Live Inspired Podcast With John O'leary

Colonel Carlyle Smith “Smitty” Harris spent 2,871 days (that’s nearly 8 years!) as Vietnam POW. At the same time, his beautiful bride Louise was courageously raising three young children while becoming an advocate and role model. Today, Smitty + Louise take us on a 60-year journey that’s packed with love, but also the horrors of a North Vietnam prison and how a forgotten military code changed everything. If you’re looking for a story of forgiveness from a decorated war hero or a romantic love story filled with drive, sacrifice and compassion, you’re going to love today’s episode. SHOW NOTES: Smitty + Louise have been married for over 60 years. On April 4, 1965, Smitty became the sixth POW captured in North Vietnam during the Vietnam War. For nearly 8 years, Smitty and hundreds of other American POWs, including John McCain and George “Bud” Day, suffered torture, solitary confinement and abuse at the infamous Hoa Lo prison, nicknamed the “Hanoi Hilton.” Louise returned to America to raise her three young child

Join me every Monday for a quick burst of inspiration on our “Monday Moment” segments. Today's question was submitted by Live Inspired community member CB.  CB asked: My brother and I were best friends growing up. Now it’s been years since we’ve even spoken. Any suggestions on reconnecting when it’s been so long? Tune in to hear my answer. Then, listen to Live Inspired Podcast ep. 88 where I share the heroic acts of my siblings did that saved my life. Have you successfully reconnected with a family member or friend after months or years of not talking? If you have questions or want to share how the Live Inspired Podcast has impacted your life, send them to me and my team at podcast@johnolearyinspires.com. Can't wait to hear from you! *** Did you enjoy this episode? Subscribe, rate & review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.  Live Inspired with John daily on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram+ get his Monday Motivation email.

What is the hard-to-define, touchy-feely idea of empathy and why is it so important?   Business expert Michael Brenner joins us to share how empathy, kindness + self-reflection can save us both professionally and personally.   You will leave today’s conversation understanding how being kind, cool + being yourself is the best path to happiness + success. SHOW NOTES: Is society meaner? A recent University of Michigan study shows a 40 point drop in empathy in the last 20 years. Michael's parents were ultimate examples of empathy and it teaches him to be the same way with his kids. Of his 53 jobs, Michael shares about being let go from one, only to be hired back weeks later.  Bullseye: What's in it for the customer or person we are serving? "Bureaucracy kills good ideas." Break down the walls that divide us by using Michael's Pushback method: Who is this for? What is the impact it's going to create for them? How do we measure it? "Behind every bad idea is an executive that asked for it." "The customer is not alw

Join me every Monday for a quick burst of inspiration on our “Monday Moments” segments. Today, I share some very exciting news around my new book In Awe, the inspiration behind its mission and even an exclusive excerpt. In Awe hits bookshelves in May 2020, but I want to give Live Inspired Podcast listeners the first opportunity to pre-order a copy. Visit ReadInAwe.com to order a copy of In Awe and gain access to bonus features like the In Awe Playbook. This 20-page, full-color Playbookwill introduce you to the basic concepts of the book, show you how you can begin to apply them in your life and give you something tangible to enjoy (or gift!) in time for the holidays. *** Did you enjoy this episode? Subscribe, rate & review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.  Live Inspired with John daily on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram + get his Monday Motivation email.

I consider Thanksgiving one of my favorite family holidays. It's certainly a wonderful time away from work, enjoying good food, viewing football, and taking inventory of the many blessings in life. Join me as I share the original reason for this holiday + a new tradition I'll be implementing at my family feast. Today's episode will ignite an abundance of gratitude and help you celebrate Thanksgiving on fire. SHOW NOTES: Read Abraham Lincoln's Thanksgiving Proclamation here. I share a longstanding tradition Live Inspired community member Rona's family does before their Thanksgiving meal. Download + print the Meal Tickets I'm using with my family here. Five-time New York Times bestselling author Brené Brown shares how practicing gratitude enables you to pivot away from negativity and towards hope + courage. Listen to our conversation on Live Inspired Podcast ep. 103. *** Did you enjoy today’s episode? Subscribe, rate + review on Apple Podcasts! Live Inspired with John daily on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Link

Join me every Monday for a quick burst of inspiration on our “Monday Moments” segments. “Every solution to every problem is simple. It’s the distance between the two where the mystery lies.” – Derek Landy Being a good friend, courteous neighbor, helpful coworker, visionary leader or humble servant are all challenging roles, and every worthy relationship is certain to endure periods of tension. Whatever challenge you're facing, I’m convinced that these questions and the honest answers to them can ignite reconciliation and rebirth.  If this meeting was extremely successful, what would I want to achieve? When things were better, what were we doing and how did we interact and feel? What changed that lead us to where we are today? What could a super healthy, engaged relationship achieve? What am I willing to do to bring about the desired change? In order to bring about the desired change so we can move forward, together, I am asking that you… *** Did you enjoy this episode? Subscribe, rate & review on Apple

