The Courageous Life

Today we're kicking off a 4-part series on the power of compassion which will feature inspiring conversations between some of the world's most renowned thought leaders, researchers and practitioners. Each episode will showcase a powerful duo who will explore themes related to compassion, courage, and living with a more open, kind, and loving stance toward the world. We hope you enjoy this first installment with Barbara Fredrickson and Sharon Salzberg.In today's episode we will explore themes from Sharon’s new book Real Life: The Journey from Isolation to Openness and Freedom as well as: How Barb and Sharon began their work together How Sharon’s deep expertise on lovingkindness and contemplative practices have influenced Barb’s conception of love as a co created positive stateA new definition of love that focuses on micomoments of connection Why love is the state where the most learning, growth, and expansion occur and details on groundbreaking research that Barb and her team are working onSome of Barb’s and Sharon’s practical and research informed strategies for opening the heartSharon will offer an overview of Lovingkindness and some of her latest thinking on this ancient contemplative practiceWhy compassion and love are so important nowAnd more!Interested in Sharon's new book? Order it here: sharonsalzberg.com/reallife/More about Barb:Dr. Barbara Fredrickson is Kenan Distinguished Professor of Psychology and Award-winning Director of the Positive Emotions and Psychophysiology Lab at the University of North Carolina. Her research reveals how micro-moments of love and other forms of positivity nourish your health, wisdom, and longevity. One of the most highly-cited contributors to psychological science, Barb is best known for her broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions. Barb’s scientific contributions have influenced scholars and practitioners worldwide, in disciplines ranging from business to healthcare and beyond. Her work has been featured in the New York Times, The Economist, CNN, NPR, PBS, U.S. News & World Report, USA Today, Oprah Magazine, and elsewhere. She has twice been invited to brief His Holiness the Dalai Lama on her research.More about Sharon:Sharon Salzberg is a meditation pioneer, world-renowned teacher, and New York Times bestselling author. She is one of the first to bring mindfulness and lovingkindness meditation to mainstream American culture over 45 years ago, inspiring generations of meditation teachers and wellness influencers. Sharon is co-founder of The Insight Meditation Society in Barre, MA, and the author of twelve books, including the New York Times bestseller, Real Happiness, now in its second edition, and her seminal work, Lovingkindness. Her forthcoming release, Real Life: The Journey from Isolation to Openness and Freedom, is set for release in April of 2023 from Flatiron Books. Her podcast, The Metta Hour, has amassed six million downloads and features interviews with thought leaders from the mindfulness movement and beyond. For more on Sharon visit www.sharonsalzberg.comDid you find this episode inspiring? We think you'll love these conversations too:Sharon Salzberg - Mindfulness to Heal Ourselves and the WorldDr. Jud Brewer - Is Curiosity a Superpower?Support the show

Every so often a researcher comes along and changes the game. Named a Rising Star by the Association for Psychological Science, Dr. Daryl Van Tongeren is doing just that. A leading mind on the science of humility - his work and his new book Humble, have helped debunk many of the myths around this ancient virtue, explaining why humility is a powerful strength at home, at work, in leadership, and how it can lead to thriving relationships.  In this wide ranging and deep conversation Daryl will share more about:The link between humility and authenticity (or feeling at home in our own skin)The myths and misperceptions about humility including that humility is a weakness. The relationship between experiences of awe, big nature, and humilityHumility as a skill - how you can learn to be more humble with dedication, practice, and feedbackWhy humility is best cultivated in communityHow to handle tough feedbackHow to use humility to stay open to learning, to empathy, and to compassionThe case for more humble leaders, why organizations need them, and why employees and teams value humility. And more!More about Dr. Daryl Van Tongeren:Daryl R. Van Tongeren, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Psychology at Hope College. As a social psychologist, his research focuses on meaning in life, religion, and virtues. He loves asking deep and enduring questions about what it means to be human (darylvantongeren.com). His research has been covered by the New York Times, Chicago Tribune, and NPR. In 2016, he received a Rising Star designation from the Association for Psychological Science. In his free time, he enjoys running marathons and surviving triathlons. You can learn more about Daryl's work at darylvantongeren.com.Did you find this conversation elevating? Here are more episodes we think you'll love:Tal Ben Shahar - Letting go of Perfection and Finding HappinessDr. Jud Brewer - Is Curiosity a Superpower?Enjoying the show? Take a moment and rate it on iTunesFor more on the podcast, and upcoming events and courses with Joshua please visit and sign up for the latest updates: joshuasteinfeldt.comThanks for listening!Support the show

