Podcasts about taking ownership

The American Radicals Podcast dissects a Trump administration move to empower the intelligence community to spy on citizens, SCOTUS running cover for government malfeasance, and America's obesity problem. Check us out on Spotify! https://open.spotify.com/show/1u3i91czJlGmjnwCKe3bZi?si=22482bf06e0c44a3 https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-cia-law-enforcement-records-privacy-intelligence-community https://oig.justice.gov/sites/default/files/reports/25-066.pdf https://www.scotusblog.com/2026/02/court-holds-that-u-s-postal-service-cant-be-sued-over-intentionally-misdelivered-mail/ https://dailycallernewsfoundation.org/2026/02/25/sex-offender-fresno-city-council-safety/ https://www.wsj.com/articles/bill-gates-apologizes-to-foundation-staff-over-epstein-ties-67f39ef5 https://headlineusa.com/susan-rice-issues-disturbing-threat-to-companies-working-with-trump/ https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/16/opinion/body-positivity-social-media-weight-loss.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/18/well/weight-loss-drugs-retatrutide.html https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/08/opinion/exercise-fitness-optimization.html

Listen and subscribe to Money Making Conversations on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, www.moneymakingconversations.com/subscribe/ or wherever you listen to podcasts. New Money Making Conversations episodes drop daily. I want to alert you, so you don’t miss out on expert analysis and insider perspectives from my guests who provide tips that can help you uplift the community, improve your financial planning, motivation, or advice on how to be a successful entrepreneur. Keep winning! Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Gerron Duhon. Purpose of the Interview The conversation aimed to: Highlight the importance of financial literacy for young adults. Share Jerron Duhon’s personal journey from Lake Charles, Louisiana, to Yale University and into holistic financial planning. Promote his book “The Purpose of Paper”, which focuses on building generational wealth and breaking harmful financial habits. Key Takeaways Personal Journey & Identity Shift Jerron used football as a “meal ticket” to escape his hometown, but a concussion ended his athletic career, causing an identity crisis. He pivoted toward financial education and wealth creation, emphasizing long-term planning. Misconceptions About Wealth Many young adults believe wealth comes quickly through gambling, sports betting, or flashy investments. Social media fuels the desire to display wealth rather than build wealth, leading to poor financial decisions. Financial Habits & Framework Jerron introduced his AIMS framework: Awareness: Know your current financial state. Intention: Set clear goals and reverse-engineer steps. Mindset Change: Focus on future self, not old habits. Systems: Automate savings and investments to reduce reliance on willpower. Faith and Finance Connection Principles like self-control, patience, and hope—fruits of the spirit—are essential for financial discipline. “Faith without works is dead” applies to money: belief must be paired with action. Generational Wealth Gerron stresses taking ownership of your financial future rather than leaving the burden to your children. Investing should be strategic and long-term, not like playing the lottery. Practical Advice Start small but consistent (e.g., $150/month). Use modern tools like Robinhood for stock investing. Shift from being a consumer to an owner (invest in companies you use). Notable Quotes “Football was my meal ticket… but I realized I didn’t dream far enough.” “We connect our financial decisions to display wealth instead of to build wealth.” “Faith without works is dead—just like in finances.” “Are you going to be the one that changes your generation, or will you leave that pressure on your children?” “Good advice is timeless.” #SHMS #STRAW #BESTSupport the show: https://www.steveharveyfm.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listen and subscribe to Money Making Conversations on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, www.moneymakingconversations.com/subscribe/ or wherever you listen to podcasts. New Money Making Conversations episodes drop daily. I want to alert you, so you don’t miss out on expert analysis and insider perspectives from my guests who provide tips that can help you uplift the community, improve your financial planning, motivation, or advice on how to be a successful entrepreneur. Keep winning! Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Gerron Duhon. Purpose of the Interview The conversation aimed to: Highlight the importance of financial literacy for young adults. Share Jerron Duhon’s personal journey from Lake Charles, Louisiana, to Yale University and into holistic financial planning. Promote his book “The Purpose of Paper”, which focuses on building generational wealth and breaking harmful financial habits. Key Takeaways Personal Journey & Identity Shift Jerron used football as a “meal ticket” to escape his hometown, but a concussion ended his athletic career, causing an identity crisis. He pivoted toward financial education and wealth creation, emphasizing long-term planning. Misconceptions About Wealth Many young adults believe wealth comes quickly through gambling, sports betting, or flashy investments. Social media fuels the desire to display wealth rather than build wealth, leading to poor financial decisions. Financial Habits & Framework Jerron introduced his AIMS framework: Awareness: Know your current financial state. Intention: Set clear goals and reverse-engineer steps. Mindset Change: Focus on future self, not old habits. Systems: Automate savings and investments to reduce reliance on willpower. Faith and Finance Connection Principles like self-control, patience, and hope—fruits of the spirit—are essential for financial discipline. “Faith without works is dead” applies to money: belief must be paired with action. Generational Wealth Gerron stresses taking ownership of your financial future rather than leaving the burden to your children. Investing should be strategic and long-term, not like playing the lottery. Practical Advice Start small but consistent (e.g., $150/month). Use modern tools like Robinhood for stock investing. Shift from being a consumer to an owner (invest in companies you use). Notable Quotes “Football was my meal ticket… but I realized I didn’t dream far enough.” “We connect our financial decisions to display wealth instead of to build wealth.” “Faith without works is dead—just like in finances.” “Are you going to be the one that changes your generation, or will you leave that pressure on your children?” “Good advice is timeless.” #SHMS #STRAW #BESTSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listen and subscribe to Money Making Conversations on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, www.moneymakingconversations.com/subscribe/ or wherever you listen to podcasts. New Money Making Conversations episodes drop daily. I want to alert you, so you don’t miss out on expert analysis and insider perspectives from my guests who provide tips that can help you uplift the community, improve your financial planning, motivation, or advice on how to be a successful entrepreneur. Keep winning! Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Gerron Duhon. Purpose of the Interview The conversation aimed to: Highlight the importance of financial literacy for young adults. Share Jerron Duhon’s personal journey from Lake Charles, Louisiana, to Yale University and into holistic financial planning. Promote his book “The Purpose of Paper”, which focuses on building generational wealth and breaking harmful financial habits. Key Takeaways Personal Journey & Identity Shift Jerron used football as a “meal ticket” to escape his hometown, but a concussion ended his athletic career, causing an identity crisis. He pivoted toward financial education and wealth creation, emphasizing long-term planning. Misconceptions About Wealth Many young adults believe wealth comes quickly through gambling, sports betting, or flashy investments. Social media fuels the desire to display wealth rather than build wealth, leading to poor financial decisions. Financial Habits & Framework Jerron introduced his AIMS framework: Awareness: Know your current financial state. Intention: Set clear goals and reverse-engineer steps. Mindset Change: Focus on future self, not old habits. Systems: Automate savings and investments to reduce reliance on willpower. Faith and Finance Connection Principles like self-control, patience, and hope—fruits of the spirit—are essential for financial discipline. “Faith without works is dead” applies to money: belief must be paired with action. Generational Wealth Gerron stresses taking ownership of your financial future rather than leaving the burden to your children. Investing should be strategic and long-term, not like playing the lottery. Practical Advice Start small but consistent (e.g., $150/month). Use modern tools like Robinhood for stock investing. Shift from being a consumer to an owner (invest in companies you use). Notable Quotes “Football was my meal ticket… but I realized I didn’t dream far enough.” “We connect our financial decisions to display wealth instead of to build wealth.” “Faith without works is dead—just like in finances.” “Are you going to be the one that changes your generation, or will you leave that pressure on your children?” “Good advice is timeless.” #SHMS #STRAW #BESTSteve Harvey Morning Show Online: http://www.steveharveyfm.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

 In this episode, the hosts welcome Rekha Gibbons, (08:00) a former Wall Street professional turned endurance athlete and author of 'Marathon Mindset.' They discuss her journey from the corporate world to embracing running, the mental challenges faced in endurance sports, and the importance of community and support in achieving personal goals. The conversation also touches on the spirituality of running, particularly in beautiful locations like Kauai, and the significance of celebrating achievements in the running community. In this engaging conversation, Rekha Gibbons shares her journey of self-discovery through running and the importance of mindset in endurance sports. She discusses the challenges of negativity and the need to take ownership of one's mental space. Rekha reflects on the lessons learned from the original pioneers of running and emphasizes the role of community in supporting runners. She also shares her experiences in writing her book, the challenges faced during the launch, and the significance of running for mental health.Chapters00:00 Intro03:10 New Snowblower07:41 Rekha's Journey from Wall Street to Endurance Athlete14:27 The Impact of Social Media and Marketing17:09 Rekha's Transition to Endurance Sports25:29 The Spiritual Side of Running28:24 The Journey to Writing Marathon Mindset30:01 Leading Across Generations34:04 The Default of Negativity35:14 Taking Ownership of Your Mind38:54 Breaking Mental Barriers40:38 The OGs of Running46:25 Personal Experiences in Running51:51 The Journey of Writing a Book57:11 The Book Cover and Its Significance59:05 The Mind-Body Connection in Running01:01:51 The Importance of Personal Storytelling01:04:09 Hot Takes on Opinions and Media01:06:54 Music and Motivation in Running01:10:54 Final Thoughts and Where to Find Rekha Gibbons01:13:55 Outro and Book Giveaway01:15:45 Celebrating Achievements in Running01:19:52 March Madness: Medals vs. Shoes01:23:41 Tech Talk: Fruit Podcast Updates01:25:32 Health and Recovery Updates01:27:39 Tokyo Marathon Excitement01:31:45 Reflections on Team Dynamics in Sports01:33:36 Closing Remarks and Listener EngagementMarathon Mindset on AmazonRekha's InstagramRekha's WebsiteRekha's YouTubeStrava GroupLinktree - Find everything hereInstagram - Follow us on the gram YouTube - Subscribe to our channel Patreon - Support usThreadsEmail us at OnTheRunsPod@gmail.com Don't Fear The Code Brown and Don't Forget To Stretch!

Jessie Mershon shares tough love insights on overcoming excuses in fitness, business, and life, emphasizing the importance of ownership, action, and faith to achieve success.   Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Tough Love and Growth 02:45 Overcoming Fitness and Health Excuses 05:53 The Power of Choices in Health 08:46 Taking Ownership of Your Journey 12:06 The Role of Scripture in Personal Growth 14:57 Understanding Success and Overcoming Fear 17:45 Empowerment Through Ownership 21:03 Final Thoughts on Excuses and Action

George sits down with Gary Brecka to talk health, the drama in the medical space, and a deeper, more personal side of Gary you haven't seen before. Enjoy the episode.Visit https://www.eightsleep.com/janko and use code JANKO for $350 off Pod 5 Ultra, $200 off Pod 5 Core from Eight Sleep!Head to http://basedbodyworks.com and use code GEORGE for 20% off and also get a free toiletry bag when you order one of the sets!Follow George! Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/georgejanko⁠ Twitter: ⁠https://twitter.com/GeorgeJanko⁠ TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@georgejanko⁠ Follow Shawna! Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/shawnadellaricca/⁠ Youtube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@ShawnaDellaRiccaOfficialBusiness Inquiries Email: ⁠george@divisionmedia.coChapters:00:00 Intro00:05 Faith, Physiology & Why Science Made Him Believe in God00:24 “I'd Bet My Entire Career On This”02:30 Who Gary Brecka Is & What He Actually Does08:05 Science vs The Gospel — Can They Coexist?12:40 The Real Problem With Modern Health Advice15:26 NAD, Deficiencies & Giving The Body Raw Materials20:12 Supplements vs Lifestyle — What Actually Matters23:48 The Simplicity We Overcomplicate30:33 Hormone Therapy & The Ferrari Analogy34:50 Why Most Doctors Aren't The Enemy38:00 Insurance, Incentives & The Pill-First System42:15 The Three Pillars: Sleep, Mobility, Sunlight46:29 48 Months of Breathwork Without Missing a Day50:40 Grounding, Circadian Rhythm & Free Optimization57:10 Bloodwork, Insulin & Metabolic Dysfunction01:01:38 How The Brain Eliminates Waste (Glymphatic System)01:08:20 Inflammation — The Root of Chronic Disease01:16:32 Why Ketosis Changes Everything01:22:50 Chronic Disease & America's Health Crisis01:25:44 What He Learned Studying Mortality01:33:13 Faith, Depression & Renewing The Mind01:41:00 Identity, Discipline & Self-Control01:48:29 Good vs Evil — Culture, Politics & Health Freedom01:55:40 Taking Ownership of Your Family's Health02:04:40 Breaking The Injury & Weight Gain Loop02:10:50 Fasted Training & Essential Amino Acids02:19:15 Growing Up Under A Disciplinarian Father02:23:30 Cutting Tobacco & Hard Labor Lessons02:28:00 Work Ethic, Responsibility & Legacy02:33:33 Closing Thoughts

In this solo episode, Chad opens up about his experience with TKO and hormone optimization. He walks through why he started looking into peptides and TRT, what he was feeling before, and what's different now. More energy. Better recovery. Clearer thinking. A renewed drive in the gym and in everyday life. This isn't a sales pitch. It's Chad talking through the process. From the hesitation, the learning curve, and what he's discovered along the way. He connects it back to discipline, aging with intention, and refusing to accept “just getting older” as an excuse to coast. If you've ever wondered what hormone optimization really looks like from someone living it day to day, this one goes there. This episode is proudly presented by Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey, and brought to you by TKO Vitality, Almost Heaven Saunas, Oakley Sunglasses, Corning Ford, Jack Link's, and Demerbox.

