Episodes
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“What choices will lead me to greater integration and wholeness?” renowned author, meditation pioneer, and teacher Sharon Salzberg asks in her latest book, Real Life: The Journey from Isolation to Openness and Freedom.
"We’re told so many stories about who we are and what we are capable of that are given to us. They’re not born of our own clear seeing,” she says. “Being able to step back from our conditioning and really question…When can I breathe? When do I feel like I can’t breathe? One of the things we discover is that it's not through a certain feeling arising, like fear. It's through being enveloped in and overcome by it. So, we don't have to put ourselves down or be ashamed of what we feel. We can see that the way that we relate to our thoughts, feelings, and sensations is going to make a big difference.”
In our conversation, we explore invaluable tools to reframe that relationship, and in so doing, discover the expansiveness that is always available to us.
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What if you could design your own, custom playbook to guide the pursuit of greatness in every aspect of your life?
Not long ago, the notion of rewiring one’s biology was more sci-fi than reality; still a decade ago, Drs. Leeroy Hood and Nathan Price had the foresight to envision a future where modern science would harness real-time data to make optimal well+being both predictable and accessible to a wider population.
Today, their book - The Age of Scientific Wellness: Why the Future of Medicine Is Personalized, Predictive, Data-Rich, and in your Hands - provides a visionary roadmap to equip each of us with the tools to take charge of our well+being. In it, they demonstrate why our biology is not a fixed entity but a dynamic system influenced by a multitude of factors, including genetics, lifestyle choices, and environmental exposures.
Drawing upon their extensive expertise in systems biology and personalized medicine, Hood and Price will convince you that yesterday’s care model is not only antiquated; it’s actually a strong lever that continues to reward fighting disease as opposed to preventing it. Here’s a glimpse of what we discuss:
What is Scientific Wellness & why does it matter now? What did they see a decade ago that’s true today, not true, and most surprising? What’s the essence of optimal well+being, and what role does one’s genome play in it? What does excellence in gut health look like and how does one measure that? What are the key environmental factors that have the most influence on our well+being? What does one’s genome tell us about our cognition and brain health? How does one determine and influence his/her biological age? -
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When I read the first few pages of Tiny Beautiful Things — a compilation of letters from Cheryl Strayed’s advice column, Dear Sugar — I immediately knew it was going to be healing. This wasn’t a surprise. Everyone who reads Cheryl’s writing knows she’s poetic. Still, Tiny Beautiful Things is different. As I read the letters sharing people’s deepest yearnings and sorrows, the book’s lesson quickly became clear: Being human is messy. Our job is to find the beauty in it.
Whereas I’ve long resisted that complexity, Cheryl’s compassionate responses encouraged me to accept it. Still, relinquishing control left me with even bigger questions… How do we live with our grief and suffering? What makes love last? How do we rise up as our better selves? Fortunately, we explored them in today’s episode.
Her wisdom on self-forgiveness reflects the invitation of our conversation…
“To see ourselves with a sense of that wholeness, to sit by the river and let go of the bad things we did, allows us to see others for their wholeness too, and forgive them as well.”
In illuminating the freedom of “allowing what’s true to be true,” Cheryl guides us to that river. I hope her words are as healing for you as they’ve been for me.
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Kevin Kelly is a renowned author, futurist, and technologist who has spent the past few decades exploring the intersection between technology, culture, and society. He is perhaps best known for his work as the founding executive editor of Wired magazine, which helped to shape the conversation around the internet and digital technology in the 1990s and 2000s.
Over the years, Kelly has authored several books, including "Out of Control: The New Biology of Machines, Social Systems, and the Economic World" and "The Inevitable: Understanding the 12 Technological Forces That Will Shape Our Future." He has also been a prolific writer and speaker on topics such as artificial intelligence, the future of work, and the impact of technology on society.
Our most recent conversation focused on Kevin's latest book, "Excellent Advice for Living," which is a collection of 450 wisdom tweets that offer practical guidance on how to live a fulfilling life. Each tweet represents a nugget of wisdom that he has gleaned over his many years of experience as a writer, thinker, and futurist.
We also explored his journey from founding Wired magazine to his present work, and how his thinking about technology and society has evolved over the years. He explained why he has become increasingly interested in the idea of "protopia," and why this state of constant improvement and progress is the gateway to greatness.
