From Paradox To M.A.G.I.C

We spend so much of our lives trying to be safe, healthy, and not get sick, yet when we get really sick it brings people together, forces us to shift our perspective, and often transforms how we function once we get better. In this episode I examine my own experience facing the Sickness Paradox through a Covid scare. I talk about the cough from hell, getting to the point of praying for help, and the four words spirit shared with me to bridge this paradox.

Who am I? What is my authentic self? Figure out who you are and live your purpose! Such messages are common these days. But so are messages that imply life is a journey of getting to know yourself. This episode examines the Authenticity Paradox and helps bridge the question how do you be authentic when your sense of self is unfolding and constantly changing as a result?

What does it mean to be responsible? School, family, and culture all teach us certain ways of thinking, feeling, and behaving is responsible. Depending on where you grow up, what seems responsible to one group of people seems irresponsible to other groups. Yet, over time, we all shift in where we draw the lines of what is and isn't responsible. This episode bridges the Responsible Paradox and provides a consistent way to responsibly step through each day.

What makes something weird? At times we are drawn to people who stand out, who do things differently and dare to listen to sources of knowing we cannot see or touch. Other times, we feel it’s irresponsible, reckless, or strange to go off on such an uncommon or intangible path. This episode examines and bridges the Weird Paradox so you can gauge how "different" is right for you.

Is having a job, health, money, or love a luxury? Is having life more aligned a luxury? Is rock bottom a luxury if it leads many to powerful transformation? The way we define luxury is incredibly inconsistent, yet the very use of the word results in all kinds of guilt, anxiety and resistance to waking up to the incredible misalignment in our own lives. This episode examines and bridges the Luxury Paradox and shows how assuming others have it worse actually creates more harm than good for you and others.

We all want more silence in life. We pencil in self-care time. We shut off cell phones, go on vacation. We meditate, try to be mindful or present.

The paradox of silence is that when you try to be silent, you aren't fully silent. Yet, silence is all around us, constantly there, staring us in the face.

I’ve been trying for years to be more still and silent. But the more I wrestle with silence, the more I realize all my trying seems to get in the way of experiencing it on a far more powerful level.

Most lines we draw to describe things, whether they are measurements, evaluations, judgments, or words, to some extent are completely arbitrary and inaccurate. Yet we rely on those same lines to navigate life on a day-to-day basis. The Arbitrary Lines Paradox may sound philosophical, but understanding how to navigate it can transform every aspect of your life in the most tangible and practical ways.

Disruptions arise all around us, every minute of every day. If we push through the disruption, it can feel like an unpleasant grind. But it’s also unpleasant allowing some untimely circumstance to disrupt your schedule or plans. And sometimes disruptions arise and we roll with them without even thinking about it. This episode examines the nuances of the Disruption Paradox.

Do we really hate change? Does the body truly resist change? This episode will challenge both old and new conventional wisdom about several things including resisting change, immediate gratification, changing habits, and strategies like fake it until you make it.

Whether changing your diet or making other life changes, there's a paradoxical phase you have to go through where moving toward alignment can temporarily result in feeling worse off. In these moments, it's easy to question if you've made the right decision. This episode dives into and bridges the Detox Paradox.