Being Different Together

Nyssa Hanger
  • 5.0 (15)
  • Self-Improvement

Being Different Together explores the realms of relationship, entrepreneurship, and personal development through the lens of Real Dialogue, a set of principles, practices, and methods for healthy conflict as a means for growth.  In other words, just because we disagree, doesn’t mean we can’t get along.  Through this series, Nyssa and Kelly will bring their combined experience as holistic health practitioners to the table to share what they’ve learned through the process of integrating these skills in their lives.  This podcast is for all the people who want to make the world a better place and feel a little less alone doing it.

  1. 6d ago

    #29 - Intentionality, Part 14: Where Does Wisdom Come From?

    What if wisdom isn’t invented or owned, but discovered—ladled up from a shared “primordial soup” of stories, experiences, and ancestral knowing?  Kelly and Nyssa riff on a listener’s question, tracing the roots of Uncle Murray’s intentionality sayings through 12‑step recovery rooms, counseling traditions at USF, spiritual practice, and the collective unconscious.  Along the way, they weave in Jungian archetypes, Buddhism, religion vs. spirituality, childbirth and death, gardening, and the everyday “kitchen table” moments that season raw insight into lived, embodied wisdom.  If you’ve ever wondered where wisdom really comes from, how sayings like “If nothing changes, nothing changes” take root in a life, or how mystery itself keeps us reflecting and growing, this conversational deep dive into intentionality, recovery, and meaning‑making is for you. Main Topics Covered: How a listener’s simple question—“Where does wisdom come from?”—turns into a deep dive on intentionality and recoveryThe surprising 12‑step roots behind many of Uncle Murray’s most beloved sayingsWhether we invent wisdom or discover it from a collective “primordial soup” of human experienceHow stories about spaghetti night, disco songs, and family nicknames quietly shape our beliefsWhat 12‑step programs, religion, and Jungian psychology all reveal about rituals, myths, and meaningWhy our “human VR headset” (body + brain) might be the key to understanding wisdom, trauma, and growthThe strange way birth, death, and grief pull us into archetypal territory while life insists we still make dinnerHow plants, mycelium, and Florida’s swampy ecosystem point to a wider, non‑human intelligenceWhy some trauma survivors heal more from ethical communities and role models than from talking about the pastThe essential role of mystery—why not knowing keeps us reflecting, creating, and seeking wiser ways to live Links: Episode #16 - Intentionality, Part 1: Everything You’ve Done Prepared You For This MomentEpisode #17 - Intentionality, Part 2: Feeling Good Needs No ExcuseEpisode #18 - Intentionality, Part 3: If You Think You Can Change the World, You Have a Better ChanceEpisode #19 - Intentionality, Part 4: Your Reality is as Good as Anyone Else’sEpisode #20 - Intentionality, Part 5: It’s Useful to View the Past in a Friendly WayEpisode #21 - Intentionality, Part 6: There’s More Than Two Ways to Skin a CatEpisode #22 - Intentionality, Part 7: Take the Hard Things EasyEpisode #23 - Intentionality, Part 8: You’re Already ReadyEpisode #24 - Intentionality, Part 9: Life is a Joke – Either You Get It or You Don’tEpisode #25 - Intentionality, Part 10: Whatever It Is You Feel, Remember You Don’t Have ToEpisode #26 - Intentionality, Part 11: Aim Yourself at Being with People Who Facilitate You Being the Person You Want to BeEpisode #27 - Intentionality, Part 12: Find a Pleasant PathEpisode #28 - Intentionality, Part 13: Keep Your Eyes on the PrizeNewsletter Sign Up: Going Upward Newsletter – Get Nyssa’s email newsletter hereStay in Touch: Nyssa Hanger: www.nyssahanger.com | IG: @nyssahanger Kelly Brady: www.kellybrady.me | IG: @drkellybrady

