Resilience Unravelled

Keywords - Resilience – Leadership – Intentionality – Implicit Bias In this episode of Resilience Unravelled Dr Kristen Albert, a leadership coach and podcaster with 30 years of experience in education, discusses her definition of leadership, the importance of intentionality and the aspects positively correlated to leadership effectiveness. Kristen believes that everyone at every level is capable and responsible for leading within their sphere of influence and talks about the need to change the traditional paradigms surrounding what it means to be a leader. She also discusses how intuition can be misleading but that listening to one's body can provide valuable insight into decision making and her advocacy for diversity and equality in leadership positions. Main topicsthe leadership circle profilehierarchy and leadershipthe need for intentionality in leadershipthe importance of personal work in recognising implicit bias and benefiting from systems that have been created over time. the need for leaders to remove fear from the workplace and create psychological safety. Timestamps1: Introductions 00:02--00:402. Defining Leadership 02:05-03:453: Details of Leadership 04:18-06:574: Harnessing Potential of Difference 14:30-16:255: Personal Leadership 22:10-23:086: Ways to Work with Kristen Albert 23:26-25:467: Conclusion 25:48-26:20Action itemsFind out more about Kristen's Turning Points program which offers leadership coaching, a community, and positive intelligence coaching.Listen to her Turning Points in Leadership podcast. Visit Liveworksatisfied.com to learn more about Kristen's coaching services.

Keywords Resilience – Leadership – Poetry – Control - AIIn this episode of Resilience Unravelled Aneace Haddad, an executive coach and author based in Singapore who talks about his background as a former tech entrepreneur turned leadership coach and writer. He talks about his recently published book, "The Eagle That Drank Hummingbird Nectar," which explores the concept of lyrical leadership through the five-step path of transformation - entering the path, resilience, limiting beliefs, innovation, and mindfulness – to enable leaders to let go of limiting beliefs and labels to become more resilient. The book is structured as a fictionalised account of his experiences and draws on Eastern philosophy principles without explicitly mentioning mindfulness.Main topicsThe importance of relinquishing control to create a new culture that can solve complex problems.The concept of lyrical leadership The value of letting go of rigid labels and authority while maintaining some controlThe illusion of self and mindfulnessOvercoming contradictions and balancing innovation and resultsTimestamps1: Introductions 00:00-00:362: Aneace’s background and career 00:41-02:193: Aneace's novel and writing process 02:19-04:114: Lyrical Leadership and Aneace's approach to coaching 04:46-06:395: Aneace's Book "The Dream", Five Steps to Resilience, and Letting Go 06:56-09:496: Detaching the illusion of self and mindfulness 11:29-14:337: Overcoming contradictions and balancing innovation with results 15:04-16:438: Chat GPT and the future of writing 17:43-21:159: Contact information 21:52-22:3910: Conclusion and Farewell 23:00-23:17Action itemsFind out more about Aneace at aneace.comRead Aneace’s book The Eagle That Drank Hummingbird Nectar

Keywords - Resilience - Storytelling - Narrative - JournalingIn this episode of Resilience Unravelled Molly Sider,  a storytelling coach, shares her journey to discovering the power of personal narratives and how telling our stories can create connections with others. She encourages people to get vulnerable and share their stories in whatever way feels comfortable for them, whether it be with friends or writing it down. Molly emphasises that sharing our stories helps us humanise ourselves and others and creates compassion and empathy. The act of hiding our true selves takes up unnecessary energy, so we should aim to release these little bits about ourselves in order to live more authentically.Main topicsThe benefits of sharing personal stories and experiences.How opening up can help individuals understand their core identity and values.How privacy is okay for those who are uncomfortable with sharing personal details. The importance of interpersonal communication in calming one's nervous system and reducing stress.How listeners can start small by journaling or listening to others' stories before sharing their own. Timestamps1: Introduction Russell welcomes the audience and introduces Molly. 00:022: Getting to Know the Guest. Russell asks Molly how she is and about her background and how she discovered storytelling. 00:14-00:473: The Power of Storytelling. Molly talks about her experience with storytelling, the benefits of storytelling, and how it can create an immediate connection with the audience. 02:38-06:234: Sharing Your Story. Molly and Russell talk about different ways to share your story, including journaling, talking to friends, and professional help. They also discuss the importance of picking and choosing when and how to share your story. 08:33-15:225: Listening to Other People's Stories. Molly and Russell discuss the importance of listening to other people's stories and how it can help you understand yourself better. 19:25-20:046: Working with the Guest. Molly talks about the work she does as a life coach and how she helps people share their change stories. 20:23-22:137: Conclusion. Russell thanks Molly and provides information on how to contact her. 22:13-22:18 Action itemsListen to Molly’s podcast I Am This Age a platform for people who have made big life changes beyond 40 years old. Find out more about Molly at mollysider.comListen to The Moth, a storytelling event, available as a podcast.

