Mind Soak
Mind Soak is a podcast for the curious. Curving your perspectives with others' information.
Hosted by Samuel Dignan, each episode dives deep into conversations with people who have overcome, created, and evolved. From entrepreneurs and athletes to thinkers and adventurers, we unpack the struggles, lessons, and mindset shifts that shaped them.
This podcast is about absorbing wisdom — soaking it all in — and sharing insights that can help you grow mentally, emotionally, and personally.
Whether you're chasing clarity, building something meaningful, or just love hearing how others do what they do, you're in the right place.
🧠Stay curious. Soak it in.
Mind Soak
#04 - Jody Dontja - Why Emotional Fitness Is the Missing Piece of Success
In this episode, I sit down with Jody Dontje, a global speaker, coach, and emotional fitness educator, to explore the deep, raw, and empowering journey of becoming a conscious leader.
From being bullied and disconnected from her identity to transforming into a voice for emotional intimacy, Jody breaks down what it means to truly feel, process, and grow.
We dive into real frameworks, personal turning points, and leadership lessons that apply to anyone who wants to show up more fully, for themselves and others. Whether you're a leader, a creative, or someone on a healing journey, this episode will hit deep.
🎧 Listen now on Spotify, YouTube & Apple Podcasts
đź”— Connect with Jody:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jodydontjecoaching/
⏱️ Timestamps
- 0:00 – Jody’s story about messaging her high school bully
- 2:15 – Seeing yourself and others through a compassionate lens
- 3:00 – The quote that changed her: “Life isn’t about finding yourself…”
- 5:00 – Becoming a university mentor and realizing her leadership calling
- 6:45 – Sam’s personal turning point from the Navy
- 8:25 – What emotional fitness actually is
- 10:40 – The “ice bath” analogy for emotional regulation
- 12:15 – The dark side of emotional awareness: gaslighting yourself
- 14:00 – Internal Family Systems and the 8 C’s of Self
- 20:00 – Jody’s 4-step process for emotional intimacy
- 31:00 – Letting emotions live without needing to “fix” them
- 35:00 – Breaking generational patterns through emotional maturity
- 36:00 – Leading others starts with leading yourself
- 40:00 – Sam’s story of being a safe space as a McDonald's manager
- 46:00 – Neuroscience and emotional safety in leadership
- 52:20 – Jody’s 4 steps to empathy
- 58:30 – Receiving love in friendships (during breakups)
- 1:00:00 – Final thoughts and where to find Jody
