"Spirit of Gratitude" Podcast hosted by YoggNation

What if fear is not a weakness, but useful information?  Bear Fiorda shares how even elite fighters deal with anxiety and why the goal is not to eliminate fear, but to train your response to it. Through years in mixed martial arts and his nonprofit work helping kids and adults access free training, Bear offers a practical framework for confidence, discipline, and resilience.  🧠 What you will lear...

What if gratitude could become one of the most practical tools for managing stress, anxiety, and everyday challenges? Dr. Ish Major shares how gratitude, mindfulness, and intentional thinking can help calm anxious thoughts, strengthen self-worth, and build emotional resilience. Drawing from years of experience in mental health, Dr. Ish offers simple techniques you can use when life feels overwhelm...

What if the hardest thing you ever go through becomes the reason you're able to help others keep going? Shay Eskew shares the story of being burned over 65% of his body at age seven and how that life-changing event shaped his mindset, resilience, and purpose. Rather than letting trauma define him, Shay learned to use adversity as fuel for growth, endurance, and service. 🧠 What you will learn...

What if letting go of a dream is not failure, but the first step toward something more aligned? Yessi Sanchez shares her journey through the realities of pursuing a creative career, navigating rejection, uncertainty, and the pressure to keep chasing success. From performing as a child to building a life in Los Angeles, Yessi offers an honest look at what happens when the path you planned no longer...

Money stress doesn’t just hit your wallet. It hits your confidence, your choices, and how you see your future. We open with the reality many people avoid: living paycheck to paycheck, missed bills, and the quiet pressure of feeling stuck. From there, we shift into practical steps that actually move things forward, starting with small decisions that rebuild control instead of waiting for a perfect...

What if success is not the finish line, but the thing keeping you from finding real joy? Dr. Tiffany Moon shares how growing up in an immigrant family shaped her drive for achievement, and why she eventually realized that performance, perfectionism, and external validation could not deliver lasting happiness. Her story offers a powerful perspective on burnout, resilience, parenting, and the pursui...

What if music is not just something you learn, but the first place you learn who you are? Stacy Ryan shares how band-based music education helps kids and adults rebuild confidence, find belonging, and develop a voice that fear, bullying, and self-doubt often silence. Through her work at School of Rock, she has seen shy students transform into performers who lead, collaborate, and step into their o...

What if the people laughing at your first tryout have no idea who you’re about to become? Ryan Thompson walked into a soccer tryout wearing church shoes, got laughed at, and still kept showing up. He went on to become the first Jamaican to play in the UEFA Champions League, Jamaica’s number one goalkeeper, and founder of RTG Academy. His story is a powerful look at resilience, belief, and what it...

What if one library card could change the direction of a life? Mychal Threets , known online as one of the internet’s most beloved librarians, shares how public libraries create more than readers. They create safety, belonging, learning, and connection for people who need it most. From growing up as a “library kid” to becoming an advocate for literacy and mental health, Mychal explains why librari...

What if gratitude is not a soft emotion, but a tool you can use when life gets hard? Yogesh Patel, host of YoggNation’s Spirit of Gratitude podcast, shares the story behind the mission and how gratitude became a daily practice shaped by personal challenges, family, and purpose. From growing up between cultures to raising a neurodivergent child and facing health struggles, he explains why turning s...

What if the fear of AI replacing your job is actually a signal to evolve, not retreat? Dave Melillo, a former touring musician turned data professional, shares how he rebuilt his career from the ground up and what it really takes to pivot when passion and income no longer align. From scanning invoices to working in high-performance data environments, his story shows how small steps and consistent...

What if greatness is not what you see on stage, but what happens in the unseen moments that make it possible? David Leaf, writer, filmmaker, historian, and UCLA professor, has spent his career documenting and working closely with icons like Brian Wilson, Paul McCartney, Quincy Jones, and Barry Gibb. He shares what really shapes artistic legacy beyond the headlines: trust, discipline, and the emoti...

