Unarmored Talk

Are You Living Intentionally or Just Going Through the Motions?

• Mario P. Fields - Sergeant Major (Ret.) • Episode 135

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Curiosity drives self-discovery and growth, helping us align our choices with our authentic selves. In Cynthia Schwartzberg's updated book, "The Curious Voyage to Authenticity," she shares how curiosity fosters intentional living, exploring:

*Evaluating life choices
*Bridging the gap between intentions and actions
*Building healthy coping mechanisms
*Journaling for self-reflection
*Simple practices to spark curiosity

Cynthia's Website: https://cynthasis.com/

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Mario P. Fields:

Welcome back to Unarmored Talk Podcast. Thank you so much for listening and watching each episode and continue, please, to share with your friends and family members and colleagues, and don't forget to leave a rating or review if you feel this is an awesome show. And you can connect to all of my social media on the Parade Deck Just look in the show notes. Media on the parade deck just look in the show notes. Or you can put in the search engine Mario P Fields parade deck and get all access to my social media. Well, let's get ready to interview another guest who is willing to remove their armor to help other people.

Mario P. Fields:

Everyone, welcome back to the Unarmored Talk podcast. I am your host host, mario P Fields. For first-time listeners and viewers, thank you for either downloading the audio or getting on that YouTube channel and watching the playlist, the Unarmored Talk playlist. Remember, my YouTube channel has many playlists. It's like going into a grocery store. You get some things in all one, two, three and four, four. But if you guys want to check this one out, go to the podcast playlist. And again, thank you for years of support and I'll continue to do this until my granddaughter tells me to stop. She's the only one with the power. Well, well, god. And then my granddaughter tells me to stop. But everyone, we have a guest that was on the show August of 2023, cynthia Schwartzberg. Schwartzberg, did I get it right? I got it right last time.

Cynthia Schwartzberg:

You got it right this time too, yeah.

Mario P. Fields:

So Cynthia's been back. I mean this is wonderful. She's back to give us some new information, some updated journeys. In regards to that first episode, if you guys don't remember, it was hitting the restart button after 30 years of marriage. The journey it did well, I learned a lot from it, and now we have Cynthia back. Cynthia, what is going on?

Cynthia Schwartzberg:

It's great to be here and great to be with everybody in this community, so thank you for having me back. I guess the reason initially why I reached out to come back and to talk some more was because I relaunched the book the Curious Voyage to authenticity. So I changed the title because the curious voyage. Somebody said, well, where are you going? Because it sounds like a travelogue. It was a publisher, so I said, uh, good point.

Cynthia Schwartzberg:

I don't know why we didn't think of that, but you know like when you're in a certain field and you're just going about day to day, you you sort of your languaging can get sloppy Right, so it's good to have fresh eyes and ears on it. So now it's called the Curious Voyage to Authenticity at Rubicon Guide for Personal Growth. So that's the other added value to it. But I put a little bit more of my own story in it and then I also help people go through the journey. So there's a beginning, middle and end, almost like the hero's journey, starting from automatic pilot, going to getting curious about why do I do the things that I do and then how can I come from a more authentic, intuitive space.

Mario P. Fields:

No, I love it. And for the first time, listeners and viewers, if you have not watched the episode that was published August of 2023, how can? How can people find you? Before we get into the topic, what's the best way they can find you or purchase the book Cynthia?

Cynthia Schwartzberg:

Synthesiscom is the website, so the book is on the front page. Um, I also have like a little giveaway about like how to do self-spotting brain spottings so it's called self-spotting on there so they can join. But then I have under the events different things that are coming up. But if they go to the curious voyage um class they can see like what the classes are about that help people go on the voyage in a community setting um together. So the best spot is the website and I and I love you know.

Mario P. Fields:

You know you receive feedback and and you had a choice right. Where are we going? We're going to the bahamas, whatever. What the hell are we going? What's curious? We're going to space, and I love how you and I love how you, you know. I like how you were able to take that feedback and turn it into more positive work. And there's a lot of folks between layoffs the economy, relationships, unexpected deaths that have start a new voyage and they don't kind of know how to apply certain skills. My basic understanding is you took information out of your first book right and really really made it user-friendly. You have clients. Can you talk to us a little bit about that experience?

Cynthia Schwartzberg:

um, well, I realized that the first book has all the pieces but there wasn't a thread that was connecting and I wanted to add a little bit more of my own story to it so that people could also relate. So, going from like the beginning and talking about like on my own beginning, I started. You know, in my life I always was a little bit curious about like, what's the purpose to life? And one of the stories that I share is one time when I was at the temple.

Cynthia Schwartzberg:

I was brought up Jewish. We were praying and I said to my mother, well, what does that mean? And she was, like, well, we just say it. And that wasn't a satisfactory answer to me because I don't know, like, why am I saying that? And maybe I believe it, Maybe I don't believe it. So, starting to get curious of like, why do I do the things that I do? Because I'm told to, or because there's some value and purpose? And how can? If I find the value and purpose, then I can add purpose and meaning to my life, which is a contribution to the world.

