Developed or less developed countries are classified based on a complex interplay of economic, social, and political factors. According to the United Nations, this classification reflects their basic economic conditions.  Understanding the differences between developed and less developed countries is essential for fostering empathy, promoting global cooperation and working towards a more equitable world.  Learn about economic and social indicators and challenges and how to use this knowledge to create more sustainable development and a more inclusive and prosperous world for all.

Original airdate: November 16, 2021 Many of us remember looking up at the stars as kids and wondering, “What IS out there?”  As we grow older, we try to seek answers by flipping through science magazines or following NASA’s newsfeed. According to my guest, Abigail Harrison, this is not only a healthy curiosity but also an excellent source of inspiration and wonder. Abigail Harrison, fondly known as “Astronaut Abby,” is an aspiring astronaut, author and co-founder of the international nonprofit organization The Mars Generation. She has interned at a NASA-funded astrobiology lab and has been featured in TIME, Forbes, Marie Claire, the BBC, and more. She currently works as a research scientist at Harvard Medical School. Abby believes that no one is ever too young or too old to pursue their dreams. In this interview, she inspires us with her philosophy and helps her rise to the top of her field. She also discusses the importance of space exploration and why it’s important and relevant in today’s world.

Our society tends to glamorize overnight success. But success, especially the type that lasts, is a long game.  Whether you are an entrepreneur starting a new venture or an individual working towards personal goals, you must learn how to pace yourself for success.  Learn the art of patience and take your journey toward success to new heights by applying these five strategies in your life.

Awakening is the greatest adventure we can undertake as human beings. My guest, Steve Taylor, says it’s a voyage of discovery that reveals exhilarating beauty and richness but may also expose us to challenges. As travelers, cultivating certain characteristics and perspectives can make our voyage more fruitful. Today, Steve will guide us on this path of enlightenment. Steve Taylor, PhD, is the author of The Adventure: A Practical Guide to Spiritual Awakening and many other bestselling books. He’s a senior lecturer in psychology at Leeds Beckett University and the chair of the Transpersonal Psychology Section of the British Psychological Society. Steve’s articles and essays have been published in over 100 academic journals, magazines, and newspapers, and he blogs for Scientific American and Psychology Today. In this conversation, Steve offers step-by-step practices for cultivating spiritual awakening and explains its impact on our lives. He touches on the eight essential qualities of wakefulness and how we can integrate those into our daily lives through rituals and practices.

Honesty is often emphasized as a foundational element in building and maintaining healthy relationships. However, finding the right balance between brutal honesty and loving honesty can be a delicate task.  Brutal honesty can lead to misunderstandings and hurt feelings, but sugarcoating can lead to a lack of relationship authenticity.  This article explores the fine line between brutal honesty and loving honesty and how to strike the right balance to cultivate healthier and happier relationships.

Original airdate: May 31, 2022 So many of us undervalue our own experience and overlook the wisdom that can support us daily. These habits of self-sabotage knock the wind out of our sails and keep us searching and grasping for what we have already realized. One way to overcome this is to see life as a unique epic journey and become aware of the transformation we experience through its peaks and valleys. To help us find inspiration, I invited Amy Edelstein. Amy Edelstein is the author of six books, including the award-winning The Conscious Classroom. Founder of the non-profit Inner Strength Education and recipient of a Philadelphia Social Innovator's award, Amy's work has empowered 17,000 teens in under-resourced schools with mindfulness and systems thinking. During our conversation, Amy shared what she learned during an epic journey she took in 1983 to the remote western corner of the Tibetan Plateau in Zanskar, India. She also offers ideas on how to view our own lives as journeys so that we feel empowered and immersed in the richness of everyday living.

Achieving success is an exhilarating journey filled with highs, lows, and unexpected twists. It is not a linear path but a dynamic and unpredictable journey.  Whether you're an entrepreneur, a professional, or an artist, mastering success requires unique skills and strategies.  In this article, we will explore how to handle the ups and downs of achievement, equipping you with the knowledge and tools to navigate through any challenge that comes your way.

