Air-Check Your Life

Latest Episodes:

Get the F#$k on With It with piano man, Jim Wilson Aug 05, 2024

Show notes

Get the F#$k on With It with Jim Wilson.

Jim was born in Greenville, South Carolina, and found his love of music at age 7. He came from a broken home, which affected his outlook on love for the rest of his life. He fell between the cracks in his family and was left without a bedroom, requiring him to learn the skills of self-determinism and overcoming seemingly impossible tasks at a young age.

Fast forward a little, and Jim decided to learn to tune pianos to support himself while he moved to LA to pursue music. He ended up being a great piano tuner and kept putting his own music aspirations on hold. In 1997, Jim lost his best friend, Claud, at 37 to an unexpected heart attack. Claud had big dreams and so much life in front of him that was now gone forever. This realization made Jim understand that there is not a limitless reservoir of tomorrows, and he had to pursue his dreams now no matter the outcome. With the love and support of his musical heroes—most significantly his friend and mentor Dan Fogelberg—Jim set out on a solo career of composing, recording, and performing his signature style of piano-featured instrumentals.

In this episode, Mathew, Dr. Dave, and Jim discuss the importance of building relationships, how we can create “pinch me” moments in our everyday lives by being present, and the magic of the flow state. However, as we all know, things don’t always go as planned. Jim finishes off by giving us his tips on how he overcomes challenges by zooming out, refocusing, and continuing on.

“There’s not a limitless reservoir of tomorrows. Get the f#$k on with it.”

In this episode, you'll hear:

Why does it often take such dramatic circumstances to inspire change?
What it’s like to meet a Beatle: Tuning for Paul McCartney
How can we create “pinch me” moments in our everyday lives?
How to get back on track when things don’t go right

Follow the podcast:

Listen on Apple Podcasts (link: https://apple.co/3s1YH7h)
Listen on iHeart (link: https://ihr.fm/3MEY7FM)
Listen on Spotify (Link: https://spoti.fi/3yMmQCE)

Resources:

Connect with Mathew Blades:

Twitter - twitter.com/MathewBlades
Instagram - instagram.com/MathewBladesmedia/
Facebook - facebook.com/

Behind the Scenes with Your Neighborhood Therapist, Colleen Steppa Jul 29, 2024

Show notes

Therapy Insights with Colleen Steppa

In this episode, you'll hear:

Why people stay in “bad” relationships, and how to communicate with someone in a “bad” relationship
The realities of getting into therapy
The importance of balancing empathy and accountability
How to have a hard conversation and make a repair attempt
Tips to shift the way you view yourself

Colleen Steppa is a licensed clinical social worker with active licenses in both Minnesota and Arizona. She owns a private practice located in Phoenix, Arizona, and focuses on trauma, healthy relationships, anxiety, depression, and managing challenging emotions using CBT, DBT, sand tray, IFS, and EMDR.

In this episode, Mathew and Colleen also talk about why people stay in “bad” relationships, how to communicate with someone in a “bad” relationship, the realities of getting into therapy, and the importance of balancing empathy and accountability. Colleens also gives us tips on how to have a hard conversation and make a repair attempt, a practical way to shift the way you view yourself, and who her ideal clients are.

Colleen tells us many of her clients wish they could get the people in their lives to go to therapy or do something to impact the systemic problems in the world. Her advice to them? All you can do is tend to your own garden. If you are always concerned with things outside of your control and always give too much, you will find yourself empty and burned out.

Years ago, Mathew found himself in that exact position. That is why he decided to walk away from the path that was leaving him empty and focus on helping people tell their stories through the podcast, since stories are the way we connect with each other.

Follow the podcast:

Listen on Apple Podcasts (link: https://apple.co/3s1YH7h)
Listen on iHeart (link: https://ihr.fm/3MEY7FM)
Listen on Spotify (Link: https://spoti.fi/3yMmQCE)

Resources:

Connect with Mathew Blades:

Twitter - twitter.com/MathewBlades
Instagram - instagram.com/MathewBladesmedia/
Facebook - facebook.com/mathewbladesmedia/
Website - learnfrompeoplewholivedit.com/

Additional Credits:

LFPWLI is managed by Sam Robertson

Black Girls Do Engineer: Empowering the Next Generation in STEM with Kara Branch Jul 22, 2024

Show notes

Black Girls Do Engineer: Empowering the Next Generation in STEM with Kara Branch

In this episode, you'll hear:

How can we make STEM exciting for young people?
How to become an ally and provide support Black Girls Do Engineer
How parents and children can overcome limiting beliefs and roadblocks
Top careers for the future

Kara Branch is a multi-award-winning chemical engineer who has headed up projects for NASA and Intel. Kara was raised by a single mother with limited resources who knew her daughter was smart but wasn't sure what to do with her abilities. Kara didn’t find her love for chemistry until high school, and she didn't learn her skills could lead her to be a chemical engineer until her freshman year in college. During her time as an engineering major at HBCU Prairie View A&M University, she was only one of a handful of women in her program. Throughout her subsequent career in chemical engineering, she has often been the only Black woman in the room.

In 2019, Kara found herself increasingly troubled by the systemic issues within the field of STEM. and launched Black Girls Do Engineer to empower a future pipeline of academically gifted Black girls and young women by providing access, education, representation, and mentorship. As of today, BGDE has served over 4,000 girls, from kindergarten through college, with 60% coming from underrepresented communities. The program also has a 100% college acceptance rate and a 100% job placement rate among its members.

In this episode, Mathew and Kara discuss tactics she uses to inspire her girls to pursue STEM, the importance of representation and exposure, why she created Black Girls Do Engineer, and how you can support them. Kara also talks about struggling to have her voice heard, the role of allies, and having to overcome additional challenges in male-dominated fields. They also talk about the success BGDE has had over the years, careers kids should be thinking about for the future, and the importance of having passion in whatever career you choose to pursue.

Follow the podcast:

Listen on Apple Podcasts (link: https://apple.co/3s1YH7h)
Listen on iHeart (link: https://ihr.fm/3MEY7FM)
Listen on Spotify (Link: https://spoti.fi/3yMmQCE)

Resources:

Connect with Mathew Blades:

Twitter - twitter.com/MathewBlades
Instagram - instagram.com/MathewBladesmedia/
Facebook - facebook.com/mathewbladesmedia/
Website - learnfrompeoplewholivedit.com/

Additional Credits:

LFPWLI is managed by Sam Robertson

How to Fix Your Relationship with Food and Live the Life You Crave with Lia Pinelli Jul 15, 2024

Show notes

How to Fix Your Relationship with Food and Live the Life You Crave with Lia Pinelli

In this episode, you'll hear:

How mothers' relationships with their bodies impact their daughters
The dangers of letting yourself down and how to rebuild self-trust
Practical tips and tools to begin to Live the Life You Crave
The science of intermittent fasting and how to do it successfully
How to navigate a household that is not on your nutrition journey along with you

Lia Pinelli is the owner of The Life You Crave and the leader of The Fempire, “a community of powerhouse women who are invested in feeling good in their own skin, building baller businesses, and creating the lives they crave unapologetically.” She came from an Italian-American household full of great food, and as a kid, she was teased for her weight. It wasn't until she turned 9 when her mother suggested they go on a diet together, that she began to see her different body as “bad”. This kickstarted three decades of yo-yo dieting that ended when she found a coach who helped her rethink her relationship with food and herself. Now she is paying it forward as a coach to other women who are ready to start living the life they crave.

In this episode, Mathew, Dr. Dave, and Lia discuss the line between good-natured teasing and inappropriate bullying, the difference between being self-conscious and health-conscious, and how being health-conscious can turn into orthorexia. Lia tells us how she fell into self-sabotaging behaviors around food and how she rebuilt trust in herself by changing her mindset from plans to promises, learning how urges impacted her, and moving through the feelings rather than running away from them.

“Any real growth requires discomfort.”