What if the real difference between good and elite is not your skill, but your mindset after things go wrong? Ted Purdy, PGA Tour winner and 2005 Byron Nelson Champion, shares what he learned competing alongside Tiger Woods and how elite players manage pressure, silence doubt, and stay locked in when it matters most. From meditation to mindset, Ted breaks down the mental game behind high-level per...

What if doing the right thing didn’t have to come from fear, but from the strength of your own character? This episode features Judge Lynn Toler, who grew up navigating a home with an unmedicated bipolar parent, learning early how survival, resilience, and moral choices intersect. The conversation explores how childhood challenges shaped their understanding of integrity, faith, and personal respon...

What separates success from failure when the pressure is at its peak? NFL placekicker Nick Lowery opens up about the mental side of performance and why true toughness comes from controlling your mind under pressure. From mentorship and humility to gratitude and earned wisdom, Nick shares how character and resilience shape clutch performance. 🧠 What you will learn: How a “do your job” mindset keep...

What happens when you can keep up with the best players in the world, but pressure still gets the best of you? Pro tennis player Alex Kuperstein opens up about the mental side of elite sport and why the toughest opponent is often your own mind. From training alongside players like Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner to facing burnout and self-doubt, Alex shares what it really takes to compete when ex...

What makes a DJ set more than just music?   DJ and entrepreneur Jude Wellington shares how the craft of mixing turns separate tracks into one emotional journey. From timing and transitions to reading the room, Jude explains how great DJs shape energy in real time and why music can change the mood of an entire crowd within seconds. 🧠 What you will learn: Why rhythm and shared music experiences tri...

What if being stuck isn’t about answers but about having a safe place to ask better questions?   Amber and Austin, founders of Suivera, share how their global community helps people explore self-awareness, healing, and growth. Their story begins with real challenges; a back injury that changed career plans, navigating cancer during pregnancy, and learning that inner alignment often comes before la...

What if the same skills used to calm a tense moment on a city street could reshape how students learn and grow in school? Dr. Michael D. Butts, former Cincinnati police officer, educator, and Arizona school board member, shares how service, gratitude, and fairness can help unlock potential in every classroom.  Influenced by a family legacy connected to civil rights leader Ralph David Abernathy, Dr...

If a five-year-old can start a movement, what’s stopping the rest of us?  Trent, 14, founder of TrentCares, and his mom, Melissa, share how a simple birthday wish to help people experiencing homelessness became a thriving nonprofit feeding hundreds in Phoenix. What you will learn: How gratitude and courage turn small acts into real change Ways to lead and organize a team at any age Strategies for...

What if long-term success is less about visibility and more about values done consistently well? Patricia, a leader at the Anthem Awards, breaks down how purpose driven strategy helps organizations grow trust, attract support, and scale meaningful work over time. 🧠 What you will learn: How values based strategy strengthens credibility and decision-making What judges actually look for when evaluat...

What happens when a conflict-averse novelist realizes their stories are too peaceful to move anyone?   This episode traces a creative turning point, where avoiding tension on the page mirrors avoiding tension in life, and shows how meaningful conflict can deepen both storytelling and self-understanding. What you will learn: Why inner conflict matters more than loud arguments in fiction How persona...

What does resilience look like when the future shrinks to three minutes?   A witness to the siege of Sarajevo shares how survival became a daily decision shaped by loss, instinct, and human connection under constant threat. 🧠 What you will learn: How extreme loss can create calm in moments of danger Why survival depends on community, not isolation How art, humor, and culture regulate fear during...

What if the “wrong” path is the one that builds your strength?   This episode follows a future NFL player who was told to quit football, nearly joined The Miracles, and still found his way to the league by choosing momentum over waiting for permission. 🧠 What you will learn: Why talent is not the same as opportunity How gymnastics builds NFL-level balance and explosiveness Why reps matter more th...

What if gratitude is not just a feeling, but the strategy that keeps you moving when everything else feels loud and unstable?   In this episode, we share the real story behind the show’s reset and how gratitude became the guiding principle when growth felt messy and motivation wavered. 🧠 What you will learn: How gratitude helps you stay steady when metrics don’t match the effort Why gratitude is...