Stories on Purpose

Most people view cancer as a devastating diagnosis. For Steve Staruch, it was something he met with curiosity and an unwavering belief that he would survive. He credits the steadfast support of the people around him as a vital part of his healing journey.

In this episode, Steve, well known as a beloved classical music radio host, shares how he faced cancer while continuing to embrace life with joy and gratitude. He reflects on the ways music, faith, and community became sources of strength, and how leaning into beauty allowed him to thrive even in difficult times.

To hear Steve Staruch on the radio:

In the Twin Cities of Minnesota, tune into 99.5 FM

Stream online at: yourclassicalmpr.org

To learn more about your host, Stan Ajemian:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/stanajemian

Email: [email protected]

Website: beingthechangecoaching.com

Sebastian Merz grew up in Germany, where the people continue to carry the reality of a dark past that has never been fully reconciled. His search for peace within his family and culture eventually led him to Canada, where he now serves as a government negotiator on reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples in British Columbia, while also guiding his coaching clients through their own transformations.

In this episode, Sebastian speaks candidly about the pain he carries from his German ancestry and the parallels he sees in the struggles of reconciliation with Indigenous communities. He reflects on the tension between his natural harmonizing nature and the need for healthy confrontation to be more effective as both a negotiator and a coach.

At one point in the conversation, host Stan Ajemian pauses to recall the ancestral tribes that inhabited the area known as Denver, Colorado. This was the ancestral homeland for the Arapaho, Ute, and Cheyenne peoples.

Sebastian’s story reminds us that reconciliation is never just cultural or historical, but deeply personal, and invites each of us to consider where repair is needed in our own lives.

Learn more about Sebastian Merz:Website: https://Fierce-Heart.Co/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sebastian-merz-51582828/

To learn more about your host, Stan Ajemian:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/stanajemianEmail: [email protected]Website: beingthechangecoaching.com

Eric Davis was a professional alpine skier, on track for the Olympics or the World Cup circuit. Then, at just 22, he was diagnosed with both rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. The illnesses and the powerful medications prescribed to treat them pushed his body to the edge, and at one point, nearly took his life.

That near-death moment became a profound awakening. Eric recalls feeling separate from his body and from the person he had always known himself to be. In that moment, something shifted. Against all odds, he experienced a spontaneous remission of his autoimmune illnesses.

For the past 15 years, Eric has been on a quest to understand not only what led to his illness and his recovery, but also the deeper mysteries of healing and consciousness itself. His story is raw, inspiring, and deeply human. My hope is that you’ll find insights here to guide your own journey without having to endure what Eric went through.

To learn more about your host, Stan Ajemian:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/stanajemianEmail: [email protected]Website: beingthechangecoaching.com

Elias Scultori began his career as a classical musician in the vibrant city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and was later invited to perform in another musical capital, New York City, appearing on some of the world’s most iconic stages, including Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center.

Despite similarities between these two international cities, Elias shares the challenges he faced in adapting to the culture of the United States. He reflects on how a shift in language and environment creates entirely new ways of seeing the world, and of being.

He speaks beautifully about how uncomfortable moments, though often unwelcome, are powerful opportunities for growth. In contrast, comfort can lead to a fixed mindset. Rather than resisting discomfort, Elias invites us to meet it with curiosity and ask what it has to teach us. He shares how a difficult breakup and a move to Florida became fuel for his insights in claiming his proper place in the world.

As a musician, Elias was drawn to group collaboration over solo performance, which was rooted in his core values of community and growth. Now a Master Certified Coach and coach educator, he channels those same values to support individuals, teams, and organizations in building connection and expanding their potential.

Learn more about Elias Scultori:Website: https://www.eliasscultori.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eliasscultori/Coach Training: https://www.primecoachingacademy.com/Coaching Podcast: https://www.primecoachingacademy.com/podcasts/prime-space

To learn more about your host, Stan Ajemian:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/stanajemianEmail: [email protected]Website: beingthechangecoaching.com

At age 17, Tony Latimer was the first on the scene of a major car crash and made a life-threatening decision that would shape the rest of his life. Earlier in his life, his uncle had given him the advice, “Help anyone, hurt no one,” and “You never want to get to the end, when it’s too late, and look back and say, if only I had…” He also observed the big and stable Catholic Church change its mind on issues, from which he learned that he could challenge anything.

These lessons gave him the courage to make bold moves in his life and draw on an inner strength to act as though failure is not an option. This showed up in his move to the other side of the planet, and his creation of a leadership coaching business that was the basis of his development of his coach training program.

When he had to make a similar life-threatening decision for a second time earlier this year, he noticed how much his fear had diminished and that making courageous decisions is just normal for him now.

