Resilience Unravelled

Keywords

Resilience - Heritage - Personal Experience - China - America - Culture - Family History

In this episode of Resilience Unravelled Richard Perkins Hsung discusses his mixed Chinese and American family history, including his grandparents who were medical missionaries in China. Richard was born in China in 1966 and was one of the first teens to leave China legally after Mao’s Cultural Revolution. Richard also talks about his personal experiences reconnecting with his heritage through visits to China and his mother's experiences during World War II. He also talks about the historical impact of the wars between China and America, the resilience of Chinese culture, and the significance of its history.

Main topics

• How Richard has reconnected with his heritage and learnt more about his family's history
• Richard’s mother's experience during the Chinese 1931 flood that killed millions
• Richard’s family's historical experiences during the Japanese and Korean wars
• The political dynamics between China and America
• The resilience of Chinese culture
• The importance of human connections within social contexts

Action items

You can find out more about Richard's familiy story at:

 Yangtze River by the Hudson Bay

Keywords

Resilience - Love - Relationships - Connection - Expectation

In this episode of Resilience Unravelled, Steffi Seefeld, a global speaker and facilitator, discusses her work in helping people find love and reconnect with life. She explores the concept of love and how it can be chosen and cultivated as well as the importance of maintaining curiosity, presence, and appreciation in relationships. She emphasises the need for conscious effort to sustain a relationship or professional connection and the importance of hiring well and becoming the person one wants to attract in order to have fulfilling relationships or professional partnerships.

Steffi also talks about the importance of effective management and leadership in hiring decisions, the need for realistic expectations in relationships and the challenges of finding a perfect partner or team member. The conversation touches on the idea of having multiple deep relationships in different areas of life without diminishing their value and of polyamory as a concept that goes beyond romantic relationships and extends to other meaningful connections.

Main topics

• Transmuting neurochemistry and creating mindful, choiceful practices
• The importance of being attentive and not rushing through relationships or work
• Why building teams requires measuring relationships in the real world and establishing boundaries
• The importance of hiring well and finding partners with clarity and understanding of each other's boundaries and trajectories in life
• Self-awareness and mental rehearsal in reinventing oneself

Timestamps

1: Introduction and Guest Introduction.  00:03-00:24

2: Steffi's Background and Work. Steffi explains that she helps lovers and leaders overcome feelings of stuckness and lost connection in relationships, allowing them to fall in love with life again. 00:34-01:25

3: Unpacking the Work. Russell and Steffi discuss the concept further, exploring how our upbringing and conditioning influence our relationships and how we can consciously change our patterns. 01:30-04:23

4: Importance of Hiring Well and Finding Clarity in Relationships. Steffi draws parallels between joining an organisation and entering a relationship, emphasising the need for clarity, boundaries, and understanding one's trajectory. 08:04-09:19

5: Endurance and Commitment in Relationships. The conversation shifts to the importance of endurance and commitment as partners face challenges together, and how this cannot be fully known until the first difficult phase is encountered. 16:49-17:24

6: Reinventing Oneself and Reprogramming the Brain. Steffi discusses the work she does in helping individuals become the creators of their own lives by becoming self-aware, letting go of old habits, and using mental rehearsal and brainwave patterns to reprogram the mind. 20:05-24:01

7: Connecting with Steffi and Recommended Resources. : Steffi shares her website and LinkedIn profile for those interested in learning more about her work. She also recommends Dr. Joe Dispenza's book, "Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself," as a resource on the science behind creating our own lives. 24:32-26:38

8: Closing Remarks. 26:38-27:24

Action items

Find out more about Steffi at steffiseefeld.com

Keywords

Resilience – Grief – Identity – Loss - Image – Changing the narrative – Labels – Vulnerability – Connection – Purpose – Rebirth Day

In this episode of Resilience Unravelled J R Martinez shares his journey from the battlefields of Iraq to ABC’s ‘Dancing with the Stars’.  J R talks about how he joined the military and went to war at 19 but was injured after just one month, suffering 34% burns and inhaling so much smoke it was thought he might not survive. He was in a coma for 3 weeks and, when he came out of it the reality of the injuries and scars to his body left him thinking there was no way he could live in society. Eventually though he realised there were a lot of things that he could still do and he turned tragedy into purpose, sharing his story and expanding his career into acting, advocacy, non-profit work raising awareness for injured military personnel and writing his memoir.

