Live Inspired Podcast With John O'leary

Today, I share a story I don't often get to tell. The story of my siblings and their heroic acts that saved my life 30 years ago. Even more relevant: the 3 things we do that allow us to remain close as we get older. My friend, in honor of my parents 50th wedding anniversary, I'm sharing an intimate look at my family, what we've been through, what we've learned + what it might mean for you. SHOW NOTES: As promised during this episode, here are a few past episodes on which we discussed depression and mental health: Episode #46 with Dennis Gillan: Break down the stigma around mental health to better care for yourself, those you love + those in the wake of suicide. Dennis shares how mental health claimed the life of his brothers + what he's doing about it today. Episode #73 with Sue Klebold: Sue is the mother of Dylan Klebold, a shooter at Columbine High School in 1999. You'll be amazed by how much you can relate to Sue, her family + her story. Sue shares ideas to better manage mental health so we don't have

Mel Robbins is the author of The 5 Second Rule, the #1 audio book in the world. She is also the most booked female speaker in the world and hosts the Audible Original series Kick Ass With Mel Robbins. Today, Mel shares how she has helped millions of people transform their lives by simplifying their biggest challenges into a 5-second solution. Possibly even more impactful: She shares how her 5-second rule originated as a tool to overcome the anxiety and malaise that was crushing her life. Today, Mel is ON FIRE for life, and is offering an amazing tool to help us all live more inspired. Don't miss this amazing episode.  SHOW NOTES: Get your copy of The 5 Second Rule here. "Break the patterns that you think in and your entire life will change." The 5-second rule is a ritual to interrupt your bad thoughts, habits and patterns. It's a way to self coach. Try the 5-second rule to see "not just how often you live in a negative mental state, but how easy it is to redirect it." There is a distinct gap between your wil

Let's talk about how to simplify life so you can live inspired. If you’ve enjoyed the 80+ episodes of the podcast, you're in for a treat. Instead of interviewing a special guest, I'm focusing on YOU: Your story, successes, failures, life. Get ready for an exclusive peek into my private Live Inspired IN STUDIO membership community - like-minded friends who join me via live-webcast once a month. (I absolutely love our podcast; and IN STUDIO is even better. Find out why.) My friend, get a snapshot of one of the most popular IN STUDIO webcasts to date: How to simplify life. SHOW NOTES: Find out what IN STUDIO members are saying and be the first to hear when In STUDIO registration re-opens:* JohnOLearyInspires.com/Studio.   Additional resources, check out: Live Inspired Podcast Ep. #50 with Curt Steinhorst to reflect on how to simplify life through not being reactive. Live Inspired Podcast Ep. #82 with Christine Caine to reflect on how to simplify life by truly living your purpose. *Registration only opens

Ben and Amy Wright own the wildly successful Bitty & Beau’s Coffee shop, which proudly employs people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The shop is named after their children who have Down Syndrome. Ben and Amy Wright are combatting the staggering 80% unemployment rate for people with disabilities + using their shop as a platform to share this truth: “We all have different abilities. There’s room for everyone; we just have to see it that way.” Join me and the Wrights as they thoughtfully share questions (if you don’t have a disability/know someone who does) and answers (if you do) to everything you’ve ever wanted to ask or tell on this subject. SHOW NOTES: Amy + Ben are the founders of Bitty & Beau's Coffee in Wilmington, NC that proudly employs individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. "Typically developing guests who come in experience a transformation, a new perspective. It was important to create the jobs, but even more important is that we change the way peopl

In 1972 there was a historic plane crash; the only one in which the plane was flying at both cruising speed + altitude and had survivors. One of the survivors was Nando Parrado. In street clothes and without food, Nando survived the winter in the Andes. His story was told in the 1993 movie, Alive. He was played by Ethan Hawke. Today, we’re joined by Nando. He is one of my heroes and the most courageous survivor I’ve met. Don’t miss this unbelievable story of leadership and drive in the face of dire adversity. SHOW NOTES I was angry, but I couldn't feel pain or sorrow. In a survival situation, something is triggered to protect you because if you suffer that pain, it'd be too much to survive. Winter in the Andes: There's snow everywhere. There's nothing and no one coming. All the born leaders died, [so new] leaders emerged. It's the most fantastic leadership story ever told. I tried to leave. I'd walk 8 paces and I'd sink all the way to my waste in deep snow. What kept you going? "The only thing I knew was tha

