All Episodes - The Imperfect Pod
The Imperfect Pod is a podcast for discussing masculinity more intentionally and purposefully. Masculinity is in a weird place in society as men try to understand the difference between toxic and healthy masculinity. This podcast will engage with humans of all ages, races, genders and beliefs to share their ideas of masculinity to try and create a better understanding. What I want to leave my listeners with after every episode is that there isn't this one-size-fits all idea of masculinity, nor is their an easy solution to understanding your manhood in today's landscape. Topics of this show include parenting, fatherhood, relationships, porn addiction, sex, gender, toxic masculinity, growth, addiction and much more.
View Podcast Details11 Episodes
75. Last Man Standing: My Reflections on the End of The Imperfect Pod
Thank you everyone so much for supporting me on this journey. This is the last episode of The Imperfect Pod. On it, I share some of my favourite memories, what is coming next, how I'm feeling, what I've learned and why I'm at peace with my decision. I will be back.To find out when I will be back, make sure to follow me on Instagram @lukeblessed (my personal) or on my podcast page @theimperfectpod as I will probably be rebranding that when I start my next thing.This show has changed my life and for that I am forever grateful. And I'm ready for what's next.
70. Asian Masculinity, Spirituality and Masculine and Feminine Energies with Johnson Chong
On this episode, Johnson and I talk about the energetic and spirituality of masculinity from the East to the West, masculinity within the LGBTQ+ community and Asian masculinity. Disclaimer: This was recorded before the Atlanta Georgia mass shooting. Some themes might tie in but that was not included in the context.Key themes of the episode:Why there shouldn't be judgement on what is masculine vs feminineHow masculine and feminine energies shift from Eastern to Western societiesReligious trends of masculinity (dharma and ying and yang vs more rigid definitions)The importance of exploring humanness... not just man and womanWhat it's like to be a gay man and exploring masculinityThe intersectionality of Asian masculinity and LGTBQ masculinityLooking at your childhood to understand your masculinityHow Asians take a softer approach to masculinity while the American way is more competitiveAbout Zach: Johnson Chong is the best-selling and award-winning author of Sage Sapien: From Karma to Dharma. He was the founder of Sagehouse in Singapore, a studio for yoga, Pilates, meditation and spiritual workshops and coaching. He is a native New Yorker, and has lived on 3 continents, currently based in Sydney, Australia. He specializes in helping people break free of their mental, emotional and spiritual roadblocks so they can live more aligned to their inner peace and joy versus their fears. Having worked with corporate professionals in various fields, he has a strong interest in working with members of the LGBTQ+ community and other marginalized populations. He has also spoken and led workshops at companies like Unilever, Facebook, Nike, UBS, UOB and various other organizations. Johnson is known as a bridge between ancient wisdom and direct modern application. In his dynamic coaching style, he integrates the practical and most useful parts of yogic wisdom, meditation, somatic movement, energy medicine and shamanic journeying to help his clients breakthrough daily self-criticism and emotional overwhelm. The unique experiences that Johnson curates offer a profoundly healing self-discovery experience, followed by very practical and actionable steps to create the most powerful breakthroughs. As a certified InnerGuidanceTM coach, a Four Winds Energy Medicine Health Coach, and Reiki Master in conjunction with his background as an advanced E-RYT 500 Hr Yoga Teacher Trainer, and PMA Pilates Teacher Trainer, he has an expansive knowledge on the inner workings of human psychology and how it gets trapped in the physical and mental bodies. Johnson is the host of the Truth Wisdom Freedom Conversations podcast on Apple, Google and Spotify where he talks about holistic wellbeing with various conscious leaders in their field, and he also runs transformational retreats at www.exodusretreats.com. You can connect with him on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/johnsonchong_sagesapien/ (@johnsonchong_sagesapien), on https://johnsonchong.com/ (his website), or his https://www.facebook.com/johnsonchongsagesapien?ref=bookmarks (Facebook).As always, feel free to follow me on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/theimperfectpod/ (@theimperfectpod) or shoot me an email at luke@theimperfectpod.com
69. It's Not #NotAllMen Until It's #NoMen: My Response to the Sarah Everard Case
As the host of a masculinity podcast, I feel it is bring more men into the conversation regarding Sarah Everard and male allyship. This is not a problem that will go away unlee we bring more men into the conversation and help them see that it's not #notallmen until it's #nomen.In this episode you will hear:An overview of the Sarah Everard casePublic commentary and research on this issueWhy this is a problem in all social groupsThe whistleblower effectWhy #notallmen is bullshit but also why I need to empathize with themWhat continued allyship looks likeHere are some resources for you to check out as well:https://canadianwomen.org/ (Canadian Women's Foundation)https://www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/ending-violence-against-women/facts-and-figures (UN Women)https://www.thehotline.org/stakeholders/domestic-violence-statistics/ (Notional Domestic Violence Hotline)This will only change once we educate ourselves on the problem and ADMIT that there's a problem.As always, shoot me a message on Instagram @theimperfectpod or email me at Luke@theimperfectpod.com if you want to continue the conversation.
Just the TIP | What's the deal with men and legacy?
Welcome back to Just the TIP is where I do a short reflection on this past week's episode! On this episode, I give my reflections on my conversation with Zach Smith about a few topics including:Why men are looking to build their legacy and why that fascinates meHow depression and anxiety can be linked to progressWhy the idea productivity and personal brand might be making us less fulfilledMake sure to check out the full episode from Wednesday for more context and to follow me on Twitter, Instagram and more for daily content!As always, reach out to me on Instagram @theimperfectpod, email me at luke@theimperfectpod.com or join my FB group called https://www.facebook.com/groups/229891395146974 (The Imperfect Group).
Just the TIP | There's No Such Thing As Unhealthy Emotion
Welcome back to Just the TIP is where I do a short reflection on this past week's episode! On this episode, I give my reflections on my conversation with Eldra Jackson about a few topics including:Why there's no such thing as unhealthy emotions just unhealthy choices based on those emotionsThe importance of giving men safe spaces and permission to feelWhy it might not be just mean who make men close themselves offMake sure to check out the full episode from Wednesday for more context and to follow me on Twitter, Instagram and more for daily content!As always, reach out to me on Instagram @theimperfectpod, email me at luke@theimperfectpod.com or join my FB group called https://www.facebook.com/groups/229891395146974 (The Imperfect Group).
Just the TIP | Why Women Can't Just Leave Their Abusers
Welcome back to Just the TIP is where I do a short reflection on this past week's episode! On this episode, I give my reflections on my conversation with Sabrina Osso about a few topics including:Why it's harder for women to leave their abusers than we thinkHow much work it takes to trust men after being abused by a fatherWhat the next steps are to solving domestic violence in societyMake sure to check out the full episode from Wednesday for more context and to follow me on Twitter, Instagram and more for daily content!As always, reach out to me on Instagram @theimperfectpod, email me at luke@theimperfectpod.com or join my FB group called https://www.facebook.com/groups/229891395146974 (The Imperfect Group).
66. Reducing Violence in the Home with Sabrina Osso
TW: In this episode we talk about domestic violence and verbal abuse.In this episode, my guest is Sabrina Osso. Sabrina ishttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyAhN_xwCxsandab_channel=TEDxTalks ( Tedx speaker) and the Founder and CEO ofhttps://www.ossosafe.com/ ( OSSO SAFE), a company that consults on promoting safety and preventing violence in the workplace, schools, and in places of residence. Sabrina has long dealt with violence on a personal level. She knows how difficult it is to live in such a chaotic environment. Sabrina and Osso Safe want to make a positive impact in people’s lives, whether they’ve been directly affected by violence or not. In this episode we discuss her own story, why victims can’t just leave, the impact of porn on this topic, and how those who don’t experience abuse can identify signs and be allies in this work.If you liked the episode, make sure to press subscribe, follow, leave a review and message me on Instagram @theimperfectpod or email me at Luke@theimperfectpod.com and join myhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/229891395146974 ( Facebook group). I always always want to hear from my listeners and continue the conversation!
