The Expanded Self

Written by: Gray Thomas
  • Summary

  • The expanded self can best be described by one of my favorite quotes ever: “I am a part of all that I have met” — Lord Alfred Tennyson We are products of our environment and the people in our lives. I made this podcast to show how we are all connected and how we help shape each other. I will have guests come on that have personally inspired or influenced me in some way and ask them about their respective influences. We will hear from those people as well which will hopefully highlight how unique and unifying the human condition is through glimpses into what provides that spark of inspiration for different people. I will also utilize the channel to drop brief, solo pods on current events, deep dives into topics, and other areas of interest. I’m always open to topic submissions for discussion as well.
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Episodes
  • Dr. Caleb Lack
    Aug 16 2021

    Dr. Caleb Lack, PhD joins me to talk about:

    The ability to be skeptical without being devoid of empathy;  exceeding your own expertise;  the importance of saying “I don’t know”; being approachable as a professor; giving honest, thoughtful advice; teaching styles; imposter syndrome, continual self-improvement, creating lasting change through engaging learning styles; learning how to think critically; fostering intellectual freedom and creativity in unconventional places; growing up as an avid reader; staying connected to your roots while also evolving;  deriving part of one’s moral development through stories and fictional characters; storytelling as a means of transferring information; being open to changing one’s mind; cultivating the mindset to improve things for others; aspirations to be a professor; specializing in PTSD and OCD; Exposure and Response Prevention therapy; being approached to write a critical thinking book; developing research skills over time; engaging in civil discourse with differing opinions; the skepticism movement; science communication; and tips for battling misinformation.

    TIMECODES 
    22:10 Developing his teaching style

    46:15 #1 Patty Lack (Mother)

    59:20 Deciding to specialize in OCD

    1:10:23 His book — Critical Thinking, Science, and Pseudoscience: Why You Can’t Trust Your Brain

    1:13:56 #2 Dr. Eric Storch (Colleague/friend)

    1:32:57 #3 Scott Lilienfeld (Psychologist, author)

    1:36:45 #4 Carl Sagan (Astronomer, science communicator)

    Please subscribe, rate, and share this podcast with anyone who may find it interesting. 

    Keep up with the show and engage with us on Instagram --  @GFTDMEDiA

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    1 hr and 48 mins
  • Ryan Drake: Friendships, Putting Thought to Action, and Personal Growth
    Jul 28 2021

    A friend, colleague, and overall good guy in my life -- Ryan Drake (DJ, OKC comedy scene, renaissance man of entertainment) -- stops by for a mega-packed episode where we go over the following:

    The wisdom in cliches, early adoption of social media and diving in on networking, how hard it is to tell who will stay in your life vs. those that move on, connecting thoughts to action when it comes to creative and professional ambition, the importance of being vulnerable and open minded to receiving help, how to cultivate friendships in adulthood, outgrowing relationships and how vital reciprocity is, overextending yourself socially, the value of disagreement, how exciting it is to catch a “star” early in their career, self-deprecation in humor, the role of intelligence with humor, the highs and lows of being in an entertainment scene, how improv comedy can be empowering, working through depression and life transitions, imposter syndrome, weight loss, positive self-worth, the impact of sleep, comparing yourself to peers, the insatiable nature of progress, counterfactual thinking, mindfulness, people who are naturally charismatic, early podcasting days, friends growing into good parents, and some quick recommendations.

    TIME CODES

    15:45 An introduction to Ryan's impact on me   

    41:00 #1 Donald Glover

    50:30 #2 Mark Hoppus

    59:00 #3 Tina Fey

    1:06:00 Origins of being a comedian

    1:27:35 Transitioning into DJing and hosting events

    1:43:25 #4 Allie Fleischfresser (friend)

    2:17:50 #5 Allan Pellegrin

    Please subscribe, rate, and share this podcast with anyone who may find it interesting. 

    Keep up with the show and engage with us on Instagram --  @GFTDMEDiA

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    2 hrs and 47 mins
  • Consistency as a Cornerstone to Leadership
    Jul 21 2021

    Today's micropod focuses on leadership and what characteristics might contribute to being a good leader. Recent examples included from Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jason Sudeikis while drawing from a quote from Viktor Frankl to explore the ideas further.

    Reach out on IG: @GFTDMEDiA to submit topics, questions, suggestions, or if you want to come on and have a conversation. 

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    11 mins

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