Stacey Garcia on Resilience and Optimism in the Face of Personal Roadblocks and Why She Thinks “Mondays are Magic”
Blue Sky
As a personal trainer and wellness coach, Stacey Garcia was doing everything right. She ate well, exercised, and took great care of herself. That’s why her cancer diagnosis came as an extra shock, and in this episode, she explains how she dealt with this news and found strength and resilience as she battled her disease. Now in recovery, Stacey helps guide others through similar challenges both in her daily work as well as her podcast . Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to Stacey Garcia Bill Burke introduces Stacey Garcia, host of ‘Never Miss a...
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Astronaut Nicole Stott Reflects on Lessons She Learned in Outer Space and How They Changed Her View of Life on “Spaceship Earth”
Blue Sky
Nicole Stott had a remarkable career with NASA, logging more than 100 days in outer space. Her time on the International Space Station drives her appreciation for the importance of cooperation across cultures and national boundaries. On this Blue Sky episode, she describes lessons learned from her time as an astronaut, and the inspiring work she does today through the Space For Art Foundation, and her optimistic and solutions-oriented approach to life. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to Nicole Stott This chapter introduces Nicole Stott, a retired NASA...
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Back to School Edition
Blue Sky
Host Bill Burke thinks back to his own back to school days and offers thoughts on what he might study were he an incoming student this fall. He also discusses what he might teach if he were a faculty member and encourages us all to keep learning in our lives, whether we are enrolled students or not.
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Marcy Syms on Her New Book and “Not Letting the Bad Guys Win”
Blue Sky
Marcy Syms has led a remarkable life, full of triumphs and tragedies. Through a discussion of her new book, host Bill Burke and Marcy cover subjects ranging from Marcy’s upbringing, to overcoming bigotry and bullying in high school, to running her father’s company and keeping it on track through the loss of two of her siblings. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction & Leading with Respect Bill Burke introduces Marcy Syms, CEO of The Syms Corporation, and her upcoming book “Leading with Respect.” Marcy discusses her father’s motto “Don’t let...
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Mike Goodwin on the Power of Humor and “The Comedian’s Mindset”
Blue Sky
Mike Goodwin grew up with a difficult and volatile father. As a child, he decided that one way he could help his mom would be to help make her laugh. He soon realized he had a talent for humor, but it wasn’t until after time in the US Army and a career in higher education that Mike made comedy his career. Host Bill Burke and Mike Goodwin share a lot of laughs and life lessons in this fun episode of Blue Sky. Chapters: 02:27 Meet Mike Goodwin Bill introduces Mike Goodwin, a comedian, humor coach, and keynote speaker known for his clean comedy style....
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Kristine Michie on Stirring Up Impactful Change Through Joy and Optimism
Blue Sky
In this Blue Sky conversation, Kristine Michie describes her path to a career marked by sparking joy in people and organizations to facilitate positive and impactful change. Earlier this year, she hosted Bill Burke on her and with this episode, the tables are turned and the result is a fun, inspiring conversation on the power of fun, joy, and optimism. Chapters: 02:05 Meet Kristine Michie Kristine Michie, founder of Impactfull, Inc. and host of the PlayFull podcast, joins Bill to discuss her journey and the importance of joy in making a difference. They delve into...
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Curiosity + Resilience: A Formula for Optimism
Blue Sky
Bill Burke reflects on an idea presented by Niren Chaudhary in episode 107. Niren described curiosity and resilience as two master skills required to successfully run the marathon of life. In this "A Bit of Blue Sky," Bill underscores Niren's belief and relates these qualities to optimism, providing examples through past Blue Sky guests.
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Niren Chaudhary Reflects on Rebounding From Grief and His Successful Career Leading With Gratitude and Love
Blue Sky
Niren Chaudhary has led a remarkable life while overcoming intense personal tragedies. He describes his success in running global business as stemming from a foundational belief in putting his employees first and leading them with love, gratitude, and respect. Chapters: 01:36 Meet Niren Chaudhary Niren Chaudhary, a visionary leader and CEO, shares his impressive career journey, highlighting his roles at Panera Bread and Yum! Brands. 04:04 The Power of People in Business Niren reflects on the significance of gratitude and treating employees...
