Air-Check Your Life

Welcome to another episode with Mathew and Troy. Troy, as you may recall was instrumental in my healing journey and today we get together for a discussion on quitting your job.  We both walked away from a money, security and big jobs to take on something more meaningful.  

In this episode you will hear:

• Why and how we quit our jobs

Follow the podcast: 

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

Connect with Mathew Blades: 

• Twitter - twitter.com/MathewBlades

Additional Credits:

• LFPWLI is managed by Sam Robertson

LFPWLI: Stop SHOULDing On Yourself with Special Forces Veteran Jacob Wagner 

In this episode, Mathew, Dr. Dave, and Jacob discuss the moral injuries we often overlook and how to overcome them. They talk about what epigenetics are, how biochemistry impacts us, and the ways Jacob has been able to use neuroscience and quantum physics to find healing.

Jacob Wagner is a special forces veteran of the US Army who served in the Special Operations Forces (SOF) unit 75th Ranger Regiment for his first two deployments, then the SOF Special Mission Unit (SMU) Regimental Reconnaissance Company (RRC, also known as the Regimental Reconnaissance Detachment) for his third deployment. His first tour was in 2003 and he left the Army in 2006, but his most challenging years were yet to come as he dealt with the moral and physical injuries he was left with. In 2009, Veteran Affairs labeled him 100% permanently and totally disabled, and there were points in his life when Jacob was sure he was on his deathbed. After finding mediocre results with allopathic medicine, Jacob set out on his own spiritual journey, which taught him how to blend quantum physics with neuroscience, epigenetics, and biogeochemistry to heal. Now Jacob is finishing his last semester of an MBA program, where he is being recruited by some of the top venture capital, investment banking, and consulting firms in the world. At age 40, Jacob is healthy, vibrant, and on a mission to share what he has learned.

"Where our mind goes, energy flows."

In this episode, you'll hear: 

• What a moral injury is and how to overcome it

Follow the podcast: 

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

Connect with the guest:

• David Leicken, MD

Resources:

• PBS article on Dirty Wars

Connect with Mathew Blades: 

• Twitter - twitter.com/MathewBlades

Additional Credits:

• LFPWLI is managed by Sam Robertson

LFPWLI: Breaking the Cycle: Solving the Rising Mental Health Crisis Among Young People with Zahraa Alfatlawi, Founder of ZenDen

In this episode, you'll hear: 

• Why Zahraa was inspired to start the ZenDen and what the group looks like today

In this episode, Mathew and Zahraa discuss generational cycles, the things that are stressing kids out the most, how she thinks the education system can do a better job teaching kids, and what she is doing to help solve the problems she sees around her. Zahraa is a high-performing student herself who connects with the pressure put on young people by their parents, school, and themselves, which increases stress and can lead to burnout. She is a big believer in strong community structures that help improve both mental and physical health because they are so closely related, and she knows that a student-to-student connection is inherently different from an adult-to-student connection. She also felt like there was no real outlet for her to express her anxieties, find connections, or get resources, which is why she founded ZenDen. She runs meetings for her group every Wednesday, where she strives to create a relaxed environment for students to focus on their commonalities. By discussing the highs and lows of the week, she is fostering a community that helps kids feel more connected and less alone in their struggles.

Zahraa Alfatlawi is a senior at Central High School in the Phenix Union School District. She founded ZenDen as a sophomore when her class returned to school after the pandemic, and she felt like she had to do something about the rising mental health crisis she was seeing in her peers. As a first-generation Arab-American and the youngest of five children in a family that fled Iraq in 2005, Zahraa has witnessed firsthand the mental health struggles her family experienced when they were in survival mode. They had to focus on issues like where they would be living and how they would get food on the table, leaving little time or resources to take care of their mental and wellness needs. Zahraa can feel the energy of the mental health and wellness crisis among young people. She is interested in pursuing a career in healthcare and psychology to continue her work of breaking down barriers and stigmas that prevent people from talking about important things.

“The first step to change is addressing the problem.”

