What happens when you walk into the hospital for routine surgery and leave paralyzed from the waist down?

Ian Bowen sits down with Diana Ashworth, a certified transformation and empowerment coach who experienced a massive spinal stroke during brain surgery that left her unable to walk. Diana opens up about the moment she woke up and couldn't feel her legs, the devastating diagnosis that she would never walk again, and the long, grueling journey of relearning how to do everything, from dressing herself to maneuvering a wheelchair.

Now a coach who mentors incarcerated women and men and helps women put the pieces of their soul back together after trauma, Diana shares how faith, family, and fierce self-advocacy carried her through. Essential for anyone facing a life-altering setback or struggling to find hope after trauma.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

1. What a spinal stroke is and how it happened during routine brain surgery.

2. The moment Diana woke up and was told she would never walk again.

3. Why she had to relearn basic tasks like dressing and using a wheelchair.

4. How her faith and her grandmother's words carried her through the darkest days.

5. What it means to "put the pieces of your soul back together" after trauma.

6. The challenges and rewards of coaching incarcerated women and men.

7. How losing 95 pounds and managing autoimmune conditions transformed her health.

8. Why self-advocacy with doctors was a turning point in her recovery.

Key Takeaways:

1. You Can't Do It Alone. Whether it's faith, family, or a community, having people who believe in you is essential to surviving the impossible.

2. The Work Starts Within. No personal development book or coach can help you until you decide to do the work on yourself.

3. Self-Advocacy Is Non-Negotiable. Don't let doctors or anyone else label you. Go into appointments with questions and demands. You know you better than they do.

4. Relearn Everything. When life strips away basic abilities, resilience is found in the willingness to relearn how to do everything a different way.

5. Trauma Comes in Many Forms. Abuse, fear of the future, and childhood wounds can shatter a soul just as much as a physical injury.

6. Faith as Fuel. If you have something greater than yourself to lean on, use it. It will carry you when you have nothing left.

7. Look Deep Inside. If you're constantly angry or overwhelmed, the root may not be your current situation, it may be unresolved pain you've never dealt with.

8. Take Action Today. If you need help, don't wait a week or a month. Call that therapist or coach today. Putting it off keeps you stuck.

Timestamps:

00:00 – Introducing Diana Ashworth and her incredible journey

03:00 – The devastating diagnosis: "You're not gonna be able to walk again"

05:34 – Walking into surgery and leaving half of yourself behind

06:22 – The overwhelming question: "Do I want to live or die?"

08:56 – Relearning basic tasks: dressing, wheelchair maneuvers, daily life

11:03 – Faith and her grandmother's words: "If God'll bring you to it, he'll bring you through it"

12:33 – What it means to "put the pieces of your soul back together" after trauma

15:15 – Coaching incarcerated women and men and rebuilding trust

17:36 – The chronic illness pivot: losing 95 pounds and managing autoimmune conditions

20:19 – Becoming a fierce self-advocate in the medical system

23:37 – Dealing with depression and unresolved trauma

26:52 – Practical strategies for difficult days: prayer, worship, and perspective

29:54 – Where to find Diana and Life After Impact

Connect with Diana Ashworth:

Website: https://dianaashworthcreateslife.com/

Email: [email protected]
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/diana-ashworth-ccp-b-a-cps-mh-93918b2a/

CONNECT WITH IAN BOWEN:

Website: https://watchmemindset.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ianrbowen/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ianrbowen

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@PositivePersistence-ch8fk

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What keeps you going when the road gets harder than you ever expected? For Jaclyn Orent, perseverance wasn't about simply pushing through. It became about discovering a purpose bigger than herself and learning how to transform the person doing the persevering.

In this episode of Positive Persistence, Jaclyn shares the extraordinary journey that took her from corporate America through a profound period of self-discovery, including a 36-day water fast that she describes as a pivotal turning point in her life. She explains how that experience reshaped her values, direction, and understanding of purpose.

Jaclyn also explores her work with the Cultural Catalyst Network and the idea of becoming a "warrior of light" moving from struggle and force toward perseverance, honor, and a higher calling. She explains why she believes self-mastery is the foundation of meaningful leadership and why changing your perception can change the way you experience your circumstances.

The conversation goes deeper into letting go, surrender, finding an emotionally compelling vision, surrounding yourself with people who believe in what you're becoming, and why lasting cultural change starts with changing ourselves. Jaclyn also shares how EFT/tapping became part of her personal transformation and her mission to make these tools more accessible.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

1. Why perseverance requires something greater than yourself.

2. How Jaclyn's 36-day water fast became a pivotal moment in her life.

3. What Jaclyn means by discovering your "higher purpose."

4. The Gene Keys and her identity as a "warrior of light."

5. How struggle can become the source of perseverance.

6. Why honoring your struggle can change your relationship with adversity.

7. Why Jaclyn believes self-mastery is the first skill of a cultural catalyst.

8. The difference between leading from power versus force.

9. Why your purpose may be closer than you think and may exist in how you show up.

10. How letting go of control can create profound personal change.

11. Why the people around you can determine whether you sustain meaningful change.

12. How open-mindedness can unlock possibilities you can't currently see.

Key Takeaways:

1. Perseverance needs a reason. When your purpose is bigger than yourself, challenges become easier to continue moving through.

2. Struggle doesn't have to define you. Jaclyn believes the challenges we experience can become the source of the gifts we develop.

3. Self-mastery comes first. Before attempting to change other people or systems, learn to lead yourself.

4. Purpose isn't always something outside of you. Jaclyn argues that purpose can be found in how you "be" and what you bring into the world.

5. Learn to let go. Releasing the need to control everything can create room for a different experience of life.

6. Lead from power, not force. Jaclyn's transformation involved learning to recognize whether her leadership was coming from love or fear.

7. Create an emotionally compelling vision. A goal isn't enough if it doesn't mean something deeply personal to you.

8. Your community matters. The right people can remind you of what's possible when you're struggling to see it yourself.

9. Be willing to change your perception. The lens through which you experience reality influences how you respond to your circumstances.

10. Stay open to what you don't know. Jaclyn's unexpected lesson from years of perseverance was discovering how much more becomes possible when you remain open-minded.

Timestamps:

00:00 – Introducing Jaclyn Orent and her journey

02:10 – Why perseverance requires a greater purpose

03:13 – Jaclyn’s 36-day water fast

04:11 – How the fast changed her direction and values

06:05 – Self-mastery and the Gene Keys

07:35 – Becoming a “warrior of light”

08:09 – Turning struggle into perseverance

10:55 – Finding purpose during difficult times

11:32 – Using EFT and tapping for emotional healing

12:42 – Why self-mastery comes before cultural change

14:20 – Leading from power instead of force

16:04 – How perception shapes your experience

18:43 – Why meaningful change requires community

19:37 – Connecting with your future self

24:57 – Letting go of control

25:52 – Surrender, attachment, and meaning

28:03 – Self-mastery and cultural leadership

30:37 – How tapping helps process difficult emotions

32:07 – Finding a reason powerful enough to keep going

33:21 – Jaclyn’s biggest lesson about perseverance

34:34 – The power of imagination and open-mindedness

35:31 – Reflecting on the lessons of the past

Website: https://www.culturalcatalysts.net

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaclynorent/

CONNECT WITH IAN BOWEN:

Website: https://watchmemindset.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ianrbowen/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ianrbowen

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@PositivePersistence-ch8fk

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What happens when you realize you've lost sight of who you are, and that rebuilding your life is no longer optional?

In this episode, Ian Bowen sits down with Daniel Bradley, host of the Braving the Bright Side podcast, to unpack a remarkable journey from grief and addiction to incarceration, sobriety, leadership, and purpose. Daniel shares how losing his mother at 17 sent him down a path of avoiding pain, eventually leading to years of alcoholism, multiple DUIs, prison time, and a marriage that was barely holding together.

Daniel opens up about the accident that became a turning point in his life: falling three stories from his apartment and waking up in the hospital with a completely different perspective on who he was and what his life stood for. During five days in the hospital, he began asking himself a question he couldn't answer: Who is Dan Bradley, and what does he stand for?

Throughout the episode, Daniel and Ian discuss why community matters during difficult seasons, how to turn past struggles into sources of strength, why scars can become superpowers, and how helping others can become part of your own recovery. Daniel also shares practical habits that keep him grounded, including exercise, reflection, and listing things he's grateful for each morning.

The episode closes with Daniel's powerful message about choosing to be a point of light even when the world feels dark. Sometimes resilience isn't about making a giant transformation, it's about taking a breath, taking one step forward, and refusing to give up.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

1. How losing a parent at a young age can shape the way we process pain and grief.

2. Why addiction can become a way of avoiding emotions and difficult self-reflection.

3. How a life-changing accident forced Daniel to question who he was and what he stood for.

4. Why sobriety is only the beginning of the deeper work of personal transformation.

5. How rebuilding trust, identity, and purpose takes time and consistent effort.

6. What "sonder" means and how recognizing everyone has their own story can create greater empathy.

7. Why community and connection can be crucial when you're struggling.

8. How to reframe painful experiences as sources of strength instead of shame.

9. Why your scars and past struggles can become tools for helping other people.

10. How gratitude, exercise, reflection, and self-awareness can support a resilient mindset.

11. Why doubt isn't always a bad thing—and how it can signal that you're entering unfamiliar territory.

12. How choosing empathy and positivity can become an act of rebellion against darkness.

Key Takeaways:

1. Rebuilding Starts With Identity: Sometimes moving forward begins with asking who you are, what you stand for, and what kind of impact you want to have.

