Achieve Peak Performance through Hard Work and Mindfulness with Steven Kotler

Do you often find yourself giving up when things get hard? Are you more interested in instant gratification? Most people will say yes to these questions. After all, taking the easy way out feels safe and comfortable. But the truth is we are biologically designed to reach peak performance; we just need hard work  to achieve it.

In today’s episode, Steven Kotler will share with us why fear and hardship make us quit. And as one of the world’s leading experts on human performance, he will also talk to us about hard work to manage our fears and anxiety to reach our peak performance. He will also discuss what triggers our flow.

Tune in to the full episode and learn how you can train to reach the impossible.

Here are three reasons why you should listen to the full episode:

1. Learn how fear motivates you.
2. Discover how you can motivate yourself to reach your peak potential.
3. Steven shares the foundations of the flow.

Resources

• Steven’s books: Bold and The Art of Impossible
• Steven Kotler: Author and Speaker
• Try out Steven’s Interactive Worksheet!
• Flow Research Collective — Learn about what breaks your flow.
• Cognitive Neuroscience of Attention by Michael Posner
• Create a daily meditation ritual in just seven days! Download BUILD YOUR DAILY MEDITATION RITUAL and other freebies at com!
• FREE Podcast Action Guide! Apply the lessons you learn from this episode as you listen! Sign up at com and I’ll send it right away!

Episode Highlights

Fear and the Impossible

• Some people become successful in life because they overcome the impossible. They reinvent themselves to make their dreams a possibility and a reality.
• Steven explains this is important to know because nobody starts at their peak. We begin with a combination of focus and
• Fear can direct you to where you need to focus.
• The key is learning how to manage your fear and anxiety and turn them into a challenge that you can overpower.
• Listen to the full episode to learn why fear is essential in overcoming the impossible.

Dealing with Fear Using Hard Work

• Reaching the impossible becomes hard because powering through your fears — real or imagined — is challenging.
• Start with motivation, then focus on goals. After that, you put hard work on your grit skills.
• This is not a quick process; you need to keep going until you have enough grit skills as your foundation.
• You’re going to be truly successful if you have a solid foundation and the perseverance to work hard on your fear.
• This is similar to how athletes train to be their best before taking on risks.

Understanding Peak Performance

• Flow or peak performance is the optimal state of consciousness that occurs when you feel and perform your best. When you’re in the flow, everything — creativity, learning, productivity — is amplified.
• There are 22 known triggers to the flow. They work by either increasing dopamine or norepinephrine — focusing chemicals — in our system, lowering the cognitive load, or both.
• The most important trigger is a complete concentration on your task. Michael Posner, a former psychologist at the University of Oregon, also explains the importance of meditation for your flow training.
• Everybody can get into the flow because we are biologically designed to do so.

What Is Peak Performance Training?

• Peak performance training starts with an extrinsic motivation
• These extrinsic things often fuel your anxiety or fear, which drives your motivation and focus.
• After overcoming them, you move to intrinsic motivators, like curiosity, which lets you develop your passion and pursue hard work to fulfill it.
• Your passion drives you to have a purpose, which leads to your need for autonomy. And autonomy requires mastery.
• Tune in to the full episode to learn about the role of these factors in your peak performance.

How Anxiety and Depression Affects the Flow

• It is essential to understand that while anxiety fuels our motivation, it can also dampen it.
• This happens because two known causes of anxiety — genes and trauma — affect our ability to focus.
• However, research also shows that these causes don’t necessarily translate to anxiety disorders. Genetics is only half of the factor, and trauma may also lead to post-traumatic growth.
• The remaining six causes often occur because we can’t find our motivation to work on the flow.

Using Grit and Motivation as Foundations

• Physical grit is simple to train because we are all built to be persevering. Training it is working on it consistently.
• The next level of grit is controlling your thoughts, and this is where mindfulness training becomes essential.
• Motivations are as crucial as grit in creating solid foundations for peak performance because it pushes you to work on your fear and determination.
• If you find your motivation and start working on your goals, your body releases the reward chemicals you need. And these chemicals also help you train your grit.
• However, it is essential to note that laying down these foundations is neither easy nor fast. They need constant work.

  Important Notes on the Flow

• Although the flow works wonders, it can also have adverse effects because it can blur your understanding of the past, present, and the future or the deep now.
• Since it takes years to train, we may initially feel demotivated, especially since we often seek instant gratification.
• But working on your grit and motivation, as well as reaching your flow, is the ultimate gratification you can get.
• Do the hard work slowly because it takes time to cultivate your passion.

