Nonfiction4Life
Janet Perry: podcaster, blogger, nonfiction book lover
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Top 10 Nonfiction4Life Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Nonfiction4Life episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Nonfiction4Life for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Nonfiction4Life episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
N4L 031: "The Millennial Myth" by Crystal Kadakia
Nonfiction4Life
03/14/18 • 43 min
Even as digital technology is disrupting workplace culture, Crystal Kadakia, author of The Millennial Myth: Transforming Misunderstanding into Workplace Breakthroughs, is aiming to solve the biggest human capital trend of our next decade: millennials in the workplace. To remain competitive, we not only need generational diversity; we need to embrace, harness, engage modern talent.
As a thought leader and trainer, Kadakia rebuilds a backdrop for millennials, reminding us that every generation had benefited from innovations. Now, by having their basic needs met, millennials are also able to self-actualize. She also debunks five commonly held myths about millennials:
- It’s not lazy; it’s productivity redefined.
- It’s not entitled; it’s entrepreneurial.
- It’s not hand-holding; it’s agility.
- It’s not disloyal; it’s seeking purpose.
- It’s not authority issues; it’s respect redefined.
Approaching each misconception using her “One Coin, Two Sides” model, Kadakia treats the issues with equanimity. She gives us new language and positive attributes to reframe each of the stereotypes.
According to Kadakia, millennials are primarily driven by two prevalent philosophies: “YOLO” and “FOMO.” The former, “You Only Live Once,” drives them to seize opportunities, even if it means moving switching jobs frequently. On the other hand, FOMO (“Fear of Missing Out”) causes them pain because they have so many choices. To balance the two, they collect experiences first and material goods later (or not at all). Contrast these motivations with those of older workers who went without not by choice but by circumstance and whose choices were severely limited, and you have a conflict of interest and misunderstanding.
In the span of one decade, the “digitally enabled” generation moved from pagers to flip phones to smartphones. Remembering this lightning-fast shift can ease tensions in the workplace and can help us know what these workers expect. For example, they look for constant feedback and transparency; they expect flexibility and access; they count on growth opportunities and recognition.
To create genuine workplace breakthroughs, Kadakia proposes we create environments characterized by “co-versity.” She explains, “Instead of a millennial network, it’s having a generations network, where people of all generations can come together and converse, connect, and collaborate.”
N4L 018: "The Sky Below" by Scott Parazynski with Susy Flory
Nonfiction4Life
11/29/17 • 35 min
Scott Parazynski, author of the memoir The Sky Below: A True Story of Summits, Space, and Speed, is the only human to travel in space and reach the summit of Mount Everest. With five Space Shuttle Missions, seven spacewalks (EVAs), and numerous publications and awards to his name, he rightfully earned his place in the US Astronaut Hall of Fame at Kennedy Space Center.
He grew up all over the world, making him a “third culture kid,” which opened his eyes to the power of people and made him a fan of multidisciplinary teams. To become both a physician and an astronaut, Parazynski applied lessons learned from becoming an Eagle Scout. Just as he earned merit badges one at a time, he likewise pursued his goals by organizing them into manageable parts. Now retired from his 17-year career as an astronaut, he refers to himself as “former astronaut” since he’s no longer allowed to speak officially for NASA.
When his son Luke was born with underdeveloped lungs, Parazynski felt terrified and helpless. To have no control over the situation was a defining moment. Yet later, mortality caught up with him, too. He suffered an altitude-induced stroke and ruptured disc in his lower back. Still, he returned to space for several expeditions and to Mount Everest for a second (successful) attempt to reach the summit. Although characterized by putting himself in risky situations, he calls himself a “risk manager” rather than a “risk taker.” Like other climbers and astronauts, he always has a Plan B and Plan C.
Evidently, Parazynski’s back problems were a result of his body expanding in space and contracting upon returning to Earth. Over time, repeating this pattern inflicted trauma on his body. Parazynski’s friend/colleague Scott Kelly speaks of experiencing similar physical changes from his prolonged space travel.
Parazynski had the distinguished opportunity to be selected as a fellow crewmember and in-flight physician to John Glenn who returned to space at age 77. Of all Glenn’s qualities, his humility impressed Parazynski the most. Their space experiments included findings that continue to inform the field of gerontology.
