The Courageous Life

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 hero's journey is that shortly after the call a helper enters the picture.A mentor, sage, guide, or a coach of some sort.They help the hero:Navigate the adventureStrengthen themselvesAnd ultimately transform in ways that allow them to meet their life from a wiser, more skillful, and more responsive place. As we looked at starting a new series featuring everyday heroes, the role of the helper was striking. And we couldn’t help but think this new series would be incomplete if we didn’t include episodes featuring helpers. So here we are. Launching our fourth episode in this new adventure on the larger Courageous Life podcast. Conversations featuring inspiring stories from everyday heroes and the helpers who walk beside them. Last week we released a helper interview with Executive and Leadership Coach Alfreda McCray where we explored the practice of becoming your own inner ally.Today, I am honored and excited to share another beautiful helpers conversation, with Amy Dong. Amy is a therapist who specializes in working with individuals and couples, navigating anxiety, supporting relational health, healing from burnout, reprocessing trauma, and finding steady footing through life’s inevitable twists & turns.Amy is also a gifted writer.You can find her beautiful and inspiring work on her substack: The SofteningWhich she describes as a walk through our internal landscape, a journey with mental health and well-being in long form. Personally I subscribe to Amy’s blog and look forward to receiving each new piece as I find her writing a breath of fresh air. It offers an invitation to slow down in the midst of the hustle of everyday life, to reflect on what’s truly important, and often leaves me feeling hopeful and energized. I would encourage you to check it out.Today, we’ll explore:The story of a helper who during a particularly challenging point left a deep positive impression on Amy - not in what she did, but rather through her way of being. How she approaches her work, and the ways in which she walks beside her clients. Some of her favorite tools for regulating the nervous system, and finding greater ease as we navigate the 'messy middle' parts of our lives. Reflections about the practice of becoming a better friend to yourself. This conversation was deep, heartfelt, and also offered a number of practical takeaways. I hope you enjoy the time with Amy as much as I did. Did you find this conversation inspiring? Here are other episodes we think you'll love:Becoming your own inner ally with Alfreda McCrayCuriosity, trust, and inner wisdom with Shandra Lamotte Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts.   Thanks for listening!Support the show

Why can it be so difficult to receive? Whether it’s something small like a compliment,Or something bigger, like receiving help when we are in some form of pain or distress. While the response can vary of course, For many of us the instinct  can often be:To brush off the compliment To minimize the recognitionTo turn down the help Essentially to close off in one form or another. And there are a whole host of reasons why this might happen.From the way we’re raised,To:Expectations or cultural norms that have to do with identity, the workplace, etcFears of being perceived as weak, of not being liked, or not fitting in.The list goes on.This past week as I was engaged in a discussion around receiving (and the difficulty with it) with my long time collaborator Matt Donner.And in the process was reminded of a past Courageous Life conversation with Dr. Kelly McGonigal where we explored self-compassion.In particular, challenging the popular forms of self-compassion practice that so often focus on Going off by yourself and doing your self compassion practice, Alone. Don't get me wrong, individual practices like self-compassion meditation or journaling can certainly be helpful, but they are also somewhat limiting and incomplete. The limits of these practices can be seen when we start to consider important practice questions like:What about self-compassion that looks like opening to and receiving help when you’re in pain?What about allowing others to carry some of the weight that you’ve been shouldering on your own?What about self-compassion that is found in relationship and community?And that involves taking the risk to be vulnerable,And to receive?Becoming a better friend to ourselves isn't always done in isolation. It can include engaging in the powerful practice of opening toAnd receiving help,Rather than closing off to it. So today this is what we will explore and you will have the opportunity to hear directly from Kelly McGonigal in a moving clip from our conversation, about how this not only benefits us, but how it can be a gift to those offering their help. Curious to explore this topic further? Here are some conversations on the podcast we think you'll love:Courage, Hope, and Human Transformation | Dr. Kelly McGonigalThank you for your practice today. I look forward to continuing together next Thursday!-JoshuaWant these practices delivered via text?If you are located in the U.S. text the word COURAGE to 805-430-6801 to join Joshua's text community and you'll get a text once/week with a link directly to the practice.Looking for more practice opportunities? Check out: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.Past Practicing Courage episodes in the podcast feedThe FREE Practice LibrarySupport the Show. Support the show

