In this episode of A Congruent Life, Deek shares about:

• building a multi-faceted life composed of the things he loves;
• creation in many forms: building, writing, music;
• dealing with the fact that people will inevitably complain and criticize;
• following your instincts about how to invest your time and energy;
• choosing “Option B.”

Links from the Show

• Relax Shacks on YouTube
• Relax Shacks website
• Facebook: Tiny House Hub
• Tiny House Builders on HGTV
• Microshelters: 59 Creative Cabins, Tiny Houses, Tree Houses, and Other Small Structures
• Humble Homes, Simple Shacks, Cozy Cottages, Ramshackle Retreats, Funky Forts: And Whatever The Heck Else We Could Squeeze In Here

Transcript

The post ACL 066: Derek Diedricksen appeared first on A Congruent Life.

In this episode of A Congruent Life, Tara shares about:

• how breaking into a church led to an unexpected change of plans for her life;
• how unschooling taught her that failure itself was a great instructor;
• engaging in non-traditional education that set her on a path for social entrepreneurship and making business meaningful;
• learning to accept personal responsibility and become the artist of her own life;
• the paradox that the things that “should” have been successful weren’t, and vice versa;
• developing a sense of detachment and learning that quitting was different from giving up;
• understanding that people are a business’ greatest asset, and focusing on self care.

Links from the Show

• Under 30 Changemakers
• Facebook: Under 30 Changemakers
• Twitter: @Under30change
• Mycelium
• Ryan Holiday: The Obstacle is the Way
• Nassim Nicholas Taleb: Antifragile: Things That Gain from Disorder

Related Episode

ACL 054: Victor Saad

Transcript

The post ACL 065: Tara Byrne appeared first on A Congruent Life.

In this episode of A Congruent Life, Jacob shares about:

• the meaning and mission behind Sensophy;
• a sense of disbelief in first grade in the rules of success in the world;
• going through the motions of his career, but feeling shame about not being enough;
• recognizing that the pain of staying the same was worse than the fear of the unknown;
• a “ladder of consciousness,” the dangerous place in the middle, and taking ownership of our lives;
• the essential scaffolding of taking care of ourselves;
• when we feel at our best, we perform at our best;
• being willing to be “more you than is socially acceptable.”
• challenging that voice saying “Who am I to do this?”

Links from the Show

• Jacob’s story on Sensophy
• 12 Things Happy People Do Differently
• Twitter: @JacobSokol
• Facebook: Sensophy

Transcript

The post ACL 064: Jacob Sokol appeared first on A Congruent Life.

In this episode of A Congruent Life, Katrin shares about:

• the goals of Projects for All, and specifically what her organization is trying to accomplish with Project Hello World;
• deficits that she sees in traditional education models, and how Project Hello World is addressing them;
• how her original training in theatre became an ideal fit for working in the non-profit sector;
• wrestling up the confidence to shift the trajectory of her life;
• pushing up against a “fictional sense of meritocracy” and embracing the “joy of being useful”
• seeking balance between her work and other parts of her life, particularly with respect to her family; and
• discovering that the most authentic times of her life have actually been the times when she encountered the most resistance.

Links from the Show

• Projects for All
• Project Hello World
• YouTube video introducing “Hello Hubs”

Transcript

The post ACL 063: Katrin Macmillan appeared first on A Congruent Life.

In this episode of A Congruent Life, Jason shares about:

• trusting your gut about the path you’re on,
• creating your own luck,
• his recurring mantras about hard work and consistency,
• giving ourselves permission to take a step forward without hiding behind research,
• the challenge of consumption versus creation, and realigning our values,
• how his own core values that guide the life and business decisions he makes,
• behind the scenes of his latest project, detailing the process he has taken from concept to launch, and
• focusing on delivering value, and being aware of what brings you value.

Links from the Show

• BuyMyFuture
• Jason Does Stuff
• Purple Cow: Transform Your Business By Being Remarkable by Seth Godin
• Body of Work: Finding the Thread That Ties Your Story Together by Pamela Slim
• The Obstacle Is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph by Ryan Holiday

Related Episode

ACL 019: Pamela Slim

Transcript

The post ACL 062: Jason Zook appeared first on A Congruent Life.

In this episode of A Congruent Life, Belden shares about:

• discovering his love of nature as a young child,
• the yearning for wilderness in the middle part of life,
• getting out of your own head, and embracing being a “recovering scholar,”
• the many different lessons that nature has to teach us,
• his own “calling story” that led him to accepting the mantle of being a storyteller,
• reflections about accepting the names we are given,
• dealing with “false self” issues of impression management, the letters behind our name, and tiring of the masks we wear,
• the “true self” disciplines that now bring him joy in this stage of his life.

Links from the Show

• Belden’s website
• Illuman
• Soularize conference for men: November 2015

Belden’s books:

• Backpacking with the Saints: Wilderness Hiking as Spiritual Practice
• Ravished by Beauty: The Surprising Legacy of Reformed Spirituality
• The Solace of Fierce Landscapes: Exploring Desert and Mountain Spirituality
• Landscapes of the Sacred: Geography and Narrative in American Spirituality

Belden’s “Last Lecture” presentation at Saint Louis University:

Transcript

The post ACL 061: Belden Lane appeared first on A Congruent Life.

In this episode of A Congruent Life, Andy shares about:

• working in a toxic work environment, and realizing that “the biggest risk was staying where I was,”
• re-engaging with core desires as an antidote to urgency and stress,
• coping with fears around change, especially money and disapproval from others,
• being willing to “build the plane while I was flying it,”
• mindfulness about what you’re saying yes and no to,
• using time tracking to increase awareness of how you’re spending time,
• infusing a business with your core values, and operating consistently with those,
• how his mom’s perspective on living informed the kind of community he wanted to build.

Links from the Show

• Plum Deluxe website
• Andy Hayes on Twitter
• Plum Deluxe on Facebook
• Plum Deluxe on Pinterest

Transcript

The post ACL 060: Andy Hayes appeared first on A Congruent Life.

