Main Street Moxie

Send us a textHappiness is a moxie job! To kick off the 4th Moxie season, Mary O'Neill, co-creator and co-host of Main Street Moxie, explores the connection between happiness and moxie. Happiness is a topic on which Mary is well-versed. She has immersed herself in the topic through the lens of multiple disciplines, and it underpins her work as an educator and life design and career coach. For Mary, rainbows and unicorns do not signify a happy life. Instead, she draws on the Ancient Greek philosophy's emphasis on living a life of virtue and values. A happy life is one lived in alignment with qualities such as courage, moderation, honesty, humility, integrity, and, most crucially, practical wisdom, which involves knowing how and when to apply various virtues in the situations we encounter.This kind of life might not always be Insta-worthy, but it will lead to one of authenticity and coherence, which will buoy us in times of struggle and adversity.Viewing happiness in this way makes it less dependent on feelings and more rooted in action, doing, and MOXIE!In addition to being the co-founder and co-host of Main Street Moxie, Mary is a seasoned and award-winning educator, lecturer, and trainer. She has taught classes in philosophy, including an interdisciplinary course she created on happiness. She has also taught classes in sustainability and nature, global business, life design, career success, and college first-year studies at Western Connecticut State University. Currently, she serves as the Director of Life Design at Boston Global Communications and Performance, Inc., and as the Career Services Coordinator at CT State: Northwestern. Mary is also a life design and career coach in private practice. ResourcesGreater Good Science CenterHarvard Happiness and Leadership LaboratoryHappiness Research InstituteHappiness Studies AcademyYou Doing You Life Design and Career Coaching.Support the show

Send us a textGot holidays? Then you need moxie to get through them. The expectations, the standards, and the idealized version of the season can wear us down. Not anymore! This episode of Main Street Moxie with Sara Cousins is here to help you celebrate the holidays in line with your values and priorities, leaving you saner and less depleted as you enter 2025. Sara shares strategies and techniques to help us hold space for ourselves while finding connection with others during this holiday season and throughout the year.Sara is a licensed clinical social worker and psychotherapist with over 20 years of experience in private practice in Lakeville, Connecticut. For a decade, she's been the go-to mental health professional for Main Street Magazine.Sara's diverse career journey has taken her from working with Inuit youth in Alaska to serving communities through the Susan B. Anthony Project in Torrington, Harlem Hospital in Manhattan, and Victim Services of NYC. Across all her roles, she has been inspired by the resilience and vulnerability of the people she has served.Specializing in relational and couples therapy, Sara has been trained by renowned experts, including Esther Perel, Tara Brach, Orna Guralnik, Terry Real, John Gottman, and Harville Hendrix. She is also deeply committed to mindfulness and meditation, drawing on over 20 years of training with Mingyur Rinpoche. She has attended workshops and trainings with Pema Chödrön, Jack Kornfield, and Tim Olmsted.Outside her professional life, Sara embraces new challenges and adventures. She recently joined the Norfolk Curling Club to try curling, a sport much more challenging and painful than it looks on TV!This episode of Main Street Moxie is proudly sponsored by Main Street Magazine.Support the show

Send us a textOlivia finds and expresses her moxie through stand-up comedy. In this episode, Olivia explores how she grew her comedy moxie, describes her comedic process, and reflects on the challenges of leaving a highly structured, results-oriented career to dive into the unpredictable world of stand-up comedy.Olivia started her comic explorations by testing the waters at countless open mics in New York City before moving to Charlotte, NC, for her corporate job and continuing her comedy journey there. While in Charlotte, she founded Olivia's Fun and Flirty Comedy Show, a monthly stand-up show at a trendy brewery, which she grew in popularity over the course of two years. A standout performer, Olivia was also selected for 2023's North Carolina Comedy Festival, showcasing her growing talent and dedication to the craft.While planning shows and booking comics for that show, she also worked her day job assessing bank risk. Then, she took a risk of her own. In March of 2024, she took a considerable leap of faith. Quitting her bank role, she set out for Chicago to launch herself full-time in comedy–and has not looked back.Olivia is now a Chicago-based comedian, building her comic material and show appearances. Known for her sharp wit and relatable humor, Olivia has graced stages at notable venues, including the Laugh Factory Comedy Club, Lincoln Lodge Comedy Club, and Red Room Comedy Club. She regularly attends open mics and has begun taking improv classes at Second City, expanding her repertoire and range.She was recently selected from over 100 comedians who auditioned to perform at the Vouch Comedy Show at the Laugh Factory. In The Windy City, she continues to captivate audiences with her unique perspective and comedic flair.This episode of Main Street Moxie was proudly sponsored by Main Street Magazine.Social MediaInstagram @oliviahmay_ TikTok @oliviahmay_Support the show

Send us a textElaine's moxie is exuberant and engaging. Her humor and encouragement make you feel like you got this–you got moxie! Elaine has put in the time and miles to discern who she is and how she wants to show up in the world in each season of her life. That unshakeable belief in herself is the foundation of her energy and zest for a successful life, as she defines it.Elaine is an award-winning serial entrepreneur, educator, and speaker. She is best known for her role as the Founder and Executive Director of Latinas in Motion, a non-profit organization with chapters nationwide, created to encourage women of color to get active. Elaine began her fitness journey after the birth of her first child, taking small steps that have led her to run 5K's and marathons and organize races and group running sessions for others. Elaine inspires and empowers women worldwide to exercise and adopt healthy habits.This self-proclaimed "Mogul Mami" is an inspiration—as much for her contagious energy as for her willingness to break stereotypes. She enjoys sharing her story to inspire others to live the best version of themselves and move through the world on their own terms.Elaine is passionate about sharing her story with others—her down-to- earth personality and frequent pop-culture references have established her as a sought-after speaker. In 2018, Elaine was selected to share her mission statement at the Michelle Obama "Becoming" event. This episode of Main Street Moxie is proudly sponsored by Main Street Magazine.Resources:Latinas in Motion websiteMogul Mami websiteSocial Media:Elaine's Instagram @elaine_g_johnson  Latinas in Motion Instagram @latinasinmotionLatinas in Motion Facebook group @LatinasInMotionSupport the show

Send us a textWe all want peace, but the road toward it can be elusive. Our perceived differences loom large and seem insurmountable. Yet, some individuals like Lisa Worth Huber labor tirelessly to educate people about the self-work required to build peace and understand how the creative arts are a vehicle to express our stories, heal, and begin to bridge with others. This work takes moxie! It's granular and slow yet rich and rewarding, leaving Lisa with hope for building a family, community, and world where all are seen and valued. Peace provides a platform for all of us to flex our moxie, free from fear and able to devote our energies to being part of building something larger, not exhausting ourselves in pits of division.Lisa serves as President of the National Peace Academy. She is on the board of directors and faculty of the Global Peace Education Network (G-PEN), which currently works in partnership with UNESCO. She is a member of the Advisory Council for the Connecticut Center for Nonviolence, where she is a mentor to teaching artists pursuing their certification in Kingian Nonviolence. Lisa designed, implemented, and served as Academic Director for Connecticut's first accredited MA program in Peace and Conflict Transformation, and was a member of the international Launch Team for the Global Sustainability Fellows program, a trainer for the UnGUN Institute: Collective Trauma Healing Through the Arts, and an adjunct professor of Sociology at Western Connecticut State University.Additionally, Lisa has been a teaching artist for several decades, working in universities, K-12 classrooms, homeless shelters, and safe houses, and is the first recipient of the Frank McCourt Prize for Excellence in Teaching.  Along with designing and implementing nonviolent and peacebuilding programs, Lisa incorporates the arts to elevate voices, address injustice, heal trauma and PTSD, nurture compassion, and imagine new futures. Lisa blends story in its myriad forms with peace, humanitarian, social justice, and environmental concerns, and nurtures the development of creative activism and ecological stewardship.This episode of Main Street Moxie is proudly sponsored by Main Street Magazine.ResourcesLisa Worth Huber National Peace AcademyUnGUN InstituteGlobal Peace Education NetworkGlobal Sustainability Fellows programBridging Differences | Greater Good Science CenterSupport the show

