The Humanist

Chad Prevost

Embark on a transformative journey with The Humanist, a podcast that delves into the heart of what it means to lead a life true to yourself. In a world that often pulls us away from our core values and passions, The Humanist offers a sanctuary for those seeking to rediscover and embrace their authentic selves. Through captivating conversations with thought leaders, visionaries, and everyday heroes from Chattanooga and beyond, host Dr. Chad Prevost explores the profound question: Who are you, and what does it mean to be authentic? By sharing stories of individuals who have dared to break free from societal norms and expectations, The Humanist inspires listeners to embark on their own path of self-discovery and purposeful living. Leading an authentic life begins with leading yourself first. It's about having the courage to be true to who you are, even in the face of adversity. When you do the work to align your life with your deepest values and aspirations, you become a beacon of inspiration for others. Your authenticity becomes contagious, attracting those who yearn for the same level of fulfillment and purpose. At its core, designing your life is a creative act. The Humanist challenges the notion that creativity is reserved for a select few or limited to traditional artistic pursuits. Instead, the podcast embraces the idea that we are all inherently creative beings, capable of bringing new ideas, experiences, and realities into existence. By tapping into our innate creativity, we can shape our lives in ways that truly resonate with our souls. As we navigate the complexities of adulthood and the influences of our personalities and experiences, it's easy to lose sight of our authentic path. The Humanist serves as a compassionate guide, offering insights, strategies, and inspiration to help you reconnect with your true self and live the life you were called to live. Through thought-provoking solo episodes and interviews with remarkable individuals, The Humanist explores the intersection of psychology, spirituality, and personal development. By drawing on the latest research in positive psychology and timeless wisdom traditions, the podcast provides listeners with practical tools and insights to cultivate greater self-awareness, resilience, and purpose. Join Dr. Chad Prevost on this transformative journey as he seeks radical new ways to understand and practice what is real. Whether you're seeking to reignite your passion, discover your true calling, or simply live a more authentic and fulfilling life, The Humanist is your trusted companion. Subscribe now and embark on a path of self-discovery, creativity, and purposeful living. read less
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From Copywriter to Creative Maverick: Unpacking the Journey of Redefining Success and Chasing Authenticity
2d ago
From Copywriter to Creative Maverick: Unpacking the Journey of Redefining Success and Chasing Authenticity
The central focus of the first month's theme for The Humanist is understanding Authenticity. Why? Partly because the title of the podcast almost featured authenticity in the first place. Partly because authenticity seems to be having "a moment" culturally, and we aim to find out what's going on: How authentic is authenticity really when it comes to ways it's used an understood?Chad Prevost and Ben Cake discuss the challenges of maintaining authenticity in creative pursuits and leadership roles. They explore how advertising and marketing can perpetuate idealized versions of life, and the impact of judgment from others on one's creative identity. They also discuss the balance between artistic integrity and commercial success, using examples from various art forms. They explore the importance of living authentically and being willing to make changes to ensure satisfaction in one's creative pursuits.In the end, they don't arrive at hard conclusions, but the discussion itself does seem valuable. Authenticity, creativity, and snapshots in life.Ben Cake discusses authenticity, creativity, and the struggle to stay engaged with life.Speaker discusses how snapshots can be harmful, leading to unrealistic expectations and suffering.Exploring and acknowledging snapshots can help improve self-awareness and authenticity.Leadership, self-awareness, and the importance of following one's passions.Chad and Ben discuss the importance of leading oneself before leading others.Rick Rubin's success was due to luck and not planning.The value of persistence in creative fields despite lack of recognition or financial success.Chad admires writers who persist in publishing despite lack of recognition.Chad and Ben discuss the concept of mastery in writing and the challenges of achieving it.Ben argues that pursuing expertise can lead to a paradox where one becomes so focused on pleasing a narrow audience that they neglect to appeal to a broader one.Chad suggests that artists may feel sad or frustrated when they pour their heart and soul into their work, only to find that it goes unappreciated or unnoticed by a wider audience.Creativity, ambition, and judgment from others.The idea of commitment to art and family, and admiration for authors who commit to their craft despite potential regrets.On judgment from others and its impact on authenticity.Creative identity, authenticity, and career changes.On peaking early in their career and the challenges that come with it.The impact of criticism on one's self-narrative and identity.Find out more about Big Self School:Discover the transformative power of Big Self School, where personal growth meets professional development. Unlock your full potential and achieve your wildest dreams through our innovative courses, workshops, and coaching programs. Led by industry experts and thought leaders, Big Self School empowers you to break free from limiting beliefs, cultivate a growth mindset, and become the architect of your own success. Whether you're an entrepreneur, executive, or simply seeking to live your best life, Big Self School provides the tools, strategies, and support you need to thrive. Join our vibrant community of like-minded individuals and experience the life-changing impact of investing in your personal and professional growth with Big Self School.Book a discovery call hereOrder a copy of Chad’s

Episodes

From Copywriter to Creative Maverick: Unpacking the Journey of Redefining Success and Chasing Authenticity
2d ago
From Copywriter to Creative Maverick: Unpacking the Journey of Redefining Success and Chasing Authenticity
