10 years ago Chelsea Pottenger found herself in a psychiatric hospital. 

Deep in the throes of severe PostNatal Depression following the birth of her daughter,

Chelsea in many ways was fighting for her life and at the beginning of a long road 

toward healing, and ultimately post traumatic growth. 

Along the way she found herself in a monastery learning and practicing meditation,

Arriving at new insights about how she wanted to live, 

And eventually choosing to leave a very successful corporate career to found EQ Minds - a company on a mission to reset the corporate agenda. 

Chelsea and her team work with some of the world’s most iconic businesses to 

prioritize the mental health and wellbeing of their employees first. 

In addition to founding and directing EQ Minds, Chelsea is now a highly sought-after keynote speaker, 

author of the Mindful High Performer, 

and was just nominated for Australian of the Year. 

Today she will share some of this journey.

Her heart wrenching, and inspiring story of transforming pain into purpose. 

A story that in many ways offers us a beautiful reminder:

There is a deeper and richer experience of life available to us.

An experience that often begins with coming home 

to who we truly are. 

For more on Chelsea, her book, speaking and the incredible work they are doing at EQ Minds, please visit: https://www.eqminds.com

Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!

Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:

• On Listening and Attending to the Soul | James Hollis
• On Heartbreak, Healing, and Transformation | Sara Avant Stover
• On Learning to Be a Better Friend to Ourselves | Megan Prager

Join Joshua on a NEW 6-month journey in uncovering how we can open our hearts and minds to live a more expansive life. 

A life that brings us alive. 

A life that is driven primarily by curiosity, wonder, and love (vs. certainty, control, and fear).

Learn more about and register for "From Fear to Love: A 6 Month Journey" here. 

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What sets the most successful people apart? 

You may think that the answer is hard work (and it’s certainly part of it), 

but in her interviews of the most accomplished individuals—

from entrepreneurs and investors to Olympic athletes and Pulitzer Prize winners—

Distinguished Professor of Management, Dr. Laura Huang discovered 

that what they called their gut feel, the product of their intuition, 

played the most important role.

Laura, who has held faculty positions at Harvard Business School 

and the Wharton School has in many ways dedicated her research career 

to quantifying the ‘unquantifiable’. 

Her work shows that we all have intuition -  

a combination of our brain's intelligent synthesis of external data 

and the entirety of our personal experiences. 

Our intuition draws from what we already know and what we didn’t even realize we knew. 

This process culminates in a gut feel which can manifest as: 

• A eureka moment, 
• A Spidey sense, 
• Or a jolt that changes how we see things and compels us to act.

If you’re like most people, these flashes of clarity arise passively.  

Random occurrences that come out of the blue.

And yet in her powerful new book: 

You Already Know: The Science of Mastering Your Intuition, 

Laura shares: "What makes our gut feel a superpower is our ability to go from the passive to the active.” 

That move, from passive to active, lies at the center of our conversation today. 

Together we’ll explore:

How we can strengthen our ability to hear the quiet whisper of our intuition,

And be truer to ourselves and those moments of clarity 

when our head and our heart converge. 

Laura’s words offer us all a timely reminder:

"As the external world gets ever noisier, often, the smartest thing we can do is 

listen to our gut to guide us in the right direction. 

Trust Yourself. 

You already know."

For more on Laura, her books, speaking, events, and research please visit proflaurahuang.com

Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:

• On Unlocking Our Primal Intelligence | Angus Fletcher
• On Honoring the Soul (Part 1) | Parker J. Palmer
• On the Power of Wonder | Monica Parker

Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!

Join Joshua on a NEW 6-month journey in uncovering how we can open our hearts and minds to live a more expansive life. 

A life that brings us alive. 

A life that is driven primarily by curiosity, wonder, and love (vs. certainty, control, and fear).

Learn more about and register for "From Fear to Love: A 6 Month Journey" here. 

Thanks for listening!

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Professor Stephen G. Post, one of the world’s leading scholars on altruism, 

love, compassion, and the science of giving, has a beautiful new book out: 

Pure Unlimited Love: Science and the 7 Paths to Inner Peace.