Send us a Text Message.Traveling both takes moxie and builds moxie. Just ask the Housatonic Valley Regional High School International Travel Club. Reinvigorated by Club faculty advisor Social Studies teacher John Lizzi, the club has taken students, faculty, staff, and parents to destinations such as the Galapagos, Iceland, Ireland, Scotland, and the Mediterranean coast. In this Moxie episode, John and students Ellie Wolgemuth and Madison Melino describe their adventures, growth and moxie that have resulted from their journeys. In fact, Madison joined the podcast from the Rekyvik Airport after a glacier flood impacted her travels.For those in need of financial assistance, the Club's new model allows families to participate in fundraising to subsidize the cost of the trip, making travel affordable for anyone who wants to go. The club's fundraising arm, NWC: Students Without Borders, facilitates student fundraising activities and donations.John, Ellie, and Madison have all seen the impact of these trips crossover into their academic pursuits at HVRHS and in their personal lives. They are more confident, resilient, curious, and open to new experiences–the hallmarks of moxie!This episode of Main Street Moxie is proudly sponsored by Main Street Magazine.To support the HVRHS International Travel Club, consider donating an auction item, sponsoring the event, and/or attending their annual fundraiser at The White Hart Inn in Salisbury, CT, on September 13, 2024. The event is planned and staffed by students. For any questions, please email the club at nwcstudentswithoutborders@gmail.com or view their website NWC: Students Without Borders.ResourcesHousatonic Valley Regional High School EF Educational ToursSocial Media HVRHS International Travel Club InstagramSupport the Show.

Send us a Text Message.Fifty years ago, a human vs. beast thriller set in a summer beach town was published and devoured by readers. That book was Jaws, a best-selling novel that spawned a blockbuster movie the following year. Between the book and the film, we were all afraid to go back in the water. Peter Benchley, an established journalist and speechwriter, was instantly catapulted to fame as an author. Getting to that point took moxie! In this Moxie by Proxy episode, we talk with Nat Benchley, Peter's brother. Through Nat, we learn more about Peter's writing and how he often took a true story or incident and asked the question, “What if…?” An article that Peter carried in his wallet about a shark caught off Montauk became the launching point for Jaws. Having lived on Nantucket in his youth, Peter understood the tensions between the summer population and the year-rounders and the dependence of a small beach town on the income they make during the summer months. These social and economic dynamics form the backdrop to the drama unfolding on the water.The impact of Jaws, both book and movie, was a tidal wave of aggression against, and misunderstandings about, sharks. In the wake of that unfortunate outbreak, Peter and his wife Wendy began a lifelong crusade to educate about sharks and advocate for policies that protect them. Wendy Benchley continues that work today. Once educated about the fascinating world of sharks, Peter declared he could never again write a tale that villainized those magnificent creatures. He spent the rest of his life advocating for the protection and preservation of the species.To understand Peter's creative moxie, Nat delves into the Benchley family. Nat recounts stories of their grandfather, Robert Benchley, humorist, writer, actor, and member of the famed Algonquin Round Table; his father, Nathaniel Benchley, author of numerous books and articles, including The Off-Islanders, which became the movie “The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming!;” Peter as a journalist, author, and ocean advocate; and himself as a writer, actor, and performer. The intergenerational creative moxie running through the Benchley family is solid and enduring. This Main Street Moxie episode is proudly sponsored by Scenic Hudson and Thorunn Designs.ResourcesPeter Benchley websiteWendy Benchley websiteOblong Books: JawsAlgonquin Hotel: Algonquin RoundtableRobert_Benchley WikipediaNathaniel Benchley WikipediaNat Benchley WikipediaNat Benchley website Support the Show.

Send us a Text Message.In this episode of Main Street Moxie, Keith Moon shares stories about his longstanding involvement with Special Olympics, an organization with moxie built into its DNA.Keith's secret moxie sauce is recognizing a need and then finding a way to use his talents and skills to make a difference. He enjoys bringing people and organizations together to accomplish a larger goal.Keith's involvement in Special Olympics began when he read an appeal in the Hartford Courant to raise needed funds for the organization. His response: “I can do that.” Using his position as the boys' swim coach at the Hotchkiss School, he organized a swimathon that raised $4,000. That was 30 years ago, and he's organized one every year since; to date, the Swimathon has raised over $250,000 for Special Olympics. Working with colleagues, students, and the local community, he has expanded the reach of the Swimathon and branched out into athletic competitions in other sports.Keith has remained an enthusiastic supporter of the Special Olympics mission of creating athletic competitions that promote the development of individuals with intellectual disabilities and their inclusion in society. Keith's nine-year tenure on the board of Special Olympics Connecticut has also given him insight into the moxie of the athletes and their families. The athletes' determination, competitive joy, and focus on what they can do–not their limitations–fuel his dedication to the Special Olympians.In 2022, after Russia attacked Ukraine, he helped form a partnership between Special Olympics Connecticut and Special Olympics Slovakia, to create a Dream Day Center for Ukrainian refugee children born with intellectual disabilities and their families. At this year's 30th annual Hotchkiss Swimathon, four Slovakian coaches and four Special Olympics Slovakia athletes will make the swim across Lake Wononscopomuc and back on September 7, 2024.Keith has been an instructor of Russian history and literature at the Hotchkiss School since 1989 and a volunteer instructor in those subjects for Noble Horizons Retirement Community since 2012. In 2019, he was awarded the school's Lufkin Prize, which honors faculty for their excellence, commitment, moral leadership, and service to the community. If you'd like to learn more about Swimathon and how you can get involved and contribute, email kmoon@hotchkiss.org.This episode of Main Street Moxie is proudly sponsored by Elyse Harney Real Estate.ResourcesSpecial Olympics ConnecticutSpecial OlympicsNobleHorizons Blog: Keith Moon: Raising People UpLufkin Prize SpeechSocial MediaSpecial Olympics Connecticut FacebookSpecial Olympics Connecticut InstagramSpecial Olympics Connecticut YouTubeSpecial Olympics Connecticut LinkedInHotchkiss School InstagramSupport the Show.

Send us a Text Message.Bill Johnson believes moxie is essential for pursuing purpose, which he defines as becoming one's best self in service of at least one thing larger than oneself. This self-knowledge and action directed outward are why we're here—and why he's here, too. Known as the “Dream Dean,” Bill continues to refine his Life Design Catalyst program, immersing himself in it to gain deeper insight into his own “why.” This place of deeper understanding and a growth mindset on steroids fuels Bill's work. His own journey inspires him to be one percent better each day. He believes in surrounding himself with people–his tribe–who challenge and support him. After 34 years in higher education, he retired in June 2023 to pursue his true love—empowering people to initiate the self-discovery process to explore, express, and embrace purpose and possibilities to transform their lives and the lives of others. In short, he helps people find purpose and meaning in their lives to help others do the same. Bill has held workshops that have trained thousands of people and worked with hundreds of institutions within and outside higher education to use the Life Design Catalyst curriculum to create workshops, programs, and courses that change the lives of those they employ and serve.In his academic career, Bill worked extensively with students, faculty, and staff in various capacities at Davidson-Davie Community College, the University of North Carolina-Greensboro, the College of William and Mary, the College of New Jersey, and the University of Delaware. Bill has a Bachelor of Science degree in Recreation and Parks Administration and a Master of Science Degree in Physical Education, both from the University of Delaware. He is also a certified Dream Coach, Spiritual Group Coach, and Wellness Coach with extensive Purpose and Life Coaching training.This episode of Main Street Moxie is proudly sponsored by Meadowscapes and Elyse Harney Real Estate.ResourcesDream Dean WebsiteLife Design Catalyst ProgramSupport the Show.

