In this episode Bryce and Becky pause to look back over 2023. Looking back to look forward can be a helpful practice at the end of the year...and poetry can be a wonderful support in the process too!You will hear Becky and Bryce share a poem from Christine Valters Paintner titled "Visitation From Fox" which is found in the book Dreaming of Stones. To find the book and learn more about the author https://abbeyofthearts.com/books/dreaming-of-stones-poems/We will take a nice long holiday break and be back in Feb 2024!www.foxwoodcc.orgwww.alisteninglife.com

In this episode Bryce and Becky chat with Dan and Lisa Holden about equine coaching.Listen in and learn about:What a session of equine coaching involves.Soak up the wisdom Dan and Lisa offer about accessing deeper self-awareness by working with the horses.And, hear Bryce's story of visiting Dan and Lisa and how the time with the horses personally helped him. Learn more about Dan and Lisa and their work with horses at https://espirituhorse.com/www.foxwoodcc.orgwww.alisteninglife.com

In this episode Bryce and Becky welcome special guest, Dan Holden, to talk about why self-awareness matters. Dan has been an important mentor in Bryce's life and we are thrilled to have his wisdom on the show.Learn more about Dan and his work in the world at https://danielholdenassociates.comwww.foxwoodcc.orgwww.alisteninglife.com

For this Poetry Pause Bryce and Becky explore a David Whyte poem called The Opening of Eyes.Bryce found this poem in the book Leading From Within: Poetry That Sustains the Courage to Lead.https://www.amazon.com/Leading-Within-Poetry-Sustains-Courage/dp/0787988693#:~:text=Leading%20from%20Within%20is%20a,or%20her%20life%20and%20work.It was originally shared in the book Songs for Coming Home by David Whyte.https://www.amazon.com/Songs-Coming-Home-David-Whyte/dp/0962152404Listen in and find what stands out for you.What invites you?What questions arise for you?What eye-opening moments have changed your life?What eye-openers are right before you?www.foxwoodcc.orgwww.alisteninglife.com

Bryce and Becky welcome Jason Daniels to the show for a rich conversation about change and purpose.   Jason Daniels is a strategist, speaker, contributing journalist, former radio personality and author of the book Get Off the Gerbil Wheel: A Remarkable Way to Stop Running and Going Nowhere in Life. He currently serves as President and CEO of JAYRAMON LLC, a consultancy focused on collaborating with corporate, civic, social sector and non-profit organizations, providing strategic solutions to help build leadership effectiveness, scale impact, grow local and national partnerships and advance philanthropic effectiveness. Find out more about Jason and his work at www.jayramon.comGiving ourselves permission to change is essential.  Listen in as we explore the topic.  You don't have to stay where you are. You can experience life in new ways. Jason talks about his book and generously offers listeners a way to get a free copy!Hear actionable strategies to get off the wheel, be encouraged and inspired to live with greater purpose in your life.www.foxwoodcc.orgwww.alisteninglife.com

In this episode Bryce and Becky welcome special guest Lesley Baker-Bowen of Holistic Hands Wellness Gallery.  (www.holistichandswellnessgallery.org)Lesley shares how we can strengthen our ability to listen to our bodies and what these awesome bodies are trying to tell us.  You will hear Lesley offer wisdom from her training as an Occupational Therapist, a Craniosacral Therapist, and Reiki Master.www.foxwoodcc.orgwww.alisteninglife.com

In this episode Bryce and Becky jump in after summer break.As summer winds down and we enter into the autumn season, this is the time to explore the paradox:  we commonly resist change and long for things to be different.Listen in and discover how the song of the cicada ties in to this topic!Transition times are ripe for self-awareness. We invite you to welcome your curiosity and consider: What is changing in your life? What wants to change inside of you?  Where are you resisting change?  How you can support yourself though moments of transition and change?www.foxwoodcc.orgwww.alisteninglife.com

In this episode Bryce and Becky share why the last few weeks there were no episodes as previously planned. Life Happened!We decided to use that as our topic for the day: Life Happens.You'll hear us talk about what our inner experience is like when plans fall apart.We chat about what we can do when things fall apart, touching on how we can support ourselves and one another when we experience gusty winds and stormy weather in life.Finally, we share that we are heading on summer break and plan to return on September 11, 23 with new episodes. Thanks for joining us for this podcasting adventure! We are grateful for you.**Also, you may hear/notice some recording glitches, troubles with mics and the synchronization of our voices in this episode, AND we've decided to let it be. Life happened and we are rolling with it.www.foxwoodcc.orgwww.alisteninglife.com

