192: Challenging Preconceptions In Our Lives with Zale Mednick

Have often do you stop to question if your actions in life are based on what you truly desire for your life, or if you are subscribing to what you believe you should be doing?

In this episode, my guest Zale Mednick and I discuss our preconceptions of life and how our individual backgrounds may affect how we interpret them and incorporate them into our lives, without even realizing it.

Zale Mednick is a practicing ophthalmologist in Toronto.  He also runs the award-winning podcast, Preconceived, which aims to challenge preconceptions on an array of topics related to society and culture.  

His recent book, 'Preconceived - Challenging the preconceptions in our lives', is an anthology of fifty short essays written by previous guests on the podcast.  

We talk about why Zale has chosen to devote so much of his life to sharing these stories from different guests of all walks of life and perspectives, and what he hopes we all can gain by listening.

We’ll touch on:

• [1:27] What does happiness mean to Zale?

• [4:34] Digging into Zale’s book

• [8:10] How much do you think people really subscribe to the preconceived ideas that we feel are out there for everyday life?

• [10:54] A few thoughts on figuring out if something is true to us or if it is something we've just subscribed to our whole life.

• [14:28] The catalyst for him to explore this topic for his book and podcast.

• [15:41] Preconceptions Zale might have had at the start of his podcast.

• [20:52] How our backgrounds shape us.

• [22:43] The role of empathy in examining preconceptions.

• [26:25] Why it's important to talk about these potentially taboo topics.

• [28:53] What is the goal of his podcast and book?

• [31:38] How can someone create a little more happiness each day starting today

Resources:

• Podcast Resources: https://www.simonacostantini.com/resources 

• Apply to be a podcast guest: https://forms.gle/WtXHsqZmiEhCwTAk6

• Book: Preconceived: Challenging the preconceptions in our lives

Connect with Simona

• www.instagram.com/simona__costantini 

• www.instagram.com/costantiniproductions 

• www.instagram.com/happinesshappenspodcast