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Heidi Johnson on Loss, Grief, and the Transformative Power of Giving
Blue Sky
Heidi Johnson was in a great spot in life. She had a great family, good job, all she could reasonably ask for. But when her mother was killed in a shocking accident, that all changed. After suffering from intense grief, Heidi’s life changed when she was asked to start a new initiative at her local children’s hospital. This led her to create and lead her own nonprofit and to a life today of service and also shining a light on other nonprofit leaders, through both a book and hosting her podcast, Charity Matters. Chapters: 00:30 Heidi Johnson’s Journey...
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Wounded Warrior Tom Deierlein’s Remarkable Story of Grit, Resilience, Service, and Optimism
Blue Sky
As a West Point graduate who had completed his required service, Tom Deierlein was well into a successful career in digital advertising when he was called up once again to serve in Operation Iraqi Freedom. There, while working to help struggling Iraqi families meet their basic needs, a sniper’s bullet would change his life’s trajectory. In this Blue Sky conversation, Tom shares his remarkable life story, on that is marked by inspiring grit, resilience, service, and optimism. Chapters: 02:11 Tom Deierlein’s Background Tom Deierlein shares insights about his...
info_outlineNichole Argo describes the work she’s doing to bring communities together by assembling people with different viewpoints around one table to discuss their challenges and formulate solutions. After great success in her hometown, she’s now pursuing similar models across the country, and she’s optimistic that combining a growing desire for belonging with proven methods for building community will yield positive results.
01:11 Meet Nichole Argo
Bill introduces Nichole Argo, a social psychologist and founder of the Togetherup Institute, highlighting her impressive background and her work in promoting belonging and community resilience.
02:30 Understanding Social Psychology
Nichole explains the essence of social psychology, discussing how it examines social identities and group behaviors, and shares her journey from studying conflict to fostering cooperation.
04:11 Navigating Conflict
The conversation delves into Nichole’s personal comfort with conflict, exploring how understanding and managing internal conflicts can lead to more productive discussions in various settings.
06:02 The Challenge of Online Conflict
Bill and Nichole discuss the rise of online conflict and the societal tendency to engage in arguments, emphasizing the importance of recognizing when to step back from disputes.
08:39 Founding TogetherUp
Nichole recounts the founding of TogetherUp, driven by a local crisis in her community, and the importance of building relationships across differences to foster belonging.
10:44 The Needham Resilience Network
Nicole shares her experience with the Needham Resilience Network, a transformative initiative aimed at bridging divides and fostering collaboration among community members.
14:00 The Power of Local Communities
Nichole emphasizes the significance of local communities in practicing democracy and fostering resilience, arguing that local solutions are essential for addressing broader societal challenges.
19:09 Finding Common Ground
The conversation explores the idea of identifying shared values and interests among differing groups, illustrating how focusing on commonalities can facilitate better communication and understanding.
22:15 The Importance of Resilience
Nichole discusses the necessity of resilience in facing contemporary challenges, stressing that strong communities can better withstand adversities through social cohesion.
23:25 Launching Reimagining Us
Nichole introduces her podcast, Reimagining Us, detailing its purpose of exploring how Americans can collaborate across differences and the motivations behind its creation.
27:10 The Beauty of Local Action
Bill and Nichole reflect on the abundance of individuals and initiatives working towards positive change at the local level, emphasizing the importance of community engagement and action.
29:10 Influencing Change at the Local Level
In this chapter, the conversation explores how individuals can make a significant impact within their local communities, contrasting it with the challenges of influencing larger political structures.
31:05 The Role of Local Media
Nichole and Bill delve into the critical role of local media in fostering community engagement and cohesion, especially in the face of declining local news outlets.
33:30 The Double-Edged Sword of Social Media
This chapter addresses the paradox of social media, which has the potential to unite and divide communities.
36:14 Reimagining Social Media for Good
Nichole highlights emerging platforms that focus on building connections and fostering a sense of belonging.
44:40 Empowering Communities with Resources
In the final segment, Nichole shares how TogetherUp is providing tools and resources for communities to foster belonging and engagement.