Keywords: Resilience – Leadership – Empathy – Entertainment Industry – Executive CoachingIn this episode of Resilience Unravelled, Dawn Kohler a writer and executive coach in the entertainment industry discusses how media and entertainment are going through cataclysmic change right now due to streaming services like Netflix and Amazon. This has kept her busy coaching leaders who struggle to develop themselves and their teams during times of uncertainty or turbulence. She discusses the evolution of leadership styles in the industry and the focus on empathy and accountability and also touches on the importance of proper nurturing in parenting and how organisations can value the wisdom of elders while embracing diversity for growth. Main topicsHow the media industry reflects our society and shows how ithas moved forward.The evolution of leadership style and approach behind the screen.Why adults need to hold space for somebody and listen to the acknowledgment of somebody being hurt by something they unintentionally or intentionally did.A generational shift towards people who are resilient is happening because of leaders' great intentions with zero competence.Building resilience means having the ability to get things wrong and put things right.Why organisations should value the wisdom of the elders and have good mentoring programs.Timestamps1: Introduction to Dawn and her work as a writer and executive coach (00:00-01:34)2: How Dawn found her path in the entertainment industry and her success dealing with the human dynamic during times of change (01:51-03:07)3: The role of entertainment in reflecting society and representing different sectors of the population and emotional issues(03:38-05:56)4: The evolution of leadership style or approach (06:01-07:01)5: The power of communication and social media in giving viewers the ability to share their opinions and bring things to the surface (07:11-08:12)6: The importance of empathy and acknowledging hurt when unintentionally or intentionally offending someone (12:07-14:11)7: Dawn's work as an author and her latest book, "The Messages," which is a memoir that tells the underbelly of her own story(14:19-18:37)8: The need for resilience and the importance of learning the ability to get things wrong and put things right (19:48-23:00)9: The value of wisdom from elders in organisations and the importance of passing down corporate history (23:08-24:59)10: The importance of escalation and having challenging conversations in organisations (24:51-26:14)Dawn is also the author of three books, including her latest memoir "The Messages," which discusses her personal journey through severe abuse in childhood, which led to a shift in perspective and ultimately into the field of executive coaching. Action pointsLearn about Dawn at dawnkohler.comRead Dawn’s book ‘The Messages. A Memoir’

Keywords: Rewiring the Brain - Resilience - Mental Health - Repairing the BrainIn this episode of Resilience  Unravelled, Scott Warwick, an attorney and human resources professional for over 41 years, talks about his interest in mental health which stems from his son's Asperger's autism diagnosis. Scott has conducted subsequent research that revealed western medicine has a limited understanding of how the brain works. He highlights that chronic distress is the number one threat to people’s health and that people need to change their lifestyle holistically rather than rely on pills. Furthermore, that getting rid of toxic individuals in your life is crucial for maintaining good mental health as they can drain your energy like vampires.Scott discusses the importance of taking care of our brain and how it affects overall health. He talks about the negative effects of stress and anxiety on the brain, as well as poor nutrition and lack of hydration and emphasises that a holistic approach including things like meditation, positive thinking, conflict resolution skills, and emotional intelligence training for managers is necessary. He also shares his personal story and authenticated scans in his book ‘Healing the Human Brain’ which highlights how he overcame challenges to repair his own brain function and how his son’s brain scan revealed issues which led to a journey of discovery and healing. The book also talks about the brain's ability to rewire itself and techniques for stress management.Main topics:Why chronic distress is the number one threat to health according to Harvard Medical College and the American Psychological Association.How meditation and positive thinking can help rewire the brain.Why a brain healthy workplace involves conflict resolution and emotional intelligence training for supervisors and managers.How learning a new language can also help heal the brain.The art of debate and mutual learning versus self-destruction in today's society.The importance of finding a lifestyle that works for each person's unique needsThe need for better treatment of people in the workplace to promote productivity and leadership. How to improve their brain health through activities such as meditation and sports.Timestamps:1: Introduction - 00:02-00:392: Background. Scott discusses his unusual background and how it led to his interest in brain healing - 01:21-02:433: Healing Brain Concept. Scott discusses his son's brain condition and the journey they went through to heal it - 02:43-07:124: Rewiring the Brain. The process of rewiring the brain and the various methods used to achieve it - 07:12-17:545: Brain Healthy Environment. The importance of creating a brain healthy environment, including emotional intelligence and conflict resolution - 18:48-23:356: The Book. Scott discusses his book on brain healing and shares information on how to purchase it -  24:09-28:507: Conclusion and contact information - 28:50-29:13Action points:Learn more about Scott and his research and strategies for brain healing at https://scottwarrick.com/ His site allows viewers to access free videos on repairing their brain.Read his book ‘Healing the Human Brain’ which is available on Amazon.com

