Good Life Project

Reiki. It's become a huge buzz word in the world of medicine. Research now reveals stunning, verifiable health and healing outcomes, from accelerated surgery recovery to reducing key markers for repeat coronary events and improved every day health. But...what IS Reiki?! This week's guest is world-acclaimed Reiki master and author of REIKI: A Comprehensive Guide, Pamela Miles. In our in-depth conversation, we explore what Reiki really is, how it developed a bit of a "branding" problem and how it's emerging to become a highly-sought after healing modality that complements Western medicine. We'll dive into Pamela's personal journey and learn how her mission to integrate Reiki into modern medical settings, from hospitals to operating rooms has spurred a series of groundbreaking collaborations with major institutions and world-famous physicians and surgeons. In Pamela's journey, you'll discover the power of one person, committed to a vision to make a difference. One life at a time. Enjoy the conversation. Learn from it. Let it become your window into the world of Reiki. If you've been "Reiki-curious," take a look at Pamela's website, it's a treasure-trove of information. If you know someone who's living with health challenges and a immersed in system that seems to challenge humanity and healing, please be sure to forward this episode to them. And, of course, if you feel compelled to join our tribe (and get access to show mp3s), please go ahead and enter your email below. With gratitude. Jonathan

So excited to be premiering a new type of episode today - GLP Jam Sessions.™ Jam Sessions are shorter, 7-10 minute bursts of information focused around a single topic. Sometimes it'll be just Jonathan (that's me writing in 3rd person again, lol). Other times, we'll assemble a small panel to kick around thoughts on a few specific topics, challenges and questions. Not to worry, these are not replacing the full-length interview shows, they'll always be our anchor format. We're just exploring ways to respond to the many questions that have been submitted in a shorter, more direct, actionable format. So, we'll mix in Jam Sessions here and there. Today's GLP Jam Session is all about...fear. Fear of failure. And fear of judgment. I've written a lot over the last few years about how to overcome or rather move through fear of failure and fear of judgment. This episode focuses on a single technique that can be hugely effective at putting fear in it's right place. Transforming it from a source of pain and paralysis to a source of fuel and mobilization. Enjoy. And, if you know anyone who's struggling with fear-based challenges, feel free to share this episode. As always, when you subscribe for weekly updates, you'll also get instant access to the mp3 vault, where you can take all past, present and future episodes on the road, for a run or to make any commute more enjoyable. With gratitude, Jonathan

In 2003, NYC actress, Kris Carr, knew something was wrong...she just didn't know what. The last diagnosis she expected was cancer. But after a battery of tests, on Valentine's Day, she learned her fate. Incurable, stage 4. In three organs. One doctor suggested a massively-invasive triple organ transplant. But she had a different idea. She searched the world for the leading expert in her rare form of cancer. "What you have," he hold her, "either grows very quickly or very slowly. Right now, yours is the latter, go out and live your life." And, that's exactly what she did. But she didn't just do it private... Kris made a series of radical changes in her lifestyle, the way she fueled her body and earned her living. She filmed the early years, then turned it into a documentary called Crazy, Sexy Cancer. The documentary aired on TV, vaulting her into the limelight, appearing on Oprah and more. The rest is history, but she is not... Ten years later, Kris is still living with stage-4 cancer, living being the operative word. She has become a loud, joyful, irreverent and inspiring voice in the quest to live a more vital, engaged life. She's taken her place as a teacher and role model, speaking around the world, publishing a hugely popular blog and writing a series of New York Times bestselling books, her latest being Crazy, Sexy Kitchen. In this week's episode, we dive into Kris' journey, her challenges and how she created a new paradigm in health. We explore her journey from leading with cancer to leading with life, speaking to and educating a broader audience in the quest to make a difference not just in the lives of those with cancer, but in the lives of those who want more out of every minute on the planet. Kris is extremely candid about her emotional journey, what she's built, how it's impacted her and where she's going from here. You'll leave this conversation not only inspired, but empowered to wake up and embrace every moment with joy and grace. If you enjoy this conversation, please forward this episode to all who would benefit from it. And, be sure to subscribe so you don't miss any future episodes (and you get instant access to the mp3 vault). With gratitude, Jonathan

