We all want to be happy.

So why is it so elusive?

The problem isn’t information. We all know our contentedness is linked to eating right, sleeping well and surrounding ourselves with those who elevate. We get the importance of confronting our emotional challenges. We're well aware that life is better when we cultivate gratitude and serve others.

And yes, we know we should meditate.

The science is clear. The evidence is in. And yet for so many, the gap between information and action is an impossibly untraversable canyon.

Perhaps you resist the traditional trappings that swirl around the idea of meditation — the robes and incense a bridge too far. Maybe you can't get your legs to perfectly fold, monk-like, without cramping. You decided you just don't have the time. Or perchance you tried it, only to give up because you just couldn't get your looping mind to shut off, convinced meditation is just not for you.

Relax. You're not alone.

But today's guest poses an important question: What if the problem isn’t meditation itself, but your approach? In other words, what if it were easy?

Meet Light Watkins.

Beyond having the coolest name of all time, I would characterize Light as a generous, highly accessible and contemplative entrepreneur of mindfulness. Always convivial, impressively composed, and quick with a laugh, he has been practicing and teaching Vedic Meditation for twenty years. Among his thousands of students you will find bankers, artists, politicians, CEOs, care takers, educators, comedians, rock stars, soccer moms and seekers of all kinds.

An active blogger and in demand public speaker (check out his TEDx Talk), he's also the founder of The Shine — a volunteer-based, pop-up traveling variety show that leverages music, film, philanthropy and storytelling to inspire people to do more, give more, and be more.

In addition, Light recently penned a new book entitled, Bliss More* — an accessible primer that does a bang-up job of dispelling the many myths and misunderstandings that swirl around meditation with a very grounded approach and practical tools that will inspire you to finally adopt that daily practice that has to date, eluded you.

So let's put all those myths and misunderstandings to bed, once and for all.

Because we can all use a little more bliss in our lives.

And we all deserve to be happy.

Watch & Subscribe on YouTube: http://bit.ly/lightwatkinsrrp

I sincerely hope you enjoy this exchange with one of my very favorite people.

One final note — for more on Light and his background, check out our first conversation, RRP #172 back in August 2015.

Peace + Plants,

Rich

The way we navigate our inner world – our everyday thoughts, emotions, and self-stories – is the single most important determinant of our life success. It drives our actions, careers, relationships, happiness, health; everything. For example: Do we let our self-doubts, failings, shame, fear, or anger hold us back? Can we be determined, persevering toward key life goals, but just as importantly, have the insight and courage to recognize when these goals are not serving us, and adapt?

According to this week's guest, the key to successfully navigating our inner world isn't immunizing ourselves against stress and setbacks. And it doesn't involve ignoring uncomfortable feelings. Instead, it's developing something called emotional agility – the teachable ability to confront difficult emotions, gain critical self-insight from these feelings, and ultimately use this newfound awareness to adaptively align our values with our actions and make changes to bring the best of ourselves forward.

A pioneer in her field, Susan David, Ph.D is an award-winning psychologist on faculty at Harvard Medical School, CEO of Evidence Based Psychology and co-founder of the Institute of Coaching (an affiliate of Harvard Medical School). She also serves on the Scientific Advisory Boards of both Thrive Global and Virgin Pulse.

In addition, Susan is the author of the #1 Wall Street Journal bestseller, Emotional Agility: Get Unstuck, Embrace Change, and Thrive in Work and Life*. Based on a concept Harvard Business Review heralded as a Management Idea of the Year, it's a powerful roadmap for real behavioral change — a new way of acting that will help you to reincorporate your most troubling feelings as a source of energy and creativity, and live your most successful life whoever you are and whatever you face.

Susan is a frequent contributor to the Harvard Business Review, New York Times, Washington Post, and Wall Street Journal. She is a sought-after speaker and consultant, with clients that include the World Economic Forum, the United Nations, Google, Microsoft, NASDAQ, and many others.

