Small Changes Big Shifts

"Don't be afraid to listen to what's going on in your mind – your body can speak to you." - Luke Russert

As we get ready to dive into our annual 31 Days of Kindness series this year, Dr. Michelle Robin invites author of Look for Me There, Luke Russert, to talk about why processing the grief of his father's sudden passing was one of the kindest acts he ever did for himself. Rather than follow society's way of moving on as quickly as possible, Luke shares what inspired him to push pause on his life and run a self-diagnostic test to explore what he was feeling after losing his father. He'll also share some tips about what someone can do to begin tuning in to what you are feeling inside and explain why there's power in being kind to yourself and seeking what your soul needs. At the end of the show, he'll also share a kind gesture that a stranger did for him during his travels and why it remains in his heart to this day.

About Today's Guest:

Luke Russert is an Emmy Award-winning journalist who was an NBC News correspondent from 2008 to 2016, primarily covering American politics. Since leaving broadcast journalism, he is the author of Look for Me There, a travel memoir about his three-and-a-half-year journey around the world that took him to more than sixty-five countries. Based in Washington, DC, he is the son of journalists Maureen Orth (Vanity Fair) and the late Tim Russert (NBC's Meet the Press).

Mentioned in the Episode:

• Look for Me There book by Luke Russert
• Look for Me There website
• 31 Days of Kindness email series – sign up for free

"Kindness is showing an investment to each other." - Darcy Swan

A recent study revealed that two in three millennials don't feel like they belong in their local community. Looking a little further up the stream, another study showed that one in five students don't feel like they belong at their school. There's a growing void developing among the younger generations, who are looking for who they are in this great big world – and the YMCA wants to close that gap for them. Join Dr. Michelle Robin as she invites Darcy Swan from the Y to talk about why they've implemented specific Youth Development Services in our community to help kids find their belonging and develop a purpose in life. Darcy will also share some impactful encounters she had during her school years that led her into a teaching profession and later to the Y. The power of kindness will also become a cornerstone in this conversation, which proves how far small acts go in another person's life – such as calling someone by name or remembering what they are interested in. At the end of the show, Darcy will provide some wisdom to families looking to improve their overall well-being.

About Today's Guest:

Darcy Swan is Senior Vice President of Youth Development at the YMCA of Greater Kansas City. She providesleadership and strategy while building relationships to advance before and after school, summer day camp, preschool, and other YMCA out-of-school time programs throughout the greater Kansas City area. Prior to joining the YMCA in 2022, she was an executive director of curriculum and instruction for Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools. She started her career in education with the Shawnee Mission School District as a middle school teacher and served in multiple advancing roles in the Shawnee Mission district including district resource specialist, interim elementary principle, and elementary curriculum coordinator.

The Y is the largest provider of childcare services in the greater Kansas City area, serving more than 4,600 youth a year through before- and after-school programs, in addition to 2,300 youth a year in summer day camps. The Y provides before- and after-school programs and summer-day camps in districts throughout the metro, including Blue Valley, Bonner Springs, Lansing, Leavenworth, Lee's Summit, Piper, Platte County R-3, Shawnee Mission, Spring Hill, and Turner, as well as Crossroads Charter Schools, University Academy, Ascension, and St. Ann.

Mentioned in the Episode:

• YMCA Kansas City website
• YMCA locations in the U.S.
• Youth Development Programs at the Y
• 31 Days of Kindness email series – sign up for free
• Big Shifts Foundation website

"Eating habits are going to play a bigger role in the disease process than we've been led to believe." - Dr. Denise Scott

Did you know that 70 to 80 percent of our immune cells live in our gut? Why is that important? Because what goes on in the gut communicates whether our body thrives or attacks itself. Ultimately, our gut is responsible for how our immune system responds and functions – and more importantly, it's responsible for how well we are. Join Dr. Michelle Robin as she invites Dr. Denise Scott to talk more about this fascinating connection between the gut and disease prevention. She'll share what led her down this journey of wanting to work with kids and parents, and what missed opportunities and conversations parents should be having with their kid's pediatrician. She will also provide wisdom behind what our gut needs so that the rest of our body functions well – and why the first few years of a child's life are crucial to setting the stage for their future health.

