The Curious Introvert

If you’re an extroverted introvert, this episode is for you. In this solocast, I share insights on what it’s like to be an outgoing introvert, why the world needs introverts & tips on how to thrive as an introvert in an extroverted world. If you liked this episode, you’ll also like episode 104 HOW TO NETWORK AS AN INTROVERT: 10 TIPS TO HATE IT LESS Host:  https://www.meredithforreal.com/   | h...

Natasha Miller wasn't the kind of kid you'd guess came from an abusive home. In this episode, she shares how she became homeless (& ultimately abandoned) in between violin lessons & straight As. We talk about mental health awareness in the American Midwest in the 1980s & how hardships can offer opportunities for transformational moments. If you liked this episode, you'll...

Carol Queen has a Ph. D. in Sexology & a passion for pleasure. She is the curator of the Good Vibrations Antique Vibrator Museum in San Francisco, CA. In this episode, she shares the origin story of the museum & explains how vibrators went from doctor’s offices to bedside tables. She also explains why partner sex & self-sex are different activities, why pleasure should be a part of sex...

Living together while divorced sounds crazy, but it’s the story of Suzanne Vickberg, an author & psychologist who chose a divorce by design rather than a divorce by default. She shares her thought process & divorce success story to answer the questions, can divorce be a good thing? When is divorce the best option? She also shares the hilarious hiccups along the way. If you liked this episo...

If you’ve ever wondered how sex scenes are made without the actors really … ahem … you know, this episode is for you! Chantal Cousineau shares a day in the life of an Intimacy Coordinator, what’s in her special kit bag & what we can learn from the on-set concepts of informed & fluid consent. If you liked this episode, you’ll also like episode 71 - Inspired by Love: Story Telling, History &...

Three listeners share their really bad date stories. Emily shares a bad first date that sounded a lot like the plot to the next true-crime series, Jamie shares how she got friend-zoned 3 months into her relationship & George shares a shock and awe tale of a date he couldn’t wait to end. If you liked this episode, you’ll also like episode 86 ACCIDENTAL SWINGERS? Part 1 Guest: https://www.instag...

Jean Franzblau is the founder of the Cuddle Sanctuary, the Los Angeles destination for touch positive events and nationwide professional cuddling. She shares the in-flight ad & bad date that inspired her to start her business, the science behind touch & what lessons we can learn from people who pay to spoon. She also answers the burning questions we’re all thinking. Guest: http://cuddlesan...

Steve Berke shares how he went from judgmental jock to cannabis advocate. He explains how smoking a spliff with Sir Richard Branson was the beginning of his journey to breaking the pothead stereotype, the origin story of becoming co-founder of the International Church of Cannabis & his opinion on the increasingly stronger products offered at dispensaries. Special thanks to listeners Megan Stod...

In this episode, I talk with fellow podcaster, Joe Sills of the Get Lost Podcast, about interviews that changed our lives. He shares why his chat with Arctic Explorer, Mark Wood, made him want to be more vulnerable & how his chat with Oscar-Award-Winning Actor Matthew McConoughey helped remedy his imposter syndrome. Guest: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/get-lost-podcast/id1466710154 | h...

In April of 2021, GMO mosquitos were released in the Florida Keys, but as Molecular Biologist, Dr. Natalie Kofler explains, they have been released in other regions prior to that. She helps shed light on the difference between GMO mosquitos and gene drive mosquitoes & the global impact of diseases spread by mosquitoes. We also take a deep dive into the ethical questions around who is creating...

For Native people in the Arctic region, the tradition of chin tattooing goes back generations, but until very recently, the tradition was not still in practice. Marjorie Kunaq Tahbone was raised in a fish camp near Nome, Alaska & from a young age, desired to more deeply connect with her Inupiaq and Kiowa traditions. In this episode, she shares her journey deciding to get a traditional chin tat...

Patty Wagstaff is a three-time U.S. National Aerobatic Champion & the first woman to ever achieve this title. In this episode, she shares the progression of her career & the unique opportunities it has led her to, including training bush pilots in Kenya. We discuss improving vs evolving, beginner's mind & the frontier of aging. Guest: https://pattywagstaff.com/ |  https://www.inst...

