The Courageous Life

There is a metaphor that comes out of ancient wisdom traditions of a bird. One wing of the bird represents wisdom and the other represents compassion. 

In order to fly the bird needs both wings. 

Like the bird, as people and leaders, cultivating wisdom and compassion in our lives, and in our organizations may help us to realize our potential. This metaphor serves as the centerpiece of our conversation today as Dr. Leah Weiss and Jerry Colonna dive deep into the power of compassion at work.

This episode is the third installment of a 4-part series showcasing leading researchers and practitioners who are exploring themes related to compassion, courage, and living with a more open, kind, and loving stance toward the world. The first two episodes featured Sharon Salzberg and Barbara Fredrickson, as well as James Doty and Jacinta Jiménez. 

In this deep and inspiring conversation Leah and Jerry share: 

• Why they have infused compassion and mindfulness so centrally in their work with leaders and organizations
• Why empathy, safety, love, and belonging may be the most important qualities for leaders to focus on
• The role of suffering and a broken heart in compassionate leadership
• Using work as a crucible for realizing our potential
• The power of asking open questions, slowing down, and listening deeply
• How to navigate anger in organizations
• Reflections and insights on opening the heart in difficult conversations
• The importance of kinship and recognizing our shared common humanity

**Please note: In this conversation Jerry and Leah share past experiences related to acute mental health issues and suicide. There is a possibility that some may find parts of this episode triggering. Please listen at your own discretion and in a caring and supportive way for you. Additionally, if you or someone you know is experiencing mental health issues, including those related to suicide please reach out for help. The International Association for Suicide Prevention is one organization that offers lots of free support, helplines, and resources globally. You can find them at https://www.iasp.info/ **

More about Jerry:

Jerry Colonna is the CEO, and co-founder, of Reboot.io, an executive coaching and leadership development firm whose coaches and facilitators are committed to the notion that better humans make better leaders. For nearly 20 years, he has used the knowledge gained as an investor, an executive, and a board member for more than 100 organizations to help entrepreneurs and others to lead with humanity, resilience, and equanimity. Previous to his career as a coach he was a partner with JPMorgan Partners (JPMP), the private equity arm of JP Morgan Chase. He joined JPMP from Flatiron Partners. For more on Jerry please visit reboot.io

More about Leah:

Dr. Leah Weiss is a researcher, lecturer, consultant, and author. She teaches Compassionate Leadership at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. She is a founding faculty member of Stanford’s Compassion Cultivation Program. In 2019, she co-founded Skylyte, a company that specializes in using the latest neuroscience and behavior change to empower high-performing leaders and managers to prevent burnout for themselves and their teams. Leah has taught and spoken in over 75 organizations across sectors. Her work has been covered by news outlets around the world, including BBC, the New York Times, TED, the Financial Times, Harvard Business Review, and countless others. For more about Leah visit: https://leahweissphd.com/

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For some time The Courageous Life has featured conversations with people who are leading the way when it comes to researching, practicing, and teaching about ancient virtues like courage, kindness, empathy, compassion, humility, and love. Together we have explored the intersection between ancient wisdom traditions and modern science; discussing insights, tools, and practices that can be used to help people live well in the reality of our busy everyday experience. 

Today’s guest, Dr. Stephen G. Post, is a trailblazer in this space. He has helped to push so much of this work forward through his leadership in the fields of medicine, positive psychology, and spirituality.  As part of his groundbreaking work, Stephen founded the Institute for Research on Unlimited Love, which researches and distributes knowledge on kindness, giving, and spirituality. We'll dive into this and much more in today's episode!

In this deep and wide-ranging conversation we explore a variety of highlights from Stephen's pioneering career including:

• A variety of stories that offer a glimpse into some of the key moments that helped to shape the work he is doing today, including the amazing origin story of how, with the help of Sir John Templeton, he founded the Institute for Research on Unlimited Love. 
• Why we lose access to compassion and empathy in busy environments, and a simple 3-step process for counteracting this, which he uses with healthcare workers and medical students.
• Practices to develop our ability to listen more fully and deeply. 
• Highlights from his work on giving - including why How much you give isn’t as important as how much kindness you put into the giving.
• Some of the most intriguing research findings on giving, kindness, and love.
• The backstory on how the field of positive psychology was founded, and how an evidence-based book of character strengths and virtues came to be.
• Insights from his work on forgiveness and compassionate caregiving.

More about Stephen: 

Stephen G. Post, PhD is an international speaker, and best selling author of Why Good Things Happen to Good People. He is also a frequent contributor to major magazines and newspapers including The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, and Time Magazine. He has also been interviewed on major broadcasts, including ABC 20/20, Nightline, The Daily Show, John Stossel, “Talk of the Nation,” and The Mehmet Oz Show. He is the founder and director of the Stony Brook Center for Medical Humanities, Compassionate Care and Bioethics. A leader in medicine, research and religion. Visit him online at StephenGPost.com and UnlimitedLoveInstitute.org.

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

Dr. James Doty - Into the Magic Shop

Dr. Daryl Van Tongeren - The Transformative Power of Humility

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Marc Lesser is a speaker, workshop leader, and executive coach. He is the CEO of ZBA Associates, an executive development and leadership consulting company and has led mindfulness and emotional intelligence programs at many of the world’s leading businesses and organizations including Google, SAP, Genentech, and Kaiser Permanente. Marc helped develop the world-renowned Search Inside Yourself (SIY) program within Google - a mindfulness-based emotional intelligence training for leaders. He was also the founder and CEO of the Search Inside Yourself Leadership Institute (SIYLI). He has authored 5 books. His most recent is: Finding Clarity (which we explore in depth in this conversation).

Prior to his successful business and coaching career, he was a resident of the San Francisco Zen Center for 10 years, and director of Tassajara, Zen Mountain Center, the first Zen monastery in the Western world. For more on Marc please visit marclesser.net

In this episode:

• Marc’s inspiring story about his somewhat non-traditional career path, and how he found the clarity and courage to pursue it
• The importance of finding time to get quiet, and the practice of listening to our inner voice that may offer insight into what will contribute to deeper meaning
• The role of compassion and an open heart when it comes to performance and accountability
• How to receive feedback more skillfully
• Insights from helping to build the world renowned Search Inside Yourself mindfulness and emotional intelligence at Google
• Marc’s answer to the age old question, what’s the least amount of meditation I  can do to get the most benefit?
• How to turn breakdowns, failures, and missteps into breakthroughs
• Moving from reactivity to responsiveness and how this can contribute to vibrant relationships
• Some of Marc’s favorite practices for cultivating an open heart and greater compassion in life and leadership 

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Did you enjoy this episode? Here are two others we think you will find inspiring:

Parker Palmer Part Two: Reflections on the Power of Living With an Open Heart

Tal Ben-Shahar: Letting go of Perfection and Finding Happiness

Thanks for listening! 

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Today we're continuing our four-part series on the power of compassion with a deep, insightful, and moving conversation between Dr. Jacinta Jiménez and Dr. James Doty. Each episode in the series will showcase a powerful duo made up of a leading researcher and practitioner who will explore themes related to compassion, courage, and living with a more open, kind, and loving stance toward the world. 

If you happened to miss the first installment in the series with Barbara Fredrickson and Sharon Salzberg you can go back and listen to it now. It's become one of the most popular conversations in the show's history and we hope you enjoy this part two conversation just as much! 

In today’s episode Jacinta and James will explore: 

• How moving from fear to love can be a powerful catalyst for wellbeing, performance, and flourishing in life and work
• A personal story from Jacinta about the power of having someone who sees you, and creates spaces for belonging
• The research backed benefits of belonging, compassion, and kindness 
• The argument for compassion and kindness at work and how these qualities can both fit into, and enhance, performance cultures
• How qualities like compassion, empathy, and altruism can be learned
• Tools for practicing compassion in daily life
• Leadership practices for creating environments of care
• And more!

More about Dr. Doty:

James R. Doty, M.D. is an Adjunct Professor and the Founder & Director of the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education (CCARE) at Stanford University School of Medicine. As the Director of CCARE, he has spearheaded research projects on compassion and altruism, and their relationship to the brain. He is also an inventor, entrepreneur and philanthropist. He is the New York Times bestselling author of Into the Magic Shop: A Neurosurgeon’s Quest to Discovery the Mysteries of the Brain and the Secrets of the Heart. Dr. Doty is also the senior editor of the Oxford Handbook of Compassion Science.

More about Dr. Jiménez:

Jacinta Jiménez, (also known as “Dr. J”) is an award-winning Stanford-trained Psychologist and Board-Certified Leadership Coach with a 20+ year career dedicated to the betterment of individuals, leaders, and top organizations in Silicon Valley and throughout the world. Sought-after for her expertise bridging the fields of psychology and leadership she regularly contributes to international news and TV outlets, including CNN/HLN, Business Insider, Forbes, Harvard Business Review, and Fast Company. Her book, The Burnout Fix debuted as #1 New Release on Amazon, has been recognized by Business Insider as a top book to read about burnout, and was the winner in getAbstract’s prestigious 2021 International Book of the Year Reader's Choice Award.  More about Dr. J: drjacintajimenez.com

Learn more about the Practicing Courage Challenge HERE

Did you find this episode inspiring? We think you'll love these conversations too:

The Power of Compassion: Part 1 with Sharon Salzberg and Barbara Fredrickson

Dr. James Doty: Into the Magic Shop

 Thanks for listening!

