Sharing the Heart of the Matter

In this inspiring episode, Wynne Leon and Vicki Atkinson are talking with filmmaker, philanthropist and author, Peter Samuelson.

Peter produced films such as Return of Pink Panther, and Revenge of the Nerds. He’s worked with Steve McQueen, Peter Sellers, and started four philanthropies, including one with Steven Spielberg.

And now he’s written this incredible book that combines the amazing and entertaining episodes from all those adventures with reflective lessons and learning.

He tells us how he came to write this book, writing at 5am each morning to alternate between lessons learned on some days and anecdotes on others.

He tells us the story that sparked the first charity he founded, Starlight, granting wishes to sick kids and their families.

Peter teaches a course called Random Acts of Kindness and Pay It Forwards. He explains the crossover between underprivileged kids and acts of service and tells some heart-grabbing stories.

We talk about Peter’s delightful father, Sir Sydney Samuelson and his infectious ability to talk to everyone. Peter relates a wonderful story about how his dad made a great connection to benefit his First Star foundation and how the ripple effect of Sir Sydney’s life continues on.

Peter tells us how he fell in love with his now wife of 40 years and gives some really solid advice about how to meet like-minded others.

Vicki and I were transfixed by Peter’s incredible energy and enthusiasm. His application of the 2nd law of thermodynamics will move you into wanting to make a difference. His stories will leave you smiling and charmed.

Finding Happy is a great book that launches on Tuesday, June 10th. It’s such a fun read for all, but especially young adults, and a perfect gift idea for dads and grads.

Join us for this inspiring episode with the delightful Peter Samuelson. We know you'll love it!

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In episode 115, Vicki and Wynne engage with author Danny Miller, who shares insights from his book, 'The Way of the Wave.' The conversation explores themes of surrendering control, embracing creativity, navigating life's challenges, and the importance of self-care. Danny recounts his personal journey of transformation, emphasizing the significance of trusting the flow of life and the lessons learned through various experiences. The episode concludes with Danny reading his poignant poem, 'Life's Lantern.'

Here are some key takeaways from our discussion:

• Danny Miller discusses his journey of surrendering control.
• He emphasizes the importance of creativity and flow in life.
• Self-care is essential for maintaining balance and well-being.
• Danny shares personal anecdotes to illustrate his lessons.
• The concept of 'wave obstructors' and 'wave enhancers' is introduced.
• He highlights the significance of attentive listening in parenting.
• Danny reflects on the importance of navigating life's lulls.
• The conversation touches on the power of vulnerability in storytelling.
• Danny's poem, 'Life's Lantern,' encapsulates his philosophy.
• The episode encourages embracing life's unpredictability.

This is a fantastic episode with a whole-hearted author sharing valuable and vulnerable lessons. We know you'll love it!

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In this fascinating episode, Vicki and Wynne talk with author, Mark Wukas. Mark has just released his debut novel, The Kiss of the Night.

It’s a book more than 40 years in the making. Mark talks about how he cultivated the book that lived inside him for so long.

We also get to hear about his careers as a journalist and teacher. He tells us what it was like to work a 5pm – 2pm shift as a City News reporter in Chicago.

Vicki and Wynne get the details of the interplay of journalists and police and the gritty feeling of the denizens of the night.

Mark and Vicki talk about some of the notable Chicago landmarks featured in the story. Wynne can attest that even for non-Chicagoans, the incredible details of place and time provide a richly textured backdrop for this gripping story.

Mark turns the tables on us to find out our favorite parts of the book – the diner scenes, the difference between facts and the truth, and the coming of age shift that happens as we face the real world.

This is a fantastic episode with a fascinating author about a riveting book. We know you'll love it!

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In this thrilling episode, Vicki Atkinson and I have the pleasure of chatting with the captivating thriller author, Carl Vonderau.

Carl left the world of international banking to become a writer, and he masterfully weaves his banking knowledge and upbringing as a Christian Scientist into his novels.

Carl takes us on a journey as he shares his meticulous research process for the locations in his books. His dedication to capturing the essence of each place is truly fascinating.

We admire and chuckle at Carl's language skills. He shares the wisdom that to speak a foreign language, you must be willing to embrace embarrassment.

Get an exclusive preview of Carl's upcoming book, "Past Due." Discover why one of his core themes is the necessity for families to grow and evolve.

This is a must-listen episode featuring an intriguing author, adventurer, and family man, Carl Vonderau. We know you'll love it!

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In this exciting episode, Vicki Atkinson and Wynne Leon have the pleasure of chatting with the phenomenal best-selling author, Andrew Mayne.

Join us as Andrew Mayne takes us on an incredible journey through his captivating career – from mesmerizing audiences as an illusionist on cruise ships, starring in A&E’s hit show “Don’t Trust Andrew Mayne,” designing a groundbreaking stealth suit for diving with Great White sharks on Discovery Channel’s Shark Week, being a Prompt Whisperer and Science Communicator for Open AI, and now a celebrated best-selling author.

In his latest thrilling novel, Mr. Whisper, Andrew masterfully unites his four iconic characters from his previous series. He shares the intriguing challenges he faced in writing from multiple perspectives and how the theory of mind played a crucial role in his storytelling. And he reveals how he uses virtual reality technology to go “on location” as he scouts locales for his books.

