Episodes
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This episode brings home many of the topics we discussed over the past two seasons. Conflict consultant and award-winning author Michael McRay has traveled to Israel, Palestine, Northern Ireland, and Africa studying conflict and resolution. These experiences inspired Michael to build his own company, Becoming Restoried, which uses the power of story to make meaning, heal harm, and repair relationships.
Michael takes us around the world, sharing his personal interviews with people who were deeply divided but came together despite all odds. Michael also opens up about his own journey of finding peace with himself, which inspired his life’s work.
Links to Michael’s work and his TEDx Talk are below.
Becoming Restoried:
https://www.becomingrestoried.com/
Book - I Am Not Your Enemy:
https://www.amazon.com/Am-Not-Your-Enemy-Transform/dp/1513805932
TEDx Talk:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1g8EREBbdxY
*Special note: Mental health topics including suicide are discussed during this conversation. If you or someone you know is in crisis, please call or text 988. Wherever you are, please know you are not alone and people are on call at all hours to help you.
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It’s been an eventful month in Northern Ireland. I was fortunate to be in Belfast as the region celebrated 25 years with the Good Friday peace agreement. The politics in Northern Ireland today are far from perfect, but sectarian violence has decreased significantly with about 164 security-related deaths in the past 25 years. This is a dramatic shift from the 3,500 deaths during the 30-year span of the Troubles.
Northern Ireland is still deeply divided, but despite their differences, many political leaders gathered in one room at Queen’s University Belfast over a three-day period to directly address these divides. Architects and brokers of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement also took the stage to explain the importance of listening and finding common ground.
The keynote speaker, Former U.S. Senator George Mitchell, has been described as the glue that held leaders from different political parties together during the 1998 Good Friday peace talks. After three years with no public appearances, Mitchell gave an address that brought nearly everyone on their feet as applause echoed throughout the historic hall, which had its own history of conflict and questionable completion during World War II.
At 89 years old battling acute leukemia, Mitchell could have appeared remotely. But the power of his presence as a leader in both the U.S. and Northern Ireland spoke volumes.
This episode features highlights of George Mitchell’s historic speech.
A link to George Mitchell’s full speech can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xuno4MP6O8&t=2871s
*Special thanks to Queen’s University Belfast for their continuing support and for allowing me to cover the “Agreement 25” events.
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Episodes manquant?
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Hi everyone! I’m so glad you're joining us this month. The conversation you’re about to hear is a follow up on our last episode, Finding Common Ground Despite our Differences.
Have you ever talked with someone who continued to spread information that just isn’t true? I definitely have, and it can be frustrating, especially when it happens on social media.
My frustration reached a peak in 2020 when we were locked down and only communicating online. I searched high and low for ways to confront these disinformation dilemmas. Thankfully I found psychologist and UC Santa Barbara Professor Tania Israel.
Listening to this conversation with Tania again reminded me that reaching across the political divide and finding common ground are skills we need to constantly remind ourselves of and practice often.
There's so much to glean from Tania's tips and takeaways. I can't wait for you to join our conversation.
Thank you as always for listening!
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It’s a New Year, and if you’re like me, you’re probably one of the millions of people around the world with new goals in mind for 2023. This likely includes how to create meaningful relationships and keep them, even if there are some differences with those we hold dear.
On this month's special video podcast, we’re taking a deep dive into how we can work through these differences with someone who does this daily. Sylvia Gordon is Head of Programme at the Corrymeela community, which resides on one of the most beautiful coasts of Northern Ireland where three different waterways come together to join as one. Like these waters, Sylvia helps people from all over the political spectrum come together to tackle some of the most divisive issues of our time.As always, thank you for listening. For more updates and bonus content, follow us on Facebook and Instagram: @GroundedOnPurpose.
*This episode was edited and produced by David Pang and Jennifer Duck. The Grounded on Purpose theme music is by J. Lauren and Mike Olekshy.
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We’re joining you again from the Sonic Arts Centre at Queen’s University Belfast, and we are thrilled to welcome Belfast-born journalist, author, and co-founder of the Oh Yeah music centre, Stuart Bailie. Stuart is also editor of Dig With It magazine.
In our last episode, we talked about conflict, politics, and peace through the Troubles, and in this episode, we will dive more specifically into music’s role through the 30-year conflict.
Stuart explains in his book Trouble Songs, “...music has not been a passive voice. It has called for subversion and disobedience. It has put out stories that have challenged the given histories. And in the place of the old, stuck ideas, music has imagined new fixes…the punk rockers, ravers and rogue strummers have all done their job."
Growing up in a small town, music was often my window to the outside world and big news events. I love U2, the Cranberries, Thin Lizzy, Van Morrison, and Sinead O’Conner, among others. When I heard their songs growing up, it made me dig deeper into world events.
As Stuart says, "God bless music. It just can take you to places that you're not expecting and can challenge all sorts of given stories."
In honor of that, a personally curated playlist to accompany this podcast is linked below:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3BRUcTbj1iLCp6sSqynLxt?si=d7ceed204a88488f
Thank you as always for listening.
*Special thanks to James Elliott who introduced me to Stuart, to my husband Quinn and Jodi Marr who helped me with the playlist, and to Molly Seuss who has been helping with editing. Heartfelt thanks also goes out to Mike Olekshy and J. Lauren who helped me launch this podcast and created our main theme music.
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I’m so thrilled to join you this month from Queen's University, Belfast.
I spent two weeks in Northern Ireland learning more about the history, the people, and the politics. There's so much to take in and it's truly such a beautiful and resilient place.
As I sit across the pond and watch U.S. divisions dominate headlines, family conversations, and social media feeds, I'm grateful to learn more about a region that has one of the most prominent peace deals in modern political history.
However, this came at a huge cost, and the people in Northern Ireland have told me they worry that the U.S. will fall into a similar violent history if we continue to let extreme polarization take over our lives.
Joining me for this special interview is Richard English, Professor of Politics at Queen's University, Belfast, where he is also Director of the Senator George J. Mitchell Institute for Global Peace, Security, and Justice. Richard's research focuses on the history of political violence, terrorism, and nationalism. He has authored several books focusing on Irish Freedom as well as the IRA.
As the United States has reached an unprecedented point of polarization in this current century, Richard explains so eloquently how history can help us avoid a tipping point. “You can hear echoes of what's happened elsewhere and possibly even pre-echoes of what might happen elsewhere in these layered situations of political polarization and division,” Richard explains.
Never has there been a more important time to tune in. Thank you as always for listening and for following our bonus content on Facebook and Instagram: @GroundedOnPurpose
*This episode was edited and produced by Jennifer Duck and Molly Seuss. The Grounded on Purpose theme music is by J. Lauren and Mike Olekshy.
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Welcome to Season Two of Grounded on Purpose!
This season, we’re leaving the states and taking the pod across the pond to Northern Ireland, a place where common ground felt almost impossible just a few decades ago during the 30-year conflict known as "the Troubles."
This season's guests will guide us through the history and introduce us to the music that helped end the Troubles.
We'll also journey together to a sacred place called Corrymeela on Northern Ireland's coast. This peace and reconciliation retreat is known for bringing people together, and it has hosted high-profile peacemakers, including the Dalai Lama.
At a time when the U.S. feels more divided than ever for most of us, I can’t wait to share all I'm learning from these amazing thought-leaders.
So tune in once a month as we get Grounded on Purpose in Northern Ireland.
Thank you as always for listening!
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It was so nice practicing what I've preached and taking a little pause this summer, but I’m not gonna sugarcoat it – getting back into the groove can be a little rough!
We are ending Season One with author and professor Bonnie Smith Whitehouse. This interview is sure to inspire and help you get back on your feet. Bonnie explains how rituals like walking and finding time to capture your creativity can work wonders for the seasons we’re in. We also dive deep into her new book Seasons of Wonder, which comes out this fall.
Thank you all for joining me as I worked through my first season of solo podcasting! Stay tuned for Season Two as we take a life-changing trip to Northern Ireland. I can’t wait to have you along for the ride on these incredible adventures.
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If you’ve been following the pod, you likely remember Episode 3 with music journalist and author Marissa Moss talking about her book, “Her Country: How the Women of Country Music Became the Success They Were Never Supposed to Be.”
Marissa’s book was just released to the world for everyone to read, and it’s getting a lot of attention.
Marissa graciously allowed me to read an excerpt of choice from the book on today's episode, and I can't wait for you to hear it.
You can order "Her Country" at the links below:
https://bookshop.org/books/her-country-how-the-women-of-country-music-became-the-success-they-were-never-supposed-to-be/9781250793591 (*Every sale supports local bookshops)
https://www.amazon.com/Her-Country-Became-Success-Supposed/dp/1250793599Thanks as always for listening and learning more with me.
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This episode is a little different than the past few, and I want to warn you, I do share some stories that will pull at your heart. Although it may be harder to listen to, I believe it’s vital for all of us to hear. We need to tune into hard topics instead of tuning out.
