The sisters are back and we're talking about loss, dementia, grief, and how we try to choose laughter and therapy over a fist fight when things get really tough. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In Part 2 of my conversation with historian Dr. Heather Cox Richardson, we unpack the history and mythology that's driving some of the biggest issues in our country. Leaning into the power of narrative and story, she explains how democracies die more often through the ballot box than with guns and tanks. It’s a hard and hopeful conversation and absolutely critical listening at this point in our history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In Part 1 of my conversation with historian Dr. Heather Cox Richardson, we talk about the current threats to American democracy, what's at stake in November, and how we can strengthen our country if we can find the political will. They say don’t meet your heroes, but I’m so glad I did — this is one of my all time favorite conversations. I love how Heather doesn’t just look at history as a sequence of failures — she also finds the possibilities, creativity, and hope. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dr. Mary Claire Haver is a board-certified OB/GYN who has helped thousands of women through perimenopause, menopause, and beyond. In this conversation, we discuss the power of unlearning and relearning and her ongoing fight for women’s health in every decade of their lives. We also talk about the growing “menoposse” — a group of thought leaders and clinicians who are using their platforms to change the outdated narrative around menopause. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I talk with one of my favorite cultural critics, Roxane Gay, about her long-form essay on Black gun ownership. We discuss how the gun industry frames women as victims in waiting and the importance of dismantling the trope of the “good man with a gun." We also delve into the societal cost of our resisting, rejecting, and resenting nuance and the importance of holding the tension of competing ideas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, Dr. Sarah Lewis joins me again to talk about her new book, The Unseen Truth: When Race Changed Sight in America. With examples from her historical research, she walks me through the power of visual culture in generating equity and justice. We talk about how what we see and what’s left unseen shapes everything we believe about ourselves and other people — and how we can start changing the narrative about who counts and who belongs in America. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Civil rights leader Valarie Kaur is building a movement to reclaim love as a force for justice, healing, and transformation in America. In this episode, we talk about what led Valarie to courageously explore Sikh ancestral wisdom, how her ancestors’ truths parallel what I’ve learned from the research, and how we need both the eyes of a sage and the heart of a warrior to live a fully meaningful life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode Brené and Barrett discuss their learnings on AI and social media and some of their favorite nuggets from each of the guests in the series. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Quantitative futurist Amy Webb talks to us about the three technologies that make up the "super cycle" that we're all living through right now: artificial intelligence, wearable devices, and biotechnology, and why, despite the unnerving change, we still need to do some serious future planning.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Brené interviews New York Times journalists Jennifer Valentino-DeVries and Michael H. Keller, who talk about their investigation into girl influencers and what's driving the larger influencer culture across social media. This is the fourth episode in our series on the possibilities and costs of living beyond human scale. Please note: As part of this conversation, we talk about the pervasive sexualization of young girl influencers (and girls in general) and the predatory nature of the comments they receive online. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, Brené and Craig discuss what is known in the AI community as the “alignment problem” — who needs to be at the table in order to build systems that are aligned with our values as a democratic society? And, when we start unleashing these systems in high stakes environments like education, healthcare, and criminal justice, what guardrails, policies, and ethical principles do we need to make sure that we’re not scaling injustice? This is the third episode in our series on the possibilities and costs of living beyond human scale, and it is a must-listen!  Please note: In this podcast, Dr. Watkins and Brené talk about how AI is being used across healthcare. One topic discussed is how AI is being used to identify suicidal ideation. If you or a loved one is in immediate danger, please call or text the National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 (24/7 in the US). If calling 911 or the police in your area, it is important to notify the operator that it is a psychiatric emergency and ask for police officers trained in crisis intervention or trained to assist people experiencing a psychiatric emergency. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This is the second episode in our series on the possibilities and costs of living beyond human scale. In this episode, Brené and William discuss group behavior on social media and how we show up with each other online versus offline. We’ll also learn about the specific types of content that fuel algorithms to amplify moral outrage and how they tie to our search for belonging. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this first episode in a series on the possibilities and costs of living beyond human scale, Brené and Esther Perel discuss how we manage the paradox of exploring the world of social media and emerging technologies while staying tethered to our humanness. How do we create IRL relationships where we see and value others and feel seen and valued in the context of constant scrolling and using digital technology as armor? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Khaled Elgindy is a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute where he also directs MEI’s Program on Palestine and Israeli-Palestinian Affairs. He is the author of the book, Blind Spot: America and the Palestinians, from Balfour to Trump. In this episode we talk about the internal political struggles among Palestinian leadership and the US’s involvement in the failed peace agreements between Israel and Palestine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Standing Together is a grassroots movement mobilizing Jewish and Palestinian citizens of Israel in pursuit of peace, equality, social, and climate justice. In this podcast, we talk to National co-director Rula Daood and Founding National co-director Alon-Lee Green on what it means to build a movement, to organize people, and what it means to build political will to end the occupation and create equity for all people. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Parents Circle – Families Forum (PCFF) is a joint Israeli-Palestinian organization of over 600 families, all of whom have lost an immediate family member to the ongoing conflict. In this podcast, we talk to their spokesperson and bereaved mother, Robi Damelin, and Ali Abu Awwad. Ali was imprisoned by Israel for his resistance, bereaved of his brother by a soldier’s gun, and is the founding leader of Taghyeer, a nonviolent movement for social and political change. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We're coming back with new episodes starting February 28th. Get episodes as soon as they're published by following Unlocking Us on your favorite podcast app. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this second of a two-parter on Living BIG, Ashley and I take on the topics of generosity, resentment, boundaries and grief. And we explore this critical question: What boundaries need to be in place for me to be in my integrity and to be generous in my assumptions about others? I’m grateful to rumble on this — and so many other questions — with this awkward, brave, and kind community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this first of a two-parter with Ashley, I tell a story from Rising Strong that kicked off our Living BIG strategy. Spoiler alert: I am very, very, very pissed-off in this story. But I eventually come around to finding and seeing the connection between boundaries, integrity, and generosity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In Part 2 of my conversation with Father Richard Rohr, we talk about facing our shadows and living and loving through the second half of life, and we laugh. A lot. What a gift to be with him at the Center for Action and Contemplation in Albuquerque. A deep and true blessing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I flew to Albuquerque, New Mexico, to spend the day with Father Richard Rohr. We laughed, I cried a little, we laughed some more, and I told him why his work pisses me off sometimes. He thoroughly delighted in that last part. In Part 1 of this special two-part series recorded at the Center for Action and Contemplation, we focus on his writing in Breathing Under Water: Spirituality and the Twelve Steps and just a few of the quotes — on spirituality, suffering, gratitude, and grace — that have changed and rearranged me over the years. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We’re back with Part 2 of my conversation with Chris Germer, a clinical psychologist and lecturer on psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, and we’re talking about fierce compassion, which is something so many of us are trying to figure out right now. When there’s so much pain and hurt in the world, we want to be a voice. We want to speak up and speak out. We want to take action, and we want to do so from a place where we are healing pain. In this episode, Chris and I talk about what’s actually possible for us as humans and how we can respond to pain and hurt without causing more of it and without self-protecting and distancing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I’ve been waiting my whole life to talk to Chris Germer. He is a clinical psychologist and lecturer on psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, and he co-developed the Mindful Self-Compassion program with Kristin Neff, which has been taught to 200,000 people worldwide. I recently read an article written by Chris called “The Near and Far Enemies of Fierce Compassion,” and as soon as I read it, I said, “Put him on the podcast list. I’ve gotta talk to him.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We’re back with Part 2 of my conversation with Bono, recorded live at the historic Paramount Theatre and presented by Austin City Limits Festival’s Bonus Tracks. In this episode, we take it back to Bono’s early days in Ireland — most notably the school where he’d meet his future bandmates, his future wife, and a headmaster who modeled what it was to live in the radical center, in a space forged by complication and contradiction. “How casually our destiny arrives,” Bono writes of this formative era. From there, our conversation rolls through matters of faith, creativity, and what it means to truly surrender. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome to Part 1 of my conversation with Bono, recorded live at the historic Paramount Theatre in Austin, Texas. I have been a U2 fan since the very beginning, and this event, presented by Austin City Limits Festival’s Bonus Tracks, was sheer magic. I don’t know what happened, but we got mentally in sync, spiritually locked in together, and we talked about everything from rock and roll to love and faith. His new memoir, Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story, is the ultimate love story — to his wife, Ali; to his family; and to all of us who’ve found all kinds of peace and challenges in the music and the lyrics. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s Part 2 of my conversation with Attica and Tembi Locke, writers, showrunners, executive producers, and the creative sister duo behind the Netflix series From Scratch, based on Tembi’s 2019 memoir of the same name, about love, Sicily, and finding home. In Part 1, we talked about the series and their story, and as we jump back into our conversation, we are talking about the success of this show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I’m talking with Attica and Tembi Locke, writers, showrunners, executive producers, and the creative sister duo behind the Netflix series From Scratch, based on Tembi’s 2019 memoir of the same name, about love, Sicily, and finding home. We started talking about the series and their story, and then we really went everywhere from there — this turned into a full-blown LIFE conversation. Which, if you’ve seen the series, will not surprise you at all. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s Part 2 of our two-part series with Anand Giridharadas, author of The Persuaders: At the Front Lines of the Fight for Hearts, Minds, and Democracy. I’m still thinking about Anand’s story and how his experiences informed this concept of persuasion as being the heart of democracy. In this episode, we talk more specifically about the real stories included in the book — some scary, some incredibly inspiring — and he shares more about the individuals behind this meaningful work, which is built on meeting people where they are. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I love this two-part series with Anand Giridharadas, author of The Persuaders: At the Front Lines of the Fight for Hearts, Minds, and Democracy. Every now and then, I come across something that makes me think in a completely new way, and this was one of those times. We talk about this concept of persuasion — the ability to reach across differences and believe that others are movable, as well as the idea that I have the capacity to be moved — as being the heart of democracy. I’m so glad you’re here for this conversation, and get ready to be persuaded. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I think y’all know that I’m a fifth-generation Texan, and I have another Texan with me today: Beto O’Rourke. He is running for governor of Texas, and early voting starts next week on October 24th, with Election Day coming up on November 8th. But beyond the timeliness of voting, I wanted to connect on the timeliness of brave leadership — because we really need courageous, real, authentic, empathic leaders right now. So I wanted to have him on the podcast to learn a little bit more about his approach, his vision, and what he wants for us in our state. And, you know, if you’re not in Texas, there’s a saying, “As Texas goes, so goes the nation.” I think you’ll find this interesting. Whether you agree or disagree with Beto’s position on things, I think he’s a strong leader with a different approach — and I love the authenticity. I think you’ll find his story and his vision for politics and life in general compelling. We need to be talking to more and more leaders about what their vision is, what their concerns are, who they are as people. You know, we always say on Dare to Lead, who you are is how you lead, and I think we got a really good picture of that in this conversation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The sisters are here for our final installment in a three-part series on The Love Prescription: Seven Days to More Intimacy, Connection, and Joy, from Drs. John and Julie Gottman. And we’re talking about our reaction to the book and what we learned from the Gottmans in Parts 1 and 2. Their tactical, practical, get-your-vulnerability-on work calls us to action, so we commit to doing some specific things over the next weeks. It’s scary. It’s vulnerable. But we’re ready to take on this seven-day journey. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We’re back with Part 2 in our three-part series with Drs. John and Julie Gottman, respected, expert clinicians and researchers who’ve been studying couples and relationships for decades. We’re talking about their new book, The Love Prescription: Seven Days to More Intimacy, Connection, and Joy. And I’m telling y’all, this is the real deal. To love somebody and to ask to be loved — to want to be seen and to show your inner self — this is courage and vulnerability. This is bravery. This is love. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Think you can’t make relationship changes in a week? Drs. John and Julie Gottman say, yes, actually, you can — and they have 40 years of breakthrough research on marital stability and divorce prediction to prove it. The Gottmans are back, by popular demand, and they’re here to talk about their new book, The Love Prescription: Seven Days to More Intimacy, Connection, and Joy. In this first of a three-part series, we talk about their work, their findings, and some huge hacks that were mind-blowing for me. This book feels so hopeful because it’s direct, it’s really honest, and it’s so actionable. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If there’s one thing that I’ve learned over the past, maybe, 50 years, but specifically, research-wise, over the past 25, it’s that every time we think we’re completely alone in struggle, that is exactly when we need to remember that the human experience is never a singular experience. I’m sharing this reflection in the hopes that it resonates with some and to remind myself that I’m not alone. I’m glad you’re here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We are back with Part 2 of our reader and audience Q&A on Atlas of the Heart, with questions from both the book and the HBO Max series. If you listened to Part 1, oh wow, these questions are hard — and I don’t have all the answers, which I love. Because that means I get to learn more, and I’m learning right along with my sisters, Ashley and Barrett. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this first episode of a three-part Sisters Book Club series, Ashley and Barrett turn the tables and interview me about Atlas of the Heart: Mapping Meaningful Connection and the Language of Human Experience. They ask all the questions everyone wants to know, and they pull no punches — starting with stories about childhood superpowers, to matters of biology, biography, behavior, and backstory in the context of emotions and the book itself. We also talk about how Atlas is broken up into three sections, how the data was collected and analyzed to present the 87 emotions covered, and how powerful it is to have vocabulary that’s as expansive as our experiences. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I’m talking with none other than the amazing, singular Viola Davis about her new memoir, Finding Me. This book, and this conversation, are gifts — deep reflections on a turbulent childhood, the journey to overcoming trauma, and how she found her voice in the often brutal entertainment industry. She shares some extraordinary experiences that have changed her, and because of who she is, they’ve in turn changed us. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I’m smiling from ear to ear about this conversation with Domee Shi, a Chinese-born, Academy Award–winning Canadian animator, storyboard artist, and director for Pixar. With Bao, Domee became the first woman to direct a short film for Pixar, and with Turning Red — which was released on Disney+ in March 2022 — Domee became the first woman to direct a feature-length project for the animation studio. It was so fun to connect with her about creativity, learning, curiosity, and her incredible, groundbreaking work. Also, she may have inspired my new life motto. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In Part 2 of an unforgettable and transformative conversation with Father Richard Rohr, the Franciscan friar and I really go there — asking and answering hard questions about certainty and the ego, a cosmic God who’s bigger than what Christianity often espouses, and the spiritual yearning of today’s up-and-coming generations. It’s a deeply holy discussion that I hope will resonate with you no matter where you fall on the spiritual spectrum. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Anyone who knows me or my work knows the immeasurable influence Father Richard Rohr has had on my life. Rohr is a Franciscan friar and ecumenical teacher, and his words live on Post-it notes all around my house; his numerous books are tattered and torn, as I’ve returned to them time and again, especially in the past couple years. In this magical two-part conversation, Father Richard graciously expands on just a few of the quotes that have turned my world upside down, sharing his thoughts on what it means to be humbled by the mysteries of faith; how we often misinterpret God as a dictator, not a lover; and how we’re ill-equipped to grasp the infinite nature of God and his love. This truly unforgettable conversation left me speechless — and filled me to the brim with love and connection. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I’m talking again with my friend Emmanuel Acho about his new book, Illogical: Saying Yes to a Life Without Limits. True to form, Emmanuel shows up with pure energy and thought-provoking opinions — which may seem illogical but actually make so much sense. He also shares some real wisdom around how to handle naysayers and critics while also staying open, being receptive, and taking care of ourselves in the process. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome to Part 2 of my conversation with Susan Cain, the bestselling author of Quiet, about her new book, Bittersweet: How Sorrow and Longing Make Us Whole. This book is giving me life right now. I feel deeply seen in this needed counterbalance to our society’s push for constant positivity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This conversation is a bittersweet breath of fresh air for me. It’s the first of two episodes with Susan Cain, the bestselling author of Quiet, about her new book, Bittersweet: How Sorrow and Longing Make Us Whole, a needed counterbalance to our society’s toxic push for constant positivity. It gives a high five to those of us who know that melancholy is our secret strength, and it gives the rest of us permission to lean into our bittersweet feelings, which actually make us more hopeful and more whole. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, I’m sitting across from my friend Karen Walrond and she’s helping me access joy. You may remember Karen from a two-part podcast we did last year on her book The Lightmaker’s Manifesto, which is all about working for change without losing your joy. And I literally just called her and said, “Will you be on the podcast this week, because I’m in such deep struggle and I can’t access any joy? I feel guilty if I’m happy about something because the world is such a shit show right now and people are in so much pain.” If you’re struggling with how to be fully connected in your life and feel joy and acknowledge beauty and also fight for the things that we need to fight for right now, this will be a great podcast for you. It was a game changer for me. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I’m talking with tech journalist Kara Swisher and NYU professor Scott Galloway, co-hosts of the podcast Pivot, a weekly discussion on the latest news as it relates to the worlds of business and tech. I start to do some word association with them, but we quickly go deep and take a hard, illuminating look at Big Tech. This is a great conversation for those of us who regularly engage with tech platforms but maybe who don’t understand their motivations, what they’re up to next, and the myriad ways they shape our lives and democracies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In his brave new book, The Four Pivots: Reimagining Justice, Reimagining Ourselves, Shawn Ginwright asks a simple but profound question, “Can we heal the world without healing ourselves?” I’ve always believed the answer is no, but I’ve never seen anyone propose a more daring solution than what’s in this book and conversation. There is so much wisdom in these four pivots. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, I’m talking with Jason Reynolds, #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than a dozen books for young people, about where he draws inspiration for his characters, his role as the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, and his latest book, Ain’t Burned All the Bright. I’m deeply inspired by Jason’s art and craft — I loved every minute of this conversation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We’re celebrating the audiobook release of Atlas of the Heart with a bonus Unlocking Us episode! The excerpt in this episode is from chapter 10, titled “Places We Go When the Heart Is Open.” We’re talking about love, lovelessness, and heartbreak. I’m excited to give you a first listen here, and I’m grateful that we’re learning and working to reconnect with ourselves and with each other, together. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I was looking for some certainty around the tough issues of censorship and misinformation — legal definitions, rules, and clear lines — so I called Ben Wizner, a lawyer with the ACLU and the director of its Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project. I’d hoped we’d have a Free Speech 101–type conversation, with tidy resolutions and a clear path forward. But what I suspected, and Ben confirmed, is that the law gives us very few answers to the hardest questions that we have. So in this episode, the two of us grapple with issues of balance and boundaries, unpacking the harms that speech can cause and the harms that censorship can cause. I’m glad that we had over an hour to talk, because as tempting as it is to approach issues like this with firm certainty or with 140 characters, it’s much more important to unpack the nuances and unlock the opportunity for growth and learning. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We’re back, and we are starting the year with a deep dive into values. I’m not a fan of resolutions, but I absolutely believe in the power of resetting. I can’t think of a more powerful way to double down on ourselves than getting clear on our values and the behaviors that support them — and the shit that gets in the way. Join us as Barrett and I talk through a values exercise PDF that we made for you to do your own values work. Of all the work we do with leaders and teams, this is probably the biggest game changer. Let’s go! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s Part 2 of our two-part episode crossover from our other podcast, Dare to Lead with James Clear, author of Atomic Habits, which has sold more than 5 million copies worldwide and been translated into more than 50 languages. In Part 1 of our series, we talked about building systems to create habits, and in this episode, we talk about how and why habits are atomic and how to build a habit or break a habit. We also look at our environments and how we can tweak them to support the habits we want to have, and then dive in and talk about organization habits and how we create habits in teams and in organizations. I took multiple pages of notes on this memorable conversation on forming habits that last. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, Unlocking Us is going to Dare to Lead! Even before James Clear and I met, I knew this would be a two-part series. I just had so many questions for the author of Atomic Habits, which has sold more than 5 million copies worldwide and been translated into more than 50 languages. Not surprisingly, this turned out to be exactly the type of conversation I’d anticipated. In Part 1 of our series, we talk specifically about developing identity-based habits and how we can become the architects of those habits, not the victims of them. We also talk about the intersection of his work and mine, the collective stories we make up, and how our mindsets and our systems can set us up for success. It was so meaningful to finally meet James, to hear his story, and to take in his insights into how he developed such a deep understanding of the importance of consistency over intensity when it comes to forming habits that last. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We asked for your Atlas of the Heart questions and, man, did you deliver. More than 1,500 questions poured in. So, in this final episode of our Sisters Book Club, Ashley, Barrett, and I answer as many questions as we can, tackling how emotional literacy affects self-awareness, how family patterns affect emotions, and how emotionally intense moments affect our decision-making. We also discuss the powerful connections between art and emotions, as well as how parents can bring this work to their teenagers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s Part 2 of the three-part Sisters Book Club series, where Ashley and Barrett turn the tables and interview me about Atlas of the Heart: Mapping Meaningful Connection and the Language of Human Experience. We dive into the specific findings on some of the 87 emotions and experiences covered in the book. And they ask me the podcast rapid-fire questions — including my top five songs. Plus, they include some brand-new rapid-fire questions that I didn’t expect. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this first episode of a three-part Sisters Book Club series, Ashley and Barrett turn the tables on Brené and interview her about her new book, Atlas of the Heart: Mapping Meaningful Connection and the Language of the Human Experience. They ask all the questions we want to know, and they pull no punches—starting with stories about childhood superpowers, to matters of biology, biography, behavior, and backstory in the context of emotions and the book itself. They also talk about how Atlas is broken up into three sections, how the data was collected and analyzed to present the 87 emotions covered, and how powerful it is to have vocabulary that's as expansive as our experiences. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I wanted to share with you a talk that I did at UCLA’s Royce Hall for Oprah’s Super Soul sessions where I uncovered the fundamentals of trust. What is trust? The data says there are seven parts of trust, and we organize these into the acronym BRAVING. Breaking down the anatomy of trust into specific behaviors allows us to more clearly identify and address breaches of trust. I love the BRAVING checklist because it reminds me that trusting myself or other people is a vulnerable and courageous process. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, I’m talking with Lukas and Willie Nelson about their new album, The Willie Nelson Family, a collection of country gospel–flavored songs performed by the Nelson Family Band and recorded at Willie’s Pedernales Studios — where we recorded this podcast — just outside Austin. We talk about faith and family, music as church, and love — and how it’s really all tied together. We also talk about what brings us together, what keeps us apart, and what holds us back. We get some Nelson family advice — including their three family rules. And we end the episode with a surprise treat you’ll be singing all week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s Part 2 of our two-part series with Karen Walrond, writer, activist, and longtime friend. We are talking about her new book, The Lightmaker’s Manifesto: How to Work for Change without Losing Your Joy. In Part 1, we talked about activism and how it shows up in our daily lives. And in this episode, we talk about the connection between activism and spirituality. We talk about listening to the whispers that are calling us and the self-inquiry strategies that help us know what we’re supposed to be doing. We also dig in on performative activism and outrage, as well as the realities of burnout and how joy helps curb some of that. It’s an important conversation — and one we need to be having right now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, I’m talking to Karen Walrond, writer, activist, and longtime friend of mine about her new book, The Lightmaker’s Manifesto: How to Work for Change without Losing Your Joy. This is the right book for the right time. Activism is such a big and often intimidating concept, and Karen breaks it down into small, intentional, and integrated acts that create a joyful life. We talk about how we met and how we define activism, and we share some really personal experiences we each had after Hurricane Harvey that shaped how we see the intersection of activism and joy. So, enjoy this first of two episodes on life, light, and activism and how those three things are completely interconnected. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I’m talking with singer-songwriter, activist, and artist Jake Wesley Rogers, whom I discovered on TikTok. It was love at first listen — and I mean, I fell madly, truly, deeply in love with him and his art, as well as how it made me feel, how it made me dance, and how it made me sing. He takes me to church. His songs are relatable and universal, he is pure light and love, and I cannot wait for you to hear this conversation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

OY! It’s our first LIVE Unlocking Us, recorded at ACL Fest in Austin, Texas. I asked Brett Goldstein — writer, comedian, producer, and Emmy Award–winning actor — to join me onstage for a conversation. We talked about the vulnerability and humanity behind comedy, we talked about the band we’d create, we talked about the Muppets — and we talked about why everyone loves his character Roy Kent and all his friends on the beloved comedy series Ted Lasso. This will definitely not be our last live recording. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I am back with my sisters, Ashley and Barrett, to do a follow-up on the Summer Sister Series on The Gifts of Imperfection. We received a lot of questions in the comments after the six-episode series, so I’ve pulled my sisters back in to seek some answers. We are also knee-deep in life stuff right now, so we open up about our own struggles with some of the topics in question, including running away, setting and managing boundaries, polling others over listening to ourselves, and living in authenticity. Join us as we seek A’s to all the Q’s from social media. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I’m talking with first-time authors and longtime podcasters — and even longer-time friends — Aminatou Sow and Ann Friedman. We’re talking about their book, Big Friendship: How We Keep Each Other Close, and why the lack of meaningful, intimate, vulnerable friendships is almost a crisis right now. One key learning for me is how many of us believe that friendships should be easy and require little effort, when, in reality, we can’t have any meaningful relationships without putting in meaningful work. And that’s not always easy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sarah Niles plays respected sports psychologist Dr. Sharon Fieldstone on Ted Lasso — and I just want to let you know that we have worked very hard for no show spoilers at all. It’s just a great conversation about where she came from, what she believes in, and the story of how she ended up as this central and pivotal character on one of our favorite shows. This is one of those podcasts where if you’re walking, just take a deep breath. If you’re driving, maybe crack the window. If you’re at home, grab some hot tea or a cup of coffee. To know Sarah is to love her and appreciate her talent, her gifts, and her commitment to truth, love, and kindness. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I’m talking to Esther Perel, psychotherapist, New York Times bestselling author, and podcaster, about relationships in the pandemic and beyond. She blew my mind around some patterns that Steve and I have discovered over the past months in lockdown. We also talk a lot about paradox and straddling the tension of two competing ideas that can both be true. It’s maddening and inspiring. And you’ll hear in real time how I’m wowed, impressed, and completely Esther Perel-ed before it’s all over. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I’m talking to my dear friend Tarana Burke about her new memoir, Unbound: My Story of Liberation and the Birth of the Me Too Movement. Her book is beautiful, hard, and breathtaking. Tarana is unflinching in her storytelling. As she takes us on the journey that transformed her life and the world, we can feel our own transformation happening. The person who starts this book is not the person who finishes this book. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s the final episode of our six-part Summer Sister Series on The Gifts of Imperfection with my sisters, Ashley and Barrett, and we finish strong with the last of the Guideposts, #9 and #10 (Cultivating Meaningful Work: Letting Go of Self-Doubt and “Supposed To” and Cultivating Laughter, Song, and Dance: Letting Go of Being Cool and “Always in Control”). We talk about how doing meaningful work connects us and how being cool is honestly very lonely. And we finally reach the moment Ashley and Barrett have been waiting for all along — and possibly the only reason they agreed to do this series — they finally get to share their top five songs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this second-to-last episode of the Summer Sister Series on The Gifts of Imperfection, I have a couple of in-real-time revelations: namely that I suck at cultivating quality rest and play (a.k.a. Guidepost #7). Thankfully, on the flip side, I’ve gotten pretty good over the years at cultivating calm and stillness (thank you, 5-mile-long daily walks) and letting go of anxiety as a lifestyle (Guidepost #8). We dig in and ask the existential question: What does your ideal restful vacation look like? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This might just be the toughest, most personal episode yet in the Summer Sister Series on The Gifts of Imperfection. As Ashley, Barrett, and I tackle Guideposts #5 and #6 (Cultivating Intuition and Trusting Faith: Letting Go of the Need for Certainty and Cultivating Creativity: Letting Go of Comparison), we reflect on our upbringing, which was marked with uncertainty, unpredictability, and plenty of eggshell living. It’s no surprise then that letting go of certainty is one of my greatest challenges. We talk about that and how we try to show up differently in the families we are raising now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We’re at the halfway mark of our six-episode Summer Sister Series on The Gifts of Imperfection, and this week, we dig into Guideposts #3 and #4 (Cultivating a Resilient Spirit: Letting Go of Numbing and Powerlessness and Cultivating Gratitude and Joy: Letting Go of Scarcity and Fear of the Dark). Ashley, Barrett, and I look at our lives post-COVID and talk candidly about the ways we’ve numbed over the past year — and how we’ve lost some of our gratitude practices. These two things may be related. Moving forward, we (re)commit to making wholeheartedness a family affair. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s Part 2 of our six-part Summer Sister Series on The Gifts of Imperfection, with my sisters, Ashley and Barrett. In this episode, we start with Guidepost #1 (Cultivating Authenticity and Letting Go of What People Think) and move into Guidepost #2 (Cultivating Self-Compassion and Letting Go of Perfectionism). Practicing authenticity — and, yes, it is a daily practice — is really connected to boundary work, so we admit the individual fears we each experience when setting boundaries. We also talk about perfectionism as a process addiction and how our imperfections are not inadequacies, but instead, they’re reminders that we’re all in this together. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Join me and my sisters, Ashley and Barrett, for Part 1 of our six-part Summer Sister Series on The Gifts of Imperfection. In this episode, we start with the Introduction, go over the 10 Guideposts, and talk about our personal Wholehearted Inventory scores. Surgeon General’s Warning: This is about as real as it gets. Equal amounts laughing, hard conversations, surprising revelations, and cussing. And some singing. But I file that under painful and/or laughing. If this sounds like your kind of conversation, join us for the rest of the series. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I’m talking to writer, teacher, and scholar Dr. Clint Smith about his new book, How the Word Is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America. We talk about the history of slavery in this country and how we approach, excavate, recognize, and react to that history — and how we have a responsibility and accountability to get the story and the history right. Because when we can be honest about the history, we can begin to acknowledge it, reckon with it, and heal from it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, I’m talking to writer Ashley C. Ford about her new memoir, Somebody’s Daughter, and how it is written for everyone who walks into a bookstore and feels like they can’t find a book about themselves — and there are a lot of us looking for that. We talk about the writing process, the truth-telling process, and how connecting the two can be liberating not only to us but also to others. Our conversation is not just a story about her life, it is a story about life and what connects us to show us that we are not alone — and that we are braver than we know. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I talk with Justina Blakeney, designer, artist, and New York Times bestselling author, about how we can create spaces to tell our stories. We talk about how color, pattern, plants, and windy paths can be personalized to help express our individuality and how connecting with both our unique roots and adventures allows us to not only look at objects and space differently but also see ourselves and our worlds in new ways. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I’m talking to Oprah Winfrey and Dr. Bruce Perry about their new book, What Happened to You? Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing. We define trauma and talk about why big and small traumas activate our stress-response systems and create emotional, physical, and social consequences and how we can find the path to healing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week’s episode features two audio essays from You Are Your Best Thing, an anthology on the Black lived experience of vulnerability and shame resilience, led by my friend Tarana Burke, an organizer, writer, activist, and the founder of the ‘me too.’ Movement. It starts with an introduction from Tarana and me, followed by an essay from Jason Reynolds, award-winning and #1 New York Times bestselling author. All of the essays in the book are urgent, compelling, heartbreaking, and heart-affirming. I’m proud and grateful to share this work with you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I have a tough, loving conversation about dementia and Alzheimer’s with Jason Karlawish, physician, researcher, professor, clinician, and author of The Problem of Alzheimer’s: How Science, Culture, and Politics Turned a Rare Disease into a Crisis and What We Can Do About It. This heartbreakingly common diagnosis creates multiple patients — both the diagnosed and the caregivers. We talk about the difference between Alzheimer’s and dementia, how we respond to a disease that diminishes our autonomy, and what we can do to take care of ourselves and each other. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Get ready for a delicious conversation. I am talking to Samin Nosrat, author, cook, teacher, podcaster, and the force of nature behind the revolutionary cookbook Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat and its Netflix documentary. We connect on her work and the struggles and realities of creating connections in a period of great disconnection. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This is Part 2 of our two-part series on daring leadership, where I unpack four more common types of armor that we use to self-protect when we're in fear. These barriers include creating a fitting-in culture versus a belonging culture; fostering a scarcity-based culture versus modeling that we are enough and have enough; leading reactively versus leading strategically; and resisting change versus accepting and embracing change. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Brandi Carlile is a singer, songwriter, performer, producer, activist, and author of a new memoir, Broken Horses. We talk about everything from the politics of middle school lunch tables, to the pursuit of complicated faith, to the tyranny of fitted sheets. This is a conversation between two people, meeting for the first time, and yet, somehow, it feels like we’ve been friends forever. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The greatest barrier to daring leadership is not fear; the greatest barrier is armor, or how we self-protect when we're in fear. This is Part I of a two-part series, where I unpack the most common types of armor, including being a knower versus being a learner, tapping out of hard conversation versus skilling up and leaning in, and using shame and blame to manage others versus using accountability and empathy. Join me for a conversation that includes real examples and actionable strategies about how we can dare to lead. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hanif Abdurraqib is a beautiful person and an incredible writer, poet, essayist, and cultural critic. His new book, A Little Devil in America: Notes in Praise of Black Performance, took my breath away. Hanif’s ability to straddle the tension of grief and gratitude, beauty and horror, mourning and jubilation is where the miracle and the genius happen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Unlocking Us is here to Dare to Lead on inclusivity. Aiko Bethea is a friend, colleague, and diversity, equity, and inclusion expert. We discuss empathy, accountability, and the power of listening and believing (including a very real role play). We also dissect the differences between transactional leadership and transformational leadership and why courage is a prerequisite to lasting, meaningful change. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, Unlocking Us is going to Dare to Lead! Olympian, activist, and author Abby Wambach and I connect on the new rules of leadership. Her book, WOLFPACK, I kid you not, is on my top five must-read leadership books. I buy this book for everyone. It’s leadership gold. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I’m talking to Dr. Angus Fletcher, professor and author of Wonderworks: The 25 Most Powerful Inventions in the History of Literature, about the science behind the great writings of authors across time — from Greek tragedies to Maya Angelou to Tina Fey. We look at how the technology of literature can nurture democracy, power personal growth, and improve our mental health and well-being. Weaving together library and laboratory research, we discuss how literature actually changes who we are, helps us understand who we are, and teaches us how to think. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, I talk to Dr. Yaba Blay about her new book, One Drop: Shifting the Lens on Race. It’s an honest and raw conversation about identity, grief, transformation, history, colorism, and taking responsibility for change. I continue to reflect on this quote from Dr. Blay: “Identity is nuanced. It’s complicated. I think it’s hard to define. Sometimes I think it’s dangerous to define, depending upon who’s doing the defining.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I’m talking to clinical psychologist and author Dr. Edith Eger about her books, The Choice and The Gift. Dr. Eger is a Holocaust survivor who has dedicated her career to helping us understand trauma, anger, resilience, and the power of choosing how we see ourselves and how we resist the labels that people put on us. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices