Air-Check Your Life

In this episode, you'll hear:

• Important aspects of repairing a broken relationship and finding forgiveness

Lauren Bernard is a teacher, yogi, and host of the NurishU podcast. She grew up in Omaha, Nebraska, with her older sister and spent a lot of time outside, where she felt at home in nature. Lauren had a large, loving family, but her parents were divorced when she was young, leaving her to experience the struggles of two single parents. Eventually, her father gained full custody of Lauren and her sister, which caused distance to grow between her and her mother. As she transitioned into college and out of the life she knew as a young athlete, Lauren began to lose her sense of self. However, over the years, through her yoga practice, she learned how to see life in color again and began learning how to sit in her discomfort and shift her perspective. Those lessons have carried her through her life and perfectly translated to the work it took to repair her relationship with her mother.

In this episode, Mathew, Dr. Dave, and Lauren discuss how “growing up quickly” impacted Lauren as an adult, why we should forgive our parents, and the role self-forgiveness and acceptance play in repairing relationships. They also discuss how Lauren discovered yoga, what she has learned through her years of practice, how we can observe and understand anger, and how shamanic breathwork works.

Follow the podcast: 

• Listen on Apple Podcasts (link: https://apple.co/3s1YH7h) 

Get LFPWLI Merch here!

Resources:

• Nourish U Podcast 

Connect with Mathew Blades: 

• Twitter - twitter.com/MathewBlades

Additional Credits:

• LFPWLI is managed by Sam Robertson

Are You in a Toxic Relationship? How to Know and What to Do About It with Stephanie Quayle

In this episode, you'll hear:

• What can you do once you realize you are in a toxic relationship?

Stephanie Quayle is an accomplished country music singer-songwriter and author who grew up in a blended family on a farm in Bozeman, Montana, where they raised bison and cattle. In 2009, she was in a long-term relationship, helping to raise her partner's 12-year-old daughter, and thought she would marry him one day. However, everything changed when he died in a plane crash, and five days later, at his public memorial service, she found out she was not the only woman in his life. The combination of losing the man she loved while finding out he was not the man she thought he was complicated an already chaotic grieving process. 

This story inspired her to write On the Edge, a deeply personal album that revealed her hidden self to the world. After releasing it, she quickly came to find out she was not alone. Stephanie tells us that many people reached out to her in solidarity with the complicated emotions of losing a loved one and then finding out about the lies. As her story spread, she knew she wanted to share what had happened to her and what she learned in a bigger way through a book. Not just as a memoir but as a tool to help others. Stephanie worked with W. Keith Campbell, PhD, one of the world’s leading experts in narcissism, to explain what she went through, help readers identify the patterns of a toxic relationship, and outline steps for getting out and healing. Why Do We Stay?: How My Toxic Relationship Can Help You Find Freedom outlines the signs of unhealthy relationships, defines important terms like love bombing, grooming, ego shock, gaslighting, and repetition compulsion, and offers thoughtful reflections at the end of each chapter, which will lead the reader to action.

In this episode, Mathew and Stephanie discuss how her relationship with her step-parents impacted the way she navigated relationships as she grew up, the dangers of romanticizing relationships, and learning to feel worthy of healthy love. Stephine also talks about taking ownership over her actions, how she got out of her toxic relationships, what she learned about herself through the pain, and how she views her past partners now.

Follow the podcast: 

• Listen on Apple Podcasts (link: https://apple.co/3s1YH7h) 

Get LFPWLI Merch here!

Resources:

• Say no without guilt + Starting new habits with Nicole Vignola

Connect with Mathew Blades: 

• Twitter - twitter.com/MathewBlades

Additional Credits:

• LFPWLI is managed by Sam Robertson

Do you Blame your Parents for your Issues? Why and How To Shift Your Mindset With Sonia Jhas

“Change will only come when we recognize the shift is ours to make.”

In this episode, you'll hear:

• Why do we have to reframe the way we think about our parents and what they taught us?

Sonia Jhas is a mindset and wellness expert who left the corporate world when she realized the ideals instilled in her as a child to chase perfectionism could not make her happy. Having a fast-paced career and constantly working out to be the “right size” wasn’t enough to make her feel accomplished. Now, she is passionate about living a life guided by her own internal compass despite external or societal pressures, being real about what the journey looks like, and inspiring others to live in alignment. 

In this episode, Mathew and Sonia discuss her story of choosing healing over comfort, Mathew's relationship with idealized success, and the realization that no one is responsible for the shift you need to make in your life but you. We often tend to point blame towards our parents for the negative traits we see in ourselves, but Sonia tells us we have to rethink the narratives we have about our family to understand that no matter how far away we move or how much “success” we achieve, the only way to break free is to do the internal work ourselves.