2. Sobriety Is More Than Not Drinking: Daniel describes sobriety as only the beginning. The deeper work involves understanding why you were living the way you were and actively becoming a better version of yourself.

3. Community Helps You Keep Moving: When you can't see your own progress, the right community can remind you how far you've come and help you keep going.

4. Everyone Has a Story: Practicing sonder means remembering that every person you meet is carrying experiences, struggles, hopes, and history you may never see.

5. Your Scars Can Become Superpowers: What you've survived doesn't have to remain a source of shame. Your experiences can become something you use to understand and help others.

6. Look Back, But Don't Stay There: It's empowering to recognize how far you've come, but staying focused on the past can prevent you from moving forward.

7. Gratitude Creates Momentum: Taking time each morning to recognize what you're grateful for can shift your attention toward what is working and remind you how far you've come.

8. Doubt Can Build Character: Doubt doesn't necessarily mean you should stop. It can mean you're about to attempt something unfamiliar or put yourself out there.

9. Resilience Means Not Standing Still: Across Daniel's experiences as a chef, while incarcerated, in the grocery industry, and as a podcaster, resilience repeatedly meant refusing to give up and continuing to move forward.

10. Be the Point of Light: When the world feels dark, choosing empathy, positivity, and forward movement can be an act of bravery.

Timestamps:

00:00 – Meet Daniel Bradley and his journey from addiction to leadership

01:26 – Losing his mother at 17 and the beginning of his struggle

04:14 – The chef lifestyle, drinking, and normalizing addiction

07:18 – DUIs, incarceration, and reaching a breaking point

08:30 – The three-story fall that changed everything

13:27 – Asking, “Who is Dan Bradley?”

15:29 – Rebuilding his life and rediscovering joy

20:26 – Understanding “sonder” and recognizing everyone's story

21:08 – From chef to Trader Joe's and finding perspective through people

23:47 – The importance of community during difficult seasons

28:43 – Daily practices that keep Daniel grounded

36:37 – Finding hope when the world feels dark

37:04 – Being a point of light in a room of shadows

38:31 – Choosing empathy, positivity, and courage

39:10 – Braving the Bright Side and Daniel's upcoming projects

41:21 – Creating connection and reminding people they're not alone

42:06 – Final thoughts: stay positive, stay persistent

Connect with Daniel Bradley:

Website: https://bravingthebrightside.org/

Podcast: Braving the Bright Side — available on Spotify, Apple, and YouTube.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-bradley-53242739a/

CONNECT WITH IAN BOWEN:

Website: https://watchmemindset.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ianrbowen/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ianrbowen

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@PositivePersistence-ch8fk

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What if joy isn't something you find after life's hardest moments... but something you can choose to create along the way?

In this episode, Ian Bowen sits down with Alexi, a cancer survivor, motivational speaker, and advocate for resilience through joy and mindset. After overcoming cancer and later facing financial hardship and homelessness, Alexi continued to find ways to bring laughter, kindness, and positivity into the lives of others.

Alexi shares how her experience with cancer shaped her approach to resilience, why she believes daily action matters alongside mindset, and how laughter became an important part of her purpose. She also explains how small acts of kindness can create a ripple effect, even when you never know how far that impact travels.

The conversation explores practical ways to build emotional resilience, including gratitude, positive self-talk, self-love, and intentionally looking for what's good even when life feels overwhelming. Alexi also shares why treating yourself like your best friend and leading with love can change the way you navigate setbacks and relationships.

Throughout the episode, you'll hear a powerful reminder that difficult circumstances don't have to define your outlook. Sometimes, finding the positive doesn't mean ignoring what's wrong. It means choosing to look for the lesson, the opportunity, or the small moment of joy that can help you keep moving forward.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

1. How Alexi's cancer diagnosis became a turning point in her life.

2. Why resilience requires both a positive mindset and daily action.

3. How laughter and kindness can create a ripple effect of joy.

4. Simple ways to practice gratitude when life feels overwhelming.

5. Why positive self-talk and self-love can support persistence through setbacks.

6. How small acts of kindness can make someone feel seen and valued.

7. Why focusing on the positive doesn't mean ignoring life's negative moments.

8. How to protect your mindset from negativity and keep moving forward.

Key Takeaways:

1. Resilience Is Built Through Action: A positive mindset becomes more powerful when paired with consistent daily steps.

2. Joy Can Be a Purpose: Bringing happiness to others can give difficult seasons greater meaning.

3. Small Acts Matter: A smile, compliment, joke, or kind word can create an impact you may never see.

4. Gratitude Changes Your Outlook: Looking for what went right can shift your focus away from everything that went wrong.

