The Light Inside

Denial.

We’ve all heard that somewhat childish joke. You the one  - about how ‘it’s not just a river in Egypt’. Yet, when it comes to why we blame others, we often find ourselves swimming in a river of it. 

And when things truly fall apart, and our ability to navigate conflict floats south…

Sometimes, as things go wrong, we're often quick to point fingers. And We frequently find ourselves deflecting responsibility; offering, instead - tons of denial. When it comes to blame, many theories exist as to just why we do it. Yet, seldom does blaming others, or even ourselves - come without consequences. 

 

In this episode of "The Light Inside," ⁠author Dustin Staiger⁠ discusses his book ⁠"Blame This Book:⁠ Rescue Your Workplace Culture From Toxicity and Scapegoating" Host Jeffrey Besecker and Dustin discuss the cultural phenomena of blaming and why it matters. Dustin explains that his research on creativity and innovation in the workplace led him to the conclusion that fear of blame is what often keeps individuals and teams from taking risks and reaching their potential. The conversation touches on how blame is a cultural phenomenon and how it affects personal and professional relationships.

 

Dustin and Jeffrey explore the topic of fear of failure, identifying it as a significant factor that can hinder individuals and organizations from reaching their creative potential. Staiger suggests doing a blameless pre-mortem to identify potential issues before taking on a challenging task.

 

By doing this, we can turn around from a "death spiral" of biased and filtered thinking and project healthier outcomes for ourselves. The importance of naming and identifying core emotions is also discussed as a helpful tool in navigating difficult situations. The episode emphasizes the importance of recognizing and addressing biased perceptions and filtered emotions in order to surrender ‘faultfinding’ and achieve healthier outcomes. 

 

However, the guest also notes that some highly creative and innovative organizations are able to shift our relationship to this fear of failure by creating an environment of psychological safety. This allows individuals to emotionally regulate and take risks without fear of blame or adverse consequences. 

 

Overall, the episode suggests that overcoming the fear of failure is crucial for individuals and organizations to reach their creative potential and achieve success.

 

Key Discussion Topics:

 

The Power of Naming and Owning Our Emotions Breaking Free from Blame: Taking Responsibility for Our Actions The Three P's of Failure: How to Avoid the Death Spiral The Physical Manifestations of Suppressed Emotions Shifting from Deflecting Patterns to Healthy Coping Strategies

 

Today look at BLAME with author Dustin Staiger, and why we frequently deflect our sense of responsibility in order to avoid our emotional interactions. Tune in to find out how on this episode of To The Light Inside.

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Featured Guests:

Dustin Staiger

Credits: 

Music Score by Epidemic Sound

Executive Producer: Jeffrey Besecker

Mixing, Engineering, Production, and Mastering: Aloft Media Studio

Senior Program Director: Anna Getz

Marketing Professor, Dr. Aaron Ahuvia and host, Jeffrey Besecker discussed the psychology of love and how it applies to why people love 'things', with Aaron being the first to publish empirical work on the topic.   

They discussed how pleasure and identity are two factors that guide people to the things they love, and how love is connected to bonding in other mammals. 

Aaron Ahuvia suggests that loving something is finding it to be so excellent that you want to make it part of who you are. 

He explains that when people have a strong, positive attachment to their parents, they build a model in their head that the world is a safe place and it is easier to form relationships. He also talks about how people who have difficulty in their relationships with people may substitute pets for people. 

Jeffrey Besecker and Aaron Ahuvia discussed how people's attachment to objects often connects them to people, and how people with a lack of social relationships may substitute objects for people. 

When it comes to our stuff - Is It Really Love?

They also discussed how people's brains sort people and objects differently, and how hoarding can be caused by a malfunction in the brain's sorting mechanism. 

Aaron Ahuvia discussed how people's brains process objects and people differently, and how companies use anthropomorphism, connections to people, and identity to create emotional connections with their products. 

 Aaron Ahuvia and Jeffrey Besecker discussed how people form relationships with objects and how those objects can be used to build stronger communities and relationships with people. 

He also discussed how in-group and out-group biases can influence people's opinions of products and how certain colors can evoke negative associations.

We explore how materialism can be used to compete for status with other people, which can drive a wedge between people. 

Discussing how to step back and form more openness, vulnerability, and conscientiousness in our connections with the world.

Key Topics:

Exploring the relationship between love, objects, and people Unconscious brain processing of People vs. Objects What we learn about trust from our insurance companies How The Marketing Motto of ‘Know, Like, Trust’ Often Falls Short

Key Questions:

What Factors Guide Us Toward the Things We Love?14:04 What is the simplified definition of love?27:11 How does the brain decide if something is a person or an object?49:52 How do we psychologically ‘other’ people and slide them into one category or the next, turning them into that stuff or sometimes even turning them into that old shoe that we discard and pitch?54:51 What distinguishes between what we like and what we don't like?1:11:10

—————

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Featured Guests:

Aaron Ahuvia

Credits: 

Music Score by Epidemic Sound

Executive Producer: Jeffrey Besecker

Mixing, Engineering, Production, and Mastering: Aloft Media Studio

Senior Program Director: Anna Getz

Resources:

The Things We Love – How Our Passions Connect Us and Make Us Who We Are

Possessions and identity: reflections on the work of Russell Belk

Anthropomorphism and the things we love

The things we love and identity conflicts

-Uncertainty.

We’ve all felt it within our day-to-day lives. It manifests itself in a variety of ways, such as feeling overwhelmed, anxious, and stressed due to the lack of control we have over certain situations. Whether swimming in the mixed sea of thoughts and feelings as we awaiting the results of a health diagnosis, or anxiously hanging to the hopes of a job offer

We can experience uncertainty; throughout our lives - It surfaces within our relationships, our finances, our job security - or, at a larger scale, with the global economy, politics, and our environment. A natural part of life; uncertainty offers us the opportunity to adapt, learn, and grow - if we embrace it, uncertainty can lead us to personal development, and ultimately - our best selves.

In life, we all face moments of uncertainty - they shake our very foundations and often challenge us to our core. For those who receive a cancer diagnosis, this uncertainty can be overwhelming and all-consuming, leading to doubt, fear, and despair. But amidst this darkness, there are heroes who rise to the challenge, who find a way to turn doubt into hope and uncertainty into confidence. 

Emma is a young woman who was diagnosed with cancer.  After her diagnosis, she began to doubt herself and her ability to beat cancer and live a normal life. She began to wonder - what if the doctors were wrong, or if the cancer was going to kill her. As child - She had lost her mother to cancer. Now with her own diagnosis - those all to painful memories…came rushing back.

Emma turned to her family and friends - and she discovered, that through their empathy and caring concern -  she was better able to uncover the meaning hidden within her feelings, and soon, Emma realize that she could beat cancer. And she realized that her job as a mother took priority over everything else.

When faced with doubt, it's important to shift the perspective from hesitant resistance  - to natural curiosity. This mindset allows us to explore different aspects of ourselves and fuels personal transformation. By accepting uncertainty, we move beyond fear and hesitation, allowing us to confidently pursue our goals and desires. 

Are you ready to unlock the power of resilience and positive transformation? 

Author, and Energy in Action Coach, Sherianna Boyle is here today to show us how to fully embrace the unpredictability of life with confidence, ease, and flow - and use it to align our values, regulate our emotions and create sustainable growth.

Tune in to find out how, on the Light Inside.

Buy Sherianna’s latest book, “Energy in Action: The Power of Emotions and Intuition to Cultivate Peace and Freedom” released May 2nd, 2023.

In this episode, you will be able to:

Transform doubt into a strong sense of confidence by comprehending spiritual laws.
Enhance your manifesting capabilities by honing your emotions and intuition.
Foster personal growth and energy alignment through the power of emotional vulnerability.
Build a robust sense of self-worth by mastering the law of giving and receiving.
Achieve manifestation success by understanding and aligning with universal laws.

