Mindfulness Mode

Latest Episodes:

Building Wealth Wisdom; Brandon Neely Aug 08, 2024

Show notes

Brandon Neely's passion is building wealth wisdom. A serial entrepreneur, Profit First and Bank On Yourself Professional, he co-hosts the Wealth Wisdom Financial Podcast with his wife, Amanda. Together, they founded Overflow Coffee Bar, L3C, managing it from 2008 to 2018, learning invaluable lessons. Now, they share their experiential knowledge through podcasting and personalized financial strategies for individuals and businesses. They specialize in the Profit First system and the Infinite Banking/Bank On Yourself framework. In 2023, Brandon and his wife published a luxury money journal called Five Smooth Stones.

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Website: www.WealthWisdomfp.com

Most Influential Person

My wife

Effect On Emotions

I remember being in our coffee shop. I had a staff member that was never showing up for work. Their Grandma died, like a hundred times. Also the till would be off by about 50 bucks whenever she would be working.
I was drinking half cups of coffee all day long and felt like this place was killing me. I felt like I needed to slow down. I went to the hospital and they said I had anxiety and high blood pressure.
They said I needed to stop drinking coffee and slow down. I said I can't do that. That was an indicator to me that my body was saying, something's up.
I got rid of that staff person and then my blood pressure went back to normal. It was being self-aware that helped me. I realized that I need to go exercise more and be out in nature more. That was a big turning point for me.

Thoughts On Breathing

My wife is always telling me to take a deep breath and to do the inhale-exhale thing. I do take walks every morning and try to get my 10,000 steps everyday. In a business sometimes I feel like we can go too fast and we just need to stop and breathe it in.

Suggested Resources

Book: Becoming Your Own Banker by R. Nelson Nash
Book: Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck
App: You Need A Budget
App: Library App

Meditate For A Wise And Happy Life; Bob Martin Aug 05, 2024

Show notes

Bob Martin teaches how to meditate for a wise and happy life. He emphasizes the importance of patience, consistent practice, and recognizing the distinction between the thinker and the thought. The discussion includes personal shared experiences with loving-kindness meditation and how it can help people become more non-judgmental. Specific meditation practices, including breath awareness meditation, and the significance of sound in meditation are discussed. Meditation and group coaching are discussed, highlighting the personal, relational, and transformative benefits of the practice.

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Website: www.AWiseAndHappyLife.com

Meditation Benefits

Bob Martin first learned meditation in the mid-80s under a Taoist master. Initially, he found meditation challenging. However, with guidance, he developed a daily practice and eventually reaped the benefits.
Consequently, Bob found meditation helpful in reconnecting with forgotten parts of himself, ultimately leading to transformation.
Currently, Bob Martin practices breath awareness meditation, which involves bringing attention to the breath and watching the mind. This method is different from Transcendental Meditation.

Meditation For Relaxation

Bob emphasizes the dignity and potential of humanity and invites listeners to breathe.
Teachers instruct students to focus on physical sensations, including breathing, to ground themselves in the present.

Ways To Thrive With Meditation

Meditation not only cultivates mindfulness but also enhances neuron activation and spinal cord energy.
Bob describes feeling like he is “waking up” when his mind wanders during meditation, thereby recognizing his lack of attention.
Bob describes life as spending time on the ocean's surface, with gentle undulations, while also being present and learning to connect with oneself.
Bob Martin discusses the importance of non-judgmental awareness in walking meditation. Furthermore, he uses the word “Gotha” to describe a short phrase timed with breath.
Bob emphasizes the importance of recognizing the “I” that had the thought. Rather than identifying with the thought itself, this practice helps to gain clarity and organization in the mind.

Suggested Resources

Website: https://awiseandhappylife.com/meditation
Website: (Book) https://iamthewaybook.com/
Book: I am the Way: Finding the Truth and the Life Through a Biblical Reimagining of the Tao by Robert Martin

Related Episodes

Muse For Meditation; Ariel Garten

Women’s Meditation Network; Katie Krimitsos

Meditation and Mindfulness; Dean Graves

Muse For Meditation; Ariel Garten Aug 01, 2024

Show notes

Ariel Garten is a neuroscientist, innovator, and entrepreneur who empowers individuals with the Muse for meditation. Ariel is the co-creator of Muse, a brain-sensing headband designed to enhance meditation and mindfulness practices. Dedicated to empowering individuals to conquer mental barriers, Ariel helps people foster healthy, happy lives, and unlock their full potential.