Main topics

• Why resilience needs to be conditioned and exercised.
• How our early life conditions us for the difficulties we meet later
• Grieving for the loss of an old life so you can accept the reality of a new one
• Losing your sense of identity
• The difference between being alive and living
• How we can all have a ‘rebirth day’ when roles evolve and change
• Choosing to jettison parts of your old identity
• Creating a new image and changing the narrative
• Negative words and embracing the labels given to us by other people
• How society and culture conditions men to be tough and avoid talking about emotions
• Why vulnerability needs to be expressed in different ways
• Seeing the individual, not the injury
• How connecting as humans beings can change the narrative and the way you look at anyone else you come into contact with

Action items

You can find out more about J R at https://jrmartinez.com/ or through his Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn

Keywords

Resilience - Consciousness - Spirituality - Personal Growth

In this episode of Resilience Unravelled Smita Joshi, an award-winning author, avid yogi and yoga teacher, and high performance and transformation coach, discusses consciousness, spirituality, and personal growth. Smita talks about her passion for living life to the fullest and exploring her talents and potential. She mentions that she believes in the concept of consciousness as a continuum and cites ancient Indian texts as a major influence on her beliefs. The practical application of these theories is discussed, emphasising personal responsibility and making choices aligned with one's innate nature. Smita explains how signs of discontent can indicate areas where change is needed, and suggests taking profound action through self-reflection, skill development, and seeking guidance from others.

Main topics

• The continuity of consciousness.
• Why being conscious of thoughts and actions helps us to take responsibility and make the best of ourselves and our circumstances.
• Aligning one's actions with their innate design.
• Why finding one's innate nature requires self-reflection and breaking down old thinking patterns.
• How emotional intelligence and developing skills in communication and other areas improves life.

Timestamps

1. Introductions. 00:04 - 01:07

2. The Concept of Continuum. Smita discusses the concept of consciousness as a continuum and the idea of exploring different lifetimes. 01:11-01:58

3. Association with Indian Texts. Smita explains her association with Indian texts and how they align with her own experiences and viewpoints. 03:01-04:27:

4. Applying the Philosophy in Daily Life. Smita discusses how this philosophy helps her be conscious of her thoughts and actions, take responsibility, and make the best of herself and her circumstances. 04:56-05:41

5. Discovering and Tapping into Innate Nature. Smita explains that tapping into one's innate nature requires self-reflection, giving up certain things, and adopting new perspectives and frameworks of thinking 10:18-12:10

6. Affecting Change and Transformation. Smita talks about acknowledging areas of discontent and taking profound action to bring about change and transformation in one's life. 12:22-14:50

7. Importance of Meditation and Mindfulness. Smita discusses the central role of meditation and mindfulness in her approach, including the breath as a focal point. 15:04-17:20

8. Accessing Smita’s Meditations. Smita provides information on how to find her meditations on her website, smitajoshi.com, and offers a gift code for listeners of the podcast. 19:36-21:07

9. Conclusion. 21:57-22:16

Action items

You can find out more about Smita at smitajoshi.com, her YouTube channel, The Self Discovery Channel or Instagram and TikTok

Keywords

Resilience - Relationships - Connection - Success - Impact

In this episode of Resilience Unravelled Patricia Bathory, a psychotherapist and the founder of a thriving import/export business talks about how our connections influence our achievements in both business and life. With master's degrees in business administration and counselling psychology, coupled with advanced training in psychoanalysis and family dynamics, Patricia has a blend of experience that gives her unique insight into the personal and professional problems that entrepreneurs and leaders face every day.

For the past eight years, she has also been researching and studying interpersonal dynamics, including how our relationships directly affect our ability to succeed in business and in life. She believes that by improving our relationship skills and strengthening our connections, we feed the wheel of good and position ourselves to make a lasting impact.

