Exiting the A.S.A.P. Lane with Alan

In the overleaf of my book, Yoga on the Yellow Brick Road, I quote the Dalai Lama, “If meditation was taught to every eight-year old, we could eliminate the world of violence in one generation”. My guest today, Beth Reese, founder and owner of Yoginos: Yoga for Youth has taken up that challenge and dedicated her life to changing the world, in exactly that way. Like so many, this life mission was born out of a set of unsettling circumstances. It is said that there is a “bless in every mess”. Despite a very successful career as a professor, researcher, published writer and university administrator, in her own words, two unrelated messy family events took her down this noble, yet completely unplanned path. She says: “When my 6 year-old daughter started hurling chairs at me in the dining court of the Salt Lake City airport, I knew something was up. I was used to handling her explosive temper tantrums in grocery stores, malls, and other public places—even though I sensed they were unusual for someone her age. But long gone were the days when I could snatch her up and move her to another area of the store or to the car, or shrug it off with an attitude of she’s just a toddler to the glaring shoppers. Beth will elaborate on how this, plus a second major event in her life, led her to her current mission Now the second part of the story: “When I started Yogiños: Yoga for Youth® I was married to a brilliant and successful internationally-renowned trial lawyer with benefits like first-class international travel, sometimes for as long as a month, a condo in Park City, and a full-time nanny/housekeeper. I can count on one hand the number of times I unloaded our dishwasher in the ten years of our marriage. The adage that money can’t buy happiness rang true and with 4 cars, 3 kids, 2 houses, 2 dogs,1 cat and a desperate desire to feel enough, accepted, and loved, I ended the marriage. She will elaborate on how this would serve as her road-map toward discovering that the enough, accepted, and loved me was there all along. Many thanks, Beth for agreeing to be my guest and share with our listeners, a message that is truly critical to the future of our country. Questions: The anxiety and depression levels among teens today are truly at all-time highs. In a recent survey, 70% of teens reported mental health to be a big issue in their lives. What are the causes, as you see it and how can your initiative and others like it catch this at an early age? You invented something called Flower Power as tool for kids. Some of our listeners of a certain age may think we’re talking about San Francisco in the 1960s or Woodstock, please elaborate on this technique. SEL (Social and Emotional Learning) is an acronym that we’re seeing a lot these days when the topic of preparing children for life comes up. Please elaborate on this and why it’s so important? I heard someone say recently, “don’t let schooling get in the way of your education”. There is so much emphasis on cognitive learning and the pressure to make good grades that the critical importance of developing the social skills to deal with life gets lost, doesn’t it? Your focus, includes parents and teachers and almost anyone who works with kids. Is it important to include the adults in the lives of each child, so they can spot problem behavior, and not brand the child as “problem kid” and just think that punishment is the remedy? As you know, Patanjali, said some 1700 years ago, that the purpose of yoga was to “calm the agitations of the mind”. We know from the previous question that the “agitation” is hitting teens at an unprecedented rate. Since your program starts at the Pre-K level, are you finding high stress and anxiety levels even at that early age? When “changing the world” given the global epidemic of stress and anxiety seems so important, the quote from the Dalai Lama resonates so well, because once we all reach adulthood, it then becomes a “rehab” challenge, doesn’t it? I think both of us can attest to the fact that it works well in adults, but, often health destroying habits are already in place and have to be dealt with and so many just give up.

Hello everyone, and welcome to Exiting the A.S.A.P. Lane!  Among the social issues that have faced America over the past several decades, few are equal to that involving the rights of the LGBTQ community. The Supreme Court decision, legalizing gay marriage in 2015, finally resolved the legal issues around gay marriage. Citing the Equal Protection clause and the Due Process clause of the 14th amendment to the U.S. Constitution, the court ruled that same-sex couples had the “fundamental right to marry” and that those rights extended to all 50 states. While this decision was widely celebrated among those who felt that this decision was long overdue, it by no means put to rest the much broader issue of discrimination, including acts of violence. This podcast series deals with the issue of stress and anxiety that so many find debilitating and difficult to deal with. This is an issue at the personal level and the society level that remains extremely stressful, anxiety-producing and divisive. I want to thank T. J. Stiga, a family friend for agreeing to be my guest on this topic. He didn’t make the decision to appear and tell his life story lightly. Needless to say, when telling one’s life story requires resurrecting unpleasant memories going all the way back to childhood, and doing it in a public forum like this, it is a decision not made without consternation. Welcome, T.J. and thanks for agreeing to be here today. Questions: As you know, one of the fundamental issues that always comes up in this discussion, is whether this is a chosen lifestyle, or one determined by everyone’s genetic makeup? You’re now 47 years old, when you think back on your childhood teen years, please talk about your sexuality and how it evolved? Have you ever felt any sexual attraction to women? You’ve told me about being bullied in school and the damage this did to your self-esteem and the feeling of not being worthy. There’s an old adage that none of us ever get out of high school. Are you still dealing with any of the teen-age years stuff? Have you officially come out to family and friends? There is a certain stereotypes about gay bars, please talk about that, and how that helped you deal with the “bullying and browbeating” that still continued, but, became a little more manageable after that? Please talk about the differences you’ve observed between gay men and lesbians and how lesbians often play a protective role? In terms of stress and anxiety, you had the added burden of your father dying when you were 7 and your mother marrying a man who verbally abusive to you, your mother and your sister.

“Only the strong survive” was recorded by Elvis Presley and others and the song is about a young man jilted by his sweetheart, and his mother is telling him to get off his knees and hold his head high and get on with his life. This advice happens to be the personal mantra of many who consider themselves strong and competitive, and yet, reach a breaking point or a burnout point that indeed does bring them to their knees. In a “bigger, better, faster, stronger” rat-race competitive environment the race to reach the top too often becomes a fall to the bottom. Too often pride won’t allow them to seek help and the consequences are becoming increasingly fatal. Suicides in America last year were 44,000. The life journey of my guest today, DeAnn Wandler thankfully has a different outcome, yet easily, she could have been another statistic. Today she is on a mission to help others facing pressures they are finding unmanageable, and through her own inspiring story reaching out to others with a message of hope, healing and a regimen of recovery and self-care that will hopefully equip them with the resilience to persevere and manage their way through their own maze of overwhelming anxiety, stress and depression.  She is a passionate suicide prevention community advocate, speaker and educator, since attempting to take her life by shooting herself in the head, and is focused on ensuring the voice of lived experience is heard and valued. Having this unusual lived life experience, DeAnn, a former University administrator, now works on promoting mental health and wellness in the community and workplace, as well and raising awareness on mental health support needs in the workplace. DeAnn hopes to remove stigma and promote open dialogue with top employers about mental health needs. She also aims teach others how to take care of their mind and body again by giving support, education, inspiration, leadership, empowerment and awareness to ensure they nourish themselves. She currently serves as on the Mental Health and Recovery Counseling Education and Training National Advisory Committee, as well as the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) Speaker & Conference Bureau Committee and is an active member of the Stark County Suicide Prevention Coalition.   She has been trained in Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) and Mental Health First Aid. She is a certified Brain-based Coach through the NeuroLeadership Institute, is Narrative Coach trained, certified in Mindfulness and is near completion of her Registered Yoga Teacher training (RYTT200). In todays’ episode, DeAnn and I will explore the following questions and issues: --The fatalities in 2018 alone from stress-related deaths (alcohol, opioids, suicide) equaled over 200,000 in the United States. This is a mental health crisis unprecedented in our history. What do you ascribe this to? --Your personal story is such an inspiring one, can you elaborate a bit more on what I covered in the introduction --You say that you “don’t speak to inspire, inspiration is a dime a dozen in our world—you speak and coach to create life changing transformation within all that you encounter.” What are some of the techniques you use and some of the steps you encourage others to use. --“What doesn’t kill me improves me” to quote the famous adage, yet, resilience varies so much from person to person that we can’t just depend on everyone to somehow persevere through can we? Please elaborate a bit on resilience and are there methods one can use to increase their resilience --In mindfulness, there is surfboard metaphor used to illustrate how meditation can be employed to help navigate the difficult events in our lives. The saying is that “meditation doesn’t change the external events in our lives, but, does provide a surfboard to help navigate the choppy seas better.” Is meditation a technique that you personally use? --You are nearing completion of your yoga trainer certification. Has yoga been an important part of your own regimen, and how do you think it can be a big help in helping one deal with stress and anxiety? --Is there a balance that must be struck between yoga, meditation and other self-care techniques and the addition of professional counseling, psychiatric services and medication?  

