LOA Today - Your Daily Dose Of Happy

What if losing everything was the moment you finally met who you really are?That’s the thread that runs through Walt’s powerful conversation with productivity life coach Emily Guerra. This story begins with job loss, fear, and uncertainty, and evolves into purpose, balance, and deep self-kindness.At the start of COVID, Emily was an event planner. Within three weeks, both of her event jobs disappeared. “Within like three weeks, I had no income, I could no longer afford rent, and I had no idea what I was going to do with my life, and I kind of freaked out,” Emily admits.She moved out of Los Angeles to the Chicago suburbs to live with her brother’s family. First, she sulked - as she says, she got “in my feels.” Then came the turning point question: “How am I going to navigate through COVID and figure out a way to not only have income, but actually enjoy what I do?”Influenced by a family full of entrepreneurs, Emily began asking herself, What if I worked for myself? That curiosity led her into freelancing social media services, getting certified, and quickly booking 4–5 clients. But what really changed everything was what she noticed in those clients:They were exhausted.They were trying to get as much done in as little time as possible.They were quietly burning out.Emily started naturally coaching them without calling it coaching on mindset, energy, and sustainable productivity. “You really helped me a lot. I hired you for social media, not for productivity or life coaching,” clients told her. “You should really turn this into a coaching business.”So she did. Emily got certified as a productivity life coach and founded The Productivity Flow in 2022. Now she runs a coaching practice, blogs, offers free resources, speaking engagements, and has a free Facebook community where she goes live weekly to support entrepreneurs and freelancers.But the heart of this conversation isn’t just about productivity. It’s about self-kindness.Walt shares his own journey from IT burnout and financial collapse in 2008 to discovering that being kind to himself changed everything, even how he felt about his work. A mirror-work practice inspired by Jack Canfield helped him quiet his “monkey mind”: “By day 30, the voice was down to a wisp, by around day 40, the voice was completely gone. And the most amazing part? It never came back.”Emily connects this to the brain’s negativity bias and our evolutionary wiring. We’re built to scan for danger, but in modern life, that becomes constant self-criticism. The antidote is intentional practice, not perfection.She asks Walt a key question every listener can ask themselves: “What were the kind of steps did you take to be a little bit kinder to yourself?”Throughout the conversation, both Walt and Emily circle back to a few essential, emotionally charged truths:You don’t have to destroy yourself to be successful.1% shifts matter more than dramatic overhauls.Rest is productive.Your relationship with yourself shapes how you show up for everyone else.Success without self-kindness is just a different kind of burnout.Emily closes with a simple mission: “If I can just help at least one person see there is a more sustainable approach, then I have done my job.” Maybe that one person is you.LOA Today Episode Page: https://www.loatoday.net/emily-guerraEmily Guerra's Website: https://theproductivityflow.com/Follow the LOA Today podcast:  https://www.loatoday.net/follow#lawofattraction#manifesting#vibration#podcast#deliberatecreators#Q&A#waltthiessen#jodielynncraven#loatodayapp#YourDailyDoseOfHappy#ProductivityFlow #MindfulProductivity #EndHustleCulture #SelfKindness #BurnoutRecovery #EntrepreneurLife #WorkLifeBalance #AbundanceMindset #NegativityBias #ReticularActivatingSystem #PersonalGrowth #LifeCoaching #WomenEntrepreneurs #COVIDPivot #EmotionalWellbeing #SuccessOnYourTerms

What if the key to your mental health wasn’t fixing other people, but finally accepting what you can’t control and pouring your energy into what you can?That’s the emotional core of this powerful conversation between Walt and Joel about Stoicism in mental health and how it literally helped Joel rebuild his life from nothing.Early in the discussion, Walt asks the central question: “Why is stoicism such an important mindset to adopt when it comes to developing your own mental health?”Joel’s answer is both practical and deeply human. He explains that modern cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is rooted in Stoic philosophy. The core idea? “You have zero control over what happens. You have 100% control over your perspective of what happens.”From heartbreak to addiction, from losing a job to losing a child, Joel keeps coming back to this truth: your power lies in your response, not in the event.When Walt recalls his own breakup, he remembers how hard it was to accept Joel’s Stoic reminder: “What do you mean I’m never going to get the answers I want?”Joel didn’t sugarcoat it. Rumination wasn’t going to fix anything. The only real path forward was acceptance and choosing a new response.The conversation gets especially raw when Joel talks about the death of his son: “When my son passed away, it isn’t that I was unemotional about it. But when I started living again, I understood my mission was to find the areas in my control. How can I honor him?”This is Stoicism at its most human, not cold, not detached, but heartbroken and still moving forward.Walt notices something profound: Stoicism isn’t just about coping—it’s about reclaiming ownership of your mental health, instead of depending on a therapist, a partner, or anyone else to fix you. He highlights the irony that: “When we adopt an attitude of taking responsibility for what we can control, we influence what other people do. We can’t control them, but we influence them.”And that influence can be life-changing. Joel shares the story of a wealthy woman desperate to fix her alcoholic son. He refuses to chase the son. Instead, he focuses on her: “You fix you, and his response to you will be different.”When she stopped rescuing him, his recovery finally began. Not because she controlled him but because she changed herself.Throughout the conversation, Walt presses into the deeper implications:What happens when we cling to the illusion of controlling others?What if our obsession with getting a specific person or outcome is exactly what keeps us stuck?How does life change when, like Joel, we wake up asking: “What is in my control today?”Joel’s own story is proof. Homeless, buried in debt, a convicted felon, he had every reason to give up. Instead, he chose one Stoic step at a time: “There was really only one option. Day one, my power was: go find a job.”That one option led to another and another and eventually to a life filled with purpose, passion, and helping others heal.In the end, Stoicism and the Law of Attraction meet in the same place: Focus your mind. Own your choices. Love the life you’re actually living—starting today.LOA Today Episode Page: https://www.loatoday.net/stoicismFollow the LOA Today podcast:  https://www.loatoday.net/follow#loatoday#lawofattraction#manifesting#vibration#podcast#deliberatecreators#Q&A#waltthiessen#joelelston#Stoicism #MentalHealth #MindsetShift #LawOfAttraction #EmotionalHealing #CognitiveBehavioralTherapy #Acceptance #PersonalGrowth #Resilience #SelfResponsibility

What if the moment you realize you’re slowly killing yourself becomes the moment you’re reborn?That’s exactly what happened for Stanley, a former 367-pound attorney and CPA who transformed his life through walking, plant-based eating, emotional healing, and uncompromising self-honesty.In this powerful conversation on LOA Today with Walt and Anne Marie, Stanley shares how he turned decades of pain, obesity, and grief into a system he now calls The Way of Excellence.The story starts with trauma. At just eight years old, Stanley’s mother died. He described walking home from school, suddenly knowing she was gone. He didn’t cry for days. At the funeral, he demanded the casket be opened so he could see her. The grief froze inside him and later showed up on his body: “We both literally ate ourselves to oblivion.”Years later, at his aunt’s funeral, Stanley saw two young boys, one sobbing, one frozen and expressionless. That younger boy became a mirror: “I looked at him, and I said, That’s me.”He walked over, introduced himself, and said, “I know exactly how you feel.” Then he hugged the boy and told him it was okay to cry and didn’t let go until he did. In that moment, Stanley didn’t just comfort a child. He held, healed, and defended his own inner child.Walt pressed into the emotional side of this transformation, asking about responsibility and self-kindness. Stanley’s answer was radical in its simplicity: “It wasn’t my mother’s fault. It wasn’t my father’s fault. And it wasn’t my fault either. Blame is irrelevant.”Instead of blame, Stanley chose responsibility. At 320 pounds, 54 months before his 50th birthday, he asked himself a brutal question: “Where am I going to be in five years if I keep doing what I’m doing?” The answer: “Dead.” And he did not want to be dead.So he changed that day. He poured his last bottle of scotch down the toilet. He dumped his diet soda. He cut out red meat. Then he began walking - first a few blocks, then hours in a pool, then miles on the road. Over 17 years, he has walked about 72,000 miles, nearly three times around the Earth.But this wasn’t just about weight. It was about identity.“I am a person who walks.” “I am 100% committed that only healthy foods can enter my mouth.”Anne Marie, a vegetarian herself, resonated deeply with the journey of changing how you eat, but she also highlighted the emotional wisdom in Stanley’s story: “Mistakes are proof that you’re trying.” “Embrace your good enoughness. You don’t have to be perfect.”Stanley’s core message is disarmingly human: you are more powerful than you ever imagined, and that power grows when you stop chasing perfection and start committing to better than yesterday.His parting challenge is simple and profound: “Your goal is simple: beat yesterday. And sometimes, just not falling apart is beating yesterday.”In a world that sells quick fixes and punishes imperfection, this conversation is a reminder that permanent transformation is built on willingness, kindness to self, long-term thinking and small daily acts of courage.You don’t have to be perfect. You just have to be willing.LOA Today Episode Page: https://www.loatoday.net/stanley-bronsteinStanley Bronstein's Website: https://stanleybronstein.com/Follow the LOA Today podcast:  https://www.loatoday.net/follow

What if the worst things that ever happened to you turned out to be the doorway to everything you were really looking for?That’s the thread that runs through this powerful conversation between Justin, Walt, and Anne-Marie on LOA Today -  a conversation about addiction, spiritual awakening, comedy, toxic masculinity, and the quiet power of following your heart.Early in the episode, Justin shares how he grew up in an emotionally suppressive household, with parents who “didn’t understand the concept of love.” They loved him, but couldn’t express it. His mom often retreated into her room; he retreated into his and into television and comedy.“The TV wasn’t my babysitter, it was a full-blown parent,” Justin says. Comedy became his pain escape: staying up late to watch Saturday Night Live, absorbing the brilliance of David Spade, Chris Farley, Chris Rock, Adam Sandler, Norm Macdonald, Jim Carrey, The Simpsons, and Eddie Murphy. That escape later morphed into something darker: alcohol, harder drugs, homelessness, rehabs, and nights in jail.Walt asks the question that so many crash-and-burn survivors recognize: “People go through these crash and burn moments and they come out the other side saying, ‘I never want to go through it again, but it’s the best thing that ever happened to me.’ Is that true for you as well?”Justin’s answer is a resounding yes. He describes losing his mother, his sister, a childhood friend, and the devastating loss of access to his young son and yet, he still says he wouldn’t change any of it: “Good things will still come out of crap, the rose grows from the pot of dirt.”The turning point came when Justin left the “mansion” of rigid religion - his metaphor for a beautiful but fear-built belief system and started working with a shaman. Meditation, shadow work, and questioning old beliefs cracked everything open. Then came what he calls a “bliss attack”: “It was like a panic attack if you replace panic with love,three hours on my bed and my near life experience.”In that state, he felt immersed in source energy, the “water the fish swim in,” the unified field behind everything. That experience became the blueprint for his book Sorcery 101 — “sorcery” with a u, about source, not spells.Anne-Marie locks in on one of the most practical takeaways: intuition. Justin explains the difference between instinct (fear-based, survival mode) and intuition (heart-based guidance), and gives a simple practice: slow breathing, hand on heart, ask yes/no questions, and learn how your yes and no feel. “The mind thinks, but the heart knows.”The conversation then dives into toxic masculinity and the war on the feminine. Justin calls out the influencers “full of ego and hate,” and says plainly that embracing your feminine side does not erase your masculinity: “You lose those toxic traits that are holding guys back.”Walt adds a crucial observation: many men silently agree, but are afraid to speak up until someone like Justin does. Then the “silent majority” starts finding its voice.Through it all, Justin weaves humor, spiritual insight, and raw honesty into a single message: You do have power. You are not your crash and burn. Your heart already knows the way out.All that’s left is to listen.LOA Today Episode Page: https://www.loatoday.net/justin-shawJustin Shaw's Amazon LinkFollow the LOA Today podcast:  https://www.loatoday.net/follow#lawofattraction#manifesting#vibration#podcast#Q&A#waltthiessen#annemarieyoung#SpiritualAwakening #LOAToday #JustinShaw #TraumaToTransformation #BlissAttack #Intuition #HeartCenteredLiving #ShadowWork #RecoveryJourney #ToxicMasculinity #DivineFeminine #ComedyAndSpirituality #SourceEnergy #PersonalGrowth #EmotionalHealing #InnerWork #SelfAwareness #ConsciousLiving #LawOfAttraction #MindBodySpirit

What if the moment you were planning to end your life became the moment you finally realized you had a choice?That’s exactly what happened to Tara, an energy coach from Minnesota, in this powerful, heart-opening conversation on LOA Today with Walt and Jodielynn.From the very beginning, Tara’s story hits deep. She describes growing up as the “black sheep” of her family - brown hair and brown eyes in a sea of blondes and blue eyes, feeling different in every possible way. At eight years old, during a birthday/Easter family gathering, her aunt casually mentioned seeing her “dad Bruce.” Tara didn’t have a dad named Bruce or so she thought.The innocent question she ran inside to ask, “Is that my dad?” - was met with stone-cold silence and anger. In that moment, everything shifted. She began to see all the ways she didn’t belong. Only years later, at 12, when she finally met Bruce and saw a “replica” of herself - same laugh, same likes, same energy did she feel, for the first time, “Okay, I belong.”Then, at 15, Bruce died of cancer. “I felt abandoned by him all over again,” Tara shares. That pain pushed her into a relationship with food that became her emotional lifeline: “Food became my best friend, it never disappointed me.” The result: 338 pounds, anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and complete self-loathing as a mother of three who felt she was “a disappointment” to her kids and to herself.Her breaking point became her awakening. Tara describes the day she locked her bedroom door, ready to end her life—until the door somehow unlocked and her middle son walked in and asked: “Are you going to die, Mama?”That question shattered everything. “I realized - I can choose,” she says. Up to that moment, she believed life just happened to you. That day, she saw the truth: “I have a choice.” From there, she began learning to love herself, eventually losing 220 pounds and taking her life back.Later, losing her sister to cancer led her into what she calls a “dark night of the soul” and her first successful meditation. Guided by a healer named Trisha, she met her higher self, who told her: “Tara, I’ve waited a very long time for you to show up. You’re a healer. You’ve always been a healer. The world needs you now more than ever.”That moment anchored her purpose. Walt asks the question many listeners are silently wondering: “What are the modalities you hang your hat on, the ones you and your clients can count on every time?”Tara’s answer is clear and grounded:Neuro-Linguistic Programming and Mental Emotional Release to clear limiting beliefs and negative emotions at the subconscious level.Integrated Energy Therapy, similar to Reiki but highly hands-on and intuitive, works with the organs and energy bodies to release stored anger, sadness, fear, doubt, and more, then integrating positive energy back in so nothing “empty” attracts more pain.Throughout the conversation, Tara, Walt, and Jodi Lynn keep returning to a central theme: We trap ourselves with limiting beliefs, old programming, and stories about not being enough, yet healing is always possible, and it begins with awareness and choice.JodieLynn beautifully sums up one of the biggest takeaways: in any moment, you can gain awareness and choose differently, and that choice can change not just your life, but the lives of everyone around you.This episode is a reminder that your worst moments can become the very soil your new self grows through - if you let yourself break through.LOA Today Episode Page: https://www.loatoday.net/tara-wiskowTara Wiskow's Website: https://tara-wiskow.com/Follow the LOA Today podcast:  https://www.loatoday.net/follow#lawofattraction#manifesting#vibration#podcast#deliberatecreators#Q&A#waltthiessen#jodielynncraven#loatodayapp#YourDailyDoseOfHappy

