In Episode 529 of Fishing Without Bait, behavioral health therapist Jim Ellermeyer sits down with Producer Mike for a return to the fundamental ideas that have shaped the podcast through more than 500 episodes.

At the center of the conversation is a simple relationship between expectations and serenity:

“The greater your expectations, the lower your serenity. The lower your expectations, the greater your serenity.”

Jim and Mike explore the difference between setting rigid expectations and setting intentions. An expectation can turn life into a pass/fail exercise where anything short of a particular outcome feels like failure. An intention gives us direction while allowing us to remain present, curious, and responsive to what actually happens.

That leads to another question Mike asks himself: “What am I working so hard to get to?”

Jim's answer is equally simple: “There is no there.”

The conversation expands into emotional honesty and the ways people avoid uncomfortable truths. Jim challenges the automatic response of telling everyone we're “good” when we aren't—including situations where honesty with doctors, loved ones, recovery peers, or ourselves could make a meaningful difference.

They also discuss the 12-step idea that “it's our secrets that keep us sick,” the discomfort involved in confronting fears and resentments, and the tendency to keep “kicking the emotional can down the road” instead of dealing with what is immediately in front of us.

Mindfulness, as Jim and Mike describe it, isn't escaping daily life or spending hours in meditation. It is practical:

Paying attention on purpose.

It's pausing before reacting. Questioning assumptions. Making choices based on facts instead of beliefs. Recognizing how our words and actions affect others. And allowing our words to pass through three important gates:

Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary?

The episode closes by returning to impermanence and non-attachment. Everything and everyone in our lives is shared with us temporarily. Rather than making life meaningless, that understanding can make the present more valuable.

We don't live by years, months, weeks, days, or hours.

We live by moments.

Make this one count.

Continue the Journey

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https://www.lulu.com/shop/james-ellermeyer-lpc-ma-ncc-lpc/learn-to-fish-without-bait/paperback/product-6n9rd8.html?page=1&pageSize=4

The conversation explores how choosing facts over assumptions can lead to greater understanding, why asking "What if I'm wrong?" creates opportunities for growth, and how embracing uncertainty can become a pathway toward mindfulness.

Eamon also shares deeply personal experiences involving trauma, faith, and the difficult process of deconstructing beliefs that no longer aligned with compassion or truth. Together, the discussion reflects on spirituality, healing, forgiveness, and finding hope beyond fear while emphasizing empathy instead of division.

This episode continues the spirit of Fishing Without Bait—encouraging listeners to examine their own lives with openness, curiosity, and mindfulness.

Learn more about Eamon and Merlin's podcast:

https://agayandhisenby.fireside.fm/

More episodes from Sorgatron Media:

https://www.sorgatronmedia.com

Subscribe on your favorite podcast platform.

Support ad-free episodes:

https://www.patreon.com/c/fishingwithoutbait

Pick up Learn to Fish Without Bait: A 365-Day Mindfulness Journal and Adult Coloring Book:

https://www.lulu.com/shop/james-ellermeyer-lpc-ma-ncc-lpc/learn-to-fish-without-bait/paperback/product-6n9rd8.html?page=1&pageSize=4

In Episode 490, Jim Ellermeyer and producer Mike Sorg explore what leadership truly means through the lens of Jesus of Nazareth. From the radical humility and servant leadership he modeled 2,000 years ago to his timeless call for justice and compassion, Jim examines how these teachings apply to the world’s political and social climate today.

This thoughtful conversation covers:
• How Jesus’s example challenges modern power and ego
• The moral responsibility of leaders to serve everyone—not just their supporters
• Why integrity, honesty, and empathy are essential in times of division
• The enduring wisdom of “Blessed are the peacemakers” and “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also”

Jim also reflects on the story of the Good Samaritan and closes with a reminder that hope—and helping others—remains our greatest prescription.

🎧 Listen now at FishingWithoutBait.com or on your favorite podcast platform.
✨ Do a kindness for yourself and for another. Forgive, reconnect, and live mindfully.