Embracing Stoicism: Insights from Benny Voncken

Welcome back to the Life Unscripted Blog! In our latest podcast episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Stoic coach and writer Benny Vonken, co-founder of Via Stoica. Together, we unpacked how ancient Stoic principles can help us navigate life’s toughest challenges with clarity, purpose, and peace.

What Is Stoicism, Really?

Stoicism is often misunderstood as emotional suppression or rigid detachment. In reality, it’s a pragmatic, Western counterpart to mindfulness, grounded in reason and logic. Stoics encourage us to:

• Observe our immediate impressions without rushing to judgment.
• Apply reason to understand why we feel anger, fear, or grief.
• Act virtuously, aligned with wisdom, courage, justice, and temperance—regardless of external circumstances.

Misconceptions Debunked

• “Stoics are cold and unemotional.” Far from it: Stoicism teaches us to fully acknowledge our emotions, then choose how to respond rather than react impulsively.
• “It’s only for elites or philosophers.” Stoicism was practiced by everyone from Roman emperors to slaves turned teachers. Its core lessons—control what you can, accept what you can’t—apply to all of us.

Benny’s Journey: From Rock Bottom to Resilience

Benny shared how Stoic practices guided him through a painful divorce, serious physical injuries, and over four years of sobriety. Faced with loss and upheaval, he discovered that true strength comes from within—by reframing challenges as opportunities to grow, rather than insurmountable obstacles.

3 Simple Stoic Practices to Try Today

1. Negative Visualization
   • Imagine the worst-case scenario for a situation you fear.
   • Realize you have the inner resources and support to handle it.
   • Return to the present, focused on what you can do right now.
2. Memento Mori
   • Remind yourself that life is finite.
   • Use that awareness to cultivate gratitude for the people and moments you have today.
   • “Live each day as if it were a lifetime.”
3. Amor Fati (“Love of Fate”)
   • Embrace whatever happens as necessary and instructive.
   • Let go of resistance; move forward with greater peace and purpose.

Connect & Take the Next Step

Have these insights sparked your curiosity? Dive deeper and start applying Stoic wisdom in your life:

Connect with Benny Voncken Subscribe to My Channel Buy My Book on Amazon Visit My Website

Honoring Family with Humor: Mark Steven Porro’s A Cup of Tea on the Commode

 

Honoring Family with Humor: Mark Steven Porro’s A Cup of Tea on the Commode

When award-winning designer, writer, and director Mark Steven Porro turned his lens inward, he discovered a story rich in love, laughter, and the unbreakable bond between parent and child. His bestselling memoir, A Cup of Tea on the Commode: My Multitasking Adventures of Caring for Mom and How I Survived to Tell the Tale, is both raw and uplifting—an unforgettable tribute to caregiving that will make you laugh out loud and reach for the tissues.

Finding Inspiration in Provence

After 28 years in Hollywood, Porro retreated to the cobblestone streets of Pézenas in southern France to gain the emotional distance he needed to write his deeply personal story. Surrounded by 16th-century architecture and the gentle rhythms of village life, he poured his heart into a memoir that doesn’t shy away from the challenges of end-of-life care, yet finds humor in every corner.

A Journey of Love, Loss, and Laughter

In his mid-50s, single and childless, Mark answered the call to care for his 89-year-old mother when she entered hospice. What followed was a three-and-a-half-year odyssey of diaper changes, bedside meals, and rediscovered joys—plus more than a few comical mishaps:

• The Pumpkin Pie Miracle: During a no-food hospice protocol, a kind nurse’s spoonful of pumpkin pie jolted Mom back to life—soon she was enjoying pie slices and bowls of sherbet, proving a little sweetness can be miraculous.
• Carpet Sample Cookies: Hoping to restore dignity to her home, Mark presented carpet-swatch “samples” on her breakfast tray—only to find Mom about to taste them!

Why You’ll Love This Memoir

• Heartfelt Honesty: From quiet bedside moments to emotional challenges, no topic is off-limits.
• Uplifting Humor: Mark’s storytelling background infuses every page with wit and warmth.
• Universal Resonance: Whether you’ve been a caregiver or simply love a moving story, you’ll find inspiration here.

Find A Cup of Tea on the Commode

Available in paperback (including large print), ebook, and audiobook—narrated by Mark himself—this memoir has earned glowing reviews, sixteen literary awards, and the hearts of readers worldwide.

