Delighted to interview Professor Chantel Prat, a cognitive neuroscientist who has been described as “making neurons sing and dendrites dance.”   A fascinating 23 minutes discussing her new, very readable book The Neuroscience of You: How Every Brain is Different and How to Understand Yours.  Are you more inclined to be “left brained” or “right brained” and can we train our own brains to think differently?   Why do languages or mathematics seem to come effortlessly to some people while the rest of us struggle to grasp the basics?  Are we born that way?  These and other questions answered or at least ruminated upon! www.chantelprat.com

Continuing a critical and heart-warming conversation from last week, Mariah is joined by her husband Byron as the two explore together the way to “Journey Well: You are More than Enough.”  Who is this book written for and why even begin the Journey when all around us chaos seems to rule and no one can add one more thing to their agenda? And why More than Enough ?  Isn’t it enough to just make it to the end of the day and collapse on the sofa ?  In a loving husband-and-wife style By and Mariah discuss their mission “Mandate to Elevate,” something they’ve been doing all their lives, first in their respective professions giving and giving thanks, and now as writers and professional speakers.  How can we, too, without feeling duty-bound or putting extra pressure on ourselves? mandatetoelevate.com

How do we take care of ourselves while taking care of so many others ?  Is self care selfish? These and other questions are answered by Mariah Edgington co-author with her husband Byron Edgington of “Journey Well: You Are More Than Enough.” Mariah, a former critical care nurse flying to accident scenes met her husband Byron, the helicopter pilot and Vietnam veteran, and when both retired were inspired to continue their mission to “mandate to elevate.”  This time elevating friends and strangers by speaking and writing about rediscovering our passion and purpose and love of life.  Journey Well has a companion Guidebook and invites readers in with personal and very relatable stories.   mariahedgington.com and byronedgington.com   Byron joins Mariah for Part Two next week, August 18.

We continue our conversation and pilgrimage to Minkowitz in Ukraine with Paul Ross and Judith Fein.  Their journey a few years ago predated this year’s new horrors inflicted upon a beautiful land tossed back and forth in blood since at least the 15th century. What were the six, small facts that Judie’s grandma recounted of her youth in the shtetl and how did they form clues to lead Paul and Judie to their ancestral village?   Who did they meet and how important is simply being completely in the moment critical for all of us who love to travel?  How do you become fully present, how do you stumble upon people and places with such synchronistic timing?  And did they ever find the village of Minkowitz and what happened just before they arrived?  The Spoon from Minkowitz: A Bittersweet Roots Journey to Ancestral Lands. www.globaladventure.us