Podcast
The Courageous Life
Hosted by Joshua Steinfeldt · EN
Founded by coach and teacher Joshua Steinfeldt, The Courageous Life invites you into a deep conversation about finding the courage to pursue what matters most in life, work, and love.
14episodes
Episodes
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On the Possibility of Meeting Hate with Love | Dr. Barbara Tint
6d ago01:00:51Tap to summarizeHow can we find the courage to come back to love in perilous times? To meet hate with curiosity? And to see, with greater clarity, what connects us, rather divides us?These are the deep and challenging questions we’re continuing to explore in A mini-series on the podcast that has brought together leaders across disciplines to discuss the possibility of embracing impermanence, leaning into mystery & wonder, And is now turning the final conversations in the series toward love. Dr. Barbara Tint holds her PhD in International Conflict Resolution,Is a Professor of Conflict Transformation,Has been doing peace and reconciliation work around the world for decades, And is also an award winning story teller who has shared stories through The Moth and other renowned venues. Today we’ll dive deep into the possibility, and the courage it can take, to choose love in challenging times, Barb will share stories from her experiences facilitating constructive dialogue, Building bridges across differences as a peace psychologist, And what she’s learned about the power of improvisation, and curiosity, through her work. Barb offers us all a beautiful reminder. If we can find a way to suspend our judgments and assumptions, If we can find a way to get curious, To listen deeply, and in ways that lead to understanding each other,Then there’s hope that we might find our way through this,together. For more on Dr. Tint, her books, events, and other offerings, please visit barbaratint.comDid you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations from our mini-series on Love:On Awakening, Belonging, and Love | Henry ShukmanOn Love, Storytelling, and Radical Curiosity | Baktash AhadiOn the Power of Love | Stephen G. PostEnjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!Thanks for listening!Support the show
Transcribe →[Best of] On Awakening, Belonging, and Love | Henry Shukman
2w ago01:06:00Tap to summarizeIn his revelatory book Original Love, Zen meditation master, award winning author, poet, and renowned spiritual teacher Henry Shukman,offers a tantalizing proposition. At any moment there is a powerful possibility available to us.One that involves piercing the illusion of separateness,And experiencing a deeper and more expansive sense of connection. In these moments which are deemed by some as ‘awakening'it can seem as if a spell has been broken.It can feel as though are waking up from a sort of dream as we see, feel, and know that there is in fact no separation. There are no borders. There is no “other.” At some level, everything and everyone are connected. Henry argues that these experiences can be the single most healing, positively life-transforming events that can happen to us. Well documented for centuries, across different wisdom traditions, and now explored through scientific research,Experiences of 'waking up' to our interconnected nature often lead to large positive shifts in our priorities.These moments often marked by a move from self-protection and self-promotion toward a natural flow of compassion and concern for others and the world.This boundless experience is what Henry calls Original Love. Today we decided to re-release this episode as part of our mini series on love. In this conversation, (originally published at the beginning of 2025), Henry and I will explore the possibility of Original Love. An experience that Henry beautifully reminds us becomes more likely When we begin to:Allow whatever is arising in the moment to simply be as it is, Meet our lived experience with greater curiosity, presence, and love,And when we begin to loosen the grip of control as we learn to increasingly relax into uncertainty. For more on Henry, his books, teachings and live events, please visit henryshukman.com or check out The Way, his popular meditation app - which you can find at thewayapp.comDid you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations from our mini-series on Love:On Love, Storytelling, and Radical Curiosity | Baktash AhadiOn the Power of Love | Stephen G. PostEnjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!Thanks for listening!Support the show
Transcribe →On Love, Storytelling, and Radical Curiosity | Baktash Ahadi
