Your Daily Chocolate

In this episode of Your Daily Chocolate, Patty talks with TEDx speaker and storyteller Brownell Landrum about the art and science of wishing and her book "Cosmic Wish." Landrum explains how making a wish can engage many sciences, including anthropology, sociology, psychology, neuroscience, and even quantum physics, and distinguishes goals (within your control), prayers (outside your control), and wishes (which can combine both). 

She describes a “cosmic wish” as applying science and daily ritual to strengthen focus, neuroplasticity, and the reticular activating system, making you more likely to notice opportunities and alignment. Examples include looking for “signs” like blue butterflies and reframing common New Year’s resolutions (e.g., losing 10 pounds) into enjoyable, body-aligned wishes. She also promotes collective wishing for a peaceful, positive, and purposeful 2027 through a free program at cosmicwishes.com/2027.

Find out more and connect with Brownell:

https://cosmicwishes.com/

[email protected]

https://brownelllandrum.com/

FB: https://www.facebook.com/brownell.landrum.author/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brownell.landrum

IG: https://www.instagram.com/brownelllandrum/

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brownelllandrum/

Episode Highlights:

00:00 Birthday Wishes Intro

00:55 What Is A Wish

02:40 Science Behind Wishing

03:31 Goals Prayers Wishes

05:06 Rituals And Repetition

06:39 Brain Filters And Signs

09:15 Blue Butterfly Story

11:51 Make It Fun

13:15 Wishing Across Cultures

15:35 Wishing Together Movement

16:57 Three Ps For 2027

18:01 Wish Circles Timing

18:59 Join a Wish Circle

19:33 Eight Weeks to Rewire

19:54 Turn Resolutions Cosmic

20:42 Healthy Food Wish Example

21:48 Templates and Science Mix

23:58 Blue Balloon Phenomenon

25:37 Skeptics and Measuring Impact

26:51 Rapid Fire Q and A

29:07 MLK Speech Science

31:02 Chocolate Pick and Wrap Up

32:04 Host Outro and Next Episode 

On Your Daily Chocolate, Patty interviews Jeff Fehn, a former college basketball player and longtime corporate professional who later became a church planter and pastor and is now author of The Rock, Pop, and Country Gospel. Fehn explains how his retirement planning and a pivotal moment hearing Jennifer Nettles’ “Life Is Sweet” sparked his concept: pair non-religious rock, pop, and country songs with Bible passages that echo their themes, along with song backstories and devotional reflections. 

He selected 50 songs using online lists and unexpected discoveries, noting challenges when little background information exists. The book is designed for daily devotionals, small groups, Sunday school, and outreach, featuring discussion questions, a Spotify playlist, and QR codes linking to each song. Fehn also previews a Nashville book fair appearance and shares quick personal favorites.

Connect with Jeff:

rockpopcountrygospel.com

Instagram: @jeffreyafehn 

Facebook: Tall Guy Books

Episode Highlights:

00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro

01:14 From Corporate to Calling

04:24 Seminary and Church Planting

06:38 Retirement and New Direction

10:09 Song That Sparked the Book

13:13 Choosing the 50 Songs

16:12 Standout Tracks and Genres

19:41 Faith Trends in Music

22:57 How to Use the Book

26:05 Book Fair and Where to Find It

27:13 Rapid Fire Fun Questions

30:20 Wrap Up and Next Episode 

Today Patty welcomes Todd Foster, former Ritz-Carlton Chicago doorman and author of Everybody Had Baggage, who shares how three years observing guests—from celebrities to everyday people—shaped his work as a keynote speaker and executive coach. Todd explains how people reveal character by how they treat those they don’t need, why mindset drives behavior, and how leaders set the tone for everyone in the room.

He recounts a pivotal moment when President Clinton told Secret Service to “Let the man do his job,” reinforcing respect and role clarity. Todd describes Ritz-Carlton systems for remembering names to create a luxury guest experience, admits mistakes around confidentiality, and tells stories involving entitlement, kindness, Harry Caray, Oprah, and Chris Farley. 