In this episode of A Congruent Life, Dianne shares about:

• realizing that she felt like a liar when describing herself inauthentically,
• coming to grips with fear, and learning to turn it into an asset,
• coping with fear of rejection, isolation from her tribe, and pushing through to acceptance,
• “logical mysticism” and distilling her learning into rules for happy living,
• a reminder that “someone’s got to do the laundry,”
• living out the principle that we ultimately have the choice to create the lives we want.

Links from the Show

• Dianne’s website
• The Real Brass Ring on Amazon

Transcript

The post ACL 059: Dianne Bischoff James appeared first on A Congruent Life.

In this episode of A Congruent Life, Stephanie shares:

• being drawn to activism as a young adult, and how that has influenced her perspective on life,
• the process of “waking up” and developing an increased sense of awareness,
• her motivation behind deciding to go to law school and become an attorney,
• the impact that an ongoing martial arts practice has had on her personal journey,
• two major events outside of her control that changed her life.

Links from the Show

• Stephanie’s website
• Blaze Your Worth

Stephanie is offering A Congruent Life listeners a complementary “Soul Success Strategy Session” to help you connect to your passion – thanks, Stephanie!

Transcript

The post ACL 058: Stephanie Trager appeared first on A Congruent Life.

In this episode of A Congruent Life, Andrew shares pieces of his story, including:

• how he was motivated to start poemcatching,
• veering away from several generations of a family-owned business,
• discovering that he was, in fact, a creative person, and what that means for all of us,
• advice for tapping into our creativity and “unfolding” our own creative visions,
• the impact that men’s work and spiritual questing has had on his personal journey,
• embracing mission as a larger framework for life beyond goals and tasks.

Links from the Show

• Poemcatcher website – please submit your own poem here!

Poem anthologies:

• Quake – Built from Nothing
• FUNGUS Poems
• SALTY Poems from the Sea
• Royal Wedding Poems
• Haunted Halloween Poetry
• BALLS from The Queue
• Fantastic Fireworks

Andrew’s children’s books:

• The Fish Who Nearly Drowned in His Search for Water
• The Bee Who Could Not Choose His Flower
• A Little Light
• The Tree of Goodness

Transcript

The post ACL 057: Andrew Newman appeared first on A Congruent Life.

In this episode of A Congruent Life, Stephanie shares insights gleaned from her reinvented life, including:

• how crises of health or money often help us uncover personal authenticity,
• why living an interesting life is itself a new form of currency,
• becoming an expert at saying no, so that she can say a bigger yes,
• learning to know love and connection, and to live not just for self,
• embracing a philosophy of living agelessly,
• choosing to approach work with a philosophy of play and creation,
• analogies between a business and an intimate relationship,
• moving from standing against something to standing for something, and asking important questions about legacy.

Links from the Show

• BLISSBOMBED website
• Stephanie’s “virtual cubicle” on Facebook
• Stephanie on Twitter

Transcript

The post ACL 056: Stephanie St.Claire appeared first on A Congruent Life.

In this episode of A Congruent Life, Gary shares great stories and insights that weave between the worlds of art and business, including:

• how the principles of improv can improve the way that people interact in teams,
• a key lesson that has stuck with him that “sometimes you just have to play,”
• experimentation and being curious,
• embracing a creative process where someone else finishes the narrative,
• why he wants other people to “steal” his ideas,
• getting out of the way to allow your creation to flourish in unexpected ways, and
• learning to check ego, press the “pause” button, and be present in the moment.

Links from the Show

• On Your Feet website
• Botjoy gallery
• “Meet Your Monster” – Gary Hirsch at TEDxConcordiaUPortland (YouTube)
• Gary at World Domination Summit 2013 (Vimeo)
• @garyhirsch on Twitter
• #bravebots on Twitter

Transcript

The post ACL 055: Gary Hirsch appeared first on A Congruent Life.

In this episode of A Congruent Life, Victor discusses his thoughts about customized experiential education, including:

• his personal journey that led him to rethink pursuing a traditional MBA program,
• developing a personal “Leap Year Project” that valued experience and connection over content,
• lessons learned from selecting experiences, financing the project, and asking for help,
• inspiring thoughts about what he values “if I started a school…”
• lessons learned, and a compelling vision for an alternative educational approach called the Experience Institute,
• how authenticity and individuality plays into reinvention.

Links from the Show

• The Leap Year Project book (Amazon)
• The Leap Year Project website
• “If I Started a School…” – Victor Saad at TEDxUofIChicago (YouTube)
• Experience Institute
• Victor’s website

Transcript

The post ACL 054: Victor Saad appeared first on A Congruent Life.

In this episode of A Congruent Life, Erik shares reflections about his journey as a creative professional, including:

• learning to separate who you are from what you do,
• perspective on making inspiration actionable,
• not knowing how to accomplish a vision, but trusting that the necessary help will show up when it’s needed,
• paying attention to the inner voice that urges us to pursue a significant project,
• learning not to simply swap one identity for another, but rather embracing that the sum of our experiences make us who we are.

Links from the Show

• Erik’s website
• Lemonade
• Lemonade: Detroit
• 365 Days: A Year in Happy Valley
• Soulcraft, by Bill Plotkin

Related Episodes

• AJ Leon (episode 12)
• Joel Blunk (episode 8)

Transcript

The post ACL 053: Erik Proulx appeared first on A Congruent Life.

In this episode of A Congruent Life, Diane shares stories about how her music career has intertwined with her personal journey, including:

• the perseverance and hard work needed to make it as a musician, and that talent didn’t come easy,
• insights that she’s gained and shared as a music teacher,
• how getting involved in Toastmasters brought new skills and fresh enthusiasm into her life,
• learning to stretch her business in new ways, and to grow in new directions,
• the value of coaching to serve as an external mirror for personal insight,
• being aware of energetic pulls, waking up early, and excitement for projects,
• how she wants to leverage her experience to be of service in the world.