Listen & Subscribe on: iTunes / Stitcher / Podbean / Overcast / Spotify Contact Info

Website: www.ChooseMuse.com (Use discount code ‘MindfulnessMode' for 15% off)

Most Influential Person

Michael Apollo (Michael is the Founder and President of Mindful Gateway Consulting and a leader in the field of mindfulness)

Effect On Emotions

Mindfulness helps me deal with my emotions very effectively. The first thing that comes to mind is a stubbornness that would come up in conflict with my husband.
The stubbornness would come up in two parts. I would need to be right and he would need to be right. That would create attention and a stubbornness sensation.

Thoughts On Breathing

Some people may not be aware of the relationship between breathing and their HRV, which is heart rate variability.
We know we want it to be high, but what does that mean? This phenomenon is called asinalsodal arrhythmia.
As you breathe in, your heart rate increases, and as you breathe out, your heart rate decreases. This happens because as you breathe in, your heart rate is increasing and increasing, and the compensatory mechanisms in your body at that point say oh no, our heart rate is going up; we need to make sure that we're managing our blood pressure.
We dilate our blood vessels to keep our blood pressure constant as our heart rate increases with the in-breath. Then, your vagus nerve kicks in to bring in your parasympathetic nervous system to try to calm your body down, and your heart rate decreases with your out-breath.

Related Episodes

Manifesting Through Flowdreaming; Summer McStravick

Leading with Grace Under Pressure; John Baldoni

Mindfulness, Quantum Physics and Healing With Dr. Anastasia Chopelas

The Net Effect; Femi (Oluwafemi) Badejo Jul 29, 2024

Show notes

Oluwafemi Badejo, also known as Femi Badejo, is a project manager with The Net Effect. He is a seasoned project and product manager, business analyst, and consultant with extensive hands-on and theoretical experience in architecture, engineering, project management, and Agile and Scrum methodologies. Femi excels in providing technical support, developing new products, and enhancing processes for optimal solutions. His strong management skills and keen decision-making ability are complemented by his proficiency in data synthesis.
A PMP Scrum Master Certified professional, Femi utilizes Agile project management to champion projects, teams, and team members. Since April 2023, he has been working at The Net Effect, a company dedicated to transforming construction businesses through strategic technology adoption. Femi's expertise helps construction companies navigate the complexities of technology integration, ensuring efficiency and profitability. His contributions are instrumental in saving industry colleagues significant time and money through effective technology and process evaluation.

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LinkedIn: Femi Badejo
Website: The Net Effect

Most Influential Person

My Dad

Related Episodes

Transform Your Life From The Inside Out; Jim Fortin

Empowering Minds, Achieving Success; Janet Elaine Schmidt

Bridging the Gap Between Spirituality and Science; D. Neil Elliott

Remote Virtual Workspaces; Brett Martin Jul 25, 2024

Show notes

Brett Martin creates remote virtual workspaces through his initiative, Kumospace.com, a virtual office and video chat platform. Brett is a seasoned entrepreneur dedicated to staying grounded through meditation. As an entrepreneur, angel investor, pragmatist, and optimist, Brett has spent much of his career in the startup trenches. He now focuses on supporting other entrepreneurs as Managing Partner of Charge Ventures, a NYC-based pre-seed/seed stage venture fund. Charge invests $200-500k at the earliest stages and helps founders grow from 0 to 1.
Brett also spreads the startup gospel as an adjunct professor at Columbia Business School, teaching product strategy and entrepreneurial finance. He has co-founded Switch and Sonar and began his career on Wall Street. In his spare time, Brett has written for Harvard Business Review, launched Vice, founded a rock band, and sailed thousands of miles on a 30-foot sailboat.

