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
Wednesday Sep 01, 2021
Wednesday Sep 01, 2021
Have you ever had one of those moments when facing reality makes you want to reach for the vodka? If the answer is Yes then you may understand how today’s guest Nate Rifkin felt when a regular morning routine of Energy drinks combined with Vodka was preferable to facing the self hatred, career failure and loneliness of his life.
His turning point came whilst practicing Taoist meditation whilst standing on a street corner in a silly costume. Six years later, Nate is now happily married, a published author and is using his natural talents to develop a successful career.
What Nate Rifkin brings to this show is the clarity and freedom he discovered from facing the truth of his situation and using the path of inner change to empower him to take the small daily steps required to walk the path of outer change.
Full Text for this post along with my Guest’s website and social links are all available at:
www.lifepassionandbusiness.com/nate-rifkin-reality-or-vodka
Life Passion & Business is dedicated to exploring what it takes to be Extraordinary, to face challenges and rejoice in the opportunities they bring, and 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 Aug 29, 2021
Sunday Aug 29, 2021
My conversation today is about the power of journaling and the importance of approval and validation.
As you may already know, I have a morning routine that includes writing. For me, this takes the form of asking questions and seeing what comes back. Recently I have been thinking about the Podcast and the direction it is going, and there was one question that came up and stopped me in my tracks:
Are you looking for approval?
The reflexive answer that came was:
I am looking to have meaning, to be of value to others in the world. So yes, I am looking for validation that I have a purpose here.
From this I suddenly realized how powerful validation is for all of us and how this connects back to seeking approval. It also demonstrates why I recommend journaling as a tool for accessing the deeper questions that can otherwise be left unrecognized and unexplored.
I hope you find my reflections and explorations helpful in your own journey and that you will consider validating what you learn from it.
Life Passion & Business Podcast is about finding answers to life’s big questions through weekly interview with guest speakers. The Shortcast is my ongoing commitment to staying inquisitive and passionate about life with whatever is alive for me each week. Follow the links below to discover what else is on offer.
Events and Resources: www.lifepassionandbusiness.com
The Five Questions eBook: https://lifepassionandbusiness.com/the-five-questions
Support The Podcast:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/lifeandpassion
Audience Survey: https://lifepassionandbusiness.com/audience-survey/
Midlife Survey: https://lifepassionandbusiness.com/midlife-challenge/
Wednesday Aug 25, 2021
Wednesday Aug 25, 2021
My guest on the show today is Wayne Mullins for whom life is about being a better person every day. Our conversation is his journey through transition and recovery and his commitment to living with deep integrity and commitment to personal progression, relationships and creating experiences that lead to having good stories to tell when the journey is over.
Gaining Insight
What you will discover through this conversation is how ‘script’ and ‘ego’ trip us up, how it is possible to recover from depression and the value of connection and self evaluation.
Like many people, Wayne followed a success script that ultimately leads to crash and burn. If you follow this podcast you will know that breaking this pattern is a repeating theme. and there is good reason for this. We all follow different scripts, but there is a common thread: A script is a path that is not of your choosing. It is an external model given to us through family, friends, culture and media. These models work to an extent, but measuring happiness, success, joy or contentment on outside circumstances leads to breakdown. We begin to lose our way.
The breakthrough occurs when we start to gain clarity on what is more important to us and start to create our own personal success model. That is what happened to me and it’s why I created the Life Passion & Business podcast as a route out of the wilderness. This show is about exploring the journey of others to draw parallels and gain insight into your own existence.
The point is when we choose a path that is in alignment with our wishes, values and beliefs the ups and downs on the journey become part of the quest of life.
Full Text for this post along with Wayne’s website and social links are all available at:
www.lifepassionandbusiness.com/wayne-mullins-being-better-every-day
Life Passion & Business is dedicated to exploring what it takes to be Extraordinary, to face challenges and rejoice in the opportunities they bring, and 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 Aug 22, 2021
Sunday Aug 22, 2021
The difference we make in the world is often through the little things that are so simple they are easily overlooked or considered irrelevant. I’ve talked about this before, but it’s always worth repeating, especially because a little thing I did three years ago became highly relevant when I bought a box of teabags this week.
