Live Inspired Podcast with John O'Leary

The 2022 FIFA World Cup is coming to a close! Of the 80 teams that qualified for the sport's biggest event, the final two teams, Argentina and France, will face off this Sunday in Qatar with billions of viewers tuning in. And while my home country of USA was knocked out earlier this month, today’s guest recognizes what an accomplishment it was to compete on the world’s stage. Travis Thomas is U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team's Leadership and Team Dynamics Coach where he helps strengthen mental and leadership skills for each player, as well as oversee the culture that head coach Gregg Berhalter wants to maintain. Travis is no stranger to the Live Inspired community. When Travis first joined us on the podcast in March 2017, he shared how improvisation has shaped his life and how the three words “Live Yes And!” has helped others find their path to living with greater purpose and authenticity. Today, Travis shares what seemingly insignificant step led him to working with the U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team for the past three years, and how he builds team camaraderie while also focusing on each of the players individually. My friends, in whatever match you’re faced with in life, this conversation will leave you inspired to be victorious.

“Le marchand de la mort est mort” And with these printed words, the life of not only one man who read them profoundly changed, but so did the entire world. Let me explain what happened and why it matters to you.

In March 2020, as state of emergencies were issued, stay-at-home orders were mandated and the doors to schools, offices and businesses were shuttered, the fear of what was to come was undeniable. And yet, our essential healthcare workers courageously risked their own lives to fight for the lives of their patients… all while being woefully unprepared in terms of sufficient PPE, ventilators or ICU beds. Today, we're joined by Dr. Calvin Sun, an emergency room physician who has tirelessly worked in seven emergency rooms in New York City since the early days of the global pandemic. In addition to sharing how finding his life’s purpose lead him to his work in New York ERs, Calvin will share about his journey growing up as a young Asian American in New York, the grief he experienced after losing his father as a teen, and the lessons he learned from traveling to more than 190 countries in ten years. My friends, this conversation will help us reframe moments of anxiety, tragedy or uncertainty into possibility, hope and reason to believe that the best of our days truly remain ahead.

“What was the most important thing anybody ever did for you?” I was asked this question by a 15-year-old student at Desert Christian School in Tucson, AZ last month. For the past hour, they had heard a story about profound challenge and tragedy as well as overwhelming grace and love. They had heard a story of repeated failures and continual overcoming. They had heard the story, ultimately, of individuals faithfully showing up when I desperately needed encouragement, what these people did, the impact they made and what it means for the rest of us today. So, what was the most important thing anybody ever did for me? Tune in now.

Did you know that in the United States, one in every four women, one in three teenagers and one in seven men will be abused in their lifetime? Growing up on the Caribbean Island of Trinidad, Lovern Gordon watched her father brutally abuse her mother and four siblings. After migrating to the United States as a young adult, Lovern never expected to find herself in her own abusive relationship. Today, Lovern has risen from the ashes of these two severe domestic violence situations and is helping others thrive after leaving toxic situations through her Love Life Now Foundation. With strength, positivity, and perseverance, Lovern joins us to share her journey and offers the tools to become part of the solution by providing resources to victims and survivors. Whether you’re a survivor of trauma or want to support those in need, this conversation is for you.

Have you ever had a hangover? Stayed out a little too late. Had one too many drinks. Come on, we’ve all been there! But the kind of hangover I’m referring to isn’t the kind that a glass of water and a few Tylenol can cure. No, I’m referring to the holiday hangover. Tune in to hear the sage advice to ensure we get the most out of this holiday season.

I consider Thanksgiving one of my favorite family holidays. It’s certainly a wonderful time away from work, enjoying good food, viewing football, and taking inventory of the many blessings in life. Join me as I share the original reason for this holiday + a new tradition I’ll be implementing at my family feast. Today’s episode will ignite an abundance of gratitude and help you celebrate Thanksgiving on fire.

Spending several decades as a hospice doctor, Dr. Ira Byock learned much about the process of death. Perhaps surprisingly, though, spending years among the dying taught him even more about living.   But here’s the good news, my friends: We do not have to wait until our own final days are upon us or until we are at the bedside of someone we care about to live out these end of life lessons. He’s distilled years of experience into four short but mighty statements that allow us all to be liberated from the burden of regret.

Susan Rogers is one of the most successful female record producers of all-time. Yet her journey to working with Prince during his iconic Purple Rain-era and other award-winning musical artists including the Barenaked Ladies and Rusted Root wasn’t always clearly laid out. Today, Susan shares how her enthusiasm opened the first doors for her career in music and how she was able to make her mark in a male-dominated industry. Plus, having studied music cognition and psychoacoustics and earning her doctorate in psychology, you’ll learn insights about how and why our brains decipher music. If you’re looking to deepen your connection to your favorite artists and change the way you listen to music, this conversation is for you.

Surrounded by so much divisiveness, anger and cynicism, it’s easy to be overwhelmed with despair and to focus on the negative. It’s common to lose hope in humanity and believe things have never been so bad. Yet in the midst of a recent tragedy that rocked my hometown, it’s important to not only share the calamity that occurred, but the heroes who leapt into action ensuring it wouldn’t be far worse. In witnessing the selfless love within this tragedy, perhaps we can choose to model it in our ordinary lives, too.