In this episode, we sit down with Fair Jones, Owner of Sav‑Mor Drugs & Gifts in Grenada, Mississippi, to talk all things ownership and advocacy. Fair shares her experiences stepping into pharmacy ownership in 2019, navigating curbside-only operations during COVID, and why reimbursement/PBM pressures pushed her to start speaking up online — including the moment she realized she made $0.88 on six prescriptions. In doing so, Fair shows how to balance meeting margins and pushing for reform in the industry. Follow Fair's Facebook Page here: https://www.facebook.com/fairpenderjones 00:00 – Welcome & Episode Intro 00:23 – Fair's Early Path Into Pharmacy 04:55 – Retail Burnout & the Push Toward Ownership 08:16 – Taking Ownership of Sav‑Mor in 2019 11:53 – Six Months of Curbside‑Only During COVID 17:21 – Med Sync, Inventory Control & Staying Afloat 23:30 – The $0.88 Reimbursement Story 29:17 – Becoming a Voice for Pharmacy Advocacy 33:33 – Full‑Circle Moment at Ole Miss 38:09 – Tech, Tools & Pioneer‑Driven Efficiency  Hosted By: Johnathon Duhon | VP of PMS Sales, RedSail Technologies Guest: Fair Jones | Owner, Sav-Mor Drugs and Gifts  Looking for more information about independent pharmacy? Visit https://www.redsailtechnologies.com 