Keywords: Resilience - Addiction - Running - Therapy – Psychosocial - GriefIn this episode of Resilience Unravelled, Jess Keefe, a writer and advocate for mental health and substance use disorders, discusses her personal experience with the issue after losing her younger brother to addiction. She highlights the need for science-based addiction treatment and challenges the stigma surrounding it. The conversation also touches on societal factors that contribute to addiction, including glamorisation of drug use in American culture and unfettered capitalism.Jess and Russell discuss the conflicting messages in American society, where people are expected to be moral and responsible while being bombarded with toxic advertising. They debate the effectiveness of 12 step programs for addiction treatment, highlighting that it works best when individuals actively choose to participate and the lack of access to addiction treatment options is due to a complex system that prioritises profit over patient care. Effective addiction treatment involves ongoing support, medications, therapy, and social supports such as housing and jobs. The stigma surrounding drug use makes it difficult for people to seek help when they need it most.Main topics:·     The issues related to high overdose rates in the US.Why early intervention is important to prevent drug abuse.Jess's own experiences with drug abuse.Why traditional forms of therapy, such as the Twelve Steps, are only effective for those who actively consent and want to participate.The different forms of talk therapy and medication that can be used to treat addiction.Why additional support such as career counselling and housing assistance is also important for sustained recovery.Why the current healthcare system is not well-equipped to handle addiction treatment.Timestamps:1. Introduction - 00:00-00:252. Personal Experience with addiction - 00:30-03:023. Early signs and coping mechanisms - 04:50-10:214. Treatment options and efficacy of Twelve Steps - 15:14-17:045. Challenges in getting help and support - 21:13-25:046. Writing a book and target audience - 26:19-30:187. Conclusion and contact information - 30:52-31:52Jess also discusses her new book "Remind Me 30,000 Steps," which follows her journey through grief after losing her brother. The book is for people who have experienced addiction or know someone who has, explores the psychosocial factors of addiction and drug use while also providing a human story that people can relate to. She hopes the book will help others who have experienced loss or are curious about the issue of addiction.Action points:Learn more about Jess’s work as a writer and editor by visiting her website at jesskeefe.comRead Jess’s book, "Remind Me 30,000 Steps: A Memoir of Sprinting Toward Life After Loss" for a practical and pragmatic insight into the human side of substance abuse.

Failure and success can be defined in many ways and, because we are all constantly evolving, failure can be part of the journey. People often don't even know what success looks like for them because it is different for everyone. There is more than one indicator of success and Andrew defines it as finding a way to join yourself with your calling, by identifying and using your talents to their highest impact which many not necessarily be monetary.In this podcast:The definition of failureThe five rules of failureWhat success looks like.

Some people never have an actual sense of awakening but if you’re not happy to get out of bed and face your life then it can be a sign you’re stuck. People can throw themselves into their professional life because they’re not happy in their personal life whilst others seem externally happy but know something is missing or not quite right. You might not realise it but if you’re on the wrong path something will be tapping on your shoulder. There is a feeling that we should be somewhere else and if you keep this down for a number of years, your brain will eventually start telling you that its OK, that this is where you're comfortable. If however you start telling it that you need to find a way to get out of here it can work a lot better! In this podcast: Why people get stuckThe importance of having good role modelsFinding yourself through joy.

Family businesses are the backbone of the global economy but one of the biggest challenges they face is the relationship between different aspects of the business, the corporate role/personal relationship or the owner/employee. Although their share in the company may be small, people may want to to put their ownership hat on when really they need to be wearing their employee hat. There is also the relationship between the founders of the business, the 2nd generation who drive things forward and then the 3rd generation where things sometimes start to go wrong. There is a lot of background evidence around the ideas of succession and moving the business forward. Bringing new ideas on board can be difficult because of the power dynamics in a family business.In this podcast:Why it’s important to spend some time working in an outside organisationNine character traits important for business execs The dynamics of managing family business relationships.

The sense of the collective and feelings of emptiness when the focus is solely on the self comes from recognising that we are part of the greater fabric of humanity. We are the behaviours we engage in; in how we think and in the actions we take. When somebody engages in their own leadership journey and comes to this awareness, there is more conversation as people move up the hierarchy of basic needs. In this podcast:How leadership is a personal journeyThe 7 Pillars of leadershipHow to be a courageous leader

Nick wanted to know if he was the only one suffering from the feelings of isolation so he sent out a survey to other senior executives to find out how lonely they were in their roles. His first finding in 2019 was before the pandemic and showed that 30% of the senior executives he surveyed actually admitted they were suffering from loneliness in the workplace. He went back to the same group in 2020 during the pandemic and the figure had gone up to 59%. The next question he asked then was whether this was something they would talk to HR or their boss to. The answer was that 84% wouldn't. The type of role they were in meant they were the people who needed to be seen as being the strongest and stereotypically not able to ask for help. Some people have external executive coaches but many people find it hard to trust internal bosses or HR so who did they turn to? When asked do you seek professional help 75% said no they were coping by themselves. Nick feels that one of the few good things that came out of the pandemic was that psychologists and therapists could be seen online so people could start to reach out without being seen in a waiting room somewhere. Anonymity is there now so there has been some progress but people are still reluctant to talk about it and seem to deny it because the stigma is still there.In this podcast:How leaders can find themselves in the isolation trapWhy leaders find it difficult to ask for helpHow negative feelings can build up and take a mental and physical toll

