Good Life Project || Inspiration | Motivation | Happiness | Meaning | Success

Dr. Sayantani Dasgupta has a foot in three worlds: medicine, teaching and writing. Growing up the daughter of Indian immigrants, she fell in love with writing at an early age. But she decided to focus on medicine as her early career, eventually becoming a pediatrician and then a professor, teaching med-students and others about the power of listening and peoples’ stories as a faculty member in Columbia University’s Master’s Program in Narrative Medicine (http://www.narrativemedicine.org/), and co-chair of Columbia’s University Seminar on Narrative, Health and Social Justice (http://universityseminars.columbia.edu/seminars/narrative-health-and-social-justice/).All the while, she was writing. She started with a memoir, then collaborated with her mother on a collection of Bengali folk tales, before creating her own fantasy series designed to not only capture the imagination of young adults but also feature a heroin with brown skin that her kids could relate to. Now with 3 books out, including The Serpent’s

Danny Koentopp wakes up every morning, gets dressed, has a bite to eat, kisses his wife and kids, and heads off to a garage in LA, often not coming out until long after the sun has set. For Danny, this garage is a creative temple. An innovative workshop, where he spends his days handcrafting some of the most breathtakingly-beautiful and sought after archtop acoustic jazz guitars and hollow-body electric guitars on the planet. He literally loses time there. But, his story runs deeper than a devotion to craft and music, family and mastery. When Danny steps into his workshop, he's not alone. He built his first guitar side-by-side with his dad in a home workshop. Danny's father passed-on shortly after, but he inhabits this little oasis, guiding and inspiring Danny along the way. In that magical space, they reconnect and make magic together.You can find Dan Koentopp at: Website https://koentoppguitars.com/| Instagram https://www.instagram.com/KoentoppGuitars/-------------Have you discovered your Sparketype&nb

For Samin Nosrat, cooking is love. A way to gather, delight and savor time with those you love. Maybe, at this time that finds more of us home and cooking, it can become the same for you.Samin's New York Times bestselling book, Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat, received the James Beard award and her Netflix series of the same name is a stunning exploration of food, culture, travel, and life. Called “the next Julia Child” by NPR’s All Things Considered, Samin has been cooking professionally since 2000, when she first stumbled into the kitchen at the legendary Chez Panisse restaurant in Berkeley, California.In this Best of episode, we explore Samin's journey, growing up the child of first-generation immigrant parents in southern California and feeling like the outsider. We dive into her lifelong love of writing and books, her experience with anxiety and depression and work to be present and joyful in her life. And, we track her "strange left turn" into the world of food and, now, with the massive success of her book

What if you could reverse the aging process? Sounds like science fiction, but the new science of aging is turning it into science fact. Today, we learn the truth about aging and how to potentially slow, stop and even reverse it from one of the world's leading voices in the science of aging, David A. Sinclair, Ph.D. He is a Professor of Genetics at Harvard Medical School, co-Director of the Paul F. Glenn Center for the Biology of Aging Research at Harvard Medical School, Professor and Head of the Aging Labs at UNSW, Sydney, and an honorary Professor at the University of Sydney. Best known for his work on genes and small molecules that delay aging, including the Sirtuin genes, resveratrol and NAD precursors, he has published over 170 scientific papers, is a co-inventor on over 50 patents, and has co-founded 14 biotechnology companies in the areas of aging, vaccines, diabetes, fertility, cancer, and biodefense. And he's the author of Lifespan: Why We Age and Why We Don't Have To.You can find David A. Sinclair, P

Daina Trout thought she was starting a hair-growth company with her husband and best friend, before pivoting to become Health-Ade Kombucha, a national brand that is sold at 30,000 grocery stores and health food markets nationwide. In 2017, Food & Wine named Trout one of the most innovative women in food & drink and in early 2018 Create & Cultivate featured her in its C&C 100 list, celebrating 100 women who are masters of their field. In 2019, Daina was included on Inc’s Female Founder 100 list and was also named BevNet’s Person Of The Year.You can find Daina Trout at: Website | Instagram-------------Have you discovered your Sparketype yet? Take the Sparketype Assessment™ now. IT’S FREE (https://sparketype.com/) and takes about 7-minutes to complete. At a minimum, it’ll open your eyes in a big way. It also just might change your life.If you enjoyed the show, please share it with a friend. Thank you to our super cool brand partners. If you like t