Because our self-limiting beliefs play such a large and crippling role in the lives of all of us, this episode continues on the theme begun in earlier episodes of learning how to deprogram that continuous tape that is constantly running in our heads with all of the “reasons why not”, all the reasons why we are allowing our dreams and plans to get too far ahead of our actual abilities.   She is the CEO and host of the highly popular PenniZ Show and she focuses on the most important self-help topic of all: KOing that bully in our mind who is constantly saying to us things like, “you can’t do that, or you don’t have the ability for that, or you don’t have the experience for that, or you’re too young or too old for that, and the list could go on and on. That voice has an almost endless list of self-limiting beliefs that get hard-wired into our heads and can cripple us for life if not confronted head-on.   Her personal story is an inspiring one. After her own epiphany, her own “Eureka” moment. Penni realized that her success as a real estate “fixer-upper” focusing on the rehabilitation of residential properties was rewarding her financially, but, that she was feeling the tug of a higher calling—the rehabilitation of personal lives and more specifically these self-limiting beliefs that prevent so many from leading lives of purpose and meaning. Thoreau, in his iconic classic On Walden Pond, said “most men lead lives of quiet desperation and die with their song still inside them”.   The slogan of her own show, the PenniZ show is that “We activate personal transformations in people whose goal is to play on a bigger stage and become the very best version of themselves”.. On this podcast episode, Penni will elaborate on each of these questions and issues below: --You have said that not only are “we enough, but, we are more than enough”. If this belief could get hardwired into the mind of each of us, what a world-changer that would be, please elaborate? --What a novel concept of applying the concept of “fixing up” real estate properties to “fixing up” lives. Tell us about your personal life journey and how this epiphany came about? Did it come about due to a personal struggle or because you were struggling yourself with a lot of “you can’t do this and you can’t do that” --What are the most common self-perceived inadequacies that you see in those who come to you for help or call into your show. --What is the happiness button that you refer to? --There’s a saying that “none of us ever get out of high school”, meaning that the “hard wiring” of so much that defines the rest of our lives comes from our teen years when there’s so much drama that really amounts to nothing but, seems so big at the time. Do you find this to be true? --Do you see any significant difference between men and women and the challenge that must be met in order to rewire their minds and get them to see that “they are more than enough”? --The central message of the Wizard of Oz is really the same as yours, isn’t it, and that is that we have within already everything we need, correct? I know that all of our listeners will enjoy, but, more importantly, benefit by Penni’s own life journey and the guidance she is able to provide as a consequence of that.

Today’s program is about our “biggest bully”, the one thing that can handicap us for life—our self-limiting beliefs--those voices in our mind that are constantly sabotaging our dreams and hopes for a better life. These often come from events in life when someone expressed a very negative opinion about us, or said something really demeaning that we have internalized and has become a part of our accepted life narrative . These toxic beliefs, which afflict us all, telling us we’re not worthy, we’re not enough, and how our dreams are all way too grandiose for someone of our limited skill and ability. These crippling beliefs affect both men and women, but, seem to be particularly acute among women and what a powerful guest for this topic and today’s show. Follow her guidance and you can KO that bully and bring new energy, purpose, and balance to your life.   Jacqueline Hayes is a three-time author, motivational speaker, and empowerment consultant. Jacqueline helps women to achieve leverage and self-confidence while instilling in them passion, focus and commitment. Her professionalism and firsthand experience have been the sources of her deep knowledge, insight, direction, and understanding of issues in the corporate world, as well as the ability to impart people with excellence. Jacqueline leverages her wealth of experience of over 20 years in human resources and talent management in major industries – healthcare, telecommunications, and technology, with her fascination with human behavior, to connect with people on every level and to empower them towards achieving greatness. Jacqueline has three breathtaking books to her credit; “Unfolding: A Woman’s Journey,” “You Are Enough: A Guide to Love, Joy, Peace, Freedom and Acceptance,” and “Blossom: Discover the Beautiful Flower Within” – all available on Amazon. Her focus is geared towards living well, hence, she offers the wonderful gift of making you believe in your innate special and unique abilities. Jacqueline is also passionate about enjoying life and making the world a better place. She is committed to her mission of seeing others blossom and fulfill their potential.   On this podcast episode, Jackie will elaborate on each of these questions below:   -You say “Many women waste their time defining themselves through the eyes of others. They are looking for answers to questions that must come from within. They are seeking acceptance and approval from individuals who do not have the power or insight to give them such information.”   --You say in one of your books, “I don’t allow these people to invade my personal space with these opinions. Yet, Jackie as you know, it takes a special form of resilience and self-confidence to execute this reaction in real life. How should someone learn to adopt this technique.   --Please describe your 5 Powerful Ways to nurture your mind, body and spirit?   -It’s noteworthy that you mention mind first. The prevailing attitude and practice among most is to focus on body first and many of the limiting beliefs relate to body image issues, correct?   --Describe what you mean by “life-intentional thinking and how mindfulness plays into this?   --Please describe the monkey mind and some of the effective meditation practices that you recommend? --You make a big point about positive self-talk and self-instruction, is “journaling” a big part of this? --When you say “love yourself, take care of your temple, are you referring body, mind and spirit? --Please describe what you mean by a “heart tune-up” --You’ve described the benefits of meditation and some effective methods, and you describe 5 ways to calm down, de-stress and reset. In addition to meditation, what are the others? --With regard to women’s empowerment in particular, please elaborate on what the characteristics of an empowered woman are? --Are women generally tougher on each other than they should be? What do you mean by “I support my sister”? --Okay, let’s close with your overall umbrella theme, “You are enough” Please elaborate on healthy self-esteem, self-confidence, and self-awareness, and no more excuses, own your power” I want to thank you, Jackie for taking the time to be with us today. This is such an important topic, and you have given us a full recipe of practical techniques that can be adopted in our own lives, so with that, we will close and look forward to seeing you on the next episode of Exiting the A.S.A.P. Lane.

