Live Inspired Podcast with John O'Leary

Mark Victor Hansen co-founded Chicken Soup for the Soul in hopes of sharing motivational stories with people all over the world. But it wasn’t always the successful publishing franchise we know today.   Despite originally being turned down 144 times by publishers, Mark persisted. To date, Chicken Soup for the Soul has now sold more than 500 million books and had 57 different titles on the New York Times bestseller list.     Today, Mark joins us to share the four principles to which he credits his success and to remind us that we all have a story to share.     Subscribe to the Live Inspired Podcast on your favorite streaming platform. Learn more at JohnOLearyInspires.com

In a world filled with many individuals concerned primarily with taking care of themselves, the courage of the Ukrainian people to fight for their home, their neighbors and their freedom has been humbling and inspiring to observe. To be reminded of the beauty of showing up for others- even when our commitment to doing so is tested beyond imagination- look no further than Ukrainian First Lady Olena Zelenska.     Today, be reminded of the strength and resiliency borne from showing up for someone we love.     Doing so may not keep injustices from occurring, difficulties from happening or bombs from dropping, but it will remind us in the midst of conflict that we are not alone, there remains reason for hope and the best is yet to come.     Learn more at JohnOLearyInspires.com

Celeste Headlee is an award-winning journalist who has appeared on PBS, the BBC and NPR’s Tell Me More, Talk of the Nation, and All Things Considered. With over 25 years of on-air radio experience, Celeste has a unique perspective on what makes for a good conversation.   Today, Celeste joins us to illuminate the path forward in having conversations (even difficult ones!) that actually matter.    In a time when there seems to be an abundance of talking at rather than talking with, today’s conversation is captivating, engaging and worthwhile, and emphasizes the importance of having real conversations with people on all sides of every equation.   Learn more about the Live Inspired Podcast at JohnOLearyInspires.com/podcast.

"I’ve discovered that a person begins aging only when they stop learning and stop loving." For nearly a century, Pat Hyndman showed us how we could live our lives with childlike awe. He knew that life was a gift, that every person matters, and that each day was packed with limitless possibilities. My friends, in the midst of the chaos in our journey forward, the foundation is firm, the headwind may be real but the best is yet to come. Learn more at JohnOLearyInspires.com.

Top career adviser Laurie Ruettimann has spent more than 20 years advocating for better employment experiences to increase retention rates and improve job satisfaction.   After a season as a young professional, Laurie was uninspired and blaming others for her unhappiness, until she decided to take hold of life—the good, the bad, and the downright ugly—in order to transform her future.   Today, Laurie shares the framework to approach work in a smart and healthy manner and the tactical advice to champion your interests and create a life you actually enjoy.   Visit JohnOLearyInspires.com/podcast for the entire show notes.

My sweet Mom passed out in the shower last Friday evening. After fainting, she fell backwards, landed hard on the floor, and broke her wrist. As it turns out, she collapsed as the result of anemia and low hemoglobin, which required a few days of observation in the hospital to elevate.    In a surreal coincidence, her room is on the exact same floor as --and stunningly just three doors away from-- the entrance to the Burn Center where I was treated 35 years earlier.    My friends, we often cheapen our ability to positively influence another human being because we don't have the right status, don’t feel we are enough or worry we lack the proper words.    Today I share a reminder that it’s not having the right words that elevate the life of a friend who is struggling. It’s having the courage to show up, the willingness to be present and the audacity to simply listen.

Did you know... Two-thirds of Americans report feeling lonely, and that's even before the pandemic. The average American hasn’t made a new friend in the last five years. Loneliness is as toxic as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Today, psychologist and friendship expert Dr. Marisa Franco shares her research in the science of friendship and the powerful benefits platonic friendships have on our overall wellbeing. In a season of social fragmentation and rampant loneliness, join us as we provide the tools needed to make, maintain and deepen friendships. SHOW NOTES: Struggling after a breakup in her 20s, Marisa built a support system that taught her romantic love was not the only love that mattered. “It’s a gift to give love just as much as it is to receive love.” For friendships to happen, sociologists have determined we need continuous unplanned interaction and shared vulnerably. Research finds that loneliness is as toxic as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Make new friends but keep the old: Assume others like you because if you assume rejection, it’s a self-fulfilling prophecy. The Liking Gap is the difference between how much we think another person likes us and how much they actually like us. Most people underestimate how much another person liked them and the more self-critical, the more pronounced this is. Friendship networks are shrinking. We are four to five times more likely to have no friends than we were decades ago. Having a trusted confidant is the best way to fight against depression. Embrace vulnerability. The “beautiful mess effect” reminds us that we take a more negative view of our own vulnerability than we do of others and by having the courage to show our vulnerability, we will become more connected with others. When our mental health is suffering, we tend to focus more on ourselves which affects our relationships. In his book Bowling Alone, Robert Putnam finds the television as the biggest culprit for why we disengage with society because it creates pseudo-connection and lethargy. Marisa’s research has taught her the importance of working through problems with friends and recognizing the gift of not only receiving love but giving it. Marisa encourages to meet others with habitual open-mindedness. "Anything you do to better your connection with others will also better your mental health and wellbeing." Five ways to elevate friendships: Assume others like you. Initiate new friendships. Tell your friends how much you love and value them. Be more vulnerable. Try to accept your friends for who they are and not what you think they should be. Interested in being a better friend? Take Dr. Marisa Franco's Friendship Survey here. Due to publish in September, pre-order Dr. Marisa Frano's book Plantonic here. DR. MARISA FRANCO'S LIVE INSPIRED 7 Q. What is the best book you’ve ever read? A. All About Love by Bell Hooks. Q. What is a characteristic or trait that you possessed as a child that you wish you still exhibited today? A. The ability to let loose and have fun. Q. Your house is on fire, all living things and people are out. You have the opportunity to run in and grab one item. What would it be? A. My laptop because it’s my second brain and has access to all the information I share on friendships. A necklace my brother bought me when we were in a state of conflict. Q. You are sitting on a bench overlooking a gorgeous beach. You have the opportunity to have a long conversation with anyone living or dead. Who would it be? A. Oscar Wilde. Q. What is the best advice you’ve ever received? A. Trust yourself. Q. What advice would you give your 20-year-old self? A. Feel your feelings. Q. It’s been said that all great people can have their lives summed up in one sentence. How do you want yours to read? A. She healed people.

What can we gain in living from a place of unconditional love? On this Valentine’s Day, whether you are going on a hot date with your special someone, heading out with dear friends, or longingly waiting for the phone to ring, be reminded of the overwhelming demands true love requires and the profound blessing it delivers in return. Ultimately, the way we discover the love we seek is to let go of our needs, remain absolutely vulnerable in the face of fear, say yes to serving others, allow our hearts to be broken repeatedly and strive diligently to make our lives about something far bigger than ourselves.

Three-time Olympian Devon Harris has achieved his greatness. Starting as a barefoot boy trying to win a track race, Devon became a member of Jamaica’s first Olympic bobsled team. SHOW NOTES: As a young boy living in the slums of Kingston, Jamaica, Devon would stand near a light post to see the people living well-off in the distance and it motivated him to see a brighter future. Your biography is not your destiny. The whining, the complaining the justifying, until you stop that you remain powerless to improve your situation. Wi lickle, but wi tallawah! It means we are small, but we are powerful. This attitude allows us as Jamaicans to consistently punch above our weight class. We simply believe that we can do anything. The original Jamaican bobsled Olympic team in 1988 inspired the Disney film Cool Runnings. Devon competed in 3 Olympics: 1988 in Calgary, 1992 in France and 1998 in Japan. DEVON HARRIS' LIVE INSPIRED 7 Q. What is the best book you’ve ever read? A. The Art of Selfishness by David Seabury. Q. What is a characteristic or trait that you possessed as a child that you wish you still exhibited today? A. Persistence. Q. Your house is on fire, all living things and people are out. You have the opportunity to run in and grab one item. What would it be? A. A photo collage of my family. Q. You are sitting on a bench overlooking a gorgeous beach. You have the opportunity to have a long conversation with anyone living or dead. Who would it be? A. Fellow Jamaican Sam Sharpe and Nelson Mandela. Q. What is the best advice you’ve ever received? A. My Army Capitan said, "have a good sense of humor." Q. What advice would you give your 20-year-old self? A. Slow down a little and enjoy the process. Q. It’s been said that all great people can have their lives summed up in one sentence. How do you want yours to read? A. He was a good father, husband and friend.

After our region was dumped with as much as a foot of ice and snow, I was surprised when a client moved forward with a live, in-person event last week -- although I shouldn’t have been. The name of this fearless organization derives its name from a fearless dog that raced through a blizzard to save lives. My friends, too often we ignore our potential for significance. Because we don’t have the same talent as others, or lack the position in the organization to directly impact outcome, or lack charisma, appearance or resources, we cheapen our ability to dramatically impact others through our lives. In the midst of whatever storm may appear in your life this week, be inspired by today's story.