Magic Thread Media

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Channel • 2 Shows

Philosophy

Philosophy

Updated Biweekly
Self-Improvement

Self-Improvement

Updated Weekly

3D AGO

Why High Achievers Keep Chasing and Still Feel Unsatisfied with Harper A. Bailey

Why high achievers keep chasing and still feel unsatisfied often has little to do with effort and everything to do with where attention is placed. In this conversation, Amy and Harper A. Bailey unpack how driven people become conditioned to equate movement with progress and achievement with worth, slowly losing connection to their internal signals along the way. They explore how performance mode, urgency, and the need to prove keep leaders stuck in a cycle of doing more while feeling less fulfilled. Rather than offering another strategy to optimize output, the discussion points inward, revealing how awareness, presence, and listening to the body restore clarity and direction. When achievement stops being the primary compass, work becomes more intentional, decisions feel steadier, and satisfaction stops living somewhere in the future. Key Highlights Why high achievers confuse constant movement with real progress - See how staying busy can mask a deeper lack of clarity and direction.How performance mode quietly replaces self-trust - Understand why proving your value externally makes it harder to hear what you actually need.Why achievement stops delivering satisfaction over time - Learn how success can lose its impact when worth becomes tied to outcomes.How ignoring the body leads to misaligned decisions - Discover why physical signals often reveal burnout and misdirection before the mind does.What keeps driven people stuck in urgency and pressure - Explore how the need to stay ahead prevents reflection and recalibration.What shifts when clarity replaces chasing - Notice how slowing down creates steadier decisions, cleaner boundaries, and more grounded leadership. About the Guest: Harper A. Bailey is the pen name of Tiosha Bailey, a Chicago native, public health leader, and powerful storyteller who challenges the status quo. She was the first Black woman to lead a prominent national women's healthcare nonprofit, where she prioritized health equity and amplified the voices of underserved communities. Her first book, It Was Her: A Memoir—featuring a foreword by renowned motivational speaker Lisa Nichols—invites readers into a deeply personal story shaped by loss, resilience, and transformation. Through honest and compelling storytelling, Harper explores identity, healing, and the courage it takes to reclaim your narrative. As a speaker, Harper brings clarity, depth, and humor to conversations about leadership, purpose, and the lived experiences of Black women. She connects with audiences through truth-telling and a passion for Creating spaces where people feel seen, heard, and empowered. Grab a copy of Harper's book - It Was Her www.harperabailey.com https://www.instagram.com/harper_abailey/ https://www.facebook.com/harperabailey About Amy: Amy Lynn Durham, known by her clients as the Corporate Mystic, is the founder of the Executive Coaching Firm,

3d ago

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37 min
11/20/2025 · BONUS

Finding Treasures in the Trash: From Denial to Self-Devotion with Trudy Goodman

Ever ignored your gut and paid the price? Cari sits down with beloved teacher and mindfulness pioneer Trudy Goodman for a soul-stirring conversation about intuition, trust, and healing the parts of ourselves we've hidden away. Trudy vulnerably shares the ways denying her intuition led to deep personal pain, and how reclaiming it helped her rebuild a life of wisdom, creativity, and self-love. 🌱 The episode dives into the spiritual paradox of "no-self" vs. self-work, the nuanced dance between confidence and vulnerability, and how the practice of meditation can lead us not away from our messy truths, but straight into them. 🧘‍♀️ Trudy's stories will crack you open, make you laugh, and leave you thinking differently about what it really means to "heal." If you're ready to start reclaiming the parts of yourself you've pushed aside, head to http://www.bravedirections.com/5daystotruth to sign up for "Five Days to Truth"—a free guided meditation series to help you begin that process with clarity and care. It's a powerful companion to this work, and my gift to you. Follow along on Instagram @cari_jacobs_sf for more inspiration! Additional Resources: Follow Trudy on Instagram - @trudy_goodman Learn more about InsightLA Connect with Cari on LinkedIn Follow PeopleForward Network on LinkedIn Learn more about PeopleForward Network Key Takeaways: Intuition is trustworthy. Learn to listen and retrain it.Self-confidence grows through compassion, not perfection.Healing is messy, ongoing, and incredibly human.Vulnerability fosters true connection and belonging.Meditation uncovers inner wisdom and emotional clarity.

