<![CDATA[My Niche is Human]]>9f29b221-f575-5e70-9c64-6d9484e1882fMon, 04 Nov 2024 12:15:19 +0000Captivate.fmSteven Fagehttps://artwork.captivate.fm/8ae5bab9-f61a-40da-b963-36cdfe1128de/Y2PJvpWmkiwGc8rBWZgLE3p_.pngMy Niche is HumanSteven FageSteven FageMy Niche is Human explores the intricate landscape of mental health, psychology, and philosophy. Host Steven Fage, a robotics engineer turned entrepreneur and performer, brings a unique systems-thinking approach to understanding the human experience. This weekly podcast, which is presented in a solo and mini four-part series, delves into the left-brain/right-brain dynamic and offers strategies for navigating life's complexities. Whether you're feeling stuck or seeking personal growth, each episode provides fresh perspectives on reality and self-awareness. Join us as we explore the lens through which we view the world and unlock the path to your genius.https://stevenfage.com/podcasttrueepisodichttps://feeds.captivate.fm/mynicheishuman/nopodcastBegin AgainBegin AgainWelcome back to My Niche is Human! After a long hiatus, we're diving into a fresh season, exploring topics beyond the labels that once defined us. In this personal episode, I share my journey of starting the podcast to break free from my diagnosis, facing unexpected fears, and my growth over the years. Join me as I introduce a new four-part format designed to break down complex topics, offer unique perspectives, and provide actionable insights for your own life.

I’m excited to explore themes like death, growth, and letting go of identities that no longer serve us—plus the importance of sharing scars, not wounds, in the stories we tell. Thank you for being here, and welcome to Season 2!

]]>Welcome back to My Niche is Human! After a long hiatus, we're diving into a fresh season, exploring topics beyond the labels that once defined us. In this personal episode, I share my journey of starting the podcast to break free from my diagnosis, facing unexpected fears, and my growth over the years. Join me as I introduce a new four-part format designed to break down complex topics, offer unique perspectives, and provide actionable insights for your own life.

I’m excited to explore themes like death, growth, and letting go of identities that no longer serve us—plus the importance of sharing scars, not wounds, in the stories we tell. Thank you for being here, and welcome to Season 2!

]]>9981b95e-47e8-48bf-9c45-349126a05286Mon, 04 Nov 2024 07:15:00 -050017:22truefull21212Steven FageThe Dark Side of ComedyThe Dark Side of ComedyI've always been fascinated with comedians. I used to come home from junior high school and watch ComicView on BET or even many years later, memorizing Robin Williams' comedy special, Live on Broadway. It's always seemed like comics had a special eye for society and human behavior. I mean how else do they come up with their jokes, mostly geared towards many of the societal norms we take for granted?

There have been studies trying to quantify the psychology of comics and better understand what both motivates them to do what they do and also what gives them their special talents. Famous comics such as Robin Williams, Richard Pryor, and Ellen Degeneres are often referred to when talking about this special kind of intelligence. They are also often put in the Mental Health/Illness category as well; to which correlations have also been explored. Though most studies find that they are not necessarily more "sick" than non-comedians, most often their personalities come with a high drive for acceptance.

To better understand if anything of this has merit, or to at least attempt to hear it from the horse's mouth; I sat down with my friend, Jojo White to talk about his passion for sharing the connection between Comedy and Depression in what might be the show's most heartfelt episode yet.

Buckle in, this one is going to take you for a ride. I hope you enjoy - Steven.

For show notes, visit: https://mynicheishuman.com/podcast/the-dark-side-of-comedy/

]]>I've always been fascinated with comedians. I used to come home from junior high school and watch ComicView on BET or even many years later, memorizing Robin Williams' comedy special, Live on Broadway. It's always seemed like comics had a special eye for society and human behavior. I mean how else do they come up with their jokes, mostly geared towards many of the societal norms we take for granted?

There have been studies trying to quantify the psychology of comics and better understand what both motivates them to do what they do and also what gives them their special talents. Famous comics such as Robin Williams, Richard Pryor, and Ellen Degeneres are often referred to when talking about this special kind of intelligence. They are also often put in the Mental Health/Illness category as well; to which correlations have also been explored. Though most studies find that they are not necessarily more "sick" than non-comedians, most often their personalities come with a high drive for acceptance.

