Our inner voice (aka "The voice inside our head") is caused by certain brain mechanisms that cause us to talk to ourselves without speaking or hearing words. It's a form of intrapersonal communication ("within") where a person acts as both the sender and receiver of messages to engage in "self-talk." Such self-talk can be both positive and negative. On one hand, it can be uplifting and supportive. On the other, it can be negative and self-defeating. And if the foundation of all of our relationships is "the conversation," how we talk to ourselves, ultimately, affects the relationship we have with ourselves. The cool thing is that we can choose how we talk to ourselves moment-to-moment, day-to-day. The question is: Do you want better for yourself? If so, change the conversation you're having with yourself. This episode explores strategies on how to do that more effectively. Thank you for joining the conversation!

Jerry Macnamara is no stranger to success in business. Through a fearlessly positive approach to leadership, Jerry has led 5 companies in 5 industries and how been recognized on the Franchise 500, Inc. 500, and Best Places to Work lists. He's also been recognized as a 40 Under 40 and an Ultimate CEO. Jerry's ability to create compelling companies is unrivaled and his approach to leadership is grounded in loving people first. He is the founder and CEO of Proven Chaos and his personal mission is to positively impact the lives of 5 million people in the next 5 years through better business. For anyone interested in learning more about how to do leadership well, you don't want to miss this interview. Thank you for joining the conversation!

When most people want to lose weight or eat healthier, they turn to any one of the 30k fad diets listed with the Food and Drug Administration. While each of them works, principally because they are calorically restrictive, there is a lot of confusion around diets. This episode seeks to demystify six (6) of the most popular diet protocols to allow you to make smarter, more informed decisions should you be considering starting a diet. In this small survey, we examine diets, such as The Keto Diet, The Macro Diet, Plant-Based Diets, Intermittent Fasting, and more...and we even discuss the role of alcohol. The information presented in this episode is for informational purposes only. Be sure to consult your physician prior to starting any nutrition or fitness regimen. As always, THANK YOU for joining the conversation!

We don't like to believe for ourselves that we behave in hypocritical ways. We like to believe for ourselves that we can and do live by a set or moral principles or standards and that we never violate them. Unfortunately, such a belief is misguided, as we all engage in behavior that is inconsistent with what we claim. Let's face it, living by an absolute set of moral standards is next to impossible to do and rather than do that, we engage in hypocrisy, if for no other reason that it is simply easier to do. Can we stop being hypocritical? Probably not. Can we become less hypocritical? Probably. This episode explores the roots of hypocrisy, how we can become less hypocritical, and more. Thank you for joining the conversation!

Think back to a time when someone you cared about hurt you. Think back to a time when you hurt someone you cared about. It goes without saying that both scenarios have happened to all of us. Were you able to forgive them and let go? Were they able to forgive you and let go? Forgiveness is more complicated than people think for a variety of reasons because when we get hurt or feel wronged, we likely experience anger, bitterness, and resentment. The question is whether those feelings provide any long-term benefit to our lives and relationships. This episode explores the benefits and downsides of forgiveness and letting go as well as the benefits and downsides of not forgiving and letting go. Thank you for joining the conversation!

Most people like to think that they make sound decisions. Not so fast! Our judgment and decision making are clouded by many factors, such as emotions, motivation, and/or limitations in our ability to process information. Because of this, we often engage in cognitive biases, which are errors in thinking when we process information in the world around us in the brain's pursuit of simplifying information. And while such biases (or "heuristics") are quite accurate, they can get us into trouble or lead us to miss out on opportunities to make our lives better. Fortunately, through deliberate practice, we can minimize the errors and begin thinking more clearly. Thank you for joining the conversation!

My journey with starting a podcast started a few years ago...although I didn't know it at the time. Seeds were planted and, eventually, I received a final spark of inspiration and haven't look back. Some may think, as I did for a long time, that starting a podcast is cost prohibitive or you need professional recording equipment or it is extraordinarily time consuming. None of the above are true. In fact, starting a podcast is extremely easy and gratifying. If you're interested in starting a podcast or know someone who is, be sure to check out this episode as I describe how to go about getting started and what I've learned on this journey...both intended and unintended. Thank you for joining the conversation!

Psychological and emotional triggers play a significant role in each of our lives. Triggers are memories, experiences, or events that evoke negative emotions and include things like betrayal, rejection, helplessness, loss of control, being excluded or ignored, feeling unwanted...the list goes on and on. Each of us can go from being in a good mood to being triggered at the snap of a finger. Being able to both assess and address them in the moment proves essential to living a more joyful, functional life. Learn more about the types of psychological and emotional triggers and, more importantly, ways to cope with them to bring about better in your life. As always, THANK YOU for joining the conversation!

We all know someone who spends way too much time bragging about their successes or their physical appearance, provoking a reaction in another person by making calculated comments that are inappropriate, and/or catastrophizing the details of their own lives or the lives of others. People that engage in this type of attention seeking behavior have their behavior reinforced whenever they are given attention, whether positive or negative. In extreme cases, psychiatric conditions or mental illness serves as the driver of attention seeking behavior and these cases should be referred to a mental health professional. Aside from mental illness, there are ways to cope with this and to help attention seekers pursue alternative courses of action that bring about what they claim they want in the first place: attention. Thank you for joining the conversation!

Author of the bestselling book, Conversations with God, Neale Donald Walsch was once quoted as saying, "Life begins at the end of your comfort zone." No truer words have been spoken. Human beings perpetually seek comfort, which is not necessarily a bad thing until it becomes a bad thing. Achieving comforts in life, while nice and convenient, can lead to a type of self-reinforcing behavior that keeps us "stuck" in those comforts, which can devolve into complacency and, thus, further devolving into a loss of purpose, poor physical health, and depression. The antithesis of this, of course, is to live life on a quest to achieve excellence in every pursuit, especially during times of waning motivation, adversity, and pain. Thank you listening and THANK YOU for joining the conversation!