Warrior's Day Off

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Great conversation with Swiss street photographer Davide Nestola about how he captures the essence of humanity in his beautiful street interviews and photography. He shares stories about the year he traveled around the world, being present, honing his craft, mindful storytelling, his first photo exhibition, taking risks, finding balance and more.  I find there is a soulfulness to his art beyond the images themselves. His choice of words reads like poetry, touching hearts and nourishing souls.  

In a world that feels increasingly divisive, Davide bridges gaps between cultures with moments that define our shared human experience and celebrates the beauty of life, one photograph... and one story at a time. 

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In this episode, Dr. Neha Sangwan discusses understanding, identifying, and preventing burnout with insights from her book, "Powered by Me." From Burned Out to Fully Charged in Work and in Life." She shares her personal story along with practical strategies to identify root causes and heal. 

Neha Sangwan, MD, CEO and Founder of Intuitive Intelligence is an internal medicine physician, international speaker, executive coach and corporate communication expert. Her private practice and corporate consulting focuses on empowering individuals, organizational leaders, and their teams with the tools for clear, effective communication. She addresses the root causes of stress, miscommunication and interpersonal conflict, often healing chronic conditions such as headaches, insomnia, anxiety, depression, and burnout.

Dr. Sangwan consults with organizations such as the American Heart Association, American Express, Apple, Kaiser Permanente, and Google, and has shared her journey on the stages of TEDx Berkeley, TEDx San Luis Obispo, and TEDx Babson. 

She is the author of "TalkRx: Five Steps to Honest Conversations that Create Connection, Health and Happiness" and "Powered by Me. From Burned Out to Fully Charged at Work and in Life." 

Listen to S4 E6 to learn more about how Dr. Neha Sangwan moved from "burned out to fully charged in work and in life," and the steps we can take to identify, heal and prevent burnout. 

Follow me on Instagram @warriorsdayoff

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A great conversation with award-winning writer and producer Bill Wrubel, known for Ted Lasso, Modern Family, Will and Grace, Ugly Betty, Sports Night and more. 

Bill has won multiple awards- at least 20 wins and 17 nominations- including 7 Primetime Emmys for Outstanding Comedy Series, Outstanding Producer from PGA, 5 WGA Awards, Hollywood Critics Association for Best Writing in a Streaming Series, and the list goes on. 

He shares his personal story and how streaming has changed writing for TV, whether comedy can be learned, social impact, character and storyline arcs,  and of course,  "football is life!" 

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At thirty-six years old, Mike Abrashoff was the most junior officer in the Pacific Fleet when he took command of the near-worst performing ship. Twelve months later, using the same crew,  USS Benfold was the best ship in the entire Navy. His story is legendary.

Captain Mike Abrashoff is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy. Prior to commanding USS Benfold, Mike served as the Military Assistant to Secretary of Defense William J. Perry. He has  authored  four books. His first,  "It’s Your Ship: Management Techniques from the Best Damn Ship in the Navy," sold more than 1.4 million copies. 

This inspiring Episode is for every individual and organization looking for practical and usable ways to take performance to new heights. In Mike’s case, he realized that before the ship’s performance could change, he had to change his leadership style. 

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Twenty-five years ago, I read about the polar bears of Churchill, Manitoba in Departures Magazine and saved the article for nearly 15 years. Occasionally I would gently unfold the page to gaze at the mesmerizing photograph of a polar bear standing on its hind legs, leaning against a tundra rover.  I finally went. 

The best word to describe this incredible immersive experience is "awe." The vast landscape, seeing the expanding sea ice form overnight, watching polar bears in their natural habitat, the resilience of the people I met along the way, and how we are all interconnected with the universe. 

This Episode features an inspiring conversation with Krista Wright, Executive Director, Polar Bears International. 

Krista began  volunteering  with PBI in 2008 and became the Executive Director in 2013.  In the 10 years since taking the helm, Polar Bears International has grown from a small nonprofit with a budget of less than $500,000, to a global leader in polar bear conservation, and a budget of more than $4.5 million. She is a passionate conservationist who is deeply concerned about the effects of global warming on polar bears, the Arctic, and the planet. 

We discuss how polar bears are uniquely suited to survive in their environment, how communities co-exist with polar bears, climate warming,  groundbreaking research, and why protecting their future saves ours. 

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In this Episode, Christina Helena and I talk about resilience, trusting your intuition, the human experience, and how the veil of truth is lifted when forced to confront our own mortality.  We laugh and we go deep.  She is redefining and modernizing the stigma behind trauma and pain with one simple thought: Your scar is the sexiest thing about you.  She is truly an inspirational force.  

