KPHRED Work - Life Balance Radio

Mary Farias & Toby Brooks
Economy Creators
Becoming Undone: Why Life Falls Apart Before It Comes Together with Dr. Toby Brooks

What happens when the thing that has defined you for years suddenly ends?

For athletes, it might be the final competition.

For entrepreneurs, it might be the sale of a business.

For professionals, it might be retirement, career change, or unexpected loss.

And for all of us, eventually, it becomes the same question:

Now what?

In this powerful episode of Economy Creators™, Mary sits down with longtime friend, educator, speaker, author, and podcast host Dr. Toby Brooks to explore the often-overlooked reality of identity transitions and what it means to rebuild your life when a major chapter comes to a close.

Toby's journey began in the world of sports medicine as an athletic trainer, where he worked closely with elite athletes navigating injuries, setbacks, and the emotional realities of high-level competition. Over the years, his work evolved beyond physical recovery and into a deeper fascination with identity, purpose, resilience, and human transformation.

Today, Toby serves as a professor, administrator, speaker, podcast host, and lifelong learner pursuing his sixth and soon seventh degree. But perhaps his most meaningful work is helping people understand what happens after the dream changes.

His podcast and upcoming book, Becoming Undone, explore the stories of athletes, Olympians, military veterans, entrepreneurs, artists, and high achievers who have all faced the same challenge:

How do you move forward when the identity you've built your life around no longer fits?

In this conversation, Mary and Toby discuss:

✨ Why identity loss is a universal human experience
✨ The emotional transition from athlete to "what's next"
✨ How perfectionism can help—and hurt—high achievers
✨ Why life's hardest seasons often become our greatest teachers
✨ The power of persistence through the "trough of disillusionment"
✨ What Toby learned from interviewing Olympic gold medalists, Navy SEALs, professional athletes, and other high performers
✨ How failure, uncertainty, and reinvention are part of every meaningful journey
✨ Why becoming undone may actually be the first step toward becoming who you're meant to be

One of the most compelling insights from the episode is Toby's observation that transitions are not just an athlete's challenge—they're a human challenge. Whether you're leaving sports, changing careers, navigating retirement, closing a business, or simply entering a new season of life, the process is remarkably similar.

The old identity begins to unravel.

The future isn't yet clear.

And somewhere in the middle is the opportunity to discover a deeper purpose.

Toby also shares the evolution of his own podcast journey—from near burnout and discouragement to becoming one of the top-ranked shows in education and self-improvement. His story serves as a powerful reminder that success often arrives after the excitement fades and persistence takes over.

Throughout the episode, a recurring theme emerges:

The thing that feels like it's falling apart may actually be making room for what comes next.

As Toby explains, becoming undone isn't about being broken.

It's about being unfinished.

It's about recognizing that the skills, experiences, and lessons you've accumulated are preparing you for a new season of contribution and impact.

For anyone navigating change, uncertainty, reinvention, or a major life transition, this conversation offers hope, perspective, and a roadmap forward.

Because sometimes the end of one story is simply the beginning of another.

🔗 Connect with Dr. Toby Brooks

🌐 Website: TobyBrooksPhD.com

🎙 Podcast: Becoming Undone
🌐 UndonePodcast.com: https://undonepodcast.com/

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drtobybrooks/

📚 Upcoming Book: Becoming Undone

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In this episode, Mei Liu interviews Dr. Jengyu Lai about one of the biggest health topics right now: chronic inflammation and how it may be affecting your energy, weight, brain fog, pain, and overall wellness. They explore how inflammation is connected to gut health, insulin resistance, sleep, stress, movement, and the foods we eat — all themes that continue to resonate strongly with health-conscious YouTube audiences.

Dr. Lai explains why many people feel “off” even when their lab results look normal, and why symptoms like fatigue, joint pain, skin issues, and poor recovery can be early warning signs that something deeper is going on. The conversation also covers the growing interest in lifestyle medicine, root-cause healing, and regenerative approaches that support long-term health, performance, and aging well.

If you’re interested in metabolic health, biohacking-style wellness, longevity, or understanding what your body is trying to tell you, this episode offers a clear and practical discussion with real-world insight.

