Awareness

“When we choose to go into the darkest aspects of ourselves, change is exponential.”

For me, the first month of 2022 (really the last 5 months) has been infused with shadow work. I want to emphasize that I’ve been fully supported through my journey with mentors and coaches. Shadow work is deep and can be very uncomfortable. It pulls you through emotions and memories that can be hard to hold (which is why I always recommend you do this work with the right support).  

Shadow work has sparked exponential shifts for me, but it’s been confronting. This work sits at the intersection of tension, conflict, and resistance. It requires you to step into the discomfort and explore the darker side of your psyche. Where you feel entitled. Where you switch on victim mode. Where you’re attached to egoic beliefs about yourself. 

Shadow work is a practice to feel feelings you don’t want to feel. You cycle through pain and triggers. 

But when you surrender to the pain, confusion, and chaos into love, a new edge appears. It’s the edge of infinite potential.

And it’s at this edge that your quality of life expands exponentially.

The personal development world is very comfortable embracing modalities that spark an upward spiral. But if you never explore the darker aspects of self, you hit a glass ceiling that you can’t breakthrough. 

Shadow work explores the downward vortex, which is just as valuable and often unexplored. It’s the inner work I believe society needs to do – especially as we feel resistance to doing so (assuming we have the right support). 

Here’s an overview of what we explore in this important episode. 

• Creating a depth of insight from a mundane activity. 
• Why nuance is key as your healing journey unfolds.
• Redefining what it means to stay grounded. 
• The problem with spiral up positivity for our personal growth and healing. 
• Why relationships are powerful containers for growth. 
• Exploring the shadow side of overnight success. 
• Leveraging radical honesty as a gateway into shadow work. 
• The importance of learning how to communicate. 
• And more…

I’m pumped to share these experiences with you in this January reflection episode. As usual, your old friend Georgina is here to guide our conversation. Tune in, enjoy, and get a sense of the depth of transformation that’s available when you choose to dance in the dark.

“I don’t think I’ve found any greater amount of growth than I’ve found as a result of choosing to look into the shadow.”

Do you have emotions that you struggle to feel? Is there a dark shadow to your character that you’re reluctant to explore? Have you noticed an undercurrent of anger, shame, or guilt that bubbles to the surface every now and again? 

If so, you’re human. 

Most of us struggle to navigate and hold emotions associated with our shadow. As a society, we’ve labeled feelings such as rage or grief ‘bad’ and as such, we’re reluctant to feel them. 

The shadow can feel like a scary place to go. But when you have the courage to look inside, you tap into the most profound opportunity to release, heal, and step into a more authentic version of who you are. 

In this episode, I’m talking with the founder of Visionary Alignment, Jason Ayers. As an executive coach, Jason is gifted at guiding entrepreneurs to navigate their darker emotions to find more authenticity. His ability to hold people in their darkness continues to blow me away. It’s a reflection of who he is as a man, a husband, father, and business owner. He’s done the work (and continues to do so) and is a role model for others willing to step into the abyss. 

In this episode, Jason shares the story of how he reclaimed himself through an acknowledgment of anger. As a society, we label anger as bad, but like every emotion, it has utility. For Jason, anger was a form of protection that was concealing much deeper feelings of isolation, hurt, and powerlessness from a childhood experience. 

We also explore…

• Why we are so afraid of our shadow.
• Alchemizing feelings of resentment into compassion. 
• Redefining anger. 
• The difference between shame and guilt.
• What we can learn from the root of Jason’s anger.  
• Why forgiveness can become a form of spiritual bypassing. 
• How shadow work elevates self-awareness. 
• Discovering the gold that lies inside the hard stuff. 
• Inviting compassion by asking for help. 
• And more…

Developing the capacity to navigate and alchemize ALL our feelings is central to becoming grounded, centered, whole humans. 

Jason’s work and story are here to inspire you to feel into your shadow – so that you can ultimately set yourself free. I’m excited to see what this conversation opens up for you.