Discover the secrets behind Andrew’s path to success and how his magician’s skills have influenced his writing style, particularly the art of “showing, not telling” in crafting edge-of-your-seat thrillers.

Andrew reveals the powerful feedback loop he employed while writing his first books and how his dedication led him to write an astonishing ten books in one year as a practice.

Andrew delves into the concept of survivorship bias and its impact on the success stories of those who have “made it.” We explore why this might not hold true for future generations as the world continues to evolve.

This podcast is packed with insights that we have pondered long after recording. Andrew’s critical thinking skills, honed through designing his “shock magic” illusions, offer valuable perspectives for various other pursuits.

As a bonus, Andrew shares a fantastic tip on teaching critical thinking to young kids, which we found equally applicable to adults.

In this captivating interview, Andrew shares one of our new favorite quotes: “When you are okay with being fooled, you unlock a new kind of wonder.” Embrace the mystery, not just in thrillers, but in life itself.

Get ready to be enthralled by the fascinating and thought-provoking discussions on magic and writing with the brilliant Andrew Mayne.

We know you’ll love it.

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Vicki Atkinson and Wynne Leon are delighted to talk with author and publisher, Rick Kaempfer about his book EveryCubEver.

This is the second game in our baseball double-header as we talk with the hilarious and engaging Rick about his labor of love, EveryCubEver. He swears this seventh edition of the book is the last time he’s going to update it until the Chicago Cubs win the World Series.

There are 2600 Cubs in this book – 2296 players and the rest are managers and back office. Rick provides the storytelling in each entry so it’s a great read for history buffs as well as baseball fans. He tells who became a dentist and who ended up in jail, who was on the beaches of Normandy, and who went on to become a governor.  

As an example of the engaging storytelling, he tells us why manager Frank Chance traded for pitcher Jack Harper just to ruin his career.

He gives us the background on the 200 photographs that are included in this edition of the book and where he found them.

Rick tells us the touching story of how he got invited to go to the Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremony this year. Such a fantastic way to round out a year that included publishing this seventh edition of EveryCubEver.

Join us as we explore the scenic and beautiful places we go when we tell baseball stories. You won't want to miss this great conversation with the amazing and entertaining, Rick Kaempfer!

We know you’ll love it!

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In this episode, Vicki Atkinson and Wynne Leon are delighted to be with Wynne's five-year-old son, Mr. D.

Mr. D is so excited about starting on a Little League team that he asked to podcast about it. Which is saying something because he’s not as naturally voluble as his older sister.

We're clearly biased about our guest. But in our opinion listening to the enthusiasm of a kid excited about a team, a sport, and the crack of the ball against a bat stirs the well of our own passions.  

Mr. D shows us all the equipment necessary for Little League – including our favorite, the bubble gum.

We talk about the magic that often happens when we go to MLB games. Vicki tells us about the ball parks and teams in Chicago.

This podcast meanders a bit as we ride along with a young and curious guest. But he brings it all together with an incredible answer when Vicki asks him what he likes best a little before minute 17 in the recording.

We also included a little easter egg at the end at minute 19. Mr. D shows you don’t have to know how to spell in order to capture hearts.

Join us as we explore the scenic and beautiful places we go when we tell baseball stories. You won't want to miss this heart-warming and refreshing perspective of five-year-old Mr. D!

We know you’ll love it!

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In this episode, Vicki Atkinson and Wynne Leon are thrilled to be with the talented artist and author, Danny Gregory.

Danny shares his incredible journey from being an ad agency creative director for 30 years to becoming a renowned author and artist. His books and newsletters are notjust inspiring; they are a daily call to create and live with purpose. They read like good philosophy, urging us to embrace creativity every day.

Our conversation with Danny was nothing short of inspiring. We delved into morning routines, where I meditate and Danny creates art before breakfast. Why? Because, as Danny delightfully quips, our inner critic tends to get up later.

Vicki and I discovered the magic of illustrative journaling with Danny. Art, as he explains, helps us adapt to life’s changes, builds our confidence, and gives us control over our perspective. It keeps us from being stuck in the mundane.

Danny’s enormously popular YouTube channel is less about teaching how to draw and more about understanding the chemical process of creativity. He reminds us that our inner critic is no more correct than we are. Talking with Danny is like having a good coach who not only teaches us skills but also provides the mindset to be most productive.

Join us as we explore the scenic and beautiful places we go as creators. You won't want to miss this insightful and inspiring conversation with Danny Gregory!

We know you’ll love it!

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Vicki Atkinson and Wynne Leon are with best-selling author, Barbara Nickless.

Barbara's fascinating resume includes roles as a technical writer, instructional designer, raptor rehabilitator, piano teacher, performer, sword fighter, and Director of Education for the country’s largest public astronomical observatory.

She shares her journey to becoming a best-selling author of thrillers and how devastating losses have led to new opportunities.

Barbara also discusses how writing helps process experiences and how she has taught writingto combat veterans.

We delve into her creative fuel that has led to nine novels in ten years, and her wholehearted investment in research and writing, which shines through in her characters' internal growth.

Join us as we explore the scenic and beautiful places that inspire Barbara's best-selling novels. You won't want to miss this insightful and inspiring conversation!

We know you’ll love it!

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In this episode, Vicki Atkinson and Wynne Leon are with the delightful author and blogger, Darlene Foster.