  2. Jul 2

    #28 - Intentionality, Part 13: Keep Your Eyes on the Prize

    What if the secret to reaching your goals is not grinding harder, but holding them more gently? Kelly and Nyssa explore the final two intentionality slogans from Uncle Murray—“Keep your eyes on the prize” and “Easy does it”—and how together they create a powerful roadmap for pursuing meaningful goals without burning out. Through stories of massage clients, canceled flights, blackout Airbnbs, nourishing meals, grandmothers in Depression‑era kitchens, and Buddhist teachings like “the obstacle is the path,” they show how attention, dedication, and ease can completely change your relationship to work, pain, and purpose.  If you’re craving a more sustainable, compassionate way to stay focused on what matters—whether that’s healing, creative projects, or showing up better for the people you love—this conversation on intentionality, mindset, and choosing a pleasant path is for you. Main Topics Covered: How “Keep your eyes on the prize” can completely change what you think your real goal isThe surprising power of “Easy does it” when you’re ambitious, exhausted, or stuck in hustle modeWhy three bricklayers—and three different answers—might reshape how you see your work and purposeA simple journaling ritual Nyssa uses to turn boring focus blocks into meaningful, motivated timeWhat chronic pain, canceled flights, and traffic jams can teach us about intentionality and resilienceHow helping someone else (on purpose) can instantly shift you out of self‑absorbed sufferingThe hidden influence of grandmothers’ cooking, Depression‑era kitchens, and one unforgettable mealWhy your “prize” is often other people—and how knowing that changes the way you show upThe essential balance between caring deeply and not taking yourself (or your goals) too seriouslyA complete read‑through of all Uncle Murray’s intentionality slogans, woven into one poetic finale Links: Episode #16 - Intentionality, Part 1: Everything You’ve Done Prepared You For This MomentEpisode #17 - Intentionality, Part 2: Feeling Good Needs No ExcuseEpisode #18 - Intentionality, Part 3: If You Think You Can Change the World, You Have a Better ChanceEpisode #19 - Intentionality, Part 4: Your Reality is as Good as Anyone Else’sEpisode #20 - Intentionality, Part 5: It’s Useful to View the Past in a Friendly WayEpisode #21 - Intentionality, Part 6: There’s More Than Two Ways to Skin a CatEpisode #22 - Intentionality, Part 7: Take the Hard Things EasyEpisode #23 - Intentionality, Part 8: You’re Already ReadyEpisode #24 - Intentionality, Part 9: Life is a Joke – Either You Get It or You Don’tEpisode #25 - Intentionality, Part 10: Whatever It Is You Feel, Remember You Don’t Have ToEpisode #26 - Intentionality, Part 11: Aim Yourself at Being with People Who Facilitate You Being the Person You Want to BeEpisode #27 - Intentionality, Part 12: Find a Pleasant PathEpisode #11 - How to Get What You Want (Without Toxic Positivity or Wishful Thinking)Episode #12 - How to Use the Moon Phases for Goal Setting, Time Management, and ProductivityNewsletter Sign Up: Going Upward Newsletter – Get Nyssa’s email newsletter hereStay in Touch: Nyssa Hanger: www.nyssahanger.com | IG: @nyssahanger Kelly Brady: www.kellybrady.me | IG: @drkellybrady