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Today's guest, Dr. Marc Brackett, is on a mission to educate the world about the value of emotions and the skills associated with using them wisely. “I want everyone to become an emotion scientist”, he says. “We need to be curious explorers of our own and others’ emotions so they can help us achieve our goals and improve our lives.”

In this deep dive conversation, Marc and I explore themes from his book Permission to Feel  as well as his broader work as a leader in the field of emotional intelligence, including:

• Some of his story and how events in his childhood including surviving abuse led to his dedication to the work he does today
• Why people so often suppress emotions and what happens in our brains and bodies when we do
• Why it’s so important to ask people “how are you feeling?” and to genuinely listen to the answer
• The story of his Uncle Marvin, and what he learned from him about the power of creating safe spaces
• Highlights from the biggest study he has ever conducted and the case for empathy, compassion, non-judgment, and good listening as life changing qualities for leaders, parents, and individuals.
• An introduction to the RULER skills (Recognizing, Understanding, Labeling, Expressing, and Regulating emotions)
• How he uses the RULER skills in his own life to navigate daily challenges, enhance wellbeing, and stay on track with goals that are important to him
• The link between emotions and performance - why and how emotions matter when it comes to thriving teams and organizations
• Why giving people the permission to feel may be one of the most important things we can do to help people thrive at work and in life. 

More about Marc:

Marc Brackett, Ph.D., is founding director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence and professor in the Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine. As a researcher for over 20 years, Marc has focused on the role of emotions and emotional intelligence in learning, decision making, creativity, relationships, health, and performance. His book, Permission To Feel,  has been translated into 22 languages. Most recently, with Pinterest co-founder Ben Silbermann, Marc and his team co-created the Apple award-winning app, HowWeFeel, that was designed to teach emotion skills and enhance well-being. 

Marc is the lead developer of RULER, a systemic, evidence-based approach to social and emotional learning that has been adopted by over 5,000 schools across the United States and has reached over 4 million children. Marc regularly consults with large companies such as Google, Amazon, and Microsoft on best practices for integrating the principles of emotional intelligence into training and product design. For more please visit: https://www.marcbrackett.com

Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are more episodes we think you’ll love!

Dr. Jud Brewer - Is Curiosity is a Superpower?

Kelly McGonigal - Finding the Hope, Connection, and Courage to Transform

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Today we're kicking off a 4-part series on the power of compassion which will feature inspiring conversations between some of the world's most renowned thought leaders, researchers and practitioners. Each episode will showcase a powerful duo who will explore themes related to compassion, courage, and living with a more open, kind, and loving stance toward the world. We hope you enjoy this first installment with Barbara Fredrickson and Sharon Salzberg.

In today's episode we will explore themes from Sharon’s new book Real Life: The Journey from Isolation to Openness and Freedom as well as: 

• How Barb and Sharon began their work together 
• How Sharon’s deep expertise on lovingkindness and contemplative practices have influenced Barb’s conception of love as a co created positive state
• A new definition of love that focuses on micomoments of connection 
• Why love is the state where the most learning, growth, and expansion occur and details on groundbreaking research that Barb and her team are working on
• Some of Barb’s and Sharon’s practical and research informed strategies for opening the heart
• Sharon will offer an overview of Lovingkindness and some of her latest thinking on this ancient contemplative practice
• Why compassion and love are so important now
• And more!

Interested in Sharon's new book? Order it here: sharonsalzberg.com/reallife/

More about Barb:

Dr. Barbara Fredrickson is Kenan Distinguished Professor of Psychology and Award-winning Director of the Positive Emotions and Psychophysiology Lab at the University of North Carolina. Her research reveals how micro-moments of love and other forms of positivity nourish your health, wisdom, and longevity. One of the most highly-cited contributors to psychological science, Barb is best known for her broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions. Barb’s scientific contributions have influenced scholars and practitioners worldwide, in disciplines ranging from business to healthcare and beyond. Her work has been featured in the New York Times, The Economist, CNN, NPR, PBS, U.S. News & World Report, USA Today, Oprah Magazine, and elsewhere. She has twice been invited to brief His Holiness the Dalai Lama on her research.