According to Parazynski, companies such as Virgin Galactic and Space X will make space travel possible for the layman sooner rather than later. His own finest moment in space came when repairing a solar panel on the International Space Station. The ISS, a symbol of political alliances, is tangible evidence space can be an incredible catalyst for peace.
Parazynski believes continuing to fund the space program is a smart investment in “tomorrow.” By allocating $18 billion (less than half a cent of taxpayer dollars) to aerospace and aviation, we can continue to bridge nations and inspire young people. His own “greater purpose” is “to try to pay forward to the fullest extent possible.” As CEO of his own robotics startup, he’s working on technologies he hopes will help millions if not billions of people for good.
BUY The Sky Below: A True Story of Summits, Space, and Speed
11/15/17 • 34 min
Life Is So Good is the unlikely memoir of a slave’s grandson who finally learned to read at age 98. Given the chance to get a formal education, George Dawson took to school the way he did every other experience—with humility and gratitude.
Co-author Richard Glaubman originally intended to give voice to a man relegated to a life of discrimination and prejudice. Instead, he found a man filled with gratitude and a sunny disposition. Even with a front-row seat to the cruelty and severe poverty of Blacks in the Deep South, Dawson remained untainted by bitterness.
Eventually, Dawson and Glaubman published the story bearing the title, Life Is So Good. These four words became Dawson’s lifelong mantra when his father spoke them soon after the two of them witnessed a lynching. Having seen a century’s worth of life’s ups and downs, Dawson reminds us, “People forget that a picture ain’t made from just one color. Life ain’t all good or all bad. It’s full of everything.”
Soon after the book was released, Dawson passed away at age 103. Yet his pearls of wisdom are timeless. Here are just three:
- “Some people are growing children [like farmers grow hogs], not raising children.”
- “[Don’t] worry so much” and “Be happy for what you have.”
- “The world only changes one person at a time."
Also by Richard Glaubman:
N4L 143: "Finding Gobi" by Dion Leonard and Craig Borlase
Nonfiction4Life
06/10/20 • 32 min
SUMMARY
Craig Borlase, a New York Times and international bestselling author of more than 60 books, co-authors the unexpected worldwide bestselling memoir, "Finding Gobi: The Little Dog with a Very Big Heart."
This true story features co-author and ultramarathoner Dion Leonard who crosses paths with a stray dog while racing 150 miles across the Gobi Desert in China. The dog he later names “Gobi” unexpectedly runs for miles alongside him in the scorching hot desert. Gobi’s instant loyalty and love win over Leonard, a hardened Aussie man, and eventually turns him into a tender-hearted advocate for dog adoption.
Co-author Borlase, a prolific and renowned memoirist, specializes in crafting dramatic, engaging stories and has collaborated with a wide range of people all over the world. Some of these include a two-time Grammy-winning songwriter, an Iranian refugee who spent four months in a Turkish jail, a female transatlantic rower, a World War II veteran, and a former Muslim woman who was one week away from becoming a suicide bomber.
Leonard praises Borlase’s attention to detail that turns a simple memory into something that makes us feel we were there. “Craig turned words into gold.”
QUOTE FROM BORLASE
- “What makes a good story? Courage. A willingness to face pain, not hide. Saying 'yes' to all that's good in life. When you start here, the writing takes care of itself.”
BUY Finding Gobi: A Little Dog with a Very Big Heart OR
BUY Finding Gobi: Young Reader's Edition: The True Story of One Little Dog's Big Journey
RECOMMENDATIONS
BUY Becoming Mama: How I Found Hope in Haiti's Rubble
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N4L 121: "Hanger Management" by Dr. Susan Albers
Nonfiction4Life
12/25/19 • 36 min
Bestselling author and clinical psychologist Dr. Susan Albers hits on a topic familiar to all of us in her latest book, Hanger Management: Master Your Hunger and Improve Your Mood, Mind, and Relationships. An expert in mindful eating, she sheds light on the causes of “hanger” (a toxic combination of hunger and anger) and shares 45 tips for “turning hungry into happy.”