Did you know that almost three-quarters of us find meetings ineffective or unproductive, and they waste more than $37 billion dollars every year? Elise Keith, CEO and co-founder of Lucid Meetings, joins us to share about her expertise and her mission to make it easy for teams to run successful meetings every day, in the business world + in life outside of work. Whether you’re leading a meeting at your child's school or an executive at a Fortune 500 boardroom, Elise is here to share real-life examples + practical methods that will lead to more productive + effective meetings and happier participants. SHOW NOTES: "Every meeting is walking into another room with another group of individuals that aren't the same as you, and hopefully having a moment to connect and create something great." Get curious: Productive meetings happen when individuals can treat each other with respect, let their voices be heard and their opinions valued without judgment. Meetings aren't just transactional. It's about being successful w

Join me every Monday for a quick burst of inspiration on our Live Inspired Podcast Monday Moments segment. Today I welcome back three-time cancer survivor, author, speaker, and self-proclaimed expert in trauma Michele Cushatt. Michele shares her latest book Relentless and simple tips to respond to our circumstances in a more positive manner.  This inspiring conversation will help start your week on fire!  Are we going to let our lives be bigger than our diagnosis, divorce, grief, or are we going to let it define us? Choose how you respond to your circumstances: You can let your circumstances: Define you, derail you, or develop you. Often we feel being “relentless” is something done to us; but what if we choose to be relentless in overcoming + moving forward? “When I decide to reach out of my own pain and connect with somebody else’s, then we both experience redemption. We both experience healing. That’s beauty.” "Healing happens in relationships. Healing doesn’t happen in isolation." "Pain and suffering is

Ten years ago, Susannah Cahalan's life pivoted rapidly in a radically different direction. Recounted in her New York Times bestseller Brain on Fire, Susannah bravely shares her harrowing story of being diagnosed with a rare + newly discovered neurological disease. Fully recovered + thriving, Susannah calls in from the tour of her newest book, The Great Pretender. It dives deep into an investigation of Stanford psychologist David Rosenhan + his landmark 1970s study which led many to question the validity of psychiatric diagnoses. If you’re seeking a miraculous story of triumph, this episode is for you. Susannah will articulately show you how to overcome with gratitude, grace + tenacity. SHOW NOTES: In 2009, 24-year-old Susannah was working as a tabloid reporter for the New York Post when what seemed like depression rapidly morphed into psychosis, paranoia + hallucinations. Various diagnoses were presented during her month-long hospitalization including alcohol withdrawal, bipolar, schizoaffective disorder bef

Join me every Monday for a quick burst of inspiration on our “Monday Moments” segments. Recently I had the honor of speaking at a Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) event. Afterward, I had the opportunity to speak with incredible leaders and surprisingly, the most emotional conversations were not with the soldiers but with the spouses of those soldiers. As we celebrate Veteran's Day today, let's be mindful of the sacrifices being made for our freedom by the soldiers + their spouses courageously serve their households. *** Did you enjoy this episode? Subscribe, rate & review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.  Live Inspired with John daily on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram+ get his Monday Motivation email.

There are many adversities we face in life. Some of outward-facing while many are scars we carry on the insides of our hearts. Today's guest can speak to both. Jonathan Lopez is an Army Infantry veteran + member of Operation Enduring Warrior (OEW). OEW is a veteran-founded non‐profit whose mission is to honor, empower, and motivate our nation’s wounded military and law enforcement veterans through physical, mental and emotional rehabilitation. Jonathan joins us for a raw, emotional and honest conversation about serving our country, learning how to accept unexpected circumstances + challenges in life and inspiring others to do the same. (Thank you to Live Inspired community member Martina for sharing her special relationship Jonathan, his connection her late son Thomas + the work OEW is doing in our communities. Share your guest recommendations with us at podcast@johnolearyinspires.com) SHOW NOTES: According to the 2019 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report, more than 16 United States veterans die

Join me every Monday for a quick burst of inspiration on our Live Inspired Podcast Monday Moments segment. Today I am honored to welcome back international bestselling author Mitch Albom. Mitch shares the heartwarming + emotional story about a young girl who taught him the true meaning of family. This conversation will remind you the importance of family, regardless of how they're made. Chika was born into extreme poverty three days before the 2010 earthquake in Haiti. After being diagnosed with a life-threatening illness, Mitch and his wife Janine brought 5-year-old Chika to America in search of quality medical care. Finding Chika: Chika enjoyed playing hide-and-seek but it was an eloquent question that inspired the name of the book. "We didn't lose a child. We were given one." Proceeds from Finding Chika go to the Have Faith Haiti Orphanage. Learn more here. Get Mitch's new book Finding Chika here. Mitch joined me for a full interview on Live Inspired Podcast ep. 81. He shared about his relationship with

