who you are is somebody else. Sometimes I talk all the time about the value of when you can connect with somebody who feels with you, not just for you. Oh my gosh. It makes the world so much lighter and goodness. I mean, huh. That's probably if I could have answered the question I asked you a little bit ago, what's something that you could have if I could have told my former therapist self, like when I very when I first started, you're there to hold space for people to feel and feel with them. [00:48:23] Right. Exactly. You're not there. It's sacred. Yeah. It's there's nothing, one, it's like, there's nothing I can tell someone who's deeply in pain that they're actually gonna No. , That's, the words are just like, right. It's just noise. Yeah. And not to take anything. I'm sure I have clients who have been impacted by words. [00:48:40] But having a safe space to feel your feelings free of judgment. Is one of the reasons why I love journaling so much, but also doing that in communion Yeah. With another human right who expects nothing of you. I love Elizabeth Gilbert has language I love, like there's no precious outcome. [00:48:57] Like I can, that I can sit and have space with you or I can make plans with you or be, and there's no precious outcome. You don't have to perform for me. Right. You don't have to be anything for me. Like we can just be that is what a gift. Yes, that is. I just want to, this conversation has inspired way too many thoughts, but in the best way. [00:49:15] But something that hit me and then I think we could absolutely move on to Yeah. This the cut your bangs question. But what I've realized even in our conversation is that logic is not loud . our emotions are loud and they get louder and louder. The more we. Push them back the more we ignore them. [00:49:36] Think of your kids until they, when they need your attention. Because they deserve your attention. They do. The best thing we can do is acknowledge those emotions and just, even if it's as simple as, it's totally understandable. I feel this way right now. That is such a freeing sentence. Of course, I feel this way right now. [00:49:58] That was some serious shit that I just went through. Yeah . of course, I feel, and it doesn't have to make sense when those feelings hit the timing a lot of times feelings for me, I've found won't hit until I'm in a safe space much further down the road. Yes. And it's like being T-boned, like yes, totally out of the blue. [00:50:19] But that's also what happens to kids when they have tantrums. Ah, yeah. They'll hold. And then when they're finally either home at the end of the day or something, when the container is so full and they're finally in a place where they feel safe, they'll erupt over an orange peel not being peeled correctly. [00:50:32] Or , or a banana not being peeled correctly. Oh gosh. And it's not that, don't even start me on string cheese. God. Oh God. Parenting is fun. The best, but No, but you're right. Sometimes, I think that's probably why I cry almost with like every movie and TV show I watch. [00:50:47] Yeah. Because the emotions are just always right there and I just need a place to let it trickle out. Right. And that's okay. And I think, but just not judging ourselves for feelings. And then I think once we give that space or the feelings, the sooner we can do that, the sooner that logic, you know, like you, you mentioned multiple times, I know this, then you give logic. [00:51:13] The space that it needs to speak to you in a calm and quiet manner that you can actually trust. And that's where I think that those gut feelings truly come from. Those inner knowings are, when you've allowed space for the emotions first, given them their due. So then the logic can start to talk to you because it's never going to yell for your attention. [00:51:35] No. And I think we want it to, but that's not the way it works. And that's okay. A lot of times things make sense in hindsight, oh gosh, hindsight's 2020. Always. South Park has a great episode. If people if you have just like a dark sense of humor and you wanna laugh at, there's a character called Captain Hindsight and it's really funny. [00:51:54] . So yeah, a lot of times things don't make sense until we're. A little bit more removed from them. Yep. And some what I have found to be helpful, I've noticed you using your hands. Yeah. And I find when I am, when my mind is really active and I need it to stop or slow down or I just i'll sometimes even throw my hands up. Yeah. And I'll say, and even saying. I'm feeling something and just to myself in my kitchen. 