The central focus of the first month's theme for The Humanist is understanding Authenticity. Why? Partly because the title of the podcast almost featured authenticity in the first place. Partly because authenticity seems to be having "a moment" culturally, and we aim to find out what's going on: How authentic is authenticity really when it comes to ways it's used an understood?Chad Prevost and Ben Cake discuss the challenges of maintaining authenticity in creative pursuits and leadership roles. They explore how advertising and marketing can perpetuate idealized versions of life, and the impact of judgment from others on one's creative identity. They also discuss the balance between artistic integrity and commercial success, using examples from various art forms. They explore the importance of living authentically and being willing to make changes to ensure satisfaction in one's creative pursuits.In the end, they don't arrive at hard conclusions, but the discussion itself does seem valuable. Authenticity, creativity, and snapshots in life.Ben Cake discusses authenticity, creativity, and the struggle to stay engaged with life.Speaker discusses how snapshots can be harmful, leading to unrealistic expectations and suffering.Exploring and acknowledging snapshots can help improve self-awareness and authenticity.Leadership, self-awareness, and the importance of following one's passions.Chad and Ben discuss the importance of leading oneself before leading others.Rick Rubin's success was due to luck and not planning.The value of persistence in creative fields despite lack of recognition or financial success.Chad admires writers who persist in publishing despite lack of recognition.Chad and Ben discuss the concept of mastery in writing and the challenges of achieving it.Ben argues that pursuing expertise can lead to a paradox where one becomes so focused on pleasing a narrow audience that they neglect to appeal to a broader one.Chad suggests that artists may feel sad or frustrated when they pour their heart and soul into their work, only to find that it goes unappreciated or unnoticed by a wider audience.Creativity, ambition, and judgment from others.The idea of commitment to art and family, and admiration for authors who commit to their craft despite potential regrets.On judgment from others and its impact on authenticity.Creative identity, authenticity, and career changes.On peaking early in their career and the challenges that come with it.The impact of criticism on one's self-narrative and identity.Find out more about Big Self School:Discover the transformative power of Big Self School, where personal growth meets professional development. Unlock your full potential and achieve your wildest dreams through our innovative courses, workshops, and coaching programs. Led by industry experts and thought leaders, Big Self School empowers you to break free from limiting beliefs, cultivate a growth mindset, and become the architect of your own success. Whether you're an entrepreneur, executive, or simply seeking to live your best life, Big Self School provides the tools, strategies, and support you need to thrive. Join our vibrant community of like-minded individuals and experience the life-changing impact of investing in your personal and professional growth with Big Self School.Book a discovery call hereOrder a copy of Chad’s
The Humanist Trailer
2d ago
The Humanist Trailer
Subscribe now and start your journey to a more authentic life.Find out more about Big Self School:Discover the transformative power of Big Self School, where personal growth meets professional development. Unlock your full potential and achieve your wildest dreams through our innovative courses, workshops, and coaching programs. Led by industry experts and thought leaders, Big Self School empowers you to break free from limiting beliefs, cultivate a growth mindset, and become the architect of your own success. Whether you're an entrepreneur, executive, or simply seeking to live your best life, Big Self School provides the tools, strategies, and support you need to thrive. Join our vibrant community of like-minded individuals and experience the life-changing impact of investing in your personal and professional growth with Big Self School.Book a discovery call hereOrder a copy of Chad’s book Shock Point or order an ebook here.Leave us a review and subscribe on Apple iTunes or Subscribe on Spotify.Find us at bigselfschool.com
Final Episode as Big Self Show: Farewell and See You at The Humanist
Apr 15 2024
Final Episode as Big Self Show: Farewell and See You at The Humanist
Hey there, Big Self Show listeners!We want to take a moment to express our heartfelt gratitude for your unwavering support and loyalty throughout our incredible journey together. It's been an absolute pleasure exploring the depths of personal growth, self-discovery, and transformation with you.As we evolve and grow, so too does our podcast. We're thrilled to announce that we're embarking on a new and exciting chapter, and we'd love for you to join us on this next phase of our adventure.Now, we could have just replaced the Big Self Show with The Humanist and kept these thousands of downloads and all the benefits that come with that, but this is more than a rebrand. This is a whole new show. We’re going to let Big Self Show live on as it is and as it was. So, we’re are excited to direct your attention to The Humanist - a brand new podcast dedicated to helping you live your most genuine, purposeful, and fulfilling life. We'll be diving even deeper into the realms of psychology, spirituality, and creativity, bringing you the latest insights, tools, and strategies to help you unlock your full potential and become the architect of your own reality.A lot of what you came for already, yes, but with a more specific focus.Get ready for thought-provoking interviews with renowned experts, immersive solo episodes, and actionable wisdom you can apply to your daily life. We're committed to being your trusted companion on the path to self-actualization and authentic living.While the Big Self Show may be coming to a close, the spirit of our mission lives on in Authentic Life. We can't wait to continue this transformative journey with you.So, be sure to subscribe to Authentic Life wherever you listen to your podcasts. Follow us on social media for updates, behind-the-scenes content, and to join our vibrant community of like-minded individuals.From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for being a part of the Big Self Show family. We look forward to welcoming you to The Humanist and continuing to grow, learn, and thrive together.Until then, remember: your authentic self is waiting to be unleashed. Tune in to The Humanist and let's make it happen!
