The Inspire Cafe

Dr. Glenn Livingston is not only a psychologist, but he's an author of several books. Glenn reveals how he lost 80 pounds, he shares other adversities he's lived through, including depression, he fell into severe debt, had been hit by a drunk driver and suffered from health issues. But after overcoming these challenges, he now has a different perspective.  In this interview, we focus a bit on one of his more recent books, 45 Binge Trigger Busters.  We talk about some common triggers that oftentimes gets us into binge mode and how we can overcome them. Mentioned in this episode: NeverBingeAgain.com  

Welcome to The Inspire Cafe podcast, where we bring you conversations and inspirational stories of people overcoming adversity or setbacks, and then how they came out it transformed with a positive outlook or outcome.  People are incredibly courageous and resilient, and we need to hear more of their stories.... 

Greg Zakowicz has an all-too-common story.  As a young man, he graduated from college but struggled to make ends meet working in his career of choice. So what to do?  Greg shares how he struggled financially, emotionally and mentally, and explains how his journey ultimately ended up in a good place... He's now a Senior Commerce Marketing Analyst at Oracle. He gives some great tips for not only career change and situational improvement, but also what helped him to not give up.  Others now seek out Greg's advice about career change or development.  You can also check out his podcast, The Commerce Marketer Podcast.

Twenty-seven-year-old Chris Norton, co-wrote a book with his wife, Emily, called The Seven Longest Yards: Our Love Story of Pushing the Limits While Learning From Each Other. They recount the journey of their developing relationship after Chris' tragic accident. In 2010 when he was just 20, Chris suffered a severe injury while playing college football. In an instant, he became a quadriplegic where doctors said he had a 3 percent chance of ever moving or feeling anything below his neck, let alone ever walk again. You may find it astonishing to hear, but Chris says he's never experienced depression, even after his accident. In this interview, Chris talks about what helped him get through his recovery and how he never gave up.  He also talks about why he says his accident was a blessing.  Since the accident, Chris has accomplished two of his great goals. First, he walked 3 yards across the stage at his graduation. And, second, he walked his bride, Emily, 7 yards down the aisle at their wedding.  Through the Chris Norton Foundation that he started while still in college, they've already raised close to $1 million dollars to help patients get the treatment they couldn't afford otherwise. And since they got married, Chris and Emily have become foster parents and also adopted 5 girls. Chris also shares how it came that Tim Tebow wrote the forward in his new book! You won't want to miss this interview! Mentioned in this episode: ChrisNorton.org 7 Yards Film The Seven Longest Yards: Our Love Story of Pushing the Limits While Learning From Each Other If you enjoy the episode, please subscribe for free, rate & review, and share with your friends. Thanks for listening!  If you'd like to see a list of previously mentioned books or products from former episodes, go to our Resources Page! And if you're looking for inspirational books that I've personally read and recommend, go to our Motivational Tools page!

Ryan C. Greene says he got his strength and resolve from his mother, and that she was a great role model for him. He explained his mother had sickle cell anemia and wasn't supposed to live past the age of 6. She ended up raising both him and his sister and got to see Ryan get married.  Ryan then later had his own challenges. His mother passed away, he got divorced and he also struggled with depression.  How was he supposed to help others when he was going through his own challenges? Well, he decided he needed to go back and learn from his mother again--to find his life purpose.  That's when everything fell into place. He explains finding your life purpose isn't just about you, it's about how to pay it forward and help others. Today Ryan is the founder of Greenhouse Media, he's an author of 6 books, he's a speaker, trainer, coach and the host of The Passionpreneurs Podcast. Mentioned in this episode: ·        RyanCGreene.com ·        The PassionPreneur Podcast ·        Becoming a Passionpreneur If you enjoy the episode, please subscribe for free, rate & review, and share with your friends. Thanks for listening!  If you'd like to see a list of previously mentioned books or products from former episodes, go to our Resources Page! And if you're looking for inspirational books that I've personally read and recommend, go to our Motivational Tools page!

