The Art of Charm

In today’s episode, we cover the value of sorrow and longing with Susan Cain. Susan is the author of the Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking, and her newest book Bittersweet: How Sorrow and Longing Make Us Whole is focused on sorrow and longing as inspiration to experience sublime emotions opposed to the constant positivity expected by society. Modern society reinforces the idea that we should strive to be positive in everything we do, but is positivity always better for you, why do we then seek forms of entertainment that evoke feelings like sadness, and how should we treat these emotions that society tells us we need to dismiss or get over? What to Listen For Introduction – 0:00 Is there a link between creativity and melancholy? What is the difference between melancholy and depression and why does one support creativity while the other suppresses it? Why are we drawn to entertainment that evokes sadness – 15:21 What is it about sadness and beauty that we are drawn to? Why is it important to have a creative outlet for our emotions and what consequences do we risk by not pursuing a healthy outlet? What is the best way to process grief? What can leaders do to provide a healthy work environment – 29:48 What can you do to support your employees to minimize the chances of burnout and poor productivity? How do you figure out what you want to do with your life – 39:00 What should you do if you’re worried about hitting the milestones everyone expects of you (career, marriage, house, kids, etc)? How to figure out what you want to do with your life? The state of introversion vs extraversion – 49:12 What has changed in society with respect to understanding and empowering introverts? It’s important to take care of our mental health and process our emotions in a healthy way. It’s also crucial that we don’t shy away from the things that make us feel sad or down. There is something powerful and beautiful about sadness, and when we allow ourselves to explore it we can often find new ways of looking at the world and new sources of inspiration. A Word From Our Sponsors Do you LOVE the toolbox episodes? Did you know that every week we give a LIVE mini-toolbox lesson inside our Private Facebook Group? Best of all it is FREE to join. Join today and get access to all of our live training and level up your communication, leadership, influence and persuasion skills. With 14,000 members it’s a great place to network, learn and overcome any obstacle that’s in your way. Did you know that you can get the whole Art of Charm catalog when you subscribe to Stitcher Premium using our link? That’s 15 years of podcasts featuring expert guests and toolbox episodes! Sign up today and use Code “CHARM” to get a free month! Running out of things to say in conversation… and still struggling to get people interested in you? That’s an uncomfortable position to be in. Don’t want to risk getting tongue-tied and screwing things up the next time you meet someone? Check out Conversation Magic now to make sure you don't crash and burn. With our bulletproof formula, you'll be flirting up a storm, sparking fun and engaging conversations, and making high-value friends anywhere! Resources from this Episode Bittersweet: How Sorrow and Longing Make Us Whole by Susan Cain Susan Cain’s website The power of introverts | Susan Cain TED Talk Check in with AJ and Johnny! AJ on Instagram Johnny on Instagram The Art of Charm on Instagram The Art of Charm on YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode, we cover emotion efficacy with Dr. Aprilia West. Dr. West is a psychologist and executive and team leadership coach who works extensively with artists, creatives, and entertainment execs to increase their emotional intelligence, psychological flexibility, and resilience. Emotions influence our thoughts and actions everyday, so what can you do to understand them, understand where they come from, and understand how to manage them so they don’t lead you to make harmful decisions? What to Listen For Introduction – 0:00 What is emotion efficacy? What is the emotional default world and how does it shape your behavior? The importance of emotion efficacy – 13:33 What is the difference between feelings and emotions? The signs of low emotion efficacy – 27:00 How do you know if you have low emotion efficacy? What questions can you ask yourself to understand where you have room to grow emotionally? Five Steps to Increase Emotion Efficacy – 35:10 What can you do to increase your emotion efficacy? What does it look like to have great emotion efficacy in times of intense uncertainty? The Loneliness Epidemic – 40:05 What role does emotion efficacy play in your ability to connect with others and build friendships? Emotion efficacy is the ability to understand your emotions and express them in a healthy manner. It’s what allows you to stay in a positive emotional state and navigate challenging situations. In times of intense uncertainty, it can be one of the most important things you possess. A Word From Our Sponsors Do you LOVE the toolbox episodes? Did you know that every week we give a LIVE mini-toolbox lesson inside our Private Facebook Group? Best of all it is FREE to join. Join today and get access to all of our live training and level up your communication, leadership, influence and persuasion skills. With 14,000 members it’s a great place to network, learn and overcome any obstacle that’s in your way. Did you know that you can get the whole Art of Charm catalog when you subscribe to Stitcher Premium using our link? That’s 15 years of podcasts featuring expert guests and toolbox episodes! Sign up today and use Code “CHARM” to get a free month! Running out of things to say in conversation… and still struggling to get people interested in you? That’s an uncomfortable position to be in. Don’t want to risk getting tongue-tied and screwing things up the next time you meet someone? Check out Conversation Magic now to make sure you don't crash and burn. With our bulletproof formula, you'll be flirting up a storm, sparking fun and engaging conversations, and making high-value friends anywhere! Resources from this Episode Dr Aprilia West’s website What You Feel Is Not All There Is by Dr. Aprilia West Dr Aprilia West on Instagram Check in with AJ and Johnny! AJ on Instagram Johnny on Instagram The Art of Charm on Instagram The Art of Charm on YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode, we cover narcissism with Lily Walford. Lily is an international dating coach and the survivor of a toxic narcissistic relationship. Narcissists are all around us and can cause untold harm to our mental wellbeing, so what can you do to identify and disarm narcissists, how can you tell if you’re in a relationship with one, and what should you look for to avoid getting into a relationship with one? What to Listen For Introduction – 0:00 What does narcissism look like? How to identify narcissists – 15:30 What signs can you look for if you think you’re dating a narcissist? How do you know if someone is a narcissist? Self-care after a relationship with a narcissist – 24:05 What can you do to take care of yourself after a toxic relationship with a narcissist? Disarming Narcissists – 31:15 What can you to disarm a narcissist? How will a narcissist stop you from disarming him or her? Dating after a narcissist – 41:07 What 4 elements should you look for in a healthy relationship? What can you do to reinvigorate a relationship? Narcissists tend to be charismatic and successful. If you surround yourself with top performers, chances are there is a narcissist among them. So it’s important to be able to identify them before they wreak havoc on your personal and professional life. Additionally, there are steps you can take to disarm narcissists so they lose their power over you and the people around you. And if you find yourself dating a narcissist, make sure you take time after the relationship to identify what went wrong and be on the lookout for the 4 elements of a healthy relationship so you don’t end up dating another narcissist. A Word From Our Sponsors Do you LOVE the toolbox episodes? Did you know that every week we give a LIVE mini-toolbox lesson inside our Private Facebook Group? Best of all it is FREE to join. Join today and get access to all of our live training and level up your communication, leadership, influence and persuasion skills. With 14,000 members it’s a great place to network, learn and overcome any obstacle that’s in your way. Did you know that you can get the whole Art of Charm catalog when you subscribe to Stitcher Premium using our link? That’s 15 years of podcasts featuring expert guests and toolbox episodes! Sign up today and use Code “CHARM” to get a free month! Running out of things to say in conversation… and still struggling to get people interested in you? That’s an uncomfortable position to be in. Don’t want to risk getting tongue-tied and screwing things up the next time you meet someone? Check out Conversation Magic now to make sure you don't crash and burn. With our bulletproof formula, you'll be flirting up a storm, sparking fun and engaging conversations, and making high-value friends anywhere! Resources from this Episode Lily Walford’s website Love With Intelligence YouTube Channel Love With Intellgience Facebook Group Check in with AJ and Johnny! AJ on Instagram Johnny on Instagram The Art of Charm on Instagram The Art of Charm on YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode, we cover the science of competition with Ashley Merryman. Ashley is the Non-Resident Senior Fellow for the Joint Special Operations University and author of Top Dog: The Science of Winning and Losing. Competition can be healthy and unhealthy, so how do you know the difference between healthy and unhealthy competition, what are the differences between how introverts and extroverts handle competition, and how does gender play a role in competition? What to Listen For Introduction – 0:00 What are the biggest myths surrounding competition and trying to be number one? What are the benefits of competition? Healthy vs Unhealthy Competition – 9:00 What is the difference between healthy competition and unhealthy competition? Where does the fear of failure come from? Overcome Fear of Failure – 15:30 What is the difference between a challenge and a threat and how can one lead you to failure while the other leads to success? What can you do to overcome the fear of failure when you know people are watching you? Don’t Think About Pink Elephants – 29:40 What can you do to start being competitive again after a severe loss? What are the differences between men and women when it comes to competition and competitive environments? What role does gender play in competition? Introverts vs Extroverts in Competition – 56:20 Why do introverts and extroverts approach competition differently and how can you use that knowledge to improve your ability to compete whether you are an introvert or extrovert? Competition can be a powerful motivator, but it’s important to make sure that you are using it in a healthy way. When competition becomes destructive and fear-based, it ruins our relationships and keeps us from achieving our goals. By understanding your own tendencies and working on overcoming your fears, you can learn to use competition in a positive way that unlocks your full potential. A Word From Our Sponsors Do you LOVE the toolbox episodes? Did you know that every week we give a LIVE mini-toolbox lesson inside our Private Facebook Group? Best of all it is FREE to join. Join today and get access to all of our live training and level up your communication, leadership, influence and persuasion skills. With 14,000 members it’s a great place to network, learn and overcome any obstacle that’s in your way. Did you know that you can get the whole Art of Charm catalog when you subscribe to Stitcher Premium using our link? That’s 15 years of podcasts featuring expert guests and toolbox episodes! Sign up today and use Code “CHARM” to get a free month! Running out of things to say in conversation… and still struggling to get people interested in you? That’s an uncomfortable position to be in. Don’t want to risk getting tongue-tied and screwing things up the next time you meet someone? Check out Conversation Magic now to make sure you don't crash and burn. With our bulletproof formula, you'll be flirting up a storm, sparking fun and engaging conversations, and making high-value friends anywhere! Resources from this Episode Top Dog: The Science of Winning and Losing by Ashley Merryman Ashley Merryman’s website Ashley Merryman on Twitter Check in with AJ and Johnny! AJ on Instagram Johnny on Instagram The Art of Charm on Instagram The Art of Charm on YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode, we cover networking to survive the recession with AJ and Johnny. People rely on those they trust in times of economic hardship, so what can you do to grow your network before the next economic downturn and what value can you offer to strengthen your existing network so you’re in a better position when the next recession hits? What to Listen For Introduction – 0:00 Why is networking so important when you’re starting in a new field or trying to move up in your current field? Why is a strong network important to have before a recession begins? What everyone gets wrong about networking – 13:03 How do you network effectively so you’re not shooting yourself in the foot at every networking event? What is social capital and why do you need to understand it to network effectively? What three ways can you provide value to anyone in your network? The 4 levels of support value you can offer to anyone – 23:20 What can you do to stand out from the crowd when congratulating or supporting someone in your network? Leverage your network to provide value to others – 33:50 How can you use your existing network to grow it while also offering value to people inside and outside of your network? What simple strategy can you use to grow your network from nothing on LinkedIn? It’s not a question of if the next recession will hit, but when. So, it’s important to start building your network now. A strong network can help you weather any storm. The more people you know in different industries and positions, the more resources you have at your disposal. Social capital is key to networking effectively; make sure you understand what it is and how to use it to your advantage. A Word From Our Sponsors Do you LOVE the toolbox episodes? Did you know that every week we give a LIVE mini-toolbox lesson inside our Private Facebook Group? Best of all it is FREE to join. Join today and get access to all of our live training and level up your communication, leadership, influence and persuasion skills. With 14,000 members it’s a great place to network, learn and overcome any obstacle that’s in your way. Did you know that you can get the whole Art of Charm catalog when you subscribe to Stitcher Premium using our link? That’s 15 years of podcasts featuring expert guests and toolbox episodes! Sign up today and use Code “CHARM” to get a free month! Running out of things to say in conversation… and still struggling to get people interested in you? That’s an uncomfortable position to be in. Don’t want to risk getting tongue-tied and screwing things up the next time you meet someone? Check out Conversation Magic now to make sure you don't crash and burn. With our bulletproof formula, you'll be flirting up a storm, sparking fun and engaging conversations, and making high-value friends anywhere! Resources from this Episode How to Attract High Value People & Opportunities | Toolbox Check in with AJ and Johnny! AJ on Instagram Johnny on Instagram The Art of Charm on Instagram The Art of Charm on YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode, we cover with Angie Morgan. Angie is the co-author of Bet on You: How to Win with Risk, a book about discovering the formula for success and decision-making confidence to transform even the most risk-averse mindset. We have to take risks in order to become great at anything, but what do you do if that risk stops you dead in your tracks, who should you seek out for advice, and how can you manage risk so you can accomplish your dreams? What to Listen For Introduction – 0:00 How do you break something down that appears to be a large risk? Who are the three types of people you should look out for when getting advice on a big risk you want to take, and who should you avoid? How to Find High Value Communities – 13:05 Where can you go to find high value communities that will support you and help you on your journey to achieve your dreams? How to Grow Your Confidence – 20:20 What are the three components of confidence you need to focus on in order to become more confident? How to Mitigate Big Risk – 39:30 What three strategies can you implement to effectively manage the risks you take in life? When it comes to making big decisions, it’s important to get advice from the right people. Seek out those who will give you honest feedback and support you on your journey. Avoid getting bogged down by negative people or those who are not willing to help you achieve your dreams. With the right mindset and a supportive community, anything is possible. What risks are you ready to take in order to achieve your goals? A Word From Our Sponsors Do you LOVE the toolbox episodes? Did you know that every week we give a LIVE mini-toolbox lesson inside our Private Facebook Group? Best of all it is FREE to join. Join today and get access to all of our live training and level up your communication, leadership, influence and persuasion skills. With 14,000 members it’s a great place to network, learn and overcome any obstacle that’s in your way. Did you know that you can get the whole Art of Charm catalog when you subscribe to Stitcher Premium using our link? That’s 15 years of podcasts featuring expert guests and toolbox episodes! Sign up today and use Code “CHARM” to get a free month! Running out of things to say in conversation… and still struggling to get people interested in you? That’s an uncomfortable position to be in. Don’t want to risk getting tongue-tied and screwing things up the next time you meet someone? Check out Conversation Magic now to make sure you don't crash and burn. With our bulletproof formula, you'll be flirting up a storm, sparking fun and engaging conversations, and making high-value friends anywhere! Resources from this Episode Bet on You: How to Win with Risk by Angie Morgan Check in with AJ and Johnny! AJ on Instagram Johnny on Instagram The Art of Charm on Instagram The Art of Charm on YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode, we cover building high value relationships with AJ & Johnny. Building high value relationships requires vulnerability, but what does it mean to be vulnerable, how do you know when to be vulnerable, and what are some simple strategies you can use to be more effective in