172 When We Get Lost in Story & Come Back to What’s Real | Angus Ross

Is the story you have in your mind influencing your relationships with your partner, colleague, or family member? We all know what it’s like to get caught in our thoughts, replaying something that was said and building a story about what it means. In this episode, Barb is joined by Angus Ross, a transformational coach and co-host of the Awaken to Love podcast. They explore why we get gripped by story and what changes when we begin to see it with more clarity.Angus and his wife Rohini work primarily with couples, helping them move through conflict, disconnection, and long-standing patterns. At the heart of that work is a simple but powerful shift from being lost in thought to becoming present to what is actually happening.In our conversation, we explore how thinking shapes our emotional experience, why we get pulled into stories in relationships, and what becomes possible when we come back to what we are actually feeling.Thank you for listening and for being part of this journey.SHOW NOTES:[00:00] - Introduction and Connection[03:40] - Insights from the Journey of a Transformational Coach[12:46] - The Role of Authenticity in Coaching[15:49] - The Impact of the Three Principles[18:55] - Exploring Plant Medicine and Self-Discovery[28:15] - Understanding Thought and Its Impact on Experience[31:07] - Understanding the Power of Story in Relationships[33:53] - The Role of Presence and Authenticity[37:26] - Navigating Emotions Beyond the Story[42:03] - The Healing Power of Vulnerability[45:25] - Embracing the Human Experience[49:19] - Courage to Confront Our Inner TruthsSHOW LINKS:Visit Angus' websiteListen to the Awaken to Love Podcast on Apple and Spotify

What if the real question isn’t whether it will work out, but whether you can trust yourself inside the yes?In this solo episode, Barb explores what happens after we feel the aliveness, the curiosity, the expansion of a yes, and how quickly the mind and nervous system move in to manage, predict, and protect.Through reflections from her own life and leadership, Barb unpacks what she calls the “fragility trap”. The subtle way we treat ourselves as if we can’t handle growth, uncertainty, or expansion.This conversation isn’t about forcing or pushing harder. It’s about trusting your capacity to meet the journey, the contraction and the expansion, and staying present inside your commitment.If you’ve been hovering at the edge of something meaningful, this episode is an invitation to back yourself and discover you are far less fragile than you think.Thank you for listening and for being part of this journey.SHOW NOTES:[00:00] - Welcome to the Innerverse of Business and Life Podcast![00:56] - Exploring Trust and Commitment[09:32] - The Power of Saying Yes[16:25] - Navigating Doubts and Comparisons[21:39] - Embracing Growth and Aliveness[26:30] - Thank you for listening to the Innerverse of Business and Life Podcast!SHOW LINKS:Subscribe to the podcast on YouTube Follow Barb on LinkedInFollow Barb on Instagram

What if the constant drive to optimize, organize, and “get it right” is actually keeping us at a distance from life?In this solo episode, Barb explores the subtle illusion behind getting our act together and how perfectionism and control can quietly delay action, presence, and aliveness.Using everyday examples and the metaphor of the kayak versus the yacht, she invites us to loosen our grip on certainty, trust our capacity to learn, and step more fully into the imperfect, unfolding reality of our lives.Thank you for listening and for being part of this journey.SHOW NOTES:[00:00] - Welcome to The Innerverse of Business and Life Podcast[00:54] - Letting Go of Perfectionism[05:58] - The Illusion of Control[12:52] - Embracing Imperfection and UncertaintySHOW LINKS:Subscribe to the podcast on YouTube Follow Barb on LinkedInFollow Barb on Instagram

As the year comes to a close, I've found myself reflecting on the conversations I’ve had on the podcast and what has become clear as I listened to each of my guests.This isn’t a recap of interviews or a list of best moments. It’s a reflection on the themes that kept showing up, regardless of background, industry, or life story.In this solo episode, I share six truths that emerged again and again through conversation, about letting go, identity, presence, readiness, trust, and the human experience itself. Not as advice, but as invitations. Things to notice. Places to soften. Questions to sit with as we move toward a new year.My hope is that something here resonates, opens, or settles, and supports you in trusting what’s already alive and unfolding in your own life.Thank you for listening and for being part of this journey.SHOW NOTES:[00:00] - Welcome to The Inerverse of Business and Life Podcast[00:56] - Reflecting on the Year and Podcast Journey[02:56] - The Power of Letting Go[05:46] - Releasing Old Identities[11:15] - The Importance of Presence[14:38] - Movement Before Readiness[18:05] - Embracing the Human Experience[21:38] - Thank you for listening!SHOW LINKS:Subscribe to the podcast on YouTube Follow Barb on LinkedinFollow Barb on Instagram

