Podcasts about cultivate

2025-12-06 | DAILY UPDATES #072 | We continue our analysis of the National Security Strategy of the Trump regime, a document that claims to defend the West, by turning its guns on Europe. It's a malign document, that fleshes out Vance's speech at the 2025 Munich Security Forum. In that speech, Vance argued that Europe's principal danger came from erosion of democratic norms — especially censorship, suppression of dissent, and exclusion, widely interpreted as an attack on the structure of the European Union and its institutions. This NSS goes further and effectively declares that Europe's systems of governance are antithetical to America's interests. It's a mandate for malign interference, leans in to overtly support the far right and extremist groups, libertarian absolutists, oligarchical interests and is a mandate for regime change. ----------SOURCES: National Security Strategy of the United States of America, White House, December 2025 (PDF).https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/NSS-2025.pdfMichelle L. Price, “Trump's security strategy slams European allies and asserts US power in Western Hemisphere,” AP News / WFTV, 5 Dec 2025.https://apnews.com/article/trump-security-strategy-europe-russia-america-first-068488ca7e6d1c92ccaddd1649958218James Mackenzie, “US strategy document says Europe risks ‘civilisational erasure',” Reuters, 5 Dec 2025.https://www.reuters.com/business/finance/us-strategy-document-says-europe-risks-civilisational-erasure-2025-12-05/Gram Slattery & Humeyra Pamuk, “Exclusive: US sets 2027 deadline for Europe-led NATO defense, officials say,” Reuters, 5 Dec 2025.https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/us-sets-2027-deadline-europe-led-nato-defense-officials-say-2025-12-05/Martin Fornusek, “New US strategy document takes hard line on Europe's ‘trajectory,' NATO enlargement,” Kyiv Independent, 5 Dec 2025.https://kyivindependent.com/new-us-strategy-document-takes-hard-line-on-europes-trajectory-nato-expansion/Jon Henley, “‘Cultivate resistance': policy paper lays bare Trump support for Europe's far right,” The Guardian, 5 Dec 2025.https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/dec/05/civilisational-erasure-us-strategy-document-appears-to-echo-far-right-conspiracy-theories-about-europe----------SILICON CURTAIN FILM FUNDRAISERA project to make a documentary film in Ukraine, to raise awareness of Ukraine's struggle and in supporting a team running aid convoys to Ukraine's front-line towns.https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras----------SILICON CURTAIN LIVE EVENTS - FUNDRAISER CAMPAIGN Events in 2025 - Advocacy for a Ukrainian victory with Silicon Curtainhttps://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrasOur events of the first half of the year in Lviv, Kyiv and Odesa were a huge success. Now we need to maintain this momentum, and change the tide towards a Ukrainian victory. The Silicon Curtain Roadshow is an ambitious campaign to run a minimum of 12 events in 2025, and potentially many more. Any support you can provide for the fundraising campaign would be gratefully appreciated. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain----------

Pre-order my new book: https://amzn.to/4oZUgpa Some men complain to me about their women: “she takes and takes.” However, the real problem in the relationship is that he gives and gives. This is why he feels used. In this episode, I discuss how poor boundaries, emotional discomfort, and scarcity mentality all conspire to make men complicit in their own relational resentment. Cultivate abundance – and the optionality it passively generates – and you'll watch many of these issues disappear. Join my community: https://the-captains-quarters.mn.co Buy my book, "The Value of Others" Ebook: https://amzn.to/460uGrA Audiobook: https://amzn.to/3YfFwbx Paperback: https://amzn.to/3xQuIFK Book a paid consultation: https://oriontarabanpsyd.com/consultations Subscribe to my newsletter: https://oriontarabanpsyd.com Social Media TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@oriontaraban Facebook: https://facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090053889622 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/orion-taraban-070b45168/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/psyc.hacks Twitter: https://twitter.com/oriontaraban Website: https://oriontarabanpsyd.com Orion's Theme: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrXBzQ2HDEQ Thinking of going to grad school? Check out STELLAR, my top-rated GRE self-study program based on the world's only empirically-validated test prep system. Use the code "PSYCH" for 10% off all membership plans: https://stellargre.com. Become a Stellar affiliate and earn a 10% commission for every membership purchased by a new student you conduct into the program: https://stellargre.tapfiliate.com. GRE Bites: https://www.youtube.com/@grebites4993 Become a Psychonaut and join PsycHack's member community: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSduXBjCHkLoo_y9ss2xzXw/join Sound mixing/editing by: valntinomusic.com Presented by Orion Taraban, Psy.D. PsycHacks provides viewers with a brief, thought-provoking video several days a week on a variety of psychological topics, inspired by his clinical practice. The intention is for the core idea contained within each video to inspire viewers to see something about themselves or their world in a slightly different light. The ultimate mission of the channel is to reduce the amount of unnecessary suffering in the world. #psychology #relationship #women

Hello my friend, and welcome to this powerful 10-minute grounding meditation designed to help you feel strong, build your inner confidence, and calm overthinking anxiety!In today's episode of Calming Anxiety, we will take a focused journey to connect you deeply with your foundation and core strength.This is your essential, non-negotiable time to let go of whatever you were just doing and settle into this moment.If you find your mind starting to race with worry or overthinking, this quick grounding technique will teach you how to simply notice those thoughts and gently, firmly bring your full attention back to your anchor point and the visualization of your deep, solid roots extending all the way to the core of the earth.You'll be guided to:Find a quiet place, either seated or lying down, where your back can be tall yet relaxed.Use your breath to release tension, worry, or restless energy down into the earth to be neutralized.Cultivate feelings of strength and resilience by internalizing affirmations like, "I am safe and grounded in this moment," and "I am confident in my ability to handle challenges".Use the stability of the earth to quiet the noise above, reinforcing the truth that you are stronger than your anxiety.Take this feeling of grounded strength with you as you move through the rest of the day. You are not just calm—you are powerful! This anchor is always here; you can return to it anytime, anywhere, in just a few mindful breaths.⏱️ Chapter Times00:00 - Welcome and Episode Intention00:19 - Finding Your Comfortable Anchor Position00:44 - Deep Cleansing Breaths to Let Go01:33 - Connecting with Your Physical Anchor Point02:06 - Visualizing Your Deep, Solid Roots to the Earth's Core03:29 - Breathing in Nourishing Energy, Releasing Worry04:27 - Mindful Observation and Labeling of Overthinking Anxiety05:46 - Connecting with Your Core Strength, Courage, and Wisdom06:08 - Affirmations for Inner Strength and Confidence08:13 - Integrating the Feeling of Power and Grounded Peace09:42 - Gently Returning to Your DayThank you for meditating with me. If this 10-minute anxiety relief session helped you build inner confidence, please share it with a friend who might need a quick confidence boost or a guided meditation for overthinking!Subscribe to Calming Anxiety and make this part of your routine.As always, BE KIND.Support the Show:Ad-Free Listening: Enjoy Calming Anxiety without ads at https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/calming-anxiety--4110266/supportBuy Me a Coffee: Support hosting costs at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/calminganxietyRate & Review: Leave a 5-star review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts to help us reach more listeners!Resources & Courses:Book Hypnotherapy: Schedule a one-on-one session with Martin at https://calendar.app.google/rXHMt8sRYft5iWma8 Pain & Anxiety Course:Manage negative thoughts and pain with The Physio Crew's course at https://offers.thephysiocrew.co.uk/home-painBreathing Challenge: Try our relaxing breathing challenge at https://www.martinhewlett.co.uk/breathing-challenge/Gift a Subscription: Share Calming Anxiety with loved ones at https://www.martinhewlett.co.uk/shop/calming-anxiety-gift-subscription/Get the App:iOS: Download Calming Anxiety at https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/calming-anxiety/id1576159331 Android:Get it on Google Play at https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=digital.waterfront.calming.anxiety&hl=en-GBConnect With Us:Email: Share feedback or requests at calminganxiety@martinhewlett.co.ukYouTube: Watch all episodes at https://www.youtube.com/c/calminganxiety?sub_confirmation=1 Social Media Support: For younger listeners struggling with social media stress, visit https://www.icanhelp.net/Backing Music: Chris Collins===================Affiliate links to the gear I use the items that give me a more tranquil life.Rode Podmic - https://amzn.to/3LN1JEdZoom Livetrak L8 - https://amzn.to/36UCIbySony ZV 1 - https://amzn.to/3JvDUPTGoPro Hero 8 Black - https://amzn.to/372rzFlDJI Mini 2 - https://amzn.to/3NQfMdY=============================Items I use for a more relaxed way of life :)Organic Pure Hemp CBD Capsules - https://amzn.to/3Ready for More Calm?Thank you for listening to the Calming Anxiety Podcast, featuring guided meditation, mindfulness, and sleep hypnosis sessions with Martin Hewlett. Our mission is to provide you with proven tools for anxiety relief, stress reduction, and a path toward deep relaxation. Use this episode anytime you need to calm your mind and feel more at ease.

Nice Guy Syndrome influences your relationship more than you may realize, and in this conversation Dr. Robert Glover joins Dr. Alexandra Stockwell to break down why it kills attraction and what men can do to show up with authenticity, confidence, and real connection.  If you want a relationship that feels alive, honest, and deeply intimate, this episode gives you the tools to shift old patterns and create the partnership you want. About Dr. Glover: Dr. Robert Glover has over 40 years of professional experience as a relationship therapist and men's coach. He specializes in helping men build community and level up to the best version of themselves. He has authored four books, including the bestselling No More Mr. Nice Guy. He founded Integration Nation, an international community for men in 2023.   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drgloverofficial Check out his courses: https://drglover.com/   Books mentioned during the episode: The Way of the Superior Man https://amzn.to/47Ccvd3 Passionate Marriage  https://amzn.to/3JH5dwA Mating in Captivity https://amzn.to/47CqkIp       Subscribe To The Intimate Marriage Podcast: Apple Podcast | YouTube | Spotify Connect With Alexandra Stockwell, MD: Website | Linkedin | Instagram   Get your copy of "Uncompromising Intimacy" by Dr. Alexandra Stockwell here: https://amzn.to/2ymI3Hl Download the first chapter of Dr Alexandra's bestselling book, "Uncompromising Intimacy," here:  https://www.alexandrastockwell.com/book   Cultivate your intimacy skills (without compromise) in Aligned & Hot Marriage, Dr. Alexandra's proven method for smart couples ready to love more fully:  www.alignedhotmarriage.com   Join Dr. Alexandra's email list to stay connected. She shares inspiring stories, her latest insights and opportunities to learn with her:  https://www.alexandrastockwell.com/subscribe   This Podcast Is Produced, Engineered & Edited By:  Simplified Impact

One thing that many alumni and students will say upon reflecting on the merits of their Veritas education is: "I learned how to carry on a good conversation."It's true that the art of conversing may be dwindling in our culture. Being able to relate to others well in a variety of situations - and engage on a breath of topics - is a skill that is deeply appreciated by others, and beneficial for ourselves, too.Especially now, coming into the holidays when we find ourselves in an array of social settings with family, friends, and even strangers, being equipped with the mindset and skills for good conversation will make Christmas gatherings all the more pleasant for everyone.Our host, Head of School Ty Fischer, is joined in this episode of Veritas alumni Jesse Brooks and Dean of Students and Omnibus/Rhetoric teacher Graham Dennis to talk about what makes for a good conversation, and how we can help cultivate in ourselves and our children the desire and skill to carry on good conversation.After all, that a big part of what we're doing at Veritas – fostering students who can listen well and speak thoughtfully on topics that truly matter, and who excel at relating with one another in Christ because they've been trained regularly in talking around the table.This season of Cultivate is sponsored by Hershey Financial Advisers, a wealth management firm located at North Pointe Blvd. in Lancaster, PA, leading people to make better financial decisions and empowering them to fulfill a vision beyond themselves.

...With Prof. Neil Mercer Neil Mercer is Emeritus Professor of Education at the University of Cambridge and a psychologist and in this episode we discuss the pivotal role of spoken language and oracy in education. We explored how classroom dialogue, reasoned discussion, and public speaking can be systematically taught to enhance students' thinking and communication skills. Neil shared insights on the impact of the pandemic on language development, practical strategies for fostering effective dialogue, and the importance of classroom culture and listening. We also discussed the value of public speaking for all students and highlighted resources for teachers to support spoken language development. The discussion in bullet points: Importance of spoken language in education. Development of children's language and thinking skills. Role of reasoned discussion and dialogue in classrooms. Influence of educational theorists like Vygotsky on language development. Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children's language skills. Practical strategies for teaching reasoned discussion. Challenges teachers face in fostering effective dialogue. Benefits of group work and whole-class discussions for student engagement. The significance of classroom culture in promoting open discussion. The necessity of public speaking skills in education and its role in democratic participation. Links: Find out more about Neil's work: https://oracycambridge.org/ Blog: https://oracycambridge.org/blog/ Neil's Book - Oracy: The Transformative Power of Finding Your Voice https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/467731/oracy-by-mercer-neil/9781847928566 BPS Psychologist Article on Oracy 'Is it only words' https://www.bps.org.uk/psychologist/it-only-words I'll be sharing some older episodes that link to this about speech and language over the break so please do sign up to my newsletter: https://changingstatesofmind.com/contact-me

Have you ever thought of the kitchen as a place of calm, clarity, and connection? I'm thrilled to sit down with my friend and chef, Naina Bhedwar, next week on the Eating at a Meeting Podcast to talk about her new program, "Feed Your Peace." Naina has always been my go-to when it comes to Indian cuisine (I met her years ago at The Cook's Warehouse in Atlanta where I worked her classes). But now, she's blending her background in psychology, counseling, and cooking to create something truly powerful: a way to bring mindfulness into one of the most ordinary—and essential—parts of our lives, the kitchen. "Feed Your Peace" isn't just about recipes. It's about using cooking as a tool to:

