325- Stop Arguing About Words And Start Doing Stuff With Morgan DeNicola

We reset the season with a focus on purpose, then sit down with Morgan DeNicola to unpack diplomacy as a daily craft, philanthropy as love of humanity, and mental health as the engine that sustains real impact. The conversation moves from labels vs outcomes to tools anyone can use to stay steady and effective.

• reframing distraction with purpose and action
• redefining diplomacy as tact, listening and compromise
• translating climate and conservation into common goals
• practicing self‑control over reactivity in tough rooms
• building mental health routines that actually fit your life
• using movement, nutrition, therapy and digital breaks
• philanthropy beyond money through consultation and connection
• recognition as a force multiplier for community good
• situational thinking over partisan identity
• embracing global interdependence with cultural humility

Follow Morgan DeNicola at ...

Website

https://www.morgandenicola.com/

LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/morgan-denicola-1a416696/

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/morgan.slikerdenicola/

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/morgan.denicola/

Chapters

• 0:12 A Season Reset And Mission
• 2:35 Distraction, Purpose, And Focus
• 5:15 Meet Morgan Di Nicola
• 6:50 Climate vs Conservation: Finding Common Goals
• 11:24 What Diplomacy Really Means
• 16:55 Practicing Tact And Compromise
• 22:00 Mental Health, Boundaries, And Accountability
• 27:30 Tools: Movement, Nutrition, Therapy, Digital Detox
• 33:05 Philanthropy Beyond Money
• 38:30 Culture, Consultation, And Real Impact
• 44:20 Purple Politics And Situational Thinking
• 50:10 Global Interdependence Over Isolation
• 55:00 Practical Optimism And Emotional Fitness
• 59:10 Links, Platforms, And Community

Transcript

SPEAKER_04: 0:12

Welcome everyone to Politically High Tech with your host, Elias. I've got to say this new season it's been a blessing. It's been great and getting a lot of great new guests. And I was worried because some of the some of the old ones, if I'm gonna be as nice as I can, they're getting a bit stagnant, and some just don't even respond. You know, hey, you know, everybody's busy. I don't take that the wrong way. I get it. There's a lot of things going on. A lot of us are trapped in social media. You know, our tension spans are, I would say, worse than a goldfish at this point. You know, and I've been saying that for a while, and I knew this was gonna happen because I could easily distract because I could imagine other people. And yeah, I'm calling myself out a little bit. I especially want something exciting, I'm like a big kid in this. If I see something fun and exciting, I'm gearing towards that. Evans away from the mission, and then and then this is why your power of your you know, just I call it power of why or your purpose brings you back. If you get distracted, you need that. It's just so important. I said, Oh, okay, wait, what was I here for again? Okay, we bounce back from it. So I'll say a little distraction is okay, but as long as you don't drift off like to the far ends mentally, physically, to the point that it creates some concern. I mean, like a little minor, ooh, what's this? Ooh, what's that? Like a kid in a candy shop kind of thing. It's fine. But if you drift far off to the point that you lost, you're a missing person, then that's tragic. All right. So this is gonna be a more positive, and this is the self-feedback I gave to myself. Some of it's been on dark stuff. I mean, and I don't mind balancing out, and thank goodness I found this guest here, and yes, I reached out to her, and she's gonna help me balance things out a bit with positive impact, real positive impact. Not that stupid TikTok nonsense, but that you know, toxic posity and all that garbage. Oh, this is real global impact, okay? I'm tired of people just using it as a buzzword. Oh, I'm gonna make an impact, impact, what impact? The only impact you're doing is pissing me off sometimes. That's an impact you're making. But hey, let me start with a random monologue because we're gonna get into the good stuff here. Let's welcome Morgan Di Nicola. And the question I always ask, oh, my new guests, what do you want the listeners and viewers to know about?

SPEAKER_00: 2:44

Run my family's foundation. So I do local and global philanthropy and charity work. And I also sit on the board as the vice chair of an NGO, non-government organization that works with U.S.-based embassies around the world, Congress, Senate, and different ambassadors and diplomats globally to continue culture programs as well as education programs. And I also sit on the board of Elmwood Park Zoo, where I promote conservation and education on animals.

SPEAKER_04: 3:17

Yeah, that is a bounceful. So she's doing a lot of good work in plain English. You know, conservation. Look, we I I agree. Look, I think the thing I always think of is just the framing of it. Because it's climate change, it's conservation. Those two camps could clash with each other. And while you said, well, you said you have dealt with conflicting even different opinions just to be more successful. I mean, how do you navigate that? I'm just gonna make it a little political. The right will call it conservation if they care about the environment, the left will flame will frame it as climate change. And they got two ideas, they're very passionate, they're about to get into a fight, so far as verbal, but if we don't stop it, it could get even physical because passion and heat is too high. So, how do you navigate that? How do you become more successful with these passionate opinions?

SPEAKER_00: 4:05

First, I always comment on the fact that language is much more complex than we give it credit for. Sometimes it doesn't matter what you want to call certain things, what matters is your mission and your ultimate goal. So, on both sides of this, people want to do good things for the environment. That's bottom line. So, what you have to do is just come up with a common goal and stop nitpicking the exact verbiage because that's also going to continue to change. Language is constantly changing. My nieces remind me of that. Every different place in the world that I go to reminds me. Dialogue, uh, the verbiage isn't as important as the ultimate goal. So whenever I see two groups of people that are about to clash over something like that, I say, no, ultimately, what is it that you want to do? Let's find the common ground and let's actually get the work. Let's get it done and not talk about getting it done. That's a big problem that I see is people love to talk and not do. So I encourage doing.

SPEAKER_04: 5:04

You know, I perfectly agree with that. And that's what frustrates me as a independent in the middle. I said, shut up and get things going already. I mean, look, you're talking, and most of the time, people just realize they talk about the same thing, they just use different verbiage, and you're you're absolutely right about that. I can't, I'm not gonna argue. I'm not gonna try to argue with that or try to even nitpick that because it's so true. I think that's what stalls so much good work. And I mean, I had to come up with a good example that, yeah, well, and a legitimate one, climate change and conservation, they both want to improve the environment. That's the bottom line. That's a common denominator, that's foundational. But um not, and I see this in work, I see this even in some political debates. The lot of argument I I even add is even on the how. The what is not really is the cause of argument is how they want to um even achieve that goal. And some are more pragmatic about it, let's be realistic, and some could be a bit idealistic or ambitious, and probably some people there are that fall in between. And yeah, I and I get frustrated as a per as a person because I I like talking, but I like purposeful talking that leads into an action, not just blah blah blah blah blah, and you know, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, for a long time. I'm gonna claim ADHD and do now and go somewhere else. Yes, I'm gonna claim that because you could call it premeditated. Uh, that's my fancy way to say I'm bored, you're wasting my time. You know, so I I perfectly agree with that. And you know, that that should not be challenge. But if you feel angry about it, comment section, I I'm feel free. I I don't think you're gonna do much with it unless you're just super miserable at this point and you do need mental health, and we're gonna touch a little bit about that later. And you could use this tip, especially you Reddit users. You just find anything to get angry about. Go outside, clean air, go to a garden or something, okay? You know, I I love y'all, but I I'm a tough lover, you know, and I'm just gonna say like it is. So uh let me just get to a couple of definitions before I get deeper to the philanthropy and diplomat work. What does it mean to be a diplomat? It gets thrown a lot. I think people don't really grasp what that means.

SPEAKER_00: 7:16

Well, uh, diplomacy, I I love that immediately everybody goes political. Diplomacy is so much more than that. It's it's your ability to maintain relationships. That's what being diplomatic is. You do it with significant others, you do it with family, you do it with your boss, you do it with your coworkers. It's it requires the ability to navigate relationships, find a way to compromise, find a way to be collective, reflect. And and my favorite thing is be tactful. And I think a lot of people, like you said, just like to hear themselves talk or make their point, but there needs to be a sense of tact. And in order to get anything accomplished, you also need to be able to compromise. This is something that I feel like has become insanely difficult. And that's also why nothing is getting done. There has to be this ability to compromise because you need to be able to hear what the other side and the opposition is saying and to really take it in because they might potentially be seeing problems that you're not seeing or solutions that you're not seeing. So, to me, being diplomatic is just being tactful, listening, the superpower of listening, responding, reflecting, and really being thoughtful in whatever it is you're trying to accomplish, even if it's just not pissing off your boss. You should be diplomatic and tactful and thoughtful in what it is that you're doing. And the more you do this, the easier it gets, the more you hear, the more you become well-rounded. And when certain situations and problems arise, you kind of remember these conversations, even if it's from somebody that you don't agree with or somebody that has a different way of doing things. Having those in your back pocket is such it, it doesn't make you weaker, it doesn't make your perspective change. But when you have something unforeseen come, which life's not predictable, you have more tools. This this is a benefit for you, not for your opposition. So I try to really encourage people to realize diplomacy is literally in every single thing you do, even if you're talking to your children. Um it really is in your day-to-day action. It's not just for politicians.

SPEAKER_04: 9:30

I hope you really listen to this. Now I'm gonna put my serious mature hat. I hope you listen to that. Because even some, I'm not gonna lie, I even sometimes fall into okay, if it's global issues or even political. Okay, I'm slightly better than the average person. But you know, you're right. You have to be diplomatic with family members, you could go beyond that, or definitely with co-workers. I I believe in diplomacy there until I'm really ticked off, and that's a whole different story. But you know, that's this is why we have mental health check, because it does test out patience. I'm not gonna lie to you, it does test out patience. Yeah diplomacy. So it's also part of the self. Not just trying to get your point across in the most tactful, respectful kind of way. Uh, you need to test your own mental fortitude and patience because some people because some people are just gonna let's be honest, and purposely mislead, twist your words a bit, and then you have to navigate that as well, especially if you want to be an effective um diplomat. And then I look, I'm not saying all this is easy, but I think the rewards are great if this is done right, of course. And look, and you can't just AI and click on everything to solve your problems. No, I look, and I look, I'm a pro AI, but even I know its current limitations. No, you gotta use this, you gotta use your mouth. You still gotta use your well, I'm I'm I'm a god, I I believe in God, you know, you gotta give an organs, or if you wanna be atheists about it, use your organs, exercise your organs, okay? Whatever. I don't really care as much as long as you're learning. I could push some of that stuff aside. The religious and all that. I look. If you want to learn, you want to learn, okay? Enough of the nitpicking, especially to some of you. And I'm not gonna lie, actually, some of the Christians were more ticked off than the atheists. I don't know. Proven the atheists right that they can behave more than you sometimes, Christians. Remember, remember, gotta if you want to represent God, he's not he's not the easiest person to represent. I'm telling you, he really isn't. And if you read the Bible carefully, he really isn't. Yeah, you you're in a meek attitude in the middle of the battlefield, metaphorically speaking. And look, let's just say, not even I could achieve that. I would I would love to whack the person ahead at that point.

unknown: 11:49

Okay.

SPEAKER_04: 11:50

So I'll be I'm just being honest. So this is what I'm I'm learning too, people. It's not just for you listeners and viewers, it's for your hosts as well. And I've been shaped by the podcast for the better. I've even got out there advocate for more voting rights. I've won some battles, I lost some battles. That's that's part of life. And this podcast has helped me do that. So I've I've talked a lot of good topics. I haven't done the action. So now I can't say that anymore. I'm not just sitting in my house being comfortable and just judging people. I'm out there in the field too. So that's good. All right. Enough uh enough about me. Any I'm sorry, I normally ask this. Anything else you want to add about diplomat or even how you do nav navigate with different opinions before I get to the next question.

SPEAKER_00: 12:33

Yeah, I I think like you said, it's it's flexing a muscle. It's it's definitely learning more about yourself because we I think we forget that we continue to grow and change with every experience that we have and our perspectives can shift. And going into that in any situation, having that knowledge of this person could potentially shift a way of your thinking and your viewpoint and having that little bit of optimism again doesn't shake your foundation or your core. You're just going in to listen and be a little bit more observant and remember that you have the potential to do that for that person as well. But you don't do that screaming, you don't do that aggressively getting in somebody's face. You do that by asking questions and being an example. And again, this isn't easy. I like, you know, a lot of people say you you make this sound very easy. The when I first got into this world, the amount of times I would have to bite my tongue literally and the inside of my cheek, and I would get so angry, especially as it gets very personal, those personal attacks. The more you practice that control and that active listening and remembering this is a person that's just trying to shake my foundation. Ultimately, I assign value. I think we really need to realize that your reaction versus response is really going to mold a lot of the outcome. So I think we also have to remember that we have so much more power in us. And that power, that superpower of self-control and active listening, it gets easier. It becomes more of a tool. You can be in rooms with much more difficult people without having that foundation shook, without you snapping, without you being this aggressive person, but more of a person that others feel, okay, this is actually a person that's safe for me to have these conversations with. And in those moments of it being safe because you're less reactive, again, there's this, there is this beautiful moment where two people of opposition can grow and find common ground, but we need to have that power of that self-control with every practice of this. So I'm not gonna sit there and say everything is rainbows and butterflies and puppy dog tails. It's not. It's not. This is a hard thing to learn to do, but we all can do it. We we absolutely can. You have to just have a willingness and remember what ultimately your mission is. And then at the end of the day, you choose who you are. It doesn't matter what anybody screams at you. It doesn't matter. You choose. So practice it slowly with the very small things. Practice not being so reactive. Practice for a moment listening to somebody who has that polar opposite opinion and put yourself in their shoes because you can take those shoes off and go right back to the way you are. It's not a permanent thing. So I want to remind everybody that this is a learned action that can very much become a part of you that you can benefit health-wise, keeping your heart rate down, not sweating, not turning red. It it becomes something that is so valuable in every aspect of your life if you just try.

SPEAKER_04: 15:48

I hope you were getting that listeners and viewers, because this is look, I have learned how to develop some active listening. Trust me, if you if me and here would have talked, I would say 20 years ago, I was definitely not more combative and irrational. I would have said, You're crazy. I don't know why you told me that's some weak, weak crap you're telling me. Listen, I don't have time for that. I'm gonna get my way. If I have to ruffle some feathers or even smack somebody, I will do that. You will talk to me 20 years ago, I was a totally different person. All right, so yeah, you see, so look, I just don't say it is just to make you feel better, but it this is this is real and it's achievable. Is it hard? Of course it is. I'm not gonna pretend and say, oh, this is easy. I could do this, and you know, a baby could do it. Oh, not your no, I'm lying if I say something else. You know, I'm lying. Um no, babe, no, babies are very irrational, okay? And they don't know, they don't have diplomacy. They when they want something, in the middle of the night, they want it. They want the milk and all that. So that's not a good example. They're cute, but they're not diplomatic.

SPEAKER_00: 16:57

All right, definitely not diplomatic, no.

SPEAKER_04: 17:01

So they can be manipulative with their cuteness, but not diplomatic. So that's not a good example of you know diplomacy right there. It's just fulfill their needs, that's it. Or also you can have a rough, well, they're gonna make it rough regardless, but you love them anyways, and they're gonna grow out to be fine people. So it's a process, people. Babies can be grown to be rational, diplomatic adults. As a baby, kids, yeah, yeah, they'll they'll pick some things up. They're learning, they're they're a work in progress phase, right? They that's the best way to put it. The kids are work in progress face, and then once I hit teenagers and adults, it just gets better from there unless some disease really screws them, but god forbid, I don't want that to happen to anybody, not even to my enemies. Easier said than done. I had to kind of hold myself when I said even to my enemies. I had to do that because look, listen, it's very easy, it's a give in. It's human nature to be aggressive and yell and shout and attack. It is, and then you know, the Bible addresses about how vicious and evil human nature is. Uh it it is. I'm gonna be honest, it is. I mean, that's why it's easy to cave into that, because it it's in our nature. But we could evolve and grow. We could we could evolve. That's the beautiful part about being a human being, okay?

SPEAKER_00: 18:20

That and finding those proper outlets for that anger. I'm not saying not to be an angry person. I am very much still, I get I get worked up in some of those rooms, and I go and find an appropriate way to handle those select words I want to say and the the ah, yeah. So I I do think that there's still an outlet for all of that, and not to like just push it down, just find an appropriate way to to handle and get that out.

SPEAKER_04: 18:46

You know, that's such a good transition to the mental health question. I mean, how how do you sustain it? How do you protect it? Because I know, like I said, this could really test your patience. I mean, look, it's tempting just uh throw a chair or knock this person out at times, especially when they say such you know smearing names. And I mean, I can give the political example. That that what would the left call the other the opposition? Oh, fascists, authoritarians, and then the right, oh, these communist scum. Socialists, yeah, all of that.

SPEAKER_00: 19:21

Yeah, yeah, yeah. But again, those are words, and I think people get excited about new words, so they just throw them around, and eventually they'll lose meaning anyway. For me, it it mental health is so important because being in the world of philanthropy and the world of diplomacy, depression and anxiety is ridiculous. And then on top of it, I have borderline personality disorder. So I actually grew up with a personality disorder. Yay! So mental health became a very important thing for me. And I actually just came back from the Kate Spade Women's Mental Global Mental Health Summit, where we discussed a lot of the different issues that women face and mental health in general, and how it is becoming an epidemic because people aren't addressing a lot of the issues that we're having. So I like to say first, it's having the self-awareness of what is going on, knowing your body, knowing when you're breaking down, knowing when you're about to snap, and finding things that alleviate a lot of that. So for me, it was a lot of trial and error. For me, I absolutely physical activity, working out, weight training, walking is so important in general to our mental health and our body, our well-being. So I find the time to make sure that I am physically active. And that to me is a very big one. And also what we put in our body. So food is insanely our gut health is very much tied into a lot of our depressions and anxieties. We don't know that. Very few people talk about that, but digestive health is huge. So it's really that's not to say that I don't get sad and eat an entire pizza. I absolutely do. But then I know that you have to have that balance and kind of make up for a lot of that stuff. So it's also realizing what am I putting in my body? Do I need to disconnect from social media? That's a big one. And just to have some time that I am not staring at what other people are saying or what other people are doing, but putting on a silly show. And for me, it's cooking, baking, and being in nature, those are great ways to shut off my brain. But it's really that self-awareness that knowing you're getting to a bad place, knowing what works for you, and taking, I know a lot of people hate this, but I'm gonna say it: taking the personal accountability in yourself to what is necessary for you to take care of you and not waiting for somebody else to take care of you or blaming everything else around you, but taking that personal accountability in what is necessary for you to be a functional human being that contributes positively to the world around you. So that's what I'm a very big proponent of. Also, no taboo topic. If you go to therapy, therapy is wonderful. If you can find a platform to have therapy, I went to it for 10 years, loved it, and I learned to kind of reprogram my brain to see the positive with every negative. It was a forced avenue that you had to, you know, kind of reprogram your brain. It takes years, but every time I would see something bad, I would remember something good. And it's a way of kind of bringing that balance that you were talking about to everything that's going on. Because for every bad thing, there is a good thing, but that takes energy and self-awareness and action for you to notice those things. So, again, that's that personal accountability and not waiting for somebody else to show you something beautiful. You have to find it. That's on you. So, those are the things that I really encourage and think are the most important first steps in the getting yourself healthy and to finding out what works for you. And sometimes it's just sometimes all that stuff doesn't work, and you need to get to a doctor and you need to be on medication. That's fine. Then, but try some other things before you go right for the pills, because there are a lot of other things that we can be doing to make ourselves healthier before that. So, again, it's it's getting to know yourself and trying these practices.

