The Better Show

• 3:28 — We discuss why the topic of equity is important and why we were inspired to explore this topic further.
• 6:40 — March welcomes Andrew Grant-Thomas to the show and we learn a little about his background and how he began his work on EmbraceRace.org.
• 10:06 — Andrew discusses the resources that EmbraceRace provides and how those tools address different aspects of racial equity.
• 13:47 — Becoming more aware of racial inequities in everyday life and how to begin talking to your children about race and racial justice issues.
• 17:55 — How tying school funding to property taxes is a factor in continuing racial inequity.
• 21:19 — How are the recent developments in the US and abroad have increased the level of interest in the resources that EmbraceRace.org provides.
• 26:50 — Andrew recommends a few practical things that people can do if they want to help support the cause of racial equity.
• 32:15 — Ian, Darren and March reflect on the interview with Andrew and some of the things that resonated most with us.
• 35:45 — Ian reflects on how children might be an underserved group when it comes to racial education.
• 41:04 —Ian noted the comment that Andrew made about “there may not be a sideline to stand on anymore”
• 42:25 — Darren reflects on how there are a variety of ways to contribute to the cause of racial justice and how at some level we are all on a journey towards being better.
• 47:17 — “Just because you know what’s going on doesn’t mean that you know how best to address the problem.”
• 51:10 — March shares some historical polling data on trust in the police and speculates how the numbers might have changed recently.
• 53:17 — Darren shares how Andrew’s example of how unconscious bias in how people shop for schools was a point that really resonated with him.
• 57:14 — We explore the issue of inequity of schooling and practical ways to help improve equity in schooling.
• 59:56 — Ian proposes a more constructive way to frame the conversation by focusing on what society gains by increasing racial equity rather than what some people need to give up for the benefit of others.

Mentions

• 📰 Website: EmbraceRace
• 👥Social Media: EmbraceRace on Facebook
• 📺 Webinar: Supporting Youth Leadership and Activism
• 📺 Webinar: “How do I make sure I’m not raising the next ‘Amy Cooper’?”
• 📖 Book: So You Want To Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo

Show Notes

• 3:10 — We take a moment to recognize the importance and express our support of the racial justice movement in response to the recent killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
• 5:26 — We share a list of reputable organizations working to further the cause of racial justice.
• 14:30 — Is a pet store a good place to find a pet to adopt?
• 15:00 — What is a puppy mill and what kinds of conditions do animals endure in puppy mills.
• 18:49 — Darren recommends a Netflix series called Rotten that exposes the realities of our food chain.
• 20:26 — How to find a reputable pet seller.
• 22:02 — How to identify a responsible breeder.
• 24:40 — Darren shares how he and his wife, Mardee, confirmed that the rescue they worked with in Texas to adopt Ellie was reputable.
• 26:28 — Online resources for finding a new pet.
• 28:00 — What to expect when adopting a new pet including what fees and costs are appropriate.
• 31:13 — Using the breeder or rescue organization to learn about your new pet.
• 36:26 — Resources to find service animals.
• 39:30 — How to help your local animal rescue services.
• 40:30 — Different categories of service animals.
• 43:25 — Other things to consider before adopting a new pet.
• 47:35 — The surge of adoptable ducklings and rabbits that occurs right after Easter.
• 48:30 — Darren advocates for pet insurance.

Mentions

• 💲 Pet Insurance research: Consumer’s Advocate review of pet insurers
• 🐕‍🦺 Organization: Dogs for the Disabled
• 🐕‍🦺 Organization: Canine Partners for Life
• 🐕‍🦺 Organization: American Foundation for the Blind
• 🐕‍🦺 Organization: Canine Good Citizen program from the American Kennel Society (AKC)
• 📰 Website :Petfinder.com
• 📰 Website: Adopt-a-pet.com

