Succeeding in a troubled world

Stanley
  • 4.8 (4)
  • Non-Profit
  • Daily

Succeeding in a Troubled World is a podcast about people who keep moving forward when life gets difficult. Through honest conversations about grief, trauma, illness, disability, loss, failure, adversity, and ambition, we explore what it takes to build a meaningful life in an imperfect world. Hear from people who have faced difficult circumstances, found a way forward, pursued success, and used their experiences to create an impact. Because success isn’t about avoiding trouble it’s about discovering what you can still become despite it.

  1. 12h ago

    Ayis Caperonis: Staring Down Depression—Tools That Work When Hope Is Gone

    What happens when you survive a life-threatening brain tumor but face another battle that no one can see? Ayis Caperonis—brain-tumor survivor, husband, father of three, and author of Staring Down Depression—joins us for a raw and practical conversation about resilience, faith, and what actually helps when positive thinking isn't enough. At thirteen, Ayis was told he would never walk unaided, finish school, or live a normal life. He survived experimental surgery with a thirty percent chance of success—and then spent years in clinical depression. He's not a therapist. He's someone who has lived that darkness and wrote a practical guide for the days you can't "think positive." In this episode, Ayis shares the tools that still work when motivation is gone, what not to say to someone who's depressed, and how to show up as a husband and dad when you barely feel like a person. His message is honest, faith-informed, and deeply practical—pointing listeners toward real help and actionable steps they can take the same day. In this episode, we explore: • What doctors told Ayis at 13 and how it changed the life he thought he'd have • What the tumor didn't take—and what depression did • What clinical depression actually feels like on a normal Tuesday, not in a slogan • What "staring it down" looks like on a day you can barely get out of bed • Tools that still work when motivation is already gone • What people should stop saying to someone who's depressed—and what actually helps • How to show up as a husband and father when you don't feel like a person • Where faith fits in without becoming "just pray it away" • What Ayis wishes he'd known in the first year after his diagnosis • One thing someone listening can do today if they're in it right now Connect with Ayis Caperonis: 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ayis-caperonis 🐦 Twitter/X: https://x.com/AyisCaperonis ▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ayiscaperonis 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ayisandreas 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ayiscaperonis1 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1TonHbYq3x/ Get the Book: Staring Down Depression is a practical guide for people in clinical depression—tools and perspectives from someone who has lived it. Listeners who want to go deeper after the episode can find it here. 📚 https://www.amazon.com/Staring-Down-Depression-Practical-Perspectives-ebook/dp/B0H9JDTDLQ

  2. 21h ago

    Brent Huff: My Playbook for Life—Fake It Until You Become It

    What happens when you take the "social mask" you wear every day and turn it into your greatest superpower? Brent Huff—award-winning actor, writer, director, and author best known for playing the fan-favorite "Smitty" on ABC's The Rookie—joins us for a fascinating conversation about character development, motivation, and the code to success and happiness. With over 50 film credits, a background as a top male model, and a lifetime of studying hundreds of self-help books and the Bible, Brent has distilled a lifetime of journaling into his new book, My Playbook for Life. He believes that just as actors dress and comport themselves as a character to bring them to life, we can all "act" our way into becoming the person we want to be. We all put on social masks the moment we walk out the door. So why not act as if you are confident, positive, and destined for success? Don't just fake it until you make it—fake it until you become it. It takes hard work, but if you can do better, shouldn't you? In this episode, we explore: • Brent's experience playing the beloved Smitty on The Rookie for the past 8 years • What inspired him to write My Playbook for Life • What it was like being a top male model in the 80s • How he transitioned into writing and directing movies • Why self-help books have been so important on his journey • The power of acting as if you are the prize and the hero in your own movie • How his faith and trust in God shape his approach to life and work • Actionable strategies to help you stand out, rather than just fit in Connect with Brent Huff: 🌐 Website: https://www.brenthuff.com/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brenthuff11/ 🐦 Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/brenthuff11 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@brenthuff11 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brent.huff.9/ Get the Book: My Playbook for Life — available now on Amazon. If you're on a success journey and want to live a life that matters, this book is for you. 📚 https://a.co/d/0j34JK59

