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Leading Human

Leading Human

297 episodes — Page 5 of 6

S4 Ep 102Radical Responsibility: How Shelley Climbed Out of the Burnout Hole

Shelley shares her story of burning out and what she's done with it five years on.Chad asks questions based on what he's hearing and thinking about from her story. Shelley discusses how she began to take radical responsibility for herself and her "self" alone and how this led to the tipping point of recovery. We learn about how Social Twos have their own special sauce when it comes to control, and how pride takes hold of the ego. Time Stamps:1:09--How the story has evolved3:40--Back in 2014, I started a venture backed technology company8:05--How Shelley refused to admit defeat for months even after the team was gone10:20--Working 80-hour weeks13:54--On control and the need for humility24:06--How Shelley had to get out of the frying pan27:00--After stabilizing, the next step is analyzing28:37--The final step is visualizing34:04--"We're either broken open, or we willfully shed."35:05--Why Shelley can be grateful for her burnout now (five years later)39:46--Expectations lead to a lot of our unhappiness44:41--When the system doesn't work (and we don't work in the system)49:00--The idea of radical responsibility and how it led to a turning point53:06--Shelley's final reflection questionWe're so glad to have you here for our second episode of Season 4!Subscribe on Spotify

Sep 15, 202254 min

S4 Ep 101What Does it Really Mean to Fail? 8 Self-Coaching Lessons (and a True Story) on Failure

We've got a few questions on the subject of failure. Do you really learn from failure? What does it mean to actually fail at something? How big or how small does the failure have to be? Do you really learn more when you have a losing season instead of a winning one? Where did the “fail fast” mentality come from, and does it mean the same thing today? Everyone’s paths are different, but many of us start out with early indications about what we should be for the rest of our lives. We begin to believe that the only way for the arch of lives to be considered a success is to make sure those first mountain life decisions turn out to be the fulfillment of those early dreams. What happens when those plans don’t turn out the way you thought they would? What does it mean to fail at something that seems so big? The truth is everyone fails. Everyone experiences setbacks both personal and professional. It IS of course what you do with the failure. But the truth is also that failure is a lot more complicated than the “fail fast” mantra would have you believe. First of all, failure sucks. Failure is messy. Of the four noble truths of Buddhism, the first is that life IS suffering. And the second noble truth? That the avoidance of suffering causes more suffering. We avoid failure in the same way we avoid suffering. So what happens when you identify, accept, and even embrace failure? And what are the failure(s) you truly do want to avoid? We figure it all out on Chad's big failure story on this week's first edition of Season 4 of the Big Self Podcast!Time Stamps:3:19--How David Brooks' The Second Mountain has a lot do with what we're talking about6:33--The second mountain is when you you shed the ego enough to break open8:32--What does it actually mean to fail at something because none of us want to fail?11:37--Even about the age of 10, I was always interested in being a writer13:30--Your first mountain. So you just turned 50 crossed the threshold.19:39--What do you now see that you've learned from the failure?20:25--Congratulations on the failure24:51--Failure Lesson #127:16--Failure Lesson #231:05--Failure Lesson #331:56--Failure Lesson #435:57--Failure Lesson #538:47--Failure Lesson #641:27--Failure Lesson #743:30--Failure Lesson #8Show Notes:The Second Mountain by David BrooksFalling Upwards by Richard RohrFinding Meaning in the Second Half of Life by James HollisMy Losing Season by Patrick ConroyEgo Is the Enemy by Ryan HolidayTiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Life and Love from Dear Sugar by Cheryl StrayedBorn a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood by Noah BaumbachLive Your Truth by Kamal RavikantCourage: The Joy of Living Dangerously by OshoThinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel KahnemanSubscribe on Spotify

Sep 8, 202249 min

S3 Ep 100You Are a Human Being, Not a Human Doing with Nataly Kogan

Burnout has become one of the most talked about workplace and life topics, and its impact is far-reaching. But too much of the conversation is focused on the problem vs. what we can actually do to break free from burnout.In her new game-changing, self-illustrated book, THE AWESOME HUMAN PROJECT: Break Free from Daily Burnout, Struggle Less, and Thrive More in Work and Life Nataly makes a compelling case that while challenges in life are constant, struggle is optional. She offers us proven science-backed and engaging methods to help us break through the cycle of “daily burnout,” as she defines it -- methods which have already transformed over a million people and counting. Nataly’s book is intensely personal and written as a response to her own journey as a refugee who viewed struggle as a way of life. After achieving tremendous success in the corporate and startup worlds, Nataly suffered a debilitating burnout, which taught her a powerful lesson: You can’t give what you don’t have.We are delighted to have Nataly on for our 100th episode and our final guest for the first quarter of 2022. Find Nataly here, or at happier.com.Time Stamps:3:09--Why Nataly and her parents fled the former Soviet Union in 19898:20--How Nataly went through a debilitating burnout10:40--Nataly's experience with startups and struggling, and the difference of challenge15:12--Getting emotionally fit, and how Nataly found her way18:20--How Nataly realized she wasn't just her brain (and learned to talk back)22:40--The five ways to keep emotionally fit (in a nutshell)29:00--For people who are moving into burnout in a pretty deep way right now34:00--Normalizing self-care as a priority at work38:45--You don't need to burnout to learn, but you probably need an interruption41:41--Playing it forward and asking, "How do you want to experience your life?"45:15--What Nataly hopes you'll takeaway from her bookSubscribe on Spotify.

Mar 27, 202249 min

S3 Ep 99Investing in the Self and Others with Ted Alling

Today we speak with entrepreneur and investor, Ted Alling. Ted is a leader in Chattanooga who uses his entrepreneurial achievements to create opportunities for others.He is the co-founder and former CEO of a $500-million startup, Access America, which merged with UPS subsidiary Coyote Logistics.That initial success allowed Ted and his fellow Access America founders to create Lamp Post Group, a venture capital firm and tech-focused incubator located right here in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Lamp Post is responsible for developing and incubating literally dozens of startups. From there, he co-founded Dynamo in 2016, a venture-capital fund with a focus in logistics technology. And then in 2018, he and his wife Kelly, helped to found the Chattanooga Preparatory School, an all-boys charter school. Chattanooga Prep is designed to provide unique and impactful educational opportunities for the young men in the city’s urban communities, and it opened to its inaugural class of sixth graders in August 2018 and now has over 300 young men.It’s been a wild ride throughout the past two decades, and Ted has not only succeeded himself, but has an ability to bring others along with him. He has also done a lot of personal development and learned a lot, sometimes the hard way, about himself, others, and best practices when it comes to building companies and culture. That is why we wanted to speak with him on the Big Self Podcast.Time Stamps:4:00--Ted's love of the Enneagram6:24--The biggest hack for all our listeners on the Enneagram10:20--The progressive realization of a worthy ideal (what success is)18:00--How some companies are living out their values now more than in the recent past27:43--When Ted and Kelly met David Robinson in researching for their prep school30:57--How Chattanooga Prep selects the 70 students they enroll each year34:40--How they create the "Disney World Experience" for the kids right off the bat37:43--When Ted first discovered the power (and addictive nature) of the Blackberry40:33--How Ted recognizes how some have huge advantages over othersSubscribe on Spotify.

Mar 13, 202242 min

S3 Ep 98The S Curve of Smart Growth with Whitney Johnson

Leading teams and organizations to greatness has never been more challenging than it is right now. But there is opportunity amidst the chaos.We are now in an era of post-traumatic growth. An Egon Zehnder study reports that 80% of CEOs strongly agreed they needed to transform themselves as well as their organizations—up from 26% prior to the pandemic.Employees want to grow. Leaders want to help their people and their companies grow—and recognize that the only way to do that is to grow themselves. The challenge lies in knowing how to stop walking in circles, and move forward.In her new book SMART GROWTH: How to Grow Your People to Grow Your Company (Harvard Business Review Press; January 11, 2022) Whitney Johnson, CEO of Disruption Advisors, and one of the top ten business thinkers in the world as named by Thinkers50, provides a set of tools to get smart about growth.Whitney Johnson is CEO of the tech-enabled development company Disruption Advisors, an Inc. 5000 fastest-growing private company in America and was recently named #8 on the Thinkers50 list for 2021, made up of the 50 leading business thinkers in the world. She is an award-winning author, a regular keynote speaker and she and Shelley really hit it off on this week's episode.Time Stamps:3:50--Working on a new framework of personal disruption led to the S Curve concept9:55--Whitney's turning point moment of realizing she is going to have to disrupt herself11:45--What's interesting about different kinds of fears16:31--We're all operating at different levels of fears and awareness19:38--Whenever you start something new you are at the base of the S25:00--The many different ways you can apply the S curve to your life31:06--The six stages of growth that correspond to the S curve39:00--That place where your identity is shifting44:20--You want to race before you've spent time in the collector phase47:40--How 2022 is the Great Aspiration rather than the Great ResignationShow notes links: https://whitneyjohnson.com/Be one of the first three listeners to leave us a review on on Apple iTunes and receive your free copy of Whitney's brand new hardcover: Smart Growth: How to Grow Your People to Grow Your Company.Subscribe on Spotify.Find us at the Big Self Community on Facebook.

Feb 27, 202251 min

S3 Ep 97Co-Creating the Power of Joy with Anne Scottlin

Anne Scottlin is on a mission around the world to help people from business executives to creatives to startup employees who wear a lot of hats to find their joy. What does joy mean? What does it mean to possess it and carry it around with you wherever you go? Tune in to find out. Plus, how Anne practices her own methods in her life. Also, what happened when Anne mind-mapped her life and connected the dots from Medieval literature to acting to altruism around the world supporting oppressed women.Thanks for tuning in to this week's Big Self Podcast. Show notes links: Find Anne’s newly released book, Live For Joy, here. Grab a one-week journal to foster and create your own joy awareness at https://www.annescottlin.com/joyjournal.Time Stamps:3:40--The difference between joy and happiness6:00--Wishful thinking and how to overcome it, and how Anne's early experiences led to her life journey of finding joy and then wanting to share it with others11:40--The relationship of the PERMA model17:25--What Anne advises when people want to make a career transition24:25--The conflict that creating such deep individualism often brings33:46--We tend to remember where we fell short40:00--The Big Self TakeawayLeave us a review and subscribe on Apple iTunes.Subscribe on Spotify.Find us at the Big Self Community on Facebook.