In it, he writes:

When the happiness, security, and well-being of another feels as meaningful and real to us as our own, or perhaps more so, we love that person.

This love, which Stephen has made a central focus across in his life’s work across 4 decades

As a researcher, a writer, a professor of preventive medicine 

and founder of the Institute for Research on Pure Unlimited Love.

Is the type of love that includes, but extends beyond, our nearest and dearest 

to all humanity. 

It’s love that is based on our shared dignity and interdependence with one another 

and with nature.

Today we’ll dive deep into the topic of love as we kick off the third installment in this trilogy. 

A trilogy that began with a focus on embracing impermanence, 

Then in part two explored the power of mystery and wonder, 

and is now ending with (in Stephen’s words): 

A scientific and spiritual exploration of how the healing power of love can 

transform mind, body, and spirit in individuals and communities, 

even in times of chaos.

This conversation serving as a hopeful reminder -

When we choose love, it isn’t just a path to inner peace,

It opens up the possibility of creating a better world. 

For more on Stephen, his books, research, and other resources please visit stephengpost.com and for more on the Institute for Research on Pure Unlimited Love check out: unlimitedloveinstitute.org

Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!

Other conversations in the trilogy:

• Impermanence, Letting Go, and Finding Freedom | Sharon Salzberg & Sunita Puri
• On Work, Friendship, and Embracing Impermanence | Parker Palmer & Jerry Colonna
• On Love, Death, and Embracing Our Humanity | Roshi Joan Halifax & Frank Ostaseski
• On the Power of Wonder | Monica Parker 
• On Ordinary Mysticism, Wonder, and Love | MIrabai Starr
• On Living a Life That Brings us Truly Alive | Lee Johnson

Join Joshua on a NEW 6-month journey in uncovering how we can open our hearts and minds to live a more expansive life. 

A life that brings us alive. 

A life that is driven primarily by curiosity, wonder, and love (vs. certainty, control, and fear).

Learn more about and register for "From Fear to Love: A 6 Month Journey" here. 

Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!

Thanks for listening!

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Between the relentless uncertainty—political, environmental, societal—in the world 

and our own personal challenges, 

We are living through one of the most anxious periods any of us can remember.

Many of us are feeling overwhelmed, and out of control.

As a result we may find ourselves falling into unhealthy patterns that we struggle to change—

worrying, 

stress-eating, 

constantly scrolling on social media, 

procrastinating, 

and more. 

The good news is that there’s a way out.

In today’s episode, 

which we originally released in 2023,  but chose to re release now given it feels more timely than ever,

Addiction psychiatrist, neuroscientist, and NYT Bestselling Author Dr. Jud Brewer is back on the show. 

And together we’ll explore the possibility of changing our relationship to anxiety for good.

Leveraging the power of mindfulness, curiosity, 

and a 3-step process for habit change developed in his neuroscience lab,

Jud and his team have shown it’s not only possible to unwind anxiety, rediscover peace and calm (in our constantly changing world),

But that the simple brain-based practices for doing so

are accessible to us all.

For more on Jud, his NYT Bestselling Unwinding Anxiety, the Unwinding Anxiety workbook, and app, please visit drjud.com

Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!

Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:

• On Unlocking our Primal Intelligence | Angus Fletcher
• On Wholeness, Service, and Enduring Happiness | Stephanie Harrison
• On Unwinding Toxic Productivity | Israa Nasir

Join Joshua on a NEW 6-month journey in uncovering how we can open our hearts and minds to live a more expansive life. 

A life that brings us alive. 

A life that is driven primarily by curiosity, wonder, and love (vs. certainty, control, and fear).

Learn more about and register for "From Fear to Love: A 6 Month Journey" here. 

Thanks for listening!

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Dr. Jud Brewer is an addiction psychiatrist, neuroscientist, and Director of Research and Innovation at Brown University’s Mindfulness Center. 

Jud is passionate about understanding how our brains work, 

and how to use that knowledge to help people make deep, permanent change in their lives — 

With the goal of reducing suffering in the world at large.

