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. 1d ago

    #32 - How to Turn Emotional Wounds into Insight: Lessons from Tibetan Buddhism

    In this episode of Being Different Together, Kelly shares a powerful Tibetan Buddhist myth about Queen Ramati / Palden Lhamo—a fierce female protector who turns the wound on her mule into an all-seeing eye—and she and Nyssa explore what it means to transform emotional wounds into wisdom, protection, and compassionate boundaries.  Together they unpack the story’s rich psychological symbolism, dive into themes of fierce compassion, contextual morality, and the “feminine” beyond sugar-and-spice stereotypes, and connect it with Eastern texts like the Bhagavad Gita and Ramayana, as well as Western imagery like The Wizard of Oz and Wicked.  Along the way, they ask how our past trauma, family patterns, and ancestral history can become “eyes” that help us see more clearly, reduce suffering for ourselves and others, and stop cycles of harm—without romanticizing pain or bypassing real healing work. Main Topics Covered: The Tibetan Buddhist story of Queen Ramati / Palden Lhamo and the mule’s wound that becomes an eyeHow wounds can become eyes: transforming emotional pain into insight and protectionWhat “viewing the past in a friendly way” really means for healing and hindsightWhy context matters in morality, from the Bhagavad Gita and Ramayana to modern lifeReimagining the feminine as fierce and whole, not just “good witch vs. bad witch”How culture splits women into Glinda vs. the Wicked Witch, and what Wicked gets rightThe lost art of guardianship and ancestral awareness in modern, forward-only cultureUsing myth and symbolism as practical tools for trauma healing and boundary-settingEveryday examples: from Achilles tendinitis to learning to see life differently through painA cozy DC travel tangent: Talking Heads cover bands, ice cream, and unexpected joy 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

  2. Jul 23

    #31 - Being in the Trenches Without Going to War With Yourself

    What does it really mean to be in the trenches of life—and how do you stop turning those seasons into a war against yourself?  In this episode, we explore “trench seasons” like home renovations, burnout, caregiving, and overwhelm, and how they collide with time management, productivity, and our Type A perfectionist parts. We dive into optimization culture (biohacking, looksmaxing, sleep trackers, glucose monitors), Jung’s ideas about the shadow and fanaticism, and how our harsh judgments of others often reveal our own unmet needs.  Along the way, we talk about intentionality, bed days as burnout prevention, self-compassion for both the over-doers and the under-doers, and how to recognize when you’re in a trench so you can ease up on yourself instead of doubling down on self-criticism. Main Topics Covered: What “being in the trenches” looks like in everyday life (and why it’s not always existential crisis)How home renovations, car trouble, and heat waves become invisible emotional laborWhy time management and productivity can turn fanatical—and how to notice when they doJung’s idea of the shadow and how our harsh judgments of others are often secret confessions“Bed days” as both trench treatment and trench prevention for burnoutThe hidden costs of optimization culture: biohacking, looksmaxing, and going to war with your own bodyType A vs. Type B: how each personality judges the other (and what that reveals inside us)The neighbor-with-the-body-shop story and what it teaches about boundaries and resentmentWhy flipping from one extreme to another rarely works (especially with diets and routines)How intentionality and self-compassion help us find a middle way through hard seasons Links: BOOK: Cultish by Amanda Montell 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

  3. Jul 16

    #30 - Why You’re Exhausted in July (And What Traditional Chinese Medicine Knows About It)

    Feeling extra tired this summer? In this episode we explore the summer solstice, yin–yang, and seasonal energy through the lens of traditional Chinese medicine—and why midsummer might actually be a time to do less, not more. We also talk about coping with heat, aging with more grace, and what it looks like to live in harmony with your body instead of trying to dominate it. Main Topics Covered: Why you might feel unusually tired around the summer solstice (and why that’s not a failure)The real meaning of yin and yang in TCM—and why they’re not oppositesHow the daily and seasonal energy cycles mirror each other (including that 3 p.m. slump)“When it’s hot, don’t flap your arms”: a deceptively simple teaching about heat and emotionLiving with the seasons vs. pushing for the same productivity all year longHow hot climates use spicy food and hot tea to actually cool the bodyA kinder approach to aging, energy, and exercise as your body changes over timeRethinking the “feels like” temperature and collective anxiety about the heatUsing the wheel of the year and natural cycles to orient your inner lifeWhy midsummer might be the perfect time to weed, edit, and do less instead of moreLinks: Episode #13 - The Spring Equinox Episode: Peaches, Pruning, and Becoming More YourselfEpisode #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

  4. Jul 9

    #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

  5. 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

  6. 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

  7. 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

  8. 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

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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
    33
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Being Different Together
  • Show Website
    Being Different Together