In this powerful episode, we sit down with Lorna Brunelle, a lifelong mentor, performer, author, and community builder who has spent 30 years helping others find their voice. This conversation is different. Lorna opens up about her year of surviving colorectal cancer, navigating an unexpected pulmonary embolism, and rebuilding her identity through rituals of gratitude, purpose, and community.

She shares how she kept her mindset intact through chemo, surgery, and isolation, how she continued to lift others even while fighting for her own life, and why purpose is the most stabilizing force we have when everything becomes chaotic. We explore her daily rituals, her spiritual grounding, how she pulled energy from creativity when she couldn’t pull it from food or movement, and why meaning-making isn’t optional – it’s necessary.

This is an episode about resilience, identity, and the real work of staying alive, connected, and intentional. Lorna’s story is a testament to what purpose can do.

“Life can only be understood backwards, but must be lived forwards.” Using Kierkegaard’s line as our anchor, we unpack the healthy tension between reflection and action. We look at why hindsight clarifies meaning, how overthinking can paralyze progress, and how journaling helps you close the loop on a day so you can move on. We introduce a simple “zoom” lens for attention - from cosmic perspective to in-the-moment flow - and show when to zoom in, when to zoom out, and how to set aims that generate momentum. You’ll learn practical ways to balance presence with review, avoid getting trapped in narrative, and build purpose you can live toward right now.

There’s a Japanese art form called Kintsugi—the practice of repairing broken pottery with gold. The idea is simple: what’s been shattered can be made not just whole again, but more beautiful than before. In this episode, Ryan and MJ explore what this ancient craft teaches us about resilience, self-acceptance, and loving what breaks us open.

They discuss how the cracks in our lives—the job loss, the illness, the identity shift—can become the very places that make us stronger, wiser, and more human. Through personal stories and timeless philosophy, this episode reminds us that beauty doesn’t live in perfection, but in the gold that fills our imperfections.

You’ll hear:

• The philosophy of Kintsugi and why imperfection is essential to meaning

• How to practice Amor Fati—loving your fate, not resenting it

• The hidden power of acceptance in building resilience

• Why every setback is also an invitation to rebuild yourself with more integrity

A reflection on wholeness, healing, and the quiet strength found in the cracks.

We live in a world that glorifies having—titles, possessions, success, control. But as Erich Fromm warned decades ago, the more we have, the less alive we often feel. In this episode, we explore the quiet, difficult work of being.

Ryan and MJ unpack what it really means to become instead of acquire—through stories from Jiu-Jitsu, entrepreneurship, and everyday life. They examine why every dream comes with a shadow side, how our culture confuses ownership with identity, and what fulfillment actually requires once the novelty fades.

You’ll hear:

• Why every desire carries its own cost—and why that’s not a bad thing

• The black belt lesson: having a belt vs. being a practitioner

• How to recognize when you’re chasing possession instead of depth

• Practical ways to shift from consuming to creating, from collecting to becoming

• The power of “I am” journaling and seeking depth in a surface-level world

If you’ve ever achieved something and still felt empty, this conversation reframes success—not as what you earn, but who you become in the process.

What happens when the role that defined you—athlete, coach, new parent, high-flyer—suddenly disappears? In this raw, practical episode, we unpack identity loss after injury and other life pivots, and explore how to rebuild a self that isn’t tied to a single label. We talk Morgan’s Message, why asking “How are you, really?” matters, and how coaches, parents, and teammates can create space for honest conversations—before crisis hits.

You’ll hear:

• A candid story of losing (and rebuilding) identity after a spine injury

• Why attachment to roles amplifies suffering—and how to loosen it

• Simple ways to check in with yourself and others without awkwardness

• How teams and families can normalize vulnerability without losing toughness

• Resources and next steps for student-athletes and supporters (incl. Morgan’s Message)

If “just be confident” has never worked for you, this episode will. We break down how confidence actually works in your brain and body—and give you five practical tools to use before and during high-pressure moments (public speaking, interviews, competitions, tough conversations). You’ll learn box breathing to switch off fight-or-flight, embodied cognition (power stances) to signal safety, reframing self-talk that doesn’t feel fake, visualization that sticks, and a system of small wins to build real confidence over time. We also share a raw MRI story about panic turning into calm in minutes.

You’ll learn:

• What’s really happening when anxiety spikes (amygdala vs. prefrontal cortex)

• A 60-second box-breathing drill to steady your nervous system

• How posture and body language create confidence (not just reflect it)

• Simple reframes that turn “nervous” into “ready”

• A step-by-step visualization routine that boosts performance

• How to stack small wins so confidence shows up on game day

Why do smart people overeat—especially at night? In this episode we unpack the gut–brain reinforcement loop that silently trains your body to crave chips, cookies, and couch-time snacks. It’s not “weak willpower” or just loving food; it’s dopamine pathways, vagal nerve signaling, and cue-driven habits (think: lights low + TV on = snack now).
You’ll learn how to break the cue → crave → consume cycle without extreme rules:

• Cue exposure + response tweaks: keep the ritual, delay the snack, or swap to slower-digesting options.

• Slow the entry: start meals deliberately (1 big breath), eat for 25–30 minutes, lead with fiber/protein, then add the fun food.

• Space dessert 60–90 min from dinner to weaken reinforcement.

• Pair smart: two Oreos + fruit beats “no Oreos” (and prevents rebound binges).

• Turn on rest-and-digest: simple breathwork to engage the parasympathetic system so appetite self-modulates.

If you’ve tried plans and macros and still find yourself raiding the pantry, this conversation reframes overeating from education and willpower to wiring and practical rewiring—so you can enjoy food and regain control.

In this Simple Healthy Life episode, Ryan and MJ unpack gratitude—why it feels awkward, why “should” thoughts secretly fuel entitlement, and how a simple daily practice can shift mood, perspective, and relationships. They map gratitude and entitlement as a spectrum you can notice in real time, then share actionable tools: catching “should” language, swapping it for one concrete thank-you, journaling micro-wins, and building short, repeatable “gratitude reps” you can do anywhere (yes, even while drinking coffee). Expect real stories, psychology you can use, and a practical challenge to raise your baseline well-being—without pretending life is perfect.

In this Simple Healthy Life episode, Ryan and MJ unpack the hedonic treadmill, also known as hedonic adaptation, and why new jobs, houses, or wins feel great at first then fade back to a happiness set point. They break down what actually shapes baseline happiness (genes, circumstances, and mindset), why comparison and social media warp perspective, and how to raise your baseline with actions that stick. Expect real talk and practical tools: presence and journaling, meaningful work, relationships and connection, gratitude reps, breath and meditation, and the rule that clarity comes after action. If you have ever thought, “Once I get X I’ll be happy,” this conversation shows how to build durable well-being instead of chasing short highs.

Keywords: hedonic treadmill, hedonic adaptation, happiness set point, baseline happiness, psychology, mindset, habits, gratitude, connection.

On this episode, MJ and Ryan riff about Fall, seasonal change, and what that means for them.