The Courageous Life

Yesterday we re-released a moving Courageous Life conversation with Juliana Tafur.  Juliana is a journalist, award winning documentary filmmaker, and bridge builder.  She serves as the Program Director for the Greater Good Science Center’s Bridging Differences Program.   During our time together she shared shared some of her story, and insights from her incredible work as we explored the art and science of listening in ways that lead to: Meaningful connectionDeeper relationshipsAnd ultimately that build bridges across difference.  Today I’d like build on that conversation by re-releasing a practice that can support finding ways to connect.  Particularly when it’s difficult. Given that we’re human, imperfect, and not always at our best (at least speaking for myself) this idea of finding ways to connect when it’s difficult, when we are in conversations that are charged, or there’s reactivity etc…  Can be quite a useful inquiry to explore.   Today's practice will infuse a blend of storytelling, research-backed insights from leading organizational scholars, and simple ways to deepen self-awareness and tap into more empathy, understanding, and compassion.  For more ways to have constructive conversations, including insights and practices for connecting across difference, check out these conversations (if you haven't already):Building Bridges Back to Each Other | Juliana TafurRediscovering the Art of Constructive Dialogue | Dr. Mylien DuongPracticing Courage #40: Let go of assumptions and embrace curiosity  Thank you for your practice.  I look forward to continuing together next Thursday!  -Joshua    Looking for more practice opportunities?   Check out:LIVE 6 Week Training in Positive Neuroplasticity with Joshua (begins October 5th, 2024)Free Meditation Events - 60 minute gatherings with Joshua held 2x a month over zoomThe Practice Pass - An annual membership that gives you on-demand access to robust practice experiences including the 28-Day Practicing Courage Challenge, The 5-Day Transforming Stress Challenge and Unlocking Creativity a brand NEW 5-day challenge for realizing your unique creative potential.The FREE Practice LibrarySupport the show

How can we more effectively navigate conversations with people who have different values, and beliefs than we do?Neighbors, community members, co-workers, and family members who care deeply about the same issues, but who have widely different views about them. What are the conditions that would be needed in order to have productive conversations? What are the intentions, skills and mindsets we need to cultivate? In this new 3-episode mini series we will  explore these complex yet practical questions with Courageous Life guests new and old. You'll be exposed to leaders at the forefront of researching, facilitating, and sharing their hard earned wisdom, about how to have constructive dialogues, find win-win solutions to our hardest problems, and build bridges across difference. As we move into election season here in the US, these conversations are particularly timely,But the skills and insights contained within each conversation are also timeless.Today we’ll continue this series with our second conversation - a past episode with Juliana Tafur who is the Program Director for the Greater Good Science Center's Bridging Differences Program. Together we explored the art and science of listening in ways that lead to meaningful connection, deeper relationships, empathy, and can build bridges across difference.  Highlights include:A framework for compassionate listeningThe importance of giving ourselves and others grace while engaging in constructive dialogueWhy opening the heart across difference begins with tuning into selfDiscerning when to engage in constructive dialogue and when it’s safer, and wiser, not to. The power of asking questions from a place of genuine curiosityLetting go of winning as a fundamental practice of effective listeningWhy listening is an act of courageThe importance of appreciating complexity in other people’s stories, and lived experiences Ways to quiet the ego in tough conversations Interested in diving deeper into this topic? Check out the Bridging Differences Program for free resources including the Bridging Differences Playbook. Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:Rediscovering the art of constructive dialogue | Dr. Mylien DuongIs curiosity a superpower? | Dr. Jud Brewer More about Juliana:Juliana Tafur is the Program Director for GGSC’s Bridging Differences Program, applying her experience as social entrepreneur and founder of Listen Courageously, and as Emmy-nominated senior television producer and award-winning documentary filmmaker. Juliana creates resources rooted in science to bridge political and cultural divides. She also forges strategic partnerships across sectors—government, education, philanthropy, and public service—and oversees communities of practice, to ensure bridge-building skills and resources reach people and strengthen social cohesion across the US. As a Colombian-American devoted to listening to bridge what divides us (as seen on her TEDx talk), fostering a broader culture of belonging—through dialogue, connections, and understanding—is her life’s mission.Support the show