Learn more about Tony Latimer’s work:

Website: ProfitableLeadership.com

Coach Training: profitableleadership.com/simplicityofmastery

Tony Latimer AI Tool: tonylatimer.ai

To learn more about your host, Stan Ajemian:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/stanajemian

Email: [email protected]

Website: beingthechangecoaching.com

Jonathan Reitz grew up hearing the message that he’s worthless and not likely to amount to much, even when he somehow knew he was capable. The message and the disconnect of it led to depression, which, when combined with his addictive personality, led to years of alcoholism. Through acceptance of himself and deep inner work, he overcame his depression, and he used his addictive personality to drive a career through radio and television to become a leader in the coaching community.

More recently, he was diagnosed with ADHD and learned to embrace his divergent thinking that prevents him from staying focused on something for very long, but gives him the ability to solve big challenges creatively.

Through therapy, input from people around him, and self-reflection, he lives a life driven by his values: generosity, investment, catalyzing, hope, and uniqueness.

Learn more about Jonathan Reitz’ work:

LinkedIn:  linkedin.com/in/jonathanreitz/

Website:  jonathanreitz.com

FLUXIFY:  fluxify.net

Weatherhead School of Management:  weatherhead.case.edu/executive-education/subjects/weatherhead-coach-education

To learn more about your host, Stan Ajemian:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/stanajemian

Website: beingthechangecoaching.com

Below is a list of values, beliefs, or personal characteristics for your consideration. Each of the steps in this process will help you identify which are most important to you and which are guiding principles in your life. It is difficult to choose, of course, because many of these values and characteristics will be at least somewhat important to you. It is also hard to choose because you might find yourself thinking, “I should value X and put it first on my list,” even though it really isn’t. So, force yourself to choose, and choose based on your true feelings, not the “shoulds” in life.

You might find it useful to determine degrees of importance by imagining how you would feel if you were forced to give up believing in or acting on a particular value, belief, or personal characteristic. Or, think about how you would feel if your life really revolved around certain values, beliefs, or characteristics. How would this make you feel? Sometimes, you might find it helpful to consider two values at a time, asking yourself if about the relative importance for one over the other.

1. Start by circling the fifteen or so values that are most important to you.
2. Then, from this list, identify the ten that are most important to you and write them in a list.
3. From this list of ten, circle the five that are the most important to you.

List of Values, Beliefs, or Desirable Personal Characteristics:

Accomplishment

Achievement

Adventure

Affection

Affectionate

Affiliation

Ambitious

Assisting others

Authority

Autonomy

Beauty

Belonging

Broad-minded

Caring

Challenge

Cheerful

Clean

Comfortable life

Companionship

Compassion

Competent

Competitiveness

Contribution to others

Conformity

Contentedness

Control

Cooperation

Courageous

Courteous

Creativity

Dependable

Disciplined

Economic

Security

Effective

Equality

Excitement

Fame

Family happiness

Family security

Forgiving

Free choice

Freedom

Friendship

Fun

Genuineness

Happiness

Health

Helpfulness

Honesty

Hope

Independence

Improving Society

Innovative

Integrity

Intellectual

Involvement

Imagination

Joy

Leisurely

Logical

Love

Loving

Mature Love

National Security

Nature

Obedient

Order

Peace

Personal Development

Pleasure

Polite

Power

Pride

Rational

Recognition

Reliable

Religion

Respectful

Responsible

Restrained

Salvation

Self-controlled

Self-reliance

Self-respect

Sincerity

Spirituality

Stability

Status

Success

Symbolic

Taking Risks

Teamwork

Tidy

Tender

Tranquility

Wealth

Winning

Wisdom

Others:

10 Most Important Values:

Finally, rank each of your five most important values, beliefs, or characteristics, with “1” being the most important value to you, to “5” being the least important of these five important values.

McKee, A., Boyatzis, R. E., & Johnston, F. (2008) Becoming a resonant leader. Harvard Business Press

In this episode, Stan Ajemian interviewed Paul Boehnke, who spent 30 years as a classical musician, and through self-discovery, realized that his love of being an artist lay as much in the inner work as in his love of his instrument, and his desire to share his insights with his students and the world led him to a career in coaching.

Learn more about Paul Boehnke’s work:Website: https://paulboehnke.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@innercriticcoach Thoughts on Demand book: https://thoughtsondemand.org/

To learn more about your host, Stan Ajemian:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/stanajemianEmail: [email protected]Website: www.beingthechangecoaching.com

In this premiere episode, host Stan Ajemian shares his personal journey through trauma, loss, and reinvention. From a near-fatal accident to the collapse of his marriage and career, Stan reflects on how inner work led him to a develop radical acceptance and gratitude, which led to his new purpose in coaching. A story of transformation, growth, and discovering strength on the other side of struggle.

Click Here for the Transcript

Stan

Let’s connect:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/stanajemian

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.beingthechangecoaching.com