In this episode of Being Different Together, Kelly and Nyssa break down one of Buddhism’s most practical (and misunderstood) teachings: emptiness—using the now-famous story of the pen. Is it a pen or a chew toy? It depends who’s looking.

Drawing from the Heart Sutra, the Diamond Sutra, and modern life at the kitchen table (complete with dog Poppy chewing pens), they explore how reality doesn’t come from objects themselves, but from the karmic seeds and meanings our minds project onto them.

You’ll also learn a simple 4-step Buddhist-inspired method for “getting what you want”—whether that’s more money, better health, deeper love, or greater inner peace—without relying on empty affirmations or spiritual bypassing.

Instead of “toxic positivity,” they talk about intentional action, generosity, and planting seeds in your mind through how you treat others.

If you’ve ever wondered how karma really works, how to manifest change in a grounded way, or how ancient Buddhist philosophy can actually help your day-to-day life and relationships, this conversation is for you.

Main Topics Covered:

• How a simple pen (and a chew-happy pup) can explain Buddhist emptiness
• Why reality doesn’t come from things, but from you and your mind’s “seeds”
• The surprising link between karmic seeds, perception, and everyday reactions
• What Buddhism actually means by “emptiness”(and why it’s not “nothing matters”)
• A 4-step Buddhist-inspired method to get what you want in life
• How to use karma and generosity to attract more money, love, health, and peace
• Why affirmations and prayers alone don’t change your life—and what does
• The role of intention in shaping your reality (and why that makes humans unique)
• How to “water” the right seeds at night with a simple bedtime reflection practice
• Turning your life into a karmic garden: becoming a “karma farmer” on purpose

Links Mentioned:

• Going Upward Newsletter – Join Nyssa’s list here

Books:

• The Diamond Cutter by Gesha Michael Roach
• Women Who Run With the Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estes

Stay in Touch:

Nyssa Hanger: www.nyssahanger.com | IG: @nyssahanger

Kelly Brady: www.kellybrady.me | IG: @drkellybrady

If you’ve ever wondered how to start a creative project with your partner—or why it can feel so hard—you’ll feel right at home in this episode.

Kelly and Nyssa share the honest story behind launching their podcast: from the initial “we should record this” spark to choosing equipment, taking a podcast course, and dealing with all the resistance that shows up when you actually hit record and publish.

They talk about perfectionism, creative block, and resistance, drawing on influences like Seth Godin, Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way, morning pages, and Steven Pressfield’s The War of Art to unpack what it really takes to keep creating.

Main Topics Covered:

• How a four‑hour phone call and bed‑coffee chats slowly turned into a podcast
• Why “done is better than perfect” might be the only way any episode gets made
• Seth Godin on “talker’s block” and what it reveals about creative resistance
• Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way, morning pages, and why blocks often show up in midlife
• The hidden dynamics of co‑creating with your partner (and what birth order has to do with it)
• Projective identification, survival dances, and why so many couples just want to be “right”
• Turning conflict into a “play space” instead of a minefield in your relationship
• Spreadsheets vs. creative flow: respecting wildly different work styles in a shared project
• Why they’re waiting for 100 audio episodes before adding video or YouTube
• “Constipated creativity,” soul‑murdering projects, and finding that sweet spot of challenge

Links:

The Movement Maestro (Dr. Shanté Cofield) (Shante's program, Press Publish, is what got us started!)

Books Mentioned:

The Artist’s Way – Julia Cameron

The Practice – Seth Godin

The War of Art – Steven Pressfield

Put Your Ass Where Your Heart Wants to Be – Steven Pressfield

Stay in Touch:

Nyssa Hanger: www.nyssahanger.com | IG: @nyssahanger

Kelly Brady: www.kellybrady.me | IG: @drkellybrady

Feeling overwhelmed by the news? In this episode, Kelly and Nyssa unpack how to cope with bad news, negativity bias, and constant stress without totally checking out.

They explore why our brains are wired to focus on threats, how the modern news cycle exploits that, and what happens when our stress cycles never fully complete—hello burnout, anxiety, and numbness.

With a mix of psychology, mindfulness, and real-life stories, they share practical ways to stay informed without destroying your mental health: “titrating” your news intake like strong medicine, completing the stress cycle, grounding in everyday life, and making small but powerful community connections.

Drawing on ideas from Burnout, Four Thousand Weeks, Bare Bones Meditation, Rest Is Resistance, and Audre Lorde’s famous insight that self-care is political warfare, this conversation invites you to rethink your relationship with the news, your nervous system, and what “taking care of yourself” really means.

Main Topics Covered:

• Why your brain is so obsessed with bad news (and what “negativity bias” really means in daily life)
• How much news is “enough” before it quietly turns toxic to your nervous system
• The surprising link between unfinished stress cycles, burnout, and doomscrolling
• What ancient humans got right about stress that modern life gets totally backwards
• A simple metaphor that can change how you think about the unconscious (hint: lungs and vacuums)
• How tiny, mundane interactions—like chatting at the grocery store—protect your mental health
• The tension between wanting to stay informed and wanting to stay functional
• Why “self-care” has been co‑opted—and what Audre Lorde really pointed to as political self-preservation
• Practical ways to double down on what you can control when “the world” feels out of control
• How small, local actions and community connections quietly reshape big, broken systems

Links:

Workshops & Newsletter

• Partner Thai Massage Workshop – Sign up here
• Going Upward Newsletter – Join Nyssa’s list here

Referenced Episodes / Resources

• “Enemy Button” episode/resource

Books Mentioned

• Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle – Emily & Amelia Nagoski
• Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals – Oliver Burkeman
• Buddha’s Brain – Rick Hanson
• Bare Bones Meditation – Joan Tollifson
• Rest Is Resistance – Tricia Hersey
• Real Self-Care – Pooja Lakshmin

Writers & Substacks

• Joan Tollifson’s Substack: https://joantollifson.substack.com/
• Polly’s Substack (on brain/consciousness): https://substack.com/@drpolly/p-185555303

Stay in Touch:

Nyssa Hanger: www.nyssahanger.com | IG: @nyssahanger

Kelly Brady: www.kellybrady.me | IG: @drkellybrady