Make Life Less Difficult

My guest today is Mona Khan.Mona is a culture alchemist and joy cultivator who helps teams co-create with clarity, navigate conflict with care, and show up fully — no masks, no holding back.She helps teams embrace the joy of difference: thinking differently, acting differently, doing differently. She nurtures them to turn those differences into superpowers.Collaboration stops being exhausting and starts being energizing, even fun.Mona does this through coaching for leaders and teams, guiding organizations on culture-shift journeys, and hands-on skill-building like her Art of Conflict series. Mona is the co-founder of the Social Identity Coaching Lab.  Learn more at: https://www.socidlab.com/Connect with Mona on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mona-khan-b21a99a2/Support the showMake Life Less Difficult~ Support:buymeacoffee.com/lisatilstra

Hello and welcome to the first officially released episode of 2026!  I’ve got a great conversation with Jennifer Berryhill to share with you today that I think is very timely with the new year.Before jumping into that conversation, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the start of this new year.  If you happened to listen to the last episode, you’ll know that there I reflected on the end of 2025.  While I am a full believer that every day, every moment, really, is a chance to begin again, I do find something special about the ending and beginning of years.  We mark a lot in our lives by years… birthdays, anniversaries, budgets, management cycles, zodiac signs!Back in 2014, I was introduced the idea of having a word for the year from my dear friend, Amy Cupic.  My word then was curiosity, as I knew it would serve as a great reminder for me to be curious as I experienced moving from the Philippines to Saudi Arabia.  This year, 2026, my word is Space.  For me it serves as a reminder to take up space in the world, to create and step into spaces that will bring me joy and fulfillment.  And to be intentional about the spaces in my life, both external and internal.  You'll hear more about my plans in the podcast (all the text wouldn't fit here!)So, that’s a little bit of what my 2026 is starting off focused on.  I hope that you take some time to reflect on what you want out of this year.  Maybe it’s not shaving your head, but what might you do in support of others you love?  Even if it’s a little uncomfortable, maybe it’s worth the effort of pushing through the fear.  And maybe it’s not camping and rock climbing for 50 days, but what might you do to celebrate life and living and loving.  Life is precious and it’s a gift.  I know too many whose lives have been cut short and so I recommit to living life with an awareness that it’s a gift and that each day I have is an opportunity to extend love to those around me, and to look for ways to make life less difficult for each other.Thank you so much for being part of my journey by listening to the Make Life Less Difficult podcast.  And now… my conversation with Jennifer.Connect with Jennifer Berryhill: https://www.jenniferberryhillwellness.com/Jennifer's IG: https://www.instagram.com/jennifer_berryhill_wellness/LinkedInLisa's Fundraiser for St. Baldrick's Foundation: https://www.stbaldricks.org/participants/mypage/1171198/2026Lisa's Red Rocks Adventure: https://red-rock-adventure.vercel.app/Support the showMake Life Less Difficult~ Support:buymeacoffee.com/lisatilstra

This is the last episode of 2025 so I wanted to share a few reflections before jumping into the main conversation. 2025 has been a year with lots of change. Many friends have experienced their lives majorly disrupted in unexpected ways. Completely turned upside down. In my personal journey, I lost my dad which was a catalyst for lots of reflection and subsequent growth. My identity shifted significantly in the past few months as my husband changed jobs and I am no longer part of the Foreign Service Life—something that majorly influenced everything (no exaggeration) in my life for the past 15 years. I’m grateful for the amazing conversations that I’ve been able to have here on the podcast. I continue to meet people who inspire me, teach me, challenge me, and encourage me. These conversations woven into the challenges of life create a beautiful tapestry that I am incredibly grateful for!I’m more convinced than ever that every single human has amazing stories and I’m even more excited and honored than when I started, to host and share some of these stories here on the Make Life Less Difficult podcast. We’re 4.5 years into the journey, almost 260 episodes and I still have a long list of people who I want to have on the podcast and I’m continuing to meet wonderful people who I want to have on the podcast! What a beautiful gift and journey this is. Thank you SO much for being part of it. Whether you are a regular listener, an occasional listener, or a first time listener, whether you’ve been a guest, will be a future guest, or never care to be a guest, I’m deeply grateful for you! I’m grateful for Russ Watts who guest hosts and co-hosts and continues to be an amazing collaborator in the storytelling world!If you would like to support this endeavor, there’s a link in the show notes to a platform called “Buy me a coffee”. Click that and anything you share is greatly appreciated. As we approach 2026, I hope to expand and grow this podcast, so taking time to leave a review helps with that and also sharing an episode or two with a friend or three! I’m also looking to expand my speaking engagements, so please keep me in mind if you know of opportunities or needs for speakers and presenters. For those of you who find a word or theme for the year, I’ll share that my word for 2026 is Space. It’s a reminder and encourager for me to take up space in the world, be intentional about my external and internal spaces. And ironically (or maybe serendipitously) I currently have a palate expander that is making me talk with this different diction. So literally I’m creating more space in my mouth and head. And I just put that together with my word for the year as I was preparing these thoughts. Very cool! And now I’d like to invite you into a beautiful conversation with my guest, Craig Stanton. We explore transitions and forgotten words and much more. I’m delighted to share this as the final episode of 2025. Have a wonderful start to 2026! And if you need a goal for the new year, come be a guest with me here! And now… my conversation with Craig!Connect with Craig on LinkedInRead more about the Book of Forgotten Words on Craig's Substack: https://open.substack.com/pub/forgottenwordsSupport the showMake Life Less Difficult~ Support:buymeacoffee.com/lisatilstra

My guest today is Teresa Austrian.  And we are joined by Russ Watts as co-host!This is a fun conversation to share right at Christmas time.  We talk about traditions.  And as you'll hear, the conversation goes way beyond any particular holiday.  No matter what holidays are in your world, you're sure to find yourself smiling and nodding as we talk about the fun and challenges of holidays, family, and traditions.Connect with Teresa: https://www.linkedin.com/in/teresaaustrian/Support the showMake Life Less Difficult~ Support:buymeacoffee.com/lisatilstra

My guest today is Jon Rosemberg.Jon is the author of the book, A Guide to Thriving: The Science Behind Breaking Old Patterns, Reclaiming Your Agency, and Finding Meaning.With over two decades coaching Fortune 500 executives and global teams through deep transformations, Jon has learned firsthand that growth begins when we courageously reclaim our agency. His personal journey, forged by immigration, loss, and career reinvention, inspires him to blend hard-won business insight with cutting-edge research to guide others toward greater meaning.Driven by his belief in human potential, Jon co-founded Anther, a firm dedicated to transforming uncertainty into possibility. He previously led high-impact initiatives at Walmart, Procter & Gamble, Indigo, and GoBolt. Jon holds an MBA from Cornell University and a Master of Applied Positive Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania. Originally from Caracas, Venezuela, he now lives in Toronto with his wife, Adriana, and their two sons. Connect with Jon:·      Website: https://www.jonrosemberg.com·      A Guide to Thriving by Jon Rosemberg·      LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonrosemberg/ Support the showMake Life Less Difficult~ Support:buymeacoffee.com/lisatilstra

My guest today is Adi Ma Ura.Adi Ma is an Integration and Retreat Facilitator.Adi Ma  (born Maura Barclay) has lived many lives in her 50+ years. After a profound encounter with a powerful divine feminine presence, she stepped fully into her role as a transformation facilitator, receiving the name Adi Ma Ura—an embodiment of her commitment to guiding others through deep personal change. This is a beautiful conversation where Adi Ma shares her remarkable story.  And we delve into what sharing our story brings with it.  You won't want to miss it!!Connect with Adi Ma: http://lumenintegration.com/Book: Unbreakable Woman: https://www.amazon.com/Unbreakable-Woman-Maura-Barclay-ebook/dp/B00EDSUJYW/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0Support the showMake Life Less Difficult~ Support:buymeacoffee.com/lisatilstra

My guest today is Béa Victoria Albina.This conversation is truly delightful, and Béa has me laughing and learning the entire time!In a few minutes, Béa will tell you more about herself and her work in the world, but I wanted to take a moment to let you know she’s the author of the recently published book, End Emotional Outsourcing: How to Overcome Your Codependent, Perfectionistic, and People-Pleasing Habits.  The wisdom she shares in her book is incredibly practical and relevant.  As this is getting published at the beginning of December, we are in the midst of a season with lots of holidays and family gatherings.  And I don’t know about you, but when I’m spending time with family it can be especially easy to fall into my codependent, perfectionistic, and people-pleasing habits.  So, it’s come at a great time.  And if you are looking for gift ideas… well, there are links to where you can find her book in the show notes!Enjoy the conversation and let me know if you want to exchange stories about our journeys of ending emotional outsourcing!Learn more about Béa: https://beatrizalbina.com/Book: End Emotional OutsourcingPodcast: The Feminist Wellness Podcast Support the showMake Life Less Difficult~ Support:buymeacoffee.com/lisatilstra

My guest today is Laing Rikkers.Laing is an author, entrepreneur, and grief coach.  Having gone through the unexpected loss of her sister in 2019, Laing has been on a journey of grief, healing, transition, and discovery since then.  Laing’s book, Morning Leaves (Red Hen Press), now in its second edition, draws on creativity, nature, and simple daily rituals.  Through her poems Laing offers a practical and compassionate guide to navigating grief and life’s many transitions. Whether facing personal loss, burnout, or major change, her heartfelt insights and actionable tools help people find resilience, meaning, and joy—even in the darkest seasons.In addition to her writing, Laing designs grief workshops and speaks at events nationwide. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for Feeding San Diego and has previously served as Chair of the Salk Institute Council and as a Trustee of Pacific Ridge School. She co-founded Prosomnus Sleep Technologies and was a Managing Director at Healthpoint Capital. She has been married for 25 years and is the proud mother of two adult children and one spirited little dog.You can find out more about Laing and her work through the link below:Laing’s website: www.laingrikkers.comConnect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/laing-rikkersFollow Laing on IG: https://www.instagram.com/morning_leaves_and_poetry/ Support the showMake Life Less Difficult~ Support:buymeacoffee.com/lisatilstra

My guest today is Kristy Gordon.Kristy helps widows and single moms reclaim strength, purpose, and new beginnings through financial empowerment.Originally from South Africa, Kristy is a financial professional, widow, breast cancer survivor, and mother of two remarkable daughters.  In our conversation today, Kristy shares stories of her loss, the rebuilding of her life, supporting her daughters through their own journeys of grief, and how she has worked intentionally to make life less difficult during some deeply difficult and challenging times.Kristy’s story is one of hope and empowerment and she now supports other women in finding their own hope and empowerment in facilitating a local chapter of the Modern Widow’s Club in her hometown in Connecticut.To connect with Kristy and learn more about the work she does in the world, you’ll find links below: Kristy’s website: https://kristygordon.netSupport the showMake Life Less Difficult~ Support:buymeacoffee.com/lisatilstra

My guest today is Ziad Hamdan.Ziad, also known as The Luck Coach, is a creator & a connector. He uses his multidimensional skills to create & manage ecosystems and lead people into heart-based actions that benefit the collective. He’s a multilingual traveler speaking 5 languages, having worked in more than 15 countries in Europe, Africa & the Middle East, leveraging his multicultural experience & creative mind to think globally and act locally, anticipate trends, embrace change and create value. Ziad is an entrepreneur at heart, a multi-tasker & he believes in prioritization and he thrives through interacting with others. He’s a fast & continuous learner that enjoys facing new challenges with innovative & disruptive solutions.Ziad is the host of The I’mperfect Podcast, a platform for bold humans tired of pretending.  Ziad is bringing conversations into the world that highlight being ourselves – our messy, brilliant, unfinished, and real selves!Ziad waited for two years to start his podcast, because he wanted it to be perfect.  Finally, he decided to start… imperfectly! Learn more about Ziad and the work he does in the world:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theluckcoach?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=em5rNnZxeXJ0cHpwLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ziadhamdan/Podcast: The Imperfect Podcast (Apple) (YouTube) (Spotify)Support the showMake Life Less Difficult~ Support:buymeacoffee.com/lisatilstra