JOIN US ON INSTAGRAM: @thelightinsidepodcast

SUBSCRIBE: pod.link/thelightinside

 

Featured Guest: Sherianna Boyle

Credits: Music Score by Epidemic Sound

Executive Producer: Jeffrey Besecker

Mixing, Engineering, Production, and Mastering: Aloft Media Studio

Senior Program Director: Anna Getz

In this episode, Clarissa, a 36 year old hairdresser from a small Midwestern town, struggles to find her place in the world amidst her family's criticism and judgements while navigating the power dynamics of experiential rationalization.

Self-doubt. We often wear her blanket of insecurity like a well-worn and bloodied shield. Her insidious torment, a thunderous echoing in our ears. You have probably heard them - the millions of questions that sometimes filter through our mental framing as we consider everything that might have gone wrong within a scenario. 

When faced with the inherent challenges of life, we each tend to search for the safety and security discovered in our blankets of certainty - feeling as it our past experiences provide an accurate insight into our state of being. Yet unconscious, the often story changes….and our emotions tell a different story. Stories base on how we relate our present perspectives compared to the past. Therefore - our stories…are incorrect. 

In this episode, you will be able to:

Grasp the significance of experiential rationalization in shaping your decisions and actions.
Hone your emotional self-regulation skills through introspection and receptive feedback.
Rise above detrimental influences for an enriched path to personal growth.
Confront cognitive biases to arrive at impartial decision-making.

The resources mentioned in this episode are:

Acknowledge and accept both the positive and negative aspects of your past experiences, without using them to justify future decisions.
Focus on evidence-based decision-making rather than relying solely on your emotions or past experiences.
Recognize that your past experiences do not define your future decisions, but can provide context for growth and learning.
Continuously work on improving your self-awareness and emotional self-regulation through meditation, therapy, or other personal growth practices.

Dissociation and Self-Reflection
When faced with stressful situations or unacknowledged emotions, individuals may resort to dissociation as a means of coping. While this unconscious behavior allows them to temporarily escape from their emotional struggles, it ultimately hinders their self-discovery and personal growth. To overcome dissociation, individuals should practice self-reflection and seek feedback from empathetic sources who can provide valuable perspectives on their potential blind spots. 

By taking a conscious effort to understand their triggers and remaining present, people can gradually shift towards healthier emotional self-regulation. Jeffrey Besecker shared the story of Clarissa, a woman who struggled with dissociation as a result of her difficult experiences. He emphasized that acknowledging and addressing one's dissociative tendencies is crucial in reconnecting with one's true self. 

In a conversation with transformational coach, Hoda Zekavat, Besecker discussed the importance of a non-judgmental approach to managing dissociation, taking note of patterns and practicing self-compassion to encourage positive change.

Related Episodes:

Shadow Integration: Removing Emotional Baggage to Release False Beliefs with Hoda Zekavat

From Hamsters to Happiness: How to Ditch The Hedonic Treadmill of Dissatisfaction

The Autonomic Ladder: Unlock Your Natural Inner Power w/ John Eli Garay

Credits:

JOIN US ON INSTAGRAM: @thelightinsidepodcast

SUBSCRIBE: pod.link/thelightinside

Featured Guests:

Hoda Zekavat

Chandra Lynn

Kate Dudzik

Credits: Music Score by Epidemic Sound

Executive Producer: Jeffrey Besecker

Mixing, Engineering, Production, and Mastering: Aloft Media Studio

Senior Program Director: Anna Getz

Resources:

Individual differences in intuitive–experiential and analytical–rational thinking styles

https://psycnet.apa.org/buy/1996-06400-015

Gut feelings, deliberative thought, and paranoid ideation: A study of experiential and rational reasoning

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165178111008158

Julia Wesley is a medium and spiritual healer who is helping to uncover the soul blueprint for happiness. In this conversation, they discuss how to make friends with the ego and understand how it is often seen as something to fight against rather than a faithful friend. We discuss how the ego often tries to protect us from perceived threats, and how it is important to become aware of the ego and its connection to our inner voices, as well as the voices of society and others. By integrating all these different aspects, we can find our core truth and use it to create our own blueprint for happiness

This conversation revolves around the concept of ego and separating a healthy ego from a traumatized ego. The ego is a function of perspective and what is truth or untruth is subjective. A traumatized ego is typically the part of you that catastrophizes, gets anxious, and worries in social situations. This is because it is trying to keep you safe, as evolutionarily it wants you to belong. To have a healthy ego, one needs to recognize when it is functioning in the right way, such as when it is helping one to have goals and move forward. One also needs to be aware when it is functioning in the wrong way, such as catastrophizing or feeling a sense of failure. All of this helps one to have a healthy ego and live a fulfilled life.

“Who you are begins with creating your inner truth.”

That simple act of self-determination allows us to become who and what we chose.

In order to discover who we are on the inside, we must be true to ourselves on the outside. And this, is where personal and spiritual growth truly begins.

But often, as we travel this road of uncovering the truth, our ego steps in, interjecting its voice of reasoning. Our guest, Julia Wesley, is a medium and spiritual healer helping guide you to uncover Your Soul Blueprint for Happiness. Today Julia share how the ego can become a guide leading us to our blueprint for happiness, rather than a foe, leading us astray.

Tune in to follow us on this journey- on The Light Inside.

JOIN US ON INSTAGRAM: @thelightinsidepodcast

SUBSCRIBE: pod.link/thelightinside

 

Featured Guest: Julia Wesley

Credits: Music Score by Epidemic Sound

Executive Producer: Jeffrey Besecker

Mixing, Engineering, Production, and Mastering: Aloft Media Studio

Senior Program Director: Anna Getz

When Allen Klein, spurred on by the power of intention and the awe of childhood, sets out to march in the Macy's Day Parade, he discovers that life's greatest wonders can be found in unexpected places.

"If you can't find the humor, that may be the second best thing you can do. Try to be positive about what's happening. Right, so the dictionary, if you look it up, one of the definitions, it's reverence mixed with fear and wonder."

Allen Klein is a former set designer and author of multiple books, including The Healing Power of Joyful Humor, Awe, and Wonder. He is an expert in the power of awe and wonder and has given a popular Ted Talk exploring how our thoughts and intentions create our reality.

Allen Klein had a moment of awe and wonder when he saw his newborn daughter for the first time, and his daughter revealed a funny story from her childhood. He went on to explore the power of positive thinking, awe, and wonder, learning that you don't need to go somewhere special to find it - it is all around us if we look closely.

In this episode, you will learn the following:

1. Discovering the power of intention to manifest one's desires

2. Experiencing awe and wonder in everyday moments

3. Exploring the possibility of learning from children's curiosity.

——————

Other episodes you'll enjoy:

Clear as The Nose On My Face: Engaging Body Linguistics for Effective Emotional Competency

https://www.thelightinside.us/clear-as-the-nose-on-my-face-engaging-body-linguistics-for-effective-emotional-competency/

JOIN US ON INSTAGRAM: @thelightinsidepodcast

SUBSCRIBE: pod.link/thelightinside

Featured Guest: Allen Klein

Credits: Music Score by Epidemic Sound

Executive Producer: Jeffrey Besecker

Mixing, Engineering, Production, and Mastering: Aloft Media Studio

Senior Program Director: Anna Getz

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In this episode, we’re exploring the Complex Relationship between Food, Emotions, and Society with Dr. Marcella Raimondo. Marcella is a psychologist who specializes in eating disorders while creating body and food liberation through social justice.

Armed with her B.A. from UC Berkeley, and Master’s Degree in Public Health from the University of Michigan. Marcella’s desire to address eating disorders drove her to pursue her doctorate in clinical psychology. Until 2005 she worked with About-Face, a nonprofit organization that addresses media impact on body image serving as the Director of Media Literacy. Today she is on the Board of Founders and a consultant - serving on the Advisory Board for the Association of Size Health and Diversity (ASDAH).