About Today's Guest:

Dr. Denise Scott is a pediatrician, pediatric endocrinologist, and culinary medicine specialist who is passionate about improving children's health with nutrition by educating parents. She has spent the last three decades taking care of children and wants to continue to improve their health with food as prevention.

Mentioned in the Episode:

• AdventHealth Living in Vitality event
• FeedFutureHealth.com - Dr. Denise Scott's blog
• Book by Dr. Denise Scott – Feed Your Child's Future Health

"We all have our identity journeys." - Princess Sarah Culberson

During her teenage years, Princess Sarah Culberson began to get curious about her identity, biological history, and even who she looked like. Once embarking on her journey, she learned that her biological mother died when she was 11, and her father lived in a village in Sierra Leone, West Africa. From him, she learned about her royal family, and that she is a Mahaloi, the granddaughter of a Paramount Chief, which meant Sarah is a princess. During today's show, Dr. Michelle Robin invites Princess Sarah to share more of her story and the search for her family – and the extraordinary things that began to happen when her two worlds came together into one story. She also shares how her adoptive parents played a vital and positive role in learning more about her roots – plus, how their response and engagement in their community taught her about confidence. To end the show, she will also provide her best guidance to listeners around building confidence and identity, adding that if we don't take care of ourselves, it can be very difficult to operate in the world.

About Today's Guest:

Princess Sarah was born in Morgantown, West Virginia, to an African father and white mother. As an infant, she was put into foster care, then adopted by a loving white West Virginia family. She grew up contemplating and dealing with questions about her identity and her biracial roots. She fell in love with theatre in early childhood and won an undergrad acting scholarship to West Virginia University. She earned her MFA at The American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco and joined the Los Angeles acting community. Princess Sarah has danced and acted on stage as well as in films and television. She has been a guest performer with the Urban Latin Dance Theater Company CONTRA-TIEMPO. However, her biggest role so far came when she decided to locate her biological parents.

Mentioned in the Episode:

• Princess Sarah's website
• SierraLeoneRising.org
• Princess Sarah's Facebook
• Princess Sarah's Instagram
• Advent 2023 LIV Event
• A Princess Found book by Princess Sarah
• The E Factor book by Dr. Michelle Robin
• Water.org
• Bridgerton tv series trailer
• Queen Charlotte tv series trailer
• AdventHealth

"When you write down what you eat, suddenly you become aware." - Stacy Cahalan

Kids are establishing their school routine again, but students are still struggling to regain some aspects of what they lost during the pandemic. This results in loss of connection, loneliness, anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues. During today's show, Dr. Michelle Robin invites Stacy Cahalan to share why she decided to leave her previous career path and begin helping younger generations navigate these unchartered waters. Stacy also reveals a personal story about why food can play a major role in that disconnection and the way a child feels each day. Their conversation also dives into why gut health directly impacts moods. By the end of the show, Stacy will also share more about the book she and Jane Hosey Stern wrote that helps put simple, yet powerful life lessons back into focus.

About Today's Guest:

One of Stacy's favorite quotes is by Emily Dickinson, "I am out with the lanterns looking for myself." All the years she's wandered the earth, she doesn't know a lot to be true, but she strongly believes that we are all doing the best we can with what we have. Sometimes we just don't have what we need. We are all better together. We are all wandering this earth trying to find purpose. And we all need help finding our way. As a Licensed Professional Therapist and Licensed School Counselor, her goal is to help people find hope. She has been called the Hope Dealer and she's cool with that. Her style is fun, direct, and focused on your here and now and your future. She has a shovel tattoo on her wrist to remind herself to dig deep and do the work. Every day, if we are lucky enough to wake up, we have another chance. She is ready to help people do their life's work with more grace, mercy, hope, and love.

Mentioned in the Episode:

• Dr. Neal Barnard episode on dairy
• Learn more about the blood type diet
• Fed Up movie trailer
• Connect with Stacy at Prairie Group Girl
• Your Wellness Connection counseling services
• Stacy's book called Atlas for Good Living

"Connectivity is so important – no matter what age." - Amy Jewell

A recent study showed that 2 in 5 Americans haven't made a new friend in five years due to shyness or introversion. Even more, another study revealed that the loneliness rate in America has doubled since the 1980s. That number has now reached 40 percent of adults in America, and some experts believe the "real number" may be a lot higher than that. During today's episode, Dr. Michelle Robin invites Amy Jewell from the YMCA of Greater Kansas City to share the multitude of ways their organization is helping to address the loneliness and mental health crisis for all ages. Amy will share why connection and relationships make all the difference in the world when we're going through challenges – saying that she can see relationships building everywhere you look at the YMCA. She will also explain why creating friendships can be a powerful form of therapy for kids and how some of their longest and lifelong friendships begin at the Y.