5. Talk to Yourself Like a Friend: Positive self-talk and self-compassion can help you keep going when you're down.

6. Look for the Positive: Even in difficult circumstances, there may be a lesson, opportunity, or silver lining worth finding.

7. Lead With Love: Supporting people with encouragement rather than criticism can change how they experience setbacks.

8. Negativity Is a Habit: Becoming intentional about what you focus on can help you build a more positive pattern.

Timestamps:

00:00 – Meet Alexi and her journey of resilience and joy

01:05 – Alexi's cancer diagnosis and choosing to persevere

03:41 – The mindset and actions behind her recovery

05:20 – Building a positive mindset through adversity

07:48 – Discovering the power of laughter and joy

09:22 – Facing financial hardship and homelessness with joy

10:24 – Finding gratitude in everyday life

11:29 – How small acts can create a ripple effect

13:11 – Practical habits for building emotional resilience

15:13 – Gratitude, self-hugs, and ending the day positively

18:22 – Finding the positive in life's challenges

20:21 – Turning negativity into something positive

22:08 – Leading with love and emotional intelligence

25:48 – Self-love and positive self-talk

28:07 – Protecting yourself from negativity

Connect with Alexi Bracey:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexibracey/

CONNECT WITH IAN BOWEN:

Website: https://watchmemindset.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ianrbowen/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ianrbowen

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@PositivePersistence-ch8fk

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What if feeling stuck isn't a sign that you need to work harder... but a signal that something is out of alignment?

In this episode, Ian Bowen sits down with Desi Bolin, serial entrepreneur, business strategist, and catalyst for personal growth. Through her work with Virtually Sourced, Catalyst Collective, and Catalyst Conversations, Desi helps people navigate change, build businesses that support their lives, and take bold action rooted in who they truly are.

Desi shares the story of leaving corporate leadership after realizing she didn't want to spend more than half of her children's childhood away from them, and how that decision led her into entrepreneurship. She and Ian explore the mindset shifts that helped her build self-trust, embrace authenticity, and create a life around purpose rather than societal expectations.

Throughout the conversation, Desi explains why people often don't need another strategy, they need a different way of thinking. From replacing "but" with "and," shifting from "have to" to "get to," and operating with intention while detaching from the outcome, Desi offers practical ways to reframe adversity and move forward with greater clarity.

The conversation also dives into the importance of staying present, embracing incremental growth, giving yourself permission to fail, practicing self-compassion, and recognizing when an old identity, relationship, or habit no longer serves you.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

1. Why feeling stuck may be a sign of misalignment rather than a lack of effort.

2. How self-trust and self-love influence the way you show up in every area of life.

3. Why operating with intention while detaching from the outcome can create greater freedom.

4. How small language shifts like "and" instead of "but" can change the way you think.

5. Why authenticity builds trust and helps attract the right people into your life.

6. How inner work can help rewrite old stories and expand your sense of what's possible.

7. Why consistency, presence, and discipline are essential for long-term growth.

8. How to recognize when an old identity, relationship, or habit no longer serves you.

9. Why failure can become one of the fastest ways to learn and grow.

10. How giving yourself grace can help you continue moving forward through adversity.

Key Takeaways:

1. Alignment Creates Momentum: Progress becomes more sustainable when your actions are rooted in your values, strengths, purpose, and the person you want to become.

2. Self-Trust Changes Everything: Building trust in yourself allows you to take courageous steps even before you feel completely confident.

3. Your Internal World Gets Amplified: What you carry internally can influence how you show up in your business, relationships, and life.

4. Choose "Get To" Over "Have To": Reframing obligations as choices can shift your perspective and restore a sense of agency.

5. Authenticity Builds Trust: Showing up as your true self creates deeper connections and attracts people who genuinely align with you.

6. Growth Requires Discomfort: Stepping outside your familiar patterns and homeostasis is often where meaningful growth begins.

7. Consistency Requires Presence: Repeating the right actions matters, but staying present allows you to recognize bottlenecks and make adjustments along the way.

