In this episode, Cedric sits down with author and pastor Jon Fogel to question what many of us have always been taught about faith, parenting, happiness, and what it really means to grow. Jon opens with honest perspectives on modern Christianity and why so many pastors may be less educated today than in previous generations, then moves into how neuroscience, psychology, and values-based parenting can help us rethink discipline, happiness, and what we pass on to our kids.They explore how asking hard questions instead of blindly accepting what we’re told is the only way to build a belief system that feels true and sustainable. From parenting to personal development to the history of how religion and science divided, this conversation pushes deeper into how we think, what we believe, and how to become better humans.Check out Jon's book here: https://a.co/d/0n6SrBEFollow Jon on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wholeparent/Follow Ced on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ced/Listen on all audio platforms: https://m.mtrbio.com/more-than-what-made-meMusic by: https://www.instagram.com/christianahmed_/

In this conversation, Cedric sits down with writer and mindfulness teacher Cory Allen to unpack the inner work most of us avoid — control, fear, bravery, intuition, and what it really means to feel your feelings. Together they explore how childhood conditioning shapes adulthood, why so many of us mistake control for safety, how “small-t” traumas compound over time, and why looking inward is often the hardest step toward becoming the person you want to be.

In this episode, Beth Leipholtz (from beth_and_coop) sits down with Cedric to share the story behind raising her son, Cooper, who experiences the world differently and uses cochlear implants to hear. What began as an unexpected journey became an opportunity to help others understand difference, belonging, and what inclusion can really look like in everyday life.

Buy her book here: https://bethandcoop.com/order-the-abcs-of-inclusion/Follow Beth on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beth_and_coop

Follow Ced on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ced/

At 16, John Furniss lost his sight after a suicide attempt that changed everything. Today, he’s known as The Blind Woodsman, an artist who creates by feel, sound, and intuition. In this episode, Cedric sits down with John to talk about rebuilding confidence when the world doubts you, finding purpose after pain, and what it really means to see life differently.

Friendship gets tested when silence feels like betrayal or when a joke cuts too deep. Cedric and his friends break down two real moments where things could’ve gone wrong and how they used honesty, vulnerability, and trust to come out stronger. It’s conflict resolution in real time, with lessons anyone can use.

He grew up in Detroit surrounded by violence. Now he climbs volcanoes, surfs 50-foot waves, and teaches others how to seek challenge instead of danger. In this episode, Cedric sits down with explorer, athlete, and speaker Andrew Alexander King to talk about growing up in two different worlds, breaking the cycle of survival, and the mindset it takes to rewrite your story.

Bob Goff doesn’t just believe in love, he lives it, every single day. From putting his phone number in the back of 3 million books to building a school in Uganda, he’s spent his life choosing purpose over performance, presence over plans, and people over everything. This episode is a deep, honest look at what it really means to love others, even when the world feels too heavy to hold.

Devon Levesque has bear crawled a marathon, summited Everest, and built a life around doing the hardest things imaginable. In this episode, he sits down with Cedric to talk about the power of transitions, the importance of values, and how pain can become a doorway to purpose.They dive into what it takes to push past the limits of your mind, how to build a life rooted in community, and how those exact values eventually led Devon — alongside Jesse Itzler — to create Runningman, a festival where people come together to do something hard, reset, and remember who they are.Learn more about Runningman here: https://runningmanfestival.com/Follow Devon on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/devonlevesqueFollow Ced on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ced/Listen on all audio platforms: https://m.mtrbio.com/more-than-what-made-meMusic by: https://www.instagram.com/christianahmed_/

Most people recognize Michelle Young from The Bachelorette, but what stood out in this conversation was who she was before the show, and who she’s become since. A driven athlete, a passionate teacher, and someone who never lost sight of her values, even when the spotlight tried to reshape her.Check out Michelle's foundation: https://www.themichelleyoungfoundation.org/Follow Michelle on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michelleyoungFollow Ced on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ced/Music by: https://www.instagram.com/christianahmed_/

In this episode, I sit down with Chad Kultgen, a writer, creator, and co-host of Necessary Conversations, the viral podcast where he and his sister have honest, uncomfortable talks with their conservative parents. We talk about what it’s like to unlearn the things you were raised with, how to keep showing up for family even when it’s hard, and why grace doesn’t always mean agreement.Follow Chad's Podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenecessaryconversationpod/Follow Ced on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ced/Listen on all audio platforms: https://m.mtrbio.com/more-than-what-made-meMusic by: https://www.instagram.com/christianahmed_/