Author, Rick Sharpe, joins us to discuss his experience with depression following the end of a relationship and discovering the power in his own vulnerability. Note: Rick joined us from Dubai and the video froze a few times, but the audio is solid.
“I was the posterchild for avoiding vulnerability. I avoided it at all costs.” ~Rick Sharpe
Rick’s book and this conversation focuses on discovering the power in vulnerability as well as learning the difference between reacting and responding.
Topics and Questions Include:
What has you living in Dubai?
What prompted your book, The Price of Heartbreak?
Was this your first breakup?
What was your healing process like?
Discovering Brené Brown.
Where did you learn it was wrong to be vulnerable?
What was the goal of the book?
What’s the best thing that has happened from writing, The Price of Heartbreak?
Were you afraid to know yourself?
What stands out as a key to your growth and healing?
Some men respond to heartbreak by giving up on relationships entirely, is that something you considered?
Dov Baron is recognized as one of the top 100 leadership speakers and corporate cultural strategist. He joins us to discuss purpose-driven leadership and the importance of aligning heart, soul, and mind.
The most important question we will ever ask ourselves is: “Why Am I Here? Followed by: What am I going to do about it?” ~Dov Baron
Dov works with CEOs and executives to grow their businesses by growing themselves. I was happily surprised by Dov’s depth of spirituality and personal growth experiences and knowledge, including quantum physics and Kabbalah. This conversation gave me new hope for corporate America.
Topics and Questions Include:
What is purpose?
What is purpose in regards to business?
What are the benefits of a purpose-driven organization?
How do you define leadership?
Resistance, ego, and vulnerability.
Skepticism vs pessimism.
How did you get involved in purpose and meaning work?
Returning to Real Men Feel, Anthony Simeone is a writer, speaker, and self-described “heroism advocate” with over two decades of experience in the practical application of literature, philosophy, psychology, and other disciplines. His the Live the Hero philosophy offers us a “life path” for use in overcoming obstacles.
“Heroic tales have always been meant to be inspirational as well as entertaining.” ~Anthony Simeone
This conversation is in response to a series of articles Anthony wrote for the GoodMenProject.com about his Live The Hero philosophy.
“That is the lesson of hero stories: no matter your situation, you have the power to uplift yourself and others and strive to make things better..” ~ Anthony Simeone
A heavy dose of sharing with Andy as I share from my heart about terror, emotional tunnel vision, and the challenges I’ve chosen to face this year. Real Men Feel isn’t just a slogan or catch phrase, it is how I live.
“Life is amazing and life is on your side.” ~Andy Grant
I did this as an impromptu video on Facebook the morning of Friday, March 8, 2019. I recorded and posted it. I didn’t watch until 24 hours later and decided to release as a podcast episode as an example of man willing to openly share his feelings.
Topics and Questions Include:
I’ve been crying half the days I’ve been home since vacation.
Feeling the Fears
A debilitating Terror
3 Challenging Things on my plate for this year: Kabballah, Ritual Master, Mount Kilimanjaro
The path of personal growth and spiritual awareness is not always easy and fun. Andy Grant is joined by two higher-level initiates of the Modern Mystery School, Brandon Boucher and Dr. Sean Carey, to talk about personal progression, growth, and pushing through the challenging times.
“I find when I share things that help me, they usually help other people as well.” ~Andy Grant
This episode is the most self-serving I’ve ever done. This conversation is happening because I desperately need it.
It is supposed to be that when the going gets tough, the tough get going. Yet, my prior experience has long been with the going gets tough, I want to quit. This year I’m embarking on the Ritual Master path with the Modern Mystery School, and with that a lot of fear is coming up. So I reached out to two men who are further along than I am for some advice and support.
Topics and Questions Include:
Sean, how and why did you first got involved with the Modern Mystery School?
Sean describes his awakening and kundalini experience.
Brandon, how do you describe the Modern Mystery School?
What is Magick?
Is this a cult?
Have you done any sort of personal growth work before this path?
Is your personal growth, your progression, always easy?
This path has been the hardest thing I’ve ever done – Sean
Brandon, Is it ever fun and easy?
If it is so challenging, why do it?
Have the fears and doubts been prominent for you?
Have you ever felt like giving up?
What did you do when everything felt stacked against you?
The Importance of developing your will.
How would you describe the Ritual Master path?
What is the negative ego?
What do you do to discern between something being your ego keeping you where you are and something that serves your highest good?
You both mentioned purpose, does that mean you know your purpose or is this MMS path helping you discover it more and more?
Andy shares his biggest fear.
What are some helpful things that anyone can put to use?
This week, Andy Grant is joined by author, podcaster, and student of the esoteric and metaphysical, Ronny LeBlanc, to discuss the power of dreams; the aspiration, inspiration, and communication we all receive. The results are a wide-ranging interview that touches on everything from Johnny Appleseed to suicide.
“I was always curious about mysteries and unexplained events. I always felt there was something more to this place than what we see.” ~Rony LeBlanc
Andy and Ronny both grew up in Leominster, Massachusetts, but did not know each other. Leominster has an area called Monsterland, which became the title of Ronny’s book and podcast.
As the conversation unfolds, Andy and Ronny discovered many commonalities and syncronicites between the two of them and their shared interest and experiences with unexplained mysteries such as Bigfoot, UFOs, and spirituality.
Topics Covered Include:
Monsterland of Leominster, Ma
What first got you interested in the unexplainable?
The paranormal and growing up in a Christian home
Any strange experiences of your own?
What prompted your book, Monsterland?
