Episode 150
Episode #145 - Cross Country Exploration (Through Self Improvement)
The adventures that we go on in our lives can be easily attributed to taking a trip in a vehicle of your choosing. Whether you are riding on a motorcycle, ATV, car, or any other vehicle, you can make profound differences in the way in which you explore your self-development and how you view the world around you. Today’s episode will examine how to overcome “unconscious bias” when it comes to your personal growth, and how multiple form of modality, not just one, will make significant strides in all various facets of your individual progress, and how learning from others of varying cultural perspectives can increase your rate of return in life multiple times over.
Visit Our Website: https://speaking-from-the-heart.captivate.fm/
Visit Our Business Website: https://www.yourspeakingvoice.biz
Support The Mission Of The Business! Donate Here: https://speaking-from-the-heart.captivate.fm/support
Intro/Outro By: Michael Dugan, Podcast Host: Voice4Chefs
Transcript
Welcome to the podcast where relationships, confidence, and
2
:determination all converge into
an amazing, heartfelt experience.
3
:This is Speaking From The Heart.
4
:Joshua: Welcome back to episode number
145 of Speaking From the Heart, and I hope
5
:you have your car, truck, RV, whatever
vehicle you have packed up, maybe even
6
:your suitcase for that matter to throw on
the airplane, because it's time to go on
7
:a cross country exploration through self
improvement, and that's right, we're going
8
:to really talk about unconscious bias.
9
:You might be asking yourself, "How
is that even related to driving
10
:across country, or even enjoying
the various sights and sounds of
11
:whatever country you live in, Joshua?"
12
:Well, it's quite simple.
13
:If you're driving on the road and you
go into a completely different type of
14
:destination that you've ever been to,
you might be realizing that there's all
15
:kinds of new avenues, new opportunities,
new adventures to choose from, but yet,
16
:at the same time, there are new people,
new perspectives, new cultural norms, new
17
:understandings of different varieties of
people that have possibly a profoundly
18
:different lifestyle than even you that you
have to understand and respect, especially
19
:as you're coming to their territory, so we
are really going to dig into why sometimes
20
:we have this bias of maybe some of the
things that we have dealt with in our
21
:life, let alone even other people that we
need to get over, and we need to reframe
22
:how we can even enjoy some of those
various cultural perspectives that will
23
:help us multiple times over with that rate
of return that we're always looking for.
24
:Now this isn't a business
coaching episode.
25
:I'm going to try to make this as big and
broad as possible, because yes, this topic
26
:in itself could easily return dividends
on your bottom line if you think about it,
27
:because in other cultures, if you don't
understand and respect the customs, let
28
:alone even the differences from your own
country, yeah, you're going to lose that
29
:deal that you've been working on for a
long time but at the same time, what if we
30
:were able to make new friends, new family
members, maybe even new acquaintances
31
:that we'd be able to pen pal, maybe even
our new girlfriend, boyfriend, husband,
32
:wife, all because we were able to take
a cross country adventure, learning
33
:about the differences In ourselves?
34
:I think that we often think of
people, especially that are not
35
:living our day to day lives, as
something completely different.
36
:We don't really appreciate what they are.
37
:We don't appreciate the differences, so
that's why it's even important, too that
38
:if you have your motorcycle helmet on,
or you have goggles on as you are driving
39
:because you're protecting your eyelids
from all kinds of various ailments that
40
:might be happening along the way, I think
you might be rose coloring them from being
41
:able to see what other people bring to the
table, which is why I love the fact that
42
:we have various modes of transportation.
43
:If I want to get there really quickly,
and I don't really want to appreciate any
44
:of the differences, we have airplanes.
45
:In some cases, maybe even trains are
a better option than even driving your
46
:car, your motorcycle, or even an ATV
if you really are so inclined, but I
47
:hope that your ATV can be registered
in the state that you live in, let
48
:alone the country you might reside in.
