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What if the words “life is long” meant something deeper?

In this powerful and important episode of the Today is the Day Changemakers Podcast, Jodi Hope Grinwald sits down with:

• Tom Peregrin, Founder of Life Is Long
• Liz Menges, Chief Operating Officer, Ocean Partnership for Children
• Jess Pepe, Development Coordinator, Ocean Partnership for Children

Together, they have an honest, courageous conversation about suicide prevention, mental health, warning signs, stigma, and why connection is one of the strongest protective factors we have.

Tom shares the heartbreaking story of losing his best friend to suicide and how that loss inspired him to create Life Is Long — a mission-driven apparel brand raising awareness and donating 17% of proceeds to youth mental health services in his friend’s honor.

Liz and Jess provide clinical insight into:
• Warning signs of suicide
• The danger of dismissing comments as “just for attention”
• Anxiety and depression as major risk factors
• The importance of monitoring social media
• Why talking about suicide does not cause suicide
• What actually happens when someone seeks help

One powerful statistic shared in this episode: Over 49,000 people in the U.S. died by suicide in 2023.
In Ocean County alone, over 350 youth currently being served have experienced suicidal ideation or risk.

This conversation is not meant to create fear. It is meant to create awareness.
And most importantly — connection.

If you are a parent, friend, teacher, coach, mentor, or someone quietly struggling — this episode is for you.

💛 If You or Someone You Know Needs Help

If you are in immediate danger, call 911.

For immediate support in the United States:

📞 Call or Text 988
Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (24/7, free, confidential)

📱 Text HOME to 741741
Connect with a live crisis counselor via text.

For families in New Jersey seeking youth services:

📞 PerformCare: 1-877-652-7624
Access care management services in all NJ counties.

Ocean Partnership for Children serves Ocean County families directly.

Learn more about Life Is Long:
Instagram: @LifeIsLongSo

A Message from Jodi

Connection is not a throwaway word.
It is a lifeline.

You never know who needs the phone call, the text message, the conversation, or the safe space.

Today is the day to reach out.

⚠️ Content Note

This episode discusses suicide and mental health. Listener discretion advised. Resources are listed above for support.

💬 About the Host

Jodi Hope Grinwald is a Leadership & Connection Strategist, Certified Professional Coach, Speaker, and Author of Today is the Day. LIVE IT!

Her book — available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble — is a powerful collection of voices centered on courage, resilience, leadership, and motivation. It invites readers to move from the edge of comfort to the center of impact by embracing authentic connection and bold action.

Through keynotes, workshops, consulting, and executive coaching, Jodi helps:

• Organizations strengthen internal culture through connection
• Teams navigate burnout and transition
• Leaders communicate with courage and clarity
• Businesses better connect to clients and customers
• Individuals find their voice and build their own table

To inquire about speaking engagements, workshops, or coaching services:
📧 jodi@todayisthedayliveit.com

📲 Stay Connected

Follow us on Facebook & Instagram: @todayisthedayliveit

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Welcome to Season 6 of the Today Is the Day Changemakers Podcast — part 2 of a special multi-part series featuring authors from the soon to be released book:

Today Is the Day. LIVE IT! — Edge of Comfort to Center of Impact

The book is currently ready for pre-orders online on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Walmart to name a few sites.

In this episode, I’m joined by nine incredible author-voices:

• Heather Mistretta - Writer/Former Reuters Journalist; President, Women & Girls Education International; Board Member, Native American International Caucus; Certified Health Coach
• Fred Wasiak - Owner/Founder, Humanics Consulting and Creator of Outdoors with Papa
• Catherine Curry-Williams - Cofounder, She Angels Foundation; Founder, Shane’s Inspiration; TEDx Speaker & Best-selling Author
• Debra Rizzi - President & Partner, Rizco
• Deborah Baker - CEO, Beyond the Uniform, LLC; U.S. Air Force Veteran; CEO Women Operating in Overflow
• Janet Kotsakis - Chief People Officer, Food Bank of South Jersey
• Mohan Metla - Founder & Owner, Mohan Group LLC
• Steve Cohen - Author of Leading from Within; Cofounder & Chair, Meditation4Leadership
• Terese Rolke - Former Executive Director, Monmouth Regional Chamber of Commerce, Entrepreneur

What unfolds is a living, breathing conversation with nine contributing authors.

This episode explores:

• Why numbers, titles, and followers do not define impact
• How one decision—starting a podcast—created a ripple effect leading to a book, a forum, and a growing ecosystem
• What it means to lead with humanity, courage, trust, and vulnerability
• Why change doesn’t require permission—it requires alignment
• How kindness, collaboration, and presence create lasting transformation

Each author shares:

• Why they said yes to this project
• What inspired their chapter
• What they hope readers take away
• One word describing how it feels to become a published author

You’ll also get a behind-the-scenes look at how the book is structured:

• Each chapter opens with a personal dedication and original quote
• Each chapter closes with “Embrace the Moment” reflection questions—inviting readers to pause, reflect, and take action
• The book is designed not just to be read, but to be shared, discussed, and lived

📌 Follow along and connect with the authors:
Instagram & Facebook: @TodayIsTheDayLiveIt
Website: todayisthedayliveit.com

🎧 Available on YouTube and all major streaming platforms.

About the Host

Jodi Hope Grinwald is an Integrative Success & Leadership Connection Strategist, coach, speaker, and author with over two decades of experience working with leaders, entrepreneurs, professionals, and mission-driven organizations. She specializes in helping individuals and teams navigate career transition, leadership growth, and team development while strengthening culture and alignment at every level of an organization.

📩 Now booking speaking engagements, author talks & signings, and coaching opportunities.

Learn more at todayisthedaylivei

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Welcome to Season 6 of the Today Is the Day Changemakers Podcast — and our first episode of 2026.

This episode kicks off a special multi-part series featuring authors from the soon to be released book:

Today Is the Day. LIVE IT! — Edge of Comfort to Center of Impact

The book is currently ready for pre-orders online on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Walmart to name a few sites.

This conversation brings together leaders, entrepreneurs, nonprofit founders, creatives, and visionaries — from California to Uganda — who each share how one decision, one moment at the edge of comfort, created a ripple of impact far beyond themselves.

In this first episode, I’m joined by five incredible author-voices:

• Lenny Dave – Comedy historian and speaker bringing joy and human connection to senior audiences
• Charlene Gorzela – Former CEO turned executive coach helping leaders listen to their inner nudge
• Amy Delman – Publicist and entrepreneur sharing the courage it takes to take risks while afraid
• Sarah Jakle – Advocate, nonprofit founder, and resilience researcher redefining hope and self-compassion
• Chaya Pamula – Tech CEO and nonprofit founder transforming ideas into action through purpose-driven leadership

Together, we talk about:

• What it really means to step into visibility
• Why connection — not titles — creates impact
• How ideas become action when we stop waiting for permission
• And why none of this happens alone

This book — and this podcast — are not about ego, trends, or perfection. They’re about voices, belief, and the power of building an ecosystem where people rise together.

As we begin Season 6, I invite you to listen not just for inspiration — but for the small step you might be ready to take.

Because today is the day.

📌 Follow along and connect with the authors:
Instagram & Facebook: @TodayIsTheDayLiveIt
Website: todayisthedayliveit.com

🎧 Available on YouTube and all major streaming platforms.

About the Host

Jodi Hope Grinwald is an Integrative Success & Leadership Connection Strategist, coach, speaker, and author with over two decades of experience working with leaders, entrepreneurs, professionals, and mission-driven organizations. She specializes in helping individuals and teams navigate career transition, leadership growth, and team development while strengthening culture and alignment at every level of an organization.

Jodi's approach centers on integrative success: aligning values, communication, and leadership behavior with organizational goals so teams operate more effectively, reduce internal friction, and stay focused on the bottom line.

Jodi is the creator of the Today is the Day ecosystem, which includes a globally streamed podcast, a national speaking platform, leadership programming, and a collaborative forum that brings together business and nonprofit leaders during times of change. She is also the author of Today is the Day. LIVE IT! — featuring stories from leaders and changemakers from California to Uganda.

📩 Now booking speaking engagements, author talks & signings, and coaching opportunities.

Learn more at todayisthedayliveit.com.

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Welcome to the Today is the Day Changemakers Podcast and the final episode of 2025!

Five years ago, in the middle of a major life transition I had an idea I had carried for years:
What if meaningful conversations with those making a difference in their corner of the world and beyond could help people feel less alone—and more hopeful about what’s possible?

On December 30, Today is the Day Changemakers officially celebrates five years, and this final episode of 2025 is one of my favorites—the year-end recap.

Yes, I share some stats (and they’re incredible).
But this episode is really about perspective.

Over the last five years, I’ve had conversations with leaders, entrepreneurs, nonprofit founders, artists, advocates, actors, military leaders, and everyday changemakers from around the world. What I’ve learned is simple—and powerful:

👉 Numbers don’t define us.
👉 Titles don’t define us.
👉 Popularity doesn’t define impact.

After leading organizations, launching a podcast, hosting an international forum, and preparing to release a book in just a few weeks, I recently asked to be a guest on another podcast. The first question I was asked wasn’t about the work—it was, “How many Instagram followers do you have?”

That moment further validated my original thought that so many see titles, financials, and followers - metrics as a way to showcase who is worthy, who is valid, and who matters. That is the furthest thing from the truth and that isolates people even if they are doing incredible work.

