John Edward Ryan “Am Alive” C26-04

January 26, 2026January 21, 2026Self Discovery Wisdom Podcast

Choose Positive Living with Sara Troy and her guest John Eward Ryan, on air from Janaury 27th

Who is John Edward Ryan?

I grew up on a small family dairy farm in the hills of Madison County. Hardscrabble Road. It was the simple, old-fashioned childhood you read about in books and see on a Christmas card.

I use my middle name “Edward” because it was my father’s name. I am so proud to be his son – he was a truly great man. You’ll hear more about him later…

I worked on farms all through high school and became a “Shop Kid”. Leather Shop. Wood Shop. Metal Shop. Ag Shop. Mechanical things were easy for me. I loved to fix up old snowmobiles dirt bikes and tractors. My brothers and our buddies loved the thrill of riding the old machines we could afford to buy, cobb together, ride (and destroy). ?

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I worked as an apprentice after high school and became a Journeyman Toolmaker at the local factory.

As a shop guy, I certainly loved the tools and the widgets. But I loved one thing even more. Just like Ed, I love People. Talking. Telling stories and laughing…

I think of myself as a “Professional Optimizer”. I created Shop Class to combine the best elements of Heroic Coaching and Financial Fundamentals, with the third element: Urgency.

My Mission is to help human beings flourish – in what has become the most…

“Wonderful Awful World”.

You will hear me say that – “Today is the Greatest Day to be Alive.”

I am passionate and positive. I am also highly concerned that we are racing towards chaos!

Join me in Shop Class. You will Get a dose of High Energy Optimism – AND a profoundly urgent message. From a man who has died three times, been defibrillated twice, and Am Alive to tell the stories.

Ask me about…

Final Shock Polarity Standard.

Why I do what I do.

It is simple. I have to.

This is who I am. I am incredibly blessed. I have made poor choices. I have made great choices. All the wisdom and blessings have shaped my life in a way – that I know that I must pay it forward.

The only thing I can possibly do for the rest of my life – is to do the best I can to live up to my potential. This means serving other human beings. This means using the gifts that I was given in the best possible way.

We are meant to do two things. Work. And Love. I apply the concept of “Threes” and add in Energy. We need the Energy to go and Work as best we can. To go and Love the best we can.

This is who I am and what I do – helping others find their unique path to the best possible Energy, Work and Love.

Free Gift

Free copy of Shop Class with John Ryan (guidebook) with a 15 minute introductory phone call / zoom / teams.

john.ryan@prudential.com

prudential.com/advisor/john-ryan (Company)

https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachjohnryan/

https://www.facebook.com/JohnRyanCoach

https://www.instagram.com/coachj442/?hl=en

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Thank you. Please support Our Forgotten Seniors anthology and help to bring this book to awareness.

ReAlign with Kassandra Hamilton MH26-04.

January 26, 2026January 21, 2026Self Discovery Wisdom Podcast

Mental Health Awareness with Sara Troy and her guest Kassandra Hamilton, on air from January 27th

I do this work because I know what it’s like to look successful on the outside while feeling disconnected, exhausted, and unsure on the inside. After navigating burnout, grief, identity-loss, and the pressure to hold everything together, I realized that real change doesn’t come from pushing harder. Instead, it comes from listening inward and restoring safety, clarity, and self-trust in the body and nervous system. Today, I support high-achieving women who are tired of living on autopilot to reconnect with their energy, boundaries, and purpose, so they can build lives that feel as good internally as they appear externally. My message is simple but powerful: alignment is something you remember, not something you earn.

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Kassandra Hamilton (known as Kazz) is an alignment coach, speaker, author, and local singer-songwriter whose work is grounded in her background in global and community health and her lived experience of burnout and reinvention. Through years working within health systems, she witnessed how burnout, over-functioning, and disconnection are often treated as individual problems rather than systemic and nervous-system realities; a perspective she shared in her recent TED-style talk. That insight became the foundation for her Inside Out Framework™, which supports sustainable wellbeing by addressing regulation, boundaries, and self-trust before performance, productivity, or purpose.

Today, Kassandra works with high-achieving women who appear capable and successful on the outside but feel depleted or misaligned on the inside. Through the Inside Out Framework™, she helps clients restore energy, reconnect with their bodies, and make aligned choices that honour both their humanity and their leadership. Her work spans private coaching, group programs, speaking engagements, and experiential healing.

Alongside her coaching practice, Kassandra is a practicing healer offering Ayurvedic head massage, bio-energy healing, and sound healing, and works weekly at Triple Moon in downtown Nanaimo. She is also a volunteer with restorative justice programs for youth, supporting accountability, repair, and reconnection. Outside of her professional work, she is a storyteller and musician who writes and performs original music, hikes with her dog, and loves learning about new cultures through travel.

