Uncomfy: Sticking with Moments That Challenge Us

Just a few months after the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre, the people of Newtown, CT, needed to decide what to do with the old school building. Rich Harwood, the president and founder of the Harwood Institute, was called in to help. Harwood questioned whether he was up to this enormous task, but ultimately accepted the assignment. But the complexity of making that decision was beyond what...

Meisha Lerato and her all-Black group of friends were relaxing at a hotel pool when a group of rambunctious boys began splashing and rough housing, disrupting their peace. Feeling disrespected and sensing racial undertones, Meisha decided to confront the white man supervising the boys. The encounter had the potential to escalate quickly. What happened ended up changing the trajectory of Meisha's l...

Preston Brightwell and Madeleine Jones, Field Directors at The Dignity Index, found themselves in a heated discussion over the use of a single word in their project's tagline—"patriotism." Preston, a conservative, and Madeleine, a liberal, discuss how their differing views on the term led to a moment of tension, assumptions, and eye-rolling that threatened to derail their project entirely. Hear th...

Richard Craft—former healthcare leader and host of The Men of the House podcast—shares a defining moment from his career when a casual remark to some of his employees led to a formal write-up. Richard reflects on his journey of embracing humility and taking ownership of his actions and how this experience transformed his leadership style. We’d love to hear about an Uncomfy moment you’ve experience...

Lisa Valentine Clark—comedian and host of The Lisa Show—had the perfect gift planned for her friend's 40th birthday. But she couldn't have been farther from the truth. The result was some difficult feedback on their friendship. Lisa shares how she stuck with the discomfort in that moment and what she did ten years later to make up for it. We’d love to hear about an Uncomfy moment you’ve experience...

Parker Kane—beatboxer and motivational speaker—was facing a deep mental health crisis in college. He wanted to be a professional musician but couldn’t seem to find success. Parker slipped into a deep depression. Then, at his lowest point, he got a call from a friend inviting him out for a late-night run to McDonald’s. Parker didn’t feel up to it and almost said “no.” But that night at McDonald’s l...

As a young child in Iran, Shima Baughman—criminal law professor and author of The Bail Book—was taught to hate Israel and Jews. She largely left those beliefs behind when she immigrated to the United States with her family. But after graduating from law school, Shima chose to tackle any lingering prejudice she still held by taking on the case of a Hasidic Jewish inmate's right to have a place to p...

Real stories from guests who dared to get uncomfortable in a moment that challenged their worldview. In the thick of intense emotions, they chose to stay curious and open, rather than lash out or shy away, and came out the other side with stronger relationships, clearer beliefs, and increased confidence. And you can do it too! If you want to engage with others on important topics but aren’t sure h...