Inspired Evolution with Amrit Sandhu 🙏🏻

Our guest for this week is Erfan Daliri, a social change animator, a writer, educator, youth worker, a spoken word artist, and the founding director of Newkind.Along with an educational background in Communication for Social Change, throughout his career, Erfan has acquired 15 years of experience in the fields of community development, including youth engagement, migrant settlement, mental health research, indigenous community work, human rights, and environmental advocacy. He has worked as a consultant and advisor to a great number of organizations and his impressive list of clients includes Amnesty International, Beyond Blue, Malaruch Aboriginal Corporation, Risdon Prison and the Townsville Intercultural Centre.In 2016, he founded Newkind, an annual conference which gathers people from different fields who are ready to step up, find their purpose, and make a positive impact on the world. By using a series of discussion panels, workshops, and lectures from renowned experts, entrepreneurs, and social justice advocates, the Newkind festival is made to inspire and empower people to join the movement and awake the change makers within. The latest Newkind Festival will be held in Tasmania, from the 19th until the 24th of February, 2019.Erfan’s goal is to provide individuals and organizations with the necessary skills and knowledge and empower them to become agents of change in their communities. At its core, his mission and message is one of social change and challenging the status quo.Free Gift for the Inspired Evolution Tribe:Get 20% Off Your Ticket to the Newkind Festival!Click on the link below and use the promo code: Inspired Evolutionhttps://events.humanitix.com.au/newkind-2019/ticketsConnect with Erfan:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erfan-daliri-25192134/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mr.erfan.daliri/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ErfanDaliriErfan’s Story of Inspired Evolution“From a very young age, community development and youth engagement and indigenous community work was a part of my life.” - Erfan DaliriErfan was born in India, and both of his parents are from Iran. When he was little, they applied and received the refugee recognition from the UN and eventually moved to Australia. It’s pretty safe to say that the good Erfan is doing today has roots in the work of his parents. He learned to be an agent of change from a very young age, watching his parents actualize themselves in the fields of education and helping refugees settle into Australia. Continuously being exposed to different types of challenges, taught him to accept them as opportunities for personal growth and focus on the things being born in the process of overcoming them.“When you become aware of injustices and when you become aware of things that aren’t working... an initial response will be anger.” - Erfan DaliriErfan recalls his earlier days of activism and shares that they were accompanied by frustration and anger. He believes that being angry is a natural response to being faced with injustice and also that it’s a part of the process. The prototype of an angry activist has its purpose in revealing and pointing towards a problem, but the true value lies in shifting over to the next step - becoming solutions-focused.“What is the solution I’m proposing? How can I actually alleviate this issue?” - Erfan DaliriThe answers to these questions are meant to guide us through on our journey of becoming a true agent of change and empower us to provide solutions for the problems we’re faced with as a whole.Taking Action as the Starting Point“I’m very much action focused. I do pray daily and I do meditate daily but it’s about that action. That is the third part of that amazing trilogy.” - Erfan DaliriOne of the key principles Erfan’s been adhering to throughout his life, is being action-oriented. He postulates that taking action is necessary in order to evoke any sort of change whatsoever. Even though praying and meditating play an important role in his daily life, he recognizes that they are only components of the solution, not making any actual and relevant impact if they are not followed by appropriate action. He further elaborates that taking action is connected to praying and meditation through faith. It’s important to maintain the belief and the positive attitude throughout your action-taking in order to truly move in the direction of where you want and need to go.“You have to act as if your prayers have been answered. You have to act as if there is no doubt in your mind.” - Erfan DaliriWe further explore the bigger picture and how becoming more action-oriented can help our society and not just ourselves. Erfan recognizes that even though many people are aware and empathize with the problems our world is faced with a very small portion of them is actually willing to engage and fight the good fight.“If you see something that needs to get done, make it your responsibility and address that issue.” - Erfan DaliriHe sees one of the reasons why more people aren’t working on solving challenges like improving the educations system, reducing excessive consumerism, and achieving gender equality is because they do not feel empowered to do so. We often find that we do not have enough time or that we’re lacking skills or simply that we’re not in a position to make a difference. All of these reasons are just showing that being an agent of change is not easy, yet Erfan reveals a potential perspective that could, in fact, empower people to overcome these supposable barriers. By using the analogy of a tired, overworked parent doing everything they can to provide for and take care of their child, he reveals that all of our actions need to come from a place of love. This is the way of assuring we will have enough energy and resilience to face any challenge that comes our way.“When we actually love our environment and our fellow beings that inhabit this planet with us, then nothing’s overwhelming.” - Erfan DaliriBeing Connected with the World“We are not separate beings from the oxygen that we breathe and the trees that give us that oxygen and the food that we eat.” - Erfan DaliriErfan sees the state of feeling connected with the world as a necessary foundation as well as fuel for dealing with difficult social and environmental issues of today. By separating ourselves from our surroundings and focusing on the individual we’re able to convince ourselves that these problems do not affect us or that we shouldn’t take responsibility for them. However, if we were to focus on the fact that we’re essentially deeply connected to our surroundings, our fellow beings, and the entire universe, we would need to deal with the fact that we’re a part of a whole, and that we have the right, the responsibility, as well as what it takes to work on solving issues greater than ourselves.“If you want to consider your connectivity to the environment or nature and how important it is I suggest you hold your breath for 5 minutes while you think about it.” - Erfan DaliriErfan's Message of Inspired EvolutionErfan’s mission of empowering people to take action is truly inspiring. His solution-focused approach to dealing with global issues provides us with an example and is just one way of taking on challenges that affect everyone, not just ourselves. But most importantly, in its foundation, his message is one of love and kindness:“Be kind. If we could just show kindness to one another, it would just change the way we behave.” - Erfan DaliriSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/inspiredevolution. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our guests for this week are Jen Ziegner and Jamin Heppell, the co-founders of Mountains and Marathons, and they develop transformative leadership programs that center around completing a marathon or climbing a mountain in some of the world’s most stunning locations.Jen is a certified Strategic Intervention coach, and she received her credentials from the official training school of Tony Robbins. Her educational background is a Master’s degree in Strategy and Innovation from AUT University. Jen has worked with over 100 purpose-driven businesses in Europe, New Zealand and Australia and has led an impact investing initiative that supported mission-driven entrepreneurs towards their first capital raise.Jamin’s professional career was mostly spent in the field of helping people develop health and resilience. He was the director of three leading organizations and has worked with over 15 000 people from diverse communities all over Australia and North America.In 2016, they co-founded Mountains and Marathons in order to help people who are motivated, curious and want to take their career to the next level while making a positive impact on society. They offer transformative leadership programs centered around preparation and completion of challenging physical feats that involve some of the world’s most beautiful places. For 6 months, they provide their clients with physical training, mindset coaching, and community support. The main goal of the programs is to help people develop courage, clarity, and confidence which they will later use to take the next big step in their life and career. So far, they’ve been to San Francisco, conquered the Great Wall of China and climbed Mont Blanc, with mesmerizing projects involving Everest and Melbourne on the way.Both Jen and Jamin have taken the path of inspired evolution, dealing with challenges and adversity head-on, coming out the other end transformed and determined to help others do the same.Connect with Jen:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferziegner/?locale=en_USFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/jennifer.ziegner.1Website: http://mountainsandmarathons.world/Connect with Jamin:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamin-heppell/?originalSubdomain=auFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/jamin.heppellWebsite: http://mountainsandmarathons.world/Jen’s and Jamin’s Story of Inspired EvolutionJamin was running three independent companies and they were all focused on social change and community development. He found himself in a situation of constantly giving, day in, day out, spending little to no time to replenish his energy and take care of himself.“To use the analogy of your cup being full before you can then give to others, I was just continuing to take from the reserve tank more and more.” - Jamin HeppellEven though with intentions in mind, by not taking care of his own personal mental health, Jamin ended up in a dark place, feeling burnt out and depressed. Through introspection and reflection, he was able to come up with a very insightful observation. He realized that his own choices were the cause of his problems, but rather than dwelling on this thought and beating himself up about it, he understood that his choices have the power to take him out of this place and give him the opportunity to transform.“There were two questions… “If I were to live my most values aligned life, how would my life be different?” And then the follow-up question to that was: “If I could do anything in the world right now, what would I be doing?” - Jamin HeppellIt just so happens that the answer to his question was “running marathons and climbing mountains all around the world.”Jen and Jamin met a little after Jamin had the idea for Mountains and Marathons. Her first impression was that it wasn’t something she’d be interested in.“I grew up as a super unfit child, I’ve never done any sports and earlier in my life I’ve made up this whole identity of “I’m a person who can’t do much, physically”, and never ran more than a 5k.” - Jen Ziegner But when she realized that the narrative of not being an athletic type was her own creation, she also felt that she could do something about it. Similarly to Jamin, she used the realization of her own contributions to the problem in order to fuel and empower herself to overcome it. The whole story coincided with her feeling unchallenged in her professional life. To a sense, you could say that Jen and Jamin were their own first clients.The Imposter Syndrome“Where this got created from is such a place of a deep inquiry.” - Jamin HeppellThe imposter syndrome is defined as “a psychological pattern in which an individual doubts their accomplishments and has a persistent internalized fear of being exposed as a “fraud". Even though the evidence of a person’s competence is clear to everyone else, they remain convinced that they don’t deserve what they’ve achieved. Jamin lists constant confrontation of the imposter syndrome as one of his deepest personal adversities. Every day he challenges the notion of being undeserving by reminding himself of the values and all the good behind the work he and Jen are doing.“It’s usually when I’m not feeling good or when the bad stories are coming up and all the stories that are holding me back, it comes from a place of comparison.” - Jen Ziegner Jen takes us further on our exploration of the imposter syndrome and shares her insights regarding why and when are these irrational thoughts most potent. The main weapon both Jen and Jamin are wielding to preserve themselves from being affected is centered with the idea that their work is reflecting their deepest values. By always having that safety line, they are able to draw strength from it and successfully deal with bad thoughts.A Message of Inspired Evolution“It really is about creating an adventurous opportunity to really transform your life from one stage to the next in whatever context that is.” - Jamin HeppellJen’s and Jamin’s inspirational story is one of creating experiences through choice and choosing your identity beyond its limitations. The programmes they’ve created are comprised of courage and in their foundation are calls to action. Inviting us to take action in our lives and make that transition no matter how afraid we are. By doing so we will find that:“On the other side of fear is nothing but possibility.” - Jamin and JenSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/inspiredevolution. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our guest for this week is Carol Benson, a licensed speech and language pathologist, writer, author, business consultant and the co-founder of It Doesn’t Feel Like Work.Carol’s educational background is a masters degree in Communication Disorders and Sciences in Speech-Language Pathology from Wayne State University. Even though she gained valuable experience from working in this field, she found it emotionally draining and exhausting. Her position ended and she went on to pursue the career of a business consultant, helping and educating entrepreneurs, startups, and professionals on the topics such as team engagement, social/emotional IQ, communication, mindfulness, co-creation and the latest technologies of consciousness engineering.Carol is also a Mindvalley Master Certified Trainer (MCT) and a facilitator of the San Francisco Mindvalley group. In 2013, she co-authored a book with her business and life partner Paul Benson, titled “5 Steps to Thrive: Reveal Any Crisis as Opportunity”, which focuses on maintaining balance, happiness, and strength in the face of unexpected challenges. In the book, she draws from her own experiences regarding adversities she faced as a direct result of the 2008-09 economic crisis. Through five basic principles, she aims to give readers the tools necessary to rewire their emotional reaction to any challenging situation, recognize and act on the exciting opportunities that each "setback" presents.Using all these unique tools, experiences and trainings, Carol has been showing individual clients and teams how to build sustainable doses of happiness and well-being into work culture and beyond. Connect with Carol:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolbenson/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carol.buckfirebenson Email: carol@itdoesntfeellikework.com Carol’s Journey of Inspired Evolution“I am a creative. I always have been.” - Carol BensonEven though she was a creative her entire life, she was pushed by her parents into the direction of hard sciences under the idea that it would provide her with job security. She got her masters in Speech-Language Pathology and was forced to start working in the clinical field. Even though these experiences, including helping people with autism, ADHD, and ADD, have trained her to become a social and emotional IQ specialist, she was quickly left feeling burnt out, emotionally drained and deeply unsatisfied with her professional situation. Her position ended, nudging her into an area of crisis but her story shows us that in every crisis we can find an opportunity.