This conversation, which we originally recorded and released during the Pandemic in 2021,

Looked at the deepening division in our society, the patterns of 'othering', judgment, and blame, 

Through the lens of habit formation. 

The hypothesis that Jud and I explored

Which was informed by his novel approaches to using mindfulness for habit change, was: 

If othering, us and them thinking, and judgment are in fact habits

Than it's not only possible to break them,

It’s also possible to develop habits that counteract division and nurture connection and community. 

The key question though, which just happens to be at the heart of Jud’s work,

Is How? 

In this episode we’ll explore some ideas for answering that question including:

• Insights about how our brains learn
• And Practices developed in Jud’s lab that leverage mindfulness and the power of curiosity

Practices that offer hope, and a potential path for both individual and collective healing.

We chose to re-release this episode now,

not only because it’s a unique lens to look at these challenges, 

But because recognizing our common humanity, and nurturing connection with each other is needed perhaps now more than ever. 

For more on Jud, his NYT bestselling books, trainings, and groundbreaking work using novel mindfulness programs for habit change, please visit: drjud.com

Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!

Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:

• On Awe, Wonder, and Everyday Miracles | Jonah Paquette
• On Wisdom and Love in Troubling Times | Mark Nepo & Elizabeth Lesser

Join Joshua on a NEW 6-month journey in uncovering how we can open our hearts and minds to live a more expansive life. 

A life that brings us alive. 

A life that is driven primarily by curiosity, wonder, and love (vs. certainty, control, and fear).

Learn more about and register for "From Fear to Love: A 6 Month Journey" here. 

Thanks for listening!

Support the show

Americans today are leaving religion in record numbers. 

For many, the faith, practices, and institutions that once provided comfort and guidance no longer fit their beliefs and values. 

Today’s guest, Dr. Daryl Van Tongeren, a psychologist scientist who engages big existential questions to promote human flourishing, 

And author of the powerful book: Done: How to Flourish After Leaving Religion

calls this departure ‘The Great Disillusionment.’ 

His research and writing brings attention to several important, but often difficult questions that arise when people are no longer served by traditional religion: 

• How do they find new meaning and purpose? 
• How do they process the grief that often accompanies religious or spiritual change? 
• And how can they navigate challenging relationships with people who do not support or understand? 

Today we’ll explore this complex terrain as we discuss:

•  The changing landscape of religion in the US and beyond, 
• Why leaving religion can be so hard, which Darryl will reflect on through the lens of his research, but also through sharing the tragic story of losing his brother. A loss that left him questioning, and wrestling with his own relationship to the religion he was brought up in and had built his life around for many years. 

And finally, the possibility that Daryl writes about so beautifully.

In his words:

If you are rethinking your religious beliefs, have experienced religious loss or struggle, 

or have undergone a significant religious change, 

you are not alone. 

By understanding how people before us have left or transformed their religion, 

And using their wisdom as a guide,

we can discover new ways of finding peace, engaging with the transcendent, 

And ultimately crafting a flourishing and meaningful life.

For more on Daryl, his books, research, and other offerings please visit darylvantongeren.com

Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!

Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:

• On Awe, Wonder, and Everyday Miracles | Jonah Paquette
• On Listening and Attending to the Soul | James Hollis
• The Transformative Power of Humility | Dr. Daryl Van Tongeren

Join Joshua on a NEW 6-month journey in uncovering how we can open our hearts and minds to live a more expansive life. 

A life that brings us alive. 

A life that is driven primarily by curiosity, wonder, and love (vs. certainty, control, and fear).

Learn more about and register for "From Fear to Love: A 6 Month Journey" here. 

Thanks for listening!

Support the show

Lee Johnson likes to say that he’s as ordinary as dirt but as complex as soil. 

A former Course Director for the Colorado Outward Bound School and Certified Holistic Management Teacher, 

Lee has also managed ranches in Nebraska, Tennessee, and New Mexico. 

I first met him on a retreat at the Modern Elder Academy in Santa Fe.

The Academy, which has been called "The World’s First Midlife Wisdom School"

Sits on the beautiful Rising Circle Ranch where Lee serves as steward, and facilitates various experiences for guests. 

Much of his work is to translate nature’s teachings into insights that encourage us 

to tune into our inner landscapes as much as the outer landscape.

And while I was deeply moved by Lee’s presence, wisdom, and artful storytelling, 

What struck me most was that he was someone who has spent most of his life 

following his heart.

Today, we’ll talk in depth about his journey, 

The courage to walk the unconventional path, 

And what he describes as the quiet inner knowing that can arise when we learn to listen deeply to our lives.

Lee will also share more about what may support us to act on that knowing. 

Particularly in the face of fear, and the often strong pull of other’s expectations for our lives.

This was one of the most beautiful conversations I’ve ever had

And feels like an appropriate close to this 4 part mini series on the power of mystery and wonder. 

Lee’s holistic approach to life and spirituality serving as an invitation 

to step into a deeper relationship with ourselves, nature, and each other.

An invitation to embrace the mystery of being human, 

And to discover the wonder of living a life that brings us truly alive.

For more on Lee please check out MEAwisdom.com

Did you enjoy this episode? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:

• On Ordinary Mysticism, Wonder, and Love | Mirabai Starr
• On Work, Friendship, and Embracing Impermanence | Parker Palmer and Jerry Colonna

Join Joshua on a NEW 6-month journey in uncovering how we can open our hearts and minds to live a more expansive life. 

A life that brings us alive. 

A life that is driven primarily by curiosity, wonder, and love (vs. certainty, control, and fear).

Learn more about and register for "From Fear to Love: A 6 Month Journey" here. 

Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!

Thanks for listening!

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What do you feel when you gaze up at the Milky Way, 

take in a beautiful sunset, 

stand at the base of a mountain that seems impossibly high, 

or witness an extraordinary act of courage, kindness, or love?

Often, it's a profound sense of awe - 

the overwhelming feeling we experience when we encounter something 

vast that transcends our understanding. 

In his book Awestruck,  clinician, researcher, and multi-time author, 

Dr. Jonah Paquette, reminds us that awe-inspiring moments are all around us.

Ranging from the grand to the commonplace, its these moments that hold part of the key to living a deeply fulfilling life.

In today’s conversation, which we are re releasing as part of our current mini series 

On the power of mystery and wonder

Jonah and I will explore the life-changing potential of awe.

How this powerful emotion can help alleviate some of the struggles in our daily lives, from stress, to social isolation.

Why awe can be a catalyst for empathy, curiosity, and compassion,

And that as we reclaim space for moments of reverence for the ordinary, 

everyday miracles, 

We open up the possibility a deeper and more profound experience of life.

A life marked by greater joy and fulfillment.

For more on Jonah please, his books, podcast, and live events, please visit jonahpaquette.com

Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:

• On the Power of Wonder | Monica Parker
• On Ordinary Mysticism, Wonder, and Love | Mirabai Starr

Join Joshua on a NEW 6-month journey in uncovering how we can open our hearts and minds to live a more expansive life. 

A life that brings us alive. 

A life that is driven primarily by curiosity, wonder, and love (vs. certainty, control, and fear).

Learn more about and register for "From Fear to Love: A 6 Month Journey" here. 

Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!

Thanks for listening!

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In her beautiful book: Ordinary Mysticism: Your Life as Sacred Ground, 

Bestselling author, translator, and celebrated spiritual teacher, Mirabai Starr 

Invites us to let go of the limiting belief that spiritual life exists only in traditional places of worship. 

She shares:

You can visit an ashram in the Himalayas,

Or kneel in a church pew to connect to the spirit or examine life’s big questions—

but these aren’t the only opportunities to discover the sacred. 

Life itself, is holy ground. 

When we choose to embrace Ordinary Mysticism 

We begin to find magic in the mundane -

from weeding in our humble gardens, 

to a slow evening walk with a friend, 

to a full kitchen table surrounded by family.

Our everyday lives become an encounter with the sacred. 