Kevin's unwavering optimism is singular and has the power to make you question your deepest assumptions - particularly about the future you envision for yourself. Our conversation touched upon a variety of topics including the following questions:
How his optimism was tested during the Covid-19 Pandemic and the lessons that emerged? How does the current state of work resemble the future of work he imagined in 2000? The most important thing he's been wrong about/right about during the past few years? Where his best ideas come from? The traits that define the most accomplished Asian entrepreneurs, and what we can gain from them? His recipe for greatness? His most defining characteristic? -
Few have a pulse on the science and genetics of aging as Dr. Nir Barzilai. As the director of the Institute of Aging Research at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, he was the first to discover the “longevity gene” in humans; and in so doing began to hypothesize and demonstrate why centenarians with protective genes live longer, healthier lives and experience far fewer age-related disease.
In our conversation, we focus on understanding the correlation between genes, lifestyle, and the resilience of predictable longevity™. Modern science and technology has made it far easier for each of us to take charge of our health; still it requires a major shift in perspective - away from preventing sickness and more towards optimizing well+being. Here are a few of the topics we explore:
The barriers to predictable longevity™. The misconceptions of aging. Why anti-aging is its own disease. The genetic code of centenarians. The lifestyle habits that delay aging. -
“From wonder to wonder, existence begins.”
Lao Tzu’s wisdom is the first invitation we receive in Dacher Keltner’s new book: Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How it Can Transform Your Life. It foreshadows the journey and revelation he offers in it: Awe is a compass towards meaning.
“If you listen to the feeling of awe, you’re pointed towards the truth of your existence.”
Dacher has been a pioneer studying awe, meaning, and compassion, as a professor at UC Berkeley and the Faculty Director of The Greater Good Science Center. I was first drawn to the book when I heard him share that while we often associate awe with nature, the most common source of awe is human connection.
Our conversation is an exploration of how we experience awe across the eight wonders of life, from music to moral beauty, art to the divine. By “claiming openness,” as he shares, we discover it’s closer than we think.
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The moment I read the title of Pico Iyer’s new book — The Half Known Life: In Search of Paradise — I was hooked.
Yet, the more I read about people’s pursuits, the more I began to question the notion of paradise.
“The struggle of your life is your paradise.” — Eido Roshi
Pico’s life offers him an intimate understanding of the nature of human longing; Both as a lifelong traveler and a writer who lives in a small town in Japan and often stays at a monastery. So, I was curious…
What are our souls longing for when they cry out for home, as the Sufis write? Do we ever get there? And, if not, where do we go?
“It’s the longing for paradise that gets in the way of paradise and prevents us from seeing it,” he shares. “When you step into a temple in Kyoto, there's often a Japanese sentence written on the ground that means: Look beneath your feet.
In other words, this is paradise. Don't look into the future. This is the paradise we have to discover and make.”
In our conversation, Pico awakens us to the countless opportunities we have to do so. His invitations offer us freedom from distraction, as he describes, reminding us of our agency in a highly stimulating world.
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The first lesson I learned in The Greater Good Science Center’s Science of Happiness course is that I had the wrong definition of happiness.
Happiness isn’t solely our positive states, we learn from Science Director Dr.Emiliana Simon-Thomas. It’s feeling content within our whole human experience, which of course, includes emotions like grief and sadness.
What’s the most enduring way to cultivate it?
Her research continually leads to the same destination: Connection.
‘We often measure life satisfaction by asking: Have I been successful enough? When the real question is: Who am I in relationship to other people?’
We explore this question in our conversation; Examining it through the lens of meaning and belonging, compassion and forgiveness. The Science of Happiness course is free and an inspiring journey to embark on. Consider beginning with Dr.Simon-Thomas’ episode and taking the class with a loved one.
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When Tembi Locke was in her twenties she left a letter in a drawer at a coffee shop that read: "I want to live a life of love and companionship."
Her heart-expanding memoir and Netflix series, From Scratch, encapsulates its manifestation across three love stories: With her late husband Saro, daughter Zoela, and mother-in-law, Nonna.
From Scratch begins with Tembi landing in Italy for a semester abroad, where she’d soon run into Saro on the streets of Florence. The more I reflected on the book, the more its true gift revealed itself. Their family’s journey navigating life’s great questions — on love and loss, forgiveness and reconciliation — isn’t solely an exploration of the answers. It’s an embodiment of them.