relationship building? What to Listen For Introduction – 0:00 Why is it important to build high value relationships? How do you start making new friends? Turn Small Talk into Smart Talk – 12:00 Why is vulnerability important when building connections with people? How do you bring vulnerability into your social interactions? The Three Levels of Vulnerability – 17:00 What is the first level of vulnerability and how do you know when to use it? How do you know when to go to the deepest level of vulnerability? What red flags should you look for in the way people react to your vulnerability? The Cave Analogy of Vulnerability – 37:50 Why is it important to lead with vulnerability before expecting others to be vulnerable? We hope that you walk away from this episode feeling empowered to build high value relationships with others. By being vulnerable and authentic, we create opportunities for true connection and intimacy. When we lead with vulnerability, it sets the tone for a more open and connected relationship in which both parties can be their true selves. What are you waiting for? Start building those connections today! A Word From Our Sponsors Do you LOVE the toolbox episodes? Did you know that every week we give a LIVE mini-toolbox lesson inside our Private Facebook Group? Best of all it is FREE to join. Join today and get access to all of our live training and level up your communication, leadership, influence and persuasion skills. With 14,000 members it’s a great place to network, learn and overcome any obstacle that’s in your way. Did you know that you can get the whole Art of Charm catalog when you subscribe to Stitcher Premium using our link? That’s 15 years of podcasts featuring expert guests and toolbox episodes! Sign up today and use Code “CHARM” to get a free month! Running out of things to say in conversation… and still struggling to get people interested in you? That’s an uncomfortable position to be in. Don’t want to risk getting tongue-tied and screwing things up the next time you meet someone? Check out Conversation Magic now to make sure you don't crash and burn. With our bulletproof formula, you'll be flirting up a storm, sparking fun and engaging conversations, and making high-value friends anywhere! Resources from this Episode The Strength of Weak Ties by Mark S. Granovetter Art of Charm Small Talk Cheat Sheet Check in with AJ and Johnny! AJ on Instagram Johnny on Instagram The Art of Charm on Instagram The Art of Charm on YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode, we cover social engineering with Christopher Hadnagy. Chris is an IT entrepreneur, IT security consultant, and the best-selling author of five books including his latest Human Hacking: Win Friends, Influence People, and Leave Them Better Off for Having Met You. Social engineering is an effective tool to get what you want, but what is social engineering, how can you use it to instantly build rapport with complete strangers, and what should you look for if you think someone is using it against you? What to Listen For Introduction – 0:00 What is social engineering and how do people use it every day? How to Build Rapport – 10:10 Why is it important to learn how to build rapport and how do you go about learning it? The Four Questions of Trustworthiness – 25:18 What are the four questions we ask ourselves to determine whether or not we can trust someone? How can you build rapport instantly with someone you’ve just met? When is flattery NOT ok? – 41:30 When should you avoid complimenting someone? What’s the best way to compliment someone? Social engineering is a powerful tool that can be used in positive or negative ways. By learning how to build rapport, you can use social engineering for good – to make connections with people, learn their stories, and understand them better. When you know how to spot red flags and protect yourself against social engineers, you become a more informed and empowered individual who can help keep themselves and others safe. A Word From Our Sponsors Do you LOVE the toolbox episodes? Did you know that every week we give a LIVE mini-toolbox lesson inside our Private Facebook Group? Best of all it is FREE to join. Join today and get access to all of our live training and level up your communication, leadership, influence and persuasion skills. With 14,000 members it’s a great place to network, learn and overcome any obstacle that’s in your way. Did you know that you can get the whole Art of Charm catalog when you subscribe to Stitcher Premium using our link? That’s 15 years of podcasts featuring expert guests and toolbox episodes! Sign up today and use Code “CHARM” to get a free month! Running out of things to say in conversation… and still struggling to get people interested in you? That’s an uncomfortable position to be in. Don’t want to risk getting tongue-tied and screwing things up the next time you meet someone? Check out Conversation Magic now to make sure you don't crash and burn. With our bulletproof formula, you'll be flirting up a storm, sparking fun and engaging conversations, and making high-value friends anywhere! Resources from this Episode Human Hacking: Win Friends, Influence People, and Leave Them Better Off for Having Met You by Christopher Hadnagy Christopher Hadnagy’s website Christopher Hadnagy on Twitter Check in with AJ and Johnny! AJ on Instagram Johnny on Instagram The Art of Charm on Instagram The Art of Charm on YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode, we cover contextual behaviorism with Dr. Emily Sandoz. Emily is a professor of social sciences in the psychology department at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, the director of the Louisiana Contextual Science Research Group, as well as the Editor in Chief of the Journal of Contextual Behavioral Sciences, and has co-authored three books on acceptance and commitment therapy. Changing or eliminating problematic behavior is not as simple as flipping a switch, but what role does your environment play, how can you identify contextual problems in your daily life that are affecting your behavior, and what is the best way to learn new behaviors? What to Listen For Introduction – 0:00 What is contextual behaviorism and how does the environment influence your ability to change your behavior? Using – 11:50 How can you use contextual behaviorism to change your problematic behavior? What does it mean to have access to certain behaviors and how do you what behaviors you do have access to? Learning new behaviors – 23:07 What is the best way to learn new behaviors? How can you use contextualism to manage your perfectionism? Give better advice with context in mind – 33:00 How can you set up your environment to be more conducive to the life you want? How do you shift from a goal-driven mindset to a value-driven mindset and what’s the difference? Context matters. That couldn’t be more true than with our behavioral development. Our behaviors impact the world around us and the world around us impacts our behaviors. So if you’re struggling to change your behaviors, one of the best places to look for a solution is your environment. What is it about your environment that is making it more difficult for you to change? A Word From Our Sponsors Do you LOVE the toolbox episodes? Did you know that every week we give a LIVE mini-toolbox lesson inside our Private Facebook Group? Best of all it is FREE to join. Join today and get access to all of our live training and level up your communication, leadership, influence and persuasion skills. With 14,000 members it’s a great place to network, learn and overcome any obstacle that’s in your way. Did you know that you can get the whole Art of Charm catalog when you subscribe to Stitcher Premium using our link? That’s 15 years of podcasts featuring expert guests and toolbox episodes! Sign up today and use Code “CHARM” to get a free month! Running out of things to say in conversation… and still struggling to get people interested in you? That’s an uncomfortable position to be in. Don’t want to risk getting tongue-tied and screwing things up the next time you meet someone? Check out Conversation Magic now to make sure you don't crash and burn. With our bulletproof formula, you'll be flirting up a storm, sparking fun and engaging conversations, and making high-value friends anywhere! Resources from this Episode Dr. Emily Sandoz Check in with AJ and Johnny! AJ on Instagram Johnny on Instagram The Art of Charm on Instagram The Art of Charm on YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode, we cover high value behaviors with AJ and Johnny. Being a high value person opens doors to opportunities you never thought possible, so what does it mean to be high value, what high value behaviors should you look for in yourself and others, and what simple steps can you take to filter high value people into your life? What to Listen For Introduction – 0:00 Why are high value behaviors important if you want to have a healthy social circle and fulfilling life? What does it mean to be high value – 16:10 What is the difference between high and low value behaviors and why should you avoid low value behaviors if you don’t want to be miserable? How do you deal with friends who want to hold you back when you’re trying to grow and be a better person? How to Build a High Value Social Circle – 28:00 What steps can you take to build and maintain a social circle of high value individuals who will support you and be there for you when you need them? Examples of High Value Behavior – 37:50 How can you identify high value behavior in the people around you so you know who to connect with and who to avoid? So, what are high value behaviors? They’re the things that help us grow and become better people. They make our lives more fulfilling and meaningful. And they attract other high value individuals into our social circles. We all want to be happy and have a good life, but too often we get stuck around low value behavior that keeps us from reaching our goals. If you want to break out of this cycle and build a better life for yourself, start by making some changes in the way you interact with the people around you. Replace low value behaviors with high value ones, and surround yourself with positive people who will support your growth. It won’t be easy, but it’s worth it. A Word From Our Sponsors Do you LOVE the toolbox episodes? Did you know that every week we give a LIVE mini-toolbox lesson inside our Private Facebook Group? Best of all it is FREE to join. Join today and get access to all of our live training and level up your communication, leadership, influence and persuasion skills. With 14,000 members it’s a great place to network, learn and overcome any obstacle that’s in your way. Did you know that you can get the whole Art of Charm catalog when you subscribe to Stitcher Premium using our link? That’s 15 years of podcasts featuring expert guests and toolbox episodes! Sign up today and use Code “CHARM” to get a free month! Running out of things to say in conversation… and still struggling to get people interested in you? That’s an uncomfortable position to be in. Don’t want to risk getting tongue-tied and screwing things up the next time you meet someone? Check out Conversation Magic now to make sure you don't crash and burn. With our bulletproof formula, you'll be flirting up a storm, sparking fun and engaging conversations, and making high-value friends anywhere! Resources from this Episode Avoid These 3 Low Value Behaviors (Toolbox) Check in with AJ and Johnny! AJ on Instagram Johnny on Instagram The Art of Charm on Instagram The Art of Charm on YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode, we cover winning your breakup with Natasha Adamo. Natasha is a high-performance coach, relationship coach, speaker, blogger with over two and a half million readers, and the author of Win Your Breakup: How to Be The One That Got Away. Breakups can be painful and get drawn out, so what can you do win your breakup, what does it mean to win, and how can you avoid falling into another toxic relationship? What to Listen For Introduction – 0:00 What are the signs of toxic relationships? How do you win your breakup? Breaking the Toxic Relationship Cycle – 19:48 How do you break the cycle of jumping from one toxic relationship to another? What signs should you look for in a potential partner? Stay on your white horse after a breakup – 27:20 What steps should you take after a breakup to speed up the recovery process? What should you avoid doing after a breakup if you want to move on? Emotional Entrepreneurship – 45:36 What is an emotional entrepreneur and why are people drawn to emotional entrepreneurs? Winning a breakup is not about getting your ex back. It's about gaining back control of your life and becoming emotionally stronger. So how do you win? You need to understand what it means to win. Identify the signs of toxic relationships, break the cycle of jumping from one toxic relationship to another, and take steps to speed up the recovery process.. A Word From Our Sponsors Do you LOVE the toolbox episodes? Did you know that every week we give a LIVE mini-toolbox lesson inside our Private Facebook Group? Best of all it is FREE to join. Join today and get access to all of our live training and level up your communication, leadership, influence and persuasion skills. With 14,000 members it’s a great place to network, learn and overcome any obstacle that’s in your way. Did you know that you can get the whole Art of Charm catalog when you subscribe to Stitcher Premium using our link? That’s 15 years of podcasts featuring expert guests and toolbox episodes! Sign up today and use Code “CHARM” to get a free month! Running out of things to say in conversation… and still struggling to get people interested in you? That’s an uncomfortable position to be in. Don’t want to risk getting tongue-tied and screwing things up the next time you meet someone? Check out Conversation Magic now to make sure you don't crash and burn. With our bulletproof formula, you'll be flirting up a storm, sparking fun and engaging conversations, and making high-value friends anywhere! Resources from this Episode Natasha Adamo’s website Win Your Breakup: How to Be The One That Got Away by Natasha Adamo Check in with AJ and Johnny! AJ on Instagram Johnny on Instagram The Art of Charm on Instagram The Art of Charm on YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode, we cover mental health with Lori Gottlieb. Lori is a psychotherapist in Los Angeles, co-host of the podcast Dear Therapists, and the author of Maybe You Should Talk to Someone. Mental health is a priority now more than ever, so what are the overlooked signs that someone is struggling with mental health, how do you know if you should talk to a professional, and why is boundary setting crucial to positive mental health? What to Listen For Introduction – 0:00 What are the overlooked signs that someone is struggling with mental health issues? What is the value in seeing a therapist versus talking to your friends and family about issues you’re experiencing in life? The self-sabotaging stories we tell ourselves – 11:12 Why do we tell ourselves stories about what happens to us and how do those stories have lasting negative impacts on us and the people around us? What impact do the people around us have on our mental health and what can you do if your friends aren’t healthy for you? Setting and maintaining boundaries – 24:24 How do you set boundaries and maintain them with people who constantly violate them? Finding the right person – 47:05 What is the number one question you should ask yourself when on a first date? Mental health is something many people struggle with, but often don’t talk about. The signs that someone is struggling can be easily overlooked if you’re not aware of them. It’s important to be there for your loved ones and help them get the help they need if you see any of these signs. If you’re experiencing mental health issues, it’s valuable to seek out therapy. Friends and family are great sources of support, but sometimes talking to somebody neutral who isn’t invested in our lives can be really helpful, even lifesaving. A Word From Our Sponsors Do you LOVE the toolbox episodes? Did you know that every week we give a LIVE mini-toolbox lesson inside our Private Facebook Group? Best of all it is FREE to join. Join today and get access to all of our live training and level up your communication, leadership, influence and persuasion skills. With 14,000 members it’s a great place to network, learn and overcome any obstacle that’s in your way. Did you know that you can get the whole Art of Charm catalog when you subscribe to Stitcher Premium using our link? That’s 15 years of podcasts featuring expert guests and toolbox episodes! Sign up today and use Code “CHARM” to get a free month! Running out of things to say in conversation… and still struggling to get people interested in you? That’s an uncomfortable position to be in. Don’t want to risk getting tongue-tied and screwing things up the next time you meet someone? Check out Conversation Magic now to make sure you don't crash and burn. With our bulletproof formula, you'll be flirting up a storm, sparking fun and engaging conversations, and making high-value friends anywhere! Resources from this Episode Lori Gottlieb’s website Dear Therapists with Lori Gottlieb and Guy Winch TED Talk: How changing your story can change your life | Lori Gottlieb Overcoming Nice Guy Syndrome | Dr. Robert Glover Check in with AJ and Johnny! AJ on Instagram Johnny on Instagram The Art of Charm on Instagram The Art of Charm on YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode, we cover influence with Zoe Chance. Zoe is a teacher, writer, researcher, climate philanthropist, earned her doctorate from Harvard, teaches Mastering Influence and Persuasion, the most popular class at the Yale School of Management, and is the author of Influence is Your Superpower: The Science of Winning Hearts, Sparking Change, and Making Good Things Happen. Influencing the people around you is a superpower, but how do you develop that ability through your charisma, what common mistakes are you making that kill your charisma, and what is the most important skill you need to influence people? What to Listen For Introduction – 0:00 Why is your ability to influence others a superpower? What are the three paradoxes of charisma? Anti-charismatic statements – 15:15 What are diminishing statements, why do so many of us use them, and how do they kill your charisma? Charming vs Manipulating – 23:14 How can you tell the difference between people using strategies and tactics to build genuine connections and using them to manipulate others to get what they want? How do you say no if you’re a people pleaser and what can you do to get comfortable with saying no? What does it mean to reframe something? – 32:30 What is reframing and why is it a powerful tool in communication? What is the worst