What if the most important things you will ever say to those you love are the things you never speak aloud?

In this moving solo episode, John R. Miles shares a deeply personal story about a final walk with his sister, Carolyn, by Lake Austin. He explores the "wordless tie" that binds us together and explains the science of why silence often carries more weight than speech. Drawing on the groundbreaking fMRI research of Dr. Lisa Miller and her work on The Awakened Brain, John reveals how our brains are biologically wired with a "sensing system" for significance.

You will learn why success often feels hollow when we lose our wordless connection to others, and how to use the "Presence Pause" to clear the mental clutter that blocks your sense of purpose. This is an invitation to move beyond the noise of constant doing and rediscover the "mortar" that holds a meaningful life together.

Passion Struck is the #1 alternative health podcast and personal growth podcast dedicated to human flourishing and the science of mattering. It is ranked #1 on FeedSpot’s list of the Top Passion Podcasts on the Web, recognizing the show’s ongoing commitment to thoughtful, human-centered conversations like this one.

Check the full show notes here: https://passionstruck.com/meaning-without-words/

All links gathered here, including books, Substack, YouTube, and Start Mattering apparel: https://linktr.ee/John_R_Miles

In This Episode, You Will Learn

• The Inherited Knowing: How legacy, belonging, and love are passed through presence rather than instruction.
• The Science of the Awakened Brain: A deep dive into Dr. Lisa Miller’s research (episode 532) on the high-power neural circuit that handles stress and hope.
• Quiet Disconnection: Why our brains are wired to amplify the negative and how to reset your internal "noise-to-signal" ratio.
• The Three Bricklayers: A powerful lesson on how shifting your lens transforms the daily grind into a sacred mission.
• The Presence Pause: A 3-minute practical habit to reopen your brain's channel for purpose.
• Small Acts of Resonance: How wordless gestures like a smile or a simple touch recalibrate the nervous system for safety and connection.

The Meaning Without Words Companion Resources

Download our free digital companion workbook featuring guided prompts to help you notice the silence, open to presence, and let meaning land without forcing it through words. Explore the guide

Connect with the Ecosystem

• Pre-order You Matter, Luma: https://youmatterluma.com/
• Support the Movement: https://StartMattering.com
• Join The Ignited Life Community: https://TheIgnitedLife.net

Disclaimer

The Passion Struck podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. The views and opinions expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Passion Struck or its affiliates. This podcast is not a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment from a licensed physician, therapist, or other qualified professional.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What if the moments where you feel most "disengaged," "perfectionistic," or "paralyzed" as a parent aren't character flaws, but the result of a "Trauma App" running in the background of your brain?

In this groundbreaking episode of Passion Struck, Dr. Robyn Koslowitz, clinical child psychologist and author of the definitive guide Post-Traumatic Parenting: Break the Cycle and Become the Parent You Always Wanted to Be, joins the show. With over 20 years of experience helping more than 10,000 families, Robyn explains why post-traumatic parenting is fundamentally different from typical parenting. She reveals how "Secret ACEs" (Adverse Childhood Experiences) and hidden trauma history can hijack your nervous system, making it nearly impossible to "share your calm" with your children.

John and Robyn discuss the neurological reality of parenting after trauma, moving past the "fad" social media trends of gentle parenting to focus on the science of nervous system regulation. Koslowitz introduces her trademarked AIM Method (Acceptance, Integration, and Meaning-making) to help parents reclaim their "admin permissions" from their trauma. The conversation centers on a profound truth: your inner child cannot raise a child, but raising your real-world child can be the ultimate path to healing trauma through parenting.

If you have ever asked, "How can I give my kids a normal childhood when mine was anything but?"—this episode provides the validation, neuroscience, and practical "hacks" needed to break generational trauma and foster an earned, secure attachment.

Check the full show notes here: https://passionstruck.com/post-traumatic-parenting-robyn-koslowitz/

Download a Free Companion Workbook with reflection prompts tied to this episode.

To contact John about Keynote speaking, his books, and podcast: https://linktr.ee/John_R_Miles

Pre-order You Matter, Luma: https://youmatterluma.com/

For more about Dr. Robyn Koslowitz: https://posttraumaticparenting.com

Book: Post-Traumatic Parenting available wherever books are sold.

In this episode, you will learn

• Post-traumatic parenting explained: Why your body reacts to your child's behavior as a survival threat.
• The "Trauma App" Metaphor: How early experiences shape emotional regulation and override your parenting instincts.
• The 5 Subtypes of Post-Traumatic Parents: Identifying if you lean toward paralysis, perfectionism, or disengagement.
• Building Secure Attachment: How to move from trauma responses in parents to creating attachment and emotional safety.
• The AIM Method: A 3-step clinical framework for intergenerational healing and trauma recovery.
• Why "Gentle Parenting" isn't enough: The importance of structure, play, and nervous system regulation for the "cycle breaker."
• Healing the Inner Child: How to stop "Trauma Poker" and start raising emotionally secure children after trauma.

Support the Movement

Every human deserves to feel seen, valued, and like they matter. Wear it. Live it. Show it. https://StartMattering.com

Disclaimer

The Passion Struck podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. The views and opinions expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Passion Struck or its affiliates. This podcast is not a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment from a licensed physician, therapist, or other qualified professional.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What if the chronic overwhelm, emotional chaos, and sense of being "too much" or "not enough" stem from Invisible ADHD rather than personal shortcomings?

In this revealing episode of Passion Struck, Shanna Pearson, founder of the world's largest one-on-one ADHD coaching program and author of the bestseller Invisible ADHD: Proven Mood and Life Management for Smart Yet Scattered Women, joins John R. Miles. With over 26 years of experience and her own late-diagnosed ADHD journey, Shanna explains why ADHD in women often remains hidden or misdiagnosed as anxiety, depression, or character flaws. She draws from hundreds of thousands of coaching sessions to highlight internal struggles like masking, rejection sensitivity, rumination, and burnout that intensify in midlife amid hormonal changes.

John and Shanna discuss the neurological roots of these experiences, why traditional strategies fall short for women, and practical tools from her book. The conversation centers on reclaiming agency: moving beyond endless effort to sustainable approaches that align with an ADHD brain, restore momentum, and foster genuine self-worth.

If you have ever felt smart yet scattered, unseen by others and sometimes yourself, or exhausted by success that drains rather than fulfills, this episode offers validation and clear steps forward.

Passion Struck was recently ranked #1 on FeedSpot’s list of the Top Passion Podcasts on the Web, recognizing the show’s ongoing commitment to thoughtful, human-centered conversations like this one.

Check the full show notes here: https://passionstruck.com/invisible-adhd-in-women-shanna-pearson/

Download a Free Companion Workbook with reflection prompts tied to this episode.

All links gathered here, including books, Substack, YouTube, and Start Mattering apparel: https://linktr.ee/John_R_Miles

Pre-order You Matter, Luma: https://youmatterluma.com/

For more about Shanna Pearson: https://expertadhdcoaching.com

Book: Invisible ADHD available wherever books are sold

In this episode, you will learn

• Why adult ADHD in women frequently goes undiagnosed or gets mislabeled as anxiety or depression
• How masking, people-pleasing, and emotional overwhelm conceal core ADHD traits in females
• The impact of rejection sensitivity, self-doubt, and identity erosion on self-worth
• Why symptoms often escalate in midlife due to perimenopause, burnout, and hormonal shifts
• Practical tools from Shanna’s coaching and book for managing mood, creating state changes, and building self-trust
• How to shift from constant overcompensation to strategies that work with an ADHD brain
• Why naming the experience and accessing targeted support restores clarity and meaning

Support the Movement

Every human deserves to feel seen, valued, and like they matter.

Wear it. Live it. Show it.

https://StartMattering.com

Disclaimer

The Passion Struck podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. The views and opinions expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Passion Struck or its affiliates. This podcast is not a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment from a licensed physician, therapist, or other qualified professional.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What if “winning” isn’t proof of intelligence, but evidence that something went wrong?

In this compelling episode of Passion Struck, behavioral economist Alex Imas joins John R. Miles to unpack The Winner’s Curse, a powerful concept from behavioral economics that explains why smart, capable people systematically overpay, overcommit, and double down on bad decisions.

Drawing from his research and his forthcoming book co-authored with Nobel Laureate Richard Thaler, Alex reveals how the Winner’s Curse shows up far beyond auctions and markets—shaping career choices, relationships, investments, leadership decisions, and even how we interact with AI-driven systems. When competition, uncertainty, and ego collide, the “winner” is often the person who misunderstood the situation the most.

John and Alex explore why human decision-making breaks down under uncertainty, how mental representation distorts the choices we think we’re making, and why loss aversion and sunk costs keep us chasing outcomes that no longer serve us. They also examine how modern technology and algorithms don’t correct these flaws but often amplify them.

At its core, this episode is about reclaiming agency in an irrational world: learning to recognize when confidence is misleading, when winning comes at too high a cost, and how better decisions begin not with smarter thinking, but with clearer framing. If you’ve ever wondered why success sometimes feels hollow, why “winning” creates regret, or why intelligent people repeat the same costly mistakes, this conversation will change how you see choice itself.

Passion Struck was recently ranked #1 on FeedSpot’s list of the Top Passion Podcasts on the Web, recognizing the show’s ongoing commitment to thoughtful, human-centered conversations like this one.

Check the full show notes here: https://passionstruck.com/the-winners-curse-alex-imas/

Download a Free Companion Workbook with reflection prompts tied to this episode.

All links gathered here, including books, Substack, YouTube, and Start Mattering apparel:

https://linktr.ee/John_R_Miles

Pre-order You Matter, Luma:

https://youmatterluma.com/

For more about Alex Imas:

https://www.chicagobooth.edu/faculty/directory/i/alex-imas

In this episode, you will learn

• Why the Winner’s Curse means the “winner” often made the biggest mistake
• How behavioral economics challenges the myth of rational decision making
• What mental representation is and how it distorts the choices we believe we’re making
• Why loss aversion and sunk costs keep us chasing bad outcomes
• How uncertainty, competition, and ego interact to produce overconfidence
• Why AI and algorithms often magnify human bias instead of correcting it
• Practical ways to slow down decisions and avoid costly “wins.”

Support the Movement

Every human deserves to feel seen, valued, and like they matter.

Wear it. Live it. Show it.

https://StartMattering.com

Disclaimer

The Passion Struck podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. The views and opinions expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Passion Struck or its affiliates. This podcast is not a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment from a licensed physician, therapist, or other qualified professional.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What if the quiet emptiness after achieving "success"—the promotion, the house, the milestone—isn't failure, but a signal to build deeper meaning?

In this solo episode of Passion Struck, host John R. Miles introduces the architecture of significance: a blueprint for shifting from a life that's a monument to yourself to one that becomes a shelter for others.

Building on insights from Dr. Stephen G. Post and Mark Nepo, John explores the hidden foundation of inherent worth, the pillars of circulation that turn contribution into connection, the windows of mature perception that move from facade to true presence, and the roof of shelter that protects what matters most.

This episode explains why success often feels hollow, how significance creates flow rather than extraction, and why your quiet, real presence may be the greatest gift you offer in 2026. It's an invitation to inhabit your worth, circulate meaning, and become the shelter others need.

Passion Struck with John R. Miles was recently ranked #1 on FeedSpot’s list of the Top Passion Podcasts on the Web, recognizing the show’s ongoing commitment to thoughtful, human-centered conversations like this one.

Check the full show notes here: https://passionstruck.com/build-an-architecture-of-significance/

All links gathered here, including books, Substack, YouTube, and Start Mattering apparel

https://linktr.ee/John_R_Miles

For more about John R. Miles - https://johnrmiles.com/

Pre-order You Matter, Luma - https://youmatterluma.com/

The Architecture of Significance Companion Resources

Practical reflections and contemplative prompts to map your shift from success to significance, including exercises on recognizing your foundation, identifying circulation pillars, and reframing perception.

Explore the companion guide: https://www.theignitedlife.net/p/becoming-an-architect-of-significance

In this episode, you will learn

• Why the "hollow quiet" after success has a structure, and how to recognize it
• How reclaiming inherent worth forms the unshakeable foundation of significance
• The difference between extraction (success) and circulation (meaning) in daily life
• Why mature attention shifts from facade (impressing others) to windows (truly seeing)
• How immersion in the ordinary creates deeper resonance than chasing intensity
• Why building a "shelter" for others is the ultimate evolution of a meaningful life

Support the Movement

Every human deserves to feel seen, valued, and like they matter. Wear it. Live it. Show it.

https://StartMattering.com

Disclaimer

The Passion Struck podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. The views and opinions expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Passion Struck or its affiliates. This podcast is not a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment from a licensed physician, therapist, or other qualified professional.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.