A homeless population caseworker in the Washington D.C. area, 25-year-old Saherah Khan says that people tell her how they're surprised and shocked when learning about her past.  You see, Saherah explains she grew up in a mixed racial household--her mother is from Korea and her father is from Pakistan. When she was about to enter high school, her father told the family that they were going on a 2-month trip to visit his homeland. But even at 14, Saherah said it was apparent her father never intended to bring them back home. She said she felt like a slave and a prisoner.  She was forbidden to go to school and she wasn't allowed to be on her own unless she was fetching water for the house.  She describes her father as controlling, possessive and sometimes physically abusive. At one point it got so bad he pulled a gun out and threatened to kill her. After two years of living in a Pakistani rural village and learning she had been promised to marriage to a man in the village, she felt helpless and hopeless. But soon after, she learned there may be a way out.  At 16, she made a daring escape and returned home to her mother in the States. Today, Saherah is just starting to speak out about her experience with the hope to help inspire others that they too have a voice and can escape an abusive life.

Since he was 5 years old, Winston Ben Clements said he knew he was meant for something big, that he was going to make some kind of big impact. Now he says he’s found his purpose through being a motivational speaker. But he admits growing up he often wondered how he’d do it. You see, Winston was born with a rare brittle bone condition where the smallest sudden jolt or move could break his bones. Even a simple sneeze could cause havoc. His bones were so fragile that suffered more than 150 fractures by the time he was 12.  But that didn’t stop Winston. In fact, he has a goal to reach 1 billion people to inspire them to unleash their full potential. Mentioned in this episode: WinstonClements.com If you enjoy the episode, please subscribe for free, rate & review, and share with your friends. Thanks for listening!  If you'd like to see a list of previously mentioned books or products from former episodes, go to our Resources Page! And if you're looking for inspirational books that I've personally read and recommend, go to our Motivational Tools page! Check out more episodes on our website, TheInspireCafe.com!

Twenty-three-year-old Aaron Martinez grew up going to school in Espanola, New Mexico, a city with a population of about 10,000.  You'll pass through it if you're driving between Santa Fe and Taos, two tourist towns known for its art scene, winter skiing and opera. Unfortunately, it also sits in a Northern New Mexico region where it's known for having one of the highest rates of drug overdose deaths.  For Aaron, he can speak about it first hand.  Within a space of a couple of years, he lost both his oldest sister and father from overdoses.  He says growing up both his parents were addicted and family members kept telling him he was going to grow up to be an addict too. But for Aaron, miraculously he didn't follow the same path. Where his only role models were heroes in action movies, he made a choice to stay away from drugs in spite of being raised in an environment where it'd be easy to see why anyone would.  Today, Aaron is a youth mentor and gymnastics instructor in the same town he grew up. He also speaks to kids about his experience and how it is possible to choose a different and positive path. Mentioned in this episode: Moving Arts Espanola Plus, videos that include Aaron Martinez mentoring youth at work: CNN Heroes Meow Wolf Community Voices re Moving Arts Española If you enjoy the episode, please subscribe for free, rate & review, and share with your friends. Thanks for listening!  If you'd like to see a list of previously mentioned books or products from former episodes, go to our Resources Page! And if you're looking for inspirational books that I've personally read and recommend, go to our Motivational Tools page! Check out more episodes on our website, TheInspireCafe.com! Like us on Facebook here! Follow us on Instagram here!

You could say 39-year-old TShane Johnson is a living miracle.  You see, when he was in the Marine Corps, he died 3 times. While out riding his motorcycle, he was t-boned by another car. Upon impact, his body flew at 45 miles per hour and he hit a brick house, breaking his chest plate in half. He broke multiple bones in his body, ribs punctured his internal organs, and he was drowning in his own blood from internal injuries. Doctors didn't have hope that he'd make it. But TShane said that during his near death experience he made a choice and that was to survive. He not only survived, but he completely rehabilitated himself and rejoined his unit 7 months later. Today he's a motivational speaker, entrepreneur, life coach, father and author of two published books and a third on its way. He talks about how this year will be his fourth run across America and he has a goal to raise $1 million for charities.  TShane also talks about how he aims to break three Guinness World Records during his next run, which begins on September 11th.  Mentioned in this episode: HikeAcrossAmerica.com If you enjoy the episode, please subscribe for free, rate & review, and share with your friends. Thanks for listening!  If you'd like to see a list of previously mentioned books or products from former episodes, go to our Resources Page! And if you're looking for inspirational books that I've personally read and recommend, go to our Motivational Tools page! Check out more episodes on our website, TheInspireCafe.com! Like us on Facebook here! Follow us on Instagram here!  

