HOW TO LIFE - Adulting for the 21st Century

ST#005 -  Snuggle up, it's STORY TIME!

In this episode, I am readingThe Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister.

This is the story of a very beautiful, but very proud fish who learns that sharing his prized possessions and seeing how much happiness it brings others is better than keeping them to himself.

This was a favorite of all four of my children. It still holds up!

There is a video version on my YouTube channel as well, so head over there to see the pictures as I read the story.

howtolife.com/rainbow

Thanks for listening! Click my LinkTree to find me everywhere!

#35- This show marks the 35th episode of the How To Life podcast and the last show of 2020. 

At the beginning of the year, I had no idea that my world would be thrown into turmoil. None of us knew that the world as we knew it would be thrown into turmoil. It was definitely a sink or swim year for most people. 

But, here is the good news: We got through the year. We did it! 

And now being at the end, we can look back and see the silver lining of what we thought was just the worst year ever!

Honestly, it has taken me a little while to build some confidence and knowledge about putting out content for How To Life.

Fear slowed me down. As did all the excuses I came up with to not move faster. Job, personal life, kids, more focused on being a pickleball pro, not enough time, not enough knowledge, not enough experience in this area. 

Then came 2020 and suddenly all of my excuses were not there anymore! Circumstances had changed, job was gone, pickleball tournaments were canceled, everything was shut down, and I found myself with A LOT of time on my hands. 

As many of you were in the same boat, you know that losing everything is super stressful, so to distract from the discomfort, I poured myself into learning as much as I could about how to create, produce, market, and be a positive presence in this online world that I knew nothing about! 

Looking back now, I see how 2020 was actually a Golden Ticket. The timing was perfect. The access to information, people, tools, time that were needed to build my brand is nothing short of miraculous.

As for this podcast? Not even on the radar at the beginning of this year. But one night, I went to dinner at my friend’s house and had a conversation with a young woman there who in the middle of our discussion about a problem she was worried about suddenly stopped and said, “you should start a podcast”. 

Which got me thinking. 

I looked up how to do that, which led to me finding Pat Flynn from Smart Passive Income who had a complete tutorial on how to start a podcast. He got me up and running. I built a website, I found help everywhere I needed it. But I felt alone because no one I knew could relate to what I was doing. 

Then Pat created an entrepreneurial community. I applied and got accepted! 

Finally! A tribe that I could talk to and share with. Who understood and generously offered help, advice, guidance, and so much support and encouragement.

And because of all of this which occurred in 2020, I have become braver, more confident, and more fearless than ever before.

I mean, I still have fears. But they are not so paralyzing anymore. 

I bless 2020 for providing me an opportunity to bloom and grow exponentially. 

So I would like to dedicate this show to everyone who played a role in getting me to where I am right now. 

And I want to give a big shout out to Pat Flynn and the SPI Pro team for all they do. 

And most importantly, I want to personally thank the wonderful people -THE COACHES- who generously and graciously offered their time and knowledge to help me help you, my audience, learn how to handle stuff and situations in the adult world more easily than we did. They get it! It can be scary being out there with little or no information or experience. 

So, here is my year in review. A 45-second highlight of each episode There is such good information in each podcast. And this was just the first year!

Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you THE COACHES of the How To Life Podcast Freshman Class of 2020.

Show notes can be found at howtolife.com/035

Thanks for listening! Click my LinkTree to find me everywhere!

#34 - Today I am speaking with Brooke Shoenmann,  the founder of HerPacking List.com which is a packing website. 

That’s right, a packing website with packing lists, articles, gear reviews, ideas, support, masterclasses, and so much more all designed to help you minimize your baggage and maximize your travel experience.

How clever is it to start a packing website?? What a great way to serve the needs of this very real and specific pain point. 

If you are a chronic over-packer, stressed about packing, getting tired of always lugging around too much stuff, and you want to pack lighter but have no idea how to start, then you are really going to enjoy this show.

Find out more about Brooke and herpackinglist.com in the show notes at:

howtolife.com/034

Thanks for listening! Click my LinkTree to find me everywhere!

