Good Life Project

Latest Episodes:

Miles Chamley-Watson | Redefining Cool Feb 15, 2021

Show notes

Miles Chamley-Watson is on a mission to take fencing mainstream. A British-born, 6-foot-four Black man, covered in tattoos with bleached blond hair, he breaks pretty much every generations-old assumption and mold about what the staid, traditionally-conservative and often elitist sport is about. Miles actually struggled a lot as a young kid, especially with focus, attention and school, until one day a teacher introduced him to fencing. That moment changed everything. He was obsessed and it gave him a physicalized way to learn and develop intense focus that soon became the driving force in his life.

Miles wanted to be the best in the world and win the Olympics. And indeed, already a world champion and an Olympic medalist, he’s well on his way. Miles also decided to redefine the public perception of the sport, to make it more modern, alive, high-profile and appealing to a younger generation, especially those often excluded from the pursuit. And he’s on a mission to reimagine the financial side of this sport, introducing a level of popular appeal, relevance and excitement that’s landed him a huge social media following and big endorsement deals with brands like Coach and Red Bull.

You can find Miles Chamley-Watson at:

Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/fencer/

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Have you discovered your Sparketype yet? Take the Sparketype Assessment™ now. IT’S FREE (https://sparketype.com/) and takes about 7-minutes to complete. At a minimum, it’ll open your eyes in a big way. It also just might change your life.

If you enjoyed the show, please share it with a friend. Thank you to our super cool brand partners. If you like the show, please support them - they help make the podcast possible.

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Suleika Jaouad | Between Two Kingdoms Feb 11, 2021

Show notes

Born in New York City to a Tunisian father and a Swiss mother, Suleika Jaouad attended The Juilliard School's pre-college program for the double bass, and earned her BA with highest honors from Princeton University and an MFA in writing and literature from Bennington College. Leaving music behind, she thought she’d a war correspondent, but her plans were cut short when, at age 22, she was diagnosed with leukemia that led to a brutal 4-year stint in and out of the hospital, with multiple rounds of chemo, and a bone marrow transplant.

She began writing her New York Times column and Emmy-award winning video-series “Life, Interrupted” from her hospital room at Sloan-Kettering, and has written reported features, essays and commentary for New York Times Magazine, Vogue and NPR, among other publications. Suleika served on Barack Obama's Presidential Cancer Panel, the national advisory board of the Bone Marrow and Cancer Foundation, and the Brooklyn Public Library’s Arts & Letters Committee. She is also the creator of the Isolation Journals, a community creativity project founded during the Covid-19 pandemic to help others convert isolation into artistic solitude; over 100,000 people from around the world have joined. Her debut memoir, Between Two Kingdoms (https://amzn.to/3qaugcf), is a gorgeously written exploration of so many moments, people and stories that have led to her this moment in life.

You can find Suleika Jaouad at:

Website : https://www.suleikajaouad.com/book

Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/suleikajaouad/

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Louis Chude-Sokei | Floating Between Worlds Feb 08, 2021

Show notes

Born in the short-lived West African country of Biafra, Louis Chude-Sokei and his mom fled the country during the war that would take the life of his father, a figure of such great reverence in the country that it would create a set of expectations about who Louis was and should be that would follow him well into his adult life. Landing first in Jamaica, where his mother was from, then eventually making their way through DC, to LA, he spent his life, as the line from the Bowie song, Space Oddity, goes, “floating in a most peculiar way.”

That song, in fact, has been a bit of a lifelong obsession for Louis, along with Bowie and his music and, in fact, it’s the name of his moving new memoir, Floating in a Most Peculiar Way (https://amzn.to/36NqRZh), his evolving exploration of everything from identity and race to science fiction and music. Louis is now Professor of English at Boston University where he directs the African American Studies Program. He is also the author of influential and award-winning scholarly work and his writing appears in national and international venues, and he is the Editor in Chief of The Black Scholar, the premier journal of Black Studies in America.

You can find Louis Chude-Sokei at:

Website : https://www.bu.edu/afam/profile/louis-chude-sokei/

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Renee Jain | Reclaiming Ease Feb 04, 2021

Show notes

My guest, today, Renee Jain, started into her career as a tech entrepreneur who secretly suffered with her own sometimes dizzying and even paralyzing anxiety. One day, a panic attack led her to step back and re-examine her life, seek help and begin to acquire the skills and understanding to live with more ease. It was transformative. But, along the way, something she never expected began to happen, she began wondering why every child doesn’t learn those same skills early in life, so they can live with more ease and joy. Solving that problem became her driving cause.

