Good Life Project

Your mind is under siege. Every day, technology and noise fight to hijack your attention, leaving you feeling less present and more distracted than ever. In a word, unconscious. It’s time to stop the scroll and reclaim the most precious thing you own: your consciousness. Learn how to build "consciousness hygiene" and protect the privacy of your own mind. Today we are joined by legendary author Michael Pollan. Michael is a ten-time New York Times bestseller and one of Time’s 100 most influential people, known for his deep dives into food and psychedelics. He joins us to discuss his latest journey into the mystery of awareness, featured in his new book, A World Appears: A Journey into Consciousness. We explore: We spend so much of our lives distracted, but you don't have to stay that way. Play this episode to learn how to be fully present for the life you’re actually living. You can find Michael at: Website | Instagram | Episode Transcript Next week, we're sharing a conversation with Anthony Klotz about why we quit, when to stay, and how to make wiser decisions when work just suddenly feels off, or relationships, or really just life. Check out our offerings & partners: Join My New Writing Project: Awake at the WheelVisit Our Sponsor Page For Great Resources & Discount Codes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Your kids leaving isn’t an ending; it’s an open door to a more intentional version of you. Many of us spend decades organizing our entire identities around our children, only to feel a staggering sense of loss when the house goes quiet. In this conversation, we explore why the term "empty nest" is so limiting and how to navigate the "forced reckoning" of midlife transitions without losing your sense of purpose. My guest is Gretchen Rubin, one of the world's most influential observers of happiness and human nature. She is the author of multiple New York Times bestsellers including The Happiness Project and Life in Five Senses, and the host of the Happier with Gretchen Rubin podcast. What you’ll discover in this episode: If you’ve ever felt like your world is shrinking as your children’s worlds expand, this conversation offers the roadmap to reclaim your space and your joy. Press play to start your next chapter. You can find Gretchen at: Website | Instagram | Happier with Gretchen Rubin - Podcast | Episode Transcript Next week, we're sharing a really meaningful conversation with Michael Pollan about the elusive nature of consciousness and why it is currently under siege. Michael shares why our awareness is the most precious thing we own and how we can reclaim our attention in an age of constant distraction. Check out our offerings & partners: Join My New Writing Project: Awake at the WheelVisit Our Sponsor Page For Great Resources & Discount Codes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tired of saying yes when you mean no and feeling resentful later? In this powerful compilation episode, you’ll learn how to set healthy boundaries without guilt, conflict, or losing the people you care about. If you’re exhausted from overgiving, overworking, people-pleasing, or overfunctioning, this conversation will feel deeply familiar. We explore why so many high-functioning adults struggle to communicate limits and how small, clear boundary shifts can radically change your relationships, work life, and inner peace. Today’s episode features insights from therapist and bestselling author Nedra Glover Tawwab, author of Set Boundaries, Find Peace, and psychotherapist and relationship expert Terri Cole, author of Boundary Boss. Together, they unpack the psychology of boundaries, codependency, people-pleasing, and how to finally talk true and live free. In this episode, you’ll discover: If you’re ready to stop feeling unseen, stretched thin, or quietly resentful, press play and learn how to create the boundaries that make a good life possible. Episode Transcript You can find Nedra at: Website | Instagram You can find Terri at: Website | Instagram | Discover Your Secondary Gain | The Terri Cole Show Next week, be sure to tune in for my conversation with Gretchen Rubin about what actually happens when kids leave home and how that season reshapes identity, relationships, and purpose. Check out our offerings & partners: Join My New Writing Project: Awake at the WheelVisit Our Sponsor Page For Great Resources & Discount Codes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trying to eliminate anxiety can make it worse. Do this instead… If you wake up with a tight chest, a racing mind, or a constant sense of unease, this conversation offers clarity, relief, and a more grounded way forward. In this episode, we unpack what anxiety actually is, why it shows up the way it does, and how to tell the difference between normal anxiety and anxiety that starts running, or even ruining your life. You’ll learn how fear, uncertainty, and your nervous system interact, and why trying to eliminate anxiety often makes it worse. Dr. Tracey Marks is a psychiatrist, mental health educator, and