Things No One Tells You

Stephanie Szostak has played unforgettable roles on screen, but in her newest film Soul on Fire coming out October 10, she steps into a true story about a mother whose tough love helped save her son’s life. It’s a story that hit home for Stephanie, not only as an actress, but as a mom.

Stephanie opens up about the moments when love has meant letting go or taking a risk, whether in parenting, friendship, or even in her own journey of becoming an actor at 29. She shares about the teachers who pushed her, the mentors who challenged her, and the delicate balance between comfort and courage.

What You’ll Hear:

• Things no one tells you about tough love (03:56)
• The story behind her new movie Soul on Fire  (04:18)
• Acting lessons that began with brutal honesty  (13:23)
• Finding mentors who deliver the hard truths  (20:17)
• Beginning again at 29 and discovering acting  (26:26)
• The surprising ways tough love can lead to growth  (27:57)

Stephanie’s story is a reminder that the hardest words can sometimes be the most loving, and that those moments of tough love often plant seeds we don’t see until years later.

You can watch this interview on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Ay3Q__fDA3w 

For a full transcript and more, check out our blog post: https://www.lindsaycz.com/show-notes/stephanie-szostak-18 

Check out more from Stephanie Szostak:

Watch Soul on Fire Trailer - In Theaters October 10

Follow Stephanie on Instagram

Get Stephanie's workbook: Selfish: Step Into a Journey of Self-Discovery to Revive Confidence, Joy, and Meaning

When you meet Marisa Peters, her energy fills the room. She’s a mom of three boys, a performer, and now the co-founder of the Be Seen Foundation. But behind that brightness is a story of survival that changed everything.

At 39, while still nursing her youngest, Marisa learned she had late-stage colorectal cancer. What followed was months of treatment, a body she barely recognized, and the constant challenge of being present for her kids while fighting for her life. She’s honest about the hardest nights, the fear that never fully disappears, and the humor that sometimes kept her family afloat, like naming her tumor “Earl” so her kids had language to understand what was happening.

This is a story about illness, yes. But it’s also about marriage, music, and the ways we find ourselves again after everything has been stripped away.

What You’ll Discover in this Episode:

• How early symptoms were missed for years (14:19)
• Finding community through “poop parties” (22:04)
• Talking to kids about cancer with honesty (36:12)
• The reality of chemo’s hardest days (42:24)
• The mental weight of scan anxiety (53:59)
• Reclaiming old dreams in a new chapter (57:22)

Marisa’s story is a reminder that survival isn’t just about medicine; it’s about family, purpose, and the courage to keep living with intention. If you’ve ever wondered how to face life when everything changes overnight, this episode is for you.

You can watch this interview on YouTube: https://youtu.be/qlxDL9mS5cY 

For a full transcript and more, check out our blog post: https://www.lindsaycz.com/show-notes/marisa-peters-17  

Check out more from Marisa Peters: 

You can learn more about Marisa on her website

Or you can listen to her podcast, From Carpools to Chemo

If you feel called to it, you can give to Marisa’s foundation

Follow Marisa on Instagram

Some of the most powerful moments in sports happen away from the playing field. That’s what struck me in this conversation with Buffalo Bills team chaplain Len Vanden Bos and linebacker Lorenzo Alexander. I became really interested in learning more about the role faith plays in the NFL because I started to observe things on the sidelines, after games, and during the course of the weekly schedule covering NFL teams in Miami and Washington, D.C. 

I noticed that some players were displaying their spirituality openly around the facilities and also after games meeting at midfield to kneel and pray with their competitors, I also was introduced to the concept of the team chaplain and saw that work in full force in 2007 when Washington safety Sean Taylor was killed and his teammates leaned on each other and Pastor Brett Fuller through grief and healing.  

When Bills’ safety Damar Hamlin suffered a life threatening cardiac event on the field in January 2023, I was watching at home like millions of other football fans as the team and the nation seemed to be collectively praying for a miracle.  During shots the cameras were getting on the sidelines, I caught a close up shot of the Bills’ team chaplain Len Vanden Bos praying alongside a player on the bench.  That moment made me want to understand more about how faith and belief might play more of a role in the sport than we think, and that’s when I decided I wanted to reach out to Len in hopes he would share his story.  Here we are a couple years later. I’m grateful Damar Hamlin is back playing, and I’m grateful the Buffalo Bills were open and helped share this story. I appreciate Lorenzo Alexander for being willing to sit with us and share a player's perspective as well as his personal story about the impact of the death of his friend, star safety Sean Taylor. 

