The Courageous Life

Joseph Campbell, the visionary author behind The Hero's Journey, once wrote:

"People say that what we’re all seeking is a meaning for life. 

I don’t think that’s what we’re really seeking. 

I think that what we’re seeking is an experience of being alive."

Today’s guest, leadership coach, organizational consultant, and wellbeing expert, 

Vivien Tai in many ways has picked up where Joseph Campbell left off. 

Her pioneering research for her Master’s Thesis in Positive Psychology 

Explored a provocative question:

What if the real measure of a good life — or a great workplace — 

isn’t how much we achieve, but how 𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞 we feel?

Today, we’ll dive deep into the the topic of Aliveness as Vivien shares:

• More about her journey into this work which she describes largely was fueled by the pain of not feeling alive.
• Insights she’s gained about what helps us come more fully alive in life, work, and relationships
• Her reflections on the future of work, the importance of human-centered leadership, and the potential for organizational thriving when people come more fully alive.

Vivien writes:

"I have experienced what it’s like to grind in my career and achieve material success on paper, only to feel empty and hollow inside. 

I have experienced what it’s like to live life on autopilot, following the expectations of society and others, and end up disconnecting from my authentic truth. 

I have experienced what it’s like to be disconnected from others, putting on masks in order to be accepted, but yearning to be accepted and loved for who I really am.

I believe we yearn for a fuller sense of aliveness in the way we live, work, and relate with one another. 

One that honors the fullness of our human experience and nurtures connection to self, others and life."

Her work offers us all a beautiful possibility to consider. 

That the answer to the one of the timeless existential questions: 

What makes life worth living?

May just be, 

Aliveness.

More about Vivien:

Vivien’s work is about helping people and organizations come more fully alive — whether through coaching mid-career professionals navigating career transitions, building communities of purpose-driven leaders, or partnering with organizations to cultivate cultures that support both performance and flourishing.

She integrates insights from positive psychology, humanistic psychology, and Eastern spiritual wisdom in her work. Vivien holds a Masters in Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP) from UPenn, and has trained in mindfulness and self-compassion practices.

Before moving into coaching and consulting, Vivien spent over a decade in the Singapore Government, where she led organizational culture and well-being strategies for 150,000 public officers. 

Links:

• Coaching
• Substack
• LinkedIn
• Medium

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 Living a Life That Brings Us Truly Alive | Lee Johnson
• The Missing Ingredient to 'The Good Life' | Elaine Besser

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We all have something we want to change about ourselves. 

But whether it's quitting smoking, losing weight, or breaking some common bad habit, we feel a sense of failure when we don’t succeed. 

This can often set off a cascade of negative feelings and discouragement, 

making it even harder to change. 

The voice in our head telling us: Why bother?

In his profound book, How We Change: And Ten Reasons Why We Don’t 

Sociologist, pioneering psychotherapist, and author Dr. Ross Ellenhorn 

Takes a deep dive into this all too familiar experience as he unpacks 

the psychology and science of changing our lives for the better. 

Which he argues depends far more on understanding why we don’t change.

His research sheds an important light on how we are wired to double down on the familiar. 

A phenomenon he calls - 'The Fear of Hope' -

That very human and compassionate act of protecting ourselves from further disappointment. 

In today’s conversation we’ll dive deep into the topic of change as we,

Challenge the popular paradigm(s) of quick fixes, and 5 and 7 step lists. 

And examine what actually works. 

Some of which includes:

• The power of a caring relationship, 
• Contemplation,
• And learning to become a better friend to ourselves. 

Ross’s pioneering work offers us all an invitation to consider a fundamentally different approach.

One that may forever alter our perspective—

and finally help us achieve the transformation we truly seek

For more on Ross, his events, books, and research please visit ellenhorn.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 Curiosity, Presence, and Love | Dr. Jacob Ham
• 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. 

Thanks for listening!

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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. 

Thanks for listening!

Support the show

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!

Support the show

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!

Support the show

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!

Support the show

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!

Support the show

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!

Support the show