Links from the Show

• Eloquent Expression website
• Exude Confidence Naturally When Speaking In Public: Tips From A New York City Trained Violinist, by Diane Allen
• Outliers, by Malcolm Gladwell
• Lean In, by Sheryl Sandberg

Diane is also extending an offer for some free coaching to A Congruent Life listeners: just contact Diane, and let her know you found her on A Congruent Life!

Eloquent Expression Coaching certificate

Transcript

The post ACL 052: Diane Allen appeared first on A Congruent Life.

In this episode of A Congruent Life, Jared shares stories from his personal journey with Council work, including:

• how his background in dramatic arts and quest for storytelling led him to Hollywood, where he became disillusioned about the lack of authenticity,
• how the aftermath of the LA riots allowed his daughter to discover her voice in a surprising way,
• how the concepts of Council are old and comfortable across cultures and backgrounds, and simple in principle but deep in practice,
• the ancient elements and simple intentions of holding Council,
• the effects of Council work in Rwandan genocide healing and prison populations,
• the impact that this work has had on his personal journey and perspectives on living authentically.

Links from the Show

• Center for Council website
• Video: Prison/Reentry Council Project at Salinas Valley State Prison
• Center for Council on Facebook
• @ctrforcouncil on Twitter

Transcript

The post ACL 051: Jared Seide appeared first on A Congruent Life.

In this episode of A Congruent Life, Heather shares stories about:

• developing resilience from living abroad at an early age,
• the danger of comparing ourselves to others, and strategies for addressing that,
• tapping into our personal “genius work” that gives us energy and meaning,
• the critical distinction between self esteem and self worth,
• finding courage to change situations that are not congruent with our values,
• acknowledging that years in a corporate job had dulled her senses, and being patient to rediscover a sense of aliveness,
• constructing a business to support her life, rather than the other way around, and
• walking her talk by being willing to pause her business to pursue an adventure in Antarctica.

Links from the Show

• Republic of Freedom website
• Heather Thorkelson on Facebook
• @RepOfFreedom on Twitter

Transcript

The post ACL 050: Heather Thorkelson appeared first on A Congruent Life.

In this episode of A Congruent Life, Emilie shares stories about:

• being very successful in her career, “but not feeding my soul,”
• the unexpected lesson she learned from hiking Half Dome: “nothing at the office is going to seem scary any more.”
• how a physical injury created an extended opportunity for reevaluation of her life,
• the value of a coach in developing clarity, and in catalyzing change,
• the challenge – and benefit – of being willing to ask for help,
• the restorative impact of being disconnected and immersing oneself in the natural world,
• surprising herself with the power of visualization, even at a subconscious level, and
• sharing the wisdom she’s learned about breaking down boundaries and not holding ourselves back.

Links from the Show

• Call of the Wild: Adventure Travel for Women website
• Call of the Wild on Facebook
• Gregg Swanson
• Emilie Cortes website

Emilie is offering a 10% discount on Call of the Wild’s Everest Base Camp trip for listeners that sign up before August 1; just mention A Congruent Life in the comments field when registering. And follow Call of the Wild on Facebook to learn about free local outings in Central Oregon.

Transcript

The post ACL 049: Emilie Cortes appeared first on A Congruent Life.

In this episode of A Congruent Life, Danea shares profound insights from her life journey, including:

• learning at an early age that her chronic illness was not a burden,
• changing her expectations about what her family would look like,
• learning to be willing to truly grieve the things that she needed to let go of,
• her direct experience with the power – and limitations – of positive thinking,
• embarking on a book project to share her journey and the stories of other inspiring women,
• receiving news of her kidney failure on the day of her book release,
• the amazing gift she received from her husband, and her reflections on that experience, and
• ultimately being compassionate about our own humanity.

Links from the Show

• Chronic Resilience website
• Charity Tillemann-Dick: Singing After a Double Lung Transplant – TED video
• Sacramento Kings Top Executive Gives Wife Gift of a Lifetime – Sierra Donor Services
• Chronic Resilience: 10 Sanity-Saving Strategies for Women Coping with the Stress of Illness on Amazon

Transcript

The post ACL 048: Danea Horn appeared first on A Congruent Life.

In this episode of A Congruent Life, John shares about:

• gradually questioning common lifestyle beliefs in his own life,
• how a “short trip” to Japan ended up lasting 13 years,
• creating a clear intention with his wife, and setting a one-year plan to accomplish it,
• his strong focus on contribution and connection in his travels,
• the perspective he has gained on abundance, lack, and simplification,
• the self-imposed stress that we create by worrying about money,
• how awareness of the balance between giving and taking has made him more conscious of his environmental footprint,
• discovering ways to be of service even without particular expertise in a given area, and
• reducing suffering by being present in the moment.

Links from the Show

• Jet Set Citizen – John’s website
• The Human, Earth Project

John recently shared a guest post on A Congruent Life: A Story of Human Trafficking. Learn more about The Human, Earth Project on documentary filmmaker Ben Randall’s website.

Transcript

The post ACL 047: John Bardos appeared first on A Congruent Life.

In this episode of A Congruent Life, Lydia shares about:

• deciding to walk the Camino de Santiago during a crossroads in her life,
• her insight that everyone has their own pilgrimage to take, and that the “real Camino” starts at home,
• taking a leap outside her comfort zone to direct her first feature-length film,
• inspiration from the people that she chose to feature in the documentary,
• persistence to stick with the multi-year film project, from filming to production to now promoting and sharing it,
• dealing with the illusion that aligned work will be easy,
• the importance of self-care,
• letting go of judgement, and realizing that she was capable of so much more than she thought.

Links from the Show

• Walking the Camino website
• The Camino Documentary on Facebook
• @CaminoDoc on Twitter
• Kurt Koontz: A Million Steps

Related Episodes

• Ken Streater

Transcript

The post ACL 046: Lydia Smith appeared first on A Congruent Life.

