Thrive. Connect. Contribute.

Kindness, Courage, Grit, and Rites of Passage, with John Beede

What can we learn about masculinity from an adventurer? John Beede a worldwide adventurer who has traveled to 67 countries, written 3 books, and given live presentations to nearly 1 million audience members. He has climbed to the top of the tallest mountain on every continent, including Mount Everest. He has kite surfed in every ocean on the planet. In the last nine years, he survived avalanches, pulmonary edema, tribal warfare, and a whole lot of Clif bars. But his biggest challe...

When Life Disappoints, Rediscover Your Play, with Jeff Harry

What if your biggest setback can unlock a magical journey? Jeff Harry uses a combination of positive psychology and play to unlock possibilities. I asked Jeff to tell me about a time when he was resilient. His answer is epic. “My best friend Dana and I are locking up the café,” Jeff Harry tells me. “We had put our heart and soul into it for the past year and a half. All my savings, and even money I didn't have - six figures to be exact - was invested in that cafe. Everyone tried t...

Success is an Inside Game, with Laura DiBenedetto

What do the happiest among us have in common? Laura DiBenedetto’s story begins with bullying, abuse, bankruptcy, and burn out. More than anything, she wanted to be in control of her own destiny. So, at the age of 19, she launched the award-winning marketing company, Vision Advertising. Laura created, built, and ran the growth-oriented enterprise. She personally sold several million dollars in ongoing contracts. She was featured on Fox News and other Boston programming several times. S...

See the Possibilities in the Pandemic, with Claire Downey, Class Of 2020

What opportunities are now available to you because of the pandemic? There is a Jedi mind trick that can help you to be resilient. When you are up against an obstacle, ask yourself, “What does this make possible?” By learning to focus on the possibilities, you can build your hope muscle. That’s precisely what Claire Downey has learned to do. Claire had a dream job that allowed her to travel worldwide and meet all the sports superstars. “I fell into a career in broadcasting,” Clair...

Make Good Choices and Persevere, with Jennifer R. Farmer

Jennifer R. Farmer tells us how Black women thrive in work and life.   We’ve been talking about resilience. Who better to talk to than Jennifer? She has a book available for preorder, First and Only: A Black Woman's Guide to Thriving at Work and in Life.   Jennifer grew up in subsidized housing in Columbus, Ohio. “It was not uncommon for me to lay on the ground to escape the sound of bullets,” she explains. “When you grow up in poverty and you grow up in constant fear that you will su...

Build Your Network Before You Need It, with Maxwell Ivey, The Blind Blogger

Our connections are a source of resilience.   Picture it. You are in a strange city, far away from home. You are suddenly struck ill. Now, imagine, if you also ran out of money and you weren’t sure how you were going to get home. Your voice is so hoarse, when you speak, no one can understand you. Oh, and to complicate things, you are blind.   That’s the situation that speaker, author, and blogger Maxwell Ivey found himself in a few years ago. “I was sick, hoarse, broke, and about to b...

Resilience in the Face of Bipolar Disorder, with Catharine Clarenbach

Catharine Clarenbach heard voices in her head. Now she helps others to follow their hearts. Rev. Catharine B. Clarenbach is both a Unitarian Universalist minister and a Wiccan priestess. She spent most of the first thirty years of her life in the grip of mental illness. Almost every day, she heard voices telling her that suicide was the only way out of her pain. At age 31, she was finally diagnosed with bipolar disorder, and her life changed dramatically. Now, over fifteen years later,...

What Gives You the Right to Play Small? With Trav Bell, The Bucket List Guy

For extended show notes, see https://thriveconnectcontribute.com/trav-bell How Trav Bell became The Bucket List Guy.   In my wallet, is a neatly folded piece of paper. It comes from a daily calendar on November 30, 1995. The paper says, “Make a list of 25 things you want to experience before you die. Carry it in your wallet and refer to it often.”   On the back of the paper is my first bucket list. Today, I keep a bucket list on Google Docs. Every time I cross something off the list,...

