When Conflict Finds You
Staying Grounded in a Disconnected World
Hey friends,
Let me be honest—this week hit a nerve.
Not because of a headline.
Not because of a crisis.
But because of a quiet conversation that didn’t go the way I hoped.
And for a moment, my nervous system wanted to bolt.
You’ve probably felt it too:
That spark of defensiveness.
The temptation to be “right” instead of real.
The pull to shut down, speed up, or tune out.
But what if that very moment—the uncomfortable one—is where connection starts?
This is where this week’s solo episode came from.
It’s called “When Conflict Finds You: 5 Ways to Stay Grounded in a Disconnected World.”
And it’s one of the most personal frameworks I’ve ever shared.
In it, I introduce the R.E.A.C.T. Method—a tool I’ve used in boardrooms, relationships, and moments where I’m triggered and don’t want to lose myself.
Because here’s the truth:
We don’t become who we are in the calm.
We become who we are in the chaos.
Especially when conflict finds us.
Listen or read the full story → Here
What’s New on the Podcast This Week
This week on Passion Struck, we’re diving deeper into The Connected Life—and exploring how the invisible threads between us shape everything we do, create, and become.
🎧 Tuesday – Episode 628: Dr. Michael Morris
How Culture Shapes the Way We Connect
What if the way we communicate, lead, and empathize is shaped by invisible forces?
Dr. Michael Morris, a cultural psychologist at Columbia Business School, helps us uncover the unconscious frameworks that shape how we interpret each other—and why cultural awareness isn’t just a leadership skill, but a key to real connection.
🎧 Thursday – Episode 629: Eli Finkel & Paul Eastwick
Love Factually: What Rom-Coms Get Right (and Hilariously Wrong) About Relationships
What can science learn from Ryan Gosling? In this refreshingly fun and insightful episode, I sit down with Dr. Eli Finkel and Dr. Paul Eastwick—two of the world’s top relationship scientists and the hosts of the hit podcast Love Factually. Together, we decode iconic rom-coms and examine what pop culture gets wildly wrong (and surprisingly right) about attraction, commitment, dating apps, “the spark,” and more. Drawing from decades of psychological research, they reveal how real relationships work—and why the truth about love is more fascinating than fiction.
In Case You Missed It
🎧 Tuesday, June 17 – Dr. Anna Lembke
How to Be Human in a Dopamine-Driven World
We explored the neuroscience of overconsumption—and why the very things we reach for to feel good might be what’s dulling our joy and hijacking our presence.
🎧 Thursday, June 19 – Bill McGowan
When Words Lose Us
One of the world’s top communication coaches breaks down why clarity, structure, and presence matter more than volume. A must-listen if you want to communicate with trust and intention.
✨ Weekly Passion Spark
Try this:
Notice the moment you’re about to react—and choose curiosity instead.
Before you assume.
Before you defend.
Before you disengage—pause.
Ask yourself:
What story am I telling myself right now?
And what might I not be seeing in the other person?
Maybe it’s a different need.
A different norm.
A silent plea to be heard.
This week, lean in—not just with your words, but with your presence.
Because the bridge between misunderstanding and connection is built with intention.
Your Challenge This Week
Practice attuned presence.
The next time someone speaks, pause everything else.
Don’t listen to solve.
Don’t listen to respond.
Listen to understand.
With your eyes. Your breath. Your posture. Your silence.
Because sometimes, the most powerful thing you can offer…
is your full attention.
And when you do—it shifts something.
Not just for them, but for you.
Let’s Keep Growing Together
This newsletter—The Connected Life—isn’t just about ideas.
It’s about making those ideas real.
If something landed with you this week, I’d love to hear.
Just hit reply and let me know what sparked.
Live boldly.
Lead fully.
Stay Passion Struck,
– John