  3. Oct 30

    Cindy Koehler: Manifest YOU—Why Identity Matters More Than Motivation

    What if the reason you keep repeating patterns you want to change isn't a lack of motivation—but a deeply ingrained belief about who you are? Cindy Koehler—Australian neuroscientist, author, speaker, and identity coach—joins us for a powerful conversation about the gap between knowing and doing. Her work sits at the intersection of neuroscience, identity, behavior, and personal growth. Rather than focusing on quick fixes or simply "trying harder," Cindy helps high achievers understand why lasting change often begins deeper—with self-concept, nervous system patterns, and the way the brain has learned to interpret the world. She works with entrepreneurs, leaders, and high-achieving women who often appear successful from the outside but know they are capable of more. Many deal with familiar patterns: overthinking, perfectionism, people-pleasing, burnout, fear of visibility, and the sense that they are constantly pushing without ever feeling settled in their success. In this episode, we explore: • The gap between knowing and doing: Why we keep repeating behaviors we consciously want to change • Why willpower and motivation are rarely enough to create lasting change • How our brains continue running old patterns long after those patterns stop serving us • The difference between asking "What do I need to do?" versus "Who do I believe I am when I do it?" • How identity shapes high performance, decision-making, boundaries, and leadership • Why confidence is built through action and evidence, not waiting until you "feel ready" • The neuroscience behind manifestation and why simplistic affirmations often fail • How to navigate the fear of visibility and the pressure to be capable all the time Connect with Cindy Koehler: 🌐 Website: https://mindgarage.com.au/ 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cindy-koehler-b579a277/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themindgarage ▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2mFOJDpsWM 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/themindgarage Get Her Book: Cindy's book, Manifest YOU, takes the ideas she discusses around neuroscience, identity, behavior, and lasting change and gives listeners a practical way to explore them further. It is particularly relevant for high achievers, entrepreneurs, and leaders who feel they are doing all the right things but are still repeating patterns that may be holding them back. For listeners who enjoy Cindy's conversation and want to go deeper, Manifest YOU is the natural next step. 📚 https://www.amazon.com.au/Manifest-YOU-Business-only-grow/dp/1923763040

  4. Oct 29

    Steven Twohig: Turning Within—Why Insight Isn't Transformation

    What if insight isn’t actually the same thing as transformation? Steven Twohig—Depth Work Trainer, founder of Turning Within, and author of the book Turning Within—joins us for a profound conversation about human consciousness, shadow work, and reclaiming authorship over your life. With over 25 years of dedicated, shadow-informed depth work, Steven has applied the transformational power of this practice across every layer of the human experience—from the trenches of personal struggle and recovery to the strategy rooms of Fortune 500 leaders. His path has included 10 years as a Senior Business Strategist for Tony Robbins, over 10,000 strategic interventions with business owners, and five years directing integration inside a 20,000+ plant-medicine community. Steven’s work bridges recovery, leadership, spiritual awakening, and business transformation. He believes that deep inner work is not reserved for seekers alone, but is essential for anyone seeking to evolve, lead, or live with purpose. Shadow is part of the work, but it isn't the destination. The deeper practice is learning to engage our experience directly and make more of our capacity, authenticity, and genius available to the life we are actually living. In this episode, we explore: • Why insight isn't transformation • How projection shapes reality • Why business can become a spiritual sport • What mental hygiene means in an accelerating world • Why the ego may need to be reclaimed rather than defeated • How the struggles we meet can become thresholds into more of who we are • Why Turning Within is not about fixing yourself, but about becoming more conscious of the life being lived through you Connect with Steven Twohig: 🌐 Website: https://www.MasteringChange.com 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steventwohig/ 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@steventwohigsr 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/steventwohig/ ▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MasteringChange Explore Turning Within: Mastering Change is a socially focused company that supports the evolution of our collective consciousness through providing experiential resources meant to engage and transform at the deepest level. Their main practice is Turning Within—a shadow-informed depth work practice designed for the modern mind. 🔗 https://www.MasteringChange.com