How to Leave a Sexy Job, with Mandar Apte, Cities4Peace

Mandar Apte felt called to create peace. But first, he had to give up his dream job. In early 1959, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Coretta Scott King took a five-week tour of India to see the results of Mahatma Gandhi’s nonviolent movement. While in India, Dr. King said, “I am more convinced than ever before that the method of nonviolent resistance is the most potent weapon available to oppressed people in their struggle for justice and human dignity.” A Sexy Job In 2016, the st...

Healing through Community, with Iram Gilani, Author of Silent No More

For extended show notes, see https://thriveconnectcontribute.com/iram-gilani/ After Iram Gilani nearly lost her life to gun violence, she found hope by building a community. Now she dedicates her life to helping others.  Iram Gilani is a Pakistani-American author. She faced abandonment, neglect, isolation, molestation, physical and emotional abuse, forced marriage, bullying, homelessness, and a violent gun assault that shattered her jaw. She has risen from the depths of depression an...

Learning to Thrive, with Susan Hay, Thrive Health Magazine

Susan Hay hit rock bottom. Then she launched a global health and nutrition brand. Susan Hay is the Founder and CEO of Thrive Health Magazine, a health and nutrition magazine. She also runs Thrive Media, a digital branding agency for Health, Food, and Fitness Brands. After a 20-year career in branding and design, the lifestyle began to take its toll. “I began to find that my health was deteriorating,” Susan explains, “because of the stressful lifestyle and eating rubbish food. If I’m...

Stories of Resilience, Part 4

Uncharted territory. This is the final installment from a storytelling class by Dane Stauffer, featuring storytellers who are 55 years old or older. Today’s storytellers are talking about their in uncharted territories. Whether they are trapped in an apartment, puttering in a garden, in an unfamiliar landscape with a parent, or on the open road, they are finding ways to be resilient. Ann Davey, I’m Sheboygan Bio: I'm expanding my horizons in my retirement with improv and storytel...

Stories of Resilience, Part 3

A shift in perspective. Welcome back to part three of a four-part series on Stories of Resilience. One of the ways to build resilience is to reframe something, to see it in a new way.   These stories come from a storytelling class taught by Dane Stauffer. The class is part of a Creative Aging initiative from Aroha Philanthropies. The class is targeted for those over 55 years old, with some participants in their 80s. The goal of the program is to upend the narrative on aging. These ...

Stories of Resilience, Part 2

Resilience doesn’t have to look a certain way. Resilience can look a lot of ways. Today, we’re going to hear four different people give their response to the prompt, “Tell me about a time when you were resilient.” These stories come from a storytelling class taught by Dane Stauffer. The class is part of a Creative Aging initiative from Aroha Philanthropies. The class is targeted for those over 55 years old, with some participants in their 80s. The goal of the program is to upend the...

Stories of Resilience, Part 1, Dane Stauffer

Tell me about a time when you were resilient. === Special Note: This episode was recorded before the killing of George Floyd. Should this interview have happened later, Dane and I would have had a different conversation with a different tone. We present this interview in solidarity with all who are working to dismantle systemic racism. === Dane Staffer is a busy guy. He is an actor, writer, singer, director, improviser, educator, and sought-after party guest. In a word, he is a cr...

Thinking at the Systems Level, with Brian Krohn, SafeDistance.org

When faced with a systemic problem, Brian Krohn thinks at the systems level. Systems resist change, whether we are talking about systemic racism, institutional policies, or a global pandemic. To meet systemic challenges, you must think at the systems level. Brian Krohn has spent his career changing stubborn systems. It’s 3 AM on March 10, 2020. Brian is frantically sketching on a giant whiteboard in his basement workshop. The COVID-19 pandemic has landed on the US coasts. Misinfor...

Connect to Contribute to the World with Stefan Phang

Stefan Phang is driven to make a difference. He creates shared value through connections. For more than thirty years, Stefan Phang has been working to protect children and end human trafficking. “When a family is in deep poverty, sometimes, the only thing they can sell is themselves, or their children,” Stefan explains. Stefan has first-hand knowledge of the world of the underserved. He grew up in a shanti in Penang, Malaysia. “There was no running water. The toilet was an outhouse ...