Pieter Lefferts is a visual artist, author, and musician who draws deeply from the natural world for creative inspiration and moxie. Over the years he has sought deeper communion with Nature to find balance and better understand himself and the world around him. In this work, he eschews perfection and instead embraces authenticity and intentionality, wherein perfection unfolds as the sum of the parts of an idea explored and life lived.Pieter is a student of shamanism, indigenous wisdom, science, and natural history, which, in combination, inform his artistic process. He is a lover of stories and people and strives to live his life with humor, grace, and a reliable Adirondack guide boat from which to paint.His award-winning artwork is in national and international collections. He has received numerous awards for his artistry and as an arts educator. Litchfield Magazine named him one of Litchfield County's 50 Most Influential People of 2012.Widely collected, his work has been juried into the renowned Pastel Society of America's annual 'Enduring Brilliance' exhibition in New York City and the Northeast National Pastel Exhibition in Old Forge, NY, in which he received the Lee Award for artistic excellence. He exhibits in group shows throughout the region, including Keene Arts in Keene, NY. His recent solo exhibit at the DM Hunt Library in Falls Village, CT, included an Earth Day reading from his award-winning novel, What The Kek Kek Saw, a fable published by UnCollected Press in 2022 and chosen as a Nautilus Book Awards Gold Winner for Young Adult Fiction in 2023.Pieter is the founder of Northlight Art Center, located in Amenia, NY, a venue for aspiring artists to study with him in a professional atelier environment. He is a master teaching artist whose knowledge of techniques and materials, coupled with his wit and wisdom, encourages students of all backgrounds to pursue their personal discovery through making art.This episode of Main Street Moxie is proudly sponsored by Meadowscapes and Elyse Harney Real Estate.ResourcesPieter Lefferts WebsiteThe Raw Art ReviewSocial MediaPieter Lefferts InstagramPieter Lefferts FacebookSupport the show

In this Moxie by Proxy episode, we discuss the moxie of the women of Iceland through the camera lens of Pamela Hogan, Emmy award-winning filmmaker, journalist, and media executive.In her latest documentary, The Day Iceland Stood Still, Pamela and her collaborator acclaimed Icelandic filmmaker Hrafnhildur Gunnarsdóttir, take us back to October 24, 1975, and the months leading up to that historic moment when 90 percent of Iceland's women took the “day off,” bringing the country to a standstill and catapulting Iceland to the world's superpower of gender equality. The story comes to life through interviews with the unstoppable women who planned and lived that day, interwoven with playful animation and evocative archival footage. Seven years in the making, the documentary is evidence of Pamela's filmmaking moxie and her belief in a riveting story. The film's release in 2024 celebrates the 50th anniversary of that day. Pamela describes the joy, grit, and determination of a diverse group of women as they sought to change the status quo, open up career opportunities, and promote wage parity. It's a fascinating examination of compromise, unifying messaging around social change, and grassroots organization. Ultimately, it's a story of how ordinary women managed to do the extraordinary.Pamela also describes the roots of her moxie in being raised by a single mother who was deeply involved in the women's equal rights movement in the 1970s United States. She is drawn to stories of women, stories that are fascinating and often overlooked. It is like whether a tree falling in the forest with no one around makes a sound; she believes if no one tells a person's story, it doesn't exist.Pamela's body of work includes Looks Like Laury Sounds Like Laury, Women, War & Peace series and its kick-off episode, I Came to Testify, and Wide Angle series on PBS. At Wide Angle, she was the Executive Producer working with global filmmakers on 70 hours of character-driven documentaries illuminating under-reported stories. While there, she developed Ladies First, an Emmy-award-winning film about women's leadership in post-genocide Rwanda, and Time for School, a longitudinal series that followed seven children in seven countries fighting the odds for a basic education.Pamela is recognized with the National Council for Research on Women Making a Difference for Women award. She is an adjunct professor at Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism and on the board of the International Center for Transitional Justice.This episode of Main Street Moxie is proudly sponsored by Elyse Harney Real Estate and Meadowscapes. ResourcesFork FilmsThe Day Iceland Stood StillWomen's Day Off - Main Street MagazineSupport the show

Craig Peterson's moxie is a well-conditioned muscle, one of the many that he's developed as a professional athlete in the Arena Football League (AFL), Indoor Football League (IFL), and the National Arena League (NAL).Craig's moxie has been built by long hours of doing the work and responding to setbacks with a can-do mindset, mental toughness, consistency, adhering to his routine, teamwork, and listening to his trainers and coaches. He believes in competition—against himself and others—accompanied by fun. For Craig, without the fun to accompany the hard work, what's the point?Known in football as “Craig the Leg,” he has turned rejection into motivation, a signature trait of Craig's career, in which he's won four Arena championships, along with two Special Teams Player of the Year designations and two First Team All-NAL accolades.Craig doesn't take well to being told he can't do something. Such was the case with football; when being told he couldn't play by his college team's  head coach, he doubled down and tried even harder.Fast forward the tape reels, and he's just been re-signed with IFL's 2023 Champions, the Bay Area Panthers, for the 2024 season as their kicker. He's also the Specialists football coach at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York.Craig took up track and field during his early college years at Herkimer County Community College. What began as a way to get back into shape after burnout from an ultra-competitive high school soccer career became an unexpected rejuvenation to his athletic trajectory. He became an All-American in the decathlon, an extremely gratifying achievement.His professional football career began in 2014, several years out of college. Without the benefit of playing college football, he single-mindedly dedicated himself to training and tryouts and started his career as a kicker.The rest is Craig's moxie history.This episode of Main Street Moxie is proudly sponsored by Meadowscapes and Elyse Harney Real Estate.Resources and Social MediaCraig Peterson InstagramCraig Peterson FacebookCraig Peterson X (formerly known as Twitter)Craig Peterson YouTubeCraig the Leg TrailerSupport the show

Another moxie-filled year has passed with fascinating guests from all walks of life. In our monthly episodes, our guests joined the ranks of Honorary Agents of Moxie. We hope you found their stories as interesting and inspiring as we did.We are incredibly grateful to you, our listeners, for tuning in to hear the inspiring and honest stories of our guests--people like you who have embraced courage, learned from failure, and evolved as humans.In our 2023 episodes, you can listen as:Leo Marzen flexes financial moxie muscleNadim Sadek brings moxie to his entrepreneurial spirit and pursuitsJenny Hansell grows into her moxie through leadershipClem Loew recounts the moxie of his mother and how that example paved the way for his own life of moxieKelley Vickery looks for places where an unfilled need exists and then fills itMichael Kevin Baldwin uses acting and theater as a platform for developing moxieFaye Hess cooks her way to living life her way with grace and moxieJanine Gordon senses her moxie muscle as a young adult and looks for opportunities to keep strengthening itSimon Critchley backs his moxie up with philosophy, thought, and actionPano Koukopoulos hikes and climbs his way to higher moxie summitsThank you to all of our 2023 sponsors who have made this podcast possible. We couldn't do it without them. Support them whenever possible. Elyse Harney Real EstateKindred Property CareNorth East FordHammertownAssociated Lightening RodThorunn DesignsOver and out, 2023! Bring it on, 2024! We'll be scouting for moxie and bringing it right to you! Have a healthy and joyful holiday season and a 2024 filled with all good things—including moxie!Support the show

 Pano believes that we earn moxie through putting in the work and paying the price, not instant gratification. As a lover of the outdoors and wild places, he finds opportunities to cultivate moxie and apply the lessons of nature to his life and the lives of those he encounters through his work, teaching, and volunteer commitments.Pano is the director of Emergency Management and Environmental Health and Safety Programs for Western Connecticut State University in Danbury, CT, where he oversaw the University's successful response to the COVID-19 pandemic. He teaches in the University's Department of Biology and the Kathwari Honors Program and is the faculty advisor to the WCSU Adventure Club. If that's not enough, he's a volunteer firefighter for the Woodbury Volunteer Fire Department, a certified EMT, a steadfastly loyal Liverpool FC fan, and a bread baker. He has been an instructor at the Connecticut Fire Academy and the Technology Management program at Central Connecticut State University.Pano's understanding of risk and how to assess and manage it provides a foundation for moving through the world with less worry and more empowerment. He observes that nothing we do in life is 100 percent risk-free–our job is to identify risk, minimize it, and understand that there are some parts of life we can't plan for or control. His time outdoors allows him to hurl expletives into the ruthless ascents of the trail, literal and figurative. But by immersing in forests and canyons, he finds the confidence to know that whatever life throws at him, he has the inner resources and moxie to get through it.This episode of Main Street Moxie is proudly sponsored by Elyse Harney Real Estate and Kindred Property Care.ResourcesEmergency Management – Western Connecticut State UniversityGet Help | Emergency Preparedness | Red CrossReady.govEmergency Preparedness and Response | CDCCommunity Safety Resources - National Safety Council (nsc.org)Support the show