Craniotomy Stroke Recovery: How a Massive Medical Event Reshaped One Man's Identity and Way of Living When Brandon Barre woke up after his stroke, half of his skull was missing. Doctors had performed an emergency craniotomy to save his life after a severe brain bleed. His left side barely worked. His memory felt fragmented. Time itself seemed unreliable; days, weeks, even months blurred together into what he later described as a kind of perpetual Groundhog Day. And yet, amid one of the most extreme medical experiences a person can survive, Brandon remained unexpectedly calm. This is a story about craniotomy stroke recovery, but it's not just about surgery, rehab, or timelines. It's about identity, mindset, and what happens when your old life disappears overnight, and you're forced to rebuild from the inside out. Life Before the Stroke: Movement, Freedom, and Identity Before his stroke, Brandon lived a life defined by movement and autonomy. He worked in the oil fields as an MWD specialist, spending weeks at a time on drilling rigs. Later, he left what he called “traditional life” behind and spent years traveling the United States in an RV. He found work wherever he went, producing music festivals, building large-scale art installations, and immersing himself in creative communities. Stability, for Brandon, never meant stillness. It meant freedom. Stroke wasn't on his radar. At 46, he was active, independent, and deeply connected to his sense of self. The Stroke and Emergency Craniotomy The stroke happened in Northern California after a long day of rock climbing with friends. Brandon didn't notice the warning signs himself; it was others who saw that his arm wasn't working properly. Later that night, he became profoundly disoriented. He was found the next morning, still sitting upright in his truck, barely conscious. Within hours, Brandon was airlifted to UC Davis Medical Center, where doctors removed a blood clot and performed a large craniotomy due to dangerous swelling. Part of his skull was removed and stored while his brain recovered. He spent 10 days in intensive care, followed by weeks in inpatient rehabilitation. Remarkably, he reports no physical pain throughout the entire process, a detail that underscores how differently each brain injury unfolds. Early Craniotomy Stroke Recovery: Regaining Movement, Losing Certainty Physically, Brandon's recovery followed a familiar but still daunting path. Initially, he couldn't walk. His left arm hung uselessly by his side. Foot drop made even short distances difficult. But what challenged him most wasn't just movement; it was orientation. He struggled to track days, months, and time itself. Short-term memory lapses made planning almost impossible. Writing, once a core part of his identity, became inaccessible. He could form letters, but not their meaning. This is a common but under-discussed aspect of craniotomy stroke recovery: the loss isn't only physical. It's cognitive, emotional, and deeply personal. “It's kind of like I'm in this perpetual day ever since the stroke… like Groundhog Day.” Technology as Independence, Not Convenience One of the quiet heroes of Brandon's recovery has been voice-to-text technology. Because writing and spelling no longer function reliably, Brandon relies on dictation to communicate. Tools like Whisper Flow and built-in phone dictation restored his ability to express ideas, stay connected, and remain independent. This matters. For stroke survivors, technology isn't about productivity. It's about dignity. Identity Reset: Slower, Calmer, More Intentional Perhaps the most striking part of Brandon's story is how little resentment he carries. He doesn't deny frustration. He doesn't pretend recovery is easy. But he refuses to live in constant rumination. Instead, he adopted a simple principle: one problem at a time. That mindset reshaped his lifestyle. He stopped drinking, smoking, and using marijuana. He slowed his pace. He became more deliberate with relationships, finances, and health decisions. He grew closer to his adult daughter than ever before. The stroke didn't erase his identity, it refined it. Taking Ownership of Craniotomy Stroke Recovery A turning point came when Brandon realized he couldn't rely solely on the medical system. Insurance changes, rotating doctors, and long waits forced him to educate himself. He turned to what he jokingly calls “YouTube University,” learning from other survivors and clinicians online. That self-directed approach extended to major medical decisions, including choosing monitoring over immediate invasive heart procedures and calmly approaching a newly discovered brain aneurysm with information rather than fear. His conclusion is clear: Recovery belongs to the survivor. Doctors guide. Therapists assist. But ownership sits with the person doing the living. A Message for Others on the Journey Toward the end of the conversation, Brandon offered advice that cuts through fear-based recovery narratives: Don't let timelines define you. Don't rush because someone says you should. Don't stop because someone says you're “done.” Every stroke is different. Every brain heals differently. And recovery, especially after a craniotomy, continues far longer than most people are told. Moving Forward, One Intentional Step at a Time Craniotomy stroke recovery isn't just about regaining movement. It's about rebuilding trust with your body, reshaping identity, and learning how to live with uncertainty without letting it dominate your life. Brandon's story reminds us that even after the most extreme medical events, calm is possible. Growth is possible. And a meaningful life, though different, can still unfold. Continue Your Recovery Journey Learn more: https://recoveryafterstroke.com/book Support the podcast: https://patreon.com/recoveryafterstroke Disclaimer: This blog is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Please consult your doctor before making any changes to your health or recovery plan. Brandon's Story: Surviving a Craniotomy, Redefining Identity, and Recovering on His Own Terms He survived a stroke and craniotomy, then calmly rebuilt his identity, habits, and life one deliberate step at a time. Research shortcut I use (Turnto.ai) I used Turnto.ai to find relevant papers and sources in minutes instead of hours. If you want to try it, here’s my affiliate LINK You'll get 10% off, it's about $2/week, and it supports the podcast. Highlights: 00:00 Introduction and Background01:52 Life Before the Stroke03:32 The Stroke Experience11:03 Craniotomy Stroke Recovery Journey17:09 Adjusting to Life Post-Stroke28:46 Living Independently After Stroke35:09 Facing New Challenges: Aneurysms and Uncertainty42:13 Support Systems: Finding Community After Stroke47:06 Identity Shift: Life Changes Post-Stroke58:39 Lessons Learned: Insights from the Journey Transcript: Introduction and Background Brandon (00:00)next morning was still in the driver’s seat with my head on the steering wheel. and I couldn’t make either of my arms work I had been bleeding into my brain for 12 hours overnight they had to go ahead and do a, craniotomy. And so they took this whole side. It was a big craniotomy. They took that whole section of my skull out, put it in the freezer Bill Gasiamis (00:27)Before we begin today’s episode, want to take a moment to speak to you directly. If you’ve had a stroke, you already know this part. The hospital phase ends, but the questions don’t. You’re sent home expecting to get on with it. And suddenly you’re left trying to work out recovery, mindset, fatigue, emotions, sleep and motivation all on your own. You shouldn’t have to. That’s why I wrote my book, The Unexpected Way That a Stroke Became the Best Thing That Happened. Not to tell you what to do, but to walk beside you and show you the tools real stroke survivors use to rebuild their lives when the system stopped helping. and now with this book, you won’t have to figure it out alone. You can find that at recoveryafterstroke.com/book. All right, let’s get into today’s episode. Today, you’re going to hear from Brandon Barre. Brandon was 46 years old, active, independent and living an unconventional life when he had a stroke that led to a craniotomy. where part of his skull was removed to save his life. What stood out to me immediately about Brandon wasn’t just the severity of what he went through. It was the calm grounded way he approached recovery, identity and rebuilding his life. This is a conversation about stroke recovery. Yes, but it is also about mindset, ownership and what happens when you decide to take recovery into your own hands. Life Before the Stroke (01:52)Brendan Barre, welcome to the podcast. Brandon (01:54)Thank you, man. (01:56)You struggled a little bit getting here. There’s a couple of little things that caused a bit of a challenge for you. What are those things? Brandon (02:05)Well, I mean, first of all, I’m, I’m, I’m, even before my stroke, I was never very computer-y. Um, so using my phone for more than just making phone calls is kind of new to me. Um, so yeah, a new microphone, that was fun. And then I had made a bunch of notes, not realizing that I probably wasn’t gonna be able to see those notes. Um, you know, so that was also a little bit of a issue, but uh, but yeah, other than that, man. Not much, you know, I mean I’m here. (02:37)Yeah. I remember receiving your emails about, I’m not sure what day we’re on. I need to reschedule all that kind of stuff. Stuff that I used to do heaps. I remember in the early days of my kind of stroke recovery, I used to make appointments, put them in my calendar, get reminders about my appointments and still be confused about the day, the time and the location of the appointment. Brandon (03:04)Yes, absolutely. That’s a big thing for me too. know, and I mean even just, you know, remembering from minute to minute where of what day, what month and everything I’m in right now is a little bit tricky still. It’s getting better, but ⁓ but yeah, I still have a lot of trouble. I can always think of every month except for the month that we’re currently in. (03:24)Okay, so you have like a short term memory thing, is it? Or… The Stroke Experience Brandon (03:28)Yes, yes, have short-term memory issues. ⁓ A lot of times ⁓ I struggle to find, like I said, the date and everything else. ⁓ But I don’t know, man. It’s kind of like I’m in this perpetual day ever since the stroke, and I have trouble keeping track of exactly what that is on everybody else’s time frame. (03:53)Like a, like a groundhog day. Brandon (03:55)Yes. Yeah. You know, I mean, if I really work hard and think about it, I can figure out what day it is, but it takes a while generally to get the month. The day of the month isn’t quite as difficult anymore, but at the beginning I had trouble with the whole thing. (04:11)I hear you man, I totally hear you. I reckon there’s been a ton of people that relate to what you’re saying. ⁓ Tell me, day like before stroke? What’d you get up to? What type of things did you involve yourself with? Brandon (04:23)Well, ⁓ you know, I was, I was really involved in, ⁓ production of music festivals and, ⁓ doing that kind of work. ⁓ I’ve always kind of freelanced. Well, you know, I actually, ⁓ left traditional life in 2000 and ⁓ January 1st of 2012 and started traveling and, you know, living out of an RV and whatnot. Before that, I was in the oil field. I’ve worked as an MWD specialist on a drilling rig, which means that I used to ⁓ take down all the information about where the actual drill bit was underground and send that off to all the geologists and everybody else so they can make sure that the well was going in the right direction. And, ⁓ you know, I just really didn’t feel happy in life, man. So I decided to take off and see the states out of my RV. And that started about 10 years of travel. And then In 2019 I bought some property and started to kind of slowly come off the road and started to be on my property more often but you know it just yeah I don’t know man my life has been a lot of different transitions one thing to another I move around a lot in life. (05:25)you Yeah, so the RV was kind of just exploring seeing the country Doing that type of thing or was it going somewhere with a purpose say to get work or to? Hang out there for a little while. What was that all about? Brandon (05:57)A little bit of all of it. A little bit of all of it. I’ve always been able to find work where I go, you know, doing different things. But I kind of fell into music festival work, like setting up and tearing down for music festivals and building art installations, doing like mandalas out of trash and stuff like that. And just kind of always did kind of the artist thing, I guess you could say. Even before, while I was still in the oil field doing the traditional life thing, I was always very art motivated. (06:30)Yeah, when you talk about traditional life, you’re talking about nine to five kind of routine and working for the man type of thing. Is that what you mean by traditional life? Brandon (06:43)Yes, except mine was a little bit different. My work in the oil field involved me being on site on the drilling rig for up to six weeks sometimes. So it wasn’t really nine to five. I would stay gone for a lot more than that. But then when I would go home, I’d be off for three weeks, a month. So yeah, just ⁓ doing that. (07:07)Where were these oil rigs? Were they in the middle of a desert? Were they in the ocean? Brandon (07:13)No, they were all onshore and I worked a lot in like Pennsylvania, but also a lot in Texas ⁓ Just you know anywhere where they were doing natural gas drilling (07:27)And is that a remote kind of existence in that if you’re on the rig for six weeks, are you getting off it? Are you going into town? Are you doing any of that stuff? Brandon (07:38)Usually the rigs are within an hour of some type of small town usually a Walmart that type of thing So I would go and get groceries a couple of times a week You know me and the other guys would go out and get you know dinner times and whatnot but ⁓ but yeah, basically just sitting in a little trailer a directional trailer is what they called it because it was me and ⁓ Two two other three other guys two more ⁓ directional drillers and then one other MWD hand which is what I was and so there was a night shift and a day shift of two guys each. (08:16)12 hour shifts. Brandon (08:17)Yes. (08:18)Dude, hard work. Brandon (08:21)Yeah, I mean on paper it was hard work. In real life, I mean there were those really problematic jobs where you know everything went wrong but in most cases it was just you know taking a bunch of measurements on the computer whenever they would add another link of pipe to the drilling string and drill down further so every time they would add another length of pipe I would have to take more measurements. (08:47)I hear you. So not physical, but still mental. And you’ve to be on the go for a long amount of time. Brandon (08:56)Right, but yeah, I mean it did when I would have to go up on the rig floor to like change the tool out or to put something You know together or what not so there was a little bit of that but still not as physical as like a traditional drilling rig roughneck (09:04)Uh-huh. I hear you. Yeah. Everyone’s seen those videos on YouTube with those guys getting covered in that sludge and working at breakneck speeds so that they can make sure that they put the next piece on. Brandon (09:24)Yeah, yeah, no, I, you know, and I mean, I wore my share of that mud, but not near as much as a floor hand would. (09:34)I hear, I feel like you’re, ⁓ you’re toning it down and you’re making it sound a lot more ⁓ pleasant than what it might be. But I appreciate that, man. like the way you talk about things. I couldn’t imagine myself doing that, that level of physical labor. Maybe I’m just a bit too soft myself. Brandon (09:54)Yeah, no, I don’t know, man. I consider myself soft in a lot of ways, too, man. You know, it’s just, we’re all different in our softness. (10:02)yeah. ⁓ tell me a little bit about, ⁓ your stroke, man. Like what was that particular week? Like the day? Like how did the lead up happen? Bill Gasiamis (10:12)Let’s pause for a moment. If you’re listening to this and thinking, I wish someone had explained this part to me earlier. You’re not alone. One of the hardest parts of stroke recovery isn’t the hospital. It’s what comes after when the appointments slow down, the support fades and you’re left trying to make sense of what your life looks like now. That’s exactly why I wrote the unexpected way that a stroke became the best thing that happened. It’s not a medical book. It’s a recovery companion built from real experiences. real mistakes and real breakthroughs that stroke survivors discovered along the way. If you want something that helps you think differently about recovery and reminds you that you’re not broken, you can find the book at recoveryafterstroke.com/book. Let’s get back to the conversation with Brandon. Craniotomy Stroke Recovery Journey Brandon (10:59)Okay, so I was helping a friend in Northern California to clean a property that was owned by an artist who had died and we went on to his 10 acre property and we’re just cleaning up for his family. But he had like all kinds of art stuff everywhere and so it was kind of right up my alley and ⁓ We were just trying to get the property clean for these people and we decided to take off and go and do a little bit of rock climbing. so we took off early one morning and drove to a town called Willets, California where there’s good rock climbing and we spent the day doing rock climbing which was a fairly new thing to me but the guys that I was with were very experienced lifelong climbers. And so I was kind of the new guy and they were showing me the ropes and we climbed all day. I did really well, I thought, and didn’t really notice anything. No problems. ⁓ Got back in the car. We’re headed back to the house about an hour away, a friend’s house where we were all going to stay the night. And on the way there, I noticed that I was really thirsty and I stopped and I got two 40 ounce bottles of Gatorade and I drank them both immediately and like just downed them and still didn’t notice anything was a problem was in the truck by myself with my two dogs and eventually I guess about an hour later we got to the house And I went inside to hang out with everybody. And one of my friends said that my arm wasn’t working well. I didn’t notice it at all, but he said that my arm wasn’t working very well. ⁓ so ⁓ I just kind of went on with my life. a couple of, I guess about an hour later, I decided that I was really tired. and I could not quench my thirst so I just grabbed a whole bunch of water and went out to my truck and I was gonna go and lay down and sleep in the back of my truck for the night and ⁓ when I got out to my truck ⁓ by this time my friend had said that my arm was working fine again and he noticed that I he felt like I had gotten over whatever it was and so I went out to my truck got into the driver’s seat of the truck And that’s about the last of my recollection that night. next morning when I wasn’t up making breakfast before everyone else, they realized there was a problem because I was usually the first one up making breakfast and doing all that stuff and I wasn’t there. So my friend came out to my truck to check on me and I was still in the driver’s seat with my head on the steering wheel. I never even fell over. (14:05)Hmm. Brandon (14:17)And so this is 12 hours later. And so ⁓ he tried to wake me up and I was only halfway coherent and I couldn’t make either of my arms work and only one of my legs could I get any response from. So he realized there was a problem immediately, pushed me over into the passenger side of the truck got in and drove me an hour to the closest hospital, just a small little regional hospital. And they were pretty quick about realizing that I was having a stroke. And they didn’t even, I don’t even remember them putting me in a room. They brought me straight up to the roof and put me in a helicopter and helicopter and helicoptered me to UC Davis hospital in Sacramento. (14:59)Wow Wow Brandon (15:15)And I got into the hospital and within, I think about an hour and a half, they had called my mom and my brothers who were all in Louisiana at the time. And they had gotten permission to start treatment and they brought me into the surgery. at first they just (15:25)The The following is a video of the first year of Brandon (15:45)removed a three millimeter blood clot from my main artery on the right side. But then the swelling was so bad because I had been bleeding into my brain for 12 hours overnight that they had to go ahead and do ⁓ a, what do you call it? The craniotomy. Yeah, craniotomy. And so they took this whole side. It was a big craniotomy. (16:05)Craniotomy Brandon (16:12)They took this whole side, everything to the center of my forehead, above my eye, down to just above my ear, front to back. ⁓ They took that whole section of my skull out, put it in the freezer so that my brain had room. then I spent 10 days in intensive care recovering from that. And then they moved me to a rehab hospital where I spent four weeks. And yeah, so in that rehab hospital, yeah, immediately after the surgery, I couldn’t walk and I had pretty much no function on my left side, know, arm or leg. But by the time I got to the rehab hospital, I had gotten some control back, but I still couldn’t walk. ⁓ (16:44)Wow, man. Adjusting to Life Post-Stroke Brandon (17:10)And that about a week after I was in the rehab hospital is when I started to walk again without assistance. So that came back fairly quickly, but I still had really bad foot drop and my left arm wasn’t working. It was hanging, you know? And then, so they kept me in there, ⁓ you know, going through, I guess, regular rehab. (17:24)Thank Yep. Brandon (17:36)They the series of lights on the ground in front of me and I’d have to like run around and touch the different lights as they would activate and you know, I don’t know I mean, I guess it’s the same type of rehab stuff that most people go through and ⁓ (17:51)Yeah, it’s probably similar. Mate, ⁓ this is what I really want to know is what’s it like to experience having half of your skull removed? Can you somehow paint a picture of what it’s like to go through that process and how aware were you of it? Because you just had a stroke, right? So you’re in a bit of a challenged sort of healthy health state. Brandon (18:14)Right. No. Yes. ⁓ well, I think that that deliriousness was actually kind of helpful. First of all, I have not experienced any pain through the entire process. From the stroke, no pain from the craniotomy, no pain through rehab. I have not experienced any pain through this entire experience. None whatsoever. Now the doctors say that I might have lost some of that ability to sense it But you know, I mean whatever it took I Really, you know, I didn’t you know, whatever the reason was The effect of it was that I had a pretty fame pain free experience, you know (19:07)and you’re like looking in the mirror and seeing yourself and you know, like experiencing your head and how do you kind of deal with all of that? Brandon (19:21)Well, ⁓ I couldn’t feel a whole lot. I still have a lot of, or not so very much sensation on my scalp on that side. So, you know, but as far as looking in the mirror, that was kind of interesting. You know, it took a little while to get used to it, you know, and, it, ⁓ was definitely not something that I would recommend. Anybody else going through if they don’t have to you know, but ⁓ But I don’t know man. I mean, I’ve always tried to stay pretty positive about things and so, you know, I just Kept going, you know, I mean they shaved my head. I had dreadlocks for a very long time I had dreadlocks and And so this is all the hair that I’ve gotten since they put my skull back together, which was January or it’s actually It’ll be one year tomorrow since they put my skull back together. So, ⁓ my hair is coming back, which I’m really grateful for. About this time next year, I’m gonna start trying to put my dreadlocks back in. you know, but yeah, it’s, I don’t know, man. It’s really been an interesting ride. ⁓ You know, ⁓ learned a lot more about stroke than I ever thought I would need to. You know, I mean, I’m 48 right now. I was 46 when the stroke happened. So it wasn’t even on my radar, man. I wasn’t paying any attention at all. I didn’t know the anagrams or whatever. I didn’t know the symptoms of stroke. So I just kind of rolled with the punches as they came. I took it one step at a time. And that’s kind of the way it’s been with my recovery too. is I try to address one problem at a time so I don’t overwhelm myself. So after I started to get my leg back, I started to shift my influence to my shoulder and my arm. And at this point, I’ve got almost full range of motion back to the left side. I still can’t write. ⁓ Well, actually, technically, I can make my whole alphabet and all of my numbers with (21:16)Yep. Brandon (21:37)both hands at this point. trained myself to use the other hand and then about the time I was able to get that back the other hand started to come back online. So now I can do all that with both hands but words I’m word blind and numbers and letters don’t make a lot of sense to me. So even though I can make the shapes I have a lot of trouble associating the sounds of certain letters and the functions. of different numbers and letters, you know? That’s where a lot of my trouble is now, and that’s where most of my work is at the moment. (22:14)I hear you. So you sound like you’re very cool, and collected. How do you remain positive when you wake up from a stroke? You’re missing half of your skull. Your body doesn’t work on half the side. Is it your default? Do you have to work on that? Have you been working on being positive over? the decades that you’ve been on the planet, give us a bit of an insight into that part of you. Brandon (22:47)Okay, so yeah, I think I’ve always maintained a pretty positive demeanor, you know, I mean I’ve gone through some rough stuff in life, but I’ve just kind of kept going, you know, rolling with the punches. So I really don’t think that I have had much difficulty remaining positive through it. You know, there’s ⁓ definitely, you know, ⁓ days that I don’t feel as good as other days, you know, and you know, I definitely have… ⁓ things that I have to work through. have to, you know, I have to make an effort to remain positive, you know, at times. But my default has always been to be a pretty positive and happy person. So I think that that was really the majority of it is that I’ve always even in the light of extreme adversity, I’ve always been able to remain positive. You know, ⁓ so that that’s always been, you know, key even before the stroke. But (23:39)Yeah. Brandon (23:46)Yeah, I mean definitely waking up and realizing that half of my body didn’t work anymore was not fun, but it’s what I was given. I couldn’t change it, you know, only time and work was gonna change it. So I just kinda accepted it, you know, I mean, ⁓ one of the biggest things that helped me out was by the time I got out of surgery and started to get coherent, My mom and my brother had already flown from Louisiana to be with me in California at the hospital. And that was huge just to know that my family was there. And they stayed with me for the whole time that I was ⁓ in the hospital for the 10 days. And then when I went to the rehab hospital, they went home. ⁓ But yeah, so that was ⁓ just really, that was a big part of it too, you know, I mean. My mom and my brothers are pretty much the most important people in my life. Of course, my daughter as well. yeah, so, you know, to have them all there and just to have that support and have them there to help me because when I first came out, from the time I came out of surgery, I could still speak very clearly. So I did not know what I was saying. (24:56)Mm-hmm. Brandon (25:15)Nobody could tell like I wasn’t making a lot of sense, but I never lost my voice They think that that’s because of my left-handedness Because I’m left-handed I store things like that differently in my brain So because of that I was able to keep my speech even though I cannot write I can’t do you know I mean I can write my letters, but if I try to (25:32)Okay. Brandon (25:44)make a word this was yesterday (25:48)Aha! Lux- Brandon (25:50)But I can, yeah, it’s just scribble. It’s just scribble. Yeah, but, you know, if I try to like draw a letter or a number, I can do it, but I have trouble assigning it to its value. (25:53)Yeah. Understood. So before that, were quite capable of stringing sentences together, writing things down, doing all that kind of stuff. So that’s a very big contrast. Brandon (26:14)I have always been known. Huge contrast. (26:22)Is it frustrating that you can’t write in the way that you did before? it matter? Brandon (26:27)Yes, yes, I used to write all the time, know, poetry, things like that. I’ve always been considered, you know, a good writer, a good orator, public speaker, you know, that kind of thing was a big part of my life, for my whole life. And so to go from that to not being able to write a sentence on a piece of paper or even a word is really a big change for me. You know, and I mean I do use my phone for voice to text. If I wouldn’t have had voice to text, I really don’t know where I would be right now. (27:06)Is that how you communicate most things? Brandon (27:09)Yes, absolutely. it’s- if I can’t say it, like speak it, I have to use voice to text. I can’t spell- I can’t- I can’t spell my own name half the time. (27:17)Dude, I love that. Yeah, I hear you. I love voice to text. So I was told by a friend of mine about a product called Whisper Flow. I’m gonna have links in the show notes and in the description on the YouTube video, right? And it’s spelled W-I-S-P-R-F-L-O-W, Whisper Flow. And what you do is you program one key on your keyboard. And then what you do is you press that key and it activates Brandon (27:36)Yes. (27:52)the app and then you speak and it types beautifully. It types at all. And I’m a terrible like typist. I could never be one of those really quick secretary kind of people and take notes because I’m not fast enough, but it can type for me by speaking like beyond 99 words per minute, which I think is crazy fast. Living Independently After Stroke And I do it because it just saves a heck of a lot of time, me looking down at the keyboard and all that kind of stuff. My left hand does work, but I can type with it, but often my left hand, you know, we’ll miss the key and I’ve got to go back and do corrections and all that kind of stuff. So voice to text, this comes such a long way and everyone needs to know, especially if they’ve had a stroke and one of their limbs is affected, especially if it’s their… they’re riding limb or if they have a challenge like you, everyone needs to know about the fact that technology can really solve that problem. I’m pretty sure, I know this sounds like an ad for Whisper Flow, it probably is, but I’m not getting paid for it. I think they cost, it costs about hundred bucks a year to have this ⁓ service. So it’s so affordable and it does everything for you just at the touch of one button on your computer. And for some people you can also use it on your phone. But I think phones are pretty awesome at doing voice to text already. So you don’t really need ⁓ it for the phone, but you definitely need to check it out for the computer. Brandon (29:27)Okay, yeah, well, you know, I pretty much have my phone. I don’t have a computer, so… But, ⁓ it does sound like an amazing product, and I am looking to get myself a computer because I really, ⁓ like, I haven’t touched a keyboard since my stroke. So, it would be nice to get myself a laptop with a keyboard so that I could start working on trying to see how that interface works for me. (29:33)Yeah. Yeah. How was the transition out of hospital and rehab back to your place? and how long after the initial strike did you end up back at home? Brandon (30:04)Okay, so, when I, I left the hospital after, or I’m sorry, after 10 days in intensive care, they put me in the rehab hospital and I was there for four weeks. After that, they still didn’t think that I was ready to live by myself yet. So I had to, ⁓ rent a house in Joshua tree from a friend of mine who lived on the property in another house. And so I had a whole house to myself still which allowed me to keep my independence. But I still had somebody close enough to holler if I needed anything. And so I kind of, you know, baby stepped by renting a house, you know, for a while. And, And I have property in Northern Arizona where I normally would take my off time when I wasn’t traveling. But, ⁓ But, ⁓ because of the stroke, I wasn’t able to go back to that property for quite a while. And only about Christmas of last year did I start to be able to spend some more time on my property, you know. But at this point, I’m still renting the house in Joshua Tree and starting ⁓ to branch out a little bit more, do a little bit more traveling, things like that. Now with that said… I have been ever since the stroke happened about two months after the stroke I went back to my first music festival. So I didn’t have half of my skull. I had to wear a helmet for six months. And so here I am at a music festival with all of my friends and I’m in a helmet with half of my skull missing. But I still was able to be there and then ⁓ you know, be a part of the festival. So I got back to the activity that I enjoyed pretty fast. (32:07)What genre of music? Brandon (32:09)Well, it’s actually the Joshua Tree Music Festival in particular, which is the only music festival that I’m really involved with anymore. ⁓ They do world music. We get artists from all over the world in. And that’s kind of one of the reasons I’ve continued to be a part of this music festival and really haven’t been that big of a part of the other ones is because I’m always learning about new music when I go there. And that’s a big important part of it to me. (32:40)Understood. So your transition back to living alone took a little bit of time. You’re renting a place. Are you alone there? Are you living with anyone else? How is the home set up? Brandon (32:55)I have a home all to myself but there is a shared home on the other or on the property that a friend of mine lives in and he’s actually the one that I’m renting from so yeah (33:09)So you have access to support to help to people around you if necessary. Brandon (33:15)if I need it. also another big part of one of the symptoms of my stroke is that I don’t recognize my own disabilities. I have a lot of trouble with that. So I generally do not ask for help with things, which in a lot of cases has made me a lot stronger and I think been a big part of a speedy recovery. But at the same time, I can put myself in some kind of sketchy situations at times. (33:43)It’s not, are you sure it’s not just your male ego going, I can do this, I don’t need help. Brandon (33:49)I mean, I’m sure that that does tie into it, I’m certain. But yeah, that’s one of the things that I’ve struggled with from the beginning. And I didn’t recognize the left side of my body as my own. I thought it was somebody else’s. That wasn’t very long, just for maybe the first couple of weeks. But that was a very interesting sensation, that I felt like there was somebody else there. (34:06)Wow. Yeah, it just feels like it’s my, I kind of describe my left side as if it’s because my star sign is Gemini, right? So now I describe it as being the other twin, like the other part of me, which is me, but not me. And it’s so strange to experience 50 % of my body feeling one way and then 50 % of my body feeling a completely different way, which is Brandon (34:25)Yeah. Facing New Challenges: Aneurysms and Uncertainty (34:44)the only way I remember and then tying them together, like bringing them together has been a bit of a wild ride, like just getting them to operate together. When they have different needs, my left side has different needs than my right side. And sometimes one side is getting all the love and the other side is missing out. And I’m always conflicted between where do I allocate resources? Who gets… how much of my time and effort and who I listen to when one of them’s going, my left side’s going, I’m tired, I’m tired. My right side’s going, the party’s just started. Let’s keep going. Don’t worry about it. Brandon (35:25)I have to deal with that. Of course, my left gets a lot tighter than my right side, but I don’t know. think I’ve done a pretty good job of giving it that care. And a big part of where I measured my success was getting my shoulder back online and being able to pronate and go above my head. It took months to get my hand over my head. But But at this point, you know, I’m pretty much back to physically normal except for the fine motor skills on my right, on my left side. You know. (35:59)Sounds like things are going really well in really small increments. And if you’re only, what, two years post stroke, sounds like recovery is gonna continue. You’re gonna get smaller, more and more small wins and they’re gonna kinda accumulate and make it pretty significant in some time ahead. Brandon (36:17)Right. It’s a year and a half. So my stroke was on the 4th of November of 2024. (36:32)Yeah. Do you know in this whole time, did you ever have the… like, this is too hard, I don’t want to do this. Why is this happening to me kind of moment? Did you ever have any of that type of negative self talk or thoughts? Brandon (36:50)no, I mean, I suppose there probably were moments, but I don’t pay a lot of attention to those kinds of moments. You know what I mean? I do kind of even without the stroke, maintain a pretty positive mental attitude, you know, and I think that that’s been one of my biggest blessings through this. ⁓ yeah. So yeah, that’s never really been a good emotion. (37:12)I get a sense that you have those moments, but you don’t spend a lot of time there. Is that right? Is that what you just sort of alluded to that you have those moments, you just don’t give them a lot of time. Therefore they don’t really have the opportunity ⁓ to sort of take up residence. And then you just move on to whatever it is that you’re getting results with or makes you feel better or… ⁓ supports your project which is ⁓ recovery or overcoming or… Brandon (37:48)Yes. No, I completely agree. ⁓ You know, I mean, speaking of which, four days ago, I got ⁓ a phone call from the doctors. ⁓ They found an aneurysm in my brain. So I have to go and meet with a neurosurgeon on Tuesday to discuss what we’re going to do about a brain aneurysm. So I thought, you know, I was just about back to normal. And here I go into another situation. But again, until I know what’s going on, there’s no point in worrying about it, you know? So I’ll know more about it on Tuesday, but until then, I’m not spending a whole lot of time wondering, you know, am I just going to have an aneurysm and collapse tonight? You know? (38:36)that tends to be my default as well. I was really good as a kid. ⁓ When I was being cheeky and not doing my homework for school, I would go to bed and I would remember, I haven’t done my homework. And then I’d be like, yeah, but you can’t solve that problem now. Now you got to sleep, right? So you got to worry about that in the morning after you’ve had a good night’s sleep and you wake up and then deal with it. And that was a strategy to help me forget about that. minor problem, which back then, if you haven’t done your homework as a teenager, that was a big problem. If your teachers found out, if your parents found out, but the idea was that, don’t I just pause all of the overthinking? Why don’t I just pause all of the rumination and all the problems and all that stuff that it could cause for now. And I’ll worry about it when there’s a opportunity to have the resources to do something about it. And the classic example was in the morning, I would have an hour before school where I could reach out to one of my friends, take their homework, copy their homework, and then hand in my homework. Brandon (39:46)Absolutely. Yep, that was very much like me in school. (39:51)Yeah, not much point worrying about things you can’t change or control in the moment. Just pause it, deal with it later. I had a similar situation with my bleed in my brain, because I had a number of different bleeds and it was kind of in the back of my mind a little bit. What if it happens again? But it actually never stopped me from going about life from bleed one through to bleed two. was only six weeks, but like through blade two to blade three, it was about a year and a half. But I got so much done. I was, we were just going about life. was struggling with memory and all different types of deficits because of the blood clot that was in my head. But I never once kind of thought about what if something goes wrong, unless I was traveling. to another country, because we did go to the United States when I was about almost a year after the first and second bleed, we went to the United States. And then I did worry about it from a practical sense. It’s like, if I have a bleed in Australia, I’m near my hospital and then they can take over from where they left off previously and healthcare is paid for here. So there was no issue. But if I’m overseas and something goes wrong, I’m far away from home, we got to have the expensive insurance policy. Cause if something goes, I want to be totally covered when I’m in the United States, we don’t know the system. don’t know all these things. So that was a practical worry that I had, but I didn’t worry about my health and wellbeing. Do you know? I worried about the practicality of having another blade in the airplane because then I’m in the middle of the ocean. over halfway between Australia and the United States. And that’s eight hours one way or another or something. And I thought about that, but I didn’t think about how I would be personally ⁓ negatively impacted by the medical issue. I just thought about the, do we get help as quickly as possible if something were to happen? So I know a lot of people have a stroke and they, Brandon (41:55)Right. Support Systems: Finding Community After Stroke (42:18)⁓ They overthink about what if it happens again and they’re constantly kind of got that on their mind, but I was dealing with just the moments that made me feel like perhaps I should do something about this headache that I’m getting. I dealt with things as they appeared, as they turned up, I didn’t try to plan ahead and solve every problem before it happened. Brandon (42:24)Yeah. Yes, I agree. I’m very much the same way. You see, before my stroke, I didn’t have medical insurance. I hadn’t seen a doctor since my early 20s. just, I was, I was, I had always been extremely healthy. You know, I’ve always been very physically active, you know, and, so it just, I never really, I never really ⁓ went out and looked for medical. I just didn’t need it, you know? And so, When the stroke happened, I was very lucky to get put on California’s healthcare plan. And they’ve taken care of all of my medical bills. ⁓ You know, I’ve never pulled a single dollar out of my pocket for all the rehab, all the doctors since. And I mean, I have doctors still once every week, two weeks at the most, doctor visits, you know? And so I’m extremely fortunate. that it happened to me where I was, you know, because not all states here are like that, but California is extremely good. So, you know, I’m really grateful that it worked out the way it has because it could have been a whole different situation, man. (44:00)I have heard some horror stories about medical insurance for people who are not covered, have a stroke and then they leave hospital with like a $150,000 bill or something. Is that a thing? Brandon (44:13)Yes, it really is. I mean, I was extremely fortunate. By the time I got out of that first 10 days with the helicopter ride and everything else, I was close to $2 million in bills. (44:25)Dude, that’s mental. Brandon (44:26)Yeah. And, ⁓ yeah, I mean, it just doesn’t really, I mean, you know, I mean, I’m not a big fan of, the way that the medical system works money wise. think it’s all just paper or fake money, just fake numbers, you know, but yeah, I don’t know. I just, ⁓ I was extremely fortunate that it all happened the way that it did and that California is so good and they really do take care of their citizens, you know, so. (44:54)Yeah, I love that. Brandon (44:55)Yeah, very fortunate. (44:57)You know, in your recovery, did you have somebody that you kind of leaned on for support that was a confident, ⁓ that was like a mentor or did you have somebody like that in your life that was really helpful in your recovery? Brandon (45:15)Actually in about the year before my stroke I lost the three gentlemen that I had always considered my mentors, older guys that I’ve known for years. They all three passed away the year before my stroke. So I really kind of felt on my own. You know, I have a lot of friends, you know, but ⁓ but after my stroke I really don’t have the brain space for like Facebook or anything like that. So I really, closed down my very active Facebook account and when I did that, I lost so many people that would have been my support because I just, they weren’t there, you know, in real life. They’re only there on the computer, you know? And so, but luckily, you know, I’m a part of the community in Joshua Tree. So I had a lot of support from people there and… ⁓ Then I have probably four or five other friends that are scattered around the United States that I keep in touch with pretty closely. But I went down from talking to hundreds of people a month and all of that on the internet to really a very small closed social circle, you know? And then in addition to that, surprisingly, people that I’ve known for years just are not very good at accepting the differences in who I am as a person since the stroke, you know? And so, you know, I hate to say it, but a lot of friendships have kind of gotten a lot more distant since the stroke. you know, it’s just, I mean, it is what it is. You know, people have to do what they feel is right for themselves, you know? But yeah, I really… ⁓ Identity Shift: Life Changes Post-Stroke (47:06)Yeah. Brandon (47:07)I don’t have a very large support network. You know, I just basically kind of take care of a lot of it myself. You know, I mean, I did two and a half months of outpatient rehab with a occupational therapist. And what’s the other one? Occupational and physical therapy. (47:33)Mm-hmm. Brandon (47:33)So I did occupational and physical therapy for about two and a half months after I got out of the hospital. And that was all really good and helpful. And ⁓ I’m really grateful for those therapists that worked with me. And they helped me get ⁓ basically back to a normal cadence because I was having trouble putting one foot in front of the other. And they really helped me work on my cadence and getting my walk back to fairly normal. ⁓ My arm. has been mostly me. It has never been able to be rushed. It takes its own time. So even with the physical therapy, my hand coming back, it works at its own pace. That was never really influenced that much by physical therapy. And then my actual use of my hand, I was balled up. I was curled up and balled up to the wrist. after the stroke and eventually I got to where I could hold it out flat and I still tremor a lot there but it’s a lot better than it was and but yeah all of that had to come back at its own pace the physical therapy and stuff was helpful for a lot of other aspects of my recovery but that was all just taking its own time and coming back as I guess as it did my brain learn to re-communicate (48:58)Yeah, it sounds, it sounds like you’re kind of really well made up somehow, like you picked up the skills early on in your life to be able to deal with this situation. The way that you do is just amazing. Like it’s seems like it’s second nature, the way that you go about approaching the problems, the challenges, the difficulties, know, the missing half your skull, all that thing. It just seems really innate that you have that within you. you, people are listening and going, you know, that’s not me or I didn’t experience that or I’m overthinking things. Do you think that’s the way that you’re approaching things is teachable, learnable? Can people change the way that they’re going about ⁓ relating to their stroke or dealing with their stroke or managing it. Brandon (49:53)⁓ you know, I think that that you’re going to find that a lot of people, can be taught and a lot of people, can’t be taught. You know, some people’s nature just is not going to be able to handle that. But other people, you know, I think that you can go through very real processes to gain, ⁓ knowledge base, you know, to be able to start working with it. You see another big aspect of my recovery. is that I immediately after my stroke and getting out of the hospital moved eight hours away from UC Davis Hospital where my original care providers were. So I had to go through a whole new medical plan, a whole new set of doctors and everything else. And that changed on me like three times over the first six months. So I really couldn’t rely on the doctors for support either. because they were changing so often I would just meet one and the next thing I would know I would have a new doctor coming in or a new healthcare plan and so it took about six months for me to start seeing the same healthcare providers routinely so I went to YouTube University man I found you I found several other people that had these just these huge amounts of information you know, on how to handle my own recovery. So I took a lot of my own recovery into my own hands. And actually, ⁓ a week ago, I was talking to my neurologist, who is a really amazing lady, and, you know, and had to tell her pretty much that same story that, you know, I couldn’t leave it up to the doctors to fix me. I had to take care of myself. because of my situation and switching insurance and everything else that I went through, there was just not that much option. ⁓ so, you know, and she was like, I wish that all of my patients had that kind of an outlook. You cannot rely on the medical system to fix you. You know, we were talking about what can help people. I think that’s a really big thing that could help a lot of people is to realize that you have to take care of your health care decisions. You know, they found a PFO in my heart, a ⁓ Framon Parabot. (52:24)A patent for Ramen Ovali. Hole in your heart. Brandon (52:28)Yes, yeah, they found that and they wanted to fix it and I was like, you know, I’m 47 years old. This is a one-time thing. So I opted to have a loop recorder installed, a loop recorder to measure my heart rhythm and everything and send messages to the doctors at nights about my heart. So that because I thought that was a little bit less invasive. For my age, the last thing I want is for later in life, my body to start having problems with an implant that’s in my heart. So I decided not to go with that and to go with the less invasive loop recorder, which is still implanted under the skin in my chest, but it doesn’t affect my heart. (53:08)Thank you. Brandon (53:21)It just sends the information about my heart rhythm to the doctors so that they can keep track. (53:26)and it can be easily accessed and removed. Brandon (53:30)Exactly, exactly. So, you know, I mean, if I have another stroke or if I find through the little device that I’m having trouble with that PFO, you know, then I’ll get the PFO closure done. But until then, I didn’t want to just jump straight to that, you know, three months out of my out of my stroke. You know, I want to make sure that that’s the problem. because they did pull a 3mm blood clot out of my brain. So there’s a good chance that that went through the PFO and into my brain. But I was also way outside of my normal activity range trying to rock climb the day before. So there’s just, there are too many variables about the experience for me to just want to go and have something installed in my heart permanently, you know? (54:28)I hear you. What about the aneurysm? Where is that? What’s the long-term kind of approach to that? Brandon (54:35)Don’t know yet. I do not know anything about it. I’ll find out more information on Tuesday They said it’s not it’s not in the same part of my brain that my stroke was So that’s a good thing and there’s a good chance that it may have been there for a long time before the stroke So we just don’t know I don’t know anything about it So that I’m gonna go and meet with this neurosurgeon and decide what we’re gonna do about it (54:42)that’s right. Brandon (55:03)I think the most likely option, as long as it’s not big, is that they just wait and they monitor it. But there’s also a process where they coil it. They put a coil of platinum into it and pack it off so that it can’t become a problem later. And then the third scenario is that they take another piece of my skull off and go in and actually put a clip on it. to stop the blood from going into it. So I may actually have to have my skull open back up again. But, again, there’s no point in thinking about it now. I’ll think about it after Tuesday when I figure out where this thing is, what size it is, and all the details of it, you know? (55:46)Yeah. I love it. I love it. I love that man. That’s a great way to approach it. Also, ⁓ I love your comment about YouTube University. I love the fact that people find my podcast sometimes when they’re in hospital because clearly they realize I need to ⁓ learn more about this, understand it and ⁓ straight away they’ve got answers because of YouTube. it’s such a great service. It’s free. If you don’t want to pay for a paid service and all you got to do is put up with ads that you can skip through most of the time. So I think that’s brilliant. ⁓ What about your identity, man? People have a lot of kind of ⁓ examples of how they have a shift in their identity, how they perceive themselves, how they fit into the world. Did you feel like you have a shift in your identity or the way that you fit into the world? What’s that like for you? Brandon (56:46)Well, I mean, I definitely do feel like there was a big shift. Now at the core, I feel like the same person. know, mentally, I still feel like I know who I am, but it definitely has shifted my priorities in life a lot. ⁓ I did not raise my daughter and I developed a much closer relationship to her since the stroke. and we’ve been spending more time together and just really working on our relationship together. She’s 28 years old. So, you know, that has really been an amazing aspect of my stroke recovery is that I’m closer with my daughter than I ever was. But yeah, I mean, you know, I do things a lot differently. I was a heavy smoker, a heavy drinker, and a heavy marijuana user. I don’t smoke marijuana, don’t smoke cigarettes, and I don’t drink alcohol anymore. So huge change in my lifestyle as well. ⁓ But you know, I just I’m not as much of a hurry as I used to. I was always accused of my mind working on too many levels at one time, you know, and had too much on my plate, too much going on in my brain all the time. Now. My brain doesn’t keep up as well. So I struggle to stay on one subject, much less juggle multiple things in my brain. So it’s really kind of slowed down my whole mental process. But I think that again, that’s in a good way. I think that ⁓ I needed to slow down a little bit in a lot of ways. Lessons Learned: Insights from the Journey (58:31)I hear you. With the alcohol, marijuana and the smoking. So you might’ve been doing that for decades, I imagine, smoking, drinking. Brandon (58:43)Yes. (58:44)how do you experience your body differently now that it doesn’t have those substances in it anymore? Like, cause that’s a mass, that’s probably one of the biggest shifts your consumption of, we’ll call them, I don’t know, like harmful ⁓ things, you know, like how, so how do you relate to yourself differently now that those things are not necessary? Brandon (59:12)You know, I never really had like an addictive aspect. So I really don’t, I don’t feel like, ⁓ I mean, I don’t feel like it’s changed me a whole lot. I just had to take the daily habits out. But after spending a month in the hospital, all of the physical wants, all of the physical aspects of it were already taken care of, you know? So I just had to kind of maintain and not go back to old habits. So really, I mean, I don’t feel like it was that big of a difference. But now physically, I’ve always been an extremely skinny person. You know, I’m six foot one and I’ve always weighed 135 to 145. Now I weigh 165. So I did put on some weight after stopping all that. But other than that, really don’t notice a lot of ⁓ physical differences. Now, I have not coughed since my stroke. I used to wake myself up at night coughing, but for some reason, like literally when I had the stroke, I have not coughed since. Now I clear my throat a lot more and I have a lot of, we’re trying to figure out why, but I have a lot of problems with my sinuses. and stuff like that all on the side that I my injury was on this side but on the side the mental side like where it’s all mental stuff that changed the you know all of that I have problems with my sinuses and drainage and things like that so right now I’m seeing an ear nose and throat specialist and we just did a cat scan of my sinuses so I’ll see on the 13th of this next month I’ll get more information on about what’s going on there. ⁓ really, if that’s all I have to deal with is a one-sided sinus infection, I’m okay with that, you know? (1:01:23)Brandon, you’re all over it, man. I love your approach. It’s ⁓ refreshing to hear somebody who’s just so all over getting to the bottom of things rather than kind of just letting them kind of fester, which kind of leads me to my next question is you seem to have gained a lot of learning and growth from all of this. So what… ⁓ What are some of the insights that you gained from this experience that you didn’t expect? Brandon (1:01:54)⁓ No, I’m really not sure, man. I’m really not sure. I mean, again, I feel like pretty much going back to the same person. I mean, I have, I think, a little bit more respect for the human lifespan. You know, I was one of those people that always felt like, since I’ve never died, I can’t tell you that I’m going to die. Even though everybody else on the planet has to die, I never necessarily felt like that. I definitely feel mortal now, you know? I used to tell everybody that I still felt 25, but as soon as I had my stroke, felt 48. I felt every bit of my age. So it kind of cured me of that. You know, I pay a lot more attention to like, you know, things like, setting up my daughter for the future, you know, and like, Purchasing property for her and things like that to make sure that she’s gonna be taken care of when I’m not here anymore Things that I never paid attention to beforehand, you know, I always just lived in the moment Really didn’t care about the rest But now I’m more prone to put the work into my vehicle before it breaks down Instead of just waiting for it to be on the side of the road to fix it You know, I just I I think that I handle my life responsibilities more like a grown up than I used to, you know, but ⁓ but really, I don’t know, I’d say overall though, it’s still really difficult question to answer, man. I don’t I don’t feel like I live a lot differently. I feel like I’m still the same person, you know. (1:03:35)You nailed it, man. You answered it beautifully, especially the part about mortality. That’s a hap that happened to me. I realized at 37 that, ⁓ I actually might not be around in 12 months, six months, three months. So who knows like tomorrow. And that made me pay attention to my relationships and make sure that they were mostly mended healed. Reach. I reached out to people who I needed to reach out to. cut off people who I didn’t need to continue connecting with. Brandon (1:03:51)Right? (1:04:05)You know, like I realized that this, I’ve got to attend, attend to certain things that I hadn’t been attending to because if, ⁓ if the shit hit the fan, if things go really ugly, then I wouldn’t be able to attend to those things. And I, now that I had the ability to do it, was my responsibility to do that. Brandon (1:04:28)Absolutely, absolutely. I completely agree. I did the same thing. I cleared out a lot of the people that really weren’t being, you know, or that weren’t adding benefit to my life and causing problems in my life. I cleared all of that out. I started to focus more on the core group of people that were a big part of my life and, you know, my recovery and just, you know, who I am as a person. And just, you know, it really made me take a better look at the life that I had created for myself and and ⁓ and Just take care of the things that I should be taking care of and don’t pay as much attention to the things that weren’t serving me (1:05:12)Yeah, it’s a great way to continue moving forward. Your daughter, does she live nearby or does she live in another state? Brandon (1:05:21)She lives in another state. She lives in Alabama right now, but we’re starting to consider her coming out here to Arizona. Her and her boyfriend have lived there for several years, but the only reason she was living there is because her grandparents lived there on her maternal side, and she was very close to them for her whole life. But they passed, both of them, over the last several years. And, you know, she enjoys her work. She enjoys her friend group. But she also feels like she might need to go and explore a little bit more and move out of her comfort zone. So she might be a little bit closer sooner. Her and her boyfriend might actually move out here. we’ll just, know, only time will tell, but it’s just, it’s a fun thought, you know? (1:06:08)Yeah, I hear you. So we’ve shared a whole bunch of amazing things on this episode right now. The last question I want to ask you is there are people watching and listening that had either been listening for a little bit of time. They’ve just started their stroke recovery or they’r

