"We have raised a bunch of anxious squirrels, but God created them as bold lions — and we have to get the bold lions back."

Something has shifted in how children move through the world — and most parents know it, even if they can't quite name it. Kids who don't know how to play. Young adults who flinch at a phone call. Families in the same room, miles apart. Shannon Coulter has been tracking this for nearly two decades, and she has built an entire body of work around the belief that what screens are taking from our children — and from us — is not gone. It can come back.

Shannon is the creator of Planet FASSA, founder of Break the Chain coaching, and host of the Let There Be Joy podcast. Her work began in 2007 when three children she had just become stepmother to came inside five minutes after being sent to play and said they didn't know what to do. That moment set everything in motion. Drawing on Jonathan Haidt's research and her own deep dive into the neuroscience of screen addiction, Shannon explains why phones are engineered like slot machines, why Gen Z became the first generation to go through puberty on social media, and what it costs all of us when imagination is allowed to atrophy.

But this conversation is not just a warning — it is a roadmap. Shannon shares three concrete steps any family can start this week, the neuroscience behind why "defend mode" has overtaken "discover mode" in a whole generation, and why the morning habit of gratitude and intention — before the phone — can shift an entire day. She is also clear that adults need to heal first: children are watching, always, and what they see us do is what they will come to understand as normal.

Her Planet FASSA children's books, her Break the Chain adult programme, and the forthcoming FASSA Nuggets of Fun app all point in the same direction — back toward presence, connection, and the kind of joy that only happens when people are genuinely in the room with each other.

Learn more and connect:
Go to https://www.sscolter.com for...
- the Planet FASSA children's books and activity platform,
- Break the Chain coaching for adults
- FASSA Nuggets of Fun app (coming soon) — sign up at https://www.sscolter.com

Other resources:
The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt

To learn more about how coaching can improve your life and help you reach your goals, visit https://DorisChoto.com to connect with Lady Dee directly.

To expand on the ideas in this conversation, pick up Lady Dee's book Career Leadership Coaching Today — available on Amazon.
https://a.co/d/0c4HmwIf

"Excellence isn't the finish, is the preparation that goes into it"

Excellence is not something you arrive at—it's something you build through preparation, discipline, and the standards you choose to live by daily. When those standards are consistent, they compound into results. When they're not, even talent won't save you. Real growth begins when you take ownership of your habits, your thinking, and the people you surround yourself with.

Michael Cappa shares how early lessons in accountability, mentorship, and discipline shaped his path from a teenage paper route to building a scalable painting business. What started as hands-on work evolved into a systems-driven operation grounded in leadership, structure, and long-term vision. Michael explains how writing down his goals created clarity, how working with coaches accelerated his growth, and why surrounding himself with the right people became a turning point. His approach reflects a clear pattern: mindset first, systems second, results follow.

Michael is the founder of Altona Painting, a Toronto-based company known for its strong relationships with real estate professionals and commitment to high standards of service. Beyond business, Michael is a lifelong musician who has been playing drums since the age of 10, an avid traveler who has explored destinations including Peru, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Bolivia, and Machu Picchu, and an outdoor enthusiast who regularly spends time camping and reconnecting with nature. As the youngest of four siblings, he credits much of his character and work ethic to the values of accountability, reliability, and commitment that were instilled in him from an early age. Whether building a business, mentoring others, performing music, or pursuing new adventures, Michael brings the same mindset of discipline, curiosity, and continuous growth that has guided his entrepreneurial journey.

Download Michael's Painting Handbook.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fHIbaYrYQeODIpD3ndDafpjVFfH6MXZZ/view

https://altonapainting.com/

IG: @altonapainting

Phone: (647) 370-7239

To learn more about how coaching can improve your life and help you reach your goals, or if you need support in developing your goals, visit DorisChoto.com to connect with her directly and learn more about how she will bring positive changes into your life.

To expand on the ideas presented in this podcast, purchase Lady Dee's new book, Career Leadership Coaching Today. You can find it on Amazon