Books to Better Your Life

In this episode of Books to Better Your Life , host Anne Brinkman is joined by Dr. Maria Cristina Sheehan — health educator, author, speaker, and competitive natural bodybuilder — to discuss her book You Are Not Too Old and It's Not Too Late: The Revolutionary Guide to Reclaiming Your Strength After 50. Dr. Maria Cristina shares her remarkable story of beginning her fitness transformation at age 6...

In this episode, host Anne Brinkman sits down with Sam Kabert — emotional fitness trainer, former Silicon Valley entrepreneur, and three-time bestselling author. Sam shares the deeply personal story behind his latest book, Overcome the Overwhelm, and introduces his six-step breath method rooted in neuroscience and the 90-second rule. The conversation explores why so many high achievers burn out, h...

Episode 13: Nic Collins & Advance In this powerful episode, Anne Brinkman sits down with Nic Collins, author of Advance: Discover Alignment and Authenticity by Living in Concert with Your Situation . Nick shares his transformative journey from wearing masks in every aspect of his life to living authentically. The conversation explores his cross-country van trip that sparked deep self-reflectio...

In this episode of Books To Better Your Life, we’re dving into Mel Robbins' transformative book, 'The Five Second Rule: Transform Your Life, Work, and Confidence With Everyday Courage.' Find the transcript here What You’ll Learn in This Episode: How this strategy was instrumental in Mel Robbin’s being a household name today The basic five second rule strategy Variations you can try out for the fiv...

In this episode, Chu Tang opens up about how friendship has shaped her journey from refugee camps to thriving as a creative artist and entrepreneur. Along the way, she found that friendship — real, unconditional friendship — was the thread that held her life together. Chu shares how her second book, Finding Real Friends, was born out of gratitude for the support she received while writing her firs...

Episode 10: Marie O’Neill: And the Lotus Opened In this episode, Anne Brinkman talks with Marie O’Neill , a dynamic coach, author, astrologer, and Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at Kepler College. Marie shares insights from her powerful memoir And the Lotus Opened —a story of trauma, transformation, and spiritual awakening. Through her lens of astrology, Native American teachings, and dee...

In this episode of Books to Better Your Life , Anne Brinkman sits down with author and career coach Sandy Johnson to discuss her inspiring new book Experience Not Required . Part memoir, part self-help, and part adventure story, Sandy’s book encourages readers to embrace the freedom of being a “rookie” and step into new experiences—even when they don’t know how to begin. Sandy shares the sparks th...

In this episode, you’ll learn about: What brought Heather to write this book What Living By Heart really means Some simple starting steps to try out living by heart yourself The challenges and discoveries Heather had along the way How to make sure this book is not shelf-help but enables your self-coaching Noteworthy quotes from this episode  “I think when we believe that our emotions are info...

n this episode of Books to Better your Life, host Anne Brinkman interviews Michelle Gruening, adventurer and personal growth coach, discussing her recent summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro and latest book, The Adventure-Inspired Activity Book to Help You Stop Doom Scrolling! Get Off Your Phone and Back to Living Your Life. They discuss the challenges faced during the hike, the importance of support from gu...

In this episode of Books to Better your Life, host Anne Brinkman shares her experience with Nick Gray’s book The Two Hour Cocktail Party, which is kinda like a manual for throwing a stress-less party that connects people. In this episode, you’ll Learn: Why hosting a gathering is a powerful way to build connections. How The 2-Hour Cocktail Party breaks down hosting into a simple, actionable formula...

How to communicate in a way to get yourself heard and others to respond well to you. In this episode of Books to Better Your Life , host Anne Brinkman reviews Marshall Rosenberg’s book Nonviolent Communication , which explores a communication strategy to minimize “violence” and increase understanding in conversations. Coach Anne highlights key concepts such as how to approach conversations with em...

How do past traumas – even “little t” traumas – affect our bodies, minds, and lives? In this episode of Books to Better Your Life , host Anne Brinkman reviews Dr. Nicole LePera's book How to Do the Work , which explores the mind-body connection, trauma, and stress. Coach Anne highlights key concepts such as the impact of stress on bodily functions and health, polyvagal theory, and Dr. LePera’s rei...

Do you find yourself with so many interests that you’re not sure what to do with all of them? Or are you feeling like you don't fit into this world of single focus, especially when it comes to your work life? In this episode of Books to Better Your Life , host Anne Brinkman explores Barbara Sher's Refuse to Choose , which addresses the challenges faced by what she called “scanners,” people with di...

What if I told you that real change is not only possible but also simpler than you think?  In this episode of Books to Better Your Life , host Anne Brinkman explores James Clear’s best-seller, Atomic Habits . Clear teaches us that real, lasting change doesn’t require massive effort. It’s about making small, consistent tweaks that compound over time. Coach Anne also discusses the role of ident...

Ever wondered why you sometimes struggle to follow through on your goals? Or maybe you’ve felt like real change is just out of reach? Trust me, you’re not alone. But guess what? There’s a way forward, and it’s simpler than you might think! Meet your host, Coach Anne Brinkman, and her take on popular self-development books, as well as interviews with authors.