College sports used to be about the love of the game. Now the money, the betting, and the pressure are rewriting what it means to be a young athlete.

Brigitte Cutshall sits down with author, coach, and commentator - Jay Paterno - for an eye-opening conversation on the shifting landscape of college athletics. From the financial pressures of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals and rampant sports gambling to the mental health strains on young athletes, Jay breaks down why human connection and authentic leadership are more critical now than ever.

He also discusses his novel "Blitzed" - which offers a candid, reality-based look at the hidden challenges facing modern coaches and players.

3 Main Takeaways:

(1) Money changes everything. NIL deals and sports betting have introduced pressures — from family expectations to online harassment — that didn't exist a few years ago, even trickling down to high schoolers.

(2) "A want-to, not a have-to." The healthiest athletes are the ones playing because they love it — research shows kids just want their parents to say "I enjoyed watching you play," not critique their performance.

(3) Human connection is the antidote. As technology isolates young people, mentors, coaches, and team communities play a critical role in keeping kids grounded and supported.

Know a young athlete or sports parent navigating this new landscape?

Share this episode with them, and find more from Jay Paterno at https://www.jayvpaterno.com/

Less than 1% of breast cancer diagnoses belong to men—leaving Jake Messier on a mission to demand representation in a system that often forgets they exist.

Jake Messier, a former Marine and marketer turned patient advocate living with stage IV male breast cancer, joins Brigitte Cutshall to talk about finding a lump while putting on deodorant, navigating the isolated reality of a traditionally female-centered diagnosis, and confronting the reality that male breast cancer cases have gone largely unstudied for decades.

Jake shares how he turned his diagnosis into advocacy, becoming the first male patient appointed to a Susan G. Komen board, and opens up about vulnerability, finding daily joy, and making every moment count.

3 Takeaways:

(1) Male breast cancer is rare (about 1 in 726 men) but under-researched — there's never been dedicated funding comparing male vs. female cases.

(2) Social stigma, not disease severity, drives higher mortality in men — most boys are never taught to check for lumps the way girls are.

(3) Saying your scariest fears out loud — to a partner, a doctor, anyone — takes away their power.

Follow Jake on TikTok and Instagram @theguywithstage4breastcanceror visit theguywithstage4breastcancer.com for resources and direct support.

Don't forget to subscribe to Real Things Living for more authentic, unfiltered conversations on living with purpose!

He was given six months to live. Twenty-five months later, he's training for the Ironman World Championship.

James Logan was 59, in the best shape of his life, and training for triathlons when a stage four cancer diagnosis gave him six months to two years to live.

In this episode of Real Things Living, James opens up about the six-month mental shift from "worrying about dying to worrying about living," how he kept training through 24 rounds of chemo and major surgeries, and why he wrote his book, "Just Keep Tri-ing", to bring hope to others walking the same road.

His story is proof that a terminal diagnosis can become the start of the most purposeful chapter of your life.

100% of proceeds support the Ironman Foundation!

3 Takeaways:

(1) The mindset shift is the real battle. James says the turning point wasn't physical — it was surrendering the fear of dying and deciding to focus only on today.

(2) Purpose fuels healing. Training for Ironman Kona and writing his book gave him something to move toward, and he credits that pursuit with helping his recovery.

(3) You measure a life by impact, not time. James's guiding question — how many people can I positively impact before I go — reshaped how he spends every day.

Follow James on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/stage42025/

Grab his book to help support the Ironman Foundation - https://justkeeptri-ing.com/

A cemetery at the end of a one-road village in Trinidad, a grandmother who couldn't read without help. This is where author, speaker, and musician Antonio Michael Downing learned that creativity isn't a talent, it's a survival tool.

Antonio joins Real Things Living to share how his grandmother in Trinidad taught him to read and sing, not as hobbies, but as ways to cope with a hard life. It's the lessons that carried him through an unstable teenage years, a corporate tech career, and into becoming a published author (Saga Boy, Black Cherokee) and musician.

The conversation explores creativity as a mindset, not just an output, and how art helps us process difficulty, find authenticity, and connect with others.

3 Takeaways:

(1) Creativity isn't reserved for artists — it's a life skill for coping, problem-solving, and reframing your story.

(2) Art gives us practice for real life, helping us sit with ambiguity and hard emotions before we face them directly.

(3) What connects people is more powerful than what divides them, and that connection builds resilience.

Follow Antonio Michael Downing on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter/X @AntonioMichaelDowning, and pick up "Saga Boy" and "Black Cherokee" wherever books are sold.

Six years of uncertainty, navigating a high-stakes third-party journey, and finding the courage to redefine motherhood on her own terms.

In this episode of Real Things Living, Brigitte Cutshall speaks with Leslie Lopez, founder and host of the Mothers in Arms podcast. Leslie opens up about her personal six-year journey navigating infertility, pregnancy loss, and the decision to leave her marriage to pursue motherhood through third-party reproduction.

She shares the emotional, financial, and societal realities of using egg/sperm donors and surrogacy, dismantling myths around fertility statistics and highlighting the profound healing found in building a supportive community.

Key Takeaways

(1) Infertility affects 1 in 6 people worldwide, across every race and background. The "it doesn't happen to us" myths are just myths.

(2) Surrogacy and donor conception are more accessible than people assume. Grants, loans, and even employer programs are opening the door beyond just the wealthy.

(3) Get specialized legal and mental health support. A general therapist or a skipped notarized agreement can leave real gaps in a third-party journey.

Connect with Leslie Lopez and listen to the Mothers in Arms podcast on YouTube, Spotify, TikTok, or Instagram (@mothersinarms.pod) to join a growing community advocating for fertility awareness and reproductive freedom.

