The Short Rest

At 25, Clara Schroeder’s life changed in an instant when a car accident left her with a traumatic brain injury. The athlete, horseback rider, and outdoor adventurer she had always been, suddenly couldn’t balance on one foot, hold a conversation, or recognize the life she was living. What followed was a year and a half of misdiagnoses, invisible disability, and rebuilding her life piece by piece. A...

What happens when you take a chance on something completely unfamiliar, and it changes everything?  In this special season finale, Rodney Campbell shares how saying yes to one game of Dungeons & Dragons unlocked a global stage, creative purpose, and an unexpected path to healing. We talk about performance, identity, community, creative risk, and why play isn’t just for kids.  This isn’t just a...

At the end of 2023, Hilary Gale found herself pregnant with her second child. A moment of joy shared with family days before Christmas. But the joy was short-lived as she experienced a miscarriage. What followed was a grief that few talk about and even fewer are supported through. In our candid conversation, Hillary opens up about the emotional weight of early pregnancy loss, the mixed responses f...

Dat Tran grew up in the shadow of generational trauma. As a Vietnamese immigrant, he was raised in poverty by a father focused on survival. Cultural narratives steeped in comparison fueled feelings of inferiority, imposter syndrome, and a lifelong question of belonging. But through leaps of faith and working through his lived experiences, he learned to rewrite his story. Today, Dat’s a stress resi...

In the chaos of California’s deadliest wildfire, Scott Mayfield grabbed his gas mask, knocked on doors, and evacuated neighbors single-handedly until smoke blinded him and fear finally won. What followed was years of self-punishment, survival guilt, and a slow, hard-fought climb back to joy. Now a multi-business owner with a life steeped in fantasy cartography and real estate deals, Scott shares t...

At 26, Sonja Ecklund left an emotionally abusive relationship, moved into her mom’s basement, and started her life over from scratch. She thought she’d failed, but she was really set free. That experience reshaped her and became the foundation for how she now helps others do the same. Today, Sonja is a behavior change expert, financial social work coach, and board-certified health and wellness coa...

Josh Selesnick is a visionary facilitator who transformed a bold idea—using Dungeons & Dragons for corporate team-building—into a full-time role as an L&D specialist at a global consultancy of 700+ consultants. Through storytelling, strategy, and unwavering belief in the power of play, he’s reshaping how remote teams connect, collaborate, and grow. But his journey from start-up to living t...

Mishkin Cyr is a recovered addict turned executive leader who empowers others to overcome challenges and achieve extraordinary growth. He inspires those who seek to make a real difference in the world, drawing on his unconventional journey and practical strategies for building resilience, fostering collaboration, and leading with integrity. In this episode, Mishkin shares how early trauma, isolati...

Michael Pyle thought he had time to build his dream…until he was suddenly fired. With a pregnant wife and three young kids at home, he was forced to rebuild his income, identity, and confidence from the ground up. In this episode, Michael shares the hidden costs of launching a business mid-crisis, what it’s really like to market yourself on LinkedIn, and why conviction (and support) can be the dif...

A place to pause. A space to reflect. A moment to breathe. The Short Rest Podcast is coming soon. Listen to the teaser to hear what it’s all about. ---- Music Credit: Upon the Waves by Aeris | https://freetouse.com/music/aeris Free To Use | https://freetouse.com/music