11/20/2025 · Bonus

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45 min
09/18/2025 · BONUS

Finding Treasures in the Trash: The Journey to Wholeness with Henry Most

What if the parts of yourself you've spent years pushing away are actually the keys to your biggest growth? 🌱 Cari sits down with Stanford professor, executive coach, and therapist Henry Most for a deep yet playful dive into shadow work. Together, they explore Carl Jung's framework for how we become our truest selves, why anxiety might just be a sign that hidden treasures are knocking at the door, and how leaders can move from constant "doing" to authentic "being." Henry gets real about his own story, from childhood dynamics to a life-shaking crisis that became a turning point, and shares how everyday practices like pausing, breathing, and listening to the body can transform the way we live and lead. If you're ready to start reclaiming the parts of yourself you've pushed aside, head to http://www.bravedirections.com/5daystotruth to sign up for "Five Days to Truth"—a free guided meditation series to help you begin that process with clarity and care. It's a powerful companion to this work, and my gift to you. Follow along on Instagram @cari_jacobs_sf for more inspiration! Additional Resources: Connect with Henry on LinkedIn Connect with Cari on LinkedIn Follow PeopleForward Network on LinkedIn Learn more about PeopleForward Network Key Takeaways: Shadow work reintegrates the parts of ourselves we've suppressed. The first half of life builds ego; the second seeks authentic Self. Anxiety can signal suppressed parts pushing to surface. Leadership growth means shifting from doing to being. Transformation can come through small daily practices.

09/18/2025 · Bonus

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44 min
JAN 6

The Joy Operating System: The Hidden Upgrade You’ve Been Missing w/ Kristin Joy Ekkens

Something shifts when joy stops being a side effect of success and becomes a conscious way of living and leading. In this episode, Amy explores the idea of Exponential Joy with Kristin Joy Ekkens, founder of Exponential Joy™ movement, and how choosing joy on purpose can transform the way we work, communicate, and show up in our lives. Together, they unpack how joy is not about bypassing difficulty, but about developing the awareness, presence, and courage to meet life honestly without losing yourself in the process. Kristin shares how exponential joy grows through small, intentional choices that reconnect you to your voice, your body, and your truth, even in high-pressure environments. This conversation invites you to rethink productivity, success, and leadership through a more human lens, where joy becomes a renewable resource that deepens connection, expands impact, and creates work that feels aligned instead of draining. Key Takeaways: Why Exponential Joy Is a Practice, Not a Personality Trait – Understand how joy grows through intentional choices rather than circumstances or temperament.How Joy Changes the Way You Show Up at Work – Learn how choosing joy affects presence, communication, and how others experience you.The Difference Between Performing and Living in Joy – See how chasing approval or productivity blocks joy and creates quiet exhaustion.How Awareness Creates Space for Joy Under Pressure – Discover why noticing your internal state is the doorway to sustainable joy, even in demanding environments.Why Joy Expands Impact Instead of Diminishing It – Learn how grounded joy strengthens leadership, trust, and influence rather than making work feel less serious.Returning to Your Natural State of Joy – Understand how reconnecting to your voice, body, and truth allows joy to grow exponentially over time. About the Guest: Kristin Joy Ekkens is the visionary founder of the Exponential Joy™ movement and creator of the Joy Operating System (JOYOS™)—a blueprint for conscious leadership, wellbeing, and human flourishing. A TEDx speaker, executive coach, and social entrepreneur, she blends emotional and connectional intelligence, well-tech, and ancient wisdom to help leaders and creators upgrade their inner operating systems. After overcoming severe burnout and autoimmune illness, Kristin developed the EPIC Joy Codes™—Energy, Purpose, Intention, and Connection—to help others transform stress into vitality and purpose into joy. Her mission: to rewire humanity for exponential joy. http://www.linkedin.com/in/kristinjoyekkens https://exj.global/joyos-accelerator/ About Amy: Amy Lynn Durham, known by her clients as the Corporate Mystic, is the founder of the Executive Coaching Firm, Create Magic At Work®, where they help leaders build workplaces rooted in creativity, collaboration, and fulfillment. A former corporate executive turned Executive Coach, Amy blends practical leadership strategies with spiritual intelligence to unlock human potential at work. She’s a certified Executive Coach through UC Berkeley & the International Coaching Federation (ICF) In addition, Amy holds coaching certifications in Spiritual Intelligence (SQ21), the Edgewalker...

