Playing the Second Half

Heraldo Sales Cavalcante

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Conversations and stories about life, purpose, transitions, and living the second half well. playingthesecondhalf.substack.com

4h ago

Playing the Second Half - Conversation #8: Finding peace and joy after trauma with Aminah Ådin

We often say about a great book, “I started reading it and simply couldn’t put it down.” With Aminah’s book, Flickan som blev kvar – Att finna lugn och lycka efter trauma - or, translated into English, The Girl Left Behind – Finding Peace and Joy After Trauma - I had almost the opposite experience. I had to stop reading several times. Not because I wanted to stop reading. Quite the opposite. It is now among the best books I have ever read. I stopped because I needed to catch my breath. I needed to stop crying. There are books that teach us something. And then there are books that change the way we look at life. For me, this was one of those books. When Aminah was only ten years old, her father killed her mother. She was separated from her family, had a father in prison and was placed in a foster home, where she was later sexually abused by someone close to that family. Most people would understand if that became the defining story of her life. But it didn’t. What defines Aminah today is not what happened to her, but what she has done with her life since. She healed. She found peace. She found joy. And today she dedicates her life to helping others find their own strength, as well as being a voice for children who experience trauma. Her book, and her life story, are ultimately stories of resilience. They are about the triumph of life. As Helen Keller - who, despite being both deaf and blind, became one of the most inspiring human beings of the twentieth century - once said: “Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it.” I have never met anyone who embodies those words more than Aminah. After getting to know her, I found myself thinking differently about the title of her book. While the English translation is The Girl Left Behind, I almost think of it as The Girl Who Remained. Because despite everything that happened, she somehow preserved something essential from the little girl she was before that terrible night. Not untouched by life, but still guided by the same kindness, curiosity, and capacity to love. To me, that is the real miracle of her story. I hope this conversation stays with you long after you’ve listened. And if, afterwards, you feel inspired to read Aminah’s remarkable book, I think we will have accomplished something truly worthwhile. Viva a vida! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playingthesecondhalf.substack.com
Jul 11

Playing the Second Half - Conversation #7: Reinventing myself with Leonardo Fuks

A well-known neuroscientist from Karolinska in Stockholm - one of the world’s leading medical institutions - and a fun fact it is also home to the commitee that selects the Nobel Prize in Medicine - well this neurocientist said it was impossible to both play musical instruments and ride a bicycle at the same time and at different rhythms. He presumed that the pedaling cadence might be coupled to the musical tempo, as it happens with the legs motion in marching bands. Leonardo proved him wrong. Not only did he perform while cycling, he created an entire Cyclophonica – Bicycle Chamber Orchestra.Having invented more than 200 musical instruments, Leonardo is a musician, engineer, inventor... and the list goes on.Yet beyond all his talents, Leonardo is one of the kindest, funniest, most curious people - and one of the best listeners - I have ever met.I admire him deeply. So when I decided to create this Summer Series, he was one of the first people I reached out to. I wanted to reconnect with an old friend and learn more about the many chapters of his remarkable life.What followed was a wonderful conversation - interrupted for a few minutes by a monkey! And not a small one. Just one of many unexpected moments in this fascinating interview.Thank you, Leonardo, for sharing your life story so openly, including the Kafkaesque legal process you are currently facing. We are all cheering for justice to prevail and for this story to reach the happy and fair ending it deserves.Enjoy Episode 4 of the Summer Series. “Reinventing Myself” is a story of second halves, new paths, creativity, courage, and the joy of continually becoming.It was fantastic reconnecting with you Leonardo!Viva a vida! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playingthesecondhalf.substack.com
Jul 4

Playing the Second Half – Conversation #6: From banking to self-awareness with Tina Tornell