Dartanyon Crockett, 28, calls himself an underdog. He says he had three strikes against him growing up in the inner-city of Cleveland, Ohio:  he was black, poor and physically limited. Having been severely near-sighted all his life, his mother died when he was 8, his father battled drug and alcohol addiction, and he grew up in a crime-ridden neighborhood. And because his father spent rent money on drugs, Dartanyon had to get a job when he was 13 to help pay for rent and buy groceries. In high school, Dartanyon and his best friend, Leroy Sutton, did well on the school’s wrestling team. Their friendship was featured in an ESPN special called, “Carry On,” where it showed that each had his share of hard breaks. Dartanyon was legally blind and Leroy had lost both his legs from a train accident when he was a boy. The special also formed a friendship and bond that grew between ESPN’s producer Lisa Fenn and the boys during the making of the segment, and shows how she became pivotal in both of the boys’ lives. After the ESPN profile aired, it was Dartanyon who ended up being invited to train with the Judo team at the U.S. Olympic Training Center, despite never having any experience with the sport before. Dartanyon learned fast and did well. He eventually became a 2-time U.S. Paralympic bronze medalist. Today, Dartanyon is getting his degree in sociology and has become an inspirational speaker where he discusses the power of human investment. Mentioned in this episode: DartanyonCrockett.me ESPN’s “Carry On” Special Dartanyon’s Facebook Page Dartanyon’s Instagram If you enjoy the episode, please subscribe for free, rate & review, and share with your friends. Thanks for listening!  If you'd like to see a list of previously mentioned books or products from former episodes, go to our Resources Page! And if you're looking for inspirational books that I've personally read and recommend, go to our Motivational Tools page! Check out more episodes on our website, TheInspireCafe.com! Like us on Facebook here! Follow us on Instagram here!    

  Founder and CEO of the inspirational fashion brand ShineThe Light On, 25-year-old Eli Brown knows first-hand what it’s like to struggle with mental illness. An avid tennis player since the age of four he was so good that he later received a tennis scholarship to attend a prestigious university and compete with Team Canada.  But along the way when he was just 14, a sexual assault threw his life off course. From the outside, his life seemed perfect yet inside he struggled with anxiety, depression, he turned to drugs and alcohol to cope, and also suffered from suicidal thoughts. It wasn’t until seeing a photo of himself that depicted the reality of his life that became his wake-up call to seek help.  Today, Eli’s mission is to bring awareness and a voice to those struggling with mental illness and also take the stigma out of mental illness through his Shine The Light On clothing company and to let today’s youth know that it’s okay to not be okay.  And after starting his business just 3 years ago, His designs are now being sold in Canada, the U.S. and Europe in over 1,000 locations, and a portion of the profits funds charity organizations that focus on mental health. Mentioned in this episode: Shine The Light On If you enjoy the episode, please subscribe for free, rate & review, and share with your friends. Thanks for listening!  If you'd like to see a list of previously mentioned books or products from former episodes, go to our Resources Page! And if you're looking for inspirational books that I've personally read and recommend, go to our Motivational Tools page! Check out more episodes on our website, TheInspireCafe.com! Like us on Facebook here! Follow us on Instagram here!    

Betty Jean Bell wanted to be an opera singer since she was 4.  I mean, not just dream about it—she truly had a gift.  She actually began performing when she was 8. She had steep ambitions and clearly knew what she wanted to do all her life.  But then tragedy struck when she was about to start college.  She began to have terrible pain in her throat, which was caused by a medical condition that lead to surgery. Doctors told her that in order to heal, she would have to not speak for 18 months, let alone sing again. Her lifelong dreams crushed, she also began to face an ongoing slew of further illnesses one right after another. Betty Jean also had to deal with weight and mental health issues, including depression, panic attacks and even a suicide attempt. Then something changed. Today, Betty Jean is the founder of Being Badass. She’s a body confidence model and a weight loss coach. She teaches women how to stop overeating, stop the self-criticism, and how to learn to genuinely see their bodies with love. Mentioned in this episode: BeingBadass.com Betty Jean's Facebook Page Betty Jean's Instagram If you enjoy the episode, please subscribe for free, rate & review, and share with your friends. Thanks for listening!  If you'd like to see a list of previously mentioned books or products from former episodes, go to our Resources Page! And if you're looking for inspirational books that I've personally read and recommend, go to our Motivational Tools page! Check out more episodes on our website, TheInspireCafe.com! Like us on Facebook here! Follow us on Instagram here!    