Jan 6

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42 min
12/30/2025

Voices From the Edge: Closing 2025 and Stepping Into 2026

This episode is a collective pause at the edge of 2025, gathering voices from across the year to name what is quietly changing in how we lead, work, and relate to one another. Through reflections on presence, play, courage, compassion, wisdom, and humanity, the conversation invites a different way of moving forward. One that values being grounded over being rushed, connection over control, and truth over performance. As these voices come together, a deeper invitation emerges to lead with awareness, to stay human in the face of uncertainty and technology, and to step into 2026 willing to challenge old patterns while creating work that feels more alive, meaningful, and whole. Key Takeaways: 00:55 – Paul Haas – Rediscovering presence as the doorway to meaning, aliveness, and everyday magic 03:25 – Dr. Josh Plaskoff – Healing the split between systems and soul in how organizations are built 07:09 – Tracy Clark – Using play to unlock creativity, challenge assumptions, and open new possibilities 09:53 – Doy Charnsupharindr – The quiet power of staying with someone in uncertainty instead of rushing to answers 11:36 – Marcy Moriconi – Rewriting how women relate to one another at work and what it really takes to rise 13:04 – Dr. Mark Rittenberg – Leading bravely through dialogue, storytelling, and radical kindness 17:18 – JC Carr – How simple conversations can become turning points for growth and mentorship 19:07 – Jenn Ayala – Leading as a real human being, not a role, and why trust starts there 20:19 – Brian Gorman – Moving from intelligence to wisdom in leadership and collective decision-making 23:18 – Dr. Shonna Waters – Standing at the crossroads of AI and humanity and choosing the future we’re creating 27:13 – Sandra Bargman – Ferocious compassion, self-truth, and the courage to stop betraying yourself to belong About Amy: Amy Lynn Durham, known by her clients as the Corporate Mystic, is the founder of the Executive Coaching Firm, Create Magic At Work®, where they help leaders build workplaces rooted in creativity, collaboration, and fulfillment. A former corporate executive turned Executive Coach, Amy blends practical leadership strategies with spiritual intelligence to unlock human potential at work. She’s a certified Executive Coach through UC Berkeley & the International Coaching Federation (ICF) In addition, Amy holds coaching certifications in Spiritual Intelligence (SQ21), the Edgewalker Profile, and the Archetypes of Change . In addition to being the host of the Create Magic At Work® podcast, Amy is the author of Create Magic At Work®, Creating Career Magic: A Daily Prompt Journal and the founder of Magic Thread Media™. Through her work, she inspires intentional leadership for thriving workplaces and lives where “magic” becomes reality. Connect with Amy: https://createmagicatwork.net/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/create-magic-at-work https://www.facebook.com/112951637095427 https://www.instagram.com/createmagicatwork https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnEm4h3fUgaq8qgvZpz6dGg Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the...

12/30/2025

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31 min
12/16/2025

Ferocious Compassion: Why It’s OK to Be Disliked w/ Communication & Presence Expert Sandra Bargman