Sonia also talks about her experience with plant medicines and how her relationship to perceived success translated to her relationship with her body. She always thought that happiness was just 10 pounds, but realized she would never be happy as long as she saw her body as something that always needed to be fixed. 

Follow the podcast: 

• Listen on Apple Podcasts (link: https://apple.co/3s1YH7h) 

Get LFPWLI Merch here!

Resources:

• I’ll Start Again Tomorrow: And Other Lies I’ve Told Myself 

Connect with Mathew Blades: 

• Twitter - twitter.com/MathewBlades

Additional Credits:

• LFPWLI is managed by Sam Robertson

Why Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy Should Be an Employment Benefit with Sherry Rais, CEO and Co-Founder of Enthea

In this episode, Mathew and Sherry discuss why employers are starting to pay attention to alternative medicines, what the future of psychedelics in the workplace could look like, and how ketamine increases neuroplasticity in the brain to help us make new connections and reduce activity in the default mode network. Sherry tells us our brains can change, but as we age, change becomes more difficult. Things like meditation, breathwork, prayer, and psychedelics can help. You can't undo the trauma that happened to you, but psychedelics can help you reprogram and move on. They also talk about Mathew's first ketamine journey, and Sherry talks about why no two journeys are the same. She tells us it’s all about “set and setting," meaning your mindset, intentions, and surroundings. Even if you control these factors, there is still no way to control your experience, and there is always an aspect of trusting the process. Some people are afraid of a “bad trip," but Sherry reassures us that, unlike painkillers and other pharmaceuticals, psychedelics are non-toxic, and you cannot die from them or become addicted to them. This is just one of the many reasons some employers are beginning to see the benefits of allowing psychedelic-assisted therapy for their employees. 

Sherry Rais is an avid runner, a big fan of chocolate and bread, and the CEO and co-founder of Enthea Ketamine-Assisted Therapy. Enthea is dedicated to providing access to safe and affordable psychedelic-assisted therapy as a public benefit. Before Enthea, Sherry was consulting for the UN and World Bank and pitched psychedelic-assisted therapy in refugee camps and high-conflict areas. That idea was not well received, so when she left to pursue this idea on her own, she expected to be met with more roadblocks, but the impact of the pandemic on people's mental health and more understanding in society at large resulted in much more openness towards psychedelic-assisted therapy. The mental health crisis is also a workforce crisis, so most employers are being more proactive in providing mental health care for their workers.

In this episode, you'll hear:

• What ketamine does to our brains, why it could be a useful tool for some people, and how set and setting impact the journey

Follow the podcast: 

• Listen on Apple Podcasts (link: https://apple.co/3s1YH7h) 

Get LFPWLI Merch here!

Resources:

• Enthea.com

Connect with Mathew Blades: 

• Twitter - twitter.com/MathewBlades

Additional Credits:

LFPWLI is managed by Sam Robertson

Today, we take a break from Learn from People Who Lived It so I can turn you on to a new podcast I helped produce called Nourish U by Lauren Bernard.

Here is her description of her podcast:

What would it be like if you were liberated from suffering in this life? These are the promises of numerous ancient wisdom teachings that have stood the test of time.

Lauren Bernard, wife & mother, yoga instructor, Nourish You - wellness recipe e-book author & chef, practicer/student of Ayurveda, human design & astrology, is here to help us find three things:

• lasting peace

Let's dive into conversations about nourishing your body, mind, and soul.

Together, we'll pursue greater freedom and love. The show intends to give you what you need to fuel your life force as we study at the University that exists around and within us all.

In this conversation, she sits down with Kourtney Walker,  Mindset & NLP Coach @Kourtney.strategiclife.co on Instagram 

Thank you for being here and sharing with others. Find us here:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/nourish-u/id1729280238

Namaste

Cover Art Photography @Amanda Be LLC

From Alcoholism and Chronic Illness to Endurance Racing: Defying the Odds with Nick Klingensmith

In this episode, you'll hear:

• How did Nick go from dealing with medical issues to being an extreme athlete? 

Are you drinking more than you’d like? Are your relationships not where you want them to be? Do you feel like medical issues are all you will ever know? If you are ready for a change, this is for you. 

In this episode, Mathew, Dr. Dave, and Nick discuss why making dramatic change is so hard for many people, how a rebellious kid became an adult rebelling against his own bad habits, and what it means to understand that “everything that happened to me is for me." Nick tells us he was abandoned, neglected, and rejected by his parents and the kids at school. His drinking started when he was young because it helped him feel like he finally fit in and turned off the part of his brain that made him care if they even liked him or not. Dr. Dave notes that these kinds of patterns will follow us into adulthood unless we go out of our way to change them. Fear controlled Nick's life when he was younger, and now he actively faces his fear to regain control. Nick sees failure as a prerequisite for moving forward and understands that when faced with a challenge, it is not a binary of “yes or no” or “can you or can't you." Instead, it's about how you can and what it will take. What do you want to do, and what is the price of admission? 

