Caroline Phipps

Join us in this profound and eye-opening discussion with the insightful Caroline Phipps as she unravels the subject of self-righteousness in our era of hyper-connectivity. Caroline's eloquent reflections paint a picture of the world drastically shifted by instant information transmission, a dynamic that has not only brought us closer but also spurred the rise of self-righteous beliefs. In this remarkable episode, we explore the notion of the 'Era of Stone Throwers,' a symbolic expression of the self-righteous individuals who capitalizes on our globally connected society to assert and enforce their beliefs without face-to-face confrontation. Caroline provocatively argues that amidst the great opportunities that our digital age offers, lies an undertow of forces pushing back against progress and unity. Unveiling the dangers and boredom of self-righteous posturing, Caroline sketches a clear correlation between the lure of such conduct and the fear and uncertainty plaguing our modern lives. Interestingly, sh

In this episode of the Up and Running Morning Show, host Rick hosts Caroline Phipps, founder of Living with Inner Elegance, for a riveting conversation about an oft-ignored quality-- listening. As opposed to merely hearing, they delve into the lost art of active listening. Be part of this profound journey of understanding how active and intent listening can transform personal and professional relationships. During the conversation, Caroline meticulously demystifies the nuances of listening, emphasizing how humans spend more time hearing but seldom actively listening. She sheds light on how our vocal culture, filled with noise and competition, contributes to this situation, highlighting the absence of guided learning about how to listen effectively. The discussion then veers toward the subtle yet impactful difference between hearing and listening and how our over-reliance on snappy communications has led us to neglect the art of true listening. This part of the conversation is an eye-opener to the adverse effe

In this enlightening episode of the Up and Running Morning Show on 98.1 KZE, we are joined by the insightful Caroline Phipps. Invited for her monthly appearance, Caroline chooses to discuss the gravity of peace and justice through the lens of the powerful Peter Tosh song, Equal Rights. Correlating the song's deeper message with the concept of 'good trouble' as defined by the late representative John Lewis, we delve into the struggle between resistance and peacefulness. We traverse the concept of integrity, examining how it has been seemingly under attack in recent times, and how people of integrity run the risk of being exploited. By referencing British Prime Minister Chamberlain's appeasement policy towards Hitler before World War II, Caroline illustrates how integrity and peace, without scrutiny, can be misunderstood and exploited. Emphasizing the importance of 'good trouble', Caroline explains that it is crucial to discern when to resist and when to remain peaceful. Justice, equity, and inclusion for all a

In this episode, Rick, the host of the Up and Running Morning Show on 98.1 FM WKZE in Red Hook, New York, and I, as I celebrate the 10th anniversary of my initiative Living With Inner Elegance, engage in a meaningful discussion on integrity. As part of their dialogue, we explore the unfolding societal shift and the increasingly blurred line between right and wrong. We discuss what it means to have integrity in the current times, where many seem to live in a post-shame world, disregarding accountability for their actions. Delving deeper, we discuss how individuals and businesses often lack congruence between their expressed values and actual behavior, leading to disillusionment and cynicism among the people around them. I share anecdotes highlighting the strength and importance of maintaining integrity in challenging circumstances. Discussions explore the impact of an integrity gap at an individual level and in a broader societal context. Reflecting on the influence of integrity on relationships and the import

Going it Alone You Might Not Get There   On January 10, 2024, Caroline Phipps and Rick Schneider discussed the downsides of leading a life focused on personal projects and individualism, even when living alone.   In hindsight, 2023 was a year of revelation. Despite predictions of a return to post-pandemic normalcy, issues such as loneliness, miscommunication, and conflict dominated. With significant global challenges like climate change, polarization, and pandemic fallout requiring collaboration and cooperation to solve, why do so many still choose to go it alone?   This "I did it my way" approach to life has its roots in the potent mythology of rugged individualism, which values self-reliance above all else. In the past, this mindset led to forceful actions like conquering and pioneering to impose our will on others and nature. Today, it manifests in the competitive drive for material gain, power, celebrity, influence, and other markers of exclusivity, which create a sense of separateness and specialness. M

Self-Esteem Where does your power come from? 03/23/2023   “When a person is at home in his life, he always has a clear instinct about the shape of outer situations; even in the midst of confusion he can discern the traces of a path forward.” John O’Donohue To Bless the Space Between Us   There’s much talk these days about empowerment, “I’m free to be me,” “I’m true to myself.” I sometimes get the feeling from such affirmations that they are challenging, even at times defiant. With concerns swirling around our collective mental health and sense of purpose, it begs the question: what is self-esteem, and where does it come from? Self-esteem is not something we pop out of the womb with. Some of us experience a childhood that confirms our worth, and some do not so much or not at all, but whatever the circumstance, there are no guaranteed self-esteem outcomes. Having authentic confidence in ourselves and knowing our intrinsic value is perhaps our most crucial challenge in this life and is something we are respo

Keeping it Real What’s Your Reality? 02/15/2023 "There are things known and there are things unknown, and in between are the doors of perception." Aldous Huxley   We are designed to be totally dependent upon external energy: Air, water, and food are essential as well as temperatures conducive to life. It makes rational sense then that the more we understand the realities of our existence the better equipped we will be. With all that’s happening today regarding what’s real, and what’s not real, as we’re increasingly subjected to alternative facts, media programing, conspiracy theories, influencers, virtual reality, the metaverse and so on, understanding our realities is more important than ever. So, what do we mean by reality? Can we know for sure what’s real and what’s not? Can we really create our own reality as many philosophies and spiritual belief systems teach us that we can? Consider this, every one of us has a different perception of reality because our reality is the product of individual interpretati

Be Prepared! Minimizing Disruption is Key to Success 01/26/2023   “Success depends upon previous preparation, and without such preparation, there is sure to be a failure.” Confucius   On August 14, 2003, I was leaving Manhattan with friends when the traffic lights failed. The entire electricity grid had gone down in the city and surrounding areas. Fortunately, we escaped the inevitable disruption that continued for many days, as we were well on our way out of town when it happened. As we drove north, however, many cars were having to pull over because they’d run out of gas. We were more fortunate. The friend, who was driving us, always kept the tank topped up, so we arrived safely. I learned a big lesson that day. Up until then I only thought to fill up when the warning light came on. Had we been in my car we might all have been stranded on the side of the road in need of rescue. As it was the inconvenience was minor and we were able to help others in need. All thanks to one person who had the foresight to b

Dec / 23 "Be open to the fact that we are all human, yet we don’t see the world the same way. There is so much to be learned from another point of view. Caroline Phipps   As we come to the completion of another year, I would like to express my gratitude to you for being on this journey with me. Life is full of ups and downs, and we all have our challenges, but one thing I know for certain – with love and kindness together, we are helping to make this world a more elegant place.   Thank you for the love and support. I wish you a blessed and peaceful end of the year, and may we all continue to grow and discover new ways to live with Inner Elegance in the coming year. "Luv aplenty"

As we take our first tentative steps into a New Year, hospitals are full, politicians are bickering and the weather here in the Berkshires has been doing a fine impersonation of damp and chilly England. While New Year’s Eve brings with it the sensation of starting anew, how effective are the usual resolutions and good intentions that go with flipping our yearly calendar page when things feel like more of the same?  The fascinating thing about these times is that, in truth, nothing is the same. But the evolutionary ground is shifting under our feet so fast that it’s hard for our cultural minds to keep up. The accelerating changes of the last couple of years have a purpose, I believe, because they have turned a spotlight on what, and who, we value: A contagious virus reminds us of our mortality and the value of a simple hug. Storming the Capital reminds us of the value of our democracy. Wildfires remind us that our crisp, clean Berkshire air can’t be taken for granted. Things are different now, and new year’s

The Emotional Minefield  Do You Know Where You’re Standing? Are you living in an emotional minefield tiptoeing around other people? Or do others have to tiptoe around you? Last month we discussed hyper-sensitivity and the challenges around the giving and taking of offense. So many of you reached out that I thought it might be helpful to take a closer look at some effective ways to deal with the pressures of these emotionally charged days, particularly with the holiday season just around the corner. As previously touched on in this series, the only power we have is being responsible for ourselves. It’s simply not possible to fully control how others behave.  Communicate with kindness when you feel hurt to clear up any misunderstanding and avoid triggering heightened sensitivity. And be prepared to listen if you have caused hurt. But this only works if everyone involved can rise above the situation and has a genuine desire to make things better, as opposed to trying to establish righteousness. Forcing someb

Feeling offended, and expressing outrage, is now all the rage affecting every aspect of our lives. And short fuses and limited tolerance have their place, of course, when an offense is serious and damaging. But in my inner elegance coaching practice, there’s an increasing hyper-sensitivity to perceived, and real slights that’s become the issue dominating relationships and it’s causing unnecessary pain and confusion. The emotional tripwires created by this heightened sensitivity are becoming increasingly hard to navigate. The last thing most of us want is to cause offense (particularly with loved ones) and this ironically plays right into the hands of those who understand the power of being deliberately offensive for their own ends. The offense can only be caused when we are quick to take offense. Politicians, for example, understand this only too well. The sting is instant and it’s a cheap way to make a splash or feel superior, without having to make any effort. So, why are we so easy to offend? Rudeness, b

The Scars We Create  When Feelings are Bigger than Truth - - In these unsettling times, mental health issues are front and center. Athletes are voicing their struggles with stress and anxiety; we are leaving our jobs in record numbers often citing burn-out and depression and outbursts of disruptive behavior are popping up everywhere from airlines to grocery stores. Today we are encouraged to share how we feel in a way that we never have before. Having grown up in England where such a thing was totally frowned upon, and hence completely unheard of, it’s a welcome relief. It feels good to know that we are not alone in our own struggles and that there is no longer any stigma attached to revealing it or to getting help.  It comes as no surprise, with all the challenges we’re facing, that in my own life, and work, I am encountering emotional turmoil and overflow of greater intensity than ever before. This is a good thing when the issues are thoughtfully explored, and effort is made to understand more about why