Exploring the creativity of the human spirit with just five simple questions. Those questions give us a window to explore the journey and life story of people that look like they have it sorted.
Episodes
3 days ago
3 days ago
I am travelling this week, so I thought to share a show from last year with Olly Herman-Taylor.
The show is about brand building, entrepreneurship, holistic marketing, health and fitness and living a life that feeds us. It is a deep conversation about the world in which we live, how to find your story and the path towards your best life.
Images, shapes, and forms have always inspired Olly Herman-Taylor. While at school, he discovered a passion for design and spent his days doodling, creating logos, and drawing.
At college, he got a degree in English; on leaving, he went into the building industry, working on-site in the family business. Carrying bricks up and down ladders made him strong and fit, giving him an appreciation for movement and using his body.
But the inspiration to design was calling; it was music or clothes; feeling he might be tone deaf he chose clothes.
Olly started a t-shirt design business producing and selling shirts on the London street markets. But T-shirts would never make him rich, so he looked to his other passion, snowboarding.
Coming up with a unique design for a snowboarding jacket, he located a company that agreed to produce them if he could sell 500 jackets. He returned with an order for 5000, and his business was born.
He was just 23 and starting a business with no plan, which worked.
For seven years, he did some fantastic stuff, creating a lifestyle business and taking it to over a million pounds, but that journey involved compromise, and it stopped feeding his soul. Now, with a young family, he sold the brand and took time to be with his kids and consider his next steps.
He transitioned to Health and Fitness and set about creating a natural fitness brand, and this time, life did not roll so easy seven years later. He was depressed, in debt and unhappy.
Our conversation is about his journey out of the hole he had created. He discovered the darker sides of marketing in the fitness industry. As mentioned, it is a deep conversation about this world and what the system will do to us when we allow it.
Today, Olly Herman-Taylor calls himself a Bio Hacker and high-performance coach. He helps entrepreneurs upgrade their mindset, transform their health, uncover their purpose and create a life they love. He also hosts the Torchbearer™ podcast and is co-founder of Rare Partners, a story-based communication agency.
Further details about this podcast, along with my Guest’s website and social links, are all available at:
https://www.lifepassionandbusiness.com/olly-hermon-taylor-creating-a-life-to-love
Life Passion & Business is dedicated to exploring what it takes to be Extraordinary, to face challenges and rejoice in the opportunities they bring, and to expand our vision into new ways of thinking and living.
There is a lot to gain from listening to other people’s stories. However, the real work begins by taking action in your own life.
For full details of Events, Resources and Services, visit:
www.lifepassionandbusiness.com
6 days ago
6 days ago
It is all for you. What I mean by this is everything that unfolds in front of you is for you, and that is the journey of life. It is a simple thought that can change your life.
In the show, we are exploring some of the quotations around this point and looking at how you embrace the idea so that you can have a better journey.
“Life is simple. Everything happens for you, not to you. Everything happens at exactly the right moment, neither too soon nor too late. You don’t have to like it… it’s just easier if you do.” Byron Katie
“Life doesn’t happen to you, it happens for you.” Jim Carrey
There are thousands of comments and quotes like this, and they all stem from the Buddhist idea that life is suffering and our only option is acceptance and non-attachment. I appreciate that when the sh1T is hitting the fan, such comments and quotes are not always helpful.
In this show, we explore the thinking behind the idea that life happens for you and why it is important to use that mindset because it opens the opportunity for resilience, new experiences and growth.
Going into the hole of the world is out to get me never leads anywhere good.
Check out the show and see how that simple thought can change your life.
Life Passion & Business Podcast is about finding answers to life’s big questions through weekly interviews with guest speakers. The Shortcast is my ongoing commitment to staying interested and passionate about life with whatever is alive for me each week. Follow the links below to discover what else is on offer.
Discover Life, Passion & Business:
There is a lot to gain from listening to other people’s stories. However, the real work begins by taking action in your own life. Now you’re here, please explore our Events and Resources pages to discover how Life Passion & Business can support you.
Quick Links:-
- The Five Questions eBook
- Focus Coaching
- Male Midlife Challenges
- Support the Podcast with BuyMeACoffee.com
(or click on the cup for more info.)
