Lessons To Learn Before You Die

What does it take to build a true sense of belonging in an increasingly individualized world? My good friend Sean, went from a shy first-generation Malaysian-American kid to expert community builder by being vulnerable and disciplined. Through his experiences in competitive gaming, CrossFit, and speed puzzling, he demonstrates how consistency and showing up are the foundations of developing meaningful connection.

In this episode we cover: 

• How growing up as a Malaysian-American in New Jersey presented cultural integration challenges
• Transitioning from childhood shyness to becoming a community connector through consistent participation
• Finding community through niche hobbies like fighting games, CrossFit, and competitive puzzling
• Overcoming the fear of putting yourself out there when you're new to a group or activity
• The importance of acknowledging others' existence with a simple hello
• Maintaining connections by reaching out to people when they cross your mind
• Three keys to building community: consistency, acknowledgement, and accessibility
• Balancing romantic relationships with maintaining friendships and community connections
• Creating spaces where people can bring their authentic selves

You're in for a good laugh with this one as our familiar banter is ever present. Hope you enjoy the ramblings of friends!

About the Guest:

Sean Hengchua is a 1st generation American from New Jersey who has found himself in the Pacific Northwest. He has developed a knack for connecting with people earnestly.

You can find him on social @Gbursine. 

Podcast Intro and Outro  Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/moire/new-life

Thanks for listening! Find me @lessonstolearnbeforeyoudie. And if you enjoy the podcast, I'd really appreciate sharing the love (share an episode or leave me a review!)

This week we dive into the transformative journey of parenthood with military spouse and mom of three Cali, exploring how she balances raising a toddler and identical twins while maintaining her personal identity and wellness.

We cover: 

• The unexpected shift from career woman to stay-at-home mom
• The challenge of maintaining personal identity while dedicating yourself to motherhood
• The importance of finding community with other moms through free resources like library programs
• Strategic ways to incorporate self-care into busy mom life, even with limited time and resources
• The critical role of direct communication and co-parenting dynamics
• Practical suggestions for friends and family who want to support new moms without overstepping
• The powerful perspective that taking care of yourself is essential to being present for your children

About the Guest: 

Cali Tolbert is a health and wellness professional and a Mom to a toddler and identical twins. Currently she teaches group fitness classes and stays at home with her children. Cali has her undergraduate in Kinesiology Exercise science and her Masters in Integrative Wellness. She holds certifications through ACSM, AFAA, and is a board certified health and wellness coach. 

@cali_wellness

Resources:

• https://postpartum.net/
• Local Libraries
• Mom Support Groups on FB
• Postpartum yoga classes

Podcast Intro and Outro  Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/moire/new-life

Thanks for listening! Find me @lessonstolearnbeforeyoudie. And if you enjoy the podcast, I'd really appreciate sharing the love (share an episode or leave me a review!)

What happens when the future you've always imagined suddenly becomes impossible? Elin, who'd always pictured herself becoming a mom, experienced a miscarriage and later discovered her fertility level was practically zero after attempting to freeze her eggs, effectively closing the door on biological motherhood. 

The grief shook her identity to the core, but eventually the loss opened unexpected doors to a fulfilling life that looks nothing like she originally planned.

In this episode we talk through: 

• navigating the grief of a miscarriage
• discovering motherhood in nontraditional forms
• building empathy, compassion, and community
• finding joy in unexpected paths in life

About the Guest: 

Elin Michel-Midelfort is from Minneapolis, Minnesota and a recent transplant to Portland, Oregon. As the oldest of four kids with a working mom, Elin grew up taking care of children at an early age and believed her life was going to look very different than it has so far turned out. When Elin had a miscarriage at 27 and at 34 learned she had no fertility, her future and identity were turned upside down. Through a grieving and learning process she found a new way to look at herself and her life.  Elin currently works in investment real estate and has committed to apply this awareness to her daily life, and in adventures with her partner, Patricio, her dog Cas, and her three nephews.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]

Resource List:

• www.RESOLVE.ORG
• www.arcfertility.com

Podcast Intro and Outro  Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/moire/new-life

Thanks for listening! Find me @lessonstolearnbeforeyoudie. And if you enjoy the podcast, I'd really appreciate sharing the love (share an episode or leave me a review!)

