What is a Good Life?

On the 23rd episode of the What is a Good Life? podcast, I am joined by Robyn O’Brien, who is on the Forbes’ Impact 50 List for her work at the intersection of food and climate, the best-selling author of The Unhealthy Truth, the Founder at Sirona Ventures - providing impact capital, advisory and consulting services, and an Adjunct Professor at Rice Business. In this episode, Robyn shares moments of adversity from her journey of confronting the food industry in America over the use of chemicals in the food supply after her own child experienced an allergic reaction. She discuss the importance of surrounding yourself with the right people, not numbing ourselves to pain, paying attention to moments in our lives where our calling can be revealed, and then having the courage to follow it. This episode provides plenty of inspiration as to where this life can take us when we decide to act in the face of sizeable challenges, appreciate the lessons or clues that adversity provides, and how a life of service and collaboration can help us overcome many obstacles. Subscribe for weekly episodes, every Tuesday, and check out my YouTube channel (link below) for daily clips and reflections.Contact me at mark@whatisagood.life to book a free 30 minute consultation for one-on-one coaching programs or to hear about corporate workshops I am offering around this question.Running Order:01:30 Podcast begins03:45 Surrounding yourself with the right people06:30 Being in service and alignment10:40 Paying attention 12:30 Staying open to pain as a teacher15:20 Challenges in confronting the food industry21:05 The importance of having the right people around23:57 I’m grateful that I know my purpose30:00 Everything and everyone is either nourishing or extracting32:30 A movement with collaboration not ego36:30 Making a breakthrough with a TED talk41:52 Curiosity in finding solutions45:34 The significance of people having our backs48:18 Courage can be in the smallest steps50:37 What is a good life for Robyn?For further content and information check out the following: - For the podcast's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife/videos- My newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/- Robyn's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robyn-o-brien-a395b42/

On the 22nd episode of the What is a Good Life? podcast, I am joined by Craig Slee, who is a disabled writer, consultant, and theorist dealing with mythology, magic, culture, and exploring life through the lens of landscape, disability, and fugitive embodiments. He has contributed essays and poetry focusing on the numinous and disability to various anthologies and has also co-facilitated seminar series at the Dresden Academy for Fine Arts, including one on Ableism and the Arts in 2022.In this episode, Craig takes us on a journey from burning out from trying to be “normal,” living with a life-long disability, exploring other ways of being and existing, developing a deeper awareness regarding the subtleties of life, pain, and suffering, and ultimately to discovering vitality and aliveness in living his own good life.There is plenty to take from this episode in terms of guiding you to pay attention, developing a more subtle awareness, and the significance in our inquiries of sensing the world without labelling it, and what all this may lead to in terms of finding other ways of existing.Subscribe for weekly episodes, every Tuesday, and check out my YouTube channel (link below) for daily clips and reflections.Contact me at mark@whatisagood.life to book a free 30 minute consultation for one-on-one coaching programs or to hear about corporate workshops I am offering around this question.Running Order:02:00 What is going on that we don’t notice?03:34 Burning out striving for "normal"07:37 What we don’t notice outside of the “norm”12:58 Cultivating a deeper awareness of pain / Sensing not interpreting or labelling the world17:40 Subtleties in awareness alters relationship with pain21:19 When the general narrative of illness and recovery doesn’t apply26:57 Disability doesn’t have to be suffering32:59 Exploring other ways of existing and consciousness38:49 What is truly internal and external?41:09 The role of magic / “the occult” - the hidden experience of knowing47:55 There are multiple ways of knowing and experiencing the world50:20 Burning out with trying to be normal54:59 Shifting experiences and behaviours with self-investigation57:55 Vitality, aliveness, and not knowing1:01:22 What is a good life for Craig?For further content and information check out the following: - For the podcast's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife/videos- My newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/

Katrijn van Oudheusden, author of "Selfless Leadership" and a guide on self-discovery, joins the conversation to unravel the illusion of the separate self. She intertwines insights from neuroscience, physics, and Buddhism, challenging listeners to reconsider individual identity. Katrijn shares her transformative journey, emphasizing interconnectedness as a pathway to freedom. The dialogue explores how acknowledging our shared existence can reshape perceptions of choice and control, leading to a more fulfilling and meaningful life.