way to try and get someone to see your point of view? The levels of listening – 47:30 What are the 5 levels of listening, and which level is the most important if you’re trying to connect with someone? You have the ability to influence others, and that is a superpower. It’s time to start using your power for good. When you become aware of diminishing statements and how they kill your charisma, you can start reframing your communication in order to build genuine connections with the people around you. With practice, this will become second nature, and you’ll be able to use your newfound superpower for good in all areas of your life. A Word From Our Sponsors Do you LOVE the toolbox episodes? Did you know that every week we give a LIVE mini-toolbox lesson inside our Private Facebook Group? Best of all it is FREE to join. Join today and get access to all of our live training and level up your communication, leadership, influence and persuasion skills. With 14,000 members it’s a great place to network, learn and overcome any obstacle that’s in your way. Did you know that you can get the whole Art of Charm catalog when you subscribe to Stitcher Premium using our link? That’s 15 years of podcasts featuring expert guests and toolbox episodes! Sign up today and use Code “CHARM” to get a free month! Running out of things to say in conversation… and still struggling to get people interested in you? That’s an uncomfortable position to be in. Don’t want to risk getting tongue-tied and screwing things up the next time you meet someone? Check out Conversation Magic now to make sure you don't crash and burn. With our bulletproof formula, you'll be flirting up a storm, sparking fun and engaging conversations, and making high-value friends anywhere! Resources from this Episode Influence Is Your Superpower: The Science of Winning Hearts, Sparking Change, and Making Good Things Happen By Zoe Chance Zoe Chance’s website Give and Take: Why Helping Others Drives Our Success by Adam Grant Check in with AJ and Johnny! AJ on Instagram Johnny on Instagram The Art of Charm on Instagram The Art of Charm on YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode, we cover metabolic health with Dr Philip Ovadia. Dr. Ovadia is a board certified Cardiac Surgeon, founder of Ovadia Heart Health, and the author of Stay Off My Operating Table: A Heart Surgeon’s Metabolic Health Guide to Lose Weight, Prevent Disease, and Feel Your Best Every Day. What you put into your body has a direct impact on your metabolic health, but what is metabolic health, why is it important, and what can you do to support a strong metabolic health so you don’t end up on the operating table or in an early grave? What to Listen For Introduction – 0:00 What is metabolic health and how does it impact the other areas of your life including mental health? The big medical myths – 13:17 What is the biggest medical myth that is making us more unhealthy every year? Should we be consuming supplements? How did unhealthy food become so normalized that we serve it in hospitals where we’re supposed to go to get better? The 5 metrics of Metabolic Health – 26:09 What metrics should you and your doctor pay attention to if you want to avoid ending up on the operating table? What is the biggest pitfall of intermittent fasting and what can you do to work around it? Nutrition and Metabolic Health – 35:44 What should you eat to support your metabolic health and what should you avoid? How do nutrition and your metabolic health affect your mental well being? It’s clear that metabolic health is critical for overall well-being. Unfortunately, unhealthy food has become normalized to the point where we are now serving it in hospitals. If you want to avoid ending up on the operating table, make sure you and your doctor are paying attention to the following metrics: fasting blood sugar, blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and waist circumference. To support your metabolic health, make sure you eat plenty of fiber-rich fruits and vegetables and other whole foods. Avoid processed foods high in sugar and seed oils. By making small changes to your diet, you can improve your metabolic health and reduce your risk of developing chronic diseases like heart disease or diabetes. A Word From Our Sponsors Do you LOVE the toolbox episodes? Did you know that every week we give a LIVE mini-toolbox lesson inside our Private Facebook Group? Best of all it is FREE to join. Join today and get access to all of our live training and level up your communication, leadership, influence and persuasion skills. With 14,000 members it’s a great place to network, learn and overcome any obstacle that’s in your way. Did you know that you can get the whole Art of Charm catalog when you subscribe to Stitcher Premium using our link? That’s 15 years of podcasts featuring expert guests and toolbox episodes! Sign up today and use Code “CHARM” to get a free month! Running out of things to say in conversation… and still struggling to get people interested in you? That’s an uncomfortable position to be in. Don’t want to risk getting tongue-tied and screwing things up the next time you meet someone? Check out Conversation Magic now to make sure you don't crash and burn. With our bulletproof formula, you'll be flirting up a storm, sparking fun and engaging conversations, and making high-value friends anywhere! Resources from this Episode Dr Ovadia’s website Stay Off My Operating Table Podcast hosted by Dr Ovadia Stay off My Operating Table: A Heart Surgeon’s Metabolic Health Guide to Lose Weight, Prevent Disease, and Feel Your Best Every Day by Dr Ovadia Dr Ovadia on Twitter Why We Get Fat: And What to Do About It by Gary Taubes Check in with AJ and Johnny! AJ on Instagram Johnny on Instagram The Art of Charm on Instagram The Art of Charm on YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode, we cover trust and cooperation with Abbie Maroño. Abbie is the Director of Education at Social-Engineer, is a lecturer in Psychology, has a PhD in Behavior Analysis, was mentored by the body language expert Joe Navarro, and performs academic research specializing in nonverbal communication, trust, and cooperation. Trust is important because our survival depends on our ability to cooperate with the people around us, so why do we place a strong emphasis on competition, what signals should we look for to determine someone’s trustworthiness, and how do we build trust in the first place? What to Listen For Introduction – 0:00 What is the definition of trust according to modern science? How fast can trust be built and destroyed? The big myth about competition and survival of the fittest – 10:10 What do we get wrong about competition vs cooperation in modern society, and why does this misconception lead to unhappiness and discontent in the workplace? What nonverbal signals should you look for to determine if someone is trustworthy? The trust problem with Zoom and Facetime – 24:52 What 3 common mistakes should you avoid when talking to someone through a video call if you want to build trust and comfort? How does your lower body signal your approachability to the people around you, and how should you be standing if you want to be approachable? How to rebuild trust – 37:48 What is the best way to apologize and rebuild trust after you break it? What are the biggest myths surrounding eye contact and trust? Trust is essential for both our personal and professional lives, but it can be difficult to build and easy to destroy. By understanding the signals we send when it comes to trustworthiness, we can take the necessary steps to build trust or rebuild trust after it’s been broken. And by fostering a cooperative environment, we can create happier relationships and more productive teams. A Word From Our Sponsors Do you LOVE the toolbox episodes? Did you know that every week we give a LIVE mini-toolbox lesson inside our Private Facebook Group? Best of all it is FREE to join. Join today and get access to all of our live training and level up your communication, leadership, influence and persuasion skills. With 14,000 members it’s a great place to network, learn and overcome any obstacle that’s in your way. Did you know that you can get the whole Art of Charm catalog when you subscribe to Stitcher Premium using our link? That’s 15 years of podcasts featuring expert guests and toolbox episodes! Sign up today and use Code “CHARM” to get a free month! Running out of things to say in conversation… and still struggling to get people interested in you? That’s an uncomfortable position to be in. Don’t want to risk getting tongue-tied and screwing things up the next time you meet someone? Check out Conversation Magic now to make sure you don't crash and burn. With our bulletproof formula, you'll be flirting up a storm, sparking fun and engaging conversations, and making high-value friends anywhere! Resources from this Episode Abbie Maroño’s website Abbie Maroño on Twitter Abbie Maroño on LinkedIn Joe Navarro | Become an Exceptional Communicator by Mastering These 5 Traits The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals by Charles Darwin Check in with AJ and Johnny! AJ on Instagram Johnny on Instagram The Art of Charm on Instagram The Art of Charm on YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode, we cover negotiation with Barry Nalebuff. Barry is a Professor at Yale where he has taught negotiation, innovation, strategy, and game theory for thirty years, and recently authored Split the Pie: A Radical New Way to Negotiate, which is based on his negotiation course. Negotiating can be intimidating if you don’t do it on a regular basis, so what simple tips can you remember to make your next negotiation a win, how do you negotiate with people who are clearly more experienced than you, and what is the best question to ask when negotiating your salary? What to Listen For Introduction – 0:00 What’s the difference between Split the Pie and Never Split the Difference? How to negotiate with unfair people – 10:55 What can you do to negotiate with people who don’t care about fairness? How can you “be ready to walk away” from a once-in-a-lifetime deal? Dealing with people who don’t see the win-win outcome – 21:10 How do we use empathy to get the other person’s perspective and come up with a deal that satisfies both parties? How much information should you disclose in a negotiation if you’re worried the information might be used against you? How to build your negotiation skills – 35:30 What can you do to develop your negotiation skills? How can you get the other party to see the pie you’re negotiating over? What advice should you avoid when negotiating? Negotiate the salary you deserve – 44:08 What questions can you ask so you know how to ask for the best compensation package without losing the offer? It is important to remember that the goal of any negotiation should be a mutually beneficial agreement, aka the pie. Both parties need to feel like they’ve won something and achieved their goals in order for negotiations to be successful. If you can walk into a negotiation with empathy and an understanding of the other person’s perspective, you’re already on your way to building better skills. What have been your biggest challenges when negotiating? Let us know in the comments below. We would love to help! A Word From Our Sponsors Do you LOVE the toolbox episodes? Did you know that every week we give a LIVE mini-toolbox lesson inside our Private Facebook Group? Best of all it is FREE to join. Join today and get access to all of our live training and level up your communication, leadership, influence and persuasion skills. With 14,000 members it’s a great place to network, learn and overcome any obstacle that’s in your way. Did you know that you can get the whole Art of Charm catalog when you subscribe to Stitcher Premium using our link? That’s 15 years of podcasts featuring expert guests and toolbox episodes! Sign up today and use Code “CHARM” to get a free month! Running out of things to say in conversation… and still struggling to get people interested in you? That’s an uncomfortable position to be in. Don’t want to risk getting tongue-tied and screwing things up the next time you meet someone? Check out Conversation Magic now to make sure you don't crash and burn. With our bulletproof formula, you'll be flirting up a storm, sparking fun and engaging conversations, and making high-value friends anywhere! Resources from this Episode Split the Pie by Barry Nalebuff Co-Opetition by Barry Nalebuff Check in with AJ and Johnny! AJ on Instagram Johnny on Instagram The Art of Charm on Instagram The Art of Charm on YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode, we cover the brain with Lisa Barrett, PhD. Lisa is among the top one percent most cited scientists in the world for her revolutionary research in psychology and neuroscience, and is the author of the best-selling Seven and a Half Lessons About the Brain. As we learn more about the brain we realize how mistaken we once were, so what have we been getting wrong about the brain, what have we learned, and how can you use that information to eliminate the unhelpful patterns and bad habits holding you back from living a fulfilling life? What to Listen For Introduction – 0:00 Where did the myth about the lizard brain come from and why is it such a popular belief? Moving beyond the Lizard Brain – 10:47 What is the correct way to think about the conflict between rationality and what we mistakenly believe is the lizard brain so we can work toward becoming the people we want to be? How is our brain functionality connected to our metabolism and how can you use that information to increase your brain’s performance and longevity? Busting the Memory Myth – 26:10 How do our memories influence the way we operate in life and what can you do to overwrite old patterns that aren’t helping you anymore? How does your metabolism Do we have control over our actions? – 35:10 How does your body react to things before you are consciously aware of them and how can you use that to recognize unhelpful patterns? What can you do to deconstruct unhelpful patterns and habits, and make it easier to build healthier habits? Why does anxiety make things harder? – 43:30 What can you do to make it easier to do things that would normally cause you a lot of stress and anxiety? How do our brains wire to connect and influence the brains of the people we interact with? Science has shown us that our words and behavior have a measurable impact on the health of people around us. This means if we want to have a positive impact on those we care about, it’s crucial that we are thoughtful and intentional when interacting with others. Be mindful of the words you use, the eye contact you make, the body language you use, and how you treat people. Every person you influence will in turn influence you, so if you want to live in a positive, supporting environment, make sure you are treating others with love, respect, and encouragement. A Word From Our Sponsors Do you LOVE the toolbox episodes? Did you know that every week we give a LIVE mini-toolbox lesson inside our Private Facebook Group? Best of all it is FREE to join. Join today and get access to all of our live training and level up your communication, leadership, influence and persuasion skills. With 14,000 members it’s a great place to network, learn and overcome any obstacle that’s in your way. Did you know that you can get the whole Art of Charm catalog when you subscribe to Stitcher Premium using our link? That’s 15 years of podcasts featuring expert guests and toolbox episodes! Sign up today and use Code “CHARM” to get a free month! Running out of things to say in conversation… and still struggling to get people interested in you? That’s an uncomfortable position to be in. Don’t want to risk getting tongue-tied and screwing things up the next time you meet someone? Check out Conversation Magic now to make sure you don't crash and burn. With our bulletproof formula, you'll be flirting up a storm, sparking fun and engaging conversations, and making high-value friends anywhere! Resources from this Episode Lisa Barrett’s website Seven And A Half Lessons About The Brain by Lisa Barrett How Emotions are Made: The Secret Life of the Brain by Lisa Barrett Check in with AJ and Johnny! AJ on Instagram Johnny on Instagram The Art of Charm on Instagram The Art of Charm on YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode, we cover low value behavior with AJ and Johnny. We all exhibit low value behavior that can push people away from us, so what are low value behaviors, what makes us exhibit low value behavior, and what can you do to stop these low value behaviors from destroying friendships and relationships? What to Listen For Introduction – 0:00 What are low value behaviors, how do they push people away from us, and how can you notice them so you stop exhibiting them? Why do low value behaviors make it difficult to create lasting friendships and relationships? Why do we need attention, approval, and acceptance? – 14:20 What do we need from other humans to feel safe and why does every human need it? How does your childhood shape the way you seek out value in the world and what can you do if your childhood influenced you to exhibit a lot of low value behaviors? How to Identify Low Value Behaviors – 24:27 What is the difference between a high value person and a low value person? What is supplicative behavior and what are some examples so you can make sure you don’t exhibit supplicative behavior? When is being agreeable considered low value behavior? Combative Behavior – 43:02 Why is it low value behavior to be argumentative and confrontational? What are the verbal and nonverbal signals of combative behavior? The Third Low Value Behavior – 50:05 When is it low value behavior to be competitive? What is it about these low value behaviors that repel high value people from your life and what can you shift to high value behavior instead? One of the worst blindspots people have in social situations is the way we go about satisfying our need for attention, approval, and acceptance. And we refer to attention, approval, and acceptance as value. We all have a need for value whether you like it or not. The difference between low value people and high value people is the way they go about getting that value. Low value people beg for it, fight you for it, and compete with you for it. High value people simply recognize their own value and seek to highlight the value in the people around them. A Word From Our Sponsors Do you LOVE the toolbox episodes? Did you know that every week we give a LIVE mini-toolbox lesson inside our Private Facebook Group? Best of all it is FREE to join. Join today and get access to all of our live training and level up your communication, leadership, influence and persuasion skills. With 14,000 members it’s a great place to network, learn and overcome any obstacle that’s in your way. Did you know that you can