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  • The Case for Reinventing Fatherhood and Masculinity- with Jack Kammer
    2025/07/31

    Jack Kammer didn’t start his radio show to share hot takes—he started it to question the story we’ve been told. That was 1983. And he’s still at it today.

    Jack’s a writer, speaker, and longtime advocate for men’s voices in conversations about gender and fairness. As a former social worker and parole officer, he’s seen up close what happens when people feel unheard. We talk about why so many men feel left out of emotional spaces, what happens when dads aren’t around, and how Jack’s idea of “vitamin M”—his take on masculinity—can shift how we think about strength and care.

    Jack isn’t here to stir the pot—he’s here to start real conversations. If you're up for thinking a little differently, this one’s worth a listen.

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    1 時間 5 分
  • My Unexpected Life- Jennifer Gasner on Disability, Identity, and Belonging
    2025/07/25
    Some stories stop you—not because of what happened, but because of how someone chooses to live through it. Jennifer Gasner is a disability advocate and author of the book, My Unexpected Life: Finding Balance Beyond My Diagnosis. At 17, Jennifer was diagnosed with Friedreich’s ataxia, and since then, she’s turned challenge into purpose through humor, grit, and visibility. We talk about rejecting low expectations, finding pride through the social model of disability, and the surprising friendship that shaped her journey—including a powerful moment with Dave Matthews. Whether you're navigating disability or just want to show up better for others, this episode is a reminder that value isn’t tied to ability—it’s about being fully human.
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    35 分
  • How to Think Like a Futurist- Steven Zeller on AI, Risk, and the Power of Iteration
    2025/07/17
    Episode Summary

    What if the hard season you’re in isn’t a detour—but the actual path?

    Steven Zeller is a serial entrepreneur, technologist, and futurist who’s built and lost businesses, found clarity in discomfort, and never stopped chasing what’s next. In this episode of A Joyful Rebellion, Steven shares how being broke, unsupported, and underestimated became the foundation for his most innovative work.

    We talk about building your first million (and losing it fast), navigating entrepreneurship without a safety net, and how failure became his best mentor. Steven opens up about growing up without support, learning business in real time, and why your inner circle matters more than your pitch deck. Then we shift into the future: AI, genetic engineering, wearable tech, deepfakes, and the fine line between human potential and transhumanism.

    This episode is a rare peek into the mind of someone who sees the future clearly—and isn’t afraid to walk straight into it.

    Show Notes & Chapters
    • [00:00] Opening question: Is technology making us dumber—or just more reliant?

    • [01:00] Meet Steven Zeller: serial entrepreneur, tech futurist, self-made risk-taker

    • [03:00] From Midwest middle child to forging his own path—without college

    • [06:00] Choosing neurosurgery… or entrepreneurship?

    • [08:00] Breaking generational expectations without a support system

    • [11:00] Early mistakes, bad influences, and learning business by doing

    • [13:00] Making a million—and losing it fast

    • [15:00] The “woe is me” moment, and what he did differently the second time

    • [18:00] Why iteration matters more than perfection

    • [21:00] Version 3.0 of your life—and why reinvention is your best strategy

    • [24:00] AI, robotics, and why humans were built for more than monotony

    • [28:00] The distinction between usable and distraction tech

    • [33:00] How we think with tools—and why that isn’t always a bad thing

    • [36:00] Deepfakes, disinformation, and the need for AI fact-checkers

    • [39:00] What Steven’s most excited about: genetics, organ regeneration, and life extension

    • [43:00] The ethics of editing embryos—and the danger of designer babies

    • [45:00] Medical disruption vs. medical monetization

    • [47:00] The idea of “downloading a cure” in the not-so-distant future

    • [50:00] Transhumanism, identity, and what makes us human

    • [52:00] Final thoughts: Better tech, better humans, and drawing the line

    Resources
    • Connect with Steven on LinkedIn

    • Topics mentioned: ChatGPT, Sora, Quantum Computing, Human Genome Project, IPS cells, Brain-computer interfaces

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    55 分
  • There’s Nothing Wrong with You—It’s Just Fear- Rhonda Britten’s Story
    2025/07/10
    Episode Summary

    What if the thing holding you back isn’t laziness, procrastination, or perfectionism—but fear wearing a clever disguise?