Resilience Through Community, with Michelle Maryns of We Sparkle

Michelle Maryns is building a stronger and more inclusive economy by equipping underestimated entrepreneurs with tech-enabled business tools.   Special Note: This episode was recorded before the killing of George Floyd. Should this interview have happened later, Michelle and I would have had a different conversation with a different tone. We present this interview in solidarity with all who are working to dismantle systemic racism. From an early age, Michelle Maryns was interested i...

Build Resilience, with Leticia Gonzalez-Reyes, 109 World

Leticia Gonzalez-Reyes thought she would spend this year building her nonprofit. Instead, she is building her resilience.  Leticia Gonzalez-Reyes started 2020 with so much hope. “So many of us thought that 2020 was going to be THE year,” she says. She started the new year at a gathering in Vancouver. “I am not a New Year’s resolution person. But at the start of every year, I choose a word for that year. My word for 2020? BUILD.” Leticia started her nonprofit 109 World five years ago....

Ethics in the Era of COVID-19, with Rob Chesnut, Chief Ethics Officer, Airbnb

Rob Chesnut is the author of Intentional Integrity: How Smart Companies Can Lead an Ethical Revolution. As you continue your social isolation journey, what decisions will you make today? Some of us have serious decisions about how to provide for a family during an economic downturn. Others of us are trying to figure out how long we can go between showers. But for most of us, our decisions are not going to impact the lives of 150 million people. That’s the situation that Rob Chesnut fo...

An App to Give Help and Get Help During COVID-19 with Bharat Pulgam, Pikup

Pikup is an app that connects neighbors who need something with those who are already going to a store. We’ve been talking about resilience in the face of adversity. I must admit that I love stories from startups because, by their very nature, they are resilient while undergoing sustained trauma. One of my favorite movies is Shakespeare in Love. And one of my favorite lines is when the character Philip Henslowe says “Allow me to explain about the theatre business. The natural cond...

Hospice Nurse Fights for PPE for Frontline Workers

“We have deemed this as a medical war. We are soldiers willing to serve, but we don’t have the armor.” Petergay Dunkley-Mullins On Thrive. Connect. Contribute, we have been talking about resilience. I cannot imagine anyone who models resilience more than hospice nurses. That is a job that requires a mental toughness that I’m not sure I possess. That is in normal times. And, these are certainly not normal times, are they? As COVID-19 cases surge medical facilities are strained. Hospi...

Resilience Mindset with Super Bowl Champion, Ryan Harris

What does it take to get back up after being knocked down? Ask Ryan Harris, a 10-year veteran of the NFL. The essence of resilience is getting up after you’ve been knocked down. But what happens you’re your job is literally knocking people down, or being knocked down? And what happens when that lasts for more than ten years? Ryan Harris is a 10-year veteran of the NFL. Before that, he played football in high school and at the University of Notre Dame. During his football career, he en...

There’s No Such Thing as a Dead End, with Jay Newton-Small of MemoryWell

Pivot in the Pandemic with Marcus Pope and Matt Norris of Youthprise

Youthprise pivoted their service model during the pandemic. No one could have predicted what happened next. Not every family has equal access to afterschool and summer programs. These programs often carry a price that is too great for impoverished families. A few years ago, the state of Minnesota came up with a great idea – provide tax credits so low-income families can take part. But there is a catch. The families must first front the cost and wait for the credit to appear on their t...

Crowdsource Kindness During the COVID-19 Crisis with Morgan Schmidt

According to Morgan Schmidt, the world is full of kind people. She found a way to crowdsource kindness. When the pandemic is over, you might want to go out dancing. If you dance to West-Coast Swing music in Bend, OR, look for the enthusiastic woman wearing horn-rimmed glasses. You’ll want to get to know her. But be warned. If it’s Saturday night, she might leave early. She leads worship on Sunday morning. If you’re lucky enough to meet Morgan Schmidt on the dance floor, know that sh...