Follow the podcast:

Listen on Apple Podcasts (link: https://apple.co/3s1YH7h)
Listen on iHeart (link: https://ihr.fm/3MEY7FM)
Listen on Spotify (Link: https://spoti.fi/3yMmQCE)

Resources:

Connect with Mathew Blades:

Twitter - twitter.com/MathewBlades
Instagram - instagram.com/MathewBladesmedia/
Facebook - facebook.com/mathewbladesmedia/
Website - learnfrompeoplewholivedit.com/

Additional Credits:

LFPWLI is managed by Sam Robertson

You Are Your Own Healer with Shamanic Breathwork Expert, Lukis Mac Jul 08, 2024

Show notes

In this episode, you'll hear:

Practical Ways Breathwork Impacts Your Daily Life
What Chris and Mathew experienced during their breathwork session
The Science Behind Breathwork

Lukis Mac is the founder of Owaken Breathwork, a groundbreaking modality that empowers individuals to heal and transform through the power of breathwork. Lukas had a turbulent childhood growing up in New Zealand that led him on a journey to try and understand himself and heal from his past. He found what he was looking for through breathwork, and now he is bringing the practice to others as a shamanic breathwork expert. He works with many high-profile celebrities and athletes, but his sessions are also widely available to everyone on his website, in his app, and through the events he facilitates across the world.

In this episode, Mathew, Chris, and Lukis discuss mental blocks people face when exploring breathwork and how to overcome them, how Owaken is unique, and who can benefit from the practice. Lukis outlines ways we can identify negative patterns and break those patterns for ourselves today, how different breathing techniques impact us, and how learning self-regulation can change our lives.

“You are your own healer.”

Follow the podcast:

Listen on Apple Podcasts (link: https://apple.co/3s1YH7h)
Listen on iHeart (link: https://ihr.fm/3MEY7FM)
Listen on Spotify (Link: https://spoti.fi/3yMmQCE)

Resources:

Connect with Mathew Blades:

Twitter - twitter.com/MathewBlades
Instagram - instagram.com/MathewBladesmedia/
Facebook - facebook.com/mathewbladesmedia/
Website - learnfrompeoplewholivedit.com/

Additional Credits:

LFPWLI is managed by Sam Robertson

Practical Tips to Navigate Grief with Julieanne Williams Jun 17, 2024

Show notes

Practical Tips to Navigate Grief with Julieanne Williams

In this episode, you'll hear:

How Julieanne told her children what happened to their dad
Key takeaways from her books: H.O.P.E.
The importance of community
How can you help someone who is grieving?
What life after a loss can look like

Julieanne Williams was born in a small farm town with a heart defect that required surgery at the age of 5. It complicated her childhood but also developed a resilience in her that she would need later on. She went on to earn her bachelor's degree in applied developmental psychology from Cal Poly SLO and a Master of Public Health from Fresno State. She has also written several books, including Griefquake, Head Above Water, and Unleash Her.

At age 38, Julianne's husband took his life after battling bipolar disorder. This left her in a dire financial situation, navigating a turbulent custody battle with her in-laws, and learning how to be a single parent to young children grieving the loss of their father. Her mission is to use what she has learned to help others who are experiencing loss and trauma from the death, illness, or emotional severing of a spouse, child, or parent, as well as other life-altering grief-triggering events.

In this episode, Mathew and Julieanne discuss the realities of having a loved one with bipolar disorder and losing a spouse to suicide, what she learned about grief along the way, and what she may have done differently looking back. Mathew talks about the recent loss of his mother and best friend, and Dr. Dave gives us some good information about what people going through grief need to recognize about themselves. Julieanne emphasizes the role of community, tells us how she worked hard to stay connected, and outlines how connection helps facilitate healing. She also notes the importance of normalizing the fact that grief hurts, it’s unique, and it doesn't go away, but it does get better.

“There is life after loss.”

Follow the podcast:

Listen on Apple Podcasts (link: https://apple.co/3s1YH7h)
Listen on iHeart (link: https://ihr.fm/3MEY7FM)
Listen on Spotify (Link: https://spoti.fi/3yMmQCE)

Resources:

Connect with Mathew Blades:

Twitter - twitter.com/MathewBlades
Instagram - instagram.com/MathewBladesmedia/
Facebook - facebook.com/mathewbladesmedia/
Website - learnfrompeoplewholivedit.com/

Additional Credits:

LFPWLI is managed by Sam Robertson

In the Middle of a Hard Transition? Learn How to Embrace Change with Cortney McDermott Jun 10, 2024

Show notes

Are You in the Middle of a Hard Transition? Learn How to Embrace Change with Cortney McDermott

In this episode, you'll hear:

How to find peace in the space around pain
Tools to manage the discomfort around the unknown
Ways to free yourself from limiting beliefs and thoughts.

Cortney McDermott is a returning guest on the show and one of our favorite people to learn from. She has lived in Italy for more than half of her life. She tells us she went there to escape and is now facing the unknown and everything she left behind as she prepares to return to the US. In this conversation, we explore her fears, what she is letting go of, and how she’s working through her grief by letting herself feel it fully, sharing her thoughts and feelings with people she trusts, and opening herself up to what they have to say.

Change is inevitable. Sometimes we choose it, sometimes it blindsides us, and sometimes we see it coming but can’t outrun it anymore. No matter how it comes to us, we have to embrace it and let it go. However, it’s rarely easy and often involves grief. Recently, Mathew lost his mother and best friends of 35 years within 2 months of each other. In this episode, he talks about the headspace he is in, how he views this challenge from the universe, and the peace he has found through breathwork, transcendental meditation, and embracing the space around pain head-on rather than relying on self-medication.

Eventually, we will all find ourselves sitting in the middle of some transitional period. In those times, it can often seem difficult or even impossible to feel okay with not knowing what will happen next. You are not alone in this, and there are some tools you can use to help make it to the other side. The first step is to realize that the sense of control you think you have lost was a delusion and an illusion from the start. Anything can happen at any time, so instead of letting fear overcome us, think, “What if it all goes right?”.

“We’re going to have to change form one way or another, so it’s whether we do that consciously or unconsciously.”

Follow the podcast:

Listen on Apple Podcasts (link: https://apple.co/3s1YH7h)
Listen on iHeart (link: https://ihr.fm/3MEY7FM)
Listen on Spotify (Link: https://spoti.fi/3yMmQCE)

Get LFPWLI Merch here!

Resources:

Connect with Mathew Blades:

Twitter - twitter.com/MathewBlades
Instagram - instagram.com/MathewBladesmedia/
Facebook - facebook.com/mathewbladesmedia/
Website - learnfrompeoplewholivedit.com/

Additional Credits:

LFPWLI is managed by Sam Robertson

Inside Out 2 is Here to Help: Navigating Your Teen’s Emotions with Dr. Lisa Damour Jun 03, 2024

Show notes

Inside Out 2 is Here to Help: Navigating Your Teen’s Emotions with Dr. Lisa Damour

In this episode, you'll hear:

Why parents of teenagers often feel isolated and what we can do about it
Phrases and practice advice for having productive conversations with your teens
The difference between healthy and unhealthy anxiety

Dr. Lisa Damour is a clinical psychologist and author who has been specializing in the development of teenage girls and young women for over 30 years. About 10 years ago, she realized most of the information available on teen development was about things going wrong, but there was a lack of literature addressing the typical development of adolescent girls and the normal anxieties they face. This prompted her to write the New York Times bestsellers Untangled and Under Pressure. Eventually, she started writing for The New York Times and was assigned to cover Inside Out, which was a perfect fit as her daughter was 11 at the time, the same age as Riley, the main character of the movie. Unsurprisingly, her work caught the attention of Pixar as they began development on Inside Out 2. Fast forward to 2020, and Dr. Damor got a call from Pixar to meet with Kelsey Mann and Meg LeFauve, the Inside Out 2 director and writer, respectively, and began her involvement with the upcoming film.

In this episode, Mathew and Dr. Damour discuss why parents of teenagers can often feel isolated and what makes Inside Out and Inside Out 2 such a great conversational jumping-off point. We know teens are designed for independence, so connecting with or advising them can more often than not lead to pushback and rebellion. Thankfully, Dr. Damor gives us some practice tips and phrases that can help make these conversations easier to navigate and normalize intense and negative emotions. With the rising fear of adolescent mental health crises and distress, she notes that it is important for us to remember that psychological distress and negative emotions teens experience are normal and are not the same as mental health concerns. She encourages parents to embrace the flow of emotions and help their teens explore the upsides and downsides of emotions we all feel, like joy, sadness, disgust, and anxiety.

Follow the podcast:

Listen on Apple Podcasts (link: https://apple.co/3s1YH7h)
Listen on iHeart (link: https://ihr.fm/3MEY7FM)
Listen on Spotify (Link: https://spoti.fi/3yMmQCE)

Get LFPWLI Merch here!

Resources:

Connect with Mathew Blades:

Twitter - twitter.com/MathewBlades
Instagram - instagram.com/MathewBladesmedia/
Facebook - facebook.com/mathewbladesmedia/
Website - learnfrompeoplewholivedit.com/

Additional Credits:

LFPWLI is managed by Sam Robertson

How Ketamine Therapy is Saving Lives with Derek Duchesne, CEO of BetterU May 27, 2024

Show notes

In this episode, you'll hear:

How ketamine therapy saved Derek's life
The potential medical applications of different psychedelics
Debunking misinformation and addressing the stigmas about ketamine

Derek Duchesne is an actor, producer, stunt performer, writer, and CEO of BetterU. Derek had a turbulent childhood with traumatic situations that impacted him in ways he has just recently begun to come to terms with. Through that, he has developed an understanding that everyone has baggage they have to carry, telling us it's the pain that connects us and that healing and love help us grow. Psychedelic therapy gives us the space to decide how we show up in the world and the power to choose how we respond to the triggers we inevitably face in our lives. For Derek, it was Ketamine that opened his eyes, changed his life, and inspired him to spread that healing through BetterU.

BetterU is a holistic mental wellness company that came to market with ketamine therapy but has now evolved into other modalities like physiatric care, meditation, breathwork, and talk therapy. It’s a platform for people who are looking for something different and need a community to help them reconnect with themselves.

In this episode, Mathew, Chad, and Derek discuss Derek's struggles with depression, his introduction to ketamine therapy, and how BetterU came to be. We also talk about the potential benefits of LSD for Alzheimer's and dementia, different ways to take ketamine, and how it can yield different results. Derek ends by telling us what is next for BetterU and how they are addressing side effects, and Chad gives us an update on Mental Joe.

Follow the podcast:

Listen on Apple Podcasts (link: https://apple.co/3s1YH7h)
Listen on iHeart (link: https://ihr.fm/3MEY7FM)
Listen on Spotify (Link: https://spoti.fi/3yMmQCE)

Get LFPWLI Merch here!

Resources:

Connect with Mathew Blades:

Twitter - twitter.com/MathewBlades
Instagram - instagram.com/MathewBladesmedia/
Facebook - facebook.com/mathewbladesmedia/
Website - learnfrompeoplewholivedit.com/

Additional Credits:

LFPWLI is managed by Sam Robertson

Repairing Relationships and Handling Anger through Yoga and Breathwork with Lauren Bernard May 20, 2024

Show notes

In this episode, you'll hear:

Important aspects of repairing a broken relationship and finding forgiveness
What pain and discomfort are telling us, and how should we observe and respond
The life-changing lessons Lauren learned through yoga
What Dave and Mathew learned through breathwork

Lauren Bernard is a teacher, yogi, and host of the NurishU podcast. She grew up in Omaha, Nebraska, with her older sister and spent a lot of time outside, where she felt at home in nature. Lauren had a large, loving family, but her parents were divorced when she was young, leaving her to experience the struggles of two single parents. Eventually, her father gained full custody of Lauren and her sister, which caused distance to grow between her and her mother. As she transitioned into college and out of the life she knew as a young athlete, Lauren began to lose her sense of self. However, over the years, through her yoga practice, she learned how to see life in color again and began learning how to sit in her discomfort and shift her perspective. Those lessons have carried her through her life and perfectly translated to the work it took to repair her relationship with her mother.

In this episode, Mathew, Dr. Dave, and Lauren discuss how “growing up quickly” impacted Lauren as an adult, why we should forgive our parents, and the role self-forgiveness and acceptance play in repairing relationships. They also discuss how Lauren discovered yoga, what she has learned through her years of practice, how we can observe and understand anger, and how shamanic breathwork works.

Follow the podcast: