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Episodes
We often want to teach a lesson and look for a story to illustrate the point - this podcast takes life's simple stories and looks for the lessons within.
Episodes
Friday May 15, 2020
Friday May 15, 2020
Lessons From Life - Episode 12
In this episode Emily Anderson shares an adventure that was more than she bargained for as she relies on friends to bring her to safety.
Story parts:
[00:01:20] – First backpacking trip adventures
[00:02:56] – One top of the world, the greater the risk the bigger the reward
[00:04:00] – One more swing!
[00:05:06] – The Cringe
[00:06:56] – The storm the beastly hike
[00:08:19] – A Positive X-Ray
[00:12:43] – A thought about this unprecedented time we find ourselves in [March 2020]
[00:14:05] – A call to vulnerability
[00:16:02] – The Learning cycle
Quotes from the show:
“I could have done this trip and been completely safe and not done any of the adventurous things (not gone swimming, gone off the rope swing, climb the boulder, etc.). But if I wouldn’t have chosen to those risks then I wouldn’t have been able to experience the highs.” [00:09:46}
“It is interesting how the disastrous events seem to create the memories and to some extent have the ability to look back on them and laugh and have a good memory experience with them” [00:11:14]
“One sees great things from the valley, but only small things from the peak” – G.K. Chesterton [00:11:31]
“At this point it is essential to rely on one another and to think of others and to think of way we can come together even if we are physically distanced” [00:12:46]
“Learning begins with a disturbance (similar to what our country is going through)… and that disturbance can throw you into this realm of chaos…our tendency is to flee the chaos…but our challenge is to learn how to wait it out…that is when deeper learning happens” [00:16:12]
Guest Biography:
Emily Anderson is the Activities and Guest Services Director at SpringHill. She has held this position since 2017 and has contributed to the development of activities both in staff training and in the completion of a new High Adventure element in April, 2019. She graduated from Ouachita Baptist University with a BA in Psychology (’14) and completed a MA in Christian Formation and Outdoor Adventure Leadership through Wheaton College (’17). She is passionate about facilitating holistic learning experiences for young people to develop into mature, committed, compassionate leaders who are growing in deeper intimacy with Jesus. During her free time, she enjoys participating in CrossFit, listening to podcasts, playing music, enjoying the great outdoors, and spending time with family and friends. She currently resides in Columbus, Indiana.
Links:
Eagle Rock Loop – Arkansas: https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/ouachita/recarea/?recid=10732
Ouachita National Forest: https://www.fs.usda.gov/ouachita
Friday May 08, 2020
Friday May 08, 2020
Lessons From Life - Episode 11
Will Yank shares about his recent battle with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL)
Story parts:
[00:01:52] – Mono?
[00:02:39] – ER visit and diagnosis
[00:04:05] – Johns Hopkins stay
[00:05:47] – A diagnosis and remission journeys
[00:07:59] – Early stages of cancer free
[00:08:20] – How to stay positive
[00:11:00] – The self-development process
[00:12:35] – Discipline of Grace
[00:14:28] – Famous in England – Daily Mail
Quotes from the show:
“The discipline of setting a routine has helped keep the sanity, keep that positivity going.” [00:09:43]
“Allow the discipline to not be a rigor, let it be something that is a freedom.” [00:12:22}
“Give yourself the grace, kindness goes so much farther than ignoring others. The kindness and empathy I have experienced not only from my mother but my nurses” [00:15:02]
Guest Bio: Will Yank
William Yank is a 22-year-old Leukemia patient who currently resides in Baltimore, MD and is finishing stem cell transplant treatment. Hailing from Indiana Will has been fighting for almost two years now. He's charismatic and inspires thousands with his social media posts on Instagram and Tik Tok. He's faced incredible adversity and trauma but is still attacking life head on.
Links:
Will’s Daily Mail Article: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-6951141/Model-shape-life-sore-throat-turned-leukemia.html
Will’s Instagram Account: https://www.instagram.com/williamyank/
Will’s Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@williamyank
Will’s TED Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkj4aLkySWY
Friday May 01, 2020
Friday May 01, 2020
Lessons From Life - Episode 10
In this episode Emily Humphreys describes her transition from one career field to another while finding herself along the way.
Story parts:
[00:01:20] – A road trip secret
[00:02:07] – Switching career paths in an abrupt way
[00:03:14] – New skills needed
[00:04:00] – Undercover Resident Director skill activated
[00:04:52] – Departure Lunch
[00:06:07] – 150 different transactions
[00:07:41] – How to ask questions
[00:11:33] – Helping in the midst of crisis (COVID-19)
[00:12:55] – Applying for job you’re not qualified for
Quotes from the show:
“People can be known for who they truly are through thoughtful questions and community building” [00:04:18]
“I remember it was my ultimate goal to be myself and for others to feel they could the same” [00:04:48]
The quickest way to learn a skill is to watch someone do it and then be thrown in immediately” [00:05:36]
“Now…I feel completely fine setting the stage know how the other person is really doing” [00:08:50]
“You just need to apply for all the jobs you feel 50% okay for.” [00:13:47]
Guest Biography:
Emily Humpherys lives in St. Charles, MO with her husband, Scott, and her daughter, Brave. She works in Student Services in public education. Emily is always reading, writing, and rewatching The Office.