We also highlight a specific episode titled Reclaiming the Plate: A Navajo Wellness Story. This segment provides insight into how cultural dietary practices can be integrated into a broader wellness program. By examining these examples, viewers can better understand the connection between cultural heritage and healthy eating habits.

If you found these insights from the Rochester Clinic team useful, subscribe for weekly wellness breakdowns. Let us know in the comments if you want to see more content on integrated health strategies.

Join the Online Lotus Health Community:
https://lotushealthfoundation.org/lotus-community

Mary Farias & Lorenzo "LA" Rothery
Economy Creators
The Inner Pull: Following the Dream That Never Went Away with LA Rothery

What if the dream you've carried your entire life never left for a reason?

What if that quiet voice inside—the one that keeps nudging you toward something more—is actually trying to lead you toward the life you're meant to create?

In this episode of Economy Creators™, Mary sits down with entrepreneur, health advocate, and Economy Creators Anthology co-author Lorenzo "LA" Rothery to discuss purpose, persistence, personal development, and what it means to finally answer the entrepreneurial call.

For most of his life, LA felt drawn toward entrepreneurship.

Growing up, he watched his father build multiple businesses, including a service station, income tax service, consulting business, and retail ventures. From an early age, he saw entrepreneurship as a pathway to freedom, opportunity, and self-determination.

Yet like many people, life took him down a different path.

He built a career, raised a family, and worked traditional jobs.

But the entrepreneurial dream never disappeared.

Instead, it continued showing up as what Mary calls an inner pull—a deep desire that quietly persists throughout life until we finally choose to listen.

Today, LA is building a business in the health and wellness industry, inspired by his own health journey and his desire to help others improve their quality of life.

In this conversation, you'll discover:

✨ Why entrepreneurship continued calling LA throughout his life
✨ The mindset shift required to move from employee to entrepreneur
✨ Why personal development is essential for business success
✨ The role of commitment, consistency, and persistence
✨ How service creates opportunity
✨ Why it's never too late to pursue a new dream
✨ The connection between health, purpose, and personal responsibility
✨ How listening to your inner desires can lead to a more meaningful life

One of the most powerful themes throughout this episode is the idea that age does not determine potential.

LA openly shares that many people approaching retirement choose to slow down, but he sees this season differently.

He sees it as a time to finally pursue the dream that's been waiting for him all along.

His story serves as an important reminder:

You are never too old to begin.

You are never too old to learn.

You are never too old to create something meaningful.

The conversation also explores LA's passion for health and wellness.

After witnessing the growing challenges of chronic illness and disease, he became committed to helping people better understand their health and take greater ownership of their well-being. He believes that true wellness begins with education, personal responsibility, and a willingness to learn new ways of caring for ourselves.

Throughout the interview, LA returns again and again to one central theme:

Service.

He believes we're here to help one another.

To learn.

To grow.

To share what we know.

And to leave people better than we found them.

As he explains, some of his greatest strengths are listening, caring deeply about others, and helping people work through challenges and discover solutions.

It's a beautiful reminder that building an economy isn't just about making money.

It's about creating value.

It's about becoming more.

And it's about using your gifts to serve others.

One of the most inspiring moments comes when LA says:

"This is my time."

After years of preparation, study, and personal growth, he's finally stepping fully into the vision he's carried for decades.

And his story may inspire you to do the same.

🔗 Connect with LA Rothery

📞 Phone: 864-396-6279

📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lorenzorothery

🎯 Join the Economy Creators Workshop: https://www.magnetminddevelopment.com/economy

Most people are told their labs are "normal" — but normal isn't the same as optimal. In this episode, Dr. Jengyu Lai (board-certified podiatrist and lifestyle medicine physician) reveals why chronic, low-grade inflammation is silently driving fatigue, brain fog, weight gain, and some of today's most serious diseases — and why your doctor may not be catching it.