  3. Jun 25

    #27 - Intentionality, Part 12: Find a Pleasant Path

    Want your life to actually feel different—not just look the same with new intentions on top?  Kelly and Nyssa unpack two of Uncle Murray’s most quietly radical intentionality sayings, “You can’t be different by acting the same” and “Find a pleasant path,” exploring how tiny, sustainable shifts in behavior can transform habits, money choices, health, and even how you move through pain and aging.  Through stories about changing grocery stores, managing back pain, navigating construction chaos, and wrestling with nostalgia and resistance, they show how incremental change plus genuine enjoyment is more powerful (and realistic) than white‑knuckled self‑improvement.  If you’re craving practical, compassionate guidance on building new habits, aligning your daily actions with your values, and making your path more pleasant without spiritual bypassing, this conversation on intentionality, behavior change, and everyday joy is for you. Main Topics Covered: How two simple sayings—“You can’t be different by acting the same” and “Find a pleasant path”—can quietly revolutionize your everyday choicesWhy tiny, almost laughably small changes (like putting on your shoes or switching grocery stores) can matter more than big dramatic goalsThe surprising emotional baggage hiding inside brand loyalty, money habits, and where you buy your foodWhat chronic pain, back issues, and “mind medicine” teach about suffering versus sensationHow 12‑step “slogans,” therapy wisdom, and Uncle Murray’s intentionality practices all weave togetherThe Icelandic motto “it’ll work out,” antidepressants, and what truly happy cultures can teach us about resilienceThe role of curiosity, play, and even elves (yes, elves) in finding a more pleasant path through weird, hard human livesWhy cutting expenses, changing habits, or aging well doesn’t have to feel like punishment or deprivationThe difference between accepting life’s difficulty and unconsciously choosing a painful path you don’t actually have to stay on Links: Episode #16 - Intentionality, Part 1: Everything You’ve Done Prepared You For This MomentEpisode #17 - Intentionality, Part 2: Feeling Good Needs No ExcuseEpisode #18 - Intentionality, Part 3: If You Think You Can Change the World, You Have a Better ChanceEpisode #19 - Intentionality, Part 4: Your Reality is as Good as Anyone Else’sEpisode #20 - Intentionality, Part 5: It’s Useful to View the Past in a Friendly WayEpisode #21 - Intentionality, Part 6: There’s More Than Two Ways to Skin a CatEpisode #22 - Intentionality, Part 7: Take the Hard Things EasyEpisode #23 - Intentionality, Part 8: You’re Already ReadyEpisode #24 - Intentionality, Part 9: Life is a Joke – Either You Get It or You Don’tEpisode #25 - Intentionality, Part 10: Whatever It Is You Feel, Remember You Don’t Have ToEpisode #26 - Intentionality, Part 11: Aim Yourself at Being with People Who Facilitate You Being the Person You Want to Be Newsletter Sign Up: Going Upward Newsletter – Get Nyssa’s email newsletter here Stay in Touch: Nyssa Hanger: www.nyssahanger.com | IG: @nyssahanger Kelly Brady: www.kellybrady.me | IG: @drkellybrady

  4. Jun 18

    #26 - Intentionality, Part 11: Aim Yourself at Being with People Who Facilitate You Being the Person You Want to Be

    What if the people you spend time with — and the courage to ask for what you really want — are quietly shaping who you become? Kelly and Nyssa dive into two of Uncle Murray’s core intentionality slogans, “Aim yourself at being with people who facilitate you being the person you want to be” and “The more I ask for what I want, the more likely I am to get it,” to explore how relationships, community, and self‑advocacy sculpt our lives. They unpack the “bad apple” effect in groups, the link between unexpressed expectations and resentment, and why complaining is often just a wish in disguise, weaving in Jungian psychology, Buddhist ideas on noble friendship, family stories, and real‑life renovation drama. If you’re navigating friendships, partnerships, work dynamics, or simply trying to live more intentionally aligned with your values, this conversation on boundaries, asking for what you want, and choosing your people with care is for you. Main Topics Covered: How “aiming yourself” at certain people quietly shapes who you become (for better or worse)The surprising power of one “bad apple” to derail a whole group’s mood, focus, and productivityWhy we stay around people who don’t actually support who we want to be — and what it takes to choose differentlyThe hidden link between unexpressed expectations and growing resentment in relationshipsHow complaining often masks an unspoken wish (and how to translate rants into real requests)The vulnerability — and radical payoff — of asking directly for what you wantWhat childhood, family culture, and early socialization teach us about whether it’s “okay” to have wantsUsing intentionality to navigate group dynamics, friendships, and romantic partnerships more consciouslyHow spiritual ideas like dharma, noble friendship, and shadow work intersect with everyday choices about who we spend time withLinks: Episode #16 - Intentionality, Part 1: Everything You’ve Done Prepared You For This MomentEpisode #17 - Intentionality, Part 2: Feeling Good Needs No ExcuseEpisode #18 - Intentionality, Part 3: If You Think You Can Change the World, You Have a Better ChanceEpisode #19 - Intentionality, Part 4: Your Reality is as Good as Anyone Else’sEpisode #20 - Intentionality, Part 5: It’s Useful to View the Past in a Friendly WayEpisode #21 - Intentionality, Part 6: There’s More Than Two Ways to Skin a CatEpisode #22 - Intentionality, Part 7: Take the Hard Things EasyEpisode #23 - Intentionality, Part 8: You’re Already ReadyEpisode #24 - Intentionality, Part 9: Life is a Joke – Either You Get It or You Don’tEpisode #25 - Intentionality, Part 10: Whatever It Is You Feel, Remember You Don’t Have ToNewsletter Sign Up: Going Upward Newsletter – Get Nyssa’s email newsletter hereStay in Touch: Nyssa Hanger: www.nyssahanger.com | IG: @nyssahanger Kelly Brady: www.kellybrady.me | IG: @drkellybrady

