Episodes

First, Santa Monica’s pearl of wisdom: This week’s pearl of Wisdom from Santa Monica comes via Fawn’s Santa Monica Bathroom conversation delivery and what was shared with her that was a game changer. There are three words that have to this day been chanted by Fawn and those close to her. We talk about a couple of things here regarding the pearl of wisdom. Number one is what you focus on grows. So focusing on money coming, it's going to make that grow and happen. When Fawn was first learning to drive, her point of focus would have her not able to drive straight because she focused on a short, short distance (because she was fixated on the hood of the car) instead on the road ahead. You need to look way down the road where you want to go. Don't focus on that spot so close to you. Look to where you want to go. Look really far out, look way ahead of you. Your vision always has to be shifting. It’s about knowing what the next step is, and knowing where you’re going. If I have both of those…

Critic: A person who expresses and unfavorable opinion of something a person who judges the merits of literary artistic or musical works, especially one who does so professionally Criticism:  The practice of judging the merits and faults of something. Fawn thinks they're the downfall of our culture, of our society. She can't stand them. ARE THEY VITAL TO OUR SOCIETY????What kind of critics are there? Art, business, coding, neighborhood people, friends, family, randoms, yoga women…Is there a semblance of a constructive opinion, constructive criticism????? We talk about the HATERS (thank you Katt Williams and Busy Philipps).Then there is the silent critic: complicitness This episode almost didn't get aired. Fawn ended up in tears towards the end and Matt stepped away from the mic. The issue was resolved. If only we could have more conversations like this one (that got uncomfortable for a minute), we would all end up feeling good.

What happened to the village? We always heard that “it takes a village”, but Fawn points out that most of the time; we’re left on our own. This leads us to mentors. Where are the mentors? Does anyone truly have the knowledge to guide us? From Fawn’s point of view, the world is changing so rapidly and radically that we’re all trying to figure things out and the role of the mentor, apprentice, journeyman...etc, is no longer really there…EXCEPT, Fawn believes that friendships, the friend, babies, and THE COW (tune in to hear Fawn’s story and inspiration from the cows in New Delhi, India) are the new mentors as we guide each other through life. Matt has a totally different take on things (of course).

How do you handle criticism when it is beyond the simple critique? How to hear the good voices telling you, that you’re great, and why do we get stuck on the attacks and become unable to hear the good? Fawn shares her personal experience with her career, being a woman of color in an unkind, white dominated art world, how she was treated, resulting in her fighting back and making a radicle turn in her work , how she does business, as well as how she relates to people. Listen to the funny and revealing stories of the art photography world and her experience out in the bush on the border of Kenya and Ethiopia, how Matt’s code blends in to this issue and how to move forward while staying true to yourself. “Emotion builds Taj Mahals. Logic says F you and walks away. There is a certain element of compartmentalization. There's a certain element of looking holistically at your life and saying, does my life suck or does my life rule? If your life in general rules, one tiny little piece of one …

PLAY – We begin to find out why Fawn’s nick name is “The Wookie” and why she struggles with playing all the great games: Pictionary, Scrabble, cards, music… We know all the great things friendship does for us spiritually, physically, emotionally, and the same, same is true about play.  Play is a source of relaxation. It feels our imagination, our creativity, helps with problem solving skills, and helps our emotional wellbeing. It takes our mind off of stuff. It helps with brain function, changes our perspective and even helps generate optimism.  And most importantly, it builds relationships and connections. Play is a basic need. In this episode Fawn and Matt talk about the science and emotional component to this very important and basic need and relate it to our lives, friendships as well as the power plays in corporations.

We begin with Rumi as food for thought and get right into it. Fawn challenges Darwin’s theory and uses the unlikely friendships as an example of how wrong Darwin’s theory is. Nature relies on cooperation and mutual aid, not competition. It's not about competing for survival. We're here to help each other. As the conversation gets even deeper, we talk about how compassion has a life force, that it's the glue and the foundation for love. Love doesn't last without compassion, which leads us to explore the role our jobs have in shaping our lives and how we can turn that around. We also have the 90 second rule to allow your to fully experience and feel, after which brings you freedom from negative emotions. Stay tuned for the last half of the episode as Matt really goes for it and lays down some fabulous wisdom.

We begin this week with 3 nuggets of gold information and carry on to the unresolved emotion that is at the root of it all. We talk about the Heart Math Institute research, Gregg Braden, the brilliant work of neuroscientist, Dr. Candace Pert, “Molecules of Emotion”, Mr. José Mujica, the former president of Uruguay, the 90 second feeling, the question of why we  have a 40 plus hour work week and how that runs our lives and friendships. Pay close attention to the end of the show to hear how it all ties together.

Logic can’t get you out of something that emotion has gotten you into.  Fawn and Matt discuss the difference between logic and emotion, the importance of speaking, being heard, the state of the world, how to hear what is really going on and how respect plays the role in all of it. From mixed martial arts to Aikido to Nascar, to Nicomachean Ethics, Matt’s  super-secret  formula for pick’em survivor league (NFL),  to becoming like bamboo, the art of friendship  is further unpacked and  by the end of the episode things really go deep with one of the big reasons for how our society has become touched by the loneliness epidemic. Make sure you lean in towards the end of the episode for the revelations of imposter syndrome.

Why don't we follow through (regarding friendship, our dreams in life, our goals, our health, all the things that need some action, some movement)? What is the thing that stops us from doing and creating? This week's episode, Fawn and Matt bring up Sumo Wrestling, Herman Hesse, Dr. Mario Martinez, Dr. Joe Dispenza, Carolyn Myss, Aikido, dinner parties, being honest, misunderstandings, and how effort is involved and the one key to make it all effortless.

Fawn and Matt discuss the philosophy of Aikido (the Japanese martial art founded by Morihei Ueshiba that operates using the art of peace). They describe the one purpose, which is to better the lives of people, especially those who attack you physically and emotionally and being able to bring harmony to each situation (as your job is to protect your attacker: "If your opponent strikes with fire, counter with water, becoming completely fluid and free-flowing. Water by its nature, never collides with or breaks against anything. On the contrary, it swallows up any attack harmlessly." - Morihei Ueshiba (translated by John Stevens) This episode further explores our interactions with one another at the office and in our personal lives and is about applying the Art of Peace to the Art of Friendship.

Could the loneliness epidemic have been rooted initially from the family unit, where we learned how to treat each other? As the family dynamic has changed over the last few generations, so now have friendships. Fawn and Matt also discuss the role of the corporate/job world and how that has influenced our relationships and where we go from here.

Fawn and Matt talk about treating the outer world (and your inner world) as your home and everyone in it as your special guest.Treating strangers, people you know, to people you work with and even advisaries as if they are your guests and assuming the role of a party host and creating a space to have people feel at home (no matter where we are).

Fawn and Matt share stories of friends along the way that shifted everything in their lives for the better. Fawn gets emotional about her friend "Subculture Joe" (Jason) and how he made a profound impact on her and on the city of Seattle. Fawn and Matt also debate free will as Fawn shares her thoughts on destined meetings and how even the people you pass by on the sidewalk could be special preplanned connections.

Fawn describes how "Be Friendly World" and this podcast began and the mentor who was the catalyst. She describes Santa Monica, the kind of utopia that existed within a community in Los Angeles and how after traveling around the world as a documentary photographer she noticed the growing disconnect in our society, a loneliness epidemic that exists, and how to resolve it.