In this episode of A Congruent Life, Justin shares his perspectives about the role of authenticity in business, including:

• taking a risk to jump from his comfortable job in order to move to the Philippines,
• questioning the wisdom he received about missing opportunities by being away from the United States,
• leaning into his desire to explore and see the world,
• the responsibility that he felt to his team as a business owner when times got tough,
• seeing a business partnership as similar to a marriage, and the better decisions that can come as a result,
• the challenge of going through “the dip,”
• the congruence between business and personal relationships, and how personal integrity has a tangible business impact,
• discovering that the most resonant creativity comes on the edge of discomfort.

Links from the Show

• Empire Flippers website
• Empire Flippers podcast
• Justin Cooke on Twitter
• Seth Godin: The Dip: A Little Book That Teaches You When to Quit (and When to Stick)

Justin is offering the A Congruent Life community a free copy of Justin and Joe Magnotti’s e-book, Building a Niche Site Empire – thanks Justin!

Related Episodes

• Dan Andrews (Dynamite Circle)
• Pat Flynn (Smart Passive Income)

Transcript

The post ACL 045: Justin Cooke appeared first on A Congruent Life.

In this episode of A Congruent Life, Berni shares about:

• feeling empty when everything seemed ideal with her career, relationship, and son,
• the simple question that caused her to re-evaluate her life, and a followup challenge that rocked her perspective,
• learning to break away from limiting beliefs and become emotionally strong,
• her experience of how life transitions can come at us sideways, and sometimes we only connect the dots in retrospect,
• learning not to overcomplicate coaching, but simply trusting our learned lessons,
• growing up without a sense of place, and the amazement that came with discovering the roots of her name,
• leaning on the sum of our experiences to live an authentic life.

Links from the Show

• Berni Xiong website
• “Shinkickville” newsletter
• Berni Xiong on Twitter, Facebook, Google+
• Martha Beck: Finding Your Own North Star: Claiming the Life You Were Meant to Live
• Greg Hartle: Ten Dollars and a Laptop
• “Why Real is the New Black” (addicted2success.com)
• The Shut Up Show podcast

Bernie is offering the A Congruent Life community $50 off select products at her store – thanks Berni!

Related Episodes

• AJ Leon (windmills in Africa)
• Amy Clover (suicide prevention)
• Tyson Adams (clean water in Laos)

Transcript

The post ACL 044: Berni Xiong appeared first on A Congruent Life.

In this episode of A Congruent Life, Richie shares about:

• the unthinkable experience of losing his son only 76 days into his life, and how his family responded to that experience,
• learning to articulate what he calls “Gavin’s Law,”
• being conscious about what he wants life to look like, and more importantly, asking “Why aren’t I doing that?”
• the power behind “stupid,” and the three Ts of stupidity,
• becoming more scared of not doing something than actually doing it,
• wanting to live life to be like a worn-out pair of jeans,
• learning to operationalize authenticity,
• embracing our authentic self as a vision of what we can be.

Links

• Richie Norton website
• 76 Day Challenge
• The Power of Starting Something Stupid on Amazon

Transcript

The post ACL 043: Richie Norton appeared first on A Congruent Life.

In this episode of A Congruent Life, Tyson shares about:

• deciding to leave his sales job and buy a one-way ticket to travel,
• the spiritual awakening and subsequent dream that he had about using import proceeds for education in Laos,
• learning about the wellness benefits of meditation and seeking out teachers in Asia,
• the insight about being less afraid of the unknown than having the known come to an end,
• learning to listen to his intuition to step outside his comfort zone and trust his internal compass,
• some of the setbacks he experienced getting into the coffee business and doing business in an unfamiliar culture,
• the experience of starting a nonprofit and seeking a sustainable source of funds,
• embracing a “social business” model, in which the business is operated for profit, but the profits are dedicated to philanthropic goals.

Links

• Jhai Coffeehouse
• Jhai Coffeehouse on Facebook
• Jhai Coffeehouse on Twitter
• Matthieu Ricard: Happiness: A Guide to Developing Life’s Most Important Skill on Amazon
• Brene Brown: The Power of Vulnerability, Listening to Shame (TED talks)
• Brene Brown: Daring Greatly on Amazon

Transcript

The post ACL 042: Tyson Adams appeared first on A Congruent Life.

In this episode of A Congruent Life, Farnoosh shares about:

• how growing up in Tehran and then emigrating taught her important lessons that she continues to apply to her life,
• realizing that her Fortune 100 career with “everything right” didn’t truly provide the fulfillment that she was seeking,
• learning to see her previous experience not as a waste, but making up the sum of who she is today,
• recasting risk and fear as an adventure to be embraced,
• the importance of rewiring her brain to think “the right way,” and how she did that,
• some of the practical tools that she used to get in touch with what she wanted in life,
• the alignment of her vision of her personal contribution with that of her life partner.

Links

• Prolific Living
• Smart Exit Blueprint – transitioning to entrepreneurship
• The Healthy Juicer’s Bible on Amazon
• The Healthy Smoothie Bible on Amazon (preorder)

Transcript

The post ACL 041: Farnoosh Brock appeared first on A Congruent Life.

In this episode of A Congruent Life, Ben shares about:

• how a surfing expedition turned into a project raising awareness of teen suicide,
• both the trials and the learning that came from the trio spending so much time together on the road,
• how dreams might not turn out as expected, but can turn into something even better,
• what he learned from the young people that were following their progress,
• problem solving skills and authenticity,
• making space in life for passion projects that are separate from one’s job, and
• tapping into motivation and purpose for large projects like the documentary film.

Links

• 3 Mates 7 Seas website
• ABC News clip about 3 Mates 7 Seas

Want to watch the 3 Mates 7 Seas documentary? Leave a comment below about what you found most inspiring about the 3 Mates 7 Seas story! I’ll randomly select a commenter after January 31, 2014 and mail that person a free DVD of the film.

Transcript

The post ACL 040: Ben Robinson appeared first on A Congruent Life.

In this episode of A Congruent Life, Heather shares about:

• the wake-up call that came from finding herself crying during her lunch hour,
• the observation that she was making more money than ever but still living paycheck to paycheck,
• her long-held beliefs about poverty and lack, and her inner work around abundance,
• realizing that our relationship with money is linked to our relationship with ourselves,
• what she did when surgery didn’t heal the tumor she’d developed,
• being willing to get out of her own way, and
• allowing her life to be guided in a direction that she never expected.