5 Powerful Quotes

[06:53] “Learn to use fear as a compass and what I mean by that is — and you don’t start really in peak performance — if you’re sort of following your biology, there’s a sequence, there’s an order, and you don’t really go directly head-on at fear for a little while.”

[15:27] “Triggers (of focus) work by doing one of three things. They either drive dopamine into our system, they drive norepinephrine into our system or they lower cognitive load, or they do some combination.”

[19:49] “Everybody can get into flow, right? Man, women, children the age, the old. It is universal. It shows up in anyone anywhere provided certain initial conditions.”

[23:30] “What we call passion is nothing more than like the intersection of multiple curiosities, right? You just got to live there for a little while and let it grow into passion.”

[38:21] “Grit without flow is misery. Like, flat out. You can’t have it like it’s technically — grit without flow is burnout.”

About Steven
Steven Kotler is one of the leading experts in the study of human performance. He wrote several New York Times-bestselling books and was nominated for two Pulitzer Prizes for his journalistic work.

He is also the co-founder of Rancho de Chihuahua dog sanctuary and a cohost of the top-rated iTunes podcast called Flow Research Collective Radio. If you want to connect with Steven, visit his website or LinkedIn.

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Love to give us 5 stars? If you do, we’d love a review from you. Help us reach more people and make them feel loved.

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To feeling radically loved,

Rosie

Tap into Your Voice and Share Your Story with Natasha Zolotareva

Have you ever felt disconnected from your own voice? You know you have a message that will resonate with other people, but you can't seem to tap into it. Inevitably, you may begin to doubt whether you should share your story . Spiraling into this doubt can be difficult to overcome. However, keep in mind that finding your voice begins by looking within. Inside each of us, there is a seed of a story that we need to nurture and allow to flourish.

In today's episode, PR specialist Natasha Zolotareva shares her path of finding her message and tapping into her voice. She relays her journey of being a communicator and how she helps healers look within to become seen. Natasha also talks about the importance of accepting your suffering and how to share your story.

If you’re struggling with connecting with your voice, this episode is for you!

Here are three reasons why you should listen to the full episode:

1. Discover the beauty of PR work in reconnecting with your message.

1. Learn the importance of speaking out loud and the need to share your story.

1. Find out how Natasha feels radically loved by listening to the full episode!

Resources

• Natasha’s website
• Create a daily meditation ritual in just seven days! Download BUILD YOUR DAILY MEDITATION RITUAL and other freebies at com!

Episode Highlights

Getting into PR Work

• Natasha works with people she calls “healers.” They are coaches, personal trainers, yoga teachers, and anyone who has a self-improvement message.
• Growing up in a family of two psychologists, she has always been surrounded by healers.
• This background led her to the mindset that when something is not working in life, the first place to look is within. Her passion lies in bringing this message to people.
• Despite being surrounded by healers, Natasha knew it wasn’t her path. Instead, she realized that she is a communicator.
• Natasha went from being a journalist in the traditional press to being a marketer and then starting a PR agency.

On Being Seen

• Natasha’s mom said that every psychologist is first a patient. To some degree, a lack of something drives hearts to become passionate and explore that particular thing.
• PR is about tapping into the voice of being authentic, opening up, and being seen. Some people would choose different methods to do this.
• While PR is a business tool, it is also a personal growth tool for reconnecting with your message and yourself. You can use this to learn how to share your story.
• For Natasha, also has a personal journey of reconnecting with her voice in PR.

Everybody’s Story Is Worth Sharing

• Listening to other people’s personal stories is how we get nuggets of wisdom that we can relate to. This is an advantage when you share your story.
• You should learn how to share your story. There is so much healing into just speaking out loud.
• After speaking and accepting your suffering, the only thing left is to offer it publicly. Growth will follow after you share your story.
• Everybody has a seed of a story in them that wants to grow and flourish. It is not easy, but it is empowering.
• It is common for both beginners and experienced entrepreneurs to doubt the worth of their story.

Losing Her Voice

• Natasha worked as a journalist from 15 to 20 years old. Then, she felt that she had a voice — she's sharing about things that mattered to her.
• After deciding she’s finished with journalism, she lost her voice. While she would still produce a lot of writing for other people, nothing comes out when she’s writing for herself.
• For years, Natasha was disconnected from her voice and the things she wanted to share. Hence, empowering her clients in sharing their voices is also a personal journey for her.