Vernon Bush grew up in the church, but he had a secret... He could sing, really sing, but he was scared to tell anyone else. Even his parents were in the dark. So he made himself a deal. If his voice was still in hiding when he turned 13, he'd let it out. The years passed and Vernon finally hit his 13th birthday. It was time to go public. When the head of his church asked if anyone wanted to take the solo, Vernon stepped up. People were surprised, who was this unassuming kid to take the lead? But when he opened his mouth in front of the church and, for the first time ever, let his voice out, jaws dropped and time stood still. That moment launched a new path for Vernon that has led him to travel the world singing, teaching, directing music, composing and landing a gig as a soloist at the legendary Glide Memorial Church in San Francisco, where he's backed by a gospel choir that'll send chills through your entire body. In today's episode, Vernon and I explore his incredible journey. But, that's not all... Today is a GLP TV first. A live performance by an amazing vocalist. I couldn't leave without asking Vernon to sing. He had no idea I was going to ask, but he strapped on his finger shakers, grabbed a djembe drum and began to sing. No matter what you do, be sure to stay tuned through the final few minutes of this episode. If you enjoy the show, go ahead enter your email to subscribe and get instant access to the mp3 vault and weekly insider updates. With gratitude, Jonathan

Ten years ago, Guam-based father of six, Leo Babauta, was on the brink...of failure, bankruptcy and, arguably, death. Eighty pounds over weight, chain-smoking, sedentary, stressed out of his mind, working in a job that left him empty and so deep in debt he had to swipe his kids' piggy bank money to buy food for the family. He couldn't see a way out. He couldn't work any harder or put in more hours. And even if he could, his health was already so bad, it would've led to devastating results. Flash forward to 2013. Babauta is 80 pounds lighter, an avid runner, vegetarian, non-smoker, multi-time author and entrepreneur and one of the world's top bloggers with more than 1 million reading him at Zen Habits. His entire family now lives in San Francisco, where he earns a great living writing and solving peoples' problems and drinking in a simple, deeply-connected and rewarding life. Question is, of course, how did he do it? In this week's episode, Leo and I go deep into his journey. We explore where he was and how it was affecting his mindset, his health and his relationships. We talk about the moment of awakening that set in motion a series of profound changes in behavior and massive transformations in every area of his life. We learn how he creat

One of my enduring questions has been whether you can build a substantial, world-class company, movement or body of work, while also staying deeply connected to family, friends and taking care of "life outside the biz." It's an exceptionally difficult thing to do. One I've seen few people pull off successfully. So, when I find the people who have, I want to know how. Nancy Duarte is one of those people. Along with her husband, she's built Duarte, Inc. into the premier presentation design firm in the world. Remember the amazing graphics from Al Gore's Inconvenient Truth? They helped create them. Over the years, they've helped more than 250,000 people, from CEOs to politicians to entrepreneurs, artists, movement-leaders and team leaders tell more compelling visual stories. She's also authored two groundbreaking books on visual storytelling, Resonate and Slide:ology. Duarte, Inc. has grown to become the dominating force in the space and one of the largest women-owned companies in Silicon Valley, employing more than 100 members of what Nancy calls the "Duarte Famiglia." While Nancy and I share a love of the art and science of storytelling and persuasion, what really drew me in was her humanity, her process, her mindset, her view of the world and how to succeed in it. I wanted to know how she's been able to build an extraordinary business and at the same time nourish her 31 year marriage, raise 3 connected kids, two dogs and a frog. In this week's episode of Good Life Project, we dive deep into Nancy's extraordinary journey. We learn how she and her husband built the company from their living room table to #1 in the world. We discover how a visionary orientation toward the future has kept the company growing and evolving to always create the curve everyone else follows. We also zoom the lens out and see how a deep commitment to family, faith and service has served as the foundation for everything. And you'll even learn Nancy's two driving verbs in her life, they'll surprise you big-time, and how she's turned them on their heads to build something amazing and enduring. Enjoy the conversation! If you'd rather listen, be sure to subscribe to get instant access to the mp3 vault. And, if you know anyone who might find value in this conversation, please share it now! With gratitude, Jonathan

