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Join us as we explore what it means to be on a perfectly imperfect journey to a fulfilled life. We have a deep curiosity about the ways in which we each navigate the journey - how to savor the times when you’re in flow, what happens when you hit a bump in the road, and how to find the learning and growth in ALL of it. Because the one thing that is certain is no one’s life path is a straight line! We have lots of thoughts, ideas, and questions to share around what it takes to live a fulfilling life and we will also be talking to friends, colleagues, and experts. While our focus is on modern “western” concerns, interests, needs, fears, etc. we look to both eastern and western philosophies and practices to guide us on our journeys. We hope this podcast will feel like getting together with some good friends over a glass of wine or a cup of tea every few weeks - we do not have all the answers, but we have lots of questions and hope to inspire you to consider where you want your own journey to take you. Anne is an HR Executive and consultant and Sherry’s an executive and life coach. We have been friends and colleagues for over fifteen years and have had the good fortune to dive deeply into a wide variety of approaches that we’ve brought into both our professional and personal lives.
Episodes
Wednesday Nov 17, 2021
Gratitude
Wednesday Nov 17, 2021
Wednesday Nov 17, 2021
Gratitude can change your life, in ways both small and profound. With the US Thanksgiving day coming up soon, it felt particularly timely to focus on gratitude. Being thankful is a powerful tool for all of us - it makes us healthier, happier, and increases the positivity of all of our relationships. There’s very little that gives us such a big return on something that’s accessible to everyone. Join us as we share some of the research about the impact of gratitude, tools you can use to build a sustainable gratitude practice, and stories from a few of our prior guests. We also share what we’re each grateful for, in that moment. Wherever you are in the world, we are incredibly grateful to you, our listeners, and wish you a very happy start to the holiday season.
“It’s not joy that makes us grateful, it’s gratitude that makes us joyful.” ~ David Steindl-Rast, Benedictine Monk
Resources:
Giving Thanks Can Make You Happier:
https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/giving-thanks-can-make-you-happier
Why Gratitude is Good:
https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/why_gratitude_is_good
Gratitude Is Good: Why It’s Important And How To Cultivate
https://www.forbes.com/sites/tracybrower/2021/01/03/gratitude-is-good-why-its-important-and-how-to-cultivate-it/?sh=3f6478972a0f
Soul Pancake: An Experiment in Gratitude | The Science of Happiness
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHv6vTKD6lg
Shawn Achor: https://www.ted.com/talks/shawn_achor_the_happy_secret_to_better_work
Links to prior episodes mentioned in podcast:
Mike Robbins: https://open.spotify.com/episode/670x4wp1Muhw9sqXN8CO0w?si=b3699454a0a145f2
Ali Ingersoll: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6bGZyOaOPD3nM8yp0VKVad?si=e6598e16e4cb449d
Wednesday Nov 03, 2021
Leaving perfectionism behind with Chris Tsakalakis
Wednesday Nov 03, 2021
Wednesday Nov 03, 2021
Chris Tsakalakis is (among many other things) the son of Greek Immigrants, a CEO several times over and a recovering perfectionist. Chris told us: “perfectionism is a deep level of insecurity...because deep down you feel imperfect.” But he didn’t start out with that level of wisdom.
Early in his career, Chris struggled with receiving constructive feedback, was tough on his colleagues, and generally chafed at authority. Through deep reflection, help from mentors and professionals, and the twists and turns of a tech executive’s career path, Chris has emerged with a much deeper understanding of how he wants to show up in the world. Chris is now the CEO of Kiva, a global non-profit and he joined us to talk about his really interesting path in the tech world and away from perfectionism.
