Lisa Bytes: When Everything's Breaking But We Keep Making School Lunches
Ever feel like the world is falling apart but you're still worried about what to make for dinner? There's actually a term for that, and it might just blow your mind. In this Lisa Bytes episode, I'm sharing a concept that helped me understand not just my own past behavior, but what feels like our entire collective experience right now. Spoiler alert: we're all doing it, and once you see it, you can't unsee it.What You'll Discover:The term "hyper-normalisation" and why it explains SO much about modern lifeHow I normalised dysfunction in my own marriage (and why we all do this)Why you can scroll from climate disaster news to celebrity gossip without your brain explodingWhat Soviet Russia can teach us about living with broken systemsThe weird disconnect between "everything is falling apart" and "let me plan next week's meals"Why that conversation with the finance dad at basketball left me feeling so disorientedConnect With Lisa:Join the conversation on Substack: https://lisacorduff.substack.com/Instagram: @lisacorduffWebsite: www.lisacorduff.comContinue your conversation with Lisa on Substack Know someone who would love this episode? Share it with them here (um, and a hefty handful of stars would be greatly appreciated!)
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Mikey Ellis on What Our Boys Really Need Right Now
When my son came home from school and told me the smartest kids in his class were discussing future careers had decided (smartly!) on being carpenters because "AI can't build houses yet," I knew we needed to talk about what this unique time means for our boys. So I sat down with Mikey Ellis - a friend whose work is crucially important - especially now. He curates men's circles and has a deep understanding and passion for working with our boys'. We dive into the big questions: Should we be worried? What do our boys actually need? And how do we raise them into their amazingness during one of the most uncertain times in human history?This is an insightful and enlightening conversation - it's about understanding the unique challenges our boys face and the incredible opportunities ahead of them. Because here's the thing: they're going to be building the new world, and we get to help shape what kind of men they become.What You'll Learn :Why we can't talk about boys without talking about men (and what that means for all of us)The emotional education our boys desperately need (that most of their dads never got)How to stay connected with your son as he goes through massive physical and emotional changesThe difference between healthy masculinity and the toxic stuff they see onlineWhy rites of passage matter more than ever right nowPractical ways to help boys understand their emotions and bodiesHow to have those awkward but crucial conversations about sex, respect, and relationshipsResources Mentioned:"The Will to Change" by Bell Hooks"Permission to Feel" by Mark BrackettThe Rights of Passage InstituteThe Man Cave and Tomorrow Man organisationsThe Fifth Direction communityTeaches Consent (online education)Connect With Mikey:His website and specifically the Wayfinders program On InstagramConnect With Lisa:Join the conversation on Substack: https://lisacorduff.substack.com/Instagram: @lisacorduffWebsite: www.lisacorduff.comContinue your conversation with Lisa on Substack Know someone who would love this episode? Share it with them here (um, and a hefty handful of stars would be greatly appreciated!)
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Lisa Bytes: AI Photos and Skipping the Hard Stuff
Recently I saw something that stopped me in my tracks. A super smart business owner friend shared her success with AI-generated professional photos - they looked incredible, saved her thousands of dollars, and solved a massive problem that so many of us face. Hundreds of people wanted to know how she did it. Of course! It's expensive, time-consuming and a big fat cringe-fest for many of us to get professional headshots taken. Problem = solved. BUT it also got me thinking about what happens when we remove all the uncomfortable growth moments from our lives. Sometimes the hard stuff is where the magic happens - even when it feels like absolute torture at the time.Key Moments:[00:19] Introduction to this new style of episode[02:31] Friend's AI photo success story and why it's a brilliant breakthrough for business owners[06:11] The question that's been bugging me about it.[08:05] My first professional photo shoot disaster (complete with puffy eyes and panic letter)[12:18] What we lose when we skip the uncomfortable growth moments[13:40] Why honest, awkward content often beats the polished stuff[15:34] My "keeping it real" mission and why authenticity matters[17:21] The campfire test.Connect With Lisa:Join the conversation on Substack: https://lisacorduff.substack.com/Instagram: @lisacorduffWebsite: www.lisacorduff.comContinue your conversation with Lisa on Substack Know someone who would love this episode? Share it with them here (um, and a hefty handful of stars would be greatly appreciated!)
