MICHELLE HOLLIDAY is a visionary author, facilitator, consultant and researcher. For the past two decades, her work has centered around “thrivability” — a set of perspectives and practices based on an understanding of organizations as dynamic living systems. On this foundation, she accompanies organizations through change, designs and hosts strategic events, and delivers talks and workshops. In this way, she works across multiple sectors such as tourism and agriculture to enable the transition to more regenerative systems and structures of society.Now, after living in 19 cities, including Moscow, London, Paris, New York and a small town in Scotland, she combines brand strategy, employee engagement, hosting and more in her home base of Montréal and around the world.Michelle’s research and practical experience are brought together in the highly acclaimed book, The Age of Thrivability: Vital Perspectives and Practices for a Better World, as well as in a popular TEDx talk.  Find her at michelleholliday.comFind out more about the Core Gift Institute by visiting our website, www.coregift.orgThanks to Jeff Hoyt at Hoyt’s Greater Community Radio for vocal additions.Music by Benson

MICHELLE HOLLIDAY is a visionary author, facilitator, consultant and researcher. For the past two decades, her work has centered around “thrivability” — a set of perspectives and practices based on an understanding of organizations as dynamic living systems. On this foundation, she accompanies organizations through change, designs and hosts strategic events, and delivers talks and workshops. In this way, she works across multiple sectors such as tourism and agriculture to enable the transition to more regenerative systems and structures of society. Now, after living in 19 cities, including Moscow, London, Paris, New York and a small town in Scotland, she combines brand strategy, employee engagement, hosting and more in her home base of Montréal and around the world. Michelle’s research and practical experience are brought together in the highly acclaimed book, The Age of Thrivability: Vital Perspectives and Practices for a Better World, as well as in a popular TEDx talk. Find her at <a href="http://michelleholliday.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">michelleholliday.com</a> Find out more about the Core Gift Institute by visiting our website, <a href="http://www.coregift.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.coregift.org</a> Thanks to Jeff Hoyt at Hoyt’s Greater Community Radio for vocal additions. Music by Benson

Michelle Holliday

Uzma Asghar is a Coach with 20 years' experience. Being a lifelong entrepreneur herself, she now specifically works with spiritually centered, mission driven Muslim women changemakers &amp; entrepreneurs curious about elevating their impact &amp; income potential from their businesses without sacrificing their standards or their sanity. She loves helping them activate and integrate more of their innate feminine strength and their spirituality to increase their capacity to be of even more service and give back to the world in a way that not only nourishes the communities and the planet they care about but also nourishes and supports themselves. Her wide range of passions include Quantum Science, human physiology, Islamic spiritual thought &amp; subconscious healing.Uzma is a Core Gift Master Facilitator and often uses that process to help people see the interconnectedness between all parts of their life, see opportunities for integration, experience feelings of wholeness and less stress. Find Uzma:Instagram: @iamuzmaasghar Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IamUzmaAsghar/Find out more about the Core Gift Institute by visiting our website, www.coregift.orgThanks to Jeff Hoyt at Hoyt’s Greater Community Radio for vocal additions.Music by Benson

Uzma Asghar is a Coach with 20 years' experience. Being a lifelong entrepreneur herself, she now specifically works with spiritually centered, mission driven Muslim women changemakers &amp; entrepreneurs curious about elevating their impact &amp; income potential from their businesses without sacrificing their standards or their sanity. She loves helping them activate and integrate more of their innate feminine strength and their spirituality to increase their capacity to be of even more service and give back to the world in a way that not only nourishes the communities and the planet they care about but also nourishes and supports themselves. Her wide range of passions include Quantum Science, human physiology, Islamic spiritual thought &amp; subconscious healing. Uzma is a Core Gift Master Facilitator and often uses that process to help people see the interconnectedness between all parts of their life, see opportunities for integration, experience feelings of wholeness and less stress. Find Uzma: Instagram: @iamuzmaasghar Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/IamUzmaAsghar/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/IamUzmaAsghar/</a> Find out more about the Core Gift Institute by visiting our website, <a href="http://www.coregift.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.coregift.org</a> Thanks to Jeff Hoyt at Hoyt’s Greater Community Radio for vocal additions. Music by Benson

Uzma Asghar

David Mayovsky is a native of Western Washington and is a Roman Catholic Priest.  He completed his seminary studies at St. Meinrad School of Theology in Southern Indiana and was ordained for the Archdiocese of Seattle in 1997.  For the past 24 years he has pastored Catholic Communities across Western Washington.  He is currently pastor of St. John Vianney Catholic Church on Vashon Island. A deeply “gift-committed” person, Father David has the following signature line on every email he sends:“The most basic task of the Church leader is to discern the spiritual gifts of all those under his authority, and to encourage those gifts to be used to the full for the benefit of all.  Only a person who can discern the gifts of others and can humbly rejoice at the flowering of those gifts is fit to lead the Church.”  St. John Chrysostom, Six Books on the Priesthood.Find out more about the Core Gift Institute by visiting our website, www.coregift.orgThanks to Jeff Hoyt at Hoyt’s Greater Community Radio for vocal additions.Music by Benson.

David Mayovsky is a native of Western Washington and is a Roman Catholic Priest. He completed his seminary studies at St. Meinrad School of Theology in Southern Indiana and was ordained for the Archdiocese of Seattle in 1997. For the past 24 years he has pastored Catholic Communities across Western Washington. He is currently pastor of St. John Vianney Catholic Church on Vashon Island. A deeply “gift-committed” person, Father David has the following signature line on every email he sends: “The most basic task of the Church leader is to discern the spiritual gifts of all those under his authority, and to encourage those gifts to be used to the full for the benefit of all. Only a person who can discern the gifts of others and can humbly rejoice at the flowering of those gifts is fit to lead the Church.” St. John Chrysostom, Six Books on the Priesthood. Find out more about the Core Gift Institute by visiting our website, <a href="http://www.coregift.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.coregift.org</a> Thanks to Jeff Hoyt at Hoyt’s Greater Community Radio for vocal additions. Music by Benson.

Father David Mayovsky

Your first draft is not your first draft! Jacq Burns has a gift for helping writers say what they really want to say. And say it in a way that will reveal the depths of who they are and why what they’re writing about matters to them. What starts as a book often turns into something much more for the author.Her first summer job at 12 was stacking books and sharpening pencils. But it wasn’t till she met her favorite author, Alice Walker, that she knew she wanted to be in publishing. She has worked in traditional publishing houses, leads writing workshops, coaches a wide variety of writers, founded the London Writers Club, and has written a bestseller called Write a Bestseller!She says, “The work I do is a real privilege. I help people to express what they want to say at the deepest, truest level, to create a book that shows what and who they are, telling their story or sharing their advice or wisdom.  I don’t get to be the leading expert or to live the lives of these amazing authors but I do get to hang out in their world for a while, to absorb it all and help tell their story. What a job!

Your first draft is not your first draft! Jacq Burns has a gift for helping writers say what they really want to say. And say it in a way that will reveal the depths of who they are and why what they’re writing about matters to them. What starts as a book often turns into something much more for the author. Her first summer job at 12 was stacking books and sharpening pencils. But it wasn’t till she met her favorite author, Alice Walker, that she knew she wanted to be in publishing. She has worked in traditional publishing houses, leads writing workshops, coaches a wide variety of writers, founded the London Writers Club, and has written a bestseller called Write a Bestseller! She says, “The work I do is a real privilege. I help people to express what they want to say at the deepest, truest level, to create a book that shows what and who they are, telling their story or sharing their advice or wisdom. I don’t get to be the leading expert or to live the lives of these amazing authors but I do get to hang out in their world for a while, to absorb it all and help tell their story. What a job!

Jacq Burns

Kathryn Chapman

Kathryn is a portrait photographer who is fascinated in the therapeutic power of photography. She specialises in deeply connected, soulful portraiture to help improve her clients mental health and wellbeing. Kathryn’s portraits, devised from her own journey with depression and anxiety, challenge self-belief and offer her clients a different perspective on themselves - one of self-compassion, acceptance, love and healing. Last year she was chosen to be part of the 2020 Vision Project honouring UK NHS and Healthcare workers through the pandemic, is featured on the Uninvisibility project, was interviewed in January by Rankin and has been invited to speak at The Photography Show in Birmingham’s NEC in September.Find out more about the Core Gift Institute by visiting our website, www.coregift.orgThanks to Jeff Hoyt at Hoyt’s Greater Community Radio for vocal additions.Music by Benson.

Kathryn is a portrait photographer who is fascinated in the therapeutic power of photography. She specialises in deeply connected, soulful portraiture to help improve her clients mental health and wellbeing. Kathryn’s portraits, devised from her own journey with depression and anxiety, challenge self-belief and offer her clients a different perspective on themselves - one of self-compassion, acceptance, love and healing. Last year she was chosen to be part of the 2020 Vision Project honouring UK NHS and Healthcare workers through the pandemic, is featured on the Uninvisibility project, was interviewed in January by Rankin and has been invited to speak at The Photography Show in Birmingham’s NEC in September. Find out more about the Core Gift Institute by visiting our website, <a href="http://www.coregift.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.coregift.org</a> Thanks to Jeff Hoyt at Hoyt’s Greater Community Radio for vocal additions. Music by Benson.

Katie Elliott

Like all of us, Katie has a backstory that has led her to this point in her life. In her particular story, she has landed on the doorstep of gifts. Captured by the idea, she has taken the time to learn the craft of Core Gift interviewing, and also think deeply about the connections between gifts and life difficulty, and the promise that gifts hold for healing and having a firm place in the world to stand. But that’s only one of her many interests. She’s a jazz musician, author, personal coach, and the owner of littlechallenges.com which has a mission of helping people to find small ways to make changes in their life that “make the messy business of being human” just a little bit easier. Be sure to check out her website for a wide variety of podcasts, tools, and ways you can work with Katie.www.littlechallenges.comFind out more about the Core Gift Institute by visiting our website, www.coregift.orgThanks to Jeff Hoyt at Hoyt’s Greater Community Radio for vocal additions.Music by Benson.

Like all of us, Katie has a backstory that has led her to this point in her life. In her particular story, she has landed on the doorstep of gifts. Captured by the idea, she has taken the time to learn the craft of Core Gift interviewing, and also think deeply about the connections between gifts and life difficulty, and the promise that gifts hold for healing and having a firm place in the world to stand. But that’s only one of her many interests. She’s a jazz musician, author, personal coach, and the owner of <a href="http://littlechallenges.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">littlechallenges.com</a> which has a mission of helping people to find small ways to make changes in their life that “make the messy business of being human” just a little bit easier. Be sure to check out her website for a wide variety of podcasts, tools, and ways you can work with Katie. <a href="http://www.littlechallenges.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.littlechallenges.com</a> Find out more about the Core Gift Institute by visiting our website, <a href="http://www.coregift.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.coregift.org</a> Thanks to Jeff Hoyt at Hoyt’s Greater Community Radio for vocal additions. Music by Benson.

Alex Banfield

Alex Banfield had to make a decision—was he going to keep pursuing a traditional college degree or find something else to do that felt more satisfying. In this podcast, he talks about wanting to simplify his life and work with his hands. “There’s so many things going on in the world, you have to decide what you want to make into beauty.” With the help of Trek Epic’s Andrew Bryan, he got into the Heritage Masonry and Stonecarving program American College of the Building Arts in Charleston, South Carolina. He had the good fortune to meet several influential mentors as he started out at the school, and his passion kept growing. Seeing both the unforgiving nature of the material, and also the beauty that reveals itself as you work with it, it’s pretty clear Alex has found a way to be at home in the world no matter where he is. He’s worked on restoration of churches, homes, and bridges in both the United States and Canada.Find out more about the Core Gift Institute by visiting our website, www.coregift.orgThanks to Jeff Hoyt at Hoyt’s Greater Community Radio for vocal additions.Music by Benson.

Alex Banfield had to make a decision—was he going to keep pursuing a traditional college degree or find something else to do that felt more satisfying. In this podcast, he talks about wanting to simplify his life and work with his hands. “There’s so many things going on in the world, you have to decide what you want to make into beauty.” With the help of Trek Epic’s Andrew Bryan, he got into the Heritage Masonry and Stonecarving program American College of the Building Arts in Charleston, South Carolina. He had the good fortune to meet several influential mentors as he started out at the school, and his passion kept growing. Seeing both the unforgiving nature of the material, and also the beauty that reveals itself as you work with it, it’s pretty clear Alex has found a way to be at home in the world no matter where he is. He’s worked on restoration of churches, homes, and bridges in both the United States and Canada. Find out more about the Core Gift Institute by visiting our website, <a href="http://www.coregift.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.coregift.org</a> Thanks to Jeff Hoyt at Hoyt’s Greater Community Radio for vocal additions. Music by Benson.

In My Daily Life with Alex Banfield

Rachel Taylor

Rachel Taylor is an emerging force in the world of eco-activism She is co-founder of Joyality, an international organization providing practical strategies for individuals to build resilience, develop leadership, and take action related to the intersecting crisis of climate, economic and social injustice, and feelings of anxiety and despair many of us have about the state of the world and our future together. They have developed a variety of trainings, dialogues, projects and reflective activities that build strength in individuals and groups. Rachel is an experienced Core Gift Discovery facilitator, and has expertly woven both the theory and the practical application of gifts into the activities of their organization. Find out more about Rachel and Joyality at www.joyality.orgFind out more about the Core Gift Institute by visiting our website, www.coregift.orgThanks to Jeff Hoyt at Hoyt’s Greater Community Radio for vocal additions.Music by Benson.

Rachel Taylor is an emerging force in the world of eco-activism She is co-founder of Joyality, an international organization providing practical strategies for individuals to build resilience, develop leadership, and take action related to the intersecting crisis of climate, economic and social injustice, and feelings of anxiety and despair many of us have about the state of the world and our future together. They have developed a variety of trainings, dialogues, projects and reflective activities that build strength in individuals and groups. Rachel is an experienced Core Gift Discovery facilitator, and has expertly woven both the theory and the practical application of gifts into the activities of their organization. Find out more about Rachel and Joyality at <a href="http://www.joyality.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.joyality.org</a> Find out more about the Core Gift Institute by visiting our website, <a href="http://www.coregift.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.coregift.org</a> Thanks to Jeff Hoyt at Hoyt’s Greater Community Radio for vocal additions. Music by Benson.

Bailey Smith wants to understand you! She’s an eager learner, both in a traditional way with schooling, but also has a deep fascination for people and what makes them tick. She’s in her late twenty’s, and full of questions, laughter, and a genuine sense of kindness and goodwill towards others. Listen in to our conversation and find out how her gift of communication has traveled with her in her work and personal life, bringing both blessings and difficulties along the way.Find out more about the Core Gift Institute by visiting our website, www.coregift.orgThanks to Jeff Hoyt at Hoyt’s Greater Community Radio for vocal additions.Music by Benson.

Bailey Smith wants to understand you! She’s an eager learner, both in a traditional way with schooling, but also has a deep fascination for people and what makes them tick. She’s in her late twenty’s, and full of questions, laughter, and a genuine sense of kindness and goodwill towards others. Listen in to our conversation and find out how her gift of communication has traveled with her in her work and personal life, bringing both blessings and difficulties along the way. Find out more about the Core Gift Institute by visiting our website, <a href="http://www.coregift.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.coregift.org</a> Thanks to Jeff Hoyt at Hoyt’s Greater Community Radio for vocal additions. Music by Benson.

In My Daily Life with Bailey Smith

Mark Ragins

Wendy Carpenter

On Explosions and Blankets: A conversation between innovators. Mark Ragins, Campus Psychiatrist in the California State College system, has been at the leading edge of promoting radical change in traditional mental health systems for more than thirty years. Wendy Carpenter is the Chief Executive Officer of Penny Lane Centers, one of the largest foster-care agencies in the Los Angeles area. Known for its quality supports since it’s inception decades ago, Wendy is now at the forefront of the organizations radical vision of creating what they call a “heart-centered” culture, which involves intentional use of gifts with both the employees and in the supports their organization offers. Both of them are Core Gift practitioners, and experienced with many forms of healing and transformation. Exploring below the surface, conversing back and forth about gifts, wounds, and how change and healing occur in us, their conversation asks us all to consider how gifts are the tape running in the background of our lives asking to be seen and given. Although their conversation at times focuses on the younger people they are engaged with, both of them are quick to say that the primary youth issues they are focused on—finding direction, staying safe, finding loving relationships— are as relevant to their own growth as they are to the young people they are helping.Find out more about the Core Gift Institute by visiting our website, www.coregift.orgThanks to Jeff Hoyt at Hoyt’s Greater Community Radio for vocal additions.This episode was produced by Laura Byng, with music by Benson.

On Explosions and Blankets: A conversation between innovators. Mark Ragins, Campus Psychiatrist in the California State College system, has been at the leading edge of promoting radical change in traditional mental health systems for more than thirty years. Wendy Carpenter is the Chief Executive Officer of Penny Lane Centers, one of the largest foster-care agencies in the Los Angeles area. Known for its quality supports since it’s inception decades ago, Wendy is now at the forefront of the organizations radical vision of creating what they call a “heart-centered” culture, which involves intentional use of gifts with both the employees and in the supports their organization offers. Both of them are Core Gift practitioners, and experienced with many forms of healing and transformation. Exploring below the surface, conversing back and forth about gifts, wounds, and how change and healing occur in us, their conversation asks us all to consider how gifts are the tape running in the background of our lives asking to be seen and given. Although their conversation at times focuses on the younger people they are engaged with, both of them are quick to say that the primary youth issues they are focused on—finding direction, staying safe, finding loving relationships— are as relevant to their own growth as they are to the young people they are helping. Find out more about the Core Gift Institute by visiting our website, <a href="http://www.coregift.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.coregift.org</a> Thanks to Jeff Hoyt at Hoyt’s Greater Community Radio for vocal additions. This episode was produced by Laura Byng, with music by Benson.

Mark Ragins And Wendy Carpenter

A series of conversations spanning helping professions, spiritual traditions and community encouragers who believe that knowing your gifts, and giving them, is an essential part of living a full life and creating healthy communities.

Michelle Murphy

Michelle is a physiotherapist and health coach specializing in women’s health. She works in direct clinical service and also leads her “Choose to Thrive” workshops for women. She describes her earlier years as following the traditional definitions of success in schooling and jobs, but also having a deep sense there was something “more” she could tap into. Her all-inclusive description of gift-giving includes her deep love for her children as well as her commitment to her work serving others. Her story is a story of all who choose to follow a gifted path—slowly unlocking a deeper core to who you are, and having the courage to follow it. An immensely humble person, she shows us the gentle, yet decisive, ways that a person can slowly become who they are meant to be.Find out more about the Core Gift Institute by visiting our website, www.coregift.orgThanks to Jeff Hoyt at Hoyt’s Greater Community Radio for vocal additions.This episode was produced by Laura Byng, with music by Benson.

Michelle is a physiotherapist and health coach specializing in women’s health. She works in direct clinical service and also leads her “Choose to Thrive” workshops for women. She describes her earlier years as following the traditional definitions of success in schooling and jobs, but also having a deep sense there was something “more” she could tap into. Her all-inclusive description of gift-giving includes her deep love for her children as well as her commitment to her work serving others. Her story is a story of all who choose to follow a gifted path—slowly unlocking a deeper core to who you are, and having the courage to follow it. An immensely humble person, she shows us the gentle, yet decisive, ways that a person can slowly become who they are meant to be. Find out more about the Core Gift Institute by visiting our website, <a href="http://www.coregift.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.coregift.org</a> Thanks to Jeff Hoyt at Hoyt’s Greater Community Radio for vocal additions. This episode was produced by Laura Byng, with music by Benson.

In this episode of Why Gifts Matter, Bruce Anderson talks with Michael MacKenzie, who currently works at Montage Support Services in Toronto helping people who experience disabilities find meaningful career paths through a program he designed called Making Work Work.Having experienced an unusual number of career twists and turns himself, he’s very adept and helping people to see the path they are on and the gifts they want to bring.  Known for a keen ability to see the gifts in others, he has story after story of seeing gifts in others and then helping them to find often unexpected ways for them to give those gifts.He’s very clear about his Core Gift, which he remembers coming out at a very young age.  One example is about wandering the Inn his great-grandmother ran in the Scottish Highlands and interviewing guests about what they were good at!  Then he’d ask them to contribute that at the Inn’s evening social hour.Michael has no limits in his creative thinking about what is possible, and asks us to stretch our assumptions about what both gifts and work really mean to people who often have life stories of feeling like they don’t belong. Get ready for the ride!  Michael has a lot to say, says it quickly, and gives us a window into what happens when we assume everyone is gifted.Find out more about the Core Gift Institute by visiting our website, www.coregift.orgThanks to Jeff Hoyt at Hoyt’s Greater Community Radio for vocal additions.This episode was produced by Laura Byng, with music by Benson.

In this episode of Why Gifts Matter, Bruce Anderson talks with Michael MacKenzie, who currently works at Montage Support Services in Toronto helping people who experience disabilities find meaningful career paths through a program he designed called Making Work Work. Having experienced an unusual number of career twists and turns himself, he’s very adept and helping people to see the path they are on and the gifts they want to bring. Known for a keen ability to see the gifts in others, he has story after story of seeing gifts in others and then helping them to find often unexpected ways for them to give those gifts. He’s very clear about his Core Gift, which he remembers coming out at a very young age. One example is about wandering the Inn his great-grandmother ran in the Scottish Highlands and interviewing guests about what they were good at! Then he’d ask them to contribute that at the Inn’s evening social hour. Michael has no limits in his creative thinking about what is possible, and asks us to stretch our assumptions about what both gifts and work really mean to people who often have life stories of feeling like they don’t belong. Get ready for the ride! Michael has a lot to say, says it quickly, and gives us a window into what happens when we assume everyone is gifted. Find out more about the Core Gift Institute by visiting our website, <a href="http://www.coregift.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.coregift.org</a> Thanks to Jeff Hoyt at Hoyt’s Greater Community Radio for vocal additions. This episode was produced by Laura Byng, with music by Benson.

Michael MacKenzie

Dan Kaufman

Over the course of his career and in his personal life, Dan has followed one simple rule: Do it different.  Whether it’s working in the edges of community helping people’s voices be heard, raising Llama’s, coaching leaders, or studying guitar riffs from the masters, he is always looking for a unique approach. Never one to back down from a challenge, he’s found himself in a unique position to develop a wide range of wisdom over the years. In his professional life as a leadership coach, counselor, and organizational development coach, Dan builds on decades of study and experience. Following in the footsteps of his teachers like Bob Kegan, he has worked to develop holistic, blended models of personal and organizational development. He brings a savvy to his work that quickly reveals the depth of his understanding of what it really takes to help transform people and organizations. For leaders, he believes speaking from the place of your gifts creates a powerful opportunity to connect with others by helping them to connect with the deeper parts of who they are, too.And that, for all of us, the bottom line is that gifts are worth pursuing as we work towards a life worth living. Don’t ever give up on your own gifts, and don’t ever give up helping others find their gifts. We all move forward together as we exchange our gifts.Although they are in completely different professions, this conversation with Dan follows many of the same threads as our last podcast with architect Monica Adair from New Brunswick, Canada.  Both of them believe in the vital connection between creativity and usefulness, and the essential role gifts often play.You can contact Dan at drdlk@me.comFind out more about the Core Gift Institute by visiting our website, www.coregift.orgThanks to Jeff Hoyt at Hoyt’s Greater Community Radio for vocal additions.This episode was produced by Laura Byng, with music by Benson.

Over the course of his career and in his personal life, Dan has followed one simple rule: Do it different. Whether it’s working in the edges of community helping people’s voices be heard, raising Llama’s, coaching leaders, or studying guitar riffs from the masters, he is always looking for a unique approach. Never one to back down from a challenge, he’s found himself in a unique position to develop a wide range of wisdom over the years. In his professional life as a leadership coach, counselor, and organizational development coach, Dan builds on decades of study and experience. Following in the footsteps of his teachers like Bob Kegan, he has worked to develop holistic, blended models of personal and organizational development. He brings a savvy to his work that quickly reveals the depth of his understanding of what it really takes to help transform people and organizations. For leaders, he believes speaking from the place of your gifts creates a powerful opportunity to connect with others by helping them to connect with the deeper parts of who they are, too. And that, for all of us, the bottom line is that gifts are worth pursuing as we work towards a life worth living. Don’t ever give up on your own gifts, and don’t ever give up helping others find their gifts. We all move forward together as we exchange our gifts. Although they are in completely different professions, this conversation with Dan follows many of the same threads as our last podcast with architect Monica Adair from New Brunswick, Canada. Both of them believe in the vital connection between creativity and usefulness, and the essential role gifts often play. You can contact Dan at drdlk@me.com Find out more about the Core Gift Institute by visiting our website, <a href="http://www.coregift.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.coregift.org</a> Thanks to Jeff Hoyt at Hoyt’s Greater Community Radio for vocal additions. This episode was produced by Laura Byng, with music by Benson.

