Free & Open Mind

What if the “safe” life you were told to want is exactly what’s draining your soul? In this episode of Free & Open Mind , Hardy Brooklyn sits down with Alexis Crisp —personal trainer, life coach, and self-described “helper to mankind”—who walked out of a traditional law firm job as a single mom and rebuilt her world around radical authenticity, mental health, and movement. Alexis shares how sh...

Are you actually calm… or just numb ? In this episode of The Free & Open Mind, Hardy Brooklyn and co-host Stan Nelson sit down with psychologist and stress expert Gudrun to unpack “borrowed calm” — those moments when you feel okay only because you’ve leaned on alcohol, cannabis, caffeine, sugar, or routine to get you through. We explore how these everyday habits subtly train your nervous syste...

What if your “quiet” isn’t a mask at all—but a survival tool your brain built on purpose? In this follow‑up to our episode on masks and masking, Hardy and Stan revisit the three-mask framework (performer, peacekeeper, minimizer) after a powerful message from an autistic/ADHD listener who didn’t see themselves in any of those boxes. Their feedback flips the script: quiet can be a strategic way to r...

When was the last time you walked into a room — a meeting, a family dinner, a tough conversation — and were completely, unapologetically yourself? In this episode of  The Free & Open Mind , Hardy Brooklyn breaks down why so many smart, capable people stay silent even when they see exactly what’s going wrong… and what it’s costing them in their bodies, minds, and relationships. You’ll hear abou...

What does a hot air balloon in 1783 France have to do with your life and business today? In this episode of The Free & Open Mind , Leonard (Hardy Brooklyn) and Stan revisit the story of the Montgolfier brothers and the first hot air balloon flight to explore what it really means to live authentically , take real risks , and follow your curiosity even when people are watching. You’ll hear us di...

**What if the only thing standing between you and your true potential is the fear of being your true self?**In this episode of **Free & Open Mind**, we sit down with **Michael S.**, who grew up with a learning disability, speech challenges, and constant bullying — and still chose to build a life based on **authenticity, courage, and compassion**.Michael spent his early years in special ed clas...

**What happens when your body forces you to stop pretending?**In this episode of the Free & Open Mind Podcast, Hardy and co-host Stan sit down with marketing strategist and proudly queer business owner Tom Basgil for a raw, practical conversation about authenticity when life hits hard. After being diagnosed with Addison’s disease, Tom went from barely making it to the subway — stopping at ever...

**Feeling weird about celebrating yourself?**Like you “haven’t earned it yet” or you’re just going through the motions with cake, photos, and pressure? In this episode of **Free & Open Mind**, Hardy Brooklyn flies solo to unpack what **celebration** really is — and how to make it feel honest, grounded, and aligned with who you are. We’ll explore:**Why milestones matter** (and why tiny wins oft...

**When money gets weird, our nervous system does too.** In this episode of *Free & Open Mind*, Hardy and Stan dive into what so many people are quietly wrestling with right now: **rising prices, shrinking options, and the shame spiral that follows.**We’re **not** financial advisors. We’re **life coaches** who work with real people trying to stay grounded when:• Groceries cost 30% more than las...

What does it *really* mean to live authentically when the world keeps asking you to compromise? In this episode of the **Free and Open Mind Podcast**, hosts **Hardy Brooklyn** and **Stan Nelson** sit down with **David Robles** — New Yorker, entrepreneur, Coast Guard officer, and fearless truth-teller — whose life journey runs from Brooklyn to North Africa and Haiti, from Burning Man to the music i...

**Are you living your life… or just *performing* in it for everyone else?**In this episode of Free & Open Mind, Brooklyn life & business coach Hardy Brooklyn tears into quick fixes, fake “authenticity,” and why fear sneakily hijacks your career, your business, and your happiness. You’ll hear:• How to tell if an opportunity is a genuine “hell yes” or just a fear-based shortcut • The client...

In this powerful episode of Free & Open Mind, host Hardy Brooklyn (Leonard Shostak) sits down with health and resilience coach *Jeremy Sullivan* for an honest conversation about healing, authenticity, and putting your well-being first. Jeremy opens up about his seven-year battle with severe skin inflammation, asthma, and eczema—a journey that included multiple hospitalizations, powerful medica...

Welcome to the Free and Open Mind Podcast, where massive life changes start with small things, like 15 minutes of exercise, a treadmill, and a stranger ...In this episode, Hardy Brooklyn and Stan Nelson dive into the messy, funny, and very human reality of embracing change – not with dramatic movie-montage transformations, but with tiny, awkward, powerful baby steps.*You’ll hear about:*🏋️ The clie...

