Life Passion and Business

How courageous are you?

The podcast was born of my search for more meaning in life, and the reality is that meaning does not just appear; it has to be found, nurtured and developed. On some level, we have to fight for it because that is the nature of the hero's journey. To find meaning, we have to become more visible and have the courage to do it.

On this show, I encourage you to look at what you stand for and I will be exploring the benefits gained from standing firm in a cause that we believe in and want to champion.

Over the last week,  I took part in a 5-day challenge to be more visible in my mission and I will let you into my world and share thoughts on where I am heading.

I explore how the cause and our values are mixed and what that means.

Are you standing up for what you believe in? Because when we stand in our courage and be visible in our cause it is powerful. That means when stuff comes at us we experience it from a place of power and strength. Our ability to deal with it is far greater than if it would come at us in a place of weakness.

I will share with you some of my next steps and how I am going to take my mission forward. Do the exercises and tell me how you get on I would love to know what you do with it. The links mentioned can be found on the website. 

Life Passion & Business Podcast is about finding answers to life’s big questions through weekly interviews with guest speakers. The Shortcast is my ongoing commitment to staying inquisitive and passionate about life with whatever is alive for me each week. Follow the links below to discover what else is on offer

The Five Questions eBook: https://lifepassionandbusiness.com/the-five-questions Focus Coaching: https://lifepassionandbusiness.com/focus-coaching/

Support The Podcast:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/lifeandpassion Midlife Survey: https://lifepassionandbusiness.com/midlife-challenge/

Wealth or health and at what cost?  When the Dali Lama was asked what surprises you most he said:=

"Man, because he sacrifices his health in order to make money. Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health. And then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present; the result being that he does not live in the present or the future; he lives as if he is never going to die, and then dies having never really lived.” That is so true it is easy to think we are invincible and life will go on forever.  Taking good health for granted, but health is the one part of our existence that changes every aspect of our living experience. When our body fails us we lose so much of what it is to be human and how we experience life. My guest on the program is Chris Vasiliadis, she had an active life as a professional make-up artist and a marketing consultant for small businesses. She was fit and active, coming from a healthy family of long-lived parents and grandparents. So to have the onset of autoimmune condition arrive out of the blue was a big shift in her life direction. It started as a loss of feeling in her feet and legs culminating in double vision, vertigo and then the loss of sight in one eye. It was the beginning of a condition called Multiple sclerosis, which is a degenerative disease that has a range of life-debilitating symptoms. The perceived wisdom is that there is no cure it is managed and is something to live with.  Thankfully Chris was diagnosed early and has been able to manage her symptoms to the point where the disease has not returned in over 15 years. It was that journey that opened her eyes to the world of health and wellness. Our conversation is an exploration of her journey to recovery. It was during that exploration that she discovered the effects of stress and burnout in women. Since then she has written the book “ignition” a guide for professional women to avoid burnout. She speaks on stage at events conferences and is a certified health coach.   On the show, we mentioned the podcast with Terry Sidhu, here is the link to that show. https://lifepassionandbusiness.com/terry-sidhu-the-path-of-least-resistance/

Further details about this podcast along with my Guest’s website and social links are all available at:

https://www.lifepassionandbusiness.com/Chris Vasiliadis : From MS To Health

Life Passion & Business is dedicated to exploring what it takes to be Extraordinary, to face challenges and rejoice in the opportunities they bring, and expand our vision into new ways of thinking and living.

There is a lot to gain from listening to other people’s stories, however the real work begins by taking action in your own life.

For full details of Events, Resources and Services visit: www.lifepassionandbusiness.com

Support For Podcasters:

Running a podcast is fun, but it takes time and dedication. Whenever you enjoy a podcast please share your appreciation with comments, likes, shares and reviews. It helps other listeners find good content and supports the content creators and their guests.

Another way you can support the Life Passion & Business podcast is with small donations: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/lifeandpassion

Last week I spoke about doubling the joy of a happy event through the experience of anticipation.  This week we are exploring it further with the power of gratitude.

In the conversation last week I talked about sharing the secret of the surprise Mother's Day visit my son planned for my wife. How I joyfully anticipated her joy, and then relived it all over again when I experienced it with her. It was an amazing weekend, made all the more so with the realisation that I got to experience it 3 times, with anticipation, reality and gratitude.   There has been a lot of effort put into the benefits of happiness including the scientific research of MRI scans that have shown that there is no one location in the brain for happiness. It is a collection of joyful emotions and satisfaction, gratitude (conscious or unconscious) is a big part of that story. Another interesting fact is that those people who cultivate happiness in their life, experience less sadness. Now that is something that's definitely worth pursuing. So, on today's show, I am sharing a gratitude practice that increases happiness and builds personal resilience, moving you closer to the prospects of maximum enjoyment. 