Monica Adair

In this episode of Why Gifts Matter, we’re talking with Monica Adair, founding Partner of Acre Architects. In the midst of growing the firm she and her husband, Steven, started, The Acres has already garnered a long list of prestigious attention and awards. Twice named one of the top design firms in Canada, their innovative practice, Storied Architecture, believes that every design idea springs from a unique story. She notices that often clients come to them initially with ideas for design that are “borrowed” from other people or buildings they have seen and aren’t really their own. This leads them to approach their work from the creative perspective of helping clients develop a future story they want to live into and, out of that story, the vision for the building design emerges. They liken it to creating a myth—a naturally emerging process of story creation. Throughout this interview, Monica keeps coming back to the connections between gifts, story and purpose—not just in the design work they do, but also as an important part of each of their employees thriving at work. She has a keen eye for the gifts each employee is bringing, and why their organizations success is based on each person’s unique contribution to every project they engage in. A person of boundless energy, enthusiasm and interests, Monica is clear about how an awareness of her Core Gift keeps her focused on what matters in the midst of a fast-moving life. Find out more about Monica and Acre Architects:www.theacre.caInstagram: theacreFind out more about the Core Gift Institute by visiting our website, www.coregift.orgThanks to Jeff Hoyt at Hoyt’s Greater Community Radio for vocal additions.This episode was produced by Laura Byng, with music by Benson.

In this episode of Why Gifts Matter, we’re talking with Monica Adair, founding Partner of Acre Architects. In the midst of growing the firm she and her husband, Steven, started, The Acres has already garnered a long list of prestigious attention and awards. Twice named one of the top design firms in Canada, their innovative practice, Storied Architecture, believes that every design idea springs from a unique story. She notices that often clients come to them initially with ideas for design that are “borrowed” from other people or buildings they have seen and aren’t really their own. This leads them to approach their work from the creative perspective of helping clients develop a future story they want to live into and, out of that story, the vision for the building design emerges. They liken it to creating a myth—a naturally emerging process of story creation. Throughout this interview, Monica keeps coming back to the connections between gifts, story and purpose—not just in the design work they do, but also as an important part of each of their employees thriving at work. She has a keen eye for the gifts each employee is bringing, and why their organizations success is based on each person’s unique contribution to every project they engage in. A person of boundless energy, enthusiasm and interests, Monica is clear about how an awareness of her Core Gift keeps her focused on what matters in the midst of a fast-moving life. Find out more about Monica and Acre Architects: <a href="http://www.theacre.ca" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.theacre.ca</a> Instagram: theacre Find out more about the Core Gift Institute by visiting our website, <a href="http://www.coregift.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.coregift.org</a> Thanks to Jeff Hoyt at Hoyt’s Greater Community Radio for vocal additions. This episode was produced by Laura Byng, with music by Benson.

Nicky Wilks

In this episode, Bruce Anderson from the Core Gift Institute talks with Nicky Wilks, co-founder with Alex Craighead, of the Journeyman Institute. Journeymen has a variety of programs that help young people to discover and claim their natural identity, as well as engage older people in opportunities to learn mentoring and how to create the conditions for young people to thrive.  A hungry learner, Nicky is constantly scouting the landscape for ideas and practices that focus on helping young people.  He is a student of ancient indigenous ritual and modern theories of education and neuroscience, and focuses on creating innovative strategies that honor and combine both the old and the new.In his other vocation as public school teacher, Nicky is acutely aware that schools are mostly about, as he says, filling the cup and creating conformity rather than bringing out the natural identity and gifts in students. He laments this focus on success rather than getting at the core of students identities so they can become who they are meant to be. Journeymen Institute offers what Nicky hopes is a healing alternative to this traditional school system design by helping to re-define what it means to be a “successful” young person in the world today.Find out more about the Core Gift Institute by visiting our website, www.coregift.orgThanks to Jeff Hoyt at Hoyt’s Greater Community Radio for vocal additions.This episode was produced by Laura Byng, with music by Benson.

In this episode, Bruce Anderson from the Core Gift Institute talks with Nicky Wilks, co-founder with Alex Craighead, of the Journeyman Institute. Journeymen has a variety of programs that help young people to discover and claim their natural identity, as well as engage older people in opportunities to learn mentoring and how to create the conditions for young people to thrive. A hungry learner, Nicky is constantly scouting the landscape for ideas and practices that focus on helping young people. He is a student of ancient indigenous ritual and modern theories of education and neuroscience, and focuses on creating innovative strategies that honor and combine both the old and the new. In his other vocation as public school teacher, Nicky is acutely aware that schools are mostly about, as he says, filling the cup and creating conformity rather than bringing out the natural identity and gifts in students. He laments this focus on success rather than getting at the core of students identities so they can become who they are meant to be. Journeymen Institute offers what Nicky hopes is a healing alternative to this traditional school system design by helping to re-define what it means to be a “successful” young person in the world today. Find out more about the Core Gift Institute by visiting our website, <a href="http://www.coregift.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.coregift.org</a> Thanks to Jeff Hoyt at Hoyt’s Greater Community Radio for vocal additions. This episode was produced by Laura Byng, with music by Benson.