get the whole Art of Charm catalog when you subscribe to Stitcher Premium using our link? That’s 15 years of podcasts featuring expert guests and toolbox episodes! Sign up today and use Code “CHARM” to get a free month! Running out of things to say in conversation… and still struggling to get people interested in you? That’s an uncomfortable position to be in. Don’t want to risk getting tongue-tied and screwing things up the next time you meet someone? Check out Conversation Magic now to make sure you don't crash and burn. With our bulletproof formula, you'll be flirting up a storm, sparking fun and engaging conversations, and making high-value friends anywhere! Resources from this Episode Mira Kirshenbaum | The Biggest Myth About Arguments Check in with AJ and Johnny! AJ on Instagram Johnny on Instagram The Art of Charm on Instagram The Art of Charm on YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode, we cover passive communication with Dr Robert Glover. Robert is an internationally recognized authority on the Nice Guy Syndrome, has helped thousands of nice guys transform from being passive, resentful victims to empowered, integrated males, and is the author of No More Mr. Nice Guy: A Proven Plan For Getting What You Want in Love, Sex and Life. Trying to be the nice guy is a fatal step many men take to get what they want out of life, but what makes being a nice guy so bad, how can you identify your nice guy tendencies, and what can you do to get what you want without being a jerk? What to Listen For Introduction – 0:00 What is Nice Guy Syndrome and why is being a nice guy (or nice girl) counterproductive to getting what you want out of life? Does Nice Guy Syndrome also apply to women? Being a Nice Guy makes people like you less – 13:30 Why does being a nice guy lead people to trust you less and like you less, and what should you do instead? Why do Nice Guys seem inauthentic and untrustworthy? The Covert Contracts of Nice Guys – 19:38 What are the three secret contracts Nice Guys have with other people and why are these contracts harmful to them and their relationships? Identify Relationships that are not serving you – 32:34 What are Cooperative Reciprocal Relationships and what exercise can you do now to understand what relationships are not helping you and what relationships you should add to your life? Setting Boundaries and Expressing Your Desires – 44:25 What can you do if you know you should set boundaries but aren’t sure how to set them or defend them when people around you push back? If you feel shame related to your sexual desires, what can you do to work through it and develop a healthy relationship with your needs and wants, as well as expressing them confidently instead of hiding them? Being a nice guy sounds like a good idea, doesn’t it? Why would it be a bad thing? Turns out, when a man is trying to be a nice guy, it almost always means he’s not being authentic. Many times, a nice guy is nice because he thinks that’s what other people want him to be. He thinks being nice will result in people liking him and treating him better and sleeping with him. Instead, people see the niceness as a facade masking his true intentions and feelings. This makes him untrustworthy and unlikable. People respect and are drawn to others who are comfortable being themselves and being honest with the people around them. A Word From Our Sponsors Do you LOVE the toolbox episodes? Did you know that every week we give a LIVE mini-toolbox lesson inside our Private Facebook Group? Best of all it is FREE to join. Join today and get access to all of our live training and level up your communication, leadership, influence and persuasion skills. With 14,000 members it’s a great place to network, learn and overcome any obstacle that’s in your way. Did you know that you can get the whole Art of Charm catalog when you subscribe to Stitcher Premium using our link? That’s 15 years of podcasts featuring expert guests and toolbox episodes! Sign up today and use Code “CHARM” to get a free month! Resources from this Episode Dr. Robert Glover’s website No More Mr. Nice Guy by Dr. Robert Glover Check in with AJ and Johnny! AJ on Instagram Johnny on Instagram The Art of Charm on Instagram The Art of Charm on YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode, we cover the art of insubordination with Todd Kashdan. Todd is among the world’s top experts on the psychology of well-being, psychological strengths, mental agility, and social relationships. Being a dissenter in today’s society is hard, but it is more important now than ever, so what can you do to raise questions about problems you see without being silenced, and how can you get your message across so people rally behind you instead of condemn you? What to Listen For Introduction – 0:00 What is the art of insubordination and why should you care? Why is it important to have a public square where people can meet and exchange ideas? The crucial importance of a clear consistent message – 12:07 If political polarization isn’t our biggest issue in society, what is and how do we overcome it? How does technology speed up how quickly we self-segregate and isolate ourselves from different ideas and why is this dangerous to society? Why does the use of labels get us into trouble and how do we overcome the stigma of labels? Why We Must Understand the Art of Insubordination – 25:17 Why is the act of dissent important? What can you do to persuade friends and family when you are a dissenter? How can you introduce dissent into the mainstream without getting canceled? How to be a Principled Rebel in Modern Society – 35:12 What does it mean to be a principled rebel and why does every society need principled rebels? What is the best way to get your message across if you are part of a struggling minority influence? Why do we need to expose ourselves to ideas that run counter to our own beliefs and worldview? Dissenting is about more than just holding ideas and beliefs counter to mainstream thought. You must be willing to get involved in mainstream conversations, listen to what people have to say, and provide a legitimate path forward so people can see where your ideas lead. This allows them to be more comfortable following your ideas and handling any discomfort that might come from trying to change their worldview and the world around them. A Word From Our Sponsors Do you LOVE the toolbox episodes? Did you know that every week we give a LIVE mini-toolbox lesson inside our Private Facebook Group? Best of all it is FREE to join. Join today and get access to all of our live training and level up your communication, leadership, influence and persuasion skills. With 14,000 members it’s a great place to network, learn and overcome any obstacle that’s in your way. Did you know that you can get the whole Art of Charm catalog w,hen you subscribe to Stitcher Premium using our link? That’s 15 years of podcasts featuring expert guests and toolbox episodes! Sign up today and use Code “CHARM” to get a free month! Resources from this Episode Todd Kashdan’s website The Art of Insubordination: how to dissent & defy effectively Check in with AJ and Johnny! AJ on Instagram Johnny on Instagram The Art of Charm on Instagram The Art of Charm on YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode, we cover leadership and decision-making with David Siegel. David is the CEO of Meetup, the largest platform for finding and building local communities, and the author of Decide & Conquer: 44 Decisions that will Make or Break All Leaders. Success is determined by the decisions you make and the people you surround yourself with, so how can you know when you’re making the right decision for your future, what can you do to surround yourself with people who will help you create success, and how do you maintain firm boundaries along the way? What to Listen For Introduction – 0:00 What does it take to be the CEO of a great company like Meetup and how can you apply that knowledge to your own goals? Build a powerful network like a CEO – 19:28 What can you do to build a network that will get you to the next level of your career? How do you create luck in your life so more and more opportunities present themselves to you? What can you do to set firm boundaries as you become more successful? Navigate difficult conversations with ease – 38:14 When is the right time to have a difficult conversation and what can you do to make difficult conversations easier? How do you move your ego out of the way so it doesn’t sabotage your success as a leader? Build a thriving company culture – 49:03 What can you do to foster a company culture that is open to change and willing to cooperate on effecting change? What’s next for Meetup? CEOs know the importance of having a powerful network and tough decision-making. It’s what gets them through difficult conversations and allows them to build a thriving company culture. But, it doesn’t happen overnight. You have to be intentional about who you connect with and how you engage with them if you want to reap the benefits. What are some things you can do this week to start building your own powerful CEO-style network and decision-making framework? A Word From Our Sponsors Do you LOVE the toolbox episodes? Did you know that every week we give a LIVE mini-toolbox lesson inside our Private Facebook Group? Best of all it is FREE to join. Join today and get access to all of our live training and level up your communication, leadership, influence and persuasion skills. With 14,000 members it’s a great place to network, learn and overcome any obstacle that’s in your way. Did you know that you can get the whole Art of Charm catalog when you subscribe to Stitcher Premium using our link? That’s 15 years of podcasts featuring expert guests and toolbox episodes! Sign up today and use Code “CHARM” to get a free month! Resources from this Episode The fall of WeWork’s Adam Neumann Decide and Conquer: 44 Decisions that will Make or Break All Leaders MeetUp Check in with AJ and Johnny! AJ on Instagram Johnny on Instagram The Art of Charm on Instagram The Art of Charm on YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode, we cover setting boundaries with Nedra Tawwab. Nedra is a licensed therapist, sought-after relationship expert who has practiced relationship therapy for 14 years, and author of the instant New York Times bestseller “Set Boundaries, Find Peace”. Boundaries are a challenging concept to implement for many, but it can be simplified once you understand them, so what are boundaries, what does it mean to communicate and defend your boundaries, and how do you handle situations where people are repeatedly crossing your boundaries? What to Listen For Introduction to Boundaries – 0:00 Why did Nedra Tawwab write a book on boundaries? Why is boundary setting pushed out of us as children only to be demanded of us as adults, and what can you do to reclaim your ability to set boundaries so you can avoid unhealthy relationships? What does it mean to set a boundary and how do you know when you should set a boundary? Respecting Your Boundaries – 11:00 What should you say if you need to back out of a commitment? Should you feel bad about backing out of a commitment? What leads someone to ghost you and how should you handle it? Building & Defending Your Boundaries – 24:50 What should you say if someone disrespects your boundary? How do you set new boundaries with someone? What can you do to show up for your team while setting healthy boundaries so you can get your work done? Healthy vs Unhealthy Consequences for Boundaries – 34:40 How do you know when a relationship should end if the other person keeps crossing your boundaries? How do you handle family members who are unwilling or unable to respect your boundaries? Boundaries are important because they allow us to build healthy relationships with people who respect us as individuals. If you don’t communicate to someone what it means to respect you and treat you well, you’re gambling on their ability to read your mind. I don’t know any mind readers so I’d call that a bad gamble. A Word From Our Sponsors Do you LOVE the toolbox episodes? Did you know that every week we give a LIVE mini-toolbox lesson inside our Private Facebook Group? Best of all it is FREE to join. Join today and get access to all of our live training and level up your communication, leadership, influence and persuasion skills. With 14,000 members it’s a great place to network, learn and overcome any obstacle that’s in your way. Did you know that you can get the whole Art of Charm catalog when you subscribe to Stitcher Premium using our link? That’s 15 years of podcasts featuring expert guests and toolbox episodes! Sign up today and use Code “CHARM” to get a free month! Resources from this Episode Nedra Tawwab on Instagram Nedra Tawwab’s website Set Boundaries, Find Peace by Nedra Tawwab Set Boundaries Workbook Check in with AJ and Johnny! AJ on Instagram Johnny on Instagram The Art of Charm on Instagram The Art of Charm on Instagram The Art of Charm on YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode, we cover procrastination and perfectionism with Jennifer Kemp. Jennifer is a leading expert on perfectionism and builds flexibility and self-compassion when working with therapeutic clients. Many of us experience perfectionism in different ways but they all hold us back from where we want to be, so what are the different ways perfectionism shows up in your life, what are the warning signs your perfectionism is unhealthy, and what can you do to overcome your perfectionism? What to Listen For Introduction – 0:00 What is unhelpful perfectionism and how is it different from the perfectionism we understand today? What 4 signs can you look for to identify whether your perfectionism is healthy or not? The importance of adapting vs perfecting – 13:40 How does the pursuit of perfection lead to less progression when you’re trying to learn or improve a skill? What classes can you take to improve your conversational ability, sense of humor, and perfectionism? What makes Art of Charm training programs so effective – 25:39 How do AoC alumni maintain their development after the program so they don’t fall back into their old behavior? How does skill development become self-reinforcing so it feels fun rather than a lot of work? The warning signs of perfectionism – 39:20 How is perfectionism linked to other mental health issues and how can you identify them? What exercises can you do if you’re struggling with a harsh inner critic? Is perfectionism keeping you from the success you’re after? You’re not alone. Perfectionism can show up in your life in several ways, including procrastination. Perfectionism can be a strength when it helps you create quality results, but it’s not doing you any favors if it stops you from taking action. A Word From Our Sponsors Do you LOVE the toolbox episodes? Did you know that every week we give a LIVE mini-toolbox lesson inside our Private Facebook Group? Best of all it is FREE to join. Join today and get access to all of our live training and level up your communication, leadership, influence and persuasion skills. With 14,000 members it’s a great place to network, learn and overcome any obstacle that’s in your way. Did you know that you can get the whole Art of Charm catalog when you subscribe to Stitcher Premium using our link? That’s 15 years of podcasts featuring expert guests and toolbox episodes! Sign up today and use Code “CHARM” to get a free month! Resources from this Episode Jennifer Kemp’s website The ACT Workbook for Perfectionism Check in with AJ and Johnny! AJ on Instagram Johnny on Instagram The Art of Charm on Instagram The Art of Charm on YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode, we cover being an awesome human with Nataly Kogan. Nataly is a former writer for Verywell Mind, the co-founder and CEO of Happier, a leading wellness company on a mission to make millions of people happier, and the author of The Awesome Human Project. Burnout can be a deadly trap you don’t recognize until the damage is done, so what can you do to avoid it (and still be successful), how does perfectionism make it worse, and how do you find your “why” so you can push through tough times and criticism? What to Listen For Introduction – 0:00 What are some obvious signs of burnout? What is the biggest lie entrepreneurs and leaders tell themselves to keep pushing through burn out? Be an Awesome Human – 12:47 How do you edit your thoughts to help you be the best version of yourself? What two questions can you ask yourself to edit your thoughts and stop your mind from sabotaging your work, relationships, and goals? What does it mean to treat yourself with compassion and why do we ALL need to treat ourselves with more compassion? Perfectionism is the Enemy of Completion – 31:00 How can you reframe perfectionism so it doesn’t stop you from finishing what you start and putting your work out there for others to enjoy? Why is it detrimental to your success to value every piece of criticism you receive? Find your “why” and flourish in any job – 41:31 Why is it important to know your “why” when it comes to long term success and fulfillment in any line of work? What is emotional fitness, why is it just as important as physical fitness, and how do you develop it? It’s easy to undervalue our physical and mental needs when pursuing ambitious goals. You can get lost in devoting countless hours to building a company and push aside physical exercise because it takes time away from the company. You can get lost in spending all of your free time at the gym and push aside quality sleep because “sleep is for the weak.” But we tend to forget the only reason we can do any of these things is because we have one precious life to work with. A Word From Our Sponsors Do you LOVE the toolbox episodes? Did you know that every week we give a LIVE mini-toolbox lesson inside our Private Facebook Group? Best of all it is FREE to join. Join today and get access to all of our live training and level up your communication, leadership, influence and persuasion skills. With 14,000 members it’s a great place to network, learn and overcome any obstacle that’s in your way. Did you know that you can get the whole Art of Charm catalog when you subscribe to Stitcher Premium using our link? That’s 15 years of podcasts featuring expert guests and toolbox episodes! Sign up today and use Code “CHARM” to get a free month! Resources from this Episode Nataly Kogan’s website The Awesome Human Project by Nataly Kogan Awesome Human Hour hosted by Nataly Kogan Check in with AJ and Johnny! AJ on Instagram Johnny on Instagram The Art of Charm on Instagram The Art of Charm on YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode, we cover happiness with Arthur C. Brooks. Arthur is a professor at the Harvard Kennedy School and Harvard Business School, and is the author of 12 books, including the national bestsellers “Love Your Enemies” and “The Conservative