Staying Power

Episode 129: "Ashley's Q & A Revenge" A few weeks ago, JD surprised Ashley on the air with a series of questions that she wasn't exactly prepared for. So, in the spirit of fair play (and just a small dose of good-spirited revenge), this week Ashley surprises JD with questions of her own! Amidst all the laughs that result are insights about life, friendship, and various ways we find and build m...

Episode 128: Why Being Seen Matters Most of us can remember a moment when someone noticed us at exactly the right time. Not because they solved our problems. Not because they had all the answers. But because they saw us. Inspired by a story of a hotel housekeeper and a struggling job seeker, Ashley and JD explore one of the deepest human needs: the need to feel seen, valued, and acknowledged. Draw...

Episode 127: The Man Behind the "Father" Mask Around Father's Day, conversations often focus on what makes a good father. But what if fatherhood is simply one expression of something deeper? In this episode of Staying Power, Ashley and JD explore what helps men become healthier, more grounded, emotionally capable versions of themselves—and how that inner work shapes not only fatherhood, but friend...

Episode 126: What A Weird Question...? Getting to know the people in our lives can be a mixture of laughter, joy, frustration, and faith - all the elements that we encounter throughout our lives. Even the silliest and strangest questions and stories can teach us a great deal about each other, even between friends connected for decades.  In this week's episode, JDK and Ashley ask each other a...

Episode 125: Leaning Into Our Learning Curves Learning new things can be intimidating yet fun, challenging yet liberating. Navigating the "learning curve" of something new depends on our ability to confront and move through discomfort in the moment for the benefits of growth and maturation in the future. Why do we often resist such discomfort? How can we better accept the challenges and fears that...

Episode 124: “Don’t Screw This Up (And Why That Backfires)” Have you ever told yourself, “Don’t mess this up”…right before doing exactly that? In this episode of Staying Power, Ashley and JD explore how our internal language shapes our performance, behavior, and emotional state. Drawing from neuroscience, cognitive psychology, and performance research, they unpack why focusing on what we want to a...

Episode 123: “When ‘Independence’ Becomes Armor” When people let us down, it can feel empowering to say, “I’m becoming more independent” or “I’m setting better boundaries.” And sometimes that’s exactly what’s happening. But sometimes, what we call independence is actually grief. What we call boundaries is actually bitterness. And what we call self-protection is slowly becoming self-isolation. In t...

Episode 122: Circling Back to the 12 Mis-steps This week, Staying Power welcomes back K’ai Roberts Fu, speaker and author of the newly-released “12 Mis-steps: How Twelve-Step Programs Trip Up Trauma Survivors." In a wide ranging conversation about the book and about her life since her last visit to the show (Episode 063), K’ai shares her journey to finishing and releasing the book, along with impo...

Episode 121: “Why We Hold Ourselves Back” What if the biggest limits in your life aren’t external — but internal? In this episode of Staying Power, Ashley and JD explore the science behind scarcity and abundance mindsets, and why our brains are wired to play it safe — often at the cost of growth. Drawing from neuroscience, behavioral psychology, and performance research, they unpack how past exper...

Episode 120: What Irritates You...Might Be You Why do certain people get under our skin so easily? In this episode of Staying Power, Ashley and JD explore the psychology behind our negative reactions to others — and how those reactions often reflect something within ourselves. Drawing from psychology, neuroscience, and contemplative traditions, they unpack projection, conditioning, and emotional t...

Episode 119: The Power of Saying Goodbye Goodbyes come in many forms — sudden loss, long illness, the end of a relationship, or even the quiet realization that a part of ourselves no longer fits. In this episode of Staying Power, Ashley and JD explore the emotional and neurological reality of saying goodbye. Why is it so hard? Why do we sometimes avoid it? And what gifts can emerge when we allow o...

Episode 118: People Are Not Products In a world of apps, profiles, and endless options, it’s easy to start treating relationships like products — evaluating people based on what they offer, how they “fit,” and whether they meet our criteria. In this episode of Staying Power, Ashley and JD explore how modern relationship culture has drifted toward a transactional, performance-driven mindset — and h...

Episode 117: The Mess of Mediocrity What does your physical space say about your internal world? In this episode of Staying Power, Ashley and JD explore the deeper meaning behind clutter — not as a moral failing, but as a signal. From overflowing desks to disorganized schedules, the environments we tolerate often reflect our mental load, emotional state, and personal standards. Drawing from psycho...

Episode 116: Fooling Ourselves On April Fool’s Day, we’re surrounded by jokes, pranks, and playful deception. But what does it actually mean to be “foolish”? In this episode of Staying Power, Ashley and JD take a deeper look at foolishness — not as a punchline, but as a human tendency rooted in bias, emotion, overconfidence, and misperception. Drawing from psychology, behavioral economics, and phi...

Episode 115: "What Needs to Go?" As winter fades, many of us feel the urge to clean, declutter, and reorganize. But what if spring cleaning isn’t just about dust and closets — but about mental clarity, identity renewal, and habit reset? Ashley and JD explore the psychology of fresh starts, environmental design, and how intentionally clearing space — physically and emotionally — can unlock momentum...

Episode 114: "How To Make Your Own Luck"  Just in time for St. Patrick’s Day, Ashley and JD explore the science behind “luck.” Is it random? Is it fate? Or is it something we quietly cultivate through mindset, behavior, and openness? Drawing from psychology and behavioral research, they unpack how beliefs about luck influence agency, opportunity recognition, and resilience — and how you can i...

Episode 113: "What I Didn't Know About You" What if better conversations start with better questions? In this lighter but deeply insightful episode of Staying Power, Ashley and JD ask each other unexpected, humorous, and thought-provoking questions — sparking stories about identity, growth, fear, resilience, and joy. Backed by research on curiosity, emotional intimacy, and relational connection, t...

Episode 112: "What Are You Looking Forward To?" What if one of the simplest ways to increase resilience, optimism, and emotional energy isn’t a massive life change — but intentionally putting something on your calendar? In this episode of Staying Power, Ashley and JD explore the psychology and neuroscience of anticipation — why having something to look forward to improves mood, reduces stress, and...

Episode 111: "JD's Eighteen Months In Fight, Flight, and Freeze"  Recently, JD spent 18 months navigating uncertainty, professional identity shifts, financial recalibration, and invisible pressure. He didn’t think he was “falling apart.” He thought he was adapting. Surviving. Doing what adults do. But when a new opportunity emerged and his stress levels suddenly dropped, he realized something...

Episode 110: "When Ashley's Light Went Out"  What happens when, little by little, we give up parts of ourselves to make life smoother for someone else? Not in dramatic ways, but in subtle, quiet ways: the holiday traditions we stop celebrating, the enthusiasm we mute, the joy we tone down so we won’t feel let down. Ashley noticed all of these things were happening to her, and so she decided t...

Episode 109: What We Love (and 'Hate') About Love It's Valentine's season, and JD and Ashley are in the spirit (so to speak!). This episode goes far beyond the sentimental cards, overpriced sweets, and societal expectations for Valentine's Day by taking an honest and unvarnished look at Love in all its forms - including its Not So Great parts. Join them for a freewheeling conversation that is hone...

Episode 108: "‘Do Your Own Research’: What Real Inquiry Actually Looks Like” In today’s world, “do your own research” is often used as a mic-drop — but what does real research actually look like? In this episode of Staying Power, JDK and Ashley challenge the growing confusion between genuine inquiry and confirmation-seeking. Drawing from neuroscience, psychology, and academic research methods, the...

Episode 107: When Letting Go Is Strength, Not Escape We often talk about the importance of not taking the easy way out — of staying present, doing the hard work, and not avoiding discomfort. But what about the moments when letting go is actually the healthier, more honest choice? In this episode of Staying Power, Ashley and JDK explore how to tell the difference between avoidance and discernment —...

Episode 106: What Real Fitness Looks Like So often in fitness — and in life — we focus on a specific outcome: a number on the scale, a finish line, or an idea of how things should go. But what if that mindset is actually what drains our motivation and disconnects us from ourselves? In this episode of Staying Power, JDK and Ashley explore a healthier, more sustainable way to think about fitness — n...

Episode 105: “After the Confetti Settles” The first week of January often brings a quiet shift: the excitement fades, routines return, and doubts creep in. In this episode of Staying Power, JDK and Ashley explore what actually sustains change once novelty wears off. Drawing on neuroscience, behavioral psychology, and ancient wisdom, they unpack why motivation is unreliable — and what works instead...