Pramika Kadari, my guest today is a gifted and special young woman, with a bright future ahead of her. She is a junior at Coppell High School , a vibrant and thriving suburb in the Dallas-Ft Worth area. All of us have been teenagers, either in the recent past or the distant past. We’re all very familiar with teen angst and the many things that were both major and minor stressors to us during that period of our lives. Pramika is living that life right now and as we all did navigating her way through what many of us would say was the most challenging part of our lives.   Life in the digital age is creating an unprecedented level of stress and anxiety in today’s teens. On top of the rapid changes to their bodies and hormones is the non-stop information overload that we’re all dealing with. A recent study by the Pew Research Center found that 70% of teens see depression and anxiety as major problems among their peers. It was consistent across gender, race and income lines.   Among the issues identified were increased social media use, academic pressure and frightening events like terror attacks and school shootings. Another study released in 2017 found that children and adolescents admitted to children’s hospitals for thoughts of self-harm or suicide had more than doubled from 2008 to 2015.   Pramika is the copy editor of the school's Sidekick Newspaper. She enjoys writing (both creatively and journalistically), reading, and watching films and TV shows. Her favorite book is Ender's Game. While she does not have a favorite film, her top 5 include Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Titanic, and Revolutionary Road. In college, she hopes to study both Film and English. In the future, she hopes to be a filmmaker and novelist. Pramika wrote an opinion piece for the Dallas Morning News recently on the topic of teen suicide and a Netflix series 13 Reasons Why. She said it is “damaging, dangerous and should not be allowed on the air for a 3rd season.   In this episode, you will learn: -Why she feels so passionately that the 13 Reasons Why TV should be taken off the air? -Her views on the reason for the alarming rise in teen suicide rates and causes. -Where she feels social media stress ranks as one of the causes. -The difference between teen girls and boys regarding the effect of social media on their lives -Where academic pressure, standardized testing, making good grades and getting into the right college rank as stressors. -Are school shootings and terror attacks among the causes in her school? -Teen drama and all the time dealing with it and what she means by that. -Is cyber bullying an issue? -Her views on the current college-entry cheating scandal   #fitness #keynote #wellness

Today’s guest is special and very unique in several respects. Her message and her life story will inspire us to work together using her #UsToo approach –Her mission is to reduce stereotyping and improve inclusion for business and classroom success.   My guest today is Debjani Biswas, a two time TEDx and keynote speaker, an internationally bestselling author and an influential and powerful voice in bringing a message to both men and women about the business impact of inclusion and respect in the workplace.   She has a unique combination of executive and corporate experience with 20+ years at PepsiCo and Texas Instruments etc., and education. She is a Chemical Engineer from IIT, an MBA, and an MS in Organizational Strategy. She is currently the CEO and Founder of Coachieve, LLC, providing inclusion and leadership solutions globally.  An ‘Exclusion Exterminator’, she delivers impactful keynotes to corporate and conference audiences on the business value of inclusion. She is the 2017 GDAACC Award in Journalism winner and a 2013 NAPW ‘Woman of the Year’.   She is walking, talking example of the adage, “one door closes and another opens”, and I will ask her to elaborate on that later in the program.   She embarked on a journey of self-discovery in 2012, transforming herself from corporate executive into internationally bestselling author, TEDx and keynote speaker and trusted advisor for CEOs and leaders. ‘Unleash the Power of Diversity’ was selected by Barnes & Noble stores (2014 US B&N Book Tour). “Miserably Successful No More’ was ranked #1 in Amazon in the US for its category and is an international bestseller. She serves on the Board of her Engineering organization IIT-NT and TiE Dallas (where she leads a Women’s Entrepreneurship Forum). She is regularly featured in the media as a diversity expert (ESPN, CBS, iHeart Radio, DMN etc.). Her groundbreaking and original frameworks are being utilized in over 20 countries.   Her recent TEDx talk Common Ground on Gender Bias just crossed 57,000 views in less than a month! Please go to Youtube to watch, like and comment on this powerful TEDx talk and help bridge the global gender gap.   In this episode, you will learn: -How the age-old adage, “one door closes another one opens” has led her to places she never envisioned before and to this place of being such an influential voice on this very important global issue of inclusion across culture, gender and generation. -About the very inspiring part of her life journey – how she was able to succeed as a female engineer – as explained in her TEDx talk ‘Common Ground on Gender Bias’ with the help of her family. -About gender roles and how they can become lifelong self-limiting beliefs. -About the importance of emotional intelligence and interpersonal skills and how critical they are for workplace success. -About her international best-selling book, Miserably Successful No More, and what is meant by the title?   I know that you will be inspired by this incredible life journey of someone who, after being laid off 7 short years ago is now a successful role model for ‘Grit, Gravitas and Grace’   That’s all for this one and I will see you on the Yellow Brick Road next week.

Stacey Reynolds, my guest is like so many who suffered stress, anxiety and depression and found the “magic” in yoga and meditation. She is also VERY different in another important way—but, more on that in a moment. She has described her own life-long struggle, beginning in childhood, of finding ways to cope, including being “almost bedridden” with it. In addition, she contracted an auto-immune disease that had her body producing tumors. Her body was hemorrhaging and was toxic. This added another layer to the already mind-numbing maze of mental and physical challenges she was dealing with. On a particularly dark day, she had an epiphany which started her 19-year career as a practitioner and a yoga therapist. She knew from her own experience that the vast majority of those practicing were those who had enough disposable income to afford to pay for instruction. As she reflected on her own experience, she remembered that she had started to heal almost immediately. She was so inspired that she decided to go through the rigorous process of becoming a certified instructor, and opened her own yoga studio, Blue Yoga Nyla in North Little Rock, Arkansas. … and now to the important difference that I mentioned earlier. Yoga Journal, the most reliable source of statistics on the topic says that there are approximately 40 million practitioners of yoga and meditation in America---a country of 320 million. These practitioners are largely urban dwelling, white females who have access to yoga studios, and as mentioned before can afford to pay for lessons. Stacey’s mission is to bring yoga to those who need it, regardless of their ability to pay or their experience level. She describes herself and her staff as “not the trendy teachers”. I know that you are going to inspired by Stacey, her life journey and her mantra of “whatever… to the least of them.” Welcome Stacey, and many thanks for taking the time from a very busy schedule to join us on Exiting the A.S.A.P. Lane---a lane you know a lot about! In this episode you will learn: --About her mission is to provide healing to the “walking wounded”. --About “our soul’s contract”? --Her welcome mat to everyone regardless of skill or experience level. All those who think, “no one like me does this” will be inspired --About her own “life-long struggle with anxiety and depression --How her studio has lowered one of the barriers and drawn a lot who need it and want it, but can’t afford it --A 6-week course for those who have suffered traumatic brain injuries, and the profile of some of those who are participating. --The 12-step course for addiction including alcohol and drugs, she offers Her personal story that will not only inspire, but, hopefully motivate some of our listeners to take their own first step in what can become a healing, lifelong journey back to balance and equilibrium.   Make sure to like, subscribe, and share!