creator of one of the most trusted science-based mental health platforms online. With over twenty years of clinical experience, she translates neuroscience into practical tools, and she’s the author of Why Am I So Anxious? Powerful Tools for Recognizing Anxiety and Restoring Your Peace. In this conversation, you’ll discover Anxiety doesn’t mean you’re broken. But ignoring how it works can keep you stuck. Press play to understand what your mind and body are asking for, and learn how to respond with more clarity and self-trust. You can find Tracey at: Website | Instagram | Episode Transcript Next week, we're sharing a really meaningful conversation with Nedra Glover Tawwab and Terri Cole about life-changing boundaries, how to say no without guilt, and how to stop overgiving. Check out our offerings & partners: Join My New Writing Project: Awake at the WheelVisit Our Sponsor Page For Great Resources & Discount Codes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Your brain isn’t breaking. It’s rewiring in ways no one explained, and for many women, menopause is the moment everything suddenly feels unfamiliar. Brain fog, sleep disruption, anxiety, memory lapses, and feeling unlike yourself can be deeply unsettling, especially when no one has given you a framework for what’s happening. In this conversation, we explore the science behind midlife brain changes and why menopause is a neurological transition, not a personal failure. Dr. Lisa Mosconi is an associate professor of Neuroscience in Neurology and Radiology at Weill Cornell Medicine and director of the Alzheimer’s Prevention Program and the Women’s Brain Initiative. She is a world-renowned neuroscientist and the New York Times bestselling author of The Menopause Brain. In this episode, you’ll discover • Why Alzheimer’s risk begins in midlife, not old age • What estrogen actually does in the brain and why its shift matters • The hidden reason brain fog and mood changes show up during menopause • How the brain adapts and rebuilds after hormonal change • What science currently says about hormone therapy and brain health Menopause can feel confusing and isolating, but understanding what your brain is doing can replace fear with clarity. Listen to learn how to navigate this transition with more confidence, compassion, and agency. You can find Lisa at: Website | Instagram | Episode Transcript Next week, we're sharing a really meaningful conversation with psychiatrist and mental health educator Dr. Tracey Marks about what anxiety really is, why it feels so physical, and how understanding your brain can help you feel steadier and more at ease. Check out our offerings & partners: Join My New Writing Project: Awake at the WheelVisit Our Sponsor Page For Great Resources & Discount Codes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The deeper the love, the more uncomfortable it gets, and learning how to work with that truth may change the way you relate forever. If you’ve ever wondered why love sometimes feels harder over time, why irritation replaces ease, or why closeness can feel strangely destabilizing, this conversation offers a grounded and deeply wise and kind perspective. Rather than trying to fix or escape discomfort, you’ll learn how meeting it together can actually deepen intimacy and connection. In this Best of episode, Jonathan sits down with writer and meditation teacher Susan Piver, New York Times bestselling author of The Four Noble Truths of Love: Buddhist Wisdom for Modern Relationships. Susan has studied Buddhism for more than 30 years and founded The Open Heart Project, an online dharma community with nearly 20,000 members. In this conversation, you’ll discover: Love isn’t meant to be comfortable or predictable. It’s meant to be alive. Press play to learn how to stay open, connected, and compassionate when relationships feel hardest. You can find Susan Piver at: Website | Instagram | Episode Transcript Next week, be sure to tune in for my conversation with Lisa Mosconi about women’s brain health, menopause, and what it all means for long-term cognitive wellbeing. Check out our offerings & partners: Join My New Writing Project: Awake at the WheelVisit Our Sponsor Page For Great Resources & Discount Codes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if excellence isn’t about winning, but becoming? For so many of us, the word excellence has become tangled up with perfectionism, obsession, and relentless hustle. No wonder it feels heavy, triggering, or out of reach. In this conversation, we explore a very different understanding of excellence, one rooted in meaning, care, and deep engagement. Together, we unpack why modern life makes it so hard to focus, why joy and rest are essential to growth, and how pursuing what truly matters can quietly reshape who you become. Brad Stulberg is a bestselling author, writer for The New York Times and Wall Street Journal, co-host of the podcast Excellence, Actually, and faculty member at the University of Michigan. His newest book is The Way of Excellence: A Guide to True Greatness