Arash's World Podcast

Clickbait and Fast Thinking: When Emotions Don’t Think & Take Over the Mind in Politics and Our Personal Lives with Dr. Bruce Hutchison

In this episode, I have the great pleasure to speak with Author and Clinical Psychologist Dr. Bruce Hutchison about his ground-breaking and very timely book “Emotions Don’t Think: Emotional Contagion in a Time of Turmoil”!

Dr. Hutchison explains that underneath our thoughts, actions, and behaviors are often unexamined, raw, and unconscious emotions and that we tend to follow them in an impulsive and reactive manner. This can have serious and dangerous repercussions and consequences not only in our daily interactions with each other where often anger and resentment become more pronounced and come to the forefront, but this can also be reflected in our political choices in terms of “emotional voting” and our overall beliefs.

By bringing and tapping into his impressive and wide-ranging personal experience as a clinical psychologist, Bruce offers various suggestions and solutions that each of us can benefit from to better manage and regulate our emotions. Furthermore, we provide different sports analogies to illustrate our views, in my case, an example of basketball while Bruce uses dodgeball to demonstrate our reactions to different emotions.

Throughout our discussion, neither one of us takes a political stance or position here but we attempt to bridge differences, create and foster a common ground of respect for ourselves and others, and empathize and understand what emotions, needs, and desires people are trying to express and communicate.

Anxious Overachievers: Author Nick Jonsson Talks Executive Loneliness and Mental Health Struggles in the Business World

In this episode, I have the great pleasure to talk with Author, Executive Mental Health Advocate, and Leadership Keynote Speaker Nick Jonsson about his courageous and resourceful book “Executive Loneliness: The 5 Pathways to Overcoming Isolation, Stress, Anxiety & Depression in the Modern Business World”!

He talks about the stigma around executive loneliness and why the corporate world often ends up suffering from anxiety, stress, and isolation, and why executives find it rather difficult and challenging to reach out and ask for help.

We also discuss the warning signs and symptoms of depression and burnout, how addiction can take many forms and guises, and how we can overcome mental health issues and challenges with his program of 5 Steps and Pathways toward improved mental and physical health and well-being.

Free Puppies: On Rescuing Dogs & Taking Care of the Community with Compassionate & Caring Women Leaders & Filmmakers with Monda Wooten & Samantha Wishman

In this episode, I have the privilege to speak with Rescuer Monda Wooten and filmmaker Samantha Wishman from the documentary Free Puppies! This amazing, eye-opening, sobering, and occasionally uplifting documentary deals with both the heartbreak and heroism of dog rescue in the United States!

We talk about the importance of community and supporting and taking care of each other, which includes the various animals of the region. Monda has made it her personal goal and mission to save and rescue as many dogs as possible, to ensure that the animals are safe and sound, to provide resources and education to local people regarding spaying and neutering pets, and to promote the overall health and well-being of all the animals.

Samantha talks about her inspiration behind this documentary and how she is trying to shed light on the community and its residents by underscoring the plight of many neglected animals and individuals but also highlighting the efforts of rescue workers and different organizations.

Both also point out that the authorities need to do more in this respect and that women have come forth and become strong and compassionate leaders regarding these issues and that they have helped their community in innumerable ways and manners.

Life is a Game and Appreciating Your Heartbeats and the Many Lessons of the Universe with Stacey Aaron Domanico

In this episode, I have the great pleasure to speak with certified life and empowerment coach, and two-time cancer survivor Stacey Aaron Domanico about her inspirational and life-affirming book "Where You Spend Your Heartbeats? Design the Life You Desire, One Heartbeat at a Time”!

We talk about overcoming fear and anxiety and spending your moments and heartbeats wisely; how our intuition can guide us towards more peace and tranquility in our lives and how we can effectively change our mindset to have better and happier outcomes in all aspects of our lives.

When push comes to shove, we need to remind ourselves that our feelings are precious, that the universe loves and supports us, and that we need to pay attention, have awareness and read the many signs and signals surrounding us everywhere. At that point, love will flow and go smoothly, and it will become an exciting game of sorts!

Why Discipline & Punishment Do Not Work for Children and How & Why Gentle Conscious Parenting Wins the Day with Sarah R. Moore

In this episode, I have the great pleasure to talk with the author, speaker, certified gentle master trainer, and mother Sarah R. Moore about raising children in a safe, secure, and peaceful environment, and her insightful book “Peaceful Discipline: Story Teaching, Brain Science & Better Behavior.”

Based on current research on neuroscience, Sarah shows us how traditional parenting methods that rely strongly on discipline and punishment will not work in the long run but that conscious parenting that involves and nurtures connection-based relationships can be much better and much more effective models to follow and emulate.