Leadership and the Longing to Belong with Jerry Colonna
Oct 23 2023
Leadership and the Longing to Belong with Jerry Colonna
Jerry Colonna is the CEO and co-founder of Reboot.io, and for nearly 20 years he has used the knowledge gained as an investor, an executive, and a board member for more than 100 organizations to help entrepreneurs and others to lead with humanity, resilience, and equanimity.Today, in particular, we are discussing his new book, Reunion. You can order it now from our show notes if you like. It’s available for pre-order until it releases on November 14. Reunion is a life-altering guide for today’s complex and divisive world. Its wise insights and practical advice will help create an inclusive and welcoming workspace, discover the best of who we are, and nurture and support those whom we are privileged to lead.Time Stamps:Leadership, belonging, and personal growth. 0:00The importance of being accepted and belonging to live their "big self."Personal responsibility and complicity in social issues. 10:00Complicity in power structures, with Chad emphasizing the importance of acknowledging one's role in perpetuating systems of oppression.Race, identity, and belonging. 22:37Jerry explores their family history and how they became racialized as white in the US.Near-death experience and disconnecting from oneself. 28:01Personal growth and overcoming toxicity. 36:26Empathy, kindness, and shared experiences. 44:22Empathy, belonging, and personal growth. 51:23The importance of self-reflection and personal growth in creating a more sustainable and equitable society.Show Notes: Reunion: Leadership and the Longing to BelongFind out more about Big Self School:We still offer our flagship burnout coaching package. We also offer packages for those seeking clarity and reconnecting to their life purpose–and we do this work with individuals and couples. Reach out to us if you’d like to book a discovery call and learn more about our coaching packages.Want to learn more about the role stress plays in your life, and discover your blueprint for how to handle it based on your Enneagram type and subtype? Book a discovery call hereJoin us at the Burnout to Big Self Facebook GroupOrder a copy of Chad’s
Psychedelics as a Tool for Growth and Healing with Matt Zemon
Oct 9 2023
Psychedelics as a Tool for Growth and Healing with Matt Zemon
For today's show we talk with Matt Zemon, a dedicated explorer of the inner world, and a passionate advocate for the thoughtful and responsible use of psychedelics. With a Master of Science in Psychology and Neuroscience of Mental Health with honors from King’s College London, Matt has studied the effects of psychedelics on the mind and the potential for these experiences to serve as a catalyst for positive transformations.His work in this field is motivated by a profound desire to help people navigate the sometimes challenging terrain of the psychedelic experience, and emerge from it with a deeper sense of purpose, connection, and understanding. To reclaim their true self.Matt is the author of the Amazon Best-Seller, Psychedelics for Everyone: A Beginner’s Guide to these Powerful Medicines for Anxiety, Depression, Addiction, PTSD, and Expanding Consciousness. As an entrepreneur in the wellbeing sector, Matt has co-founded various companies, including HAPPŸŸ, a mental wellness company specializing in psychedelic-assisted ketamine therapy, PSYCHABLE, an online community connecting people who would like to explore the healing power of psychedelics with a network of practitioners and psychedelic-based treatments, and TAKE2MINUTES, a nonprofit dedicated to helping individuals improve their mental health and wellbeing.Time Stamps:Responsible use of psychedelics for personal growth. 4:41Unlearning cultural conditioning around scarcity and competition to embrace abundance and collaboration.Psychedelics as an alternative to antidepressants. 10:44Neuroscientist advocates for brain growth and learning throughout life, despite common misconceptions.Ketamine use for mental health treatment and microdosing. 14:56Ketamine has powerful antidepressant and anxiolytic effects, but can be addictive and lead to bladder issues with long-term use.Using psychedelics to overcome substance use disorders. 20:46Unknown Speaker discusses microdosing, a controversial practice where individuals take small amounts of psychedelics to enhance creativity, connection, and mental health.Psychedelic experiences and their spiritual significance. 27:34Chad shares personal experiences with psychedelics in the 1990s, reflecting on their spiritual significance despite illegal nature.Psychedelics for personal growth and healing. 33:19The potential benefits and risks of psychedelics, with Matt Zemon emphasizing the importance of proper preparation and integration for a positive experience.Personal growth and healing through meditation and therapy. 38:55Consciousness and healing with Matt Zeeman. 45:33Show Notes: Find Matt Zemon at his LinkedIn Page...
Step into the Mood You Want to Live In
Oct 3 2023
Step into the Mood You Want to Live In
"Anyone can become angry-that is easy. But to be angry with the right person, to theright degree, at the right time, for the right purpose, and in the right way-this is noteasy."  –AristotleAs human beings, we sometimes fail to make desired changes despite good ideas and great intentions. Daniel Goleman coined the necessary emotional intelligence to make desired or unforeseen changes.However, knowing that you lack some emotional intelligence is not enough for you to be more emotionally intelligent. Missing is how do we go about learning the necessary emotional intelligence? As is often the case, understanding what we do over and over and why may not lead to successful changes.With all our knowledge and skills, smart, successful people get stuck, are blind to options and create messes for themselves or others.Here’s what we want you to get from listening to this episode: Gain emotional insight that you never had before: The ability to recognize the emotions that keep you where you are and the skill to leave them for a more useful one. With practice we can in fact learn new emotions and leave others behind for a time. Is there an emotion you’d like to leave behind or one you’d like to visit more often?Time Stamps:Moods and their impact on daily life. 0:02Chad and Shelley discuss their moods and practices, sharing tangible ways to improve one's life.Chad argues that moods are overlooked and impact daily life, encouraging self-awareness to recognize and manage them.Emotions, moods, and self-awareness. 4:30Shelley Prevost: Emotions are chemical experiences that are fleeting but involuntary, and can be influenced and practiced through self-awareness and self-mastery.Chad Prevost: Being emotional is natural, but being overly emotional can be criticized, and emotional life can be influenced and practiced through self-awareness and self-mastery.Chad and Shelley discuss the role of emotions in their podcast recording, with Chad expressing frustration at external distractions and Shelley highlighting the importance of awareness and commanding emotions.Aristotle's ideas on emotions are mentioned, with Chad wondering if humans have evolved since his time.Emotional awareness and managing negative emotions. 10:06Chad and Shelley discuss the difference between unconscious and conscious emotions, with Chad highlighting the importance of awareness in managing emotions.Chad identifies as an Enneagram type four, often thinking about what is missing or lacking in his life.Emotional idealization and its impact on mental well-being. 15:22Chad discusses idealization and its impact on his emotions.He acknowledges that this idealization can lead to disappointment and melancholy, and suggests practicing awareness of emotions as a way to address this issue.Emotional states and moods. 20:53Shelley and Chad discuss the concept of "acceptance" as an antidote to negative emotions like resentment, anger, and resignation.Shelley identifies pride as a common example of an emotional...