In this episode of the Free & Open Mind Podcast, hosts Hardy Brooklyn and Stan sit down with CC Kaminovich, a former attorney and NFL sports agent turned transformational mentor for women navigating big life transitions. Together, they explore what it really means to live authentically beyond titles and roles—especially around motherhood, career, identity, and societal expectations—and how wom...

Welcome to The Free and Open Mind Podcast, where we explore what it really means to live authentically in a world that constantly pushes us to conform. In this episode, Hardy Brooklyn and Stan Nelson sit down with award‑winning artist and author Harrison Love—one of the rare creators celebrated both as a visual artist and a novelist. Harrison’s illustrated novel, “The Hidden Way,” was 13 years in...

Welcome to the Free & Open Mind Podcast, where we explore authentic living, deep change… and why hypnotists aren’t out there robbing banks. In this episode, hosts Hardy Brooklyn (Brooklyn-based business & life coach) and Stan (goal success coach from Perth, Australia) sit down with Joel from BodyMind Hypnotic. Joel's a former paralegal who traded checking legal documents for guiding pe...

Welcome to the **Free & Open Mind Podcast** – a weekly live show where we explore **authentic living** with real stories, practical strategies, and honest conversations. In this episode, **Hardy Brooklyn** – a life and business coach based in Brooklyn, NY – dives into what it *really* means to live authentically:- Showing up as your **true self** (without masks or costumes) - Asking: *“Am I do...

In this episode of the Free & Open Mind podcast, hosts Hardy Brooklyn (life & business coach, Brooklyn, NY) and Stan Nelson (moving forward & goal success coach, Perth, Australia) sit down with Gudrun Schmidt, a psychologist and coach from Germany who specializes in resilience, burnout, and traffic psychology. Gudrun shares her powerful story of: Growing up with a mother who struggled...

In this episode of the Free & Open Mind Podcast, hosts Hardy Brooklyn (life & business coach, Brooklyn, NY) and Stan Nelson (moving forward & goal success coach, Perth, Australia) explore the art of being yourself and how creativity can literally save and reshape a life. Hardy shares his powerful journey from a burned-out tech consultant to body-painted performance artist, burlesque pe...

In this episode of the Free and Open Mind Podcast, hosts Hardy Brooklyn from Brooklyn, NY, and Stan Nelson from Perth, Western Australia, sit down with life and wellness coach Paul Lennander to explore what it truly means to live an authentic life — especially as a gay man growing up in a world that didn’t feel accepting. Paul shares his powerful journey of realizing he was gay at a young age in a...

Welcome to the Free & Open Mind Podcast – where real people from all walks of life get honest about authentic living, relationships, and becoming who you truly are. We go live every Friday around 9:00 AM Eastern Time, sharing: • Candid conversations about love, boundaries, and authentic relationships • Real-life stories about breaking free from family conditioning and old expectations • Practi...

In this episode of the Free and Open Mind Podcast, life and business coach Hardy Brooklyn (Leonard Shostak) from Brooklyn, New York, and Moving Forward coach Stan Nelson from Perth, Western Australia, dive deep into Valentine’s Day expectations, boundaries, and consent. Valentine’s Day can bring joy, pressure, and confusion—especially around what we “should” do, what we expect from our partners, a...

Are you loving in a way that feels true to you—or just going through the motions? In this episode of the Free & Open Mind Podcast, hosts Hardy Brooklyn (life and business coach based in Brooklyn, NY) and Stan Nelson (relationship coach from Perth, Australia) unpack what it really means to love and live authentically. They explore: • How to use the 5 Love Languages as a starting point, not a bo...

In this episode of the Free & Open Mind Podcast, hosts Hardy Brooklyn and Stan Nelson dive deep into one of the most important skills for authentic living: setting and holding boundaries in the workplace. Using a real-life story about a confusing presentation request, Hardy explains how clear boundaries around time, expectations, and communication protect your professional reputation, your ene...

In this episode of The Free and Open Mind Podcast, Hardy Brooklyn (Leonard Shostak) and Stan Nelson dive into the art of active listening — a core coaching skill that can transform your relationships, your work, and your everyday conversations. We explore: What active listening really is (beyond just “hearing” someone) Why interrupting and “waiting for your turn to talk” kills real connection How...