Darlene shares how she started writing her young adult series featuring Amanda Ross. It’s such a great story that captures so well the struggle for tone and perspective.And how once that key is unlocked we can keep on building!

She brings us the magic, the mystery, and discovery that come with travel and tweens. The delight of being unencumbered enough to not be afraid to see where things lead.

Darlene does such a beautiful job of writing about travel and adventure because she lives a life of travel and adventure. She tells us what it’s like to be bi-continental and why money should not be the limiting factor.

She is so inspirational. I know you’ll agree as you listen to how she reminds us to make our dreams come true. Darlene’s story is so inspiring. She beautifully shows us how to attach to goals and just keep moving.

We’re confident you’ll love the scenic and beautiful places we explore as we talk about dreams, travel and adventure!

We know you’ll love it!

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In this episode, Vicki Atkinson and Wynne Leon are with Wynne's nine-year-old daughter, Miss O.

Miss O was given a fourth grade class assignment to write about a perspective change. When she came home with this short essay about Wynne's dad, she was stunned.

She reads the essay to us and tells us what inspired her. Clearly we have a personal interest in this but at a bigger level, it’s fascinating to see what kids take away from family stories.

Vicki asks about how Miss O finds her voice and is so good at teasing out why it’s so meaningful to hear it from her perspective.

When we dig in to what Miss O knows about her grandfather who she never met, it’s both interesting and endearing to see the impression she’s gleaned of my dad. It’s also really funny to see the many ways they are alike.

Miss O talks about what she is doing next. Namely, making a slime channel on YouTube kids. As Miss O says, she is passionate about slime and she wants to share hercreations. Fortunately, for all us we have boundaries – the slime has to stay in the rec room and she’s only showing her hands.

We’re confident you’ll love the scenic and beautiful places we explore as we talk about family stories!

We know you’ll love it!

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Vicki Atkinson and Wynne Leon are talking with writer, poet, artist, and blogger, Dave Williams.

Joy is…having Dave Williams come on the podcast to tell us what inspired his recent project to collect and publish what sparks joy in the blogging community.

He tells us how he was inspired by the spirit of his Aunt Diane. Celebrating her infectious personality after she passed away last summer was one of the motivations behind this project.

Another was the idea to strengthen the delight muscle. A suggestion in the book Daily Delight by Ross Gay prompted Dave to want to cultivate the same upward spiral.

And Dave was also inspired by Teri Polen’s Bad Moon Rising blogging project that brings the WordPress community together.

In the end, Dave found and shared so much joy in this community project. He’s compiled a Joy Is _____ table of contents that we know will inspire you.

We’re confident you’ll love the scenic and beautiful places we explore as we talk about what joy is and how to celebrate that as a community!

We know you’ll love it!

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In this episode, Vicki Atkinson and Wynne Leon are with friend and author, Christina Dudley talking about Christina’s book Pride and Preston Lin.

We love this book. Christina has created a fantastic adaptation of Jane Austen’s beloved book Pride and Prejudice. And it is so much more than a contemporary retelling of the story. Christina’s dialogue and clever plot devices make it a compelling and devourable book. Trust me, Wynne can attest because she hid from her kids for an hour so she could finish it.

Christina tells us about being an avid reader growing up and never realizing that none of the characters resembled her. So she shares with us her a-ha moment when she read her first Chinese American author. We also talk about how she found her path to writing.

Her inspiration and lessons learned are so interesting and powerful. From notes about the romance genre overall to the marketing tactics she has discovered, Christina generously shares a lot of great info, some of which she had to divine by trial and error.

In this episode, we not only talk about writing but also about the beautiful arc of characters. It’s a great takeaway of kindness and thoughtfulness that is sure to leave you inspired.

We’re confident you’ll love the scenic and beautiful places we explore as we share the storytelling about a great book and more!

We know you’ll love it!

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In this episode, Vicki Atkinson and Wynne Leon have turned the hosting duties over our Sharing the Heart of the Matter partner, Brian Hannon.

Brian's roots as a journalist are on full display in this episode. He is such a fantastic interviewer. He coaxes out the lessons Vicki and I have learned in 100 episodes.

And he challenges us to think big to answer who would be on our celebrity guest list.

In some very delightful and prescient chit chat, we get to cheer on the Eagles in advance of their Super Bowl LIX performance.

Most of all, we have a great time celebrating the milestone of 100 episodes and taking a moment to appreciate what goes into starting, envisioning and maintaining a collaborative effort like a podcast.

We’re confident you’ll love the scenic and beautiful places we explore as we tell stories about making a podcast!

We know you’ll love it!

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In this episode, Vicki Atkinson and Wynne Leon are back with author and blogger, Melanie McGauran and we are talking about writer lessons.

Melanie always inspires us with her curiosity and willingness to learn. She is so generous to be willing to share her lessons with us.

She tells us the story behind her essay Growing Up Fast in 1978. We love the essay for its revealing look at her family dynamics and the complicated path she had to walk to get to go to college.

And then she shares some of the lessons she learned from a class she took with author Marin Sardy. She tells us about the chronological canyon and other pitfalls we can fall into.

Melanie shares some of the back and forth she had with Marin as she absorbed the feedback Marin gave her. We laugh that sometimes it’s hard to listen even if the source is an acclaimed author.