In this episode, Len and Lorenzo open up about what belief really looks like in the NFL, and why it matters.

We talked about how faith shapes the locker room, steadies players in moments of tragedy, and builds a kind of brotherhood that lasts long after the season ends. Len and Lorenzo shared about how the spiritual fabric of a team can be just as important as its playbook.

What You’ll Discover:

• The role of faith inside an NFL locker room (04:44)
• Len on why the Bills created a full-time chaplain role (07:30)
• Lorenzo on what shifted after Sean Taylor’s death (16:56)
• Why belief builds brotherhood beyond the scoreboard (36:30) 
• Faith as a foundation during tragedy and crisis (47:11)

As I listened to Len and Lorenzo share their experiences, I was reminded of how faith can give athletes a way to steady themselves when the stakes feel impossibly high. Tune in to hear how NFL players’ lives can be impacted because of the community and fellowship surrounding them.

You can watch this interview on YouTube: https://youtu.be/jG9wjXTqfqs 

For a full transcript and more, check out our blog post: https://www.lindsaycz.com/show-notes/buffalo-bills-16  

Check out more from the Buffalo Bills: 

Follow the Team on Instagram.

For more from Lorenzo Alexander, you can follow him on Instagram.

Sometimes a community starts with just one person showing up. For Olivia Santelli, a whole community movement started with a simple invitation in Chicago: bring a mat to the shore of Lake Michigan for a free Pilates class. Twelve people came. Then hundreds. Then thousands. That single invite grew into Rise Pilates Club, a thriving community rooted in connection, consistency, and care.

Now, Olivia is also building Within, a digital platform offering tools for both physical and mental wellness. In our conversation, she shares the lessons of following your spark, how she stays grounded while leading others, and why saying yes before you feel ready can change your life.

What You’ll Hear:

• The first Rise class at Lake Michigan (08:10)
• Saying yes before you’re fully ready (15:25)
• Building community by showing up consistently (22:15)
• Mental health practices that extend beyond the mat (29:30)
• The mental health tools that anchor Olivia’s work (38:50)

Olivia opens up about the courage it takes to start before you feel ready, the power of consistency, and the role mental health plays in her life and work. If you’ve ever had a whisper of an idea you couldn’t shake, Olivia’s story will inspire you to follow it.

You can watch this interview on YouTube: https://youtu.be/a8dDwN4kfe8 

For a full transcript and more, check out our blog post: https://www.lindsaycz.com/show-notes/olivia-santelli-15 

Check out more from Olivia Santelli: 

Connect with Olivia on Instagram: @Olivia.Santelli or follow the @risepilatesclub.

You can also see the upcoming events of the Rise Pilates Club HERE. Or check out the Within platform HERE

Rise Pilates feature on the Today Show: “How a Free Pilates Class in Chicago Went Viral on Social Media”

Mentioned in the Episode

Glitter Freckles and Grit with Aliett Buttelman from Episode 8

The Pressure of Live Sports with Rebecca Lowe from Episode 12

Elise Hart Kipness knows the rush of live TV: the countdown, the red light, the adrenaline. For years she reported from press rooms and sidelines, covering everything from the NBA lockout to the U.S. Open. But when she stepped away to raise her kids, the quieter lifestyle felt overwhelming. 

What Elise didn’t expect was that silence would lead her to something new: thrillers. Today, Elise is a USA Today bestselling author whose Kate Green series takes readers deep into the worlds she once covered.

In this conversation, Elise shares what it really means to reinvent yourself midlife, how she found courage in being a beginner, and why a pause can sometimes be the doorway to a bigger purpose.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

• Giving up the adrenaline rush of live TV (00:00)
• The identity shift of leaving a big career (11:26)
• Writing as a way to find purpose again (19:04)
• Real behind-the-scenes details woven into her novels (25:22)
• Why reinvention can be even more fulfilling than the first act (45:01)

Tune in to learn about Elise’s journey from sideline reporter to bestselling author and the behind-the-scenes moments that fueled her thrillers. Discover the quiet courage it takes to step back, and then leap forward into something new.

You can watch this interview on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ELGobEHRAYs 

For a full transcript and more, check out our blog post: https://www.lindsaycz.com/show-notes/elise-hart-kipness-14   

Check out more from Elise Hart Kipness: 

Learn more about Elise on her website: https://elisehartkipness.com/ and stay connected through her instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elisehartkipness/ 

When you think of a Super Bowl champion, you probably picture confetti, rings, and a perfect ending. But for Alex Okafor, the story was much more complicated.

