Be the Sun, Not the Salt
The "Be the Sun, Not the Salt” podcast will inspire you, equip you, and remind you HOW to be the better version of yourself - you already know WHY you should be. Dr. Harry Cohen, an unconventional shrink, and his co-host, innovative marketer Connie Fontaine, will interview famous and not-so-famous guests who make being the Sun, and not the Salt, a daily practice. This podcast is based on the tips from the book, "Be the Sun, Not the Salt."
Be the Sun, Not the Salt
"Be the Sun, Not the Salt" trailer
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
After years of recording together, “Be the Sun, Not the Salt” is now a complete series of 80 episodes that form a timeless toolkit for living more heliotropically. What does it mean to be heliotropic? Human beings, like plants, naturally turn toward what sustains life. We are energized by kindness, gratitude, compassion, vulnerability, and authenticity, and drained by pessimism, cynicism, disrespect, and unkindness. This simple metaphor is the heart of the show and an invitation for each of us to be our best self more often.
Across the series you will hear conversations with researchers and heliotropic exemplars such as Curt Menefee, Will Guidara, Ethan Kross, and David Horsager; chapter deep dives into Be the Sun, Not the Salt; short Gentle Nudges that remind you how to actually practice this in daily life; and practical answers to real “How Do I” questions about applying the tips and tools.
The episodes are designed to be evergreen. You can start anywhere, return whenever you need a reset, and hear something new each time you listen. As we created this body of work, we kept discovering and rediscovering the material ourselves and growing along with it. That ongoing personal evolution is the point, and our hope is that these 80 episodes will remain a resource you can carry with you and keep using over time.
If you're new to the show, this trailer will introduce the metaphor, the tone, and the kinds of support you can expect. If you're returning, it is a reminder that everything you need is already here, ready for whenever you need a little more sun and a little less salt.
Thank you for sharing our journey and mission!
Useful Links:
To explore the book, or for more episodes, information, tips and tools to live a more heliotropic life, visit us at bethesunnotthesalt.com and find us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok.
[00:00:00]
Dr. Harry Cohen: Welcome. My name is Dr. Harry Cohen. I'm a psychologist and author of Be the Sun, not the Salt. I'm joined by my co-host, chief Super Spreader colleague and friend, Connie Fontaine.
Connie Fontaine: And boy, have we had some fun over the last couple of years recording 80 episodes of this podcast. Let's start from the beginning. Be the sun, not the salt. Let's tell these listeners about the metaphor.
harry_6_12-19-2025_134947: It's a metaphor to describe the heliotropic effect, which is the tendency for all living systems to be drawn to energy, which sustains life, which is why a plant tilts towards the sun. Human beings are that way as well, and just like plants. People are drawn to positive energizing behaviors that people exhibit. Kindness, gratitude, compassion, vulnerability, authenticity, and are de-energized by negative behaviors that all of us engage in what we call salty behaviors, [00:01:00] pessimism, cynicism, disrespect, dishonesty, unkindness, and the list goes on and on. Therefore, you can use this simple metaphor and the simple. Offering that we give you to be your best self more often.
Connie Fontaine: Just like we work at it. And I think the important thing is throughout these 80 episodes, there is something for everyone. We interviewed exemplars in this space. We talked about listeners' questions. We walked through each chapter of the book and had some insights on how we discover and rediscover this material as well.
harry_6_12-19-2025_134947: And we have little short ones and long ones. Pick the episodes that speak to you. when I've re-listened to episodes that I've recorded, I hear them differently and I've picked up stuff each time I've listened to them. And I'm really proud that what we put out in the world is good and will stand the test of time.
Connie Fontaine: Yep. We're so glad you found us. Take a listen.
[00:02:00]