Links:
Friday Apr 24, 2020
Friday Apr 24, 2020
Lessons From Life - Episode 9
In this episode Brandon speaks to Mason Metzger, a professional motivational speaker and accessibility consultant who shares a story about his life with Spastic Cerebral Palsy.
Story parts:
[00:01:00] - Mason’s backstory
[00:02:40] - Specialized challenge vs Disability
[00:07:29] - Mason’s Self Advocacy Award
Quotes from the Episode:
“The term disability or other terms to describe a disability such as handicapped or impaired have a negative connotation but when you think about a disability as a specialized challenge it shifts your mind to a more positive way of thinking.” [00:02:30]
“We all have unique lenses in life, the fact that each one of us has a unique sphere of influence and we all have unique gifts, talents and skills, part of my purpose in life is to inspire and equip others to utilize their gifts talents and skills to make an impact within their spheres of influence.” [00:03:50]
Guest Biography: Mason Metzger
21-year-old Mason Metzger is currently a junior at Indiana Wesleyan University studying Human Communication and leadership. Shortly before his first birthday, doctors diagnosed Metzger with a form of cerebral palsy, classified as a person with quadriplegia, Metzger utilizes a power wheelchair to get around.
As an award-winning motivational keynote speaker since August 2014, Metzger has had the opportunity to share his story with a wide range of audiences totaling over 50. Most recently, in 2019, Metzger was the recipient of an international award from the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) in the category of self-advocacy.
In addition to speaking, Metzger is also an accessibility consultant. Additionally, Metzger serves on the boards of Forte Residential Inc. & Forte Home Health Care Inc.
In the future, Metzger hopes to continue speaking and consulting, and he aspires to become an author.
Social media/contact information
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mason-metzger-878515144/
Instagram: motivationalmason_
Twitter: Mason_Metzger
Links:
Friday Apr 17, 2020
Friday Apr 17, 2020
Lessons From Life - Episode 8
In this episode Brandon speaks to Luca Reichman who shares a story about an Ambulance ride that did not work out as planned, but helped to save someone’s life.
Story Parts:
[00:01:15] - Beers/Bears in Indiana
[00:02:11] - Luca’s Ambulance story
[00:08:02] - Life Lessons
Quotes from the Episode:
“Sometimes things are at the right time at the right place.” [00:08:07]
“Sometimes the bad things that happen to us are for a greater purpose.” [00:08:38]
“Part of life is being satisfied with where you are at and what’s happening with you and not wishing for other things because those other things might be worse for you.” [00:10:05]
Links:
Friday Apr 10, 2020
Friday Apr 10, 2020
Lessons From Life - Episode 7
In this episode Brandon speaks to Jordan Updike who shares a story about a Last Minute NFL Game.
Story Parts:
[00:01:10] - The last minute Colts game
[00:05:44] - Brandon’s second ever NFL game
[00:07:25] - Life Lessons from the story
Quotes from the Episode:
“Being persistent and requesting can pay out. Take risks more and do unplanned things.” [00:07:39]
“You can’t plan life all the way out because l things don’t always work that way. You’ll have a lot of fun doing spur of the moment things.” [00:08:01]
“It’s good to have balanced perspectives, when two people have different approaches to life there is a lot of power in considering both the planning and spur of the moment adventure sort.” [00:08:12]
Links:
Friday Apr 03, 2020
Friday Apr 03, 2020
Lessons From Life - Episode 6
In this episode Brandon shares two stories from his childhood in South Africa about rotten fruit, and his experience learning to love avocados.
Story Parts:
[00:01:26] - Rotten Fruit and banana bread
[00:02:30] - Mowing the grass and rotten apricots
[00:04:24] - Expired Guacamole
Quotes from the Episode:
“We can find good in a lot of things and even if something looks used and bad it potentially has the ability to make something really amazing and good if we’re willing to give it a chance and transform it.” [00:02:08]
“Do the job properly the first time and it will be easier, don’t try and take shortcuts because they’ll create more work for you.” [00:03:37]
“It’s good to keep trying things as you get older.” [00:05:25]
Links:
Friday Mar 27, 2020
Friday Mar 27, 2020
Lessons From Life - Episode 5
In this episode Brandon and Dustin speak to Carol Brown and she recounts her story of being a young lifeguard where she nearly lost her life.