'cause I'm almost always , because I work from home, I'm either like in my office or in my kitchen, like I'm feeling something. As soon as you did that, it's gonna show on video. [00:52:25] I like saw from the corner of my eye myself, naturally going, whew. Yeah. Just sound like inhale. Exhale. Yes. It's like something is being felt. Something's happening. I don't know what it is, but something's happening. And I think, in a lot of ways too, like that's how we have these internal smoke signals. [00:52:42] Yeah. And it's the same way, like your smoke detector in your house doesn't know the difference between burnt toast and something on fire, right? But it will beep when it senses. Yeah. When it senses something. And so my body is like sensing something. Is this a threat? [00:52:56] Are we safe? Yes, we're safe. Oh, we're likely. We just needed water. We're just dehydrated. Uhhuh. Or we just, yeah. So any number of things. But that was so good. Thank you. And yes, I would love, love, love to know your don't cut your own bang moment. And for anybody who is new to the podcast, 'cause I think there are some new people here. [00:53:15] Thank you for being here. Don't cut Your own bang moment is a moment where you went all in on something like cutting your own bangs, you grabbed some scissors, you watched a YouTube video, you're like, I got this. And you go, and then, oh no, this wasn't what I thought it would be. But the value in a don't Cut Your own Bang moment is not only that we can share in the silliness of humanity and mistakes, but also like maybe we learn something from it. [00:53:42] So, Ashlyn? Yes. I would love to hear your Don't cut your own bang moment. Oh my goodness. I think that there's probably a plethora of them. Oh, of course. And, let's see here. I'm even, I tried to have one prepared, and then I got excited about the rest of our conversation. Oh my gosh. Don't worry. So, okay I'll share one. [00:53:58] So what's a good, don't a good, oh. I invited my husband to record a podcast with me because I thought it would just be, , fun to bring him back on. And what I realized was I didn't prepare him for it at all. I just set up lights and set up a camera and asked him to sit. And he was so, visibly like he was trying, he was sitting, he was trying. [00:54:23] But I could just tell, again, something's happening. And I could tell he was a little uncomfortable and a little stiff. And I kept, because our eyes look out. My first assumption is, what's wrong out there? And I was like, what are you okay? What's wrong? And he he was , I don't really know what I'm supposed to be doing. [00:54:41] And then I was like. Oh, no, it was snip the bangs. I didn't provide any context. I didn't give him any preparation for what we'd be talking about, why we'd be talking like he had no context. And the whole setup is different, uhhuh. And it was such a humbling, settling moment of context. [00:55:04] It's I'm writing something right now about this idea of play. I'm a freedom loving, freedom seeking play hungry, greedy person right now. I want more play. I could never get enough. But what makes play feel fun and safe is to understand the context. Yeah. , There's rules in a game. [00:55:20] Otherwise, what is it? And I, my first instinct is to buck. Rules. I don't like ingredient lists. I don't like recipes. I just wanna feel my way through it. But, if you wanna make a beautiful croissant, you can't just feel your way through that. There's a very exacting way to do it. And so, it, it was such a one, I'm endlessly grateful for him and his patients with me. [00:55:40] I'm grateful that , our dynamics not new, so he probably knew what was going on, but just did yeah he's pretty sweet that way. But I, it was such a refresher that , if I wanna create a space and container to play safely with people Yeah. I need to give them the context. Absolutely. And it doesn't matter how long I've known someone, how well I know someone. [00:55:59] I laughed at myself because I, the part of the reason why it feels funny to me, but in like a humbling way. I thought the problem was him for like the first 15 minutes. I was like, what dude? Relax. I was like, what? Is he doing it right? [00:56:12] Yeah. like come on. And I was like. Oh no. Context. Zero. Oh my goodness. So that was a great one. Thank you. Okay, I'm gonna do mine in like short seconds because this one just hap this that inspired me perfectly. So my 8-year-old son and I are both going to the same therapist right now. [00:56:30] I'm a believer everybody should have at least an annual checkup with a therapist, but that's a great endorsement. Everyone should have an you annual checkup. You welcome, reach out to Danielle, she's fantastic. If you live in Indiana, by all means. If not, we'll help you find someone. Yes. And also order the book. [00:56:44] Yes, order the book. Get resting the wall risk. Get treasured. Yes. But go on please. So anyway one, one of the things that my I, the reason I love the person we're working with is because she's the first therapist I've worked with when it comes to, with my kids, she actually tells me what I can work on rather than just , you're doing the best you can and like you just love 'em. [00:57:03] And like, yes, I know, but that is not helping