Marcella noticed that society's diet culture was not invested in people's well-being, but instead in keeping them chasing after a goal. On a trip to Italy, she saw people of all shapes and sizes enjoying ice cream and being together, without judgment. She realized the importance of a holistic relationship with food and the need to remove self-imposed judgment.

Armed with her B.A. from UC Berkeley, and Master’s Degree in Public Health from the University of Michigan. Marcella’s desire to address eating disorders drove her to pursue her doctorate in clinical psychology.

Until 2005 she worked with About-Face, a nonprofit organization that addresses media impact on body image serving as the Director of Media Literacy. Today she is on the Board of Founders and a consultant - serving on the Advisory Board for the Association of Size Health and Diversity (ASDAH).

Today, we examine the impact of diet culture on food insecurity and our mental health, and the inherent power social influence has over our overall well-being.

In this episode, you will learn the following:

1. Exploring the Complex Relationship between Food, Emotions, and Society

2. Examining the Impact of Diet Culture on Food Insecurity and Mental Health

3. Investigating the Role of Food in Coping with Trauma, Emotional Deprivation, and Self-Harm.

JOIN US ON INSTAGRAM: @thelightinsidepodcast

SUBSCRIBE: pod.link/thelightinside

Featured Guest: Dr. Marcella Riamondo

Credits: Music Score by Epidemic Sound

Executive Producer: Jeffrey Besecker

Mixing, Engineering, Production, and Mastering: Aloft Media Studio

Senior Program Director: Anna Getz

--- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/thelightinside/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thelightinside/support

Having experienced both direct and indirect verbal and non-verbal abuse in a narcissistic relationship, Angela Myer became determined to learn how to make rational choices and avoid regrets. She discovers the End Game technique, a powerful tool for protecting herself from emotional abuse, gaslighting, and identity erosion.

In our last episode, author, wellness coach, and motivational speaker, Angela Myer, Shared how to uncover the Secret to Stopping Verbal abuse that Arises from Narcissistic Abuse.

We learned loving someone doesn’t mean putting up with arguments that attack your self-worth and basic rights.

In the heat of the moment, sometimes the things you say in an argument can be hurtful. Yet, when we are pushed to the brink of this narcissistic abuse - we frequently snap.

Filling the script, The Abused - find themselves becoming The Abuser.

Angela knows that healthy people can agree to disagree and can communicate their needs, but reactive verbal abuse is designed to trigger people into snapping, which can lead to life-altering consequences. She wants to teach people a technique to protect them from snapping and make rational choices. This includes verbal abuse, bullying, trauma, gaslighting, and more which can chip away at a person's identity, self-confidence, and sense of reality. Angela encourages people to use the sandwich approach when disagreeing with someone,

Resources:

“Empowering people & shifting one's perspective. Focused on educating people to improve communication and compassion. Change starts here!”

https://undetectednarcissist.com/

Other episodes you'll enjoy:

Lovingly or Manipulating? Navigating Narcissistic Abuse with Shannon Petrovich

https://www.thelightinside.us/lovingly-or-manipulating-navigating-narcissistic-abuse-with-shannon-petrovich/

JOIN US ON INSTAGRAM: @thelightinsidepodcast

SUBSCRIBE: pod.link/thelightinside

Featured Guest: Angela Myer

Credits: Music Score by Epidemic Sound

Executive Producer: Jeffrey Besecker

Mixing, Engineering, Production, and Mastering: Aloft Media Studio

Senior Program Director: Anna Getz

Having experienced both direct and indirect verbal and non-verbal abuse in a narcissistic relationship, Angela Myer became determined to learn how to make rational choices and avoid regrets. She discovers the End Game technique, a powerful tool for protecting herself from emotional abuse, gaslighting, and identity erosion.

"When you really love someone, you think before you speak and you pick your words wisely. When you're being destructive and you're using words that are damaging, you can't take those words back. So, like, a good example I gave is I really think some of the law should change about physical abuse versus emotional abuse." -Angela Myer

Angela Myer learned about different types of verbal abuse from her experience working with a young woman in her 20s who was diagnosed as being narcissistic. This young woman had been traumatized twice due to her mother's death and her father's grief, leading her to shut down and lash out at others. Angela knows that healthy people can agree to disagree and can communicate their needs, but reactive verbal abuse is designed to trigger people into snapping, which can lead to life-altering consequences. She wants to teach people a technique to protect them from snapping and make rational choices. This includes verbal abuse, bullying, trauma, gaslighting, and more which can chip away at a person's identity, self-confidence, and sense of reality. Angela encourages people to use the sandwich approach when disagreeing with someone,

In this episode, you will learn the following:

1. How can we prevent ourselves from being manipulated by gaslighting and other forms of emotional abuse?

2. What techniques can be used to manage a disagreement in a respectful, non-confrontational way?

3. How can we protect ourselves from the damaging effects of identity erosion caused by negative verbal attacks?

Resources:

“Empowering people & shifting one's perspective. Focused on educating people to improve communication and compassion. Change starts here!”

https://undetectednarcissist.com/

Other episodes you'll enjoy:

Lovingly or Manipulating? Navigating Narcissistic Abuse with Shannon Petrovich

https://www.thelightinside.us/lovingly-or-manipulating-navigating-narcissistic-abuse-with-shannon-petrovich/

JOIN US ON INSTAGRAM: @thelightinsidepodcast

SUBSCRIBE: pod.link/thelightinside

Featured Guest: Angela Myer

Credits: Music Score by Epidemic Sound

Executive Producer: Jeffrey Besecker

Mixing, Engineering, Production, and Mastering: Aloft Media Studio

Senior Program Director: Anna Getz

Narcissism.

Maybe it's one of the most misunderstood psychological disorders of modern society.

It is with an increased frequency, we hear such refrains - “He was a total narcissist”—but was he?

What does that really mean? And are these assumptions often correct?

We’ve all experienced difficult relationships - from our significant others to our boss at work. In the relationship FOG of narcissistic, abusive, or other toxic behaviors - feelings of paralysis, anxiety, depression, confusion, disorientation - may at times surface.

Leaving one not knowing who you are anymore, or how you got to this dark place in your life. Often feeling as terrifying and mystifying as ocean fog. Dealing with a difficult boss or coworker can test your patience and be a drag on your productivity.

But working with a clinical narcissist, on the other hand, can be downright unhealthy. And Furthermore; sharing your day-to-day life with a narcissist - is particularly traumatizing and horrific. A survivor of narcissistic relationships, Shannon Petrovich, guides listeners on a journey of rediscovering their self-worth, learning to recognize and set boundaries, and ultimately separating from the toxic bonds of love-bombing.

"Love is a verb in our gooey-gooey culture. We tend to think if we felt something, then we are being loved. But in reality, a person with narcissism or narcissistic traits is not loving you. They're controlling you, manipulating you."

Shannon Petrovich is a relationship expert and author, specializing in helping survivors of narcissistic abuse. She is passionate about helping people untangle unhealthy attachments and find their bearings after experiencing trauma.

Shannon Petrovich learned the hard way that Narcissistic relationships are not based on love. She experienced the cycle of love bombing, devaluing, and gaslighting that left her emotionally and spiritually bankrupt. Her insight into the three P's - people pleasing, placating, and peacekeeping - trapped her in the trauma bond of a toxic relationship. Finally, she overcame the cycle by understanding her own character qualities and values, setting boundaries, and asserting her own needs. This allowed her to break the trauma bond and reclaim herself as a survivor.

In this episode, you will learn the following:

1. What is the difference between love and love bombing?

2. How can survivors break the trauma bond of a toxic relationship?

3. What are the three P's of people pleasing, placating, and peacekeeping, and how can they be used to identify a toxic relationship?