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Conversation with Futurist - Lynn Casey
This conversation completely reframed how I think about the future. Lynn Casey is a futurist who works with companies like Mattel, Meta, YouTube, and Target, and she just got back from Stanford where she heard something from Gen Z students that blew my mind.Instead of feeling overwhelmed by all the change happening around us, I walked away from this chat genuinely excited about what's coming next. Lynn helped me see that while we're panicking about problems, there's an entire generation stepping up who aren't trying to fix what's broken - they're building something entirely new.Key Moments:[06:10] The Gen Z mindset shift that changed everything: "We're not here to solve prior generations' problems - this is our world to build"[25:22] Why young people are making queuing cool again and demanding real-life experiences[43:39] The two essential skills for navigating our future (spoiler: you probably already have them)[56:43] The surprising resurgence of human-made everything[1:01:35] Why 2025 is a "nine year" - and what that means for what's coming nextThis conversation genuinely shifted something in me. Instead of feeling overwhelmed by all the change happening, I'm actually excited about what this next generation is going to create.Connect With Lynn:LinkedIn: Lynn CaseyCompany: Shine ScoutSpeaking: She travels globally working with major brands and keynoting eventsConnect With Lisa:Join the conversation on Substack: https://lisacorduff.substack.com/Instagram: @lisacorduffWebsite: www.lisacorduff.comThis conversation left me feeling genuinely hopeful about the future - I hope it does the same for you!Continue your conversation with Lisa on Substack Know someone who would love this episode? Share it with them here (um, and a hefty handful of stars would be greatly appreciated!)
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A Daily Prayer - Staying Grounded in Uncertain Times
In this episode, I'm addressing the elephant in the room: the uncertainty many of us feel about the massive changes happening in our world right now. This isn't about scaring anyone (promise!), but about finding ways to stay anchored when everything feels like it's shifting. From conversations with my teenage son about which careers might still exist in the future, to what I learned about staying grounded during my husband's recovery journey, I'm sharing my concept of a "daily prayer" - not in the religious sense, but as a grounding ritual that tethers us to what's real in a world that feels increasingly chaotic.What You'll Learn (In My Usual Straight-Talking Way!):Why feeling untethered and a bit freaked out right now is completely normalHow I developed my first "daily prayer" during my husband's recovery in 2017The surprising conversation my 15-year-old had about AI and future jobsWhy our current uncertainty isn't something to fight against, but to navigate with intentionMy morning ritual that handles "80% of my mental health needs"How we're actually more prepared for this moment than we realizeWhy community conversations are crucial as we navigate these changes togetherKey Moments:[00:09] Introduction and addressing listener concerns about the podcast's new direction[03:30] The unsettling feeling when the "rug is pulled from underneath you"[06:15] Why it's okay to "swirl around" in uncertainty for a while[09:45] The story of my first daily prayer practice during family crisis[13:20] My son's conversation at school about future-proofing career choices[16:05] Finding joy in ordinary moments as a form of "tethering"[18:40] The opportunity for creation during times of disruption[21:30] Invitation to share your own "daily prayer" practicesResources Mentioned:Pub Choir (recommended live experience)My Substack for community conversationConnect With Lisa:Join the conversation on Substack: https://lisacorduff.substack.com/Instagram: @lisacorduffWebsite: www.lisacorduff.comContinue your conversation with Lisa on Substack Know someone who would love this episode? Share it with them here (um, and a hefty handful of stars would be greatly appreciated!)
About Conversations with Lisa: This Moment in Time
Conversations with LisaNEW SEASON: This Moment in TimeWe are undoubtedly living through a pretty crazy time. Between geopolitics, climate change and AI, our world is rapidly changing. For good. We all feel it.Join Lisa Corduff for a brand new conversation about this moment in time and the tensions, challenges, opportunities and beauty it presents.Could this period of disruption be the perfect time for creating the kind of change we really want - for our planet and our people?Big uncomfortable change is here... it's happening. And it's inescapable. So how do we stay solid, informed and engaged, whilst milking all the goodness we can from this precious life?Welcome to the conversation about This Moment in Time.
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