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Resilience Gone Wild (WinWinWin Mindset)

Resilience Gone Wild (WinWinWin Mindset)

By: Jessica Morgenthal & Kai M Sorensen
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 Explore how nature’s most adaptable species can inspire you to overcome challenges, lead with purpose, and create lasting change in yourself, your organization, and your community. Resilience isn’t just about bouncing back—it’s about evolving, learning, and thriving in the face of adversity.Join Jessica Morgenthal, a positive psychology trainer, teacher, author, speaker, coach, and consultant, as she uncovers stories of nature’s remarkable adaptation and survival. Learn from the resilience of sea turtles, parrotfish, banyan trees, and more, and discover what these incredible examples can teach us about building a win-win-win mindset.Each week, we’ll dive into awe-inspiring stories from the wild and follow up with expert insights, offering practical lessons on resilience that you can apply to your life, leadership, and organization.When nature wins, we win. Subscribe to “Resilience Gone Wild” wherever you listen to podcasts, and let’s grow stronger together.Produced by BLI Studios in partnership with a Win Win Win MindsetConnect with the host Jessica via email: jessica@winwinwinmindset.comOr on the web: winwinwinmindset.comConnect with producer Kai via email: kai@balancinglifesissues.comOr on the web: https://balancinglifesissues.com/podcast-bli/Copyright 2025 Resilience Gone Wild (WinWinWin Mindset) Biological Sciences Science
Episodes
  • Awakening Our Soulful Intelligence: What the Octopus — and Sy Montgomery — Know

    Awakening Our Soulful Intelligence: What the Octopus — and Sy Montgomery — Know
    Dec 3 2025
    Episode 65 Awakening Our Soulful Intelligence: What the Octopus — and Sy Montgomery — Know Guest: Sy Montgomery, author of The Soul of an Octopus What if resilience doesn’t come from thinking harder or pushing faster, but from listening more deeply to the intelligence that already lives within us? In this episode of Resilience Gone Wild, host Jessica Morgenthal explores the quiet, embodied wisdom of the giant Pacific octopus—and how soulful intelligence can help us navigate our own lives with more clarity, connection, and compassion. Joined by Sy Montgomery, bestselling author of The Soul of an Octopus, we step into a world where intelligence is fluid, intuitive, relational, and alive in every moment. Episode Overview In “Soulful Intelligence,” Jessica takes us into the cool stillness of a Northern Pacific kelp forest to meet the giant Pacific octopus—an animal whose distributed, sensory-rich intelligence reveals a different way of knowing the world. Through vivid storytelling, we witness how octopuses perceive, choose, communicate, and relate with a depth that challenges human assumptions about consciousness. This exploration becomes the foundation for a rich conversation with Sy Montgomery, who expands our understanding of soul, presence, and cross-species connection. Through Sy’s stories—of octopuses, dolphins, turtles, caterpillars, dogs, and the living Earth itself—we learn how soulful intelligence deepens resilience, awakens awe, and invites us into a more relational way of being. The result is an episode that reconnects us to our own inner wisdom, to the creatures who share our planet, and to the subtle intelligence that thrives everywhere life is paying attention. What You’ll Learn How the giant Pacific octopus models soulful intelligence through presence, perception, and attunementWhy soulful intelligence integrates mind, body, intuition, values, and relationshipsHow slowing down expands our ability to sense meaning and choose wiselyWhat Sy Montgomery has learned about consciousness and soul from octopuses, turtles, pink dolphins, chimps, and caterpillarsWhy love and curiosity are powerful tools of inquiry in science and in lifeHow awe, reverence, and “beginner’s mind” build resilience and restore connectionHow small acts of mending—of relationships, ecosystems, and daily choices—strengthen both the world and our own internal steadiness Episode Highlights [00:00] Intro [02:00] Distributed intelligence: sensing, learning, and decision-making across the body [04:00] Camouflage as expression: color, texture, emotion, and attunement [06:50] A quiet greeting: two octopuses meet with curiosity [08:50] Defining soulful intelligence [11:15] Why soulful intelligence strengthens resilience Conversation with Sy Montgomery [12:21] Welcoming Sy: the writer who opened the world to octopus consciousness [14:00] Sy’s octopus teachers: Athena, Octavia, Kali, and Karma [16:10] Soul as connection to the rest of creation [18:25] Why naming animals changed the science of behavior [22:39] Jane Goodall, Dian Fossey, Biruté Galdikas, and the revolution of relational science [27:07] Scar tissue, resilience, and the sacredness of mending [33:01] The living Earth, Gaia, and the soul of the planet [35:06] Awe, reverence, and the responsibility of connection [37:36] Mending as antidote to helplessness [49:20] How humans silence their own intuition—and how to restore it [53:49] Being massaged by pink dolphins: a story of cross-species soul [56:42] The feedback loop of doing good [59:16] Caterpillars, memory, and the persistence of soul [01:02:10] Closing reflections: the intelligence that waits beneath our first thoughts Meet the Guest Sy Montgomery is a naturalist, bestselling author, and one of the world’s most beloved interpreters of animal consciousness. Her book The Soul of an Octopus was on the New York Times Bestseller List, was a National Book Award finalist, and reshaped public understanding of invertebrate sentience. Sy has written 39 books about animals—from hawks to pink dolphins to turtles—illuminating the relationships that remind us we are part of a living, soulful, interconnected world. Her work invites readers to listen more deeply, love more broadly, and honor the wisdom that exists beyond human boundaries. Tools, Frameworks, or Strategies Mentioned Soulful Intelligence: alignment of values, intuition, sensation, and meaningDistributed Intelligence in OctopusesBeginner’s Mind in cross-species connectionAwe as a tool for resilienceMending as a daily practice of healingThe Sphere of Influence: acting where energy can truly make a differenceGaian consciousness and interconnected living systems Closing Insight & CTA “Soulful intelligence grows in the space between stimulus and response—the pause long enough for our deeper knowing to rise.” If this episode opened something in you, share it with someone who may be searching...
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    1 hr and 11 mins
  • A Thanksgiving of Appreciation: Resilience Takes Root When We Honor One Another

    A Thanksgiving of Appreciation: Resilience Takes Root When We Honor One Another
    Nov 24 2025
    Episode 64 A Thanksgiving of Appreciation: Resilience Takes Root When We Honor One Another In this Thanksgiving episode of Resilience Gone Wild, Jessica Morgenthal explores the ancient ecological wisdom of the Three Sisters—corn, beans, and squash—and how their centuries-old partnership reveals a living model of regeneration, cooperation, and shared strength. Through immersive storytelling and a powerful conversation with regenerative systems expert Rob Avis, this episode shows how appreciation circulates energy through people, communities, and ecosystems, transforming gratitude into something active, connective, and life-giving. What if Thanksgiving is really an invitation to let our giving nourish the world that nourishes us? What You’ll Learn How the Three Sisters model interdependence, ecological intelligence, generosity, mutual support, and shared abundance How appreciation is more active, expansive, connective, and outward-moving than gratitude How energy follows attention, and how what we pay attention to shapes our path The difference between the sphere of influence and the sphere of concern, and why it matters How regenerative systems allow energy to flow outward, strengthening community How regenerative agriculture and Indigenous farming practices reveal long-term resilience How sensory awareness, humility, and awe reconnect us to the living world How small, intentional actions create large, positive ripples across systems and generations How regenerative agriculture echoes the ancient teaching of giving back more than we take Episode Overview In this special holiday episode, Jessica guides listeners from a glowing Thanksgiving table into the quiet beauty of a November garden. There, the Three Sisters—corn, beans, and squash—become teachers of partnership, reciprocity, and ecological resilience. Their intertwined lives show how appreciation keeps energy flowing through the whole system. Jessica then speaks with Rob Avis, engineer, regenerative designer, and Co-Founder of Fifth World. Rob’s journey from the oil and gas industry to regenerative land restoration reflects the core message of this episode: appreciation is energy in motion. He shares insights about how attention shapes reality, why our sphere of influence matters more than our sphere of concern, and how regeneration begins with humility and intention. The result is a Thanksgiving episode rooted in warmth, wisdom, and renewal—an invitation to shift from gratitude to appreciation, and to let our giving nourish the world that nourishes us. Episode Highlights / Timestamps [00:00] Act 1 – A Thanksgiving Table and the Meaning of Appreciation [05:00] Act 2 – The Story of the Three Sisters: Corn, Beans, and Squash [14:40] Act 3 – The Resilience Lesson: Gratitude vs. Appreciation [22:00] Act 4 – Interview with Rob Avis: From Extraction to Regeneration [22:30] Attention as Energy: The Canoe Metaphor [24:30] Sphere of Influence vs. Sphere of Concern [28:00] Quorum Sensing, Biodiversity, and Indigenous Farming Wisdom [33:00] Regenerative Design and Humility [38:00] Why Small Actions Create Expansive Ripples [43:00] Sensory Awareness and Reconnecting with the Real World [48:00] Enlightened Self-Interest and the Win-Win-Win [54:00] Act 5 – Closing Narrative: Letting Appreciation Circulate Meet the Guest: Rob Avis Rob Avis is a regenerative systems engineer, educator, and designer. He began his career in the oil and gas industry and later shifted toward ecological restoration, resilience engineering, and land-based systems design. As Co-Founder and Chief Engineering Officer at Fifth World, Rob helps individuals and communities create regenerative water, food, land, and energy systems that give more than they take. His work blends engineering precision with ecological humility, inviting people to see regeneration as both practical and profoundly human. Tools, Concepts, and Frameworks Mentioned The Three Paradigms: Extraction, Sustainability, Regeneration Sphere of Influence vs. Sphere of Concern Attention as Energy (The Canoe Metaphor) Quorum Sensing and Multispecies Plant Communities Regenerative Agriculture and Permaculture Principles The Three Sisters Model as Cooperation and Mutual Support Seven-Generation Thinking and Indigenous Ecological Knowledge Practice: Try This Today A few gentle ways to strengthen your appreciation muscle: Speak appreciation aloud with specifics. Name what you see in others that is generous, skillful, wise, or steadying. Notice and record it. Keep a brief note of moments when someone lifted the energy in a room or made life easier. Re-sensitize yourself. Step outside for two minutes. Feel the air. Listen. Touch the ground. Let awe reopen your channel for appreciation. Slow down and name the invisible helpers. The soil, the growers, the pollinators, the microbial worlds, and the human hands behind every meal. You can ...
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    1 hr and 5 mins
  • Marta Mendonca – Lessons from Wisdom of the Vines