3w ago01:01:43Tap to summarizeWhat does it mean to choose love in the times we're in?What will help us to open our hearts again after they close? And see with greater clarity, what connects us, rather divides us?These are the deep and challenging questions we’re exploring in the final chapter of this trilogy. A mini series on the podcast that has brought together leaders across disciplines to discuss the possibilities of:Embracing impermanence, Leaning into mystery & wonder, And is now turning the conversation toward love. Emmy and Peabody Award Winning Filmmaker, Baktash Ahadi writes:“Growing up across cultures, languages, and histories shaped by conflict, I learned early that facts alone rarely move people. Stories do. They shape belonging, fear, loyalty, and identity. Long before I became a filmmaker, I was already paying attention to how narratives functioned beneath the surface of everyday life.”I wrote to Baktash and asked him:Could storytelling be part of the answer to these questions? Could storytelling be what helps us find our way back to each other? Today’s conversation will traverse this territory. Including the insights Baktash has gained through documentary work across conflict zones, classrooms, institutions, and intimate human spaces. The patterns he’s uncovered. The ways in which Narratives have structure, how they carry emotional momentum, And how ultimately they shape how people interpret themselves, each other, and the world. Baktash offers a powerful reminder:When mishandled, Narratives flatten complexity and deepen division. But when handled with care, they create space for dignity, curiosity, and connection.And ultimately the profoundly human practice of sharing, and listening to each others stories, may be what helps us to love again. For more on Baktash, his films, podcast, events, and other work please visit baktashahadi.org. For more on his recent documentary Champions of the Golden Valley, please visit: https://www.championsofthegoldenvalley.com/Enjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!Other conversations in the trilogy:Part One: Impermanence:Impermanence, Letting Go, and Finding Freedom | Sharon Salzberg & Sunita PuriOn Work, Friendship, and Embracing Impermanence | Parker Palmer & Jerry ColonnaOn Love, Death, and Embracing Our Humanity | Roshi Joan Halifax & Frank OstaseskiPart Two: Mystery & WonderOn the Power of Wonder | Monica Parker On Ordinary Mysticism, Wonder, and Love | MIrabai StarrOn Living a Life That Brings us Truly Alive | Lee JohnsonPart Three: LoveOn the Power of Love | Stephen G. PostThanks for listening!Support the show
Transcribe →[Best of] On the Power of Love | Stephen G. Post
4w ago01:11:57Tap to summarizeProfessor Stephen G. Post, one of the world’s leading scholars on altruism, love, compassion, and the science of giving, has a beautiful new book out: Pure Unlimited Love: Science and the 7 Paths to Inner Peace.In it, he writes:When the happiness, security, and well-being of another feels as meaningful and real to us as our own, or perhaps more so, we love that person.This love, which Stephen has made a central focus through his life’s work across 4 decades,As a researcher, a writer, a professor of preventive medicine and founder of the Institute for Research on Pure Unlimited Love.Is the type of love that includes, but extends beyond, our nearest and dearest to all humanity. It’s love that is based on our shared dignity and interdependence with one another and with nature.In this conversation, which we are re releasing today we’ll dive deep into the topic of love as we kick off the third installment in this trilogy over the coming weeks. This trilogy began with a focus on embracing impermanence, Then in part two explored the power of mystery and wonder, and is now ending with (in Stephen’s words): A scientific and spiritual exploration of how the healing power of love can transform mind, body, and spirit in individuals and communities, even in times of chaos.This conversation serving as a hopeful reminder -When we choose love, it isn’t just a path to inner peace,It opens up the possibility of creating a better world. For more on Stephen, his books, research, and other resources please visit stephengpost.com and for more on the Institute for Research on Pure Unlimited Love check out: unlimitedloveinstitute.orgEnjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!Other conversations in the trilogy:Impermanence, Letting Go, and Finding Freedom | Sharon Salzberg & Sunita PuriOn Work, Friendship, and Embracing Impermanence | Parker Palmer & Jerry ColonnaOn Love, Death, and Embracing Our Humanity | Roshi Joan Halifax & Frank OstaseskiOn the Power of Wonder | Monica Parker On Ordinary Mysticism, Wonder, and Love | MIrabai StarrOn Living a Life That Brings us Truly Alive | Lee JohnsonEnjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!Thanks for listening!Support the show
