Guest Introduction: Madisyn Taylor is the co-founder and chief editor for the meditation website DailyOM. She is the author of several books, including “Unmedicated: The Four Pillars of Natural Wellness.” Today, she’s going to teach us how to live a happier and healthier life. Interview Summary: In this interview, Madisyn begins by talking about growing up in an abusive household, which led to years of anxiety and depression, self-medicating, and eventually severe illness. She explains how she came to recognize that these issues were tied to her childhood trauma. Madisyn then walks us through her journey of getting into meditation, journaling, and working with healers to rebuild her body and mind. She describes the many ups and downs, and what she learned about herself throughout this process. She also goes into more detail about her journaling practice and how it affected her. Next, Madisyn talks about her relationship with her boyfriend at the time, who eventually became her husband. She discusses how they met, how their relationship evolved and grew, and how it helped her through the healing process. Madisyn also describes how she added more color into her life, connected with new people, and rebuilt her social life. She then outlines the four pillars of wellness from her book "Unmedicated," and expands on the benefits of deep relationships and spending time in nature. She shares some of her daily practices for maintaining optimal physical and mental health. Madisyn explains how she continues to nurture her tribe, and talks about the importance of becoming a better listener. She also describes how becoming a better listener helped her gain more compassion and empathy. Madisyn then discusses her daily spiritual practice. We ask her how she developed the four pillars of wellness, and what her motivation was for the book. Finally, Madisyn talks more about DailyOM and her inspiration for creating it. She leaves us with some insights and advice for connecting with our intuition, discovering our needs, and developing our own wellness practice. Find out more about Madisyn: http://www.madisyntaylor.com/wp/ https://www.dailyom.com The Craft of Charisma Podcast is also available at: bit.ly/Soundcloud-CofC-Podcast bit.ly/Stitcher-CofC-Podcast bit.ly/iTunes-CofC-Podcast bit.ly/Spotify-CofC-Podcast bit.ly/GooglePlayMusic-CofC-Podcast bit.ly/iHeartRadio-CofC-Podcast

Guest Introduction: Kyle Ingham is the founder of The Distilled Man, a website that provides practical tips on social mastery, self-development, and the gentlemanly arts. Interview Summary: In this interview, Kyle starts by discussing his background and what inspired him to create The Distilled Man. He gives examples of tactical skills associated with being a well-rounded man, and explains how they act as a social bridge. Kyle then talks about recognizing gaps in his manly confidence, and shares the biggest lessons that he learned through the process of becoming a more well-rounded man. He also offers advice for developing social mastery, including increasing social confidence, building positive friendships, and developing charisma. Next, Kyle discusses some of the similarities and differences between making male friends and approaching women. He explains how false beliefs and self-judgement hold us back from developing friendships with other men. Chris shares his insights on how he sees these issues come up in his coaching and the men's groups that he's involved with. Kyle then offers advice for creating close friendships. Chris also talks about the process of developing deep connection and how rituals come into play. Kyle reinforces the importance of rituals in building and maintaining friendships. Chris and Kyle provide a number of examples of rituals that they partake in, and Kyle offers advice for creating simple and sustainable rituals. He then talks about how to cultivate inner game, find more inspiration, and improve our mindsets. He emphasizes the importance of taking action even when we don't feel ready. Kyle also shares recommendations for building and refining good habits. Finally, he expands on what it means to be a gentleman, and goes into detail on the most important gentlemanly skills. He leaves us with practical tips for small talk and extracting ourselves from conversations. Find out more about Kyle: http://www.thedistilledman.com/ The Craft of Charisma Podcast is also available at: bit.ly/Soundcloud-CofC-Podcast bit.ly/Stitcher-CofC-Podcast bit.ly/iTunes-CofC-Podcast bit.ly/Spotify-CofC-Podcast bit.ly/GooglePlayMusic-CofC-Podcast bit.ly/iHeartRadio-CofC-Podcast

