From Vietnam to Burnout Recovery with Keith Cole
GenX Journeys
In this episode of GenX Journeys, Paul welcomes Marine Corps combat veteran and author Keith Cole for a deeply honest conversation about trauma, burnout, faith, resilience, and recovery. Keith shares his journey from growing up wanting to become a Methodist minister to serving as a machine gunner in Vietnam, where he was wounded three times in combat. After returning home, he carried decades of emotional weight in silence while building a successful career as a CPA, raising his younger siblings after the loss of his mother, and pushing himself beyond exhaustion. Eventually, burnout caught up...
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The End of the Chapter, Not the Book with Devin Fish
GenX Journeys
For this episode of GenX Journeys, Paul sits down with Devin Fish for one of the most honest and emotionally powerful conversations the show has featured yet. Growing up in poverty, constantly moving from place to place, and surrounded by addiction and instability, Devin entered adulthood carrying more weight than most people face in a lifetime. Before even beginning his Army career, he experienced trauma that would shape the years ahead — including family addiction, loss, depression, online exploitation, blackmail, and moments where he seriously questioned whether he wanted to keep going at...
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Dreaming Again After Everything Changes with Chanoa Inez
GenX Journeys
What happens after life changes in ways you never saw coming? In this episode of GenX Journeys, Paul sits down with author and personal brand strategist Chanoa Inez to explore what it really takes to rebuild, realign, and start dreaming again after loss, upheaval, or major life transitions. After experiencing a sudden and devastating loss, Chanoa found herself in a place many of us know too well - functioning on the surface, but quietly shrinking her dreams without even realizing it. What followed was a powerful journey of self-discovery, healing, and reinvention that ultimately led to her...
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Bullied Behind Bars: The Road to a New Life with Matt Melvin
GenX Journeys
What does it really take to change your life? In this episode of GenX Journeys, Paul sits down with Matt Melvin, whose journey includes prison, addiction, and multiple life resets—but more importantly, a complete shift in mindset. While Matt shares his story in his book , this conversation focuses on what came after: the inner work. From moving out of victimhood and into accountability, to building discipline, faith, and self-awareness, Matt breaks down the principles that helped him rebuild his life from the inside out. This is a real, unfiltered conversation about mindset, mental health,...
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Realign Your Life & Purpose (When You Feel Stuck) with Camille Miller
GenX Journeys
What do you do when the life you built no longer feels like it fits? In this episode of GenX Journeys, I’m joined by Camille Miller—three-time bestselling author, business designer, and founder of the Soul Professional Movement. Together, we explore what it means to step out of alignment… and how to find your way back. If you’ve ever felt stuck, restless, or like something is missing—even when everything looks “right” on paper—this conversation will resonate. We talk about reinvention, authenticity, and why GenXers, in particular, are uniquely wired to evolve, adapt, and build...
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Keeping the 80s Alive: Inside the Rubixx Experience
GenX Journeys
What happens when the soundtrack of the 1980s comes roaring back to life with big vocals, big energy, and a whole lot of heart? In this episode of GenX Journeys, Paul is joined by GenX Book Club co-host Suzanne Mattaboni for a lively conversation with Rob and Lisa of Rubixx, one of the country’s premier 80s tribute bands. Together, they dive into what makes 80s music so unforgettable, how Rubixx creates a full-on experience rather than just a performance, and why the songs of that decade still bring people together across generations. Rob and Lisa share the origin story of the band, how they...
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A Marine’s Return to Faith: Louie Alessio on Healing, Purpose, and Redemption
GenX Journeys
In this powerful episode of GenX Journeys, Paul welcomes Louie Alessio — a retired Marine who served 25 years, a husband, father, teacher in his parish, and author of the upcoming book So There I Was… Out of Ammo. Louie shares his story of growing up Catholic in Youngstown, Ohio, drifting away from faith, serving in the Marines, and eventually confronting the emotional and spiritual weight of transition, regret, and moral injury after retirement. What followed was not just a return to Church, but a profound rediscovery of faith, healing, purpose, and mercy. Together, Paul and Louie discuss...