Wednesday Nov 29, 2023
Wednesday Nov 29, 2023
Ghostwriting is the skill of making the words of others sound good and interesting enough to keep people reading. Our Guest on the show is a professional ghostwriter with over 80 books to his credit. Plus, a few of his own.
Joshua Lisec has become so well-known for his skill at bringing these books together that his name often appears on the cover.
Born in the USA, Joshua’s early life was unusual as he was home-schooled. It is more common now, but 30 years ago, it was rare. His education was unstructured and self-guided. Part of it was reading every page of the 1976 bicentennial edition of the Encyclopedia Americana.
His unschooling gave him a general knowledge base on just about everything. It did not stop him from continuing into university, where he got hooked on academic life and collected 3 degrees, one of them in business.
However, by his own admission, he left the university with no usable skills. He got a job in the telecommunication industry, working on standard operating systems and procedures.
The process taught him how to analyse systems and became the foundation of his work with entrepreneurs as the ghostwriter of their books.
While working on the SOP project, he had the sense that it would not be a career, but that was confirmed by his supervisor, who said, “Your skillset is bigger than this job; you should be a professional writer.
Professional Writing
Taking her at her word, that is what he did, writing several fiction novels. That was 11 years ago, and he has been a professional writer ever since.
Our conversation is about his journey into becoming a ghostwriter and how his work has shifted out of the shadows, where clients ask him to collaborate with them and have his name on the cover.
We touch on how AI will impact writing and the industry’s future. Apparently, it is easy to detect, and there are some positive benefits.
Further details about this podcast, along with my Guest’s website and social links, are all available at:
https://www.lifepassionandbusiness.com/joshua-lisec-the-ghostwriter
Life Passion & Business is dedicated to exploring what it takes to be Extraordinary, to face challenges and rejoice in the opportunities they bring, and to expand our vision into new ways of thinking and living.
There is a lot to gain from listening to other people’s stories, however the real work begins by taking action in your own life.
For full details of Events, Resources and Services visit:
www.lifepassionandbusiness.com
Support For Podcasters:
Running a podcast is fun, but it takes time and dedication. Whenever you enjoy a podcast please share your appreciation with comments, likes, shares and reviews. It helps other listeners find good content and supports the content creators and their guests.
Another way you can support the Life Passion & Business podcast is with small donations: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/lifeandpassion
Sunday Nov 26, 2023
Sunday Nov 26, 2023
I am currently visiting my son and recorded this show outside, so the audio quality, will be a little different, and there will be birds and traffic.
Our subjective today is thanks to Russell Dalglish, who posted a question on Linkedin “If not now, then when?” For me, tomorrow will do is right up there with don’t do today what you can put off until tomorrow.
I have my own painful procrastination experience this weekend. I got a parking ticket but how is that relevant?
Procrastination is the art of not making choices. Why are we so bad at making choices? Actually, some people are very good, and they are the people who get loads of stuff done. Russel, for example, has his own system.
But what is it that separates them from everyone else?
People like Russell have discovered the system that works for them, a means to overcome the fear of choices and attachment to outcomes.
On this show, you will discover the tools I use on myself and with clients to get us through the indecision and into the place of making a firm choice.
The point is most of the time, there is only one choice or realistically there no choice just the option we like the least.
Life Passion & Business Podcast is about finding answers to life’s big questions through weekly interviews with guest speakers. The Shortcast is my ongoing commitment to staying interested and passionate about life with whatever is alive for me each week. Follow the links below to discover what else is on offer.
Discover Life, Passion & Business:
There is a lot to gain from listening to other people’s stories. However, the real work begins by taking action in your own life. Now you’re here, please explore our Events and Resources pages to discover how Life Passion & Business can support you.
Quick Links:-
- The Five Questions eBook
- Focus Coaching
- Male Midlife Challenges
- Support the Podcast with BuyMeACoffee.com
(or click on the cup for more info.)
Wednesday Nov 22, 2023
Wednesday Nov 22, 2023
We all need a little calm in our lives, and our guest on the show is Clare Downham, who went from being a burnt-out teacher to becoming the queen of calm. Not overnight, of course; there is a story to be told.