If you are new to Susan, start with her moving TED Talk, The Gift and Power of Emotional Courage. A viral sensation and the inspiration for me seeking her out for the podcast, it's accumulated almost 2 million views in the month since it's online publication.

This is a conversation about Susan’s life growing up in a South Africa divided by Apartheid, and how this experience informs her work today.

It’s about how and why our emotional landscape, the everyday thoughts and stories we often hide from the world and oftentimes ourselves, are the single most important determinant of life success. And why navigating life’s twists and turns with self-acceptance, clear-sightedness, and an open mind leads to empowerment and agency.

It's about why we must overcome the urge to ignore difficult emotions and behaviors to instead face them willingly, as a neutral observer, with curiosity and kindness.

It's about identifying your core values as a path to willpower, resilience and effectiveness.

And it's about how developing this skill called emotional agility – essentially mastery over our emotions, thoughts and stories — can benefit not just ourselves but our children, helping even our youngest become better problem solvers.

Enjoy!

Rich

We tend to think Olympic athletes live perfect, charmed lives. Genetically gifted, they inhabit a world beyond mortal challenges — physical specimens oozing talent so rare, it effortlessly skyrockets them onto the global stage.

I would stridently challenge such a notion. I don't think that is the experience of any Olympian. And it’s definitely not the experience of this week’s guest – an Olympic silver medalist with an almost unbelievably improbable story. A very human story of struggle and pain that underpins her athletic accomplishments, fueling them with a fundamental sense of purpose and meaning.

A 7-time U.S. National Champion, former world record holder and two-time Pan American gold medal winner in track cycling, Dotsie Bausch earned silver in team pursuit at the 2012 London Olympics. Not only was she a long-time vegetarian at that time (she’s now vegan), she was almost 40 years old when she won that medal – the oldest ever in her discipline and one of the oldest athletes to ever compete in an Olympic Games.

Dotsie's accomplishments are extraordinary. But more remarkable is the hard-fought road this exceptional athlete trudged to achieve such heights. Because Dotsie's greatest achievement isn't athletic. Her biggest victory is the battle won to resurrect her life from the depths of an eating disorder so severe, it very nearly claimed her life.

Now retired, Dotsie is a public speaker (check out her TEDx Talk, Olympic Level Compassion), a mentor to aspiring female professional cyclists, and a color commentator for NBC Sports. But most importantly, she is a role model for women and men around the world in their battle to return to healthy eating and living habits as an ambassador for The National Eating Disorders Association.

I know Dotsie through the vegan athlete world as a staunch advocate for animal rights and the health benefits of plant-based eating for health and performance. She is also the force behind a recent anti-dairy commercial that aired during the closing ceremonies of the recent PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games. Entitled Switch 4 Good, think of it as an anti- “Got Milk” campaign featuring an array of former Olympic athletes.

Disordered eating is a subject I have been wanting to explore on this podcast for quite some time. I just needed the right guest. Dotsie delivers. Her experience as both a sufferer and survivor of this surprisingly common malady is as powerful as it is instructive.

This is a conversation about facing and overcoming a disease that affects up to 30 million Americans and 70 million individuals worldwide. A disease so formidable, it drove Dotsie to a suicide attempt.

It’s an exchange about the bewildering nature of that disorder and the process she undertook to rebuild her life – from fashion model to athlete. It’s a conversation about her most unlikely route to Olympic glory. It’s about eating plant-based for performance. And it’s about advocacy – what it means to live in service to your ideals.

If you suffer from an eating disorder or know someone who does, this is appointment listening. Towards that end, Dotsie conducts a free mentorship program for those in need. Her door is open to any and all reaching out for help. To contact her, click here.

Delightful, engaging and strong, I adore Dotsie. I love this conversation. I hope you do too.

Watch & Subscribe on YouTube: http://bit.ly/dotsierrp

Peace + Plants,

Rich

You know that warm, fuzzy feeling you get when two people you love, respect, and admire combine their considerable talents to create a work that exceeds the sum of it's parts?