Instead of being another diet book, Hanger Management offers “a set of strategies and a way of being.” Albers confronts many of the common moments when “hangry” can turn a great day into a disastrous day. Combining her personal parenting experience with extensive research, she shares ideas for traveling with kids, having healthy snacks on hand, avoiding marital stress, learning how to deal with long lines at restaurants, getting back on track after holiday feasting, and more strategies for approaching everyday interactions. In the end, she teaches us how to tackle negative relationships with food so our relationships with people can thrive.
KEY POINTS
- Cinnamon regulates our blood sugar.
- Magnesium is involved in more than 300 chemical reactions in our body, in particular, our insulin regulation, metabolism, and mood regulation.
- A couple of the “Ten S’s of Mindful Eating” include: always SIT while you eat, and SLOW down while you eat by eating with your non-dominant hand.
- When traveling, be sure to stay hydrated with water or water-rich foods.
- People who have fruit bowls on their counter end up weighing 14 pounds less than the average person.
- Putting smiley faces on healthy foods can draw people to eating better.
- Some power food suggestions: avocados, almonds, apples, pumpkin seeds, and puffed chickpeas.
QUOTES FROM ALBERS
- “When we are running on empty...we are distracted constantly by thoughts of food. Or when we are just plain too busy to make eating well a priority, hunger-induced moodiness can take over. Often we chalk our bad moods up to stress. In fact, it’s the impact of being undernourished—or filled with foods that completely wreck our mood.”
- “Always eat off of your feet.”
- “Hanger can lead us to overeat, which leaves us feeling what I call ‘regretfull’...the physical and emotional discomfort that comes from overeating in a mindless way.”
- “Ditch dieting and eat mindfully.”
- “Mindfully choosing foods that give the body and mind the fuel they truly need to function feels good. It gives us greater clarity and better emotional stability.”
BUY Hanger Management: Master Your Hunger and Improve Your Mood, Mind, and Relationships
RECOMMENDATIONS BUY Rubbermaid FreshWorks Produce Saver Food Storage Containers to keep your healthy snacks fresh!
Find Dr. Susan Albers on social media and online: IG:@drsusanalbers, Twitter: @DrSusanAlbers Facebook: @eatdrinkmindful
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N4L 109: "Living Well Despite Adversity" by Harriet Cabelly
Nonfiction4Life
09/11/19 • 37 min
Harriet Cabelly’s book, Living Well Despite Adversity: Inspiration for Finding Renewed Meaning and Joy in Your Life, began as a blog entitled, “Rebuild Life Now.” Seeking to represent a “diversity of adversity,” the author conducted monthly interviews with the likes of Cheryl Strayed, Temple Grandin, Meredith Viera, and other lesser-known people, all who have adversity in common. Now, collecting her 36 conversations in a book, Cabelly shares stories of heartbreak and grief, pain and persistence. These interviews illustrate how some have managed to transcend grand challenges by choosing to not only live through adversity but to thrive because of it.
KEY POINTS
- When shattered dreams become adversity, we need to rebuild new dreams around our new reality.
- Unloading = painful journey of going into “a dark pit” of heart-wrenching feelings, which you must go through in order to come through; a liberating experience that releases toxicity
- Integrating (vs. overcoming, putting behind) - incorporating a challenge by making it part of your new normal with new dreams and goals
- Asking “Why?” is a waste of energy; instead, ask “How...?”
- Asking for help to get the support you need takes strength and courage.
- Writing can be a coping tool for grief and a mechanism to make sense of hard times.
- Starting an organization to help others who go through similar challenges can be healing.
- Regardless of why people are hit by adversity, their grieving experience is very similar.
- By going deep into the pain and allowing yourself to feel hurt, small openings let you see new possibilities, helping you repurpose yourself.
- Having a newly discovered purpose allows you to go forward living a life with real meaning (Viktor Frankl)
- When we let down our guard and become vulnerable, we morph into genuine human beings with authentic emotions, which connect us on the deepest human level.
QUOTES FROM CABELLY
- "It’s no big deal to live well when all is going well in our lives, but my keen interest has been in those who have a lot of pain and hardship to deal with, yet still manage to—dare I say—thrive. I am in awe of such people."