Today is the Day Changemakers—and the entire Today is the Day ecosystem—has never been about metrics. It’s about humanity. Conversation. Courage. Trust. Determination. And showing up even when there’s no external validation. Every guest is invited to share their journey and story because they have meaning. Each and every guest over the last five years is heart-centered.

If one conversation helps one person take one step forward, the work matters.

🎧 Join me for this special episode as I reflect on five years of conversations, growth, and transformation—and why I’m more committed than ever to creating spaces where people are seen, heard, and valued.

Because real impact isn’t measured by numbers. It’s measured by connection.

Do you have a changemaking story to share? Is there a lesson you have learned that will help those who are listening around the globe? Reach out to me at jodi@todayisthedayliveit.com.

Today is the Day. LIVE IT! - our upcoming book is launching on January 20. You can pre-order the book on Amazon for the Kindle version and Barnes & Noble for the paperback.

As a Certified Professional Coach, I focus on career transition, leadership and team development. Learn more.

Cheers to 2026. What is your word of the year? Mine is BRAVE!

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This week on the Today is the Day Podcast, I’m joined by actor, speaker, and public speaking coach Brian LaFontaine, whose journey is a powerful reminder that one conversation can change everything.

Brian grew up in Rhode Island and later attended college in North Carolina on a golf scholarship, fully expecting his future to be on the course. After his first year, he was told he would no longer be able to remain in the program. What could have ended a dream became the beginning of a new one. One conversation led to stand-up comedy, then acting—and ultimately a decades-long career on stage and screen. Brian remained in North Carolina, where that unexpected pivot reshaped his life and career.

Brian has appeared in Stranger Things, Ozark, Nashville, The Vampire Diaries, and Outer Banks, among many others. Today, he brings that experience into his work helping people communicate with clarity, presence, and impact—whether they’re pitching an idea, leading a team, stepping onto a stage, or finding their voice in a moment that matters. Through his Speak Easy experience and coaching practice, Brian helps people learn how to truly be seen, heard, and remembered through storytelling.

I’m your host, Jodi Hope Grinwald—a career and leadership coach and consultant who works with professionals, leaders, entrepreneurs, organizations, and teams across the country. Through my coaching and consulting work, I help individuals gain career path clarity, help leaders become more effective and aligned, and help teams develop from the inside out—strengthening communication, trust, and collaboration in ways that lead to stronger, more dedicated clients and customers.

I’m also the founder of the Today is the Day ecosystem, which includes this podcast, a global forum, and my upcoming book, Today is the Day. Live It!—a global mosaic of voices sharing what becomes possible when we step to the edge of comfort and into meaningful impact.

This podcast exists to amplify stories, ideas, and people doing changemaking work. If you are building something meaningful—whether in business, leadership, community, or service and believe in the power of connection, I want to share your work through this platform. The Today is the Day Podcast is heard in over 130 countries, and sponsorship opportunities are available for individuals and organizations who want their voice heard by a global, purpose-driven audience.

🎙️ In this episode, we explore:

• How unexpected setbacks can become career-defining pivots
• Why communication is a leadership skill, not a performance
• How one decision—or one conversation—can change everything

📘 Today is the Day. Live It! (coming soon)
🌐 todayisthedayliveit.com
📲 Follow @todayisthedayliveit on Facebook & Instagram

#speaker, #coach, #golf, #publicspeaking, #actor, #StrangerThings, #Ozark, #Nashville, #TV, #Film, #stage

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On this week's episode of the Today is the Day Changemakers Podcast my guest is someone whose story will stay with you long after the episode ends: Luke Mickelson, founder of Sleep in Heavenly Peace.

Luke’s journey is nothing short of extraordinary.
He didn’t create a nonprofit — he sparked a national movement.

Featured on The Today Show, Good Morning America, Hallmark Channel’s Home & Family, NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt, and recognized as a Top 10 CNN Hero, Luke has been sharing a truth most people never even consider:

There is a crisis happening in America that we don’t talk about.

Not every child has a bed.

Since 2012, over 250,000 children have received brand-new beds because of Sleep in Heavenly Peace and its army of volunteers. Yet the need continues to grow.

We talk about hunger.
We talk about clothing.
But we rarely talk about the child sleeping on a cold floor…
or a blanket in the backseat of a car…
or a couch they share with siblings.

Luke has seen those children.
He has delivered beds to those families.
And he has witnessed the look on a child’s face when they receive something many of us take for granted — a safe, warm, comfortable place to sleep. A moment that restores dignity, hope, and childhood itself.

And here’s what makes this story even more powerful:

Luke didn’t seek out this mission — it found him.

A simple act.
A moment of paying attention.
A heart that refused to look away.
That is all it took to ignite a movement.

Today, with national partners like Lowe’s and DeWALT, SHP has chapters across the country — but many communities still have none. The need is everywhere. Which is why Luke speaks so passionately about starting new chapters in towns, cities, and states nationwide.

In this unforgettable episode, we discuss:

· The moment that changed Luke’s life — and thousands of others

· The emotional reality of child bedlessness in America

· What it feels like to hand a child their very first bed

· Why heart health — emotional and physical — is intertwined with service

· How YOU can start a Sleep in Heavenly Peace chapter and help change lives

This isn’t just a story — it’s a wake-up call.
A reminder that one act of service can ripple into something life-changing.

Let’s make sure no child sleeps on the floor in our towns — or any town.

#TodayIsTheDayPodcast #LukeMickelson #SleepInHeavenlyPeace #Changemakers #Service #Leadership #NonprofitImpact #EveryChildDeservesABed #CommunityAction #BeTheChange #Sleep #Bedlessness #Community #Volunteers #Lowes #DeWalt

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This week on the Today is the Day Changemakers Podcast, I welcome Tanya Newbould. This is a story of courage, advocacy, and transformation.

I’m honored to welcome Tanya Newbould — Life Transformation Strategist, ACC/ICF Certified Coach, speaker, entrepreneur, author, and founder of DelPozzo Jewelry and SOZO Heart. Tanya’s journey includes being adopted in the U.K., moving to Los Angeles becoming an actor, producer, surviving postpartum depression, and transforming her pain into purpose. Her openness about her own experience helped ignite global awareness when she co-produced the award-winning documentary When the Bough Breaks, narrated by Brooke Shields.

Her work not only gave countless women a voice, but also shifted the public conversation around maternal mental health. And through her coaching, storytelling, and creative ventures, Tanya now empowers others to rise from their most challenging moments and reclaim their lives with clarity, courage, and connection.

Today we’ll talk about what healing really looks like, the power of sharing your story, and how Tanya's positive and courageous outlook has helped her turn adversity into a life of service and transformation.

To learn more about Today is the Day and the global Changemakers who share their stories on this platform, be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel, and follow us on Facebook and Instagram at Today is the Day Live It. Stay connected to upcoming episodes, the International Changemakers Forum, and the work we do to amplify voices around the world.

As a Certified Professional Coach, I help leaders lead more effectively, support entrepreneurs in growing their businesses, and equip teams to strengthen communication, alignment, and performance all while ensuring bottom-line sustainability and growth.

Across every platform, I champion one essential truth: connection drives everything in our lives — how we lead, how we communicate, and how we create meaningful impact.

Click to learn more about all that Today is the Day has to offer.

#lifestrategist

#postpartum

#postpartumdepression

#Coach

#entrepreneur

#actor

#producer

#TodayistheDay

#Changemakers

#Jewelry

#Candles

#Wellness

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This week on the Today is the Day Changemakers Podcast, I sit down with someone whose story will stay with you long after you finish listening.
His name is Charles Allen Reed, and his journey is one of the most honest, heartbreaking, and ultimately hope-filled conversations I’ve had on this show.

Charles grew up surrounded by challenges most adults would struggle to handle, let alone a child. His mother courageously lived with MS, his home life carried deep emotional strain, and by the age of 13, Charles had already begun down a path of alcohol and drug addiction. His teenage years and early adulthood became a fast-moving spiral — one filled with rebellion, pain, and choices that pulled him further away from the person he truly was.

He speaks openly about the moments that broke him, the toxic patterns he witnessed at home, the addiction that consumed him, and the consequences that followed — including the moment he became a father while still trapped in the darkest parts of his disease.

But here’s where Charles’ story becomes extraordinary.

Because just when it seemed like all hope was gone…something happened.

Something he didn’t expect, wasn't looking for and something that changed everything — instantly.

And that moment led him to where he is today: sober, present, connected to his family, rebuilding his life, and helping others find their way forward through his work in the community, recovery organizations, and beyond.

I won’t give away what happened — you need to hear it in his own words.
Trust me, it’s powerful.

Charles is a husband, present father, sober, and sharing his story to help others.

If you or someone you love has ever felt hopeless, lost in addiction, or unsure whether change is possible, this episode is an absolute must-listen. Charles reminds us that even in the darkest places, transformation can begin in a single moment.

Subscribe to the Today is the Day Changemakers Podcast on our YouTube channel, or stream on all popular platforms.

And don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram at Today is the Day Live It for updates, inspiration, and guest highlights.

If you or your organization are looking to deepen connection, strengthen client and customer relationships, unify executive and sales teams, or bring more alignment and purpose to nonprofit professionals, I’d love to partner with you. Through coaching, trainings, and collaborative strategy work, I help teams reconnect to each other, their mission, and the people they serve.

Let’s work together to make meaningful connection a cornerstone of your culture.

#addiction

#addictionrecovery

#Father

#Parent

#resilience

#sobriety

#connection

#todayistheday

#changemaker

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