Becoming Wildly Resilient

Vanessa Oliver, a registered dietitian nutritionist with UK HR Health and Wellness, returns to the podcast to talk about diet culture. As a certified Intuitive Eating counselor, Vanessa shares this framework contributes to our resilience. Listen as she and host Jakob Hester discuss: what diet culture is and why it is problematic for our overall well-being; how diet culture has disguised itself as...

Dr. John Nash, an associate professor of Educational Leadership Studies in the UK College of Education and director of the Laboratory on Design Thinking (dLab), joins host Jakob Hester to talk about taking a human-centered approach to fostering belonging and de-risking innovation in the workplace. You'll learn about: our need to experience belongingness; what human-centered design is and how it ca...

In this episode, host Jakob Hester is joined by Dr. Erin Hester, an assistant professor in the College of Communication and Information who also happens to be his wife. They close out the second year of the podcast with a conversation on empathy and compassion. Listen as they discuss: the definitions and differences between the two; benefits of each, both in and out of the workplace; and ways we c...

Amy Rodquist-Kodet returns to chat about flow for the final conversation in a three-part series on (re)discovering our spark and seeking more true fun. In this episode, she and host Jakob Hester discuss the benefits and subjective nature of flow, what inhibits flow, and some tools and tips for finding your flow at work, at home or with others. They also wrap up the conversation on true fun with id...

Drs. Anthony Limperos and Scott Soltis join host Jakob Hester to chat about connection for the second conversation in a three-part series on (re)discovering our spark by seeking more true fun. In this episode, you’ll learn: what it means to feel and be connected; why connections matter; how modes of connection have changed in recent years; and how we can cultivate more connections in and out of th...

Ann Bassoni, a mental health therapist with HR Work-Life, returns to kick off the first of a three-part series on (re)discovering our spark by seeking more true fun. In this episode, Ann and host Jakob Hester chat about playfulness, one of the three core elements of true fun. You’ll learn: what true fun is and is not; why focusing on true fun is a way forward for us; how playfulness and laughter a...

On this episode, Audrey Bachman, a Training Specialist Senior with HR Training and Development, chats with host Jakob Hester about emotional intelligence (EQ). You’ll learn about the fundamental skills and benefits of EQ, how EQ shows up in our personal and professional lives, and how we can develop our EQs individually and collectively. Audrey and Jakob also share personal examples of lessons the...

Dr. Natalie Jones, an Extension Specialist for Family Health, joins host Jakob Hester on this episode to share what she has learned about physical, mental and emotional resilience through her experiences as an endurance athlete. Among her long list of athletic accomplishments are the completion of three Ironman races and a recent coast-to-coast cycling trip. Listen as Natalie shares how she got st...

Dr. Kate Leger, Assistant Professor of Psychology from UK College of Arts and Sciences, joins host Jakob Hester to close out 2021. In this episode, you’ll hear them discuss how we experience and respond to daily stress, why we’re hardwired to cling to negative events, and ways we can cope with both by using principles of positive psychology. They also dive into the specific benefits of practicing...

Health coach Jackie Carroll recently joined host Jakob Hester on the show to talk about slowing down—what it is and how we can get better at it. To complement their interview, Jackie recorded this meditation to help you slow down. Be sure to go back and listen to the full episode, titled " Episode 16: Slowing Down ," to learn more about the importance of slowing down, plus hear other ways you can...

In this episode, health coach Jackie Carroll returns to the podcast to talk about slowing down. Listen as she and host Jakob Hester discuss what it really means to “slow down” and why it is an essential practice for your well-being. You’ll also hear why it is challenging to practice slowing down, as well as some examples of ways to slow down or support others who may need to slow down themselves....

In this episode, Dean Jay Miller, PhD, from the College of Social Work joins host Jakob Hester to chat about self-care and cultivating workplace cultures of support. Listen as they discuss some common struggles of self-care and the importance of intentionality and personalization in self-care planning. You’ll also hear Dean Miller offer advice for approaching self-care at the administrative and em...

This month, Tommy Leach, a training specialist senior with HR Training and Development joins host Jakob Hester to chat about growth mindset. Listen as they discuss what growth mindset is and how it can make us more resilient. You’ll also hear Tommy explain how we can foster a growth mindset within ourselves and among others. You can find the episode show notes here .

In this episode, host Jakob Hester is joined by Dr. Lauren Whitehurst, an assistant professor of psychology from the College of Arts and Sciences. Listen as they discuss how you can discover and achieve better sleep. You’ll also hear Dr. Whitehurst explain how sleep is tied to our emotions and can help us be more resilient during our waking hours. You can find the show notes for this episode here...

This month, host Jakob Hester looks back at the first year of conversations by recapping all 12 episodes so far. Whether you’re new to the show or have been listening for the past year, this special episode offers an opportunity to catch up or reflect on what you’ve learned so far. You can find the episode show notes and survey link here .

Ryan Mason, an exercise specialist with HR Health and Wellness, joins host Jakob Hester this month to chat about recent physical activity research. Listen as they discuss how the data show we’ve been moving and what we can do with that information to improve or maintain our physical activity and exercise. You’ll also hear them break down SMART goals and how you can apply this process to plan a cle...

In this episode, host Jakob Hester chats with HR Work-Life mental health therapists Ann Bassoni and Rhonda Henry. Listen as they reflect on what we’ve learned over the past year and what we need more of moving forward, both individually and collectively. You’ll also hear how mindfulness can help keep us grounded when thinking about the past or the future, plus simple strategies for discovering sel...

Listen as host Jakob Hester previews the 2021 employee well-being week "Moving Forward with Our Well-Being," presented by UK HR Health and Wellness and Work-Life. Jackie Carroll, a certified health and wellness coach with HR Health and Wellness, will also guide you through a mindfulness exercise to help you discover what is possible for you and your well-being. To learn more about "Moving Forward...

In this episode, Dr. Nichole Huff, an Assistant Professor of Family Finance and Resource Management, joins host Jakob Hester to talk about financial well-being. Listen as they discuss financial literacy and the foundation skills that make it up, as well as some common financial setbacks and traps we face in life. You’ll also hear how our financial habits can develop a reciprocal relationship with...

In this episode, Eric Wilkinson, a mental health clinician with UK HR Work-Life, joins host Jakob Hester to talk about some of the benefits music can have on our well-being. Listen as they discuss links between music and our emotions and how we can use it to increase our resilience. You’ll also hear how music can elicit empathy and foster connection, as well as ways music can produce unintended co...

In this episode, host Jakob Hester speaks with Vanessa Oliver, a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist with UK HR Health and Wellness. Listen as they discuss how nutrition and resilience are linked plus tips for including more produce in your diet. You’ll also learn about community supported agriculture and its impacts on nutrition, the local economy, and the environment. Episode show notes can be fou...

In this episode, Amy Rodquist-Kodet, a National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach with UK HR Health and Wellness, joins host Jakob Hester. Listen as they discuss how you can identify and address your needs by naming and acknowledging feelings. You will learn how feelings are distinguished from emotions, how to label your feelings better, and how you can discover short- and long-term strate...

Cindy Bowling, an LCSW and mental health therapist with UK HR Work+Life Connections Counseling, joins host Jakob Hester in this episode of Becoming Wildly Resilient . Listen as they discuss burnout: what it is and what we can do to prevent or reverse it. You will also hear them address current mental and emotional health trends, concerns throughout the holidays and the differences between stress a...

In this episode, Dr. Karen Bryla McNees, a registered dietitian with UK HR Health and Wellness, joins host Jakob Hester. Listen as they discuss self-compassion and how we can practice it more. You’ll also hear them touch on topics such as the common nutritional challenges during the holidays, how to identify emotional eating or self-indulgent behavior, and how we can better cope with routine-disru...

In this special episode, host Jakob Hester speaks with five employees (and one spouse) from across the University of Kentucky. They address some of the challenges they've faced, how they persevered, and what they have learned along the way. While their stories are unique, their challenges are not, and they have some great advice to share with those who may find themselves in similar situations. Li...