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LinkedIn: Brett Martin
Website: Kumospace.com

Most Influential Person

My fiance

Suggested Resources

Book: Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing and Nathaniel Philbrick
App: New AI apps

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An End To Upside Down Thinking; Mark Gober

Emotional Intelligence Insights; Harvey Deutschendorf

Dream and Visualize For Authenticity; Mary Rechkemmer-Meyer

AI-Driven Creativity; Matt Panousis Jul 22, 2024

Show notes

Matt Panousis is a master at AI-driven creativity. He is the Chief Operating Officer at Monsters Aliens Robots Zombies (MARZ), an innovative AI technology startup and VFX studio dedicated to revolutionizing Hollywood's visual effects industry. With a robust background as a lawyer and entrepreneur, Matt has a proven track record in co-founding and scaling successful B2B technology startups.
Listen & Subscribe on:

iTunes / Stitcher / Podbean / Overcast / Spotify Contact Info

Website: marzvfx.com

Most Influential Person

My Dad and Grandfather

Effect On Emotions

The emotions are primarily driven by the meanings and consequences that you apply to the event. A concrete example is when you drive by somebody who cuts you off, but then you pass their car, and you realize that there are three kids screaming in the back. Are you mad anymore, or do you feel bad for the guy? It's not the guy cutting you off that pissed you off, it's the Guy cutting you off plus the concept that he cut you off intentionally, and he did it to screw you over.
That causes a feeling of anger. Whereas when you see a guy struggling on his own with three kids in the back, that's terrifying for anybody. Then you have a totally different emotion.
Mindfulness creates that space between you and your thoughts. You can at least try to gauge whether the thoughts I'm applying to this are realistic. If I don't know, I should at least withhold an opinion.

Thoughts On Breathing

I don't do as many of the techniques formally. I guess you do it by virtue of a cold plunge, in which case you have to breathe. We don't breathe deeply the way that we probably used to.
If you practice the Wim Hof breathing techniques, you know about holding your breath. By round three, you're holding your breath for three minutes, and your cells are oxygenated. It certainly feels good and definitely makes you feel energized.

Bullying Story

Like most things in life, the feeling associated with an event is actually not the event itself. It's the meanings and consequences that you place on the event. So, all your thought processes and practicing meditation and mindfulness allow you to see or at least create a space between you and your thoughts.
So many times the thoughts that you are applying to that situation are biased.
Obviously, anything with bullying sucks, and it's awful. I think people probably make it worse on themselves because they feel as though it's the event that's causing the feeling.
There is a thought in between, and practicing mindfulness allows you to see that thought and, maybe, not change it, but at least examine whether or not it's realistic.

Suggested Resources

Book: n/a
App: Calm

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Raise Your Frequency With A Mindfulness Practice; JJ DiGeronimo

Activate The Execution Factor With Entrepreneur Kim Perell

Elite Strategies For Peak Performance; Anastasia Pavlatou

Exclusive Artist Connections; Pepe Del Rio Jul 18, 2024

Show notes

Pepe Del Rio is the innovative mind behind Sesh, an app that allows fans to have exclusive artist connections. Sesh offers fans a chance to be part of their favorite artist's projects, providing unique experiences, intimate interactions, and a passionate community where every fan is a VIP. To Pepe, mindfulness is a blend of various elements, including exercise, a structured schedule, and focus. He begins his day early with exercise and meticulously organizes his week to maintain a balanced mindset.
Despite the chaotic nature of the music industry, Pepe finds peace in structure and uses music as a vital part of his daily routine. As a former musician, he understands the deep connection between music and passion, which fuels his work with Sesh, helping artists manage their communities and fostering deeper fan engagement.
[bio]

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Website: www.joinsesh.app
LinkedIn: Pepe Del Rio

Most Influential Person

My Father

Effect On Emotions

Mindfulness is helping me a lot. I tend to be quite reserved, finding it difficult to express my feelings even with those I love. It often feels like I have a protective barrier preventing me from showing my emotions to avoid getting hurt.
However, mindfulness is encouraging me to push past this comfort zone. It’s important to connect with and share your feelings with those who care about you and whom you care about. This practice is helping me open up more and build deeper connections.