That’s the feeling I have right now.

This week I'm proud to share a conversation with two friends, each of whom have graced the show in the past — filmmaker Andrew Morgan and faith provocateur Rob Bell.

Several years ago, Andrew approached Rob with an idea to make a film about the former mega-church pastor's life and work. Rob agreed, ultimately granting Andrew unprecedented access to his world on one condition — Rob would have zero editorial input or approval over any aspect of the creative collusion.

The result is the recently released documentary, The Heretic* – a behind-the-curtain deep dive into one of the most compelling and polarizing figures in modern day Christianity. With appearances by comedian Pete Holmes and author Elizabeth Gilbert, the film follows Rob over several years as he challenges deeply held conservative ideals while grappling with some of the most important questions of our time: Can faith and science coexist, or do belief and progress stand in opposition? Is religion insufficient for explaining the complexity of our modern world, or does it give language to something even greater? And do spiritual traditions simply serve to further divide our world, or can they offer real help and hope for a better tomorrow?

Today we tackle all of it.

An internationally recognized filmmaker devoted to telling socially conscious stories for a better tomorrow, Andrew Morgan first graced the podcast back in July 2016 (RRP #236) to discuss his beautiful and heartbreaking documentary The True Cost*. Premiering at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival, it’s a movie about the untold story of fashion. It’s about the clothes we wear, the people who make them, and the impact the garment industry is having on human rights and the world we share.

His experience includes a broad range of work that spans narrative and documentary storytelling for multiple film and new media projects that have been filmed and released all over the world. The New York Times described his unique style as “gentle, humane investigations” and Vogue Magazine wrote that it is “evidence that each of us can act as a catalyst for change within our own lives and work together towards a greater good.”

An anti-establishment pastor making an indelible cultural impact on how we think and practice religion in the modern world, Rob Bell first appeared on the podcast in October 2016 (RRP #251). A former mega-church pastor who broke ranks with the formal church institutions and ideologies, he is an independent-minded, creative force of nature with what I would describe as a radically inclusive — almost punk rock —perspective on faith, divinity, and what it means to be human.

Peace + Plants,

Rich

What if I told you that a vast number of physical maladies are caused by inflammation, the bodyʼs immune response to a multitude of stressors. The good news? If you lose the stress — hormonal, dietary, environmental, and psychological — you remove the root cause of illness.

This is but one of many fascinating ideas proffered by Zach Bush, MD – in my opinion one of the most compelling medical minds currently working to improve our understanding of human health.

The founder and current director of M Clinic in Virginia, Dr. Bush was President of his medical school class at the University of Colorado Health and later became Chief Resident for the department of Internal Medicine at the University of Virginia. Among the few physicians in the nation that is triple board certified, he completed training and certification in Internal Medicine, Endocrinology and Metabolism, as well as in Hospice and Palliative care. Dr. Bush has published peer-reviewed articles and book chapters in the areas of infectious disease, endocrinology, and cancer. Through his practice and unique methodology, he has seen significant clinical improvements in patients with everything from Leaky Gut Syndrome, Gluten Intolerance, Autism, Type 2 Diabetes, Autoimmune conditions such as Crohn’s Disease, and Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

I met Dr. Bush at the Conscious Capitalism Conference in Austin about six months ago. Over the course of that weekend, we had conversations that left me captivated and desperately wanting to know more. I knew immediately he would be a phenomenal podcast guest. So here we are.

This is a wide-ranging, and at times mind-blowing conversation that explores new insights into the mechanisms behind human health and longevity. It's about the massive and misunderstood impact of industrial farming, chemical pesticides, the pharmaceutical industry and even errant Western medical practices have on both human and planetary health.

It's a conversation about the difference between the science of disease and the science of health. It's about the microbiome as a critical predictor of and protector against illness. And it's an exploration of autism, epigenetics and the mechanics of intercellular communication.