    In this unforgettable episode of A Joyful Rebellion, Emmy Award-winner and Fearless Living founder Rhonda Britten shares the unthinkable story of what happened to her at age 14—and the decades-long journey that followed. After witnessing the murder-suicide of her parents, Rhonda spiraled into guilt, addiction, and self-destruction. But a failed suicide attempt became the moment she decided to start over. And she did.

    Today, she’s helped thousands reclaim their lives using the Wheel of Fear and Wheel of Freedom, tools that help people stop trying harder and start transforming. We talk about emotional fear vs. physical fear, why most self-help doesn’t stick, and how real change comes through awareness, not willpower. Whether you’re overwhelmed, people-pleasing, or perfectionist-ing your way through life, this conversation will shift how you see yourself—and what you do next.

    Show Notes & Chapters
    • [00:00] What fearlessness really is (it’s not skydiving)

    • [02:00] Rhonda’s backstory: Emmy-winner, coach, and trauma survivor

    • [04:30] The worst day of her life—and the guilt that followed

    • [07:30] Alcohol, suicide attempts, and the turning point

    • [09:00] The gold star calendar that changed everything

    • [11:00] Why knowledge doesn’t equal transformation

    • [13:00] What fear actually looks like in daily life

    • [14:30] The fear quiz (and how you probably passed it 100%)

    • [17:00] Reframing “problems” as fear responses

    • [19:00] Identifying your core fear—and how it runs the show

    • [22:00] The Wheel of Fear vs. Wheel of Freedom

    • [25:00] How shame melts when fear is named

    • [28:00] Healing, regret, and radical self-forgiveness

    • [31:00] Rhonda’s essential nature: authenticity

    • [34:00] Generational trauma and fear in your DNA

    • [36:30] Why your worst behavior doesn’t define you

    • [38:00] Age, awareness, and how fast change can happen

    • [40:00] The #1 fear people don’t talk about

    • [43:00] Coaching that actually works—and why

    • [46:00] Stretch, Risk, or Die: tools for transformation

    • [49:00] Fear as your outdated protector (and how to retrain it)

    • [52:00] The difference between venting and complaining

    • [55:00] Building sovereignty and agency—one choice at a time

    • [58:00] What healthy people really look like—and how to find them

    • [01:00:00] Final takeaway: There’s nothing wrong with you. It’s just fear.

    Resources
    • Website: fearlessliving.org

    • Free Video Class: Stretch Risk or Die | Fearless Living

    • Book: Fearless Living by Rhonda Britten

    • Instagram: @‌rhondabritten

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    1 時間 3 分
  • Two Dads, Two Kids, and a System That Fought Them- Lane Igoudin’s Adoption Story
    2025/07/03
    Episode Summary

    How do you build a family when the system is designed to tear it apart?

    In this powerful episode of A Joyful Rebellion, writer, professor, and father Lane Igoudin shares the deeply human story behind his memoir A Family, Maybe: Two Dads, Two Babies, and the Court Cases That Brought Us Together. Lane and his husband Jonathan were among the first openly gay couples to adopt through the foster system in Los Angeles County. What followed was a three-year legal and emotional rollercoaster that tested their resolve, their relationship, and their sense of justice.

    We talk about the failures of the child welfare system, the invisible labor of parenting under legal threat, and what it really means to create family—not just legally, but spiritually and emotionally. Lane opens up about raising two daughters, navigating stigma, building community, and the quiet strength it takes to hold your family together when others have the power to pull it apart.

    Show Notes & Chapters
    • [00:00] Grafting onto a new family tree: How love can create roots