Grief is a big emotion. It’s challenging and there's no right or wrong way to grieve. There is also no right or wrong way to deal with different types of grief. There can be a sudden loss or longer-term illness, the death of a child or a suicide. No matter how prepared you are for someone to die there is always an element of shock even if you've been grieving for a while. When it comes specifically to suicide, there are so often things that we want to say to people and don't. With any type of loss part of the shock is that you don't get to say what you wanted to say or you don't get to hear what you wanted to hear. In this podcast:The individuality of griefThe importance of setting boundariesWorking through emotions

Any time we define anything in our external world we use ourselves as the foundational context. Who you are affects how you define something. We start with the mind and a simple question is who am I or what have I become. Everything starts with how we think. Narrative is the foundational understanding of who I am. The more we learn about our own narrative the more we can recognise the narrative of others.In this podcast:Moving from problem orientated thinking to solution orientated thinkingApproaching change by defining problemsThe importance of narrative.

Under the surface of our awareness, our body, mind and spirit are constantly communicating using energy. This communication is a language that we can learn to participate in and speak. It influences our health and wellbeing and, to a certain extent, what happens around us. Energy medicine helps to shift the dynamic of energy. Our culture helps us believe that if we have a headache we can get rid of it with a pill but we have trouble in believing that doing a yoga pose will do the same thing. It has to do with our culture and how we are raised but we can learn what’s needed, by letting our body show us what’s needed. In this podcast: How energy medicine activates healingWhy we need to listen to our inner wisdomLearning to recognise what your body needs.

Cindy Benezra is an author, inspirational speaker, entrepreneur, sexual abuse advocate and founder of CindyTalksTM, a platform where she discusses healing tools and stories of hope for other trauma survivors.  Cindy grew up in a family in middle America but her Father was a pedophile and she has gone through a long process of healing to help her deal with the sexual, physical and mental abuse she suffered.Cindy thinks pedophilia is still a taboo subject and that people are still very resistant to talking about it but she wants to have a platform for discussions about sexual abuse predators. She feels comfortable talking about what happened to her now because she doesn't define herself by the abuse or want to be seen as a victim. There is nothing holding her in that place anymore because she has no grief or shame about it and feels free of any words, feeling or emotions around it. In this podcast:Why a willingness to heal is essential to the acceptance processThe importance of not defining yourself by abuseWhy we need to share hope.

Nowadays the way you promote yourself, the way you get your message out and market your business is through online means. You need to figure out how to communicate what you do to the right audience, to message it properly, to engage people and show a different side of your personality. We are all living in a social age where having a public persona is no longer a choice and the question is how do we maximise ourselves and put that best version of ourselves out there. In this podcast:How to stand out in a crowded marketMaking structural shifts to get unstuckEmotionally tapping in to your sense of purpose.

For many people their resilience comes from their ability to believe and having a path laid out for them. Lorna feels her angels have given her the courage and resilience she needed to overcome the obstacles and ridicule she has faced. If you are secure in yourself it doesn't matter what other people think about you. It doesn't matter what the source of your security is, whether it's a rational, cognitive thing or a faith, belief or spiritual, the idea of being a strong version of yourself is whats important.In this podcast:How Lorna sees her angelsConnecting with the soul How her angels have helped Lorna overcome problems and obstacles.

There is so much resilience required in writing a book because you are being judged and critiqued about what you've written very personally. Even if it's a non-fiction book that critique is about something you generated yourself. It’s very hard to separate ourselves from the words we’ve written and the content we’ve delivered. If you remember a time in your life where your examination was being graded, there were times when you felt as though the evaluation that appeared on your report card exhilarated and empowered you to do even better next time but there were other times when you felt diminished, disheartened and that quitting would have been the best choice. In this podcast:Why you need resilience to write a bookThe importance of starting with the ‘why’Why multitasking accomplishes nothing.

Brian started asking why did he experience post-traumatic growth rather than post-traumatic stress? He looked at his peers and although they had had the same stimulus, they had different results. Brian felt he had grown from his experiences and that they had increased his resilience and ability to see things as opportunities rather than obstacles or things that would drag him down. Other guys on the alternative end of the spectrum were thinking about taking their own lives - that's a very big spectrum for the same stimulus. In this podcast:How to prepare the mind to survive difficult decisionsDefine your honourable missionHow to practice chair flying.

Following her own personal infertility experience, which included seven miscarriages and two rounds of IVF, Amy Beckley used her PhD in Pharmacology to create Proov, an at-home progesterone test. This helps to provide women with more information on why their bodies may be miscarrying. As well as sharing, her personal story with fertility, Amy has made it her mission to empower and change the conversation around understanding infertility. In this podcast:Why blood tests don't provide the full pictureHow tracking the menstrual cycle can help woman’s healthThe importance of optimising and balancing hormones

There is also a feeling that as we skill leaders up somehow their rational skills diminish - as we improve one, the other falls away.  In the past this meant technical staff didn't want to take on a leadership role because they thought their technical skills would become obsolete or because it was somehow seen as a lessor role. This is perhaps because the skills needed to be a good leader are seen as more transferable or easier to obtain but these things are massively important in themselves. Combining well-developed people skills to existing technical skills provides the basis for a great leader!In this podcast:Why leaders need emotional intelligence and people skillsWhy awareness needs to be actionableHow technical skills and people skills come together in a great leader.