Welcome to RIMScast. Your host is Justin Smulison, Business Content Manager at RIMS, the Risk and Insurance Management Society.   In this episode, Justin interviews two guests who presented at the RIMS ERM Conference 2025 in Seattle, Washington. First, Dr. Gav Schneider, Group CEO Risk 2 Solution Group and Founder, Institute of Presilience Risk 2 Solution, and second, Shreen Williams, Founder & CEO, Risky Business SW, LLC, and a member of the RIMS Rising Risk Professional Advisory Group. Dr. Schneider explained the meaning of Presilience and risk intelligence in ERM. Shreen Williams discussed the cognitive biases that can be mitigated through the six stages of an ERM Framework. Listen for insights into implementing an ERM Framework in your organization.   Key Takeaways: [:01] About RIMS and RIMScast. [:17] About this episode of RIMScast. Our interviews were recorded live on site at the RIMS ERM Conference 2025 in Seattle. Our guests are Dr. Gav Schneider and Shreen Williams. We're going to have fun in this episode! But first… [:48] The next Virtual RIMS-CRMP Exam Prep will be held on December 9th and 10th. From December 15 through the 18th CBCP and RIMS will present the RIMS-CRMP Exam Prep Boot Camp. [1:05] Another virtual course will be held on January 14th and 15th, 2026. These are virtual courses. Links to these courses can be found through the Certifications page of RIMS.org and through this episode's show notes. [1:18] RIMS Virtual Workshops! "Managing Data for ERM" will be led again by Pat Saporito. That session will start on December 11th. Registration closes on December 10th. RIMS members always enjoy deep discounts on the virtual workshops. [1:37] The full schedule of virtual workshops can be found on the RIMS.org/education and RIMS.org/education/online-learning pages. A link is also in this episode's notes. [1:48] The RIMS CRO Certificate Program in Advanced Enterprise Risk Management is hosted by the famous James Lam. This is a live, virtual program that helps elevate your expertise and career in ERM. [2:01] You can enroll now for the next cohort, which will be held over 12 weeks from January through March of 2026. Registration closes on January 5th. Or Spring ahead and register for the cohort held from April through June of 2026. Registration closes on April 6th. [2:21] Links to registration and enrollment are in this episode's show notes. [2:25] This episode was recorded at the RIMS ERM Conference 2025. We've covered a lot of ERM ground in the last few episodes, and for those who want to catch up, I've included a link to the RIMS ERM Special Digital Edition of Risk Management magazine in this episode's notes. [2:49] RIMScast ERM coverage is linked as well. Enhance your ERM knowledge with RIMS. [2:54] On with the show! We are following up last week's episode with ERM Global Award of Distinction winner Sadig Hajiyev by featuring interviews with two of the presenters who appeared at the RIMS ERM Conference, Dr. Gav Schneider and Shreen Williams. [3:12] Long-time RIMScast listeners may remember Dr. Gav Schneider from an episode in November of 2023. We were delighted that he made the trip all the way from Australia to join us at the ERM Conference in Seattle. [3:27] Dr. Gav is the Group CEO at Risk2Solution Group and the Founder of the Institute of Presilience. The title of his session on November 17th was "Embedding Presilience and Risk Intelligence into ERM." This harkens back to his prior episode about wicked problems. [3:45] We're going to start there and discuss how presilience takes that thinking to the next level for ERM leaders, and we're going to get some of his risk philosophies and have a great time. Let's get to it! [3:56] Interview! Dr. Gav Schneider, welcome back to RIMScast! [4:24] Dr. Schneider is here at the RIMS ERM Conference for the first time. It's the second-highest-attended ERM Conference in RIMS history. His session, later today, is called "Embedding Presilience and Risk Intelligence into ERM." [4:54] On Dr. Schneider's last visit to RIMScast, he talked about wicked problems. How does presilience take that mindset and thinking to the next level for ERM? [5:08] Dr. Schneider says the core idea of ERM is about getting scalable decision-making, recording, and outcomes, in terms of risk, for your organization. More and more, our organizations are facing these wicked problems. [5:25] We can't function anymore in a world of absolutes. When we plug risk intelligence into the way we think, act, and plan, we become adaptive. We also become opportunity-centric. [5:37] A wicked problem is not easily solved. When you implement a solution, it often leads to more problems. You have to be able to learn. If you can't learn, you can't adapt. [6:17] What are the core components of the Presilience Framework? Dr. Schneider says, simplistically, we think about tackling risk at three levels: the self, the team, and the organization. Then we overlay that with people and process, connected through leadership. [6:34] To make that work, we have to develop a set of core attributes: situational awareness, critical thinking, enhanced decision-making, effective and directive coms, the ability to act and enact, and the ability to learn and grow. [6:46] When you can plug that into your architecture, leveraging insight, hindsight, and foresight, you then can make the right calls about whether or not to do something. It becomes an overlay model for most ERM-type structures, where we can plug the human piece into the system. [7:15] Dr. Schneider says the core aim of ERM turns risk management into a team sport, with everyone across an organization reporting, collaborating, and understanding to make great decisions about where the organization is and where it's going, not where we think it is. [7:32] To do that, we need to plug certain things into the ecosystem of the organization, some of which are policies, procedures, and tech. Most ERM experts do that. The piece that we've ignored is the human part, because it's hard. [7:49] Dr. Schneider has compiled The Organizational Risk Culture Standard. It took about nine months of work. It was a thorough process. Five experts wrote it, 15 peers reviewed it, and 11 organizations have approved it, endorsed it, and are supporting it. [8:09] For years, Dr. Schneider had heard that organizations would not focus on human-centricities that they couldn't measure. [8:17] Dr. Schneider's framework has 10 domains with a maturity model that aligns beautifully with RIMS's ERM Model. It's built to encapsulate and incorporate ISO 31000 and COSO. Dr. Schnieider has just released it, free to download. [8:39] Dr. Schneider is excited about presenting his session in a couple of hours. Everyone tells him that the RIMS ERM Conference is the sharp end of the spear, with the smartest risk people. The session is "Embedding Presilience and Risk Intelligence into ERM." [9:10] Session attendees will learn about risk intelligence. Dr. Schneider's definition is an applied attribute or living skill that enables you to seize upside opportunities while you manage potential negative outcomes. [9:44] When you speak of risk intelligence as a living skill and applied attribute, it becomes an ability to scale great decision-making. You want risk-intelligent people, working in risk-intelligent teams, empowered and structured into a risk-intelligent organization. [10:18] Dr. Schneider says if we can't get those three layers to integrate and work together, you get frustrated stakeholders. Get your ERM team working to get everyone to understand the basics of risk reporting, using the metrics, and sharing information. [10:33] Justin compares it to the gears in a watch. Dr. Schneider agrees; there's not one moving piece, it's a complex ecosystem in most organizations because humans are complex. We're relying on tech and on variables we don't control. [10:46] Dr. Schneider says, in the conference, everyone's accepted how disruptive the current climate is, how difficult it is to forecast, and how uncertainty and volatility are dominating. [10:59] With that in mind, we've got to think of it differently. You can't force people to adopt a system and think it will work. If you want to get a high-performance culture, ERM is an incredibly useful tool, but only if people want it, like it, want to use it, and understand the benefit it adds. [11:17] Dr. Schneider thinks ERM is going to take a massive leap forward because of generative AI and because we've done well in process-based risk management. There are models, standards, and tools we can reference on how to do this. [11:32] Why most organizations fail is that people don't understand people and the drivers people have. The one thing that Dr. Schneider would love people to take away from his session is that "I have to start with me." [11:43] Dr. Schneider continues. If I'm trying to get people to do something, I need to understand the voice in my head, what's coming out of my mouth, and what my actions are. If I can't control that, what makes me think I'm going to change organizational culture? [11:54] It starts with me. Then I can move to us, and we can get this high-performing risk team. If I can get a high-performing risk team, now we are ready to take it through the organization. We can be the real value-add. [12:06] The risk departments of the future are not going to be what they were or what they are now. They're not going to be compliance departments anymore. [12:14] Risk departments of the future are going to be insight, hindsight, and foresight departments. They're going to create understanding of what's happened, what's happening, and what we need to do to capitalize on opportunity, while we manage downside. [12:34] Dr. Schneider points out that if we're looking at the same thing, we see something different. That's great for managing bias, but terrible if we can't align because we'll each think we're right, and pull apart. [12:47] One of the missions is to develop adaptable, high-performing humans who can leverage tach, collaborate, and solve problems. That's the future of risk management. [13:05] Dr. Gav Schneider, I look forward to popping into your session today. It is called "Embedding Presilience and Risk Intelligence into ERM." [13:19] Quick Break! RISKWORLD 2026 will be held from May 3rd through the 6th in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. RISKWORLD attracts more than 10,000 risk professionals from across the globe. It's time to Connect, Cultivate, and Collaborate with them. Booth sales are open now! [13:42] Registration is open for RIMS members. General registration and speaker registration will open on December 3rd. Marketplace and Hospitality badges will be available starting on March 3rd. Links are in this episode's show notes. [13:55] Let's Bring out Our Next Guest, the Founder and CEO of Risky Business SW LLC, Shreen Williams! [14:05] If you are a regular reader of RIMS Risk Management magazine, you may recognize her name from the byline of a recent article, "How to Overcome Cognitive Biases in Risk Management." [14:19] Shreen is also a member of the Rising Risk Professional Advisory Group here at RIMS. She presented at the ERM Conference a session in the Foundational Level, called "Beating the Bias: Exposing and Combating Cognitive Biases in ERM." [14:35] Justin sat in on this session, and he had some follow-ups about cognitive biases and how they relate to ERM and risk management, generally. If you missed the session or have not yet read the article, this will give you a taste of what you missed or what you're going to read. [14:53] We're going to have a lot of fun! Let's get to it! [14:56] Interview! Shreen Williams, welcome to RIMScast! [15:05] Justin sat in on Shreen's session, "Beating the Bias: Exposing and Combating Cognitive Biases in ERM." Shreen explains that there are more than 150 biases from the standpoint of the psychology of human behavior. [15:29] Shreen focuses on the ones that are relevant to the ERM process. There are more than enough. In her presentation, Shreen focused on seven biases. The lifecycle for the ERM process has six stages. Five stages cover one bias each; the Risk Assessment stage covers two biases. [16:00] Justin mentions that for anyone who attended, the handout is available through the RIMS Events App. Shreen says she also put a QR code on the deck, so if you got the deck, you have that code, as well. [16:27] Shreen has an audio-visual platform she uses to get her thought leadership content out about what she loves most. She calls herself a risk nerd. She likes talking about the discipline in a way that's accessible and digestible to the end user. [16:43] Shreen says most of the time, you'll see the term ERM delivered in such a complex and jargon-filled way that it turns folks off who are not in this sector. That leads to confusion, overwhelm, and killing their engagement. [16:54] Shreen loves doing interviews to talk about the discipline in a way that is approachable, accessible, and digestible to the end user without any academic discipline. [17:05] In her session, Shreen said that cognitive biases often embed themselves in ERM processes without detection. Shreen describes a bias in the first stage of the ERM process life cycle, Identification. The bias that creeps in is Complexity Bias. [17:33] Shreen says that Complexity Bias is when organizations or people believe that the more complex something is, the more superior it is. It's not always true, and it's the worst posture to have in ERM. [17:48] Shreen gives a Complexity Bias example. A company hires a consultant to create an ERM Program and gets a 200-page framework to give to employees. The executives feel smart. The front-line employees are overwhelmed. It's too complex. It can't be operationalized. [18:13] You don't have consistent risk participation because the people don't know how to do it. [18:17] Shreen explains her technique to handle Complexity Bias. If you can't explain something in two minutes or less, go back to the table and try again. The more digestible you make the lingo, the more it will stick. [18:39] Shreen is a visual learner. She sees things clearly if you show them in an infographic. Different generations may learn differently. Shreen is very close to Gen Z. They keep her young! They also give her fresh perspectives on the discipline. [19:09] Ten years ago, most of the college curriculum for risk management was highly insurance-centric: actuary, underwriting, claims adjudication. [19:21] Shreen started in the banking sector, where ERM is prevalent and mature. Other industries didn't see the need for it. There were no regulatory requirements for it. [19:30] From the young people she coaches and mentors, Shreen has seen that universities are now teaching not only the insurance side but also ERM, and are framing the discipline as Risk Resilience.  [19:51] Shreen says young people are graduating with a broader perspective of the discipline, which opens opportunities for them. [20:00] Shreen has said she was the sober adult in the room while the leadership doused itself in champagne. She embraced that role when she joined the tech sector. Before then, Shreen worked for companies in heavily regulated industries: finance, transportation, and government. [20:18] Shreen says tech is completely night and day different from those industries. She says it's a hyper-close space. You have to get to things quickly and tell leaders what you are going to do immediately. You have about three minutes in front of the board. You have to be quick. [20:31] You have to be highly visual. You don't need 50 bullet points on the screen to make your point. You should be the expert. The visual just makes it more accessible to the people. [20:46] Shreen explains Premortem Analysis. We all talk about postmortems and after-actions. This makes ERM practitioners cringe. [21:05] Everything that happened was something you told the people was something on the table, and no one took you seriously, so now you're reactive and resolving whatever risk materialized. [21:16] Premortems are a favorite of Shreen's because you get to work through whatever that scenario is or that initiative is and flesh it out, from end to end. Then you reverse-engineer it and go back for each opportunity or risk you identify, good or bad, and you get to the best response. [21:30] If the initiative gets approved, you've already flushed out everything that could go wrong. [21:51] Shreen told a joke during the session that if you want your initiative to die, take it to ERM, and they'll tell you no. Shreen says, No, take it to ERM to get a clear and confident Yes. [22:14] Justin tells Shreen, You left us yesterday with a great sentiment that bias is not the enemy, blindness is. That hearkens back to everything in a premortem analysis. [22:27] Shreen's final words to the audience: "For those who are new to the discipline, do not be turned away or feel like you're not enough or something's wrong with you because you don't understand it. It's not you. It's likely the person or textbook you're getting information from. [22:40] "Most of the things that teach about ERM are highly theoretical. If you can find someone to align with, someone who's a mentor to you, see what they do, and how they go about it, highs and lows, you'll learn a lot more about the discipline hands-on than from any book. [22:55] Blindness and blind spots you cannot see. Sometimes you're focused like a racehorse with blinders on. With blinders on, you cannot avoid bias. Humans are a big part of the process. With humans come human biases. [23:21] The mitigant for bias is to have an awareness of it and have your little toolbox of those leading biases that you can go around to mitigate. [23:31] Justin says, Shreen, it's been such a pleasure. [23:36]  Special thanks once again to Dr. Gav Schneider and Shreen Williams for joining us here on RIMScast. They were fantastic speakers. I've got links to Dr. Schneider's prior episode and Shreen's RIMS Risk Management magazine article in this episode's show notes. [23:54] Be sure to check out last week's episode with Sadig Hajiyev, one of the two winners of the RIMS ERM Global Award of Distinction. For more ERM Conference coverage, check out the RIMS LinkedIn page for all sorts of photos, videos, and coverage of this fantastic event. [24:11] We had a great time, and we look forward to seeing you next year in Washington, D.C. for the RIMS ERM Conference 2026. [24:19] Plug Time! You can sponsor a RIMScast episode for this, our weekly show, or a dedicated episode. Links to sponsored episodes are in the show notes. [24:47] RIMScast has a global audience of risk and insurance professionals, legal professionals, students, business leaders, C-Suite executives, and more. Let's collaborate and help you reach them! Contact pd@rims.org for more information. [25:04] Become a RIMS member and get access to the tools, thought leadership, and network you need to succeed. Visit RIMS.org/membership or email membershipdept@RIMS.org for more information. [25:22] Risk Knowledge is the RIMS searchable content library that provides relevant information for today's risk professionals. Materials include RIMS executive reports, survey findings, contributed articles, industry research, benchmarking data, and more. [25:38] For the best reporting on the profession of risk management, read Risk Management Magazine at RMMagazine.com. It is written and published by the best minds in risk management. [25:52] Justin Smulison is the Business Content Manager at RIMS. Please remember to subscribe to RIMScast on your favorite podcasting app. You can email us at Content@RIMS.org. [26:04] Practice good risk management, stay safe, and thank you again for your continuous support!   Links: RIMS-CRO Certificate Program In Advanced Enterprise Risk Management | Jan‒March 2026 Cohort | Led by James Lam RIMS-Certified Risk Management Professional (RIMS-CRMP) RISKWORLD 2026 Registration — Open for exhibitors, members, and non-members! Reserve your booth at RISKWORLD 2026! The Strategic and Enterprise Risk Center RIMS Diversity Equity Inclusion Council RIMS Risk Management magazine | Contribute RIMS ERM Special Edition 2025 RIMS Newsroom: "Two Dynamic ERM Programs Win Top Honor at RIMS ERM Conference 2025" RIMS Risk Management Magazine: "How to Overcome Cognitive Biases in Risk Management" RIMS Now RISK PAC | RIMS Advocacy | RIMS Legislative Summit SAVE THE DATE — March 18‒19, 2026 Upcoming RIMS Webinars: RIMS.org/Webinars   Upcoming RIMS-CRMP Prep Virtual Workshops: RIMS-CRMP Exam Prep December 9‒10, 2025, 9:00 am‒4:00 pm EST, Virtual CBCP & RIMS-CRMP Exam Prep Bootcamp: Business Continuity & Risk Management December 15‒18, 2025,  8:30 am‒5:00 pm EST, Virtual Full RIMS-CRMP Prep Course Schedule "Leveraging Data and Analytics for Continuous Risk Management (Part I)" | Dec 4. See the full calendar of RIMS Virtual Workshops RIMS-CRMP Prep Workshops   Related RIMScast Episodes: "RIMS ERM Global Award of Distinction 2025 Winner Sadig Hajiyev — Recorded live from the RIMS ERM Conference in Seattle!" "Risk Rotation with Lori Flaherty and Bill Coller of Paychex" "Energizing ERM with Kellee Ann Richards-St. Clair" "AI and the Future of Risk with Dan Chuparkoff" (RIMS ERM Conference Keynote) "Talking ERM: From Geopolitical Whiplash to Leadership Buy-In" with Chrystina Howard of Hub "Shawn Punancy of Delta Flies High With ERM" "Tom Brandt on Growing Your Career and Organization with ERM" "James Lam on ERM, Strategy, and the Modern CRO" "Risk Quantification Through Value-Based Frameworks" "Solving Wicked Problems with Dr. Gav Schneider" (2023)   Sponsored RIMScast Episodes: "Secondary Perils, Major Risks: The New Face of Weather-Related Challenges" | Sponsored by AXA XL (New!) "The ART of Risk: Rethinking Risk Through Insight, Design, and Innovation" | Sponsored by Alliant "Mastering ERM: Leveraging Internal and External Risk Factors" | Sponsored by Diligent "Cyberrisk: Preparing Beyond 2025' | Sponsored by Alliant "The New Reality of Risk Engineering: From Code Compliance to Resilience" | Sponsored by AXA XL "Change Management: AI's Role in Loss Control and Property Insurance" | Sponsored by Global Risk Consultants, a TÜV SÜD Company "Demystifying Multinational Fronting Insurance Programs" | Sponsored by Zurich "Understanding Third-Party Litigation Funding" | Sponsored by Zurich "What Risk Managers Can Learn From School Shootings" | Sponsored by Merrill Herzog "Simplifying the Challenges of OSHA Recordkeeping" | Sponsored by Medcor "How Insurance Builds Resilience Against An Active Assailant Attack" | Sponsored by Merrill Herzog "Third-Party and Cyber Risk Management Tips" | Sponsored by Alliant   RIMS Publications, Content, and Links: RIMS Membership — Whether you are a new member or need to transition, be a part of the global risk management community! RIMS Virtual Workshops On-Demand Webinars RIMS-Certified Risk Management Professional (RIMS-CRMP) RISK PAC | RIMS Advocacy RIMS Strategic & Enterprise Risk Center RIMS-CRMP Stories — Featuring RIMS President Kristen Peed!   RIMS Events, Education, and Services: RIMS Risk Maturity Model®   Sponsor RIMScast: Contact sales@rims.org or pd@rims.org for more information.   Want to Learn More? Keep up with the podcast on RIMS.org, and listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.   Have a question or suggestion? Email: Content@rims.org.   Join the Conversation! Follow @RIMSorg on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.   About our guests: Dr. Gav Schneider, Group CEO Risk 2 Solution Group / Founder Institute of Presilience Risk 2 Solution   Shreen Williams, Founder & CEO, Risky Business SW, LLC Also a member of the RIMS Rising Risk Professional Advisory Group   Production and engineering provided by Podfly.  