Simon Critchley's curiosity is on steroids, and that curiosity, love of learning, and genuine interest in other people fuel his moxie. In this episode, we explore with Simon the role of philosophy in creating moxie. He shares his wisdom on how we have more in common than we think and how forming alliances and relationships based on those commonalities allows us to learn from others rather than judge them. He explains that to philosophize is to take time and resist busyness. It's about looking up and taking in the spaciousness around us with openness and without judgment. Cultivating a curious mindset is worthwhile work; putting down our tech and forming connections is imperative to our humanity.Simon is the Hans Jonas Professor at The New School in New York City, where he teaches philosophy. He writes prolifically on a wide range of topics. His books include Very Little…Almost Nothing (1997), Infinitely Demanding (2007), The Book of Dead Philosophers (2009), and The Faith of the Faithless (2012). Simon has also written a novella, Memory Theatre (2015), a book-length essay, Notes on Suicide (2020), and studies of David Bowie, Football, and Apply-Degger (Onassis, 2020). More recent books are Tragedy, The Greeks and Us (Pantheon, 2019), and Bald (Yale, 2021). Simon was the series moderator of ‘The Stone,' a philosophy column in The New York Times, and co-editor of three volumes connected to the series, most recently Question Everything (2022). He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Onassis Foundation and also 50 percent of an obscure musical combo called Critchley & Simmons. A book called Mysticism will be published by The New York Review of Books in 2024.An ardent lover of the Beautiful Game, Simon is a dedicated fan of Liverpool FC.This episode of Main Street Moxie is proudly sponsored by Elyse Harney Real Estate and Kindred Property Care.Support the show

Janine has been flexing her moxie muscle throughout her life. In every phase of her career, she has identified her strengths and pursued roles that would build on them. Her path has been a moxie mix of serendipity and strategy and an openness to embrace the opportunities presented to her. Janine also sees connections between people and the organizations she serves throughout her impressive public relations and marketing career. Through her creativity and vision of what's possible, she creates synergy.Janine has held a succession of positions in marketing/public relations and development, including Press Officer of Harrods (in London); Executive Vice President, Head of Corporate Communications, and a member of the Operating Committee of Saatchi & Saatchi Advertising; founder and President of Saatchi & Saatchi Public Relations; and founder and CEO of her own eponymous marketing public relations agency specializing in luxury goods, healthcare and not-for-profit. Her clients included Kiehl's, Shiseido Cosmetics, The Platinum Guild, The Capital Grille, Time Inc., Johnson & Johnson, McNeil Consumer Products, Mayo Clinic and the Weizmann Institute of Science.Having sold her public relations agency and “retired,” Janine and her husband relocated from New York City to Miami.  She now serves on the Board of Trustees of Miami City Ballet and does pro bono marketing consulting for PAMM and Baptist Health. She is a member of the Century Association, Cosmopolitan Club, Economics Club of New York, Penn Club of New York City and, with her husband, Fisher Island Club and Yale Club of New York City.This episode of Main Street Moxie is proudly sponsored by Elyse Harney Real Estate and Kindred Property Care.

Chef Faye Hess has the winning recipe for moxie. She mixes love, joy, curiosity, fearlessness, resilience, and gratitude to produce a moxie souffle that won't collapse. In this episode, Faye explores how she came to her love affair with food and how cooking for herself and others has been a foundation for her happiness and growth. She embraces failure as an opportunity to learn and forges into the unknown with incremental steps and lots of reflection.Faye currently cooks for private clients and runs residential cooking programs in Italy, Spain, France, and soon, Sicily. In her past careers, she prepared food in the film and television industry and co-founded several restaurants, including LIC Brick and 51st Bakery and Cafe. She also wrote and produced a radio show called “In the Kitchen” hosted on New York City's WBAI radio station, and was a contestant on Chopped. Besides cooking, she loves writing and has authored blogs and screenplays, taking ballroom dancing lessons, and living and traveling abroad. Her recent experience with breast cancer caused her to embrace life on a deeper level, seeking out adventures and people that feed her spirit. This episode of Main Street Moxie is proudly sponsored by Kindred Property Care and North East Ford.ResourcesFaye Food website

Michael oozes moxie and uses his passion for the stage to help others cultivate their own. He believes educating people of all ages in the theater arts is empowering, cathartic, and fosters empathy—and moxie.He loves drama—on the stage. And he loves the community that surrounds it. He has found his bliss at this intersection of community and theater and derives energy and inspiration from the constant collaboration the theater requires and being known to those who surround him. Michael is the Associate Artistic Director and Director of Education of the Sharon Playhouse in Sharon, CT. He first performed on the stage of the Playhouse when he was 10 years old, and it brings him immense joy to now be a member of the staff. He wears many hats at the Playhouse, including teacher, director, actor, and playwright. Directing credits at the Playhouse include Pride and Prejudice, A Midsummer Night's Dream, A Charlie Brown Christmas, Elf, Jr., Frozen, Jr., and Marie Antoinette, starring Lauren Ambrose. For the 2023 summer season, Michael will be directing the mainstage production of Oliver.His performance credits at the Sharon Playhouse include Tony Whitcomb in Shear Madness (Broadway World CT Award - Best Performer in a Play, Berkie Nominee - Outstanding Lead Actor in a Play) Cogsworth in Beauty and the Beast, Mordred in Camelot, and Bobby in A Chorus Line.As Director of Education, Michael has initiated in-school performing arts residencies at Indian Mountain School, Sharon Center School, and Housatonic Valley Regional High School (HVRHS) and partnered with Project SAGE. Michael co-created and directed the play #BraveSpace, which premiered at New York University's Forum on Ethnodrama. Michael has conducted masterclasses and delivered speeches nationwide, most notably as a keynote speaker for The Educational Theatre Association's  Theater In Our Schools Initiative. In 2022, he was his high school alma mater's commencement speaker.This episode is proudly sponsored by Kindred Property Care and North East Ford.

For Kelley, moxie involves seeing the gaps and finding ways to fill them. She strategically uses her considerable skills to create something that adds value and beauty to the world. Then she goes for it, bringing others along to develop collaborations and community.When Kelley moved to the Berkshires over 20 years ago, she decided the area needed a film festival. A huge film fan since childhood, thanks to her parents, she set out to bring her vision to life. At her kitchen table, she sketched out the plan. She spoke with other film festival organizers and attended a handful of film festivals to make her vision a reality.She set to work, combing the local community and persuading people and organizations to step up and partner with her. Step up they did–contributing time and talent, resources, and venues, and the Berkshire International Film Festival (BIFF) was born in 2006. Now in its 17th year, BIFF is a staple of the Berkshire-area cultural season. It has expanded to other film and cultural events in partnership with other organizations throughout the year. The Festival showcases independent films from around the world and creates a space for independent filmmakers and film fans to experience the visual medium and forge creative relationships. The 2023 season boasts over 75 narrative and documentary features and short films to a growing audience of over 4,000. Kelley began her career as a press manager at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. While living internationally, she was an art museum docent; owned an art gallery in Frankfurt, Germany; consulted with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra; and launched herself as a professional photographer in Hong Kong. She has won numerous awards, including the She's Got Moxie! Award (Berkshire Festival of Women in the Arts); Berkshire Trendsetter (1Berkshire); 25 Most Influential People (Berkshire Magazine). BIFF has also garnered recognition as one of the Top Ten Events in Massachusetts (Best of New England, Yankee Magazine, multiple years); one of the 25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World (MovieMaker Magazine). She is an active community member and has served on various boards and committees, including Jacob's Pillow, Tanglewood, Shakespeare and Company, IS183, Austen Riggs, and Construct, Inc.

