What is a Good Life? #9 (Podcast)
Expressing and Being Yourself with Jonny Camara
On the ninth episode of the “What is a Good Life?” podcast, I am joined by Jonny Camara.
In this episode Jonny takes us through his journey of growing up in Belfast to an Irish mother and a Senegalese father, from repressing parts of himself to reclaiming them, from pain and suffering to creativity and connection, and ultimately to finding the trust and courage to being himself and understanding what he wants, and what matters, in life.
Jonny is a Leadership Development Strategist and Coach, who’s path of suffering, self-inquiry, and alignment, is also serving as inspiration to his burgeoning screenwriting and acting endeavours.
This conversation with Jonny provides an inspiring example of how one can use suffering as an opportunity to grow and help others.
The weekly clip from the podcast (2 mins), my weekly reflection (2 mins), the full podcast (58 mins), and the weekly questions all follow below.
1. Weekly Clip from the Podcast
2. My weekly reflection
Having interviewed 150+ people around this question to date, if I had to name one thing that leads people to being more themselves, or to figuring out what they want in life, then suffering, or periods of struggle, would be it.
I don’t say this in an attempt to silver line every cloud nor to trivialise people’s mental health struggles. Life doesn’t always make such sense or have a hero’s arc to every journey, and sometimes it is simply painful and unfair.
However, from all the interviews I have conducted, I continue to see the pattern of suffering leading people (who have the opportunity and space to seek support) to deeper understandings of themselves and what it is to be a human, that ultimately produces a greater sense of self-compassion, trust, and freedom, to commit to doing what they want in life.
For most of us, we spend our lives desperately trying not to fall over. This fear keeps us orbiting in safe domains, telling ourselves that success is to never fail, quit, or fall. Yet ironically it is the very experience of falling that liberates us from this fear, often opening our eyes to the limits we have placed upon our own lives.
For me it represented a liberation from thinking I was nothing more than the outcomes of my endeavours, and the process showed me that I had inherent value whether I succeeded or failed at anything outside of myself.
It is very clear our lives are not defined by our struggles, but how we react to them, and what these experiences help us make of ourselves.
3. Full Episode - Expressing and Being Yourself with Jonny Camara - What is a Good Life? Ep. #9
Click here for Apple and Google.
4. This week’s Questions
Have you ever lost connection with parts of yourself as you attempted to fit into the group? How might you reclaim them?
What parts of you are you afraid of showing or expressing, and what is the basis of this fear?
About Me
I am a Coach based in Berlin, via Dublin, Ireland. I left behind a 15-year career in Capital Markets after I became extremely curious around what life, myself, and existence are all about.
I create corporate programs for companies to foster greater psychological safety, trust and purpose (click here for reference). While I also work with high-performing, individual clients who have hit their material goals and are trying to understand what comes after performance.
If you would like to work with me, or you simply want to get in touch, here’s my email and LinkedIn.