Welcome! I'm Julianne, a Holistic Transformation Coach.I help people break free from toxic relationship patterns, rebuild self-trust, and reconnect with their body and true self after trauma.On this channel, you'll find practical tools, nervous system support, and honest, faith-aligned insights to help you:Recover from the effects of trauma and toxic relationshipsBreak free from narcissistic abuse cyclesRebuild your identity and strengthen healthy boundariesRelease people-pleasing and self-sabotaging patternsCreate nervous system safety and emotional stabilityReconnect with your body, your voice, and your true selfI post new videos regularly to support your healing journey and help you come home to yourself. Subscribe and turn on notifications to get updated.Survivor to Thriver 80% OFF - https://www.rawmotivations.com/survivorFollow me on Instagram: @rawmotivationsFollow me on TikTok: @rawmotivationsQuestions? Reach out: support@rawmotivations.comStart healing today with my free 5-Day Boundaries Reboot Challenge: https://www.rawmotivationscoaching.com/boundaries

Lessons from "Leisure: The Basis of Culture" by Josef Pieper.This book challenges our contemporary work-centric culture and the idea of “total work,” where the ethos of work and productivity dominates every aspect of life. Pieper argues that this shift has led to a loss of meaning and a neglect of the liberal arts, which traditionally have been a space for leisure and the cultivation of individual freedom.Josef Pieper was a professor of philosophy at the University of Munster. He was schooled specifically in Greek philosophy and Thomas Aquinas, law and sociology.Becomingantifragile.comTo commission sacred art and icons: Ikranrinmakan.com

Cultivate inner calm with meditation: Demystify meditation and explore accessible techniques to find peace amidst the chaos of daily life.

Ann talks with author and First Baptist Church of Woodway member, Rene Maciel about his devotional, 31 Days of Joy. Ann then gets the scoop of Creator Fest 25 at the PACC on 12/18 from Mike Hamilton, CCO Rogue Media Network, and Debbie Wright, Cultivate 712, Know Waco, Know Where. We also get a new Act Locally Waco with Elizabeth Riley. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if the key to leadership isn't having all the answers, but being brave enough to show up without them? Rosie sits down with Melanie Stuber, former corporate exec turned culture guide and CEO of Cultivate and Thrive, to talk about the real work behind authentic leadership. From shedding the pressure to be "perfect" in a male-dominated industry to building a personal board of directors that actually fuels your growth, Melanie shares her journey of choosing courage over control and presence over polish.

This episode is powered by The Move to Millions Ascension Archetype Quiz , your first step in uncovering how to leverage your divine wiring to lead with alignment as you stop sabotaging your next level of success. Discover your divine wiring and uncover what's REALLY keeping YOU from millions. The MTM Minute is a quick dose of inspiration with a powerful affirmation based on our weekly full-length episode.  And beginning this season, the MTM Minute will include a prayer of the week for 7 figure CEOs and 7 figure CEOs in the making.  That's right, you don't have to choose – you can love God AND make millions. This week's MTM Minute is a REWIND from an episode that ran earlier this season.  This week's 7 Figure CEO Affirmation is "Something big is about to happen in my life and business, and I am ready to receive it with open arms. I trust that the universe is aligning the perfect opportunities, people, and circumstances to elevate me to new heights. I am prepared, capable, and worthy of the breakthroughs coming my way. Every step I've taken has led me to this moment, and I confidently step into the abundance and success that is unfolding. I am excited for what's next, knowing that this shift will bring growth, impact, and prosperity in ways I've never imagined."   Here are three tips to anchor in the affirmation: Practice Daily Visualization: Set aside a few minutes each day to visualize the "big thing" happening in your life or business. Picture yourself experiencing this breakthrough—how it feels, looks, and how it impacts your life. Engaging in this practice will help you stay open to receiving it and increase your belief that it's on its way. Cultivate a Mindset of Expectancy: Begin each day with the belief that something big is already in motion for you. Throughout your day, look for signs and opportunities that align with this belief. Remind yourself that you're worthy of massive success and that it's only a matter of time before it arrives. Take Inspired Action: Stay proactive by taking small steps that align with your vision for the big shift. Whether it's working on new strategies, connecting with new opportunities, or pushing past any comfort zones, taking consistent action will help solidify your readiness for the breakthrough that's about to come. Affirm with me: "Something big is about to happen in my life and business, and I am ready to receive it with open arms. I trust that the universe is aligning the perfect opportunities, people, and circumstances to elevate me to new heights. I am prepared, capable, and worthy of the breakthroughs coming my way. Every step I've taken has led me to this moment, and I confidently step into the abundance and success that is unfolding. I am excited for what's next, knowing that this shift will bring growth, impact, and prosperity in ways I've never imagined." Here are three journal prompts based on the affirmation: "I am open to receiving something big in my life, and I am preparing for it by..." "The breakthrough I am about to experience will transform my life in the following ways..." "I am ready for this shift because I have already shown myself that I am capable of..." I know these three journal prompts will enhance how you finish this week. Want more of Darnyelle? Personal Brand Website: https://www.drdarnyelle.com Company Website: https://www.incredibleoneenterprises.com Move to Millions Website: https://www.movetomillions.com   Social Media Links: Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/darnyellejerveyharmon Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/darnyellejerveyharmon Twitter/X: http://www.twitter.com/darnyellejervey LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/darnyellejerveyharmon    Links Mentioned in the Episode: Movetomillions.com MovetoMillionsGroup.com HausofMillions.com Move to Millions Continuum Episode Move to Millions Live 2025   Subscribe to the Move to Millions Podcast: Listen on iTunes Listen on Google Play Listen on Stitcher Listen on iHeartRadio Listen on Pandora   Leave us a review Are you subscribed to my podcast? If you're not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don't want you to miss an episode. I'm adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the mix and if you're not subscribed there's a good chance you'll miss out on those. Now if you're feeling extra loving, I would be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast and they're also fun for me to go in and read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!

Clutter in marriage can spark conflict–it's much more impactful than most people realize. In this episode, Dr. Alexandra Stockwell describes how to clear emotional and physical clutter, improve communication, and bring more ease, teamwork, and intimacy into your day-to-day life.   Download the Intimate Connection app by Dr. Alexandra Stockwell and start building a more fulfilling, intimate marriage today.

Running on empty? God has MÁS for you—more abundance, more mercy, more life—leading to a heart overflowing with more gratitude!

10 Minute Guided Meditation to Stop Overthinking and Heal Anxiety: The Mental StreamAre you ready to finally stop the spiral of overthinking? This gentle 10 minute guided meditation is your essential tool for anxiety relief and instant emotional regulation.Designed by clinical hypnotherapist Martin and created for the busy modern woman, this practice uses the powerful Mental Stream visualization to teach you how to calmly detach from relentless worries and plans.We focus on healing anxiety at its source by promoting deep relaxation through kind, empathetic instruction.In just 10 minutes, you will:Learn the Breathing Anchor technique to immediately soothe your central nervous system.Practice mindfulness for beginners by observing thoughts without judgment.Cultivate self-calm by using gentle, positive affirmations to reinforce your inner worth.Find a quick, effective mental health boost for when you're overwhelmed with stress and anxiety.This is more than a quick fix; it's a foundational self-care ritual to help you stop overthinking and step back into your present moment. Press play whenever you need to quiet your mind—whether it's before a stressful workday or right before bed.⏱️ Chapter TimestampsUse these chapters to navigate your practice and repeat the most helpful segments:00:00 | Introduction & Setting Your Intention00:48 | The Breathing Anchor & Mindful Relaxation04:49 | Visualization: The Mental Stream & Positive Affirmations07:45 | Closing, Deep Self-Kindness & Final Anchor09:28 | Farewell & Sharing is Caring

Thankfulness isn’t just a seasonal tradition—it’s a spiritual posture rooted deep in Scripture and woven through history. Psalm 100:4 calls us to enter God’s presence with gratitude, a theme that began long before American holidays and continues to shape the way believers respond to God’s goodness today. From Old Testament thank offerings to the Pilgrims’ courageous faith, we’re reminded that gratitude grows strongest in hearts that remember God’s faithfulness through every circumstance. Highlights Biblical thanksgiving began with offerings of gratitude long before modern celebrations. Leviticus and 2 Chronicles reveal how God invited His people to display thankfulness through worship. America’s Thanksgiving tradition is deeply influenced by the Pilgrims’ commitment to biblical truth. Despite tremendous suffering, the Pilgrims lived out 1 Thessalonians 5:18 by giving thanks in all circumstances. Historical accounts show how miraculous their survival truly was—only a fraction lived to see the first feast. The Pilgrims’ perseverance helped lay the foundation for a national day dedicated to thanking God. Leaders like Washington and Lincoln carried forward the tradition of national gratitude to the Lord. Gift Inspiration: Crosswalk's Holiday Gift Guide Looking for a meaningful way to celebrate the season? Check out our Holiday Gift Guide—from beautifully illustrated Bibles and devotionals to novels, greeting cards, and picture books, there’s something for everyone on your list. Wrap up stories for loved ones, tuck a book into your own nightstand, and join us in celebrating the wonder of giving this Christmas! Full Transcript Below: Cultivating a Heart Full of Thanksgiving By Lynette Kittle Bible Reading: “Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name”—Psalm 100:4 Offering thanksgiving didn’t begin in America; it began in the Bible, taught to humankind by a loving and gracious God who is deserving and worthy of our gratitude, and to receive thankfulness that comes from hearts truly grateful for all He has done and is still doing in our lives and in our nation. Thanksgiving to God, often associated with food offerings, began in the Bible. As early as Leviticus 7:12, we read how God instructed, “If they offer it as an expression of thankfulness, then along with this thank offering they are to offer thick loaves made without yeast and with olive oil mixed in, thin loaves made without yeast and brushed with oil, and thick loaves of the finest flour well-kneaded and with oil mixed in.” Again, in 2 Chronicles 29:31, the King calls for the people to give thanks. “Then Hezekiah said, ‘You have now dedicated yourselves to the Lord. Come and bring sacrifices and thank offerings to the temple of the Lord.’ So the assembly brought sacrifices and thank offerings, and all whose hearts were willing brought burnt offerings.” America’s Thankfulness Rooted in Biblical Truth Remarkably, Thanksgiving Day in America is rooted in the biblical faith brought and carried to our land through the Pilgrims who courageously escaped Europe’s tightly held religious control to pursue freedom to worship God. Creator and Executive Producer of The Pilgrims documentary, Dr. Jerry Newcombe, follows the Pilgrims from Europe to the New World, documenting their faith and journey to America. The Pilgrims, even in the suffering they endured in Europe and after arriving in America, believed what 1 Thessalonians 5:18 urges, “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” Newcombe describes the harsh winter leading up to the first 1621 Thanksgiving, marked by illness, cold, and starvation. Of the eighteen women aboard the Mayflower, only four survived. As well, half the married men and ten of the twenty-nine unmarried men died. Children survived better than the adults, with seventeen of the twenty surviving the brutal conditions. Still, very few Pilgrims survived the devastating “starving times” and sickness to participate in the first Thanksgiving, enduring what 2 Corinthians 4:8 describes. “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down but not destroyed.” As well, historian and author of The Treacherous World of the 16th Century & How the Pilgrims Escaped It: The Prequel to America's Freedom, William J. Federer, discusses facts that some may overlook, such as how miraculous it was for the Pilgrims to escape Europe and birth America. “Of the 102 Pilgrims, only 47 survived till spring,” writes Federer, “At one point, only a half dozen were healthy enough to care for the rest.” The Pilgrims Laid the Groundwork for Thanksgiving “Without the Pilgrims, Thanksgiving Day, set aside to thank God,” states Federer, “it may not have ever been established. They laid the groundwork and foundation for America to set aside a holiday to thank God.” Although not officially called Thanksgiving Day at the time, the Pilgrims were able to kick off America’s tradition of giving thanks to God with a three-day feast with the Native Americans. Devoted to a purity of the Gospel, the Pilgrims recognized the importance of thankfulness, even in the most difficult of times, understanding it as a sacrifice to God. As Psalm 116:17 directs, “I will sacrifice a thank offering to You and call on the name of the Lord. “ “Because of them,” writes Newcombe, “we have had 400 years of Thanksgiving in America, and thanks to Presidents Washington (who declared the first national day of Thanksgiving) and Lincoln (who made it a yearly event), we even celebrate it as an annual holiday.” Newcombe, who also serves as Executive Director of Providence Forum, an outreach of Coral Ridge Ministries, shares President George Washington’s declaration for a national day of Thanksgiving, “[I]t is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the Providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor.” Intersecting Faith & Life: Ask God to lead you in cultivating a heart full of thanksgiving. Begin by studying His word, spending time in prayer thanking Him for His faithfulness, and telling others of all He has done in your life. Further Reading:Entering His Gates with Thanksgiving: 5 Ways to Cultivate a Grateful Heart Towards God Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Gratitude isn't just a feel-good practice it can be a game-changer for your career and overall well-being. For many of us, gratitude doesn't come naturally, especially when we're navigating job uncertainty or workplace stress.In this episode, we're moving beyond the gratitude journal to explore practical ways to build appreciation into your daily life. We'll cover:Why gratitude matters for your career success and mental healthThe real reasons gratitude might not be your default settingSimple, actionable tools to cultivate gratitude, even when you're not feeling itIf you're ready to shift your mindset and tap into the benefits of appreciation, this episode is for you.Support the showJill Griffin, host of The Career Refresh, delivers expert guidance on workplace challenges and career transitions. Jill leverages her experience working for the world's top brands like Coca-Cola, Microsoft, Hilton Hotels, and Martha Stewart to address leadership, burnout, team dynamics, and the 4Ps (perfectionism, people-pleasing, procrastination, and personalities). Visit JillGriffinCoaching.com for more details on: Book a 1:1 Career Strategy and Executive Coaching HERE Build a Leadership Identity That Earns Trust and Delivers Results. Gallup CliftonStrengths Corporate Workshops to build a strengths-based culture Team Dynamics training to increase retention, communication, goal setting, and effective decision-making Keynote Speaking Grab a personal Resume Refresh with Jill Griffin HERE Follow @JillGriffinOffical on Instagram for daily inspiration Connect with and follow Jill on LinkedIn

In this episode of Stewardship Leader, the third in a three-part series, Dr. Russell James joins Leo Sabo to discuss practical ways to apply biblical principles to fundraising. Drawing on insights from his book, "The Biblical Fundraiser In Modern Practice: Helping Christians Enjoy Their Wealth," Dr. James provides guidance on engaging donors, designing meaningful giving opportunities, and helping supporters see their wealth as a tool for kingdom impact. He emphasizes the importance of enjoying wealth through good works and generosity, rather than hoarding it. The conversation also covers the distinction between income and wealth, and how ministries can better handle non-cash gifts.Key TakeawaysEmphasize reaching out to wealth holders as a unique ministry.Overcome barriers by learning about wealth management and tax laws.Utilize donor-advised funds for managing complex non-cash gifts.Encourage impact investing to align wealth with good works.Use technology wisely to foster genuine ministry relationships.Cultivate a culture of joyful giving rather than obligation.Empower donors to feel like active participants in good works.Focus on building long-term advising relationships with donors.Avoid leadership ego to enhance donor involvement and impact.Apply biblical teachings to fundraising for greater effectiveness.ResourcesDr. Russell James' website - https://encouragegenerosity.com/Joyful Wealth Management with Dr. Russell James and Dr. Eddie Thompson - PodcastBooks by Dr. Russell James:The Biblical Fundraiser in Modern Practice: Helping Christians Enjoy Their Wealth The Biblical Fundraiser in Ancient Words: The Historical Ministry of Major Gift FundraisingJoyful Wealth Management: A Bible Study Discussion Guide

Welcome to RIMScast. Your host is Justin Smulison, Business Content Manager at RIMS, the Risk and Insurance Management Society.   In this episode, Justin interviews Sadig Hajiyev, SOCAR Türkiye, Risk & Compliance Group Director, about SOCAR Turkiye and winning the RIMS ERM Global Award of Distinction. Sadig speaks of their ERM transformation that shifted SOCAR Türkiye from a compliance-oriented approach to an integrated, strategy-driven system, and a pivotal change. Sadig explains how they keep the ERM cohesive for business leaders, enabling decision-making. Sadig comments on external shocks that pressure-tested the program, showing the organization's true resilience and how it adapted its ERM approach. He speaks of one innovation with the biggest measurable impact. Justin and Sadig discuss SOCAR Türkiye's maturity jumping from a level-3 "repeatable" program to a level-5 "leading practice" in just a few years, supported by both the RIMS RMM and internal surveys, and how they are sustaining that momentum, having reached the top tier. Listen for words of wisdom and encouragement for risk practitioners.   Key Takeaways: [:01] About RIMS and RIMScast. [:17] About this episode of RIMScast. Our guest today is Sadig Hajiyev. He is the Risk & Compliance Group Director for SOCAR Türkiye, and he was one of two recipients of the RIMS Global ERM Award of Distinction. [:47] We will talk about the unique characteristics of his ERM Program and his unique risk philosophies. But first… [:55] The next RIMS-CRMP-FED Exam Prep with AFERM will be held on December 3rd and 4th. The next RIMS-CRMP Exam Prep with PARIMA will be held on December 4th and 5th. These are virtual courses. [1:12] Links to these courses can be found through the Certifications page of RIMS.org and through this episode's show notes. [1:19] RIMS Virtual Workshops! "Managing Data for ERM" will be led again by Pat Saporito. That session will start on December 11th. Registration closes on December 10th. RIMS members always enjoy deep discounts on the virtual workshops. [1:38] The full schedule of virtual workshops can be found on the RIMS.org/education and RIMS.org/education/online-learning pages. A link is also in this episode's notes. [1:50] The RIMS CRO Certificate Program in Advanced Enterprise Risk Management is hosted by the famous James Lam. This is a live, virtual program that helps elevate your expertise and career in ERM. [2:02] You can enroll now for the next cohort, which will be held over 12 weeks from January through March of 2026. Registration closes on January 5th. Or Spring ahead, and register for the cohort that will be held from April through June of 2026. Registration closes on April 6th. [2:22] Links to registration and enrollment are in this episode's show notes. [2:27] This episode was recorded at the RIMS ERM Conference 2025. We've covered a lot of ERM ground in the last few episodes, and for those who want to catch up, I've included a link to the RIMS ERM Special Digital Edition of Risk Management magazine in this episode's notes. [2:50] RIMScast ERM coverage is linked as well. Enhance your ERM knowledge with RIMS. [2:56] On with the show! This special episode was recorded live from Seattle at the RIMS ERM Conference 2025. [3:05] It was one of the best-attended ERM Conferences in RIMS history, with hundreds of ERM practitioners and students from around the world connecting, learning, and celebrating. [3:17] In RIMS tradition, we awarded the RIMS Global ERM Awards of Distinction. This year, there were two winners, one of which was SOCAR Türkiye, a pioneering energy company based in Turkey. The company's ERM program wowed our judges. [3:34] Accepting the award is Sadig Hajiyev. He is the Risk & Compliance Group Director. As you will hear, he took the ERM Program to the next level. Since we were in person, it was the perfect time to sit down and speak with him after receiving his award. [3:49] We're going to learn all about the program and Sadig's unique risk philosophies. Let's get to it! [3:53] Interview! Sadig Hajiyev, welcome to RIMScast! [4:18] Sadig says winning the award is a great feeling! Knowing someone here understands the value of the ERM Program and appreciates it is great! He shared photos and his reflections with his organization and got many congratulations, even though it was almost midnight in Turkey! [5:09] Saig explains that SOCAR is a global company, based in Azerbaijan, with more than 100K people working in Turkey. They have refineries and petrochemical facilities working together. They are also in the energy trading business. They have terminals. [5:34] They have multiple sectors, including fiber optic cables. They are doing so much in Turkey. SOCAR Türkiye is the biggest single-point investment in the history of Turkey, worth around $20 billion U.S. [6:01] Sadig's department is 15 people, including compliance professionals. They have a resource pool of experts and allocate teams as needed. [6:16] In 2022, SOCAR Türkiye shifted from a compliance-oriented approach to an integrated, strategy-driven system. [6:29] SOCAR Türkiye does international business. It is highly dependent on international trade regulations, especially trade sanction regulations. Being compliant is not sufficient for SOCAR Türkiye. Sadig says sanction regulations are very dynamic, and you should be adaptive to them. [6:57] Sadig says adaptation should be risk-based. At that time, SOCAR Türkiye started to implement risk-based compliance studies and approaches to make healthier decisions. They understood that it was the right decision. [7:21] SOCAR Türkiye has a modular ERM framework that spans Scenario Analysis, Risk and Control Self-Assessments (RCSAs), Regulatory Attestation Cycles, the ISO 22301, and the Resilience Maturity Model. [7:42] Justin asks how Sadig keeps them cohesive and digestible so that his leaders in SOCAR know that ERM is enabling decision-making. Sadig says it's not easy. They all met the needs that came up. [8:14] The risk leader needs to understand the context of the company. Being very close to the first line, Sadig does not believe there is value in going to the C-Suite and asking what they expect of risk management. They have no idea. [8:33] Sadig says it's more important to have a smooth discussion with them. At that point, the skill of the risk manager comes in to understand the context there and find out what would work best for this need. By that, you are supporting the company's decision-making. [9:05] Sadig is a boxer. He keeps telling his team that risk management shouldn't be very friendly. Conversations shouldn't be easy or enjoyable. Discussions should be disruptive. Sadig risk is the department asking, if zombies are coming and invading our vault, what will happen? [9:47] Risk leaders are the ones at the table to trigger those discussions and have the tough conversations. At that time, a leader's personality and personal brand are important. Managers should understand you are not doing it just to disrupt. [10:08] You are doing it for the company's sake, to make the decision-makers consider all the aspects, risks, threats, and opportunities. [10:43] SOCAR Türkiye faced significant external shocks in the last couple of years: security incidents, sanctions, and energy price volatility that pressure tested the ERM Program, but the company demonstrated resilience. [11:11] Each of these incidents had its own dynamics that made the ERM Program learn or find a way to adapt. [11:29] Turkey is a country with a very diverse range of uncertainties: political, economic, and geographical. The oil and gas sector is under pressure from international regulations, the climate, and more. There are so many issues going around. [11:51] Facing real-time instances can be disruptive and impactful on daily business. The most important thing is the ability to adapt. It's the top management's job to adapt. Risk management is about the future. If something happens, risk management is there to support. [12:23] Quick Break! RISKWORLD 2026 will be held from May 3rd through the 6th in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. RISKWORLD attracts more than 10,000 risk professionals from across the globe. It's time to Connect, Cultivate, and Collaborate wth them. Booth sales are open now! [12:45] Registration is open for RIMS members now, as well. General registration and speaker registration will open on December 3rd. [12:53] Links are in this episode's show notes, and this year, when you purchase one Full-Conference Pass by December 2nd, you can add a second Full-Conference Pass at 50% off, through December 31st. [13:07] When an eligible member selects a Full-Conference Pass while registering online, a Promo Code will be generated on the Review step of the registration form. [13:05] This code will also be included in the Confirmation Email. It may be shared with a second eligible member from the same company or same email domain, and receive that 50% discount. Bring a colleague for 50% off. This is available to organizational and individual RIMS members. [13:32] Links are in this episode's show notes. [13:35] Let's Return to My Interview with 2025 RIMS ERM Global Award of Distinction Winner Sadig Hajiyev! [13:46] Justin speaks of SOCAR Türkiye's impressive innovations, dynamic risk appetite metrics tied to EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization), an AI Geopolitical Scenario Engine, and a Resilience Scorecard linked to Capital Allocation. [14:10] Justin says he thinks all of this helped drive SOCAR Türkiye's nomination to the winning category. Justin asks which one brought the biggest measurable impact. [14:20] For the biggest financial result, Sadig says it was the assumption studies SOCAR Türkiye implemented to its financial projection. Sadig believes risk managers look at a range of values. [14:50] Sadig says, like quantum physics, it's not one or zero. It can be one or zero in different contexts and times. The assumption studies proved that, in context, for a set point of time, a long-term financial projection is useless. Sadig focuses on short-term targets and planning. [15:21] Sadig says short-term planning is annual to less than five years. Sadig believes the assumption studies had a measurable financial impact. [15:34] Justin notes that SOCAR Türkiye's Maturity jumped from a Level 3 Repeatable Program to a Level 5 Leading Practice in just a few years, supported by the RIMS Risk Maturity Model and internal surveys. [15:53] Justin asks what cultural or leadership behaviors Sadig believes were essential to achieving that Level 5 performance. Sadig says it is prioritization. They have a well-developed metric to model, mostly inspired by the RIMS Maturity Model, with tailored components added. [16:29] Sadig says SOCAR Türkiye conducts a biannual Maturity Survey with its target audience, the risk champions, decision-makers, and C-Suite. [16:41] The SOCAR Türkiye ERM Program defined its Maturity Model with the participation of an external auditor. They were missing the implementation of the GRC Platform, the digitalization of the whole system, strategy embedding, and risk-based budgeting. [17:04] The ERM Program prepared a roadmap to link up with the GRC Platform, implemented the roadmap, and defined the latest state as a fixed level. [17:27] Having achieved the top tier, the ERM Program is still chasing new things to do. Now, they are focusing first on incident management and second on captives. [17:46] For incidents, it's easy to collect information based on the declaration, but Sadig is dreaming about eliminating the human factor from incident recording to have a very objective and transparent information base. [18:03] The ERM Program has already worked on it to link the incident information to the risk assessment. This can automate the risk assessment based on the incident results or impacts. [18:18] The next step is finding how to monetize the maturity level of risk management. This idea brought SOCAR Türkiye to implement captives. [18:37] SOCAR Türkiye has a tremendous amount of budget allocated to insurance. They can rely on, to a certain threshold, the ability to manage risks in a controlled environment, in the effort to optimize their insurance program and budget. Captives are the future. [19:07] Justin comments that the RIMS 2025 Risk Manager of the Year is the Captive Manager for her organization, Hyatt. The trend is that a lot of people are going toward captives to self-insure. It can be a revenue generator. [19:27] Sadig adds that the move to captives is not just to put risk management in more of a position of strategy or as a budget supporter. It's because of the risk environment. There are new risks emerging and evolving. [19:46] Sadig believes these new risks will be uninsurable in the near future because of AI and new cyber risks. The insurance sector is not able to adapt quickly enough to create a pool to insure the risk all around the world. The responsibility will stay with companies and captives. [20:31] Sadig's final words on the value of ERM: Risk managers in the company are the only people who take the future in a systematic way. The future is always important, never urgent, but when it comes, it's already here. [20:49] The board and the C-Suite rely on risk managers to be able to have better insight before the future comes. [21:03] Justin says teşekkürler (thanks)! It's been a real pleasure to meet you, and congratulations again! [21:11] Special thanks again to Sadig Hajiyev for joining us here on RIMScast. This episode was produced live on-site at the RIMS ERM Conference in Seattle. Our coverage of the RIMS ERM Conference will continue in the next installment of RIMScast with two interviews in one episode! [21:28] Be sure to visit the RIMS LinkedIn page for all sorts of photos, videos, and coverage of this fantastic event! We had a great time, and we look forward to seeing you next year in Washington, D.C., for the RIMS ERM Conference 2026. [21:44] Plug Time! You can sponsor a RIMScast episode for this, our weekly show, or a dedicated episode. Links to sponsored episodes are in the show notes. [22:13] RIMScast has a global audience of risk and insurance professionals, legal professionals, students, business leaders, C-Suite executives, and more. Let's collaborate and help you reach them! Contact pd@rims.org for more information. [22:31] Become a RIMS member and get access to the tools, thought leadership, and network you need to succeed. Visit RIMS.org/membership or email membershipdept@RIMS.org for more information. [22:48] Risk Knowledge is the RIMS searchable content library that provides relevant information for today's risk professionals. Materials include RIMS executive reports, survey findings, contributed articles, industry research, benchmarking data, and more. [23:05] For the best reporting on the profession of risk management, read Risk Management Magazine at RMMagazine.com. It is written and published by the best minds in risk management. [23:19] Justin Smulison is the Business Content Manager at RIMS. Please remember to subscribe to RIMScast on your favorite podcasting app. You can email us at Content@RIMS.org. [23:31] Practice good risk management, stay safe, and thank you again for your continuous support!   Links: RIMS-CRO Certificate Program In Advanced Enterprise Risk Management | Jan‒March 2026 Cohort | Led by James Lam RISK PAC | RIMS Advocacy | RIMS Legislative Summit SAVE THE DATE — March 18‒19, 2026 RIMS-Certified Risk Management Professional (RIMS-CRMP) RISKWORLD 2026 Registration — Open for Members! Reserve your booth at RISKWORLD 2026! The Strategic and Enterprise Risk Center RIMS Diversity Equity Inclusion Council RIMS Risk Management magazine | Contribute RIMS ERM Special Edition 2025 RIMS Now SOCAR Türkiye Upcoming RIMS Webinars: RIMS.org/Webinars   Upcoming RIMS-CRMP Prep Virtual Workshops: RIMS-CRMP-FED Exam Prep with AFERM Virtual Workshop — December 3‒4 RIMS-CRMP Exam Prep with PARIMA — December 4‒5, 2025 Full RIMS-CRMP Prep Course Schedule "Leveraging Data and Analytics for Continuous Risk Management (Part I)" | Dec 4. See the full calendar of RIMS Virtual Workshops RIMS-CRMP Prep Workshops   Related RIMScast Episodes: "Risk Rotation with Lori Flaherty and Bill Coller of Paychex" "Energizing ERM with Kellee Ann Richards-St. Clair" "AI and the Future of Risk with Dan Chuparkoff" (RIMS ERM Conference Keynote) "Talking ERM: From Geopolitical Whiplash to Leadership Buy-In" with Chrystina Howard of Hub "Shawn Punancy of Delta Flies High With ERM" "Tom Brandt on Growing Your Career and Organization with ERM" "James Lam on ERM, Strategy, and the Modern CRO" "Risk Quantification Through Value-Based Frameworks"   Sponsored RIMScast Episodes: "Secondary Perils, Major Risks: The New Face of Weather-Related Challenges" | Sponsored by AXA XL (New!) "The ART of Risk: Rethinking Risk Through Insight, Design, and Innovation" | Sponsored by Alliant "Mastering ERM: Leveraging Internal and External Risk Factors" | Sponsored by Diligent "Cyberrisk: Preparing Beyond 2025" | Sponsored by Alliant "The New Reality of Risk Engineering: From Code Compliance to Resilience" | Sponsored by AXA XL "Change Management: AI's Role in Loss Control and Property Insurance" | Sponsored by Global Risk Consultants, a TÜV SÜD Company "Demystifying Multinational Fronting Insurance Programs" | Sponsored by Zurich "Understanding Third-Party Litigation Funding" | Sponsored by Zurich "What Risk Managers Can Learn From School Shootings" | Sponsored by Merrill Herzog "Simplifying the Challenges of OSHA Recordkeeping" | Sponsored by Medcor "How Insurance Builds Resilience Against An Active Assailant Attack" | Sponsored by Merrill Herzog "Third-Party and Cyber Risk Management Tips" | Sponsored by Alliant   RIMS Publications, Content, and Links: RIMS Membership — Whether you are a new member or need to transition, be a part of the global risk management community! RIMS Virtual Workshops On-Demand Webinars RIMS-Certified Risk Management Professional (RIMS-CRMP) RISK PAC | RIMS Advocacy RIMS Strategic & Enterprise Risk Center RIMS-CRMP Stories — Featuring RIMS President Kristen Peed!   RIMS Events, Education, and Services: RIMS Risk Maturity Model®   Sponsor RIMScast: Contact sales@rims.org or pd@rims.org for more information.   Want to Learn More? Keep up with the podcast on RIMS.org, and listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.   Have a question or suggestion? Email: Content@rims.org.   Join the Conversation! Follow @RIMSorg on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.   About our guest: Sadig Hajiyev, Risk & Compliance Group Director, SOCAR Türkiye   Production and engineering provided by Podfly.  