Transcribe →On Science, Hope, and Humanity | Matt Kaplan
Apr 2700:53:06Tap to summarizeFor two decades, Matt Kaplan has covered science for The Economist. He’s seen breakthroughs often occur in spite of, rather than because of, the behavior of the research community, and how support can be withheld for those who don’t conform or have the right connections. In his latest book, I Told You So! Scientists Who Were Ridiculed, Exiled and Imprisoned… For Being Right, Matt shines a light on some of these cases, both past and present. From Galileo being threatened with torture To Nobel laureate Katalin Karikó being fired when on the brink of discovering how to wield mRNA–a finding that proved pivotal for the creation of the Covid-19 vaccine. In today’s conversation we’ll explore some of these stories, Why scientists have had to fight for their revolutionary ideas to be accepted, And reflections on how we can, and need to, do better. Matt’s work offers a poignant reminder:If we are going to solve the grand challenges we’re facing,From natural disasters to global pandemics,We need science. And, we need each other.The creativity, innovation, and scientific discoveryThat will help us find our way forwardWill come from more humble ways of working together, Recognizing our shared humanity,And ultimately redesigning the systems scientists work in -to prioritize collaboration over cutthroat competition.For more on Matt, his books, writing, and other offerings please visit: somuchsciencesolittletime.comEnjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:On the Remedy for a World on Fire | Dr. Joanna CheekOn How to Flourish After Leaving Religion | Dr. Daryl Van TongerenOn Unlocking Our Primal Intelligence | Angus FletcherThanks for listening!Support the show
Transcribe →On How to Speak Up When it Matters | Dr. Sunita Sah
Apr 1700:59:11Tap to summarizeWhy is it so hard to speak up even when you know something's wrong? This is the question that physician, award-winning organizational psychologist, and tenured Professor at Cornell University, Dr. Sunita Sah has been obsessed with for decades. In her illuminating book: Defy: The Power of No in a World That Demands YesShe asks us:"How many times have you wanted to object, disagree, or opt out of something—but ended up swallowing your words, shaking your head, and just going along?" And then she invites us:To imagine the life we want to lead, not the one we’re willing to accept. In today's conversation we’ll dive deep into the topic of defiance, Why the pressure to comply and ‘go along to get along’ is a corrosive and often invisible force in our society,And, through an exploration of her revelatory research, How we can radically reframe defiance from a misunderstood negative trait into a crucial, positive force for personal and societal change. Sunita’s pioneering work couldn’t be more timely. In many ways it serves as a lantern for our times - Shining a much needed light on the path we can all take To stop people pleasing,To start living our truth, and to speak up when it matters most.For more on Dr. Sah, her book, speaking, and other offerings, please visit sunitasah.comDid you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:On the Science of Mastering Your Intuition | Laura HuangOn Saving Ourselves and the World | john a. powellOn Honoring the Soul (Pt. 1) | Parker J. PalmerEnjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!Thanks for listening!Support the show
Transcribe →On Flourishing Despite Life's Challenges | Richard Davidson & Cortland Dahl
Apr 200:59:32Tap to summarizeIn their powerful new book, Born to Flourish,Renowned neuroscientists and contemplative teachers Dr. Richard J. Davidson and Dr. Cortland Dahl offer a radical and hopeful idea:All of us come into the world with an innate capacity for kindness, compassion, and human flourishing. Through a powerful blend of storytelling, pioneering research, and ancient Buddhist wisdom, they reveal how reconnecting with our true nature can transform not only ourselves but also our divided world.In today’s conversation we’ll explore the landscape of human potential, and the possibility of flourishing in the face of life’s challenges. In many ways this exploration is rooted in one of the most important and hopeful scientific findings of our time. The fact that our brains are far more malleable than most of us assume, And that when we engage in practices which Richie and Cort have discovered take only minutes a day, we can profoundly reshape how we respond to stress, connect with others,understand ourselves, and ultimately infuse our lives with greater meaning and purpose. Named one of the most influential people in the world by Time, Richie has been a pioneer in contemplative science, and the domain of human flourishing for decades.Much of his work coming out of The Center for Healthy Minds. A center that he founded and where he serves as Director. It was at the Center where Richie and Cort first met - A chance encounter that in many ways felt more like it was destined to be. Since then they have collaborated closely together, and become good friends in the process. Today they’ll share more about this beautiful collaboration, and what’s come from it, including the four key skills of flourishing that they’ve identified through their research.What is so refreshing about their work is that it is (in many ways) a departure from the popular paradigms of quick fixes, and self improvement projects. Instead they argue that flourishing is about rediscovering something we already have.It’s about returning to our innate capacities for kindness, compassion, and basic goodness. And perhaps most importantly They remind us that these capacities can be strengthened by anyone — regardless of background, experience, or circumstance.For more on Richie and Cort, their new book Born to Flourish, the award winning Healthy Minds App which Richie and Cort created together, as well as other offerings including their podcast, and substack, Dharmlab please visit humin.org, or check out centerhealthyminds.orgEnjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:On Unwinding Anxiety and Finding Inner Peace | Dr. Jud BrewerMeditation, Awakening, and Original Love | Henry ShukmanOn the Transformative Power of Equanimity | Margaret CullenThanks for listening!Support the show
Transcribe →On Soul Work for Times of Uncertainty | Francis Weller
Mar 2000:58:11Tap to summarizeOver the course of his more than 40 year career,Renowned psychotherapist Francis Weller developed a unique style of practice. What he calls soul-centered psychotherapy. Francis writes:“When we listen to soul, to what is latent in the symptoms of depression, anxiety or addiction, we hear a more subtle voice calling out for attention. Only then do we come to understand the wisdom hidden in the suffering. Only then do we see what our soul has been asking of us all along.Once granted, the symptoms often abate, leaving us deepened by the encounter with soul.”In his moving and timely new book: In the Absence of the Ordinary Soul Work for Times of UncertaintyFrancis generously offers many of the powerful insights gained from a lifetime spent navigating the territory of the soul. In doing so, he invites us back into alignment with the wider world of belonging. In today’s conversation we’ll dive deep into Francis’s beautiful approach. Together we'll explore: The possibility of approaching our experiences with reverence, Working skillfully with grief, Practicing self-compassion, And learning to slow down and move at the speed of the soul.Throughout our time together Francis will also offer a crucial reminder. We cannot engage this work alone. It is together that we can carry the anxieties, navigate the difficulties, and honor the sacred transitions of 21st-century life. Community is our way through.Like thousands of people around the world, I have found Francis to be a lantern in challenging times. His work, a shining source of guidance, clarity and wisdom.And perhaps you’ll leave this conversation feeling as I did,and as so many do after being in Francis’s company, More connected, present, And changed for the better. For more on Francis, his books including The Wild Edge of Sorrow, events, and other offerings please visit Francisweller.netEnjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:On Listening and Attending to the Soul | James HollisOn Achieving the Transformation We Truly Seek | Ross Ellenhorn On Ordinary Mysticism, Wonder, and Love | Mirabai StarrThanks for listening!Support the show
Transcribe →On a New Way to Thrive in Uncertainty | Elizabeth Weingarten