Tame Anxiety to Speak Faster and Smarter with Matt Abrahams
Sep 25 2023
Tame Anxiety to Speak Faster and Smarter with Matt Abrahams
Many of us dread having to convey our ideas to others, often feeling ill-equipped, anxious, and awkward.Public speaking experts help by focusing on planned communication experiences such as slide presentations, pitches, or formal talks. Yet, most of our professional and personal communication occurs in spontaneous situations that creep up on us and all too often leave us flustered and stumbling for words. How can we rise to the occasion when we’re put on the spot?In THINK FASTER, TALK SMARTER communication expert, Stanford lecturer, and host of the popular podcast, Think Fast, Talk Smart: The Podcast, Matt Abrahams provides tangible, actionable skills to help even the most anxious of speakers succeed when communicating and speaking spontaneously. Thinking faster and talking smarter Abrahams argues is not an innate skill that requires natural talent, and can actually be learned through preparation and practice. He provides science-based strategies for managing anxiety, responding to the mood of the room, and communicating in concise, relevant, compelling, and memorable ways regardless of the audience.Especially important in today’s frantic, multi-tasking world, Abrahams draws on research from a variety of fields including psychology, biology, anthropology, communication, and improvisation along with stories from his clients and students, to offer best practices for: navigating difficult conversations, responding to impromptu questioning, shining in job interviews, providing effective feedback, making small talk, apologizing, persuading others, and responding to spontaneous digital communication like text and email.Whether it’s speaking in front of others in meetings or conversations with family, friends, colleagues or a manager, learning to speak spontaneously can help us get out of our own way, and show up for some of the most meaningful moments in life—moments that often catch us by surprise, short circuiting our intelligence and leaving us to project just a fraction of our true personalities. Abrahams argues that by training ourselves to think and speak on our feet, and reacting in ways that come across as coherent, compelling, and unmistakably genuine, we can learn to be more of who we really are in the moment, and convey more of what we really think.THINK FASTER, TALK SMARTER is an accessible guide to communication that helps readers master new techniques to better communicate in our fast-paced times.Time Stamps:Communication, presence, and spontaneous speaking. 0:00The inner work and outer impact, myth-busting speaking skills.Spontaneous speaking and managing anxiety in public situations. 4:52Effective listening and spontaneous speaking techniques. 10:09A technique called pace, space, grace, which involves physically moving and giving oneself permission to listen to both what's being said and what's being felt within oneself.Improving spontaneous speaking skills. 15:40Communication structure and anxiety management. 19:28Embracing spontaneity in communication.
Control Impulsive Behavior with These Three Steps
Sep 22 2023
Control Impulsive Behavior with These Three Steps
“He who conquers others is strong, but he who conquers himself is mighty.” –Lao SzuSo often impulsive behaviors keep us stuck or keep us feeling helpless. From little things to small, it can be hard to stop, especially when we start thinking about the thing. In fact, it’s almost like we spend our day waiting for the moment when we will just give in to the behavior.From overeating to drinking to email checking to phone checks to gambling to eating ice cream at night to flipping someone off on the highway to getting triggered on Facebook when someone has an experience that makes us jealous, we often feel like must get our fix before we can be “free.” The truth about freedom is not doing whatever you want in the exterior world, that leads to paradoxically the opposite. Actually, you’ll find that restraint from your developed inner world, leads you to the very freedom you desire. Remember: Start small. It’s not going to work every time.Consider it practice. How does practice work? It’s usually not great the first time. It takes consistency and it takes will, and over time it does get easier to do and it does become more effective as you practice it.Time Stamps:Impulsive behaviors and how to take back control. 0:03Chad and Shelley discuss impulsive behaviors as patterns of habitual control, leading to enslavement.Chad suggests paying attention to automatic habits and patterns without judgment before attempting the 1-2-3 practice.Self-mastery and addiction recovery. 8:44The importance of self-mastery in the second half of life, with a focus on identifying and overcoming limiting beliefs and behaviors.Chad and Shelley discuss the quote from Lao Tzu, "He who conquers others is strong. But he who conquers himself is mighty." (0:11:01)Practicing self-awareness and filling inner emptiness. 13:32Practice paying attention to inner experience to avoid compulsive behaviors and feel more whole.Chad guides listeners to imagine their resistances and reorient themselves to fill emotional voids.Chad guides listeners to visualize a blue flame for life energy and connection.Self-control and personal growth through practical exercises. 20:34Practice inquiring into resistances to heal yourself, rather than blaming external factors.Freedom, confidence, and leadership gained through self-restraint practice.Show Notes:Find out more about Big Self SchoolWe still offer our flagship burnout coaching package. We also offer packages for those seeking clarity and reconnecting to their life purpose. Reach out to us if you’d like to book a discovery call and learn more about our coaching packages.Want to learn more about the role stress plays in your life, and discover your blueprint for how to handle it based on your Enneagram type and subtype? Book a discovery call hereJoin us at the