Heart”, and his newest title “From Strength to Strength”. Happiness and meaning are two things we all want but many of us follow the wrong paths to find them, so how do you figure out what the correct path is and how do you find meaning in a world that is focused on satisfying superficial desires? What to Listen For Introduction – 0:00 What is the ultimate secret to happiness according to science? What are the 4 disciplines exhibited by happy people on a daily basis that you can start implementing today? How can you get the benefits of religious faith & community if organized religion isn’t your thing? Achievement does not equal Fulfillment – 14:19 Why do some of the most successful people on the planet feel empty and alone? Why do many of us reach a point in our careers when we feel we’ve peaked and what can you do to keep excelling in your profession beyond that point? What is success addiction, how do we fall into it, and what can you do to kick the addiction if you find yourself addicted to success? Strive for fulfillment instead of achievement – 29:10 What should we be pursuing if our current goals of money, power, fame, and pleasure are leading us to feel unhappy, alone, and empty? Why is school/education not the answer if you’re looking for more meaning in life, and what are we looking for when we think school is the answer? How are music and other creative pursuits related to our ability to find fulfillment and happiness? Everyday the world tries to convince us the path to happiness and fulfillment is traversed by spending money on a product or service. We are made to think being famous will lead to fulfillment and love. We mistakenly believe having more power and control over the world around us will lead to feeling complete and accomplished. The funny thing about happiness and fulfillment is they are found in the simple things that do not require significant sums of money: loving the people around you, wanting and needing less, having strong spiritual beliefs, and doing work that is a service to others. A Word From Our Sponsors Do you LOVE the toolbox episodes? Did you know that every week we give a LIVE mini-toolbox lesson inside our Private Facebook Group? Best of all it is FREE to join. Join today and get access to all of our live training and level up your communication, leadership, influence and persuasion skills. With 14,000 members it’s a great place to network, learn and overcome any obstacle that’s in your way. Did you know that you can get the whole Art of Charm catalogue when you subscribe to Stitcher Premium using our link? That’s 15 years of podcasts featuring expert guests and toolbox episodes! Sign up today and use Code “CHARM” to get a free month! Resources from this Episode Arthur C. Brooks’s website From Strength to Strength: Finding Success, Happiness and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life by Arthur C. Brooks Dr. Judson Brewer | Unwinding Anxiety Check in with AJ and Johnny! AJ on Instagram Johnny on Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode, we cover neuroticism with Dr. Taylor Burrowes. Taylor received her PhD in Marriage and Family Counseling, is a retired mental health counselor and marriage & family therapist, and now works independently. Like mental health in general, we all fall somewhere on a spectrum of neuroticism, so how can you notice when you’re exhibiting neurotic behavior and what can you do to make sure it doesn’t ruin your relationships? What to Listen For Introduction – 0:00 What is neuroticism and how does it show up in all of us? Who is Dr Taylor Burrowes? The signs of neuroticism – 15:18 How are restlessness and neuroticism connected and how can you identify when restlessness is leading you to make poor decisions? Why are pauses important in conversation when you’re speaking to one person or an audience? What can you do to stop overthinking from ruining your relationships while still allowing it to help you in areas like work? How does neuroticism influence your social development – 33:36 Why is overthinking detrimental to your ability to be seen as authentic and build relationships? Why is coaching so important when it comes to developing your social skills? Why do we jump to conclusions that often have no evidence supporting them and how can we stop doing it? What causes you to experience neurotic behavior – 52:20 What are the root causes of the neurotic behavior we all experience at times and what can you do about it? We’re all a little bit crazy, and that’s ok. Neuroticism shows up in all of us in several ways including restlessness, overthinking, and jumping to conclusions. It can get in the way of healthy relationships, especially for men, because neuroticism conveys a lack of confidence in who you are. Once you can recognize neurotic behaviors, you can remind yourself it’s important to not act on them. A Word From Our Sponsors Do you LOVE the toolbox episodes? Did you know that every week we give a LIVE mini-toolbox lesson inside our Private Facebook Group? Best of all it is FREE to join. Join today and get access to all of our live training and level up your communication, leadership, influence and persuasion skills. With 14,000 members it’s a great place to network, learn and overcome any obstacle that’s in your way. Did you know that you can get the whole Art of Charm catalogue when you subscribe to Stitcher Premium using our link? That’s 15 years of podcasts featuring expert guests and toolbox episodes! Sign up today and use Code “CHARM” to get a free month! Resources from this Episode Dr Taylor Burrowes’s website Dr Taylor Burrowes on Twitter 10 ways neuroticism shows up in men and what to do about it | YouTube The Vetting System by Dr. Taylor Burrowes The 4 Stress Languages | YouTube Check in with AJ and Johnny! AJ on Instagram Johnny on Instagram The Art of Charm on Instagram The Art of Charm on YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode, we cover regret with Daniel Pink. Daniel is the author of several New York Times bestsellers, including Drive and To Sell is Human, and his newest book, The Power of Regret: How Looking Backward Moves Us Forward. To have freedom of choice means we will experience regret, so what can you do to have a healthy relationship with your regrets, and how can you look at regret moving forward so you make the decisions that will lead to the least amount of regret? What to Listen For Introduction – 0:00 What is the best way to motivate a team working on a long term project? What is the single biggest motivator in someone’s day-to-day work and how can you use that to increase your productivity and your team’s productivity? What question can you ask to get unstuck when you’re not sure how to proceed in work and life? Is it possible to live life without any regrets – 13:19 Why is it actually unhealthy to try to live without regrets and what benefit do regrets serve us? What is the difference between regret and rumination and why can one be good for you but not the other? What are the four categories of regrets? How do you know when you should reach out to someone you’ve lost touch with? How to use regret in a meaningful way – 38:00 What strategies can you use to develop a healthy relationship with your regrets so they don’t stop you from enjoying life and becoming successful? Why is self-compassion important for neutralizing the harmful effects of regrets? Regrets can suck, but there are a variety of ways to reframe regret and develop a healthy relationship with it so it guides you rather than torments you. When we feel regret over a decision we made, it’s important to spend time understanding why you feel that regret. Then think about the next time that decision might have to be made and commit to making it. Write it down. Tell your friends so they can hold you accountable if possible. A Word From Our Sponsors Do you LOVE the toolbox episodes? Did you know that every week we give a LIVE mini-toolbox lesson inside our Private Facebook Group? Best of all it is FREE to join. Join today and get access to all of our live training and level up your communication, leadership, influence and persuasion skills. With 14,000 members it’s a great place to network, learn and overcome any obstacle that’s in your way. Did you know that you can get the whole Art of Charm catalogue when you subscribe to Stitcher Premium using our link? That’s 15 years of podcasts featuring expert guests and toolbox episodes! Sign up today and use Code “CHARM” to get a free month! Resources from this Episode Daniel Pink’s website Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us The Power of Regret: How Looking Backward Moves Us Forward Check in with AJ and Johnny! AJ on Instagram Johnny on Instagram The Art of Charm on Instagram The Art of Charm on YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode, we cover breaking the ice with AJ, Johnny, and Michael Herold. Why is breaking the ice an important skill, what impact does it have on your health, and what strategies can you use to make breaking the ice easy and effective? What to Listen For Breaking the ice and your health – 0:00 Why should we be engaging in more small talk and why is it dangerous to our mental and physical health to spend too much time alone? What is the first obvious signal that loneliness is your new normal and what can you do to break out of that cycle? Make small talk more effective – 20:18 Why are witty one-liners ineffective at breaking the ice and what should you say instead? What questions should you avoid when meeting someone for the first time, and what questions should you ask instead? What is the easiest way to revive a conversation if you feel like it’s dying or getting awkward? Break the ice MORE OFTEN! – 30:58 How should we be looking at breaking the ice and small talk if we want more opportunities, more friends, and a more fulfilling life? How do you break the ice with someone wearing headphones? Why is making small talk important if you have goals and dreams you want to accomplish in life? It’s easy for us introverts to dismiss small talk and interactions with strangers as a waste of time. What’s the point, right? The problem with this mentality is that it ignores our human nature. We are social creatures, and as social creatures our mental and physical health will suffer if we are isolated from our tribe. That is one reason being exiled from the tribe used to be the ultimate punishment as life without the support of your fellow tribesmen surely meant death in the wild. A Word From Our Sponsors Do you LOVE the toolbox episodes? Did you know that every week we give a LIVE mini-toolbox lesson inside our Private Facebook Group? Best of all it is FREE to join. Join today and get access to all of our live training and level up your communication, leadership, influence and persuasion skills. With 14,000 members it’s a great place to network, learn and overcome any obstacle that’s in your way. Did you know that you can get the whole Art of Charm catalogue when you subscribe to Stitcher Premium using our link? That’s 15 years of podcasts featuring expert guests and toolbox episodes! Sign up today and use Code “CHARM” to get a free month! Resources from this Episode Is Efficiency Overrated?: Minimal Social Interactions Lead to Belonging and Positive Affect Art of Charm Ice Breaker Cheat Sheet Check in with AJ and Johnny! AJ on Instagram Johnny on Instagram The Art of Charm on Instagram The Art of Charm on YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode, we cover breathing with James Nestor. James has written for Scientific American, BBC, The New York Times, The Atlantic, National Public Radio and more, and is the author of the best-selling book, Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art. Breathing incorrectly can have detrimental effects on your sleep, metabolism, inflammation, and even your lifespan, but what is the correct way to breathe, why is evolution working against us so we breathe worse over time, and what exercise can you use to train your body to subconsciously breathe correctly? What to Listen For Introduction – 0:00 How did James Nestor become so focused on breathing? How is evolution working against our breathing? What do people often get wrong about survival of the fittest and evolution? The Lost Art of Breathing – 11:10 Why is breathing not talked about by the medical community when it’s so crucial to our health and wellbeing? How does breathing impact your sleep and what can you do to improve your sleep with your breathing? How does breathing impact your metabolism and how can you use your breathing to help you burn more calories? How are lung capacity and lifespan connected and how can you increase your lifespan? Breathe CORRECTLY to eliminate inflammation – 34:00 How is your breathing on a daily basis making your chronic inflammation worse and how should you be breathing instead? Why do you need to stop breathing with your mouth? Why do we feel better as humans when we breathe through our noses and not our mouths? How long should you inhale, hold your breath, and exhale to train your body to breathe correctly? How can correct breathing make you a better public speaker? Many people go through their entire lives without thinking about the way they breathe. It’s one of those things that our bodies do automatically so it’s easy to shrug off, but breathing is arguably one of the most important activities we do on a daily basis, so time should be spent trying to understand the best way to breathe. A Word From Our Sponsors Do you LOVE the toolbox episodes? Did you know that every week we give a LIVE mini-toolbox lesson inside our Private Facebook Group? Best of all it is FREE to join. Join today and get access to all of our live training and level up your communication, leadership, influence and persuasion skills. With 14,000 members it’s a great place to network, learn and overcome any obstacle that’s in your way. Did you know that you can get the whole Art of Charm catalogue when you subscribe to Stitcher Premium using our link? That’s 15 years of podcasts featuring expert guests and toolbox episodes! Sign up today and use Code “CHARM” to get a free month! Resources from this Episode Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art by James Nestor James Nestor’s website Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams by Matthew Walker Check in with AJ and Johnny! AJ on Instagram Johnny on Instagram The Art of Charm on Instagram The Art of Charm on YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode, we cover anxiety with Dr. Judson Brewer. Jud is the Director of Research and Innovation at the Mindfulness Center and associate professor in Behavioral and Social Sciences at the School of Public Health and Psychiatry at the School of Medicine at Brown University, as well as head of behavioral health at Sharecare. Anxiety can make anyone’s life more difficult, but you can take steps to minimize or eliminate it altogether—so how are your habits and thought processes making your anxiety worse, and what can you do to take back control of your life? What to Listen For Introduction – 0:00 What common misconceptions do people have about anxiety? How do habits and anxiety play off each other and what can we do to prevent our habits from creating crippling anxiety? Taking back control from our environment and biology – 12:51 What can you do to overcome the influence our environments and biology have on amping up our anxiety? What simple exercise can you do to stop bad habits and when should you do it? What question can you ask yourself if you want to stop binging or over indulging? Is anxiety stopping you from pursuing positive activities? – 34:56 What can you do if your anxiety is getting in the way of doing things that are good for you? How can bringing awareness to your anxiety help you to get your life back from anxiety dictating your actions? The danger and harm caused by worrying – 49:20 What is going on when you worry and how does it impact your behaviors? What can you do if you’re constantly worrying? In ancient times, anxiety was useful for teaching us what we should be concerned about. But in the modern world, we are bombarded with a million things everyday that we “should” worry about. Between notifications on our smartphones, the news, that overflowing email inbox, and everything we see on social media, the anxiety can be overwhelming. As a result, we tend to develop habits as a way of coping with the anxiety, and those habits can lead to even worse anxiety. A Word From Our Sponsors Do you LOVE the toolbox episodes? Did you know that every week we give a LIVE mini-toolbox lesson inside our Private Facebook Group? Best of all it is FREE to join. Join today and get access to all of our live training and level up your communication, leadership, influence and persuasion skills. With 14,000 members it’s a great place to network, learn and overcome any obstacle that’s in your way. Did you know that you can get the whole Art of Charm catalogue when you subscribe to Stitcher Premium using our link? That’s 15 years of podcasts featuring expert guests and toolbox episodes! Sign up today and use Code “CHARM” to get a free month! Resources from this Episode Dr. Brewer’s website Unwinding Anxiety: New Science Shows How to Break the Cycles of Worry and Fear to Heal Your Mind by Dr. Judson Brewer Check in with AJ and Johnny! AJ on Instagram Johnny on Instagram The Art of Charm on Instagram The Art of Charm on YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode, we cover healthy relationships and finding the right partner with Dr Yael. Dr Yael is a licensed clinical psychologist, assistant professor at Brown University, and writer about parenting, work, and relationships. A healthy relationship takes work, but how do you know what relationships are worth the work, is moving in together a good test for the relationship, and how do you reignite passion in a relationship? What to Listen For Introduction – 0:00 Why did Dr Yael Schonbrun take the Art of Charm Unstoppable program? What is the trap many of us fall into in the modern dating world and why are we making it harder to find healthy relationships? Value based dating and moving in together – 13:00 What questions can you ask to figure out what you want to get out of dating? What mindset do you need to avoid if you’re thinking about moving in with someone you’re dating? What signs should you look out for when thinking about moving in with someone? Looking beyond lust for red flags – 30:40 How should you think about lust when you’re actively dating? Reigniting passion in a relationship – 44:40 What is the foundation for passion in romantic relationships and what can you do to reintroduce it? What is the evolutionary need for novelty in romantic relationships? How do you know when a relationship is worth ending? Your relationships require the same work we put into everything else in life. If we go about life acting as if those relationships will always be there, we are bound to lose them. Why should they invest time in us if we’re not willing to invest in them? The first step in developing healthy relationships is making that commitment to invest and following through. A Word From Our Sponsors Do you LOVE the toolbox episodes? Did you know that every week we give a LIVE mini-toolbox lesson inside our Private Facebook Group? Best of all it is FREE to join. Join today and get access to all of our live training and level up your communication, leadership, influence and persuasion skills. With 14,000 members it’s a great place to network, learn and overcome any obstacle that’s in your way. Did you know that you can get the whole Art of Charm catalogue when you subscribe to Stitcher Premium using our link? That’s 15 years of podcasts featuring expert guests and toolbox episodes! Sign up today and use Code “CHARM” to get a free month! Resources from this Episode Dr. Yael Schonbrun’s website Unstoppable Coaching Program Check in with AJ and Johnny! AJ on Instagram Johnny on Instagram The Art of Charm on Instagram The Art of Charm on YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode, we cover what we learned in 2021. 