me. And so one of the things that got pointed out to me. Was so Cole , has very low frustration tolerance, like more so than is necessarily healthy for an 8-year-old. And of course with all the trauma with our his sister, our journey, it's understandable. [00:57:22] So we're working on that. What she kindly pointed out to me was, okay, we could work on his, but do you also realize that your tolerance for acceptable emotions is about this big? Oh, she's , therapist, be therapist Uhhuh. She's , but there's like a whole lot more emo like, she's , it's like a whole rainbow. [00:57:42] We need a whole arc for acceptable emotions. She's so you need to stop making it your responsibility to control which emotions he experiences. And it's up to you to provide the solid ground for him no matter which emotion comes up for him. And I will say that has changed my parenting in the last week. [00:58:04] More than maybe anything has like faster than anything. Because all of a sudden I'm like, of course it's acceptable that his sister just made him extremely mad. Of course it's understandable that he's jealous or sad or excited or whatever the feeling is, but it also doesn't define him as right or wrong, what emotions he's experiencing in that moment. [00:58:28] And the big thing was the realization that every emotion he experiences is not a direct reflection of who I am as a parent. No. Because that was what I needed to let go of that any emotion that is considered negative that my child has doesn't mean. That I'm doing a bad job as a parent. Oh my God. [00:58:49] That is one. What a beautiful. Don't cut. Thank you. With Dr. Sarah. Yes. Thank you, Dr. Sarah. You'd be therapizing all up in that session. That was so good. And it's the, that to me is a great example that hard truths can always be delivered with kindness. Yeah. But I think the big important thing there is you had the right context. [00:59:12] Exactly. You went to her for that information. Right. It wasn't like someone on the street. But the thing that we can't give someone what we don't have. Exactly. And I actually think that what you just said, if there was ever an endorsement for what. Self-care actually is not the commoditized, right. [00:59:29] Faux sense of, I'm gonna create a problem and I'm going to prescribe collagen. Did you know that the reason why, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah is these things that you need to buy and, oh, my program for blah, blah, blah, blah. And I'm gonna, I have all that stuff. I'm not I'm wanna, I wanna keep it in perspective. [00:59:45] I am drinking the same Kool-Aid 'cause I'm getting sent the same algorithm ads that we're all getting sent. Like I'm doing colostrum now. I don't even know. Like, I just, because I was like, my gut might grow up I own, but anyway but I think self-care and the best possible context is when you nurture. [01:00:03] And heal yourself. It becomes the medicine. Yes. Yes. And the offering for the other people in your life that you love most. It's like as you increase your own palette of what you're able to allow yourself to experience, you're then also able to see it in your son and give it to him. That is so beautiful and it's hard. [01:00:26] Sometimes, but it's some God that a well timed, articulated loving truth like that can change your life. Yeah. That is amazing. Thank you. I don't know, we can't top that. That was good. We're good. That was real good. Ashlyn Thompson, thank you so much for coming back and we're going to have you back. [01:00:43] You have to come back. Yes. And you're coming over to Empowered by Hope very soon. I would love that so much. And Yes. And so all of the ways, if you or anyone you know in your life has been impacted by a little one with complex me complex medical issues and you want some support, you want some information, you want some resources. [01:01:01] The link in the show notes will have every way that you can connect with Ashlyn, her business partner, and what was formally Charlotte's Hope Foundation, what is now the Parent Empowerment Network. Pick up all the books, all the resources, everything I talked about too for my stuff is also in there. [01:01:16] But , it's all linked for you there. So I hope that you get what you need and. Thanks so much, . Oh my gosh. [01:01:21] If you've ever wanted to pick up journaling,

In most cases, the conversations people have with each other revolve around content as opposed to context. Simply put, context is what lies beneath the content. Most people spot the content but miss the context. In this episode, I'll tackle what context really is, how to spot it, and why it is challenging to create any significant shift when you can't see it. I'll also tackle how it impacts your teams and your leadership as well as your personal life. This is another discussion that will let you to see things from a totally different perspective so I hope you won't miss it!