And then she extends the lessons with some wise and practical tidbits she picked up from a writing book by Steven Pressfield.

Melanie reveals his advice that hones in on the reader experience. And she shares some questions he provides to make sure content is relatable:

Is it fun?

Is it challenging?

Is it inventive?

Am I giving the reader enough?

Are they bored?

Are they taking me where I want to lead them?

 We’re confident you’ll love the scenic and beautiful places we explore as we share the writer lessons learned that help us improve and extend our storytelling!

We know you’ll love it!

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In this episode, Vicki Atkinson and Wynne Leon are back with author and blogger Mark Petruska and we are out of our comfort zone.

This format was Mark’s idea - to do a podcast without any prompts. To be fair, it’s not that different than our standard format. Usually we go into an episode with three or so prompts of things to talk about. But as all you listeners know, we clearly go down any side roads and questions that occur as we talk.

But in this episode, we each came up with a question for the others to answer. No predetermined topic or heads up.

And you know what? It was fun. Kinda like a great dinner party conversation. It opened the forum up for off-the-cuff storytelling.

We're confident you’ll love the scenic and beautiful places we explore as we share the power of going out of our comfort zones to do unscripted storytelling!

We know you’ll love it!

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In this episode, Vicki Atkinson and Wynne Leon celebrate our 100th episode.

We sit down to mark the moment and answer four questions:

What were our favorite stories?

Do we have a biggest a-ha moment?

What have we learned as hosts?

Goals for the Sharing the Heart of the Matter podcast in 2025?

Vicki shares that she actually went back and listened to the very first episode. She says that instead of the cringe-worthy moment she expected, it was worth listening to our goals of being authentic and vulnerable.

We also spend some time laughing about the technical difficulties we’ve encountered along the way. In spite of those, we’ve forged through and added features like captions and transcripts to make the podcast more accessible.

In this celebratory moment, we honor all the incredible and inspiring guests we’ve had on and applaud our wonderful listeners and subscribers. We couldn’t be more grateful for all of you who’ve accompanied us on this journey.

I’m confident you’ll love the scenic and beautiful places we explore as we share the power of storytelling and pause to celebrate before we move on to the next 100 episodes!

We know you’ll love it!

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Vicki Atkinson and Wynne Leon are with blogger and teacher, Beth Kennedy, over a big pot of soup.

Metaphorically speaking of course because we’re separated by three different times zones. But otherwise, we can really stretch the goodness of soup.

Beth tells us why she likes soup so much to inspire more than 20 posts over the years. We discuss the multicultural as well as the community aspect of it.

Vicki and Wynne ask about how she finds the terrific quotes to go with the hearty content. Beth shares some of the unusual sources that you wouldn’t expect in a quote about soup.

We laugh about the different concoctions we’ve made and share the recipes – not only for a wonderful meal but also for community and connection.

We also talk about the Himalayan stew that inspired Beth’s post and how it’s like the melting pot of Everest Base Camp.

This is a great episode that will feed you on many levels. With an accompanying recipe, it’s great inspiration on the literal level. But also on the story-telling, creativity, and collaboration levels as well.

We're confident you’ll love the scenic and beautiful places we explore as we share the power of storytelling over a cup of good soup.

We know you’ll love it!

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In this episode, Vicki Atkinson and Wynne Leon are talking with author, public speaker, and parental advocate, Vickie Rubin.

Vickie gives us the elevator pitch for her book, Raising Jess. She jokes that it's long enough to require an elevator in the tallest building in Manhattan. Fitting, because there is so much goodness in her book about raising her child with a chromosome deletion: mother’s intuition, decisions about whether to have more children, the grandparent’s point of view, and more.

Vickie’s openness and support of others are so inspiring. In her work supporting other families trying to navigate the systems to get resources for their children to Facebook communities, Vickie is a powerful parental resource and advocate. By telling her story, she continues to help others navigate their own challenges.

Vicki and Wynne ask about what’s next for Vickie. She’s recently published an article in Newsweek and she tells us about the writing classes she taking.

This is a great episode that not only focuses on the resilience, love, and thriving of one family but also inspires the same in everyone who listens. When we share our stories, we empower others and Vickie illustrates that so well.

I’m confident you’ll love the scenic and beautiful places we explore as we share the power of storytelling – in our books, our podcasts, and our lives.

We know you’ll love it!

On a programming note, this is the last episode of 2024. We'll drop the next one on Jan 10, 2025. See you then!

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In this episode, Vicki Atkinson and Wynne are talking with author, blogger, and WordPress pro, Mark Petruska.

This year is Mark’s 15th year blogging on WordPress. And he blogged on a different platform before that. Clearly, he’s a pro.

So he walks us through the many things that he’s done to keep things fresh over the years. Switching themes, changing site names, even combining two blogs and changing URLs.

His advice as a veteran? Know the purpose of your blog and keep it in mind as you redesign.

Mark tells us about December snow and for us relatively new people to WordPress, it’s some cool history.

One of the takeaways that I love from this conversation is that Mark talks about site design as a creative act in and of itself. So if we are ever stuck in a writing rut, it’s one idea to get us out!

This is a really encouraging episode that on the surface is about  the considerations behind designing a good site and all that goes in to a WordPress blog. But really it’s also about knowing your purpose and embracing change in any area. Mark’s long experience is both illuminating and emboldening.