Dr. Rick Hanson is a multi-time past guest on the Courageous Life and is back to discuss themes from his new book, Making Great Relationships: Simple Practices for Solving Conflict, Building Connections, and Fostering Love. In today’s wide ranging conversation with Rick we discuss:How to find a sense of calm strength, groundedness, and choice that can help reduce reactivity and improve our relationships6 guidelines for speaking wisely and in ways that foster more effective communication, feedback, and that improve our connection with othersHow to work with anger more effectivelyRick’s thoughts on how to keep the heart open and come from a place of love more oftenRick’s insights from his experiences as a teacher and author on how to connect with your your audienceSome of Rick’s favorite tips and practices for great relationships from his new book And moreMore about Rick:Rick Hanson, Ph.D., is a psychologist, Senior Fellow at UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center, and New York Times best-selling author. His seven books have been published in 31 languages and have sold over a million copies in English alone. He’s the founder of the Global Compassion Coalition and the Wellspring Institute for Neuroscience and Contemplative Wisdom, as well as the co-host of the Being Well podcast – which has been downloaded over 9 million times. He’s lectured at NASA, Google, Oxford, and Harvard. An expert on positive neuroplasticity, his work has been featured on CBS, NPR, the BBC, and other major media. To pick up Rick’s new book, find out more about him and his work please check out rickhanson.netDid you find this episode inspiring? Here are more episodes you may love:Dr. Jud Brewer - Is Curiosity a Superpower?Rick Hanson - The Heights of Human PotentialEnjoying the show? Please rate it on iTunes!For Joshua's classes and events please visit joshuasteinfeldt.comThanks for listening!Support the show

After spending nearly 20 years in Corporate America, holding executive positions leading public and privately held companies, Shelly Tygielski decided to stop following the expected path and start following her lifelong passion – mindfulness and meditation – and began to fuse this passion with her purpose – community organization and ensuring equity, social justice and access to wellbeing for all.Her journey began by teaching free meditation classes Sunday morning on the sands of Hollywood Beach, Florida. What started as a group of 12 friends blossomed into a community of more than 15,000 in a matter of two years.When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Shelly rose to the occasion. On March 14th, 2020, at the dawn of the crisis, she posted two simple Google forms online. One read “Get Help” the other “Give Help”. The next morning, she was shocked to find hundreds of requests from both sides of the equation. She began directly matching those in need with patrons willing to help them meet their needs and the Pandemic of Love movement was born. Those few hundred requests grew to over 600,000 people matched within six months. Today, Pandemic of Love boasts nearly 4000 volunteers worldwide, has directly exchanged nearly $100 million in donations and has connected over 4.5 million people. It has been featured on over 100 media outlets, including CNN's Heroes, BBC and The Kelly Clarkson Show.In today’s conversation: Shelly and I dive deeper into themes from our part one conversation including how the Pandemic of Love has grown and evolved since that time.  Shelly shares more of the backstory on leaving her work as a successful executive in corporate America to become a full time meditation teacher, the courage it took to take the leap, and what led to her decisionIdeas and strategies for how to gain courage and clarity when faced with difficult and potentially life changing decisionsHow deep meditative states can lead to courageous action and other themes from her book Sit Down to Rise Up.Insights into how to lead and live from a place of love (particularly when it’s difficult)Why proximity is a catalyst for greater empathy, compassion, and building connection across divisionDetails on Shelly's new TV show with Debra Messing based on her work with Pandemic of LoveIf you’d like to learn more about Shelly and the incredible work she is doing please check out shellytygielski.com and be sure to pick up a copy of Sit Down to Rise Up: How Radical Self-Care Can Change the World wherever books are sold. Did you find this episode inspiring? You might love these past conversations:Shelly Tygielski Pt. 1 - Pandemic of LoveDr. Emilia Elisabet Lahti Pt. 2 - Gentle Power: Shifting the Way We Define True StrengthFor my upcoming classes and events, and all episodes of the Courageous Life please visit: joshuasteinfeldt.comEnjoying the show? Please rate it on iTunes!Thanks for listening!Support the show