Will Parkinson, my guest is a very successful businessman, yet, I think he will tell us that his life story is very much that of the Wizard of Oz story, including spending much of his adult life seeking and using false wizards to deal with a physical handicap along with the stress and anxiety that go with building a successful business and raising a family. You will also hear about a miraculous physical and mental recovery brought about by his recent adoption of yoga and meditation. Will grew up on the Mississippi River, living an idyllic life of sports, fishing and hunting. He was inspired, as so many of us were by the stories of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. As you hear about his life, you will see that he suffered a life-altering event as a 16 year old when he lost a leg in an accidental shooting incident. Adding to the trauma of the incident was that he was a 3-sport athlete in school and had to give up all three. You will also hear about a childhood friend who drowned in the river, further adding to the childhood traumas. He and his wife, Ashley have five children, and Will has commented on the strain that his physical challenges and the various medications have placed on their marriage and home life. The list of illnesses and medical conditions accumulated over his life is a long one, and he will elaborate on them during the course of this program. In this episode you will learn about: --A purely serendipitous meeting that Will says “changed his life”. --Why he has become a believer in the axiom, “If you can breathe, you can do this.” --How his childhood traumas become toxic and altered his life in very dramatic ways. --The effects, both mentally and physically on his life --How finding refuge in his work added to the accumulating toll that stress and the lack of exercise was taking on his body. --His advice for type-A driven business and professional people who focus on accumulating “things” to the detriment of their health. --The miraculous physical and mental transformation in his life, and how calming the “monkey brain” curbed his emotional eating and has led to a dramatic weight loss? You will be inspired by his story and the resilience which brought him to a life-changing event in his life and the miraculous physical and mental benefits which followed.

Briana Bragg is today’s guest and her life story is an inspiring one, especially for all those living and competing in the A.S.A.P. Lane. She is the CEO and Founder of two businesses. You will notice that I didn’t add “for all those thriving in the A.S.A.P. Lane” Briana’s story is one of striving and succeeding as a young visionary and entrepreneur, yet, like so many burning out and finding the drain on body, mind and spirit crippling and debilitating.   Taking a vacation and traveling to some exotic locale is something we all have done or aspire to do. This provides a break from life in the digital age that is so anxious and stressful, and so much so, that too many can’t cope without self-medicating with substances that are self-destructive and increasingly fatal.   Deaths from opioids and suicide are at all-time highs, and it was announced recently that alcohol-related deaths exceeded both opioids and suicide. As our listeners know, the theme of this show is how to exit life in the A.S.A.P. Lane---a life of anxiety, stress, addiction and pressure.   Like so many, she will tell us how her life has been changed by adopting a practice of mindfulness into her life. The dark side of success for many, which goes unseen, is the toll and indeed physical and emotional burnout that can be the price one pays. She will tell us how, in spite of all the outward signs of “having it all” she was dealing with chronic pain and depression. Using “false wizards” weren’t an option for her, and she will tell us how she dealt with the dark side.   Briana lives in Chicago. She is a mindfulness expert who shares why everyone can meditate and the importance of meditation for the entrepreneur. She knows the anxiety that comes with running your own business and she will give you ways to combat it.   In this episode you will learn: -How we can all go on a vacation of the mind at anytime. -Techniques to deal with and manage the “daily chaos” of life -How to calm the “monkey mind” we are all born with. -A 3 step process, on how we can take this “vacation of the mind” at any time. -For the beginner, her blue or purple balloon method to help cope with the wandering mind. -The science behind meditation. -The importance of “slowing the game down” for top performers.   It is Briana’s desire and life’s mission to impact others for positive change. To learn more about Briana and her work, please see below: Website: https://www.vacationofthemind.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VacationoftheMind Twitter: https://www.instagram.com/VacationoftheMind

Flavio Ungaro is today’s guest and he is a very special one. His life story is that of a professional athlete, turned businessman, and an illustration of the challenges of the game both inside and outside the lines. We are entertained and live vicariously through their performance on the playing field. Their successes and failures are there for all to see. Less visible and understood are the factors that matter the most in achieving the competitive edge. He was born and grew up in Italy, played professional basketball for 9 years then coached for another 4 years. Drawing on lessons learned from both his successes and failures on and off the field as a professional athlete, he holds a Masters Degree in Mental Preparation for Top Performers and is now CEO of the Mentally Fit Institute for Latin America. This is a global company applying lessons learned from sports and how top performers achieve the competitive edge.   He says, “I Have lost, I have been benched, I have choked multiple times during my career. Fortunately, a fisherman, a soldier and a basketball player taught me the secret of success: the greatest of all capacities is to learn from what happens to you so you can make it happen the way you want.”   In today’s episode you will learn: -About the skill-set necessary for the business person to succeed today in a hyper-competitive business environment. -How individual performers, teams and entire organizations and companies have similar, yet different skill-set requirements -About the 7 Sources of Human Energy that must be addressed in order to truly master the competitive edge -About the MBA degree and is it enough in today’s hyper-competitive business environment for the ambitious young business person? -How choking and stress-related performance failure is a common hazard for all, even for sales people and executives and how to adopt techniques to combat it. -About the parallels between the game inside and outside the lines for the athlete and the business person -The importance of EQ as distinct from the IQ and how the EQ is so important in business.   There are many valuable lessons in this episode, and I know you will find it helpful in your own life and career.&

In the midst of life in the Digital Age and the global epidemic of stress and anxiety come the words of the Dalai Lama, “If we could teach every eight-year old to meditate, we could heal the planet of violence in one generation.” As standardized testing has become more the norm, performance anxiety and stress have spiked dramatically among both teachers and students.   My guest today is Stefanie Tovar, founder of Hanuman Homies, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to taking the healing effects of yoga and meditation to children in underserved communities.   Stefanie’s personal story is another, in a long line of those whose lives have been either dramatically changed or saved by taking up a practice of mindfulness. Stefanie is Mexican-American, born in San Antonio, Texas and in her own words, “with many secrets”. Among the secrets, “I was doing my own cooking and cleaning by age seven, encouraged to withhold the truth of her culture by not speaking Spanish at home in order to speak “clean” English at school.” She describes being traumatized having to protect her mother from her father with a machete the night they left to move into a trailer park where she experienced three sexual assault traumas before she turned 13.   As background, there are an increasing number of school systems across the country who are incorporating yoga and meditation into their curriculum. For example, in Newark, New Jersey, the Hawkins Street School has a daily 20-minute practice for students in kindergarten through fourth grade. One third-grader says, “When I do yoga, I feel really good. I feel like my whole body is new, like I was just born today.”   In one Baltimore inner-city school district, kids living in one-parent households often bring high levels of stress and anxiety to school resulting in classroom disciplinary problems and high suspension rates. The results from three-years of classroom mindfulness practice has resulted in significant reductions in suspensions, and other forms of discipline necessary to maintain control of the classroom and not distract from the students learning.     In this episode you will learn about:   --the tangible, evidence backed benefits for children from a practice of mindfulness: -Bringing students into the present moment, ready for learning -Encouraging community and connectedness in the classroom -Creating a sense of confidence instead of competition -Easing anxiety before test-taking -Enhancing focus, concentration, comprehension, and memory -Supporting social and emotional learning --About the unique problems among children from these communities that might not be found among other children -How her traumatizing childhood built resilience when the outcome could have been very different. --How the writings of Dr. Maya Angelou influenced a young girl to take charge and rise above all of her self-limiting beliefs --How her musical background and career provided an avenue for dealing with the emotional chaos of her early life. --How a suicide by a person very close to her finally motivated her to leave the “road and stage lights” --How yoga and meditation changed her life and why she has undertaken a mission to take this to kids and others currently underserved. --About Hanuman Homies is involved in, and particularly it’s recent grant from the Tegna Foundation to help advance this very important mission.   In closing, many thanks to Stefani, for being a guest today, and in particular for her willingness to share so much of your very inspiring personal story and life journey.   Finally, I want to close with quoting the Dalai Lama one more time, because it is such an important lesson for all of us, “If we could teach every eight-year old to meditate, we could heal the planet of violence in one generation”. May we all take time each day to slow down, and take time to breathe and just “be here now”.   Make sure to subscribe!