In this episode Bryce and Becky invite you to wander through a conversation discussing what it is about a walk in the woods that is so helpful to our self-awareness.Join us as we explore the impact that a walk in the woods brings to our bodies, our overall perspective and our ability to connect with something larger than ourselves.Listen in and discover how putting ourselves in the way of something beautiful is deeply good for us on an existential level.You'll hear us refer to Elizabeth Barrett Browning's wise words, "Earth's crammed with heaven, And every common bush afire with God, But only he who sees takes off his shoes; The rest sit round and pluck blackberries."We discuss the gifts of walking in a familiar place and of opening to walk in a new place.There are even a few poems that popped up on the path!Be sure to look up David Whyte's "Lost" and Mary Oliver's "When I Am Among The Trees"!!www.foxwoodcc.orgwww.alisteninglife.com

In this episode Becky and Bryce share a piece of poetry by author and poet Gwendolyn Brooks. Gwendolyn is a well known 20th century writer. She is one of the most influential and widely read American poets. She has written more than 20 books and was the first Black poet to receive the Pulitzer. For more information on Gwendolyn and the poem in this episode visit :https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/43310/a-song-in-the-front-yardThis episode focuses on her piece titled "Song In The Front Yard."We explore themes of good vs bad, us vs. them, safe vs. free in this episode. As always, we invite you to pause and see what this poem evokes in you.www.foxwoodcc.orgwww.alisteninglife.com

In this episode, Bryce and Becky welcome special guest Kevin Anderson to the show. Kevin is a psychologist and poet in the Toledo area. You can find out more about him and his writing and work at his website www.thewingedlife.comIn this episode we begin with some lines from the well known and beloved poet Rilke as a way to enter into this conversation about living questions and shifting questions. Kevin invites us to consider that we are always living questions, and that misleading questions come to us so easily every day. But do we ever question the questions we are living?? Questions are powerful! Sam Keen is known for saying "Nothing shapes our lives to much as the questions we ask."In this episode you will hear several ways to support you in beginning to release the grip of the mind that often compels us to get everything figured out. When we wonder about how to question a question we happen to be stuck in, especially those that feel  like running into a dead end, the good news is that we have lots of options to help us. You will hear how things like taking a pause, spending time in nature, playing with words or art, and even paying attention to our physical bodies can support us when we need to shift a question.*The sculpture Becky referred to is titled Expansion and the artist is Paige Bradley. You can learn more about the artist and sculpture at http://paigebradley.com/blog/the-story-of-expansion/www.foxwoodcc.orgwww.alisteninglife.com

In this episode Becky and Bryce discuss the topic of Brokenness. You will hear:-What we mean by the term 'Brokenness'-Three typical ways humans deal with brokenness and what else we can do with it-How embracing brokenness is central to living an integrated and whole life -There are parts of each of us that are imperfect and that is OK, perfection is not the same as wholeness-Welcoming all of our imperfections and brokenness is essential to telling the truth about our lives-When we begin to embrace our brokenness, the voice of fear will show up, and we can learn to tenderly approach fear as we go into this work of knowing ourselves more deeplywww.foxwoodcc.org

In this episode Becky and Bryce bring a poem by Carrie Newcomer to the show. Carrie Newcomer is a songwriter, recording artist, performer and educator. She has been described as a "prairie mystic" by the Boston Globe and one who "asks all the right questions" by Rolling Stone Magazine. Carrie has 19 nationally released albums on Available Light & Concord/Rounder Records including Until Now, The Point of Arrival and The Beautiful Not Yet. Carrie has released three books of poetry & essays, A Permeable Life: Poems and Essays, The Beautiful Not Yet: Poems and Essays & Lyrics, and Until Now: Poetry by Carrie Newcomer. Discover more about Carrie at https://www.carrienewcomer.comThe poem shared on this episode is titled "Pretending" and is found in her Until Now: Poetry book.Enjoy!www.foxwoodcc.org