I’m confident you’ll love the scenic and beautiful places we explore as we share the power of storytelling – not only in our words but also in our site designs.

We know you’ll love it!

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In this episode, Wynne Leon and Vicki Atkinson are with blogger, parent and social justice advocate, Ab.

Ab tells us the great story of a chance encounter he had with a woman standing next to him and his family in an hour-long line. She led with a query and Ab answered with his trademark humor and openness.

Vicki and Wynne delve into how these encounters can be very different from what we imagine when we genuinely lean into them.

Ab talks about the loneliness epidemic and how the antidote to negative feelings and isolation is connection. While finding your people isn’t always easy, it’s facilitated by having an open-heart.

We explore how sometimes we're in the prison of our own thoughts and how human connection breaks us out of that loop and facilitates kindness.  

This is such a fascinating episode. We love the kinship we with have with Ab. And he’s so good at illustrating how community is where kindness and empathy happens. It’s where we have the opportunity to support each other and create deep relationships.

I’m confident you’ll love the scenic and beautiful places we explore as we share the power of storytelling about finding our people.

We know you’ll love it!

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In this episode Vicki Atkinson and Wynne Leon are talking with author, blogger, and former newspaper writer, Melanie McGauran about decoding our dreams.

This is such a fascinating episode. The interior of our minds is an interesting, and sometimes scary, place. But it is so fun how Melanie brings her love of mysteries to this practice of sifting through the clues.

Melanie talks about her fascination with dreams and how she both remembers hers and extends them. It’s a wonderful practice to not only appreciate the dreamscape but also focus the mind in the middle of the night.

She introduces us to the work of Matthew Walker, author of Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams and his insight that in dreaming, we access our memory tree but without the guardrails of logic.

Melanie combines that memory mixology with her unstoppable creativity, joy and problem-solving to decode dreams.

This episode is such a fun take on dreaming, writing and creativity. We love Melanie’s passion and interest and get to see that in action as she helps us make stories from our dreams.

I’m confident you’ll love the scenic and beautiful places we explore as we share the power of storytelling – in podcasts, in conversation, and in dreams.

We know you’ll love it!

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Vicki Atkinson and Wynne Leon talk with author, blogger, life coach, and health and wellness professional, Cindy Georgakas.

In this vibrant conversation we get such a wonderful taste of Cindy’s energized and connected presence. She tells us how Covid was the impetus of starting to share wellness information in a different format.

That led to her book released last year in the Happiness Category, Re-Create and Celebrate: 7 Steps to Live the Life of Your Dreams.” In the process of releasing that book, she planned a second release of the book of the poetry she wasn’t able to include in Re-Create & Celebrate. Celebrating Poetry is due out mid-November.

Hearing Cindy tell these stories underscores the rich lessons of learning to adjust when what we’ve planned turns out to be different timing and format.

Vicki and Wynne ask Cindy about what else she has planned on her creative radar.

This is a great episode because all of Cindy’s answers are so full of heart. She is an inspiring author to listen to – because she’s so interested in creating a-ha moments for others. Cindy is a well-spring of wisdom that speaks to the essence of who we are.

I’m confident you’ll love the scenic and beautiful places we explore as we share the power of storytelling – in podcasts, in poetry, and in conversation.

We know you’ll love it!

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Vicki Atkinson and Wynne Leon talk with author, and blogger, Lauren Scott.

Lauren tell us the beautiful story about how she started a poetry blog 14 years ago. In the process, she cultivated the roots she’d planted as a young girl for poetry as a destination for her emotions.

Vicki and Wynne ask how she took the step from her blog to publishing books. Lauren tells us the themes of each of her FOUR published books. She weaves the theme of love through all of them, even the most serious, just the way love carries us through life.

And she gives us a sneak peek into the children’s book that is about to hit the press. She authored it with her nephew as illustrator.

The morning we recorded this podcast, Lauren’s piece Treats Only, Please was announced as best publication of the month on Spillwords Press

This podcast is like a master class on the growth mindset. Those are our words, not Lauren’s because she is wonderfully humble and real. Which makes it even more powerful and inspiring to hear Lauren tell about her writer’s journey – all the things she’s overcome and been willing to try – and how that feeds into fantastic ideas for new projects.

We're confident you’ll love the scenic and beautiful places we explore as we share the power of storytelling – in podcasts, in posts, and in novels.

We know you’ll love it!

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Vicki Atkinson and Wynne Leon talk with author, blogger, and corporate communications specialist, Brian Hannon about National Novel Writing Month.

Brian tells us why he values the encouragement and accountability piece of NaNoWriMo.

He spills a little bit about the project he has in mind and the goals he’s setting for the month.

Brian is such a great writer, with roots as a newspaper writer and corporate communications specialist. We get to see into the dichotomy of the flexibility in writing Brian has so beautifully explored in posts this week contrasted with the structure necessary to produce a novel.

So it’s fun to hear how he makes time to write, especially as he gears up for NaNoWriMo.

Brian also turns the tables on Vicki and me and gets us to reveal a bit of the bigger projects we are working on. We get to collectively talk about the wonderful goal of producing “wholehearted writing” in whatever medium we choose.

I’m confident you’ll love the scenic and beautiful places we explore as we share the power of storytelling – in podcasts, in posts, and in novels.