Links

• Heather’s website
• Heather Strang on Facebook
• Heather’s writing on Huffington Post
• The Quest: A Tale of Desire & Magic on Amazon

Heather is about to begin a sexual healing series for women on January 22; check it out here.

Transcript

The post ACL 039: Heather Strang appeared first on A Congruent Life.

In this episode of A Congruent Life, Wesley shares about:

• how he was forced to grow up quickly in the foster child system,
• his grandmother providing an important counterbalance to the consistent messages that he was worthless,
• crawling through a ditch as one of the most memorable acts of love in his life,
• being inspired to control his own destiny at eight years old,
• the importance of motivation and being aware of why we do what we do,
• having faith in others as a testament to the human spirit,
• investing our lives into things that really matter, and
• moving beyond shame of his past to realizing that he has an important legacy to leave.

Links

• Wesley’s website
• Entrepreneurial Success Radio

Transcript

The post ACL 038: Wesley Chapman appeared first on A Congruent Life.

In this episode of A Congruent Life, Dino shares about:

• his life as a teen in Bosnia during the war,
• becoming a refugee, and taking trains to Sweden without knowing if they would be allowed to cross the border,
• the corporate work that sustained him early in his career,
• wanting to grow in new ways in becoming an entrepreneur,
• the important lessons he learned from failed businesses,
• the value of a partner to balance his weaknesses and strengths,
• the key learning that desire is necessary but not sufficient to accomplish a big goal, and
• how all of this has informed his core beliefs about business and the world.

Links

• Dino’s website
• Triberr
• Road to TED podcast

Transcript

The post ACL 037: Dino Dogan appeared first on A Congruent Life.

In this episode of A Congruent Life, Owen shares his personal journey and the impact of men’s groups, including:

• the sense of personal empowerment that came from learning about and actively working to heal dyslexia, Asperger’s, and ADHD,
• the increased well-being he experienced through Rolfing,
• his perspective of authenticity as alignment in many aspects of life,
• atunement to personal energy as a gauge of direction, and fear as a necessary condition to move us forward,
• why he believes so strongly in the power of micro-communities to support and challenge us,
• the story behind Grow Up, and the impact that he wants the book to have.

Links

• Grow Up: A Man’s Guide to Masculine Emotional Intelligence
• Owen’s blog
• Owen’s Facebook page
• Free to Win
• Men Corps

Transcript

The post ACL 036: Owen Marcus appeared first on A Congruent Life.

In this episode of A Congruent Life, Mike shares the shift in his life’s direction, what he now values most, and how he helps men live more congruent lives, including:

• how he started receiving inspiration from various sources about how his life could be different,
• how his mother’s death galvanized his reinvention,
• the importance of showing up fully,
• taking risks of trying something new, and dealing with the fear that comes with that,
• the similarities between love and business,
• the core values of integrity, growth, and emotional intimacy,
• authenticity as speaking your truth, including asking for what you want and being willing to say no,
• taking personal responsibility for life’s direction and happiness.

Links

• Mike’s website (also available at http://menscoach.net)
• Mike’s Facebook page
• Conference for Men

Transcript

The post ACL 035: Mike Hrostoski appeared first on A Congruent Life.

In this episode of A Congruent Life, Greg draws on his varied life experiences and lessons learned from his show and his guests, including:

• pulling the best aspects from his various work experiences into a “mashup” of the work he truly wants to do,
• learning from “false starts” and conscious reinvention,
• the importance of asking questions and being aware of what lights you up,
• taking risks of trying something new,
• how being in a car accident as a young man still informs his life today,
• the roots and motivation for a big project like Radio Enso,
• embracing a little bit of fear to stretch creatively and expand your comfort zone,
• conscious living and valuing authenticity.

Links

• Radio Enso (live Mondays at 6pm Pacific)
• Enso Photography
• Enso Creative – Greg’s portfolio of creative services
• Attendee Stories at World Domination Summit (Greg at 4:34)

Transcript

The post ACL 034: Greg Berg appeared first on A Congruent Life.

In this episode of A Congruent Life, Amy shares stories about:

• “accidentally” embracing fitness as a path to emotional and mental healing,
• discovering some of the beauty behind the struggle,
• the epiphany she experienced about how her personal journey could be of service to others,
• learning to develop her business over time so that she could increase her impact in the world,
• embarking on “crazy” projects, like leading boot camps in cities across North America,
• why she supports To Write Love on Her Arms,
• finding inner strength to make a big jump, and trusting that a net will appear when needed,
• how vulnerability and authenticity is a core of living congruently in the world.

Links

• Strong Inside Out – Amy’s website and story
• Nerd Fitness – Steve Kamb
• The 30×30 Project
• Attendee Stories at World Domination Summit (Amy at 3:55)
• Amy’s Nike spec video: “Find Your Greatness” on Vimeo
• To Write Love On Her Arms

Transcript

The post ACL 033: Amy Clover appeared first on A Congruent Life.

In this episode of A Congruent Life, Illana shares beautifully about embracing vulnerability and ultimately making it a core of her success, including:

• her lengthy journey to discover a new life passion after leaving dancing behind,
• learning to make peace with her limitations,
• healing the adversarial relationship she had developed with her body, which she felt had failed her,
• aligning her mental strength with the physical skills she had previously relied on,
• how a character played by Melanie Griffith served as an early role model, which she later saw through,
• how entrepreneurship provided an unexpected path to express her individuality while honoring her needs,
• learning to see vulnerability not as a weakness, but as a strength,
• working with people on a genuine level – “that’s where the good stuff is!”,
• perspectives on transparency and fierce honesty with self, and
• her vision and passion for democratizing business education.

Links

• @illanaBurk on Twitter
• Makeness Media on Facebook
• Makeness Media website

Transcript

The post ACL 032: Illana Burk appeared first on A Congruent Life.