“I knew it was true that I was serving kids in the work that I was doing and I was making a difference for them and their parents... I wanted to make a bigger difference. I want to reach more people.” - Carol BensonThe Disengagement of Today’s Employees and How to Deal with It“Fifty percent of all employees are actively looking for their next job, and disengagement is costing corporations and even small business owners a lot!” - Carol BensonThere is a pattern emerging in today’s business and it’s reflected in its dynamicity and proneness to change. People are overwhelmingly becoming aware of their needs and motivations, as the business world progresses. Having a job that is giving you financial security alone is no longer enough while changing company’s and even fields of work are becoming more and more common for the average professional. This is, in fact, costing business owners a lot of money and part of Carol’s work today has been focusing her expertise on helping companies become aware of this problem, reframe it, and finally, develop a strategy for its resolution.  “It’s all about growth. It’s all about personal skills and growth and so many people are under-utilized.” - Carol BensonAside from consulting executives and business owners, she also helps individuals who are stuck in a job that they do not find fullfiling, or who have taken a step away from their true values in terms of work. By working with both sides, Carol is sending a message that there is a solution to overcoming the apparent conflict between the unsatisfied workers and the employer who is afraid of losing them.“You have to look at what’s broken. What’s not working anymore? How have people been overlooked and how can we include people in the mix so that they’re valued?” - Carol BensonRecognizing people’s needs and responding to them in such a way that they’re feeling valued is the future of any company culture yearning to withstand the test of time. In order to sustain a team of people who are able to contribute to the goals and the vision of the company, the culture needs to respect and nurture the values and ambitions of individual workers. The bottom line is that if you’re not willing to establish a connection with your employees and resonate with their values, you will, without of doubt, end up losing them. What is often overlooked, and what is also an additional benefit of this approach, is that by allowing your employees to grow and develop in according to their needs they will repay you countless amount of times with their newfound experience, skill, and ability. By adopting a culture based on the concepts of co-creation and conscious business, Carol sees a potential solution to this problem that will undoubtedly benefit everyone.“What is conscious business? What is co-creation? It means that you’re taking not just the individual moving up, you’re looking at the whole. - Carol BensonWhat Is Social IQ and How Does It Benefit People In Today’s Business?“Social IQ means that you’re paying attention to others around you.” - Carol BensonIn the previous segment we spoke about what needs to happen and now we get to answer the how. Carol spots a shift in the concept of leadership in today’s business. Moving away from the old top-down model of leadership to a one that emphasizes the co-creational relationship between the employer and the employee, focusing on both parties answering the simple question of: “What can I do for you?”. In its purest it, it is a constructive question accentuating the caring nature of the ideal culture, one that is allowing everyone, company included, to shine and to achieve their fullest potential. Learning to “think with your eyes” facilitates all interactions aiming to boost co-creation and in the end, create a conscious business model. “When you think with your eyes it’s implying that you’re engaging your brain, your mind, your senses, your feelings, your empathy. You’re engaging your whole body to listen.” - Carol BensonCarol’s Message of Inspired EvolutionCarol has shared unconditionally and insightfully about the current corporate issues and pointed out important steps we need to take in order to solve them. This conversation is truly an eyeopening experience for everyone that values personal growth and is looking to provide others with opportunities to do the same. She leaves us with a heartwarming motivational message of inspired evolution:“Live life to its fullest. See the beauty and see the gift at any opportunity that comes your way.” - Carol BensonSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/inspiredevolution. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our guest for this week is Mykel Dixon, a musician, author, creative entrepreneur and a renowned public speaker.Michael is the #1 choice for a keynote speaker on artistry, creativity, innovation, leadership culture, and experience. He describes himself as a jazz musician by trade, gypsy by nature, fierce nonconformist, and a prolific anti-perfectionist. His work revolves around helping people and organizations thrive by rediscovering their creative confidence, reimagining their creative potential and reinventing their organization for relevance in what he calls a 21st Century Renaissance. His lectures provide answers to questions like how to foster creativity in teams through improvisation, inclusion, and agility, how to harness high-performance creative leadership, and how to activate, articulate and amplify your authentic, differentiated edge.In 2016, Mykel published his book titled “Just do 5omething: A handbook for turning dreamers into makers”. It highlights the utter necessity of creativity and emphasizes that creative recovery is the single most important thing you can do for yourself. Best-selling author Dr. Jason Fox has said about the book that it is “an affront to the banal predictability of convention” and that “it’ll have you make something that is utterly original, beautiful, and true to you.” In late 2018, Mykel released his second book titled “Enterprise Artistry – A brave new paradigm for a bold new world”. There are also three e-books available for download on his website!On his rich and admirable list of clients, you can find corporate giants like Google, Youtube, World Vision, Intuit, Lululemon, Johnson & Johnson, Atlassian, Parmalat, Bayer, CPA, Tabcorp, Pause Fest, BUPA, and Tennis Australia. He was named ‘Australia’s Breakthrough Speaker of The Year’, for 2018.Connect with Mykel:Website: https://mykeldixon.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mykeldixon/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mykeldixon/YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCz7ES3EZhWJEwDVcAAhGJMw Mykel’s Story of Inspired Evolution“There was always a lot of depth. There was always a lot of this spiritual element to my life and my work.” - Mykel DixonIn his early 20s, Mykel was lead by a dream of becoming a rockstar. Late night practice sessions, daily busking just to get by, hoping one day someone would recognize his talent and give him the opportunity he thought he deserved. As his 30s came by, he was faced with a difficult situation of not having any savings and no equity to his name. He sold his vintage keyboard collection and embarked on what turned out to be a spiritual journey which started in India. Later, he explored Nepal and his journey culminated with him accidentally buying a beach bar in Cambodia 10 meters from the water!He spent his time meditating, practicing yoga and writing a lot of music. But he still felt like he wasn’t done with his old life and that he had a lot to offer to the place he came from.“I came back with, literally, just a clear intent and no clarity whatsoever of the how.” - Mykel DixonWorking gigs and cash-in-hand jobs where a way to get by, reminding him closely of the things he had previously purposefully left behind. He quickly got an opportunity in the form of managing the culture of a startup hub coworking space. Being surrounded by ambitious entrepreneurs sparked an idea. In his mind, a vision was forming, and his pure intent slowly gained shape and transformed into something that will make him the person that he is today. His speaking engagements came very organically and by working closely with a mentor he perfected his craft of inspiring business folk to incorporate, utilize and harness the power of creativity.“Through a lot of risk, a lot of vulnerability, and a lot of humiliation, somehow I arrived to where I am now.” - Mykel DixonA Spark of CuriosityMykel credits curiosity as fuel for creativity. Whether you’re producing form an artistic or entrepreneurial standpoint, immersing yourself with your work and interests will allow you to create on an entirely different level. It also comes with a great dose of humility, as this partnership you’re making with your interest transcends you and your basic desires and needs, and provides a context for making greatness. Greatness in the form of finding novel ways of adding value. He shares with us his insights on how to achieve and reveal this curiosity within ourselves.“Just sit... and look at something... and get bored... and then notice that you’re getting bored.” - Mykel DixonBecoming aware of the fact that we’re disengaging from our surroundings is the first step to becoming more curious, as it allows us to do something about it. Behind boredom lies great power and potential, because the other side of the coin is finding something that moves the very core of your being.The Relationship Between Art and Science“If what is being experienced is expressed through a lens of emotion and intuition we call that art. If that same thing is being experienced and expressed through a lens of logic and reason we call it science.” - Mykel DixonMykel's professional journey is a story of unity between the artistic and the scientific. He postulates that science and art are two sides of the same coin and that we’re always balancing on that unbreakable bond between the two, leaning towards different sides in different times from both personal standpoint and the context of humanity.“The key piece is that it’s not versus, it’s not or, it’s not but - it’s and. Form and function are both parts of the same, and they couldn’t exist without each other.” - Mykel Dixon Progress, in the technological sense, has indeed come from science. And in fact, technological progress is probably the perfect example that showcases the indisputable connection between science and art. By adapting ourselves to the digital world which is being dominated by gadgets, machines and AI, our culture will indeed draw from these advances as inspiration for creative content. The obvious benefits of advancement in terms of science often masks the need for something different. There needs to be a balance and the gorgeous thing about it is that both science and art can be consumed and produced together. The general feeling is that we’ve neglected our artistic selves in pursuit of wealth and economic growth. It’s about time we thought about personal growth as well.“There is no greater imperative for us than to recover creatively.” - Mykel Dixon Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/inspiredevolution. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our guest for this week is Sam Maher, an instrumentalist and drummer better known for his unique playing style on the handpan.Sam is a very experienced drummer, having worked with bands and artist such as Methyl Ethel, Katy Steele (Little Birdy), Rabbit Island, Grace Woodroofe, Nicholas Allbrook (POND, Tame Impala) and countless other groups based in Perth. But only 6 months after discovering the handpan, Sam decided to travel to the Americas. Over the course of 15 months, he has explored regions from Mexico City all the way south to the Patagonian region of Argentina, surviving mostly from the money he made busking on the streets. Sam has now performed his boundless music in over 22 countries and counting.In 2015, he unexpectedly reached new levels of fame when he was approached to make a video by the YouTube channel BUSKRS. They recorded and produced a video of Sam improvising a session on his handpan in New York and the video went viral quickly after being uploaded. To this day it has racked up over 2.8 million views with overwhelmingly positive reviews, and you can check it out here!Sam has also spoken at a TEDMED conference about the transcendent power of music. Along with a touching performance, he discussed his personal experience with the handpan, how much has the music changed and affected him, and he also explored the communicative nature of music.Connect with Sam:Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoTHsMyy2SHIXt2w42RrOFQFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/sammahermusic/Twitter: https://twitter.com/sammahermusic?lang=enSam’s Story of Inspired EvolutionPrior to being propelled by a spontaneous YouTube video going viral, Sam’s journey has been one accompanied by struggles, from both a personal and a professional standpoint.“I was really burning the candle at both ends because I was playing in about five bands, I was working full time and I was just really burnt out.” - Sam MaherWith a full-time job on one end and an exhausting nightlife of endless gigs on the other, Sam found himself at a position of feeling emotionally drained. Around that same time, he discovered the handpan, and straight away he felt a connection with the instrument. In his own words, playing the handpan has opened up new worlds for him and for his audience as well.“I sat down on the side of the street and just started playing, and all of a sudden people would sort of gather around, and I had an older Aboriginal woman sitting down next to me weeping. It just opened up so many worlds for me, in that instant.” - Sam MaherHe realized that he was ready and that he needed to experience different cultures, learn through traveling and better understand himself. He sold everything and embarked on a journey over the Americas, with a plan to make a living through busking. Purposefully seeking to get in contact with the locals in order to connect with the way they’re living their everyday lives has led him on a path of personal growth.“To consider myself successful, I feel like I constantly need to be exposed to new worlds and new cultures.” - Sam MaherThe Benefits of Pushing Yourself Out of Your Comfort ZoneLeaving his home for 15 months was not an easy decision. Sam was aware that he would miss certain important moments in the lives of his friends and family. But he knew that in order to truly achieve relevant progress and development he needed to take a big step outside of his comfort zone.“It’s good to be uncomfortable. It’s a good trait for a human to be ok being uncomfortable at times.” - Sam MaherBeing able to sustain yourself in the moments of discomfort is a useful skill in life, and Sam wittingly makes note of this. It is good to have a playful relationship with being uncomfortable and there is a very good reason when we should push ourselves beyond the comfort zone even in moments when life seems easy. Because at times we’re going to run into adversities that are beyond our control. It is at those times precisely when our lifelong training of dealing with discomfort comes in handy.Searching for a New Sound“I want to be known as a great handpan musician, but would rather be known for a handpan musician that pushed the boundaries, rather than just sat on the street busking.” - Sam MaherIn terms of finding his sound, Sam is seeking to explore different genres and change the way people make music with the handpan. He has experimented with adding electronic music in an attempt to creatively challenge himself. Reestablishing the rules of how an instrument is played may not an easy task, but nevertheless, he is determined to continue on this path as the challenge makes it all the more rewarding.“I’m always looking for the push or pull, or the question and the answer.” - Sam MaherFinding a Purpose in Things That Bring Us Joy“There’s been no more important time to find something for yourself that works.” - Sam MaherSam recognizes the importance of living a life true to your purpose and depicts it as one of the foundations to a good mental health. His journey has been difficult at times, but the fact that he knew what he needed from life and the way he unconditionally gave himself to the things that brought him joy is a true inspiration. We need to be in line with our values. Our actions have to be accompanied by a sense of purpose and joy in order to make sense. Otherwise, we’re just playing games with ourselves. That is why Sam invites us to:“Trust those things that make you feel really, really good when you do them.” - Sam MaherSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/inspiredevolution. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our guest for this week is Carlos Rodrigues aka Kabeção, a Portuguese multi-instrumentalist, composer, street busker and sound healer who creates his own unique approach to music and sound.Originally studying to become a surgeon, Carlos discovered another, more fulfilling way of bringing joy and happiness to people. As he got more and more involved with music, he began to discover, explore and experiment with many different musical instruments. From a young age, he was familiar with percussion and rhythm, and then as the years went by he started to add other types of instruments, from strings to woodwinds, and his focus comes from the simple exploration of sound.Under the pseudonym Kabeção, the origin and the meaning of which he explains in our podcast, he embarked on a journey of a professional musician. He is self-taught and has combined influences from different parts of the world, Africa, India, Brazil, Turkey, Spain, France, Australia. He has developed unique playing techniques on each of his instruments, including drums, darbuka, udu, tabla, djembe, frame drum, cajon, berimbau, bansuri, sansula, Tibetan bowls, gongs, didgeridoo, guitar, and handpan.In 2015, he was a finalist on Portugal’s “Got Talent” and you can see one of his breathtaking live performances here!He has produced several albums throughout his career. His latest one titled “Touching Souls” was released in September 2017 after being completely crowd-funded by music lovers and players from all around the world. About the album, Carlos has stated that it exceeded expectations and goals during its conception and the album holds true to its name.Connect with Kabeção:Website: https://www.kabecao.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kabecao.handpan/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kabecaohandpan/Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/Kabexon/featuredSoundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/kabzhandpanKabeção’s Story of Inspired EvolutionAt a very early age, Carlos realized a deep desire to help others. He decided to study medicine, as he found that becoming a surgeon would be a very effective way of satisfying that desire and save lives in the process. While struggling with a few exams which proved to be challenging, he discovered a much more meaningful, engaging and fulfilling relationship with music. He decided to quit school and started teaching himself to play. As years went by and as he started sharing his music with the world, he came to the conclusion that there was an alternative way of bringing people joy.“I started playing on the streets. Two years, every day, playing on the streets and exploring the sounds, exploring my emotions with the sounds analyzing how this reflects on people, how people receive this... And somehow I started to understand that music is such a powerful tool to heal people. To connect, to open hearts.” - KabeçãoAs he further explored this emotional aspect of music and playing music, he focused more and more on this healing aspect of it, all the while trying to hit the right vibrations with his creations which will resonate with the listeners.Emotional Aspect of MusicOne of the main and recurring themes of our conversation is emotions and the different ways that they are included in the process of creating, producing and receiving music. Discovering the handpan was of tremendous significance for Kabeção. Not only did it evoke interest, invite him to experiment and ultimately find his sound, but he saw a great opportunity to reflect, grow and connect with the self.“I felt really curious and since I’ve started playing I immediately felt connected with my soul… That was the first step for me to understand who I am. Who I am with other people, who I am with myself.” - KabeçãoConnecting with the idea of healing through music, Kabeção explores different ways in which this can be achieved and which key factors play a role. The attitude and the style of the person playing will influence the message and color the sounds being played, shaping the message further and enrich the melodies with emotion. He recalls a moment during one of his classes when he was brought to tears by a playing session from a girl that was still having difficulties with developing certain techniques. Her emotional connectedness to the music was very powerful and it overshadowed the objective lack of experience.“Sound is vibration and depending on who is making the things vibrate and how you’re vibrating, that reflects on the sound.” - KabeçãoThere are many different ways to evoke change and healing in a person with music. The intent behind music can be love, but it can also be an array of different emotions. Kabeção reflects on the ways tense and distorted sounds can cause people to have parts of them deconstruct, but more importantly to invite them to come together properly the second time around.The listener also plays a key role in terms of effectiveness of music as a transformational and healing tool. There needs to be a certain amount of receptivity present in the mind of the listener. If we are open and in the mood to receive the message being told through the music there is a bigger chance we can gain more from the whole experience.Breathing and the Creative Process“Breathing brings us to ourselves… Thinking about breathing cleans the mind and brings us back to us, it brings us back to the soul.” - KabeçãoCreativity is a complex process and our ability to express it depends on a certain mindset. Kabeção points out breathing as a useful tool for getting yourself into a creative state. Different instruments demand different levels of physical activity but mastering any of them requires practice and discipline. By breathing and focusing on the breath, we can become more mindful and connect with ourselves. According to Kabeção, that connection with the self is very useful when it comes to creating and composing music.“The more you breathe the more you bring yourself to you again, more creative you are… and more rooted you are to just be you… to just have fun.” - KabeçãoThe Power of Listening“I really believe that listening is one of the most powerful tools to heal this planet today.” - KabeçãoBeing an experienced musician, it doesn’t come as a surprise that Kabeção emphasizes the importance of listening. Giving the circumstances of today’s fast-paced life, we tend to overlook the basic things. The way we communicate nowadays has become awkward and to some extent automatized, devoid of emotion, empathy and caring for the interlocutor. It seems as though we’re consistently oversaturating ourselves with information, but we are paying the price by not being able to focus, listen for a moment, open up and connect with others. Kabeção sees the great potential of healing through better conversation, and the foundation for those conversations is better listening.“Challenge yourself to listen, even more… Sometimes you don’t have to say anything. You just need to listen.” - KabeçãoSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/inspiredevolution. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we’re joined by Colleen Gallagher, a coach, consultant, author, and an evolutionary transformation specialist.Colleen is a childhood cancer survivor. She was diagnosed with thyroid cancer and told that she’d have difficulties bearing children and that she’d have to be on medication for the rest of her life. Aside from the pain and adversity coming from dealing with a horrible disease, Colleen also had to deal with peer rejection and being made fun of by her classmates. After several surgeries, she’s managed to pull through, but these experiences have stayed with her and played an important part in her becoming the person she is today.Her love for travel has pulled her through life, but even though she had worked for hugely successful companies and making really good money, like many of her coworkers, she still felt unhappy. She founded Colleen Gallagher International so she could empower leaders to become evolutionary leaders to flow with the evolution of humanity through lifestyle careers. All of her travels, studying and leadership retreats have allowed Colleen to gain a greater understanding of human potential, purpose, and how the online world is impacting human development.Colleen has created many systems and programs that will help you empower yourself and achieve a connection to what lies in your heart. One of them is a 12-week program called Live the Impossible, which takes you out of the information-overloaded world we live in, and provides you with a crystal clear view on