In a world that often rewards silence over truth, this conversation invites us into the radical possibility that courage can be compassionate and compassion can be ferocious. Sandra Bargman joins Amy to explore how choosing authenticity over approval transforms the way we lead, speak up and refuse the quiet self-betrayal that so many of us have normalized. Together they peel back the layers of social conditioning, especially for women and leaders, and show how the simple act of pausing, breathing and telling the truth becomes a liberating spiritual practice. This episode reminds us that real compassion begins with ourselves and that the courage to be disliked is sometimes the most loving choice we can make. Key Takeaways: The Paradox of Ferocious Compassion - Learn how strength and tenderness can coexist and why true compassion sometimes requires uncomfortable honesty.Why Self-Betrayal Happens in Leadership - See how people pleasing, approval seeking and silence accumulate and undermine your integrity and confidence.The Courage to Be Disliked - Discover why speaking your truth is an act of self respect and how developing this muscle changes every room you walk into.Reclaiming Your Voice in Moments That Catch You Off Guard - Find approaches for pausing, breathing and responding instead of freezing, laughing it off or internalizing harm.Confrontation as Presence, Not Conflict - Understand how facing a moment directly, without attack or avoidance, becomes a deep expression of integrity.Practicing Boundaries With Compassion - Explore ways to assess your safety, values and intentions so you can decide when to stay, when to speak and when to walk away. About the Guest: Sandra Bargman helps leaders unlock truthful presence with a blend of vocal mastery, storytelling skill, and deep emotional intelligence. Drawing from decades as an actor, singer, director, and life counselor, she teaches people to express themselves with clarity, authenticity, and intention. Her holistic B.I.G. Approach brings together breath and body work, vocal strength, diction, silence, mindfulness, and story craft, giving clients the tools to communicate with confidence and purpose. Whether she’s coaching one-on-one or leading groups, Sandra guides people of all ages and professions to access their inner truth, sharpen their message, and step into bolder, more grounded communication. https://www.sandrabargman.com https://www.sandrabargman.com/podcast About Amy: Amy Lynn Durham, known by her clients as the Corporate Mystic, is the founder of the Executive Coaching Firm, Create Magic At Work®, where they help leaders build workplaces rooted in creativity, collaboration, and fulfillment. A former corporate executive turned Executive Coach, Amy blends practical leadership strategies with spiritual intelligence to unlock human potential at work. She’s a certified Executive Coach through UC Berkeley & the International Coaching Federation (ICF) In addition, Amy holds coaching certifications in Spiritual Intelligence (SQ21), the Edgewalker Profile, and the Archetypes of Change . In addition to being the host of the Create Magic At Work® podcast, Amy is the author of Create Magic At Work®, Creating Career Magic: A Daily Prompt Journal and the founder of Magic Thread Media™. Through her work, she inspires intentional leadership for thriving workplaces and lives where “magic” becomes reality. Connect with Amy: a...

12/16/2025

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43 min
11/24/2025

You're Making Culture Too Hard with Todd Wuestenberg

What if the strongest culture strategies aren't crafted in boardrooms, but in breakrooms, maintenance closets, and one-on-one hallway conversations? In this episode, Amy Lynn Durham is joined by Todd Wuestenberg, Chief Culture Officer at Haverkamp Properties, to explore how culture becomes tangible when ordinary people are empowered to create extraordinary impact. Drawing from his agricultural roots and over two decades in leadership, Todd offers a grounded, people-first perspective on building cultures that truly care. Together, they unpack three pivotal ideas: Culture as Stewardship: Why true culture means caring for people, not just hitting KPIs.From Posters to Practice: How to move from laminated values to lived behaviors through everyday recognition and leadership modeling.Measuring What Matters: How honest, third-party culture surveys can spark real dialogue, realignment, and renewed trust across departments. Todd and Amy also explore the power of peer-to-peer recognition, redefining the "customer" within departments, and how "work-life harmony" is the new standard for a healthy workplace. Listen if you're ready to stop chasing performance and start cultivating purpose. 🎧 Create Magic at Work® is hosted by Amy Lynn Durham, executive coach and founder of Create Magic at Work®, where spiritual intelligence meets modern leadership. Additional Resources: Connect with Todd on LinkedIn Discover Your Spiritual Intelligence at Work Connect with Amy Lynn Durham Learn More About Create Magic at Work More on PeopleForward Network Follow PeopleForward Network on LinkedIn Key Takeaways: Culture means caring for people, processes, and the organization.Leadership must model values, not just display them.Peer recognition builds authentic workplace connection.Culture starts with micro-teams, not top-down mandates.Work-life harmony replaces outdated balance expectations. Captivate Feed