MATTHEW 24:29–30 is often used to support a post-tribulation rapture. Is that really what Jesus meant?The verses read: “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. (Matt. 24:29–30, ESV)Alan DiDio, author of the compelling new book They Lied to You About the Rapture, tells us that, taken in context, that verse refers to the Jewish people and that the rapture of the church is a separate event.He also explains the significance of the number 7 in Revelation and the timeline of the events described in the book. We also discuss replacement theology, the belief that the church has replaced Israel in end times prophecy, and why it isn't biblical.We conclude that God probably end times prophecy somewhat difficult to understand because the fallen realm studies it, too!

 The Word of God Pt. 3                                                                  “What Does it Say?”                          Neh. 8:8 Observation (8a-c) 1 triangle, 3 corners and 3 T's (3 figures/Text/Them-Then/Today-P.P.). SEE ATTACHED FILE LAURENThe Five 5 W's of observation: Who, What, When, Where and Why?) Case study- Jo. 3:16 Who (is speaking to whom)? What (are they saying)? When (are they saying it)? Where (is this taking place)? Why (is he saying what he is saying)?  Context is King – historic overview - 5 Tips on How to Study a Section: - Read the paragraph or chapter or section several times. - Parallel the Passage. - Pay attention to the WordsESV- So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.NIV - In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin … KJV - Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin- Pay attention to purpose and direction words. - Write down questions for deeper study. - Try to state the main point or theme or big idea  Interpretation (8d) - The Communication barrier - The Cultural Barrier The Literary Barrier - The Old Testament: Narrative (history)  Law Poetry  Prophets New Testament:Letters (epistles)  Gospels  Parables Revelation  Application (8e)  SPECK: - Sin to confess - Promise to Keep - Example to follow - Command - Knowledge of God to reflect on Here's 4 more good questions:   1. “Everything is permissible for me – but not everything is beneficial” (1 Cor. 6:12). Question 1:  Is it helpful – physically, spiritually, and mentally?2. “Everything is permissible for me' – but I will not be mastered by anything” (1 Cor. 6:12). Question 2:  Does it bring me under its power?3. “Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause him to fall” (1 Cor. 8:13). Question 3:  Does it hurt others?4. “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:31). Question 4:  Does it glorify God?

  MAL Description: Religious monks adapted to modern technology and weaponry to combat the threat of demons. Ryuudaiji, a monk who's on a journey to locate and purge a demon spirit that is terrorizing a forest which was notorious to be a place where people commit suicides, meets a wolf boy, Tamaki Madoka, and his wolf companion. Things start to develop between the two, after an encounter with a tree demon spirit as Tamaki decides to go to the outside world to learn more about his past.   Show Notes: • You can reach us at Twitter @shonenflopcast or email us shonenflop@gmail.com   • Help keep the show running by joining the Shonen Flop Patreon at patreon.com/shonenflop. Get perks like early access to episodes; picking series for us to cover; and exclusive episodes on manga like Undead Unluck, Magu-chan: God of Destruction, and Cypher Academy.   • Become a member of our community by joining our Discord. You can hang out with us, submit your questions or six word summaries! Find it at https://discord.com/invite/4hC3SqRw8r   • Get Shonen Flop merch, including this episode's cover art, on a shirt, mug, print, or whatever else might catch your eye https://www.teepublic.com/stores/shonen-flop?ref_id=22733   • Want to be a guest? You can ask to be on a future episode at bit.ly/shonen_flop_guest   Credits:   • Manga by  Hirano, Ryouji   • Shonen Flop is hosted by David Weinberger and Jordan Forbes   • Additional editing assistance by Dylan Krider you can find his podcast, Anime Out of Context at animeoutofcontext.com   • Assistance with pronunciation, translation, and other miscellaneous research done by Tucker Whatley and MaxyBee  

Jeff Sebo is Associate Professor of Environmental Studies, Affiliated Professor of Bioethics, Medical Ethics, Philosophy, and Law, Director of the Center for Environmental and Animal Protection, Director of the Center for Mind, Ethics, and Policy, and Co-Director of the Wild Animal Welfare Program at New York University. He is also a Faculty Fellow at the Guarini Center on Environmental, Energy & Land Use Law at the NYU School of Law and an Advisor at the Animals in Context series at NYU Press. Jeff's research focuses on moral philosophy, legal philosophy, and philosophy of mind; animal minds, ethics, and policy; AI minds, ethics, and policy; and global health and climate ethics and policy. His books include The Moral Circle and Saving Animals, Saving Ourselves and he is co-author of Chimpanzee Rights and Food, Animals, and the Environment.In Sentientist Conversations we talk about the most important questions: “what's real?”, “who matters?” and "how can we make a better world?"Sentientism answers those questions with "evidence, reason & compassion for all sentient beings." The video of our conversation is ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here on YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.00:00 Clips01:20 Welcome- Our first Sentientist Conversation, episode 26 - Jeff's book The Moral Circle - Endorsements from previous Sentientism guests Barbara King and Peter Singer- Welcome Smokey!02:50 Jeff's Intro- Research and teaching and leading programmes at NYU including the Wild Animal Welfare Programme and the Center for Mind, Brain and Consciousness - Asking "How humans can better interact with the non-human world... who might matter, how much might they matter, what might they need, what might we owe them, what follows for our actions and policies and priorities...?"- Directing the Center for Environmental and Animal Protection "agriculture, farmed animal welfare, #biodiversity, wild animal welfare..."- Directing the NY Center for Mind, Ethics and Policy "Non-human minds... invertebrates and AI systems"04:37 The Moral Circle- JW: "Does it have to be a circle?"- "I was concerned... it implies that humanity is at the centre and that other beings matter or are closer to the centre to the degree that they resemble us"- "We right now at least increasingly agree that all humans and many non-human animals... merit consideration"- "The book asks 'should we go farther?'"08:32 What Makes Us Matter?11:39 Why is Sentience Important?19:16 What About Zero-Valence Consciousness?28:08 Properties vs Relational Approach38:10 So Who Matters?43:28 Do AIs Matter?48:47 Do Photons Matter?56:15 Do Future Beings Matter?01:01:51 How Much Do They Matter?01:14:44 The Role of Epistemology?01:18:26 A Better Future?01:22: 33 Follow Jeff:- Jeff on BlueSky - Jeff on Twitter- "The Moral Circle"- Saving Animals, Saving Ourselves (now open access and free to read!)And more... full show notes at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sentientism.info⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Sentientism is “Evidence, reason & compassion for all sentient beings.” More at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sentientism.info⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Join our⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠"I'm a Sentientist" wall⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ via⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ this simple form⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Everyone, Sentientist or not, is welcome in our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠groups⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. The biggest so far is ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here on FaceBook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Come join us there!

This week we explore the tension between bringing our wholeness to the world and the social pressure to maintain polished appearances. How might we practise opening our hearts to the whole of ourselves—including the uncomfortable, needy, and difficult parts?  Moving from performing acceptability to becoming spaces where others can feel genuinely welcomed means cultivating the capacity to ask "what else is here?" with genuine curiosity. And this becomes the foundation for encountering our own and others' grief, rage, and vulnerability without turning away. It's our sense that this is an ethical imperative—the gift we offer those who come after us and those we meet along the way. This week's conversation is hosted, as always, by Lizzie Winn and Justin Wise of Thirdspace. Episode Overview 00:00 Introduction and Context of the Conversation 01:56 The Power of Authenticity in Relationships 07:04 Exploring the Poem: 'What If I Told You' 08:52 Embracing Messiness as Generosity 12:56 The Importance of Self-Reflection 20:42 Navigating Relationships with Authenticity 28:55 The Ethical Imperative of Being Real 31:48 Conclusion and Future Directions Here's our source for this week: What if I told you What if I told you That showing up In this messy world Just as you are Is the ultimate act of love. That befriending your doubts, Opening your heart to The whole of you, Is the greatest act of generosity. That loving yourself In the places that are the hardest to love Is the most profound gift You can give To those who come after you, To those who meet you, To those who rest in your eyes for a moment, As you move through the world As an invitation And a welcome for Everyone's messy beauty. What if I