Lisa Congdon had worked a variety of jobs for the better part of her life. But something was missing. An avid collector and lover of anything vintage, she began to blend her interests, along with a growing curiosity about illustration and painting. Working entirely outside what can be a very exclusive, elitist art world, she went public with her learning process, creating, photographing and sharing daily collections online. At the same time, she'd been painting and illustrating for years and more recently, developed an interest in hand-lettering and committed to sharing her learning curve online. Going public with her creations, being willing to be seen and potentially judged while she was still learning is something that would make most people tremble. But it was this very process that fueled her learning, while also providing the accountability to make art every day that led to rapid improvement in her craft. She's now a highly-sought after illustrator, artist and author of a number of books. We filmed this episode in her San Francisco studio and the vibe was magical. Join us in her creative space as we dive into her journey, challenges, inspiration and learnings. Fave quote from Lisa - "When you're not making stuff, there's this part of you that aches, but you don't know that's why it aches." As always, if you're inspired by her story, please share it with friends. And, if you'd rather listen than watch, just subscribe by entering your email address in the white space below the video and get instant access to the mp3 Vault. With gratitude, Jonathan

What's the first word you think of when you hear the word "sales?" That was one of the questions New York Times bestselling author of Drive and A Whole New Mind , Dan Pink, asked more than 7,000 people when researching his new book, To Sell Is Human. Turns out 21 of the top 25 words were intensely negative. Words like "slimy" and "smarmy." Question is, does that image of sales still hold true in a world where parity of information and leverage has radically shifted and the seller is no longer in control of the process? According to Pink, the answer is a resounding no. And he's got the data to back it up. Sales, in fact, is in the midst of a massive shift. Especially when you realize that you, me and everyone else you know, we're all in sales all day long, whether we want to acknowledge it or not. We're selling ideas, images, possibilities and more. We may not think about it as sales, but just swap money for attention, energy or any other valued "resource," to use Pink's words, and we're all selling a good chunk of our time. Which begs the bigger question - how does your ability to sell AND feel really good about it play into your ability to live a good life? According to Pink, it's mission-critical. In this week's episode we dive into why...and how. Gone are the slimy old ABCs (always be closing), replaced by Pink's radical new ABCs  (which he shares in the convo) that turn the selling experience and formula on its head. We also take a step back and explore Dan's fascinating path from Yale Law to writing speeches for then Vice President, Al Gore, immersing himself in the bizarre universe that is Washington politics and then making a bold leap into writing books, or the "thing he was doing until midnight without getting paid" because he loved it that much. If you find value in this week's episode, please share it with friends. And if you'd rather take it on the road and listen to the mp3, just subscribe by entering your email address in the white field right under the video and clicking "Sign Up." You'll get instant access to the mp3 Vault. With gratitude, Jonathan

When banker number 71 said no, he should've just given up. Instead, he doubled-down...and created magic! Samovar Tea Lounge has become a place of legend around San Francisco. You visit these beautiful, intimate oases to relax into calming ritual, wonderful conversation and a stunning menu of tea. To hit reset in your day. And, maybe do a bit of writing or thinking. Just don't ask for the wifi password, because at Samovar, there is none. This is a place where you get to leave the digital world behind and reconnect to the simplicity of what matters! What most people don't know, though, is that Samovar also almost never existed, but for the dogged commitment of founder, Jesse Jacobs, and the banker who said yes to a loan after more than 70 others had said no. In this week's episode, Jesse and I explore his own personal journey from the world of technology and big corporations into tea and entrepreneurship. We dive into the insights and struggles. We explore how he needed to lean into a level of faith, but also listen to the market when it told him he needed to evolve his concept. And we'll talk about how his remarkable journey has danced with his desire to also be a present and engaged husband and father. Enjoy the conversation, and if you're ever in San Francisco, be sure to swing by one of the Samovar locations. As always, if you're inspired by Jesse's story, please feel free to share this episode with friends or on social media. And if you'd prefer to listen, subscribe for instant access to the mp3 vault by entering your email in the white space directly under the video then clicking the orange Sign Up button. Wishing you a wonderful holiday and a connected, soulful and rewarding year ahead. With gratitude, Jonathan