I love everything about this conversation with one caveat: we only scratched the surface of Zach's depth of expertise. I hope to have him back to share more of his copious knowledge.

I sincerely hope you enjoy the exchange as much as I did.

Watch & Subscribe on YouTube here.

Peace + Plants,

Rich

Where do you get your protein?

Notwithstanding rising mainstream awareness that a plant-based diet provides more than enough protein for optimal health and athletic performance, every vegan continues to constantly weather this refrain.

So let's put the issue to bed, once and for all.

To walk us through the myths, truths and half-truths when it comes to this hotly debated macronutrient, I sat down with the doyenne of all things vegan, my friend Kathy Freston.

Returning to the show for a second appearance (Kathy first appeared in RRP #109 in the Fall of 2014), Kathy is a wellness activist and 4-time New York Times bestselling author whose books include of  The Lean*,Veganist*, and Quantum Wellness. Her newest offering, co-authored with former podcast guest Bruce Friedrich (RRP #286), is entitled Clean Protein*, a comprehensive primer on all things protein with everything you need to know to get lean, gain energy, stay mentally sharp.

A media darling, Kathy is ubiquitous. Her Oprah Winfrey Show appearance inspired the great Ms. Winfrey and her entire staff of 378 to go entirely vegan for 21 days. In addition, she has been featured on Ellen, Dr. Oz, The View, Good Morning America, Charlie Rose, The Martha Stewart Show, Extra and on the pages of Vanity Fair, Harper’s Bazaar, Self, and W.

This is a conversation about the future of nutrition. It's about the industry interests that compromise transparency and confuse consumer choice. It's about the truth behind protein and the looming future of culture-grown, so-called clean meat.

But most of all, this is a conversation about how to eat right, live well & be kind to yourself and the world we share.

Podcast favorite Dan Buettner's better half (although Dan is a pretty good half himself), I adore Kathy and everything she is about.

I sincerely hope you enjoy the exchange.

For the visually inclines, you can watch the podcast on YouTube here.

Peace + Plants,

Rich

Last week I asked you to imagine being attacked by a 9-foot bull shark.

This week I invite you to envision climbing the storied 3,600-foot sheer vertical rock face known as El Capitan. The trick? You have to do it without any ropes, harnesses or any protective gear whatsoever. An astonishing prospect, even the tiniest mistake or unexpected intervening variable could cost you your life — a life that hinges moment to moment upon punctilious preparation, meticulous focus, and a preternatural relationship with fear.

This is one small aspect of the life of Alex Honnold, a renown professional adventure rock climber whose audacious free-solo ascents of America’s biggest cliffs have made him one of the most masterful and compelling athletes of our generation.

An global icon of athletic mastery, the lore of Alex Honnold transcends sport. I imagine many of you have viewed — with palms sweaty and jaw agape — at least one of his many stunning climbing videos. Perhaps you saw him profiled on 60 Minutes, or read profiles about him in the New York Times, National Geographic or Outside and, like me, were left to wonder:

How is that even possible? How does that guy do what he does? And more importantly, why?

The answer isn’t as elementary as you might imagine. It can't be reduced to simple genetics, strength, drive, or even his most unusual relationship with fear.

I think the answer is far more complex and frankly, much much more interesting. Of course, fanatical preparation plays a role. As does his fidelity to incremental progression. His unique kinship with risk is certainly a central factor.

But I think what truly sets Alex apart is a profound sense of awe and wonder. An uncanny facility to meld his body and mind with spirit. And the ability to become absolutely one with his quest.

Inarguably, what Alex does is both staggering and astonishing. But it's who he is, how he lives, and what he stands for that I find most impressive.

Today, we explore all of it.

This conversation is everything I wanted it to be. It's about adventure, fear, risk, curiosity, focus, mindset, preparation and the primacy of incremental progression.