Mario P. Fields:

That's that you know, cynthia, and I'm glad you brought that up, cause that's one thing that I changed over the years and I learned that, believe it or not. I learned that from children and that's why I'm smiling because, like you said, it helps you gain a better understanding in there and explain that, because that that could be, you know, that could be touchy. You look at your mom and put someone to go what do you mean?

Mario P. Fields:

And they go this is, this is how it always been done, and you took that extra step to go. Well, let's explore, let's remain curious and find. What does that really mean?

Cynthia Schwartzberg:

Yeah, I mean, it's the same thing. So you're talking. A lot of us do work because we need to and I have some clients that come to those choice points where they could pivot and make a change. Like, let's say, they haven't made a full commitment to family and all the stressors, but there's fear or there's society that says, well, you're making good money, stick with it, right. But the satisfaction level if you look at the statistics with you know blood pressure, which we were talking about earlier, or digestive issues, like life is filled with stress and there's so much stress going on now.

Cynthia Schwartzberg:

So how can we keep ourselves more regulated? Well, it's not going to be by being in a very negative work environment. Negative work environment, like for myself, when I went like to the court system every day, working in the basement of the courts, working with pins cases like half my cases were suicidal adolescents it was very stressful. I did have the gift of pivoting that. But I also want to always find a way to give to those populations, like, if I can't tolerate something, but it's also of my heart, how else can I make my like some rippling effect, you know. So throughout the years I've continued to find ways to keep giving in certain arenas that maybe as that young adult I could not do, but maybe now I can.

Mario P. Fields:

Yeah, Remaining remaining curious. What has been some of the feedback from your clients? And before, before you get into that, I can tell you and we talked about this off air, but I'll tell you and everyone on air, just to mention that, when Cynthia mentioned the health effects of, what do you mean? Why am I doing this? Do I need to do it or do I want to do it and understanding that it has improved my health significantly reading Cynthia's book, the Curious Voyage and listening to her? What has some of the feedback been from other clients that you've had?

Cynthia Schwartzberg:

Well, I think I shared with you about this one exercise that I did at the book launch where the blood pressure literally went down by doing the. It's called the ball of light and I can add you can add like a recording of it to your show notes. If you want I'll give you. But the other things that people have come up with are by doing the exercises they are making different choices. So people, for example in our class last night, made an intention of, like I want to lose weight, I want to exercise more, which is a common thing for many of us American, americans at least. So we were looking at there's the desire, but what's the intention behind that desire? Like, that may be my desired and that may be what I say I want, that might be what I'm speaking as my decision, but my actions aren't matching my decision. So why aren't my actions matching my decision?

Cynthia Schwartzberg:

And what we do in in the curious voyage and what I do with my clients is we kind of peel away. Because whenever there's two opposing forces in us, if we don't look at both sides of that opposing force and get really curious with it, it's hard for movement to happen. You know, sometimes I notice with clients. If there's a headache, many times it's because there's an internal conflict happening. So you know, that movie Inside Out, which is like, shows us that we're made up of parts.

Cynthia Schwartzberg:

So teaching people about the parts of themselves, teaching them dialoguing and how to dialogue with these different parts and getting curious. Dialogue with these different parts and getting curious there's like a meditation with three voices. Getting curious with each aspect and learning what the aspects are that are supportive and what are the aspects that are less constructive or less beneficial to us. But just saying, okay, well, I'm just going to get over that. Like my body obviously isn't doing that. I'm still walking towards that snack food and whatever it might be. It's like I'm going to get rid of it. And then here I go and I'm like that's not happening. So it's like, okay, but why is what? What makes that not happen? It's not the why, but it's getting more curious, because a why can keep us in even loopy thinking.

Mario P. Fields:

Cynthia, you must be talking about me, and I'm glad because I tell you you're so accurate because you know sugar, for me I have no discipline with candy, ok. So I said, what does that mean, mario? And so so I became intentional and I said, well, if you don't buy it, then you remove about five to six pounds just not eating candy because of what you just said. It's easy to say, but what's the activity, the action behind it? What are you doing and connecting those dots inside out? Yeah, every time I get ready to get some candy I'll be like oh, cynthia, you're in for voyage. Everybody, you should do the same. Get the book age as soon as you start to. If your cholesterol is up and you want to get that large fry, go ahead and get that small fry. Curious voyage, have that book in your car that's funny.

Cynthia Schwartzberg:

I mean I'm also talking about myself, so I'm just oh yeah.

Cynthia Schwartzberg:

It's like I haven't. You know we all have whatever that's that triggers something is that gives us that downward ripple. But the other thing I do want to point out from what you said is not just the book, but there's the journal. Now, yeah, and at the end of the journal there's questions, and I can also just send you these questions they're for the beginning of the day and the end of the day because part of being curious and part of shifting our awareness is strengthening that inner observer and that part of us that's willing to ask the question, that's willing to sit down and that's willing to contemplate, thinking differently. It helps to do like journaling or some form of that. And then I do believe that we can't leave out the body and some physiological movement or like that brain-body connection, like what brain spotting offers us.