and Deep Satisfaction in a Chaotic World. In this episode, you’ll discover If you’ve ever felt pulled to do meaningful work but exhausted by the way success is usually framed, this conversation offers a wiser, more human path forward. Press play to explore what excellence can become. You can find Brad at: Website | LinkedIn | Episode Transcript Next week, be sure to tune in for my conversation with Susan Piver about why love feels hard and how that discomfort can deepen intimacy. Follow the show in your favorite listening app so it’s right there when the episode drops. Check out our offerings & partners: Join My New Writing Project: Awake at the WheelVisit Our Sponsor Page For Great Resources & Discount Codes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When life upends everything, what still matters? When the future you assumed disappears, the questions get sharper. This conversation explores how meaning, values, and hope evolve when time feels uncertain and life breaks open in unexpected ways. In this deeply human and reflective episode, Jonathan Fields sits down with Lucy Kalanithi, a physician, storyteller, and Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine at Stanford University. She is the widow of neurosurgeon and writer Paul Kalanithi, author of the #1 New York Times bestseller When Breath Becomes Air, for which Lucy wrote the unforgettable epilogue. Together, they explore what it means to live honestly in the presence of mortality, how our sense of time and identity shifts through loss, and how values can guide choices when certainty is gone. In this episode, you’ll discover: When life changes in ways you never expected, clarity does not come from control. It comes from listening more closely. Press play to explore what truly matters, and how to live with intention even when the path ahead is uncertain. You can find Lucy at: Website | Episode Transcript Next week, be sure to tune in for my conversation with Brad Stulberg about what excellence really is, and how pursuing it can help you feel more alive, not burned out. And don’t forget to follow the show in your favorite listening app. Check out our offerings & partners: Join My New Writing Project: Awake at the WheelVisit Our Sponsor Page For Great Resources & Discount Codes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You can be deeply loved and still feel alone, even when your life is filled with people who care about you. Many of us assume that love automatically translates into feeling loved. But research shows that isn’t how it works. In this conversation, we explore why connection can be present, yet the feeling of being loved never quite lands and what actually helps close that gap. My guest is Harry Reis, a longtime researcher of close relationships and professor of psychology whose work has shaped how we understand intimacy, attachment, and emotional connection. He’s the co-author of How to Feel Loved: The Five Mindsets That Get You More of What Matters Most. In this episode, you’ll learn: • A powerful relational dynamic that quietly determines whether love is felt or missed • The subtle reason giving more doesn’t always lead to feeling more connected • A listening shift that dramatically deepens intimacy without forcing vulnerability • Why being fully known matters more than being widely liked • The mindset that helps love feel genuine instead of performative If you’ve ever wondered why closeness feels harder than it should or why love doesn’t always register even when it’s present, this conversation offers clarity, compassion, and practical insight. Press play to learn what actually helps love land. You can find Harry at: Website | Harry's Bio | Episode Transcript Next week, be sure to tune in for my conversation with Lucy Kalanithi about what still matters when certainty disappears. Check out our offerings & partners: Join My New Writing Project: Awake at the WheelVisit Our Sponsor Page For Great Resources & Discount Codes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if chronic pain was caused by faulty wiring in your brain? And that one shift in understanding can open the door to relief many people never thought was possible. Chronic pain affects tens of millions, disrupts relationships, limits work, and quietly erodes joy. Yet for many, scans, surgeries, and medications never bring lasting relief. In this conversation, we explore why pain can persist long after the body has healed and what helps the brain finally stand down. My guest is Yoni K. Ashar, PhD, assistant professor at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus and director of the Pain and Emotion Research Laboratory. His research uses brain imaging and clinical neuroscience to study chronic pain recovery, with a focus on Pain Reprocessing Therapy. In this episode, you’ll learn If you’ve tried everything and still hurt, this conversation may offer a new way to understand your pain and a path toward relief. Press play to learn how unlearning pain may be possible. You can find Yoni at: Website | Episode Transcript Next week, we're sharing a really meaningful conversation with Harry Reis about why love doesn't always land, even when it's real. Check out our offerings & partners: Join My New Writing Project: Awake at the WheelVisit Our Sponsor Page For Great Resources & Discount Codes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You could be having better sex and the science explains why, not because you’re broken or doing something wrong, but because most of us were never taught how desire actually works or how intimacy evolves over time. Instead, we’re handed myths, silence, and a lot of quiet frustration. In this conversation, we explore why great sex is not something that just happens, but something you can learn, practice, and grow into at any stage of life. We talk about desire, pleasure, communication, midlife shifts, and how letting go of shame opens the door to intimacy that feels more alive, connected, and satisfying. Dr. Nicole McNichols is an internationally renowned human sexuality professor at the University of Washington, where her course The Diversity of Human Sexuality is the most popular in the school’s history. She is also the author of You Could Be Having Better Sex, out February 3. In this episode, you’ll discover If sex has started to feel confusing, disconnected, or quietly disappointing, this episode offers a grounded, research-backed way forward. Press play to learn how intimacy can become something you grow into rather than drift away from. You can find Nicole at: Website | Instagram | Episode Transcript If you LOVED this episode, you’ll also love the conversations we had with Emily Nagoski about the science of pleasure and sustaining sexual connection. Check out our offerings & partners: Join My New Writing Project: Awake at the WheelVisit Our Sponsor Page For Great Resources & Discount Codes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If your life looks good on paper but feels flat, this is for you. Many of us follow the rules, build what appear to be successful lives, and still sense something essential is missing. That feeling sends us on a chase for more meaning or purpose, impact and clarity. But, what if the way we seek them is all wrong, and actually makes us less happy, content and alive, not more? In today’s conversation, we explore a radically different way to think about meaning, one rooted in aliveness, presence, and becoming rather than achievement, impact, mattering, or outcomes. My partner in conversation is Dave Evans, the coauthor of the New York Times number one bestseller Designing Your Life, cofounder of the Stanford Life Design Lab, and author of the new book How to Live a Meaningful Life. I’ve known Dave for years now, and he’s spent decades helping people redesign work, identity, and daily living in ways that feel deeply human. In this episode, you’ll discover: If you’ve ever wondered why a life that looks good can still feel unsatisfying, this conversation offers a grounded and hopeful reframe. Press play to explore a more livable path to meaning. You can find Dave at: Website | Instagram | Episode Transcript If you LOVED this episode, you’ll also love the conversations we had with Dan Pink about regret, reflection, and using inner signals to guide a more meaningful life. Check out our offerings & partners: Join My New Writing Project: Awake at the WheelVisit Our Sponsor Page For Great Resources & Discount Codes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's said, pain is inevitable, suffering is optional. But, is that true? Many of us live our lives in pursuit of certainty, believing that if we could just get things more stable - emotionally, financially, relationally - then we’d finally feel at ease. We wouldn't struggle with anxiety, stress, and fear. we wouldn't suffer so much. Problem is, that approach often deepens our suffering, rather than relieves it. Maybe you've felt this very thing. In this powerful episode on healing and resilience and how to relieve suffering, Jonathan sits down with Dr. Suzan Song, a Harvard- and Stanford-trained psychiatrist and humanitarian researcher. Dr. Song has spent decades working with individuals and communities living through profound instability, revealing a gentler, more honest reframe: healing, lessening suffering, doesn’t come from chasing certainty and stability, but from learning how to relate differently to the inevitability of pain, uncertainty, and change. In this conversation, discover: painsufferingritualresiliencepurposehealingmental health This is an invitation to stop blaming yourself for not feeling satisfied, let go of suffering, and remember that you don’t have to navigate life’s instabilities alone. Sometimes, relief comes not from doing more, but from allowing yourself to feel everything, then learn how to live with the truth of uncertainty in a world that will never stop changing. You can find Suzan at: Website | Linkedin | Episode Transcript If you LOVED this episode, you’ll also love the conversations we had with Adam Grant about rethinking beliefs and inner patterns. Check