When you hear the word provoke what do you think of? What about the word provocative? For many (including myself)This idea, of provocation, often holds a negative connotation.Look it up in the dictionary and you’ll even see one definition that reads:Purposefully stirring up a fight.But as you can imagine there’s a very different form of provocation. One that when harnessed can:stimulate curiosity, open us to new perspectives and outside-the-box ideas, and one that ultimately invites  us to see our work, relationships, and the world we live in with fresh eyes. It’s a thrill to have Dr. Robert Biswas-Deiner on the show today as we explore this alternative form of provocation and fresh thought-provoking ideas inspired by his latest book: Positive Provocation: 25 Questions to Elevate Your Coaching Practice.In today’s episode:Robert’s story about how he came to be doing the work he is engaged in today as a coach, trainer, researcher, and author. Including making a very tough decision to drop out of graduate school. The details surrounding an invitation Robert received to be The Provocateur for an international coaching conference.How he defines Positive Provocation and what key elements support doing it well, both at work and in life.What he calls the 90 degree view - a sweet spot for inviting people into curiosity, and rethinking conventional ideas.Intriguing stories from coaching sessions, that offer insight into what he’s learned about the art of challenging people effectively.How to stay open to being positively provoked, including the importance of cultivating intellectual humility.How research on the psychology of hospitality ties into being a positive provocateur.If you found today’s conversation interesting, I would encourage you to check out Robert’s new book, Positive Provocation where you can learn more about this approach, and see how he puts it into practice.Did you find today’s conversation inspiring? Here are other episodes we think you’ll love:Practicing the Art of Principled Rebellion | Dr. Todd KashdanGentle Power: Shifting the Way We Define True Strength | Dr. Elisabet LahtiMore about Robert:Dr. Robert Biswas-Diener is widely known as the “Indiana Jones of Positive Psychology” because his research has taken him to such far-flung places as Greenland, India, Kenya, and Israel. He is a leading authority on strengths, culture, courage, and happiness and known for his pioneering work in the application of positive psychology to coaching. Robert has authored more than 60 peer-reviewed academic articles and chapters, two of which are “citation classics” (cited more than 1,000 times each). Dr. Biswas-Diener has authored eight books, including the New York Times Best Seller, The Upside of Your Dark Side. For more about Robert please visit robertdiener.com, and if you’re a coach looking for more details on Robert’s coach trainings and classes check out positiveacorn.comEnjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!Thanks for listening!Support the show

Dr. Jessica Tracy is the Director of the Emotion and Self Lab at the University of British Columbia, and someone I have been looking forward to interviewing for a long time. Back in 2016 she published a book titled: Take Pride: Why the Deadliest Sin Holds the Secret to Human Success.The title grabbed my attention.Largely because the form of pride that I have seen more often discussed is hubris. Which shows its face in different ways:An overinflated egoPeacockingFlaunting success Dominance and instilling fear as a leader, etc.This hubristic side is well known, but what Jessica’s work shows is that pride has another face. One that is essential for helping us become our best, brightest selves. In the right doses and the right contexts, pride has been proven to boost creativity, motivate altruism, and confer power and prestige on those who display it. Today we’ll dive deep into this, covering hubristic pride, but also really exploring this less often discussed form of pride. What she calls authentic pride.Which when harnessed may just hold the secret to success. In today’s episode:How to cultivate authentic pride, including practices of getting quiet, listening to your life, and asking big questions about who you want to be and becomeKey differences between hubristic and authentic prideIntriguing findings that Jessica and her team have discovered about pride, both it’s drawbacks, and surprising benefits in life, at work, and in relationshipsDominance and prestige - two leadership styles that manifest from hubristic and authentic pride and the impact each style has on teams, and organizationsWhy authentic pride can be a catalyst for creativity, innovation, and thriving organizational culturesThe connection between pride and grit - how experiencing authentic pride can be the fuel for perseverance toward very long term goalsHow cultivating authentic pride can be a path to living wellI hope you enjoy the conversation with Jessica as much as I did!Did you find this conversation inspiring? Here are other episodes we think you'll love:The Transformative Power of Humility | Dr. Daryl Van TongerenNeuroscience, Spirituality, and the Quest for an Inspired Life | Dr. Lisa MillerMore about Jessica:  Dr. Jessica Tracy is a professor of psychology at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada, where she also directs the Emotion and Self Lab. Her research focuses on emotions and emotion expression, and especially on the self-conscious emotions of pride and shame. She has published over 80 journal articles, and her groundbreaking work on pride has been covered by hundreds of media outlets, including ABC’s Good Morning America, NPR’s All Things Considered, the New York Times, the Economist, and Scientific American. Enjoying the show? Please share with friends, and rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts. Thanks for listening!Support the show

