Not Your Average Lives Podcast

Episode 424: Death & Paralysis: Rethinking What’s Possible After Tragedies, with Becky Galli

mindset Nov 14, 2024

Today’s guest is Rebecca (Becky) Faye Smith Galli, an author and columnist who writes about love, loss and healing, and whose life story is one of profound tragedy transformed into a beacon of resilience and hope. 

Becky recounts her journey marked by significant loss, including the heartbreaking death of her brother and the many challenges that followed: raising children with special needs, losing a child, navigating a divorce, and confronting permanent paralysis. 

Becky shares her career shift from IBM to author, using her personal story to inspire others through her books, “Rethinking Possible” and “Morning Fuel”. Her insights throughout the episode reveal the profound power of perspective, the art of active waiting, and how embracing life’s unpredictability can lead to finding joy in the present. She discusses the deep influence of her life events on her writing and her passion for connecting with others who face similar...

Continue Reading...

Episode 423: Secrets Revealed and Lessons Gained From the Death of a Loved One

In this solo episode, I talk about my recent experience of going back to the place of my birth, where I spent the first 18 months of my life and many of my summers growing up, to attend a beloved aunt's funeral in Massachusetts and the profound reflections it prompted. 

I share two key lessons, involving some pretty incredible secrets, which everyone needs to hear! You see, my aunt was a secret keeper and I talk about two of the biggest secrets of her life that are juicy enough for a best selling novel. One of her secrets was revealed many years ago, and, as a result, drastically changed the trajectory of someone’s life. 

The other secret was held until her death and now it’s unraveling and will likely have significant emotional consequences for those who are still living.

As you listen to these personal stories about the life-changing choices my aunt made, I hope the lessons I gained and have reflected on inspire you to make time to nurture meaningful...

Continue Reading...

Episode 422: How Finding Love Today Is Different Than The 80s, with Sandy Weiner

mindset Oct 24, 2024

Today I have a returning guest, Sandy Weiner, who is the Chief Love Officer at Last First Date. She's an internationally known TEDx speaker, dating and relationship coach, author, and podcast host, and she recently released a new book, “Love At Last,” featuring 18 inspiring love stories that prove it’s never too late to find meaningful relationships. 

In this episode, Sandy shares her expertise in how she helps individuals overcome emotional hurdles, emphasizing the value of embracing vulnerability and self-awareness, especially after the age of 40, when dating can feel different but also more meaningful. We also touch on the evolving world of dating, and how different it is today, in a tech-driven environment, than when the women of my generation first began dating. 

Other topics we cover are: 

  • How the pandemic reshaped first dates.
  • The interesting parallels of the couples in her book that helped them find and flourish in their loving...
Continue Reading...

Episode 421: Changing Lives With Her “Happy Meal” Concept For Books, with Denise Corbo

career mindset Oct 17, 2024

Today’s guest is Denise Corbo, a retired educator and the founder of Storybook Treasures. Denise shares her inspiring journey from stumbling into her first teaching gig as a high school cosmetology teacher, to finding her passion as an elementary school teacher, and then to starting a nonprofit dedicated to promoting literacy and spreading the love of books to grade school children. 

In this episode, Denise opens up about her personal experiences, sharing how her own shy childhood and undiagnosed learning challenges fueled her passion for teaching and finding creative ways for her students, especially those who struggled to read, to succeed. 

Denise talks about how she got the idea to start her company, Storybook Treasures, the early challenges she faced, and the determination that drove her forward. From financial hurdles to skepticism about her vision, she remained steadfast in her mission to make a difference in the lives of children. 

We chatted about:

  • How...
Continue Reading...

Episode 420: From Thought Slob to Thought Snob, with Paula Swope

mindset Sep 25, 2024

Today’s guest is Paula Swope, her social media followers call Paula the most relatable self-help author ever. She is a self-empowerment leader and author of Thought Snob: The Modern Spiritual Playbook for a Better Life

Paula shares her incredible journey of transformation, from being raised in rural Kentucky to believe her impoverished life was all that was possible, to becoming a prominent voice in the self-help space. Once she discovered her thoughts were actually lies she had been programmed to believe from a young age, she was able to change her mindset and overcome the odds that many who come from similar backgrounds never can.

In this episode, we talked about:

  • Paula’s upbringing and the limiting beliefs she had to overcome.
  • What the words SLOB and SNOB really mean in Paula’s world, and it’s GENIUS!
  • What the term “conscious creation” means and how it’s a technique anyone can use to better their life. 
  • The...
Continue Reading...

