Inspiring Lives With Penny Rackley

-- Click here to listen --   Are you stuck doing the same old things and getting the same old results? You probably already know what you need to do to be more gratified in your relationships, to have better health, to make more money, but maybe just can't find the courage or the wherewithal to make it happen? If fear or apathy are holding you back from the life you want, then this is your show. Together, with some introspection and private writing, we’re going to pinpoint the right risks for YOU, and avoid the awful poison of regret. Taking Risks: I’m here to tell you, other than trying those weird new Oreo flavors, I’m not much of a risk taker myself. No skydiving, not a racecar driver, no baccarat tables. I’m going to be the first one out of the lake and into the boat when a lighting storm starts. BUT at the same time, I acknowledge that in order to get some of the things we really want for ourselves -- enriching experiences and relationships and financial opportunities -- we have to be willing to take som

-- Click here to listen -- Do you use that fancy fitness tracker to genuinely improve your health -- or just monitor mediocrity? What kinds of trackers do the best job? How many calories should we be burning each week to maintain or even lose weight? In this podcast, champion bodybuilder and Serious Results fitness coach Adam Hammett teaches us how to get the most accurate information from our fitness trackers, and then what to do with that data to see real change. Charge up your tracker and get ready to learn from Adam! Aside from being an award-winning body builder (as in 2010 The Lone Star Classic), Adam Hammett is a fitness coach who teaches regular people like you and me how to build muscle and manage our weight. He’s exactly the guy we need to hear from, especially now that the bathing suits and the shorts are out, and everywhere we look there are tempting foods around — Oreos! Potato chips! All my favorites! I know that many of you received one of those fitness trackers — maybe for Mother’s Day or

  -- Click here to listen -- What is life coaching about, and why would I want to try it? Is it like therapy? How long does a session take? How many do I need? Why did you become a coach in the first place, and why do you think you're qualified for the job? I love to receive questions about coaching! In this podcast I answer some of the most common inquiries, and give a little background on why and how I became a coach. Coaching Q&A I've coached since 2011, and have worked with dozens and dozens of people over hundreds of hours. Some of the most common questions I receive are: Is coaching like therapy?  First, let me say that coaching is not therapy. They are similar in that both are confidential, professional relationships. But therapy oftentimes focuses on the past, on issues from your childhood, how you were raised, examines past wounds that you’ve suffered and the effects of those wounds on who you are today. It also addresses issues such as substance abuse and domestic violence. When

  — Click here to listen — Do you have difficulty enjoying your dog and keeping its behavior under control? How can we train our dogs with respect, understanding and some kindness? In this episode, Certified Dog Trainer Tod McVicker reveals the three things that matter most to dogs, and how we can effectively co-exist with them (without being a jerk). Tod is a certified dog trainer, and has been training dogs professionally for ten years. He has served on the board of directors for the International Association of Canine Professionals (IACP), and is currently one of their ambassadors. I asked Tod to visit with us, because I know that many of you have dogs and love your dogs, but also have some difficulty in controlling their behavior. If that sounds like you, then Tod is your guy, and in this podcast he shares some insights and hard-won experience that’ll help us. Tod came to our home and trained our dog a few years ago, and after just one meeting, he had all of us eating out of his hand. He re

  — Click here to listen — — Click here for the Notes outline —    It can be very difficult for people who value harmony — those of us who like to get along — to say no, whether it's to our loved ones, friends or co-workers. In this podcast, I give some tips and strategies to help you know how to say no when you need to -- to your kids, your boss, all the tough ones. Because we don’t want to be doormats. And if we’re not willing to say no in the right times, our integrity, our self-respect and the respect of others go out the window. What do you value above getting along? Let's find out. ______________________ To begin, draw a square on your paper, or print this notes page. At the bottom of the square, write the words, Peace/Harmony/Getting Along. This is our values box. Be thinking about what you value above peace, or harmony, or getting along. Here’s an example: If you have a child, or have ever taken care of a child, I am willing to bet that you value their health and safety more than you value peace. I

