The Meaning of Life and Such

Today's episode is with Chris Smith - who I was randomly assigned to as a housemate the first day I turned up at University, in the beginning of September 2001. We are pretty different people in some respects, but we've been through thick and thin together. The conversation is sweet, expansive, and full of laughter - and it's one of my most favorite episodes so far. 

What do you do when you make a new friend at a networking event, and realize that instead of talking about the weather and career progression, you end up talking about the nature of the soul, and the depths of what it takes to be human? Well, you invite them on your Meaning of Life podcast, of course! 

In this episode, I invited Anushka Jain - who I've only known for a week - to come talk to me about the Big Questions in life. And it turned out to be a delightful conversation that reframed some big things for me. 

As soon as I knew I wanted to do this podcast, and I brainstormed a list of people I wanted to talk to, Sonja was on that very first list. She was the first person who demonstrated that it was okay to bring your full self to the workplace - or at least, to show a glimpse that that was possible. Talking to her now - some 15 years later - was an absolute, undiluted delight. 

Sonja Kresojevic is an artist, system thinker, innovation strategist, speaker, and author. In her work, she combines 20 years of corporate experience with deep inner transformative experiences and studies covering psychology, philosophy, neuroscience, poetry, art therapy, and spiritual leadership.

She advises, writes, and speaks on a range of topics relating to human-centric transformation, conscious leadership, innovation, and purpose. Her latest venture, Seedtime Collective, focuses on working with leaders who need support in navigating uncertainty, finding their sense of purpose, and co-creating future scenarios from a place of emergence.

Nick Stevens has dedicated his life to help businesses be better - but on the sidelines, his work strikes me as being deeply about life - and what it means to experience being alive. In this episode, we meander our way through some delicious topics - including exploring what the smallest amount is that you can do, and how to identify when things are going well - and when they are not.

Michael and I have crossed paths on so many crucial turning points in my life that it would be unnatural not to involve him in this podcast project. He's an experienced business advisor and personal mentor to me, and I've been so delighted to finally find enough peace in our respective souls to talk about the Meaning of Life together. I felt as if this was a conversation that was such a long time coming, that finally being able to bask in the universe of exploring that topic was such a gift. 

In our third journey into the unknown, we are joined by award-winning sci-fi, fantasy, and horror writer author Meg Elison. We wallow around in the 'who am I', 'how do we make decisions', and explore how creative universes are a way to process what's going on in the world around us.