Free Gift or Offer

A complimentary Energy & Alignment Check-In—a short guided reflection designed to help listeners identify where their energy is leaking and what their nervous system is asking for right now.

Those interested can book here: https://link.clickbyclick.ca/widget/booking

I have 5 Health Grants available to anyone who is listening today which can be used towards my 12 Week Energy Alignment Reset program. I can explain more once you book with me above.

I am also providing a free community event where I have 4 women speaking on Feb 10 to give back to women on how to boost your energy: Women Leaders Share Top Tips:

Event Details
https://www.linkedin.com/events

https://www.facebook.com

AMAZON

The Magic of Realigning from the Inside Out

BUY HERE

Cracking the Rich Code

www.readysetrealign.ca

https://www.readysetrealign.ca
https://www.instagram.com/readysetrealign
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kassandrahamilton
https://www.facebook.com/readysetrealign

Connect Directly Here: https://link.clickbyclick.ca/widget/booking

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Every show we create is supported by generous contributions. If this episode inspired you, please consider helping us continue the work—with a one-time gift or an ongoing subscription. Your support truly makes a difference. Thank you. Also, please support Our Forgotten Seniors anthology and help to bring this book to awareness.

Be the LIGHT of Hope 26-03.

January 19, 2026January 18, 2026Self Discovery Wisdom Podcast

Sara’s View of Life with Sara Troy, on air from January 20th

I’m now three weeks into the show and already seeing a strong and consistent thread across all my conversations—optimism, belief, determination, and a shared desire for 2026 to be a year of liberation. After the heaviness of 2025, people are ready to release fear, control, and outdated “shoulds,” and return to what truly matters: heart, soul, purpose, and community. Many are recognizing that chasing status, money, or approval never brought fulfillment, and that real enrichment comes from self-accountability, inner connection, and living in alignment with who we truly are.

2026 feels like a blank canvas, an opportunity to let go of what no longer serves us and consciously choose compassion, gratitude, collaboration, and kindness. Change doesn’t arrive all at once; it begins with one step, one positive choice, one act of love. When we do that, individually and together, we become the light we’ve been waiting for—and that’s how we rise forward.

Reconnect yourself—heart, soul, spirit, and mind. Let the soul bring wisdom, the heart resonate with truth, the spirit ignite into action, and the mind gather what’s needed in clarity. Then you rise into a higher plane of being—where your essence leads, your light precedes you, and you become a beacon for others. The world needs you in 2026—your heart, your spirit, your mind, your beautiful beingness. Want to see peace, love, and harmony? Become it.

And if you need a simple way to begin: write down everything that feels wrong, everything that weighs on you—then take a walk in nature. Come back and write your gratitudes—every single one. Then burn the list of negatives and declare, “I am no longer feeding lack. I am feeding gratitude.” Add one gratitude every day. Do one kind act every day, however small. Watch your frequency change. Watch your life respond. Because people can try to imprison your world—but they can’t imprison you when you’re free from the inside out.

This is the way forward. One step at a time. One positive thought. One grateful breath. One act of love. And together, we rise.

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All of our shows/interviews are done by donation; if you enjoyed this show, please support us here with either a one-time donation and subscribe. Thank you. Please support Our Forgotten Seniors anthology and help to bring this book to awareness.

Gift from 60-Year-Old Teammate Tom Green, #BB26-03.

January 19, 2026January 18, 2026Self Discovery Wisdom Podcast

Their Story Matters with Sara Troy and her guest Tom Green, on air from Janaury 20th

McDaniel College Seniors Receive “Dress for Success” Graduation Suits Through Philanthropic

Gift from 60-Year-Old Teammate Tom Green

— Students fitted at Men’s Wearhouse Westminster express gratitude and optimism as they prepare for life after football —

WESTMINSTER, Md., December 11, 2025 – More than a dozen McDaniel College football seniors stepped into their next chapter this weekend suited for success thanks to teammate Tom Green, the 60-year-old student-athlete whose story of resilience, reinvention, and community spirit continues to inspire the nation.

Green, owner of Northeast Pallet, LLC, a cancer survivor, and communications major, purchased suits, shirts, and formal footwear for 15 senior football players at Men’s Wearhouse in Westminster. Two groups arrived Saturday morning for personalized fittings, style guidance, and the opportunity to prepare professionally for their post-college careers.

“These young men have pushed me, supported me, and inspired me every single day,” Green said. “Helping them prepare for their next step in life is my way of giving back. They’re incredible leaders, and they deserve to walk into their future with confidence.”

Senior offensive lineman Carter Bucci, graduating with a degree in Elementary Education and pursuing a master’s in Special Education shared, “This is an amazing opportunity. I can’t thank Tom enough. I’m heading home to teach after graduation, and having a suit for interviews means a lot. Huge thank you to Tom and to Men’s Wearhouse for doing this for us.”

