The Neurodivergent Professor

Quick show of hands. Who among us has ever been told they should journal? Even though this is a 'should' statement, people who say 'you should journal' mean well. I'll say it, and I mean well. But I'll say it without using the word 'should'. You will benefit from journaling.  If that sounds like a money-back guarantee, it's the closest thing you can get...

Have you heard people say that you can't control what happens to you, but you CAN control how you react to what happens to you? It's so true, but it isn't easy. We all want some degree of control in our lives. Or wish for it. Long for it. But control is an illusion.  I'm not saying life is 100% chaotic and unpredictable, but being attached to controlling things really only wear...

Are you self aware? We all think we are. Just like we all think we're right, as we learned from Paul Gadola in multiple interviews . And, really, if you are taking the time to wonder whether or not you are self aware, you probably are. Our awareness is one of our greatest strengths. It's a super power. Awareness is how we pay attention to the world around us. It is the currency we use to...

What DO you need? Have you ever really asked yourself this question? And I don't mean what do you 'sort of what right now to pacify or distract you', I mean what do you REALLY need in your life that you don't have enough of? I, and many of my guests, talk a lot about Values and knowing your ' Why ', and knowing what you need is related to those ideas. It amazes me how...

Have you ever met someone who seems to be doing exactly what they were meant to be doing? I have. And this week I'm sharing our conversation as part of the Are vs Should Problem discussion.  Emmanuelle Chasse is a helper. Like many we've interviewed on KEW, she helps people through her writing, podcasting, and coaching. You can find out all about how she can help you here: https://rapidt...

If you have not seen the Social Dilemma, it is a great little conspiracy theory. And one I can get behind. The gist is internet companies (facebook, youtube, etc.) have developed complex algorithms (models, simplifications) that monitor your online (and off, through your phone microphone, alexa, etc.) behavior. These companies then use this information to determine what advertisements you might cl...

Are you a parent? Do you know any parents? Do you think you might ever BE a parent? Do you HAVE parents? Surely you answered yes to at least one of those questions. And, if so, this interview is going to benefit you in many ways. Kate Stark teaches parents to feel better about themselves. And this is a very timely and necessary gift. See the video snippet below to see what I mean. It might be some...

Thank you for following along as we gear up for the 'how-to' section of the Are vs Should Problem. We spent over 30 Episodes outlining various elements within the Are vs Should Problem. Turns out this fairly universal issue has a lot going on inside. Because I let these Episodes unfold organically, I didn't know what to expect. The same thing is happening as we transition from the &...

If you follow Knowledge + Experience = Wisdom you will be familiar with IFS. If you are not familiar, Internal Family Systems (IFS) is a psychotherapy model used to heal past trauma. In IFS, we view ourselves as being comprised of 'parts' that resemble siblings in a big family. These parts have taken on roles over time that we continue to implement as they all serve some purpose in our i...

Have you ever really thought about what you want? I mean really sat down and asked yourself what you would change if you could?  Maybe you said you want more money. Less time at work. More time with family. Longer vacations. A bigger house, better car, or fancier smartphone. If you keep at this long enough, and wish for all the material things, what do you REALLY want? When I did this sort of iter...

If you are interested in therapy and coaching. Either for yourself, someone you love, or just because you think it's cool. Gretchen Winterkorn is a wonderful person for you to meet, and you can check out her short video below. I am very lucky to see some cool people doing these KEW interviews, and I really enjoyed listening TO and talking WITH Gretchen.  Relevant to the Are vs Should Problem,...

Are you an analytical person? Do you think science is a good way of answering questions? Do you also believe there are things science CAN'T answer? Do you struggle from a mix of pragmatic and spiritual beliefs? Do you consider yourself to be pretty smart? Do you have a strong distrust for the status quo? Have you ever felt like a non-conformist, whether by choice or just because? If you answe...

I am extremely excited for you to meet Neil Bjorklund in this week's Are vs Should Interview Series. Unlike most KEW interviews, I knew Neil prior to having him on KEW. But probably not as well as he knows me, as he is my coach. I have worked with Neil for a little over a year, doing somatic healing work using the Internal Family Systems (IFS) model. Neil has all sorts of other training in he...