There are a lot of ways we can improve the remote experiences, but we need to learn the signs that our needs aren’t being met in our virtual interactions, for example why Zoom calls are physically exhausting, why what we intend to say gets lost and distorted in virtual settings and why being part of a remote team can increase stress.To understand what is missing from these remote interactions, we need to look at how we use space, sensory cues and group dynamics and then explore the challenges people face when their innate need for human connection is unmet.  In this podcast:Why the latest brain science is network basedThe use of psychopharmacologyHow we can improve the remote experience.

Buddhists approach grief and loss in a different way. The traditional westernised view is that it’s something that's not talked about, something that’s slightly embarrassing and that if we talk about it, it might happen sooner. Buddhism seems to integrate ‘passing on’ in a more obvious way so people are less ashamed to talk about it, can remind themselves that life is brief and that our words and actions can benefit ourselves and other’s. In the US there is a struggle to know how to grieve and how to talk about it. There is a superstition about it so people who are grieving have little access to tools to help them develop resilience in the face of that change.In this podcast:The difference between Buddhist and non-Buddhist meditation practicesHow Buddhists approach grief and lossThe link between meditation, compassion and wisdom.

Originally from Democratic Republic of Congo, at the age of two, Desange Kuenihira and her six siblings moved to a refugee camp in Uganda. She was told repeatedly that she was meaningless and that her only potential worth was the dowry a much older man. Desange lived in Uganda for twelve years as a refugee before moving to the U.S. and building her life in Utah where she gained a Bachelor of Science in criminology and a Bachelor of Science in health, society, and policy. Desange was given an opportunity to have a different future when she went to the U.S. but she always remembered the girls left behind. She founded unDEfeated for the countless young women in Uganda who don’t have someone valuing their worth and she hopes to break the cycle of poverty by creating opportunities for women to start and operate their own businesses. In this podcast:Desange talks about her journey from civil war in Congo, to a refugee camp in Uganda and finally to the U.S.The hardships facing women in UgandaHow education is the key to change.

At the moment we are in a unique position. The average lifespan of a white woman in the early 1900’s was 51. Although there were people who lived to their 80s or 90s this was not as a cohort or large sector of the population. Now is the first time that there is a large number or high concentration of people in this space. The Baby Boomers, the Gen X’s and now even the older Millenials are all entering this space and the exciting thing is that we get to define what that seed change looks like and the new paradigm. Women are hungry to look for the modeling of ‘what can my life look like in my 60s 70s and 80s?’ In this podcast:How women can feel ‘less than’ as they get olderThe dangers of loneliness and isolationWhy the menopause can be a time of reassessment

One of the messages for families dealing with addiction has been that if a loved one is struggling, you need to step away and take care of yourself. The tough love idea that you have to let someone hit rock bottom before they will change. This has nothing to do with evidence or effectiveness and is an approach that is heartbreaking for families who are scared, concerned and asking for help. The approach Jeff has been working on over the last ten years is called the Invitation to Change‘ which is an invitational idea rather than a command one. Its basis is in community reinforcement and family training, an approach called CRAFT which is the most powerful evidence based approach for helping families help loved ones. What we know from CRAFT and other psychological based approaches is that you can take care of yourself and stay connected and that this is actually the most powerful way to help someone to change. In this podcast:Jeff explains the role families can have when helping their loved ones with substance issuesHow the ‘Invitation to Change’ programme worksWhy Science and Kindness can help people change

People step out of marriage for different reasons but in Nanci’s experience it’s usually because communication has broken down or people are just not being honest. They don’t feel secure enough to say what they mean and mean what they say. The failure of communication leads to a lack of accountability and people get entrenched into positions of misery and want to blame and point the finger at others. They are just not feeling satisfied but they don't have the emotional training to engage in difficult conversations about important things like Am I happy? Am I satisfied? Am I feeling constricted about money? Am I not feeling fulfilled in my work? If you don't have the capacity for that or take the time to dig deep during a marriage you’re likely to end up at the divorce lawyers. There is a choices – do it yourself, go to mediation or through a collaborative process or go to court and make a public display of all your trauma.In this podcast:Nanci explains how the collaborative divorce process worksWhy we need to reposition, reconfigure and take feedbackHow to use divorce for personal growth and transformationalchange..

The states to traits progression in people who meditate, especially those who meditate effectively, means that they are able to increase neural mass in parts of the brain such as the corpus callosum and the memory and learning system. There is an increase in neural tissues in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex that hooks the executive centres in to the emotional brain and down-regulates all the irritations and distractions of everyday life and focuses on happiness joy and wellbeing. In this podcast:Dawson explains how temporary states can become traitsThe three most effective things you can do to achieve brain remodelingHow meditation can deactivate the default mode network.