Running back KD, from Pittsburgh and majoring in Communications, said he felt both confident and grateful. “I feel great in this suit. Thank you, Tom. This means a lot. As I go into communications work after graduation, this is exactly what I need.”

Senior Collier, a Florida native preparing to become a plumber after graduation added, “I appreciate your time. You’re the man, Tom. This really helps me as I get ready for what’s next.”

The fitting sessions were filled with energy, gratitude, and emotion as teammates supported each other, admired their new looks, and shared their plans for life after football ranging from teaching and trades to communications and public service.

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About Tom Green:

Tom Green is a 60-year-old student-athlete, small business owner, and cancer survivor who has inspired thousands through his journey documented as 0to60in6Decades. After surviving Stage IV kidney cancer and rebuilding his life following significant financial hardship, Tom made the bold decision to return to college at McDaniel College in Westminster, Maryland, where he is pursuing a communications degree and playing football for the Green Terror. His mission is to show that it’s never too late to reinvent yourself, chase a dream, or start again.

Tom shares his story of perseverance, fitness, faith, and second chances on Instagram at @tomgreen0to60in6decades, where he encourages others facing adversity to keep moving, physically, mentally, and purposefully. Whether training with teammates one-third his age, building community through service, or championing faith-forward initiatives, Tom leads by example as a living reminder that age is an asset, and resilience is a superpower. Tom continues to use his platform to uplift others, promote healthy living, and inspire people of all ages to pursue the goals that once felt out of reach.

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Dr. David Weill, “TELL ME I BELONG” #26-03

January 19, 2026January 18, 2026Self Discovery Wisdom Podcast

Ignite Your Heart and Soul with Sara Troy and her guest Dr David Weill, on air from Janaury 20th

Dr. David Weill, author of TELL ME I BELONG: A Journey Across Faiths and Generations

A heartfelt memoir about the search for religion and identity

“I’m not Jewish.” For years, that’s what David Weill told anyone who asked about his religious background. Yes, his father was a Jew who had left Nazi Germany as a boy. But his mother was a Southern Baptist. Growing up in New Orleans, religion wasn’t something his family discussed, let alone practiced. As an adult, he developed a fervent zeal, and profound devotion to his work as a specialist in organ transplants. Transplantation was all he needed to define and fulfill him—until a crisis shook him to the core.

In 2015, after the simultaneous unraveling of his carefully crafted career and the death of his father, Weill began to doubt everything, including his purpose in life. While grappling with emotional pain and sinking deeper into despair, he began to suffer perplexing physical symptoms. In his moment of crisis, he was seized by a strong desire to practice a formal religion. But for Weill, the real question was, Which religion? Eventually, he chose Catholicism and was baptized at age fifty. He found solace in heart-to-heart talks with a priest and his daughters’ happiness at having the whole family at church together. Everything was fine—until 2020, when he learned that his mother had converted to Judaism right before marrying his father. He was born a Jew. And in the eyes of the Jewish faith, he would always be Jewish. That realization sparked his second quest.

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He reflects on what drew his mother, a native of Selma, Alabama, to Judaism—partly because, as she once said, Jews “always seemed like such practical people,” but more deeply as a rejection of the hypocrisy she saw in Baptist churches that preached love for all of God’s children while practicing racism. He also explores his father’s complicated relationship with being Jewish, a source of pride linked to intelligence and success, yet shadowed by a lifelong fear of ostracism and stigma. This personal history comes into sharp focus during a heart-wrenching journey to Berlin with his daughter Hannah, where he seeks out his father’s first home and confronts the inner work of defining who he is. His search deepens through a determined effort, aided by investigators, to uncover the truth about his grandfather’s imprisonment in the Buchenwald concentration camp, and the pivotal role played by his renowned relative, composer Kurt Weill, in orchestrating his family’s escape to the United States.

DAVID WEILL, MD, is the former Director of the Center for Advanced Lung Diseases and the Lung and Heart-Lung Transplant Program at Stanford University Medical Center. A sought-after advisor to various transplant programs across the country, he also serves on the Board of TransMedics, a company focused on improving availability of donor organs. Dr. Weill has also served on several non-profit boards including the Tulane Medical School, Xavier University of Louisiana, SFJAZZ, the Isidore Newman School, the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (NOCCA) Foundation, NextGen Personal Finance, and the Bellevue Literary Review. Dr. Weill’s writing has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Salon, Newsweek, the Chicago Tribune, STAT, the Washington Post, The Hill, LitHub, Tablet, The Times of Israel, TODAY.com, and the Los Angeles Times. His previous books include the memoir Exhale: Hope, Healing, and Life in Transplant (2021) and a novel, All That Really Matters (2024). He lives in New Orleans.