We live in a culture obsessed with leadership. From classrooms to boardrooms, we’re told that the only way to matter is to lead. But what happens when everyone wants to be in charge—and no one wants to follow?

In this episode of Terrified Nation, Debilyn Molineaux explores the often-overlooked power of followership. Drawing from stories, research, and cultural reflections, she reveals how following is not passive or lesser—but an act of courage, dignity, and shared responsibility.

From the “first follower” who transforms a lone dancer into a movement, to the many faces of followership identified by leadership scholars, we uncover why teams, communities, and nations collapse when followership is undervalued. And we explore a different vision of leadership—one rooted in facilitation, trust, and co-creation—where leaders and followers work together to build something lasting.

This is an invitation to rethink the myths of the lone hero and embrace the balance of leading and following. Because real power doesn’t come from being the loudest voice—it comes from listening, supporting, and creating space for others.

If you’ve ever wondered why leadership alone isn’t enough, and what it really takes to build a movement worth following, this conversation is for you.

Support the show

Terrified Nation is part of the American Future project, fiscally sponsored by Mediators Foundation. You can support this podcast by making a tax-deductible donation here.

How many times have you whispered to yourself, “I deserve this”—after a long, exhausting day?
Maybe it’s a glass of wine. A bag of chips. A mindless scroll through social media until the night disappears.

It feels like a reward. But is it really?

Somewhere along the way, “deserve” was hijacked. Once rooted in fairness and justice, it’s now a marketing lure—urging us to buy, eat, and consume as proof that we’ve earned relief. What we call treating ourselves often masks disconnection from what we actually need.

True deserving isn’t about quick fixes or sugar highs. It’s about pacing ourselves, nourishing our bodies, resting without guilt, and being surrounded by care and connection. These aren’t luxuries—they’re human rights.

But in a world that prizes productivity over presence and profit over people, meeting those needs can feel radical. That’s why reclaiming “I deserve this” matters. It’s a quiet rebellion. A choice to aim the phrase toward healing instead of escape.

This is about pausing before the reflexive treat, asking:
 What am I feeling?
 What do I truly need?
 Will this bring me more life—or just more numbness?

Because the truth is—we all deserve care, not just survival. And learning to claim that, one choice at a time, might be the most important work we do.

Support the show

Terrified Nation is part of the American Future project, fiscally sponsored by Mediators Foundation. You can support this podcast by making a tax-deductible donation here.

Fear isn’t just an emotion—it’s a tool used by people to gain more power. And in today’s episode of Terrified Nation, Debilyn Molineaux explores how to reclaim our own power to avoid our fears being used against us. A fearful society is shaped subtly—through headlines, social media, and stories that isolate us, shape our thinking, and make others see others as enemies.

When fear takes hold of us, we shrink. We stop listening. We retreat into our corners. And while we argue about the one issue that hits closest to home, someone else is making decisions about our shared future.

But it doesn’t have to stay that way.

This episode is a call to pause and notice the fear. To recognize the power we’ve handed over—and to begin reclaiming it through small, brave acts of connection. Because courage doesn’t always crash in like a superhero. Sometimes, it whispers: Try again.

You’ll hear:

• How fear is intentionally used to divide and control
• The subtle ways it shapes what we see, believe, and do
• What it looks like to return to ourselves—and each other
• How small choices can rebuild trust, connection, and community

In a world moving too fast and shouting too loud, slowing down becomes a radical act. And from that stillness, courage begins.

Support the show

Terrified Nation is part of the American Future project, fiscally sponsored by Mediators Foundation. You can support this podcast by making a tax-deductible donation here.

In this moving and deeply personal conversation, Debilyn Molineaux sits down with Dr. Paul Zeitz, a physician, global justice advocate, spiritual leader, and founder of UNIFY USA to explore a vision for the year 2045. But this isn’t just policy or idealism—it’s intimate. It’s generational. It’s sacred.

Dr. Zeitz imagines himself as an 83-year-old grandfather, walking the beach with his wife and dog, immersed in music and spiritual practice. He sees a future where love is the organizing principle of society—not just in word, but in action. Where his five sons and growing family thrive in a world shaped by human dignity, interdependence, and collective care.

