Today&apos;s episode is a Monday Morning Musing with me, Heather Brockbank Miller. This is a short 10 minute episode on Hans Christian Andersen&apos;s rough beginnings. Did you know Hans Christian Andersen had four failed career attempts, and a horrible experience in school? These included: three failed apprenticeships, a dead end in the theater, and a very rough experience in school owing to the fact that he had a cruel and disparaging teacher. He experienced a deep depression, and almost gave up on writing! In this musing I recommend a few short stories of his like "The Tallow Candle", "The Emperor&apos;s New Clothes", "The Snow Queen", "The Ugly Duckling", and "The Little Mermaid." I pose a few questions to you listener that will hopefully inspire you to read Hans Christian Andersen and keep trying in all aspects of your life despite any failures. If Hans can do it, so can you! Support the show (http://www.mettlebrain.com/contact-1)

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Episode 69: M.M. The Resilience of Hans Christian Andersen

Today&apos;s episode is a 10 minute Monday Morning Musing with me (Heather Brockbank Miller). I share how I found what fed my spirit this last week: beauty.  It was a strange week: my mind felt fine, my body felt fine, but my spirit might as well been out of gas. This is the &apos;Monday Morning Musing&apos; on beauty. I found a deeper realization that beauty is one of the things that elevates me out of the ball pit of the not self/neurotic ego/shadow or as I introduce in this morning musing: the shrieking crow. I share the language we use at home when we make mistakes. Support the show (http://www.mettlebrain.com/contact-1)

Episode 68: M.M. The Beauty Elevator

When it comes to being true, be true to you! Don’t think it through, you know what to do, just do it too! This episode is a short 10 minute Monday Morning Musing sharing my opinions about being yourself and finding that clear lens. Today’s episode is another Monday Morning Musing on perspective. I recently found some renewed clarity and then simultaneously found my missing pair of sunglasses, very ironic. I use this story of finding my lenses as a framework to the idea of being yourself:  run your "M.O." and you&apos;ll find clarity. I think deep down we all know what works for us and how to be ourselves.  In the last few minutes I share some words from John Muir to serve as a reminder of the restorative power in nature.  Keep trusting in running your M.O, or as I mentioned in the episode, your dharma. Keep doing the things that make you happy (like my example of sweeping). There is so much wisdom remembering that you just have to be the best you! Support the show (http://www.mettlebrain.com/contact-1)

Episode 67: M.M. Keeping Running Your M.O.

Magnus Toren is the Director of the Henry Miller Memorial Library, which is tucked away in a spectacular redwood grove in Big Sur, California.  Born in Sweden, we discuss a few highlights of Magnus&apos;s journey through life, including leaving Sweden for an epic seven years of sailing around the world. Magnus opens up about and what he&apos;s learned from nearly 30 years running the library and meeting people from all around the world. He shares a few book recommendations and what values has served him finding his way through love and life.  Wow, did he have an answer! Don&apos;t miss it! This episode is just over 33 minutes for your easy listening pleasure. Support the show (http://www.mettlebrain.com/contact-1)

Episode 66: Wisdom from The Henry Miller Memorial Library

In this episode I share my experience trekking in the Himalayas with my family and muse on this quote from William Blake: “If the doors of perception were cleansed, everything would appear to man as it is, infinite. For man has closed himself up, till he sees all things tho’ narrow chinks of his cavern.”    –William Blake.  Through the course of writing this episode I searched for answers to this question: how do we cleanse our doors? I share what I have gathered in this  Monday Morning Musing.  Please feel free to share your experience cleansing your doors of perception at heathermiller@metttlebrain.com. I am considering doing a follow up interview in a few months sharing listener&apos;s results. Support the show (http://www.mettlebrain.com/contact-1)

Episode 65: M.M. Cleaning the Doors of Perception

Today&apos;s episode is with Chris Blum creator of the podcast, Spirited Soul.  Chris shares sound baths on her podcast that she records in her home, episodes range anywhere from 10-30 minutes.  Chris started the podcast when she could no longer give her sound baths baths in-studio due to the pandemic.  I sat down wanting to learn more about sound waves, and what is happening to your body during a sound bath? In this episode we discuss how sound rebalances the brain and what happens as sound is carried from the bowls and into your body. Chris explains why many feel initially uncomfortable in sound baths. Chris shares her journey becoming a sound practitioner and the huge breakthrough she had quieting her mind. Chris answers the signature questions of this podcast: what has seen you through hard times, and my favorite, what do you love about yourself? Support the show (http://www.mettlebrain.com/contact-1)

Episode 64: The Sound Conversation

Today&apos;s episode is a short 13-minute Monday Morning Musing on soaking up all the goodness in your life through sincere gratitude. I share a metaphor involving a certain Parisian chair that showed me how easy it is to pine for something  you already have but lack the awareness to see it. In this episode, I pose the question to the listener: are you&apos;re pining for something outside of your life experience that perhaps you already have but haven&apos;t recognized? This episode is a reminder to breathe, stop,  look, really look, and ask yourself: "Where am I?"  "What am I experiencing?" Can you see someone else&apos;s experience and still soak up your reality without any outside validation, and sincerely be grateful without mental bypassing that is so common in self-optimization rituals. Support the show (http://www.mettlebrain.com/contact-1)

Episode 63: M.M. That Parisian Chair

Today&apos;s episode is with the ever charismatic Will Wood. Wil is a family man and business owner. He owns the shop Love to Cook with his wife Lauren Wood. Wil discusses his life learnings both personally and professionally.  Wil is honest and open about his health: his journey with ADD,  two very hard years he experienced after suddenly losing his energy after a race and flu  triggered a downward spiral, and what gives him so much of his energy now--joy and fun!  Wil shares his journey getting  up and out of that place, the role his marriage played in helping him through that period and the value of putting in the painful work. Wil lives in Cache Valley, UT with his wife Lauren and his three kids. Check out their store, Love to Cook for kitchen equipment and cooking classes. Support the show (http://www.mettlebrain.com/contact-1)

Episode 62: M.M. Life Learnings from Wil Wood

Today's episode is with the ever charismatic Will Wood. Wil is a family man and business owner. He owns the shop Love to Cook with his wife Lauren Wood. Wil discusses his life learnings both personally and professionally.  Wil is honest and open about his health: his journey with ADD,  two very hard years he experienced after suddenly losing his energy after a race and flu  triggered a downward spiral, and what gives him so much of his energy now--joy and fun!  Wil shares his journey getting  up and out of that place, the role his marriage played in helping him through that period and the value of putting in the painful work. Wil lives in Cache Valley, UT with his wife Lauren and his three kids. Check out their store, Love to Cook for kitchen equipment and cooking classes. Support the show (http://www.mettlebrain.com/contact-1)

Mettle is a thing that we all have inside of us, it's capacity. As Epictetus said, "spirited curiosity is the emblem of the flourishing life." Here on Mettle Brain we have guests from all over the world, from all different backgrounds discussing new ideas, perspectives, and truths that will fortify your capacity. Let's learn together.

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