Feb 13, 202241 min

S3 Ep 96Teams beat burnout at work with Paula Davis

Long before the pandemic gripped the world and blurred the lines between home and work, we had become a nation suffering high levels of burnout. It is one of the most discussed, and far-reaching problems in the workplace today. And that is why we are covering it from a wide variety of perspectives on our podcast here at the top of the year from top business professionals and trained coaches, researchers, and leaders.In BEATING BURNOUT AT WORK: Why Teams Hold the Secret to Well-Being and Resilience, founder of the Stress and Resilience Institute Paula Davis provides a new framework to help organizations prevent employee burnout via a holistic approach.Her research-driven and actionable book is the first to explore a comprehensive approach for building the resilience of teams of all sizes. Her framework works with organizations ranging from Harvard Law School to Walgreens, and is aimed at reshaping the organizational policies, decision-making, and political, social, and economic issues that contribute to workplace stress.Time Stamps:4:44--A big part of what people are getting wrong about burnout8:42--We can't just keep approaching the systemic issue of burnout through the individual, which is what lead to the idea of working with teams first and foremost12:06--Interesting research that you can be highly engaged and burned out14:15--Psychological safety as a foundational element20:16--Start with the Resilient Teams Inventory25:10--Detecting your icebergs29:23--The core values and powerful themes that come up for leaders that they're not always conscious of32:40--We don't listen to understand; different kinds of listening35:58--Suck it up and drive on and do it the way I did it42:00--The importance of coaching44:03--The Big Self TakeawayLeave us a review and subscribe on Apple iTunes.Subscribe on Spotify.Find us at the Big Self Community on Facebook.

Jan 30, 202246 min

S3 Ep 95Beating the Burnout Epidemic with Jennifer Moss

We’ve been covering burnout from our inception at the top of 2020. We've suffered from it in different ways and at different times in our lives. Now we help organizations and leaders deal with it, and we had no idea how acute it would become and how the screws would tighten with the circumstances and chaos of the pandemic. And who better to bring on the show to discuss her own unique strategies and experiences than Jennifer Moss? In her compelling new book, Moss argues our current strategies are getting it all wrong – that self-care won’t cure burnout and organizations need to entirely rethink their approach to wellness. Leveraging her latest research and evidence-based solutions, her recent book, The Burnout Epidemic: The Rise of Chronic Stress and How We Can Fix It, will help leaders and individuals prevent burnout for healthier, happier, and more productive workplaces.We tend to think of burnout as a problem we can solve with self-care: more yoga, better breathing techniques, and more resilience. But evidence is mounting that applying personal, Band-Aid solutions to an epic and rapidly evolving workplace phenomenon isn't even close to enough. Moss’s book is eye-opening, paradigm-shifting, and offers a practical guide, laying bare the real causes of burnout and how organizations can stop the chronic stress cycle that an alarming number of workers suffer through. Self-care is important, but it's not a cure-all for burnout. Be sure and stay tuned to the end for our Big Self Takeaway!Time Stamps:4:31--The root causes of burnout6:28--The World Health Organization definition of burnout8:05--When your leaders are passionate about their work and they become less aware of the model they're setting9:30--Feeling external pressure in high growth organizations12:10--Industries we're seeing a lot of burnout in14:08--Overwork is responsible for 2.8 million deaths last year18:38--Research on video conferencing fatigue23:52--How Jennifer used to look down on burnout before she went through it26:30--Seeing an accumulation of small traumas leading to grief31:30--The Big Self TakeawayLeave us a review and subscribe on Apple iTunes.Subscribe on Spotify.Find us at the Big Self Community on Facebook.

Jan 16, 202234 min

S3 Ep 94You CAN change other people with Peter Bregman and Howie Jacobson

“People change all the time,” write Peter Bregman and Howie Jacobson in their new book, You CAN Change Other People. “They make big changes like starting businesses, getting married, moving, or getting a new job. And they make smaller changes like eating healthier, waking up earlier, or listening better. But people change when they choose to change. If they feel like you’re trying to make them change? Forget it.”How do we help others make changes they actually want and need to make? Well, drawing on decades of experience helping leaders, employees, and others to change, Bregman and Jacobson offers a straightforward, proven, and repeatable four-step process for helping people make meaningful changes, and we get a taste of that in our conversation today. We are always on the lookout for those books that offer us depth, give us specific takeaways and challenges, and also inspire us. Oh, and do all this without shaming us to do better or else we suck. And today’s guests have executed on a book full of ideas that does just that.Be sure and stay tuned to the end for our Big Self Takeaway!Time Stamps: 2:10--So how did you all come to think of this and research this for the book?7:00--Ally is the first step to shift from critic to ally9:05--The first step in the process actually does begin with yourself when you step in as a supporter15:30--What to do if you've asked for permission give feedback and they (on rare occasions) say, "No."21:48--How do you handle working with shame with individuals27:58--The people I most want to be in conversation with33:27--Is there anything good in a person's "bad" behavior?41:15--Develop a plan for people to track themselves49:25--The Big Self TakeawayLeave us a review and subscribe on Apple iTunes.Subscribe on Spotify.Find us at the Big Self Community on Facebook.

Jan 2, 202252 min

S2 Ep 935 Strategies for Your End of Year Review

It’s that time of year! Time for reflection. Time for slowing down and chilling out after all the social functions. And time to recharge those batteries. We are taking inventory to pat ourselves on the back for our accomplishments, to get real about the small and possibly big ways we can improve our coming year.We break it down into five pragmatic and powerful ways to move forward in self-awareness, in confidence, in optimism, and to make those annual goals using the SMARTER method, and breaking them down into small, manageable steps. Time Stamps:2:47--This is more like a life audit and not like some kind of PIP3:49--The guiding question10:27--As much as what you stop doing as by what you do do15:00--As yourself what you're avoiding and why19:32--Looking at those moments where you came alive21:06--Annual goals should be SMARTER26:49--Start thinking in micro steps toward the big goals32:05--Our final word for the yearLeave us a review and subscribe on Apple iTunes.Subscribe on Spotify.Find us at the Big Self Community on Facebook.

Dec 22, 202132 min

S2 Ep 92The way out is through with Sebastian Matthews

Sebastian Matthews experienced a life-changing event that was almost life-ending. Besides the broken bones, part of his growth process for him and his family was dealing with the trauma. He tells us that sometimes PTSD doesn’t even set in until a couple of years after the event. He also tells us that we don’t all have to go through such an intense trauma to experience things like burnout, anxiety, and disconnection from yourself and others. He believes in the creative life, in soft boundaries between work and play, but definitely adheres to some clear and consistent routines. He also believes in connection. He began that process first by writing about the experience with his book, Beginner’s Guide to a Head-On Collision. More recently, his award-winning Beyond Repair: Living in a Fractured State documents his experience in reconnecting with the culture, community, and country he found himself immersed in. He reminds us that we need to start with ourselves, but after the healing begins, there comes a time to quit the navel-gazing and get out there and re-connect with the world.While getting out of the house and meeting up with old friends in different places is one way, the deeper connection is to connect with your community. Sebastian reminds us of ways to do so in reasonable, realistic ways. One lesson he’s learned through the past decade of struggle is that “the only way out is through.” But the second, no less important one, is that when you give back to others, you reap unexpected rewards. This is the way to growth, healing, and beating the sense of disconnection so many of us find ourselves in here at the end of 2021.Time Stamps:2:43--Shelley says she sees burnout as a continuum3:36--Sebastian describes his struggle with stress and how it may relate to burnout7:09--Sebastian sees a definitive turning point in his life from his car accident10:35--What was the impetus behind Sebastian's decision to move forward?14:34--You don't have to go through a massive traumatic event to learn to cope and move forward24:58--How can you serve and give back without necessarily being a frontline activist?27:29--Multitasking gets a bad rap31:32--Sebastian reads a section from his book called "Invisible"Leave us a review and subscribe on Apple iTunes.Subscribe on Spotify.Find us at the Big Self Community on Facebook.

Dec 19, 202145 min

S2 Ep 90What is Big Self?

The idea behind the name Big Self is a paradox. We encourage people to do the inner work before they take big leaps, so they know their ladder is leaning on the right wall in the first place, and that they're motivated for the right reasons. Or if they come to us in burnout or crisis, we still begin with inner work, which usually begins with self-awareness training, and personality "hacking." When it comes to the self we want to diffuse the ego so that when we lean into our ambitions and aspirations we do so with authenticity, healthy boundaries, integration, and sustainable purpose.We work with businesses to help them improve their communication and culture. That is why we do have an audience that talks about personality types in order to shortcut the inner growth. We've indexed hard on that this past year. More recently we're hitting on topics like burnout, healthy work culture, shorter workweeks, boundaries, and topics related to the outward manifestation of real change. What we’re talking about today:How the idea for the name came about. The Buddhist idea of the Big Self. How it came to mean aim high but also manage your ego and how you engage with the world.How we focused on burnout at first.How we have come into the Enneagram as a tool for personal growth and developmentHow we are for leaders in the professional world, but we also are getting ready to make offerings for parents and couplesTime Stamps:2:49--Shelley quotes Thomas Merton's "ladder leaning on the wrong wall" verbatim without reading4:50--Who we are is how we lead7:45--We have discussed burnout from the beginning and have several experts in forthcoming episodes9:34--The idea of Big Self as a name13:27--The different ways you can use the Enneagram 17:05--Parts of ourselves that we own and disown23:05--Three stages of reactivity27:27--The brilliance of the Enneagram30:00--You can use it for spiritual purposes, but if you're uncomfortable with that, you don't have to use it that wayLeave us a review and subscribe on Apple iTunes.Subscribe on Spotify.Find us at the Big Self Community on Facebook.

Nov 21, 202132 min

S2 Ep 89Let's make Thursday the new Friday with Joe Sanok

On this week’s episode we speak with Joe Sanok. In 2012 Joe launched Practice of the Practice to blog about what he was learning about business, marketing, and private practice. Since then, his income has gone up over 2,000%. In the beginning, he was making around $1000 per month. In 2015, he grossed over $200k. By 2019, he had sold his private practice. Joe is a keynote and TEDx speaker, business consultant, and podcaster. He has the #1 podcast for counselors, The Practice of the Practice Podcast, which btw is a great podcast for entrepreneurs and solopreneurs as well. Joe is also the author of five books and has been named a top Therapist Resource for his podcast, blogging, and consultant services.His approach incorporates story, humor, research, and practical application.The pandemic has forced conversations about meaningful change at work, and shown us that we can live differently. A remarkable positive consequence of this worldwide lockdown is the experiment it inherently created by everyone abruptly and continuously working from home and making our own schedules. The last year has proven to even the skeptics, that work can be done differently. Will the change be permanent? Or will we, as usual, return to what we know? We’ve been asking this question on several recent episodes. Will we allow the Industrialist mindset to continue to define our week or will we reinvent ourselves and our time? Joe has just released a new book on this very subject, THURSDAY IS THE NEW FRIDAY is essential reading for anyone in search of both peace and fulfillment. In 2021, that’s very nearly all of us. This book is inspiring and instructive and we are thrilled to have Joe join us for today’s episode.Learn more about Joe here:https://joesanok.com/media/https://www.practiceofthepractice.comTime Stamps:3:42--The big shift that we're moving away from self-help type of books7:04--In looking back Joe always got the most done during 4 days and the most important stuff always naturally rises to the surface9:15--The difference between hard and soft boundaries11:39--Boundaries are the actions we take to protect our values15:32--What the Sprint Type is and how it's a helpful measurement for determining how we might work best with our values and boundaries24:40--Setting expectations and boundaries at home is essential27:40--The Industrialist mindset and how things have remained the same since 192633:36--We're an Enneagram 3 culture41:00--How teams can work together to establish boundaries together while also maintaining their revenue and productivity44:50--There are always going to be people who are against this thinking, but let's aim for the middle48:59--The Big Self TakeawayLeave us a review and subscribe on Apple iTunes.Subscribe on Spotify.Find us at the Big Self Community on Facebook.

Nov 7, 202150 min

S2 Ep 88How Myers-Briggs Transforms You and Your Relationships with Personality Hacker

Personality Hacker is an organization designed to help people leverage their own mental processes to optimize whatever can be optimized: productivity, communication, job satisfaction, and most importantly – your overall happiness. When we get these needs met we stop being so myopic through the lens of our own experience, and start seeing a bigger picture.Today’s episode gives you some high-level overview of the Myers-Briggs as a system from Antonia Dodge and Joel Mark Witt. We also nerd out a little. In the end, we think you’ll learn something about how this all works and the powerful potential value it holds when you use it as a tool for growth. The entry point isn’t the important thing, it’s how you apply it to become the best version of you.Listen to the end when we give you the Big Self Takeaway.Time Stamps:5:30--The way we approach Myers-Briggs is not your mom's Myers-Briggs6:57--The point of origin of Myers-Briggs is actually Carl Jung (from Psychological Types)8:40--It has something that can applied12:24--There's a lot of one-sidedness to our personalities15:48--This system works well to identify a problem in our personalities, especially when things aren't working well19:40--We have a tendency to over-attach to our type, especially at first20:20--Most people aren't coming to the system with so much depth, they want practical applications31:40--The people sitting in the car when it comes to the functions of your personality36:00--Personality systems create a map for us to leverage 36:34--Is the goal integration?40:41--Trust and working with businesses43:10--The challenge in talking about the difference between Sensing and Intuition55:05--The Big Self TakeawayFind Joel Mark Witt and Antonia Dodge at:https://personalityhacker.comhttps://personalityhacker.com/ph-podcast/And check out their book here: Personality Hacker: Harness the Power of Your Personality Type to Transform Your Work, Relationships, and LifeLeave us a review and subscribe on Apple iTunes.Subscribe on Spotify.Find us at the Big Self Community on Facebook.

Oct 31, 202157 min

S2 Ep 87How to stop white-knuckling and start motivating with Remmington Curtis

Today we speak with a boots-on-the-ground guy. Remmington Curtis is a fan of the podcast and reached out to see if he could join us on the show. We love to hear from our listeners, and we love hearing from not only thought leaders, influencers, and authors, but also the coaches doing the work themselves.A person some might say had the dream job. He spent the first 10 years of his career on Wall Street, researching companies as an equity analyst initially, and later a client relationship manager and ultimately a wealth advisor. But the summer of 2012, he pivoted. He left Wall Street to go and run a small healthcare company, as their CIO for about six years before pivoting, again, to advocate on behalf of the private sector, as the business liaison director at the US Department of Commerce. You could say it’s been quite a journey, as now, some 9 years since he left his Wall Street job, he’s settled into a role helping leaders be better, more effective versions of themselves, and helping them be the leader they wish they had had when they were coming up in their career.Also, introducing our new segment, The Big Self Takeaway, at the end of each guest episode.Time Stamps:1:56--Remmington had the dream job3:50--How he was unhappy and unsettled in his Wall Street job5:34--What it was like shifting to an operations role8:00--Specific techniques he uses with clients and their current challenges11:28--Managing your energy15:09--Leaders who believe expressing your emotions is a sign of weakness21:43--Permissibility versus possibility32:02--The Big Self TakeawayLeave us a review and subscribe on Apple iTunes.Subscribe on Spotify.Find us at the Big Self Community on Facebook.

Oct 24, 202134 min

S2 Ep 867 steps to transformation through grief with Barbara Dalle Pezze

This week we speak with Barbara Dalle Pezze. Barbara is a speaker, author and seminar leader with two decades of experience living and working in Hong Kong, China, Singapore, Canada, and the U.S. Barbara works to inspire others, especially entrepreneurs and leaders, to reconnect with their purpose. She does through helping them make mindset shifts and breakthroughs, which in turn helps their teams and organizations effectively create large scale changes. Barbara is a member of the Leadership Development Faculty for the Aisa Pacific Region at a top global financial institution, and visiting professor at FSU, Beedie School of Business (Vancouver, Canada), where she teaches Negotiation and Conflict Resolution at the MBA program. She has also recently published an inspirational memoir, The Unexpected Gift. Today she speaks with us about her journey through a sudden and traumatic divorce. It's about how she picked up the pieces and turned her life around in a foreign country, piece by piece.Time Stamps:3:39--Always something exceeding our reality7:40--The seven steps begins with owning your story10:30--Radical friends13:13--Clarity of mind15:00--Barbara is a doctor of Philosophy in Ontology16:40--The idea of "reality testing"17:37--Listening to the body21:40--Partnering with mentors25:20--The idea of finding mentors in books27:00--Forwarding the future35:40--Leadership begins with being a leader to yourself39:00--How do you work with leaders who are hesitant to admit to their blind spotsLeave us a review and subscribe on Apple iTunes.Subscribe on Spotify.Find us at the Big Self Community on Facebook.

Oct 17, 202146 min

S2 Ep 85Is the Great Resignation a Trend or a Fad?

What is the Great Resignation? What's causing it? What are companies doing about it? And what's our final takeaway?The Great Resignation is a term first used by Anthony Klotz, a psychologist and associate professor of management at Texas A&M University, during an interview with Business Insider. It describes a profound shift in the way Americans are viewing their relationship to work over the past four months. For four months in a row, a record number of Americans are quitting their jobs. In July, the last month for which the Bureau of Labor Statistics published data, 3.98 million workers quit; that's slightly lower than the record-smashing 3.99 million quits in April.So what about it from an individual and collective level?Time Stamps:2:23--The Great Resignation is a thing5:29--Burnout a contributing factor6:45--Still "missing quits" in the system9:08--A high-level tech employee who is disgruntled13:28--Are we seeing companies do anything to address the situation?18:12--People are the most complex and least understood asset23:49--People are adults25:29--Will we just go back?Leave us a review and subscribe on Apple iTunes.Subscribe on Spotify.Find us at the Big Self Community on Facebook.

Oct 10, 202128 min

S2 Ep 84Enneagram 7s Talk Head Types, Joy, and the Virtue of Sobriety

Today we speak with Justin Sainton, Elle Worsham, and Erin Maslowski. Enneagram 7s don't like constraints. They tend to want it all, and they have a lot of the tools for getting it. They're head types with the ability to solve a lot of problems through their own structures and spreadsheets. At the same time, they're upbeat and positive. They have loads of interests and plenty of energy.What could go wrong?Sometimes that can be a little complicated. One of the answers our panelists discuss is that trying to blind yourself to pain doesn't always work because life doesn't accommodate your avoidance. It still keeps coming. Also, sometimes being a Seven can be like a "river without banks." You need constraints and boundaries to stay contained and focused.As we conclude our first series of Enneagram panelists spanning the spectrum, Sevens discuss the joys and sorrows of being a Seven. Each of them is doing a lot of growth with their wings and arrows, passions and virtues. Each has their own way of engaging with the world. Today they give us a glimpse of that inner reality, and in vulnerability and discernment, show us a way forward.Time Stamps:1:38--Justin introduces himself3:23--Elle introduces herself6:30--Erin introduces herself9:38--Elle discusses the differences between how she communicates as a head type and her heart type partner12:24--Justin discusses how surprised he sometimes is by his analytical side because he is also constantly wanting to have fun, especially in the eyes of others14:28--Erin agrees with the other panelists but as a counter type (social 7), she also discusses the fear side of being in the thinking side of her own center of intelligence34:14--Elle talks about getting real through the virtue of Sobriety35:58--Justin says that as a 7 he can be like a river without banks37:06--The ego of the 7 is so blinded from pain40:00--How the panelists lean into their six and eight wings consciously and unconsciously45:47--How the arrow work helps in growth53:54--Coming back to mindful practicesThe Big Self Leadership Accelerator is open! We launch October 4, and we've saved a space for you. For details go to: bigselfschool.com/bslaReady to unlock your potential? Check out our Enneagram Guide at bigselfschool.com/enneagram.Leave us a review and subscribe on Apple iTunes.Subscribe on Spotify.Find us at the Big Self Community on Facebook.