When I was first learning to be a coach we had a saying before stepping into a coaching conversation:Leave your assumptions at the door and embrace curiosity. In reality we often know SO little about someone’s experience, and about their story.And when we recognize that, what seems to make the most sense is to get curious.To ask questions,And to listen deeply. In a recent episode with Dr. Jonah Paquette we took a dive into the depths of awe and wonder he offered a beautiful reminder of the power of curiosity. And that reminder is the inspiration for today’s practice which centers around finding ways to let go of your assumptionsAnd to choose learning over knowing.This practice is being re-released as a powerful complement to our new mini-series which highlights Courageous Life guests new and old. Each episode in the series featuring leaders who are at the forefront of researching, facilitating, and sharing their hard-earned wisdom related to how to have constructive dialogues, how to find win-win solutions to some of our hardest problems, and ultimately how to build bridges across difference. Want to dive deeper into these topics? Check out these past Courageous Life episodes:Rediscovering the Art of Constructive Dialogue | Dr. Mylien DuongAwe, Wonder, and Everyday Miracles | Dr. Jonah PaquetteIs Curiosity a Superpower? | Dr. Jud BrewerThank you for your practice. I look forward to continuing together next Thursday!-Joshua Looking for more practice opportunities? Check out:LIVE 6 Week Training in Positive Neuroplasticity with Joshua (begins October 5th, 2024)Free Meditation Events - 60 minute gatherings with Joshua held 2x a month over zoomThe Practice Pass - An annual membership that gives you on-demand access to robust practice experiences including the 28-Day Practicing Courage Challenge, The 5-Day Transforming Stress Challenge and the brand NEW Creativity Challenge.The FREE Practice LibrarySupport the show

How can we more effectively navigate conversations with people who have different values, and beliefs than we do?Neighbors, community members, co-workers, and family members who care deeply about the same issues, but who have widely different views about them. What are the conditions that would be needed in order to have productive conversations? What are the intentions, skills and mindsets we need to cultivate? Over the next few weeks these are the complex yet practical questions we will explore with Courageous Life guests new and old. You'll be exposed to leaders at the forefront of researching, facilitating, and sharing their hard earned wisdom, About how to have constructive dialogues, find win-win solutions to our hardest problems, and ultimately build bridges across difference. As we move into election season here in the US, these conversations are particularly timely, But the skills and insights contained within each conversation are also timeless. Today we’ll begin this powerful mini-series by re-releasing a past episode with Dr. Mylien Duong. Mylien is Senior Director of Research at The Constructive Dialogue Institute, where they define Constructive dialogue as a form of conversation in which people who have different values, beliefs, and perspectives seek to build new ways to understand and interact with each other, even as they sustain commitments to their own principles and perspectives. Mylien helps to build out evidence-based content for having constructive dialogues, and oversees measuring the efficacy and effectiveness of the programming.  So far programming offered by the Institute: Has impacted over 50K learners Is being leveraged by 900+ Institutions Shows that 86% of learners improved communication across differenceAnd, 95% of educators recommend their programmingTheir work has been featured in Time Magazine, Forbes, The New York Times, Harvard Business Review, Oprah Magazine, Psychology Today and moreIn today's conversation: Mylien’s story about how she came to this workThe 5 principles of Constructive Dialogue that the Institute has establishedThe power of curiosity and storytelling in constructive dialogueThe importance of humility, self-worth, and feeling that you matterThe power of emotional intelligence and nervous system regulation in navigating hard conversations more effectivelyMore about Mylien:Dr. Mylien Duong has deep expertise in developing scalable behavioral interventions. Trained as a clinical psychologist, she was previously a senior research scientist at the Committee for Children, where she led the research to develop a social-emotional learning program for teachers in K-12 schools. Prior to that, she was faculty at the University of Washington, where they conducted federally funded research studies to develop and test behavioral interventions for youth in school and juvenile justice settings. She has received over $17 million in grant funding and published over 40 scientific articles and book chapters. For more: https://constructivedialogue.org/Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are more conversations we think you'll love:Dr. Marc Brackett - Permission to Feel: The Power of Emotional IntelligenceParker Palmer - Reflections on Living with an Open HeartEnjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen!Support the show