8. Failure Is Part of the Process: Mistakes can reveal what doesn't work and provide lessons that move you forward.

8. Give Yourself Grace: Progress doesn't have to happen overnight. Self-compassion makes it easier to keep going through setbacks and difficult seasons.

10. Make It Simple: When facing adversity, stop overthinking and focus on the simple, aligned action you can take right now.

Timestamps:

00:00 – Meet Desi Bolin and her journey into entrepreneurship

03:23 – Leaving corporate leadership to build a life around family

05:20 – Self-trust, self-love, and the impact of your internal world

07:18 – Shifting from “have to” to “get to”

09:23 – How to recognize when you're out of alignment

11:44 – The inner work behind changing your life

16:03 – Building a life around authenticity and purpose

20:10 – The long-term work of personal growth

23:37 – Reclaiming your potential and owning your power

27:10 – Why consistency and patience create lasting growth

34:24 – Consistency vs. insanity: knowing when to change course

40:37 – Desi’s mindset shift: make everything simple and live with intention

Connect with Desi Bolin:

Website: https://talkwithdesi.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/desibolin/

CONNECT WITH IAN BOWEN:

Website: https://watchmemindset.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ianrbowen/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ianrbowen

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@PositivePersistence-ch8fk

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What if resilience wasn't about avoiding hardship... but about choosing who you become because of it?

In this episode, Ian Bowen sits down with Doug Babcock, ICF Associate Certified Coach, leadership consultant, and former EMT, police officer, and detective. After decades serving in high-pressure environments across public safety, higher education, and nonprofit leadership, Doug now helps leaders strengthen their integrity, resilience, and decision-making through values-based coaching.

Drawing from both professional experience and a difficult childhood marked by abuse, addiction, and instability, Doug shares how one simple belief—"there's always a lesson"—became the foundation of his life. Together, Ian and Doug explore why personal agency matters, how our choices shape our future, and why resilience begins the moment we stop letting our circumstances define us.

Throughout the conversation, Doug offers practical wisdom on accountability, overcoming shame, finding hope, and building a life driven by intentional choices rather than past experiences.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

1. Why resilience begins with accepting personal responsibility.

2. How choosing your response creates lasting personal freedom.

3. Why there's always a lesson even in life's hardest moments.

4. How mentors can help shape your identity and future.

5. What it means to give away, or reclaim, your personal agency.

6. Why shame keeps people stuck while accountability creates growth.

7. How today's choices determine tomorrow's opportunities.

8. Practical ways to build resilience through intentional daily decisions.

Key Takeaways:

1.Your Choices Shape Your Future: While you can't control every circumstance, you can always choose how you respond.

2. Agency Is Your Greatest Strength: No one can take your agency away—but you can choose to give it up.

3. Every Experience Contains a Lesson: Growth happens when we learn from adversity instead of allowing it to define us.

4. Accountability Creates Freedom: Owning your decisions empowers lasting personal transformation.

5. Hope Must Be Accessed: When people lose access to hope, fear often begins making their decisions.

6. Mentors Matter: Positive influences can help rewrite the stories we believe about ourselves.

7. Failure Doesn't Define You: Mistakes become valuable when they're treated as lessons instead of lifelong labels.

8. Resilience Is Built One Choice at a Time: Consistently choosing growth, integrity, and purpose creates lasting strength.

Timestamps:

00:00 – Meet Doug Babcock and his leadership journey

00:55 – What it means to be an ICF-certified coach

02:12 – Lessons from public safety and the foundations of resilience

03:00 – Growing up in adversity and choosing a different path

05:09 – Why no one else gets to define your identity

06:00 – The power of personal agency and paying it forward

08:05 – Giving away agency and the consequences of our choices

12:14 – Refusing to live by other people's expectations

13:37 – The mentors and influences that shaped Doug's life

15:51 – Why hope is the antidote to fear

16:06 – No one can rewrite yesterday, but everyone can shape tomorrow

18:18 – Learning from failure instead of being defined by it

20:23 – Choosing your response no matter your circumstances

21:08 – The consequences of every choice and every decision not to choose

44:31 – Final thoughts on positive persistence and mindset

Connect with Doug Babcock:

Website: https://www.counterpartscoaching.com/

Website: https://insighttoimpactleaders.com/ (coming soon)

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556574782210

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dougbabcock802/

CONNECT WITH IAN BOWEN:

Website: https://watchmemindset.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ianrbowen/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ianrbowen

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@PositivePersistence-ch8fk

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What if the magick you've been waiting for was never wishful thinking... but a daily practice you could learn one small step at a time?