  5. Jun 11

    #25 - Intentionality, Part 10: Whatever It Is You Feel, Remember You Don’t Have To

    What if your feelings weren’t the boss of you after all?  Kelly and Nyssa continue their Uncle Murray intentionality series with two deceptively simple slogans: “Whatever it is you feel, remember you don’t have to” and “An opportunity missed is an opportunity missed.”  They explore emotional regulation, tantrums (child and adult), grief, anxiety spirals, and perfectionism, sharing practices like 90‑second feeling waves, turning emotions into “little monsters” you can send to summer camp, and sending your inner critic on vacation.  Through stories about hard conversations, spiritual community, starting a podcast years “late,” and the pressure of the American Dream, they offer a compassionate, practical reframe for anyone who overthinks, overfeels, or obsesses about the chances they didn’t take. Main Topics Covered: How to feel big emotions all the way through without getting stuck in themThe difference between real fear, everyday anxiety, and “concern”Turning your emotions into little monsters you can lovingly send to “summer camp”Why your inner critic deserves an all‑expenses‑paid vacation (and how to send it)How we use feelings—consciously or not—to manipulate, control, or avoid others“An opportunity missed is an opportunity missed”: what it doesn’t say and why that mattersThe hidden cost of believing every missed chance will “ruin your life”What a spiritual celebration of life taught them about legacy, memory, and being namedThe quiet power of choosing not to send the angry text or chase instant reassuranceStarting a podcast after years of talking about it—and what imperfect action can unlock Links: Shante Cofield | The Movement MaestroEpisode #16 - Intentionality, Part 1: Everything You’ve Done Prepared You For This MomentEpisode #17 - Intentionality, Part 2: Feeling Good Needs No ExcuseEpisode #18 - Intentionality, Part 3: If You Think You Can Change the World, You Have a Better ChanceEpisode #19 - Intentionality, Part 4: Your Reality is as Good as Anyone Else’sEpisode #20 - Intentionality, Part 5: It’s Useful to View the Past in a Friendly WayEpisode #21 - Intentionality, Part 6: There’s More Than Two Ways to Skin a CatEpisode #22 - Intentionality, Part 7: Take the Hard Things EasyEpisode #23 - Intentionality, Part 8: You’re Already ReadyEpisode #24 - Intentionality, Part 9: Life is a Joke – Either You Get It or You Don’tSONG: Bang Bang by K’naan Newsletter Sign Up: Going Upward Newsletter – Get Nyssa’s email newsletter here Stay in Touch: Nyssa Hanger: www.nyssahanger.com | IG: @nyssahanger Kelly Brady: www.kellybrady.me | IG: @drkellybrady