I was a little nervous before this conversation with Tina. We had never met before.I didn’t need to be.From the very first minutes, it felt like we had known each other for a long time. We had so much fun.Tina Tornell’s big life transition did not come after a dramatic event, but through the slow realization that, after twenty years in banking, she wanted something more meaningful. She left it all behind to devote her life to helping others understand themselves better.From Banking to Self-Awareness is the theme Tina chose for her life story.If you’re Swedish, you probably know Alfons Åberg. Tina’s childhood was a little like Alfons’. After her parents separated, she was raised by her father - something quite unusual at the time. As you’ll discover, that close relationship would later bring both love and conflict, making Tina’s life story so unique and deeply human.You’ll love Tina’s positive energy and passion for life.And if you’re watching the video podcast, you’ll also love her beautiful smile.Together, we explore the Enneagram - a fascinating framework describing nine personality patterns that can help us better understand ourselves and the people around us. Interestingly, ennea means nine.Maybe there is something special about that number.Enjoy Episode 3 of our summer series.9 Saturdays. 9 Stories. 9 Wonderful People.And yes... the more I meet these nine wonderful people and reflect on their journeys, the more I find myself thinking:Viva the summer of 2026! Viva la vida! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playingthesecondhalf.substack.com
Jun 27

Playing the Second Half – Conversation #5: Constant remembering with Marie-Louise Larsson

To start with: what a generous person. In the very first days of her vacation in Spain, Marie-Louise found time for this conversation.As you will learn during our conversation, no child should have to go through what Marie-Louise experienced. Her willingness to share her story is therefore a profound act of generosity and service to others who may have lived through similar experiences.Later in life, Marie-Louise faced yet another lifequake: a serious bicycle accident that became a doorway into spirituality and inner exploration.I loved listening to and learning about her rich and fascinating life, which includes theatre and co-founding the famous Ängsbacka in Sweden.And then there is constant remembering. I have thought a lot about that phrase. I now understand it as perhaps one of the most precious quests we have in life: remembering who we truly are and reconnecting with the strength of our inner core.The rest of Marie-Louise’s story unfolds in our conversation. To discover more of her second halves, watch the full episode. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playingthesecondhalf.substack.com
Jun 20

Playing the Second Half – Conversation #4: What Lives Between Us with Pontus Holmgren

Pontus has lived many lives. From a near-death experience as a young man to working as a fisherman in the Faroe Islands, his journey has been full of transitions, discoveries and new beginnings. If there is one theme that captures Pontus’ life, it is this: What lives between us. It is a theme that has shaped much of Pontus’ life and work, and his lifelong quest for the magic and wisdom that lives between us. Just days after we recorded this interview, Pontus was awarded the Penguin Prize – Organizational Psychologist of the Year 2026. And I can understand why. He literally lights up when he speaks about people, relationships, and what we can achieve together. And now for the fun part. We may actually have the legendary Swedish filmmaker Ingmar Bergman to thank for Pontus becoming a psychologist in the first place. To find out why, and much more, enjoy the conversation. Wherever you prefer to listen, you’ll also find Playing the Second Half on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playingthesecondhalf.substack.com
May 15

Playing the Second Half

I mainly knew Jonas Selen from work. Like many others, I experienced him as someone with great presence, calmness, and self-confidence - a person people naturally listen to when he speaks. Once, many years ago, he described me as a bit “ängslig” as a person. In English, maybe something close to anxious or worried. And perhaps he was right. That is one reason why I was so curious about this conversation. I had always looked at Jonas almost as the opposite of me: calm in the storm, grounded, self-confident. But where did that come from? Had he always been like that? As a child, Jonas struggled with both dyslexia and dyscalculia. Dyslexia is much better understood today, but dyscalculia still remains surprisingly unknown - even among many math teachers. It affects the ability to understand numbers and mathematical concepts, and it has nothing to do with intelligence. Yet many children go through school feeling stupid, broken, or lazy, simply because no one around them has the tools to recognize what is actually going on. At this very moment, many children are fighting this battle - and even being bullied, sometimes by teachers who simply don’t know better. We need to raise awareness of dyscalculia. What struck me most in this conversation is how Jonas gradually transformed those difficulties into strengths that later came to define him. And that is only the beginning of his story. We both left Ericsson in 2023. Some time ago, when we met for coffee, I asked him if he missed work. His answer surprised me: “Heraldo, I don’t miss work at all. I worked hard my whole life. If I had to work today just to fill my time, I think I would like to be a dishwasher. Just having water on my hands and not needing to think.” I did not expect that answer from someone I had always seen as so strong and composed. So during the conversation I asked him why. What he said next was not what I had imagined. Because even when you appear strong, calm, and self-confident, it does not necessarily come naturally. Sometimes it is something you build consciously, every single day. I think you will love this conversation. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playingthesecondhalf.substack.com
Apr 18

Playing the Second Half

Mia has a very special place in my heart. She is one of the most generous people I have ever met. I often think back to my first years in Sweden. I had just arrived, deeply in love, and at the same time struggling to find a job and make ends meet. My wife Annika was working with Mia, helping to build a series of furniture stores across the country. I would follow along whenever I could, travelling to new cities and assembling furniture for the exhibition rooms. It also became a way for me to integrate and socialize, in a work environment, with people in a new country. There was trust from the very beginning. And beyond that, it became an experience I still carry with me from a time that was otherwise uncertain. That generosity has always been part of who you are. Socially, it shows in the same way. Warm, present, full of stories, a great sense of humor, and genuinely engaged in every conversation. It was fascinating to hear more about your career, Mia. I knew parts of it, but not the full picture. You held several key roles in the creative area at IKEA, shaping how the brand came to life for millions of people around the world. Among many things, you were the creative responsible for the IKEA Catalogue, at the time the largest publication on the planet. Bigger than the Bible. I still remember the mailboxes in Sweden:“Please no commercials, but welcome to the IKEA Catalogue.” Like me, Mia retired a few years ago. But while I stepped into the Second Half with ease, hers began in a very different way. Just as she was leaving IKEA, she was diagnosed with cancer. A difficult beginning. But the good news is that this chapter is now behind her. It was also striking how much we have in common. We both come from big families. Mine from the start. Yours suddenly, when you and your sister moved into a home with five other siblings. Before our conversation, I knew that Strong and Independent defined your first half. But I was curious about the Second Half. And during our hour together, it became clear. Reflecting. Not as a pause. But as a way of understanding. Of choosing more consciously what matters, and what does not. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playingthesecondhalf.substack.com
Mar 14

Playing the Second Half

We start this podcast series with an amazing guest - Henrik Pålsson. It was from Henrik that I first heard the expression “Young at Heart.” Something he captures so well in the way he lives. But if being “Young at Heart” were not enough, Henrik inspires us with something even deeper. Let me explain. In The Moon and Sixpence by Somerset Maugham - one of my favorite novels, inspired by the life of the painter Gauguin - the narrator meets a man - Captain Brunot - who has bought a barren island in the Pacific. Together with his wife, he slowly transforms it into a garden. They build a house, plant trees, raise their children there, and even have a piano shipped from France so the children can learn music. At one point the narrator reflects something beautiful: “I have often thought since that he was the only happy man I have ever known.He had made his life a work of art. He was an artist in life.” Although I read this book long ago, this short passage has stayed vividly in my mind. All of a sudden the message of the whole book, as I remember it, was not about the later famous Gauguin, but about the contrast with this man - Captain Brunot - who lived life as if it were art itself. Henrik reminds me of that. Today he is helping transform an island in the Philippines into a paradise through connectivity, energy solutions, and innovative business models. The way Henrik lives his life - and uses his time - is an inspiration. During the interview I also learned about difficult moments in his life, including the loss of his son at the age of two. Seeing Henrik today as such a joyful person, I would never have imagined the depth of sorrow he has carried. We both loved this conversation. I am sure you will too. It is shared here in its full, uncut version - because it is worth taking the time to connect the dots of a life well lived, and the hurdles we all may encounter along the way. Thank you, Henrik, for being who you are - young at heart and making life itself a work of art. Enjoy our conversation. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playingthesecondhalf.substack.com

8 Episodes

Conversations and stories about life, purpose, transitions, and living the second half well. playingthesecondhalf.substack.com

Creator

Heraldo Sales Cavalcante
Years Active

2026
Episodes

8
Rating

Clean
Show Website

Playing the Second Half

Spirituality

Spirituality

Updated Weekly

Playing the Second Half

Episodes

Playing the Second Half - Conversation #8: Finding peace and joy after trauma with Aminah Ådin

Playing the Second Half - Conversation #7: Reinventing myself with Leonardo Fuks

Playing the Second Half – Conversation #6: From banking to self-awareness with Tina Tornell

Playing the Second Half – Conversation #5: Constant remembering with Marie-Louise Larsson

Playing the Second Half – Conversation #4: What Lives Between Us with Pontus Holmgren

Playing the Second Half

Playing the Second Half

Playing the Second Half

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