In this episode, Ian Bowen sits down with Tracy Nicholas, folklorist, game designer, and author of Mind Over Magick: Making Magick in Everyday Life. Tracy hosts the Folkloring podcast and works at the intersection of folklore, mindful living, and creativity.

Rather than card tricks or stage illusions, Tracy defines magick as changing the environment within and around you with no mechanical intervention—a practice grounded in psychology, belief, and the deliberate use of your own energy. She went back and forth with her publisher over keeping the “k” in magick, and kept it on purpose: this is about the mind, not sleight of hand.

Tracy explains why a magickal practice has to be built before a crisis hits, how managing your energy is the first real tool you have, and why the stories we tell about ourselves quietly harden into the beliefs that run our lives.

Together, Ian and Tracy explore practical ways to read your own energy, shift your focus, and turn intention into action—whether you're facing adversity, rebuilding your confidence, or simply trying to become a better version of yourself.

In this episode, you'll discover:

1. What magick actually means as a daily practice, and how it differs from wishful thinking or stage illusion.

2. Why a magickal practice has to be built before a crisis, not during one.

3. How to read and manage your own energy before trying to change anything around you.

4. Why your environment—electronics, Wi-Fi, nature, open ground—moves your frequency, and how to choose it on purpose.

5. How grounding, centering, and time in nature lower anxiety and clear your thinking.

6. How to spot the cautionary tales and inherited stories that quietly shape your beliefs.

7. Why attention is a tool—when you look for symbols, meaning, and openings, you start to find them.

8. How focus and belief turn intention into real, effective action.

Key Takeaways:

1. Magick Is a Practice, Not a Rescue: It's very hard to build a practice in the middle of a crisis, which is exactly why it has to be a daily habit you develop before you need it.

2. Start With Your Own Energy: Notice where you carry tension and how your energy shifts around other people versus when you're alone—that awareness is the first step to managing yourself under pressure.

3. Your Environment Moves Your Frequency: Electronics and Wi-Fi pull your range toward anxiety and insomnia, while nature and open ground bring it back down—so choose your surroundings on purpose.

4. Stories Become Beliefs: Just because someone tells a story about you doesn't make it true—even when you're the one telling it. Never let someone else's perception of your capabilities become your reality.

5. Attention Is a Tool: If you're looking for symbols, meaning, and openings, you'll find them—focus and belief are what turn intention into action.

6. The Mundane Is Magical: Energy work isn't separate from ordinary life—a spell is really a strategy, and your intention should be the concrete thing you need to do next.

7. Belief Is Integral to Your Practice: Your beliefs are what let you tap into your energy, and every person's magick is completely individual to them.

8. Clear Focus Shrinks the Obstacles: When your focus is clear, the things in your way start to matter far less.

Timestamps:

00:00 – What magick really means (and what it is not)

01:30 – Meet Tracy Nicholas: Mind Over Magick and the Folkloring podcast

04:02 – Facing adversity: why the first step is managing your energy

08:06 – Symbolism, ritual, and the real power of belief

12:01 – What animals and the natural world reveal about energy

17:01 – Folklore and stories: keep the lesson, lose the fear

22:03 – Tracy's origin story: from theater to a life of practice

32:00 – Facing the fear of judgment and building work you believe in

41:04 – Pay attention and you'll find it: focus, symbols, and meaning

46:03 – Ian's reflection: how a clear focus makes the obstacles irrelevant

50:01 – Where to find Tracy, her book, and her community

Connect with Tracy Nicholas:

Website: https://folkloringlife.com/

Book: Mind Over Magick: Making Magick in Everyday Life

Podcast: Folkloring Life

Community: Folkloring Life Community

CONNECT WITH IAN BOWEN:

Website: https://thepositivepersistence.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ianrbowen/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ianrbowen

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@IanBowenPositivePersistence

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

CONNECT WITH IAN BOWEN:

Website: https://watchmemindset.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ianrbowen/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ianrbowen

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@PositivePersistence-ch8fk

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What is the one ingredient that separates the people who make it from the ones who almost did?

In this solo episode, Ian Bowen breaks down grit: not the gritty, dirty, sandy kind, but the psychological kind. The kind made of courage, perseverance, and a stubborn passion for a long-term goal even when life hasn't asked your permission before knocking you flat.

Ian traces grit back to its smallest expression, showing up to the gym when you didn't want to, and connects it to one of the most underrated truths in personal development: good things don't come to those who wait.

They come to those who do the unsexy, unglamorous, unlikes-able work behind the scenes, over and over again. If you're stuck right now and still have the dream, this one is for you.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

1. Why grit is not just toughness, but a specific psychological combination of courage, perseverance, and passion for a long-term goal.

