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What if one recorded conversation could become a living archive... something that speaks long after you’re gone and changes someone’s life in ways you’ll never witness?

In this deeply moving episode, host Amanda Russo sits down with Adam Torres, co-founder of Mission Matters, author, international speaker, and host of over 6,000 interviews... for a conversation that weaves together mindset, storytelling, grief, and legacy.

Adam shares his unconventional path from left-brained finance to storytelling at scale, including growing up in Detroit, choosing international relations simply to travel the world, and how writing one book set off an unexpected domino effect that led to publishing hundreds of authors and launching hundreds of podcasts. Along the way, he reflects on learning podcasting in public, imperfect audio, authentic beginnings, and the surprising kindness of podcast listeners who keep creators accountable through consistency.

At the heart of the episode is legacy. After losing his mother in a sudden tornado, Adam realized that the three interviews he had recorded with her were his most valuable possessions, living recordings that future generations can hear in her own voice. He opens up about the “small miracles” that followed, the healing power of documenting grief, and why inviting loved ones into your work now is something you’ll never regret.

The conversation also dives into the craft of podcasting itself: why “just start” matters more than perfection, how volume builds endurance, why creation beats critique, and how shifting from ego to service can turn a microphone into a tool for humanity.

It’s a powerful reminder that storytelling isn’t about attention, it’s about preservation, connection, and meaning.

💡 In this episode, listeners will discover:

🎙️ Why podcasting is simply recorded human connection
🌍 How a love of travel shaped Adam’s global mindset
📖 How writing one book unexpectedly launched a media empire
🧠 Why authenticity outperforms perfection when starting something new
⏱️ How consistency builds trust even when content isn’t “perfect”
🕊️ How grief reshaped Adam’s understanding of legacy
👩‍👦 Why recording loved ones can become priceless over time
📡 Why Adam believes we’re heading toward one billion podcasts
🔥 Why creating your own voice matters more than critiquing others

⏰ Timeline Summary

[3:02] Growing up in Detroit and developing an early work ethic
[7:02] Redefining intelligence, success, and nontraditional paths
[8:24] Choosing international relations purely to see the world
[13:48] Writing one book and the domino effect that followed
[17:03] Why podcasting is just recorded conversation
[21:38] Learning podcasting in public and embracing imperfection
[29:19] Why storytelling dissolves ego instead of feeding it
[37:16] Losing his mother and redefining legacy through recorded voice
[42:53] The healing power of documenting grief and “small miracles”
[50:49] Why inviting loved ones on your show matters

To Connect with Amanda:

Schedule a 1:1 Virtual Breathwork Session HERE

📸 Instagram: @thebreathinggoddess

Follow & Support the Podcast:

📱Instagram: @MandersMindset
👥 Join the Manders Mindset Facebook Community HERE!

To Connect with Adam:

https://www.instagram.com/askadamtorre

Feedback on the show? Send us a message!

What if the “small changes” you keep putting off are actually the ones that would change everything?

In this episode of Manders Mindset, host Amanda Russo sits down with author and acupuncturist Elizabeth Bruckner, creator of The Homesteader Mindset, for a conversation that feels equal parts grounding, funny, and quietly life-altering. Elizabeth shares how a lifetime shaped by immigrant family history, chronic illness, and deep curiosity led her to the unexpected path of homesteading… starting in a Southern California suburb with a concrete backyard and a history of killing plants.

Together, Amanda and Elizabeth explore what integrity really means, why routines outperform willpower, and how “tiny increments” can pull someone out of survival mode and into self-trust. From habit chaining and gratitude practices to the power of frivolous joy, this episode is a reminder that healing and transformation don’t usually happen through massive overhauls… they happen through small, doable choices repeated with grace.