About Today's Guest:

Amy Jewell joined the YMCA of Greater Kansas City as the Senior Vice President of Operations in April 2023. She provides operations leadership for 11 of the Greater Kansas City Y Centers and their programs, including membership, healthy living, aquatics, youth, and family. Jewell has more than 15 years of experience in operations leadership at organizations including the Joplin YMCA in Joplin, Missouri; the Jewish Community Center in Overland Park, Kansas; Central Florida YMCA in Orlando, Floraida; and the City of Mount Dora, Florida. Most recently, she was a consultant facilitating partnerships between public and private sector clients to meeting community needs in Boca Raton, Florida.

Mentioned in the Episode:

• YMCA of Greater Kansas City
• YMCA locations around the U.S.

"People are beginning to get comfortable with the idea that it requires just as much planning to transition out of this world as it does to give birth and bring a new soul into this world." - Dr. Tamara MacIntyre

According to a recent study, nearly half of participants (47 percent) admitted they were afraid of death. Some of those factors include fear of pain and suffering, fear of the unknown, fear of non-existence, fear of eternal punishment, fear of loss of control, and fear of what will become of our loved ones. In today's episode, Dr. Michelle Robin invites Dr. Tamara MacIntyre to share why there are ways a person can begin to get comfortable with the idea of dying with the help of an end-of-life doula. Dr. Tamara will also share her story of becoming this type of doula for people, and some of the greatest lessons she has learned about living through those facing death soon. She will also unpack why it's just as important to have an end-of-life doula as it is to have a birth doula. "People don't even know they can die with a level of love and peace that is outside the conventional approach," she shares during the conversation.

About Today's Guest:

Dr. Tamara MacIntyre, certified End of Life Doula, is also a chiropractor, doctor of functional medicine and recovering high ed administrator. Tamara is the co-founder of The PRANA Foundation (www.PranaFound.org) where she offers education, mentorship, and retreat to others serving in health and healing professions. She is passionate about assisting, fostering agency and empowerment while educating and supporting others in choosing a death that aligns with the core values that have defined the way they have chosen to live their lives. Her vision is to facilitate a space where people are more curious than afraid; acknowledging that this beautiful life is finite. Tamara offers end of life education, individualized and small group care planning and client advocacy.

Mentioned in the Episode:

• Dr. Tamara's website
• The Top Five Regrets of the Dying by Bronnie Ware
• The Essential Questions When Planning a Good Death

"Breakdowns are breakthroughs. You go through life with multiple layers, so how can you shed those layers to get to your authentic self?" - Sarah Uchytil

The demand for life coaches has steadily increased over the years as people are seeking more empowerment, connection, and conversation. According to recent statistics, 80% of clients who introduce a life coach feel that it greatly helps align their lives and helps them finally get to where they want to go. Join Dr. Michelle Robin as she invites Sarah Uchytil to talk about some fundamental reasons why a life coach is different from a therapist, what life coaches do for an individual, and why group coaching retreats can be so impactful for people. Sarah will also share what inspired her to become a life coach after a memorable encounter she had with a friend one day. By the end of the show, she'll help listeners think about three questions they can ask themselves if they are considering introducing a life coach into their lives.

About Today's Guest:

Sarah Uchytil is a dynamic International Coach Federation (ICF) Professional Certified Coach (PCC), connector, and change maker. She works with individuals on topics including empowered leadership, personal development, life balance, energy management, career transition, professional branding, LinkedIn presence, networking strategies, interview skills, salary negotiation, and goal setting. Sarah incorporates meditation into her coaching sessions to encourage her clients to grow and stretch even further than they thought possible. Meditation is a powerful tool to dissolve limiting beliefs and remove blocks which get in her client's way. Sarah believes in coaching the whole person and living a healthy well-balanced life. In 2015, Sarah became a certified yoga instructor to deepen her personal yoga practice over the last 24 years and to learn the best practices for yoga and meditation to share and incorporate with her coaching clients. Since 2017, Sarah has created and led 38 wellness retreats including yoga, meditation, life coaching, energy management, and goal setting. Sarah was named Best Resume Writer and Career Coach by the Kansas City Pitch in 2022. Feedspot.com also named Sarah's blog one of the Top 100 Global Life Coaching blogs to follow since 2018.