Is Change Possible without Awareness? with Reut Schwartz-Hebron
Sep 4 2023
Is Change Possible without Awareness? with Reut Schwartz-Hebron
Reut Schwartz-Hebron was born in Jerusalem. She is a Certifying Partner at KCI (KeyChange Institute). She is a leading expert at the intersection of neuroscience and challenging change. Reut trains and certifies change leaders to use Neuroscience-based models to support people through transitions. Today we discuss her opinions about everything related to the personality and whether or not we really can change. Spoiler alert: We can change--and maybe for a lot longer than you ever imagined.But why? and how?Time Stamps: How we interact with discomfort associated with change. 9:49Most people aren't going to be moved to want to dig deep until something is failing or not working with their pre-frontal projected rehearsed self.Think of discomfort as a nourishment. 15:34The first mountain of life, the first mountain, the second mountain, and how to move forward on it.Why awareness is not a requirement for transformation. 20:22Awareness has a wonderful role in our lives and is supportive of transformative processes, but it is not a requirement from a neuroscience perspective.Being more aware is an explicit function. 27:00Awareness is an explicit system function, and without awareness, certain exercises will transform.Addiction is not black and white. There is a chemical aspect to addiction, which means that certain people after they have been addicted long enough or have used substances.How do you avoid discomfort? 34:44The idea of neuroplasticity.Personality is a construct of current preferences.How long does it take to change an organizational pattern? 44:22Kindness is not a naivete. It's a powerhouse.You can change simple as you can change. 48:39Kindness has nothing to do with being nice. Kindness is not just about being nice, but also about respect.You can change, even if you don't want to.Show Notes: Outswim the Sharks: How to Quadruple Your Team’s Productivity with KindnessThe Art and Science of Changing People Who Don’t Want to ChangeFind out more about Big Self SchoolWe offer our flagship burnout coaching package, as well as packages for leaders. We also offer opportunities for those seeking clarity and reconnecting to their life purpose–and we do this work with individuals and couples. Reach out to us if you’d like to book a discovery call and learn more about our coaching packages.Want to learn more about the role stress plays in your life, and discover your blueprint for how to handle it based on your Enneagram...
Meaning in the Second Half of Life with James Hollis
Aug 28 2023
Meaning in the Second Half of Life with James Hollis
Today we speak with Dr. James Hollis, a speaker, professor, Jungian analyst, and bestselling author of 19 books examining life and how to cherish every moment. His world-renowned books, Finding Meaning in the Second Half of Life, The Eden Project, What Matters Most, and Living an Examined Life, have been translated into over twenty languages. We discuss his latest book, A Life of Meaning, which examines the qualities that bring meaning to our human journey. Our culture tells us to seek wealth, power, prestige, or even enrollment in someone else’s idea of a worthy cause—yet where do we turn when these paths fail to fulfill our need for purpose? “When the old stories and beliefs that once defined us have played out and grown exhausted,” teaches Dr. James Hollis, “our task is to access our inner compass, the promptings of the psyche that help us find our way through the complex thickets of choice.” Hollis offers an examination of myth, literature, historical figures, and the wisdom of depth psychology that provides penetrating insight into the search for purpose. In A Life of Meaning, Hollis offers no easy answers or feel-good certainties—instead, he shares his most valuable questions and reflections to help you find the courage, persistence, and inspiration to navigate your own odyssey. Time Stamps:Defining the concept of big self. 6:38It is important to define how the word self is used in any given paragraph or conversation.All of us are either serving or running from the instructions of our culture in the first half, with some exceptions, but mostly in the second half of life, about surrendering to something larger than our instructions or our complexes or personal history.The middle passage, the adolescent passage and the final passage, mortality.The middle passage trough of despair. 13:40What to do when your boss is a jerk? 17:28The importance of reflecting on the nature of his work and asking himself what is his task now. Finding your own personal guidance system. 23:25The process of discernment.One of the dilemmas is, if I choose this path, it could risk my relationship.Fear and lethargy are the enemies of life. Fear is the seduction of that part of me that wants an easy path. Jung says the greatest burden a child must bear is the unlived life of the parent.Talk is cheap, change is difficult, and it always costs something.The collective unconscious and the wounded healer. 29:53Empathic caregivers bear the weight of a collective system of unreality, not tuning into human needs, and not tuning in to human needs.What is the wounded healer complex? 34:03Some people need to leave the profession to save their lives. Others need to take more breaks and recognize the symptoms of burnout.The wounded healer complex is a neutral word like an airport complex or...
