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 challenge was when he sat down quietly on a sofa and told someone about his pain. John’s newest book is The Warrior Challenge: 8 Quests for Boys to Grow…

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 to warn me, but I didn’t listen. This is the last time we would be standing…

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. She was recognized for business accomplishments and was named a 40 Under 40 winner at only age 23. At the age of 37, Laura retired with a 6-figure passive income. She had all the…

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,” Claire explains. “At university, I studied Sport and Exercise Science. Knowing I wanted to work in sport and not a lot else, I applied for a…

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 survive, it’s very difficult to see what your life could look like 10, 15, or 20 years down the line.   “And so if you were talking to that 11 or…

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 be homeless in New York City,” Max explains. “I had given a talk. I got through it with a combination of hot tea with honey, winter green life savers, and the showman’s will to always…

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, she is a thriving entrepreneur. She helps people find their best selves, listen to their intuition, and bring more love into the world. “I spent most…

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, I add something else.   When it comes to bucket lists, Trav Bell has me beat, hands down.   Trav Bell is The Bucket List Guy. He speaks to audiences…

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 story of King’s trip to India caught the attention of Mandar Apte. “I was a senior executive at Shell with a sexy job, ‘Manager…

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 and post-traumatic stress disorder to be a voice for the abused and marginalized.  Learn More about Iram Gilani: Iram Gilani Website: https://iramgilani.com/ Iram Gilani on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IramGilaniOfficial Iram Gilani on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iramgilani2020/ Iram Gilani on Twitter: https://twitter.com/IramGilani2020