Martha Aviles is a marketing executive based in Austin, Texas. Her parents were Nicaraguan immigrants who arrived in Miami, Florida in the 1970s. Martha was born and grew up in Miami before moving to southern California and then Austin, Texas in the early 90s where she became involved in high-tech marketing, the career she has pursued for the last twenty years. She focuses on impacting high-growth companies with innovative, measurable marketing strategies and her dynamic background is in leading and building high-performance marketing teams that include demand generation, integrated marketing, product marketing, digital marketing, public relations, brand management, analyst relations, and crisis communications. Martha feels she has tenacity and stubbornness which was built up over time by having to deal with a lot of challenges. Children are often very resilient and Martha feels that there is an immigrant work ethic that tells you that you don't quit. She was also an oldest child so knew the pressure was on her to blaze a trail for the family in the US. This was difficult at times because her parents didn’t know what she was going through but as an adult she now feels that what was a difference and a negative when she was a child is now her superpower. In this podcast:Martha talks about some of the pressures of being the eldest child in an immigrant family Why what seemed a negative as a child is now a ‘superpower’What she would tell her ten year old self.

Living a life of discord and emotional suffering doesn’t need to be the norm. When we unravel the stories that the mind holds on to so tightly and become aware of our patterns and triggers, it can lead us to an awakening of a very different reality filled with ease and grace.Beth Bell’s soul journey has taken her around the world to live, starting with humble beginnings in North Dakota, to California, New York City, Singapore, India, Bali, and now back in California. She spent 15-plus years in strategic brand management in the pharmaceutical industry, before becoming an entrepreneur and developing inspirational products, including a silver jewelry line for both eCommerce and a retail shop in Bali. In this podcast:Beth explains the importance of intuitive risk takingWhy we need to unravel the storylines in our mindHow psychedelics have helped her to embody intellectual concepts with her spiritual learning.

Nowadays there is a lot of discussion about the impact of childhood trauma but not a lot of time has been given to the relationship between siblings who are part of emotionally abusive families. It can be difficult to realise that you grew up in a home with these dynamics because denial that these things are happening is common. Sometimes this denial lasts to adulthood.The relationship between siblings is nearly always damaged in some way. The dynamics parents set in motion often sets children against each other in very explosive ways. Children can grow up and have really tough relationships with their siblings or be estranged from them and still not realise that it’s not their fault. In this podcast:How siblings can be treated differently and play 'roles' in emotionally abusive family dynamicsHow many children don't fully realise they have been in emotionally abusive relationships until they reach adulthoodHow its possible to break the cycle of emotionally abusive relationships and move forward. 

Like all high level sport speed skiing is about failure, rectification, incremental gains and constant evolution. It’s an extremely tough sport mentally and physically – you know you'll have crashes but you have to have a long-term vision and know where you’re tying to go. You have to put goals in place that are incremental – you’re not going to get to your end goal of skiing at 200 kms an hour on your first run but you can set goals to get towards it and look at it with a long term perspective.In this podcast:Jacob explains exactly what speed skiing isHow he manages the anxiety that comes with skiing at over 100mphHow his speed skiing and engineering careers overlap

There is a criticism of some awareness approaches. The critical thing is what comes next, of having awareness not for the sake of awareness but of making choices and taking meaningful action. We can’t just pretend to live joyful lives, we can’t just hope and affirm. Being consciously brave is about being able to know what is needed in any given moment and then doing it. When we have the capacity to be free of all feelings and not judge ourselves we can come into our whole being and say ‘I can do this’. We need to be able to know who we truly are – to know I’m not my situation or defined by my loved ones - I’m defined by my essence which is never changing In this podcast: Why we need compassion when dealing with addictsThe importance of linking the mind and bodyWhat conscious bravery is.

Where there is a rupture in a team or where people don't necessarily agree, there is often a desire to get to a place where it is a little less uncomfortable, where it’s ‘nice’. We need to move, not to ‘nice’, but to a place where we can generate fresh ideas, where we can have discussions that move the organisation, team or a group of individuals to a new place, a new solution or a new way of doing things. This is what psychological safety is facilitating. It’s learning within a group environment and how we overcome any change in the world.In this podcast:What psychological safety is and isn’tThe link between psychological safety and respectWhy critical feedback is important

Laura Purdy feels telehealth and digital health are the progression and future of healthcare. She sees healthcare as following the way the banking industry has evolved – we do almost everything remotely, rarely go to the bank and when we do its’ an inconvenience. If healthcare follows that trend, as technology is developed and adoption increases, it will get to the point where the first thing we think about in getting care is how do we do it digitally! After fourteen years as a military physician, Laura comes across circumstances every day where she finds herself reflecting back to people she knew, positions she had, decisions she needed to make, life lessons learned and the values of the military. She feels her military experience has had a tremendous positive impact on everything she does. In this podcast:Laura talks about some of the challenges life in the military can bringMaking he transition from military physician to telehealth entrepreneurThe future of telehealth.

