Kevin Polky - The Journey

During this reflection, I share about recent article from Adam Grant who reviewed 35 year study on the impact of perfectionism on mental health which predated the digital age of social media. Though, I do believe social media and digital media have amplified the validation of perfection and think this is a good conversation about self judgment, fear of being judged by others and wanting to avoid m...

This week on The Journey, Kevin is joined by Heather Hackman for an honest and heartfelt conversation about family, community, grief, and carrying love forward after loss. Heather shares about her life in the Rockford area, her upcoming wedding and event venue, and the importance of staying connected to the community. She also opens up about the significant losses her family has faced, including t...

Diego shares his story of losing two of his friends to suicide. He is using his music to remember them and make a difference so that others will not have to go to a funeral. Being a Light in the darkness. This week on The Journey with Kevin Polky, Kevin sits down with Diego Rosas to talk about the parts of life that shaped him: wrestling, music, friendship, grief, and purpose. Diego shares his bac...

Movement in Nature | Nick returns to The Journey to share about the expanded services of Rockford Barbell. We had engaging conversation about what Barbell is doing to help combat the youth exposure to digital platforms. Enjoy!

Noelle shares about her 20 years of experience working as a school counselor and her transition into clinical counseling. She has a passion for helping young people, as well as supporting other counselors. She also shares exciting news about her first book coming out in July, an online resource for counselors, and an in-person conference taking place in October.

During this reflection, I reflect on the different teaching points from the month and include a new one regarding confidence. Most people think, I need confidence to do something new and scary before taking an action step. In reality, you need a desire to do the given act and need to action toward that act and then confidence will follow. Enjoy!

Madalyn shares her story of 10 years in the child services industry and how that led to her new business Reorganize and Renew. She has taken her passion for helping people into their homes to help them renew and organize their living space. Amazing energy and a great story!

It’s May and May is mental Health awareness month. During the reflection, I talk about difference between mental illness and mental health. Shared about how we can use this month as a reminder of what we can do for developing our own growth as well increase awareness for others.

During this reflection, I share about utilizing the techniques that I teach to clients on grounding, journaling, movement, reframing to move from fear mode to growth mode and external locus of control to internal. Enjoy!

In this episode of The Journey, I share a simple moment from Fort Myers Beach that turned into a powerful reminder about growth, change, and the opportunities we miss when we keep our hands full of the past. As I watched a young boy struggle to grab a starfish because he was already holding shells, I could not help but reflect on how often we do the same thing in life. We hold onto what is familia...

During this reflection, I continue the conversation about the importance of developing a morning and evening routine. I suggest about being intentional of utilizing activities to develop physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Enjoy!

During this reflection, I share about a new fitness goal of walking to increase my stamina and endurance through walking has led me to being intentional about how many steps, miles I am walking each day. I have noticed the increase in strength and endurance. It has also allowed for growth in emotional and spiritual areas as well.

Ben has committed his life to helping others. He primarily gives back to others what has helped in his own journey. He has been with Safe Families for the past four years. Safe Families is an essential resource for our community and our most valuable and vulnerable assets, single parents and their children.

I welcomed Kelli Ritschel Boehle to The Journey. Kelli shared her moving story of her youngest son, Nik’s battle with cancer. During his treatment Nik met another young adult, Nate who had cancer but was ineligible for Make-a-Wish because he was 18 years old when diagnosed. Nik thought that was wrong and wanted to do something for this group of individuals from the age 18-24 who are battling. Afte...

During this reflection, I share some thoughts about pursuing greatness. What it takes? What are the trade-offs? And what are the distractions? What we learn on the journey is what we transfer to the next chapter of our journey. Greatness is not the outcome rather what we learn along the way.

I wonder if this ever happened, I believe the prompting is not an accident and I know what direction to go in. But it does seem to be the right time. So, I must just wait and be patient. Not comfortable but necessary. So, what to do. A quote from Maya Angelou helps, “Do the best you can until you know better. Then, when you know better, do better.”

Clark Kelly joins me on The Journey to share how music shaped his life. What started at 10 years old with an inexpensive guitar eventually led him to Nashville, where he was performing and signed with Sony. Like most meaningful paths, his hasn’t been a straight line. There have been pivots, challenges, and growth along the way. But through it all, Clark has stayed committed to following what light...

Continuing the series on replacing habits and establishing routines. This reflection focuses on what can I control: my actions, response to my thought and emotions. Choose to focus on gratitude and happiness versus hatred and disappointment. Our choice!

In this episode, I talk about what it really takes to set and maintain personal goals when life gets hard. I walk through my own daily wellness routine—physical exercise, spiritual practices, and moments of mindfulness—and explain how consistent habits and intentional rituals have shaped my growth. I challenge listeners to look closely at their daily choices, their interactions with others, and ho...

Continue to reflect on goal setting and desiring to be the best version of myself this year for the ultimate goal to be able to help someone who is struggling. To be able show through kindness some hope and Light in their darkness.

Recently, I did a 3-hour workshop on changing habits. I initially did this workshop due to the tradition of New Year’s resolutions at the first every year. I wanted to see if there was a way to help individuals be more successful achieving their goals creating healthier habits. The episode focuses on what I learned from Charles Duhigg’s research on the habit loop. Enjoy!

A couple of weeks ago, I had Nathan Sills return to The Journey to talk about his film Afterglow. The night of the final public showing a fellow guest speaker was SaVana the older sister of Devon and his two brothers who were in the film. During the episode, SaVana shares about her experiences growing up in extreme poverty, homelessness, mental illness and addiction. She shares about her mental aw...

Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol is more than a holiday classic—it’s a mirror. Through the transformation of Ebenezer Scrooge, we’re reminded that change doesn’t require perfection, only honesty, courage, and a willingness to see ourselves clearly. In this episode, I reflect on how Ebenezer’s awakening—his reckoning with the past, his awareness of the present, and his responsibility for the futu...

In this episode of The Journey, I take time to reflect on the last few weeks and the many conversations I’ve had around the Hero’s Journey. I share how quickly life can change—sometimes in a single moment—and how those moments often arrive as a call we didn’t ask for, but need. No matter the situation, I believe every disruption carries an opportunity for growth, deeper awareness, and transformati...

In this episode of The Journey, I sit down with Nathan Sill to explore the deeper themes behind the documentary film Afterglow. We talk about parkour as a pathway to personal growth, the role of urban exploration in self-discovery, and how community and connection can transform lives. We also dive into the vulnerable stories shared in Afterglow, its impact on mental health awareness, and why makin...