Her recovery came once she discovered a place of calm by stripping back rather than adding more. It was the application of the three principles and the realisation that reality is not what we think it is.
The three principles are a tricky concept. They inspired Sydney Banks, a Scottish Welder from the 1970s. He was living in Canada and struggling with insecurity. While attending a weekend course, a passing comment about thoughts opened a door in his mind.
I have been exploring the principle for many years. It is an incredibly simple concept but really hard to implement and explain.
Queen of Calm
Clare is a great storyteller; her original plan was to be an engineer, and she learned to weld, cut and mill metal. But the science of engineering was not her thing. In a 180-degree shift, she went into the humanities and on to do a teaching degree.
She met her husband, became a teacher and set about the process of building a life with a family. Hungry to succeed, she took all of the promotions she could get, moving quickly into school management.
Nothing in the training teaches you to manage a school. How does a van with no wheels end up blocking the school gates, and more the point, how or who gets to move?
We explore what caused her to go off the rails and how self-care may have prevented her eventual burnout.
It is a lovely conversation with a woman who has been on the journey of life and realised that reality is not what it seems.
We get to explore the three principles, something I have wanted to do but never had the confidence to do on my own. Today, Clare is a three-principle practitioner, is known as the Queen of Calm and has a large following on Insight Timer.
She is dedicated to helping busy women create a life “Powered by Calm” by guiding them to transcend stress, anxiety, and overwhelm without the addition of tools, techniques or trawling through the past.
Further details about this podcast, along with my Guest’s website and social links, are all available at:
https://lifepassionandbusiness.com/clare-downham-queen-of-calm/
Life Passion & Business is dedicated to exploring what it takes to be Extraordinary, to face challenges and rejoice in the opportunities they bring, and to expand our vision into new ways of thinking and living.
There is a lot to gain from listening to other people’s stories, however the real work begins by taking action in your own life.
For full details of Events, Resources and Services visit:
www.lifepassionandbusiness.com
Support For Podcasters:
Running a podcast is fun, but it takes time and dedication. Whenever you enjoy a podcast please share your appreciation with comments, likes, shares and reviews. It helps other listeners find good content and supports the content creators and their guests.
Another way you can support the Life Passion & Business podcast is with small donations: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/lifeandpassion
Sunday Nov 19, 2023
Sunday Nov 19, 2023
Are you motivated by pain or value? So the bigger question is, do we need to experience pain in order to move or change?
In the shortcast, we are exploring how there are times when pain is a motivation, but for the really big changes in life, there has to be something else driving the action.
Looking at pain as in the ex-marketer, I can say marketing techniques will use pain to drive people towards a buying decision. It is about convincing people that buying stuff will make their lives better.
There is no doubt that some pain is a powerful motivator physical pain like toothache needs drugs, followed by a dentist appointment to solve the problem. There is nothing that you would not do to get rid of toothache.
But these are base-level problems and dovetail into Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. ( if that is new to you, see here. At the bottom of the pyramid, we're looking for safety, security and physical comfort. Physical pain is physical discomfort, and we want to change that.
As we move up the pyramid, when all of the basic needs and desires are met, it is time to self-actualise and do things in the world. But the question still comes: what is it that motivates us to do something to make a difference in our lives.
In this shortcast, we explore how pain, values and meaning are the core seeds of motivation for change.
Life Passion & Business Podcast is about finding answers to life’s big questions through weekly interviews with guest speakers. The Shortcast is my ongoing commitment to staying interested and passionate about life with whatever is alive for me each week. Follow the links below to discover what else is on offer.
Discover Life, Passion & Business:
There is a lot to gain from listening to other people’s stories. However, the real work begins by taking action in your own life. Now you’re here, please explore our Events and Resources pages to discover how Life Passion & Business can support you.
Quick Links:-
- The Five Questions eBook
- Focus Coaching
- Male Midlife Challenges
- Support the Podcast with BuyMeACoffee.com
(or click on the cup for more info.)
Wednesday Nov 15, 2023
Wednesday Nov 15, 2023
Is your credibility important? You need to feel you are, but more importantly, Are you Credible? Because your potential clients need to believe it first. But how do we get there?