Video Link relevant to this conversation:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTmO6CjxYT4
Life Passion & Business Podcast is about finding answers to life’s big questions through weekly interview with guest speakers. The Shortcast is my ongoing commitment to staying inquisitive and passionate about life with whatever is alive for me each week. Follow the links below to discover what else is on offer.
Events and Resources: www.lifepassionandbusiness.com
The Five Questions eBook: https://lifepassionandbusiness.com/the-five-questions
Support The Podcast:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/lifeandpassion
Audience Survey: https://lifepassionandbusiness.com/audience-survey/
Midlife Survey: https://lifepassionandbusiness.com/midlife-challenge/
Wednesday Aug 18, 2021
Wednesday Aug 18, 2021
This week, we are talking about what it takes to build community.
My guest is Peter Elam, a software developer. But you will not hear anything about computers or coding on this show. That is because Peter is also passionate about education reform and creating healthy communities that support people to build a better future, deeper connections and clarity in communication.
Through listening to our conversation you will discover what Peter believes the conditions are that enable people to thrive, make friends that are lasting, and the importance of what he calls ‘wet social cement’.
If you are intrigued by Peter’s software app for document communication and sharing, it is clever management system called Diamondtree. There is a free 14 day trial and Peter is generously offering Life Passion & Business listeners a 50% discount on the purchase price.
To obtain this, use the code PASSION (all caps) at the checkout on Peter's website DiamondTree.org
Direct links to this and all Peter’s websites and social media channels are available at:
www.lifepassionandbusiness.com/peter-elam-search-for-community
Life Passion & Business is dedicated to exploring what it takes to be Extraordinary, to face challenges and rejoice in the opportunities they bring, and 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 Aug 15, 2021
Sunday Aug 15, 2021
How good are you at pretending? I’m not talking about little white lies, I’m talking about the kind of Let’s Pretend… that children play, the imaginary role play that engages the imagination and sends them on a journey to who knows where.
When my son was small he would create elaborate stories with friends or with his toys. Often acting out things he’d seen on TV or watched adults do. It’s the way youngsters make sense of the world around them and ‘feel into’ what it would be like to be that person or character. It is such a powerful tool, it’s sad that most of us don’t think to use it in our adult lives.
However, it is used to some degree in coaching and personal development with varying results. The key, as I have discovered through personal exploration, is to fully engage the imagination so that we can bypass the mind’s logic and the ego’s cynicism.
I hope you enjoy this contribution about the power of pretending and find ways to use it in your own development.
Life Passion & Business Podcast is about finding answers to life’s big questions through weekly interview with guest speakers. The Shortcast is my ongoing commitment to staying inquisitive and passionate about life with whatever is alive for me each week. Follow the links below to discover what else is on offer.
Events and Resources: www.lifepassionandbusiness.com
The Five Questions eBook: https://lifepassionandbusiness.com/the-five-questions
Support The Podcast:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/lifeandpassion
Audience Survey: https://lifepassionandbusiness.com/audience-survey/
Midlife Survey: https://lifepassionandbusiness.com/midlife-challenge/
Wednesday Aug 11, 2021
Wednesday Aug 11, 2021
This week’s conversation draws our attention to the plight of non diagnosed Dyslexia through Simon Rumney’s life of shame and the inspiration it now brings to his writing.
Simon has battled with low self-worth, shame and guilt his entire life.
“I was a failure in the womb.”
It all stems from a loveless childhood with traumatized parents and un-diagnosed Dyslexia which left him unprepared for the world. Although he has managed to be hugely successful with his career and prospects, he consistently sabotaged it. Only now, at the age of 66, does he feel close to getting on top of his chronic shame and self-deprecation.
What Simon brings to this conversation is a wealth of inspiration for people with learning disabilities and insight for those who live and work with them. Moreover, it gives the rest of us an opportunity to open our eyes to the ways we communicate and understand each other.