Jeremy Nichols has been a hospitality headhunter in Florida for over 20 years & in this episode, he shares his observations of how the great resignation has impacted corporate leadership styles, the power shift from employers to employees, how the burnout trickle-down happened & how it’s changed his job as a recruiter. Guest: https://www.youtube.com/c/JeremyNichols   |  https://www.linkedi...

Dan Helms grew up in the Florida panhandle, not discovering his native heritage until he was in his late 50s. In this episode he shares how DNA tests are unreliable, the Indian Removal Act of 1830, education vs re-education, blood quantum, white privilege, Hollywood & the hoped for future of North America’s native people. Guest: https://www.facebook.com/santarosacreektribe   |  https://santaro...

Mary Ruddick spent over a decade bedridden with dysautonomia. It was by implementing the GAPS diet that she was able to put all her symptoms in remission. Now she is the Director of Nutrition for Enable Your Healing & as a seasoned medical nutritionist, dubbed the “Sherlock Holmes of Health.” She specializes in metabolic, immune, and nervous system disorders & travels the globe observing a...

My friend, Kris Poore, takes over as host & interviews me! His natural curiosity & thoughtful questions make him a delight in real life, so he was a natural fit to stand in as podcast host & all of you to get to know me! We cover how I reconcile my varied interests & pursuits, how I don’t think in English, why I hope reincarnation is real & childhood regrets. Guest Host: https:...

In part two of my interview with Nina Teicholz, author of The Big Fat Surprise, we dig into the backlash of her research, how Proctor & Gamble threatened to pull advertising, name-calling & nutritional bullies. She also reveals theories on why the USDA’s guidelines have not changed from recommending a low fat, low cholesterol diet even though heart disease is on the rise. She gives recomme...

Low fat, low cholesterol has been the heart health anthem of the USA since the 1950s, yet heart disease killed 700,000 Americans in 2020. Nina Teicholz, journalist & author of the New York Time’s Best Seller, The Big Fat Surprise, shares how a college professor (Ancel Keys) was at the root of widely unquestioned nutrition policy (American Heart Association) and answers the questions what is he...

Cell phones in our pockets, in our bras, in our babies’ cribs. Is this safe? People who think it’s not – they’re crazy, right? Theodora Scarato is the Executive Director of the Environmental Health Trust, an environmental think tank that publishes research and educates policymakers on environmental health issues. They comb through research & safety standards so you don’t have to. In this episo...

Randy Russell’s approach to business is backward compared to many – he built his business (Nomadic Eats) to support his love of travel (vs building a business & living to support it). In this episode, he shares why he feels street food is a better way to connect with communities, how the travel bug caught him late in life & his passion for Latin culture. Click here to save a spot at my nex...

Caleb Houston struggled with addiction & homelessness in his hometown of Pensacola, FL. Now he is sober & opening the only free rehab clinic in the Florida panhandle. In this episode, he shares how he became homeless, the different types of homelessness he sees, why some homeless people would rather sleep on the street than stay in a shelter, how his program is different & the obstacle...

Dr. Rick Brinkman was a Naturopathic doctor who found that when his patients solved problems in their personal relationships, very often their physical symptoms also subsided. He is now a corporate trainer & speaker with clients like NASA, IBM, Sony Pictures, & the FBI. In this episode, he does an overview of the 10 types of difficult behaviors & the 4 motivation perspectives that driv...

Can overwhelm be a source of inspiration? How can you distinguish that inspiring kind from the disposable kind? In this episode, I share practical tips to reduce unhelpful overwhelm & harvest inspiration from the good kind of overwhelm. Click here to save a spot at my next ZOOM Room Mingle to meet other listeners & chat with me: https://forms.gle/rAHypH4NjAr9VuJE9   Host:  https://www.mere...

Networking can be awkward for anyone, but introverts usually hate it more, because it requires recovery time. My 10 practical & easy to remember tips are woven in my own story of I, a bonified introvert, went from hating networking to finding value in it. These tips are conversational hacks that anyone – introvert, extrovert or ambivert – will find immediately useful. Click here to save a spot...

Dr. Megan Stodard helps answer the question, “What is languishing?” & “How do we flourish when we can’t control anything?” With over 10 years of experience treating mood disorders, Dr. Stodard is well qualified to navigate the murky waters of 2020 post-partum “meh” into a place of more flow & joy. Click here to save a spot at my next ZOOM Room Mingle to meet other listeners & chat with...