We’ve all been in that place where we’ve tried everything we know how to do, and nothing is working. The offer doesn’t land, the shift doesn’t happen, the result won’t come. Our instinct is to push harder or figure it out.But what if “nothing is working” isn’t a problem to solve, but a moment to listen?In this solo episode, Barb explores the deeper intelligence inside these breakdowns. She shares personal and client stories that reveal how often the real invitation is to return to zero, loosen our grip, and get curious about what’s actually trying to come through.When all else fails, it’s usually not about effort, strategy, or discipline. It’s about meeting what’s underneath, the truth, the clarity, the next chapter that’s already forming.If you’re in a season where things aren’t clicking, this conversation will help you see why that might be the beginning, not the end.Thank you for listening to the Innerverse of Business and Life Podcast. For more resources like this, visit Barb's website at Barbarapatterson.com.SHOW NOTES:[00:00] - Welcome to the Innerverse of Business and Life Podcast[00:56] - Navigating Moments of Failure[09:55] - The Power of Surrender and Curiosity[19:14] - Finding Freedom in Letting Go[33:52] - Thank you for listening!SHOW LINKS:Subscribe to the podcast on YouTube Follow Barb on LinkedinFollow Barb on Instagram

We’ve all had moments when a want feels clear, alive, and true, and yet, when it comes time to move toward it, something inside of us hesitates, tightens, or stalls.In today’s episode, we explore that mysterious place, the edge, where our heart’s desire meets old conditioning, protection, and the parts of us that don’t yet feel free.What if the pause, the freeze, or the resistance isn’t a sign of failure, self-sabotage, or “not wanting it enough”?What if nothing is wrong at all?Together, we look at why so many of us struggle to move toward the very things we care about, how our minds try to solve what doesn’t need fixing, and what becomes possible when we meet that edge with presence instead of pressure.Rather than forcing ourselves through fear, what's possible when we learn to stay with ourselves long enough for something new to reorganize inside?If you’re standing at the edge of a want, a longing, or a next chapter, this conversation is for you.Thank you for listening to the Innerverse of Business and Life Podcast. For more resources like this, visit Barb's website at Barbarapatterson.com.SHOW NOTES:[00:00] - Exploring the Nature of Wants[03:23] - Understanding Resistance to Our Desires[05:11] - The Complexity of Emotionally Loaded Wants[07:03] - Navigating the Edge of Desire and Protection[09:05] - The Role of Presence in Overcoming Resistance[10:32] - Transforming Wants into Action[12:37] - The Power of Direct Experience[14:44] - Embracing the Full Range of Human Experience[17:04] - The Journey of Self-Discovery and Presence[19:06] - Awakening to Our True Potential[21:37] - Inviting Transformation Through PresenceSHOW LINKS:Subscribe to the podcast on YouTube Follow Barb on LinkedinFollow Barb on Instagram

What happens when we stop trying to control our lives and begin listening to the quiet nudges within? What becomes possible when we’re willing to step into the space where the known ends and life begins?In this conversation, author and world traveler Kristy Halvorsen joins me from inside her Airstream, the home she’s lived in for the past eight years while following what she calls the “tickles of her soul.”Kristy’s book, Perfect Unfolding, chronicles not just a physical journey across North America but an inner journey of awakening, surrender, and discovering a deeper connection to life.We explore how aloneness began to fall away, what it means to trust the unknown, how to live from inner guidance rather than fear, and the quiet courage it takes to follow the path that calls to us, even when it makes no logical sense.If you’ve been feeling a tug toward something new, a shift, a desire, or a possibility you can’t quite explain, this episode is an invitation to listen more closely. To trust the nudges. To take the next step without knowing the whole map. And to discover, as Kristy has, that life often leads us somewhere far more beautiful than anything we could have planned.Here’s my conversation with Kristy Halvorsen.Thank you for listening to the Innerverse of Business and Life Podcast. For more resources like this, visit Barb's website at Barbarapatterson.com.SHOW NOTES:[00:00] - Introduction to Perfect Unfolding[05:52] - The Journey of Aloneness and Connection[08:50] - Embracing Surrender and Transformation[11:47] - The Power of Following Your Heart[14:34] - The Impact of Unexpected Connections[17:51] - Living by the Tickles of the Soul[25:46] - Embracing the Unknown[33:48] - The Power of Presence in Relationships[41:42] - Trusting the Journey of Life[50:45] - Thank you for listening to The Innerverse of Business and Life Podcast!SHOW LINKS:Visit Kristy's website.Read Kristy's book, Perfect UnfoldingFollow Kristy on Instagram