told you, We need you Just As You Are. Hollie Holden Photo by Talia Cohen on Unsplash ---- Join Us Live in 2025 Turning Towards Life Live Season 1, from September 2025 We also have the launch of our Turning Towards Life live programme which is going to run in six month seasons from September. It's going to be in person on Zoom once a month. We're very excited about it. A chance to expand beyond the bounds of a podcast into forming a community of learning and practice. You can register your interest for Season 1 of Turning Towards Life Live here. ---- About Turning Towards Life Turning Towards Life, a week-by-week conversation inviting us deeply into our lives, is a live 30 minute conversation hosted by Justin Wise and Lizzie Winn of Thirdspace.  Find us on FaceBook to watch live and join in the lively conversation on this episode. You can find videos of every episode, and more about the project on the Turning Towards Life website, and you can also watch and listen on Instagram, YouTube, and as a podcast on Apple, Google, Amazon Music and Spotify. Join Our Weekly Mailing: www.turningtowards.life/subscribe Support Us: www.buymeacoffee.com/turningtowardslife

Собрание святых: от потребления к служению-1 / The Gathering of the Saints: From Consumption to Service – Part 1Собрание в контексте поклонения / The Gathering in the Context of Worship I. Природа поклонения / The Nature of WorshipII. Условия поклонения / The Conditions of Worship A. Будем приступать… / Let us draw near... B. Будем держаться… / Let us hold fast… C. Будем внимательны… / Let us consider...III. Школа поклонения / The School of WorshipIV. Необходимость святости в поклонении / The Necessity of Holiness in Worship

This week, for some godsforsaken reason Shaun has decided to take us into the Omegaverse with 3 episodes of Tadaima, Okaeri. Meanwhile, inside Remington there are 3 wolves. If you'd like to give us feedback, ask a question, or correct a mistake, send an email to AnimeOutOfContext@gmail.com. Visit our Patreon at patreon.com/AnimeoutofContext if you would like to contribute to the show and get bonus content ranging from clips from our pre-episode banter, bonus episodes (including the 12 days of April Fools), our prototype Episode 0, to even getting shout-outs in the show! Intro and Outro are trimmed from "Remiga Impulse" by Jens Kiilstofte, licensed by MachinimaSound to Anime Out of Context under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 which the licensor has modified for the licensee to allow reproduction and sharing of the Adapted Material for Commercial purposes

A century ago, Oswald Spengler warned that Western civilization was entering its final phase—not from war or catastrophe, but from cultural exhaustion. In The Decline of the West, he argued that every great society passes through organic stages of growth and decay—and the West, he claimed, had already entered winter. In this episode of Context, we revisit Spengler's audacious and unsettling vision. We explore the patterns he identified—technocracy, Caesarism, the erosion of civic virtue—and ask whether Spengler's predictions still hold up. Are we watching a great civilization fade… or transform? Topics include: • Spengler's life, method, and seasonal model of civilization • Parallels between ancient Rome and the modern West • Technological achievement vs. cultural vitality • Why memory and myth matter for renewal • The possibility of rebirth—and what spring might require If you value this show, please take a moment to give it a five-star rating. To unlock *supporter-only episodes, join me on Patreon, or subscribe in Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

No matter what your leadership looks like, the more context you have, the better a leader you are to those around you. In this episode, John Maxwell shares a list of 9 kinds of context that empower you to make your most effective leadership decisions!  After his lesson, Mark Cole and Traci Morrow sit down to have a conversation about what John has shared and give you practical ways to apply it to your life and leadership.  Key takeaways:  Leaders must humbly seek information, even if it feels vulnerable.  Collaboration is so important in learning how to lead and how to make decisions.  Leaders who don't listen will eventually be surrounded by people who have nothing to say.  Our BONUS resource for this episode is the Value of Contextual Leadership Worksheet, which includes fill-in-the-blank notes from John's teaching. You can download the worksheet by visiting MaxwellPodcast.com/Context and clicking “Download the Bonus Resource.”  Take the next step in your growth journey and become a Maxwell Leadership Certified Team Member. Click here to speak with a Program Advisor today!   References:  Watch this episode on YouTube!  Enroll in the 21 Laws of Leadership online course for $199 (reg. $1050)  Courage to Continue Podcast Episode  Become a World-Class Leader Podcast Episode  Are you a young leader? Take our Next Generation Leader survey and receive The Mentor's Guide to Everyday Challenges for FREE!  Learn more about the 5 Levels of Leadership Workshop for your teams!  Join the Maxwell Leadership Certified Team  Shop the Maxwell Leadership Online Store 