Oct 3, 202157 min

S2 Ep 835 Strategies to Grow with the Enneagram

The Enneagram is so much more than a typology. It is so much more than a static symbol. In fact, the Enneagram is a living, breathing, dynamic process-driven system to self-observation and self-understanding. It helps you to understand yourself ("Know Thyself") at deeper level much faster than you ever could without it. It helps you to understand others.In today's episode, Shelley and Chad cover five proven approaches to going beyond just knowing your number. Knowing your number is a start, but then what about it? We discuss the concept and approach to (1) self-observation and why it's mission critical to begin here. Then, we hit on (2) centers of intelligence, (3) wings, (4) arrows, and (5) the passions and virtues as ways to integrate your understanding. Today's episode helps direct to patterns of conscious growth and to escape from your habitual and ingrained personality patterns that keep you stuck.Time Stamps:2:15--The growth paths we're going to cover today3:30--Self-observation is key to everything we teach4:20--And you can't know yourself until you see yourself5:00--We are machines8:04--Definition of Self-Observation14:38--Centers of Intelligence discused21:14--Wholeness is not achieved by cutting off a portion of one's being, but by integrating the contraries23:03--The moment everyone's been waiting for: wings28:34--The arrows can direct you in terms of big moves in your growth33:49--We also need to be filling up our knowledge bank, as well as what we're learning about ourselves34:18--Discussing the passions and the virtuesThe Big Self Leadership Accelerator is open! We launch October 4, and we've saved a space for you. For details go to: bigselfschool.com/bslaReady to unlock your potential? Check out our Enneagram Guide at bigselfschool.com/enneagram.Leave us a review and subscribe on Apple iTunes.Subscribe on Spotify.Find us at the Big Self Community on Facebook.

Sep 26, 202141 min

S2 Ep 82Enneagram 6s Talk Second Guessing, Fear, Dealing with Authority, and Trust

Today we speak with Suzy Anthony, Marta Gillilan, and Roger Coles.We discuss what it's like getting into the heads of Sixes. Sixes are sometimes named the Loyalist, and sometimes the Skeptical Troubleshooter. Their archetype centers on a person who seeks security and certainty, but ironically often doesn't find it. Of all the personality types, Sixes are the most loyal to their friends and their beliefs and ideas. At the same time, it's easy to break trust with them if you don't pass their sniff test. And they do find themselves testing others even when they don't always consciously realize it.They tend to look at all scenarios in order to locate potential problems. They ask lots of questions, and look for weak points. Sixes are always aware of their anxieties and are looking for ways to construct security supports. In today's episode we have three Sixes--one for each subtype (we think). These Sixes are vulnerable and open about what it's like to be them, and the work they've done on themselves to work on their growth paths. We discuss all this and much more on this week's Enneagram Six episode.Time Stamps::52--Suzy introduces herself2:20--Marta introduces herself5:30--Roger introduces herself8:12--Talking the head type center of intelligence and the voices in their heads19:42--How they test their reactions24:42--Struggling to trust31:53--Struggling with fear34:09--Marta opens up about her experience in dealing with cancer with both her parents and with her husband39:40--Sixes are great truth-tellers, and how do they step into their courage46:58--Shelley confuses Hamlet for Frodo55:12--Shelley asks each Six to discuss one thing they're working onThe Big Self Leadership Accelerator is open! We launch October 4, and we've saved a space for you. For details go to: bigselfschool.com/bslaReady to unlock your potential? Check out our Enneagram Guide at bigselfschool.com/enneagram.Leave us a review and subscribe on Apple iTunes.Subscribe on Spotify.Find us at the Big Self Community on Facebook.

Sep 19, 20211h 1m

S2 Ep 81Enneagram 5s Talk Holding On, Feedback Loops, and Learning to Trust

Today we speak with Richie Daigle and Chris Schoolcraft, two Fives who have done a lot of work to under their personalities and how they show up in the world.We discuss what it's like being a headtype as our center of intelligence, and how they hold on to their knowledge and skills and share it only when they feel completely ready.Fives highly value working independently. They're more comfortable with data and facts than with people and emotions. They also tend to see the work they do through the lens of information that needs to be mastered in order to get the job done. Fives sincerely enjoy learning and you can count them to provide a high level of expertise and authoritative information when given the time to prepare. They also make for good listeners and you can count on them to stay focused on their tasks.We discuss all this and much more on this week's Enneagram Five episode.Time Stamps:1:16--Richie Daigle introduces himself3:35--Chris Schoolcraft introduces himself5:52--Richie discusses what it was like being in his head as a semi-professional baseball player8:05--Chris talks about being disconnected from his heart and body (as a head type)16:25--Richie says he feels like Fives need a certain sense of control20:50--It's like being out on a frozen pond and not being sure the ice can hold28:59--Having had people encroach on their boundaries, Fives can sense from a long way away if someone is being nosy34:02--Shelley asks the panelists about the passion of Avarice38:42--The idea of being prepared is really important42:45--Chris discusses how he may avoid things by generating a defense of indifference47:55--Chris has tried to trust more and think less when it comes to his growth path51:33--Richie talks about getting stuck within feedback loopsThe Big Self Leadership Accelerator is open! We launch October 4, and we've saved a space for you. For details go to: bigselfschool.com/bslaReady to unlock your potential? Check out our Enneagram Guide at bigselfschool.com/enneagram.Leave us a review and subscribe on Apple iTunes.Subscribe on Spotify.Find us at the Big Self Community on Facebook.

Sep 13, 20211h 2m

S2 Ep 80Enneagram 4s Go Deep on Authenticity, Envy, and Empathy

Today we speak with Shay and Amanda, along with our very own Chad. We all know how special Fours are, and how much they fear being anything but ordinary. But it's not every day we get to hear the perspectives from two self-preservation subtypes and one relational (one-to-one) subtype at the same time. We discuss what it's like being a heart type as our center of intelligence, how the subtypes really opened up our self-understanding, and the concept of envy. Fours are constantly feeling what they're missing both consciously and unconsciously. Fours highly value authenticity. They are also image focused, but not in a self-absorbed way as some may think. The lens is turned in on themselves a great deal. They have superpowers with empathy, but sometimes when they turn the introjection upon themselves, they can become moody or melancholic, even angry, as they take on the feelings and impressions from others. We discuss all this and much more on this week's Enneagram Four episode.Time Stamps:1:54--Shay Bocks introduces herself4:05--Amanda introduces herself7:36--Chad discusses how he knew pretty much right away that he was a Four, but it was discovering the subtype that really helped11:00--Amanda talks about how it is as a heart type being married to a body type17:20--Amanda agrees with Shay about the image focus of the fours and how it manifests22:50--Amanda picks up on what Chad said about the way he had become angry among his peers when he wasn't being recognized for his value and contribution. She discusses how you just want to feel like there's a place for you in the world.27:10--Shay helps us understand the concept of introjection by beginning with the more commonly understood idea of projection36:18--The masochism comes in for the Fours when they take on the emotions of everyone else and with no clear outlet45:47--Chad discusses a growth path that he is currently on46:46--Shay starts with her growth path and Amanda follows (they encourage everyone to check out the CPEnneagram with Beatrice Chestnut and Uranio Paes)49:10--Shay talks about her meditation of a burning bushThe Big Self Leadership Accelerator is open! We launch October 4, and we've saved a space for you. For details go to: bigselfschool.com/bslaReady to unlock your potential? Check out our Enneagram Guide at bigselfschool.com/enneagram.Leave us a review and subscribe on Apple iTunes.Subscribe on Spotify.Find us at the Big Self Community on Facebook.

Sep 6, 202157 min

S2 Ep 79Enneagram history, sub-types, and what’s in it for you

Today we’re answering some of your fantastic questions, and it is making for a great show. Could you give us more background on the history of the Enneagram? We give credit to a 20th-century pioneer of the Traditional Enneagram, Oscar Ichazo. We also briefly touch on the influences and how it reached the west.Interesting sidenote: According to Gurdjieff’s student JG Bennett, the Enneagram was developed in the 15th century by mathematicians in the Sarmoun mystery school to express principles symbolized by the newly discovered decimal point. The Enneagram as a symbol represents aspects of mathematical laws — law of three, law of seven, law of one.Could you tell us a little more about what the sub-types are about? Among other things, we discuss the three basic instincts, why they tend to be overlooked in North American teaching of the Enneagram, and how the combination of your type and instinct comprise what we call the sub-type.What is the value or point of the Enneagram besides recognizing your type?We love this question because it’s something we all consciously or unconsciously wonder about as we begin to learn more about ourselves in really any format, any personality typology. In fact, the more we learned about the Enneagram from its many teachers, and the more we understood about ourselves and others as we are in personality, the more we realized that learning our type was just the beginning. It alone is not the point. We are machines, and we live our lives on autopilot. Whether it’s our habits and patterns, our negative emotion traps, our inability to see ourselves clearly, identification, we live our lives unconsciously. We are asleep to ourselves. Also, it:Moves you out of your machinery, wakes you up (use only if you're into self-development work) can actually be detrimental to identify type and leave it there, double down on your patterns, shameHelps you grow efficiently and shows you your personalized path for growing Identifies blind spots that you can’t seeTime Stamps:3:25--Who Oscar Ichazo is5:40--George Gurdjieff gets a lot of credit for bringing the Enneagram to the West, and why9:39--To see where the Enneagram is now and give Claudio Narajano credit for his contributions14:23--The sub-type piece of the conversation is often left out in the U.S.20:19--Why did Chad believe certain sub-types were associated with being introverted or extroverted28:28--Shelley really wants people to start understanding their sub-types as a piece of their self-understanding32:14--We are asleep to ourselves36:50--Why could it be dangerous to only use the Enneagram as a typing system and stop there38:03--What Gurdjieff said you will get from becoming one of his students40:17--The Enneagram reveals things you didn't even know were self-sabotaging youReady to unlock your potential? Check out our Enneagram Guide at bigselfschool.com/enneagram.Leave us a review and subscribe on Apple iTunes.Subscribe on Spotify.Find us at the Big Self Community on Facebook.

Aug 15, 202144 min

S2 Ep 78Enneagram 3s Talk Work, (Self)Deceit, and Compassion

Our two Enneagram 3 panelists this week have done a great deal of work on themselves. While Jim Gum certainly has done a tremendous amount of work over his 30 years of working with the Enneagram, Steph Barron Hall's six years or so has brought her a long way as well. If you are ready to learn your Enneagram type and what to do with it, we have a giveaway for you! We’re offering a free Enneagram typing package to a lucky someone who gives us a review on iTunes or Spotify. These typing packages are valued at $375, and include an interview, a proprietary test, and one follow up coaching session. So you heard it here: if you go to iTunes or Spotify and search for The Big Self Podcast and leave us a review, you can enter into a giveaway to get a free Enneagram typing package.After you leave us a review, go to BigSelfSchool.com/enneagramgiveaway and fill out the form so you can be entered to win.Time Stamps:1:25--Jim Gum introduces himself3:42--Steph Barron Hall introduces herself7:41--30 years ago, Jim discusses the intense emotional conflict he was experiencing before he learned about the Enneagram12:30--Steph discusses the validation she felt that 3s are potentially the most emotional type of all18:55--Steph agrees with Jim's point about feeling fragile, and goes on to explain her experience as an Instagrammer33:55--Jim discusses how he has grown out of always having to do something even on his time off40:41--Jim discusses the Thomas Merton prayer that he's memorizing, and also the concept of deceit and how that plays into our lives (and specific to 3s)53:35--Steph discusses the importance of self-compassion for her inner growth62:30--How 3s are so misunderstoodReady to unlock your potential? Check out our Enneagram Guide at bigselfschool.com/enneagram.Leave us a review and subscribe on Apple iTunes.Subscribe on Spotify.Find us at the Big Self Community on Facebook.