So many of us learn early in our careers to put on a kind of professionalism, a polished version of ourselves that keeps us safe, earns approval, and helps us fit into the rooms we enter. But over time, that same persona can become a quiet constraint. It creates distance. It limits our expression. And it costs us connection, with ourselves and with others.In this week’s episode, I'm joined by Ken De Loreto, Founder of Provoke Learning, long-time facilitator of leadership and learning, and co-host of the GenX at 60 podcast. Over his 38 years of working with organizations and leaders, Ken has taken a profound journey from performing and “earning the right” to reveal himself… to beginning from who he really is.Ken shares about the masks he used to rely on, the inner protector he learned to listen to, and the surprising freedom that opened up when he stopped trying to be who he thought others needed him to be. We explore the relationship between authenticity and professionalism, the longing we all have to belong, and the ways we quietly limit ourselves without even realizing it.This conversation is for anyone who has ever felt pressure to manage their image, prove their worth, or hold back the truer parts of themselves.This episode invites you to trust yourself a bit more and to let a little more of you into the room.Thank you for listening to the Innerverse of Business and Life Podcast. For more resources like this, visit Barb's website at Barbarapatterson.com.SHOW NOTES:[00:00] - The Journey of Transformation[04:44] - Unmasking Professionalism[07:51] - The Cost of the Mask[10:47] - Finding Safety in Authenticity[13:46] - The Courage to Be Real[16:32] - Shifting Perspectives on Professionalism[19:50] - The Dance of Authenticity and Professionalism[25:31] - The Balance of Professionalism and Authenticity[28:50] - Exploring Organizational Culture and Hidden Rules[31:46] - The Journey to Authentic Leadership[35:53] - Transformation Through Vulnerability[42:31] - The Power of Connection and Self-ExpressionSHOW LINKS:Provoke Learning WebsiteListen to the Gen X at 60 PodcastConnect with Ken on Linkedin

What if life’s detours and unmet expectations are part of the design?In this conversation with Jason Amoroso, Founder of Revelation Breathwork, holistic high-performance coach, and host of Living the Way of Mastery and The Sound of Healing, we explore what it really means to let go of expectations and learn to trust life.From leaving a career in professional sports to building a business rooted in spirit and service, Jason shares openly about success, surrender, and the inner journey that continues to reshape him.A conversation about the space between drive and allowing, and discovering what remains when we stop trying to make life match the picture in our minds.Thank you for listening to the Innerverse of Business and Life Podcast. For more resources like this, visit Barb's website at Barbarapatterson.com.SHOW NOTES[00:00] - Navigating Expectations and Reality[05:32] - The Hero's Journey and Personal Growth[08:36] - The Dance of Disappointment and Resilience[11:32] - Finding Purpose in the Struggle[14:25] - The Balance of Drive and Satisfaction[17:30] - Embracing Change and New Opportunities[20:35] - The Journey of Entrepreneurship and Self-Discovery[23:27] - The Role of Parenting in Business and Life[28:17] - The Balancing Act of Parenthood and Entrepreneurship[31:09] - Choosing Family Over Financial Gain[33:07] - The Importance of Mental Clarity and Awareness[35:26] - Navigating the Entrepreneurial Mindset[38:11] - The Role of Sleep in Personal Well-being[42:29] - Embracing the Journey of Self-Discovery[45:04] - Creating Meaningful Connections Through Breathwork[54:44] - Thank you for listening!SHOW LINKSLearn more about Revelation BreathworkFollow Jason on Instagram

There are times when life looks fine on the outside - work is flowing, relationships are steady - yet something inside feels muted. A quiet flatness.That subtle hum of “blah.”In this solo episode, Barb explores how that feeling can often be a sign that we’ve drifted into our minds, narrating, managing, and interpreting life instead of living it directly.Drawing on a James Joyce quote, “Mr. Duffy lived a short distance from his body,” she reflects on how our mental protectors, once useful, can begin to constrict the very aliveness we long for.Through story and reflection, Barb invites you to notice where you might be living one step removed and to rediscover what happens when you let life in, not as something to fix or improve, but as an opening to more connection, richness, and felt presence.“Maybe the question isn’t how do I live more fully, but how much life am I willing to let in - even when it stirs me?”Thank you for listening to the Innerverse of Business and Life Podcast. For more resources like this, visit Barb's website at Barbarapatterson.com.SHOW NOTES[00:00] - Letting Life In: An Introduction[01:41] - The Distance from Our Bodies[04:23] - The Protection of Observation[06:02] - The Impact of Internal Guards[09:21] - The Call to Aliveness[12:34] - Exploring Direct ExperienceSHOW LINKSSubscribe to the podcast on YouTube Follow Barb on LinkedinFollow Barb on Instagram