A Quest for Well-Being

All his life he searches far and wide Half-blind with bloodshot eyes And too many brides For a hint of his mother in another woman All Sid found was another mistake And another bride Until one day God drops by to talk He says, "Sid! Stop playing games!" For once in Sid's life he listens He tries to behave Lo and behold, God touches my soul And plunks down Linda He is grateful to God and promises to be good the rest of his life Sid has no choice God is always watching him And he knows He doesn't have much time left to be good. Valeria Teles interviews Sid Nachman who reveals what is like to live with bipolar. Sid Nachman was the only child of immigrant parents from Russia and Germany who tried for 13 years to have him and were very tired from trying so hard. His initials are S.I.N. for Sidney Irving Nachman. He never found out if he was a sin or a joy. Sid Nachman is also the author of 'Bipolar Me'. 'Bipolar Me' provides a penetrating glimpse into the day-to-day experience of a man who dealt with a condition for which there was no name at the time - a time when such chemical imbalances might be diagnosed as a form of schizophrenia and could be treated with electric shock treatment or end up with the sufferer being locked away. 'Bipolar Me' has garnered high praise from readers and reviewers alike. Sid's no-holds-barred writing style produces a work that is filled with hilarious stories that show us that life is just plain good. BookLover USA said that the book is "A roller coaster ride through the mind of one of the funniest and endearing story-tellers of his generation." It is a highly entertaining memoir that allows readers a glimpse into the unfettered mind of a bipolar boy who never grows up until his hair turns white. Readers will get to see his world in black and white and vivid color and will feel what he feels when he feels like he weighs three thousand pounds and a minute later can leap over tall buildings. Sid's life is a life gone wild that settles down when it's almost too late. To learn more about Sid Nachman, please visit his website http://www.sidnachman.com/ For Intro-free episodes: https://www.patreon.com/aquestforwellbeingpodcast Podcast Page: https://fitforjoy.org/podcast ** Bio intro and outro one by Heidi Lynn Peters.

Alycea Snyder writes to my daughter, she wanted her to have the whole story. Where she came from. Why Alycea placed her for adoption. And how, for the next eighteen years, she hovered on the edges of her family, granted access by her generous parents, but always wanting more. More for her daughter, and more for her. Alycea writes: "I am not ready, not able, to raise you. Ten years too early, I need time to grow up. To offer you, I have love. And nothing else. You need more than I have to give, Unless I give you up. To parents who are ready, waiting, to raise you. Ten years wanting, with a ready home. Parents who have love, And everything else, too. If I do it, If I break my own heart to spare yours, Will it work? Will you be happier, healthier this way? And will I ever be okay again? In this episode, Valeria Teles interviews Alycea Snyder who tells the story of a kinship adoption from the perspective of a birthmother. She reveals her thoughts on adoption, shows openness as she redefines the word family. Alycea Snyder writes personal narratives that tackle major life transitions. With unconventional lyricism, she lays out the heart of a story in bare-bones language. A. K. Snyder (pen name) is an experienced speaker and adult educator. Her conference presentations revolve around technology, project management, and the writer's process. She is a member of the Florida Writers Association, and she serves on the board of Tampa Writers Alliance. She started Your Next Inspiring Story, an online community where members share their recommendations for stories that change your perspective and leave you inspired. Rural Minnesota features prominently in her writing, where A. K. spent her first thirty years. To learn more about Alycea Snyder, please visit her website https://aksnyderbooks.com/about/ For Intro-free episodes: https://www.patreon.com/aquestforwellbeingpodcast Podcast Page: https://fitforjoy.org/podcast ** Bio intro and outro one by Heidi Lynn Peters.

Our lives being the ultimate form of creativity. We are the art; forever creating and coloring and changing the being of our canvas as we learn and grow. And the choices we make in our lives are the external expressions of that art. What we create and produce and share and try to bring to light is a reflection of our inner being. Basically the nature of the creative process where you can only see a few feet before you and have to trust that if you just start somewhere, the path will begin to unfold. It's unfolding with small endeavors and big dreams; each creative endeavor a step towards creating a new path in life. The visions we are given for our lives are there for a purpose, no matter how much of a stretch them seem. These visions come from our higher selves, from spirit, from the universe, from soul callings, from the powers and entities of love, which guide and direct our days. And we are given them, so we can do the one thing nobody else can do: Actualize our own dreams. Give birth to the vision. See it through. In this episode, Valeria Teles interviews BethAnne Kapansky Wright. BethAnne is a Speaker, Author, Psychologist and Intuitive Healer, she blends the worlds of psychology and spirit to offer dynamic teaching on healing and transforming our relationship with ourselves. She is the author of the award-winning grief book, Lamentations of The Sea and its sequel Transformations of The Sun, as well as several books of poetry and a children's book. An artist, creative and choreographer, she is continually inspired by nature, color and movement. Her life underwent profound change when she lost her brother in 2016, which became the catalyst for leaving her longtime home of Alaska and moving to the island of Kauai to live more intuitively, spiritually, and creatively. To learn more about BethAnne Kapansky Wright, please visit her website https://www.bethannekw.com/ For Intro-free episodes: https://www.patreon.com/aquestforwellbeingpodcast Podcast Page: https://fitforjoy.org/podcast ** Bio intro and outro one by Heidi Lynn Peters

Engaging in regular exercise is critical to maintaining optimal physical health and performance. Did you know that it also boosts your mental health and well-being? Some research suggests a strong connection between exercise and the prevention and treatment of psychological illnesses, such as depression and anxiety. Exercise also might help increase positive mental states and support cognitive function throughout your life. In addition, Warfighters and their families can use daily physical activity to remain strong and mission-ready, increase resilience, and boost overall well-being. So, how does exercise support mental health? Physical activity can cause changes in certain hormones, endorphins, and other neurotransmitters in your body, which directly influence your mood, emotions, and brain health, both in the short and long term. Certain kinds of exercise, such as yoga, increase your awareness of how your body reacts to stress and other events in your life and can help you manage those reactions through breathing. ~ hprc-online Valeria Teles interviews Leon Stensholm talks about The Integration of Fitness and Suicide Prevention. Leon Stensholm started bodybuilding in 2001 after suffering a number of injuries that would end his promising soccer career. It quickly transpired that what Leon lacked in muscle, was made up for in spades by the sheer grit and determination he focused on his new sport. Committed to natural bodybuilding Leon has now been participating in the sport for the past 18 years with multiple Australian and Australasia titles to his name. During this time he has competed over 65 times, coached hundreds of clients with over 100 first places, and multiple pro cards awarded. Six years ago, following the suicide of his best mate and brother Dean, Leon decided to pursue his dreams and founded Bodybyleon Coaching and Personal Training. So committed to helping people to totally transform their body and mind Leon has also completed a Diploma in Counseling and written his first book, 'It`s how you think'. Leon operates from his gym where he trains, mentors, and coaches clients, in one on one sessions that are individually designed for each client and completely private. Leon works with a wide range of clients, all with their own unique goals, from professional athletes, to everyday people looking to achieve their personal health goals. Leon is particularly passionate about working with those who suffer from mental health concerns and gives his time freely to work in the community on suicide prevention, as part of The Alliance for suicide prevention. Leon uses cognitive behavioral therapy methods and provides a framework in which they can work towards achieving goals and transform their lives. To learn more about Leon Stensholm, please visit his website www.bodybyleon.com.au For Intro-free episodes: https://www.patreon.com/aquestforwellbeingpodcast Podcast Page: https://fitforjoy.org/podcast ** Bio intro and outro one by Heidi Lynn Peters.

The end of your marriage has likely left a big hole in your life. Perhaps your spouse was abusive, and you know you're better off without him. Nevertheless, you're experiencing some big changes, some good, and maybe others, not so much. Whatever the issues, your divorce recovery is a time of finding your new normal. Linda Moore Kurth shows us some ways to find joy in the process. Our lives can change dramatically since a divorce, both emotionally and physically. It's normal to cycle between feeling scared and feeling brave. Linda suggests we give ourselves a pass for being confused. Take a nap, enjoy a soak in the tub, eat a little chocolate, drink a glass of champagne, listen to your favorite music ... whatever healthy activity soothes you. In this episode, Valeria Teles interviews Linda Moore Kurth. Linda is a writer and a divorced and remarried Christian. In going through a divorce, she was condemned by some Christians and churches and supported by others. This experience prompted her to begin her blog, "Help and Healing for Divorced Christians" where she gives helpful advice and encourages churches to fully embrace divorced people. Her upcoming memoir, God, the Devil, and Divorce, chronicles her twenty-five-year marriage and struggle to make the decision to divorce, and God's provision in the aftermath. The book is scheduled to be published early next year. Linda's school and library book, Keiko's Story: a Killer Whale Goes Home, chronicles the life of the orca whale who starred in the movie "Free Willy." Her "career" romance, Home of the Heart, has recently been updated and re-published. She currently writes and publishes memoir and self-help "quick reads" found on Amazon. She lives with her husband of seventeen years in the verdant Skagit Valley of western Washington State, and is active in church, music, and writing communities there. To learn more about Linda Moore Kurth, please visit her website https://www.lindamkurth.com For Intro-free episodes: https://www.patreon.com/aquestforwellbeingpodcast Podcast Page: https://fitforjoy.org/podcast ** Bio intro and outro one by Heidi Lynn Peters.