More about Sharon:

Sharon Salzberg is a meditation pioneer, world-renowned teacher, and New York Times bestselling author. She is one of the first to bring mindfulness and lovingkindness meditation to mainstream American culture over 45 years ago, inspiring generations of meditation teachers and wellness influencers. Sharon is co-founder of The Insight Meditation Society in Barre, MA, and the author of twelve books, including the New York Times bestseller, Real Happiness, now in its second edition, and her seminal work, Lovingkindness. Her forthcoming release, Real Life: The Journey from Isolation to Openness and Freedom, is set for release in April of 2023 from Flatiron Books. Her podcast, The Metta Hour, has amassed six million downloads and features interviews with thought leaders from the mindfulness movement and beyond. For more on Sharon visit www.sharonsalzberg.com

Did you find this episode inspiring? We think you'll love these conversations too:

Sharon Salzberg - Mindfulness to Heal Ourselves and the World

Dr. Jud Brewer - Is Curiosity a Superpower?

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Every so often a researcher comes along and changes the game. Named a Rising Star by the Association for Psychological Science, Dr. Daryl Van Tongeren is doing just that. A leading mind on the science of humility - his work and his new book Humble, have helped debunk many of the myths around this ancient virtue, explaining why humility is a powerful strength at home, at work, in leadership, and how it can lead to thriving relationships.  

In this wide ranging and deep conversation Daryl will share more about:

• The link between humility and authenticity (or feeling at home in our own skin)
• The myths and misperceptions about humility including that humility is a weakness. 
• The relationship between experiences of awe, big nature, and humility
• Humility as a skill - how you can learn to be more humble with dedication, practice, and feedback
• Why humility is best cultivated in community
• How to handle tough feedback
• How to use humility to stay open to learning, to empathy, and to compassion
• The case for more humble leaders, why organizations need them, and why employees and teams value humility. 
• And more!

More about Dr. Daryl Van Tongeren:

Daryl R. Van Tongeren, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Psychology at Hope College. As a social psychologist, his research focuses on meaning in life, religion, and virtues. He loves asking deep and enduring questions about what it means to be human (darylvantongeren.com). His research has been covered by the New York Times, Chicago Tribune, and NPR. In 2016, he received a Rising Star designation from the Association for Psychological Science. In his free time, he enjoys running marathons and surviving triathlons. You can learn more about Daryl's work at darylvantongeren.com.

Did you find this conversation elevating? Here are more episodes we think you'll love:

Tal Ben Shahar - Letting go of Perfection and Finding Happiness

Dr. Jud Brewer - Is Curiosity a Superpower?

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For more on the podcast, and upcoming events and courses with Joshua please visit and sign up for the latest updates: joshuasteinfeldt.com

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Dr. Rick Hanson is a multi-time past guest on the Courageous Life and is back to discuss themes from his new book, Making Great Relationships: Simple Practices for Solving Conflict, Building Connections, and Fostering Love.

In today’s wide ranging conversation with Rick we discuss:

• How to find a sense of calm strength, groundedness, and choice that can help reduce reactivity and improve our relationships
• 6 guidelines for speaking wisely and in ways that foster more effective communication, feedback, and that improve our connection with others
• How to work with anger more effectively
• Rick’s thoughts on how to keep the heart open and come from a place of love more often
• Rick’s insights from his experiences as a teacher and author on how to connect with your your audience
• Some of Rick’s favorite tips and practices for great relationships from his new book 
• And more

More about Rick:

Rick Hanson, Ph.D., is a psychologist, Senior Fellow at UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center, and New York Times best-selling author. His seven books have been published in 31 languages and have sold over a million copies in English alone. He’s the founder of the Global Compassion Coalition and the Wellspring Institute for Neuroscience and Contemplative Wisdom, as well as the co-host of the Being Well podcast – which has been downloaded over 9 million times. He’s lectured at NASA, Google, Oxford, and Harvard. An expert on positive neuroplasticity, his work has been featured on CBS, NPR, the BBC, and other major media. To pick up Rick’s new book, find out more about him and his work please check out rickhanson.net

Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are more episodes you may love:

Dr. Jud Brewer - Is Curiosity a Superpower?

Rick Hanson - The Heights of Human Potential

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For Joshua's classes and events please visit joshuasteinfeldt.com

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After spending nearly 20 years in Corporate America, holding executive positions leading public and privately held companies, Shelly Tygielski decided to stop following the expected path and start following her lifelong passion – mindfulness and meditation – and began to fuse this passion with her purpose – community organization and ensuring equity, social justice and access to wellbeing for all.