In this podcast Patricia discusses the importance of personal growth, cultural awareness, and understanding diverse perspectives in building better relationships. She also explores the potential of therapy to reimagine and re-engineer relationships, and the concept of a "Happy Ever After Contract" for outlining the terms of a relationship.

Main topics

• The significance of personal growth and self-improvement in building better relationships
• The complexity of relationships and the value of diverse perspectives
• How some relationships may seem dysfunctional but can work well for the individuals involved.
• Why trying to impose our own perspective on others can lead to problems
• The importance of cultural awareness and the ability to adapt to different situations
• Bringing together different perspectives, experiences, and cultures to lead to a better understanding of ourselves and others
• The importance of utilising these differences to improve relationships
• The challenge of diverse generations and the importance of building a supportive "village" of connections
• The need for a variety of relationships
• Investing in relationships to combat the "loneliness epidemic

Action items

You can find out more about Patricia at https://reconnect.dev/ Her book is Connected: Building Relationships to Achieve Success and Make a Lasting Impact

Keywords

Resilience - Volunteering - Perspective - Kindness - Customer Experience - Leadership

In this episode of Resilience Unravelled Jessica Osborn, Vice President of Customer Success at GoCardless, shares her personal and professional experiences including her work with UK charities and her role as a mother.

Jessica is an advocate for human-centric leadership and is dedicated to nurturing high-performance teams while fostering individual growth. She is also committed to revolutionising customer experiences worldwide and advocates for the symbiotic relationship between customer success and sustainable business growth.

With a career spanning pivotal roles in global customer success management, Jessica has honed her expertise in aligning business success with compassionate leadership. In this podcast she discusses the importance of customer success, the concept of volunteering, and the benefits of community engagement. She also delves into the significance of resilience, perspective, and kindness in leadership, with a focus on the human element in business and the potential of cross-sector collaborations.

Main topics

• The importance of perspective and how to achieve it
• Using dissociation as a proactive tool, rather than a traumatic response
• The significance of a loving environment in overcoming adversity
• Finding ways to give back to the community while balancing commitments in the workplace
• The value of team building and community engagement.
• The importance of kindness and respect in leadership and team building
• The need for directness and clear communication

Action points

Find out more about Jessica at https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicareserosborn/

Keywords

Resilience – Vision Loss – Adaptation – Trust – Communication – Virtual Work Environment –Technological Change

In this episode of Resilience Unravelled Chad E Foster talks about his personal experience of losing his vision due to an inherited eye condition called retinitis pigmentosa. He describes how he initially struggled with the loss, exhibiting a victim mentality, but later found solace and a new perspective after meeting and living with people who faced multiple disabilities. He emphasises the transformative impact of this experience, which shifted his attitude towards one of gratitude and appreciation.

Main topics

• Chad's Journey of relearning and adaptation after losing his vision
• How Chad maintains his physical health and well-being through exercise, and the adaptations he has made when practicing jiu-jitsu and downhill skiing
• The crucial role of trust and communication in skiing with a guide
• Why effective communication is essential for safety and performance
• The challenges and importance of building trust and maintaining team relationships in a virtual work environment
• The need for intentionality in creating micro interactions before, during, and after virtual meetings to foster personal connections and demonstrate care beyond transactional work
• How the differences, including disabilities, can provide unique perspectives and skills, and should be viewed as gifts rather than obstacles 
• The growing importance of resilience in the face of rapid technological change
• The five pillars of resilience: adopting a flexible mindset, reframing situations as opportunities, finding meaning in adversity, cultivating a growth mindset, and seeking help when needed
• The significance of cognitive reframing, and the necessity to visualise greatness even in unfavourable circumstances to inspire action and hard work for progress
• The importance of stepping outside one's comfort zone for growth and development
• How pushing through discomfort and terror can lead to expansion of one's comfort zone and improved clarity of thought
• The importance of taking advantage of perceived disadvantages and how every perceived disadvantage offers an advantage if used in the right context
• Overcoming fear by starting small and building up confidence through a series of small victories.

