Being Human with Steve Cuss

Alan Briggs, founder of Stay Forth and author of 'AntiBurnout,' joins the conversation to tackle the challenges of leader health and burnout. He shares insights on managing back-to-school anxiety and the unique triggers we face. The duo explores strategies for identifying personal needs and forging connections without falling prey to resentment. Emphasizing holistic wellness, they discuss how emotional and spiritual health complement physical well-being. Briggs also highlights finding joy in everyday moments as a remedy against burnout.

Mandy Smith, a pastor and artist steeped in discussions about art and anxiety, dives into how false needs fuel chronic anxiety. She shares insights on the emotional resonance of returning home and the importance of personal history. The conversation highlights the tangled relationship between faith and politics, especially for Christians during elections. With a blend of humor and personal stories, Mandy emphasizes authenticity, self-reflection, and the role of art in fostering community and spiritual integrity.

Rich Villodas, a pastor and author focused on spiritual formation, joins the discussion on navigating the complexities of living out the Sermon on the Mount. They explore the concept of false needs that often masquerade as essentials and how understanding these can fuel personal growth. Villodas delves into the critical distinction between true peacemaking and mere people-pleasing, and they reflect on how a loving view of God mitigates anxiety. With candid insights, they tackle emotional challenges tied to performance evaluations and the necessity of grace in our lives.

“I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.”So says Paul in Romans 7, and so, it seems, says the character of Riley in Disney and Pixar’s Inside Out 2. On a special episode of Being Human, host Steve Cuss and his wife, therapist Lisa Cuss, explore what the film has to say about being human.They talk about the film in terms of the internal family systems model and family systems theory. Ultimately, they consider what it looks like to notice parts of ourselves while remembering our core identity in Christ.Resources mentioned in this episode include: Inside Out Inside Out 2 Internal family systems model Bowen family systems theory Richard Schwartz Capable Life “Put Yourself on Your Conscious List of Relationships” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The discussion delves into the intriguing distinction between acute and chronic anxiety. Listeners learn about the false threats that drive chronic anxiety, such as the need for approval and perfection. The hosts explore how these misconceptions can create emotional turmoil and impact relationships. With personal anecdotes and analogies, they encourage recognizing and articulating these false needs for personal growth. Ultimately, the conversation offers insights on achieving liberation from anxiety by embracing limitations and fostering genuine connections.

Steve Cuss and his wife Lisa discuss putting yourself on your conscious list of relationships, working with your inner critic, and diffusing anxiety. They explore the Enneagram, growth opportunities, and connecting with God to enhance self-awareness. This episode provides practical tools for improving all types of relationships.

Luke Norsworthy discusses unconditional love, family language misuse, grief in faith, disappointment processing, celebrity pastors, loneliness, vulnerability, and becoming integrated in life with host Steve Cuss in an insightful and thought-provoking conversation.

How can people connect with others without merging into them or letting them take over? How can we differentiate ourselves from one another while remaining connected in meaningful ways? These are some of the questions that Being Human host Steve Cuss poses to his guests, Grace Liu and Cory Elisabeth. The founders of Pursue Inner Growth, a coaching and counseling service in Indonesia, Liu and Elisabeth share rich and nuanced thoughts on how culture, place, and heritage shape who we are.Cuss speaks with Liu and Elisabeth about the unique challenges Southeast Asians face, the difference between an individualistic culture and a communal one, and how people can deal with both individual and communal shame. Their conversation covers some of the variances in Western and Asian psychology, such as what the idea of setting boundaries looks like in different cultures. Liu and Elisabeth walk through case studies of difficult interpersonal situations, discuss the implications of honor-shame culture, and share what they, as Indonesian women, wish that Cuss knew as a white man.The Expectation Gap by Steve Cuss is now available—order here!“Being Human with Steve Cuss” is a production of Christianity Today Executive Produced by Erik Petrik and Mike Cosper Produced and Edited by Matt Stevens Associate Producers: McKenzie Hill, Raed Gilliam, and Abby Perry Theme song by Dan Phelps Original Music by Andy Gullahorn Mix Engineer: Kevin Morris Graphic Design: Amy Jones Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Artist. Theologian. Immigrant.These are the three words that come to mind for host Steve Cuss when he thinks of his guest, Phuc (Phu) Luu. On this episode, Luu responds to each of those terms, sharing how they make up who he is. Cuss and Luu discuss what it means to take refuge and the meaning to be found in the fact that Jesus himself had to take sanctuary. They talk about art as a way to depict one's inner world and what motivates Luu to paint. Luu also reacts to the image of King Charles’ new portrait in real-time on the episode (which was recorded before the vandalization of the portrait by activists). They also discuss Luu’s book Jesus of the East and its themes, including broken harmony, the restoration of Shalom, and the Korean term “han,” which means a sense of woundedness that is so deep there is no English equivalent. Luu also vulnerably shares what it’s like to be the only Vietnamese or minority culture person in the room. Tune in for an episode that tenderly and powerfully considers ethnicity, belonging, and the Jesus who understands everything about who we are.The Expectation Gap by Steve Cuss is now available—order here!Resources mentioned in this episode include:  Phuc Luu People of the Way: Phuc Luu’s Notebook  Jesus of the East: Reclaiming the Gospel for the Wounded by Phuc Lu Irenaeus of Lyons Andrew Sung Park Francis Bacon King Charles’ portrait “Being Human with Steve Cuss” is a production of Christianity Today Executive Produced by Erik Petrik and Mike Cosper Produced and Edited by Matt Stevens Associate Producers: McKenzie Hill, Raed Gilliam, and Abby Perry Theme song by Dan Phelps Original Music by Andy Gullahorn Mix Engineer: Kevin Morris Graphic Design: Amy Jones Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How many minutes per week do you think you can be exactly yourself?That’s the question that host Steve Cuss poses at the beginning of this episode, and it takes on specific meaning as he converses with his guest, Marvin Williams. Williams is the lead pastor of Trinity Church in Lansing, Michigan, and is currently earning his doctorate in systems theory, particularly as it pertains to the African-American experience. His forthcoming dissertation, My Whole Black Self, considers what it’s like to be exactly yourself and what happens when people cannot be exactly themselves. Cuss and Williams discuss what drew Williams to systems theory, how leadership starts with personal transformation, and what it looks like to live in one’s identity fully. They talk about bullying, anxiety, and the Black writers, thinkers, and experts who have influenced Williams’ perspective. The two discuss connectedness, what it’s like to be in majority culture spaces, and how calmness is not always the opposite of anxiety. Their discussion also explores violence against Black Americans, the nuances of pastoring, and the role of politics in the life of the church. The Expectation Gap by Steve Cuss is now available—order here!Resources mentioned in this episode include:  Marvin Williams A Failure of Nerve: Leadership in the Age of the Quick Fix by Edwin H. Friedman Murray Bowen Bowen family systems theory Trisha Taylor “To Belong to One Another: Remaining Calm and Curious in Times of High Anxiety” with Rich Villodas The Souls of Black Folk from W.E.B. Du Bois Psychological Storms: The African American Struggle for Identity by Thomas Parham Charlie Dates Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison “Being Human with Steve Cuss” is a production of Christianity Today Executive Produced by Erik Petrik and Mike Cosper Produced and Edited by Matt Stevens Associate Producers: McKenzie Hill, Raed Gilliam, and Abby Perry Theme song by Dan Phelps Original Music by Andy Gullahorn Mix Engineer: Kevin Morris Graphic Design: Amy Jones Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices