Tough times for justice, equality, inclusion, and hope these days.

With the "anti-woke" attack on DEI, I was wondering how my friend Keith Edwards was doing these days.

His practice is one of "aspiring allyship" — how we can all come together to learn and grow, and work for our collective liberation from all forms of tyranny and discrimination.

Are businesses, cowering before the Trump/Musk onslaught, running away from diversity, equity and inclusion as fast as they can?

Turns out, no.

Because these factors are critical to any business that wants to thrive in these turbulent times.

As Keith points out, diversity isn't the opposite of meritocracy; it's the only way to get the right people into the right positions.

And unlike the performative wokeness that spasmed through society in the wake of George Floyd's murder and the peak of the Black Lives Matter movement in summer 2020, companies that are bringing Keith in now are serious about making their organizations better. No more eye-rolling CEOs and checked-out senior managers.

One of the ideas that Keith really hammers home is this: equity benefits everyone, not just marginalized groups.

The things that really make our lives worthwhile — freedom, dignity, love, joy — aren't in short supply. 

In fact, the more of these that you have, the more that I can have as well.

Leadership around these issues requires soul-searching, humility, a willingness to change and grow, and mindful presence.

I shared my own struggles to become a useful ally with Keith, who shared some of his own "embarrassing moments," and pointed out that we're all "wildly unfinished," and as long as we're open, we can still act with integrity and power.

Here are the takeaways that AI thought worth recording:

• Hope is a practice, not an emotion.
• Joy is a renewable resource that can be cultivated.
• Equity involves recognizing and removing unfair barriers.
• Allyship is about action, not identity.
• Being effective is more important than being right.
• Corporate language around DEI is shifting, but the work continues.
• The murder of George Floyd highlighted systemic issues in society.
• We are all works in progress and can change our perspectives.
• Helping marginalized groups ultimately benefits everyone.
• It's essential to recognize that joy and freedom are abundant resources. When we act for the collective, we are also benefiting ourselves.
• Mindfulness helps leaders stay grounded and centered.
• Slowing down can be a powerful leadership tool.
• Recognizing reactivity is the first step to choosing responses.
• Unlearning harmful beliefs is a gift to oneself.
• Aspiring allyship requires self-reflection and humility.
• Feedback should be seen as a gift for personal growth.
• Our liberation is interconnected with others' liberation.
• Performative actions can lead to genuine change over time.
• Creating accessible pathways for equity is essential.

KeithEdwards.com

Keith's newsletter

Keith's YouTube channel

Aspiring Allyship program

"Riding Shotgun Down the Avalanche," by Shawn Colvin

"The Big Payback" episode of Atlanta

The Book of Joy, by the Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu

The Lawn Sign Commitment study

The Serviceberry, by Robin Wall Kimmerer

Cloud Cult

Tokyo Vice

John Seed was a 3-piece suit tech worker, then a meditating hippie farmer, before stumbling into his lifelong calling as an environmental activist.

He participated in the world's first direct action to preserve a rain forest in the 1970s. He co-founded the Rainforest Information Center and raised money and awareness to save the "lungs of the planet."

John soon realized that raising awareness wasn't going to accomplish the mission. After all, most people were aware of the damage humans were doing to the planet, but still weren't taking action to stop it.

His discovery of the Deep Ecology movement brought new clarity and led to the creation of new forms of activism. With Buddhist scholar and activist Joanna Macy, John developed what's now known as The Work that Reconnects (and Experiential Deep Ecology in Australia).

This work invites us to honor our feelings, even the most painful and hopeless ones. It asks us to see the possibilities that can arise when we see ourselves as part of, rather than apart from and above, nature.

In our conversation, we talk about capitalism, economics, advertising, right livelihood, psychedelics, 4 billion years of evolution that lives in each of our bodies, and the distinction between personal biographical trauma and that trauma that every living being experiences on a planet at war with itself.

I feel so lucky to be able to imbibe John's wisdom and spirit and humility.

I don't know if I have more hope than before, but I have more clarity, direction, and resolve.

I wish the same for you, and all my human relations.

JohnSeed.net

Thinking Like a Mountain

The Work That Reconnects

https://youtu.be/lqbkngcx5Qo

Let's talk about persuasion!