The road to success isn't straight or simple. We will encounter obstacles, deviations and unexpected turns of events. But, often, the challenges we face don't come from the outside world but from within. My guest Lauren Zander says that we need to get out of our own way if we want to create the life we want with all our hearts. She's here to offer guidance on how to navigate our way through these blocks. Lauren Zander is the Co-Founder and Chairwoman of Handel Group®, an executive life coaching company. Her coaching methodology, The Handel Method®, is taught in over 50 universities and institutes of learning around the world, including MIT, Stanford Graduate School of Business, NYU, and the New York City Public School System. Lauren upholds a take-no-prisoners brand of radical personal accountability and has spent over 20 years coaching thousands of private and corporate clients to human better, including Hugh Jackman, Questlove, Miki Agrawal, and executives at Live Nation, Ticketmaster, Dropbox, BASF, and Sequoia. In this interview, Lauren sheds light on common inner barriers, including negative self-talk, an inability to confront the truth, procrastination and past family hurts we haven't healed. She also offers healthier and more empowering ways to approach everyday life that can elevate us. Link to Lauren’s course Inner U: https://www.inneru.coach/ ** Receive a $75 discount for the course by entering this exclusive coupon code for The Dream Catcher Podcast listeners: DREAMCATCHER75**

The exploration of human development has always fascinated researchers and scholars in the complex and ever-evolving field of psychology.  By understanding the stages of development, we can uncover the influences that shape our personalities, the critical milestones that mark our growth, and the factors that contribute to our mental well-being.  Learn about the different stages of development based on the works of well-known psychologists and how to apply the knowledge in your everyday life.

Original airdate: December 1, 2020 All of us want to find true love that lasts a lifetime. But the journey to finding the right person is anything but simple, especially in modern dating, where it’s easy to get stuck in unhealthy relationships. But, according to Susan Winter, a love coach and my guest today, we can all attract healthy love by shifting how we think and approach relationships. Susan is an internationally recognized relationship expert, bestselling author, and YouTube sensation. She writes, speaks, and coaches on dating issues, relationship challenges, and personal empowerment. Her 750 media credits include the Oprah Show, Cosmo magazine, CNN, and The Today Show.  In our conversation. Susan offers advice and tips on staying away from unhealthy relationships and getting over toxic patterns that prevent us from finding true love. Whether you’re single or someone wanting to improve your current relationship, you will find value in Susan’s words.

Cosmology is the study of the universe's origin, structure, and evolution at the scale of many millions of light-years.  The vastness of the cosmos is both humbling and awe-inspiring, presenting many untouched frontiers for scientists to explore.  But did you know that cosmology can also teach us valuable life lessons? Here are five lessons we can learn from exploring the cosmos that can enhance our understanding of ourselves and the world around us with insights that can enrich our everyday lives.

Nonverbal communication skills refer to the ability to communicate without the use of words. Over 80% of our communication is expressed nonverbally, making it a vital part of understanding what others are saying as well as communicating our own thoughts and feelings more effectively. Body language expert Linda Clemons is here to show us how to decode non-verbal cues. Linda Clemons, CEO of Sisterpreneur Inc., is one of the top sales and nonverbal communications experts in the world. She is an award-winning, record-setting sales producer as well as one of the top sales trainers in the world in the resort/timeshare industry, where clients have generated over two billion in sales. Linda has opened for or shared the stage with such notables as Oprah Winfrey, President Obama, Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple, Dr. Condoleezza Rice, and Mary Jo White, SEC Chair. In this interview, Linda offers her expert insights to unlock the secrets of people’s non-verbal communication, including the ability to read facial expressions, understand body language and effectively use eye contact. She shares how we can apply these skills in personal and professional settings and take our interpersonal skills to the next level.

The compound effect is the principle that when we consistently engage in small actions or habits, they compound over time to produce remarkable results.  Contrary to popular opinion, lasting change and success are rarely an overnight phenomenon. Instead, the small, seemingly insignificant habits we cultivate can create significant and lasting transformations over time.  In this episode, you'll learn more about the compound effect, including some practical strategies for incorporating it into your daily routines.