Jess Key is a remarkable woman who says she’s a major underdog story. She’s a 41-year-old mother of three and she’s a dragon boat racer on the U.S. National Dragon Boat Team. You’d never know it today, but Jess has overcome multiple adversities. Both of her parents were drug addicts, she grew up with physical abuse, she and her brother lived for a while in a foster home, she was a runaway teenager and became homeless for a while, she was an alcoholic by the time she was a senior in high school, and eventually got addicted to drugs.  In this interview, she talks about the epiphany she had that got her to stop taking drugs and then more recently she had another epiphany about how she didn’t even realize she had been living with PTSD all her life. She now is on a mission to share her story with the lesson she’s learned that we all are empowered to overcome our adversities and she encourages everyone to be the champion of your own life. Mentioned in this episode: Jessica's Instagram Jessica's GoFundMe If you enjoy the episode, please subscribe for free, rate & review, and share with your friends. Thanks for listening!  If you'd like to see a list of previously mentioned books or products from former episodes, go to our Resources Page! And if you're looking for inspirational books that I've personally read and recommend, go to our Motivational Tools page! Check out more episodes on our website, TheInspireCafe.com! Like us on Facebook here! Follow us on Instagram here!    

Five years ago and 36 weeks into her pregnancy, Briar Harvey said she went into the hospital expecting to come home with a baby, but instead she came home with nothing.  Due to complications, her baby didn't make it.  Briar explains what happened, how this traumatic experience has affected her, and how she was able to move forward in her life.  We also talk about the importance of forgiveness and her suggestions to other moms who have also lost a child.  Briar now is an author, marketing strategist, a personal systems coach, the founder of the Omaha Women’s Circle, and co-host of the Latchkey Movies podcast. Mentioned in this episode: BriarHarvey.com Omaha Women's Circle Latchkey Movies Podcast If you enjoy the episode, please subscribe for free, rate & review, and share with your friends. Thanks for listening!  If you'd like to see a list of previously mentioned books or products from former episodes, go to our Resources Page! And if you're looking for inspirational books that I've personally read and recommend, go to our Motivational Tools page! Check out more episodes on our website, TheInspireCafe.com! Like us on Facebook here! Follow us on Instagram here!

It's been 29 years to this day that Director, Producer, Editor and Filmmaker Eric Christiansen survived the 1990 Painted Cave Fire in Santa Barbara, California. The fire destroyed over 400 homes, including Eric's, and burned over 5,000 acres, devastating many lives.  Eric talks about how he turned to alcohol and drugs to cope with the aftermath initially. But then he later realized that there was a bigger picture to just his own personal trauma.   Since then, he's been creating movies with messages of resilience and inspiration. Although he's won multiple awards for his films, he prefers to call himself a "messenger" because he says surviving that fire has taught him that his purpose now is to not just connect with survivors and relay their stories but to show that there's hope. The release of this episode coincides not only with the 29th anniversary of The Painted Cave Fire in Santa Barbara but also with National PTSD Awareness Day.  This episode--and really all episodes on The Inspire Cafe podcast--are dedicated to spreading awareness about PTSD and mental health. Mentioned in this Episode: UnMasking Hope If you enjoy the episode, please subscribe for free, rate & review, and share with your friends. Thanks for listening!  If you'd like to see a list of previously mentioned books or products from former episodes, go to our Resources Page! And if you're looking for inspirational books that I've personally read and recommend, go to our Motivational Tools page! Check out more episodes on our website, TheInspireCafe.com! Like us on Facebook here! Follow us on Instagram here!

Justin Birckbichler was a 4th-grade school teacher and just 25 when he was diagnosed with testicular cancer.  When it came to finding resources or information from a patient's perspective, Justin didn't find what he was looking for. So he decided to become a source himself and started his blog, A Ballsy Sense of Tumor.  He says he's using humor to break through the ice of a topic men don't typically approach with ease. He not only wants to share what his journey to recovery was like but also to spread awareness about how to do self-checks to catch it in time. He says men have literally died from embarrassment because they were too shy or ashamed or embarrassed to bring up their health to catch the cancer in time.  Now a Men's Health Activist, his goal is to help spread awareness about testicular cancer with the hope to keep others alive and healthy. Mentioned in this episode: A Ballsy Sense of Tumor Justin's YouTube Channel And Don't Forget to Share this Self-Check! If you'd like to see a list of previously mentioned books or products from former episodes, go to our Resources Page! And if you're looking for inspirational books that I've personally read and recommend, go to our Motivational Tools page! Check out more episodes on our website, TheInspireCafe.com! Like us on Facebook here! Follow us on Instagram here!

