Let’s redefine mental illness as a different state of consciousness that can move us toward a spiritual life. Depression, suicidal ideation, paranoia, and schizophrenia contain a set of experiences that can teach us and reveal aspects of life and of ourselves that we wouldn’t otherwise see. Ricky is a Life, Spirituality and Wellness Coach. He writes about spirituality, philosophy, mindfulness, meditation, and psychology in his blog Mind That Ego. Quotes to remember: “If we can embrace suffering and not crave happiness and not be overly resistant toward difficult feelings, that’s going to lead us down a fulfilling path.” “Spirituality is not a hobby. It’s a way of being.” “You are not a product of what goals you achieve.” “Ultimately, our truest essence is beyond what we can identify with.” “You are not the center of the universe, but you are the universe.” “Depression is a great teacher.” Takeaways: It’s common to link being scientific with being atheist/cynical toward spirituality The journey of spirituality is bitter at first, then like sweet nectar With suffering, the only way out is through Unresolved grief and sadness contribute greatly to our suffering Our spirituality evolves in spirals, and each stage incorporates all previous stages Self-transcendence is what lies beyond the ego and beyond Western individualism You can be spiritual and have goals The ego will constantly try to intrude and impose, even when you are engaging in a passion project The ego both downplays and aggrandizes the truth What we identify with can hold us back and keep us stuck, even if it’s supposedly a good identity When our Shadow side (our undesirable side) is not faced, it will come out as projection onto others We are afraid of not only our Shadow but also our power, potential, and creativity Mental illness can be the beginning of spiritual awakening; nonstandard states of consciousness are not necessarily insanity Our potential is far beyond our senses Curiosity is the antidote to fear What you’ll learn: Ricky’s introduction to spirituality through suffering How he talked himself through the suffering of mental illness to a place of wholeness Our understanding of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs isn’t the full picture of what Maslow intended About Ricky’s relationship with goal-setting How our concept of our identity shifts as we grow What envy can teach us about ourselves Mentioned on the podcast: https://www.mindthatego.com/ Maslow’s hierarchy and self-transcendence Spiral Dynamics Eckhart Tolle Dr. Leanne Whitney Ken Wilber Crazy Wise documentary Stanislav Grof and Holotropic Breathwork Links: Facebook Medium Youtube Instagram

Curious about the writer’s life and how writers find inspiration? Ever wonder about how a writer chooses their topics, and how to write about subjects you don’t necessarily have experience in? Then listen on. Candy is a writer, blogger, and wellness speaker. She writes on the topics of health, personal growth, and methods for moving through and beyond challenging life circumstances. Her latest book is Life on Pause: Learning to Wait Well. Quotes to remember: “Sometimes waiting is for our protection.” “The people who are successful as writers are those who are teachable.” “When you find your voice, you’ll know it.” Takeaways: Pausing can be a time of preparation and relaxation When we write about subjects that aren’t often discussed, it can strike a deeper chord with people We can write about things we don’t have direct experience of Writing can be intuitive and contemplative rather than schedule-driven You may not be aware of your own patterns until in hindsight The more you write about something, the more ideas you’ll have about it Hone your focus and you’ll write better New writers tend to want to write everything What you’ll learn: The life challenges that inspired Candy to write a book Lessons she learned during a time of waiting The circumstances around Candy’s first successful book proposal, a book on losing a loved one to suicide Tips on your first book or first major project On writing about a topic without personal experience of it What inspires Candy in her work Mentioned on the podcast: https://candyarrington.com/ Life on Pause: Learning to Wait Well Aftershock: Help, Hope, and Healing in the Wake of Suicide

If you’ve been stuck trying to figure things out but with limited success, here is a technique to get you unstuck. Visualization is a skill that helps you empower yourself. Quotes to remember: “The only way to make great changes in your life is to be able to visualize and to imagine something for yourself that pretty much doesn’t exist for you today.” “Imagining and visualizing don’t need to be limited to the scope of entertainment.” Takeaways: Visualization is the practice of seeing and feeling in great detail Visualization is a skill we can build There is a huge difference between thinking about the future and imagining Imagination is not based on anything in the past or anything you know currently People can remain stuck due to an inability to imagine a radically different life Imagination plants the seed to a new way of being Good visualization technique includes imagining things that have nothing to do with your current reality What you’ll learn: Why visualization and imagination are important The wrong and right way to do it An exercise to improve your visualization technique How visualization has helped me personally THIS WEEK’S CHALLENGE: Visualize the first minute of your ideal day. What do you do? How do you feel? Do you stay in bed for a bit, or get up smoothly and easily? Embody the feeling as you visualize. Let’s be friends on Instagram! Send me a message about the show!