Rachel Cruze helps people learn the proper ways to handle money and stay out of debt. Her new book Love Your Life, Not Theirs guides readers to live an inspired life, within their means and without the comparison game. Rachel shares that, "Money is a topic so many people have lost hope over. I give a clear path to help you win, gain control and lower stress around personal finances." My friends, join me and Rachel to get great tips on how to better manage your finances and more importantly: Love YOUR life. SHOW NOTES:  Despited being the daughter of financial guru Dave Ramsey, Rachel did not grow up extravagantly. In fact, the Ramsey family filed for bankruptcy the year before she was born. "My parents taught me that work is a verb. We never had allowance as kids, we worked on commission." We had to get jobs/responsibilities outside of the house. Looking back, it was such a gift. As a mom, I get that its exhausting to have kids do things they don't want to do. But man it pays off! I've met 20, 30, 40 year ol

Christine Caine's hurdles may seem insurmountable: She is a survivor of both sexual abuse and cancer. At 32, she found out she was adopted.  Yet, she is living a profoundly inspired life. Christine leads a global anti human-trafficking movement and was honored with the 2017 Mother Teresa Memorial Award for Social Justice. Have you ever felt like your story was derailed by unexpected or unwanted news? Christine's story and tips will show you how to "let go of your history so you can step into your destiny." SHOW NOTES:  John was determined to have Christine on the show after being shocked when a man recently shared that he'd been taken from his home in Africa to be a slave in the US. Christine's organization A21 is currently helping 28 adult victims + 14 children in the US alone. Learn more about A21 Campaign and 21 steps you can take to abolish slavery here.  Christine’s passion to help victims stems from being sexually abused for more than a decade during her youth. You can rise above the adversity of you

Mitch Albom, author of the bestselling memoir of all time, Tuesdays with Morrie, never meant to be a writer. Hear the unlikely way Mitch found himself writing his beloved professor's memoir; and what it means for your unfulfilled dreams. (Hint, there just might be a silver lining!) Hear what it was like to learn Morrie's life lessons, from Morrie himself - first as a student in his classroom and, ultimately, as a friend in his hospital room. My friends, 15 million have read the book. Countless have watched the movie (produced by Oprah!). Today, we will hear the story behind the wisdom Morrie shared 20+ years ago. Don't miss this world-class episode.  SHOW NOTES:  "You know you've done a lot, when you realize how little you've done." The first time Mitch met his professor, Morrie Schwartz, he wanted to drop his class. Listen to find out what made him stay. "Morrie opened my eyes to being a whole person - and that, that was an accomplishment in it of itself. He made me think in terms of being multi-dimensional

"It was good until it wasn't." Erik Wahl valued hard work and success. Achievement + money were his measurement and, by his early 30s, he was very successful in corporate America. Until he wasn't. During the dot-com bust in 2000, Erik lost the "financial fortress" he'd built and his identity along with it. This led him to ask the life-changing question:"Who were you before the world told you who you should be?" Erik answered this question, made BIG changes in his life + redefined success. Now, as a performance graffiti artist, he helps clients like IBM, Microsoft and Disney answer this bold question, too. Today, we're going to "unearth great things lying dormant inside" of you. Join us!  SHOW NOTES: Watch the entire episode on YouTube. Often we're rewarded based on the 3 Deadly P's: Power, prestige + possession.   Our script for how to live is off, we tend to live with a scarcity mindset. "I must secure what's mine so I can build; there's not enough available." Choose abundance instead. When you're rocked at

"Don't think of your age." When asked how to actively age, 87-year-old Sister Madonna Buder, nicknamed "The Iron Nun" in her 2016 Nike Ad, shared the above. She continued with, "Just keep moving." Sr. Buder began running at 48. She has since completed 45+ ironman races, 300+ triathlons and won her age group dozens of times. My friends, if you think you’re too old, too late, too inexperienced, too anything, to embrace a new dream in your life... then you absolutely cannot miss today’s episode.  Sr. Madonna Buder, the Iron Nun, will encourage you to go ALL IN for your dreams, no matter your age or perceived limitation. Join us! SHOW NOTES:  Everyone was expecting her to announce her engagement; instead she announced that she was entering the convent. Began running at 48 and became a world-class athlete, completing in more than 300+ triathlons. "Running harmonizes mind, body and soul." These words, shared by a priest, inspired Sr. Buder to start running. "You have to run for 5 weeks before you get the runner's

