40,000 Steps Radio

My wife and I are going through a divorce. We all just moved from Illinois to Wisconsin. Our beloved black lab, Dexter, is going to die soon. It’s a lot. And it’s important to me that I get you an update, and share some lessons I’m learning.

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This episode was presented by Mindful Marathon. Exercise is medicine, and pediatrician/running coach Michelle Quirk is ready to write a prescription. Whether you’re training for your first 5K or looking to tackle an ultramarathon, she will build an individualized plan and be at your side from start to finish. Schedule a free consultation today at mindful-marathon.com.

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Catch me on IGTV (@40000_Steps) and Facebook Live at 11 a.m. CST every Tuesday. Join the discussion. Bring your own snacks.

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If you or someone you know would like to star on the podcast, or be interviewed on IGTV, email [email protected].

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Sign up for the free newsletter and read my regular musings in The Big Blog at 40000steps.com, where you can also read about and listen to every episode of 40,000 Steps Radio.

Greg Studzinski is backpacking 123 miles from Lambeau Field to his alma mater, Cudahy High School in the south Milwaukee suburbs. It’s a far cry from the 8 years he spent in the throes of fentanyl addiction. He failed to stay clean after his first few times through rehab, but finally made it stick when he fully addressed his mental health woes. Studzinski is raising money for Street Angels, a Milwaukee nonprofit assisting the unhoused. Check out his Packer 2 Packer GoFundMe page and make a contribution: https://bit.ly/3wIeGtY

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This episode was presented by DUI & Behavioral Health Counseling Centers, which has offices here in northern Illinois – in Sycamore, Plano, and Crystal Lake. If you suspect you or someone you love has a problem with drinking, drugs, mental illness or anger, call 815-895-9000 today and set up an evaluation. Visit duisycamore.com for more information.

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Catch me on IGTV (@40000_Steps) and Facebook Live at 11 a.m. CST every Tuesday and Thursday. Join the discussion. Bring your own snacks.

************************************

If you or someone you know would like to star on the podcast, or be interviewed on IGTV, email us at [email protected].

************************************

Sign up for the free newsletter and read my regular musings in The Big Blog at 40000steps.com, where you can also read about and listen to every episode of 40,000 Steps Radio.

Mindfulness and meditation coach Josephine Atluri has seven children, including three sets of twins. She has experienced all the highs, the lows, and tangled messes of complicated emotions that come with having children. Because of fertility issues and a miscarriage, she and her husband adopted. Then they were pregnant with twins, and rather than enjoying the miracle of being able to carry children, she lived in constant fear of miscarrying again. Faced with the decision of what to do with their extra embryos, they went the surrogate route. Twice. And in both instances, those surrogates had twins.

Well into her family's journey, she discovered mindfulness and meditation. Now she shares the insights she wishes she had.

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This episode was presented by Mindful Marathon. Exercise is medicine, and pediatrician/running coach Michelle Quirk is ready to write a prescription. Whether you’re training for your first 5K or looking to tackle an ultramarathon, she will build an individualized plan and be at your side from start to finish. Schedule a free consultation today at mindful-marathon.com.

************************************

Catch me on IGTV (@40000_Steps) and Facebook Live at 11 a.m. CST every Tuesday. Join the discussion. Bring your own snacks.

************************************

If you or someone you know would like to star on the podcast, or be interviewed on IGTV, email [email protected].

************************************

Sign up for the free newsletter and read my regular musings in The Big Blog at 40000steps.com, where you can also read about and listen to every episode of 40,000 Steps Radio.

Ondrew is a brilliant composer, who also records under the names Sangfroids and Joculatrix. They are a data scientist. They are a self-described change-maker fighting socioeconomic and environmental injustice. They are also a wide-open book about their diagnoses, which include bipolar disorder and schizoaffective disorder.

But rather than saying mentally ill, Ondrew uses the term neuro-divergent. And rather than overcoming mental illness, they’re focused on overcoming society and its barriers.

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This episode was presented by Mindful Marathon. Exercise is medicine, and pediatrician/running coach Michelle Quirk is ready to write a prescription. Whether you’re training for your first 5K or looking to tackle an ultramarathon, she will build an individualized plan and be at your side from start to finish. Schedule a free consultation today at mindful-marathon.com.

************************************

Catch me on IGTV (@40000_Steps) and Facebook Live at 11 a.m. CST every Tuesday. Join the discussion. Bring your own snacks.

************************************

If you or someone you know would like to star on the podcast, or be interviewed on IGTV, email [email protected].

************************************

Sign up for the free newsletter and read my regular musings in The Big Blog at 40000steps.com, where you can also read about and listen to every episode of 40,000 Steps Radio.

Dr. Robb Kelly has lived many lives. He was a bassist at Abbey Road studio who played - and partied - with the likes of Queen, Bowie, and Sir Elton John. He fled England for Spain after stabbing his wife for trying to take away his vodka. He went from millionaire to homeless, living on the streets of Manchester for nearly a year.

He remembers his moment of clarity, at a convenience store before sunrise. His hands trembled as he reached for a bottle of vodka. When he touched it, his hands stopped shaking. He realized then he had a thinking problem, not a drinking problem.

He's ridden that realization to a career as an addiction specialist with the Robb Kelly Recovery Group, through which he creates individualized recovery programs using somatic experience and neuro linguistic programming. Robb has appeared on all the major networks, HBO and more.

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This episode was presented by Gateway Foundation. If drugs and alcohol are starting to take over your life, or the life of someone you love, it’s time to be honest and enlist some help. Gateway offers life-saving inpatient services, as well as virtual treatment. Call 877-505-HOPE to schedule a consultation, or visit gatewayfoundation.org for more information.

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Catch me on IGTV (@40000_Steps) and Facebook Live at 11 a.m. CST every Tuesday and Thursday. Join the discussion. Bring your own snacks.

************************************

If you or someone you know would like to star on the podcast, or be interviewed on IGTV, email [email protected].

************************************

Sign up for the free newsletter and read Christopher's regular musings in The Big Blog at 40000steps.com, where you can also listen to every episode of 40,000 Steps Radio.

As a magnetic, talented 13-year-old member of the MWAH troupe, Landon Ballard danced, acted and sang songs about the importance of staying away from drugs and asking for help. Yet he was already headed down the spiral of drug addiction - a plummet that would land him in jail and rehab multiple times.

Now he bravely shares his recovery story in middle and high schools, and he’s directing a show called This Is My Brave, in which locals take the stage and share their stories of triumph over mental illness and addiction.

TRIGGER WARNING: This episode includes discussions of substance abuse, mental illness and self-harm.

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This episode was presented by Gateway Foundation. If drugs and alcohol are starting to take over your life, or the life of someone you love, it’s time to be honest and enlist some help. Gateway offers life-saving inpatient services, as well as virtual treatment. Call 877-505-HOPE to schedule a consultation, or visit gatewayfoundation.org for more information.

************************************

Catch me on IGTV (@40000_Steps) and Facebook Live at 11 a.m. CST every Tuesday and Thursday. Join the discussion. Bring your own snacks.

************************************

If you or someone you know would like to star on the podcast, or be interviewed on IGTV, email [email protected].

************************************

Sign up for the free newsletter and read Christopher's regular musings in The Big Blog at 40000steps.com, where you can also listen to every episode of 40,000 Steps Radio.

As a child growing up in Hungary, Agota Gabor was destined for Swan Lake - until she caught polio and was partially paralyzed. While she mostly recovered through relentless hard work, the virus did enough damage that she’d never be able to dance ballet professionally.

She suffered from depression and an eating disorder, but persevered to become a chorus girl, a TV celebrity who taught millions how to dance, and a celebrated journalist.

On the topic of journalism, we talked about how hard it is for her to track the war in Ukraine, and how much it triggers the unthinkable scenes she witnessed in the wake of World War II.

Agota shares her journey in her book "Forever on Pointe", which just went on sale on Amazon.

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This episode was presented by DUI & Behavioral Health Counseling Centers, which has offices here in northern Illinois – in Sycamore, Plano, and Crystal Lake. If you suspect you or someone you love has a problem with drinking, drugs, mental illness or anger, call 815-895-9000 today and set up an evaluation. Visit duisycamore.com for more information.

************************************

Catch me on IGTV (@40000_Steps) and Facebook Live at 11 a.m. CST every Tuesday and Thursday. Join the discussion. Bring your own snacks.

************************************

If you or someone you know would like to star on the podcast, or be interviewed on IGTV, email us at [email protected].