2021 was a wild ride for everyone, so let’s take a moment to reflect on what we’ve learned, overcome, and how far we’ve come. What to Listen For Introduction – 0:00 What was the most powerful takeaway for negotiating we heard from our guests? What simple and effective strategy can you use to make healthy habits much easier to adopt? Asking for help doesn’t need to be hard – 20:00 What simple mental switch can you flip to make asking for help a positive experience for both people? What proven strategies can you use to better manage your anxiety on a daily basis? Why is the pursuit of balance the wrong goal to chase if you want to be successful? How do AJ and Johnny decide how to interview each guest – 37:01 What can you do to prepare a solid interview experience for anyone you have on a podcast? What have AJ, Johnny, and coach Michael done and learned over the last year and what can you take away from their lessons? The podcast has had some amazing guests over the last year. Let’s take a minute to highlight all the game changing tips, tricks, and strategies we’ve learned in 2021. A Word From Our Sponsors Do you LOVE the toolbox episodes? Did you know that every week we give a LIVE mini-toolbox lesson inside our Private Facebook Group? Best of all it is FREE to join. Join today and get access to all of our live training and level up your communication, leadership, influence and persuasion skills. With 14,000 members it’s a great place to network, learn and overcome any obstacle that’s in your way. Did you know that you can get the whole Art of Charm catalogue when you subscribe to Stitcher Premium using our link? That’s 15 years of podcasts featuring expert guests and toolbox episodes! Sign up today and use Code “CHARM” to get a free month! Resources from this Episode Victoria Medvec | Master Negotiation By Avoiding These 3 Traps Katy Milkman | Eliminate Unhealthy Habits Today with 3 Scientifically Proven Strategies Dr. Caroline Leaf | The Secret to Cleaning Up Your Mental Mess & 5 Steps to Healing Grief Joe Navarro | Become an Exceptional Communicator by Mastering These 5 Traits Tim Grover | Achieve Superhuman Focus by Annihilating Distractions Erica Dhawan | Communicate Powerfully by Mastering Digital Body Language Carey Nieuwhof | Incredible Productivity and Never Burn Out Check in with AJ and Johnny! AJ on Instagram Johnny on Instagram The Art of Charm on Instagram The Art of Charm on YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode, we cover the art of gift giving with John Ruhlin. John Ruhlin is the founder and CEO of Ruhlin Group, the master of building businesses by giving gifts, and the author of Giftology: The Art and Science of Using Gifts to Cut Through the Noise, Increase Referrals, and Strengthen Retention. Giving the right gift can radically strengthen any personal or business relationship, but what questions should you ask when thinking about the right gift for someone, what gifts should you avoid at all cost, and when is the right time to give a gift? What to Listen For Introduction – 0:00 Who do people often overlook when it comes to building and maintaining relationships? What can you do to make gift giving feel less like a transaction and more like a natural part of relationship building? How can you make gift giving a game changer for all of your personal and professional relationships? The secret to giving gifts that change your life – 13:17 How much money should you set aside for giving gifts every year and why do you need to plan for it? What is the ultimate recipe for gift giving and what should you think about when giving gifts? Examples of business changing gifts – 26:23 What crucial questions should you think about when personalizing a gift for someone? How should you start giving gifts if it’s not something you’re used to doing? What types of gifts should you never send? Tips for personal gift giving – 45:36 What gifts can you give to deepen your personal relationships? The right gift can change someone’s life and create a memory that will last forever. But how can you figure out what that gift might be? For one, it must be meaningful to the receiver, and what things in a person’s life are likely to be the most meaningful? In many cases, it’s our values and our families, so think about how you might personalize an item that person uses or sees everyday and incorporate something related to their values or family. An example? How about a knife set in which each knife is engraved with a different favorite quote of theirs. A Word From Our Sponsors Do you LOVE the toolbox episodes? Did you know that every week we give a LIVE mini-toolbox lesson inside our Private Facebook Group? Best of all it is FREE to join. Join today and get access to all of our live training and level up your communication, leadership, influence and persuasion skills. With 14,000 members it’s a great place to network, learn and overcome any obstacle that’s in your way. Did you know that you can get the whole Art of Charm catalogue when you subscribe to Stitcher Premium using our link? That’s 15 years of podcasts featuring expert guests and toolbox episodes! Sign up today and use Code “CHARM” to get a free month! Resources from this Episode The Top 10 Gifts You Should NEVER Give John Ruhlin’s website Giftology website Giftology: The Art and Science of Using Gifts to Cut Through the Noise, Increase Referrals, and Strengthen Retention by Josh Ruhlin Check in with AJ and Johnny! AJ on Instagram Johnny on Instagram The Art of Charm on Instagram The Art of Charm on YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode, we cover moving to a new city with AJ, Johnny, and Michael. Moving to a new city can often feel like a scary or intimidating life event, but it doesn’t have to—so why does moving feel like a bad thing, what can you do to look at moving as an exciting opportunity, and what can you do to make sure you live a fulfilling life no matter where you go? What to Listen For Introduction – 0:00 What should you NOT do if you want to create a new life when moving to a new city? What can you do to meet new people in a city before you move there? Third Place: what is it and why do we need it? – 11:41 What is the “third place” and why is it important for the health and strength of every community and its residents? What is the most important factor in a communal meeting place within your community? How to find (or create) your third place – 21:56 What easy exercise can you do today to find a great place to meet new people who share your interests and are open to meeting new people? Where can you look to experience your city from a different perspective that makes it easy to meet new people? Meeting people made easy – 36:40 Why is it important to have missions in life and what missions can you give yourself with to make it easy to build a social circle anywhere in the world? Moving to a new city can be scary when you don’t know anyone there, but it doesn’t have to be. There are several things you can do to make the process of building a social circle or professional network from scratch easy. Start by making a list of hobbies or interests you enjoy and look for opportunities to engage in those activities in the city you’re moving to. Be sure to grab a copy of our Move To A New City Checklist: https://theartofcharm.com/newcity A Word From Our Sponsors Do you LOVE the toolbox episodes? Did you know that every week we give a LIVE mini-toolbox lesson inside our Private Facebook Group? Best of all it is FREE to join. Join today and get access to all of our live training and level up your communication, leadership, influence and persuasion skills. With 14,000 members it’s a great place to network, learn and overcome any obstacle that’s in your way. Did you know that you can get the whole Art of Charm catalogue when you subscribe to Stitcher Premium using our link? That’s 15 years of podcasts featuring expert guests and toolbox episodes! Sign up today and use Code “CHARM” to get a free month! Resources from this Episode The Great Good Place: Cafes, Coffee Shops, Bookstores, Bars, Hair Salons, and Other Hangouts at the Heart of a Community by Ray Oldenburg Check in with AJ and Johnny! AJ on Instagram Johnny on Instagram The Art of Charm on Instagram The Art of Charm on YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode, we cover self-compassion with Dr Kristin Neff. Kristin received her doctorate from the University of California at Berkeley, is a pioneer in the field of self-compassion research, and is releasing her new book Fierce Self-Compassion: How Women Can Harness Kindness to Speak Up, Claim Their Power and Thrive. Self-compassion is the key to stop your inner critic in its tracks, but what is self-compassion, why is it important to be happy, and what can you do to develop a strong sense of self-compassion? What to Listen For Introduction – 0:00 What are the three elements of self-compassion and how can you use self-compassion to improve your daily life? What are the warning signs you need self-compassion and what ways can you apply self-compassion? Why is it easier to show compassion toward others and not ourselves? Exercises to Strengthen Self-Compassion – 18:22 What simple exercises can you use right now to show yourself more compassion and stop being so hard on yourself? What can you do to work on mindfulness? Setting and Maintaining Boundaries – 27:10 Why are boundaries important in developing your self-compassion? How can you set boundaries and learn how to say no while showing compassion and self-compassion? Perfectionism and Self-Compassion – 39:00 What can you do to manage your perfectionism with self-compassion so you can stop beating yourself up over mistakes and failures? If you struggle with accepting your mistakes and failures, self-compassion is your key to developing a healthy relationship with your imperfect self. We all make mistakes, but for some reason we are much better at showing compassion to the people we care about than ourselves. Cultivating a practice of self-compassion can change that and allow you to be kind to yourself while still pushing yourself to keep improving. A Word From Our Sponsors Do you LOVE the toolbox episodes? Did you know that every week we give a LIVE mini-toolbox lesson inside our Private Facebook Group? Best of all it is FREE to join. Join today and get access to all of our live training and level up your communication, leadership, influence and persuasion skills. With 14,000 members it’s a great place to network, learn and overcome any obstacle that’s in your way. Did you know that you can get the whole Art of Charm catalogue when you subscribe to Stitcher Premium using our link? That’s 15 years of podcasts featuring expert guests and toolbox episodes! Sign up today and use Code “CHARM” to get a free month! Resources from this Episode Dr Kristin Neff’s website Fierce Self-Compassion by Dr Kristin Neff Check in with AJ and Johnny! AJ on Instagram Johnny on Instagram The Art of Charm on Instagram The Art of Charm on YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode, we cover the pursuit of meaning with Paul Bloom. Paul is Professor of Psychology at the University of Toronto, Professor Emeritus of Psychology at Yale University, is the author of six books including his newest book, The Sweet Spot: The Pleasures of Suffering and the Search for Meaning. The pursuit of meaning is often overshadowed by the pursuit of happiness, but which one is more important to living a fulfilling life, how are suffering, meaning, and happiness related, and what steps can you take to pursue meaning in your life? What to Listen For Introduction – 0:00 How does science define suffering and why is some good while some is bad? Why do we seek out sorrow, suffering, and pain in experiences like spicy food, roller coasters, scary movies, etc? Pursuit of Happiness vs Pursuit of Meaning – 11:40 How does pain lead to an increased sense of meaning in life? How does money influence our suffering and happiness? Why are people in rich countries generally happy while people in poor countries have more meaning in life? What can you do to help your children understand the difference between happiness and meaning in life? A fulfilling existence is not just about positive feelings – 31:56 Why is it important to embrace painful experiences on a regular basis? How can you find meaning in life without thinking about it or intentionally seeking it out? Is there a link between chasing prestige, status, and meaning? What is the difference between pursuing pleasure and pursuing meaning? How can anxiety prevent you from finding meaning in life and what can you do to overcome it? It is unfortunate that we put so much effort into avoiding pain, discomfort, and suffering. It is understandable from a short term perspective because it is natural for anything that feels pain to avoid things that cause pain. But it is the pain, discomfort, and suffering in our lives that leads to us learning and becoming stronger, wiser, more competent humans. This is not to say you should go outside and break your arm, but that pain is inevitable, and if we can learn to embrace it and work through it, those efforts will pay off much more in the long run than simply trying to be comfortable and safe as much as possible. A Word From Our Sponsors Do you LOVE the toolbox episodes? Did you know that every week we give a LIVE mini-toolbox lesson inside our Private Facebook Group? Best of all it is FREE to join. Join today and get access to all of our live training and level up your communication, leadership, influence and persuasion skills. With 14,000 members it’s a great place to network, learn and overcome any obstacle that’s in your way. Did you know that you can get the whole Art of Charm catalogue when you subscribe to Stitcher Premium using our link? That’s 15 years of podcasts featuring expert guests and toolbox episodes! Sign up today and use Code “CHARM” to get a free month! Resources from this Episode The Sweet Spot: The Pleasures of Suffering and the Search for Meaning Paul Bloom’s website Paul Bloom on Twitter Master Your Mindset with David Goggings | AoC Podcast Check in with AJ and Johnny! AJ on Instagram Johnny on Instagram The Art of Charm on Instagram The Art of Charm on YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode, we cover how to change with Katy Milkman. Katy is a professor at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, host of Charles Schwab’s popular behavioral economics podcast Choiceology, and the former president of the international Society for Judgment and Decision Making. Making long lasting changes in our behavior can be difficult, so what mindsets help us to make changes, what can you do to overcome low confidence when making big changes, and how do you overcome procrastination so you don’t keep putting off the life you want? What to Listen For Introduction – 0:00 What mindsets are best suited to achieving long lasting results when attempting to change something about yourself? Overcoming low confidence when making big changes – 14:00 What can you do if you don’t feel confident in your ability to improve yourself or make a big change in your life? What can you do to create accountability in you and your friends’ lives? What simple and powerful tip can you implement to make hard habits easier to form? Strategies for overcoming procrastination – 25:00 What strategies can you implement to overcome procrastination? How can you set up your life so it makes it easier for you to make better decisions for yourself? It’s not easy to make long-lasting improvements in our lives. Fortunately, there is plenty of science to show us different ways to make those improvements easier, whether it’s relying on friends for accountability, associating the behavior change with a positive activity you enjoy, or even different ways of punishing yourself for not following through with your commitments. A Word From Our Sponsors Do you LOVE the toolbox episodes? Did you know that every week we give a LIVE mini-toolbox lesson inside our Private Facebook Group? Best of all it is FREE to join. Join today and get access to all of our live training and level up your communication, leadership, influence and persuasion skills. With 14,000 members it’s a great place to network, learn and overcome any obstacle that’s in your way. Did you know that you can get the whole Art of Charm catalogue when you subscribe to Stitcher Premium using our link? That’s 15 years of podcasts featuring expert guests and toolbox episodes! Sign up today and use Code “CHARM” to get a free month! Resources from this Episode Katy Milkman’s website How to Change: The Science of Getting from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be by Katy Milkman Stickk website Beeminder website Check in with AJ and Johnny! AJ on Instagram Johnny on Instagram The Art of Charm on Instagram The Art of Charm on YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode, we cover social media’s impact on mental health with Dr Brian Primack. Brian is the dean of the College of Education and Health Professions at the University of Arkansas, the professor of public health and medicine, and is the author of You Are What You Click: How Being Selective, Positive, and Creative Can Transform Your Social Media Experience. Science is showing us that social media use in any dose can have detrimental effects on our mental health, so what can we do to ensure we have a positive experience on social media and protect ourselves and those we care about its effects? What to Listen For Introduction – 0:00 What amount of social media use won’t increase the risk for mental health issues? Social Media vs Traditional Media – 11:37 What does “You are what you click” mean? How are social media algorithms working against your mental health and what