Always do your best.When I was growing up I heard that a lot. "Just do your best.""Leave it all on the field."Or some similar version of that message.It seemed like a generally positive and empowering message. An invitation to show up fully and give it my all. I was on board. But what I didn’t realize was that this message was incomplete. It was missing an important piece. Today we'll explore what was missing.The piece, that when leveraged, makes this a much more potent practice. Thank you for your practice today.I look forward to continuing together next Thursday!-JoshuaLooking for more practice opportunities? Check out:LIVE 6 Week Training in Positive Neuroplasticity with Joshua (begins October 5th, 2024)Free Meditation Events - 60 minute gatherings with Joshua held 2x a month over zoomThe Practice Pass - An annual membership that gives you on-demand access to robust practice experiences including the 28-Day Practicing Courage Challenge, The 5-Day Transforming Stress Challenge and the brand NEW Creativity Challenge.The FREE Practice LibrarySupport the show

One of the most extraordinary manifestations of human potential is:Our ability to grow and strengthen ourselves in the face of pain, trauma, and those moments where life falls apart.Today’s guest, Dr. Amrita Sen Mukherjee, has not only studied what contributes to this deeply human capacity for post-traumatic growth but has experienced it first-hand. In our conversation we’ll dive deep into her story and insights she's gained about what fosters positive psychological change in response to trauma and adversity.The qualities and conditions that support us in finding the courage to rise again after we fall,And the potential we have to come back stronger.  In today’s episode Amrita will share:Parts of her own story including facing illness after childbirth, and the many layers of adversity she experienced as both a mother, and a physician with invisible disability.Insights into Post-Traumatic Growth and her original research that explored the lived experiences of doctors with invisible disability.The conditions that contribute to other people being courageous in the face of significant obstacles.Practical skills for creating psychological safety, compassion, and empathy.The importance of mattering, and feeling at home in our own skin, and at home on the earth.  Practices that support showing ourselves and each other we are valued and that we matter.Reflections on the healing power of silence.Why humility, curiosity, and the willingness to not know can lead to people feeling seen.Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:The Courageous Journey Toward Wholeness | Parker PalmerGentle Power - Shifting the Way We Define True Strength | Dr. Elisabet LahtiEnjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!A quick note about the conversation today. There were some occasional minor sounds you’ll hear in the background as it wasn’t a perfectly quiet spot during recording which comes with the territory from time to time. We feel it didn’t detract much from the conversation though and are still very excited to share it with you.More about Amrita:Dr. Amrita Sen Mukherjee, Co-Chair of the Disabled Doctors Network, challenges the frameworks and biases that society imposes. She invites us to consider the potential for change when we unmask the strengths and abilities of the marginalised and to discover how adversity can enable growth, strength and compassion.  She is a dedicated Wellbeing Expert, Positive Psychology Coach, and accomplished Portfolio GP. Specialising in Posttraumatic Growth and guiding high performing professionals through life transitions, Amrita fosters environments of psychological safety and individual curiosity for personal and team growth. Amrita, conducted groundbreaking research on Posttraumatic Growth in Doctors with Invisible Disability, which was published in the British Journal of Health Psychology. As Co-Chair of the Disabled Doctors Network and EDI Lead at The Joyful Doctor, she actively promotes equality and is a Disability Advocate. She also serves as a Trustee for the Thomas Wall Trust and is the ambassador for Doctors in Distress. A sought-after TEDx speaker, Amrita has shared her expertise on wellbeing and equality across platforms like BBC News, podcasts, webinars, and International Conferences. For more please visit: yourwellbeing.doctorThanks for listening!Support the show