Guest Introduction: Dr. Dawson Church is an award-winning health writer and researcher who has edited and authored a number of books in the fields of health, psychology, and spirituality. His best-selling book, “The Genie in Your Genes,” has been hailed as a breakthrough in our understanding of the link between emotions and genetics. His follow-up book, “Mind to Matter,” reviews the science of peak mental states. Dawson is also the founder of the National Institute for Integrative Healthcare. He shares how to apply the breakthroughs of energy psychology for health and athletic performance through EFT Universe, a site dedicated to alternative medicine. Interview Summary: In this interview, Dawson first talks about how he became interested in energy and healing from a young age. He touches on the different energy therapies and healing modalities that he's been researching over the past 20 years. Dawson then explains the 14 energy meridians in the body, and gives examples of how unblocking them can help with various issues. He also discusses how stress affects the brain, and how energy therapies significantly reduce stress. Next, Dawson briefly describes some of the healing modalities, including Reiki, EFT, and acupuncture. He goes into the research about how energy flows in the body, and how it can be measured. He also talks about master manifestors and why their brain waves tend to be more highly coherent. Dawson then reveals some of the new research around consciousness, and discusses the importance of replicability and provability of scientific research. He expands on the replication crisis in modern medicine and its potential causes. Dawson talks more about the process of how our brains and minds create reality, and shares a number of studies and examples from his latest book. He then offers suggestions for people who want to start doing energy work on themselves. He describes additional energy therapies, including movement, nature, EFT and acupressure, as well as meditation. Finally, Dawson discusses the motivation for writing "Genie in Your Genes," and expands on the correlation between energy work and epigenetics. Find out more about Dr. Church: https://dawsonchurch.com/ The Craft of Charisma Podcast is also available at: bit.ly/Soundcloud-CofC-Podcast bit.ly/Stitcher-CofC-Podcast bit.ly/iTunes-CofC-Podcast bit.ly/Spotify-CofC-Podcast bit.ly/GooglePlayMusic-CofC-Podcast bit.ly/iHeartRadio-CofC-Podcast

Guest Introduction: Jeremy McCarthy has worked in the hospitality industry for over 20 years, opening and operating spas in luxury resort hotels. He is currently the director for spas and wellness at Mandarin Oriental Group. He began studying psychology early in his career, and 10 years ago, completed his Master’s degree in Applied Positive Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. Jeremy is the author of the book, “The Psychology of Spas and Wellbeing: A Guide to the Science of Holistic Healing.” Interview Summary: In this interview, Jeremy begins by discussing the main principles of applied positive psychology. He goes into detail on the five key human wants/needs: positive emotions, engagement, relationships, meaning, and achievement. He also touches on the importance of vitality. Jeremy then explains how he applies psychology to his career in building experiences and spas. He describes how spas are one of the few places in modern society where we can disconnect from technology, have time in silence, and experience nurturing touch. He also talks about the key elements of well-being. Next, Chris and Jeremy share their thoughts on the unhealthiness of the modern food supply, as well as the communal aspect of cooking and eating with other people. Jeremy describes the current epidemic of loneliness and how it negatively impacts our health. Chris and Jeremy also discuss the importance of human touch and why it can't be replaced by technology. They expand on the connection between relationships, wellness, and longevity. Jeremy then revisits the importance of spas and how they contribute to self-healing. We ask him how people can nurture well-being outside of the spa environment. Finally, Jeremy discusses the importance of spiritual or communal gatherings and spending time outside in nature. He also expands on the holistic approach to wellness in Asian cultures, and goes into detail about mindfulness.  He clarifies his views on technology, and then shares his experiences with digital wellness retreats and detoxes. Jeremy reveals some of changes that people experience when stepping away from technology. He then discusses how modern technology is affecting dating and relationships. He leaves us with advice for navigating the challenges of technology and using it to our benefit. Find out more about Jeremy: psychologyofwellbeing.com The Craft of Charisma Podcast is also available at: bit.ly/Soundcloud-CofC-Podcast bit.ly/Stitcher-CofC-Podcast bit.ly/iTunes-CofC-Podcast bit.ly/Spotify-CofC-Podcast bit.ly/GooglePlayMusic-CofC-Podcast bit.ly/iHeartRadio-CofC-Podcast

Guest Introduction: Dr. David J. Linden is a neuroscience professor at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He is the author of several books, including “The Accidental Mind,” “The Compass of Pleasure,” “Touch,” and his latest book, “Think Tank.” Interview Summary: In this interview, David first discusses how neuroscience and the understanding of the brain has changed over the past several decades. He then explains how our senses are influenced by context, expectation, and emotion, and gives some examples of this. David goes into detail about the logical and emotional parts of the brain, and describes how sensory information diverges to these two parts. He also talks about how damage to the logical or emotional side of the brain manifests. David then explains how signals travel through the brain, as well as how electrical activity becomes unbalanced in certain brain disorders. He goes on to discuss where pleasure comes from, why we experience it, and how our reward circuitry works. David also explains how the neurotransmitter dopamine works, and gives some examples of how we constructively and destructively activate our reward system in everyday life. He talks about additional functions of dopamine and serotonin and how they affect our behavior. Next, David discusses the social nature of humans, and how our brains attune to the nuances of social interaction, body language, and opinions of others. He also reveals the purpose of emotion, and explains how emotions affect brain function and memory. David then explains how pleasure is produced and experienced in the brain, mind, and body. He goes into more detail about how pleasure is produced during exercise. He also talks about how artificially activating our reward circuitry can lead to compulsion and addiction. Finally, David expands on the connection between touch, heart, and mind. He discusses how touch activates different parts of the brain and affects our emotions. He then reveals the physical parameters of good touch and explains how we distinguish between positive and negative touch. David also talks about why physical touch is so important for human development, social interaction, and overall health. He closes with some insights and advice for maintaining mental function and having healthier relationships. Find out more about Dr. Linden: http://davidlinden.org/ The Craft of Charisma Podcast is also available at: bit.ly/Soundcloud-CofC-Podcast bit.ly/Stitcher-CofC-Podcast bit.ly/iTunes-CofC-Podcast bit.ly/Spotify-CofC-Podcast bit.ly/GooglePlayMusic-CofC-Podcast bit.ly/iHeartRadio-CofC-Podcast

Guest Introduction: Alex Hutchinson is a National Magazine Award-winning journalist who writes about the science of endurance for Runner's World and Outside, and frequently contributes to other publications such as the New York Times and the New Yorker. He is the author of several books, including “Endure: Mind, Body and the Curiously Elastic Limits of Human Performance.” Interview Summary: In this interview, Alex starts by talking about his background and how he got interested in the science of fitness and endurance. He reveals some of the biggest things he's learned through the process of being a journalist and writing on these subjects. He also explains how the research in recent decades has shifted from the body to the brain to understand the mysteries of endurance. Chris and Alex share their insights on the gap between theory and application. Alex then discusses where he got the idea for his book Endure. Next, Alex talks about the most surprising and important things he learned during the research and writing process, as well as where the knowledge is still emerging. He explains how people can use subliminal messages to alter their performance. He then goes into more detail on extreme feats such as free diving. Chris and Alex also share their thoughts on Wim Hof and his extreme cold tolerance. Alex expands on the ultimate limits of human performance, and discusses why human athletic records keep occurring. Alex then expands on the connection between mind and muscle, and explains the difference between muscle fatigue and brain fatigue. He talks about how physical limits are often controlled or influenced by the brain, and reveals how to use motivational self-talk to change our performance. Alex also emphasizes the importance of differentiating between opinions and scientific facts, while also being open to new discoveries. He talks about where he comes across new knowledge through his research. We ask Alex about some of the other physical limits of the human body that he discovered while writing his book. He dispels a common myth about lactic acid, and touches on the limits of hydration and heat. He clarifies the difference between warning signals and our actual physical limits. Alex also expands on the muscle repair process and explains how muscle memory works. Finally, he offers strategies for training our minds to increase endurance and performance levels. He ends by going into more detail on his research and writing process. Find out more about Alex: http://www.alexhutchinson.net/ The Craft of Charisma Podcast is also available at: bit.ly/Soundcloud-CofC-Podcast bit.ly/Stitcher-CofC-Podcast bit.ly/iTunes-CofC-Podcast bit.ly/Spotify-CofC-Podcast bit.ly/GooglePlayMusic-CofC-Podcast bit.ly/iHeartRadio-CofC-Podcast