On the 20th episode of the What is a Good Life? podcast I am joined by Pejman (PJ) Milani, who is the Content Creator at Milani Creative and the Media Arts Director, and a Teacher, at Episcopal High School.I follow PJ's daily content (@milanicreative) where he shares visual metaphors that simplify complex ideas, so I was intrigued to hear his thoughts on this question and the role creativity plays within that.In this episode we discuss the significance of creativity in terms of fulfilment, flow, connection, empathy, and self-expression. PJ also outlines how a daily creative practice enables us to handle ambiguity and develops greater problem solving capacities.While he takes us through his journey and motivation for all of his work - inspiring more people to a life of creativity, that leads to a more connected and creative world.If you don’t presently have a regular creative practice in your life, this episode will give you plenty to ponder, while for those that do, it will give you further inspiration to maintain and deepen that practice.Subscribe for weekly episodes, every Tuesday, and check out my YouTube channel (link below) for daily clips and reflections.Contact me at mark@whatisagood.life to book a free 30 minute consultation for one-on-one coaching programs or to hear about corporate workshops I am offering around this question.Running Order: 01:27 Podcast Begins01:56 Navigating the tension between ambition and contentment05:26 Overcoming resistance11:20 Taking your vessel out to sea14:51 Finding Balance17:48 Avoiding an autopilot existence21:44 The importance of a daily creative practice 28:26 Life is not a journey31:26 If we could all just be a little more creative…35:26 Colouring outside of the lines39:09 Creativity and empathy43:56 Creativity is good for the soul47:11 Thought, action, and experimenting50:37 Top tip for more creativity in your life 55:11 The beauty of creating just for ourselves58:25 What is a good life for PJ?For further content and information check out the following: - For the podcast's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife/videos- My newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/- PJ's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pejmanmilani/- PJ's instagram: https://www.instagram.com/milanicreative/

Dan Lawrence, Head of Consultancy at Dallington Associates and a Jungian psychoanalyst, shares his intriguing journey from childhood questions about thoughts to deep explorations of dreams. He emphasizes the transformative power of social dreaming and how it connects us through shared experiences. Dan reflects on his Zen practices, highlighting the significance of stillness and mindfulness. He also discusses his life-altering ICU experience, advocating for embracing uncertainty to foster personal growth. Prepare for some profound insights on what contributes to a fulfilling life!

On the 18th episode of the What is a Good Life? podcast I am joined by Hannah Genton, who is a Co-Founder at CGL LLP, a law firm she established, a speaker on Innovation in the Law and Work Models for Mental Health, and a Death Doula.I contacted Hannah for this conversation after reading an amazing viral post of hers that very authentically depicted the challenge of juggling the big law career and raising a baby. This experience proved to be the inspiration for setting up a law firm that accommodated other approaches to working in this industry (“I had the sense that work should adapt to life, not the other way around”- from the post).In this episode we discuss Hannah’s approach to developing authenticity and truly living her values, setting up the law firm, her self-reflection practices and how they have affected her approach to life, her experiences of working with the dying, and what she is learning from parenting with regards play, curiosity, and letting go of fixed plans and outcomes.Hannah provides a great example of someone consciously constructing their life around their values, so I took a lot from this conversation as I am sure you will too.Subscribe for weekly episodes, every Tuesday, and check out my YouTube channel (link below) for daily clips and reflections.Running Order:01:37 Podcast begins02:35 How can I be authentically me?05:52 Setting up her own law firm09:51 The feeling of aligning with values13:07 When your values are clear decisions are easy14:20 Journey of self-reflection18:51 Experiencing death early in life and working with the dying22:04 Common threads of conversations with the dying25:53 Finding meaning28:35 The importance of curiosity in relating to people32:25 Journey with Authenticity36:02 Fun and creativity42:02 Lessons from kids and curiosity46:30 What is a good life for Hannah?For further content and information check out the following: - For the podcast's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife/videos- My newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/- Hannah's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannahgenton/- Hannah's company website: https://cgl-llp.com/

Bayo Akomolafe, a celebrated speaker and posthumanist thinker, discusses his transformative journey through parenting a son with autism. He challenges the pursuit of idealized utopias, advocating for embracing complexity, bewilderment, and emotional authenticity. The conversation highlights the nuances of identity, the chaos within societal norms, and the importance of recognizing interconnectedness. Bayo emphasizes cultivating wonder as a means to tackle global challenges, urging listeners to appreciate life's fluidity and the richness of human experiences.

On the 16th episode of the What is a Good Life? podcast I am joined by Diane Button, who is the author of the bestselling book, Dear Death: Finding Meaning in Life, Peace in Death, and Joy in an Ordinary Day. She holds a Master's in Counselling Psychology, is a practicing end-of-life doula and a lead instructor at the University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine’s EOL Doula Certificate Program. In this episode Diane shares the 4 pillars of a meaningful life that she identified through interviewing people over the age of 75 who were fully content with how they lived. We discuss what she has learned about relationships, forgiveness, self-acceptance, and self-reflection, through working with people at the end of their lives.While the conversation further reinforces for me the importance of regularly contemplating life through the lens of death in building my own good life. As it is filled with heartfelt insights, wisdom, and practical tools for living a life of greater reflection, connection, less regret, and for finding meaning.Subscribe for weekly episodes, every Tuesday, and check out my YouTube channel (link below) for daily clips and weekly reflections.Running Order: 01:28 Podcast Begins04:48 Developing an acceptance of death08:58 The journey towards working with the dying11:18 Identifying 4 pillars of a meaningful life 15:48 Developing Self-acceptance 19:38 Seeing the beauty in yourself20:27 The power of authentic conversations 23:39 Relieving fear and bringing more ease to the dying27:42 Doing Life Reviews 30:03 There is life until the end32:18 Forgiveness 37:00 Not everyone wants to address death when dying39:38 How often do we give someone 100% of our attention?42:40 How can we embrace and not fear death so much?46:30 Beautiful experiences when people near death48:50 The journey inward at the end of life50:16 Observing the end of life53:33 What is a good life for Diane?For further content and information check out the following: - For the podcast's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife/videos- My newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/- Diane's Website: https://www.dianebutton.com/

On the 15th episode of the What is a Good Life? podcast I am joined by Benjamin Western, who is the Founder at The Shining Light Project, a trustee at Hope & Aid Direct, and Head of Sustainability at LRQA.This episode is different from the others, as this is more a conversation than an interview, and we are focussing on the teachings of Anthony De Mello.Anthony De Mello was an Indian Jesuit priest and psychotherapist. A spiritual teacher and author of several spiritual books, two of which, Awareness and The Way to Love, have had a huge impact on both mine and Benjamin's lives.In this episode we explore and reflect on the core teachings of De Mello, essentially that our attachments in life are making us suffer. We explore where we as humans are most attached, to possessions, caring what people think of us, achievement, habits, our beliefs, and our proclivity to chase thrills and excitement rather than what brings us real happiness.I loved discussing these themes with Benjamin, who is a wise and thoughtful soul, and it will give you plenty to contemplate in terms of your present attachments in life.Subscribe for weekly episodes, every Tuesday, and check out my YouTube channel (link below) for daily clips and weekly reflections.Running Order: 01:34 Podcast begins02:09 Discovering the work of Anthony De Mello07:07 Attachments are the source of our misery10:04 Our happiness is contingent on so many things12:19 Do you realise what you are attached to?15:14 The hardest thing to accept in his teachings20:24 Exploring an attachment to life25:22 Unhealthy attachments that are normalised28:34 Awareness of attachments 31:34 Letting go doesn’t mean renunciation33:46 Do you accept yourself or others as they are?37:54 Being who you were meant to be41:04 What lens do you view the world through?44:34 Be wary of the labels you apply to others46:18 World feelings v Soul feelings52:14 Joy in difficult circumstances55:34 Explore your attachments playfully58:49 Humour in the human predicament1:02:04 What is a good life for Benjamin?For further content and information check out the following: - For the podcast's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife/videos- My newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/- Benjamin's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjaminwestern/

On the 14th episode of the What is a Good Life? podcast I am joined by Charlotte Wiedemann, who is a Journalist and a Death Doula. Through her journalism work, she is creating greater awareness of death, funeral, and grief issues, and at Ahorn Gruppe, where she currently works, she has helped to amass a following of almost 200k people on TikTok through discussing these themes.In this episode we discuss our societal difficulties in talking about death, our repression of emotions, beautiful moments within suffering, how we can support people experiencing loss, the aliveness and gratitude for life Charlotte experiences through working with the dead, and how birth, life and death are so deeply intertwined. Charlotte also shares some profound exercises and thoughts with regards contemplating death to create a better life.Paradoxically, I found this discussion around death to be extremely enlivening, and it further enhances my perspective that the more we avoid acknowledging death, the more we fear fully living. This conversation left me with A LOT to contemplate, as I’m sure it will for you too.Subscribe for weekly episodes, every Tuesday, and check out my YouTube channel (link below) for daily clips and weekly reflections.Running Order: 01:23 Podcast Begins02:16 Inquiry with death begins04:46 Difficulties with talking about death08:14 Repression of emotions09:45 Picturing yourself on your own death bed11:38 It’s ok to have regrets with the dying16:21 Moments of beauty in sadness20:23 You can’t fix death or make it better, just be there for people22:55 There are many moments of loss in life25:43 Prolonging of life28:55 Magical moments in death34:00 How the experience of birth led to deathcare39:25 The effect of working with a dead body42:07 Bringing the conservation around death to a wider audience45:28 What is a good death?48:42 What is a good life for Charlotte?For further content and information check out the following: - For the podcast's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife/videos- My newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/- Charlotte's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlotte-wiedemann-71614b17/