out our offerings & partners: Join My New Writing Project: Awake at the WheelVisit Our Sponsor Page For Great Resources & Discount Codes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Most new habits fizzle quickly, what if they didn't have to? We blame a lack of willpower, but what if the way we approach habits that's the real problem? Why does true, lasting habit change feel so hard to sustain? And, how can we do it better? In this episode, we explore a gentler and more honest reframe, drawing from the work of James Clear, author of Atomic Habits. We show that lasting change doesn't begin with force or fixing, but rather with identity. Discover how listening to who you already are, and letting small, faithful actions slowly reshape what you believe about yourself, is the most powerful, sustainable, and truly transformational path forward. In this episode, discover: habitssmall, atomic actionslong-term habit formation This is a conversation for anyone who is ready to build consistent habits that actually stick. There’s no rush, no prescription—just an invitation to soften, to notice, and to remember that true transformation begins the moment you stop trying so hard to become someone else. You can find James at: Website | The 3-2-1 Newsletter | Episode Transcript If you LOVED this episode, you'll also love the conversations we had with Seth Godin about identity, creativity, and choosing how you show up. Check out our offerings & partners: Join My New Writing Project: Awake at the WheelVisit Our Sponsor Page For Great Resources & Discount Codes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s not you. Your goals weren’t built for real life. You did what you were told would work. You set the goals. You made the plan, followed the formula. And yet, that big achievement, the life-changing goal, still eludes you. It’s probably not you, it’s the wildly unrealistic, impractical way you’ve been taught to pursue goals that doesn’t survive contact with the real world. In this episode, Jonathan explores a radically different, practical approach to achieving big, meaningful goals that honors the life you’re actually living, and comes from a mindset of wholeness and abundance, rather than lack, shame, or pain. This conversation offers a humane, sustainable reframe for ambition called Success Scaffolding that allows you to keep growing without tying your worth, happiness, or nervous system to the next win. In this episode, discover: • The Happiness Delay Trap: Why achievement so often fails to deliver lasting fulfillment, and how the “I’ll be happy when…” mindset keeps moving the finish line. • Why Goals Collapse After Motivation Fades: How real life, not lack of discipline, is usually what derails even the most meaningful intentions. • Success Scaffolding: A practical, science-informed framework for building goals that can actually survive a human life. • The Seven Elements That Make Growth Sustainable: How to design goals with structure, support, flexibility, and compassion, without pressure or self-criticism. • Enough as the Fuel for Growth: Why grounding your goals in worthiness, not scarcity, leads to more resilience, creativity, and follow-through. • A Kinder Way Forward: Simple practices to help you stay in relationship with what matters, especially when you wobble. This episode is an invitation to stop blaming yourself for not feeling satisfied by success, and to start building goals that support who you already are, rather than asking you to become someone else first. You don’t need to earn your okay-ness. You need a structure that can hold your life. Episode Transcript Follow us on Apple Podcasts to never miss an episode. If you LOVED this episode: You can find the 1-page worksheet HERE.all of the New Year four-part mini-series episodes Check out our offerings & partners: Join My New Writing Project: Awake at the WheelVisit Our Sponsor Page For Great Resources & Discount Codes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stop outsourcing your peace. Feeling better is an inside job. We often feel exhausted, not because life is so difficult (which it can be), but because our minds are full of old wounds, unresolved feelings, self-destructive stories, and subconscious rules that secretly run the show…and leave us empty. In this episode, Jonathan sits down with acclaimed spiritual teacher and 19-time bestselling author, Iyanla Vanzant, to explore a radically practical idea: spiritual hygiene. Drawing from her new book Spiritual Hygiene: A Practical Path for Clean Living, Inner Authority, and Divine Freedom, Iyanla offers a grounded, compassionate framework for clearing emotional residue, reclaiming inner authority, and tending to your inner life with the same care you give your outer one. In this episode, discover: • The hidden inner rulers like fear, shame, and unforgiveness that quietly shape behavior, identity, and decision making. • Why we feel spiritually congested, and how constant reliance on external fixes keeps us disconnected from our own inner power. • What spiritual hygiene