💡 In this episode, listeners will discover:

🌿 How chronic illness became the turning point that shifted Elizabeth’s relationship with self-care
🏡 What “homesteading” can look like even in a suburb with limited space
🧠 Why routines work better than willpower when building lasting habits
⏳ The “five-minute rule” that helps people restart habits without shame
💛 How gratitude can interrupt hopelessness and bring someone back to the present
✨ Why “frivolous joy” is not optional... it’s nervous system medicine
📝 What Elizabeth means by “badly done is better than well said” (and why it changes everything)

⏰ Timeline Summary

[0:49] Elizabeth’s core values: integrity and being a lifelong learner
[3:11] Family history, immigration trauma, and how early stories shaped her worldview
[10:52] Chronic illness in her 40s and the moment everything had to change
[13:09] Starting homesteading during COVID and building community through curiosity
[15:57] Learning languages during illness and why it helped her avoid identifying with being “sick”
[22:08] Why Elizabeth wrote The Homesteader Mindset and the power of tiny increments
[28:01] Willpower vs. routines and how habits live in the brain differently
[31:42] Practical tools for getting back into habits (five-minute rule + function stacking)
[35:30] Gratitude as a mindset shift, especially in hard seasons
[58:35] “Badly done is better than well said” and why action beats perfection

To Connect with Amanda:

Schedule a 1:1 Virtual Breathwork Session HERE

📸 Instagram: @thebreathinggoddess

Follow & Support the Podcast:

📱Instagram: @MandersMindset
👥 Join the Manders Mindset Facebook Community HERE!

To Connect with Elizabeth Bruckner:
Website: https://createwellnessproject.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/createwellnessproject/

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What if the reason “starting over” feels so hard… is because you’re trying to change habits before you’ve changed the way you see yourself?

In this episode of Manders Mindset, host Amanda Russo sits down with mindset and movement coach Christiaan Hoffman for a wide-ranging, thought-provoking conversation about identity, comfort zones, and why real transformation starts in the mind long before it shows up in the body. Christiaan shares how his life experiences—from growing up in the Netherlands to solo backpacking across Australia and training in martial arts—influenced the way he coaches people to close the gap between who they are and who they’re meant to be.

Together, Amanda and Christiaan unpack why “discipline” isn’t just about willpower, why most people burn out after a few months of trying to change, and how black-and-white thinking can quietly keep you stuck. Expect a conversation that challenges the typical fitness narrative, reframes emotions and identity, and brings everything back to one simple question:

What’s the outcome you actually want? 🎯

💡 In this episode, listeners will learn:

🧠 Why identity and belief systems shape results more than motivation
🔥 Christiaan’s “80/10/10” framework (psychology, diet, movement) and why it works
🏃‍♂️ How to rebuild confidence in your body using simple, effective movement
🥤 Why deprivation backfires and how small reductions create big change over time
🧩 The difference between self-conception vs. self-definition (and why it matters)
📖 How Christiaan spent 8 years building a psychological model and writing his book
⚖️ Why “no black-and-white thinking” could change everything from fitness to conflict
😮 His take on emotions, stability, and staying focused on outcomes
👟 The Dutch saying about “soft healers” and when a kick-in-the-butt is actually love

⏰ Timeline Summary

[2:24] Growing up in the Netherlands as the “middle child fighter” and what that shaped in him
[4:46] The spontaneous decision to backpack Australia solo and why waiting until retirement doesn’t make sense
[11:15] Why desk jobs didn’t work for him and the importance of understanding how you function
[13:23] His philosophy on movement: simple, effective, and built for real life capability
[16:57] The “80% psychology” truth bomb and why most routines fail without support
[20:43] Why restriction backfires and how Amanda approached weight loss by adding “more good” instead of cutting everything out
[30:25] When diets become identity and why black-and-white thinking makes change harder
[40:09] How writing a book forced him to define concepts and led to his psychological model
[47:34] The Dutch saying: “soft healers make stinking wounds” 👣 and when people need a push
[51:15] “Emotions are overrated” 😮 his perspective on anxiety, reaction vs. response, and stability

To Connect with Amanda:

Schedule a 1:1 Virtual Breathwork Session HERE

📸 Instagram: @thebreathinggoddess

Follow & Support the Podcast:

📱Instagram: @MandersMindset
👥 Join the Manders Mindset Facebook Community HERE!

To Connect with Christiaan:

Website: https://www.sportnaturel.com/

📘 His Book: To Meet Yourself, Think For Yourself