With a promising musical career on the horizon, Stefan Weiner could play multiple musical instruments, sing and write songs. Soon after graduating, 22-year-old Stefan began experiencing physical symptoms, which lead to unending pain that left his doctors baffled.  Unfortunately, it got so bad that Stefan had to stop his music.  Doctors couldn't explain his medical mystery until he went to the Mayo Clinic and finally got a diagnosis:  Central Sensitization Syndrome, a condition where he says his brain hardwired his injuries so it kept sending pain signals even though the tissue had healed. Stefan talks about how he's learned to manage his pain. And now he's back to recording music and has a new song coming out next week, called "Barricade," a song he says is about celebrating who you are.   Mentioned in this episode: StefanAlxndr.com Stefan Alexander on Spotify Stefan's latest release:  Barricade If you enjoy the episode, please subscribe for free, rate & review, and share with your friends. Thanks for listening!  If you'd like to see a list of previously mentioned books or products from former episodes, go to our Resources Page! And if you're looking for inspirational books that I've personally read and recommend, go to our Motivational Tools page! Check out more episodes on our website, TheInspireCafe.com! Like us on Facebook here!

Suicide prevention strategist, author and speaker Susie Reynolds Reece is trying to educate and spread awareness about the topic of suicide less and make is less uncomfortable to talk about. She says that if we're more comfortable with the subject, then we'll be able to help those who need support and also make it more comfortable about asking for support when we need it. Susie is in a unique position to talk about it. When she was just 10 years old, her father committed suicide and for years she struggled with her own depression.  But now, Susie travels around the country and has spoken to thousands of people on suicide awareness and prevention, but says that talking about a tough topic doesn't mean it has to bring you down. Listen in and you'll know what I mean... Mentioned in this episode: SusieReece.org SuicidePreventionAllies.org Susie’s books: Children’s Guide to Parenting The i’Mpossible Project: Lemonade Stand If you enjoy the episode, please subscribe for free, rate & review, and share with your friends. Thanks for listening!  If you'd like to see a list of previously mentioned books or products from former episodes, go to our Resources Page! And if you're looking for inspirational books that I've personally read and recommend, go to our Motivational Tools page! Check out more episodes on our website, TheInspireCafe.com! Like us on Facebook here! Follow us on Instagram here! We'll have a link to Susie and her books on TheInspireCafe.com and if you like the episode, please take a second and share it with a friend. The more we spread awareness about this topic, the better.  

Marisa Boasa is training for a marathon and what's different about her is that she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis less than a year ago.  Marisa has a remarkable drive, and even though the doctor gave her that diagnosis, he encouraged her to keep her mobility up and with the help of her doctors and trainers, she's building her strength and stamina to reach her goal. She even created a YouTube channel to chronicle her journey. The video was supposed to be sort of a coming out to her friends and family that she had M.S., but instead, it's turned into a mantra of Can't Stop, Won't Stop. Now, she travels and speaks to groups encouraging others with issues of mobility to never give up. Mentioned in this episode: ·       Fight for Mobility ·       Marisa's Instagram: @risamoe If you enjoy the episode, please subscribe for free, rate & review, and share with your friends. Thanks for listening!  If you'd like to see a list of previously mentioned books or products from former episodes, go to our Resources Page! And if you're looking for inspirational books that I've personally read and recommend, go to our Motivational Tools page! Check out more episodes on our website, TheInspireCafe.com! Like us on Facebook here! Follow us on Instagram here!

Tracey Maxfield suffered from severe depression. In her book, Escaping the Rabbit Hole: My Journey Through Depression, she describes how a ghost-like presence followed her, even whispered in her ear and told her all the ways she could do herself in. She called him DBS, or Death by Suicide.  Tracey says it was a battle, but she won.  It's a good thing because she was invited to speak to a group of middle school students about being an author but instead got questions about how they also can escape their rabbit holes.  Turns out Tracey learned the numbers when it comes to depression, self-harm and suicide amongst kids is alarmingly high, and so now she's made it a mission to spread awareness about mental health in schools.  Now that is a gift. Mentioned in this episode: TraceyMaxfield.com   If you enjoy the episode, please subscribe for free, rate & review, and share with your friends. Thanks for listening! If you'd like to see a list of previously mentioned books or products from former episodes, go to our Resources Page! And if you're looking for inspirational books that I've personally read and recommend, go to our Motivational Tools page! Check out more episodes on our website, TheInspireCafe.com! Like us on Facebook here! Follow us on Instagram here!