There’s a part of Alex’s story that gave me chills. It happened during the national anthem at the Super Bowl. He wasn’t suited up. An injury had taken him out of the game. But in that moment, sitting with his family, Alex’s mom wrapped her arm around him and reminded him that he’d already helped his team get there. Months later, she was gone, taken suddenly by leukemia.

In this conversation, Alex talks about what it’s like to go from the highest high to the lowest low in the span of weeks. He opens up about the uncertainty of draft day, the grind of an NFL career, and the grief that nobody really prepares you for. And he shares how he’s taken that pain and turned it into purpose: mentoring kids, serving his community, and helping families impacted by blood cancer.

What You’ll Discover:

• How Alex’s dream shifted from basketball to football (10:00)
• The lessons in culture and swagger from the Chiefs’ Super Bowl run (26:43)
• How an injury shifted Alex’s perspective and his seat in the stands (31:30)
• The last gift of time Alex got with his mom (37:13)
• Why nobody tells you what grief is really going to feel like (45:16)
• How Alex is carrying his mom’s legacy forward through service (50:56)

This is a story about football, but it’s also about faith, family, and finding your footing after life changes in an instant.

You can watch this interview on YouTube: https://youtu.be/hnRlMTt4mGg 

For a full transcript and more, check out our blog post: https://www.lindsaycz.com/show-notes/alex-okafor-13  

Connect with Alex Okafor

Follow Alex on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexokafor/

Learn more about Alex’s work with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society: https://bloodcancerunited.org/ 

To read Alex’s article that he shared in Player’s Tribune, click here.

You may know Rebecca Lowe as the sharp, unflappable voice of Premier League mornings on NBC. But what struck me most in this conversation wasn’t just her broadcasting skill; it was her candor about what it really feels like to sit in that chair, live, with millions watching.

Rebecca opens up about mom guilt, nerves, and the kind of preparation that doesn’t always silence self-doubt. She’s been at the center of some of sports’ biggest stages, yet she’s refreshingly honest about the pressure, the mistakes, and the ways she’s still learning to breathe through it all.

What You’ll Hear:

• The path from London to hosting live sports in the U.S. (04:12)
• The surprising ways mom guilt shows up in Rebecca’s career (15:03)
• Behind the curtain of Premier League mornings (22:41)
• How Rebecca handles mistakes in real time (34:18)
• The quiet discipline that keeps her sharp on camera (42:10)
• What Rebecca wants her son to know about her work (52:47)

Rebecca’s story is a reminder that even the pros who seem calm under the brightest lights are still human: navigating nerves, balancing family, and finding their voice in real time. If you’ve ever wondered what it really takes to perform live, this episode is for you.

You can also watch this conversation on YouTube. https://youtu.be/Ntt9qLZtltA

Check out our blog post for a full transcript and more. https://www.lindsaycz.com/show-notes/rebecca-lowe-12

Be sure to subscribe, rate, and review Things No One Tells You wherever you like to listen.

Check out more from Rebecca Lowe on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rebeccalowetv

I’ve told a lot of stories over the years, but watching Jen Welter tear up while reading a handwritten note from one of her linebackers? That one stuck with me.

Jen was the first woman to coach in the NFL, but what makes her story unforgettable isn’t just that milestone. It’s what it took to get there. No guidebook. No road map. Just a clear plastic bag, a heart full of determination, and the guts to cold call the Arizona Cardinals.

She opens up about the good, the gritty, and the completely unexpected parts of being “the first”—and why those handwritten notes might’ve mattered more than any play she called.

What You’ll Discover:

• Why a simple handwritten note made national headlines (06:20)
• What it really felt like to step onto that NFL sideline (10:35)
• The power and pressure of being “the first” in a locker room with no precedent (23:04)
• How one cold call changed the course of her life (27:22)
• Building trust one conversation, one linebacker at a time (41:42)
• Why women in leadership need true advocates, not just mentors (57:13)

There’s something about Jen’s journey that stays with you. The behind-the-scenes moments that don't make it into the highlight reel. The quiet decisions. The handwritten notes. The way she just kept showing up with no rulebook to follow. The quiet courage it takes to be the first. Jen’s story is a master class in showing up fully—even when the playbook doesn’t exist yet.