Wednesday Oct 20, 2021
Love is the Biggest Weapon We Have with Chris Pierce
Wednesday Oct 20, 2021
Wednesday Oct 20, 2021
When we asked Chris Pierce to join us on the podcast, we already knew he was an amazing musician. His music has been nominated for awards, he’s been featured on NPR and the TV show This is Us; you only have to listen to him sing a few bars to really appreciate the depth of his craft. What we did not know, but will quickly be obvious when you’re just a few minutes into the episode, is what an amazing human he is. Chris has not had a super easy life - among other things, he has been falsely accused and arrested, he has been beaten, he has witnessed a cross burning in his yard as a child, and perhaps most devastating to a budding musician, he lost his hearing at a young age (since partially corrected through surgery). And yet, his enduring belief is that challenging times lead us to something even more beautiful than we could have imagined, and staying open to vulnerability leads to growth. Chris believes love translates like nothing else; when confronted by an angry attendee at a recent concert, he responded in a calm, respectful way. When we both marveled at the way he handled the situation, Chris told us: love is the biggest weapon we have.
It is also a verb: we love Chris Pierce. Listen in - we think you will love him too.
CHRIS PIERCE gained national prominence with “We Can Always Come Back To This”. His hit co-write aired on 3 episodes of the #1 NBC primetime series ‘THIS IS US’, then went on to peak at #1 on the Billboard Blues Chart, and #12 on iTunes Top 100. Pierce has done worldwide headlining tours and has performed on stage with: Seal, Cold War Kids, Al Green, Rodrigo y Gabriella, Jill Scott, Toots & the Maytals, Sara Bareilles, Buddy Guy, Keb’Mo’, Blind Boys of Alabama, B.B. King, Aaron Neville and others. Pierce’s 2020 collaboration in Americana duo WAR & PIERCE yielded the hit single “AMEN” which was featured on NPR’s WORLD CAFE and aired on 200+ AAA / NonComm stations, then racked up 2M spins on Spotify. He also is part of a new project called LEON CREEK who will be releasing their first album in the fall of 2021. Chris Pierce recently performed at NPR’s Mountain Stage which broadcast on 300 NPR Stations. His 2021 album, 'AMERICAN SILENCE' has garnered massive critical acclaim from NPR, SiriusXM, The Bluegrass Situation, NoDepression, Rolling Stone Country, AmericanaUK and more. www.chrispierce.com
Wednesday Oct 06, 2021
Time to Celebrate
Wednesday Oct 06, 2021
Wednesday Oct 06, 2021
What started as a little seedling of an idea while walking down the beach in San Diego has now blossomed into our 20th episode! Both of us deeply believe that reflection is an important part of being on a perfectly imperfect journey. And reflection is the core of this episode. We’ve taken some time to pause and reflect on what we’ve learned, how we’ve grown and how lucky we feel to have been joined by such amazing guests. Please join us as we take a look at the journey of our podcast (thus far!) and consider some of the truly remarkable moments we’ve had with our guests. Stay tuned all the way to the end to laugh with us and hear some of our favorite blooper moments.
We are also SUPER excited to announce the launch of our brand new podcast website: flowingeastandwest.com. Please take a peek and download the infographic highlighting words of wisdom our guests would whisper to their younger selves. We’ve also made it printable so you can keep their wise words close at hand. We hope you enjoy it!
Wednesday Sep 22, 2021
An Emotional Journey with David Richman
Wednesday Sep 22, 2021
Wednesday Sep 22, 2021
One would think riding your bike 5000 miles across the country would be all about the physical experience, but in the case of David Richman, the true poignancy of his story is the emotional journey he took. David interviewed 15 people about their experiences with cancer - either as a survivor, a caregiver or a practitioner. He then rode his bike across the U.S. to meet with many of them while he explored his own experience of his sister’s battle with cancer and wrote about all of this in his fantastic book, Cycle of Lives. David’s book and the stories he shared with us is an exploration of physical, mental and emotional strength and he offers simple practices for building capabilities in each area. Join us as we explore David’s personal journey, on and off the bike.
Trigger warning: Suicide is mentioned in this episode between 25:32 and 26:32.
Bio:
David is an author, public speaker, philanthropist, and endurance athlete whose mission is to form more meaningful human connections through storytelling. In his first book, Winning in the Middle of the Pack, he discussed how to get more out of ourselves than ever imagined. With Cycle of Lives, David shares the interconnected stories of people overcoming trauma and delves deeply into their emotional journeys with cancer.
He continues to do Ironman triathlons and a wide range of endurance athletic events, having recently completed a solo 4,700-mile bike ride. He is married, lives in Southern Nevada, and has twins who are in college.
David’s website: https://david-richman.com/
Cycle of Lives book page: https://david-richman.com/cycle-of-lives/
Wednesday Sep 08, 2021
Untether Your Voice with Cara Jones
Wednesday Sep 08, 2021
Wednesday Sep 08, 2021
Cara Jones was born into a family who belonged to the Unification Church, popularly known as the Moonies. Her family didn’t just belong to the Monies - they were very senior in the church's hierarchy and her memberships in both the church and her family were inextricably linked. She grew up as a very active member of the Moonies and ultimately found herself standing in the Olympic Stadium in Seoul Korea, along with thousands of similarly dressed brides and grooms, marrying a man she barely knew. Although she had been a big believer in the church teachings, something didn’t feel quite right to her, even as she loudly proclaimed her commitment to the church and the man she had just married.
Join us for this episode as we explore Cara’s journey out of the church as she navigated the path to finding her own voice and forging a new relationship with her parents.
Tell the truth or be haunted by an unlived life. ~ Cara Jones
BIO:
Cara Jones is a story coach, writer and former Emmy Award Winning journalist. She is the founder of film production company Storytellers for Good and director of the film Blessed Child (which premiered at DOC NYC in 2019 ). The film is a personal journey documentary about leaving her family's faith, one that is famous for arranged marriages and mass weddings. The 7 year journey of making the film inspires her current work as a coach helping entrepreneurs untether their voices through the telling of their personal stories. Cara is also a MOTH story slam winner and her writing has been featured in the Washington Post, HuffPo and the Boston Globe.
Show notes
Cara’s website: http://cara-jones.com/
Blessed Child film: https://www.amazon.com/Blessed-Child-Cara-Jones/dp/B08CGL6Q5J
Wednesday Aug 25, 2021
Friendship
Wednesday Aug 25, 2021
Wednesday Aug 25, 2021
When we figured out we could finally be in the same place at the same time, after 2 years of not being able to connect in person, we decided to ditch the virtual world and record an episode together, in real life. And what better topic to discuss than Friendship.
We discuss our own friendship, include the voices of some of our other friends, and some advice from a friendship expert, Shasta Nelson.
This is a bit of a different episode for us as we didn’t have our fancy recording equipment, and we also decided to do it while hiking (at an altitude of 8,000 feet!). There are some giggles, a bit of huffing and puffing (luckily we were able to edit out the attack of the mosquitos!) and a lot of love for each other and this topic. Just like everything else with this podcast, it is perfectly imperfect. We hope you enjoy it. If you do, please make sure to rate us and consider sharing with your friends.
The only way to have a friend is to be one. - Ralph Waldo Emerson
Notes:
We reference Shasta Nelson a few times throughout the podcast. You can find more about her work, and her great books here:
If you are looking to make new friends, one of the best ways we know to meet people is:
You can also look for interesting groups on:
- NextDoor
- Friender
As mentioned, some of the traditional dating sites have a “friends” mode”
- Tinder Social
- Bumble BFF
Wednesday Aug 11, 2021
Feet First with Ali Ingersoll
Wednesday Aug 11, 2021
Wednesday Aug 11, 2021
Ali Ingersoll had a somewhat charmed upbringing, attending boarding school abroad, going on amazing adventures and taking advantage of every opportunity that showed up. Then a life-changing accident happened when Ali took a head-first dive into shallow water. Feet First not only describes Ali’s plea for anyone jumping into shallow water, but also how she has lived her life, both before and after the accident. While she is now restricted to a wheelchair, Ali continues to live life to the fullest - wait until you hear her dating stories (sorry, guys, she is now happily married!) - we were both laughing hysterically. This in no way means Ali hasn’t had ups and downs - indeed, she speaks very candidly about her challenges and dark days. However, in her toughest moments, she has developed an incredible resilience and a “radical acceptance” that we cannot help being inspired by.