Kate Murphy is a Houston, TX-based reporter whose writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Economist, Agence France-Presse, and Texas Monthly. Her book, You're Not Listening is equal parts cultural observation, scientific exploration, and a rousing call to action that's full of practical advice. Murphy explains why we’re not listening, what it’s doing to us, and how we can reverse the trend. She makes accessible the psychology, neuroscience, and sociology of listening while also introducing us to some of the best listeners out there (including a CIA agent, focus group moderator, bartender, radio producer, and top furniture salesman). It’s time to stop talking and start listening.You can find Kate Murphy at: The New York Times-------------Have you discovered your Sparketype yet? Take the Sparketype Assessment™ now. IT’S FREE (https://sparketype.com/) and takes about 7-minutes to complete. At a minimum, it’ll open your eyes in a big way. It also just might change your life.If you enjo

Anxiety is at an all-time high right now, and there are valid reasons for concern. At the same time, most of us have more control over how we experience this moment, psychologically and emotionally, than we realize. There are many practical, accessible ways to reduce anxiety and move away from panic.This is why we asked longtime collaborator and wellbeing advisor, Emiliya Zhivotovskaya, to help us better understand anxiety, and walk us through 20 highly-specific tools and techniques to reduce anxiety and bring yourself back to a place of relative ease and calm, no matter how groundless or anxiety-provoking the world around you may feel in this moment.Emiliya is the CEO and founder of The Flourishing Center, a New York City-based, B-Corp dedicated to increasing the flourishing of individuals, organizations, and communities. She is the creator of the Certification in Applied Positive Psychology, the Bounce Back Better® training on resilience, Positive Psychology Coaching Certification, the Flourishing Skills Gr

Born in a small village with no electricity or running water in Zimbabwe, Dr. Tererai Trent was married in her early teens as was the custom, had four children by age 18 and suffered repeated physical abuse from her husband. She is now an inspiring and dynamic scholar, educator, humanitarian, speaker, author, founder of Tererai International, and an acclaimed voice for women’s empowerment and education. Her book, The Awakened Woman, is a call to action that will awaken hearts, give permission to recapture dreams, and provide the tools to forge a brighter path for all. We explore her powerful journey and ideas in today's Best Of episode.You can find Dr. Tererai Trent at: Website | Instagram-------------Have you discovered your Sparketype yet? Take the Sparketype Assessment™ now. IT’S FREE (https://sparketype.com/) and takes about 7-minutes to complete. At a minimum, it’ll open your eyes in a big way. It also just might change your life.If you enjoyed the show, please share it with a fr

IN-Q is a National Poetry Slam champion, award-winning poet, and multi-platinum songwriter. His groundbreaking achievements include being named to Oprah's SuperSoul 100 list of the world's most influential thought leaders, being the first spoken word artist to perform with Cirque Du Soleil, and being featured on A&E, ESPN, and HBO's Def Poetry Jam. He's inspired audiences around the world through his live performances and storytelling workshops. Many of his recent poetry videos have gone viral with over 70 million views combined. Contemplating universal issues of love, loss, forgiveness, transformation, and belief, his new book, Inquire Within shines a light on our lives and provides a wholly unique and dynamic lens through which to think about ourselves and our world.You can find IN-Q at: Website |Instagram-------------Have you discovered your Sparketype yet? Take the Sparketype Assessment™ now. IT’S FREE (https://sparketype.com/) and takes about 7-minutes to complete. At a minim

John Hodgman started his career as a literary agent, but found himself launched into TV when, after an appearance to promote a book on “The Daily Show,” he was invited to return as a regular presence on the show. This let to an unexpected career before the camera, becoming the “Personal Computer” in a series of iconic commercials for Apple computer, and more recently appearing on Married, Bored to Death and The Knick. Along the way, he kept writing books, including his most recent, Medallion Status, while hosting the popular Judge John Hodgman podcast, where he settles serious disputes between real people, such as “Is a hot dog a sandwich?” and “Should we tell our children the TRUTH about Santa Claus.”You can find John Hodgman at: Website-------------Have you discovered your Sparketype yet? Take the Sparketype Assessment™ now. IT’S FREE (https://sparketype.com/) and takes about 7-minutes to complete. At a minimum, it’ll open your eyes in a big way. It also just might change your life.

