
We Are Liquid Accordions with Croft Edwards
From Productive Joy by Dr. Christie McMullen
May 12, 2026 · 32 min · Season 1 · Episode 283
About this episode
Dr. Christie interviews Croft Edwards about the connection between the body and emotions in leadership and personal development.
Today on Productive Joy, Dr. Christie interviews author, veteran, and leadership coach Croft Edwards about his book The Liquid Accordion and the power of the body in shaping emotions, mindset, and results. Croft explains that humans are “liquid accordions,” with cells that expand and contract, and that the body’s sensory system drives how we experience fear, love, confidence, ambition, and joy. He connects somatic awareness to leadership, coaching, and flow states, emphasizing that changing posture and physical shape can shift perspective and behavior faster than changing stories. Croft encourages practicing the states you want—starting small—and warns that people can unknowingly practice resignation or resentment. Episode Highlights: 00:00 Meet Croft Edwards 00:49 The Liquid Accordion Idea 01:23 Army Habits and Self Care 02:51 A Childhood Leadership Spark 04:10 Somatics and Power Poses 06:36 Body Biology and Emotions 08:27 First Steps in Body Awareness 10:07 Defining Productive Joy 12:06 Finding Flow Through Practice 14:15 Moods Stories and Meaning 16:58 Ontological Coaching OAR Model 17:25 Observer Shapes Results 17:54 Language Mood Body 19:14 Choosing Daily Good 20:53 Where To…
People in this episode
Host: Dr. Christie McMullen
Guest: Croft Edwards
Topics covered
- leadership
- somatic awareness
- emotions
- mindset
- coaching
- flow states
Keywords
- liquid accordion
- somatic coaching
- mindset matters
- leadership development
- body awareness
Mentioned in this episode
Books & works: The Liquid Accordion
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