can you do about it? What are the two things we can control while using social media that limit the harm it does to us? Do different platforms have different impacts? – 21:47 Does the number of social media platforms you use impact your risk for mental health issues? What can you do to have a positive experience on social media so you’re not negatively impacting your mental health every time you log in? How much impact does social media use have on your quality of sleep and what can you do about it? The damage of constantly comparing yourself to others – 31:00 Why is it bad for you to constantly be looking at the highlight reels of other people's lives and what strategies can you use to overcome the harm? What effect do parasocial relationships have on your mental health? Social media, misinformation, and disinformation – 42:17 How do the algorithms used by social media lead to drastically different perceptions of who you know and the world around you? What can we do to guard our own mental health as well as the people we care about who aren’t aware of the dangers of social media use? The simplest way to prevent the harm done to us by social media use is to stop using social media altogether. But that’s easier said than done for many people, so what can you do if eliminating social media from your life isn’t feasible? A Word From Our Sponsors Do you LOVE the toolbox episodes? Did you know that every week we give a LIVE mini-toolbox lesson inside our Private Facebook Group? Best of all it is FREE to join. Join today and get access to all of our live training and level up your communication, leadership, influence and persuasion skills. With 14,000 members it’s a great place to network, learn and overcome any obstacle that’s in your way. Did you know that you can get the whole Art of Charm catalogue when you subscribe to Stitcher Premium using our link? That’s 15 years of podcasts featuring expert guests and toolbox episodes! Sign up today and use Code “CHARM” to get a free month! Resources from this Episode You Are What You Click by Brian Primack Brian Primack’s website You Are What You Click Personality Quiz Check in with AJ and Johnny! AJ on Instagram Johnny on Instagram The Art of Charm on Instagram The Art of Charm on YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode, we cover changing ourselves and others with Peter Bregman. Peter blends his deep expertise in business, leadership, and people to deliver quantifiable results in business, professional, and personal development, and is the bestselling author and contributor of over 18 books, including his newest book, You CAN Change Other People: The Four Steps to Help Your Colleagues, Employees—Even Family—Up Their Game. Changing other people is not easy, but there are steps we can take to make positive changes in other peoples’ lives and do so in a high value cooperative way, so why do people resist change so much, what are the four things anyone needs before they will change, and how do approach people about making a change without coming across as the critic or the bad guy? What to Listen For Why do we struggle so much trying to change people – 1:53 Why do we readily accept changes we make for ourselves but strongly resist changes that other people try to make for us? What is the most important skill you can develop as a leader in your organization? What are the misconceptions we have about changing ourselves and people around us? The 4 things people need before they’ll change – 8:30 What gets in the way of people making changes in their lives and how can we help them make the changes they want? What emotion do we experience that makes it so much harder for us to change? Strategies to manage emotions in high pressure situations – 30:31 How do you approach helping people improve themselves so you are viewed as a friend or ally rather than the enemy? Indicators of a thorough plan for implementing change – 46:13 What can you do to implement change in your organization if you are not yet in an official leadership position? Changing other people is not easy, and that’s a good thing. If it were easy to change other people, that would make it easy for other people to change you. As individuals, we cherish our autonomy. We value our ability to be ourselves and resist the changes other people want us to make. With that said, none of us is perfect and we all have areas in our lives that could be improved and make our lives better. But in order for us to be open to allowing other people to help change us, there are four things we need. Once we have all four, we can come up with a plan and be held accountable by someone other than ourselves. A Word From Our Sponsors Do you LOVE the toolbox episodes? Did you know that every week we give a LIVE mini-toolbox lesson inside our Private Facebook Group? Best of all it is FREE to join. Join today and get access to all of our live training and level up your communication, leadership, influence and persuasion skills. With 14,000 members it’s a great place to network, learn and overcome any obstacle that’s in your way. Did you know that you can get the whole Art of Charm catalogue when you subscribe to Stitcher Premium using our link? That’s 15 years of podcasts featuring expert guests and toolbox episodes! Sign up today and use Code “CHARM” to get a free month! Resources from this Episode You Can Change Other People by Peter Bregman Bregman Partners website Peter Bregman on LinkedIn Peter Bregman on Twitter Check in with AJ and Johnny! AJ on Instagram Johnny on Instagram The Art of Charm on Instagram The Art of Charm on YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode, we cover toxic relationships with AJ, Johnny, and Michael. Toxic relationships can suck the joy and satisfaction out of our lives, so what can you do to recognize the toxic relationships in your life, what can you do to remove them, and what traits should you look for when bringing new people into your life? What to Listen For What makes a toxic person toxic – 0:00 What one question can you ask yourself to determine if someone in your life is toxic? What situations draw out toxic people in our lives and how can we recognize them when they show themselves? Identifying toxic people in your life – 11:49 What simple methods can you use to identify toxic relationships in your life? How can your own self-awareness help you recognize why you are surrounding yourself with certain people? What can you do to support friends and family who have different values than you? The 7 signs of toxic people – 22:44 What are the 3 ways toxic people will try to control you and stop you from pursuing your goals? What are 4 ways your generosity can be taken advantage of by toxic individuals? The 3 high value traits of non-toxic people – 51:03 What traits should you look for in potential friends and professional connections? Removing toxic people from your life – 54:54 What are 5 ways to remove toxic people from your life? Loneliness and toxic relationships have been on the rise over the last couple of decades. But what does it mean for a relationship to be toxic? The easiest way is to ask yourself, “Is this person taking away happiness or purpose from my life?” Now, no one is perfect so there might be moments when you feel that way about a person, but if you feel that way consistently about someone, it’s time to see if their behavior is on our list of 7 traits of toxic people and then determine how you want to handle it. A Word From Our Sponsors Do you LOVE the toolbox episodes? Did you know that every week we give a LIVE mini-toolbox lesson inside our Private Facebook Group? Best of all it is FREE to join. Join today and get access to all of our live training and level up your communication, leadership, influence and persuasion skills. With 14,000 members it’s a great place to network, learn and overcome any obstacle that’s in your way. Did you know that you can get the whole Art of Charm catalogue when you subscribe to Stitcher Premium using our link? That’s 15 years of podcasts featuring expert guests and toolbox episodes! Sign up today and use Code “CHARM” to get a free month! Resources from this Episode The 7 Signs of Toxic People (Cheat Sheet) Michael Herold’s TEDx Talk Check in with AJ and Johnny! AJ on Instagram Johnny on Instagram The Art of Charm on Instagram The Art of Charm on YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode, we cover anxiety with Dr Wendy Suzuki. Dr Suzuki is a professor of neural science and psychology at the New York University’s Center for Neural Science, and the author of “Healthy Brain, Happy Life: A Personal Program to to Activate Your Brain and Do Everything Better” and her newest book, “Good Anxiety: Harnessing the Power of the Most Misunderstood Emotion.” Anxiety is typically something we try to avoid, but why do we avoid it, what does science tell us about anxiety, and how can we use anxiety to our advantage? What to Listen For Introduction – 2:35 What is good anxiety and how do you recognize when anxiety is good or bad for you? How do you recognize when the anxiety you’re experiencing is bad enough that you should seek help? What behaviors might you be exhibiting that make your anxiety worse? Relationships and their impact on our anxiety – 11:32 How do your relationships impact your anxiety and what can you do to mitigate that impact? What simple exercise can you do anywhere to get a handle on your everyday anxiety? How can you use small rituals and habits to stop your anxiety from ruining your daily activities and responsibilities? Conquering anxiety – 27:12 What can you do if your anxiety is stopping you from falling asleep at night? What simple mental exercises can you use to diffuse your anxiety so it doesn’t have such a strong influence on your life? How can you prepare for social events so your anxiety doesn’t ruin the event for you? Managing anxiety in loved ones – 39:30 What can you do as parents if you are concerned about anxiety in your children? What do many of us do to make our anxiety worse when we believe it’s actually making our anxiety better? We tend to place anxiety into a category of emotions we try to avoid. While you can experience anxiety that is so bad it warrants professional help, the anxiety most of us deal with on a daily basis can be embraced for what it can teach us about ourselves and the people around us. If you want to better manage your anxiety, start by looking at it from a place of curiosity and creativity. Next time you’re experiencing anxiety, take a moment to ask yourself where the anxiety is coming from. The more you can look at your anxiety objectively, the faster it will subside and be manageable. A Word From Our Sponsors Do you LOVE the toolbox episodes? Did you know that every week we give a LIVE mini-toolbox lesson inside our Private Facebook Group? Best of all it is FREE to join. Join today and get access to all of our live training and level up your communication, leadership, influence and persuasion skills. With 14,000 members it’s a great place to network, learn and overcome any obstacle that’s in your way. Did you know that you can get the whole Art of Charm catalogue when you subscribe to Stitcher Premium using our link? That’s 15 years of podcasts featuring expert guests and toolbox episodes! Sign up today and use Code “CHARM” to get a free month! Resources from this Episode Dr Wendy Suzuki’s website Good Anxiety: Harnessing the Power of the Most Misunderstood Emotion Healthy Brain, Happy Life: A Personal Program to to Activate Your Brain and Do Everything Better Dr Wendy Suzuki on Twitter Check in with AJ and Johnny! AJ on Instagram Johnny on Instagram The Art of Charm on Instagram The Art of Charm on YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode, we cover influence with Professor Vanessa Bohns. Vanessa is a social psychologist, an award-winning researcher and teacher, and a professor of organizational behavior at Cornell University. We all have the ability to influence those around us to some degree, so what can you do to understand your influence, grow your influence, and use your influence to help you achieve your goals? What to Listen For Intro and Vanessa’s origin story – 0:00 What do many of us get wrong about our influence over others, the perception others have of us, and how much other people actually like us? Why do we always feel like everyone is watching when we feel embarrassed? What is the spotlight effect? How to start recognizing your influence – 13:34 What can you do to overcome the limiting beliefs you might have about how much influence you actually have? What can you do as an introvert to feel confident and comfortable in situations where you know it’s going to be uncomfortable? Being more genuine during the chaos of cancel culture – 24:30 What can we do to be more comfortable being genuine when people are scared to say the wrong thing? What can we do to counter those who want to use their power and influence against us if we are trying to be more open and trusting of others? What can you do to overcome your fear of rejection? Learning to say no – 36:16 How do you learn to say no to someone who is in a position of power or authority over you? Our common misconceptions about influence – 44:25 Why and how do we underestimate the compounding effect of our individual influence outside of the people we interact with directly? How do we view our influence compared to how our influence actually works on people around us? We often underestimate the impact we have on the people around us because of our misconceptions about how influence works. We get caught up in thinking influence is our ability to directly influence a person’s actions with our words, but in reality we influence the people around us in small amounts over extended periods of time. A Word From Our Sponsors Share your vulnerabilities, victories, and questions in our 13,000-member private Facebook group at theartofcharm.com/challenge. This is a unique opportunity where everyone — both men and women — celebrate your accountability on the way to becoming the best version of yourself. Register today here! Resources from this Episode You Have More Influence Than You Think by Vanessa Bohns Vannesa Bohns’s website Vanessa Bohns on Twitter The invisibility cloak illusion: People (incorrectly) believe they observe others more than others observe them Check in with AJ and Johnny! AJ on Instagram Johnny on Instagram The Art of Charm on Instagram The Art of Charm on YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode, we cover anger management with Dr. Isabelle Leboeuf and Chris Fraser. Dr. Leboeuf integrates hypnotherapy, cognitive behavioural therapy, and compassion-focused therapy in her private practice in the North of France. Chris has been helping children, individuals, and families to be the best versions of themselves for over 25 years, and co-authored the book Freedom: How Teens Can Use Mindful Compassion to Thrive in a Chaotic World and Grow a Purpose-driven Life. Anger is an emotion we all experience throughout life, but how we respond to it makes all the difference in the world, so what even is anger, how should we look at it, and what are some healthy strategies for dealing with intense emotions like anger? What to Listen For Relationship between self-compassion and anger – 2:06 Is there a difference between the anger we feel toward others versus the anger we feel toward ourselves? Healthy strategies to process and work through anger – 11:00 What exercises should you use to work through anger and what should you avoid doing when you’re angry? What is the difference between compassion and self-compassion? What three words can you tell yourself to alleviate strong feelings of anger or frustration you’re experiencing? Is self-compassion just being easy on yourself? – 20:25 What are the three components of self-compassion? Defining and discovering core values – 29:00 How can you use negative and positive emotions to help you figure out what your core values are? Learning from compassion-focused therapy – 35:18 What can you learn from compassion-focused therapy to equip you with the tools to better handle intense emotional states so you don’t do something in the moment that you’ll regret? A full human life is arguably one in which you experience the entire spectrum of human emotions, positive and negative. Negative in this case can be interpreted as the opposite of what we think of as positive emotions, but it doesn’t mean a negative emotion is bad or should be avoided. As a society, we generally look down on or seek to avoid negative emotions such as anger and frustration, which can then lead us to not teach kids how to properly manage their anger. And a lack of anger management within an entire population will spell disaster for an entire generation that is not equipped to process and deal with their emotions in a healthy manner. A Word From Our Sponsors Share your vulnerabilities, victories, and questions in our 13,000-member private Facebook group at theartofcharm.com/challenge. This is a unique opportunity where everyone — both men and women — celebrate your accountability on the way to becoming the best version of yourself. Register today here! Resources from this Episode Freedom: How Teens Can Use Mindful Compassion to Thrive in a Chaotic World and Grow a Purpose-driven Life by Chris Fraser Dr. Isabelle’s website Compassionate Mind Collaborative website Check in with AJ and Johnny! AJ on Instagram Johnny on Instagram The Art of Charm on Instagram The Art of Charm on YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode, we cover focus and attention with Dr. Amishi Jha. Dr. Amishi Jha received her Ph.D. from the University of California–Davis, is a professor of psychology at the University of Miami, and is the Cofounder and Director of Contemplative Neuroscience for the Mindfulness Research and Practice Initiative. It seems like our attention spans are getting shorter every year, but are they really, what can we do to improve our ability to focus, and how do we deal with the countless entities always clawing for our attention everywhere we look? What to Listen For Introduction and Dr. Amishi’s origin story – 9:00 How does meditation better equip us to deal with everything that is fighting for our attention in daily life? What is attention and why should we care? – 19:24 What are the three components of attention and how do mindfulness practices influence our ability to pay attention? What mindfulness exercise can you start doing now to begin seeing the benefits of meditation? Are our attention spans actually getting shorter? How do we use our brain to combat our own lack of attention or focus? The Finder Flashlight Practice for developing focus – 31:20 What can you do to help your children learn to pay attention and focus? What advantages do people with ADD/ADHD have that people without it don’t have? Improving focus while living under a lot of stress – 48:50 What 12-minute exercise can you do on a daily