11/24/2025

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37 min
10/16/2025 · BONUS

Finding Treasures in the Trash: Leaning Into the Pain with Lisa Danylchuk

What if the parts of yourself you've tried to hide are actually the keys to your healing? 🌱 Cari sits down with her longtime friend and trauma therapist Lisa Danylchuk, founder of the Center for Yoga and Trauma Recovery and author of "Yoga for Trauma Recovery." Together, they dive deep into the messy, magical process of turning life's pain into purpose. Lisa opens up about her experience with grief and how yoga became her lifeline, sparking a lifelong mission to help others heal through self-awareness and compassion. The two explore how even the so-called "trash," grief, shame, imposter syndrome, and the parts of ourselves we'd rather ignore, can actually hold the gold. 🧘‍♀️💛 If you're ready to start reclaiming the parts of yourself you've pushed aside, head to http://www.bravedirections.com/5daystotruth to sign up for "Five Days to Truth"—a free guided meditation series to help you begin that process with clarity and care. It's a powerful companion to this work, and my gift to you. Follow along on Instagram @cari_jacobs_sf for more inspiration! Additional Resources: Connect with Lisa on LinkedIn Learn more about How We Can Heal Listen to Lisa's podcast: How We Can Heal Connect with Cari on LinkedIn Follow PeopleForward Network on LinkedIn Learn more about PeopleForward Network Key Takeaways: Healing begins with gently approaching your pain. Avoidance often masks deeper emotions needing attention. Trauma recovery is unique for every individual. Inner healing directly strengthens external leadership impact. Self-awareness fosters genuine connection and resilience.

10/16/2025 · Bonus

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45 min
10/20/2025

One Conversation Away: Hope for Gen Z with JC Carr

What does the future of leadership look like through Gen Z eyes? In this episode of Create Magic at Work, Amy sits down with JC Carr — an Territory Account Manager at World Emblem, entrepreneur, and social media influencer — to explore how the next generation is reshaping business, philanthropy, and work culture. ✨ In this conversation, you'll hear about: How JC built a successful exotic car brokerage while still in college Lessons Gen Z is bringing into traditional industries like manufacturing Why philanthropy and giving back are central to JC's leadership approach Lean management principles explained in a human-centered way JC's words of hope for Gen Z professionals navigating today's workforce The reminder that you're always one conversation away from a different life 🎧 Tune in for a refreshing, candid perspective from Gen Z and discover what the future of leadership might hold. Additional Resources: Connect with JC on LinkedIn Discover Your Spiritual Intelligence at Work Connect with Amy Lynn Durham Learn More About Create Magic at Work More on PeopleForward Network Follow PeopleForward Network on LinkedIn Key Takeaways: Gen Z brings fresh perspective and identifies overlooked issues. Lean management enhances efficiency without eliminating people. Change creates opportunities for growth and innovation. One conversation can transform your entire career path.

10/20/2025

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31 min
11/17/2025

Reimagining Work Beyond Time and Hierarchy with Brian Gorman

In a world obsessed with artificial intelligence, what if the future of work actually belongs to authentic intelligence? In this episode, Amy Lynn Durham sits down with Brian Gorman, author of Leading Into the Age of Wisdom: Reimagining the Future of Work, to explore how leaders can reclaim humanity at the heart of business. Together, they unpack three essential shifts: 💡 Reclaiming the Human Core: What truly separates wisdom from AI, and why empathy and discernment may be our most vital leadership tools. 🔄 Rethinking Work: How to move from time-based pay to energy- and results-driven work, and why flexibility creates more humane workplaces. 🔮 Leading Into the Age of Wisdom: What wisdom circles teach us about collective intelligence and how to lead from presence, not power. Brian and Amy also discuss how fear of AI can become an invitation to rediscover purpose, how wisdom emerges from collaboration, and how unlearning old paradigms can open us to a more conscious, connected future of work. Listen if you're ready to lead not to control, but to liberate. 📘 Grab Brian's book, "Leading Into the Age of Wisdom", and connect with him on LinkedIn. 🎧 Create Magic at Work® is hosted by Amy Lynn Durham, executive coach and founder of Create Magic at Work®, where spiritual intelligence meets modern leadership. Additional Resources: Get Brian's new book: "Leading Into the Age of Wisdom" Connect with Brian on LinkedIn Listen to Brian podcast: Qonversations: Powered by Quantuvos Learn more about Brian's work! Discover Your Spiritual Intelligence at Work Connect with Amy Lynn Durham Learn More About Create Magic at Work More on PeopleForward Network Follow PeopleForward Network on LinkedIn Key Takeaways: Wisdom guides how we use AI-driven intelligence. We're entering a transformative Age of Wisdom. Human connection and empathy are workplace essentials. Measure productivity by energy, not hours. Leadership thrives through shared, collective wisdom.

11/17/2025

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35 min

A podcast network weaving conscious voices for a more connected world.