In this, our 20th episode, we introduce our new Momma: Carla Brown, a poet, writer and photographer and very funny fellow SGI Buddhist from the Bronx, New York, who will share a lifetime of struggles, experiences and insights.

On "From Despair to Hope" we discuss causes and symptoms of despair and how to pull ourselves out of despair to lead a fulfilling life filled with hope and confidence for the present and the future. We openly share our and other's experiences and how we were able to accomplish overcoming one of the most difficult mental states. We emphasize that hope is always a decision, and the right one at that!

Keywords: despair, hope, courage, self-love, friendship, AI, suicide, depression, foryou, antidepressants, diversity welfare, poverty, negativity, obstacles, stagnation

According to recent research, none of us are truly grown up, but rather we are constantly growing up. In this episode, Johnnie and Arlaana go into detail using common indicators such as: family harmony, self-control, emotional regulation, resilience, independence and interdependence, and rational decision-making, drawing from our individual experiences and societal expectations.

One of Arlaana's Black's most intellectually gifted students from her high school AP Psychology class returns from college and her current on-line master's program from John Hopkins University to share how, as a Gen Z, college classes and college life has shaped her into the person she is today. Sarah aspires to become an attorney and emphasizes the importance of her liberal arts college and master's degrees as the way to develop and prepare her life for a career in Law. She also stresses the importance of respecting other career choices and those who choose to follow a different path that does not involve a college degree.

One of the hottest and timely topics is deciding whether or not to pursue a college degree, given the current climate and rising costs of college. Growing up, Johnnie and Arlaana knew it was a given: get a college degree, get a good job and get married. Not so today. In this episode, we discuss the pros and cons of attending college and the various alternatives to developing a succcessful career path and a value-creating life.

In Part 2, entitled, Freedom from Fear, we discuss a therapeutic approach to overcoming fear and offer ways to challenge and even overcome deeply rooted anxiety. It's time to "look fear in the face" and gain control of our fears rather than let them control us. Using many personal and not-so-personal examples, we discuss how to become the lion and our fears, the mouse, rather than the other way around. It's all about facing "the scaries" and living our best life!

The greatest fear is the fear of death, and that leads to so many other fears: fear of "the other," anxiety, PTSD, our mortality. But fear can be transformed to inspiration, or motivation to live each moment as if its your last, fully enjoying life. And because we firmly believe that life is eternal, it is how one lives one's life that determines whether one has a peaceful death. In this episode we discuss various fears and ways to overcome them, as in the words of Pressident FDR: You have nothing to fear but fear itself and living the motto: You are the Protagonist, not the Victim of Your Destiny!

In this episode, we discuss the concept of dependent origination, or the interconnectedness of all life and share examples from science and nature how this interconnectivity reveals itself. We compare sympathy to empathy, with empathy significantly more empowering and equalizing. We also emphasize how humans all share 99.9% DNA. Enjoy!

Loneliness has become a national and global epidemic, primarily caused by technology and disproportionately impacting Gen Z and marginalized groups of individuals. Johnnie and Arlaana discuss the emotional and physical impacts of loneliness and discuss ways to get more connected, focusing on dialogue and ways our lives can interact with other lives: human, animal and nature.