Meet Mediocrity

My conversation with LeAnn Smith: What is Vibrant Life Source all about?  LeAnn Smith is the founder and Chief Vibrancy Officer of Vibrant Life Source - a health and wellness coaching approach that brings a combination of physical wellness, mental wellness and nutritional wellness to her clients.  

LeAnn left corporate America, her salary, her benefits and her paid vacation to pursue her dream, creating a company that provides a full range of wellness related services to her clients.  And, of course, her journey was not linear and it is not over - not by a long shot.  

LeAnn brings a combination of fitness, yoga, meditation and nutritional knowledge, but she is also incredibly positive, creative and inspirational.  Her advice and approach is practical and relatable.  

Check out LeAnn on multiple platforms.  Like me, you'll find her to be someone you want to spend time with, get to know better and learn from!

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Website: www.vibrantlifesource.com

Email: [email protected]

Facebook: @vibrantlifesource

Instagram: @vibrantlifesourcellc

YouTube Channel: @vibrantlifesource

My conversation with Kim Ades: Kim is the founder and president of Frame of Mind Coaching, a leadership coaching firm serving clients across the world.  Kim is a self-proclaimed "serial entrepreneur" who brings her unique and relatable style to leaders and achievers who need help reaching their goals. 

According to Kim, she doesn't care what the goal is, it can be any goal.  Her focus is on the mindset, behaviors and activities that are preventing her clients from achieving their goals.  Kim has created her own unique coaching approach that leverages client journaling and on-line journal interaction between client and coach.

You can find all about Kim Ades and Frame of Mind Coaching on:

My conversation with yours truly (ME): I recently read "The Book of Joy", by Douglas Abrams, a nonfiction New York Times bestseller in 2016.  This book chronicles a one week visit between the Dalai Lama and the Archbishop Desmond Tutu - both of whom won the Nobel Peace Price in the 1980s.  

During this one week visit, these two spiritual and insightful men explore how we human-beings can find lasting happiness.  I recently found myself asking friends, mentors and myself whether why we (and I) weren't more happy.  Even given the current global pandemic, I felt like I had a lot to be grateful for and a lot of reasons to be happier than I felt inside.  This book, with a little help from some conversations I had with some insightful friends, gave me some perspective and some useful hints.

We can find some simple guidance in the biblical verse, "love your neighbor as yourself".  Truly loving ourselves is a simple concept with many layers of complex depth.  But, if we can find that love for ourselves, and then apply that love, that empathy, that understanding of our neighbors, we would all find much more joy... and the world would be a much better place.

I listened carefully to President Biden's inauguration speech where he implored all Americans, and indeed all human beings to see each other with compassion.  To walk in each others' shoes.  This is the same concept.  

I found "The Book of Joy" to be an uplifting and thought provoking book and an easy read in trying times.  I know that I have found a little more joy in my heart since reading it and applying its concepts. 

My conversation with Kelly Czerpak: Kelly's business BodyTalk Health Coaching first caught my attention on Instagram.  Her positive messages struck me as much more than just "catchy positivity".  Her insights are practical and insightful.  And, when I reached out to Kelly, I was impressed by her holistic approach to wellness.  

Kelly was an active, multi-sport athlete.  She pushed herself hard and she had success.  She also felt it.   Despite being young and "in shape", Kelly felt her body breaking down.  Aches, pains and injuries became constant and Kelly became attuned to the fact that we only have one body to live in and we need to take great care of it.  That is where Kelly's journey began.

Since then, Kelly has done deep exploration - reading, meditating, experimenting, learning and ultimately becoming a certified health coach.  Her one-on-one coaching style is thoughtful and collaborative.  Learn more about Kelly on Instagram and in her Instagram bio at BodyTalk Heath Coaching or @healthcoach_Kelly.  You can also read her holistic mind-body wellness write-ups on SubStack.

My conversation with Barbara Schuckman (MY MOTHER!): This episode marks the season finale of the Meet Mediocrity podcast, season 2.  It also marks the 50th episode in total.  Such a special milestone episode warrants a very special guest - my mother, Barbara Schuckman.

Mom's story is really inspirational.  To me, her son, she inspires me in many ways.  However, the story we chose to focus on is Mom's lifelong love of art.  Mom was an artist before she even knew it.  As a little girl her teachers, friends and parents were all amazed a her artistic abilities.  However, Mom grew up at a time when is was incredibly rare for a young woman to be encouraged to pursue her passion and become an artist.  Fortunately, as my mother dealt with the distractions that life threw at her (including having me!), she never lost sight of her love for art and she included artistic activities in many aspects of her life.

Then, 43 years ago, she started her business, Miniatures By Barb.  This business, which continues to thrive, features miniatures for collectible dollhouses.  Every single piece is designed, created and made by my mother!  And, since dollhouse collecting and decorating is a perfect "stay-at-home" activity, it is undergoing an amazing renaissance during COVID.

To learn more about Barbara Schuckman and Miniatures by Barb, visit her website - https://miniatures-by-barb.com/shop/

My conversation with Constance Korol:  Constance has had a major impact on my life.  She introduced me to triathlon, she coached me for two years as I went from my first “sprint-length” triathlon to my first “half Ironman” triathlon.  She introduced me to Bikram hot yoga,  She introduced me to Reiki.  The truth is, Constance opened up my way of thinking - really allowing me to embrace a more holistic view of myself and of life.

Constance has been on quite a life journey herself.  In our conversation she describes childhood experiences that helped shape her life.  She tell us about how she became a two time Ironman triathlete - that’s 140.6 miles IN ONE DAY!  She shares her evolution from runner, to triathlete, to Ironman, to yoga instructor and to becoming a Reiki master... and so much more!  It is Constance’s holistic approach to life that makes her and her company, Meta 180, well suited to provide insights as to how we can learn from the challenges of 2020 and open ourselves up for the opportunities that 2021 can bring.

As Constance says, “Start 2021 by earning a PhD in YOU”

Constance can be found at:

Her website: www.meta180.com

Her Instagram: @metaoneeighty

Her Facebook: @meta180

My conversation with Matt Simpson: Matt and his wife Jess went on a big adventure.  It was their first significant vacation abroad.  They visited Thailand.  What happened there can only be described as a life changing adventure.  And, that adventure triggered a strong desire for more travel.  In fact, Matt and Jess wanted all travel, all the time.  

So, they made a plan... and the plan was a decade in the making.  But Matt and Jess achieved their goal and they are traveling the world - living their dream.  They have great stories and there are great life lessons to be learned about living the life you want to live.

Matt and Jess appeared recently on the very popular HGTV series House Hunters International.  You can learn more about Matt and Jess and their adventures on Jess's website - www.lighttraveling.org

You can also follow Matt's cycling exploits on his website - www.cycletrentino.com

You can also catch their House Hunters International episode on reruns.  It is not yet on the HGTV website, but it is Season 155, Episode 1 of that TV series!

My conversation with Selena Velez-Iaquinta: There are countless diet plans, fitness plans, wellness approaches out there.  What's the best plan for you?  According to Selena, it starts with a close look at your DNA.

Selena Velez-Iaquinta is a certified genetics-based program designer.  The process she follows starts with a cheek swab and laboratory testing.  Not to find your long lost relatives, but to determine how you and your genetic make-up best interact with nutrition, fitness, cardio-vascular training and so much more.  Everyone's DNA is unique to them.  Everyone is different.  Based on your genetic lab results, Selena creates a plan that is customized for you - and more importantly, she coaches and teaches you along the way to make your customized plan part of your life - forever.

And, Selena's challenge to us... try her plan out for 2 weeks.  You will feel such a difference in yourself, your cognition, your energy, your sleep patterns and your overall wellness that you will never want to stop.

Selena can be contacted at:

My conversation with me (again): I decided to issue my "being thankful and grateful" episode after Thanksgiving in order to avoid the glut of other thankful posts coming out just prior to Thanksgiving.  I also gave my priority to spending time with my lovely wife, Magnificent Meredith, and my four sons!  Now that Thanksgiving is past us, time to get back to releasing podcasts!

In this episode, I go through my personal DIET / FITNESS / MINDSET report card for 2020.  Given the incredibly challenging circumstances we have all faced in 2020, I am quite happy with my self-assessment.  I also take a look at building on 2020 as we approach year end and spring into 2021.