  5. Oct 29

    Jacquie Elliott: The ABCs of Abusive Brain Chatter—Taming the Silent Bully Within

    What if the most relentless bully you’ll ever face isn’t out in the world, but inside your own head? Jacquie Elliott—certified life, spiritual, and relationship coach, and author of The Silent Bully—joins us for a powerful conversation about “Abusive Brain Chatter” (ABC) and the tools to combat what she calls the “Tornado Head of abusive chatter.” Jacquie helps clients move from self-doubt and negative self-talk to self-love. Through her groundbreaking ABC method—Awareness, Belief, and Challenge—she teaches people how to recognize harmful inner dialogue, understand the core beliefs driving it, and ultimately challenge and change it. Whether you struggle with codependency, boundary-setting, or simply finding a spiritual path that feels authentic, Jacquie brings warmth, practical wisdom, and a deep understanding of what it takes to walk a healing journey. In this episode, we explore: • What is Abusive Brain Chatter (ABC)? • How to overcome the relentless inner critic and the “Tornado Head” • Why we have ABC in the first place • Jacquie’s personal journey of overcoming her own ABC • What if you don’t believe in God—can you still have a spiritual practice? • Why having a spiritual practice is important for healing • If you weren’t taught boundaries, how to learn them as an adult • What not having good boundaries can result in • What to do if you are codependent • Staying in your lane and how it changes your relationships Connect with Jacquie Elliott: 🌐 Website & Worksheets: https://www.healingabc.com 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacquie-elliott-928607215/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jacquieelliottclc ▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5cLN6Q7Dhq_QFiMe5_oqyA 📘 Facebook: Jacquie Elliott Learn More & Access Resources: Visit Jacquie’s website to access worksheets, information on retreats, workshops, and her coaching services. Discover how to tame the inner bully and start living a life aligned with your true self. 🔗 https://www.healingabc.com

  6. Oct 29

    Eric Christianson: South Bend to Spring Valley—A Promise Kept, a Friendship That Defied the 1960s

    What would you do if your dying spouse asked you to finish her life's dream? When Eric Christianson's wife, Joyce, passed away in 2023 after a long illness, he was at the lowest point of his life—grief-stricken, guilt-ridden, and without purpose. But before she died, he made her a promise: he would finish the book she had dreamed of writing since childhood. That book became South Bend to Spring Valley: The Davids-Sims Story, a poignant and timely true story of an interracial friendship during the turbulent 1960s. The story centers on Joyce's family, the Davids (white), and the Sims (Black), whose correspondence and genuine kindness defied social norms and broke racial barriers. The book brings to life the warmth and trials of an unlikely friendship that made national news and continues to inspire across generations. Through heartfelt letters and acts of faith, the two families forged a fellowship that served as a beacon of hope for racial harmony. This conversation is about more than history. It's about the "story behind the story"—Eric's journey through grief and guilt to regain his purpose and faith, the importance of keeping a promise, and the Christian values that made this friendship possible. In this episode, we explore: • How did the Davids and Sims friendship begin? • What hardships did they endure in maintaining an interracial friendship in the 1960s? • When the Sims finally came to stay with the Davids on their farm for a week, how did it go? What activities did they engage in? How were they treated by the locals? • If David Sims was offered employment and a house in the Spring Valley area, why did he decline? • How long did they correspond? Do any of the Sims and Davids stay in touch today? • If it was Joyce's dream to write the book, what circumstances led to Eric writing it instead? • After Joyce passed, how long did it take to start writing the book, and was there a catalyst that precipitated it? • How did writing the book benefit Eric? • What is the most important takeaway from the book's story that you want the reader to leave with? • What advice do you have for our viewers based on your experiences in writing this book? Connect with Eric Christianson: 🌐 Website: https://www.southbendtospringvalley.com/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/echristianson57/ ▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@erogg57 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-christianson-032333297/ Get the Book: South Bend to Spring Valley: The Davids-Sims Story — available now. 🔗 https://www.youtube.com/shorts/L5tcvQ8xubI

  7. Oct 28

    Sylvia Worsham: Release Doubt, Reveal Purpose—From Corporate Success to Divine Alignment