  6. Jun 4

    #24 - Intentionality, Part 9: Life is a Joke – Either You Get It or You Don’t

    Life is a joke … and a precious gift. Kelly and Nyssa explore how both can be true through two of Uncle Murray’s most powerful intentionality slogans: “When in doubt, choose the belief that is most useful to you” and “Life is a joke, either you get it or you don’t.” They unpack how consciously choosing your beliefs shapes your emotions, relationships, spirituality, and even how you cope with grief, loss, construction chaos, and dying pets—without bypassing pain or pretending everything is “fine.” Drawing on Tibetan Lojong teachings, existential philosophy, family stories, and Murray’s irreverent humor, they explore doubt, faith, openness, and what it really means to “get” life before it’s over. If you’ve ever wrestled with what to believe, struggled to lighten up, or wondered how to honor both the absurdity and sacredness of being alive, this conversation on intentionality, mindset, and meaning‑making is for you. Main Topics Covered: How choosing the belief that’s most useful (not “most true”) can transform your daily emotional lifeThe hidden link between beliefs, resentment, and why we get so grumpy doing dishes or standing in lineWhat it really means to “get” the joke of life—and what happens if you don’tThe double meaning inside the slogan “Life is a joke, either you get it or you don’t”How Tibetan Lojong teachings and Uncle Murray’s sayings overlap in surprising waysUsing intentionality to navigate grief, dying pets, and house‑under‑construction chaos without bypassing painWhy people with strong traditions may not feel “in doubt”—and how openness changes your relationship to beliefThe idea of a “precious human life” and how it can deepen love, gratitude, and presenceFinding meaning in synchronicities (like the AC breaking during hospice) and the absurd timing of lifeHow humor, irreverence, and not taking yourself so seriously can actually make you more compassionate Links: Episode #16 - Intentionality, Part 1: Everything You’ve Done Prepared You For This MomentEpisode #17 - Intentionality, Part 2: Feeling Good Needs No ExcuseEpisode #18 - Intentionality, Part 3: If You Think You Can Change the World, You Have a Better ChanceEpisode #19 - Intentionality, Part 4: Your Reality is as Good as Anyone Else’sEpisode #20 - Intentionality, Part 5: It’s Useful to View the Past in a Friendly WayEpisode #21 - Intentionality, Part 6: There’s More Than Two Ways to Skin a CatEpisode #22 - Intentionality, Part 7: Take the Hard Things EasyEpisode #23 - Intentionality, Part 8: You’re Already ReadySONG: Everybody Cook by Sofi TuckerBOOK: The Artist’s Way by Julia CameronBOOK: Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg Newsletter Sign Up: Going Upward Newsletter – Get Nyssa’s email newsletter here Stay in Touch: Nyssa Hanger: www.nyssahanger.com | IG: @nyssahanger Kelly Brady: www.kellybrady.me | IG: @drkellybrady

  7. May 28

    #23 - Intentionality, Part 8: You’re Already Ready

    In this episode of Being Different Together, Kelly and Nyssa continue their intentionality mini-series by unpacking two classic Murray Landsman sayings: "You're already ready" and "Trying is not doing it."  They explore how these deceptively simple phrases cut through resistance, perfectionism, and the “I don’t feel like it” mindset, especially around creative work, meditation, relationships, and everyday tasks like decluttering and home projects. Through stories about writing, inner critics, therapy, and the “great stuff shuffle,” they show how willingness, imperfect action, and giving yourself permission to be a beginner can transform how you show up for the things that matter.  If you’ve ever felt stuck waiting to feel ready, told yourself you’re “trying” but not actually moving forward, or struggled with following your bliss without becoming self‑indulgent, this conversation will help you take compassionate, grounded action right where you are. Main Topics Covered: How the sayings “You’re already ready” and “Trying is not doing it” can bust through resistance and procrastinationThe sneaky ways “I don’t feel like it” and “I’m not ready yet” block our goals (and what we’re really afraid of)Why following your bliss 24/7 can turn into hedonism—and how to stay intentional without being self‑indulgentThe “great stuff shuffle” and what decluttering during a home renovation reveals about readiness and attachmentHow inner critics overprotect us like an overactive immune system—and how to lovingly turn down their volumeWhy it’s often easier to talk than to write about big ideas, and how writers can tolerate imperfect first draftsThe difference between wanting to do something and being willing to do it (especially for unglamorous tasks)What therapy clients, creative practices, and meditation have in common when it comes to actually doing the workHow giving yourself permission to be a beginner changes your relationship with learning, risk, and “getting it right”Links: Episode #16 - Intentionality, Part 1: Everything You’ve Done Prepared You For This MomentEpisode #17 - Intentionality, Part 2: Feeling Good Needs No ExcuseEpisode #18 - Intentionality, Part 3: If You Think You Can Change the World, You Have a Better ChanceEpisode #19 - Intentionality, Part 4: Your Reality is as Good as Anyone Else’sEpisode #20 - Intentionality, Part 5: It’s Useful to View the Past in a Friendly WayEpisode #21 - Intentionality, Part 6: There’s More Than Two Ways to Skin a CatEpisode #22 - Intentionality, Part 7: Take the Hard Things Easy Newsletter Sign Up: Going Upward Newsletter – Get Nyssa’s email newsletter hereStay in Touch: Nyssa Hanger: www.nyssahanger.com | IG: @nyssahanger Kelly Brady: www.kellybrady.me | IG: @drkellybrady