We see it in Tembi’s conviction reconciling Saro and his family, after their marriage separated them. In his mother and sister’s bravery answering their invitation in a traditional culture. Then, in their family’s choice to begin anew, rather than relive the past.
Throughout, we witness Tembi and Saro’s choice to live fully, despite his devastating illness, and how it was his mother’s love that carried her through his loss. Our conversation is an exploration of what matters most and how we may all embrace it.
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“Where you stand, be the soul of that place.”
This Rumi quote always reminds me of Manish Chandra. He’s not only the soul of every place he’s in. He illuminates the soul of every person he meets, as a father, friend, and the founder of Poshmark.
Manish is an incredible teacher who I’m honored to call my friend. I was thankful to explore the spirit he embodies in today’s episode — One of love and connection, gratitude and perspective.
I’ve returned to his words on adaptability over the last few months…
“Adaptability is, given a set of situations, instead of resisting it, you embrace and surrender to it. Then, figure out: How do you succeed in that situation? How do you adapt?There's always a winning strategy. If you approach it with that possibility, first of all, it’s hopeful, right? It's optimism. It means that you can succeed. Second, by not resisting the circumstances, you take the time to understand the circumstances. Third, life is a series of these episodes. So, you can apply your learnings to different circumstances and grow in various ways.
All of these things are amazing byproducts of first accepting the circumstance, then adapting, then succeeding.”
I’m thankful to close our Inspiring Hope series with Manish’s wisdom. In illuminating our agency, he reminds us that hope is always possible.
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“My faith lies in the belief that when I help people I live a happier life.”
Rebecca Minkoff became an emblem of these words early in our friendship. The more I watched her create change, the more I admired her. I’d soon learn that her optimism isn’t just a mindset. It’s an active commitment to be a force for good.
Our conversation is a collection of stories that illustrate this; From being one of the first designers to feature a model breastfeeding at Fashion Week to advancing thousands of women entrepreneurs at The Female Founder Collective and building a community that fosters true relationships. Each story traces back to an intention that drives her. In exploring her perspective on purpose, service, and success, she invites us to reflect on our own.
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When Justine Lucas was 22 she got Love & Rage tattooed on her forearm. It symbolizes the way her late friend, Eric, signed his letters. What began as a way to honor him went on to shape her perspective in an enduring way.
“I often glance at it and reflect on the evolution of its meaning,” she says. “I give myself permission to let in and give out all of the love. But, I also recognize that there is a time and place for rage. My love for humanity is what drives me, but also my rage at injustice.”
It’s this love that makes justice, as she describes, the throughline of her values, work, and how she spends her free time. Our conversation is an exploration of the experiences that shaped her activism; Beginning with the AIDS ride that taught her that justice is a fight through becoming a pioneer in the climate justice and resilience movements as Executive Director of The Clara Lionel Foundation.
Justine illuminates the courage we discover when love meets purpose, and invites us to turn hope into action.
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The morning I watched Pati Jinich’s documentary on the US-Mexico border coincided with a jarring decision being made in our country. It’s the reason that I remained hopeful amidst the news. La Frontera is a manifestation of Pati’s mission to share the souls of people and places and the food that brings us together. That morning, it was also a lesson on the hope we inspire when we focus on the best in who we are.
As a revered chef, cookbook author, and TV host, Pati illustrates how each of our journeys contributes to our collective vitality. These stories, told over 11 seasons of Pati’s Mexican Table, offer a glimpse into our shared humanity. Our conversation is a rich exploration of the gifts of her journey, from cultivating compassion to expanding our sense of belonging and accepting that “what we have is what we have right now.”
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How can I make this person feel seen, heard, and valued in the most authentic way possible?
Girls Who Code CEO Dr. Tarika Barrett asks this question before every conversation.
Her exuberance sharing it became an anchoring insight in our Inspiring Hope series…
“These are vital acts — Be it with your children, colleagues, family, or friends…We don’t give joy its due; By being agents of joy, we can enact change. We think about every problem around us, as opposed to recognizing that these small and big acts of joy have tremendous power.”
In our conversation, we explore her wisdom as an invitation. When we measure our impact by magnitude, change feels out of reach. When we measure it by the difference we can make in one life, we awaken to a deeper sense of purpose.
As we embark on this series, I invite you to join me in adopting her ritual over the next five weeks. Prior to every interaction, consider asking: How can I make this person feel seen, heard, and valued in the most authentic way possible?
Imagine the collective hope we’ll inspire when we do.
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“The word health originates in a word for wholeness,” says renowned physician, author, and speaker Dr. Gabor Maté. “Whether one looks at it from a medical or spiritual point of view: To be healthy is to be whole.
As I pondered what I saw with my patients and in my own journey, I realized that the fundamental issue is not: How do we become whole? But, how do we lose the wholeness that is our birthright and our nature? Then, how do we come back to it?”
Our conversation about his urgent new book, The Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness, and Healing in a Toxic Culture, explores how our experiences shape that path; Beginning from early childhood through inevitable trauma and healing.
The indispensable role connection plays is among my greatest lessons from his esteemed work: It is life-giving to see and affirm each other’s wholeness.
Whereas society often focuses on the negative aspects of our nature, Dr. Maté invites us to be the best in it.
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“If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.” — Mother Teresa
Today, we’re beginning a new mini-series, Inspiring Hope: A collection of five conversations with admired chefs, activists, and leaders about how they design lives of meaning and impact.
Each episode will explore a question that helps us do so. Through answering them, our guests awaken us to the hope that thrives within and between us.
Here’s who we're fortunate to hear from...
Dr. Tarika Barrett, CEO of Girls Who Code Pati Jinich, Chef, Cookbook Author, and TV Host Justine Lucas, Executive Director of The Clara Lionel Foundation Rebecca Minkoff, Founder of her namesake brand and Co-founder of The Female Founder Collective Manish Chandra, CEO and Founder of PoshmarkWe’re kicking off with a perspective from each guest on how we can grow closer to ourselves and each other. I hope they deepen your relationships as they have mine.
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“If there is one thing that has made a difference in my life, it is the courage to turn and face what wants to change within me.”
Elizabeth Lesser’s gift is putting words to the feelings and longings that shape our human experience. She’s helped over a million people realize them through her life’s work co-founding the Omega Institute. Still, what I admire most about her is her courage opening to the whole human experience.
As you’ll find in our conversation, Elizabeth is at once deeply wise and laugh out loud funny. We explore why “real fearlessness is the product of tenderness,” how to stay open during difficult times and experience the dignity of true relationships. Her stories of love and loss illuminate the aliveness we discover when we connect deeper with ourselves and each other.
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“We’ve really become something quite special. I think at the time of my death, I will remember you.”
My eyes filled with tears when The Dalai Lama said this to Archbishop Desmond Tutu during their last conversations captured in Mission: Joy.
They center on the concept of Ubuntu that the Archbishop describes — “We can only be human together.” — and awaken us to our belonging to the human family. Ubuntu not only reflects how we contribute to each other’s vitality. It illuminates how caring for each other elevates our own.
This week, we have the gift of meeting Peggy Callahan, producer and co-director of Mission: Joy: the documentary that invites us to the Holy brothers’ table. As a human rights activist, whose teams at Voices4Freedom and Free the Slaves have helped free over 15,000 people, she embodies the values they discuss.
Peggy’s stories about people overcoming unimaginable trauma and dedicating their lives to helping others reflect our innate nature to support each other in achieving our shared human freedoms and desires. Her’s is driven by an unreasonable love.
“Unreasonable love is that force that compels you, sustains you, and inspires you to keep moving when the journey ahead feels too hard,” she says. “We all have something we really care about, want to change, create, or learn.”
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“Have you ever had that sense of: ‘I’ve got to go back!’?
If you ever hear ‘Turn around’ inside, do it! That’s the universe telling you: You missed something good back there.”
Acclaimed illustrator Wendy MacNaughton heeded that call when she passed a boot making workshop on a road trip. In sharing the unforgettable friendship that transpired, she invites us to pause and truly see each other.
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“Letting go gives us freedom and freedom is the only condition for happiness. If in our heart we still cling to anything — anger, anxiety, or possessions — we cannot be free.” — Thich Nhat Hanh
This week, we’re looking at letting go through the lens of forgiveness. In sharing her courageous journey forgiving her father, Dr.Michele Harper illuminates that forgiveness not only offers us peace in the present. It becomes a compass to live in pursuit of it.
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