The Courageous Life

'What is this moment calling for?' At the heart of Dr. Jacob Ham’s approach lies this profound question.  The simplicity of it can be disarming.  Yet to answer it skillfully requires the capacity to be present - To notice what is arising moment by moment.  Not only in you,  But in those around you,  As well as what is arising in the space between. That sacred ground we like to call conne...

Is there just one “you”?  This evocative question lies at the heart of Dr. Richard Schwartz’s groundbreaking work as both a therapist, and a researcher. Over 40 years he’s pushed back against convention Challenging what so many of us have been taught to believe -  That we have a single identity. And to feel fear or shame when we can’t control the inner voices that don’t match the ideal of who we t...

Since 2018 The Courageous Life Podcast has invited many of the world’s leading thinkers, researchers, creators, writers, poets, athletes, healers, and teachers to explore how we can find the courage to live an authentic life, to derive purpose and meaning, and to meet ourselves, others, and the world around us with an open heart - as we navigate the complexity and the beauty of what it means to be...

How do we engage with one another at work in ways that foster more authentic professional relationships?  And that ultimately lead to more equitable workplaces? Today’s guest is Dr. Rosalind Chow -  A leading organizational expert, professor at the Tepper School of Business, and author of the new book: The Doors You Can Open . Rosalind argues that sponsorship is an important part of the answer to...

In 2018 I sat down with one of the great spiritual teachers, authors, and poets of our time.  During that conversation Mark Nepo asked a question that shook me: " When my heart begins to close, how do I open it again?" My life, my work, and the trajectory of the podcast shifted as a result. The question was presented not as a simple one, with a static answer, But rather as an inquiry to...

“Is the life I am living the same as the life that wants to live in me?”  This searching question is one that bestselling author, legendary teacher and activist Parker J. Palmer has been exploring for decades.  His practice of living this question,  resulting in the type of wisdom that can only come from the crucible of one’s direct experience.  And Parker being the celebrated teacher and leader t...

What leads us to live divided lives that defy our own sense of identity and integrity?  When we do, what price do we and the world pay?  How can we recover the wholeness that is our birthright?  Today’s guest, legendary teacher, activist, and author Parker J. Palmer ― has helped people in every walk of life rise to the challenge of living “divided no more.” In his book, A Hidden Wholeness , now in...

What if the time is never coming when you’re ‘on top of things’, or finally feel like you know what you’re doing? For years, New York Times Bestselling author Oliver Burkeman has dared to ask provocative questions like these. The sort of questions that invite us to examine popular cultural views about what it means to work and live well. In his beautiful and brilliant books, his longtime column in...

To care, to love, and to be human, Means we will inevitably experience heartbreak.  Whether its the loss of relationship, The end of a job,  The death of a loved one, A natural disaster, infertility, a financial crisis, or any shape that loss may take. Heartbreak sends us reeling― Leaving many of us feeling alone and adrift.  After her own experience of serial heartbreak over the span of five year...

When our good friends encounter challenges, A default response for many of us is often: To have their back To show up fully To be kind To put judgment aside,  And to remind them that they are not alone.  When we turn this practice, of being for someone, toward ourselves, particularly in the face of: obstacles,  hardships,  adversity,  and failure, it's called self-compassion. A practice that...

Alison Wood Brooks is a celebrated Harvard Business School Professor who studies the hidden architecture of conversations.  Her groundbreaking work shows that while all of us can struggle with difficult conversations,  We’re often not very good at the easy ones either (even though we have them all the time).  Alison argues that part of the reason for this is because conversation is one of the  mos...

Brain scientist Jill Bolte Taylor famously once said: “Most of us think of ourselves as thinking creatures that feel,  but we are actually feeling creatures that think.” Whether it’s anxiety about going to the doctor,  Boiling rage when we’re stuck in traffic,  Devastation after a painful break-up,  Joy from the birth of a child,  Or peace that arises from being in nature Our emotional landscape i...

"It’s not your fault if you are unhappy.  You have been told three lies:  You’re not good enough;  You need to achieve fame, wealth, and power;  You need to do it all on your own." These are the words of Stephanie Harrison - author, past Director of Learning at Thrive Global, and expert in the science of happiness. In her new book:  New Happy: Getting Happiness Right in a World That’s Go...

In a time where the threat of authoritarianism is on the rise,  how might we take the next step toward creating truly equitable and thriving societies? This question, for many, may feel increasingly out of reach. And yet for redemptive thinker, and visionary leader john a. powell , it serves as one of the central lines of inquiry in his work.  johh a. powell is the Director of the Othering and Bel...

In times of great division, disruption, and uncertainty, how can we find the ability to stay grounded?  While each of us may find we have different answers,  Here are a few that have been emerging for me recently: The first - remembering, in the words of one of today’s guests:  you don’t have to do it alone .  Remembering the power (and necessity) of seeking out supportive community, and friends. ...

What is it that drives our focus on productivity? That colors our experience of work, life, and relationships?  Is the motivation to 'do', to achieve, and to push ourselves driven by a subtle undercurrent of fear? A craving to stay relevant,  A whisper in the back of our mind that says:  If we don’t optimize our lives, fill up our calendars, and stay busy, we will be missing out on somet...

This past November I had the privilege of going to a leadership boot camp hosted by Jerry Colonna and the extraordinary team at CEO and Executive Coaching Firm, Reboot . For 10 years Reboot has been hosting these gatherings.  Immersive experiences where a small group of leaders comes together without pretense. Everyone there to explore the possibility of becoming a better human.  A truer version o...

It’s here and then it’s gone.  In so many ways this is the through line of our experience.  From the sunny day, To a common cold, To time spent with loved ones, Or the experience of our wedding day. Joy, love, heartbreak, and ultimately  Life itself - All by nature impermanent .  To walk through this life Is to walk hand-in-hand with change.  It is simply part of what it means to be human -   Part...

Things are changing all the time.  From the seasons, To the weather, our emotions, and our relationships. We are born, we grow old, and ultimately we die.  To walk through life means to walk hand-in-hand with impermanence.  It is simply part of what it means to be human.  And this season on the podcast we wanted to make these shared experiences of change and uncertainty a focal point of our larger...

There are certain threads inescapably woven into our experience of being alive. Simple but profound truths which make up the tapestry of what it means to be human.  One of these is impermanence .  The fact that everything, by nature, changes.  From the seasons, to the weather,  our emotions, and our relationships. We are born, we grow old, and ultimately we die.  The flow of life is inherently dyn...

In his new book, Outraged: Why We Fight About Morality and Politics and How to Find Common Ground , Neuroscientist and Moral psychologist Dr. Kurt Gray argues that for the majority of our evolutionary history, humans were more hunted than hunter.  Which might just be the game changing perspective we need for these times. Kurt reminds us that in contrast to predators, Prey animals are hard-wired to...

In his new book, Original Love , Zen meditation master, award winning author and poet, and renowned spiritual teacher Henry Shukman offers a tantalizing proposition.  At any moment there is a powerful possibility available to us. A possibility of piercing the illusion of separateness, And experiencing a profound sense of connection. In these moments which are deemed by some as ‘awakening',  i...

Today is our final Heroes and Helpers episode for Season 4 on The Courageous Life. This series launched earlier in 2024 and throughout the year we’ve shined a light on stories of everyday heroes, Ordinary people who are navigating life’s challenges and adversities with hope, courage, resilience, and love.  These are the remarkable stories of: Our neighbors,  Our friends,  Our colleagues,  And memb...

As we get ready to close out the 4th season of The Courageous Life   we are revisiting inspiring stories of everyday heroes and the helpers who walk beside them. These Conversations, which launched this year, shine a light on ordinary people, Our neighbors, friends, colleagues, and members of our communities,  who rise up to meet challenges,  And navigate their journey through the messy middle par...

What does it mean to live a 'good life'? For centuries philosophers, theologians, and psychologists have explored this question. Arguing primarily that there are two distinct paths to living well. The first might be casually thought of as sex, drugs, and rock and roll. Choosing pleasure as our primary pursuit - building our life around a simple equation: The more pleasant experiences we...