You Have to Feel to Heal with Brian Bogert
Aug 21 2023
You Have to Feel to Heal with Brian Bogert
Brian Bogert is a passionate performance coach, motivational speaker, business strategist, top sales professional and philanthropic leader who believes in helping growth-minded individuals achieve the best version of themselves: their most authentic selves.Brian teaches how to leverage radical authenticity and awareness to create the intentional life you’ve been dreaming of, but have struggled to create on your own. His revolutionary strategy—embrace pain to avoid suffering—has helped individuals, groups and entire companies break beyond their normal to achieve the success in life and business that they’ve always wanted. Time Stamps:What does being in your big self mean to you? 2:08The power of a singular choice and the ripple effect. 5:40This is a new time and we are living in different times. 11:16How I became aware of how disconnected I was. 15:24Realizing how disconnected he was at 20.Human connection without emotion is not human connection.Suffering is a will and a skill. 20:12Self-awareness is a will and a skill.Viktor frankl and the unique opportunity.Why vulnerability and authenticity are so important in healing? 23:13The importance of vulnerability and authenticity.Intellectual vs. emotional connection. 26:21There are 40,000 brain-like cells in the heart.Integrating the body and emotions with thoughts.The two ways to become the protector and connector.The soft front and strong spine.The importance of starting with yourself. 32:38Starting with yourself, regardless of the dynamics.Podcast Flipping the LidFind out more about Big Self SchoolWe still offer our flagship burnout coaching package. We also offer packages for those seeking clarity and reconnecting to their life purpose–and we do this work with individuals and couples. Reach out to us if you’d like to book a discovery call and learn more about our coaching packages.Want to learn more about the role stress plays in your life, and discover your blueprint for how to handle it based on your Enneagram type and subtype? Book a discovery call hereJoin us at the Burnout to Big Self Facebook GroupOrder a copy of Chad’s
The Hare Versus the Tortoise Retold with Joe Sanok
Aug 14 2023
The Hare Versus the Tortoise Retold with Joe Sanok
Joe Sanok is a productivity researcher, business consultant, and creator of the popular The Practice of the Practice podcast. Let’s just say Joe gets a lot done, but he does manage to do this with his ideas of hard and soft boundaries and clearly delineating the lines between what is work and what is play. There is a lot to learn from Joe, his approach, and the initiatives he’s started through his book and from his programs.Joe shares with us that if we say we want to figure out how to focus more on what’s important when it’s time to focus, we need to prioritize when we’re working and when we’re going to boundary time for play. We learn how to apply these principles to customize them for your own situation to be more productive at work while enjoying more leisure time.Time Stamps:The story of the tortoise and the hare. 6:25Tortoise and hare story.Hare did it right, but they didn't have the right tools.Adopt a learner’s mindset. 9:47Experimentations on the book.How to avoid burnout by going rock climbing. 15:23Why is it important to take action? 18:02The three p’s of podcast launch. 22:24The full humanity of our life experience. 31:00Joe’s curiosity test. 38:32Show Notes:http://joesanok.com/manifestohttps://joesanok.com/experiments/https://joesanok.com/testAnd use the code TITNY for a free testCheck out his book: Thursday is the New FridayFind out more about Big Self SchoolWe still offer our flagship burnout coaching package. We also offer packages for those seeking clarity and reconnecting to their life purpose–and we do this work with individuals and couples. Reach out to us if you’d like to book a discovery call and learn more about our coaching packages.Want to learn more about the role stress plays in your life, and discover your blueprint for how to handle it based on your Enneagram type and subtype? Book a discovery call hereJoin us at the Burnout to Big Self Facebook GroupOrder a copy of Chad’s
Why We Overwork
Aug 11 2023
Why We Overwork
Chad and Shelley explore the reasons behind why we overwork. They examine the beliefs behind overworking, and consider how and when we can begin to dismantle those beliefs and pursue second mountain work.Time Stamps:Why do I overwork? 0:02We all have a big self and pursuing it is fully, but most of us let fear persuade us not to pay attention to the episodes.We live in a meritocracy and competition. 2:00Workaholism overwork is a term that was coined in 1971 by a psychologist.Being led by our egos. 3:47A lot of us get to a point where we have been led by our egos, which is a necessary part of self-development.A client recently asked why she was a workaholic.Why we are workaholics. 5:02The ego believes that the ego needs to be workaholics in order to survive, and that overworking is 100% all the time.James hollis, accumulation and attachment are unconscious.The ego and the conflation of identity. 7:18The stakes were really high. 9:10The first mountain experience.Why do I want to keep doing this? 10:55If there is no friction or no breaking down, why would you want to keep doing this?The five regrets of the dying. 12:49The tipping point is wanting it, because if you don't, it's all moot.Work from the soul is more fulfilling than work from ego. 14:38Surrendering work from the soul is hard work, but it is more fulfilling than work that comes from the ego.Show Notes:Find out more about Big Self SchoolWe still offer our flagship burnout coaching package. We also offer packages for those seeking clarity and reconnecting to their life purpose. Reach out to us if you’d like to book a discovery call and learn more about our coaching packages.Want to learn more about the role stress plays in your life, and discover your blueprint for how to handle it based on your Enneagram type and subtype? Book a discovery call hereJoin us at the Burnout to Big Self Facebook GroupOrder a copy of Chad’s
The Habits of Stillness and Community with Ed Bacon
Aug 7 2023
The Habits of Stillness and Community with Ed Bacon
You may be familiar with him from his Super Soul Sunday radio series and his popular interview with Oprah from over ten years ago. Whether or not you've heard him--or of him--Reverend Ed Bacon has a second mountain message we could all use in our lives.The Reverend was ordained an Episcopal priest after serving as Mercer University’s Minister to Students and Dean of Students as a Southern Baptist minister. He was dean of the cathedral in Jackson, Ms. and rector of churches in Dalton, Georgia and Pasadena, California from which he “retired” in 2016. He says he flunked retirement in 2018 when he became interim rector at St. Luke’s, Atlanta where he had been ordained in 1983. He and his wife, Hope, moved to Hoover, Alabama in 2016 to be near their grandchildren. Now he travels, teaching how our Oneness in Love overcomes our fear-based separateness. He expresses this spiritual way of life in his book, 8 Habits of Love. His missions also include creation care including helping to save the Pando forest in southern Utah, interspirituality, healing grief and trauma, and dismantling systems of all forms of bigotry and oppression.Today, he shares with us is the inspiring and challenging depths we can get to on a regular basis if we’re able to get still with ourselves. The wisdom, the ability to let go of our egoic fears, and hold on to the things that we say we value, are all a part of the message and ideas he shares with us today.Time Stamps:What does living in your big self mean to you? 3:28The ego and its purpose.Making decisions based on ego strength. 9:09Stillness is a superpower. 14:52The ocean metaphor.Advice for the average person who hears this message. 19:50How to become more aware of distractions.How to make yourself still and quiet.How stillness opens up the learner's mindset. 22:50The difference between fear and love.The difference between the learner’s mind and the learners mind. 28:18Community and practicing the habit of community.Thomas Merton and community. 33:11One of history's greatest spiritual revelations, the "Louisville Epiphany."Community is the root of unity.The sweetness of the second mountain. 38:20Habits of love are interconnected.The sweetness of the second mountain.Stillness and the gift of stillness. 44:35Show Notes:His 2012 interview with OprahTwitter: @RevEdBaconFacebook:...
