Needed to Hear That!

Accountability usually sounds like something that happens when you've screwed up. But what if we've been thinking about it the wrong way?This week on Needed to Hear That, Chris and Chaz talk about what real accountability looks like, to ourselves, to the people we love, and to the people who depend on us.Chris opens up about places in his own life where he's struggled to hold others accountable, while Chaz explains why accountability without trust, safety, and relationship can quickly become little more than criticism. They also get into boundaries, leadership, recovery, mentorship, asking for difficult feedback, and why constantly stepping in to fix everything for everyone else might not be the good leadership you think it is.And ultimately, accountability doesn't have to be a punishment. Sometimes taking responsibility for what you can control is one of the most freeing things you can do.

Enjoy some of the best moments from this summer's episodes of Needed To Hear That.Chaz and Chris will be back next week with a brand new episode.

When was the last time you were actually bored?Not scrolling your phone. Not watching something in the background. Not checking social media, shopping, working, gambling, eating or finding another way to occupy your attention. Just… nothing to do.This week on Needed to Hear That, Chris and Chaz talk about why boredom has become increasingly difficult for us to tolerate and why learning to live with a little of it might actually matter.Chaz explains how our nearly unlimited access to stimulation has created a world where we rarely have to sit quietly with our thoughts, feelings or even a lack of distraction. And underneath what we casually call boredom can be something much deeper: FOMO, anxiety, comparison, loneliness and even the uncomfortable question of who we are when nobody is watching and there’s nothing to accomplish.The conversation also gets personal. Chris admits how quickly a quiet Saturday watching college football can turn into guilt that he’s “wasting time.” Chaz challenges the idea that our worth has to be constantly proven through productivity and asks what it would look like to become a little more comfortable with the ordinary, mundane parts of our lives. Because those boring moments—the quiet night with someone you love, the familiar routine, the coffee mug somebody decided was worth fixing, the afternoon where nothing particularly remarkable happens—aren’t necessarily time between the important parts.They might be the important parts.This week on Needed to Hear That: boredom, recovery, FOMO, productivity, rest, distraction and learning how not to wish our lives away.

Who takes care of the people who take care of everyone else?This week on Needed to Hear That, Chaz and Chris talk about caregiving, not just as a profession, but as something almost all of us will be called to do at some point in our lives.The conversation begins with grief and the loss of grandparents, including Chaz reflecting on caring for his grandmother at the end of her life and realizing years later that those small acts of care were some of the most significant things he has ever done. From there, they explore what happens to people who are constantly turning toward the needs and suffering of others.They talk about parents, therapists, nurses, social workers, people caring for loved ones struggling with addiction, and anyone whose instinct is to make life a little easier for someone else. Chaz also challenges the idea that being healthy or strong means becoming completely self-sufficient. Eventually, every one of us will need someone else, and learning how to receive care may be just as important as learning how to give it.Because if you're always the person who turns toward everyone else's suffering, there's an important question worth asking:Who turns toward you?

What does it actually mean to be authentic?We hear some version of “just be yourself” all the time. The problem is, sometimes figuring out who “yourself” actually is can be the hard part.In Episode 30, Chaz and Chris dig into authenticity, what it looks like in recovery, therapy, relationships, spirituality and everyday life, and why trying to be authentic can sometimes become another expectation we put on ourselves.They talk about Chris's approach to sharing his recovery story and why being open about the ugly parts can help other people feel safe enough to do the same. Chaz also pushes back on the idea that authenticity means being completely exposed all the time. Not everybody has earned every part of you, and keeping something sacred doesn't make you fake.The conversation gets into the versions of ourselves we present to the world, why people need room to change, the pressure of social media, our instinct to judge ourselves and other people, and what happens when maintaining the person we're pretending to be becomes more exhausting than simply figuring out who we actually are.🎙️ Needed To Hear That — Episode 30