2. How dopamine culture conditions us to expect results fast, and why that expectation quietly kills most big dreams.

3. The real truth behind the saying good things come to those who wait, and the missing half that changes everything.

4. Why doing the work in the dark so you can shine in the light is the unglamorous reality behind every overnight success.

5. How even the smallest act of doing what you didn't want to do is an exercise in building the grit muscle.

6. Why you already have grit, and how to call on the evidence of that when life decides to test you again.

Key Takeaways:

1. Grit Is a Long Game: Courage and passion matter, but they have to be pointed at a long-term goal, not a quick win. Short-term thinking is grit's biggest enemy.

2. Good Things Come to Those Who Work: Waiting is only half the equation. Long obedience in the same direction, applied consistently, is what actually delivers results.

3. Do the Unsexy Work: The actions that don't get likes, follows, or recognition are usually the ones that move the needle most. Integrity means doing them anyway.

4. Work in the Dark: As mentor Anthony Trucks says, do the work in the dark so you can shine in the light. Grit lives in the unseen effort.

5. The Small Wins Count: Getting out of bed when you didn't want to is grit. Every small act of resistance builds the capacity for the bigger ones.

6. You Have Done This Before: Whatever season you're in, you have pushed through a hard one before. Invoke that evidence. Grit picks up where memory leaves off.

Timestamps:

00:00 – Introduction: a solo episode on a gym word of the week

00:38 – What grit actually means in human behavior

01:33 – Grit defined: courage, perseverance, passion for a long-term goal

02:28 – The real version of good things come to those who wait

03:13 – Reverse engineering your goals and doing the unsexy stuff

03:57 – Anthony Trucks: do the work in the dark to shine in the light

04:29 – When life tests you without asking, you have two options

05:48 – Even getting out of bed is grit

06:26 – Why don't we find out what happens if I do

07:07 – You have been in this season before. Invoke your grit.

CONNECT WITH IAN BOWEN:

Website: https://watchmemindset.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ianrbowen/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ianrbowen

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@PositivePersistence-ch8fk

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What if building resilience wasn't just about changing your mindset... but actually improving how your brain processes information?

In this episode, Ian Bowen sits down with John Kennedy, founder of Kennedy Consulting Group and creator of the Combat Brain Training program. After spending two decades helping Fortune 500 companies solve complex operational problems, John shifted his focus toward helping military personnel improve decision-making under extreme pressure. 

That journey led him to develop an approach centered on applied neuroplasticity, using targeted brain exercises to improve processing speed, adaptability, and resilience.

John explains how the brain can be strengthened through intentional repetition, why awareness is the first step toward breaking destructive habits, and how anticipation helps us navigate adversity before it overwhelms us. 

Together, Ian and John explore practical strategies for developing mental resilience, overcoming limiting beliefs, and preparing your brain to perform at its best—whether you're leading a business, raising a family, recovering from trauma, or simply trying to become a better version of yourself.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

1. What applied neuroplasticity is and how it differs from traditional psychology.

2. Why improving brain processing can strengthen resilience and confidence.

3. How repetition shapes both helpful and harmful habits.

4. Why awareness is the first step toward lasting personal change.

5. How anticipation helps you prepare for setbacks before they happen.

6. Practical ways to build stronger thinking patterns in everyday life.

7. Real-world success stories from military personnel, athletes, and individuals with ADHD.

8. Why better brain performance can improve both emotional well-being and peak performance.

Key Takeaways:

1. Your Brain Can Change: Neuroplasticity allows the brain to strengthen and rewire itself through repeated experiences and intentional practice.

2. Awareness Creates Choice: You can't change habits you don't recognize. Awareness opens the door to transformation.

3. Repetition Builds Identity: The thoughts and behaviors you practice consistently become your default patterns.

4. Preparation Reduces Stress: Anticipating obstacles helps you respond calmly instead of reacting emotionally.

5. Performance Starts in the Brain: Improving cognitive efficiency can positively impact confidence, resilience, learning, and decision-making.

