Advertise on podcast: Life's Essential Ingredients

Send us Fan Mail C4 Leaders – the ONLY nonprofit to utilize the pizza making process to create space for our companions to be seen, heard, and loved.   We work with businesses, sports teams, hospitals, churches…anyone looking to RISE TOGETHER.  We also write children’s books and use the most amazing handmade, hand-tossed, sourdough pizza to bring out the best in each other.   Please check out c4leaders.org to support our important work.  Season 6 Episode #35 Katherine Sellery is coming from Denver, Colorado (inform, inspire, & transform) You can find Katherine via her website  https://consciousparentingrevolution.com/ Today’s guest is a powerhouse of emotional intelligence and transformational communication. Katherine Sellery is a three-time TEDx speaker, founder of the Conscious Parenting Revolution, and a trusted voice for parents, educators, and leaders seeking to create more connected, respectful, and empowered relationships—at home and in the workplace. With over two decades of experience teaching the tools that build trust and dismantle power struggles, Katherine is here to shift the conversation around how we communicate, lead, and live. Katherine, thanks for sharing your many gifts with people, parents, educators, and leaders…all over the world and thanks for being our guests on Life’s Essential Ingredients.   Welcome to the show! TOTD – The Double LL “Listen to Learn and Learn to Listen.” Larry at Starbucks in Oakland… Build a habit - to create intention - to live your purpose! In this episode: What was life like growing up? One word to describe your 35 years of living in Hong Kong… Difference in parenting you have noticed between the cultures… Website with great resources, HIDDEN HABIT…what is that… 7 strategies to keep your relationship with your kids from hitting the boiling point…book…congrats… Power Over…do Context of communication, home, work, team,… Emotional Intelligence…what is it and how can family enhance it Valuing Connection… Verbal communication Written communication Text communication Norms, Goals, When Conflict Arises… The importance of self-awareness in being a great communicator… Practice…ideas for helping someone become a better communicator… Emotions/feelings and communicating them…how can a parent slow down to really listen to what their child might be saying… Going to conflict to clarity…a story of one of your clients… TedX talk…congrats…the cost of silence…growing up in family systems of not knowing ourselves and not to speak up….sleep walking…for 25 years…under a spell – 2011. I was cathected…to invest mental or emotional energy into something you are holding onto…brother committed suicide…YOU DID EVERYTHING TO MAKE YOUR MOM FEEL HAPPY… familiar with cathartic = healing, relief through open expression… Guidance Approach to parenting…is based on cooperation and consideration…get to make a difference in your child’s life… 3 R’s of Reactive Leadership….retaliation, rebellion, resistance…flow… What are the three most common reasons why people reach out to you for your expertise… Cultivating trust in your children …how do you do it… Not about being right or wrong…people behave the way they behave for a reason… taking a step back to be curious… Empathy…define it and how important is it in terms of being a great communicator… Forgiveness and Grace Being a great listener… Request or Demand language…. Challenge of being a young student and what parents can do at home to help navigate the challenges… lighten their worry… Feed The Starter Challenge…Family Meals Cultivating Cultural Curiosity in Kids – channel 5  Legacy

Send us Fan Mail C4 Leaders – the ONLY nonprofit to utilize the pizza making process to create space for our companions to be seen, heard, and loved.   We work with businesses, sports teams, hospitals, churches…anyone looking to RISE TOGETHER.  We also write children’s books and use the most amazing handmade, hand-tossed, sourdough pizza to bring out the best in each other.   Please check out c4leaders.org to support our important work.  Season 6 Episode #34 T.A. Thompson is coming from Milford, Michigan (inform, inspire, & transform) You can find T.A via his website tathompsonwriter.com T.A. Thompson writes fiction designed to make readers gasp, second-guess themselves, and develop complicated feelings about the people they are following. An avid reader and gamer, Thompson draws creative energy from dark fiction, epic fantasy, role-playing worlds, and the kind of storytelling where no outcome feels guaranteed. His influences include Stephen King, George R. R. Martin, Robert Jordan, and the imaginative worldbuilding of Dungeons & Dragons. With more than twelve years in commercial insurance, along with experience in sales, banking, public speaking, and training, Thompson brings a sharp awareness of risk, consequence, and worst-case scenarios into his fiction. T.A., thanks for sharing your creativity with the world, thanks for having the courage to put it on paper, and thanks for being our guest on Life’s Essential Ingredients…welcome to the show! TOTD – “You can’t use up creativity.  The more you use, the more you have.”  Maya Angelou Build a habit - to create intention - to live your purpose! In this episode: What was life like growing up? Life as an insurance broker.. When did your love for writing start? Making time to write… Idea for book… Character development… Scenes for book…see, feel, taste it… Target audience… Dystopian describes an imaginary society where people lead fearful, dehumanized, and miserable lives, typically under oppressive or tyrannical control Book THE MARK came out April of 2026 – first book…congrats…how did you come up with the title? Book dedication…who did you write it for…something entertaining… Did your character come out in the book? Success in terms of the book…what does that look like… Feedforward…why it is so important … Dealing with rejection on getting published…finished The Mark in 2020 and just published…getting over the fear of rejection…how did you do it… Cost of marketing the book…getting help… Dream of becoming a writer… Legacy

