Good Life Project

What if your teenager's emotional storms and late-night worries aren't problems to fix, but signs of healthy development?

Lisa Damour, Ph.D., author of The Emotional Lives of Teenagers: Raising Connected, Capable, and Compassionate Adolescents, joins two parents for an intimate conversation that flips conventional wisdom about raising teens and young adults on its head. Together, we explore surprising truths about perfectionism, emotional development, and maintaining connection with kids who seem to be pulling away, offering practical strategies for parents navigating these challenging yet transformative years.

You can find Lisa at: Website | Instagram | Episode Transcript

If you LOVED this episode, you’ll also love the conversations we had with David Yeager about inspiring young people through the mentor mindset.

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Transform anxiety into calm, stress into clarity, and disconnection into deep presence through the one tool you already have complete mastery over: your breath.

In this illuminating conversation, conscious breathing pioneer Jessica Dibb shares powerful yet simple techniques from her book, Breathwork and Psychotherapy: Clinical Applications for Healing and Transformation, that can shift your state more effectively than coffee or wine. Learn how this most basic human function becomes a universal bridge across divides and a pathway to accessing your deepest potential, all through a practice that takes just minutes a day.

You can find Jessica at: Website | Instagram | Episode Transcript

If you LOVED this episode, you’ll also love the conversations we had with James Nestor about the transformative power of breath.

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Parker Palmer shares how three seasons of profound depression led him to a surprising discovery about authentic living and finding your true calling.

Through intimate stories of his journey from academic to activist to spiritual teacher, Palmer reveals why embracing our shadows and letting go of who we "should be" opens the door to who we truly are. His gentle wisdom offers hope and practical guidance for anyone questioning their path, facing inner darkness, or seeking to live with greater purpose and meaning.

You can find Parker at: Website | Facebook | Episode Transcript

If you LOVED this episode, you’ll also love the conversations we had with Sharon Salzberg about mindfulness, lovingkindness, and inner resilience.

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Forget everything you think you know about aging.

In this eye-opening conversation, gerontologist Dr. Kerry Burnight reveals why your genes only determine 25% of how you'll age, and how your mindset about getting older can add or subtract 7 years from your life. Drawing from her NYT bestseller, Joyspan: The Art and Science of Thriving in Life's Second Half, Dr. Burnight shares four science-backed strategies to create not just a longer life, but one filled with meaning, connection, and genuine joy at any age.

You can find Kerry at: Website | Instagram | Episode Transcript

If you LOVED this episode, you’ll also love the conversations we had with Karen Walrond about embracing aging with possibility and power. 

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When New York Times bestselling author Tembi Locke faced sending her only child to college, she created what she calls a "college moon" - a transformative journey through Sicily that offers fresh wisdom for anyone navigating major life transitions.

In her new audio memoir, Someday, Now: A Memoir of Family, Reclaiming Possibility, and One Sicilian Summer, Locke shares intimate insights about blending families after loss, finding presence during change, and how the places we love can become anchors for our well-being.

You can find Tembi at: Website | Instagram | Episode Transcript

If you LOVED this episode, you’ll also love the conversations we had with Suleika Jaouad about turning illness and upheaval into creative meaning and wonder.

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Every choice you make today is rewiring your brain, shaping not just how you think and feel, but who you become.

In this fascinating conversation, Dr. Austin Perlmutter, author of Brain Wash: Detox Your Mind for Clearer Thinking, Deeper Relationships, and Lasting Happiness, reveals how modern life disrupts our brain chemistry and shares simple, science-backed strategies to enhance cognitive function, improve decision-making, and protect against mental decline. Learn why resistance training is crucial for brain health, which foods help make better decisions, and how to set up your environment to make healthy choices automatic rather than exhausting.

You can find Austin at: Website | Instagram | Episode Transcript

If you LOVED this episode, you’ll also love the conversations we had with Adam Grant about rethinking what we think we know.

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Former BBC executive Emily Kasriel reveals eight practical steps to transform any conversation through the art of deep listening, from healing family relationships to bridging seemingly impossible divides.

Drawing from research across boardrooms and conflict zones, she shares surprising insights about how small changes in how we listen can lead to breakthrough moments of connection, plus why walking side-by-side creates better conversations than sitting face-to-face. Based on her new book, Deep Listening: Transform Your Relationships with Family, Friends, and Foes, this conversation offers practical tools for anyone seeking to create more meaningful connections in our increasingly disconnected world.

You can find Emily at: Website | LinkedIn | Episode Transcript

If you LOVED this episode, you’ll also love the conversations we had with Krista Tippett about the art of deep conversation and the human spirit.

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Your nervous system shapes every reaction, emotion, and experience in your life, yet most of us never learned how to work with it effectively.

In this episode, discover practical tools to shift from stress to stability, backed by cutting-edge research and real-world applications from experts who've trained thousands in nervous system regulation. Learn why some people stay calm while others get triggered, and master simple techniques to reset your system in moments of tension.

Episode Transcript

You can find Jonny Miller at: Nervous System Quotient (NSQ) self-assessment | Nervous System Mastery course

You can find Emiliya Zhivotovskaya at: Website | Instagram | 20 Tools to Tame Anxiety | Listen to Our Full-Length Convo with Emiliya

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• Join My New Writing Project: Awake at the Wheel
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Through ancient Chinese wisdom and personal experience, poet and spiritual teacher Mark Nepo reveals how life's second half can be our most profound creative awakening.

In this intimate conversation about his new book The Fifth Season: Creativity in the Second Half of Life, Nepo shares how aging isn't about decline but rather an invitation to strip away the non-essential and access deeper wisdom, offering a refreshing perspective for anyone seeking to live more authentically at any age.

You can find Mark at: Website | Mark's Substack | Episode Transcript

If you LOVED this episode, you’ll also love the conversations we had with Mark about resilience, learning to fail with grace, and discovering how every setback can lead us higher.

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• Join My New Writing Project: Awake at the Wheel
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Discover why being proudly mediocre at something you love might be the key to unlocking joy, meaning, and even spiritual practice in your life.

In this perspective-shifting conversation, leadership consultant Karen Walrond shares insights from her new book, In Defense of Dabbling: The Brilliance of Being a Total Amateur, revealing how letting go of the pressure to excel can transform simple activities into powerful portals for self-discovery, connection, and personal growth. Learn the seven surprising attributes that make intentional amateurism a radical act of self-care in our achievement-obsessed world.

You can find Karen at: Website | Instagram | Episode Transcript

If you LOVED this episode, you’ll also love the conversations we had with James Victore about making your art and owning your point of view. 

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• Join My New Writing Project: Awake at the Wheel
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