Show Notes

• 2:46 — Darren shares that he and his wife recently adopted a new puppy, Ellie and he discusses his motivation for focusing on this topic.
• 4:10 — The benefits of pet adoption including companionship, stress reduction, and better mental health.
• 7:01 — March shares his past experience adopting a large dog in his small apartment.
• 13:04 — March reflects on the differences between pet ownership in Ireland and the US.
• 13:50 — Ian reveals that he and his family are long-time cat people.
• 15:27 — We take a moment to enjoy a view of Ian’s dream of owning a baby giraffe. 😄
• 19:21 — Darren shares a story from his youth about owning an evil poodle.
• 21:32 — The importance of preparation and a little bit of research when choosing to get a new pet and the difficulty of finding a new home for a pet that doesn’t fit your lifestyle.
• 23:30 — Deciding what you want out of a pet — exercise companion, cuddle companion, etc.
• 24:49 — Selecting your pet species and the breed.
• 26:30 — Questions to ask yourself when choosing a pet and a breed of dog or cat.
• 27:01 — Online resources to help you learn about different dogs and cats.
• 28:55 — The right flavor of giraffe for your home and lifestyle.

Mentions

• 📰 Article: Research on pets and mental health
• 📰 Article: Best pets for mental health
• 📰 Article: Why Some People Think of Pets Like Children and Others Don’t
• 📖 Doc: Google Doc from Seattle Humane Society with a collection of Learning Resources
• 📺 Videos: PAWS Academy (videos to learn about animals)
• 📰 Website: Petcube blog

Show Notes

• 4:15 — Why habits are important to pay attention to and what role they play in our lives.
• 8:09 — Ian, March, and Darren share their personal experiences with building good habits and breaking bad ones.
• 14:14 — Ian explains the core concepts behind BJ Fogg’s methodology in Tiny Habits.
• 15:28 — Why the “tiny” component is so important to the process.
• 17:10 — The Fogg Behavior Model and what it tells us about forming habits.
• 21:45 — Ian explains why being highly motivated can actually be a bad thing for creating a new habit.
• 23:43 — The concept of “magic wanding” and how to figure out which behaviors to focus on.
• 28:49 — The relationship between ability and the formation of habits.
• 32:18 — Anchoring a new desired behavior to an existing habit.
• 35:50 — The relationship between emotions and habits.
• 39:58 — Ian explains why BJ Fogg says that it’s wrong to try to “break” a bad habit.
• 43:23 — Tactics to break bad habits by increasing the effort required to engage in those behaviors.
• 46:39 —Supporting others in their quest to adopt a new good habit.
• 50:00 — The Tiny Habits Recipe Card.

Mentions

• 📰 Website: Free Tiny Habits 5-Day Program
• 📖 Book: Tiny Habits by BJ Fogg

Show Notes

• 1:15 — How we arrived at the topic this week.
• 3:40 — March reflects on how losing his sense of curiosity is an indicator of burnout for him.
• 12:45 — Darren shares a gesture of gratitude that his sister-in-law received from the principal at her school.
• 14:14 — Ian shares how he has been experiencing burnout lately.
• 15:20 — March reflects fondly on a recent recovery day and the different types of recovery days in his life.
• 17:30 — Zen and the art of home repair.
• 21:40 —The characteristics of a recovery day for Darren including getting away from obligations.
• 23:29 — Darren proposes instituting a holiday on the first sunny Friday of the year.
• 25:17 — Ian talks about how the definition of a recovery day has changed for him over the past several years.
• 30:15 — Prioritizing your own recovery and the Eisenhauer Matrix.
• 34:01 —March shares how his perfect recovery day would unfold including time in nature and being productive with his hands.
• 40:20 — Some things that didn’t work for March when trying to recover.
• 47:29— Ian shares his tactic of unplugging from his normal routine including unplugging from his phone’s notifications.
• 47:29 — Ian shares one way he unplugs is by reading something old.
• 54:31 — Rediscovering old pleasures like classic video games and old movies.
• 56:44 — Finding your highlight for the day.
• 59:20 — Ian waxes poetic on his love for the sauna.
• 1:02:04 — Darren describes his perfect recovery day including waking up with the sun, going for a swim in the ocean, and enjoying the conversation at a local coffee shop.
• 1:08:50 — March’s “better next step” is a portable sauna.
• 1:10:02 — Darren leans in on creating high-quality cocktails.
• 1:11:19 — Ian is going to schedule more mental health days.

Mentions

• 📦 Product: Luminara flameless candles with timer
• 🎵 Music: Kind of Blue album by Miles Davis