Episode Highlights:

00:00 Meet Todd Foster

01:32 Landing the Doorman Job

02:14 First Day Fur Coat Chaos

03:21 Why the Book Took Years

05:03 Watching People Unmasked

06:58 Celebrities and True Colors

10:11 Mindset and First World Problems

11:53 Let the Man Do His Job

16:00 Leadership Sets the Tone

18:23 Big Mistake and Redemption

22:20 Concert Payback Story

22:42 Pearson Street Standoff

25:01 Spit Sparks a Punch

27:59 Union Review Aftermath

29:01 Harry Caray Name Lesson

32:11 Ritz Carlton Name Game

35:54 Chris Farley Kindness

39:33 Book Plug Rapid Fire

42:43 Host Takeaways Outro 

#Leadership #CustomerService #Hospitality #RitzCarlton #ExecutiveCoaching #KeynoteSpeaker #HotelManagement #LuxuryHotels #EmployeeExperience #GuestExperience #ServiceExcellence #WorkplaceCulture #EmotionalIntelligence #Mindset #Kindness #GoldenRule #PersonalBrand #Networking #Chicago #Celebrities #Storytelling #Management #NameRecognition #EverybodyHadBaggage #YourDailyChocolate

Today Patty welcomes Amanda Alvarez, a Puerto Rico–raised neuroscientist, salsa dancer, and founder of LaBori Boxing, a Dallas-based nonprofit offering free boxing training for youth 18 and under plus STEM education and career exposure. Alvarez shares how she began boxing at 17, studied neuroscience at NYU, earned a PhD at UT Dallas, and built Laboré to remove economic and geographic barriers for East Dallas kids after community-building salsa classes during COVID. 

The gym provides low-contact training, recently received a donated ring, partners with local nonprofits and schools, and has served 400+ students with about 150 weekly participants. She discusses brain benefits of boxing, safety compared with football, women’s self-defense classes, and student outcomes including nursing program connections and support for families. 

Connect with Amanda:

laboriboxing.com

DONATE HERE

@labori_boxing

@brainsandboxing

Episode Highlights:

00:00 Meet Amanda Alvarez

01:21 How Boxing Began

04:42 Neuroscience Meets Boxing

06:01 Brain Benefits and Safety

09:23 Meaning of Labore

10:51 Why She Started the Gym

15:40 Funding and Growth

18:10 Impact Stories and STEM Wins

22:54 Self Defense for Women

24:30 Kids Stress and Confidence

29:34 Vision for the Future

31:34 Rapid Fire Fun

34:26 Wrap Up and Next Guest 

Today on Your Daily Chocolate, Patty talks with Dan Roman, a retired police detective, father of five, and grandfather of eight, who completed a 5,000-mile solo bicycle ride across the U.S. to raise awareness for Parkinson’s disease in honor of his father, who died after a 40-year battle. 

Dan explains why the timing mattered to him, including anniversaries connected to Route 66 and the TransAmerica Bike Trail, how he trained and planned his route and what he carried on a fully self-contained, heavily loaded bike. He shares challenges like extreme rain, wind, and repeated bike breakdowns, and highlights generosity from strangers and businesses, fundraising for the Michael J. Fox Foundation, and lessons about faith, support, and resilience. 

Episode Highlights:

00:00 Meet Dan Roman

01:13 Why Ride Cross Country

02:34 TransAmerica Trail Explained

04:09 Route Choices and Direction

04:40 Training and Cycling Background

06:21 Fueling with Junk Carbs

08:51 Mapping and Water Stops

11:48 Gear Load and Bike Weight

13:29 Weather Challenges on the Road

16:14 Bike Breakdowns and Repairs

18:36 Kindness of Strangers Begins

19:17 Kindness on the Road

19:58 Six Hours of Downpour

21:45 Carol’s Rain Jacket

24:23 Donations and Discounts

26:31 Faith and Godwinks

30:01 Prayers from Strangers

31:35 Rapid Fire Favorites

32:00 Route 66 and Vermont

34:38 Next Ride and Chocolate

35:35 Final Thanks and Wrap 

#ParkinsonsAwareness #ParkinsonsDisease #MichaelJFoxFoundation #BikeAcrossAmerica #SoloCycling #EnduranceCycling #BikeTouring #TransAmericaBikeTrail #Route66 #AdventureCycling #CyclingLife #CyclingPodcast #InspirationPodcast #Fundraising #GoFundMe #CharityRide #LongDistanceCycling #BikePacking #GarminCycling #StravaCycling #TennesseePodcast #RetiredPolice #FaithAndResilience #HumanKindness #YourDailyChocolate