Follow the podcast: 

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

Resources:

• TeenLifeline.org

Connect with Mathew Blades: 

• Twitter - twitter.com/MathewBlades

Additional Credits:

• LFPWLI is managed by Sam Robertson

LFPWLI: The Long Goodbye of Alzheimer's + Jungian Art Practices with Brenda Man-Fletcher 

In this episode, Mathew, Dr. Dave, and Brenda discuss the psychology and the art process of Carl Jung, what it was like to be a caregiver to her mother, and how their last moments together changed their family. Brenda talks about being a caregiver alongside her father for her mother through several years of Alzheimer's Dementia. In 2008, her mother suffered a stroke and then passed away. She explains how the Jungian tools and techniques of exploring the psyche and dialoguing with the images and material prepared her for her mother's passing and to this day continue to help her to metabolize her grief. It was the process of painting and the further process of making art jewelry that sustained her and gave her something to focus on. Brenda opens up about her relationship with her mother when she was a child, how that relationship changed as she became her mother's caregiver, and how she helped her parents have a final sacred goodbye.

Brenda Man-Fletcher had been an artist when she was younger, but eventually, life got in the way with her moving out of state, getting married, and having her son. She started following the work of Carl Jung back in 2002, but during the pandemic, she finally had time to learn more about it through reading and online courses. One course focused on Jungian psychology and artistic practice, which got her back into art and led her to start an art business called Manscribe Media.

In this episode, you'll hear: 

• The first things Brenda noticed about her mother that made her realize something was off before the diagnosis

Follow the podcast: 

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

Connect with the guest:

• Dr. Frank Bevacqua

Resources:

• David Leicken, MD

Connect with the Guest:

• Manscribe Media Website

Connect with Mathew Blades: 

• Twitter - twitter.com/MathewBlades

Additional Credits:

• LFPWLI is managed by Sam Robertson

The following episode was recorded in the Durango Detention Center in front of 16 juveniles with the hope that our words impact them and their lives moving forward. 

Cordero tells Mathew his story is not just the story of a boy from the hood, and it’s not just a prison story. But rather, it's a story about the transformative power of education, battling impostor syndrome, being courageous, and the importance of community.

He talks about the nuances between gangs and communities and the ways they are interlocked as well. Cordero opens up about the feelings of fear he felt about going to prison, what he thought it meant to be a man, the pressures he felt to live up to that standard, and how being in prison allowed him to see the human in all.

He emphasizes the impact of the information gap, how he battles imposter syndrome, and closes on what he would tell his younger self now if he had the chance.

Cordero Holmes represents possibility and growth through exposure, self-reflection, and the belief that one can cause change.

Cordero is now a junior majoring in public service and public policy and was recently awarded the 2022 Martin Luther King Jr. "Living the Dream Award" by the city of Phoenix. He says the life he is living now is bigger than he ever dreamed possible. He is on a mission to meet the responsibility he feels to improve his community and has ambitions of running for office.

"Don't lose faith and don't give up. Even when you feel like there is no hope, it is never hopeless.”

In this episode, you'll hear: 

• What Coredo's childhood was like and how he ended up in prison

Follow the podcast: 

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

Connect with Mathew Blades: 

• Twitter - twitter.com/MathewBlades

 Additional Credits:

• LFPWLI is managed by Sam Robertson

LFPWLI: Creating Your Own Meaning in Life with Jeff Wenzler

What you'll hear: 

• The story of Jeff being stabbed in Jamaica

In this episode, Mathew, Dr. Dave, and Jeff discuss loss, being a poor receiver but an excellent giver, and the benefits of seeking treatment. Jeff opens up about his brother dying in his arms and the huge meaning a little piece of sweatshirt can have. He tells us about his experience with silent retreats and AA meetings, and how he learned the importance of using a sponsor.

Jeff Wenzler is a motivational speaker, author, mentor, founder, executive producer, and humanitarian. For over a decade he has taught countless people and served communities both in the US and internationally. Jeff is on a mission to help others and develop a new perspective of the world.

Follow the podcast: 

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

Connect with the guest:

• JeffWenzler.com

Connect with Mathew Blades: 

• Twitter - twitter.com/MathewBlades

 Additional Credits:

• LFPWLI is managed by Sam Robertson

LFPWLI: Kimberly Koland, Widowed by Suicide and Working to Normalize Grief 

TW: Suicide 

In this episode, Mathew, Dr. Frank, and Kimberly discuss her story of hope and getting to the other side of trying times. They talk about the importance of normalizing grief and breaking the stigma of suicide by shining light into the darkness.

Kimberly Koland is a teacher, a mother, and a Suicide Widow living in Minneapolis. She married her husband Brian on May 31st,  2020  and he died by suicide on October 10th, 2020. Kimberly opens up about the time between those two dates, why it was “full of whiplash & grace”, and where she is today. 

“Hope isn’t an endangered species.”

In this episode, you'll hear: 

• How and why Anger and Compassion live in the same space

Follow the podcast: 

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

Connect with the guest:

• Dr. Frank Bevacqua

Resources

• CBS News: Family shares painful, personal story to help others struggling with mental health

Connect with Mathew Blades: 

• Twitter - twitter.com/MathewBlades

 Additional Credits:

• LFPWLI is managed by Sam Robertson

LFPWLI: Jill Reid on Emotional Resilience - Navigating Death in the Family and Dealing with Divorce

In this episode, Mathew, Dr. Frank, and Jill discuss divorce, the role of grief, and how her religious upbringing impacts her as an adult. When Jill was 22 her sister fell victim to suicide. Then, two years ago Jill's mother passed away, and just recently, her father was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. Jill has had to fight through hard times her whole life. She is here to share her journey and what she has learned to help us all to feel a little less alone.

Jill Reid is a name you may recognize from a past episode released in October 2022. In her first episode, Jill was accompanying her daughter Elsa as she told her story. Now, Jill is back to tell her story. 

"A clean kitchen isn't going to solve your problems." 

In this episode, you'll hear: 

• What makes “I'll be happy when…” a dangerous thought

Follow the podcast: 

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

Connect with the guest:

• Dr. Frank Bevacqua

Resources:

• LFWPLI: Elsa and Jill, breaking stigmas and finding your own ways to heal

Connect with Mathew Blades: 

• Twitter - twitter.com/MathewBlades

Additional Credits

• LFPWLI is managed by Sam Robertson

LFPWLI: Life Coach Juna Mustad - Unpacking the Myths About Anger and Its Role in Our Lives

In this episode, Mathew and Juna discuss the stigmas around anger and why it is not always destructive but can be constructive too. Juna explains why a life without anger is a life without boundaries or a sense of self and why we often feel anger towards anger itself. By helping people understand what the “amygdala hijack” is, Juna is helping people change the way they think about and express anger.

Juna Mustad is a life and relationship coach, an Intuitive, Somatic Practitioner, a lover of emotional intelligence, an author, and a proponent of mindfulness. She also used to be an anger-stuffer until one spotlight moment showed her what was really going on in her life, and she couldn't avoid her anger any longer. While she is still on her own journey, she uses what she has learned to empower others to reevaluate their relationship with anger and learn it truly is their ally.

In this episode, you'll hear: 

• Physical effects of anger 

Follow the podcast: 

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

Connect with the guest:

• JunaMustad.com 

Resources: 

• Anger Is Your Ally: A Mindful Approach to Anger | Juna Mustad Ted Talk

Connect with Mathew Blades: 

• Twitter - twitter.com/MathewBlades

Relationship Expert Dr. Elizabeth Fedrick: The age of “Good Enough” parenting and what you do when you mess up

In this episode, Mathew and Dr. Fedrick discuss Relational Programming, what you do when you mess up as a parent, and constructive ways to “call each other out”. They also dive into how to use “The 3 W’s” framework in a practical way: What’s going on? Where is it coming from? What do I need?  Dr. Fedrick also goes through the difference between Walls and Boundaries and gives tips and tools to deal with both. 

Dr. Elizabeth Fedrick is a therapist, relationship expert, and founder of Evolve Counseling. She works with adults, teens, and children who are struggling with depression, anxiety, trauma, relationships, grief, loss, life transitions, and personal improvement. At her practice, she specializes in working with families, couples, & parent-child relationships to improve communication and overall relational functioning.

In this episode, you'll hear: 

• What “Good Enough” parenting is

Follow the podcast: 

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

Connect with the guest:

• Dr. Elizabeth Fedrick on Instagram

Resources: 

• Evolve Counseling on Instagram

Connect with Mathew Blades: 

• Twitter - twitter.com/MathewBlades