Links referenced:

https://www.cryobank.com/

https://www.tsonglaw.com/ivf-calculator

https://www.counselingwithjoey.com/

https://www.get-carrot.com/

https://seedsethics.org/

https://www.thesurrogacyfoundation.org/

Surviving mortar rounds in Vietnam was only half the battle. The deepest healing began when a Marine veteran finally confronted the invisible weight of lifelong trauma.

Keith Cole, a Marine Corps Vietnam veteran wounded three times in combat, joins Brigitte to talk about the invisible wounds that outlast the battlefield.

Keith shares his journey from enlisting after his father's sudden passing to enduring multiple combat injuries and carrying the heavy emotional burden of notifying fallen soldiers' next of kin.

He candidly discusses hitting rock bottom with alcohol, turning to his faith, and transforming his personal pain, memories, and redemption into his book, "Burnout: God's Recovery Plan."

3 Takeaways:

(1) Unresolved Trauma Takes Many Forms.

(2) Healing Demands Vulnerability.

(3) Daily Structure and Faith Restore Peace.

If you or someone you love is carrying trauma alone, don't wait like Keith did. Visit https://recoverybyfaith.com to get the book and learn about the 12-week recovery workbook.

And reach out to someone you trust — a friend, clergy, or therapist. You don't have to go it alone.

Enjoying these conversations? Don't forget to subscribe to Real Things Living on YouTube or your favorite podcast platform, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who needs an encouraging reminder that hope and healing are always within reach.

He wasn't a doctor, but he talked his way past the barricades on 9/11 anyway — and spent the next 24 hours saving strangers' eyes.

Author, Neil Adams, joins Brigitte Cutshall to talk about his book "From the Pile", written to honor his late best friend Michael Dorian — a veterinary technician who posed as medical personnel to help injured firefighters at Ground Zero on 9/11.

Neil shares how Michael's selfless act ultimately cost him his health, the years-long fight to prove he was there, and the surprising twists (a lost news tape, a local Emmy, a Spike Lee documentary "Epicenters") that followed.

Takeaways:

(1) A civilian with no medical credentials talked his way into helping first responders on 9/11; and it changed the rest of his life.

(2) Proving he was there decades later became its own story, complete with a rediscovered news tape and an Emmy win.

(3) Michael's life became one of quiet redemption, using his final years to help others and leave a legacy through Neil's book.

To learn more about Michael’s story, watch the Emmy-winning news footage, or order your copy of "From the Pile", visit https://readneiladams.com or request a copy of the book at your local brick-and-mortar bookstore today!

A standard check-in call, an ambulance, and a mother's quick instincts changed everything for Drew Norton's family in a matter of minutes. That terrifying crisis became the ultimate wake-up call, completely reshaping how he leads, loves, and shows up for the people who matter most.

In this episode of Real Things Living, Brigitte Cutshall speaks with sales leader and founder of the Abundant Man Project, Drew Norton. Drew shares the harrowing story of his infant son's medical emergency and how his wife's split-second actions saved their son's life.

He opens up with raw vulnerability about how that exact moment forced him to pivot, ultimately launching his mission to help men become better husbands, fathers, and leaders through intentional self-development.

Key Takeaways:

(1) Fix Yourself First: Real, lasting change in a marriage or team starts by looking in the mirror, not by trying to fix your spouse or the people around you.

(2) The Growth Cycle: Belonging, believing, and becoming are deeply connected. The community you choose to surround yourself with directly dictates what you believe is possible for your life.

(3) Ambition is Service: Wanting more for yourself isn't selfish. Elevating your own health, mindset, and career directly expands your capacity to serve and support others.

Shift Your Perspective.

Connect with Drew on Intagram - https://www.instagram.com/theeverydaysalesleader/

Visit https://AbundantManProject.com to learn about coaching, retreats, and membership for men ready to grow in faith, family, fitness, and finances.

Every obstacle is an open door for greatness, and staying in motion is exactly how you step through it.

Nicholas Kelly is a registered dietitian, patient advocate, and TEDx speaker who has lived with cystic fibrosis for all of his 39 years.

Nick shares how he turned his own health journey into a career helping others navigate chronic illness, why he calls passion his superpower, and the daily systems (like sorting 35–39 medications by shape) that keep him on track.

Nick and Brigitte dig into the mind-body connection, the power of curiosity in patient care, and why he believes rest is a "necessary evil."

3 Takeaways:

(1) Be informed. The more you understand your own condition, the better you can communicate it, advocate for it, and manage it.

(2) Build a routine. Simple systems create consistency and catch mistakes before they become problems.

(3) Let others hold you accountable. You won't always have the energy to manage your health alone; a support system fills the gaps.

Connect directly with Nick by visiting https://NicholasKellyRD.com

Reach out to him across all major social media platforms at @NicholasKellyRD

He turned 50, watched his energy crash, and instead of reaching for a pill, he threw out cooked food entirely — 16 years later he's run eight marathons and never taken a single medication.

Axay Shah, author of "In Nature We Trust," joins Brigitte to explain why he ditched cooked food at 50 and hasn't looked back. His philosophy is simple: if Mother Nature didn't make it, it doesn't go on his plate. No more diabetes, no blood pressure issues, no doctor visits — just raw fruits, vegetables, and a mantra he built his life around.

Brigitte and Axay swap notes on food intolerances, the myths around dairy and calcium, and why listening to your body beats listening to marketing.

3 Takeaways:

(1) Energy dips aren't always "just aging" — sometimes it's what's on your plate.

(2) Pain and soreness aren't the enemy; they're your body asking for repair, not a painkiller.

(3) You are the one responsible for your health — not your doctor, not your parents, not your spouse.

Curious if raw living could work for you? Grab Axay's book "In Nature We Trust" on Amazon, or reach him directly at https://rawfoodiest.com