The Grounded Circle

Sierra shares her insights and personal stories on finding harmony between consistency and flexibility in both art and life. As an artist and meditation teacher, she explores how the ancient philosophy of yin and yang can guide your creative journey and daily experiences, helping you balance discipline with intuition, structure with freedom, and effort with rest.

Sierra answers 7 questions on the myths of Creativity & shares her stories with Creative Flow

Sierra shares on The 3 Pillars of Slow Living with her personal stories & experiences.Resources:Essentialism, Greg McKeowanThe Art of Living, Thích Nhất Hạnh

Dean and Sierra have a ‘serious’ discussion about humour and its role in their lives. Resources: Steve Martin - Born Standing Up Jerry Seinfeld’s recent commencement speech at Duke University Enjoy! * Connect with Sierra and The Grounded Circle (@thegroundedcircle and https://www.youtube.com/@thegroundedcircle). Connect with Dean (deanrobertwatson.com).

Dean and Sierra discuss when consistency is useful and when it holds us back. Enjoy! *Connect with Sierra and The Grounded Circle (@thegroundedcircle and https://www.youtube.com/@thegroundedcircle). Connect with Dean (deanrobertwatson.com).

Dean and Sierra explore where their core value of transparency comes from and how it helps them navigate every aspect of their lives. Helpful resources: Dare to Lead by Brene Brown Enjoy! *Connect with Sierra and The Grounded Circle (@thegroundedcircle and https://www.youtube.com/@thegroundedcircle). Connect with Dean (deanrobertwatson.com).

Dean and Sierra discuss their best and worst collaborations and how to increase your chances of a fruitful one. Helpful resources: The Kiwi Startup Employee Survival Guide 2025 Enjoy! * Connect with Sierra and The Grounded Circle (@thegroundedcircle and https://www.youtube.com/@thegroundedcircle). Connect with Dean (deanrobertwatson.com).

Dean and Sierra explore joy in all its forms, and realise that the key to joy is simply being present. Enjoy! *Connect with Sierra and The Grounded Circle (@thegroundedcircle and https://www.youtube.com/@thegroundedcircle). Connect with Dean (deanrobertwatson.com).

Dean and Sierra get bookish, sharing their love of books, how they sustain that love and their favourite books of all time. Helpful resources: Every Book I’ve Ever Read by Dean Watson Enjoy! * Connect with Sierra and The Grounded Circle (@thegroundedcircle and https://www.youtube.com/@thegroundedcircle). Connect with Dean (deanrobertwatson.com).

Dean and Sierra discuss ending jobs, relationships, friendships and art projects, and how nature provides clues on ending all of these things well. Enjoy! * Connect with Sierra and The Grounded Circle (@thegroundedcircle and https://www.youtube.com/@thegroundedcircle). Connect with Dean (deanrobertwatson.com).

Dean and Sierra discuss how they find the optimal pace for their lives and what to do when it changes. Enjoy! *Connect with Sierra and The Grounded Circle (@thegroundedcircle and https://www.youtube.com/@thegroundedcircle). Connect with Dean (deanrobertwatson.com).

Dean and Sierra discuss the topic of friendships, from how to make friends and how to let go of them. Helpful resources: The best friends can do nothing for you by Arthur C. Brooks Enjoy! * Connect with Sierra and The Grounded Circle (@thegroundedcircle and https://www.youtube.com/@thegroundedcircle). Connect with Dean (deanrobertwatson.com).

Dean and Sierra tell the story of how they combined finances. Helpful resources: Money for couples by Dean Watson Enjoy! * Connect with Sierra and The Grounded Circle (@thegroundedcircle and https://www.youtube.com/@thegroundedcircle). Connect with Dean (deanrobertwatson.com).

Dean and Sierra open up the Pandora's box that is unconditional love, discussing how to do it and why starting with loving yourself first is the key. Helpful resources: Being Ramdass — by Ram Dass and Rameshwar Das Be Love Now — by Ram Dass and Rameshwar Das Give And Take — by Adam Grant Enjoy! * Connect with Sierra and The Grounded Circle (@thegroundedcircle and https://www.youtube.com/@thegroundedcircle). Connect with Dean (deanrobertwatson.com).

Dean and Sierra discuss how curiosity can be a superpower and how to use those powers wisely. "Helpful" resources: What’s He Building? — Tom Waits Enjoy! * Connect with Sierra and The Grounded Circle (@thegroundedcircle and https://www.youtube.com/@thegroundedcircle). Connect with Dean (deanrobertwatson.com).

