Leslie Hocker

This episode felt like a long conversation with an old friend—one who just happens to be a petroleum executive turned Pilates pioneer, NLP trainer, and deeply grounded coach.

Leslie Hocker joined me to explore the life behind the resume: what we carry, what we shed, and how we learn to walk through life’s minefields—sometimes by following, sometimes by leading. We talked about the invisible shifts that guide reinvention, the mental strength of elite athletes, and the quiet power of letting go. Leslie shared stories of launching a Pilates studio in the 1980s (decades before it was trendy), what it means to be a “recovering perfectionist,” and why declarations are more than affirmations—they’re conversations with the self.

She also offered practical insights from her years of mentoring others in business: how to coach someone who doesn’t yet feel safe dreaming, why timing is everything, and how to build a life you don’t need a vacation from.

This one is full of heart, hard-won wisdom, and deeply useful perspective for anyone in a season of growth or change. We even touched on death—not as an end, but as a compass for living fully.

#DrCD #Earthroot #TheGathering2040 #LeslieHocker #MindsetMatters #WomenInLeadership #LifeDesign #ConsciousBusiness #PersonalGrowth #BusinessWisdom #AffirmationsWork #PilatesPioneer #VisualizeSuccess #WellnessJourney

Peter Moore on Substack

I’ve been deeply moved by Peter Moore’s storytelling…moments that swing wildly from fart whistles to moments so tender they hit you in the gut. In this episode, we trek across landscapes both literal and emotional: foggy hikes in the White Mountains, late‑night Red Rocks concerts, and game‑time awakenings with Nikola Jokic. We talk Zen in baseball fandom, bearing life’s absurdities with humor and awe, the transformative risks that nearly killed him, and how cartooning saved his voice.

Peter’s journey—from ghostwriting for others to unveiling his own story through writing and illustration—is a roadmap for anyone wondering how and when to own their truth. He helps us see that suffering isn’t just something to survive—it’s something we can narrate, almost redeem, by sharing it with others. Tune in if you want to explore life’s summits, stumbles, and the laughter that helps us move ever forward.

@road2elsewhere

#DrCD #Earthroot #TheGathering2040 #mindfulness #memoir #trailwisdom #ZenFandom #PeterMoore

5 Daily Risks

In this episode of Mental Breakthrough, I sat down with John McClain Foreman — game designer, writer, and the mind behind "5 Daily Risks" — to unpack the invisible architecture of change. We explore the surprising way anxiety hijacked his once-gregarious self and how a desperate call to a friend sparked a radical behavioral experiment that changed everything. From cold-calling Hollywood producers to reprogramming autopilot beliefs, John shares how risk, when designed with purpose, can transform our identity.

What struck me most is how John’s method doesn’t ask us to white-knuckle our way through resistance — it invites us to befriend it. His blend of game theory, behavioral design, and emotional honesty makes for a refreshingly embodied approach to self-transformation. Whether you’re stuck in self-doubt, scattered by “many shoulds,” or just looking for a framework that actually works, this conversation is packed with insights.

We also talk about ideal death, evolutionary psychology, why timing matters more than talent, and how daily action reshapes belief. Plus, what happens when the risks no longer scare you — and why that’s exactly the point.

#DrCD #Earthroot #TheGathering2040 #5DailyRisks #PurposeDriven #BehaviorDesign #NeuroscienceOfChange #EmotionalArchitecture #MentalBreakthrough #SelfTransformation

@5DailyRisks

Costa Rica Call Center

In Episode 67 of The Mental Breakthrough, I sit down with Richard Blank, the founder of Costa Rica’s Call Center, for a wide-ranging and soul-deep conversation that travels far beyond business. Together, we explore the fusion of presence and strategy—how a life shaped by vision quests, foreign language, and pinball machines can teach us about dignity, dialogue, and leadership.

Richard shares how he walked away from expectations in Philadelphia and built something extraordinary in Costa Rica—not just a company, but a culture rooted in sincerity and self-respect. We unpack everything from image streaming to rhetoric, from death and regret to farming, philosophy, and the art of really listening.

The Mental Breakthrough 67 isn’t just about telemarketing or entrepreneurship—it’s about how to live with intentionality, how to speak with integrity, and how to build a life worth remembering. This is conversation as alchemy, and strategy as soulcraft.

#TMB67 #TheMentalBreakthrough #RichardBlank #Podcast #DrCD #Earthroot #TheGathering2040 #PresenceAndStrategy #AuthenticityInBusiness #SoulfulLeadership #ConsciousEntrepreneur #VisionQuest #MindfulCommunication #LegacyThinking #ConversationAsAlchemy

The Less Stress Doc Website

Dr. Gary Sprouse on IG

After nearly four decades in primary care, Dr. Gary Sprouse didn’t walk away from healing—he just changed the direction. In this conversation, we explore what happens when we stop treating stress like an enemy and start seeing it as the natural side effect of our most human gifts.