Mar 1300:57:14Tap to summarizeIn his book Letters to a Young PoetCelebrated author and poet Rainer Maria Rilke wrote:“Be patient towards all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves as if they were locked rooms or books written in a very foreign language. Don’t search for the answers, which could not be given to you now because you would not be able to live them. And the point is to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps then, someday far in the future, you will gradually, without even noticing it, live your way into the answer.”In 2025, with the publication of her beautiful book:How to Fall in Love with Questions: A New Way to Thrive in Times of UncertaintyJournalist and applied behavioral scientist, Elizabeth Weingarten carries Rilke’s work forward. Through contemporary research, powerful storytelling, and her beautifully written prose,Elizabeth charts a new path for personal growth—a way to embrace the questions of our lives instead of seeking fast, easy answers.She writes:“What do you do when faced with a big, important question that keeps you up at night? Many people, understandably, seize answers dispensed by "experts," influencers, gurus, and more. But these fast, easy, one-size-fits-all solutions often fail to satisfy, and can even cause more pain.What if our questions—the ones we ask about relationships, work, meaning, identity, and purpose—are not our tormentors, but our teachers?”In today’s conversation we’ll explore the fascinating possibility of living the questions. Elizabeth will share stories from her journey of discovering a fresh, evidence-based approach for navigating uncertainty. One inspired by Rilke’s 150-year-old advice, and the moving stories of many others, whose lives have transformed through a different, and better, relationship with uncertainty.Elizabeth’s work offers a powerful reminder:When we find the courage to love the questions of our livesIt opens the door the kind of self-discovery that’s only possible when we feel most alive -That is, in the moments where don’t know what will happen next.For more on Elizabeth, her book, and other offerings please visit elizabethweingarten.comEnjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:On the Science of Mastering Your Intuition | Laura HuangOn the Power of Wonder | Monica ParkerOn Work, Friendship, and Embracing Impermanence | Parker Palmer & Jerry ColonnaThanks for listening!Support the show
Transcribe →[Best Of] On Expanding Our Window of Tolerance | Dr. David Treleaven
Mar 501:12:49Tap to summarizeDr. David Treleaven is a a writer, educator, and trauma professional whose work lies at the intersection of mindfulness and trauma. At the heart of David’s work is the notion that mindfulness is more powerful when combined with an understanding of trauma.Part of what’s behind this is the growing realization over the years that mindfulness meditation isn’t all good. There are a number of potential pitfalls that have been increasingly documented over time. One of which is that mindfulness can exacerbate symptoms of traumatic stress. As a result David has focused on offering mindfulness providers the knowledge and tools they require to meet the needs of those struggling with trauma.In this conversation (which was originally recorded during COVID and we are re releasing again) David and I will explore a few big questions:What is the relationship between increasing our capacity to be with discomfort and a meaningful and fulfilling life?How can we increase our capacity to tolerate distress and discomfort while staying regulated, and responsive in the process?When we are working at the edge of our comfort zone, or are working with the more difficult aspects of our experience how do we know when to keep going, and when to back off?This is one of my favorite conversations on the show over the years and Partly because David is such a skilled teacher, and partly because the framework we'll discuss together (called the window of tolerance) is one of the most practical I have come across for answering these big and nuanced questions about how to meet life from a more responsive and regulated place. For more on David, his book, courses and events please visit: davidtreleaven.comNote on re-releasing this episode:Every so often we will choose to re release an episode from earlier years. These conversations are often some of the best we've had on the show and you'll see [Best of] in the title. This conversation was originally recorded in 2021 during COVID, yet the themes, and what David offers feel just as timely and useful today as they did years ago. I hope you enjoy!Interested in taking David's flagship Trauma Sensitive Mindfulness Course? As a listener of The Courageous Life you can get $400 off. To receive the discount: 1. Head to: https://davidtreleaven.com/trauma-sensitive-mindfulness-complete/2. Upon checkout enter the coupon code: courage400Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are more conversations we think you'll love:On Why We Suffer and How We Heal | Dr. Suzan SongOn the Transformative Power of Equanimity | Margaret CullenOn the Power of Wonder | Monica ParkerEnjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!Thanks for listening! Support the show
Transcribe →