what it is you actually want.Colleen has also condensed her experiences and findings into a book titled Live Your Truth. The book is based around a 5-step proven system that is meant to help you see that any dream can come true if you are living your truth, figure out how to become part of moving the world forward, find the courage to intoxicate the world with your truth and start living a life with no regrets.In our conversation, we canvas Colleen’s story of Inspired Evolution, the importance of connectivity and making the impossible possible!Connect with Colleen:Website: https://www.colleengallagher.co Twitter: https://twitter.com/col_gallagher1 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheColleenGallagher/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/colleen_gallagher_/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/colleen-gallagher-81691661/ Colleen’s Story of Inspired EvolutionGrowing up in Detroit, Michigan, Colleen was having what most people would call a pretty normal childhood. That is until one day, during a basketball session, she collapsed onto the court not being able to catch her breath. She was rushed to the ER and was subsequently diagnosed with thyroid cancer. Surgeries, medication and a difficult situation at school had Colleen switching from a normal childhood, into a world of having to fight a deadly disease and struggling with adversity on a daily basis. Her appearance changed as a result of her treatment and her peers were unable to show compassion at the time, some even acting in a very cruel manner.“People were calling me ugly… I was dating an African-American at the time and people would say like “Oh, did he choke you out?”, and they would say really mean things about racism.” - Colleen GallagherWhile undergoing treatment for her cancer, she witnessed an argument between two parents of another girl that was with her at the hospital, which affected her world-views immensely. “Her dad screamed at her mom, saying: “The only reason we’re in this position to not pay for her treatment, is because you are a stay-at-home mom”. And what imprinted in me at that time was two things… One, that you needed money to have love and two, that you needed money to not die.” - Colleen GallagherIn years to come, Colleen developed a money-hungry, corporate attitude. She got a degree in Marketing at Michigan State University and throughout her studies, she gained valuable experience by taking paid internships. After graduation, she started working as a sales engineer for a 23 billion-dollar company. Colleen loved traveling her entire life, and not being able to do so made her switch jobs, and she quickly got hired by a $400 million company and moved to New Zealand. She was able to travel and experience new things, got promotions, she was making good money, but she still wasn’t feeling happy. In January 2018, she decided to take a leap of fate, and since then she became an evolutionary transformational coach, she started her own consulting company, developed numerous programs and had her book published.Making a Commitment to Yourself“Find that thing where you’re more committed to it than you are committed to the fear, or the illusion of fear that exists.” - Colleen GallagherColleen shares with us her stories of committing to herself, in terms of leaving behind a life of partying and recreational use of drugs and channeling her energy into the activities that really mattered and were meaningful to her. Doing yoga and meditation for 4 hours a day may not be everyone’s idea of fun and fulfillment, and Colleen points out that everyone’s commitment is going to be different. The trick is to find activities that you find most enjoyable and go all in because it is the best way to rekindle your motivation and love for life.“It could be dancing for you, it could be music… it could be anything! Whatever that commitment is - go to that. Because that’s what will give you back the heart of your life.”  - Colleen GallagherConnecting with Your Greatest Truth“If you create the success and you’ve haven’t evolved that connectivity that comes from within, and your connectivity of what matters to you in the world… you’re going to be addicted to the success pattern.” - Colleen GallagherConnecting with your truth means being involved with things that resonate with what truly matters to you in the world. Being successful without getting in line with your highest values will lead you to become addicted to the outright empty definition of success. The emptiness of that definition comes from the fact that it is not your own. It does not come from your heart and it is not correlating with the things most important to you. No one should be allowed to tell you what success looks like and feels for you.“Everyone gets to have their own path. Everyone gets to have their own idea of success… Whatever success you desire, make it your success, connect to your dream of success.” - Colleen GallagherOne of the key steps in connecting with your truth is trough redefining your environment. This includes mainly the little things that you do when you’re acting from the heart. Things you’re browsing online, things you enjoy within your own time. Looking for consistencies in your environment, in things that you surround yourself with on a daily basis will provide answers to the question of your truth. In those patterns, you will find those activities you are performing effortlessly and you will be able to make a connection within.“Where do you give generously always, that it doesn’t feel like work, like, you’re giving just to give?” - Colleen GallagherColleen passionately invites you to live the life you were always meant to live by looking within and connecting with the deepest aspects that were always a part of you, to begin with. She urges us to:“Just go, be the most epic, conscious, badass human being that you are meant to be on this planet!” - Colleen GallagherSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/inspiredevolution. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we’re joined by Mason Taylor, a thought leader, professional speaker, tonic herbalist, and writer who inspires and teaches people to once again become enchanted with their body, life, and health.Use promo code INSPIREDEVO at checkout for a 10% discount at SuperFeast.For the last 7 years, Mason has been teaching about the benefits of medicinal mushrooms and Taoist tonic herbs. He founded his own brand of powdered extracts of tonic herbs and medicinal mushrooms called SuperFeast. Carefully sourced from wild regions of China and Inner Mongolia, SuperFeast products are comprised of purest, highest quality, all-natural ingredients. You can check out their blog to find educational articles about health and nutrition and explore awesome recipes of shakes, brownies, elixirs and so much more!Mason also hosts two podcasts. The SuperFeast Podcast started back in September 2018, and it dives into and dissects topics such as tonic herbalism, brain optimization, and Jing energy. On his other podcast, The Mason Taylor Show, he interviewed thought leaders, visionaries and change-makers in many areas of life to share with you their latest Insights, distinctions and actionable advice relevant to the journey of health. There are over 40 episodes of inspiring educational content on diverse subjects with interesting guests for you to check out.Having spent over 15,000 hours studying the field of health and transformation, he employs education, vulnerable conversation, and deep connection to help people discover who they really are and what they are here to do in the world. His clients stop living in an illusion about the environment and the world they live in. They discover not only how to resolve health problems, but they get the clarity and confidence to explore their aspirations.Connect with Mason:Website: https://www.superfeast.com.au/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maseface86Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/masonjtaylor/Mason’s Story of Inspired EvolutionMason shares with us his journey from getting interested with and studying herbalism in his last year of studies, to having his own brand of medicinal mushrooms and tonic herb products. Back in 2011, he started SuperFeast with the intent of spreading the word about the importance and benefits of adding plants and medicinal mushrooms to your regular diet. Back then, these ideas were much less popular, hitting the highest point only in the last couple of years. The cultivation of these sacred plants coming from eastern cultures ideally follows the philosophy of Di Tao. While it’s difficult to translate, it basically means “sourced from its spiritual homeland”, with practical benefits of Di Tao being related to the effectiveness of the herbs and also improved appearance and taste. It is a subject people are not particularly aware of and it concerns proper ways of sourcing and harvesting plants and mushrooms.