Gary's book Highway to Your Happy Place offers tools like the Worry Organizer and models like Stratosphere to help rewire fear, reclaim calm, and reframe how we understand our struggles. We dig deep into the idea that skills like envisioning the future and forming identities come with powerful side effects—worry, regret, overwhelm—and how we can keep the gift while shedding the weight.

We talk about aging, self-worth, Buddhism, Confucianism, parenting, and the ultimate future we all face—death. I also share a bit about my own project, “How to Live for the Death You Hope to Have,” and how imagining an ideal death can become a surprisingly powerful way to live fully in the present.

If stress has ever made you question your purpose, your potential, or your peace of mind, this episode is a hand reaching back from solid ground.

#DrCD #Earthroot #TheGathering2040 #MentalBreakthrough #StressIsAHumanThing #Mindfulness #WorryLess #Neuroscience #HealingJourney #HumanSkills #EmotionalHealth #SelfWorth #FutureThinking

Dr. Craig B. Wiener

In Episode 65 of Mental Breakthrough, I sit down with psychologist and author Dr. Craig B. Wiener to explore what truly divides us—not just politically, but psychologically, culturally, and emotionally. Drawing from his book Backyard Politics, we unpack how the ways we raise children echo in our public life: our craving for certainty, our intolerance of ambivalence, and our retreat into either safetyism or control.

Dr. Wiener offers a powerful framework for seeing ideological rigidity not as a moral failing, but as a developmental impasse. We talk about how evolutionary instincts, attachment styles, and trauma narratives all shape how we engage—or disengage—from societal problems. And we ask: Can we reclaim personal agency without abandoning compassion? Can policy be both protective and empowering?

I also share my ongoing project around envisioning an “ideal death”—not as a fixation, but as a guide for living authentically now.

This conversation digs deep into the emotional roots of polarization and invites a more grounded, humane way forward.

#DrCD #Earthroot #TheGathering2040 #Psychology #Parenting #Polarization #TraumaCulture #BackyardPolitics #MentalBreakthrough #CertaintyAddiction #FreedomVsControl #SafeToGrow #CraigWiener #CraigBWiener

Download the Pleasure Ladder chart, learn more about Bracha’s work

In this soul-stirring conversation with Bracha Goetz, we dive deep into the journey from food addiction to joyful spiritual fulfillment. Bracha, Harvard grad and author of over 45 children's books, shares how she transformed her life through ancient mystical wisdom, neuroscience, and the soul-fueling power of gratitude.

We explore the Pleasure Ladder—five rungs of lasting happiness that reconnect us with our bodies, creativity, and a transcendent sense of purpose. From the neuroplastic power of grateful moments to teaching emotional tools through rhyming children’s stories, Bracha shows us how joy is both ancient and accessible.

We also talk healing through connection, how addiction masks spiritual hunger, and why our kids (and our inner kids) desperately need these practices now more than ever. Whether you're struggling with cravings, feeling disconnected, or just looking for a deeper sense of meaning, this episode offers a ladder up.

#DrCD #Earthroot #TheGathering2040 #gratitude #neuroscience #TorahWisdom #addictionrecovery #childrensbooks #spiritualgrowth #creativity #pleasureladder #mentalhealth #joyfulparenting

R. C. Hand

I’ve known for years that everyone has a story—sometimes the most unlikely beginnings become the most powerful catalysts for transformation. In this episode, I sit down with R.C. Hand, a man who grew up shining shoes in a barrio bar and witnessing brawls, then went on to build a contracting empire, retire early with creative focus, and explore over 100 countries.

We dive deep into:

How survival instincts and early exposure to raw emotions shaped his inner narrative and art.

The practical wisdom of building with your hands—whether brick, straw, or earthen architecture—and how that translates into clarity and purpose.

Adventures from Cuba’s crumbling beauty and North Korea’s facades, to Machu Picchu, Bhutan’s living traditions, and Persia’s ancient echoes.

Why envisioning your own death—down to the tree you rest under—can become a powerful tool for living fully, avoiding regret, and passing on meaning.

The human paradox: how our darkest origins can spark compassion, creativity, and generosity—and why giving back remains the richest legacy.

This is a conversation about building—not only houses and businesses, but lives that stand strong, rooted in purpose, curiosity, and deep humanity. I hope it inspires you to ask: What kind of structure are you building… in the world, and in your soul?

#DrCD #Earthroot #TheGathering2040 & DrCD, Earthroot, TheGathering2040 #ArchitectureOfLife #RadicalCuriosity #ReclaimingWisdom #DeathAwareness #StorytellerPath #NomadicSpirit #BuildToLast #CreativeRetirement #TravelDeeper