    • [01:00] Meet Lane Igoudin: Writer, father, and accidental memoirist

    • [03:00] The first chapter: curbside delivery and becoming instant parents

    • [06:00] Birth, sepsis, and a cooler bag full of formula

    • [08:30] Parenting under legal threat: Living through uncertainty

    • [10:00] Two babies, no safety net, and a perfect storm of life transitions

    • [12:00] Why Lane always knew he wanted to be a father

    • [14:00] The landscape of early LGBTQ+ adoptions in the 2000s

    • [16:00] Legal limbo: Being married in one state, single in another

    • [18:00] Parallel paths: Parenting, career change, and teaching

    • [20:00] The emotional cost of parenting through a courtroom

    • [23:00] Denied status, silenced voices, and fighting for your family

    • [25:00] The problem with “best interests” being decided 30 miles away

    • [27:00] What true attachment looks like—and what disruption could do

    • [30:00] Building bridges: Allies, moms, and chosen community

    • [32:00] Identity, culture, and raising bicultural kids with care

    • [34:00] What the girls know, and what they want to know, about their past

    • [36:00] Reactions to the book—from readers, family, and adoptees

    • [39:00] Why Lane wrote the story he never planned to write

    Resources
    • Lane’s Website: http://laneigoudin.com

    • Book: A Family, Maybe (Available via Amazon, Bookshop, and his website)

    • Publisher: Ooligan Press, Portland State University

    • Instagram: @laneigoudin

    • Facebook: Lane Igoudin

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    42 分
  • From Diagnosis to Determination- Ray Hartjen on Cancer, Clarity, and Living Out Loud
    2025/06/26
    Episode Summary

    What do you do when life hands you a story you never asked for?

    Ray Hartjen is a writer, musician, father, and cancer patient who didn’t just survive a diagnosis—he rewrote the narrative. After learning he had multiple myeloma, an incurable blood cancer, Ray chose to reframe instead of retreat. In this episode of A Joyful Rebellion, we explore how a routine blood test cracked his world open—and how he rebuilt it with music, meaning, and the mantra, If not now, when?

    We talk about the emotional toll of illness, the power of perspective, and the roles we take on when everything changes. Ray shares what it means to show up fully, how support groups shaped his recovery, and why he believes in “punching the day in the face.” Whether you're facing a life detour or just waiting to start the next chapter, this conversation is a powerful reminder that clarity often follows chaos—and it’s never too late to begin again.

    Show Notes & Chapters
    • [00:00] Opening reflection: Clarity after crisis

    • [01:00] Meet Ray Hartjen: writer, musician, father—and cancer patient

    • [03:00] A routine blood test leads to a life-changing diagnosis

    • [06:00] What 90% bone marrow cancer looks like when you feel “fine”

    • [08:00] Reframing the story: Same roles, new lens

    • [10:00] The “mixing board” model of healing: mind, body, spirit

    • [12:00] The timeline exercise that redefined his urgency

    • [15:00] “If not now, when?”—and the motto that lit a fire

    • [17:00] Book 1: Immaculate and the Steelers’ role in Pittsburgh’s revival

    • [20:00] Why big dreams require small steps

    • [22:00] Advice for anyone with a full journal and an unfinished dream

    • [24:00] What support groups reveal about the healing journey

    • [26:00] From patient to advocate: reaching back to pull others forward

    • [28:00] Hesitations, control, and why vulnerability builds strength

    • [30:00] What not to say—and what to say instead when offering help

    • [33:00] Book 2: The Indy 500 and chasing long-held passions

    • [35:00] Making music, dreaming bigger, and playing Vegas

    • [37:00] The hardest conversation: telling his daughter

    • [40:00] Grace, grit, and why the world needs your story

    • [43:00] Final encouragement: “You are stronger than you think”

    Resources
    • Website: rayhartjen.com

    • Book: Me, Myself, and My Multiple Myeloma

    • Book: Immaculate: How the Steelers Saved Pittsburgh

    • Book: The Indy 500: A Year-Long Quest… (coming soon)

    • Connect on social: @‌rayhartjen (except TikTok: @‌rayhartjen5)

    • Email: rayhartjen@gmail.com

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    45 分
  • How to Actually Understand Yourself (and Others) with Eric Gee and Project Utopia
    2025/06/19
    Episode Summary

    You’ve taken the tests—Myers-Briggs, Enneagram, DISC—but what if they’re missing the real point? In this episode of A Joyful Rebellion, personality expert and educator Eric Gee breaks down why most models get it wrong—and how his Project Utopia framework gets it right.

    Instead of focusing on traits or labels, Eric’s system centers on values, using animal archetypes grouped into four core packs: Gatherers, Hunters, Smiths, and Shamans. With over 50,000 people personally profiled, Eric shares how understanding your true motivation—not just your behavior—can reframe everything from your relationships to your career choices.

