Shannon Algeo (LITE) - Mindfulness Teacher, Speaker, and Coach

Lite version - for full, un-cut, ad-free access, visit http://patreon.com/peaceofpersistence.

Host Abigail Wright introduces Shannon Algeo, a speaker, coach, and mindfulness teacher. Shannon is the co-founder of SoulFeed Podcast, and the creator of Awaken.Yoga, which provides affordable online yoga and meditation classes. As a coach, he also speaks and leads corporate mindfulness programs.

Show notes:
Mindfulness primer:
Mindfulness can be meditating for any period of time, or sensing the body from the inside out. Shannon discusses the idea from Eckhart Tolle's The Power of Now of sensing your body, your hand, your pinky finger. "Mindfulness is sensing and coming to know your location in yourself and in the world." He calls it a radical practice, compared to the rest of life, which can be so focused on stuff and identifying with stories that our thoughts tell us. He discusses the breath and experiencing boredom as a way to retrain the brain, seeing it as a counter-culture practice that helps us to connect to who we are beneath the surface.

Use attention and intention to have a "more nuanced, more felt experience." Referencing Brene Brown, Shannon also talks about how when we numb our negative feelings and thoughts, we also numb joy and connection - that we can't be selective about what we numb in life.

The people we draw into our inner circle are reflections of ourselves. When we're activated by someone else's energy, negatively or positively, it's a chance to evaluate opportunities for our own healing and growth - what it is we want to desire or create. When we do the work within ourselves to understand when we have more toxic relationships, it can help us to create boundaries to show others what we need. It comes back to mindfulness and responsibility in our own relationships.

What would you like the world to see differently?
"Who you are anywhere is who you are everywhere." You are enough, you are a leader, and people need you. "It's time to show up."

Any other advice for us?
If we're gentle (peaceful) with ourselves while being persistent and committed, "then we're going to be so powerful."

For more about Shannon's upbringing, how to learn to love yourself, lessons learned from producing the SoulFeed podcast, and so much more, go to www.patreon.com/peaceofpersistence.

Samba Schutte (LITE) - Comedian, Actor & Writer

Lite version - for full, un-cut, ad-free access, visit http://patreon.com/peaceofpersistence.

Samba Schutte is an actor, comedian and writer born in Mauritania, raised in Ethiopia, and schooled in Holland at the Utrecht School of the Arts. His comedy shows have spanned the globe, and he's known as the star of Watch Dogs: Amazing Street Hack, The Tiger Hunter, starring Danny Pudi, and Haleema, which premiered at the 2013 Berlinale Film Festival.

Show notes:
Samba discusses his birth and his love of Ethiopia, of his birthplace in the Sahara, and the desert. He moved to Holland at age 18 to study theatre, and he learned to speak Dutch when he moved there. As a shy child, he never thought of being a comedian, until his friends pressured him into trying it at an open stage in Holland - he loved it.

Only when moving to Holland did he realize what he had in Africa, and it taught him to always be grateful for who he is and what he has. He sees perspective as a key to having any kind of happiness or success in life.

"Laughter is key to getting through life in a joyful and sane way." He discusses how his sense of humor helps him to connect, cope, and heal in life.

Samba highlights the importance of accepting struggle as a part of life - and chocolate cakes. Clearly, he understands the importance of honoring and connecting to his inner child, and he shares that as a key to connecting with others.

Social media has a good side and bad side. The danger rests in comparing yourself when others post. On the other hand, it helps people connect, and Samba tries to use his social media platforms to post positively and help others laugh.
He follows the Ralph Waldo Emerson quote, "To laugh often and much; To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; To appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded."

Any advice for us?
Laugh, every day if you can. Remember your inner child, play, and dare to be who you think you are.

Find Samba at http://www.sambaschutte.com/ and @sambaschutte

Soprano, Author & Survivor Charity Tillemann-Dick

For this week only, enjoy this free preview of the extended versions our subscribers will enjoy on Patreon.com. Starting next week, visit www.patreon.com/peaceofpersistence to continue to enjoy full, extended, ad-free versions of The Peace of Persistence

In this week's extended audio-only! episode, host Abigail Wright speaks with Charity Tillemann-Dick, soprano, survivor of two double-lung transplants, and author of The Encore: A Memoir in Three Acts. Catch the full episode here:

Charity Tilleman-Dick is a soprano and top-selling Billboard classical artist. After receiving a diagnosis of Idiopathic Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension, Charity has had two double lung transplants, has been the National Spokesperson for the PHA (Pulmonary Hypertension Association), and continues to perform, being featured as a singer and speaker around the world.