49
:Even with all kidding aside, you have
to make a profound difference in the
50
:way in which you can explore your self
development by understanding the world
51
:around you, so let's talk about how
you can be able to do that, even at the
52
:comfort of your own home, because as
I've even talked about on various other
53
:episodes, social media in itself can be
one gateway, if you use it appropriately.
54
:We've already talked about some people,
even myself included, have gone down the
55
:rabbit hole of ridiculing and complaining
about all kinds of different people, all
56
:kinds of different perspectives for that
matter, especially when we see other
57
:people disagree with us, and I've already
shared with you that it's really important
58
:to think about that other side, that
other coin, that perspective in which
59
:you might not always hear about, or even
see for that matter, because if you're
60
:able to understand that, and you're able
to reflect on that, that can make such
61
:a big difference not just in the things
that we're talking about today, but also
62
:examining how we are able to have personal
growth, even professional growth for that
63
:matter, but if we look at the multiple
forms of modality that are involved with
64
:being able to learn and grow in just the
aspects that we need to teach ourselves,
65
:it can be as easy as talking to somebody
else that is completely different from us.
66
:Now, I'm not asking you today
to go up to a complete stranger,
67
:especially if you're driving cross
country, get into the gas station
68
:and go, "Hey, buddy, how's it going?"
69
:First off, I don't think you really want
to do that, because you don't know what
70
:they have behind the counter, especially
if they think you're some kind of robber,
71
:which I'll let you decide what repetitive
choice they have behind that counter.
72
:I'm not even asking you to go up to
random people at bars, grocery stores
73
:that you stop in, convenience stores,
no matter what kind of things that
74
:you might do on your road trip, even
going to places that are of historical
75
:significance: parks, not only things
that you find alongside the road.
76
:I'm not asking you to go to any
of those people and strike up a
77
:conversation, unless you're so inclined
to, which would be absolutely profound
78
:growth outside your comfort zone.
79
:No.
80
:I'm not asking you to
do any of those things.
81
:What I'm asking you to do, though,
is to take a deep breath as you stop
82
:at each place, and learn how to have
not just that conversation that you
83
:choose to have, but to appreciate the
sights, the sounds, what makes this
84
:aura of energy different from the normal
energy that you're usually attuned to.
85
:You see, unconscious bias comes from
not only the things that we do on a
86
:day to day basis, but it's because
we're unconscious of it, which is
87
:why it's called unconscious bias.
88
:We are not self aware of some of those
things that are completely different
89
:from around us, so if we're able to
look at the world differently by just
90
:accepting some of the things that are
happening around us, that can make
91
:such a huge difference in some of the
conversations that we need to have, not
92
:just in our own backyards when we're back
home after that long trip, but I mean
93
:in a national discourse on a variety of
different subjects that often times, I
94
:see America, let alone other countries
too, not exactly on the same page.
95
:As a matter of fact, it
might even help bring unity.
96
:It'll bring bonding together, especially
when we start to have that conversation
97
:about peace, not only understanding
what other people have going on in
98
:their lives, but how we can help them.
99
:I've always been an advocate on this show
about the importance of helping others.
100
:The best way to do it is to
just simply ask them or just
101
:observe where there's a need.
102
:A perfect example of this is right in my
backyard here in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.
103
:There was recently an initiative to
help clean up vines that were growing
104
:up alongside a brick wall that was
part of a significantly historic
105
:venue that has been well known and
established to have ties to the early
106
:founding of the Borough of Carlisle.
107
:Through some citizen groups and the
advocacy that was brought together
108
:by social media, along with some
local groups in the support of
109
:local government, they were able
to clean up those vines in no time.
