In this episode, I talk to my mom, Ann Ryan. She’s a very modest, hard-working, giving person who doesn’t talk much about herself. I was excited for the opportunity to learn more about her experience growing up in a small village in County Mayo, Ireland. And I wanted to get to know more about what life was like for her when she moved to Chicago. It was fun to step back in time with her and get a better sense of what life was like! I have so much admiration for people who are willing to take risk...
May 12, 2019•46 min
In this episode I talk to Ruth-Anne Renaud. I just loved our conversation. She is such a thoughtful, nurturing and wise person. She is someone I really admire because she lives her life with such PURPOSE. You don’t have to know her very long to begin to understand what she values. Because she really LIVES her values through her work and personal life. Some of those values include, empowering women, friends and family, access to education, cycling, personal growth, empathy and connection. You jus...
Apr 28, 2019•1 hr 1 min
In this episode I talk to Kate Strozak. She is a multi-faceted, multi-passionate individual who has cultivated a strong sense of intuition and trust within herself. This has allowed her to discover that this way of being might be different from others, but that it offers many positives and unique perspectives.. She’s a pilates instructor and someone who teaches others to become instructors through Polestar Pilates. She’s working towards her Masters in Applied Neuroscience. And she is someone “da...
Apr 14, 2019•59 min
In this episode I talk to Stephanie Williams. She is the mom of 5 with her own children’s clothing line, called Roxie Rose. She also owns The Lemon Seed Boutique, a women’s boutique clothing store in Bedford, IN. Both are absolutely adorable and truly represent Stephanie’s style. Stephanie’s style and sense of self and purpose is evident in all areas of her life. Which is what I find so interesting and amazing about her. And what I wanted to learn more about. She has so much insight to share abo...
Mar 31, 2019•1 hr 6 min
In this episode I talked to Sapna Dalal, also known as the Veg Tourist. While working full time, She’s created an amazing blog called the Vegetarian Tourist where she shares her passion for delicious vegetarian food and international travel. It was so fun to talk to her and hear how she grew her audience from her friends and family to at the moment 15.6k Instagram followers. We also talk about how she built the courage to put herself out there and the opportunities that came because she chose to...
Mar 17, 2019•1 hr 2 min
How do you create space for authentic relationships in your life? How do you manage your time in order to nurture your mind, body and soul? In this episode of Becoming Aligned we dive into these topics with my guest Erin Alexander. Erin is a psychologist, an athlete, a devoted family member, friend and partner. And she is someone who is actively working towards creating positive change and opportunity for others. She has so many wonderful insights. I’m really excited to share our conversation an...
Oct 07, 2018•1 hr 8 min
In this episode I talk to Matt Hunsucker. He’s a Physical Education Teacher, Athlete, Volunteer and just an all-around good person. He is someone that I find inspiring because he’s so grounded yet he’s always challenging himself to grow in different ways. And he does so in such a well-rounded, fun, positive way. But like all of us, he’s faced his own personal challenges. During the course of our conversation, he opens up and we talk about what helped him get through one of the lowest emotional p...
Sep 30, 2018•1 hr 6 min
In this episode, I interview my friend and former teammate, Priscilla Barnes. She is a recently tenured Professor at Indiana University with her PhD in Public Health. She is also actively involved in her community as a group fitness instructor at the local YMCA. I had so much fun chatting with her. She is this positive, inspiring, multi-dimensional person who I am so grateful to know and I’m excited to share our conversation with everyone. It really energizes me to know that she out there doing ...
Sep 23, 2018•1 hr 7 min
In this episode I interview Denis Buckley. The lead singer of a Punk Rock band called 88 Fingers Louie and an old grade school classmate and friend of mine. We talk about the roots of his interest in music and how he became the lead singer of a punk rock band even though there were expectations and plans for him to become a fireman. We also talk about how he’s changed and grown over the years. And what’s allowed him to manage his anger and become a better communicator. To learn more about this e...
Sep 16, 2018•1 hr
In this episode, I talk to my friend Erica Agran. The energy and passion she pours into her life, always inspires me. In this episode we talk more about those interests and passions. We learn more about her running and why it’s such an important part of her life. We talk about what she’s learned from writing her blog Erica Finds And we talk about how she makes her healthy lifestyle a priority with a busy schedule which includes work travel. She certainly has some wisdom to share! To learn more a...
Sep 09, 2018•59 min
This episode of Becoming Aligned will be a bit different. I’m not going to be interviewing anyone. Instead, I’m going to take some time to share some of my personal thoughts and reflections after completing the first 2 seasons. My plan is to put out a short episode like this after each season where I look at themes that have come up for me after listening to all the episodes. And also share a bit about myself as I do so. I hope you enjoy this episode. To learn more about this episode and any res...
Aug 12, 2018•11 min
In this short bonus episode, my dad, Jim Ryan will share some of his favorite books and authors. He is someone who always has a stack of books by his side, so it was fun to hear more about the books that have really left a mark. He also shares a few more thoughts on getting older that we can all practice no matter our age. To learn more about this episode and any resources mentioned, please see the show notes . Stay Connected: Instagram Ryan Wellness Website...