Over the course of almost two hours we cover his boundary-crushing El Cap solo free climb and his most recent expedition to Antarctica. We discuss his passion for environmental conservation and the benefits of his minimalist lifestyle. And of course we explore his training routines and mostly-vegan diet.

But most of all, this is a conversation that not only examines the how behind Alex's feats, but the why behind his pursuits.

Thoughtful, deliberate and present, I also found Alex to be quite generous, incredibly curious, and whip smart.

For the visually inclined, you can watch watch (& subscribe!) to the podcast on YouTube: http://bit.ly/richandalex

I'm grateful for this exchange and I sincerely hope you enjoy it.

Peace + Plants,

Rich

Imagine being attacked by a 9-foot bull shark.

One moment you’re swimming peacefully in Sydney Harbor. The next minute you’re being rammed and pulled underwater, your leg and arm hopelessly trapped in the shark’s jaw.

The pain is unimaginable.

Death is certain.

But somehow, against all odds, you wriggle free.

Ultimately you lose that arm and that leg. But that shark? It doesn’t claim your life.

Instead, it gives you an entirely new one.

This is the extraordinary and inspiring ‘never say die' story of Paul de Gelder.

Truant and wayward throughout his teens, Paul left his Australian home town at an early age to start a new life. Despite some early success in the Australian music scene (he once opened for Snopp Dogg), he failed to find the purpose he so desperately sought. So he joined the Royal Australian Army as a paratrooper in November 2000 at the age of 23 — a defining moment that brought his life structure, discipline and ultimately more meaning than he could have ever imagined.

Over the next several years, Paul was deployed as a United Nations peacekeeper, honing the art of jungle and urban warfare, unarmed combat, specialist communications, combat first aid, parachuting, and snipping. Rising through the ranks, Paul ultimately achieved his dream of becoming Royal Australian Navy Clearance Diver — Oz's version of a Navy SEAL. But trouble hunted him down in the form of a brutal shark in February 2009. Paul lost two limbs, and his career as a daredevil Navy Bomb Clearance Diver was flung into jeopardy.

Determined to transform the horrific experience into a net positive, he fought through excruciating pain — smashing challenge after challenge — amazing the medical staff with his unparalleled will to succeed. In the 7 years since the shark attack, Paul's life has changed in every aspect. Today he travels the world as a top motivational speaker, passionate environmentalist, adventurer and mentor to school kids. He has spoken at venues all around the world, including the United Nations, promoting ecological conservation and (quite ironically and heroically) shark conservation. Along the way, he continues to dive with sharks all over the world — including Great Whites without a cage.

One of Australia's most in demand speakers, Paul has been featured on every major U.S. and Australian media outlet. Since 2014, he has served up co-hosting duties on Discovery Channel's Shark Week, hosts the Nat Geo special Fearless (in which he embedded with an anti-poaching team in Zimbabwe), and worked on behind the scenes footage for the 2016 Hollywood blockbuster The Shallows with Blake Lively.

Today I am proud to share Paul's story — a death-defying tale of survival, perseverance, positivity, grit, hope, rebirth and the extraordinary breadth of human possibility.

One of the most inspirational people I have ever met, this is a conversation that will leave you breathless — and inspired beyond measure.

For the visually inclined, you can watch the podcast on YouTube here.

Peace + Plants,

Rich

Recent years have seen the ascendency of low-carb, high fat diets. Indeed, the ketogenic lifestyle has been heralded as a veritable health panacea.

In parallel, we bear witness to mainstream acceptance of the plant-based approach to vitality, lifestyle disease prevention and reversal.

The debate pitting these distinct approaches to nutrition is as emotional as it is divisive — an impassioned war for hearts and minds waged across the scientific literature, mainstream publications and the internet that can leave even the most intelligent and well-intentioned consumer utterly baffled.

So who's right?

To help divine the line between truth and fiction, Joel Kahn, MD joins the podcast for his third appearance.