At the age of 6, her family fled the Chernobyl disaster and the fall of Communism in Ukraine to start a new life in the United States. Eight years later, a tidal-wave of tragedy struck with the drowning death of her brother, her mother's diagnosis of cancer and her dad's diagnosis of diabetes. Most 14 year olds would've given up, turned to the dark side, been angry at the world and lashed out. But, something inside this week's guest, Emiliya Zhivotovskaya, said "this is the time to step up, lean in and grow." From that decision has grown a life, a career and a journey that continues to reach deeply into the lives of so many.  Zhivotovskaya taps her unique blended background in applied positive psychology, coaching and a collection of other healing modalities to help clients through many of the biggest struggles of their lives. Her goal, to foster the ability to flourish, which also happens to be the name of her company. I'm particularly grateful to be able to share this episode in light of the tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut last week. If Emiliya's grace and wisdom in the face of loss at such a young age can help a single person through this moment in our history, this entire project has been worth the effort a thousand times over. If Emiliya's story or wisdom moves you, please share this episode with anyone in need. And, of course, if you'd prefer to listen instead of watch, just enter your name in the white area under the video, click the orange Sign Up button and get instant access to the mp3 vault. With gratitude, Jonathan

San Francisco painter, Ann Rea, was deep in a hole. Depressed, anxious, working in a career that was leaving her empty and heavily medicated, she turned to painting as therapy. And everything changed. What started as a return to sanity grew into a salvation and a calling. But to turn it into a living, Ann came face-to-face with the "gallery system." Something in her gut told her it was not for her. Too little control and power. So, she decided to do what everyone else said was un-doable. She went around the system and created her own path to become a successful painter, entrepreneur and now mentor to other artists trying to do the same. In this week's episode of Good Life Project, we dive deep into her journey. If you've got any artist friends who are trying to figure out how to make a living, be sure to share Ann's inspired story with them. And, if you'd rather listen than watch, just enter your email in the form below the video to get instant access to the mp3 Vault. With gratitude, Jonathan

Today's episode was a real treat for me to create. In part, because it features a good friend. But also because it takes you "behind the curtain" of a fast-building empire that's changing the lives of thousands of women. In the last 3 years, Marie Forleo has exploded onto the marketing and entrepreneurship scene. She's built an award-winning web-show, Marie TV, with a massive global following, a multimillion dollar company focused on serving the lives, needs and desires of women. And Oprah Winfrey recently called her a leading voice for a new generation of thought-leaders. In this episode, we not only pull back the curtain on what Marie is building, we also take a giant step back into her life...pre-MarieTV. We see how Marie spent years struggling, growing, working like crazy to find her "thing" and develop it into a serious business. We learn how she kept get knocked down, struggled with her own authenticity and came back stronger. We see how listening to her intuition has become a key to her success. And we discover where she's going from here. As always, if you've enjoyed this episode, please go ahead and share it. And, be sure to join the movement. Subscribe by entering your email just below the video and get weekly show updates, access to the audio mp3 vault, insider news, insights and more. +++ Good Life Alert - When was the last time you felt lit-up, connected and on track to build a great living and life? Join Jonathan and his band of Good Life Mentors for 3 ½ days that will change everything and set your world on fire. Check out Camp GLP now. With gratitude, Jonathan