This episode features special guest host Nick Maisey in conversation with Dr Trish Quinlivan, an experienced general practitioner who blends psychological medicine with spiritual wellbeing.After many years working in a busy GP setting, Trish’s insomnia and anxiety reached a peak in 2011, prompting her to listen more deeply to her mind and body and forge a new path. She has specialized in psychological medicine, integrating mindfulness, meditation and connection to spirit to help people heal from psychological stress.Trish helps people tap into their intuitive power to find learning in experiences of trauma and adversity, affirm the gifts of their existence and practice more conscious, connected ways of being. In a world that can feel increasingly chaotic and disconnected, there is no time like the present to find ways of being in the here and now that yield the greatest insights about our gifts.Check out Trish’s website for more information: https://livingmindfully.com.au/about-dr-trish-quinlivanFind out more about the Core Gift Institute by visiting our website, www.coregift.orgThanks to Jeff Hoyt at Hoyt’s Greater Community Radio for vocal additions.This episode was produced by Laura Byng, with music by Benson.

This episode features special guest host Nick Maisey in conversation with Dr Trish Quinlivan, an experienced general practitioner who blends psychological medicine with spiritual wellbeing. After many years working in a busy GP setting, Trish’s insomnia and anxiety reached a peak in 2011, prompting her to listen more deeply to her mind and body and forge a new path. She has specialized in psychological medicine, integrating mindfulness, meditation and connection to spirit to help people heal from psychological stress. Trish helps people tap into their intuitive power to find learning in experiences of trauma and adversity, affirm the gifts of their existence and practice more conscious, connected ways of being. In a world that can feel increasingly chaotic and disconnected, there is no time like the present to find ways of being in the here and now that yield the greatest insights about our gifts. Check out Trish’s website for more information: <a href="https://livingmindfully.com.au/about-dr-trish-quinlivan" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://livingmindfully.com.au/about-dr-trish-quinlivan</a> Find out more about the Core Gift Institute by visiting our website, <a href="http://www.coregift.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.coregift.org</a> Thanks to Jeff Hoyt at Hoyt’s Greater Community Radio for vocal additions. This episode was produced by Laura Byng, with music by Benson.

Dr Trish Quinlivan

Mary Mojica

Jessica Alvarez

In this episode, Bruce Anderson from the Core Gift Institute talks with Mary Mojica and Jessica Alvarez from Project Return Peer Support Network in Los Angeles, California.Project Return is the largest organized mental health peer support network in the Los Angeles area, providing a wide variety of recovery, learning and social groups with names like Path Finders, Financial Strategies for Success, Beautiful Minds, Women Coming Together, and Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff. Several thousand people use their supports each month.As you will hear, core gift-finding is a common practice in their organization, and both Mary and Jessica are clear about the practical benefits and connections between recovery, knowing your gifts, and finding your place in the world as you progress on your healing path.  Find out more about Project Return:  www.prpsn.orgFind out more about the Core Gift Institute by visiting our website, www.coregift.orgThanks to Jeff Hoyt at Hoyt’s Greater Community Radio for vocal additions.This episode was produced by Laura Byng, with music by Benson.

In this episode, Bruce Anderson from the Core Gift Institute talks with Mary Mojica and Jessica Alvarez from Project Return Peer Support Network in Los Angeles, California. Project Return is the largest organized mental health peer support network in the Los Angeles area, providing a wide variety of recovery, learning and social groups with names like Path Finders, Financial Strategies for Success, Beautiful Minds, Women Coming Together, and Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff. Several thousand people use their supports each month. As you will hear, core gift-finding is a common practice in their organization, and both Mary and Jessica are clear about the practical benefits and connections between recovery, knowing your gifts, and finding your place in the world as you progress on your healing path. Find out more about Project Return: <a href="http://www.prpsn.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.prpsn.org</a> Find out more about the Core Gift Institute by visiting our website, <a href="http://www.coregift.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.coregift.org</a> Thanks to Jeff Hoyt at Hoyt’s Greater Community Radio for vocal additions. This episode was produced by Laura Byng, with music by Benson.

Mary Mojica And Jessica Alvarez

John McKnight

Peter Block

In this episode, Bruce Anderson from the Core Gift Institute talks with John McKnight and Peter Block, authors of The Abundant Community.Peter and John started from different roots in their pursuit of community-building. Peter began his work as one of the pioneers in organizational development, helping organizations create clarity around vision and move forward together. John began his work with a civil-rights focus, working with the ACLU and affirmative action programs. Both of them are elders and anchors in their respective fields, have written extensively, and mentored countless others through their generous commitment to continuous learning and shared knowledge. Fuller biographies are available at the Abundant Community website, peterblock.com, and the Asset-Based Community Development Institute.More recently, their interests and language are merging around a fundamental question they both share: “How can communities of all kinds see and use the gifts of all community members to create abundance and possibility within.”  They joined forces in recent years to author Abundant Community and frequently speak and work together.Find out more about the Core Gift Institute by visiting our website, www.coregift.orgThanks to Jeff Hoyt at Hoyt’s Greater Community Radio for vocal additions.This episode was produced by Laura Byng, with music by Benson.