Other episodes you'll enjoy:

By The Power Invested in Me: Vice, Virtue and The Ways We Attempt to Signal Superiority

https://www.thelightinside.us/by-the-power-invested-in-me-vice-virtue-and-the-ways-we-attempt-to-signaling-superiority/

Credits:

JOIN US ON INSTAGRAM: @thelightinsidepodcast

SUBSCRIBE: pod.link/thelightinside

Featured Guest: Shannon Petrovich

https://www.nofoggydays.com/

Credits: Music Score by Epidemic Sound

Executive Producer: Jeffrey Besecker

Mixing, Engineering, Production, and Mastering: Aloft Media Studio

Senior Program Director: Anna Getz

Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://www.thelightinside.us/reviews/new/

Pain.

Our emotional reactivity frequently causes it to surface as the emotional turmoil we feel. You’ve perhaps heard this clique, and often worn phrase - “We can’t grow without pain; or maybe - it’s discomfort”?

But, what if we can and DO…frequently grow; in states that exist free of this existentially created and self-inflicted state of pain and suffering?

"If you're feeling helpless, frustrated, and overwhelmed as you try to navigate the complexities of your autonomic nervous system."

Despite trying various therapies, medications, and lifestyle changes, then this episode is for you!

It's not uncommon for us to feel that life, the world, other people, and even ourselves - are getting on our nerves. A very specific nerve located in our autonomic central nervous system - to be exact. We may, or may, not be able to eliminate all existential pain and suffering from our lives - yet some of it can certainly serve a valid and healthy purpose.

In spite of this, when we navigate through our fleeting emotions and conditioned beliefs, we frequently find ourselves emotionally triggered and activated - with a drive to only react.

And it all starts to feel like we are playing a childish game of emotional chutes and ladders….

When John Eli Garay, a second-generation American, discovers Neuroception, our naturally- inherent ability to scan for cues of safety and danger, he must confront the cognitive dissonance between his past trauma and present reality in order to self-regulate and feel secure.

John Eli Garay is a mental health professional and self-awareness coach, specializing in neuroception and autonomic nervous system regulation. He is passionate about helping others understand how to self-regulate, while feeling safe and secure.

"Discover your natural power to self-regulate and feel safe with Neuroception: the foundation of all feeling."

Here's what I cover with John Eli Garay in this episode:

1. What is neuroception, and how does it govern our ability to self-regulate and feel safe and secure?

2. How does the autonomic ladder function in regard to our ability to engage neuroception?

3. What typical actions do we exhibit when we are in an avoidant behavior mode?

JOIN US ON INSTAGRAM: @thelightinsidepodcast

SUBSCRIBE: pod.link/thelightinside

Featured Guest: John Eli Garay

Credits: Music Score by Epidemic Sound

High on a Ladder by oomie

Bright Smile by Mica Emory

Perpex Dilemmas by Miles Avida

Strangled by Piano Strings by Ludwig Moulin

Tulum by Vendla

Puppy Love by Mica Emory

Executive Producer: Jeffrey Besecker

Mixing, Engineering, Production, and Mastering: Aloft Media Studio

Senior Program Director: Anna Getz

When J. Stamatelos confronted his anxious insecurity; he discovered the underlying power of self-acceptance and the vicious cycle of validating oneself through the love and acceptance of others - creating a central conflict between self-validation and external validation.

Courage.

Perhaps it is the virtue that enables the existence of all others. True virtue is knowing the self - not by intellectual knowledge - but by pure silence. Seeing things with new eyes requires courage and uncertainty. Yet, we live in a world that forces us to constantly compete with others in order to achieve what we want.

As we journey throughout our lives, may we arrive at better, yet still - no better than…

There's no doubt that each of us is fighting to be, and to do, our best. We seek that space where we thrive. But what happens when this battle is within ourselves - one that rages on between your self-concept and true identity?

The result - a mask we wear each day in front of the world that hides that light inside.

A mask that hides our true brilliance behind that veil of insecurity, and maybe even a touch of envy. A mask that makes us feel “less than…”

We bring you this exploration of the superiority complex, one of the results of such a mental battle, detailing how A conflict between self-validation and external verification is created when anxious insecurity plays a role in a person's life.

Our guest J. Stamatelos shares his insights on the effects of Anxious Insecurity & The Search for Love & Belonging.

Here's what J. Stamatelos and I cover:

1. What is the impact of anxious insecurity on our lives?

2 How do we create a sense of belonging in a fragmented society?

3. How can we create a healthy self-concept while still achieving self-actualization?

J. Stamatelos is a trauma modality expert and mental health practitioner who specializes in helping people break free from anxious insecurity and the cycle of feeling not enough.

JOIN US ON INSTAGRAM: @thelightinsidepodcast

SUBSCRIBE: pod.link/thelightinside

FEATURED GUEST: J. Stamatelo

Credits: Music Score by Epidemic Sound

Executive Producer: Jeffrey Besecker

Mixing, Engineering, Production, and Mastering: Aloft Media Studio

Production Manager: Anna Getz

2022.

-- What a year, what an amazing journey, and what a fascinatingly thought-provoking ride. We couldn't have been more thrilled to share that ride with you; yet now, we turn our eyes toward, a new year and new chapters.

But first, we hope to share a little insight with this mindful reminder...

Every new year we do it - relentlessly piling more and more on our plates. It’s really exhausting, is it not?

More to-do-lists. More goals. Bigger and better aspirations.

Why?

Because we are more-less emotionally driven toward insecure validation. We are afraid others will feel we somehow don’t stack up…

Or worse — we see it as letting ourselves down.

Science calls this the action bias. The action bias describes our tendency to favor action over inaction, at times - to our benefit. However, there are times when we feel compelled to act, even if there’s no evidence that it will lead to a better outcome than doing nothing would.

In the coming year; we want you to spend even less time getting better - than you did the last. Yes, you heard correctly. Sleep in tomorrow, it’s a Sunday. Allow your morning routine to be non-routine.

With an ever-present need for more and better, we are caring less about expanding, by further condensing and refining what we do for everyday people - so that less personal change is needed. Research can also reveal how the drive for overachievement frequently arises from allostatic overload - an anxious state where we simply feel the need to do too much!

Change frequently seems hard; perhaps because we feel the emotionally insecure need to create more of it.

In the immortal words of Deepak Chopra - release the struggle!

— Let 2023 be the year you float a little lighter. A little kinder.

Have a happily less emotionally activated new year. Here’s to fewer goals, less beating yourself up, and underachieving. Your future self may or may not thank you…

But that’s all right.

So on the dawn of this new eve, we wish you a fond farewell.

Until we see you again, this has been The Light Inside. I’m Jeffrey Besecker

JOIN US ON INSTAGRAM: @thelightinsidepodcast

SUBSCRIBE: pod.link/thelightinside

Credits: Music Score by Epidemic Sound

Executive Producer: Jeffrey Besecker

Mixing, Engineering, Production, and Mastering: Aloft Media Studio

Production Manager: Anna Getz

Screen time.

It’s the new currency utilized when measuring how our children spend much of their time interacting with the world.

With the holiday season upon us, many of us will be giving the gift of technical access to the young ones throughout our lives. Spreading accessibility to gadgets, games, and even communication or learning devices.

Yet, with this gift comes empowering access to a connected world of data, influence, and interaction. A world that inevitably might also contain what is sometimes more adverse and insidious in nature - Childhood Screen addiction.

The present world is now largely digital. From checking social media on our phones to gaming or binging a new show -it’s hard to escape this cultural norm. Even our educational systems have grown to hinge on leveraging digital technology as a productive asset.

So how do you encourage your kids to build healthy tech habits while also giving their brains a break?

Author, Daniel Sih is here to tell us how we can raise tech-healthy humans when we return to the light inside.

