“Get comfortable with the uncomfortable.”

Are your New Year’s resolutions long gone? Perhaps it’s because we loathe the inevitable discomfort that comes with breaking in a new habit or pattern. To create a goal, and go after it, means we have to wear a new path and expand our comfort zone. The rut, the area of comfort that we’ve come to know, gets shaken up. And 30 days later, the metaphorical “arm wrestle” between building a new pattern or staying in our familiar rut, ensues. Nine times out of ten, the familiar wins out. But, you don’t…

You see, we don’t grow or expand by staying “status quo.” So this year, resolve to lean into discomfort with five easy steps and uncover your meaningful moment.    

Tune in and turn the volume up for a dose of inspiration and life lessons. That’s how we Live Lead and Play! 

Do you believe in signs? Today’s guest says a prophetic dream from her deceased ex-husband helped her in diagnosing a life-threatening brain tumor. This moment changed the course of her life forever.

Deborah Dutilh’s story has been published in The Chicken Soup For The Soul series on “Dreams and Premonitions” and will also be featured in an upcoming book, by Dr. Larry Burk, TEDx speaker, consulting associate professor of radiology at Duke University Medical Center, and member of the International Society for the Study of Dreams.

Dutilh’s work – as a life coach and personal development advocate – spans 30 years of professional and volunteer experience in France, London, and the U.S. She is also an author and theater artist who wrote and performed her one-woman show, "Into The Panther's Cage," in Los Angeles at the Whitefire Solofest, The Los Angeles Women's Theater Festival, and the 2015 Edinburgh Fringe Festival. While in Los Angeles, she founded The Durga Project, an art therapy program designed to give refugees and survivors of torture a safe place to find their voice after being forced to flee their ravaged homelands and families.

Quite a timeline of credits! But the biggest stone unturned is this: what happens when we’re facing some of life’s biggest curve balls – even the face of mortality?  

Key Takeaways:

Feel The Sadness! There’s a reason we call it “a wave of emotions.” Working through disenfranchised grief, also called “grief pain,” is a journey. But what happens if we’re being dissuaded from expressing it… as if it might be considered unacceptable to others? [9:25]

Trust Your Intuition! Our subconscious is a bit like a fortune teller. We have dreams, symbols, and hidden fears running through our minds all at once. The real reason you should sit up and take notice of these intuitive hits… after all, it could save your life. [15:30]

The Unexpected And The Uninvited! Life comes with an ebb and flow. These synchronicities are worth recognizing and accepting. Learn how to step out of self-pity even in the darkest of times... [20:40]

Visualizing Success! Leveraging dreams and visualization to overcome difficult situations and challenges can be therapeutic. Get inspired and unearth the secrets to owning the bigger picture... [24:30]

Make Light! Admitting when you mess up in life, embracing vulnerability, and growing in the midst of obstacles. These are the keys to… [34:31]

Tune in and turn the volume up for a dose of inspiration and life lessons. That’s how we Live Lead and Play! 

“You are what you eat.”

Remember that saying from the days of childhood? It basically means that you are what you consume.

As adults, our world extends well beyond food – we consume violence in the media, highs and lows of the economy, diversified television and music. We’re like sponges and our subconscious is continually pulling data (whether we recognize it or not).

So, what do you choose to fill your plate with? What do you consume, on a daily basis, to place your mind in a positive place? Nature walks, meditation, supportive friendships, perhaps? Discover how to feed yourself – feed the opportunities waiting for you – and uncover your meaningful moment.   

Tune in and turn the volume up for a dose of inspiration and life lessons. That’s how we Live Lead and Play! 

“And now that you don’t have to be perfect, you can be good.”

It’s conditioned in us, isn’t it? This idea that we need to strive for perfection in everything we do. But, perfection is like quicksand – it slows us down and we never quite put our work out there. We never quite get up the nerve. We sink behind a so-called excuse.

So, what happens when we become vulnerable? What does “good” look like then?  

Well, “good” leads to something so much BIGGER and BETTER. Find out how to embrace imperfection, wholeheartedly, and uncover your meaningful moment.       

Tune in and turn the volume up for a dose of inspiration and life lessons. That’s how we Live Lead and Play! 

“And now that you don’t have to be perfect, you can be good.”

It’s conditioned in us, isn’t it? This idea that we need to strive for perfection in everything we do. But, perfection is like quicksand – it slows us down and we never quite put our work out there. We never quite get up the nerve. We sink behind a so-called excuse.

So, what happens when we become vulnerable? What does “good” look like then?  