- “What does it mean then to live well? It means living with a sense of meaning and purpose, with an ability to experience joy and satisfaction. It means to embrace the positive and deal with the negative; to live aligned with one’s values; to live with intention and be an active creator of our life, to put our best self forward so we can positively impact and be of service to others while we occupy a place on this earth.”
- “When adversity knocks us for a loop, living well means taking on the challenge and integrating it into our life. It’s not about succumbing to the problems and becoming a victim, or deciding on some level that our life is over because of them. It’s not about becoming bitter; it’s about becoming better.”
- “Each story is one of success since the people in them have all been able to not just live, but thrive. I offer them as inspiration and as a way for you to see and learn that you too can do it. We are not fixed human beings. We all have the capacity and potential to be more than we are, and to change—even in baby steps.”
RECOMMENDATION
Search Harriet Cabelly's book for many additional books written by the people she interviewed.
BUY Living Well Despite Adversity: Inspiration for Finding Renewed Meaning and Joy in Your Life
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N4L 108: "Five Seconds at a Time" by Denis Shackel
Nonfiction4Life
09/04/19 • 39 min
SUMMARY
Denis Shackel’s book, Five Seconds at a Time: How Leaders Can Make the Impossible Possible, is a hybrid, combining compelling memoir with applied business practices. Borne out of a harrowing mountain-climbing accident on Mount Ruapehu in New Zealand, the book captures leadership principles Shackel has been teaching for decades. Left alone after his brother-in-law, a much stronger and experienced climber fell to his death, Shackel managed to stay alive by breaking the solitude and long hours into five-second intervals. Taking this same approach to business, executives and corporations now use this same measured approach to success by “eating an elephant one bite at a time.”
LEADERSHIP LESSONS FROM SHACKEL
“Today, effective leaders need the ability to anticipate and quickly adapt to change. Perhaps most important, in this new, flattened world, standout leaders are no longer found in the corner office alone. Leadership happens throughout the enterprise, from top to bottom; we are all leaders, no matter what our title.”
“Leaders must be exceptional team players. More than ever, they must be able to influence and persuade those over whom they have no power. They need to build, foster and influence a complex web of relationships across all levels—from employees, partners, and suppliers to customers, citizens, and even competitors.”
“The literature on vision sometimes confuses it with mission. Vision is the future desired state. Mission, on the other hand, is the means by which the vision is realized—for example, the reason a person, department, team or organization exists.”
“Next time you are faced with something difficult, step back and pause before you act. Take at least five seconds to reflect on the issue from a broader view. Use this time to look at the whole forest and not just the trees. This will help you gain a clearer perspective before you step forward to face an overwhelming challenge.”
“We need to strive for excellence, not perfection. Excellence tolerates mistakes, perfection doesn’t.”
"Celebrations should be frequent and involve doing something that gives you pure joy and restores your energy, perhaps going to your favourite class at the gym, picking up a new book, taking a rejuvenating nap, or socializing with friends. Your mind and body need the reward of rest and recharging to function optimally."
“Morale and productivity are much higher when people see the results of their efforts sooner and use the energy produced from those results to move on to the next project.
“Whereas mountain climbers must focus on the rocks, mountain bikers quickly learn that when on a narrow trail, if they look at the loose rocks, they will likely hit them, so they focus on the spaces between the rocks, and that’s where they ride...It is our imagination that creates the reality—our imagined crash facilitates the real one.”
“It is unrealistic to expect to accomplish the impossible alone, which makes developing leadership skills essential since you will need the support and guidance of people who believe in you, believe in your vision and believe in your ability to accomplish the challenge. They must know that when you make a mistake, you will take personal ownership and act to correct it...People want to be led, not managed. The only person we manage is ourselves—that’s self-discipline.”
BUY Five Seconds At A Time: How Leaders Can Make the Impossible Possible
RECOMMENDATION
BUY Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors
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N4L 000: "Coming Soon! Podcasts with Nonfiction Authors"
Nonfiction4Life
08/30/17 • 1 min
- We save you time hunting down your next good read by bringing good books to life.
- We curate nonfiction books for readers who love true stories and powerful ideas.
- Listen to authors share compelling, real-life accounts captured in Biographies and Memoirs.