Renee earned her Master’s degree in Positive Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania, and founded her own ed-tech company, GoZen!, to help a new generation of kids, parents and therapists. She is recognized as a pioneer in marrying technology and child psychology in a unique approach that nurtures the hearts and minds of kids. Through her writing, product invention, masterclasses, and children’s advocacy, she works to build the emotional intelligence of kids by creating media and experiences that speak to them in a way they not only understand, but love. Renee is also the co-author of New York Times bestselling book, Superpowered (https://amzn.to/3cDOJT1), a groundbreaking book that every parent needs, not just for their kids, but for themselves, too.

You can find Renee Jain at:

Website : https://gozen.com/

Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/gozenlove/

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Adam Grant | Think Again Feb 01, 2021

Show notes

What would it take to make you rethink a deeply held point of view or belief? That’s one of Adam Grant’s recent fascinations. Adam is an organizational psychologist and TED speaker who helps people find meaning and motivation at work. He has been Wharton’s top-rated professor for 7 straight years. As an organizational psychologist, he is a leading expert on how we can find motivation and meaning, and live more generous and creative lives. He has been recognized as one of the world’s 10 most influential management thinkers and Fortune’s 40 under 40.

Adam is also one of TED's most popular speakers, his books have sold millions of copies, his talks have been viewed more than 25 million times, and his podcast WorkLife with Adam Grant has topped the charts. His pioneering research has inspired people to rethink fundamental assumptions about motivation, generosity, and creativity. And he is a former Junior Olympic springboard diver. Adam’s new book, Think Again, is a fascinating deep dive into how to come to form a point of view, why it’s so important to hold even our staunchest beliefs more lightly than we think, and what happens when stay doggedly attached to opinions and beliefs even as the world starts to reveal how wrong they were.

You can find Adam Grant at:

Website : https://www.adamgrant.net/

Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/adamgrant/

Check out our offerings & partners:

My New Book Sparked
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Raised by Rhythm | Ellen Harper Jan 28, 2021

Show notes

Ellen Harper has been around the folk music scene her whole life. Her mother, Dorothy Chase performed and taught banjo and guitar at Hecht House in the 1950s in Boston with Bess Lomax Hawes and her dad, Charles Chase repaired any and all instruments that came his way. Ellen learned to play, perform and teach guitar and other folk instruments at her mother’s knee and eventually, the family moved west to Claremont, California where they create the iconic Folk Music Center that became a hub for all the biggest names in folk, from Dylan to Joan Baez, Pete Seeger and so many other lesser-known, yet equally important players.

Ellen’s kids grew up in that same place, surrounded by those same people and, in fact, one son Ben Harper, caught the music bug and has since become an acclaimed singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist in his own right. In 2000 Ellen participated in Ben’s documentary Pleasure and Pain filmed by iconic rock photographer, Danny Clinch, whose also been a guest on the podcast. That led to them to collaborate on an album. Childhood Home. Ellen’s latest project, Light has a Life of its Own is a collection of her original songs reflecting the unusual musical heritage that has defined and shaped several generations of Chase/Harpers. Ellen currently runs the Folk Music Center, the Claremont Folk Festival and teaches music classes, and her new memoir, Always a Song (https://amzn.to/3pBZQzi), is a wonderful journey not only through so many of the stories of her life, but also the history and world of folk music.

You can find Ellen Harper at:

Website : https://www.ellenharper.net/

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If you enjoyed the show, please share it with a friend. Thank you to our super cool brand partners. If you like the show, please support them - they help make the podcast possible.

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Tara Brach | Wisdom For Anxious Times Jan 25, 2021

Show notes

My guest today, Tara Brach, has been one of my teachers for years, though she never knew it. Back in the early days of podcasting, I stumbled upon her weekly dharma talks or Buddhist teachings and meditations that she’d offer at her Insight Meditation Center in DC, record, then air as podcasts, and the blend of her gentle presence, her deep wisdom that was clearly not just studied, but also lived, her humility, real-world sensibility, and humor drew me in. Tara’s teachings blend Western psychology, she’s also a clinical psychologist, along wtih Eastern spiritual practices, mindful attention to our inner life, and a full, compassionate engagement with our world. The result is a distinctive voice in Western Buddhism, one that offers a wise and caring approach to freeing ourselves and society from suffering.

She is kindness and insight embodied, and I’ve learned so much from both her offerings and also the way she seems to move through life over the years. Which is why I was so excited to be able to spend some time going deep into not just certain pivotal moments in Tara’s path, but also the powerful tools and practices she’s developed in the name of allowing us to breathe more easily into whatever comes our way, at the core of which is something Tara shorthands with the acronym RAIN, which is transformational and we explore how it can move into our lives, especially in the context of compassion, acceptance, and what’s been going on in society these days.

