The Light Watkins Show

In today's episode, we're joined by the incredible Dan Harris, a former ABC news anchor, journalist, meditation advocate, and bestselling author. Through books like 10% Happier and Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics, as well as his 10% Happier app, Dan has made meditation accessible to the masses.Join us as he unfolds his journey, recounting a fateful morning in June 2004 that led him to embrace meditation, how he found time to write a book amidst a busy life, and the backstory behind the title 10% Happier.We explore thoughts on different terms including karma, destiny, reincarnation, and enlightenment, how he found his meditation teacher and the weight that relationship carries. If you want to hear more from Dan, including what he learned from the shocking results of a 360 Review, be sure to tune in now. Enjoy. Send us a text message. We'd love to hear from you!

Today, we’re joined by returning guest, Steven Reed, a childhood friend and the first Black mayor of Montgomery, Alabama. He's here to discuss his new book, First, Best: Lessons in Leadership and Legacy from Today's Civil Rights Movement, which delves into his backstory in ways we haven't explored before.This episode also goes beyond that and serves as a somewhat practical guide for anyone considering a journey into local politics. It's easy to criticize and complain when faced with local issues, but the real change-makers roll up their sleeves or support those who do.In our conversation with Steven, we explore his remarkable journey, from childhood experiences to dramatic moments, as well as his challenges in politics and how seemingly unrelated experiences like running a sandwich franchise and crunching numbers at American Airlines prepared him for mayoral leadership.Steven also shares his thoughts on the real-world differences between running for mayor versus running for probate judge, the weightiness of responsibility that comes with becoming mayor, and so much more. Every step in our journey has a purpose, and we’re on a journey to uncover how it all connects. Thanks for listening!Send us a text message. We'd love to hear from you!

In today’s episode, we focus on one of the most popular topics in the Happiness Insiders community: relationships. We delve into the intricacies of personal growth and preparation for a fulfilling relationship based on the first two of six modules from the Preparing for the One Masterclass.The ultimate goal of this masterclass is to encourage individuals to take practical steps to improve themselves in various aspects of life to attract healthy, fulfilling, and compatible relationships. The course provides a structured approach for participants to address each area of their lives to align with their mission statement.Learn about the six integral ways to get into “relationship shape.” From the spiritual to the financial. we cover everything you need to know! We also unpack the significance of understanding one's mission, aligning life decisions with your mission, finding self-inspiration, fostering a genuine path toward self-improvement, and more.This episode acts as a compass for harmonizing the twin journeys of self-discovery and the pursuit of meaningful, fulfilling connections. To discover the roadmap to transform your life through a purpose-driven approach while preparing yourself for “the one,” tune in now!Send us a text message. We'd love to hear from you!

Today’s guest, Ken Nwadike explains, what we need more of is love, empathy, and peace – and a simple hug can go a long way. Welcome back to The Light Watkins Show as we encourage you to use today’s episode as a guide for finding your center, pressing reset, and ensuring that your mind and heart are in the right place for you to be most useful and effective as a vocal activist against all wars. Ken Nwadike returns to the show to further explain why he decided to take it upon himself to be a pillar of calm in a world set on chaos. Ken founded the Free Hugs Project, a non-profit organization that centers on facilitating peace between two conflicting groups, and he goes into detail on how he enters conflict zones and how he approaches the leaders on either side.We discuss the importance of differentiating between various political groups and agendas, how Ken’s activism has evolved in the past decade, the difficulty and nuance of navigating tribal narratives, and why most Americans are more concerned with and vocal about Gaza than they are about other wars around the world.Ken also walks us through why world peace starts with loving your family, how he overcomes criticism, how we can all rise above trivial online disputes, and why those who know more about the nuances of conflict should take charge in resolving them. If you’re looking for a way for your voice to be heard, you’ve come to the right place. Send us a text message. We'd love to hear from you!

Is the pursuit of monetary abundance leaving you unsatisfied? Are you worried about having regrets in life? In this episode, we embark on an incredible journey with Bridget Hilton and Joe Huff, the authors of the inspiring book, Experiential Billionaire. While they're not actual billionaires, their wealth lies in the extraordinary experiences they've pursued.Join us as we uncover the profound impact of experiences on their lives and how these experiences have made them wealthy in more ways than one. Bridget and Joe are far from privileged individuals. Hailing from blue-collar backgrounds in Flint, Michigan, and Southern California, they initially followed conventional career paths.What makes their story so intriguing is how they transitioned from the nine-to-five grind to becoming fervent proponents of experiential living. In this conversation, we explore the idea of building momentum in life through novel experiences, why playing it safe is a dangerous thing to do, and how the value of experiences outweighs any monetary abundance.We delve into the pivotal moments in each of their lives that got them on the path to pursuing experiential wealth, the motivation behind writing the book, and how they are able to continually take leaps of faith in themselves. We also discuss their entrepreneurial journeys, the concept of a “treasure map”, the principles and framework of an Experiential Billionaire, the steps to living with no regrets, and much more! Tune in and discover a different kind of wealth that will change your life for the better with Bridget Hilton and Joe Huff!Send us a text message. We'd love to hear from you!

Joining us on the podcast is Tracee Stanley, who was the guest on Episode 43, Radiant Rest with Tracee Stanley. Drawing inspiration from 28 years of dedicated practice and study in yoga and tantra, she offers practices aimed at rekindling the awareness of one's true self, enabling access to the eternal, powerful, wise, and deserving aspects within.She crafts sacred environments that foster clarity, self-devotion, and the momentum required for steering away from detrimental patterns, guiding individuals towards living harmoniously with the inner guidance of their souls.  During our conversation, we delve deeply into the philosophies and ideologies of sacred yogic practices and rituals that aid in rediscovering one's true self, as detailed in her latest book, The Luminous Self: Sacred Yogic Practices and Rituals to Remember Who You Are.We explore the concept that your authentic self is revealed rather than defined, the parallel between self-forgetting and collective amnesia to a virus, and Tracee provides valuable guidance on navigating the diverse array of existing practices.Our discussion also encompasses Samskaras and Vāsanās, the role of therapists in activating your true self, and the significance of self-inquiry. Tune in to discover more about psychic knots, the wisdom of the Dagara Tribe of West Africa, The Luminous Self training, and so much more!Send us a text message. We'd love to hear from you!

New York Times bestselling author Kris Carr talks about her journey with cancer, her childhood ideologies, and the surprising truths explored in her book 'I'm Not a Mourning Person'. She shares her experience taking care of her father with cancer, advice for supporting loved ones with terminal illness, and the underlying spirituality in her writing process.

Everything in life is a story. From birth, we project stories onto our lives of what we want, how we think the world operates, and what we think we deserve from our time on Earth.These stories may be our own, but we often adopt the stories of those around us usually in the hopes of fitting in, and often to detrimental effect. How we interpret and use these stories will determine whether we are living a life of presence and gratitude or one riddled with avoidable tribulations.Welcome to Light’s 8th solo episode as we explore the unyielding and undeniable power of story. Through the retelling of a Watkins’ family trip, we learn that everything in life is a mere construct of what we’ve chosen to believe, and Light explains how researching weekly riddles made him realize just how arbitrary most of our belief systems are. We uncover the true strength of the stories we tell ourselves by examining board games, capitalism and law, cultural and societal constructs like the calendar and time zones, how stories are innate from birth, and how stories play out in our relationships.If you’d like to know how to begin living your own story instead of the ones you’ve been told all your life, try starting with gratitude. Thanks for tuning in!Send us a text message. We'd love to hear from you!

Generational curses can cling to us like sweat on a humid summer’s day. And while how we are raised does mark us for life in a certain way, we also have the agency to rewrite the script and forge a new path of health and abundance.Stephen Scoggins is a prime example of breaking free from generational traumas to lay new foundations of victory and hope. He joins us today to share his life’s journey as a testament that success is just a matter of mental resilience and fortitude (and a whole lot of G.O.D!).Stephen explains the rules that govern his life and how they are rooted in truth and transparency, before diving into detail about what it was like growing up in the Scroggins’ household.We discuss the skills that he learned as a teenager in construction and how they still help him today, how he found his faith and life’s purpose, what it means to overcome adversity, and a deep examination of the relationship between having the right mindset and living in abundance.Stephen believes that money is not a key marker of success, and he gives some advice on how to deal with money within the family dynamic. Stephen’s stories are as colorful and full of life as the characters in them, and because he lives his life in acts of service, this conversation is another charitable offering for which we are extremely grateful! So, tune in now, open your mind and heart, and enjoy. Send us a text message. We'd love to hear from you!

The most important battles are not being fought in the octagon, on wrestling mats, or in the boxing ring – they are taking place at home, in the workplace, and in the hidden sanctuaries of those who have long been forgotten. And today’s guest, MMA fighter-turned-humanitarian Justin Wren, has answered an innate yet magical call to be a champion for those who cannot fight for themselves. Justin is the founder of Fight for the Forgotten, an NPO dedicated to defending the weak, loving the unloved, and empowering the voiceless worldwide. Coupled with his inspirational podcast, Overcome (which focuses on overcoming childhood trauma to find your purpose), Justin uses his platforms to give voice to those who can’t speak for themselves while actually implementing long-term projects of sustainability and opportunity. We begin our riveting conversation with Justin detailing his relationship with Joe Rogan and how Joe has helped him widen his audience, why vulnerability and synchronicity were the keys to surviving the Brooklyn Bridge, why he decided to reach out to Joe and other platforms to share his story, and the story of his life and how he found himself in a battle with depression and addiction. Our guest also explains how bullying led him to wrestling and how the sport ultimately gave him all the confidence in the world! Then, we hear all about Justin’s trip to The Congo, including the supernatural vision that led him to Africa, his harrowing journey flying into the war-torn area, how this experience changed his perception of success and everything that Justin remembers about the endearing Bambuti (Mbuti) Pygmy’s and other African tribes.Justin has so many wonderful stories to share, and after his invigorating tales of passion and perseverance, we have just enough time for him to walk us through the incredible work being done by his organization, Fight for the Forgotten, and how it’s become the master of building wells for communities in need. You are absolutely going to love this one, so press play now! Send us a text message. We'd love to hear from you!