Finally, Sarah talks about the importance of storytelling, Improv, and play-based teaching and learning, and how we can have more authentic, kind, peaceful, and love-filled interactions with ourselves and with our children.

Don’t Just Dream Your Life Away But Actually Dream It Into Existence With Rachel Senior

In this episode, I have the great pleasure to talk with author, entrepreneur, and dreamer Rachel Senior about her book and her enterprise "The Business of Dreams" on trusting and being guided by your dreams for personal and professional transformation, success, and happiness!

Rachel explains how dreams have been used in the past for guidance, be it in the Bible, or by previous inventors and entrepreneurs, such as Google's Larry Page, and how it served as inspiration for artists, musicians, and filmmakers including James Cameron's Terminator film and the Beatles' song Yesterday, among others!

Dreams come in different formats, shapes, and sizes, but once you respect, interpret, and understand your dreams, you can use the information available to choose the best path forward for yourself while aligning yourself with your vocation and picking and choosing the life and the business of your dreams!

Follow Your Heart, Stay in Your Lane & Chase Them Bears: In Conversation with Former Congressman Ric Keller

In this episode, I have the great pleasure to speak with author and former Congressman Ric Keller about his inspiring self-help book "Chase the Bears: Little Things to Achieve Big Dreams"!

Ric discusses how intuition and following your heart play a significant role in decision-making and finding happiness by giving anecdotes of his own life alongside various examples of celebrities. For instance, we learn how Dolly Parton said no to the King (not Charles but Elvis!) and why Albert Einstein would not have made a successful bull rider!

We both also underscore the importance of humor and that self-deprecating humor and being vulnerable are not only signs of strength and confidence but can help to connect with others and even lead to success. Moreover, apart from overcoming fear, showing courage, and stepping out of our comfort zone, we want to set specific goals, reiterate them, and visualize successful outcomes so that they can become true, real, and tangible in our lives.

It is like a magical formula, and it works wonders. In fact, this has helped Ric not only face various challenges in his life, but it has helped him become an elected congressman despite having been an underdog with little to no previous political experience.

Setting Individual Purpose-Driven Goals with Neuroscience and the Subconscious Brain in Mind with Jill McAbe

In this episode, I have the great pleasure to talk with Jill McAbe, coach, teacher, entrepreneur, and author of "It’s Go Time: Build the Business and Life You Really Want". We talk about the importance of discovering and finding out what you want in life and at work by following a purpose-driven business model.

Moreover, Jill talks about goal setting while taking into account the influence of the subconscious mind as well as the importance of finding a business that fits and suits your life and lifestyle and that matches your emotional needs and desires.

Finally, she also explains that discovering yourself and being true to yourself gives you immense power and is a catalyst and reliable measure for success. We all have special gifts and should embrace and celebrate them and instead of dimming our light, we would be much better off and much happier and more successful by shining, expanding, and brightening our unique brand of magic.  

Every Story Matters: Storytelling Legacy and How Each of Us is Born and Dies with a Unique Story with Sharon Wegscheider-Cruse

In this episode, I have the pleasure and honor to speak with Sharon Wegscheider-Cruse, writer of 23+ books with many vocations as well as stories to tell, and here we discuss her latest book "Storytelling Legacy: Everyone Has Stories – What are Yours?"

As she explains, life not only begins and ends with a story, but storytelling can be used to connect, engage, and inspire while helping us to create a brighter future and foment authentic relationships with ourselves and others.

Moreover, we talk about the importance of humor and boots (!), how to harvest and distill the potential for creativity out of boredom, how to be aware of the dark spaces of digital screens and technology, and how the process of grief matures us and helps us to grow on our journey of life.

Finally, we also talk about her various encounters with celebrities including meeting both Gloria Steinem and Mr. T. on the Larry King Show as well as her own legacy and impressive and outstanding work in the field of addiction and dependency and the National Association for Children of Alcoholics, which she co-founded.

The Inherent Power of the Trickster Archetype to Change the World through Disruptive Play with Dr. Shepherd Siegel

In this episode, I have the absolute pleasure and delight to speak with rock and jazz musician, educator, author, and trickster par excellence Dr. Shepherd Siegel about his inspiring, uplifting, and seriously amusing book "Tricking Power into Performing Acts of Love: How Tricksters through History have changed the World"!

We talk about awakening and nurturing the inner child within us all to enjoy life and have fun and how the trickster archetype, existing in every culture, folklore, and mythology, is in essence neither good nor evil but is more interested in having a good time.

The American tricksters range from cartoon characters like Bugs Bunny to comedians like the Marx Brothers and Andy Kaufman, and they often embrace or encourage disruptive play and occasional mischief while being generally and most of the time of pure heart and filled with good intentions.