Confidence and Insecurity

• Natasha can relate to people who know they have a message but still don't know what it is.
• Even if you’re not going public with your story, it’s worth searching for to help you with personal development.
• Listen to the full episode to learn Natasha’s wonderful exercise on how you can tap into your message!

Tapping into a Source of Love

• Despite everything that's going on in the world, Natasha has felt so much universal love in the last couple of months.
• She feels radically loved by pretty much anything because she has a connection to the radical life.

5 Powerful Quotes from This Episode

[04:40] “Whenever there’s something not working in my life or the life of my friend, I'm like, the first place to look is within.”

[06:22] “I [have] always been sure about kind of like what is the gift that I have to share; it’s about the communication and connection.”

[13:21] “Everybody’s story is worth sharing.”

[16:38] "There’s always so many molds that we try to fit into speaking. That’s where we started, right? So many healing comes into being authentic.”

[30:30] “Imagine you have a billboard on the Time Square, all paid up for and kind of like sent to your name. And you get to put the message there, and everyone's gonna see it. So what is it going to be?”

About Natasha

Natasha Zolotareva is a media relations specialist and the founder of Cosa Famosa PR agency. Natasha helps authors, speakers, coaches, entrepreneurs, and influencers grow their media exposure by creating expert-brand media campaigns. She specializes in featuring brands in top-tier print, broadcast, and online media. Natasha represents clients in niches, including mental health, spirituality, health and wellness, and sports and fitness.

If you want to connect with Natasha, visit her website. You can also reach her through her Instagram account.

Enjoy the Podcast?

If you felt radically loved from listening to this podcast, subscribe and share it with the people you love!

Love to give us 5 stars? If you do, we'd love a review from you. Help us reach more people and make them feel loved.

Do you want to help more people find the courage to tap into their voice and share their story? A simple way is to share what you've learned today on social media.

Don't forget to follow and message us on these platforms!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rosieacosta

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To feeling radically loved,

Rosie

How to Live with Purpose with Mike Bayer

Every day, we make countless decisions that range from mundane to life-changing. If you find yourself stuck at one of these crossroads, what do you do? How do you weigh one option against another? Our guest teaches us that whenever we find ourselves confused or lost about the next step, it helps to get clear on our “why” so that we can live with purpose .

In this episode, Mike Bayer teaches us how to clarify our purpose. Instead of mindlessly choosing based on short-term pleasures, getting clear on our “why” helps us act in line with our long-term vision. Mike shares the F.O.R.C.E acronym as a useful tool for discernment and decision-making. He also teaches how to recognize internal coaches and find good communities that support our highest good.

Tune in to the full episode to learn how you can live with purpose!

Here are three reasons why you should listen to the full episode:

1. Recognize and hack distorted thinking using F.O.R.C.E.
2. Find out how to spot good and authentic coaches.
3. Discover how to be honest with yourself and live with purpose.

Resources

• One Decision: The First Step to a Better Life by Mike Bayer
• Best Self: Be You, Only Better by Mike Bayer
• The Book of Awakening: Having the Life You Want by Being Present to the Life You Have by Mark Nepo
• Coach Mike Bayer
• FREE workbook! Apply the lessons you learn from this episode as you listen! Sign up at com, and I’ll send it right away!

Episode Highlights

Mike’s Story

• Mike turned his life around by refusing to be chained by the environment he grew up in and becoming a victor of circumstance.
• Although the pandemic is exceptionally challenging, Mike admits that he went through harder moments in the past.
• Mike started rewriting his book during COVID-19. Later on, he decided to dedicate it to the lost and lonely.
• Sometimes, the things we create are what we and others need to hear.

Slowing Down, Being Grateful

• While rewriting the book, Mike made sure to add stories of how people are working through the current crisis.
• Mike has to remind himself every now and then to be grateful for the success he enjoys today.
• He admits it’s been like a trip beyond his wildest dreams, from writing bestsellers to speaking for large audiences.
• Despite being in the limelight for two and half years, Mike still struggles to balance taking ownership of his success and being humble.

Understanding the F.O.R.C.E.