Throughout the past 20 years, I've talked with hundreds of mass shooting survivors and victims’ families. I’m forever changed by long conversations with the parents of the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting, victims’ families from the Ft. Hood massacre, people who witnessed deaths in churches and synagogues, concert goers who were killed watching their favorite bands at a country music festival, students who lost their best friends at a Parkland high school, Virginia Tech, and the University of California, Santa Barbara. I’ve also talked with parents of shooters who took these people’s lives. Sitting face-to-face with all of these people forever changed me.
I hope hearing my experiences gives you a new perspective and the will to listen, dig deeper, and act.
Thank you as always for listening.
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Psychologist and Vanderbilt University Associate Professor Lisa Fazio's ground-breaking research on how our brains work when we encounter misinformation and disinformation is vital for us all to hear. As a social media researcher, what draws me most to Lisa’s work is the data she uncovers and the fairly simple solutions we can all practice to combat misinformation and disinformation online. In our latest episode, Lisa breaks down the truth behind "fake news," why we fall for fallacies, and how we can find common ground to stop the spread of misinformation online.
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Dr. Darren Linvill is a professor at Clemson University and is also an author, researcher, and expert on social media disinformation and political discourse. He explains the latest Russian disinformation campaigns and how they have grown since he began hunting online Russian trolls in 2017. Dr. Linvill also gives tips on how we all can stop the spread of misinformation, disinformation, and propaganda online.
This episode is also available on YouTube: https://youtu.be/P41aoHY-NDc
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We are just over a month into the new year, and this means you may be one of the 80% who have already broken New Year’s resolutions. I’m here to tell you, it’s all going to be okay. And you don’t just have to take it from me – I have an amazing health and wellness expert who is going to break it all down and tell us why it’s okay if you abandon those lofty New Year’s goals.
I first met today’s guest when I started teaching as a full-time professor. I was at an orientation, and a woman named Marnie Vanden Noven started talking to a room full of new professors about why it’s important to incorporate wellness into our everyday routines. I found myself nodding while she talked, and I thought, I hope I get to work with this amazing woman even though we are on the opposite sides of campus.
Well, if you’ve listened to this podcast at all, you know I’m one of those weird introverts who somehow musters the courage to speak out when someone way cooler than me crosses my path. I’ve served on several committees with Marnie, but when I was researching her background, I realized there was so much more I didn’t know about her.
Marnie received her doctorate degree in integrative neuromuscular physiology, exercise physiology and exercise science and has worked professionally as a physical therapist and athletic trainer. She also travels the globe as a professor, and has some incredible stories to share with us today about health and wellness from around the world. Marnie joins this special episode from across the pond in Belfast, Ireland, and she also tackles listener's health and wellness questions.
As always, thank you for being part of the Grounded on Purpose listening community. If you enjoy the podcast, please take a moment to subscribe and rate us, so our small team knows to keep creating more content. Connect with us on Instagram @groundedonpurpose
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Marissa Moss sits down for an exclusive preview of her new book “Her Country: How the Women of Country Music Became the Success They Were Never Supposed to Be."
In her book, Marissa tells the “inside story of the last twenty years of country music through the lens of Maren Morris, Mickey Guyton, and Kacey Musgraves―their peers and inspirations, their paths to stardom, and their battles against a deeply embedded boys’ club, as well as their efforts to transform the genre into a more inclusive place for all.”
You can pre-order the book through the link below:
https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250793591/hercountry
This conversation with Marissa also inspired me to reflect on my own experiences of being a woman in the media business. To put it lightly, it hasn’t been easy. I explain more at the top of the pod.
Country music has a famous motto: “Three chords and the truth.” It’s important to speak our truths and listen to these conversations with an open mind. By doing so, I believe we all can be the change our future generations need.
Thank you as always for listening.
*If you enjoy Grounded on Purpose, please take a moment to subscribe and connect with us on Instagram @groundedonpurpose and/or on our Grounded on Purpose Facebook page.
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In this special bonus episode of Grounded on Purpose, you'll hear from 13-year-old Grace Hamilton who battled cancer as a toddler and has so much purpose at such a young age.
You may remember Belmont University Professor Amy Hodges Hamilton from our previous episode sharing about her work with writing through loss and trauma, and her unforgettable experiences with Dr. Maya Angelou. Amy explained how Dr. Angelou helped her get through one of the most difficult periods of her life, when then-two-year-old Grace was diagnosed with cancer. After the interview ended, Amy said to me, “You should talk to Grace on the podcast.” And I was absolutely thrilled to be given the opportunity. She is truly "Amazing Grace."
Thank you for listening to Grounded on Purpose! If you enjoy the podcast, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a rating, which helps others find us. Connect with us on Instagram @groundedonpurpose
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Amy Hodges Hamilton and I share a mutual love for Dr. Maya Angelou. I came to know Dr. Angelou’s work best while working with Oprah, and later, I interviewed Dr. Angelou while working with Anderson Cooper. I was so inspired by Dr. Angelou that I named my daughter Maya.