6. Small Exercises Create Big Results: Consistent mental training compounds over time into meaningful personal growth.

7. Hope Is Built Through Action: Confidence grows when you experience evidence that change is possible.

8. Resilience Is Trainable: Mental toughness isn't something you're born with—it's a skill that can be developed.

Timestamps:

00:00 – Meet John Kennedy and the origins of Combat Brain Training

01:24 – How a military challenge inspired a new approach to resilience

03:16 – Testing brain training with Marines facing trauma and loss

05:00 – Applied neuroplasticity vs. traditional psychology

07:46 – Understanding neuroplasticity and how the brain changes

10:23 – Why repetition creates lasting habits—for better or worse

11:34 – Success stories from Navy SEALs and individuals with ADHD

14:27 – Practical ways to strengthen your brain every day

16:50 – Why anticipation is a critical resilience skill

18:11 – Training your brain to anticipate challenges before they happen

20:00 – Ian's message on developing a performance mindset

21:05 – Preparing for setbacks while pursuing ambitious goals

23:42 – Breaking goals into manageable processes for better execution

27:34 – How engaging multiple parts of the brain accelerates learning

31:11 – Building self-belief through measurable progress

35:00 – Brain training for physical recovery and rehabilitation

39:06 – Where to learn more about John Kennedy and Combat Brain Training

Connect with John Kennedy:

Website: https://combatbraintraining.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kennedycg/

CONNECT WITH IAN BOWEN:

Website: https://watchmemindset.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ianrbowen/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ianrbowen

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@PositivePersistence-ch8fk

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Elaine Belson joins Ian Bowen for a powerful conversation about breaking free from overthinking, silencing the inner critic, and learning to trust yourself. A licensed psychotherapist with more than 30 years of experience, Army veteran, and creator of the Self-Authority framework, Elaine explains why overthinking isn't the real problem—it's often a coping mechanism for deeper emotional discomfort.

Together, Ian and Elaine explore the roots of self-doubt, fear of rejection, emotional overwhelm, and unhealthy people-pleasing. Elaine shares practical strategies for identifying emotions instead of suppressing them, setting healthy boundaries without guilt, and practicing mindfulness in a world filled with constant distractions.

This episode is for anyone struggling with anxiety, perfectionism, overthinking, or feeling trapped by self-doubt—and ready to reclaim confidence by building genuine self-trust.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

1. Why overthinking is actually an emotional coping strategy—not the real problem.

2. The six common forms of overthinking that quietly undermine confidence.

3. How fear of rejection and failure fuels self-doubt and second-guessing.

4. What "Self-Authority" means and how it transforms decision-making.

5. Why healthy boundaries benefit both you and the people around you.

6. Practical mindfulness techniques for reducing anxiety and emotional overload.

7. How unresolved childhood patterns continue shaping adult behavior.

7. Why learning to stay present is one of the greatest keys to happiness.

Key Takeaways:

1. Overthinking Is a Symptom: It often masks emotions that need attention rather than intellectual solutions.

2. Emotions Carry Information: Feelings aren't problems to eliminate—they're signals guiding you toward unmet needs.

3. Self-Trust Can Be Built: Confidence grows when decisions come from your values instead of fear.

4. Boundaries Aren't Selfish: Protecting your well-being also encourages growth in your relationships.

5. Mindfulness Is Practice, Not Perfection: The goal isn't to stop thoughts, but to gently return your attention to the present.

6. Emotional Awareness Prevents Emotional Overload: Processing emotions regularly keeps them from building into overwhelming reactions.

7. Childhood Patterns Don't Have to Define You: Recognizing emotional habits creates opportunities for lasting change.

8. Presence Creates Peace: Life becomes richer when you're fully engaged in the moment instead of worrying about what's next.

Timestamps:

00:00 – Welcome to the Positive Persistence Podcast with Ian Bowen

01:35 – Why overthinking affects so many people

02:17 – The six different types of overthinking

03:07 – Why overthinking is really emotional avoidance

04:03 – Understanding emotions as valuable information

05:17 – The roots of self-doubt and second-guessing

06:52 – Practical steps to interrupt fear-based thinking

07:40 – What Self-Authority actually means

08:18 – Setting boundaries without asking for permission

10:03 – The difference between self-care and selfishness

10:54 – The "Opposite of the Golden Rule" exercise

12:02 – Managing emotional overload before it becomes overwhelming

13:02 – The "Pitcher" analogy for accumulated emotions

14:24 – Mindfulness and grounding techniques for anxiety

15:23 – Why constant phone use disconnects us from ourselves

17:50 – Creating intentional quiet in everyday life

19:08 – Why mindfulness isn't about stopping your thoughts

20:40 – You can't fully experience life without being present

21:39 – Overcoming the "Sunday Scaries" mindset

22:31 – Recognizing childhood emotional patterns in adulthood

23:00 – Responding proactively instead of reacting emotionally

Website: https://www.theselfauthoritycoach.com/

Podcast: https://www.theselfauthoritycoach.com/podcast

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheSelfAuthorityPodcast

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elainebelsonlcsw/

CONNECT WITH IAN BOWEN:

Website: https://watchmemindset.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ianrbowen/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ianrbowen

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@PositivePersistence-ch8fk

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.