I’m joined by Paul Meunuier, Executive Director of YIPA and founder of The Professional Youth Worker. This was a ton of fun for me and such an honor to get to talk with a wise friend about the contrast between living for a resume versus living for a eulogy. We discussed the journey of finding passion and purpose, the significance of aligning our values with life choices, and the challenges of navigating multiple passions, and I really loved that we even got to chat about the importance of introspection, particularly in the context of masculinity. We end with a real treat– Paul writes his own eulogy live, and man– I’m left even more inspired to live for my own eulogy now. I think you will be, too. 

Chapters

01:16 The Journey of Meaningful Living

02:12 The Importance of Relationships

09:32 Building Connections Through Shared Experiences

19:03 Finding Passion and Purpose

22:12 The Intersection of Passion and Mission

24:39 Navigating Multiple Passions

28:08 The Impact of Living for the Eulogy

30:25 Aligning Values with Life Choices

34:50 Learning to Say No to Opportunities

36:38 Exploring Personal Values and Autonomy

39:46 The Impact of Struggles on Personal Development

42:55 Finding Meaning in Life's Challenges

46:56 The Gifts of Aging and Emotional Intelligence

50:29 Navigating Masculinity and Emotional Awareness

54:17 Understanding Emotions and Their Role in Life

01:02:28 Living Eulogies: Reflecting on Life's Legacy

• Music is “Waters”, composed by Twin Cities musician, Ian Crawford

• Editing and post-production by me – but I’d love to partner with someone else to do this! Reach out!

• Want to share a sound byte thanking someone who inspired some of your own movement? [email protected]

• Need help getting un-stuck? 

Chelsea Witbrook is a certified Somatic Enneagram facilitator and best-selling author of "Blessing My Demons." As an Somatic Enneagram guide and Spiritual Director, she combines social justice awareness with compassionate guidance. Chelsea specializes in helping people who feel stuck by teaching them to establish Grounded Presence, connect with their Inner Observer, and respond to their body's wisdom. Through her coaching, clients discover inner resources and learn to embrace all parts of themselves with radical compassion, finally releasing patterns that once held them captive: www.chelseawitbrook.com

In this episode of Tracing Inspiration, I share a personal reflection on moving through the world with courage and heart. From a pivotal moment in my new role, I explore the power of heart-led leadership—especially in times of uncertainty and systemic change.

I want to remind you that no matter where you are, you have the power to make choices that honor compassion, justice, and creativity. Through the lens of “courageous gatekeeping,” I reflect on what it means to hold space for others, navigate difficult moments with wisdom, and stay connected to what truly matters.

Timestamps:
01:52 – The irony of hosting a podcast about courage while struggling with it
03:50 – A lesson in courageous gatekeeping from my new role
06:09 – Honoring both systemic constraints and human dignity
08:31 – The heart-led leadership of eight courageous women
10:54 – A Chinese proverb on light, harmony, and peace
11:03 – Music is "Wasteland" by Gabe Keller-Flores

Editing and post-production by me – but I’d love to partner with someone else to do this! Reach out! [email protected]

Need help getting un-stuck? 

Chelsea Witbrook is a certified Somatic Enneagram facilitator and best-selling author of "Blessing My Demons." As an Somatic Enneagram guide and Spiritual Director, she combines social justice awareness with compassionate guidance. Chelsea specializes in helping people who feel stuck by teaching them to establish Grounded Presence, connect with their Inner Observer, and respond to their body's wisdom. Through her coaching, clients discover inner resources and learn to embrace all parts of themselves with radical compassion, finally releasing patterns that once held them captive. www.chelseawitbrook.com

In this episode, I talk with Colin Anderson, founder of Eureka Compass Vegan Food, who is revolutionizing food justice in the Twin Cities with his powerful message: "WE FEED US!" Now in year #8 of providing FREE community meals and vegan shopping markets, Colin shares his journey and passion for sustainable food systems that support both community members and local farmers. Free vegan meals and shopping markets in St. Paul, MN.

Address: 1697 Lafond Avenue, St. Paul, MNCurrent Market Hours:

• Tuesdays: 11 AM – 8 PM

• Thursdays: 1–3 PM & 5–8 PM

• Community Dinners: Available for takeout or dine-in 

Instagram: @eureka_compass_vegan_food

Venmo: @Chef-Collective-1123 

CashApp: $ChefCollective1123Patreon

Music is “Waters”, composed by Twin Cities musician, Ian Crawford

Editing and post-production by me – but I’d love to partner with someone else to do this! Reach out! [email protected]

Need help getting un-stuck? 