Thoughts On Breathing

I'm getting into breathing techniques. Our head of marketing, one of my employees, is very dedicated to these practices and has been encouraging me to focus more on my breathing.
She believes my life is chaotic and insists I need to take 15 to 20 minutes a day to meditate and control my breathing. She says it will help regulate how I think, process things, and approach my day. I started a week ago, and so far, it’s going well.

Bullying Story

I'm the eldest of eight siblings, and I'm particularly close to one brother who is just a year younger than me. We went to school together, attended the same parties, and shared many friends.
I remember a time when some bigger kids were bullying him. It was a tough situation because I had to decide whether to confront the cool kids or not, knowing they might start bullying me too.
I chose to stand up to them, and fortunately, they understood me, and the bullying stopped. I've seen close friends go through traumatic experiences during those years, typically between ages 13 and 15, when kids can be especially mean.
One of my best friends, who was bullied at school, is now one of the strongest people I know, both mentally and professionally. His resilience was forged through those tough times.

Suggested Resources

Book: The Power of the Mind by James Haik
App: Loop App

Related Episodes

Music As Medicine; Ian Morris and Brittany Churchill

The Transformational Power of Music and Creativity; Vinnie Stergin

Music for Mindfulness; Dave Combs

True II Soul; Keda Edwards Pierre Jul 15, 2024

Show notes

Keda Edwards Pierre founded True II Soul, a sanctuary dedicated to the healing and advocacy of BPOC & Indigenous women and gender-diverse survivors. She is a passionate advocate for transformative healing and support for survivors of sexual trauma. As a survivor of ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences), intimate partner violence, and racial trauma, Keda uses her personal experiences of being othered and retraumatized by systems claiming to help. Keda was inspired to create discreet, trustworthy, and inclusive spaces for recovery. True II Soul challenges stigmas around sexual trauma and fosters authenticity, creativity, and community. After a 27-year career with the Toronto Police Service, Keda now focuses on revolutionizing perceptions of survivors and eradicating gender-based violence. She identifies as a renaissance woman, living her mission of personal and professional lifelong healing and development.[bio]

Listen & Subscribe on: iTunes / Stitcher / Podbean / Overcast / Spotify Contact Info

Website: TrueIISoul.com

Most Influential Person

My Mom

Effect On Emotions

I recognize emotions as Messengers. The entire spectrum of emotions always serves us. One of our challenges, I feel, is that we hold on to them, and of course, they become dense, sit in our tissues, and create illness of one sort or another.
So, mindfulness has allowed me to understand the role of emotions and that they're all quite sacred.

Thoughts On Breathing

Breathwork is an incredible tool, and if that's all one has, it does incredible things for our bodies—not only emotionally but physiologically. If you hold the right nostril down and just breathe in and release through the mouth, the parasympathetic system is responsive to that.
It can help calm, bring things down, and lower anxiety. So whether we're outside or we're in a room, if we're able to use our breathing, it does wonders for us, from mindfulness, for the presence of mind and body

Bullying Story

I was a school liaison officer in Scarborough and worked with my partner. We had a ball. We handled all the elementary schools in 42 division, which was over 70 schools that we split between each other.
We worked as a team in the high schools and elementary schools, and we were dedicated to creating human-to-human relationships. The kids would see us and call us by our first names and recognize that the stigma doesn't define the institution.

Suggested Resources

Book: The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle
Book: Bodhi In The Brain: Yinnergy Meditation: A Technological Path to Enlightenment by Morgan O. Smith
App: Awake

Related Episodes

Use Meditation to Master Yourself; Ashley Williams

Meditation and Mindfulness; Dean Graves

Women’s Meditation Network; Katie Krimitsos

Comedian Turned Meditator; Morgan O. Smith Jul 11, 2024

Show notes

Morgan O. Smith is a former stand-up comedian turned meditator. He spent 14 years in the comedy scene, including nine years hosting his own TV show. During the last two years of his comedy career, Morgan discovered light and sound machines, which introduced him to deeper states of meditation. This transformative experience led him to leave show business to focus on meditation and raising his children. Over time, Morgan achieved profound meditative states, including Turia and Tiritita, which inspired him to delve deeper into mindfulness.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Morgan began working with autistic children and offered online meditation sessions, reaching over 1,000 students to help alleviate their stress and anxiety. Alongside his partner Cada Edwards Pierre, he co-developed an innovative app named Psycle. The app utilizes AR, XR technologies, and Brainwave Entrainment to guide users into meditative states, aiming to enhance creativity, mindfulness, and overall well-being. Morgan's book, “Bodhi In The Brain,” further explores his meditation program and its benefits.

