What is a Good Life?

• What is a Good Life? #147 - Coming Home Through Movement with Karimu Samuels

  On the 147th episode of What is a Good Life?, I’m delighted to welcome Karimu Samuels. Karimu is a movement expert whose journey from exhaustion to ease led him to discover the power of moving through life with flow. With years of studying body functionality and coaching athletes worldwide, he teaches holistic movement that unites body, mind, and emotion — guiding others toward balance and the joy of movement. He embodies the belief that through movement, we can master not only our bodies but also ourselves.In this conversation, Karimu invites us to explore what happens when we stop striving and start listening — to our bodies, our intuition, and the quieter signals of life. From learning to move through the world with less control and more awareness, to discovering movement as a mirror for self-understanding, he shares how trust, honesty, and softness became the foundation of his work and his peace.This episode invites you to slow down, listen deeply, and tune into what your body is trying to tell you.For more of Karimu's work:https://www.instagram.com/karimu_samuels/[email protected] me at [email protected] if you'd like to explore your own lines of self-inquiry through 1-on-1 coaching, my 5-week group courses, or to discuss team coaching to stimulate greater trust, communication, and connection, amongst your leadership teams.- For the What is a Good Life? podcast's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife/videos- My newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/00:00–03:09 — “Who am I?” as the guiding question03:09–04:48 — Movement as universal; finding your gift04:48–07:40 — From ego goals to service; discovering movement07:50–12:36 — “Arriving / home” = inner peace12:36–15:17 — Trust → authenticity; speak your own reality16:10–18:40 — Radical honesty18:40–24:48 — Listening to the body: asthma & throat story24:48–28:03 — Practice and mastering mindset28:03–32:41 — Shaped by experience; learning to show up32:41–38:59 — Movement is a mirror; five components38:59–42:58 — Broken wrist; adapting without compensating42:58–47:33 — Softening: control vs. letting go47:33–52:05 — Love as a tool; co-creating safe space52:05–56:36 — “What is a good life?” Three pillars

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• What is a Good Life? #146 - The Hidden Gifts Of The Shadow with Steven D'Souza

  On the 146th episode of What is a Good Life?, I’m delighted to welcome Steven D’Souza. Steven is an award winning author, executive educator, trusted advisor, leadership coach and keynote speaker. He is a Senior Partner in the Leadership & Professional Development Practice at Korn Ferry, a leading global Organisational Consulting firm. His expertise crosses the fields of psychology, organisational development, diversity, group dynamics, contemplation and social capital. He has spoken globally to organisations such as PwC, TikTok, Financial Times and the United Nations. His work has been featured in Harvard Business Review, The Independent and The Sunday Times.In this conversation, Steven reflects on his early pursuit of the priesthood and his lifelong inquiry into meaning, service, and aliveness. Drawing on themes from his latest book, Shadows at Work, he shares how meeting the shadow with curiosity and compassion brings wholeness, and how embracing uncertainty, silence, and kindness can lead to a more grounded, vital way of living.This conversation invites you to see the shadow not as something to fix, but as a hidden source of energy, wisdom, and aliveness.For more of Steven's work:Shadows at Work: Harness Your Dark Side and Unlock Your Leadership PotentialNot Knowing: The Art of Turning Uncertainty into OpportunityNot Doing: The Art of Effortless ActionNot Being: The Art of Self TransformationWebsite: https://stevendsouza.com/Contact me at [email protected] if you'd like to explore your own lines of self-inquiry through 1-on-1 coaching, my 5-week group courses, or to discuss team coaching to stimulate greater trust, communication, and connection, amongst your leadership teams.- For the What is a Good Life? podcast's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife/videos- My newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/00:00 — Steven’s lifelong question + year pursuing priesthood04:24 — Leaving the path & formative books (Kopp, de Mello)07:27 — Stories as truth; practice over tips10:12 — Aliveness; “I grow in my spirituality by growing in my humanity”13:01 — Bringing the vertical into the horizontal (everyday life)13:28 — Why Shadows at Work; prisons, corporate paradox, “dark mode”19:36 — “Know my shadow and my light”: beyond Jung; four lenses23:08 — Defining shadow; biology, culture, spirit lenses in practice31:02 — Personal shadow work37:04 — Paradoxical theory of change; acceptance over improvement40:43 — Negative capability (Keats)46:53 — Via negativa & subtraction; “bring silence with you”52:29 — The edge of the unknown; reactions & catastrophic thinking58:56 — What is a good life? “A kind life.”

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• What is a Good Life? #145 - The Courage To Listen To Yourself with Marc Cinanni

  On the 145th episode of What is a Good Life?, I’m delighted to welcome Marc Cinanni. Marc is a writer, musician, and co-founder of Muntanya Màgica, a secluded forest retreat space near Barcelona devoted to personal and spiritual renewal. After time spent in an ashram and a transformative period living on a remote Pacific island, Marc now helps others rewild their inner and outer lives through nature, meditation, and presence—inviting a return to stillness and a deep respect for the mystery of life.In this conversation, we explore courage as the practice of listening to yourself, rewilding a modern life and his move to a remote island, practical spirituality, and how trusting life reshapes friendship, work, and home.This episode is an invitation to truly notice and trust this life.For more of Marc's work:Retreat website: www.muntanyamagica.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marccinanni/Contact me at [email protected] if you'd like to explore your own lines of self-inquiry through 1-on-1 coaching, my 5-week group courses, or to discuss team coaching to stimulate greater trust, communication, and connection, amongst your leadership teams.- For the What is a Good Life? podcast's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife/videos- My newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/00:00 How do I live this life as me?02:30 Sharing our gift with the world05:00 A series of experience to self-knowing08:45 The pillars of empathy & creativity12:15 A call to nature17:45 Attuning to nature’s demands and our being21:00 Adjusting to life in nature29:44 Noticing the cycles of life35:00 Continued communication in relationships38:20 The shifting of friendships41:00 Knowing you can trust your life46:00 The beauty of every moment50:30 Setting up a retreat52:30 Summary and what is a good life for Marc?

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• What is a Good Life? #144 - The Quest For Balance In Life with George Thompson

  On the 144th episode of What is a Good Life?, I’m delighted to welcome George Thompson. George is a filmmaker, teacher, and founder of Balance is Possible!, a movement dedicated to inspiring balance for both people and planet. With over 25 million people impacted by his work and support from changemakers like Louie Schwartzberg, Tara Brach, and Stephen Fry, George weaves together ancient Daoist wisdom and modern science into practical, playful tools for navigating modern life.In this conversation, we explore what it truly means to live in balance — within ourselves, with others, and with the natural world. George shares insights from his time training under Master Gu in the Wudang Mountains of China, and reflects on how balance extends beyond personal wellbeing into a collective responsibility for the planet.This is a gentle and profound invitation to slow down, be present, and rediscover harmony amidst the complexities of life.For more of George's work:website: https://www.balanceispossible.com/His latest film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KArWcMldPMContact me at [email protected] if you'd like to explore your own lines of self-inquiry through 1-on-1 coaching, my 5-week group courses, or to discuss team coaching to stimulate greater trust, communication, and connection, amongst your leadership teams.- For the What is a Good Life? podcast's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife/videos- My newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/00:00 What is balance?03:00 The economy and nature05:00 A radical transformation of understanding08:30 The unexpected path to Tai Chi11:20 The embrace of the unknown17:00 Letting go of yourself20:00 No longer separating life from practice 23:50 The wisdom of the mind28:15 Trusting the flow of life31:00 The forming of a mission34:00 The interdependence of healing38:00 Giving yourself grace of seasons41:00 Creating more space to meet life44:25 Loving the challenging feelings of life49:50 The movement towards balance52:45 Summary of the conversation and what is a good life for George?

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• What is a Good Life? #143 - Embracing The Fullness Of Life with Kimbra

  On the 143rd episode of What is a Good Life?, I’m delighted to welcome Kimbra. Kimbra is a New Zealand-born songwriter, musician, producer, and adventurous performer. Her 2011 debut, Vows, was certified platinum in Australia and New Zealand. The following year, “Somebody That I Used to Know,” her duet with Gotye, topped Billboard’s Hot 100, became the best-selling song of the year in the U.S., and earned her two Grammy Awards. Since then, she has toured with artists including Beck, David Byrne, and Jacob Collier, and has released four more albums: The Golden Echo, Primal Heart, A Reckoning, and Idols & Vices (Vol. 1). She hosts the podcast Playing With Fire and shares essays, poetry and watercolours on her Substack newsletter.In this conversation, Kimbra reflects on her ongoing journey to find balance and rest within her life and career as a musician. She speaks about the importance of silence in shaping her artistic expression, the power of surrendering to spirit, and the grounding influence of nature.This episode is an invitation to embrace the fullness of life — its joy, its suffering, and the many paradoxes in between.For more of Kimbra's work:Substack: https://kimbra.substack.com/Website: https://www.kimbramusic.com/Contact me at [email protected] if you'd like to explore your own lines of self-inquiry through 1-on-1 coaching, my 5-week group courses, or to discuss team coaching to stimulate greater trust, communication, and connection, amongst your leadership teams.- For the What is a Good Life? podcast's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife/videos- My newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/00:00 How to find balance?03:00 The experience of burnout06:30 A silent concert09:50 HoneyBones and nothing to lose12:30 The generosity and connection of silence 16:00 Life, art, and work are not separate19:30 Receiving a message from spirit23:30 Being empowered by spirit29:00 A mystical experience and calling33:42 We all have a cross38:50 Making a difference in the world42:30 The power and role of nature45:00 Rest, letting go, and liberation51:15 Summary and what is a good life for Kimbra?

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