Today, we’re talking to Nashvillian John M. Demarco. There are certain themes that have been flowing through John’s life and career lately: AI, Impermanence, making meaning, and business and career sustainability. And by all areas, I mean he explores these themes as a fiction writer, non-fiction writer, speaker, and coach. By the way, John is a professional certified coach, and he’s been coaching executives for 19 years. But the discussion we have is less about being an executive, and more about being a human in our ever-changing world.

What’s important to point out here is that our personal and professional lives aren’t really separate. We’re whole humans, and what goes on in one area of our life touches all other areas of our life.

Throughout this episode, we dive deeper into most of the themes that John and his client’s are experiencing, starting with managing expectations around impermanence — that is, the fact that nothing ever stays the same, and one day, we’re all going to die — and how that impacts our satisfaction and what that even means for how we’re separate from and connected to each other. We talk about how greed, selfishness, and delusions come about but also how we can choose a healthier way of being amid constant change to experience more joy and meaning instead.

Then, we explore what legacy is, why it’s important, and how we influence it.

Then, the episode takes a turn into considering mindfulness and tapping into a greater good.

And by “takes a turn,” I mean, the conversation starts out pretty cerebral and then morphs into what felt like an unprepared, real-time experience of mindfulness, presence, and spirituality. In the last third of the interview, I didn’t edit out long pauses as I normally would because I wanted you to experience what John was experiencing as he traversed the emotions that came with learning about himself as he answered big questions about why making meaning is important and what meaning even is. The emotion, on the surface, was subtle, but if you’re really paying attention, you’ll see there was nothing surface-level about this conversation. The emotion and thoughtfulness is palpable.

So let’s dive in!

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Visit the complete show notes at https://humanamplified.com/episodes/113

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Amanda JP Brown is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker providing psychotherapy to individuals and couples. In addition to her work as a psychotherapist, Amanda is a Reiki Healer, bestselling Author and has been featured on several podcasts discussing the courage it takes to rebuild your life confidently, free from shame and self judgment.

Amanda is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker providing psychotherapy to individuals and couples. She understands how terrifying it can be to shine a light on your darkness as you journey toward healing and just how messy it can get as you begin to uncover the human you want to be.

In addition to her work as a psychotherapist and author, Amanda is a Reiki Healer and has been featured on several other podcasts discussing the courage it takes to rebuild your life confidently, free from shame and self judgment.

In her free time, Amanda loves spending time with her dog, Leroy, being creative, spending time with family/friends, listening to music and attending the ballet.

As a side note: I met Amanda through a mutual friend not too long ago, so I know her and how wonderful she is, and I know that she also loves to participate in ballet and makes a killer Brussels sprout dish, among other creative and adventurous pursuits.

So it’s no surprise to me that looking at ourselves and our romantic partnerships through a lens of curiosity rather than criticism is the defining undercurrent of this discussion, while specifically, we’re talking about marriage and divorce. We’re answering the big questions like how does early childhood impact the outcome of relationships, what generational trauma looks like in relationship, what’s at the root of compromising identity in relationships, and how do we even define marriage today — is it okay to make your own rules around it, how has society dictated the trajectory of the institution of marriage, and is it even still a valid institution in our modern society. Plus Amanda tells you what you need to know if you’re questioning your relationship.

In addition to her expertise in attachment, childhood and generational trauma, and shame and self worthiness issues, Amanda shares her own journey with marriage and divorce and what she did herself to heal.

I absolutely love this conversation and hope you do too. Let us know in the comments what resonates with you and how you define marriage.

Now, let’s dive in.

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Visit the complete show notes at https://humanamplified.com/episodes/112

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Up to this point in season 5, we’ve talked quite a bit about theory and big-picture ideas around self realization and identity. In today’s episode, the same theme carries through, but we’re getting more practical and hands on to spark your creativity to put those self-love based concepts into action in your own life in a way that’s authentic to you.

Guest Christy Pruitt-Haynes is telling us all about her action-based approach to getting to know herself now after major relationships in her life have changed and she’s entering a new phase of what it means to be her.

She’s telling us all about her adventures with ABC solo dating. We’ll get into what that is in the episode, but first…

She embarked on the adventure of solo dating after she'd lost her best friend, went through a divorce, and her daughter and niece flew the nest. She realized that so much of her life revolved around others, and now that they’d made their exits in different ways, she was left with herself. So this discussion is all about what Christy chose to do with that realization.

In addition to talking about what ABC solo dating is and how Christy does it, we dive deep into the emotions involved with doing activities by yourself, especially if you’re a people person;, the beauty of being present with yourself; the importance of preference and knowing it’s okay to do what you like and what brings you joy without feeling guilty; absolving guilt; trusting the creative process; moving through grief that comes with change; and letting go.