Free Offerings to Get You StartedConnect with Monica AkashaListen to Being IntuitiveResourcesMy book Radical Self-HonouringRepurpose Ai: Streamline your content creation and repurpose effortlessly with ⁠Repurpose Ai⁠.Later Content Scheduling: Simplify your social media strategy with ⁠Later⁠.Flodesk: Elevate your email marketing with Flodesk – get 50% off your first year using ⁠this link⁠.Other Resources:Submit a question to be featured on the podcast and receive live coaching! Send a voice note or fill out the⁠ question form⁠.Where To Find Us:Instagram:⁠ @sigma.wmn⁠TikTok:⁠ @sigma.wmn⁠Newsletter:⁠ Subscribe here⁠.Threads:⁠ @sigma.wmn⁠.If you second-guess every decision or get stuck in analysis paralysis, this episode offers a grounded path forward. Intuitive guide Monica Akasha joins me to unpack how to discern intuition from anxiety, how to build self-trust in daily decisions, and why embodiment makes your inner guidance clearer. We explore practical tools that help you read your own energy, regulate your nervous system and choose aligned action in business and life.You will hear what overthinkers can do to create clarity on demand, from silence practices and journalling to micro-grounding rituals that bring you back into your body. We also talk candidly about burnout, triggers and shadow work, and how honesty and self-resourcing shorten the path between clarity and action. Monica shares how branding supported her confidence and client attraction, plus first steps for women who feel intuitively blocked.If you are ready to lead with calm authority, this conversation will help you cultivate a reliable relationship with your intuition, simplify choices and move with integrity.Tune in to hear:How to tell the difference between intuition and anxiety in the moment.Simple daily practices that strengthen self-trust for clearer decisions.Why physical wellbeing and embodiment make intuition more accurate.Find the Complete Show Notes Here → ⁠https://sigmawmn.com/podcast⁠In This Episode, You'll Learn:How to self-resource so you can access intuition under pressure.How to use silence, journalling and grounding to cut through overthinking.How to build a consistent relationship with intuition that supports business decisions.How values-led branding can amplify trust and momentum.Themes & Time Stamps:[1:12] Living a self-aligned, self-honouring life[1:59] Why Radical Self-Honoring book makes a great gift[2:22] Guest introduction. Monica Akasha, intuitive guide[2:44] Monica's spiritual awakening and career shift[3:47] The importance of embodiment and honesty[4:41] Burnout, realignment and shadow work[5:24] The challenge and power of speaking the truth[5:52] Embracing triggers for growth[9:10] Healing by facing triggers[11:12] The role of self-resourcing[13:32] Signs you might need an intuitive reading[13:55] How Monica's readings empower clients[14:36] Building trust in your intuition[15:06] Advice for feeling intuitively blocked[15:48] Practical tips. Silence, journalling and grounding[16:16] The difference between intuition and anxiety[16:41] Cultivating a relationship with intuition[17:56] Monica's podcast. Being Intuitive[18:21] The importance of self-trust and self-sourcing[25:01] How branding helped Monica's business[35:55] First steps to work with Monica and upcoming offerings[38:37] Closing thanks and what's next

Flashcards are powerful, but what if your deck feels more like an overgrown thicket than a carefully cultivated garden? Do you clear away the weeds and bring it back under control, or burn it all down and start afresh?#learnchinese #vocabulary #flashcards #srs #characters #wordsLink to the article on Hacking Chinese: Cultivate your Chinese flashcard garden... or burn it down and start afresh: https://www.hackingchinese.com/cultivate-your-chinese-flashcard-garden-or-burn-it-down-and-start-afresh/Why flashcards are great for learning Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/why-flashcards-are-great-for-learning-chineseWhy flashcards are terrible for learning Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/why-flashcards-are-bad-for-learning-chineseWhich words you should learn and where to find them: https://www.hackingchinese.com/which-words-you-should-learn-in-and-where-to-find-themSpaced repetition software and why you should use it: https://www.hackingchinese.com/an-introduction-to-spaced-repetition-softwareWhy manually adding and editing flashcards is good for you: https://www.hackingchinese.com/why-manually-adding-and-editing-flashcards-is-good-for-youDo you have to learn to write Chinese characters by hand? https://www.hackingchinese.com/is-it-necessary-to-learn-to-write-chinese-characters-by-handFree and easy audio flashcards for Chinese dictation practice with Anki: https://www.hackingchinese.com/free-and-easy-audio-flashcards-for-chinese-dictation-practice-with-ankiLearning Chinese words: When quantity beats quality: https://www.hackingchinese.com/the-importance-of-knowing-many-wordsAnalyse and balance your Chinese learning with Paul Nation's four strands: https://www.hackingchinese.com/analyse-and-balance-your-chinese-learning-with-paul-nations-four-strandsMeasuring your language learning is a double-edged sword: https://www.hackingchinese.com/measurable-progress-is-a-double-edged-sword6 benefits of learning Chinese through sports: https://www.hackingchinese.com/practising-sports-to-learn-chineseSkritter review: Boosting your Chinese character learning: https://www.hackingchinese.com/skritter-chinese-review-boosting-your-character-learningMore information and inspiration about learning and teaching Chinese can be found at https://www.hackingchinese.comMusic: "Traxis 1 ~ F. Benjamin" by Traxis, 2020 - Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (3.0)

"We live in a world obsessed with beginnings—new jobs, new homes, new projects, new excitement. But in Ecclesiastes 7:8–14, Solomon reminds us that “the end of a matter is better than its beginning.” In this sermon, we explore the wisdom of living not for short-term gain or immediate excitement, but for the long-term good that comes from patient endurance and trust in God's providence.Those who are wise know that true success can only be seen at the end of a thing, not its beginning. Solomon shows us how this truth shapes our view of faithfulness, parenting, suffering, and even eternity itself. The wise patiently seek the long-term good, trusting that every crooked path God ordains is for our sanctification and ultimate joy in Christ.Join us as we consider how this passage teaches us to:• Value faithfulness that endures over excitement that fades.• Cultivate patience rather than pride or anger.• Pass on wisdom and faith to future generations.• Rejoice in both good days and days of adversity.• Fix our eyes on the final end—Christ's return and the glory to come.

(Nov 23, 2025)

Shabbat Teaching with Scholar-In-Residence, Yiscah Smith, in discussion with Rabbi Rebecca Schatz, at Temple Beth Am, Los Angeles, November 22, 2025. "Thought Leader - Spiritual Activist - Educator at the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem & Applied Jewish Spirituality Online - Addressing the Spiritual Practice of Encountering the Divine Presence Within and Beyond." Learn more at https://www.yiscahsmith.com/ (Youtube/Zoom) Special Guest: Yiscah Smith.

In this episode of SaaS Fuel, Thanos Diacakis shares battle-tested advice for scaling SaaS teams, streamlining delivery, and maximizing developer happiness. Drawing on his experiences at startups and tech giants like Uber, Thanos reveals counterintuitive strategies for improving software output, optimizing technical debt, rethinking backlogs, and harnessing new mental models. He breaks down the importance of incremental value, cross-functional collaboration, and avoiding the traps of over-planning. Whether you lead a small startup or an enterprise-scale engineering team, this conversation will challenge the way you think about speed, quality, backlog management, and long-term success.Key Takeaways00:00 "Checklists vs Software Complexity"03:19 Bug Fixing: Intuition vs Strategy08:24 Buckets: Features, Bugs, Investments, Risks09:47 Optimizing Feature vs. Platform Focus14:39 "Minimize Work in Progress"19:20 "Bug Backlogs: Input vs Output"20:39 Kanban Team Structure Guidelines26:38 "Rapid Progress in Coding Tools"28:21 "Minimal Planning, Bias for Action"31:48 "Delivering Incremental Customer Value"36:23 Collaborative Workflow Over Silos39:35 "Building Products That Inspire Use"42:53 "Accelerate: Building Effective Teams"44:11 Team Workflow Optimization Framework47:50 "Explore Mental Models Online"Tweetable QuotesWhy Slowing Down Software Releases Might Backfire: One of the things that would happen is if you slow down, how you ship to production is you'll have bigger batches and bigger batches, which means you might ship more bugs all at once and have to find them in a bigger QA cycle. — Thanos Diacakis "I also think we sometimes convince ourselves that we know more than we actually do and that we can plan a really long way out." — Thanos Diacakis Viral Product Development Mindset: "If you engage engineers and product in these creative discussions, you might find out, oh, I scoped out these 10 things, but turns out the customer gets 80% of the value from this one thing." — Thanos Diacakis Bureaucratic Bottlenecks in Big Companies: "They try to optimize locally for one particular function rather than optimize globally for shipping things out the door." — Thanos Diacakis Viral Topic: "Why Every Team Should Read Accelerate": So I think if I give anyone advices, if you haven't read Accelerate, then go read that book. Because it's basically lays out in terms of, and this is in terms of like core technical and procedural sort of infrastructural things that teams ought to have to be productive. — Thanos Diacakis SaaS Leadership LessonsBias Towards Action Over PerfectionAvoid waiting for perfect plans, especially with innovative projects; instead, learn by doing and iterating.Increase System VisibilityMake work in progress and team capabilities visible; this surfaces bottlenecks and areas for investment.Balance Short-Term and Long-Term GoalsStrategic investment in tooling, tech debt, and risk mitigation ensures sustainable delivery and value realization.Prioritize Collaboration Across FunctionsBreaking down silos between product, engineering, and design dramatically accelerates delivery and reduces defects.Ship Small, Ship OftenFrequent, incremental releases drive faster customer learning, boost agility, and reduce risk.Cultivate a Shared Language for OutcomesUse terms like investments and risk (not just features and bugs) to align business and technical priorities and drive meaningful...

