In January 2025, Chad Nelson and his fiancée Lori were facing eviction, deep in active drug use, and staring down a Wisconsin winter with nowhere to go. When a wrist infection from intravenous drug use landed Chad in the ER for the second time — on his dominant, writing hand — it became the wake-up call neither of them could ignore.

On this episode of the Look Up Mindset Podcast, host and author Heidi Siefkas sits down with Chad, now a student at Western Technical College in La Crosse, Wisconsin, to trace his path from a homeless shelter and Project Proven's recovery-focused campus program to student government, a board seat with WINN (What I Need Now Incorporated), and a growing platform for civic advocacy on behalf of La Crosse's unsheltered population.

Chad opens up about the scar he says is proof that “lightning struck twice,” the speech class that helped him find his voice, and the reverse town halls and park stewardship proposals he's now pushing to reshape how his community talks about homelessness. It's a conversation about the difference between surviving and changing — and what happens when you finally choose to look up.

• A second wrist infection from IV drug use was Chad's breaking point.

• He and his fiancée Lori chose a shelter over the streets and got sober cold turkey in January 2025.

• Project Proven at Western Technical College sparked his shift toward civic advocacy.

• Chad and Lori both won write-in seats in student government.

• A speech class helped him find his voice and his purpose.

About Chad Nelson:

Chad Nelson was born and raised in La Crosse, Wisconsin, where he still calls home today alongside his wife with their two cats. At Western, Chad serves as Campus Events Coordinator for Student Government and as a Democracy Fellow, and he also sits on the board of W.I.N.N. (What I Need Now) Inc. as Communication Specialist. Outside of his campus and community roles, he's an avid Batman collector and finds creative outlets in writing, drawing, 3D printing, and time spent in nature.

Learn more about Project Proven by visiting Western Technical College's website: https://www.westerntc.edu/life-at-western/you-belong-here/justice-involved-students
Connect with Western Technical College on IG: https://www.instagram.com/westerntechnicalcollege/

Discover what WINN Incorporated is all about: https://www.whatineednow.org/

About Heidi Siefkas:

Heidi Siefkas is a Nashville-based author of 4 books, TEDx speaker, podcaster, and adventurer.

📖 To explore her latest book, Look Up—Global Stories of Resilience: https://bit.ly/49QOPCH.

🎤 Bring Heidi to your event: https://heidisiefkas.com/speaking/

🌐 To connect with Heidi and share your story for the Look Up Mindset Podcast, visit www.heidisiefkas.com.

In this solo Season 2 episode, host Heidi Siefkas steps away from her usual guest format to dedicate the show to her father, Dr. James Siefkas, a speech and theater professor at UW-La Crosse for 42 years and, as Heidi puts it, the reason she calls herself a storyteller.

The episode recaps the keynote she delivered as closing speaker for Viterbo University's servant leadership conference (an invitation that came through podcast contributor Tom Thibodeau), where she redefined resilience not as "bouncing back" to a former normal, but as "bouncing forward" into a bigger, bolder version of yourself.

Heidi traces her own bounce-forward story: the 2009 tree-limb accident that broke her C7 vertebra the same night she discovered her husband's infidelity, the "clean slate" that followed, meeting her late love of her life, Brian Treptow, their adventurous life together in Alaska and Hawaii, her father moving in after his 2014 stroke, the 5 a.m. call in December 2022 that told her Brian's medevac flight had gone down, and her decision to rebuild in Nashville.

From that story, she distills four practical tools for building resilience — cognitive reframing and a "Look Up reminder," embracing Plan B, leaning into community and third spaces, and heading for adventure — before closing with an update on her father, now 91 and in hospice, who told her two weeks earlier, "I'm not looking down and depressed because of where I am. I've lost a lot, but I'm still looking up for what I still have."

Takeaways

● Redefine resilience as "bouncing forward," not "bouncing back" — the goal isn't returning to your old normal, it's evolving into a bigger, bolder version of yourself.

● In any crisis, you can only control two things: staying present in the moment and looking for the upside or opportunity within it.

● Tool 1 — Look Up: be in the moment and find the upside the same; set a "Look Up reminder" on your phone

● Tool 2 — Embrace Plan B

● Tool 3 — Lean into community and "third spaces"

● Tool 4 — Head for adventure

● Resilience is a muscle and a lifelong practice, not a one-time fix — even after living through the tree accident and Brian's death, Heidi is still being tested, as her father's hospice journey shows.

● Her father's example at 91 — needing help with nearly all basic needs but still choosing to "look up for what I still have" — is the clearest proof that the Look Up Mindset is a choice available at any age or circumstance.

About Heidi Siefkas:

Heidi Siefkas is a Nashville-based author of 4 books, TEDx speaker, podcaster, and adventurer.

📖 To explore her latest book, Look Up—Global Stories of Resilience: https://bit.ly/49QOPCH.

🎤 Bring Heidi to your event: https://heidisiefkas.com/speaking/

🌐 To connect with Heidi and share your story for the Look Up Mindset Podcast, visit www.heidisiefkas.com.

The conversation with Norman Calvo covers the shock of triplets, life in Seattle and New York, the challenges of pregnancy, financial struggles, taking care of the family, overcoming financial hardship, embracing adventure and new opportunities, the power of music and community, and living life to the fullest.

This is a story about resilience, community, and refusing to let age or adversity define the limits of your life.

Chapters

• 00:00 The Shock of Triplets
• 02:15 Life in Seattle and New York
• 08:35 The Dream and Financial Struggles
• 11:28 Overcoming Financial Hardship
• 24:35 Embracing Adventure and New Opportunities
• 30:18 The Power of Music and Community
• 33:40 Living Life to the Fullest

Connect with Norman:

• Podcast: againstthenorm.net
• Substack: substack.com/@normancalvo
• YouTube: Norman Calvo on YouTube

About Heidi Siefkas:

Heidi Siefkas is a Nashville-based author of 4 books, TEDx speaker, podcaster, and adventurer.

📖 To explore her latest book, Look Up—Global Stories of Resilience: https://bit.ly/49QOPCH.

🎤 Bring Heidi to your event: https://heidisiefkas.com/speaking/

🌐 To connect with Heidi and share your story for the Look Up Mindset Podcast, visit www.heidisiefkas.com.

Becky Onyett shares her incredible journey of resilience, from a life-threatening diagnosis to multiple open heart surgeries and recovery. Her story highlights the importance of a strong support network and the ability to find gratitude in challenging situations. Becky's journey is a testament to the power of resilience and the impact of reframing life's unexpected moments.

Takeaways

• Resilience
• Reframing the unexpected
• Finding gratitude
• Leaning into your support network

Chapters

• 00:00 The Journey Begins
• 06:01 Life-Threatening Diagnosis
• 08:55 Open Heart Surgery
• 11:34 Recovery and Reflection
• 26:45 New Normal and Future Outlook

About Becky Onyett:

Becky Onyett is a physiotherapist, wellness coach, and mother whose life has been shaped by extraordinary medical challenges and deep resilience. Following complications during childbirth, Becky faced a series of significant health battles, including a spinal infection, multiple surgeries, and two heart valve replacements—learning to navigate life with a mechanical valve and long-term medication.

Now based in New Zealand, Becky combines her clinical expertise with her lived experience to support others navigating injury, trauma, and life-changing health conditions. Becky shares more of her journey through her website and blog at www.free-your-time.com. She has also recently published a chapter in the anthology Mind Over Matter and authored her own book, Stitches and Lullabies: Grandmas' Clock. More insights and resources are coming soon.

About Heidi Siefkas:

Heidi Siefkas is a Nashville-based author of 4 books, TEDx speaker, podcaster, and adventurer.

📖 To explore her latest book, Look Up—Global Stories of Resilience: https://bit.ly/49QOPCH.

🎤 Bring Heidi to your event: https://heidisiefkas.com/speaking/

🌐 To connect with Heidi and share your story for the Look Up Mindset Podcast, visit www.heidisiefkas.com.

P.J. shares his inspiring journey of resilience, transformation, and the power of choice. He emphasizes the importance of looking up, letting go of what's holding you back, and choosing to overcome challenges. His story serves as a powerful reminder that transformation is a choice, and resilience is a mindset that can be cultivated.

Takeaways

• The power of choice in shaping our emotions and mindset
• Looking up is essential in overcoming challenges

About P.J.:

P.J. is an international speaker and success strategist—who focuses on results! Despite his disability, he truly lives an extraordinary life: sailing, outdoor skydiving, indoor skydiving, trapezing, ziplining, and the list goes on! He’s also a published author, 10th-degree Black Belt, and meditation teacher. Additionally, P.J. is now training law enforcement officers. He created a completely unique course that teaches officers how to successfully interact with physically disabled suspects. To learn more about P.J.’s speaking, coaching, and law enforcement training, visit www.pjswisdom.com.

