Episode 86: About talking to people you disagree with, with Josh Trent

podcast Nov 11, 2021

One day this fall, I was scrolling through my Instagram feed, when I saw a post from my friend Josh. It was a screenshot of Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s response to President Biden’s mask mandate. Gov. Abbott wrote “Biden’s vaccine mandate is an assault on private businesses” and below in the caption Josh wrote, “I DO NOT comply.”

My first thought was “Eesh, I need to unfollow my friend Josh.” But as my finger moved to hover over the button my second thought was: “Elissa Weinzimmer... you’ve got one person in your feed who’s not in your silo of agreement. This is an actual chance to practice Conversation Culture.” In his comment, Josh had also said that he really wanted responses, especially from people who disagreed. So I took him at his word and instead of unfollowing, I commented. A real conversation ensued, and now we’ve brought that conversation to this podcast.

Thank you so much, Josh Trent, CEO of Wellness Force, for opening your heart to speak with me in a way that most of us avoid. Josh and I agree that these conversations - that really hearing each other - are the keys to creating change in our world. We hope this conversation is helpful to you, and if it ignites something that you want to share please reach out to either or both of us... we genuinely want to hear from you.

Listen here:

Listen here on Apple Podcasts.

Listen here on Spotify.

Want to learn the Voice Body Connection Process so you can practice raising your voice and speaking your truth? Take the free mini-course HERE.

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Show Notes:   

Recap

  • 0:00 - Welcome Josh Trent to the podcast.
  • 1:00 - Elissa explains how this conversation came to be. 
  • 5:00 - Josh shares words on the art of listening. The art of truly listening, giving, and receiving.
  • 7:50 - Josh shares a little about himself and his work.
  • 11:20 - Elissa asks Josh to share his core values, which he is currently reevaluating, and Elissa does the same.
  • 19:00 - Elissa shares the agreements that she and Josh have agreed to in order to have a true conversation, not a debate. This is in following the Conversation Culture model. 
  • 23:23 - Our Voice Body Connection Process. Elissa feels a sense of slight holding, suspension and tension, and achiness around her adrenal area in the low back. Josh feels connected to his root on his chair and fatigued. 
  • 30:00 - Elissa and Josh dive into their prime conversation for this podcast on masks, COVID-19, and the vaccine. Josh starts by sharing from his perspective. 
  • 36:55 - Elissa asks Josh about what people are attacking him for.
  • 40:22 - Elissa shares from her perspective, including naming details about her lifestyle and the “bubbles” that she has grown up and lived in.
  • 45:00 - “Where does my own autonomy fit into all of this?” Josh speaks into his feelings around rhetoric and narratives. 
  • 51:45 - “What will you fight for? What would cause you to take up arms?” 
  • 53:00 - Elissa responds with thoughts on binaries, autonomy, and rhetoric. 
  • 55:30 - “What does something that is not the binary look like?”
  • 1:04:30 - Operating from a paradigm of independence and interdependence being able to coexist. How do we live inside this paradigm? 
  • 1:12:18 - Is the controversy over this vaccine arbitrary?
  • 1:18:33 - Addressing a paradox. 
  • 1:30:00 - Anger can be sacred and honored. 
  • 1:39:10 - A note on privilege. 
  • 1:41:45 - Josh shares what it means to him to have a voice and speak his truth.

Resources

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Have you taken the free Find Your Voice, Speak Your Truth mini-course yet? Learn the full Voice Body Connection Process so you can practice it for yourself. Sign up at https://www.voicebodyconnection.com/minicourse.

And for more support, join the Voice Body Connection Membership Community, visit www.voicebodyconnection.com/community.

As a member of the Voice Body Connection Membership Community, you get access to:

  • Live voice and movement warm-ups led by Elissa (twenty minutes each 4x/week),
  • A monthly live online group coaching session to practice using the Voice Body Connection process,
  • A monthly Community Sing-along,
  • A monthly live recording of the coming month’s solo podcast episode,
  • And exclusive behind-the-scenes videos with every guest.

Learn more and sign up at www.voicebodyconnection.com/community.

 

Production Credits:

Our Editor is Sean Brennan

Our Photographer and Graphic Designer is Laura Sills

Our Videographer is Miguel Garzón Martínez

And our theme song is “Waters of Body” by Strange Weather

 

Please note that Amazon links in the show notes are connected to the Voice Body Connection Associates account. All other partner links are acknowledged. Thank you for supporting the podcast! 

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