The Dream Catcher Podcast

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Authenticity is about being true to yourself. It’s about presence and living in the moment. When you’re around an authentic person, you feel at ease and comforted by their presence. But being authentic is a challenge when you lack self-awareness and you have unresolved past issues.

To tell us more about what it means to be authentic and how we can connect with our authenticity I invited Dr. Patti Ashley.

Patti is a psychotherapist, author, and international speaker with over 35 years of experience counseling individuals, couples, families and groups in various settings. Her signature Authenticity Architecture model breaks through barriers to personal freedom and authentic growth, and helps her clients experience self-love, belonging and connection.

During our conversation Patti shares the key traits of an authentic person, the common blocks to getting in touch with our authenticity. She also shares some tools such as Mandalas and exercises that she uses in her own heart-centered model of creativity called “Authenticity Architecture.”

Our beliefs are the roadmap we consult when making choices in virtually every aspect of our lives, from the type of food we eat to the political party that we choose to support. All the decisions you’ve made thus far have been based on the beliefs you have.

Most people don’t realize the extent to which deep-seated beliefs in their minds control the direction of their lives. When we fail to question the beliefs that limit us, we may miss out on things that we want most, and it can blind us from seeing opportunities for growth and success.

This week, we’ll look at how we develop limiting beliefs and the five most common limiting beliefs that people have. You’ll learn to recognize when these limiting beliefs dominate your thoughts and have you can shift and replace them with empowering beliefs.  

Have you ever encountered someone who judged or made an assumption about you based on your race, nationality, education, or socio-economic background? 

Such blatant ignorance can be annoying and hurtful, but there’s no escaping it. Not everyone we meet in life is going to be culturally savvy and have the sensitivity to understand those who differ from them. However, unless they’re living in isolation, culturally ignorant people will find themselves at a distinct disadvantage in a globalized world. 

When dealing with culturally ignorant people, remember that there is a continuum when it comes to intercultural development. This week, I’ve outlined the five phases of cultural development and four steps you can take when you encounter ignorant behavior in others.

Over the years, there’s been increasing evidence of the nature of our thoughts and emotions have a direct impact on our physical health, influencing everything from the pain we experience to our immune system.

Although medical treatment continues to play an important role in healing symptoms, according to my guest today, Keiko Hoshino, our subconscious mind has an overwhelming ability to heal ailments and sometimes even transcend medical science.

Originally from Osaka, Japan, Keiko was working at a Japanese financial institution in London when she was introduced to Happy Science, Japan’s fastest growing and most influential spiritual movement with more than 12 million followers. Keiko was an ordained minister in 2000 who was later transferred to the United States in 2006 to minister in various cities in the US. In August 2018, Hoshino took on the role of Publishing Director for the US branch of Happy Science’s publishing arm.

During our interview, Keiko shares the main teaching of the Happy Science philosophy which we can apply to live a life of balance, joy and purpose. She also shares the secrets of how we can heal our body from within based on the astounding recovery made by the leader of Happy Science, Ryuho Okawa, who miraculously healed himself after suffering a severe life-threatening episode when his heart stopped.

The typical modern day proletariat finds himself working long hours, scraping just enough time together to have a life outside the office. Making time for stillness, and simply being is considered a luxury.

However, this type of lifestyle has proven deadly. It has resulted in the rise of all kinds of mental health issues. People attempt to cope with their pain by resorting to unhealthy addictions and behaviors, not realizing that they only mask the problem instead of getting to the root of it.

The solution to some of the most vexing problems isn’t found in a bottle of pills, a roll of weed, or in a tub of Ben & Jerry’s. It is found within us, when we engage in the richness of reflection. In this episode, you’ll learn about the benefits of a self-reflection practice and how to develop one.