High-achievers often reach burnout because they put too little focus on what truly fulfills them. In this episode, Brennan, a burnout prevention coach and Marine Corps veteran, shares his personal journey through burnout and how he lost everything before discovering a healthier path forward.

We cover the warning signs of burnout as well as practical advice to prevent burnout with tools like dynamic prioritization and energy audits. 

If you are worried you are existing rather than truly living, you'll gain real tips to evaluate your time and choices.

*Note* There are mentions of substance abuse and suicidal thoughts in this episode.

About the Guest: 

Brennan Hilleary is a burnout prevention coach, keynote speaker, and Marine Corps veteran. As the founder of Build Your Power LLC, he helps high-achieving business owners and professionals take back control of their time, energy, and success outside of work. Through practical tools and a values-first approach, Brennan empowers clients to prevent burnout and build lives they don’t feel the need to escape from.

Website: www.build-your-power.com

Newsletter: Build With Brennan

Free Training for Business Owners: Skool Community Link

Podcast Intro and Outro  Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/moire/new-life

Thanks for listening! Find me @lessonstolearnbeforeyoudie. And if you enjoy the podcast, I'd really appreciate sharing the love (share an episode or leave me a review!)

Season 2 kicks off with process-minded Greg Toler, who shares his personal frameworks and rules for life that he's developed through years of learning lessons the hard way.

Greg's insights offer practical wisdom applicable to both personal and professional settings. At the heart of this, the key is knowing your values and creating structure to support them. 

Listen to learn more about Greg's rules for life, from work-life presence to meeting people where they are but not leaving them there.

About the Guest:

Greg is the COO of Scrappy ABM and Co-founder of BoostIdeal. He’s been in marketing and operations for over 10 years, running in house and consulting with organizations ranging from startups to enterprise. He’s married and has two daughters, so when he’s not working he’s spending time with his family. 

Greg's LinkedIn

Podcast Intro and Outro  Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/moire/new-life

Thanks for listening! Find me @lessonstolearnbeforeyoudie. And if you enjoy the podcast, I'd really appreciate sharing the love (share an episode or leave me a review!)

From a young age, Marshall was taught that it's better to have something and not need it, than need it and not have it. On this week's episode we talk being prepared—both physically and mentally—and how preparation builds confidence. 

With fun tangents exploring parenting, stoicism, critical thinking, going with the flow, and having the room to fail, this episode will keep you entertained and awaken your philosophical side. 

About the Guest: 
Marshall McClung is a recovering higher ed enrollment manager who now works in higher education marketing focusing on recruiting graduate and adult learners. In his spare time he writes music under the name Millworker. He has an adorable 5 month old boy who takes up the other hours and minutes of his days . 

You can find him @millworkermusic on Instagram, Spotify, YouTube, etc.

Podcast Intro and Outro  Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/moire/new-life

Thanks for listening! Find me @lessonstolearnbeforeyoudie. And if you enjoy the podcast, I'd really appreciate sharing the love (share an episode or leave me a review!)

After years of dealing with substance abuse issues, Emily found herself in a dark place and ultimately facing a prison sentence. With the help of recovery resources and programs, a new hobby, a new community, and a lot of hard work, Emily now is over 6 years into her recovery journey. In this episode we talk about how she ended up on the streets, what her recovery process looked like, and where she finds joy.

About the Guest:

Emily Fox is a 42 year old grandma who is into weightlifting, tattoos, food, travel,  and is over 6 years in recovery from a monstrous meth addiction. With 2 teenagers at home, she likes to be silly and to find the reason to laugh in most situations. She has a bulldog, a cat, and an amazing partner as well.