Cynthia Schwartzberg:

Before brain spotting I was doing core energetics, which is working with energy and consciousness. But we can't just do it with our thoughts alone. We have to get to that subcortical brain that's kind of running the machinery back here that's saying, oh, I'll do that tomorrow and I'm going to the refrigerator today, you know, like, like. If we don't find some process to help and support that, it makes it really hard, and you know, that's what neuroplasticity and the awareness of that is such a gift about me. And just on a basic terminology, it just means starting to think differently, because if I'm thinking differently over and over, there's like more pathways, there's more train tracks that are being built in my brain to ride on that are different than those destination train tracks that I used to go on.

Mario P. Fields:

You know, cynthia, I wish I would have met you, you know, when I was in the Marine Corps, and this is you know.

Mario P. Fields:

Again, thanks for your service for everyone serving in any branch of service in the United States Armed Forces. But I can only speak from my experience as a Marine, and one thing we used to say is how can you take care of those you lead if you're not taking care of yourself? We do a great job at taking care of folks who you know my belief, we do a great job. We try to take care of the thousands of folks you're leading and mentoring and inspiring, but there was not much time that, like you just said, mario, ask yourself, sergeant Major, be curious about yourself, take time to be intentional, ask yourself some questions, shut off the phone, go inside a room, meditate, become more connected with you, become more healthier with you mind and body and soul and understand what that means. Remain curious and then go out and lead. I believe I would have been a lot more effective. Who knows, with the principles and the concept you just laid out? Cynthia, how much do I owe you for that?

Cynthia Schwartzberg:

Well to receive my gratitude for your service. How's that?

Mario P. Fields:

I appreciate it, which I don't know if Cynthia is like Oprah money. I'm just joking. So, Cynthia, you know.

Cynthia Schwartzberg:

But I want to say something. Can I just quickly say something?

Mario P. Fields:

Because so many?

Cynthia Schwartzberg:

people come up with that line. I don't have the time.

Mario P. Fields:

What does that mean?

Cynthia Schwartzberg:

So there's 30 things that you can do to shift your vibe, shall we say, or your energy. There's things that you can do that take like 30 seconds to a couple of minutes. Um, there's things that you can do that take like 30 seconds to a couple of minutes. There's things that you can do but without changing anything. I can be walking down the street and I can have a multitude of different ways of observing, of walking, even if I want to, if I have to keep the same pace, but it's like my mindset is really taking no much more or less time, right? So, um, I know that we can't only do it cognitively, but if you, I used to like swim and I would just let out my anger, like under the water and like this is in core energetics.

Cynthia Schwartzberg:

I was very we were into like releasing, like releasing the rage, the anger, whatever, but what? I'm not hurting anybody or anything when I'm under the water and in movement. But my energy changed by the time I got out. Now, would it have changed anyway? Because I was swimming? Yes, but where my head frame was in that moment? Maybe not, because that energy of swimming might have added to my negative mindset Versus, while I'm swimming, doing some mental body work, I was able to shift it. So I just wanted to say that for viewers to get curious about why you think you can't do some of the ways of shifting your stress.

Mario P. Fields:

I love it On Armor Talk podcast. You guys know the deal Emotions are natural when we're all born. There's about 8.5 billion humans on earth the last time I checked and there's about 8.5 different galaxies of emotions. But to think, unless you're insane, it's a choice. And, like Cynthia said, remain curious. Get her book, get the journal, connect with her, get a session. If you guys don't have that book in your car when you start to get that large fry, shame on you get a session.

Cynthia Schwartzberg:

They can always join a class yeah, join a class.

Mario P. Fields:

Hey, I, I tell you I've lost about five, six pounds. Y'all can't see it because I guess I hold weight well, but uh, yeah, my daughter put me in check. But, cynthia, it's been wonderful again having you back on the show Again. You're always welcome on, welcome on an armor talk podcast. Do you have any last remarks again for our listeners and viewers?

Cynthia Schwartzberg:

Yeah, I think. Believe in yourself and learn to trust your own intuition.

Mario P. Fields:

Yes, and definitely believe in yourself. Everyone. Be your number one fan. You can be your number one enemy too. But, cynthia, thank you for blessing our show again and I truly appreciate everything you're doing, not just for me, but for the world.

Cynthia Schwartzberg:

Okay, Okay, thank you, maria, thank you everybody for sharing your time and space with me.

Mario P. Fields:

Nice. So you guys know to do, every one couple of weeks, another, another guest who's willing to remove their armor to talk about some things behind the scenes that help you develop an accurate way of thinking. Hopefully you can influence the outcome of life events that you see coming or you don't see coming. But until then, I continue to pray that God blesses you, the listeners and viewers, your family members, your friends and all living beings around you. See you guys soon. Listening to this most recent episode, and remember you can listen and watch all of the previous episodes on my youtube channel. The best way to connect to me and all of my social media is follow me on the parade deck that is wwwparadecom, or you can click on the link in the show notes. I'll see you guys soon.

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