🔥 What You'll Learn in This Episode:
The difference between acute inflammation (your body healing itself) and chronic inflammation (the silent destroyer)
Why your blood work can look "normal" while insulin resistance is already building
The warning signs most people ignore: muscle fatigue after 10 minutes of walking, gradual weight gain, brain fog, skin reactions, and waking up in pain
How chronic inflammation connects to diabetes, heart disease, neuropathy, Alzheimer's (sometimes called "Type 3 Diabetes"), fibromyalgia, arthritis, and even depression

The #1 sources of inflammation hiding in your daily life — food, sleep, stress, and exercise habits

Why treating symptoms with medication alone is like putting a band-aid on a rusty nail

The functional medicine approach to finding — and treating — the root cause

Whether you're dealing with joint pain, brain fog, unexplained fatigue, or you just want to prevent chronic disease before it starts — this episode is your starting point.Hosted by Meiping Liu and Dr. Jengyu Lai | Healing Steps to Wellness Podcast

Whole-person health — one step and one bite at a time.

Join the Online Lotus Health Community:
https://lotushealthfoundation.org/lotus-community

Mary Farias & Coleen Stubbs
Economy Creators
Borrow My Brave: Building a Business That Serves Your Life with Coleen Stubbs

What if success wasn't about working harder?

What if the real goal of entrepreneurship wasn't building a bigger business—but building a better life?

In this episode of Economy Creators™, Mary sits down with entrepreneur, business simplification strategist, and systems expert Coleen Stubbs to discuss one of the biggest challenges facing entrepreneurs today:

How do you build a thriving business without sacrificing the life you're building it for?

Coleen believes the answer lies in three powerful principles:

👉 Simplify.
👉 Automate.
👉 Delegate.

Through her company, Simplified CEO Systems, Coleen helps entrepreneurs create businesses that operate efficiently without requiring them to be involved in every detail, every decision, and every crisis. Her mission is simple:

To help business owners create not just time freedom—but mental freedom, emotional freedom, and the ability to fully enjoy their lives.

This conversation is especially powerful because Coleen speaks from experience.

As a lifelong entrepreneur, she has built nine businesses spanning industries from retail and manufacturing to childcare, hospitality, and consulting. Along the way, she experienced the highs of entrepreneurship—but also the burnout that comes from trying to do everything yourself.

Together, Mary and Coleen explore:

✨ Why many entrepreneurs unintentionally create businesses that feel like prisons
✨ How delegation builds confidence in both leaders and team members
✨ The difference between managing people and supporting people
✨ Why micromanagement destroys growth and innovation
✨ How trust transforms organizational culture
✨ The importance of creating systems that allow your business to function without you
✨ Why entrepreneurs must stop believing they are the only ones capable of doing the work

One of the most powerful analogies Coleen shares is the image of carrying a torch.

Many entrepreneurs try to carry every torch themselves—leading every project, solving every problem, and making every decision.

Instead, Coleen encourages leaders to light the torches of others.

When you empower people to step into their strengths, you don't lose control.

You gain capacity.

You gain momentum.

And you gain freedom.

The conversation also takes a deeply personal turn as Coleen shares how she sold successful businesses in order to care for her mother during the final months of her life.

While many people questioned the decision, Coleen has no regrets.

The opportunity to be fully present during that season became one of the greatest gifts of her life.

That experience reinforced what she now teaches entrepreneurs every day:

Your business should support your life.

Not replace it.

Not consume it.

Not become more important than the people you love.

As Coleen puts it:

"Without the life that you want, it doesn't matter how great your business is. It's still a prison—just wearing better shoes."

Toward the end of the episode, Coleen leaves listeners with a simple yet powerful challenge:

"Borrow my brave."

If you're afraid to make a change...
If you're afraid to delegate...
If you're afraid to simplify...

Borrow her confidence until you find your own.

Because the life you want may be closer than you think.

🔗 Connect with Coleen Stubbs

🌐 Website: https://www.simplifiedceosystems.com

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coleen-stubbs-simplified-ceo-systems/

📘 Simplified CEO Systems

📚 Resources from Mary Farias
🎯 Join the Economy Creators Workshop

A live monthly workshop designed to help you identify where you are in your economy, where you're stuck, and what your next steps are.

👉 https://www.magnetminddevelopment.com/economy

📘 Get the Economy Creators Framework eBook

https://www.etsy.com/listing/4505299498/economy-creators-framework-build-a-you