#33 - Today I am interviewing Ray Blakney, who has a language school called Live Lingua and also hosts a podcast of the same name. He is fluent in several languages and has traveled extensively his entire life. 

We are going to talk about how great traveling is! Who misses it? I do! I can’t wait to get back out there! 

I love traveling and I have no fear about it. 

But there are some who are a little wary, and Ray is here to talk you down. He is going to address all the reasons someone might give to not travel, give you a counterpoint about those myths, and I think in the end it will encourage you to give it a second thought.

He is going to dispel fear, offer some great tips to get great fares and rooms, and really inspire you to get the education that only world travel can give you.

I hope that at the end of this podcast you will be feeling like, yeah, this sounds so fun and I am glad that there really is NOTHING to worry about.

So, all aboard, put your seat-backs and trays in their upright, locked position, and let’s go!

Shownotes for this episode can be found at:

howtolife.com/033

Thanks for listening! Click my LinkTree to find me everywhere!

#32 - Today we are talking about games-based learning with NYU administrator and professor, Dr. Dave Eng, who is also a prolific writer and the host of the podcast Experience Points.

In addition to talking about all his extensive accomplishments in this field, he also discusses how games mirror “real” life and how we can incorporate the ideas and rules that we accept when playing a game, and use those same principles in our own lives. 

When you look at it this way, it is really quite empowering and fun!

I really liked the concept of game-based learning and the parallels of games, player agency, and our own lives.

There is also the concept of chunking-down tasks in order to complete them and not be overwhelmed. That is a recurring theme through several of my podcasts and mentioned by several other guests.

So, let's play!

Show notes for this episode can be found at:

howtolife.com/032

Thanks for listening! Click my LinkTree to find me everywhere!

ST#004 -  The first of the month means... STORY TIME!

You're Snug with Me by Chitra Soundar and Poonam Mistry is the story of a mama bear teaching her two young cubs about the world they live in.

It is also a story about the world we live in and how precious it is.

This book features gorgeous pictures! I so wanted you to be able to see them!

So I decided to feature this story on my YouTube channel as well. You will hear me read the story and you will be able to enjoy the artwork.

It is a win - win for everyone! Check out the visual version:

howtolife.com/snug

Thanks for listening! Click my LinkTree to find me everywhere!

#31 -  Today’s topic may be completely outside the box for some when it comes to how you approach the topic of food and its effect on your body and your mindset about it. 

My guest is  David Orozco, the Host of the ONE SMALL BITE podcast. He is a registered dietician and nutritionist who describes himself as an anti-diet food therapist.

Anti-diet. How does that sound to you? Intriguing? 

He and I are going to discuss some different ways to think about food and eating.

For instance, have you ever considered food as medicine?

Are you familiar with the term intuitive eating?

Most people understand that food can be very social but have you ever acknowledged the emotional component of it?

Many have a love-hate relationship with food, but in this talk, we are going to introduce you to the concept of compassion-driven eating.

Food is your friend. Your body is your friend. And when you get your head on board with this, things change! 

Enjoy this conversation as David dispels some fear and misconceptions about food.

Show notes for this episode can be found at:

howtolife.com/031

Thanks for listening! Click my LinkTree to find me everywhere!

#30 - If you chose to listen to this episode, the title may have grabbed your attention. For me, I like the NO FEAR part. I am a big fan of dispelling fear and we have fears about all kinds of stuff.

I used to be really afraid of appliances breaking down. I was always suspicious and afraid that it was going to be a huge expense, and then there was I didn’t know who to call.

But over the years I have learned a thing or two, mostly by trial and error, and I am happy to report that many times, whatever your problem is, you can often fix it yourself or it can be fixed pretty easily and not so costly.

But it was stressful for me being in the dark about that.

I wish, WISH I had a handful of information like what you are about to hear from Chad Phillipp. Chad has been an appliance technician for many years as well as an instructor at Fred’s Appliance Academy, which is a school that turns out skilled appliance techs for major companies and manufacturers as well as local companies.

By the way, this is a field that is not so dense at the moment so there is a tremendous opportunity for employment.

Like the last episode, if you are at a ‘what am I going to do with my life” point, here is another option and some attractive benefits that you might consider. This can definitely be a solid path.

Chad will expound more on that at the end of the show, but first We are going to play a little game I made up on the spot called “name that problem”. I will give Chad an appliance issue and he will give us a diagnosis and how to fix it. It's fun. You’ll like it. And you will definitely learn a thing or two.

I had so much fun in this interview. I hope you enjoy it too!

Show notes can be found at:

howtolife.com/030

Thanks for listening! Click my LinkTree to find me everywhere!

#29 - The goal of the How To Life podcast is to help dispel and diminish fears that we all encounter in life. 

And one of the big fears - it certainly was for me my senior year of college- is WHAT AM I GOING TO DO WITH MY LIFE? 

If you are facing this question, I understand the anxiety that often surrounds it. And I would like to offer some potential ideas. I haven’t done this on my show yet, but I want to present some options and the many benefits they could offer you. 

Today you are going to hear an interview I did with Major Scott McCarthy of the Canadian Armed Forces. He is going to share the story of his career in the military that sparked as a member of a youth program called the Royal Canadian Army cadet corps, which then inspired him to enter the Royal Military College of Canada, which in turn has provided him with a very solid, stable, and beneficial career. 

There are many benefits of a military career, and one of the most valuable for Scott has been the leadership skills that he has acquired. 

He constantly uses those skills as a still-active member of the military, but he has also been able to help others learn how to lead and be more effective leaders with the business he has created called Moving Forward Leadership. 

He has a podcast of the same name that features some very impressive and notable guests talking all about leadership. He also offers programs, coaching, and mentorship to help you learn these skills and be a more effective leader whether it is in big business, small business, government, non-profit, or even as a parent. We all need leadership in our lives. 

It is a skill that can be developed and nurtured whether in the military or through private coaching or through life experience, and Scott can help you find your way.

Show notes can be found at:

howtolife.com/029

Thanks for listening! Click my LinkTree to find me everywhere!

#28 - Gratitude is one of the tenets of my philosophy in life. Discovering the power of gratitude has been life-changing for me and if I could impart only one piece of advice for anyone it would be that.

How did I get the founder of this remarkable app to be a guest on my show? Here is the backstory:

A few years ago, I was at, probably, the lowest point of my life and I didn’t know how to get myself out. In my search for meaning and peace, I came across the exercise of keeping a gratitude list. Something resonated with me and it felt manageable so I started keeping a journal and would try to write all the good things that happened to me that day at night.

What I found was that by the end of the day I would forget all the little things so I felt like nothing good was happening at all.

I then found an app called GRATITUDE: Journal and Reminders. It was simple and the interface was pretty and soothing, and most importantly it allowed me to jot down things that I was grateful for as soon as they occurred because it was on my phone.

Fast forward to today and things have improved tremendously. Actually, it is more accurate to say that I have improved tremendously. Not everything goes the way I want it. I experience pain and disappointment just like all people. But I am no longer rendered helpless and down for the count. I have learned to focus on the good and focus on what I CAN control which is me, my reaction, and my emotions.

So last month, I was writing in my Gratitude App and a notice appeared inviting me to take a 7-day gratitude challenge. Even though I write down what I am grateful for daily, I took the challenge because more gratitude isn’t going to hurt anyone, right?

At the end of the challenge, I received an email asking if I would get on a Zoom call with the creator of the app, Pritesh Sankhe, to give him my input and feedback about it.

Uh, yeah! I accepted!

And a week later, I was speaking to the man who has literally played a significant role in my personal journey. His app was the impetus, the turning point, that led me to where I am now.

My life philosophy and attitude have been shaped because of this incredible app. And now I am sharing that same message in my own way. 

Originally, Pritesh wanted to ask for my feedback on the app, but instead, I think I rambled on about what I just described to you. He didn’t get a word in edgewise! And then I asked him to be a guest on my show and he said yes! So here we are! 

You are about to hear from a truly humble, kind, and generous man about how he came to create the app called GRATITUDE and how one spark can ignite and transform millions!

Show notes for this episode can be found at:

howtolife.com/028

Thanks for listening! Click my LinkTree to find me everywhere!