Good Life Project - podcast cover

Good Life Project

Jonathan Fields / Acastwww.goodlifeproject.com
Good Life Project is a podcast and video series for people navigating midlife with intention. Hosted by Jonathan Fields, each episode is a deep, honest conversation about what it actually takes to build a life that feels like yours, through the reinventions, reckonings, and reclamations that define your 40s, 50s, and beyond. Grounded in science, fueled by genuine curiosity, and always in service of the real work of living well. Often top-ranked, it’s been listened to and viewed more than 100 million times. New episodes weekly. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Episodes

Foundation & Flow: Designing Your Days for Peak Living | Summer Series

Struggling to turn your dreams into reality? In this 3rd episode of our summer series, discover the secrets to effortless change and peak living. You'll learn practical strategies to master your habits, design your environment for success, and unlock a state of flow to experience more joy and fulfillment daily. Episode Transcript If you LOVED this episode: You can find the 1-page worksheet HERE. Find all of the Summer Series 2025 episodes. Check out our offerings & partners: Join My New Writ...

Jul 28, 202557 min

A Balm for Anxious Times: The Power of Spoken Word | Sarah Kay

Unlock the transformative power of poetry to dissolve your isolation and unveil universal human truths. Sarah Kay, author of A Little Daylight Left: Poems , shares her lifelong journey of using metaphor and imagery to illuminate life's most visceral experiences - from violence and heartbreak to aging and mortality. Discover how poetry can crack you wide open while connecting you to the shared voices of our existence. You can find Sarah at: Website | Instagram | Episode Transcript If you LOVED th...

Jul 24, 20251 hr

The Future Self Project: Envisioning Your Next Chapter | Summer Series

This episode delves into science-backed methods for envisioning your future self, emphasizing strategic brain programming over wishful thinking. It explores how techniques like mental rehearsal, leveraging the brain's Reticular Activating System (RAS), and dopamine release can powerfully draw desired outcomes. Practical exercises, including a "future self letter" and "ideal day blueprint," are provided to move from dreaming to intentional creation, addressing common mental blocks along the way.

Jul 21, 202553 min

Andrea Gibson on Searing Honesty, Pure Love & Surrender to Awe

In this heartfelt conversation from 2020, celebrated poet Andrea Gibson shares intimate wisdom on creativity, identity, and embracing life fully, including soul-stirring performances of their cherished poems. Gibson, whose memorable works include " You Better Be Lightning ," brings gentle wisdom and profound insight to this meaningful discussion, now shared as a loving tribute. You can find Andrea's work at: Website | Instagram | Episode Transcript If you LOVED this episode, you’ll also love the...

Jul 17, 20251 hr 8 min

Mid-Year Reset: Taking Stock, Realigning, and Reclaiming Your Year | Summer Series

Ready to hit the reset button? In this powerful episode, Jonathan guides you through a transformative mid-year reset process. Discover how to reflect with self-compassion, practice emotional agility, align with your core values, and intentionally design the second half of 2025 for more purpose, joy, and authenticity. Episode Transcript If you LOVED this episode: You can find the 1-page worksheet HERE. Find all of the Summer Series 2025 episodes. Check out our offerings & partners: Join My Ne...

Jul 14, 202545 min

The 4 Chemicals That Secretly Run Your Life (and How to Rebalance Them) | Tj Power

What if your phone is actually training your brain to feel less motivated, less connected, and more stressed? In this fascinating conversation, neuroscientist TJ Power, author of The DOSE Effect: An Inspiring Self-Healing Guide About the Mind-Body-Hormonal Connection , reveals how four key brain chemicals shape our experience of life, and shares surprisingly simple ways to work with your natural chemistry rather than against it. Learn practical strategies to boost motivation, deepen connections,...

Jul 10, 20251 hr 5 min

Reclaim Your Free Time: Simple Strategies to Take Back Your Life | Jenny Blake

What if working less could actually make you more effective? In this perspective-shifting conversation, Jenny Blake (author of Free Time: Lose the Busywork, Love Your Business ) reveals how she runs multiple successful companies working just 20 hours a week, and shares her revolutionary three-part framework for creating more space and choice in your life through smarter systems. Learn how to reduce friction, increase flow, and build a life where you can do your best work while having time for wh...