With guest, Farahana Surya Namaskar, Author, Mindfulness Coach and Divorce Counselor   I am delighted to have a very special guest on today’s show. The topic is not a pleasant one, but, it is a pervasive one in our society today.   Miranda Lambert in her recent song, which won song of the year on the American Country Music Awards show, sang of the Tin Man from the Wizard of Oz, who wanted a new heart to “be in love again:   Hey there, Mr. Tin Man You don't know how lucky you are I've been on the road that you're on It didn't get me very far You ain't missing nothing 'Cause love is so damn hard Take it from me, darling You don't want a heart   Hey there, Mr. Tin Man I'm glad we talked this out You can take mine if you want it It's in pieces now By the way there, Mr. Tin Man If you don't mind the scars You give me your armor And you can have my heart     My guest is Farahana Surya Namaskar, and she deals with the topic of love, heartbreak and all the personal trauma that goes with that. She has dealt with in her personal life and helps others deal with it. This is not an easy issue for someone to talk about, especially when it deals with their own life and the emotional wounds are still fresh and somewhat raw. For that reason, I am especially indebted to Farahana for agreeing to be on today’s show.   To illustrate the breadth and depth of the divorce rate in America: --According to the American Psychological Association, approximately 1 of every two marriages end in divorce --For those who divorce, the average marriage lasts about 8 years --The divorce rate in America is third in the world following only Belarus and the Maldives --Interestingly, even more second marriages end in divorce, up to approximately 65%   In this episode you will learn: -The range of issues, both emotional and legal that the average person has to deal with in going through a divorce -How well the sentiments expressed in Miranda Lambert’s song resonate as ones that are fairly typical with someone going through a divorce? -Whether it so traumatic that some give up on love and ever getting married again? -“Love is a fever cured quickly by marriage”, as the adage goes. The divorce rate would suggest that it’s important to consider other factors such as compatibility?, personality match?, can I be a good friend with this person? -About the custody relationship and how parts work to ensure that the emotional damage to the child is limited? -About a service being provided to law firms and representing clients in divorce cases? -How men seem to have a much harder time dealing with divorce than women. A study published in the BMJ Journal, says that divorced men are eight times more likely to commit suicide than divorced men. Anecdotally, the number of times that a divorced husband commits a murder/suicide dwarfs the times you hear of the woman being the perpetrator.    

My guest today is Retired Special Forces Lieutenant Colonel, Jamie Alden. He is the quintessential American warrior and combat veteran in the truest sense of that term. A Green Beret, His 24 years of military service, include four years as a Cadet at West Point, the United States Military Academy. He served as a Special Forces leader during four combat tours in support of Operation Enduring Freedom Afghanistan (OEF-A) from 2003-2013. He is married to another quintessential American warrior, and fellow West Point graduate, Susan Alden, who now serves as the Executive Director of Warriors at Ease, whose mission it is to promote the practice of yoga and meditation among service members and retirees. Green Berets and Yoga—two words not often see in the same sentence! I’m really excited about this particular episode for a number of reasons. The depth and breadth of the mental and physical health is killing people in record numbers. There is a global epidemic of stress. The reported deaths from combat zones, hurricanes, fires, school shootings, all horrific in their own right, are dwarfed by the casualties from opioids, alcohol and suicides. The “false wizards” of pills, alcohol and binge-eating are all being used by those unable to cope with the pace of life today without “self-medication”. As I say in my new book, there is an exit ramp out of the A.S.A.P. Lane (anxious, stressed, addicted and pressured). Mindfulness, an umbrella term for yoga and meditation is being used by an increasing number, yet, the stereotype held by many, that “no one like me does yoga” persists especially among men, seniors, kids/teens, African-Americans and Hispanics. This view is particularly acute among men, who feel it’s not macho enough, not vigorous enough, not as challenging as other more traditional gym workouts. This springs partially from the mantra we’ve all grown up with in America, that “bigger, better, faster, stronger” is the true path to success. This mantra has served us well as a country, as it has led to dominance in many areas and a level of prosperity not enjoyed in most other parts of the world. It has also, been the mantra of the U.S. Military. The dark side of this for the country, our civilian population and our fighting men and women is that it has led to an unprecedented level of mental and emotional damage. It may come as a surprise to many of our listeners that the U.S. Military, the world’s finest fighting force, including our elite Special Operations Forces have discovered that ”bigger, better, faster, stronger” isn’t enough in today’s environment and that yoga and meditation has been added to the training regimen, and is being used widely to  better equip our commanders and our soldiers with the mental and emotional skills to deal with the rigors of battle and life afterward. Welcome Jamie, and many thanks for taking the time to be our guest. In today’s episode you will learn: About the Fog of War, a term heard a lot, and the mental and emotional challenges this presents to the combatant and the commanders trying to make rational decisions among the smoke, noise and chaos that a battle involves. How the horrors of war, and the trauma from both physical injuries and PTSD are afflicting an increasing number. About the additional mental and emotional challenges that go with being a leader in a combat situation? How mindfulness is being employed today in the military About the findings of the Walter Reed Research Institute regarding the effectiveness of mindfulness in the military? About the important, high-profile roles being played by both Jamie and Susan in their post-active duty lives. About the resistance that many men have to yoga, in particular, and how it is being used in both the military and professional sports, including recent Super Bowl winning teams and by individual players like LeBron James, Tom Brady, Russell Wilson and others.  

America as a nation and Americans individually have grown and lived by a mantra of “bigger, better, faster, stronger”. As a nation, we have largely succeeded and individually many have prospered beyond their wildest dreams. Yet, in many ways the dark side of all this success is taking an increasingly large toll on our mental and physical health.   The value of exercise and proper eating are widely acknowledged as pillars of a healthy life. The value of sleep is much less acknowledged, except among the wise. “Burning the candle at both ends” is a well-known adage and is sometimes even worn as a badge of courage by many A-types. Sleep deprivation has many consequences, and none of them good.   Conventional wisdom is that the number of hours needed for sleep depends on the individual, and that some can get by with 4-5 hours per night. Wrong!-- says a massive new study of the sleep habits of more than 10,000 people just published in the journal Sleep. The conclusion is that everyone needs at least 7-8 hours. The ability to think clearly, make rational decisions when under stress and longer-term damage to physical health are all consequences of sleep deprivation.   My guest today is Alvaro Vaselli and he embodies the quality of the wiseman, who “keeps money in his head, but, not in his heart. He is the Founder and CEO of Nuvanna, a startup that combines 20+ years of leadership in product design and material science in sleep products with his passion to help others achieve a more balanced life. Prior to founding Nuvanna, Alvaro had a 20-year record of driving profitable growth in multiple B2B industries. Most recently, as President of the Personal Care Division of a $1B industry leader in the plastic films business. Alvaro’s roles have included general management, business development, sales and marketing. As an entrepreneur, innovator, and team builder, he inspires people to live a more balanced life that includes better sleep, mindfulness, positivity and gratitude.   In this session, you will learn:   How a businessman, pursuing a strategy of outdueling the competition in a “bigger, better, faster, stronger” world, yet finds a way to stress the importance of work-life balance. Why sleep doesn’t get the emphasis it deserves in discussions about overall mind-body fitness. The science behind this? How it links to the other six pillars of well-being. How sleep deprivation lead to stress eating and other forms of destructive self-medication practices? How “doing good while doing well” strategy, can become a winning business strategy   Thanks for listening.