LINKS FOR FULL DETAILS ABOUT SIMON AND DYSLEXIA
In the podcast I mention the Davis Method: Here is a link to this and the British Dyslexia Association:
To learn more about Simon, Dyslexics Unanimous and his three books, follow this link to the podcast post on Life Passion & Business website:
www.lifepassionandbusiness.com/simon-rumney-dyslexia-shame-inspiration
Life Passion & Business is dedicated to exploring what it takes to be Extraordinary, to face challenges and rejoice in the opportunities they bring, and 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 Aug 08, 2021
Sunday Aug 08, 2021
How vulnerable are you willing to be? Vulnerability gives us the opportunity to connect, but it also puts us at risk of failure and shame. Those were some of the things discussed in last week’s shortcast ‘Failure and Forgiveness’ so it seems apt to follow on with a conversation about daring to be vulnerable.
As a child I experienced ridicule and shame from a few ‘unenlightened’ teachers. It was normal in the 1960’s and 70’s, but sadly (as my son tells me) it still happens a lot in schools today. It taught me to build a shell around my emotions to avoid feeling vulnerable and made meaningful relationships difficult to find. My interest in performance in my 20’s is what turned things around for me. Learning to access my emotions through performance and acting classes gave me the courage to take it further in my personal life. Being vulnerable with friends and family has opened the door to rewarding relationships. In particular it has enabled me to connect and role model vulnerability with my son.
Another place where it’s risky to be vulnerable is in the world of media and politics. Having the courage to speak the truth publicly is the place where many of us feel most vulnerable. And what happens when what we thought was true isn’t. How many people have the courage to admit they were wrong? We see it a lot when people dig their heels in to defend a standpoint just to avoid being vulnerable and open to shame. But what happens when we dare to say I was wrong? This is where the riches are. This is where we create connections and build trust.
Speaking from experience, I can say being vulnerable is worth the effort. I hope you’ll join me in this conversation and explore your own experiences around vulnerability.
Life Passion & Business Podcast is about finding answers to life’s big questions through weekly interview with guest speakers. The Shortcast is my ongoing commitment to staying inquisitive and passionate about life with whatever is alive for me each week. Follow the links below to discover what else is on offer.
Events and Resources: www.lifepassionandbusiness.com
The Five Questions eBook: https://lifepassionandbusiness.com/the-five-questions
Support The Podcast:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/lifeandpassion
Audience Survey: https://lifepassionandbusiness.com/audience-survey/
Midlife Survey: https://lifepassionandbusiness.com/midlife-challenge/
Wednesday Aug 04, 2021
Wednesday Aug 04, 2021
Unlike many of us who have been conditioned to believe life is a struggle and we have to push through challenges to reach our goals, Terry Sidhu’s philosophy is to…
“Find The Path of Least Resistance”
It is a refreshing change, and quite a surprise considering the challenges Terry faced as the child of immigrant descent growing up in a working class environment in central England.
“I grew up in 4 different communities and didn’t quite fit into any of them.”
When asked where his story begins, Terry takes us right back to his primary school years. Born the child of Indian heritage Terry’s home life was steeped in the Punjabi traditions. However, living in Wolverhampton meant his English school education was strongly influenced by western Christianity.
As if that wasn’t confusing enough for a quiet sensitive child, Terry also found it difficult to fit in with his peers. From an early age he had to contend with extensive exclusion, ridicule and bullying from other children, both at school and in the frequent social gatherings within the Sikh community.
“I never felt comfortable in this experience called life. I didn’t understand it”
Because of this Terry resorted to a solitary life and a lot of his thoughts and ideas tended to be of a religious, esoteric nature.
Full Text for this post along with Terry’s website and social links are all available at:
www.lifepassionandbusiness.com/terry-sidhu-the-path-of-least-resistance
Life Passion & Business is dedicated to exploring what it takes to be Extraordinary, to face challenges and rejoice in the opportunities they bring, and 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 Aug 01, 2021
Sunday Aug 01, 2021
Today’s Shortcast conversation is about two common ‘F’ Words: Failings and Forgiveness.