At the time we recorded this conversation Shelly Tygielski was ten days into the creation of what has now become a global movement called the Pandemic of Love. During the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic Shelly found a way using simple google forms to connect people in need of groceries, diapers, money to keep the heat on etc, to those who could help them directly. What started out as just an idea sitting around Shelly’s kitchen table boasts nearly 4000 volunteers worldwide and has directly exchanged nearly $100 million in donations and has connected over 3 million people. The Pandemic of Love and Shelly were also featured on CNN’s Heroes. An annual show that features profiles of modern day heroes making an extraordinary impact for the collective good. Next week, in part two we will take a deeper dive into some of the theme’s from this episode as well as dive into themes from Shelly’s new book Sit Down To Rise Up: Find Yourself, Build Community and Change the World.In this episode Shelly shares:Her inspiring story of how and why she got into the work she is doing today as a community organizer, activist, and meditation teacherHow meditation has helped her to rise up in the face of adversity and challenges in her lifeWhat her meditation practice involves todayCoping strategies for dealing with fear and uncertainty related to COVID-19The incredible story behind the Pandemic of Love, why she started it, and how to get involvedShelly has also offered a brief meditation for dealing with uncertainty that you will find included as a BONUS mini episode of the Courageous Life. About Shelly:Shelly Tygielski has been hailed by individuals ranging from President Joe Biden to Arianna Huffington and Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn to Maria Shriver. She is the founder of the global, grassroots mutual aid organization, Pandemic of Love. Her work has been featured in over 100 media outlets including on CNN Heroes, The Kelly Clarkson Show, CBS This Morning, the New York Times and Washington Post. She is a trauma-informed mindfulness teacher and a Garrison Institute Fellow who has been called one of the “12 Powerful Women of the Mindfulness Movement” by Mindful Magazine. Shelly has taught formalized self-care and resilience at organizations around the world and is widely considered to be a self-care activist. She is happily married to her husband, Jason, and is the mother of a son she adores, Liam. In her free time, Shelly enjoys skateboarding, playing guitar and making craft cocktails. She and her husband are currently living a nomadic existence, moving to a new location every few months.Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are some other conversations you may love:Ian Hockley: Empathy: An Antidote For Our TimeAli Smith - Transforming Communities With Mindfulness (and Love)Enjoying the show? Please rate it on iTunes!Thanks for listening!Support the show