Episode 419: Since Turning 65, Life Just Keeps Getting Better, with Linda Ward

mindset Sep 18, 2024

Today’s guest is Linda Ward, a life coach and writer with a passion for adventure, self-love, and personal growth. Linda shares her incredible journey of spending three transformative months in Italy with her husband, an experience sparked by her husband's dream and their shared love for travel. 

Linda reflects on major life transformations, including her divorce at age 47, and how she found love, first for herself and then with a new partner, in her late fifties. She emphasizes the power of loving yourself, building confidence, and embracing courage to follow what lights you up, even when life presents challenges. 

In this episode, we talked about:

  • Creating deep, meaningful connections through travel, while facing the challenges of a worldwide pandemic.
  • The power of small steps toward dreams and not letting fear hold you back from what you truly desire.
  • How she was able to find courage and confidence after her marriage ended unexpectedly.
  • Her take on the phrase...
Continue Reading...

Episode 418: A Heartfelt Letter That Snowballed Into Something Completely Unexpected, with Amy Daughters

career mindset Sep 11, 2024

Today’s guest is Amy Weiland Daughters, an accomplished keynote speaker, letter writer, satirist, sports journalist, and the award-winning author of two books: Dear Dana: That time I went crazy and wrote all 580 of my Facebook friends a handwritten letter and You Cannot Mess This Up: A true story that never happened

Known for her deep love of storytelling and human connection, Amy shares the fascinating story behind her first book and how it led to reigniting old friendships, forging new, meaningful connections, and changing lives. Amy also has a deep love of sports, which she and I connected on, and which is how Amy’s writing career got started.

In this episode, we talked about:

  • The power of old fashioned letter writing and how taking the time to put pen to paper is a true act of kindness which is sure to bring unexpected surprises to both the sender and the receiver.
  • Real life examples of letters that have made a difference in...
Continue Reading...

Episode 417: Improve Your Home, Your Health, and Your Happiness Through Better Organization, with Laura Smith & Tasha Lorentz

Uncategorized Sep 07, 2024

 

EP417: In today’s episode I have two special guests, Laura Smith and Tasha Lorentz, who have joined forces to create a unique event that brings together experts in the field of organization, crossing a wide range of topics - from tips on how to better organize/declutter your home, to mastering your health through meal planning, and even understanding the mindset that drives disorganization - that, if you participate, has the potential to create a better life for you and the people you share your life with.

Their Get Organized HQ Virtual Summit is an annual event that takes place this year from Monday, 9/9 through Saturday, 9/14 and offers over 100 free sessions in a vast array of topics, all focused in some way on getting more organized.

They invited me to be a speaker this year so I invited them to come on the podcast and share:

  • Why they do this event which revealed Laura’s heartwarming story that led to her passion about organization.
  • Why they designed it they...
Continue Reading...

Episode 416: How To Bounce Back From Life’s Curveballs Stronger Than Ever, with Donna Ferris

mindset Aug 23, 2024

Today’s guest is Donna Ferris, who I first met when she was a guest on my podcast over two years ago (Episode 220). I invited Donna back to get an update on her life and talk about her new book, Bounce Back Stronger: Finding Peace and Purpose No Matter What Happens, which is a unique book with a workbook aspect meant to help people navigate through difficult times in life.

Our conversation focuses on why Donna wrote this book, which is filled with powerful stories from her journey, as well as the various tools that helped her overcome significant personal challenges, including a painful divorce, the tragic loss of her fiancé, and the unexpected news that her youngest child was transitioning to a new gender.

In this episode, we talked about:

  • The tools in the book that have helped Donna through her hardest times.
  • The #1 mistake experts make when recommending self-care in the healing process.
  • How neuroplasticity helps our brains adjust to and recover from grief and...
Continue Reading...

Episode 415: A Different Kind of Therapy That Will Save You Time and Money, with Polly Angel

career mindset Aug 15, 2024

Today’s guest is Polly Angel, an expert in Rapid Transformational Therapy (RTT). Polly shares her inspiring journey from an elite equestrian athlete to a certified RTT therapist, driven by her own struggles with body image which led to her discovery and interest of RTT as a teenager.

In this episode, we dive deep into the mechanics of RTT, a powerful method that blends neurolinguistic programming, cognitive behavioral therapy, and hypnosis to uncover and rewire subconscious beliefs formed in early childhood.

In this episode, we talked about:

  • Rapid Transformational Therapy and how it works.
  • Polly’s back story and how she transitioned from an elite equestrian athlete to a certified RTT therapist.
  • How subconscious programming influences behavior and the ability of RTT to heal past traumas and improve mental well-being.
  • The importance of embracing authenticity and engaging in self-discovery to live your best life.

Polly brings a wealth of experience and insight into how...

Continue Reading...
Close

50% Complete

Two Step

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.