There are a number of reasons why these are on my mind this week. One, because a friend of mine competing in a major Iron Man challenge had to pull out towards the end of it. Another is the Simone Biles conversations that are spinning around in the news and social media this week. The third is the result of meeting up with some friends who are currently struggling to come to terms with a past failure.
The question is why is there such a stigma about failing? Babies fail all the time, and yet we don't criticize them for it. So where does it all go wrong? What happens in individuals and in society to turn failure into such a terrible thing? And why is it filled with so many emotive judgements?
Life Passion & Business Podcast is about finding answers to life’s big questions through weekly interview with guest speakers. The Shortcast is my ongoing commitment to staying inquisitive and passionate about life with whatever is alive for me each week. Follow the links below to discover what else is on offer.
Events and Resources: www.lifepassionandbusiness.com
The Five Questions eBook: https://lifepassionandbusiness.com/the-five-questions
Support The Podcast:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/lifeandpassion
Audience Survey: https://lifepassionandbusiness.com/audience-survey/
Midlife Survey: https://lifepassionandbusiness.com/midlife-challenge/
Wednesday Jul 28, 2021
Wednesday Jul 28, 2021
Nate Dukes is living proof that no matter how bad you think you are, or how bad things get, you can get through the darkness. Even when the story you’ve heard all your life is “You’ll Never Change” he is here to tell you it’s a lie. You can change and you can become the person you want to be.
This conversation is a revealing insight into how a devastating self image can lead to misery and disastrous life choices. It is also fully packed with inspiration and wisdom.
Nate’s Story
‘Fun’ for Nate used to be chasing what he thought was the good life – parties, drugs, gambling and spending money. Now he says that ‘fun’ is seeing other people set free from this unhealthy lifestyle.
From a difficult childhood, through the angst of teenage years, the liberation of leaving home and then falling into bad company and unhealthy habits, life has been a journey for Nate. And yet, this roller coaster has brought a lot of insight and wisdom which he shares with us in bucket loads.
“After being in the darkness, I now have the ability, desire and passion to help others and see them come out of that darkness and create their own comeback.”
Since our initial conversation Nate has been working on his book ‘You’ll Never Change’ which is all about proving that you can change. The book was released last month, so we have brought this podcast forward to celebrate it’s launch and share the journey that has brought Nate Dukes through the darkness to be the person he is today.
Full Text for this post along with Nate’s website, book and social links are all available at:
www.lifepassionandbusiness.com/nate-dukes-through-the-darkness
Life Passion & Business is dedicated to exploring what it takes to be Extraordinary, to face challenges and rejoice in the opportunities they bring, and 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 Jul 25, 2021
Sunday Jul 25, 2021
Life is absolutely full of choices, so it is hardly surprising that we sometimes experience choice fatigue. The thing is that with every choice, there is a potential outcome; sometimes an infinite number of outcomes. And, it is a natural human tendency to procrastinate.
Maybe this is what keeps us stuck and why the simplest choices are the hardest to make and the decisions that lead to the harshest outcomes become the easier option.
The point is we don’t acknowledge how hard it is to break out of habits and stick to decisions that require consistent daily action, especially when there is no urgency to make the change.
Taking action to change something before it becomes unbearable requires a huge amount of will power, compassion, self love and forgiveness. It also means keeping sight of the bigger picture and making each step towards it easier to achieve.
Life Passion & Business Podcast is about finding answers to life’s big questions through weekly interview with guest speakers. The Shortcast is my ongoing commitment to staying inquisitive 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:
Events and Resources: www.lifepassionandbusiness.com
The Five Questions eBook: https://lifepassionandbusiness.com/the-five-questions
Support The Podcast:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/lifeandpassion
Audience Survey: https://lifepassionandbusiness.com/audience-survey/
Midlife Survey: https://lifepassionandbusiness.com/midlife-challenge/
Friday Jul 23, 2021
Friday Jul 23, 2021
This week, my guest, El Edwards is joining me to talk about being weird with God.