• Mike developed a coaching formula for anyone who feels lost or disconnected using the cognitive behavioral therapy framework.
• The F.O.R.C.E is an acronym that stands for five cognitive distortions. F represents fortune-telling, O for overgeneralizing, R for rigid thinking, C for confused purpose, and E for emotional reasoning.
• The solution to these cognitive distortions can be found in the same acronym. Fact-finding is the antidote to fortune-telling, objective thinking to overgeneralizing, relaxation to rigid thinking, clarified purpose to confused purpose, and evidence-based thinking to emotional reasoning.
• Before making a decision, make sure to check the filter you’re using to assess the situation. If it falls under the five cognitive distortions, use the corresponding acronym to break out of that mental loop.

On Coaching

• Mike believes that a sense of community is an essential component in inspiring change.
• It’s more challenging to create and maintain that connection during the pandemic.
• For Mike, the first step to change is to be fully honest with yourself.
• In the end, we’re all coaches and experts in life. However, the moment you think you have all the answers is when you stop becoming a coach.

The Right Coach

• Mike cautions against coaches who sell easy and quick fixes.
• Coming from a clinical background, Mike suggests that it’s unethical to sell something to someone trying their best to recover from trauma.
• There’s a big difference between a coach speaking to help and one speaking to sell.
• According to Mike, it’s best to let people be vulnerable rather than inviting them to expensive therapies.
• You have internal resources that you can always draw on to improve yourself. If you can’t afford to get professional help, several communities offer free assistance.

Being Honest with Yourself

• As long as you’re not hurting anyone, there’s no wrong intention or motivation.
• Having worked in TV and show business, Mike discovered that most people rarely want to change others' lives.
• What you’re saying to others has to be congruent with your inner truth. Be honest and lean into what you want to do.
• As long as you’re true to yourself, people will support you.
• Whatever you’re doing has to fit into your long-term vision and be aligned with your values.

Live with Purpose

• If you ever have to choose between becoming well-known or helping other people, know that the former feels empty and the latter more meaningful.
• Whenever you have to make a similar decision, take a step back and clarify your purpose. Why do you do what you do, and why do you love what you love?
• This wisdom can apply in even the most mundane circumstance. If you feel out of place at an event, revisit why you came in the first place. Often, you’ll discover that it’s not about you.
• With clarity, it becomes easier to live with purpose and make decisions from that place of discernment.
• For Mike, to live with purpose feels like being wrapped in a giant hug. He admits it feels much better than being in the New York Times bestselling authors list.

Radically Loved

• Mike feels radically loved when he’s with someone who accepts him perfectly and unconditionally.
• He recalls a time during prayer when he heard a voice that asked him to satisfy his hunger first.
• The spiritual is not limited to the divine and the sacred but can be something as simple as taking care of your needs or taking a deep breath.

5 Powerful Quotes from this Episode

[15:08] “So before making a decision, especially decisions that are creating a lot of anxiety or fear, it's really good to check our filter. That's kind of the filtering system where it helps people get out of that cognitive loop of the same fear just coming up every day and into kind of the facts of life.”

[22:23] “We're all in this together. I think as soon as a coach becomes uncoachable or has all the answers, it's a dead-end street.”

[29:44] “We're all artists. And it's just when you're continually pushing yourself to just be great in your art, the universe connects you with other art, and you get to play and have fun.”

[47:41] “Clarifying our purpose each day matters, and making a decision to do that matters. It creates this amazing spiritual experience, or whatever someone believes, where we're like, ‘I belong here.’”

[50:31] “I was very successful before I became a New York Times bestselling author. It didn't make me any more successful like it didn't give me a giant hug. What gives me a giant hug is being purposeful in my life.”

About Mike

Mike Bayer is a personal development coach and New York Times bestselling author who has made it his life mission to help people be their best selves. A board-registered interventionist, he spent the early parts of his career helping people overcome drug and alcohol abuse.

If you want to learn more about Mike’s transformational coaching program, visit his website or join his free coaching empowerment group. You can check out his Always Evolving podcast. 

This episode is brought to you by

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Enjoy The Podcast?

If you felt radically loved from listening to this podcast, subscribe and share it with the people you love!

Love to give us 5 stars? If you do, we'd love a review from you. Help us reach more people and make them feel loved.

Do you want to help more people live with purpose? A simple way is to share what you've learned today on social media.

