Ced With Intention

What if the way you react isn’t your personality… but something you learned in survival mode? In this episode, Cedric sits down with hypnotherapist Jim Curtis to talk about identity, subconscious patterns, anger, and the emotional habits we pick up just trying to get through life. They explore why so many people grow up feeling on edge, why survival strategies start to feel like who we are, and how small shifts in awareness can begin to change everything.Jim also shares insights from his upcoming book The Book of Possibility, along with the practices he uses to help people reframe their identity and create real change.Check out Jim's Book: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Book-of-Possibility/Jim-Curtis/9781668246498

In this episode, Cedric sits down with relationship expert, Sabrina Zohar to talk about the patterns that quietly shape our relationships...attachment styles. They explore why emotional intensity often gets mistaken for connection, how past experiences influence who we’re drawn to, and what it looks like to slow down and choose healthier relationships with intention. This conversation is for anyone who’s tired of repeating the same cycles and wants something more grounded and secure.

Most conversations don’t fall apart because of what’s said, they fall apart because someone doesn’t feel understood. In this episode, Cedric talks with Jefferson Fisher about what’s really happening beneath defensiveness and emotional reactions, and how to respond calmly without giving up your boundaries. They break down how validation works, why slowing down matters, and what confident communication looks like in real relationships especially in marriage, parenting, and leadership.

Change is unavoidable, but the way we respond to it often makes it harder than it needs to be. In this episode, Cedric sits down with cognitive scientist Dr. Maya Shankar to explore why change feels so destabilizing, how uncertainty affects our nervous system, and what actually helps when your mind starts to spiral. They talk about identity beyond titles, why fresh starts are usually internal, and how small shifts in perspective can make change more manageable without forcing optimism. Maya also shares some really practical insights from her new book, The Other Side of Change: Who We Become When Life Makes Other Plans, which was released last week! Make sure to go check it out.Check out Dr. Maya's Book: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/729180/the-other-side-of-change-by-maya-shankar/

Survival mode can carry you far—but it can’t carry you forever.In this episode, Cedric and Jessica Long talk about what happens when pushing through stops working. They explore the difference between endurance and healing, how strength and anger can help you survive without becoming your identity, and what it really means to feel “enough” after years of proving yourself.Check out Jessica's Book: https://www.jessicalong.com/booksFollow Jessica on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessicatatianalongFollow 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 episode, Kendall Toole talks about self-trust, boundaries, resilience, and what it really means to “fake it till you become it.” We talk about her journey as a former Peloton instructor, how stepping away reshaped her identity, and why learning to keep small promises to yourself can change everything. She also shares what inspired her new wellness app, NKO Club (Never Knocked Out Club), and how it’s helping people rebuild confidence from the inside out.Check out Kendall’s app — NKO Club: https://www.nkoclub.com/Follow Kendall on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kendalltoole/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 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.