How do we react when an unwanted diagnosis appears? Or when adversity arises with a child, a loved one or for ourselves? How do we move forward with compassion, courage, love, respect, possibility, and certainty that the best remains in front of us? Dr. April Jones holds many professional credentials. Yet it’s her personal journey that makes her an authority on transforming pain into purpose. Before her son's 2nd birthday, he was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer... and April + her husband were faced with an agonizing, life-changing decision. April's heartfelt journey + uplifting story is sure to help those seeking to turn struggle into strength! SHOW NOTES At 16 years old, April met future husband Billy. He offered encouragement when she wasn’t sure if she believed in herself + they had similar goals and sense of adventure to grow as a person outside of their small town Embracing change: Billy and her married at 19 + unexpectedly became pregnant 3 months later. “We can always learn from our feeli

Join me every Monday for a quick burst of inspiration on our “Monday Moments” segments. “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” – Winston Churchill Today I share the story of someone choosing to be happy and striving to make every experience a gift for his clients. As you head into this week, I encourage you to embrace your responsibilities + to make the best of your day, your work and your life. *** Did you enjoy this episode? Subscribe, rate & review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.  Live Inspired with John daily on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram + get his Monday Motivation email.  

How do you handle situations that feel like massive setbacks? How do you react when you’re told, “it can’t be done,” "you’re not good enough," or "you’re destined to be a failure?" William Hung has received that harsh feedback many times. The most memorable was when he was laughed off the stage by American Idol judges for his rendition of Ricky Martin’s “She Bangs”. Those that  laughed, judged + critiqued missed what was actually happening: the power of an individual believing in his dreams.  Today's conversation is truly heart-warming. William shares about taking chances, the courage to fail forward, and rising above cynics to become a champion by choice and smiling every step of the way. SHOW NOTES: William’s mother was very supportive + encouraged him to do his best in a school.  During high school, William excelled in math and science but struggled academically while studying civil engineering at the University of California, Berkeley. William won a talent show at UC Berkeley singing Ricky Martin’s "She

Join me every Monday for a quick burst of inspiration on our “Monday Moments” segments. “Perseverance is failing 19 times and succeeding the 20th.” – Julie Andrews Life innately involves failures and missteps along the way. Today, I want to share 4 steps to help you successfully fail forward. Know what you want. Risk becoming more. Embrace the gifts of failure. Resiliently bounce back and step forward. This week, enjoy the bumps, lessons, + clarity knowing along the way that the best is yet to come. *** Did you enjoy this episode? Subscribe, rate & review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.  Live Inspired with John daily on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram+ get his Monday Motivation email.

Have you ever thought about how much your thoughts, beliefs, and emotions influence your days, health and ability to heal? From years spent studying cutting edge science, ancient medicine, and spiritual practices, Kelly Noonan Gores has discovered that we have far more control over our well-being, health + life than we tend to believe. Her documentary Heal, streaming on Netflix, was so popular, it was recently turned into a book. Today, Kelly joins us to share how to choose love over fear + gives concrete tips on how to make strides in your personal wellness journey. SHOW NOTES: The teachings of Bruce Lipton, Deepak Chopra, Marianne Williamson, among others inspired Kelly to create the documentary and book Heal. While dealing with depression in college, Kelly was given Marianne Willamson's book A Return to Love which guided her in finding a grounding force.  Fear + love: Kelly sees fear every day but has spiritual practices to avoid being taken over by fear. "You do not have to be a victim to your genes." Ep

Join me every Monday for a quick burst of inspiration on our “Monday Moments” segments. Today's question was submitted by Live Inspired community member Christine.  Christine asked: How should I deal with negativity at work? Tune in to hear my answer. If you have questions or want to share how the Live Inspired Podcast has impacted your life, send them to me and my team at podcast@johnolearyinspires.com. Can't wait to hear from you! *** Did you enjoy this episode? Subscribe, rate & review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.  Live Inspired with John daily on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram+ get his Monday Motivation email.

The Pulitzer Prize-winning photograph of nine-year-old Kim Phuc running away from her village, naked and severely burned is one of the most iconic images of all time.  Today, we are joined by Kim to hear the story behind the photo. Taken just months before the US pulled out of the Vietnam War, the image captures the catastrophic effect the war was having on civilians. Kim, also known as “Napalm girl,” shares what she has learned on her journey from tragedy to triumph and what it means for us. SHOW NOTES Growing up, the Vietnam War seemed far away from Kim’s carefree + joyful life in the village of Trảng Bàng. June 8, 1972: Kim watched as the planes flew overhead, dropping napalm bombs. Instantly, her clothes burned off + her left arm caught fire. She knew she’d no longer be “normal” and be viewed differently. As they were running from their burning village, a solider gave Kim water to drink + poured water over her skin. Three days after the bombing, her parents found her in the morgue of the hospital. Uncle

Join me every Monday for a quick burst of inspiration on our “Monday Moments” segments. "Those who danced were thought to be quite insane by those who could not hear the music" - Angela Monet The more we experience events, the easier it is to take them for granted. Today, I invite you to look more closely at the joy + beauty in each day. *** Did you enjoy this episode? Subscribe, rate & review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.  Live Inspired with John daily on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram + get his Monday Motivation email.