In episode 9 of cosmic cheer squad, we follow up on chris's “swimming with sharks” piece. bee and chris dive deeper into the harmful dynamics that can emerge in professional communities, especially those that claim to prioritize growth and transformation. We talk about developing the discernment to recognize toxic patterns and the courage to extract ourselves when necessary.
Together, we explore:
Recognizing when a system has become corrosive to one’s spirit
The grief and relief of choosing to step away
How humor, friendship, and irreverence help keep us afloat
Building new forms of belonging that resist illegitimate authority
The practice of rewriting our stories so we aren’t bound by old narratives
This conversation is about courage in the open water: leaving the shore of what’s familiar, even when it’s toxic, and learning how to swim toward freer, truer ways of living.
Mentioned in this episode:
swimming with sharks by chris wells
emotional trampolines by bee mayhew
episode 6: love, loss, and the power of showing up
Positive Disintegration episodes by guest:
Frank Falk: Episode 5
Tina Harlow: Episode 11
Celi Trépanier: Episode 31
Kate Arms: Episode 6 and Episode 28
Bob Yamtich: Episode 22
Jen Merrill (on Substack), Laughing at Chaos (Jen’s website)
Overcoming the Self-Stigma of Mental Illness series by chris wells
💌 Connect with us:
Find bee on pragmagination
Find Chris on Positive Disintegration and PDA: Resistance and Resilience
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