Dr. Alexandra Stockwell shares powerful marriage advice on building deeper intimacy, connection, and joy—one intentional step at a time.   Download the Intimate Connection app by Dr. Alexandra Stockwell and start building a more fulfilling, intimate marriage today.

Today, on Notable Leaders' Radio, I speak with Jourdan Hathaway, Chief Business Officer of the General Assembly. She emphasizes how resilience, courage, and the willingness to ask for help have been key in her transition from a childhood of poverty to a successful executive leader.  In today's episode, we discuss: Reflect on the childhood influences that shaped you and your future aspirations. Jourdan shares how her experience growing up in extreme poverty shaped her early dream of working in advertising, inspired by the TV show "Bewitched." That dream became a guiding star through hardship. Create your own learning path to fill critical gaps. When promoted to a leadership role outside her area of expertise, Jourdan built Project FLAT: Financial Literacy Advancement Training to master finance through journaling, mentorship, and resilience quickly. Cultivate resilience as a core leadership skill. Jourdan's story illustrates how bouncing back from setbacks and persisting despite obstacles is essential for long-term success and impact. Define leadership through vulnerability and empathy. Jourdan explains how her acronym DRIVEN (determined, resilient, impactful, vulnerable, empathetic, nimble) reflects her belief that true leadership includes asking for help and lifting others up. RESOURCES: Guest Bio Jourdan Hathaway is Chief Business Officer at General Assembly, a global leader in talent development and upskilling. She oversees marketing, sales enablement, client delivery, admissions, student experience, career services, alumni relations, and partnerships. Jourdan's journey spans agency marketing to edtech, blending operational excellence with a passion for building inclusive, future-ready organizations. She is recognized for strategic leadership, business growth, and talent transformation, and serves as a mentor and member of the Exceptional Women Alliance.   Website/Social Links www.GA.co https://www.linkedin.com/in/jourdan-hathaway Belinda's Bio: Belinda is a sought-after Leadership Advisor, Coach, Consultant, and Keynote speaker and a leading authority in guiding global executives, professionals, and small business owners to become today's highly respected leaders. As the Founder of BelindaPruyne.com, Belinda works with organizations such as IBM, Booz Allen Hamilton, BBDO, The BAM Connection, Hilton, Leidos, Yale School of Medicine, Landis, Portland Trail Blazers, and the Discovery Channel. Most recently, she redesigned two global internal advertising agencies for Cella, a leader in creative staffing and consulting. She is a founding C-suite and executive management coach for Chief, the fastest-growing executive women's network. Since 2020, Belinda has conducted over 120 interviews with top-level executives and business leaders, who share their personal journeys to success, revealing the truth about what it took to achieve their success on her Notable Leaders Radio podcast. She gained a wealth of expertise in the client services industry as Executive Vice President and Global Director of Creative Management at Grey Advertising, managing over 500 people worldwide. With over 20+ years of leadership development experience, she brings industry-wide recognition to the executives and companies she works with. Whether a startup, turnaround, acquisition, or global corporation, executives and companies continue to turn to Pruyne for strategic and impactful solutions in a rapidly shifting economy and marketplace. Website: Belindapruyne.com Email Address: hello@belindapruyne.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/belindapruyne  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NotableLeadersNetwork.BelindaPruyne/  Twitter: https://twitter.com/belindapruyne?lang=en  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/belindapruyne/  Surround yourself with experienced mentors. From public speaking training to business skills, Jourdan emphasizes that growing into leadership is a journey supported by those who have already walked the path.  

As the holidays approach, it feels like the perfect moment to reflect on feasting. Many of our families will soon gather around tables filled with long-cherished traditions—rituals that bind us together in joy and gratitude.In Classical Christian education, tradition isn't just appreciated; it's essential. Feasting is woven into the fabric of our school culture, shaping why families love Veritas and why students feel so deeply connected here.In this lively conversation, Veritas teachers Rhonda Forbes and Caleb Ploutz, Director of Events Rona' Martin, and our Head of School Ty Fischer explore the heart behind our many feasts: what they look like, why we host them, and how beauty, celebration, and intentional effort mark a child's education in profound ways. They unpack how these joyful, carefully crafted events help form students' souls in virtue, truth, beauty, and goodness. Enjoy!This season of Cultivate is sponsored by Hershey Financial Advisers, a wealth management firm located on North Pointe Boulevard in Lancaster, leading people to  make better financial decisions and empowering them to fulfill a vision beyond themselves.

We're bringing back one of your favorite Orgasmica episodes — a powerful and intimate solo session with Virginia Novello, recorded during a live class with the We All Grow Latina community.In this re-aired episode, Virginia invites listeners into a raw, heart-opening exploration of body pleasure and embodied connection. With her signature warmth and candor, she answers real questions from participants, offering grounded insight on how to:✨ Deepen your connection with your body✨ Embrace pleasure without guilt or shame✨ Cultivate self-awareness through sensation✨ Reclaim your body as a source of wisdom, joy, and empowermentVirginia creates a safe and inclusive space where listeners can feel seen, held, and inspired to reconnect with their own pleasure. Blending education with personal storytelling, this episode is a loving reminder that your body is sacred — and that pleasure is your birthright.

The defense ecosystem works best when it works together. Mission Cultivate is helping make that happen.Tyler Sweatt sits down with Robert Fehlen, Managing Principal at Dark Corner Solutions and Mission Cultivate, to talk about what comes after the startup buzz: how lessons from Mobilize Vision led to a platform built to connect the fragmented defense ecosystem.They unpack what's broken in today's industrial base, what it really takes to bridge the Valley of Death, and how Mission Cultivate is helping the builders, operators, and advisors who keep showing up because they know what's at stake.Request to join Mission Cultivate: https://www.missioncultivate.com/Connect with RobertLinkedIn: Robert FehlenConnect with Tyler:LinkedIn: Tyler Sweatt