About Heidi Siefkas:

Heidi Siefkas is a Nashville-based author of 4 books, TEDx speaker, podcaster, and adventurer.

📖 To explore her latest book, Look Up—Global Stories of Resilience: https://bit.ly/49QOPCH.

🎤 Bring Heidi to your event: https://heidisiefkas.com/speaking/

🌐 To connect with Heidi and share your story for the Look Up Mindset Podcast, visit www.heidisiefkas.com.

What if the storms in your life weren’t meant to break you—but to build you?

In this powerful episode, Author Heidi Siefkas sits down with Dr. Carolyn Colleen—researcher, entrepreneur, and TEDx speaker—who shares her deeply personal journey of navigating life’s storms. From standing in line at the Salvation Army with her young daughter, unsure of what came next, to earning her PhD and building a life of purpose, Dr. Colleen’s story is a testament to the strength we all carry within us.

• This Isn’t Your First Storm: You’ve survived hard things before—use those lessons to navigate what’s in front of you now.
• Start with Five Minutes: When life feels overwhelming, shrink the moment—breathe, focus, and take one small step forward.
• Look Up = Be Present + Trust the Process: You may not see the full path yet, but you can control this moment—and that’s enough.
• Borrow Light from Others: Community matters—lean on those who believe in you when your own light feels dim.

About Dr. Carolyn Colleen

Dr. Carolyn Colleen is an author, speaker, executive leader, and founder committed to helping individuals, families, and communities rise with clarity, courage, and purpose. She is the visionary behind the FIERCE Foundation, FIERCE Network, and Acton Midwest, where she leads work centered on resilience, leadership development, education, and community impact.

Whether she is speaking on stage, building mission-driven programs, or leading transformative partnerships, Dr. Carolyn brings both heart and strategy to everything she does. Her voice is grounded, compassionate, and deeply action-oriented—shaped by lived experience, servant leadership, and a belief that pain can be repurposed into purpose. Connect with Dr. Carolyn Colleen: https://www.carolyncolleen.com/

About Heidi Siefkas

Heidi Siefkas is a Nashville-based author of 4 books, TEDx speaker, podcaster, and adventurer.

📖 To explore her latest book, Look Up—Global Stories of Resilience: https://bit.ly/49QOPCH.

🎤 Bring Heidi to your event: https://heidisiefkas.com/speaking/

🌐 To connect with Heidi and share your story for the Look Up Mindset Podcast, visit www.heidisiefkas.com.

What happens when you apply the discipline of pilot training to life and business—and what happens when you don’t?

In this episode, author, pilot, and entrepreneur Donald R. Payseur shares a gripping story of resilience—from a near-fatal flight experience as a young pilot to building (and losing) a multimillion-dollar business. Through the lens of aviation, Donald reveals how structure, discipline, and mindset can elevate success—and how ignoring those same principles can lead to a crash.

• “Fly the Plane First” (Be in the Moment): In crisis, focus on what’s directly in front of you before reacting emotionally or overthinking.
• Discipline Drives Success: The same structured mindset from pilot training can fuel massive growth in business and life.
• Failure is a Teacher, Not the End: From bankruptcy and starting over with almost nothing, resilience is built by choosing to try again
• You Don’t Have to Go It Alone: Mentorship, community, and asking for help are essential to navigating life’s turbulence.

Grounded in the Look Up Mindset, this conversation reminds us that even in life’s lowest moments, we have the power to steady ourselves, refocus, and rise again.

About Donald R. Payseur

Donald R. Payseur is an entrepreneur, pilot, and author who believes life’s greatest lessons are learned through presence, humility, and perseverance. Raised by an adoptive father who chose consistency, faith, and quiet strength, Donald carried those values into aviation and business. After experiencing both success and failure, including rebuilding his life after a major business collapse, he found renewed purpose in service and storytelling. He is the founder of Coastal Broadband, serving underserved communities in coastal Georgia, and the author of two memoirs. Find out more about Donald and his books at: www.flyinghighthebook.com www.thedadwhoadoptedme.com

About Heidi Siefkas

Heidi Siefkas is a Nashville-based author of 4 books, TEDx speaker, podcaster, and adventurer.

📖 To explore her latest book, Look Up—Global Stories of Resilience: https://bit.ly/49QOPCH.

🎤 Bring Heidi to your event: https://heidisiefkas.com/speaking/

🌐 To connect with Heidi and share your story for the Look Up Mindset Podcast, visit www.heidisiefkas.com.