Better Place Project with Steve Norris

For this week’s story we go to the  streets of Los Angeles to tell the story of TikTok sensation Isaiah Garza who’s gone from homeless to helping the homeless, those in need and those that perhaps just need a friend.

Isaiah with his 8 million followers on Tiktok, 1.6 million on Youtube and 755K on Instagram is taking the world by storm one act of kindness at a time.  And he's changing so many lives along the way!

Follow Isaiah Garza: @Isaiahgarza

To stay connected with Better Place Project and for updates and behind the scenes info, please follow us on social media:

Website:
https://www.betterplaceproject.org/

Instagram: @BetterPlaceProj

To follow Steve on Instagram
@SteveNorrisOfficial

Facebook: Facebook.com/BetterPlaceProjectPodcast
Twitter: @BetterPlaceProj
Email: [email protected]

I so enjoyed this conversation with Relationship Coach Stefanos Sifandos.  He opened up to me about his childhood, abuse, bullying and other trauma that led him towards a life of debauchery, alcohol, prostitution, and infidelity in his relationships.

His downward spiral brought him to a crossroads where his 3 choices were 1) Suicide 2) A Psychiatric Ward or 3) Break free from his limiting patterns and live to share and help others.

Thankfully he chose #3 and has blossomed into one of the top relationship coaches on the planet.  If you are looking for some raw, honest, authentic advice on relationships, this is the episode for you!

We chat about the Father Wound, his work with MPowered Brotherhood, the importance of "willingness" in our lives, sexual abuse, the power of healing circles, masculine and feminine energy, the importance of setting "rules of engagement" in relationships, resolving conflict, the dynamic when a woman earns more than her male partner, the importance of mediation and breath work, dating apps and so much more!

With over 15 years of experience in the personal development space, Stefanos is a trained educator, Behavioural Scientist and relationships expert with an extensive background in Psychology, Philosophy and Ecology. He is passionate about and committed to leading people to closer to their highest potential and to each other. Stefanos’ philosophy merges the best of Eastern and Western methodologies to promote spiritual balance and empower people in life and love.

From trauma release to navigating the murky waters of modern masculinity, to helping women understand the men in their lives, he helps people escape negative patterns and cultivate a positive sense of self. Stefanos has worked with thousands of men and women from all walks of life; special forces soldiers, Olympic gold medalists, elite world champion fighters, and everyday people have relied on him to restructure and reframe their relationships with themselves, their past, their trauma, their potential and their loved ones.

https://stefanossifandos.com/
Instagram: @Stefanossifandos

To stay connected with Better Place Project and for updates and behind the scenes info, please follow us on social media:

Website:
https://www.betterplaceproject.org/

Instagram: @BetterPlaceProj

To follow Steve on Instagram
@SteveNorrisOfficial

Facebook: Facebook.com/BetterPlaceProjectPodcast
Twitter: @BetterPlaceProj
Email: [email protected]

For this week’s story we go to Chicago Il, and feature an organization called The Simple Good.  I was inspired to do this episode after reading and article on BitterSweetMonthly. Com written by Kate Schmidgall.

 After hearing this story and reading this article, I was curious to learn about the Simple Good, so I went to their website and discovered a little bit about Founder Priya Shah’s background. Turns out the inspiration for The Simple Good (TSG) came from her own experience of overcoming adversity which was inspired by art and world travel. She was born without a left hand, a woman and a person of color and because of this there was a lot of doubt, shame, and oppression towards her aspirations 

Says Shah, "I want to connect youth to a world beyond their own so that they can be inspired by examples of hope and resilience, just like I was. TSG is dedicated to creating environments that encourage positive self-esteem, self-worth, and empathy towards others. We work to foster individual purpose and accountability to one another, and through this we decrease the global risks of violence and create peaceful environments for everyone."

TSG believes that ‘good’ means the same no matter where you go and universality connects us as human beings. Their mission is to embody that message in their work with students, artists and the greater community. With every interaction, they aim to empower a more connected, empathetic and resilient world by identifying, creating, sharing and celebrating “the simple good.”

