The Dream Catcher Podcast

The Keys to Handling Criticism Well

No one enjoys being criticized because no one likes to feel like they’re wrong. It’s why we are drawn to like-minded people. One of the biggest reasons criticism hits us hard is because we equate it with rejection. In the moment it feels like someone is telling us that we’re not good enough or that we have failed in some way.

The unfortunate truth is that the world isn’t designed with our fragile egos in mind. From the moment we’re born, we’re evaluated against specific standards. The sooner we get over it, the easier it will be for us to see the value in constructive criticism.

Knowing how to take constructive criticism in our stride is a valuable life skill that can help us improve and increase our chances of success. This week I outline four steps we can take toward handling criticism from a place of strength and curiosity. 

 

5 Ways to Overcome Feeling Isolated and Alone

At one time or another, everyone has felt lonely. Loneliness is a byproduct of hyper-individualism and living in a society that’s moved away from community. If so many people experience loneliness under normal circumstances, imagine how much worse they could feel when forced into a situation that isolates them from their familiar lifestyles like what we’re seeing right now during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a time of crises, humans are instinctively driven to band together as a coping mechanism. What makes our current situation unique is that we have to face this crisis from the isolation of our homes. 

The good news is loneliness is a feeling and not a fact. There are things that we can do to feel better. This week, I outline four things you can do to feel more connected to others and develop a relationship with yourself, whenever you feel isolated and alone.

[Interview] The Keys to Managing Stress and Burnout (feat. Dr. Greg Hammer)

Stress has become a universal experience as well as a rising public health concern in modern society. People today are dealing with stressors that are greater in number and severity than in the past and this is taking a toll on our collective wellness.

Dr. Greg Hammer, my guest today, joins us on today’s show to shed more light on this topic. Greg is a pediatric intensive care physician, anesthesiologist, and professor at Stanford University Medical Center. He is a A member of the Stanford WellMD initiative and has been a visiting professor and lecturer on wellness at institutions worldwide.

During our conversation, Greg talks about the medical impact of stress on our bodies and how we can overcome them with his unique antidote called GAIN. He also talks about coping strategies that we can tap into specifically during the covid-19 global pandemic.

How to Change Your Attitude When You Can't Change Anything Else

A simple shift in our attitude can change how we experience life. The way we decide to respond to our circumstances determines how much satisfaction it brings. But what if the reality we face is exceptionally hard and pushes us to the edge?

The only source of liberation for us at this point our thoughts. I was subconsciously aware of this, but living through the current global pandemic has given me a deep, visceral understanding of what it means. What’s happening right now is a hard pill to swallow, but complaining and scapegoating will make it harder than it needs to be. 

What will help us get through it is changing our perspective on it. In this week’s episode, I’ve outlined four ways you can do this.

[Interview] Curating Your Life to Focus on What Truly Matters (feat. Gail Golden)

We’ve all struggled with finding time to do the things that matter most to us. For years, experts have told us that the only way to manage our time and organize is by finding the perfect work-life balance. However, according to my guest today, trying to establish work life balance is ineffective and there is another more effective approach.

Gail Golden is the founder of Gail Golden Consulting, LLC, an international management psychology consulting firm. She utilizes her experience as an entrepreneur and consultant to leaders of both Fortune 1000 and non-profit organizations to help businesses navigate rapid change by accelerating the development of senior leaders and their organizations. Gail has extensive experience as a public speaker at corporations and colleges.

During our conversation, Gail outlines the steps we can take to begin curating our life to become more productive and satisfied by our end results. She also gives advice on how we can manage burnout and feelings of being overwhelmed by a heavy workload.

5 Things to Keep in Mind When Setting Your Priorities

It is now, more than ever, that we have to learn the art of prioritization. Based on how things evolve around us, we need to adjust our lives and choose different priorities on which to spend our time and energy on. Even though we can’t control what’s happening around us, we can control what’s going on within and adjust our focus.

It’s through simple, everyday actions that we can find meaning. Our priorities define our lives and how we spend our time, whether it be at home, work, in our relationships, our community, or even when we’re alone.

When you choose priorities that are aligned with who you are and who you want to become, it will be easier to plan your day in a way that is congruent to things that hold importance and value to you. This week, I outline five important things to keep in mind every time you set your priorities.

[Interview] Make Better Decisions by Overcoming Blind Spots (feat. Dr. Gleb Tsipursky)

We’ve all made decisions we’re not so proud of. Perhaps we made them prematurely or we relied on some half-truths or incomplete knowledge or we got side-tracked from seeing the whole truth. 

According to my guest today, one of the biggest obstacles when it comes to good decision-making, both in our professional and personal lives, is our unconscious biases and blindspots.

Known as the Disaster Avoidance Expert, Dr. Gleb Tsipursky (see-PUR-skee)  is on a mission to protect leaders from dangerous judgment errors known as cognitive biases by developing the most effective decision-making strategies. He has over two decades of consulting, coaching, and training experience as CEO of Disaster Avoidance Experts, and over 15 years of experience in academia as a cognitive neuroscientist and behavioral economist.

During our conversation Gleb and I talk about the different types of thinking errors, known as cognitive biases, and how we can become more aware of them. Gleb also shares why he thinks that gut decisions are almost always inaccurate and what we should do instead.

[Interview] The Art of Decoding Body Language (feat. Dr. Jillian Pierson)

Body language refers to the gestures a person's face or body uses to communicate nonverbally either consciously or unconsciously. Becoming skilled at reading non-verbal cues can be invaluable to us in our personal and professional life and make us better communicators. To teach us more about the art of interpreting body language, I invited Dr. Jillian Pierson.

Jillian, or professor Pierson, has a psychology degree from UC Berkeley and a masters and doctorate degrees from USC’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. Jillian works to engage students in an ongoing conversation about communication as a social science and to encourage them to make their own unique contributions.

Join us for this fun conversation during which Jillain offers a basic framework for understanding non-verbal behavior and advice on how we can become better at reading people. She also debunks some common myths and gives tips on spotting liars.

Why Details Matter (and How to Become Detail-Oriented)

If you see anything that you deem perfect - whether it’s a beautiful work of art, a stellar dance performance, a breakthrough scientific study, or the embroidery on a favourite cushion- you can be sure that there was someone who labored for hours to make sure that they got it ’just right’.

A person who pays attention to the details clearly communicates to the world that they care. People view them as trustworthy, intelligent, resourceful, and quality-conscious. Those who produce half-hearted projects and make no effort to notice are seen as lazy and incompetent.

Fortunately, detail-orientation is a trait that we’re all capable of cultivating. In this week’s episode, you’ll learn five things you do to build on your effort to pay attention to the details.

The Different Stages of Emotional Intimacy

In a society where everything is set up to be high-speed and instantaneous, we have developed an expectation that everything, including our relationships, should be realized as quickly as possible.

In this way, many singles miss out on the depth, magic, and beauty that comes from moving at a slower pace and focusing on that one special person.

Getting to know someone does not occur in a single sweep of events. It unfolds in stages over a period of time. According to writer David Brooks, couples experience seven stages of intimacy. This week, we’ll dive into what it takes to develop healthy intimacy through the seven stages.