Jul 07, 20251 hr 23 min

Finding Joy in a Life You Never Saw Coming | Jessica Slice

From high-flying real estate mogul to proud disabled mother, Jessica Slice's transformative journey will shake you awake to your own yearnings. In this candid conversation, the Unfit Parent: A Disabled Mother Challenges an Inaccessible World author exposes medicine's dehumanizing biases and reveals how honoring our shared fragility unlocks profound fulfillment. Prepare to have your assumptions upended as Jessica redefines what it means to live a good life. You can find Jessica at: Website | Inst...

Jul 03, 202558 min

3 Surprising Ways to Make Peace With Your Anxious Mind | Spotlight Convo

Three leading experts reveal how to transform anxiety from an enemy into an unexpected ally. Dr. Jud Brewer shares neuroscience-backed techniques to break free from worry loops, Dr. Wendy Suzuki (author of Good Anxiety) shows how anxiety can fuel creativity and resilience, and Emiliya Zhivotovskaya introduces her groundbreaking Mind Over Chatter framework for turning mental chatter into a tool for growth and greater awareness. Episode Transcript You can find Dr. Jud at: Website | Instagram | Unw...

Jun 30, 20251 hr 13 min

Ever Have One of Those Moments That Changes Everything? | Tara Roberts

Unlock the hidden depths within on a profound journey of ancestral healing. In this powerful conversation, National Geographic Explorer Tara Roberts shares her extraordinary odyssey sparked by a single photograph, leading her to confront shadowed histories and reclaim her place in an interconnected world. Tara's breathtaking memoir, Written in the Waters: A Memoir of History, Home and Belonging , charts a course for reckoning with the past to find true belonging. You can find Tara at: Website | ...

Jun 26, 20251 hr 3 min

Did You Know Being Humble Can Be a Bad Thing? | Joe Hudson

Executive coach Joe Hudson redefines humility not as thinking less of oneself, but as "thinking of oneself less" and taking one's rightful place in the world. He explains how deflecting compliments and suppressing emotions can create a "hungry ghost" of insecurity, leading to destructive patterns. Hudson introduces "emotional fluidity" and "self-discovery" as paths to embrace difficult feelings, respond to negative self-talk, and hold goals lightly, allowing for unexpected, richer life outcomes.

Jun 23, 20251 hr 9 min

Could This Ancient Mantra Open a Portal to Pure Joy? | Susan Piver

Unlock profound joy through the paradoxical wisdom of the Heart Sutra, one of Buddhism's most revered ancient texts. Join bestselling author Susan Piver as she shares over 30 years of insight into this enigmatic scripture's teachings on emptiness, impermanence, and the art of letting go - revealed through her powerful encounters like a 95-year-old calligraphy master. Hear how chanting the Heart Sutra and her book " Inexplicable Joy: On the Heart Sutra " can open you to an awakened presence amid ...

Jun 19, 202552 min

How to Change Your Habits For Life | Katy Milkman

Ever struggled to turn your goals into lasting habits? Unlock the secrets of behavior change with Katy Milkman, award-winning author of How to Change: The Science of Getting from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be . In this insightful discussion, Katy reveals counterintuitive strategies - from leveraging flexibility to temptation bundling - to overcome barriers like present bias and make positive change stick. You can find Katy at: Website | Choiceology podcast | Episode Transcript If you LOV...

Jun 16, 20251 hr 2 min

This Might Be the Missing Link to a Good Life | Shigehiro Oishi

Discover the secret to living a truly rich and fulfilling life beyond happiness and meaning. Renowned psychologist Shigehiro Oishi shatters conventional wisdom, revealing the path to a psychologically enriching existence through novel experiences, diverse emotions, and perspective-shifting insights. Embrace adventure, unlock new dimensions of vitality, and gain powerful strategies to navigate life's uncertainties with openness and curiosity. You can find Shigehiro at: Website | Episode Transcrip...

Jun 12, 20251 hr 4 min

Groundbreaking Science on Bone Health (Your Genes Are Not Your Fate) | Belinda Beck

Defy gravity and rebuild your bones at any age with Dr. Belinda Beck's pioneering high-intensity resistance training protocols. In this groundbreaking conversation, the Professor of Exercise Science shatters myths around weightlifting for women and reveals how targeted loading can stimulate new bone growth - even for those with osteopenia or osteoporosis. Prepare to have your assumptions shattered and unlock a life without fear of fractures. You can find Belinda at: Website | LinkedIn | Episode ...

