Live Inspired Podcast With John O'leary

After feeling extremely fortunate to spend almost every night at home in January, the work schedule shifted and launched us into a wildly busy and deeply meaningful month of February.  Taking full advantage of the extra day this year, we traveled to 14 cities and spoke with 18 different groups. (An added bonus, we are now on a first name basis with most of the St. Louis airport staff!) On one of the few days I worked from our office last month, we were able to hang a piece of art in our lobby. As beautiful as it is, it’s the process of how it was created and the story of the artist who brought it to life that is most meaningful to me. Let me explain.

When it’s common to feel jaded and unexcited in the monotony of our day-to-day lives, Cass Sunstein explores how we can begin noticing the wonderful things that spark meaning and joy. Cass is the nation’s most-cited legal scholar and is at the forefront of behavioral economics. For nearly two decades, he has served in the US government in multiple capacities and worked with the United Nations and the World Health Organization. He’s written hundreds of articles and dozens of books about society and culture. Today, Cass joins us to share his groundbreaking study of how disrupting our well-worn routines - both good and bad - can rejuvenate our days and reset our brains to allow us to live happier and more fulfilling lives. My friends, if you or someone you love is years into a dream job, a happy relationship, or a beloved home and beginning to feel ho hum, this conversation will awaken you to feel happier, healthier and more alive… in other words, ‘resparkle’!

Once a month this year, we’re celebrating individuals who are grateful for all they have, joyful in all they do, and positively changing the world one life at a time in our On Fire For Good campaign. Many of those nominated this month were dutiful, soft-spoken, and rule-following. The one we chose, however, was not. Now, if you didn’t peg a 77-year-old Catholic nun and Army Lieutenant Colonel as a rule-breaking, noisemaking, trouble-finding type of person, you haven’t met Sister Doris Jo Rak. Let me explain.

Sloane Crosley is a New York Times bestselling author of essay collections I Was Told There’d Be Cake and How Did You Get This Number, and is known for her sharp wit, keen observations and relatable humor. Today, Sloane joins us to discuss her latest book Grief is For People, and shares her personal journey through loss after a close friend’s suicide. Through her unique storytelling, she navigates the complicated and painful process of grief, offering solace and challenge to those grappling with loss. My friends, if you or someone you love is in need of healing, this conversation will provide hope and guidance.

Earlier this month I had the honor of recording a live podcast with legendary actor William H. Macy at his home. While his house was stunning, the view of the mountains was magnificent, and the evidence of a wildly successful career was scattered throughout the house, it wasn’t any of that stuff that impressed me. Instead, what fascinated me most from our visit is something desperately needed from our leaders today. Let me explain.

Jodi Wellman is a positive psychology expert in pursuit of igniting others to lead a zero-regret life. As the founder of Four Thousand Mondays, Jodi shines light on the scarcity of time and how we have the power to lead squander-free lives with urgency and meaning. With the average life expectancy being 80 years, we get roughly 4,000 Mondays in our lifetime. Today, Jodi joins us to share how her mother’s death jostled her awake, how we’re in control of how we spend our days, and the practical, small changes we can make to rekindle our passion and curiosity for life. My friends, this conversation will help us get out of autopilot and build more vitality and meaning into our lives.

Last week, country music lost one of its most iconic stars. Over the course of several decades, Toby Keith’s perfectly deep, rich voice belted out 42 songs that became top-10 on the Billboard Country chart. While many of those songs were about bars, or girls, or his love for his country, it is one of his most gentile songs that remains not only one of my favorite songs, but an anthem we should try to live out loud throughout our lives. And the backstory of the song is as inspiring as the song itself.

Paul Ollinger is a nationally-touring comedian and a former Facebook VP of Sales. As one of Facebook's first 250 employees, Paul managed a team that generated about 35% of the company’s revenue. After retiring from Facebook at 42, Paul found himself bored, lonely and unfulfilled. Wondering why the wealth windfall he had so long pursued didn’t deliver the contentment he expected, Paul launched the Crazy Money Podcast to explore the connections between money and happiness. Today, Paul shares how his childhood shaped his traditional conservative economic outlook, how he weighed his success in how much money he made, and ultimately how he learned that money's only one attribute to a multivariable equation for happiness in life. My friends, you’ll leave this conversation with a newfound appreciation for the complexities of happiness beyond wealth.

John O'Leary shares what the upcoming Super Bowl and Denny O'Leary can teach us about embracing change on this Monday Moment segment. Change is inevitable, sometimes forced by the conclusion of a sports season, the ending of a relationship or the loss of a job. Whether perceived as positive or negative, none of us will be spared the shifts to our identities that happen throughout the course of our lives. Win or lose, change often leaves us not just questioning what we’ll do, but who we are.  

Tarek El Moussa is best known for HGTV shows like Flip or Flop and Flipping 101, but he’s so much more. He’s a thriving businessman, two-time cancer survivor, and devoted husband and father. Today, Tarek opens up about the transformative chapters that have shaped his life. Join us to hear about the peaks and valleys of how he navigated the distressing subprime mortgage crisis in the early 2000s, pivoted into the intricate dance of flipping houses and overcame multiple personal and health challenges along the way. My friends, this conversation is so much more than real estate or flipping houses. It will inspire you to find opportunity in moments of struggle, to persevere through challenges, and to cultivate a mindset that transforms adversity into a catalyst for personal and professional growth.

Each month in 2024, we’ll be celebrating individuals who are On Fire For Good. This month, we share the incredible work of Tom Wiley and the December 5th Fund. Thank you, Tom, for showing us what it means to be On Fire For Good. My friends, do you know someone living On Fire For Good? Tom’s story was submitted by a member of the Live Inspired community, Ryan Farmer. If you know someone you want to nominate for recognition this year, visit www.OnFireForGood.com to access the nomination form. Look for our next On Fire For Good Profile on February 26!  

As the curator of TED for more than twenty years, Chris Anderson has seen first-hand how the world’s boldest thinkers have shared their most uplifting ideas and the ways in which ideas can spread. In his recent book Infectious Generosity released earlier this week, Chris explores how simple, ordinary, and seemingly unremarkable acts of human kindness have the potential to impact the lives of millions. Today, Chris guides us in how to cultivate a generous mindset, how to embark on our own generous acts—whether gifts of money, time, talent, connection, or kindness—and how to prime them to have self-replicating (and even world-changing!) impact. My friends, whether you give with open hands or seek the inspiration to make a difference, this conversation is for you.

Six weeks after completing the filming for ON FIRE, I am still digesting the experience of having a full-length feature film capture the most tragic, intimate, painful, redemptive, and joyful aspects of my life. It was a surreal experience that moved me deeply, reinforced the profound gift of life, and shined a brilliant light on the power of unconditional love. Sometimes that love was captured in the heroic actions of young siblings while a fire rages in their house. Sometimes it was personified in an Emergency Room when a parent pulls back a curtain, sees their child in agony, loses their breath, moves through their own fear, and personifies grace. Sometimes it was experienced through the excellent care of a nurse, the outstanding effort of a janitor, or the consistent, hope-inducing voice of a radio announcer. But as valuable as it may be learning lessons portrayed on screen, it was sometimes what quietly occurred behind the scenes that exemplified most impactactfully the power of love in action. The model

Erin Stafford is a burnout and peak-performance expert who surrounded herself with some of the most motivated, ambitious, famous overachievers in the world. And yet, even these leaders suffer from severe cases of burnout as they struggle to adjust to a post-pandemic world and the pressures it put on their personal and professional lives. With 52% of all workers feeling burned out and 67% saying their burnout has only gotten worse over the last two years, the fact is we’re pushing harder and covering less distance than ever before. This exhaustion is making us feel unhappy, unfulfilled and frustrated, and leads to less creativity and less focus in our goals. Today, Erin shares how to recognize the signs of burnout, the steps to avoid it and how to bounce forward in work, relationships, faith journeys… and beyond. My friends, if you’re looking for a conversation to help you or someone you love move beyond exhaustion and burnout to renewed excitement and engagement with life, this episode is for you.

How do you want to be remembered? It’s paradoxical that answering a question about death can be so wildly important to living a more vibrant life.  Perhaps even more surprising, though, is realizing the very thing that is assured to us all is also so rarely considered. And yet my friends, it turns out that while we may indeed share equally in the profound gift of this day, we also share in the certainty that tomorrow is promised to none of us. So, if tomorrow does not come, how do you want those who knew you best to remember you? Just weeks before his own death, Martin Luther King Jr asked his congregation to consider this question.  He acknowledged that the world pressures individuals to strive to be first, to endeavor to be great and to be seen as truly important. Let me explain.  

Dr. Margaret Rutherford is a clinical psychologist, author and host of The SelfWork Podcast. She focuses on helping others lead healthier mental and emotional lives. Today, Dr. Margaret shares how living through her “lost decade” taught her resilience, hope and the transformational power of being more transparent with one another. Known for coining the term “perfectly hidden depression”, Dr. Margaret also shares how to break free from the cage of perfectionism and quiet our critical inner voice. My friends, this conversation is about more than leading healthy mental and emotions lives… it’s about embracing the gift of life in all its shades.

A few years ago, I spoke at a conference in Washington. It was for leaders serving in emergency services. I reminded these firefighters, first responders and EMTs of the value of their work, the impact of their efforts, and the ripple effect of their lives. Today, I share a story that will inspire you to honor your mentors by letting them know their impact.

In 1937, Stephanie Stuckey’s grandfather opened one roadside pecan stand. At its peak, Stuckey’s was a one-stop oasis for travelers along America’s highways, with their iconic pecan log rolls available in more than 350 stores in 40 states. After her grandfather’s death and decades of outside ownership however, the once beloved Stuckey’s brand fell into disrepair. And yet, it’s never too late to reimagine what is possible. Today, Stephanie shares how she’s reviving an iconic American brand, how she continues to build upon her family’s legacy and how she’s calling upon her grandfather’s wisdom to help Stuckey’s become the go-to pecan snack brand in the world. If you’re looking for a story that celebrates how to embrace life’s pivots to make a comeback, this conversation is for you.  

Turning the calendar from December to January is supposed to usher in new hope, goals, and possibility. To absolve us of our holiday indulgences and pave the way for commitments to eat better, work out more and grow spiritually. All this to become better versions of ourselves. But in reality, ringing in the New Year can sometimes feel deflating. Instead of a focus on possibility, it can be a fixation on all that went wrong in the year that’s ending. Devastating global events, divisive politics, destructive weather. Failed promises, fractured relationships and personal disappointments. The worst versions of us on full display. For many, 2023 could not end soon enough. And yet, when we look at history and cycles within nature, we are reminded that adversity and hardship frequently pour the foundation for coming success. Perhaps no illustration reveals this truth more beautifully than the caterpillar. Let me explain.

Josh Wilson had a vision to make an impact on deeply rooted systemic poverty in his community. In learning the importance of listening over telling and how to act with more than just good intentions, Josh has connected families with resources as prevention methods for violent outcomes for more than 16 years. Today, Josh shares how his non-profit Mission: St. Louis has become a lighthouse for the community, and how they’ve empowered individuals for social and economic growth through relationship and opportunity, breaking the cycle of poverty. My friends, this conversation illustrates the power of how loving the one in front of you, forging relationships, and creating purposeful opportunity can transform communities and our world.