Humdrumity: Escape Monotony

Did you ever think the desire to live an empowered life could lead to being more assertive in the boardroom as well as the bedroom?  My guest today is founder of the STIR Institute where he blends his certification in Transactional Analysis with his training as a professional BDSM Dom (yes, you read that right) to help individuals stop living the life they think they should and start living the li...

Do nice guys always finish last? Steve McCready is a self-professed “recovering nice guy” and “chronic adapter” who turned dealing with his own personal issues into his profession as a psychotherapist and coach to help others find their way through life.  Today we will discuss finding compromise without sacrificing principles, how to plan spontaneity, setting goals with realistic expectations, and...

Travel is obviously one of the best ways to break out of our daily routines, but if you regularly suffer from humdrumity, this can become an expensive proposition. Tim Walker is a travel hacker extraordinaire who turned his desire for free travel into a side hustle to help others satiate their wanderlust through exponentially collecting travel points. Tune in to find out about Mrs. Walker’s “surpr...

Have you ever asked a stupid question? Well, my guest literally has written the book on them. Travis Cournoyer claims to move at the speed of stupid questions and promotes finding the courage to ask them as the key to unlocking personal fulfillment. With a PhD in chemistry, his courage to ask questions led him to jobs with upscale EV companies including Tesla, Rivian and Lucid Motors, and now he i...

We can probably agree that self-awareness is the first step to self-improvement, but my guest today believes that self-awareness is in fact the first step to a better society. Alex Kain is the author of “The Philosophy: A Critical Upgrade for Humanity” in which he outlines a methodology to begin changing societal ills by first changing ourselves.  Tune in to find out about the difference between “...

Many of us believe we have the material for writing at least one book. But according to my guest today, the writing is the easy part. At the age of 60 Ron Kinscherf decided to quit his job without having a master plan. Fortunately, family life led him to a new passion as a children's author despite not knowing what it takes to self-publish a series of books. Now with 10 books to his name, Ron is g...

I’m continuing my series on travel and today I’ve got a twofer for you.  My first guest is Doug Brouwer, author and man of the cloth, whose travels have taken him in pursuit of spiritual and communal enlightenment. My second guest is Kerry Damiano, YouTuber and solo travel influencer, whose wanderlust is a hereditary trait.  Tune in and find out the one thing you should “never declare” in an airpo...

Most of us have participated in dark tourism whether we know it or not. My guest today is a psychotherapist who turned to travel during his own dark times to discover that personal growth can be gained by visiting emotionally powerful and historically significant places. Chad Scott is the author of “Beyond the Darkness: Transformative Journeys Through Dark Tourism” and he will be our guide through...

Sometimes you just need to agree to disagree even when you somewhat agree. Jack Kammer has good intentions about men breaking free of stereotypes to become more empathetic and engaged parents. However, as the creator of “Male-Friendly Media” Jack’s opinions on what is holding men back from reaching their potential is going to make this podcast get a little spicy.  Tune in to find out what my guest...

My guest today believes we can achieve anything as long as we are not tempted to achieve everything. As a Productivity Life Coach, Emily Guerra will guide us through breaking free of the Hustle Culture, surviving the Loneliness Epidemic, and how to find Work-From-Home Life Balance.  Tune in to the end to hear if Emily will soon “fulfill her dream” for herself...  If you’re looking for tips, trick...

It’s always great to meet someone who not only talks the talk but also walks the walk. In mid-life, Peter Reek sold his successful leadership recruitment agency, obtained his master's degree in Applied Positive and Coaching Psychology, then founded InHabit – a multi-facetted service company that encourages individuals to find their potential and passions then helps guide them to thrive in the seco...

People are people unconditionally - we all have the capacity to be both good and bad, but we all can also find ourselves in relationships with others both good and bad.   As a podcast host, Nikki La Croce used the power of conversation to help herself discover the courage to leave a toxic and abusive relationship. Her online authenticity led her to find healthy love with a new life partner, then t...

Today I chat with my dear friend David Funk about his life journey and how it’s never too late to zig when life tries to make you zag. David took a long and winding road to find himself and arrive at his current self both personally and professionally – he exemplifies the Humdrumity quest to always better yourself by trying new things even in the face of adversity.  Tune into the end for a “defini...

Ah, to be young again! But is that to be young again in bygone days or would that be to be young again growing up in this day and age? Every generation faces its own challenges and obstacles - though we may try to understand it, only those maturing in it can ultimately describe navigating their way through the modern era.  Finding worldly knowledge and inspiration then turning it into tangible act...

Mentorship is traditionally imagined as wise sages imparting wisdom from on high to eagerly engaged young disciples. But in the modern era, this perception needs to be demystified and redefined.  As an Applied Developmental Psychologist, Dr. Deborah Heiser began researching the positive mental outcomes of aging. This work led her to the revelation that giving back is the ultimate means to achieve...

Are you a victim of the “at-all-hours” doomscroll? Do you snap out of endlessly looking at your online feeds to find yourself no less uninformed and feeling a whole lot more anxious, stressed and helpless about the world around you? You are not alone. Today we are in luck as I am joined by David Beckemeyer host of “Outrage Overload” - a podcast that explores political polarization and focuses on r...

There is a lot of talk about psychedelic healing and the power of psilocybin (magic mushrooms) to help overcome a myriad of mental and personality issues. At the same time, there are a lot of questions about finding knowledgeable and experienced practitioners in this field.  To misquote the great Jimi Hendrix, “Are you experienced? Or have you ever been experienced? Well, my guest has.” Dana Harve...

Do you fear small talk? Does meeting new people make you uncomfortable? Fortunately, my guest is a professional Speaker, Certified Communication and Emotional Intelligence Coach, Podcast Host, and Award-Winning Author. Her mission is to empower people to become masters of effective communications in their professional and personal lives: from her we will learn some tips and tricks on how to be mor...

Game on! Press play and listen as I talk with my guest about gamification and how we need to set our own yard markers in the tournament we call life. Tune in to find out about playing mini games within the grand game itself…

School is in! Today’s guest is a life-long teacher: from childhood play to high school and university tutoring, to her professional career as a personal mentor and coach for individuals, business owners, corporate groups, and those in the C-Suite. She will instruct us on why work doesn’t have to be hard and how leadership and co-worker interactions should always remain playful. Tune in to find out...

Do you ever get so mad you could punch a hole in the sky? Or are you someone whose gaze burns holes through those around you for days? Hey, we all deal with anger in different ways. Luckily, my guest will discuss anger and how to cope with it, as well as explain why anger can make us assertive and move us to be happier people. Tune in and find out why parents and family can “push our buttons” like...

My guest's story of inspiration is itself advice to take responsibility for personal motivation – if listening doesn’t make you go get your daily steps in, then all that’s left is a cattle prod. Being born with Cystic Fibrosis never slowed him down as a child and he went on to get a law degree, worked as a civil servant, founded the nutritional drink Rumble Supershake, and survived a double lung t...

Welcome to the inaugural episode of Humdrumity! My very first guest is the inspiration for this podcast. His enthusiasm and desire to explore new and diverse topics led me down the road to breaking out of my daily routine. He is currently Creative Director at a Manhattan-based design firm, but comes from a more humble background of pencil crayons and coupon bought encyclopedias. As one mutual frie...

Humdrumity: Escape Monotony by listening to this trailer then checking in for new episodes. Hey, if you comment my podcast causes monotony instead of breaking it, the irony isn't lost on me...enjoy!