Jun 09, 20251 hr 13 min

Six Eye-opening Ways to Feel More Alive, and Less Alone

Embark on a profound journey of self-discovery with Jonathan Fields' soul-stirring spoken word essays from his Awake at the Wheel Substack. Dismantle limiting beliefs, reignite your passion, and unlock the courage to embrace life's uncertainties as you immerse yourself in his fearless exploration of what it means to live authentically. Each captivating piece is a masterclass in awakening to your truest, most vibrant self. You can find Jonathan's new writing project: Awake at the Wheel | Instagra...

Jun 05, 202548 min

Why You Keep Reacting Badly (Even When You Know Better) | Shankari

Feel an inner battle raging within yourself? Unlock the secrets of Internal Family Systems (IFS) - a powerful therapeutic approach that empowers you to befriend even your most challenging inner "parts." Guided by master IFS practitioner Shankari, discover profound practices rooted in neuroscience to rewrite limiting beliefs, reclaim your wholeness, and live from your truest self. You can find Shankari at: Website | Episode Transcript If you LOVED this episode, you’ll also love the conversations ...

Jun 02, 202558 min

What if We’ve Been Missing One of the Biggest Causes of Disease? | Benjamin Bikman

Unlock the secrets to reversing insulin resistance - the hidden driver of many chronic diseases like heart disease, cancer, and Alzheimer's. In this eye-opening episode, Dr. Benjamin Bikman, biomedical scientist and author of Why We Get Sick , reveals surprising truths about carbs, fats, protein, stress, and lack of sleep that can help you reclaim your metabolic health and resilience. Don't miss these game-changing strategies from a leading expert in the field. You can find Ben at: Website | Ins...

May 29, 20251 hr 24 min

What if Sleep Isn’t the Problem, but How You THINK About It is? | Spotlight Convo

Unlock the hidden power of your body's internal clocks with three world-renowned experts in chronobiology. Learn how understanding and aligning with your natural biorhythms can transform your sleep, energy, focus, and overall wellbeing from leading sleep scientist Dr. Chris Winter, science journalist Lynne Peeples, and integrative neurologist Dr. Romie Mushtaq. Discover cutting-edge insights that elite athletes, executives, and high performers use to optimize their daily rhythms for peak mental ...

May 26, 20251 hr 4 min

How to Alchemize Wounds Into Wisdom | Rupda

From abandoned child to internationally renowned trauma expert, Rupda shares her transformative journey of resilience and healing. Learn powerful practices for self-belonging, embodying trust, and creating authentic community that allow you to break free from limitations and live your most fully-realized life. Rupda's inspiring story and nurturing presence are a soul-stirring reminder of your infinite capacity for growth. You can find Rupda at: Website | Instagram | Episode Transcript If you LOV...

May 22, 202559 min

Welcome to the Good Life Project podcast with Jonathan Fields

What does it mean to live a good life? Is it about happiness, health, friendship, love, or meaning? What about work, wealth, purpose, service, or something else? Can you live a good life even when things are hard? These are the questions and topics we explore every week in conversation with leading voices from health, science, art, industry, mindset, and culture, like Brené Brown, Matthew McConaughey, Mel Robbins, Alex, Elle, Adam Grant, Elizabeth Gilbert, Yung Pueblo, Maya Shankar, Mitch Albom,...

May 20, 20252 min

The Grieving Body: What Really Happens When You Lose Someone | Mary-Frances O'Connor

Grief inflicts a profound mind-body toll, yet our culture rarely understands this connection. In this revealing episode, Mary-Frances O'Connor, PhD, author of The Grieving Body: How the Stress of Loss Can Be an Opportunity for Healing , pulls back the curtain on grief's surprising physical impacts. You'll learn powerful ways to befriend your "grieving body" and navigate loss with more grace by radically tending to your mind and body's needs. You can find Mary-Frances at: Website | Instagram | Ep...