Create a Life You’re Proud to Live with Petra Velzeboer

Petra Velzeboer considered taking her life. But then, she engaged in a one-year personal experiment that led to a life she is proud to live. Petra Velzeboer was raised in the Children of God cult. By the time she left, she was an adult with no formal education. As she entered life outside the cult, her life was complicated. She was a mom, stuck at home with two children, unable to work. She learned to avoid, distract, and numb herself with alcohol. Then she hit rock bottom. She ...

A 72-Hour Sprint to Help Parents and Children, with Jacob and Alana Blumenstein of KidsRead2Kids

When Jacob and Alana Blumenstein were stuck at home during the pandemic, they used their time to help others. There is an old saying: If you want to be happy, help someone else. Studies have shown that there are psychological and physiological benefits of helping others. Whey you focus on the needs of others, you build resilience. That’s what Jacob and Alana Blumenstein of KidsRead2Kids did. For one 72-hour sprint, they created lesson plans for parents and kids stuck at home during th...

A Community Rallies for Hungry Kids with Bella Lam of Coconut Whisk

To help with meals during the COVID-19 crisis, Bella Lam and her company, Coconut Whisk shared free pancake and waffle mix. Her community came alongside her to help. Bella Lam is the Founder and CEO of Coconut Whisk, a vegan and gluten-free baking mix company. With every sale, Coconut Whisk donates a vegan meal to a kid in need. In March of 2020, the Coronavirus pandemic struck. Children were sent home from school. Bella grew up depending on school meals. She realized that many scho...

Zaheen Nanji, Resilience Champion

How do you talk about a health crisis when you teach wellness and resilience to others? Zaheen Nanji was born in Kenya. She was a bright child, and so, at the age of seven, she skipped a grade. Soon after that, she developed a profound stutter. This speech disorder and the resulting social isolation was exasperated when she moved to Edmonton, Alberta, at the age of 15. In college, she found the help that she needed to overcome her speech disorder. Through this experience, she became a ...

Bracha Goetz, Author of 38 Children’s Books

Bracha Goetz was pursuing positions of power and privilege, when she says she met God at a garden party. Bracha Goetz is the Harvard-educated author of 38 books that help children's souls shine. She is also the author of the candid memoir for adults about overcoming food addictions joyfully, Searching for God in the Garbage. In 1977, Bracha was an undergrad at Harvard University. “I looked like a rising success story,” she told me. She had always wanted to rub elbows with the elite f...

These Two Children Show Us How to Connect with Others in a Time of Crisis

Audio Applesauce is a podcast for kids who want to have fun and learn cool things. James, age 10, and Ella who is almost 8 years old, were at the end their spring break from school. They were looking forward to going back to school and reconnecting with their friends. But then, the coronavirus struck. School was closed for at least the next two weeks, probably longer. James and Ella’s mom is Jackie Biederman. She is the cofounder of StoryPop Media where she helps companies to connec...

How I Overcame Anxiety, Found the Purpose of Life, and Lived a Year of Personal Bests

In December 2018, I told a friend, "I don't want to be alive." I didn't want to harm myself. I just didn't get the point. After years as a corporate executive and after launching a startup company, I just didn't understand the point of it all. That confession sent me on a journey to discover what it means to live a "Year of Personal Bests." ·      What would life look like if I was thriving? How would I know if I was thriving? What would I measure? How would I measure it? Wh...

The Simplest Way to Tell a Story

Sometimes, even the most gifted storytellers get stuck. If you have a story to tell, here’s a way to quickly get started. Structure your story using the SOAR method. Set the Scene: Tell us where you are, who you’re with, and your situation. Obstacle: What are you up against? What’s your goal? Every story begins with a world out of balance. Action: What did you do about the obstacle? If there is a problem, you take steps to solve the problem. Results: What was the outcome? Maybe ...

What I Did During the COVID-19 Crisis

We're telling positive stories of people who thrive in life, connect with others, and contribute to the world in the face of adversity. Who do you know who is modeling resilience during difficult times? Have you heard any good stories lately? In this critical time, we’re surrounded by acts of heroism, both large and small. For example, I heard a story today about an employee at Buzzfeed who gathered the houseplants from the cubicles of her coworkers and placed them in one area. That ...