Don't forget to follow and message us on these platforms!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rosieacosta

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To feeling radically loved,

Rosie

Recovering and Rediscovering Yourself through Mindful Movement with Darcy Stubbings

Nowadays, we have easier access to many vices or the so-called “metaphorical band-aids.” Alcohol, drugs, entertainment, and social media prevent us from feeling our emotions and practicing mindful movement . They give us temporary relief from our needs and pain. Whenever we feel lost, seeking these things is often one of our first solutions. However, allowing ourselves to drown in vices can have a detrimental effect on our lives, health, and relationships.

In today’s episode, Darcy Stubbings joins us to discuss his triumph over addiction and finding self-love after years of struggle. He shares his journey to mental wellness and practicing mindful movement. Darcy explains why our society needs to ask more of the “whys” instead of the “whats” of addiction. He delves deeper into self-sabotaging behaviors and narrates why, for him, this year is all about rediscovering himself.

If you’re afraid of confronting your problems and are using different ways to numb your emotions, this episode is for you. 

Here are three reasons why you should listen to the full episode:

1. Gain valuable insights from Darcy’s long journey toward healing after his weed and alcohol addiction.
2. Learn more about self-sabotaging behaviors and why people fall from them.
3. Find out how mindful movement, yoga, and meditation helped Darcy connect with himself and others.

Resources

• The Clarity Cleanse: 12 Steps to Finding Renewed Energy, Spiritual Fulfillment, and Emotional Healing by Dr. Habib Sadegh
• Waking the Tiger: Healing Trauma by Peter A. Levine
• The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk M.D.
• In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts: Close Encounters with Addiction by Gabor Maté, MD
• Visit Darcy’s website and Instagram to become a member of Wheels in MOcean and help people reclaim their life without their vice.

Episode Highlights

Darcy’s Mental Health Challenges Over the Years

• Darcy struggled with anxiety, depression, and addiction to marijuana and alcohol.
• For him, sobriety means a deep loving connection with ourselves and the world. Yoga and meditation taught him the importance of connecting with his innate sacredness.
• His mental health struggles are the biggest challenges of his life. Darcy numbed and pushed down his feelings for a long time through vices.
• The surge of “metaphorical band-aids” is a hurdle in our society. They give temporary relief but never solve anything.
• Forgiving, communicating, and loving ourselves and those around us are essential in healing.

Addictions as Band-Aids

• Society often asks questions about the “whats” of addiction instead of the “whys.” To experience life in its fullness, you have to open yourself to its fullness.
• Darcy described addiction as a beautiful warm hug and a cry for help. It fills a void that people are not willing to meditate in.
• Challenging childhoods can lead to heavy addictions. Darcy describes that privileged people also feel the need to numb themselves.
• For a long time, Darcy defined himself through his athletic abilities. He called this “band-aid” when he was young. However, injuries took them away from him. He was suddenly left to unearth deep-seated insecurities in his life.
• Addiction is challenging. It makes people think that they have solved the problem, which is never the case.

On Self-Sabotaging Behaviors

• Look at the concept of mindful witness, which can help you avoid falling into destructive behavior.
• He feels grateful for those who showered him with help and unconditional love when he was struggling.
• Meditation creates an impartial, forgiving, and compassionate perspective on our behaviors.
• Darcy lists critical questions that society has to ask about addiction, trauma, and pain.
• Discover remarkable psychological techniques and meditations to help you avoid falling into self-sabotaging behaviors. Listen to the full episode to learn more!

Mindful Movement

• Practicing mindful movement allows Darcy to connect with his body and enable him to make wise decisions.
• Don’t focus on how you look. It’s more important to know how you feel when you move.
• Feeling our bodies is a vital step to healing.
• Learning Koshas through yoga helped Darcy realize we are all connected, which is contrary to Western teachings. Everything within and around us is one.

Overcoming Trauma and Darcy’s Focus for This Year

• Darcy used to speak to himself negatively. This brought him pain for a long time. Tune in and hear his recommendations on books about trauma and overcoming it.
• We can impose our insecurities on the next generation. To avoid this, we should compassionately embark on our conscious journey.
• Trauma is more than an event. It is also the effect on our nervous system and behavioral patterns.
• It’s vital to give unconditional love and compassion to anyone who is struggling. We should avoid judging and casting them to the edge of society.
• This year, Darcy will focus on rediscovering himself. He aims to explore and compassionately inquire into why he felt the need to numb.

5 Powerful Quotes from This Episode

[13:31] “The challenge with addiction is that it initially feels like you have solved the problem. And as I'm sure you know, that's not the case.”

[22:55] “The difference between running away from something that was numbing and creating these shackles in your life compared to being super stoked about stepping into a new life without those things. I feel it's that ability to develop that compassionate inquiry within.”

[30:40] “And I really enjoyed learning about the Koshas through yoga because it just made sense to me that we aren't separated like we're taught in our Western biomedical model. Everything within me and everything around me is one.”

[33:20] “We impose our own insecurities and our own deficiencies on the next generation unless we compassionately and lovingly embark on our own conscious journey.”

[35:19] “It must start with the simplicity of unconditional love for anyone who is going through a tough time. Not judging, not like casting them to the edge of society, or putting them in jails--- which is quite often the end result of someone who's going through heavy addiction. It's extending a loving hand and just saying as a society: how can we include all people in this prosperity, not just the ones that have the easiest path?”

About Darcy

Darcy Stubbings is a physiotherapist and a meditation coach. After a long battle with weed and alcohol addiction, Darcy is now committed to sobriety and lending his voice, which he gained from mindful movement and meditation, to help people overcome their vices.

If you want to learn more about Darcy’s work and join Wheels in MOcean, you may visit his website and Instagram for more information.

Enjoy The Podcast?

If you felt radically loved from listening to this podcast, subscribe and share it with the people you love!

Love to give us 5 stars? If you do, we'd love a review from you. Help us reach more people and make them feel loved.

Do you want to help people overcome their mental health struggles and vices through mindful movement? A simple way is to share what you've learned today on social media.

Don't forget to follow and message us on these platforms!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rosieacosta

Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosieacosta

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/radicallylovedrosie

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@itsrosieacosta

To feeling radically loved,

Rosie

Honoring the Roots of Yoga with Susanna Barkataki

Yoga is now so popular that people tend to overlook and honor the cultural roots of the practice. For some, yoga is only a trend, a part of an aesthetic experience, or simply a pastime. These may seem offensive to those who honor the roots of yoga . However, Susanna Barkataki shares that it only takes some guidance and understanding.

In this episode, Susanna joins me to talk about cultural appropriation and how we can avoid appropriating yoga. For teachers, she shares how you can deepen your understanding of the spiritual practice.

If you are curious about honoring the roots of yoga or want to improve your practice, this episode is for you!

Here are three reasons why you should listen to the full episode:

1. Understand the importance of honoring the cultural roots of spiritual practices like yoga.
2. Learn how to deepen your understanding of yoga.
3. Find out how Susanna feels radically loved by listening to the full episode!

Resources

• Embrace Yoga’s Roots by Susanna Barkataki
• Ignite, a YTT Training Course
• Connect with Susanna on Instagram!
• Create a daily meditation ritual in just seven days! Download BUILD YOUR DAILY MEDITATION RITUAL and other freebies at com!
• FREE WORKBOOK! Apply the lessons you learn from this episode as you listen! Enter your email below, and I’ll send it right away!

Episode Highlights

Susanna’s Personal Experience on Appropriation

• Susanna grew up in Los Angeles and has a mixed culture — she is half-white and half-Indian. She was made fun of as a child for things part of her family’s culture and heritage.
• Later on, she witnessed white women sporting the same parts of her culture, yet they were deemed hip, “in,” or cool.
• This experience is what led her to study cultural appropriation and educate others.
• You cannot understand cultural appropriation without understanding power systems like oppression, colonization, or white supremacy.
• Yoga is a way of life. It is not something you do. It is something you are.

How Current Events Helped Susanna’s Message

• In their youth, Susanna and her peers have been advocating issues regarding how the system has been failing many.
• The Black Lives Matter movement amplified their advocacies.
• However, it is unfortunate that lives had to be lost for people to see the urgency.

On Non-Natives Practicing and Teaching Yoga

• It is entirely up to how willing they are to dive deeper into the roots of yoga and learn the practice.
• It’s important to get in touch with teachers who are from the lineage.
• Susanna poses questions for those who aspire to be teachers of yoga.
• She suggests that there’s more to explore, significantly beyond concepts of yoga that are “popularized.”

On Cultural Appropriation and Power Imbalance

• The two criteria for cultural appropriation are power imbalance and harm.
• Power imbalance is the dominant culture you see when you think of a yoga space. Nowadays, it’s those who are privileged.
• Susanna talks about harm. Her teachers and their teachers don’t mix alcohol with their practice. Yogic texts prohibit drinking and consider it disrespectful.
• Be careful with tattoos and t-shirt prints, as well as using sacred symbols. Think about whether there is a power imbalance and whether there would be harm.
• For more information on the harmful effects of cultural appropriation, listen to the podcast.