We know you’ll love it!

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In this episode, Wynne Leon and Vicki Atkinson talk about site design and WordPress themes.

We know - we can hear you groaning from here. In fact, Wynne is groaning right along with you even though this is a large part of what she's done professionally for 30 years.

But if you are thinking about changing up your site or even just wondering if you should, there are some good tactics to help make this manageable.

We talk through some of the design considerations to be mindful of like navigation and search. And then we look at the sections to consider when picking a theme like the header, footer, and sidebar.

We address some of the problems we’ve heard people have encountered when switching themes in WordPress like content disappearing and inability to revert back. Wynne offers some strategies for avoiding that flavor of disappointment and disaster.

There is a presentation that gives these elements and examples to download as a companion piece to this podcast. Here’s the thing – tackling site design isn’t always fun, but it’s better when we do it together with some good approaches and tactics.

We're confident you’ll love the scenic and beautiful places we explore as we share the power of storytelling as told through well-designed sites.

We know you’ll love it!

In this episode, Wynne Leon and Vicki Atkinson share a cup of tea. They bring in one of Wynne's favorite quotes about tea from Mark Nepo. He likens tea to the way we make sense of our lives. From gathering the leaves, to pouring water over it, to drinking it slowly, we cultivate the aromatic blend that helps us and heals us. Both Vicki and Wynne like the ritual because it slows us down. Having a cup of tea is like an invitation to bring forward what we already know. Wynne shares her secret for how long I let it steep. And Vicki brings forward the treasures from her family that hold so much more than tea. Vicki shares a delightful book about making tea that has been a gift and a reminder to let the swirls of tea help settle our thoughts down. We're confident you’ll love the scenic and beautiful places we explore as we share the power of storytelling over a cup of tea. We know you’ll love it!

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Wynne Leon and Vicki Atkinson talk about meditative moments.

We think it’s fair to say that we all have times where life feels frenzied. And it isn’t only because our to-do lists get too long. It’s also because of the pace of the world around us, and our exposure to the news, in whatever way we consume it.

Both Vicki and Wynne start the day with sacred time for meditation. It’s non-negotiable for Wynne so that she can at least start the day with a measure of faith and perspective.

But we know that doesn’t work for everyone. So we talk about our tricks to instill some calm. Vicki tells us about how she sets aside multi-tasking to focus on one thing at a time. And more than that, how to slow tasks to reap the full benefit.

In this episode, Wynne Leon is with co-host, Dr. Vicki Atkinson and we are talking about tweaking LinkedIn to reflect our identities as authors.

Dr. Atkinson has so much good advice on how to build a presence that reflects our many facets. Her professional experience as a career counselor, therapist, and educator comes shining through in this episode. We learn some great how-to’s in this episode.

I found updating my LinkedIn profile to be challenging. I have 30+ years in the technology industry and I’m unsure how to marry that with my writing and experience as an author.

So Vicki walks me through using headlines instead of titles. She provides a great tip about using tags to introduce some dynamism into our profile and ability to be found.

Dr. Atkinson talks me through the idea of integrity as it applies to building a profile that honors ALL of who we are. As we pivot from professional experiences, interests and passions, she coaches us to do the story-telling to paint a picture of our whole-hearted experience.

And finally, we talk about the use of images to compliment our presentation.

I’m confident you’ll learn a lot -- and also love the scenic and beautiful places we explore as we share the power of storytelling in our profiles.

We know you’ll love it!

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In this episode, Wynne Leon and Vicki Atkinson are with author, blogger and fantastic story-teller, Cheryl Oreglia.

Cheryl takes us along on the Register’s Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa which is familiarly known as RAGBRAI. Seven hot days of riding, camping, and communing with 20,000 other riders.

Sounds fun, right? But what Cheryl does so consistently is bring the magic. She rides in tandem – both on the bike with her husband, Larry, and also in her writing. She is so good at synchronizing her inner landscape with all that she sees around.

She takes us on this journey from the Missouri River to the Mississippi River. And she leaves Vicki and me in tears about what it all means.

Cheryl is a beautiful writer and inspirational story-teller. She reminds us all what is out there when we face our fears and try hard things.

Pork chops, sunrise, kindness, and courage to name just a few.

I’m confident you’ll love the scenic and beautiful places we explore as we share the power of storytelling.

We know you’ll love it!

Links for this episode

Vicki Atkinson and Wynne Leon are with wellness educator, meditation teacher, yoga teacher, and massage therapist, Deirdre Wilcox. As Wynne's teacher and friend for nearly 30 years, Deirdre has shared so much grounded wisdom. Of her many gifts, one that we love that is highlighted in this conversation, is her ability to help frame what we are experiencing in biological terms. So she walks us through the shift from summer to fall in terms of the cues our bodies are receiving. And this leads to a huge a-ha about the persistent question at the end of summer, “Have we done enough?” Deirdre suggests some practices that reduce the overwhelm as we move from the freedom and spontaneity of summer to the structure of autumn. One of the things we like most about her approach is that she understands that the things that have a chance to stick are the small ones. So she suggests some small changes for us to incorporate as we move towards falls. Ways that we can incorporate rituals to thoughtfully move from one season to the next. And one of our absolute favorites, an invitation to take it all in and notice what we did with our summer before we move on. We're confident you’ll love the scenic and beautiful places we explore as we share the power of storytelling. We know you’ll love it!