To better understand if anything of this has merit, or to at least attempt to hear it from the horse's mouth; I sat down with my friend, Jojo White to talk about his passion for sharing the connection between Comedy and Depression in what might be the show's most heartfelt episode yet.

Buckle in, this one is going to take you for a ride. I hope you enjoy - Steven.

For show notes, visit: https://mynicheishuman.com/podcast/the-dark-side-of-comedy/

]]>de87479a-f718-4785-abb9-f587b1f6960eWed, 09 Dec 2020 23:25:00 -050001:38:00truefull1161161There have been studies trying to quantify the psychology of comics and better understand what motivates them to do what they do and what gives them their special talents. Famous comics such as Robin Williams, Richard Pryor, and Ellen Degeneres are often referred to when talking about this special kind of intelligence. I sat down with my Comedian friend, Jojo White to talk about the connection between Comedy and Depression. https://stevenfage.com/podcast/episode/the-dark-side-of-comedy/Steven FageUnderstanding PTSD - Dr. GreeneUnderstanding PTSD - Dr. GreeneI always thought you had to be in the military to get PTSD. Clearly, I didn't understand what trauma really is...

But PTSD, or trauma is so much more than being exposed to war. I've often wondered about the idea of "micro-trauma"; almost getting hit by a car, losing a job, being betrayed by a loved one... anything that causes us to question our reality in an instant. How do these events change our lives, how does our behavior change, our outlook on ideals like trust, family, and hard work?

If you're just as curious as I am, give this episode a chance. I sit down with my friend Taryn Greene who is currently seeking her PhD in Health Psychology from UNC with a focus on Post Traumatic Growth. This is a very candid interview with some surprises.

To see the video and show notes, visit, https://mynicheishuman.com/podcast/understanding-ptsd-post-traumatic-growth/

]]>I always thought you had to be in the military to get PTSD. Clearly, I didn't understand what trauma really is...

But PTSD, or trauma is so much more than being exposed to war. I've often wondered about the idea of "micro-trauma"; almost getting hit by a car, losing a job, being betrayed by a loved one... anything that causes us to question our reality in an instant. How do these events change our lives, how does our behavior change, our outlook on ideals like trust, family, and hard work?

If you're just as curious as I am, give this episode a chance. I sit down with my friend Taryn Greene who is currently seeking her PhD in Health Psychology from UNC with a focus on Post Traumatic Growth. This is a very candid interview with some surprises.

To see the video and show notes, visit, https://mynicheishuman.com/podcast/understanding-ptsd-post-traumatic-growth/

]]>0c31eebb-e15f-481c-a808-b95536a5f226Thu, 03 Dec 2020 01:08:00 -050051:43truefull1151151I always thought you had to be in the military to get PTSD. Clearly, I didn't understand what trauma really is... If you're just as curious as I am, give this episode a chance. I sit down with my friend Taryn Greene who is currently seeking her PhD in Health Psychology from UNC with a focus on Post Traumatic Growth. This is a very candid interview with some surprises. To see the video and show notes, visit, https://stevenfage.com/podcast/episode/understanding-ptsd-and-post-traumatic-growth/Steven FageJourney Through The Artist's WayJourney Through The Artist's WayHave you ever felt like there is an untapped artist within you waiting to be let free? Have you lost years of your life not being as creative as you feel you're capable of?

I sit down with my friend Arman Assadi to discuss his experience and journey with a book/course called The Artist's Way and how that changed his view of self, of starting a podcast, and how he is able to stoke FLOW better and faster because of it.

Full show notes and video: https://mynicheishuman.com/podcast/journey-through-the-artists-way/

]]>Have you ever felt like there is an untapped artist within you waiting to be let free? Have you lost years of your life not being as creative as you feel you're capable of?

I sit down with my friend Arman Assadi to discuss his experience and journey with a book/course called The Artist's Way and how that changed his view of self, of starting a podcast, and how he is able to stoke FLOW better and faster because of it.

Full show notes and video: https://mynicheishuman.com/podcast/journey-through-the-artists-way/

]]>fcd795af-63ff-49b5-a765-eb3a80b1ece6Thu, 22 Oct 2020 16:00:00 -050001:06:03truefull1141141Have you ever felt like there is an untapped artist within you waiting to be let free? Have you lost years of your life not being as creative as you feel your capable of? I sit down with my friend Arman to discuss his journey with The Artist's Way and how that changed his view of self, of starting a podcast, and how he is able to stoke FLOW better and faster because of it... Full show notes and video: https://stevenfage.com/podcast/episode/journey-through-the-artists-way/Steven FageExposing NarrativesExposing NarrativesFrom Movies, Commercials, Your Family and Friends; they're all telling you stories about themselves to either convince you of an idea or to control your world.

We're also doing this to ourselves, all, the, time. The stories we were told from an early age turn into the stories we continue to tell ourselves, sometimes our entire lives.

We unpack the idea of story, how and why we tell ourselves the stories we do, and what we can do to tell ourselves better, more empowering stories.

Join me and Dawn Fraser as we travel down this rabbit hole, you may find yourself on the other side.

In this episode, we cover:

  1. Establishing your “life's work”, logging entries of life events, memories, and feelings
  2. How lucky we are to have social media to use as an archive for looking back on our lives from an introspective perspective
  3. Acknowledging what you are good at, what you are ok at, and what you are not so good at, make the stories based on reality not on what's been given (or told to you)
  4. The 5 Love Languages and how they relate to our state of mind when we're telling ourselves how our stories are going
  5. How to recognize the signs when things are off, and you keep telling yourself the same negative things, over and over
  6. How to navigate media consumption and all the stories being fed to us online
  7. Being mindful of the source of stories and wether it is a dialogue or one-way communication
  8. Change is inevitable, growth is optional
  9. Gratituding (its a new word)
  10. Defining your micro-stories in place of relying on one big macro story
  11. Learning to build in flexibility and detours into your vision/story to prevent discouragement that leads to quitting
  12. Knowing the difference between the FACTS and the TRUTH
  13. Learning to tell stories from our scars, and not our wounds…
  14. How studying story and telling stories can teach you to tap into yours and make better connections between memories and events that have happened in your life

Full show notes and video: https://mynicheishuman.com/podcast/storytelling-and-the-stories-we-tell-ourselves/

]]>From Movies, Commercials, Your Family and Friends; they're all telling you stories about themselves to either convince you of an idea or to control your world.

We're also doing this to ourselves, all, the, time. The stories we were told from an early age turn into the stories we continue to tell ourselves, sometimes our entire lives.

We unpack the idea of story, how and why we tell ourselves the stories we do, and what we can do to tell ourselves better, more empowering stories.

Join me and Dawn Fraser as we travel down this rabbit hole, you may find yourself on the other side.

In this episode, we cover:

  1. Establishing your “life's work”, logging entries of life events, memories, and feelings
  2. How lucky we are to have social media to use as an archive for looking back on our lives from an introspective perspective
  3. Acknowledging what you are good at, what you are ok at, and what you are not so good at, make the stories based on reality not on what's been given (or told to you)
  4. The 5 Love Languages and how they relate to our state of mind when we're telling ourselves how our stories are going
  5. How to recognize the signs when things are off, and you keep telling yourself the same negative things, over and over
  6. How to navigate media consumption and all the stories being fed to us online
  7. Being mindful of the source of stories and wether it is a dialogue or one-way communication
  8. Change is inevitable, growth is optional
  9. Gratituding (its a new word)
  10. Defining your micro-stories in place of relying on one big macro story
  11. Learning to build in flexibility and detours into your vision/story to prevent discouragement that leads to quitting
  12. Knowing the difference between the FACTS and the TRUTH
  13. Learning to tell stories from our scars, and not our wounds…
  14. How studying story and telling stories can teach you to tap into yours and make better connections between memories and events that have happened in your life

