The Courageous Life

Today marks the launch of Oren Jay Sofer’s new book: Your Heart was Made for This: Contemplative Practices for Meeting a World in Crisis with Courage Integrity and Love .  Oren has been on the Courageous Life before and has been a significant teacher in my life, and the lives of so many around the world.  So today, to honor the release of his book we have a bit of a special episode of Practicing C...

Do you ever have times where the mind won’t stop thinking about what’s next? Things you need to do, actions to take etc?  This is such a common experience, and while quite useful at times, At other times this cycle isn't helpful (for a variety of reasons): Maybe you can’t take action at the moment Or you have double-checked or thought through the plan many times already Or maybe you need a bi...

There are moments in life that decide your fate. They ripple into the future and dictate how you experience the world in the moments that follow; either positive and uplifting, dark and chaotic, or flat and dull. What if you could recognize these moments before they seized control of your life? What if you could use them to set sail for a better future?  What if all moments, big and small, could b...

“How can we create conditions for other people to be courageous?” This is a question I  have been exploring for years. On The Courageous Life Podcast, and beyond. Part of the reason for such a deep interest in this question stems from the common and celebrated narrative (particularly in the US) of the lone hero. That romanticized myth of pulling oneself up by their bootstraps and doing it all on t...

"If we are looking for light in the darkness, sometimes it doesn't appear until we create it."    - Samantha Novick In moments of great tragedy, pain, uncertainty, loss, and suffering I often look for perspective, and for practices, that help me to find some light in the darkness. Often these practices (for me) are found in community, with friends, and through conversations on the p...

Today's episode is the first in a new stress and anxiety series we're doing on the podcast.  Over the coming weeks we'll share deep, informative, and practical conversations with some of the leading experts in these arenas.  Each episode will offer insight into how to work with these very common (and often challenging) aspects of our lives more effectively and in ways that lead to g...

Years ago I sat down for a conversation with Dr. Kelly McGonigal, who is arguably one of the world’s leading experts on behavior change.  During our time together I asked her to name a few of her greatest insights about what contributes to being able to successfully change behavior (which can be incredibly difficult).  Learning skills that increase the capacity to tolerate distress was right at th...

At the end of each day we do a mental scan, reviewing our experiences from that day. When people do this, they often find: The moments where they moved outside of their comfort zone The moments where they pushed themselves And the moments where they were courageous Are often the moments that they end up being most proud of. Additionally, leading courage researcher, Dr. Jim Detert asserts that when...

Speaking in public is one of people's greatest fears.  Today's practice focuses on a brief process for overcoming this fear.  Its a mindset shift from performance to curiosity that begins with 4 simple words. If you have a moment where you will be speaking, interviewing, facilitating, coaching, hosting, or just generally interacting…and you find yourself getting nervous Give this a try,...

Are you familiar with the story of the lone hero? It’s a long celebrated cultural narrative (in the U.S.) of pulling yourself up by your bootstraps, doing it all on your own, and being gritty, resilient, and fiercely independent. In essence - it’s about being courageous. While there may be some upsides to this story, one of the things I find so interesting is how it places a lot of pressure on an...

This is the finale in our 4-part series on the power of compassion, which has featured leading researchers and practitioners in illuminating conversations about how to live with a more kind, and open hearted stance toward the world.  Today's conversation could not be a more fitting end as Roshi Joan Halifax and Rhonda V. Magee, two extraordinary pioneers working at the intersection of mindful...

Do you ever get caught up in what I will casually call “the race”? The experience of moving from one thing to the next Swept up in the to-do list Feeling an internal push to keep accomplishing, achieving, and making things happen Constantly in a mode of “doing.”  Is this relatable? While neither good or bad I would invite you to consider the following: At what points is this beneficial (in your ex...

What happens when you begin to shift your attention outwardly to the ways in which we are connected and support one another?  This in itself can be a question to explore and experiment with over time.  Today’s practice will invite you to use your imagination to foster a mindset of connection and interdependence. For many, a shift to focusing on connection can bring with it numerous benefits.    He...