65. Bringing Compassion and Grace to Your Sex and Dating Life with Gretchen Shanks
Sex and dating can be hard for young men to navigate. The world tells us we should want a lot of sex, so we buy into it. But we're never really taught to navigate the shame we might have about our experiences or our bodies. We never talk about how we should be attuned to other's needs. Or how we should even get ready for moments like this.On today's episode I speak with sex and dating coach https://gretchenshanks.com/ (Gretchen Shanks) and we discuss our own vulnerabilities about all of these feelings and how we can navigate them with more compassion and grace.You can connect with Gretchen on https://twitter.com/Gretchen_Shanks/ (Twitter), https://www.instagram.com/gretchen.shanks/ (Instagram), and https://www.facebook.com/sexanddatingcoach/ (Facebook) and don't forget to check out that free resource she mentioned https://gretchenshanks.com/sexualhealingoptions/ (here).If you liked the episode, make sure to press subscribe, follow, leave a review and message me on Instagram @theimperfectpod or email me at Luke@theimperfectpod.com and join my https://www.facebook.com/groups/229891395146974 (Facebook group). I always always want to hear from my listeners and continue the conversation!
Just the TIP | Why Dating Can Be Hard For Young Men
Welcome back to Just the TIP is where I do a short reflection on this past week's episode! On this episode, I give my reflections on my conversation with Dr. Michael Pariser and the dating world. This was one of the most vulnerable episodes I had ever done where I open up a lot about my "failures" in the dating world and what I might need to change and what needs to stay the same in order to have success. There's always a balance to be had. However, in 2021 I have made the commitment to not be on any dating apps and spend more time on the podcast and myself! Once I'm back in the dating world I will implement all of these skills to make sure that I don't make the same mistakes. Make sure to check out the full episode from Wednesday for more context and to follow me on Twitter, Instagram and more for daily content!As always, reach out to me on Instagram @theimperfectpod, email me at luke@theimperfectpod.com or join my FB group called https://www.facebook.com/groups/229891395146974 (The Imperfect Group).
64. No More Mister Nice Guy: Dating Advice For Young Men with Dr. Michael Pariser
We've heard the saying before: "Nice guys finish last". Is it true? Not if you look at it through a victim mentality. However, there are ways to improve your relationships through assertiveness, not aggression. Through body language. Through understanding your relationship with your parents. And through understanding the idea of interest, intimacy and commitment. These are all things that we discuss on today's episode!About the Guest: Dr. Michael Pariser is a psychologist, author, and transformation agent. After training with Dr. Robert Glover, author of No More Mr. Nice Guy, he started working a lot with men who identify as compliant and people-pleasing. He’s also the author of https://www.amazon.ca/No-More-Mr-Nice-Guy-ebook/dp/B08C813MTZ (No More Mr. Nice Guy: The Hero’s Journey). It serves as a guide to the changes that Nice Guys need to make to become the men they’ve always wanted to be. Michael likes to think of it as a road map to healthy, integrated masculinity. If you would like to find out more about today’s guest, you can go to his website, drparisertherapy.com and if you go to the "For Men" section, that's where you can find out more about his workshops.If you liked the episode, make sure to press subscribe, follow, leave a review and message me on Instagram @theimperfectpod or email me at Luke@theimperfectpod.com and join my https://www.facebook.com/groups/229891395146974 (Facebook group). I always always want to hear from my listeners and continue the conversation!
The Imperfect Pod Trailer
Welcome to The Imperfect Pod where we discuss masculinity and manhood more intentionally and purposefully. I'm your host, Luke West.We are living in a world of intense messaging about masculinity and my goal with this podcast is to discuss this messaging with intention.This will be achieved by going deep into the lives of the men, women, strangers, academics, real life examples and experts who I've met in my life and on this journey.Topics on this show will include toxic and traditional masculinity, politics, sex, gender, crossdressing, pornography, addiction, LGBTQ+ identities, mental health, fitness, legacy, gendered violence, domestic abuse, anger, shame, body image and so much more.The core message I want to leave each listener with is this: There is no one-size-fits-all idea of masculinity and when we accept that, we can move beyond superficial conversations and start to help the men and people in our lives live healthier versions of themselves.This imperfect journey takes a lot of deep work and self reflection and I thank you for joining me.Subscribe now and feel free to visit the website, http://theimperfectpod.com/ (theimperfectpod.com) for blogs, show notes and all past episodes. Also, feel free to follow me on Instagram at theimperfectpod or join my Facebook Group, The Imperfect Group.