In this episode, Bruce Anderson from the Core Gift Institute talks with John McKnight and Peter Block, authors of The Abundant Community. Peter and John started from different roots in their pursuit of community-building. Peter began his work as one of the pioneers in organizational development, helping organizations create clarity around vision and move forward together. John began his work with a civil-rights focus, working with the ACLU and affirmative action programs. Both of them are elders and anchors in their respective fields, have written extensively, and mentored countless others through their generous commitment to continuous learning and shared knowledge. Fuller biographies are available at the Abundant Community website, <a href="http://peterblock.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">peterblock.com</a>, and the Asset-Based Community Development Institute. More recently, their interests and language are merging around a fundamental question they both share: “How can communities of all kinds see and use the gifts of all community members to create abundance and possibility within.” They joined forces in recent years to author Abundant Community and frequently speak and work together. Find out more about the Core Gift Institute by visiting our website, <a href="http://www.coregift.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.coregift.org</a> Thanks to Jeff Hoyt at Hoyt’s Greater Community Radio for vocal additions. This episode was produced by Laura Byng, with music by Benson.

John McKnight And Peter Block

Debbie Everley

In this episode, Bruce Anderson from the Core Gift Institute talks with Debbie Everley, the Executive Director of the Kenora Association for Community Living in western Ontario, Canada which provides supports to people with disabilities and, more recently, young First Nations people trying to find their place in the community. A thought leader amongst her peers, she is working alongside her employees and others in her community to understand more about the “how to” of identifying and bringing gifts of all people into their community. In this interview, she is particularly interested in the kinds of gifts—she calls them core gifts— that arise out of life struggles.  Her interest is to help community members use those kinds of gifts as a way to help heal what she calls the “heartbrokenness” of her community resulting from the devastating effect of the long, long history of colonization and victimization of First Nations peoples in the region.She speaks forthrightly of her own growth and fears as she learns about her gifts, and how much confidence it takes to approach her community with the message that everyone’s gifts must be known and contributed if her community is to rightly claim itself as a genuine community.Find out more about the Core Gift Institute by visiting our website, www.coregift.orgThanks to Jeff Hoyt at Hoyt’s Greater Community Radio for vocal additions.This episode was produced by Laura Byng, with music by Benson.

In this episode, Bruce Anderson from the Core Gift Institute talks with Debbie Everley, the Executive Director of the Kenora Association for Community Living in western Ontario, Canada which provides supports to people with disabilities and, more recently, young First Nations people trying to find their place in the community. A thought leader amongst her peers, she is working alongside her employees and others in her community to understand more about the “how to” of identifying and bringing gifts of all people into their community. In this interview, she is particularly interested in the kinds of gifts—she calls them core gifts— that arise out of life struggles. Her interest is to help community members use those kinds of gifts as a way to help heal what she calls the “heartbrokenness” of her community resulting from the devastating effect of the long, long history of colonization and victimization of First Nations peoples in the region. She speaks forthrightly of her own growth and fears as she learns about her gifts, and how much confidence it takes to approach her community with the message that everyone’s gifts must be known and contributed if her community is to rightly claim itself as a genuine community. Find out more about the Core Gift Institute by visiting our website, <a href="http://www.coregift.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.coregift.org</a> Thanks to Jeff Hoyt at Hoyt’s Greater Community Radio for vocal additions. This episode was produced by Laura Byng, with music by Benson.

Jeff Mills

In this episode, Bruce Anderson from the Core Gift Institute talks with Jeff Mills, a community organizer in his hometown of Mississippi Mills, Ontario outside of Ottawa, Canada.Jeff comes from a family legacy that believes strongly in the power of families and communities to work together to get things done. He works out of Mills Community Support, an organization that provides help to folks in his region, particularly people who are aging and people with disabilities. In community organizing terms, he’s a Gap worker…..constantly being in the messy and possibility-filled middle between neighborhoods, people who have asked for help, and the formal helping and government organizations in his community.  He is relentless in following the primary principle of Asset-Based Community Development, which says to look first to the abundant relationships and capacity of local people before going elsewhere for help.In this interview, Jeff tells stories of community change rooted in the gifts of neighbors, the importance of recognizing our blindness to the tremendous untapped abundance all around us, and the healing that’s possible when organizers recognize they, too, are hungry for feeling welcome and finding places to belong. Find out more about the Core Gift Institute by visiting our website, www.coregift.orgThanks to Jeff Hoyt at Hoyt’s Greater Community Radio for vocal additions.This episode was produced by Laura Byng, with music by Benson.

In this episode, Bruce Anderson from the Core Gift Institute talks with Jeff Mills, a community organizer in his hometown of Mississippi Mills, Ontario outside of Ottawa, Canada. Jeff comes from a family legacy that believes strongly in the power of families and communities to work together to get things done. He works out of Mills Community Support, an organization that provides help to folks in his region, particularly people who are aging and people with disabilities. In community organizing terms, he’s a Gap worker…..constantly being in the messy and possibility-filled middle between neighborhoods, people who have asked for help, and the formal helping and government organizations in his community. He is relentless in following the primary principle of Asset-Based Community Development, which says to look first to the abundant relationships and capacity of local people before going elsewhere for help. In this interview, Jeff tells stories of community change rooted in the gifts of neighbors, the importance of recognizing our blindness to the tremendous untapped abundance all around us, and the healing that’s possible when organizers recognize they, too, are hungry for feeling welcome and finding places to belong. Find out more about the Core Gift Institute by visiting our website, <a href="http://www.coregift.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.coregift.org</a> Thanks to Jeff Hoyt at Hoyt’s Greater Community Radio for vocal additions. This episode was produced by Laura Byng, with music by Benson.

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