How Sanskrit Can Deepen Our Understanding

• You should remain a student to deepen your knowledge.
• Teachers should also learn the Sanskrit of poses.
• As a teacher, you don’t necessarily have to speak them out loud but, at the very least, understand the concept from the language.
• Susanna can teach even preschoolers using the language.
• Listen to the podcast to learn more about how to be a proper yoga teacher!

Learning from Mistakes

• Sometimes, mistakes do happen, and you can’t be entirely perfect.
• Susanna encourages those wanting to get into spiritual practice to put in the effort and educate themselves.
• Susanna talks about her book, which discusses the roots of yoga. Make sure to listen to the full episode to hear more!

Correcting Mistakes

• Someone might get discouraged if they are told they are wrong.
• If you’re a teacher, it’s better to be open and collaborative rather than critical.
• You can ask questions out of curiosity and the need to understand.
• From there, you can make gentle suggestions and guide others.

Uplifting Others

• Susanna appreciates people who actively want to learn because it means they are tuning in.
• When people want to learn, minorities feel heard.
• People who aren’t of color can use their privilege for cultural healing.

Yoga in the Time of a Crisis

• Because of the current global situation, people are finding themselves more anxious and stressed.
• It is essential to serve the soul.
• You can find authentic yoga teachers.
• In times of grief, yoga can show up in different forms to support us.
• Your yoga practice can create something for the community beyond the mat.

5 Powerful Quotes from the Episode

[04:26] “Well, yoga isn’t really something that you do, it’s something that you are.”

[07:57] “For a lot of us, we’ve been here, we’ve been having these conversations, we’ve been doing the work, but no one was really listening until the pressure got too high.”

[09:02] “I think there’s a feeling of empowerment, to both speak up and say what’s wrong and what’s not working, and also empowerment to collaborate and to uplift intersectionality.”

[25:14] “When you think about the preservation of a culture, it’s story, it’s language, it’s practice, it’s a ritual. And so I really do think yoga teachers everywhere should learn Sanskrit.”

[37:33] “I think true yoga can show up for us, and be a support, and be a life raft.”

About Susanna

Susanna Barkataki is a self-published author, teacher, and advocate for many causes, including yoga culture. As a child and immigrant to the US, she had experienced a lot of violence because of her ethnicity and culture. Despite this, she learned to love herself and even liberate herself with a core part of her culture—yoga.

Susanna’s mission is to raise awareness on how yoga is a lifestyle, rather than just an exercise. She seeks to spread the message of inclusivity and hopes that people will unite through yoga one day.

If you want to connect with Susanna, you can visit her website. You can also reach out to her on Instagram.

This episode is brought to you by

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To feeling radically loved,

Rosie

Setting Up Good Habits and Boundaries That Stick with

Jen Sincero 

“New year, new me!” That's what we always say at the beginning of a new year. It's when we all set new goals for ourselves. However, staying committed to your new habits and goals can be challenging. This 2021, learn how you can establish good habits that stick with today's guest!

In this episode, Jen Sincero talks to us about forming habits and setting boundaries, the topic of her new book, Badass Habits. She also shares her thoughts on her success and gives advice on how to break down the roadblocks we set up for ourselves and the ones around us.

If you want to learn how you can be a better version of yourself, tune in to this episode!

Here are three reasons why you should listen to the full episode:

1. Learn how to set up good habits that you’ll keep doing.
2. What are the common roadblocks in setting good habits?
3. Discover the power of manifestation and how you can apply it to your life.

Resources

• Badass Habits: Cultivate the Awareness, Boundaries, and Daily Upgrades You Need to Make Them Stick by Jen Sincero
• Check out the rest of Jen’s books!
• Live Be Yoga Tour with Rosie Acosta and Brant Williams
• Create a daily meditation ritual in just seven days! Download BUILD YOUR DAILY MEDITATION RITUAL and other freebies at com!
• FREE workbook! Apply the lessons you learn from this episode as you listen! Sign up at com and I’ll send it right away!