What if the very thing you call “security” is quietly draining the life out of you?In this powerful conversation, Walt and Joel dive deep into self-responsibility, comfort zones, trauma, mindset, and the wild magic of living at the edge of your growth. What emerges is a brutally honest, emotionally charged message: your life only truly begins when you take responsibility and step beyond what feels safe.Early in the discussion, Walt shares a striking contrast between two people at a breakfast gathering: a retired woman thrilled to “do nothing” and Walt himself, lit up by his AI project and hungry for what’s next. “She wants to stay exactly in retirement, I’m doing everything I can to get out of the comfort zone.”That contrast sets up the core question behind the entire conversation: Are you choosing comfort, or are you choosing growth?Joel explains that the comfort zone isn’t just emotional - it’s biological. The brain is wired for homeostasis, to keep you “safe in the cave.” “Stepping away from that comfort zone is like, man, that’s just where all the magic is. Nothing occurs inside the comfort zone except the same old redundant thing.”Walt reframes the comfort zone in a way that hits hard: “A comfort zone is where we maintain the same behaviors; it’s the same thing as being blocked.”So when we say, “I’m blocked,” what we often mean is: “I’m repeating the same patterns and refusing to leave my comfort zone.”From there, the conversation shifts into self responsibility. Joel doesn’t sugarcoat it: “Most people’s trauma is not their fault but they are 100% responsible for fixing their trauma.”It’s a statement that, as Joel admits, “pisses people off,” but he follows it with the only question that actually changes lives: What are you willing to do differently?They share story after story:A man who built a $500 million company driven by a father who refused to pay for his college.Twin brothers who both had an alcoholic father—one saying, “I’m an alcoholic because my dad’s an alcoholic,” the other saying, “I’m not an alcoholic because my dad’s an alcoholic.”Same facts. Different mindset. Radically different lives.Walt reveals a deeply personal breakthrough: learning to treat himself with kindness instead of constant self-criticism. That inner shift led a woman he was dating to tell him: “You’re the kindest man I’ve ever met.”He never set out to earn that label. It emerged as a ripple effect of being kinder to himself while taking responsibility for his own resistance and patterns.Joel distills one of the most powerful tools of all: “If I am up against something I’m having trouble with, I need to walk away and change my mindset.”Walt calls it a mic-drop moment because it is. That’s the turning point: Not “How do I force this to work?” but “How can I see this differently?”By the end, they circle back to the world we’re living in now - chaotic, magical, AI-driven, and full of possibility. “If you really want to live life to your absolute fullest, keep living life.”The real question is: Will you keep choosing the cave or will you finally step into the magic outside your comfort zone?LOA Today Episode Page: https://www.loatoday.net/self-responsibiltyFollow the LOA Today podcast:  https://www.loatoday.net/follow#loatoday#lawofattraction#manifesting#vibration#podcast#deliberatecreators#Q&A#waltthiessen#joelelston#SelfResponsibility #ComfortZone #MindsetShift #PersonalGrowth #TraumaHealing #LawOfAttraction #AIAndLife #SelfKindness #EmotionalHealing #LifeCoaching #LOAToday #InnerWork #BreakthroughThinking #ChooseGrowth

The Paleo story in this conversation doesn’t start with a trend. It starts with a dying woman.A severely underweight client with advanced uterine cancer came to Beverly and refused conventional treatment. Beverly built a way of eating that felt nourishing and doable for her: animal proteins, fats, cooked vegetables, some tubers, low starch, and no grains.Beverly refused to recommend anything she wouldn’t do herself, so she started eating that way too. The client later told her: “I want you to know I have felt better this last year than I have felt for decades.”Even as she was dying, she experienced a level of vitality she hadn’t known in years. That powerful contrast crystallized Beverly’s perspective on what she calls “true and correct paleo.”The core? Grains come off the menu. Wheat, rice, corn, oats, grass seeds humans never evolved to eat. “We’re hunters,” Beverly explained. “We don’t look down to locate food. We look up to watch for motion.”One of the most gripping parts of the conversation comes when Beverly shares her health crisis from about 10 years ago. Already naturally slim, she began losing a pound a month with no clear cause. Doctor after doctor of many different modalities ran tests and came up empty. “They basically sent me home to die.” So she did what most people are terrified to do: she became her own researcher.Beverly dove into medical journals, ordered her own labs, re‑ran them, and eventually discovered she had common variable immune deficiency (CVID) - a serious genetic immune flaw that even affects nutrient transport. “It’s like you’ve got a market full of produce, but no trucks to get it to the store.”After pushing for the treatment she had determined was right for her, she began weekly infusions that she’ll need for life. Her weight stabilized, and her health returned. Not because the system saved her, but because she refused to abandon herself.Throughout the conversation, Walt and Anne Marie kept circling one core truth: modern medicine often gives you pills, not understanding. Anne Marie shared going to a doctor in the UK to ask about HRT and being told: “I don’t really know anything about that. Go back, research, and come back. I’ll prescribe whatever you want.”Beverly’s answer is not blind rebellion; it’s educated ownership. She urges people to ask:What is my biology actually designed for?What does my lab work really say if I “aim for the middle” of the range?Who is paying for the studies I’m trusting?How can I upgrade my food, my sleep, and my self‑respect before chasing miracle cures?Her mantra is simple and radical: “Follow your biology. Help yourself to health.”In a world that often asks you to hand over your power, this conversation is a reminder: you are allowed to be the expert on you.LOA Today Episode Page: https://www.loatoday.net/beverly-meyerBeverly Meyer's Website: https://www.ondietandhealth.com/Follow the LOA Today podcast:  https://www.loatoday.net/follow#lawofattraction#manifesting#vibration#podcast#Q&A#waltthiessen#annemarieyoung#SelfDirectedHealing #PaleoDiet #FunctionalHealth #FollowYourBiology #FoodFirstHealing #ChronicIllnessJourney #MedicalAdvocacy #AlternativeHealth #SleepApneaAwareness #VitaminK2 #WomenAndHormones #PrimalDietModernHealth #OnDietAndHealth #LOAToday #HealthEmpowerment #TrustYourBody