Send us Fan Mail C4 Leaders – the ONLY nonprofit to utilize the pizza making process to create space for our companions to be seen, heard, and loved.   We work with businesses, sports teams, hospitals, churches…anyone looking to RISE TOGETHER.  We also write children’s books and use the most amazing handmade, hand-tossed, sourdough pizza to bring out the best in each other.   Please check out c4leaders.org to support our important work.  Season 6 Episode #33 Amy Lenius is coming from Ontario, Canada (inform, inspire, & transform) You can find Amy via her website nextleveluniverse.com/group/coaching Amy helps people define success from the inside out, so the life they’re building feels fulfilling. Amy’s work is rooted in self worth, self belief, and consistency.  Over the past 9 years, Amy has spoken on stages in the health, healing, and personal development space and has been featured on over 200 podcasts having real conversations about what it actually takes to grow.  Amy helps people rebuild their internal foundation through identity, habits, health, relationships, and the patterns that shape how they show up every day. Amy specializes in working with women who are ready to reconnect with themselves and create a life that reflects who they truly are. This often means slowing down enough to get honest, learning how to trust themselves again, and choosing what feels aligned instead of what feels expected.  Amy, thanks for sharing your many gifts and talents with people all over the world and thanks for focusing many of your efforts on women, and thanks for being our guest on Life’s Essential Ingredients…welcome to the show! TOTD – If my mind can conceive it, and my heart can believe it, then I can achieve it.”      Muhammed Ali Build a habit - to create intention - to live your purpose! In this episode: What was life like growing up? Best part of homeschooling What do you love about being a parent Biggest challenge of raising your boys Fishing is my peace.  Growth how do you do it?  Fulfillment define it…Pillars of fulfillment…quality of life, pouring into potential, building out my contribution…using all three to expand your fulfillment… Core beliefs (past, things we believe about our selves, could be accurate or not)from the past and developing core values in the space in which you live, core aspirations…align all three with where you want to go… The gift of self-awareness…doing it with accuracy  Success…define it and how to you achieve it… Discovering your identity Happiness…define it Contribution…what are you doing to contribute to your family, team, community, society… Building capacity to be Belief…steps toward being consistent in knowing you can do it… Self-worth… Self Efficacy – having the capability, trust, confidence.. to handle any challenge that comes at them… Legacy

Send us Fan Mail C4 Leaders – the ONLY nonprofit to utilize the pizza making process to create space for our companions to be seen, heard, and loved.   We work with businesses, sports teams, hospitals, churches…anyone looking to RISE TOGETHER.  We also write children’s books and use the most amazing handmade, hand-tossed, sourdough pizza to bring out the best in each other.   Please check out c4leaders.org to support our important work.  Season 6 Episode #32 Kameran Al-Areqi is coming from Wichita, Kansas (inform, inspire, & transform) You can find Kameran via her website recognizingpotential.com Kameran is a Gottman certified marriage coach, the host of The Married and Connected Podcast, and the founder of the Recognizing Potential Coaching Program. Kameran is known for her authenticity, straightforward nature and her ability to help couples with even the most complex of circumstances.  Kameran believes that lasting love begins within. Over the years, she learned that unhealthy patterns, unhealed wounds, and unresolved trauma don’t just affect you — they seep into your relationship and form who your children will become as well. Unresolved issues create cycles of disconnection, frustration, and loneliness, which is why her coaching is deeply rooted in healing the individual, so that two people can come together stronger, safer, and more connected than ever. Kameran, thanks for helping couples all over the world, thanks for continuing to coach yourself to be the best you can be and thanks for being our guest on Life’s Essential Ingredients…welcome to the show! TOTD – “May I fall as rain to increase the harvests that must feed living beings…and in ages of dire famine, may I myself serve as food and drink.”                                     Shantideva Build a habit - to create intention - to live your purpose!   In this episode: What was life like growing up? Podcast – Married and Connected 93% success rate Suffering…what does that mean… Average couple waits 6 years to get help Attachment Styles Stages of relationships… Gottman’s Sound Relationship House Model Ingredients that are missing from most marriages – commitment, trust and friendship… Comparisons.. Goal of Marriage is to grow together… Partner should not be the one to make you happy… Legacy