Life Passion & Business Podcast is about finding answers to life’s big questions through weekly interviews with guest speakers. The Shortcast is my ongoing commitment to staying inquisitive and passionate about life with whatever is alive for me each week. Follow the links below to discover what else is on offer

The Five Questions eBook: https://lifepassionandbusiness.com/the-five-questions Focus Coaching: https://lifepassionandbusiness.com/focus-coaching/

Support The Podcast:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/lifeandpassion Midlife Survey: https://lifepassionandbusiness.com/midlife-challenge/

My guest on the show is Doug Crowe, an adventurer, not in the sense of endurance but in his desire and hunger for life experience. He has traveled to 42 countries and done all 7 continents. He learnt to fly planes and enjoys scuba diving, speaking and writing. 

Life is a journey of discovery and we all have a path to find and follow, some of us struggle to find one and others, like Doug are hungry to discover them all.

As a child of the 60’s he wanted to be an astronaut (didn’t we all?). He looked at becoming a commercial pilot, but his eyesight had other plans. So instead, he went to college and got a degree in media and TV and went into the industry.

While earning $3/hr as the lighting director on a TV show he heard a guest interview with Robert Allan about no money investing. He didn’t have the money for the $5K weekend boot camp but could afford to buy the book. It changed his life. He followed the book, took action and made more money in his first deal than he had in his job for the whole year. The secret was always to buy with a profit.

“You don’t make money when you sell you make money when you buy”

He went on to develop a successful real estate business and a training company teaching others to do the same. That lead to one of the first real estate radio shows and lots of speaking gigs. The 2009 financial crash took it all.

“I had 19 foreclosures and went from being a millionaire to $54 and living in the basement of a foreclosed home.”

Our story is about that rebirth and rediscovery of identity, who we are and why we do what we do.  

“We die naked and broke just as we came in.”

Today Doug is back in the driving seat of his life through publishing, he is an investor, brand specialist, and an accomplished writer.  He and his team support CEOs and business owners to tell their stories by ghostwriting books that sell.

Further details about this podcast along with my Guest’s website and social links are all available at:

https://www.lifepassionandbusiness.com/doug-crowe-making-a-dent-in-the-universe

Life Passion & Business is dedicated to exploring what it takes to be Extraordinary, to face challenges and rejoice in the opportunities they bring, and expand our vision into new ways of thinking and living.

There is a lot to gain from listening to other people’s stories, however the real work begins by taking action in your own life.

For full details of Events, Resources and Services visit: www.lifepassionandbusiness.com

Support For Podcasters:

Running a podcast is fun, but it takes time and dedication. Whenever you enjoy a podcast please share your appreciation with comments, likes, shares and reviews. It helps other listeners find good content and supports the content creators and their guests.

Another way you can support the Life Passion & Business podcast is with small donations: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/lifeandpassion

We all want a bit of joy in life, but what if I were to tell you there's a way to experience double the pleasure?

My conversation with you this week was brought about by a secret plan hatched with my son to surprise his Mum with a visit on Mother's day. I knew she'd be surprised; so enjoyed imagining and anticipating her delight. The reality was like taking a second helping of joy.

I remember when my son was very young the prospect of a birthday, Christmas or even a play date with friends would have him bursting with excitement. As adults we seem to forget the simple delight of planning and anticipating joy. But it's easy to regain...  it's all about planning.

In this show, we explore how the benefits of planning and adding fun dates to the diary, offers an opportunity to experience the joy of a single event twice.

Join me on this exploration of anticipation. 

Life Passion & Business Podcast is about finding answers to life’s big questions through weekly interviews with guest speakers. The Shortcast is my ongoing commitment to staying inquisitive and passionate about life with whatever is alive for me each week. Follow the links below to discover what else is on offer

The Five Questions eBook: https://lifepassionandbusiness.com/the-five-questions Focus Coaching: https://lifepassionandbusiness.com/focus-coaching/

Support The Podcast:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/lifeandpassion Midlife Survey: https://lifepassionandbusiness.com/midlife-challenge/

Some of us dream about dropping everything and taking off, but what happens when you do and more to the point what is that makes an entrepreneur with a growing business cash it all in, get on a plane with his family and become nomads. Our show is about the call to adventure. Sometimes it takes a wake-up call to see life for what it is, “fragile”. We all assume it will go on forever, and the story will play out well. In reality, we cannot make those assumptions; all we can do is live our best life by taking control of the story. 

