Recent Episodes and Interviews
SecondWind
What David Brooks Teaches Us About Character, Connection, and a Meaningful Life
What makes a life meaningful? How do we build stronger relationships, become better people, and create a life that feels deeper than a list of accomplishments? On this episode of Second Wind, Joyce Buford explores the books and ideas of David Brooks, whose writing has examined everything from ambition and character to community, relationships, purpose, and the way we understand one another. Drawing from books such as The Road to Character, The Second Mountain, and How to Know a Person, Joyce looks at the questions Brooks returns to again and again: What happens when achievement is no longer enough? How do we move from success to significance? And what does it really mean to see, know, and connect with the people around us? This conversation is about more than books. It’s about the choices we make as we grow older, rethink our priorities, and decide what kind of person we want to become in the next chapter of our lives.
SecondWind
Seeing the World With Fresh Eyes
International travel has a way of changing more than your location. It can change your perspective, challenge your routines, and remind you just how big and interesting the world really is. On this episode of Second Wind, Sandra Beck talks with Joyce Buford about the rewards of traveling internationally—experiencing new cultures, trying unfamiliar foods, navigating different customs, and learning to be comfortable outside your usual environment. They discuss how travel can build confidence, curiosity, flexibility, and a deeper appreciation for both the places you visit and the life you return home to. Whether it’s a long-awaited destination or a spontaneous adventure, stepping into another part of the world can be a powerful way to reconnect with yourself. Sometimes a second wind begins with a passport, a little courage, and the willingness to see life from a completely different point of view.
SecondWind
Rediscovering What’s Right Around the Corner
You don’t always have to get on a plane or travel hundreds of miles to feel like you’ve gotten away. On this episode of Second Wind, Sandra Beck talks with Joyce Buford about the joys of traveling locally—exploring nearby towns, trying new restaurants, visiting parks and museums, taking scenic drives, and discovering places you may have overlooked simply because they were close to home. They talk about how local travel can bring adventure back into everyday life without the expense, planning, and stress of a major trip. Sometimes a change of scenery, even for an afternoon, is enough to reset your perspective and remind you how much there is still to see and experience. A second wind can start with something as simple as getting in the car, choosing a new direction, and seeing where the day takes you.
Author U Your Guide to Book Publishing
Scams Targeting Authors Are Multiplying 10-08-2026
In this episode of the AuthorU-Your Guide to Book Publishing podcast, host Judith Briles has invited back author and influence building strategist Deb Eckerling to join her for a session on Author Tips for Identifying Spams and Cons that fill your emails and texts. Deb is an active podcaster, doing her weekly Book Proposal Podcast that provides short, actionable episodes to help writers create compelling nonfiction book proposals. Covering topics from concept to promotion, it offers guidance on building platforms, choosing comps, and navigating publishing paths. Her website is www.BookPorposalInc.com Your takeaways include: • How to spot spammy emails. • Key words and phrases that will ID a spam text or email. • Why most hybrids don’t work for authors. • IDing many of the scams that are targeting authors. • The most common spams are circulating today. • The main thing to seen in an email that IDs are spam. And of course. Much more. Join in ... you will learn a lot! Tune in for lots of ideas and how-to tactics via the AuthorU-Your Guide to Book Publishing podcast. It’s ranked in the Top Ten of bookmarketing campaigns. Since its inception seven years ago, the AuthorU-Your Guide to Book Publishing podcast with over 22 million listeners downloading various shows for practical publishing and book marketing guidance. Join me and become a regular subscriber.
Harvesting Happiness
Renewing Democracy: Civic Duty, Compromise & Collaborative Bargaining
Democracy is imperfect because ‘we the people’ are imperfect. Yet through collaborative bargaining, compromise, and a willingness to govern ourselves, we can spark democratic renewal and press forward in our pursuit of happiness. Because our politics and personal well-being are deeply intertwined, healing our civic foundations and institutions can help us build a future free of authoritarian rule.
To better understand the connection between politics and personal well-being, Positive Psychology Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with author and academic historian Brook Manville, PhD.