In yesterday’s Courageous Life episode with psychologist and author, Dr. Jill Stoddard, we took a deep dive into overcoming self doubt and imposterism. Part of which reminded me of a powerful practice for transforming stress.A practice I first learned from Dr. Alia Crum and her team at Stanford’s Mind and Body Lab. I originally created this practice for the 5-day Transforming Stress Challenge, which features 5 days of guided practices, insights from leading experts, and different tools that can help you change your relationship to stress in a whole host of beneficial ways. Today we are re-releasing a modified version of this practice.In it you'll be exposed to Dr. Alia Crum and her growing body of research on the power our mindsets hold to transform our lives, our health, and our performance.You’ll learn three powerful steps for shifting your mindset on stress. Rather than push it away, you will be invited to acknowledge, welcome, and utilize your stress in ways that can lead to positive ripple effects in life, on health, and that lead to better performance. Simply put, this practice can help you to stress better.Curious to explore this topic further? Check out the full conversation with Dr. Jill Stoddard or the 5-Day Transforming Stress Challenge:Overcoming Self-Doubt and Imposterism | Dr. Jill StoddardTransforming Stress ChallengeThank you for your practice today.I look forward to continuing together next Thursday!-JoshuaLooking for more practice opportunities? Check out:LIVE 6 Week Training in Positive Neuroplasticity with Joshua (begins October 5th, 2024)Free Meditation Events - 60 minute gatherings with Joshua held 2x a month over zoomThe Practice Pass - An annual membership that gives you on-demand access to robust practice experiences including the 28-Day Practicing Courage Challenge, The 5-Day Transforming Stress Challenge and the brand NEW Creativity Challenge.The FREE Practice LibrarySupport the show

Today’s guest identifies as a recovered imposter. For years, she was convinced that the only reason she was accepted into a competitive grad school program was because her father knew the program director. One thing research shows is that Dr. Jill Stoddard, psychologist, and author of Imposter No More, isn't alone in this.Deep down, a majority of successful people feel a sense of self doubt and question their professional legitimacy a good amount of the time. In today’s conversation we’ll dive into Jill’s fascinating and important work around this often relatable experience of Imposterism, including:Understanding what it is, why we do it, and how it worksWhy the notion of imposter syndrome is actually a misnomer. We’ll explore some of Jill’s personal stories and experiences of working through her own imposter thoughts and feelings of self-doubtWhat she's learned from personal experiences as well as through her work as a psychologist running an anxiety clinic. How to work with imposterism - Specifically how strengthening psychological flexibility can ultimately be a way to free ourselves from the experience of being constrained by fear, doubt, and uncertainty. Today’s episode is one that I think will be deeply relatable for so many. After listening If you know someone who may benefit from it, I would encourage you to share with friends. If you want to dive deeper into Jill’s work please visit jillstoddard.com or pick up a copy of Imposter No more: Overcome Self-doubt and Imposterism to Cultivate a Successful Career, wherever books are sold.Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts! Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love: Letting go of Perfectionism and Finding Happiness | Dr. Tal Ben-ShaharMeeting Failure with Curiosity and Compassion | Dr. Amy EdmondsonMore about Jill: Jill Stoddard is passionate about sharing science-backed ideas from psychology to help people thrive. She is a psychologist, writer, TEDx speaker, award-winning teacher, and co-host of the popular Psychologists Off the Clock podcast. She has authored three books: The Big Book of ACT Metaphors: A Practitioner’s Guide to Experiential Exercises and Metaphors in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy; Be Mighty: A Woman’s Guide to Liberation from Anxiety, Worry, and Stress Using Mindfulness and Acceptance; and Imposter No More: Overcome Self-doubt and Imposterism to Cultivate a Successful Career. Her writing has also appeared in Psychology Today, Scary Mommy, Thrive Global, The Good Men Project, and Mindful Return. She regularly appears on podcasts and as an expert source for various media outlets. Thanks for listening! Support the show