What if doing the dishes, getting a free rental car upgrade, or simply making it through a hard day actually counted as celebration?In my conversation with Jodielynn, we explored how most of us save “celebration” for weddings, birthdays, and funerals -while ignoring the tiny, everyday moments that are quietly shaping our lives.We asked:Why don’t we celebrate more when it’s such a powerful tool?What if the “insignificant” things are actually the most sacred?How much of our painful past is really true… and how much is just an old story we keep retelling?Jodielynn shared how doing the dishes became her unconscious way of creating safety and comfort during family crises and how realizing that allowed her to say, “I got you, baby Jodie,” and choose kinder ways to care for herself.She also told a courageous story about making a painful mistake, drowning in shame, and then hearing her best friend say: “Jodie, there’s nothing you could do that would make me love you any less.”That one sentence became a doorway to self-forgiveness and a powerful practice: When I’m beating myself up, what would the most loving person in my life say to me right now?We talked about how:The brain’s RAS (reticular activating system) starts looking for more good when you intentionally celebrate small wins.You don’t have to fix everything overnight. Just shifting a little changes your relationships and the energy around you.Celebration isn’t balloons and cake - it’s a feeling of recognition, gratitude, and “I am okay.”The real question isn’t can you celebrate more.It’s: Will you let your everyday life count as worthy of celebration?LOA Today Episode Page: https://www.loatoday.net/celebrationFollow the LOA Today podcast:  https://www.loatoday.net/follow#lawofattraction#manifesting#vibration#podcast#deliberatecreators#Q&A#waltthiessen#jodielynncraven#loatodayapp#YourDailyDoseOfHappy#CelebrateYourLife #AbundanceMagic #SelfLove #MindsetShift #EverydayMiracles #EmotionalHealing #SelfForgiveness #InnerSafety #LawOfAttraction #ConsciousLiving #CelebrateTheSmallThings #YouAreEnough

In a world that spins ever faster, where change is the norm and anxiety can easily become an unwanted companion, our recent conversation with Bob, Anne Marie, and Walt was a powerful reminder that meaning, joy, and wisdom are found in the way we choose to engage with life’s complexity.From the very start, Walt set a tone of camaraderie and authenticity, welcoming listeners to another episode of LOA Today. As Bob rejoined the show, Walt posed a simple yet profound question: “What inspired you to write your father’s story?” This question opened a portal to a deeply emotional journey - one that traced Bob’s family legacy from the resilience of Depression-era America to the wisdom gleaned across generations.Bob shared the moving origins of his most recent book: “It is my father's story, which was an amazing story. When he died at 97, all that wisdom, all those experiences - poof, it's just gone. And for 25 years, I kept saying, ‘Somebody needs to tell his story.’ So I finally wrote it down.” The tale of his mother Dorothy’s resilience and his father’s frugal habits painted a vivid portrait of the past—a world where a ham sandwich represented luxury, and acts of frugality carried deep meaning.Conversation soon turned to the unstoppable current of change. Walt reflected, “Look at how much has changed in our lifetimes, and it’s going to continue into the next 50, 100 years, Change is just happening at such a rapid rate.” Bob, referencing Alvin Toffler’s “Future Shock,” illuminated why so many feel overwhelmed: “What is changing, though, is the rate of change. That really is hard to keep up with.”But amid these seismic shifts, the group found hope. Anne Marie voiced the struggles and solutions many listeners will recognize: “I always find that if I’m anxious, it’s because I’m focusing on the next thing. Once I pull myself back into the moment and do some breathing, the stress does calm.” The conversation explored how most learning and personal growth come through adversity, and that persistence and passion are key to thriving. “If you quit, if you stop, it won’t happen,” Bob reminded us - a testament to perseverance that anyone facing uncertainty can hold dear.As the discussion evolved, big questions surfaced: Are you on the track you really want? Are you living a life aligned with your passion? “The hardest part is ripping yourself away from what you’re not passionate about,” Walt observed, underscoring the courage required to step out of the comfort zone toward fulfillment.Anne Marie, echoing the wisdom at the table, offered a simple but profound takeaway: “Find your passion, have a bit of joy every day.”This emotionally-charged dialogue wasn’t just about surviving rapid change, but embracing it - finding daily happiness, letting go of perfection, persevering through setbacks, and choosing perspectives that foster growth.Let this serve as a call to action: Reflect on what brings you joy. Embrace change with open arms. Persist, even (and especially) when the outcomes aren’t clear.As Bob quoted, “Never let perfection be the enemy of the good.”LOA Today Episode Page: https://www.loatoday.net/bob-martin-2Bob Martin JD, MSW, CMT's Website: https://awiseandhappylife.com/Follow the LOA Today podcast:  https://www.loatoday.net/follow#lawofattraction#manifesting#vibration#podcast#Q&A#waltthiessen#annemarieyoung#DailyDoseOfHappy #EmbraceChange #FindYourPassion #GrowthMindset #Resilience #MentalHealth #Storytelling #PersonalGrowth #LOAToday

What if the biggest transformation in your life started at rock bottom?In an unforgettable episode of LOA Today, Walt, Jodielynn, and their guest, hypnotist and coach Matt, explored the breathtaking power of the subconscious in healing trauma, rewriting life stories, and reclaiming peace - even after life-shattering events.From the first minutes, the conversation pulled back the curtain on breakthroughs that can happen at the edge of hope. When Walt welcomed Matt, he dove straight into the root: “Most of us are familiar with the fact that you have a conscious mind and subconscious mind, right? But we assume the conscious mind is the one that's large and in charge.In reality, your subconscious is thousands of times more powerful.” Matt illustrated how early-life programming, often set before age seven, shapes our lives invisibly: “A lot of times those early programs, they'll resurface in weird ways, you know, later in life, and that’s when people can really struggle.”The emotional heart of the conversation centered on Matt’s devastating journey after a traumatic brain injury. He described the agony of being told by specialists, “There’s nothing I can do for you,” and retreating to what he called his “dungeon,” a darkened room where pain ruled his life. Yet, his breakthrough began with the smallest flicker: a decision to never give up, even without a plan. “When you make a true decision, you cut off any other possibility,” Matt declared, encapsulating the show’s core message.What followed was an odyssey through traditional medicine, then to alternative healing methods like Reiki, Qigong, and finally, hypnotherapy. Matt’s willingness to keep seeking was palpable: “If you think about it, kids growing up are told, 'you should be a doctor', and that may not be the right career path for them, but someone who geeks out on it - that’s going to be a way better troubleshooter.” When Walt asked about the turning point, the answer was powerful: “When I realized medical science wasn’t going to be able to heal me, I started looking out for what else is out there.”The show explored what it actually takes to rewire your subconscious, questions we all have: Can you really heal yourself? Is it possible to truly let go of past pain? Matt demonstrated a live exercise using color, shape, and movement to dissolve tension, inviting listeners to try it themselves. “We gave it a visual component. Once we do that, we can then start to play with it, that tells your subconscious mind, all right, we're going to handle this differently now.”Jodielynn highlighted a universal theme: so many of us are stuck because of stories we've absorbed from parents, doctors, or society. “Your story today is just another layer of testament that no matter what, you can do something, you can make a change in your own life.” The conversation closed on a message of hope: even devastating moments can reveal unexpected blessings and new purpose, if you “develop your own PhD—pig-headed determination.”LOA Today Episode Page: https://www.loatoday.net/matt-johnsonMatt Johnson's Website: https://www.mattjohnsonnlp.com/Follow the LOA Today podcast:  https://www.loatoday.net/follow#lawofattraction#manifesting#vibration#podcast#deliberatecreators#Q&A#waltthiessen#jodielynncraven#loatodayapp#YourDailyDoseOfHappy#HealingJourney #SubconsciousPower #Hypnotherapy #TraumaRecovery #LOAToday #PersonalTransformation #MindsetMatters #OvercomingAdversity #EmotionalHealing #NLP