    Whether you’ve always felt a little “off-type” or you’re deep into self-discovery, this episode is a funny, thoughtful, and wildly insightful look at what really drives us.

    Show Notes & Chapters
    • [00:00] What most personality tests get wrong—and why values matter more

    • [03:00] Eric’s origin story: RadioShack computers and personality geekery

    • [06:00] Superficial traits vs. deeper drives: A shift in methodology

    • [08:00] Why Eric uses animal archetypes—and what makes them stick

    • [10:00] The four core packs: Gatherers, Hunters, Smiths, and Shamans

    • [12:30] Using values to communicate more effectively (especially in school)

    • [14:00] How personality typing transforms marriages and partnerships

    • [15:30] Nature vs. Nurture—and the effects of parenting styles

    • [18:00] Gatherer overconfidence, shaman midlife clarity, and personality pivots

    • [20:00] Why you can’t “change” your type—and what happens when you try

    • [23:00] The burnout factor: When teachers’ personalities clash with systems

    • [25:00] Magic, personality, and breaking assumptions

    • [27:00] When others know you better than you know yourself

    • [30:00] The least common types—and what makes them powerful

    • [32:00] How to find your type (and why it should be fun)

    • [34:00] Energy, intuition, and reading people in the wild

    • [36:00] Why Hemingway isn’t for everyone—and how writing reflects values

    • [38:00] A final takeaway: The power of self-honesty and personal rebellion

    Resources
    • Website: ProjectYOUtopia.com

    • Book: The Power of Personality by Eric G

    • Free personality test: Available on Eric’s site

    • Eric’s social links: Included on the Project YOUtopia website

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    41 分
  • The Happiness Decision- Andrew Matthews on Resilience and Mindset
    2025/06/12
    Episode Summary

    What if the key to happiness wasn’t in getting what you want—but in choosing how you respond when you don’t? In this episode of A Joyful Rebellion, international bestselling author and cartoonist Andrew Matthews joins us from Australia to unpack what it really means to bounce back. With over 8 million books sold in 49 languages, Andrew’s simple, illustrated messages about happiness have helped millions reframe their pain, reclaim their power, and live with more joy—even in the midst of hard times.

    We explore the difference between people who move forward and those who stay stuck, why acceptance is the real first step toward healing, and how a slice of cake might be all it takes to shift your mindset. Whether you're recovering from loss, trying to find meaning in the mess, or just want to feel a little more like yourself again—this conversation is packed with insight, humor, and hope.

    Show Notes & Chapters
    • [00:00] Introduction: When life knocks you down, then what?

    • [01:00] Meet Andrew Matthews: The decision that changed everything

    • [03:00] The happiness myth—and the truth he discovered at 25

    • [06:30] Rejection, risk, and the cartoon book that went global

    • [08:15] What happy people have in common (hint: it’s not stuff)

    • [10:45] The cake cartoon and the power of what we focus on

    • [12:00] Lessons from people with “bigger problems and better attitudes”

    • [14:15] Why bouncing back starts with acceptance

    • [17:00] The trap of “it shouldn’t have happened”—and how to move on

    • [19:00] Resilience, stoicism, and choosing how we interpret events

    • [21:30] Nick Vujicic, country western songs, and perspective shifts

    • [24:00] When self-help stops working—and what to do next

    • [26:00] The problem with overthinking and the gift of self-awareness

    • [28:00] Social media, short attention spans, and the myth of comparison

    • [30:00] Decision vs. transformation: the real turning point

    • [32:00] Different books for different seasons of hardship

    • [34:00] Supporting people around you without pushing them

    • [36:00] Being the best example—not the loudest voice

    • [38:00] Real-life stories: from broke and hopeless to joyful and thriving

    • [42:00] Start where you are—there’s no other place to begin

    • [44:00] Where to find Andrew’s books and newsletters

    • [45:00] Final thoughts and thank yous

    Resources
    • Andrew’s Website: andrewmatthews.com

    • Books by Andrew Matthews:

      • Being Happy

      • Bouncing Back

      • Happiness in Hard Times

      • Follow Your Heart

    • Audiobooks available on Audible

    • Andrew’s newsletter (sign up on his website)

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    47 分