Episode Highlights

Setting Boundaries and Good Habits

• We’ll always find reasons not to do the things that will help us grow.
• The trick is to stay conscious of the feeling of having accomplished whatever it is you are trying to accomplish.
• There may be so many things you'd prefer to do than exercise, but remember how good it makes your body feel. Conjure up the excitement around feeling that way.
• Chunking it down also helps—even if you don’t feel like doing it, do it for 5 minutes.
• Overwhelming yourself will knock you down before you even get started.

Celebrating Yourself

• According to Jen, in our culture in general, we suck at celebrating.
• We are always so quick to look at the negative side of things instead of our accomplishments.
• We must get into the habit of celebrating ourselves.
• Part of celebrating yourself is the reward, but it is more about acknowledging that you were able to do something challenging.
• Don’t completely deny yourself!

Usual Roadblocks

• Other people, especially the ones closest to us, can be our biggest roadblocks.
• Sometimes, they fill us with fear and tell us all their worries about why it’s not going to work or make fun of us.
• The people closest to us have the most to lose if we change and grow. They might feel threatened by your growth.
• Surround yourself with people who support you.

Dealing with Obstacles

• One obstacle for Jen is her quick temper.
• Being aware of the obstacle is the key to everything.
• Set up good habits to figure out ways to do what you want.
• You can also do this by hanging out with new people, rather than those who keep repeating negative beliefs and thoughts.

The Problem Everyone Has in Common

• The biggest problem everyone usually has is not moving forward because they don’t want to be abandoned by the people who love them.
• Another one is the fake decision, where you want something and do everything to make it happen. However, the second it gets hard, you figure you don’t want it anymore.
• The real decision is: instead of figuring out a good reason not to do something, you figure out a way to do it.

The Power of Manifestation

• Not wanting to work hard is a mental construct.
• It’s hard not doing what you love doing.
• Keeping the definition of “hard” in perspective is critical.
• Power manifestation focuses on the heart, that your mind plays in creating what you want out of life.
• Jen is a big believer in manifestation—when you visualize what you want, you find that you’ve already become that person.

Faking It Until You Make It

• Back when she couldn’t afford things, Jen’s mantra was that money flows to her easily and freely.
• She didn’t believe her mantra 100%, but she still decided to believe.
• The decision to believe is more important than the belief itself.
• That changes your energy and makes you want to prove your mantra.
• What we hear and what we say to ourselves create deep grooves inside us that influence how we live.

Insights and Advice for Success

• If it feels right to you for whatever reason, just do it and don’t listen to what other people say.
• At first, no one wanted to publish her book, You Are A Badass, which later sold millions of copies.
• Whatever you’re doing is automatically unique because it’s you.
• When you get to a place where you feel like it’s too vulnerable, that might be the key to your success. People relate to vulnerability and authenticity.

Jen’s Radical Love

• Jen feels radical love from people, and she likewise also radically loves people.
• She also feels radically loved by herself.
• Jen used to feel grouchy about things for the longest time until she got desperate.
• Then she started opening her mind and started manifesting what she had been visualizing.
• That’s like magic, but you also have to work for it and take action.

5 Powerful Quotes from this Episode

[10:48] “If you really don’t feel like doing it, just do it for five minutes—just get into the habit.”

[14:50] “I think that we so quickly, always look to the negative and just. . . blow past our accomplishments. . . I love the idea of getting into the habit of celebrating ourselves and rewarding ourselves.”

[25:46] “Investing in yourself means you believe you’re vested in yourself. It’s such a powerful thing to do.”

[40:02] “All of this clinging to stuff that does not serve us is, deep deep down, about the need to be right, the need to have security.”

[50:45] “Just keep doing what feels right and keep doing what feels authentic. And when that scary thing comes, if it’s scary and thrilling, that’s the bull’s-eye.”

About Jen

Jen Sincero is a #1 New York Times bestselling author, speaker, and success coach. She transformed herself from feeling frustrated and living in a converted garage with an empty bank account to a successful business owner who can travel all over the world.

She has also appeared on various media outlets such as the New York Times, Oprah Magazine, and Forbes, to name a few. With her books selling millions of copies worldwide, her signature brand of motivational comedy continues to inspire countless people from all walks of life.

You can connect with her on her website or Instagram.

This episode is brought to you by

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Enjoy the Podcast?

If you felt radically loved from listening to this podcast, subscribe and share it with the people you love!

Love to give us 5 stars? If you do, we'd love a review from you. Help us reach more people and make them feel loved.

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Don't forget to follow and message us on these platforms!

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To feeling radically loved,

Rosie