S8e12: Matthew Weiner – A Once in a Lifetime Thing
Award-winning storyteller in television, film, and literature, Matthew Weiner, is a recent graduate of the Hoffman Process. Matthew is the creator, executive producer, writer, and director of the television show, Mad Men. Matthew shares that his biggest fear in doing the Process was losing his creativity; if he healed his trauma, he'd no longer be creative. Now on the other side of the Process, Matthew knows his fear was unfounded because, through his deep work of transformation, he learned that making art is part of healing trauma. As a comedy writer, Matthew shares that often negative self-statements get a laugh. And yet, that inner negativity, including when it is pointed at ourselves, is, as Matthew says, "not sustainable." Releasing harmful negative patterns and the negative love we learned as children brings freedom and a lightness that is hard to imagine until you discover it within yourself. A particularly beautiful and wise reflection from Matthew comes when he speaks about childhood. He shares that, as children, we see ourselves as a "supporting player" in our parents' lives, not realizing that each of us is actually "the star" of our childhood. Toward the end, Matthew shares the importance of reflecting on his experience during the Process and after. Post-Process, people have told him he's different, his voice has changed and he's softer. Like many of our guests, Matthew sees value in this process of reflection through conversation on personal transformation. We know there is also great value in witnessing another's experience. We hope you enjoy this wise, reflective conversation with Matthew and Drew. More about Matthew Weiner: Matthew Weiner is a nine-time Emmy Award winner and five-time WGA Award-winning storyteller in television, film, and literature. Among his range of credits are two of television’s most successful and critically lauded shows: creator, executive producer, writer, and director on Mad Men, which was distinguished with the Peabody Award, and executive producer for The Sopranos. Weiner was also the creator, executive producer, writer, and director of the original contemporary anthology series, The Romanoffs, set in seven countries around the globe. Weiner’s debut novel, Heather, The Totality, was published by Little, Brown and Company. You can discover more about Matthew Weiner here. As mentioned in this episode: Esopus Magazine article. Quote: “Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, I don't have anything on paper despite years of constant rejection. In showbiz, all bad news has come through agents and in the form of phone calls. Even early on. I don't know that I would have saved them if I had gotten them. They're like bad reviews for me, best skimmed through and then briefly obsessed over before being mentally discarded. I've come to realize rejection is now part of my process. I am not used to it by any means, nor do I expect it, but it both sharpens my resolve that my ideas are new and also drives me to professionally outlive the resistance of the gatekeepers. If I wait patiently they will either move on, reconsider, or become brave enough to try something new. Rejection, as painful as it is, is nothing more than a delay.“ - Matthew Weiner Mindful Self-Compassion (Kristin Neff and Chris Germer) Listen to Kristen Neff on the Hoffman Podcast. Listen to Chris Germer on the Hoffman Podcast, Livia Soprano David Chase Terry (Terrence) Winter Robin Green Mitch (Mitchell) Burgess TM (Transcendental Meditation) About the song, Try a Little Tenderness Try a Little Tenderness by Otis Redding Fawlty Towers: Don't mention the war! Wizard of Oz Hoffman Teacher, Barbara Comstock Listen to Barbara Comstock on the Hoffman Podca...