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In her twenties, Dr. Sonayna Chandran was simply going with the flow, unsure of her life's direction, unaware that she was capable of more. Tired of living without a purpose, Sonayna decided to make a change. She began talking to a therapist. She hired a fitness coach. She started working out religiously and eating nutritious foods that supported, not defeated, her fitness goals. After that, everything started clicking. Sonayna started feeling better about herself. She gained more confidence, something she'd long struggled with. Her relationships blossomed. Toxic self-defeating behaviors became a thing of the past. Plus, she started seeing her abs! Amazed by how some simple lifestyle changes could drastically affect the quality of her day-to-day life, Sonayna decided during the pandemic that she also wanted to help people stop with the self-destructive behaviors that once threatened to derail Sonayna from realizing her own potential. Now, Sonayna spends her days in London helping, healing, and educating as an online women's coach. And on today's episode, she ⁠returns to the podcast ⁠to discuss the following: Intro (00:00) Why Sonayna started an online coaching business (00:49) Where Sonayna went wrong in her twenties (04:06) Why she loves helping people realize their potential (09:52) How to lose weight safely (15:50) Why dieting is NOT deprivation (23:32) How women can get the "hourglass" body type (25:20) How to MAKE TIME for exercise (27:28) The healthiest thing you can do for yourself right now (30:40) The importance of just showing up (36:03) Plus, Sonayna dives deep into something that's very, very personal (37:55) at the end of today's episode. I'm very grateful that she shared this part of her story, and I'm even more grateful to call her a close friend. To support Sonayna (b/c she deserves it), please give her a follow on Instagram @sc.coaching_ To support this podcast, please give it a follow on my Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube feeds. Thank you 3

Jason Hartley grew up as a poor kid in rural Tennessee. With big dreams of playing the drums with rock bands in front of sold out crowds, Jason tried as hard as he possibly could to overcome the obstacles he faced as a child. But his efforts were never enough. In his late twenties, Jason gave up the dream to combine two side interests of his: mixed martial arts and YouTube. Six years after making the decision to go full-time building MMA On Point, Jason and his growing team now live and work in London creating exceptional daily content for one of the preeminent YouTube channels in combat sports. From the MMAOP studios outside of London, Jason and I discuss: Opening montage (00:00) Life before co-founding MMA On Point (03:13) Deciding to go all in on YouTube (07:30) Why he knew his channel would succeed (16:30) The obsession of creating on YouTube (26:01) Surpassing 1M subscribers in 2023 (38:20) The challenges of running a YouTube business (44:00) Strategies for success on YouTube (46:25) Podcasting on YouTube (01:03:50) Plus, we talk about why I'm a flight risk in the dating world, how much longer Jason plans on living in London, the ultimate dream, and more. To support Jason, please subscribe to MMA On Point. To support me, please subscribe to the YouTube channel for "The Found Generation: A Self-Improvement Podcast." Thank you for listening 3. I had so much fun making this one.

I owe everything to Ariel Helwani. Without me asking, Ariel praised my work to ESPN executives when we used to walk the halls together. Then, he helped me land the producing job that gave me the safety net I needed to leave ESPN in early 2021. A few months later, he recommended me for my current role as his producer at Spotify, a fully remote job that’s allowed me to travel the world, produce impactful far-reaching podcasts for sports fans, and work with the people I love to work with at the top audio company in the world. Furthermore, Ariel generously agreed to write a blurb for the front cover of my book, another example to add to an incredibly long list of unnecessarily kind things he’s done for me since we started working together five years ago. When I began this podcast in 2020, I knew I wanted to ask Ariel to join when I was ready. That day has finally come. Ariel Helwani -- the top combat sports journalist in the world, one of the best interviewers in the media industry, and one of the most prolific content creators on planet Earth -- joins me for a wide-ranging conversation about his career, personal life, what he still has left to prove, our work together, and so much more: Opening montage (00:00) Why Ariel's main show, "The MMA Hour," remains so popular after 10+ years (01:05) Ariel's very successful content creation strategy (07:00) Why Ariel wants to be more like ESPN's Pat McAfee (09:25) Whether Ariel doubted he'd ever find success (17:52) Why having kids "saved" Ariel's life (31:15) Why you should say yes...and then say no (35:40) How to network properly (42:07) Did Ariel get lucky? (48:15) The happiest moment of Ariel's career (54:23) An inside look at the unique relationship between Ariel and I -- which involves some stories about minimalism, how I got into MMA, and Fiji water (59:24) To support Ariel, give him a follow on Instagram @arielhelwani. To support this podcast, please follow "The Found Generation" on Spotify and YouTube. If you’re a fan of "The MMA Hour," then you’ll love my recent conversations in New York City with Ariel’s producers Conner Burks and Eric Jackman. Thank you 3