———— Resources

Raising Tech-Healthy Humans

https://raisinghumans.au/buy-now/

Glow Kids: How Screen Addiction Is Hijacking Our Kids - and How to Break the Trance

How Screens Affect Children - Children & Technology Facts

Social Media Effects on Teens - Social Media & Mental Health

————

Credits:

Featured Guest: Daniel Sih

JOIN US ON INSTAGRAM: @thelightinsidepodcast

SUBSCRIBE: pod.link/thelightinside

Credits: Music Score by Epidemic Sound

Executive Producer: Jeffrey Besecker

Mixing, Engineering, Production, and Mastering: Aloft Media Studio

Senior Production Manager: Anna Getz

Marina Yaney Triner, a self-proclaimed empath and trauma expert, dives into the world of repressed trauma and how it affects our everyday lives.

This episode of the Light Inside Podcast is about Trauma and how it can show up in our lives in seemingly innocuous ways. Marina Yaney Triner learned about Trauma and its effects while working through her own experiences with it in counseling. She discusses how we often react out of trauma without even realizing it, and how this can create drama in our lives.

Trauma can be caused by a variety of things, including childhood experiences, generational patterns, and even seemingly small things like not being able to control a situation. Trauma can manifest in a variety of ways, including numbing behaviors, anger, and a need for control. It's important to be aware of how trauma might be affecting us so that we can work through it in a more productive manner.

"We react out of that trauma space so often and we don't even know it."

In this episode, you will learn the following:

1. The importance of uncovering and resolving childhood trauma in order to live a more empowered and fulfilling life.

2. How emotional reactivity often stems from unresolved trauma, and how this can impact our relationships and limit our potential.

3. The ways in which trauma can manifest in our lives, include numbing behaviors, reactivity, and a need for control.

Resources:

Emotional regulation: Skills, exercises, and strategies

https://www.betterup.com/blog/emotional-regulation-skills

Other episodes you'll enjoy:

Emotional Detox: Cleansing Yourself of Stagnated Emotions with Sherianna Boyle

https://www.thelightinside.us/emotional-detox-cleansing-yourself-of-stagnated-emotions-with-sherianna-boyle/

Circumstantial Evidence: Overcoming a Victim Mentality with Nelson Tressler

https://www.thelightinside.us/circumstantial-evidence-overcoming-a-victim-mentality-with-nelson-tressler/

Connect with me:

Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://www.thelightinside.us/reviews/new/

Credits:

JOIN US ON INSTAGRAM: @thelightinsidepodcast

SUBSCRIBE: pod.link/thelightinside

Credits: Music Score by Epidemic Sound

Featured Guest:

Marina Yanay-Triner

Executive Producer: Jeffrey Besecker

Mixing, Engineering, Production, and Mastering: Aloft Media Studio

Senior Production Manager: Anna Getz

Well-being.

Recent research has revealed that this often-overlooked, yet essential element is a core value of personal growth and sustainable success.

Somatic coherence is an evidence-based framework that dramatically changes how we manage our day-to-day stress - it’s also a necessary piece of our well-being puzzle.

We receive regular emotional signals from the soma - meaning of the body. Emotion is the word we give to a synergy of experiences, both somatic and cognitive that form how we feel in response to the world. Everyone can benefit from learning how to become better in touch with the rhythm of their nervous system, especially those who have experienced chronic stress or trauma.

This integral element of our overall well-being is frequently seen as essential in nature to all humans. So, just how and why might somatic coherence matter concerning your continued well-being and success? As we revisit our most valuable episodes in our year-end review, this one was a home run for our listeners.

Renowned author and motivational coach turned speaker Ann Hince shares her transformative Emotional Release Technics in this ever-popular episode, giving us direct insight into how she achieved significant life-altering effects utilizing this knowledge.

Tune in to find out why somatic coherence matters! On The Light Inside.

Featured Guest:

Ann Hince

JOIN US ON INSTAGRAM: @thelightinsidepodcast

SUBSCRIBE: pod.link/thelightinside

VOICEMAIL:  https://galas.fm/p/the_light_inside

Credits: Music Score by Epidemic Sound

Executive Producer: Jeffrey Besecker

Mixing, Engineering, Production, and Mastering: Aloft Media Studio

Production Manager: Anna Getz

Blind spots.

We each have them. In the context of personal change, why is it we often settle for "good enough?” Our past emotional traumas amplify deflection and uncomfortable avoidance in most of us. with psychological blind spots that everyone else can see but us.

So just how do we find these answers?

- with a little daring, some honest reflection, and self-examination.

One of the toughest self-awareness missions you can undertake is a direct seek-and-destroy attack on your own pockets of denial. Identifying your own blind spots is an interesting exercise in paradox. It’s easy to question a problem if you deny that it truly exists. Many of us frequently avoid this difficult confrontation altogether, bypassing this crucial emotional intelligence process.

As a result of childhood abuse, Joe Ryan has endured a lifetime of trauma, shame, and emotional demons. In sharing his invaluable insight, Joe is paving the way for others to heal from the turmoil and distress of his past traumatic events.

While revisiting some of your top-rated episodes, we found this conversation to be extremely helpful and beneficial. In terms of downloads, this episode is our second most popular.

Joe and I explore how each of us can become more emotionally vulnerable to uncover and understand our emotional blind spots. By learning how to identify past trauma triggers, we can move beyond emotional reactivity and become more comfortable with our authentic selves.

Highlights:

When we are triggered, we often have to set a boundary. How, from your perspective, do we begin to uncover these things which trigger our trauma response?

In order to heal past traumas and release emotional reactivity, it’s essential we recognize those feelings at their core source. Fully absorb the relationship we have formed with them, and process how it affects us. When we’ve taken the time to see the trigger as the emotional mirror and pattern we tend to feel as a result, we are able to release our need to react in the same protective manner.

Featured Guests:

Joe Ryan

https://joeryan.com/

JOIN US ON INSTAGRAM: @thelightinsidepodcast

SUBSCRIBE: pod.link/thelightinside

Credits: Music Score by Epidemic Sound

Featured music:

 A Hard Truth by Wanderer's Trove

Little Light by Wanderer's Trove

Executive Producer: Jeffrey Besecker

Mixing, Engineering, Production, and Mastering: Aloft Media Studio

Production Manager: Anna Getz

Space.

In the rise of both our race for human evolution and within the context of that ever-popular television series “Star Trek” -

It once was viewed as the final frontier of our advancement as a species. Then began the dawning of a new age - the digital revolution.

A time and place that seemingly and somewhat insidiously began to occupy nearly every nook and cranny of our shared sense of spaciousness as a human collective. Much like the spiritual awakening of the 60s - We heralded it as the dawning of a new age of Aquarius.

A new Impetus in our ever-expanding sense of being as humans. Seeing it as more pertinent and portentous in significance than the invention of either writing or printing.

And then it happened…

We awakened to frequently find ourselves lost in these dark vestiges of a vast digital wasteland….Searching for the relative light of day - Our digital usage had become a behavior that had seemingly grown, at times, to be toxic in nature.

Discovering how we are living in a digital world - yet ever remain fairly resolute as analog creatures. And what we often find ourselves desperately in need of…is a simple method to digitally detox.

-If you find yourself in need of space to think deeply, rest more fully, and spend time with loved ones away from a screen, then this conversation is one you won’t want to miss.

Today we join Award Winning Productivity Author and Speaker, Daniel Sih as he shares his most intimate secrets on how to unplug, unwind, and think more clearly -empowering an essential new sense of “Spacemaking” in our lives.

In this episode you will learn:

1. The impact of digital technology on our ability to focus and think deeply.

2. The role of social media in shaping our understanding of gender roles.

3. The importance of making space for introspection and self-awareness.

Featured Guests:

Daniel Sih

JOIN US ON INSTAGRAM: @thelightinsidepodcast

SUBSCRIBE: pod.link/thelightinside

Credits: Music Score by Epidemic Sound

Executive Producer: Jeffrey Besecker

Mixing, Engineering, Production, and Mastering: Aloft Media Studio

Production Manager: Anna Getz

Motion.

It implies movement. With all motion inferring a dynamic “mover”.

Matter is dormant, yet humans are an active power - a free will; so it stands to reason, there must be within them an immaterial principle.

A guiding force - something BIGGER. Both immortal and eternal…Right?