Brook discusses the foundations of democracy and the Civic Bargain. He describes the active participation required by all Americans to spark a civic renewal that will strengthen our democracy and more accurately reflect the intentions of the Founding Fathers.or economic and psychological safety nets from the state to employers.
Like what you're hearing?
WANT MORE SOUND IDEAS FOR DEEPER THINKING? Check out More Mental Fitness by Harvesting Happiness bonus content available exclusively on https://harvestinghappiness.substack.com/ and https://medium.com/@HarvestingHappiness.
Sparking Wholeness
Episode 360: Postpartum OCD, Birth Trauma, and Emotional Honesty: Finding God in the Hardest Season with Lynnelle Peters
Host Erin Kerry sits down with Lynnelle Peters, host of the Knowing Motherhood Podcast and author of But First Honesty, to talk about her journey through birth trauma, pregnancy loss, and a postpartum mental health crisis. Together, they discuss why Lynnelle struggled with postpartum OCD in silence for nine months, how anxiety she'd carried since childhood set the stage for that season, the link between hormone imbalance, stress, and the nervous system, why emotional suppression is a real stressor on the body, what biblical lament actually looks like, how to prepare for the postpartum season, and why protecting your mind from news and social media is good stewardship. You'll also learn why being angry is not the same as sinning, how our view of God can be shaped by the authority figures from our childhood, and why the healing you want may not be the healing you need most. Links Mentioned: * Lynnelle Peters website: lynnellepeters.com * Instagram: @lynnellepeters * But First Honesty by Lynnelle Peters: https://www.lynnellepeters.com/book * Knowing Motherhood Podcast * Join Erin's email list: https://erinbkerry.mykajabi.com/email-list
SecondWind
Finding Grace in Challenging Times
Some seasons ask more of us than we ever expected to give. Loss, change, uncertainty, disappointment, and exhaustion can leave us wondering how we keep moving forward when life looks nothing like we planned. On this episode of Second Wind, Sandra Beck talks with Joyce Buford about finding grace in the middle of difficult seasons—not by pretending everything is fine, but by learning how to meet life where it is. Together, they explore what it means to give yourself room to struggle, release what you cannot control, recognize the strength you have already built, and remain open to the possibility that something meaningful can still emerge from a painful chapter. Sometimes a second wind doesn’t arrive as a dramatic breakthrough. Sometimes it begins quietly—with acceptance, perspective, compassion, and the decision to take one more step.
Military Mom Talk Radio
The Depleted Brain: Reclaiming Focus, Resilience and Mental Energy with Dr. Leigh Richardson
Sandra Beck of Military Mom Talk Radio welcomes brain health expert Dr. Leigh Richardson for an important conversation about what happens when our brains become depleted by chronic stress, information overload, constant demands and the pressure to keep pushing through. Drawing on decades of experience in psychology, neuroscience and brain performance, Dr. Richardson explores how brain health affects the way we think, make decisions, regulate emotions, adapt to change and handle the demands of everyday life. Sandra and Dr. Leigh discuss practical ways to recognize when your brain is running on empty and how intentional changes involving rest, movement, nutrition, stress management and self-care can help restore clarity, resilience and mental energy. For military moms, caregivers, professionals and anyone accustomed to being the person everyone else depends on, this conversation offers a timely reminder: taking care of your brain isn't an indulgence...t's part of staying strong enough to take care of everything else. Learn more about Dr. Leigh Richardson and get your copy of The Depleted Brain at DrLeighRichardson.com.
Motherhood Talk Radio
When Mom’s Brain Is Running on Empty: Dr. Leigh Richardson on The Depleted Brain
Sandra Beck of Motherhood Talk Radio welcomes brain health expert Dr. Leigh Richardson for a revealing conversation about what happens to our brains when stress, responsibility and the never-ending mental load of caring for others begin to take their toll. Drawing from her work in neuroscience, psychology and brain performance, Dr. Richardson discusses the ideas behind her book The Depleted Brain and explains why exhaustion isn't always just about needing more sleep. Chronic stress, emotional demands, information overload and constantly switching between responsibilities can affect focus, memory, decision-making, patience and emotional regulation. Sandra and Dr. Leigh explore how mothers can recognize the signs of a depleted brain, understand what their minds and bodies are telling them, and make practical changes that support greater clarity, resilience and energy. It's an especially relevant conversation for women who spend much of their lives taking care of everyone else—and sometimes don't realize just how depleted they have become. Learn more about Dr. Leigh Richardson and get your copy of The Depleted Brain at DrLeighRichardson.com.
PoweredUp
Power Up Your Brain: Dr. Leigh Richardson on Breaking the Cycle of Mental Depletion
Sandra Beck of Powered Up welcomes brain health expert Dr. Leigh Richardson for a fascinating conversation about what happens when the brain simply has too much coming at it—and what we can do to restore our ability to think, focus and perform. In her book The Depleted Brain, Dr. Richardson examines how chronic stress, information overload, emotional demands and nonstop stimulation can drain our mental resources. The result can show up as brain fog, difficulty concentrating, poor decision-making, irritability, lack of motivation and the frustrating feeling that you're working harder but accomplishing less. Sandra and Dr. Leigh explore the science of brain performance and practical strategies for protecting mental energy, improving resilience and creating habits that help the brain function more effectively. They also discuss why powering through exhaustion isn't necessarily a sign of strength—and how recognizing depletion early can help us work, live and lead more effectively. If you've ever wondered why your brain doesn't seem to have the energy it once did, this conversation offers a new way to understand what's happening and what you can do about it. Learn more about Dr. Leigh Richardson and get your copy of The Depleted Brain at DrLeighRichardson.com.
Success Profiles Radio
Davide Di Giorgio Discusses His Book, Good Enough, And Building Teams That Perform At A High Level When No One Is Watching
Davide Di Giorgio was this week’s guest on Success Profiles Radio. He is an international keynote speaker, operations and leadership advisor, and #1 Amazon bestselling author in eight countries. His new book is called Good Enough, which asks the question, "What makes a team perform when no one is watching?” More recently, he spent 1200 days building the field systems behind a billion-dollar brand’s rapid scale, and across his career the systems he has built underpin more than $100 million in sales. We discussed why some people go above and beyond and others don’t, building celebration-based teams, building a team that doesn’t require your presence to perform at a high level, and how adversity reveals a lot about your team. In addition, we talked about gap mastery, identifying people on your team who have untapped talent and don’t speak up, and the concept of “cut, don’t boost". Finally, we discussed the difference between coaching and training, helping team members claim ownership over their results, and much more. You can listen and follow the show on Apple Podcasts/iTunes, Spotify, Audible, Amazon, iHeart Radio, and at https://toginet.com/shows/successprofilesradio/ Please leave a 5-star review on iTunes and 5 stars on Spotify. Learn more about Davide’s work at https://davidedigiorgio.com/success
Coach Talk Radio
Your Brain Is Your Most Important Business Tool: Dr. Leigh Richardson on The Depleted Brain
Sandra Beck of Coach Talk Radio welcomes brain health expert Dr. Leigh Richardson for a powerful conversation about the connection between brain health, leadership, productivity and performance. In her book The Depleted Brain, Dr. Richardson explores what happens when chronic stress, constant decision-making, information overload and relentless demands begin to overwhelm the brain's resources. For entrepreneurs, executives, coaches and high-performing professionals, the warning signs can be easy to dismiss: difficulty focusing, mental fatigue, irritability, reduced creativity, poor decisions and the feeling that it takes more effort to accomplish what once came easily. Sandra and Dr. Leigh discuss why simply pushing harder isn't always the answer. They explore practical strategies for protecting mental energy, strengthening resilience, improving focus and creating habits that support better thinking and more sustainable performance. Whether you're leading a company, coaching others, building a career or navigating a demanding season of life, this conversation challenges the idea that exhaustion is simply the price of success. Your brain is one of your most valuable professional assets—and taking care of it may be one of the smartest performance strategies you can make. Learn more about Dr. Leigh Richardson and get your copy of The Depleted Brain at DrLeighRichardson.com.
