Conversations That Don't Suck

Jan Keck is on the podcast this week, and it was such a joy to speak with someone who has an equal love for deep questions and deeper conversation. I hope you enjoy it! Jan Keck is a community addict. He is the creator of ASK DEEP QUESTIONS, which started out as a deck of cards to help his friends connect on a camping trip and is now being used to facilitate meaningful conversations through sharing personal and vulnerable stories on every continent around the globe. Jan’s mission is to help people feel less alone, so by creating experiences, workshops and programs he is fueling the movement for deeper human connection. His work has been featured on CBC News, Breakfast TV, Cityline and HuffPost and he is currently working on his first TEDx Talk on how to turn shallow conversations into deep connections. www.jankeck.com www.askdeepquestions.com White allyship resources: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1bUJrgX8vspyy7YttiEC2vD0DawrpPYiZs94V0ov7qZQ/htmlview?fbclid=IwAR3OetQxGpN9_9-58ZqlWoG3TRRiZW-bNUThue9WeWA624NA9j1sIxDYmL0&pru=AAABcpUTjc0*mLgUvt8ezoIeNASzOBamKw

Veronica Kaulinis is on the pod this week, and we're getting vulnerable ... I mean... maybe not any more than usual ;) In this episode, we discuss: How Veronica’s relationship patterns led her to wanting to have more vulnerable conversations, her past fears around being seen as ‘too nice’, how vulnerable shares permission others to be themselves, the yearning of vulnerability, how she creates safe spaces for vulnerability, the importance of grounding after a vulnerable experience, and our different levels of comfort with confrontation. Veronica Kaulinis is a professional Community Builder and International Facilitator who's passionate about creating experiences and trainings that encourage, depth, authentic conversations, courageous vulnerability and leadership. Veronica is the Founder & Creator of Vulnerable AF, which is community event series that encourages vulnerability and deep and thought-provoking conversations in a safe space. Website: www.veronicakaulinis.com Facebook: Veronica Kaulinis IG: @vulnerableafnyc

Chelsea Simpson is on the podcast today! Chelsea is an educator, facilitator, and coach with more than 10 years experience at the intersection of transformational leadership, innovation, somatics, and diversity and inclusion. Chelsea has worked internationally, in English and Spanish, with a wide range of organizations, including Microsoft, the Smithsonian Institute, the NYC Mayor’s Office, the Centre for Social Innovation, Bloomberg Industries, Make the Road NY, and various organizations in El Salvador & Central America. Her TEDx talk, America Emerges, covers inside-out modern leadership. She is a certified Emotional Intelligence coach, mediator, teaching artist, and doula She is based in NYC, and is also adjunct faculty in the Strategic Design & Management program at the New School.  In this episode, we discuss: Volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity as it relates to Coronavirus, why we need community to create change, why young adults tend to not prioritize community, what vulnerability actually is, humility as an entrepreneur, how I struggle with vulnerability in facilitation settings, and how collaboration is required for system-level change. http://emergingleaders.us/

Libby Crow is in today. Libby is a former coach of mine, fellow lover of personal development, and all around glorious woman. It was so lovely to catch up with her and get some of her sparkle and wisdom in this conversation. In this episode, we chat about: burnout and flow, the difference between emotional and physical shut-down, how social media makes us project our ideas onto other people, Libby’s relationship with her husband Scott, dating/love/heartbreak, and what people get wrong about us. Libby Crow is a global mentor for entrepreneurs helping them practice deep self-care while also growing their businesses and their minds. She is the founder of LC International, a marketing strategy company, blog & self-care resource for digital consultants, and Co-Founder of The Daily Shift, a personal development company for aspiring and accomplished entrepreneurs alike. She’s dedicated to helping entrepreneurs see the journey as a bridge to raising the vibration of the planet and then later as a portal for giving back philanthropically. https://www.instagram.com/libbycrow/ https://www.facebook.com/libby.crow http://libbycrow.com/

In this episode, Brad Wolfe is joining me to talk about our most feared topic: Death. This was a super special conversation that came at an extremely timely moment in my life as death was consuming my life. This is a good one, folks. Listen up. In this episode, we discuss: Brad’s work with Reimagine End of Life, how Brad’s experiences with death have influenced his work and the way he relates to the world, how to remember our mortality and also seize the day, why breakups are their own form of death, how to create more beauty and creativity in life by confronting death, how our medical system is unprepared to handle death, how to have conversations about the end of life before it’s too late, and my own wishes for my death. Brad Wolfe is the founder and executive director of Reimagine, a new nonprofit that brings diverse communities together to explore death and celebrate life through creativity and conversation. With over 30,000 attendees to date--and with a belief that by facing death we begin to live more fully--Reimagine End of LIfe citywide festivals have quickly become the largest end-of-life events in the United States. Reimagine was recently named a "World Changing Idea" by Fast Company Magazine. Before becoming a nonprofit, Reimagine was initially inspired by OpenIDEO’s End of Life Challenge, and was led by Brad as part of an OpenIDEO project exploring art and end of life. Brad's personal interest in end-of-life began as he performed bedside concerts for his friend Sara L., who died of a rare pediatric cancer. In Sara's honor, Brad co-founded the Sunbeam Foundation for pediatric cancer research and formed Brad Wolfe & the Moon, a band which has performed concerts for other young people facing terminal cancer and been featured on MTV. Brad has an MA in Sociology from Stanford and an MBA from UC Berkeley, where he has served as a lecturer on the topics of innovation and design. www.letsreimagine.org www.bradwolfe.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradleywolfe/ Mentions: You’re Going To Die - open mic in San Francisco Beginner’s Guide To The End by Shoshana Berger and AJ Miller The Conversation Project The 5 Wishes Being Mortal by Atul Gawande When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi Brad Wolfe and The Moon on Spotify

Jillian is on the pod! Jillian is committed to creating connection and community by organizing places where people feel seen, heard, and valued. As a professional community builder, public speaker, and writer, Jillian is most known for being the founder of The Joy List, a weekly newsletter with the mission of reducing loneliness in New York City and eventually the world. She's been sending it out every Monday morning for three years, helping thousands of people build connection to both place and each other. In addition to her successful career in community consulting and event design, Jillian has just released her first book and #1 Amazon new release, Unlonely Planet. We get into: Jillian’s work, The Joy List, her new book, dealing with imposter syndrome, how the world is missing out on community and belonging, what highly connected relationships look like in my life and Jillian’s life, the balance between going to facilitated events and spending 1:1 time in connection with others, our issues with Burning Man, why leadership is lonely and you should stop calling people “special” and “strong”, and the power of having the right people in your corner. www.joylist.nyc https://www.amazon.com/Unlonely-Planet-Healthy-Congregations-Change/dp/1641372605/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=unlonely+planet&qid=1569863103&s=books&sr=1-1 www.facebook.com/joylistnyc www.instagram.com/joylistnyc www.instagram.com/thatJillian