Whether in the form of sales, or a helpful coaching conversation, or "street epistemology" for a cause you care about, it's very useful to understand how human beings make decisions.

Today's guest is Ian Ross, a sales trainer specializing in understanding human psychology and communication.

In our conversation, Ian debunks the common misconception that effective sales techniques are inherently sleazy. Instead, he argues, sales can be all about communicating effectively so that our conversation partner makes a good decision.

It's certainly possible to misuse powerful communication skills, as with any tool. (You should see the havoc I can wreak with a reciprocating saw.) And there is a fine line between influence and manipulation — ultimately, it's all about intent. 

After covering the basic principles of sales psychology, which apply to everyday interactions, we pivot into helping me become better at selling my own consulting and coaching services. 

Ian helps me create a process for the sales call, including the right and wrong questions to ask, how to deal with financial issues, and how to end the call with a decision — whether yes or no — rather than a vague and wriggly "I need to think about it."

Ian's wisdom is invaluable for anyone looking to improve their persuasion skills, in both professional and personal contexts.

Vivid Selling on Instagram

Ian's Substack newsletter

Ian's Close More Sales podcast

Chris Voss on the Plant Yourself Podcast

Join me on a morning walk as I provide a stream of consciousness introduction to my latest book project while dodging traffic and pitying looks from people noticing me talking to myself with two mics attached to my jacket.

The book is about triggers — what causes us to behave in ways we don't like, out of alignment with our goals and values. Like breaking our food rules or buying sh-stuff we don't need or losing our temper with family members and colleagues.

This is the first of four episodes on triggers, and in it I cover the concept of allostatic load.

That's the build-up of stress in our nervous systems, which can turn even the most benign or insignificant glance, comment, or traffic delay seem like a life-or-death struggle.

I discuss the science of stress — how and why it occurs, and how and why it subsides — and how our big brains and modern lifestyles have colluded to turn us into constantly stressed-out beings on the verge of exploding.

And I briefly cover some strategies for reducing allostatic load, so we can be more resilient and composed in the face of the inevitable stressors that come at us all the time.

And here are some photos of the construction in La Plana, which explains some of the ambient noise that you'll hear during the episode.

Want more of this type of show? Got questions about triggers? Let me know in the comments.

Michael Gelb returns to the podcast to talk about his latest book, Walking Well, co-written with Bruce Fertman.

In our conversation, we cover a wide range of topics:

• the biomechanics of walking
• how we can powerfully improve the experience of walking through simple mindfulness and imagination exercises
• why walking is the quintessential human activity
• the benefits of walking (physical, cognitive, emotional, spiritual)
• other basic human postures (standing, sitting, lying down)
• materialist vs spiritual orientation to life
• and much more...

Michael makes the case that walking, if done well, is kind of a magic Swiss army knife for life. It can give us the same benefits as meditation, strenuous exercise, yoga, breathwork, and many other "advanced" modalities.

From the eminently practical (you'll learn three exercises that will have you walking better in minutes) to the deeply philosophical, this is a conversation (and book) that you won't want to miss.

MichaelGelb.com

WalkingWell.com

Walking Well

Lessons from the Art of Juggling

I've been on a memory reconsolidation mission since I was first introduced to it a couple of years ago.

Two missions, in fact.

One, to learn as much as I can and incorporate it into my coaching and mentoring.

Two, to share it far and wide.

Today, we're going to talk about memory reconsolidation and some of the techniques that you can use to help bring it about for yourself and for others. My guest is my daughter Yael Zivan who has been studying memory reconsolidation and experiential therapies with some of the luminaries in the field that we talk about in this episode.

I'm so happy and delighted that she is carrying on this mission in her way, bringing healing and support and compassion and love to people thanks to this recent neuroscience breakthrough, that shows us how to shortcut transformation and make it effortless and permanent.

In our conversation, we dive deep into therapeutic modalities and memory reconsolidation.

Yael shares her journey in transforming her own trauma into a passion and career, exploring techniques such as AEDP and Coherence Therapy.

We talk about the importance of self-compassion, understanding schemas, and innovative approaches to healing triggers and old patterns.

