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Mark Reid, host of the Zen Sammich podcast, is the recipient of the 2022 Radiance Award for Storytelling Excellence!

Awarded by 360° NATION – an online global media digest – more information about the awards can be found here: 2022 Radiance Awards Press Release

Zen Sammich with Mark Reid, J.D.

Zen Sammich is a podcast for the independent thinker and anyone who embraces life despite its absurdities.

Former professor and attorney turned Japanese paper maker, Mark Reid, inspires mindfulness, humor, and a down-to-earth 21st century “Zen” lifestyle.

Join him as he talks with creative, inspiring, and influential people. Or, as he shares his own research, observing the socially constructed mess of reality, sharing travel stories, and exploring what it means to be alive in the modern world.

Recent and Highlighted Episodes

Where Do You Go From Here? | Ep. #158

What tools do you use to cope with your fears?

Could you take a tragedy and turn it into something positive?

How might a traumatic event affect the relationships in your life?

Chris Maliszewski, a mass shooting survivor and co-founder of the Walking Tall Movement, discusses these questions and a variety of ways in which we can navigate, learn and grow from trauma.

It’s not all serious. We talk about Pearl Jam and The Flamings Lips too.

Check out his organization’s website at walkingtallmovement.com

Follow Chris at https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-maliszewski-20190061/

Who Are You Today? | Ep. #157

Are you the same person you were 10 years ago? Probably not.

How about 10 hours ago? 10 minutes?!

And what story do you believe in? Is it the same story you were fed as a child or did the story and you evolve into something else?

Big discussion with awesome people.

Transformational coaches and podcasters, Andee Scarantino and Zen Benefiel, join the conversation about discovering insight, whether through a mystical experience or by being left alone at an airport.

Truth can be found in a variety of places and from a variety of sources. Where did you find YOUR truth?

Find out more about Andee Scarantino at

getthefuckoff.com

viewfromtheroof.substack.com

You can find Zen Benefiel at

bethedream.com

zenbenefiel.com

https://www.youtube.com/@ZenBenefiel

You Have 2 Minds (& Can Only Control 1 Of Them) | Ep. #156

Ever try to quiet your mind, and it keeps going in every random direction except still?

Ever try to think of nothing to no avail? Of course, you human being, you!

But who is observing your thinking mind while it is running amuck?

Oh, yeah, that’s you too.

Gaining some understanding of your “two minds” is key to cultivating and improving your mental self-discipline.

When Is It OK To Feel Numb? | Ep. # 155

Ever feel guilty for NOT feeling something when you think you should?

So, when is it ok to just “not feel?”

Redneck Zen & Financial Wisdom | Ep. #154

“You can spray Lysol on a dog turd and it’s still a dog turd.”

– Mike Ashabraner

Believe it or not, there is a lot of Zen in redneck wisdom.

Financial coach, Mike Ashabraner, and I discuss Redneck Zen, the importance of good mentors, and what we have each learned from ours.

Find out more about Mike at redneckfinancialcoach.com

Follow at https://www.linkedin.com/in/redneck1/

Check out the Hounds of Business Community at https://www.linkedin.com/company/hounds-of-business-happy-hour/

The 5 Types of People You Should Avoid | Ep. #153

How do you know who you can trust and who is unhealthy for you?

Short and sweet in this 10 minute episode – the five types of people you should avoid or distance yourself from in life.

This episode is sponsored by: https://www.mandatetoelevate.com/

Meet My Better Half | Ep. #152

What are the highs and lows of a cross-cultural, multi-lingual marriage?

I gave my wife a glass of wine and pressed record for a special in-house family edition of Zen Sammich!

This episode is sponsored by: https://www.mandatetoelevate.com/

Have Fewer Opinions | Ep. #151

Does intentionally having fewer opinions make you smarter?

It just might.

Check out our sponsor: https://www.mandatetoelevate.com/

What's Your Heart's Mission? | Ep. #150

What would you say if someone asked you, “What’s your heart’s mission?”

Raquel “Raqi” Flores is clear about hers.

She shares her inspiring story that isn’t over by a long shot, as well as the value of honesty and remaining humble in the process of overcoming life’s obstacles.

Check out Raquel Flores Connection Corner LIVE every Saturday at 11am EST on LinkedIn and YouTube.

Join her nearly 50K followers at https://www.linkedin.com/in/raquel-raqi-flores/

If you’re not on Linkedin, check out her show live on Saturdays here:

https://www.youtube.com/@raquelfloresconnectioncorner

Become A Reasonable Minimalist | Ep. #149

Do you have too much “stuff” in your life or just the right amount?

When asking this, the question really becomes: What truly matters to you?

Minimalism isn’t about giving up the stuff you enjoy in your life. It’s actually about making more room for the things you truly enjoy.

“It’s about finding the right balance between having what you need and truly enjoying what you have.”

Discover The Superhuman In You | Ep. #148

When faced with life’s difficulties, have you ever asked, “Why me? What did I do to deserve this?”

Surely, most of us have at some point.

Coach and best-selling author of “The Power Within” and “Mind 2.0,” Anurag Rai, tells the fascinating story of a series of unfortunate circumstances that eventually led him to ask that same question.

But, it was also at this point that he found the superhuman inside. He changed the question and asked, “Why NOT me?”

Learn more at https://www.superhumaninyou.com/

What Does 'Kill The Buddha' Mean? | Ep. #147

An enigmatic saying rooted in traditional Zen goes this way: “If you see the Buddha on the road, kill him.”