Our guest on the show this week is Mitchell Levy from Credibility Nation, and as you will hear, we both discovered and learned much from this conversation.
Mitchell Levy has had a long and classically successful business career, from banking to internet systems and more. He has several publishing companies supporting business leaders to write books and has written over 60 of his own. He has spoken at TEDx events and is an executive coach at Marshall Goldsmith’s 100 Coaches—an accomplished man.
In 2019, he was looking for a change and decided to follow Napoleon Hill’s steps. He set out to interview 500 executives on success and credibility. The findings from that research have changed his life.
He has discovered that how we do business has changed forever and will never go back. Credibility is key.
So join me in this conversation to explore Mittchel’s journey and discover some critical tools for your credibility.
My full introduction to this recording and social links are all available at:
https://lifepassionandbusiness.com/mitchell-levy-are-you-credible/
Life Passion & Business is dedicated to exploring what it takes to be Extraordinary, to face challenges and rejoice in the opportunities they bring, and to expand our vision into new ways of thinking and living.
There is a lot to gain from listening to other people’s stories. However, the real work begins by taking action in your own life.
For full details of Events, Resources and Services, visit:
www.lifepassionandbusiness.com
Support For Podcasters:
Running a podcast is fun, but it takes time and dedication. Whenever you enjoy a podcast please share your appreciation with comments, likes, shares and reviews. It helps other listeners find good content and supports the content creators and their guests.
Another way you can support the Life Passion & Business podcast is with small donations: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/lifeandpassion
Thursday Nov 09, 2023
Thursday Nov 09, 2023
I am taking a break from editing this week, but I will return with a new programme next week. In the meantime, I want to share with you a conversation recorded a couple of years ago at the event, reasons, and results. That event is still available, and there are some free tickets available—details at the end.
This conversation is about being in flow and taking aligned action. Simon Jordan was an old friend who passed away just 18 months after this show was recorded.
Being in flow with life is about taking aligned action; in my weekend show, we explored the idea of being in that flow and open to the opportunities that pass; it is about breathing into the space.
When I think of a guest demonstrating the process well, it had to be the late Simon Jordan; he died suddenly in December 2021. I made a tribute programme for him at the time.
Simon was a long-term online friend. I had known each other for ten years, yet as in common in the digital world, we never managed to meet in person.
Taking Aligned Action
Going back to my point about flow and aligned action. There is a view and narrative that you will crawl through the swamp to get to your goal if you want something enough. You will put your shoulder to the wheel of life and push until you get what you want.
I do not deny the idea’s validity, and sometimes, getting results requires this level of commitment and sacrifice.
However, at what personal cost do we ask ourselves if we want to pay that price? There was a time when I did the 7 am to 7 pm life. Did it get me anything? I thought it did, but it meant I ate late, watched too much TV and went to bed to do it all again the following morning.
In this show with Simon, we explore his journey from the ego-driven on-stage marketing professional whose life was falling apart to the free-flowing mountain climber, swimmer, adventurer and branding coach. At the time of recording, his life philosophy was about taking aligned action, simplicity and moving with the flow.
The conversation was taken from the event Reason and Results, in 2020. The detail of this and all of our past events can be found in the events tab above.
https://lifepassionandbusiness.com/simon-jordan-aligned-action/
Life Passion & Business is dedicated to exploring what it takes to be Extraordinary, to face challenges and rejoice in the opportunities they bring, and to expand our vision into new ways of thinking and living.
There is a lot to gain from listening to other people’s stories. However, the real work begins by taking action in your own life.
For full details of Events, Resources and Services visit:
www.lifepassionandbusiness.com
Support For Podcasters:
Running a podcast is fun, but it takes time and dedication. Whenever you enjoy a podcast please share your appreciation with comments, likes, shares and reviews. It helps other listeners find good content and supports the content creators and their guests.
Another way you can support the Life Passion & Business podcast is with small donations: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/lifeandpassion
Sunday Nov 05, 2023
Sunday Nov 05, 2023
We all have them occasionally, so why do expectations hurt? Because most of the time, they are unrealistic, and we are attached to the outcome.