Full show notes and video: https://mynicheishuman.com/podcast/storytelling-and-the-stories-we-tell-ourselves/

]]>70a26057-f811-420f-b10e-2e5b5c72f1c0Fri, 09 Oct 2020 12:00:00 -050001:23:58truefull1131131From Movies, Commercials, Your Family and Friends; they're all telling you stories about themselves to either convince you of an idea or to control your world. We're also doing this to ourselves, all, the, time. We unpack the idea of story, how and why we tell ourselves the stories we do, and what we can do to tell ourselves better, more empowering stories. Full show notes and video: https://stevenfage.com/podcast/episode/storytelling-and-the-stories-we-tell-ourselves/Steven FageIs Being a VICTIM Holding You Back?Is Being a VICTIM Holding You Back?Imagine a life where everyone is against you, including yourself. Often times we experience events (trauma) or relationships that train our mind to blame the outside world instead of taking accountability for ourselves.

Often times this happens as the result of losing your power. Your sense of self-perception and choice to set boundaries and make a new start.

Join me and Sukdev as we travel down this rabbit hole, you may find yourself on the other side.

Full show notes and video: https://mynicheishuman.com/podcast/to-be-or-not-to-be-a-victim/

]]>Imagine a life where everyone is against you, including yourself. Often times we experience events (trauma) or relationships that train our mind to blame the outside world instead of taking accountability for ourselves.

Often times this happens as the result of losing your power. Your sense of self-perception and choice to set boundaries and make a new start.

Join me and Sukdev as we travel down this rabbit hole, you may find yourself on the other side.

Full show notes and video: https://mynicheishuman.com/podcast/to-be-or-not-to-be-a-victim/

]]>83fd2d2f-9c09-454c-af6e-2da5b35b1bbfThu, 01 Oct 2020 01:37:00 -050051:57truefull1121121Imagine a life where everyone is against you, including yourself. Often times we experience events (trauma) or relationships that train our mind to blame the outside world instead of taking accountability for ourselves. Often times this happens as the result of losing your power. Your sense of self-perception and choice to set boundaries and make a new start. Full show notes and video: https://stevenfage.com/podcast/episode/to-be-or-not-to-be-a-victim/Steven FageThe Psychology of ImprovThe Psychology of ImprovLearn how to practice free association to exercise and stretch your brain and release your ego. Improv is a special kind of medicine, one that can lead to a more courageous life. 

Full show notes and video: https://mynicheishuman.com/podcast/the-psychology-of-improv/

]]>Learn how to practice free association to exercise and stretch your brain and release your ego. Improv is a special kind of medicine, one that can lead to a more courageous life. 

Full show notes and video: https://mynicheishuman.com/podcast/the-psychology-of-improv/

]]>eae527bc-17d1-4ff0-ae17-8625c7d10490Sat, 15 Aug 2020 02:09:00 -050041:03truefull1111111Learn how to practice free association to exercise and stretch your brain and release your ego. Improv is a special kind of medicine, one that can lead to a more courageous life. Full show notes and video: https://stevenfage.com/podcast/episode/the-psychology-of-improv/Steven FageSTOP Living Vicariously Through OthersSTOP Living Vicariously Through OthersWhat does living vicariously mean and what I learned from the passing of another celebrity and why it's ok to be upset when someone you don't know, dies.

Full show notes and video: https://mynicheishuman.com/podcast/living-vicariously/

]]>What does living vicariously mean and what I learned from the passing of another celebrity and why it's ok to be upset when someone you don't know, dies.

Full show notes and video: https://mynicheishuman.com/podcast/living-vicariously/

]]>6ecb714c-806e-4108-a4d2-60f8f871892cMon, 27 Jan 2020 21:30:00 -050010:45truefull1101101What does living vicariously mean and what I learned from the passing of another celebrity and why it's ok to be upset when someone you don't know, dies. Full show notes and video: https://stevenfage.com/podcast/episode/the-power-of-living-vicariously/Steven FageWhat NO ONE Tells You About QuittingWhat NO ONE Tells You About QuittingLearn how to know when to Quit; your job, an idea, or your broken relationship. It's time. A conversation with Clint Bertucci

Full show notes and video: https://mynicheishuman.com/podcast/know-when-to-quit/

]]>Learn how to know when to Quit; your job, an idea, or your broken relationship. It's time. A conversation with Clint Bertucci

Full show notes and video: https://mynicheishuman.com/podcast/know-when-to-quit/

]]>968c4921-d04f-4ddf-b2ac-9b027a87ea35Thu, 23 Jan 2020 19:14:00 -050049:07truefull19191Learn how to know when to Quit; your job, an idea, or your broken relationship. It's time. A conversation with Clint Bertucci Full show notes and video: https://stevenfage.com/podcast/episode/know-when-to-quit/Steven FageEmbracing my Feminine SideEmbracing my Feminine SideListen if you find yourself stuck on the same bullshit demons and how I finally learned to embrace my feminine side.

Show notes: https://mynicheishuman.com/podcast/how-to-unleash-your-inner-demons-and-find-peace/

]]>Listen if you find yourself stuck on the same bullshit demons and how I finally learned to embrace my feminine side.

Show notes: https://mynicheishuman.com/podcast/how-to-unleash-your-inner-demons-and-find-peace/

]]>7dba8362-72a5-476b-8a73-e8b18b55382cMon, 30 Dec 2019 04:00:00 -050022:05truefull18181Listen if you are finding yourself stuck on the same bullshit demons and how I finally learned to embrace my feminine side. Full show notes and video: https://stevenfage.com/podcast/episode/how-to-unleash-your-inner-demons-and-find-peace/Steven FageSurviving an Attempt at SuicideSurviving an Attempt at SuicideSo many people are suffering from thoughts of Suicide and family members who have completed Suicide. Hear my sister Maggie's hopeful story of how she survived...

Show notes: https://mynicheishuman.com/podcast/surviving-an-attempt-at-suicide/

]]>So many people are suffering from thoughts of Suicide and family members who have completed Suicide. Hear my sister Maggie's hopeful story of how she survived...

Show notes: https://mynicheishuman.com/podcast/surviving-an-attempt-at-suicide/

]]>e1b3f104-b0ef-4add-8955-0003db0ceacdTue, 17 Dec 2019 18:37:00 -050038:02truefull17171So many people are suffering from thoughts of Suicide and family members who have completed Suicide. Hear my sister Maggie's hopeful story of how she survived... Full show notes and video: https://stevenfage.com/podcast/episode/surviving-an-attempt-at-suicide/Steven FageApproaching the Mental Health ConversationApproaching the Mental Health ConversationYou may be afraid to talk about Mental Health/Illness. Listen to find ways to be more open with yourself and find the courage to listen and respond to others...

Show notes: https://mynicheishuman.com/podcast/how-to-talk-about-your-mental-health/

]]>You may be afraid to talk about Mental Health/Illness. Listen to find ways to be more open with yourself and find the courage to listen and respond to others...

Show notes: https://mynicheishuman.com/podcast/how-to-talk-about-your-mental-health/

]]>ccc39189-4a0e-4ee5-9c18-b02ffbb08516Tue, 10 Dec 2019 01:10:00 -050045:16truefull16161You may be afraid to talk about Mental Health/Illness. Listen to find ways to be more open with yourself and find courage to listen and respond to others.. Full show notes and video: https://stevenfage.com/podcast/episode/how-to-talk-about-your-mental-health/Steven FageSocial Media Life ComparisonSocial Media Life ComparisonI made the mistake of comparing myself to people I follow on social media and learned the importance of how to balance social media with real life.

Show notes: https://mynicheishuman.com/podcast/social-media-life-comparison/

]]>I made the mistake of comparing myself to people I follow on social media and learned the importance of how to balance social media with real life.

Show notes: https://mynicheishuman.com/podcast/social-media-life-comparison/

]]>96027575234341c39349181236794802Tue, 14 May 2019 19:02:00 -050008:50truefull15151I made the mistake of comparing myself to people I follow on social media and learned the importance of how to balance social media with real life. Full show notes and video: https://stevenfage.com/podcast/episode/social-media-life-comparison/Steven FageReplacing Excuses with ChoicesReplacing Excuses with ChoicesImagine getting hit by a drunk driver to wake up and realize you have a brain tumor… one that may never have been found until it was too late.

