In this powerful episode of Balancing Life's Issues, host Wendy Wollner welcomes Kath Koschel, founder of the Kindness Factory, to share her extraordinary journey of resilience, hope, and the life-changing power of kindness. From surviving personal loss and physical adversity to sparking a global kindness movement, Kath’s story is a testament to the strength found in compassion. Together, Wendy and Kath discuss the science of kindness, the courage required to choose optimism, and how small acts can transform lives.

Key Takeaways:

• The Science and Impact of Kindness: Kath shares insights on what happens in the brain when we give or receive kindness, inspiring a ripple effect that can touch both familiar faces and strangers.
• Turning Adversity into Action: Kath reveals her journey from enduring life-altering injuries and profound loss to building the Kindness Factory, a global movement celebrating acts of kindness.
• Choosing Tough Love Over Sympathy: Wendy and Kath explore the importance of “strong skills” like compassion and empathy, which require both honesty and courage, and how they’re different from simply being nice.
• Finding Optimism Through Gratitude: Kath shares her practical approach to overcoming tough days through gratitude and choosing to focus on positive influences, which sustains her resilience.

Links Mentioned:

• Learn more about Kath Koschel and her work: https://kathkoschel.com
• Log an act of kindness and join the movement: https://kindnessfactory.com

The world is changed by your example, not by your opinion

Got an idea for the show? Email producer Kai kai@balancinglifesissues.com

Welcome to Season 2 of Balancing Life's Issues!

In this heartwarming episode Wendy Wollner sits down with Alex and his mother, Val, whose famous letter to President Obama touched millions of hearts. Wendy, Alex, and Val dive into the power of empathy, raising children who believe in the magic of life, and how to maintain hope and inspiration amidst cynicism. Together, they explore how we can uncover life's miracles, even in the smallest gestures.

• Empathy Starts Early: Alex's story reminds us how important it is to raise empathetic children who believe in making the world a better place.
• The Magic of Family: Val shares her experience navigating cynicism while keeping hope alive through the incredible journey their family has taken.
• Believing in Miracles: Wendy encourages listeners to push past cynicism and embrace the idea that everyday magic exists, if we're willing to look for it.
• Inspiration Through Action: Learn how small actions can have a big impact, as seen through Alex's letter and the worldwide response it sparked.

• Watch Alex's letter to President Obama here: Alex's Letter to Obama
• Another reference to Alex's story: Video of Alex's Inspiring Journey

Got an idea for the show? Email kai@balancinglifesissues.com

Welcome to Balancing Life’s Issues the podcast!

On today’s episode "quirky and perky" CEO of BLI Wendy Wollner, dives deep into the secrets of business success by inviting renowned expert and founder of FitMinded, Dr. Jen Huberty (https://www.jenhubertyphd.com/about). They discuss the pivotal role of data in your business, the consistent challenges of being a female business owner, and how to address imposter syndrome as a CEO. Discover how leveraging data can transform your decision-making processes, enhance your strategies, and ultimately help your business thrive. Whether you're a seasoned entrepreneur or just starting out, tune in to gain valuable insights and practical tips from industry leaders on making data work for you. Don't miss this enlightening conversation on the power of data in the business world!

Got an idea for the show? Email kai@balancinglifesissues.com

Welcome to Balancing Life's Issues, the podcast and today, we're celebrating Pride Month and asking the essential question: why do we celebrate Pride Month?

As we discuss this, it's crucial to acknowledge the challenges still faced by the LGBTQIA+ community. Currently, the ACLU is tracking 516 anti-LGBTQ bills in the U.S., encompassing curriculum censorship, healthcare restrictions, facility bans, sport bans, and even forced outing in schools.

The journey for LGBTQIA+ rights has been filled with stark ups and down and to delve deeper into this discussion, we have BLI senior trainer Lori Jones joining us.

Lori, a veteran with a 30-year career as an applied sociologist working in education and government, came out in 1981. She will share her insights on how far we've come and how much further we need to go in the fight for LGBTQIA+ rights.

Tune in as we celebrate Pride Month and strive to understand the importance of creating inclusive and safe spaces for everyone.

Got an idea for the show? Email me kai@balancinglifesissues.com

It's our first live episode! Join hosts Kai and Wendy for an honest discussion on what it means to be an entrepreneur today.

Got an idea for the show? Email kai@balancinglifesissues.com

Meet BLI trainer Garrett Sorensen! Today he joins us to discuss the trainings he specializes in as well as the psychological impacts of financial stress that we all carry - often through our whole lives. We chat the importance of budgeting and planning, and how financial education can serve as a powerful tool for mental health improvement.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/garrett-sorensen-mw/

Garrett is a Consultant, Financial Planner, and Army Veteran. He develops and nurtures client relationships and manages the delivery of financial planning solutions that help clients realize their personal goals and aspirations. He also works with Business Owners in the education and preparation of exiting their business. Garrett holds an MBA in Finance & Accounting from Belmont University and a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Management from Post University.

This is Balancing Life's Issues the Podcast. Got an idea for the show? Email kai@balancinglifesissues.com

Welcome to Balancing Life's Issues the podcast! I'm your host Kai and today we are celebrating Mental Health Awareness Month which runs May 1st through 31st.

And it comes at a time when suicide rates continue to increase. Suicide and suicidal behavior are influenced by negative conditions in which people live, play, work, and learn. It's deeply personal and it's not happening in a silo. It's happening right in front of us.

We can all help prevent suicide. The 988 Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals in the United States.

So today we wanted to bring on Licensed Clinical Social Worker Tacha Fletcher to talk to us about how we reach out to a loved one and what to do if they are having thoughts of suicide.

This is Balancing Life's Issues the Podcast. Got an idea for the show? Email kai@balancinglifesissues.com

Sources for today’s show:

https://www.cdc.gov/suicide/suicide-data-statistics.html

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5178031/

Happy Earth Day 2024!

In the spring of 1970, Senator Gaylord Nelson created Earth Day knowing there were no legal or regulatory mechanisms to protect our environment. As a result, twenty million Americans demonstrated in different U.S. cities, and it worked! In December 1970, Congress authorized the creation of a new federal agency to tackle environmental issues, aptly named the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency or the EPA.

On today’s episode we'll be talking to BLI trainer Beth Pollack who protested on that day in 1970. She’ll share her experience and what lessons we can apply from that day, to today. We’ll also be talking with brand new dad, and BLI multi-media specialist, Greg Baldwin about easy changes we can make in our homes that are low cost and high impact (now that babies have limited our time!)

Sources for today's show:

https://www.epa.gov/earthday

https://www.earthday.org/

www.treehugger.com

1. Opt out of physical junk mail
2. https://www.optoutprescreen.com/
3. DMAchoice.org
4. Ditch plastics for glass
5. Replace detergent jugs with Earth Breeze ECO Sheets
6. Out with the dryer sheets and with the dryer balls!

This is Balancing Life's Issues the Podcast. Got an idea for the show? Email kai@balancinglifesissues.com