If you feel like your life is meaningless and fake, and you’re questioning everything and lost and feeling like you’re going crazy--congrats. You’re in the first stages of spiritual awakening. And here you are to learn more about your experience. Lyndsay is a leadership coach, energy healer, and author of The Beautiful Un-Becoming: The Ultimate Guide to Life after Spiritual Awakening. She is passionate about empowering people on their spiritual journeys to reconnect with their inner light and wisdom to live an authentic, inspired life. Quotes to remember: “I suddenly was face-to-face with my own mortality.” “I was so focused on that goal of financial security because I didn’t have it growing up, that I forgot that we’re actually here to experience life.” “Why do you want to wait that long? Why do you feel like you’re not ready now?” “It’s not just one spiritual awakening and you’re done.” “Spirituality is woven into my fiber.” “Follow what lights you up because that is your biggest indicator of what you’re here to do in this lifetime.” Takeaways: When you realize that things could be over in the blink of an eye, you begin to question if you’re doing the right things We have whispers of the things that call to us Making the world a better place can appear very small We will need to rebuild our community when we have different priorities from those around us When you don’t have support you can get stuck in your own head Healing happens in spirals/circles Our resistance often comes from our social programming When you find yourself wanting to get rid of stuff, that’s a big sign you’re in spiritual awakening Many spiritual concepts are understood in other terms like burnout or depression or anxiety “It’s harder to fix my inside so I’m going to fix my outside”--consider if this applies to you Our ego loves to catastrophize Staying safe is often staying small Society often tells us we need to know what the next step is and what we want, but that’s not how it works Do what you do for the highest and greatest good of others If you want to do something exciting, you need to be excited about it--and our childhood reveals clues of it What you’ll learn: What created the circumstances for Lyndsay’s “crumbling,” or “dark night of the soul” How she navigated her spiritual awakening on her own The 11 symptoms of spiritual awakening How to know when you are acting from the ego rather than from the heart/inner wisdom/higher Self Where to begin when you feel bombarded by stray thoughts The 6 stages of spiritual awakening Signs that you are progressing in your journey About Lyndsay’s relationship with the future Mentioned on the podcast: https://lyndsaytoensing.com/ The Beautiful Un-Becoming: The Ultimate Guide to Life after Spiritual Awakening The Myth of Getting Over It - GP podcast Link: Instagram

Comparing ourselves to others is so easy, and so futile. Quotes to remember: “We’ll never win the game of comparison.” “When somebody’s doing well in their path, it really doesn’t have anything to do with your path.” Takeaways: Comparing is a distortion of what is really going on Online and offline, many people will showcase their highlight reel versus the full picture The voice of the ego is not you Choose your comparisons wisely When you focus on who you are and what you enjoy doing, the FOMO and the comparing fall away What you’ll learn: What to do when you find yourself comparing to others and feeling bad How to work with the ego rather than against it What comparing reveals about yourself THIS WEEK’S CHALLENGE: Notice one time in which you are comparing yourself to someone else. Allow it to be there rather than avoid it. Notice when it happens, how you feel, and what the voice is saying in your head. Let’s be friends on Instagram! Send me a message about the show!

Have you been stressed, anxious, lost, and confused lately? Let’s take a step back and gain some perspective. Listen to someone who specializes in helping people feel whole and complete--and has gone through the journey too. Dmitria is an author and healer who helps people reconnect with their spirit and reignite the light within. She works with people who are feeling like something is missing in their world to reconnect to the forgotten, neglected, and undiscovered parts of themselves, in order to finally experience the ease that comes from being whole. Quotes to remember: “I realized that it wasn’t something out there; there was something in me that I had to figure out to unlock this life that I was dreaming of.” “You connect with people at the level and depth that you’re able to connect to yourself.” “We get caught up in trying to prove to ourselves that we’re successful.” “The only thing that keeps you from being ready is your own willingness.” Takeaways: Are you clear on what you personally enjoy doing? The beginning of your spiritual journey is a struggle and a search for help You don’t need to be somebody for somebody else Meditation gives you perspective Our purpose is to experience love and joy in this lifetime, and to simply be Let’s challenge the idea that success will bring us happiness Success, happiness, and self-care can all occur at the same time Allow yourself to rest and relax Why did we come here only to restrict ourselves and live by somewhat arbitrary rules? Things will be okay when you take two or five minutes to take time for yourself All of us are a little lost We all have the same universal purpose, and unique passions and ways of expressing it What you’ll learn: Why everything looked good on paper for Dmitria yet she still wasn’t happy How Dmitria started finding herself How her days and focus have shifted over this process of getting to know herself The two foundations to leaving the rat race and feeling whole The technique Dmitria uses to quickly replenish her energy The kind of shifts that are possible when you are connected within yourself Why we abandon parts of ourselves that are really core to us A useful reinterpretation of fear How Dmitria continues her learning When she decided to quit her corporate career Mentioned on the podcast: https://www.luminancehealing.com/ https://www.dmitriaburby.com/ Links: Instagram Youtube

Life is more than checking things off your to-do list. If you feel like you’ve been missing the point, or missing something, here is a way to connect to what truly matters. Quotes to remember: “Life is more than a to-do list.” “Presence always pays off in the end.” Takeaways: What life is about To think that life is about productivity is to reduce and minimize the vastness of your experience Productivity is a chase whereas presence feels whole and complete, and nothing is missing Shifting to presence is reminding yourself of what is important by remembering unforgettable moments Presence is a process and it is ongoing What you’ll learn: Alternate ways to judge the quality of a day, aside from productivity What it means to love well What presence feels like and how to know when you are present How to shift from productivity to presence Questions to ask yourself to evaluate your day THIS WEEK’S CHALLENGE: Find three moments in your day that you appreciate. Notice that your day would be different without those small things. Let’s be friends on Instagram! Send me a message about the show!

Own your life. You have this one beautiful life and if you feel stuck or unhappy or dissatisfied, things can change. Learn how to be the conscious creator of your life. Joey is a personal & professional development coach, author, and professional speaker. His mission is to help others find their purpose and live it with passion by living as their most authentic self. Quotes to remember: “There was so much fear to it… but then there was that other side of what’s possible.” “If there’s no good or bad, there’s no right or wrong, there’s no fair or unfair, and life is truly happening for me, why would this be happening?” “Any time life is happening to us, at the deepest level we go we’re a victim.” “The wealthiest people don’t decide what’s possible for them based on their past results.” Takeaways: Things will change for you when your prayer is stronger than your fear Look for where your spirit is fed It is so difficult to serve two masters so to speak, with regards to a job and a passion Failure is never taking a step Our reality is made-up based on our perceptions Differentiate truths versus facts So often people will use what happened in their lives to hold themselves back and limit them Fear kills dreams Living your purpose will take effort but won’t feel like work Sometimes we learn and absorb wisdom but don’t apply it Living our purpose is like a train going uphill; if you pause, you’ll be slipping We must continue to grow and expand, and this feels exciting, enjoyable, and enlightening The vast majority of people spend their lives in fear, doubt, and worry If we don’t take an abnormal action, we’ll get more of what we already have Life is not a to-do list What you’ll learn: About Joey’s come-to moment in which nothing was going right in his life Step Number One of changing your life (no, not quitting your job) The biggest obstacle that everyone faces to living a life by their design How Joey waded through various addictions, a divorce, and living states away from his son How to shift your perceptions of your self-image Being the conscious creator of your life The two key indicators of if someone will be successful and get results from coaching Mentioned on the podcast: http://coachwithjoseph.com/ https://www.josephadrolshagen.com/ Life’s Lessons book Links: Facebook Youtube