    What happens when a medical miracle forces you to pivot from a successful corporate career into your divine soul's purpose? Sylvia Worsham—3x bestselling author, spiritual transformation coach, and host of the Release Doubt, Reveal Purpose podcast—joins us for a powerful conversation about faith, transformation, and aligning with your soul's identity. Described as a warrior of light and faith, Sylvia's superpower is her ability to see the silver lining in challenges. After a miraculous recovery from a medical complication, she retired from a multiple award-winning corporate sales profession to follow her true calling. Today, she helps corporate and professional women navigating deep spiritual change move toward their divine purpose through her writing, masterminds, keynotes, and one-on-one coaching. In this episode, we explore: • Sylvia's miraculous story of recovery and how it became her turning point • How to drop the EGO to live a life of JOY • How turning points can be the opportunity to shift the lens of your life • From Survivor to Thriver: Turning trauma into transformational change • Belief versus Trust in God • Does your perfectionism, overwhelm, and need for control sabotage your joy? • How to transition from Corporate America to Entrepreneur • How to tune into your inner source of wisdom to find the answers you seek • The value of surrender and how to experience joy during grief Connect with Sylvia Worsham: 🌐 Website: http://www.sylviaworsham.com 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sylviaworsham/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coachsylviaworsham/ ▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9cCgUH9u_9aa9ZukqiUM8Q 🐦 Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/sylvia_worsham 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sylvia.villalobos.50 Listen to Her Podcast: Release Doubt, Reveal Purpose Available wherever you listen to podcasts.

  8. Oct 28

    Jerry Danielsen: Dying to Live—Putting Joy on the Calendar When Life Falls Apart

    What happens when a terminal diagnosis enters your life—and instead of letting cancer dictate how you live, you decide to start putting joy on the calendar? Jerry Danielsen—Gold Record-winning music producer, composer, and author—joins us for a powerful conversation about love, adventure, caregiving, and grief. His work has been featured on shows like Jersey Shore and Deadliest Catch, but his most important story began when his late wife, Angela, was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Together, they refused to let illness define every remaining moment. They planned adventures, traveled across the country, and created what they called the F**K Cancer National Tour. In his memoir, Dying to Live: Choosing Love and Adventure in the Face of Terminal Illness, Jerry shares their story and how anyone facing illness, caregiving, or loss can keep living when life falls apart. One question sits at the heart of it: How do we keep living while all of this is happening? In this episode, we explore: • What was the F**K Cancer National Tour, and why did you start it? • How did you afford all those trips, and was it worth it? • How did you and Angela put joy on the calendar when it was already full of medical appointments? • What do friends and family often misunderstand about supporting someone with a serious illness? • How did you learn to advocate for Angela within the medical system—and what advice would you give someone doing it for the first time? • What is anticipatory grief, and how did you experience it while Angela was still alive? • How did your relationship change as you became Angela's caregiver as well as her husband? • What did your son, Sean, tell you afterward that changed how you looked back on your time with Angela? • After losing Angela, how did you begin rebuilding your life while honoring what you shared? • What's one thing listeners can do today to stop postponing joy? Connect with Jerry Danielsen: 🌐 Website: https://dyingtolivebook.com/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jerrydanielsen 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jerrydanielsen ▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JerryDanielsen 🐦 Twitter/X: https://x.com/JerryDanielsen 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jerry.danielsen Get the Book: At DyingToLiveBook.com, listeners can order signed copies of Dying to Live directly from Jerry and learn more about the story behind the F**K Cancer National Tour. The book offers personal insights and practical takeaways for anyone navigating serious illness, caregiving, grief, or loss—and it's a meaningful gift for someone going through a difficult time. 🔗 http://dyingtolivebook.com/

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4.8
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

Succeeding in a Troubled World is a podcast about people who keep moving forward when life gets difficult. Through honest conversations about grief, trauma, illness, disability, loss, failure, adversity, and ambition, we explore what it takes to build a meaningful life in an imperfect world. Hear from people who have faced difficult circumstances, found a way forward, pursued success, and used their experiences to create an impact. Because success isn’t about avoiding trouble it’s about discovering what you can still become despite it.

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