To learn more about The Simple Good or to make a donation, please visit:
https://thesimplegood.org/
Instagram: @thesimplegood
Instagram: @priyashah16

To stay connected with Better Place Project and for updates and behind the scenes info, please follow us on social media:

Website:
https://www.betterplaceproject.org/

Instagram: @BetterPlaceProj

To follow Steve on Instagram
@SteveNorrisOfficial

Facebook: Facebook.com/BetterPlaceProjectPodcast
Twitter: @BetterPlaceProj
Email: [email protected]

Despite being a self confessed non-athlete and scientist - Paul Watkins has managed to compete in and win some of the worlds toughest races, as well as build multi-million dollar businesses - in multiple fields.

Paul has climbed some of the toughest and most iconic mountains across all seven continents. He has climbed, trekked and adventured in Tanzania, Argentina, Alaska, the Arctic, Antarctica, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Jordan and Nepal to name a few. He has also managed to race in some of Australia and the world’s toughest ultra-marathons - including being one of only eight people in the world (and the first Australian) to finish and win the 614km 6633 Arctic Ultra. His training for these expeditions led him to becoming a Nationally certified weightlifting coach and an avid student of the nuanced art of endurance training.  

In the business world, armed with little more than a Pharmacy degree, Paul became a business owner, starting small and eventually building and running a multiple site pharmacy business with over 60 employees and over $15m in turnover. He went on to complete his MBA through the Melbourne Business School, left the pharmacy world and built (sometimes literally) a multi-million dollar property development portfolio. He is also a father to two young boys, a husband, a brother and a son - and still thinks of himself as a ‘nerd’.

To learn more about Paul, visit:
https://www.paulwatkins.com.au/

To stay connected with Better Place Project and for updates and behind the scenes info, please follow us on social media:

Website:
https://www.betterplaceproject.org/

Instagram: @BetterPlaceProj

To follow Steve on Instagram
@SteveNorrisOfficial

Facebook: Facebook.com/BetterPlaceProjectPodcast
Twitter: @BetterPlaceProj
Email: [email protected]

In this episode, Steve shares an old tale called "The Sower."

In life, whatever you plough and sow in your mind, you will receive. "Faith is the seed I sow: good works are the rain that fertilizes it; wisdom and modesty are the plough; my mind is the guiding-rein;” 

If you have a dream, belief and faith is the seed, good works are the rain that fertilizes it. Wisdom and modesty are the plough – Your mind is the guiding rein. Let this be a reminder to all of us to pay very close attention to what it is that we plough and sow in our mind. What is it that you believe you are capable of? If you believe you are capable of greatness, then you are! If you believe that you have nothing to offer the world, then you most likely will offer the world nothing. Why not choose to believe in your greatness? Plant that seed now, water it and watch it grow, as the master of your own universe.

To stay connected with Better Place Project and for updates and behind the scenes info, please follow us on social media:

Website:
https://www.betterplaceproject.org/

Instagram: @BetterPlaceProj

To follow Steve on Instagram
@SteveNorrisOfficial

Facebook: Facebook.com/BetterPlaceProjectPodcast
Twitter: @BetterPlaceProj
Email: [email protected]

I am back with a brand new episode featuring a fascinating interview with cognitive scientist and host of A Slight Change of Plans, Dr. Maya Shankar.  I loved this conversation, as we started the talk about Maya’s being accepted to Juilliard as a 9 year-old violinist and how and injury changed her life forever.  We talked about what it’s like to be a UTTL (Unwilling traveler through life) as well as challenges Maya had to overcome that led to her launching her successful podcast, which blends  storytelling with with neuroscience, to help us understand who we are and who we become in the face of big change.  

Maya also shares some really cool stories about her time working in the Obama administration,  her sometimes painful journey with her husband Jimmy as they try so desperately to have a baby, we chat about the power of initiative and what role that has played in her life and so much more.  

Dr. Maya Shankar is a cognitive scientist and the creator, executive producer, and host of the podcast, A Slight Change of Plans, which Apple recently awarded as the Best Show of the Year 2021. Maya was a Senior Advisor in the Obama White House, where she founded and served as Chair of the White House Behavioral Science Team. She also served as the first Behavioral Science Advisor to the United Nations under Ban Ki-moon, and as a core member of Pete Buttigieg’s debate preparation team during his 2020 presidential run.
Maya has a postdoctoral fellowship in cognitive neuroscience from Stanford, a Ph.D. from Oxford on a Rhodes Scholarship, and a B.A. from Yale. She's been profiled by The New Yorker and been the featured guest on NPR's “All Things Considered,” “Freakonomics,” and “Hidden Brain.” She's a graduate of the Juilliard School of Music's pre-college program, where she was a private violin student of Itzhak Perlman.
Tap the link in bio to listen to the full episode.

For more information on Dr. Maya Shankar:
Instagram: @drmayashankar
https://mayashankar.com/

To stay connected with Better Place Project and for updates and behind the scenes info, please follow us on social media:

Website:
https://www.betterplaceproject.org/

Instagram: @BetterPlaceProj

To follow Steve on Instagram
@SteveNorrisOfficial

Facebook: Facebook.com/BetterPlaceProjectPodcast
Twitter: @BetterPlaceProj
Email: [email protected]

In this episode, Relationship Coach and Teacher, Jillian Turecki and I talk all things relationships.  We start off with Jillian sharing a little about her childhood and what led up to her finding her passion in the world of relationships.  Jillian shares some hardships she went through during her "dark night of the soul," from the breakup of her marriage to her mother's diagnosis with stage 4 lung cancer.

We chatted about the "unshakeable courage" it takes to face our fears and learn the relationship and communication skills none of us were taught in school.  We talked about the importance of changing the way we see ourselves, the importance of authenticity, the unlearning that must be done, learning how to "feel enough," and actually "make ourselves happy."

But most importantly, we chatted about the importance of working on ourselves.  As Jillian says, “Every relationship that I’ve ever had, had one thing in common, and that was me.”  Hence we need to stop saying "it's all them."

Jillian also shared her thoughts on marriage counseling, why that often fails, and why she prefers to work with individuals, as opposed to couples.

Other topics included Jillian's thoughts on dating apps, love verses compatibility, how to keep romance and sex alive in a long-term relationship, twin flames, soul mates and so much more! 

Jillian Turecki is a certified relationship coach, teacher and writer who for 20 years has taught others how to transform their relationships with themselves.

Under the tutelage of Tony Robbins and world renowned family therapist Cloe Madanes, Jillian is certified by the Robbins Madanes Center for Strategic Intervention, a renowned coaching program known for its innovative strategic solutions to the most difficult relationship problems. Fueled by an insatiable curiosity about what makes a relationship thrive, Jillian has helped thousands through her teaching and writing revolutionize their relationship with themselves so that they transform their relationships with others. Jillian is sought out for her compassionate, direct, and very authentic style of coaching and teaching.”

Jillian on Instagram: @JillianTurecki
https://www.jillianturecki.com/

To stay connected with Better Place Project and for updates and behind the scenes info, please follow us on social media:

Website:
https://www.betterplaceproject.org/

Instagram: @BetterPlaceProj
 
 To follow Steve & Erin on Instagram:
@SteveNorrisOfficial
 @Erinorris

Facebook: Facebook.com/BetterPlaceProjectPodcast
Twitter: @BetterPlaceProj
Email: [email protected]

To stay connected with Better Place Project and for updates and behind the scenes info, please follow us on social media:

Website:
https://www.betterplaceproject.org/

Instagram: @BetterPlaceProj

To follow Steve on Instagram
@SteveNorrisOfficial

Facebook: Facebook.com/BetterPlaceProjectPodcast
Twitter: @BetterPlaceProj
Email: [email protected]

For this week’s story, we go back to the music industry to tell a story about folk legend Pete Seeger, as told by the late Scott Alarik in his folk music novel, Revival.

 Seeger was invited to perform in Barcelona, Spain in 1971.  At that time, Spain was still ruled by Francisco Franco's Fascist dictatorship that told Seeger prior to going on stage that he could not sing some of his most popular songs.

