Podcast 159: Greater Than Yourself with Steve Farber

Steve FarberI had the pleasure of being introduced to Steve Farber, the author of, “Greater than Yourself“, by a very good friend of mine by the name of Ron Schultz.  Steve and I had the opportunity to meet in person recently at the Innovation and Humanities Conference in Orange, CA and I was very impressed with his viewpoints on leadership.  Steve’s new book entitled, “Greater than Yourself“,  is truly a book about developing leaders with heart and soul.

In a not so distant era in time, the terms heart and soul were probably frowned upon using, and the word love was a definite no-no.  It is so refreshing to see that things are shifting, and that we are moving from the me to the we.  That collaboration, cooperation and sharing best practices are the actions by true thought leaders.

Steve’s whole premise in his easy to read book is about three simple, but powerful, ideas.

1) Expand Yourself – shift your perception from I to We, from Alone to Interdependent and from Me to We.

2) Give Yourself – commit  a specific percentage of your time that you’ll consistently offer to your “Greater Than Yourself” project.  What Steve means here is be willing to help someone succeed with all of your heart and soul.  Want for their personal success more than yours, and be willing to commit to helping them attain it.

3) Replicate Yourself – you’ll experience the power of expanding beyond your personal, one-to-one influence-the raw material for changing your organization for the better.

I am convenienced that if the leaders of this great nation of ours, from congress to our President, were to practice what Steve Farber articulates in this wonderful book and parable, that our nation would be a much better place to live.  That the current problems of our world would be solved much more easily, and with so much more cooperation.  I can only hope that they get a copy of Steve’s book, read it and practice the simple but extremely powerful “lead by example” principles.

I highly recommend this book, and encourage you to visit Steve’s website by clicking here for a wealth of content that is bound to shift your personal leadership style.  Enjoy this interview with a dynamic, engaging and wonderful leader himself Steve Farber.

Podcast 158 : Capture Your Flag with Erik Michielsen

Erik MichielsenI was in my office one day, and got a surprise call from Erik Michielsen.   He was referred to me by author Simon Sinek who has appeared on his video blog entitled “Capture Your Flag” and was also a guest on Inside Personal Growth.

The further I dialogued with Erik about his website, I began to realize what an amazing resource he has created for people searching for more fulfillment in their careers.  Erik engages in wonderfully authentic dialogues with the men and women on the street about their feeling, emotions and motivations around their careers.

His online interview show and career planning resource, Capture Your Flag, showcases common character building themes empowering rising leaders’ personal and professional development.  Its purpose is to disarm fears you have and open future planning possibilities.

Interviewees represent an approachable peer group who continue to work through these same challenges in their respective journeys.  Interview segments are categorized by “Fulfillment Flag” to highlight common elements informing interviewee decisions and career progression.

I encourage anyone who is currently questioning their career path, or who is new to the job market to check out Erik’s website.  It is a great resource and will most likely provide the viewer with useful knowledge about his or her next steps in career planning.  You can visit Erik’s website “Capture Your Flag” by clicking here.

Podcast 157: Think Or Sink with Gina Mollicone-Long

Gina Mollicone-LongIf you don’t think you are in control of the choices you make in life, then you best listen to my interview with Gina Mollicone-Long.  Gina’s new book entitled, “Think or Sink“, focuses on the choices we make in life, and how you can turn these choices into our advantage.

As Gina states, the paradox of any challenge or crisis is that it is also an opportunity.  It might seem crazy at first, but in Gina’s new book she will show you how to turn your adversity into your advantage. During challenging times many people look for the focus on what is wrong.  Not only is this perspective harmful because it doesn’t bring about any solutions or relief, but it is also the very thing that ensures the continuation of the crisis itself.

Gina states that her entire book is based on an important premise: everything in our life that happens to us is just feedback.  At the most basic level, this means that you get out of your life what you are willing to put into it.  Your circumstances will always reflect exactly where you are at in your life and what you are putting into it. The real power is learning how to interpret the feedback so you can use it to your advantage. Instead of judging your circumstances, you can learn to assess your circumstances so you can learn from them and leverage them to create a life that you love.

Life is a series of feedback loops.  We want something (input), we do some behaviors (process) and we get an outcome (output).  Gina reminds us in her new book that we are all energy, and that all energy is fluid.  Always moving into form, through form or out of form.  The universe holds the potential energy for an infinite number of expressions to matter.  True power derives from the ability to harness the unformed potential energy so that we can have what we want in our physical experience.

Please listen to my podcast with Gina, and visit her website by clicking here for a wealth of content on how to “Think or Sink“.  Enjoy this podcast.

Podcast 156: Gluten Nation with Jacqueline Townsend Konstanturos

Jacqueline Townsend KonstanturosWhat a pleasure it was interviewing my good friend Jacqueline Townsend Konstanturos.  I have personally known Jackie for many years and we have worked on several projects together.  Jackie has recently co-authored a book entitled, “Gluten Nation“, with Dr. Alexander Shikham.  This book is designed to provide either the informed and educated or the uninformed and uneducated on the challenges associated with gluten, (wheat, rye, and barley), in our foods.

I personally was somewhat informed, but after this great interview with Jackie, I feel that I was provided with the information to make an educated decision about how gluten might be effecting me, and the minor shifts in my diet that I could make to test and determine what positive effects could come of an elimination of gluten in my food.  Jackie informed me that gluten in tolerances are genetic, and for the most part if someone in your family was intolerant that you may carry the gene.

There is a direct causal relationship to gluten in our diet and its link to arthritis, ADHD, autism, bipolar disorder, cancer, diabetes and fibromyalgia.  That is knowledge that is so important to know, and with a simple shift in our diets we can eliminate the side effects primarily that of  inflammation associated with these disorders.

As Jackie explains in our interview, gluten intolerance prevents your intestines from absorbing the proper nutrients from the food that you are eating.  Some of the symptoms are nausea, bloating, chronic fatigue and a list of related symptoms too long to mention.  I was totally amazed as the effects of gluten, and the simple steps that can be taken to elevate the problems.   The gluten intolerance effects about 20% of the population, and with proper care and diagnosis they can be free of these debilitating side effects.

I encourage all of my readers to read “Gluten Nation” to learn more about the signs, symptoms and the simple steps you can take to overcome the challenges.  Gluten Nation is loaded with great real life stories, maybe even stories that you will be able to relate to and pages of gluten free recipes too!

Please visit the Restorative Remedies website by clicking here to learn more about gluten and what you can do about preventing the effects from a possible intolerance to gluten.  Enjoy this wonderful interview with a very knowledgeable lady and dear friend.

Podcast 155: Mental Housecleaning with Tomás Lafayette Picard D.C.

Tomás Lafayette Picard D.C.What a wonderful interview with  Thomas Picard.  In his new book entitled, “Mental House Cleaning“,  Picard explains the importance of attitude adjustment, and how important altering our beliefs really are if we are to transform our lives for the better.  We discuss the famous physiologist  Maxwell Maltz and his work in Psycho-Cybernetics.

Picard is an advocate of Maltz’s work in which the basic premise is that your “outer life” is a reflection of how you see yourself on the inside, what he called “self-image.” Dr. Maltz noted that you can never rise higher than your self-image. If your “inner self” is not equal to your “outer self,” then you will always revert back to where you think you belong.

Personal growth and spiritual transformation books can be dry and serious-minded. But if you’re the kind of person who loves pratfalls, jokes, and screwball humor, then Picard’s new self-help book will tickle your funny bone while tuning up your transformation.