Resources Mentioned:

Central City Concern

The Recovery Gym

Podcast Intro and Outro  Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/moire/new-life

Thanks for listening! Find me @lessonstolearnbeforeyoudie. And if you enjoy the podcast, I'd really appreciate sharing the love (share an episode or leave me a review!)

After suddenly and necessarily leaving a job she loved, Maggie McClure faced a future without an income. Trusting her instincts and her skills as an operational process genius, she forged a path forward to create her own company, Fractional Magic. In this episode we talk the feelings that come with leaving a job, how to decide what's next, and the steps to opening your own LLC. 

About the Guest: 

Maggie McClure is a woman who can out-processize the pants off any problem while cracking jokes that'll make you snort-laugh. This self-proclaimed "most capable class clown you'll ever meet" found herself in a bit of a pickle when she suddenly bid adieu to her cushy job (for reasons that any humane person would totally understand).

With two hungry boys at home and the weight of being the family breadwinner on her shoulders, Maggie had approximately 72 hours to pull a rabbit out of her hat. Spoiler alert: She didn't just pull out a rabbit; she conjured up an entire business faster than you can say "trauma-induced diet plan."

Drawing on her knack for turning chaos into clockwork, Maggie launched Fractional Magic, offering fractional operations management that's part science, part sorcery. Maggie's superpower? Creating connections between workflows, documenting clear processes, and making her clients' lives easier than a Sunday morning.

Maggie proves that with the right mindset (and a healthy dose of humor), the only way is #upwardalways.

https://www.fractionalmagic.com/

Resources Mentioned:

Ikigai, The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life
Ikigai Test

Podcast Intro and Outro  Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/moire/new-life

Thanks for listening! Find me @lessonstolearnbeforeyoudie. And if you enjoy the podcast, I'd really appreciate sharing the love (share an episode or leave me a review!)

Dating coach Erica Laws talks about why we all deserve love, what a deserving love looks like, and why finding love starts from within. She includes several practical tips to use in your dating journey.

About the Guest: 
Erica Laws is a Dating and Relationship Coach and founder of Laws of Attraction, a global dating consultancy. She is originally from Virginia, but moved to the UK in 2013 and has called it home ever since. She is passionate about helping people find (and keep) love and believes having the tools to cultivate and nurture healthy relationships in our lives is one of the most important skills we can have. 

You can find Erica on Instagram @lawsofattractiondating and at lawsofattractionlondon.co.uk.

Podcast Intro and Outro  Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/moire/new-life

Thanks for listening! Find me @lessonstolearnbeforeyoudie. And if you enjoy the podcast, I'd really appreciate sharing the love (share an episode or leave me a review!)

Conflict can be difficult, but it shouldn't be avoided. Sue Carter talks about how taking accountability, and saying sorry, can help build trust in relationships.

Resources Mentioned:
Radical Candor by Kim Scott

About the Guest:
Sue grew up in wartime Bosnia and at 17, after the war ended, immigrated to USA. She was placed in North Dakota and after earning her associates degree from ND State College of Science, she decided to attend Longwood University, where she got her bachelors and masters, both in sociology. Sue is a living example of the “immigrant hustle phenomenon"—having never worked just one job. Today she is an HR director at Hampden-Sydney College as well as an adjunct sociology professor at both Longwood and H-SC. She is an overachiever and a people pleaser, or maybe just cannot sit still. Besides working two jobs, Sue is also active in Rotary club and volunteers as an EMS/firefighter in training. She loves her husband, their dog, reading professional and personal development books, running, and yoga. And also traveling and learning about other societies and cultures.

Podcast Intro and Outro  Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/moire/new-life

Thanks for listening! Find me @lessonstolearnbeforeyoudie. And if you enjoy the podcast, I'd really appreciate sharing the love (share an episode or leave me a review!)