basis to boost your ability to focus, even in high stress, high demand situations and environments? Our ability to focus on something for an extended period of time is one of the significant differences between humans and other animals. However, like other animals we can easily be distracted and lose that focus. So what can we do in today’s world where everything in our daily lives is fighting for our attention? We can start by meditating (or implementing a similarly effective mindfulness practice) that can help us cultivate a sense of awareness that isn’t so reactive and easily distracted. A Word From Our Sponsors Share your vulnerabilities, victories, and questions in our 13,000-member private Facebook group at theartofcharm.com/challenge. This is a unique opportunity where everyone — both men and women — celebrate your accountability on the way to becoming the best version of yourself. Register today here! Resources from this Episode Dr. Amishi’s website Peak Mind: Find Your Focus, Own Your Attention, Invest 12 Minutes a Day How to Tame Your Wandering Mind (TED Talk by Dr. Amishi) Dr. Amishi on Twitter Check in with AJ and Johnny! AJ on Instagram Johnny on Instagram The Art of Charm on Instagram The Art of Charm on YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode, we cover networking with AJ, Johnny, and Michael. Many of us don’t realize there is more to networking than simply showing up to events and introducing, so what kind of preparation should go into networking events, how do you know what value you have to offer those you meet, and how can you use digital platforms to be the super connector no one forgets? What to Listen For Intro to networking and Coach Michael’s recruitment – 0:00 What common misconceptions do people have about networking and interacting with people in your network? What 3 questions can you ask yourself to prevent you from wasting a life-changing networking opportunity? Networking hurdles and overcoming them – 9:50 What does science say about why so many of us feel uncomfortable about networking and what can we do about it? When and where should you avoid networking? Why is networking about more than just career development? Social capital and networking – 21:15 What are the 3 components of social capital and why do you need to know your social capital if you want to network effectively? What are the 2 strategies to networking and why do you need a mix of both in order to be successful at networking? Effective networking in the digital era – 34:50 What tips can you start using today to build an amazing network and connect with people you look up to? Why is it important to know your WHY when it comes to networking? What is the best way to introduce two people in your network? What are the best practices for following up with people you meet at a networking event (and what should you avoid doing)? Many of us view networking events as isolated opportunities to meet new people in which you only have the event itself to make new connections. The most effective networkers, however, know that is inefficient because that’s when everyone else is trying to do the same. Great networkers utilize the time before and after the events to start and strengthen new relationships. This can be as easy as messaging the attendees and speakers on LinkedIn before an event letting them know you are looking forward to meeting them and/or hearing their presentations. A Word From Our Sponsors Share your vulnerabilities, victories, and questions in our 13,000-member private Facebook group at theartofcharm.com/challenge. This is a unique opportunity where everyone — both men and women — celebrate your accountability on the way to becoming the best version of yourself. Register today here! Resources from this Episode Professional Networking Makes People Feel Dirty (HBS Article) Susan McPherson | Effortlessly Build a World-Class Network by Using These 5 Tips (AOC Podcast Episode) Check in with AJ and Johnny! AJ on Instagram Johnny on Instagram The Art of Charm on Instagram The Art of Charm on YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode, we cover peak performance and burnout with Carey Nieuwhof. Carey is the author of the best selling “Didn't See It Coming: Overcoming the Seven Greatest Challenges That No One Expects and Everyone Experiences” and the host of one of our favorite podcasts, The Carey Nieuwhof Leadership Podcast. Introduction With all of the pressure to increase output and creativity these days, burn out is a real threat, so what are the warning signs you’re entering a dangerous burn out cycle, how can you avoid it, and how can you improve your skill set without risking burn out? What to Listen For Introduction and Carey’s history with burnout – 2:00 How do you manage the risks of burnout when building a business or focusing on your career? What does it mean to be at your best? – 14:10 What is one of the biggest myths about building a fulfilling career and life? What forms does burnout take and how can you recognize when you need help? The stress spiral and how to avoid it – 25:09 What are the warning signs you are stuck in the destructive stress spiral? What are the three types of energy zones we all have in a day and how do you identify them so you know when to do your best work and when to avoid doing work? Always be working on your gifts and skills – 43:45 How do world-class performers work to improve their talents and abilities? What do many of us allow our lives to be filled with that we should be saying no to? What exercise can you use to easily structure your week ahead of time so you don’t end up feeling overwhelmed or burned out? Why should you set goals for yourself if you want to learn how to start saying no effortlessly? If you are feeling burnt out at work, it might have less to do with how much you’re working and more to do with when you’re trying to work. It has been shown that humans have a specific window of peak energy during the day, and if you try to push yourself too far outside of that window, the effects can be detrimental to your productivity as well as your physical and mental health. By structuring your day around your individual peak window, you can revitalize your passion and productivity while easily saying no to work and appointments that don’t serve you. A Word From Our Sponsors Share your vulnerabilities, victories, and questions in our 13,000-member private Facebook group at theartofcharm.com/challenge. This is a unique opportunity where everyone — both men and women — celebrate your accountability on the way to becoming the best version of yourself. Register today here! Resources from this Episode At Your Best: How to Get Time, Energy, and Priorities Working in Your Favor by Carey Nieuwhof Didn't See It Coming: Overcoming the Seven Greatest Challenges That No One Expects and Everyone Experiences by Carey Nieuwhof The Carey Nieuwhof Leadership Podcast Check in with AJ and Johnny! AJ on Instagram Johnny on Instagram The Art of Charm on Instagram The Art of Charm on YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode, we cover finding your life mission and turning it into a business with Brett Hagler. Brett is the CEO and Co-Founder of New Story, a Y Combinator graduate, and a cancer survivor recognized on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list, named one of the Top 100 Most Intriguing Entrepreneurs by Goldman Sachs, and his company was named among Fast Company’s “Most Innovative Companies in the World” four different times. It’s no easy task to decide on a life mission, so what can you do figure out what yours is, why is it important to find work you’re passionate about or at least interested in, and how should you handle risk-taking and failure when pursuing a business idea that goes against the grain of mainstream thinking? What to Listen For What is New Story and why should you know about it? – 2:04 How did Brett Hagler realize solving homelessness is his life mission? What can you do to figure out what your life mission is? Why you should strive to do work you’re passionate about – 17:05 What hidden price do we pay for doing work we don’t find interesting or exciting? How can 3D printing be used to solve homelessness around the world? What’s it like going through Y-Combinator as a non-profit organization? How affordable will 3D-printed houses be and how soon will you be able to buy one? Building a base of loyal customers when starting a business – 33:50 What can you do to build a genuine connection with your customers when first starting a business that will set you apart from your competitors? How do you overcome self doubt when trying something new or experiencing success for the first time? What counterintuitive advice should you think about when starting and scaling a business if you don’t want to lose your best talent to your competition? Key strategies for handling failures in business – 47:50 What are the two ways to approach risk-taking when running a business and why should you avoid one? What are some of New Story’s greatest success stories? It’s true that the journey to finding your life mission is not easy. But if you want to be successful, it's worth taking the time and effort to find what you are passionate about—or at very least interested in doing. When starting a business for yourself, make sure you properly connect with your customers by providing them high-quality products they can't get anywhere else. And when failure strikes (and it will), use a few key strategies to handle tough times until better days come around again. Remember, "failure is just another word for opportunity." A Word From Our Sponsors Share your vulnerabilities, victories, and questions in our 13,000-member private Facebook group at theartofcharm.com/challenge. This is a unique opportunity where everyone — both men and women — celebrate your accountability on the way to becoming the best version of yourself. Register today here! Resources from this Episode Brett Hagler’s website Brett Hagler on LinkedIn Brett Hagler on Twitter Brett Hagler on Instagram New Story website New Story on YouTube New Story on Instagram Check in with AJ and Johnny! AJ on Instagram Johnny on Instagram The Art of Charm on Instagram The Art of Charm on YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode, we cover stress and anxiety with Dr. Jonathan Horowitz. Jonathan Horowitz received his Ph.D. in clinical psychology, and is the CEO and founder of the San Francisco Stress and Anxiety Center where he helps people manage and overcome stress. Science is showing us that we are dealing with increased levels of stress and anxiety thanks to the pandemic, so what can you do to prevent your stress and anxiety from overwhelming you, how can you prevent burnout, and when do you know it’s time to seek professional help? What to Listen For Dr. Jonathan Horowitz’s origin story – 2:06 How easily can other people tell when you’re feeling nervous or anxious in a conversation? How does perfectionism get in the way of you achieving your goals and what can you do to move past it? Can you control whether or not people like you? Warning signs you’re not adequately managing stress – 22:40 What can you do to better manage your stress levels so it doesn’t damage your health and relationships? How does stress impact your ability to be creative and an effective problem solver? What can you do to help manage the stress of working from home and not having a clear distinction between home and work? Preventing burnout by practicing self-care – 37:56 What small but meaningful exercises can you do in your daily life to better take care of yourself so you don’t get overwhelmed by stress? What should you avoid doing if you don’t want to get overwhelmed by stress? How has our social anxiety been impacted by COVID and the lockdown and what can we do about it? How do you know when you should see a therapist? While short periods of stress (like exercise or solving a difficult problem) can provide countless benefits to our physical and mental wellbeing, long periods of chronic stress can have detrimental effects on our minds and bodies. But what can you do about it when it seems like being stressed out is normal? It comes down to small daily habits that any of us can implement in our lives because we all have a few minutes to spare to take better care of ourselves. A Word From Our Sponsors Share your vulnerabilities, victories, and questions in our 13,000-member private Facebook group at theartofcharm.com/challenge. This is a unique opportunity where everyone — both men and women — celebrate your accountability on the way to becoming the best version of yourself. Register today here! Resources from this Episode Jonathan Horowitz on LinkedIn San Francisco Stress and Anxiety Center Check in with AJ and Johnny! AJ on Instagram Johnny on Instagram The Art of Charm on Instagram The Art of Charm on YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode, we cover negotiation with Anne-Maartje Oud. Anne is a behavioral advisor, trainer, and the CEO & founder of The Behaviour Company based in Amsterdam. Your behavior plays an essential role in getting your message across, so what can you do to make sure your message doesn’t get lost, why is emotional validation crucial if you want to be a great leader, and how should you prepare for and handle conflict in the workplace? What to Listen For The biggest myths about reading body language – 1:30 What can reading body language tell you about someone and what can it NOT tell you? What questions can you ask yourself to find out what external and internal factors might be influencing your body language? What can you do if you are over analyzing your communication to the detriment of your relationships and career? The brain-body connection and how you feel – 18:05 What are easy ways you can convey trustworthiness in the workplace? What changes can you make to boost the effectiveness of your speaking and presentation style through Zoom? What are pacifying behaviors and why do we need to be on the lookout for them when talking to someone or a group of people? The importance of validation in the workplace – 36:46 What is emotional validation and why do you need to have a handle on it if you want to be an effective leader? What kind of feedback should you avoid giving if you want to lead your team effectively? DOs and DON'Ts of dealing with conflict in the workplace – 46:30 What are the 4 ways people use to deal with conflict and which ways should you avoid if you don’t want to lose your relationships? What can you do to prepare yourself emotionally for a difficult conversation or confrontation so you don’t lose your cool when it matters? What advice surrounding body language should you avoid at all cost? A person’s body language communicates a great deal about the person, but it’s not magic. In order to effectively understand body language, it’s important to dispel some of the myths surrounding body language so you know its limits. Body language can give you a glimpse into what a person might be feeling at that moment, but it cannot tell you what they’re thinking. A Word From Our Sponsors Share your vulnerabilities, victories, and questions in our 13,000-member private Facebook group at theartofcharm.com/challenge. This is a unique opportunity where everyone — both men and women — celebrate your accountability on the way to becoming the best version of yourself. Register today here! Resources from this Episode Anne-Maartje Oud on Twitter Anne-Maartje Oud on LinkedIn Art of Charm podcast with Joe Navarro The Importance of Validation by Joe Navarro, Anne-Maartje Oud Dangerous Personalities by Joe Navarro Check in with AJ and Johnny! AJ on Instagram Johnny on Instagram The Art of Charm on Instagram The Art of Charm on YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode, we cover negotiation with Dr. Victoria Medvec. Dr. Medvec a master negotiator, Kellogg professor, CEO of Medvec & Associates, and is the author of Negotiate Without Fear: Strategies and Tools to Maximize Your Outcomes. Negotiating is a part of life, personally and professionally, so how should we be looking at it, how can we remove the fear and anxiety from negotiating, and what strategies can you implement from a professional negotiator to take your negotiating skills to the next level? What to Listen For Dr. Victoria Medvec’s origin story – 1:35 What do great negotiators enjoy about the act of negotiating? What are the biggest fears people have about negotiating that prevent them from getting what they deserve and what can you do to overcome those fears? What is the most important element of effective negotiation and how can you use it to overcome your fears of negotiating? Creating win-win negotiation outcomes – 12:59 How can you think about future negotiations in a way that makes both parties excited about the outcome? What questions can you ask in a negotiation to get a better understanding of what the other party is looking to get out of the negotiation? What does it mean to prepare for a negotiation and how can you show the other party during the negotiation that you’ve put in the work ahead of time? Common traps many expert negotiators fall into – 23:07 What are the 3 most common traps experienced negotiators fall into and what can you do to avoid falling into those traps? How do you bring creativity into negotiating to ensure both parties walk away from the negotiation with a win? Why are emotion and storytelling important in the art of negotiation? Managing emotions during negotiations – 37:00 What 4 steps can you take to manage the emotions during negotiations to prevent them from ruining a deal and making you and/or your company look bad? How do you effectively negotiate your salary to get what you deserve while also giving the company a positive outcome? How do different generations view negotiation and why is it important? What are We typically associate the word “negotiation” with negotiating a raise or negotiating the price of a car, but in reality just about anything can be negotiated. Unfortunately, many of us never try to negotiate because negotiating seems intimidating, or we just assume the price or cost of something is set in stone. If you want to get what you deserve out of life, no one is going to give it to you, you must be willing to know your worth and ask for it. A Word From Our Sponsors Share your vulnerabilities, victories, and questions in our 13,000-member private Facebook group at theartofcharm.com/challenge. This is a unique opportunity where everyone — both men and women — celebrate your accountability on the way to becoming the best version of yourself. Register today here! Resources from this Episode Negotiate Without Fear by Victoria Medvec Medvec & Associates: Critical Decision and Negotiation Partners website Check in with AJ and Johnny! AJ on Instagram Johnny on Instagram The Art of Charm on Instagram The Art of Charm on YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices