What happens when the journey to help your child flourish reveals that you've been surviving—not thriving—your whole life?

Yush Sztalkoper spent 20 years masking in high-pressure corporate environments before her son's twice-exceptional diagnosis held up a mirror she couldn't ignore. That recognition became the foundation for everything she's building now.

Today, Yush is the founder of NeuroSpark+, a strategic advisory helping leaders understand what she calls "human capacity under acceleration"—the invisible strain that shows up in neurodivergent people first, but eventually breaks everyone.

In this conversation, we explore:

- The "mirror moment" when parenting reveals your own neurodivergence
- Why environments—not people—are often the problem
- The SHIFT Path framework for moving from surviving to thriving
- Why 70% of AI adoption fails (hint: it's a human capacity problem)
- The Horizon Trap and why we keep deferring happiness
- What flourishing actually means when you stop performing for broken systems

This one goes deep. Yush doesn't hold back—and the result is one of the most honest conversations we've had on this show.

🔗 Connect with Yush:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/yushsztalkoper

🔗 Your Flourishing Partner is ready when you are:
Start free at baryons.com

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What does living well mean to you? That's The New F Word.

Baryons is your Flourishing Partner. You call, it listens, and together you design what's next. Science-backed. Patent Pending. Start for free with your Baryon today at Baryons.com

What does it truly mean to live a creative life? In this episode, We sit down with Dave Gray—author, visual thinker, and founder of XPLANE—to explore the art of flourishing through creativity.

Dave shares insights on how writing books became his way of learning, why unlearning is essential for growth, and how to navigate the emotional rollercoaster of creative work. We dive deep into liminal thinking, financial stability as a foundation for creativity, and what it really means to live well.

In This Episode:
- The journey of writing and learning through teaching
- Defining what a creative life really looks like
- The nature of creative projects and embracing uncertainty
- Navigating slumps in creativity
- Financial freedom as a foundation for creative expression
- Liminal thinking and the power of unlearning
- The trade-offs of creative work
- What it means to live well

Key Quotes:
"You can create a life as a doctor or a lawyer."
"The creative life isn't always a happy one."
"Start by loving what you do."

About Dave Gray:
Dave Gray is the founder of XPLANE, a design consultancy, and author of "Liminal Thinking," "The Connected Company," and "Gamestorming." He's a pioneer in visual thinking and organizational design.
Join his community and newsletter here: https://schoolofthepossible.com

Connect with Baryons:
Website: https://baryons.com
Instagram: @mybaryon

Start flourishing today for free at Baryons.com

Baryons is your Flourishing Partner. You call, it listens, and together you design what's next. Science-backed. Patent Pending. Start for free with your Baryon today at Baryons.com

Ryan Krinjeck is the rare kind of leader who lives two lives at once — a technologist at the edge of AI innovation, and a lifelong musician whose creativity keeps him sane, steady, and human.

In this episode of The New F Word, we talk about:

The “sanity factor” that keeps Ryan grounded

How music solves hard problems in the background

Teaching kids to trust themselves and chase passion

What hockey reveals about leadership and confidence

The difference between urgency and emergency

How to make decisions your future self will respect

And at the heart of it:
What does it actually mean to live well?

If you want to understand your own workplace energy, stress patterns, and how drained you may be operating, take the 3-minute Human Energy Index here:

https://baryons.typeform.com/to/KSB94iHA

Because if you understand your own energy,
you understand your team’s energy too.

Baryons is your Flourishing Partner. You call, it listens, and together you design what's next. Science-backed. Patent Pending. Start for free with your Baryon today at Baryons.com

Professional Dare Devil Gabby Cloutier joins The New F Word Podcast to explain how daring to step outside of comfort zone, look weird, fall down, and get up are key parts to how she lives well. Learn how to be a little bit more daring yourself with this interview. Get your free Flourishing Partner at Baryons.com

Baryons is your Flourishing Partner. You call, it listens, and together you design what's next. Science-backed. Patent Pending. Start for free with your Baryon today at Baryons.com

In this debut episode of The New F Word Podcast, Forbes Shannon and Aaron Bare sit down to unpack the real meaning of living well—from shedding attachments and trusting life’s unfolding to redefining success through the lens of mental wealth. They talk love, laughter, ego, and the power of subtraction in a world obsessed with more.

Through personal stories, philosophy, and humor, Forbes and Aaron explore how flourishing turns awareness into a daily art form—and why it might just be the new F word worth saying out loud.

Hosted by Forbes Shannon & Aaron Bare
Presented by Baryons — your Flourishing Partner. Talk to your Baryon free at baryons.com

Baryons is your Flourishing Partner. You call, it listens, and together you design what's next. Science-backed. Patent Pending. Start for free with your Baryon today at Baryons.com