Send us Fan Mail C4 Leaders – the ONLY nonprofit to utilize the pizza making process to create space for our companions to be seen, heard, and loved.   We work with businesses, sports teams, hospitals, churches…anyone looking to RISE TOGETHER.  We also write children’s books and use the most amazing handmade, hand-tossed, sourdough pizza to bring out the best in each other.   Please check out c4leaders.org to support our important work.  Season 6 Episode #31 Rebecca Mullen is coming from Grand Junction, Colorado (inform, inspire, & transform) You can find Rebecca via her website rebeccamullencoaching.com Rebecca Mullen is the author of 6 Steps to Better Marriage Communication and host of the podcast Habits for Your Happily Ever After. Her work focuses on the small, repeatable habits that transform how couples communicate—especially in moments of tension, misalignment, or emotional overwhelm.  Rebecca helps couples move from reactive patterns to intentional connection using simple tools they can apply immediately. Rebecca brings a mix of practical frameworks, relatable stories, and real-life application, so listeners don’t just feel inspired—they leave with something they can do differently that day.  Rebecca, thanks for sharing your beautiful spirit with the world, thanks for having the courage to share your heart, and thanks for guiding couples to a happily ever after…welcome to the show! TOTD – “The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are.”  Carl Jung Build a habit - to create intention - to live your purpose! In this episode: Here is the link to a PDF I have that gives listeners access to 6 of my podcast episodes about the 6 steps for better marriage communication.  What was life like growing up? Where did you meet your husband… Podcast Host of Habits for Your Happily Ever After: Relationship Communication Advice Ted Talk…great….love the tug of war with your daughter and son…reading stories, creating a template of tolerance…coming together…why is that so important to you… Classes – The money conversation, No More Loneliness…Marriage 101, Six Steps to Better Communication, Habits for Happily Ever After… Blog since 2020…loved complimentary colors…did your daughter end up going to Lewis and Clark? Happiness…what is it…fulfillment… Investing in YOU…Bliss Basket… Book - 6 steps to better Marriage Communication – Overcome Fear, Get Clear, Ask Cleanly, Beware Conditions, Affirm Lovingly, Build Boundaries Newsletter… Boundary happens in the corrective behavior…following through regardless of how the other person will respond… Conflict Resolution Clean Ask vs. Dirty Ask…step 3 (builds on step 1 and 2) is negative…ie. You don’t ever take the trash out…blame, shame…the dirty asker has not overcome their fear… Clean Ask – 3 steps…name the fear, state the desire, ask in a way that your partner can answer in yes or no…give agency to your partner… 4 Step Apology that rebuilds trust 2 name the behavior, 3 talk about how you think your partner feels, 4 I have a plan for how I am going to do better… Communication Clarity…one of the most challenging parts of marriage… Hidden Fear Sabotaging Your Relationship… Forgiveness  Hello and Goodbye Growing separately but together Look for the good in each other Make the invisible visible… Pain is when we feel attached to what we thought we had and realize it isn’t there…?  Making the best out of a difficult situation…finding the good… Legacy

Send us Fan Mail C4 Leaders – the ONLY nonprofit to utilize the pizza making process to create space for our companions to be seen, heard, and loved.   We work with businesses, sports teams, hospitals, churches…anyone looking to RISE TOGETHER.  We also write children’s books and use the most amazing handmade, hand-tossed, sourdough pizza to bring out the best in each other.   Please check out c4leaders.org to support our important work.  Season 6 Episode #30 Eric Robinson is coming from Lambertville, Michigan (inform, inspire, & transform) You can find Eric via his website preachertobreacher.com Eric’s new book – Irreverend comes out this fall.   Eric was called to do God’s work and worked for 12 years in that space as a preacher.   Unfortunately or fortunately, Eric knew there were other plans for him.   So on Easter of 2002 Eric preached his final sermon. The next Sunday he was in Quantico to attend the FBI Academy. Eric has taken the ingredients of two polar opposite callings and has turned them into his life’s masterpiece. For nearly a quarter century, Eric used the practices and principles he learned in ministry to connect with victims and witnesses, and even to break through to criminals. Whether confronting terrorists, rescuing teen sex workers, or developing informants, the skills from his earlier life were put to use in his law enforcement career.   Eric’s career in the FBI was diverse and he used his unique skillset to guide many criminals, colleagues, and communities on a journey of compassion, commitment, and patience. Eric thanks for all you have done with your career, thanks for taking the time to put your life on paper, and thanks for being our guest on Life’s Essential Ingredients…welcome to the show! TOTD – “A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions.”                                                    Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. Build a habit - to create intention - to live your purpose!   In this episode: What was life like growing up? Worked in Chicago…pizza? What got you into your preacher role? What are your life’s essential ingredients? Married for 33 years – balance Just retired after 24 years with the FBI – best part of retirement… After action…the power of reflection Communication skills that are universal Values that are universal Not interrupting silence – using compounding questioning… Congrats on your book – IRREVEREND…interesting title, (not worthy of respect) how did you come up with it? Fitness testing, being fit… The power of connection National Security…what concerns do you have moving forward and what hopes do you have… Nutrition and discipline Firearms instructor…what skills does it take to have confidence in that space… Marathon Running… Most interesting story… Fuel for people who want to hurt people… Characteristics of successful people Team Building, trust building,  Lessons learned… Post Traumatic Stress… Forgiveness Mindset Leaving work at work Legacy

Send us Fan Mail C4 Leaders – the ONLY nonprofit to utilize the pizza making process to create space for our companions to be seen, heard, and loved.   We work with businesses, sports teams, hospitals, churches…anyone looking to RISE TOGETHER.  We also write children’s books and use the most amazing handmade, hand-tossed, sourdough pizza to bring out the best in each other.   Please check out c4leaders.org to support our important work.  Season 6 Episode #29 Dr. Sharalyn Payne is coming from Dallas, Texas (inform, inspire, & transform) You can find Dr. Sharalyn via her website drsharalyn.com or smpistrategies.com Dr. Sharalyn Payne is an award-winning speaker, strategist, executive coach, and management consultant. As the founder of SMP International Management Consulting, LLC. Dr. Sharalyn works with companies and governments to build high-performing teams, navigate through change, and develop the next generation of leaders.  Guiding clients through sensitive organizational challenges, Dr. Sharalyn shares her unique perspectives and insights not only on how revolutionizing the workplace can lead to innovation, but also on the techniques needed to create destination organizations. Using lessons learned, provocative questions, and real stories, Dr. Sharalyn positions companies for greater success and bigger wins. Dr. Sharalyn, congrats on an amazing career, congrats on authoring two books Unstuck, Unleashed, Unstoppable and Ignite, congrats on continuing to challenge yourself to be your best, and thanks for being our guest on Life’s Essential Ingredients…welcome to the show! TOTD – “I never competed against athletes.  I competed against perfection.”  Carl Lewis Build a habit - to create intention - to live your purpose! In this episode: What does the M stand for in SMP?  Marie… Lantana – represents resilience, rigor, and adaptability because it thrives in harsh heat and poor soil…cultural symbolism… endurance, transformation, and positivity… is under your name on your website…then I did a little more digging and found out it is a part of Texas and most likely where you live… What there a moment in time (past, present, or future) for you that shaped who you are today? What was life like growing up? Two Books – UnStuck, UnLeashed, UnStoppable.   IGNITE…Congrats Podcast – The Game Changer with Dr. Sharalyn You were a track and cross country runner…any insights from that experience and how it has shaped your life… Accountability… Mindset on POSSIBILITY! Leadership, what is it, what frameworks do you like to work with, what are some activities you do in your offsites? Culture, what is it, how do you assess it, how to you transform it, and how do you help engage in it… Strategic action planning…what does that look like…maybe go over a case screnario… Employee engagement Assessment tools for personal and professional development.. Wellness and well being…insights? Your company values: leave people organizations better than you found them, love who you are and what you do, we grow, we lead, we optimize, we believe everything is possible… The Future of Work? Transformation Modules from your website…key insights or takeaways from past participants… HOGAM assessments – what are they? Return on Power Newsletter – takeaways… Culture Camp on another podcast… Exemplary Leadership…what does that look like

Send us Fan Mail C4 Leaders – the ONLY nonprofit to utilize the pizza making process to create space for our companions to be seen, heard, and loved.   We work with businesses, sports teams, hospitals, churches…anyone looking to RISE TOGETHER.  We also write children’s books and use the most amazing handmade, hand-tossed, sourdough pizza to bring out the best in each other.   Please check out c4leaders.org to support our important work.  Season 6 Episode #28 Hanna Curman is coming from West Coast of Sweden (inform, inspire, & transform) You can find Hanna via her website hannacurman.se Hanna is an international speaker, Founder of BrainShift (the new transformation logic), certified in brain-based coaching, and author on leadership and mental health. Hanna helps executives lead transformation from the nervous system up—because culture lives in biology. Hanna knows firsthand that reactive patterns affected not only her own health - but also her daughter’s will to live.  Today Hanna brings a clear message into the AI era: if we don’t balance speed with humanity, we lose prefrontal capacity—judgment, empathy, ethics—and the relationships that make leadership real.  Hanna thanks for sharing your gifts with humanity, thanks for coaching people all over the world, thanks for continuing to transform yourself and thanks for being our guest on Life’s Essential Ingredients.   Welcome to the show! TOTD – “The most important kind of freedom is to be what you really are. You trade in your reality for a role. You trade in your sense for an act. You give up your ability to feel, and in exchange, put on a mask. There can't be any large-scale revolution until there's a personal revolution, on an individual level. It's got to happen inside first.”  Jim Morrison Build a habit - to create intention - to live your purpose! In this episode: Listening to you on another podcast and they asked you what meal would you want to share…PIZZA…I love it…the intention of sharing… Website has some great articles on decision making under pressure, transformational leadership and sustainable change… What was life like growing up? Swedish decent… What is self-discovery and what steps do you suggest one take to gaining that vital piece of their life? Trying to fit in (story of Volvo) and losing that part of yourself… and then years later…gaining your true self… What is leadership? Define leader Define culture Are we in survival mode?  Why? Coaching…share a success story… You spoke about true intentions and truly living life with those intentions…what would that world look like? Understanding my core values…one is trustworthiness…another is transparency… The Clarity Chain…what is it and how can it help people when decision pressure is high? Legacy