FREE RESOURCE:  Try our Burnout Archetype Quiz: https://twc-jqgxs.involve.me/archetype-quiz In this episode of Wild Medicine, Dr. Michelle Peris and Dr. Tara Rawana explore the profound importance of enjoying life in the present moment.   They discuss the dangers of delaying gratification and the necessity of intentional living, emphasizing that if we cannot find joy today, we will struggle to find it tomorrow.   The conversation delves into breaking negative thought patterns, creating a permission field for joy, and the power of community and collaboration in personal growth.   They highlight the significance of emotions in our lives and the need for action to facilitate transformation.   The episode concludes with a call to embrace vulnerability, trust in relationships, and the beauty of connection as essential components of a fulfilling life.   Takeaways Enjoyment in the present is crucial for future happiness. Delaying gratification can lead to a lifetime of missed joy. Intentional living requires balancing enjoyment today with planning for tomorrow. Negative thought patterns can trap us in a cycle of dissatisfaction. Creating a permission field for joy allows us to embrace pleasure. Community and collaboration enhance personal growth and transformation. Navigating change requires embracing new sensations and experiences. Emotions play a significant role in shaping our thoughts and behaviours. Taking action is essential for breaking free from negative cycles. Vulnerability and trust are key to forming meaningful connections. Chapters 00:00 Embracing the Present: The Importance of Enjoyment Today 02:33 The Cost of Delayed Gratification: Sacrificing Today for Tomorrow 05:14 Intentional Living: Balancing Enjoyment and Future Planning 08:01 Breaking the Cycle: The Impact of Repetitive Negative Thoughts 10:44 Creating a Pattern Interrupt: Simple Ways to Enhance Daily Joy 13:42 Navigating Change: The Challenge of Embracing New Sensations 16:43 The Journey to Self-Worth: Allowing Ourselves to Enjoy Life 19:19 The Role of Community: Supporting Each Other in Change 25:45 Empowering Growth Through Relationships 27:47 The Power of Collaboration 31:48 The Importance of Connection and Trust 36:28 Embracing the Full Spectrum of Emotions 40:07 Small Changes Lead to Big Transformations 45:27 Taking Ownership of Your Life 49:13 Celebrating Micro Changes and Transformations   Stay Wild. Connect with Dr. Tara on INSTAGRAM Connect with Dr. Michelle on INSTAGRAM FREE RESOURCE:  Click the link and see if the SHED METABOLIC RESET PROGRAM is a good fit for you!  This episode is brought to you by: www.MichellePeris.com Ready to reclaim your Wild? JOIN THE WAITLIST Learn more about The Poppy Clinic: www.poppyclinic.com Is Naturopathic Medicine for you: LEARN MORE HERE Take our HORMONE QUIZ Are you a clinician looking for more impact? START HERE