Chelsea Witbrook is a certified Somatic Enneagram facilitator and best-selling author of "Blessing My Demons." As an Somatic Enneagram guide and Spiritual Director, she combines social justice awareness with compassionate guidance. Chelsea specializes in helping people who feel stuck by teaching them to establish Grounded Presence, connect with their Inner Observer, and respond to their body's wisdom. Through her coaching, clients discover inner resources and learn to embrace all parts of themselves with radical compassion, finally releasing patterns that once held them captive. www.chelseawitbrook.com

00:05 – Redefining Innovation & Community Self-Sufficiency

01:19 – The Reality of Food Insecurity in Minnesota

05:50 – How Colin Started: A Strength-Based Approach to Community

09:36 – Reimagining Food Systems for Equity & Access

12:58 – Why Food? Colin’s Journey & Ethical Awakening

18:56 – Personal Experience with Food Scarcity & Capitalism’s Failures

25:09 – Buddhism & The Interconnectedness of Food & Justice

29:54 – Creating a Non-Transactional Community Food Space

36:40 – Pivotal Life Choices & Regrets that Shaped the Mission

42:06 – Recovery & Sobriety: A Life-Changing Turning Point

47:33 – Living Out Loud & Holding Ourselves Accountable

49:58 – Final Thoughts: Food, Justice, and the Power of Presence

My friend and former colleague/boss Katy Daniels and discuss her "points of justice" that I steer her outer action in the world and helped me experience a work environment that welcomed all of me, quirky parts included.

We touch on resiliency, addiction and recovery, queerness as well as gender in the workplace, influences of early adulthood adversity, and showing up authentically as our full selves on the job.

The music from today's show is by Ian Crawford. He's an incredibly creative musician who I've watched play the French horn and the keyboard while also intermixing stand-up comedy. ⁠⁠Check him out!⁠⁠ He's a hilarious, kind, and artistic human worth having between your ears.

If you're needing a gentle dose of encouragement, I think you might like today's conversation. Themes in today's episode include:

Salim Yorkall is a Chandler is a board-certified (*NCBTMB) bodyworker, healer, and health educator who uses Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), Somatic Energy Work, Sufi Healing (a form of spiritual healing), and a variety of other coaching and healing methods to help clients process difficult experiences, build inner resilience, and create greater health and vitality.  

Learn more about the healing offerings that Salim provides:

May you, too, be showered in mercy.

Luke Myers, is a man who lives, acts, and speaks with with great intention. In this episode, Luke and I discuss the impact of Luke's early life experiences with parental loss, ethical dilemmas in choosing the right career track, sobriety, toxic masculinity, gender expression, and sobriety.

Here is a run down of what to expect:

3:00 Ethical dilemmas in higher education & career choices

9:00 Influence of early childhood exposure to caregiver death

15:00 Finding control/learning, even in difficult situations

18:00 Sobriety and learning presence

25:00 Recognizing when it's time NOT to conquer a goal

29:00 Can you give your "best" and not be drained?

33:00 Masculinity in the workplace

41:00 Challenging toxic masculine norms around sensitivity

50:00 Disappearing from the world with alcohol

55:00 How much more life can be lived with presence

My lovely friend Ian Crawford's composition of "Waters" is heard in the intro and outro. Learn more about Ian ⁠here⁠.

"If we [queer people] don't express truth as deeply as we have experienced it, and in community with each other, then we will always be beholden to the dysfunction of the most homophobic person in the room." - Tyler Sit (7:45)

United Methodist Pastor, church planter, and published author Tyler Sit joins me to discuss radical new ways for viewing Christian theology, rituals, and ancestral heritage that uplift marginalized voices of color, gender, and sexuality. Scroll to the very bottom to find links to his two books and more.

0:30 Religious trauma & show overview

1:45 "Hamilton is Jesus-ier than Jesus Christ Superstar..."

5:00 Preaching with Integrity

9:00 Gay weddings in churches...and also... belonging?!

12:00 "Everyone loses in an exclusive world..."

