The One You Feed

Elisha Goldstein, Ph.D., co-founder of the Center for Mindful Living and an expert on mindfulness and depression, dives into transformative approaches to mental health. He discusses his book, highlighting how mindfulness and self-compassion can uncover happiness and break the cycle of depression. Elisha emphasizes the neurological insights into depression and the power of community support. He encourages curiosity and the importance of play in adulthood as ways to foster emotional resilience and joy.

Oren Jay Sofer, a leader in mindful communication and meditation with a Columbia degree in Comparative Religion, shares insights from his book, 'Say What You Mean.' He discusses the importance of being present and the impact of fragmented attention on our conversations. Oren outlines a three-step process for effective communication: leading with presence, coming from curiosity, and focusing on what matters. He emphasizes the power of pausing and the connection between our speech and nervous system, offering practical techniques to enhance interpersonal connections.

Dr. Tererai Trent, an internationally acclaimed advocate for women's empowerment and author of 'The Awakened Woman,' shares her incredible journey from a rural community to becoming an inspiring scholar. She delves into the concept of the 'two hungers' in life—the little and great—and the importance of pursuing meaningful aspirations. Dr. Trent recounts powerful stories of resilience, generational wisdom, and how dreams can thrive amid adversity, encouraging listeners to break their barriers and embrace their sacred dreams.

Discover the motivations of athletes in the Boston Marathon and how their personal stories drive community support. Dive into the concept of Hedonic Adaptation and the fleeting nature of happiness through amusing Disney anecdotes. Explore the value of novelty and gratitude in maintaining joy, highlighted by a touching poem from Mary Oliver. Finally, enjoy a blend of humor and introspection, reflecting on resilience amidst emotional challenges, topped off with a motivational song about perseverance.

In this discussion, Oliver Burkeman, an award-winning writer for The Guardian, dives into modern time management. He argues that technologies designed to make us efficient can often lead to more stress. Burkeman suggests that the endless to-do list is here to stay and that having emails in your inbox isn’t necessarily a bad thing. He reflects on the simpler times and emphasizes that true peace of mind requires difficult choices about how to spend our time, encouraging a reevaluation of productivity in our lives.

Eli Jaxon-Bear, founder of The Leela Foundation and author of "An Outlaw Makes it Home," dives into the exploration of the true self. He emphasizes the need to distinguish between our true essence and the false selves we create. The conversation covers intriguing insights into the Enneagram, suggesting a deeper understanding of identity beyond mere personality types. Eli also discusses the transformative journey from 'me' to 'I,' encouraging authenticity and self-awareness as pathways to fulfillment. Discover how silence and emotional healing play vital roles in this journey.

Discover how small steps can lead to substantial personal growth. The discussion highlights the power of consistency, emphasizing that it's not about being perfect but about making incremental progress. Using the metaphor of the Chinese bamboo tree, the conversation illustrates how success quietly builds over time. Listeners are encouraged to embrace perseverance and develop strategies to overcome setbacks while pursuing their goals.

Catherine Gray, author of "The Unexpected Joy of Being Sober" and "The Unexpected Joy of Being Single," shares her insights on embracing singlehood and the transformative power of sobriety. She discusses societal misconceptions about being single, encouraging listeners to find empowerment in their relationship status. The conversation also delves into the complexities of love addiction and the significance of self-acceptance. Gray emphasizes the need for diverse social connections and self-care to foster genuine happiness in all aspects of life.

Jonathan Rottenberg is an Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of South Florida where he’s the director of the mood and emotion laboratory. He’s also the author of the book, The Depths:  The Evolutionary Origins of the Depression Epidemic“, which he and Eric have discussed before. In this interview, they discuss some of the studies and research he’s involved with specific to those who go on to flourish after having depression. Why do they? What can we learn from them? There’s hope and practical wisdom in this episode for you.Need help with completing your goals in 2019? The One You Feed Transformation Program can help you accomplish your goals this year.But wait – there’s more! The episode is not quite over!! We continue the conversation and you can access this exclusive content right in your podcast player feed. Head over to our Patreon page and pledge to donate just $10 a month. It’s that simple and we’ll give you good stuff as a thank you!In This Interview, Jonathan Rottenberg and I Discuss… His book, The Depths: The Evolutionary Origins of the Depression Epidemic Thriving after depression The studies and research he’s involved with People who thrive after depression The destructive and recurring nature of depression The typical low expectation for those with depression about life moving forward and how it should be different What is mental “health”? Psychological well being Experiencing positive emotions Experiencing negative emotions to a lesser degree Feeling of balance in life Having meaningful relationships Feeling a sense of autonomy over your life How happy should we expect to be? Having elements of wellbeing amidst struggling with depression The 3 things that seed a low mood: events, temperaments, and routines Rumination Ways that people can work with depression more skillfully Having a different relationship with your negative thoughts Having connections with others Research on flourishing How much control do we have over our state of flourishing? That it’s never too late There is hope Our culture that idealizes euphoria The role of our basic temperament Factors of wellbeing other than emotion and mood The organization he helped found, Depression Army The interesting and transformative experience of depression That his depression has been defanged and it doesn’t break the skin anymore Jonathan Rottenberg, Ph.D. Links:Depression ArmyFacebookTwitterInstagramBlinkist – Do you have an ever-growing list of books to read? Blinkist can help! With thousands of non-fiction books distilled down to their most salient points that you can consume in 15 minutes or less, go to www.blinkist.com/wolf for a 7-day free trialPolicy Genius helps you compare insurance plans and find the right policy for you at a price you can afford and then they handle everything – negotiating your rate and booking your appointment. Visit www.policygenius.comRobinhood is an investing app that allows you to buy and sell stocks, EFTs, Options and Cryptos all commission free at any level. All it takes to do so is 4 taps in the app on your smartphone so it makes investing easy for beginners and experienced people alike. For The One You Feed listeners, you can get a free stock like Apple, Ford, or Sprint to help you build your portfolio by going to  youfeed.robinhood.comIf you liked this episode, you might also enjoy these other episodes:Johan HariLisa Feldman BarrettTherese BorchardSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Susan David is a psychologist on faculty at Harvard Medical School. She’s also the co-founder and co-director of The Institute of Coaching at McLean Hospital and is CEO of Evidence-Based Psychology. Her book is, Emotional Agility: Get Unstuck, Embrace Change, and Thrive in Work and Life. Have you ever gotten hooked by a difficult emotion? In other words, have you ever felt compelled to act on a strong feeling without having any space to think about your action first? If so, you will find really helpful wisdom in this episode that you can take, apply today and live a more skillful, open-hearted life.Need help with completing your goals in 2019? The One You Feed Transformation Program can help you accomplish your goals this year.But wait – there’s more! The episode is not quite over!! We continue the conversation and you can access this exclusive content right in your podcast player feed. Head over to our Patreon page and pledge to donate just $10 a month. It’s that simple and we’ll give you good stuff as a thank you!In This Interview, Susan David and I Discuss… Her book, Emotional Agility: Get Unstuck, Embrace Change, and Thrive in Work and Life How emotions are a guidance system That emotions can help us adapt and thrive The thinking “unless I’m happy all the time, something is wrong” Emotional Agility Loosening up, calming down and living with more intention The space between stimulus and response Emotional rigidity Allowing the story in our head to drive our actions Being who we most want to be in this world Moving away from the idea of “I have a thought and the thought is fact and I have to act on it” Getting hooked – accepting thought as fact That we are not our emotions – our emotions are a data source The story that imprisons and keeps us from acting in an open-hearted way How to get unhooked Getting curious and compassionate about our emotions when we’re hooked I’m noticing that I’m feeling ____ Creating a safe psychological space for ourselves “Walking your why” Choice points: do I move towards my values or away from my values? Social contagion Keeping your values front of mind Discomfort is the price of admission to a meaningful life That our difficult emotions (like anxiety, for example) don’t have to go away in order for us to live according to our values Under our difficult emotions are signposts for our values Premature cognitive commitment Stories help us to make sense of our world Naming our stories Susan David, Ph.D. Links:susandavid.comTed Talk – Susan David, Ph.D.FacebookTwitterInstagramDaily Harvest delivers absolutely delicious, organic, carefully sourced, chef created fruit and veggie smoothies, soups, overnight oats, bowls and more! To get 3 cups free in your first box, visit www.daily-harvest.com and enter promo code: feedThe Great Courses Plus offers thousands of courses in virtually any topic and you can listen on demand anywhere. To get a full month for FREE, visit thegreatcoursesplus.com/wolfPhlur makes stunning, non-toxic perfumes, listing every ingredient and why it’s there. Visit www.phlur.com and enter promo code: WOLF to get 20% off first custom sampler set.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.