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"With my definition of intimacy right at the beginning of the year in particular, I really sought deeper relationships for myself, with myself, deeper relationships at work, deeper relationships at home, while I'm playing … everything. I wanted more. I wanted more connection. We're all hardwired for connection. And if anything, the last few years have taught us that we need more connection in our lives."

- Mark Staelgraeve

Ever meet one of those “everyday visionaries,” the kind of people with a gift for extracting brilliant lessons from seemingly mundane encounters? Mark Staelgraeve is one of those.

As you might imagine, this episode is full to the brim with practical, actionable, everyday lessons for how to bring intimacy into all corners of your life. Using the perspectives of a recovering perfectionist, an Agile software developer, a husband, a father, a friend, an athlete, a friend, a man on a long journey–and more–Mark weaves in and out of the moments many of us take for granted to unearth simple gems that make our lives richer.

And if you’re listening to this around the episode release date, maybe you want to take up Mark’s 2023 challenge for himself and make “Intimacy” a focus word for yourself in the coming year.

Enjoy!

On The Easiest Way to Get Present:

“Just disconnecting, that's one of the biggest things. And then that helps me to slow down. It helps me to let everything that's going on in the brain just kind of settle down and it quiets. And I find it quite interesting that that simple act of turning the phone off and putting it out of sight, it really helps all the other things then to be out of sight and out of mind.”

On A Key to Leaving Perfectionism Behind:

“Giving myself the permission to let it all fall to the ground. Who cares, right? I'll pick it up later because there's nothing I can do about it right now, in this moment. So it's making that intentional choice that I'm going to give myself permission, I'm going to give myself that freedom to let go of all of these worries, of all these things that are on my mind."

Email: mark@markstaelgraeve.com

Mark Staelgraeve is a husband, a father of two adult children, and a recovering perfectionist. He serves as a leadership and life coach, an agile coach, and management consultant with over 30 years of professional experience in technology and software development across multiple industries. His top personal values include family, fun, learning, trust, integrity, freedom, positivity, and kindness.

Who is one person that you can think of right now who might find this episode helpful? Go ahead… send them a link. You might just strike up a new and meaningful conversation with them while you’re at it!

The views expressed are that of the individual and do not represent the opinions of any companies past, present or future.

Intro Music: Catch It by Coma- Media

Outro Music: Upbeat Funky Retro by QubeSounds

Editing & Production Services by JRS Young (my son).