Aug 8, 20211h 6m

S2 Ep 77Enneagram 2s on Their Core Fears, Passion, and Growth Points

Shelley is super excited to introduce you today to her brother and sisters of the Enneagram type Two. These are her people. If you are ready to learn your Enneagram type and what to do with it, we have a giveaway for you! We’re offering a free Enneagram typing package to a lucky someone who gives us a review on iTunes or spotify. These typing packages are valued at $375, and include an interview, a proprietary test, and one follow up coaching session. So you heard it here: if you go to iTunes or Spotify and search for The Big Self Podcast and leave us a review, you can enter into a giveaway to get a free Enneagram typing package.After you leave us a review, go to BigSelfSchool.com/enneagramgiveaway and fill out the form so you can be entered to win.Time Stamps:0:50--Carolyn Swora introduces herself2:34--Ashton Whitmoyer-Ober introduces herself4:56--Jonathon Bow introduces himself7:15--What it means to be a heart type14:27--The definable characteristics of a Two25:23--Core fear that Twos are not really lovable35:28--The passion of pride in the Two43:10--Talking about the growth points of the Two57:10--Jonathan talks about the importance of boundaries60:00--Carolyn brings up the idea of slowing down and listeningReady to unlock your potential? Check out our Enneagram Guide at bigselfschool.com/enneagram.Leave us a review and subscribe on Apple iTunes.Subscribe on Spotify.Find us at the Big Self Community on Facebook.

Aug 1, 20211h 3m

S2 Ep 76Enneagram 1s Talk Anger, the Inner Critic, and Serenity

Type 1s are known as Reformers or Perfectionists. They're also body types, and when it comes to relating to others they can house a lot of energy inside themselves, often in the form of anger. In this episode's discussion, we meet Angie Liski, Kristi Rider, and Randa Hinton. We learn a little more about what makes these types tick, especially when it comes to dealing with anger and the inner critic.*The sound quality on this episode is sub-standard, and we apologize for the issues which have been addressed in all other panelist interviews in this series.Time Stamps:2:00--Kristi Rider introduces herself3:50--Angie Lisky introduces herself6:05--Randa Hinton introduces herself8:16--How Randa carries "the weight of the world" in herself and how learning about how 1s are body types have helped her understand and transcend being a body type9:59--How Angie channels her anger and how it works in the body11:45--How for Kristi being a body type means knowing things quickly13:41--How does being a 1 translate into their work and leadership19:50--How do 1s deal with their inner critic32:05--A brief discussion of the varieties of subtypes in 1s37:08--The virtue of SerenityReady to unlock your potential? Check out our Enneagram Guide at bigselfschool.com/enneagram.Leave us a review and subscribe on Apple iTunes.Subscribe on Spotify.Find us at the Big Self Community on Facebook.

Jul 25, 20211h 2m

S2 Ep 75Enneagram 9s Talk Anger, Self-Forgetting, and Vulnerability

Shelley speaks with two leaders who recognize the 9 within themselves. These two leaders, Suzanna Cooper and Lesley Scarce, have been working on their personal inner growth through the lens of the Enneagram for years now. They offer their deep insights into what it means to function as a body type, how they work with anger, and how they do or don't "self-forget." What does it mean for leaders when they're willing to do the self-development work themselves? Does it really benefit everyone? Is it possible to be vulnerable as a leader with your team? How does it impact their personal relationships as well as their professional?We bring new levels of awareness and personal growth to you through the multi-faceted lens of the Enneagram. We bring you experts and leaders from all the stratification of personality types and human experiences.Time Stamps:2:24--Suzanna introduces herself3:35--Lesley Scarce introduces herself6:37--Shelley asks the panelists what it's like to be a body type10:42--Shelley asks the panelists how aware they are of when the process of body awareness is happening18:49--Shelley asks the panelists if they'd be willing to talk about their anger22:40--The 9s adaptive strategy is to fall asleep to themselves32:27--The passion of the 9s is the "sloth," also described as self-forgetting40:00--When we do the inner work on ourselves, it builds trust with the team45:55--When we do the work everyone around us benefits. Shelley asks the panelists what they've experienced as leaders when they've done the self work of personal inner growthReady to unlock your potential? Check out our Enneagram Guide at bigselfschool.com/enneagram.Leave us a review and subscribe on Apple iTunes.Subscribe on Spotify.Find us at the Big Self Community on Facebook.

Jul 18, 202153 min

S2 Ep 74Enneagram 8s Talk Body, Conflict, Lust, and Innocence

The Big Self Podcast is set to challenge you with everything you know about the Enneagram. Or at least everything you think you know about yourself through the Enneagram as a system for your whole self. On this week's episode we feature three 8s, and whether you think of them as Challengers or not, see what the spectrum of their sub-types reveals. Enneagram 8s are a gut (body) type, and they lead us off on our series of the depth and breadth of the Enneagram. Next week, we represent the 9s. Thanks for tuning in and joining us on our self-development journey. The journey never ends, and there's plenty of work in front of you right now. Learn with us, and we'll see you on the other side.Time Stamps:1:51--Jared Byas introduces himself 3:15--Stacey Ruff introduces herself5:52--Jessica Dickson introduces herself15:30--Discussing the "gut" (or body) type of reaction26:40--How 8s deal with conflict40:40--How 8s are dealing with that inner wounded child43:11--How being tough and strong does not always serve you well51:47--The decision to stop with perfectionism55:45--How 8s work with their passion of lust, and their virtue of innocence66:46--How arrrows are quite importantReady to unlock your potential? Check out our Enneagram Guide at bigselfschool.com/enneagram.Leave us a review and subscribe on Apple iTunes.Subscribe on Spotify.Find us at the Big Self Community on Facebook.

Jul 11, 20211h 14m

S2 Ep 73Hot Seat Session: An Enneagram Type 2 Peels Back the Layers

Shelley and Chad aren't going to ask anyone else to do what they aren't willing to do themselves. In this episode, Chad puts Shelley on the hot seat. He grills her on what it means to be a 2 with a subtype of self-preservation. She defaults to pride when it comes to her relationships, and a growth path for her revolves around humility. Just how vulnerable will Shelley allow herself to be? As a 2, she is good at listening to others and letting them open up, but part of the unconscious strategy is to avoid having to reveal much about herself. Can Chad crack the Shelley code and get her to cry at least once? Tune in to find out all this and more on this second week of Enneagram hot seats featuring Big Self Co-Founders, Chad and Shelley Prevost. Next week, we dive into our panels discussing their types, what makes them ticks, what are their motivations, how do they function in work settings, where are their weaknesses and virtues.Time Stamps:2:50--What does Shelley think about the rising popularity of the Enneagram?6:34--Heart types15:01--The passion of pride, and how 2s have to work on this21:20--How Shelley defaults in acute stress29:01--How Shelley works with her arrows point at her 4 and 835:00--How Shelley sometimes has to name her emotions36:35--How Shelley began to get traction with the Enneagram as a tool for growth when she gave herself to the system of the Enneagram Ready to unlock your potential? Check out our Enneagram Guide at bigselfschool.com/enneagram.Leave us a review and subscribe on Apple iTunes.Subscribe on Spotify.Find us at the Big Self Community on Facebook.

Jul 4, 202140 min

S2 Ep 72Hot Seat Session: An Enneagram Type 4 Gets Real

Shelley and Chad aren't going to ask anyone else to do what they aren't willing to do themselves. In this episode, Shelley puts Chad on the hot seat. What has the Enneagram taught him about himself? What insights has it led to for personal growth? Where is he aware he still has work to do? What's so special about an Enneagram 4 (sexual subtype) anyway? Will Chad crack under the pressure? All this and more on today's special Enneagram deep dive.Time Stamps:3:35-How fours need to think they're special9:37-Overview of the heart, head, and body types11:40-How sadness shows up for fours13:08-How learning the subtypes really helped in understanding exactly who Chad was17:40-How authenticity feels for a four22:40-The issue of inferiority versus superiority26:17-Dealing with the humility of failure45:50-The growth path as Chad currently sees it54:13-The arrows in growth and stress for a fourLeave us a review and subscribe on Apple iTunes.Subscribe on Spotify.Find us at the Big Self Community on Facebook.

Jun 27, 20211h 2m

S2 Ep 71Frame your story, discern your callings with Dan Cumberland

This week we speak with Dan Cumberland, the CEO of UpsideBuilders and Host of The Meaning Movement to talk about how we can get more out of a career change. Dan is on a mission to 'shake people awake' when it comes to their careers and what they want to do with their lives. There is a common misconception that your career is where your purpose is found when in fact, what you do for work is simply an opportunity to flex the muscles of what makes you happy, what fulfills you. Time Stamps:4:00: Dan realized that the youth ministry wasn't for him7:49: What are the voices that are misguiding12:03: What is your working definition of calling19:11: So how does that fit into your framework and how you think about callings29:50: I don't think failure is necessary, but I but it's, there's usually that inciting incident and to use that language again, that's like something that pushes us over the edge.36:57: I am extremely relational and emotionalLeave us a review and subscribe on Apple iTunes.Subscribe on Spotify.Find us at the Big Self Community on Facebook.

Jun 20, 202143 min

S2 Ep 70All the reasons why you must discern your callings for an authentic life with Gregg Levoy

Gregg Levoy writes that we must be willing to get shaken up, “to submit ourselves to the dark blossoming of chaos” in order to continue growing. People tend to search for answers about their purpose more when they’re confronted by a problem, or when there is something uncomfortable in their life. Levoy has written from a multifaceted lens about calling. "Listen from down below if you want to hear from above," says Levoy. On this week's episode in the Callings series, Levoy shares his wisdom on everything from how to invoke your call, to whether a call is a right or a privilege, to how to listen, and even the consequences of following your call or NOT following.Time Stamps:2:15: How do you invoke a call?7:05: Gregg's definition of callings12:15: The wonderful Jewish proverb about listening from below to hear from above18:40: Is it a privilege to pursue one's call in the first place?21:15: Most people know it when they're in alignment with themselves26:30: An example of someone who just stuck with it34:27: On maybe not meditating some times44:22: On managing paradox betterFind Gregg and his book, Callings, at his site here.If you’re interested in callings go to Big Self School.com/corevalues and download the free activity we’ve created for you to get clear on your core values. It’s fun. It takes 15 minutes, and we believe core values are a critical component of your callings work.Leave us a review and subscribe on Apple iTunes.Subscribe on Spotify.Find us at the Big Self Community on Facebook.

Jun 13, 202156 min

S2 Ep 69Why so many miss their callings: and what you can do about it

bonus

Many people never discern their callings. On this week's Big Self Podcast we discuss what people misunderstand or resist about understanding and interpreting their calling (or sense of purpose and fulfillment in life). We touch on whether or not you have one True Call (with a capital C), whether or not your calling is really your vocation, as well as what it means to trust your intuition and embrace your shadow side. This bonus episode was originally a LIVE episode on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. We are happy to bring it to you as a follow-up to an earlier episode where we discuss your five (count 'em, five) callings.Knowing what you value is a critical first step in discerning your callings because it’s an indispensable part of knowing who you are. Your values tether you to your authentic self and they illuminate the way you should go. Download the Core Values workbook for free to get started.Leave us a review and subscribe on Apple iTunes.Subscribe on Spotify.Find us at the Big Self Community on Facebook.

Jun 9, 202128 min

S2 Ep 68Radical honesty with Jerry Colonna

Jerry Colonna is a professional coach, known for his unique teachings on entrepreneurship and business psychology. He is a co-founder and CEO of the executive coaching and leadership development company, Reboot and is the host of the Reboot Podcast if you’re looking for another great podcast. Among other things, he teaches leaders to embrace extreme challenges (as opposed to avoidance) and take time to discover the 'self' through introspection. His book Reboot: Leadership and the Art of Growing Up is a must-read.In this episode, you get a clear picture of how Jerry coaches, his concept of radical inquiry, and he offers his insights into how to do more while maintaining the practice of remaining your authentic self.Time Stamps:1:15: Shelley says, "I think I'm gonna cry" while welcoming Jerry to the show4:45: Shelley asks Jerry to share about his own crucible moment12:53: Jerry brings the conversation back to "calling"15:15: Shelley asks Jerry if it took failure in order to come to the learning point moment20:32: Jerry discusses listening to the inner voice and even gives it a name25:35: Chad asks Jerry a complicated series of questions on calling and listening to the inner voice, and Jerry attempts to tie it altogether33:35: Shelley talks about having a "death grip" on what she thought she was supposed to do35:00: Failure is not necessary, the question is how you respond to life eventsLeave us a review and subscribe on Apple iTunes.Subscribe on Spotify.Find us at the Big Self Community on Facebook.

Jun 6, 202156 min

S2 Ep 67Discover your five callings

Shelley and Chad kick off Season 2 with a series on "callings." In this week's episode, the co-hosts tee off the subject with their own working definition of what calling is and then dive into their own five-part framework for how to discern and build your callings.Let us hear your calling stories. What are the most inspiring stories of people who have clearly found their callings? In what ways would you say you have found your calling already? How do you know who you are already? In what ways would you say you are still looking for your calling?If you’re interested in callings go to Big Self School.com/corevalues and download the free activity we’ve created for you to get clear on your core values. It’s fun. It takes 15 minutes, and we believe core values are a critical component of your callings work.Time Stamps:4:14: Your callings are the experiences you co-create with something bigger than yourself.6:45: The five ways you are called, starting with you are called to grow12:53: You are called to connect16:20: You are called to contribute21:36: You are called to play26:17: You are called to create27:57: Entering a flow stateLeave us a review and subscribe on Apple iTunes.Subscribe on Spotify.Find us at the Big Self Community on Facebook.

May 30, 202136 min

S1 Ep 66Mirror mirror on the wall with Tara Well

Although Tara Well calls herself a “mirror-gazing expert,” what this really means is that she helps people find a way back into themselves. She does that by teaching self-compassion through Mirror Meditation.After many years of disregarding her feelings, Tara found that something as simple as looking into the mirror can help with self-awareness and emotional regulation. Now, she shares her method with others — and it seems to be working miracles.But those miracles are well-backed by science. Tara is an associate psychology professor at Barnard College of Columbia University, where she teaches the theoretical base for her mirror work. On top of that, she writes a column for Psychology Today called The Clarity.Time Stamp:2:41 Tara explains Mirror Meditation 5:47 Tara shares the challenges that people face with Mirror Meditation 10:49 Self awareness and body awareness as part of Mirror Meditation 13:09 The first shift Tara sees in her clients once they start Mirror Meditation 15:35  Finding your true self under the layer of self criticism 17:45 The power of self talk and techniques to manage your inner critic 19:22 The technique of video journaling 26:53 Video journaling and its impact on image management 31:36 The mirror and narcissism 38:10 Tara shares how people react when she tells them that she is a Mirror Gazing Expert 39:36 Shelley shares a quote from Joseph Campbell 41:51 Tara shares about her book and where you can find her Leave us a review and subscribe on Apple iTunes.Subscribe on Spotify.Find us at the Big Self Community on Facebook.

Feb 7, 202144 min

S1 Ep 65Letting your life speak with Jordan Gross

Jordan believes that personal development is a never-ending process of imagining who you want to be, interpreting why you want to be that person, creating a plan to get there, and then implementing that plan in the most enjoyable and fulfilling way possible.He helps guide people to think differently and make daring changes in their lives. Jordan is trailblazing in the personal development field by using creative storytelling to allow people to gather their own insights from the characters he creates and the stories he shares.He’s a former startup founder, restaurant manager, and soccer goalie. A solopreneur, podcast host, and 2x TEDx speaker, he is also the #1 bestselling author of Getting COMFY: Your Morning Guide to Daily Happiness and The Journey to Cloud Nine.Freebie from Jordan: 61 of the Best Personal Development Books Summarized in One Sentence.Time Stamps:2:20 Jordan shares about his soccer journey and the experience of close but no cigar9:27 How that same theme carried over into his experience when trying to get a consulting job 11:46 Jordan shares what these experiences revealed to him about life 13:34 How this experience led him to where he is today 18:06 The conversation shifts to the topic of luck 21:17 Jordan shares his life motto22:33 Shelley shares a story that speaks to the power of reframing and rethinking about challenges in life26.22 Three ways to redirect when things aren’t working out 28:54 Shelley talks more deeply about failure and ego30:36 Jordan explains why he is more open to failure at this point in his life 32:29 Jordan shares about his morning routine and explains the C.O.M.F.Y acronym  38:59 His No News Challenge41:32 Where to find Jordan Leave us a review and subscribe on Apple iTunes.Subscribe on Spotify.Find us at the Big Self Community on Facebook.

Jan 31, 202145 min

S1 Ep 64The new golden rule with Emily Golden

Emily is a master certified coach who specializes in executive leadership and career coaching. She has seventeen years of corporate human resources experience; practical experience from more than 2,500 hours of coaching; and a deep understanding of the human mind, spirit, and potential. Chad: Her clients range from seasoned executives to emerging leaders, to career changers who utilize her support to close the gap between where they are and where they want to be. Emily’s ontological approach allows individuals to clarify their goals, shift beliefs and habits, take risks, execute brilliance, and make quantum leaps rather than incremental improvements. Check her out here, or go straight to her book, The New Golden Rule.Time Stamps:1:48 Emily shares about the new golden rule 3:53 Emily talks about the bumpy road that got her to discover the new golden rule 9:18 Emily shares how her real transformation happened when she learned to ask for support 11:46 The new golden rule as a unisex message and how men struggle with this as well 14:55 How to know what you really need17:52 Emily explains why it’s so important to retrain the people in our lives 19:29 Emily shares her fundamental belief that there are two sides of self 23:22 How to find the confidence to clarify your needs, communicate them and maintain them24:42 We discuss fear of failure 26:24 Shifting to a growth mindset and committing to the work over looking for a quick fix 27:40 The importance of community 30:56 Emily talks about the importance of self awareness 33:27 Emily shares about her book: The New Golden Rule 35:21 Emily shares the practice and routines that work for her 38:21 Where to find Emily  Leave us a review and subscribe on Apple iTunes.Subscribe on Spotify.Find us at the Big Self Community on Facebook.

Jan 24, 202140 min

S1 Ep 63The mind that can't be measured with Kevin M. Johnson

Kevin M. Johnson’s work is on the recovery of the space outside of ego, so our work in Big Self School swims in the same waters. Kevin is a teacher, retreat director, and co-host of the podcast Encountering Silence. Having spent years achieving a number of advanced degrees, speaking at large academic conferences, and even presenting at prestigious schools like Yale and Harvard Universities, he discovered he needed to walk a bit outside the halls of the Academy to explore deeper.Although he continues to teach at the university level, he now jokingly refers to himself as “a recovering academic” who teaches online and in various settings outside the university that often crosses boundaries into spaces that are not currently on our cultural maps.Kevin is looking to recover a space for holistic wellness and wisdom. Somewhere in the intersection of spirituality, psychology, wellness, self-help, and philosophy. A space that does not fit in easily on our current cultural maps. Find out more about Kevin at his website and at his podcast, Encountering Silence.Time Stamps:2:15 Kevin explains why he refers to himself as a recovering academic 6:15 Kevin talks about the mental map and the difference between how we think about things today versus the past 12:06 We discuss Seneca and Stoicism 14:23 The philosophy conversation continues17:36 Kevin shares the essential parts of what it means to be human and how it has been left out of our cultural map 21:06 Kevin talks about silence and why it is so essential 22:41 Kevin leads us through an exercise 26:01 Silence and our inner critic 28:23 Kevin answers the question ‘what makes us ready for silence?’ 34:48 We discuss the intimacy of silence with ourselves and others 37:43 What silence actually allows us to see 41:34 Kevin shares two simple things you can do to help you feel more connected 45:20 Shelley shares a Parker Palmer quote that she loves 47:37 Where to find Kevin Leave us a review and subscribe on Apple iTunes.Subscribe on Spotify.Find us at the Big Self Community on Facebook.