************************************

Sign up for the free newsletter and read my regular musings in The Big Blog at 40000steps.com, where you can also read about and listen to every episode of 40,000 Steps Radio.

Joe Barksdale is a former NFL player who won a National Championship with the LSU Tigers in 2008. But he'd rather talk about his second career as a musician - and his third as a comedian. Joe dropped five albums in 2021 alone, and he has another on the way. 

When Joe does talk sport, it generally centers on advocacy for athletes struggling with mental illness. After all, Joe is on the autism spectrum, and he bravely shares in our conversation that every morning, he wakes up thinking about taking his own life.

TRIGGER WARNING: This episode includes discussions about suicide, sexual abuse, and mental illness.

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This episode was presented by Lyn Health, human-centric healthcare for people with multiple chronic conditions. Lyn delivers clinical, advocacy and care coordination services, combining the best parts of virtual and in-person care. Lyn can help you find a doctor or specialist, schedule appointments, manage medicines, and talk to your insurance company. If you are an employer or health plan, Lyn is a benefit your employees and members deserve, and can also provide a cost savings for you. Lyn is on your side, at your side, as a friend. Visit lynhealth.io to learn more.

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Catch me on IGTV (@40000_Steps) and Facebook Live at 11 a.m. CST every Tuesday. Join the discussion. Bring your own snacks.

************************************

If you or someone you know would like to star on the podcast, or be interviewed on IGTV, email us at [email protected].

************************************

Sign up for the free newsletter and read my regular musings in The Big Blog at 40000steps.com, where you can also read about and listen to every episode of 40,000 Steps Radio.

Danielle Lewis, at the time this episode was recorded, was 40th in the Ironman World Rankings. Ironman is the ultimate test of mental toughness, so it was inspiring to learn that Danielle, like the rest of us mortals, has dealt with severe depression.

Danielle talked about illness, injuries and devastation that once led to her putting on 50 pounds and temporarily giving up on her goals. Ultimately, though, she made the decision that depression wasn’t going to rob her of her dream of being a world-class athlete.

Danielle and I found lots of commonality, including that we have both struggled to learn to swim. The difference here being that she's about twice as fast as I am, and given her recent breakthrough in the water, don’t be shocked if her Ironman world ranking rises fast in 2022.

TRIGGER WARNING: This conversation includes discussions of mental illness and disordered eating.

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This episode was presented by bambu werx, a Boulder-based company that creates sustainably sourced athletic apparel. Not only are product materials sources in an eco-friendly manner, bambu werx limits waste, practices Earth-friendly production, and uses recyclable materials in all its packaging. Check out 40000steps.com/gear to shop bambu werx's line of 40,000 Steps gear, and visit bambuwerx.com to learn more about all the amazing products they create - and how they create them.

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Catch me on IGTV (@40000_Steps) and Facebook Live at 11 a.m. CST every Tuesday. Join the discussion. Bring your own snacks.

************************************

If you or someone you know would like to star on the podcast, or be interviewed on IGTV, email [email protected].

************************************

Sign up for the free newsletter and read Christopher's regular musings in The Big Blog at 40000steps.com, where you can also listen to every episode of 40,000 Steps Radio.

Triathlete Steph Williams has taken the leap into the deep end - figuratively and literally. She recently got sober and resumed sharing her mental health journey as a Still I Run ambassador, years after a nastygram from a friend led her to go silent.

Steph also taught herself to swim and has her eyes on her first Ironman in 2023. She opened up about losing multiple loved ones to suicide, and what it's like to truly live, not just try to survive.

TRIGGER WARNING: This episode contains discussions about substance abuse, mental illness, and suicide.

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This episode was presented by Mindful Marathon. Exercise is medicine, and pediatrician/running coach Michelle Quirk is ready to write a prescription. Whether you’re training for your first 5K or looking to tackle an ultramarathon, she will build an individualized plan and be at your side from start to finish. Schedule a free consultation today at mindful-marathon.com.

************************************

Catch me on IGTV (@40000_Steps) and Facebook Live at 11 a.m. CST every Tuesday. Join the discussion. Bring your own snacks.

************************************

If you or someone you know would like to star on the podcast, or be interviewed on IGTV, email [email protected].

************************************

Sign up for the free newsletter and read my regular musings in The Big Blog at 40000steps.com, where you can also read about and listen to every episode of 40,000 Steps Radio.