Dean and Sierra reflect on the culture of winning they were raised in and how they’ve redefined what it means to win. Helpful resources: Blue Ocean Strategy by Renée Mauborgne and W. Chan Kim Steal Like An Artist by Austin Kleon Enjoy! * Connect with Sierra and The Grounded Circle (@thegroundedcircle and https://www.youtube.com/@thegroundedcircle). Connect with Dean (deanrobertwatson.com).

Dean and Sierra put on their accountant visors and share how they make filing their tax returns something they actually look forward to. Helpful resources: Zen and the art of filing a tax return by Dean Watson The easiest way to claim your donation tax credits from IRD by Dean Watson Enjoy! * Connect with Sierra and The Grounded Circle (@thegroundedcircle and https://www.youtube.com/@thegroundedcircle). Connect with Dean (deanrobertwatson.com).

Dean and Sierra map their history of giving and receiving no. Helpful resources: Million Dollar Weekend by Noah Kagan If you’re interested in Dean’s ebook ‘How to get a job you actually love in a Kiwi startup’ you can purchase a copy by emailing Dean directly at [email protected] Enjoy! * Connect with Sierra and The Grounded Circle (@thegroundedcircle and https://www.youtube.com/@thegroundedcircle). Connect with Dean (deanrobertwatson.com).

Dean and Sierra discuss the art of taking little moments for yourself throughout the day and their systems for reflecting. Helpful resources: Measure What Matters by John Doerr The 12 Week Year by Brian Moran and Michael Lennington Vietnamese TV show Phía Trước Là Bầu Trời The Little Girl Of Hanoi (1974) Enjoy! * Connect with Sierra and The Grounded Circle (@thegroundedcircle and https://www.youtube.com/@thegroundedcircle). Connect with Dean (deanrobertwatson.com).

Dean and Sierra discuss their biggest mistakes and why making them has been so important. Helpful resources: Million Dollar Weekend by Noah Kagan Enjoy! *Connect with Sierra and The Grounded Circle (@thegroundedcircle and https://www.youtube.com/@thegroundedcircle). Connect with Dean (deanrobertwatson.com).

Dean and Sierra discuss their respective journeys in learning how to give and share some ways to get started. Helpful resources: Give and Take by Adam Grant Die With Zero by Bill Perkins The Go-Giver by Bob Burg and John David Mann Infectious Generosity by Chris Anderson Being Ram Dass by Ram Dass and Rameshwar Dass Enjoy! * Connect with Sierra and The Grounded Circle (@thegroundedcircle). Connect with Dean (deanrobertwatson.com).

Dean and Sierra discuss Sierra’s experiences with anxiety and what has been helpful along the way. Enjoy! * Connect with Sierra and The Grounded Circle (@thegroundedcircle). Connect with Dean (deanrobertwatson.com).

Dean and Sierra have a very boring conversation about how they’re inviting more boredom and simplicity into their lives. Helpful resources: Essentialism by Greg McKeown The Simple Path to Wealth - JL Collins Enjoy! * Connect with Sierra and The Grounded Circle (@thegroundedcircle). Connect with Dean (@dean.robert.watson).

Dean and Sierra discuss the times in their lives where they’ve chosen a different path than the one prescribed by the Australian and Vietnamese cultures they come from. Helpful resources: The Top 5 Regrets Of The Dying by Bronnie Ware Enjoy! *Connect with Sierra and The Grounded Circle (@thegroundedcircle). Connect with Dean (@dean.robert.watson).

Dean and Sierra discuss Dean’s challenges with showing up as his authentic self in situations where he feels like he doesn’t belong. Helpful resources: Belong by Radha Agrawal Braving The Wilderness by Brené Brown A dialogue with Ram Dass and Eckhart Tolle Enjoy! * Connect with Sierra and The Grounded Circle (@thegroundedcircle). Connect with Dean (@dean.robert.watson).

Dean and Sierra, a real-life couple living in Auckland, New Zealand, discuss how to accept yourself, your partner and the world around you. Things we mentioned in this episode: The Body Keeps The Score The Power Of Now The Untethered Soul Living Untethered Being Ram Dass Radical Acceptance Clear Thinking The Top Five Regrets Of The Dying Lex Friedman interview with Jeff Bezos Enjoy! * Connect with Sierra and The Grounded Circle (@thegroundedcircle). Connect with Dean (@dean.robert.watson).