In the hero's journey, the hero or heroine is called to adventure. Often in the form of a quest, a challenge, or an adversity.And often in unexpected ways.One of the things that’s interesting about the heroes journey is that shortly after the call a helper enters the picture.A mentor, sage, guide, or a coach who helps the hero to navigate the adventure,as they strengthen themselves and ultimately transform in ways that allow them to meet their life from a wiser, more skillful, and often more responsive place. Today, we’re bringing you the next episode in this new adventure on the Courageous Life - inspiring stories from everyday heroes and the helpers who walk beside them. I am thrilled to share another beautiful helpers conversation, with Liliana Öğün.Liliana is an Executive & Career Coach with more than 20 years of experience in leadership coaching, career coaching, and communication consulting. She holds a Master Certified Coach credential from the International Coach Federation. And since 2010 has been helping leaders across the globe enhance their productivity while maintaining work-life balance. Through coaching, she empowers her clients to raise their awareness and take personal accountability, leading to transformative changes in their careers and lives. For more on Liliana please visit surfingchange.comToday, we’ll explore some of Liliana’s journey, including:A personal story of her parents' loss of one of their children, and how she and her sister navigated the experience together. She'll share more about what she learned, and how the adversity shaped how she approaches her work today. How she “walks beside” her clients. Including meeting them with curiosity, unconditional positive regard, and challenging them to realize their potential.Tools and practices that have helped her clients to deepen awareness, and transform their relationship to themselves, and others. This conversation was beautiful.  Liliana showed again and again how she embodies the qualities she speaks of, and if you’re looking for practical takeaways, you’ll find she offers those as well.I hope you enjoy the time with her as much as I did. Did you find this conversation inspiring? Here are other episodes we think you'll love:Building a future starts with feeling seen with Hayley PhilanderEmbracing the journey from 'doing' to 'being' with Amy Dong Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts.   Thanks for listening!Support the show

"It’s very important work to be calm in a storm. To be a center for the people in your life." -Elizabeth Lesser (Courageous Life Episode 112)So often when storms arise in our life they unleash a variety of feelings:UncertaintyFearGroundlessnessWhen these experiences arise the mind will often will enter into a cycle of trying to find ground, often by running through future based scenarios, and planning thinking. And while planning can be helpful up to a point, if we spend too much time focusing on what ifWe can get lost in cycles of worry. In these moments a helpful practice to find calm, and return to center is to remember that: The only moment we have is this one.That, there is no "there".There's only here.And to return to the present. Finding calm again even in the midst of a storm. Today's practice will offer a clip from yesterday's Courageous Life conversation with Elizabeth Lesser, and a story of my time with Mark Nepo in 2018 where he offered a reminder of this beautiful practice. Curious to explore this topic further? Check out the full conversations Elizabeth Lesser and Mark Nepo:Strong Back, Soft Front: The Practice of a Lifetime | Elizabeth LesserFinding Inner Courage Where it Lives | Mark NepoThank you for your practice today.I look forward to continuing together next Thursday!-JoshuaLooking for more practice opportunities? Check out:LIVE 6 Week Training in Positive Neuroplasticity with Joshua (begins October 5th, 2024)Free Meditation Events - 60 minute gatherings with Joshua held 2x a month over zoomThe Practice Pass - An annual membership that gives you on-demand access to robust practice experiences including the 28-Day Practicing Courage Challenge, The 5-Day Transforming Stress Challenge and the brand NEW Creativity Challenge.The FREE Practice LibrarySupport the show