As our questioning turns to the soul, science leads us to challenge the consensus. Are we souls, bodies - or some divine combination of the two? One famous critic of the soul, Nancey Murphy captures this “leftover” attitude quite well:

“The concept of the self has long served as a replacement for the soul in several disciplines, such as psychology, and ordinary language as well. No significant neuroscientist has been a dualist since the death of Sir John Eccles.”

The science community considering it. Our religious axioms canonize it. And Modern Psychology extols how embracing our soul is essential for our overall well-being.

Just how do we connect with this seemingly mystical entity - if at all?

Join us today as we step into these soul-baring questions with our guest, Celestial Guide, and Shaman, Roxanne Chaput - As we seek to demystify the SOUL on The Light Inside.

Do you ever wonder what happens to the soul after we die?

Maybe you even question what this thing called soul REALLY is (or even if some of us have one at all? ).

When it comes to the soul, here's what you need to know...

What is the soul, and how does it affect our physical being? What is our purpose as souls, both in general and individually? How can we flow with our soul's purpose, rather than resist it? How understanding the role of chakras and somatic energies guides our healing journey?

Join us on Episode #128 as we go into a lot more detail with the amazing Roxanne Chaput.

The call of the soul: what is it and how do we measure its existence?

Roxanne Chaput guides us through understanding our soul's purpose and how to follow our path without resistance.

Featured Guests: Roxanne Chaput

JOIN US ON INSTAGRAM: @thelightinsidepodcast

SUBSCRIBE: pod.link/thelightinside

Credits: Music Score by Epidemic Sound

Executive Producer: Jeffrey Besecker

Mixing, Engineering, Production, and Mastering: Aloft Media Studio

Production Manager: Anna Getz

Knowledge.

It’s one of the only resources that grows as we share it. Yet sometimes, that’s not so easy. Why do we sometimes find it so difficult to share our knowledge?

And furthermore - why does at times it seem so challenging to accept the valid input and constructive criticism of others?

Since ancient times, when the words “know thyself” were inscribed at the Temple of Apollo at Delphi, sages and philosophers have hailed the importance of self-knowledge. Modern research, however, has called its value into question. For instance, research on self-delusion has found that holding unrealistically positive views of oneself and one's future prospects can promote emotional, and even physical well-being.

In today's discussion, we explore how different levels of consciousness, such as seeing the world through rose-colored glasses, can also sow seeds of self-doubt.

In this episode, you will learn the following:

1. How our social interactions often subversively influence our day-to-day relationships in a way that frequently becomes self-deprecating and how this holds an adverse influence on both our self-concepts and those of others.

2. How comparing yourself to others can cause a downward spiral of negative thinking.

3. How our sense of self-worth and confidence are so deeply influential or influenced by our social interactions and leading us to move into fluctuating states of self-doubt at times.

Featured Guests:

Shabnam Curtis

Jaemin Frazer

JOIN US ON INSTAGRAM: @thelightinsidepodcast

SUBSCRIBE: pod.link/thelightinside

Credits: Music Score by Epidemic Sound

Vivid Space by Locus Clouds

Within The Bubble by Jon Bjork

The Orchard by Jakob Ahlbom

Universal Solution by Robert Ruth

Executive Producer: Jeffrey Besecker

Mixing, Engineering, Production, and Mastering: Aloft Media Studio

Production Manager: Anna Getz

Intuition.

That still small voice inside that sometimes whispers…while at others - it roars.

Einstein once shared with us:

“I believe in intuitions and inspirations; sometimes feeling that I am right - yet often, I know that I am. “

How is it that we have come to so faithfully trust this inner sense of knowing, and how do we more effectively utilize it?

Whether it's crucial business mergers or lunch decisions, we often assume that rationality should prevail whenever we make decisions. But what about the ”inner voice" or gut feeling, that little something instinctual from within that tells us how we feel beneath those layers of logic?

In larger moments of instinctual interaction, we rely on that still small voice inside…one of the many ways we show up differently in unique situations.

Join us as we discuss the nature of hair-raising intuition with conscientious Life Designer, Shana Francesca.

Featured Guests:

Shana Francesca

JOIN US ON INSTAGRAM: @thelightinsidepodcast

SUBSCRIBE: pod.link/thelightinside

Credits: Music Score by Epidemic Sound

Hymn Utopia by J.F. Gloss

Light as feathers by The Tap Room

Fire Light by The Golden Peas

The From Within by Howard Harper

Executive Producer: Jeffrey Besecker

Mixing, Engineering, Production, and Mastering: Aloft Media Studio

Production Manager: Anna Getz

Your inner voice.

That light inside - the being that we are being. Society and our daily interactions seem to increasingly focus on exploring the concept of "authenticity." Even going so far as to question - Does a self exist at all?

As a result, we are left scrambling to find a meaningful way to define when someone is acting genuinely and authentically. What does this seemingly mystical and confounding thing look like and how do we recognize it?

Finding our “voice” is often attributed to being present with this astonishing thing we label - our true selves. Yet under varying circumstances, a different aspect of this self often shows up - The Many Voices of “Me”.

Join us in this conversation with Cognitive Scientist, Kate Dudzik - as we discuss how social environments affect our inner selves. Together, Kate and Jeffrey explore the many sides of the self through how we show up in the world, the influences environment and social circles play on behavior, thought selection, and norms, as well as personality.

In this podcast episode, Kate Dudzik explores the idea of being able to speak from a societal standpoint and how authenticity is one of the most important things that we can look for in ourselves.

In this episode, you will learn:

1. How our environment influences our thoughts and actions

2. The importance of curiosity in developing expertise

3. How our personality is not permanent and can change over time

"It is human to grow and change."

Kate Dudzik is a writer and thinker who is passionate about psychology, personal growth, and relationships. She has a Masters in Psychology and has written extensively on the topics of mental health, self-improvement, and human behavior.

In this episode, you will learn the following:

1. How our environment influences our thoughts and actions

2. The importance of curiosity in developing expertise

3. How our personality is not permanent and can change over time

Featured Guests:

Kate Dudzik

https://cognitivekate.com/

JOIN US ON INSTAGRAM: @thelightinsidepodcast

SUBSCRIBE: pod.link/thelightinside

Credits: Music Score by Epidemic Sound

Comfort Zone by Nebula

Dark to Light by Pawan Krishna

Only Us by Across The Great Valley

Subliminal Space by Lama House

Your Mind Is a Cathedral by Ave Air

The Brightest Light by Matt Large

Executive Producer: Jeffrey Besecker

Mixing, Engineering, Production, and Mastering: Aloft Media Studio

Production Manager: Anna Getz

Our bodies; for eons - we’ve been reminded to treat them like temples. Yet our view of that temple - can often be distorted, misconceived, and even downright inaccurate.

Our Character is often said to define both who and what we are as human beings. And still, how we characterize ourselves, is generalized by unhealthy ideals guided by our generational opinions on body stereotyping.

-Normalized social stigmas frequently surface as dogmatic in their nature.

Today we discuss how to leverage these tools to live your healthiest and happiest lifestyle.

As the lead scientific researcher at Fellow One Research, Marc Nelson has pioneered Body Type Science since 2003 - As a result of his research, creating the only scientifically qualitative body type assessment standards.

Marc has spent most of his scientific career dismantling many of these socially and culturally accepted stereotypes of bodies; instead developing a more integrated approach to assess healthy structural body integrity.

Why do so many people struggle with body image?  In this episode you will learn:

1. The importance of a positive body image.

2. Modern scientific advances in the field of body image.

3. How to see yourself in a new light.

Resources:

Fellow One Research: Body Type Science Research
https://www.fellowone.com/fellow-one-research/body-type-science-research/

Featured Guests:

Marc Nelson

JOIN US ON INSTAGRAM: @thelightinsidepodcast

SUBSCRIBE: pod.link/thelightinside

Credits: Music Score by Epidemic Sound

Executive Producer: Jeffrey Besecker

Mixing, Engineering, Production, and Mastering: Aloft Media Studio

Production Manager: Anna Getz

The Earth.

