The Resilient Life

What it means to carry the legacy of your fallen spouse. Finding purpose in serving veterans and other families of fallen service members. Why finding love again doesn’t mean replacing the old. TMF Vice President and Gold Star Spouse Amy Looney Heffernan discusses what it’s like to be shaped by loss and why we all have a duty to ensure the names of our fallen never go unsaid. CONNECT with The Resi...

From the “leadership lab” of the military to becoming the first Iraq veteran elected to Congress. Co-authoring the Post 9/11 G.I. Bill and championing the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. Applying tourniquets after the Amtrak derailment and the blowback that can come from bipartisanship. Patrick Murphy, 32nd Undersecretary of the Army, discusses why he’s passionate about veterans issues and why -...

From promising beginnings as an aspiring young golfer to the grips of crystal meth addiction. A lofty prison escape and three years in solitary confinement. Walking the road from Hawaii’s Most Wanted to becoming a role model for thousands of youth.  Hawaii’s Kyle Quilausing discusses the power a pair of handcuffs can have and why he chooses to stay humble and focus on planting seeds of hope. CONNE...

Finding overnight success in the CrossFit community. Training Navy SEALs and the importance of maintaining a humble mind. Using humor and an alter ego to reach more people. CrossFit Athlete Dan Bailey talks about the lifelong draw of competition and why he wants more on his headstone than “The Fittest Man on Earth.” CONNECT with The Resilient Life Podcast: Instagram  SUBSCRIBE  Get the latest vide...

What drives a Marine to become a Marine. Going from illegal fist fights on the weekends to 9 years as a professional MMA fighter. Using the memories of servicemen and women lost as a catapult instead of an anchor. Former UFC fighter and COO of First Key Homes Brian Stann talks being a father to five girls and why he’s passionate about helping veterans leverage their unquestionable strengths. CONNE...

Losing “just an arm” as a 13-year-old competitive wakeboarder. Pushing past physical limits, from 7 hours of ping pong a day to deadlifting 500 pounds. Learning to embrace the concept of abundance rather than loss. The Fittest One Armed Man on Earth, Logan Aldridge, discusses his relentless obsession of overcoming boundaries and making fitness more accessible for everyone. CONNECT with The Resilie...

Helping people find consistency in fitness. Staying committed to authenticity, even if it means leaving yourself open to criticism. Turning a simple idea into an unstoppable community. Miranda Alcaraz, co-founder of the at-home workout community Street Parking, talks the life-saving and life-changing power of fitness and how it can be as simple as brushing your teeth. CONNECT with The Resilient Li...

A drive to exemplify selflessness that began with the Marines. Thirty-one marathons in 31 days after losing two legs in war. How to “use the weight” and get stronger with every trial. Retired Marine Sergeant Rob Jones discusses why he loves to show people what’s possible and the fulfillment that comes with living a great story.  CONNECT with The Resilient Life Podcast: Instagram  SUBSCRIBE  Get th...

Disrupting the mattress industry by making it about sleep instead of springs. Going from start-up to IPO in a pandemic. Having a bias toward action and the power that comes in having people you can trust. Casper CEO Philip Krim discusses the reward that comes with reinventing how things work, and why questioning the status quo should be the norm in business and life. CONNECT with The Resilient Lif...

Standing up out of a wheelchair after a life-threatening rugby injury left him paralyzed. The “mental diet” and learning to be grateful for what you have before it’s gone. Perspective and the unexpected gifts that have come with quadriplegia. Inspirational speaker and former UC Berkeley rugby player Robert Paylor discusses why breaking his neck has inspired him to give every day all that he has.  ...

Embracing MMA after a brutal sexual assault and years of bullying. The highs and lows of making a living in the ring. Body image and the injury factor.  Newly signed Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) star Paige VanZant shares how and why she has kept going when everything from injuries to social media haters were telling her to quit.   CONNECT with The Resilient Life Podcast: Instagram SUB...

Improv and the power of instantaneous feedback. Being a part of search and recovery at Ground Zero after 9/11. Not always having the opportunity to showcase your best self.   Comedian, actor and retired U.S. Marine Rob Riggle discusses his road in comedy and how living a life of service and honor doesn’t always have to be serious.   CONNECT with The Resilient Life Podcast: Instagram  SUBSCRIBE  Ge...

Working as a barista while pursuing a dream in Music City. Uniting people and healing through music. The two paths of grief. Tom Beaupre, bassist for Florida Georgia Line, discusses how living with a plan can provide the courage to stand in the limelight and build your own legacy. CONNECT with The Resilient Life Podcast: Instagram  SUBSCRIBE  Get the latest video podcast on YouTube Get the latest...

Navigating life as a pregnant widow. Building beautiful things from tragedy. Parenting during the pandemic, and the balance between shutting down social media trolls and welcoming civil discussion. CNN Political Commentator Mary Katharine Ham discusses how perspective is a valuable tool to take you through grief and usher in a new chapter. CONNECT with The Resilient Life Podcast: Instagram  SUBSCR...

Overcoming a cocaine addiction while balancing an NFL career. Relentlessly pursuing a new calling. Offering a third option for a racially divided nation.  Pastor Miles McPherson of The Rock Church in San Diego, CA, discusses overcoming insurmountable odds and how to address the conversation on race in America.   CONNECT with The Resilient Life Podcast: Instagram SUBSCRIBE  Get the latest video pod...

Ultramarathons. Spending 24 hours on a treadmill in the dark. Being a potential Medal of Honor recipient. Navy Cross Recipient Brian “Tosh” Chontosh, a 21-year USMC Veteran, talks building resilience like a muscle - sometimes with unusual tests of strength that push mental and emotional resolve. CONNECT with The Resilient Life Podcast on Instagram   SUBSCRIBE  Get the latest video podcast on YouTu...

The race to a COVID-19 vaccine. Communicating effectively to over 132,000 critical employees during a pandemic. Leadership and personal loss. Alex Gorsky discusses a few challenges he’s faced as CEO of Johnson & Johnson, his adopted philosophy of “mission first, people always,” and how being a veteran has impacted his resolve.   CONNECT with The Resilient Life Podcast on Instagram   SUBSCRIBE to s...

Join your host, Ryan Manion as she walks you through the introductory trailer of her new podcast: The Resilient Life. The Resilient Life will be a journey of discussions with fascinating and courageous people who've fought through hard times to come out better and stronger on the other end. Stories of people at their very best and their very worst.