Starve the Ego Feed the Soul

A podcast covering everything about the most important subject you'll ever study, yourself. Real people, real conversations, discussing the real things that matter. Tune in for your weekly dose of introspection. Please send all inquiries to coaching@nicobarraza.com

Starve the Ego Feed the Soul is a society podcast hosted by Nico Barraza, with 109 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Nico Barraza hosts Starve the Ego Feed the Soul, a society show with 109 episodes published.

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  Starve the Ego Feed the Soul

  Lessons On Grief with Cassidie Carmen Bates, MPP

  Sep 10, 202654 min

  We talk with grief researcher and bereavement policy specialist Cassidie Carmen Bates about why most workplaces are not built for loss, even though grief affects the brain, body, and performance. We unpack what “grief-informed” support looks like in real companies, and how better bereavement leave can improve retention while also protecting employees in their hardest season. Links to Cassidie's work: https://www.cassidiecarmenbates.com/ https://www.thesoulexecutor.com/ Topics covered during the show: • why Cassidie moves from public policy into grief research after losing her dad at 25 • what “grief-informed” bereavement leave means beyond paid time off • the US bereavement leave landscape and why many workers get about three unpaid days • how manager training and workplace culture shape a bereaved employee’s experience • employee loyalty and retention when companies support the acute phase of grief • what goes wrong when leaders are dismissive and how that harm sticks • the executor burden and how estate responsibilities can delay grieving • grief in the body, delayed responses, and why compartmentalizing is not sustainable • how Cassidie balances lived experience with research objectivity • a gentle framework for what can actually help someone who is grieving As always, if you guys dig the episode, if you dig any of the episodes, please leave Starve the Ego, Feed the Soul, a five-star written review on Apple and Spotify Podcasts. If you could do both, that'd be lovely. Support the show Warmly, Nico Barraza @FeedTheSoulNB www.nicobarraza.com

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  Starve the Ego Feed the Soul

  Relationship Advice That Starts With You with Jillian Turecki

  Sep 2, 202650 min

  We sit down with my friend Jillian Turecki after the launch of her book "It Begins with You" to talk about what changes when your work goes mainstream and why the best relationship advice still begins with self-awareness. We dig into mentorship, ethics, and dating culture so you can spot guidance that helps you grow instead of advice that keeps you stuck. • the problem with pop-psych labels that make you a victim • why self-accountability matters more than “red flags” • what people take from It Begins With You • why being single does not disqualify a relationship coach • the danger of giving advice that causes harm • why mentors and supervision should be non-negotiable • what a real mentorship or certification path could include • how to vet a coach or therapist with trust and clarity • dating apps, the gender divide, and rebuilding empathy • the safety realities women face and the issue of married daters If you do, please consider leaving the show a five-star written review on Apple or Spotify or both. And then consider sharing the episode or any episode that connects with you. Support the show Warmly, Nico Barraza @FeedTheSoulNB www.nicobarraza.com

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  Starve the Ego Feed the Soul

  What Actually Changes A Person with Gloria Brun Del Rey

  Aug 10, 20261h 4m

  You can feel it when someone is performing for the internet and you can feel it when someone is telling the truth. That’s why I wanted to sit down with Gloria Brun Del Rey, a 23-year-old creator from Switzerland who went from a brutal personal low point to posting one honest video every day and quickly building a huge community around meaning, purpose, and self-awareness. She’s also a Swiss military veteran and a former psychology student, which adds a grounded edge to the way she talks about “energy” and the law of attraction. We get into what actually changes a person: solitude, loss, and the decision to stop hedging. Gloria shares how hitting rock bottom pushed her to trust her instincts, follow small impulses, and create without chasing an outcome. I also share my own perspective on “laws of the universe,” grief, and why love can feel like a real force you can’t fully measure, especially after losing someone you shared your life with. We talk about the mental habit of labeling events as good or bad, how that label lives inside us, and how accountability can give your life back to you. You’ll also hear practical guidance that’s simple and hard: spend more time alone, sit in silence, stop feeding your mind constant input, and see what rises to the surface when you’re not distracted. If you’ve been craving clarity, authenticity, mindfulness, or a healthier relationship with social media, this one will meet you where you are. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs it, and leave a review with the biggest idea you’re taking into your week. Check her out on Instagram @GloriaDelRe and on YouTube youtube.com/@gloriadelre? Support the show Warmly, Nico Barraza @FeedTheSoulNB www.nicobarraza.com

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  Starve the Ego Feed the Soul

  The Home We Build with LtCol Frank "Slap" Lusher (ret).

  Jun 22, 20261h 4m

  We talk with retired F-16 pilot LtCol. Frank “Slap” Lusher about why his proudest mission is the family he builds with his wife, not the medals or the flight hours. We break down practical fatherhood habits that create a safe home, strengthen kids under pressure, and keep masculinity rooted in humility and accountability. • choosing family-first decisions and closing chapters without regret • setting two clear expectations for kids: grades and effort • creating a safe space after mistakes instead of piling on pressure • using debrief culture to learn from failure without shame • teaching kids to reset fast and self-regulate emotions • staying ahead of social media and technology through constant communication • building a strong marriage through teamwork, honesty, and shared decisions • preparing kids for bad coaches and imperfect leaders Support the show Warmly, Nico Barraza @FeedTheSoulNB www.nicobarraza.com

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  Starve the Ego Feed the Soul

  Facing The Afterlife Question

  Mar 10, 202645 min

  What if admitting “I don’t know” about the afterlife could make you more alive today? We dive into the stories humans tell about death—why they comfort us, how they guide behavior, and where they can quietly limit our courage. With warmth and honesty, I explore the tug-of-war between the need for certainty and the deeper call to live, love, and serve without cosmic guarantees. We start with the big questions: do we believe in heaven because it’s true or because our brains fear annihilation? I share current stats on U.S. and global belief, then unpack terror management theory to show how minds chase symbolic immortality—children, legacies, doctrines—when mortality shows up. We examine the desire for justice beyond the grave, the ache to see loved ones again, and how cultural upbringing can harden into a script we stop questioning. Along the way, I talk candidly about my own path: raised Catholic, still drawn to community and song, but choosing humility over certainty about miracles and metaphysics. From Christianity and Islam’s heaven and hell to Buddhism and Hinduism’s reincarnation to modern ideas of energy returning to the universe, we map the range of afterlife models and what they reveal about human needs. I share why I ground my spirituality in love experienced here—soul-level connection, service, tenderness—rather than promises of reward later. The point isn’t to strip meaning; it’s to deepen it. If death might be an end, every moment becomes more urgent, every breath more sacred, every act of kindness more real. You’ll leave with practical questions to test your beliefs, a gentler relationship with uncertainty, and a renewed focus on what you can choose now: presence, honesty, and love. If this conversation sparks something—hope, discomfort, curiosity—lean in. Subscribe, share with a friend who loves big questions, and leave a review with one belief you’re rethinking today. Support the show Warmly, Nico Barraza @FeedTheSoulNB www.nicobarraza.com

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