“It’s important to ensure that it doesn't hit fad vibes because overarching is a philosophy of integrating therapeutics, botanicals that have been harvested in particular ways, connected to the elements, connected to nature.” - Mason TaylorHe further explores potential issues with the subject of medicinal mushrooms becoming a fad and the unfortunate side-effects of opportunists getting involved with the business.“It’s the opportunists that come in late… and they don’t understand this mature perception of what it takes to leave the earth and the environment better than you found it and make sure you’re actually circulating where you’re getting your crop from.” - Mason TaylorThe Benefits of Medicinal Mushrooms and HerbsMason goes into details of just how and why are these medicinal mushrooms and tonic herbs a great way to boost your overall health. Using a very holistic approach, he is very down to earth and rational regarding the benefits, fully being aware that health is not about adding one or two things to your diet and experiencing magic-like improvements. Having said that, he is also extremely focused on the empirical evidence coming from western influences, all the while respecting the ancient traditions and anecdotal evidence that has been in the eastern culture for centuries. The knowledge acquired in both anecdotal and experimental form unequivocally points to the effectiveness of medicinal mushrooms.“These things aren’t cures, they’re not silver bullets but they are herbs that definitely help the immune system, especially medicinal mushrooms, to unite itself and get more sophisticated and that’s been proven empirically.” - Mason TaylorLooking at the whole picture, medicinal mushrooms can help you develop sovereign immunity and Mason sees one of the reasons in the connectedness we have with them in terms of evolution, to the point where we’re in some sort of symbiotic relationship with them.“We’ve co-evolved with mushrooms, 100%, and so they are a part of us” - Mason TaylorAttaining Sovereignty and the Slipperiness of Wisdom Diving into the dynamics and the multidimensional nature of intention, we discuss Mason's views on attaining sovereignty and the essence of wisdom. He emphasizes “slipperiness”, a characteristic that highlights the ability of a system to adapt, integrate and incorporate different bits of knowledge into something that will become relevant and effective.“Wisdom is gooey, wisdom is non-judgemental, wisdom is minding your own bloody business and then having enough perception of the environment around you when it’s appropriate to share with potency and, ideally, a smile on your face.” - Mason TaylorMason also invites us to be non-judgemental which he perceives an integral part of wisdom. A common mistake people make is that an over-development in one area of knowledge is somehow an excuse for exerting judgment towards other fields, one they’re not trying to understand. Less judgment would definitely benefit us all as a society and Mason inspires us to act be more open and cooperative with the words:“Don’t be a disruption when it’s not a useful thing that the society can use to evolve itself.” - Mason TaylorSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/inspiredevolution. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Embodied Enlightenment with Cari MerriamOur guest for this week is Cari Merriam, an expert health and lifestyle fitness guide with a mission to increase global happiness.Cari has been fighting adversity her entire life. Throughout her childhood, she was heavily medicated due to depression and anxiety issues. Her struggles with mental illness led her to a life of drug addiction and self-abuse.She found a way out in Core Power Yoga. After an emotional breakthrough experience, Cari resumed to challenge herself physically and spiritually and joined the 200-hour Yoga Alliance teacher training. Since then, Cari has gone on to teach over 2000 classes, lead BootCamps, Cleanses, and support Teacher Training nationally for Core Power Yoga. She has certifications in vinyasa, yin, sculpt, meditation, and breathwork (pranayama yoga). Cari founded a lifestyle brand called Strength and Surrender meant to empower, motivate and teach you how to rebuild the love you have for yourself and strengthen your mind, body, and soul. In 2016, she moved to Bali and ever since, she’s been working on awakening others into their highest self-potential. You can check out her channel on YouTube and see what her intelligent workouts based on yogic philosophy and practice are all about.She has her own podcast called Embodied Enlightenment where each week she discusses a wide array of diverse and interesting topics with her guests. Her intention is to shift your energetic experience of your everyday life, push you to think differently about your internal and external world, and to activate the greatness within you through conscious obtainable action.   Cari is on a mission to awaken self-love in others and she is focusing on teaching others how to live a life of freedom, passion, and purpose.Connect with Cari:Website: http://www.carimerriam.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CariMerriamHealerYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/carimerriamInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamcarimerriam/?hl=enCari’s Story of Inspired EvolutionHaving been riddled with anxiety and depression in her youth and with no alternative to heavy medication, Cari’s origin story is one of struggle and adversity. In later years she suffered from drug addiction to the point in which her life was seriously endangered.“I was almost on my deathbed, and in New York City because I was doing so much cocaine.” - Cari MerriamOne night, she decided to leave the bubble that drove her to the same paths of self-destruction and the universe responded with an unexpected encounter. She met a friend, her soul-sister, which opened her eyes to a new way. She planted an idea in Cari’s brain about Core Power Yoga, believing it could be an answer to the question she had been looking for. “I remember I went into Core Power and just balled my eyes out the first class. I completely lost it. It was the first time I felt like someone held space and saw me.” - Cari MerriamThe transformation she felt every time she practiced Yoga kept her coming back to the point where she decided to sign up for a program and become a teacher herself. In a peculiar situation where she was working as a bartender at a strip club by day, and going to teacher training at night, Cari looked for and found the strength within. “Every time things happen, I had a choice to be a victim or to be a victor for myself. And I always chose self.” - Cari MerriamHer next encounter with her soul-sister led her to explore the power of breathwork, opening a whole new dimension of experience, proving the remarkableness of the universal alignment behind their connection. Using techniques she has learned in the last decade, Cari founded her own lifestyle brand and is looking to inspire and teach self-love in others and bring marriage and wholeness within themselves.Marriage of the Self, Marriage of the Soul“We are all walking around with fragmentations of ourself and how we are brought up is in societies is to not look at those aspects… and we carry them around like a wounded bag behind us.” - Cari MerriamWe need to overcome the distortions within ourselves which are brought on by society. These fragmentations are seeking unity and we need to attain energetic wholeness in order to truly realize our purpose in life. Cari points out the difference between the physical and the energetic self. We charge our energetic bodies through the process of breathing, and through breathwork, we can achieve marriage of the self.