In my interview with Daniel Bilog - men’s coach and hypnotherapist, he shares how looking through our ancestral lineage can help us find the clarity, freedom and self-awareness to direct our lives in intentional ways. That the trauma of colonization, wars, immigration and other adverse experiences generations before us went through were imprinted in their DNA passed onto us and can impact how we experience our lives today.

We also talk about masculinity and how it has gotten a bad rep over the years. He explains why he doesn’t use the word “toxic” to describe modern day masculinity, how men as a collective are evolving today and advice for men who want to become more conscious, empathetic and loving beings.

Listen to episode #78 now

In my conversation with Agnes Purwakusuma, we talked about our journey working together over the last year. There was a big learning curve for the both of us and some growing pains too. We share in detail what worked, what didn’t and the things we’re constantly trying to improve on.

When you listen to the episode you’ll learn how to hire an assistant, what to look for, how to start delegating and lots of other tips on how to create a symbiotic relationship.

Listen now

If you’re not sure if you should hire someone, here are 5 signs you might need to:

1 - You do everything on your own.

2 - You wish your life was more organized.

3 - You are busy and are never complete with your to-do list.

4 - You don’t get enough sleep because there is too much to do.

5 - You have high expectations of yourself which takes up too much time and energy on even the smallest tasks.

“Anyone who isn't embarrassed of who they were last year probably isn't learning enough.” - Alain de Botton

Think about the person you were last year. 5 years ago. 10 years ago.

What were you like?

Do you ever look back to a moment in time when you did something so shameful that it still stings to this day?

There were things I did that were outright obnoxious, selfish and even cruel and I still cringe thinking about them.

But it’s really no use dwelling on stuff you would have done differently.

Back then, your decision making and emotional capacity were limited to where you were in life. You did the best you could. And like the quote above says, “if you’re not embarrassed, you’re not growing”.

No matter what you’ve done, how bad you think you acted, you deserve grace and self forgiveness.

You deserve to feel worthy of love and belonging.

We as human beings have the ability to learn from our mistakes, evolve and grow. So let’s celebrate that!

Carrying the weight of shame and self loathing doesn’t serve anyone.

It only limits your capacity to love yourself and other people.

In my interview with Dean Powell, a mentor who helps men stand up unapologetically in their power, he shares his story of addiction, infidelity and how he was able to transform his life in a completely new way.

He believes that everyone deserves a second chance, no matter what they’ve done.

Listen to Episode 76 Now

If there’s something you need to forgive yourself for, remember the four R’s of self-forgiveness:

1. Responsibility - by accepting responsibility and taking ownership of your actions you can start to practice self-compassion.
2. Remorse - expressing remorse and guilt for your mistakes is healthy (just as long as you don’t overdo it). And it acts as a catalyst for change.
3. Restoration - giving a proper apology to those involved (including yourself) can repair the relationship and give space for you to move forward.
4. Renewal - instead of dwelling on your past mistakes, learn how you would do it differently in the future and commit to being the person you want to be.

Hope these help.

In my conversation with Lily Lawes, she shares her inner work journey to becoming a self-love coach. Starting in children's publishing, to working at an NGO in Uganda and living a glamourous life in Dubai were all phases of her life in which she was deepening the relationship with herself and doing her inner work. This path eventually led her to doing the purposeful work she does now.

Listen to her story now.

We are constantly evolving. Who you are now isn’t the same person you were years ago. The decisions you make today will lead you towards the person you are becoming.

When you do your inner work, the choices you make are more in alignment with what you really want. You will have more claritypeace and fulfillment being on the right path. And when more of us are fulfilled in life and work, the world is a better place.

In my interview with Cathy Trinh, author, speaker, entrepreneur, humanitarian, she tals about her road to recovery after addiction to alcohol, drugs and sex and love. After hitting rock bottom there was no place else to go but up.

When you listen to her story, it’s hard not to be inspired by her family’s escape from Vietnam during the war and spending time in refugee camps, or her struggle of being a single mom while her ex-husband was in and out of jail, or her journey recovering from cancer.

Cathy is a living example of perseverance and resilience.

Listen to episode # 74 now.

Claire Sanders is the queen of being comfortable in uncertain situations. In our conversation, she shares how she made several life changing decisions for the unknown: leaving her high powered career in London, initiating a divorce after 10 years of marriage, starting from scratch and becoming a coach and relocating to Cornwall with a new partner after the age of 40.

She shares her secrets to pivoting successfully and coming out of the other side unscathed.

Listen to episode #73 Now

In my interview with Mark Reid, trauma coach & healer, he shares his personal story of healing through a wide range of traumatic experiences: a rare form of skin cancer, lymes disease, drug/alcohol/sex addiction, a failed engagement, divorce and losing a child.

He believes his experiences are gifts from the universe that have helped him awaken and commit to doing daily inner work to transform his life and the lives of his clients.

In his career, Mark has been a school teacher, sports coach, DJ, personal trainer, business coach, practitioner of human design, tantra, breathwork, meditation and energy healer.

Listen to episode #72 now

Experiencing hardship isn’t something to wish for. But I can see how going through it helped shape the person I am today. It also makes me a better person, friend and coach. I have more access to empathy and a deeper understanding of people’s life’s journeys - pain and joy.

If you’re going through a tough time now, I’d like to remind you that everything is temporary. You might not be able to see the sun above the clouds, but it’s up there. And it’ll shine when you’re ready.

In my interview with rap artist, Eddie Douglas, he shares his story of how he transformed his life by getting comfortable with being uncomfortable. Growing up in a gritty town in North Carolina, he faced a lot of adversity. And instead of letting it get the best of him, he leaned into these experiences and leveraged them to become more loving and kind.

He went on a spiritual journey that led him to change his life and career. He now lives in Bali where he enjoys life and creates hip hop music.

Listen to episode 71 Now

What is your relationship like with discomfort?

Mine is a little different these days. Because I learned the hard way that avoiding hard things doesn’t solve my problems, I’m more willing to face them.

Here are 3 practices I use personally to help me get through uncomfortable situations:

1. Presence - I meet myself where I am by either journaling or meditation. Instead of avoiding, I’ll try and get crystal clear about what my emotions are, why they are there and let myself be with them.
2. Self validation - I allow myself to feel what I’m feeling. And no matter what the feeling is, I offer myself words of affirmation as I would to someone I love.
3. Take baby steps - Instead of facing a hard thing head on, I try to break it down into baby steps. Sometimes big projects that I’ve never done before can take me past the edge of my comfort zone that I feel frozen. So instead of thinking about completing the big project all at once, I break it down into more manageable chunks and focus only on one at a time so it’s not as scary.

Do you have any tips of your own for how to get comfortable with being uncomfortable? Send us a DM @theundercurrentpodcast and share your thoughts!