This and other events are shared to stoke your consideration for seeing the reason why certain things happen to us in life. Excuse or Choices has become the mantra of my friend, Jessica, as the result of facing tragedy and finding the only strategy for survival; to make excuses or choices.

Show notes: https://mynicheishuman.com/podcast/excuses-or-choices/

]]>Imagine getting hit by a drunk driver to wake up and realize you have a brain tumor… one that may never have been found until it was too late.

This and other events are shared to stoke your consideration for seeing the reason why certain things happen to us in life. Excuse or Choices has become the mantra of my friend, Jessica, as the result of facing tragedy and finding the only strategy for survival; to make excuses or choices.

Show notes: https://mynicheishuman.com/podcast/excuses-or-choices/

]]>26143f6247b944a39b61bc04c7b99c45Tue, 07 May 2019 17:00:00 -050029:55truefull14141Imagine getting hit by a drunk driver to wake up and realize you have a brain tumor, one that may never have been found until it was too late. Considerating the reasons why certain things happen to us in life. Excuse or Choices has become the mantra of my friend, Jessica, as the result of facing tragedy and finding the only strategy for survival; to make excuses or choices. Full show notes: https://stevenfage.com/podcast/episode/excuses-or-choices/Steven FageWorking through Imposter's SyndromeWorking through Imposter's SyndromeHow to Deal with Imposter Syndrome, how I got over it in the past (using the power of "I don't know) and how I'm currently fighting it through the production of this show.

Show notes: https://mynicheishuman.com/podcast/how-to-deal-with-imposter-syndrome/

]]>How to Deal with Imposter Syndrome, how I got over it in the past (using the power of "I don't know) and how I'm currently fighting it through the production of this show.

Show notes: https://mynicheishuman.com/podcast/how-to-deal-with-imposter-syndrome/

]]>5e45c608-45d9-454d-94f2-89d1b83c0c1bThu, 28 Feb 2019 01:20:00 -050010:38truefull13131How to Deal with Imposter Syndrome, how I got over it in the past (using the power of "I don't know) and how I'm currently fighting it through the production of this show. Full show notes and video: https://stevenfage.com/podcast/episode/how-to-deal-with-imposter-syndrome/Steven FageManaging RelationshipsManaging RelationshipsThe show's first interview, I sit down with my old buddy from school to talk about his journey and success in finding a co-founder (by treating it like a marriage), and the emotional challenges of being a father entrepreneur.

Show notes: https://mynicheishuman.com/podcast/managing-relationships/

]]>The show's first interview, I sit down with my old buddy from school to talk about his journey and success in finding a co-founder (by treating it like a marriage), and the emotional challenges of being a father entrepreneur.

Show notes: https://mynicheishuman.com/podcast/managing-relationships/

]]>ca596593-3537-4170-9fa9-c8ca4aaee36bSun, 10 Feb 2019 17:45:00 -050051:36truefull12121Using marriage advice for managing a co-founder relationship and crushing it while being a father entrepreneur. Full show notes and video: https://stevenfage.com/podcast/episode/how-to-choose-a-co-founder/Steven FageHow I got here, Welcome to the ShowHow I got here, Welcome to the ShowA quick intro to the show; from Hypnotherapy to Improv and finally dusting off a 4-year-old microphone..

Show notes: https://mynicheishuman.com/podcast/start-ugly-how-i-got-here/

]]>A quick intro to the show; from Hypnotherapy to Improv and finally dusting off a 4-year-old microphone..

Show notes: https://mynicheishuman.com/podcast/start-ugly-how-i-got-here/

]]>79c27cc0-002e-46ca-ab2e-16ba9f2a091fMon, 04 Feb 2019 03:00:00 -050010:01truefull11111From Hypnotherapy, to Improv and finally dusting off a 4 year old microphone.. Full show notes and video: https://stevenfage.com/podcast/episode/start-ugly-how-i-got-here/Steven Fage