What is a thought? Where are our thoughts located? What weight do our thoughts have?
In this episode of the Align Podcast, Dr. Caroline Leaf and I discuss what defines the concept of thoughts and how exactly they affect our body and our DNA. In fact, the human brain is capable to identify toxic and negative thoughts and treat them as foreign invaders, similar to how our bodies react to foreign invaders that attack our immune system.
Plus, Dr. Leaf shares with us a proven 5 step process that is designed to help us overcome trauma, depression, anxiety, and more.
Dr. Caroline Leaf is a communication pathologist and cognitive neuroscientist, specializing in cognitive and metacognitive neuropsychology. She has researched the mind-brain connection, the nature of mental health, and the formation of memory. Dr. Leaf is also the bestselling author of Switch on Your Brain, Think Learn Succeed, Think and Eat Yourself Smart, and many more.
What we discuss:
02:02: What is a thought? Where are thoughts located? What weight do our thoughts have?
06:12: How much control do we have over our entire thought process?
08:01: Dr. Leaf’s path to engaging in the knowledge of the mind
14:4: How do we experience things through our mind?
18:29: An explanation to why we don’t have a negative bias
19:18: Why are our brains drawn to the negative?
23:16: What is consciousness and unconsciousness? How do they relate to each other?
36:55: Where does shame come from?
43:27: Breaking down the NeuroCycle
51:55: The advantage of multi-perspective
To learn more about Dr. Leaf:
Website: drleaf.com
Instagram: @drcarolineleaf
Podcast: Cleaning Up the Mental Mess
We often feel that the career choice we made years ago is permanent, that we are hostages of a degree we earned or a couple of decades of experience that we accumulated. But that isn’t true.
In this episode of the Align podcast, Ashley Stahl and I discuss the 9 core skill sets that you should develop if you are contemplating switching careers. Plus, Ashley explains how the skills that you naturally have are more important than the interests you have.
Lastly, we get to hear all about how Ashley’s impressive background in counterterrorism helped her develop soft skills that are essential for the career choice she made after leaving the Pentagon.
Ashley is an angel investor, writer, career coach, podcast host, and an ex-counterterrorism professional for the Pentagon. Her leadership firm, Ashley International Inc., offers private coaching and unparalleled online programs to empower Millennials to find their purpose, land more job offers, and increase their income.
What we discuss:
04:26: Ashley's creative process for writing her new book
08:36: Expanding options vs going unidirectionally in a career
12:56: Making core skill sets relevant
16:22: Ashley's background in counter-terrorism
22:39: How Ashley incurred a loss in her business
24:41: What brought Ashley to her current formula?
29:25: Why did the Senate get raided?
32:22: Ashley's day to day working in counter-terrorism and international development
35:57: How are skill sets becoming obsolete in the workforce
40:01: What was Ashley's relation to Al-Qaeda in her professional role?
41:51: Ashley's experience as a female in her previous field
44:42: Developing self-awareness to determine our own hardness
47:00: Making career choices based on past wounds
48:46: What are the required skills of a good spy?
52:37: The power of being good with words
55:16: How did Ashley's perception of death evolve throughout time
01:03:05: The value and disadvantages of the current educational system
01:05:42: Changing careers at a mature age
To learn more about Ashley:
Website: ashleystahl.com
Instagram: @ashleystahl
Podcast: Your Turn Podcast
How many of you experienced bullying in your childhood? How did that experience shape the person that you are today? Is self-love all that you need to get through difficult times?
In this episode of the Align Podcast, we get deep and personal with Justin Wren. From bullying to self-sabotage with addiction, we discuss the importance of learning self-love and how expressing kindness towards yourself and others is the key to healing.
We also get a very intimate insight into Justin’s darkest thoughts and moments and how he overcame them. Plus, a message is given to those going through dark times.
Justin Wren is a former heavyweight division fighter, holding an MMA record of 15-2. After overcoming depression and addiction, Justin took the decision to step away from MMA, seeking out a purpose and passion for his life. He then founded Fight For The Forgotten initiative, where he now fights for those who don’t have a voice.
If you’re thinking about suicide, are worried about a loved one, or would like emotional support, the Lifeline network is available 24/7 across the United States. Call 1-800-273-8255 to talk.
What we discuss:
02:26: Justin's relationship with his mom
05:30: What do martial arts teach you?
07:11: What makes a bully?
11:18: Justin's experience with bullying
24:50: Learning how to love yourself
29:17: Discussing suicide ideation and attempt: Justin's experience
01:08:44: How kindness can help you
01:17:47: Self-sabotage with addiction
01:22:58: A message for those going through dark times
01:34:10: More about the Fight for the Forgotten initiative
To learn more about Justin:
Website: fightfortheforgotten.org
Instagram: @fightfortheforgotten / @thebigpygmy
Podcast: The Justin Wren Podcast
Are you honest with yourself? Do you have realistic expectations of how your body can perform? What thoughts are you using to fuel your body and optimize its performance?
In this episode of the Align podcast, Steven Kotler and I discuss how understanding our own human biology is the most important thing we can do for ourselves in order to properly pursue and attain our goals. In fact, knowing how to make biology work for us and not against us is the secret of many successful people.
We also talk about the crucialness of honesty, and how we must accept that we can only work with what we have. Steven recommends how we should feed our pattern recognition system properly and on a daily basis to help us reach peak body and brain performance.
Steven Kotler is a New York Times bestselling author, an award-winning journalist, and the Executive Director of the Flow Research Collective. He is one of the world’s leading experts on human performance. His nine bestsellers are praised all around the world and by industry leaders such as Elon Musk, Bill Clinton, and more.
What we discuss:
02:56: Discussing Steven's religious upbringing
08:42: How peak performance and honesty related to each other
10:00: Changing a child's direction through parenting
12:20: How praying is great training for peak performance
14:36: How evolution has been shaped by the force of innovation
16:31: What is the general thinking of flow?
18:13: Drivers of evolution: more food and better health
22:36: Why long-term planning and flow are dissociated
26:03: Kotler's Art of Impossible book
28:26: Motivation, learning, creativity and flow
To learn more about Steven:
Website: stevenkotler.com
Book mentioned: Art of Impossible
Instagram: @kotler.steven
Podcast: Flow Research Collective Radio