Caroline Alaimo didn't know who she was. For most of her life, she surrounded herself with the wrong people, created more problems by running from her problems, and judged herself mercilessly for not looking a certain way. For not being enough. But then she discovered something that completely changed the course of her life. Caroline cried at the end of her first yoga class. Ever since that day, the day that sent her on a beautiful path toward healing, self-discovery, and true happiness, Caroline has devoted her life's work to helping others overcome their demons so that they can realize their true potential. On today's episode, Caroline (@carerosewellness) joins me in Portsmouth to share her story, and also to go deeper on several self-improvement strategies you can use TODAY that will start your 2024 off the right way. Here's what's coming up: Opening montage (00:00) Caroline's emotional first yoga class (08:14) The incredible power of living in the present moment (16:40) How to get started in yoga (22:11) The 7 chakras (24:09) Why self-care isn't what you think it is (28:22) The truth about manifesting (33:17) How to get unstuck in life (41:40) The .01 percent rule (46:52) Why the search for happiness is pointless (51:05) How to meditate correctly (54:07) What adults can learn from children (57:15) To book virtual sessions with Caroline, visit her web site carerosewellness.com. To purchase my book, which covers many of subjects discussed on today's episode, visit this link. Thank you for the support 3

According to The New York Times, the Nazis murdered approximately 500,000 Romani people during the Holocaust. But you probably didn't know that. And so it goes for the Romani people, a diasporic ethnic group that's long been forgotten and discriminated against in countries all over the world, even in America. For centuries, the Romani people have relied on the sacred art of fortune telling not only to escape persecution, but also to create community, carry on legacy, and escape the dire poverty that's come to cripple so much of the Romani community. Today's guest Jezmina Von Thiele is a proud Romani fortune teller. On today's episode, she joins me in Portsmouth to enlighten and educate me on the following subjects: Opening montage (00:00) The history of the Romani people (01:58) Why "Gypsy" is a hurtful racial slur (04:50) Persecution of the Romani people (08:29) Jezmina's horrifying personal experiences with discrimination (10:50) How to support the Romani people (23:21) The significance of fortune telling in the Romani community (26:25) How to learn fortune telling (34:51) Jezmina reads my palm (39:10) How to improve yourself by applying information learned from a palm reading (53:00) Jezmina's upcoming book and her podcast (56:18) Jezmina Von Thiele is a fortune teller based in New Hampshire. A writer, podcast host, lifelong fortune teller, and former professor, Jezmina is committed to upholding Romani traditions and educating the masses about the centuries-long persecution of the Romani people she loves so dearly. To support, you can listen to Jezmina's "Romanistan" podcast and follow her on Instagram @jezmina.vonthiele. 📚 Get my book on Amazon 📺 Subscribe to my YouTube channel