As you know, we have been exploring the Are vs Should Problem ; the struggle between the people we are and the people we feel like we should be. Since Episode 50, but really since about Episode 42, and ARGUABLY since Episode 1 I have been developing the ideas and concepts that load into the Are vs Should modality. I hope you have found some value in these Episodes. And I hope you will journey with...

Bruce Nachsin came to us through a podcaster facebook group. He has his own podcast called, 'The Fattest Fit Kid You Know'. He's super funny, a Hollywood actor, and knows a thing or two about living in your 'Are'. It was incredibly fun (and funny!) to sit and talk with Bruce for an hour or so. Besides just being super funny and entertaining, Bruce has a lot to say about po...

You've likely pondered the great, 'Who Am I?' question. But what about the 'Why Am I?' The 'why' is a great question no matter the situation. Of the who, what, when, where, why, and how questions the 'why' is probably the most challenging. Is there a meaning to life? Do you have a purpose? Does anything matter? Hundreds, if not thousands, of philosopher...

What more can I say about Paul Gadola? I'm lucky to know him.  I've interviewed him twice for my blog/podcast/YouTube channel. I look at him as someone who has been up the mountain and come back down to share his wisdom with us. I think he'd be a great whatever a pastor/preacher/rabbi is supposed to be. He has written a book you should get from him (because you can't buy one on...

Do you ever ask yourself this question? I have asked myself this question for as long as I can remember. In fact, I use this argument as a way to justify complaining. It's not a habit I am proud of and I'm working on changing it. But I often find myself getting angry because I can't find a definitive answer to whether something is good or bad or right or wrong. Do you ever get to a...

I told Paul Gadola recently that he had climbed the mountain and returned to share his wisdom with us. In this two part interview series you'll have a chance to see what I mean. From his background in teaching to his childhood thoughts about becoming a spiritual leader, Paul has a natural way of understanding how to help people. He has a gym to help people's bodies: https://www.ironmount...

It's taken me over a decade of therapy and introspection to arrive at this Episode. I don't know what took me so long, but 'getting' self-compassion has been a real struggle for me. In the past few weeks a few things have clicked. First, some Miriam-Webster informed verbiage: Self: ha. dare we even try to define that? Even with the help of the dictionary? Hell, why not (only re...

Paul Levitin is an ally. He can help you be better at things. Whether it is your body or your mind, Paul is trained to help improve you. And he won't try to sell you anything you don't need. He recommends that you 'interview' him by listening to his Podcast, 'The Healthy Happy Human' to see if you like his style. I like his approach. I like him. Paul answered my reque...

Ahh, stress, our bestest buddy. Our forever companion. The voice in our head telling us how much we suck. The ticking clock rushing us to work and home every day. Yeah, you know what stress is, but what is it REALLY? And how can it be so many DIFFERENT things? Can you define it if someone asks you? Beyond whatever it is in that particular moment that is bothering you? Like, generally, what is stre...

This was a really fun interview. I hesitate to say that, because it implies that not all the interview are fun, but I'm saying it anyway. It's kind of like when people say, 'to be honest with you . . . ', because that implies they are sometimes dishonest. But just watch Dalton Johnson talk and you'll see what I mean. His enthusiasm and sense of humor are infectious. And hi...

If you said 'money' or 'power', you are not alone.  Sure, there are lots of different versions of success. Getting a good grade. Getting a raise or a better job. Being invited to a prestigious event. Being revered or treated like a celebrity. But I think we can generally boil down the status quo definition of success to be related to having a lot of money or having a lot of pow...

I found Dawn Bates on a podcast interview facebook site. She was looking for podcasts to do interviews and promote her story. She is a coach, an author, and a genuine warrior. She is on a mission to help people in as many ways as she can.  I reached out to her to discuss the Are vs Should Problem, and she agreed to weigh in on the subject. I intentionally didn't learn anything about her, and...