Well, it's getting to be that time of life when I begin to realize that I'm mortal. Next year I turn 60, which, according to the Jewish blessing "May you live to a hundred and twenty," puts me smack dab in middle age.

I've been whole food plant-based for decades, and I'm pretty athletic. I meditate, and I keep a journal just in case I ever get the urge to write in it. I drink water, avoid tobacco products, drink about a quart of alcohol a year, and wear a bike helmet.

So you'd think that I'd be going into the second half of life all guns a-blazing, ready to tackle any and all challenges.

But you'd be wrong.

The area where I'm weakest is flexibility.

I'm working harder and harder to put my socks on. When I'm playing Ultimate or Padel, I have trouble bending down to catch a disc or return a ball.

I'm worried about turning into a caricature of an old man: shuffling around, complaining about the weather and my rheumatism.

I decided to do something about it.

Maybe I even mentioned this to my wife, because in no time my Facebook feed was swollen with ads for online stretching programs.

One caught my eye, because the presenter seemed real and down-to-earth. So I bought a "Science of Stretching" course from Lucas Rockwood, founder of YogaBody.

Then I realized that I knew Lucas.

In fact, he'd hosted me on his Age Less / Live More Podcast way back in March, 2014, where I talked about my goal of turning the world into a giant food forest. (Ah, permaculture :).

We'd first met, in fact, about 8 years before that, when we were both learning the ins and outs of digital marketing.

And one thing that caught my eye was that Lucas had settled in Barcelona, less than 30 km from where I live. So I reached out, and he graciously agreed to be a guest on Plant Yourself. I shlepped my recording equipment into the city, and we met at his studio and had a really good conversation.

Mostly we talk about how to maintain healthspan, particularly in the second half of life.

Lucas shares lots of valuable insights:

• how our athleticism might evolve as we age
• the balance between training and injury prevention
• how to get the benefits of yoga if someone (ahem) isn't crazy about actually doing yoga
• the power of intentional breath practices for regulating the nervous system
• the science of flexibility training (and why it's more or less unknown in most gyms)

Lucas gives us the three principles of flexibility practice, and shares why most of the stretching we do doesn't actually increase our range of motion.

And he shares three types of breathing and how to apply each one in practice and in daily life.

We also cover some of the problems in the yoga community, including sexual exploitation. As you can see, our "range of conversation" parallels Lucas' own range of motion, and hopefully the one that I'm developing as I continue to deepen my own practice.

If you plan on living a full and vibrant life, and you're approaching A Certain Age, this episode may serve you — as it did me — as a wakeup call.

YogaBody.com

Lucas' Age Less / Live More Podcast

My appearance on the Age Less / Live More Podcast

Job's Body: A Handbook for Bodywork, by Dean Juhan

One of the things I love about being an executive coach and organizational consultant is how creative I get to be and how many different things I get to try.

Every year, at least 10 or 20 pretty significant books on related topics get published. They talk about personal performance, about how to get people to change, how to get teams to become more effective, and how to get organizational culture to shift.

Helping clients navigate change is definitely fun, but it can also feel like an infinite candy shop. It's hard to choose a single approach as the right one, and hard to combine a bunch of different approaches into anything resembling a coherent strategy and action plan.

And the truth is, when you look at the field of consulting and coaching, we don't have a great track record.

As in, there's a lot of stuff that people do that seems nice—and just doesn't work.

I remember when I first went back to graduate school for public health. I had this naive idea that anything that had a good message was good. So I thought that DARE—Drug Abuse Resistance Education; the drug education program where police would come into the community and tell kids not to do drugs—was great.

And then I started looking at the research that DARE just didn't work. The kids who went through DARE were using drugs at least as much as kids who'd never been exposed to it.

And then I started looking at abstinence-based sex education and realizing that there were more teen pregnancies there than in communities where kids were taught how to use birth control and how to talk to each other about sexuality and sex.

Stuff that seemed like it was obvious, wasn't.

Those revelatiopns made me realize how badly we need science in the social sciences to inform what we do.

And that is all by way of teeing up today's guest, Dr. Richard Boyatzis, who's written a book called The Science of Change.

It's a guide for changemakers, for practitioners, for scholars, for academics, for community organizers, for honorable politicians, and for activists.

