Podcast #39 of Xtraordinary Living is out. In this episode I interview Cindy Perliss, Director of the award-winning Art for Recovery program at the University of California San Francisco Comprehensive Cancer Center. One of the program’s projects is called the Firefly Project – where middle and high school students are paired with adult patients who are coping with cancer or AIDS. They exchange hand-written letters and personal artwork, poetry or music, and — as we’ll find out — so much more. In this podcast, Cindy communicates her extraordinary mindset regarding living, sharing, dying and healing.

In our 39th episode, you’ll hear:
– What prompted Cindy to create the Firefly Project, and how she pairs a student with a patient as pen pals (over 70 students participated in 2006)
– How the partners form rewarding relationships sight unseen over a nine month period
– Why this program addresses three key needs we all have in our life
– What happens if the patient dies during the time frame — and how this sad scenario turns into an opportunity for many to learn about love, dying and healing
– How students and patients culminate the end of the program – you won’t want to miss hearing about this moving Art for Recovery event
– What one piece of advice Cindy would give to others

To learn more about the program visit the Art For Recovery website or email Cindy at: cynthia.perlis@ucsfmedctr.org.

If you would like to make a donation to Art for Recovery, the checks should be made out to the UCSF Foundation with Art for Recovery noted on the memo section of the check. Art for Recovery is a non-profit based at UCSF. Gifts may be in honor or in memory of someone.

Please send the checks to:
Cindy Perlis
Director, Art for Recovery
UCSF – Box 1712
1600 Divisadero Street
San Francisco, CA. 94115

After you listen to the podcast post your thoughts below. In addition, you can leave your feedback by phone. Simply call 1-800-609-9006 x3144 and record your comments and tell me what you think.

This episode is approximately 22 minutes long. To listen to it, click here: Podcast 39

Instead of listening to the podcast here, you may want to consider subscribing directly using your preferred podcasting tool (see below.) The benefit to you in doing this is that it frees you from being tethered to your computer. You now have the freedom to listen to it WHEN & WHERE you want to.

Subscribe:

Or copy and paste this URL into a podcasting tool:

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Technorati Tags: Cindy Perliss, Art for Recovery, Firefly Project, Volunteering, Cancer victims, Xtraordinary Living, www.productivelearning.com, Rick Itzkowich

Podcast #38 of Xtraordinary Living is out. In this episode I interview Bob Dalsimer, founder of Inspira Group, Inc. a Laguna Niguel real estate, lending and escrow firm. With the headlines posing gloom in the media every day regarding the real estate industry, I wanted to find out how someone who actually is IN the business handles this day-in-day-out negativity.

Bob shares his viewpoint of the “sky is falling” scenario. We discuss the what, the why – and most important the “how” he shifts his thinking to create good out of the media-driven gloom and doom.

In our 38th episode, you’ll hear:
– What Bob considers is the mortgage industry’s current state of affairs.
– How he would have viewed this challenge during the 1994 downturn.
– What would have been his thinking then versus now — and why.
– How he and his Inspira team are using this time period as a call to action.
– Why Bob realizes he needs practical hands-on ways to help himself stay on track.
– What helpful piece of advice he would give to others.

After you listen to the podcast post your thoughts below. In addition, you can leave your feedback by phone. Simply call 1-800-609-9006 x3144 and record your comments and tell me what you think.

This episode is approximately 23 minutes long. To listen to it, click here: Podcast 38.

Instead of listening to the podcast here, you may want to consider subscribing directly using your preferred podcasting tool (see below.) The benefit to you in doing this is that it frees you from being tethered to your computer. You now have the freedom to listen to it WHEN & WHERE you want to.

Subscribe:

Or copy and paste this URL into a podcasting tool:

http://www.switchpod.com/users/rickipll/feed.xml

Technorati Tags: Bob Dalsimer, Inspira Group, Real Estate, Mortgage Broker, Loans, Gloom and Doom, Xtraordinary Living, www.productivelearning.com, Rick Itzkowich

Episode #37 of the Xtraordinary Living podcast is out. Last week I was a guest on wsRadio.com where host Patty Kovacs interviewed me on the Topic of “Ways PL&L Supports People in Leading Extraordinary Lives.”