Action items

• Find out more about Chad at chadefoster.com
• Chad’s book is Blind Ambition: How to Go from Victim to Visionary

Keywords

Resilience - Kidnap - Trauma - Change - Challenge - Recovery - Healing - Depression - Stockholm Syndrome

In this episode of Resilience Unravelled Gloria Londono shares her traumatic experience of being kidnapped and held in captivity when she was 25 years old and how the experience led her to leave her country and immigrate to the US. Gloria reveals how she developed an attachment to one of her captors due to the Stockholm syndrome and the challenges she faced after her release including a lack of proper support and therapy from her family.

She recounts her journey seeking employment in the US and talks about the resilience and persistence she needed to apply for 40 jobs before securing a position in a Queens hardware store. She also discusses her subsequent job in a produce company where she overcame language barriers with the help of her manager to improve her communication skills. She eventually started her own business and then met her ex-husband. Together they built a successful company before she decided to leave the company to pursue her interests in coaching and writing.

Gloria's experienced trauma, depression, and anxiety and she shares the coping mechanisms and tools she used to manage her symptoms, including journaling and therapy. She also talks about how writing her book, "Flourish in Captivity," about her traumatic experiences and journey towards healing, was a significant part of her recovery process.

Action items

You can find out more about Gloria at https://www.glorialondono.co/

Her memoir is Flourish In Captivity  and she has he own podcast, The Unbreakable Life with Glory, which offers audiences seeking healing and peace a blueprint for growth, forgiveness, gratitude, and hope.

Keywords

Resilience - Burnout – Retreats - Mindfulness - Wellness - Self-discovery - ROI

In this episode of Resilience Unravelled Max Schneider from Sand and Salt Escapes shares his experience of burnout and how it led him to create a solution to help others going through similar issues. He discusses how he initially struggled to recognise and address his burnout, explaining that his high-achieving and competitive nature led him to push through physical and emotional signs of exhaustion. A significant turning point came when he developed shingles at 27, a symptom he now recognises as a warning sign of burnout.

During a trip to Costa Rica, Max realised he needed to make a change and when Max and his wife returned from their trip, they left their jobs and started a process of self-discovery. He realised that his own behaviours and mindsets, rather than external factors, led to his burnout and took responsibility for his actions and sought therapy to understand his brain's wiring and learn how to manage it. He also found mindfulness and meditation helpful tools to prevent future burnout. This experience led him to create something to assist others who are experiencing disconnection, loss of identity, or burnout.

Main topics

• The rising issue of burnout in many cultures and the potential solutions
• The importance of self-reflection, therapy, and mindfulness
• The cultural pressure in organisations that often fuel burnout
• The value and challenges of implementing workplace wellness programmes
• Shifting organisational responsibility towards caring for top talent
• The difficulty in calculating the return on investment (ROI) for such programmes
• The challenge of getting CEOs to fund such initiatives for all employees
• The benefits of retreats with a focus on mindfulness, self-discovery, and connection

Action items

You can find out more about Max at sandandsaltescapes.com or through LinkedIn or Instagram

Keywords

Resilience - Change – Growth – Reinvention – Mental Health – Social Media

In this episode of Resilience Unravelled Nina Sossamon-Pogue, shares her diverse career journey, from being part of the USA gymnastics team to a being a news anchor and Emmy award winning journalist. Nina discusses the importance of change, resilience, and adaptability for personal growth and innovation, with a focus on embracing novelty and maintaining a positive outlook. She also talks about the challenges women face in the US, strategies for managing mental health and social media in the face of criticism, and the implications of social media on public discourse and personal privacy.

Main topics

• Why we resist change but need to embrace it for personal and professional growth
• Reinvention and its significance in our lives
• How setbacks or changes can prompt a recalculation of route to something new
• The challenges women face in the US in relation to societal expectations and the role of media
• Managing mental health and social media in the face of bullying and negative comments
• The implications of social media on public discourse and personal privacy
• Learning from past mistakes and focusing on strengths

Action items

Find out more about Nina at Nina Sossamon-Pogue or through her LinkedIn, Facebook or Instagram