If you’ve ever wondered how to keep showing up when the path isn’t clear, this one’s for you.

To watch the video version on YouTube, click here: https://youtu.be/1g34SPXKy4s 

To see the full transcript and much more, check out the blog post: https://www.lindsaycz.com/show-notes/jen-welter

Connect with Jen Welter

Follow Jen on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/welter47/ or check out her website: https://www.jenwelter.com/. 

Check out this ESPN article celebrating 10 years since Jen Welter was hired: “How Jen Welter's hire 10 years ago opened NFL to more women”

To see the iconic photo and read more about the handshake moment between Jen Welter and Sarah Thomas, check out this article.  

You may know Eric Church as a country music icon and Chase Elliott as a NASCAR champion, but what happens when two high performers sit down to talk, not about the spotlight, but about what keeps them steady behind the scenes?

Because rising to the top is one thing. Staying there? That takes a different kind of strength: the habits, the anchors, the quiet choices no one sees.

In this episode, I revisit one of my favorite conversations, which was originally recorded during my Lunch with Lindsay podcast series in partnership with FamilyMade. I joined Chase Elliott and Eric Church at Eric’s writer’s cabin for a special conversation.

Eric and Chase may seem like an unlikely pair, but sit with them long enough, and you’ll see the parallels run deep. Both have built careers in high-pressure arenas. Both have learned to tune out the noise. And both know the challenge of staying grounded when the stakes are sky high.

Chase and Eric open up about the moments that changed them, the pressures of being seen, and the quieter choices that shaped their careers. From Chase’s early days trying to outrun expectations to Eric’s defiant decision to tour solo after getting kicked off the Rascal Flatts stage, this episode is a deep dive into identity, legacy, and the kind of grit that can’t be taught.

What You’ll Hear:

• Eric’s surprising creative outlet: chainsaw therapy (03:28)
• Why Chase prioritizes fun off the track (06:45)
• Eric’s career-defining decision to go solo (14:09)
• Chase on separating passion from pressure (18:44)
• Why Eric stopped chasing charts, and found peace (20:23)
• The power of real connection in high-profile lives (31:49)
• The way both industries are changing over time (50:26)

If you’ve ever wondered what it really takes to stay steady in the spotlight, this one’s for you. Be sure to stay tuned for the special surprises Eric and Chase have for each other at the end of the episode. 

You can watch this interview on YouTube: https://youtu.be/kvpVqCsbtlU 

For a full transcript and more, check out our blog post: https://www.lindsaycz.com/show-notes/eric-church-and-chase-elliott 

Connect with Eric Church and Chase Elliott: 

For more from Eric Church, you can follow him on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ericchurchmusic/ 

And for more from Chase Elliott, you can follow him on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chaseelliott9/ 

When I think about the people who shaped the world of horse racing, D. Wayne Lukas is at the top of the list. But what struck me most in this conversation wasn’t the trophies; it was the tenderness. And the truth-telling. In this special moment, recorded in June of 2024, I sat down with the Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne alongside Jena Antonucci, the first woman to win a Triple Crown race, for a conversation that spanned decades of horse racing history, personal transformation, and powerful mentorship.

D. Wayne opens up about what it really takes to be great, and how powerful it is to open the door for someone else. Jena shares what she has learned about how actions outpace words every time. We talk about what it really takes to build a lasting legacy, how to know when someone’s got what it takes to really make it, and why making space for others is just as important as crossing the finish line first.

What You’ll Discover:

• What Jena learned from D. Wayne outside the spotlight (08:40)

• How mentorship changed the course of Jena’s career (12:15)

• The difference between toughness and trust (15:44)

• What it means to show up, especially when no one’s watching (20:55)

• Reflections on legacy, loss, and leadership (27:38)

• Why this sport still has so much to teach us (34:02)

If you’ve ever had someone see something in you before you saw it in yourself, this episode will stay with you. 

As we mourn the loss of Mr. Lukas and remember his impact, I’m honored to share this never-before-seen interview with you. For more from D. Wayne Lukas, be sure to tune into our previous episode where I shared part of my conversation with him at the 2025 Kentucky Derby (around 41:18), and check out this special blog post to see Mr. Lukas’s poems. 

You can watch this interview on YouTube: https://youtu.be/9_lksvamvhY 

For a full transcript and more, check out our blog post: https://www.lindsaycz.com/show-notes/d-wayne-lukas-and-jena-antonucci 

For more from Jena Antonucci, you can follow her on Instagram.