What Do You Do When You Find Yourself in a Toxic Work Environment?
Aug 4 2023
What Do You Do When You Find Yourself in a Toxic Work Environment?
“Toxic” cultures aren’t all the same. They’re caused by different poinsons. So start there. Bad boss? Unrealistic expectations? Systemic overload?How you answer this will determine how you respond. How do we define “toxic”? An environment that’s incompatible with YOUR wellbeing. Wellbeing consists of physical, emotional, intellectual, relational and spiritual wellbeing. But if you aren’t at an institution with well-documented and widespread dysfunction, if you are at a relatively normal place with its typical interpersonal human drama, then ask the questions we offer up in this episode.Time Stamps:The definition of toxic culture. 1:19Shifting your beliefs and expectations. 4:29Awareness that a job is not what is good for you is an indication of movement in your life.A startup environment and leadership roles. 9:41What conversation am I avoiding that will go well? 10:52What is a projection? 12:03Start with yourself. 15:28The one takeaway is to start with yourself when it comes to dealing with your Show Notes:Find out more about Big Self SchoolWe still offer our flagship burnout coaching package. We also offer packages for those seeking clarity and reconnecting to their life purpose–and we do this work with individuals and couples. Reach out to us if you’d like to book a discovery call and learn more about our coaching packages.Want to learn more about the role stress plays in your life, and discover your blueprint for how to handle it based on your Enneagram type and subtype? Book a discovery call hereJoin us at the Burnout to Big Self Facebook GroupOrder a copy of Chad’s book Shock Point or order an ebook here.Leave us a review and
Relationships are Mirrors to Our Souls with Judy K. Herman
Jul 31 2023
Relationships are Mirrors to Our Souls with Judy K. Herman
Judy K. Herman inspires executive women to unlock the power of their authentic selves in order to live peaceful, purposeful, and positive lives without regret. She provides keynotes, seminars, and workshops for companies who support women in leadership while honoring authentic work relationships and cultures. Her clinical and personal experiences enhance her work as an executive coach providing skills and resources that change organizations and family trees.Time Stamps:How Judy became a psychotherapist. 6:08Being a psychotherapist, raising four children and having five grandchildren.Marrying a second time.How to begin to work on yourself. 12:23Relationships shift when one person grows.Relationships are mirrors to us and our souls.Growing in self-awareness and relationship awareness.The dynamics of family relationships. 16:54How to become more aware of your patterns? 21:40Becoming more aware of family patterns.The beginner's mind and the growth mindset.How to make sense when conversations go sideways.Self awareness takes the will and the skill. 26:48The experience of building a business. 31:42The enneagram and how it affects relationships. 36:08Show Notes:Author of Beyond Messy Relationships: Divine Invitations To Your Authentic SelfAnd Relationships with PurposeBetter Relationships, Better Life PodcastFind out more about Big Self SchoolWe still offer our flagship burnout coaching package. We also offer packages for those seeking clarity and reconnecting to their life purpose–and we do this work with individuals and couples. Reach out to us if you’d like to book a discovery call and learn more about our coaching packages.Want to learn more about the role stress plays in your life, and discover your blueprint for how to handle it based on your Enneagram type and subtype? Book a discovery call hereJoin us at the Burnout to Big Self Facebook GroupOrder a copy of Chad’s
Enneagram Arrows as Growth Directives and Directions
Jul 28 2023
Enneagram Arrows as Growth Directives and Directions
We hear a lot of language around using Enneagram arrows in this "growth" and "stress" language, and we'd like to be a part of putting that theory to rest. At least, we'd like to offer a better alternative to thinking of it in a simpler, and also slightly more accurate way. We want to "hit the bullseye" when it comes to our arrows. You can go to your first arrow--what we call the "energizing" arrow--in both growth and stress. You can also go to your second arrow--what we call the "resolution" arrow--in growth and stress as well. Just as you can go to either of your wings in growth and stress, the same is true with arrow work. We discuss what going to your first arrow means, as well as your second. We clarify the terms so that it is clear that it doesn't have to do with stress whether we are going to the first or second. It happens in either. The bottom line is that in terms of growth work, we aim for the high sides of our arrows, which typically means we are going their consciously and intentionally until we have developed the memory muscle (so to speak) to inhabit the higher sides with less effort and greater efficacy.This is all growth work. None of it is easy per se. But we'd like to improve upon how we use some of our terms to help make the work a little more clear and a little more accurate. In that way, we're offering up a simpler way to conduct the conscious development of our growth work.Time Stamps:What are wings? 1:24Arrow theories and how they challenge conventional wisdom.Wings are not subtypes.The difference between style and type. 4:30What does a really healthy one have to teach me? 7:46Being aware of unconscious tendencies to withdraw. 9:03Awareness of tendencies both in five and three.Bigger jumps. 11:50Direct vs. confrontational energy. 15:07You can go to either one of the arrows. 18:13The enneagram is not just another typology. 21:03Find out more about Big Self SchoolWe still offer our flagship burnout coaching package. We also offer packages for those seeking clarity and reconnecting to their life purpose–and we do this work with individuals and couples. Reach out to us if you’d like to book a discovery call and learn more about our coaching packages.Want to learn more about the role stress plays in your life, and discover your blueprint for how to handle it based on your Enneagram type and subtype? Book a discovery call hereJoin us at the
Clarity, Confidence, and Courage with Heather Penny
Jul 24 2023
Clarity, Confidence, and Courage with Heather Penny
Dr. Heather Penny is a leadership coach and trusted advisor helping individuals and organizations achieve their goals guided by the 3C's: Clarity, Confidence, and Courage. With a Ph.D. in Human Services and an M.A. in Educational Leadership, Dr. Penny is uniquely positioned to help leaders and teams find their shared vision, develop confidence in their roles, and take action to achieve the success and the lives they were made for. She is fun and engaging and has a clear and authentic message for how to truly aspire to living a more intentional life: one where we intentionally choose what we want to invite in and what we choose to reject and keep out.She is a sought-after speaker, host of The Life You're Made For podcast, and author of The Life You're Made For: Finding Clarity, Confidence, and Courage to be Fully AliveTime Stamps:What first comes to mind when you think of the big self? 2:27How to cultivate clarity, confidence and courage. 5:43The three c's of clarity, confidence and courage.Taking practical action out of a vulnerability. 10:35The importance of confidence and courage. 12:27The value of transformation coaching as transactional. 17:20Finding her tire swing.The power of inviting in and rejecting. 22:22How to live a life of intentionality.How to make difficult choices.Taking responsibility for your mistakes. 25:11Handling difficult conversations and spiraling up out of anxiety.Step into the conversation and own it.How to have difficult conversations in the workplace. 30:29How to be transparent in a workplace.The first question to ask in difficult conversations.Leading with good intent.Leading with confidence and courage. 34:34The importance of leading from a position of care.Show Notes:The Life You're Made For: Finding Clarity, Confidence, and Courage to be Fully AliveFind out more about Big Self SchoolWe still offer our flagship burnout coaching package. We also offer packages for those...