Dr. Kahn is an Interpreventional Cardiologist, Clinical Professor of Medicine at Wayne State University School of Medicine, Founder of the Kahn Center for Cardiac Longevity in Michigan, and a Summa Cum Laude graduate of the University of Michigan’s prestigious Inteflex program (a 6-year undergraduate / graduate program that developed doctors fresh out of high school). He’s authored hundreds of articles on heart disease, is a frequent lecturer on heart disease and its prevention, has performed thousands of cardiac procedures, and is the owner of GreenSpace Café in Ferndale and Royal Oak Michigan.

In addition, Dr. Kahn is the author of five books, including The Whole Heart Solution* and his newest offering, The Plant-Based Solution*.

This a comprehensive and highly instructive conversation that endeavors to provide needed clarity when it comes to the aforementioned debate — a deep dive into the veracity of nutritional research findings to provide the information you need to promote maximum health, hinder lifestyle disease, and abet longevity.

In addition, we explore emerging research on the benefits of intermittent fasting and why everyone should get a coronary calcium scan.

Amazingly informative, this is straight talk from a trusted and experienced man I'm proud to call friend.

As a final note, this podcast episode is also available in video format on YouTube. If you are enjoying the video version of the show, please subscribe to my channel at youtube.com/richroll to be alerted when new videos post.

Finally, if you missed our previous conversations, check out episodes #44 & #128.

For the visually inclined, you can watch watch (& subscribe!) to the podcast on YouTube here.

I sincerely hope you find our conversation instructive — because health is wealth.

Peace + Plants,

Rich

The theme of this podcast is conversations that matter with thought leaders making a difference.

My conversation with today's guest perfectly embodies the best of this ethos.

A man who has spent the last two decades fighting to create tangible benefits for communities and ecosystems alike, Jared Blumenfeld is a former U.C. Berkeley-trained international environmental lawyer with an impressive resume that includes stints at the Natural Resource Defense Council (NRDC) as well as the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) before running one of San Francisco’s first city Departments focused entirely on the environment, where he was instrumental in helping transform San Francisco into the “greenest city” in America.

In 2009, President Obama appointed Jared to serve as Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator for the Pacific Southwest (Region 9), which includes California, Arizona, Hawaii, Nevada, the Pacific Islands, and 148 tribal nations. During his 7-year tenure at EPA, Jared diligently pursued environmental justice and enforcement, focusing on climate change, recycling, tribes, and drinking water. Along the way his team made massive strides in combating corporate polluters, protecting coastal waters, accelerating clean vehicle adoption and advancing tribal community environmental well being.

Then, in 2016, he decided to walk away from his career to pursue a life-long dream of hiking the Pacific Crest Trail – an effort to embrace first hand the environment he has spent his life protecting.

Jared has appeared frequently in The New York Times, BBC, Economist, San Francisco Chronicle, CNN, Los Angeles Times, NPR and recently launched his own podcast entitled, Podship Earth.

As you might imagine,  this is a wide-ranging conversation about planetary preservation and ecological conservation.

It's a gut check on the current status of global climate change — what is contributing to it, the challenges faced in combating it, and the responsibility we all share to steward our precious planet towards a greener future.

It’s also a very frank redress of our current administration’s attempt to deny reality. Right now, we're facing an indisputably massive and ever growing threat to planetary health. Yet current EPA chief Scott Pruitt's reversal of long-standing environmental policy buttressed by his refusal to embrace scientifically irrefutable facts related to global climate change, poses a very real threat to the long-term well-being of this spaceship we all share called Earth.

It's a conversation about what’s required, both on a policy and personal level, to correct past wrongs and steward a healthier, more sustainable path forward.

And finally, it’s the story of one man’s remarkable life and his commitment to ensure a better future for us all (plus awesome stories about his four month quest to conquer the Pacific Crest Trail, and how it made him a better human).

I really enjoyed this one. I hope you do too.

For the visually inclined, you can watch the podcast on YouTube here.

Peace + Plants,

Rich