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In this episode, Wynne Leon and Vicki Atkinson dive into the need to nest.

As September begins, we feel the summer's intensity wane in the Northern Hemisphere. While I cherish summer, there's a point where the expectations for endless outdoor fun with my family become overwhelming.

Vicki and I discuss transitioning from the carefree days of summer to the structured school year. Whether you're a parent, teacher, empty nester, or caregiver, we explore the opportunities that come with a fall reset.

From dedicating more time to writing and reflecting to tackling projects set aside for vacations or house guests, we can embrace the seasonal shift.

Vicki shares insights from a nutritionist and the Surgeon General, offering food for thought on eating earlier and acknowledging our burdens.

These are all great ideas for recognizing the benefits of resetting with the change of seasons. So, let's put on our cozy sweaters, don our creative thinking caps, and enjoy the fall.

I’m confident you’ll love the scenic and beautiful places we explore as we share the power of storytelling.

Links for this episode:

In this episode, Vicki Atkinson and Wynne Leon are with author, graphic designer, and blogger, Dave Williams.

We love reading something that gets our creative juices going. But even better in the community of podcasting and blogging is catching a ride on everyone else’s enthusiasm!

In this episode, Dave Williams, tells us about the inspiration he gleaned from reading Felicia Day’s book, “Embrace Your Weird.”

Felicia’s book is more than a read, it’s an experience of exercises to break us out of our creative ruts. Dave shares his take on what inhibits our natural flow and some of the things that inspire him.

This is a great episode with the incredibly talented and creative Dave Williams. We get to draft off of his inspiration, Felicia Day’s book, and the flow of creative sparks.

I’m certain you’ll enjoy the scenic and beautiful places we go when we share the power of story.

We know you’ll love it!

Links for this episode:

In this episode, Vicki Atkinson and Wynne Leon are with blogger and retirement specialist, Michelle Oram.

We all love Michelle for her grounded approach to decluttering and the accountability example she provides.

She shares some of that and more in this episode featuring her clutter tales.

Michelle provides a great approach with what to do as we declutter and uncover the wonderful memories that are stashed in the objects we’ve hung onto. By writing out those stories, Michelle shows us how we can hang on to the essence even while saying “thank you” and letting go the objects.

So Vicki and I laugh along as we talk about a piece of French homework from the 80’s.

And we appreciate the greater lessons taught by an effective high school teacher.

This episode is a fantastic dive into how we celebrate and share the life we’ve lived while freeing up space for the life we have now.

I’m certain you’ll enjoy the scenic and beautiful places we go when we share the power of story.

We know you’ll love it!

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In this episode, Vicki Atkinson and Wynne Leon are with blogger and author, Mark Petruska.

Mark tells us a great story about how he willed a campsite into existence. Even better, it was for his wife’s birthday! And it was in one of my favorite places – Mt. Rainier National Park!

We love Mark’s incredible mix of optimism, focus, and passion. So Vicki and I get him to elaborate how he harnesses the power of manifestation.

Building on the published work of Stanford professor, Dr. James Doty, we talk about the steps Dr. Doty suggests for manifesting outcomes in our lives. This isn’t just wishing for something, it is digging one’s heels in and passionately pursuing an outcome.

Which Mark illustrates beautifully with a great story about manifesting a refund.

This is a great episode about the power of setting our intentions, not listening to naysayers, and manifesting the things that are important. It’s inspirational, powerful, and fun!

I’m certain you’ll enjoy the scenic and beautiful places we go when we share the power of story.

We know you’ll love it!

Links for this episode:

In this episode Vicki Atkinson and Wynne Leon are with retired elementary teacher, blogger, and author, Pete Springer.

Pete tells us a hilarious story about a volunteer job that devolved into the giggles. And we talk about how laughter is such a great unifier and connector.

Sure, there are some things in life that need to be taken seriously. But is it okay to laugh even as we are trying to do a good job?

Pete carries that forward to another story about a recent mad dash through the airport. In his version of planes, carts, and shuttle vans, he delightfully reminds us that we will eventually get to our destination. And it’s better to go laughing.

So please join us for this delightful episode that has Vicki and me in giggles and I know you will be chuckling right alongside us.

I’m certain you’ll enjoy the scenic and beautiful places we go when we share the power of story.

We know you’ll love it!

Links for this episode:

In this episode my hosts Vicki Atkinson and Wynne Leon talk with esteemed psychologist, Dr. Gerald Stein.

Dr. Stein has become a great friend of the Sharing the Heart of the Matter podcast so it was so fitting that he came on to share revealing and delightful stories about friendship.

He tells of the three categories of friendship according to Aristotle. And we talk about the investment that it takes to build a platonic relationship with another.

Of course, with investments come payoffs. And Dr. Stein coaches us through how to think about that term when it comes to friendship.

In the course of any lasting relationship, apologies come into play. Dr. Stein tells us some wonderfully illustrative stories about apologies and brings us to the heart of apology.

I’m certain you’ll enjoy the scenic and beautiful places we go when we share the power of story.

We know you’ll love it!

In this episode, Vicki Atkinson and I are with Wynne's almost nine-year-old daughter, Miss O.