At nineteen years old, Christina became one of the youngest pancreatic cancer survivors. She was told she had 6 months to live. Four months later, she graduated with her bachelor’s degree in Communication Arts, and then went on to train at The London Academy of Music & Drama where she earned a Master of Fine Arts in Classical Performance. She also studied philosophy and theology earning a Master of Science in Consciousness Studies. 

With a thirteen-inch scar across her abdomen, Christina knows the physical and emotional toll that our scars have on our self-worth and ability to love ourselves. 

Her talk, “My SCAR is Sexy” was featured on Goalcast receiving over 10 million views.  

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A conversation with Lieutenant Colonel Scott Grotbo, USAF, Retired, & Susan Grotbo about PTSD, the stigma surrounding mental health, a path to wellness, and finding a new chapter of service by helping others. 

Lieutenant Colonel, Scott Grotbo, USAF, Retired, is a veteran with over 27 years as an Air Force Special Warfare Operator. He served three tours of combat duty---two in Afghanistan, one in Kuwait. He became Commander of the 182nd Air Support Operations Group (ASOG) in Peoria, Illinois before retiring. 
 
Scott is now the Founder and Executive Director of Moraine View R&R Veterans' Retreat where he provides individualized stays devoted to physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual strengthening for our nation’s veterans. 
 
Susan Grotbo is an Engineering Program Manager at Google. She has worked on various global projects ranging from building Google’s first employee donation and volunteer platform to providing lifesaving information on Google Search for early detection and warning of major natural disasters with the use of AI and Machine Learning.  Susan has more than 10 years of experience working in the philanthropic and social impact space including supporting Moraine View R&R Veterans' Retreat in Central Illinois with her brother Scott. 

This Episode is a heartfelt story of resilience and hope. 

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Nutritionist Judy Palken discusses healthy food choices that can help us maintain our cardiovascular and cognitive health, keep our bones strong, and preserve muscle strength as we get older.  She provides tips for making healthy food choices every day as well as during the holiday season.  

Judy Palken is a registered dietitian with a master's degree in Clinical Nutrition from Cornell University. She has spent many years working in Boston hospitals, with a specialty in cardiac nutrition. She worked in nutrition research in the Division of Preventive and Behavioral Medicine at UMass Medical School in Worcester. She  teaches classes in community settings, promoting healthy eating and activity for good health.  Judy was a guest speaker on the panel at eternalHealth’s “Big Papi Intentional Walk” at the Natick Mall in Natick, Massachusetts along with eternalHealth’s CEO Pooja Ika, and Baseball Hall of Famer David Ortiz. The "Big Papi Intentional Walk" is an eternalHealth community health and wellness initiative, created by Integrated Sports Media, where they inspire participants to  “Get Fit & Stay Active.”  eternalHealth, is a Boston based, Medicare Advantage Plan Company.  

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An enlightening conversation with Ashish Kothari, executive coach, author and founder of Happiness Squad, a company focused on helping individuals and organizations unleash the power of happiness and well-being to achieve their full potential.  Prior to starting Happiness Squad, Ashish was a partner in McKinsey's Leadership Practice. He combines over two decades of consulting experience and formal training as an ontological coach and has helped thousands of leaders and their organizations succeed by building new mindsets and capabilities. 

In his book “Hardwired for Happiness,” Ashish Kothari gives you a simple set of practices to unlock more joy, connection, and meaning in your life. If you feel there’s more to life than the constant grind of your “to-do list” , then this is one you need to check out. "Hardwired for Happiness" will take you on a journey inwards to live your best life! It has already helped me.  

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This Episode features the inspiring story of Donna Lee, trauma survivor, entrepreneur and inventor. By day, Donna works in transportation systems management for MassDOT. But in her free time, she began building a yoga-mat business that has gained national attention from celebrities.

Donna considers herself more of a problem solver than an inventor.  So when she wanted a sustainable, machine washable yoga mat instead of the ones at the gym which never felt clean enough and were environmentally unfriendly…she found a solution. Create one.

At 58 years old, Donna launched her company, Remember You Only Live Once LLC (R-Yolo), after taking an online manifesting class with Gabrielle Bernstein. Two years later, she was invited to a pre-Academy Awards party, where she presented her yoga mat to  Viola Davis and other celebrities as part of their luxury swag bag. She has since been included GBK Brand Bar’s Gift Guide for the Traveler in GQ, on Chronicle, WCVB Channel 5 in Massachusetts and now on Warrior’s Day Off. 

Listen to learn more about R-YOLO and Donna Lee. “Remember, You Only Live Once.”