Clem's moxie starts with his mother's efforts to keep him alive and safe from the Nazis in Poland during World War II. As a child, Clem witnessed his mother's fierce bravery and moxie in the face of Nazi atrocities, alongside the kindness of Catholic nuns in the convent where he was hidden for two years.After the war, Clem and his mother immigrated to the United States to start anew in New York City. He became a psychologist and psychoanalyst and has maintained a private practice for over 35 years.in 1969 he cofounded the National Institute for the Psychotherapies, an organization dedicated to training in relational psychoanalysis and integrative psychotherapy. The Institute's students provide low-cost, high-quality therapy to patients of all backgrounds. He currently serves on its board of directors. Part of Clem's moxie is in how he works through his childhood trauma and shame. He helps others find self-acceptance and peace through his clinical practice. He believes that being in relationship with others is the key to healing and wholeness.He has published books and articles on dream interpretation and psychotherapy and a memoir When the Birds Stopped Singing, in which he explores the trauma and tragedy that he lives with to this day. Clem writes that he acknowledges “that along with the privilege of survival comes the obligation to live one's life to its fullest and honor those who did not survive."He is a sculptor and portrait photographer and finds his creative life part of his healing and self-expression. He contributed a chapter to the book The Power of Witnessing, entitled “My Lost Father,” in which he explores the creation of a life-sized sculpture of the father he lost at the age of four and never knew.He is a volunteer lecturer at the Museum of Jewish Heritage: A Living Memorial to the Holocaust.For more information, visit Clem's website.This episode of Main Street Moxie is proudly sponsored by Associated Lightening Rod and Thorunn Designs.

Jenny's moxie is like a snowball that keeps getting bigger! She adds a bit more moxie with every opportunity and experience she encounters. She has worked to improve the lives of others in ways that use her skills and talents while also getting out of her comfort zone and building her own capacities as well as those of the organizations and communities she serves. Having amassed a wealth of knowledge and expertise, Jenny believes in sharing what she has learned with others to help them find their own version of moxie.Jenny is President of Berkshire Natural Resources Council, a county-wide land conservation organization in Western Massachusetts. Since joining the organization in 2018, Jenny has more than doubled the size of the staff to focus more broadly on strategic land conservation goals addressing climate resiliency, habitat protection, and public access; developed a new focus on farmland and ensuring farmers have access to affordable land; and worked to ensure that people from all backgrounds and abilities feel welcome and can enjoy and appreciate the Outdoors.In 2001, Jenny became the Executive Director at the North East Community Center based in Millerton, NY, and serving Eastern Dutchess County and nearby communities in Connecticut. She developed a small village-based organization into a county-wide leader in food security, youth development, and transportation.Before moving to Sharon, CT in 1998, she lived in New York City, where she spent nearly ten years at Creative Arts Workshops for Kids, a grassroots organization that provided holistic, long-term programs and care for homeless and formerly homeless children and their families in East Harlem. While there, Jenny raised funds, developed tutoring programs, conducted art workshops, mentored and trained volunteers, and eventually served as their Executive Director. In 1997 she moved to Sesame Workshop (creators of Sesame Street) where she developed parenting content for the website and helped design the user interface.Jenny's career began at the National Audubon Society in New York; she then became the assistant director of the Council on the Environment of New York City (now known as GrowNYC), where she supported their initiatives in office waste reduction, community gardens, environmental education, and the well-known Greenmarket.She has served on many nonprofit boards; written theater, dance, and film reviews for regional publications; and is an accomplished painter of landscapes, portraits, and other subjects. Her work has been exhibited in the Berkshires and the Northampton, MA area.This episode is sponsored by Elyse Harney Real Estate and North East Ford.

Part of Nadim's brand is moxie. He has founded, built, and led three major businesses: Sadek Wynberg Research, a qualitative research agency; Inish Turk Beg, an island off the coast of Ireland from which he built an award-winning whiskey, food, and music brand; and ProQuo AI, the first AI-driven brand management system. Now, Nadim is building a fourth organization as CEO of NeuroTech Group AI, which combines psychology with AI to better fulfill human needs. This new endeavor navigates the intersection of neuroscience and curating an individual's brand ecosystem. It brings efficiency to business and effectiveness to marketing. In this episode, Nadim also explores other aspects of his secret sauce. He muses on his creative process and how he creates momentum and energy for an idea. His life philosophy centers on being kind, doing no harm, gratitude, curiosity, and bringing a laugh into the mix. Born to an Egyptian father and an Irish mother, Nadim lived the life of a third culture kid in diverse places such as Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Malaysia, Indonesia, and later Barbados and Antigua. Those experiences have informed his worldview and approach to life.Nadim enjoys playing and listening to music and founded Off the Shelf records and dabbles in the Irish flute. He channeled his love of motorcycles into Boss Bikes Club, where you can see Nadim traveling across the globe and hopping on a bike to take in the local flavor. He is the brand ambassador for Oxford Talks.This episode is sponsored by Elyse Harney Real Estate and North East Ford. ResourcesNadim Sadek WebsiteNeurotech Group AIBoss Bikes Club - YouTubeWe are what we choose | Nadim Sadek | Oxford TalksThe Secret Millionaire - Nadim SadekSecret Millionaire - 'Look Back' by Nadim Sadek, John Concannon, and John FitzPatrickRTE Nationwide on Inish Turk Beg with Nadim SadekNadim Sadek introduces music from Inish Turk Beg - The Brilliant SeriesLife's eXchanges: Nadim Sadek at TEDxTeddingtonIrish Arts CenterSocial MediaLinkedIn Nadim Sadek - Co-Founder & CEO - NeuroTech Group AI | LinkedInTwitter Nadim Sadek (@nadimsadek) / Twitter Instagram @nadimsadek • Instagram photos and videos

Leo believes moxie can benefit from solid financial planning and a long-term approach. Taking risks feels less risky when you know your big picture and are clear about your life and fiscal priorities.In this episode, Leo shares his financial planning, entrepreneurial, and life philosophy, all of which can be traced back to working in his parents' hardware store in Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania. Leo always knew he wanted to be in business for himself. He began his professional career in public accounting with Coopers & Lybrand. Gradually, his focus narrowed to personal financial planning, and along the way, he accumulated the credentials of CPA, CFA, and CFP®. When Leo couldn't find the right investment advisory firm to join, he started his own. That's when he and Milt Stern met and discovered they had similar visions. Leo and Milt agreed to team up for their next investment client and put their ideas into practice. The rest is Bridgewater Advisors, where he is co-founder and managing partner.Leo has served as an instructor in portfolio management at the New York Institute of Finance, has been a member of the Board of Governors at the University of Scranton Alumni Society, and has been a member of the AICPA Investment Committee and The Greenwich Roundtable.  Barron's magazine has recognized Leo as one of the country's Top 100 Independent Investment Advisors.This episode is proudly sponsored by Elyse Harney Real Estate and North East Ford.

Lora Karam and Bev Canepari are unlocking the riches of Connecticut one town at a time through their website, blog, and social media platform, Unlocking Connecticut. In this episode of Main Street Moxie, Lora and Bev discuss their joyous exploration of the fabulous small businesses, stores, food and dining, art and culture, recreation and natural beauty, and events and people of the Nutmeg State–and beyond. In this episode, they explore their origin story, their belief in the power of the Universe and a synched Google calendar, and their admiration for the small businesses that are the bedrock of the towns they explore. Lora and Bev's exuberant moxie shines as they describe their pivotal train journey, where they mused about sharing what they love about where they live with others. They immediately began taking baby steps to make it happen. They have grown Unlocking Connecticut and expanded its content over the past eight years. Lora and Bev are now unlocking towns in other states and countries. Their goal is always the same: to have local–and now global–fun and help others do the same.   Lora is all about the visual. She is a photographer who captures the people and settings in images. Bev is the wordsmith, describing their outings and adventures. Together they bring zest and enthusiasm and make moxie fun!Website: https://unlockingconnecticut.com/Facebook: Unlocking ConnecticutInstagram: @unlockingconnecticutEmail: bev@unlockingconnecticut.com and lora@unlockingconnecticut.com 

We are thankful for so much this year! And Thanksgiving is the perfect time to show that. In this mini-episode, we talk about what we've learned from guests about gratitude and moxie.We also briefly explore the science of gratitude, how it benefits our well-being, and the power of saying thanks in our personal lives and workplaces.We offer a heartfelt thank you to our sponsors over the past year, including Elyse Harney Real Estate, North East Ford, Oblong Books, Kneller Insurance Agency, Associated Lightening Rod Company, Hammertown, Catskill View Weddings, and Thorunn Designs.We are indebted to our fabulous guests for sharing their moxie with us and suggesting how others can take small steps to amp up their moxie.And, of course, we are grateful for all of you who listen to Main Street Moxie! You're the reason why we're here.Visit this mini episode's show notes at our Main Street Moxie website for links to resources about gratitude.

A life of making documentary films takes moxie, and Anne is proof of that. She has sought out people with moxie who do what they can to make lives better for themselves, their families, and their communities. Her films put real faces to issues such as social justice and marginalization, human rights, and the intersections of cultures. Native American history and contemporary life have also fascinated Anne. In this episode, Anne explores the quest for a good story but knows the story can take an arc she didn't expect, and she needs to bend with it. She is also profoundly grateful to her subjects. Allowing her and her lens into their lives is an honor she does not take for granted.  Anne immerses herself in every aspect of her award-winning documentaries–from conceiving ideas, finding collaborators and funders, building trust with her subjects, filming, writing, editing, and distributing the finished product. For over three decades, she has shown grit and determination in the lengthy and tenuous process of bringing an idea to life on screen.She has received fellowships supporting her work from the Guggenheim Foundation and the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study and residencies at MacDowell, the Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Center, and the Blue Mountain Center. Anne's films have been broadcast nationally on PBS, HBO, and Showtime and internationally on the BBC, Channel 4 (UK), ZDF in Germany, Arte France, and Australian, Norwegian, Dutch, and Swedish public television; they have screened at Sundance, the Whitney Biennial, and festivals worldwide, winning many awards, including a national primetime Emmy.  Most of her films have a strong presence in the educational market and are available for streaming on her website, MakepeaceProductions.com.Her most recent feature documentary, Tribal Justice, aired nationally on POV/PBS and screened at more than 30 festivals. It won Best Documentary Feature at the American Indian Film Festival and the Charlotte Film Festival, the Rigoberta Menchu Grand Prix at the Montreal First People's Film Festival, and the Directing Award at Cinetopia.  Anne's documentary We Still Live Here was broadcast on Independent Lens/PBS and won the Moving Mountains Award at Telluride MountainFilm and the Inspiration Award at Full Frame. She has also written many screenplays, including the feature film Thousand Pieces of Gold. Anne Makepeace Filmography contains a complete list of Anne's films. For more information about Anne, visit her episode show notes on the Main Street Moxie website.This episode is proudly sponsored by Hammertown and Thorunn Designs. 

Lexi's got moxie–and so do the characters in her romance and fantasy novels. Her lifelong dream of being a writer has been achieved through grit, trial and error, and a whole lot of imagination. In this episode of Main Street Moxie, Lexi explores the vicissitudes of the publishing industry, her thoughts on failure, the core story of “I love you as you are” that runs through all her work,  and her process as a discovery and patchwork writer.For Lexi, building and sustaining a community of readers is part of her craft. She loves digging deep into her characters to find a connection and discover what makes them tick. Lexi sees the romance genre as feminist and empowering, helping readers discover their self-worth and that they deserve to be cared for and loved, including pleasure. In 2012, Lexi began her journey to full-time writing after a decade of teaching college English. After her first self-published novel, Text Appeal, was released, she could focus on her writing. She's a #1 New York Times bestseller author of sizzling, emotional romance and sexy, action-packed YA fantasy. Lexi has been a Goodreads Choice nominee and recipient of the Romance Writers of America® RITA® award for Best Contemporary Romance: Long. Her novels have sold over a million copies in English and have been translated into many languages.Lexi is happiest at home in Indiana with her husband and two children, where you can find her reading copiously, hanging out with her family, and thanking her lucky stars.This year she released two new books. In July, the YA fantasy sequel These Twisted Bonds, and in October, the latest installment of her Orchid Valley series, Every Chance with You. This episode of Main Street Moxie is proudly sponsored by Oblong Books and Thorunn Designs. For more information about Lexi, visit the episode's show notes on the Main Street Moxie website.

Carita adores words, and much of her moxie is fueled by writing them, reading them, speaking them, and encouraging others to love them as much as she does. In this episode, Carita helps Main Street Moxie launch a new literary genre called Mox Lit. She came prepared with a moxie-filled reading list to share with listeners. Carita also offers her moxie secrets and advocates for small daily habits to advance toward one's goals. She reads widely, voraciously, and enthusiastically for enrichment and escape. In this episode, she confidently responds to the age-old teen question of why reading Shakespeare is valuable. Carita is a master English instructor and class dean at the Hotchkiss School in Lakeville, CT. She's also an aspiring author of romance and young-adult fiction. While pursuing her MFA in creative writing, she wrote a romance novel and has several other works of fiction in her creative pipeline. She also created her author website, caritagardiner.com, publishes a weekly Why Wednesday blog, and shows her abiding affection and respect for grammar through GrammarLove. Carita walks her 110-pound Bernedoodle named after a hockey goalie (not from her favorite team–Go Blackhawks!); listens to podcasts on writing, science, economics, and romance novels–and moxie; plays old-lady ice hockey with the Salisbury Stingers; prolifically knits afghans and charity caps; devours romance novels and anything caramelly (not chocolatey); pushes anti-racism efforts; mentors new teachers; wears sparkly shoes; makes to-do lists; lifts small weights; walks with friends; and loves her husband, two daughters, and extended family.This episode is proudly sponsored by Oblong Books (where all the books Carita discusses are available in-store or online) and Elyse Harney Real Estate.Go to the Main Street Moxie website for the show notes to Carita's episode and her exclusive Mox Lit reading list. 

Rachel has a designer's moxie. Her creativity and observation skills serve her in life and in her career in textiles. A college class field trip allowed her to imagine a professional path working with fabric and weaving, a craft she lovingly pursued as a child with her grandmother. She finds inspiration in the smallest places and sets her moxie sights always higher, one ladder rung at a time, building on what she has created for herself and her family. Rachel, the Design Director for Pollack, has textile design in her DNA. She created her first official textile pattern in third grade–splatter-painted curtains made from old sheets. Her high school graduation present—a new sewing machine—offers another clue to her early textile passions, as did the uniquely personal clothing it helped her create.She studied printmaking and painting and even taught batik workshops when she first entered college at Umass Amherst. In the Textile Design department at the Rhode Island School of Design, she realized the practical application of her beloved woven and printed textile techniques. Rachel first worked in the fashion industry, including designing printed silk scarves at Echo before joining the Pollack Studio in 2000. In 2007, she was appointed Vice President, Associate Design Director. She took the helm as Pollack's Design Director in 2012, overseeing the Studio and guiding the creative vision for each textile collection.In the Studio, she and her team always begin a pattern by first creating artwork by hand. The studio's designers are, first and foremost, weavers. They have degrees in textile design, having learned the architecture of cloth and how to build a fabric from the ground up. Rachel works with weavers worldwide to bring Pollack's designs to life.Rachel's designs for Pollack have been featured in national magazines, including Architectural Digest, Interior Design, and Elle Décor. She has been profiled on such sites as Apartment Therapy and House and Home TV. Two of her creations, “Mod” and “Curlycue,” are in the permanent collection of the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum.This episode of Main Street Moxie is sponsored by Elyse Harney Real Estate and North East Ford. For more information about Rachel, check out the episode's show notes on our website.