It explores key questions relating to how we bring about change.

What's the recipe? What are the intructions. What are the key elements, and what are the tipping points to pay attention to?

In other words, how do we put it all together and lead change effectively and not just creatively and heartfeltly.

It's not an easy book. But it's for you if you really want to understand how to create change the most micro level—the personal—and in concentric rings outward, to the familial, communal, societal, and national levels.

The Science of Change, by Richard E Boyatzis

Helping People Change, by Richard Boyatzis, Melvin Smith, and Ellen van Oosten

I Heard There Was a Secret Chord, by Daniel Levitin

This is Your Brain on Music, by Daniel Levitin

You Can Change Other People, by Peter Bregman and Dr Howie Jacobson

Outliers, by Malcolm Gladwell

Start with Why, by Simon Sinek

This is What It Sounds Like, by Susan Rogers and Ogi Ogas

According to climate activist Joanna Macy, there are three stories that explain the world we're living in.

The first is Business as Usual.

That is, "Don't worry. Everything's fine."

For example: "Global warming? No sweat — we're going to figure out how to suck carbon out of the air. No worries. The capitalist system will figure things out and the people who come up with the best, most valuable ideas will be rewarded. All is good."

Sounds reasonable, especially if you consume mainstream news and listen to experts and pundits promoted and funded by capitalism.

The second is the Great Unraveling.

As in, "We're doomed."

And it can sound like this: "The oceans are dying. Fisheries are collapsing. There's poverty everywhere. The climate is chaotic and dangerous. Everything's on fire or under flood waters. There's oppression and war and degradation, and income inequality is skyrocketing. And it's too late; there's nothing we can do anymore."

Well, I can't argue with any of that. When I read scientific papers on climate science and oceanography, when I talk with farmers — it's hard to feel a big surge of hope about our future.

And then there's a third story: the Great Turning.

The Great Turning says, "Let's build a just and life-sustaining society."

Living into the Great Turning isn't a spectator bet on what will happen, but rather a decision to get onto the field of play to affect the outcome.

And that's what my guest, Jess Serrante, and I, cover in this conversation.

So if you have been in despair and rage, bewilderment, and depression; or if you're thinking, if only we had elected the other folks then everything would be fine — this third story will offer you a way forward.

We Are the Great Turning Podcast

JessSerrante.com

Jess Serrante on Instagram

"Wild Geese," by Mary Oliver

An amazing Padel point

YogaBody.com

Doctors Ayesha and Dean Sherzai founded the Healthy Minds Initiative (HMI) to scale their impact on the tragic epidemic of dementia plaguing the world today. 

The first thing that we have to understand is that the majority of dementias are preventable through diet and lifestyle. The Sherzai's acronym NEURO—nutrition, exercise, unwinding, restorative sleep, and optimization—encapsulates the pillars that can determine our cognitive trajectory as we age. 

Second, individual behavior change is hard. And it's especially hard when the community norms are unhealthy.

Third, traditionally underserved and marginalized communities are bearing the brunt of the damage and ensuing tragic consequences.

And fourth, circling around, those communities can actually become leaders in the public health crusade against toxic lifestyles, since their empowerment can become the solution. 

HMI exists to empower communities to spread both the message and practice of lifestyle medicine. But in order to do that, the Sherzai's and their partners can't come in as experts. 

Instead, they approach as curious partners, willing to learn, and willing to stick around and provide support for the long term, and not just until the latest research grant runs out. 

In our conversation, we talk about the need for systemic change in research models that prioritize community engagement and sustainability. 

And we talk about what sustainable progress looks like, and can look like—in other words, a blueprint for community engagement and empowerment that can create a grassroots, decentralized, democratic health movement.

The Healthy Minds Initiative

The Brain Docs

Nourishing Our Brains and Preventing Dementia with Ayesha Sherzai, MD: PYP 279

The Role of Science in Public Discourse and Racial Justice: Dean and Ayesha Sherzai, MDs: PYP 414

The Alzheimer's Solution, by Drs Ayesha and Dean Sherzai

The 30-Day Alzheimer's Solution: The Definitive Food and Lifestyle Guide to Preventing Cognitive Decline, by Drs Ayesha and Dean Sherzai