  8. May 21

    #22 - Intentionality, Part 7: Take the Hard Things Easy

    In this episode of Being Different Together, Kelly and Nyssa continue their intentionality mini-series by unpacking another Murray Landsman saying: “Take the hard things easy.”  They explore how unconscious beliefs about suffering shape our identity—through stories like an anesthesiologist-turned-donut-shop-worker, navigating home renovations, and walking through grief in ways that don’t match other people’s expectations. Along the way, they weave in Zen and Buddhist teachings, the “strong back, soft front” practice, the body’s stress responses (hello, tight psoas and low back pain), and how vulnerability and courage can transform difficult conversations and life transitions.  If you’ve ever wondered how to meet hard things without hardening yourself—whether it’s loss, conflict, or everyday stress—this episode offers practical, compassionate insights for approaching life with more ease and intention. Main Topics Covered: How much of our suffering is actually required—and how much is a secret performance tied to identity?The anesthesiologist who “lost everything” and found unexpected relief working at a donut shop.What happens when your grief doesn’t look like what other people expect (and why that can be unsettling for them).The surprising connection between low back pain, tight bellies, the psoas muscle, and feeling emotionally under threat.“Strong back, soft front”: a Zen-inspired way to meet hard things without hardening yourself.How Western individualism and Eastern contemplative traditions offer very different stories about who we are.Turning stressful life events—like home renovations and family decluttering—into chances to practice taking the hard things easy.The subtle ways we can get “inflated” around our suffering and slip into martyr mode without realizing it.Why vulnerability always comes with that inner quiver—and how courage depends on letting it be there.Links: Episode #16 - Intentionality, Part 1: Everything You’ve Done Prepared You For This MomentEpisode #17 - Intentionality, Part 2: Feeling Good Needs No ExcuseEpisode #18 - Intentionality, Part 3: If You Think You Can Change the World, You Have a Better ChanceEpisode #19 - Intentionality, Part 4: Your Reality is as Good as Anyone Else’sEpisode #20 - Intentionality, Part 5: It’s Useful to View the Past in a Friendly WayEpisode #21 - Intentionality, Part 6: There’s More Than Two Ways to Skin a Cat Newsletter Sign Up: Going Upward Newsletter – Get Nyssa’s email newsletter here Stay in Touch: Nyssa Hanger: www.nyssahanger.com | IG: @nyssahanger Kelly Brady: www.kellybrady.me | IG: @drkellybrady

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out of 5
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About

Being Different Together explores the realms of relationship, entrepreneurship, and personal development through the lens of Real Dialogue, a set of principles, practices, and methods for healthy conflict as a means for growth.  In other words, just because we disagree, doesn’t mean we can’t get along.  Through this series, Nyssa and Kelly will bring their combined experience as holistic health practitioners to the table to share what they’ve learned through the process of integrating these skills in their lives.  This podcast is for all the people who want to make the world a better place and feel a little less alone doing it.

Information

  • Creator
    Nyssa Hanger
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    30
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Being Different Together
  • Show Website
    Being Different Together

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