What if becoming a better leader started with learning how to better manage your own internal state?

In this episode of Mpowered Living, Ann Sheu sits down with breathwork and meditation teacher Shalin Desai to explore how greater awareness and simple breathing practices can help high performers manage stress and stay more present in the moments that matter.

Drawing from his experience teaching leaders and organizations around the country, Shalin shares why calm and resilience can coexist with high performance—and why learning to lead yourself is an important part of effectively leading others.

In this episode, they discuss:

• How breathwork can help interrupt automatic reactions and create space before responding
• Why resilience doesn’t mean continually pushing through until you burn out
• How your internal state affects the way you lead at work and show up at home
• What it actually means to be present with the people around you
• Simple ways to begin building a consistent meditation or breathwork practice

Shalin also guides Ann through a breathwork exercise, giving listeners an opportunity to experience the practice alongside them.

Whether you’re leading a team, raising a family, or simply trying to quiet the constant mental noise, this conversation offers a practical look at how slowing down and reconnecting with your breath can help you become more present in the life you’re already living.

Connect with Shalin Desai

Website: https://www.artofliving.org/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-art-of-living/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shalindesai/

Download Sattva Meditations and Mantra: https://www.sattva.life/

For high performers, slowing down can feel counterproductive. When your success has been built on drive, stillness may feel like the last thing that will help you perform at your best.

In this episode of Mpowered Living, Ann Sheu sits down with former Navy SEAL Commander and mindfulness teacher Jon Macaskill to explore why the opposite may be true. Jon shares how his own struggles with anxiety, survivor’s guilt, and stress eventually led him to mindfulness, and why he now sees stillness as a tool for greater performance.

In this episode, they discuss:

• Why mindfulness actually sharpens your edge
• How small practices like breathwork can help shift you from reacting to intentionally responding
• Why the energy you bring into a room affects your team and family
• How slowing down can improve productivity and decision-making
• Why awareness is the first step toward changing the way you show up at work and at home

If you ever worry that creating more space will make you less productive, this conversation offers a different perspective: sometimes slowing down is exactly what allows you to perform—and live—at your best.

Connect with Jon Macaskill

Website: https://jonmacaskill.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonmacaskill/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@mentalkingmindfulness

Every day, we're faced with moments that may test our patience. The question isn't whether those moments will come, but how we'll respond when they do.

In this episode of Mpowered Living, Ann Sheu sits down with mindset expert, author, and speaker Chris Harris to explore what he calls the most important space we can learn to master: the space between a stimulus and our response. Together, they discuss how our reactions are shaped by fear, ego, identity, and past experiences, and how greater awareness can help us create lasting personal change.

In this episode, they discuss:

• Why lasting transformation begins with becoming aware of your automatic reactions
• The difference between reacting and responding, and practical ways to strengthen that space by interrupting autopilot thinking
• Why gratitude and intentional reflection can change the trajectory of your life
• Simple practices for building healthier relationships through deeper listening and understanding

Whether you're leading a team, raising a family, or simply trying to become the best version of yourself, this conversation offers practical wisdom for responding to life with greater intention instead of simply reacting to it.

Connect with Chris Harris

Website: https://chrisharrisllc.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-warrior-maker/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewarriormaker/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chrisharrisllc

On Mpowered Living, we often talk about living life by design. But what's the point of building a meaningful life if you don't have the health and energy to enjoy it?

In this special episode, Ann Sheu sits down with Dr. Andrew Oteo and Dr. Brian Rich for a practical conversation about longevity and the evolving world of regenerative medicine. Together, they explore why so many high performers struggle with fatigue, inflammation, brain fog, and burnout—and why investing in your health is one of the most important investments you can make.

In this episode, they discuss:

• Why recovery is just as important as performance
• How stress, sleep, and cortisol shape your long-term health
• What peptides actually are and how they support healthy lifestyle habits
• How to evaluate providers and lab work with wisdom
• The future of longevity and regenerative medicine

Whether you're looking for more energy or simply want to understand today's evolving health landscape, this conversation will help you think differently about the health needed to enjoy the life you're building.

Connect with Dr. Andrew Oteo

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-oteo-10b81717/

Website: https://droteo.proadjuster360.com/contact/

Connect with Dr. Brian Rich

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bkrichmd/

Website: https://brianrichmd.com/

Every marriage has disagreements. The real difference is whether couples keep choosing each other through them.

In this special episode of Mpowered Living, Ann sits down with her husband, Sunny Sheu, for an honest conversation about the principles that have helped them build a strong marriage and raise a family all while working together as business partners for more than two decades. They share the conversations and habits that have strengthened their relationship through both ordinary seasons and the more difficult ones.

In this episode, they discuss:

• Why successful marriages learn how how to navigate conflict without building resentment
• How shared values, weekly check-ins, and a clear "North Star" help couples stay aligned through life's busiest seasons
• Why supporting each other's individual growth actually strengthens the relationship
• Practical ways to navigate hard conversations and recurring disagreements
• The mindset shifts that have shaped their marriage, parenting, and definition of success over the last twenty years

Whether you're newly married or decades into your relationship, this episode offers an honest look at what it takes to build a marriage that continues to grow over time.

Connect with Sunny Sheu

Website: https://www.mpoweredjourney.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunnysheu/

Many of us grow up believing that success comes down to talent—that some people are naturally gifted while others simply aren't. But what if that belief is the very thing keeping us from reaching our potential?

In this episode of Mpowered Living, Ann Sheu sits down with behavioral scientist, researcher, and former professional athlete Danny Southwick to unpack what decades of research actually say about talent and long-term performance.

Together, they explore why growth is driven less by innate ability than by deliberate practice and how we respond to setbacks.

In this episode, they discuss:

• Why the belief that talent is fixed can quietly limit your growth, and what research says actually predicts long-term success
• How confidence, motivation, and resilience are built through action, not innate ability
• Practical ways to foster a growth mindset in yourself, your children, and your team
• How to distinguish between healthy perseverance and holding on to the wrong goal
• Why asking better questions can transform the way you grow

Whether you're leading a team, raising children, or simply trying to grow into your own potential, this episode offers a practical, research-backed framework for challenging limiting beliefs and building a mindset that supports lifelong growth.

Connect with Danny Southwick

Website: https://dannysouthwick.com/about/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-southwick-593271a4/

In this episode of Mpowered Living, Ann Sheu sits down with former fighter pilot, entrepreneur, and Afterburner founder Christian "Boo" Boucousis to explore what leaders can learn from the mindset and decision-making practices of elite fighter pilots.

Drawing from his experience in the cockpit and in business, Boo shares why so many people stay stuck in reactive patterns, how perfectionism quietly undermines progress, and why sustainable growth comes from focusing on the next actionable step instead of trying to control everything.

In this episode, they discuss:

• Why intention without action creates frustration
• The difference between goals and destinations
• How fighter pilots train themselves to make better decisions under pressure
• Why perfectionism leads to overwhelm—and what to pursue instead
• The Plan, Brief, Execute, Debrief framework for continuous improvement
• How leaders can reduce distractions and focus on what matters most
• Practical ways to apply these principles at work, at home, and in everyday life

Whether you're leading a business, a team, or your family, this episode offers practical tools to help you move from reaction to intentional action.

Connect with Christian Boucousis

Website: https://www.afterburner.com/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-boo-boucousis/

AI Agent: https://ai.afterburner.com

In this episode of Mpowered Living, Ann Sheu sits down with executive coach, leadership expert, and Find Your Fierce author Teresa Sande to unpack one of the most common—but least talked about—challenges facing high achievers: imposter syndrome.

Together, they explore why self-doubt often appears after our greatest accomplishments, how perfectionism and overworking can quietly reinforce it, and what practical steps we can take to challenge the stories we tell ourselves.

In this episode, they discuss:

• Why imposter syndrome often shows up after success
• The difference between healthy growth discomfort and imposter syndrome
• How perfectionism and external validation keep self-doubt alive
• Teresa's simple but powerful question: "What if that's not true?"
• Practical ways to interrupt negative thought patterns
• How leaders can create environments where people feel safe to grow
• Why confidence is built through awareness, reflection, and consistent practice

Whether you're leading a team, growing your career, or simply trying to quiet your inner critic, this episode offers practical tools to help you build greater self-trust.

Connect with Teresa Sande

Website: https://www.teresasande.com/

Media Kit: Teresa Sande

MMS Offerings: Mirror Mirror Strategies and Offerings

Book: Find Your Fierce

Book Discount Code for our listeners: MPJ2026

In this episode of Mpowered Living, Ann Sheu welcomes back psychologist Dr. Carrie Johansson to explore a topic that affects all of us: our relationship with emotions.

Dr. Carrie explains why emotions are valuable sources of information, but why they aren't meant to dictate our actions. She shares practical strategies for recognizing when we're processing emotions versus simply marinating in them, and how shifting into a more thoughtful, action-oriented mindset can improve many parts of our lives – relationships, leadership, parenting, and overall well-being.

In this episode, they discuss:

• The difference between emotional processing and rumination
• How emotions show up in the body and what they're trying to tell us
• Why labeling emotions can reduce their intensity
• The "Three A's of Mental Fitness": Accept, Assess, and Act
• How to move from emotional reactivity to intentional action
• Practical ways to help children build emotional awareness and resilience
• Why asking "What's my next best move?" can be a powerful tool during difficult moments

This conversation is especially valuable for parents, leaders, and anyone who wants to respond to life's challenges with greater clarity, resilience, and intention.

Connect with Dr. Carrie Johansson

The Sensible Psychologist: https://thesensiblepsychologist.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thesensiblepsychologist/

In this episode of Mpowered Living, Ann Sheu sits down with entrepreneur, coach, and I Love Coaching founder Adam Roach to explore a question many high achievers eventually face:

What happens when success is no longer enough?

Drawing from his own journey through professional sports, business ownership, entrepreneurship, and personal loss, Adam shares how he learned to distinguish between pursuing success and pursuing significance.

• In this episode, they discuss:
• Why successful people often feel stuck despite achieving their goals
• The signs you've outgrown a season of life
• How to know when it's time to make a change
• Why isolation keeps people trapped in fear and self-doubt
• The value of building a personal board of advisors
• How identity shapes the decisions we make
• The difference between chasing success and creating significance
• What it means to build a legacy that extends beyond achievement

This conversation is especially valuable for entrepreneurs, leaders, and anyone navigating a season of growth or reinvention.

Connect with Adam Roach

Website: https://ilovecoachingco.com/people/adam-roach

The VIRTUAL Scalable Offer Intensive: https://ilovecoachingco.com/virtualcoachintensive

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamrroach/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/adamrroach

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adamrroach/