Often times gentleness and power can be seen as opposites, ideas or ways of being that may not go together. Today’s guest, Dr. Emilia Elisabet Lahti invites us to rethink this. Sharing a number of insights from her new book Gentle Power: A Revolution in How We Think, Lead and Succeed Using the Finnish Art of Sisu she argues that the intersection of these two qualities can be a catalyst for unlocking some of our greatest potential as people, and as leaders. In this episode:We dive into more of Elisabet’s journey including reflections from Sisu Not Silence, a 2400km run across the country of New Zealand which she did to help end the silence around domestic and interpersonal violence. Check out part one with Dr. Lahti (episode 69) for more much more of the backstory on this.She will share key discoveries she gained during the run as well as her martial arts training over the years, and how these insights and revelations were a key part of her research on Gentle Power as an elevated expression of SISU. We will also take a deep dive into gentleness (what it is, what it’s not, and why it matters)Being nice vs. being kind and why being kind is a training ground for gentle powerHow gentleness can transform into strength when it meets difficultyElisabet’s in the moment practices for cultivating gentle power in difficult conversationsQuestions to help cultivate self-awareness that may be the first step toward unlocking true powerThe importance of humility and how it relates to true powerAnd more!Pick up your copy of Gentle Power now and learn more about Dr. Lahti at sisulab.comAbout Dr. Emilia Elisabet Lahti:Emilia Elisabet Lahti, who goes by her second name Elisabet, is an awarded educator, applied psychology researcher, published author, and international presenter on topics of inner strength in times of adversity and transformation through self-leadership. Elisabet studied applied positive psychology at the University of Pennsylvania under the guidance of Dr. Martin Seligman and completed a PhD at Aalto University in Finland in which she pioneered the research on the Finnish construct of sisu (a psychological strength potential referring to extraordinary determination, courage and resoluteness in the face of extreme adversity). She is passionate about the study of human flourishing and cultivation of virtues, and to determine how these can be leveraged on a systemic level to promote worldwide change. Founder of Sisu Lab which builds communities and organizational cultures based on everyday leadership as expression of courage and compassion. Her work has been featured in The New Yorker, Business Insider, BBC, and Forbes. Originally from Finland, she’s taught internationally and given talks at Fortune 500 companies. You can find more more information and resources at www.sisulab.com.Enjoying the show? Please rate it on iTunes! For more episodes, podcast updates, and Joshua's event schedule visit: joshuasteinfeSupport the show

As we continue our kickoff of season 3 we are re-releasing our first ever conversation on the Courageous Life, with Dr. Emilia Elisabet Lahti.  In celebration of her new book, Gentle Power, coming out next week we will launch an all NEW episode with her that takes a deep dive into themes from the book including why the intersection of gentleness and power may be the future of leadership. We hope you enjoy this before and after (or part one and part two) conversation with Emilia Elisabet!In this episode we explore:Sisu - what it is, what it's not, and Dr. Lahti's original research on this innate human capacitySisu Not Silence - a 1500-mile / 50-day running journey across the length of New Zealand for nonviolence and peaceHow Elisabet works with fearStrategies and approaches for accomplishing massive goalsSelf-compassion - how it can be an unexpected and powerful force for training How to effectively work with doubt and the inner criticHow to create safe spaces and why safety can help to unlock courageAnd more!About Emilia Elisabet Lahti:Emilia Elisabet Lahti is an awarded educator, applied psychology researcher, and founder of Sisu Lab and Gentle Power Academy, which build communities and organizational cultures based on everyday leadership as expression of courage and compassion. Her work has been featured by The New Yorker, Business Insider, BBC, and Forbes. Originally from Finland, she’s taught internationally and given talks at Fortune 500 companies, TEDx, Stanford University, and UC Berkeley. For more, see sisulab.com.Support the show

Welcome to Season 3 of the Courageous Life! We are kicking things off with the return of one of our most popular guests of all time, Parker J. Palmer. In today’s episode we explore Parker's reflections on: Living with an open heart - the benefits, the drawbacks, and why this can be a lifelong practiceHow to have effective conversations across difference and why letting go ego is a big part of thisThe power of cultivating more humility and curiosity in one’s life and in relationships (particularly when that might not be the easiest thing to do)Why honesty can be a prerequisite for compassionStories and practices related to how he has strengthened his ability to be open hearted over timeThemes from his new book, On the Brink of Everything: Grace, Gravity and Getting OldThe beneficial effects of awe and "big nature"Parker J. Palmer is a writer, speaker and activist who focuses on issues in education, community, leadership, spirituality and social change. He is founder of the Center for Courage & Renewal, holds a Ph.D. in sociology from the University of California at Berkeley, as well as thirteen honorary doctorates.Parker is the author of ten books— which have sold nearly two million copies and been translated into ten languages. Some of his most popular include Let Your Life Speak, A Hidden Wholeness, The Courage to Teach, and Healing the Heart of Democracy. Parker’s work has touched the lives of millions of people around the world seeking to live more courageously and authentically while serving the human possibility. To learn more about Parker you can simply google his name, or you can check out couragerenewal.org or newcomerpalmer.com.  Did you find this episode inspiring? If so, you might love these past episodes:Jerry Colonna - Leadership and the Art of Growing UpMark Nepo - Finding Inner Courage Where it LivesEnjoying the show? Let us know by taking a moment to rate it on iTunes. Know someone who might enjoy hearing the insights in this episode? Please do share with friends. Thanks for listening!Support the show