Welcome to RIMScast. Your host is Justin Smulison, Business Content Manager at RIMS, the Risk and Insurance Management Society.   In this episode, Justin interviews Julia Anna Potts, President and CEO of the Meat Institute, about her career, background, lifelong interest in agriculture and food, and how she joined the Meat Institute following a career in environmental law. The discussion covers the role of the Meat Institute in the food supply chain and how it serves member companies and the food industry in general, through its food safety best practices and a free online course, "The Foundations of Listeria Control." Julia reveals the Protein PACT initiative and explains how food safety relates to risk management with their shared values. She tells how meat processors are good community members. Listen for advice on the culture of safety and how it starts at the very top of the organization.   Key Takeaways: [:01] About RIMS and RIMScast. [:17] About this episode of RIMScast. We will be joined by Julia Anna Potts, the CEO of the Meat Institute. We'll discuss food safety and education, and risk frameworks that the Institute uses to ensure that our food and supply chains are clean. But first… [:47] The next RIMS-CRMP-FED Exam Prep with AFERM will be held on December 3rd and 4th. The next RIMS-CRMP Exam Prep with PARIMA will be held on December 4th and 5th. These are virtual courses. [1:03] Links to these courses can be found through the Certifications page of RIMS.org and through this episode's show notes. [1:11] RIMS Virtual Workshops! On November 19th and 20th, Ken Baker will lead the two-day course, "Applying and Integrating ERM." [1:24] "Managing Data for ERM" will be led again by Pat Saporito. That session will start on December 11th. Registration closes on December 10th. RIMS members always enjoy deep discounts on the virtual workshops. [1:40] The full schedule of virtual workshops can be found on the RIMS.org/education and RIMS.org/education/online-learning pages. A link is also in this episode's notes. [1:52] This episode is released on November 18th, 2025, Day Two of the RIMS ERM Conference in Seattle, Washington. We've covered a lot of ERM ground in the last few episodes. For more ERM, click the link to the RIMS ERM Special Edition of Risk Management magazine in the notes. [2:18] RIMScast ERM coverage is linked as well. Enhance your ERM knowledge with RIMS! [2:24] On with the show! Our guest is Julie Anna Potts. She is the President and CEO of the Meat Institute. She leads the Institute in implementing programs and activities for the association. [2:38] She is an agricultural veteran, previously serving the American Farm Bureau Federation as its Executive Vice President. [2:47] With Thanksgiving coming up next week in the U.S., I thought this would be a great time on RIMScast to talk about food safety, food production, and what another not-for-profit is doing to ensure the safety of our products and the speed and efficiency of our supply chain. [3:07] We're going to have a lot of fun and talk turkey, so let's get to it! [3:12] Interview! Julie Anna Potts, welcome to RIMScast! [3:27] Julie Anna Potts and RIMS CEO, Gary LaBranche, are both part of the Committee of 100 with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington, D.C. They get together with other association heads across industries. Julie Anna says it is very valuable. [3:44] Julie Anna and Gary were talking in the summer about food safety and about what the Meat Institute does, and Gary invited her to be on RIMScast. [3:57] Justin notes that it is the week before Thanksgiving in the U.S. Juliana says they are doing so much in Washington now, and food safety is always top-of-mind around the holidays. There are lots of turkeys and turkey products being sold in the United States. [4:45] Julie Anna says turkey is cultural for Thanksgiving, and poultry, and how you cook it and handle it in the kitchen is incredibly important for food safety. [5:01] Justin asks, Is fish meat? Julianna says fish is protein, but we don't classify it as meat or poultry. Justin wants to keep the argument going with his family at Thanksgiving. [5:31] Julie Anna says they have lots of arguments around the Meat Institute, like whether ketchup belongs on hot dogs. Julie Anna says the answer to that is no. [5:41] Julie Anna has been at the Meat Institute for a little over seven years. She came in as President and CEO. She has been in Washington for most of her career, since undergrad. She graduated from law school in D.C. and worked at a firm. [5:59] Julie Anna has been in agriculture, representing farmers for years. She went to the Senate as Chief Counsel of the Senate Agriculture Committee. She has been at the Meat Institute for the last seven years. [6:19] Food and agriculture have been central to Julie Anna's career and also to her family life. Her husband grew up on a farm. Julie Anna is two generations off the farm. [6:32] They love to cook, dine out, and eat with their children; all the things you do around the holidays, and gather around the Thanksgiving table. They have passed to one of their three children their love of food traditions. She's their little foodie. [6:52] Julie Anna has a career and a personal life that is centered around food. [7:11] The Meat Institute members are the companies that slaughter animals and do further processing of meat. They are in the supply chain between livestock producers and retail and food service customers. [7:35] To be a general member of the Meat Institute, you have to have a Grant of Inspection from the Food Safety Inspection Service of the USDA. The Federal Grant of Inspection is a requirement to be able to operate and to sell into the market. [7:56] When we look at the capacity we have at the USDA, in the last several months, we're not seeing a decline in capacity, but more emphasis on our Food Safety Inspection Service. [8:18] Through DOGE, voluntary retirements, through additional resources coming in with the One Big Beautiful Bill, and through recruiting, the Meat Institute is seeing its member companies have staffing, even through this government shutdown. They're considered essential, as always.  [8:54] The Meat Institute was established in 1906 for the purpose of addressing food safety and industry issues. Those are Jobs One, Two, and Three, every day. The Meat Institute has all kinds of education it offers to its members. [9:15] The members of the Meat Institute have strong food safety programs. They have HASSA Plans and third-party audits. The Meat Institute helps any member company of any size, from 25 employees to global companies, with education on, for example, Listeria training.   [9:53] The Meat Institute has just launched an online platform that has had great uptake. If you have associates in your business who have never had food safety training, for all levels of folks, there is online, free, and freely available training on how to deal with Listeria. [10:19] All the Meat Institute member companies have significant Food Safety staffing and Food Safety Quality Assurance Programs. Julie Anna praises the people throughout the industry who work in Food Safety for their companies. It's a life-or-death matter. [10:45] Food Safety staff are always seeking to become better, so the Meat Institute has a Food Safety Conference and Advanced Listeria Training (an in-person module). They interface with the regulators, who are partners with the Meat Institute in this.  [11:14] The Meat Institute is always striving for better Best Management Practices across everyone's programs, which are never just the minimum. A philosophy of doing just what is compliant does not get you into the best space. [11:36] The Meat Institute is here to encourage Best in Class, always. Food Safety is non-competitive in the Meat Institute. Everyone across the different-sized companies, from 25 employees to 100,000, can feel comfortable sharing what's working for them. [12:06] That is important when it comes to conferences and other things they do. Let's be candid with each other, because nobody can get better if you're not. [12:17] The Meat Institute has seen cultural issues where CEOs don't think about Food Safety and Quality Assurance because they have great people taking care of it. That's true a lot of the time, until it isn't. [12:42] The tone that needs to be set at the very top of the organization is that this is hugely important for risk management. Hugely important for your brand and your ability to operate. [12:56] The Meat Institute board asked, if we are pushing culture down through the organization, what kinds of questions do I need to ask, not just my Food Safety Team, but everyone, and demonstrating my knowledge, understanding, and commitment to governance of this big risk? [13:31] The Meat Institute created a template of a set of questionnaires for executives. It is a C-Suite document and documentation. [13:47] It's a voluntary questionnaire for a CEO, regardless of company size, indicating that you understand how important this is in ensuring that everything that you push down through your organization, culturally, is focused on Food Safety. [14:05] The link to the Listeria Safety Platform is in this episode's show notes. [14:11] Justin says the structure of the Meat Institute is very similar to the structure of RIMS, with open communications and knowledge-sharing, or else the industry does not grow or improve. [14:27] Justin says it sounds like the industry executives are stepping up their game amid the tumult coming out of Washington. Julie Anna agrees. [14:47] Julie Anna says the Meat Institute has been driving that progress. It is incredibly important. Julie Anna thinks that in a lot of industries, there is a pull and tug between the companies and regulators. [15:07] In the case of meat and poultry inspection and what the Meat Institute does with FSIS, it is a collaboration. The inspectors verify for consumers what the companies are doing to keep food safe. [15:28] It is up to the company to decide how it is going to do this effectively and successfully and get better at it. [15:41] Numerous third parties do audits and help customers across the supply chain, but the responsibility rests with the companies. [15:59] The Meat Institute staff has highly technical people who come out of academia, out of the plant, having done FSQA, Legal, and safety regulations. There are folks who have been in inspection in the government at FSIS. [16:29] The Meat Institute has several staff whose job it is to stay on top of the latest improvements and ensure that everybody knows what those are, and in dialogue with our FSIS inspection leadership here in Washington, D.C. [16:46] The Meat Institute looks to FSIS to make sure that consumer confidence is there. It does nothing for our industry if consumers think that FSIS isn't being an effective regulator. [17:11] The Meat Institute companies have to be the ones that do more than the bare minimum to ensure they're doing the best they can. The Meat Institute's philosophy is always to push further and further. [17:25] There is an expense associated with that. The Meat Institute does its best to help manage that risk for its companies by giving them everything they need to be the best that they can be. [17:40] The Meat Institute has 36 employees. They are very transparent in the Food Safety world. They want non-members to take advantage of all their resources in Food Safety. A lot of the things they offer on education and regulations can be accessed without being a member. [18:14] The Meat Institute has recently joined an alliance to stop food-borne illness and is looking to get more engaged in that organization. That's across several segments, not just meat and poultry. [18:35] The Meat Institute has committed and re-committed over the years to the efforts it makes with its companies. The Meat Institute looks for its companies to be leaders in the Food Safety space. [18:53] Quick Break! The RIMS CRO Certificate Program in Advanced Enterprise Risk Management is our live virtual program led by the famous James Lam. Great news! A third cohort has been announced, from January through March 2026! [19:14] Registration closes January 5th. Enroll now. A link is in this episode's show notes. [19:22] Save the dates March 18th and 19th, 2026, for The RIMS Legislative Summit, which will be held in Washington, D.C. [19:31] Join us in Washington, D.C., for two days of Congressional Meetings, networking, and advocating on behalf of the risk management community. Visit RIMS.org/Advocacy for more information and updates and to register. [19:45] We've got more plugs later. Let's return to our interview with Meat Institute CEO Julie Anna Potts! [19:56] Julie Anna says a lot of our companies are also regulated by the FDA because they do further processing. For example, pizzas with pepperoni, or any number of mixed products that have both FDA and USDA regulatory personnel on site. [20:20] FSIS is, by far, more present and more in tune with what member companies are doing than the inspectors at the FDA. [20:30] Justin asks if restaurants can be members of the Meat Institute. There is a segment of membership called Allied Members, which includes restaurants and grocery stores. If they are not processors, but they are procuring meat and poultry for sale, they are in the meat industry. [21:09] The Meat Institute has had a great deal of interaction on many issues with its retail and food service customers. [21:25] Shortly after she joined the Meat Institute, Julie Anna was handed a mandate from the board to be proactive and lean in on the things consumers are interested in with an initiative to continue to maintain or rebuild trust. [21:48] These are things like food safety, animal welfare, environmental impact, and worker safety. They call this initiative Protein PACT (People, Animals, and the Climate of Tomorrow). Food Safety is front and center in Protein PACT. [22:13] The Meat Institute has a way of focusing its efforts through this lens of improvement in five areas that work together to reassure consumers. When they know that you're working on all these issues and trying to improve, it increases trust in all the above issues. [22:54] Retail and Food Service customers in the industry want to know more and more. They want to know upstream, what are you doing to get better? [23:05] They want to know how they can take the data that you are collecting anonymously and in the aggregate to communicate at the point-of-sale area to ensure that their customers, collectively, are getting what they need? [23:23] Julie Anna saw this recently at H-E-B, a popular grocer in Texas. Julie Anna walked through one of their huge, beautiful, newly renovated stores. The engagement the ultimate customer has is in the store, asking questions of the butcher. [24:07] It's wonderful to be able to say, If you have food safety concerns, we have a relationship that we can give you the knowledge you need to answer those concerns, and it's coming very consistently across the industry. [24:40] Justin asks, When the Meat Institute members lean in, are they leaning in at 85% or 93%? You'll only get ground beef jokes here, on RIMScast! Julie Anna says, it's all good. Justin says those kinds of jokes are called The Manager's Special. [25:17] One Final Break! RISKWORLD 2026 will be held from May 3rd through the 6th in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. RISKWORLD attracts more than 10,000 risk professionals from across the globe. Guess what! Booth sales are open now! [25:37] This is the chance to showcase your solutions, meet decision-makers face-to-face, and expand your global network. Connect, Cultivate, and Collaborate with us at the largest risk management event of the year. The link to booth sales is in this episode's show notes. [25:53] Let's Return to the Conclusion of My Interview with Meat Institute CEO Julie Anna Potts! [26:16] Julie Anna was an environmental lawyer in private practice. Her work involved the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, and Superfund. One of her clients was the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF). [26:42] When Julie Anna left the firm, she moved in as General Counsel to the AFBF, the largest general farm organization in the U.S. Besides environmental law, she worked there in lots of other types of law as General Counsel. [27:06] At the Meat Institute, Julie Anna collaborates with the AFBF. The ag sector in Washington, D.C., is very collaborative. The Meat Institute works closely with the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, the National Pork Producers Council, and the commodity groups. [27:35] Everybody is connected. If you are working on an animal issue, you're going into crop groups and animal health companies. The Meat Institute works with everyone. Their philosophy is, We all get better when we share knowledge. [28:03] That's the basis of the conversation Julie Anna and Gary LaBranche had in the summer about this podcast. The Meat Institute has resources it would love to share on the risk management of food safety issues. [28:20] The Meat Institute also knows consultants and other help outside of the meat industry that they can point people to, as needed. The Meat Institute would love to be a resource to the listeners of RIMScast. You can check out the contact information in the show notes. [29:02] Julie Anna is familiar with risk professionals. She serves on the board of Nationwide Insurance. Nationwide Agribusiness has Food Safety expertise. When Julie Anna practiced law, she worked with clients on helping them manage risk and assess potential outcomes. [30:09] Julie Anna says risk management is one of her favorite topics. How do you plan to recover from a flood after a hurricane? How do you plan for farm animal disease? There are now three animal disease outbreaks that are constantly on their minds at the Meat Institute. [30:31] The Meat Institute helps run tabletop exercises with its companies, sometimes involving government officials, as well. It's New World Screwworm to the South. It's High Path Avian Influenza, which has crossed over from poultry to dairy and beef cattle.  [30:48] Julie Anna continues, We have African Swine Fever, which has not gotten to the United States, thank goodness! All of these require a certain level of preparedness. So we work on it as a policy matter, but we also need to operationalize what happens when this happens. [31:16] The pandemic is a good recent example of what happens when things fall apart. Member companies have a very limited ability to hold live animals if they're not going to slaughter. They don't have anywhere to go. [31:44] The pandemic was an example of what happens when something reduces capacity and the animals start backing up. It's incredibly important that things work. The pandemic was unimaginable to a lot of people. It tested our risk management models. [32:10] Once we were there, dealing with it, we had incredible adaptability to the circumstances we were facing. That only happens if you face certain problems every day to keep that plant running. For member companies, if the plants don't run, the animals don't have a place to go. [32:37] Farmers get a lower price for their animals, consumers have the perception that there's not going to be enough food, and there's a run on the grocery stores. During the pandemic, it righted itself really quickly, once we got some PPE, etc. in place, and some guidance. [32:59] The member companies relied heavily on the CDC to tell them how to get people in so the plants could run. It was difficult for everyone. Julie Anna thinks that we learned a lot from that experience on how to help your company troubleshoot in the moment to keep going. [33:37] Julie Anna addresses how PFAS issues are being handled. It's an EPA issue and a state's issue for regulations on packaging and recycling. The state issues are predominant. Environmental issues are being addressed at the state level. We could end with 50 regimes. [35:04] That's where there's more risk for the Meat Institute and its members, especially companies that sell nationwide. There is very little state regulatory work that the Meat Institute does directly. [35:26] The Meat Institute is examining how to utilize other resources to figure out, with a small staff, how to monitor and stay ahead of these things for our members. That's very much on their minds. The EPA's work has been swinging back and forth between administrations. [36:02] It's hard to convince a business of a good recommendation if the rules are going to change with the next administration. It's a problem of where to invest in things like measuring emissions and what to do to satisfy customers when the rhetoric changes dramatically. [37:04] Justin says we've had a different administration every four years for the last 16 years. He says if he were a business owner, he would do everything he could to make sure the water coming in and going out is clean to avoid verdicts. Nuclear verdicts are through the roof. [37:27] Julie Anna speaks of social inflation by juries wishing to send a message to big corporate entities. She says member companies are dealing with these issues all the time. What's the right amount of rulemaking for effluent limitation guidelines? [38:20] The Meat Institute had opposed what the Biden administration had proposed, given that the number of companies it estimated would not be able to stay in business was close to 80. The Trump administration has backed off and is leaving in place what was there before. [38:52] That's all part of the Federal policy debate in D.C. It does not diminish the commitment its members have to be good community members. They work in their communities. Julie Anna was just down in East Tennessee at a wonderful family company, Swaggerty Sausage. [39:16] They do water treatment. They are beloved in the community because of how they take care of people. They bring in pigs from North Carolina and turn them into sausage. Julie Anna met the fifth generation. He is eight months old. [39:40] Julie Anna had a great visit with people, understanding how their commitment to the environment and animal welfare, and the things they can show their community members that they are doing, works for them. Julie Anna saw how the sausage is made, Justin adds. [40:28] Justin says, You've been such a delight to speak with, and we've learned so much. Is this the busiest time of year for your members, with Thanksgiving coming up, the religious holidays coming up, and then New Year's? Are they keeping Safety at the top of their risk radar now? [40:59] Julie Anna says Our members, and we, keep Safety at the top of the risk radar every single day. It does not get harder during high-volume days. [41:15] There's a spike around Memorial Day, Fourth of July, and Labor Day. There's a lot more turkey happening around Thanksgiving and possibly Christmas, but certainly, hot dogs, hamburgers, sausages, brisket, and all kinds of things. It's cyclical. [41:49] Julie Anna wishes Justin could come into a plant with her, walk through, and see the number of times there are interventions for food safety. X-rays for foreign material. Sprays for certain types of pathogens, and the ways in which the hide is treated. [42:14] It is such a huge part, and they are so proud of what they do. They are happy to show anybody how we continue to hold that up as the most important thing. Worker Safety is also hugely important. We're talking about our humans and what we do to protect them. [42:42] Safety is really important, and it does not receive any less attention at busy times. [42:50] Justin says that's a great sentiment to close on. It has been such a delight to speak with you, and I'm so glad we had the chance to do this. It's going to be especially impactful now, just ahead of Thanksgiving and the religious holidays, and the New Year. [43:16] Special thanks to Julie Anna Potts of the Meat Institute for joining us here on RIMScast just ahead of Thanksgiving 2025. Links to the Meat Institute resources are in this episode's show notes, as is RIMS coverage of Food Safety and related topics. [43:34] Plug Time! You can sponsor a RIMScast episode for this, our weekly show, or a dedicated episode. Links to sponsored episodes are in the show notes. [44:02] RIMScast has a global audience of risk and insurance professionals, legal professionals, students, business leaders, C-Suite executives, and more. Let's collaborate and help you reach them! Contact pd@rims.org for more information. [44:20] Become a RIMS member and get access to the tools, thought leadership, and network you need to succeed. Visit RIMS.org/membership or email membershipdept@RIMS.org for more information. [44:38] Risk Knowledge is the RIMS searchable content library that provides relevant information for today's risk professionals. Materials include RIMS executive reports, survey findings, contributed articles, industry research, benchmarking data, and more. [44:54] For the best reporting on the profession of risk management, read Risk Management Magazine at RMMagazine.com. It is written and published by the best minds in risk management. [45:09] Justin Smulison is the Business Content Manager at RIMS. Please remember to subscribe to RIMScast on your favorite podcasting app. You can email us at Content@RIMS.org. [45:21] Practice good risk management, stay safe, and thank you again for your continuous support!   Links: RIMS-CRO Certificate Program In Advanced Enterprise Risk Management | Jan‒March 2026 Cohort | Led by James Lam RISK PAC | RIMS Advocacy | RIMS Legislative Summit SAVE THE DATE — March 18‒19, 2026 RIMS-Certified Risk Management Professional (RIMS-CRMP) Reserve your booth at RISKWORLD 2026! The Strategic and Enterprise Risk Center RIMS Diversity Equity Inclusion Council RIMS Risk Management magazine | Contribute RIMS Risk Management Magazine: "USDA Budget Cuts Present Food Safety Risks" (May 2025) Meat Institute Meat Institute — Foundations of Listeria Control RIMS Risk Management magazine ERM Special Edition 2025 RIMS Now Upcoming RIMS Webinars: RIMS.org/Webinars   Upcoming RIMS-CRMP Prep Virtual Workshops: RIMS-CRMP-FED Exam Prep with AFERM Virtual Workshop — December 3‒4 RIMS-CRMP Exam Prep with PARIMA — December 4‒5, 2025 Full RIMS-CRMP Prep Course Schedule "Applying and Integrating ERM" | Nov 19‒20, 2025 | April 4, 2026 "Leveraging Data and Analytics for Continuous Risk Management (Part I)" | Dec 4. See the full calendar of RIMS Virtual Workshops RIMS-CRMP Prep Workshops   Related RIMScast Episodes: "Recipes for Success with Wendy's CRO Bob Bowman" "Franchise Risks with Karen Agostinho of Five Guys Enterprises" "Risk Insight with AAIN Leadership and Panda Express"   Sponsored RIMScast Episodes: Secondary Perils, Major Risks: The New Face of Weather-Related Challenges | Sponsored by AXA XL (New!) 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RIMS Virtual Workshops On-Demand Webinars RIMS-Certified Risk Management Professional (RIMS-CRMP) RISK PAC | RIMS Advocacy RIMS Strategic & Enterprise Risk Center RIMS-CRMP Stories — Featuring RIMS President Kristen Peed!   RIMS Events, Education, and Services: RIMS Risk Maturity Model®   Sponsor RIMScast: Contact sales@rims.org or pd@rims.org for more information.   Want to Learn More? Keep up with the podcast on RIMS.org, and listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.   Have a question or suggestion? Email: Content@rims.org.   Join the Conversation! Follow @RIMSorg on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.   About our guest: Julie Anna Potts, CEO, The Meat Institute   Production and engineering provided by Podfly.  

Send Us Your Prayer Requests --------This Christmas, you can shine the light of Christ into places of darkness and pain with a purchase from the Joni and Friends Christmas catalog. You are sending hope and practical care to people with disabilities, all in the name of Jesus! Thank you for listening! Your support of Joni and Friends helps make this show possible. Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Become part of the global movement today at www.joniandfriends.org. Find more encouragement on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube.