Today on Your Daily Chocolate, Patty interviews Andrea Ratfield, a Delta pilot, single mom, and founder/executive director of Hope Filled Cafe, a biblically rooted nonprofit in Minneapolis creating meaningful, sensory-friendly employment for young adults with autism and cognitive disabilities. Andrea shares how her son’s diagnosis and a Delta airport tour program for families and adults with special needs revealed the “falling off the cliff” gap after age 22 and the 80–85% unemployment/underemployment rate for this population. 

She explains launching the nonprofit in late 2023, raising over $75,000, and operating a colorful, non-motorized mobile cafe serving organic smoothies, cold brew lattes, and simple treats staffed by team members with autism, cognitive disabilities, Down syndrome. Andrea discusses hands-on training, the biggest need being fundraising, hopes for a future brick-and-mortar cafe, and how faith, determination, and Lean Startup principles guide her work.

Episode Highlights:

00:00 Meet Andrea Ratfield

02:07 Hope Filled Cafe Mission

02:53 Airport Tours to Advocacy

04:14 The 22 Cliff and Jobs Gap

06:28 Calling and Launch Story

08:13 Mobile Venue Menu

09:53 Hiring Training Funding

12:05 Heartwarming Impact Stories

16:16 Faith and Resilience Roots

19:06 From Government to Skies

19:49 Post 9/11 Pilot Push

20:35 Faith Driven Balance

21:22 Co Parenting Logistics

22:35 No Regrets FBI CIA

23:01 Dark Times Stronger Faith

24:18 Scaling the Cafe Mission

26:05 Rapid Fire Favorites

29:10 Chocolate Talk and Farewell

31:16 Host Wrap Up 

Today Patty interviews NASA astronaut and retired US Navy Captain Butch Wilmore about his book ‘Stuck in Space’ and the Boeing Starliner’s first crewed test flight that became a 10-month stay on the International Space Station instead of 9–10 days. Butch describes facing closed doors in football and naval aviation, relying on determination, prayer, and scripture, and how being assigned the A-7 Corsair—despite not wanting it—led to Desert Storm, test pilot school selection, and a NASA application that stood out. 

He recounts a spacewalk moment seeing his reflection and the awe of Earth from orbit. Wilmore explains Starliner thruster failures near docking, the risk of not docking, intensive simulator training, and how his faith removed fear and provided contentment. 

Website: https://www.butchwilmore.com 

Episode Highlights:

00:00 Meet Butch Wilmore

01:17 Determination and Faith

04:08 Football Setbacks

04:34 Navy Training Curveball

06:22 A-7 Lesson in Trust

08:05 Steady Emotions and Purpose

09:57 Becoming an Astronaut

13:02 NASA Interviews and Selection

14:46 Spacewalk Mirror Moment

18:32 Stuck in Space Book

20:51 Starliner Thruster Crisis

23:28 Thrusters Failing Fast

24:45 Backup Mode Decision

25:12 Faith Under Pressure

28:06 Truth Over Feelings

30:52 Leadership for Crew

31:32 Leaving NASA Next Steps

35:36 Why He Published Book

36:38 Where to Get Book

37:29 Rapid Fire Fun

40:49 Host Wrap Up 

Today Patty welcomes Dr. Rob Yonover, a Hawaii-based PhD geochemist and volcanologist, big-wave surfer, and inventor of the See Rescue Streamer, a long, segmented orange visual marker designed to make people easier to spot during ocean and wilderness search and rescue. Rob explains the 1985 origin of the idea after a tense flight over open water, his biomimicry-inspired design, and why the streamer is battery-free, continuous, and redeployable compared with flares, smoke, or dye. 

He discusses military approvals and real-world rescues in Afghanistan and a local diving incident, plus features like reflectors, chem lights, and FLIR visibility for night and covert use. He shares lessons from Shark Tank, media outreach, consumer pricing, and mentions other survival inventions, volcanology interests, books, and caregiving experience.

