Everyday Better with Leah Smart

Bea Chestnut is a psychotherapist, consultant and globally-recognized expert on the enneagram, a personality typing system based on ancient spiritual traditions. For the past 27 years, Bea has studied, written about and taught the enneagram in both therapeutic and business settings. She uses it as a map for guiding her clients towards a deeper understanding of themselves and others. On this week’s episode of Everyday Better, we are bringing back one of our favorites: Leah and Bea’s deep dive into the enneagram – what it is, where it comes from and how it can be used to raise your level of awareness. Bea describes each of the nine enneagram types, including each type’s growth path for reaching a higher level of consciousness. She also shares how she discovered the enneagram and explains why she thinks it’s one of the most powerful personal development tools in the world. If you liked this episode, you’ll also love this one: The Enneagram at Work: Leveling Up Your Leadership Skills. For more on the enneagram, check out Bea’s book The Enneagram Guide to Waking Up: Find Your Path, Face Your Shadow, Discover Your True Self. Follow Leah Smart and Bea Chestnut on LinkedIn.

Amber Rae, a writer and best-selling author, shares her journey from a seemingly perfect life to embracing authenticity. She discusses how living for others' expectations led to her disconnection and the pivotal moment she decided to dismantle that facade. Rae emphasizes the importance of learning to disappoint others as a key skill for personal growth. She shares personal anecdotes on self-discovery, setting boundaries, and the transformative power of prioritizing one's true desires over societal pressures.

In this insightful discussion, Kimberley Quinlan, a therapist and anxiety specialist focusing on self-compassion, explores how our self-talk shapes our mental health. She recounts how harsh self-criticism can paralyze us and offers practical exercises to assess self-compassion. They dive into the transformative power of recognizing our shared humanity, emphasizing vulnerability and connection. Kimberley also shares strategies for managing negative thoughts, advocating for a kinder inner dialogue, and embracing imperfections for a more fulfilling life.

Explore the power of storytelling and how the narratives we create shape our identities. Discover a simple exercise to help you reframe unhelpful stories, turning fear and regret into narratives of growth. Leah shares personal experiences, from navigating grief to finding positivity in life's challenges. Learn how acceptance and reflection can lead to healing, and gain insights on transforming adversity into resilience. Journaling and self-reflection emerge as vital tools in this journey toward a more empowering self-narrative.

Join Nick Ortner, an author and entrepreneur renowned for popularizing tapping, as he shares his incredible journey with this technique that helps millions address stress and anxiety. Discover the science behind Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), including how it targets the brain's stress response by acknowledging negative emotions. Nick even guides listeners through a short tapping exercise, highlighting its synergy with meditation and therapy. Embrace new methods of emotional release for improved well-being and personal growth!

In this engaging discussion, Alex Edmans, a Professor of Finance at London Business School and author of 'May Contain Lies', explores our mental biases and the misconceptions they create. He highlights how confirmation bias clouds our judgment, emphasizing the need for critical thinking and diverse perspectives. Alex shares insights on parenting advice, illustrating the importance of nuanced understanding over rigid guidelines. He encourages embracing doubt and vulnerability as crucial steps toward personal growth and greater understanding in a complex world.

In this enlightening conversation, hospice nurse Julie McFadden, known as Hospice Nurse Julie, shares her journey from ICU to hospice care, emphasizing the importance of accepting mortality for a more fulfilled life. She discusses how contemplating death daily can enhance our appreciation for life and foster deeper connections. Julie reflects on personal stories, the beauty of small moments, and the need for open dialogues about death. Her insights encourage listeners to embrace life with intention and find peace amidst the uncertainty of mortality.

Discover how to take control of your calendar with a unique time management technique called Time Crafting. Learn the importance of tracking daily activities to evaluate their emotional impact and energy levels. Explore the paradox of discretionary time and its effect on happiness, alongside the emotional facets of balancing work and family life. Hear personal insights on managing communication overload and prioritizing meaningful moments with loved ones, ensuring your schedule reflects what truly matters.

“Do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life.” We’ve all heard it, maybe even lived by it. But what if turning your passion into a career is doing more harm than good?  In this episode, sociologist Erin Cech challenges our cultural obsession with finding fulfillment at work. Drawing from her book “The Trouble with Passion”, Erin explains how the “passion principle” can exacerbate societal inequalities as well as burnout. She also shares practical questions to ask yourself about the relationship you want to have with paid work, and offers ways to find meaning in a variety of places. If you liked this episode, you’ll also love this one: Redefine Your Relationship to Work with Former Top Magazine Editor Jennifer Romolini

Morra Aarons-Mele, host of the podcast "The Anxious Achiever," long understood her challenges at work as byproducts of anxiety and depression. She had a hard time working for other people and often found herself saying the wrong thing in meetings. But a recent discovery changed everything: Morra learned she’s neurodivergent. That realization helped her reframe not only her struggles, but also her strengths, and paved the way towards a more authentic, empowered way of working. In this week's episode of Everyday Better, Morra shares how embracing her neurodivergence helps her tap into her full potential. She and Leah discuss what neurodivergence encompasses, the hidden power of introversion and how our workplaces need to evolve to support a broader range of minds. Morra also explains why difference isn’t a liability but a competitive advantage, and how to leverage your own unique strengths to show up stronger at work.  If you liked this episode, check out Morra’s podcast “The Anxious Achiever” here. Listen to my conversation with Dr. Barry Kudrowitz on why play and humor belong at work here.