In this episode Bryce and Becky welcome special guest Sam Melden to the show. Sam has served as the Executive Director of Food for Thought, has worked at the Center of Servant Leadership and at Leadership Toledo, and is now serving as City of Toledo District 5 City Council Member.In this episode we explore things like:-What happens when a civic leader lacks self-awareness??!!-Citizen vs Consumer Mindset'How may I serve? '  vs. 'What's in it for me?' -How to live in the tension between personal values and trying to consistently represent the community you serve/represent-A brilliant quote from Parker Palmer's book Healing the Heart of Democracy-We leave you with a challenge: If you don't engage and show up in the civic space, who will? Decisions are made by those who show up.www.foxwoodcc.orgwww.alisteninglife.com

In this episode Becky and Bryce explore the second part of the listening series. To frame this topic they discuss three aspects of outward listening which include: quieting the self, allowing for silence, and honoring the other.You will hear: -How being a good listener is not an either/or -That all humans have the capacity to listen well and it is a capacity we can develop, and it shifts in various moments, situations, and times in our lives-Why every human needs to listen consciously in order to live fully-Some practical tools to support you in being able to listen well with otherswww.foxwoodcc.orgwww.alisteninglife.com

In this episode Becky and Bryce explore what it means to tune the ear of your heart, to listen inside oneself. You'll hear the hosts discuss how there is a deep wisdom that becomes available to us when we listen within. -The work of refining an inner ear is a life's work, but it is one of the best entryways into the fox, the soul or the true self. -Inner listening work is imperative to growth, knowing ourselves deeply and to feeling more regulated, peaceful and calm in our lives. -The inner wisdom that is accessed as we learn to listen within seems to maintain a simplicity and honesty to it, but it also holds transformational power. -Inner listening informs behavior that is filled with meaning, purpose and integrity. -We can learn to tune our inner ear more and more by giving ourselves permission to pause for brief moments.www.foxwoodcc.orgwww.alisteninglife.com

In this episode Bryce and Becky share a nested poem written by local author Kevin Anderson. Kevin is a respected psychologist, author and poet. You can find out more about him at his website www.thewingedlife.com At the beginning of the year, many of us are reflecting on where we want to go, what we want to do, changes we need to make, etc. No matter what threshold or decision or crossing you happen to find yourself at right now, this poem is an incredible gift for your path.  It is included in Kevin's book titled "Now is Where God Lives." You can buy this book and check out his other books at https://www.thewingedlife.com/kevin-anderson-books-storewww.foxwoodcc.org

In this episode Bryce and Becky welcome special guest Sara Best to the show to discuss the role of assessments in the world of self-awareness.  Sara is the Principal and Co-Founder of Real Good Ventures and a self-proclaimed "Boss-Hole Prevention Specialist." You will want check out her podcast called the Boss Hole Chronicles (https://www.realgoodventures.com/the-bosshole-chronicles.)In this episode you will hear about a handful of assessment tools including the Enneagram, the EQ-i 2.0, The Leadership Circle 360 and the Predictive Index.Each of these tools supports us in tapping into and then leveraging our strengths as well as identifying areas that need adjustment.  The data these tools provide can support us in getting out of the various kinds of drama in our lives by making challenging areas a little more transparent for us. Assessment tools can open the door to greater awareness, and with greater awareness come more choices and with more choices come more feelings of empowerment.www.foxwoodcc.orgwww.alisteninglife.comwww.realgoodventures.com

In this episode Bryce and Becky explore the topic of Paradox, and how it can be a powerful tool and framework  allowing us to be more self-aware. It can also support us to  make room for more nuance and truth in our inner world and in relationship to others.You will hear:- The hosts describe the paradox framework as used in the Foundations Program-Examples of common paradoxes-Personal stories involving paradox-Reference to Parker Palmer's book titled The Promise of Paradox-And morewww.foxwoodcc.orgwww.alisteninglife.com

In this episode Becky and Bryce share a poem by David Whyte, a poet who has deeply impacted each of them. David Whyte's writing explores the timeless relationship of human beings to their world, to creation, to others, and to the end of life itself.  He makes his home in the Pacific Northwest, where rain and changeable skies remind him of the other, more distant homes from which he comes: Yorkshire, Wales and Ireland.In this poetry break you'll hear the hosts read Everything Is Waiting For You a few times and then reflect on lines that stand out to each of them, followed by where those words intersect their own lived experiences.Use the link below to hear David Whyte read Everything Is Waiting For You, recorded when he was a guest at On Being.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmA4s8r630swww.foxwoodcc.org