This saying essentially means, “Don’t get too attached to the idea of having all the right answers.”

A little bit different, somewhat more “academic” look at Zen in this episode. Yet, amongst the jargon and history lesson, there is a down-to-earth practical message to take away as well.

Check out our sponsor: https://www.mandatetoelevate.com/

For The Love of Writing & Living Interestingly | Ep. #146

How do you reconcile living simplistically with living life to the fullest?

Do those two concepts need reconciling at all?

I ask prolific author and, arguably, the doppelgänger for Dos Equis’s “Most Interesting Man in the World,” Joseph Carrabis, that question among many others.

We discuss Zen and the art of writing, cooking and living a full life of simplicity.

You can find out more about Joseph and purchase one of his many books, including his latest entitled, “The Shaman,” here: https://josephcarrabis.com/

What Should You Do With Your Life? | Ep. #145

If you were to look in the mirror each morning and ask, “Do I feel good about what I’m doing today?” would your answer be “yes” more often than “no”?

Emotions Aren't The Enemy | Ep. #144

Do you have control over your emotions?

Do you suppress them out of a desire to be “strong” or (for guys) “manly”? Or, on the other hand, do they overwhelm you?

When you master your emotions and guide them in a good direction, they become an asset rather than a liability.

Daniel Gasser discusses how we can utilize our emotions in a positive way. He is a coach for men, helping them to become better men who are both, in touch with and in control of, their emotions.

Follow Daniel at https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielgasser-empowers-men/

Find out more about what he does at https://danielg.online/

Also, you can get help with an alcohol problem through one of his programs here: https://quitthebottle.com/

Stop Doing Sh*t You Hate | Ep. #143

From the daily grind to pursuing dreams and goals of things you don’t actually enjoy doing, it’s time to let go of chasing identities.

Instead, embrace the things in life you truly enjoy doing.

More To It Than You Think | Ep. #142

Ever thought about starting a podcast?

Syya Yasotornrat, founder of Brilliant Beam Media, joins Zen Sammich to discuss the joys and woes of podcasting (spoiler alert: there are more highs than lows).

She even shares a worthwhile Zen tip about humility.

https://www.brilliantbeammedia.com/

The Joy of Living Slowly | Ep. 141#

Why isn’t the pace of life slowing down?

We have smartphones, automation, AI, and cars that drive themselves. That should mean we have to work less, right?

Then, why aren’t we?

Two roads diverged. One leads to burnout and the other to peace of mind. It’s ultimately up to you which path you take.

Don't Forget You Have An Interesting Life | Ep. #137

Here are 5 key components for identifying and realizing that YOU have lived a captivating life and continue to live one. Yes, you.

Do You Really Test Your Opinions and Beliefs? | Ep. #135

Do you have a confirmation bias?

Odds are you do. It’s not as obvious as you might think.

How can we overcome simply seeking out validation for our opinions and beliefs, and in the process get closer to REAL truth?

Keeping Your Inner Child Alive | Ep. #133

What is it you enjoy about being alive?

Making the case for putting curiosity and playfulness on your daily to-do list.

Moreover, see the inner child in Others. Embrace their imperfections and forgive their goofs, just as you would a child.

Take Nothing Personally | Ep. #131

Criticism and name calling can hurt. It is a harsh and cruel world sometimes. Whether from strangers on the internet or people close to you, unsavory words can come from any direction.

What if we could live in a way in which we took nothing said about us personally?

Embrace Your Goofiness | Ep. #130

The more you listen to your heart and tap into your inner child, the happier a person you can be.

The affable Raquel Borras is living proof of her own advice.

A multi-faceted, multi-podcasting rockstar and the “Queen of Goofiness” joins Zen Sammich to reveal some personal stories, her motivations, and to inspire us all.

Follow her on Linkedin at https://www.linkedin.com/in/raquel-borras/

On Instagram @ raquel.borras

And check out “Raq the Boat”: https://www.youtube.com/@RaqTheBoat

How To Live Carefree | Ep. #129

Ever wish you could live a little more carefree? Now you can. Just takes a little practice of these three steps.

How To Deal With A**holes | Ep. #126

We all know ’em! People who are just deliberately not nice. For whatever reason. It can be quite a challenge for those of us who strive to be kind all the time.

With some help from the Smurfs, Benny Hill, and Chuck Norris, here are 5 practical methods of how to deal with a-holes you encounter in life.

Wander The Goalless Path | Ep. #121

“You are already where you need to be.”

The absence of goals does not signify an absence of purpose. Rather, “wandering” invites us to immerse ourselves in the present, guided only by principles and passions.

Reframe Reality By Chucking Expectations | Ep. #119

Reality does not care about your expectations. In fact, the world and the people in it will let you down if you hold onto expectations of how they or life should be.

When you become an observer instead of constantly judging the world, you suddenly discover a lot more beauty around you.

Practice Your Inner "Hell Yeah!" | Ep. #117

What would the world look like if we complained less and found a way to simply say “Hell Yeah!” more often?

Learn To Trust Yourself | Ep. #115

Trusting yourself is key to living a fulfilling and meaningful life. Zen Sammich discusses 3 key components of trusting yourself.

Less Noise, More Meaning | Ep. #111

We live in a world that is constantly vying for your attention. Practice turning down that noise and putting your focus on what has meaning and value in your life instead.

All Previous Episodes

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