When the world feels cold, literally and figuratively - it’s often easier to hide away and dwell on our setbacks. But some people, like Ilene, find a way to turn every frustration into a springboard for freedom.In a moving episode of “LOA Today,” Walt welcomed Ilene, a self-described powerhouse speaker, innovator, and author, to share her extraordinary path from adversity to accomplishment. Anne-Marie, co-host and fellow traveler on the journey of growth, joined in to explore the powerful moments and hard-earned wisdom that defined Ilene’s story.The energy was palpable from the opening seconds: “We are so happy you decided to join us today, and Happy Monday to everybody!” Walt exclaimed, setting the tone for an hour that would fly by with laughter, reflection, and profound insight. Anne-Marie’s words captured the anticipation: “I smiled the minute I joined the call. This is going to be brilliant.”Ilene’s journey was anything but easy. When Walt asked about her background, she responded candidly: “I grew up in a historical, hysterical home, There was definitely some trauma and a lack of abundance, but I quickly found community - I joined the swim team, Girl Scouts, and volunteered.” With humor and a touch of rebellion, Ilene always found her way forward, even when the going got tough.What followed were stories that might have left most of us defeated: childhood abuse, a rare cancer diagnosis with staggering odds, financial ruin from a divorce, and a career-shattering scandal not of her making. When Walt noted, “It sounds like from your story that you were just so persistent. If there was a crash and burn, you barely noticed,” Ilene replied, “Let me tell you, there were four crash and burns, I needed the brick twice.”But that wasn’t the end. Ilene distilled her life lessons like treasures found in the rubble: resourcefulness - the readiness to “find a way in, not just a way out”; grit - the refusal to give up, no matter how steep the hill; and perspective, the ability to ask, “How can I find the gift in this situation?”Walt probed deeper: “When you learn from it, that’s where the other interesting part of the story is: what did you actually learn from it?” Ilene’s answer was powerful: “Resourcefulness, grit and perspective.” She explained how embracing humor transformed her pain: “The humor is where the lessons are learned. When you can laugh at it, you know you’re finally learning.”Ilene’s ingenuity shone in her entrepreneurial adventure: a sloped frying pan inspired by a lopsided stove. Sharing how she turned misfortune into invention, Ilene reminded listeners that setbacks can be the mother of creativity and connection.The show closed with heartfelt gratitude. Anne-Marie summed up, “It’s finding the sunshine in the storm. It’s literally perspective, and it’s changing that outlook.” Walt honored Ilene’s impact: “On behalf of all those you’ll never meet, thank you for what you’re doing. You’re making a difference.”Through every trial, Ilene showed us it’s not about avoiding frustration - it’s about leveraging it, learning from it, and lifting others by sharing our stories.LOA Today Episode Page: https://www.loatoday.net/ilene-marcusIlene Marcus's Website: https://alignedworkplace.com/Follow the LOA Today podcast:  https://www.loatoday.net/follow#lawofattraction#manifesting#vibration#podcast#Q&A#waltthiessen#annemarieyoung#Resilience #TurnAdversityIntoStrength #GrowthMindset #Inspiration #Entrepreneurship #LOAToday #Perspective #HumorHeals

What does it mean to truly come home to yourself?On this heartfelt episode of LOA Today, Walt welcomed listeners to explore the transformative power of Reiki and self-discovery, joined by Anne Marie, her beloved Reiki master Carol, and the ever-curious Joy the cat. Through open dialogue, deep questions, and personal testimony, they painted a moving picture of what it feels like to find healing, purpose, and connection both to oneself and to others.From the moment Walt invited Anne Marie to introduce Carol, the conversation set an intimate, authentic tone. When Walt asked, “Why don’t we start by talking about how you got into Reiki in the first place, and what you’re doing with it today?”Carol’s answer was a story of serendipity and courage. She explained how Reiki “found” her just when she needed it most - after stepping away from a media career to care for her family and go on a journey of self-discovery. Her words, “I always think that Reiki finds you,” resonated deeply throughout the conversation.Carol revealed that before Reiki, she doubted her own abilities, even laughing when a mentor called her a healer. Yet, powerful early Reiki sessions changed her life. She described her first attunement as “like coming home,” a feeling so profound it brought tears. Each step learning, practicing, teaching - deepened her belief in the power of energy healing, and ultimately, the importance of awakening to your truest self.Walt reflected on his own Reiki experiences, noting that “the attunement literally lifted my ability far beyond where it had been.” He described the diversity of Reiki journeys: “Some people have psychic visions, others get pure physical sensations.” Carol echoed this, stressing, “Everyone’s Reiki path is different but Reiki is Reiki, and the more you practice, the stronger it gets.”Anne Marie’s voice brought in the perspective of transformation through trust and surrender. She didn’t expect a healing journey - she simply wanted to “feel calm” after a difficult year. What she found through Reiki with Carol was so much more: “It’s been a rollercoaster. I’ve felt anger, release, and an insane amount of insight. I feel like I’m finally coming home to myself.” The emotional honesty in her sharing was a highlight, reminding listeners that “you will only release today what you are ready to release. The body is very intelligent.”Themes of discernment, self-responsibility, and the ripple effect of healing echoed throughout the episode. Carol emphasized that as practitioners, it’s vital to “stay true to why the client is there,” always prioritizing respect, permission, and empowerment. Walt beautifully summarized, “Reiki is a very physical experience. Its power is real, but it’s only potent if you use it, like working a muscle.”The meeting closed with gratitude, future aspirations, and the hope that more people discover healing - whether through Reiki, meditation, or simply embracing their spiritual health as joyfully as their physical and mental wellbeing.If you've ever wondered how to reconnect with yourself, heal old wounds, or find new purpose, their questions, answers, and stories may plant a seed of hope in your own journey home.LOA Today Episode Page: https://www.loatoday.net/carol-dodsonCarol Dodson's Website: www.haneys.co.ukFollow the LOA Today podcast:  https://www.loatoday.net/follow#lawofattraction#manifesting#vibration#podcast#Q&A#waltthiessen#annemarieyoung#YourDailyDoseOfHappy#Reiki #HealingJourney #SelfDiscovery #LOAToday #SpiritualHealth #HolisticWellbeing #EnergyHealing #LawOfAttraction #PersonalGrowth

In a moving episode of "LOA Today," Walt and Camilla dive deep into the journeys that break us and make us whole again.Their conversation radiates the rawness of real-life transitions, from divorce and loss to rediscovered self-worth and the surprising power of emotional choice.Camilla, a coach dedicated to empowering women, shares her “mirror moment” - dragged into a high-conflict divorce that forced her to confront unresolved pain and protect her daughter’s well-being. Asked by Walt, “What was the story that led up to you doing what you’re doing now?” Camilla doesn’t hold back, describing courtroom battles, PTSD, and the epiphany: “If I do not elevate my consciousness and how I'm showing up, how could I help my daughter, who was struggling?” Her answer pulses with courage: “I had to become a different person to reset my daughter, I first had to reset myself.”Walt relates, validating her pain and resilience. They acknowledge how so many, especially high performers, struggle in silence with taboo topics like divorce. Camilla reminds, “We don’t have to be a victim of our feelings. To thrive and be a role model for your kids, you get to learn how to have inner peace.”But the conversation’s emotional power grows as Walt introduces a transformative twist: “Instead of regulating emotions, I like to think of it as selecting emotions.” Camilla lights up at this perspective, and they discuss how we can choose not just to endure, but to elevate our stories. “I am not tied to a default emotion for a given circumstance,  I can select an emotion I would not normally have.” Walt shares an experiment with his emotions, inspired by a flower in nature, realizing, “I had a lot more control over my emotions than I thought. Even if it was a negative situation, I could choose a positive emotion.”Camilla expands this, highlighting the cost of holding onto attachment - emotional ties to the past that silently consume our energy. “I had given way too much power to my ex, even after he was gone from my life.” She recalls coaching clients: “The moment you train your mind to focus on something neutral,  you reclaim space for yourself.”The duo touch on the contagious effect of energy: “Hurt people hurt people, If we don’t deal with our wounds, we serve without love, at home and at work.” They reveal how shifting inner energy ripples outward, raising not only personal but collective consciousness, even impacting corporate cultures.Their dialogue wraps with a powerful insight, as Walt observes, “If you come at AI with the mind of learning, you get smarter, if you wait for it to do all the work, you get dumber. It’s yes to both. The opportunity is in what we choose to make of it.” Camilla agrees: real growth lies not in the tool, but in how consciously we use it.This conversation is a reminder that we are the artists of our own emotional palette.Like Walt and Camilla, we can choose to select, not simply survive finding purpose and peace in the process.LOA Today Episode Page: https://www.loatoday.net/camilla-calbergCamilla Calberg's Website: https://www.camillacalberg.com/Follow the LOA Today podcast:  https://www.loatoday.net/follow#lawofattraction#manifesting#vibration#podcast#deliberatecreators#Q&A#waltthiessen#jodielynncraven#loatodayapp#YourDailyDoseOfHappy#EmotionalIntelligence #Healing #PersonalGrowth #Energy #SelfKindness #LifeTransitions #Coaching #Mindfulness #Empowerment #AIandHumanity

What if you could walk through life unbothered by negativity, criticism, or judgment?In a deeply moving and transformative conversation, Walt and Joel explored the liberating idea of being “unoffendable” - a mindset that challenges us to rise above outside opinions and embrace inner self-worth, even when the world presses all our buttons.From the very start, Walt brought energy to the discussion, opening with, “We are so happy you decided to join us today.” But amidst humor, he confessed to a minor mistake a mix-up in the intro video.Instead of letting embarrassment take over, he asked, “Did I offend you?” and laughed at himself. Joel’s quick wit shined: “I’ve been promoted to Anne Marie. It’s an honor!” They both agreed being unoffended is not just an accident, but a conscious choice.Joel dived deep, sharing, “As I’ve aged, I don’t care what other people think. Not because I’m antisocial - just, why should it affect me?” Walt mirrored the sentiment: “It feels like there just isn’t enough time to let others’ negativity weigh me down.” The conversation circled the essential question, “Can others really offend you if you don’t let them?” Joel offered wisdom: “Someone else’s words are just their opinion, shaped by their experience. Why should I carry that burden?”A major insight lies in how we define ourselves. Joel recalled, “Most people who get offended have identified a part of themselves that’s being attacked.” He pressed: “What happens when you keep repeating limiting beliefs - ‘I can’t lose weight, I can’t get a job, I’m just unlucky?’ You create a feedback loop that becomes your reality.” Walt added, “Instead of saying, ‘I am something,’ say, ‘I experienced something.’ That tiny shift is huge.”As the dialogue unfolded, Walt and Joel exposed how social division and political arguments flourish because people cling to narratives, creating identities that are tough to change. “If you have a narrative and someone else’s story doesn’t fit,” Walt observed, “you might say, ‘Their experience can’t be real, because I’d be offended if it were.’” The result isn’t just isolation but anxiety and frustration.Amid moments of laughter - debates about Labradoodles, humorous quips about age - they circled back to the core message: To be unoffendable is to reclaim your energy. Joel concluded with a practice: “There’s a calendar that visualizes how much time you have left. It’s not about fearing the end, but focusing on what you want to feel each day. Why spend time keeping score of who offended you?”This uplifting discussion wasn’t about ignoring pain or pretending negativity doesn’t exist. It was a clear call to choose inner peace, rewrite tired scripts, and ask: “Who do I want to be?” The resounding answer: Someone who’s truly unoffendable.LOA Today Episode Page: https://www.loatoday.net/unoffendableFollow the LOA Today podcast:  https://www.loatoday.net/follow#loatoday#lawofattraction#manifesting#vibration#podcast#deliberatecreators#Q&A#waltthiessen#joelelston#PersonalGrowth #MindsetMatters #EmotionalResilience #ChoosePeace #LawOfAttraction #SelfWorth #MentalWellness #IdentityReinvention

What if everything you thought you knew about mental health, medicine, and healing was upended by a simple act - listening, truly listening, and finally, feeling heard?That was the revolutionary pulse of our powerful conversation on LOA Today, where the soothing cadence of Walt, the open-hearted inquiry of Anne Marie, and the transformative stories from Dr. Fred illuminated a truth so often forgotten: authentic human connection can be the centerpiece of healing.From the start, the energy in the room was palpable. Walt’s warm welcome set the tone, as he introduced Dr. Fred, a psychiatrist with a background so unconventional it begged for exploration. When asked about his path, Dr. Fred laid bare his past: “I came into this world as a healer. From childhood, I was tasked with bringing peace and joy into a family full of chaos.”That longing for meaningful connection, Dr. Fred explained, led him to question the rigid, impersonal structures of conventional education and, eventually, psychiatry itself. “What I really learned,” he shared, “is that communication is at the heart of all healing. Human connection is the true source of transformation.”A moment of gravity arrived as Walt pressed Dr. Fred on the so-called “chemical imbalance” theory. “Is there really any study that proves sadness or anxiety are just chemical imbalances?” Walt asked. Dr. Fred’s answer was striking: “There’s no reliable study. There’s nothing that suggests sadness comes from a chemical imbalance. The idea was promoted because it was profitable but it’s not supported.”Anne Marie’s voice echoed the listeners’ emotions, reflecting on her own struggles and the societal pressures to seek easy fixes. “Don’t we all want a quick fix, just to make the pain go away?” she asked. Dr. Fred’s response was direct: “If it worked, I’d be selling it myself. But quick fixes are like putting a band-aid with a razor blade over a wound. The only real healing comes from connection, communication, and being your authentic self.”One of the deepest themes resonated when the conversation turned to what prevents us from being ourselves. “We learn early to become someone we’re not, just to protect who we really are,” Dr. Fred said, his words heavy with empathy and raw honesty. “But if you can move the things out of the way, get back to your core, and let yourself be truly seen and heard, that’s where real healing blossoms.”Anne Marie summarized the emotional current perfectly: “We are here for a human experience - feel it all, the beautiful and the grotty, and speak your truth.”In closing, Walt extended gratitude not just for the knowledge Dr. Fred shared, but for the unseen healing he’s fostered in lives he may never know. The question that lingers for all of us is simple but life-changing: In a world that tells us to seek labels, fixes, or perfection, will we dare to listen instead to ourselves and to each other and let that be our medicine?LOA Today Episode Page: https://www.loatoday.net/fred-mossFred Moss's Website: https://welcometohumanity.net/Follow the LOA Today podcast:  https://www.loatoday.net/follow#lawofattraction#manifesting#vibration#podcast#Q&A#waltthiessen#annemarieyoung#RadicalHealing #HumanConnection #MentalHealthMatters #Authenticity #Undoctor #LOAToday #HealingThroughListening #CommunicationIsHealing #BreakTheStigma #BeHeard

As the final hours of 2025 faded, Walt and Jodielynn gathered for a deep, energizing conversation that reached far beyond resolutions, venturing into the heart of what it means to live authentically, align spiritually, and embrace life’s inevitable changes.From the outset, Walt set the stage for reflection: “Wow, that went fast.” Jodielynn responded with laughter and recognition, noting how, with age, time seems to fly.This simple observation opened the door to one of the conversation’s first poignant questions: “Isn’t this the time for reflection?” Walt asked, sparking a dialogue about what resolutions really mean. Jodielynn’s answer, delivered with warmth, was laced with humor her father’s resolution “to only drink when alone or with someone” has never failed. Walt confessed his last successful resolution was to never make another.Yet, beneath the humor, both revealed their skepticism about typical New Year’s goals. Jodielynn questioned, “Do they ever work?” And together, they explored why - too often, resolutions rely on sheer willpower, a “muscle” Walt called “not a large strength.”Instead, their dialogue shifted toward the power of alignment. “Alignment is more sustainable and effective than willpower,” Jodielynn explained, “It’s about energy. When we’re in alignment, change happens not just in us, but around us.”Walt described his own daily practice: pausing to focus on his heart. “Just stay there, no other agenda. That alone works,” he said, marveling at how this simple act shifted his entire mood and the course of his day. Jodielynn added, “The heart is a powerful, energetic tool more than just the organ that pumps the blood.” They exchanged stories of heartbreak and spiritual awakening, with Jodielynn vulnerably recounting the pain of losing friends who couldn’t follow her journey. “Have I done something wrong? Am I on the right track?” she wondered. Through sharing, they recognized these losses made space for new, aligned connections.One of the most touching moments came as Jodielynn revealed her struggle to shift perspective regarding life’s disappointments. “If you could have done anything differently, would you?” she asked herself and the answer, ultimately, was no. Walt responded, “The choice is how we appreciate,” underscoring the power and responsibility in choosing self-kindness.Together, Walt and Jodielynn delved into the magic that emerges when self-acceptance becomes the center of our inner work. “Simply changing that perspective, even just opening the door, opens the possibilities to the universe,” Jodielynn said, her voice full of hope. As the call closed, both looked eagerly toward the new year. Walt committed to continued daily heart alignment, Jodielynn is intent on slowing down, savoring life, and deepening her connection to spirit.Their message was clear: resolutions fade, but true transformation begins from within.LOA Today Episode Page: https://www.loatoday.net/resolutionsFollow the LOA Today podcast:  https://www.loatoday.net/follow#lawofattraction#manifesting#vibration#podcast#deliberatecreators#Q&A#waltthiessen#jodielynncraven#loatodayapp#YourDailyDoseOfHappy#HeartAlignment #SpiritualGrowth #SelfKindness #Resolutions #NewYear2026 #PersonalGrowth #EmotionalWellbeing #LifeLessons #LOAtoday

On a festive Christmas Eve, Walt and Jodielynn gathered for a deeply reflective conversation about the true nature of happiness. Against a backdrop of holiday cheer and sometimes stress, they plunged into age-old questions: What does real happiness look like? Is it fleeting, like falling in love, or can it truly last?Walt opened the conversation with warmth, inviting listeners to ponder how the holidays can be both joyous and challenging. “Holidays are supposed to be festive, but they can also be stressful for many different reasons,” he shared, setting the tone for an honest exchange. Jodielynn, sporting a Christmas sweater and a radiant mood, was ready to break down the myths and reveal raw truths.When Walt asked, “Is happiness really fleeting, or is that just what we’ve been told?” Jodielynn didn’t hesitate: “What a sad existence it would be to believe it’s always out of reach.” The discussion that followed centered on a powerful insight: Happiness isn’t about external events, but a feeling that grows from within the heart.As they explored the relationship between the “head” and the “heart,” both reflected on how societal beliefs and personal experiences often confuse us. Walt recounted, “We humans tend to get confused about the role of the heart and the head. Who we are is really what’s in our hearts.” Jodielynn agreed, highlighting that external programming and belief systems were only part of the story.They bravely addressed the coexistence of happiness and sorrow, challenging the notion that joy can’t exist alongside pain. “Happiness and pain can exist in the exact same moment,” Jodielynn explained, comparing emotions to a color spectrum where all feelings blend together, not cancel each other out.Practical wisdom surfaced throughout. Walt suggested that listeners try being kinder to themselves for a day: “How can I find happiness within myself, and then what happens over the next day or two?” He described his own experiment at a concert, focusing on inner joy and noticing how it changed his interactions with others. Jodielynn echoed this, sharing, “I walked through the airport happy and everyone noticed. When I was down, I felt invisible. What you exude changes the world around you.”They also pulled from personal stories of heartbreak and resilience. Jodielynn told of moving through the darkness of a lost pregnancy, afraid to feel pain fully until a friend reminded her, “You have the space and protection to feel whatever you need.” Fully embracing her grief, she described how it shifted quickly to joy, a revelation: “It was so incredibly short. I was so afraid of this. That was it?”Walt, too, recounted devastating moments, including separation and financial hardship, and how support, community, and inner work ultimately made him stronger and happier.Together, their dialogue was a reminder that happiness isn’t handed to us by circumstance, it comes from embracing our full range of emotions and choosing kindness within. As Jodielynn concluded, “No matter what happens, I can make it through. I’m happy, and I’m a good person.”LOA Today Episode Page: https://www.loatoday.net/happinessFollow the LOA Today podcast:  https://www.loatoday.net/follow#lawofattraction#manifesting#vibration#podcast#deliberatecreators#Q&A#waltthiessen#jodielynncraven#loatodayapp#YourDailyDoseOfHappy#EmotionalWisdom #HappinessWithin #HeartAndMind #HolidayReflection #JoyAndPain #SelfKindness #PersonalGrowth #Resilience #LOAToday #InnerPeace

What if the very things that make us feel beaten down are actually the fuel for our greatest transformations?In a powerful conversation between Walt and Joel, listeners are challenged to rethink their entire relationship with struggle not as a punishment, but as the catalyst for growth, resilience, and fulfillment.Walt opens the conversation by reflecting on how we often create our own struggles unknowingly, asking: “Is struggle really just life ‘screwing us over,’ or are we, in some way, the architects of our own reality?” Joel answers with conviction, “Struggle is a growth mechanism.”He shares his journey from seeing struggle as self-inflicted punishment to embracing it as the foundation of his accomplishments. Joel’s raw honesty is evident when he confesses, “I now look at the struggle as what made me who I am today.”The science, Joel reveals, backs this up. He introduces a fascinating framework, highlighting how true rewards and fulfillment come from efforts we authentically earn. Through the lens of neuroscience, Joel explains: “Dopamine from struggle and effort is a reinforcer but dopamine from cheap sources like social media or gambling can become very destructive.” The conversation digs deeper as Joel illuminates the role of the body’s AMPK system, asking the audience, “Are you rewarding yourself through real effort, or are you chasing shortcuts that leave you empty?”Throughout the dialogue, the recurring theme is perspective. Walt points out, “When something merely happens to you, when you’re not directly engaged, it can feel like punishment.” Joel agrees, underscoring the critical difference between being active in your struggles and passively accepting them.Practical wisdom is woven throughout. Joel recounts a consulting gig where launching an imperfect program (and embracing inevitable failures) quickly led to success. “By launching an imperfect system, you allow the failing to show you where the pressure points are,” he says. Walt highlights how the mindset of taking action, even without over-planning, brings real flow - a concept that shaped breakthrough moments at companies like SpaceX.The conversation turns deeply personal and hopeful as Walt admits, “All my greatest advancements came from situations I hated or disliked.” Joel nods, offering, “Everything that happened to me, no matter how bad, helped get me to where I am. I wouldn’t change anything.”Together, they invite listeners to reflect: “Are you stuck in struggle as endless punishment, or are you using pain as a stepping stone to breakthrough?” Walt and Joel stress the importance of embracing change, acting in the face of uncertainty, appreciating unique talents, and even harnessing new technology, such as AI, for personal growth not to avoid thinking, but to expand it.The real question is, when struggle arrives, how will you respond?LOA Today Episode Page: https://www.loatoday.net/strugglesFollow the LOA Today podcast:  https://www.loatoday.net/follow#loatoday#lawofattraction#manifesting#vibration#podcast#deliberatecreators#Q&A#waltthiessen#joelelston#StruggleIsGrowth #ChangeYourPerspective #EmbraceTheJourney #PersonalTransformation #Resilience #DopamineRewards #TakeAction #EmotionalStrength #GrowthMindset #OvercomingAdversity

In a world that too often writes off those who struggle, some voices shine a light so powerful that it changes lives forever.In a recent conversation on LOA Today, host Walt Thiessen sat down with Anne Marie Young and a guest, Russell, who transformed his painful experience with severe dyslexia into a beacon of hope for countless others.Russell’s story is as stirring as it is instructive. “For me, it’s because I have the worst case of dyslexia people have ever seen,” Russell began, recalling the discrimination that shadowed his early years. He described the humiliation of being “flunked” by a university political science department, even after completing an intense New York State Assembly Internship with accommodations that allowed him to thrive. When asked by Walt, “So how did you end up at a point where you wanted to come on a podcast and talk about this?” Russell replied, “That compelled me to literally go out and spend a couple of decades to solve dyslexia.”What followed was a journey powered by relentless determination - one that took Russell from law school, where he learned to read and write at a graduate level, to working with distinguished professors, securing research funding, and ultimately developing methods that propelled dyslexic high school students from struggling to success.Anne Marie, listening in awe, captured the spirit of so many: “I’m loving the fact that Russell’s gone in and worked out, what’s happening, and they’re actually super clever, and it’s just a shame I feel so many people have been written off in the education system.”The heart of Russell’s approach was simple yet revolutionary: embrace each learner’s unique specialty and passion. He recounted a moving story about a student named Casey, who leapt eight reading grade levels in six months simply by immersing herself in a subject she loved. When asked, “How do you get these normal kids to actually care?” Russell emphasized the critical power of letting students dive deeply into what fascinates them. The drop in motivation when forced outside their passion was as much as 90%, he explained - a staggering statistic that underscores the importance of individualized education.The conversation also stretched beyond education into the modern workforce, where Russell described how mastery in research and the integration of AI tools have become game-changers. Sharing both questions and encouragement, Walt observed, “So what you described as a senior person, if you were to go and work for some company, they know they can hire you, and you’re going to be productive immediately.” Russell’s response: “They now expect these kids to become seniors within six to twelve months. If you know how to do this, you’re going to become immensely valuable.”As the discussion wound down, Anne Marie distilled the episode’s heart: “Find your passion, learn to train your brain around whatever that may be building your skills.” For struggling families, Russell offered concrete next steps -inviting them to connect at dyslexiaclasses.com for free guides and support.This was more than a podcast: it was a resounding call to see the genius in every learner, to unlock potential through empathy, innovation, and heart.LOA Today Episode Page: https://www.loatoday.net/russell-van-brocklenRussell Van Brocklen's Website: https://dyslexiaclasses.com/Follow the LOA Today podcast:  https://www.loatoday.net/follow#lawofattraction#manifesting#vibration#podcast#Q&A#waltthiessen#annemarieyoung#Dyslexia #Inspiration #OvercomingAdversity #EducationRevolution #Podcast #AI #LearningDifferences #Empowerment #PersonalGrowth #Motivation

What if the path to true healing isn’t paved with relentless struggle and painful reliving of the past but with joy, deep self-compassion, and seeing the wholeness that’s been within us all along?This was the transformative theme at the heart of my recent conversation with Steven, the Director of Education for Organic Intelligence, on LOA Today.We didn’t just discuss ideas; we explored lived experience: the real questions, doubts, and breakthroughs that happen on the path to wellness.From the very beginning, Steven set the tone for a radically new approach. When I asked how he ended up working in healing, Steven shared, “We’re built on our errors, the learning that we get from our mistakes. And so what can I say? I’ve learned a lot.” His openness established the conversation as a shared journey, not a lecture.We dove deep into the problem with the classic Western narrative of self-denial and hard work as the only way to personal growth. I asked, “If you don’t have a practice of kindness toward yourself, isn’t being kind to others a chore?” Steven’s answer was revelatory: “That’s the essence of it, isn’t it? The job is enjoyable.” Instead of treating pleasure and self-kindness as luxuries, Steven insisted these are essential to real, lasting change.One of the most powerful insights was how Organic Intelligence helps people develop “bandwidth” for life’s experiences by practicing orientation to the world around us not just endless introspection. “The cornerstone is this really great news, within yourself is pre-existing wholeness. We’re not trying to manufacture some kind of goodness. We’re just trying to get out of the way enough to rediscover it,” Steven explained.Questions fueled our entire exchange: How do we bridge the gap between internal and external experience? How do we orient towards what is working, instead of obsessing over what’s broken? Can physical symptoms and real-world limitations be helped by tools we might not expect?Steven answered these with living examples and hope: clients overcoming chronic conditions, communities finding resilience, and the “miracle” moments in therapy when the system guides people to external cues—a butterfly, a surge of pleasure that becomes the gateway to healing.Above all, the message was one of radical hope and universality. “We are preferentially looking for the side of experience that is unacknowledged, but that also feels well, there are ways we can knit back the fabric of our being,” Steven shared. And as we both discovered through our journeys—spiritual, emotional, and physical—the common thread has been finding joy and connection, not in spite of pain but alongside it.Steven’s dream for Organic Intelligence, mentoring others to continue this generational work of wholeness, leaves a lasting legacy not just for those who directly interact but for communities and future generations.If you’re searching for healing that empowers joy, compassion, and self-acceptance to become your new “normal,” you’re not alone. The path is wide, welcoming—and it’s already under your feet.LOA Today Episode Page: https://www.loatoday.net/steven-hoskinsonSteven Hoskinson's Website: https://organicintelligence.org/Follow the LOA Today podcast:  https://www.loatoday.net/follow#lawofattraction#manifesting#vibration#podcast#Q&A#waltthiessen#annemarieyoung#YourDailyDoseOfHappy#HealingWithoutPain #OrganicIntelligence #SelfCompassion #Wholeness #EmotionalWellness #LOAToday #MindBodyHealing #EndOfTrauma #ChooseJoy