So Seeger went onstage with his banjo in front of 100,000 people and simply started playing the chords to the song and after telling the audience that he was just told that he's not allowed to sing his songs, he said to the audience, "perhaps YOU know the words."  So the entire stadium of people broke the law in tandem, and started singing these songs together.  They had been listening to these forbidden songs for years.  And after all, the government couldn't arrest 100,000 people.

To stay connected with Better Place Project and for updates and behind the scenes info, please follow us on social media:

Website:
https://www.betterplaceproject.org/

Instagram: @BetterPlaceProj
 
 To follow Steve & Erin on Instagram:
@SteveNorrisOfficial
 @Erinorris

Facebook: Facebook.com/BetterPlaceProjectPodcast
Twitter: @BetterPlaceProj
Email: [email protected]

To stay connected with Better Place Project and for updates and behind the scenes info, please follow us on social media:

Website:
https://www.betterplaceproject.org/

Instagram: @BetterPlaceProj

To follow Steve on Instagram
@SteveNorrisOfficial

Facebook: Facebook.com/BetterPlaceProjectPodcast
Twitter: @BetterPlaceProj
Email: [email protected]

What an amazing conversation I had with Steven Jaggers of Somatic Breathwork! Whether you are just now hearing about Somatic Breathwork, or you’re a seasoned veteran, this episode is for you!

Steven Jaggers, the founder of Somatic Breathwork, is an Integrative Manual Therapist and Holistic Heath Coach with many years of experience in a variety of clinical and cultural settings. He is the host of Mind-Body Mentor Podcast where he interviews masters in Health & Spirituality for the modern life. Steven helps people from all over the world align their Minds & Bodies through potent movement practices, energetic bodywork and a deep reconnection to nature.  Steven’s purpose in life is to liberate people from the stress and overwhelm that lies unprocessed in our body so that we become free in our mind. He believes there is an exact correlation between our physical vitality and mental health. If we want to improve the quality of our lives we MUST address both.

Somatic breath work has been the most powerful modality he has found that has truly created a lasting change for his clients, community and the world. We are changing the paradigm of Mind-Body Health.

To stay connected with Better Place Project and for updates and behind the scenes info, please follow us on social media:

Website:
https://www.betterplaceproject.org/

Instagram: @BetterPlaceProj
 
 To follow Steve & Erin on Instagram:
@SteveNorrisOfficial
 @Erinorris

Facebook: Facebook.com/BetterPlaceProjectPodcast
Twitter: @BetterPlaceProj
Email: [email protected]

To stay connected with Better Place Project and for updates and behind the scenes info, please follow us on social media:

Website:
https://www.betterplaceproject.org/

Instagram: @BetterPlaceProj

To follow Steve on Instagram
@SteveNorrisOfficial

Facebook: Facebook.com/BetterPlaceProjectPodcast
Twitter: @BetterPlaceProj
Email: [email protected]

Would you donate one of your kidneys to a complete stranger?  In fact, a stranger that you've never met and may never meet?  Well that's exactly what 21 year-old Ben Norris did.

Listen to this short, inspiring 15 minute episode to learn about what made Ben decide to do this and why we all should consider donating, not necessarily a kidney, but blood, platelets, plasma etc, and becoming an organ donor (upon death).

For more information about kidney donation, please visit:
https://www.kidney.org/

To stay connected with Better Place Project and for updates and behind the scenes info, please follow us on social media:

Website:
https://www.betterplaceproject.org/

Instagram: @BetterPlaceProj
 
 To follow Steve & Erin on Instagram:
@SteveNorrisOfficial
 @Erinorris

Facebook: Facebook.com/BetterPlaceProjectPodcast
Twitter: @BetterPlaceProj
Email: [email protected]

To stay connected with Better Place Project and for updates and behind the scenes info, please follow us on social media:

Website:
https://www.betterplaceproject.org/

Instagram: @BetterPlaceProj

To follow Steve on Instagram
@SteveNorrisOfficial

Facebook: Facebook.com/BetterPlaceProjectPodcast
Twitter: @BetterPlaceProj
Email: [email protected]