Good Life Project

How does a surgical and pediatric nurse become one of the most widely acclaimed writers of our time? This was the jumping-in point for my conversation with Sue Monk Kidd. From her earliest memories, Sue wanted to write, but growing up in a small town in Georgia, she was channeled into a much narrower set of career offerings that were offered up as the “only appropriate kinds of work for a woman.” That never sat well with Sue, but not quite having found her own voice yet, she ended up following the thread into nursing school, then into a season of life where she built a career in medicine while raising a family. But, when she turned 30, that stifled yearning to make writing her devotion was reawakened. She literally announced she was going to be a writer out loud to her husband and kids at the kitchen table, who didn’t quite realize the seriousness of what had just happened. Profoundly influenced by contemplative writers, like Merton, Sue began to pen essays, meditations and stories and see them published, which led to books about her own take on life, feminism, and a more expansive and inclusive spirituality. Then, more than a decade into her writing life, she did what writers are so often cautioned away from. Sue changed lanes from nonfiction to fiction, writing short stories, and eventually, going all-in on a novel that would become the mammoth, international blockbuster, A Secret Life of Bees, the writing of which was its own 5-year odyssey. As we sat down, we explored this incredible journey, and how she navigated major shifts in both career and life. We also dive into her most recent novel, The Book of Longings, a fictional imagining of the early life of Jesus, told through the eyes of an equally strong and vibrant wife, whose presence would never “make” the pages of history. You can imagine, this book stirred a lot of conversation and served as a provocation to explore not only this story, but also the frame that is brought to the way stories of women have, and have not been told throughout history, and who holds the power of the pen.You can find Sue at: Website | InstagramIf you LOVED this episode:You’ll also love the conversations we had with Elizabeth Lesser about the writing life and the role of women in historical narratives.Check out our offerings & partners: Join My New Writing Project: Awake at the WheelVisit Our Sponsor Page For Great Resources & Discount CodesCheck out our offerings & partners: Beam Dream Powder: Visit https://shopbeam.com/GOODLIFE and use code GOODLIFE to get our exclusive discount of up to 40% off. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How do you create a radical change in direction in your life? My guest today, Rosie Acosta, found herself asking that question in her mid-teens, after being arrested, and the answer came in a way she never saw coming. Born and raised in East LA at a time when gang violence was the norm, Rosie pushed up against authority from a young age. But, after being arrested, a simple sentence led her to commit to a radical reimagining of her own life. She didn’t know what form or shape it would take, until one day, ditching school, she found herself in the Self Realization Fellowship in LA, listening to the words of a woman who would change her life, and lead her down a path of spirituality she never saw coming. Especially since she’d rejected religion, or anything smacking of faith, in the years before.Now, a sought-after advisor, coach, yoga and meditation teacher, she travels the world leading workshops, retreats, and trainings, boasts a private clientele that includes Olympic athletes, NFL champions, NBA All-Stars and veterans of war, and hosts the Radically Loved podcast. A first-gen Mexican-American, Rosie’s mission is to help others overcome adversity and experience radical love, and she shares her philosophy on radical love in her new book, You Are Radically Loved: A Healing Journey to Self-Love.You can find Rosie at: Website | InstagramIf you LOVED this episode:You’ll also love the conversations we had with Justin Tranter about defying convention and expectation and carving your own path in the world. Check out our offerings & partners: My New Book SparkedMy New Podcast SPARKED. Visit Our Sponsor Page For Great Resources & Discount CodesCheck out our offerings & partners: Beam Dream Powder: Visit https://shopbeam.com/GOODLIFE and use code GOODLIFE to get our exclusive discount of up to 40% off. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

These last few years have dealt a lot of blows to our state of mind, body, and health. On some level, it’s been hard to escape trauma. Even if you can’t point to a big capital-T thing that happened, we live in a perpetual sea of micro-moments that unsettle, upset and shake us in a way that leaves a mark. Whether we know it’s there or not, whether we realize or acknowledge it, it’s affecting us. You, me, pretty much everyone on some level. Question is, what do we do about that? This is the very question I explore with my guest this week, Bessel van der Kolk, legendary trauma researcher, psychiatrist, and author of a book that has been locked into the #1 spot on the New York Times bestseller list for years now, The Body Keeps the Score. In 1984, Bessel established one of the first clinical/research centers in the US dedicated to study and treatment of traumatic stress in civilian populations, while also training researchers and clinicians specializing in the study and treatment of traumatic stress. He was a member of the first neuroimaging team to investigate how trauma changes the brain. Bessel’s efforts led to the establishment of the Trauma Research Foundation, developing new treatment models that are widely taught and implemented nationwide, a research lab that studied the effects of neurofeedback and MDMA on behavior, mood, and executive functioning, and numerous trainings nationwide to a variety of mental health professional, educators, parent groups, policymakers, and law enforcement personnel.You can find Bessel at: Website | InstagramIf you LOVED this episode:You’ll also love the conversations we had with Ellen Hendrickson about social anxiety.Check out our offerings & partners: My New Book SparkedMy New Podcast SPARKED.Visit Our Sponsor Page For Great Resources & Discount CodesCheck out our offerings & partners: Beam Dream Powder: Visit https://shopbeam.com/GOODLIFE and use code GOODLIFE to get our exclusive discount of up to 40% off. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How do you design a life of wonder and love, contribution and meaning, joy and expression? At the end of the day, that’s what we all really want. To know we’ve used our time on this big, blue marble in a way that was worthy, that was wise, that was alive. Which is why I was so excited to sit down with an old friend, Debbie Millman, who just happens to be a legendary thinker and doer in the world of design, branding, innovation and life. Named “one of the most creative people in business” by Fast Company, she’s an author, educator, curator and host of the iconic Design Matters podcast, where she’s interviewed hundreds of the most creative people in the world over the past 17 years. Debbie is also the author of seven books, and her new book, Why Design Matters: Conversations with the World’s Most Creative People, is a stunning compilation of her own take on everything from design to branding, business, entrepreneurship and life, mixed in with moments from guests that have, in no small part, collectively designed the world we live in.Debbie co-founded the world’s first graduate program in branding at the School of Visual Arts in New York City, was the President one of the world’s leading branding consultancies, Sterling Brands, where she worked on the brand identity for everyone from Burger King, Hershey’s, Haagen Dazs, Tropicana, Star Wars, Gillette, to the No More movement.Her writing and illustrations have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, New York Magazine, Print Magazine, and Fast Company. Her artwork is found in private collections, universities and museums around the world. Debbie has a deeply insightful and experienced lens on how we live our lives, how we show up in work and life, and tell the stories that bring it all alive.You can find Debbie at: Website | InstagramIf you LOVED this episode:You’ll also love the conversations we had with Milton Glaser about building a life of meaning and impact. Check out our offerings & partners: My New Book SparkedMy New Podcast SPARKED. To submit your “moment & question” for consideration to be on the show go to sparketype.com/submit. Visit Our Sponsor Page For Great Resources & Discount CodesCheck out our offerings & partners: Beam Dream Powder: Visit https://shopbeam.com/GOODLIFE and use code GOODLIFE to get our exclusive discount of up to 40% off. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What do you think of when you hear the word “family?” For some, it’s feelings of love, belonging, support. For others, its estrangement, friction, and angst. Especially over these last few years. Which is why the notion of chosen family has become an increasing part of the conversation about who we surround ourselves with, how they make us feel, and how, together, we can expand the idea of family to create a bigger impact ripple in society. This is one of the topics we dive into in today’s powerful Best Of conversation with Mia Birdsong. As the founding Co-Director of Family Story, Mia lifted up a new national story about what makes a good family, and as Vice President of the Family Independence Initiative, she leveraged the power of data and stories to illuminate and accelerate the initiative low-income families take to improve their lives. Mia is a Senior Fellow of the Economic Security Project, was an inaugural Ascend Fellow and faculty member with The Aspen Institute, a New American California Fellow, and Advocate-in-Residence with the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Social Policy and Practice. In her book How We Show Up: Reclaiming Family, Friendship, and Community, she examines community life, reimagines family and chosen family, and points us toward the promise of our collective vitality. You can find Mia Birdsong at: Website | InstagramIf you LOVED this episode:You’ll also love the earlier conversation we had with Kat Vellos about her sense of identity, creativity, and expression.Check out our offerings & partners: My New Book SparkedMy New Podcast SPARKED.Visit Our Sponsor Page For Great Resources & Discount CodesCheck out our offerings & partners: Beam Dream Powder: Visit https://shopbeam.com/GOODLIFE and use code GOODLIFE to get our exclusive discount of up to 40% off. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When the curator of the longest-running study on human flourishing, the Grant Study, was asked if there was any one factor that most contributed to a life well-lived, his answer was clear - love, full stop. In no small way, love makes a life. And, we’re not just talking romantic love. So, today, we’re bringing you a very special episode drawing upon the deep wisdom of five past guests, each experts in the space of love, relationships, and self-discovery, to share provocative, unique, and valuable insights about how to love and be loved, how to hold relationships with curiosity and allow room for growth, how to create a society-wide container of compassion, then invite everyone in, even those you struggle to like, or be in the same room with, let alone love. You’ll hear from Julie and John Gottman, who’ve been married and also researching love and relationships, both clinically and in the lab for over 4 decades together, and writing mega-bestselling books on the topic. You’ll hear from Diego Perez, who most know from his online moniker Young Pueblo, on creating the space for growth. Rev. angel Kyodo williams will share an expansive lens on love and its connection to compassion, holding the space for difference, and liberation. And, our friend, spoken-world artist, IN-Q, shared a beautiful spoken-word piece, framed by his own experience of falling in love, wrapping with an invitation for us all to find moments to create magic.If you LOVED this episode:You can find Julie & John Gottman at: Full Conversation | Website | InstagramYou can find Digeo Perez (Yung Pueblo) at: Full Conversation | Website | InstagramYou can find Rev. angel Kyodo williams at: Full Conversation | Instagram | WebsiteYou can find IN-Q at: Full Conversation | Website | InstagramCheck out our offerings & partners: My New Book SparkedMy New Podcast SPARKEDVisit Our Sponsor Page For a Complete List of Vanity URLs & Discount Codes.Check out our offerings & partners: Beam Dream Powder: Visit https://shopbeam.com/GOODLIFE and use code GOODLIFE to get our exclusive discount of up to 40% off. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cole Arthur Riley grew up in a house full of personalities that she describes as loud and funny, but as a kid, as loved as she felt, she kept her voice from others. In fact, Cole barely spoke until she was 7. Still, her dad kept finding ways to, as she described, bribe her to share her voice and nurture her creative impulse, often in writing, from poems to stories and beyond. As she grew into herself, she developed a dual passion for contemplative spirituality, and also the work of writers, like Audre Lorde, Octavia Butler, James Baldwin, Thomas Merton, Toni Morrison, Maya Angelou. Over time, her lens on spirituality yearned for a more expansive expression, one that embodied more of her lived experience as a Black, queer woman, who’d also find herself living with an autoimmune disease that manifested in illness, pain, and uncertainty.Cole was drawn to liturgy and began to write her own blended prayer-meets-poetry, informed by her, unique experience of life, faith, love, creativity, harm, inequity, and justice. She began sharing these modern liturgies on Instagram under the moniker, Black Liturgies, which she describes as a space for Black spiritual words of liberation, lament, rage, and rest. The project quickly grew into a global phenomenon, with deep resonance far beyond her original intended audience, and led to her debut book, This Here Flesh: Spirituality, Liberation, and the Stories That Make Us, which explores some of the most urgent questions of life, identity, and faith: How can spirituality not silence the body, but instead allow it to come alive? How do we honor, lament, and heal from the stories we inherit? How can we find peace in a world overtaken with dislocation, noise, and unrest? In this stunning work, Cole invites us to descend into our own stories, examine our capacity to rest, wonder, joy, rage, and repair, and find that our humanity is not an enemy to faith but evidence of it.You can find Cole at: Website | InstagramIf you LOVED this episode:You’ll also love the earlier conversation we had with Ashley C. Ford about her sense of identity, creativity, and expression. Check out our offerings & partners: My New Book SparkedMy New Podcast SPARKED. To submit your “moment & question” for consideration to be on the show go to sparketype.com/submit. Visit Our Sponsor Page For Great Resources & Discount CodesCheck out our offerings & partners: Beam Dream Powder: Visit https://shopbeam.com/GOODLIFE and use code GOODLIFE to get our exclusive discount of up to 40% off. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ever wonder what it would be like to have a near-magical ability to find yourself at peace, to dial in a state of calm, no matter what the circumstances around you?The last few years have been tough. Perpetual groundlessness. High-stakes. Uncertainty. We tend to experience this as spin, anxiety, fear, doubt, unease, an inability to relax. Like calm packed up and left the building. Thing is, our ability to come back to a place of peace is so central to our ability to live good lives. And to also access the state of presence that allows us to notice what is good and true and nourishing, even when much around us is hard.So, how do we access a state of calm, even when the world around us seems to keep ripping it away? In today's episode, we dive into 7 powerful ideas, tools, and practices that can help guide you back to a place of calm abiding. And, at the end, I’m going to share a guided practice designed to bring you back to center. So, be sure to listen all the way, and you may want to tap the icon to save this episode so you can return to it whenever you want to drop into that peaceful place on-demand.You can find the 1-page worksheet for today's episode HERE.Find All Of The Episodes In This Series:How to Bring Purpose & Possibility Into Your Work | The 2022 PlanHow to Feel More Alive | The 2022 PlanHow to Accomplish Big Things | The 2022 PlanHow to Do the Ultimate Year-End ReviewMy new book is available!Order Sparked: Discover Your Unique Imprint for Work that Makes You Come Alive today!Check out our offerings & partners: My New Book SparkedMy New Podcast SPARKED: We’re looking for special guest “wisdom-seekers” to share the moment you’re in, then pose questions to Jonathan and the Sparked Braintrust to be answered, “on air.” To submit your “moment & question” for consideration to be on the show go to sparketype.com/submit. Visit Our Sponsor Page For Great Resources & Discount CodesCheck out our offerings & partners: Beam Dream Powder: Visit https://shopbeam.com/GOODLIFE and use code GOODLIFE to get our exclusive discount of up to 40% off. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ever look at someone who has made an astonishing change in career, leaving behind what seemed like a dream career, from the outside looking in, to start something new that makes them so alive and think, “wow, I’d love to do that, too?” Well, you’re not alone. And this week’s guest, Janine Kwoh, shares how and why she left behind the world of private equity and venture philanthropy to follow her heart into the world of art, creativity, and tapping a very old, very physical printing technology to share images and words that give feeling and emotion to the experiences that are often so hard to share.Janine is now the owner, artist, and entrepreneur behind Kwohtations, a creative studio that offers cards, prints and an array of gifts that reflect and celebrate a diversity of identities and life experiences, as a way to reflect on and honor the lives we actually lead, versus the ones we think we should. Topics range from navigating love and loss, (re)defining family and success, and figuring out what it means to show up honestly and openly in life. In fact, it was the loss of her partner in life at the age of 28 that both dropped her into the experience of grief and also awakened her to a sense of imperative to do what made her truly come alive. What began as a side passion led to sharing her work and eventually grew into her full-time devotion. And, Janine’s lens on grief, in particular, and the way she shares it through her art, led to a deeply meaningful body-of-work that’s seeded her new book, Welcome to the Grief Club: Because You Don't Have to Go Through It Alone, which she offers not as a how-to manual, but more of an offering to let you know, you’re not alone.You can find Janine at: Website | InstagramIf you LOVED this episode:You’ll also love the earlier conversation we had with Lisa Congdon about coming to art later in life.Check out our offerings & partners: My New Book SparkedMy New Podcast SPARKED. Visit Our Sponsor Page For Great Resources & Discount CodesCheck out our offerings & partners: Beam Dream Powder: Visit https://shopbeam.com/GOODLIFE and use code GOODLIFE to get our exclusive discount of up to 40% off. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’ve all been told, try to live a life without regret. But, what if regret was actually a good thing? That’s the highly provocative question today’s guest, Dan Pink ask. And then answer with a whole bunch of scientifically researched and validated ways that regret can actually be an incredibly valuable experience, and power tool for a life well-lived. In fact, a life entirely without regret, he argues, might even do more harm than good. I’ve known Dan for well over a decade now, and he’s been on the show a number of times over the years. A former White House speechwriter, he left politics and shifted focus to writing books that open our eyes to the human condition and plant seeds to do life better, including New York Times bestsellers A Whole New Mind, Drive, To Sell Is Human, and When. His books have sold millions of copies, been translated into forty-two languages, and have won multiple awards.In Dan's new book, The Power of Regret, he takes on a topic we’ve all grappled with, and gives it a surprising reframe. He draws on research in psychology, neuroscience, economics, and biology to challenge widely-held assumptions about emotions and behavior. Using the largest sampling of American attitudes about regret ever conducted as well as his own World Regret Survey—which has collected regrets from more than 16,000 people in 105 countries—he identifies the four core regrets that most people have. These four regrets, Dan argues, operate as a “photographic negative” of the good life. In it, and through our conversation today, we find out how regret, our most misunderstood emotion, can be the pathway to our best life.You can find Dan at: Website | InstagramIf you LOVED this episode:You’ll also love the earlier conversation we had with Dan about the powerful role of timing in life.Check out our offerings & partners: Join My New Writing Project: Awake at the WheelVisit Our Sponsor Page For Great Resources & Discount CodesCheck out our offerings & partners: Beam Dream Powder: Visit https://shopbeam.com/GOODLIFE and use code GOODLIFE to get our exclusive discount of up to 40% off. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.