    Marta Mendonca – Lessons from Wisdom of the Vines
    Nov 13 2025
    Episode 63 What can centuries-old grapevines teach us about resilience, wisdom, and the art of letting go? In this episode, host Jessica Morgenthal explores how the vineyards of northern Portugal—and the global network of winemakers in The Porto Protocol—reveal timeless lessons about connection, growth, and renewal. Beneath the science of soil and sustainability lies something deeper: a quiet intelligence passed down through nature and community alike. Episode Overview In “Lessons from the Wisdom of the Vines,” Jessica weaves narrative and reflection to uncover how vineyards mirror the rhythms of human life—growth, rest, and transformation. Through her conversation with Marta Mendonça, leader of The Porto Protocol, we learn how wisdom lives not in isolation but in connection: between generations, between the roots and the rain, and between people who choose to share what they know. Marta invites us to see resilience not as endurance but as renewal—to understand that strength begins in what we choose to release. Through the stories of growers, soils, and communities learning together, this episode asks what it means to listen to the lessons nature has been offering all along. What You’ll Learn How pruning becomes a living metaphor for resilience, purpose, and letting go.Why shared wisdom builds stronger systems—ecological and human.The enduring relationship between tradition and transformation.What nature’s timing teaches about patience and presence.How wisdom multiplies when passed from generation to generation.Why resilience begins with the courage to restore, not just to sustain. Episode Highlights [00:00] The Living Memory of the Vine — Nature’s Quiet Resilience [01:31] The Voice of the Vineyard — Learning from Growth and Rest [06:40] The Art of Pruning — Letting Go to Grow Stronger [09:48] Introducing Marta Mendonça and The Porto Protocol [13:45] From Tradition to Shared Wisdom [17:00] Listening to Water — Nature as Teacher [22:50] Restoration in Action — Innovative and Regenerative Practices [26:20] Stories of Renewal — Learning from the Land [29:48] Beyond Sustainability — The Meaning of Resilience [32:31] Closing Reflections — Wisdom Shared, Wisdom Multiplied Meet the Guest Marta Mendonça leads The Porto Protocol Foundation, a global network uniting more than 250 vineyards and wine industry partners in the pursuit of climate action through collaboration and shared wisdom. Founded in Portugal with support from Taylor’s Port and launched alongside world leaders like Barack Obama and Al Gore, the organization embodies the belief that we grow stronger—not by competing—but by learning together. Tools, Frameworks, or Strategies Mentioned The Porto Protocol’s Core Principles – “Every solution counts, and every action matters.”Collaborative Knowledge Networks – Building global communities of learning and exchange.Regenerative Viticulture – Restoring soil health and deepening connection to nature.The Practice of Pruning – Applying nature’s rhythm of renewal to leadership and life. Closing Insight & CTA “Wisdom isn’t what we keep—it’s what we pass on. Resilience begins when we listen, learn, and let go of what no longer serves.” Listen now and reflect on how wisdom grows when it’s shared. Visit https://resiliencegonewild.com to explore more stories that remind us: when nature wins, we win. Resource Links Learn more about The Porto Protocol: https://www.portoprotocol.com/ Connect with Jessica: https://winwinwinmindset.com/ Subscribe to Resilience Gone Wild: https://pod.link/J4yd77 Produced by: Balancing Life’s Issues (BLI Studios) – https://balancinglifesissues.com/podcast–bli/ Music from Uppbeat https://uppbeat.io/t/arnito/des–gouttes License code: 0GNJHICLKJJ9UXY8
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    35 mins
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