Not only is it our biological home. It also anchors us to our metaphysical and spiritual perception of place and being. As children - These effects were undeniable, as we wiggled our toes in the sand or walked bare-footed through our backyards. We felt connected, energized, and alive - A strong bond with our originals coursing through our being.

The earth and us - one!

We join Land Based Somatic Guide, Jonah Jensen as we step into this conversation on the popular healing practice known as Earthing, or “Grounding”. This ancient spiritual ritual allows us to directly connect our bodies with the Earth and use its natural electric charges to stabilize us - resulting in renewal, restoration, and centeredness in our being.

We are the land; that is the fundamental idea - the Earth is the mind of the people as we are the mind of the earth.

Through her - All life flows.

Find out how to tap into the ritualistic and healing that powers Earthing.

"When we're in nature, we are getting into sync with that original design, and we start to feel good again because we're coming into resonance again."

Connecting with nature can help us heal from grief and trauma in ways we never thought possible. In this episode you will learn:

1. How earthy or natural grounding can help us reconnect with ourselves and an expanded sense of our universal experience.

2. How connecting with the outdoors can help us reconnect with ourselves somatically.

3. How connecting with the rhythm of the Earth can help us remember our purpose and find coherence in our lives.

Featured Guests:

Jonah Jensen

JOIN US ON INSTAGRAM: @thelightinsidepodcast

SUBSCRIBE: pod.link/thelightinside

Credits: Music Score by Epidemic Sound

Featured Artist Tracks:

A New Earth by Ealot

Aim for The Stars by Rand

Leaf by Infinity Ripple

Our Secret Universe by Alan Ellis

Small Things Grow by View Points

The Longest Rest by Alan Ellis

Executive Producer: Jeffrey Besecker

Mixing, Engineering, Production, and Mastering: Aloft Media Studio

Production Manager: Anna Getz

Loss.

We each experience it in a variety of ways.

Oftentimes, the repeated and prolonged cycles of grief can reveal our deepest sense of loss. Several weeks ago - we began our exploring grief in episode #155.

In this week's episode with guest, Victoria Volk - we share how you can gain a new perspective on grief - allowing you to see it in a new light!  As a Grief Recovery Expert, Victoria has dedicated herself to helping others recover from grief.

Her own experience of loss has given her an understanding of the challenges and confusion that accompany grieving. She is passionately teaching others how to grieve in a healthy way; transform their lives for the better.

If you're grieving and feeling stuck, this episode is for you.

In this podcast episode, Victoria Volk explores the six myths of grief that are typically passed down from culture to culture, and how they can impact our lives negatively. In this episode, you will learn

1. The six myths of grief that are typically passed down from culture to culture

2. How grief is cumulative and how it can negatively impact ALL areas of a person's life

3. The Lesser Know areas of Life in Which We Experience Both Grief and The Trauma of Loss

4. The importance of taking action to heal from grief, rather than waiting for time to pass

Here's a breakdown of what is covered:

[00:00:00] - Victoria volk grief recovery.

[00:03:25] - Grief as a multi-dimensional response.

[00:04:56] - Absentee parents and funerals.

[00:08:19] - Absentee parent loss.

[00:13:14] - 6 Myths of grief.

[00:33:58] - Relationship with grief.

[00:39:46] - The important role of forgiveness.

[00:44:38] - Dealing with the hot coal.

In The Grief Recovery Method, Victoria empowers us to begin the process of healing, wholeness, and peace.

THERE'S MORE TO YOU THAN GRIEF AND SUFFERING. YOU CAN FEEL BETTER.

Featured Guests:

Victoria Volk

JOIN US ON INSTAGRAM: @thelightinsidepodcast

SUBSCRIBE: pod.link/thelightinside

Credits: Music Score by Epidemic Sound

Featured Artist Tracks:

Winter Rain by Lama House

Head in The Clouds by Anna Landstrom

The Voice of The Father by Lama House

From Ashes of a Previous Life

Executive Producer: Jeffrey Besecker

Mixing, Engineering, Production, and Mastering: Aloft Media Studio

Production Manager: Anna Getz

In a world where we can each be ANYTHING we want.

Ironically, we often discover a world that feels like it's filled with jerks. Some dick's are a special breed of jerk— they give offense to the world without a shred of awareness that they’re doing so, and deny they have a role when relationships go wrong.

The sad truth is, that anybody can be a dick sometimes.

Yet, Our guest today, Marc Ensign, is here to teach us that being a dick is often the best thing we can be if we hope to make close connections and build solid relationships while we travel along our journey of success.

Learning when to be a dick is one thing. Many of us must master when and how not to be a dick. Or, when at our best, become skillful, in being the right kind of Dick. What happens to those who DON'T learn this artful skill...

Well, they usually end up F#&Ked!

Remember, success is in the eye of the beholder. And we often fail to see, how being the RIGHT kind of Dick will move us into alignment with this vision- Ultimately allowing us to reach our destination.

Tune in to find out if your Dick game has what it takes to get the job done on The Light Inside.

Staying afloat.

It often becomes our central focus. And at times, it can seem like we barely keep our heads above water. Sink or swim - we just keep on paddling.

This week in an instant of profound introspection, I noticed myself doing just that. As I was tempted by a situation that could have irritated me; seemingly pulling me off my course.

-While our program frequently aims to cast a wider net, this week I am inspired to keep it short and sweet.

James Brown tells us - “Like a dull knife just ain't cuttin’; talkin' loud ain’t saying nothin.”

Swimming in that day-to-day stream of activity; sometimes we realize for ourselves when we are talking a lot and saying nothing. As wisdom arises and hopefully we learn to see both the humor and absurdity in anything which comes our way. May there be growth in how we see these moments of triggered contemplation; allowing clarity and awareness to wash over us.

-Rising water raises all boats.

Such an empowering thought.

Rising water raises all of the boats. Not just one. And certainly not just fighting to keep itself afloat. Being the water brings exponential growth. Focusing on the boat creates an energetic resistance that waters down your efficiency and effectiveness.

Take a moment on your own- to reflect and wonder:

How deeply will you allow the waters to flow? Are you the dam or the faucet? Are you a well-spring or an arid desert wasteland? Are you running anxiously for higher ground or diving in to courageously pull another into the rafts of life?

Sometimes one becomes a sponge, sucking everything dry without truly giving back. The state of your energetic nature and signature matters; for it allows your waters to truly flow.

JOIN US ON INSTAGRAM: @thelightinsidepodcast

SUBSCRIBE: pod.link/thelightinside

Credits: Music Score by Epidemic Sound

"Wild Lake" by Lama House

Executive Producer: Jeffrey Besecker

Mixing, Engineering, Production and Mastering: Aloft Media Studio

Production Manager: Anna Getz

Our emotions.

They frequently serve as one of the more mystifying aspects of our humanness, yet just what role do they play in our day-to-day existence? As each of us addresses the onslaught of day-to-day challenges which seem to regularly appear - at times, no relationship than the one we hold with our emotions seems harder to navigate throughout our lives.

As we’ve traveled the course of our program, we have often returned to this very subject and theme. Today we revisit the best of the best in our ever-evolving series of episodes and storylines. In this quick shot reminder with Emotional Detox Coach, Sherianna Boyle from season 1.

Emotional reactivity flips us into different modes of attention. Often one in which our world contracts into a fixation on what upsets us - leaving us caught up in a struggle of emotions. We offer you this reminder - release the struggle.

Join us as we show you how to surrender these cycles of reactivity - on The Light Inside.

Featured Guests:

Sherianna Boyle

JOIN US ON INSTAGRAM: @thelightinsidepodcast

SUBSCRIBE: pod.link/thelightinside

Credits: Music Score by Epidemic Sound

Executive Producer: Jeffrey Besecker

Mixing, Engineering, Production, and Mastering: Aloft Media Studio

Production Manager: Anna Getz

Your body.