Stop trying to get over it. Here’s what to do instead. In this episode we break down the myth of getting over it and explore what healing really looks like. Quotes to remember: “Feelings are temporary.” “Letting go and getting over something is a process of becoming okay with all the feelings that come up.” “Sadness isn’t wrong. Grief isn’t wrong. These feelings don’t need to be fixed.” Takeaways: Healing doesn’t mean that you’ll never think about something and feel pain about it ever again Two supposedly opposite feelings can co-exist together Grief and sadness and loss are cyclical rather than linear It is difficult to sustain a single emotion when you aren’t trying to run away from it Our feelings are like colors in a color palette; to avoid some feelings is to toss out half of the colors Strength is being able to bear the pain What you’ll learn: What it really means to get over something A different paradigm on healing and getting over heartbreak or loss or rejection THIS WEEK’S CHALLENGE: Take a look at something you are getting over or trying to get over, big or small. Consider the possibility that how you feel about it is exactly where you should be right now. That you don’t need to feel only positively or neutrally about it, and that the “negative” feelings mean that the person or thing that you miss is important to you. Ask yourself: “Why do I feel the need to get over it? What does getting over this look like for me?” Let’s be friends on Instagram! Send me a message about the show!

Learn about motivation from the man who broke the world record in May 2021 for most pushups in an hour--over three thousand pushups. TShane fought for his life after a horrific accident, flatlining three times as medics worked to save him. Later, as he struggled with PTSD, his business collapsed and he found himself homeless for two years. Today he is an author of three books, a motivational speaker, single father and a successful business owner, and he attempted to break two world records, for most pushups in an hour and most pushups over 12 hours, on a livestreamed event May 1 2021, raising money for the Purple Heart Honor Mission. UPDATE: TShane DID indeed smash the 1-hour pushup world record (it was 2,919, he finished 3,050 pushups). Though he fell short of the 12-hour record, he managed to do over 16,000 pushups and hopes to tackle the 12-hour record again, which has stood for more than 30 years, set by Paddy Doyle at 19,325 pushups. Quotes to remember: “There’s something calming about being homeless.” “Once we learn how to embrace pain, it doesn’t always have to be a bad thing.” “I don’t pity anybody that wants to talk about something and never do anything.” Takeaways: We are where we are because of so much that others have done Hardship and coming close to death can be your inspiration for doing challenging things Remembrance every day is key to building yourself long-term Take responsibility for your mistakes in order to keep moving forward Being homeless can be freeing and allow you to connect with yourself; nobody bothers you Workout time is you time Opportunity is any- and everywhere Find positively rewarding activities to be addicted to Food is to power the body, not pleasure the palate It’s okay that your energy varies throughout the day You can be happier and more productive when you finish your work early and have time for yourself and your family in the daylight What you’ll learn: How TShane recovered so quickly after flatlining multiple times in the ICU What motivates TShane to break world records His thoughts on why the veteran suicide rate is so high Why pain isn’t necessarily a bad thing What TShane listens to while working out and training (it’s not music) How he feels about someone breaking his world record What’s next for TShane after pushups What his food routine and self-care look like Mentioned on the podcast: https://tshaneinspires.com/ Earl Nightingale Zig Ziglar Les Brown Links: Facebook Instagram

Relationships can bring out the best in us… and all of our fears as well. This episode is for anyone with anxieties and fears around relationships. Quotes to remember: “A relationship is not the answer to your problems in any way. It’s a mirror to show you more of who you are.” “Within fear is an opportunity to discover just how powerful you are.” “It is not the absence of fear that defines a successful relationship; it’s the ability to move through that fear, to look at it and face it and move past it.” Takeaways: We will all feel fear in a relationship, and it’s not a sign that the relationship isn’t right Everyone has fears and a relationship will bring them to the surface Fear has a million faces and shows itself in myriad ways Fear is our mind’s response to being vulnerable It’s important to recognize fear and air it out rather than avoid it Love is the antithesis of fear; it is being open to anything that could happen There will never be a time when we have defeated all of our fears and no longer feel fear In a loving relationship, each individual is a willing participant in looking at themselves and who they are Why be in a relationship if it’s resonating with the energy of worry and doubt the entire time, a fear of it ending? Rejection is not painful--self-rejection is There is no such thing as a perfect relationship without fears Being in relationship is one of the toughest things to do, period What you’ll learn: Why we feel afraid in relationships A characterization of fear How to acknowledge fear and move through it in a relationship Tactics to jolt yourself out of the fear The purpose of relationship Mentioned on the podcast: Self-Love episode THIS WEEK’S CHALLENGE: Identify a lesson in a past or present relationship, and what it taught you about yourself. Feel gratitude for this lesson. Let’s be friends on Instagram! Send me a message about the show!

Learn the secrets of happiness--this elusive thing that we all want. If you’ve been feeling unfulfilled, lost, confused, stuck, or out of control, this conversation is for you. Dr. Rob is a transformational author and filmmaker who advises athletes, celebrities, business leaders, and everyday people on how to live their best lives. He is the host of The Dr. Rob Show and the author of The 48 Laws of Happiness: Secrets Revealed For Becoming The Happiest You. Quotes to remember: “One of the most difficult things for people to do is to both literally and metaphorically look in the mirror.” “Become the person that you want everybody to believe that you are.” “Whatever your mind magnifies becomes real.” “When we learn to slow down our lives to the speed of enjoyment is when we learn how to become content.” Takeaways: There are health benefits to forgiving others Sometimes we have an “aha” moment; other times it is a process It is useful to look to the people who are 2 or 5 years ahead of you in how you want to be, for more guidance and strategy Experience is not the best teacher--reflected experience is When we let go of judgment of our experiences, they become data points People can live without a lot of things but people cannot live without hope The chase for achievement to make us happy is neverending We often don’t fulfill our calling because we don’t give ourselves permission Whatever you want to find… you find Accepting yourself unconditionally is not based on your circumstances The difference between positive and negative people is what they focus on Morning is your time to feel in control of the day What you’ll learn: About Dr. Rob’s near-death experience and how it helped him develop into who he is today How to use your past experiences, good or bad, to further your own growth What our identity is based upon Questions to ask yourself in order to manifest your potential and your greatest self How Dr. Rob gained his wisdom and how you can too An example of living with gratitude versus ingratitude About his meditation practice that grounds him every day What he has learned from being a filmmaker and director A simple way to focus on what matters What Destination Disease is Mentioned on the podcast: http://drrob.tv/ The 48 Laws of Happiness: Secrets Revealed For Becoming The Happiest You Links: Facebook Instagram

Can’t seem to stop overthinking and worrying and stressing? If you find yourself living in a state of indecision and anxiety, get some support through grounding techniques and insight into how the mind works. Quotes to remember: “We can’t actually stop overthinking. What we can do is focus on what we want to do instead of overthinking.” “You are not the thoughts. You are not the mind. You are the witness to those thoughts.” Takeaways: Worry feels productive but is counterproductive A decision takes just a moment, whereas anxiety and indecision can take years We don’t need to believe every single thought we have The mind/ego is always in the past or in the future; the body can only be in the present moment What you’ll learn: Grounding questions to ask yourself when you start overthinking How to disidentify with your mind Other tips for dealing with a busy mind THIS WEEK’S CHALLENGE: Give your ego/mind a name. Try the name out for a week. Whenever you start overthinking, refer to them as not your thoughts, but that entity’s thoughts. Let’s be friends on Instagram! Send me a message about the show!

Do you work too much and feel guilty about taking time for yourself? Do you find yourself overthinking things and having a hard time asserting your boundaries? Learn how to work through anxiety and discover what the root of it is for you. Tati helps high-achievers with high-functioning anxiety feel more calm, present, and confident so they can finally stop overthinking everything and live a more balanced life. She has had over 10 years of experience in the field of mental health & self-improvement. Quotes to remember: “It got to the point where it felt like I couldn’t handle it anymore--and that’s when I realized I shouldn’t be reacting this way to something so small.” “It’s not a linear journey.” “You don’t need to be hard on yourself to be ambitious.” “When you’re overthinking things, in some way you feel like you have control.” Takeaways: People with high-functioning anxiety appear calm and confident on the outside, but are struggling on the inside You may not know that you have anxiety because you believe that this is what it takes to be successful The first step is becoming aware of your negative thoughts and when they come up Speak with yourself like you might speak with a friend We mistakenly believe that we must be hard on ourselves in order to get things done Self-compassion can aid in ambition We are taught via punishment growing up--but it’s ineffective at building sustainable habits for ourselves Anxiety is rooted in shame and being uncomfortable with oneself Express your shame and fear, if even in a journal When you notice the thinking, you give yourself the choice Anxiety often leads to either avoidance or overworking Focus on energy management rather than time management Sometimes people become comfortable in their discomfort What you’ll learn: How core beliefs may be holding us back What Tati implemented in her life once she realized that anxiety was running her life Steps to accepting yourself What to do when you find yourself overthinking Preventing burnout by keeping a pulse on your health How to address guilt when saying no, especially in work How to be more productive in less time Why some people fail to change Mentioned on the podcast: https://www.becalmwithtati.com/ Calmly Coping podcast Links: Instagram Youtube Pinterest

Self-love is a vague term and I wanted to disambiguate it. Here are the basic principles of self-love, plus some practical things you can do to love yourself. Remember, it’s a daily practice to love yourself. Quotes to remember: “You are infinite… you are capable beyond anything you can imagine.” “Every choice you make is a step either toward the person you want to become or away from the person you want to become.” Takeaways: Sometimes it takes hardship and being treated poorly to discover self-love It is important to differentiate the true you from the inner critic Letting go includes letting go of ideas and plans and people and influences Accepting yourself means that you accept that at times, you won’t be up to par Self-care is only a part of the whole of self-love Self-love is a practice; it can only be known experientially You are enough to satisfy what you need What you’ll learn: Defining self-love Several aspects/basic principles of self-love Exercises to implement to love yourself more THIS WEEK’S CHALLENGE: Write down one idea that stood out to you. Ponder it this week. Let’s be friends on Instagram! Send me a message about the show!

How does a former police officer define justice? Why is there a gender difference in rates of suicide? How do you have compassion for perpetrators of crimes, and how does your own self-care tie into all of it? Get a social justice writer’s take on self-care, worth, and justice in this episode. Pip is a social justice writer, podcast producer, radio presenter, and personal brand strategist with a background in criminal investigations and advocacy. She began writing 15 years ago as she journaled her way through PTSD and anxiety. In 2017 she created the radio show, The Hour to Empower, and the accompanying podcast, Elements of Empowerment. Quotes to remember: “Women’s empowerment is all about saying yes and knowing when to say no.” “Justice is often an apology.” “We shouldn’t have to justify or excuse ourselves in order to get what we want.” Takeaways: Justice looks different for everybody Trauma that isn’t dealt with manifests into frustration and anger Most perpetrators have been victims The conversations we have with ourselves are where empowerment begins Men who consider suicide often would rather kill themselves than hurt their family members Suicide comes from intergenerational trauma and patterns of behavior Justice is not a system or in a courtroom ruled by a middle-aged white man The only people who benefit from the legal system are the people who work in it The legal system repeatedly subjects you to your trauma Boys need to learn how depersonalize rejection so that they don’t turn to violence You teach others how you want to be treated What you’ll learn: Social justice and trauma from a former police officer’s perspective How men’s mental health plays into women’s safety On the gender gap in suicide (men complete suicide more frequently than women), and what we can do about it How self-care ties into justice and mental health, and how to build self-worth On parenting children and developing confident young people What self-care looks like for someone working in justice Mentioned on the podcast: https://piprae.com/ https://julesoneill.com/ https://hannahkorrel.com/

If you have perfectionistic and self-critical tendencies, give yourself the gift of self-awareness and some tools you can use to face perfectionism and replace it with joy, curiosity, and freedom. Quotes to remember: “Our identity isn’t based on achievement. Our identity is based on our values.” “Perfectionism is a symptom of your relationship with yourself.” Takeaways: A huge part of getting over perfectionism is recognizing the benefits of it In reality, nothing can ultimately be perfect Our society, especially in the U.S., trains us to be perfectionistic from an early age Perfectionism is a way you treat yourself; how do you want your mental space to feel? We don’t think completely logically--otherwise we wouldn’t be perfectionistic in the first place Letting go of perfectionism doesn’t mean letting go of your values; in fact, you may even do better for it What you’ll learn: Why we are perfectionistic How to overcome perfectionism: tips My personal relationship with being a perfectionist and how I got through it THIS WEEK’S CHALLENGE: Write down the 3 biggest things you tend to be perfectionistic about. Let’s be friends on Instagram! Send me a message about the show!

Listening to others’ stories and sharing your own are powerful ways to create change in your life. Hear about Herb’s variety of experiences and what inspires him--and inspire new ideas within yourself. Herb is a PhD student at Johns Hopkins University studying organic chemistry. His array of experiences include attending a majority black high school, speaking at a meeting with members of the Obama Administration about education, playing D3 football in Ohio, resolving racial issues at a Predominantly White Institution, and rebounding from losing his father at 22. He is also the co-host of The NuBlack Podcast, where he and Taaj Davis have conversations about anything and everything that can mold, challenge, or shift perspectives. Quotes to remember: “Literally you’re watching someone you love, die… it’s a hard task to do but you do it because you love the person.” “If you try to go faster than your pace, that’s how burnout happens.” “There’s so much life out there and there are so many experiences to have.” Takeaways: We often need to mourn before a loved one dies Grieving the loss of a loved one is one of the hardest things you will do We can work through the impostor syndrome When we’re hitting a wall, it helps to take a break, take a step back, and come to it with a fresh mind later on Simple grounding techniques can help you move out of dwelling and back to the present It’s important to share your stories, both positive and negative What you’ll learn: On Herb’s grieving process of losing his father to lung cancer Dealing with impostor syndrome and being a black researcher in STEM The idea of having a short memory and how it can be useful in challenging times How Herb addressed a racist incident on campus in a creative way Why and how to be well-rounded as a person What inspired Herb to podcast Mentioned on the podcast: The NuBlack podcast

The feeling of being lonely can basically be unbearable in certain moments. Here are some thoughts on what loneliness is a sign of, what you can learn from it, how solitude differs from loneliness, and what to do to feel less lonely. Quotes to remember: “To the lonely person, being alone equates to being lonely.” “Oftentimes this loneliness that we feel echoes some wound or some trauma that we experienced a long time ago.” Takeaways: Being alone helps us face our fears of loneliness Get curious about the feeling of loneliness, and see what it tells you about what you feel disconnected from Consider your inner child and whether or not that child is still hurting We are all connected in so many ways The practice of solitude is a deliberate ascetic act The feeling of loneliness is a guest; it will come, and then it will go; we don’t need to fear it When you practice solitude, be ready to feel more lonely initially before it passes What you’ll learn: What to do when you feel lonely What it means to feel lonely The difference between loneliness and solitude Questions to ask yourself the next time you feel lonely Four types of disconnection or alienation Mentioned on the podcast: 4 Ways to Overcome Alienation and Loneliness THIS WEEK’S CHALLENGE: Write out one thing that you love to do with other people. Do that thing on your own and see how the experience is. Let’s be friends on Instagram! Send me a message about the show!

We all have a creative intelligence within us that can serve us in our darkest moments and is more powerful than thought. Here’s how to get in touch with it. Corry is a transpersonal art therapist, artist, and cognitive coach. She helps people activate their Creative Intelligence, giving them the freedom and grit to transform their challenges into wisdom. She is the author of Life In Full Colors: Unlock Your Childlike Curiosity to Uncover and Activate the Creative Intelligence You Are. Quotes to remember: “There was always this process where there was a challenge… and that became the ultimate art material.” “We can love all of ourselves.” “Even if things aren’t flowing or colorful, they can just become our normal.” “My god, we’re the universe in a pair of jeans.” Takeaways: There is a deep intelligence within us that can guide us to new ways of being Sometimes we need a different way to express our emotions to release them Our darker emotions are trying to tell us something Change is a gradual spiral upward, not an on-off switch Intentional messiness can help you get in touch with your heart It can be helpful to dialogue with your challenges and problems Accessing the intelligence within helps us move through challenges and take on a different perspective At rock-bottom is where we finally look up and cry out for help If you only paint blue, paint blue The heart’s magnetic field is 5000x stronger than that of the thinking mind Our hearts attune to one another What you’ll learn: What transpersonal art therapy is What led Corry to becoming a healer How to connect the thinking and feeling minds The connection between art and self-love The process by which Corry wrote Life in Full Colors Telltale signs that you are not living life in full colors Why we become disconnected from our creativity How to get back in center with your heart when you feel out of it Mentioned on the podcast: https://www.creatinghealingwithcorry.com/ Life in Full Colors book Joseph Campbell https://www.heartmath.org/ Links: Instagram Facebook Twitter Youtube