Finding Well-Being Without Escaping Yourself—Dean Patrick | Ep 255

In this episode of Relatable Wisdom, I sit down with Dean Patrick, a writer and author of God Money: Lost and Found in the Crypto Wilderness. Dean shares a quote from Luke 17:21: “The kingdom of God is in the midst of you,” and reflects on how it points to the possibility of experiencing peace, presence, and well-being in this life—not someday, not somewhere else, but right here.Dean opens up about arriving at Stanford in 2014, launching a cryptocurrency hedge fund, and struggling with addiction during that season of his life. He shares how meditation and Zen spirituality helped him reconnect with stillness, clarity, and a deeper sense of spiritual well-being. Our conversation moves into the roots of addiction, the difference between treating symptoms and healing the deeper issue, and why many people reach for substances, food, phones, or other habits as emotional responses to pain, fear, or insecurity.What I loved about this conversation is how honestly Dean connects recovery, perception, spirituality, and everyday habits. Listeners will walk away with a deeper understanding of how much of our suffering can come from the patterns we build—and how presence, self-awareness, and healthier responses can help us begin to live differently. This episode is a thoughtful reminder that healing often starts by looking within.Every episode has more to it than what you hear. Join the Relatable Wisdom newsletter to get thoughtful reflections, behind-the-scenes extras, and personal notes that don’t make it into the show. It’s a calm space to stay inspired between listens.Sign up here: https://relatablewisdom.com/joinCONNECT WITH Dean PatrickWebsite: https://www.deanpatrickauthor.com/Book: God Money: Lost and Found in the Crypto WildernessCHAPTERS00:00 Introduction And Welcome00:22 Meet Dean Patrick00:36 The Quote That Has Been Sticking With Dean01:04 Heaven As A Place On Earth01:36 Dean’s Story, Stanford, Crypto, And Addiction02:20 Meditation, Zen Spirituality, And Well-Being03:00 Why People Fear A Better Life04:12 Familiar Hell Versus Unfamiliar Heaven04:25 What Happiness Requires05:29 Understanding Well-Being06:11 Physical, Psychological, And Spiritual Well-Being07:13 Addiction As A Symptom Of Something Deeper08:21 Hidden Addictions Beyond Drugs And Alcohol08:47 Relatable Wisdom Newsletter Break09:24 Phone Addiction, Food Addiction, And Emotional Eating11:09 Addiction, Fear, And The Fear Of Not Fully Living12:20 Treating Symptoms Versus Healing The Root12:46 Physical Recovery And Spiritual Recovery13:46 Addiction As An Emotional Attachment15:13 What We Pay Attention To16:58 The Habitual Mind And Rewiring Patterns18:09 Replacing Habits Instead Of Creating A Vacuum19:44 Cognitive Behavioral Therapy And Catching Thought Patterns20:45 Final Reflections On The Mind And Recovery21:16 Where To Find Dean Patrick21:37 Closing Thoughts