• He calls this future “the Love Force”—a spiritual, emotional, and social vibration that unites us.
• He imagines a new U.S. Constitution rooted in equity and humanity.
• And he challenges each of us to take part in a peaceful revolution—beginning in the heart.

This episode is not only a political reimagining—it’s a spiritual roadmap. A reminder that joy, justice, and future generations are all deeply interconnected.

Tune in for:

*How Dr. Zeitz practices “unified consciousness”

* What love, interdependence, and service look like in action

* His vision for rewriting the Constitution to serve all Americans

* How Unify USA is mobilizing citizens around this mission

* Why hope is more than optimism—it’s a daily discipline

Don’t miss his powerful new book “Hit Refresh on the Constitution.”

If you’ve ever wondered how to transform overwhelm into purpose—or if love can truly change a nation—this episode is for you.

Support the show

Terrified Nation is part of the American Future project, fiscally sponsored by Mediators Foundation. You can support this podcast by making a tax-deductible donation here.

The noise is relentless. Sirens in the distance. Gunshots close to home. Explosions half a world away. And online, the arguments never stop. In this episode, we sit with the truth that chaos isn’t just “out there”—it’s around us, within us. And yet, in the middle of it all, there are people—quietly, courageously—choosing to become helpers.

But not the polished kind. Not saviors. Not martyrs. Just human beings choosing not to harden, not to numb, and not to turn away. This episode isn’t about fixing the world. It’s about responding to it with presence, with intention, and with heart.

Debilyn Molineaux brings forward the sacred rebellion of staying soft in a culture that rewards cruelty, and the radical act of showing up—not perfectly, but with care. She speaks to those who are exhausted but still want to matter. To do something. To be someone their neighbors—and their future selves—can count on.

You won’t find answers here. But you may find something more powerful: permission. To feel. To start small. To begin again. And to remember that being a helper isn’t about heroism. It’s about humanity.

Support the show

Terrified Nation is part of the American Future project, fiscally sponsored by Mediators Foundation. You can support this podcast by making a tax-deductible donation here.

For years, rage has fueled our public discourse. At first, it felt powerful—like fire. It gave us the energy to speak up, protest, and unite. But fire, left unchecked, eventually consumes everything.

In this episode, Debilyn names what many are quietly feeling:

 “I’m so tired.”

 “I can’t anymore.”

 “I feel numb.”

This is rage burnout. And it’s real.

We explore how outrage is being exploited—for profit, for power—and how it’s taking a toll on our bodies, our relationships, and our will to keep going.

But there is another way.

Debilyn invites us to rest, reconnect, and rediscover purpose beyond anger. To move from burnout to balance. From outrage to quiet, undeterred courage.

You don’t have to stay angry to care.

You don’t have to live in the fire to be fierce.

Let this episode be your permission to breathe—and to come home to a version of yourself that leads with love, not rage.

Support the show

Terrified Nation is part of the American Future project, fiscally sponsored by Mediators Foundation. You can support this podcast by making a tax-deductible donation here.

What stories are shaping your future?

In this episode of Terrified Nation,  Debilyn Molineaux is joined by changemaker, musician, and political innovator Steven Olikara for a powerful conversation about imagination, democracy, and purpose.

Together, they take a journey into the year 2035—using storytelling as a tool to shift from fear and division to hope and civic healing. From his roots in Wisconsin to his work in Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles, Steven shares how media, music, and mindful leadership can transform our national narrative.

Highlights include:

• Using storytelling as an "empathy machine"
• Bridging cultural and political divides through entertainment
• The power of soulful work, daily rituals, and personal integrity
• A behind-the-scenes look at his U.S. Senate run—and why he stayed in the race
• His vision for building platforms that bring people together, not push them apart

Whether you're feeling burned out by the headlines or searching for a better path forward, this episode invites you to imagine the future—and build it—with clarity and courage.

Support the show

Terrified Nation is part of the American Future project, fiscally sponsored by Mediators Foundation. You can support this podcast by making a tax-deductible donation here.