SPEAKER_04: 23:37

Come on, can you debate that? That was such a rational answer right there. But you know, there you there's a comment section if you want to do that, expose your silliness if you want. You know, that's up to you. I could care less. You do what you want. And if you want to be extra spicy, you wait for this to be on Rumble, okay? Because you two will censor you. That's not me. Again, I look, I have read negative comments and I could just easily laugh at them. Because at the end of the day, just like you say, once I unplug, I don't even remember those comments. I don't remember the context, and I said, ah, who cares? And you know, you're so right. And like I said, if you would talk to me 20 years ago, I would actually hate you already. Because I was a personal accountability, but it's their fall. You don't understand, woman. You know, I would have been saying something like that. No, but you're absolutely right. I mean, I have to learn this when I was in high school, you know, when I used to be depressed. And uh, I mean, it took two years just to seep into the headband. So, you know what? I got sick and tired of being depressed. Yes, so this gotta be something better. You know, you go through that introspection, which you already alluded to, self-awareness. I just got sick and tired. That's how I got over mine. You get sick and tired. Um, some people don't, but you're right, personal accountability is a tough one for a lot of you because the culture is all about blaming and playing the victim. And that that that actually still irks me more in a in a rational sense, because I said, no, you want to throw a punch, yet you want to play victim. You know, when I counter, no, no, no, no, no. You can't have two, you can't do both roles. No, you can't do double role. No, no, you you're either one or the other in that situation. But you're absolutely right. And you know what? Get angry. You know, if you get angry, that means you need to help. Let it out. Let it out. Let it out. You you you you could think she's a witch all she wants, or you could think this host is an enabler. I don't care. If you really, if you really want to do better, you'll see that this is actually a teachable and valuable moment. Okay, I'm just gonna I'm just gonna say like that, because some you know, some of you, I'm gonna use the cookies term. Yeah, on copium. You in deep, you're in deep denial. Okay, copium for you younger folks. And if for the old folks, deep denial, on drugs, delusional. Okay, those are words I'll use. Just to get all the generations in there. There you go. That's my little the little accessibility for all of you, regardless of your age, okay? Because look, you Gen Zs, y'all are just making up, y'all just really altered English to the point that I have to catch up.

SPEAKER_00: 26:17

I need a new dictionary, yeah. So don't don't worry, I'm right there with you. Every now and then I hear a new term and I'm like, now I gotta get on Google. I don't I don't know what that means, but alright.

SPEAKER_04: 26:28

They could keep skippity. I don't care about learning that. I don't care about learning that that garbage word. Y'all could keep skippity. I don't care about that word. It's it that's just pure trash. Y'all have fun with that. I'm not gonna there's some slangs I refuse to learn because it's just so mentally ill, in my opinion. What was it? Riz. Yeah, I'll learn Riz with you, Surf of Charisma. That was more millennium when we was pushing that one. Yeah, it's it's interesting stuff. And mid, mid equals bad now. Listen. And you know what? People get get freaking shocked and scared. Yeah, I love I love when you're shocked and scared. That means I'm on to you. You know, if you call me okay boomer, that means I gotta restudy the dictionary. Okay, boomer. Old and out of touch. And yeah, it's it's interesting how you you this is you're talking about linguistic evolution. This is, I'll say, the radical version of it. Some of it to detriment, in my opinion. But hey, it changes. There's nothing you could do about it. I mean, I didn't.

SPEAKER_00: 27:27

When they have kids, their kids are gonna be saying stuff that they're gonna be sitting there going, I don't understand this. This is crazy. And we go around and around and around.

SPEAKER_04: 27:38

Yeah, it's inevitable. I'll just learn how to just suck to suck it. It's part of the cycle. It's just part of the cycle. And I used to say pwned a lot while I told all someone who was in their 40s there, I said, What does that mean? Oh, I really beat them up in the game. Oh, okay. Yeah, that's a but that I had that fluidity. I was able to just break it down that quick, you know. But someone's gonna say, Oh, oh, I forgot you're a boomer. You don't get it. You know, okay, boomers. Oh, Laura. So, do you have to be that obnoxious? They, you know, they have life experiences that you can learn from, but okay, okay. Not for all you Gen Z. Some of you are great people. Let's just say that. Some of you are great. You're not you you you're not insta-drugged, okay. That's the term I'm gonna use. Okay. And and TikTok brain rot, whatever you want to call it. All right. Let me not make this uh too much of a social media issue, but uh hey, this happens in pockets, it gets a little derailed a little bit. That's the feature of it. With with some relevance, asterisk. And that promise is not always fulfilled. That that pops up randomly. But hey, that's there's a reason for all of this. Catch up what your kids are learning, even learn Skibbity if you have to. This host's not gonna learn it. I had looked, I looked at what I was once. I said, what? That just means bad. And it gave this long contest. I said, Look, listen, listen, I'm gonna play the old boomer card and just not even care about that word because it's just so it's just so wacky. My brain cannot compute it. And I'm just gonna play old on that one. Like all the other slangs, I'll learn just to ru ruff your cages and get you um shocked and you know, and make you even cringe. Okay. Well, yeah, you're going, how do you know about that? Hey, listen, look, this has been going around since I'll probably say beginning of time. Just it's just not as well documented.