Guest Introduction: Dr. Ann Demarais holds a PhD in psychology from New York University. She is the founder of First Impressions Inc., and has more than 20 years of experience in leadership development, executive coaching, and communication training. She is also the co-author (along with Dr. Valerie White) of the book, “First Impressions: What You Don’t Know About How Others See You.” Interview Summary: In this interview, Ann starts by discussing her background and the work she does with her company. She reveals some common challenges that people face with first impressions. Ann then gives examples of open-ended and follow-up questions to ask in a conversation to show continued interest and take the pressure off. We ask her how to navigate a conversation when someone is talking too much and not giving us the opportunity to express ourselves. She also talks about the importance of making people feel good about themselves. Next, Ann expands on the idea of social generosity, and describes the four universal social gifts: appreciation, connection, elevation, and enlightenment. She provides examples of how to be thoughtful and give compliments. Ann goes on to explain why first impressions, body language, and facial expressions are so important. She reveals what makes a great first impression, and discusses how to utilize feedback to become more self-aware of the vibes we give off. She also explains how we can train ourselves to make more eye contact and smile more. Ann then talks more about what it means to be an effective listener, and dispels some common body language myths. She expands on the idea of presence and explains how to use mindfulness to improve the quality of our conversations. Chris discusses how charismatic people express curiosity and make the other person feel important. He also talks about the active process of connection, and how conversational flexibility is a reflection of our social and emotional health. Ann shares some additional insights and revisits the importance of feedback. Finally, we ask Ann how to distinguish between genuine and unfounded negative feedback. She explains how to effectively handle harsh feedback and assess the validity of feedback that we receive. She also offers strategies for releasing unfounded negative feedback, as well as soliciting feedback from our peers. Ann then talks about the importance of practicing self-acceptance. She leaves us with some insights and practical suggestions for building deeper connection and making better first impressions. Find out more about Ann: http://www.firstimpressionsconsulting.com/ The Craft of Charisma Podcast is also available at: bit.ly/Soundcloud-CofC-Podcast bit.ly/Stitcher-CofC-Podcast bit.ly/iTunes-CofC-Podcast bit.ly/Spotify-CofC-Podcast bit.ly/GooglePlayMusic-CofC-Podcast bit.ly/iHeartRadio-CofC-Podcast

Guest Introduction: Tom Cronin previously worked as a bonds and inflation swaps broker for 26 years. Highly stressed, he turned to meditation for help, and it ended up transforming his life. Tom left his successful career and founded The Stillness Project, which aims to transform and teach people the power of stillness and calm through deep meditation and coaching. Interview Summary: In this interview, Tom begins by talking about his previous career in finance and living a wild and crazy lifestyle. He then discusses how he got into meditation after having a meltdown in his late 20s, and how it led to a rapid transformation in his life. He goes on to describe several different styles of meditation and their purposes. Tom also gives examples of mantras and explains how to use them in different types of meditation. Next, Tom discusses brain wave frequencies, and how meditation helps lower our brain waves by reducing mental activity. He also talks about some of the different breathing approaches in meditation. He goes into more detail on the differences between zen meditation and deep transcending meditation. Tom then describes the deep sleep state that people experience when doing transcendental meditation, and how this carries over to everyday life. He offers practical guidelines for developing a consistent meditation practice. Tom then talks more about contemplative meditation and what it means to set intentions. He also provides advice for setting good intentions, and describes the two main types of intentions: self-serving and spiritual. He goes into detail on using gratitude as a form of meditation, and shares his insights on how this practice might change our experience of life. Tom then touches on loving kindness meditation and similar types of practices. He walks us through the seven chakras and talks about clearing blocked energy. Finally, Tom shares his insights on the ego, and discusses how different mindfulness practices approach the ego. Chris and Tom talk about different layers of connection and how the ego comes into play. Tom also explains what it means to be an aligned being, and gives examples of zen masters and yogis who fit this description. He closes with practical tips for reclaiming stillness in our day, calming the voice in our heads, and starting a meditation practice. Find out more about Tom: https://www.tomcronin.com/ https://stillnessproject.com/ The Craft of Charisma Podcast is also available at: bit.ly/Soundcloud-CofC-Podcast bit.ly/Stitcher-CofC-Podcast bit.ly/iTunes-CofC-Podcast bit.ly/Spotify-CofC-Podcast bit.ly/GooglePlayMusic-CofC-Podcast bit.ly/iHeartRadio-CofC-Podcast

Guest Introduction: Owen Fitzpatrick is an international best selling author, globetrotting psychologist, trainer, and speaker who is regarded as a leading expert on Influence. He has authored and co-authored several books, including “How to Take Charge of Your Life: The User's Guide to NLP” and “The Charismatic Edge: The Art of Captivating and Compelling Communication.” Interview Summary: In this interview, Owen first describes NLP and how he uses it in his work. He explains how to use NLP to reprogram our visualizations and internal dialogue, as well as communicate with and impact others more effectively. He goes into detail on the various factors that affect the way we feel, including our thoughts, self-talk, physiology, and body budget. Owen talks about how we filter the world through our beliefs. He also offers strategies for becoming aware of and changing limiting beliefs and shifting into more of a growth mindset. Owen then gives examples of questions we can ask ourselves to identify obstacles and poke holes in our limiting beliefs. He shares some additional insights on NLP and then talks about the other tools he uses in his work. Owen walks us through the process of restructuring our narratives in order to transition from a victim to a hero. He explains how we either change our reality to fit our beliefs or change our beliefs to fit our reality. Chris and Owen also share their thoughts on the relationship between our narratives and skill sets. Next, Owen talks about positive psychology and the difference between happiness and meaning. He offers strategies for increasing happiness and finding more meaning in our lives. He also discusses the importance of having the ability to be cynical about life while also being optimistic about the future. Owen then expands on the idea of anti-fragility, and offers insights for walking ourselves out of a fragile state. Chris shares two stories of people who went through traumatic experiences, and Owen explains how he'd work through those issues. Owen goes on to discuss the benefits of mindfulness practice. He describes the three main mindfulness techniques: observing our body, our thoughts, and our environment. He then talks about social awareness and explains how to recognize congruence and body language clusters. Owen also talks about relationship management, and gives examples of questions to ask to learn more about other people. He briefly discusses how he uses cognitive behavioral therapy in his work. Finally, Owen reveals the essential elements of charisma. He expands on what it means to be more authentic and expressive. He offers strategies for becoming more expressive, and gives some examples. Owen then discusses how to master the art of persuasion and influence. He goes into detail on the three aspects of influence and persuasion: the source of the message, the audience, and the message itself. He leaves us with advice for increasing our influence, having a greater impact, and becoming more of a leader within our social circle. Find out more about Owen: https://owenfitzpatrick.com/ The Craft of Charisma Podcast is also available at: bit.ly/Soundcloud-CofC-Podcast bit.ly/Stitcher-CofC-Podcast bit.ly/iTunes-CofC-Podcast bit.ly/Spotify-CofC-Podcast bit.ly/GooglePlayMusic-CofC-Podcast bit.ly/iHeartRadio-CofC-Podcast

Guest Introduction: Kristen Ulmer was recognized as the best female big mountain extreme skier in the world for 12 years. Since retiring as an athlete in 2003, she spent the next 15 years studying intently with a Zen Master. Kristen is now a thought leader, master facilitator, and fear specialist who radically challenges existing norms around this deeply misunderstood emotion. She is the author of the book, “The Art of Fear: Why Conquering Fear Won't Work and What to Do Instead.” Interview Summary: In this interview, Kristen starts by talking about her career as an extreme skier. She explains how repressing fear for many years led to PTSD and started causing problems in her life. She describes fear as the primary emotion beneath many other negative emotions. Kristen then goes into how PTSD manifested in her life, and reveals some of the near death experiences she faced during her skiing career. She also explains how we deal with emotions after trauma determines whether or not we develop PTSD. Next, Kristen discusses how her repression of emotions showed up in other areas of her life. She reveals some common signs of emotional repression. Chris also talks about the anxieties and traumas he sees in his coaching clients. Kristen then contrasts the way animals and humans deal with fear. She explains how the amygdala triggers the fight or flight response, and gives examples of the consequences of repression. She goes on to emphasize the importance of emotional intelligence and feeling our emotions in an honest way. Kristen then explains how to go from a repressive to inclusive relationship with fear by starting a fear practice. She walks us through an exercise where we imagine talking to our fear as if we're talking to a person. She discusses how to accept, feel, and become intimate with fear, and gives an example of this process from her own life. Kristen gives additional examples of how to change our language around how we talk about fear. She also shares her insights on dealing with emotion shaming and expressing emotions around others. Finally, Kristen offers additional strategies for honoring our fear. She talks about some of her work with facilitating ski camps to improve athlete's relationships with fear. She also shares her thoughts on how we're using archaic models of repression in a modern world. Kristen then gives some examples of people who have an intimate relationship with fear. She goes into more detail on her personal journey of changing her relationship with fear and what she learned from this process. Find out more about Kristen: https://www.kristenulmer.com/ The Craft of Charisma Podcast is also available at: bit.ly/Soundcloud-CofC-Podcast bit.ly/Stitcher-CofC-Podcast bit.ly/iTunes-CofC-Podcast bit.ly/Spotify-CofC-Podcast bit.ly/GooglePlayMusic-CofC-Podcast bit.ly/iHeartRadio-CofC-Podcast

Guest Introduction: Dr. Art Markman is a cognitive scientist, author, and blogger. He is a professor of Psychology and Marketing at the University of Texas at Austin, and is the Founding Director of the Human Dimensions of Organizations. Art is the co-host of the public radio podcast, “Two Guys on Your Head” for KUT Radio in Austin. He has also authored/co-authored several books, including "Smart Thinking," "Smart Change," and "Habits of Leadership." Interview Summary: In this interview, Art begins by talking about the two components of the motivational system. He explains why the go system is much more efficient than the stop system, and offers strategies to leverage the go system and increase our chances of achieving our goals. Art also describes how this process works in the brain, and how the functions of the outer and inner brain structures differ. He goes on to discuss why mindfulness helps us overcome rumination. Next, Art walks us through the process of reprogramming our brains and developing new habits. Chris talks about how our habits become anchored to relationships. Art then discusses how our communication patterns are laid down early in life. He offers insights on how to break out of old communication patterns and become more open and honest in order to build new trusting relationships. Chris also gives some examples of how he's become more open and honest in recent relationships. Art references his book "Smart Thinking," and expands on the connection between learning and creativity. Chris and Art share examples of new skills they've learned and how they've impacted other areas of their lives. Art also offers some quick insights for developing habits for long-term wellness and getting out of a rut. Chris describes how having a diverse set of experiences gives him greater diversity of thought. Art then discusses how this process works in the brain, and explains how we draw from our knowledge and our environment. Finally, Art expands on the relationship between the mind and the body. He talks about how sleep, social interaction, and stress affect our brain health, and offers tips for optimizing these aspects of our lives. Chris describes how we end up dreaming about unresolved issues. Art then goes into more detail on what the brain does during the different stages of sleep. He leaves us with some insights and advice on using language to our advantage, living a life free of regret, and overcoming fear. Find out more about Dr. Markman: http://www.smartthinkingbook.com/ http://www.kut.org/term/two-guys-your-head The Craft of Charisma Podcast is also available at: bit.ly/Soundcloud-CofC-Podcast bit.ly/Stitcher-CofC-Podcast bit.ly/iTunes-CofC-Podcast bit.ly/Spotify-CofC-Podcast bit.ly/GooglePlayMusic-CofC-Podcast bit.ly/iHeartRadio-CofC-Podcast