If you are a PL&L client, you’ll hear how I explain what PL&L is all about to wsRadio’s worldwide listeners. This podcast may help you find the right words to tell your friends why the courses you take may also be the ticket for them. Or it may help you explain why your phone rings during coffee at Starbucks at 7:50 a.m., and you just sit and listen to the voice on the line giving you your Quote and Action for the day!

After you listen to the podcast post your thoughts below. In addition, you can leave your feedback by phone. Simply call 1-800-609-9006 x3144 and record your comments and tell me what you think.

This episode is approximately 14 minutes long. To listen to it, click here:Podcast 37

Instead of listening to the podcast here, you may want to consider subscribing directly using your preferred podcasting tool (see below.) The benefit to you in doing this is that it frees you from being tethered to your computer. You now have the freedom to listen to it WHEN & WHERE you want to.

Subscribe:

Or copy and paste this URL into a podcasting tool:

http://www.switchpod.com/users/rickipll/feed.xml

Technorati Tags: Patty Kovacs, Health and Beuaty Revolution, wsRadio.com, PL&L, Xtraordinary Living, www.productivelearning.com, Rick Itzkowich

Podcast #36 of Xtraordinary Living is out. In this episode I interviewed one of PL&L’s corporate clients, Founder and CEO of REZA Investment Group Reza Etedali. I believe you’ll find Reza’s background highly inspiring, and his way of doing business a breath of fresh air in an often stagnant corporate America.

When we think of big business, often we imagine the CEOs to be impersonal human beings; corporate big-wigs who are so dedicated to making money they have little time to care about the people around them . .. be it family or employees. In this podcast you will hear in Reza’s words as well as in his calming voice, a kind and generous man building his vision through collaboration to support all of the people in his life.

In our 36th episode, you’ll hear:
– How Reza came to the US to pursue his dreams. Follow his careers from age 14 until now, as the twists and turns created his current extraordinary life.
– Why he was driven to start his own business.
– How important it is to have a vision and direction with an environment to support them both.
– Why Reza made the decision to change his sales model from competition-based to one of collaboration.
– What the results have been, even as he saw people leave the company when the changes were made.
– How Reza felt when one of the investment group’s best months occurred while he was on holiday for a month.
– What advice he has for weathering the daily “sky is falling” media barrage.
– and more!

When I asked Reza what he would most like to be remembered for — he replied, “Somebody who helped make this world a better place.” Please visit REZA Investment Group to find out more about Reza and his company.

After you listen to the podcast post your thoughts below. In addition, you can leave your feedback by phone. Simply call 1-800-609-9006 x3144 and record your comments and tell me what you think.

This episode is approximately 25 minutes long. To listen to it, click here:Podcast 36

Instead of listening to the podcast here, you may want to consider subscribing directly using your preferred podcasting tool (see below.) The benefit to you in doing this is that it frees you from being tethered to your computer. You now have the freedom to listen to it WHEN & WHERE you want to.

Subscribe:

Or copy and paste this URL into a podcasting tool:

http://www.switchpod.com/users/rickipll/feed.xml

Technorati Tags: Reza Investment Group, Reza Etedali, Commercial Real Estate brokers, Collaboration, Competition, Xtraordinary Living, www.productivelearning.com, Rick Itzkowich

Podcast #35 of Xtraordinary Living is out. This is another “solo” podcast where I cover The Power of Choice. The quality of our life is directly related to the quality of our choices. Discover the two key elements in making powerful choices — self-awareness and purpose.

In our 35th episode, you’ll hear:
– How to recognize whether you may be like so many others, sleepwalking through life . . . unaware of your choices
– What role having a clear purpose or mission plays in helping you make better choices on a daily basis
– Why you need to examine your goals to be sure there are not underlying or unconscious agendas influencing your decisions
– How you can take a simple choice like “walking your dog” and choose to have it meet three of your life’s goals on separate occasions (1-fitness, 2-relaxation and 3-relationship-building)
– Why being aware of what you are trying to accomplish with your choices makes it easier to make “right choices”
– How to incorporate two useful tools, vision and discipline, to make better choices
– and more.
After you listen to the podcast post your thoughts below. In addition, you can leave your feedback by phone. Simply call 1-800-609-9006 x3144 and record your comments and tell me what you think.

This episode is approximately 15 minutes long. To listen to it, click here:Podcast 35

Instead of listening to the podcast here, you may want to consider subscribing directly using your preferred podcasting tool (see below.) The benefit to you in doing this is that it frees you from being tethered to your computer. You now have the freedom to listen to it WHEN & WHERE you want to.

Subscribe:

Or copy and paste this URL into a podcasting tool:

http://www.switchpod.com/users/rickipll/feed.xml

Technorati Tags: The Power of Choice, Decisions, Xtraordinary Living, www.productivelearning.com, Rick Itzkowich

Episode # 34 of Xtraordinary Living is out. Many of our listeners own their company or work for companies that need to decide whether “to blog, or not to blog” or “to podcast, or not to podcast.” These are the questions we discussed with renowned small business marketing guru, John Jantsch.

In this podcast, if you are a business owner you will get hands-on practical and smart advice; if you subscribe to blogs and podcasts you will see how they come together; and if this technology hasn’t become a part of your life yet, you’ll learn why it could add value to your extraordinary life.

In our 34th episode, you’ll hear:
– What value blogs and podcasts provide companies and their listeners.
– How 75% of the U.S. population now begins their search for products and services on the Internet.
– Why businesses of all sizes need to look into adding a blog or podcast to their marketing mix.
– How producing podcast episodes can open doors you may not have had the chance to otherwise go through.
– Five practical ways to get started writing your own blog
– and more.

When the editor-at-large of Inc. magazine, Bo Burlingham, says, “John’s blog Duct Tape Marketing is living proof that John’s ideas work, and that his book Duct Tape Marketing should be required reading for anyone who is building a business. I think we can safely say – John is an extraordinary marketing advisor!” Links to all of his information, blog, podcast and book can be found at his website Duct Tape Marketing.

After you listen to the podcast post your thoughts below. In addition, you can leave your feedback by phone. Simply call 1-800-609-9006 x3144 and record your comments and tell me what you think.

This episode is approximately 24 minutes long.To listen to it, click here:Podcast 34

Instead of listening to the podcast here, you may want to consider subscribing directly using your preferred podcasting tool (see below.) The benefit to you in doing this is that it frees you from being tethered to your computer. You now have the freedom to listen to it WHEN & WHERE you want to.

Subscribe:

Or copy and paste this URL into a podcasting tool:

http://www.switchpod.com/users/rickipll/feed.xml

Technorati Tags: John Jantsch, Duct Tape Marketing, Blogs, Podcasts, Marketing, Small Busienss Marketing, Xtraordinary Living, www.productivelearning.com, Rick Itzkowich

Episode # 33 of Xtraordinary Living is out. If you hear tropical birds in the background of this podcast, you aren’t imagining things! In this episode I interviewed PL&L client Andy Laird while we were in the Amazon Rain Forest.

Andy has the distinction of being PL&L’s highest frequent flyer miles client. For the past nine years, Andy has commuted for weekend, year-long and Learning Vacation courses from Milwaukee, Wisconsin to PL&L’s Southern California location.

In this episode Andy covers his journey to “Experiencing the Unknown.” From his early college years to his current “over-60, but feeling 20″ life, Andy gives us a glimpse at what it’s like to “choose” the “unknown!”

In our 33rd episode, you’ll hear:

– What driving life interest led Andy from central California, to Denver, to Los Angeles to Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
– When and why Andy first got hooked on Learning Vacations.
– Why, at age 50, Andy decided to take up scuba diving and has now achieved the status of Master Diver with a specialty in Ice Diving.
– Why it’s vital to Andy’s extraordinary life for him to keep pushing the envelope and experiencing the unknown.
– and more.

After you listen to the podcast post your thoughts below. In addition, you can leave your feedback by phone. Simply call 1-800-609-9006 x3144 and record your comments and tell me what you think.

This episode is approximately 24 minutes long. To listen to it, click here:Podcast 33

Instead of listening to the podcast here, you may want to consider subscribing directly using your preferred podcasting tool (see below.) The benefit to you in doing this is that it frees you from being tethered to your computer. You now have the freedom to listen to it WHEN & WHERE you want to.

Subscribe:

Or copy and paste this URL into a podcasting tool:

http://www.switchpod.com/users/rickipll/feed.xml

Technorati Tags: Amazon, Rain Forest, Jungle, Peru, Learning Vacations, Ice Diving, Scuba Diving, Xtraordinary Living, www.productivelearning.com, Rick Itzkowich

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