Glennon Doyle is the author of New York Times bestselling memoirs Love Warrior and Carry On, Warrior, and the powerful new book, Untamed. An activist and voice for social change, she is also the founder and president of Together Rising, an all-women led nonprofit organization that has revolutionized grassroots philanthropy – raising over $20 Million for women, families and children in crisis.Glennon originally appeared on the show in 2016, exploring her feelings about faith, family, public and private, art and service, love and leading. Glennon's wife, soccer legend and activist, Abby Wambach, also appeared on the show last year where we explored her powerful journey, along with many of the deeper motivations, struggles, moments of awakening, defining stories and so much more. You can find Glennon Doyle at: Website | Instagram-------------Have you discovered your Sparketype yet? Take the Sparketype Assessment™ now. IT’S FREE (https://sparketype.com/) and takes about 7-minute

Morgan Harper Nichols is a writer, artist, and musician. While on the road performing, she cultivated her passion for writing and art, and began to share them online. In 2017, Morgan started inviting people to submit stories, in response, she would create art inspired by them, then send the person the original, while sharing the digital version on Instagram for all to benefit. She has now grown a community of 1.1 million followers and been commissioned to create for publications, murals and collaborations with brands like Anthropologie, Adobe, LiveNation, Coach, and more. Her first full-color book of art and poetry All Along You Were Blooming is now available.You can find Morgan Harper Nichols at: Website | Instagram-------------Have you discovered your Sparketype yet? Take the Sparketype Assessment™ now. IT’S FREE (https://sparketype.com/) and takes about 7-minutes to complete. At a minimum, it’ll open your eyes in a big way. It also just might change your life.If you enjoy

Living in Malibu, by way of Denmark, David Heinemeier Hansson is the co-founder & CTO at Basecamp and the New York Times bestselling coauthor of Rework and Remote. His latest book is It Doesn't Have to Be Crazy at Work. In his writing, he offers powerful reframes on work and life. David is also the creator of the programming framework Ruby on Rails, which has powered massive websites like Twitter, Shopify, Airbnb and over a million other web applications. He is also an avid photographer and lover of beauty in all things. Over the last decade, he developed a passion for endurance auto-racing that eventually led to a first-place finish in his category at the legendary 24-hours of Le Mans race.You can find David Heinemeier Hanssone at: Website | Twitter-------------Have you discovered your Sparketype yet? Take the Sparketype Assessment™ now. IT’S FREE (https://sparketype.com/) and takes about 7-minutes to complete. At a minimum, it’ll open your eyes in a big way. It al

Jill Schlesinger is an Emmy-nominated and Gracie Award-Winning Business Analyst for CBS News. She covers the economy, markets, investing and anything else with a dollar sign on TV, on the “Jill on Money” podcast, and on her nationally syndicated show, “Jill on Money.” Before stepping into the world of financial news and advice, she spent 14 years as the co-owner and Chief Investment Officer for an independent investment advisory firm, after following in her dad’s footsteps as a trader on the floor of the NY Commodities exchange. She discovered that her heart was more in understanding the psychology of money and helping other people make better decisions that enable better lives. That same quest also led to Jill’s first book, The Dumb Things Smart People Do With Their Money, that reveals so many of the completely irrational things we do in name of money, how so much conditioning from family and society leads to bad decisions, and what we can do about it all.You can find Jill Schlesinger at: Website |

After years of on-the-ground advocacy work, Trystan Reese burst into the public consciousness on a global scale in 2017 when he and his partner told their non-traditional transgender pregnancy story. As the Director of Family Formation at Family Equality Council, a national nonprofit dedicated to supporting LGBTQ+ families and those who wish to form them, Reese regularly tells the unique story of his family's creation to audiences across the country on a mission to open a constructive dialogue, expand the public conversation about trans reproductive justice, queer families, and what it means to be a father and inspire understanding and change.You can find Trystan Reese at: Website | Instagram-------------Have you discovered your Sparketype yet? Take the Sparketype Assessment™ now. IT’S FREE (https://sparketype.com/) and takes about 7-minutes to complete. At a minimum, it’ll open your eyes in a big way. It also just might change your life.If you enjoyed the show, please share it with a frie

