Anxiety Is Not You

Hearts Are Meant To Be Broken

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/1787163/fan_mail/new] Loss doesn’t wait until we feel ready, and grief doesn’t follow a neat checklist. Rachel S. Hesling joins us for a grounded, deeply human conversation about why hearts are meant to be broken and what that truth can teach us about living with more courage, honesty, and joy. Rachel draws on decades of work in the psychology of identity and human experience, along with the personal losses that shaped her upcoming book Hearts Are Meant To Be Broken: A New Approach To Grief. We talk about the kind of grief people don’t always name: mourning the future you expected, the plans that collapsed, and the version of life that never gets to happen. We also challenge the cultural obsession with pain avoidance, exploring how ignoring hurt can create more damage and shrink our ability to feel joy. We unpack the stages of grief from Kubler-Ross, not as a timeline you must “complete,” but as expressions that can normalize what you feel and reduce shame. Rachel shares why guilt about grieving too much or too little misses the point, how meaning-making can help without erasing what happened, and why resilience often comes from facing reality instead of fighting it. We also explore “chameleon energy,” performative grief, and the many factors that shape why people grieve differently, from wiring and neurodiversity to family history and environment. If this conversation gives you language for your own loss, share it with someone who needs it, and please subscribe and leave a review so we can keep bringing you thoughtful conversations. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/1787163/support] my email address gholamrezava@gmail.com  Twitter account is @rezava

Train To Change

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/1787163/fan_mail/new] Change shows up whether we invite it or not, and the real frustration is not knowing what to do, it’s not doing what we already know. We sit down with Jay Reed Durand, a retired US Army leader and author of *Train to Change Phase I Self Mastery*, to unpack why personal change and organizational change can feel so sticky even for smart, well-intentioned people.  We talk about self-mastery as a practical skill, not a slogan: self-awareness first, then learning to suspend preconceptions, and finally focusing on what we can truly control. Reed connects leadership training with timeless wisdom from Stoicism, Buddhism, and classic philosophy, and he explains why confidence doesn’t arrive first. It’s built through repetition, like learning to ride a bike or practice an instrument, and it grows faster when we start small and stay consistent.  We also dig into the hidden blockers that derail habit change and behavior change, especially stress load. Even “good” life events can stack up and cloud judgment, and some needs must be handled before we chase big wants. We close with a grounded look at environment and opportunity, why idealism still matters, and how realism keeps you moving instead of spiraling.  If this conversation sparks a shift in you, help us reach more listeners: subscribe, share the episode with a friend, and leave a review. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/1787163/support] my email address gholamrezava@gmail.com  Twitter account is @rezava

On Hold

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/1787163/fan_mail/new] How many meaningful parts of your life are waiting not because you lack time, talent, or opportunity, but because you keep telling yourself, "I'll do it tomorrow"? In this episode, we explore why we put our dreams, relationships, and callings on hold, and what it costs us to keep waiting.  Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/1787163/support] my email address gholamrezava@gmail.com  Twitter account is @rezava

Mindfulness Without Escaping

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/1787163/fan_mail/new]  In this episode of Philosophy of Life, Reza Sanjideh and co-host Yalda Nazarian speak with Australian awareness trainer and author Colin Chenery about mindfulness, awareness, and the role of conscious living in modern life.  Together, they explore how self-awareness shapes the way we think, react, and experience the world around us. The conversation touches on mindfulness, personal growth, daily habits, and how small moments of awareness can profoundly influence our lives.  Whether you are deeply interested in mindfulness or simply curious about living a more intentional life, this episode offers thoughtful perspectives and practical ideas for reflection.  You can learn more about Colin’s work at colinchenery.com [https://colinchenery.com/] and sixcirclesmindfulness.com. His latest book is also available here: Amazon Book Page [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GHQ1T7VH]and contact Colin: support@colinchenery.com.  I kept the tone aligned with Philosophy of Life — reflective and conversational, not overly promotional.  Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/1787163/support] my email address gholamrezava@gmail.com  Twitter account is @rezava

Religioning with Professor Steven Engler

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/1787163/fan_mail/new] In this episode of Philosophy of Life, Reza Sanjideh and Cohost Yalda Nazarian speaks with Steven Angler, a Canadian scholar of religion whose work explores the relationship between religion, psychology, philosophy, and human meaning-making. Together, they discuss belief systems, the psychological role religion plays in human life, and whether religion is purely divine, a human construction, or perhaps humanity’s response to uncertainty, meaning, and existence itself. Steven Angler’s writings can be found on his Substack: Religioning [https://religioning.substack.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com] Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/1787163/support] my email address gholamrezava@gmail.com  Twitter account is @rezava