This is an honest and open conversation, because El is not afraid to be weird, she rejoices in being different. So this is about her willingness to be honest and open about talking to God!!
There is no preaching here, so stick with me.
El has a bubbly personality, so whatever you think of the subject you will enjoy the lively pace and fun she brings to the conversation. El and I have different perspectives about God, so it was fun to bat a few ideas around with someone so open and honest. Whatever your view, there is some valuable insight to gain from listening to this and learning how El has created a life that is rich and fulfilling for herself and others.
And for my American listeners, she has a great Welsh accent that I am sure you will enjoy.
My full introduction to this post, along with El's website, social links and free download of her new book 'Youier' are all available at:
www.lifepassionandbusiness.com/el-edwards-weird-with-god
Life Passion & Business is dedicated to exploring what it takes to be Extraordinary, to face challenges and rejoice in the opportunities they bring, and 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 Jul 18, 2021
Sunday Jul 18, 2021
As a follow on from last week’s shortcast, this week’s reflection is about Roles.
Last week I talked about Labels and how, when asked what we do, we mostly define ourselves by our job title. But there is so much more to who we are than that. I invited listeners to explore this for themselves and create new ways of describing who they are. Expanding on that topic, this week I am talking about the different roles we play in life and how we want to be seen or defined by them.
Roles can be defined in infinite ways and I have listed some of these below to help you define the roles you play. But mostly we accept these roles without giving them much thought. So this is an invitation to explore them more deeply.
Are we blindly accepting roles that have been defined for us?
Or are we choosing them more consciously?
By reflecting on this topic, we have an opportunity to engage in our various roles with more integrity and bring them into alignment with our mission, or purpose in life.
There are an infinite number of roles in life. Here are just a few to consider:-
Husband/Wife/Partner, Parent, Child, Friend, Lover, Comrade, Co-worker, Employer, Employee, Patient, Counsellor, Teacher (not just in teaching or counselling professions), Student, Customer, Team Player, Team Leader, Community Citizen, Helper (i.e. supporting others with health, life challenges etc.).
And the there are the more obscure ones like Driver; what role do you play behind the wheel of your car and Social Media; what do you share and what do you hide?
Ultimately the question is:-
How do you want to be remembered for the roles you play in people’s lives?
What do you want your legacy to be?
Life Passion & Business Podcast is about finding answers to life’s big questions through weekly interview with guest speakers. The Shortcast is my ongoing commitment to staying inquisitive and passionate about life with whatever is alive for me each week. Follow the links below to discover what else is on offer.
Events and Resources: www.lifepassionandbusiness.com
The Five Questions eBook: https://lifepassionandbusiness.com/the-five-questions
Support The Podcast:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/lifeandpassion
Audience Survey: https://lifepassionandbusiness.com/audience-survey/
Midlife Survey: https://lifepassionandbusiness.com/midlife-challenge/
Wednesday Jul 14, 2021
Wednesday Jul 14, 2021
What Hayden brings to the podcast, is a beacon of light that can support others to make the switch before falling into the trap that many don’t recognize until it is too late.
Many of my guests talk about Life Transitions which sadly come about due to serious illness or unforeseen circumstances. I often describe this as the Curve Ball because it appears to come at us unseen and out of the blue. Retrospectively most recognize the signs that led up to this momentous event, and that ignoring the warnings is what caused it.
Hayden is different. He had the wisdom and the tools to turn his life in a direction that supported his well-being before it was too late. What’s more, he also uses his positive outlook to support others in making the switch in their lives.
Full Text for this post along with Hayden’s website and social links are all available at:
www.lifepassionandbusiness.com/hayden-humphrey-drop-the-script
If you are interested in working with Hayden, he runs a quarterly eight week program entitled ‘Unscript Your LIfe’. He is also offering a downloadable quiz to discover how scripted your life is. Links to both of these are included on our website via the above link.
Life Passion & Business is dedicated to exploring what it takes to be Extraordinary, to face challenges and rejoice in the opportunities they bring, and 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