“When you’re truly whole you can be in pure alignment with the river of life.” - Cari MerriamLimiting Nature of a Conditional Society“We all have trauma. All of us. Because we live in a conditional society.” - Cari MerriamIt’s easier for us as children to be aligned with the world around us as we’re not yet influenced by language. Trauma occurs when our natural development gets affected by the rules of society. From a young age, we’re being conditioned by society through our parents and the school system with the goal of controlling behavior. This is not in and of itself a bad thing but is what essentially leads to the conditioning of existence.What’s to Come“From the world’s standpoint, it’s time for co-creation. It’s time to uplift each other’s vibration, by not only uplifting our own but bridging relationships and merging cellularly so we can expand together.” - Cari MerriamCari is looking to share her stories, teach and get involved with co-creation, all the while exploring and witnessing the power of breathwork. Her message of the importance of achieving wholeness and marriage with the self is resonating deeply and the foundation of the whole story is beautifully summed up with the words:“You are pure love.” - Cari MerriamSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/inspiredevolution. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Be Joyfully Diligent with Alex T. SteffenOur guest for this week is Alex T. Steffen, a business consultant, best-selling author, and an award-winning presenter.Alex started his career as a digital marketing specialist, but over the course of the last decade, he has specialized in the fields of innovation management and the future of work. By providing consultancy services he facilitates the organizational development and innovation efforts of enterprises. In the process, he aims to equip employees and leaders with the required competencies and skills, while breaking down complex innovation problems into solvable tasks using agile methods such as design thinking, user journeys, gamification, masterminds, and custom learning journeys. His client list includes names of renowned companies like SAP, Red Bull, Mercedes Benz, and Webasto.He co-founded Growth Masters, an invite-only adventure mastermind which combines crowdsource coaching and accountability systems to help entrepreneurs advance and take their businesses to the next step. They provide their attendees (tribe members) with strategic business advice on active and passive income vehicles like brand building, preparing online courses, launching an Amazon FBA business, consulting, presenting, podcasting and more. Growth Masters is also a community which aims to connect bestselling authors, prominent startup founders, world-class speakers, athletes and other people who are prominent in their fields.Connect with Alex:Website: http://alextsteffen.com/en/Twitter: https://twitter.com/alextsteffen?lang=enFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Alex-T-Steffen/514164496LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alextsteffen/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alextsteffen/Alex’s Story of Inspired EvolutionWhen he was only three years old, Alex suffered from an illness, which he luckily managed to successfully overcome. However, he reckons that this experience maybe affected him to become the joyful, energetic person he is today. His parents assured him that his perseverance played an important role in making a full recovery.“My mom always said I fought the illness myself, rather than the medicine.” - Alex T. SteffenHis adolescence and young adulthood were enriched with a curiosity that led him to explore and travel to different parts of the world. These travels were not short excursions to new places, but more like journeys outside of his comfort zone, and Alex looked to spend time in new environments so that he could transform and advance.“I made it a point to go to places that are so different that people often don’t dare to go.” - Alex T. SteffenAlex explored places and sought to get in touch with people who had a completely different view of the world, either from being shut off or as a result of war and similar traumatic experiences. Places like Bosnia, Ruanda, Colombia… He points out the narrow viewpoints of the western world and that through these deep and meaningful interactions with people whose experiences are vastly different from our own, we can get a fuller, more accurate picture of the world that we see around us.Joyfulness, Diligence, OptimismThroughout our conversation, Alex remembers and honors his grandfather with having a great impact on his joyful attitude towards life. A war veteran, living major portions of his life in extreme adversity and challenging times, he always had a comforting message for Alex and his brothers, one that stuck with them and guided them through their difficult moments in life.“He thought us that wealth and abundance come from diligence, but also that a well-lived life is built on joy and you can’t live without it.” - Alex T. SteffenAlex discusses quite openly about the reasons behind his optimism and shows it is based on common sense. His stance on the whole question of the glass being half-full has a firm foundation in practicality. If all else fails, the optimistic mindset will act as a fertile setting, which will, in the end, give us an opportunity to build greater things in the future.“Some people criticize optimists for being optimistic and they say “You have to be realistic.” which is supposedly the opposite of it. I say no. I’m creating my own reality. Even if its just the fundamental part of “If I expect something, my body will react differently, it will calm me down.” and just by that, I have more capacity to be creative, to be more productive, to be calm and connecting.” - Alex T. SteffenGrowth Masters - How to Make an Amazing MastermindCreating masterminds came naturally for Alex. He felt comfortable in social situations where he got the chance to exchange opinions and discuss values with people who had a different viewpoint. He realized that exactly these types of exchanges were not only a great opportunity for connecting with others, but for personal growth as well.Alex noticed that three things were necessary in order to create a great mastermind. First and foremost, the environment in which the mastermind will be held. Our environment plays a very important role in learning because it inevitably affects our mindset by making us more comfortable, inspiring us or making us more open to new information and views different from our own. Alex uses a broad definition of the word environment and takes into account the states and the moods of the people included in the mastermind.“We had beautiful spaces that we cooked in together. So we created an environment through action and also through setting, and we were already ready for what came because we created the space.” - Alex T. SteffenThe second essential ingredient for making a great mastermind is a state of vulnerability. Our educational systems are usually not taking this aspect of learning into account and are usually focusing on promoting competition. In a safe space, where everyone can share their thoughts, feelings and be at their most vulnerable, we see people being more open to receiving valuable input from others and take in constructive feedback.“The state of vulnerability is something that in learning, is for me, one of the key points. And we don’t do this often.” - Alex T. SteffenOnce you’ve established a nurturing and comfortable environment, in which people can feel safe at their most vulnerable, it’s time to engage them in activities that will get them out of their comfort zone. By pushing themselves to complete adventurous feats, all the while getting inspiration and support needed from their peers, people can tap into a newfound energy which can later be used as fuel for achieving great things in their professional fields as well.“It’s not really for the kick. We want to channel a certain energy and excitement, a realization, and channel it into the work that we do afterward… To use this energy and to channel it is the actual benefit.” - Alex T. SteffenAlex has made an amazing career in pursuit of helping people reach new heights both personally and professionally. He inspires us with the words his grandfather, meant to motivate and empower with the energy that comes from an optimistic approach to life.“Be joyfully diligent.” - Alex T. SteffenSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/inspiredevolution. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.