The end of your marriage has likely left a big hole in your life. Perhaps your spouse was abusive, and you know you're better off without him. Nevertheless, you're experiencing some big changes, some good, and maybe others, not so much. Whatever the issues, your divorce recovery is a time of finding your new normal. Linda Moore Kurth shows us some ways to find joy in the process. Our lives can change dramatically since a divorce, both emotionally and physically. It's normal to cycle between feeling scared and feeling brave. Linda suggests we give ourselves a pass for being confused. Take a nap, enjoy a soak in the tub, eat a little chocolate, drink a glass of champagne, listen to your favorite music ... whatever healthy activity soothes you. In this episode, Valeria Teles interviews Linda Moore Kurth. Linda is a writer and a divorced and remarried Christian. In going through a divorce, she was condemned by some Christians and churches and supported by others. This experience prompted her to begin her blog, "Help and Healing for Divorced Christians" where she gives helpful advice and encourages churches to fully embrace divorced people. Her upcoming memoir, God, the Devil, and Divorce, chronicles her twenty-five-year marriage and struggle to make the decision to divorce, and God's provision in the aftermath. The book is scheduled to be published early next year. Linda's school and library book, Keiko's Story: a Killer Whale Goes Home, chronicles the life of the orca whale who starred in the movie "Free Willy." Her "career" romance, Home of the Heart, has recently been updated and re-published. She currently writes and publishes memoir and self-help "quick reads" found on Amazon. She lives with her husband of seventeen years in the verdant Skagit Valley of western Washington State, and is active in church, music, and writing communities there. To learn more about Linda Moore Kurth, please visit her website https://www.lindamkurth.com For Intro-free episodes: https://www.patreon.com/aquestforwellbeingpodcast Podcast Page: https://fitforjoy.org/podcast ** Bio intro and outro one by Heidi Lynn Peters.

"Holistic pharmacist" is largely a made-up term. Neal Smoller doesn't want to push drugs. Quite the opposite. Neal wants people off unnecessary medications and using nutrition instead, along with exercise, stress management, sleep—and, yes, supplements—to prevent disease as much as possible. A holistic pharmacist is the best of both worlds: a knowledgeable, accessible professional who looks to natural options first, while at the same time applying to the supplement industry all the rigor, diligence, and integrity pharmacists are known for. We can only live our best lives if we live in a truly holistic manner: balancing healthy lifestyle choices, well-made supplements used strategically, and traditional medical interventions. – says Neal Smoller Valeria Teles interviews Neal to explore What A Real Holistic-Care Plan Looks Like. Dr. Neal Smoller is a holistic pharmacist with a practice in the most famous small town in America, Woodstock, NY. He is the founder of Woodstock Vitamins as well as host of The Big Mouth Pharmacist Podcast. With his no-nonsense, slightly sarcastic approach, he provides the best-in-class supplements and advice. To learn more about Dr. Neal Smoller, please visit his website https://drnealsmoller.com/ For Intro-free episodes: https://www.patreon.com/aquestforwellbeingpodcast Podcast Page: https://fitforjoy.org/podcast ** Bio intro and outro one by Heidi Lynn Peters