Buy on Amazon More Info & Excerpts

Connect with Rosabel & Keep the Stories Coming

I’m Rosabel Zohfeld, host of The Life Unscripted Podcast. If you enjoyed Mark’s journey, you’ll love our other unscripted conversations. Let’s stay in touch:

Subscribe on YouTube Visit my blog Visit my website Follow on Instagram Follow on Facebook

And if you haven’t yet, please check out my own memoir, The Courage to Succeed: A True American Dream, available on Amazon. Your support—through subscribes, reviews, and shares—means the world to me!

 

How Amber Briggle Turned Near-Collapse into a $1.2 Million Wellness Empire

If you ever wondered how to transform personal and professional devastation into thriving success, today’s guest story is for you. Amber Briggle, originally a single-clinic massage therapist, weathered the upheaval of the COVID-19 shutdown and came back not just stronger—but exponentially larger—building a business that now grosses over $1.2 million annually. Here’s how she did it, and how you can apply these lessons to your own journey.

From “Happy Accident” to Industry Leader

Amber never set out to be a massage-therapy mogul—it was pure serendipity. After graduating college with no clear career path, she discovered a top massage school just three miles from her home in Boulder, Colorado, and decided to enroll on a whim. A year later, she graduated with honors—and a new calling. Over the next decade and a half, she built Soma Massage Therapy into a two-location, 13-therapist practice—even before the pandemic struck.

The Pandemic Pivot: Reinvention Under Pressure

When state mandates forced her to close for two months in March 2020, Amber found herself with one location and only four therapists—a fraction of her pre-COVID capacity. Faced with dwindling revenue, staff departures, and hesitant clients, she could have thrown in the towel. Instead, she:

• Reinvested in her vision by scouting a beautiful new studio near downtown.
• Hired purpose-driven team members who believed in her North Star, shedding the “dead weight” who didn’t share her mission.
• Focused on culture, ensuring every therapist felt supported in a non-toxic, uplifting environment.

One year to the day after her shutdown, Soma reopened with twice as many treatment rooms, a staff of 25 therapists, and a clear path toward franchising.

Key Lessons for Entrepreneurs

1. Just start. You don’t need all the answers—take small steps, build momentum, and learn as you go.
2. Surround yourself with believers. Cut ties with anyone who undermines your vision; your tribe should lift you up.
3. Self-care isn’t selfish. “Self-care is how you get your power back,” Amber reminds us. Tend to your well-being to fuel your leadership.
4. Stay laser-focused on your North Star. Let your passion and purpose guide every decision—ignore the noise.
5. Scale smart through franchising. Empower others to grow your brand, rather than overextending yourself.

Take the Next Step

👤 Connect with Amber Briggle
Learn about Soma Massage Therapy’s nationwide franchise opportunities:
mysomamassage.com

🌟 Connect with Me, Rosabel Zohfeld
Visit my website for more stories and resources:
www.rosabelzohfeld.com
Subscribe on YouTube and hit the 🔔

 

When Life Hands You Hardship, Write a Novel

On a warm afternoon in our Texas studio, host Rosabel Zohfeld recorded a podcast session       with award-winning author S.M. Stevens to explore how two life-altering health crises—a shattered pelvis and ovarian cancer—became the unlikely spark for a flourishing fiction career.

From Crash to Creativity

In 2009, Susan Stevens was thrown from her horse and suffered multiple pelvic fractures. “I was couch-bound,” she recalls, “with three dogs, two daughters, and a full-time marketing career. I thought I’d lose my mind if I didn’t try something new.” That “something” was her first children’s book—and the beginning of her fiction journey.

One year later, chemotherapy and surgery for ovarian cancer again put her at a standstill. Armed with a laptop and an infusion IV, she penned a middle-grade novel about a teen drama club. “I don’t recommend it,” Susan laughs, “but it worked for me!”

Beautiful and Terrible Things

Susan’s newest novel, Beautiful and Terrible Things, has won seven awards—including Best Literary Book of 2024—and tackles mental health, immigration, racism, and the bonds of friendship. Six diverse friends (Colombian-American, Filipino-American, non-binary pansexual, and more) navigate life’s big questions on the cusp of 30.

To ensure authentic voices, Susan enlisted sensitivity readers: “They helped me portray characters I’m not—and made the story resonate.”

Marketing Meets Storytelling

With decades in PR & marketing—and interviews on CNN and in the Wall Street Journal—Susan knows how to champion her work. “Every author wears two hats: creator and promoter,” she says. Her marketing savvy helps her stand out in today’s crowded book market.

What’s Next?

