Find The Outside

What happens when four experienced practitioners, each with their own lineages, practices, perspectives, and gifts, come together to host?

Ahead of the upcoming Art of Hosting in Nova Scotia, Tim Merry is joined by Sera Thompson, Gabrielle Donnelly, and Dennis Adams for a warm and candid conversation about what each brings to the room - and what becomes possible where those circles meet.

Together, they explore embodiment and “self as instrument,” deep democracy, joy, inclusion, friendship, and the lifelong practice of creating conditions where people can meet across difference and find a way forward.

Along the way, the conversation becomes an act of hosting itself: seeing one another, honouring what each person brings, and discovering the possibilities that emerge in the space between.

Resources:

• Learn more about, and follow, The Outside by visiting and liking all of our channels:
• Website: www.findtheoutside.com 
• Facebook & Instagram: @findtheoutside  
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/findtheoutside
• Connect with us at [email protected]
• REGISTER FOR THE ART OF HOSTING CONVERSATIONS THAT MATTER
• Art of Hosting - Global
• Listen to the podcast episode with Dr. Gabrielle Donnelly
• Listen to the podcast episode with Dennis Adams 
• Listen to the podcast episode with Sera Thompson

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does it take to lead, collaborate and create change when the systems around us feel increasingly stretched?

Tim Merry sits down with longtime friend and colleague Sera Thompson to explore what this moment is asking of leaders, facilitators and changemakers. They talk about burnout, polarization and the fraying of our institutions - but also about the power of relationships, collective wisdom and simply being together.

Sera shares how Art of Hosting transformed her own leadership practice, why conflict can be a source of wisdom, and why creating spaces where people can genuinely connect may be one of the most important things we can do right now.

It’s a conversation about finding our way through complexity — not alone, but together.

• Learn more about, and follow, The Outside by visiting and liking all of our channels:
• Website: www.findtheoutside.com 
• Facebook & Instagram: @findtheoutside 
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/findtheoutside
• Connect with us at [email protected]
• REGISTER FOR THE ART OF HOSTING CONVERSATIONS THAT MATTER
• Art of Hosting - Global
• Dr. Gabrielle Donnelly
• Sera Thompson
• Dennis Adams
• Ecology Action Centre & Marla MacLeod
• Book: “I Hope We Choose Love," by Kai Cheng Thom
• Myrna Lewis - Deep Democracy

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode begins before the intro even rolls.

Tim sits down with longtime friend, community leader, and facilitator Dennis Adams for a conversation that starts with an unforgettable story: when Dennis' teenage son told him they weren't spending enough time together, Dennis gave him something extraordinary - his own birthday. That simple act of love became the foundation for a decade-long tradition that transformed their relationship.

From there, the conversation explores what it really means to host people well - in our families, communities, organizations, and workplaces. Together, Tim and Dennis reflect on trust, connection, resilience, leadership, collaboration, and why the skills we need to navigate today's increasingly complex world begin with how we show up for one another.

As they prepare for the upcoming Art of Hosting Halifax, they discuss why meaningful dialogue matters more than ever, how relationships create resilience, and why the future depends less on having the right answers and more on creating the conditions for people to think, learn, and act together.

If you've ever wondered how we build stronger communities in uncertain times, this conversation is a beautiful place to begin.

RESOURCES:

• Learn more about, and follow, The Outside by visiting and liking all of our channels:
• Website: www.findtheoutside.com 
• Facebook & Instagram: @findtheoutside  
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/findtheoutside
• Connect with us at [email protected]
• REGISTER FOR THE ART OF HOSTING CONVERSATIONS THAT MATTER
• Art of Hosting - Global
• Dr. Gabrielle Donnelly
• Sera Thompson
• Dennis Adams
• Listen to the previous podcast with Dennis Adams - 8.03: On Finding Joy in the Journey

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does it mean to bring people together when the challenges we face feel bigger than ever?

In this episode, Tim Merry and Gabrielle Donnelly explore the return of Art of Hosting to Nova Scotia and why participatory leadership feels especially important in this moment. They reflect on creating conversations that matter, making these practices more accessible and inclusive, and cultivating the courage to work together in times of uncertainty.

More than a conversation about facilitation, this is an invitation to imagine what becomes possible when we gather with curiosity, generosity, and a commitment to our shared humanity.

Whether you're a facilitator, leader, community organizer, educator, or simply someone searching for hopeful ways of bringing people together, this episode offers both inspiration and practical wisdom for the work ahead.

Resources:

• Learn more about, and follow, The Outside by visiting and liking all of our channels:
• Website: www.findtheoutside.com 
• Facebook & Instagram: @findtheoutside  
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/findtheoutside
• Connect with us at [email protected]

• JOIN THE WAIT LIST: Art of Hosting - Nova Scotia
• Art of Hosting - Global
• Margaret Wheatley
• Dr. Gabrielle Donnelly
• Sera Thompson
• Dennis Adams

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this final episode together, Tuesday and Tim reflect on endings, beginnings, and the uncertainty that comes with both.

Looking back on years of conversations about leadership, transformation, and the human experience, they explore what it means to stay open when the future is unclear. From hosting difficult conversations to navigating personal transitions, they discuss the difference between forcing outcomes and following where energy and possibility already exist. Along the way, they reflect on courage, the value of meaningful work even when success isn't guaranteed, and the surprising wisdom found in relaxation, surrender, and trust.