Parker J. Palmer is a writer, teacher, and activist. Founder and Senior Partner Emeritus of the Center for Courage & Renewal, he has written ten books, including the bestselling Let Your Life Speak, The Courage to Teach, A Hidden Wholeness, Healing the Heart of Democracy, and On the Brink of Everything: Grace, Gravity and Getting Old. He holds a Ph.D. in sociology from the University of California, Berkeley, and thirteen honorary doctorates. In 1998, The Leadership Project, a national survey of ten thousand educators, named Palmer as one of the thirty “most influential senior leaders” in higher education and one of the ten key “agenda-setters” of the past decade. Since 2002, the Accrediting Commission for Graduate Medical Education has given annual Parker J. Palmer “Courage to Teach” and “Courage to Lead” Awards to directors of exemplary medical residency programs around the U.S. In 2010, Palmer received the William Rainey Harper Award, whose previous recipients include Margaret Mead, Elie Wiesel, and Paolo Freire. In 2011, the Utne Reader named him one of 25 Visionaries on its annual list of “People Who are Changing the World.” To learn more about Parker and his latest project, The Growing Edge, please visit newcomerpalmer.comIn this part one episode we explore: Some of Parker's personal story including challenges and adversities he has faced and how these have shaped his lifeWhat wholeness is and the courage it takes live an undivided lifeParker's insights about writing, speaking, and connecting with an audienceLessons Parker has learned about finding courage and working with fearThe power of reframing situations and circumstances one facesHow to listen deeplyFinding one's vocation in lifeHow to create conditions that foster courage in others And more!For Joshua's upcoming events and classes please visit joshuasteinfeldt.com Please rate the show on iTunes and let us know what you think!\For show notes and more visit www.joshuasteinfeldt.com/podcastThanks for listening!Support the show

In today's episode Kevin Cashman shares his incredible story of dying, coming back, and what life and work for him are like on the other side of this experience. Kevin and I have a deep and wide ranging conversation that covers:What Kevin experienced when he diedHis road back to health and what key factors helped him most on this journeyHow Kevin's experience has shifted his perspective and deepened a sense of meaning and purpose in his work with leadersHis view on the importance of expressing appreciation and gratitudeHis take on the central question we have been exploring in the Courageous Life: "how do I keep my heart open when it begins to close?"Exciting new research on the importance of openness in leadershipThe 3 B's: A framework for keeping the heart and mind open to learning, connection, and growthAnd much more!**Please note that due to the nature and topic of this conversation it is possible that some listeners may find parts of the conversation to be upsetting or triggering. Please listen at your own discretion. Thank you.**About Kevin Cashman:Kevin Cashman is a best-selling author, CEO Advisor, and pioneer of the ‘grow the whole person to grow the whole leader’ approach to transformative leadership. He is the founder of LeaderSource Ltd, and the Chief Executive Institute® recognized as one of the top three leadership development programs globally. In 2006, LeaderSource was acquired by Korn Ferry, where Kevin is now Global Leader of CEO and Executive Development across 130 offices that touch the lives of 100,000+ leaders monthly.Kevin has advised thousands of CEOs, senior executives and senior teams in more than 80 countries worldwide. He has written six books including Awakening the Leader Within and Leadership from the Inside Out, named the #1 best-selling business book of 2000 by CEO-READ and is now used at over 150 universities globally.For more on Kevin please follow him on LinkedIn or visit cashmanleadership.comSupport the show