Well, “good” leads to something so much BIGGER and BETTER. Find out how to embrace imperfection, wholeheartedly, and uncover your meaningful moment.       

Tune in and turn the volume up for a dose of inspiration and life lessons. That’s how we Live Lead and Play! 

Remember the classic tactics of the used car salesman? High pressure sales, invading your personal space, and chatting up what you supposedly “need”? The best marketers, teachers, and spiritual gurus know there is a more enlightened way. The fact is, there is no such thing as selling – but rather a mutual sharing of information. When authenticity (not agenda) meets conversation, there’s no bottom line to be had – there’s only connection.

Today’s guest also calls this magical, mystical influence -- resonance. And here’s your roadmap in leveraging it to strengthen your relationships, courtesy of Sandra Sedgbeer, wide eyed wanderer, observer, and researcher.

Sandra combines her love of broadcasting with her pioneering work as a media and marketing consultant advising authors, teachers, speakers, and individuals on how to apply the science of resonance to build their platforms, profiles, and develop programs and products that people don’t just like, but love.

Born and raised in the UK, Sandra is the author of six books published by major international publishing houses. She hosts the weekly OMTimes Magazine’s flagship radio show, “What Is Going Om?” which is now also being syndicated as a podcast on iHeart Radio. Having interviewed the likes of Jean Huston and Michael Bernard Beckwith, Sandra’s shows feature the world’s leading thinkers who are standing at the edge of where science and spirituality inextricably meet.   

Key Takeaways:

The “truth” is in the pudding! Force feeding your beliefs – or what comprises your reality – doesn’t bring about connection with others. Instead of forking over what’s true for you, why not try to tune in to the conversation and hone your powers of persuasion by doing this… [3:34].

Fifteen minutes of fame…sort of! What happens when we start to follow a path to notoriety, applause, and accolades? We create an outer façade – something we think we want. Then when looking at the bottom of the barrel, we don’t quite resonate with ourselves anymore. Get back on track with this one trick… [11:20].  

Pulse check please! Why aren’t some things as automatic as breathing? A simple inhale and exhale goes a long way toward centering ourselves. Find out the practice that you seldom do (but should!) to broadcast yourself in the best light possible… [20:14].

Stop running…start exploring! Columbus sailed the ocean blue. But, you don’t have to travel very far to find yourself. The truth is you are already, by definition, “this” and the best uncharted territory isn’t by land, sea, or air. Hint: it’s so much closer to you than you think -- right under your nose, in fact… [27:53].  

Tune in and turn the volume up for a dose of inspiration and life lessons. That’s how we Live Lead and Play! 

“Belief is just a working hypothesis.”

Have you ever wondered…
How do beliefs get tied to one’s identity?
How might our egos get in the way of our thought patterns?
And how can we use our existing beliefs and experiences, plus the new data that’s always in front of us, to constantly evolve into our best selves?

Growth equals gain. Find out how to stretch yourself and uncover your meaningful moment.

Tune in and turn the volume up for a dose of inspiration and life lessons. That’s how we Live Lead and Play! 

Mindfulness…what is it and how does it factor into our everyday conversations? Can it really enhance the relationship we have with ourselves as well as others? We went straight to the authority on the topic. Psychologist, Dr. Elisha Goldstein, Ph.D., specializes in helping people have more emotionally healthy, meaningful conversations.   

In addition to creating a six-month Mindful Living course starting in January 2017--ACourseInMindfulLiving.com — Dr. Goldstein is the co-founder for the Center for Mindful Living located in West Los Angeles. He pioneered the Mindfulness at Work™ program available at eMindful.com, as well as the Connecting Adolescents to Learning Mindfulness (CALM) program. He is the author of Uncovering Happiness: Overcoming Depression with Mindfulness and Self-Compassion and The Now Effect: How This Moment Can Change the Rest of Your Life.

Most importantly, he shares practical insights to help people practice non-violent communication in their daily lives. Let’s get talking!

Key Takeaways:

Make lemonade! Understand how Dr. Goldstein’s childhood development affected his work in the psychology field and how he used his pain to create a career that helps others … [3:45].

Word to the wise! Create space inside of yourself to reflect and determine the message that’s coming up for you. Pause and connect to your wiser, more intuitive self with this sage advice... [5:55].

Mind the moment! Ever wonder if there was a formula to creating sacred moments? The ones that stand still and last the test of time? Check out Dr. Goldstein’s groundbreaking research study and what it means for your life – and your purpose… [11:21].