**TRIGGER WARNING** This episode contains references to disordered eating, addiction, and more. Viewer and listener discretion is advised. Rachel Kimberly spent the first half of her 20s at war with herself. A mom at 23 years old, Rachel found herself unable to cope with the challenges of young motherhood. To manage the stress, she resorted to drinking. A lot. Then, to gain back control of her life, she returned to controlling the one thing she could always control: Food, which further deepened her battle with disordered eating, something she'd struggled with since the age of seven. Then, when the COVID-19 pandemic locked her inside, the marriage between Rachel and her husband deteriorated quickly. Eventually, after having a second child, the two divorced. But today, after years of working on herself and destroying the demons that once destroyed her, Rachel leads a completely different life. Now a single mother of two, Rachel is a fitness enthusiast and thriving lifestyle photographer in the seacoast of New Hampshire. But to arrive at this place, the journey was not easy. It's quite the story to share. That's what this episode is about. 00:00 Opening Montage 01:54 Managing Time for Fitness 04:37 Early Morning Routines 08:49 Dealing with Alcohol Issues 14:38 Dealing with an Eating Disorder 26:45 Regrets and Lessons from a Failed Marriage 35:37 The Passion for Photography 43:56 Single Mom Life To support Rachel and her work, give her a follow on Instagram @rachelkimberly.photo. Her personal account is @rach__kimberly. To support this podcast, follow us on our Spotify, YouTube⁠, and Apple Podcasts pages!

Social media runs our lives. TikTok dominates our attention span. Instagram likes (or lack thereof) determine our self-worth. Alluring notifications from Twitter pull us from the present moment--the most precious thing we have. Because of the stakes, any conversation about social media is an important one. And to do it right, I've once again enlisted the help of my friend and mentor Eric Jackman, the social media guru behind MMAFighting's Instagram, TikTok, and X pages, which feature a combined 3M followers across platforms. From the Gimlet studios in Brooklyn, NewYorkRic (as he's known on the Internet) and I discuss the following: Intro (00:00) How he lost a lot of weight this year (01:46) Why he will never leave New York City (16:38) Working with Ariel Helwani (21:00) Why Eric loves working in MMA (27:20) What it's like working in social media (34:11) Why I gave up TikTok (42:30) Eric and I disagree about the morality of social media and how to use it properly (46:00) The social media strategy Eric would prescribe for me (58:42) How to make an engaging TikTok video (01:03:04) How to stay up-to-date with rapidly changing social media trends (01:08:10) Should you post on all platforms or just specialize in one? (1:17:05) Whether Elon Musk has helped or hurt Twitter (01:19:53) The effect of social media on attention span (01:28:55) Advice to his younger self and whether he has any regrets (01:32:26) Follow Eric on X @newyorkric. To purchase my book at a discounted Black Friday price for a limited time, visit this Amazon link. Thank you for your support 3

Conner Burks never imagined he'd get to this point. From 2018-21, he sleepwalked through a miserable existence working overnight shifts at ESPN while living in dreary central Connecticut one thousand miles away from his beloved Atlanta. Frustration with his life's course was exacerbated by the pandemic, as ESPN demanded he produce radio shows in the office every day while the rest of the world waited out the dangers of COVID-19 from the comforts of their homes. But in August 2021, the trajectory of Conner's life completely changed. On today's episode, one of my best friends and I discuss the following from the Financial District of Manhattan: Cold open (00:00) Advice to his depressed younger self (01:45) Career ascension and getting recognized in public (05:55) Falling in love with mixed martial arts during COVID (12:22) Love/hate relationship with social media (25:30) What if we were always honest with each other? (34:38) Love/hate relationship with living in New York City (41:52) The city he dreams of living in (50:32) His recent work trip to Manchester, England (52:05) Why he gave up alcohol for one year (59:45) Movember (01:10:13) Conner Burks is the producer of the very popular YouTube show, The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani. With 25K followers on X, he has quickly become one of the most beloved characters in combat sports entertainment. Before joining Vox Media, he worked at ESPN Radio from 2018-21. To support Conner, consider donating to his Movember link here. To purchase my new book, "Surrender: A Guide to Living Your Best Life in Your Twenties," visit this Amazon link.

Two years ago, Jake Lenok couldn't take it anymore. After three years of misery working odd behind-the-scenes jobs at ESPN, Jake took a lifeline from a close friend. An offer to a better life -- a life full of more meaningful work, more work-life balance, more money, and most importantly, more freedom. Sitting together in his South Beach condo, Jake walks me through the tough decision to leave the industry he loved, how he landed in finance, his decision to move to Miami earlier this year, how he's made the most of his significant salary increase, and more: To support the show, please subscribe to my YouTube channel, where you can also watch every episode of the podcast on video. TOPICS: Intro (00:00) Moving to Miami (01:41) How his life has improved since leaving ESPN (06:31) Finance bro life and the stereotypes (21:56) Keeping ambition when you're already winning (27:30) Why you should disregard your family's wishes when making a big decision (30:30) Why flaky people suck (38:38) Saying hi to strangers (40:13) How to have more confidence (47:56) His struggles with complacency (52:30) If I'll consider living in Miami (56:13)

From Mocha Lisa Caffe & Books in my hometown of Clifton Park, N.Y., my dear friend Leah Klein (formerly Leah Zappone) joins me to talk about motherhood and her job as a physical therapist before giving some practical advice to young people on how to best take care of your physical health! We also share about lessons learned from December 1, 2012, the day that Leah lost her cousin, Deanna Rivers, in a tragic car accident that rocked our beloved 518 forever. This episode was recorded on August 25, the day of my first EVER book signing! If you haven't yet gotten a copy of "Surrender: A Guide to Living Your Best Life in Your Twenties," be sure to grab it here.

When I moved back to Portsmouth, NH this summer, my first order of business (after hitting the beach) was to find a gym. A quick Google search told me that a gym nearby offered a 7-day free trial, so I decided I'd go and give it a shot (0:00). That gym? Seacoast Kettlebell: A hugely popular gym in seacoast NH with a cult-like following. Voted by Men's Health as one of the top 50 gyms in the United States, SKB provides high-quality workouts with high-quality equipment and most importantly, high-quality coaches. Two of those coaches, SKB founder Colin McGarty and head coach Luke Dinwoodie, join me from their Dover, NH location to chat about the following: Why McGarty founded the gym 14 years ago (2:55) How SKB helped Dinwoodie get sober (10:20) Why kettlebells provide an insanely good -- yet very underutilized -- form of working out (14:00) The ideal workout schedule for anyone who wants to get more fit (15:30) Advice for aspiring business owners (24:13) Why SKB's clients stuck with the gym during the COVID-19 pandemic and what the guys attribute that to (28:30) And so much more! HOUSEKEEPING: To support my new book, "Surrender: A Guide to Living Your Best Life in Your Twenties," you can ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠get it on Amazon.⁠⁠⁠ Got a question for the podcast? Please send me an Instagram DM ⁠⁠@troy_farkas. Follow Seacoast Kettlebell on Instagram @skbstrong.

Artificial intelligence is the buzz term of 2023. You can't scroll social media or read The New York Times without coming across it. With that said, the average person -- especially the older generation -- has a lot of misconceptions about what AI truly is and what its true impact will be on the world now and in the future. So to provide some clarity on this seemingly existential crisis, I've enlisted the help of Google researcher, former Apple intern, Harvard PhD student, and my friend Colby Banbury. From his home in Somerville, MA, Colby and I discuss the following on today's episode (0:00): The benefits of incorporating AI into our everyday lives (9:10) Whether there's any truth to the notion that the robots will take over the world (23:19) What could happen if the power of AI ends up in the wrong hands (27:04) How AI can both help and harm our own self-development, relationships, and sex (30:00) Whether advanced technology like AI is a net positive or net negative for the human race (53:17) And much more. HOUSEKEEPING: If you prefer a video component, you can watch entire episodes of "The Found Generation" on ⁠⁠my YouTube channel ⁠⁠ To purchase my new book, "Surrender: A Guide to Living Your Best Life in Your Twenties," you can ⁠⁠⁠get it on Amazon.⁠ To submit a question for the Q/A section of the podcast, please send me an Instagram DM @troy_farkas.