A Different Wiring Structure with Tom Gautreaux
Jul 21 2023
A Different Wiring Structure with Tom Gautreaux
Tom Gautreaux is one of those what we call local legends that we organically find opportunity to speak with. These easygoing conversations focus around building an identity–a self–that finds success in the world, and how they have experienced building a life in ways that sometimes haven’t, but mostly have, flourished. Tom’s our next door neighbor. His father is the well-known novelist and short-story writer, Tim Gautreaux. Tom shows up in this episode with how he grew up and how that shaped him, and how a vocation found him that kept him sustained and excited for all these years. I find the conversation warmed up and we ended up landing on generational work style differences, social media, leadership, the art and challenge of giving effective feedback, and the issue of doing a hard thing every day.Like all of our guests for Season Five, this is an organic and unscripted conversation.Time Stamps:Not all lawyers will be happy being lawyers. 0:00Generational work style differences, social media leadership, art.How did you get started in law? 3:13The importance of being exposed to different management styles and personalities.Burnout and proving value.How did you become an addict to work hard? 7:43The myth of being a rock in an island.Mentor/coach/guiding light.How do you view success? 11:40Millennials burnout and digital natives. 17:15Differences between the younger generation and our generation. 21:18Employees view things differently than students.Employees are more attune to work-life balance.Finding what you love to do. 24:33How to be effective at giving feedback. 29:06The importance of being effective at giving feedback.How to become a very effective leader.Do one thing every day that scares you every day. 35:55Find out more about Big Self SchoolWe still offer our flagship burnout coaching package. We also offer packages for those seeking clarity and reconnecting to their life purpose–and we do this work with individuals and couples. Reach out to us if you’d like to book a discovery call and learn more about our coaching packages.Book a discovery call hereWant to learn more about the role stress plays in your life, and discover your blueprint for how to handle it based on your Enneagram type and...
Listening to Our Disconnection with Lyndsey Medford
Jul 17 2023
Listening to Our Disconnection with Lyndsey Medford
We are living in a world that is sick. Both literally sick, with 60 percent of adults in the US living with a chronic illness and rising rates of autoimmune diseases in particular, including long COVID, and figuratively sick, facing ever increasing rates of burnout, anxiety, and disconnection.As a writer, activist, and theology student, Lyndsey Medford was used to critiquing unsustainable medical, environmental, economic, and social systems from a theoretical perspective. But when her autoimmune disorder roared out of remission, she discovered that her own body's systems lived at the very real vortex of all those systems' dysfunction.Learning to cooperate with her body would require her to change every aspect of her life--and in the process, to seek a radical reimagining of the world, from a place where sickness is an individual affliction to an interdependent ecosystem where sustainability is a community way of life. In this beautiful and inspiring book, Medford draws on her experiences with a rare autoimmune disease to illuminate the broader lessons we need to learn, in order to heal what ails us individually and communally. Whether our burnout stems from illness, systemic racism, poverty, or simply sin's separation, we're all in need of hope, and we are called to heal together.My Body and Other Crumbling Empires points out the beauty and ubiquity of our limitations; the importance of accessibility, broadly construed; the interconnected nature of individual and public health; and the badly needed wisdom we have gained from living with our particular bodies.Time Stamps:How much is available to me to support my body? 0:00Introduction to today’s show. 1:33The big self vs the liberal self.The meaning of the term big self.Using your body as a launching point for spiritual connection. 5:05The disconnection from her body for years.How she learned to recognize her spiritual connection.The importance of connecting to your body. 8:22The third part of her journey.Transactional vs transformational coaching.Rediscovering yourself and how that is healing.Understanding the complexity of the immune system. 12:55Understanding the immune system and autoimmunity.Getting back to back all the way to fixing.How to deal with perfectionism. 16:37Overworking perfectionism and the church culture.Struggle with the auto-immune experience.Connecting to the world. 20:33Healing for a world that is sick.Do one thing that scares you every day.Relating across the differences of society right now.How good it feels to be in community.Why was that not a very nice side of the house? 26:34The liberating simplicity of...