Ali reminded us of this quote which we think perfectly sums up how she lives her life:
Disasters lead to the best stories - Ali Ingersoll
Ali Ingersoll is a day trader, consultant, disability advocate, writer, blogger, editor, and public speaker. She started her advocacy mission after being repeatedly denied medically necessary equipment by insurance companies over the last 10 years since becoming a C6 quadriplegic and full-time wheelchair user after a shallow water diving accident.
Ali’s passion lies in coaching people with disabilities on how to improve their quality of life by teaching them to self-advocate in order to live a life of independence, dignity, and grace.
Ali has a firm philosophy of paying it forward by giving back to the community through outreach, working together, and building each other up. She believes it’s important to band together as one in order to affect the greatest change on the national stage and in local communities.”
Links:
Wednesday Jul 28, 2021
More Intentional with Mary Lin McBride
Wednesday Jul 28, 2021
Wednesday Jul 28, 2021
This week Mary Lin McBride, a mindfulness practitioner and teacher, joins us to talk about the power of meditation and how to be more intentional in your life. Earlier in her career, Mary Lin found herself moving from city to city as her husband’s career would dictate. While she enjoyed her work as a fundraiser, it was a serendipitous moment standing in front of a yoga studio that propelled Mary Lin to explore mindfulness and to start taking more intentional steps towards her own passions, and ultimately a completely different career. Mary Lin takes us through a brief meditation practice during our discussion (and you are invited to join along with us!) and debunks some of the myths around what meditation is. Being intentional is now her way of living, indeed she left us with this beautiful advice:
Don’t be a supporting actress in your own life
~Mary Lin
After 20 years as a nonprofit fundraiser, Mary Lin founded Mindful Resolution, a firm dedicated to bringing mindfulness skills to community organizations and workplaces. She trained to teach Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) teacher at the University of Massachusetts Medical School and is also a yoga instructor. She trusts in the grace that arises when approaching “the full catastrophe” of life with intention, gratitude, and a good deal of humor.
Article that Mary Lin mentions that highlights some of the many benefits of mindfulness, including information on the steep increase in mindfulness research studies that have appeared in journals since 1980: http://www.lifeinthebalancemindfulness.com/mindfulness-research.html
Mary Lin’s website: https://www.mindfulresolution.com/
Link to Mary Lin’s 8/10 - 8/15 mindfulness retreat at Shambhala Mountain Center: https://www.shambhalamountain.org/program/sb821-sitting-in-beauty-a-mindfulness-retreat-2/
Wednesday Jul 14, 2021
Heart’s Journey with Bridgette Corridan
Wednesday Jul 14, 2021
Wednesday Jul 14, 2021
Join us this week as we welcome musician Bridgette Corridan to the podcast. While Bridgette has many titles in her life: recruiter, mom, wife, athlete, spiritual seeker, friend, sister etc, in our discussion we focused on Bridgette’s perfectly imperfect journey from fear to freedom as she releases her music into the world. Bridgette shares how she believes it is through tapping into her heart and listening for the wisdom that gave her the confidence to step into the spotlight of her life.
Listen all the way to the end to hear some of Bridgette’s beautiful music.
Bridgette Bio
Bridgette Corridan is an Inspirational Speaker, Mission Coach and Vocal Artist. She engages audiences through an authentic journey that opens them up and gives them the tools for heightened self-awareness.
For years, Bridgette’s story was focused on being the best. The best student, athlete, daughter, sister, employee – you name it, she would try to be the best at it. External validation was the foundation for her sense of self.
It was in the challenges of becoming a mom, that led her to start a mindfulness practice that supported her as she dove into deconstructing and rebuilding her self-awareness. She started a coaching practice where she inspired her clients to own their stories, create their personal missions and lean into the lives that light them up. Through mindfulness, she was able to hear the music that lived inside of her and has released 2 albums since 2015 (https://bridgettecorridan.com/).
After 20 years in the corporate world building cultures in fast-growth organizations, Bridgette now marries this experience to her mindfulness practice and shares that with her audiences. Whether speaking or singing, she aims to deeply and vulnerably connect with people.