It’s easy to feel bad when you are not yet the person you want to be. When you haven’t yet developed the habits you desire, or haven’t yet got up and pursued the life of your dreams. David Richman found himself in this position, feeling bad about his smoking habit and his weight. Now an entrepreneur, author, public speaker, athlete, and philanthropist, there are endless lessons to learn from David’s journey through trauma to the life of his dreams. Listen in for proof that it’s never too late to take a step back, assess your life, and make changes that will get you where you want to go.    Today, David uses the lessons learned in his life to enrich and inspire others.  not on what others wanted out of him, but on what he wanted out of life, he went from a sedentary smoker to living the life he always wanted. In his first book, Winning in the Middle of the Pack, David discusses how you can get more out of yourself than ever imagined. And in his second, Cycle of Lives, he shares the interconnected stories of others overcoming obstacles—specifically cancer.   Tune in and find out why your trauma is not a barrier, it’s a window!   [00:01 - 09:08] Opening Segment   David shares his background and work  Why he started to explore the emotional side of cancer His focus on the transformation of grief trauma Cycle of Lives Winning in the Middle of the Pack  Your traumas are not worse than others Understand the meaning behind what people are going through   [09:09 - 31:37] Your Trauma is Not a Barrier, It’s a Window   David introduces his book Cycle of Lives Patricia’s story: A woman who had a really poor cancer diagnosis Traumas that are preventing us to have connections with others The emotional side of trauma and how it is affected by stages of life Tools on how to better talk to people in our lives that are going through things Put your feet on the ground and try to make the best out of your day David’s insights about his book’s reviews Understand the responsibility in what comes from other people We can form a deeper connection by being honest and open  it’s not a win or a loss, it’s what we can learn  [31:38 -  53:11]   Connect in a Deeper Authentic Level   Why you should get out of yourself and be okay with not knowing all the answers How David understood it was about fixing himself and not everything around him There is a place on the internet created to bring out our best impulses and our collective genius. Visit Goodness Exchange and get unlimited access to exclusive news and bonus content! David’s outlook on his book Cycle of Lives You are who you’re choosing to be Life is so much better when you try to interact and grow  I don’t know anything because there’s always something to learn The reasons why people prefer not to talk about hard situations The world of trauma: not being or feeling safe  David shares his thoughts about assuming good intentions instead of bad intension [53:12 - 1:03:58] Closing Segment   David discloses the connections between Cycle of Lives and Winning in the middle of the Pack Be able to have the presence and take an honest assessment of who we are Forgive yourself for not being the person you thought you were going to be   Connect with David on Facebook. Head to Cycle of Lives and engage in a battle against what you know and who you thought you were, and decide that you want to be more than what you have ever been.   Tweetable Quotes: “Trauma is different for everyone so don’t compare it to others.” - David Richman “When you're trying to form deeper connections with the people in your life…you shouldn’t guess what their responses will be. The way they're reacting is often a result of the traumas they've had in their life.” - David Richman  “Don’t settle for “I am who I am” you don’t know everything about yourself.” -  David Richman Conspiracy of Goodness Links: The Goodness Exchange https://goodness-exchange.com/     The Goodness Exchange - Become a member