- If you're drawn to books with great ideas for living well, Nonfiction4Life is for you. We share books with practical tips about Health & Wellness, Business & Entrepreneurship, and Home & Family. We also include books that encourage Personal Development and promote Community-Building.
- Choose from long-standing classics, hidden-gem sleepers, and hot-off-the-press new releases.
- You can count on all our recommendations being insightful, uplifting and inspiring.
- When it comes to nonfiction, we believe there's something for everyone!
N4L 187: "Splitting" by Amanda Ellison
Nonfiction4Life
05/11/22 • 43 min
Amanda Ellison, a leading neuroscientist and physiologist at Durham University in the UK, explains head pain in her book Splitting: The Inside Story of Headaches.
What is the point of pain, especially the kind we suffer from headaches? Ellison addresses this age-old question and, combining humor with wide-ranging research, she also defines all kinds of headaches—from a “brain freeze” to much more serious cluster headaches—and their possible remedies.
Those with a science background will not be disappointed. Ellison serves up loads of research and technical terms (enough to give the less scientific a headache) to explain how different parts of the brain talk to each other. Best of all, her book is packed with practical advice and information any headache sufferer can use. Learn what causes migraines, how sinus pain happens, and whether to reach for the painkillers or try some other remedy.
QUOTES FROM ELLISON
- “Even from [an early age, we seem to attribute our headaches to emotional causes, and the biggest of these is stress.”
- "The most common fix for minor nagging headache comes out of your tap."
- “Posture, bad diet, dehydration, alcohol consumption, lack of sleep, and the wrong kind of exercise all put the body and particularly the head, brain, and neck region under stress, leading to tension headache.”
- “Cluster headache is four times more common in men than women.”
- “Prodrome symptoms [are] quite obvious, including pronounced yawning, drowsiness, food craving, adversity to light, increased thirst or blurred vision.”
RECOMMENDATIONS
Avoid headaches by lightening up and getting (back) in touch with your fun side!
- Listen to Nonfiction4Life Episode #76 with Dave Crenshaw discussing The Power of Having Fun: How Meaningful Breaks Help You Get More Done and buy his book.
- Read Catherine Price’s latest book, The Power of Fun: How to Feel Alive Again.
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N4L 042: We Love Book Blogs!
Nonfiction4Life
05/30/18 • 13 min
In addition to publishing podcasts, Nonfiction4Life posts book blogs so you can find even more content in your favorite categories:
- BIOGRAPHIES & MEMOIRS
- BUSINESS & ENTREPRENEURSHIP
- COMMUNITY-BUILDING
- HEALTH & WELLNESS
- HOME & FAMILY
- PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
- CHILDREN’S NONFICTION
Our blogs feature true stories and great ideas, but these are a little different from standard book reviews. Instead, we give you some background about the book, then we offer just three points or highlights. From there, we let you decide if you want to read it or move on to another compelling true story or a different book with great ideas for living well.
https://www.nonfiction4life.com/true-green-at-work-100-ways-environment-business/
BUY True Green at Work: 100 Ways You Can Make the Environment Your Business (National Geographic)
https://www.nonfiction4life.com/shelter-rebuilding-families-mary-pipher/
BUY The Shelter of Each Other: Rebuilding Our Families
https://www.nonfiction4life.com/prize-winner-defiance-ohio-terry-ryan/
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FAQ
How many episodes does Nonfiction4Life have?
Nonfiction4Life currently has 209 episodes available.
What topics does Nonfiction4Life cover?
The podcast is about Classics, Society & Culture, Biography, Selfhelp, Entrepreneurship, Home, Family, Wellness, Podcast, Personaldevelopment, Podcasts, Memoir, Books, Nonfiction, Relationships, Health, Arts, Business and Authors.
What is the most popular episode on Nonfiction4Life?
The episode title 'N4L113: "Mani/Pedi" by Krista Beth Driver' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on Nonfiction4Life?
The average episode length on Nonfiction4Life is 38 minutes.
How often are episodes of Nonfiction4Life released?
Episodes of Nonfiction4Life are typically released every 7 days.
When was the first episode of Nonfiction4Life?
The first episode of Nonfiction4Life was released on Aug 30, 2017.
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