This is the "advanced curriculum" for people who have cleaned up their psychological issues and are ready to "do the work" to thrive beyond reason. You can read an article I wrote on this topic here:  https://alltogetheracademy.mykajabi.com/blog/death

Episode 2 - Death To Who You Were - 1/19/25

Michael Boyle hosts "The Boiling Point" podcast, aiming to inspire and empower listeners with practical tools for resilience and joy. In this episode, he discusses the importance of authenticity, sharing a joy exercise, and the concept of reverse engineering happiness. He recounts overcoming health challenges by gradually embracing dancing, which led to improved well-being. Boyle emphasizes the need to move beyond victimhood (which he differentiates from recognizing the validity of trauma and having been "victimized" by forces beyond one's control) advocating for proactive steps to create happiness. He introduces "Energy of Mind," a secular spiritual practice, and highlights the importance of personal transformation, aiming to help listeners become all-loving individuals.

Action Items

• Practice the "smile UP energy" exercise - imagine your joy rising up into a cloud and wonder when it will rain back down.
• Reverse engineer desired outcomes by taking small, manageable steps in that direction, rather than waiting for perfect conditions.
• Be willing to "die to who you were" - let go of past identities, mentalities, behaviors, and perceptions to create a new, more empowered way of being.
• Take responsibility for one's thoughts, feelings, and actions, rather than blaming external circumstances, which even if "accurate" (blaming) is dis-empowering and counter-productive. 

Outline

Introduction and Podcast Goals

• Michael Boyle introduces the podcast, "The Boiling Point," and its purpose to inspire and empower listeners with practical ideas and tools.
• He mentions the Joyful Excellence Mastermind Community and other resources available on the All Together Academy website.
• Michael encourages listeners to reach out with questions or requests for topics they would like to hear discussed.
• He emphasizes the goal of making life a place worth loving through the podcast.

Episode 2 Introduction and Podcast Format

• Michael welcomes listeners to the second episode and mentions his commitment to releasing one podcast per week.
• He shares that he is recording with a horse voice due to a winter cold and mentions the positive feedback he has received.
• Michael explains that the podcast is a minimally viable product and will improve over time.
• He decides to speak spontaneously rather than using scripts to make the content more authentic and enjoyable.

Joyful Excellence Exercise

• Michael introduces an exercise focused on energy of mind, a secular and spiritual practice for practical people.
• He asks listeners to consider something that brings them joy and to notice the images and sensations that arise in their body.
• The exercise involves smiling and imagining joy rising up through the body and gathering in a cloud beyond imagination.
• Michael encourages listeners to look out for being surprised by joy in future moments and to continue this practice.

Reverse Engineering Happiness

• Michael shares an example of reverse engineering happiness by asking questions in meditation.
• He describes his struggle with health challenges and how he decided to reverse engineer happiness by focusing on what would make him happy.
• Michael explains the concept of the grace and ease question, which helps identify the next easiest thing to do to move toward happiness.
• He shares his journey from dancing in private to dancing in public and eventually salsa dancing with his wife, highlighting the importance of small steps.

Death to Who You Were

• Michael introduces the concept of "death to who you were" and its relevance to the Joyful Excellence Mastermind Community.
• He discusses the importance of moving beyond victim stories and the challenges of validating wound stories in a dysfunctional way.
• Michael emphasizes the need to take responsibility for one's state of being and to reverse engineer happiness rather than waiting for external circumstances to change.
• He shares his experience of finding joy beyond circumstances and the importance of creating a future that one values.

Energy of Mind and Secular Spiritual Work

• Michael introduces the fourth limb of his work, "Energy of Mind," which focuses on practical, secular spiritual practices.
• He explains the importance of validating and accepting one's past while focusing on the present moment.
• Michael discusses the need to master new ways of thinking, feeling, and acting to embody a new personal reality.
• He emphasizes the importance of dying to the old self and being reborn as a new, more loving and joyful person.

Conclusion and Final Thoughts

• Michael concludes the episode by encouraging listeners to practice the smile exercise and to radiate joy into the unknown.
• He reminds listeners that they are empowered to conjure up images and sensations that nourish them.
• Michael wishes listeners blessings, love, and joy, and encourages them to help precipitate these feelings in their lives.
• He ends the episode with a reminder to choose loving and thriving, all together.