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LInkedIn: Morgan O. Smith

Most Influential Person

Ram Dass

Effect On Emotions

I still experience my emotions and express them, but when I'm expressing them, I'm doing it from a witness standpoint, so I get to watch myself go through it, and when I'm going through it, it's not as bad as I thought it was.

Thoughts On Breathing

People can look into pranayama, the art of breathing, and Hinduism and yoga as traditions. My favorite breathing technique is two breaths of fire.
They breathe in and out really quickly through the nostrils, which can put you into a certain state. One of my other favorites is alternate nostril breathing, which involves switching from nostril to nostril. This really bounces out the two hemispheres of the brain.

What Is Kemor?

We were inspired to create Kemor, which is myself and my partner, Keda Edwards Pierre. We got together and created this development app about these five-dimensional beings, which we call Mukshas. This name comes from the word moksha, which means liberation.
They become meditation guides. We bring people into these realms, and they meditate using binaural beats. We are using AR and XR technologies. AI and brainwave entrainment will come along in the future.

Suggested Resources

Book: Bodhi In The Brain: Yinnergy Meditation: A Technological Path to Enlightenment by Morgan O. Smith
App: www.sens.ai

Related Episodes

Use Meditation to Master Yourself; Ashley Williams

Meditation and Mindfulness; Dean Graves

Women’s Meditation Network; Katie Krimitsos

A Sea Of Climate Solutions; Dr. Deborah Brosnan Jul 08, 2024

Show notes

Dr. Deborah Brosnan’s talk, A Sea of Climate Solutions, was presented at the Collision conference in Toronto in June 2024. She is a globally recognized marine scientist, environmental entrepreneur, and climate-risk expert. Dr. Brosnan leads Deborah Brosnan & Associates, a firm that merges risk, cutting-edge science, and practical decision-making to sustain ecosystems, businesses, communities, and governments. With a special focus on Small Island Developing States, she has worked in the Caribbean for over 25 years. She collaborates with John Paul DeJoria on OceanShot, a large-scale coral reef restoration project. Dr. Brosnan holds an adjunct professorship at Virginia Tech and has been affiliated with prestigious institutions like Stanford and the Smithsonian. She frequently appears on major media and has been a featured speaker at international forums.

Listen & Subscribe on: iTunes / Stitcher / Podbean / Overcast / Spotify Contact Info

LInkedIn: Deborah_Brosnan

Most Influential Person

Jacques Cousteau

Effect On Emotions

Mindfulness helps me be aware of my emotions and feel my emotions.
Somebody said to me once, feel the feel and then take the wheel. And mindfulness is when you take the wheel.

Thoughts On Breathing

Breathing is the first thing I stop when I get stressed out. Being aware of your breath and breathing and watching the changes that occur in your body when you take control of your breathing is absolutely the best.

Bullying Story

In my career as a marine biologist, I was fortunate to have supportive men, fellow students, and professors, especially during my education.

However, I did experience bullying, which is still prevalent, particularly online. When I was younger, I wasn't aware of mindfulness, so my initial reaction was to respond immediately.
Now, I've learned to step back and take a deep breath first. Mindfulness helps me recognize the energy directed at me and understand it often has nothing to do with me personally.
By pausing and being mindful, I protect my integrity and defuse the situation, as the bully usually has their own issues.
Mindfulness helps prevent a hasty response to bullying, and I try to apply this in my life. I'm not always perfect, but I strive to be better.

Suggested Resources

Book: Blue Mind: The Surprising Science That Shows How Being Near, In, On, or Under Water Can Make You Happier, Healthier, More Connected, and Better at What You Do by Wallace J. Nichols
App: Calm

Related Episodes

Wisdom From The Sea; Anne Gordon

We’re At An Epoch Says Wellness Force Radio Host, Josh Trent

Health, Wealth and Happiness; Fearvana Author Akshay Nanavati