110
:Those are the sort of small acts of
kindness, let alone the small things
111
:that we need to do to help protect our
overall value of the community, that
112
:can help us to achieve some of the best
things that we have yet to come, and
113
:this is how especially some settlers in
America even founded some of the places
114
:that we live and enjoy today: the city
of Brotherly Love, Philadelphia, not all
115
:that far away from me, was even based
on some of those aspects of growing,
116
:learning how to cooperate, because it
wouldn't have been a vast metropolis
117
:that it is today, regardless of what you
might think of it, especially with some
118
:of the areas that have been suffering
from crime and drug abuse, but those two
119
:things themselves, that can be cleaned
up, just by simply going in the backyard,
120
:and learning a little bit more about
it, and understanding what are the best
121
:ways to make improvements, instead of
simply just showing up, thinking you're
122
:going to change the world, people are
just going to simply laugh at you, or
123
:in some cases of Philadelphia, shoot at
you, which, I really would be afraid of
124
:your safety, more than anything else.
125
:I have to say, regardless of what modality
that you might choose to help yourself
126
:get to that direction, it's really about
understanding what is holding you back
127
:from believing that that change can occur.
128
:I think that we have to learn
how to be able to understand our
129
:cultures a lot better by not only
participating in avenues such as local
130
:government functions, city council
meetings, things of that nature,
131
:but it's also about learning how we
can be a more responsible citizen.
132
:One of the more recent things that I've
been trying to do over the last few months
133
:is to actually work on citizen advocacy,
being able to learn a little bit more
134
:about how I can be involved, not only
in local politics, not only in local
135
:government, but also how I can help others
become better versions of themselves by
136
:just simply participating in more events
that would help them get the stronger
137
:edge over all kinds of different avenues
that they normally are held back in.
138
:Being able to learn how to self develop
yourself often means then looking
139
:at some of the gaps that we have.
140
:We've talked about setting goals, but
those goal setting activities really
141
:mean identifying where are some of
those areas that we're lacking in.
142
:What are the gaps that we're trying to
fill, so that we are able to understand
143
:a little bit better of our surroundings,
and even the context of today's episode,
144
:talking about putting gas in the car,
jet fuel in the plane, putting some sort
145
:of resource into it so that we can get
a desired outcome, or desired output for
146
:that matter, because whether we want to
look at it or not, we have to understand
147
:that we live in it and we can't ignore
it no matter where you might be in this
148
:world, but often times, people choose
to ignore it, and therefore, receive
149
:the results that they often don't want
to receive, and I know, because I've
150
:seen it firsthand with some of you that
I have even interacted with outside of
151
:this show, that have made some amazing
contributions to society, which I've
152
:even featured on my show, about why it's
so important to learn and respect what
153
:other people have been going through.
154
:I know it's very easy for us to be able
to stay in our bubble and think that
155
:everything is A OK, especially when
we have control over that said bubble,
156
:and everything that comes in and out
of it, but if we're ever going to learn
157
:individual progress, it means that we
have to take a little bit of a risk.
158
:That means sometimes stepping outside
your front door and even taking a stroll,
159
:using your own two feet, around the
neighborhood, to see what is actually
160
:happening, because let's face it.
161
:You don't need just a motorcycle, ATV,
a car, a boat, a jet, whatever mode of
162
:transportation that I listed earlier.
163
:It all starts with your two hands and
your two feet in order to explore,
164
:through self improvement, how you can
choose to learn and interact with others.
165
:If you are afraid, if you are nervous,
or even have some anxiety about even
166
:doing something like this, consider this.
167
:If it wasn't for some of the people
before us, our ancestors, that have
168
:been able to build and form these
types of relationships with each other,
169
:let alone even build the coalition
of governments that we have, how do
170
:you think we're ever going to survive
in the future if it wasn't for your
171
:participation in that process as well?
172
:Now, I'm not talking about voting, and
I'm not talking about civil exercise
173
:of our ability to speak freely,
especially on podcasts like this.
174
:No.
175
:I'm not talking about any of that.
176
:What I am talking about, though, is just
learning to appreciate the differences,
177
:learning to understand each other, and
even getting outside of our own comfort
178
:zone when it comes to our own thoughts,
our own manifestations of what we truly
179
:believe, because if we change our cultural
perspectives of this, I'm saying, overall,
180
:that the value that you and I would both
get out of it would be much greater if
181
:you and I did it separately, which is
why, oh why, I go back to my true tested
182
:way of overcoming it: finding a coach.
183
:Now I get it, and we've talked
about this too, that for some
184
:people, that is out of reach.
185
:That is like buying a private
jet when you go and hire a coach,
186
:so how do I do this by myself?
187
:That is always the age old question,
and as many times as we can get in the
188
:car and look at other things around us,
get on social media and explore those
189
:opportunities, and even just watch the
news, and then look at alternate sources
190
:of news to have a counter argument to
then come up with our own conclusion.
191
:What else could I possibly do?
192
:Well, as some of my clients have
done, and have even embraced for
193
:that matter, it's about reading.
194
:It's about learning from other authors
and other thoughts and theories out
195
:there, but it's also about understanding
and adapting to the fact that our work
196
:is not the by product of ourselves.
197
:We do not need to just always read.
198
:We don't always need to
just listen to podcasts.
199
:It's about what we are able to add as
a voice to that contribution, based on
200
:our own theories, our own explanations.
201
:Of course, it might be important to
understand what has been published
202
:out there before you open your mouth,
or even write down what you have
203
:on a piece of paper, or even scrawl
on your notepad or tablet for that
204
:matter, and then send it to the World
Wide Web for everyone to consume.
205
:All I'm saying to you is to just think.
206
:The very basis of liberal
thinking is to think.
207
:To be able to be critical, and as I've
even mentioned on past episodes, my
208
:political science professor at Alvernia
University had once said, It's really
209
:about how you can critically think and
argue your point with the points that
210
:you come up with that are truly important
to carrying that conversation forward.
211
:I know that we can be bigoted.
212
:We can be racist.
213
:We can be not understanding of what
other people's thoughts, feelings,
214
:perceptions, attitudes, whatever.
215
:It can create so many different issues,
but you let that create issues if
216
:you continue to live in a bubble,
or you don't even think about why
217
:those people think the way they do.
218
:Do you understand their why?
219
:Do you want to explore that why?
220
:I'll be honest.
221
:There's a vast world out there of
knowledge, and things that we have
222
:not learned yet, and if we're not
able to embrace that and to carry that
223
:conversation forward, regardless of
the modality that might be involved
224
:with it, of course we're going to
be held back in our personal growth.
225
:Of course we're going to be
held back in our professional,
226
:maybe even business growth.
227
:We are going to be held back from
our ability to speak freely, but most
228
:importantly, above all else, you will
continue to have unconscious bias.
229
:I challenge you today.
230
:Even if you've been thinking that
you are not good enough to have
231
:this type of conversation, try.
232
:No matter how hard it might be, just try,
because if you just have some of that
233
:dialogue outside of your normal group of
individuals that you associate with, and
234
:if you can really input yourself into
a vast new opportunity, or world, full
235
:of imaginable possibilities, and grow a
thick skin knowing that some people are
236
:still going to say no, I think then you're
going to have a fun time on your trip,
237
:and I look forward to you following up
with me and letting me know how it went.
238
:All the pictures that you took, all the
experiences that you had, all the crazy
239
:stories that will come from it, but more
importantly, just hearing you and how
240
:you have evolved from your wonderful road
trip, your cross country exploration, or
241
:even your travels across a whole other
world, can certainly light my day up,
242
:and I'm looking forward to you being
part of it, to help me grow as well.
243
:Thanks for listening to episode
number 145 of Speaking From the
244
:Heart, and I look forward to
hearing from your heart, very soon.
245
:Outro: Thanks for listening.
246
:For more information about our podcast
and future shows, search for Speaking From
247
:The Heart to subscribe and be notified
wherever you listen to your podcasts.
248
:Visit us at www.yourspeakingvoice.biz
for more information about potential
249
:services that can help you create
the best version of yourself.
250
:See you next time.