SPEAKER_00: 29:30

That's yes, exactly.

SPEAKER_04: 29:33

Alright, so there you go. See a little extra fun there. I'll tell you this is gonna be more of a positive episode from once. You know, normally I break that promise with some little dark no, I'm trying to be disciplined for once for once, because I'll normally just let me go off the rails a little bit and then and then I'll be positive, and I'll be like, Damn, you can call me erratic. That's fine. I get it. I don't really care that much. I'm not gonna defend every single attack. I'm just like, okay, yeah, I am, deal with it. But you love me anyway. Anyway, so you listen to me.

SPEAKER_00: 30:01

So yes, you're living rent-free in somebody's mind. So it's fine. You win.

SPEAKER_04: 30:07

Exactly. Exactly. I didn't touch so much of the philanthropy stuff. Shame on me. Oh well. What does it really mean to be phil philosophic? I just that's another thing. I believe you just buzzwords.

SPEAKER_00: 30:26

Okay. Well, philanthropy, I I actually love the word because it comes from the Greek words for love of humanity and the benefit of public good and progress. So for me, philanthropy is the, and some people hate this too, but I'm still gonna say it. It's the business of giving. So philanthropy is trying to find programs that benefit everybody. Not all at the same time because that's not gonna happen, but I also am insanely diplomatic in my business of giving. I find and create programs in all different worlds, all different fields that will benefit groups of individuals. I've done culture programs, conservation, diplomacy, cultural diplomacy, and we also do humanitarian recognition because we think that it's really important to notice people in their communities that are doing good things, because the more people get noticed, not that they're doing it to be noticed, but it encourages others and it keeps them feeling like I'm doing the right thing, I'm on the right track. We all do like that acknowledgement and it does empower us to continue to do good things. So philanthropy, it doesn't, you don't have to be giving money. I love this because I'm I'm a next-gen philanthropist. So I like to encourage its ideas because we've had a lot of the same issues going on for years. Again, since the beginning of time, it's been very similar issues. And we've all kind of been going at them the same way, and they haven't really been being re resolved. So I like to say the next gen philanthropists are thought leaders, thinkers that can look at these issues not from a they them, but an us kind of way of looking and come up with new and creative potential ideas to resolve these. And it's also person to person. So a lot of the disconnect, the depression, the things that we go through are lack of human connection and acknowledgement of one another and this kind of us them thing that we have going on. If we start doing a lot of more acknowledging of one another, a lot of those issues that are going on right now will be resolved. We have the potential to really, I say changing the world is impossible because there's so many of us that view the world differently, that want to live our lives differently. That's fine. It's not about changing the world as a whole, it's about changing the world for a person. That is where change really happens. It's what does that one person need for the world to change for them? And sometimes that's just a recognition of being seen, held, empathized with, compassion, having compassion. And sometimes it is very basic things: food, clothing, shelter, education, clean water. So my whole thing is encouraging that being creating change is for everyone and that everyone can do it. It's you don't have to have money. You don't have to have the time that you have to spend this amount of time handing out food. No, it's looking at a person and having compassion and thinking, how can I make the world better for this person? So that's a lot of what I do and a lot of engaging with people who are viewing things differently. And I say, okay, this is the issue. How do you want to see it resolved? And then I put pieces together and see if this is something that's possible, or I put people in touch with other people. I'm a connector. Because obviously I can't be in all places at once resolving all issues. That's why we have our four pillars that we focus on. But if other things come along that I think are interesting or that I can possibly have a hand in helping, that's that's what I'm here for. I like to say, you know, a bridge for all people, even people I don't agree with, even people living their lives differently than mine. Because I think that's really where deep true change and philanthropy and charity really comes from.

SPEAKER_04: 34:37

Listeners and viewers, don't be like me and claim ADHD now, okay? Yes, I'm gonna be a hypocrite. I could claim ADHD, you can't, okay? Not to my podcast, at least. And not to the ones I support as well. Let me just be okay, a little more giving. You know, and the reason why I okay, let me be serious now. I hope you were really getting this because look, I had this assumption about philanthropy. Oh, you have to be very wealthy and you have to make such massive change. And that shuts down a lot of people, including me. I'm just gonna throw myself in there. I said, Oh, and there's no point in me being a philanthropist. Just pay attention here, she's being more inclusive. Again, let me use a little woke word because she's not just talking about giving material, sometimes just a person to person. I will say it's positively pragmatic because changing the world is impossible, but you can make some difference in people's lives, right? And just I'm sure you can make big impact on it. That's gonna take a lot more time, and that's the long game. And I hope we have patience and endurance for that. That's not all physical endurance, even though that's nice to have too, but mental endurance for that's tough. You know, a lot of people view the world differently. We have the we have thousands of different cultures, okay, even within the same continent. Let's use America. We know we like 50 mini countries. We have even we looked at things differently, just in just within uh a nation. And then forget if you go to another country, that's that's even more radically different, okay? And then it's not better or worse kind of thing. They just that that's just how they view the world. And to be ready and flexible, just if you want to merge, get to know them or build a positive impact. You know, and if you just could come in with a bigoted mindset that okay, the American way is the best way, good luck. It's not gonna be much of an impact. You all know you're gonna create an impact, just a negative one. Yeah, have hostility, okay?

SPEAKER_00: 36:39

A lot of hostility, yes.

SPEAKER_04: 36:41

Yeah, I mean, I don't have to go to one of the previous episodes where I went about the Middle East. We did some things right, but there was definitely some mess there. Okay, you just check out P.A. Turner, just check that up, episode 310 on that. And I'm not gonna repeat any of that stuff because that was like, okay, there were some positives, but there was definitely a lot of negatives. We didn't bother learning culture, you just shove the American way, and that just agitated the Middle East even more. That just gonna say the short version of it. Okay, so uh and this this this is what I love to hear. This is debunking my assumptions because everybody has assumptions and biases. It's okay, now I could be, now I could definitely be more philanthropic, you know, you know, I could be a philanthropist, maybe a minor one, even a minor one. You know, you don't have to be like a Bill Gates or Warren Buffett wealthy or Elon Musk wealthy.

SPEAKER_00: 37:31

Even they have consultants, you have to think about that. It's it's not always just one insanely wealthy person. It's they need people who are talking to people and the different places listening. Like what do they want to see? You can't go in, like you said, with an assumption of what once they want. You you have to go in from a what would you need? What what would you like to see? And not because I want to own you or put anything on you, but because I respect you and your culture and your way of being, and I want to be a part of it. And that is when cultures open up. That's when you get the idea. So, really, consulting is one of the most important things in philanthropy.

SPEAKER_04: 38:15

Yep, they need their experts, they have all that money, but they definitely don't have the answer. So that's a very, very valuable point. And they can hire consultants because they obviously have the money. Look, I think for us more moderate budget folks, I think we have to be our own consultants in a way that's good because we develop more skills than the wealthy person, so we'll definitely be useful there. Or who knows, we could be hired by a wealthy person to do some of the work. But just I all I'm gonna say is this because I think a lot of clash happens when you know people think they understand people's values, make sure your values are matched. I would say that, and you're you know, you have the similar mission because if you go to somewhere, and let me just use me for um example. If I go to an organization that cares about you know lowering drug offenses and all that, I say, uh, I don't think so. I'm gonna have a problem with that. So don't pick up. But if you want to join a uh organization like me, this is a real example. I'm in Braver Angels to restore a political climate, having conversations with one another. I mean, I'm independent, so sometimes I'm too right-leaning for the left, and sometimes I'm too left-leaning for the right, and that's okay. I'm this is why the the the color of the podcast logo is purple. I'm a bit of a hybrid. I'm a bit of a hybrid, and some issues I will definitely agree with the right. Physical conservatism, even though that's gone. I money issues I generally side with the right. Cultural issues I generally side with the left. I think the left has a little better understanding on that. So that's just a simple example of how I operate. Yeah, some things I'm gonna agree with the right, some things in the left, and some things I agree with the left, and sometimes I think both of them are stupid or crazy. Immigrant, the immigrant issue, I think, is a very no, it is a very good example for me. Biden had that border wide open, I was against it. Now Trump has it too closed. I said, oh, there's no balance. My goodness, we we need, you know, we are a nation of immigrants. We need to be a little more welcoming there. I said, well, I don't mind some restrictions, but now it's like it's there's a small gap. Before it was an open wide board. I was against both I'm against both. I just think we need to make the process of citizenship easier. That's just, you know, my my opinion of that, because the immigration system is broken. And I think this is something where two parties need to get together, and I think both parties have equally messed up on that. So I'm not with either party.

SPEAKER_00: 40:39

I feel like most people want situational governance, and that's not Republican nor Democrat, it's situational governance. And that's always what I push because people are like, well, what are you? I'm like, I'm an enigma. I think it really depends on what is going on in that moment in time. I need all the information because my opinion's going to drastically change on the situation in that moment in time. And I think we need a lot more of that kind of rational, critical thinking, if you will, and a little less colorblindness or, you know, like, oh, it's blue or red. Like you said, you're purple. I think a lot more people are purple than we really realize when we come to getting down and having these open, honest, non-threatening conversations. You'll find out most people do lie in that middle ground. And the more life experience that they have, the more they're exposed to different cultures, different situations, the more they'll become purple.

SPEAKER_04: 41:42

Yep. We are, I say we are already a purple nation. Yeah, we got some reds and blue spots. Yeah, we I mean, you're right. And polling will agree with that time and time again. A lot of people like a good 40% in the middle, another, no, not even sometimes even 50 in some cases. And then there's like a 25% here, 25% over there, they're very partisan, that they're not gonna budge. And yeah, no, the country's more, yeah, more centered than people realize. I hate when they say it's centerized. No, we're not, I don't know, we're not center right. We are just center, we are really just a center nation. No, it's not saying center left, center right. It I mean, it could fluctuate between the two depending on the climate, because it does change, it's not gonna stay the same forever. So I agree with that. Situational and timely awareness is even more um important. As I mean, I was like I said, I was I was I would support some restriction of board, but now it's too restricted. You know, immigration levels are they're they're at a pace of 1970s, which is low, okay, as opposed to you know 80s and onward. And especially by the mission, I was a big, very the biggest migration ever, people coming in. And look, I have my issues with that as well. I said, look, I think we need some basic value. We need to know these people are here for good. Whatever most immigrants are here for good. Let me just be clear about that. It's just we need to read out the you know, the the rotten apples get them out of the pack before they spoil everybody else, kind of thing. That's my that's my mentality. It's not a perfect one, but it's something that that that I find it reasonable for me to work with. So just say, oh, all immigrants are evil. You know, that that that that that's not practical either. We are interconnected world, okay? Maybe, maybe decades ago that was more feasible. We interconnected. We're more interconnected than ever. So I think we need to be globalized and we need to stay globalized, okay? And isolationism doesn't work either.

SPEAKER_00: 43:37

And in the way we've grown are the ways we all live. It we all need to be global citizens for the future just because we will eventually run out of this or that, or you know, there you need to there needs to be that understanding of we we really are incredibly dependent on one another, despite how we would like to be independent, because that's that alleviates a little bit more stresses. I can understand the argument. That's my job is to always understand arguments. But then in reality, though, for the longevity of any society, you you have to be global. It it's necessity.

SPEAKER_04: 44:17

Oh, yeah, no, I understand that. And uh me, uh I'm there was one time out there was leaning toward towards the right, but I said, no, we get so much stuff internationally. I said, that's that's a dumb, that's such a dumb idea. Well, I had to think it through. I said, no, that's pretty it's not practical unless you want to keep, I don't know, generating more energy and all of that, but that's gener that's still drinking our resources from within. You know, we're we're interconnected. This is the way it's gonna work for you know for the foreseeable future for sure. And there's just no escaping it. And me, I think I prefer it this way because people are more interconnected. We talk to people different countries, we've got this technology and all of this stuff. It's good. Um I just don't need to talk to an American again, board with some of you. I can talk to somewhere outside of the world, for God's sake. So, you know, I it it's it's great. It's to me, it it's a good. It's a good. And that's a perspective I have I was younger. As I'm happy I reverted to that, because I almost felt for the fear fear mongering, particularly on the right. And I did say sometimes I bash, sometimes I left more in some episodes, sometimes I bash the right more. And yeah, come on, people. We we're we're globalized, whether you like it or not. And it's okay. It's okay, it's not a bad thing, you know. And look, I think it's for the better, because we are social beings, so by nature. And you know, even then, I think this I and you know what? Let me go back to what you said, because I think I like a lot of it. You know, this is almost real diplomat, philanthropist, traveler. You want to look, she really she's very pretty open about the mental health, about how she gets uh you know upset. Because I I I mean, these conversations, they they will test you. They will really, really test you. And she found the outlet to let that anger go or whatever, or whatever emotions she's going through. I mean, we gonna go through emotions. And I say American men, we have funny relations, even me. I'm learning how to be more be more comfortable on emotions. I'm not gonna show them all the time and cry every five seconds. Hell no. I'm not doing that. But we need to process them, especially for for the men. That's why we're dying off faster. Suicide rates is higher even among men, and we we need to get to a point that we can process them. I I don't know if it's I mean, sure you had something that a lot of men tend to do. Work out, lift weights. It's wonderful. Try that.

SPEAKER_00: 46:42

It it really, I mean, it really does help. I I've made so many wonderful male friends and just hearing their stories of recovery, of you know, getting out of a lot of really tough situations. And it's it's been such a lifeline for so many of the men that I know that that I'm always encouraging it.

SPEAKER_04: 47:02

It's uh, or you know, or jog in the park, well, weather permitted, on that one. Meditate, find something that's compatible to you. That's why I always say, and I don't hear a lot of people say that. Find something that works for you. She went through trial and error. You know what? That's okay. You're learning yourself.

SPEAKER_00: 47:21

I did a lot of things that were just not the solution. Yes. It's a lot of trial and error.

SPEAKER_04: 47:27

And for those of you who are audio, you're missing out on this. You see the background, my guess here. It's a beautiful world map with a bunch of. I mean, the colors look a little messy, but I think it's the artistic purpose of it. Yeah. Oh, look at just look at that map there. It's a nice, it's I think split to three pieces.

SPEAKER_00: 47:44

Yeah, it's three pieces.

SPEAKER_04: 47:46

Oh, look at that. Yeah, and it's rainbow, but it's such it it's I call it a beautiful mess, if that makes sense. It's not just, you know, America purple and Canada green. It's all just shaded. They're just they're in harmony, all these colors, and I think that represent that deaf represents your work. So I'm not surprised why you picked that. I was i that sometimes I was distracted by that art. I could have lied. So for those of you, you see shades of red, orange, yellow, you know, a lot of the you know, rainbow-oriented colors, there's no monochrome colors, except for white. Other than that, but there's no I don't see a lot of black in it, maybe for a few spots. Where we're at my game, probably a little colorblind.

SPEAKER_00: 48:30

Every every color is really in it. I I just it's come to so many of my offices that I just love that it has any color in it. So no matter what my office ends up being, it works. And it's had colors, so makes me happy.

SPEAKER_04: 48:45

Yeah, no, they get they got a few, but uh, but the motochroma colors they're not dumb. That's the gray, the black, and all that. It's it's a it's a to me, I call it a beautiful mess. It's a map of the world, it's not in the way you normally present. See, mine's more like an elementary school that's I see yours, yeah. It's more of uh, yeah, and I had to get that. I'm lazy. I'm not gonna, I'm not gonna paint that. I said just just give me something that if I had to tear it down, just show what's going on each nation, have something that's functional and efficient. But you know what? So for those of you who are listening, I will suggest you change it to the video version and go to about the 50-something minute or just even the beginning of the beginning of it when she Sush Rushi tells us pay attention to that to that map. And he identified the the countries there. I say you could tell by the continents, but the no the some countries got like 10 different colors, especially the larger they are. Yeah. So like Russia. Oh, look at that. You see that everything.

SPEAKER_00: 49:44

Yeah, I think.

SPEAKER_04: 49:44

Yeah, that's not everything. Greedy, greedy. That's where Russia's bad, don't you think? No, no, we gotta we have we get no, we gotta increase peace over there on a serious note. No, no, no, to see the I I rarely pay attention to art like that. So yeah, I I don't know if that's for sale or not. Maybe when I move next year, I probably might want something a little similar. I hope that's for sale at some point. But uh that that's that's that's your host problems. Yes, you can see that's your host problem. That's first world issues. I know, I know, I know. It's Petty's issues, but that's the issue I'm gonna have, and I'm probably gonna now look look into that. Um if it's custom made, then that's tough luck for me. Oh well.

SPEAKER_00: 50:20

No, I think it it was like Pinterest or yeah, I think it was like a Pinterest or an Amazon thing. Uh yeah.

SPEAKER_04: 50:27

Oh, there's hope.

SPEAKER_00: 50:30

I'm sure you'll find it.

SPEAKER_04: 50:31

There's hope. Okay, once you said that that's hope. Okay. I went from I went from accepting disappointment to now just very happy. Okay. No, but you you've been great. I mean, have she been real? Have she been great, people? I know we don't say around the spot, but this is real, this is true positivity. You just don't toss out the negative or just act like everything is alright. Oh, I'm so happy. Well, you know, the meteorite, I love using that Pollyanna idiot. At the meteorite's coming to hit your town, yes, oh yeah, everything's okay. No, we don't want that delusional kind of you know, optimism. I think that that's delusion, okay? And I don't want that, I don't promote that either. So this is real pragmatic positivity. That's what I'm saying.

SPEAKER_00: 51:16

Yeah, definitely not not delusional. Um I'm not a perfect person. Like I said, I'm I was very much like you 20 years ago, yelling and you know, just kind of all over the place. And I'm I'm still I'm from Philly, so don't think that I don't curse like a sailor and get frustrated. No, I'm I'm very much a normal human being that just was able to, you know, really utilize these skills to better myself and the way I interact with the world around me.

SPEAKER_04: 51:42

Yeah, so this has been a great conversation between a Philly girl and New York City boy. So there you go. Northeast represent California piss-off. No, I'm kidding. I got plenty of people from California. Nah, I like you Californians. You're interesting to say the least. No, but we all need each other. We need to stay united, even though we politically we clash very, I'll say even violently at times. So we gotta calm down with that on a serious note. But look, just do some philanthropic, diplomatic work, and just know that people are just gonna, they're gonna be passionate about their opinions. Don't you can't be expecting to change people's minds, but at least listen and try to understand where they're coming from. And just pay attention that they're doing the same as well. That's how you know you have a good faith conversation, so just you're trying to be rational and the other ones are shouting, yelling, calling you a bunch of names and smearing you.

SPEAKER_00: 52:37

It's practice. It's just a practice of look at it as a practice of self-control, and know they can't rock you if you don't let them.

SPEAKER_04: 52:44

Yep, exactly. So, all right, let's do the shameless plug-in. Let's do my guests first, as I always do. Get to that website, okay? It's a very it's beautifully done website. You're not your eyes are not gonna fall apart, okay? It's not gonna become cross-eyed. It's a very beautifully done website. Black and white is used well and the colorful photos. You're gonna see what kind of work she does. It's a non-for-profit. It's I forget the numbers at 501c or 501c3, yes. So I forget the difference of all of that, but it's a non-for-profit for for plain for plain for plain English.

SPEAKER_00: 53:25

Yes, we don't make any money. We don't take your money and put it in our pockets. Absolutely not. Every dollar we get goes towards programs.

SPEAKER_04: 53:31

Yep, so you got the plain English version of that answer, okay? So and she also got her social medias as well. Follow her on her Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn. If you want the professional one, join LinkedIn. TikTok. Yeah, she got TikTok.

SPEAKER_00: 53:48

I'm hardly on it. That's not the best place to find me.

SPEAKER_04: 53:51

So you know what? Forget TikTok. You're not gonna see the TikTok link. If you are the user, I'm not gonna I'm not gonna bother. Because I'm I'm gonna I'm already constrained by 5,000 characters. So there you go. That's a reason to cut that one off. So, LinkedIn, you want a professional conversation? Instagram for the photos and Facebook for whatever the heck they're Facebook for. Yeah, it's just a whatever platform. It try to be everything, yeah, it's nothing. Just be so like, see, like Instagram's a good example that why you need to focus. See, they're focused on photos and art. That's why they stand out. And LinkedIn is more professional. Facebook, you know, just just find your identity, Leah. I'm not sure you're yeah, it used to be for past people connecting to the past, used to have that, but that's been shattered. Yeah, a shame, really. And I got a lot more to say about Twitter, which I refuse to call that, but you don't have that, so that's good. I don't have to.

SPEAKER_00: 54:42

I won't do it. I'm sorry. I can't. No.

SPEAKER_04: 54:44

No, no, no, no. Don't be sorry. I'm about to leave that platform anyway. So by early 2026, I'm out of Twitter because I just it's it's not a platform for me anymore. I'll try Blue Sky as experimental. If I seems as woke as crazy as someone writes this, then I'll just leave that as well. But I'm but the permanent expansion is gonna be on Instagram. I think I got a lot of stuff that's now I got Instagram worthy content when I make my account there, and I'm sure I'm gonna get some views and love, hate, whatever. I love all of you, even you're crazy people, some of you, okay? So now um now for my shameless plugin. Like, comment, subscribe, share this with someone who you believe will tremendously benefit from this conversation. And for the audio people, right on Apple Podcasts. I'm gonna be expanding to my heart um as soon as I can. Can't give you a date just yet. But planning to expand there as well. Uh Spotify, I don't care for it. You can leave a review there, I'm not gonna listen to you. I'm not gonna respond. Just being brutally honest. I I love I love the Apple podcast system better. Now that's just me. Spotify is a little weird and funky, and they're going through leadership changes, and I'm happy that I don't pay attention to that. So that's my little beef. And me, my plugins, and these are the more free. Well, one is definitely free, one I'll call it free-ish, depending on how you select the option. New paper, free, short reads, no political spin, kind of news. You know about your the you know, the politics, the stock, the sports, international, national news. Very quick read, dry, but it's very factual, and it's free to join. And for the free website guys, you'll be giving me money without ever giving money. It doesn't make sense, but just click on the link. They'll be giving me money instead of the company. Um, join a website if you need a website. If you don't have one, you're a podcast or you plan to start a business, join there. You'll be giving me money without damaging your wallet at all, okay? You'll be damaging probably the company's wallet a little bit. Ooh, a little exposed right there, but hey, uh, you'll be helping me out without even giving me anything. And then feel free to donate if you want.$3 a month. Especially access to my old and more embarrassing content. I gotta hurt your wallet a little bit before you you hurt me. So there you go, a little fair exchange right there. So, oh, and join podmatch. Join podmatch, please. People who don't join podmatch, I'm just gonna say straight, what's wrong with you? I'm tired of digging through the threads of emails, and then when you have to update your little one pager, you gotta I don't know what software you use, you use Microsoft Word or PowerPoint, you gotta make changes, you gotta re-upload a PDF and then send it to me. And then I've lost some relations with some of the guests, which I'm gonna be honest. I I don't care for some of you, anyways. I'm gonna be honest because some some of you are just you operating in the past, or hire somebody. If you can't do it, hire somebody, delegate, delegate people. Joypod match is a very organized, and you can just make changes around the spot. Boom, just do a couple types and save, refresh, boom, right there, okay? And it has a great community of people. This is coming from a New Yorker who's normally very skeptical and don't trust people very easily. It has a great community of people, okay? So just that's something to think about. So she if you want to be a podcast guest, join that, or if you have your own podcast, join that as well. You it's it's a very giving community. I will say that it's very giving. I've been there for five four years already. It's a very good community, and they continue to do better and better. I'm amazed. I thought there was giving I feel like they were stagnant one time, but they proved me wrong. Just yeah, join PodMatch. Okay, not using PodMatch. You're operating like you're in 2010. Come on, we're in 2025. Come on. Come on.

unknown: 58:43

Come on.

SPEAKER_04: 58:45

Alrighty then. Anything else you want to add before I wrap this up?

SPEAKER_00: 58:49

Uh no, just feel free to reach out if you have any cool or interesting ideas. I'm but remember, I'm a human being, so try to try to be kind and feel free to reach out.

SPEAKER_04: 59:01

It'd be more forceful. You better be kind, alright? She hasn't done anything to you know to provoke, you know, or even inspire such negative attacks, okay? I mean, there's there's no need for it. There's no need for it, okay? Just behave, okay?

SPEAKER_01: 59:17

Thank you.

SPEAKER_04: 59:20

On a serious note, behave. Yeah, so now this is the end. Once you complete this visual or audio journey, you have a blessed day, afternoon, or night.