John McEuen Shares New Music, and His Book: The Life I've Picked

Season 6 has been all about finding joy in the messy middle. In the season finale, I'm looking back and the 5 most memorable conversations I've had with guests over the last year. For each one, I'm sharing a bit about what stood out about our conversation, and, playing a bit of the episode so you can hear them explain things in their own words.

Dr. Jeff Speiss is the author of "Dying with Ease," and he joined me early on in the season. I love that he shared about what he's learned from working with people who are dying, and what we can all do to feel more joy while we are alive. He also talked how listening to someone in a difficult time is often the most profound gift you can give them. Tune in to our original full length conversation in episode 268.

Molly Knoderer and I went to high school together and played softball on the same team. She's a co-owner of Legacy Concierge Services, and an author. Her business works with finding care for the elderly, both in working with families and with aging people. I loved that she shared about overcoming obstacles and self doubt. And she also talked about some of the lessons she's learned about how to face hard times (like 9/11) from working with elderly clients. Listen to our whole conversation right here in episode 270.

Lan Cao, and her daughter, Harlan Margaret Van Cao wrote an amazing memoir together title "Family in Six Tones." As an immigrant from Vietnam during the Vietnam war, Lan Cao has interesting perspectives on belonging and family. She shared about how learning the syntax of English as a child gave her a framework for understanding complexities in life, and she talks about how that layered in to her understanding of her daughter as a high school student. You can listen to episode 274 by clicking here.

Erica Courdae is a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion consultant, and a life coach, and small business owner. She is also the host of Pause on the Play. I had the pleasure of meeting her in 2019 and was really inspired by her talk about "Imperfect Allyship" at She Podcasts. I loved having Erica come on to share what imperfect allyship looks like, and how we can all approach anti-racism in a way that leaves room for honest mistakes as individuals grapple with difficult topics in an earnest way. Listen to episode 283 here.

Sonya Renee Taylor is the author of "The Body is Not an Apology: The Power of Radical Self-Love," and Radical Executive Officer of The Body is Not An Apology, a digital media and education company promoting radical self-love and body empowerment as the foundational tool for social justice and global transformation. It was a true joy to have her on the show, and I loved that she shared about how she defines radical self love. And, I was inspired hearing her talk about she only "gives from her overflow" in regards to activist work. You can listen to this whole delight-filled conversation here on episode 287.

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