As Benjamin closes out the theme of solitude, he introduces the next theme: forgiveness.Does forgiveness benefit society better than the victim? If it doesn't erase pain, does it restore what has been lost?

Does forgiveness come from the pressure to be noble? 

Over the next few weeks Benjamin will have deep conversations to uncover the answers to these questions, while also exploring his own thoughts and feelings on both the presence and absence of forgiveness.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Solitude Chapter 4: Is spending time alone the answer to redirecting our attention?

As Benjamin concludes this chapter on solitude he's joined by the author of The Point of Vanishing, Howard Axelrod.After suffering a traumatic eye injury, that left him blind in one eye, Howard felt disconnected from the world around him. His solution for reconnection was to pack his bags and move to the woods of northern Vermont for two years and live in complete isolation. 

Howard shares how he discovered the beauty in solitude and discusses what it was like to reconnect with himself.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Solitude Chapter Three:

Ben and Principal Investigator of The Solitude Lab, Dr. Thuy-Vy Nguyen, explores the misconception that solitude is the absence of connection, as opposed to the positive presence of self.

Dr. Nguyen provides insight on how intention is a moderator between solitude and loneliness, understanding the difference between choosing to be alone vs. being in a state of isolation.

Later, they discuss how our time alone can be the answer to some of life's toughest questions.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Solitude Chapter 2: Imagine spending 76 days alone in a life raft, facing sharks, raft punctures, starvation, severe dehydration, and relentless sun.

After Steven Callahan's boat was struck during a storm in the middle of the ocean, that's exactly the situation he found himself in. Armed with only a short spear gun, a solar still to desalinate seawater, and a safety manual, Steven faced a host of physical challenges while lost at sea. However, the mental and spiritual obstacles he endured while being completely alone with no land in sight were just as daunting.

Steven joins Ben to share how he survived roughly two and a half months at sea and explains how he found a complex beauty and meaning in his fight to survive while in the depths of solitude. He also explores the phenomenon of “psychological splitting”—the moment when fear and action collide in life-or-death situations—and shares the emotional moment he realized rescue had finally come.

Follow Benjamin on X: @BenjaminHallFNC

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Imagine being dropped at the edge of Antarctica, the launch point for a 570-mile ski expedition to the bottom of the world. That’s where Chris Fagan and her husband Marti found themselves in 2013, beginning a grueling, 48-day, unguided journey to the South Pole—one that would ultimately earn them a Guinness World Record. Along the way, they faced periods of profound silence: on good days, a serene connection with nature; on bad days, an overwhelming sense of isolation.

Chris joins Ben to unpack the paradox of solace and loneliness in an extreme environment like Antarctica, the mental and physical toll of the trek, and how the journey inspired her to write her award-winning book, "The Expedition".

Follow Benjamin on X: @BenjaminHallFNC

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When Searching For Heroes first launched, Ben’s mission was simple yet powerful: to offer listeners hope and strength through stories of extraordinary resilience — from those who faced unimaginable tragedy to others who found joy after profound grief. That mission remains at the heart of the podcast, but now Ben is expanding the vision.

In this new chapter, the podcast will dive deeper into the many dimensions of human resilience, focusing on them one theme at a time. Today, Ben explains why the podcast is evolving and why hearing multiple perspectives on a single topic is crucial — because resilience is never one-size-fits-all. He also reveals the first theme in the upcoming series, which kicks off Monday, July 7th.

To listen to the episodes mentioned in today's episode, visit the links below:
Rich Fierro: https://radio.foxnews.com/2023/12/10/a-question-of-fight-or-flight/

Maya Regev: https://radio.foxnews.com/2024/04/22/surviving-hamas-one-womans-story-of-survival/

Amanda Boxtel: https://radio.foxnews.com/2024/01/22/the-other-side-of-lifes-detours/
Dr. Lucy Hone: https://radio.foxnews.com/2024/07/01/rewiring-your-brain-to-be-resilient-with-dr-lucy-hone/
Dr. Joe Alderete: https://radio.foxnews.com/2024/07/08/the-principles-of-rehabilitation/ 

Follow Benjamin on X: @BenjaminHallFNC

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For most Americans, the 4th of July means beaches and BBQs — but on that day in 2012, Army Staff Sergeant Monte Bernardo was fighting for his life in Afghanistan. After stepping on an IED, Monte lost both legs and his left arm, beginning a long and grueling recovery. With the help of his family and the Semper Fi & America’s Fund, a nonprofit organization that provides lifetime support for critically wounded or ill service members, veterans, and military families, he rebuilt his life — and his mindset.

Today, Monte joins Ben to discuss why he has no regrets about what happened while he was fighting for America's freedom, how he was able to keep a positive attitude while going through a painful recovery, and why the 4th of July is now the most important celebration in his life — because it's the day he survived.Find out more about the Semper Fi & America's Fund here: thefund.org

Follow Benjamin on X: @BenjaminHallFNC

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Danny Combs' son, Dylan, was just two when he was diagnosed with autism. Although Dylan wasn't able to say "I love you, Dad" until he was six years old, he had started building complex LEGO sets by himself, with no instructions, three years prior. In speaking with his son's therapists, Danny wanted to highlight the fascinating skills his son possessed — but the primary focus was always on what Dylan couldn't do, not what he could.

In response, Danny set out to create a program that focused on the strengths and capabilities of young people with autism — which is how TACT, Teaching the Autism Community Trades, was born. He joins Ben to talk about the incredible impact TACT has had thus far, and why we must fight injustices facing the autism community.

Follow Benjamin on X: @BenjaminHallFNC

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

She became an atheist at just fourteen years old due to the suffering she saw in the world and problems she observed within the Catholic Church. Fast forward to now, she's a nun who has fully devoted her life to Christ and her mission: finding God in the midst of misery and providing a safe space for those who have been hurt by members of the Church.

Sister Theresa Aletheia Noble, co-creator of Sisters of the Little Way, joins Ben to discuss the epiphany that led her back to her faith, and the practice that landed her on the front page of The New York Times: 'memento mori,' a discipline centered around intentionally thinking about your death in order to ultimately improve the life you live.

Follow Benjamin on X: @BenjaminHallFNC

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Roughly 133 million people in the U.S. struggle with chronic illnesses every day, and yet they're rarely talked about. 

Struggling with a chronic illness can oftentimes feel isolating when the pain endured is invisible, or when it feels impossible to explain what it's like to live in constant fear that severe pain could be on the horizon. For Tina Medlin, who's been living with Crohn's disease for roughly 30 years, she knew these feelings well. But instead of just accepting them as the norm, she set out to create a community where those with chronic illnesses feel supported, cared for, and heard.

Tina discusses how this mission led her to pioneer the Warrior Braids Ministry, a Christ-centered nonprofit that offers resources, support and community to those who live with chronic illnesses.

Follow Benjamin on X: @BenjaminHallFNC

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices