This Most Unbelievable Life!

Episode 49: Procrastination!

Wouldn’t it be fitting if the shownotes for an episode on procrastination were…just blank?  We might say that this episode came into being because of shownotes. In the early weeks of the podcast we wrote them together and with glee moments after we finished recording. Slowly but surely, however, they’ve fallen off our priority list and emerged on our “oh, crud, we need to get to that!” list?  What’s on your “I should be…” or “I need to…” or maybe “I don’t wanna…” list?
And perhaps more importantly, how do you navigate that feeling that you ought to get to something when something in you is screaming “that task belongs to tomorrow!”? This question in mind, we tackle the subject of procrastination in this episode. We discuss how we experience it as well as how it seems to show up in students this time of year. As we brainstorm solutions, we also try to get at the core causes and internal tensions that lead us, oh so regularly, to put off until tomorrow that which future us really wishes we would prioritize today!
Don’t procrastinate on listening to this one!  Give it a listen - maybe while you’re putting off that really icky thing you know you wish you had done yesterday! 
P + C
For related episodes, check out Episode 30 for our discussion on persistence, and Episode 32 for our conversation about inspiration!  
Episode 30 - Persistence : https://thismostunbelievablelife.podbean.com/e/persistence-1600772207/
Episode 32 - What’s Your Inspiration : https://thismostunbelievablelife.podbean.com/e/whats-your-inspiration-1601983204/
 
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Episode 48: Can we Prepare for Change?

Hi folks,
We recorded this podcast on January 19th, the day before the 2021 presidential inauguration. Here we are again, recording a podcast, the day before the arrival of new big change, whether known or unknown, for better or for worse. On the one hand, it makes it a little hard to know what’s going to be going on with folks on the day that the episode is released. On the other hand, however, isn’t that always the case?  Changes are always coming, not as an occasional event or occurrence, but rather as the state of the universe, as it is, all the time.
So, this then brings us to an important set of questions… how do we, how can we, and how shall we prepare for change? The question itself is a little paradoxical, isn’t it? How can we prepare for something when we don’t know what the thing itself is, whether on the grand scale, or in the details? Is there work that we can do within, and upon, ourselves to show up at our best when the inevitable change happens? Even moreso, we would ask: how can we be with this universe, as it is, in a state of constant change, while still being present to what is, as it is, as our best selves? In this episode, we unpack our perspectives on this a little bit, and we’d love to hear what you think, and how you might prepare yourself for the inevitable change that we know will happen. After all, that’s the river we’re in… this life!  
Thank you so much for listening!
P + C
For another episode about change, check out Episode 24 - Why do we Need Change
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Episode 47: How do You Handle a Crisis?

Hi folks,
If you listened to episode 46, you already know that we did a little bit of a dive into the subject of grounding. How do we stay grounded? How do we know when we need grounding? What do we mean when we say "grounded" anyway? 
That whole conversation happened on January 5th, 2020. At the time of that recording, little did we know, or anticipate, the shocking developments of January 6th that were about to transpire in our nation's capital! So here we are, a week on from that, and we find that we're in need of a different conversation. Being grounded in the day-to-day is one thing, but... how do we handle crises? We ask that question because, for many, that's what the events of January 6th represented - a  crisis. A crisis that threatened (and perhaps continues to threaten) not only our own sense of safety and security, but a crisis for democracy itself.
In this episode, we talk through some of our reflections on how we've... not handled... not managed... maybe withstood crises in our lives, and what navigating those events has looked like for us. It's one thing to think back on how we handled ourselves during a crisis event, and what we notice that we needed at the time to get through with our best selves intact. However, it’s another thing altogether to find ourselves called to be our best selves, with compassion for ourselves and others, during the events themselves. These are our thoughts on this subject so far, and we'd love to hear yours! After all, we're all just out here trying to do our best.
Thank you so much for listening!
P + C
 
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Episode 46: Finding Un-Solid Ground

Hi y’all,
Today’s episode starts with a picture. Several years ago, Cheri took a picture of some graffiti that said: “Expression is natural, concrete is not.”  In many ways, this quote is the foundation for today’s episode. Cheri’s been re-thinking her long tendency to look for, and cling to, solid ground - both literally and figuratively. Does staying on a strong foundation keep us safe or does it keep us from discovering new experiences?  Are firm foundations really as stable as we might think?  These are exactly the kinds of questions Cheri wanted to walk through with Paul in the space of this episode. So, are you similar to Cheri? Do tend to long for a solid foundation and certainty under your feet?  Or are you, like Paul, more comfortable with shifting terrain? 
In this one as we walk through a conversation about stability, foundation and grounding. Join us as we talk through the kinds of things that help us feel grounded. And let us know how you navigate these issues: how do you keep your footing in all that life throws your way? 
P + C
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Episode 45: Resolutions Reframed

Hi folks,
Happy New Year!
Here we are at the beginning of another year, and although the difference between December 31 and January 1 may be a somewhat arbitrary one, there is an opportunity here for some reinvestigation of priorities, a reframing of perspectives and expectations, and, of course, the dreaded New Year’s resolution. 
Yes, the New Year’s resolution often comes with the promise of gym memberships, marathon running, diets and weight loss, more of this, or less of that. There are so many things to resolve to do for yourself (or to yourself, perhaps!) it boggles the mind. Perhaps we’ve all heard the tales of packed gyms on January 1st which are once again empty by February 2nd. We might know first-hand the frustration of weight we wished to lose, that stubbornly stuck around regardless of our New Year’s Day resolve. What’s behind the success and failure of these resolutions anyway? What do they signal about how we feel about ourselves or navigate self-acceptance in this world?
In this episode, we take a look at the commitments we make to ourselves as part of the ritual associated with welcoming a new year. We chat through childhood traditions related to the turning of the calendar (which for Paul included a particular pickled product and for Cheri included an annual fete) before turning our attention to the complicated concerns that run beneath the New Year’s Resolution game. Join us to hear which kinds of intentions have served us well, and which ones we find particularly kind toward the resolver.
Enjoy, everybody! Thanks for listening, and may this year bring you all wellness and peace!
P + C
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Episode 44: Surrender

Hi all,
What does the word surrender mean to you? What comes to mind when you hear it? Does it conjure images of glorious battles won and lost, inglorious capitulation, or a sense of defeat? It's certainly ok if it does! After all, that is how the word is traditionally used. Either as a negative, or, at least, in a way that causes one to think that it represents a failing or a shortcoming of some kind. Many of us may feel that we are on the brink of surrender in this most challenging year of 2020.
That word... surrender... it can mean other things too and that’s part of what we explore in this episode. Surrender - offering up, turning over, relinquishing, letting go... all of these are synonymous with the notion of surrender. For Paul, there is a little bit of surrender every time he sits on a meditation cushion. For Cheri, there might be some surrendering to the page when she sits down to write. For everything you do, you want, or desire, what will you surrender, offer up, or relinquish in the process? Is it time, is it ego, is it the way you think things "should'' be? In this light, surrender can also mean liberation, or even freedom. 
Rather than surrendering ourselves to 2020, can we surrender 2020 to history, and welcome in 2021 fully? Maybe we can, easily, or maybe there might be some forgiveness to do to fully let 2020 go? Whichever the case, our freedom lies in our surrender of that which no longer serves us, so we can move forward to whatever comes next.
Enjoy, everybody! Thanks for listening, and Happy New Year!
P + C
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Episode 43: What is Contemplative Composing?

Hi all,
Welcome to solstice week! It’s a big week for many of us in this world, whatever our traditions may be. As many of us find ways to celebrate over the coming weeks during these most challenging, trying, and dare we say, dark days, it’s also a time that signifies rebirth, renewal, and the initiation of a new year, and maybe even a new you! For us? It’s a NEW season!
So what does this have to do with a practice called “contemplative composing”? Well, it’s our opportunity to tell you about some new-to-us thinking together we’ve been doing. Cheri refers to herself as a contemplative composer, someone who came to a contemplative practice from the world of composition. Paul, on the other hand, was introduced to composition as a part of a contemplative practice, wherein it represents yet another of the ways and means to uncover that which is within us. In this episode, the contemplator and the composer have a conversation about what contemplative composition is, what it looks like, and how any of us can get started on using composition as a door to contemplation, without too much of a lurking fear of a blank page. We’d love for you to give this one a listen and let us know what you think!
Enjoy! Thanks for listening, everybody! Happy Solstice!
P + C
NEW WORKSHOP LISTED - REGISTRATION NOW OPEN
Workshop on the Divine Abodes
We're excited to announce our next workshop on the Divine Abodes, AKA the Brahma Viharas. What are these abodes? They are nothing less than the heart practices embodied by the divine - Loving-kindness, Compassion, Joy, and Equanimity. In this 6-week workshop, you'll get weekly content in a variety of formats to assist you in your practice, as well as a weekly group meeting on Zoom where we can gather and share our thoughts, perspectives, and support for each other in general. For more information, check out the advertisement page by clicking on the link below.
Click here to learn more about the Divine Abodes workshop!
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Episode 42: Who do You Think you Are?

Hey folks! Here we are at the end of season 3! For this landmark episode, Paul thought that this would be a good time to start by asking Cheri another of those surprise questions, and for this one, he broke out the big guns! In this podcast, we talk through what Paul thinks is one of the biggest practical questions that we can ask ourselves : who do you think you are? 
Who indeed?!
When we look at the arcs of our lives, lives filled with things we’ve tried to do which sometimes succeeded, and occasionally failed, or, at least, went as anticipated or did not go as anticipated, it can seem both wildly audacious, occasionally straightforward, and also sometimes decidedly optimistic. Sometimes those initiatives are met with scorn, and at other times, thanks and praise, and often, how those outcomes are met challenges our ideas and notions of who we think we are, and often run in opposition to our views of ourselves.
So what do we do when that happens? Does this require us to re-imagine ourselves and our self-image, to make a little more room for unexpected praise, as well as sorrow, and how can we show up for all of these possibilities with our best selves? In this podcast, we talk this through, offering some of our own challenges with this idea of knowing who we think we are.  
Enjoy! Thanks for listening, everybody! 
P + C
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Episode 41: Questioning How We Categorize

What do the following questions have in common: “what’s your favorite kitchen gadget?” and “why do humans stereotype?”?  Well, believe it or not, we tackle both in today’s journey of an episode!  You might say today’s episode is a look at how we tend to group people into categories yet also often believe ourselves to be lone wolves, unique in our novel experiences. 
Are we quick to push people into general categories because it’s efficient or easier than taking time to really get curious about others?  Do we see ourselves as being “the only one like this” because we know our own ways of being just so intimately?  
We’re not the kind of folks with all the answers, but we sure did enjoy exploring these questions and can’t wait to hear what kind of truly good “get curious about new people” questions you, dear listeners, can come up with!
P + C
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Episode 40: Starting Over

Hey all! Here we are, December 1. We just finished November and now it’s time to start December. Perhaps it’s an artificial new start or maybe you’re really feeling the need to start over. Either way, here’s a question: what does it actually feel like to start over?  When We think about it, it seems like that is just about all we do! A new day, a new week, a new month, a new season… another podcast! We just did all of those things, and now we’re going to start over and do them again!
In this episode, we talk about times in our lives - little times when we lost something and we had to re-do it, and larger times when we made huge, redefining changes in our lives - when we felt like we were starting over. What is this act of starting over? Is it a recognition of something ending and restarting, or is it an admission of failure, followed by the need to begin again to the same end? Maybe sometimes, for some things, it’s the first; occasionally, it really seems to be the second.
What if we started to believe that it was ok to start over? Could we see restarts not merely as something to take another crack at, but also a way to bring some newly found wisdom into an experience. Rather than, “UGH, now I have to start over,...!”, it’s more like, “Ahh! The opportunity of a fresh start!” We talk about how this is more than just the difference between being pessimistic and optimistic; rather, it can be a distinction that offers an opportunity to bring your best self to any situation, and with the opportunities to begin anew, all that which can be gained!
Give this one a listen, and let us know what you think! 
Thanks Everybody!
P + C
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