Jamia Wilson is an activist, writer, and speaker. As director of The Feminist Press at the City University of New York and the former VP of programs at the Women’s Media Center, Wilson has been a leading voice on women’s rights issues for over a decade. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, Elle, BBC, Rookie, Refinery 29, The Washington Post and more. She is the author of numerous books, including Young, Gifted, and Black, Step Into Your Power: 23 Lessons on How to Live Your Best Life, Big Ideas for Young Thinkers, and the co-author of Roadmap for Revolutionaries: Resistance, Advocacy, and Activism for All.You can find Jamia Wilson at: Website |Instagram-------------Have you discovered your Sparketype yet? Take the Sparketype Assessment™ now. IT’S FREE (https://sparketype.com/) and takes about 7-minutes to complete. At a minimum, it’ll open your eyes in a big way. It also just might change your life.If you enjoyed the show, please share it with a friend. Thank you to our super cool

Cey Adams, a New York City native, emerged from the legendary downtown street art movement to eventually exhibit alongside fellow artists Jean-Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring, and others in galleries, private collections and museums around the world. Along the way, Adams served as Creative Director for Def Jam Recordings, where he co-founded the Drawing Board, the label’s in-house design agency, creating visual identities, album covers, logos, and advertising campaigns for Run DMC, Beastie Boys, LL Cool J, Public Enemy, Notorious B.I.G., Maroon 5, and Jay-Z. Adams draws inspiration from 60’s pop art, vintage sign painting and comics. His work focuses on themes including pop culture, brand identity, cultural and community issues.You can find Cey Adams at: Instagram | Website | Facebook-------------Have you discovered your Sparketype yet? Take the Sparketype Assessment™ now. IT’S FREE (https://sparketype.com/) and takes about 7-minutes to complete. At a minimum, it’ll open your eyes in a big w

Susan Piver is the New York Times best-selling author of 9 books, a speaker, and founder of the largest virtual mindfulness community in the world, The Open Heart Project. She has been featured on Oprah, TODAY, CNN, speaks around the world and leads teachings and retreats on Buddhism, meditation, relationships and the essential practices for a life well-lived. In her most recent book, The Four Noble Truths of Love, and today's Best Of episode, she offers a powerful set of tools to reimagine and better navigate long-term, loving relationships in a way that respects each person's individual truth, while making space for a living, evolving container for love.Also, here's a special Valentine's Day Bonus PDF from Susan.You can find Susan Piver at: Website | Facebook | Instagram-------------Have you discovered your Sparketype yet? Take the Sparketype Assessment™ now. IT’S FREE (https://sparketype.com/) and takes about 7-minutes to complete. At a minimum, it’ll open your eyes in a big way. I

Raised in the small, rugged town of Salluit at the edge of the Arctic Circle, Elisapie fell in love with music at a young age, began singing and composing and eventually found her way to Montreal, where she built a career in the world of music, releasing albums and touring as both a musician and an Ambassador for Inuit culture. Her new multi-award-winning album, The Ballad of the Runaway Girl, is the musical tale of an expatriate Inuk, exploring her northern roots, femininity, love and life. Rolling Stone France called it a delicately violent album that seduces as much as it questions.You can find Elisapie at: Website | Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube-------------Have you discovered your Sparketype yet? Take the Sparketype Assessment™ now. IT’S FREE (https://sparketype.com/) and takes about 7-minutes to complete. At a minimum, it’ll open your eyes in a big way. It also just might change your life.If you enjoyed the show, please share it with a friend. Thank you to our super cool brand

Steven Hayes was a young psychology professor when he started having debilitating anxiety and panic attacks. Let down by conventional wisdom, he developed his own approach, which eventually grew into Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), a powerful, evidence-based form of not just therapy, but liberation. His work has since influenced decades of psychotherapy and is now practiced by tens of thousands of clinicians all around the world. His latest book is A Liberated Mind: How to Pivot Toward What Matters.You can find Steven C. Hayes, PhD at: Website-------------Have you discovered your Sparketype yet? Take the Sparketype Assessment™ now. IT’S FREE (https://sparketype.com/) and takes about 7-minutes to complete. At a minimum, it’ll open your eyes in a big way. It also just might change your life.If you enjoyed the show, please share it with a friend. Thank you to our super cool brand partners. If you like the show, please support them - they help make the podcast possible. See acast.com/