Miss O recently sang an acapella solo at the church that Wynne's dad used to lead. Listening to her pure, soprano voice while sitting in a sanctuary where I often feel the presence of him (and Him) surrounding me, brought me to tears.

So she generously sings a bit of what she sang and tells us how she prepared to sing this not once, but twice. Miss O reminds us that people are pulling for us when we step up and are brave.

Then she brings all the other elements that go in to stepping up – practice, preparation, nerves and excitement.

This is a wonderful episode from a young girl who feels and celebrates the generational pull of family and is willing to share her a bit of herself to honor that tie to those that have gone before.

I’m certain you’ll enjoy the scenic and beautiful places we go when we share the power of story… and song.

We know you’ll love it!

Links for this episode

In this week's podcast, Wynne and Vicki talked with dear friend, marketing man, and creative guru, Eric Knudson about riding the bus.

Eric is a dear friend of Wynne's and a master story-teller. She's known Eric for ten years and through the years, he’s regaled her with many stories. She can’t tease out exactly the formula but it’s some combination of his use of humor, timing, and detail that makes him so entertaining to listen to.

He also had the pleasure of knowing Wynne's dad and understanding what a whirlwind of energy and good-natured sociability he was.

So in this episode, he brings both his fantastic storytelling and a bit of Wynne's dad to a great story about a recent bus ride. It’s hilarious, dramatic, and full of fun.

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In this episode, Wynne Leon and Vicki Atkinson are with blogger and retired pre-K teacher, Beth Kennedy.

Beth tells us the story of an instant perspective moment. In a chance encounter with an extremely friendly man, she is both buoyed and leveled.

It’s a funny and thoughtful story that is so true to Beth’s writing. In her beautifully concise presentation, she allows the sparkle of the realizations to shine bright.

So we talk about how we can get lost in our own worlds until something or someone breaks through and reminds us of the big picture. Naturally, our encounters with others ripple out.

This is a great conversation and story with a fantastic writer and keen observer of life that will stick with you long after it’s over.

So I know you’ll enjoy the scenic and beautiful places we go when we share the power of story.

We know you’ll love it!

Links for this episode:

In this episode, Vicki Atkinson and Wynne Leon are with writer, blogger, and planner Brian Hannon.

Brian tells us about how he plans family trips. He comes up with solid options and then his fellow travelers enthusiastically respond.

Well, that’s the idea at least. So we talk about what it actually looks like to be a planner who is coaxing everyone along.

Brian brings forward the beautiful sense of calm that comes with having something on the horizon to look forward to. And we talk about how to blend planning and spontaneity.

This is a great episode for the beginning of summer. Brian’s fantastic story-telling sparks our juices for how to enjoy our planned and unplanned vacations!

So I know you’ll enjoy the scenic and beautiful places we go when we share the power of story.

We know you’ll love it.

Links for this episode:

In this episode, Vicki Atkinson and Wynne Leon talk about identity in the unemployment office.

One of the fascinating positions that Vicki has held is as a career counselor at the unemployment office. She gives us a glimpse into how the jobs we do become our identity by telling us the stories of some of the people who she coached.

We talk about how being a helper or a boss manifests even when someone is no longer doing that job.

I love Vicki’s powers of observation and ability to draw thru lines – talents that show up when she writes, tells stories, and in the many professional roles she has played.

So I know you’ll enjoy the scenic and beautiful places we go when we share the power of story.

We know you’ll love it.

Links for this episode:

In this episode, Wynne Leon and Vicki Atkinson are talking about receiving unexpected feedback to our stories.

We know we’re not alone in being surprised sometimes by how a story is received. We tell about an experience to a person or persons and then are shocked at how it lands. We thought it was funny and they thought it stupid. We thought it was deep and they only appreciate the surface. Whatever it is, it is out of our control for better or worse.

When our inner editor starts curating the content we share, we sometimes short-circuit our ability to be fully seen. So Vicki and Wynne talk about the healing effect of telling our stories, no matter how they land.

Enjoy the scenic and beautiful places we go when we share the power of story.

We know you’ll love it.

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In this episode, Wynne Leon and Vicki Atkinson are talking about the surprising ways we can receive help and inspiration.

Vicki tells us a tale of self-discovery. In response to a pesky interpersonal situation, she goes to sleep wondering if she did the right thing. She’s facing a growth moment and needs a little grace for life’s crossroads.

And she gets a gift from her dearly departed dad. She tells the story about how the whispers of dreams can help us, especially when we need subtle guidance.

In this episode, Wynne Leon is co-host Vicki Atkinson and we are talking about questions.

It starts with a question that Wynne's eight-year-old daughter, Miss O, asked about what my dad thought about her divorce. As Wynne gives her the answer, she finally connect the dots to asking questions to her dad about his life.

Many of the answers Wynne has about family and foundation came because she had the gut feeling to ask him to tell her the story of his life.

Sometimes we forget to tell stories because someone has not yet asked. As our brilliant and witty friend, Jack Canfora says, "I'm an open book. I just don't know how to find the best pages."

What have been our inflection points? What makes us laugh? What is meaningful? How have we overcome the rough patches? What were the things we wouldn’t wish on anyone else but made us strong?

Vicki and Wynne talk about the questions and answers in this episode.

Please join us for the scenic and beautiful places we go when we share the power of story.

We know you'll love it.

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