At the end of each day we do a mental scan, reviewing our experiences from that day.When people do this, they often find:The moments where they moved outside of their comfort zoneThe moments where they pushed themselvesAnd the moments where they were courageousAre often the moments that they end up being most proud of.Additionally, leading courage researcher, Dr. Jim Detert asserts that when looking back on life its acts of courage that are often associated with greater fulfillment, meaning, and positive legacy. Today I am going to offer a practice that will invite you to explore a simple process for intentionally increasing the capacity to be with discomfort, and how practicing this in low stakes moments can help strengthen your mind, body, and skillset to help unlock courage in moments that matter. All practices can be found for free in The Practice Library. Access the library here: https://www.practicingcourage.com/join-libraryInterested in taking a deeper dive into practices that support greater calm, clarity, courage, and meaningful connection?In an effort to create a delightful and seamless on-demand practice experience we created The Practice Pass, an annual membership that gives you access to all of this dynamic original content including both live and on-demand learning experiences.If you sign up up for the Practice Pass you’ll receive:Existing on-demand meditation challenges:Unlocking Creativity: A 5-Day Challenge The Practicing Courage ChallengeThe 5-Day Transforming Stress Challenge3 live challenges each year. Future topics for 2024 include: Navigating Transitions, and Finding Purpose.Learn more and register for the pass here: https://www.practicingcourage.com/signup-practice-passCurious to explore this topic further? Here are some conversations on the podcast we think you'll love:Courage is Developed Through Practice | Dr. Jim DetertLessons in Hope, Courage, and Human Transformation | Dr. Kelly McGonigalFinding Fulfillment in a World Obsessed with Happiness | Emily Esfahani SmithTill next time,-JoshuaSupport the show

Today we are re-releasing one of our most popular episodes ever on the show, a powerful conversation with Dr. Marc Brackett. In this episode, we'll explore themes from his book Permission to Feel  as well as his broader work as a leader in the field of emotional intelligence. Marc, is on a mission to educate the world about the value of emotions and the skills associated with using them wisely. “I want everyone to become an emotion scientist. We need to be curious explorers of our own and others’ emotions so they can help us achieve our goals and improve our lives.”In today's episode:How events in Marc's childhood, including surviving abuse, led to his dedication to the work he does todayWhy people so often suppress emotions and what happens in our brains and bodies when we doWhy it’s important to ask people “how are you feeling?” and to genuinely listen to the answerThe story of his Uncle Marvin, and what he learned from him about the power of creating safe spacesHighlights from the biggest study he has ever conducted and the case for empathy, compassion, non-judgment, and good listening as life changing qualities for leaders, parents, and individuals.An introduction to the RULER skills (Recognizing, Understanding, Labeling, Expressing, and Regulating emotions)How he uses the RULER skills in his own life to navigate daily challenges, enhance wellbeing, and stay on track with goals that are important to himThe link between emotions and performance - why and how emotions matter when it comes to thriving teams and organizationsWhy giving people the permission to feel may be one of the most important things we can do to help people thrive at work and in life. More about Marc:Marc Brackett, Ph.D., is founding director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence and professor in the Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine. As a researcher for over 20 years, Marc has focused on the role of emotions and emotional intelligence in learning, decision making, creativity, relationships, health, and performance. His book, Permission To Feel,  has been translated into 22 languages. Most recently, with Pinterest co-founder Ben Silbermann, Marc and his team co-created the Apple award-winning app, HowWeFeel, that was designed to teach emotion skills and enhance well-being. Marc is the lead developer of RULER, a systemic, evidence-based approach to social and emotional learning that has been adopted by over 5,000 schools across the United States and has