Jan 17, 202151 min

S1 Ep 62The myth of hard success with Caterina Kostoula

Caterina Kostoula is an executive coach and founder of The Leaderpath. Her mission is to coach pioneering leaders and teams for meaningful impact and fulfillment.​Prior to The Leaderpath, Caterina was a Global Business Leader at Google. She managed some of the company's largest C-level partnerships. She was also an internal coach, awarded a 5-star-rating distinction from her coachees. Caterina has coached leaders from Google, Amazon, Vodafone, Ferrero, ArcelorMittal, Workable, and several entrepreneurs. She collaborates with INSEAD, coaching Executive MBAs and alumni. She is a member of the Forbes Coaches Council.Caterina has lived in more than seven countries across America, Europe, and Asia. She now lives in London.https://www.theleaderpath.com/https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6741992273124433920/https://www.theleaderpath.com/single-post/2019/11/04/Success-feels-easy-when-you-are-on-the-right-trackFreebie: www.theleaderpath.com/mindsetTime Stamps: 2:17 Caterina shares how team coaching set her on the path to writing her book 5:17 She explains the idea behind her 4 D’s Framework for meetings8:13 Caterina discusses the importance of trust in meetings and how to foster that trust 11:14 The most common mistakes people make in meetings 13:02 Caterina shares about the myth of the lonely genius 15:19 Caterina outlines 3 reasons not to have a meeting 18:20 We discuss ego management 21:07 Caterina answers how she coaches her clients on the difference between when to push through the hard and when to opt out 23:04 Shelley shares a quote from her favorite book and how it relates to the illusion of struggle 25:45 We discuss burnout and the dangerous myth of associating struggle with success28:03 Caterina shares how she coaches about failure 32:05 Caterina explains Leaderpath33:48 Caterina shares about her book, Hold Successful Meetings, available now for pre-orderLeave us a review and subscribe on Apple iTunes.Subscribe on Spotify.Find us at the Big Self Community on Facebook.

Jan 10, 202137 min

S1 Ep 61Our relationship to ourselves and one another with Chris Collins

A large part of holistic healing and being an upper cervical chiropractic practitioner is helping people manage pain, often chronic pain. What role does stress play in people’s pain? What is something Chris sees again and again and that he sees as vital to helping people manage their stress (and their pain)?Today’s guest is Dr. Chris Collins. He received his doctor of chiropractic degree from Sherman College of Chiropractic in Spartanburg, SC. He received his bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science from University of Southern Mississippi, and has a background in exercise physiology and cardiopulmonary rehabilitation. Chris has advanced training in Knee Chest Upper Cervical Technique, which is one of the most researched, and advanced applications of chiropractic today. We met Chris through the Big Self School, so we can honestly say that Chris is a verified Big Selfer. Chris has a big heart and wants to help build communities where people have access to everything they need to lead a healthy life.Time Stamps:4:22 Chris shares his vision for his community in Chattanooga 5:58 How to form connection mindfully 7:22 We discuss community and the importance of boundaries 11:58 The risk of connection and setting expectations 14:08 Chris talks about how his practice changed when he discovered that his chiropractic patients with chronic conditions all had an underlying relationship with stress 18:22 Chris shares the story about when his morning started with a Tik Tok video and the impact it had on his day 25:17 Chris makes a powerful point about managing stressful moments 26:33 We discuss emotional vulnerability 31:46 Chad shares why he was reluctant to become a chiropractic doctor and what shifted for him 36:04 Recommended healthy practices to process stress 42:35 Where to find Chris Leave us a review and subscribe on Apple iTunes.Subscribe on Spotify.Find us at the Big Self Community on Facebook.

Jan 7, 202145 min

S1 Ep 60The growth always hurts with Michael Thompson

Michael Thompson grew up with severe social anxiety and a stutter. He tells us about what that was like, and then what he did when he finally decided to take on a job that was going to challenge him in a whole new way.He applies his lessons in coaching his clients to overcome obstacles. Some people say maximize your strengths, Michael, on the other hand, takes the bull by the horns and addresses pain points as growth opportunities.He also tells us the story about the day he lost $250,000. How did it happen? What was his response?Michael Thompson is a career strategist who works with business professionals and entrepreneurs to open more doors and receive greater satisfaction from their work.As a communication coach he helps business executives and entrepreneurs be successful by making the right connections. As a career coach, he’s worked with over 250+ individuals from recent college graduates to CEOs of multinationals and award-winning creatives to take the right small steps to reach their next big goal.Time Stamps:1:29 Michael tells his story of growing up with a severe stutter and social anxiety 3:27 Michael shares what he learned about leadership from his experience 5:59 How stuttering taught Michael the importance of giving people room to lead themselves 9:10 Michael shares his advice for what builds confidence 11:49 We discuss the necessary balance of living in our strengths but also doing the things that scare us 15:20 the IKEA effect and the craftsman mindset 16:23 Michael shares the story about the day he lost $250,00021:10 What his experiences taught him about happiness 22:59 Michael shares an update on how his coaching clients are doing through the pandemic in Spain 26:50 How to develop your self-awareness in just 4 minutes a day 32:55 Michael shares the practices and routines that keep him focused on growth in his life  38:18 Michael reveals a productivity tip he learned that serves as a reminder that we have a life and not a career 40:02 Where to find Michael Leave us a review and subscribe on Apple iTunes.Subscribe on Spotify.Find us at the Big Self Community on Facebook.

Jan 3, 202142 min

S1 Ep 59Completing the whole person with Breslin and DeMarco

We talk about shifting your mindset into a lifestyle of sustained, healthy practices. From meditating to journaling, hot and cold water therapy to the outer impact of what we're doing to the planet, this conversation packs a punch. It's the very end of a wild and difficult year and this episode leaves you with lots to process and be hopeful for as we veer into a new year. Will it be a whole new you? Why not you?Janna Breslin was born and raised in Southern California and is a former pharmaceutical representative for one of the leading Pharmaceutical companies in the world. After battling multiple health issues and realizing she could heal herself with food and nutrition, she discovered a passion for helping others achieve optimal health. Janna is now a well-known fitness model, certified personal trainer, health coach, and nutrition expert.Evan DeMarco is a leading sports medicine and nutrition expert, published author, public speaker and frequent guest on television, radio, and digital platforms. Evan returned to school to study bio- and organic chemistry and went on to develop a vastly improved formula for prenatal supplements delivered in liquid form after finding out he was going to be a father. From there he worked to develop numerous ingredient technologies to improve brain function in infants, children and adults. https://completehuman.com/2019/12/23/aboutus/https://www.amazon.com/Mia-Go-Away-Monster-Spray/dp/1098342798Time Stamps:2:14 Evan explains epigenetics 3:44 Evan shares the four pillars of epigenetics 6:33 We discuss radical responsibility 9:04 Our ego and radical responsibility 12:16 Evan and Janna share how to establish and maintain good habits 14:17 The impact of reframing the idea of habits as creating a lifestyle 16:07 Janna and Evan share their why and how they connect it to their daily practices19:55 The impact of stress and suggestions to modify your lifestyle to decrease stressors 21:53 Evan shares some scary stats about social media consumption and the impact it’s having on our stress levels and our health 27:41 Janna and Evan share more about the inner work they do and how it translates into their outer work 34:09 We talk about the practice of gratitude 36:42 Janna discusses empaths and shares her recommendations for recharging 39:40 The power of the negative ions of water for empathic people 43:56 Evan shares about the children’s book he just published and about how the proceeds are going to fight human trafficking 47:54 Where to find Evan and Janna 48:07 Evan shares about their product line and their missionLeave us a review and subscribe on Apple iTunes.Subscribe on Spotify.Find us at the Big Self Community on Facebook.

Dec 27, 202052 min

S1 Ep 58How sensitive strivers lead with confidence with Melody Wilding

Today we bring you Melody Wilding, an executive and leadership coach for smart, sensitive high-achievers who are tired of getting in their own way. Through her private one-on-one coaching program, talks, small-group workshops, and articles, she helps you break free from self-doubt and overwhelm, master your emotions, and use your sensitivity as the superpower that it is. Recently named one of Business Insider’s “Most Innovative Coaches”, Melody coined the groundbreaking idea of “sensitive striving.” She has helped CEOs, leaders, and top-performers at the world’s most successful companies including Google, Facebook, JP Morgan, Verizon and more. Her work has been featured on The New York Times, The Oprah Magazine, NBC News, and dozens of other high-profile publications.She currently teaches Human Behavior at Hunter College and is a columnist for magazines such as Inc. and Forbes.Time Stamps:2:50 Melody explains what it means to be a Sensitive Striver 12:18 Melody shares the 1st of 6 key qualities that make up being a Sensitive Striver: Sensitivity 17:02 Melody shares the 2nd key quality of a Sensitive Striver: Thoughtfulness 17:57 Shelley relates the 2nd key quality of thoughtfulness to her Enneagram type 20:00 We discuss the 3rd quality of a Sensitive Striver: Responsibility 21:40 Inner Drive as the 4th quality of a Sensitive Striver 24:19 Vigilance as the 5th quality of a Sensitive Striver 27:13 Melody shares the 6th and final quality of a Sensitive Striver: Emotionality 28:39 The number one challenge Melody sees in her client: Imposter Syndrome 30:35 Melody discusses how she coaches someone to step into their power 31:42 Melody shares her hack for dealing with negative self-talk 33:51 The discussion dives deeper into Imposter Syndrome37:25 Melody shares how her practices of theming her days, limiting decision fatigue and doing a weekly CEO report  help her flourish as a Sensitive Striver41:05 Melody shares about her upcoming book: Trust Yourself: Stop Overthinking and Channel Your Emotions for Success at Work 42:00 Where to find Melody Leave us a review and subscribe on Apple iTunes.Subscribe on Spotify.Find us at the Big Self Community on Facebook.

Dec 20, 202044 min

S1 Ep 57How you can be more productive and fulfilled with Melissa Gratias

Melissa Gratias, a Ph.D. in organizational psychology, is an international speaker, coach, blogger, and author. For more than 20 years, Melissa’s coaching and consulting work has improved productivity for multinational, billion-dollar companies as well as individual solopreneurs. She creates workable systems so people can accomplish their professional goals in less time and with less stress. As a result, thousands of business owners, CEOs, and other overwhelmed professionals have become more focused, effective, and balanced in their lives and work. You know a lot of people listening may feel a sense of burnout already, and the very idea of trying to be more productive might sound off-putting. People don’t just want to be the sum total of what they get done. We also know--and what Melissa helps people she coaches to try and understand--is that productivity problems are basically people problems. We don’t always understand why we’re not getting more done with our time even when we want to. Melissa discusses how she helps people frame their “Why?” behind the issues that get in the way of their productivity.Time Stamps:2:27 Melissa shares what led her to organizational psychology, specifically the area of productivity 4:46 Melissa answers why determining your why is so important to being productive 8:36 Melissa reveals the biggest productivity problem that she sees: perfectionism 11:26 Shelley asks Melissa how she would define being productive 14:13 Your to-do list is crystal ball that predicts your future 16:20 Melissa shares why she doesn’t use the word habits with her clients and how she relates habits to Shawshank Redemption 18:08 Melissa explains the power behind rituals and why she encourages her clients to establish intentional rituals over habits 19:19 How you can use rituals to launch you into tasks that you typically procrastinate 22:13 Productivity as a mindset 23:42 Shelley has an a-ha moment 26:47 Melissa shares some recommended practices for productivity 30:57 We discuss the concept of micro-moments and how to handle competing priorities 36:46 Melissa shares the productivity tip that works best for her37.48 Where to find Melissa Leave us a review and subscribe on Apple iTunes.Subscribe on Spotify.Find us at the Big Self Community on Facebook.

Dec 13, 202040 min

S1 Ep 56Follow the process, not the outcome with Omar Itani

Omar Itani thought he had all the time in the world, until one day he found himself blacked out on the street, broken from an accident, unable to walk. It shook him to the core and reminded him that there’s more to life than just merely living—there’s the unparalleled thrill of ‘feeling alive’. So as soon as he recovered, he took a leap of faith, he left his job at Google and stopped talking about starting a business, or traveling around the world, or becoming a writer. Instead, he just did.Omar Itani is a writer, an ex-Google, founder of Lovers of The Sea, and an advocate for doing meaningful work that sprouts from purpose-driven creativity. His work has been featured in Thrive Global and major Medium publications such as Mind Café, The Startup, and P.S. I Love You. He has lived in six countries, traveled to over 40, and is a certified diver and sailor. He has a background in Marketing and holds a Master’s of Science in International Business from Ivey Business School & CEMS Global Alliance.Time Stamps: 2:20 Omar shares how an accident that left him unable to walk shifted his perspective on life and helped him transition from always talking about the things he wanted to do in life  to actually doing them  4:31 Shelley discusses the idea of mortality motivation 6:35 Omar shares how reading Atomic Habits by James Clear made him realize that the transformation he was looking for needed to start with change on the inside 9:28 Omar shares about his realization that in order to create sustainable change and master your craft, you have to be willing to stick with something for the long term 11:17 We discuss the importance of falling in love with the process and not the outcome 12:51 Omar explains his philosophy that real happiness comes from the alignment  between being and thinking and doing 14:40 We discuss the struggle of just ‘being’ in a culture where we are always doing 15:59 Omar gives advice and practical tips for getting into the ‘being’ state 18:55 Omar explains his life philosophy of slow living 24:50 We discuss the definition of success30:34 The conversation continues to explore the idea of abundance when you are working within your purpose 38:45 Omar shares his vision and dream for his writing 40:33 Where you can find Omar Leave us a review and subscribe on Apple iTunes.Subscribe on Spotify.Find us at the Big Self Community on Facebook.

Dec 6, 202042 min

S1 Ep 55Mind mapping resilience with Karen Nimmo

Today we speak with Karen Nimmo, a registered clinical psychologist with a private practice in Wellington, working in adolescent and adult mental health. She also has a background in physical education. In a former life Karen was a print journalist and media consultant. Karen works primarily in performance and life coaching. As a clinical psychologist, she is able to assess, diagnose and treat psychological problems where required. She is trained in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy but draws on a range of models and tools to match individual needs.Time Stamps: 3:42 We start the conversation with a discussion of how to not just survive during this time but also thrive 5:07 Karen shares her tools for coping with distress and  building resistance 6:51 Karen explains the traffic light tool for managing what we can control and what we need to let go of7:53 Shelley shares how she uses the PIIP - Put It In Perspective - method 10:24 Karen shares her personal story of her husbands stage 4 cancer diagnosis and the plan that they came up with to help them navigate that time, which eventually turned into her current book 14:33 We talk about the importance of recognizing the mind-body connection 20:06 Karen talks about the challenging but therapeutic experience of writing her book, Fish Pie Is Worse Than Cancer24:45 Karen talks about despair, desperation and disgust as motivators for change 25:31 We dig deep into finding what’s stopping Shelley from going after her one big goal 27:35 Karen shares a powerful story about living your life based on a story that no longer holds true for you31:21 What is the story that you are living that you need some help to confront?  32:24 Karen talks about listening as an art form 35:15 Karen shares the reason behind her book ‘10 On The Couch Sessions to Diagnose, Explain and Treat Busy AF People Everywhere’ and her biggest takeaway from it Leave us a review and subscribe on Apple iTunes.Subscribe on Spotify.Find us at the Big Self Community on Facebook.

Nov 29, 202043 min

S1 Ep 54Bonus Episode: Writing your way to freedom with Megan Holstein

How Top Medium Writer Megan Holstein went from young entrepreneur to discovering the life of a writer. How she works through resistance, what she advises on figuring out how to get paid to live the life you love, and how less is more when it comes to goals. She's also a big proponent for minimalism both in terms of her "to do" list each day, as well as her material possessions. She also discusses her productivity experiments. She offers a step-by-step for how she tackles the writing process.Time Stamps:3:29 Megan shares the story behind the apps she developed at age 15  6:08 Megan shares the unique way she went from creating apps to being a published author 10:41 We discuss how to find clarity on what you want to do with your life 12:24 We discuss the idea of resistance as a psychological barrier, how resistance can give us clarity18:14 Megan shares her insight on how the most productive people actually do less and have fewer goals 20:46 Shelley shares the meaning behind The Big Self 21:46 Megan talks about how to cut out overwhelm by looking at the daily commitment and not the larger goal 28:16 We discuss Megan’s take on minimalism 32:17 We discuss our views on self-help and what the end game of self-help is 39:42 How to find Megan Leave us a review and subscribe on Apple iTunes.Subscribe on Spotify.Find us at the Big Self Community on Facebook.

Nov 25, 202042 min

S1 Ep 53Grow in gratitude and positive psychology with Nico Rose

Whatever it is you’re doing to cope with the constant new normal of these uncertain times as we barrel into the holiday season, we hope it is healthy but even if it’s not, we’re glad you’re finding a way to apply some positivity to your life. To help you do just that, we have brought on author of three books and positive psychologist, Nico Rose, who holds a doctoral degree in business administration. He´s also a graduate of the MAPP program at University of Pennsylvania.Nico is a full professor of organizational psychology at International School of Management (ISM), Dortmund, one of Germany´s premier Business Schools. Prior to that, he served as the Vice President Employer Branding & Talent Acquisition at Bertelsmann, Europe´s largest media corporation. He is a frequent interview partner on human resources and leadership topics in newspapers, professional magazines, and online publications. Nico is also a regular keynote speaker at corporate events and conventions on leadership, coaching, and human resources. He lives in Hamm/Germany with his wife Ina, two children, and two cats.https://nicorose.de/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Corona_Emotions_Growth_Study_040320.pdfhttps://mappalicious.com/2020/03/27/10-well-founded-tips-and-tricks-to-cope-with-bad-moods-in-times-of-the-corona-crisis/Time Stamps: 2:39 Nico shares how he got started in the field of positive psychology 7:25 We dive into the misunderstandings of positive psychology 12:03 Nico explains post traumatic growth and the five points used to identify it 17:50 Nico shares the results of his survey during the corona crisis and the role gratitude plays in post traumatic growth 20:33 We dive deeper into the power of gratitude 22:59 Shelley shares about her dissertation on gratitude 25:52 Nico shares his top recommendations for specific behaviors we can adapt into our lives and routines right now34:22 The conversation switches gears to talk about organizational leadership and Nico explains his CAARMA Method and how it assesses people’s overall meaning and purpose at work45:35 Nico shares the scientific finding in positive psychology that has intrigued him the most 49:18 Where you can find Nico Leave us a review and subscribe on Apple iTunes.Subscribe on Spotify.Find us at the Big Self Community on Facebook.

Nov 15, 202051 min

S1 Ep 52How to renew your surge capacity with Tara Haelle

Whatever it is you’re doing to cope with the constant new normal of these uncertain times as we barrel into the holiday season, we are glad you are here! Joining us today is Tara Haelle. Tara is a regular Forbes contributor and the core topic leader in medical studies for the Association of Health Care Journalists. As a freelance science and health reporter and parenting blogger, her pieces frequently appear in NPR, Scientific American, Slate, Politico, HealthDay, Everyday Health, and Consumer Reports. Tara is author of The Informed Parent: A Science-Based Resource for Your Child’s First Four Years, coauthored with Emily Willingham. In another life, she was also a world traveler — backpacking, hiking, train-hopping and motorbiking through more than 40 countries on six continents while eating strange insects, climbing ancient ruins and swimming with sharks — before she became a mom. It was also pre-pandemic, and our interest in this interview is discussing what research is telling her about how we can cope in a crisis that just keeps going on and on.https://medium.com/@tarahaellehttps://www.tarahaelle.net/Time Stamps: 2:35 We open up the discussion talking about the pandemic and Tara shares her story about her personal emotional crash5:43  Tara discusses surge capacity and how the pandemic created a situation for us where we have exceeded that capacity 7:20 Shelley talks about chronic stress syndrome and the feelings of tired and wired8:25 We discuss why this time has been especially hard for high performers 11:00 Tara shares how accepting our current reality and accepting what that means are the keys to managing this pandemic 14:40 Tara explains the concept of ambiguous loss as it relates to the pandemic 17.40 We discuss parenting in the pandemic 24:16 We talk about screen time and how it relates to anxiety before and during the pandemic 30:12 Tara shares creative suggestions, practices and routines that she recommends to take care of ourselves through the pandemic and building up your resilience bank account Leave us a review and subscribe on Apple iTunes.Subscribe on Spotify.Find us at the Big Self Community on Facebook.

Nov 8, 202035 min