Decoding the Unicorn: The Podcast

What happens when people feel seen and understood?

In this episode of Decoding the Unicorn: The Podcast, I'll discuss something deceptively simple: belonging. Whether you’re managing a corporate team, collaborating on a creative project, or just trying to make it through day-to-day life, the need to feel valued is universal.

#DagHammarskjöld #DecodingTheUnicorn #Belonging #Appreciation #CorporateCulture #QuietLeadership #EmpathyAtWork #EmotionalIntelligence #HumanFirst #Leadership #TheArtistsWay 

In a world obsessed with hustle, noise, and nonstop stimulation, what happens when we choose silence?

In this episode, I'll explore the transformative power of quiet and stillness, particularly in politics, diplomacy, and the corporate world.

Whether you’re an introvert who craves calm or a busy creative who struggles to slow down, this conversation invites you to reimagine stillness not as absence, but as presence.

And yes, my attempts at quiet while recording this episode were foiled by Mother Nature. Oh, the irony!

#DagHammarskjöld #StillnessMatters #QuietTime #CreativeMind #SoulCare #IntrovertLife #MindfulMoments #SacredSilence #SlowLiving

Sara's book Decoding the Unicorn: A New Look at Dag Hammarskjöld is available now! Click here to buy it on Amazon. 

What kind of leader runs toward the fire?

In this episode, I'll explore the often-overlooked truth of Dag Hammarskjöld’s role as Secretary-General of the United Nations: it was not just diplomatic, but dangerous. When others fled war zones, Dag stepped into them. Any trip could have been his last, but he saddled up anyway. Where is this kind of courage in modernity?

Sara's award-winning book, Decoding the Unicorn: A New Look at Dag Hammarskjöld, is available on Amazon: https://a.co/d/dYsncvJ


#DagHammarskjöld #SecretaryGeneral #UNHistory #LeadershipMatters #CongoCrisis #Peacekeeper #WhenOthersRanAway #DecodingTheUnicorn #CourageOverComfort

People are tired of the seemingly permanent state of warfare. Where is diplomacy? Where is that person like Dag Hammarskjöld who will advocate for finding common ground rather than rushing to hit the war button??

 #DagHammarskjöld #DecodingTheUnicorn #PermaWarFatigue #PeaceIsPower #NoMoreEndlessWars #diplomacy #diplomacymatters

In this episode of Decoding the Unicorn: The Podcast, I'll discuss what a lot of creators are too afraid to say out loud: what happens when you put your heart into a project and it goes absolutely nowhere.

This episode is about giving yourself permission:

to try something new
to have a "box office flop"
to walk away without shame or hustle-fueled martyrdom

Whether you’ve launched something that fizzled or you’re quietly holding on to a project that no longer fits, this episode offers you a soft place to land—and a reminder that real creativity isn’t about success at all costs. 

#DecodingTheUnicorn #DagHammarskjöld #LetItGo #PivotWithGrace #OnlineCourseTruth #CreativeDiscernment #CreativeClarity #CreativeFreedom 

In this episode of Decoding the Unicorn: the Podcast, I'll explore the quiet, often unconscious force that shapes so much of how we see the world: projection. When the facts are few, our minds rush in to fill the gaps—sometimes with empathy, other times with fear, fantasy, or fragments of our own past.

Whether it’s assuming someone’s coldness means they dislike us, or interpreting silence as rejection, or projecting heroism or villainy onto a person based on a sliver of their behavior—this episode reminds us that humility and curiosity are better guides than "certainty."

#DecodingTheUnicorn #DagHammarskjöld #ProjectionPsychology #MindfulLiving #EmotionalIntelligence #SeeClearly #InnerWork #HumanNarrative #SpiritualGrowth #SelfAwareness #MythVsReality #UnpackingProjection #StorytellingWisely #CompassionateCuriosity #LeadershipWithHeart

📚 Grab your copy of Decoding the Unicorn – the award-winning biography of Dag Hammarskjöld: https://a.co/d/2PlTHHL

Sometimes the bravest thing you can do is back off. Allow a situation to breathe. Let people show you who they are and what they are willing and able to give.

In this episode, I explore the quiet strength of restraint. What happens when you stop micromanaging the moment? What shifts when you choose to observe instead of intervene? Drawing inspiration from Dag Hammarskjöld’s own ability to lead without dominating, I reflect on the art of holding space—of letting people show you who they are, without scripting the outcome.

This one’s for the overthinkers, the fixers, the perfectionists, the (recovering) Type As (like me), the ones who feel the weight of always having to manage the room. You don’t.

Tune in and exhale.

#DecodingTheUnicorn #DagHammarskjöld #IntrovertWisdom #QuietLeadership #ObserveDon’tControl #LetPeopleBe #EmotionalIntelligence #HoldSpace #PodcastLife #WriterLife #INFJThoughts #ModernMystic #HistoryWithHeart #MicromanagersAnonymous  

📚 Grab your copy of Decoding the Unicorn – the award-winning biography of Dag Hammarskjöld: https://a.co/d/2PlTHHL

✨ Subscribe for more insights into diplomacy, leadership, and the art of inner strength.

In this episode of Decoding the Unicorn: The Podcast, let's turn down the noise and tune into something far more radical: rest. 💤

Downtime isn’t laziness—it’s medicine. Whether you're a sensitive soul, a creative powerhouse, or just someone trying to keep up with the chaos of modern life, rest is not optional. It heals. It replenishes. It’s necessary.

If you've ever felt guilty for slowing down or unsure how to give yourself permission to be still, this one’s for you. Let’s normalize rest, celebrate quiet, and remember that even unicorns need a nap sometimes. 🦄💙

#DTUPodcast #RestIsProductive #CreativeRecovery #SlowLiving #MentalHealthMatters #BurnoutRecovery #UnicornWisdom #PermissionToRest #HealingThroughRest #SelfCareIsSacred #StillnessIsPower #IntrovertLife

The bane of any introvert's work existence: groupthink.

Managers may imagine it’s cozy and convenient . . . but it can be catastrophic.

Key thoughts:
✔️ Dag pushed against groupthink and cult-like tactics.
✔️ There has to be a "solution" better than "everyone takes the talking stick during the meeting." 😖
✔️ We can learn things even when we disagree with each other.

Tune in, breathe deep, and join the quiet resistance.

📚 Grab your copy of Decoding the Unicorn – the award-winning biography of Dag Hammarskjöld: https://a.co/d/2PlTHHL

✨ Subscribe for more insights into diplomacy, leadership, and the art of inner strength.

#Introverts #Groupthink #DagHammarskjöld #DTUPodcast #QuietLeadership #HSP #UNHistory #DecodingTheUnicorn 

What does it really mean to be an introvert in the modern workplace?

In this episode of Decoding the Unicorn, we explore how introversion shows up at work—with Communication & Career Coach / fellow introvert, Madeline Schwarz. From "you're too quiet" to "lead this presentation for me," introverts and HSPs have to navigate a veritable minefield in Corporate America.

Topics:

✔️ How introversion is misunderstood in the workplace.
✔️ When introverts feel pressured to "perform extroversion" just to get by.
✔️ Navigating high pressure / high stress environments, public speaking opportunities, etc., while introverted.
✔️ What can be done other than the old "just put yourself out there" advice that's not helpful.

Links:

https://www.madelineschwarzcoaching.com/get-clear

https://www.linkedin.com/in/madeline-schwarz-coach/

https://www.instagram.com/madeline.schwarz/

https://www.facebook.com/madelineschwarzcoaching

Sara's book Decoding the Unicorn: A New Look at Dag Hammarskjöld is available now! Click here to buy it on Amazon.