Live Inspired Podcast with John O'Leary

When Adam Robarts was asked by a family member what he would choose to do for a career if he were not an architect. Without hesitation he replied: A hospice nurse. It was just five years earlier that he had a profound experience accompanying his father through the final weeks of life before he died of cancer in Uganda. And yet, Adam could not have imagined then that nine months after that conversation with his family, he would begin to accompany his 19-year-old son Haydn through a battle with a rare and aggressive brain cancer. My friends, today Adam joins us to share how Haydn’s dignified response to his own suffering provides essential wisdom and hopeful possibilities for each of our lives. This conversation will renew your mindset to live this precious life with purpose and clarity.

My friends, I don’t remember what hotel I stayed while in Las Vegas last week. I don’t recall if I rented a car or took an Uber. I didn't have any interest in gaming or going out; I didn't have time for meals or shows. In other words, so much of my experience in Las Vegas is already a blur further validating the slogan that what happens there, stays there. But I do remember Steve. Let me explain...

Does money buy happiness? According to Harvard Business School professor Michael Norton, yes… if you’re spending it right. Named by Wired Magazine as one of '50 People Who Will Change the World', Michael has spent decades uncovering the fascinating human truths that influence our relationship with money, social norms and political correctness. Today, Michael joins us to share how smarter spending can lead to happier, more fulfilling lives. Using numerous real-life examples and three specific practices, this conversation reimagines how to buy happiness.

“What advice would you give yourself at age 20?” It’s a question I’ve asked every single guest on the Live Inspired Podcast. And after 500 episodes, the answers always move me. As the interviewer, I always learn something from the answer. But it wasn’t until the tables were turned and I was asked that question that I realized the true power of taking a moment to consider the answer in our own life. It forces us to take stock of both who we are today and revisit who we were.

It's been five years, 11 months and four days since the Live Inspired Podcast launched and 499 episodes later, I'm in awe that the Live Inspired movement has grown to hundreds of thousands of weekly listeners from all 50 states and more than 115 countries across the world. It's been an honor to have you alongside me as I had some of the most life-giving and life-changing conversations with luminaries and thought-leaders including New York Times bestselling authors, Hall of Fame athletes, Grammy-winning recording artists, and literally a man who traveled to the moon TWICE! When deciding how to celebrate this special occasion, my team and I had some pretty grandiose ideas yet nothing seemed as meaningful and full circle as handing the microphone over to the person who was there when it all got started. Join me as Susan O'Leary, my mom and our very first guest, takes the reins to interview me with unexpected and hard-hitting questions, including for the first time ever -- the Live Inspired 7.  Whether you're brand new or helped build the community from the ground up, this episode is for you. 

When you look at your life, what do see? When you read the headlines, what leaps off at you? While you visit with family, or work with colleagues or commute through life, what do you see? What we seek, we find. Choosing to see life like this doesn’t make challenges fade. It just ensures the next time you glance into a mirror, struggle in a relationship or feel discouraged by life you can honestly proclaim, “It may be red, it may be bumpy, it may be ridgy, it may be far from perfect…but I love it.” And that kind of perspective not only changes what you see, but also what happens next in life.

The race to the Major League Baseball post-season is on… and it’s heating up as teams are looking for a path to victory.    The players you know are on the teams you love because of those 30 individuals sitting in the General Manager’s office.   Today, as my favorite team, the St. Louis Cardinals make their push to the postseason, I’m joined by their Vice President and General Manager, Mike Girsch. While visiting at Busch Stadium, Mike shares seldom-told stories about his journey from an Amateur Scouting Coordinator to one of the most coveted and elite jobs in professional sports. While today’s conversation may seemingly focus on baseball, it’s actually so much more. Hear Mike share how to… Courageously take risks in pursuit of a dream Manage a losing streak  Celebrate the relationships that matter most Trust the timing of life   Mike is a dear friend, and while his team is closing in on another playoff birth, this conversation will remind all of us it’s never too late to pursue a dream.

How do you cope when things go wrong…even when we do everything right? Today, learn about Ryan Jastrzembski, a vivacious, playful and joy-filled boy. Last week, on Friday, September 2, 2022, Ryan went home... Just not at all the home any of us had been praying for.

At 25 years old, Amy Florian tragically lost her husband, leaving her widowed with a seven-month-old baby. While surrounded by a multitude of others who were loving and well-intentioned, she felt isolated and alone. Determined to heal, Amy began her lifelong mission to help others recover from life’s crushing losses. As a certified thanatologist and a leading expert on death, loss, grief, aging and transition, Amy’s practical and insightful work has been crucial in helping others navigate life’s toughest times. Amy’s groundbreaking work on grief, including loss that others may not deem worthy of grief, will liberate you to heal, dare you to fully live and love fiercely. If you’ve ever been left to cope with death, the end of a relationship, loss or faced disappointment, today’s conversation is for you.

We don't know exactly where Rembrandt is buried. We do, however, have the masterpiece he produced at the end of his life as an example of the perfect acceptance and love still possible in our lives.