Its your home - unique, individual  and universal all at the same time.

Yet the way we communicate through our bodies often signals very different and unique meanings for others to interpret. Through our ongoing process of Evolution - the way we innately process information is an ever changing-action.

As humans adapt and change to meet today's demands, this dance is a never-ending spiral of forces and systems. Each of us playing their part of this evolution. And at the core - consciousness.

Consciousness and choice making are closely interconnected. How we apply our consciousness and how we make our choices influence the systems we live in. They deeply influence how we also connect and communicate with these we interact with on a daily basis.

Body Linguistics empowers us to zoom into the core of consciousness; Accessing the body and it’s physical intelligence - as an emotional antenna feeding us the very signals of our being.

Today we tune in to discover how to effectively leverage body linguistics to more joyfully build and foster emotional competency.

Featured Guests:

Janet Schmidt

Nathanael Novosal

JOIN US ON INSTAGRAM: @thelightinsidepodcast

SUBSCRIBE: pod.link/thelightinside

Credits: Music Score by Epidemic Sound

Executive Producer: Jeffrey Besecker

Mixing, Engineering, Production and Mastering: Aloft Media Studio

Production Manager: Anna Getz

Constructive criticism.

Why does it often seem to so hard to find clear, direct, and honest feedback?

And even more so, why is it that we can be so hard on ourselves?

As we each move though our day-today lives, what happens when our self criticism becomes something worse- more sinister. While constructive criticism can often be both beneficial and effective. Destructive criticism, on the other hand, happens as we focus solely on our problems. This kind of feedback, offering no encouragement, help, or support for improvement.

When its self-focused - it often becomes negative feedback loops which simply become demoralizing. And despite our best intentions, we find it difficult to break free of our repetitive thought cycles.

Today, we look at pattern interruption. An often effective tool for breaking free of our negative feedback loops.

On the Light Inside.

Featured Guest: Jem Fuller

JOIN US ON INSTAGRAM: @thelightinsidepodcast

SUBSCRIBE: pod.link/thelightinside

Credits: Music Score by Epidemic Sound

Executive Producer: Jeffrey Besecker

Mixing, Engineering, Production and Mastering: Aloft Media Studio

Production Manager: Anna Getz

Life.

-It moves at times; in stages and cycles.

Each instant a moment which often is etched into our brains.

Sometimes even keeping us stuck to our past reminiscences and even rumination.

This then becoming a roller coaster of feedback loops; and much to our dismay, throughout this thing we call life - At some point, we will all experience the cycles of grief.

Whether illness, disaster, or death of a loved one, most of us go through at least one traumatic event in our lifetimes. Events that cause us despair and a deep, often lingering sense of loss:

And perhaps with to a lesser frequency- Grief surfaces in such situations as the loss of a job, a career, of in our sense of innocence- as one experiences trauma; or even in losing some sense of our personal identity.

Today we courageously look grief in the face, so that we might examine some of the various ways in which it surfaces throughout our lives.

FEATURED GUESTS:

JENNIFER M. ALEMANY

KEAGEN HADLEY

SANDY WOZNICKI

CARRIE PITZULO

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Credits: Music Score by Epidemic Sound

Executive Producer: Jeffrey Besecker

Mixing, Engineering, Production and Mastering: Aloft Media Studio

Production Manager: Anna Getz

Happiness.

Its often thought to grow in direct proportion to our level of acceptance. Yet, expectations frequently limit our ability to connect with the lives we lead.

More than anything, our expectations often shape and color our perception of a possible reality; impacting those around us. And at times, they even become a self-fulfilling prophecy. After all… be careful what you wish for - it just MIGHT come true.

We speak today with Embodiment coach and Transformational Healer - Desiree Caminos discussing The Psychology of Expectation - on this episode of The Light Inside.

JOIN US ON INSTAGRAM: @thelightinsidepodcast

SUBSCRIBE: pod.link/thelightinside

Credits: Music Score by Epidemic Sound

Executive Producer: Jeffrey Besecker

Mixing, Engineering, Production and Mastering: Aloft Media Studio

Our Production Manage is:  Anna Getz

———footnotes:

Norm of Reciprocity

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norm_of_reciprocity

Expectations - The REAL happiness Killer

https://humanpsychology.com.au/expectations-the-real-hapiness-killer/

Recipracal Determinism

https://dictionary.apa.org/reciprocal-determinism

By The Age of five, the word “NO’ is etched in our brains - happening at a startling 60,000 times.

And for a long time, the only window to the mind was through introspection.

This posed a methodological problem as a result of the unreliable and disruptive nature of meta-cognition — a state also known as” thinking about one’s own thoughts.”

We often experience it — the cycle of negative thought patterns clouding our perception of life.

Why is it perhaps, we tend to have a hard time with the word “No”?

Our guest today, author, Rob White - shares how this ’intruder “ acts as an unwanted mental houseguest that stops you from conducting your daily affairs fruitfully, so your life can unfold like the beautiful symphony it’s meant to be.

Tune in to find out how to overcome it, in order to empower the infinite creating living inside of us all.

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JOIN US ON INSTAGRAM: @thelightinsidepodcast

SUBSCRIBE: pod.link/thelightinside

Credits: Music Score by Epidemic Sound

Executive Producer: Jeffrey Besecker

Mixing, Engineering, Production and Mastering: Aloft Media Studio

Production Manager: Anna Getz

We are joined today by Mark Scherer - Founder and CEO of Encompass Life. Mark is a life coach who has created a coaching strategy called the Quantum Leap Technique - a system which focuses on the energetic impact our chosen words have on our day-today experience of life.

The program brings specific awareness to the significance within the word “Not” - and how repetitive use of this one word, is directly related to the amount of anxiety one experiences throughout their lives.

At times - it can seem as if life is somehow destined to challenge us. And at times we question this notion, seemingly on almost a daily basis.

Our motivated thinking and projected constructs aside, as we each address our daily circumstances, there are times when we turn towards coping mechanisms to address such feelings as anger, contempt, disgust, fear and sadness.

Perhaps chief among these - is a desire to complain.

Complaining is referred to as expressing discontent or resentment. While we may think we are just “venting”, in reality, complaining has significant impacts on our brains and our happiness.

Input from this data shows that most people complain once a minute during a typical conversation. Complaining is tempting because it feels good, but like many other things that are enjoyable -- such as smoking or eating a pound of bacon for breakfast -- complaining isn’t good for you.

Research from Stanford University has shown that complaining shrinks the hippocampus -- an area of the brain that’s critical to memory, problem solving and intelligent thought. The study found that engaging in complaining or simply hearing someone complain for more than 30 minutes could physically damage our brains.

Your brain loves efficiency and doesn’t like to work any harder than it has to. When you repeat a behavior, such as complaining, your neurons branch out to each other to ease the flow of information. This makes it much easier to repeat that behavior in the future -- so easy, in fact - that you might not even realize you’re doing it.

Words, being expressed as sound ; have an energetic vibrational frequency. Perhaps then, as we consider the frequency of the words we express, we can see the correlation between the feelings and thoughts we each share - helping us to understand our relationship with ourselves and others.

Heroes.

Are they born - or made? They touch our hearts, fill us with admiration, and make us reconsider our world view. As we look at the plethora of superhero movies these days and you can see how much our society values and loves its heroes.

-Just what makes certain people take heroic actions in the face of great danger?

According to the Heroic Imagination Project (HIP), a non-profit organization that focuses on teaching people to become heroes in their everyday lives, heroism involves a behavior or action on behalf of another person or for a moral cause.

While many of us cower to the challenge of fear, heroes, those in the truest sense - rise to serve others. Beyond our conceptualization of superpowers, exceptional talent and true ability -lies something other. Genuine courage in the compassionate discernment of a loving heart. A love that sacrifices all - so that others may themselves rise again, to see another day.