By popular demand, Dr. Amanda Blake is back as a guest on Untrained! We are so excited to continue our conversation from January and cover new ground.  

We have something in common with Amanda – all three of us have backgrounds as elite athletes. Iris was a fencer, Whitney was a rower, and Mandy was a synchronized swimmer.

In this episode, we talk about the relationship between our bodies, our performance (both athletic and at work), and belonging. As former athletes, we discuss how our training at a young age influenced our sense of belonging throughout our lives. Mandy brings human evolution to the topic – we are wired to seek safety, connection, and dignity.

But at what cost? Oftentimes, in a sports setting or a work setting, striving for perfection is what’s rewarded, making mistakes is punished, and the cycle of overwork is reinforced. Join us for this episode of Untrained as we examine our behavioral patterns, how they manifest in the body, and what we can learn from children exploring tide pools. 

Untraining:  The invisible pathways and behaviors to achieve belonging.

Training: A wider variety of options for creating a sense of belonging. What we will explore in this episode: 

• How we train our bodies (or our bodies train us) around performance and belonging.
• Being present to combat anxiety and overwhelm. 
• The cost of high performance. 
• Performing from a place of relaxed readiness. 
• How intense sports training can show up in other parts of your life.
• Why it’s important to “love your typos” and feel safe making mistakes. 
• Taking care of yourself and getting the outcome. 
• Our brains are on autopilot to find safety, belonging, and respect.
• How do we get our sense of belonging at work? Is it by neglecting our own needs?

 Guest Bio: Dr. Amanda Blake is the author of the award-winning book Your Body Is Your Brain, and creator of the Body = Brain(TM) course on the neurobiology of experiential leadership learning.  In addition to teaching about the art and science of embodiment, she works with leaders worldwide to help them become their best self, enjoy life more, and make a bigger contribution.

Once an internationally competitive athlete, Mandy is skilled at cultivating high performance in herself and others. As a Master Somatic Leadership Coach, she is known for supporting pragmatic yet profound transformations in her clients. She holds a degree in Human Biology from Stanford University and a doctorate in Management from Case Western Reserve University. 

She’s also a longtime yoga enthusiast, mountaineer, and musician.

You can find her here:
Website: https://embright.org/
Book: https://www.amazon.com/Your-Body-Brain-Intelligence-Relationships/dp/0999368117