The Balanced Athlete Car Convos; About Purpose, Balance and Play!

Episode on Meaning

 M — Meaning

“Meaning is the anchor that keeps teens steady when performance gets shaky.”

• Connect training to something bigger than the scoreboard.
• Ask: “Who do you want to become through this sport?”
• Tie team goals to values like resilience, service, leadership.
• Use community service or mentoring younger athletes to deepen purpose.

M — Meaning Check List/Journal Prompts

For Teen Athletes

• Did I co...

Episode on Relationships

R — Relationships

“Teen athletes don’t just need teammates — they need a tribe.”

• Team culture is everything for teens — belonging drives effort.
• Build rituals: partner warm-ups, shout-outs, buddy accountability.
• Teach communication skills: how to give feedback, how to ask for help.
• Model coach-athlete trust through consistency and transparency.

R — Relationships Check List/Journal Prompts

For Tee...

Episode on Engagement

E — Engagement

“When teens feel engaged, they stop performing for approval and start performing from purpose.”

• Help athletes find their “flow moments” — drills or roles where they feel fully absorbed.
• Rotate responsibilities so each athlete experiences challenge and mastery.
• Use short, focused training blocks to keep attention high.
• Encourage athletes to set micro-goals for each practice.

E — Engage...

PERMA EPISODEs

Positive Psychology in Sports

PERMA is gold for teen athletes, and weaving it into a training conversation on your podcast will feel both practical and inspiring. You can frame it as a way to build not just better athletes, but healthier, more resilient humans. Here’s a set of strong, clear talking points you can drop straight into an episode.

Incorporating PERMA Into Teen Athlete Training

Why PERMA Matters for Tee...

In this episode I speak about the positive phycology practice called PERMA and how you can use this to craft a life of happiness ad meaning in sports, careers and every aspect of living. 

Parent and Teen Athlete PERMA

PERMA is a positive psychology practice developed by Martin Seligman. It provides a structured approach to well-being through five distinct elements: Positive emotion, engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplis...

Nanci Cosby is a devoted mom to three girls and one boy, and a proud “Nonni” to her grandbabies. She loves God, cherishes her family and friends, and never turns down a good cup of coffee.

Nanci is the founder of NJ Consulting, LLC, where she brings together her passion for people and her extensive professional experience. She became a certified life coach through the World Coach Institute in 2019 and earned her Master of Education...

Nanci Cosby is a devoted mom to three girls and one boy, and a proud “Nonni” to her grandbabies. She loves God, cherishes her family and friends, and never turns down a good cup of coffee.

Nanci is the founder of NJ Consulting, LLC, where she brings together her passion for people and her extensive professional experience. She became a certified life coach through the World Coach Institute in 2019 and earned her Master of Education...

Today’s guest is someone whose career has stretched across three decades, three continents, and just about every corner of elite and professional sport. Dr. Paul Gamble has worked with athletes of all ages and backgrounds, but his deepest passion lies in helping young athletes unlock their potential and supporting the next generation of sport stars in a healthy, sustainable way.

Paul is the author of Sports Parenting—first released...

In this episode I have a convo with Audrey Costa — a dedicated wellness professional whose work bridges health, experiential learning, and trauma-informed care. Audrey holds a B.Sc. in Physical Education and Health, a Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, and is a Licensed Associate Counselor in New Jersey. With extensive experience supporting adolescents and adults through addiction, recovery, trauma, grief, and emotional...

Mandi Clouse grew up in MN, swam on a swim team from third grade through colleague. Mandi has been active all her life and has enjoyed many different types of athletic activities including marathons, CrossFit games and body building competitions! She was married in 2003 to a man in the Air Force and has moved every two years, taking her and her family all around the world. She is the mom of four athletes all in different sports and...

This live unedited episode was something I wanted to do on the first day of 2026 to highlight the amazing humans that I had on as guests! I took some of my favorite talking points from each guest's episode along with the books and podcasts they recommended! I also share my two words to set my intention and filter for 2026! Happy New Year! Buckle up and enjoy the ride! Thank you to all my guests for being vulnerable and sharing your...

Ikigai is a Japanese concept that is centuries old and it is a holistic way of uncovering your life's meaning or purpose by tapping into what you love, what this world needs that only you can give in your uniqueness, what you are good at, and what you can get paid for. In today's episode we dig a bit deeper into this concept and how to apply it to your life. After all, it is easy to fall into the idea that you are your title, wheth...

Tiffany Bankston is my dear friend a fellow volleyball mom and main character in my self-help book Journey of a Volleyball Mom: Surviving the First Club Season - You can do it! She is a reinvention and identity coach, speaker and founder of ThriveOLOGY Health and Wellness, LLC. As a practicing Physician Assistant of 20 years, Tiffany felt God calling her to help powerhouse, high-functioning women break free from burnout and redisco...

Jonathan Carone is the creator of Healthy Sports Parents, a podcast and social platform helping parents lead their kids through youth sports without losing their minds. With a background in sport management, coaching, and student ministry, Jonathan brings 20 years of experience across all levels of youth sports. From rec leagues to Division I athletics, he has seen how the right kind of support can shape a kid’s experience and stre...

This is a continuation of my interview with Lauren Whalley Adventure Therapist and my sister! We had such a great conversation about purpose, balance and play that we split it into two parts. I always end each podcast with asking questions that are the four pillars of the Japanese concept called Ikigai - a holistic way of uncovering and incorporating your purpose into your life, and it is always the richest part of the conversation...

Lauren is Jessie's sister, an Oklahoma native who spent time in Kentucky for graduate school to become a psychotherapist before moving to Canada in 2012 to pursue her dream job as a wilderness therapist. She’s lived in Ottawa since 2015 with her husband, their 10-month-old daughter, and their dog. Lauren currently runs a private psychotherapy practice, providing therapy to individuals, couples, and families, including walk-and-talk...

Danny Brown is a firefighter/paramedic in the Oklahoma City metro, where he's served for 13 years. He's also a devoted husband and father- his son Zac plays varsity tennis, and his daughter Ashley is a competitive dancer. Away from the firehouse, Danny is the host of The Pretend Painters' Show and Podcast, a unique project where painting becomes the backdrop for powerful conversations. Through art and storytelling, he helps guests ...

My purpose is to help parents and teen athletes uncover their purpose by discovering their gifts and strengths and then putting them on paper to create their personal mission statement. In this episode, I talk about why that can be such a life changing event and why I believe it is so important for curating the life that you want and the life that makes room for purpose, balance and play!

Buckle up and enjoy the ride! 

The Balanced...

Why set a New Year's Resolution when statistics show that only 1% of people who set one, follow through reaching their goals 12 months later?

Instead, uncover your personal mission statement so you can thrive on and off the field, court, classroom or job! Take a deep dive into who you are, what your unique strengths and gifts are and craft a personal mission statement to live by, starting each day in 2026 you can reflect on that mi...