May 19, 20251 hr

Midlife Myths Busted: What Science Actually Says About Food & Aging | Dr. Federica Amati

What if the secrets to vibrant aging lie in your daily dietary choices? In this myth-busting conversation, Dr. Federica Amati, author of Every Body Should Know This , reveals surprising truths about protein, calcium, and nurturing the gut-brain connection to stave off cognitive decline and more. You can find Federica at: Website | Instagram | ZOE Science & Nutrition podcast | Episode Transcript Interested in learning more about Zoe ? Use code GOODLIFE10 to get 10% off your membership. If you...

May 15, 20251 hr 15 min

What Science Says About Reversing Brain Aging | Dr. Marc Milstein [Best of]

Unleash the full potential of your brain at any age with Dr. Marc Milstein's revolutionary strategies. In this fascinating conversation, the Age-Proof Your Brain author reveals daily habits that combat memory loss, boost productivity, and help you live a longer, sharper life. Discover surprising truths about what really causes cognitive decline and how to optimize your brain for decades to come. You can find Marc at: Website | Instagram | Episode Transcript If you LOVED this episode, you’ll also...

May 12, 20251 hr 3 min

Why Your Brain is Begging You to Take a Break (and How to Do It Right) | Dr. Mithu Storoni

Ever feel like the way you work is slowly grinding you down? In this mind-opening conversation, neuroscientist and author of Hyperefficient: Optimize Your Brain to Transform the Way You Work Mithu Storoni dismantles the industrial-age approach to work. She maps out a brain-aligned framework to tap into unseen wellsprings of energy, motivation and creativity, allowing you to create your best work while feeling fully alive. You can find Mithu at: Website | LinkedIn | Episode Transcript If you LOVE...

May 08, 20251 hr 2 min

What if You Could Erase Your Life and Start Over? | Craig Mod

Ever felt the urge to shed your old self and start fresh? Craig Mod did just that, leaving his roots at 19 to immerse himself in Japan through art, music, and long walking pilgrimages that remade him. In this candid conversation, he shares insights from his critically acclaimed book Things Become Other Things: A Walking Memoir on choosing fullness over distraction and rethinking what's possible when you honor your true self. You can find Craig at: Website | Instagram | Episode Transcript If you ...

May 05, 20251 hr 39 min

Why Secrets Wreck Us: a Science-backed Practice to Reveal and Heal | James W. Pennebaker

Unleash the transformative power of your words with pioneering researcher James W. Pennebaker. Discover how his simple, expressive writing method can improve your mental and physical health, provide self-insight, and even detect the hidden psychological undercurrents influencing your life and relationships. In Opening Up by Writing It Down: How Expressive Writing Improves Health and Eases Emotional Pain , Pennebaker reveals the profound healing potential within us all. You can find Jamie at: Web...

May 01, 20251 hr 5 min

How Do You Rewrite Your Story? One Step at a Time | Robin Arzón [Best of]

From hostage crisis to fitness titan - In this best-of conversation, Robin Arzón shares her unstoppable journey defying limits. The author of " Shut Up and Run " opens up about how a traumatic experience fueled her pivot from lawyer to global phenomenon at Peloton, conquering ultramarathons with Type 1 diabetes along the way. Get inspired by Robin's "sweat with swagger" mentality and unapologetic pursuit of the unconventional path. You can find Robin at: Website | Instagram | Episode Transcript ...

Apr 27, 20251 hr 6 min

At 94, Iconic Writer, Judith Viorst, Has Thoughts to Share That We Need to Hear

With refreshing candor, renowned author Judith Viorst shares profound insights from her latest book, Making the Best of What's Left: When We're Too Old to Get the Chairs Reupholstered , inviting us into the vulnerabilities and unexpected joys of aging. Discover practical strategies for navigating loneliness, building community, and reigniting curiosity in your 80s and beyond. Through Viorst's empathetic lens, explore what it truly means to create meaning in life's final chapters. You can find Ju...

Apr 24, 202553 min

The 2-year Experiment That’s Quietly Changing My Life | The 2x20 Project™ Update

Learn more about working with Jonathan to craft your 2x20 Project™. Tired of drifting through life on autopilot? Jonathan Fields shares his raw, uncensored journey of intentionally redesigning his ideal life over two years through bold experiments. Discover the breakthroughs, fears confronted, and radical decisions that emerged as he realigned his path around health, passion, and joy. If you crave more simplicity, significance, and authentic living, this candid exploration offers an inspiring bl...

Apr 21, 20251 hr 47 min
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