reached over 4 million children. Marc regularly consults with large companies such as Google, Amazon, and Microsoft on best practices for integrating the principles of emotional intelligence into training and product design. For more please visit: https://www.marcbrackett.comDid you find this episode inspiring? Here are more episodes we think you’ll love!Dr. Jud Brewer - Is Curiosity is a Superpower?Kelly McGonigal - Finding the Hope, Connection, and Courage to TransformSupport 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 that adventure arrives unexpectedly.One of the things that’s interesting about the hero's journey is that shortly after the call a helper enters the picture.A mentor, a sage, a guide, or a coach of some sort.They help 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. As we looked at starting a new series featuring everyday heroes, the role of the helper was striking. And we couldn’t help but think this new series would be incomplete if we didn’t include episodes featuring helpers. So here we are. Launching our third episode in this new adventure on the larger Courageous Life podcast. Conversations featuring inspiring stories from everyday heroes and the helpers who walk beside them. Last week we released our first helper interview with Stanford compassion teacher, and family systems coach Shandra Lamotte as we curiosity, trust, and uncovering our inner wisdom. Today, I am thrilled to share another beautiful helpers conversation, with Alfreda McCray. Alfreda is a board-certified Executive Coach, a writer, social justice advocate, and doctoral student examining the intersections of identity, leadership, and authenticity. She is a life-long learner with a passion for optimizing wellbeing, reducing harm, and increasing compassion in the workplace and beyond. Her background includes over 20 years of experience in professional services and consulting. To learn more about Alfreda you can follow her on LinkedIn. In this episode we’ll explore: Alfreda’s inspiring journey and the story of a helper, who in her words, saved her life.How she approaches her work, and the ways in which she walks beside her clients.Some of her favorite tools and practices for slowing down, and meeting life from a more responsive place.This conversation was both moving and practical, and I hope you enjoy the time with Alfreda as much as I  did. Did you find this conversation inspiring? Here are other episodes we think you'll love:Faith, Hope, and Love with Eddie GarciaCuriosity, trust, and inner wisdom with Shandra Lamotte Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts.   Thanks for listening!Support the show

As part of a 4-part series on the Power of Compassion on The Courageous Life, yesterday we released  a beautiful conversation with Roshi Joan Halifax and Rhonda Magee. Together they explored a variety of themes related to meeting the most pressing challenges of our time with backbone and heart. To complement the conversations in this series I have be sharing some potent practices for opening the heart, and accessing more courage and compassion. Today's practice is a re-release of the first Practicing Courage episode we ever produced and relates to one of the themes that Joan and Rhonda explored. How we can respond vs. react in moments where we feel triggered?An idea that is beautifully highlighted by holocaust survivor, Viktor Frankl, who famously said:"Between stimulus and response there's a space. In that space is our ability to choose. In that choice lies our growth and our freedom." Today's episode will explore how we might find this space more often in our lives, our work, and our relationships.  Throughout episode you'll be exposed to:Highlights from the science of courageAn inspiring clip from a conversation with Dr. Amy EdmondsonAnd a simple 3-part practice for finding more of this space, and more courage in the midst of our busy day-to-day lives.Thank you for your practice today!I look forward to continuing together next Thursday!-Joshua8 Week Compassion Cultivation Training with Joshua begins July 12th!If you are interested in a deeper more experiential dive into these insights and practices I  would encourage you to join me on July 12th, as I will be teaching an 8 week course on compassion originally created at Stanford University. Learn more by heading to practicingcourage.com/cctWant these practices delivered via text?If you are located in the U.S. text the word COURAGE to 805-430-6801 to join Joshua's text community and you'll get a text once/week with a link directly to the practice.Looking for more practice opportunities? Check out:Free Meditation Events - 60 minute community gatherings with Joshua held 2x a month over zoom. The 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.Past Practicing Courage episodes in the podcast feedThe FREE Practice LibrarySupport the show