This episode is all around laying out my 2026 diet + training philosophies. I'm in a caloric surplus, training hard with intention, and choosing food quality over empty volume. We get into running and eating with purpose, and why the goal isn't a finish line—it's building a lifestyle you can sustain.I also break down the practical plays to take ownership of your diet: simple meal prep, portion control, 1g protein per pound, and a plan for late-night cravings. If you want to get stronger, leaner, and more consistent this year—try this framework.CHAPTERS:00:00 Introduction03:35 Taking Ownership of Your Diet05:09 Meal Prep and Food Prep Tips08:59 Appropriate Meal Portions14:37 Making Protein a Priority16:30 Late Night Snacking Strategies20:22 Caloric Surplus Explained31:18 Training Hard for Strength and Growth36:00 Avoiding the Easy Run Mindset in the Gym38:50 Balancing Strength Training and Recovery44:11 Prioritizing Food Quality Over Quantity01:02:45 Running with Purpose, Not for Numbers01:06:13 Maintaining a Healthy Relationship with Food01:14:44 Training for the Love of the LifestyleORDER MY BOOK HERE: ⁠https://www.amazon.com/Go-One-More-Intentional-Life-Changing/dp/1637746210FOLLOW:Become a BPN member FOR FREE - Unlock 25% off FOR LIFE ⁠https://www.bareperformancenutrition.com/collections/performance-nutritionIG: ⁠instagram.com/nickbarefitness/⁠YT: ⁠youtube.com/@nickbarefitness

What if healing is not something that happens to you but something you actively participate in every single day?   In this episode of the Thrive State Podcast, I sit down with Steve White, founder of Brae 100 and HomeTeams, to explore what real healing actually looks like beyond the clinic walls. Steve shares the moment in nature that changed the trajectory of his life, why forgiveness may be one of the most powerful biological interventions we have, and how discipline outperforms motivation when it comes to lasting transformation. We break down the science behind agency, community, and caring, including how stress physiology, inflammation, and immune function are influenced by mindset, behavior, and connection. This conversation is a reminder that the most important medicine often happens in the other 23 hours of your day. If you are navigating chronic illness, supporting someone you love, or looking to reclaim ownership of your health and purpose, this episode will meet you exactly where you are.  

Self-control isn't suppression- it's direction. In this segment, Thomas and Kari talk about why feelings are real but unreliable leaders, how discipline actually protects freedom. In a culture driven by impulse, this conversation reframes self-control as a tool for clarity, growth, and lasting freedom. Because real freedom needs direction.

Join the EC method here02:20 The Impact of Exercise on Hormones09:34 Navigating Social Eating and Guilt17:16 Taking Ownership of Health and Fitness26:59 Final Thoughts and Q&A

SummaryIn this episode, Chase and Chris dive deep into why belief in yourself has to come before anything else.You can have the perfect macros, the best workout plan, and all the right tools—but if you don't actually believe you can do it, none of that will matter. They explain how broken promises, unrealistic expectations, and an all-or-nothing mindset slowly chip away at your trust in yourself.You'll learn how to rebuild that belief with small daily wins, why failing isn't the problem (but quitting is), and how to stop waiting to feel ready—and start becoming ready by showing up.If you've ever said, “I always fall off,” or “I just can't stay consistent,” this episode is the wake-up call you didn't know you needed.Chapters(00:00) Why Belief in Yourself Comes First(01:45) How Self-Limiting Beliefs Hold You Back(04:30) The Difference Between Confidence and Belief(07:06) Broken Promises = Broken Progress(09:36) How Failing Can Actually Build Trust(10:06) Why You're Not “All or Nothing”—You Just Don't Trust Yourself(12:47) Lower the Bar to Raise Your Consistency(13:27) Belief Is Built Through Evidence(16:10) Why Smaller Goals Lead to Bigger Results(18:17) The Power of Stupid-Simple Wins(19:30) Personalization Over Perfection(21:11) Shame Spirals and Bouncing Back(23:27) The Role of Resilience in Rebuilding Trust(24:15) Borrow Belief When You Don't Have It(27:53) Progress Without Pressure(29:38) You Have to Get in the Pool(30:03) Taking Ownership vs. Relying on a Coach Forever(32:06) Adapting Your Plan in Messy Seasons(33:42) Build a New Default, Not a New Excuse(35:47) Identity Change Starts With Belief(37:48) Be Realistic, Not Delusional(38:09) Keep the Promises You Actually Make(39:53) The Flip: From Doubtful to UnstoppableSUBMIT YOUR QUESTIONS to be answered on the show:https://forms.gle/B6bpTBDYnDcbUkeD7How to Connect with Us:Chase's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/changing_chase/Chris' Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/conquer_fitness2021/Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/665770984678334/Interested in 1:1 Coaching: https://conquerfitnessandnutrition.com/1on1-coachingJoin The Fit Fam Collective: https://conquerfitnessandnutrition.com/fit-fam-collective

In this episode of the Emerald Grappling Podcast, Aaron takes the mic for his first ever solo episode, offering a behind the scenes and honest look at how he is approaching training and competition in 2026.He reflects on a tough return to competition last year, stepping onto the mats on just a few days' notice after a two and a half year layoff and losing in under 20 seconds. Rather than avoiding the experience, Aaron explains how it reshaped his mindset and fuelled a decision to compete far more consistently in the year ahead. Drawing on advice from previous guest Oisin McCabe, he discusses the value of high match volume events like Grappling Industries and Grapple City, where round robin formats can give athletes dozens, even hundreds, of matches over time.Aaron outlines why these competitions are now a priority. They provide more mat time, more live data, and the ability to record matches and bring them back to his coaches to identify gaps and make targeted improvements.The conversation then shifts to training. Aaron speaks candidly about feeling directionless in previous years, showing up to sessions without a clear goal and seeing that lack of intent affect his development. This year, he is taking full ownership of his progress by entering each session with purpose, studying instructionals through platforms like The Art of Jiu Jitsu, and building a more structured learning approach outside the gym.He also breaks down new Sunday training sessions with teammates focused on games, positional sparring, and system building. The aim is to create controlled, uncomfortable situations that develop confidence, problem solving, and sharper performances in competition.Aaron closes the episode by thanking everyone who has supported the podcast over the past two years and showing appreciation to the guests who have welcomed him into their gyms and shared their time, knowledge, and experience.⏱️ CHAPTERS00:00 - 01:00 Intro01:01 - 02:34 My Last Competition Experience02:35 - 05:50 Round Robin Competitions for More Experience!05:51 - 08:58 Taking Ownership of My Training08:59 - 10:52 Ecological Approach to Jiu Jitsu Training Sessions10:53 - 12:58 Benefits of Cross Training in Jiu Jitsu12:59 - 13:55 Thanks for all the Support & Like Share and Subscribe13:56 - 14:30 Outro----------------------------------------------------------------------------

In Part 2 of this conversation, Thomas and Kari focus on one of the most overlooked skills in adulthood: a real apology. We talk about why true apologies take ownership without explanation or defense, why “I'm sorry” isn't about being right but about being restored, and how sincere apologies rebuild trust faster than time ever will. We also unpack why adults often struggle to apologize more than children—and how to recognize the difference between a bad apology and a healthy one. This segment challenges pride, exposes subtle deflection, and reminds us that strong relationships are built on humility, not ego.