Nick Klingensmith is a 4x cancer survivor, type 1 diabetic, recovering alcoholic, has sleep apnea, nerve damage, 7 herniated discs from 2 rollover accidents, and almost died from meningitis. However, he defied it all and redefined his life when he became an obstacle course racer and is now living inspired to embrace purpose, overcome adversity, find belonging, and encourage others to do the same. After being thrown out of a Las Vegas hotel in a drunken haze, jeopardizing his career and relationships, Nick knew he had to make a change. After he beat cancer for the fourth time, his boss suggested he train for a Spartan race that was 9 weeks away. Nick had so many reasons he told himself he couldn't do it, but eventually, he decided to try. For him, it was about defying comfort and realizing that he could experience life. Refusing to accept his limitations, Nick has completed over 100 Spartan races, six major marathons, several ultras, and scores of other obstacle and endurance events. He left the logistics industry to pursue his career as a motivational speaker, using his experience in endurance racing and overcoming his personal adversity to inspire other achievement-driven professionals to push past self-limiting doubts, build resilience, and take purposeful action toward their goals.

“The superpower I embrace is vulnerability.”

Follow the podcast: 

• Listen on Apple Podcasts (link: https://apple.co/3s1YH7h) 

Get LFPWLI Merch here!

Resources:

• StrideMotivation.com

Connect with Mathew Blades: 

• Twitter - twitter.com/MathewBlades

Additional Credits:

LFPWLI is managed by Sam Robertson

Hello, and welcome to a special one-off episode of our podcast. Today, I want to feature a podcast I helped produce called the Nourished Life Podcast. Ang and Claire host it, and their goal is to get you some life-giving nuggets to help you live the life you dream of.  Here is their explanation:

You are invited to listen to a journey focused on holistic wellness, the pillars of healthy eating, physical activity, and self-care. It is hosted by Ang and Claire, who have a passion for healthy lifestyles, personal experience, and educational background in these areas. They offer tips, debunk media health myths, and create an understanding that living a healthy lifestyle is not overwhelming!

The podcast dives into the importance of nourishing the body with whole foods, exploring topics such as the benefits of a plant- based diet, how to cut processed sugars, navigate the grocery store isles and prepping your food for the week to build success to reach your personal goals!

Ang and Claire address how to live an active lifestyle and what that means for you. They explore the benefits of why moving the body is key and offer a perspective on how to approach ”working out” as a positive and not something to dread. From walks to high-intensity interval training, we will help you find what movement is perfect for you!

Let’s not forget about the importance of self-care! Claire shares some of her favorite things to do when it comes to her self-care routines, and Ang offers some of her favorites to recharge her battery! Each of them goes over how to be mindful, get better sleep, slow down and be in the moment, shift your mindset, handle stress, and disconnect from tech!

Ang and Claire’s biggest goal is to get you nuggets to live your best life! Be encouraged that they are here to meet you where you are at, cheer you on with the small wins, and fuel your life to become a better you!

Find them on Apple here:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-nourished-life-podcast/id1731931063

Come to a Ketamine Treatment with Me 

In this episode, you'll hear:

• What is ketamine, why are people using it, and how it works

Have you ever wondered what a ketamine therapy session is like? Well, wonder no more! There is always more to learn, and it’s not the right treatment for everyone, but today Mathew is heading down to inLIGHTen Wellness to visit Sandy and receive his first ketamine infusion.

Sandy Indermuhle is the founder and medical director at inLIGHTen Wellness, and today she is also Mathew’s transformational guide. She was an emergency medicine physician for 15 years before she started doing her own healing work with psychedelics and realized many of us have deep wounds that aren't being healed by traditional medicine. Psychedelics worked for her, she felt called to it, and now she shares the gift with others to help them find healing as well. 

Ketamine is a legal substance used in hospitals all over the world. It has been gaining in popularity over the past several years as we learn more about the proven impacts it has on helping people overcome PTSD, anxiety, depression, and a host of other issues. However, traditionally, it is used as a dissociative anesthetic to do painful procedures. Using ketamine as an anesthetic was common practice in Vietnam, and soon enough, they began to notice soldiers who had been given ketamine experienced decreased PTSD symptoms after they woke up from their procedures. When Mathew was in his early 20s, he witnessed the death of his father and tried to save his life, but couldn't. He entered this session looking for answers about the root of his addiction issues and a deeper understanding of what he is still holding onto from his father's death. 