On the show today, we are exploring expectations, why the hurt when not met and how we can become less attached and free ourselves from the pain.
Today, I was running a 10k race, a real one that would give me an official time. Last year I ran this race About a month after I completed a marathon, and I achieved a time of 50 minutes and one second. it was very frustrating having just tipped over the 50 minutes.
There is a story here, but the long and short is when I booked this race, I had an expectation that I would train hard and reach my goal of a sub 49 minute 10K. But the training did not happen, and there I was at the start line and in my opinion, I was not ready for it.
However, it allowed me to release my expectations. I approached this race with the sense that if I could get under 55 minutes, I would be happy enough, but if I could actually get below 50 minutes, that would be an achievement. Did I achieve it? Actually, I was pleasantly surprised.
The point of this conversation today is that we are looking at expectations and why they trip us up. It is always about an attachment to the outcome. When the target becomes more important than the journey to get there, we make the target really important. That is when we open ourselves to the pain of failure.
The solution is smart goals that are a stretch but will fall back positions.
Check out the podcast and get in touch if you need support with your expectations.
Life Passion & Business Podcast is about finding answers to life’s big questions through weekly interviews with guest speakers. The Shortcast is my ongoing commitment to staying interested and passionate about life with whatever is alive for me each week. Follow the links below to discover what else is on offer.
Discover Life, Passion & Business:
There is a lot to gain from listening to other people’s stories. However, the real work begins by taking action in your own life. Now you’re here, please explore our Events and Resources pages to discover how Life Passion & Business can support you.
Quick Links:-
- The Five Questions eBook
- Focus Coaching
- Male Midlife Challenges
- Support the Podcast with BuyMeACoffee.com
(or click on the cup for more info.)
Wednesday Nov 01, 2023
Wednesday Nov 01, 2023
Taking an editing break while focusing on a new project this week, so as we all like to find a little joy in life, I thought to share this show from 2021, all about finding it for yourself.
Finding Your Joy explores thoughts, feelings and anxiety with today's guest, Erin McCullough. She reveals how finding joy is possible at any time and that we do not have to do anything to matter. We are always relevant, and our existence is enough.
Erin had no idea what to expect when she agreed to couples therapy. During the first session, she had an unexpected reaction, which the counsellor explained was a panic attack. She had never experienced a panic attack before, nor had she any awareness of her suppressed emotions.
“It was a defence mechanism not to feel the emotions of when I was a kid.”
Our conversation explores the life transitions that occurred for her through a near-fatal accident, divorce and meeting the man of her dreams on the first 'swipe-right'. It's also a story about the baggage we carry always, wherever we go.
Towards the end of the podcast, there is an exercise to explore and discover your own joy.
My full introduction to this recording, along with Erin’s website and social links are all available at:
http://www.lifepassionandbusiness.com/erin-mccullough-finding-your-joy
Life Passion & Business is dedicated to exploring what it takes to be Extraordinary, to face challenges and rejoice in the opportunities they bring, and to expand our vision into new ways of thinking and living.
There is a lot to gain from listening to other people’s stories. However, the real work begins by taking action in your own life.
For full details of Events, Resources and Services visit:
www.lifepassionandbusiness.com
Support For Podcasters:
Running a podcast is fun, but it takes time and dedication. Whenever you enjoy a podcast please share your appreciation with comments, likes, shares and reviews. It helps other listeners find good content and supports the content creators and their guests.
Another way you can support the Life Passion & Business podcast is with small donations: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/lifeandpassion
Sunday Oct 29, 2023
Sunday Oct 29, 2023
Perfection is an ideal that can break the soul and spirit of the best of us; getting hooked into a perfectionist state can lead to all manner of self-depreciation.
On our show today, we are looking at the mindset of perfection how chasing perfectionism can lead to shame and a sense of failure.
Where did the need to be perfect come from? It may have been sports. Watching elite athletes, there is no doubt that they are looking for the perfect performance every time they step up to the line. But they train for this moment, and much of that moment’s performance is out of their control. Of course, only the winners are celebrated; they get to take it all.
One of the biggest factors in performance thinking is the comparison with others. That is with family, friends or work colleagues. Company culture can feed the peak performance narrative, as can social media.
Part of this conversation is looking at the success model and exploring strategies that can make us aware and tackle the self-deprecation caused by perfectionism.
Do you have any thoughts about chasing perfection?
Life Passion & Business Podcast is about finding answers to life’s big questions through weekly interviews with guest speakers. The Shortcast is my ongoing commitment to staying interested and passionate about life with whatever is alive for me each week. Follow the links below to discover what else is on offer.
Discover Life, Passion & Business:
There is a lot to gain from listening to other people’s stories. However, the real work begins by taking action in your own life. Now you’re here, please explore our Events and Resources pages to discover how Life Passion & Business can support you.
Quick Links:-
- The Five Questions eBook
- Focus Coaching
- Male Midlife Challenges
- Support the Podcast with BuyMeACoffee.com
(or click on the cup for more info.)
Wednesday Oct 25, 2023
Wednesday Oct 25, 2023
How do we communicate with clarity? It is about using the right words at the right time to the right people. As a communicator, I am very aware of the power of my words. There have been times when I have used the wrong words and got into trouble.
Our interview is about the power of communication, and our guest on the show today is a master. It has become his mission to help leaders across the globe find the right words and make a bigger impact.
Dr Michael Gerharz was born in Near Koln in Germany. His first passion was music. The guitar became his instrument of choice, and as he progressed through education, he enjoyed jazz and studied classical music.
There came a decision point: music or follow his second love, computer science. It was the 90s, a time of unlimited opportunity in this new, exciting field.
After his degree, he became a researcher and programmer and got his Ph.D. in Communications Systems. He had arrived in the computer industry just as the internet became a thing and was there at the birth of mobile phones and networks.
The inability to communicate with clarity
Throughout his work in research, he became aware of how many brilliant ideas or projects failed because of the inability to communicate and use words well. That realisation has led to a whole new career as an author and a communications coach.
Our conversation is about his journey through music and computers. It is about the common thread that unites them.
Michael started his exploration of communication with a daily blog, now with over 800 posts. He is the author of the book “ Leaders Light the Path” and hosts the “Irresistible Communication“ podcast.
Further details about this podcast, along with my Guest’s website and social links, are all available at:
https://lifepassionandbusiness.com/dr-michael-gerharz-communicate-with-clarity/
Life Passion & Business is dedicated to exploring what it takes to be Extraordinary, to face challenges and rejoice in the opportunities they bring, and to expand our vision into new ways of thinking and living.
There is a lot to gain from listening to other people’s stories, however, the real work begins by taking action in your own life.
For full details of Events, Resources and Services visit:
www.lifepassionandbusiness.com
Support For Podcasters:
Running a podcast is fun, but it takes time and dedication. Whenever you enjoy a podcast please share your appreciation with comments, likes, shares and reviews. It helps other listeners find good content and supports the content creators and their guests.
Another way you can support the Life Passion & Business podcast is with small donations: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/lifeandpassion
Sunday Oct 22, 2023
Sunday Oct 22, 2023
Being of service, what does that mean to you? How do you see service, is it like any other transaction or something more?
In the interview podcasts, one of the questions is about contribution both to the world and ourselves. Our contribution to the world is about making a difference, and for most people on the show, that is their life work; it’s what they do and get paid for. It is a service, but not necessarily “giving service”.
I am the same. I’m a coach, and when I produce podcasts, it is a service because I give freely, but at the same time, it’s about getting my name out of the world so that people like yourself know that I’m available to give you support. It is a contribution, but it is not about serving freely with no strings.
In this podcast, we consider being of service, and how we serve, the thinking behind it and how the world could be a better place if service were given without it being transactional.
Being of Service
On Friday, I saw a woman struggling to move a few tonnes of recently delivered firewood; she was rushing to get it under cover before the rain hit. I stopped what I was doing and took over the wheelbarrow so she could focus on the stacking. She was so grateful. “ Thank you so much; this is what real community is about”.
My wood carrying felt good to know that I had supported her to get the fuel moved and under cover before that rain hit, and it was a good move because, boy, not 30 minutes later, it rained hard and for hours and hours.