Tara has a set of moxie skills and traits that she packs up and takes with her in whatever professional or volunteer position she finds herself in. She uses her moxie for public benefit and to raise awareness of the history of the Hudson Valley and that we all have a role to play in making our society better.She grew up on Byrdcliff in Woodstock, the first art colony in America, where she experienced a unique childhood surrounded by painters, sculptors, musicians, great craft artisans, and composers. Her first job was selling marzipan at the Turnau Opera House.Much of Tara's professional life has centered on working for New York State, translating its unique history to be relevant to those who live here. In 2021, Tara retired as the Chief Operating and Executive Officer of the New York State Bridge Authority, the Hudson Valley-based public benefit transportation authority. She was the first woman to serve in that capacity. Tara launched the Authority into the new era of all-electronic tolling. She initiated the largest capital project and financing plan in the Authority's 88-year history and significantly increased the use of minority and women-owned enterprises. She created a workplace safety culture change, which drastically reduced workplace injuries. Her additional project initiatives include Skywalk at the Rip Van Winkle Bridge--now a prominent New York tourism destination linking and interpreting the connection of the founders of the Hudson River School.In 2009, she became the executive director of the New York State Quadricentennial, responsible for developing and implementing the statewide strategic plan for the historical commemoration of New York's 400th anniversary. She coordinated all New York State Legacy Projects for the Quadricentennial, such as the Walkway Over the Hudson. As part of the Quadricentennial's signature events, she oversaw River Day, the largest nautical event in Hudson Valley history.Ms. Sullivan currently serves as chair of the Dutchess County Ethics Board, the board of trustees for Historic Bridges of the Hudson Valley, and the Thomas Cole National Historic Site board of directors.This episode of Main Street Moxie is sponsored by Elyse Harney Real Estate and North East Ford. For more information about Tara and our sponsors, visit the Moxie website.

Here we are again. It's another rascally federal holiday that falls on a Moxie Monday.Today it's Labor Day. According to the Department of Labor website, Labor Day honors the achievements and contributions of American workers to the social and economic vitality of this country. It started in the late 19th century as a holiday recognized by municipal governments and labor leaders. On June 28, 1894, it became a federal holiday. To honor Labor Day, we gave our guests the day off. Instead, Thorunn and Mary are hosting a Mini Moxie episode to talk about work and hacks to make work seem less like work.  They also explore how moxie is about putting in the work, keeping the larger picture in mind, and taking baby steps.Enjoy! And on our next Moxie Monday in two weeks, we'll have another fab guest who will share their moxie story with us!If you have the day off. We hope you're doing something that fills you up. If you're working--thank you!

This episode of Main Street Moxie with Kathy Davies explores design thinking as a method for moxie. Life design is a way to get unstuck in your life by ratcheting up the curiosity, creating opportunities for incremental action, and understanding your life is a process that involves collaborating with others. There is a "team" in "I"! It also reframes failure into opportunities to learn. Oh, and did we say it's super fun? What's not to love?!Kathy is the Managing Director of the Life Design Lab at Stanford University. She leads a team of Fellows who teach the popular courses Life Design Courses to hundreds of undergraduate and graduate students each year. Her team has trained 258 universities globally to use the life design processes on their campuses and will reach more than 300 schools by the end of 2022. Kathy founded and leads the DYL Consulting business, and beyond Stanford consults with universities and tech companies to bring product design tools and life design practices to their teamsShe spent the first 20 years of her career as an engineer in Silicon Valley, leading technical projects and teams.  She has earned five patents through her ideation and technical problem solving. While working as an engineer, Kathy began to teach Product Design at Stanford. She later joined Stanford full-time as a Lecturer in Mechanical Engineering and Fellow at the Life Design Lab. Kathy's focus shifted from the use of design thinking as purely a product development tool to its use in human thriving. While she has used her engineering and teaching to build products and change lives, she uses design thinking and life design to build a better world.This episode of Main Stree Moxie is sponsored by Hammertown and North East Ford. For more information about Kathy Davies and this episode, visit the Moxie website.

We're bringing the average guest age way down and amping up on the moxitude in this episode with Vemilo (he/him). He brings energy, wisdom, creativity, and love to his moxie. He talks about the power of chosen families and a good bargain, using performance to heal, the life-changing experience of summer camp, and the support he feels from his local community for his life, work, and art. Vemilo is a pop performance artist whose purpose in life is to break through boundaries and stigmas to bring people together through music, fashion & visual journeys. Legend has it that he is the artistic love child of Lady Gaga & Prince. Vemilo's performances are an inclusive dance ministry of self-acceptance for all races, paces, cultures, and creeds. He is a homegrown Millerton, NY original. Whether vamping down Main Street in Millerton, healing guests at the Watershed Center, or divining on a concert stage, Vemilo's courage, talent, and heart make magic happen and bring out the best in everyone he encounters.  This episode is sponsored by Hammertown and Elyse Harney Real Estate. For more information about Vemilo, check out the show notes on the Moxie website.

Laurie's moxie is expressed through her writing. Through this creative medium, she has explored herself and others, tackling challenges, embracing change, understanding setbacks, and making sense of universal themes in the human experience. In this episode, Laurie shares her writer's journey and provides insight into the creative process and the discipline required to make writing a career. It's a deep dive into a writer's brand of moxie.Laurie, the author of six books, cultivated her curiosity about the lives of American women, digging for truth and understanding before examining her own life. Drawing extensively on her journals, most recently, she has written a memoir, Word for Word: A Writer's Life. Written with courage and grace, writing it was an extraordinary inner journey--full of memories, discoveries, and insights--which enriched her understanding of the past and the present.She began writing as a young girl, almost always about what really happened rather than what she imagined. Her first job after college was working for The Providence Journal, where she got her first professional bylines for writing feature stories. After moving to New York City, she worked for Newsweek before writing her first book, the best-selling Portrait of an Artist: A Biography of Georgia O'Keeffe.  She moved to a village in New England and wrote a biography about a sculptor, Louise Nevelson: A Passionate Life. Then she began to write books drawing on her own experiences--like passing up motherhood, passionately tending a flower garden, and attending a traditional girls' boarding school in Connecticut.She is a member of a long-standing academic seminar for biographers and memoirists, Women Writing Women's Lives, in New York City. Other memberships include the Authors Guild and PEN American Center. She has been awarded residencies at writers' colonies, including at the MacDowell Colony.For more information about Laurie, visit her website and this episode's show notes on the Main Street Moxie website.This episode is sponsored by Oblong Books and Elyse Harney Real Estate.

Susan Gibson brings her moxie to the volunteer world, sharing her observations and advice so others can discover how international volunteerism and travel, as well as local involvement, can change the world, their communities–and themselves. She is the author ofHow to be an Amazing Volunteer Overseas, a guide based on her 35 years of experience in the NGO (non-governmental organization) world. During that time, she worked and volunteered in 70 countries. In our conversation, Susan describes her early work in microfinance as a vehicle to empower people, particularly women, through small loans. She explains how those experiences abroad shaped her view on what it means to help others and how to do it in a way that they build capacity–and moxie–for themselves. In 1992, Susan went to Bangladesh, where she got her training in microfinance at Grameen Bank from Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus. From 1992-2001, Susan was a consultant providing technical assistance and conducting workshops in team building, communications, and microfinance principles for NGOs, UN agencies, and donor governments. This episode of Main Street Moxie is sponsored by North East Ford and Elyse Harney Real Estate.For more information about Susan and links to additional resources, go to the episode's show notes on our website.

In this Moxie by Proxy episode, Sarah Getz explores the moxie of her father, The New Yorker magazine cover artist Arthur Kimmig Getz.  We talk about Arthur's creative and pragmatic moxie and explore the intergenerational and intentional moxie of Sarah in her yoga instruction and her own medium for her creativity–writing. Between 1938 and 1988, Arthur Kimmig Getz created 213 covers for The New Yorker, making him the most prolific cover artist for the magazine of the twentieth century. Arthur was also a fine artist, wrote and illustrated children's books, and taught at the School of Visual Arts in New York City, the University of Connecticut, and the Washington Art Association in Washington, Connecticut. In addition to his New Yorker covers and spot drawings, Arthur's illustrations were published in numerous other publications. Arthur was also a fine artist. In 1960 he was offered his first one-man show at the Babcock Gallery in New York City. The gallery director requested that Arthur, already well known for his covers, exhibit his fine art under a different name, concerned that his association with “commercial" (illustration) art would hinder his recognition as a fine artist. Arthur chose to use his middle name, Kimmig, for his signature on his fine artwork.Sarah has a moxie of her own. She teaches yoga-inspired somatic self-care practices both online and locally. The former director of Yoga at Space in Lakeville, CT, Sarah has been a Certified and Registered Yoga Instructor since 1994. Sarah is a word witch, a cat lady, a cancer survivor, a tree hugger, and a devotee of unsweetened chocolate.  For more information about Arthur Kimmig Getz and Sarah Getz, visit the podcast show notes at our Main Street Moxie website.This episode is sponsored by Elyse Harney Real Estate and North East Ford.