Well, I bet that show title got your attention! Today’s show is a special one both for the subject and for the guest and his life journey. The life-long quest we all have for what we usually call “happiness” is really something much deeper and fundamental. What we really mean is not “ha-ha” happiness, but, peace of mind and the ability to live in the present without the constant ruminations about mistakes of the past and worries about tomorrow. We, as humans are body, mind and spirit. In the west, yoga and meditation are generally seen as activities meant to improve physical balance, strength, balance and mobility. Little understood and discussed is the connection between the ruminations of the mind and the spirit—the unseen and invisible life force. My guest today, is Don Drake, the head of Community Outreach at Unity Church of Dallas. His personal life story is compelling. Before his entry to West Point as a cadet, he and his brothers and his mother had endured years of verbal and physical abuse from his father. His PTSD, in spite of his military career didn’t come from combat in some foreign land, but, from this violent family environment. He credits his ex-wife with literally saving his life by introducing him to a mindfulness practice. In his post-military life he was very successful in business. After getting his MBA, he spent a number of years in banking and oil and gas, including serving as both CFO and CEO of companies. Athletes today have to manage the game inside the lines—the playing field and the increasingly noisy life outside the lines where your performance is evaluated and criticized endlessly on social media and talk radio. Less visible is the game outside the lines that have to be managed by the business or career person in today’s digital age. Don was highly successful in his business career, but as you will see today, a mental mess outside the lines: angry, depressed, and still suffering from the traumas of his childhood. k        Welcome to Exiting the A. S.A.P. Lane with Special Guest Don Drake   At the risk of contributing to the mistaken idea that yoga and meditation is a religion, please summarize as a starter what you mean by “The Yoga of Jesus”, because I grew up in a Baptist family who went to church twice on Sunday, prayer meeting on Wednesday nights, vacation bible school and tent revival meetings in the summer, and I have to confess, I never heard that Jesus did yoga? His journey from abusive childhood, to West Point to highly successful business career, yet a dark side and how you have now found what you think is your true calling. Please elaborate Success inside the lines won’t silence the monkey Spirit and how a stressed mind prevents the fruits of the spirit Mindfulness is a minister’s best friend Meditation and prayer When the mind is blind, the eyes cannot see Trauma gave you self-limiting beliefs?   Make sure to subscribe! 

One metaphor every sports fan is familiar with and has used often, is “choking” when referring to a player who is overwhelmed by the stress of the moment and makes an error at a critical point in the game. In more formal circles this is referred to as stress-related performance failure. Because of the unprecedented levels of anxiety and stress of life in this, the digital age, this phenomenon is getting increasing attention in business circles and all other facets of life. The level of stress is at record levels and tragically an increasing number are finding themselves unable to cope without the use of stimulants or other health destroying substances.   My two guests today are Dr. Dianna Purvis-Jaffin and Dr. Jennifer Howland of the esteemed Brain Performance Institute at the University of Texas at Dallas. Dr Purvis-Jaffin is Director of Programs and Strategy at the Institute and Dr Howland is Director of Stress Solutions. They are doing groundbreaking work at the institute in a number of areas, and we will explore this particular one in today’s program. They are leading an initiative to study, document and provide practical solutions for those who are struggling to cope with the demands of their jobs and still perform at a high level without resorting to health destroying substances.   In this session we will learn: --When our bodies, brains, and hearts are functioning in sync with one another, we not only perform at our best, but we have the ability bounce back from stressors that arise. --About heart rate variability, which is a measurement of how “in sync” our bodily systems are, and is an important indicator of health, fitness, and stress resilience. --How this marker of physiological resilience and behavioral flexibility reflects our ability to adapt effectively to stress and environmental demands.”  --How HRV (Heart Rate Variability) training has been shown to be beneficial in a wide variety of individuals, including professionals, students, and those looking to manage stress. --the strong evidence of effectiveness within high-stress group environments, such as military, law enforcement, and corporations. --how the adoption and continual practice, of the evidence-based techniques provided in HRV training can be utilized to healthfully rewire emotionally-influenced neural patterns that support information processing, decision-making, and general flourishing. Any business executive, salesperson, public speaker, attorney knows the normal anxiety felt when going into a high stakes meeting or negotiation. It becomes debilitating when it is intense enough to create a “panic attack” type of reaction. Dawn Scott, the Edward R. Murrow and Emmy Award winning CBS lead news anchor in Little Rock, Arkansas was profiled in my newly-released book, Yoga on the Yellow Brick Road, Exiting the A.S.A.P. Lane, Calm Your Mind. She talks about feeling oncoming panic attacks just before going on the air, and finally discovering that a practice of yoga and meditation helped her finally conquer this. The practice of mindfulness has moved more and more into the mainstream and is being used in a number of the highest stress professions, including the elite forces in the military, fire and police along with many championship professional sports teams.

This may be the first time these words have appeared in the same sentence except within America’s largest active-duty, armored US military base. Today’s show will destroy many of the stereotypes that present major barriers in the minds of many to taking up a practice of yoga and meditation. Many men, for example think it’s not macho enough or that they aren’t as flexible as the women they see in magazine pictures and they will be embarrassed. Many seniors think they’re too old. Kids, teens and college students are often too busy with their social media devices and apps and African Americans and Latinos often think that “no one like me does yoga”. If you fall into one of these categories, you will find many just like you, actively using yoga and meditation to regulate the stress and anxiety in their lives.   My guest today is Dr. Beth Funk. Dr. Funk is on the frontline in a number of ways in helping American military service members and their families cope with lives that are marked with uncertainty and subject to constant change. She grew up in an Army family and has been an Army wife and professional educator for 31 years. I’m not sure there’s such a thing as a royal military family, but, she’s as close as one can be. Her father General, Paul Yeosock commanded all US Army ground forces during Desert Storm. Her husband, Lieutenant General Paul Funk II is the base commander at Ft Hood and is currently on deployment in Iraq, and her father-in-law is General Paul Funk Sr. US Army Ret. She is sometimes, affectionately referred to as the First Lady of Fort Hood.   As with most who grew up in an Army family, Beth attended 10 different schools from Kindergarten through 12th grade and graduated from Marymount International High School in Rome, Italy. She is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in Elementary and Special Education, she also holds a Master’s degree in Educational Administration and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership.   Continuing her life’s mission of service, she has taken on a new mission and this is our topic for today. She owns a business, Life Moves Yoga, dedicated to serving the entire demographic profile at Ft Hood, including the enlistee, their families and the large civilian employee at the base. She and her instructors specialize in trauma sensitive, therapeutic and adaptive yoga.   As briefly mentioned before, the stability that the rest of us strive for our entire lives, is virtually unknown to the military family. Setting aside the stress of overseas deployments for the enlistee, the requirement to pick up and move without a lot of advance notice is a constant in the life of the military family. Building the coping skills and resilience in a population that ranges from young children to adults and seniors is a major challenge, but, that is the herculean task Beth and her team have undertaken.   She is the recipient of a number of awards, including The Secretary of the Army’s Public Service Award, The Department of the Army’s Outstanding Civilian Service Medal, The Yellow Rose of Texas, The Saint Joan of Arc Award, The Molly Pitcher Award, The Margaret C. Corbin Award, and The Dr. Mary E. Walker Award. In this episode you will learn:        --How Beth, a very fit, tri-athlete suffered a stress-related virtual physical breakdown from the enormous burdens she was carrying, and how she discovered the magic in yoga and how it changed her life.       --The size and scope of Ft Hood, the world’s largest military base.       --More about the stress and anxiety of the families back home, the entire family unit and all the age ranges that entails, and their different needs they have from a coping and resilience standpoint        --About providing therapeutic, trauma sensitive and adaptive yoga. This is not your stereotypical big city yoga studio serving a clientele that does yoga primarily for the physical body benefits.        --How yoga is for everybody, and every body.        --How secondary trauma is a condition for the wives and children.   You will see from all these examples that people exactly like you are actively participating in yoga and meditation as a means of restoring balance and equilibrium to their lives amidst this global epidemic of stress and anxiety that we find ourselves in. The good news is that there is an exit ramp from this A. S. A.P. Lane and I hope that you have learned some valuable insight into how to apply to your own life. Thank you for joining us today.