"When God takes something away, He gives a double dose of something else." Tommy Spaulding jokes that he had a 4.0 - if you add his high school and college GPAstogether... His dream was to become a lawyer; but he was rejected by the 30 law schools to which he applied. Fast forward:This once, less-than-stellar student is now a bestselling author and his "failed dream" led him directly to the successful career he has today.  Don't miss Tommy's amazing story! He helps clients like Starbucks + General Electric leverage their "double dose," grow deeper relationships and succeed in work + life. Today, he will help us do the same. Join us! SHOW NOTES:  At the end of the day, ask: Who did I bless? Who did I help? "When God takes something away, he gives you a double dose of something else." Tommy's book It's Not Just Who You Know - challenges corporate America to focus on relationships, not transactions. Tommy's 2nd bestselling book The Heart-Led Leader - shows readers how + why we must bring love to the workplac

"When you accept the worst case scenario, it has no power over you." Hal Elrod, international bestselling author of The Miracle Morning, established a miracle equation that helped him overcome two near-death experiences + build a highly successful business.   Hear Hal's amazing story and how to apply his equation so you can "divide odds and create miracles in your marriage, business and life." Now THAT sounds like living inspired! Join us. SHOW NOTES:  Hal's book The Miracle Morning has sold 600,000+ copies The Miracle Morning documentary is coming soon! "Take an adversity + turn it into an advantage by helping other people with it." At 20, he was hit by a drunk driver and not expected to walk. "When you accept the worst case scenario, it has no power over you. I thought, I'll be the most grateful human you've ever met in a wheel chair, because I'm in one either way. Putting energy into wishing it wasn't so would be futile." Hal's Miracle Equation [to divide odds + create miracles in marriage, business, life

"He wasn't trapped, he chose to stay and help others." Matthew Weiss, Esq. was a lawyer. He didn't seek an opportunity to become a filmmaker; but a story that needed to be told found him. The story of Welles Crowther was shared with him over lunch one day: On September 11, 2001, Welles was 24 and worked in the World Trade Center. The acts of heroism he displayed that day have inspired song lyrics, parents to name their children after him and President Obama's dedication speech for the National September 11 Memorial & Museum. Matt created the documentary Man in Red Bandana to inspire the world to be more selfless. Today, Matt shares about the heroic final hour of Welles's life + how we can learn to live more inspired through the example of the "man in the red bandana." SHOW NOTES:  Matt Weiss directed Man in Red Bandana, a documentary that tells the story of Welles Crowther, a young American who became a hero at the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001. Follow on Facebook at: Facebook.com/ManInRedBandana

"Don't stand by, stand UP." Sue McCollum is the Chairman and CEO of Major Brands, Inc., an 80-year-old, family-run operation and the only liquor distributor in the U.S. run by a woman. But it wasn't Sue's dream to run a large operation. Her husband, Todd, was planning to run the company his grandfather founded and one day - pass it on to his children. Needless to say, plans changed after Todd was diagnosed with brain cancer. Sue, in short, "stepped up." Almost immediately after Todd's passing, Sue was labeled "Liqueur Widow" by competitors and the press as long-time clients were pulling out of agreements.  Sue will show us that it's possible to not only fight back, but do so honorably. And that you can run a successful business based on strong values. My friends, join me and Sue to learn how to harness resilience, overcome adversity and live inspired. SHOW NOTES:  "One day can bend your life." October 4, 2010 bent Sue's life. Her husband, Todd, had a seizure, which lead to a cancer diagnosis and a year to l

"We see the world as we think it is. Not as it really is. Wear glasses that work." Todd Davis has spent 20+ years "looking for the right people." As Chief People Officer at FranklinCovey, a training company, he is an expert at identifying how human behaviors impact our life, our work and our output. His new book, Get Better: 15 Proven Practices to Build Effective Relationships at Work shares that the key to improving our effectiveness is found in improving our behaviors. Todd's insights shine a light on the truth that an organization's greatest assets are undoubtedly its people and remind us that leadership is a decision, not a position.  This conversation is a journey in self-awareness. Join Todd and me for a great conversation and practical ways to fine-tune your behaviors so that you can live and work inspired. SHOW NOTES:  Todd has worked for FranklinCovey, the award-winning training company started by the bestselling author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change,

"This process of accepting that your loved one has hurt other people. And accepting who that is and what it means to be a mother of someone like that, it takes not only months but years." Sue Klebold is forever tied to a tragic day marked down in American history, April 20, 1999. It was on that day two gunmen entered Columbine High School and killed 12 students, a teacher and wounded two dozen others. One of the shooters was her son, Dylan. After an excruciating journey, Sue has come to a place of peace and is using her life to honor the lives of those who died, raise awareness for mental health issues and do what she could to prevent another tragedy like Columbine from happening again. Sue shares her story of a mother's love, heart-wrenching tragedy, sincere appeal for forgiveness, the long process of allowing herself to grieve, and letting go of the trauma of being hated, criticized and judged in order to focus on her heart, and the little boy she lost and adored.  Today Sue bravely, honestly and with great

"Leverage faith over doubt. Those praying over me had an inch more faith than they did doubt." Joel Boggess is the bestselling author of Finding Your Voice, host of the incredibly popular podcast the ReLaunch Show, and a motivational speaker bringing his message of never giving up and using action in the face of fear to his audience. At the age of 5, Joel suffered a devastating accident; falling 30 feet resulted in a tremendous amount of blood loss and a fractured skull, and Joel spent more than four weeks in a coma. In an instant, Joel's life went from "happy-go-lucky" to an immense daily struggle and a long road to recovery. The injury left him with hearing problems and difficulty with memory, yet it taught Joel that some lessons are learned on the playground, the boardroom, or even a recovery room.  Joel's insights into how action can be the greatest weapon to conquering fear will motivate you and inspire you to never back down. Today Joel shares how one action can make life better.  SHOW NOTES:  Joel is

"I feel like a lot of us are going through a dark time. That we are living under clouds and need the sun to come out. I hope I'm the person holding the umbrella. I hope I am the person who can tell you to come under the umbrella 'til the sun comes out." Lizzie Velasquez is a globally recognized motivational speaker, a presenter at TEDx, champion of anti-bullying, author, producer and all around amazing individual.  At the time of Lizzie's birth, she was one of only three people in the world diagnosed with Marfanoid–Progeroid–Lipodystrophy Syndrome: a condition which doesn't allow her to gain weight and affects her heart, eyes, and bones. At age 17, she came across a YouTube video entitled "World's Ugliest Woman"- only to discover that it was about her. In the years since then, she's made it her life's work to spread kindness and stand up for bullying victims. She has appeared on The Today Show, The View, AOL, MSN, Yahoo, The Huffington Post, Katie Couric and her TEDx video has been viewed over 13 million time

"It turns out, sometimes you have to start by asking a really stupid question." Marcus Adrian has spent nearly 20 years at Mackey Mitchell Architects in St. Louis, MO; however, Marcus isn't your typical architect. He aims to design buildings to "speak to the human experience." He is nationally recognized for designing spaces for people with special needs and an expert in classroom acoustics.  His great-grandfather was an architect, one grandfather was a woodworker, while another mined stone in the Ozarks. So, building and creating is in his blood. From his mother, a nurse, he developed a strong sense of empathy. Marcus shares how his career, his passion, is much like his mother's, grandmother's, and great-grandmother's tradition of making quilts. How they would pray as they stitched in thoughtful reflection of the creation they were making. He challenges us to "count the stitches in a quilt" in order to see the effort and thought that goes into creating something with meaningful purpose. Marcus shares his sto

"We are too busy to become less busy" Juliet Funt is the CEO of WhiteSpace at Work, a global speaker, influencer and consultant to Fortune 100 companies, and "a warrior in the battle against busyness."  She is a self-described perfectionist who admits baking as her zen moment. He natural intuitiveness, authentic message, and insight allow her the uncanny ability to connect with people at all levels. She has led her team to create changes in low-value work like emails, charts, meetings, paperwork and unnecessary clutter to make life more efficient and enjoyable. Juliet helps us find the space in our lives to make a really profound change. recharge and reclaim our passion for work. Today, Juliet shares through humor, story-telling, and lessons how we can find a brief moment to ignite our most productive self.  SHOW NOTES:  "It's gonna be a blast. I can tell already." Live into the thing that brings you joy. Prioritizing.  Working on WhiteSpace for the past 14 years. help organizations retrieve their talented t