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GenX Book Club: Ordinary People by Judith Guest
GenX Journeys
In this episode of the GenX Book Club, Paul Stroessner and Suzanne Mattaboni dive into Ordinary People, Judith Guest’s powerful 1976 debut novel, and the acclaimed 1980 film adaptation directed by Robert Redford. Paul and Suzanne explore the emotional depth of this story, from Conrad’s survivor’s guilt and fragile recovery to the very different ways each member of the Jarrett family processes grief. They discuss the novel’s psychological richness, the film’s remarkable faithfulness to the book, and how their perspectives on characters like Beth changed over time. They also talk about...
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GenX Journeys: Stuck in the '80s with Steve Spears
GenX Journeys
Steve Spears, creator and co-host of Stuck in the ’80s, joins Paul Stroessner and Suzanne Mattaboni to celebrate 20 years of 80s podcasting—and to discuss his new book, Stuck in the ’80s: 20 Years of Conversations with Pop Culture Icons Who Defined the Decade. From early podcasting chaos to unforgettable celebrity interviews and the community built along the way, this episode is a nostalgic deep dive into the decade that still connects us. Steve joins us to talk about his brand-new book: Stuck in the ’80s: 20 Years of Conversations with Pop Culture Icons Who Defined the Decade...
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GenX Journeys: Huey Lewis and the News
GenX Journeys
Put on your skinny tie, crank the horn section, and try not to “black out” when you meet your heroes. 😄 In this roundtable episode, Paul is joined by GenX Book Club cohorts Suzanne Mattaboni and Del Roehling, plus special guests Caroline Connelly and Claire Young (from St. Louis, proudly repping their Huey shrine/koozie energy), to celebrate the music, movies, memories, and mythos of Huey Lewis and the News. We talk iconic hits, deep cuts, MTV-era videos, Back to the Future perfection, We Are the World, the “Ghostbusters” lawsuit, and Huey’s later-life health challenges—plus a...
info_outlineWhat does it really take to change your life?
In this episode of GenX Journeys, Paul sits down with Matt Melvin, whose journey includes prison, addiction, and multiple life resets—but more importantly, a complete shift in mindset.
While Matt shares his story in his book Bullied Behind Bars, this conversation focuses on what came after: the inner work. From moving out of victimhood and into accountability, to building discipline, faith, and self-awareness, Matt breaks down the principles that helped him rebuild his life from the inside out.
This is a real, unfiltered conversation about mindset, mental health, and the kind of honest reflection most people avoid—but that leads to lasting change.
If you’re ready to stop making excuses and start taking ownership, this episode will challenge you in all the right ways.
🔑 What You’ll Hear in This Episode
- The shift from victimhood to full accountability
- How small decisions can lead to life-altering consequences
- Why mindset is everything when it comes to personal growth
- The role of discipline, faith, and daily habits
- How environment and relationships influence your direction
- Why journaling and self-reflection are powerful tools for change
- The importance of real conversations over surface-level talk
- Why many people struggle to express emotions—and how to change that
💡 Key Takeaways
- You can’t change your life until you take responsibility for it
- Awareness is the foundation of growth
- Your environment matters more than you think
- Growth requires honesty, even when it’s uncomfortable
- Real change is built through daily habits and decisions
📚 About Matt Melvin
Matt Melvin is the author of Bullied Behind Bars: A Gay Christian Trump Supporter Goes to Prison. His story is one of transformation through discipline, faith, and radical accountability after facing addiction and incarceration.
🔗 Connect with Matt
- Instagram: @BulliedBehindBars
- Facebook: Matthew Melvin
- X: @BarsBullied
- email: mmelvinjn316@gmail.com
- Book: Bully Behind Bars (available on Amazon)
🎧 Listen & Watch
Available on all podcast platforms, with the full video version on YouTube.
🔥 Final Thought
You don’t have to control everything that happens to you—but you do control what happens next.
💡 Connect with GenX Journeys
🌎 Website: GenXJourneys.net
📩 Email: paul@genxjourneys.net
📺 YouTube: @GenXJourneys
📷 Instagram: @GenXJourneys
🐦 Twitter/X: @Returntothe80s
📘 Facebook: GenX Journeys
🎥 TikTok: @GenXJourneys
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