In this episode of A Congruent Life, Sylvester shares interesting stories from his well-lived life, including:

• attending an integrated high school in the 1950s, and how he never got into a fight,
• what he learned when a restaurant would not allow him to eat with his teammates,
• how his dreams of going to college evaporated after one poor football game,
• the effect that a house fire had on his dreams and the trajectory of his work,
• how having confidence in his intuition boosted his early career as a firefighter,
• having the discipline to earn a college degree over ten years of night school,
• being open to discovering unexpected blessings in disguise,
• having the courage to turn down a job that simply wanted to fill its minority quotas,
• how fainting in an airport led to clarity about living a life of service, and
• what he is learning from raising his young grandsons while in his 70s.

Links

• Sylvester’s website
• Sylvester Neal on Facebook
• The Man in the Mirror

Transcript

The post ACL 031: Sylvester Neal appeared first on A Congruent Life.

In this episode of A Congruent Life, Julie shares stories and reflections from her athletic, professional, and health experiences, including:

• key life lessons that she learned from pushing herself athletically,
• learning, forgetting, and relearning to pay attention to what her body was telling her,
• the fine line between pushing oneself to excel and ignoring warning signs,
• the importance of family-like support structures in both team and individual situations,
• the balance between the power to create, and the power to “un-create,”
• her intuition about what she needed to do in order to heal herself,
• how her health challenges organically provided clarity about the work that she next wanted to do.

Transcript

Coming soon!

Links

• Julie Harris on Facebook
• ACL 024: Eric Plantenberg
• Abundant Living

Julie is generously offering a free 30-minute coaching session in January 2014 to A Congruent Life listeners. Email Julie directly if you’d like to take advantage of this – thanks, Julie!

The post ACL 030: Julie Harris appeared first on A Congruent Life.

In this episode of A Congruent Life, Srini shares insights from his personal journey as a podcaster, entrepreneur, and writer, as well as key lessons he has learned from interviewing hundreds of guests on BlogcastFM, including:

• discovering that he was the common thread in why corporate jobs didn’t work for him,
• how most significant self-discovery happens during challenges or times of suffering,
• why only putting one foot outside your comfort zone holds you back,
• what it means to “make a dent in the universe,”
• how surfing has been for him a source of presence and living in the moment,
• that our capacity for dealing with adversity is far greater than we think,
• the key choice between choosing to play it safe or take risks.

Links

• The Art of Being Unmistakable on Amazon.com
• BlogcastFM podcast
• Choose Yourself (James Altucher) on Amazon.com
• The Instigator Experience
• ACL 025: Meg Worden
• Srini Rao on Facebook

Transcript

The post ACL 029: Srini Rao appeared first on A Congruent Life.

In this episode of A Congruent Life, Ken shares interesting stories and great insights, including:

• coming to learn that his love of the outdoors could actually be an expression of service,
• why experiences of common purpose can be effective in building community,
• how strapping on a life jacket each day became an important symbol for his team,
• why honoring the bottom line is an important element in doing good,
• how he unconsciously drifted away from his own authenticity, and how he discovered this,
• an uncomfortable period of his life that helped him crystallize his sense of purpose,
• why he embarked on his book project, and some of the important lessons he’s learned from others while writing it.

Links

• The Gift of Courage on Amazon.com
• The Gift of Courage website
• Kelley Kalafatich: “Living with Courage” (TEDx talk)
• The Courage Compass
• ACL 024: Eric Plantenberg
• Evening of Empowerment

Transcript

A Congruent Life is honored to be a sponsor of Evening of Empowerment; I hope that you’ll be able to attend this compelling event in Bend, Oregon on November 5, or in other locations in early 2014.

The post ACL 028: Ken Streater appeared first on A Congruent Life.

In this episode of A Congruent Life, Don shares compelling stories from his life journey, including:

• growing up as a pastor’s son, and tangibly experiencing “being wrong for being poor.”
• receiving a national chastisement for simply asking uncomfortable questions,
• tasting fame from recording the #1 pop hit in Jamaica, but deciding that “I don’t want to live off that.”
• how a poor kid from Jamaica inexplicably found himself with an opportunity to go to college,
• deciding to immigrate to the United States, despite the obvious social inequities that he observed,
• why he has always chosen to live in the most “dangerous” neighborhoods,
• “Politics? Absolutely not!”
• the brief phone conversation that dramatically changed the trajectory of his life.

Links

• Don’s website
• Don Samuels for Mayor on Facebook

Audio Excerpts

Audio excerpts from ACL 027: Don Samuels

Transcript

The post ACL 027: Don Samuels appeared first on A Congruent Life.

Transcript

Coming soon!

Links

• Still Light Centre

The post ACL 026: Shai Plonski appeared first on A Congruent Life.

In this episode of A Congruent Life, Julie shares:

• how music replaced her addictions as a source of strength and self-confidence,
• spiritual experiences that led her to see music as another language for connection,
• what came from her music teacher’s challenge to share her music in train stations,
• the unexpected gift of a small note dropped in her bag,
• honoring the pull to share her gifts, “regardless of how I think it sounds,”
• difficult lessons about intertwining money and self-worth, and
• the challenge and reward of embracing self and living authentically.

Links

• Julie’s blog

The post ACL 023: Julie Dragonfly appeared first on A Congruent Life.

In this episode of A Congruent Life, Natalie reflects on her own journey as a nomadic entrepreneur, including:

• recognizing for herself that “you either do this now, or you do this never,”
• being willing to experience fear head-on in order to move through it,
• doing the inner work to identify and prioritize her core values, and staying aligned to them,
• staying connected to people close to her while living a nomadic lifestyle,
• learning to celebrate both wins and losses,
• how one’s best work happens when you’re being true to yourself.

Natalie is generously offering free copies of her book, The Suitcase Entrepreneur, to two lucky A Congruent Life listeners. For your chance to win:

• Share this episode on Facebook
• Join our community mailing list

Transcript

Links from our conversation

• The Suitcase Entrepreneur website
• The Suitcase Entrepreneur on Amazon
• How to Successfully Crowd Fund Your Dream Idea on Kickstarter
• Natalie’s books and training
• BYOB: Build Your Online Business
• Awaken the Giant Within
• StrengthsFinder 2.0
• The Suitcase Entrepreneur on Facebook

The post ACL 022: Natalie Sisson appeared first on A Congruent Life.

In this episode of A Congruent Life, Tess reflects on her experience after presenting at the World Domination Summit in Portland last month, including:

• leaving her dream job without a safety net (“what the hell are you doing?”)
• how the WDS audience gave her a gift she’ll never forget,
• lessons learned from not getting the big job that she was “supposed” to get,
• discovering that those that she thought were “not my people” actually were,
• learning how to move her identity from “Marketplace’s Tess Vigeland” to “just Tess,”
• figuring out how to shift from telling others’ stories to telling her own story,
• questions about why authentic sharing is so unusual,
• why she doesn’t really see her upcoming book as “Act Four,” and
• her ongoing challenging journey of “getting back to remarkable.”

Links

• Video of Tess’ presentation at WDS on Vimeo
• Transcript of Tess’ presentation at WDS
• Tess’ website
• Tess Vigeland on Facebook
• Tess Vigeland on Twitter
• Reflection posts on #wds2013

The post ACL 021: Tess Vigeland appeared first on A Congruent Life.

In this episode of A Congruent Life, Marinus shares some fascinating stories, including:

• the impact that his mother’s sacrifice for hungry children during World War II has had on the course of his life,
• the deeply learned lesson that “if it’s not helping others, it’s not worth doing,”
• his unique reflections on authenticity that come from having a twin brother,
• how he was “accidentally” introduced to mysticism as a teen,
• his experience that the art of living is learning how to recognize and appreciate key moments, and
• what he learned from drawing blood from a dying man, Ubuntu, inking circles on newspaper, and Winnie the Pooh.

Links

• Reach Another Foundation website
• Reach Another Foundation on Facebook

The post ACL 020: Marinus Koning appeared first on A Congruent Life.

In this episode of A Congruent Life, Pam shares:

• how traveling the world, studying martial arts, and working in a nonprofit unexpectedly prepared her for entrepreneurship,
• the fulfillment of supporting others in the hard work of discovering their own path,
• her learning that “hating your job intensely is not a business plan,”
• the magic that happens when people take charge of their lives,
• why she made a conscious choice to prioritize family over book sales and what she wants to model for her kids,
• the importance of owning both the choice and the consequence, and
• how a variety of work experiences and modalities are all part of one’s “body of work.”

Links

• Escape from Cubicle Nation website
• Escape from Cubicle Nation on Amazon
• Pam’s website
• @pamslim on Twitter
• Pam Slim on Facebook

The post ACL 019: Pamela Slim appeared first on A Congruent Life.

In this episode of A Congruent Life, Rudi discusses:

• pursuing a long-term passion project even though he couldn’t see how it could possibly happen when he began,
• a surprising approach to reducing crime and working with the incarcerated and ill,
• making personal sacrifices and the meaning of true financial freedom,
• letting your heart guide you more than your head, and
• a fresh paradigm of mental health that is based on health rather than illness.

Links

• Three Principles Movies
• Innate Wellbeing

The post ACL 018: Rudi Kennard appeared first on A Congruent Life.

In this episode of A Congruent Life, Jonathan talks about his desperate prayer as an eight-year-old boy not to be bored, missing opportunities and the power of affirming what you want, his learning that “people living authentic lives would have never predicted what their lives would look like,” ensuring that you’re not following someone else’s plan, and fear and faith being two ends of the same cord.

Links

• Essential Light Institute
• Essential Light Institute on YouTube

The post ACL 017: Jonathan Goldman appeared first on A Congruent Life.

In this episode of A Congruent Life, Charley talks about the warning signs he experienced when “living for Fridays,” being propelled by the urge to keep moving forward, wanting to make today better than yesterday, being inspired by building something massive, and learning about personal authenticity from oneself rather than others.

Links

• Pay It Forward Experience website
• Pay It Forward book by Catherine Ryan Hyde
• Pay It Forward movie (with Kevin Spacey, Helen Hunt, Haley Joel Osment)

The post ACL 016: Charley Johnson appeared first on A Congruent Life.

In this episode of A Congruent Life, Karen talks about masking the pain of her mother’s death, her difficult journey to forgive and make sense of her experience, the value of mentors (Marianne Williamson for her), being defined by labels, doing the work that your heart pulls you to, and removing the barriers to love in your life.

Links

• Karen Kenney’s website and blog
• Karen Kenney on Facebook
• Karen Kenney on Twitter
• The Yoga Show with Karen on YouTube

The post ACL 015: Karen Kenney appeared first on A Congruent Life.

In this episode of A Congruent Life, Josh talks about his transition from a Fortune 100 company to his work as a researcher and author, shares his journey toward self-empowered education (rather than spending huge money on business school tuition), reflects on developing expertise and confidence without having “traditional” credentials or authority, and discusses the psychological and intellectual principles of rapid skill acquisition.

Links

• Josh Kaufman’s website
• The Personal MBA website
• The Personal MBA on Amazon
• The First 20 Hours website
• The First 20 Hours on Amazon

The post ACL 014: Josh Kaufman appeared first on A Congruent Life.

In this episode of A Congruent Life, Mike shares about building something as “a love affair” despite the financial challenges, separating making a living from giving your deepest gifts, being part of the cycle of nature, the value of doing big things together, and tells a story about how “it’s not what you do, but what you don’t do that kills you.”

Links

• Rites of Passage website
• Rites of Passage on Facebook

The post ACL 013: Mike Bodkin appeared first on A Congruent Life.

In this episode of A Congruent Life, AJ shares the story of walking out of his office four days before his wedding, why he cancelled a book contract with a big publisher, reflections on traveling and working with his life partner, tales from a unique “MisfitConf” event in Fargo, and a “Good Misfit” humanitarian project to build a windmill in Africa.