Send us a textIn this episode of Soulful Self-Care Conversations, Pearl welcomes Dr. Robert Kane, a board-certified clinical thermologist and international authority on thermography, for a powerful discussion on preventative health and whole-body awareness.With more than three decades of experience, Dr. Kane bridges science, imaging, and natural health to help individuals understand what their bodies may be communicating long before disease develops.

Send us a textReal estate developer Gary Brooks spent decades building some of Oklahoma City's most ambitious projects. But after years of chronic stress, heart surgery, and a family cancer diagnosis, he reached a breaking point. When he finally stepped away, he realized something unsettling: success had masked how unhealthy he had become.In this episode, Dr. Kevin White sits down with Gary to trace how that personal wake-up call turned into a larger sense of responsibility. Gary shares how learning to track sleep, stress, inflammation, and cardiovascular risk reshaped the way he understood health, and why “normal” lab work had quietly failed to tell the full story. As his own health improved, the question shifted outward: what happens when you realize your friends, your workforce, and your city may be heading down the same path?That realization became the catalyst for the Healthy City by 2040 summit. Gary explains why the event is not about trends or quick fixes, but about creating a credible starting point for prevention, personal agency, and long-term health at scale. The conversation explores why Oklahoma City's health rankings matter, how mental health and environment shape physical outcomes, and why empowering people with better tools may be the most meaningful intervention of all.If you've ever felt worn down beneath outward success, or wondered how personal change can ripple outward into something that serves others, this episode offers a grounded reminder: transformation often begins when one person decides not to accept the status quo anymore.Learn more about the Healthy City by 2040 initiative and the upcoming summit at www.healthycityinitiative.com and follow along on Instagram at @healthycityinitiative.If you enjoyed this episode, follow The Daily Apple and leave a review. It helps more people find the show. Learn more at www.primehealthassociates.com and follow Dr. Kevin White on Instagram at @KevinWhiteMD. Prime Health Associates

Upgrade to the Premium Podcast Experience - https://rachelhollis.supercast.comDive even Deeper in the Coaching Community - Rachel Hollis CoachingCheck out Upcoming Live Events!!In this episode, Rachel Hollis discusses the importance of financial freedom and practical ways to earn a raise without burning out. She emphasizes setting a clear goal for a raise, having open conversations with managers early on, and improving the quality—not just quantity—of your work.Get your copy of Rachel's New Book Here: Audible, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Millon, Bookshop.org, or wherever books are sold!00:00 Introduction: Working Smarter, Not Harder00:57 Welcome to the Show: Life, Real Life01:37 The Importance of Financial Freedom03:26 Taking Ownership of Your Financial Future06:50 Seven Practical Ways to Get a Raise07:36 Decide That a Raise is Your Goal14:56 Have the Conversation Early22:10 Improve How You Work, Not Just How Hard You Work27:54 Invest in Yourself30:44 Track Your Wins Like an Athlete32:23 Expand Your Impact33:50 Act Like Someone Who Already Earns More38:26 Conclusion: Set the Intention to Earn More39:22 Closing Remarks and Upcoming EpisodesSign up for Rachel's weekly email: https://msrachelhollis.com/insider/Call the podcast hotline and leave a voicemail! Call (737) 400-4626Watch the podcast on YouTube: http://youtube.com/@MsRachelHollisFollow along on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/MsRachelHollisTo learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode of the Get Strong podcast, Jessie Mershon dives deep into the struggles women face regarding body image and self-worth, particularly during challenging times. She shares her personal experiences from a difficult month, emphasizing the importance of self-compassion and the need to ask ourselves critical questions about our thoughts. Jessie introduces three key questions to help listeners navigate their feelings: Is this thought factual? Is it useful? Does it move me forward? By reflecting on these questions, she encourages women to take ownership of their feelings and actions, ultimately leading to personal growth and resilience. Jessie also discusses the significance of maintaining healthy habits during tough seasons, highlighting how routines can serve as anchors in our lives. She stresses that acknowledging our struggles is essential for moving forward and that we should challenge negative thoughts that do not serve us. The episode concludes with a powerful reminder that we are all made for more, and by taking ownership of our lives, we can become the best versions of ourselves, both physically and emotionally.     takeaways Ask yourself, 'Is this thought factual?' Acknowledge your struggles to move forward. Maintaining routines is crucial during hard seasons. Challenge negative thoughts that don't serve you. You are made for more; take ownership of your life. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Body Image Struggles 02:23 The Importance of Self-Compassion 04:18 Three Key Questions for Self-Reflection 10:24 Reframing Negative Thoughts 20:25 Taking Ownership and Moving Forward   Don't forget to like, subscribe, and share this episode with someone who needs encouragement. Take your personalized vitamin quiz here:  https://meology.shaklee.com/?country=US&lang=en_US&site=jessie 1:1 Mindset Coaching: E-mail JessieMershon@gmail.com  Connect with me at https://www.instagram.com/jessiemershon

Join Us for our Sunday Worship Service @10am Streaming on Facebook and Youtube. Looking forward to you Joining Us!    

Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Jeremy Anderson. SUMMARY OF THE INTERVIEW The conversation between Rushion McDonald and Jeremy Anderson on Money Making Conversations Masterclass covers Jeremy’s personal transformation, his mission-driven approach to motivational speaking, the creation of Next Level Speakers Academy, the power of environment and mindset, and his philanthropic work in South Africa. The interview highlights values such as purpose over profit, taking ownership, perseverance, and maximizing one’s potential. [ PURPOSE OF THE INTERVIEW The purpose of the episode is to: 1. Introduce Jeremy Anderson’s Work Showcase Jeremy’s role as a premier motivational speaker, founder of Next Level Speakers Academy, and co‑founder of Next Level Living, which feeds a thousand children weekly in South Africa. [ 2. Inspire Listeners Toward Purpose‑Driven Success Encourage viewers to move from “wasted potential” to purposeful, impactful living by believing in themselves and pursuing their gifts. 3. Demonstrate How Jeremy’s Principles Apply Broadly Rushion emphasizes that Jeremy’s business, branding, and mindset strategies apply not just to speakers, but to entrepreneurs, executives, and everyday people. 4. Promote Actionable Personal Growth The interview seeks to motivate listeners to take ownership, adopt non‑negotiable success habits, and maximize opportunities. KEY TAKEAWAYS 1. Wasted Potential is a Universal Struggle Jeremy defines wasted potential as having greatness inside but failing to believe in it or pursue it. Many people don’t lack talent — they lack belief and action. 2. Purpose Over Profit He warns new speakers not to chase “the bag.”Impact first → income follows. If your heart is for people, success comes naturally. 3. Your Story Is Your Superpower Every struggle someone has overcome is a testimony meant to help others. Keeping quiet keeps your gift hidden. 4. Maximize Every Opportunity Whether you’re speaking, laying concrete, or running a small business, get every drop out of every engagement — testimonials, photos, referrals, and relationship‑building. citeturn1search1 5. Environment and Mindset Matter True growth starts by changing your internal environment.Jeremy’s life changed when teachers chose to see the best in him, showing that belief from others can shift self-belief. 6. Non‑Negotiables Build Discipline Success requires habits you don’t negotiate with: early rising, prayer, meditation, cold plunges, challenging discomfort, and consistent personal development. 7. Extreme Ownership Replaces Excuses Greatness comes from responsibility, not excuses. Jeremy demands accountability from his teams and himself. 8. Brand Is Built on Transparency Jeremy’s brand centers on perseverance, faith, and family—not perfection. He shares both triumphs and private struggles. 9. Giving Back Is Central to His Purpose Next Level Living feeds 1,000 children weekly and sponsors students in South Africa through college. Impact must extend beyond business. NOTABLE QUOTES FROM THE INTERVIEW On Purpose & Potential “Don’t come to me for profits. Come to me for purpose. Don’t come to me for income. Come to me for impact.” “It’s only a testimony if you testify.” “Most people don’t believe and they don’t pursue — that’s wasted potential.” On Mindset & Environment “I wasn’t living a life of purpose… I had to stop blaming others and go all in on me.” “Sometimes the shackles we have are in our mind.” On Discipline “Success requires non‑negotiables.” (Waking early, prayer, meditation, discomfort training) “People want comfort — but everything great comes with discomfort.” On Value “If you want to be valuable, you must have value.” “They’re not paying me top dollar because I'm motivational. I solve a problem.” On Legacy & Family “My brand is perseverance and family.” “These things don’t happen to me — they happen for me.” On Accountability “No excuses — take ownership.” “I’ve never met anyone who became great from excuses.” On Giving Back “We’ve been feeding a thousand starving children every week since 2018.” “We put 60 kids through college — and we’re just getting started.” #SHMS #STRAW #BESTSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Jeremy Anderson. SUMMARY OF THE INTERVIEW The conversation between Rushion McDonald and Jeremy Anderson on Money Making Conversations Masterclass covers Jeremy’s personal transformation, his mission-driven approach to motivational speaking, the creation of Next Level Speakers Academy, the power of environment and mindset, and his philanthropic work in South Africa. The interview highlights values such as purpose over profit, taking ownership, perseverance, and maximizing one’s potential. [ PURPOSE OF THE INTERVIEW The purpose of the episode is to: 1. Introduce Jeremy Anderson’s Work Showcase Jeremy’s role as a premier motivational speaker, founder of Next Level Speakers Academy, and co‑founder of Next Level Living, which feeds a thousand children weekly in South Africa. [ 2. Inspire Listeners Toward Purpose‑Driven Success Encourage viewers to move from “wasted potential” to purposeful, impactful living by believing in themselves and pursuing their gifts. 3. Demonstrate How Jeremy’s Principles Apply Broadly Rushion emphasizes that Jeremy’s business, branding, and mindset strategies apply not just to speakers, but to entrepreneurs, executives, and everyday people. 4. Promote Actionable Personal Growth The interview seeks to motivate listeners to take ownership, adopt non‑negotiable success habits, and maximize opportunities. KEY TAKEAWAYS 1. Wasted Potential is a Universal Struggle Jeremy defines wasted potential as having greatness inside but failing to believe in it or pursue it. Many people don’t lack talent — they lack belief and action. 2. Purpose Over Profit He warns new speakers not to chase “the bag.”Impact first → income follows. If your heart is for people, success comes naturally. 3. Your Story Is Your Superpower Every struggle someone has overcome is a testimony meant to help others. Keeping quiet keeps your gift hidden. 4. Maximize Every Opportunity Whether you’re speaking, laying concrete, or running a small business, get every drop out of every engagement — testimonials, photos, referrals, and relationship‑building. citeturn1search1 5. Environment and Mindset Matter True growth starts by changing your internal environment.Jeremy’s life changed when teachers chose to see the best in him, showing that belief from others can shift self-belief. 6. Non‑Negotiables Build Discipline Success requires habits you don’t negotiate with: early rising, prayer, meditation, cold plunges, challenging discomfort, and consistent personal development. 7. Extreme Ownership Replaces Excuses Greatness comes from responsibility, not excuses. Jeremy demands accountability from his teams and himself. 8. Brand Is Built on Transparency Jeremy’s brand centers on perseverance, faith, and family—not perfection. He shares both triumphs and private struggles. 9. Giving Back Is Central to His Purpose Next Level Living feeds 1,000 children weekly and sponsors students in South Africa through college. Impact must extend beyond business. NOTABLE QUOTES FROM THE INTERVIEW On Purpose & Potential “Don’t come to me for profits. Come to me for purpose. Don’t come to me for income. Come to me for impact.” “It’s only a testimony if you testify.” “Most people don’t believe and they don’t pursue — that’s wasted potential.” On Mindset & Environment “I wasn’t living a life of purpose… I had to stop blaming others and go all in on me.” “Sometimes the shackles we have are in our mind.” On Discipline “Success requires non‑negotiables.” (Waking early, prayer, meditation, discomfort training) “People want comfort — but everything great comes with discomfort.” On Value “If you want to be valuable, you must have value.” “They’re not paying me top dollar because I'm motivational. I solve a problem.” On Legacy & Family “My brand is perseverance and family.” “These things don’t happen to me — they happen for me.” On Accountability “No excuses — take ownership.” “I’ve never met anyone who became great from excuses.” On Giving Back “We’ve been feeding a thousand starving children every week since 2018.” “We put 60 kids through college — and we’re just getting started.” #SHMS #STRAW #BESTSteve Harvey Morning Show Online: http://www.steveharveyfm.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In a culture that often blames circumstances and avoids accountability, we unpack why real growth begins when we own our choices, take responsibility for our actions, and learn to manage our emotions, habits, and time. We also discuss why apologizing isn't a weakness, how self-control protects your future, and why unmanaged life eventually leads to unnecessary chaos.

SummaryIn this episode, Chase and Chris dive into another Q&A session filled with helpful advice, honest truths, and real-life strategies for anyone trying to lose weight or improve their health. They talk about having something to look forward to, how much protein you actually need, and whether your body really hits a "set point" in weight loss. They also discuss the difference between being lazy and giving yourself grace, and how to know who to trust when everyone on social media says something different. This episode is perfect if you're feeling overwhelmed, stuck, or confused about what actually works.Chapters(00:00) Life Updates, Baseball Camp & Pottery Booths(02:10) Why You Need Something to Look Forward To(04:58) The Truth About Serving Sizes & Protein Goals(07:46) Why You Need More Than “One Serving” of Protein(08:20) Cereal, Ice Cream, & Portion Size Reality Checks(11:04) You're Not Stuck—You Might Just Be Comfortable(13:40) Set Point vs. Complacency in Weight Loss(17:40) Lazy or Grace? How to Tell the Difference(23:20) Taking Ownership vs. Blaming Others(24:40) Who to Trust in the Fitness Industry(27:00) Red Flags to Watch For in Health Advice(30:04) You Need Less Information, More Simplicity(31:05) Clean Up Your Feed & Trust the BasicsSUBMIT YOUR QUESTIONS to be answered on the show: https://forms.gle/B6bpTBDYnDcbUkeD7How to Connect with Us:Chase's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/changing_chase/Chris' Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/conquer_fitness2021/Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/665770984678334/Interested in 1:1 Coaching: https://conquerfitnessandnutrition.com/1on1-coachingJoin The Fit Fam Collective: https://conquerfitnessandnutrition.com/fit-fam-collective

:00 – Carl and Mike get into some brief Hawks talk as they share more thoughts on the trade of Trae Young and agree in there being disappointed in the fact the team was not able to achieve success with the All-Star guard. They then share more thoughts on Arthur Blank's press conference and discuss the team owner's comments in regards to the team being viewed as not having real direction. :20 – Carl and Mike - Interview Replay: Mike Conti w/ Arthur Blank :40 – Carl and Mike get into Guy Talk as they discuss whether or not Trae Young should be considered a super star in which they agree he provided great moments, however has set to elevate to super star status.