This week we thought we'd give you another opportunity to listen to Dr Thackeray's take on Psychological Safety, something he has long been fascinated by. He is particularly interested in how it aligns with Burnout and Resilience and in this podcast he discusses: What psychological safety isWhat it’s all aboutWhat it has to offer usSome of the different theoretical ideas around psychological safety.

Ryan Larson has been a firefighter in Phoenix, Arizona for twenty-one years. In the emergency services sector people often talk about the physical requirements, the structure, the sense of clarity and knowing your role and what you have to do. But being a firefighter is a lot more than this - it isn’t just about running into a burning building, it’s about knowing your environment, knowing the structure and what you’re going into and then using all your senses - if you go up to a door and its really hot your senses tell you not to go through it, rather you need to change tactics. It helps you develop into someone who is able to use their skills to see the dangers - you’re planning, plotting, analysing and doing major risk management in your head as you walk through a building.Ryan is also the founder and CEO of FirstLine Financial, LLC where he credits his empathetic leadership approach, sense of purpose and lifelong passion for helping others mitigate risk to the experiences he gained as a firefighter,   In this podcast:Ryan talks about the different skills being a firefighter providesWhy you can’t just ‘tuck everything under the bed’Transitioning from your first career to your second.

Sam LaCrosse hasn't done anything amazing. He's not extraordinary or impressive. He’s just an ordinary guy from Cleveland, Ohio, who now lives an ordinary life in Austin, Texas. Sam’s approach to living a rich and fulfilling life doesn't involve slogans or self-esteem dogma. He feels the path to a good life lies in discovering and honoring your own core values. Sam grew up as part of a tight-knit family where a constant was the ethos of values - he didn't understand what they were but he realised they were important. As he got older the idea of values became more interesting and something he investigated further, initially looking at the relationship between value and sacrifice. He then developed this into the relationship between value and identity which then became the basis for his book. In this podcast:Sam explains why he decided to write his bookHow he defines valueWhat he thinks truly forms personal identity.

Estelle Giraud is passionate about creating a better healthcare system. She believes that we all have the fundamental right to have agency over our own body, our own health journey and, the privacy that goes with it. The idea that we own and cleanse our own health data means we can show our own data to the people providing our healthcare needs on a global scale. Different countries have different systems so it makes sense for all our health information to come with us as we move through life. Nowadays health is not just about going to the doctor and having some blood tests, it’s about mental health, diet, stress, sleep and community. These things all impact our health and we no longer have a single family doctor who knows all about us! Today’s medical systems have fragmented with different people and systems. People are now starting to realise that these things need to come together. In this podcast:Why we need to own our own health journeyHow our health data can empower and serve usWhy our health journey needs to be holistic. 

David Richman is an author, public speaker, philanthropist, and endurance athlete whose mission is to form more meaningful human connections through storytelling.As a former sedentary, over-weight, smoker, David knew that he needed to focus not on what others wanted out of him, but on what he wanted out of life. Through lessons learned in business and sport, he introduced the concept of the “middle of the pack” and how we can get more out of ourselves than we ever imagined. He applies this concept to life and business and adds value to the people he works with coming from the perspective of the “middle of the pack.”In this podcast:David talks about the importance of living on purposeHow making one change can provide focus and purpose in other areas of lifeWhy sometimes its enough just to be ourselves.

When artists describe their creative process, they inevitably talk about being in an open mind state where the download of core creativity can happen, that creativity isn’t a rational, calculated activity, its about allowing oneself to become receptive.  Pure originality is core creativity, something that comes from ones pure core collective unconscious. Mindfulness meditation can take us out of overthinking and into the mind state of receptivity. The stillness and focus involved in meditation alters our brainwaves, and therefore, our mind state. Distraction-free time leads us to an open mind. Both core creativity and intuitive wisdom and knowledge can be accessed in an open mind state, not because we have an open mind, or are trying to be open minded, but because we’re in a state of pure receptivity after giving ourselves over to emptiness.

Research and science shows that meditation actually enhances creativity so you can come at a problem with several different angles and be more creative about solving it. It decreases anxiety and in a more relaxed state you are open to getting more insights and having more breakthroughs. Meditation can also enhance emotional intelligence which makes you more empathetic, less likely to act impulsively and get frustrated in an emotionally charged situation as well as making interactions easier.Gratitude is another powerful way to reprogramme your brain because you are strengthening your neural pathways. The more your can find gratitude for what’s happening in your world the stronger the neural pathways will become. Feelgood chemicals like dopamine increase and cortisol the stress hormone reduces so you can get a reduction in physical pain and an increase in the effectiveness of your immune system. Forgiveness is releasing gratitude within yourself. By allowing forgiveness, nothing changes for the other person but everything changes within you. It doesn’t absolve the other person from their guilt rather its actually forgiving yourself. You have to be able to learn the lesson – if you can find gratitude for that situation then again you’re giving yourself piece of mind and a sense of calm.