Links

• Pursuit of Everything community and blog
• The Life and Times of a Remarkable Misfit essays
• Good Misfit – building a windmill in Kenya
• AJ Leon on Twitter
• The Pursuit of Everything on Facebook

The post ACL 012: AJ Leon appeared first on A Congruent Life.

In this episode of A Congruent Life, Alana shares the title track from I am a Sparrow, and talks about basing her identity on the expectations of others, how she coped with the pressure of being a star, her road trip to “fall back in love with music,” and the power of old stories for healing.

Links

• Alana’s website
• Alana Levandoski on Facebook
• Alana Levandoski on Twitter
• Recording Roots documentary

Stories

• Allerleirauh (Brothers Grimm)
• Allerleirauh/Donkeyskin annotated (SurLaLune)
• Allerleirauh synopsis (Wikipedia)
• Iron John (Brothers Grimm)
• Iron John synopsis (Wikipedia)
• Iron John: A Book About Men (Robert Bly)

Alana’s Music

• I am a Sparrow (CD and book)
• Hymns from the Desert
• Lions and Werewolves
• Unsettled Down

The post ACL 011: Alana Levandoski appeared first on A Congruent Life.

In this episode of A Congruent Life, Alison talks about honoring the unique gifts of others, personal insights she learned from working in the health care system, redefining failure and success, being ready for “something wonderful” that lies ahead, and her journey to uncover and live into her authentic self.

Links

• Alison’s website
• Alison Elsberry – Divine Motherhood on Facebook

The post ACL 009: Alison Elsberry appeared first on A Congruent Life.

In this episode of A Congruent Life, Joel shares some unique perspectives on authenticity, discussing his career as a collegiate and professional athlete and coach, lessons he learned from missed opportunities, the role of music and the power of story, and using personal talents for something beyond self.

Links

• The WheelHouse on State College Presbyterian Church website
• The WheelHouse community on Facebook
• The War is Over – written and performed by Joel
• Nature and the Human Soul (Bill Plotkin)

The post ACL 008: Joel Blunk appeared first on A Congruent Life.

In this episode of A Congruent Life, Dan talks about his journey from “career” to entrepreneur, building businesses that matter, synergies that come from working with people sharing similar values, social media and podcasting, and finding your own authentic story.

Links

• Lifestyle Business Podcast website
• Tropical MBA

The post ACL 007: Dan Andrews (Tropical MBA) appeared first on A Congruent Life.

In this episode of A Congruent Life, Bernie discusses the role of social engagement in Zen, holding opinions rather than truths, the impact of street retreats in New York City, healing work at Auschwitz, Rwanda, and Israel, and his relationship with Jeff Bridges.

Bernie’s books

• The Dude and the Zen Master
• The Hazy Moon of Enlightenment
• Infinite Circle: Teachings in Zen
• On Zen Practice: Body, Breath, and Mind
• Bearing Witness: A Zen Master’s Lessons in Making Peace
• Instructions to the Cook: A Zen Master’s Lessons in Living a Life That Matters

Links

• Zen Peacemakers
• Bernie Glassman page on Facebook

The post ACL 006: Bernie Glassman (Zen Peacemakers) appeared first on A Congruent Life.

In this episode of A Congruent Life, Joe shares the physical and spiritual journey behind his latest album, Greyhound Bus Tour, when he crossed the United States by bus to play in locations ranging from subway stations to the White House.  In addition to sharing a track from the album and talking about the story behind it, we also discuss how Joe dealt with fear, what he learned from “failure,” and the roots and aspirations for his music.

Joe’s Music

• Greyhound Bus Tour (2013)
• Hello Ocean EP (2012)
• Let’s Go Outside (2011)
• Touch the Earth (2009)
• Children of the Earth (2007)
• Planting Gardens (2006)
• Beyond My Control (2004)
• Mothers and Daughters (2001)

Links

• joereilly.org
• Joe Reilly on Earthwork Music

The post ACL 005: Joe Reilly appeared first on A Congruent Life.

Links

• Buddhist Boot Camp book on Amazon.com (affiliate link)
• Buddhist Boot Camp website
• Buddhist Boot Camp on Facebook

The post ACL 004: Timber Hawkeye (Buddhist Boot Camp) appeared first on A Congruent Life.

In this episode of A Congruent Life, Christine shares profoundly about ‘following the thread,’ pilgrimage, and vulnerability.

Christine’s books

• Eyes of the Heart: Photography as a Christian Contemplative Practice
• Desert Fathers and Mothers: Early Christian Wisdom Sayings, Annotated & Explained
• Lectio Divina–The Sacred Art: Transforming Words and Images into Heart-centered Prayer
• The Artist’s Rule: Nurturing Your Creative Soul with Monastic Wisdom
• Water, Wind, Earth and Fire: The Christian Practice of Praying with the Elements
• Awakening the Creative Spirit: Bringing the Arts to Spiritual Direction

Links

• Abbey of the Arts
• Monk Manifesto
• Way of the Monk, Path of the Artist online course. Use discount code “Abbey20″ for a $20 discount when registering – thanks, Christine!

The post ACL 003: Christine Valters Paintner (Abbey of the Arts) appeared first on A Congruent Life.

Links

• Two Blind To Ride website
• Two Blind To Ride on Facebook
• Two Blind To Ride on Twitter
• Warm Showers

The post ACL 002: Tauru Chaw and Christi Bruchok (Two Blind to Ride) appeared first on A Congruent Life.

In this episode of A Congruent Life, Brian shares his reflections about the power of story, humor, and joy, and tells of a surprise casual encounter he had with the Dalai Lama.

Some of Brian’s Books

• Grace Notes
• Mink River
• Bin Laden’s Bald Spot and Other Stories
• The Grail
• The Wet Engine: Exploring Mad Wild Miracle of Heart
• Spirited Men: Story, Soul and Substance

Links

• Portland Magazine
• Mink River Facebook page

The post ACL 001: Brian Doyle appeared first on A Congruent Life.