Before the session, Sandy outlines how ketamine works on a biochemical, psychedelic, and ego level. She also gives us some more information about who should and should not try ketamine treatments, why some people fear it, potential side effects, and the most profound transformation she has seen.

Armed with his eye mask and headphones, Mathew states his intention, finds a comfy position, gets his shot, and then takes off with his guide, Sandy, by his side. In this episode, we get to hear a few clips from Mathew's journey, the conversation he had with Sandy after he came back, how he felt the next day, and what he took away from the whole experience.

Follow the podcast: 

• Listen on Apple Podcasts (link: https://apple.co/3s1YH7h) 

Get LFPWLI Merch here!

Resources:

• inLIGHTen Wellness

Connect with Mathew Blades: 

• Twitter - twitter.com/MathewBlades

Additional Credits:

• LFPWLI is managed by Sam Robertson

Quick Wins to Improve Teacher Retention and Student Experience with Dr. Paulie Gavoni and Anika Costa

In this episode, you'll hear:

• Why are so many teachers leaving the field, and what can we do about it?

In this episode, Mathew, Dr. Paulie, and Anika discuss why we see so many teachers struggling in the classroom, ultimately leaving the field, and what can be done about it. Over 90% of teachers are feeling an unhealthy amount of stress, and nearly 50% are walking away from the profession after 3 to 5 years. Paulie and Anika are working hard to identify the root causes and provide real solutions to help teachers create systems, clear expectations, and consistent reinforcement that will lead to quick and impactful wins in the classroom. They have found the major contributors educators face are a lack of support from leadership, feeling unprepared to meet modern challenges, behavior issues in children, and the level of importance placed on testing rather than learning. 

Educators are the backbone of our nation and essential to our society. Still, unfortunately, they are being mistreated and not given the best tools and training to ensure they are successful. Over the past several years, there have been changes in education, technology, and how many people are parenting. However, teachers are not being taught new methods and, therefore, do not feel prepared to teach this new generation of children. If you are an educator struggling, you are not alone, and there is nothing wrong with you. There are steps you can take today to improve the situation in your classroom. Still, there also has to be alignment with leadership, administration, and parents if we are going to find long-term success with the issues we are seeing in the education system. Success has to start at the top with administrators, and unfortunately, blame often goes to the bottom and lands on the students. To bring out the best in students, we first have to bring out the best in teachers. 

Dr. Paul "Paulie" Gavoni is an esteemed behavior scientist, educator, and leader who has shaped human performance and organizational leadership over nearly three decades. In roles such as COO, Vice President, School Administrator, and School Turnaround Manager, he's unified his innovative approach through a dedication to human behavior science, aiming to enhance student behavior, educator performance, and school leadership across various sectors.

Anika Costa is a behavior analyst, professor, and former teacher in New York City Public Schools. Her specialized skill set has allowed her to effectively work with teachers and school leaders in classroom and school improvement efforts across the nation. A seasoned consultant and mentor, she is also passionate about applying principles of organizational behavior management during assessment, training, and coaching initiatives to support measurable performance improvement within the natural environment.

Follow the podcast: 

• Listen on Apple Podcasts (link: https://apple.co/3s1YH7h) 

Get LFPWLI Merch here!

Resources:

• Paulie’s bio and links

Connect with Mathew Blades: 

• Twitter - twitter.com/MathewBlades

Additional Credits:

• LFPWLI is managed by Sam Robertson

In this episode, Mathew and Tiffany discuss how her childhood shaped her beliefs today, what she has learned from having children, and the grieving process we go through as our children age. She talks about the roles of self-compassion, acceptance, and forgiveness in the healing process, gives tips for anyone struggling through those stages, and helps us think about how to encourage our kids to talk to us about their struggles.

Tiffany Stevens is here to share her story of healing, resilience, purpose, and power to inspire you to turn your loss, trauma, and tragedy into triumph. She is a mother, a wife, a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, a Success Coach, and the visionary founder and CEO of Graceful Growth Counseling. Years ago, Tiffany blamed herself after she lost a close friend to domestic violence, so she went through counseling, began volunteering for a domestic violence shelter, and was inspired to start Graceful Growth Counseling in 2019. Today, they have 12 therapists helping women who are managing depression and anxiety and struggling with self-love. They utilize cognitive-behavioral therapy to help their clients understand that they do have the power to change the way they think, feel, and behave. 

“It’s important for me to exercise my power so that I am in a peaceful state.”

In this episode, you'll hear:

• What having children taught Tiffany about herself

Follow the podcast: 

• Listen on Apple Podcasts (link: https://apple.co/3s1YH7h) 

Get LFPWLI Merch here!

Resources:

• GracefulGrowthCounseling.com

Connect with Mathew Blades: 

• Twitter - twitter.com/MathewBlades

Additional Credits:

• LFPWLI is managed by Sam Robertson