When we wrapped filming this week's episode with venture capitalist turned philanthropist and business/entrepreneur coach extraordinaire, Jerry Colonna, I turned to see my amazing crew leaning in for more. They wanted him to just keep talking. Colonna is that rare blend of proven entrepreneurial genius meets Eastern philosopher, practitioner, mentor and teacher. High-level startup founders and CEOs, especially in the hair-on-fire tech entrepreneurship world, turn to him to not only right their business ships, but get their teams aligned and on track and get themselves into a better place. One that allows them to more intelligently mount the quest to manifest their dreams, but also be able to live better lives and sleep better at night along the way. Early in the conversation, I asked Jerry what draws him so powerfully to working with entrepreneurs. His answer... "Who else is willing to risk everything to do the impossible?" Click to tweet We spend a solid part of the time going deep into the extraordinary dance between wanting to go big and leave a world-changing legacy, but also being present in the daily moments that matter. Which is where the lead quote for this episode comes from. Enjoy the conversation. For those who'd prefer an audio version, just subscribe by entering your email in the form right under the video and you'll get immediate access to the mp3 vault. Also, if you like podcasts, check us out on iTunes. And, be sure to email it and share Jerry's wisdom, especially with anyone you know who is into or thinking about building anything substantial in the world.

"Artists aren't afraid of doing things badly" -Flash Rosenberg Flash Rosenberg can't be contained. Or easily categorized. A cartoonist, artist, illustrator, writer, photographer, filmmaker, storyteller, she's built a career that seems to evolve organically, often blending each new interest and skill set into a deeply enjoyable forms of public expression. When I asked her how she wanted me to introduce her, she simply said, "I'm an attention-span for hire, a possibilitist." Asking someone what they do, according to Flash, "is as absurd a question as asking someone with four kids which one they like best." Along the way Flash has served as Artist in Residence for LIVE from the New York Public Library, received a 2011 Guggenheim Fellowship for the Creative Arts in Film/Video and created playful, provocative visual and auditory experiences ranging from book trailers and illustrated stories to captivating stage performances at the famed Moth in NYC. In this playful and illuminating conversation, we dive deep into Flash's journey, the unique way she looks at the world, discovers questions nobody else asks and sees opportunities in everything. If you enjoy this episode, please feel free to share it with friends, especially your artist friends. And, if you'd like to listen to this and future episodes on audio mp3, be sure to subscribe to the podcast. With gratitude, Jonathan P.S. - Apologies in advance! You may notice some banging noises in the background for a few minutes midway through the episode. Try as we did, we had some classic noise issues - gotta love NYC - that we were not able to edit out in post-production. We'd considered killing the entire episode because of it, but Flash's wisdom and energy are just to good to keep from you. So, please accept our apologies and know this is not our normal production level.

I've often said, I imagine... The only thing harder than being an entrepreneur, is living with one. Entrepreneurs, like artists, spend a lot of time in their heads. They're constantly living in growth mode, looking toward what they're building, leaning into risk, playing every role in the business and are often notoriously optimistic and vision-driven. You have to be to not only survive, but thrive in the crucible of building something from nothing. All of this makes for a powerful, life-altering ride. But what if you're the person who is in a relationship with an entrepreneur? What if you're the one trying to build a life-partnership, a family, a future with the mad-creator in the room? What if you're looking to have kids and raise them with parents who are not just physically in the room, but emotionally present? How to you compete with the all-consuming call of the entrepreneurial quest? Especially when that quest arises out of a deeper life calling? These are all questions we explore with this week's guest on Good Life Project™, Meg Cadoux Hirshberg. Meg is an Inc. magazine columnist and author of the Book For Better Or For Work. She's also a mom of three kids and the wife of Gary Hirshberg, founder of the world's largest organic yogurt producer, Stonyfield Farms. Meg writes and speaks about what it's like to be married to a quest-driven entrepreneur for nearly 30 years. To build a family when you're starting with nothing and the family business takes 9 years to finally turn a profit. In this episode, we explore these questions and also look at what happens when multiple generations become involved not only in running, but funding the business. And so much more. If you enjoy this episode, please share it with friend. And be sure to subscribe to stay up to date with where the show is going. If you want to listen to the show while working out or on a trip, just subscribe on iTunes. With gratitude, Jonathan