“Good CEOs think their feelings play a role, great CEOs know their feelings drive the ship or drive the bus.”

How do you make exceptional decisions? Can you leverage fascination to find your flow? What steps will ignite your mind and intuition to spark creative problem-solving? 

This episode’s guest is Rian Doris – the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer at The Flow Research Collective. Partnering with Steven Kotler (the author of one of my favorite books on flow – Stealing Fire), this potent research and training organization is driven to understand the science behind ultimate human performance so people can walk through life as the very best version of themselves.

Rian’s soul-deep commitment to leadership development as a long-term field of focus has planted him in countless experiences where he’s been able to sharpen his understanding of this crucial field of human evolution. After a near-fatal head injury when he was just 13, Rian experienced “post-head injury malaise”, which hampered his teens with chronic fatigue, amnesia, and depression. As a result, he was forced to give up sports and instead focus on academia and entrepreneurship. 

What followed is a multi-faceted career that put Rian shoulder-to-shoulder with best-selling authors, pioneering neuropsychiatrists, and world experts in peak performance. As a result, Rian developed a rich understanding of what makes people show up as their best. 

Tune into this episode to hear Rian and I explore: 

1. What role do curiosity, fascination, awe, and wonder play in creating a fulfilling life. 
2. How to stop fear overriding your intrinsic motivation.
3. Why apathy is a bigger danger than fear. 
4. How task orientation drastically enhances performance in sport. 
5. What’s on the spectrum of decision-making. 
6. The difference between type 1 and type 2 decisions. 
7. The power of stepping away before making a decision.
8. The role of surrender when solving problems. 
9. Feelings as powerful data points in the decision-making process. 
10. And more…

The human capacity is exponential. The question is, are we equipping and nurturing ourselves to perform at our peak – or are we squandering the inherent skill sets and talents that allow us to perform in a peak, optimal way? 

This episode exposes our options for making exceptional decisions and creatively solving problems. Rian is incredible in conversation, super smart (he graduated top of his class in Philosophy at Trinity) and engaging, this episode is here to show you how you can leverage the potency of flow to perform at your peak. 

Check it out.

“When it comes to healing the body, one of the most fundamental things that we need to do is whatever action we take, if we don’t believe that it’s going to work, it will not work.”

How can you heal from the challenges that keep you from expressing and experiencing your fullest potential? Jena Sophia is a world-renowned Subconscious Specialist and Healer who’s helped thousands of people – including celebrities, CEOs, creatives, and billionaires – transform emotional stress and physical pain in record time. 

Jena has worked with the subconscious and various healing modalities since the age of 12. At the time, she was experiencing trauma, depression, and chronic illness, which led to her taking a lot of medications. She chose a path of self-healing, which empowered her to heal from all conditions and get off medication permanently.  

Through this personal healing journey, Jena cultivated a deep understanding of epigenetics and how our emotions, traumas, and ancestral influences affect how the physical body operates today. 

Combined with her deep understanding of the conscious mind, Jena guides people to step into their personal power and realign their energy so they can experience better health, relationships, success, and fulfillment. 

In this powerful episode, Jena reveals some of the practices and principles she’s used in her own life and with her clients for optimal results.

Jena has a depth of insight on the subject of holistic healing. She studied at Columbia University and SOAS University of London. She’s taught energy healing classes and stress management seminars for hundreds of corporate clients and university students. She’s also studied along with some of the top scientists and healers in the world and uses this knowledge in her holistic approach to becoming your optimal self.

Tune into this episode to hear Jena and I explore: 

1. What is the energy body? 
2. The reason we have to do so much work to remember who we really are. 
3. Understanding the role of the mind in the healing process. 
4. What is pain? 
5. Exploring the language of the subconscious.
6. A process for transforming challenging emotions and feelings. 
7. How to know which healing tools and modalities will work for you. 
8. How does resonance feel?
9. And more…

The way you work with your subconscious mind can change the way you show up for yourself and your life. From releasing emotional blocks to moving through challenging physical ailments, your power to heal is astounding. 

If you’re ready for a transformation and are curious about how this looks through an energetic lens, this episode is for you. 

“If we could all just remember that every single person on this planet is seeking the same level of intimacy, the whole world would change.”

As we kick-start Q4, I’m excited to bring the first ¾ of 2021 to a close with this powerful reflective conversation. This one is even more poignant for me because it’s episode #200 so I’m also holding space to acknowledge and appreciate the journey that got me here and all the incredible people I’ve interviewed and connected with along the way. Thank you. 

September was a big month for me. I had some of the most painful growth experiences, and I’m so grateful for the opportunities that empowered me to transcend into deeper levels of intimacy with myself, my interpersonal relationships, and with life. 

All this happened inside an increasingly divisive and chaotic world where we’re being called to find our true voice while navigating the shifting sands of society. 

As usual, my dear friend Georgina El Morshdy is here to hold space, provide reflections, and help us navigate this important conversation about sovereignty, intimacy, and living authentically with your true self. 

Here are some of the key takeaways you’ll hear us discuss: 

1. How it feels to record the 200th episode of Stay Grounded. 
2. The important difference between sexuality and intimacy. 
3. The experience of moving beyond the honeymoon phase in my relationship. 
4. Using your interpersonal relationships to find and heal core wounds.
5. How a practice of awareness expands everything.
6. Finding sovereignty inside of external chaos and uncertainty. 
7. Allowing your body to alchemize what you’re feeling. 
8. Finding your voice in a world of chaos. 
9. Purpose is not what you do, it’s who you are
10. Leveraging death cycles to heal and grow. 
11. And more…

These monthly reflections are always an anchor for me because I get to practice being seen in even bigger ways. 

I hold little back in these episodes because I want to give you an intimate glimpse into the rich benefits that emerge from diving deep into self-growth and personal development. I’m passionate about the power and healing potential of self-awareness and by showing you how these energies inspire and empower my life, I hope they open up something deeper for you too. 

Thanks for being part of this incredible community. Here’s to the next 200 conversations. 

“I actually am more brother and sister with people that are across incredibly diverse paths and walks of life than I had ever imagined.”

I feel super pumped to re-release this powerful episode almost three years after I first recorded it. But as I listened back, it struck me how relevant this conversation is to the world we’re experiencing now. 

I first met Matthew Abrams when he was facilitating a mastermind. At the time, I was starting to dive into my inner work with more depth and intensity and Matthew stood out for me as someone who’d really mastered this dimension. I noticed it in his presence, in the way he communicated, and in the way he was able to hold space for people from all walks of life – and then guide them forward powerfully. 

This episode is about collective evolution as much as it is about individual development. 

Matthew addresses the sensitive issue of privilege, religion, and the barriers to wholeness in ourselves and as a collective. Could understanding that we all have a different piece of the puzzle help us find common ground and unite as one?

In his work, Matthew is a facilitator who supports entrepreneurs and leadership teams through the EOS framework. EOS is a proven system that’s been implemented into thousands of companies with resounding and consistent success. Matthew is part of a small, global team that’s been trained in these processes. 

Here’s a taste of what you’ll experience:

• Why did Matt’s life begin when he was 27.
• The role of curiosity in our lives. 
• Privilege: How society supports Matt to NOT be curious about himself and how it influences how he sees the world. 
• What causes ‘otherness’, religion, and how do we get fragmented as humans. 
• The conversation Matthew has with his fears when they show up.
• The 5% ‘edge’ – why we avoid it, and why it’s where the magic sits. 
• The story of Matthew’s parents’ divorce.
• The discipline to do the ‘work’ and two powerful reflection questions to ask yourself.
• And more…

Brace yourselves for a deep discussion about courage, curiosity, and the need to understand yourself – so you can understand others. It’s a conversation that can get uncomfortable. Matthew acknowledges this but inspires us to go to the uncomfortable edge because that’s where all the growth lies. 

I was so inspired by Matt’s presence and his philosophies – and I’m sure you will feel exactly the same.