Christy says “after a lot of hard work, personal reflection, and self-discovery… the only person I’m going to spend the rest of my life with is me so I better get to know and fall in love with her.”

That’s her focus now. And she’s sharing part of that story with you today.

At the end of the day, we have to be able to be alone with ourselves. I know it took me a long time to love my self enough to be able to do that — it can be a fun yet difficult task.

As you listen, I encourage you to think about what might work for you to grow your relationship with yourself. Are you able to be alone with yourself and what might be fun in that process?

Let us know in the comments what you think.

Now, let’s dive in.

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Visit the complete show notes at https://humanamplified.com/episodes/111

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Today we’re talking to Tian Yuming. She’s a yoga teacher and trauma-informed certified life coach who immigrated to Singapore from China at an early age with her family. This immigration and the generational impact of the Chinese cultural revolution set the stage for the healing journey and expertise Yuming shares with us in this episode.

The most prominent thing I noticed about Yuming when we first met is the presence she brings to her interactions. It was so comforting and interesting to experience. This was what inspired us to collaborate on today’s discussion.

We talk about how self discovery is healing, how to create more space by anchoring into the present moment, what it means to hold space, how to hold space, the difference between holding space as a professional versus in a dynamic relationship, when to prioritize holding space for yourself versus another person, when and how to draw boundaries, how to extend grace to yourself even if you aren’t present, when it’s okay to think about the past and future, and letting go and moving on. This discussion is a spiritual exploration based on a foundation of trauma and somatic training, so you’re in for a treat where science meets spirituality. Yuming focuses on connecting mind, body, and spirit, and this discussion is an extension of that focus.

There are many fantastic take aways from today’s episode, but my absolute favorite is when Yuming says “Compassionate witnessing is where the healing takes place.” Be sure to let me know in the comments (on YouTube) what your favorite take away is too.

Now, let’s dive in.

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Visit the complete show notes at https://humanamplified.com/episodes/110

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This episode is all about using spirituality as a practical tool in your life, thanks to today’s guest, Ashley B. Jones.

Ashley is a Transformation Coach and Healer based in Denver, Colorado who supports feelers and dreamers as they learn to embrace change and build inner security to transform their lives into one where anything is possible. She is known for her unique holistic approach that merges modern understandings of the mind and energy with ancient practices that remind us of the power of our inner knowing.

Not only is Ashley an intuitive healer, but she also has a degree in behavioral neuroscience.

We start out discussing how important intuition and discernment are, and you’ll find this is a theme throughout, combined with self worth and nurturing the relationship with all of your selves — and you heard that right — there’s more than one.

This episode is absolutely packed with good information — and the information is dense — we throw a lot of information at you in a short amount of time, so you may want to listen to this episode more than once. I’m still processing things we talked about. We discuss topics throughout like: making sense of where science and spirituality meet, what intuition is, what neuroscience is, how they work together, how to trust your intuition — from using your imagination to knowing when distortions are creeping in. We then dig into how to use your intuition when you rely heavily on logic, and how to address your own skepticism. Ashley also details her personal healing journey, gives us the run down on the 6 Clairs of psychic ability, what spirituality does to our brain, what’s in the unconscious, and the ethics to consider when relying on your intuition.

Then, for the grand finale of the episode, Ashley does a collective tarot reading. And to be honest with you, after the reading, she really dug in with me on how it applied to my own life. I loved doing that. At the time of the interview, not all of the reading sunk in or resonated while some of it did. But as I listened back to it while producing this episode, it hit me like a ton of feathers and I had even more insight into my fears around my creative projects now than I did then. I love it, and it’s so helpful.

So, when you get to that part, as Ashley says, take what resonates and leave what doesn’t. And whenever you listen to this episode, whether it’s your first or third time, is when you’re meant to hear it.

Trust the process. Trust your intuition. And, in the time since I interviewed Ashley and now, she’s put together a free workshop all about trusting yourself and listening to your intuition, so I’ve linked that down below in the show notes. Be sure to check it out.

And Here we go.

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Visit the complete show notes at https://humanamplified.com/episodes/109

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Support for this podcast comes from Bed of Nails!

Shop my Bed of Nails affiliate link to get yours: https://bedofnails.org/?ref=BRANDIFLECK

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Y’all, go ahead and grab your tissues now. Today we’re talking to Cheyenne England about her miraculous healing journey. In late October 2020, at 38 years old, Cheyenne was diagnosed with stage 4b high-grade serous epithelial ovarian cancer.

Cheyenne is not only a cancer survivor, but she’s a mother, daughter, sister, aunt, friend, and teacher. She’s been a teacher for 16 years in Tennessee, and she comes from a long line of strong women who have bravely fought cancer.

I’ll go ahead and tell you now that she is considered cancer free after six months which included debulking surgery and 6 rounds of chemo, followed by two years of a maintenance chemo pill. But with how her cancer had spread and her family history of cancer, the odds seemed stacked against her.

As you listen to Cheyenne’s story, you’ll travel the ups and downs of emotions right there with her as she details what she experienced, from having to trust and advocate for herself when she thought something may be wrong, to a quick movement through the healthcare system, surgery, chemo, and at the same time healing pieces of herself from her sister’s death from breast cancer in 2012. After Cheyenne tells her story, she details for us the mental and emotional aspects of the journey, how she handled them, and what the absolute most important things were that helped with the healing process. This episode is as much about mindset as it is about what actually happened. And as you listen, you’ll see how tiny things aligned in the right time to ensure Cheyenne is here with us today.

When you think about everything that had to come together in the way it did, it’s nothing short of a miracle.

Then and now, her greatest joy is her son, whom she has been blessed to travel with this year, celebrating life, and going on adventures before he starts school.

Heads up, you’ll hear Cheyenne’s dogs barking through some of this interview — they also totally wanted in on this inspiring episode! Let’s dive in.

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Do you ever just sit and listen to someone tell stories from their life? What a gift it is to be able to listen to such intimate memories that helped shape a person into who they are in this exact moment, with wisdom unmatched.

If you love doing that as much as I do, you’re in for a treat today — this is one of our ultimate storytelling episodes from a special person who has a rich tapestry of experience that can touch us all.

We’re talking to Clif Doyal. He’s a Nashville music industry veteran who manages and promotes artists, he’s a musician himself, and he’s a returning guest from season 4.

Last time we met for the show, he talked about using music as a unifier during intense political times. But now, we’re taking an even more personal approach to his life’s experience — you get to see a different side of Clif. I say that, because we’re talking paranormal experiences, but actually, you see that it’s not such a different side. Clif brings his personality, love for entertainment through storytelling, and ability to make meaning and purpose to everything he does, and this is no different.

Today, you get to hear at least three different stories of Clif’s true, verified, and real experiences with ghosts and what we think was a demon, and then several more stories about the gentle spirits of passed on loved ones. We talk about the differences between those various types of entities as well.

You Might Also Like: Life After Death: The Difference Between Spirits and Ghosts and How They’re Tied to Our Humanity

As Clif says, the veil between worlds is thin.

So, grab a cozy blanket, your favorite drink, and settle in while Clif takes us with him to being on the farm with his mom as a kid, a prophetic recurring dream, a Franklin, TN civil war cemetery at the historic Carnton plantation, a creepy cow path in an Ozarks holler, a bedroom in a shotgun house haunted by an old miner, and the moments his mom and late wife came to him in spirit form.

You Might Also Like: True Ghost Stories Around the Fire

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Visit the complete show notes at https://humanamplified.com/episodes/107

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Brandi here. Did you know besides hosting this podcast that I’m also a Tennessee-based, original fine artist? You can shop my original paintings and sign up for first dibs at new original art at brandifleck.com. Your support would mean so much!

Today we’re talking to Emerson Wright. They go by Em. And y’all, this episode is worth a listen.

Through the lens of being a transgender law professor in Florida, we look at how bringing our whole selves to how we show up is healing and empowering, whether we do it individually or systemically. And staying connected to our humanness is how we make life and systems better. That’s huge, and that’s how we’ll change the justice system, which Em is part of, or any other system that you may be part of.

As we evolve, the systems we’ve created must also evolve to integrate who we really are. So we talk social, medical, and career transition, complete with failures and progresses, which if you look deeply here, is a microcosm of the bigger shift the justice system is experiencing. We talk how the public’s relationship with the law is strained, if law even still matters, and having hope in the face of fear.

But now, let me tell you about Em Wright.

They’re a law professor, fisherman, dog dad, and nerd. Their professional life has spanned from the dishwashing room at a Pizza Hut to conference rooms in city skyscrapers and everywhere between. A die-hard legal realist, Em finds hope and inspiration from their students and the members of our society who show up to make the hard decisions and do the hard work.

Full disclosure, Em and I were the best of friends for many years, starting in high school, through college, and for some time after. But this interview is the first time we’ve caught up in at least, I’d say, 15 years. And it was so good to reconnect.

Oh, and be sure to get to the end of this interview for a surprise paranormal story from Em.

Let’s dive in.

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Visit the complete show notes at https://humanamplified.com/episodes/106

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