Mentioned in the Episode:

• Sarah Uchytil's website
• Sarah Uchytil's LinkedIn
• Sarah Uchytil's Facebook
• Finding the right life coach for you

"When money is a problem, it's on your mind all the time – the stress is obvious." - Jeremy Davis

According to the Federal Reserve Bank, the average American is $58,604 in debt. Additionally, at least 77 percent of American households are in some sort of debt. Today, Dr. Michelle Robin invites Jeremy Davis from CommunityAmerica Credit Union to offer encouragement to anyone who has financial goals, be it saving more, getting out of debt, or simply managing money better. He will share a personal story about who taught him about financial freedom at an early age, and how that wisdom at a young age impacted his adult years – allowing him to focus on his physical and mental health. As a Financial Well-Being Coach, he will also reveal some surprising trends among people coming in for financial advice. Jeremy ends the show by providing tools and resources for anyone looking to reach goals in our economy today. If you are looking for some simple and small steps to activate those financial goals in your life – this episode may be just what you need to get started!

About Today's Guest:

Jeremy Davis is a Financial Well-Being Coach at CommunityAmerica Credit Union. An advocate for financial education, he loves helping people grow their knowledge in a fun, engaging way that is easy to understand and apply to their lives. He has a deep background in finance and marketing that gives him a creative approach to making financial literacy accessible to anyone. As a Kansas City native and graduate from Kansas State University, Jeremy loves all things KC and serving his community!

Mentioned in the Episode:

• CommunityAmerica Credit Union
• Community Access Centers at CommunityAmerica
• Financial Coaching at CommunityAmerica
• Where to Turn When Raising a Child with Special Needs episode with Heath Burch
• Quadrants of Well-Being

"While in France, we stumbled across this herd of donkeys, fell in love with them, and immediately were drawn to their Zen-like presence." - Kate Barker

When Kate Barker was injured, it derailed her from her ability to compete in the 2011 London Olympics. But little did she know that her life was about to take some major turns over the next five years – ultimately, playing a major role in helping the Kansas City community get well through her donkey farm and a juicing company. In today's episode, Dr. Michelle Robin invites Kate to tell her story from professional athlete and corporate America employee, to unplugging from it all to launch Zen Donkey Farms. She shares the incredible healing journey she went on after exiting the Olympic scene, and how that time in her life eventually brought her back to her own farming roots. It was during a trip to France and a memorable encounter with some donkeys there that caused a lightbulb to come on about what was next for them. She'll explain how their farm began to unfold her and husband Andy's story in 2017, and how it eventually led to their successful juicing company called Zen Donkey Farms. Kate will also help define how cold-pressed juice is different from conventional juices, when the best time is to consume their juices, and what mistakes people often make when they begin incorporating a juice regime into their lives. At the end of the episode, she'll also share more about their farm's amazing nonprofit organization called the Zen Donkey Experience, which is helping people and kids experience a mind-body-soul connection by interacting with their donkeys.

About Today's Guest:

Kate Barker Sternberg is Founder and President of mission-driven health and wellness lifestyle brand Zen Donkey Farms, and sister nonprofit organization Zen Donkey Experience. Kate received her Bachelor of Arts in International Political Economy from The Colorado College with emphasis in Romance Languages from La Universidad de Salamanca, followed by an intensive Entrepreneurship cohort from the David Eccles School of Business at the University of Utah. Kate spent 12 years in the technology strategy and management consulting space prior to taking the leap to full-time self-employment. Residing in rural Greenwood, Missouri, with husband Andy and rescued fur-children, Kate is a lifelong equestrian athlete, plant-based farmer, aspiring pianist, outdoor enthusiast, live theater junkie, lover of travel, and passionate advocate for the healing power of the animal/human connection.

Mentioned in the Episode:

• Zen Donkey Farms
• Order Zen Donkey juices
• Zen Donkey Experience - Book Online
• Dining for Donkeys 2023 on Sept. 30, 2023 – tickets available here