Susan is shopping her next adult-contemporary novel, The Unraveling of Carol Dunn, and co-authoring a true-crime memoir about a young survivor who later married her detective.

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Connect & Discover More

Visit S.M. Stevens Visit Rosabel Zohfeld

Grab the Books

Beautiful and Terrible Things  |  The Courage to Succeed Through American Dream

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Self-Care & Resilience Journey with Amanda Bearce

 

Self-Care & Resilience Journey with Amanda Bearce

In a world that constantly urges us to hustle harder, taking a step back to nurture our own well-being can feel impossible. In a recent episode of the Life Unscripted Podcast, I sat down with board-certified health and wellness coach Amanda Bearce, founder of Simply Wellness with Amanda, to explore her personal journey from chronic anxiety and corporate burnout to a life grounded in calm, resilience, and self-care.

Finding Your Inner Calm

Amanda’s story began with a lightbulb moment. After years of dreading Sunday evenings and battling constant stomach aches—later understood to be anxiety—she discovered health and wellness coaching almost by accident. What she thought was simply about nutrition and exercise evolved into a holistic practice centered on slowing down, tuning in, and truly caring for ourselves.

Embracing Self-Care Snacks

One of Amanda’s signature practices is what she calls self-care snacks—small, easy-to-implement actions you can weave into any day. Rather than waiting for the perfect chunk of time, you can:

• Savor your shower: Take three extra minutes, put your phone out of sight, and truly experience the scent and feel of your body wash.
• Check in between tasks: Pause before opening your email—drink a glass of water, take a few deep breaths, or step outside for sunlight and fresh air.
• Brain dump: When your mind races with to-dos, spend three minutes writing everything down so you can let your brain rest and focus on one thing at a time.

Building Resilience Through Intentional Practice

Resilience isn’t about avoiding hard times—it’s about showing up even when everything feels overwhelming. Amanda shares a powerful example: after skipping her usual self-care routines during a busy week, she hit a wall of stress and realized that those very practices were her lifeline. Instead of dropping them, she doubled down—using them as anchors in turbulent times.

Establishing Healthy Boundaries

Boundaries are the framework that allow self-care to flourish. For listeners feeling stuck, Amanda advises:

1. Start small: You don’t need to overhaul your life overnight. Pick one tiny change—maybe a five-minute breathing break—and hold yourself to it.
2. Notice the impact: Track how that small change affects your energy, mood, and focus.
3. Learn to say no: Identify commitments or habits that drain your emotional battery and start declining or delegating them.

Key Takeaway

You don’t have to do it all at once. Small, consistent, intentional changes lead to lasting transformation. If you neglect yourself now, imagine where you’ll be in five years. Make you the priority—your life depends on it.

Connect with Amanda Bearce Connect with Me Buy My Book

 

Grandparenting on the Spectrum: Building Meaningful Connections

In our latest The Life Unscripted with Rosabel podcast episode, I sat down with special guest Jennifer Kaufman—a current NJ school principal specializing in autism support and the proud grandmother of a seven-year-old on the spectrum. Jennifer shared candid insights from her dual roles, offering practical strategies for grandparents who want to foster strong, loving relationships with autistic grandchildren while honoring family dynamics.

From Principal to Grandparent: Two Hats, One Heart

Jennifer began her career as an English teacher before becoming an assistive technology coordinator and then earning her principal’s certificate. Over the years, she noticed a growing need for specialized support for students with autism—and for their families. When she became a grandmother herself, Jennifer realized how different the grandparenting journey can be. “You think you’re the expert—you’ve raised kids before—but now you have to step back and let your adult child lead,” she explained.

Key Takeaways for Grandparents

• Listen First: Silence and observation are your greatest tools. Let your grandchild’s cues guide you.
• Create Safe Spaces: Provide a quiet corner or familiar items at family gatherings to help with sensory regulation.
• Establish Rituals: Simple routines—songs, train-set playtime, or a special snack—build trust and anticipation.
• Honor Boundaries: Offer advice only when asked. A quick email with “take what you like, leave the rest” can be more welcome than uninvited tips.
• Practice Self-Care: Grandparenting on the spectrum is joyful but energy-intensive—schedule rest, naps, and recharge time.

About Jennifer’s Workshops & Resources

Jennifer leads presentations and one-on-one consultations for grandparents and families. She’s also developing autism-response training for local police and emergency services. Learn more about her work and sign up for workshops at GrandparentingOnTheSpectrum.com.