16:00 Spiritual ancestors

20:00 Why New City Church happened in Minneapolis

22:00 Learning the Divine via/within nature

24:45 Tips for evangelicals interested in accepting LGBTQ+

-- Audio clips from others impacted by Tyler--

28:00 (Clip #1)

28:30 (Clip #2)

28:39 (Clip #3)

28:45 (Clip #4)

29:34 (Clip #5) <-- this one sums it up

29:50 Tyler's husband, Brian Schroeder, performing his original composition, "The Kingdom of the Lord is Here"

31:45 Closing statements

Staying Awake: The Gospel for Changemakers

Where We Meet: A Lenten Study of Systems, Stories, and Hope

New City: https://grownewcity.church/

The Kingdom of the Lord is Here, by Brian Schroeder: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGrhNpupE-I

This one feels raw -- super vulnerable. Meet Tina Currie of Norm Hann Expeditions in Squamish, British Columbia. Tina was my standup paddleboard instructor on a Howe Sound expedition in 2022. Through our unplanned, entirely serendipitous intersection on the water, I learned something new about joy that I've been (sometimes tentatively, sometimes courageously) pursuing since. We reunite on recording to reflect on our learnings from that day and tackle other big sea life issues, like unfair narratives we humans get ourselves locked into, habit stacking, and navigating uncertainty.

1:00 The fine print for today's show

4:00 Denying internal joy any sort of validation

7:00 Great Bear Oracle Cards

8:00 Flow, Pulse, Surrender

11:00 Pursuing joy

14:00 #LifePurposeAngst

16:00 The power of being noticed

21:00 The water reflects you back to you

22:00 Momentum your friend; Scurry your foe

24:00 Somatic methods for reflective practice

26:00 (Unfair) stories we tell ourselves

30:00 Trusting the nudge and making the leap

33:00 Sankalpa: "I am empowered"

34:00 Habit stacking

37:00 Returning to the Seal: Imagination & Dreams & Joy

41:00 Action is action is action. Don't judge it now.

43:00 Water: the ultimate energy balancer

44:00 David Whyte's "The Journey"

Thanks to my lovely friend Ian Crawford for the use of his composition of "Waters." Learn more about Ian ⁠here⁠. The real water you might have heard in the intro and outro are from the Howe Sound at dusk, just near Darrell Bay.

To get a set of Great Bear Oracle Cards, you can purchase them directly here.

Singer/songwriter/educator Sarina Partridge joins me in a conversation about the tedious path of following a calling.

Sarina went from wacky math teacher in Minnesota, to a world-traveling song leader who uses harmony circles as a way to build community as well as to resist conditioned impulses to "disappear the self."

She encountered setbacks so great that she even thought the dream of singing had passed, but everything changed when a neighbor asked Sarina to use her gifts for leading songs during the dreary early days of the pandemic. Learn more about Sarina here.

4:00 Mature adults can have artistic hobbies?

7:00 Singing in service of community building

9:00 Attachment to career identity rather than one's calling

15:00 Disappearing the self

20:00 When the question becomes the calling

33:00 Near-death experience clarifying the passion

37:00 The white martyr archetype

39:00 The unknown and challenging might just be your purpose

41:00 The lift-off point for Sarina's calling

45:00 Hymnaculate Contraception

48:00 I both matter more and less than I thought

51:00 The power of encouragement

Note: The recorded singing and conversation at the beginning and end of the episode came from Sarina's annual Solstice Song Circle. You can learn more about her events and find ways to join up at her website: ⁠https://sarinapartridge.com/⁠

"The most secure place you can ever be is in prison." This quote from Amanda's father helped her realize that "security" isn't always the right thing to seek. Questing freedom for the soul may sometimes feel like the least secure thing to do.

Amanda Fong, Community Engagement Supervisor at the Three Rivers Park District, and I weave through topics like burnout, quitting-versus-failing, noticing when humility can become selfishness, and experiencing the freedom that can be found in mindful presence.

The poem I quote is "For the Students," by Emily Lygren. You can see her published work, What We Were Born For, here. The book I reference is Range by David Epstein. You can find that here.

Here is a rundown of what to expect:

3:00 - Girls Adventure Camp

12:30 - Soul freedom

15:00 - Early signs of burnout

21:00 - What is a real job anyway?

26:00 - When the soul screams, NO!

30:00 - #HighAchiever pressure

41:00 - Inner Voice Clarity

47:00 - Childhood outdoor experiences

53:00 - When can humility become selfishness?

55:00 - "Nothing about us without us"

1:04 - Stewarding the soul

1:10 - Web of gratitude

1:15 - Emily Lygren's, "For the Students"

This show might leave you jazzed about helping marginalized folks get into nature for equitable and uplifting experiences. If so, consider offering Three Rivers a small donation by clicking ⁠here⁠.

My lovely friend Ian Crawford's composition of "Waters" is heard in the intro and outro. Learn more about Ian ⁠here⁠.