Back to the point, being of service is a beautiful gift, but when it comes with strings, it is no longer a gift of service.
Life Passion & Business Podcast is about finding answers to life’s big questions through weekly interviews with guest speakers. The Shortcast is my ongoing commitment to staying interested and passionate about life with whatever is alive for me each week. Follow the links below to discover what else is on offer.
Discover Life, Passion & Business:
There is a lot to gain from listening to other people’s stories. However, the real work begins by taking action in your own life. Now you’re here, please explore our Events and Resources pages to discover how Life Passion & Business can support you.
Quick Links:-
- The Five Questions eBook
- Focus Coaching
- Male Midlife Challenges
- Support the Podcast with BuyMeACoffee.com
(or click on the cup for more info.)
Sunday Oct 15, 2023
Sunday Oct 15, 2023
Singing for hope and freedom was fundamental for Black African-American slaves. It gave them the resilience they needed through the darkness and was the path to emancipation.
I was in a singing workshop on Sunday with Dr Kathy Bullock, a music professor, Gospel leader, singer, performer and teacher of music from the black traditions. Over the day, we explore the early spiritual music, the songs of slavery, Gospel and African rhythms.
She is a descendant of slavery; her great-grandfather was born a slave, so the history is very close.
It has been her mission for over 30 years to bring this music and the stories it contains out to the world. Full of passion and energy, she can hold a room with 100 people or more, teach them a piece in 4-part harmony and have them singing within minutes.
Singing for Hope
It was sad, reflective and uplifting as we sang the songs written by people experiencing and living the injustice and pain of slavery and ongoing repression. These songs are about singing for hope, but it is so much more than that. It was about creating a shared vision of a better life and making it an affirmation.
Singing together is a powerful experience, and living close to the Findhorn Foundation, I consider myself privileged to live in a community where singing together in harmonies is normal and world-renowned teachers and presenters come to share their wisdom and experience with us.
The day was about the power of shared music as a means of communication, an expression of faith and resilience. This conversation is my reflection on the day and on the power of singing together. On reflection, I can see that music could be one of the tools to transcend our differences.
Life Passion & Business Podcast is about finding answers to life’s big questions through weekly interviews with guest speakers. The Shortcast is my ongoing commitment to staying interested and passionate about life with whatever is alive for me each week. Follow the links below to discover what else is on offer.
Discover Life, Passion & Business:
There is a lot to gain from listening to other people’s stories. However, the real work begins by taking action in your own life. Now you’re here, please explore our Events and Resources pages to discover how Life Passion & Business can support you.
Quick Links:-
- The Five Questions eBook
- Focus Coaching
- Male Midlife Challenges
- Support the Podcast with BuyMeACoffee.com
(or click on the cup for more info.)
Wednesday Oct 11, 2023
Wednesday Oct 11, 2023
World Mental Health Day is about raising awareness that the mind matters and that it is OK to ask for help. Much of my work is about how we take responsibility for who we are and how we present ourselves in the world.
Disclaimer: I am not a healthy professional. None of what I say should be taken as professional advice. Everything that I use or describe is based on my journey.
The most important thing I must say is If you need help, reach out and ASK.
Disclaimer aside, In this show, we explore some of the reasons why mental health is such a problem in modern living. It is the usual suspects: media, economics and money.
I was part of that world for long enough to know that the rules of the game are not about the mental health of the masses. But there are things that we can do to take care of our mental health, and that is routines and practices that support us.
In this show, we explore my path from what I would consider a low point in my life and look at the tools I used to pull myself out of my hole.
We are looking after each other.
A final note: while that day is about raising awareness, it is also about being aware of those around you. If you notice a friend or work colleague is different or quiet. Do check and ask if they are OK; reaching out can change someone’s life for the better.
Talking about this helps get people out of the cycle of the mind; getting them off the tape on repeat can make such a difference.
Here is the link to the UK site. I suggest a Google search in your location for more local resources.
https://lifepassionandbusiness.com/world-mental-health-day/
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There is a lot to gain from listening to other people’s stories, however the real work begins by taking action in your own life.
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