Her journey began by teaching free meditation classes Sunday morning on the sands of Hollywood Beach, Florida. What started as a group of 12 friends blossomed into a community of more than 15,000 in a matter of two years.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Shelly rose to the occasion. On March 14th, 2020, at the dawn of the crisis, she posted two simple Google forms online. One read “Get Help” the other “Give Help”. The next morning, she was shocked to find hundreds of requests from both sides of the equation. She began directly matching those in need with patrons willing to help them meet their needs and the Pandemic of Love movement was born. Those few hundred requests grew to over 600,000 people matched within six months. Today, Pandemic of Love boasts nearly 4000 volunteers worldwide, has directly exchanged nearly $100 million in donations and has connected over 4.5 million people. It has been featured on over 100 media outlets, including CNN's Heroes, BBC and The Kelly Clarkson Show.

In today’s conversation:

•  Shelly and I dive deeper into themes from our part one conversation including how the Pandemic of Love has grown and evolved since that time.  
• Shelly shares more of the backstory on leaving her work as a successful executive in corporate America to become a full time meditation teacher, the courage it took to take the leap, and what led to her decision
• Ideas and strategies for how to gain courage and clarity when faced with difficult and potentially life changing decisions
• How deep meditative states can lead to courageous action and other themes from her book Sit Down to Rise Up.
• Insights into how to lead and live from a place of love (particularly when it’s difficult)
• Why proximity is a catalyst for greater empathy, compassion, and building connection across division
• Details on Shelly's new TV show with Debra Messing based on her work with Pandemic of Love

If you’d like to learn more about Shelly and the incredible work she is doing please check out shellytygielski.com and be sure to pick up a copy of Sit Down to Rise Up: How Radical Self-Care Can Change the World wherever books are sold. 

Did you find this episode inspiring? You might love these past conversations:

Shelly Tygielski Pt. 1 - Pandemic of Love

Dr. Emilia Elisabet Lahti Pt. 2 - Gentle Power: Shifting the Way We Define True Strength

For my upcoming classes and events, and all episodes of the Courageous Life please visit: joshuasteinfeldt.com

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At the time we recorded this conversation Shelly Tygielski was ten days into the creation of what has now become a global movement called the Pandemic of Love. During the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic Shelly found a way using simple google forms to connect people in need of groceries, diapers, money to keep the heat on etc, to those who could help them directly. What started out as just an idea sitting around Shelly’s kitchen table boasts nearly 4000 volunteers worldwide and has directly exchanged nearly $100 million in donations and has connected over 3 million people. The Pandemic of Love and Shelly were also featured on CNN’s Heroes. An annual show that features profiles of modern day heroes making an extraordinary impact for the collective good.

Next week, in part two we will take a deeper dive into some of the theme’s from this episode as well as dive into themes from Shelly’s new book Sit Down To Rise Up: Find Yourself, Build Community and Change the World.

In this episode Shelly shares:

• Her inspiring story of how and why she got into the work she is doing today as a community organizer, activist, and meditation teacher
• How meditation has helped her to rise up in the face of adversity and challenges in her life
• What her meditation practice involves today
• Coping strategies for dealing with fear and uncertainty related to COVID-19
• The incredible story behind the Pandemic of Love, why she started it, and how to get involved

Shelly has also offered a brief meditation for dealing with uncertainty that you will find included as a BONUS mini episode of the Courageous Life. 

About Shelly:

Shelly Tygielski has been hailed by individuals ranging from President Joe Biden to Arianna Huffington and Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn to Maria Shriver. She is the founder of the global, grassroots mutual aid organization, Pandemic of Love. Her work has been featured in over 100 media outlets including on CNN Heroes, The Kelly Clarkson Show, CBS This Morning, the New York Times and Washington Post. She is a trauma-informed mindfulness teacher and a Garrison Institute Fellow who has been called one of the “12 Powerful Women of the Mindfulness Movement” by Mindful Magazine. Shelly has taught formalized self-care and resilience at organizations around the world and is widely considered to be a self-care activist. She is happily married to her husband, Jason, and is the mother of a son she adores, Liam. In her free time, Shelly enjoys skateboarding, playing guitar and making craft cocktails. She and her husband are currently living a nomadic existence, moving to a new location every few months.

Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are some other conversations you may love:

Ian Hockley: Empathy: An Antidote For Our Time

Ali Smith - Transforming Communities With Mindfulness (and Love)

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