Connect with Jennifer

• 🌐 Website: grandparentingonthespectrum.com
• 📷 Instagram: @grandparentingonthespectrum
• 📘 Facebook: @grandparentingonthespectrum
• ✉️ Email: jen@grandparentingonthespectrum.com
• 📖 Book: Grandparenting on the Spectrum: A Journey from Both Sides of the Desk (available on Amazon)

Stay Connected with Me, Rosabel

If you enjoyed this deep dive, I’d love to continue the conversation with you:

• 🌐 Visit my website: www.rosabelzohfeld.com
• 📕 Get my book: The Courage to Succeed: A True American Dream (available now on Amazon!)
• 🎧 Subscribe to The Life Unscripted with Rosabel on YouTube, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform

Thank you for reading—and here’s to building stronger, more meaningful connections across generations!

Unleashing the Thriller Within: Insights from John Bukowski’s Writing Journey

Unleashing the Thriller Within: Insights from John Bukowski’s Writing Journey

In a recent episode of The Life Unscripted with Rosabel, bestselling thriller author John Bukowski shared how a career in veterinary medicine and public health led him back to his first love: crafting suspenseful novels that keep readers on the edge of their seats. From “what if” sparks to disciplined word counts, John’s story offers both inspiration and actionable guidance for aspiring writers—and a reminder that free speech isn’t free, but every story born of it is worth the effort.

From Lab Coats to Leather-Bound Thrillers

John’s journey began in southeastern Michigan, where he earned a DVM and spent seven years practicing veterinary medicine. A subsequent master’s and PhD in public health led him into medical writing—yet the pull of fiction never left him. Reflecting on summers lost in the Detroit Library devouring H.G. Wells and Jules Verne, he realized that passion never truly fades. When the Great Recession slowed his consulting work, John seized the gift of time to write his first novel. In 2022, Project Suicide was published—a chilling tale of an Alzheimer’s “cure” twisted into an undetectable assassination weapon.

“What If?”: The Spark Behind Every Thriller

John’s creative process often starts with a simple question: what if? For Project Suicide, it was imagining a benign dementia treatment with a deadly side effect. For his sequel, Bad Pennies, he built on that world, pitting hero and heroine against an old nemesis resurrected for revenge. His standalone thriller, Checkout Time, originated from spotting a trap door in a hotel room—what better way to hide a bomb? These moments of curiosity, logged immediately on his phone, demonstrate how real-world observations can ignite fiction.

Crafting a Suspenseful Ride

Thrillers, John explains, must mirror roller coasters: a series of escalating obstacles leading to a climactic showdown. He reads prodigiously in his genre—and beyond—to absorb pacing and structure. Then, he writes 750 words a day on average, typically in morning sessions in his home office. Over time, daily consistency transforms intimidating word totals into a completed manuscript. As he puts it, “even 400 words on a tough day keeps the momentum—and all great books start one sentence at a time.”

Five Key Tips for Aspiring Thriller Writers

• Read Widely and Deeply: Immerse yourself in the genre you aim to write. Study how masters build tension.
• Write Every Day: Treat it like a hobby that demands daily attention—small steps accumulate into thousands of words.
• Embrace Imperfection: Your first draft need not be perfect. Get words down, then revise ruthlessly—often 3–5 times—until the story sings.
• Plotters vs. Pantsers: Find your style: outline extensively, or let the characters surprise you. Both can yield gripping narratives.
• Power of the “Mushy Middle”: Prepare for the challenging midsection. Keep pushing through low-output days; new ideas often arise in those very struggles.

Looking Ahead: New Releases & Adaptation Dreams

John’s latest novel, The Peeper (May 2025), introduces a chilling serial killer who auctions victims’ eyelids online. He’s also refining And A Child Shall Lead Him, a lighter “chick lit” departure set for late 2025, plus a forthcoming short-story anthology. While he’d relish seeing his work adapted for screen, he cautions that moving from page to production requires formidable connections—and a readiness to embrace creative reinterpretations.

Connect, Review, Repeat

To support authors, John urges readers to leave honest reviews on Amazon or Goodreads—star ratings and brief comments accrue social proof that fuels discovery. You can explore his full bibliography at:

• ProjectSuicideNovel.com
• BadPenniesNovel.com
• CheckoutTimeNovel.com
• ThePeeperNovel.com
• ThrillerJohnB.net

Let’s Connect!

Enjoyed these insights? Connect with me at www.rosabelzohfeld.com and don’t forget to subscribe to The Life Unscripted with Rosabel on YouTube for more inspiring conversations.

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