In this second conversation in our mini series on the power of mystery and wonder,

Mirabai, who has been honored as one of the 100 most spiritually influential living people,

Will share much more about Ordinary Mysticism. 

Including: 

• More of her story, 
• Favorite practices, 
• and powerful insights she’s gained from decades of spiritual practice, teaching, and writing.

And because it’s foundational in creating the conditions for mystical experiences to unfold,

We’ll explore the power of presence. 

Mirabai reminding us that when we slow down, 

When we pay closer attention to our lives,

And when we open our hearts and minds to what is -

The ordinary starts to show up as miraculous, 

the boring becomes fascinating, 

our own shortcomings can turn out to be our greatest gifts. 

And, we ultimately discover the possibility of being more alive 

as we awaken to the interconnectedness between all things.

For more on Mirabai, Ordinary Mysticism, her books, other writing, teaching and live events, please visit mirabaistarr.com

Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:

• On the Power of Wonder | Monica Parker
• Meditation, Awakening, and Original Love | Henry Shukman

Join Joshua on a NEW 6-month journey in uncovering how we can open our hearts and minds to live a more expansive life. 

A life that brings us alive. 

A life that is driven primarily by curiosity, wonder, and love (vs. certainty, control, and fear).

Learn more about and register for "From Fear to Love: A 6 Month Journey" here. 

Looking for part one in the trilogy? You can find the impermanence series here:

• Impermanence, Letting Go, and Finding Freedom | Sharon Salzberg and Sunita Puri
• On Work, Friendship, and Embracing Impermanence | Parker Palmer & Jerry Colonna
• On Love, Death, And Embracing Our Humanity | Roshi Joan Halifax & Frank Ostaseski

Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!

Thanks for listening!

Support the show

In her beautiful book, The Power of Wonder, Monica Parker, writes:

“Wonder purls its way through our lives from first cry to last gasp - 

Moments that engage us, surprise us, take our breath away,

And give us the gift of viewing the world, and our place in it,

In an entirely different way.

But something happens as we move from the wonder-filled days of childhood to obligation laden days of adulthood. 

We become increasingly jaded. 

Like the sun that continues to shine on a cloudy day, wonder is still there,

But we just can’t seem to see it anymore. 

And then one day we stop looking.” 

A world renowned speaker, author, and leading authority on the future of work, 

Monica has spent decades helping people discover how to lead and live wonderfully. 

Much of her work, which lies at the intersection of research and practice, 

Explores how, and why, wonder holds the potential to transform: 

• the way we learn, 
• develop new ideas, 
• drive social change, 
• and ultimately become better humans.

Today’s conversation is a beautiful beginning. 

A doorway into a mini series on the power of mystery and wonder.

Themes that will make up the second part in a trilogy, which began with conversations focused on impermanence, 

and that will end with an exploration of love. 

Monica is here to kick things off. 

Inviting us to step into possibility. 

The possibility of looking again - Opening our eyes like we did as children 

and reconnecting with a reverence for the world, 

and all the magic in it. 

For More on Monica, her book: The Power of Wonder, her speaking, and her fascinating career which has included roles as diverse as being an opera singer, founder of a global human analytics and change consultancy, and a homicide investigator defending death row inmates please visit Monica-Parker.com

Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!

Join Joshua on a NEW 6-month journey in uncovering how we can open our hearts and minds to live a more expansive life. 

A life that brings us alive. 

A life that is driven primarily by curiosity, wonder, and love (vs. certainty, control, and fear).

Learn more about and register for "From Fear to Love: A 6 Month Journey" here. 

You can find part one of the trilogy below. These 3 conversations dive deep into the topic of impermanence and how we can relate to the changing nature of our lives in ways that lead to living well. 

• Impermanence, Letting Go, and Finding Freedom | Sharon Salzberg & Sunita Puri
• On Work, Friendship, and Embracing Impermanence | Parker J. Palmer & Jerry Colonna
• On Love, Death, and Embracing Our Humanity | Roshi Joan Halifax & Frank Ostaseski

Thanks for listening!

Support the show