Inner Connections, Outer Connections! Connecting to ourselves is key to helping us connect with others. Learn how to tune into what you’re feeling and how your emotions foster a big impact on those mammoth-sized life decisions we all have to make... [14:39].

Be on the same page! Analyzing, interpreting, and assuming. Learn how to engage with others and speak with them in a way that supports a clear understanding and better communication. Bonus: discover if you truly know where others are coming from when you communicate with them (the signs may surprise you)… [21:06].

Tune in and turn the volume up for a dose of inspiration and life lessons. That’s how we Live Lead and Play! 

Self-discovery is on the rise! Take a different journey than you have before and listen as Dr. Daniel Siegel, M.D. shares the science behind who you are and how you can bring more wellbeing into your everyday life.

Dr. Siegel is a clinical professor of psychiatry at the UCLA School of Medicine. He’s the founding co-director of UCLA's Mindful Awareness Research Center as well as the founding co-investigator of the UCLA Center for Culture, Brain, and Development. He’s also the executive director at the Mindsight Institute, an educational center devoted to promoting insight, compassion and empathy in individuals, families, institutions, and communities. Dr. Siegel has been invited to lecture for the King of Thailand, Pope John Paul II, His Holiness The Dalai Lama, Google University, and TEDx.

Today we explore Dr. Siegel’s latest book, Mind: A Journey to the Heart of Being Human.

Key Takeaways:

The power of the mind. It was once said that the mind and all its joys and sorrows are only a product of the brain. Science has much evolved! To find out what the mind’s really up to, how it differs from the brain, and how to create a whole new level of connection between you and the world, start here… [4:50].

The learnable mindset. Research shows that a small dose of empathy can make a big difference in your physical and mental health. The one skill that will help unleash the MOST important interpersonal emotion you have is… [10:07].

The path of self-discovery. Your identity and experiences, alone, can’t answer that big question on your mind: “Who am I?” The two key things, according to science, that comprise the rest of YOU are… [12:26].

The pattern of your mind unfolded. You’ve tackled that one lofty question – “Who am I?” Great! Self-identity can give you the power and the ability to do almost anything. But that’s only half the battle. The one scientifically proven element that’ll have you fulfilling your full potential is… [17:12].

To learn more about Dr. Siegel and his highly celebrated research, books and teachings, please be sure to visit: http://www.drdansiegel.com/. 

Tune in and turn the volume up for a dose of inspiration and life lessons. That’s how we Live Lead and Play! 

What’s one good thing that happened today? Some days that question is harder to answer than others. But living a happy life is a choice -- to make an intentional effort to allow joy in your life. Deborah Heisz, joyful enthusiast, CEO, Co-Founder and Editorial Director of Live Happy is here to share her secrets to making your ordinary days…extraordinary.  

Heisz is the author of the newly released book, Live Happy: 10 Practices For Choosing Joy. As Co-Founder of Live Happy she helps lead the award-winning, bi-monthly print and digital magazine, as well as LiveHappy.com, the Live Happy Now podcast, and Live Happy products and apparel. By combining the science of positive psychology with practical advice from experts on wellbeing, Live Happy is leading a movement to make the world a, well, “happier” place.

Take a journey to find extraordinary days and create a blissful life, starting NOW!

Key Takeaways:

If you’re happy and you know it! Before you clap your hands, ask yourself: am I really happy? There’s a BIG difference between happiness and authentic happiness. Sometimes it’s not so clear. Authentic happiness looks like this… [2:24].

Your happy voyage! We all have a tendency to believe that happiness is attached to the next moment in life – graduation, meeting the perfect person, starting a family, the upcoming promotion, etc. Break the pattern of “putting off” your happiness with this simple advice… [4:51].

Train your happy mind! Can a pessimist become an optimist? There’s hope for even the gloomiest of the bunch as well as for those days when the world seems to be conspiring against you. Try this ONE scientifically proven (daily) routine to help develop the skills you need to truly find incandescent bliss… [10:26].

Cultivate a happy child! As a parent, your child’s wellbeing is everything. Cultivating resiliency and growth during challenging moments is a trick we all, even the little humans, could benefit from. The one thing you can do to infuse a lifetime of confidence in your child and in yourself is… [17:33].

Get back on your happy path! Sometimes things go wrong in life. Really wrong. And you might begin to wonder if you’ll ever get back on track. You can and you will! Try this one practice to help you see sunny days ahead once again… [23:58].

Tune in and turn the volume up for a dose of inspiration and life lessons. That’s how we Live Lead and Play!