Ever tried giving someone feedback about their tone…without sounding like the tone police? This episode was sparked by a listener wrestling with just that—and let's be real, it's something we've all tripped over. Join Kim and Jason as they dive into the messy, nuanced world of tone: why it matters, how to talk about it without getting judgmental, and what to do when someone's words are technically fine but their delivery leaves the room on edge. Using the CORE framework—Context, Observation, Result, and Expected next steps—they break down how to be specific about what happened, how it landed, and how to move forward without sounding accusatory or vague. Tune in to hear Kim and Jason unpack real-life examples, share the coaching that worked (and what didn't), and explore how bias, culture, and identity play into how tone is received. Bonus: Kim gets personal about a recent experience that reminded her why kindness and courage matter—on and off the mic. Get all of the show notes at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠RadicalCandor.com/podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Episode Links Transcript The Evil Translator & The Fundamental Attribution Error | Radical Candor Podcast 7 | 21 How To Measure Feedback | Radical Candor Podcast 6 | 41 The Word Police | Radical Candor Podcast 6 | 25 The Importance Of Communication In The Workplace | Radical Candor 8 Ways To Fix Communication Issues In The Workplace | Radical Candor Are You Giving Biased Feedback? 5 Ways To Overcome Protective Hesitation | Radical Candor How To Give Candid Feedback With the Radical Candor CORE Method Radical Candor Community: CORE Course Radical Respect Newsletter Textio Connect: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Chapters: (00:00:00) Introduction Kim and Jason introduce a listener's question about addressing tone with CORE. (00:02:51) When “Technically Fine” Still Feels Off How misinterpretations and sensitivities around tone impact teams. (00:03:54) Observing vs. Interpreting Tone Avoiding misattributions by observing, not just interpreting. (00:06:39) Shifting from “You Statements” to “I Statements” Using reactions to provide grounded, less judgmental feedback. (00:07:30) Using Impact to Shift Perspective How describing the impact of tone keeps the conversation constructive. (00:08:51) Coaching Through Goals, Not Emotions A story about using feedback to overcome sounding arrogant. (00:11:42) Reframing CORE to Match Your Audience Using CORE to focus on tangible outcomes, not just feelings. (00:13:57) What Not to Do: Avoiding Coded Language The biased undertones certain words like "shrill" or "aggressive" carry. (00:16:22) Be Specific: Volume, Pace, Tension Being specific when giving feedback about tone delivery. (00:18:00) Extending Grace Giving the benefit of the doubt when something lands poorly. (00:20:10) Praise When They Get It Right The positive impact of giving feedback when tone lands well. (00:22:03) Handling Tone in Public Meetings When to react in real time and when it's better to follow up privately. (00:24:16) Breaking the False Harmony in the Room A story about addressing passive-aggressive tension in a meeting. (00:27:43) Private Inquiry or Public Repair A story about how Google's CEO gracefully handled a tone misstep. (00:29:41) Radical Candor Tips Practical tips on how to give feedback on tone. (00:31:27) ICE Deportation & Bearing Witness A story about a beloved community member deported by ICE.  (00:34:25) The Danger of Secret Cruelty The dehumanization of silent suffering and concealed harm. (00:37:05) This Isn't a One-Off: It's Systemic Broader systemic issues and how routine cruelty has become normalized. (00:39:49) There's Still Hope: Do the Right Thing The Radical Candor mission to care personally and challenge directly. (00:41:16) Conclusion Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode will give some extra context for our upcoming urban legend episodes: The Hippie Babysitter and the Baby Roast, The Babysitter and the Man Upstairs, and the one about the College Students Go Blind Staring at the Sun on LSD. We use excerpts from our episodes: Fangirls (2022) Suburbia (2020) Mind Control (2019) Become a Patron⁠ to support our show and get early ad-free episodes and bonus content Or subscribe to American Hysteria on ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠ Leave us a message on the Urban Legends Hotline at americanhysteria.com Sound design and Production by ⁠Riley Swedelius-Smith⁠ Edited by ⁠Miranda Zickler⁠ Hosted by Chelsey Weber-Smith Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices