Podcasts about Intention

What if silence in your team meetings isn't just about shyness or lack of ideas, but something everyone's been taught—often unconsciously—to protect themselves or others? In this episode, I sit down with Elaine Lin Hering, a top facilitator, global educator, and author of “Unlearning Silence,” to dig into the roots of silence and how leaders can transform it into true engagement.As the conversation kicks off, we tackle a fundamental leadership dilemma: despite constant encouragement to “speak up,” people often hold back. Why? Elaine reveals it's not just about courage or confidence. Silence is a learned survival strategy, which is often shaped by culture, hierarchy, and even unconscious organizational habits. Her own story, growing up as the youngest daughter of Taiwanese immigrants, shows how silence sneaks in early and sticks.Throughout the episode, we explore questions relating to real-world challenges such as how can you create a safe space for candor when your “resting face” or demeanour sets the wrong tone? Or, why do team members only give feedback after a decision is finalized. Elaine offers evidence-informed and practical answers to these situations.The takeaway is clear: Strong leadership means recognizing that silence is not always golden—and that by unlearning it, we unlock deeper connection, better decisions, and a future not bound by the past. What You'll Learn- Silence is learned… and it's often unintentional.- Unlearning silence is an ongoing process.- Explicit clarity is critical for leaders.- How to reframe your view of your voice.- The mode and medium of communication matter.- What is obvious to you may be the insight someone else is looking for.Podcast Timestamps(00:03) - The Origins of Unlearning Silence(05:46) - The Process of Unlearning Silence(09:10) - Agency and the Value of Voice(15:59) - The RACI Framework(19:16) - How Communication Mode and Process Influence Voice(24:10) - Surfacing Feedback and Pre-Empting Silence(32:08) - Imposter Syndrome or Imposter Treatment?(41:47) - When Is Silence Golden?(46:52) - Explicitly Creating Psychological SafetyKEYWORDSPositive Leadership, Self-Awareness, Feedback, Personal Growth, Leading with Intention, Unlearning silence, Employee Voice, Power Dynamics, Decision-Making Frameworks, RACI Model, Team Communication, Self-Silencing, Imposter Syndrome, Psychological Safety, Personal Growth, CEO Success

It’s actually a good thing that some books push you to the edge of your ability to understand. But there’s no doubting the fact that dense, abstract and jargon-filled works can push you so far into the fog of frustration that you cannot blame yourself for giving up. But here’s the truth: You don’t have to walk away frustrated and confused. I’m going to share with you a number of practical strategies that will help you fill in the gaps of your reading process. Because that’s usually the real problem: It’s not your intelligence. Nor is it that the world is filled with books “above your level.” I ultimately don’t believe in “levels” as such. But as someone who taught reading courses at Rutgers and Saarland University, I know from experience that many learners need to pick up a few simple steps that will strengthen how they approach reading difficult books. And in this guide, you’ll learn how to read challenging books and remember what they say. I’m going to go beyond generic advice too. That way, you can readily diagnose: Why certain books feel so hard Use pre-reading tactics that prime your brain to deal with difficulties effectively Apply active reading techniques to lock in understanding faster Leverage accelerated learning tools that are quick to learn Use Artificial Intelligence to help convert tough convent into lasting knowledge without worrying about getting duped by AI hallucinations Whether you’re tacking philosophy, science, dense fiction or anything based primarily in words, the reading system you’ll learn today will help you turn confusion into clarity. By the end, even the most intimidating texts will surrender their treasures to your mind. Ready? Let’s break it all down together. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9HLbY4jsFg Why Some Books Feel “Too Hard” (And What That Really Means) You know exactly how it feels and so do I. You sit down with a book that people claim is a classic or super-important. But within a few pages, your brain fogs over and you’re completely lost. More often than not, through glazed eyes, you start to wonder… did this author go out of his or her way to make this difficult? Are they trying to show off with all these literary pyrotechnics? Or is there a deliberate conspiracy to confuse readers like me? Rest assured. These questions are normal and well worth asking. The difficulty you might feel is never arbitrary in my experience. But there’s also no “single origin” explanation for why some books feel easier than others. It’s almost always a combination of factors, from cognitive readiness, lived experience, emotions and your physical condition throughout the day. This means that understanding why individual texts resist your understanding needs to be conducted on a case-by-case basis so you can move towards mastering anything you want to read. Cognitive Load: The Brain’s Processing “Stop Sign” “Cognitive load” probably needs no definition. The words are quite intuitive. You start reading something and it feels like someone is piling heavy bricks directly on top of your brain, squishing everything inside. More specifically, these researchers explain that what’s getting squished is specifically your working memory, which is sometimes called short-term memory. In practical terms, this means that when a book suddenly throws a bunch of unfamiliar terms at you, your working memory has to suddenly deal with abstract concepts, completely new words or non-linear forms of logic. All of this increases your cognitive load, but it’s important to note that there’s no conspiracy. In Just Being Difficult: Academic Writing in the Public Arena, a variety of contributors admit that they often write for other specialists. Although it would be nice to always compose books and articles for general readers, it’s not laziness. They’re following the codes of their discipline, which involves shorthand to save everyone time. Yes, it can also signal group membership and feel like an intellectual wall if you’re new to this style, but it’s simply a “stop sign” for your brain. And wherever there are stop signs, there are also alternative routes. Planning Your Detour “Roadmap” Into Difficult Books Let me share a personal example by way of sharing a powerful technique for making hard books easier to read. A few years ago I decided I was finally going to read Kant. I had the gist of certain aspects of his philosophy, but a few pages in, I encountered so many unfamiliar terms, I knew I had to obey the Cognitive Load Stop Sign and take a step back. To build a roadmap into Kant, I searched Google in a particular way. Rather than a search term like, “Intro to Kant,” I entered this tightened command instead: Filetype:PDF syllabus Kant These days, you can ask an LLM in more open language to simply give you links to the syllabi of the most authoritative professors who teach Kant. I’d still suggest that you cross-reference what you get on Google, however. If you’re hesitant about using either Google or AI, it’s also a great idea to visit a librarian in person to help you. Or, you can read my post about using AI for learning with harming your memory to see if it’s time to update your approach. Narrowing Down Your Options One way or another, the reason to consult the world’s leading professors is that their syllabi will provide you with: Foundational texts Core secondary literature Commentaries from qualified sources Essential historical references Once you’ve looked over a few syllabi, look through the table of contents of a few books on Amazon or Google Books. Then choose: 1-2 foundational texts to read before the challenging target book you want to master 1-2 articles or companion texts to read alongside In this way, you’ve turned difficulty into a path, not an obstacle. Pre-Reading Strategies That Warm Up Your Reading Muscles A lot of the time, the difficulty people feel when reading has nothing to do with the book. It’s just that you’re diving into unfamiliar territory without testing the waters first. Here are some simple ways to make unfamiliar books much easier to get into. Prime Like a Pro To make books easier to read, you can perform what is often called “priming” in the accelerated learning community. It is also sometimes called “pre-reading” and as this research article discusses, its success has been well-demonstrated. The way I typically perform priming is simple. Although some books require a slight change to the pattern, I typically approach each new book by reading: The back cover The index The colophon page The conclusion or afterword The most interesting or relevant chapter The introduction The rest of the book Activate Prior Knowledge Sometimes I will use a skimming and scanning strategy after reading the index to quickly familiarize myself with how an author approaches a topic with which I’m already familiar. This can help raise interest, excitement and tap into the power of context-dependent memory. For example, I recently started reading Doubt: A History by Jennifer Michael Hecht. Since the Renaissance memory master Giordano Bruno comes up multiple times, I was able to draw up a kind of context map of the books themes by quickly going through those passages. Take a Picture Walk Barbara Oakley and Terence Sejnjowski share a fantastic strategy in Learning How to Learn. Before reading, simply go through a book and look at all the illustrations, tables, charts and diagrams. It seems like a small thing. But it gives your brain a “heads up” about upcoming visual information that you may need to process than prose. I used to find visual information like this difficult, but after I started taking picture walks, I’m now excited to read “towards” these elements. If still find them challenging to understand, I apply a tip I learned from Tony Buzan that you might like to try: Rather than struggle to interpret a chart or illustration, reproduce it in your own hand. Here’s an example of how I did this when studying spaced repetition: As a result, I learned the graph and its concepts quickly and have never forgotten it. Build a Pre-Reading Ritual That Fits You There’s no one-sized-fits-all strategy, so you need to experiment with various options. The key is to reduce cognitive load by giving your mind all kinds of ways of understanding what a book contains. If it helps, you can create yourself a checklist that you slip into the challenging books on your list. That way, you’ll have both a bookmark and a protocol as you develop your own pre-reading style. Active Reading Techniques That Boost Comprehension Active reading involves deliberately applying mental activities while reading. These can include writing in the margins of your books, questioning, preparing summaries and even taking well-time breaks between books. Here’s a list of my favorite active reading strategies with ideas on how you can implement them. Using Mnemonics While Reading On the whole, I take notes while reading and then apply a variety of memory techniques after. But to stretch my skills, especially when reading harder books, I start the encoding process earlier. Instead of just taking notes, I’ll start applying mnemonic images. I start early because difficult terms often require a bit more spaced repetition. To do this yourself, the key is to equip yourself with a variety of mnemonic methods, especially: The Memory Palace technique The Pegword Method The Major System The PAO System And in some cases, you may want to develop a symbol system, such as if you’re studying physics or programming. Once you have these mnemonic systems developed, you can apply them in real time. For example, if you come across names and dates, committing them to memory as you read can help you keep track of a book’s historical arc. This approach can be especially helpful when reading difficult books because authors often dump a lot of names and dates. By memorizing them as you go, you reduce the mental load of having to track it all. For even more strategies you can apply while reading, check out my complete Mnemonics Dictionary. Strategic Questioning Whether you take notes or memorize in real-time, asking questions as you go makes a huge difference. Even if you don’t come up with answers, continually interrogating the book will open up your brain. The main kinds of questions are: Evaluative questions (checking that the author uses valid reasoning and address counterarguments) Analytical questions (assessing exactly how the arguments unfold and questioning basic assumptions) Synthetic questions (accessing your previous knowledge and looking for connections with other books and concepts) Intention questions (interrogating the author’s agenda and revealing any manipulative rhetoric) One medieval tool for questioning you can adopt is the memory wheel. Although it’s definitely old-fashioned, you’ll find that it helps you rotate between multiple questions. Even if they are as simple as who, what, where, when, how and why questions, you’ll have a mental mnemonic device that helps ensure you don’t miss any of them. Re-reading Strategies Although these researchers seem to think that re-reading is not an effective strategy, I could not live without it. There are three key kinds of re-reading I recommend. Verbalize Complexity to Tame It The first is to simply go back and read something difficult to understand out loud. You’d be surprised how often it’s not your fault. The author has just worded something in a clunky manner and speaking the phrasing clarifies everything. Verbatim Memorization for Comprehension The second strategy is to memorize the sentence or even an entire passage verbatim. That might seem like a lot of work, but this tutorial on memorizing entire passages will make it easy for you. Even if verbatim memorization takes more work, it allows you to analyze the meaning within your mind. You’re no longer puzzling over it on paper, continuing to stretch your working memory. No, you’ve effectively expanded at least a part of your working memory by bypassing it altogether. You’ve ushered the information into long-term memory. I’m not too shy to admit that I have to do this sometimes to understand everything from the philosophy in Sanskrit phrases to relatively simple passages from Shakespeare. As I shared in my recent discussion of actor Anthony Hopkins’ memory, I couldn’t work out what “them” referred to in a particular Shakespeare play. But after analyzing the passage in memory, it was suddenly quite obvious. Rhythmical Re-reading The third re-reading strategy is something I shared years ago in my post detailing 11 reasons you should re-read at least one book per month. I find this approach incredibly helpful because no matter how good you get at reading and memory methods, even simple books can be vast ecosystems. By revisiting difficult books at regular intervals, you not only get more out of them. You experience them from different perspectives and with the benefit of new contexts you’ve built in your life over time. In other words, treat your reading as an infinite game and never assume that you’ve comprehended everything. There’s always more to be gleaned. Other Benefits of Re-reading You’ll also improve your pattern recognition by re-treading old territory, leading to more rapid recognition of those patterns in new books. Seeing the structures, tropes and other tactics in difficult books opens them up. But without regularly re-reading books, it can be difficult to perceive what these forms are and how authors use them. To give you a simple example of a structure that appears in both fiction and non-fiction, consider in media res, or starting in the middle. When you spot an author using this strategy, it can immediately help you read more patiently. And it places the text in the larger tradition of other authors who use that particular technique. For even more ideas that will keep your mind engaged while tackling tough books, feel free to go through my fuller article on 7 Active Reading Strategies. Category Coloring & Developing Your Own Naming System For Complex Material I don’t know about you, but I do not like opening a book only to find it covered in highlighter marks. I also don’t like highlighting books myself. However, after practicing mind mapping for a few years, I realized that there is a way to combine some of its coloring principles with the general study principles of using Zettelkasten and flashcards. Rather than passively highlighting passages that seem interesting at random, here’s an alternative approach you can take to your next tour through a complicated book. Category Coloring It’s often helpful to read with a goal. For myself, I decided to tackle a hard book called Gödel Escher Bach through the lens of seven categories. I gave each a color: Red = Concept Green = Process Orange = Fact Blue = Historical Context Yellow = Person Purple = School of Thought or Ideology Brown = Specialized Terminology Example Master Card to the Categorial Color Coding Method To emulate this method, create a “key card” or “master card” with your categories on it alongside the chosen color. Use this as a bookmark as you read. Then, before writing down any information from the book, think about the category to which it belongs. Make your card and then apply the relevant color. Obviously, you should come up with your own categories and preferred colors. The point is that you bring the definitions and then apply them consistently as you read and extract notes. This will help bring structure to your mind because you’re creating your own nomenclature or taxonomy of information. You are also using chunking, a specific mnemonic strategy I’ve written about at length in this post on chunking as a memory tool. Once you’re finished a book, you can extract all the concepts and memorize them independently if you like. And if you emulate the strategy seen on the pictured example above, I’ve included the page number on each card. That way, I can place the cards back in the order of the book. Using this approach across multiple books, you will soon spot cross-textual patterns with greater ease. The catch is that you cannot allow this technique to become activity for activity’s sake. You also don’t want to wind up creating a bunch of informational “noise.” Before capturing any individual idea on a card and assigning it to a category, ask yourself: Why is this information helpful, useful or critical to my goal? Will I really use it again? Where does it belong within the categories? If you cannot answers these questions, either move on to the next point. Or reframe the point with some reflective thinking so that you can contextualize it. This warning aside, it’s important not to let perfectionism creep into your life. Knowing what information matters does take some practice. To speed up your skills with identifying critical information, please read my full guide on how to find the main points in books and articles. Although AI can certainly help these days, you’ll still need to do some work on your own. Do Not Let New Vocabulary & Terminology Go Without Memorization One of the biggest mistakes I used to make, even as a fan of memory techniques, slowed me down much more than necessary. I would come across a new term, look it up, and assume I’d remember it. Of course, the next time I came across it, the meaning was still a mystery. But when I got more deliberate, I not only remembered more words, but the knowledge surrounding the unfamiliar terms also stuck with greater specificity. For example, in reading The Wandering Mind by Jamie Kreiner, memorizing the ancient Greek word for will or volition (Prohairesis) pulled many more details about why she was mentioning it. Lo and behold, I started seeing the word in more places and connecting it to other ancient Greek terms. Memorizing those as well started to create a “moat of meaning,” further protecting a wide range of information I’d been battling. Understanding Why Vocabulary Blocks Comprehension The reason why memorizing words as you read is so helpful is that it helps clear out the cognitive load created by pausing frequently to look up words. Even if you don’t stop to learn a new definition, part of your working memory gets consumed by the lack of familiarity. I don’t always stop to learn new definitions while reading, but using the color category index card method you just discovered, it’s easy to organize unfamiliar words while reading. That way they can be tidily memorized later. I have a full tutorial for you on how to memorize vocabulary, but here’s a quick primer. Step One: Use a System for Capturing New Words & Terms Whether you use category coloring, read words into a recording app or email yourself a reminder, the key is to capture as you go. Once your reading session is done, you can now go back to the vocabulary list and start learning it. Step Two: Memorize the Terms I personally prefer the Memory Palace technique. It’s great for memorizing words and definitions. You can use the Pillar Technique with the word at the top and the definition beneath it. Or you can use the corners for the words and the walls for the definitions. Another idea is to photograph the cards you create and important them into a spaced repetition software like Anki. As you’ll discover in my complete guide to Anki, there are several ways you can combine Anki with a variety of memory techniques. Step Three: Use the Terms If you happened to catch an episode of the Magnetic Memory Method Podcast back when I first learned Prohairesis I mentioned it often. This simple habit helps establish long-term recall, reflection and establishes the ground for future recognition and use. Expand Understanding Using Video & Audio Media When I was in university, I often had to ride my bike across Toronto to borrow recorded lectures on cassette. Given the overwhelming tsunamis of complex ideas, jargon and theoretical frameworks I was facing, it was worth it. Especially since I was also dealing with the personal problems I shared with you in The Victorious Mind. Make no mistake: I do not believe there is any replacement for reading the core books, no matter how difficult they might be. But there’s no reason not to leverage the same ideas in multiple formats to help boost your comprehension and long-term retention. Multimedia approaches are not just about knowledge acquisition either. There have been many debates in the magical arts community that card magicians should read and not rely on video. But evidence-based studies like this one show that video instruction combined with reading written instructions is very helpful. The Science Behind Multi-Modal Learning I didn’t know when I was in university, or when I was first starting out with memdeck card magic that dual coding theory existed. This model was proposed by Allan Paivio, who noticed that information is processed both verbally and non-verbally. Since then, many teachers have focused heavily on how to encourage students to find the right combination of reading, visual and auditory instructional material. Here are some ideas that will help you untangle the complexity in your reading. How to Integrate Multimedia Without Overload Forgive me if this is a bit repetitive, but to develop flow with multiple media, you need to prime the brain. As someone who has created multiple YouTube videos, I have been stubborn about almost always including introductions. Why? Go Through the Intros Like a Hawk Because without including a broad overview of the topic, many learners will miss too many details. And I see this in the comments because people ask questions that are answered throughout the content and flagged in the introductions. So the first step is to be patient and go through the introductory material. And cultivate an understanding that it’s not really the material that is boring. It’s the contemporary issues with dopamine spiking that make you feel impatient. The good news is that you can possibly reset your dopamine levels so you’re better able to sit through these “priming” materials. One hack I use is to sit far away from my mouse and keep my notebook in hand. If I catch myself getting antsy, I perform a breathing exercise to restore focus. Turn on Subtitles When you’re watching videos, you can help increase your engagement by turning on the subtitles. This is especially useful in jargon-heavy video lessons. You can pause and still see the information on the screen for easier capture when taking notes. When taking notes, I recommend jotting down the timestamp. This is useful for review, but also for attributing citations later if you have to hand in an assignment. Mentally Reconstruct After watching a video or listening to a podcast on the topic you’re mastering, take a moment to review the key points. Try to go through them in the order they were presented. This helps your brain practice mental organization by building a temporal scaffold. If you’ve taken notes and written down the timestamps, you can easily check your accuracy. Track Your Progress For Growth & Performance One reason some people never feel like they’re getting anywhere is that they have failed to establish any points of reference. Personally, this is easy for me to do. I can look back to my history of writing books and articles or producing videos and be reminded of how far I’ve come at a glance. Not only as a writer, but also as a reader. For those who do not regularly produce content, you don’t have to start a blog or YouTube channel. Just keep a journal and create a few categories of what skills you want to track. These might include: Comprehension Retention Amount of books read Vocabulary growth Critical thinking outcomes Confidence in taking on harder books Increased tolerance with frustration when reading challenges arise You can use the same journal to track how much time you’ve spent reading and capturing quick summaries. Personally, I wish I’d started writing summaries sooner. I really only got started during grad school when during a directed reading course, a professor required that I had in a summary for every book and article I read. I never stopped doing this and just a few simple paragraph summaries has done wonders over the years for my understanding and retention. Tips for Overcoming Frustration While Reading Difficult Books Ever since the idea of “desirable difficulty” emerged, people have sought ways to help learners overcome emotional responses like frustration, anxiety and even shame while tackling tough topics. As this study shows, researchers and teachers have found the challenge difficult despite the abundance of evidence showing that being challenged is a good thing. Here are some strategies you can try if you continue to struggle. Embrace Cognitive Discomfort As we’ve discussed, that crushing feeling in your brain exists for a reason. Personally, I don’t think it ever goes away. I still regularly pick up books that spike it. The difference is that I don’t start up a useless mantra like, “I’m not smart enough for this.” Instead, I recommend you reframe the experience and use the growth mindset studied by Carol Dweck, amongst others. You can state something more positive like, “This book is a bit above my level, but I can use tactics and techniques to master it.” I did that very recently with my reading of The Xenotext, parts of which I still don’t fully understand. It was very rewarding. Use Interleaving to Build Confidence I rotate through draining books all the time using a proven technique called interleaving. Lots of people are surprised when I tell them that I rarely read complex and challenging books for longer than fifteen minutes at a time. But I do it because interleaving works. Which kinds of books can you interleave? You have choices. You can either switch in something completely different, or switch to a commentary. For example, while recently reading some heavy mathematical theories about whether or not “nothing” can exist, I switched to a novel. But back in university, I would often stick within the category while at the library. I’d read a core text by a difficult philosopher, then pick up a Cambridge Companion and read an essay related to the topic. You can also interleave using multimedia sources like videos and podcasts. Interleaving also provides time for doing some journaling, either about the topic at hand or some other aspect of your progress goals. Keep the Big Picture in Mind Because frustration is cognitively training, it’s easy to let it drown out your goals. That’s why I often keep a mind map or some other reminder on my desk, like a couple of memento mori. It’s also possible to just remember previous mind maps you’ve made. This is something I’m doing often at the moment as I read all kinds of boring information about managing a bookshop for my Memory Palace bookshop project first introduced in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utcJfeQZC2c It’s so easy to get discouraged by so many rules and processes involved in ordering and selling books, that I regularly think back to creating this mind map with Tony Buzan years ago. In case my simple drawings on this mind map for business development doesn’t immediately leap out at you with its meanings, the images at the one o’clock-three o’clock areas refer to developing a physical Memory Palace packed with books on memory and learning. Developing and keeping a north star in mind will help you transform the process of reading difficult books into a purposeful adventure of personal development. Even if you have to go through countless books that aren’t thrilling, you’ll still be moving forward. Just think of how much Elon Musk has read that probably wasn’t all that entertaining. Yet, it was still essential to becoming a polymath. Practice Seeing Through The Intellectual Games As you read harder and harder books, you’ll eventually come to realize that the “fluency” some people have is often illusory. For example, some writers and speakers display a truly impressive ability to string together complex terminology, abstract references and fashionable ideas of the day in ways that sound profound. Daniel Dennett frequently used a great term for a lot of this verbal jujitsu that sounds profound but is actually trivial. He called such flourishes “deepities.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ey-UeaSi1rI This kind of empty linguistic dexterity will be easier for you to spot when you read carefully, paraphrase complex ideas in your own words and practice memorizing vocabulary frequently. When you retain multiple concepts and practice active questioning in a large context of grounded examples and case studies, vague claims will not survive for long in your world. This is why memory training is about so much more than learning. Memorization can equip you to think independently and bring clarity to fields that are often filled with gems, despite the fog created by intellectual pretenders more interested in word-jazz than actual truth. Using AI to Help You Take On Difficult Books As a matter of course, I recommend you use AI tools like ChatGPT after doing as much reading on your own as possible. But there’s no mistaking that intentional use of such tools can help you develop greater understanding. The key is to avoid using AI as an answer machine or what Nick Bostrom calls an “oracle” in his seminal book, Superintelligence. Rather, take a cue from Andrew Mayne, a science communicator and central figure at OpenAI and host of their podcast. His approach centers on testing in ways that lead to clarity of understanding and retention as he uses various mnemonic strategies. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlzD_6Olaqw Beyond his suggestions, here are some of my favorite strategies. Ask AI to Help Identify All Possible Categories Connected to a Topic A key reason many people struggle to connect ideas is simply that they haven’t developed a mental ecosystem of categories. I used to work in libraries, so started thinking categorically when I was still a teenager. But these days, I would combine how traditional libraries are structured with a simple prompt like: List all the possible categories my topic fits into or bridges across disciplines, historical frameworks and methodologies. Provide the list without interpretation or explanation so I can reflect. A prompt like this engineers a response that focuses on relationships and lets your brain perform the synthetic thinking. Essentially, you’ll be performing what some scientists call schema activation, leading to better personal development outcomes. Generate Lists of Questions To Model Exceptional Thinkers Because understanding relies on inquiry, it’s important to practice asking the best possible questions. AI chat bots can be uniquely useful in this process provided that you explicitly insist that it helps supply you excellent questions without any answers. You can try a prompt like: Generate a list of questions that the world’s most careful thinkers in this field would ask about this topic. Do not provide any answers. Just the list of questions. Do this after you’ve read the text and go through your notes with fresh eyes. Evaluate the material with questions in hand, ideally by writing out your answers by hand. If you need your answers imported into your computer, apps can now scan your handwriting and give you text file. Another tip: Don’t be satisfied with the first list of questions you get. Ask the AI to dig deeper. You can also ask the AI to map the questions into the categories you previously got help identifying. For a list of questions you can put into your preferred chat bot, feel free to go through my pre-AI era list of philosophical questions. They are already separated by category. Use AI to Provide a Progress Journal Template If you’re new to journaling, it can be difficult to use the technique to help you articulate what you’re reading and why the ideas are valuable. And that’s not to mention working out various metrics to measure your growth over time. Try a prompt like this: Help me design a progress journal for my quest to better understand and remember difficult books. Include sections for me to list my specific goals, vocabulary targets, summaries and various milestones I identify. Make it visual so I can either copy it into my own print notebook or print out multiple copies for use over time. Once you have a template you’re happy to experiment with, keep it visible in your environment so you don’t forget to use it. Find Blind Spots In Your Summaries Many AIs have solid reasoning skills. As a result, you can enter your written summaries and have the AI identify gaps in your knowledge, blind spots and opportunities for further reading. Try a prompt like: Analyze this summary and identify any blind spots, ambiguities in my thinking or incompleteness in my understanding. Suggest supplementary reading to help me fill in any gaps. At the risk of repetition, the point is that you’re not asking for the summaries. You’re asking for assessments that help you diagnose the limits of your understanding. As scientists have shown, metacognition, or thinking about your thinking can help you see errors much faster. By adding an AI into the mix, you’re getting feedback quickly without having to wait for a teacher to read your essay. Of course, AI outputs can be throttled, so I find it useful to also include a phrase like, “do not throttle your answer,” before asking it to dig deeper and find more issues. Used wisely, you will soon see various schools of thought with much greater clarity, anticipate how authors make their moves and monitor your own blind spots as you read and reflect. Another way to think about the power of AI tools is this: They effectively mirror human reasoning at a species wide level. You can use them to help you mirror more reasoning power by regularly accessing and practicing error detection and filling in the gaps in your thinking style. Why You Must Stop Abandoning Difficult Books (At Least Most of the Time) Like many people, I’m a fan of Scott Young’s books like Ultralearning and Get Better at Anything. He’s a disciplined thinker and his writing helps people push past shallow learning in favor of true and lasting depth. However, he often repeats the advice that you should stop reading boring books. In full transparency, I sometimes do this myself. And Young adds a lot of context to make his suggestion. But I limit abandoning books as much as possible because I don’t personally find Young’s argument that enjoyment and productivity go together. On the contrary, most goals that I’ve pursued have required fairly intense periods of delaying gratification. And because things worth accomplishing generally do require sacrifice and a commitment to difficulty, I recommend you avoid the habit of giving up on books just because they’re “boring” or not immediately enjoyable. I’ll bet you’ll enjoy the accomplishment of understanding hard books and conquering their complexity far more in the end. And you’ll benefit more too. Here’s why I think so. The Hidden Cost of Abandoning Books You’ve Started Yes, I agree that life is short and time is fleeting. But if you get into the habit of abandoning books at the first sign of boredom, it can quickly become your default habit due to how procedural memory works. In other words, you’re given your neurons the message that it’s okay to escape from discomfort. That is a very dangerous loop to throw yourself into, especially if you’re working towards becoming autodidactic. What you really need is to develop the ability to stick with complexity, hold ambiguous and contradictory issues in your mind and fight through topic exhaustion. Giving up on books on a routine basis? That’s the opposite of developing expertise and resilience. The AI Risk & Where Meaning is Actually Found We just went through the benefits of AI, so you shouldn’t have issues. But I regularly hear from people and have even been on interviews where people use AI to summarize books I’ve recomended. This is dangerous because the current models flatten nuance due to how they summarize books based on a kind of “averaging” of what its words predictability mean. Although they might give you a reasonable scaffold of a book’s structure, you won’t get the friction created by how authors take you through their thought processes. In other words, you’ll be using AI models that are not themselves modeling the thinking that reading provides when you grind your way through complex books. The Treasure of Meaning is Outside Your Comfort Zone Another reason to train for endurance is that understanding doesn’t necessarily arrive while reading a book or even a few weeks after finishing it. Sometimes the unifying insights land years later. But if you don’t read through books that seem to be filled with scattered ideas, you cannot gain any benefit from them. Their diverse points won’t consolidate in your memory and certainly won’t connect with other ideas later. So I suggest you train your brain to persist as much as possible. By drawing up the support of the techniques we discussed today and a variety of mnemonic support systems, you will develop persistence and mine more gold from everything you read. And being someone who successfully mines for gold and can produce it at will is the mark of the successful reading. Not just someone who consumes information efficiently, but who can repeatedly connect and transform knowledge year after year due to regularly accumulating gems buried in the densest and most difficult books others cannot or will not read. Use Struggle to Stimulate Growth & You Cannot Fail As you’ve seen, challenging books never mean that you’re not smart enough. It’s just a matter of working on your process so that you can tackle new forms of knowledge. And any discomfort you feel is a signal that a great opportunity and personal growth adventure awaits. By learning how to manage cognitive load, fill in the gaps in your background knowledge and persist through frustration, you can quickly become the kind of reader who seeks out complexity instead of flinching every time you see it. Confusion has now become a stage along the path to comprehension. And if you’re serious about mastering increasingly difficult material, understanding and retaining it, then it’s time to upgrade your mental toolbox. Start now by grabbing my Free Memory Improvement Course: Inside, you’ll discover: The Magnetic Memory Method for creating powerful Memory Palaces How to develop your own mnemonic systems for encoding while reading Proven techniques that deepen comprehension, no matter how abstract or complex your reading list is And please, always remember: The harder the book, the greater rewards. And the good news is, you’re now more than ready to claim them all.

February can feel like a quiet in-between month — shorter days, full schedules, and the temptation to rush toward what's next. In this episode, I'm sharing 8 gentle, meaningful ways to live with more intention this February, without adding pressure or another overwhelming to-do list.These ideas are simple, realistic, and designed to meet you exactly where you are — whether that's slowing down your evenings, celebrating small wins, or finding tiny moments of joy in your everyday routine. This episode is an invitation to romanticize the ordinary, care for your heart, and choose presence in the middle of real life.If you've been craving a softer rhythm, a little more joy, and a reminder that intention doesn't have to be complicated, this episode is for you.

This episode is for the parents.    If you are not a parent or don't want to be, you're going to need this advice.    What we need in this world is more intentional parents.     Most parents are not.    They're raising their kids on iPads.     They don't know how to shake hands.    Communicate.    My kids will bring their kids to the house and I can see if their Dads are not teaching them what they need to, so I have to step up.    I do date nights with my wife so my kids can see how couples should be.    I make my kids work and they get jobs every summer and they have more money in the bank than most adults do.    We have daddy-kid day.    I take my kids to the ranch to get them to operate machinery and work shovels and brooms.     You gotta teach kids the importance of being intentional and it starts with parents.  We can't allow our kids to be indoctrinated by schools, ipads and other entities.  They don't give two shits about our kids.    If you want grandkids better than you, as a parent, make sure you're intentional.    About the ReWire Podcast   The ReWire Podcast with Ryan Stewman – Dive into powerful insights as Ryan Stewman, the HardCore Closer, breaks down mental barriers and shares actionable steps to rewire your thoughts. Each episode is a fast-paced journey designed to reshape your mindset, align your actions, and guide you toward becoming the best version of yourself. Join in for a daily dose of real talk that empowers you to embrace change and unlock your full potential.    Learn how you can become a member of a powerful community consistently rewiring itself for success at ⁠⁠https://www.jointheapex.com/⁠⁠   Rise Above

Stay Connected Beyond the Podcast Subscribe to our Substack to get episode updates, event announcements, wellness tips, and personal thoughts from Marnie and Stephanie delivered straight to your inbox. If you love the show and want to support what we're building, consider a paid subscription for $30 annually. Your support helps fund podcast production and allows us to continue bringing you meaningful, high-quality conversations. https://theartoflivingwell.substack.com/  _______________________________________ We all say we don't have enough time - but what if the real issue isn't time at all, but how intentionally we're using it? In this timely episode, we explore how to stop letting life happen by default and start designing your days, weeks, and year with purpose. In this practical and reflective solo episode of The Art of Living Well Podcast®, hosts Marnie Dachis Marmet and Stephanie May Potter break down how to intentionally plan and design your time in 2026. From understanding where your hours are really going to building simple systems that support your health, relationships, and energy, this conversation focuses on sustainable habits - not overwhelm.  Through real-life examples, personal experiments, and coaching insights, Marnie and Stephanie share actionable tools to help you step off the hamster wheel, reclaim your time, and create a year that actually feels good to live. _______________________________________ What You'll Learn in This Episode: ● How intention and systems matter more than motivation ● Why small, consistent habits outperform big goals ● How to design your year without overloading January ● The power of visual planning and seeing your year at a glance ● How to build habits in manageable 10-15 minute increments ● How to create anchors or buckets for health, work, relationships, and adventure ● Ways to reclaim time from distractions like phones and notifications ● Why flexibility and grace are essential when building new habits _______________________________________ Noteworthy Quotes from the Episode: ● "If you don't design your year, your year will design itself." - Marnie Dachis Marmet ● "If it's not on your calendar, it's not real." - Stephanie Potter ● "We don't rise to the level of our goals. We fall to the level of our systems." - Stephanie Potter ● "Motivation is not going to tap you on the shoulder and say today's the day." - Marnie Dachis Marmet  ● "You are the only one who can make 2026 amazing for yourself." - Marnie Dachis Marmet ● "Small, consistent actions create momentum over time." - Stephanie Potter _______________________________________ Episode Breakdown with Timestamps: 00:00  - If you don't design your year, your year designs you 02:09  - The 8760-hour reality check where your time actually goes 03:40  - Why goals fail without systems (Atomic Habits logic) 06:55 - One habit every 90 days using the calendar method 08:24 - The 5-minute habit rule that changes your identity 17:02 - Three questions that decide how your 2026 will feel 21:36 - Non-negotiables and how to protect time for what matters   Episode with Erin Newkirk: https://www.theartoflivingwell.us/blog/episode-10-learn-how-to-work-your-best-life-with-erin-newkirk _______________________________________ Our Favorite Wellness Support: Looking for a clean, plant-based boost for energy, focus, and immunity? We love ENERGYbits algae tablets - a simple, nutrient-dense superfood made from pure algae.

After listening to James Clear talk on the habit of writing, Pete talks with Jen about their writing practices, and how he might investigate new and old ways of writing and thinking.Specifically, in this episode Jen and Pete talk about:How might the act of writing help us change up our patterns of thinking?How might we give up the idea of having to be perfect on our first try?What is Pete's writing practice? And Jen's?To hear all episodes and read full transcripts, visit The Long and The Short Of It website: https://thelongandtheshortpodcast.com/.You can subscribe to our Box O' Goodies here (https://thelongandtheshortpodcast.com/) and receive a weekly email full of book and podcast recommendations, quotes, videos, and other interesting things that Jen and Pete are noodling on. To get in touch, send an email to: hello@thelongandtheshortpodcast.com.Learn more about Pete's work here (https://humanperiscope.com/) and Jen's work here (https://jenwaldman.com/).

(Spirit Rock Meditation Center)

High-pressure environments don't just demand more of your time, they demand more of you. And when the pressure is constant, it's easy to start living in survival mode… pushing through, tightening your grip, and telling yourself you just need to be tougher. In this episode, we're looking at what actually helps you stay calm in high-pressure environments, so you can stay grounded, think clearly, and protect your energy without burning out. In this episode, you will learn: What it actually means to stay calm in high-pressure environments How to reduce internal pressure without avoiding responsibility Practical ways to protect your energy and boundaries at work

Furniture flipping looks dreamy from the outside: paint, pretty pieces, a tidy before-and-after, but Jen Talley pulls back the curtain on what actually makes it sustainable. This conversation sits in the quiet middle between passion and burnout: learning when to say yes, when to say no, and why boundaries are just as creative as brushstrokes. Jen shares how her business evolved from late-night hobby energy to an intentional, values-led rhythm; choosing better pieces, protecting her time, letting simplicity sell, and honoring the very human reasons this work matters. It's grounded, honest, and deeply reassuring for anyone trying to turn “I love this” into “this actually works.”Jen Talley is a furniture artist known for her timeless, perfectly imperfect approach and a business built on intention over hustle. Her work blends classic design, thoughtful boundaries, and a deep belief that furniture, and creativity, can hold real meaning.Connect with Jen:IG FacebookYouTubeCreative Finds:Melange Paints - Jen's discount code mentioned: JEN10Golden Brush Awards 2025 - Public voting opening February 13In this episode, we discuss:When no becomes the most important business skill you can learnHow intention, boundaries, and simplicity create longevityWhy furniture doesn't need more – it needs better (and simpler)The human stories behind the pieces we make and sellWelcome to Brush & Banter—the podcast where creativity meets real-life hustle. Brought to you by Zibra, we go beyond perfect brushstrokes to explore the messy, magical, and meaningful side of being an artist. We're here to bring you conversations with working artists, practical tips to grow your creative business, and a built-in painting companion for your next project. Brush & Banter is co-hosted by Brie Hansen, President of Zibra; Annie Bolding, Founder of It's a Disco Day Designs; and Lauren Cooper, Founder of Rosemont Lane Design Studio. Connect with Zibra: Website Instagram TikTok Facebook YouTube Blog

In this episode, Gerard Widder: From Long Island to Luxury — Leadership, Legacy & Living with Intention, I sit down... The post Gerard Widder: From Long Island to Luxury — Leadership, Legacy & Living with Intention appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.

In this episode of Nurse Converse, host Melanie Van Sistine is joined by nurse leaders Courtney, founder of Rekindled Nurse, and Tara, founder of Debriefing the Front Lines. Together, they reflect on a nurse-led relief outreach trip to Asheville, North Carolina, organized nearly a year after devastating hurricanes impacted the community.The conversation explores how nurses showed up for local healthcare workers through intentional community care, emotional debriefing, and peer support when headlines had faded. Courtney and Tara share their personal journeys into nonprofit leadership, the importance of processing trauma, and why nurses are uniquely positioned to lead healing efforts beyond the bedside.This episode is a powerful reminder that meaningful impact does not require perfection, only heart, and that alone is no longer enough.>>Nurses Helping Nurses: Inside a Healing Outreach After the HurricaneJump Ahead to Listen: [2:18] Courtney's nursing background[4:32] How Rekindled Nurse supports nurses[7:02] Tara's path to nursing and trauma work[8:58] Launching Debriefing the Front Lines[10:22] Why debriefing matters after crisis[11:53] Intention behind the Asheville trip[12:57] Hurricanes that sparked the first outreach[14:23] From Florida outreach to Asheville[16:45] What the community was still carrying[18:11] Nurses forming a team in the house[20:23] The courage it takes to receive help[21:40] Simple ways to support these nonprofits[23:24] “I don't have enough to give”[24:55] Small gestures and caring for yourselfConnect with Melanie on social media: Instagram: @mels.crafty.cornerTikTok: @mels.crafty.cornerShop Mel's Crafty Corner!For more information, full transcript and videos visit Nurse.org/podcastJoin our newsletter at nurse.org/joinInstagram: @nurse_orgTikTok: @nurse.orgFacebook: @nurse.orgYouTube: Nurse.org

In this important teaching, the Buddha invites us to become intimate with the human condition and to see how we create levels of suffering for ourselves. There is also the recognition that there is a way out - the Eightfold Path. Mary also reflects on Stephen Batchelor's Four Tasks which brings a pragmatic lens to this essential teaching. Recorded Jan 31, 2026 in the virtual worldSend me a text with any questions or comments! Include your name and email if you would like a response - it's not included automatically. Thanks.Visit Mary's website for more info on classes and teachings.

Digital banking in 2026 is shaping up to be an efficiency race driven by ERP connectivity, instant payments, and the shift toward small business "hub" experiences. In this episode, Debbie Smart previews what the 2026 State of Commercial Banking reveals about where AI is becoming practical, why integration is the real battleground, and what banks need to deliver to stay primary in the relationship. Related Links [Webinar] 2026 State of Commercial Banking https://event.on24.com/wcc/r/5161232/8BB4637FACD9F95388E41F4A3B668E53  [LinkedIn] Debbie Smart https://www.linkedin.com/in/debbiesmart/ 

Join DJ as he breaks down an inspirational story to help you use your mindset to your advantage!

Crystal welcomes actor and filmmaker Shannon Wallace on the Keep It Positive, Sweetie Show to discuss Shannon's journey in both photography and acting. Shannon shares his experiences from growing up as a shy child in Long Island to gaining confidence in college. He talks about transitioning from social work to modeling and eventually acting, using each phase of his career to build skills and fulfill his artistic ambitions. They discuss his work in notable shows, the impact of personal loss, and how acting in 'City on a Hill' helped him deal with his brother's tragic death. Shannon highlights his new projects, including a film premiering at Slam Dance, and shares insights into his personal life and relationships.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We are not here to pretend this is fine. We are here to help you get steady enough to choose how we respond. When fear narrows your thinking, you can come back to the body first.  Regulate first. Respond second. In this conversation, Ni-Cheng and I name the collective fear, grief, exhaustion, moral distress, minority stress, and racial trauma. These are real, lived experiences that shape safety in our bodies. When we are activated, our wise brain is harder to access. That is when we send the text, make the decision, or take the action from urgency instead of intention. This episode offers practical micro-tools that work in real life. The breath, a longer exhale, box breathing, 4-7-8,  orienting to safety by feeling the ground under our feet, and hand to heart are ways to physiologically downshift. Yoga is too. Read more about this topic in Jessie Mahoney's blog:  What would love do when the world feels usnsteady. https://www.jessiemahoneymd.com/jessies-blog/what-would-love-do-when-the-world-feels-unsteady PEARLS OF WISDOM • A dysregulated nervous system makes urgency feel like truth. Regulation gives us back clarity, choice, and values-based action. • Fight, flight, freeze, and fawn are adaptive responses. We can name our defaults without judging, then choose the next step. • Moral distress, grief, anger, numbness, and exhaustion are normal human responses to instability. Nothing is wrong with you. • Trauma and minority stress live in the body. When safety feels threatened, hypervigilance and shutdown make sense. • We do not have to do everything. We choose a lane of helping that matches our capacity and sustains us over time. Reflection Questions: When you feel activated, what is your default—urgency, over-functioning, numbness, shutdown, or fawn? What helps you return to the green zone —long exhale, feet on the ground, hand to heart, movement, nature? Which lane of helping feels like desire and alignment, and which lane feels like guilt or over-responsibility? If your future self looks back five years from now, what do you hope you feel proud of in how you showed up? If we want to practice these tools in community, especially in nature, explore our offerings here: www.jessiemahoneymd.com/retreats www.jessiemahoneymd.com/coaching www.jessiemahoneymd.com/speaking The Healing Medicine Podcast was formerly known as the Mindful Healers Podcast Nothing shared in the Healing Medicine Podcast is medical advice.

Watch the full webinar here: https://vimeo.com/1154296788/b660bbdf44?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci   Find out more about the Intention Masterclass 2026: https://lynnemctaggart.com/courses/intention-masterclass/

In this solo episode of the Do Good to Lead Well podcast, I unpack the concept of empathy and leadership. Although considerable research has shown the multiple benefits of empathetic leadership, it may have become a victim of its own success. As it has become increasingly integrated into leadership conversations, there are widespread misunderstandings about what it is and what it is not.While empathy is often viewed as ‘all about feeling,' there is more to the concept. I'll explore its multidimensionality and rather than being one sole element, the secret sauce is how all of this comes together. When only one aspect of empathy is tapped, it's an incomplete picture.What You'll Learn- The science behind the power of empathy in leadership.- The most common way people use to define empathy.- Why affective (e.g., emotional) empathy is only one aspect of high empathy leadership.- The crucial difference between empathic joining and empathic concern.- The power of perspective-taking.- How inaction can be at the heart of leadership excellence.KEYWORDSPositive Leadership, Empathy, Emotional Intelligence, Leadership Excellence, Strategic Thinking, Personal Growth, Communication, 360-Feedback, Affective Empathy, Cognitive Empathy, Empathic Concern, Empathic Joining, Leading with Intention, Leading with the Heart and Mind, The Power of Thoughtful Inaction, CEO Success

Men today are often lost and quietly confused. Some know they should strive for more, yet feel strangely unmoved to pursue it. Others are driven but stuck, spinning their wheels, repeating the same habits and even the same sins, wondering why nothing ever changes. Still others feel unambitious, listless, and disengaged, moving from obligation to obligation without a clear sense of direction. In this episode, John Heinen and Devin Schadt name a reality they see everywhere: men who are not evil or careless, but internally stalled, unsure why they never seem to get ahead. Drawing on the work of Dallas Willard and their own experience walking with men, John and Devin unpack a simple but necessary framework for real change: Vision, Intention, and Means. They explore why some men burn with misdirected ambition while others drift without desire, how both stem from the same interior problem, and why a man's belief in heaven, whether real or merely theoretical, shapes how he lives today.

Daf Yomi Menachos 18Episode 2217Babble on Talmud with Sruli RappsJoin the chat: https://chat.whatsapp.com/LMbsU3a5f4Y3b61DxFRsqfMERCH: https://www.etsy.com/shop/BabbleOnTalmudSefaria: https://www.sefaria.org.il/Menachot.18a?lang=heEmail: sruli@babbleontalmud.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/babble_on_talmudFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Babble-on-Talmud-100080258961218/#dafyomi #talmud00:00 Intro 04:00 R Eliezer on makhsheves pigul she'lo k'darkah14:00 Intention to leave some blood alone until tomorrow50:13 Discussing some of the steps of a mincha01:04:05 Conclusion

Claudette Rowley is a wellness-first interior designer who helps people create spaces that not only look beautiful but also support their well-being. Drawing from her background in social work, coaching, and cultural transformation, Claudette practices neuro-aesthetic design - an approach grounded in the science of how color, light, texture, and flow impact our nervous systems. Rebecca and Claudette explore why design matters beyond aesthetics. Claudette explains common design mistakes and introduces her WIRED method (Wellness, Intention, Rhythm, Energy, Delight) for creating spaces that truly serve you. They discuss how cool and warm colors create completely different spaces, the power of biophilic (nature-based) design, and why the question isn't "what's trending?" but "how do I want to feel in this space?" Claudette reminds us: "You deserve to be in a space that you really love and not to settle if you feel stuck - it makes a difference in your life." Learn more:  https://www.claudetterowleydesign.com/ Take the free Color Code quiz: https://www.claudetterowleydesign.com/color-quiz

Would you like access to our advanced agency training for FREE? https://www.agencymastery360.com/training Are you feeding your data into AI and assuming the insights it gives you are accurate? What if those confident-sounding answers are quietly steering you in the wrong direction? More agency owners are turning to AI to analyze and interpret performance data, and for good reason. Used correctly, it can save massive amounts of time and move teams beyond using AI to crank out blog posts, ads, or emails faster. But when it comes to attribution, performance analysis, and real decision-making, AI has a dangerous flaw: it's often wrong with absolute confidence. Today's featured guest understands where most agencies go wrong with AI-driven data analysis. He'll break down why large language models frequently misinterpret marketing data, how flawed inputs and assumptions lead to misleading insights, and what it actually takes to get reliable answers from AI without burning budget or making bad strategic calls. Scott Desgrosseilliers is the founder and CEO of Wicked Reports, a marketing attribution platform built specifically for e-commerce brands doing between $5M and $50M in annual revenue. Scott has spent years deep in attribution, analytics, and now AI, figuring out how to separate real signal from noise in an ecosystem where every platform claims the win. He'll talk about how most platforms may be misleading you and the framework he uses to bring sanity back to attribution for serious e-commerce brands. In this episode, we'll discuss: Why AI is sounds smart but gets marketing attribution wrong. Injecting intention into AI. The Five Forces framework to improve your AI data. Subscribe Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio Sponsors and Resources E2M Solutions: Today's episode of the Smart Agency Masterclass is sponsored by E2M Solutions, a web design, and development agency that has provided white-label services for the past 10 years to agencies all over the world. Check out e2msolutions.com/smartagency and get 10% off for the first three months of service. Why AI Sounds Smart But Gets Marketing Attribution Wrong One of the biggest myths around AI is that it's inherently "smart." Scott shared that it took eight months for Wicked Reports to release their AI analyst, not because the tech wasn't powerful, but because it was too confident while being wrong. AI models are designed to sound affirmative. Ask them a bad question, and they'll still give you a polished answer. If you ask ChatGPT if you should jump off a bridge, it'll say, "Yes, that's a great idea," unless you explicitly train it to be critical. That's a massive problem when you're dealing with revenue attribution and ad spend decisions. Another major issue is that AI lacks native understanding of time, which is foundational to attribution. Clicks, impressions, tags, and conversions happen in sequence over days or weeks. Without heavy rules, coaching, and sanity checks layered in, AI can't naturally interpret cause and effect. Left alone, it simply fills in gaps, and those hallucinations can cost you real money. Why Intention and Metrics Matter More Than the AI Tool The first thing Scott's team had to "inject" into the AI was intention. Not all campaigns exist to do the same job. Prospecting, retargeting, direct response, and existing customer campaigns each have different goals and therefore require different scoreboards. If you don't tell the AI what the intention is for each row of data, it will make assumptions. And those assumptions are usually wrong. The "North Star" metrics and leading indicators change depending on what you're trying to accomplish. A prospecting campaign shouldn't be judged the same way as an abandoned cart flow. The second big issue is AI's obsession with ROAS. ROAS is easy to latch onto because it gets rewarded with "thumbs up" feedback, but it's often misleading. If two-thirds of your reported revenue comes from repeat customers via email or SMS, AI might tell you your ads are crushing it when they're not. Simply separating new customers from repeat customers already puts you ahead of 95% of advertisers. The Five Forces Framework for Making Better Attribution Decisions To solve these problems, Scott introduced his Five Forces Framework, (intention, expectation, action, outcome, and optimization) a methodology most agencies simply aren't using. The first force is Intention, which defines both the scoreboard and the timeframe. New customer acquisition might need a 30–90 day window to show results, while an abandoned cart campaign can be evaluated in seven days. Without this context, teams panic too early and kill campaigns that haven't had time to work. The second force is Expectation, which is all about alignment. Brand owners often look at Shopify, GA4, Meta, Google, Klaviyo, and SMS dashboards—all showing different numbers. Without agreeing on a single version of truth, clients freak out and shut down top-of-funnel campaigns after five days because the data "doesn't look good yet." Setting expectations isn't a one-time conversation; it has to be reinforced constantly. Reducing Drama: Use "Scale, Chill, and Kill" to Guide Ad Spend The third force is Action, which includes launching the campaign but only after defining clear boundaries. Scott recommends setting "Scale, Chill, and Kill" zones before you spend a dollar. For example, if your acceptable new customer acquisition cost is $50–$70, that's your Chill zone. Below $50? Scale it. Above $70? Kill it. These predefined rules remove emotion, reduce second-guessing, and dramatically lower what Scott calls "psychic stress" inside agencies and brands. Once campaigns run, the fourth force—Outcome—is simply measuring performance against those zones. Did it scale, chill, or die? Optimization Is More Than Creative Tweaks Most agencies obsess over creative, constantly swapping headlines, images, and copy. For Scott, optimization should be more structured. At his agency, they use a decision log to rank potential actions by impact, focusing on whether the problem is the offer, the creative, the traffic, or the budget. But Scott added a fourth optimization factor most teams miss: signaling. If you don't send the right signals back to ad platforms, your optimization efforts don't matter. Meta, in particular, is very good at claiming credit for conversions it didn't truly drive and if it sees quick conversions, it will chase more of those, even if they're just repeat customers. Training Ad Platforms to Optimize for What Actually Matters To fix this, Scott recommends creating separate events in Meta's Events Manager for new customer purchases versus repeat purchases. That way, ad sets can optimize specifically for the outcome you want. If you're closing existing customers through email or SMS, you don't want Meta learning from those conversions. But when a new customer buys, Meta gets a clean signal and starts finding more people like them. Scott noted that when creative and offer are solid, sharpening signals alone can dramatically reduce acquisition costs within a month. You can even go deeper by signaling based on SKU types, allowing platforms to optimize toward higher-quality or more strategic purchases—not just any conversion they can grab credit for. Do You Want to Transform Your Agency from a Liability to an Asset? Looking to dig deeper into your agency's potential? Check out our Agency Blueprint. Designed for agency owners like you, our Agency Blueprint helps you uncover growth opportunities, tackle obstacles, and craft a customized blueprint for your agency's success.

This is a recording of a live guided meditation.  The meditation guide and the members of the public who joined the meditation used the Zoom platform.   Even though you are listening to this meditation as a recording rather than attending live, in the world of consciousness, there is no time or space. Meaning, regardless of when you listen, you are in a meditation with a large group of folks from different walks of life and places on the planet.Meditation Guide: Judy Hunter, Master meditation guide and seasoned teacher and trainer for the Divine Spark Program.Judy's Meditation Guide Style: Rich, musical tone to her voice.  Inspiring imagery and clear guidance makes possible going deep into your center safely and joyfully.Content: Features these tools and techniques:Grounding (Earth Connection)ReleasingCenteringIntentional BreathingCenter of Head AwarenessFinding the energy flow of universal consciousness within you, then stepping into itTraveling within your energy architecture -- moving point of awareness through 1-12 chakras Intention setting Bringing your life energy into harmony with your divine/universal self

In this episode, we explore the transformative power of self-awareness and self-command in communication and leadership with mental wellness strategist Kasey Franco. Together, we uncover practical tools for managing mindset, regulating the nervous system, and turning negative emotions into productive growth. By examining actionable techniques like intention-setting and the Accept or Convert framework, we reveal how anyone can foster clarity, resilience, and authentic presence in both business and personal conversations. Join us to discover valuable strategies for elevating our mental fitness and unlocking true connection in every interaction.Timestamps:(00:06) - Introducing Kasey Franco, mental wellness strategist.(03:31) - Kasey Franco shares her personal turning point for prioritizing mindset and nervous system awareness.(07:41) - Explaining the concept of self command and moving from autopilot to intentional presence.(09:29) - Techniques for practicing presence, such as breath work, sensory focus, and intention setting.(13:35) - Intention setting explained as a powerful tool to guide mindset and filter information.(20:28) - Strategies to make nervousness and worry more productive rather than eliminating them.(22:57) - Breaking down four types of mental messaging and identifying spam thoughts.(26:29) - Recognizing how stress and nervousness manifest physically and how to respond with regulation techniques.(30:16) - Highlighting the Accept or Convert tool for managing challenging situations productively.(50:15) - Celebrating progress and sustaining long-term mental fitness through small, consistent wins.Links and Resources:Kasey Franco | LinkedInWell-Being Strategist & Neural Rewiring CoachKasey Franco Professional ProfileSponsor Links:InQuasive: http://www.inquasive.com/Humintell: Body Language - Reading People - HumintellEnter Code INQUASIVE25 for 25% discount on your online training purchase.

This episode goes deep into the strange, powerful, and often misunderstood terrain of psychedelics, consciousness, and human potential. I'm joined by Adam Butler, a psychedelic philosopher and long-time DMT psychonaut, whose work lives at the intersection of mental health, neuroplasticity, trauma healing, and radical self-exploration.Adam shares his personal transformation story—moving from addiction, chronic stress, and emotional repression into sobriety, balance, and embodied clarity—and how intentional psychedelic use played a pivotal role in that shift. We explore how compounds like DMT can act as catalysts for confronting fear, dissolving trauma patterns, and reprogramming deeply-ingrained mental and emotional loops when approached with discipline, reverence, and integration.From there, the conversation expands into the mechanics of the mind itself. We talk about neuroplasticity, meditation, lucid dreaming, tantric practices, and how these tools can be woven together to access altered states without bypassing responsibility or grounding. Adam offers a refreshingly honest take on the risks, the myths, and the shadow side of psychedelic culture, especially when it comes to escapism, ego inflation, and spiritual shortcuts.This is not a surface-level conversation. It's about facing discomfort, rewiring fear responses, and learning how to meet extreme inner experiences with presence instead of avoidance. If you're curious about the deeper psychological and philosophical implications of psychedelics—or you're interested in what real integration looks like beyond the hype, this episode will challenge, expand, and ground you all at once.For a free pdf version of his book, Butler's DMT Field Guide: A Brief History, Step by Step Recipes, and Personal Experiences From a DMT Saturated Consciousness, email Adam at booksbyadambutler@gmail.com.DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational purposes only and not intended for diagnosing or treating illnesses. The hosts disclaim responsibility for any adverse effects from using the information presented. Consult your healthcare provider before using referenced products. This podcast may include paid endorsements.THIS SHOW IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY:APOLLO NEURO | Improve sleep, focus, and calm with the Apollo wearable. Get $90 off with code LUKE at apolloneuro.com/lukeLEELA QUANTUM TECH | Go to lukestorey.com/leelaq and use the code LUKE10 for 10% off their product line.LVLUP | Get 15% off with code LUKE at lukestorey.com/lvlupPique | Visit piquelife.com/luke to save 20% on Pique's new Radiant Skin Duo.MORE ABOUT THIS EPISODE:(00:00:00) From Hemi-Sync Curiosity to a Life-Altering Awakening(00:29:51) Integration, Intention, and the Line Between Awakening & Escape(00:53:54) DMT 101: What It Is, How It's Used, and Why It's Different(01:18:46) Trauma, Nervous System Lock-In, and the Body's Memory(02:26:05) Family, the DMT Laser Code, and the Edge of RealityResources:• Instagram:

Dating and relationships have never been simple — but in today's world of apps, algorithms, and endless options, it's easy to feel overwhelmed and disconnected. In this episode, I speak with Dr. Justin Garcia, Executive Director of the Kinsey Institute, evolutionary biologist, sex researcher, and author of the upcoming book The Intimate Animal. We talk about what our biology can (and can't) tell us about love and desire, how technology is reshaping intimacy, and why breakups can hit so hard. We also get personal — sharing stories about grief, recovery, non-monogamy, and navigating love in the real world. Dr. Garcia brings a refreshingly nuanced perspective, blending science, lived experience, and a deep respect for the complexities of modern relationships. Topics Covered The biological basis of pair bonding and why love is a survival strategy How dating apps are changing the way we connect — and the pitfalls of infinite choice Non-monogamy, open relationships, and what science really says about them Breakups, heartbreak, and why they feel like addiction withdrawal Infidelity: what motivates it, and why it's often about secrecy more than sex Practical dating advice backed by years of research The neuroscience of attraction, and how foreplay, communication, and intention keep passion alive How personal experience shaped Dr. Garcia's latest work — including his own recent marriage and fatherhood Guest Bio Dr. Justin Garcia is an evolutionary biologist, sex researcher, and Executive Director of the Kinsey Institute at Indiana University. He's also the Chief Scientific Advisor for Match Group, guiding large-scale studies on modern relationships like the annual Singles in America survey. His research has been featured in outlets like The New York Times, TIME, and CNN, and his new book The Intimate Animal: The Science of Sex, Fidelity, and Why We Live and Die for Love will be released on January 27, 2026. Learn more: Kinsey Institute Bio – https://kinseyinstitute.org/about/staff/executive-director-justin-garcia.html Pre-order The Intimate Animal – https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/justin-r-garcia-phd/the-intimate-animal/9780316594035/ Resources Mentioned Singles in America study – https://www.singlesinamerica.com/ Kinsey Institute – https://www.kinseyinstitute.org/ Dr. Garcia's social media: Search "Dr. Justin Garcia" on major platforms or follow updates via the Kinsey Institute Key Takeaways Love and sex are biologically distinct but deeply intertwined. We're wired for long-term bonding, but novelty and desire often create tension within those bonds. Breakups are more than emotional — they're neurochemical. Love activates the brain's reward systems, and heartbreak can mimic drug withdrawal. Modern dating can feel overwhelming because our brains haven't evolved to handle endless digital choice. Intention and curiosity matter more than perfection. Non-monogamous relationships aren't inherently less loving or stable. They often demand high levels of communication and negotiation. Infidelity is less about desire and more about secrecy. Even in non-monogamous relationships, broken trust hurts. There's no perfect formula for love. Each connection is unique, and understanding yourself can help you show up better in relationships. Connect with Me Have a question, topic suggestion, or want to be a guest? Email: duffthepsych@gmail.com Website: https://duffthepsych.com Contact form: https://duffthepsych.com/contact Please rate and subscribe on your favorite podcast platform — it helps more people find the show!

As Pete prepares to have his tonsils removed, he asks Jen for mental frameworks he can use during his two-week recovery.Specifically, in this episode Jen and Pete talk about:How might we use our internal google translator to switch negative language into positive action?How might we switch the words "have to" to "get to"?When life throws us a curveball, how might we embrace this unexpected path?To hear all episodes and read full transcripts, visit The Long and The Short Of It website: https://thelongandtheshortpodcast.com/.You can subscribe to our Box O' Goodies here (https://thelongandtheshortpodcast.com/) and receive a weekly email full of book and podcast recommendations, quotes, videos, and other interesting things that Jen and Pete are noodling on. To get in touch, send an email to: hello@thelongandtheshortpodcast.com.Learn more about Pete's work here (https://humanperiscope.com/) and Jen's work here (https://jenwaldman.com/).

In this episode Mary Sullivan, co-founder of Sweet but Fearless, talks with Caroline Stokes, leadership strategist, Fifth Industrial Revolution, for a grounded conversation about intentional learning, emotional intelligence, and navigating change at work with clarity. They explore how emotional intelligence can quietly influence your career, both positively and negatively, especially during moments of uncertainty or transition. Caroline introduces the four common responses to workplace shifts: flight, freeze, fight, and fawn, and explains why understanding your default reaction is key to moving forward with intention instead of operating on autopilot. Once you know where you are, you can begin to choose a mindset that supports growth rather than stress or stagnation. The conversation also dives into thinking ahead in your career, learning with purpose, and handling disruption without losing momentum. Drawing from her books Elephants Before Unicorns and Aftershock, Caroline shares practical insights for leaders who want to respond thoughtfully to change instead of reacting out of fear. This episode is for anyone facing shifts at work and looking to lead themselves, and their careers, with greater awareness and intention. A Sony alum who contributed to the launch of PlayStation, and a PCC-level, EQ 2.0–certified coach, Caroline has evolved from executive headhunter to one of the few global authorities on psychological and strategic leadership reinvention.   ABOUT CAROLINE STOKES, CEC: Website - The Forward Co LinkedIn - Caroline Stokes, CEC Books:Elephants Before Unicorns: Emotionally Intellignet HR Strategies to Save Your Company Aftershock to 2030: A CEO's Guide to Reinvention in the Age of AI, Climate, and Societal Collapse   ABOUT SWEET BUT FEARLESS: Website - Sweet but Fearless LinkedIn - Sweet but Fearless

Every day we're inundated with stories and images of violence, and the three poisons of greed, hatred and ignorance that the Buddha spoke of centuries ago. How do we greet this moment in time? How do we handle the emotions we experience with wisdom and compassion? How do we stay connected to the world we live in and work to end the harm we see?  Mary reflects on the reality of this moment and how to take care of ourselves and others.Recorded Jan. 25, 2026 in the virtual worldSend me a text with any questions or comments! Include your name and email if you would like a response - it's not included automatically. Thanks.Visit Mary's website for more info on classes and teachings.

Cassandra Bodzak is a spiritual teacher, holistic wellness coach, and actress known for helping soul-led women design lives that support their energy, purpose, and expansion. Through her signature Sacred Structure method, an intuitive blend of astrology, human design, and ritualized scheduling, she guides others to craft daily rhythms that nourish the body, regulate the nervous system, and amplify creative power. Cassandra studied Lifestyle Medicine and Nutrition and Wellness Coaching through Harvard Medical School and is certified as a HHC through the Institute of Integrative Nutrition. Her approach bridges science and spirit, grounding metaphysical tools in sustainable, embodied practices. You may have seen her on ABC's The Taste with Anthony Bourdain as the “happy, healthy living guru,” or featured in collaborations with SHAPE, Teen Vogue, Eating Well, Huffington Post, Thrive, Fabletics, Lululemon, and SoulCycle. In This Episode, We Explore:Cassandra's full-circle journey of revamping her first book and evolving authenticallyHow her brother's illness inspired her passion for nutrition, cooking, and healingLearning to trust body wisdom through intuitive eating and becoming a “food detective”Navigating postpartum nutrition, cravings, and conflicting health advice with clarityWhy quality ingredients, education, and gratitude matter more than rigid food rulesFollow Cassandra on Instagram: http://instagram.com/cassandrabodzak Follow Cassandra on Substack: https://substack.com/@cassandrabodzak Listen to Cassandra on her podcast, YOU with Intention by Cassandra Bodzak: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/you-with-intention-by-cassandra-bodzak/id1042765691 Pre-Order Cassandra's Book, The Mindful Table: Recipes & Affirmations for Intuitive, Seasonal Eating: https://a.co/d/gC64CQ0 Read all of Cassandra books here: https://amzn.to/46KjTUV Stay Connected:Instagram @whitneyaronoffInstagram @starseedkitchenTikTok @whitneyaronoffTikTok @starseedkitchenLearn more about Starseed Kitchenwww.starseedkitchen.comShop organic spiceshttps://starseedkitchen.com/shop/code STARSEED for 10% offWork with a personal chefhttps://form.typeform.com/to/CGDu08tEBook a 1-on-1 callhttps://bit.ly/4smXWUfFind more of Chef Whitney's offerings herehttps://linktr.ee/whitney.aronoff

What if self-abandonment isn't a personal flaw—but a survival strategy you once needed, and no longer have to carry?In this episode, I'm joined by Rocio Aquino and Angel Orengo, co-authors of The Orchid: The Secret Code of Modern Goddesses and founders of For the Highest Good, an initiative devoted to expanding human consciousness through storytelling, healing tools, and community.Based in Los Angeles, Rocio and Angel bring a rare blend of lived experience, emotional intelligence, and spiritual psychology to their work. Through media, public speaking, and live events, they guide women, especially those who have learned to over-give or disconnect from themselves, back to authenticity, inner authority, and alignment with their highest good.At the heart of our conversation is The Orchid, a transformational novel following seven women from different backgrounds who gather at a retreat in Northern California. Each woman embodies a distinct struggle with identity, self-trust, and emotional survival, offering readers (and listeners) mirrors for their own patterns of self-abandonment.Together, we explore how storytelling can be a powerful healing modality—one that moves beyond intellectual insight and into the body, where real change begins.The hidden cycle of self-abandonment and how women begin to recognize when they've learned to leave themselves to stay connected to othersForgiveness as a nervous-system process, not a bypass—why true forgiveness requires safety, presence, and self-honestyThe pathway from thought → emotion → body, and how unexamined beliefs become stored tension, disconnection, or collapseWhat it means to truly hold space—for yourself and for others—without fixing, rescuing, or self-betrayalThe five transformational lessons of The Orchid—Awareness, Gratitude, Forgiveness, Acceptance, and Intention—and how they can be practiced in everyday lifeThe challenges faced by the seven women in the story, and how each character reflects common patterns women carry around worth, voice, boundaries, and belongingWhy storytelling bypasses overthinking and creates emotional safety, allowing women to reconnect with inner truth and intuitionThis episode is an invitation for the woman who is capable, self-aware, and exhausted from holding it all together to soften, listen inward, and begin choosing herself without guilt.

Sunday, January 25, 2026 | The Four Agreements: Ancient Wisdom for Dreaming Today | Pastor Michelle preaches on the third agreement "Don't Make Assumptions" in a sermon based on John 5:1-9.

Your face is part of your personal brand whether you acknowledge it or not. People experience you visually before you say a word. Some dismiss makeup and skincare as vanity or assume it has nothing to do with their work. Others do it themselves without realizing how small missteps can distract from the impression they want to make. Either way, an important part of your brand is being left to chance.Osha Hinds has spent over a decade helping people show up with intention. She works with everyone from corporate professionals to brides and understands that makeup isn't about transformation for its own sake. It's about being deliberate with your image. That mindset, and the trust it requires, is what her career is built on. Her journey from aspiring fashion designer to landing at MAC Cosmetics after ten interviews taught her what it takes to build credibility when your work is immediately visible.In this episode of Branding Room Only, Paula and Osha break down why image matters for your brand, the common mistakes people make when doing their own makeup, and how to look prepared in five minutes before a video call. They also explore what it means to be trusted with someone's image, and why that principle extends beyond makeup into how you build a personal brand worth remembering.1:07 – Personal brand definition for Osha, three words that sum her up, the MLK Jr. quote she always references, and her go-to soca song4:23 – Osha's unexpected path from fashion design to makeup artistry10:22 – The pivotal “fake it till you make it” moment that changed Osha's career and confidence17:09 – How personal image communicates brand credibility before you ever speak20:39 – How makeup can empower you and why wearing it benefits you (even if you don't think it's necessary)25:25 – Biggest beauty mistakes people make and what they reveal about perception29:33 – Makeup prep recommendations for men and women (on and off-camera)36:04 – The misconception and truth about red lipstick39:30 – Basics that every professional and non-professional should have in their makeup toolkit46:35 – Quick makeup routine when you only have five minutes to get ready for a Zoom meeting48:50 – The four makeup items Osha and Paula would use for themselves in case of an emergency50:29 – How Osha helps those who struggle with their confidence and self-image52:51 – Spa days and 4DX movie theaters, a nasty truth about some water rides, and one of Paula's favorite Osha stories56:40 – The importance of being a good client and partner for your makeup artist59:50 – Why trust is vital to Osha's brand, the importance of communication, and how she does eyebrows differentlyMentioned In The Confidence Factor: How Makeup Impacts Your Personal Brand with Osha HindsConnect with Osha on InstagramSign up for Paula's Upcoming WebinarsConferences are an investment—make sure you maximize yours. My Engage Your Hustle™ Conference Playbook gives you the strategies to prepare, stand out, and follow up with impact. Get your copy today.This episode is brought to you by PGE Consulting Group LLC.PGE Consulting Group LLC empowers individuals and organizations to lead with purpose, presence, and impact. Specializing in leadership development and personal branding, we offer keynotes, custom programming, consulting, and stWe're starting off 2026 with a bang with my New Year's Intention and Goal Setting session on January 3rd, and then my new three-part series, LinkedIn Strategy for Lawyers: Build a Brand that Works for You, running January through March. Reserve your seat at paulaedgar.com/events.

Ashley Herd, founder of Manager Method and former Head of HR at McKinsey, explains why most managers aren't actually failing—they're just guessing. She breaks down her simple yet powerful three-step framework—pause, consider, and act—to help leaders move past the "speed of the inbox" and start leading with real intention. From handling employee mistakes with empathy to navigating the "octopus and wizard" traps of burnout, Ashley provides practical "real talk" for anyone responsible for the careers and lives of others. What You'll Learn in This Episode The critical difference between day-to-day management and long-term leadership How to implement the three-step Manager Method of pause, consider, and act Why the “speed of the inbox” is causing manager burnout and how to slow down Practical ways to handle employee mistakes using the “Gigi” perspective How to use human-centric storytelling to build psychological safety on your team Episode Chapters (00:00) Intro (01:51) Management vs Leadership (03:18) The Gap in Manager Training (06:01) The Manager Method Explained (06:39) Step One: The Power of the Pause (09:20) Step Two: Consider Your Response (11:09) Step Three: Acting with Intention (13:36) Avoiding Modern Workplace Burnout (19:16) Storytelling as a Leadership Tool (24:09) Brand That Made Her Smile (26:47) Where to Learn More About Ashley Herd Ashley Herd is the founder of Manager Method and a former Head of HR for McKinsey North America. A LinkedIn Top Voice and top 10 business podcast host, she has trained more than 250,000 managers across various industries. Her background as an employment lawyer for brands like KFC and Yum! Brands informs her practical, "real talk" approach to leadership. She is the author of The Manager Method, where she provides actionable frameworks for leading with confidence and supporting team growth without burnout. What Brand Has Made Ashley Smile Recently? Ashley recently smiled at Chiquita. She loves their banana stickers that claim they are "likely the best snack on earth." As a former marketing lawyer, she appreciated the humorous collaboration between the creative and legal teams to include the word "likely" rather than a definitive claim, showing a brand that doesn't take itself too seriously. Resources & Links Check out the Manager Method website and book. Connect with Ashley Herd on LinkedIn. Listen & Support the Show Watch or listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, Amazon/Audible, TuneIn, and iHeart. Rate and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify to help others find the show. Share this episode — email a friend or colleague this episode. Sign up for my free Story Strategies newsletter for branding and storytelling tips. On Brand is a part of the Marketing Podcast Network. Until next week, I'll see you on the Internet! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Ivy Slater chats with us about starting the new year with intention and clarity. Helping you step into 2026 refreshed, focused, and ready to make the most of new opportunities In this episode, we discuss: How Ivy eases into the new year by actually taking a break, recharging over the holidays, and putting her health and energy at the top of the list so she can show up fully for her business. What a real-world SWOT(T) looks like, from naming your strengths and weaknesses to spotting opportunities, threats, and trends in your industry and life. When to break down your business into four core plans: financial, marketing, sales, and people, and audit what's working (and what's not) in each area. Why prioritizing health, joy, and happiness isn't fluffy—it's the fuel that lets you actually grow your business or career in a sustainable way. What kinds of questions to ask yourself at the start of the year, like what you want to be celebrating at the end of 2026, and what would make you genuinely proud?   Ivy Slater is a professionally certified business coach, speaker, best-selling author and podcast host. After owning and operating a 7-figure printing business, having been in the industry for 20 years, she started Slater Success which focuses on developing great leaders and facilitating business growth and expansion. Ivy holds masterminds and retreats with her private client base and corporate training on communication and strategic planning. She speaks nationwide on the topics of leadership, sustainable growth, relationships and sales. Best Selling Author of From the Barre to the Boardroom Website: https://slatersuccess.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivyslater/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/slatersuccesscoaching Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ivyslaterssc/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/slatersuccess/

Welcome to the Success With Jewelry podcast, hosted by marketing strategist Laryssa Wirstiuk and creative consultant Liz Kantner. Together, we're passionate about helping independent jewelry brands thrive through honest conversations about what it really takes to succeed. In Episode #158, we're talking about a feeling almost every jewelry brand owner knows: posting "just to post" or sending an email because you feel like you should. We break down the difference between intentional visibility (the kind that builds trust, momentum, and sales) and marketing noise (the kind that drains your energy and gets lost in the scroll). We also dig into why so many jewelry designers are still feeling burnt out after a tough year — and how a "softer approach" to marketing can actually be more effective for both you and your audience. You'll hear practical reflection questions to run your content through before you hit post, plus how to build structure around a simpler content plan if you're someone who needs a framework to stay consistent.

In today's episode, Kamini joins me for a conversation about manifestation, synchronicity, and the subtle ways we communicate with the world around us, often without realising we're doing it.This is one of those conversations that starts with a simple question and slowly opens out into something much bigger. We talk about intention, energetic connection, music as communication, destiny versus free will, and how magick often works through tiny moments of noticing.It's a conversation for anyone who has ever thought, that felt like more than coincidence. In this episode we explore:Thinking of someone and then having them appearKamini shares personal experiences of thinking about someone intensely, only for them to show up soon after through a message, an image, or an invitation to meet. We unpack whether this is coincidence, selective attention, or something more relational and energetic.I share how I understand this through the idea of energetic “data cables”, the invisible threads we form with people through connection, emotion, memory, and attention.The web of connection we're always part ofWe explore the idea that we are constantly in communication with the world around us, not just through words, but through energy, presence, emotion, and focus. From walking into a room and sensing tension, to feeling calm around certain people, these are skills we already have, even if we've never named them as magick.Intentionality as the difference between background noise and signalA fleeting thought may dissolve quickly, but focused intention carries weight. We talk about how directed attention changes the quality of energy we send out, and why strong emotions like love, anger, longing, or grief feel so potent and hard to ignore.This is where magick, manifestation, and everyday psychology can overlap.Music as divination and communicationOne of my favourite threads in this episode is our exploration of music as a language the universe uses to speak to us. Kamini shares how certain songs appear at powerful moments, especially during travel or emotional transitions.I talk about using music as a divination tool, including the simple practice of asking for a message through the third song you hear in a day, and noticing what lands, whether that's lyrics, memories, mood, or resonance.Why different things speak to different peopleWe explore how the universe doesn't communicate in one fixed way. For some it's music, for others numbers, animals, dreams, art, cards, or land. There's no hierarchy here. What matters is relationship, not method.Trying to force a form of magick that doesn't suit you often disconnects you from the one that does.Destiny, free will, and the tension between choice and patternKamini asks a big question: are our lives shaped by destiny, or are we co-creating everything as we go?I share my honest answer, which is that I don't know, and that I live somewhere between the two. We talk about astrology, conditioning, choice, karma, and the feeling that some lessons insist on being lived, even when we can see the warning signs in advance.Rather than certainty, we arrive at curiosity, compassion, and the idea that responding consciously may matter more than knowing why something happened.Micro-steps, trust, and stepping onto paths you can't yet seeWe talk about how magick often asks for small steps rather than grand leaps. When we act, we receive feedback. When we don't, we stay stuck in loops of analysis and indecision.I share why I believe clarity often follows action, not the other way around, and how trusting one small nudge can shift everything over time.This is a conversation that doesn't try to explain the mystery away, but instead invites you to sit with it, listen more closely, and notice how the world already speaks to you.-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --All of the Magick:The A Pinch of Magick App:IPhone - download on the App StoreAndroid - download pn the Google PlayOur (free) magickal Community: Facebook GroupMagickal JournalsExplore on Amazon Rebecca's Author PageWebsiteRebeccaAnuwen.comMagickalHabits.comInstagramFor Magick: Click hereFor a Sacred Pause in Nature: Click hereFor CharmCasting: Click hereFor Merlin, my Dog: Click here

Are you chasing trends or building a brand that feels like you? In this episode of Rooted in Retail, Crystal Vilkaitis chats with Tori Dahl, founder of The Dahl Farmhouse, about the power of staying true to your unique vision—even if that means breaking all the retail rules. Tori shares her incredible journey from working on the opening team of Anthropologie to launching her own lifestyle boutique and fragrance line. She reveals the serendipitous "Actor Story" that led to her storefront, her philosophy on why you should "sell the pink pants" if you love them (regardless of trends), and how to create a sensory experience that makes customers feel right at home. If you're a retailer feeling the pressure to do it all or look like everyone else, this episode will inspire you to set boundaries, trust your instincts, and grow with intention.[0:40] Tori's background: From the airport gift shop to the opening team of Anthropologie [2:15] The "Pink Pants" Philosophy: Why you should sell what you love, regardless of trends [4:30] The origin of the fragrance line and the problem with candles [6:45] The "Actor Story": A chance gym encounter that led to a storefront [11:15] Grow with Intention, Not Imitation: Why you shouldn't worry about trends [15:00] Authenticity in action: Refusing to carry popular items (like patchouli or leopard print) because they don't align with the brand [18:00] Learning to "color outside the lines" and building self-trust [22:30] Battling burnout: Why The Dahl Farmhouse is only open 4 days a week [28:00] Sensory retail tips: How lighting changes the emotional experience of a shop Join the Rooted in Retail Facebook Group to continue the conversation Join our newsletter for all the latest marketing news for retailers Show off your super fandom by getting your Rooted in Retail Merch! Go to http://indera.co/prompt to access the prompt

Tending the First FlameThis week carries the feeling of a true threshold—quiet, consequential, and far-reaching.On Monday, Neptune enters Aries, beginning a long cycle that reshapes how meaning, courage, and responsibility are lived. This is not a dramatic event, but a change in atmosphere. After more than a decade of Neptune in Pisces—marked by porous boundaries, saturation, and confusion about what was ours to carry—the guiding question shifts:Not What am I absorbing? But Where do I stand?Neptune in Aries does not ask us to feel more or imagine harder. It asks for self-location—the courage to inhabit a stance without collapsing into urgency or reactivity. The waters begin to recede. Intention starts to matter again, not as force, but as orientation.Midweek, Mars conjunct Pluto in Aquarius brings collective pressure into focus. This is energy moving through systems—exposing where power has been distorted, coerced, or frozen in place. In Aquarius, the deeper question is not who controls, but how power circulates. What structures support life, innovation, and shared belonging—and which ones are straining past their limits?Aquarius carries an alchemical gift: innovation, egalitarian vision, and the capacity to imagine beyond inherited hierarchies. This is radical change not for chaos, but in service of a more inclusive future.Mercury conjunct Venus in Aquarius offers a moment for clear, values-based conversation. Say less. Mean what you say. Listen for coherence rather than volume.As the week turns, the Full Moon in Leo arrives alongside Imbolc in the Celtic wheel—the ancient marker of returning light. Imbolc does not promise spring; it signals its first stirring. The ground may still look frozen, but warmth has returned beneath the surface. A flame is kept—not to blaze, but to endure.The Leo Full Moon brings heart and creative life-force into dialogue with the Aquarian field. This is the conversation between individual expression and collective good. Not self-erasure, and not self-promotion—but the weaving of unique presence into life-giving change that serves more than oneself.This is not a week for dramatic declarations.It is a week for orientation.Neptune in Aries does not reward urgency or spectacle.Mars–Pluto in Aquarius does not reward force without wisdom.The Leo Full Moon asks not for attention, but for heart.Reflective Questions for the WeekWhere do I sense something wanting to begin, even if it's still fragile or unnamed?What am I no longer willing to absorb or carry forward?How can my individuality serve life-giving change rather than react to pressure?Let this be a week of keeping faith with what has just begun, even if you're the only one who knows it's there.Podcast poem: Eagle Song by Joy HarjoSupport the showGo to Sheila's website for information for transformational resources: https://www.ontheedgesofchange.com/home-page This episode was co-created with generative AI, engaged as a soul-aligned ally in service of transformation. At the edge where technology meets myth, I choose insight over noise, and alchemy over automation. Thank you for dreaming the future with me.

I recently sat down with a client launching a new business, and one word kept showing up in every single decision they made: intention. Not convenience. Not "that's how it's always been done." Pure, deliberate intention. In a world obsessed with speed, optimization, and AI-generated everything, this conversation stopped me in my tracks. In this episode we dive into:• Why the hustle-to-soft-girl overcorrection made trying feel embarrassing• How confusing efficiency with ease is stealing your satisfaction• The one word that will differentiate you in 2025 and beyond• Why clarity is actually less exhausting than being wishy-washyThe Convenience Trap• You're being sold "easy" at every turn, but easy often means less satisfaction when you actually accomplish the goal• AI and technology promise speed, but everyone's starting to sound the same—and it's boring• We've confused efficiency with ease in a way that removes effort, and therefore removes intention• The real issue was never effort—it was effort without clear directionThe Overcorrection Nobody's Talking About• Pre-COVID hustle culture burned us out, so we swung hard into "soft girl era" territory• Suddenly caring too much became a red flag and trying became embarrassing• Wanting something badly meant you were "too attached" and needed to let it go• But here's the truth: if you didn't care, nothing would happen—no results, no relationships, no life you actually wantWhy Intention Is Your Competitive Advantage• Being intentional means knowing your purpose, which actually helps you make decisions faster• When you know what inspires you to move, it's easier to throw out what doesn't align• Intention shows up as infectious energy—people can feel when something's been thought through• In dating, business, fitness, and life: clarity isn't asking too much, it should be the bare minimumThis conversation reminds us that slowing down to speed up isn't just a cute saying—it's how you actually build a life worth living. Whether you're overwhelmed by too many fitness rules or exhausted from saying yes to everything in your business, this episode offers permission to pick two things, commit to them intentionally, and stop apologizing for caring.Looking for more on moving with purpose? Check out previous episodes where we explore building capacity over chasing goals.Follow Krysta:Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@thekrystahuber⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠@thespreadmktg⁠Instagram: ⁠@thefitnessfyx⁠

This powerful message confronts us with a startling reality from 1 Peter 4:7-11: the end of all things is at hand. But what does that mean for us today, two thousand years after Peter wrote these words? The answer transforms everything about how we approach our daily lives. We're challenged to live like we're dying, not in a morbid sense, but with the urgency and clarity that comes when we realize this life is temporary. The sermon draws a beautiful parallel to Tim McGraw's song about a dying man who went skydiving, loved deeper, spoke sweeter, and gave forgiveness he'd been denying. This isn't about bucket lists or achievements; it's about prioritizing what truly matters. Above all, Peter says, we must love one another earnestly because love covers a multitude of sins. This biblical love isn't about feelings but about sacrificing for others' good. We're reminded that Jesus, who was completely righteous, was willing to be made sin for us. He was willing to be wrong so we could be made right. That's the radical nature of Christ-like love. The message asks penetrating questions: Why do we hold our tongues when facing a train for loved ones but can't hold them in arguments? Why must we always be right? The challenge extends to hospitality, showing us that the root word is the same as hospital, a place for the hurting. We're called to welcome others without grumbling, using the gifts God has given us not in our own strength but through His power, all so that God may be glorified through Jesus Christ.

Today, you're guided to release anxiety by integrating what you learned into a lived, repeatable practice. This final episode guides you through a gentle weekly reflection to help your nervous system remember what worked: how anxiety showed up in your body, which tools helped most, and how to carry forward a simple one-minute calming routine. You'll reinforce self-trust, reduce reactivity, and turn your progress into a sustainable habit you can use in real life. If you want lasting anxiety relief, this episode helps you embody calm—not as perfection, but as practice. Focus: weekly reflection + integration Best time to practice: end of week, Sunday night, or whenever you want to recommit Intention: embody self-trust, strengthen calm recall, and build a sustainable daily ritual This is day 7 of a 7-day meditation series, "Anxiety Alchemy Week,"  episodes 3451-3457. ABOUT THIS WEEK'S MEDITATION JOURNEY: Welcome to The Anxiety Alchemy Week—a 7-day meditation series designed to help you release anxiety and transform that restless, buzzing energy into calm clarity and steady confidence. Each day, you'll be guided through a simple, body-based practice—breathwork, visualization, and gentle mindfulness—so you can soothe your nervous system, quiet spiraling thoughts, and feel more grounded in real life (not just during meditation). Think of this week as a soft return to yourself: less bracing, less overthinking, and more ease in your body, your choices, and your day. THIS WEEK'S CHALLENGE - "Anxiety Reset Que Challenge" Choose one daily "reset cue"—each time you touch a door handle, open your phone, or sit down, take one long exhale (or one round of your day's breath). Track it with 7 checkmarks (one per day) and notice the moment your body starts to relax faster—proof your nervous system is learning. THIS WEEK'S MEDITATION JOURNEY  Day 1:  Anxiety Reset Visualization Day 2:  Affirmation: "I trust myself to meet this moment." Day 3:  Anchor Breathing: inhale 4, exhale 6–8, repeat 8 rounds. (If 6–8 feels too long, do 4 in / 5 out.) Day 4:  Prithi Mudra for clarity Day 5:  Third Chakra for compassion Day 6:  Anxiety Reset Flow meditation, combining the week's techniques Day 7:  Weekly review meditation and closure SHARE YOUR MEDITATION JOURNEY WITH YOUR FELLOW MEDITATORS Let's connect and inspire each other! Please share a little about how meditation has helped you by reaching out to me at Mary@SipandOm.com or better yet -- direct message me on https://www.instagram.com/sip.and.om. We'd love to hear about your meditation ritual!  WAYS TO SUPPORT THE DAILY MEDITATION PODCAST SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss a single episode. Consistency is the KEY to a successful meditation ritual. SHARE the podcast with someone who could use a little extra support. I'd be honored if you left me a podcast review. If you do, please email me at Mary@sipandom.com and let me know a little about yourself and how meditation has helped you. I'd love to share your journey to inspire fellow meditators on the podcast! All meditations are created by Mary Meckley and are her original content. Please request permission to use any of Mary's content by sending an email to Mary@sipandom.com. FOR DAILY EXTRA SUPPORT OUTSIDE THE PODCAST Each day's meditation techniques are shared at: sip.and.om Instagram https://www.instagram.com/sip.and.om/ sip and om Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SipandOm/ SIP AND OM MEDITATION APP Looking for a little more support? If you're ready for a more in-depth meditation experience, allow Mary to guide you in daily 30-minute guided meditations on the Sip and Om meditation app. Give it a whirl for 7-days free! Receive access to 3,000+ 30-minute guided meditations customized around a weekly theme to help you manage emotions. Receive a Clarity Journal and a Slow Down Guide customized for each weekly theme.  2-Week's Free Access on iOS https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sip-and-om/id1216664612?platform=iphone&preserveScrollPosition=true#platform/iphone All meditations are created by Mary Meckley and are her original content. Please request permission to use any of Mary's content by sending an email to Mary@sipandom.com.Let go of repetitive negative thoughts. The beach waves were composed by Mike Koenig. Music composed by Christopher Lloyd Clark licensed by RoyaltyFreeMusic.com, and also by musician Greg Keller.

Chloe Kim is one of the most accomplished snowboarders of her generation, who stepped away from the sport after the Beijing Olympics to reconnect with herself beyond the halfpipe. As she looks to Milan-Cortina 2026, Kim has a redefined outlook on perfection, returning with greater clarity, balance, and creative freedom. In this conversation with NBC News correspondent Stephanie Gosk, Kim reflects on maturity, self-trust, and why this Olympic chapter feels more intentional than any before. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In Day 6 of Anxiety Alchemy Week, the arc is Balance—releasing anxiety by layering the week's most effective practices into one calming sequence you can use anytime. This episode combines a longer-exhale breathing technique (Anchor Breath), a grounding focus, Prithvi Mudra for emotional protection, and a solar plexus (3rd chakra) nurturing practice to restore steadiness and self-trust. You'll learn how anxiety can pull you into extremes and how a predictable "return to center" routine helps your nervous system settle faster. If you've been feeling overstimulated, reactive, or scattered, this layered meditation will help you come back to calm, clear balance—one breath at a time. Featured practice: Layered balance stack (Release + Rest + Ground + Protect + Nurture) Best time to practice: transitions, before conversations, before sleep, after overstimulation Intention: restore inner steadiness and reduce anxiety spirals This is day 6 of a 7-day meditation series, "Anxiety Alchemy Week,"  episodes 3451-3457. ABOUT THIS WEEK'S MEDITATION JOURNEY: Welcome to The Anxiety Alchemy Week—a 7-day meditation series designed to help you release anxiety and transform that restless, buzzing energy into calm clarity and steady confidence. Each day, you'll be guided through a simple, body-based practice—breathwork, visualization, and gentle mindfulness—so you can soothe your nervous system, quiet spiraling thoughts, and feel more grounded in real life (not just during meditation). Think of this week as a soft return to yourself: less bracing, less overthinking, and more ease in your body, your choices, and your day. THIS WEEK'S CHALLENGE - "Anxiety Reset Que Challenge" Choose one daily "reset cue"—each time you touch a door handle, open your phone, or sit down, take one long exhale (or one round of your day's breath). Track it with 7 checkmarks (one per day) and notice the moment your body starts to relax faster—proof your nervous system is learning. THIS WEEK'S MEDITATION JOURNEY  Day 1:  Anxiety Reset Visualization Day 2:  Affirmation: "I trust myself to meet this moment." Day 3:  Anchor Breathing: inhale 4, exhale 6–8, repeat 8 rounds. (If 6–8 feels too long, do 4 in / 5 out.) Day 4:  Prithi Mudra for clarity Day 5:  Third Chakra for compassion Day 6:  Anxiety Reset Flow meditation, combining the week's techniques Day 7:  Weekly review meditation and closure SHARE YOUR MEDITATION JOURNEY WITH YOUR FELLOW MEDITATORS Let's connect and inspire each other! Please share a little about how meditation has helped you by reaching out to me at Mary@SipandOm.com or better yet -- direct message me on https://www.instagram.com/sip.and.om. We'd love to hear about your meditation ritual!  WAYS TO SUPPORT THE DAILY MEDITATION PODCAST SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss a single episode. Consistency is the KEY to a successful meditation ritual. SHARE the podcast with someone who could use a little extra support. I'd be honored if you left me a podcast review. If you do, please email me at Mary@sipandom.com and let me know a little about yourself and how meditation has helped you. I'd love to share your journey to inspire fellow meditators on the podcast! All meditations are created by Mary Meckley and are her original content. Please request permission to use any of Mary's content by sending an email to Mary@sipandom.com. FOR DAILY EXTRA SUPPORT OUTSIDE THE PODCAST Each day's meditation techniques are shared at: sip.and.om Instagram https://www.instagram.com/sip.and.om/ sip and om Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SipandOm/ SIP AND OM MEDITATION APP Looking for a little more support? If you're ready for a more in-depth meditation experience, allow Mary to guide you in daily 30-minute guided meditations on the Sip and Om meditation app. Give it a whirl for 7-days free! Receive access to 3,000+ 30-minute guided meditations customized around a weekly theme to help you manage emotions. Receive a Clarity Journal and a Slow Down Guide customized for each weekly theme.  2-Week's Free Access on iOS https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sip-and-om/id1216664612?platform=iphone&preserveScrollPosition=true#platform/iphone All meditations are created by Mary Meckley and are her original content. Please request permission to use any of Mary's content by sending an email to Mary@sipandom.com.Let go of repetitive negative thoughts. The beach waves were composed by Mike Koenig. Music composed by Christopher Lloyd Clark licensed by RoyaltyFreeMusic.com, and also by musician Greg Keller.

In this episode, Modern Mind therapist Tess Hochberger talks with fellow therapist Yaron Schwartzman about divorce, conscious uncoupling, and co-parenting through a thoughtful, humane lens. Drawing on both professional and personal experience, they explore why divorce is often seen as failure, how conflict can escalate, and what it looks like to slow things down and lead with care, especially for the sake of children. This episode is for anyone navigating separation, co-parenting, or supporting families through uncoupling, and offers a grounded reminder that while relationships may end, responsibility, care, and connection don't have to.LOVELINK is hosted by Brooklyn-based therapists Dr. Signe Simon and Dr. Simone Humphrey. If you'd like to contact us directly, send us an email to info@modernmind.co. 

In Day 5 of Anxiety Alchemy Week, the arc is Nurture—releasing anxiety by offering your nervous system the support it's been craving. This episode features a 3rd chakra (Solar Plexus) practice that uses breath, warmth, and focused attention on the upper belly/diaphragm to ease stress tension and rebuild a felt sense of steadiness and confidence. You'll explore how anxiety often intensifies when you're depleted or pressuring yourself, and you'll be guided to nurture your inner center with a calming visualization. If you've been feeling tense, overwhelmed, or hard on yourself, this meditation will help you soften the pressure and return to grounded self-trust. Featured technique: Solar Plexus (3rd chakra) breath + warm focus Best time to practice: before decisions, before difficult conversations, when feeling pressured or overwhelmed Intention: release anxiety held in the body and nurture steady confidence This is day 5 of a 7-day meditation series, "Anxiety Alchemy Week,"  episodes 3451-3457. ABOUT THIS WEEK'S MEDITATION JOURNEY: Welcome to The Anxiety Alchemy Week—a 7-day meditation series designed to help you release anxiety and transform that restless, buzzing energy into calm clarity and steady confidence. Each day, you'll be guided through a simple, body-based practice—breathwork, visualization, and gentle mindfulness—so you can soothe your nervous system, quiet spiraling thoughts, and feel more grounded in real life (not just during meditation). Think of this week as a soft return to yourself: less bracing, less overthinking, and more ease in your body, your choices, and your day. THIS WEEK'S CHALLENGE - "Anxiety Reset Que Challenge" Choose one daily "reset cue"—each time you touch a door handle, open your phone, or sit down, take one long exhale (or one round of your day's breath). Track it with 7 checkmarks (one per day) and notice the moment your body starts to relax faster—proof your nervous system is learning. THIS WEEK'S MEDITATION JOURNEY  Day 1:  Anxiety Reset Visualization Day 2:  Affirmation: "I trust myself to meet this moment." Day 3:  Anchor Breathing: inhale 4, exhale 6–8, repeat 8 rounds. (If 6–8 feels too long, do 4 in / 5 out.) Day 4:  Prithi Mudra for clarity Day 5:  Third Chakra for compassion Day 6:  Anxiety Reset Flow meditation, combining the week's techniques Day 7:  Weekly review meditation and closure SHARE YOUR MEDITATION JOURNEY WITH YOUR FELLOW MEDITATORS Let's connect and inspire each other! Please share a little about how meditation has helped you by reaching out to me at Mary@SipandOm.com or better yet -- direct message me on https://www.instagram.com/sip.and.om. We'd love to hear about your meditation ritual!  WAYS TO SUPPORT THE DAILY MEDITATION PODCAST SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss a single episode. Consistency is the KEY to a successful meditation ritual. SHARE the podcast with someone who could use a little extra support. I'd be honored if you left me a podcast review. If you do, please email me at Mary@sipandom.com and let me know a little about yourself and how meditation has helped you. I'd love to share your journey to inspire fellow meditators on the podcast! All meditations are created by Mary Meckley and are her original content. Please request permission to use any of Mary's content by sending an email to Mary@sipandom.com. FOR DAILY EXTRA SUPPORT OUTSIDE THE PODCAST Each day's meditation techniques are shared at: sip.and.om Instagram https://www.instagram.com/sip.and.om/ sip and om Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SipandOm/ SIP AND OM MEDITATION APP Looking for a little more support? If you're ready for a more in-depth meditation experience, allow Mary to guide you in daily 30-minute guided meditations on the Sip and Om meditation app. Give it a whirl for 7-days free! Receive access to 3,000+ 30-minute guided meditations customized around a weekly theme to help you manage emotions. Receive a Clarity Journal and a Slow Down Guide customized for each weekly theme.  2-Week's Free Access on iOS https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sip-and-om/id1216664612?platform=iphone&preserveScrollPosition=true#platform/iphone All meditations are created by Mary Meckley and are her original content. Please request permission to use any of Mary's content by sending an email to Mary@sipandom.com.Let go of repetitive negative thoughts. The beach waves were composed by Mike Koenig. Music composed by Christopher Lloyd Clark licensed by RoyaltyFreeMusic.com, and also by musician Greg Keller.

Peter Moulton has a very inspiring personal story of overcoming childhood trauma and drug addiction as a young man. Peter has been immersed in the real estate industry since 1997, coaching agents toward growth since 2006. In 2022, Peter brought his expertise to Fulton Grace Realty, where he now leads coaching, training, and education for its agents. His mission remains the same—to help others live a more productive, fulfilling life through honesty, strategy.   0.00:    Peter's background 5.30:    Overcoming addiction to heroin and cocaine at 18 9.00:    How things changed for Peter after marriage 14.40:  The power of "mono-tasking" 19.30:  Science behind 90-minute sprints 24.30:  Managing your energy for your priorities 28.00:  Dealing with negative people 38.00:  Moving from an online leads business to a relationship business 43.00:  Overcoming the fear of success 45.00:  Traits and focus of high achievers 49.00:  Being humble and authentic with your children   Peter's Book "Up": https://tinyurl.com/3ezsm4zh Podcast Website: https://enterthelionheart.com/ Check out the latest episode here: Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/enter-the-lionheart/id1554904704 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4tD7VvMUvnOgChoNYShbcI #entrepreneur #health #realesate #business #happiness #lifestyle #success

In Day 4 of Anxiety Alchemy Week, the arc is Protect—releasing anxiety by creating a calm inner boundary and returning to your center. In this episode, you'll learn and practice Prithvi Mudra (Earth Mudra), a simple hand position used as a somatic anchor for steadiness and emotional protection. You'll explore how anxiety can intensify when you're overstimulated, overcommitted, or emotionally overexposed—and how a protective inner container helps your nervous system settle. If you've been feeling flooded, reactive, or like you're absorbing everyone and everything, this meditation will help you protect your peace and feel grounded in yourself again. Featured technique: Prithvi Mudra (ring finger + thumb) Best time to practice: before conversations, before phone time, during overwhelm, at day's end Intention: protect your peace, reduce overstimulation, and release anxious urgency This is day 4 of a 7-day meditation series, "Anxiety Alchemy Week,"  episodes 3451-3457. ABOUT THIS WEEK'S MEDITATION JOURNEY: Welcome to The Anxiety Alchemy Week—a 7-day meditation series designed to help you release anxiety and transform that restless, buzzing energy into calm clarity and steady confidence. Each day, you'll be guided through a simple, body-based practice—breathwork, visualization, and gentle mindfulness—so you can soothe your nervous system, quiet spiraling thoughts, and feel more grounded in real life (not just during meditation). Think of this week as a soft return to yourself: less bracing, less overthinking, and more ease in your body, your choices, and your day. THIS WEEK'S CHALLENGE - "Anxiety Reset Que Challenge" Choose one daily "reset cue"—each time you touch a door handle, open your phone, or sit down, take one long exhale (or one round of your day's breath). Track it with 7 checkmarks (one per day) and notice the moment your body starts to relax faster—proof your nervous system is learning. THIS WEEK'S MEDITATION JOURNEY  Day 1:  Anxiety Reset Visualization Day 2:  Affirmation: "I trust myself to meet this moment." Day 3:  Anchor Breathing: inhale 4, exhale 6–8, repeat 8 rounds. (If 6–8 feels too long, do 4 in / 5 out.) Day 4:  Prithi Mudra for clarity Day 5:  Third Chakra for compassion Day 6:  Anxiety Reset Flow meditation, combining the week's techniques Day 7:  Weekly review meditation and closure SHARE YOUR MEDITATION JOURNEY WITH YOUR FELLOW MEDITATORS Let's connect and inspire each other! Please share a little about how meditation has helped you by reaching out to me at Mary@SipandOm.com or better yet -- direct message me on https://www.instagram.com/sip.and.om. We'd love to hear about your meditation ritual!  WAYS TO SUPPORT THE DAILY MEDITATION PODCAST SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss a single episode. Consistency is the KEY to a successful meditation ritual. SHARE the podcast with someone who could use a little extra support. I'd be honored if you left me a podcast review. If you do, please email me at Mary@sipandom.com and let me know a little about yourself and how meditation has helped you. I'd love to share your journey to inspire fellow meditators on the podcast! All meditations are created by Mary Meckley and are her original content. Please request permission to use any of Mary's content by sending an email to Mary@sipandom.com. FOR DAILY EXTRA SUPPORT OUTSIDE THE PODCAST Each day's meditation techniques are shared at: sip.and.om Instagram https://www.instagram.com/sip.and.om/ sip and om Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SipandOm/ SIP AND OM MEDITATION APP Looking for a little more support? If you're ready for a more in-depth meditation experience, allow Mary to guide you in daily 30-minute guided meditations on the Sip and Om meditation app. Give it a whirl for 7-days free! Receive access to 3,000+ 30-minute guided meditations customized around a weekly theme to help you manage emotions. Receive a Clarity Journal and a Slow Down Guide customized for each weekly theme.  2-Week's Free Access on iOS https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sip-and-om/id1216664612?platform=iphone&preserveScrollPosition=true#platform/iphone All meditations are created by Mary Meckley and are her original content. Please request permission to use any of Mary's content by sending an email to Mary@sipandom.com.Let go of repetitive negative thoughts. The beach waves were composed by Mike Koenig. Music composed by Christopher Lloyd Clark licensed by RoyaltyFreeMusic.com, and also by musician Greg Keller.

Rodney Crowell, often called a “songwriter's songwriter” and a foundational voice in Americana, joins Rhett for a conversation about intention, craft, and the long game of staying creatively alive. Crowell shares hard-won lessons about process: how spending time on memoir pages puts him in a “workshop of words,” so that when he turns back to the guitar he's already thinking in language. He talks about patience as the difference between forcing a song and letting it reveal itself, his approach to collaboration, the discipline of revision, and how creative confidence is built the unglamorous way: by showing up for the work, again and again. His new album “Airline Highway” is available now. Follow Rodney @rodneyjcrowell Follow Rhett @rhettmiller Wheels Off is hosted and produced by Rhett Miller. Executive producer is Kirsten Cluthe, Studio Kairos. Music by Old 97's. Episode artwork by Mark Dowd. Show logo by Tim Skirven. Watch the podcast on Spotify, and listen wherever you get your podcasts. You can also ask Alexa to play it.   Revisit previous episodes of Wheels Off with guests Rosanne Cash, Rob Thomas, Jeff Tweedy, Lucinda Williams, Stewart Copeland, Jennifer Egan, Nick Hornby, and more. If you like what you hear, please leave us a rating or review. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Upgrade to the Premium Podcast Experience - https://rachelhollis.supercast.comDive even Deeper in the Coaching Community - Rachel Hollis CoachingCheck out Upcoming Live Events!!In this episode, Rachel Hollis discusses the importance of financial freedom and practical ways to earn a raise without burning out. She emphasizes setting a clear goal for a raise, having open conversations with managers early on, and improving the quality—not just quantity—of your work.Get your copy of Rachel's New Book Here: Audible, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Millon, Bookshop.org, or wherever books are sold!00:00 Introduction: Working Smarter, Not Harder00:57 Welcome to the Show: Life, Real Life01:37 The Importance of Financial Freedom03:26 Taking Ownership of Your Financial Future06:50 Seven Practical Ways to Get a Raise07:36 Decide That a Raise is Your Goal14:56 Have the Conversation Early22:10 Improve How You Work, Not Just How Hard You Work27:54 Invest in Yourself30:44 Track Your Wins Like an Athlete32:23 Expand Your Impact33:50 Act Like Someone Who Already Earns More38:26 Conclusion: Set the Intention to Earn More39:22 Closing Remarks and Upcoming EpisodesSign up for Rachel's weekly email: https://msrachelhollis.com/insider/Call the podcast hotline and leave a voicemail! Call (737) 400-4626Watch the podcast on YouTube: http://youtube.com/@MsRachelHollisFollow along on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/MsRachelHollisTo learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.