Graham Brown was a star in the telecoms industry, a leader in data research and trends. But it was the death of his father that made him ask the important questions and give it all up for 3 plane tickets and no plans. As you will hear life in paradise is not all Instagram moments. 

Graham is a gentle soul that has learnt much on his travels, above all, it was the importance of finding your story. Today Graham has produced over 1500 podcasts, written 4 books, speaks live on podcasts and helps major brands define and tell their story. Let's join the conversation with Graham Brown.

Further details about this podcast along with my Guest’s website and social links are all available at:

https://www.lifepassionandbusiness.com/graham-brown-3-plane-tickets-no-plans

Life Passion & Business is dedicated to exploring what it takes to be Extraordinary, to face challenges and rejoice in the opportunities they bring, and expand our vision into new ways of thinking and living.

There is a lot to gain from listening to other people’s stories, however the real work begins by taking action in your own life.

For full details of Events, Resources and Services visit: www.lifepassionandbusiness.com

Support For Podcasters:

Running a podcast is fun, but it takes time and dedication. Whenever you enjoy a podcast please share your appreciation with comments, likes, shares and reviews. It helps other listeners find good content and supports the content creators and their guests.

Another way you can support the Life Passion & Business podcast is with small donations: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/lifeandpassion

What happens when something becomes so intolerable that action is literally unavoidable?

This week we are exploring cognitive dissonance. Situations or events that conspire to take us in a direction that conflicts with our internal compass.  The stuff that has us squirming when the world doesn’t meet our picture of how it should be. I am talking about values and ethics that guide how we live our lives and what we expect from others.

We might experience this when a boss makes a decision we don’t agree with and demands we comply. Or when a trusted friend asks us to be complicit in a lie. This is the stuff that is currently fueling the great resignation and this week we have witnessed an outstanding example.

I am talking about the inspired actions of Marina Ovsyannikova, the Russian journalist who jumped into view on the state-controlled evening news programme and declared "This is a lie, the war is a lie!" knowing that it was a massive risk that could put her life in danger.

Thankfully most of us will never experience that level of mismatch in our own lives. However this subject is equally important in defining our values and understanding how to recognize and respond to these important triggers.

Life Passion & Business Podcast is about finding answers to life’s big questions through weekly interviews with guest speakers. The Shortcast is my ongoing commitment to staying inquisitive and passionate about life with whatever is alive for me each week. Follow the links below to discover what else is on offer

The Five Questions eBook: https://lifepassionandbusiness.com/the-five-questions Focus Coaching: https://lifepassionandbusiness.com/focus-coaching/

Support The Podcast:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/lifeandpassion Midlife Survey: https://lifepassionandbusiness.com/midlife-challenge/

What happens when life delivers a message so loud, so clear that you have no choice but to take heed? It is rare to get a message that clear, and to some extent, you need to be open to hearing it. My guest on the show is Neil Seligman, A mindfulness coach, author and public speaker. But as you heard in the intro, he had a sudden realization that the career he had chosen was the wrong place for his star to rise. Getting on in the legal profession is a long road; in Neil's case, it was five years of study and eight years in practice as a Civil Law Barrister. For those not familiar with the British legal system, that means he gets to wear a wig and black gown. Giving it all up to be a Mindfulness Practitioner before that word had any meaning was a big step into the unknown. As a young man, Neil was academic; it came easy to him. At university, he loved acting, sports and living life. But he was shepherded into the legal profession as it was more lucrative than acting and very similar, (say I, with a smile on my face). But as I mentioned before, you must be open to change to hear the message and Neil was not a stranger to the alternative sector. He discovered Reiki healing in his teens and went on to become a Reiki master way before he was a barrister. So he was already bridging two worlds when he heard the message and decided to leave. But changing from what is seen to be a solid career does raise questions. He had to confront all the preconceptions from family and friends, as well as his own thoughts and feelings around money, identity and meaning. 

In our conversation, we explore Neil's journey and the soul searching he went through to find his path. Join me for this conversation with Neil Seligman.

Further details about this podcast along with my Guest’s website and social links are all available at:

https://www.lifepassionandbusiness.com/neil-seligman-conscious-transformation

Life Passion & Business is dedicated to exploring what it takes to be Extraordinary, to face challenges and rejoice in the opportunities they bring, and expand our vision into new ways of thinking and living.