Roger Berkowitz, Founder and Academic Director of the Hannah Arendt Center for Politics and Humanities at Bard College, shares the story and ideas of political thinker Hannah Arendt in this Moxie by Proxy episode. Hannah was a bold and fiercely independent political thinker. Born in 1906, she came of age during the Nazi era, escaping death and finding her way to New York City in 1941. She wrote and taught on an array of political topics. While Hannah saw great evil, she also loved the world in all its messiness and advocated for individuals to be active in public political life, engaged in doing and finding common ground with others. Her approach to thinking, which is both surprising and profound resonates in our current times.Roger is a scholar, thinker, and author in his own right. He is a Professor of Politics, Philosophy, and Human Rights at Bard. Roger also leads the Hannah Arendt Center's Virtual Reading Group, which meets weekly online to read the work of Hannah Arendt. For more information about Hannah and Roger, check out our show notes at Main Street Moxie.This episode is sponsored by Oblong Books and Northeast Ford.

There's one downside to Moxie Monday--and that's when it falls on a holiday. Memorial Day is for honoring those who gave their lives during military service for our country and it's a day for spending with family and friends. Today, you get us--your hosts Thorunn and Mary! In this mini-episode, we'll talk a little about ourselves and our journey with this podcast.  We'll be back on Monday, June 13 with a fabulous Moxie by Proxy episode. Remember to follow us and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. Or you can visit our Main Street Moxie website to listen and sign up for email notifications when an episode drops.Thank you to all our sponsors who have supported Main Street Moxie so far! They include Kneller Insurance Agency, Elyse Harney Real Estate, Associated Lightning Rod, Inc., North East Ford, and Catskill View Weddings. 

Abby is the Executive Vice President and Chief Communications Officer at TVB (Television Bureau of Advertising), the national not-for-profit trade association representing the U.S. television stations.Abby's moxie results from chutzpah and intention, and she's cultivated it over her lifetime. She believes that people can develop moxie and that mentorship is a crucial way to do it. She is grateful to have had mentors who saw what she didn't see in herself. Rising through the ranks of an industry with few women, Abby is determined to provide mentoring roles for younger women. Through her mentorship, she tries to draw out the latent moxie that she believes is in everyone.For more information about Abby, check out our show notes at Main Street Moxie.This episode is sponsored by Northeast Ford and Catskill View Weddings.

Fred is the president and publisher of New England Newspapers, Inc., which owns The Berkshire Eagle located in Pittsfield, MA. The Eagle is a daily paper that serves all of Berkshire County and adjacent areas of Connecticut and New York State. Along with partners John C. "Hans" Morris, Robert G. Wilmers, and Stanford Lipsey, Fred brought The Eagle back under local community control to rededicate it to the highest journalistic standards and serve the community's needs.His passion for local journalism runs deep and believes a local newspaper, like a town square, is fundamental to a healthy democracy. Being president of The Eagle is Fred's more-than-fulltime retirement gig and he wouldn't have it any other way. He loves the buzz of the newsroom, the smell of the ink, and the whirring of the presses.  Listen to how Fred's moxie has guided him through his legal and journalistic careers, and his life!For more information about Fred, check out our show notes at Main Street Moxie.This episode is sponsored by Northeast Ford and Catskill View Weddings.

Ned Sullivan locates the roots of his moxie in his relationship with the outdoors. Pivotal experiences in nature have helped him navigate change and uncertainty, as well as cultivate leadership and collaboration skills and the ability to change his focus and direction when circumstances necessitate it.Ned has been the president of Scenic Hudson for two decades. He and his passionate team develop ever-evolving strategies to magnify the organization's positive impacts on the natural resources and people of the Hudson Valley. He founded the Northeast Carbon Alliance, a consortium of research farms, forest managers, wetland stewards, climate scientists, and public policy experts committed to accelerating the adoption of regenerative practices.Ned is a member of the New York State Climate Action Council–Agriculture, and Forestry Advisory Council, developing recommendations for policies, laws, and just transitions to achieve the net-zero carbon goal under the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. For more information about Ned, check out our show notes at Main Street Moxie.This episode is sponsored by Northeast Ford and Catskill View Weddings.

Judith Monachina has understated moxie and wonders if she even possesses it! We've convinced her otherwise.  She is currently the Director of the Housatonic Heritage Oral History Center at Berkshire Community College in Pittsfield, MA.  In that role, she records and archives the fascinating moxie stories of her subjects, past and present. She was awarded a Fulbright Fellowship in journalism and researched the lives of individuals from the Jewish community in fascist Milan, Italy.  Judith is also the Project Director for the Paper Town Projects, creating a documentary about the paper-making legacy in Lee, MA.  Before all these impressive pursuits,  she was the associate director of Public Affairs at Bard College at Simon's Rock, director of the Career Education department at Columbia University, and a journalist, photographer, and freelance writer for numerous publications.For more information about Judith, check out our show notes at Main Street Moxie.This episode is sponsored by Northeast Ford and Catskill View Weddings. 

Stephanie Stanton is the founder and owner of High Vibe Chick where she is an empowerment coach & branding photographer for intuitive women. She also facilitates a community of high vibe chicks for mutual support and encouragement.Stephanie's work with clients involves helping them listen to their intuition, embrace their imperfections, and move into greater self-awareness and empowerment.  Listen to Stephanie's version of high vibe moxie and suggestions for how we can all shape the life that feeds us instead of depletes us.For more information about Stephanie, check out our show notes at Main Street Moxie.This episode is sponsored by Kneller Insurance Agency and Catskill View Weddings.

Moxie by Proxy is a feature of Main Street Moxie in which a historian or writer introduces us to the moxie of someone from the past. In this episode, we talk to local historian and educator Peter Vermilyea about the moxie of Eleanor Roosevelt. Pete brings Eleanor to life and allows us to see how she shaped her life and reshaped the office of First Lady. He also talks about the importance of history, particularly local history,  in understanding our world today and how he encourages his students to DO history and not just read about it.For more information about Eleanor and Pete, check out our show notes at Main Street Moxie.This episode is sponsored by Kneller Insurance Agency and Elyse Harney Real Estate.

Kamal Johnson is the first Black mayor of Hudson, NY--and its youngest. In our conversation, he talks about how his early years shaped the person and leader he has become. He describes his vision of governance as an all-hands-on-deck endeavor, seeking out people and partnerships that will help the citizens of Hudson. He speaks with authenticity, honesty, and vulnerability and acknowledges that what he does, he can't do alone. That acknowledgment is part of his moxie. In this episode, we're joined by Griffin Cooper, senior staff writer and reporter for Main Street Magazine's print and digital content. He has covered Kamal Johnson over the past several years, highlighting his campaign and initiatives on behalf of Hudson, NY.For more information about Kamal, check out our show notes at Main Street Moxie.This episode is sponsored by Kneller Insurance Agency and Elyse Harney Real Estate.

Sarah Taft Jones has moxie! Her story weaves history--she's the great-granddaughter of President William Howard Taft--with her career as an accomplished criminal defense attorney and law school professor finding her footing during the equal rights era. She's also a dedicated volunteer devoted to mentoring young people, performing civic service, and paying it all forward.For more information about Sarah, check out our show notes at Main Street Moxie. This episode is sponsored by Kneller Insurance Agency, Elyse Harney Real Estate, and Associated Lightning Rod Company.

In this wide-ranging conversation about moxie, we talk with Kirk Kneller, successful insurance agency owner, cow lover, and farmer.  He shares his own journey of cultivating his brand of moxie, which is rooted in community and serving the needs of others through his business and volunteer life.For more information about Kirk, check out our show notes at Main Street Moxie. This episode is sponsored by Elyse Harney Real Estate and Associated Lightning Rod Company.

In this mini-episode, you'll learn about the new Main Street Moxie podcast, why you'd want to listen in, and its hosts--Thorunn Kristjansdottir and Mary O'Neill.