With Guest, Dorsey Standish, Chief Mindfulness Officer of MasterMind, a Gym for the Brain   So happy to have Dorsey Standish as the guest today. I’m especially excited, because I have personally participated in mindfulness classes she leads, and she is a true master of her craft.  She is the Chief Mindfulness Officer of Mastermind, where she teaches high performers how to achieve greater focus and peace of mind through mindfulness-based brain health.   Many who may not want to take up an active practice of yoga are often interested in other ways to calm their very own “monkey brain”. No matter how physically fit one may be, the pace of life today requires mind fitness as well. Please take note of the “high-performers” comment above, we will return to that later in the broadcast.   During her nearly ten years of experience practicing and teaching mindfulness, Dorsey has completed two-day, four-day and ten-day silent retreats and studied the UMass Medical School’s Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction technique. Dorsey has a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania and is currently working towards a M.S. in Applied Cognition & Neuroscience from the University of Texas at Dallas. Mindfulness & The Yellow Brick Road - How mindfulness relates to yoga and your breath Scientific benefits of mindfulness (A.S.A.P.) Top performers and the competitive edge The Road Warrior, stress and self-management techniques Dorsey’s story of life change through yoga and mindfulness = healthy coping mechanisms Also, a number of Mindfulness FAQs, including, what to wear?, is this religious?, how long should I meditate?, can I meditate lying down?, what if I can’t stop my wandering mind?, along with others Finally, a live Mindfulness Demo - 5 minute practice   You will get an enormous amount of value from this episode and I hope you will stay to the very end, because this session is jam-packed with tips that will literally change your life, the same way it did Dorsey’s

The anxiety and stress that all of us experienced and endured as teens is that same anxiety and stress, but, on steroids for today’s teens. All the insecurities about personal appearance, do they like me?, am I attractive?, the pressure to make grades in school, are now operating in the social media realm of Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. Bullies, always present during the teen years, can do their work in cyberspace now, and do it anonymously if they choose.   It should be said at the outset that the Digital Age has brought enormous advantages to all of us. For example, just think about all the time spent in libraries laboriously reading and researching that all of us had to do, which is now available with a simple click on your digital device or your smart phone. It has been said that never has more information been available, yet, never a greater need for wisdom in making smart choices about our daily lives. The topic today addresses the dark side of this and if you’re a teen or a parent, I hope you find today’s broadcast helpful in your own life.   This is the headline from a recent Wall Street Journal feature article: The Teenage Social-Media Trap/Teens increasingly measure and manage their social success online—and it may be taking a toll on their mental health.   My three guests today all are dealing with this from the very front lines, as it were, and I am grateful that they have agreed to share with all of us what stresses and strains they are all dealing with as teens in today’s digital age: Alexandria King, a junior at Greenhill, Sonia Dhingra, a freshman, and just graduated this spring and off to college, Amber Johri   In this episode you will learn: About a very insightful opinion piece written by Sonia on the need to slow things down to help deal with always feeling “spread thin” and the techniques she employs to do so.   The ambitions for their lives, including getting into the college of their choice and for one of the guests, Alexandria, running for elective office someday. They will elaborate on how they deal with the emotions and stress that go with that?   Unlike prior generations they have only known a life with social media and the internet. They will talk about the good things and bad things that this has brought into their lives?   About cyber-bullying and the impact on the self-esteem of teens and the contribution this can make to suicides and suicide attempts.   How life in the A. S.A. P. Lane contributes to the alarming increase in teen suicide attempts. Mental health is openly discussed at Greenhill and the testimony of some on Senior Day is truly eye-opening.   How the hyper-vigilance that some adolescents feel forced to maintain online is anxiety-provoking and hijacks time away from more important things like homework and sleep   About some recent research reports that those who care more about their online popularity, are more likely a year-later to engage in risky behavior such as substance abuse. It said that girls were particularly at risk for developing mental and emotional problems from the overuse of social media, since girls were more prone to conflate the attention they get on social media with their self-worth.   If you are a teen, I hope you find this episode helpful in your own life and if you are the parent of a teen, I also hope you find it helpful.

Trauma has gotten increasing attention in recent years, and especially in cases where returning veterans come home to family and loved ones, with mental and often physical injuries that have changed them into someone hardly recognizable from the fresh-faced son or daughter who left for their first overseas deployment. In fact, it was an undiagnosed condition until 1980 when the American Psychiatric Society added it to their Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.   My guest today, Anna Dowe, is the author of a new book, which chronicles a side of this condition that is rarely talked about or reported on---the impact on the wife and children of a returning veteran. Her new book, Bent not Broken is the story of her 10 year marriage to a veteran of the Canadian military. She describes a condition, called secondary traumatization, and her journey in making many tough decisions for she and her young children. Her book is her story. It is a message of healing and hope and a “gift to other spouses caught in the same situation”.   She is an international speaker, coach, guide and mentor with a long list of satisfied clients, including abused women, addicts, those at risk of suicide. Unsurprisingly, her academic training is in psychology, with a degree from York University.   In fact, Anna and I share the same book publisher, and I have gotten to know her a little. I have never seen here without a “glow” and a smile. Now that I know her personal life story it is even more remarkable that she exhibits such resilience and optimism. Long before her marriage, during her childhood, she was confronted with family circumstances that are traumatizing in and of themselves, and we will explore all of this today.   In this episode, you will learn: -- What “trauma” means and a description of some of the symptoms? --PTSD is most often talked about in a military context, it is not confined to that. There are other forms of trauma arising from family violence, verbal and physical abuse and sexual assaults --About a condition, rarely talked about and even known about—secondary traumatization --Self-limiting beliefs: “how you see yourself impacts how you see the world” -- That spouses sometimes blame themselves for the behavior of the PTSD affected spouse? --How a “burnt-out” brain is a recipe for disaster? --How the events of Anna’s childhood gave her resilience through that experience?   In closing, I highly recommend this book to all of our listeners. How can someone get a copy? Thanks to everyone for listening. I hope you found it interesting and helpful in your own life.     Go to Anna's website below! http://www.bentnotbroken.ca/book/   Don’t forget to subscribe to the show!