Join us this for our Foundations Of Recovery & Healing program for individuals and couple's navigating broken trust in their relationship. It starts Thursday, January 15th 6-8pm MDT, once a week for 6 consecutive weeks. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Register Here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ This is The Courageous Call-in Show for redemptive healing after betrayal and sex addiction. Learn how to restore broken trust alongside 2 bold and experienced therapists. Brannon Patrick LSCW and Tyler Patrick LMFT have been in the trenches of addiction and betrayal trauma therapy for over 15 years, but before they were therapists, they were die-hard brothers and friends. In this podcast, they have deep discussions to answer the most difficult and uncomfortable questions–head on. This podcast is all about restoring trust in relationships after betrayal and addiction, healing trauma and shame, and experiencing wholeness like never before. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join us on the podcast with your question⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and let's have an honest conversation for a change. Follow Us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Our Free Community⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

This week, Lead Pastor Josh Scott wrapped up our Cultivate series by exploring what it means to experience and express gratitude—not as a forced feeling, but as a gentle, daily practice that helps us notice the gifts around us, even in ordinary moments. ⛪️ To learn more about who we are and what we do, visit https://gracepointe.net/about-us

A homily delivered by Fr. Michael Maximous at St. Basil American Coptic Orthodox Church on November 16, 2025

(Nov 16, 2025)

Romans 7 presents us with one of the most raw and vulnerable passages in all of Scripture, where we encounter the apostle Paul wrestling with a tension that every believer knows intimately: the struggle between who we are in Christ and the sin that still clings to our flesh. This passage doesn't offer us a polished, perfect Christianity—instead, it invites us into the messy reality of spiritual transformation. We discover that being saved doesn't make us perfect; it makes us forgiven. The profound truth here is that we are no longer 'in the flesh' but we are still 'of the flesh'—we've been freed from sin's dominion, yet we still battle its presence. Paul's honest confession 'I do not understand my own actions' resonates deeply because it mirrors our own experience. We find ourselves doing the very things we hate and failing to do the good we desire. This isn't a sign that our salvation is invalid; rather, it's evidence of the spiritual war raging within every Christ-follower. The beauty emerges when Paul asks not 'what will deliver me?' but 'who will deliver me?'—pointing us away from self-help solutions toward the only One who can truly save us. The answer comes thundering through: 'Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord,' followed immediately by the liberating declaration of Romans 8:1—'There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.' We're reminded that our Father stands with arms wide open, not waiting to condemn us for our failures, but inviting us to run to Him with every struggle, every sin, every moment of weakness.### Detailed Sermon Notes**Introduction:**- Pastor Will introduces himself and shares his recent mission trip to Malawi and South Africa. He emphasizes the gratitude for the church's support, which enables partnerships and gospel sharing in extremely impoverished regions.**Scripture Focus (Romans 7:13-25):**- **Struggle with Sin:** - Paul's honesty about his battle with sin highlights a universal Christian experience. - Believers are of the flesh yet in Christ, creating a tension of living according to the Spirit while wrestling with sinful nature. - Paul's question, "Why do I do what I don't want to do?" resonates with many believers.**Life as a Journey:**- **Analogy of the River:** - Life's path before Christ is like flowing downstream. Conversion is the turning point, representing the choice to paddle upstream against worldly currents.**Personal Story:**- Will shares a story of his son breaking a TV and promptly confessing, illustrating how God desires us to come to Him after we fail, instead of trying to fix things on our own.**Main Points:**- **Human Nature vs. Divine Calling:** - Despite being saved, Christians have an ongoing struggle with sin due to their fleshly nature. - Quoting John MacArthur, Will explains that believers are not "in" the flesh but "of" it, highlighting the continuous internal conflict.**Closing Message:**- Only Jesus, not human efforts, can deliver from sin's power.- Encourages transparency within the church, fostering a community where individuals can confess struggles without judgment.### Practical Applications1. **Embrace Transparency:**  - Cultivate authentic relationships within the church by admitting and discussing personal struggles.2. **Run to God:**  - Develop a habit of confessing sins to God promptly and seeking His strength to overcome, rather than relying on self-improvement techniques.3. **Rely on Grace:**  - Focus on understanding and relying on God's grace through Christ, rather than attempting to achieve righteousness through personal effort.4. **Scripture Engagement:**  - Regularly read and meditate on Scripture to reinforce the truth of God's grace and the ongoing internal battle with sin.### Discussion Questions1. **Personal Reflection:**  - Describe a time when you felt like Paul, struggling between your desires and your actions. How did you handle it?2. **The Role of Grace:**  - How can embracing God's grace daily help you in your struggle against sin?3. **Community Support:**  - In what ways can you contribute to making the church a more open and accepting environment for vulnerability and authenticity?4. **Prayerful Dependence:**  - What steps can you take to run to God and seek His help whenever you face temptation or failure? 

In this episode of the Maxwell Leadership Podcast, John C. Maxwell shares timeless principles for turning your personal development into a lifelong journey of growth. You'll learn how to use your past as a teacher—not a trap—and apply positive thinking techniques and goal-setting habits to create a brighter tomorrow. After John's lesson, Mark Cole and Chris Robinson unpack how to apply these lessons to your leadership, helping you strengthen your success mindset, overcome setbacks, and keep moving toward your dreams. You'll learn how to:  Turn lessons from failure into lasting success Build momentum through daily self-improvement habits  Use reflection to set meaningful goals  Cultivate a growth-oriented, positive mindset  Keep your leadership development journey alive 

Is mastering marriage like mastering a martial art? In this episode of The Intimate Marriage Podcast, Dr. Alexandra Stockwell speaks with Quentin Hafner, marriage therapist and author of Black Belt Husbands, about how to be a better husband through discipline, self-awareness, and vulnerability.  Drawing from his background in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Quentin shares how the principles of humility, emotional safety, and consistency strengthen marriages and deepen intimacy. This conversation offers a powerful framework for couples who want to build emotional resilience, mutual respect, and lasting love. If you've ever asked yourself how to be a better husband, this episode will change your perspective.    Key Takeaways The Black Belt Mindset: How martial arts principles apply to marriage growth and mastery. Humility & Self-Awareness: Foundational traits for becoming a better husband and partner. Vulnerability Builds Connection: Why emotional safety leads to deeper intimacy. Mentorship & Male Friendship: The value of support and guidance in men's relational growth. Forgiveness & Faith: How grace and humility sustain a thriving marriage. About Quentin Quentin Hafner is a licensed marriage therapist and men's coach. For nearly two decades, he's been walking alongside husbands and couples who feel stuck, disconnected, or unsure how to fix what's broken at home. Quentin is also the author of Black Belt Husband and has helped thousands of families rewrite their story of marriage.   Website: www.quentinhafner.com  Black Belt Husband Website: www.blackbelthusband.com  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quentin_hafner/     Subscribe To The Intimate Marriage Podcast: Apple Podcast | YouTube | Spotify Connect With Alexandra Stockwell, MD: Website | Linkedin | Instagram   Get your copy of "Uncompromising Intimacy" by Dr. Alexandra Stockwell here: https://amzn.to/2ymI3Hl Download the first chapter of Dr Alexandra's bestselling book, "Uncompromising Intimacy," here:  https://www.alexandrastockwell.com/book   Cultivate your intimacy skills (without compromise) in Aligned & Hot Marriage, Dr. Alexandra's proven method for smart couples ready to love more fully:  www.alignedhotmarriage.com   Join Dr. Alexandra's email list to stay connected. She shares inspiring stories, her latest insights and opportunities to learn with her:  https://www.alexandrastockwell.com/subscribe   This Podcast Is Produced, Engineered & Edited By:  Simplified Impact

Catch the latest Level Up Claims podcast episode, where Galen Hair chats with Lee Miller, host of the Conquer Contractor Chaos podcast. Lee shares his journey from construction to building multi-million dollar businesses. Discover how crafting the right culture can turn chaos into long- term success. Whether you're a contractor or business owner, learn why culture trumps strategy and how to build a powerhouse team that wins every time. Don't miss Lee's insights on leveraging intrinsic values to create a thriving work environment. Tune in!   Highlights Culture always eats strategy for breakfast. Contractors lose people due to culture, not pay. Transition from construction to hospitality. Learning through managerial curiosity. Culture needs to be intentional. Intrinsic vs. extrinsic values. Building intrinsic values in the workplace. Maslow's hierarchy of needs applied. The love and belonging phase elevates teams. Cultivate a positive and intentional culture. Competency vs. commitment in employees. Blueprint for intentional culture building. Communicate culture goals effectively. Episode Resources Connect with Galen M. Hair https://insuranceclaimhq.com hair@hairshunnarah.com  https://levelupclaim.com/  

A generous spirit is a magnet for blessings. These affirmations help cultivate a mindset of abundance that finds joy in giving, sharing, and contributing, creating a beautiful cycle of prosperity and connection in your life. Unwind now with our positive sleep affirmations podcast. Our soothing affirmations relax the mind and prepare the body for rest. Hit play, and drift into Good Sleep... Listen to more positive sleep affirmations by subscribing to the audio podcast in your favorite podcast app:  Apple Podcasts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/good-sleep-positive-affirmations/id1704608129⁠⁠⁠⁠ Spotify: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/3OuJvYoprqh7nPK44ZsdKE⁠⁠⁠⁠ And start your morning with Optimal Living Daily! Apple Podcasts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/optimal-living-daily-mental-health-motivation/id1067688314⁠⁠⁠⁠ Spotify: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/1hygb4nGhNhlLn4pBnN00j?si=ca60dcfd758b44b4 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week's episode of "The Zen Effect Show"... General Motors is getting rid of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in new vehicles what does this say about innovation, and how we evolve with technology?Resilience vs. Evolution Why “bouncing back” isn't the goal and how real growth means becoming something entirely new.Pressure Creates Diamonds The beauty in dissonance: How breakdowns can spark breakthroughs.Cultivation Energy What are you truly cultivating right now and how are you nurturing it?✂️ The Weeding & Pruning Process Growth requires release. What are you willing to let go of to create space for what you desire?When Life Shakes Your Foundation The waves aren't here to drown you they're here to elevate you.From Static to Dynamic Living Moving from resilience to evolution from surviving to becoming.Click here For all things mentioned—and all things Zen Effect  Shape your soul. Shift your world. Come home to your power. Tune in live on WBNC Tuesdays at 6pm EST

What happens when you spend an entire year learning from the life and wisdom of a trusted spiritual mentor? In this conversation, author and spiritual director Lori G. Melton shares her experience walking alongside the insights of Mister Fred Rogers, America’s favorite neighbor. Drawing from her book Journey with a Giant, Lori invites us into a year-long spiritual practice of choosing a “giant of faith” to learn from. She shares how reflecting on Fred Rogers’ approach to life, faith, and presence helped her slow down, deepen her relationship with God, and gain clarity about her purpose. Whether you choose Fred Rogers or another spiritual guide, this conversation will inspire you to: Embrace the wisdom of those who have walked with God before you Cultivate habits of presence, patience, and listening Experience steady spiritual growth without striving If you’ve been feeling spiritually stuck or longing for deeper connection, this episode offers a gentle yet powerful way to take the next step on your faith journey. About Lori G. Melton:Lori G. Melton is an author, spiritual director, retreat leader, and a member of Hope*Writers. She and her husband, Bryan, are the creators of the Sanctuary Stirrings Podcast and the founders and directors of The Sanctuary at Bear Creek Retreat Center, which serves hundreds of people a year. When she’s not writing, speaking, or welcoming guests, she enjoys spending time with her six children and three grandchildren. ______________________________________________________ Connect with Gem on Instagram and learn more on the Unhurried Living website and her new book, Hold That Thought: Sorting Through the Voices in Our Heads Learn about PACE: Certificate in Leadership and Soul Care Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

This week Lead Pastor Josh Scott invites us to explore what it means to cultivate compassion—not just as a feeling, but as an active practice that transforms our relationships, our communities, and ourselves. Drawing from the teaching of Jesus and the wisdom found in our everyday lives, we seek to move beyond judgment and fear and into empathy, kindness, and courageous love.⛪️ To learn more about who we are and what we do, visit https://gracepointe.net/about-us

0:00-3:00 An introduction to the journey of rumination 3:00-8:00 Stop rumination, start where you are now, and decide to begin now 8:00-10:15 Experience the power of visualisation; stop rumination. 10:15-14:00 Safe space visualisation: imagine a place where you feel entirely safe, harnessing the power of the mind. 14:00-23:00 Picture your ruminative thoughts as balloons filled with air. Balloon release: managing rumination through the incredible balloon release practice. 23:00- 29:00 A serene natural setting for learning to redirect thoughts and practise cognitive diffusion. 29:00-35:00 Candle flame visualisation- Eradicate and transform overthinking; send your thoughts away through breathing. 33:00-41:45 The definition of rumination. Understand rumination so that you can end overthinking 41:45-57:30 Create a self-empowered mental space where you can sort through, categorise, and resolve thoughts. 57:30-1:11 Building blocks to develop resilience and manage overthinking. Learn how to stop ruminating 01:11-1:15:30 Clock alarm visualisation for creation and cultivating cognitive diffusion. 01:15:30 Imagine now engaging in mundane tasks.  01: 27-1:33:30 Cultivate curiosity: a healthy mind is a curious mind. Practice a curiousity and self-inquiry-practice to reduce stress 01:33:30-1:37 Be thankful in this moment; heal stress and stop ruminating with a gratitude practice. 01:37-1:33 Explore cognitive diffusion techniques for stress relief. 01:33 Body Scan Meditation for deep relaxation and sleep. Let me help you reduce anxiety, fall asleep, cope with grief, and navigate through life through guided sleep meditations designed for restful sleep. It will be ok. Each session combines relaxation techniques with my calming voice to create a peaceful environment, allowing you to fall asleep fast and wake up rejuvenated.   Discover effective strategies to enhance your sleep quality, manage anxiety, and cultivate peace. I integrate Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) principles into my content, offering practical insights to help you overcome sleep disorders and anxiety. Here, you will find a wealth of resources to support your journey toward better sleep and overall well-being.   For additional support, I offer online counseling sessions as a certified counselor with a Master's in Counselling.    Book a session through my SimplyBook.me page: Book a Session https://laurenostrowskifenton.simplybook.me/v2/   Connect with me on Patreon for exclusive content: Join me on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/laurenostrowskifenton Make a difference by contributing via PayPal: Donate Here http://paypal.me/Laurenostrowski   Follow my journey on Instagram for daily inspiration and updates: Instagram https://www.instagram.com/laurenostrowskifenton/ Explore my stories on Medium, where I share insights intertwined with life experiences: Medium](https://medium.com/@laurenostrowskifenton Check out my book, "Daily Rituals For Happiness," an instructional workbook designed to help you cultivate happiness every day. Please remember, while my content is meant to provide support, it is not a substitute for professional medical or mental health guidance. Always consult with a healthcare provider for personalized advice Original vocals and video by Lauren Ostrowski Fenton copyright © 2025 # sleepmeditation # guidedmeditation # fallasleepfast #personaldevelopment #deepsleep #mindfulness

It’s easy to express gratitude when life feels full and blessings are obvious. But what about when our kindness is rejected or our good intentions are met with anger? In today’s prayer and devotion, Rachael Adams, host of The Love Offering, reminds us that gratitude is not dependent on others’ responses — it’s rooted in our relationship with God. After an act of compassion was met with hostility, Rachael wrestled with disappointment and confusion. Yet this moment mirrors a deeper truth seen in the story of Jesus healing the ten lepers (Luke 17:11–19). Only one returned to thank Him — and though all received healing, only the grateful one experienced the fullness of spiritual restoration. God invites us to live with hearts of thankfulness, not for what we receive in return from others, but because of who He is and all He has done for us. Gratitude aligns our hearts with God’s goodness, reminding us that every act of kindness is ultimately an act of worship. Today's Bible Reading:“Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” – Colossians 3:16–17