Today’s guest is Dr. Mylien Duong, Senior Director of Research at The Constructive Dialogue Institute, where they define Constructive dialogue as a form of conversation in which people who have different values, beliefs, and perspectives seek to build new ways to understand and interact with each other, even as they sustain commitments to their own principles and perspectives . The format is ideal...

Are there habitual ways of thinking or behaving that if you were to let go of, would bring more ease, wellbeing, and fulfillment? Today's practice will introduce you to the work of Dr. Jud Brewer and explore how we can leverage knowledge of how our brains work, the latest science of habit change, as well as a powerful blend of curiosity and kindness, to ultimately let go of ways of thinking a...

Today's guest is Shane O'Sullivan – an Executive, Leadership and Performance Coach at Inspiring Excellence, a company that focuses on empowering organizations and their people to achieve sustainable high performance. Shane has worked with some of the best in the world, training high performance principles and mindset skills essential to revealing one’s potential. Some of Shane’s clients...

When your heart begins to close, how can you find ways to open it again? First offered by Mark Nepo in our conversation from 2018, this has become a central question I've been exploring on the Courageous Life for years. Today's practice will invite you to pause, reflect, and explore this question as you move forward through your week and beyond. As you listen you'll be invited to en...

Welcome back to the Practicing Courage Community - a space where we are dedicated to exploring what it means to live well, and engaging in practices that support finding the courage to do so.  To support your own exploration of these deep and personal questions, once-a-week I will be offering you a brief practice that will infuse storytelling, research, and tips for making the most of whatever too...

Today’s guest is Kelli Harding - a medical and public health doctor based in New York City whose goal is to make the world a kinder and healthier place for everybody. She wrote a critically acclaimed book about social connection and health, The Rabbit Effect: Live Longer, Happier, and Healthier with the Groundbreaking Science of Kindness . As a medical doctor Kelli believes everybody deserves to b...

Welcome to Practicing Courage - a space where we are dedicated to exploring what it means to live well, and engaging in practices that support finding the courage to do so.  To support your own exploration of these deep and personal questions, once-a-week I will be offering you a brief practice that will infuse storytelling, research, and tips for making the most of whatever tool or practice may b...

There is a metaphor that comes out of ancient wisdom traditions of a bird. One wing of the bird represents wisdom and the other represents compassion.  In order to fly the bird needs both wings.  Like the bird, as people and leaders, cultivating wisdom and compassion in our lives, and in our organizations may help us to realize our potential. This metaphor serves as the centerpiece of our conversa...

For some time The Courageous Life has featured conversations with people who are leading the way when it comes to researching, practicing, and teaching about ancient virtues like courage, kindness, empathy, compassion, humility, and love. Together we have explored the intersection between ancient wisdom traditions and modern science; discussing insights, tools, and practices that can be used to he...

Marc Lesser is a speaker, workshop leader, and executive coach. He is the CEO of ZBA Associates, an executive development and leadership consulting company and has led mindfulness and emotional intelligence programs at many of the world’s leading businesses and organizations including Google, SAP, Genentech, and Kaiser Permanente. Marc helped develop the world-renowned Search Inside Yourself (SIY)...

Today we're continuing our four-part series on the power of compassion with a deep, insightful, and moving conversation between Dr. Jacinta Jiménez and Dr. James Doty. Each episode in the series will showcase a powerful duo made up of a leading researcher and practitioner who will explore themes related to compassion, courage, and living with a more open, kind, and loving stance toward the wo...

Today's guest, Dr. Marc Brackett, is on a mission to educate the world about the value of emotions and the skills associated with using them wisely. “I want everyone to become an emotion scientist”, he says. “We need to be curious explorers of our own and others’ emotions so they can help us achieve our goals and improve our lives.” In this deep dive conversation, Marc and I explore themes fr...