Jennifer had dissociated with the person she was as a teenager who was physically, emotionally and sexually abused by three teachers. She had put this away in a box and not integrated it so it started to operate as a mind bully. She was a high achiever in the academic world but when she came home behind closed doors she bullied herself through cutting and eating disorders. She was hurting her own body because she had no idea she had to take teenage girl and her trauma and work through it. She was seeing psychiatrists and psychologists and never told them anything about it. She could have worked as a teacher and repeated what had happened to her with her students. Her personality type, introverted, academic and full of self-expectation meant instead she turned it against herself. That is the mind bully. Many people are holding themselves back from happiness, health and fulfilling their potential because of their mind bully.It takes work on separate it out. You need to become aware that its not you, that its something you created that helps you avoid looking at the trauma. If it’s your own problem and the mind bully is your own issue you don't have to take a hard look at what happened to you. You don't have to be the victim, to be vulnerable, to feel what it was like to be a teenager and be treated that way. It’s easier to keep the mind bully beating you up because you don't have to be a victim again. If you find the courage, a good mental health practioner, and a safe network and space to do it, you can go back into the arena again and choose to replace the mind bully.

When we tell ourselves about not being defined by something we generally mean not talking about it. The traumas that happen and that we don't want to be defined by we don't talk about and so we don't deal with them. They then become ‘the monster under the bed’. They end up controlling us because we haven’t dealt with them. We have to face these things head on. Feel the emotion then go back to what happened to us and incorporate it as part of our life experience.

Although everyone dreams, most people don’t know that their dreams can be used for personal development. They key is to ask the right question and keep your mind open so your dream can provide the answer.  With direction it is possible to learn the reality of how your dream is constructed, how your own mind creates part of the dream and your emotions, expectations and intent. This gives us an enriched sense of experiences and makes us more elastic and better able to carry out the broad range of emotions feelings and experiences in this world and be more resilient and effective with a more enriched balance of the experiences of life.In this podcast:Machiel explains what a dream isHow dreams can offer creative solutionsWhy we need to engage with recurring dreams.

As the founder and CEO of of dance company in India and now CEO of a multinational organisation in the US, Rani Puranik has realised there are 4 stages to leadership. Initially its to listen so you can gather information and then reflect it back out then to act as a bridge to bring stability to organisations, teams and individuals. This means thT slowly and steadily you can gear your team towards who they can became and what they have the potential to be. Leaders also have to have the ability to inspire and to be visionaries who go beyond the limitations other people see or think. Every person has what is needed to succeed and find that confidence for themselves. Finally, leaders need to let go. Your team will have gone through the different stages and now have the inspiration and confidence to lead!

There is an intersection in business which makes people feel their lives have to be compartmentalised making it impossible to combine their spiritual and work lives - the idea that work just has to be work and `I can't bring some of what I believe in terms of my own spirituality’. Some of the things we do at work however are in alignment with the things that exist in our spiritual life such as compassion, empathy and deeply listening to others. It is possible to bring a spiritual approach to our work and posture of service in what we are doing and how we are doing it by developing an approach that brings the same spiritual posture in your most comfortable setting to the office in how your treat people, how you approach your work and how you endeavour to inspire others.We don't necessarily need to share the reasons and motivations that inspire us with everyone but we don't need to exclude them from the workplace.  Looking at the workplace and finding the 'why' then gives context to the meaning of the work you’re doing.

The term midlife crisis has a really bad reputation but it can be a time for positive change and far more exciting and interesting than we think. The pandemic has caused many people to have a mid life crisis simply because they had time to think about their life choices. That’s really what a mid life crisis is. A time to reevaluate what’s going on in your life whether it’s your career, relationships, who you are as a person, whether this is who you want to be or whether this is what you want to be doing in the next chapter of your life and then introducing changes to ensure the next chapter is better than the last and that we benefit from the changes that we make.

Energy touches every area of your life - how you’re feeling or sleeping, how your relationships are working, how quickly you heal, whether you have an optimistic or pessimistic outlook or whether you take action of pull back. All are affected by how coherent all of your energy systems are. The need is to find out which area is out of balance energetically and bring it back so that the body does what its meant to do – to heal - in a more holistic, integrated and less challenging way. In this podcast:Lauren explains what Energy Medicine and Energy Medicine Yoga isHow Energy Medicine Yoga helps with stress and traumaWhy our energy needs to be in balance. 

This week on the Resilience Unravelled podcast, Dr Russell Thackeray talks to Craig Archibald who is an acting coach in California who works with actors at all levels in their careers. He became involved in the theatre when he was 11 years old and progressed to a professional actor when he was 15. He worked at the Royal National Theatre in London and New York’s Neighbourhood Playhouse studying the Stanislavski method of acting and then had a twenty-year acting career before realising he also had another set of skills, those of writing, producing and coaching. In his mid 40s he moved from Manhattan to Malibu and set up a west coast version of his New York coaching operation where over the last 12 -15 years he has worked with young artists to get their careers on the road as well as working with people higher in the industry. In this podcast:Craig explains why perfection is not needed - 95% is good enoughHow actors create roles and ‘live truthfully under imaginary circumstances’Why actors need resilience, integrity and authenticity.