There is a lot to gain from listening to other people’s stories, however the real work begins by taking action in your own life.

For full details of Events, Resources and Services visit: www.lifepassionandbusiness.com

Support For Podcasters:

Running a podcast is fun, but it takes time and dedication. Whenever you enjoy a podcast please share your appreciation with comments, likes, shares and reviews. It helps other listeners find good content and supports the content creators and their guests.

Another way you can support the Life Passion & Business podcast is with small donations: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/lifeandpassion

On today's show, I am looking at some tools that could help you stay centred while those around you are losing it. I am talking about the power of creativity, about taking care of what you read or watch and we explore why it is important to listen to your quiet voice  The world is not a happy place at the moment and the news and media will make it their job to feed us all of the gory detail on a 27/7 basis. It is very difficult to avoid, and also highly addictive. I am not immune to getting caught up and I have used every tool I have to keep me on point this week and for a while, there even that failed. The point is we owe it to the world to share our gifts and that means we are responsible to manage our inner resolve and stay strong when the going is hard. The upside to that is when we do make a commitment that is when we received the greatest gift. It is when we do the work that feeds us that is when we feel good when we get to feel alive. 

For more resources, check out the podcast website through the links below.

Life Passion & Business Podcast is about finding answers to life’s big questions through weekly interviews with guest speakers. The Shortcast is my ongoing commitment to staying inquisitive and passionate about life with whatever is alive for me each week. Follow the links below to discover what else is on offer

The Five Questions eBook: https://lifepassionandbusiness.com/the-five-questions Focus Coaching: https://lifepassionandbusiness.com/focus-coaching/

Support The Podcast:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/lifeandpassion Midlife Survey: https://lifepassionandbusiness.com/midlife-challenge/

Is there an 'unlived' adventure story lurking somewhere inside of you?

Lets face it, we all love a good adventure story. yet for most of us the fix generally comes through reading fiction or biographies, watching movies, or listening to podcasts and celebrating the hero's journey in somebody else. But what if it were your turn? What would you choose, and given the opportunity, would you actually say yes?

Today, not only do we get to hear Jane Taylor's story, we also get the opportunity to be part of her adventure. (details below).

When Jane Taylor's son Emmit graduated, her husband John had the idea to celebrate with a road trip. The plan was to buy three motorcycles and ride across country from Vermont to California and back. That is a 10,000 mile round trip, and for a Mom who hadn't been on a motorbike for 40 years, that's no small challenge!

Jane said Yes to the idea, even though she was terrified!

“I jumped in, because I tend to lead, but I was terrified.”

Motorcycles were in her family's blood when Jane was a child.  In 6th-grade, her mother owned a motorcycle business, so her early years were around bikes and bikers. But her family sold the business and moved on, and riding a motorbike was now just a distant memory. In her teen years, writing was her thing; she went to college earned her degree in literature and music history and always knew writing would be part of her life, but not sure how.  On leaving college Jane skirted around, working in restaurants, cooking for a Baroque orchestra running a welding shop,  and being an event organizer. But it was always writing that held her interest, so she eventually became a freelance 'pen for hire' and a professional CV writer. But, at 50 years, old approaching mid-life, it was this family adventure that changed everything. The podcast is part of a celebration of that journey and the launch of her book “Spirit Traffic – A  Mother's Journey of Letting Go”  inspired by her travels and the gifts it gave her.  The book is out on April 19th 2022, and there is a book tour beginning in May. The fun part is that Jane and her husband John are reprising the adventure by travelling across the US, from New England to California, for readings at independent books shops and in people's homes. So you can be part of the tour by hosting an event. All the details are here:- https://cjanetaylor.com/barnstorm

Further details about this podcast along with my Guest’s website and social links are all available at:

https://www.lifepassionandbusiness.com/jane-taylor-mom-biker-warrior

Life Passion & Business is dedicated to exploring what it takes to be Extraordinary, to face challenges and rejoice in the opportunities they bring, and expand our vision into new ways of thinking and living.

There is a lot to gain from listening to other people’s stories, however the real work begins by taking action in your own life.

For full details of Events, Resources and Services visit: www.lifepassionandbusiness.com

Support For Podcasters:

Running a podcast is fun, but it takes time and dedication. Whenever you enjoy a podcast please share your appreciation with comments, likes, shares and reviews. It helps other listeners find good content and supports the content creators and their guests.

Another way you can support the Life Passion & Business podcast is with small donations: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/lifeandpassion