Original airdate: January 10, 2023 Have you ever wanted something so badly you couldn't get it off your mind? Whether it was a person, an opportunity, or a specific outcome, it consumed you. You may have tried everything and still weren't where you wanted to be, leaving you hopeless and frustrated. According to my guest Kute Blackson, the inner struggle we experience is unnecessary. We can move through the uncertainties of life when we embrace the path of spiritual surrender. In this interview, he’ll explain how. Kute Blackson is a beloved inspirational speaker and transformational teacher. He speaks at countless events he organizes around the world as well as at outside events including YPO, and EO. Winner of the 2019 Unity New Thought Walden Award, Blackson is widely considered a next generation leader in the field of personal development. During our conversation, Kute offers deeper insight into the power of surrender and how we can apply it in our daily lives. He offers perspectives on accepting reality with grace and wisdom and acting from a place of conscious awareness.

Anger is a powerful emotion that can lead to conflicts in relationships. It often begins with a subtle feeling of irritation and gradually escalates to extreme and chronic levels of rage.  An awareness of the triggers, the different stages of anger, and what each one looks like is crucial in gaining a deeper understanding of anger.  These coping mechanisms will equip you with the knowledge to navigate the stages of anger, cultivate healthier reactions, and resolve anger-related conflicts.

Ikigai is a Japanese phenomenon that roughly translates to “your reason for living,” but in reality, it means so much more. It includes the small everyday things as well as big goals and achievements. According to my guest Ken Mogi, Ikigai is the path to success and happiness in your own life. He is here to illustrate what he means by this. Ken Mogi is a neuroscientist, writer, and broadcaster based in Tokyo. He has published over thirty papers on cognitive science and neuroscience, and over one hundred books in Japan covering popular science, essay, criticism, and self-help. His books have sold close to one million copies. He is the author of Awakening Your Ikigai and The Way of Nagomi. During our conversation, Ken speaks about different facets of Ikigai and how each one plays out in Japanese culture. He also discusses the five pillars of Ikigai and how we can apply them to our everyday lives to create more meaning, harmony, joy and prosperity.

Wishing is something we did a lot as kids. This hopeful and idealistic state of wanting was seen as charming and acceptable then, but after we grew up, most people dismissed it, calling it naïve.  However, wishing, when done right, can be a powerful technique in the manifestation process. This heart-centered practice can align our inner worlds with what we want to attract in our lives.  Learn more about the power of wishes and other manifestation techniques and exercises to achieve your desires and dreams.

Original airdate: August 11, 2021 We’re all born whole, complete, and undivided. In other words, we’re born with integrity. But nature often clashes with culture. We may abandon parts of ourselves to please others, and in this way, we leave integrity and get off our path. My guest today, Dr. Martha Beck, will help us find our way back to full integrity based on the principles from her newest New York Times Best Selling book. “The Way of Integrity: Finding the Path to Your True Self.” Martha Beck is a New York Times bestselling author, life coach, and speaker. She holds three Harvard degrees in social science, and Oprah Winfrey has called her “one of the smartest women I know.” Martha is a passionate and engaging teacher known for her unique combination of science, humor, and spirituality. In this interview, Martha graces us with her wisdom, humor and experience to show us how to stay true to ourselves and remain committed to living a life of purpose and meaning.

History serves as a reminder of our shared humanity and continuous social evolution. It highlights the power of human ingenuity, resilience and collective progress.  By unraveling the different historical eras that shaped our world, we can learn about the triumphs and failures of our ancestors, gain a broader perspective on the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead, and find the wisdom to shape a better future.  Take a captivating journey through time to some of the most memorable eras in our history.

Do you sometimes feel like you’re holding yourself back from greater success, prosperity and joy? Many of us spend our entire lives struggling with different forms of self-sabotage - often with no end or solution in sight. But, according to my guest, Marisa Peer, there is a way to shift your thinking and ways of being that work for you instead of against you. She’s here to share her wisdom with us. Marisa Peer is the founder and creator of Rapid Transformational Therapy® (RTT®)—a new and exciting, multi-award-winning therapy. She has spent over three decades treating a client list that includes international superstars, CEOs, Royalty, and Olympic athletes. Marisa has been seen on many high-profile US and UK television networks. She is also an acknowledged inspirational speaker—from TEDx and Condé Nast to the Royal Society of Medicine. Marisa believes that all of us have the potential to reach great heights in every facet of our life. During our conversation, she explains how to reprogram our mind and remove internal blocks so that our thoughts, patterns and habits align with the person we want to become.