Amy first got to know Dr. Angelou through her own daughter during a scary time in her life. When Amy’s daughter Grace was just 2 years old, she battled high-risk pre-B acute lymphoblastic leukemia, a diagnosis that most toddlers couldn’t repeat out loud, let alone understand. Dr. Angelou inspired Amy throughout this incredibly hard time and even traveled to the university where Amy works to speak to the students and community. During that speech, Dr. Angelou spoke about God putting a rainbow in the sky as a symbol of the possibility of seeing hope.
Years later, Dr. Angelou brought up rainbows again on a TV special with Oprah that I was working on. During that special, Dr. Angelou said, “Be a rainbow in someone else’s cloud.”This quote sits proudly in my daughter’s room over a bright and beautiful rainbow. It makes me smile every day.
I hope this special episode exploring the wit and wisdom of Dr. Maya Angelou makes you smile, brings hope, and inspires you to find the rainbows through the clouds.
Thank you for listening to Grounded on Purpose. If you enjoy the podcast, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a rating, which helps others find us. Connect with us on Instagram @groundedonpurpose
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What makes a good life? Some think it’s wisdom. Others put more value on wealth. Somewhere on the list is also happiness and health. So how can we achieve this quest for “a good life” if we all define it so differently? Professor Mary Ellen Pethel teaches a class called “A Good Life” at Belmont University in Nashville, TN and sits down with us for a mini-master class to help answer this age-old question.
Mary Ellen is an author, historian, digital humanist, academic entrepreneur, and creator of the historical walking tour app Nashville Sites. She is also one of the smartest, kindest, and most purposeful people I have ever met.
Join us as we tackle the $64,000 question of what makes “A Good Life."
For more information on Mary Ellen's book, Athens of the New South: College Life and the Making of Modern Nashville, visit https://www.amazon.com/dp/1621903427/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_857M9S2DA9ZHXCRAFRCY
Thank you for listening to Grounded on Purpose. If you enjoy the podcast, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a rating, which helps others find us. Connect with us on Instagram @groundedonpurpose
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*New episodes coming in November 2021!
Show notes:
I’m Jennifer Duck, a two-time Emmy award winning producer, a college professor, doctoral student, DIY designer, dog mom of three, and a mom of two little humans who are the greatest gifts of my life. Oh, and new addition to the list -- podcast host!
But behind all these shiny titles, life is quite crazy. You can find me at the local elementary flying in for after-school pick-up like a tornado -- laptop cords coming out of my bag, top knot trailing below my shoulders, and truly just looking like a hot mess. It’s funny, that’s definitely how I see myself and I know some others see it this way too. But one of my friends, likely just to make me feel better about my constant state of chaos, told me “Jen, we like how you keep it real. You’re so grounded.”I’m going to go with that last one. This all brings me to my latest project, “Grounded on Purpose.” Grounded can mean so many things —from keeping it real, to being balanced and feeling the earth between your toes, or in a different context, “You’re grounded,” as in, yep, you guessed it—go to your room and don’t come out until you’ve thought about what you’ve done. We’ve all heard that last one.When I was 36 years old juggling a newborn and a 3-year-old, taking night classes for my advanced degree, and somehow managing a 60-hour-a-week job in news, I discovered a new kind of “grounded” in the form of a freak illness that knocked me to the ground and landed me in the hospital multiple times that year. A good grounding can make us better, even when it comes unexpected and in scary forms. It’s how we learn, how we reconnect, and how we grow. More than ever before, this last season surviving a global pandemic has shown me the necessity of finding solid ground in the shifting uncertainness of life. And this sent me on a search of wanting to truly dig deeper and help others look deeper too.
My biggest intention with this project is to get grounded on purpose together with experts I’ve met in my personal, academic, and professional life as a TV producer for some of the biggest names including Oprah, Katie Couric, Anderson Cooper and many others. These people I’ve had the honor of working with, all have profound purpose and gave me access to the world’s most incredible thought leaders and experts who can help bring us all back down to earth. These friends, thought-leaders, and household names will join me every other Monday as we focus on different areas of grounding and tackle topics near and dear to my heart — and helpful to YOU and the world at large. Philosophers have debated this word “purpose” for thousands of years dating back to Socrates famously saying “the unexamined life is not worth living.” More recently, scientists at the University of Michigan have found that having a sense of purpose and diving into this crazy world head-first actually makes us live longer.
So let’s dig in! I’m truly so excited to have you join me on this journey as we get grounded together on purpose.