Aug 08, 2018•21 min
In this episode I talk to my dad, Jim Ryan. This is part 2 our conversation. If you missed part 1, please go back and listen. In part 2 we talk about what it was like to transition from his experience in the army and in Viet Nam to life, school and work in Chicago. He shares some of his favorite stories and moments from his days working as a cameraman at CBS news And we talk about family, fatherhood and what he’s learned as he’s grown older. He also opens up and shares an experience that happene...
Aug 05, 2018•1 hr 8 min
In this episode, I talk to my dear friend, Steph Cattie. We were college roommates and teammates back in the early 90’s. Currently she is a mom, a nursing student and a volunteer We talk about her interest in science and a little bit about her former career as a science teacher. She openly shares lessons she learned after she left teaching in order to advocate and take care of the needs of her oldest who has downs syndrome Then we discuss what motivated her to take this next step and study nursi...
Jul 29, 2018•52 min
In this episode, I interview Saran Horwell. We talk about the different roles she has had in her life from, fitness instructor, tv personality, to being a new mom. This woman is a force of nature. Her positivity and energy is contagious. I loved learning more about her childhood and what shaped her into the person she is today. But like everyone else, she has faced her own personal challenges. In this episode, Saran opens up and shares a particularly tough experience in life and what helped her ...
Jul 22, 2018•1 hr 3 min
In this episode, I continue my conversation with Lynn Rogers. In part 1 we learned more about Lynn as a person. She shared stories that helped to shape her positive mindset and help her discover her “why”. Please go back and listen if you missed it! In part 2 of our interview we’ll learn more about how Lynn went from training and being ready to do an ironman to trying to figure out what was going on with her body. As she experiences numbness, tingling and pain which quickly progressed. She ends ...
Jul 15, 2018•1 hr 4 min
In this episode, I talk to Lynn Rogers. This woman is driven, talented, funny and has some amazing and inspiring stories to share. She went from someone who was ready to do an Ironman to being temporarily paralyzed from the chest down and discovering the cause was an autoimmune disease called Guillain Barre Syndrome. Her diagnosis was later changed to the chronic version of GBS which is CIDP. But we’ll learn more about that in part 2 of my interview which will be out next week. In part 1 , we ge...
Jul 08, 2018•56 min
In this episode, I interview Susan Booton. She’s a friend and old roommate of mine. She’s someone I’ve had the opportunity to watch become an amazing mom to two young boys with special needs. During this time period, she also became more outspoken for what she believed was right for the needs of young people in her community. We talk about what led her to become more outspoken and to use her voice in a way that really aligned to her values. I really appreciated Susan’s honesty and openness as we...
Jun 10, 2018•1 hr 11 min
In this episode I talk to Rhys MacLean. A few years ago, Rhys left her job in corporate America, rented out her beautiful condo and said goodbye to her amazing friends/family to take an extended solo trip around the world. She ended up traveling for 27 months! She's back in Chicago now and is already planning her next adventure. During our conversation, we talk about the small steps she took to make her dreams of travel a reality. And how she's now working part-time as a travel coach to help oth...
Jun 03, 2018•1 hr 13 min
In this episode, I interview my friend Dafina Dunmore. She is someone that radiates positive energy and I think you'll feel that coming through in our conversation. She lives her life from a place of authenticity and it shines through in how she chooses to spend her time and how she finds a sense of balance in her life. We dive into how she began to practice creativity and how she has developed as strong sense of self. I hope you enjoy! To learn more about this episode and any resources mentione...
May 27, 2018•54 min
In this episode, I talk with my Dad. You'll get a taste of his personality as you listen to our conversation. In part one of my interview, we talk about what it was like to grow up in a small town in Central Illinois. And how his experience in the Army and in Viet Nam shaped him. There’s a part two planned for Season 2! Everyone has a story. I believe when we take time to truly listen, we begin to discover that were more alike than we are different. I hope you enjoy! To learn more about this epi...
May 20, 2018•58 min
In this episode I talk to Cliff Morehead. He's an IT Consultant, father, part time Dj and an overall wonderful person. During the course of our conversation we talk about how Cliff's overcome some challenging moments in his life and what's helped him to build a sense of resilience. We also talk about the power of listening and of being open. I hope you enjoy! To learn more about this episode and any resources mentioned, please see the show notes . Stay Connected: Instagram Ryan Wellness Website...
May 13, 2018•1 hr 1 min
Welcome to the Becoming Aligned Podcast. In this short episode, I take some time to introduce myself and why I wanted to create this podcast. I really hope that together we can create a welcoming community for those who want to learn, grow and be inspired. Looking forward to connecting with you throughout this podcast journey! To learn more about this episode and any resources mentioned, please see the show notes . Stay Connected: Instagram Ryan Wellness Website...
Apr 06, 2018•3 min
