Poet Sonia Lozada is a purposefully bicultural performer. A Puerto Rican from Chicago, now a California resident, uses prose to shape ideas and stacks rhythms, concepts and emotions between the covers, neatly pressed on pages teeming with life. Her approach to creating is rooted in self-care and awareness. “You can call yourself an author if you write something.” So go do it. We chat about what it takes to take the leap and what it could have been for her if she hadn’t.

Self published author of ten books, short film filmmaker, YouTube personality with over sixty thousand subscribers, musician, all around artist Erick Landon joins the show to talk games, art, motivation, the chats we have that no one else can hear, making a decision and sticking to it no matter how hard it is. We explore what life might have been like for him if he had just kept on with the day to day in the life of a normal person with a normal job in a normal life.

16 year-old writer Lily Smith moved from San Diego to Berlin, Germany to pursue her craft and position herself to be a teenage author. Wise, self-aware, adventurous, daring and thoughtful, she tells stories inspired by the emotional landscapes of the parts of our lives rife with hardships, challenges and even great successes. A pragmatist who is keenly aware of and trusts in the nudges of her higher power, she marches on with a calmness in her soul and determination in her bones.

Connecting with her indigenous roots, Itzy Ramirez, is a UX Designer and artist that utilizes the practices of her ancestors to create systems and art that connect her to us and us to each other in intimate and beautiful ways. Texas born and current New Yorker, appreciating nature in all its beauty and unpredictability motivates a lot of her decision making. She is a working artist across multiple mediums.

A technical writer, power lifter and podcast host, Meaghan Ziemba is leading the charge in empowering young women within the manufacturing and engineering space as well as ushering in the next generation of women manufacturers/engineers. 17 years removed from the most important decision of her life, she lives every day sober to the notion that even the smallest changes can have the biggest impacts.

Managing editor of Origins OSU, host of the podcast exploring the global impact of “the war on drugs” called "Prologued," Brionna Mendoza is a PhD Candidate at The Ohio State University. Brionna is a lover of live music, swing dancing queen, Nicolas Cage fanatic, whose days are spent studying life after the war on drugs. Growing up in Fresno to a tight-knit family, we explore what life might have looked if she stayed there instead of relocating to the mid-west.

Never having a role model and being well aware of the low expectations of him rooted in generations of prejudice, Jerkwenton decided he was going to redefine what was expected of him, and other men like him. He initiated community programs like Cleaning Up My Hood where he and others gather and pick up trash and litter strewn about their community, and he regularly donates a portion of the proceeds from the sales of his book “Soldier Island” to Burke Industries. He has a mission to build the...

A woman with a million words. Some are for others, some are for herself. Some are stories. Some are lessons. All of them are worth reading or hearing. Prolific Ghost writer, author, teacher, Ruby Peru is obsessed with the ancient, a good story, artificial peach flavoring and immersing herself in words. Sometimes in life we make decisions that have long lasting impacts, but today's conversation is about how sometimes life makes decisions for you and they can be just as impactful!

35 years in the financial sector, five years as a writer and a million stories therein lay the foundation of today’s guest. The sixth (and best) of his name, Jim Flynn stands proud in the knowledge throughout life he’s made enough lemonade to satisfy even the thirstiest of competitive racers, and at the ripe age of 70+ it is still possible to pursue your dreams.

Award winning author of the Henrietta and Inspector Howard series, Michelle Cox is a child of the 70s/80s and has been crafting stories for over a decade. A glitch in the matrix saw fit to live with us all now instead of when her spirit truly lived, in the 1930s. She writes a blog that tells the stories of those of us often forgotten, nursing home residents in the Chicagoland area.

Author, power lifter, magna cum laude graduate, cultivator of a large garden, Henya Drescher reminisces with me about life in Israel before and after uncovering family secrets. Her response to the difficulties of life as a child was diving into literature that impressed upon her in ways that show up in her writing today. The heroines in her stories are strong, informed, motivated, well-rounded characters and her thrillers keep you guessing.

Motivational speaker, author, champion dancer, musician, healer, philosopher Dr Angela Wilson and I chat about life growing up the child of well known doctors from a long line of herbalists and healers, paving your own way through life and overcoming hardship. Trigger warning: talk of child abuse.

Retired Vet, podcaster, professional musician, Liberty alum, husband, father, Joe Mobley is a hyper vigilant, dedicated-to-his craft of security, thoughtful, devout believer. With degrees in Music and Homeland Security, he employs all the values of a well trained retired soldier as well as the creativity of a working hornist. Devotion and discipline permeate every facet of his life. He joins the show to chat about his darkest days and all the what ifs.

Time block enthusiast and prolific planner, the founder of Mackeno Creative, Denny Luong, thrives on efficiency, smart work over hard work, and building a legacy of high equity in the relationships with those in his professional world and personal world. A former web consultant in the financial sector, he pursues his passion as his own boss as well as offering personal training with a four pillar approach meant to benefit the body, mind and soul.

Burgeoning visual artist Finlay Stanley (founder of Finlay Stanley Media) helps grow small business by transforming their visual presence. Inspired by classic films and 70s and 80s rock, Finlay Stanley is a walking bundle of creativity. Music in today's episode is Sun Ride by Crowander. You can find this song and others by them at freemusicarchive.org

Opera singer, world traveler, coach, agent, lover, artist, runner Max Gagliardo joins the podcast for a chat about life as a professional opera singer and a potential move from his beloved home in Italy to the concrete jungle of London.

Opera singer, world traveler, coach, agent, lover, artist, runner Max Gagliardo joins the podcast for a chat about life as a professional opera singer and a potential move from his beloved home in Italy to the concrete jungle of London.

Diversely talented Indigenous Canadian artist Brandy Jones creates to unify. Her joining of cultures, heritages, expressive styles and mediums, embody a pursuit of a life of oneness. Hailing from Saskatchewan, Canada her connection to her history is beautifully and painstakingly well defined. Trigger warning: talk of suicide and overdose due to drug use.

A rock star in the making, all the glitz and glamor of the lifestyle stole British recording artist Clyde Syde away from his band when he was a wee teenager and he lived live fast and free for many years chasing every dragon imaginable. Now a few years sober, Clyde and I discuss some of the ups and downs of a life touched by drugs and alcohol.

Insanely talented musician and singer, loving father, half of The Winetree, Ryan Harvey, sits down for a chat. We talk about all the ways life throws you curveballs and steps we take to sit back, wait for the break and lean into change.

A young retiree, recently transitioned, witty, clever, genius, thoughtful, funny, curious Vanessa Rollins explores life as it was in the warmth of Phoenix and what it is in the ever changing Chicago. The trek was long and arduous, but as life often shows us, some of the best things are found at the end of a tireless adventure. Follow her on Twitter: @2marks4marks

Other Vanessa Twitter: @2marks4marks A young retiree, recently transitioned, witty, clever, genius, thoughtful, funny, curious Vanessa Rollins explores life as it was in the warmth of Phoenix and what it is in the ever changing Chicago. The trek was long and arduous, but as life often shows us, some of the best things are found at the end of a tireless...

Other Vanessa Twitter: @2marks4marks A young retiree, recently transitioned, witty, clever, genius, thoughtful, funny, curious Vanessa Rollins explores life as it was in the warmth of Phoenix and what it is in the ever changing Chicago. The trek was long and arduous, but as life often shows us, some of the best things are found at the end of a tireless...

With a thud, a plop, young Other Megan drops. Butt first on the pile of laundry hidden behind closed doors, to keep the smells of the day locked therein, but also to keep from reminding the family, big as it ever was, of the tasks at hand that no one wants to take up.