She speaks candidly and enthusiastically about her upbringing (with 11 brothers & sisters), surviving two double-lung transplants and cancer, singing, relationships, finding the divine in yourself and others, living up to our potential and feeling complete, her love of food, and her book. The Encore: A Memoir in Three Acts is published by Simon & Schuster, and it comes out on October 3. Pre-order your copy on Amazon

You can also catch Charity at one of her upcoming book signing events, and she answered our last question, "do you have any advice for us," by saying she loves to give advice! Go to www.charitysunshine.com, and she's happy to answer any advice requests you might have. Thanks, Charity!

Sing for Hope's Camille Zamora

For the next 2 weeks only, enjoy this free preview of the extended versions our subscribers will enjoy on Patreon.com. More details to follow soon!

In this week's extended audio episode, host Abigail Wright sat down with soprano Camille Zamora, co-founder and co-executive director of Sing for Hope. Here's what she had to say:

Show Notes:

Sing for Hope is a group of over 2,000 artists who bring their talent and "a shot of hope" to those who need it most. Abby and Camille sat among some of their annual street pianos, designed by local artists, that went out among the NYC parks this summer and now are being used by local schools. Sing for Hope placed their 400th piano this summer, and they bring the community together, support artists, and allow artists to give their gifts to schools, hospitals, AIDS hospices, veteran hospitals, senior centers and more.

Through Sing for Hope's channel of giving through the medium of art, Camille shared that she has found her most authentic self. Community volunteerism and performing are parts of her balanced diet, as she feels a calling to share creativity in social justice work, perform as a singer, and enjoy parenting her son.

She discussed how Sing for Hope evolved out of a need to respond to tragedies such as 9-11, AIDS, and Hurricane Katrina. Their long-term dream is to own a space - a centralized hub to support all of their activity. 

Her goals? To continue to support her son's dreams (from whom she learns so much), to continue to sustain and support Sing for Hope, and to further her goals as a singer - including classical Spanish repertoire, such as her touring pops show, Tango Caliente, featuring bandoneon and dancers.

After speaking about her mentors and how they've taught her about the power of artistic habits of mind, she discussed her role as a speaker at this changing moment of the arts and culture landscape. Some people question arts volunteerism, and to them she said that art is an enormous currency. "Like any currency, you should earn some of it, and you might enjoy giving it away," Camille suggested - a different kind of stretching one's talent. She believes that arts and culture should be included in the conversation surrounding social change, especially for large scale systemic change and educational revamping.  

As an artist, Camille discussed success as achieving authenticity of communication, whatever the medium, and how she found her artistic authenticity from a young age until now.

What habits and traits lead to her happiness and success?
Exercise, a love of good food and friends, simple pleasures, and mindfulness of the innate joy that can be found in the simple moments.

What would she like the world to see differently?
We all sell ourselves short. Access to creativity and expression is one profound way to allow our potential to bloom, to allow ourselves to be greater, and "to excavate the imagination." "Live bigger," she says.

Any other advice for us?
Nobody gets through life unscathed. Know that the wounds are part of it, but also the beauty and the humor of the everyday can allow you to generate joy. 

Extras: Better than before - Loopholes & a New Year

Do you have an easier time breaking resolutions than making them? Host Abigail Wright discusses Gretchen Rubin's concept of loopholes and how identifying them might help.

Extras: Better than before - Cold or Warm Turkey?

Sometimes your best instincts are right! Host Abigail Wright discusses whether abstaining from temptation or being moderate in all things helps to form or break habits best.

Extras: Better than before - Clean Slate

When's the best time to form a new habit? Abigail Wright discusses Gretchen Rubin's book Better than before, and an invitation by Hal Elrod this Nov to create a clean slate!

Extras: Motivation! 4 Tendencies

Host Abigail Wright discusses Gretchen Rubin's 4 tendencies... how people respond to expectations can help us understand motivation of ourselves and those around us.

Take the quiz!
https://gretchenrubin.com/take-the-quiz

News: Exciting Announcement!!

TPOP is going to be on TV! Host Abigail Wright suggests connecting and presence to deal with change and tells you how to tune in this Sunday on MNN. 

Every other Sunday on MNN at 1:30pm, anyone in the world can livestream from:
http://www.mnn.org/live/2-lifestyle-channel

In NYC, watch on:

FiOS : 34

RCN : 83

Spectrum : 56 & 1996

Bill McKibben - Activist and Author

TPOP host Abigail Wright interviews activist and author Bill McKibben in this episode about climate change, our global community, and how to live going forward in our time of growth.

Extras: 5 Ways to Wellbeing Bonus - Care for the Planet

TPOP Host Abigail Wright talks about Live it Well UK's 6th bonus to wellbeing, care for the planet, and how to tie them all together for a better life and world.

Extras: 5 Ways to Wellbeing #4 - Keep Learning

TPOP Host Abigail Wright talks about the Centre for Wellbeing's 4th way to wellbeing, keep learning, and tips to doing it regularly, even during busy times.