You can find Tara Brach at:

Website : https://www.tarabrach.com/

Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/tarabrach/

Check out our offerings & partners:

My New Book Sparked
My New Podcast SPARKED
Visit Our Sponsor Page For a Complete List of Vanity URLs & Discount Codes.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Live Life Colorfully | Jason Naylor Jan 21, 2021

Show notes

I first learned about today’s guest, Jason Naylor, through his art, which at that point, started appearing on walls and buildings all over New York City, and now is featured all over the world and on products, shows, in fashion and beyond. Jason is originally from Salt Lake City, Utah, where he grew up in a Mormon community and eventually felt called to step away and define his own path. After getting his BFA in graphic design from Brigham Young, he moved to New York City where he began his career in MAC Cosmetics’ Creative Department as a designer, but the whole time, he was creating his own work and starting to paint these hyper-vivid murals on walls around the city, often featuring inspirational words and quotes on the side. His style just kind of exploded with energy and kindness and playfulness.

As his work caught on, leading to more and bigger commissions and collaborations with companies like Coach, Sephora, and Pepsi, he left his full-time gig and went all-in on his own art, now running his own brand, Jason Naylor Studio, where he continues to share his positivity through murals, graphic pieces, and collaborations with New York City communities, as well as popular brands. Much of his work and his philosophy of life and creativity appears in his new book, Live Life Colorfully (https://tinyurl.com/yy4mopvp).

You can find Jason Naylor at:

Website : https://jasonnaylor.nyc/

Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/jasonnaylor/

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If you enjoyed the show, please share it with a friend. Thank you to our super cool brand partners. If you like the show, please support them - they help make the podcast possible.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Unlocking Your Brain's Potential | Dr. Ryan D'Arcy Jan 18, 2021

Show notes

For generations, when it came to your brain, we pretty much assumed that once you reach adulthood, it pretty much is what it is. That meant you couldn’t get smarter or faster or wittier or optimize it to perform at a higher level and, on the other side, if you suffered an injury, there was very little you could do to help your brain recover or even rewire itself to function at a higher level again. Turns out, much of that was wrong, and my guest today, Dr. Ryan D’Arcy, is an acclaimed neuroscientist and entrepreneur who is at the leading edge of this awakening.

The co-founder, President, and Chief Scientific Officer of HealthTech Connex a brain health technology company, he also holds Professorship appointments at Simon Fraser University and the University of British Columbia, where he serves as a BC Leadership Chair in neuroimaging and neurotechnology. He has published more than 260 academic works, and led major scientific advances include the discovery of white matter activation in functional MRI, the world's first VR simulator for neurosurgical training and planning, the development and deployment of the world's first brain vital sign framework, and the utilization of neuroplasticity in brain injury to drive recovery well beyond conventional limits.

Today, we’re talking about some of the incredible innovations in brain science across the four domains of performance optimization, mental health, neurological diseases, and brain injury recovery and you are going to be amazed at the work he and others are doing and where things are heading.

You can find Dr. Ryan D'Arcy at:

Website: https://healthtechconnex.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/neurocatch/

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Have you discovered your Sparketype yet? Take the Sparketype Assessment™ now. IT’S FREE (https://sparketype.com/) and takes about 7-minutes to complete. At a minimum, it’ll open your eyes in a big way. It also just might change your life.

If you enjoyed the show, please share it with a friend. Thank you to our super cool brand partners. If you like the show, please support them - they help make the podcast possible.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kat Vellos ⎮ Cultivating Better Friendships Jan 14, 2021

Show notes

Question, when was the last time you made a really good new friend, as a grown-up? Like the kind that actually knows you, not just online, but the real you? Turns out, it’s not actually so easy to create those kinds of friendships. But it is critically important to our ability to live good lives, especially during challenging times.

My guest today, Kat Vellos, is here to help, She earns her living as a UX designer, which means Kat figures out how to make experiences as easy and organic as humanly possible to step into. She’s applied her unique genius to everything from giant apps, platforms and technology like Slack and Pandora on a mass-scale, to local, face-to-face gatherings, community-building, and most recently to examining and tackling the quest to form deep friendships as a design problem. She goes deep into her journey of discovery in her wonderful book, We Should Get Together: The Secret to Cultivating Better Friendships, which I loved and learned so much from.

Kat has been featured in Forbes and FastCompany for her work as the founder of Bay Area Black Designers which is a professional development community for Black designers and UX researchers. And over the last twenty years she’s created, run, and mentored a variety of communities focused on everything from spoken word poetry to photography to digital design to authentic connection and friendship. Her most recent are Better than Small Talk and Connection Club, which helps her readers build community with each other as they also foster stronger friendships through the art of letter writing.

I wanted to go deeper into Kat’s lens, ideas, and processes and also explore them both in the context of making real, deep friendships as adults, and also cultivating relationships, community, maybe even rising to that level of chosen family both with people who see and move through the world in similar ways, but also with people who are not like us and to embrace how important that is in this day and age.

You can find Kat Vellos at:

Website: https://weshouldgettogether.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katvellos_author/

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If you enjoyed the show, please share it with a friend. Thank you to our super cool brand partners. If you like the show, please support them - they help make the podcast possible.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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