actually looks like as a daily practice, not a belief system, and why small, consistent acts matter more than dramatic breakthroughs. • How to reclaim inner authority without fixing, forcing, or bypassing pain, and why presence is often more powerful than effort. • A gentler path to healing that does not require perfection, years of struggle, or becoming someone new before you begin. This is a conversation about cleaning from the inside out. About creating space for clarity, honesty, and peace. And about remembering that your inner life is not something to outsource, avoid, or conquer, but something to care for with intention and respect. You can find Iyanla at: Website | Instagram | Episode Transcript If you LOVED this episode, you’ll also love the conversations we had with Thema Bryant about healing trauma and reclaiming your true self. Check out our offerings & partners: Join My New Writing Project: Awake at the WheelVisit Our Sponsor Page For Great Resources & Discount Codes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You are not behind. How to find enough right now. We've all played the "I'll be happy when..." game, constantly moving the goalpost and living in the anxiety of "not enough yet." In this episode, Jonathan challenges the myth that you have to "fix" yourself or acquire "more" to feel worthy of a good life. He offers a counter-cultural approach to setting your intentions: making this The Year of Enough, a radical internal commitment that your current self is a valid starting point for growth. In this episode, discover: The "Happiness Delay"Enough is the fuel for growthenoughThree Practices for SufficiencyThe Inverse Resolutionstop doing This is a quiet, powerful invitation to stop postponing your okay-ness and to let your goals flow from a place of belonging, not desperation. Episode Transcript Follow us on Apple Podcasts to never miss an episode. If you LOVED this episode: You can find the 1-page worksheet HERE.all of the New Year three-part mini-series episodes Check out our offerings & partners: Join My New Writing Project: Awake at the WheelVisit Our Sponsor Page For Great Resources & Discount Codes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Samin Nosrat on taking back your life, overcoming overwhelm, and redefining success. A candid conversation about joy, grief, rebellion, rest, food, and what actually sustains us when achievement isn’t enough. In this soul-stirring conversation about her new book "Good Things: Recipes and Rituals to Share with People You Love," the Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat creator offers a masterclass in how small rituals can become profound acts of love, and why letting go of striving might be the key to finding what we're all really hungry for. You can find Samin at: Website | Instagram | Home Cooking podcast | a grain of salt substack | Episode Transcript If you LOVED this episode, you’ll also love the conversations we had with Samin about her journey from anxiety and depression to finding joy through food, writing, and community at Chez Panisse. Her earlier visit also offers a wonderful complement to today's conversation. Check out our offerings & partners: Join My New Writing Project: Awake at the WheelVisit Our Sponsor Page For Great Resources & Discount Codes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

New Year’s resolutions fail, not because of discipline, but because the system is broken. In this episode, Jonathan Fields introduces The Unresolution, a calmer, more reliable way to change that replaces rigid promises with fun and forgiving experiments, kind reflection, and compassion. This episode is for anyone who wants genuine growth without burnout, shame, or starting over yet again. Episode Transcript If you LOVED this episode: You can find the 1-page worksheet HERE.all of the New Year three-part mini-series episodes Check out our offerings & partners: Join My New Writing Project: Awake at the WheelVisit Our Sponsor Page For Great Resources & Discount Codes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Showing up as your true self is terrifying, but it’s also the unlock key for so much of what makes your life good. Through powerful stories and research-backed insights, this conversation reveals why showing up as your real self unlocks extraordinary possibilities, and how embracing imperfection creates deeper connections than striving for perfection ever could. Whether you're leading a team, raising children, or pursuing creative work, you'll discover practical tools for choosing courage over comfort and building genuine connections in a world that often fears being real. You can find Brené at: Website | Instagram | Brené's Podcasts | Episode Transcript If you LOVED this episode, you’ll also love the conversations we had with Elizabeth Gilbert about bringing your whole self to your life. Check out our offerings & partners: Join My New Writing Project: Awake at the WheelVisit Our Sponsor Page For Great Resources & Discount Codes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.