Mental Housecleaning (Attitude Adjusting You Can Do in the Comfort and Privacy of Your Own Mind) by Dr. Tomás Lafayette Picard, internationally renowned speaker, author and healer,  is just the thing for someone questing for success, prosperity, happiness and sanity in an insane world. In these turbulent and sometimes depressing times, why not learn and laugh at the same time? You can find truthful answers to life’s real haunting questions illuminated through Picard’s loopy charm.

Profound insights abound in this clever step-by-step book on how to command the power of your mind and the power of the Universe to support your desires. It’s the perfect book for people who have been reluctant to dive in due to the weighty content and possible discomfort of change.

If you would like to learn more about Tomas Picard I recommend visiting his website by clicking here.

Podcast 153: Leap Before You Look with Arjuna Ardagh

Arjuna ArdaghArjuna Ardagh is the author of this new book entitled, “Leap Before You Look“.  He is probably best known for his personal opus work entitled, “The Translucent Revolution“.

In his new book Arjuna provides the reader with insight and practices that help you get out of your mind and into the moment.

Arjuna writes that when we are willing to exchange our life of preoccupation with  “me” and “my needs” for a life given in the service of love itself, of that presence itself, we are faced with an interesting paradox.

On the one side of the paradox, we recognize that everything is perfect just as it is. When the chatter of the mind recedes just a little bit, when the smells, colors, and textures of the world become more immediately felt, we recognize the grace of running through it all. Even in conflict, or in the midst of what we call suffering, if we are really in touch with the pulse of life itself, we can feel the beauty of it all.

On the other side of the paradox, we realize that everything is continuously evolving.  Our human condition, as it is now, is flawed with unconscious habits, addictions, and compulsions. In seeing the gap between who we are today and who we could be, seeing the trickle of gifting that’s coming through us relative to the latent torrent that we intuit, we bow to humility.

In Arjuna’s new book the author guides the reader through practices that open up your consciousness and create an awareness of how we can really be in the world.

Our interview together is enlightening, and Arjuna actually takes me through a practice that created a breakthrough in my own life.  I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to slow down, create greater awareness and become awakened to the gifts that life provides us in each and every moment.

If you would like to learn more about Arjuna Ardagh and the Awakening Coaching Training please click here for more information. His website is loaded with resources for the inquisitive mind.

Podcast 151: Five Good Minutes Meditation Series with Jeffrey Brantley M.D.

Jeffrey-Brantley-M.D.-color-headshot-175x261This is my second interview with Dr. Jeff Brantley, and I love this new series of books entitled, “Five Good Minutes“.  Jeff and his co-author, Wendy Millstine, have written a series of mini-books that provide anyone who is seeking to practice mindfulness anytime, anywhere, the opportunity to learn how to do it.  You can pick up one of the series of the books and find valuable information, thoughts and practices to make your day more calm, relaxed and fulfilled.

We all know during these challenging times that we need to become more present and aware.  “The Five Good Minutes” books are filled with 100 reminders and practices to do at work, with the one you love, in the morning, in the evening and with your body.  The practices are so well thought out and easy to remember that it makes reading and having the books around as a reminder a great way to get yourself engaged in a practice of mindfulness.

I know that for a fact many of us just run all day long, then out of pure exhaustion just fall in bed and go to sleep.  This not good for your sex life, and it certainly does not set you up for a positive dream state.

One of the recommendation is the “Five Good Minutes in the Evening” is to break the routine.  Go for a leisurely walk or jog around you neighborhood. Take a hot bath, meditate, read a book, do something creative, start a new project.  Whatever it is, break the routine.

Just before bed, breath and listen mindfully for about a minute.  Set your intentions before going to bed and this will assist you in being more calm and most likely falling asleep quicker.  The”Five Good Minute” books are filled with wonderful ideas, things to think about and practices.  I highly recommend any one of the five books or all five to provide you with a well rounded opportunity to practice anywhere and anytime.

If you would like to learn more about the “Five Good Minute” book series please click here for more information.  If you would like to learn about Dr. Brantley and his practice please visit his website by clicking here.