thought echoes podcast

bethbonness

Host, Beth Bonness, offers a deep dive into the nature of our thoughts with creatives and scientists.

  1. Amy Leneker — What If Stress Isn’t the Enemy?

    JAN 8

    Amy Leneker — What If Stress Isn’t the Enemy?

    Episode Reflection: Stress is often framed as something to eliminate, outrun, or endure. But what if that framing itself is part of the problem? In this conversation, I was curious about whether our cultural relationship with stress leaves room for something more humane — and more sustainable. Amy Leneker shares how her own experience with burnout led her to question the false choice between stress or joy. Drawing on research and lived experience, she reframes joy not as a reward for surviving stress, but as a practical strategy for buffering against it. We explore why delaying joy only deepens burnout, how uncertainty (“suspense”) quietly erodes our nervous systems, and why resilience can become harmful when it’s misunderstood. What stayed with me most is the idea that stress and joy are not opposites, but companions in a resilient dance. The invitation here isn’t to do less caring, less striving, or less meaningful work — but to notice where small interludes of joy might restore what stress slowly depletes. About the Guest Amy Leneker is an author, speaker, and recovering workaholic turned joy specialist. She is the author of Cheers to Monday, where she explores the intersection of stress, joy, and resilience in modern work and life. Links & Resources *Amy Leneker’s website: https://www.amyleneker.com *Cheers to Monday: https://www.amyleneker.com/book#order *Amy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amyleneker/ About Thought Echoes Thought Echoes is a monthly podcast hosted by Beth Bonness, featuring conversations with authors, thinkers, and creatives exploring the nature of our thoughts — how they shape our lives, our work, and the meaning we make from experience. Thought Echoes Newsletter If you enjoy conversations that explore the nature of our thoughts and the meaning we make from experience, you can subscribe to the Thought Echoes newsletter for deeper reflections: 👉 https://bethbonness.com/newsletter Thank you for listening — until next time, keep exploring the echoes that shape your world.

    28 min
  2. Marcy Syms on Respecting Yourself & Others?

    11/10/2025

    Marcy Syms on Respecting Yourself & Others?

    Episode Reflection: Respect is often treated as something external — something we give, earn, or lose. In this conversation, I was curious about what happens when respect begins closer to home. Marcy Syms reframes respect as a daily practice rather than a status or personality trait. We explore how self-respect shapes boundaries, how unspoken expectations quietly erode trust, and why respectful leadership depends more on attention than authority. What stayed with me is the idea that respect isn’t loud or performative. It shows up in how we listen, how we disagree, and how we care for ourselves and others — especially when things feel tense or uncertain. About the Guest Marcy Syms is an author, executive coach, and leadership expert focused on respectful leadership and healthy workplace cultures. She is the author of Leading with Respect, where she explores how respect — for ourselves and others — can transform relationships, teams, and organizations. Links & Resources Marcy Syms’ website: https://marcysyms.com Leading with Respect: https://marcysyms.com/book Marcy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcysyms/ About Thought Echoes Thought Echoes is a monthly podcast hosted by Beth Bonness, featuring conversations with authors, thinkers, and creatives exploring the nature of our thoughts — how they shape our lives, our work, and the meaning we make from experience. These are not how-to conversations, but reflective ones — meant to linger, echo, and invite curiosity rather than certainty. Thought Echoes Newsletter If you enjoy conversations that explore the nature of our thoughts and the meaning we make from experience, you can subscribe to the Thought Echoes newsletter for deeper reflections: 👉 https://bethbonness.com/newsletter Thank you for listening — and for staying with the echoes that shape your world.

    35 min
  3. Maggie Jackson -- What We Pay  Attention To |  Thought Echoes Podcast

    08/03/2025

    Maggie Jackson -- What We Pay Attention To | Thought Echoes Podcast

    EPISODE REFLECTION: Although Maggie’s book Distracted was originally written in 2008 and re-released in 2018, I didn’t learn about it until I interviewed Maggie in 2024 for her book Uncertain. Took me almost a year to get around to reading Distracted, but the message still resonates today. I’d say there’s a growing urgency for us to learn more about what attention is and how it is being hijacked, so we can reclaim where we choose to place that precious, personal resource. WHAT YOU’LL HEAR IN THIS EPISODE * 3 Types of Attention a * Misnomer of multi-tasking & its unintended consequences * Importance of “slow time” ABOUT THE GUEST Maggie Jackson is an award-winning author and journalist known for her prescient writings on social trends, particularly technology’s impact on humanity. She is author of Distracted and Uncertain. LINKS & RESOURCES *Maggie Jackson’s website: https://www.maggie-jackson.com/ *Distracted: https://www.maggie-jackson.com/distracted  *Maggie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maggiejackson/ *Maggie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maggie.jackson.books/ ABOUT THOUGHT ECHOES Thought Echoes is a monthly podcast hosted by Beth Bonness, featuring conversations with authors, thinkers, and creatives exploring the nature of our thoughts — how they shape our lives, our work, and the meaning we make from experience. THOUGHT ECHOES NEWSLETTER If you enjoy conversations that explore the nature of our thoughts and the meaning we make from experience, you can subscribe to the Thought Echoes newsletter for deeper reflections: 👉https://bethbonness.com/newsletter Thank you for listening — until next time, keep exploring the echoes that shape your world.

    34 min
  4. Bob Rosen — How Do We Let Go of Attachments and Aspire to New Ideals?

    06/29/2025

    Bob Rosen — How Do We Let Go of Attachments and Aspire to New Ideals?

    Episode Reflection: Letting go doesn’t mean abandoning responsibility or ceasing to care; it means recognizing when our clinging is rooted in fear rather than purpose. In this conversation, Bob Rosen invites listeners to take stock of the stories and attachments that shape how they think, feel, and act — from the attachment to perfection that silently fuels anxiety to the attachment to self that keeps us isolated rather than connected.  What stood out most in our dialogue is the idea that attachments are not just psychological habits — they often operate as invisible tensions that sap energy, narrow perspective, and limit fulfillment. Letting go is not about erasing desire; it’s about discerning which desires enrich life and which diminish it. About the Guest Bob Rosen, Ph.D. is a psychologist, global leadership advisor, and bestselling author. In Detach: Ditch Your Baggage to Live a More Fulfilling Life, he explores ten common attachments — like control, perfection, and fear — that shape experience in profound ways, and offers a framework for transforming them into healthy aspirations.  Links & Resources Bob Rosen’s site: https://www.bobrosen.com Detach: Ditch Your Baggage to Live a More Fulfilling Life: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Detach/Bob-Rosen/9781637746455 Bob Rosen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobrosen/ Thought Echoes Newsletter If you enjoy conversations that explore the nature of our thoughts and the meaning we make from experience, you can subscribe to the Thought Echoes newsletter for deeper reflections:👉 https://bethbonness.com/newsletter Thank you for listening — and for staying with echoes that shape your world.

    31 min

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

Host, Beth Bonness, offers a deep dive into the nature of our thoughts with creatives and scientists.