"All you need is love," sang the Beatles many decades ago. It's a song still sung today. And for good reason. The tune is catchy, and the message is hopeful: "There's nothing you can do that can't be done." Love, after all, is our greatest joy. But it can also be complex and complicated. Loving someone "for better or worse, in sickness and in health," means taking the good with the bad. And that's not always easy. Many—if not most—of us will have to take care of the person we love during an illness. It might be for a day, a week or even longer. Some may find it a daunting challenge. For Bonnie Friedman, it's a call to action. Over the past two and a half decades, her husband has been hospitalized many times. Often, it's involved life-threatening illness with long periods of hospitalization and recuperation. In times like that, Bonnie does everything in her power to help him get better. Love is the starting point for advocacy. Along the way, Bonnie Friedman has learned a lot about the hospital setting and the very real impact that families can have in making sure their loved ones get the best care. Hospitals are bureaucratic and scary places. Families can and do make a real difference. They start with love and build from there. There's one more line from the Beatle's song that applies here: [There's] … "no one you can save that can't be saved." In this episode, Valeria Teles interviews Bonnie Friedman. Bonnie is a Healthcare advocate, Speaker and Author. Her expertise is hard-won, based on more than 24 years of advocating for her husband through 14 separate hospitalizations—some routine, some quite dramatic and some truly life-and-death experiences. Today her husband is thriving, and Bonnie Friedman is sharing her experience through blogging, speaking and writing to help others get the best care for their loved ones too. She speaks to community organizations, caregiving and civic groups, congregations and others interested in healthcare, advocacy, caregiving, aging in place and related issues. She also blogs regularly and is the host of a podcast, Advocates and Experts. She is author of the book, Hospital Warrior: How to Get the Best Care for Your Loved One. It is a comprehensive, easy-to-use guide with tips, insights and advice on how to navigate the hospital environment and culture. It is also a story of love, family and thriving. To learn more about Bonnie Friedman please visit her website www.hospitalwarrior.com For Intro-free episodes: https://www.patreon.com/aquestforwellbeingpodcast Podcast Page: https://fitforjoy.org/podcast ** Bio intro and outro one by Heidi Lynn Peters

The gift of life is a profound sense of well-being. We feel connected and vibrantly alive to the connection that we feel deep inside of ourselves and with everything. From this beautiful space, it is very difficult to be distracted by the mundane mind because when we are in touch with this beautiful state, then it's almost as if we've clarified within the brain, and the way that the brain functions, that there is no need to fall back into the mundane. There is no need to be distracted by the mundane because we have said No, that we do not need this experience, because we have chosen to open up to the power of the heart within ourselves, rather than be constantly manipulated by thoughts. Then, when we open to the power of our heart, the practice is very profound. The practice of meditation is about a discovery, a discovery of who we are, the truth of who we are. - Tony Samara In this episode, Valeria Teles interviews Tony Samara about Meditation and Power of Transmission. Tony Samara is a spiritual teacher and author of over a dozen books, has been sharing deep evolutionary work and inspiring people to incorporate meditation into their daily lives for more than 25 years. Combining meditation, detoxing the body, a plant-based diet & a simple lifestyle, he is best known for how his work touches more deeply than words. To learn more about Tony Samara please visit his website https://tonysamara.com For Intro-free episodes: https://www.patreon.com/aquestforwellbeingpodcast Podcast Page: https://fitforjoy.org/podcast ** Bio intro and outro one by Heidi Lynn Peters.

If you speak to someone who studies numerology they will tell you that there is an uncanny relationship between numbers and words. They'll tell you that letters and words all have numerical value and weight that is implicit of a deeper meaning, connecting other words of similar weight. In fact, this concept has been given merit and studied in relation to biblical texts for hundreds of years. Kabbalist Jewish scholars call this study gematria and believe that there is a hidden code in the Torah that contains clues to current and future events. The concept of gematria numerology stems from the idea that mathematics is the universal language of nature and within it may be the keys to explaining our universe or evidence of a supernatural power… From marketing.gaia.com In this episode, Sonia Novick talks about Gematria and discusses Unity Consciousness, and how we have entered into a portal of all possibilities that can be manifested into matter depending on your state of awareness. Sonia Novick is a Lifestyle Coach, Energetic Quantum Healer, Medical Intuitive, Spiritual Guidance, Certified Remote Viewer, and Intuitive Healing. She also teaches Extra-Sensory Self Development to those that want to hone their intuitive skills as well. Sonia is an intuitive and energetic healer who can read into your "life map" and see into corners you were either unaware of or need more clarity on. She works in the Quantum Field on assisting people in healing at all levels across all dimensions and all timelines, from the soul-spirit level to their mental and emotional bodies, right down to the physical and elemental body! To learn more about Sonia Novick please visit her website https://www.sonicnova.net/ For Intro-free episodes: https://www.patreon.com/aquestforwellbeingpodcast Podcast Page: https://fitforjoy.org/podcast ** Bio intro and outro one by Heidi Lynn Peters.