In the Wizard of Oz, the Good Witch Glinda tells Dorothy and Toto, that this is land of great beauty, but, can also be dark and terrible. That is true of life and it can especially be true for a trauma survivor. Toto was the hero in the Wizard story, and you may be surprised at how “man’s best friend” takes on a special meaning with trauma survivors. Trauma comes in many forms, including cases of prolonged verbal and sexual abuse, rape, loss of a loved one, and of course, the one that we are most familiar with, trauma survivors from war and combat missions.   This is our topic for today, and are you are really in for a treat, because you are going to meet an organization that is in the forefront of the effort to assist returning veterans and equip them with better coping skills, you are going to meet Aaron Mixell, a 22 year veteran of the U.S. Army, and you are going to meet Aaron’s very own Toto, Chief. As a program teaser, let me say having met and heard Aaron speak on his experience and the traumas he experienced, you will never hear anyone more articulate on the causes, effects and everything else associated with PTSD. You will leave this program more informed and educated on this topic than ever. Aaron says that Chief saved his life. He will expand on that during today’s session. The organization that trained Chief is Patriot Paws. Sharon Satterwhite, Director of Development and Sarah Mathers, Development Assistant are with us today. Welcome Aaron, Sharon and Sarah.   In this episode you will learn: --About the mission of Patriot Paws and how Chief and so many other graduates of your program here are integral to helping deal with this national crisis of PTSD. --How the puppies come in to your program at 6 weeks old and then go through all the way to a formal graduation ceremony and assignment to a partner. --About the “planes, trains and automobiles” concept as it relates to their training and graduation --About career changes for those that for whatever reason don’t graduate?   For example, the Dallas D.A. case, where the dog loved children and found a new career? --That dogs have teenage years, just like kids do, with all the attendant behavioral issues that go with that?     --Aaron served 18 deployments over his 22 years in the U.S. Army. This includes the Gulf War in the early ‘90s plus Iraq and Afghanistan and a number of others. In addition to his military career, Aaron Mixell, USA, Sgt. First Class, Ret., served 20 years of active duty as a U.S. Army Ranger, spending over 15 years deployed to various locations overseas.  While deployed to Iraq, Aaron was injured in an IED blast.  He suffered multiple injuries during this and other combat related incidents, including Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).  Thanks in large part to Chief’s presence in his life, Aaron’s mobility and stability is much improved as is his PTSD.  After a long, difficult recovery, Aaron now works with the Patriot PAWS staff as a Veteran Coordinator and is enjoying life with his wonderful wife and six children.   From Aaron you will learn:  --You often don’t know that you have PTSD, until you come home, and that it doesn’t necessarily come from just one incident --There are four types: caused by an incident, accumulates over time, combat isolation, entitled generation. --About the impact of the isolation syndrome: going to a remote, desolate, isolated place half-way around the world w/o the social network that one was accustomed to. --Technology and going from instant gratification with the internet, a PDA and social media apps to poor technology and the impact of then dealing with “slo-mo” as it is described. --How Chief, yoga and meditation saved Aaron’s life and continue to nurture him   http://www.patriotpaws.org/   Don’t forget to subscribe to the show!

Today’s episode continues on the theme from the first episode--The Magic in the Brain. All the answers to dealing with the unprecedented level of stress that is part of life in the digital age lie here, and before moving on to other related topics, it behooves us to understand this critical point. Our guest Dr. Melanie Greenberg is very special to me. Her work and writings have had an enormous effect on my own understanding of this topic and her best-selling book, The Stress Proof Brain is featured in my book along with a profile of Dr Greenberg. She is a clinical psychologist in Mill Valley, California, an author, speaker and executive coach. In addition, she writes a blog for Psychology Today called the Mindful Self-Express. She treats the whole person, focusing on mind, body, and spirit. With her patients and in her writings, she stresses modern neuroscience along with mindfulness and other techniques. Her bio is extensive and I encourage our listeners to go to her website, drmelaniegreenberg.com for a fuller appreciation of her and her work than time allow today. So simply stated, yet, near the top of life’s greatest challenges. In a previous episode, we explored this topic and the magic that resides in the brain. Unfortunately, darkness also resides in the brain, and this is at the root of the global epidemic of stress and anxiety that is taking such a toll on both our mental and physical health. The toll includes more lost to opioid overdoses last year alone than the combined wars of Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan alone. America is now second only to Mexico in obesity. The Center for Disease Control says that 4 out 10 Americans have a Body Mass Index that qualifies them as obese. In my new book, I call pills, alcohol, food, binge-shopping false wizards---means of coping by those who have difficulty with the pace of life today in the digital age.        In this episode you will learn: Many addictive behaviors such as drinking, smoking, taking drugs, overeating, and overindulging in shopping or sex are, at their root, attempts to avoid the uncomfortable emotions from stress. Emotional eating is directly linked to cortisol levels and stress. Studies show that persons under chronic stress can age prematurely, up to 10 years sooner than peers. Mindfulness has the potential to make not only individuals, but businesses, institutions and societies stress-proof. Your breath is the most common anchor in learning and adopting mindfulness into your life. Adult brains can be re-wired through a process called neuroplasticity. Mindfulness, practiced 30 minutes per day, can actually shrink your amygdala You can become the CEO of your own brain, keep your prefrontal cortex firmly in charge, and make your brain less reactive to stress. You can generate inner calm, build healthy lifestyle habits, and facilitate clear thinking. A stress-resilient brain is the best thing you can have for staying focused, fit, connected, and on top of your game. If I had to choose one tool, it would be mindfulness.    http://www.drmelaniegreenberg.com/ Don't forget to subscribe to the show!

Today's episode is about the Magic in the Brain - the TRUE path to Exiting the A.S.A.P. Lane. Alan Steelman is joined by Dr. Dianna Purvis Jaffin, Ph.D., PMP and Dr. Jenny Wright Howland, PsyD. Both women are from the Center for Brain Health, Brain Performance Institute at the University of Texas at Dallas. Dr. Dianna Purvis Jaffin is the Director of Strategy and Programs, while Dr. Jenny Wright Howland, PsyD is the Stress Solutions Program Manager. Dianna and Jenny are doing groundbreaking work at the Institute in a number of areas. The damage to our collective mental and physical health is enormous. It is said by many doctors and scientists that 95% of physical illness is attributable to undigested stress. Events in our lives, including traumas, have become emotional knots and take a major toll in our bodies and brain. Tragically, in an increasing number of cases, it is becoming fatal due to the inability of many to cope with the pace of life without destructive forms of self-medications like pills, alcohol, and binge eating even shopping retail therapy. Alan Steelman and his guests bring good news to all this in order to restore emotional and mental balance to our lives. Alan, Dianna, and Jenny explain and explore the Magic in the Brain- magic backed by science. In this Episode, you’ll learn: How to deal with stress through the Triad: Be Active, Eat Well, and Just Be Present. The definition of Mindfulness and how we can utilize in your own life to deal with stress, anxiety, and pressure. The benefits of mindfulness practice. Dianna and Jenny's phenomenal Mindfulness Project with the Dallas Police Department. How sleep deprivation and diet can impact the quality of life, well-being, and brain health in the age of obesity. Cortisol bombardment due to chronic stress and anxiety. How office workers and those in the customer service field can deal with stress, anxiety, and pressure. Mindfulness on men and the stereotype. The ability to be resilient. Center for Brain Health, Brain Performance Institute https://brainhealth.utdallas.edu/brain-performance-institute/  Don't forget to subscribe to the show!