Connect with Rob:

Web: www.SeeRescueStreamer.com

X: https://x.com/seerescue

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SeeRescueStreamer

IG: @SeeRescueStreamer

Email: [email protected]

Email: [email protected]

Episode Highlights:

00:00 Survival Stories Setup

00:27 Meet Dr Rob Yonover

01:36 Origin of the Streamer

02:43 Biomimicry Design Breakthrough

04:27 Military Testing and Approval

07:34 Shark Tank Reality Check

09:52 Media Hustle and Outreach

13:24 Consumer Market and Pricing

15:26 Covert Tech FLIR and SpaceX

18:52 Auto Deploy and Mandates

21:48 Volcano Passion and Adventures

23:41 Explosive Volcanoes and Caldera Facts

24:33 Survival Inventions Rundown

24:59 Gore-Tex Desalinator Explained

26:08 Surface Area Breakthrough

27:21 Weird Everyday Fixes

28:41 Chocolate Coconut Oil Hack

32:00 Books Caregiving and Health

34:01 Inventor Advice and Mindset

36:14 Rapid Fire Surfing Stories

38:21 Fishing Ethics and Big Catches

Today on Your Daily Chocolate, Patty interviews Christian rapper and motivational speaker David Paul Brooks, whose single “Undefeated 3.0” hit #1 on the National Radio Hits AC40 chart. Brooks shares his mission to give youth positive, faith-based alternatives to negative music, shaped by raising two sons and by his mother’s church foundation. 

He discusses his Grammy- and Dove-winning group DOC splitting due to life changes, rebuilding as an independent artist, and collaborating with Bootsy Collins’ circle. Brooks explains his singles-first strategy leading to multiple #1 songs and the Undefeated album tied to a book and upcoming three-song mini-movie addressing child trafficking, the Me Too movement, and peer pressure. He describes the animated film “Power in the Name Of,”  Party in the Park outreach honoring first responders with giveaways, and his “No Bad Days” book and TikTok show.

Episode Highlights:

00:00 Meet David Paul Brooks

01:29 Mission for Youth

02:57 Role Models and Roots

04:07 From Group to Solo

05:30 Starting Over Indie

07:27 Chart Topping Breakthrough

09:37 Why Release an Album

10:32 Undefeated Book and Movie

12:07 Power in the Name Of

16:57 Faith in Music Today

19:07 Accountability Matters

20:12 Party In The Park

22:42 Giveaways That Change Lives

24:00 Concert Ministry Impact

26:10 Leading With Love

28:18 No Bad Days Mindset

30:54 Rapid Fire Questions

34:04 Closing And Next Episode 

Today Patty welcomes Mark Steven Porro, a New Jersey native who spent 28 years in Hollywood, to discuss his bestselling, award-winning debut memoir, A Cup of Tea on the Commode, The book is about caring for his mother during the final three and a half years of her life after a near-death experience in 2011. 

He explains the title’s origin from a daily bedside commode routine that included his mother’s favorite tea, and shares how hospice taught him hands-on caregiving tasks such as treating bed sores, changing diapers, sponge bathing, and managing stress. Porro describes using humor to handle difficult moments, recounts stories about both parents, and notes a caregiver health crisis that led to emergency surgeries. He also talks about creating the organic snack brand Grandpa Po’s Originals, life in the south of France, and an upcoming second book focused on his father.

Find out more about Mark below:

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Episode Highlights:

00:00 Meet Mark Porro

01:04 Title Meaning Explained

01:54 From Notes to Memoir

02:38 Hospice Care Lessons

04:46 Not a How To Book

06:32 Humor as Medicine

09:14 Dad Stories and Dignity

12:58 Why Mark Became Caregiver

16:47 Caregiver Burnout Warning

18:37 Third Emergency Recovery

18:58 Wild Hospital Meds

20:16 Accidental Nonprofits Story

21:11 Grandpa Poes Origins

23:11 Flavors And Factory

25:03 Mantras And Burnout

25:35 Screenplay And Next Book

27:08 Awards And Reader Letters

28:24 Life In France

30:15 Wine Actor Chocolate Picks

32:56 Wrap Up And Next Guest