Leading others doesn't begin with a title—it begins with self-leadership. Too many men chase influence, authority, or recognition before they've learned how to lead themselves. That's where imposter syndrome creeps in—of course you're not as good yet; leadership isn't a destination, it's a discipline. It's not just tactical execution or getting things done—it's service, responsibility, and the relentless pursuit of getting better. Leadership at home, leadership with your kids, leadership over your own habits and standards. In this episode, I talk with leadership expert, Kipp Sorensen. Today, we break down the three traps of self-leadership that quietly sabotage men: the Victim, the Persecutor, and the Rescuer, the dark side of influence, how to get your own wishes and desires met, how to be aware of "polite manipulation," and why honoring agency (yourself and others) is the key to leading well. SHOW HIGHLIGHTS 00:00 - Why Self-Leadership Comes Before Leading Others 03:10 - Can Everyone Be a Leader? Mindset vs Skillset 06:15 - Why Ryan Rejects "Imposter Syndrome" 09:00 - Parenting, Projection, and Self-Awareness 12:55 - Jiu-Jitsu, Ego, and the Cost of Pretending 17:45 - Where Men Struggle Most With Self-Leadership 18:05 - The Victim Mindset Explained 22:10 - The Hidden Payoff of Victimhood 26:00 - Taking Ownership and Closing the Integrity Gap 30:30 - Why We Justify Our Worst Behaviors 37:00 - The Persecutor Trap in Leadership 44:15 - How to Have Hard Conversations Without Blame 46:35 - Why Performance Is Emotional, Not Technical 51:20 - The Rescuer Trap and "Nice Guy" Leadership 56:10 - Why Difficulty Is Required for Growth 01:00:40 - Stress as a Catalyst for Learning 01:03:40 - Alignment, Leadership, and Kipp's New Mission Battle Planners: Pick yours up today! Order Ryan's new book, The Masculinity Manifesto. For more information on the Iron Council brotherhood. Want maximum health, wealth, relationships, and abundance in your life? Sign up for our free course, 30 Days to Battle Ready

Two years after the formation of the Music Fights Fraud Alliance (MFFA) and almost one year into Michael Lewan's appointment as Executive Director, the organization has reached many milestones – including helping put together this year's iteration of our annual Trust & Safety in Music Symposium! In this episode, Michael details the specific issues the MFFA tackles, what the alliance has accomplished since he joined last February, and discussion points he's helped program for the symposium. He also touches on why it's important for our industry to come together during a time when there is a high demand for anti-fraud measures across all sectors.

Show LinksSelf-Paced Resources:Subscribe To The Interview Podcast: https://yourlevelfitness.com/podcastNew To The YLF Philosophy? Start Here: ylf30.comDaily Accountability And Structure For Your Self-Paced Inside/Out Process: https://yourlevelfitness.com/daily-emailQ&A Response YouTube Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjSupgaY5KA66MD2IdmCwFhLFbDe-pk1lIndividualized Guidance From DarylJoin The YLF Experience: https://app.moonclerk.com/pay/5t93iox9udm3Compare All Service Levels: https://yourlevelfitness.com/coachingGet Your Merch, Mugs & Wall QuotesShop The Current Collections: https://yourlevelfitness.shop/collectionsEpisode DescriptionIn this episode, I talk about one of the most empowering shifts you can make in your life, taking responsibility for your life. There are things that are outside of your control and always will be, but there is also a lot that is within your control. When you consistently focus on what you can influence, you begin to feel grounded, capable, and calm instead of reactive and overwhelmed.This conversation is about ownership without blame. It is about understanding that your headspace, your mindset, and the way you interpret what is happening around you will shape the direction you move in. This is not about pretending everything is positive or thinking your way out of reality. It is about trusting yourself to figure things out as you go, even when you do not have all the answers yet.I also talk about belief, not fake confidence or empty motivation, but a genuine belief in your ability to learn, adapt, and navigate challenges. You have already proven this by getting yourself to where you are right now. You are still here. You are still moving. You are still capable.This episode is a reminder that you are writing your own adventure every single day. You get to decide how you respond, what you take ownership of, and how you move forward from here.Please share this episode with anyone you think would be interested in listening to it.Visit darylperrypodcast.com for links to the show page on each of the major podcast directories. From there, you can subscribe and share this pod.For comments, questions, topic ideas, possible collaborations please email daryl@yourlevelfitness.com

Episode 135 Breaking the Chains Part-2Positive Connections Radio (Podcast)HALT and Call for BackupCoast to Coast with Mike Koch and Jim McLintockSummaryIn this episode, Jim McLintock and Mike Koch discuss the struggles of first responders dealing with alcohol addiction and its impact on their relationships. They emphasize the importance of communication, setting boundaries, and taking responsibility for one's actions. The conversation highlights the fear and shame associated with addiction, the need for immediate action, and the significance of finding support within the community. The hosts encourage listeners to confront their issues and seek help, reminding them that recovery is possible and necessary for a healthier life.TakeawaysAlcohol is often used as a coping mechanism by first responders.Fear of losing loved ones is a common concern for those affected by addiction.Setting boundaries is crucial for both the person struggling with addiction and their loved ones.Communication is key in relationships impacted by addiction.Immediate action is necessary to address addiction issues.Support from peers and the community can aid in recovery.Trust is difficult to rebuild after addiction-related issues.The journey to recovery requires personal responsibility and effort.Recognizing the signs of addiction early can prevent further issues.It's important to figure out solutions together or individually. Chapters00:00 The Importance of Recovery and Personal Responsibility11:13 Mental Health Challenges in Emergency Services15:19 The Impact of Alcohol on Relationships17:32 Consequences of Addiction and Regret20:29 The Importance of Honesty and Accountability22:59 Finding Purpose and Community in Recovery24:24 Taking Ownership and Moving Forward“Be Strong, Stand Up, Speak Your Truth, and Break the Stigma.”Music by Rod Kim-Let's Play-SoundtrackFirstresponderwellness.comMentalHealthNewsRadionetwork.comPositiveconnectionsradio.comMcLintockcounseling.comhttp://www.youtube.com/@HALTandCallforBackup

In this powerful, heartfelt episode, Ambassador Elisha sits down with Kevin D'Anna — leadership coach, business builder, and founder of Upward Path Coaching & Consulting — as he shares his remarkable journey from battling addiction to becoming a respected leader who empowers blue-collar entrepreneurs across America.

In this episode of 'The Rachel Hollis Podcast,' Rachel discusses the concept of leadership amidst a world that often feels out of control and chaotic. She shares her personal revelations about the importance of taking ownership of one's life and emphasizes the need for intentional action and agency.Get your copy of Rachel's New Book Here: Audible, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Millon, Bookshop.org, or wherever books are sold!00:00 Taking Charge: Becoming Your Own Hero01:12 Introduction to the Podcast02:17 The World in Chaos: A Personal Reflection05:32 The Call to Leadership07:01 Understanding Your Influence12:05 Taking Ownership of Your Life20:07 Creating Your Own Reality25:32 Continuous Self-Development30:26 The Power of Vision and Boundaries37:04 Final Thoughts and EncouragementSign up for Rachel's weekly email: https://msrachelhollis.com/insider/Call the podcast hotline and leave a voicemail! Call (737) 400-4626Watch the podcast on YouTube: http://youtube.com/@MsRachelHollisFollow along on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/MsRachelHollisTo learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

SummaryChase and Chris are back with another Coaches Roundtable episode! In this one, they talk about how the New Year is bringing more people into the gym—and why that's not always the key to fat loss. They share real talk on what actually works, why nutrition is more important than workouts, and how people often focus on the wrong things. They answer your questions about protein tracking and AI food tracking apps, and even share what frustrates them the most as coaches (it's not what you think!). This episode is packed with useful tips, honest truths, and advice that could finally help you break through and reach your goals.Chapters(00:00) Welcome Back & Gym Rush During the Holidays(01:50) Gym Crowds vs. Nutrition: What Really Matters for Fat Loss(04:55) Why a Personal Trainer Might Not Be the Answer(06:49) Accountability, Discipline, and Building Routine(08:47) Nutrition Coaching vs. Gym Sessions(08:55) Q1: Can You Spread Out Your Weekly Protein Like Calories?(10:59) Q2: Are AI Tracking Apps Worth It?(13:32) Why Accuracy in Tracking Matters(16:00) The Hidden Calories That Might Be Holding You Back(19:28) Q3: What Irritates You Most as a Coach?(23:29) Taking Ownership and Choosing Change(28:43) You Already Have What You Need to Succeed(30:17) Wrapping Up & Podcast Growth StatsSUBMIT YOUR QUESTIONS to be answered on the show:https://forms.gle/B6bpTBDYnDcbUkeD7How to Connect with Us:Chase's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/changing_chase/Chris' Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/conquer_fitness2021/Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/665770984678334/Interested in 1:1 Coaching: https://conquerfitnessandnutrition.com/1on1-coachingJoin The Fit Fam Collective: https://conquerfitnessandnutrition.com/fit-fam-collective

Ready to cut through the noise and confusion of today's health and wellness world? This candid episode of the “Better Than Fine” podcast dives deep into the myths, misinformation, and magic bullets flooding your social media feeds—and how you can actually take charge of your health in ways that really work. Join host Darlene Marshall (it's her birthday!) and returning favorite guest, Rich Fahmy, Senior Content Development Manager at NASM, as they share personal stories, expert insights, and a dose of good humor about owning your health while dodging wellness grifters and fads. Discover why being a lifelong fitness professional doesn't mean you're immune to aches, pains, and real-life health challenges, and how even evidence-based pros wrestle with changing science and internet hype.Curious about the rise of dangerously persuasive supplement marketing, the truth about “biohacking,” or why even doctors—and their advice—aren't always perfect? Wondering where intuition, scientific consensus, and real self-care intersect? This conversation unpacks it all, offering practical tips to develop critical consumerism, trust real expertise, and sidestep costly mistakes. Whether you're a wellness pro, fitness junkie, or just trying to make sense of it all, you'll leave empowered, entertained, and prepared to navigate your health journey with confidence—no sketchy crypto-bought supplements required. Hit play for honest, evidence-based, and surprisingly uplifting insights on living better than fine. Don't forget to subscribe and leave that five-star review—after all, it's Darlene's birthday! If you like what you just consumed, leave us a 5-star review, and share this episode with a friend to help grow our NASM health and wellness community! The content shared in this podcast is solely for educational and entertainment purposes. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek out the guidance of your healthcare provider or other qualified professional. Any opinions expressed by guests and hosts are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of NASM. Introducing NASM One, the membership for trainers and coaches. For just $35/mo., get unlimited access to over 300 courses, 50% off additional certifications and specializations, EDGE Trainer Pro all-in-one coaching app to grow your business, unlimited exam attempts and select waived fees. Stay on top of your game and ahead of the curve as a fitness professional with NASM One. Click here to learn more. https://bit.ly/4ddsgrm

My Perimenopause Weight Loss Journey: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-rachel-hollis-podcast/id1245763628?i=1000716780630Get your copy of Rachel's New Book Here: Audible, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Millon, Bookshop.org, or wherever books are sold!In this episode of The Rachel Hollis Podcast, Rachel explores the common struggles many face when trying to achieve personal goals such as weight loss, starting a business, or improving relationships. She emphasizes the importance of mindset and introduces the idea that everyone has their own unique equation to achieve success.Sign up for Rachel's weekly email: https://msrachelhollis.com/insider/01:15 Rachel Hollis: Real Talk on Life and Growth02:30 The Weight Loss Journey Begins06:02 The Pilates Revelation09:38 The Equation for Success16:44 Understanding Your Unique Equation20:00 Real Stories, Real Struggles23:10 Understanding the Importance of Personalization26:08 The Role of Constants and Variables in Success26:30 The Weight Loss Equation: Constants and Variables27:41 The Confusion Tactic in Diet Culture28:28 Finding Your Unique Equation37:15 Applying the Equation to Business38:17 Three Ways to Increase Business Revenue41:25 Taking Ownership of Your Life42:31 Grandma's Gut Check: Universal Truths43:59 Overcoming Limiting Beliefs44:41 Conclusion and Call to ActionSign up for Rachel's weekly email: https://msrachelhollis.com/insider/Call the podcast hotline and leave a voicemail! Call (737) 400-4626Watch the podcast on YouTube: http://youtube.com/@MsRachelHollisFollow along on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/MsRachelHollisTo learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode of PPC Live The Podcast , host Anu Adegbola speaks with Boris Beceric about the importance of learning from mistakes in the PPC industry. Boris shares a significant error he made with URL parameters that led to wasted ad spend and discusses how effective communication with clients can mitigate the impact of mistakes. The conversation emphasizes the need for guardrails to prevent future errors, the importance of taking ownership, and the value of testing strategies in PPC campaigns. Boris also highlights common mistakes in automation and the significance of sharing failures to foster a more authentic industry dialogue.TakeawaysMistakes are inevitable in the PPC industry.Effective communication with clients is crucial when mistakes occur.Implementing guardrails can help prevent future errors.Taking ownership of mistakes is essential for personal growth.Testing strategies should be done strategically and within budget constraints.Never assume anything; always double-check your work.Sharing mistakes can foster authenticity in the industry.Automation should not be blindly accepted; evaluate recommendations critically.The journey in PPC is as important as the destination.Learning from failures is key to success in marketing.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Boris and His Expertise03:04 The Importance of Clarity in Google Ads05:56 Learning from Mistakes: Boris's Experience08:45 Handling Mistakes with Clients11:43 Mindset and Guardrails for Success16:44 Taking Ownership of Mistakes19:13 Strategic Testing in Marketing22:52 Common Mistakes in Automation27:13 The Importance of Sharing Failures29:50 The Journey of Learning and GrowthFollow Boris on LinkedInBoris' EP on BandcampPPC Live The Podcast (formerly PPCChat Roundup) features weekly conversations with paid search experts sharing their experiences, challenges, and triumphs in the ever-changing digital marketing landscape.Upcoming: ⁠PPC Live event⁠, February 5th, 2026 at StrategiQ's London offices (where Dragon's Den was filmed!) featuring Google Ads script master Nils Rooijmans.Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Whatsapp group - https://bit.ly/pluwhatsappSubscribe to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Newsletter - https://ppc.live/newsletter-sign-up/

What happens when you leave the prestige of protecting presidents to start your own security firm? Charles Roselle shares his journey from 16 years in the Secret Service—including the Presidential Protective Division—to founding Trinity Risk Solutions in Nashville. His most difficult transition wasn't leaving government service. It was becoming a solo entrepreneur. The loneliness hit immediately. No coworkers. Every role falls to you. "I've been on my knees a lot more in the last five years than probably my previous almost 45 years in life," Charles admits. His advice cuts through the noise: don't sweat the small things like perfect websites. Do find mentors who've walked your path. Remember who's really CEO of your life—especially in the valleys.Charles Roselle is a former United States Secret Service Special Agent turned entrepreneur and founder of Trinity Risk Solutions, a Nashville-based security risk management firm specializing in workplace violence prevention. During his 16-year career with the Secret Service, Charles served on the elite Presidential Protective Division from 2007-2012, protecting Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama. After transitioning to the private sector where he built security platforms for a global biotech company, Charles founded Trinity Risk Solutions in 2019. He lives in Nashville where he continues delivering innovative security solutions while maintaining his commitment to faith and family.About The Show: The Life in Transition, hosted by Art Blanchford focuses on making the most of the changes we're given every week. Art has been through hundreds of transitions in his life. Many have been difficult, but all have led to a depth and richness he could never have imagined. On the podcast Art explores how to create more love and joy in life, no matter what transitions we go through. Art is married to his lifelong partner, a proud father of three and a long-time adventurer and global business executive. He is the founder and leader of the Midlife Transition Mastery Community. Learn more about the MLTM Community here: www.lifeintransition.online.In This Episode: (00:00) Most Impactful Transition to Entrepreneurship(03:12) What Is Transition Versus Change(05:14) Taking Ownership of Your Business(06:17) Moving From "We" to "I"(11:45) Lessons From the Secret Service(15:39) MidLife Transition Mastery Ad(16:41) Faith as Foundation for Business(28:23) Transition Mastery Coaching Ad(29:46) Growth Through Entrepreneurship(32:16) The One Tool: Find and Use Mentors(35:46) Connect With Charles RoselleLike, subscribe, and send us your comments and feedback.Resources:Company Website: https://www.thetrinityrisksolutions.comEmail: info@thetrinityrisksolutions.comLinkedIn: Charles RoselleEmail Art BlanchfordLife in Transition WebsiteLife in Transition on IGLife in Transition on FBJoin Our Community: https://www.lifeintransition.online/My new book PURPOSEFUL LIVING is out now. Order it now: https://www.amazon.com/PURPOSEFUL-LIVING-Wisdom-Coming-Complex/dp/1963913922Explore our website https://lifeintransitionpodcast.com/ for more in-depth information and resources, and to download the 8-step guide to mastering mid-life transitions.The views and opinions expressed on the Life In Transition podcast are solely those of the author and guests and should not be attributed to any other individual or entity. This podcast is an independent production of Life In Transition Podcast, and the podcast production is an original work of the author. All rights of ownership and reproduction are retained—copyright 2025.

Andy Storch is an Author, Podcast Host, and Keynote Speaker who joins Al Dea to explore the power of personal branding in today's fast-changing world of work. Drawing from his new book, Own Your Brand, Own Your Career, Andy shares why building an authentic personal brand is essential for career growth, how leaders can use it to attract and retain top talent, and how authenticity and visibility can work hand in hand. He also explains why human connection and storytelling matter more than ever in the age of AI, offering practical advice for professionals who want to take ownership of their careers and stand out in a noisy world.LinksLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andystorch/?originalSubdomain=esWebsite: www.andystorch.com Book: ​​https://www.amazon.com/Own-Your-Brand-Career-Accelerates/dp/1736020986 

In this episode of the Get Strong podcast, Jessie Mershon discusses how to navigate the emotional challenges of the holiday season. She emphasizes the importance of preparing for family gatherings, recognizing personal triggers, and maintaining a focus on self-identity and goals. Jessie encourages listeners to take ownership of their responses and to create a plan that aligns with their personal growth, ultimately leading to a more confident and fulfilling holiday experience.   takeaways Holidays can trigger old patterns and emotions. Preparation is key to handling family gatherings. Identify personal triggers to respond better. Self-doubt often fuels emotional reactions. You don't owe anyone an explanation for your choices. Staying aligned with your goals is crucial during the holidays. It's okay to say no to conversations that don't serve you. Prioritize your health and fitness during the holiday season. Confidence can change the way you experience family gatherings. Take ownership of your identity and personal growth. 00:00 Navigating Holiday Triggers 02:54 Preparing for Family Gatherings 06:06 Staying Aligned with Your Goals 08:52 Building Confidence During the Holidays 12:07 Taking Ownership of Your Identity   Don't forget to like, subscribe, and share this episode with someone who needs encouragement. Waitlist for my May Macros Course https://forms.gle/o86wCVTDRuSeLpre8 Take your personalized vitamin quiz here:  https://meology.shaklee.com/?country=US&lang=en_US&site=jessie 1:1 Mindset Coaching: E-mail JessieMershon@gmail.com  Connect with me at https://www.instagram.com/jessiemershon  

1. Holistic Health vs. Conventional MedicineThe limitations of the mainstream medical systemWhy people are getting sicker despite more access to pharmaceuticalsThe importance of digging into root-cause healing rather than symptom suppression2. Toxins, Environment & Modern Lifestyle StressorsChemicals in food, water, and daily productsHow environmental exposures contribute to chronic illnessThe rising toxic load people face in modern life3. Stress, Fear & Mental/Emotional HealthThe impact of chronic stress on physical healthHow fear, chaos, and emotional instability affect the bodyThe increasing connection between anxiety, panic, and physical symptoms4. The Mind–Body–Spirit ConnectionHow spiritual life impacts physical well-beingThe importance of grounding, prayer, and emotional stabilityWhy healing must address all three areas5. Immune Health & InflammationWhat suppresses the immune systemHow lifestyle and environment weaken immunityRoot-cause immune dysfunction vs. treating symptoms6. Nutrition & Food QualityProblems with the modern food systemProcessed vs. whole foodsHow food contributes to inflammation and disease7. Personal Responsibility in HealthTaking ownership for your health choicesBecoming educated instead of blindly trusting institutionsWhy proactive living produces better results than reactive medicine8. Family Health & Generational WellnessModeling health for childrenBreaking generational cycles of sicknessCreating a culture of wellness in the home9. Lifestyle Essentials for Better WellbeingRest, breathing, movement, sunlightThe importance of detoxificationCreating rhythms that support long-term healthTo find out how we can help you on your health journey, book a free 15-minute Discovery Call with one of our New Client Coordinators! Click the link: https://www.spiritofhealthkc.com/discoverycall For more health tips and information visit: https://www.spiritofhealthkc.com/To buy natural health supplements visit: http://store.spiritofhealthkc.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SpiritofHealth/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spiritofhealthkc/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/spiritofhealthkc/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwRcNSxR3kMYi9wP8OmxlQQ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7yfBBUjWKk3yJ3auK71O7H?si=295c77ed21f14568&nd=1&dlsi=af01c00121ed4aed

Welcome to episode #246!

If you're an engineer looking to move into a senior role, you have likely heard that you need to demonstrate "ownership". Unfortunately, this crucial term is often poorly defined and leads to a major misconception: that ownership means being assigned a full project or a Tech Lead role. I want to dispel that myth and explain why ownership is actually a necessary behavior and mindset shift, applicable in almost every action you take, regardless of whether you're leading a project.Understand why ownership is a critical aspect of moving along your career track, especially for engineers moving from the associate or mid-level engineer role up to senior.Uncover the misconception that ownership requires a specific scope of responsibility, such as owning a project or a deliverable.Discover the crucial phrase that defines the ownership mindset: "What now?" or "What next?" which should guide you through every situation you encounter.Learn why true ownership is not about inherently knowing every technical detail or executing every step, but about being willing to take responsibility and accountability for figuring out what happens next.Explore how a senior engineer's ownership behavior means translating identified problems (like those found in a retro) into action or decisions, thereby ensuring things continue moving forward and don't stall out.I explain that engineers show ownership by choosing to opt in to be held accountable for outcomes, rather than waiting for a manager to intervene or ask for a status update.

Taking ownership of our mistakes is not admitting complete failure but simply recognizing that we messed up. Blaming others when we miss our goals will not help us learn from our mistakes. Learning from our mistakes is the best way to improve our processes moving forward.Go to therootbrands.com/confidencethroughhealth for more information on Zero-In, Restore, and Clean Slate that I take daily to help stay healthy. Visit ConfidenceThroughHealth.com to find discounts to some of our favorite products.Follow me via All In Health and Wellness on Facebook or Instagram.Find my books on Amazon: No More Sugar Coating: Finding Your Happiness in a Crowded World and Confidence Through Health: Live the Healthy Lifestyle God DesignedProduction credit: Social Media Cowboys

193. Taking Ownership of Your Career In this episode of the Visibility Factor podcast, Susan M Barber discusses the importance of taking ownership of one's career and the tools available in her new workbook, Your Journey to Visibility. She emphasizes the need for clarity in career goals, the challenges of decision-making in chaotic environments, and the empowerment of leadership. Through personal anecdotes and practical advice, Susan encourages listeners to step into their leadership roles and make proactive decisions in their careers.   Takeaways Taking ownership of your career is essential for growth. Clarity in career goals helps in decision-making. People want to help you, but you must communicate your needs. Making decisions in chaos can lead to progress. You have the ability to influence your career path. Self-doubt can hinder visibility and career advancement. Understanding your strengths is crucial for career clarity. Leadership involves making decisions when others hesitate. Empowerment comes from taking action and making choices.   Link to Order Your Journey to Visibility Workbook and Sign Up for Webinars   Thank you for listening to The Visibility Factor Podcast!    Check out my website to order my book and view the  videos/resources for The Visibility Factor book.   As always, I encourage you to reach out! You can email me at hello@susanmbarber.com. You can also find me on social media everywhere –Facebook, LinkedIn, and of course on The Visibility Factor Podcast! I look forward to connecting with you!          If you liked The Visibility Factor Podcast, I would be so grateful if you could subscribe and leave a review wherever you listen to podcasts! It helps the podcast get in front of more people who can learn how to be visible too!       

This week on the Power of Owning Your Career Podcast, host Simone Morris sits down with Kai-Nneka Townsend—a leadership, resilience, and burnout consultant whose global career journey has shaped her mission to help high-pressure industries achieve sustainable success without sacrificing wellbeing. As the founder of Rise by KCL, Kai-Nneka Townsend draws on lived experience in international development, public health, and corporate leadership across Jamaica, the UK, and beyond.   In this insightful episode, Kai-Nneka Townsend reveals how her childhood dream of becoming a diplomat sparked her love for travel, adaptation, and cross-cultural learning. From studying tourism in the Bahamas to moving into customer service and corporate roles in the UK, she shares how intentional pivots and strategic decisions put her in the "driver's seat" of her own career. Her journey is a powerful illustration of the value of risk-taking, adaptability, and remaining authentically yourself—no matter where your ambition leads you.   Listeners will discover Kai-Nneka Townsend's holistic approach to career ownership, built around her core ingredients: clarity on personal success, setting boundaries to protect energy, and raising strategic visibility. She covers vital lessons in navigating the nuances of assimilation versus authentic leadership, amplifying your voice while building inclusion, and keeping room for others as you advance. Her candid advice is practical and empowering, whether you're considering a career change, seeking more visibility, or stepping into leadership in a new culture.   Resources Mentioned in the Episode: StrengthsFinder (Gallup): Focus on strengths and natural aptitudes to guide your next career pivot. VIA Character Strengths: Discover and leverage what makes you unique. Johnson O'Connor Research Foundation: Natural aptitude testing to align strengths with career direction.   Episode TimeStamp: 00:00 From Diplomat to Tourism Journey 04:10 Career Journey and Role Shifts 07:51 "Adaptability Without Losing Yourself" 10:05 Raising My Visibility 15:07 Defining Success and Setting Boundaries 16:59 "Intentional Visibility for Success" 20:26 "Source of Wisdom and Confidence" 25:38 "From Corporate to Resilience Leader" 26:37 "Focus on Core Strengths" 30:21 "Leading and Rising Again" 33:46 "Architect Your Career Journey"   Connect & Learn More: Host Simone E. Morris: LinkedIn | Become a Guest on the Show | 52 Tips for Owning Your Career Guest Kai-Nneka Townsend: LinkedIn | Rise by KCL   Follow & Subscribe: ✅Stay inspired on IG @simonemorrisent for career strategies and inclusive leadership tips. ✅Subscribe to our YouTube for authentic conversations and transformational insights. . Whether you're just launching your career, making a bold pivot, or seeking resilience in high-stress environments, this episode will equip you with the tools and mindset to lead boldly—without losing yourself. Don't miss this energizing conversation packed with strategies, personal stories, and fresh perspectives to help you take the wheel and drive your career forward.

In this conversation, Matt and Chris explore the idea of creating a new future by taking responsibility for personal health and well-being. They discuss how many people live reactively—blaming genetics, circumstances, or lack of time—rather than proactively shaping their own outcomes. Drawing from personal stories, coaching experiences, and examples of individuals who “broke the chain” of unhealthy family patterns, they emphasize that transformation starts with self-awareness, curiosity, and intentionality. The discussion challenges the notion that health and happiness are dictated by luck or external forces, framing responsibility not as blame, but as empowerment. Ultimately, the episode encourages listeners to embrace discomfort, rethink their habits, and envision what's truly possible for a healthier, more fulfilling life.

Scott Clary is a serial entrepreneur, brand strategist, and the creator and host of the top-ranked Success Story podcast, where he's interviewed some of the world's most influential entrepreneurs, leaders, and visionaries. With an impressive career advising startups and building global brands, Scott has become a go-to voice on growth, leadership, and the mindset required to win in today's competitive landscape. At the heart of Scott's work is a deep belief that success is far more than financial achievement — it's about ownership, purpose, and the relentless pursuit of meaningful goals. He shares practical strategies for building powerful personal brands, creating content that connects, and cultivating audiences that truly care. His insights have helped countless founders, creators, and business leaders not only grow their companies but also design lives that align with their values. Driven by an entrepreneurial obsession and a passion for storytelling, Scott is on a mission to empower others to take agency over their ambitions and turn bold ideas into lasting impact. Whether he's behind the mic, on stage, or advising high-growth businesses, Scott brings clarity, candor, and actionable wisdom to every conversation — inspiring people everywhere to define and achieve success on their own terms. Timestamps: 00:00:00 Cold Open 00:00:08 Title Sequence 00:00:28 Show Notes VO 00:01:13 Intro Into Interview 00:31:36 Insertion 00:32:58 Interview Resumes 01:08:16 Outro

In this episode, Sathiya discusses the challenges of maintaining sexual integrity in the face of triggering relationships. He emphasizes the importance of personal ownership, setting boundaries, and building a supportive community to aid in recovery. The conversation highlights practical steps for managing triggers and fostering healthy interactions with others.   Know more about Sathiya's work: Join Deep Clean Inner Circle - The Brotherhood You Neeed (+ get coached by Sathiya) For Less Than $2/day Submit Your Questions (Anonymously) To Be Answered On The Podcast Get A Free Copy of The Last Relapse, Your Blueprint For Recovery Watch Sathiya on Youtube For More Content Like This   Chapters:  (00:00) Navigating Triggers in Recovery (02:52) Taking Ownership and Setting Boundaries (05:50) Building Supportive Relationships