This is a conversation about letting go of control, showing up for what matters, and continuing to walk forward with curiosity and care.

A heartfelt goodbye to one chapter - and an invitation to keep the doors open.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this penultimate episode of Find the Outside, Tim and Tuesday reflect on what comes next as they step into new seasons of work, leadership, and life. Together, they explore themes of uncertainty, spiritual maturity, systems change, personal transformation, vocation, mentorship, and the courage to meet reality with honesty and humanity.

Tuesday shares her vision for work rooted more deeply in the sacred, intuitive, and transformational - including coaching, retreats, Akashic Records work, and creating spaces for deeper personal and collective healing. Tim opens up about the future of The Outside, his passion for mentoring emerging facilitators and systems leaders, and his dream of building a vocational pathway for the next generation of participatory leadership practitioners.

This conversation is thoughtful, heartfelt, funny, reflective, and deeply human - a meditation on endings, beginnings, and what it means to keep growing in uncertain times.

As always, Tim and Tuesday invite listeners not just to witness the conversation, but to journey alongside it.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As Tuesday transitions out of The Outside, she and Tim take a long look back at nearly two decades of working together - from meeting at an Art of Hosting training in Colorado to leading large-scale systems change work around the world.

In this deeply reflective conversation, they unpack the original hypotheses behind The Outside:

• Could participatory leadership and equity genuinely transform systems?
• What happens when you bring power analysis into institutional change work?
• Did the work actually create the impact they hoped for?

Along the way, they explore the tension between systems change and personal transformation, the realities of burnout, the limits of organizational change, and why “loosening the bolts” may matter more than delivering predictable outcomes.

This episode is an honest conversation about complexity, leadership, relationships, and what they now believe really changes people — and systems.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this deeply personal episode, Tim and Tuesday open up about a major transition: Tuesday’s decision to step away from The Outside after nearly two decades of partnership.

What unfolds is an honest, emotional, and thoughtful conversation about what it means to listen for “what’s next” - even when it’s unclear, inconvenient, or uncomfortable. Together, they explore the tension between clarity and uncertainty, the courage it takes to follow an inner knowing, and the realities of unwinding a long-standing partnership with care.

This isn’t a story about conflict - it’s about alignment. About trusting your own compass. About honoring relationships while allowing paths to diverge.

As they begin to close this chapter, Tim and Tuesday invite you into the messiness, the meaning-making, and the possibility that comes with change.

Resources

• Learn more about, and follow, The Outside by visiting and liking all of our channels:
• Website: www.findtheoutside.com 
• Facebook & Instagram: @findtheoutside  
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/findtheoutside
• Connect with us at [email protected] 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if the past isn’t behind us - but still speaking, through stories, spaces, and even the buildings around us?

In this rich and reflective conversation, Tim sits down with facilitator, counselor, and radio host Maria Bakari to explore the deep connections between people, place, and participation. From the ancient island of Rhodes to European youth work and civic engagement initiatives, Maria shares how her work brings individuals and communities into meaningful relationship—with each other and with their shared heritage.

Together, they explore the idea of “mythological time,” the hidden stories held within landscapes and architecture, and how engaging citizens in creative and participatory processes can transform not just communities, but our sense of belonging.

The conversation also turns to the quiet power of radio in a fragmented digital world—where being “on the same frequency” becomes both a literal and metaphorical act of connection.

Grounded, poetic, and deeply human, this episode invites us to listen more closely - to each other, to our environments, and to the enduring threads that connect past, present, and future.

Resources:

• Learn more about, and follow, The Outside by visiting and liking all of our channels:
• Website: www.findtheoutside.com 
• Facebook & Instagram: @findtheoutside  
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/findtheoutside
• Connect with us at [email protected]
• Meet Maria Bakari

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a world that feels increasingly unpredictable, how do we know what’s ours to do?

In this episode, Tim and Tues reflect on recent conversations with Zaid Hassan and Sommer Sibilly-Brown - two leaders taking bold, values-driven action in complex times. Together, they explore the tension between clarity and doubt, the limits of strategy in a rapidly changing world, and why action - not perfection - is what moves things forward.

From climate anxiety to leadership fatigue, this conversation doesn’t shy away from the weight of the moment. But it also offers something grounding: a reminder that we don’t need all the answers to begin. Sometimes, it’s about trusting what’s clear, noticing what’s habitual, and doing the next right thing in front of us.

Resources:

• Learn more about, and follow, The Outside by visiting and liking all of our channels:
• Website: www.findtheoutside.com 
• Facebook & Instagram: @findtheoutside  
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/findtheoutside
• Connect with us at [email protected]
• Meet Zaid Hassan 
• Listen to the episode with Zaid
• Meet Sommer Sibilly-Brown
• Listen to the episode with Sommer
• Neil deGrasse Tyson – Host of Cosmos
• Carl Sagan
• Billy Bragg
• Tony Ben & Roy Bailey – “The Winter Turns to Spring"
• Lucas Jones
• Join Tim on Instagram
• Check out The Outside’s Berkana Two Loops of Systems Change online course

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.