Send us Fan Mail C4 Leaders – the ONLY nonprofit to utilize the pizza making process to create space for our companions to be seen, heard, and loved.   We work with businesses, sports teams, hospitals, churches…anyone looking to RISE TOGETHER.  We also write children’s books and use the most amazing handmade, hand-tossed, sourdough pizza to bring out the best in each other.   Please check out c4leaders.org to support our important work.  Season 6 Episode #27 Bruce Babashan is coming from Washington D.C. (inform, inspire, & transform) You can find Bruce via his website brucebabashan.com As the creator of Meet The Moment™, Bruce challenges one of the most common assumptions in leadership—that organizations succeed simply by developing exceptional leaders. His work argues that while leadership development is essential, it is only part of the equation. The organizations that consistently perform at the highest level also prepare for the reality that every leader is human.  Drawing on experience in executive leadership, organizational assessment, and high-stakes decision environments, Bruce helps audiences understand why judgment, communication, and decision-making can change as complexity, uncertainty, and pressure increase—and why organizations should anticipate those moments rather than simply react to them.  Instead of asking how leaders can become tougher or more resilient, Bruce introduces a practical framework for building leadership support systems that help preserve sound decisions, clear communication, and organizational performance when the stakes are highest.  Bruce, thanks for sharing your many gifts and talents with people all over the world, thanks for continuing to grow as a leader, and thanks for being our guest on Life’s Essential Ingredients…welcome to the show! TOTD – “As to methods, there may be a million and then some, but principles are few. The person who grasps principles can successfully select their own methods. The person who tries methods, ignoring principles, is sure to have trouble."  Harrington Emerson (efficiency engineer) Build a habit - to create intention - to live your purpose! In this episode: What was life like growing up? How did you get involved with boxing? Mohammad Ali story… The Good Fight nonprofit… Poise in the Noise First Code… Making Decision in the heat of the moment Training fighters for almost 30 years…making decisions in 60 seconds (time in between rounds)…when things were on the line…Game 7 mentality…crunch time… See coaches on the sideline…making mistakes…mismanaging the clock… A skill to be developed: Step 1 - awareness…Step 2 – control (regulate emotions) need to ooze confidence ..Step 3 – Clarity – process in which you choose to make decisions…principles in how you make decisions… especially in the crucial moments.  Step 4 – how do you communicate your decisions What makes a great coach? Getting reps of being in the moment…in the fire… Phenomenology is a 20th-century philosophical movement and qualitative research method that investigates the nature of conscious, subjective lived experience. Managing Stress Building Confidence Communicating with purpose and precision Getting out of the way

Send us Fan Mail C4 Leaders – the ONLY nonprofit to utilize the pizza making process to create space for our companions to be seen, heard, and loved.   We work with businesses, sports teams, hospitals, churches…anyone looking to RISE TOGETHER.  We also write children’s books and use the most amazing handmade, hand-tossed, sourdough pizza to bring out the best in each other.   Please check out c4leaders.org to support our important work.  Season 6 Episode #26 Lydia Chale via her email address [email protected] My wife recently had a birthday and I ordered her favorite ice cream cake from Baskin Robbins.  I did it online but unfortunately entered the wrong time to pick it up.   So I had to call and leave a message to change the pick up time.  I was pleasantly surprised when I received a voice mail stating the cake is ready and I can pick it up any time I want.   I entered the store the next day and spoke to the staff at Baskin Robbins and immediately Lydia noticed my voice and stated she would be right with me.  I was taken back by her attention to detail and that she remembered and appreciated my voice… So we decided it would be fun to join each other on this podcast…so here we are.   A little about our guest : Lydia was born in North Carolina and moved to Davis when she was 12.  Unfortunately, things didn’t work out so well and Lydia decided at the age of 16 to drop out of school and moved out on her own.  That drastic change in her life lead her to needing to find a job… Lydia found work at Baskin Robbins and has been doing incredible work ever since.  She became the manager at 18 and at 23 she is a Franchise Manager.  Lydia has used that opportunity as a spring board into creating potential future opportunities down the road.   She earned her GED and is currently taking college courses for business and philosophy. Lydia loves her 4 cats and spends most of her free time trying to study and learn.  Lydia thanks for sharing your amazing customer service with people, thanks for continuing to better yourself with knowledge and education, and thanks for being our guest on Life’s Essential Ingredients…welcome to the show! TOTD – “We don’t develop courage by being happy every day. We develop it by surviving difficult times and challenging adversity.” ―Barbara De Angelis Build a habit - to create intention - to live your purpose!   In this episode: What was life like growing up? What are your essential ingredients What do you love about music… Cats People… Legacy

Send us Fan Mail C4 Leaders – the ONLY nonprofit to utilize the pizza making process to create space for our companions to be seen, heard, and loved.   We work with businesses, sports teams, hospitals, churches…anyone looking to RISE TOGETHER.  We also write children’s books and use the most amazing handmade, hand-tossed, sourdough pizza to bring out the best in each other.   Please check out c4leaders.org to support our important work.  Season 6 Episode #25 Ludovica Colella is coming from Naples, Italy (inform, inspire, & transform) You can find Ludovica via her website lu-cole.com.   Change, Grow, Become! Ludovica is a CBT-trained psychotherapist and confidence coach specializing in people-pleasing, fawning, and self-abandonment. She works with high-functioning women who are exhausted from over-giving and living for everyone else’s approval — and helps them build boundaries that actually hold. Featured in Forbes, Newsweek, Business Insider, and VeryWellMind, Ludovica brings both clinical expertise and lived experience to every conversation.  She’s the founder of LuCole LTD and has worked with clients globally. Her core question: why do intelligent, self-aware people keep repeating the same patterns even when they know exactly what they should do?  That question and many more will be answered on today’s podcast.   Ludovica, thanks for sharing your gifts and talents with people all over the world, thanks for taking your pain and turning it into your purpose and thanks for being our guest on Life’s Essential Ingredients…welcome to the show. TOTD – “Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, vision cleared, ambition inspired, and success achieved.”― Helen Keller Build a habit - to create intention - to live your purpose! In this episode: Have to talk pizza first… What was life like growing up? Groomed to Care as a child… Being Empathic but with boundaries… Understanding Patterns, Where they came from, what they are protecting you from, and how to start doing things different in moments that matter… Looking at the beliefs underneath the behavior…the ones that feel so true you never questioned them (my needs are too much, I’m only lovable when I am useful, if I disagree they’ll leave… People Pleasers – good at what you do but running on empty, say yes but then are resentful and guilty about being resentful, hard to say NO, know what to do but doing is difficult, put in the work but something still isn’t shifting your behavior Emotional Hypervigilance Overthinking Text Messages in Relationships Fawning Trauma Response – what is it – giving excessive insincere praise…. Rewriting Your Story… The power of healthy anger.. Why People Pleasers Attracting Emotionally Unavailable Partners Conditioning and how can we rewrite that story… Intuition and Belief… Self Awareness… Learning to say NO and set up Boundaries Congrats on your journal you wrote…THE FEEL GOOD JOURNAL… Healing…

Send us Fan Mail C4 Leaders – the ONLY nonprofit to utilize the pizza making process to create space for our companions to be seen, heard, and loved.   We work with businesses, sports teams, hospitals, churches…anyone looking to RISE TOGETHER.  We also write children’s books and use the most amazing handmade, hand-tossed, sourdough pizza to bring out the best in each other.   Please check out c4leaders.org to support our important work.  Season 6 Episode #24 Karen Danlovich is coming from St. Augustine, Florida (inform, inspire, & transform) You can find Karen via her website tidalresilience.org About our Guest: Karen is the Founder and Executive Director of Tidal Resilience Foundation, a nonprofit in coastal Florida supporting children and families navigating the loss of a parent or caregiver. Her life has been shaped by profound loss — losing her mom at nine, her dad at nineteen, and later her grandparents — experiences that taught her early what it means to survive deep grief and still keep moving forward.  Karen built her career as an educator, teaching social studies, coaching dance, directing student programs, and later serving as an assistant principal. She also spent five seasons as an NFL cheerleader for the Jacksonville Jaguars, serving as team captain while teaching full‑time — a decade defined by discipline, leadership, and service.  Her work today blends her educational background with the belief that the ocean is one of our greatest teachers. Through Tidal Resilience Foundation, she leads programs rooted in ocean‑based resilience, including Resilience Kits, Resilience Rides, community events, and The Reef, an online learning sanctuary offering free resources for families navigating the loss of a parent or caregiver. Each program is designed to help young people build grounding, emotional regulation, and connection as they move through grief.  Karen’s mission is simple and powerful: to turn her personal story into a shared one — creating a community where grieving children and families feel seen, supported, and strengthened. She believes that when we take care of the ocean, the ocean takes care of us, and that its lessons can guide families through even the roughest waters of loss. Karen, thanks for sharing your vulnerability with people all over the world, thanks for guiding families through difficult waters and thanks for being our guest on Life’s Essential Ingredients…welcome to the show. TOTD – “When a great ship is in harbor and moored, it is safe, there can be no doubt.  But that is not what great ships are built for.”                       John A. Shedd Build a habit - to create intention - to live your purpose!   In this episode: What was life like growing up? Love the name of your nonprofit…what is the deeper meaning to it… Grief meets the ocean…how does someone know they are grieving…Kubler Ross’s 5 stages of grief… Core Values – Compassion, Resilience, Empowerment, Connection, Stewardship, Education 1 in 11 children by the age of 18 will experience the death of a parent or sibling… the cost of inaction… Tidal Resilience Foundation supports children and families navigating the loss of a parent or caregiver. Through ocean-centered experiences, resilience-building resources, and compassionate community connection, we help young people build coping tools, rediscover moments of joy, and move toward healing with support. Request a Resilience Kit and Join a Resilience Ride  and The Reef Connection and Community Grief support Tools to help… Move with grief… Legacy

Send us Fan Mail C4 Leaders – the ONLY nonprofit to utilize the pizza making process to create space for our companions to be seen, heard, and loved.   We work with businesses, sports teams, hospitals, churches…anyone looking to RISE TOGETHER.  We also write children’s books and use the most amazing handmade, hand-tossed, sourdough pizza to bring out the best in each other.   Please check out c4leaders.org to support our important work.  Season 6 Episode #23 Charlotte Preval-Reed is coming from London, England (inform, inspire, & transform) You can find Charlotte via her website charlotteprevalreed.com Delia and I were visiting London recently and were in this very cool part of London called Notting Hill and specifically, Portobello Road.  There were many aspects of the road that caught my attention but ONE stood out above the rest.   A single table, with a beautiful woman and some inspiring thoughts stopped me in my tracks (The Table of Positive Thoughts).   I began to read the thoughts (which if you have listened to this show, you know I love quotes…anything to help get my mind right)…I got goose bumps reading Charlotte’s words… Unfortunately, my wife was three blocks down the road and she carries the money…so I couldn’t purchase Charlotte’s book… we talked briefly and my heart was full of love, compassion, and inspiration with Charlotte’s inspirational story.   I was getting ready to thank Charlotte for having the courage to share her story ,when she kindly gave me her book. I thanked her again and I was on my way feeling blessed to have shared space with such a courageous person.    Upon getting home, I wanted to reach out and have Charlotte on the show – I knew the world needed to hear her story and this podcast needed to be a vehicle for positivity, inspiration, and hope.   A few months later…here we are.   Charlotte, thanks for your kindness that day, thanks for your courage and vulnerability in sharing your story, thanks for making our world a little better each day, one word at a time, and thanks for being our guest on Life’s Essential Ingredients… welcome to the show. TOTD – “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”               Maya Angelou Build a habit - to create intention - to live your purpose! In this episode: What was life like growing up? Your journey of mental health first symptoms to diagnosis to treatment… Two books – Positive Thoughts from Portobello Road and My Portobello Road to Happiness I know you speak to businesses about mental health…what are a few of the takeaways from your talks… Depression Depersonalization Disorder  Best thing a person can do who is suffering with depression…and the best thing someone can do to help someone who is having a mental health challenge… I know you have a dog…Lucy’s Secret Sauce… Stories you have heard from the people you have helped… Best part of being Charlotte Legacy

Send us Fan Mail C4 Leaders – the ONLY nonprofit to utilize the pizza making process to create space for our companions to be seen, heard, and loved.   We work with businesses, sports teams, hospitals, churches…anyone looking to RISE TOGETHER.  We also write children’s books and use the most amazing handmade, hand-tossed, sourdough pizza to bring out the best in each other.   Please check out c4leaders.org to support our important work.  Season 6 Episode #22 Sandy Gerber is coming from Victoria, British Columbia (inform, inspire, & transform) You can find Sandy via her website sandygerber.com Sandy Gerber is a Communication Coach, Emotional Intelligence Trainer, and Best-Selling Author of Emotional Magnetism, which has won 24 international book awards. Sandy’s mission is to help people to have Connected Conversations. She’s ranked as #16 in the 2026 World’s Top 30 Communication Professionals by Global Gurus and the 2025 Women of Influence Creative Innovator.  If those accomplishments weren’t enough, Sandy also won a limbo contest at 14, which she insists is still one of her proudest accomplishments. Sandy is passionate about helping people to communicate to connect by developing and sharing emotionally intelligent communication tools people can start using right away at work and home. Congrats on an amazing career, thanks for helping people all over the world be better communicators, and thanks for being our guest on Life’s Essential Ingredients…welcome to the show! Podcast – Magnetic Communication… TOTD – “Pretty women wonder where my secret lies. I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size But when I start to tell them, They think I'm telling lies. I say, It's in the reach of my arms The span of my hips, The stride of my step, The curl of my lips. I'm a woman Phenomenally. Phenomenal woman, That's me.” Maya Angelou Build a habit - to create intention - to live your purpose!   In this episode: I start and end every day with a practice I call the First and Last Thought of the Day, a simple tool for setting your day on purpose instead of just reacting to whatever hits you first. What was life like growing up? Regulating emotions…in the moment of activated… Communication failure that changed the trajectory of your life.. EI and AI…developing both… ALL IN on your podcast..100% benefit of the doubt…assuming good intent and the release of oxytocin vs. cortisol…RISE to belief vs. RUN… Body Language Signals… Adoration… Skills to create trust, influence and lasting relationships… First date conversation that built a 12 year marriage.. Congrats on being an tow-time author…Emotional Magnetism and your newest CONNECTED CONVERSATIONS… Connected Conversations Advantage Framework… Aware, Express and Engage Love your humor in your speaking profile … highlighting all the books and catch phrases… What do you love about reading and Books you recommend? Extensive blog from your website…5 human skills for 2026… Simple pocket tools to self-regulate under pressure  Legacy

Send us Fan Mail C4 Leaders – the ONLY nonprofit to utilize the pizza making process to create space for our companions to be seen, heard, and loved.   We work with businesses, sports teams, hospitals, churches…anyone looking to RISE TOGETHER.  We also write children’s books and use the most amazing handmade, hand-tossed, sourdough pizza to bring out the best in each other.   Please check out c4leaders.org to support our important work.  Season 6 Episode #21 The Fab Five (April, Erin, Danielle, Tiffany, and Lori) coming from beautiful southern California (inform, inspire, & transform) TOTD – “Friend, a person who doesn’t need to say a word, a listener of the heart, a healer with a warm touch, a rock for stability in turbulent times, the first one to shower you with encouragement, and the one person (5) you know who loves you unconditionally and will always be by your side.”                                                        Jeff Christian A little about our guests:  They call themselves the ORIGINAL FAB FIVE…not necessarily because they have hoop game…but because they are FABULOUS! The Fab Five grew up together in Thousand Oaks, California.   They have shared the highs and lows of life – together…over 5 decades worth of life experiences.  They are all turning 60 and they all continue to be the scaffolding for each other to provide support to reach things beyond their reach, to be a structure for each other to lean on when life gets wobbly, to be the safety net when caring for ailing parents, sick children, lost significant others and to BE the strong minded individual who can build anything to get the job done.    The FAB FIVE are…FABULOUS!  A little about the FAB FIVE – from Lori’s perspective. April: The Little Warrior. Friends since 7th grade. Small but mighty. Honest, caring, steadfast in her beliefs, always rooting for the underdog, world traveler, vegan. Don't let her little 110lb frame fool you - she'd be the first one to jump into a skirmish to defend the defenseless (or me).  Erin: The Mayor. Friends since 6th grade. Funny as hell, smart, an amazing organizer of events for our friends and her community, part-time flight attendant and loves to travel.  Danielle: The Garden Angel. Friends since high school. Sweet, straight shooter, considerate & thoughtful, finds peace in growing her flower garden and tending the birds and critters.  Tiffany: The Wealth Whisperer. Friends since high school. She and I were roommates for several years in our 20s - we laughed a lot and got into lots of shenanigans. Smart, self-made, with a tough exterior/soft and sensitive inside. Currently teaching all of us how to Options Trade so we can continue building wealth for ourselves after retirement.  Lori: Elementary school teacher. 2nd career of 25 years. Like to read, travel, imagine, and pretend I'm much younger than I am. Build a habit - to create intention - to live your purpose! In this episode: What was life like growing up? First memories of the friendship… Let’s talk friendship…what does that mean and how has the definition of friend changed throughout your meaningful friendship Everyone is in a different chapter in life… how nice has it been to be there for each other and to know you always have a friend to support you when needed. Hero, Highlight, or Hardship…you have experienced them all…TOGETHER… Bond that is timeless… Part of the friendship you are most proud of… Challenges of making friends in today’s world… Life’s Essential Ingredients…what are some of yours collectively… Advice for marriage, raising children, finding yourself, creating balance/harmony… Something you wish all significant others would know/do or say… Books you recommend? Legacy