February is Black History Month. We're dedicating it to Black voices who inspire excellence. In this four-part series, you're going to hear honest stories and guidance from four women who advocate for chasing your own version of excellence. The series kicks off with Jenee Desmond-Harris, the current Prudie and writer behind Slate's beloved Dear Prudence advice column. She joins Leah Smart to share her story and insights on the importance of self-discovery, navigating obstacles, and the significance of taking risks. From her initial doubts about her role to becoming a prominent advice columnist, Jenee's journey exemplifies the power of surrounding oneself with the right people and making choices aligned with personal fulfillment, defining your desires and pursuing your passions. Follow Leah Smart on LinkedIn Follow Jenee Desmond-Harris

Ali Abdaal is an author and one of the world's most followed productivity experts. He is known for his YouTube channel, where he shares research-backed content on productivity, study techniques, and personal development. His book, "Feel Good Productivity," explores how to do more of what matters to you. Ali explains the three main blockers to productivity: uncertainty, fear, and inertia, and provides practical strategies for overcoming them, including removing judgment and thinking of ourselves as a system. Ultimately, Ali emphasizes the importance of finding joy in the process of work to make it sustainable for long-term success. Follow Leah Smart on LinkedIn Follow Ali Abdaal on LinkedIn Read more about Feel Good Productivity

Ron Shaich is the former CEO of Panera Bread, Au Bon Pain, and recently author of the book "Know What Matters: Lessons from a Lifetime of Transformations," which combines his personal philosophies with professional guidance from his years of work and prioritizing what has meant the most to him. Ron joins Leah Smart to introduce the concept of a "pre-mortem," which involves defining what matters most to us and how to get there. Ron emphasizes the importance of being rigid in our vision but flexible in our execution. He breaks down the pre-mortem into four areas of life to focus on and shares personal stories and insights on how to create a meaningful life and a successful business. Follow Leah Smart on LinkedIn Follow Ron Shaich on LinkedIn

Tammy Lung, ASMR expert, and founder of Tingles Bar joins Leah Smart to discuss the health benefits of Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR). They dive into the feelings of relaxation brought on by different experiences, such as visual, auditory, or tactile triggers, and how physical touch can make you feel better day to day. Follow Leah Smart on LinkedIn Follow Tammy Lung on LinkedIn

Jennifer Ackerman, award-winning science writer and New York Times bestselling author of The Genius of Birds and What an Owl Knows joins Leah Smart to talk about why finding solace in nature can help us reset, reduce stress, and they explore ways we can incorporate nature into our day-to-day lives. Follow Leah on LinkedIn Follow Jennifer on Instagram

Rainn Wilson is most known for his role in The Office as Dwight Schrute, but away from the screen, he’s the co-founder of SoulPancake and the recent author of Soul Boom. Today he joins Leah Smart to share his mission to explore the possibility and hope for a spiritual revolution, a “Soul Boom,” to find a healing transformation on both a personal and global level. Rainn emphasizes the importance of connecting to yourself, each other, and something greater than us. Follow Leah Smart on Linkedin Learn more about Rainn Wilson and Soul Boom Learn more about SoulPancake

Madeleine Dore, author of I Didn’t Do The Thing Today, joins Leah Smart to help us broaden our definitions of a day well spent. They dive into ways we can drop our “shoulds” by analyzing, interpreting, and defining borrowed wants and expired wants to reveal our real wants. Follow Leah on LinkedIn Follow Madeline Dore on Instagram

Deborah Rozman, Founding Executive Director of HeartMath Institute joins Leah Smart to talk about the importance of harnessing your heart power, and how your heart sends signals and information to your brain, influencing what you do. Deborah’s here to teach us the tools to get in tune with our heart's intelligence and how to be more practically intuitive in our day-to-day life. Follow Leah on LinkedIn Follow Deborah on Linkedin Learn more about HeartMath Institute

In the chaos of everyday life, we sometimes forget to stop and take stock of how we’re doing in all facets of our life. Listen in to a real coaching session, as Leah uses the Wheel of Life to help producer Michele O’Brien get clarity on how and where to make a change. Follow Leah on LinkedIn Follow In The Arena on LinkedIn

Leah Smart sits down with Yung Pueblo—author, meditator, and one of social media’s leading voices on the topics of healthy relationships and knowing ourselves. They discuss his new book Lighter, and explore self-awareness practices that can help us experience the world around us in crisp and vibrant ways. Follow Leah on Linkedin Follow Yung Pueblo on Linkedin

This week, Leah chats with Ashton Whitmoyer-Ober, writer, community psychologist and certified Enneagram coach as they dive into the Enneagram, one of the most powerful personality typing system that helps you understand your core motivations, your biggest fears, your biggest desires, and the best ways to improve. Follow Leah on Linkedin Follow Ashton on Instagram Get Ashton's Newsletter Book a call with Ashton

In today’s episode, Leah sits down with Shawn Achor, author and happiness researcher who is best known for his book, The Happiness Advantage, as they discuss how happiness is a choice we can make each day. They explore ways we can focus on the positive aspects of our lives, why being mindful of our circumstances matters, and how to change the way you think to be content in your day to day. Follow Leah on Linkedin Follow Shawn Achor on Linkedin

In a favorite episode from the archives, Leah talks with bestselling author and podcast host Gretchen Rubin of The Happiness Project to get to the bottom of happiness – and why who you truly are may be your most important clue to how to be happier. Follow Gretchen on LinkedIn and check out her work at https://gretchenrubin.com/ Follow Leah and In The Arena on LinkedIn

We spend a lot of time going inward on In the Arena… but we rarely actually talk about internal organs like the brain or the heart. Today, that changes, with guest Dr. Marc Milstein, author of The Age-Proof Brain: New Strategies to Improve Memory, Protect Immunity, and Fight Off Dementia. Marc and Leah get into what you can do now to keep your brain younger and healthier to increase longevity. One of the key tricks? Start now, no matter your age. Follow Marc on LinkedIn Follow Leah and In The Arena on LinkedIn

Join Leah Smart in the arena with Calm's Head of Mindfulness, Tamara Levitt to talk about how meditation and mindfulness can change your life. In the United States, meditation has historically lived on the fringes of the mainstream. But with anxiety and burnout at all-time highs, many people are looking for tools to feel better, calm down, get more sleep and clear their heads. Tamara has narrated the Calm App's guided meditations that have supported millions of people in improving their lives and she wants you to know why you should give it a try.

Jackie and Leah share an update about their show and what’s next.

In the latest episode of “In the Arena,” Jackie Goldberg, a white Jewish American, checks in with her best friend and colleague, Leah Smart, a Black American, on how she is doing during this unsettling time. This vulnerable conversation aims to open the doors for others to challenge their perspectives and beliefs about race and privilege in America. When we all show up honestly and ready to do better, we can move forward together.