This is the finale in our 4-part series on the power of compassion, which has featured leading researchers and practitioners in illuminating conversations about how to live with a more kind, and open hearted stance toward the world.Today's conversation could not be a more fitting end as Roshi Joan Halifax and Rhonda V. Magee, two extraordinary pioneers working at the intersection of mindfulness, social change, law, and end-of-life care will engage in a deep and inspiring discussion about accessing compassion in the face of our most pressing challenges.Together they'll explore:How we might engage with ourselves, our communities, perceived adversaries, and the broader world with an open heart.Training qualities of compassion, kindness, and love when fighting for causes we care aboutTheir experiences, including challenges they've faced, in cultivating compassion The GRACE model for training compassionOvercoming fearPractices for responding (vs. reacting) in the heat of the moment or when one is triggeredWorking more effectively with failure and disappointmentAs you'll hear this conversation will infuse the metaphor of an open hearted warrior as Joan and Rhonda discuss the possibility of meeting life's challenges with a blend of backbone and heart.Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!More Power of Compassion Series episodes:Part 3: The Future of Work - Love, Safety, and Belonging | Leah Weiss & Jerry ColonnaPart 2: Moving From Fear to Love | James Doty & Jacinta JiménezPart 1: The Key to Resilience and Possibility | Barbara Fredrickson & Sharon SalzbergAbout Rhonda Magee:Rhonda V. Magee is a Professor of Law at the University of San Francisco and a leading mindfulness teacher with a focus on applying mindfulness to the hardest challenges of our times. She is an internationally-recognized teacher, guide and mentor, focused on integrating mindfulness into higher education, law and social change work. For more than 20+ years, Professor Magee has studied mindfulness, its underlying origins in Buddhism, and its potential benefits and applications in the world. A prolific author, she draws on law and legal history to weave storytelling, poetry, analysis and practices into inspiration for changing how we think, act and live better together in the face of the multiple interlocking challenges of our times. For more please visit rhondavmagee.comAbout Roshi Joan HalifaxRoshi Joan Halifax, Ph.D. is Founder and Head Teacher of Upaya Zen Center in Santa Fe, New Mexico, a social activist, author, and in her early years was an anthropologist at Columbia University and University of Miami School of Medicine . She is a pioneer in the field of end-of-life care and has lectured on the subject of death and dying at many academic institutions and medical centers around the world. She has also received numerous awards and honors from institutions for her work as a social and environmental activist and in the end-of-life care field. She has served as a Distinguished Visiting Scholar at the Library of Congress where she developed a heuristic map of compassion and created  the GRACE model for training compassion. She is Director of the Project on Being with Dying, and Founder of the Upaya Prison Project that develops programs on meditation for prisoners. For more please visit: www.joanhalifax.orgSupport 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 adversity.And often that adventure arrives unexpectedly.One of the things that’s interesting about the hero's journey is that shortly after the call a helper enters the picture.A mentor, a sage, a guide, or a coach of some sort.They help 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. As we looked at starting a new series featuring everyday heroes, the role of the helper was striking. And we couldn’t help but think this new series would be incomplete if we didn’t include episodes featuring helpers. So here we are. Launching our second episode ever in this new adventure on the larger Courageous Life podcast. Conversations featuring inspiring stories from everyday heroes and the helpers who walk beside them. Last week we released our first hero interview with heart attack and heart transplant survivor Eddie Garcia as we explored faith, hope, and love. And today, I  am thrilled to share our first helper conversation, with Shandra Lamotte. Shandra is a coach, facilitator, and teacher who believes that every person she works with has an inner knowing that is far superior to her ideas or advice on what to do. Her work centers around inquiry and processes to support people in connecting to themselves, their own wisdom, and their wholeness so they can navigate the inevitable ups and downs of life with trust, grounding, and heart. Shandra is certified as a Compassion Cultivation Training instructor through CCARE at Stanford University where she teaches courses in compassion. She’s a family systems coach, and is a lead facilitator of rites of passage workshops through COR. For more on Shandra, and the wonderful work she is doing you can visit shandralamotte.comIn today's conversation: We’ll explore some of Shandra’s own journey including the story of a helper who met her along her path, and helped her to grow and transform.Shandra will share more about how she walks beside her clients including tools, and practices she uses.How she approaches her work from a place of curiosity, compassion, and a steadfast belief in people’s potential. This is a beautiful and practical conversation and I  hope you enjoy the time with Shandra as much as I did. Did you find this conversation inspiring? Here are other episodes we think you'll love:Faith, Hope, and Love with Eddie GarciaEnjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts. Thanks for listening!Support the show