Have you heard stories you couldn’t believe?
Interdimensional beings
Ever been picked on or ridiculed about these topics?
How did the Monsterland podcast get started?
New TV show coming in April; In Search of Monsters
Growing up in Leominster: Johnny Appleseed and Plastics
What is interesting to you about dreams?
Is death the end of us?
Do you like being the researcher or do you want to have the unexplained experiences you study?
Andy shares his experience with ayahuasca
Negativity, suicidal thoughts, and growth
Life synchronicities, support, and purpose
Andy’s recent visit to The Holy Land
What are some of your aspirational dreams for Monsterland?
My wife and I recently returned home for a two week trip to the Middle East, spending one week in Israel and the next week in Jordan. The rock-carved city of Petra was the main reason behind the trip. But both countries had a lot to offer and warrant repeat visits.
We had a fantastic time full of ancient sites, sacred places, and friendly people. I learned a lot about the religion and politics of the area and found I had many misconceptions about the Middle East from growing up in the US. My time in Israel was probably the most intellectually and politically challenging trip I’ve taken. We talked with Arabs, Jews, Christians, Muslims, Palestinians, Isralies, and Jordanians.
Toward the final days, I noticed moments of sadness that things were winding down. The sadness was mixed with a feeling that two weeks was long enough and I was ready to return home. I recalled years earlier when it was normal for me to feel depressed with days remaining of a vacation because I so dreaded my return to daily life.
Some people like vacations of sitting on the beach and doing nothing. I prefer active holidays where I do things I don’t usually do, especially when I worked as a cube dweller for corporate America.
When I tried to just lay on the beach in the past, my thoughts would turn negative. I’d focus on all the things I didn’t like instead of relaxing. Then I’d drink to remove those thoughts. That worked in the short term, but if I just wanted to drink, I could do that at home much cheaper, so I quickly stopped those sort of trips too.
I’ve visited such places as Machu Pichu, Stonehenge, and Easter Island. I’ve been white water rafting, rappelling, and hiking in Europe, South America, and Africa. A staycation can be nice, but my favorite vacations are ones when I need another vacation to recover from them.
Floating in the Dead Sea
Even today, I can recall being in the jungles of Belize in 2005, but feeling very down because the following Monday I’d be back at work. It was a time that I thought I hated my job, and sometimes my life. Yet, a few days prior, I was enjoying myself and life.
These realizations helped me learn the power of being present. When fully present, I felt better. I wondered why was it that I was time traveling in my thinking.
Why was I ignoring the fantastic experiences I was having to jump forward to my return to the mundane?
I decided that since I could be full of energy and joy on a vacation when I was present and focused on what I was doing, that I would do my best to live like I was on vacation. All the time.
I did pretty well at that for a long time. Treating each day like it was new. Looking for things that were unusual, special, and fun. If those weren’t apparent, I find a way to bring those elements to what I was doing.
The Western Wall, or Wailing Wall, in the Old City of Jerusalem.
So as I noticed some sadness as this trip was winding down, I explored what exactly I was feeling sad about. I was going to miss the people. We were a group of 13 in Israel and then 16 in Jordan. I liked my instant family of global citizens traveling, sharing, dining together for long days full of once in a lifetime experiences.
Back home, I often work in isolation. I sometimes forget to admit to myself that I actually like people. I was going to miss having a guide take me to amazing new places every day. I was going to miss having every day planned by someone else when I just needed to show up and be marveled. I would miss walking into restaurants and recognizing a dozen faces. There was no responsibility or stress. Just being present and amazed.
Realizing that I was sad over what was ending as opposed to what I was returning to, made me smile.
This week, Andy Grant is joined by entrepreneur, mindset coach, and podcaster, Tony Grebmeier, to discuss his path to clarity and the importance of community. Tony’s mission is to create a community where entrepreneurs know they can achieve anything they want despite their past.
“Community is the most important thing and we don’t talk about it.” ~Tony Grebmeier
Tony shares his lowest point, the knock that changed his life, and his journey to a new way of thinking. Thinking that includes gratitude, open-mindedness, being teachable, and has the goal of happiness.
The journey to self-fulfillment was not easy for Tony. He almost lost it all in 2008 after years of struggling with drug and alcohol addiction. Facing the near destruction of his marriage and the sad realization that he was negatively affecting his children’s lives, Tony made the decision that year to get sober, and he has stayed sober ever since. As he got clean, he also became clear about his vision to help others find their passion and achieve more.
A Real Men Feel panel has been formed to discuss the Gillette campaign that seems to have the Internet in an uproar. Much appreciation to Al Flemming, Ameé Quiriconi, Anthony Simeone, Boysen Hodgson, Brandon Boucher, Brian Cardoza, Kenny Earl, and Tony Crisostomo for being a part of this show.
“The ad asks, Is this the best a man can get? How does asking questions come off as lecturing or offensive?” ~Andy Grant
I don’t understand how being called to be better is a lecture. How being asked to call out other men when they are engaging in bullying, sexist, or racist behavior. I didn’t see a lecture, I saw an invitation to tell people when they are going too far instead of keeping it to ourselves. I think that is a good thing.
I sounded the Real Men Feel horn, so I could listen to what others have to say. Online comments have their place, but they don’t make for a quality discussion.
Topics Covered Include:
What was your first reaction to the Gillette ad?
What is Gillette’s goal with this?
Traditional and toxic masculinity
What does “boys will be boys” mean to you?
The role of mothers
Do we want to focus on masculinity or humanity?
Is this part of the pussification of men?
Thanks to Gillette for sparking needed conversations
