Simplicity Of Happiness - Season 05

For this year I am aiming to have as many meaningful conversations with people I don‘t know yet, as I possible can. 
After all, deep connections with real people is what makes us human, right? Way too many of us were lacking real conversations during this pandemic year.

The first guest I never met and interviewed was Bas Lebesque.

Bas became a big fan of minimalism and got rid of 75% of his stuff, 2 yrs ago. He would like to take it one level up and get rid of 50% of the 25% that is left. That is a current challenge and maybe a good occasion to play the minimalism game, isn‘t it?

Bas says about himself the following:

After a short career in hospitality and then 2 careers in financial markets, as a trader and as a freelance consultant. I had to take bold action to stop doing what I was not enjoying. Looking back, I realised that when I started my second career as a consultant in 2010 I also started my own physical and mental health journey.

It took me 3 years to break out of my golden cage, in which I was living as a successful financial trader. I am happy I did, as I live a much freer life now. Breaking out of that cage at the peak of the financial crisis, I thought I was going to lose my identity and I would end up living on the streets. What a limiting belief that was!

The journey to my best version will never end, but I am happier with myself than ever before. The work of Byron Katie, Dr Joe Dispenza and Wim Hof have become a part of my life.

Among his journey he has lived in 8 countries on 5 continents.

You can find out more at: https://www.baslebesque.com

Until then, take care my friend.

Best, Floh

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SE05 - happy#212 - bas lebesque

Often I am addressing those of you, to whom happiness is a choice. I include myself into this category.   No matter how much we think that life is fooling us, it is on us to choose what we make of it. Basically we close to unlimited options and often that is a reason for our misery. As soon as we take a decision for something, we have to say no to everything else that we could possibly do.
Because… there is only room to do one thing at once.

But there are people within our society that face constant discrimination and is on us to do something against it.

Today I talk to Anna Michaela Cox, who is fighting for rights of so called „disabled children“ in the US. Being blind herself, she suffered from a discriminating school system herself and I ask her, what everyone of us can do to make this a better world and include everybody, no matter what the circumstances are.

 Until then, take care my friend.

Best, Floh

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SE05 - happy#218 - inclusion vs. exclusion

I am a great fan of Mike Mandel and the work he does. Together with his co-host and business partner Chris Thompson he runs a wildly crazy podcast called Brain Software where they offer tons of value and deep insides into coaching and NLP.
In his podcast Mike often gives people numbers and refers to the Enneagram.
Since I enjoy talking to Mike so much I saw this as a good opportunity to have Mike back on the show and share his view on the Enneagram with you.

We will go into the history of the Enneagram, take about archetypes and get a description of all the 9 different Enneagram types.

As well as some inside on the Enneagram type 8 of Mike and wether I fit in there or not…

If you want to take a glimpse of the Enneagram yourself you might want to have a look at one of the following free tests:

https://lonerwolf.com/enneagram-test/
https://www.eclecticenergies.com/enneagram/test
https://www.truity.com/test/enneagram-personality-test

Until then, take care my friend.

Best, Floh

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SE05 - happy#219 - enneagram with mike mandel

Is a minimalist life possession free?
No, it is well curated!

Things that minimalists own, fulfill a purpose and often you will find a lot of high quality items in their daily life.
That is because they don‘t like trash in their life and things that are used regularly are therefor higher quality. You see, being a minimalist is not about saying no. It is about saying yes to the right things. Owning is fine, as long as you use it or is at least bringing value to your life.
Less distraction, more focus!
Less clutter, you don‘t need in the first place.
Maybe that could be a reason why minimalists make up such good coaches. Because they got rid of the clutter in their mind as well.

I had the honor to have a conversation with an amazing woman with a minimalist approach. Yana Stockman who originally comes from Ukraine, started travelling the world and realized the more things you leave behind that you don‘t need in the first place, the more liberated you are to go and to do what you really love.

By now she is settled in the US and helps her client in their „Life Transitions“

You can find out more about Yana at: https://www.yanastockman.com

Until then, take care my friend.

Best, Floh

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SE05 - happy#220 - life transitions

I met Carlos and Susanne when they interviewed me for their podcast life design and there I had the feeling there is more to discuss in further details.

At first glance they seem to be a happy couple that found their role by successfully raising 4 children and having a career.
But, there is more to it and it did not go as expected and they had to take some unconventional turns.

Let me not spoil it all but listen in and find out how they managed to fix their realtionship and become a truly remarkable couple and what they have to share with all the other couples of this world.

If you need some really helpful advice with your relationship you might also want to visit: https://carlosandsusanne.com

Until then, take care my friend.

Best, Floh

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SE05 - happy#221 - life design

While working on this podcast episode, I stumbled upon this text:

F–– You Money
Back in the 1920s, the actor Humphrey Bogart used to keep a $100 bill in his nightstand at all times. That’s the equivalent of over $1,200 today. He referred to it as his ‘f–– you money’, because it meant he’d never be forced to take a part he didn’t want. He once said that the only good reason for making money was so you can tell anyone in the world to go to hell.
What’s your number? How much money would you need to happily turn down opportunities that you don’t want? And what if you could turn them down before you hit that number…?

Then it hit me, because what Chris Mamula, todays guest did was not to retire, he just saved enough f—- you money, to become free enough to only choose what he is doing.

If you want to know what that means to him and how he actually managed to have that amount of money by 41 listen to the episode or find out more about him directly at:
https://twitter.com/caniretire_yet or
https://www.caniretireyet.com/

Until then, take care my friend.

Best, Floh

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SE05 - happy#222 - retire early

Introvert or Extrovert. Most of us heart these terms before, but who can recall any business training, strategy or job motivation that did not seem to be for the extroverts.

I belief that this is more on the behavioral site than a real character trade and this behavior being caused by different intrinsic motivations. Nevertheless it occurs in each one of us.

Jon Bakers, todays guest specializes in training and coaching for introverts and people leading introverts in their team.

Being an introvert himself it is a wonderful insightful conversation with him. He gives a lot of tips about living and introvert life or dealing with one.

You can find out more about him at: https://introvertinbusiness.co.uk/

Until then, take care my friend.

Best, Floh

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simplicity of happiness

SE05 - happy#223 - introvert

So often, people need to have a reason to take action. It can become difficult to chose between investment and return, especially when helping others? 
Does there really need to be a return or is it about how we feel ourself doing it in the first place?

A while ago, I had the chance to help a friend who found himself in a difficult situation. All I did was asking others, including my newsletter subscribers to help me and him out.
I was blown away by the help we received for my friend and it made me proud that I did it. Although… looking closely I did not do much. I just asked others for help, simply because I could.

That kept me thinking. Aren‘t these always the most amazing things? Those we do, just because we can but don‘t have to?
What is it that you do, just because you can?
What is it that you would like to do just because you can?

Maybe we should aim for that more often.

Until then, take care my friend.

Best, Floh

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SE05 happy#224 - because you can

We all want to reach it, but what is success?

Today's guest The Success Factor author, Ruth Gotian. A woman who has dedicated herself to meeting the most successful minds to study them and learn about their mindset and practices. Her investigation yielded a surprising result—she discovered that all these people had four elements in common that allowed them to achieve success.

Ruth will share with us all of her acquired knowledge about success. Also, we will be talking about passion and why it is an essential point in the success path.

You can be successful too. Find out how.

Best, Floh


WHAT YOU WILL HEAR
[0:36] The success factor.
[2:32] The four elements of success.
[10:13] How to find your passion?
[15:53 ​]​ Different types of motivation.
[18:39]  What is success?
[20:01] How to recognize a successful person?
[24:32] A work ethic story.
[28:14] The importance of constantly reinforcing your foundation.
[30:15] A story about learning.
[31:46] Ruth's best recommendation.


QUOTES
"There are more bad days than good days on the road to success." —Ruth.
"Success is a moving target." —Ruth.


RESOURCES
Ruth Website: www.ruthgotian.com
The Success Factor book: www.amazon.com/Success-Factor-Developing-Skillset-Performance/dp/1398602299
Passion Audit: www.ruthgotian.com/resources


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SE05 happy#225 -  the success factor

If you had to make a sacrifice to find your freedom, would you do it?
Sacrifices pay off, but sometimes not. Making sacrifices is a risk that few have the strength
to take and go forward with, and those who do are worthy of admiration since they put all
their effort and work into something uncertain.
Today's guests are a couple who sacrificed much of their personal lives to pursue adventure;
they are Maya and Aladino from Sailing Magic Carpet. A couple dedicated to refitting their
boats and showcasing the process on social media.
In this episode, our guests will be sharing how they sacrificed everything they had to live a
life full of adventures in the middle of the sea. Also, we will hear how they invested all the
savings available in their bank accounts to buy a boat they had never seen before located in
the US.
There's no doubt that these two have taken risks and made sacrifices to achieve their
dreams; finding freedom and sharing their stories with the world.
Discover more about the lives of these two adventurers, and listen to the tips they will be
sharing with us.
Best,
Floh

WHAT YOU WILL HEAR
[3:20] The process of buying a new boat overseas.
[8:52] Dealing with uncertainty.
[11:19] Making personal sacrifices in the name of adventure.
[15:22] A start full of doubts.
[19:22] Why is sailing addictive?
[20:40] Freedom has its consequences.
[24:30] Follow your dreams.
[27:50] A YouTuber who feels uncomfortable in front of the cameras.
[34:13] A wish for the future.

QUOTES
 "Every moment that you embrace is the best moment." —Floh.
 "Just because you decided to follow your dreams doesn't mean that your life is gonna
be beautiful and easy." —Maya.

RESOURCES
https://sailingmagiccarpet.com
https://www.youtube.com/c/sailingmagiccarpet
https://www.patreon.com/user?u=13249792

FIND OUT MORE AT
https://simplicity-of-happiness.com

SE05 happy#226 - what sacrifices would you make for freedom

Life is a rollercoaster, and the constant ebb and flow are what make it truly interesting. After taking some time off and prioritizing different aspects, I want you to know that I never forgot about you, and now I’m back.

In the upcoming weeks, I’ll be sharing some prerecorded episodes before launching Season 6 of the podcast. I’m still shaping the focus for the new season and would love to hear your input.
Take care and all the best, Floh

WHAT TO EXPECT:
	•	Insights into the podcast plan for the near future
	•	Reflections on the next episode
	•	A brief review of the past year

QUOTES
"You can't wait for life not to be hard on you anymore before decide to become happy"

RESOURCES
https://simplicity-of-happiness.com
https://django.tours

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SE05 happy#227 - future plans

What feels like ages ago, I was preparing for my first big adventure. A solo Sahara tour by foot. During that time many people around my simply declared me for nuts and only a very very few were encouraging. One of the people always uplifting was my friend Tony. 
Apart from being a mentor and person to talk to he invited me several times to his Podcast: Guerilla FM. I liked it so much, that I wanted to start my own show and this became only true because Tony pushed me to, helped me with the technical part and became my Co-Host.
It lasted for some hundred episodes and as I had started an English show as well, it came the time that I focused purely on the English version.
Ever since Tony has not been on the show again.

I am proud to have Tony back on the show and opening an interview series that I am am currently recording. In contrast to the former interviews, I am not going with a set of questions but rather having a meaningful conversation with a friend.

Although he wouldn’t put it that way, Tony is a adventurer as well and from Karate champion to Marketing Master he has some stories to tell.

One reason him being so calm about personal achievements, might be his decades lasting meditation practice which he acquired as a young person and then deepened while living in a Japanese Zen monastery.
And this is what I want to talk to him about. 
What are the zen habits you can learn from living in a Zen monastery?

But before you jump into the show... the following CONVOs will take a bit longer then my normal 10-15 minutes.

Until then, take care my friend.

Best, Floh

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SE05 - happy#207 - zen habits CONVO

For todays episode I decided to go with a solo episode and with a citation again. A person I value a lot for almost 10 year now is Leo Babauta. He is a minimalist and founder of the super successful blog Zen Habits.
I read most of his blog posts and get inspired by a lot of his thoughts.
What I find especially interesting about Leo is that he lives in a family of 8. His wife, their 6 children and himself.
Minimizing your own stuff and focusing on the essentials is one thing but involving a huge family is something else all together.
Some time ago he posted an article on his famous blog about two separate men fantasizing about leaving everything behind and living on a mountain.

In case you want to read to whole article head over to https://zenhabits.net/freeing/

Leo was writing about that incident because he could very well relate to that  fantasy himself and I am quoting Leo because I can as well. He is right that neither me nor the men who told him are in fact searching the mountain, but the freedom they hope to find in the simplicity.

How would it be then, to find the freedom in everything you do?

Until then, take care my friend.

Best, Floh

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SE05 - happy#208 - freedom of the mountain

happy#209 - changing the system CONVO
One of these conversations that occur unexpected. Every once in a while I look into my twitter feed and find something I like. Some time late in 2020 I found this piece: https://twitter.com/oetting/status/1314571435504021504?s=21.
A small cartoon by Martin Oetting who is quite a remarkable personality and has changed further and further to a political active person. Currently he is working on a political documentary and with everything going on in the world I thought it might be a good idea to talk about changing the (political) system.

You can find out more about Martins projects at:
http://omnipolis.com
https://kaffeeundkapital.de
https://vollehalle.de
 https://wellbeingeconomies.film

A little overview:

Past: Dr. Martin Oetting has helped build the Word-of-Mouth Marketing firm trnd for over a decade, and also wrote his doctoral dissertation about Word of Mouth. He used to give speeches on the subject, too – sometimes they were even entertaining (DE|EN). His blog ConnectedMarketing was one of the leading marketing blogs in the early days of Social Media in Germany.
Martin left trnd and the marketing field in early 2016.

Present: Today he's building Omnipolis Media, a political media company:
* Kaffee & Kapital: His first big project was Kaffee & Kapital, a one-year public discussion (2017, continued until the end of 2019, in German) about the state of our democracies and the future of capitalism and democracy.
* vollehalle: The second project is "vollehalle", a political entertainment project that looks at the state of the world and what to do about it, against the backdrop of climate change. It was conceived and developed jointly with Kai Schächtele, and premiered in 2017. In 2019, an expanded team has started working on the show, and went on a 15-show tour of Germany over the summer and autumn of 2019. A completely new version was developed and produced for 2020, it premiered in collaboration with Igor Levit at Futurium on March 6th, just before the Corona lockdown. The team then created a revised and shortened version for the digital only version of the re:publica conference 2020. Martin and Omnipolis Media were in charge of all audio-visual production for these projects.
* Wellbeing Economies Film (working title): Thirdly, he has begun writing, filming and producing a documentary feature film about political pioneers who will help lead our world economy away from its self-destructive growth course.
Further projects are currently in development.

Miscellaneous: He sometimes likes to draw, or publish random ramblings on the Internet -- on Twitter, for instance (mostly in German, sometimes in English, very rarely in French or Italian). jon tufty is his alter ego for all things music. In 2016, Martin released a hobby film project — "Smartphone Zombies", his first hand-drawn animated film.

I hope you enjoy the episode and l#ll talk to you in a week.

Until then, take care my friend.

Best, Floh

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SE05 - happy#209 - changing the system CONVO

Again I welcome a returning guest from my German podcast. Bernhard Tewes well known hypnotist from Berlin and his practice Kiez Hypnose https://www.kiez-hypnose.de. 
He is also the founder and owner of the trending app HypnoBox https://www.hypnobox.com.

I can tell you, that you will find all sorts of therapists and so called hypnotherapists out there, but Bernhard is one of those he is at the top of my list in Europe.
We are talking about hypnosis in general and how it affected his own life. No interview but a meaningful conversation between to hypnotist who are eager to change life for the better.

Until then, take care my friend.

Best, Floh

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SE05 - happy#210 - berlin hypnosis CONVO

I am thrilled to have my teacher, mentor, friend and above all timeless wizard Mike Mandel as my guest on the show.
If you want to find out more about Mike and the outstanding work he does together with his business partner and former Podcast guest Chris Thompson of Episode 158 (https://simplicity-of-happiness.com/happy158/) visit his website or listen directly to his recording „journey to the castle“ (https://mikemandelhypnosis.com/castle/)

We talk about coaching in general and for some interventions in details. If you have any questions concerning the Mike Mandel Hypnosis Academy or hypnotic work feel free to contact me at any time.

And... stay tuned, there will be more ;-)

Until then, take care my friend.

Best, Floh

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SE05 - happy#211 - stormrider mike mandel

Welcome to the Simplicity of Happiness podcast, the show that brings people from all over the world together to explore the simple truth: Love people and use things, because the opposite never works. 

When you reflect on your life, what will truly matter – the things you owned or the stories you can tell?

When ‘more’ becomes ‘too much,’ it’s time to embrace life’s essentials. Let us guide you in decluttering distractions and unveiling what matters most. 

With insightful interviews from those who have already found their path, we’ll help you become a happier, better version of yourself. 

The Simplicity of Happiness, where simplicity is the road and happiness is the destination.

SE05 - happy#212 - bas lebesque

simplicity of happiness

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