What if we’re all living inside a dysfunctional family—not just at home, but in our entire society?

In this deeply personal episode, Debilyn invites us into a vulnerable, honest reflection about how our stressed-out, emotionally reactive world is affecting us all. Between rising costs, political chaos, and fraying communities, it’s no wonder so many of us feel like we’re barely holding it together. And when people feel unsafe, they act out—right with blame, shame, and yelling. Sometimes we’re the target of that pain. Sometimes, we’re the ones causing it.

But what if there’s a way to break the cycle?

In this episode, Debilyn walks us through:

• How to find your safe spaces
• Why coping strategies like perfectionism and control don’t work
• What it means to be triggered—and how to lovingly respond
• Seven powerful steps to protect your peace when faced with “unacceptable behavior”

This isn’t a conversation about blame. It’s about choice. About legacy. About interrupting generational and societal harm by choosing grace, boundaries, and healing. Debilyn doesn’t just talk theory—she shares her own story, her own anger triggers, and how she is learning, moment by moment, to respond with presence instead of pain.

You won’t walk away with easy answers. But you will walk away with real hope—and a starting point.

 “You can’t control someone else’s behavior. But you can choose how you respond. You choose how to protect your peace. Then you will create a different legacy—one rooted in courage and compassion.” — Debilyn

Support the show

Terrified Nation is part of the American Future project, fiscally sponsored by Mediators Foundation. You can support this podcast by making a tax-deductible donation here.

What can tending a small garden teach us about building a healthy democracy? More than you might think.

This episode invites you into a personal story that starts with seed pods on a tiny apartment balcony and grows into an unexpected metaphor for civic life. Along the way, we explore what it means to keep showing up—even when the seasons are hard, the pests are many, and the results aren’t immediate. Like a garden, democracy needs constant care: sunlight to prevent corruption, water in the form of attention, and the daily work of pulling weeds and protecting what matters.

It’s a gentle but powerful reminder: the future we want—for our neighborhoods, our country, and our world—depends on the seeds we plant today and how patiently and persistently we tend them.

Listen in and rediscover how the simple act of growing something green can shape the way we grow something greater together.

Stay connected for more stories on hope, courage, and creating a thriving democracy.

#Podcast #Democracy #Hope #Resilience #CivicLife #PlantingSeeds

Support the show

Terrified Nation is part of the American Future project, fiscally sponsored by Mediators Foundation. You can support this podcast by making a tax-deductible donation here.

What if our reflex wasn’t to protect with force—but to care with courage?

What if safety meant connection, not control?

In this vulnerable and stirring episode, Debilyn Molineaux shares an intimate account of her time in Boulder, Colorado—where a peaceful meditation retreat, meant for compassion and renewal, was violently interrupted by a firebomb attack on a nearby gathering. What began as quiet reflection quickly became a chilling reminder: even spaces of healing are not free from harm.

But the question she carries forward—and asks of all of us—is this:

What if we could build a society without harm?

As global violence echoes—like the recent U.S. military strike in Iran—Debilyn challenges us to imagine a third way between fear and aggression: the way of principled compassion.Not denial. Not passivity. But conscious, brave action is rooted in care.

What if, instead of preparing for war, we prepared meals?

What if, instead of building weapons, we grew gardens?

What if we raised children who were less afraid?

This episode is not a naive hope. It’s a call to real, daily resistance—a radical invitation to pause, breathe, and make even one small choice to care instead of fear. To heal within families, neighborhoods, institutions. To reshape the systems that teach us harm is the only way.

Because choosing compassion in a world trained by violence isn’t weakness.

It is power. It is courage. It is the lifelong work of building something better.

If you've ever dreamed of a society where peace isn’t fantasy but possibility—this is your episode.

#TerrifiedNation #NewEpisode #BuildWithoutHarm #PodcastRelease #CompassionIsPower #ChooseCare

Support the show

Terrified Nation is part of the American Future project, fiscally sponsored by Mediators Foundation. You can support this podcast by making a tax-deductible donation here.