— Click here to listen — Bleh! Who has time for illness? And don't you know, when the kids are sick -- we all get sick! In this episode, Nurse Practitioner and owner of Pediatric Health Partners, Kim Bookout shares her strategies for staying healthy through the end of flu season, updates us on the Zika virus, and tells us what kinds of supplements we and our children need most. ________________ My family and I met Kim when our boys were five and nine, and ever since that first visit, she’s been the health care provider we turn to whenever we need medical advice and information. Kim has helped us through the flu, strep throat, sports injuries and the terrors of adolescence, and she’s also been an enormous help to us in getting through a major illness with one of our boys.  But just as important to me as Kim’s considerable qualifications and experience, she is a kind, empathetic and trusted member of our little family village — one of the people we count on to help us live a healthy life. If I have a questio

-- Click here to listen -- Every one of us is going to experience some hardship, disappointment, sadness. But after the dust settles, how quickly can you shake off that dark mood and get back to life? In this podcast, we'll learn and practice some specific exercises designed to build emotional strength, clarity and resilience. Based on Dr. William Larkin’s book Growing the Positive Mind, this episode will challenge you to recognize and take responsibility for your emotions, and teach you how to enjoy the work. ________________________ This podcast is about YOU — you (and me) feeling better. The desire to feel good drives just about everything we do, but it’s difficult to maintain any happiness if our emotions are out of control. Let’s say you get in a wreck on the way to work. You call the tow truck and the insurance people, and get those details taken care of, and you’re back safe in your office. How quickly can you get out of the dark, angry feelings that were drummed up during the accident, and get back to

-- Click here to listen -- Serious athletes and other highly- competitive persons understand that a little bit of flexibility creates resilience -- but how to get it? Boston marathon vet, certified running coach and certified yoga instructor Jennifer Wilford feels your pain (and tightness), and knows exactly how to work you through it. In this episode, Jennifer explains her unique approach: Bringing softness to foster strength and endurance. If you're an athlete or just a weekend warrior whose performance is limited by inflexibility and/or injuries, then you've got to meet Jennifer. ___________________ Yoga and running are two of my passions in life. I’ve run the Boston Marathon seven consecutive years. I started running and felt like it was an amazing, life changing activity for me, but realized that in doing so, I was getting pretty tight. So I took to yoga, and eventually decided I wanted to be an instructor. I am the least pretzel-like instructor, and my students tend not to be overly-flexible. I’ve mer

-- Click here to listen -- Do you need to get a handle on your finances, but don't know where to start? Over the last few years, Certified Financial Planner Sean Kelleher has brought my family the peace of mind and freedom that comes from knowing the truth about our finances. He's helped us better understand our limits, what’s reasonable to spend (and what's not), how much to save and where is best to save it. In this podcast, Sean explains what to expect from a financial planner, how they get paid, and all the best questions to ask yourself and your prospective planner. If you're feeling at loose ends about your money, where it's going (and where it should be going), and how to make it last through the later years, then Sean is your guy. What do you mean limits? I don’t want any financial limits! We all have financial limits. We all wish we had unlimited money, and for that matter, everlasting health and beauty! We need to know what those limits really are. But examining spreadsheets and stocks vs. bonds

-- Click here to listen -- Are you ready to feel better? If you’re looking for exercise that will improve your balance, your flexibility and strengthen your body as well as your mind, then meet Bethaney Pilat, Owner and Founder of Inspire Yoga Studios. In this podcast, Bethaney answers the most commonly-asked questions about yoga, tells newcomers what to expect from their first class, and fills us in on the benefits of this invigorating and life-affirming practice. _________ Many of us are looking for a way to get fit — especially in January, not to necessarily to compete in an IronMan competition or walk the red carpet, but just to be able to sit on the floor and play with our kids or grandkids, or maybe walk nine holes of golf with our friends, or get through a shift at work without being completely worn out.  That’s a rough place to be, to say, “I don’t have the mental or physical energy to do the things I want to do.” That’s like saying, "I’m not even healthy enough to try to get healthy.”  If that’s how