Story Parts:
[00:00:59] - Carol’s background
[00:01:28] - The summer lifeguard story
[00:09:38] - The need to act in the moment
[00:11:45] - Being prepared, using the tools around us
Quotes from the Episode:
“Sometimes the problems we have are way too big for us and we need others to be there to support us. There are times in life when we do feel alone and we are wishing other people will come to help us and even when we are asking for that help, none may come.” [00:08:42]
“Sometimes they are trying to blow whistles and no one is hearing them when they need help, those whistles can be all kinds of things, but we don’t always pick up on all those signs.” [00:11:13]
“As a leader, somethings even though what we are doing may not be cool or we might be looked down upon, we still need to do what we know is right.” [00:13:06]
Guest Bio: Carol Brown
Carol Brown, Associate Dean of Life Calling & Career at Indiana Wesleyan University, has a passion for the outdoors and water sports. Carol accounts her story of working as a young lifeguard where she nearly lost her life!
Links:
Friday Mar 20, 2020
Friday Mar 20, 2020
Lessons From Life - Episode 4
Lessons Learned from a bicycle accident. In this episode Brandon and Dustin call their friend Jakob Adam who is living in Guatemala and they discuss his cycling story and injury.
Story parts:
[00:02:23] - Jakob's story
[00:06:52] - Lessons learned from bike riding
[00:07:45] - When do you need to use cardio vs strength
Quotes from the Episode:
“Sometimes when those things get hard, when you’re trying to go up a hill, sometimes you have to use your cardio and push your gears a little bit easier and sometimes you have to use strength. I think life is like that as well, sometimes you have to use your heart and sometimes you really just have to use your strength to persevere.” [00:06:55]
“More is in you, than you think.” ~Kurt Hahn [00:09:52]
Guest Bio: Jakob Adam
Jakob describes himself as pathologically genuine, a culture translator, and a multi-subject generalist. He has a Master’s degree in Higher Education, has served in University Residence Education, and might follow you to your car.
Links:
Credits:
The background ambient hospital sounds were provided by Nixeno under a Creative Commons 3.0 Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/) and can be found at https://freesound.org/people/nixeno/sounds/427092
Saturday Mar 14, 2020
Saturday Mar 14, 2020
Lessons From Life - Episode 3
In this episode Brandon and Dustin talk about what it means to be a leader during crisis, how to become a good follower and how importance of evaluating information in your decision making. We hope that this episode will encourage you as we all navigate the Coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis together.
Story Parts:
[00:02:02] - The Summer Storm
[00:06:42] - Leadership means thinking of other people
[00:07:34] - The Hiking Trip - Rattlesnake
[00:09:04] - Knowing when to look at the information you have and make decisions is important
[00:09:55] - How do you become a good follower?
[00:10:34] - The power outage
Quotes from the Episode:
“An adventure is an inconvenience rightly perceived.” ~ G.K. Chesterton [00:01:17]
“Hindsight is always 20/20. When you are in leadership, it is hard to say that and justify it.” [00:06:05]
“Sometimes our leaders may do things that we think are really strange and we don’t understand but to some extent a good follower trusts that their leader has the best thing in mind.” [00:07:01]
“Often times inconvenience creates the biggest opportunity.” [00:12:05]
Links:
Host Bios:
Brandon Hill, PhD
Brandon loves collecting stories, whether those are his own experiences, or the experiences of others. He loves to have adventures and take trips to create new memories.
Brandon has one adult son, Levi, and three exchange students (Jonathan, Luca, and Henry) who he also considers to be part of the family. Brandon is passionate about adoption, higher education, and developing people. Brandon has an undergraduate degree in Accounting and Information Science, a Master's in Education, and a Doctorate in Higher Education Administration. Brandon current serves as Chief Student Affairs Officer at a 4-year private institution. One of his favorite jobs has been serving as a Resident Director for 7 years where he developed friendships with many people, and experienced a lot of life lessons. Brandon is a StrengthsQuest Educator Trainer, and loves helping people achieve their maximum potential through discovering and developing their strengths. Brandon's hobbies include gardening and creating scrapbooks for the family adventures, as they are a great way to capture the stories and life lessons from these experiences.
Dustin Fenton
Dustin’s mission is to help people achieve more than they thought possible, by helping them stretch out of their comfort zones. He loves to provide value to those he engages with by connecting them to new ideas or people so they can see success in their lives professionally and personally. With a background in organizational leadership and nineteen years of working with young professionals he has experience in coaching people to new and greater heights and helping them find the purpose God has for them.
He has had the privilege of facilitating many life-transforming events from mission trips to multiple week-long backcountry trips to advising Christian music festivals. He most recently served at SpringHill as the General Manager of Indiana Overnight Experiences and served both staff and guests in ways that gave them to the opportunity to achieve more than they thought possible. His life motto is “There is more in you than you think” which is taken from Kurt Hahn, a patriarch of the experiential education movement.
Dustin has been married to Jan for 18 years and they have two children. He is a graduate of Greenville University (BS Youth Ministry/Mass Communication) and Azusa Pacific University (MA Organizational Leadership). He enjoys time with family, reading great books, exploring outdoors, and learning all he can about the intersection of leadership development and transformational experiences.